The Third Heaven: The Birth of God

by Donovan Neal

  The throng roared in defiance to the oncoming army that would within minutes assault them. Talus lifted his sword up high and its golden blade shimmered in the light and the suns sparkle skipped about the edge.

  Jerahmeel looked to the horizon, and pointed in the distance. "The Horde has come."

  Talus turned from his troops and looked behind him. And when he did he saw that a thunder head rolled towards them, and within the billows and flashes of lightning, angels rode atop the currents of the overcast sky, and blackness descended as gloom upon the land. Within twinkling bursts of lightning, the illuminated horde of thousands of angels could be seen falling upon them.

  Talus's brow tensed and he spoke aloud for all to hear, "No quarter asked! No quarter given!"

  Immediately, angels fell upon them from the sky as bolts of lightning. Crashing to the ground, they unsheathed swords and their blades sliced through the defenders of light. Heaven-forged steel clanged against Hell forged cutlasses. As waves crash the shore, so too did the Horde flood over the angels. Angels fought back to back as limbs were severed from bodies and angelic wings frayed under the assault of so many.

  Jerahmeel swung his axe upward into the face of an oncoming attacker, lifting him into the sky and sending him reeling into another, knocking several into crumpled piles from the sheer force of his blow.

  Talus, his back to his brother, yelled, "There are too many!" He slashed at an oncoming angel, hacking off its leg. The fallen angel fell hard on his back and Talus brought his sword square into his chest.

  Jerahmeel yelled back, "I bet you wished you had stayed in bed!"

  Talus roared, "The thought had crossed my mind!"

  Knocking an angel in the jaw, Talus and Jerahmeel flipped positions, and Talus parried a thrust, unarming his attacker, and kicked him square in the chest, sending him flying. Jerahmeel held his axe before his face, lifting the shaft to deflect a blow. He caught the attacking angel by his throat, head-butted him, and knocked his attacker unconscious.

  Wave after wave they fought, as those who had come to fight for El's cause slowly whittled away under the massive onslaught of the Fallen. Until thousands became hundreds and hundreds became tens.

  Talus, seeing that their position was overrun, spoke in Elohim and summoned a ladder. A prismatic funnel materialized over both Jerahmeel and the few remaining angels who fought by their side. Jerahmeel, beating back enemies, felt the tug of the ladder begin to lift him and his comrades away.

  "What are you doing?" Jerahmeel yelled.

  "Saving your life." Talus shouted back.

  Jerahmeel then was ripped from the earth, and he shot upwards as the Ladder pulled him away from the mob that now encircled Talus. The Prince of House Arelim still fought in ferocious desperation to buy his comrades time to escape.

  Spirited away through prismatic streams of light, Jerahmeel watched as his brother felled hundreds only to be ultimately engulfed by thousands of the Horde who with club, sword, and shield beat the head of House Arelim into the ground. The ground collapsed under the throng and Talus and thousands of the Horde plummeted into the earth.

  "TALUS!" Jerahmeel cried.

  But it was too late, for his brother was gone, and in the twinkling of an eye Jerahmeel and a few of those saved were jettisoned away from Earth, past its moon and rocketed to the realm immortal.

  The Ladder collapsed at a waypoint near the entrance of the Heavenly city and Jerahmeel dropped his mace in shock, fell to his knees, and wept.

  *********************

  Gabriel and Metatron had returned to battle and they each took their legions away from Judea to lead the forces of Lucifer away, and Michael wondered if he would ever see them again. Though the two were powerful, they were still but two. Several of the battalions of the Fallen turned to follow Metatron, and Gabriel. And the duo fought, and to see Metatron do battle was to watch a living scythe. For with his mighty wings he cut foes down, and with his breath, he blasted opponents to dissolution before him and fell through the ashes of the Fallen to repeat the feat.

  Michael neared the point where he saw El Pnuema light over Mary. The Holy Spirit had overshadowed her, and Michael swooped down to stand in front of the young woman, and he revealed himself to her and she was sore afraid, for the presence of the Lord made her to fear.

  Gabriel, already descended unharmed, also stood over Mary whilst unbeknownst to her and humankind, the heavens were staged in battle to ferry God to her. He, too, revealed himself and spoke. "Hail, for thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

  And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And Gabriel said unto her, "Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end."

  Then said Mary unto the angel, "How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?"

  Gabriel answered and said unto her, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible."

  Mary then said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word."

  And when the Holy Spirit heard those words He spoke to Michael. "Thou art released,"

  Yeshua moved from the bosom of Michael's pouch and settled over Mary's bosom, and His spirit disappeared and warmth overtook her and the shadow of the Almighty hovered over her and she conceived. Immediately, Gabriel and the entire heavenly host were transported away to the realm immortal.

  *********************

  The Horde watched as Ladders opened across the lid of the skies and the Armies of the Lord were lifted away to the Kingdom of Heaven. Cheers and adulation erupted among the Fallen and many laughed as Heaven retreated. Each raised swords in cheers at their success in repelling Heaven's invasion.

  Astarte turned to his master, triumphant. “My Lord, Heaven retreats!"

  Lucifer's eyes narrowed in contemplation. "Aye, Astarte, but not without cause...never without cause.” Lucifer then in the blink of an eye searched all the kingdoms of the Earth and saw that an angel yet was in Nazareth, and hovered over one house. The maiden he had sent Assyrix to destroy. Lucifer stared past her flesh and saw that within her womb, El had begotten a child. A child whose presence smelled of El, and when he moved closer to examine the maid, the Shekinah glory flashed and blinded the girl from his view. Lucifer backed away, his eyes seeing afterglows and images even when closed. When he could see again, the young girl was gone, and Lucifer grinned and pondered the actions of God, smiling.

  "Ah, El—thou hast made miscalculation, for now locked within flesh art thou, thy power tempered. Yet fear not, soon I will strike at thee, and then what price wilt thou pay for thy beloved Son? You but bring me fuel to power the engine of Hell, and then I will raise thy own son and he shall serve me."

  *********************

  El, knowing that Lucifer would hunt the child, smote the Horde with blindness to His son so that they wearied themselves from searching for him.

  "What will you do, Lucifer? For El Himself somehow hast come to dwell among the humans. Surely He would not take on flesh?" said Ashtaroth.

  Lucifer mulled the words of his servant over in his mind and remembered Sasheal's demise. For Sasheal was the first of his kind to give his life for another, and that he, too, had assumed flesh to do it, and the Prince of Lies smirked.

  "El has shown vulnerability. He hides amongst the humans, yet it is of no consequence. For I am the wolf that hunts t
he sheep; no man might lay up, that I might not break through and steal. We will find Him, we will hunt Him down, and when I confront Him I will steal the life of God itself. I will see my hands wrapped around the throat of the Almighty, and His body dangled from a tree, and when it is so—I shall be God."

  Ashtaroth replied, "But how can such a thing be, seeing we are blinded to Shiloh?"

  "El loves the clayborn," Lucifer chortled. "I shall dance with El in this game of men, and let man stand as proxy for my sword. Let man be the death of Shiloh."

  Thus, Lucifer moved on Herod the Great and spoke into his ears words of fear and suspicion, words that there could no King of the Jews but he, words that none could take his throne and that he would live forever. Therefore, Lucifer plagued Herod continuously with visions of his death at the hands of a rival and moved upon him to seek and to destroy the Christ child.

  Thus, Herod consented in the thing, plagued by visions of betrayal, such that he murdered even his own son.

  And it came to pass that there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him." When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, "In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, ‘And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.’" Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, "Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also."

  The men then departed and followed the signs in the skies and came to a manger in Bethlehem and found a maiden and her husband. And the couple were with child and had delivered the young king in a manger, for there was no room at the inn. And they worshiped him, and when they were to depart, El warned them in a dream not to return to Herod, and they departed back to their own country.

  And when Herod saw that he was mocked of the wise men, he was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, “Thus saith the Lord; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping for her children refused to be comforted, because they were not.”

  Lucifer smiled as he watched the slaughter of babes in the land. Watched as men ran boys through with swords and he reveled in the bloodshed.

  "I will smear the filth of Adam's sin in your face, El. Run, El—run. Yet know that of a surety I will find you.” Lucifer then moved to strengthen his hand, eying the might of his empire he had built in Rome, a kingdom of men that he would use to overrun the world.

  Thus, El hid His son for a time and waited for the season that the Son of God might come to overturn the works of the enemy. Waited until He was ready to reveal Himself, waited to set up a kingdom that would never be destroyed, a kingdom not left to other people, but a realm that would break in pieces and consume all kingdoms, that it might stand for ever. Waited to assault Lucifer in the heart of his power and retrieve the keys of Death and Hell, and save His man from sin.

  *********************

  Gabriel and Michael found themselves back at the waypoint of Argoth. Thousands of angles floated injured, some maimed, all weary, and grateful. Each one looked over the faces of the many that had returned and that now filled the launch pad of heaven’s assault.

  Metatron flew over to hug Azaziel while Argoth moved through the crowd and placed his hands on Jerahmeel's strong shoulders, and nodded knowingly. Gabriel raced to various members of his house, and Michael scoured the populace that now flooded the staging area.

  "Talus?" He spoke to an angel nearby.

  But the disheveled angel just shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. Further Michael moved through the crowd, and he saw the angelic commander who had been given charge to secure Iblis. Iblis stood surrounded by twelve angels who bowed at the presence of their Chief Prince. Then quickly stood at attention as he inspected them. He placed his hands on the shoulders of those who had accomplished their mission, and who now stood charge over their captive. Michael looked Iblis over but the fallen angel did not glow as the rest of their kind. For the Decension had diminished him. His former glory was dimmer than that which surrounded the rest, and Michael was momentarily repelled.

  "You are Iblis. You are here at my command. These are thy guards. If you but breathe betrayal, I will personally see to your dissolution. Are we clear?"

  Iblis nodded. "I am thine to command. It pleases me that I may be of service to the true King. I am honored that El hast sanctioned my being here."

  Michael looked at Iblis and replied, "The moment your service is ended, you will be returned to Earth."

  Iblis cried out, "No, you cannot send me back! Do you know what Lucifer will do to me?"

  Michael did not answer and looked past him, searching for any sign of Talus. He turned to one of the twelve tasked with Iblis's keeping and commanded, "Take him away, and keep him under guard." Immediately, Ibis was seized and he was shoved forward as a prisoner of war, and he hollered back at Michael that he might hear. "Are there yet still seven Lumazi?"

  Iblis smiled as his guards pushed him forward. Michael and every angel now looked frantically among themselves, and Gabriel, Argoth, Metatron, and Azaziel, all looked at Michael with concern. Michael saw in the distance that Jerahmeel approached him, and Michael studied his face. Jerahmeel looked into his eyes. and knew his brothers thoughts and shook his head, lowering his eyes. Enoch then pushed his way past angels, finally arriving at Michael and the rest of the Lumazi, frowning at what he saw and spoke aloud the words they all now wondered.

  "Where is Talus?"

  Epilogue

  Until Shiloh Comes

  Talus opened his eyes.

  His back was sore and his muscles screamed as he struggled to move. He looked to his left and saw that his back was stuck fast against a mucus membrane substance. Heat brushed against his face, and steam hissed at him in the darkness. He looked to see his surroundings and all was dark about him. His chest felt as it was on fire and his strength availed him not. He remembered fighting—remembered falling. Remembering exerting such power as he collapsed into a great chasm at what he thought was his final act to obliterate the teeming hordes that assaulted him. Knew that he, too, would be lost to whatever life exists to those who pass from the realm of the eternal. El had hinted that none of His children would ever be lost. Not if they remained faithful. Nevertheless, he was alive still. Sore.

  Talus blinked as he saw a glittering light in the darkness. The tinkling of cymbals was heard, a figure approached whose cadence carried a bass in each step and flakes of light illuminated the cavern. Talus knew the sound, and his eyes adjusted to the light and saw several figures walk into view.

  "Lucifer," he said.

  "I am glad that your descent did not bring you to dissolution, brother," Lucifer replied.

  "Arggh!" Talus struggled to break free and attack his captors but whatever held him would neither give way nor release him. And the more he struggled, the more strength left him. He coughed from exertion, and when Lucifer stood closer before him. Talus could see that his lieutenants also stood by their master's side, and the light from their bodies allowed him to see where he was.

  Slime covered the walls, and men and angels were embedded within struggling to get out. Each were caught in frozen screams as tendrils siphoned the life that emanated from their spirits. Eyes were round about the cavern and utter darkness blanketed the place. Yet Talus could see that flame
s rose from below him, and he was suspended in some type of a lattice. Beneath him, were razor-like teeth and tendrils from a mouth reached for him and held him aloft as a fly in a web. Screams and moans emanated from it, and Talus knew that he could be in but one place—Hell. Vine-like veins extended from the walls and coiled around his throat, arms, and torso constricting him.

  "Kill me, Lucifer! Be done with it!" Talus yelled.

  Lucifer smiled. "No I will not kill you, brother," said Lucifer. "No...I will not let death rob me of reacquainting me with my beloved brother. I will instead extend mercy to thee. I will give to thee what El himself did not extend to my people. Lo, I offer thee a choice. I call Heaven and Earth to witness that as I liveth I will not kill thee, but to live, you must bow down and worship me. For if you do this thing, then know of a surety that I will let you live. But if not, know this—I will give thee to Hell, and though her lust for thee be ravenous, know that I will never let her totally consume thee. No, my plan for thee is to send thee back to the realm immortal as weapon to smite the Kingdom. For you will be stripped of will, and your body fodder for my designs against El. You will serve me. Either in life, or in the shadow of death. But know of a surety—you will serve me."

  Talus spit on the ground at Lucifer's feet and spoke. "Bow? To you? I would rather die then give you the curtsy that you so covet. You waste your breath 'Lightbringer'. Do with me as you will."

  Lucifer smirked and said, "I intend to." Lucifer then nodded to Charon, and Charon then roared. Hell retracted her veins and lifted the struggling Talus against the wall's flesh. And when Hell knew that she was released to feed, the porous wall enveloped him. Talus watched Lucifer through the transparent membrane of Hell's flesh that now crept over him and shrouded his face. And when Hell had fully embraced him in her caress of elongated execution, when she was released to do what she was created for. She suckled on his life force, and Talus screamed.