Worlds Without End: The Prophecy (Book 3)

by Shaun Messick

  All but one remaining fighter and the attack shuttle were consumed in the resulting enormous fireball that erupted. Jake barely escaped its clutches as well as he cut sharply to his right toward the horizon of the open wormhole.

  Without the immense energy needed from the destroyed station to keep the wormhole open, the gravitational forces began to rip the second station apart, and the wormhole began to close. Using what precious fuel he had left, Jake set the throttle to maximum, heading straight for the horizon.

  Skip fired from his station, hitting the fighter. It spun out of control into the second exploding station. In obvious defeat, the attack shuttle veered off to avoid getting hit by the shrapnel from the stations and from being sucked into the wormhole.

  Just before the wormhole collapsed on itself, which would have certainly crushed Jake’s ship, the shuttle’s nose entered the horizon. In what seemed to be slow motion, Jake watched as the stars elongated, and they were catapulted through space and time toward Mars.

  CHAPTER 8: TRANSFORMATION

  Koroan’s Palace, City of Chast - 5 days later . . .

  Dorange awoke in a cold sweat. His sheets were drenched. Ever since he received the blood of a mela from his blood transfusion, he had been sick. So sick, in fact, that he confined himself to his quarters and ordered that no medical professional help him. He would rather die than reveal that he was actually a human being.

  Wearily, he pulled himself from his bed and walked to his bathroom. Turning on the sink, he splashed cool water on his face and then looked at his reflection in the mirror. Even though he was sixty-four Earth years old, his body no longer looked like that of a robust thirty-year-old. Instead, he resembled a haggard ninety-year-old ready to meet his maker. His hair was grayer than it had been just five days ago, his eyes sunken, and his cheeks hollow. He also looked over his torso. In just five days, he had lost over fifty pounds, resulting in his ribs sticking out like a skeleton’s.

  He didn’t need the Gnol doctors to tell him that his body was rejecting the blood transfusion. No, he was dying, and he needed to figure out something fast or he wouldn’t last through the week. To make matters worse, he still had not heard from General Sapharius. His only conclusion was that Adrian was able to escape from Terrest. The thought infuriated him as he slammed his fist down onto the elegant sink. He felt the bones in his hand crack and excruciating pain exploded throughout. He cursed, realizing he had broken his hand. Prior to his illness, the force at which he slammed his fist onto the sink would have crushed it to pieces, but not anymore. No. He was even weaker than his own people from Earth that he had grown to despise.

  Pushing back the pain, he opened his medical kit within the bathroom, injected himself with morphine, and wrapped his hand. The entire ordeal weakened him even further, and he felt as if he was going to pass out. As he stepped out of the bathroom to go back to bed, the alarm buzzed at his door, indicating that someone wanted to speak with him. “I told you that I was not to be disturbed!” he hollered, fuming.

  The voice on the other end of the comlink was that of one of his guards, guarding his room. “My apologies, my Lord. But you wanted to be notified if we found General Sapharius.”

  “Go on!” Dorange simmered.

  “General Sapharius and his men were all found dead within a canyon 850 kilometers from here.”

  Dorange wasn’t surprised. He had anticipated that this was the news he would receive. “Very well, Major. Resume your duty.”

  “Yes, my Lord.”

  Hopelessness began to drape over Dorange like a blanket as he stumbled into his bed. His body trembled. Pulling the covers tightly to his neck, his thoughts drifted to how he could somehow synthesize a new and improved god-gene serum, so he could return to what he believed himself to be . . . a god among the Gnols. He knew, however, that wasn’t possible. His thoughts then drifted to the one man he hated more than any other being in the universe - Adrian Palmer. It tore at his very soul that Adrian was still alive, along with his family.

  “Jake!” he shouted out loud, remembering his last encounter with Adrian’s son. How did Jake gain Gnol abilities? he wondered again. How did he come back from the dead and become so powerful?

  The questions consumed him for the next several minutes as his body continued to tremble. Then it hit him like a lightning bolt, and he shot up, his body generating what little adrenaline he had left. He clicked on his comlink. “Major!”

  “Yes, my Lord.”

  “Have my personal shuttle prepped and ready for space flight within the hour.”

  There was a pause on the other end. “Y-yes, my Lord. But where, may I ask, are you going? You are in no condition—”

  “Just do it!” Dorange roared.

  “Yes, my Lord.”

  Gathering every ounce of strength he had left, Dorange pulled himself from his bed once again. He needed to get ready and fast. He just hoped that he would be able to survive the journey in his condition.

  *****

  Earth Time: 3 days later . . .

  The blades of the Blackhawk helicopter churned through the air as it sped across the Missouri landscape at a low altitude. Eli Jacobson was frustrated, watching the shadow of the chopper on the ground below. Just a week earlier, he and his team had made one of the most exciting discoveries in human history. And now here he sat within the Blackhawk and its crew, who had come to retrieve him from his mission. President Thompson had ordered to meet personally with Eli, along with John, Ashley, and General Peterson. The rest of his team were preparing camp near the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan, Mexico, protected by Captain Smith and his men.

  “E.T.A. five minutes, sir.”

  Eli snapped out of his thoughts and looked at one of the two soldiers sitting across from him. He nodded without responding. After a few more agonizing minutes, the Blackhawk landed at Scott Air Force Base. Eli was then escorted into the war room where he had communicated with John after discovering the ancient scripture engraved on the colossal head. The guards sat him down at a large conference table and gave him water and a hot meal, which was good because he was starving.

  After gorging himself with the meal, General Christopher Peterson walked in, followed by John, President Thompson, and Ashley. President Thompson approached him first with his hand extended. “Aw, the man who may have just discovered what will save Earth.”

  Eli stood and shook the president’s hand while John and the others sat across from him, smiling warmly. “Save Earth?” Eli questioned.

  “That is precisely why I asked you to come and meet with us, Professor,” the president replied, pulling up a seat next to him.

  “We know that what you discovered is powerful,” John articulated. “The relic, if it is indeed hidden in the Pyramid of the Sun, is one of untold power. So much power that it could usher in the end of the days.”

  Eli chuckled. “I think we are already there.”

  “There’s no question that we are,” John continued. “We’ve already learned from Adrian Palmer that two ancient plates have been found, one being the gold plate of Terrest. The other is the gold plate of Gnolom. If we are to assume that the gold plate of Earth is hidden in that pyramid, then we need to be sure that whomever possesses it is worthy.”

  “Worthy?” Eli questioned offensively. “You don’t think that I am worthy enough to find the plate?”

  “No, that’s not it all,” President Thompson said. “The plate in the wrong hands, particularly in an evil Gnol’s hands, could mean dire consequences for our galaxy.”

  Eli was getting more nervous throughout the discussion. If this plate was as powerful as they said it was, then he might just leave it hidden.

  John, obviously perceiving his thoughts, spoke again. “Don’t worry, Eli. I believe you are the perfect person to find the plate, perhaps even chosen by God to be the one to discover it in the beginning. We just want to make sure you understand the call and responsibility you have ahead.”

  Eli’s stomach churne
d, and his meal was beginning to come back from where it came. He swallowed hard and said, “Okay. I understand that it’s powerful, maybe even powerful enough to destroy the galaxy. So what is it exactly that you want me to understand?”

  “All three of the plates’ histories and the reason they were created in the first place,” John stated earnestly.

  “History?”

  John stood and began to make his way around the table. “Perhaps it is better if I show you rather than tell you.”

  He stopped as he stood behind Eli and placed his hands on his shoulders. A feeling of total relaxation wrapped around Eli as if he was bathing in pure light.

  John continued, “You are about to receive sacred information that only I, President Thompson, General Peterson, and his wife have been allowed to access. You, along with us and the three Nephites of old, are the only ones on Earth who hold this knowledge. And you must covenant before God, angels, and these witnesses that you will never reveal this information unless you are given a commandment to do so.”

  The comforting warmth of John the Beloved’s touch continued to envelop Eli as he responded, “Yes, I promise.”

  John then placed his hands on Eli’s head. Instantaneously, Eli was transported to another realm. He was surrounded by space. Bright nebulas and stars surrounded him. It was as if his spirit was floating in space observing the glorious creations of God. Then he heard John’s voice as the narrative played out before him, as if he was surrounded by a 3D movie.

  “In the beginning, God created the heavens and Earth. But Earth was not the only planet the Father created for his children to reside on. He created worlds without end, too numerous for man to count.”

  Eli watched as the Earth and other worlds were formed. Then other images flashed before him. He saw a young baby on a world he didn’t recognize in a different galaxy.

  “As man is, God once was; as God is now man may be.”

  He watched as the infant grew and developed into a glorious and righteous human being, from birth to death and from resurrection to exaltation. The realization of what Eli was witnessing humbled him beyond anything he could comprehend. Tears began to stream from his eyes as he watched the exalted being create his own galaxy with the Holy Priesthood of God.

  John’s voice continued and the images flashed before Eli’s eyes. “Then there was one among his children who volunteered to bring all of God’s children back to his presence. Nonetheless, this son of the morning’s plan was rejected because it was not of righteous desire. But he who was greater than us all presented himself as the lamb, the one who would atone for all of our sins, bringing freedom to all, so that one day we may return.

  “But God, knowing the evil designs of Lucifer and knowing the devil would never give up, prepared a way for him to be defeated. Lucifer, that serpent who beguiled our first parents, wants nothing more than to be a god himself. And he will do anything in his power to make that happen. In his lust for power and pride, Lucifer truly believes that he can still dethrone the Father and his Son, but darkness will never overcome light. However, darkness will linger so long as Father’s children live in sin.”

  The vision then transformed back to the worlds without end that God had created and John’s voice continued the narration. “Every world the Father has created has been endowed with a gold plate written by the very finger of the Son and in the pure language of God. These relics reveal the destiny of each planet as to whether they be Telestial, Terrestrial, or Celestial glories. The plates also hold the power to usher in the end of days for each world, returning each world to its paradisiacal glory and, eventually, its final destination within the galaxy. These holy plates hold power on high to move each world from her place. But in the wrong hands, the relics can unleash untold evil with the potential to cast out each world from the galaxy with the children of God who possess it, forever bound to Lucifer in darkness and despair, thus stopping their eternal progression.”

  Eli watched as the gold plate of one world fell into the hands of an evil man. With the plate’s power, the man was able to unite an evil spirit with the deceased body of another, the new entity becoming the god of the fallen world. Using the power of the plate, the evil god cast the world out from the order of the galaxy. The world then resided in cold and darkness, trapping the souls who inhabited the planet in eternal subjugation to that evil god.

  The warmth that Eli felt from John’s touch disappeared, replaced with a sense of pure, unadulterated cold and despair. He was experiencing the feeling of what it would be like for the children who resided on the cast out planet. They would be in hell without a choice. A shiver reverberated throughout Eli’s body that he never wanted to experience ever again.

  The vision switched to a world where a plate was in the possession of a righteous child of God, one who was pure and without guile. He then saw another man come to the one who possessed the plate. This man emitted so much light that Eli mistook him for the savior. Then Eli realized who he was witnessing. He was watching the chosen one, the Holy Spirit, the third member of the Godhead in physical form.

  John’s narration continued. “In the hands of the righteous, the Father will call forth the comforter. The comforter will be the one to translate the gold plates of each world. And thus release its power to bring God’s children back into His presence.”

  The vision switched to three worlds—Earth, Terrest, and Gnolom—as John’s voice continued. “The three worlds before you were all created together, bound to each other. Its inhabitants will inherit one of these three worlds according to their final estate. Telestial matter inheriting Telestial, Terrestrial matter inheriting Terrestrial, and finally . . . Celestial matter inheriting Celestial.”

  Eli witnessed the eternal progression of each world up to its final destination. He also saw the gold plates of Earth, Terrest, and Gnolom. Now he understood. He understood completely why the plates were so important and why they could not fall into the wrong hands. If so, then each of the worlds before him could be cast out, enslaving its inhabitants’ souls forever on a world controlled by evil forces and without a choice.

  The vision closed and Eli opened his eyes. Warmth wrapped over him again. He looked at the others in the room as John made his way back to his seat. Tears streamed from their eyes, having witnessed the vision as well. They all recognized the solemn responsibility they had to preserve the gold plate of Earth.

  Eli was about to speak when General Peterson’s comlink signaled him. “General,” said a voice on the other end.

  “What is it?” General Peterson asked.

  “I know you told me not to disturb your meeting, but this is urgent.”

  “Go ahead.”

  “We just received a mayday message from Jake Palmer. He is on a Gnol ship without any fuel and about to enter the atmosphere.”

  *****

  It took everything in Dorange Gar’s power to stay conscious. The past three days had been excruciating as he traveled from Terrest to Gnolom. His doctors had tried to prohibit him from going, but they knew better than to test Dorange and allowed him to leave alone. He could feel death approaching as he flew his personal ship through Gnolom’s atmosphere. The sleek black warship resembled the other warships, battle cruisers, and fighters within the Gnols’ space fleet. His ship was large enough to fit a ten-man crew, yet agile enough for air-to-air combat. The ship somewhat resembled that of the old Air Force B-2 Stealth bombers of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, although the Gnol versions had thicker fuselages and the wings curved downward slightly, giving the ship a menacing appearance. Unlike the smaller fighter versions of the ship, which only seated one pilot, Dorange’s version had a cockpit that could seat two pilots.

  Dorange checked his instruments again, making sure he was heading in the right direction toward Mount Resumpsi. In the distance, he could see the top of the mount, and a sense of relief poured over him. Soon, he hoped, his body would be healed, thus escaping the excruciating pain he was experien
cing. As he lined his ship up with the mount, he had another coughing fit. The spasms had occurred sporadically throughout his journey. But these coughs were different. They were more painful, and to make matters worse, he coughed up blood, a sure sign his lungs were beginning to fill with fluid.

  Within minutes, he arrived at his destination and landed the ship at the base of the mount. He stumbled to the back door, secured his space helmet, and then opened the ramp leading down to the planet’s sandy surface. It was dusk, giving Dorange just enough light to make out objects but not enough to see. He clicked on the lights on his helmet and began the strenuous climb up a trail. From what little information he had about the mount, he knew there were trails leading to cave openings. He just hoped he picked one that would lead to it.

  After about an hour’s walk, he finally reached a small ridge with what appeared to be a small cave opening. The opening looked at one time to be larger, but time had worn on the mount as large boulders and rubble had collapsed the majority of the opening. He slumped next to the rocky surface of the mount and slid down onto the ground. His body was drenched in sweat and convulsed with violent trembling. He knew that he would have to climb through the small opening, exerting even more energy. Unfortunately, he didn’t know if he would survive. As a result, he decided to rest for a while.

  As he rested, he stared out into Gnolom’s night sky. The stars shimmered amazingly bright. One bright star caught his eye. It was larger than the others and blue in color. It was Terrest. There were many times when he was on Terrest where he would stare at the stars and see a larger red one brighter than the others, which was Gnolom. He wondered why these two planets with different beings were connected.

  He didn’t have long to ponder the question because of another coughing attack. Blood spattered onto the inside of his helmet, obstructing his vision. Cursing, he stood up and made his way to the small opening. With every ounce of energy he had left, he forced himself through the rubble and to climb upward another five meters. At the top of his ascent, he looked down. There was another trail leading to the heart of the cave, but it sloped downward at a steep angle. With nothing to hold on to for support, he stepped forward, hoping the traction on his boots would be enough to keep him from sliding.