Lilith grew enraged. A scythe shot out from her other palm. She raised both toward Greer, but Greer met Lilith’s gaze with a defiant stare.
Lilith swung both scythes violently at Greer, who somersaulted over Lilith’s head, landing behind her. As Lilith wheeled, Greer brought her sword down, missing only because the hag stepped back.
Vero felt a puff of air as Kane’s blade narrowly missed his head. X thrust his sword at Kane. As Vero and X dueled Kane, Vero could see Kane was breathing heavy as his reflexes began to slow, and his hair clung to his head with sweat.
Through his own sweat dripping down his forehead and into his eyes, Vero looked over and saw Greer skillfully and relentlessly attacking Lilith. Then his eyes went wide with fear as Greer lunged at Lilith with all her might but missed her target. Greer’s own force caused her to trip and fall.
“Greer! Look out!” Vero shouted.
Both scythes came down on Greer, who rolled out of the way of the curved blades at the last second. Lilith attacked again, but Greer kicked out her foot, tripping Lilith, who fell facedown on the ground with her arms splayed. Greer jumped up, and with her right foot stomped her boot onto the back of Lilith’s bald head, pushing her face farther into the dirt.
Quickly and expertly, Greer ran the sharp blade of her sword across Lilith’s wrists, severing both her scythes.
Lilith hissed and howled in searing pain. A look of disbelief came over Kane, who ran into the melee of battling angels and maltures. Vero searched for Kane in the mob, but quickly lost sight of him.
“I told you today was your last day,” Greer triumphantly said, removing her boot from Lilith’s wretched head.
Shrieking, Lilith stumbled to her feet. She lifted her arms. They were stumps at the ends, black ooze spilling to the ground. She snarled and hissed at her attacker, lunging, almost grabbing Greer before a deafening clicking sound filled the air. It sent shivers down Vero’s spine—he knew exactly what the noises meant. A mound of dirt formed, and the ground began to rumble.
“No! No!” Lilith shrieked.
Heavy black chains shot out of the mound. Vero protectively pushed X and Greer behind him, forming a tight circle. Like snakes attacking their prey, the chains slithered straight toward Lilith. They lassoed themselves around her legs, knocking her into the dirt.
“No!” Lilith screamed. “Lucifer, save me . . . your bride!”
The chains continued to wrap themselves around her body. The mound burst open, and hundreds of creatures emerged. Each had the head of a man, a locust’s body, and wings paired with scorpion tails. Vero shuddered at the sight of them. The head of a man with long black hair and mouth of lion’s teeth arose from the mound. His body also resembled a locust’s, with iron breastplates. Greer gasped, peeking out from behind Vero’s wings.
“Abaddon,” Vero said in a hushed whisper.
Abaddon yanked on the chains. Kicking and screaming, Lilith thrashed against the heavy chains, but Abaddon dragged her to the hole in the middle of the mound. She flailed and shrieked, but then grew silent, disappearing into the hole with Abaddon. His locust creatures followed, and soon the hole sealed itself over with dirt, and Lilith, Abaddon, and his locusts disappeared.
“She’s gone,” Greer said, stepping out from behind Vero.
As fighting continued all around them, Vero’s eyes searched. “And so is Kane.”
Michael and Uriel landed with Ada in front of Vero and the others. Michael’s wings were so massive, they provided a temporary shield from the surrounding battles.
“Where’s Pax?” Ada asked, her voice full of dread.
Vero shook his head. Tears flooded Ada’s eyes. She turned to Michael. “You can do something,” she pleaded.
“No, Ada,” Michael said. “I’m sorry.”
“Uriel, please . . .”
“Only God can give life,” Uriel said, his violet eyes downcast.
Ada cried. X wrapped her into his arms when suddenly the air was filled with the sounds of nightmarish growling. The hair on Vero’s neck bristled. Michael turned to Vero.
“Run to the garden of Eden,” Michael said, calmly yet with urgency. “Lucifer has been watching and orchestrating all of this. He is now desperate.”
The growls grew louder.
“Is he coming?” Vero asked, terrified.
“Yes, and he’s bringing his demons,” Michael said, looking Vero in the eyes. “We’ll hold them off to give you a running start.”
“But how will I find it? I thought this was the garden,” Vero said with desperation in his eyes.
Michael placed his hand on Vero’s shoulder. “Have faith, and God will lead you.”
Vero took in Michael’s words then nodded.
“I’m coming with you,” Greer said to Vero.
“Me too.” X stepped forward.
Ada nodded.
“Only Vero will be granted access to the garden,” Michael said to the others. “I need you to stay here and fight. It’s the only thing any of us can do to give Vero a chance.”
Michael raised his shield, and a beam of light shot from it, burning scores of maltures. Vero seized the opportunity and ran.
Clover and Tack stood on the steps leading to the top of Sri Pada. They were a little more than halfway up the mountain. Clover leaned on the railing, looking out over the landscape below for any sign of Vero. Tack stood next to her with an anxious look on his face.
“I don’t think we’re going to see him,” Tack said.
“Vero’s in trouble,” Clover said, panicked. “I know it. But I know I have to help him!”
“Excuse me,” a boy’s voice said.
Clover and Tack gazed down at the step below. A small boy in monk’s robes stood there.
“Did you say Vero?” the boy asked.
“Yes, he’s my brother,” Clover said. “Do you know him?”
“I do—we met at the start of our pilgrimages.” The boy quickly introduced himself as Chiko. “Is Vero in trouble?”
“He’s in very grave danger,” Clover said, panicked. “He’s an . . .” She stopped, catching herself.
“Angel,” Chiko said.
Clover and Tack looked to him, surprised.
“Are you one too?” Tack asked.
“No, I am studying to be a monk. Is there anything I can do to help?”
Clover looked to him. “Yes. Yes there is. You can help us pray for him by sending him good thoughts. And the more of us who do, the more strength he’ll get,” Clover said.
“You’ve come to the right place for prayer and good, loving thoughts.” Chiko nodded over his shoulder.
Clover followed his gaze to a small, brilliant white building on the trail that was shaped like a bell.
“What’s that?” Clover asked.
“A peace pagoda.”
The farther he flew away from the dead, ugly garden, the more verdant and beautiful the landscape became. But Vero had never felt more alone in all his life. He had known since the beginning only he could return the sapphire to the garden. The pressure he felt was enormous, though it was like he was on autopilot. The devil dogs, the injury to his leg, and the malture battle—they had all exhausted him, yet he kept pushing forward. And it was gnawing at him that his fellow fledglings and all the angels were involved in an epic battle, and he was flying in the other direction.
He knew on some level that he wasn’t processing all the unfolding events properly. Neither Pax’s demise nor the return of Abaddon seemed quite real in his mind. He felt as if his brain was compartmentalizing these things so he could move forward with his mission.
As he flew farther, the more the mist gradually gave way to rejuvenating light. Lucifer’s faux garden never felt right to him. Why hadn’t he
listened to his gut? He vowed he would never make that mistake again.
The terrain below began to change. Ahead of him, Vero saw he was approaching massive trees. As he flew closer, they looked like redwoods, though much bigger than those on earth. He dropped down to the forest floor, as it had become difficult to fly through the dense trees. Surrounded by lush ferns as he walked, Vero looked up and saw the trees were the height of skyscrapers, blocking out much of the light. Their trunks were so wide that it would take at least a dozen people clasping hands to form a ring around the base.
Vero’s eyes scanned the ancient forest. It was beautiful, and yet its deep silence made him feel uneasy. He knew it wasn’t the garden of Eden, because he hadn’t passed through any gates. But his Vox Dei was telling him he was on the right path.
Vero wished one of his fellow fledglings could have come with him. His feelings of loneliness and inadequacy grew as he walked quickly beneath the gargantuan trees. As he tried to hurry through the maze of trunks, he wondered what Tack and Clover were doing. He thought of his mother and hoped she wasn’t worrying about him. It occurred to him that she had said she had felt pushed when she fell, and he remembered that Adrik had been with her at the time. Guilt struck him as he connected the dots, and realized he had put her in danger. But then he pushed thoughts of everyone away. He needed to quiet his mind so his Vox Dei could guide him.
Vero paused for a moment and took several deep breaths. He thought only of the garden, and moments later he knew which direction to take. He wove his way through the maze of massive redwoods. The trees were so immense, and stood so close together, that Vero was hard pressed even to walk between them.
Vero came upon a tree whose partially hollowed-out trunk was so large, he thought that twenty people could easily fit inside. Onward, Vero continued. Eventually, a light began to break through the trees, the sliver growing brighter and brighter the closer Vero came to it.
Vero squinted his eyes, trying to look into the light. Slowly, it began to take on the form of an angel. Vero looked curiously upon the angel. He was incredibly beautiful, as every part of him emitted shimmering light. He hovered a few feet off the ground.
“Hello, Vero,” the angel said in the most melodious voice Vero had ever heard. “I am here to guide you to the garden, where none have entered since the beginning of time.”
“Who are you?” Vero asked.
The angel replied, “I am the angel of light. Here to guide you, Vero.”
It was hard for Vero to look upon the angel, as the radiance coming from him was so blinding.
“You know where the entrance is?” Vero asked, his hand shielding his eyes.
“I do, and I will lead you there,” the angel said. “Follow me.”
Vero hesitated for a moment, unsure of what he should do.
“Hurry, Vero,” the angel said, beckoning. “Time runs short, and it’s not much farther.”
The angel turned and flew a few feet above the ground. A moment later, Vero followed, walking behind the angel. As they made their way through the forest, around the trees and through the ferns, Vero had the sinking feeling that he was being led away from the garden. Perhaps the angel was confused? Vero stopped.
“As my friend Tack would say . . . I’m not feeling it,” Vero said. “I don’t think this is the way.”
The angel turned around. Vero shielded his eyes from the angel’s light.
“Vero, there’s no time to question. You have to move fast.”
Vero had ignored his Vox Dei once before, and he wasn’t about to do it again. He firmly stood.
“You never told me your name,” Vero said.
“What?” the angel asked.
“Your name . . . what is it?” Vero insisted.
“As I told you . . . The angel of light.”
With each passing moment, Vero felt more and more uneasy in the angel’s presence.
“Your name?” Vero said in a commanding tone.
“Why do you persist?” the angel asked. “We are in a great hurry.”
“Then I’ll change the question,” Vero said, pausing for a moment, thinking. “Do you love God?”
Vero’s question caused the angel to instantly squirm and twist as if it was being tortured. As its body seized, the light shining from it extinguished. The angel became a shadowy figure.
“I command you to tell me your name!” Vero yelled, as his sword sprung from his hand.
The shadowy figure flew up to the treetops and out of sight. Its low growling voice echoed through every inch of the forest.
“Lucifer.”
28
MORNING STAR
People of all different nationalities had gathered around the peace pagoda. Tack and Clover had asked every pilgrim who either walked up or down the stairs to join them. Chiko had waved many pilgrims over and had translated for those who could not speak English.
“Do we have enough people?” Tack asked Clover.
Clover’s eyes scanned the area. There were about a hundred pilgrims standing in a circle around the pagoda.
“Yeah, I think we should start.”
Vero raced back the way he had come. To say he was frightened was a gross understatement. He remembered that Corinthians had said Satan could disguise himself as an angel of light. In fact, Lucifer was referred to as “morning star,” so he should have known right away. As scared as he was, he was furious for allowing himself to be led astray yet again.
Vero had the feeling that he was being watched. He heard rustling in the distance. His eyes shot up to the treetops, but he could see nothing there. Vero picked up the pace. His Vox Dei was telling him he was sprinting in the right direction. The forest blackened. A shadow cast down upon Vero. A moment later, it lifted, and once again light broke through the trees.
Suddenly, a wind whipped through the forest. Vero strained his ears and heard the faint echoes of his name as if the wind was whispering to him. He became even more spooked and goose bumps broke out up and down his arms. The sky momentarily blackened again, and then the darkness passed. Vero now felt as if he was being hunted, and paranoia began to seep into him. Yet as he nervously glanced over his shoulder, his eyes were met with only the ferns and tree trunks of the forest.
“We could be so powerful together,” the wind whistled in a low voice through the leaves.
Vero’s eyes darted around.
“Who said that?” he shouted.
“You know me,” the wind breathed. “You have always known me.”
Vero fell silent, listening.
“When the schoolchildren picked on you, I gave you the strength to hit them back. And when your mother and father accused you of wrongdoing, I put the lies in your mouth that spared you punishment.”
Vero tightly shut his eyes, attempting to drive that voice from his head.
“And when you sat in church listening to the scriptures, I was the one who helped you pass the time with thoughts of amusement,” the wind spoke.
Anger rose in Vero. His sword shot out of his palm. He wielded it defensively out front, ready for an attack.
“He is using you. Don’t be a fool.”
“No!” Vero yelled.
“Don’t you think He knew where the book was all along? Don’t you think He could have gotten it back Himself?” the wind asked.
Sweat began to bead on Vero’s forehead.
“Yes . . . He’s using you. He’s putting your life in jeopardy, for what? Just to toy with you.” The wind cackled. “And you think that’s love?”
Doubt spread through Vero’s mind like poison. Was it really true? Why did God put him through all this? Why did Pax have to die?
A shadow swirled around him. It caressed his body then wrapped itself around him. Vero felt as if a war was going on inside his body. As uncertainty seeped into every cell of his brain, convincing him
that the dark shadow was correct, Vero’s heart fought back. The tenderness he felt for his parents, for Clover, for Tack, the smiling faces of Greer and Ada, the warm light of the Ether, the love of the archangels—together they filled every single cell of his heart, so much that Vero felt as if his heart would burst.
The doubt that plagued his mind quickly receded as the goodness building within him shown through, revealing the truth.
“Be gone!” Vero forcefully yelled, and the shadow burst into a million little pieces then vanished somewhere beyond the treetops. Vero caught his breath as he summoned all of his strength.
He stood tall and continued on his way to the garden. As he swung his sword, he sliced through the tops of clusters of ferns, creating a path. He caught the reflection in the blade—fire. He knew that an angel with a fiery sword had been placed on the east side of the garden after Adam and Eve had been driven out. He looked hopefully over his shoulder toward the flames, and then his face went white.
Fire was raining down from the sky! His sword disappeared into his hand, and he ran. Vero sprinted as fast as he could, but the relentless, thick underbrush slowed him terribly. As he glanced behind him, a ball of fire landed just a few feet behind him, close enough to feel the intense heat from it.
Vero zigzagged as he ran. Another ball of fire landed directly in front of him, close enough that his shirtsleeve caught fire. He dropped to the ground and rolled, extinguishing it. He quickly jumped right back onto his feet and continued to run. Fireballs shot down all around him like grenade explosions, though they did not spread once they hit the ground. And no matter what direction Vero ran, the fire rained down like hail.
Vero’s eyes quickly scanned the forest. He came upon the hollowed-out trunk of the massive redwood he had seen earlier, and sprinted for it. Several balls of fire fell around him, but he managed to make it to the safety of the tree trunk.
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