Bewitched

When God looked across the legions gathered before him after the war in Heaven, he saw those who had sided with Lucifer, standing with their heads up, proud of their effort, still believing that they were the best of His angels. Guarding these were the angels who had defended God's throne against Lucifer's prejudice and power. Bloodied, their robes torn, their halos hanging crookedly like toys tossed aside by children, they smiled triumphantly.

Outside this circle, playing mirthfully and unaware of the drama before them were the angels that took no side in the cosmic conflict. They did not believe God could be bested even by His strongest angel; so they took no thought to join the war. Their robes unsullied, their halos undisturbed, their laughter was not marked by deed or knowledge.

God looked to Earth to see the small group of humans who huddled about the fires begun by the immortal powers that had contended. As each human grew old that one would die and then return to Earth to live again as if dream followed dream in the deep of a long night. From each life, they would awaken without memory of that which came before. Yet Omniscience sees through the eyes of humanity. Though mortal, an immortal vision of strengh and hope grew within them. He breathed over them. As the celestial fires cooled, they began their dream filled existence.

Then God spoke to the Dark Angels. "I banish you to live in Lucifer's imagination. You may walk in Heaven or Earth but you must always return to the world without light created by your sworn Master. All powers are yours except you may not seize the will of an Earth-bound mortal who does not give it freely to you. They are yours to tempt, to torment, to reward, or to disregard. You may destroy all that they possess, but their wills are inviolate. At time's end, I shall judge you finally and for all eternity."

So Lucifer's legions marched to Hell with their heads held high and their robes blazing with the fire of their arrogance consuming light itself, causing all save what they looked upon to vanish into cold black space. The angels of light rested as stars. All that was visible to mortals and angels alike was by the reflected glory of these who had grappled with Lucifer to secure God's creation.

As the dark angels marched away, a playful angel watched the tallest dark angel vanish into the lifeless abyss. She began to weep. Though condemned to darkness, he was a creature of great beauty and strength. As if rain had fallen in Hell, her tears fell across the chasms over chaos, and for an infinitesimal instant, cooled the tongue of the tall angel in his fiery torment.

Seeing this, God's wizened eyes opened wider. He smiled as a puzzle difficult even with omnisicience and omnipotence revealed its solution. God turned to the weeping angel and spoke to all about her.

"Because you did not defend the heavenly realms, you shall not play here. Because you did not join the battle on behalf of Lucifer's cause, you shall not be subject to his will. You used the gifts I gave you neither to create nor destroy, so I shall not take your angelic powers from you. Instead, I send you to Earth as spirits to live among the mortals. Though you may live many times the life of a mortal, you shall also know death after a time, and then you will be gathered here. You may have all power over the mortals. They are yours to tempt, to torment, to reward, or to disregard. You may destroy all that they possess, but this you may not do: you cannot make them love you by your angelic power. On Earth, I see through their eyes. At time's end, I shall judge you finally and for all eternity."

With this, God withdrew from the place of His judgement, and all the powers of Creation began their acts within it. After a time, the Dark Angels could only recall their infinite disgust with Creation, and the Playful Angels could only recall their timeless games. The humans lived and died among the works of beings that they neither remembered nor could recognize as they walked among them.

Save one.

So great was the thirst of the dark angel who had tasted the tears of the sad angel, he could not work his will on Earth or in Hell. Not perfect evil, he displeased the Master of Darkness. As an Immortal, Lucifer could not destroy him, but with power over Earth, he could make of him a man seeking to quench his thirst, yet not knowing why he searched or what the consequence of finding such waters could be.

There on Earth she found him.

Her magic was not all powerful. She could not save him from God's edict. For a thousand times a thousand mortal lifetimes, she would wait for him to awaken from each dream. Lost among the mortals, she would search for him, but as his spirit grew, her task became harder. As God had willed, she could not call to his heart with immortal power, only the power of her own mortality, her own love.

Seeing this through mortal eyes, God rejoiced for His joy is the will to love.
Love leads to Heaven's gate. Love is the Creation manifesting on Earth when spirits join across time to build a bridge over Hell. Thus God joined through human will to angelic love, dissolved the darkness of Lucifer's pride.

When at last, a mortal man and a beautiful witch joined in immortal love, angels were born on Earth. At the Judgement, these angels made the case for mortal and immortal alike to regain the pleasure of the Divine.