The Gate of Limbo

by Donovan Neal

  Cadmime/cadmium

  A black crystal-like mineral created by God. It is a living thing that grows similar to human bones. It is the hardest, most durable substance known to angelic kind. The substance is used to undergird the basement of heaven and her foundations. It can stretch and grow as directed. It is extremely pliable and able to be made into a variety of substances from building materials to weapons of war.

  The Burning

  The Burning is a process that the Seraphim may engage where all Seraphim may unite as one single entity. All who participate while in this state are able to know and share one another’s thoughts.

  Their collective flame is equivalent to the flames of Hell or the former Kiln. There are few things that can survive if the collective body of Seraphim fires.

  Creatures

  Cherubim

  A type of angel having great power; but not necessarily governmental oversight.

  Seraphim

  A heavenly creature designed to serve as a voice to the holiness of God; also called a "Burning One." A creature of great power.

  There are four which stand at the temple of God. The rest of the Seraphim have not been seen since the great Schism and are kept behind the mountain of God in the land of Aseir.

  The Seraphim appear as floating fire with flaming eyes and wings in their natural state and assume a humanoid form when in the presence of others. When they do so, their voices can create sounds that defy the hearing. El hath restricted full access to their tome.

  Virtue

  A living sentient aroma that lives before the throne of God and perfumes the throne. El hath restricted full access to their tome.

  Ophanim (Ezekiel 1:15-21)

  A heavenly creature designed to serve as a guard to the presence of God. They are also movers of planetary and star systems. El hath restricted full access to their tome.

  Zoa (Rev. 4:1-9 5:1- 6:1)

  A heavenly creature designed to serve as a guard to the secret things of God.

  Stones of Fire (Eze 28:14)

  A living sentient element which can be molded in the Kiln to create celestial life. They are also called Kilnstones or Godstones.

  Shekinah Glory

  The residue of God's breath, equivalent to the exhaling of a human’s carbon dioxide; a living cloak of breathing light that envelops and irradiates the person of God. Primarily, a localized phenomenon. Those that come near the Lord are irradiated by the Shekinah, leaving an afterglow on their own person for a temporary period. The Shekinah can manifest wherever the holiness and righteousness of God exist.

  Aithon

  The famed flaming horses of Aseir. These great animals pull the fiery chariots of Seraphim riders and were the steeds used to bring Elijah into Heaven. Those that are tamed are stalled in the great flaming city of Ashe.

  Angelic Rankings

  Chief Prince

  El's designated angelic leader over all Elohim

  The First of Angels/The Sum of all Things (Ez 28:12,13)

  An honorific title given to Lucifer

  High Prince

  Seven angels in existence who speak collectively for all their kind. (Collectively, they are called the Lumazi and are sometimes referred to individually with that honorific title.)

  Archon

  A sole high-ranking governing angel who directs a specific assignment or regions of territory (s). Sometimes referred to by humans as archangels. The highest-ranking angel over an assignment.

  Principality

  A sole mid-ranking governing angel who administers more than one territory.

  Powers

  The lowest ranking governing angel overseeing one territory.

  Prime

  A non-governing angel representative of a particular virtue. (I.e., love, justice, etc.) After the fall, some angels were designated as prime evils.

  Minister

  A non-governing angel who serves the cause of El

  Daemon

  A fallen non-governing angel who serves the cause of Lucifer. Daemons are the regurgitated angelic souls of Hell, released by he who holds the keys to Death and Hell.

  Daemons are but shadows of their former angelic selves and thrive off men, as their Kilnstones have been digested by Hell. Now they seek to inhabit the souls of men, that they might find expression through them.

  Specter

  Fallen Grigori sometimes referred to by humans as Ghosts.

  Shaun-tea'll

  A group of angelic warrior dispatched to dispense the judgment of the Lord

  The Great Angelic Houses of Heaven

  House Draco: Sigil: A dragon

  House Draco is the first house of angels and is considered to be highborn in the angelic cast. All Draco are angels of praise and represent beauty, wisdom, and art. Lucifer, prior to his fall, was their represented leader and the firstborn of all angels.

  Each Draco has within him the ability to generate sound; some Draco are specifically limited to areas of sound. For example, some Draco can generate all notes within the soprano range, others in the tenor, bass, and alto, but they cannot generate sounds outside the range created. Lucifer is not so and can create any sound.

  All Draco have a shimmering translucent skin that allows them to reflect light and therefore project images. They can project certain wavelengths of the spectrum. Each Draco is unique in that they are limited to certain areas of the spectrum. Lucifer, as their leader, is not so limited and may project any image. He may even disappear from view if he chooses, to cloak himself in light and be invisible to the eye.

  Metatron has now succeeded Lucifer as Prince of his people. Draco, when they choose to be visible to humans, reveal themselves as winged serpents.

  Harrada: Sigil: An owl

  The House Harrada are considered great sages of wisdom and lore, meticulous in their desire to create order and excel in the development of systems management and the written word.

  Each member of house Harrada is adept at manipulating the elements, including heat, air, water, and earth. Also known as lovers of writing, they often create great literary works. Jerahmeel represents the embodiment of the Harrada. Prior to the Descension, God used Jerahmeel to temper Lucifer's tendency toward arrogance.

  Harada are keepers of order within all three realms of creation and also exercise control over time and seasons. Harrada is often the head or manager of Heaven's day-to-day operations, including the harvesting of manna. Other angels of this house include Zeus and Chronos.

  Kortai: Sigil: A Hammer

  The Kortai is a race of builders, muscular and adept in the manipulation of metallurgy and woodworking, minerals and gems. They are the ultimate engineers and constructors of Heaven. Curious to a fault, they have no qualms about delving into new architectural endeavors. It was the Kortai that volunteered to work against the Maelstrom to expand Heaven.

  Kortai have a youthful appearance and are incredibly strong in spite of their smaller stature. The Kortai are the engineers of Heaven and are able to bring into creation whatever can be conceived. Michael the archangel is the leader of this house. Since the war, they carry a hammer on one side of their belt and a sword in the other, ready to either build or fight at a moment’s notice.

  Assumably, all that left Heaven did so out of outright rebellion, but those Kortai that left went to see something new, thinking that more than what El had shown them existed, and they were moved to build something apart from El's designs. These are the builders of the Hell forge and the deep chasms that run throughout Hell. Lucifer has silently been turning the Kortai into daemons.

  Grigori: Sigil: Two Eyes, a flame, an inkhorn, and stylus

  The Grigori are chroniclers: They see all and record all. There are those who chronicle on behalf of God and those who chronicle on behalf of Satan. At least one Grigori records for God at all times. The watchers strive for perfection when documenting the events of history, but regardless of how they view God, their only motive is to chronicle as God designed them this way.
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  Those who chronicle for Satan say God's actions were not justified and therefore deserves to be overthrown. In the end, they believe their efforts will vindicate their belief in Satan's cause. They give commentary and chronicle with bias, or with an agenda that attempts to besmirch God. They do not simply chronicle...they editorialize. Their purpose for being is to compose. They may not, however, interfere with that which they behold. Those who attempt to harm them are themselves harmed. The Chief Prince is the exception, as he is embodied with authority and power over all angels.

  Grigori cannot be stopped nor interfered with without penalty of Abyssian or Tartarus confinement. They can interact with their own kind.

  Grigori do not possess the common instruments associated with sight and hearing as they are naturally blind and deaf. They can see as well as anyone and can hear equally well, but they can see nothing but El. They hover, cloaked in purple hoods, and no one has ever seen their face. They have immunity from harm and are able to move freely within both spheres of engagement.

  Formerly, Raphael was the prince that oversaw this house but was killed by the fall of Kilnstones during the civil war. Argoth is now the Chief of Eyes and Sephiroth of his house. A few of the Grigori have been gifted with the ‘sight’, the ability to see beyond what is written to that which shall be written. El has limited this ability; thus, Grigori can only see one generation ahead. When the Grigori use this ability, they go into a trance-like state and attempt to articulate the visions they see.

  When El gives a prophecy to a prophet, He speaks to the prophet and allows the Grigori that shadows him to see ahead in time. Angels from this house include Argoth, Hadriel, and Lilith, prior to his dissolution.

  Arelim: Sigil: A bull's face

  Arelim are strong angels who have the faces of bulls and cloven feet. They can be extremely aggressive in that they enjoy forms of competition. Highly driven by order and authority, yet always seeking to be first in every endeavor, they constantly use their great powers to move planets and power suns.

  Able to manipulate the forces of gravity, El has used them to fling planets and keep orbits. Headed by Talus, many of those that left to follow Lucifer were of this house. Proud and strong, they comprise over half of Lucifer's force, making his numbers, though smaller than Heaven, equally formidable in power, for in his ranks reside some of the most powerful of angels. Other angels from this house include Apollyon AKA Abaddon, Marduk, and Sasheal

  Issi: Sigil: A butterfly

  Issi are lovers of beauty and their gifts allow one to touch anything and manipulate its color. They are also creatures of light, typically soft-spoken, they are humanoid yet prefer to be in touch with creation and typically morph into creatures such as Pegasi, unicorns, and even satyrs.

  Able to mimic all life, they, like the Harrada and Draco, contribute to the culture of Heaven through their paintings and works of art. Gifted in tailoring and the beautification of one’s physical form, their beauty is such that even Lucifer takes notice. When in their humanoid form, Issi possess wings similar to a butterfly. Sariel was the former Prince but sacrificed himself to expose the vulnerability of Abaddon. Azaziel now stands as Prince of his people.

  The Issi also excels at all levels of herbalism and have now become healers as a result of the war. Issi can summon great celestial forces and target their enemies when in battle. Other angels from this house include Ashtaroth and Iblis.

  Malakim: Sigil: Winged Feet

  The angelic order of house Malakim are the messengers of God. If the Grigori are the eyes, the Malakim are its nerves. They constantly move to and fro throughout the realm delivering messages from various groups and ministers to one another. Like the Grigori in their numbers, they are similar in that they keep Heaven's communication lines open.

  The Malakim ride steeds called gryphons. Each angel has a steed that is actually obtained when they acquire their first assignment from their Prince. Only the Chief Prince, the Grigori, and the House are aware of the celestial home of the Gryphons. Able to move at incredible speeds, they are the fastest of all angelic kind. Gabriel, who is their leader, is the fastest and wisest. It is rumored that his speed rivals that of the Ophanim.

  This has yet to be tested. All Malakim have wings on their feet and not on their shoulders as others of their kind. Malakim actually run, but their speed is so fast that they appear to fly. Malakim can also manipulate lightning.

  Articles of War

  When El exiled the Horde to the nether, He then placed within the Kilnstones of all angelic kind His law that restricts the actions of our people. The following is understood by all Elohim concerning Elomic intervention in the affairs of men:

  1. All souls are the Lords.

  2. There shall be no interbreeding between species.

  3. Humans shall not be brought into knowledge of your presence except through prayer or by voluntary submission to sin or by permission from El.

  4. Agents of Lucifer may influence to their own ends human activity that humans, have submitted themselves to, or through affairs of those who possess spiritual authority have yielded themselves to.

  5. Members of the Host will not invoke the powers of the enemy nor seek to drive and use powers apart from El's design. Doing so will constitute a rebellion and those who do so will be marked as members of the Horde.

  6. The ruling powers over a household, region or power will be held responsible for all those under their charge.

  7. Any officer who shall presume to muster a human as a soldier (who is not a soldier) shall be deemed guilty of having made a false muster and shall suffer accordingly.

  The Shaun-tea'll will monitor the terms of these articles among both host and horde and shall have the power to imprison within Tartarus all who break them.

  Thank You

  Thank you for sharing in this fantasy series with me. More books are coming and I hope you will continue to follow my journeys. You can be notified of new releases, giveaways and pre-release specials at http://donovanmneal.com

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  About the Author

  A lover of thought and the Bible, the Art of War and gaming; Donovan works professionally in the Human Services area and has a Master’s degree in Nonprofit Management. He has over 20 years of service to the Christian community teaching the Bible as a member of the ordained clergy. Now retired from the clergy, Donovan has taken up his pen to express what has long been the untapped call God has placed in him to reach people through fiction.

  Donovan's heart for ministry has carried into his secular pursuits and he has worked with countless abused and neglected children, adults with developmental disabilities, and women who have been victimized by domestic and sexual abuse. He has taught as an adjunct professor for several years and currently works full-time to end hunger in his local community.

  Donovan has three adult children: Candace, Christopher, and Alexander. He currently resides in Michigan with his wife Lynnette.