The End of Babel

Long ago, Lucifer had stood with him, looking at the tower in the human world.

It soared into the clouds, magnificent and exquisitely built. Yet construction had abruptly stopped halfway, and it stood gazing from afar at the gates of Heaven, touched by a faint, untouchable sorrow.

"Look. Even the people beloved by God meet this fate when they presume to fathom His will. God loves all mankind, yet He has never allowed anyone to approach His side.

"We're no different."

When Lucifer said this, he still looked elegant and casual, his eyes clear and a mocking smile playing on his lips. It seemed as though he were simply stating the facts, making it impossible to tell whether there was even a hint of loneliness in his words.

"God interfered with their language because He feared that, united, they would become omnipotent." He curved his lips into a smile and pulled Lucifer to his feet. "By joining together, frail humans gained a power that even God feared."

"Raphael, perhaps you can travel farther down this path than I can." Lucifer watched him thoughtfully, then suddenly smiled. "All right, you're right."

Raphael couldn't help smiling too. "Surely Your Highness, the Deputy King, has enough confidence to do what even humans can manage?"

"Of course."

Time passed, and their hearts were no longer as pure as they had once been. Desire blackened everything in their past, including the convictions they had once held firm.

A semi-alternate-universe fanfiction featuring Raphael and Lucifer~