In Exile (Archangel Jarahmael and the War to Conquer Heaven, Book III)

by John J Higgins

  Luciferael turned and walked back and sat again upon his Throne as Suriel and Sammuael shoved Jarahmael back towards the entry door of Pandemonium. And after a couple of steps each put their arm within Jarahmael's so they could pick him up and fly him to fulfill Luciferael's sentence on him in Hell.

  Soon they were airborne and traveled back upwards through the Pits of Hell. Once they emerged from the deep bowels of Hell, they headed towards the molten river Phlegomon that separated Hell from Hades. There was a rocky area there that had resulted from earlier molten rock hardening over time. Not far from the molten river was a large rounded boulder that was more than ample to outstretch and hold Jarahmael's nine foot body. Suriel grabbed Jarahmael's left arm while Sammuael grabbed his right. They attached chains at his wrists and drove stakes into the rock to hold down his arms. They did the same with his feet. And then with a ritual curse, they put a spell on the last spike which they drove through his torso to ensure that he would not be able to rise from his bonds and which made his body take the form of flesh rather than light wave energy. This ensured that he was vulnerable to the carnabus and its flesh eating nature.

  “Do you wish to tell us where the Books are, Jarahmael?” Suriel asked, as they used Jarahmael's own swords and spear to jab his body now to make sure it was composed of flesh.

  Jarahmael was in agony from the wounds they inflicted, but the pain made him more determined to not tell these rebel Angels. He was resolute that they would not know where the Books had been placed and he definitely was not going to assist them rise to power once again. He decided to go deep within his own mind and drown out the pain, focusing on his anger and hatred of Luciferael and his Auxilium, nurturing it with his thoughts.

  “He isn’t going to answer you, Suriel,” said Sammuael. “He is one of those loyal Angels that will just keep fighting even when they have nothing left. He just blindly follows what he thinks the Almighty wants him to do. I am so thankful that we follow Luciferael who tells us whatever he wants us to do and always rewards us. Come, let’s leave him to the carnabus. I see the creature coming from the direction of Pandemonium. The lord Luciferael must have already released him from deep in the bowels of Hell to feed upon Jarahmael and soften him up.”

  “Last chance, Jarahmael!” Suriel said as they prepared to fly off.

  Jarahmael's continued silence was his answer, so they both flew off, passing by the carnabus as they flew downwards, back in the direction of Pandemonium.

  The carnabus landed and looked into Jarahmael's eyes. Jarahmael had removed his mind from this rock and his imprisonment, but he could still feel pain, as it pierced right through him.

  He screamed in agony when the carnabus began eating at his insides and try as he might there was nothing he could do to stop the carnabus from picking apart his organs as he lay there.

  Hours passed as the carrion creature feasted upon his organs and flesh. Jarahmael felt as though the torture would never end. Finally, the carnabus stopped feeding upon him, it must be nightfall for the rest of the Universe Jarahmael thought as he watched his tormentor fly back into the cavern from whence he had come. It was not long before Jarahmael could feel his body beginning to regenerate itself, and a whole new type of pain surged through his body as his nerves reconnected. With the nerves reconnected he could feel each piece of his body’s regeneration, he could feel almost every cell scream as it grew back.

  I need to find a way out of here. I can't help Lillith, confined and tortured like this, Jarahmael thought. He could call out to the Almighty for help. But he was too proud, and besides, the Almighty did not try to help him get Lillith released when he asked Him. The Almighty did not care about him nor did He care about Lillith. Exhausted from the torture, he fell into a dreamless sleep.

  This ritual went on for a week before Beelzebael arrived to talk with him. As Beelzebael arrived he motioned for the carnabus to stop tearing at Jarahmael. He approached Jarahmael and touched his wound, and it stopped all the pain.

  “Good morning, Jarahmael. I have come to help you. Luciferael is extending his offer to you again. He will release you, all you have to do is to tell me where you have hidden the Almighty's Books.”

  Jarahmael was thankful for the pain to be taken from him. But he had no intention to turn over either of those Books. He had seen how these rebel Angels operated and he did not want to be the cause of another war for the Heavens.

  “You do know, Jarahmael, that the Almighty and your loyal brethren have deserted you. They have no intention of attempting to release you. They are glad you are here and happy to allow us to do the Almighty's dirty work, to torture you until you tell us where you hid the Books.” Beelzebael watched Jarahmael's expressions closely. “You still have nothing at all to say?”

  Jarahmael just looked back at Beelzebael without making a sound. A couple of tears rolled down his cheek despite himself. What is the point of trying to convince him? Jarahmael thought to himself.

  Then another thought flitted across his mind. Was this part of what he agreed to do for the Almighty long ago when he spoke to the Almighty, that day he brought Lillith back into Heaven? What did she agree to? He racked his mind trying to reconnect with that set of memories, but they had been long hidden from his consciousness.

  Beelzebael kept looking at Jarahmael, waiting for his response. Then Beelzebael changed tactics.

  “Would you like to see Lillith, Jarahmael?” Beelzebael asked, very much aware that he needed to watch Jarahmael's reaction. If the continued attacks by the carnabus were not softening Jarahmael so he would speak, then they might need to find a different tactic.

  Beelzebael reached down and gathered up some of the ground of Hell, cupped it and formed it into a blue luminescent ball. He brought it over where it was fully in Jarahmael's sight, so he could see what was now going to appear.

  An image of Lillith was viewable deep within the blue light. She was kept in a room, most likely in Luciferael’s palace. Jarahmael was sure the rebel Angels would not return her to the palace that opened up to the surface of the Earth. She had escaped from there once before. He was relieved that she did not look as though she were in pain or being tortured. Nonetheless, Jarahmael ached in longing when he saw her. Once again they were separated, and once again Jarahmael could not get to her. A wave of emotion flooded over him, drowning out his physical pain with his emotional pain. But it also made him sharper and he looked deep into the blue light, burning an image of the surrounding background into his mind so he would be able to find her once he was free of these binding chains.

  Chapter 52

  NEW INTERFERENCE

  Many years passed after that day when Jarahmael had been captured by Luciferael and his Auxilium. They tried repeatedly to break the Archangel's will and silence, all to no avail, despite trying other means of torture. They also anticipated that they could use him as a testing subject for the techniques that the rebel Angels would use in the Seven Pits of Hell on the souls of the damned, when they arrived.

  The rebel Angels were still waiting for the souls of the Earth creatures to be sent to the Underworld after their deaths. Luciferael had hoped that he would have convinced Adam and Eve to worship him instead of the Almighty, but Jarahmael had sacrificed himself to warn them, and his relationship with them and their children would make any further efforts by the rebel Angels futile.

  But Luciferael had never forgotten the report he received from Mammonael and Damiel about the two oldest sons of Adam and Eve, and their jealousy among themselves over the daughters of the Simians.

  “I know we are all frustrated that despite the Almighty promising that the Humans would be destroyed, they continue to live. Not only do they live, but they continue to procreate,” Luciferael said as he conducted a meeting of his Auxilium one evening. “First, Adam and Eve gave birth to Cain, then to Abel, now they have produced even more children, another boy child named Seth. They also are raising Jarahmael’s son Enoch, who we know is under the constant protection o
f Cerebriel and his Cherubim, preventing us from trying to lead him astray.”

  “What you are saying then, my lord Luciferael, is that the children of Adam and Eve are fair game for our influence?” Mephistophael asked.

  “Yes, it appears that I am. Thank you, Mephistophael, for clarifying my thoughts.”

  “Do we even know whether the sentence of death that the Almighty bestowed on Adam and Eve extend to their offspring and their offspring’s offspring?” Mammonael asked.

  “That’s an interesting question,” interjected Sammuael. “How would we find out? Wait an eternity like we have been waiting for Adam and Eve to die?”

  “We really are not even sure that Adam and Eve are going to die. There have been some rumors that the Almighty is trying to find a way for the two of them to redeem themselves and get returned to the Garden of Eden,” Beelzebael said, looking around the room, proud that he may have secret information that the others did not possess.

  “Tell us, Mammonael, are you sure that you felt Cain was angry with his brother Abel when those young Simian breeding females showed up?” Luciferael asked, leaning forward in anticipation of the answer.

  “I am positive, my lord, that I felt the wave of his anger pass through me like a hot wind. Ask Damiel, if you don’t believe it,” Mammonael replied as he pointed over to his brother rebel Angel Damiel.

  “Yes, my lords, I certainly felt it come off the Human boy, Cain. I felt that we could have exploited that if we wanted to, but they were just young boys,” Damiel added, smiling happily as they wanted his opinion on such a serious matter.

  “But they are older now, strong Human men from what has been reported to me,” Luciferael responded. “Last report was just a couple of weeks ago when I sent some Cherubim guards to secretly find out whether Cerebriel was still protecting Enoch. Can’t get that one away from Adam and Eve unless Cerebriel stops guarding him.”

  “I would not count on Cerebriel stopping his protection anytime soon, my lord. Jarahmael and he were very close all through the rebellion,” Sammuael said, his voice communicating how much he wanted to capture all of them.

  “It may be time for me to pay these Human boys a visit,” Luciferael said as he stood up and stepped down off his throne.

  “Yes, my lord. Did not Almighty give you permission through Michael to interact with these Humans, to recruit them to your side, if you can?” Mephistophael added.

  “Yes, He did, but it’s not like I need His or any loyal Angel’s permission. All of them are vulnerable whenever the Almighty is travelling away from our Universe, and He seems to be doing a lot of that since the rebellion.”

  “Come, let’s go find the Humans and see what havoc we can wreak. They still have had too much of an easy and pleasurable experience. Perhaps it’s time to go directly at them,” Mephistophael said.

  “I agree,” said Luciferael. “Mammonael, you come with me as you were the one who can identify the Human boys turned into men, and let us together bolster their dark emotions.”

  Chapter 53

  A CONTEST

  Cain and Abel had grown into two strong men. Cain had more of his father Adam’s face and build, heavier and solid, while Abel had more of Eve’s build, taller, yet slender and graceful. They were both outgoing and had made many friends among the numerous Simian tribes in their area. Both men had numerous Simian women who wanted to mate with them, but they preferred to be in the company of Guline’s daughters Gaela and Borea. Each of the daughters had blossomed as well and they had become very beautiful young females.

  Adam and Eve were proud of their two boys. Abel was an excellent shepherd and his herds of sheep grew and multiplied. Likewise, the crops farmed by Cain also fared well; his fields produced more and more food each year, and he was also able to expand the amount of land he used for farming over the years. Both young men assisted the Simians convert nomadic hunters and gatherers who lived day by day into a culture that began to herd and farm. This allowed the Simians to store quantities of foods in anticipation of the times when the weather became bad, preventing starvation.

  The competition between Cain and Abel increased as they grew, but Cain took it more seriously, and he was resolved to not be outdone by his younger brother. Abel just shrugged it off and remained focused on methods of improving his herds. Adam and Eve noticed this competition but felt that it was a passing phase that the two would outgrow.

  One day while Abel was off tending his sheep and Cain was farming one of his new fields with an implement that became known as a plow, Cain was approached by an old-looking Simian, white haired and of advanced age as he hobbled, assisted by a walking staff. Tall for a Simian, the elder also wore a raven-shaped hat, a beak-like protrusion that doubled as an eye shade from the bright sunlight.

  “Greetings, young man!” the old Simian called out, with a younger voice that contradicted his aged appearance.

  “Same to you, old man. What do you want here?” Cain said as he continued to dig up some dirt in his fields, planting some new crops. Cain was obviously annoyed at being disturbed by the elderly Simian.

  “Just a few moments of your time!” the old Simian replied as he smiled at the Human.

  “I have no moments to spare on the likes of you,” Cain answered.

  Rather than being insulted, the old Simian laughed at Cain and continued, “You will have time for me, young sir. For I hold the keys to your happiness deep within me!”

  “How can that be? My troubles are beyond anything you could possibly do. Now you are beginning to waste my time, old man. Go back from whence you came!”

  “I will not leave! You need to be changed,” the old Simian yelled back at Cain. Then opening his cloak, he revealed a closed sack filled with something. “You will thank me for what I have in this bag. Its contents will make you far outshine any efforts of your younger brother Abel.”

  Cain was now intrigued by the prospect of anything that would allow him to outperform his brother. He stopped his tilling and walked over towards the raven-hooded stranger. “What could you possibly have in your sack, old man, that would help me beat my brother?”

  “Seeds that I had been given from one of the Angels defeated in the war of their rebellion!”

  “What is special about those seeds?” Cain asked.

  “The Angel told me that they will grow overnight and produce the most delectable fruits.”

  “And why would the Angel have given them to you? Why did this Angel not come directly to me, then?” Cain asked.

  “He was afraid that you would not listen to him, knowing that your parents believed that the rebel Angels tricked them. He explained that the story told to all of you was just a lie, it was the Almighty who cast them out of the Garden of Eden as part of a test, and that the rebel Angels only want the best for all the Humans and the Simians here on Earth.”

  “Why should I not believe the stories my parents told me about their own history of being thrown out of the Garden of Eden?”

  “That, my young sir, was the exact reason the Angel wanted me to approach you on his behalf.”

  “Well, I see no reason to change my mind about that,” Cain responded.

  “Exactly what this Angel told me you would say. He told me to give you these seeds, plant and water them today, and if they grow the most delicious fruit overnight, you will see what he says is true. And the seeds and plants are yours to keep no matter what you decide. But he told me that you will find that these plants are outstanding and that your parents and the Almighty will give you great credit for the fruit.”

  Cain thought about it for a moment. He had nothing to lose, one way or the other. He would get better and faster growing fruit, and the credit for it. Nor was he under any obligation to change his mind about the rebel Angels. There really was nothing to lose.

  “All right, old Simian, I will try the seeds and see how they turn out.”

  “Splendid!” the old Simian answered. “I will return in a few days to see how the seeds wor
ked for you.”

  “A few days?”

  “Yes, you should be able to bask in the glory of producing the new fruit for a few days. You will see tomorrow. The Angel is in no hurry, and he does not expect an immediate answer from you. We will talk in a few days.” The old Simian handed the sack of seeds to Cain and then hobbled away, disappearing into the woods.

  Cain took the sack of seeds and planted them in shallow furrows he dragged out of the dirt, making two long rows. He returned and watered the furrows. By then it was beginning to get dark and he headed for home.

  Abel met up with him as was customary and they greeted one another, both tired from working in the fields. They were usually met by Gaela and Borea who would have dinner with them and Adam and Eve at the end of the day. After dinner the two young men would escort the two Simian women back to their home in a neighboring mountain’s cave.

  Cain was in an extraordinary mood. The prospect of having a secret method to outperform his brother delighted him. And he thought to have some fun with him. Both boys were more interested in Gaela than Borea and Cain came up with a plan to gain Gaela’s favor.

  This night Guline joined the Humans for dinner as well and the more he thought about it Cain saw this as a great opportunity for him to win Gaela once and for all. As they were finishing dinner, Cain explained that he had developed a better type of seed that would produce an exceptional fruit and that would prove his superiority over his brother Abel. He proposed a contest, in which for dinner the next night, each of the young men would bring home their most special foods for dinner. Whoever won would have the honor of gaining Gaela as their mate.

  Abel declined to take part in the contest and he told them that he did not want to force Gaela to spend time with him because of such a contest. But continued prodding by Cain made Abel agree to bring home the best of his herd for dinner. Gaela loved the idea that the two young men would have to win a contest for her affections.