Fate/Book of Aaron

Chapter 2: Damned Morning Star

When the Lord told me of my mission, I did not hesitate to accept. I descended from the heavens, prepared to fulfill my divine purpose. But as my feet touched the sands of the earth, I was met by our accuser, the one who sowed seeds of doubt and rebellion—Lucifer himself. Yet, he did not appear as a hideous creature or a monstrous force. No, he stood before me as a vision of deceiving beauty, a man crowned with jewels that gleamed like stars and hair the color of gold, shimmering under the sun.

He spoke, his voice a lullaby of such intoxicating sweetness that it could ensnare even the strongest of hearts. Each word was a woven temptation, crafted to twist and confuse, to make me falter. I knew in that moment, this was not just a battle of strength, but a test of unwavering faith and a trial of resolve.

The battle commenced in the very desert where our Savior, Christ, had once faced temptation. The winds carried whispers of ancient struggles, and I knew that we were hidden from mortal eyes. Only those blessed with the Holy Ghost could witness this clash of spirits. It was a spiritual war, an echo of heavenly defiance brought down to the dust of the earth.

I wielded the gifts God had bestowed upon me—the spear of holy flame, the sword that shone with truth, and the courage that stemmed from an unshakeable faith. Lucifer's attacks were cunning; his every move was calculated to undermine my trust in God's purpose. He wielded an instrument of melody—a violin from a future time, crafted with sinuous skill, meant to beguile and seduce the soul into despair.

But his melodies fell short, for I did not stand alone. The love of God filled my heart and surged through me like a river of light. With each strike, I rebuked him in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. His songs of deception faltered, and I saw doubt flicker in his once-proud eyes.

The final blow was not of force but of faith. I declared the Word of God, my voice resounding in the barren wilderness. The accuser's radiant form wavered, his countenance fell, and he crumbled before the truth. As he retreated, scurrying into the dark recesses of the earth, I whispered a prayer of mercy, for I knew his end—an eternity trapped, bound, alone.

That night, my mission truly began. I stood as a sentinel, fighting unseen battles, answering prayers, protecting those who called upon the name of Christ. For in every whispered prayer, every cry of the faithful, I would be there, a guardian against the darkness.

"A single prayer is all it takes. And I will be there."

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When the Lord told me of my mission, I did not hesitate. In the presence of divine majesty, how could I? My heart burned with holy purpose, my resolve steeled against the trials to come. I descended from the heavens, prepared to fulfill the will of the Almighty.

As my feet touched the desert sands, I felt the weight of the world pressing against me. The sun hung heavy in the sky, its heat oppressive, the air still and dry. Then I saw him—Lucifer, the Morning Star, the accuser of mankind.

He did not come to me as the beast depicted in mortal imaginations. No, he was breathtaking, a vision of deceiving beauty. His form was radiant, adorned with robes of celestial white that shimmered like the surface of a tranquil lake. His hair, spun gold, caught the sun's rays, and a crown rested on his head, its jewels gleaming like stars.

"Greetings, Aaron," he said, his voice a melody of perfect harmony. It was soothing, intoxicating, the kind of sound that could lure a soul into the deepest abyss. He smiled, a gesture both inviting and menacing.

I said nothing at first, gripping the spear at my side. He tilted his head, his golden eyes searching mine. "Why the silence, servant of the Most High? Are you not here to proclaim your zeal? To smite the sinner?"

I met his gaze and spoke calmly. "I am here to do the will of my Father, nothing more."

Lucifer's smile widened, but there was a flicker of something else—curiosity, perhaps. "Ah, obedience. A fine virtue, though it has its limits. Surely you, of all beings, know the weight of free will. After all, what is obedience without choice?"

"You misunderstand," I said. "My choice was made long ago, and it remains unshaken."

His laughter was light and airy, a sound that seemed to mock the wind itself. "Unshaken? Oh, my dear Aaron, do not flatter yourself. Even your Savior was tempted, was He not? Forty days and forty nights. How long do you think you'll last?"

His words were venom wrapped in silk, but they slid off me like rain on polished steel. "He resisted because He is the Son of God. I resist because His strength is within me."

Lucifer's smile faltered, just slightly. He stepped closer, his hands outstretched in a gesture of mock benevolence. "Come now, Aaron. Surely you've questioned. Surely you've doubted. After all, you are human—or at least, you were."

"I may have been, but I walk in the Spirit now. Doubt has no place in me."

For a moment, his face hardened, but then he smoothed it over, like a craftsman fixing a marred sculpture. "No place for doubt? You must be extraordinary indeed. Or perhaps, you're simply blind to the truth." He lifted a hand, and a violin materialized, its dark wood gleaming in the sunlight.

He began to play.

The melody was hauntingly beautiful, a cascade of notes that seemed to carry the weight of eternity. Each sound pressed against me, whispering promises of power, pleasure, and peace. Images flickered before my eyes—visions of kingdoms under my rule, of humanity kneeling before me, of a world free of suffering, free of strife.

"You could have it all," Lucifer said, his voice interwoven with the music. "Is it not what you desire? To save them? To bring them peace? Why suffer when you could rule?"

I closed my eyes, breathing deeply. "It is not my place to rule. The kingdom is God's, not mine."

The music faltered, just for a moment. "And yet, He lets them suffer. He lets them die. While you stand here, a pawn in His grand design, how many cry out in anguish?"

I opened my eyes and fixed him with a steady gaze. "You speak as if you care, but it was you who sowed this pain. It was you who led mankind astray. Your promises are as hollow as your crown."

His golden eyes narrowed, and the melody grew harsher, more discordant. "You dare to accuse me? You, a speck of dust made flesh?!"

"Yes," I said, stepping closer. "Because I know the truth. You fell because you could not bear to serve. And now you wander, desperate for validation, trying to prove you were right. But deep down, you know—you were wrong. And you always will be."

The violin screeched, a wail of frustration, and Lucifer's composure cracked. His radiant form seemed to flicker, shadows curling at the edges. "Enough!" he snarled. "You will fall, just as all the others have. You will beg for mercy before the end."

I tightened my grip on the spear, but I did not raise it. "You're wrong, Lucifer. I stand in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Your words are nothing to me."

He stepped back, his face twisted with fury and something else—fear. His form shimmered, the beauty giving way to something darker, more grotesque. "This isn't over," he hissed. "It never is."

As he vanished into the shadows, the desert fell silent. I whispered a prayer, not of triumph, but of mercy. For even the Morning Star, in all his pride, was still one of God's creations.

(a few hours later)

The night was still, the kind of silence that presses down on the soul. I sat by a flickering fire in the vast desert, my eyes fixed on the heavens. The stars shimmered like tiny jewels, reminders of God's creation. Yet, even in their brilliance, a shadow crept closer, heavy and oppressive.

At precisely three in the morning, the air turned cold, the fire extinguished as though snuffed out by an unseen hand. The stars dimmed, their light consumed by an encroaching darkness that seemed to seep into reality itself.

I stood, gripping the Spear of Destiny tightly as its holy flame sparked to life, sensing the presence. Then, he appeared.

Lucifer emerged from the abyss, no longer cloaked in his deceiving beauty. His monstrous form—a fusion of nightmares—towered nine feet tall, his crimson skin radiating heat without light. His goat-like head twisted grotesquely, with burning coal eyes and spiraling obsidian horns. His leathery wings blotted out the faint moonlight, and atop his head rested a crown of black flames, writhing and alive.

Behind him stood three fallen Grigori, their pitch-black forms absorbing all light. Their glowing red eyes and jagged scars reflected malice. Each loomed eight feet tall, their dragon-like wings twitching as they prepared to strike.

Lucifer's voice, a guttural roar layered with countless clashing tongues, echoed. "Did you think our confrontation was over, Aaron? Did you think I would let you walk away so easily?"

I tightened my grip on the spear. "You've already lost, Lucifer. Your words hold no power over me. Your form is but a shadow of what you once were."

He laughed, shaking the earth. "Arrogant. You speak of my defeat as though it were certain. Do you truly believe you can stand against me and my warriors?"

The Grigori stepped forward, their clawed hands flexing, their blackened swords glowing with unholy energy.

"I don't stand alone," I said, raising the spear. Its flame surged higher, illuminating the darkness. "The Lord is my strength, and His light will banish even the deepest shadows."

Lucifer snarled, his wings unfurling as he advanced. "Then let us see if your faith can endure the wrath of the fallen!"

The first Grigori lunged, its jagged blade streaking toward me. I blocked with the spear, the impact unleashing a shockwave that turned sand to glass. Divine fire clashed with unholy steel as I cried out, "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?"

The spear's flame overwhelmed the Grigori's weapon, cleaving it in two. The creature recoiled, screeching as the holy fire scorched its blackened flesh.

The other two attacked in unison, their wings generating howling winds. Their synchronized strikes aimed for my heart, but I raised the Shield of Ever-Gleaming Hope, its golden radiance deflecting their blows.

"No weapon forged against me will prevail!" I shouted. The shield pulsed, throwing them back as their cries echoed in the void.

Lucifer watched, his fiery eyes narrowing. "Enough of this!" he bellowed, lunging with claws tipped in absolute darkness.

I met his attack head-on, summoning Excalibur in my other hand. The sword of truth shone brighter than the noonday sun, its golden blade cutting through the shadows. Our clash shook the heavens, sending waves of energy that carved the desert into a field of glass.

The Grigori tried to rise, but with a single prayer, their forms disintegrated into ash, banished back to the abyss.

Lucifer fought harder, his crown's flames burning hotter. His claws summoned a storm of unholy fire that rained like meteors.

Planting the spear in the ground, I knelt and raised my hands. "The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe!" A dome of light erupted, deflecting the fiery onslaught.

Lucifer's fury peaked. He charged again, roaring, "You will bow, Aaron! You will fall like all others before me!"

I rose, gripping the spear as its flame transformed into a blinding pillar of light. "It is written: 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve!'"

With a final surge of strength, I thrust the spear forward. The holy flame erupted, consuming Lucifer in a torrent of divine power. His monstrous form writhed, the black flames of his crown snuffed out.

The ground glowed white-hot, the sand melting into a sea of glass. As Lucifer's form dissolved into shadow, retreating into the abyss, dawn's light cracked the sky.

In the silence that followed, I fell to my knees, whispering a prayer of gratitude.

Though the battle was won, I knew this was just the beginning. Lucifer would return, his schemes endless. But as long as there was faith, as long as there was light, I would stand as a guardian against the darkness.

As the first rays of sunlight broke over the horizon, I whispered: "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."

[End of flashback]