Chapter 8: Ambition is a Curious Type of Madness.

Where is heaven? A very important question that religion has wiggled its way out of time and time again. First, the priests and sages said it was in the sky. However, man being man learned how to fly. And after flying for so long, through empty skies, they believed that heaven was a lie.

However, dogma is an immortal dog and it shall live forever. And so it was that religion moved heaven to space. There they were sure that heaven would be safe. Safe from the grasp of truth and evidence. However, dogma was against intelligence, and intelligent beings the more dogged dog of the two went after heaven as man developed space travel.

Floating in pace, staring at the vast and endless nothing, man proclaimed. There is no heaven, there is no God. However, dogma is nothing if not persistent. And ignorance is a powerful pestilence. And so it was that while some have left this question unanswered some sages and priests have developed a new line.

Heaven is in a realm beyond our perception for it is spiritual and can't be seen with our physical eyes. When we die, only our spirits would be lifted to the skies and float through the pearly gate. This is a disguise which the atheists hate. And the argument is bound to grow bloodier than a mere debate.

But for now, that is hardly the case, for Uriel landed in front of the pearly gates. In his celestial form, looking mighty and great. He didn't have to knock. He just stood in wait and a few seconds later the might gates opened and the streets of paradise stretched beautifully before him. He took one step into heaven and Michael appeared before him.

'Brother,' Michael said cheerfully spreading out his arms in joy. 'It's good to see you again. You are back, so I take it that the madness that possessed your mind has left your brain. It's good to have you back in paradise Uriel. Oh, how I have missed the sound of your voice. I was afraid that it would be gone forever, like Lucifer's. But you are here and my cup of happiness runneth over.'

'I am here but my ambition isn't dead.'

'Oh,' Michael said as he noticed in Uriel the persistent darkness. 'You are still holding on to your madness.'

'You call it madness, I call it purpose. You on the other hand have no purpose, just foolishness,' Uriel replied.

Michael chuckled. 'I have a purpose, brother. I am the right hand of Gad. The general of his army and an archangel of the highest order. My job is to protect reality and do Gad's bidding.'

'How long Michael? How long have you held the job of a mere pawn? How long would you strut around as the general of an army that has only fought one great war? You are mere pet, and it's quite repulsive that you don't want more.'

'More?' Michael replied. 'More of what? More power? More control? And why would I want that? What would I possibly do with more?'

'You are a small-minded fool, who has little and thinks himself full. There is more to see, Michael, more to be, more to do, more to unleash, and more to change. Power, control, to live without it would be truly a shame.'

'What about peace and serenity. We are immortal Uriel, we don't need to delve into foolish games. Come with me. A star is set to go supernova. You always loved to watch those kind of things. Perhaps Gad can watch with us and we shall have a feast.'

'No. Only two types of beings are comfortable with peace, fools, and beasts. I am not a fool, neither am I a beast. You on the other hand manage to be both without missing a beat.'

'Uriel, answer me this? Why?'

'Why what?'

'Why are you doing this? What do you hope to achieve? You must see the futility.'

'I don't see the futility in changing my destiny. I don't see the futility in rewriting my fate. I shall not spend eternity as a mere slave. There is more than this reality. I know it. And even if there isn't, I shall not settle for mediocrity. Now if you would excuse me. I am here on business and I am determined to attend to it,' Uriel said as he walked past Michael. However, he had only taken a step away from the general when Michael grabbed him by the arm.

Uriel was about to summon his sword and strike the pompous oaf down. However, his intelligence stood in the way of his rage and quelled it like a mere candle flame. A battle in heaven was sure to attract the attention of Gad, for they weren't on Pluto hidden away from his perception and knowledge.

'Release me you brute,' Uriel said angrily.

'I will but hear this. The numbers after six are more than seven.'

'How dare you speak to me in proverbs,' Uriel shot back.

'Apologies I didn't mean to offend you. But I assure you, you are in for way more than you can handle. Your plan is weak and riddled with holes. Lucifer had an army with him and still failed.'

'He had one-third of the heavenly army. Even probability was against him.'

'False. He had one-third of the angels but he had a reasonable proportion of the Lord's army. Enough for it to matter.'

'That only proves that you are a bad general who lacks the loyalty of his soldiers. You have a lot to learn from men like Julius Cesare.'

'Maybe. But Lucifer had plans. Intricate plans that seemed plausible and water-tight. Today we call his plans foolish and idiotic. But sometimes foolishness is only clear after the fact. Before the fact, it sounds like wisdom. The truly wise call it madness and the foolish call it ambition.'

'You are a pompous fool, Michael. Slyly calling yourself truly wise. Unhand me this moment or lose that hand.'

Michael obeyed Uriel's command and released his arm.

'Your whole plan depends on one being, a man nonetheless.'

'He is special.'

'Yes, he is. But he is still nothing but a man.'

'I take it that you have seen him.'

'He is a shining star. He is hard to miss. But he remains a man nonetheless.'

'I would make him more. I assure you this. And when it is time to strike you down. I swear by my wings that by them, I wouldn't miss,' Uriel said angrily as he walked away from Michael.

'He is but a man, Uriel,' Michael called out as Uriel kept walking away. 'He is but a man,' he said again, in a low tone tainted with pain.