Unholy Empire: Chronicles of the Host, Vol 2: Chronicles of the Host, Book 2
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CHRONICLES OF THE HOST 2
UNHOLY EMPIRE
D. BRIAN SHAFER
© Copyright 2002 —Doug Shafer
All rights reserved. This book is protected by the copyright laws of the United States of America. This book may not be copied or reprinted for commercial gain or profit. The use of short quotations or occasional page copying for personal or group study is permitted and encouraged. Permission will be granted upon request. Unless otherwise identified, Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible. Please note that Destiny Image’s publishing style capitalizes certain pronouns in Scripture that refer to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and may differ from some Bible publishers’ styles. Take note that the name satan and related names are not capitalized. We choose not to acknowledge him, even to the point of violating grammatical rules.
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Dedication
To my beautiful wife, Lori, and my daughters Kiersten and Breelin—for allowing me the time to write this book. It’s good to be back. Yes! I am ready to play Monopoly—finally!
“Some Thoughts About the Second Book From the Author”
I hope that you will enjoy the second book in the series Chronicles of the Host. As you read it you will see that just as the action has shifted from Heaven to earth, so the storyline has shifted as well. In Exile of Lucifer, I was writing from a heavenly viewpoint; consequently it was all angels, all the time.
The challenge in this book has been having the angels interact with the Bible story without simply retelling the Bible. I hope that I have achieved this. Obviously I have had to follow the biblical narrative; just as obviously I could not recast every detail. But I chose those parts of the story that I felt best carried the conflict being waged ultimately between God and Satan.
I hope you will have a great time reading. I have been gratified by the responses from readers of the first book. I welcome your comments and suggestions. Thank you and God bless you as you enjoy Chronicles of the Host: Unholy Empire.
Contents
Chapter 1 “Guilt and shame are wonderful weapons.”
Chapter 2 “How can these weak and disgraced creatures live like this?”
Chapter 3 “Cain is a fool!”
Chapter 4 “Let humans pray, so long as they are disobedient in their hearts.”
Chapter 5 “How odd it is in Heaven these days.”
Chapter 6 “How disappointed Eve must be!”
Chapter 7 “Father, you really believe these people are worth saving?”
Chapter 8 “How much longer, Father?”
Chapter 9 “How low the image of God has fallen among men.”
Chapter 10 “This is dangerous faith, my brethren
Chapter 11 “The plan is truly inspired.”
Chapter 12 “This is the freedom Lucifer promised.”
Chapter 13 “As Isaac goes, so goes the promise.”
Chapter 14 “The time for the prophecy is at hand.”
Chapter 15 “Go after the child!”
Chapter 16 “The gods of Egypt shall not fail you!”
Chapter 17 “It will take more than tricks to release your people.”
Chapter 18 “Is there nothing the gods can do to help us?”
Chapter 19 “How quickly these people disintegrate into madness.”
Chapter 20 “It won’t be long before they turn on Moses.”
Chapter 21 “We are here to watch the demise of Moses.”
Chapter 22 “A Seething Core of Wolves.”
Chapter 23 “Moses, what were you thinking?”
Chapter 24 “Korah has set quite a nice trap.”
Chapter 25 “These people cannot possibly keep the law.”
Unholy Empire Cast of Characters:
Holy Angels
Darus a gatekeeper in Heaven
Archias an angel in training to Serus
Quinron and Tassius angels assigned to Noah
Darus an angel assigned to assist Noah as he gathers the animals
Romus aide to Michael in Egypt
Joel an angel who is a student of Crispin
Alyon an aide to Serus in Egypt
Kreelor former Temple Steward in Heaven, now sent to incite rebellion
Jakkar a holy angel who guards Abraham’s camp
Wicked Angels
Lucifer’s Council of War
Condar assistant to Kara in Egypt
Kara a former wisdom angel and one of the Twenty-four Elders; now aids Lucifer
Pellecus a former wisdom angel; a former teacher at the Academy
Rugio a former warrior angel and Captain of the Fiery Host; now Supreme Commander in Lucifer’s army
Prian a former warrior angel and Chief Angel of the Watch; now aiding Lucifer
Lenaeus a former wisdom angel; now an Angel of Light
Rega a former member of the Twenty-four Elders
Belron a former member of the Twenty-four Elders
Nan one of Rugio’s lieutenants
Errus and Jimerel demons in Noah’s time
Glacus warrior assistant to Prian who attacks Job
Milicom demon prince over Sodom
Darian a spirit sent to deceive and/or murder Hagar
Sobek demon prince of the Nile
Sar demon prince over Goshen
Kanul aide to Sar
Humans
A’dam the first man
Eve his wife
Cain and Abel their sons
Noah commissioned by God to build the ark before He destroys the world
Shem, Ham, and Japheth Noah’s sons
Kerz leads the human opposition to Noah
Cyron a wicked shaman in Noah’s time
Abram/Abraham a man called from Ur to Canaan
Sarai/Sarah Abraham’s wife
Lot Abraham’s nephew
Bera king of Sodom
Kazak Bera’s high priest in Sodom
Hagar handmaiden to Sarah
Ishmael son to Abraham by Hagar
Isaac son to Abraham by Sarah
Melchizedek priest of Salem
Rebekah wife of Isaac
Jacob and Esau sons of Isaac
Rachel wife of Isaac
Moses son of Jochebed and future leader of the Hebrews
Aaron Moses’ brother
Seti Pharaoh at the time Moses was born
Anipur Seti’s advisor
Rameses son of Seti and later pharaoh of Egypt
Kephti High priest of Amen-Ra, Chief deity of Egypt
Maret-men a diviner and sorcerer for Kephti
Jannes and Jambres court sorcerers for Rameses
General On commander of Rameses’ chariots
Korah and Dathan rebel instigators who oppose Moses
Joshua Moses’ aide and successor
Caleb friend of Joshua
Shammua one of the 12 spies sent into Canaan by Moses
Balak king of Moab
Zora advisor to Balak
Balaam a seer hired by Balak to curse Israel
I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
and between your seed and her seed;
He shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise His heel.
(Genesis 3:15, RSV)
CHAPTER 1
“Guilt and shame are wonderful weapons.”
“A little dramatic perhaps, but I think it states our position quite well.”
Lucifer handed the scroll to an aide, who bowed slightly and moved away from the council. All eyes were upon the supreme angel in whom they had vested their future. Lucifer looked down the gallery of faces that shared his lot. They had chosen to follow him in order to remain free. Now they were compelled to follow him to remain alive.
“You look at me as if I have all the answers,” said Lucifer dryly. “But I’m afraid I don’t. I can only assure you that ours will be a long struggle and its outcome will be decided by and in the minds of men.” He looked keenly at the faces. “However, where the minds of men are concerned we have a decided advantage.” He grinned. “I know the mind of man.”
The scroll was making its way through the assembly, each angel reading it carefully. Lucifer carefully watched the attitudes reflected on faces as they read the covenant that tied them in allegiance to him completely. The assembled angels knew that their only chance of survival depended on the one who now commanded the attention of the room. He had been one of the greatest angels in Heaven. And they had followed him in the greatest gamble ever. Now they were gambling on his ability to lead them further.
“Thank you all for your loyalty in these trying times,” began Lucifer. “I assure you better days are ahead.”
The earth rumbled a rolling sound that moved from deep beneath the cavern and disappeared somewhere within the depths below. Lucifer waited until the final echo and then continued. “Just as this rotten planet groans for relief, so does the justice of our cause. I know that from deep within you also desire to return to your rightful places in the Kingdom. Let me emphasize that all of you are instrumental in the conduct of this war. Without proper leadership and organization we don’t stand a chance. The enemy is organizing—you can be sure. Michael and the traitorous angels are gathering their strategies and waiting upon the Lord for their next move.” He smiled. “This is of course to our advantage—not to have to wait upon the Lord like an impotent and paralyzed army.” The others snickered as Lucifer continued his summary.
“Since we lost our home in Heaven we have become an island of truth in exile. Hear me! Our movement represents the only hope of truth’s progress. The Most High will never change and why should He? So long as He monopolizes and dictates truth on His own terms, there will never be hope for more sophisticated thought in the universe. I tried to introduce this to the Host, but they are so rotten with the old teachings that they are blind to anything refreshing. We tried to create within the Kingdom a wonderful opportunity for change, from which all angels would have benefited. I freely admit I underestimated the loyalty of the Host, but having taken a full third of the Host with us, I believe we made quite a good showing of it.”
Pellecus stood to speak. “We struck a terrific blow in Eden by tying A’dam in with us very neatly. I’m sure it stung the Lord’s pride to see His precious man betray Him openly.”
“A’dam did have a little help,” said Rugio, looking at Lucifer and grinning. Everyone laughed.
Lucifer held his hands up to stop the noise. “Nevertheless, A’dam made the choice of his own accord. I was astonished at how easily he gave in. Eve thought she was doing well by her husband. But A’dam—he disobeyed without cause.”
“Yes, and the humans’ disobedience was the key to everything—and still is,” said Pellecus, who had debated this very point in Heaven with much vigor. “Now the Lord faces the unpleasant task of making the humans liable for the same basic crimes of which we are accused. Will He be just in punishing the one and not the other? Quite a gratifying dilemma!”
“But he did decree punishment upon the humans,” chimed in Tinius, the former Keeper of the Holy Annals, whose position once gave him access to most of the recorded history in the Kingdom. “They were exiled from Eden just as we are exiled from the Kingdom. The ground is cursed because of them. And children, as we have seen recently, come only with great pain.”
“And don’t forget,” chimed in Lenaes, an Angel of Light, “that the sentence of death rests upon them as well!”
“All of these things I am quite aware of,” chided Lucifer, whose response silenced the council. He looked over the angels with disdain. “You are all quite eager in your counsel now that the judgment is pronounced. I was there, remember? I also received a judgment—a curse which all of you bear as well.”
“The Seed of the woman,” several of the group muttered quietly.
“Yes, the Seed. The Seed,” repeated Lucifer, whose rage was apparent. “The accursed Seed of the woman prophesies our destruction.” He was much louder now, almost screaming. “I have no care for A’dam and Eve leaving Eden! Nor do I care that A’dam must work the ground in sweaty frustration. Nor do I care that Eve has already born two sons in bloody pain. All that concerns me is the Seed and how to destroy it!”
Lucifer regained control of himself and spoke much more quietly. “And the Seed is why we are met today. Though a child of Eve portents our destruction, it is in the child’s destruction that we may yet find our deliverance.”
Lucifer continued the briefing. “I have worked alongside Rugio to divide our angels into principalities and powers, legions and troops. There can be no mistake as to our intentions, nor to our standing in this cursed world.”
He gestured to their gloomy surroundings, a huge subterranean cavity deep below where Eden once commanded the attention of the universe. “It certainly lacks cheeriness, hmm? Nevertheless, though many of you hate it here, I prefer the seclusion of this cavern. The reason I called you here is to motivate you in your tasks. For unless we overcome the Most Holy One, ours is a dark, bleak future indeed! Much like this dreadful place.”
As he finished these words a large drop of water fell to a dark pool, the sound echoing through the chamber. Lucifer snickered at the well-placed timing of the droplet. “This place reminds us that time is against us—drop by drop we inexorably await our doom.”
“Pellecus will now summarize our situation both here and in Heaven. Following his report I will give instruction as to specifics in the strategy of this war. We will conclude with the adoption of this most holy covenant. You will treat Pellecus and Rugio as if they speak with my voice,” said Lucifer, motioning to Pellecus to begin. “For indeed they do.”
“Thank you, my lord,” said Pellecus, taking his place in the center of the circle. “And might I add that if we do not speak with one voice in this undertaking, we shall not speak with any substance. We must remain united in this effort.”
The demons nodded in agreement, looking to Pellecus, their supreme leader in matters of wisdom and philosophy. Pellecus had come to be Lucifer’s chief spokesperson, passing down pertinent information through the levels of leadership that had recently been created. He also was considered the expert in all issues of doctrine and teaching, the caretaker of the True Teachings that had been compromised by those angels still occupying the Kingdom in the name of the Most High God.
Pellecus masterfully outlined the current position that the once holy angels now found themselves in. He fostered no lofty illusions, as their predicament was a precarious one that required utmost care and resolve. Step by step, he recounted how Lucifer had legitimately attempted to be named the steward of the now cursed planet; how the Council of Elders had put forth his name in nomination; how their efforts were subverted by a particular group of pandering angels; how the Host
had been won to the other side; how they were subsequently betrayed, as were all angels, when the stewardship was handed over to A’dam; how they were unlawfully forced out of Heaven; how A’dam had proved unworthy and handed the authority of the planet over to them; and finally, how their greatest challenge lay not in battling angels for control of Heaven, but in compromising the woman’s Seed and denying the fulfillment of the prophecy.
“Excellent summation,” said Lucifer, as Pellecus took his seat once more in the council. “I am astonished that with such incredible talent on our side we are the ones who find ourselves convening in a dreary cave!”
The room exploded in laughter.
“Pellecus is quite right, however,” continued Lucifer. “The Seed must never be allowed the chance to prosper. That point cannot be argued.”
“So how do we stop it?” asked Tinius. “How do you stop something that the Lord Himself has prophesied? Why can’t Rugio simply kill Eve and her brood and be done with it?”
A few of the angels affirmed the suggestion. Lucifer shot a knowing glance at Rugio, who stood to speak.
“As you are aware,” began the warrior who had once commanded one of the most prominent legions in Heaven, “the thought of destroying the humans has already occurred to us. I sent my greatest angels—so that you might not soil your hands, Tinius.” The assembly laughed at Tinius’s expense. “But we cannot overcome them. We can only harass them—agitate them. Approach but not really touch them.”
“Then what good are our warriors?” asked Tinius. “What good are principalities and powers that cannot exert force? Is there no way to defeat these creatures?” Tinius was beginning to make Rugio angry, but he maintained control. “Before Eden they were protected by God’s presence. What protects them now that His presence has deserted them?” Rugio looked to Lucifer, who smiled and took over the conversation.
“We can overcome them, Tinius, provided they allow us entrance into or control of their minds,” Lucifer said.
“That they allow entrance? You think they will ever trust us again?” asked an exasperated Tinius. He threw up his hands and shook his head in disbelief.