The Wars Within (Servant of Light Book 1)

by Jeremy Finn

  “Do you challenge these facts?” another of the chief servants called to them.

  “I do,” DaNyang returned. “But what evidence do I have to prove my innocence when you will surely not take my word or the word of any of those with me?”

  “And that is why you stand condemned from the beginning,” yet another chief servant chimed in. “You have nothing to show in defense and we have everything to prove your guilt.”

  Before DaNyang could reply, another chief servant stood to speak. James noticed him whispering with the chief servant to his side, and both men looked somewhat uncomfortable.

  “I believe we must keep this trial in compliance with the laws,” he pleaded. “If there is evidence, it must be produced.”

  Rhesing turned on the speaker with an acidic look and spat out a reply, “Evidence enough we certainly have, and we will produce. In fact, the evidence stands before you. James Huener, were you not the first to sound the alarm on the night when the Darkness struck?”

  “I was, but…” James admitted but was cut off by Rhesing.

  “Why were you out in the early morning if not to lead the Darkness into our hold? And what is your relationship to DaNyang? You were the first to see the enemy because you led them into our presence!” he bellowed.

  “If he led them here,” DaNyang countered, “why would he raise the alarm that allowed us to avoid a total loss to the enemy?”

  Rhesing took a deep breath in preparation for what would be a scathing remark, when James broke in before him.

  “I was not the first to see them,” he explained. “Joe Senagi was.”

  “Joe Senagi!?” Rhesing boomed. “He was killed that night. So you are admitting he got in the way and you murdered him? Do we need to carry this trial any longer?”

  “I did not kill him!” James shouted and DaNyang shot him an anxious look. “We’re going to die anyways,” he whispered out of the corner of his mouth. “Did you ever find his body? Joe saved my life that night, and he saved my life again tonight. But he is dead now. Dead because you pushed him into a world of disillusionment and despair with the very same power groping you are demonstrating with this farcical trial right now!”

  “Enough!” Rhesing yelled with rage cracking his voice. “I pass judgment on them now. They and all their accomplices are guilty of conspiracy with the Darkness and murder and will be put to death immediately!”

  Several things happened at once. The two men who had been whispering previously jumped to their feet and began arguing with the other chief servants around them, someone hit him across the back so hard he fell to his knees and DaNyang threw his body into whoever was behind him. The room swirled with commotion and noise, and soon DaNyang was beside him on his knees with a rivulet of blood flowing down his forehead. It looked as if this was it for them, but at least he had put up a fight against their treachery, no matter how useless it was in the end.

  Then, though it was still in the early hours of the morning and the storm continued to pound the mountain top outside, the sun seemed to erupt through the ceiling and shed its warm rays into every corner of the room. The light appeared even brighter than the sun, but James found himself staring into it without any pain or even the desire to squint his eyes. All the motion in the room ceased, and everyone else’s eyes were fixed on the blossoming radiance overhead. Then the sound of faint wind chimes, or something like a river of crystal cascading over a falls some distance away, filled the air around them. Nothing descended or even seemed to change in the light, but suddenly a human form stood on the wooden floor in between the chief servants and the accused. The description of human form is but the best way to describe something indescribable to the earthbound imagination. It seemed taller than most men, though it was not, and light seemed to flow across its surface like pools of shimmering golden water defying gravity. The best way James could describe the sight later was something like that of Arcturas or Eshaiel but on a higher level. It was more a notion of feeling the presence rather than seeing it, and the feeling was a deluge of both calming peace and fearful power.

  Finally, Rhesing’s voice broke the silence. “Who are you? Why are you here?” he demanded, making every attempt to sound authoritative and in control, but failing miserably at both.

  “I am Mahae’el,” the being chimed, and every mouth across the room except for James’ drew in a sharp breath. “The Father has seen your actions, and I am here to bring His justice.”

  James watched Rhesing intently, waiting for his pompous reply, but the rebellious servant said nothing. In fact, he had to grab the wooden railing in front of him to avoid falling to his knees as the strength of his legs almost gave out. Fear appeared to grip the chief servants, and they showed it with unguarded expressions. However, none of them reached for their weapon or even attempted to flee. Perhaps they knew it was useless in the presence of such a being. James could even feel it himself – the internal knowledge that this creature had understanding, experience and powers beyond his ability to perceive. Fighting or even fleeing would be futile. He glanced at DaNyang to see if the same fear gripped him, but his friend wore a different expression – still fear, but the kind of fear that respects power and honors it rather than the kind that feels threatened and uncomfortable by a stronger entity. In fact, he could see some signs of relief on DaNyang’s countenance.

  “Chief servants of Hanasan Hold,” the majestic visitor began in a voice that seemed to fill every corner of the room and threatened to lift the roof though, in fact, James knew it was speaking at the same volume he would use in addressing a companion in normal conversation, “you have betrayed the Light and done much harm through your treachery and greed. You have taken the opportunity of a weakened Hanasan to rebel against the faithful Intercessor and those who truly followed the Light for the purpose of spreading its influence throughout the land. Your motivations have been power and pride. Among your original council of twelve, only two faithful remain. Chief servants JoShia and KaeLe, though your brothers have turned, you have remained in your positions and attempted to influence their decisions.” As he said these names, the two men who James noticed whispering earlier gave a little jump at being addressed directly. “Your efforts in aiding the Intercessor’s escape have not gone unnoticed. You will be spared and restored to your roles as chief servants of Hanasan Hold. The remaining six have turned to their own ambitions. You will not live to see the new day. The very men who now stand under your judgment will carry your bodies to the grave while the sun rises this morning.”

  “No!” cried one of the chief servants. “The Intercessor and his pets made us weak!” he accused as he pointed to the two who Mahae’el had named. “That is why we fell prey to the Dark on the night of the attack. Hanasan needed stronger leadership and effective organization. It needed a goal and a mission with a group of men who could direct that mission. The Darkness has become too strong. Even you will find it difficult to face them. Compromise is the only way to survive!”

  “Your actions are what precipitated the attack,” Mahae’el countered. “Your foolish reliance on your own abilities and plans marginalized those truly seeking to follow the Light, and eventually succeeded in turning one of your own against you. He was used and deceived by the Darkness, but his fall into the downward spiral began with anger over your arrogance and selfishness. As for the power of the Dark, it grows stronger because of fools like you. Jaeil has taken special interest in this land and his power is great, but your lack of faith has caused you to be blind to the victory that stands ever before us.”

  Since the mention of the Intercessor, James had been listening quietly but burning to ask this creature, who seemed to know all, what happened to the Intercessor. Was he really dead? However, he did not have the gall to interrupt or even draw the Malakin’s attention. Even as the chief servants seemed to be preparing another plea, though, Mahae’el suddenly turned from them as if dismissing any further arguments from them, and walked (or glided more accurately) toward DaNy
ang and him. He froze in place, but out of the corner of his eye he saw DaNyang drop to the floor with his face pressed against the wooden floorboards, and he followed suit awkwardly.

  “Stand up,” Mahae’el said firmly but gently. “I am not to be worshiped. I am only a messenger and at best an equal to you.”

  James found it hard to think of this amazing entity as an equal, but obeyed and stood along with DaNyang.

  “You wish to know something,” Mahae’el stated more than asked.

  “Yes,” James replied hesitantly. “The Intercessor…he saved my life last night, but I saw him fall out of a window high above the city streets. No one saw his body. Do you know what happened to him?”

  For the first time, Mahae’el’s expression seemed to change, if only slightly and in a manner that was difficult for James to read. “He has passed from your world,” he replied softly. “He sacrificed himself for you and the other, and his body fell into the traffic below. You did not see it because Arcturas caught it up in his arms as soon as his spirit left the flesh.”

  “What about the other?” James asked absently as the impact of the Intercessor’s confirmed death settled in his mind. Somehow he had been holding on to the impossible hope that the noble servant somehow survived. “What about Joe? I didn’t see his body either.”

  DaNyang shot him a startled look.

  “I do not know about him,” he confessed. “I am afraid I cannot provide any more answers concerning this, James Huener,” the guardian answered gently yet firmly, and James felt the closure of his solemn statement. Whatever had become of Joe’s body was inconsequential at this point, but he still wished he could have some closure and bid farewell to his old friend.

  “DaNyang Lomas,” the powerful guardian said as he turned toward DaNyang and his voice once again carried across the cavernous room. “Hanasan Hold and the faithful servants require a leader. You will be that leader. You are the new intercessor as granted by the authority of the Light and in the absence of a council of servants.”

  DaNyang’s face took on an even deeper look of shock as he stammered, “I can’t do that! I’m not capable of being such a leader. There must be someone else.”

  “Precisely because you feel this way, you are the one the Father chooses,” Mahae’el explained. “The vessel without pride or ambition is the perfect choice so that the glory of the Father may be seen in his success and wisdom.”

  “I don’t know…” DaNyang hesitated.

  “Know and believe that the Father will work through you,” Mahae’el commanded. “For a time has come when the Darkness has spread its roots beneath our very feet, and the secret plans and deceptions will be revealed. Brothers will turn against brothers under the influence of the Dark, and sons against fathers – fathers against sons. Take heed and watch that you will not be caught off guard. Should this land fall to the Dark, many others will follow in its wake. You alone, you small band of servants, stand between destruction and salvation for many. Prepare yourselves.”

  With this final charge, the visitor drifted toward the large double doorway leading out of the hall and passed through without opening the doors. For some time, James explained the events of the last few days to DaNyang, and his friend did likewise for him. DaNyang explained he searched throughout the city for servants who fled, but felt he could not waste any more time and decided to come to Hanasan with the handful he gathered. While he told the story, JoShia and KaeLe came down to release their bindings and those of the other servants. Those who had been guarding the prisoners already fled, along with the six condemned chief servants. DaNyang asked JoShia and KaeLe if they should be pursued, but the consensus was reached there was no need to waste effort on chasing the doomed men. This later proved to be a correct assumption as the bodies of all six were found shortly after sunrise in the woods along the edge of the hold. JoShia and KaeLe led the freed servants out of the back of the hall to scrounge up something for them to eat, since their captors did not feed them. For a time, the two reunited friends just stood in the center of the hall and let the events of the last evening sink in as they conversed.

  “What are you going to do about Mahae’el’s warning concerning the approaching danger?” James asked.

  “Until we know more about what the danger is, I think all we can do is try to gather as many of the remaining servants as possible, train diligently and watch vigilantly,” DaNyang replied. “I really don’t think I am up to taking the Intercessor’s place, though. Will you stay on with us here, James, and help me out?”

  “Me, help you out?” James asked incredulously. “I don’t think I would do you any good, DaNyang.”

  “Ridiculous,” his friend replied. “Without you things would have turned out much worse here. Besides, I know you enough to know I can trust you completely. That is far more important than having someone who can duel with the Dark One himself but lacks good faith.”

  “Well,” James acceded sheepishly, “I suppose I am out of a job and a place to live. You won’t think of me as a free loader if I stay here, will you?”

  “Of course not,” DaNyang laughed. “And don’t worry, we’ll get our money’s worth out of you, so to speak,” he finished with a mischievous smile. “But in all seriousness, just stay for a while and seek your path. The Light will reveal it to you. I would wager it involves staying with us, though.”

  DaNyang asked James to walk with him, and both men left the hall through the double doors set in the side of the building facing the courtyard. As they stepped outside, a surprising calm filled the night air.

  “What happened to the storm?” James asked his friend.

  “It is still all around us,” DaNyang replied while he drew a circle in the air with his raised hand. “We are merely in the eye of the storm – the short respite that comes as the center of the typhoon itself passes over you.”

  As James peered through the branches and over the rocks surrounding the hold, he could see the ominous clouds of the violent storm churning in the distance on all sides, giving the appearance they were enclosed by a great wall of thick, rolling smoke. Just above the edge of one of these walls of cloud, the bright moon fought to illuminate the mountain top. The dark billows of cloud slowly rose and rolled in a seeming effort to conceal its face, but as the moon slowly gained height in the graying night sky, its ghostly rays of secondary light clarified the details of their surroundings. Then, with the aid of this pale glow, James caught the outline of a human-like form standing in the edge of the forest on the perimeter of the hold.

  “Who is that?” James asked DaNyang. His companion squinted in the direction of his pointing finger.

  “Oh,” he replied after a moment of searching, “that is Mahae’el.”

  “I guess I can see the resemblance, but in the hall his body was shining like the sun and almost flowing in dazzling patterns even though he stood still. That body over there seems pale and almost transparent. In fact, at first I took it for just a patch of moonlight on the forest floor,” James explained.

  “Well, Malakin can choose to appear in full form or otherwise,” DaNyang explained. “Actually, what you saw earlier tonight was even just a shadow of a Malakin’s true form. If he allowed himself to be completely revealed to us, our senses would have been overwhelmed by his presence and communication would be difficult. They can appear to us in differing degrees as they allow certain amounts of their presence to exist in our world. His spectacular body in the hall was perhaps less than half of his presence in our world. The majority was still in his world – the other dimension, if you will, where the Elohin exist and act the majority of the time. Right now he is allowing only a fraction of his form to remain in this world. Often, when they act to influence, protect, or harm men, they do it with just enough of their form in this world to get into our heads and affect things we do not notice. Barely even a slight bending of the light is ever noticeable. This is why they are able to wage a battle with each other and, often imperceptibly, with men while tho
se involved and affected never even have a clue what is going on in and around them.”

  “Well,” James pondered, “now that I have seen and experienced so much of this other realm, I can certainly believe this, but how can someone without such experiences ever know the dangers confronting them every day?”

  “That is our role, I suppose,” DaNyang answered. “We must take the lead in fighting alongside the Malakin in their struggle to defeat the Dark and, as a part of that war, to protect humans. We also must be alert and watch for those who perceive something different about their world and appear to be drawn to the Light. These are the ones we will seek as servants. Some will choose to join us, many will shake us off as crazy mystics or will be afraid of the commitment it obviously entails. Surely you can understand this well. That is why I came to you initially – you knew something was going on beyond your reasonable world. And, you know how hard it was to accept what I told you that first night while we were dining together.”

  “Yeah,” James said as he slowly nodded his head then continued to watch the amazing creature who still stood stock still on the edge of the forest. “Why is he staring at the moon?” he asked as he noticed the curious behavior.

  DaNyang nodded his head while he watched Mahae’el as well, then he turned to address James, “It is a symbol of remembrance and challenge for them…the Malakin. You know, it’s not just the moon, James. It’s actually the spaceship, so to speak, they took to come to our world even before we were created here. They call it Eldilan after the great world it was torn from – their home planet destroyed long ago – even as this young planet was still taking form. A faithful few were chosen by the Father and brought here as guardians to help this new race of men – to keep them from falling to the same fate their race suffered.”

  “But one of them turned on the Light and started the great war long ago, right?” James recalled.

  “Sadly, yes,” DaNyang answered. “But nevertheless, they play a key role in the unfolding story of our planet. I truly believe they will continue to influence us for good and bad on an increasing level until they eventually play an integral part in the last battle that brings the curtain down on the story of our race, at least as it stands in its present form. The Father meant it this way. He wants them to be involved. That is why he left the desolate chunk of Eldilan hanging in the night sky – to remind the Elohin of their previous world, and to challenge them in their mission to prevent evil from consuming this planet as it once consumed theirs. It is the beacon of light that pierces the long period of the dark night.”