At the eastern entrance to Eden, there still stands an Angel.

He is very tall, and wears the form of a man so well made that an observer might think him a marble statue of some perfect ideal physique. His face is very beautiful, and his hair is long and free, and seems to dance on its own, matching the flow of his simple white robes. His appearance is only a veil, however, as his true form is perhaps beyond any comprehension.

His hands rest on the grips of a bright flaming sword, a terrible instrument of destruction. But even this weapon, though blade down into the grass, makes no mark on Eden. His gaze is unwavering, always looking out, always alert.

So he has been through the history of mankind. And so did the Heart of Darkness, Bane of Light find him.

The Angel knew of the demon’s approach long before he arrived, but waited till he was certain of the interloper’s destination. Demons had passed this way many times before, but they knew the Angel guarding the entrance to Eden, and rarely came too close.

This particular demon, however, moved straight toward him, stopping just out of what appeared to be the range of the great flaming blade. He regarded the Angel for a long moment, then peered carefully around, studying the entrance to Eden, and the area all about them, as if making sure that no one was close. The Angel merely stared back, impassive.

Finally, his gaze returning to the Angel, the demon spoke.

“I am the Heart of Darkness, the Bane of Light.”

The Angel seemed unimpressed. “I know who you are, little demon. And I assume you know that you are risking your destruction by approaching this place. I feel it is my duty to warn you… come one step closer, and you will suffer great harm.”

The Angel’s voice carried no hint of egotism or even much threat, really. Despite his words, he somehow gave the impression that he was genuinely concerned with the demon’s well being.

The Heart of Darkness shrugged. “I have no interest in Eden. I came here to speak with you.”

The Angel grew uneasy. He did, indeed, know the Heart of Darkness well. The demon was haughty and proud, like most of his kind, and as a general rule disdained the company of angels. Was this some sort of a trick?

The demon quickly looked left and right, leaned forward, and lowered his voice to almost a whisper. “We sang in the same choir, you and I… long ago, before the Fall. Do you remember? We spoke at length on many occasions; marveling at the wonders of creation, and the beauty of the universe…”

Almost imperceptibly, the Angel shifted his grip slightly on the flaming sword. Demons were famous for manipulation and trickery, and this demon’s words reeked of both. Innocent on the surface, but undoubtedly presaging some sort of treachery. The Angel knew the Heart of Darkness was a formidable opponent, a powerful demon skilled at the tools and talents of his kind. No doubt he had lulled many an enemy into complacency with innocent words, waiting for his guard to drop, only to strike when the opening presented itself.

But the Angel guarding the entrance to Eden commanded considerable power and craft of his own, and was armed with a weapon strange and terrible. Time had only enhanced his skill, and he was prepared to use it, if need be.

He replied guardedly, “Those were better times. You had a different name then.”

If the Heart of Darkness sensed the Angel’s suspicion, he gave no sign.

“Yes, different times. I have been… contemplating many things lately. I have been reflecting on the future, and the present, and the past. That past. That time. Some of my… associates seem to have forgotten those times, or pretend that they never existed… or choose to remember them differently than they actually were.”

“That is a shame,” said the Angel, seeming genuinely sad. “Those were days that will never come again. We were all as one. Fear and hate were yet to be born.”

The demon straightened up, seemed about to say one thing, reconsidered, and finally said, “I will not dispute you. Not today. But if fear and hate were not yet in the crib, they were certainly in the womb in those days.” Acid suddenly began to creep into the demon’s speech, and his voice rose slightly as he ended his last sentence. He paused for a moment, as if uncertain of what he was going to say next. The Angel’s grip tensed slightly on the sword.

The Heart of Darkness shook his head, and his tone became relaxed once again. “Yes, they were glorious times. But that is only part of the reason I came to speak with you.”

The demon’s voice grew so quiet and low that the Angel found himself having to lean forward slightly to hear him.

“You and I walked among the stars together, and called ourselves brothers. We spoke of many things, and, as I recall it, enjoyed each other’s company. Long ago, there was a… kindness between us. We shared a special bond.”

The Angel thought hard for a moment, and considered his next words carefully. To his recollection, he had not treated the former angel any differently than he had any other angel. Certainly, they had sung together and walked together, and spoken at length about a great many things. But this was not unusual, and no different than walks and conversations he’d had with any number of his kin, brothers and companions. In fact, he seemed to recall many arguments with the Heart of Darkness before the Fall… and he certainly didn’t remember having any ‘special bond’ with him. Even then he’d been something of a loner, and the Angel had merely felt it in his heart to show him a small kindness by spending some time with him. What was this demon getting at?

The Heart of Darkness stared straight into his eyes, and said simply, “You were my friend.”

Understanding dawned on the Angel. The actual concept of friendship was almost unknown amongst the demons. Only a perverted sense of it remained. They only came together to combine their strength, or for political practicality, or for survival. Treachery, back-stabbing and double dealing were common even then. They were demons, after all, and this was their nature. The Angel suddenly realized that the small kindness he had shown to the Heart of Darkness so long ago was the only real taste of friendship he’d ever had.

“Yes,” said the Angel, gently. “I remember… our talks.”

The demon looked down. “I am going on a journey. I am seeking something that is most likely forbidden to me. It will probably mean my destruction. In any event, it is highly unlikely that I will ever pass this way again. I felt… I just wanted to speak with you, once, before I go.

“I just wanted you to know. I thought that perhaps, out of anyone I could think of… that you would understand.”

He paused, and fell silent. He seemed about to leave. He looked as though he felt foolish, and wished he hadn’t come this way.

“What is it you seek?,” ventured the Angel, carefully.

The demon looked back up, and made an empty-handed gesture.

“Redemption.”

For the first time in the history of mankind, perhaps for the first time ever, the Angel guarding the entrance to Eden blinked. Before he could recover, or reply, the words came flooding awkwardly from the demon, stumbling like a man struck by the brightness of the sun after living in a dark cave for many years.

“We’re going to lose in the end. I know it… and the others know it too. You can tell. They talk high and mighty, and swagger about as if their day… our day… were coming, but when you look deep in their eyes you can see it. The whole thing was ill conceived from the start…

“Do you know what every demon has in common? Not all of us are dark and demented. Not all of us are twisted, or depraved, or diabolical. But there is a single trait we all share, bar none. Do you know what that is, Angel? Do you?”

The Heart of Darkness extended his hand, coming well within the arc of the flaming sword, then pulled it back, smirking. He bowed low, with a flourish.

“Pride.”

He stood and retreated a step, raising his arms high, and his voice became a thing of power and thunder, ringing through Eden, causing the leaves and grass to tremble.

“It’s pride. Pride, after all, caused the Fall. Pride motivates everything we do. Pride keeps us where we are… apart from our heritage, our brothers, and our true destiny. Pride! We’ve lost so much. We’ve lost all real joy, and honest laughter, and so many things that I can’t even describe. I’ve forgotten what some of them are, and what others feel like. I’ve stood at the edge of the abyss so long, I can’t seem to recall what exists a step back.”

He lowered his arms and his voice again, seeming to shrink.

“But we still have our pride.”

All around them seemed still and quiet. A warm wind blew from the west of Eden, stirring the Angel’s hair slightly. The demon bowed his head, and seemed to draw in upon himself, as if in deep contemplation. There was a long silence.

Then the Angel spoke thoughtfully. “I am a simple guardian. I suppose I don’t understand… what… ”

The Angel trailed off, because the demon began to make small but unnerving choking sounds. It sounded as if he were trying to spit, but had no saliva. It took a moment for the Angel to realize he was laughing.

The Heart of Darkness cackled in croaking spurts. Finally, his face twisted into a huge smile, a sight terrible to behold on any demon.

“I’m sorry, my friend,” he said, rubbing his face, “My good friend. Of course you don’t understand. Here you are, probably one of the ten most powerful beings in the whole universe… you’ve stared into suns, made galaxies your playthings and been privy to the mysteries of creation. You know the structure of atoms and can manipulate the fabric of time… but this, you don’t understand. I’m sorry.

“I hope you never understand. I really do. It took me millennia to figure it out. Centuries of brooding, of long periods of isolation. And only now can I comprehend the merest fragment of it.”

His voice lowered to a whisper again, and the words rushed out. “It’s not a secret… oh, no… it’s really very plain. So plain, I overlooked it completely. You see… pride turned us away from joy. Envy followed close after, because the joy was still there, you see. But not for us. Envy, when brooded on, becomes hate and fear very easily. You’d be surprised at how well those children grow, those brothers, fear and hate, if nurtured. How strong they become!

“I understand that small part of it now. Enough to know that is not the whole story. But who among us… among you… is privy to the mind of God? It is not for angels or demons to be partner to this knowledge. Oh, no. That is not our nature. We understand the mechanics, brother. We know how to wield the brush, and mix the colors, but the canvas is a mystery. We know how to build the scenery and raise the curtain and light the stage. But of the play, we are ignorant. The dialogue is opaque to us. In a sense, we understand the workings of the plot, the mannerisms of the actors, but we do not partake in the play. We are not moved. We miss its essence.

“Knowing the mechanical workings of a machine, and being able to use that machine for its intended purpose are two very different things.”

The demon seemed to be growing frustrated, and paused for a moment, hand on chin, looking thoughtful. “That is not what I meant at all. It’s difficult to express. You see I am lacking in a great deal of understanding myself. But the more I turn my mind around it, the more certain I become that the answers I seek are to be found. If I look for them. Hence my journey.”

The Angel furrowed his brow, and flexed his mighty hands on the hilt of the sword. “I would think you mad, demon, but for the sincerity of your words.”

The Heart of Darkness seemed a bit surprised. “Then you understand?”

“I see that you are troubled. Greatly troubled. And I see that you feel you must seek out some sort of revelation. I do not pretend to understand fully. If it were me, I would go into the presence of the All Mighty. There, I believe, all answers lay.”

The Angel took his sword into his right hand, and rested it at his side. “If you wish, I will leave my post and go with you. I will lead you there, or follow along, as you desire.”

The demon shook his head. “No, my friend, that will not work. It can’t be done that way. No fallen angel has ever returned to the fold. No demon has ever come straight out of the darkness, into the light. There is but one way for me. One path to salvation.

“It lies east of here…” He pointed behind him. “They know. They have what I seek. The answer lies among men, somewhere east of Eden.”

The Angel stared past the Heart of Darkness, peering far out into the east, directly in front of him. He had faced that direction for most of his existence, and had witnessed some small part of what had transpired in that region, from a distance, for he was very far sighted. It all seemed utter chaos there, to him. It was perhaps the last place he would think to look for a revelation, or an answer.

The demon looked him in the face one last time.

“I just wanted someone to know. I wanted you to know, my friend.”

The Heart of Darkness allowed a faint smile to show, then, without another word, turned and began to walk. He never looked back, not even once.

Just before he went out of earshot, the Angel summoned his strength, and gave voice to a mighty call. “Demon! If you return, pass this way again, or send word! It would grieve me not to know of your fate!”

The demon paused, nodded his head once, and then continued, on into the east, passing into the world of mortal men.

The Angel watched him recede into the distance. His brow, filled with the wisdom and knowledge of ages, furrowed deeply in concern. His hand, capable of shattering planets or plucking the electrons from an atom, massaged his jaw in puzzlement. A demon seeking redemption. The Heart of Darkness seeking the light. The Bane of Light longing to walk in the sun. The Angel thought briefly of summoning his peers, to seek advice and guidance. For a split second, hefting his sword, he even considered following the demon.

In the end, he took up his ancient post, as he should, resting both hands on the familiar hilt of the mighty flaming blade, his unwavering gaze fixed and alert once again.

So he has been through the history of mankind. So will the Heart of Darkness, Bane of Light find him, should he ever return.