Embaixador

by Marcus John Beltran

  A black mist appeared behind Dain. “Now you will witness the power of the one and only true god. Behold, the power of my god!” Dain yelled. A familiar breeze hit my face, and I felt a hand touch my right shoulder. I looked, and it was Max Jr., who stood by my side. He was looking up to the sky. I looked up and saw a cloud, with two fierce-looking light angelics, heading right for me. The two striking angelics illuminated in majestic white armor and transparent red wings trimmed with white fire and beaming white eyes.

  “Arqueiros, elite arch host angelics,” said Jr.

  I couldn’t believe my eyes as the cloud engulfed me, lifting me into the air. Higher and higher I went, escorted by Max Jr. and the other two angelics on each side.

  High above, past the clouds, appeared an entirely different place. It was as if we went through a portal, into a vast land from another realm. The cloud I was riding on descended to the land below, and rested me on a pinnacle as the cloud vanished. There I was, standing with Max Jr. and the two other elite angelics, overlooking a landscape.

  I looked over at Maximino Jr., who now appeared in his epic, radiant angelic battle form. I began breathing heavily. Max Jr. looked at me and nodded, and suddenly he and the other two angelics flew to the ground below. I looked to the other side, across from Max Jr. and the two angelics, and saw a black mist appear.

  Out of the black mist ascended the Trydentiums in their epic dark angelic forms, followed by Dain Stone. They all stood directly across from Max Jr. and the two elite Arqueiros. What is happening here? Is this another one of those battle of host trials Max Jr. spoke of? It’s fifteen vs. three? I looked all around, only to realize there were no other Lytenials.

  Max is going to be slaughtered!

  Without hesitation, Max Jr. bolted right at Dain, followed by the other two elite angelics. To my utter dismay, they engaged Dain and the Trydentiums. The two sides fought each other mercilessly. Jr. and the two elites were winning! In a matter of moments, it turned. Dain and his brethren subdued the two Arqueiros and destroyed them. Dain overcame Jr.

  I lunged to help Jr. and was unable to budge. I looked down and noticed the pinnacle had entangled my feet. Dain stood over Max Jr. with an evil grin, as the other Trydentiums surrounded him. Whack! Dain stomped on Maximino, as the other evil Trydentiums joined in, launching brutal attacks on Max Jr.

  “No!” I yelled.

  Enraged, my fists became ablaze with a blue fire. I waived my hand and called down electro birds from the sky. They swooped down and fired electric talons on the enemy. With a wave of my other hand, large cloud boulders came crashing down, engulfing Dain and all of the other Trydentiums.

  Whoa! I just did that? I wondered.

  I saw other angelics storm in to Jr.’s aid. It was the Lytenials! Max Jr. quickly recovered, striking back with his brethren.

  Kkkssssh! Thunder rolled high in the sky to my left. It was so loud, it stunned me. I looked, and out of nowhere, an enormous black cloud, with black bolts of lightning, began to form.

  High up in a cloud emerged a giant, black, gold-trimmed, transparent dragon. The massive dragon illuminated with radiance, with electric bolts surging around it, and red, beaming eyes. There was no mistaking who this beast was. This one, who brought great fear, trembling, and death, was the god, Lucio.

  The beast let out a deafening roar that shook the foundation. Lucio breathed black fire and smoke that formed into the figures of all the lost souls he had devoured. The figures flew all around, screeching their unspeakable agony and suffering, and dissipated back into eternal torment. Lucio raised his arms, and suddenly smoke began seeping from cracks all over the ground, which spawned horrific demons.

  I trembled in terror at the presence of such overwhelming power. Lucio, god of the world and darkness, instantly empowered the Trydentiums. Lucio transformed all of his dark offspring into mini-gods in their own right, making them larger and stronger as they illuminated with sheer energy.

  They possessed the same powers as their Lytenial counterparts. They transformed into gods of wrath, pride, lust and gluttony. Others were gods of sexuality, envy, idolatry and witchcraft. Others were gods of slothfulness, drunkenness, hatred, murder, rebellion, suicide, and fear.

  Dain, the god of fire, and god of all under-gods, specialized in morphing, and had the strength of all under-gods. He had beaming red eyes, and his body was ablaze with black fire, outlined in red fire. He was pure evil incarnate.

  Lucio lit up, feeding energy of pure evil, which strengthened and empowered Dain and the Trydentiums. Max Jr. let out a fierce battle roar, standing his ground with his brethren behind him. Dain grinned and ordered the attack.

  The Trydentiums attacked, striking the Lytenials mercilessly. It was too much, as Lytenials fell one by one to the overwhelming onslaught. Only Max Jr. was left standing, alone. Dain and all the demonic hoard of Trydentiums surrounded the mighty Mestre de Batalha.

  Oh no, I’ve seen this before. I’m not losing Jr. too.

  Not today…

  I looked down at my bound feet and I did not accept it. A surge of maximum rage struck the core of my spirit. My entire body illuminated black, outlined with blue electricity. My eyes projected a white beam.

  I leapt into the air and broke free. Like a bullet, I charged toward the Trydentiums, and was swiftly pummeled by Dain. He subdued me. Jr. reached to help me but couldn’t. The superior Dain and the Trydentiums cheered and celebrated their victory, while chanting in their unknown tongue.

  With a wicked grin, Dain looked back at his father, Lucio, for approval to complete his mission for me. Dain looked down and grabbed my arm to help me up and I felt something.

  Wind? I thought, confused.

  A familiar, gentle breeze hit my face. I looked up and saw a hat. The hat was floating in a gust of wind, and it rested on the ground in front of me.

  It wasn’t just any hat; it was a grey fedora with a white feather. A dove’s feather. It was the signature unique hat of Jr.’s father. An instant reminder of what they’ve been telling me, A warm, tingling sensation covered my body, and I felt my spirit groan.

  I looked up at the dumbfounded Dain, who now had large eyes.

  While arm-in-arm, I said, “I chose wrong? No. You did!”

  Instantly, I shot ultra-beams of white light Into his eyes, blinding Dain. I grabbed Dain’s other arm, and launched us both high into the air.

  With no chance for Dain to recover, in a fit of ultimate rage and fury, I took Dain’s arms and snapped them over my shoulder, breaking them. I followed with a crushing elbow to Dain’s face, smashing it, and launched Dain into outer darkness. In that instant, I exhaled a flurry of wind spurted into the mouths and nostrils of the battered Lytenials, giving them instant life, and a burst of energy.

  With no hesitation, I turned to Lucio and his horde of demonic Trydentiums. I charged the beast, and yelled in fury, “Mate ele!” which meant, “Kill him!”

  The other Lytenials followed my lead. The beast god roared in a fit of great fury, knocking the Lytenials and me to the ground.

  I was briefly knocked unconscious. I opened my eyes and found myself lying on my back, underneath the enormous foot of Lucio.

  I fought and struggled to break away. I couldn’t. I gasped in horror.

  Lucio lifted his foot over my head and—just as Lucio delivered my final blow—a beam of light shot out from the nearby woods. I looked, and it was him! Through the trees emerged Maximino Sr., with a glow of great splendor about him. Lucio, overwhelmed, stumbled back at the sight of such majestic radiance.

  All stood in awe and disbelief. The mere presence of Max Sr. made the Trydentium demons cower. The great power and radiance displayed by Max Sr. was beyond comprehension. A burst of wind swept up the fedora hat, carrying it to the hand of Maximino Sr., who placed it on his head. Max Sr. crossed his arms and looked up at Lucio with a grin.

  Lucio stepped up in a fit of rage, and roared in fury, exhaling a storm of black fire of lost souls so massive I couldn�
��t see anything. The ground shook as legions of demons ascended on black clouds above, and from the pits below, a reminder of the sheer power and might of the god of death. The demons hissed and praised Lucio, rallying behind their god, ready for battle.

  Suddenly, a thunderous crack in the sky was heard, piercing the ears of all. I saw the sky open, and a giant lighting cloud formed with deafening thunder. Out of the enormous cloud emerged an army of mighty angelic warriors. They covered the sky. They rode on chariots and horses of lightning and fire. The battle-hardened angelic Lytenials gleamed in radiant splendor and a ray of light beamed to all. The Trydentiums fell back.

  The only one who remained standing was Lucio. Defiant until the bitter end, Lucio hissed, growled, and snapped his jaws at me. Lucio exhaled black fire and smoke, again releasing all the lost souls he devoured. Harrowing cries and screeches of great remorse were heard, as the lost souls cried and pleaded. The cloud that carried me on top of the pinnacle suddenly carried me through the sky, toward the enraged giant beast god.

  As the cloud carried me closer, I noticed the mighty dragon’s scales began to fall apart, piece by piece. As I got closer, the fierce beast god became smaller, and smaller, as he continued to snap and lunge at me. Lucio’s fire breathing became weaker, as the dragon’s outer body dissipated to the core. As I came upon Lucio, it was only then, I realized, this was no fierce dragon, this was no mighty god. Before me now was a frail, old man, curled up on the ground, cowering in fear, begging me for mercy.

  “You’re the one who shook the earth? You’re the one who deceived and plagued all of mankind, and turned all of humanity against itself? You killed my father, and hurt my little girl? It was you who destroyed my family!” I yelled.

  All of a sudden, the ground underneath Lucio began to shake and bubble up, as if it were quicksand. Chains of mud and rock shot up from the ground, latching onto Lucio, entwining him. Lucio kicked, screamed, and clawed as he tried to break free.

  Lucio shrieked and screamed in horror as he began to slowly sink. He tried to grasp for roots and rocks around him. Shoulder-deep, the old man looked into my eyes as he reached his hand out to me, and desperately cried out, “Please forgive… Help me. I’m sorry!”

  The ground slowly began to swallow him. Lucio, the great beast, who had plagued mankind, was sinking into the same earth he corrupted.

  The little god of death and darkness, who showed no mercy throughout his existence, had received none. Lucio was cast into the outer void. The remaining fallen dark angelics, the defected Trydentiums, began to shriek in horror as they sank into the earth, swallowed up into eternal damnation. Thunderous cheers and praises erupted from the massive angelic army that surrounded me.

  The harrowing screeches continued from Lucio who was devoured by the earth and defeated. The battle for me was won. I turned around and there, standing with me and Max Sr., Max Jr., and all of the Lytenials, were also my grandmother and grandfather, family and my friends who had completed their journey’s. And all of them were in a mighty angelic form. That day, I saw people from every race and color. They were all now standing with me, side by side.

  I recognized my other brothers with me there as well. I saw John and Enoch standing next to me, and over there were Peter and David. And there were Jacob, Elijah, and Job, smiling at me. By my side were all of the founding brethren who had paved the way for us from the beginning.

  Rel! I thought. I was grieved and I looked around. Max. Jr, walked up to me and nodded and smiled. I nodded back.

  I was, side by side with the Lytenials and all my family. And yet I still felt as if something else were missing.

  Suddenly, I heard, “My brother…”

  I knew that voice. I turned and saw, my dad! Although I knew it was my dad, I didn’t call him that. I placed my arm around his shoulder and I smiled, ear to ear. “My brother,” I replied.

  35

  Line in the sand

  When Lucio, the god of shadow, was gone, I was relieved it was over. I thought we had won. I was wrong. There were more than one. As we cheered and celebrated our victory over Lucio, an unsettling feeling hit me. I looked at the others around me and saw the looks of concern on the faces of the Lytenials.

  Mighty strikes of the elements cracked through the sky. Wind, rain, hail, and lightning roared in the distance as a deep fear overcame me. There, not far away, in opposite directions, stood two other figures whom I also recognized before my time here on earth. It was the two Trydentium brother gods.

  On one side stood Enlil, the god of command and destruction. And standing in the other direction was the creator Enki, the god of water. And with them came earthquakes, typhoons, tornadoes, and plagues, and swarms of pestilence of all kinds.

  There they both stood with their minions and legions of demonic armies, and all of their dark glory as the sky above them turned dark and gray. The gods glared at each other, and then they turned to us with smirks on their faces. Instantly, my heart and spirit sank.

  I felt a calm. An arm was felt around my shoulder. I looked up, and saw it was him! The one who drew the line in the world’s sand first, Yeshua, Jesus the savior, our brother.

  Suddenly, I heard piercing sounds of trumpets behind us. The elements and the legions of armies and plagues were instantly silenced. I turned around. Behind all of my family and friends, and every person, in the mist of the Lytenials, shot rays of gleaming light. A massive cloud appeared, with two giant angelic warriors, with eye-piercing resilience as they wielded in each hand blazing swords of fire. The two mighty angelics stood in front of the cloud, as if guarding it.

  A blinding light shot from the cloud, and there emerged scores of angelic warriors like no other angelic. The mighty angelic army was so vast, it reached as far as the eye could see. And there, behind the mighty angelic warriors, with the dove of white hovering over his shoulder, was the God of gods.

  Instantly, I felt a great peace. Every Lytenial, every animal, every plant and tree, and every living entity on the earth knelt before him. Thunderous, simultaneous praises were shouted so loudly it shook the earth.

  I looked over at my God, who smiled and reached out his hand, and I took it, and I was called away home, to my father in heaven.

  We all stood with God Almighty, as we faced the evil in front of us. My fists ignited flames and I let out a roar of fury to our enemies. Thunderous praises to our God were heard, deafening battle cries were shouted simultaneously, as we rallied behind our God.

  I could not see through the bright rays of such majestic radiance, as I tried to look upon my God. My eyes could not contain the glory of his eyes. I did, however, see his form. And his skin, I saw, was changing. His skin slowly changed to all colors, continuously. He was the color of us all. I fell to my knees before my God, and worshiped him.

  A deafening crack in the sky was heard as a blinding light projected from the omnipotent glory of God, which covered the earth.

  I turned at everyone around me, and when I did, I was dumb-founded. I saw, there was no color. Race ceased to exist. We were all the same and all beliefs funneled into unity.

  In an instant, there was total peace, as every person stood hand in hand. I saw the bond of every creature alike, as the lion now walked with the lamb.

  Division was conquered here, for now.

  Through the silence, I looked up, and there remained the two fallen Trydentium brother gods, Enlil and Enki, as they stood with their demonic forces, scowling. The two gods summoned their under-gods.

  The under-gods from all sections of the earth came forward, with even more legions of evil hordes from the depths. And there, in the other direction stood the Ceifador, soul reaper war god, Nehriol. With him was Ceifeira, the reaper witch. They were impartial to the brother gods. They all glared at each other and turned to us. The claim to the world and to rule the gifts therein continued, as they stood, growling and hissing, ready for war.

  Feeling a surge, within my spirit, we all joined as his sons and daughters
together, and entered into our God, as one with the Alpha and the Omega.

  All the Trydentium’s, were left trembling in fear.

  36

  Not goodbye

  “Caleb, hold up. This is a very cool story and all, and thanks for getting back with me. But you’re telling me it ends just like that? And what do you mean, you were called home to heaven? Are you saying you actually died and came back to life, only to tell me all of this now? You’ve got to be kidding me, man,” Steven, my new friend said and laughed. He shook his head in disbelief, as he leaned down and petted my dog, Nalla.

  Nalla’s fur began to fall off with each pet. Nalla was a spirit.

  “What the hell?” Steven said as he fell back. Steven, completely baffled, looked up at me. He was awestruck to see I was suddenly transparent, in a mighty angelic form with black transparent wings, trimmed with the white fire of an Arco de Batalha, a high arch angelic of hosts.

  I replied, “No. Steven, I never died.”

  Shaking in fear, Steven reached out his hands in mercy and said, “Caleb?”

  “Yes, it’s me. Don’t be afraid. Please, stand up.”

  A white dove arose from behind me, and hovered over my shoulder. Steven stood and was instantly at peace.

  He looked around, realizing we were somewhere else.

  “Where are we?”

  “I brought you here, upon this pinnacle to show the conclusion to our story,” I replied.

  I told Steven the final battle I witnessed here, upon the pinnacle, wasn’t a battle for me. It was a battle for him. I represented all of us that day. I was you.

  And, as Rel, Maximino Sr., Max Jr., and all the Montez brothers and sisters watched over me, they were also watching over you.

  It was them, Steven, the Lytenials, who have been with you, guiding and protecting you from the beginning, guarding the gifts within you and all of us, every day, all over the world.