The Gate of Limbo

by Donovan Neal

  Armies marched through Limbo as well as instances of his own past, present and future materialized before him and the angel screamed in agony.

  His screams now part of the ambiance that was Limbo. For Raphael, in undefinable pain was now tossed about as a unit of storm debris that lanced the ground and ceiling as the cyclone marched towards its unknown destination. And the chief prince of house Grigori was taken; helpless to escape from the grasp of the storms voltaic grip.

  * * *

  Argoth distrusted the face that stared back at him—distrusted it because what stared back at him was naught but the mirror of his own. And the thought unnerved him.

  He stepped in a cautious circling stride of his double; both angels wary of one another, both with daggers drawn.

  “This is a trick.” Argoth-Theta said.

  “No my friend,” said Argoth. “Not a trick. But it is true that I am neither of your world; nor you from mine. But I am here to apprehend he who we both know is also, not of this world. Help me find and detain him, and I will be on my way.”

  “The decision to bind the time-traveler is not mine to give. But this one does fall under my purview.” Argoth-Theta pointed at Lilith. “This one here is required to surrender his tome and stylus and appear before House Grigori for judgment.”

  Lilith-Theta looked at his approaching peer and stood over the unconscious Lucifer-Theta to protect him. “I will not comply. For, I am here on command of Raphael Grigori the head of our house. The Chief Prince also falls under my protection and neither of them has given order that I am to do as you require. You are executing an illegal order and have thought more of thyself than you ought to think. I repeat — I will not comply.”

  Argoth-Theta then looked at his twin and replied, “And what of you? Will you hinder my order to seize this one? Even as you seek me to assist you? Will you also defy House Grigori when it commands accountability from one of its own members? Tell me, do you mirror the heart of the Grigori to obey when our House gives command? Or do you simply mirror my face?”

  Argoth nodded his head. “I have both heard and seen what the Head of House Grigori of this realm willed towards this one here. I have also spoken to the Chief Prince. I cannot stand idle and allow you to obstruct the order of the Lord. Lucifer is Chief Prince, and unless El states otherwise, there is no law in existence that will undo that. Go thy way, for you do not know the spirit with which you move. For, thou art aligned in usurpation and have strayed from the way. Let us be. Be warned and know that if thy choice is to enforce this illegal order it shall lead thee towards conflict, and I stand as Redactor of our House and I will not be defied.” Argoth then took from his robes two dual bladed daggers and held each in his hands. Dual blades extended from both ends of the weapons. He then took a shield guard stance and squatted slightly to the ready.

  Argoth-Theta nodded in understanding and replied, “Then you shall be defied.”

  He too revealed a dagger and his stance was in the high guard, and the dagger which he unsheathed floated above him weaving back and forth in the air like a cobra poised ready to strike.

  Lilith-Theta also pulled out his dagger, and he too took a high guard stance and gave warning. “Approach the Chief Prince or myself and know that dissolution awaits you.”

  Argoth-Theta then approached Argoth and slowly placed his right foot over his left as the two circled one another as two leopards ready to pounce, and each slowly moved away from Lilith and Lucifer.

  “Lilith, take the Chief Prince to where we discussed, and I will follow. Go now and do as I say.”

  Argoth-Theta then let his dagger fly towards Argoth while he himself ran towards Lilith.

  Argoth parried the blade that flew as a dart towards his face.

  Lilith attacked Argoth-Theta with a downward stroke and the angel let the blade pass through him and then rematerialized to grasp at the angel’s throat.

  The floating dagger of Lilith then turned back towards its foe and counter-attacked and it pierced the angel’s bicep plunging through the same arm that held Lilith by the throat, and Argoth-Theta let out a scream.

  Argoth continued to parry the self-attacking blade that accosted him and with his own double bladed daggers, deflected the knife of his opponent back towards him.

  Argoth-Theta gritted his teeth as the knife of Lilith twisted on its own accord, ripping through muscle in the angel’s arm.

  And Lilith, thinking the angel defenseless, did not see the deflected blade that flew towards him until it was too late, and the dagger that was deflected by Argoth slashed his face.

  Lilith screamed and his scream woke the Chief Prince from his slumber; and when Lucifer eyed the attacking Argoth-Theta. He opened his mouth and unleashed a roar. Argoth-Theta looked up and released his grip on Lilith and phased. But the visible and conical force wave expanded as it traveled and slammed into the phased Grigori and sent him careening into the forest. The trunks of trees and giant branches exploded into splinters. Others snapped and fell from the forest roof top and Lilith and Lucifer watched as a cathedral of towering trees and vines rained down crashing upon the repelled angel.

  Lilith’s dagger then immediately flew to its master and settled above him in a defensive position.

  Lucifer turned his head and spoke to Argoth, “It would seem that we are found.”

  Creaking and the crackling and snapping of trees could be heard as if some giant lumbered through the forest, and a white light lit the area and Lucifer barked to the duo, “Get behind me now!”

  Each did as commanded and when they did the trees disintegrated before them in a flash of prismatic light. And when the explosive light abated; Michael stood with several of his Arelim guards and Argoth-Theta stood by his side.

  Argoth and Lilith closed ranks behind Lucifer and the two touched hands and spoke angel speak. Immediately, a blue portal opened behind them and Lilith grabbed Lucifer’s collar and pulled him through and Argoth turned to follow. The portal began to close and Argoth-Theta misted and he sprinted after them and also floated into the vanishing portal, and the quartet disappeared in a flash of prismatic light.

  Michael and the guards were left alone on the edge of Eden and he commanded them saying. “Lilith has made an error for they have revealed where they seek to hide. For the portal displayed the pillars resident in the basement of Heaven. Come… there is but one place they intend to flee. Now go to and assemble a squadron of twelve of Heaven’s finest to apprehend those who have absconded away. For they seek to escape the immediate jurisdiction of Jerusalem and seek to travel into Limbus; they think that I will not follow. They are wrong. When thou hast done as I have asked, meet me at the Gate of Limbus and tell Gabriel that he is in command of Heaven. For, I must depart to traverse the realm and hunt these that have escaped.”

  Each of the three angels lifted their fists in unison to their chests in salute to Michael and they looked up and prismatic clouds surrounded them and they were gone.

  Michael slowly surveyed the sight of where Lucifer and his companions had laid their heads to rest, and he examined the forest floor and noted the blood-marked area of depressed leaves that was used for bedding. He bent down and touched it and felt its consistency within his fingers. He raised it to his nose to smell it and then lifted the tip of his finger to his tongue. The angel of the Lord then smiled and nodded knowingly. He stood up and spoke the Elomic command to open a ladder and was gone in twinkling prismatic light.

  * * *

  A portal opened in the basement of Heaven and Lilith-Theta, Lucifer-Theta and Argoth emerged.

  “Get down!” Argoth ordered. A dagger whizzed over the three angels and each moved to escape its deadly blade. Lilith misted and Lucifer armored before the blade could pierce his skin.

  The edge nicked his shoulder but left but a scratch upon his hardened exterior. The white gate shimmered and before the portal closed the misted Argoth Theta floated through the collapsing gateway and approached his namesake.

  �
�Lilith do as I command… now!” ordered Argoth.

  Lilith turned towards Lucifer who was loath to leave, and Lilith eyed the Chief Prince and spoke. “Our hopes rest on you. Into the gate my prince, please!”

  Lucifer frowned and Lilith took his hand and both he and the angel hurriedly flew into the blue Gate of Limbus and disappeared.

  Argoth alone stood before the gate to cover their escape and when he saw that they had departed he moved to close ranks with his twin, de-misted and engaged his double in hand to hand combat.

  Argoth-Theta met his equal, and the two blocked and parried blow after blow. In a style of combat similar to martial arts they lifted their legs to block kicks, and each entangled the other yet neither gaining an advantage.

  When one would create an opening to strike, the other would close it just as quickly. Knife hand strikes were opposed by forearm blocks and back fist blows landed to non-effect as the two misted and materialized as fast as each assailed one another. Each was a blur with daggers striking in the air, with Argoth’s-Theta’s single dagger able to fend off the duo blades of Argoth.

  Each fought relentlessly one another to a stalemate: until there was not.

  An entourage of angels made their way down the stairs to the basement of Heaven and leading them with Michael and not far behind him was Janus-Theta.

  Janus upon seeing the skirmish flung his dagger at Argoth. Argoth weaved and ducked to keep himself from being slashed. Argoth viewed the scene and realizing that the numbers were no longer in his favor disengaged from battle with Argoth-Theta and turned to escape. He leaped into the portal as multiple daggers flew after him; each disappeared into the blue gate that was Limbo; each following their target through the dimensional barrier.

  Argoth opened his palm, and the blade returned floating to his side and he set himself to follow until Michael spoke out.

  “Hold Argoth, come and let us take council before we pursue.”

  “But my prince,” Argoth replied, “Limbo ever shifts. We must hurry before they escape into the lands of mist.”

  “They will not escape,” assured Michael. “There is no place Lucifer can go that I will not follow. No place can he run that I shall not pursue.”

  Michael then looked to his Arelim soldiers and pointed at the glowing gate into Limbo. “To remove the stalemate that exists between thee and thy dimensional twin, we will go together my friend. When we are united, there are none that can stop the Host. Now walk with me and let us proceed, to bring them to justice, to bring the rebel who would launch a war against God back alive.”

  Michael, Argoth, Janus-Theta and twelve Arelim soldiers then marched into the gleaming blue gate into Limbus. An angelic band of bounty hunters determined to seize their prize.

  * * *

  Lucifer had assembled his armies outside the plateau that approached the gate of Argoth. Eladrin was now settled upon the pad that ladders regularly descended and his people had suspended all traffic into Heaven using that approach. For the King of Ophanim now sat upon the mountain and his rings were open wide, gyrating to and fro as volts of plasma arched across the causeway. A portal of portals that would swallow armies’ whole did the King of Ladders now make; and before him was assembled the Host of Heaven: a legion of angels of mixed houses. Angels massed to contend with the seceded house that was Grigori. A house that had in their audacity dared to break with the council of angels, and themselves leave the golden city of Jerusalem to follow an impostor into Limbo; an angel not of their own realm. Lucifer stood before the throng of soldiers. A multitude equipped with both spear and shield. And with his hand the Chief Prince waved his army forward. And by his command the military might of Heaven marched as bidden; thousands upon a thousand thousands marched through the body of Eladrin into Limbo.

  Thus, the realm of Limbo strained and swelled to contain Heaven’s invasion. Her boundaries fattened by the souls of angelic legions that now marched upon her ephemeral shores: a tripartite army that would wage war within her coalescent mists.

  To be continued…

  Grigoric Glossary of Terms

  El or Jehovah

  The name angels have given to God and by which He has revealed Himself to them. Triune in nature, El is often seen in a singular bodily form. On rare occasions, His triune nature is revealed as three separate distinct personalities (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost); collectively they are called the Godhead.

  Elohim

  The collective name of all celestial kind in Biblical lore; also called the Sons of God. Elohim are distinct from Yeshua, who is the only Begotten Son. Let it be known that Grigoric trances have shown that righteous men will also be adopted into the family of God. This knowledge is not yet commonly known among the people.

  The Schism

  An event in Heavenly history that caused the separation of the three celestial races, attributed to Lucifer's trafficking to elevate the Elohim above the Ophanim and Seraphim.

  The Descension

  The day noted by all angelic kind that Lucifer was thrown out of Heaven.

  Godhead

  The Trinity composed of the Father (El), the Son (Yeshua), and the Holy Ghost (El Pneuma).

  Chief Prince

  An honorific title given to one of seven angelic princes who stands before the presence of God and receives instructions for his race. The Chief Prince is entrusted by El to walk within the Stones of Fire and to protect the secret of the chamber, the Primestone, which is a repository of God’s power where one may become as God. Michael stands as Chief Prince of Angels. Lucifer formerly held this rank. This rank is not to be confused with the Angel of the Lord, who is Yeshua.

  Lumazi (Re 4:5)

  The group of seven archangels who stand before the throne of God. They are the chief angelic council that executes the will of God in the universe. The head of each major house is represented on the council. The seven houses are Malakim, Kortai, Draco, Issi, Arelim, Grigori, and Harrada.

  Ladder (AKA Orphanic Portal) (Ge 28:12)

  A mode of transport utilized by angels to travel between realms. Ladders are created by the Ophanim. Angels simply travel in the wake that the celestial beings create as they move from place to place.

  Limbo or Limbus

  Also known as the Realm of Choices; an in-between place. The land between life and death. The land of infinite possibilities. Limbo is placed in the basement of Heaven, yet above the Maelstrom of the Abyss. It is the only passage to the other side of the Mountain of God that leads to the land of the Seraphim, as well as to other regions of Heaven.

  Tartarus (2 Peter 2:4)

  A prison designed by Lucifer to dispose of those who opposed him. Presently it is in use by the Lord as a holding cell until He has determined their end.

  Ashe

  The legendary city of fire and home of the Seraphim. A metropolis made of living fire. The city is located in the land of Aseir.

  Hell

  A living mountain that serves as a prison. Designed originally with angels in mind, it lives off the eternal spirit of Elomic flesh. It possesses the ability to reproduce similar to an amoeba and can grow. Grigoric spies indicate that Hell has grown to hold captive humans. (Isa 5:14 Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.)

  Scouts indicate that humans now abide in two compartments within the creature. Hades: the realm of the unrighteous dead. Paradise: The realm of the righteous dead. Prior to Yeshua's resurrection, Paradise was the place where the righteous dead were held in the spirit realm until they were freed. These two domains were separated by a gulf that prevented residents from crossing to one another. (Luke 16:26)

  Shiloah

  The title angels have given the man who can defeat Lucifer.

  Dissolution

  "Death" to a celestial being is called dissolution.

  The Kiln

  A furnace from which El created all celestial life
and the former storehouse of the Stones of Fire; the living elements of creation. At the heart of the Kiln was the Primestone, and the ultimate test for angelic kind.

  Elomic Command

  A vowel, consonant, or phrase allowing the power of God to be invoked.

  The Abyss

  A gulf of nether sometimes referred to by thy kind as Limbo or by daemon kind as "the wilderness." It is a realm that separates the Third and Second Heavens. Failure to bridge the realms without a Ladder or direct intervention from El can cause one to be entrapped within the winds of the nether.

  The winds are referred to as the Maelstrom. Kortai builders frequently built near the edge of the Maelstrom to expand the landscape of Heaven. The Abyss is also referred to as the "bottomless pit."

  Mortals cannot pass through the Abyss without shedding their corporeal shell. Only Death or direct translation by God allows passage past the Abyss into the spiritual world of Heaven. El hath mentioned that He may release this tome to thee at a later time.

  Waypoint

  A designated area where travel between two points was allowed by God. Failure to utilize a waypoint could displace the Third Heaven with the second or vice versa causing untold destruction.

  Grigoric Trance

  A vision given by God to some Grigori who are able on occasion to see one generation ahead into the future.

  Manna

  The food that angels consume. Grown in the fields of Elysium, it is shipped to the four corners of creation to supply angels with sustenance. When harvested, it instantly grows back. During the exodus of the children of Israel, the nation temporarily fed on this food. (Exodus 16:15)