THE COLLAPSE

All across the land, our cities and t ribes

crumbled � some due to natural disasters, others due
to wars, famine and plague. Cities sank into the depths
of the oceans, while others were simply given over to
the wilderness. It was as if the race of Adam and Eve
chose ignorance when shown the totality of Creation
and its secrets. Many of us cannot understand this even
to this day. Why turn their backs on destiny and choose
a lifetime of toil and ignorance? This was the ultimate
betrayal in the eyes of many of our legions, something
few have forgiven mankind for.
THE COMING OF THE END
The experiment had failed, and for al l our
might, nothing could restore humanity's unstinting
devotion. The mortals were blinded to us, and we were
deprived of the faith we'd grown so accustomed to. We
had forgotten the Host in the chaos of the Shattering,
but Heaven had not forgotten us. During our darkest
hour, the Host descended on us. The malhim laid siege
to Dudael, Taba'et' and Kasdeja, and they laid all our
works to waste.
Michael and his Host gathered on
Genhinnom, and a mighty battle raged. I am told that
even at the last, Lu cifer never once spoke of surrender.
The Crimson and Iron Legions fought to the last of
their strength and held the walls for 40 days and 40
nights before the gates finally gave way and the
Momingstar was bound in chains of fire.
The ophanim, the Creator's angels of justice,
came from Heaven surrounded by malhim and
Michael's Host. They rounded up our legions and
levied their punishment. Many of us expected to make
the long march back to Heaven to face dest ru ction, but
the Almighty had a far more terrible fate in store. He
condemned us to darkness eternal, an endless, empty
existence devoid of purpose or worth. In all the horror
I witnessed during the Age of Wrath, nothing
compared to the atrocity that Heaven perpetrated on us
at the end,
The ophanim passed judgment, and all was
silent for a moment. I think they expected us to plead
for mercy, to beg for swift destru ction instead of
eternity in the Pit. But our eyes turned to our prin ce,
the Momingstar, who knelt with his head unbowed. It
seemed as though he was searching the skies, daring the
Almighty to face him one last time. The sight moved
me beyond words, and I knew then and there that I
would rather face the darkness standing on my feet
then bend my knees one second longer to an uncaring
God.
I climbed to my feet, daring the ophanim to
object, I can remember the silence that hung over the
great plain and the countless eyes following me as I
marched resolutely to the gate of Hell. At the threshold
I turned to my prin ce, and I swear there were tears in
his eyes. With a proud salute, I cast myself into the
Abyss.
I will not lie to you and say I was unafraid, but
I fought to contain my terror in the emptiness of the
Pit. I was waiting for my Prin ce to follow us into exile,
and then I would be the first to kneel and swear my
oath of fealty to him once more. For on that plain of
judgment I realized that as long as he stood with us, no
prison forged by Heaven could hold us. We would not
yield to God's tyranny, not on Earth or in Hell. We
would not submit. Justice would be ours one day.
I do not know how long I waited, keeping the
fire of defiance alight. The ranks of the damned
pressed about me, and still I endured. The darkness and
the cold ate at my soul but still I endured. The cries of
the forsaken cut through me like a knife, and still I
would not yield.
Then the gates of Hell clanged shut, and I
realized then that we'd been t ruly forsaken. Lu cifer was
not among us.