to be presented when He completed creation. And whilst the Lord worked, Lucifer traveled to the high place of Aesir, the seat of the Seraphim.
"The Seraphim were a mighty race, gifted in the properties of sound and fashioned the most beautiful of instruments. They helped build the temple, you see. It was they who, before the Kortai, carved the palace and glittered Heaven's streets with gold. And of all creation, it was they who El let release music, worship, and praise into the realms, and lo, when Lucifer saw that El had not given to him beauty and praise alone, when he heard that trumpets and cornet gave sound to music that eclipsed even his own, he made a wager with Nephanos, King of the Seraphim.
"Here the seeds of temptation could be seen, but were not understood by our kind. Here Lucifer learned the ways of barter and cunning, for he wagered with Nephanos a wager of whom could eclipse the other in song. Nephanos, intrigued by the proposition that any other than his own people could surpass them in sound, commanded his people to craft a Psalm of Psalms. A ballad that would be the greatest hymn Heaven had ever known; and thus a song was crafted among the Seraphim and Angels to see who among our kind could give rise to lift all of Heaven in praise. An audition given to determine who would be Heaven's choir master and herald to El's presence, a wager that would determine whom would live in the Holy City."
"And the loser?" Enoch asked.
Argoth continued, "The loser would stand at the posts of the temple and bellow annunciation of God's holiness. Fated to shout forever and banished to live both behind and underneath the basement of Heaven. A race forever called to be as an eternal echo and a reminder of who was the greatest in Heaven.
"Thus, both Seraphim and Angels rehearsed. We were confident that we were supreme among all in worship to El. Whilst the Seraphim boasted that none could compare to them, the Ophanim stood to bear as a witness of our squabbling and were content to abide in the calling wherein they had been called. They watched as Angel and Seraphim sported in hubris.
"But Lucifer was full of guile, and neither rehearsed nor practiced but instead bartered with Camael, one of the chief Seraphim, who was adept in the construction of all manner of musical instruments and bedazzled him with light. For the Seraphim were the burning ones and were not covered in the precious gems which adorned our kind. Therefore, Lucifer took from his own flesh each of the ten gemstones which were from his skin and one thing other."
"What was it?" Enoch said.
"A Stone of Fire. In exchange for seven trumpets crafted by the Seraphim. Camael became so enamored by the gemstones' colors of light and despised his gift of sound. Coveting the gifts of light, he agreed, and an exchange of light was given in exchange for sound.
"And when time had arrived to sing, all of Heaven assembled before the mountain of God, and song was risen to El while He worked. The Seraphim's music was magnificent. Glorious. Superb. The three great races of Heaven, Ophanim, Elohim, and Seraphim, were as one. All lifted up El as was purposed. All except one person."
"Lucifer?" Enoch said.
"Aye, Lucifer," replied Argoth. "Lucifer stood laughing at all of Heaven, and everyone stopped to discover why in the whole of Heaven one angel would not sing to his master's glory. And Lucifer's words were recorded on this wise.
'What I hear is but wails,' Lucifer laughed. 'Echoes and clanging of screeches before my ears.' Lucifer then turned to Eladrin and spoke, 'Hath you Eladrin determined who amongst us is greatest in song among the Host?'
Argoth continued, "Eladrin, who in his wisdom sought to not pit brother against brother answered, 'Nay, for all of Heaven is sweet to our ears.'"
"Lucifer replied, 'Then let Heaven be silent and hear me, and let none ever compare me, nor my people to another in glory or beauty.'
"Lucifer then took the seven trumpets he had
"The Seraphim were a mighty race, gifted in the properties of sound and fashioned the most beautiful of instruments. They helped build the temple, you see. It was they who, before the Kortai, carved the palace and glittered Heaven's streets with gold. And of all creation, it was they who El let release music, worship, and praise into the realms, and lo, when Lucifer saw that El had not given to him beauty and praise alone, when he heard that trumpets and cornet gave sound to music that eclipsed even his own, he made a wager with Nephanos, King of the Seraphim.
"Here the seeds of temptation could be seen, but were not understood by our kind. Here Lucifer learned the ways of barter and cunning, for he wagered with Nephanos a wager of whom could eclipse the other in song. Nephanos, intrigued by the proposition that any other than his own people could surpass them in sound, commanded his people to craft a Psalm of Psalms. A ballad that would be the greatest hymn Heaven had ever known; and thus a song was crafted among the Seraphim and Angels to see who among our kind could give rise to lift all of Heaven in praise. An audition given to determine who would be Heaven's choir master and herald to El's presence, a wager that would determine whom would live in the Holy City."
"And the loser?" Enoch asked.
Argoth continued, "The loser would stand at the posts of the temple and bellow annunciation of God's holiness. Fated to shout forever and banished to live both behind and underneath the basement of Heaven. A race forever called to be as an eternal echo and a reminder of who was the greatest in Heaven.
"Thus, both Seraphim and Angels rehearsed. We were confident that we were supreme among all in worship to El. Whilst the Seraphim boasted that none could compare to them, the Ophanim stood to bear as a witness of our squabbling and were content to abide in the calling wherein they had been called. They watched as Angel and Seraphim sported in hubris.
"But Lucifer was full of guile, and neither rehearsed nor practiced but instead bartered with Camael, one of the chief Seraphim, who was adept in the construction of all manner of musical instruments and bedazzled him with light. For the Seraphim were the burning ones and were not covered in the precious gems which adorned our kind. Therefore, Lucifer took from his own flesh each of the ten gemstones which were from his skin and one thing other."
"What was it?" Enoch said.
"A Stone of Fire. In exchange for seven trumpets crafted by the Seraphim. Camael became so enamored by the gemstones' colors of light and despised his gift of sound. Coveting the gifts of light, he agreed, and an exchange of light was given in exchange for sound.
"And when time had arrived to sing, all of Heaven assembled before the mountain of God, and song was risen to El while He worked. The Seraphim's music was magnificent. Glorious. Superb. The three great races of Heaven, Ophanim, Elohim, and Seraphim, were as one. All lifted up El as was purposed. All except one person."
"Lucifer?" Enoch said.
"Aye, Lucifer," replied Argoth. "Lucifer stood laughing at all of Heaven, and everyone stopped to discover why in the whole of Heaven one angel would not sing to his master's glory. And Lucifer's words were recorded on this wise.
'What I hear is but wails,' Lucifer laughed. 'Echoes and clanging of screeches before my ears.' Lucifer then turned to Eladrin and spoke, 'Hath you Eladrin determined who amongst us is greatest in song among the Host?'
Argoth continued, "Eladrin, who in his wisdom sought to not pit brother against brother answered, 'Nay, for all of Heaven is sweet to our ears.'"
"Lucifer replied, 'Then let Heaven be silent and hear me, and let none ever compare me, nor my people to another in glory or beauty.'
"Lucifer then took the seven trumpets he had
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