by Donovan Neal
"Aye," said Michael, "Yet you shall watch for a sign, for there shall arise a nation from the race of men not many days hence, and they shall not fear God as God, and shall devise a means to murder not known to men at this time. For they shall use this to kill…," Michael then made a gesture of the sign of a cross with his fingers. "Watch the nation that uses such machinations, and when the nation is found, bring such knowledge to me."
Argoth nodded, "The thing will be as you say - and what will you do?" asked Argoth
Michael's face became hard and his voice became cold. "Any nation of men, though they are kindred to us, that rises to lift the God of Heaven on a cross will be brought to dissolution, and I shall personally scatter it to the corners of the Earth that none may ever rebuild it again."
Argoth was taken aback to hear such words come from him, "You would make war with Man?" asked Argoth.
"Nay," replied Michael. "Nevertheless, my responsibility is to El, and I will not see him come to harm. Are you clear in your purpose?"
Argoth placed his hand to chin and nodded. "I am clear. I will do as thou hast asked."
Michael looked at him and replied, "Good, Adamson must never be allowed to bring death to God. You have borne witness to the Holy One’s absence. What pray tell would happen to creation if perchance His death were accomplished?"
Argoth nodded in agreement. "The thing is unthinkable. All things are upheld by the word of his power, never again can the presence of El be lost. I will do as thou sayest. But what of thee? What will you do?"
Michael turned and spoke over his shoulder. "Make preparation to lay waste to the next angel or man who would dare raise hand to God."
Argoth watched as Michael walked away, then when the prince was gone, he called his lieutenants to counsel and beheld them. Each moved as mist in the wind. They were three strong, and their names were Rorex, Isidor, and Turiel. Their cowled faces blurred as they hovered silently, waiting for a command.
"I have summoned you here, as you are chief among our brethren in faithfulness to the Word. Despite a war of our kind, you have stood as beacon and scribes attending to the Book of Life. We bear witness to all things, for it is our lot to give to El on the day that He commands the Books of Life.
"But lo, there are members of our number who have fallen into commentary. To give a diagnosis to that which requires but observation...this cannot be. Therefore, go in the name of the Lord of Hosts, do the bidding of thy master and bring correction to the tomes of our people. Seek out and review all those fallen out of the way. If they shall agree to revision of their tomes, then leave them at peace. But if not, then you shall proceed with redaction. Strike from the record that which counters the living word; confiscate the pens of libel and slander, and erase from existence the lies of the Fallen.
"Behold, I give unto you power to blot out that which countermands the Word. Retract that which is false, and redact the lives of those who write falsely. Harvest the tomes of the Fallen as thy bounty. Now go, and bring erasure to the stain of our people."
Rorex, Isidor, and Turiel bowed in unison. Argoth then spoke the words to open a doorway to the lower realms. The three angels misted and floated away as fog along the ground, a silent oncoming cloud of dissolution to all Grigori errant in the way.
*********************
El looked from his throne, and He weighed the hearts of His people. For they remained steadfast to his purpose. All were intent on restoring Heaven to her former glory. Yet when El looked, mirth song and joy had seeped as escaping gas from the realm immortal. For the hearts of His people were heavy. And the Lord had compassion on His angels, for all had lost a brother to the Descension. Therefore, El purposed that unity, consolation, peace, and merriment would be heard again in the land of Heaven. So he looked about the realm for who He might find to work with Him in the thing. And when His eyes searched all the realm, he found one angel whose heart bordered on the fringe of despair and spoke to him. "Hail, Jehoel, doest thou well to be heavy, that my choir master doth not sing?"
And Jehoel was sore afraid, for he stood in the presence of God, and he bowed himself to worship. "Forgive me, my Lord. I am solemn for the loss of my brethren."
El dimmed in brightness and stood next to Jehoel as an old man of many years, and spoke. "Ahh. You dwell on loss. The thoughts of thine heart, my son, dwell on what is made of ether. Indeed, there are those you have left behind to follow me. Heaven hast been emptied of many of her children. And the loss of thy brother's fellowship hangs even now as a cloud over thee. Yet know that there is not one among you who hast sided with our cause who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come. For even now our family shall be made strong and know that there will come many a new brother and sister and joy shall be as water that falls from the sky. I will surely do this thing and the word is sure to come."
Yet Jehoel would not be comforted, and answered, "But why could thou not just change his heart, God? He – I – am angry with you, angry that you allowed this to happen. Angry that you were not here. For if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
And the words touched El, that He wept.
The Almighty then embraced His creation, this angel who spoke in hurt, and Jehoel knew the answers to his inquiries as El silently embraced him, and the Lord spoke. "I too will miss my children, and it pains me that they have chosen to leave my side. Yet I have set before thy kind life and death, blessing and cursing. Would I take from thee that which animates thy stone? Would you have me make thee an automaton?" The Lord then released him and took his face in his palms, and spoke, "Yea, though there be loss of the realm’s children, I am the resurrection and the life. He that believest in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"
Jehoel looked into the loving eyes of his creator and replied, "Aye, Lord," said Jehoel. "Thou art life eternal."
Then Jehoel's Heartstone burned within him at the words spoken, and the presence of God melted all doubt and brought him comfort. "My king is good and sees to the welfare of his servant." Jehoel then lifted himself from his chair and reached to return a book of sheet music to a shelf that had toppled over during the war, and then he spoke. "What might thy servant do to honor his king?"
El smiled and looked at his son. "Hast thou eaten yet?"
"Nay, Lord," said Jehoel.
El answered, “Come and I wilt show you how to make a stew from the manna leaf you have, and when you are done. I will teach thee a new song to sing." And Jehoel and the Creator of the universe sat in his house, broke bread together, and God in His own voice sung to an angel and gave comfort to His son's grief.
*********************
Lucifer went up to a mountaintop and viewed the land roundabout. For many of the Clayborn had settled near a valley and had called the place Megiddo. Lucifer eyed the humans, deep in thought. Ashtaroth observed him and spoke. "What is it, my Lord?"
Lucifer was slow to reply. "El commands from the throne, and His command of the legions is strong. To have our revenge, He must come down. I must pull Him to this realm, strip Him from His position from on high to contend with me on a field of my choosing, to garner His attention, that he would have no choice but to leave Heaven."
"But how," said Ashtaroth. "Why would El come here?"
Lucifer eyed the valley. "This will be where we shall make our stand, not many days hence. I will gather those remaining who art loyal to our cause, and will gather the forces of men, and here we shall lay low Heaven. El possesses the high ground, and we cannot attack Him in the Third Heaven. We must provide Him need for visitation to this mote, and when Michael's lackeys come, we will whittle away at their strength. Heaven must be made to empty herself. Yea—this shall be the place of my choosing."
Ashtaroth eyed the valley and the men who had settled in the small city. "The Clayborn are as ants, they have settled to guard the western branch of a narrow pass and have sought trade connecting Egyptia and Assyr. They are predictable in their moveme
nt and they settle near sources of water."
Lucifer nodded, "Indeed," he said. "The water directs them, for they know to abide near provision. Likewise, we also must find food to sustain us. I have noted that the spirit of man is as our stones. Though wrapped in flesh, the man is indeed, in essence, spirit. We will feed off man's spirit. Hell, hast provided us lesson. The man can be home for us. His spirit can be tainted that we might feed; moreover, Hell hath need of sustenance. The souls of men can serve as kindling to fire her hunger, lest she run amok and feed off us. Charon keeps the beast at bay, and he above all does the mountain respect. We must use the humans or we will fall. We must replenish our ranks for we are sprawled throughout the realms, and many of our brethren are locked in chains of darkness and flung to the furthest reaches of the universe. A new army I must raise. A new source to attack the flank of El."
Ashtaroth and the others stared at their master as he surveyed the land, and looked at the settlement of men. "You intend to use the man to fight El?" Ares asked.
"Indeed," replied Lucifer. "El hast prophesied that the seed of the woman shall bring me low. I will not let this come to pass. For we will pollute the man's bloodline and build a race that can Ladder into Heaven. We will elevate the man to almost that of us, and with them, we shall wage war in Heaven."
Ashtaroth looked on his master. "Pollute their bloodline... how?"
Lucifer smirked. "There can be no seed raised up against me, not if I plant my own seed to be as tare to that which El hast grown. For once our seed has risen in man, El cannot pluck up His Creation lest He root up the wheat with the tare.
"Charon, I have minions, many that must be loosed. You will search this planet. From the ocean floor to the crevices of its depths, you shall find them wherever El hast hid them. Find them, slave, and bring them to me."
Charon hesitated to move, and Lucifer gave him a look of warning. The Angel of Death snorted, eyed the four angels he had already loosed, and with socketless eyes spread his great black wings and lifted once again into the air, and Death took wing to release from their prisons the felons of Heaven.
*********************
Charon did as bidden and loosed from across the earth those who had served Lucifer. From the height of towering mountains to the abyssal depths of the ocean floor, he released Lucifer's servants from the snares of El's prisons. And as men populated the face of the Earth, so too did Lucifer sever the fallen from bondage that they grew in number, minions whose anger over their exile knew no bounds. Each was now stranded on the Earth barred from returning home. And in the span of time, Lucifer gathered them all to council and spoke.
"You are here because El hast judged us to exile. An exile that hast bound us to this mote to dwell in caverns of dust, and shackled in the deep trenches of the seas. He hast chained us in grottos of lava and flame...but now we are free! Free to seek vengeance! Free to smite at the heart of the Almighty!"
The angels roared in approval, raising fists in the air as heads nodded in anger and anticipation to strike back at Heaven. Lucifer raised his hands and the group quieted.
"As many of you know, this land does not grow the food that we consume, but fear not. I have found us nourishment——we shall feed off the humans." He smiled at his own ingenuity.
Gasps echoed in the room, and an Issi warrior raised his hand to speak. Lucifer acknowledged him. "My Lord, you would have us consume the image of God? Will not El mark us for dissolution? Would you do such a thing to provoke the Almighty?"
Lucifer walked among his people, saying, "We are at war. I will do what must be done to survive. For the very spirit that animates the humans also powers our stones. Yea, we shall indeed feed off the image of God, and moreover, we shall send the object of God's love to the very prison El has prepared for us. Hell itself shall feed off the life of men, and we shall with this offering keep the monster in check. For behold how a prison and weapon made from angels will under my power bring torment to the object of God's love. We will strike at Him and El will melt as His clay chattel weeps in utter darkness and the gnashing of teeth. See how the Vengeance of God stands at my side, and it is I that controls Death itself, for the Warden serves me and shall enforce my will in the Earth."
Manny nodded, emboldened by Lucifer's word and seeing how Charon had freed them.
Ares stood up to speak. "Lord, be not angry with thy servant, as you have made me thy strategist in manners of war. The thing that you say is plausible, yet what would you have us do? For though we are free, famine rages among us. How is it that the Adam can sustain us?"
Lucifer smiled, "El hast given the man free will. He is Clayborn, and possesses ease of turning. El hast given the man long life. For I have brought a plague of sin to the man, and his contagion of sin shall make him even the more easy to surrender to our devices. For his sins make him his soul palatable for Hell, and from her we may feed. For the creature Hell doth not destroy life, but preserves it alive that she might suckle and sustain her captives’ torment. We shall feed Hell the souls of men, and she, in turn, shall feed us. But as we are great in number and the man is yet mortal, we must harvest many souls. We shall make the man worship us, as he should have from the beginning. We shall displace his love for El and turn it toward us, and with Death seal his doom to abide in Hell and engine our lives. Therefore, go and amaze the man that he might know that we are his Gods, and cause him to live unto thee. Move sky and sea, wilt crop and womb, touch the man, and if he obeys, prosper him, but never satiate him fully. He must come to depend on your benevolence. Make him shed blood to thee, for his sons must never give rise to Shiloh.
"For El believes the man capable of upending us. This must never be. Follow the pattern that I have set, and make the male dominate the female, set young against old and use their hues and shade of skin to divide them. Raise up among them great ones, and those of low estate plant greed and envy in their ranks. Sow fear and distrust amongst them, that they never see the unity of worship to El. For distrust is stronger than trust, and envy more than adulation. This I have learned when the Eve failed to follow her charge. Establish among their people charges of thine own design that move them away from the purposes of El's in the Earth. Let them breed to provide us food and soldiers that will one day strike at Heaven. And watch as their sin shall pass from the father to the son, and they shall self-fuel iniquity in the Earth. And when their sin is spread across all nations and tongues, we shall bring both them and Heaven low and, in the end, we shall be made strong!"
The throng of the fallen roared in approval, and cheered and chanted Lucifer's name. "Lucifer! Lucifer!”
Lucifer lifted up his hands, smiling and soaking in the praise of his people, then spoke.
"Now go to, and let men know that we watch them. Show them that we are nearer to them than the God of Heaven. Teach them to obey thee, that our name not perish from the Earth."
And the thing was done as Lucifer commanded, and angels lifted themselves and flew to all dwelling places of men and showed themselves as great ones, and angels taught man all manner of cunning and craftsmanship and gave him forbidden knowledge to summon the Fallen. Lucifer released with the keys of Death and Hell changed Elohim to go and find bodies that they might possess them. And men became house to many of the Hellspawn who had defied God in vengeance and whose bodies were now deformed from their former state, for Hell had consumed their flesh and left little but the spirit and stones so that they sought out the bodies of men to find expression in the earth. But the shell of men proved too confining to those who once traveled the realms and men scratched at themselves and went mad for what the dispossessed showed them.
And lore rose among man, of beings who lived within men and granted them strength and knowledge and sorcerous power otherwise not available to him, and men named the beings Demons. And the demons lived within men, and gave men great strength and knowledge, but each vessel soon was used up, for only so many of the dispossessed could make their home within the body of a man. The
Fallen spread throughout the Earth and fell as a plague upon man and smote men and shed his blood. And angels introduced all manner of sin and wickedness among men, and spoke to men through animals, and trees, and even those Grigori that fell interfered with men, and taught him writing of angelic lore and dark manner of sorceries to record and to change the story of his creation.
But one angel by the name of Molech was more zealous than his brethren and caused men to sacrifice their children in the fire and to spill the blood of women while they were still with child. And Lucifer was pleased over the thing for the children's spirits were pure and undefiled, and though he could not feed off the little ones, for they had no sin of conscience, the men and parents who sacrificed them were not so, and he slaughtered them that they were damned to Hell, and Lucifer fed off the man's misery, and angelkind became strong. Lucifer commanded the Fallen to follow the example of his servant Molech and make Man give blood sacrifice, and men did so.
Thus, Lucifer eyed the children of men and watched over man's blood that it would never give birth to Shiloh, the one who would smite him, in accordance with El's word. For Lucifer knew that if man cooperated with El that El's will would be established in the Earth. So Lucifer obsessed over men so that he destroyed his seed if ever a glimmer of El's image manifested in a child
*********************
The Lord God summoned Talus to his presence
Talus stepped into the throne room his steps heavy as he entered the presence of the Lord.
Will I be stripped of my rank?
He bowed as was custom and waited for the Lord of Heaven to speak.
"Talus Arelim, Chief of House Arelim. Thou art called to give an account of thy actions as Chief Prince. You have been weighed in the balance and hast been found lacking. You will submit to examination."
Immediately, the throne disappeared and Talus stood before the triune God, and to His right were Grigori, who recorded all that was around them. To Talus's left were members of his own house who watched him. Above was a spotlight that shown upon him. Then El spoke from the darkness.