The Worst Day

What's the worst day you can remember?

"The worst day I can remember? Oh, that's easy. I remember it well.

"I remember a Lilim, green and cold, deciding that she didn't want to be a part of Hell anymore. She wasn't beholden to anyone, having paid off her debts, and so she fell asleep one night on Earth, walked up to Blandine's Tower, and requested admission. I'm told Blandine nearly fell off of her Tower; after all, this was the first time a Lilim had ever tried to Redeem.

"So the Lilim was escorted into Blandine's Tower, led up to the point where she could go no further lest the Light of Heaven sear her beyond comprehension, and Blandine came down to meet her halfway up and down the Tower, the first friendly meeting of a Lilim and an Archangel. Blandine and the Lilim talked long and hard that day, and finally Blandine took the Lilim in her wings and drew her into the Light of Heaven.

"The Lilim screamed, long and loud, but Blandine was, by this point, getting used to this; as she rearranged their Forces, and let the Light of God shine on them, many redeeming demons felt supreme pain. But then Blandine noticed that the Forces were not binding as they should, that somehow the makeup of the Lilim was not reshaping itself into an angelic Choir, and quickly she revised her plan instead of remaking the Lilim into a Choir, she would reforge select elements of the demon, allowing her to live in Heaven without pain or disturbance, allowing her to be bound to a divine Word, but most importantly, allowing her to be bound to a divine Heart.

"And the Lilim stepped away, the first Bright ever, and smiled at Blandine, and thanked her, and went to discover Heaven.

"Now I will tell you why that was the worst day I can remember.

"Somehow, somewhere, a Renegade demon found out about the Lilim's "redemption" how her fundamental nature had remained unchanged but her true alignment had. Somehow, the Renegade made it to a Tether to Dreams, and requested that this be done to him as well.

"Blandine looked at him, and said, 'Tell me again what it is that you want.' The demon replied, 'I wish to become an agent of Heaven, but I do not wish to become an Ofanite. I feel that I could better serve as the Hand of God if I retained my current predilections.'

"And Blandine replied, 'You really should go talk to Gabriel about this.'

"The Calabite nodded, and went to Gabriel. And Gabriel, in her insanity and her glory, fulfilled the Renegade demon's wish.

"And now there were Bright Calabim among the ranks of the Host.

"Unfortunately, news of such things tends to spread, and soon an entire host of Renegades came against the combined will of the Archangels...

"And in the end, it was the Archangels who backed down.

"You know the differences, of course. Bright Serpents mostly work for Trade as - what was the term again? - 'wheel-greasers'. Bright Stalkers assist Cherubim in keeping track of distasteful targets. Bright Calabim work as the destructive hands of God, and so on.

"Yes, my child, you can tell the difference between a Choir and its Bright counterpart. Bright Serpents have mottled skin - even though they do have feathered wings. Bright Stalkers retain their batwings. Bright Destroyers... well, there's really no mistaking them for anyone else, even with the feathered wings. Bright Punishers still have their tattoos, although their scars have faded. Bright Lilim... but you know about Bright Lilim, don't you? Bright Takers, Heaven's Essence batteries, still have their horns.

"Yes, there is a way to tell the difference between a Bright Shedite and a Kyriotate, but you have to be very perceptive Kyriotates come in warmer colors and look less like the Overfiend.

"You still don't see why I think that was the worst day in my memory? Heaven was not made for demons, dear, and to insist that it isn't necessary to go through the pain and reshaping of redemption before you are allowed in... not only is it selfish, it paves the way for all sorts of awful things. What if Hell snuck in a ringer? What if a demon recanted? What if there were a second rebellion? Redeemed and Bright demons make up nearly a third of the host now as it is. I know now that I made a mistake. I should have given her more of a chance to experiment. The selfless thing would have been to allow her to find out *why* my Forces weren't binding..."