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God's Deception

Randkiel stared at the gold and silver ring before him, struggling to believe what lay in his hand. It took him a long moment to regain his composure.

"This... Lucifer's ring?" He recognized its origin immediately, glancing down at a similar ring adorning his own finger.

"Yes," Forseti affirmed. "I encountered Lucifer in Hell and inadvertently took this ring from him. I initially thought it was worthless, never realizing it could be the key to unlocking God's door."

"Ah, over two thousand years..." Randkiel murmured as he took the Ring of Lucifer from Daniel, his eyes trance-like as he examined it.

"At last, I shall see our Master!" His tone grew frenzied.

Daniel and Norbert Kyle shared in the excitement, though their reactions remained markedly composed compared to Randkiel's fervor.

Randkiel unfurled his wings suddenly, shaking off the dust of millennia of vigil. As the largest and most powerful angel in the Golden Holy City, his expansive dark blue wings nearly blocked out the sun, casting a shadow over Forseti and the others below.

With a powerful beat of his wings, Randkiel ascended dozens of meters into the air, hovering before the Gate of God.

Here, on either side of the gate's fissure, were two circular indentations.

Randkiel took the Ring of Lucifer and removed his own ring, inserting both into the grooves of the gate.

"Open, Gate of God."

After a pregnant pause, the colossal golden doors resounded with a thunderous "Boom..."

With a deep rumble, the immense doors swung open slowly, emitting a radiant golden light that flooded the already luminescent Golden Holy City like the rising sun.

"God!"

"Our Master returns at last?"

The angels of the Golden Holy City took notice of the Gate of God opening, stirring a mixture of shock, joy, confusion, and fear among them. All eyes turned upward momentarily, emotions running high in this celestial realm above mortal understanding.

Forseti, Daniel, and Norbert Kyle

Bore witness to the Gate of God opening, bringing an end to millennia of dusty existence.

Beyond the towering golden gate, a long staircase came into view, ascending steeply towards the Holy Palace at its zenith—the abode of Jehovah.

"Master..." Randkiel whispered, folding his wings gracefully and descending from the sky. He began the ascent up the steep steps towards the Holy Palace.

It was customary for angels to approach God on foot, despite their powerful wings, signifying respect and reverence.

Ascending the steep staircase, they eventually reached the gates of the Holy Palace.

Standing before it, they glimpsed a figure robed in white, seated serenely on the highest throne within—the seat of Jehovah.

Is that the LORD...

Forseti hesitated briefly, then activated the Eye of Reckoning, attempting to observe the ancient deity from a distance.

To his surprise, instead of seeing a figure, the Eye of Reckoning revealed only an orange pinpoint of light.

Above the throne, there lay but a small orange light.

What is this?

Forseti closed the Eye of Reckoning, frowning in confusion.

His attention quickly shifted to the interior of the grand Holy Palace. Aside from Jehovah seated at the far end, the chamber was adorned with statues of angels.

These statues, crafted in pristine white, possessed remarkable lifelike detail despite being motionless.

Scattered about the hall in seemingly random disarray, each angelic visage bore an expression of sorrow or pain, some even appearing to shed sculpted tears.

Such lifelike quality in stone surpassed the skill of any earthly sculptor.

Daniel and Norbert Kyle exchanged puzzled glances. They had no knowledge of these angelic statues within the Holy Palace, leaving Forseti equally baffled.

Randkiel, unperturbed by these surroundings, approached the highest throne directly, kneeling before Jehovah without hesitation, his voice trembling. "Master!"

Forseti and the others followed suit.

As they drew closer, the true appearance of Jehovah came into view.

Clad in flowing white robes, Jehovah resembled an ordinary elderly man—lean and clean-shaven. He sat upon the throne with eyes closed, appearing calm and serene, almost as if peacefully dozing.

Upon his brow, set with an orange gemstone...

An orange gem? Forseti paused.

Daniel and Norbert Kyle were taken aback by the quietude and unresponsiveness of Jehovah, hesitating briefly before kneeling beside Randkiel. "Master."

"Eternal God, Spirit of Vengeance, we beseech your pardon for our transgressions," Norbert Kyle implored, prostrating himself.

Yet Jehovah remained silent, his eyes closed, unmoving upon the throne.

At this juncture, Randkiel suddenly lifted his head, staring directly at Jehovah with an accusatory tone. "Why? Why do you deceive us?"

Daniel gasped in alarm. "Lord Randkiel!"

"You taught us, you taught Lucifer, you taught all angels and the world—no deceit, no falsehood. Yet, you deceived us all!" Randkiel's voice thundered.

A blaze of celestial fire erupted around him, whipping up a tempestuous gale within the Holy Palace.

"What are you doing!" Daniel and Norbert Kyle exclaimed in shock.

"Enough!" But in that moment, amidst the raging inferno, Jehovah swayed and collapsed from his throne, falling to the ground in an undignified and seemingly forlorn manner.

Witnessing this abrupt turn of events, Daniel, Norbert Kyle, and even Forseti stood stunned, scarcely believing what they beheld.

The LORD, seemingly... deceased. And in the most silent and mundane fashion—death from old age.

Collapsed upon the floor, robes disheveled, Jehovah appeared almost mummified to onlookers.

In that instant, Randkiel's emotions, pent up over two millennia at the Gate of God, erupted in full force.

"You claimed immortality!"

With fiery determination, Randkiel summoned the Sword of Heaven amidst the flames, roaring as he swung his blade fiercely down upon the fallen LORD.

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