by Donovan Neal
El Pneuma then nodded to El who motioned for Yeshua to continue.
Yeshua then took hold of the blood leather strap that held Argoth, and felt for the final and seventh clay seal. Michael noted that this seal was violet. Soaked in the Lamb’s blood. Blood that had been presented to El upon Christ’s return to heaven. Blood El saved. Blood he would see returned upon those who in their foolishness spit upon the costly sacrifice of his son.
“Snap.”
Michael heard the seal break and crumble in Yeshua’s hands. The blood strap then disappeared and when it did. The very air stood still. Michael attempted to move but could not. Even the Maelstrom could not be heard by those who had views from outside the palace. And in Heaven all stood motionless and there was silence in Heaven for about the space of half an hour.
And when the time had expired. Sherkanim and six of the Seraphim had come into the throne room bearing the seven trumpets of judgment. Each a unique weapon of mass destruction crafted ages ago. Each a weapon that was meant to be unleashed upon angels. Weapons now directed towards the world of men. And Sherkanim stood across from Michael and his six stood apart from the Lumazi and Michael’s six. And handed them the trumpets. Passing and formally sealing an end to the schism that separated Heaven’s original races.
Michael and the rest of the Lumazi took each one a trumpet and held the ancient instruments of praise now weaponized. Each realizing they held a key that if turned…if blown would unleash reality devastating fury upon its target.
Then Sherkanim came and stood at the altar having a golden censer, and attendants to the altar that held the prayers of the saints, gave him incense the he should burn it upon the altar of the prayers of the saints.
And he did so.
The smoke of the incense, mingled with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of Sherkanim’s hand.
And he took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, living fire that was the making of his own people and cast the censor into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.
And El then looked upon the Lumazi and spoke. “Make ready to blow.”
And each of the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. And they lined themselves in single file from the lowest ranking. To end with Michael. Who stood nearest to the throne.
And Michael: the prince of angels knew that he was witnessing the end of Creation as he knew it.
✽✽✽
“Ms. Foley wake up!”
Elizabeth woke up startled from her own snoring and Mr. Hudson’s irritated directive. She slid her head up and wiped the drool from her sleeve.
“Feel free to report to Mr. McFarland’s office. Tell him Mr. Hudson doesn’t allow students to sleep in his class.”
Elizabeth gathered her books and noted the snickers that emanated from her classmates. She walked away from her desk towards the classroom door when she noted that Michelle James had written “slut” on a sheet of paper and slid it far enough on her desk to assure Elizabeth saw it as she exited out the room.
She closed the door, clutched her books to her breast and closed her eyes and leaned against the hallway wall.
Elizabeth sighed. I’m so tired of this shit.
“Sup girl, when you gonna let me give you some if this wood?” She heard a male voice say.
Jim Crain was walking past and grinned as he passed. Elizabeth rolled her eyes and made her way down the hall away towards Mr. McFarland’s office.
She followed the signs that led her to the principal’s office and signed in on a clipboard at the receptionist’s desk.
“What happened this time?” Ms. Staples asked.
“Nothing.” said Elizabeth. “I just fell asleep in class and Mr. Hudson got all bent outta shape and sent me here.”
Ms. Staples shook her head. “Well, you won’t get any learning done sleeping.”
“He’s so boring. I can get more learning watching YouTube.”
Ms. Staples chuckled, “I’ll let Mr. McFarland know you are here… again.”
Elizabeth slouched on the office couch and waited for the principle. Mr. McFarland came to the lobby and motioned with his hands for Elizabeth to follow.
Elizabeth went into his office and he shut the door.
“How many times has it been now? What happened now?”
“I’m sorry Mr. M. I fell asleep. I woke up to Mr. Hudson barking at me to wake up and to come to your office. So I’m here.”
Mr. McFarland nodded, “Ah I see. Well per Mr. Hudson he says you are a rather loud snorer. I take your decibel level was a little too high for his tastes.”
Elizabeth laughed, “Maybe. I don’t sleep well these days. It’s like there is this heaviness over me at night. Like something is smothering me. I can’t describe it.”
“Who have you talked to about this?” Mr. McFarland asked.
“No one really. I guess you just now.”
“Elizabeth that’s not good hon, you’ve got two periods left before school ends. Let me see if I can do something else instead of sending you to detention.”
Mr. McFarland picked up his head and punched in some numbers. “Carey… yea… do you have time to see a student? Elizabeth Foley. Wonderful. I’ll send her right down.”
Mr. McFarland hung up the phone and wrote a hall pass and gave it to Elizabeth.
“Go to the counseling office and check in with Mrs. Davis.”
Elizabeth took the slip and walked out of the office. “Oh, and Ms. Foley. Try to keep an open mind and learn something over this next hour.”
“No promises Mr. M,” she replied and left his office.
Elizabeth walked to the counseling office and both Ms. Davis settled into her office.
“So tell me Elizabeth. What brings you into my office today?”
“Oh, I dunno Ms. Davis. Perhaps it was the phone call from the principle that had something to do with it.”
Ms. Davis just looked at her, and replied, “So do you often get snide with those who ask you how your day is going? You know I’ve looked at your file here and it's clear you’re having challenges with the students. How are you coping?”
Elizabeth settled down some and replied. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you. I haven’t had a lot of sleep lately.”
“Since the Taking?” said Ms. Davis.
“Yes.”
“Who was taken from you?”
Elizabeth folded her arms and looked out a window staring.
Ms. Davis observed her and said. “You know it’s OK to feel loss over someone that was taken from you. All of us know someone who was taken. They took my own mother.”
Elizabeth continued to look out the window. “It was my best friend.”
“I’m sorry,” said Ms. Davis. I bet she was someone who cared for you just as much…
“Your mother…” Elizabeth interrupted.
“What about her?”
“Did you see her go?” said Elizabeth.
Ms. Davis looked down briefly and sighed. “No, we never got to say goodbye. I was away at a conference, and when I heard what was happening, I took the first flight home, and when I arrived… she was gone.”
“She said goodbye… she wanted to go. She could see something. At first I thought it was a dream. I had just woken up after being assaulted. And when I woke up she was there in my bed making sure I was OK. And then, then… she was gone. Just like that: taken. I wish…I wish I could have gone with her.”
Ms. Davis sat quietly and nodded. Silently attempting to downplay to Elizabeth what she perceived might be thoughts of suicidal ideation. “And you’ve had trouble sleeping since then?”
“Yeah.” Elizabeth replied.
“Why do you think that is?”
“I dunno really. Sometimes I think… I think maybe God doesn’t want me. Maybe he left me behind because of what I did, but based on what Carol said. I think it has more to do with my relationship with Christ
.”
“What did you do?” Ms. Davis asked concerned.
Elizabeth took her feet and crisscrossed them on the couch. Her body slowly forming into a fetal position as she kept her arms tight across her chest. Staring out the office window.
“I let a boy take me to his bed.”
“I take it at some point you did not want to go further, and he did?”
Elizabeth nodded.
“And this happened the day of the Taking?”
“No... the night before.”
“You know Elizabeth I’m very sorry that this happened to you. You have an opportunity here. I don’t know if you see it as such. But you were victimized. You were taken advantage of. But you don’t have to continue to let this pain eat at you. It’s possible to be free. To no longer be a victim.”
Elizabeth slowly turned from staring out the window and looked squarely at Ms. Davis.
“How?”
“First you have to really think about this idea that you have about god and particularly that this god took your loved ones away. That he left you behind because you’re bad or evil. The Taking had nothing to do with your relationship with Christ. We know from Lord Leto that this thing that lives in the quantum realm is not a God. Our scientists can now get a glimpse of the place it’s from. It’s not a God. And he doesn’t care about you. If he did he wouldn’t have left you here. The first thing we need to do is make sure that the lies that have been told to us are held up to the light to see. Elizabeth I don’t want to report you to the authorities. You know belief in God is a felony. It’s considered a crime against humanity to profess such a belief.”
Elizabeth looked at her dismayed and replied. “First, I don’t know what I believe. All I know is what I saw and heard… what my best friend said to me. Second, did you hear what I said? I was assaulted. Why aren’t we talking about THAT?”
Ms. Davis came closer and placed her hands gently on Elizabeth’s knees. “I know this is hard. And I want you to know I will do everything in my power to help you move past this. But I can’t do that if you are dead. As a mandatory reporter I have a government obligation to report anyone that might have a belief in God. And certain beliefs Elizabeth could land you in jail or worse: public execution. We are under attack by a power beyond our planet. Everything must come secondary to that. Our job is to look after one another and I am trying to look after you.”
“You are not going to report me over this are you?”
“I’m sorry Elizabeth I have no choice.”
Elizabeth quickly got up from the couch, grabbed her book bag and slung it over her shoulder. “Don’t bother I can look after myself.”
“Wait Elizabeth! Sit down, if you saw someone Taken and have not reported it. You must report it to the authorities…” The counselor moved to stop her and Elizabeth shoved her away and rushed out of the room sprinting down the school hall at breakneck speed.
Behind the veil of men’s sight two angels in opposition to each other stood in proximity to the young girl who now darted from school grounds and raced across the street into the woods.
Eridu looked at the young woman from afar and smiled at Vantress who hovered over Elizabeth to protect her. His eyes scowling at his nemesis. And he heard the voice of his adversary say.
“Soon, I am coming for her.”
Chapter Nine
Abominations and Destroyers
Talus lifted his trumpet to his lips and the House of Arelim sounded.
Immediately the east winds that circled the earth moved upwards and pushed water vapor higher into Earth’s atmosphere. The water droplets condescended and became heavy and hurled themselves from their cumulus perches and grew fat from their descent into baseball sized hail stones. And the censer of the prayers of the saints that had been cast into the Earth opened and the living flames inside attached themselves to the hail that hurtled towards the Earth. And the cries of the saints sounded as wounded banshees in the ears of men.
The long flaming prayers coated themselves to hail, and blood, fire and ice descended upon mankind. Buildings were pummeled; panes of windows shattered and cars were smashed into nothing as the hail dropped from the sky. And all manner of planes were pelted to the extent that some were knocked from the skies careening out of control.
And wherever the flaming hail descended it unleashed fire to whatever it touched, and the flames spread reaching flammable hands to hand shake and emblazon cities. But it was the blood that caused the people of Earth to cry out. For it also fell from the sky. Blood that spoiled the land, and crops. Blood that soiled faces clothes and food. Spoilage on a level that disease sprung up upon mankind as blood rained from the skies. And the devastation was such that a third part of all plant life across the planet was estimated to have been destroyed. And with the burning of fires the clouds of smoke rose into the skies and grayed parts of the planet. For mankind recognized that his life was tethered to the life-giving oxygen from forest and grass; oxygen that now thinned causing all that breathed to struggle.
Talus then stepped aside and Azaziel set his lips to blow. He inhaled and Heaven then heard the second angel sound.
And when the waves of the trumpet raced through space and time they sprinted past Jupiter until they reached an asteroid. The great wave moved the space rock past the planet Mars and it hurtled towards the Earth entering the planet’s atmosphere. The asteroid burned off bits of itself as it entered the atmosphere and sheets of ice and debris fell into oceans. And all of Heaven and man watched as if a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea.
The impact created towering waves that raced outwards toward every coastline. A barrier of water rose from the ocean depths and it raced out in all directions smiting mighty cruise ships and navy destroyers alike. A hundred mile per hour wave of water that tore across both the surface and the bottom of the ocean floor. And the asteroid was poisonous to life in the seas and a third part of the sea became blood. And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.
And men cursed the God of Heaven. Claiming that Leto Alexander and the alien Lucifer would save them. For despite the judgments that were unleashed upon mankind, humanity would not repent.
Jerahmeel having seen what was done before him watched as the massive scene of environmental disaster took place before him. He took the trumpet in his hands and lifted it up.
His hands shook.
They trembled not knowing what devastation he was about to unleash. For he was the looser of Abaddon the Destroyer. The angel whom has not yet made his way to descend to Earth. But he knew it was soon. Soon he that had caused such carnage in Heaven would find his old master. And he would seek recompense.
Azaziel looked at Jerahmeel and spoke, “It’s OK. Blow. The result is of the Lord.”
Jerahmeel nodded and set the instrument to his lips. Like his brother before him he inhaled and the third angel of trumpet judgments sounded. And as if on cue the sound of the trumpet announced the flying by a great pulsating star. A star that arced across the skies of Heaven and descended towards the world of men. But it was no ordinary star. It was the renegade felon Zephon. Imprisoned by El after the Descension within the depths of a comet. Fated to circle a faraway galaxy until he was found by Charon and the Horde. Jerahmeel remembered this angel: a creature that was responsible for the burning of the suburbs of Heaven. A lieutenant of Lucifer he did not follow his master to Earth. The Angel of Fire was he called. The same was the killer of general Sandolfon who had battled the angel bravely to keep the way to Earth from the angel.
But now he was here; hurtling through space the trumpet merely the announcement of his arrival as he entered the solar system of the planet Earth. His trajectory such that even the telescopes of men could not deny that something from outer space raced towards them. And men rightly feared.
Lucifer was informed that an angel was inbound.
“Finally…” Lucifer said. “Zephon has found hi
s way to me. His power will surely strengthen our ranks. I have waited for his return to many years. We will destroy the Host together.”
Leto who was near his master spoke, “My Lord it should be noted that my sources tell me that Zephon falls to the planet in an uncontrolled descent. If he is your lackey, then I suggest that he be greeted lest his trajectory bring havoc to our planet.”
Lucifer nodded, “Agreed.” Make the thing so.”
Leto then turned to Ashtaroth. “Will he recognize you?”
Ashtaroth nodded and replied, “Yes young dragon. It was I who gave order for him to destroy the homes of the Lumazi and the city council.”
“Good said Leto, then go and greet your brother.”
Ashtaroth turned to go and when he did Leto yelled out.
“Wait!!” Leto then turned to his father and asked. “What if the angel does not recognize Ashtaroth? What are you committed to do?”
Lucifer sneered and replied, “Destroy him. He will not be allowed to undue all that I have worked so hard to build.” Lucifer then turned to three principalities by his side and spoke, “Go with Ashtaroth. If Zephon does not heed. Then make his end swift.”
Each nodded and Lucifer’s angels rose to meet the incoming angel.
Ashtaroth, and three of his guards rose into the upper atmosphere and they could see that Zephon neared the moon and they lifted themselves towards him. Ashtaroth drew closer…moving nearer to see his old friends face. Closer Zephon came to the moon. Fire encompassed the streaking angel and a long contrail of gas and particulates followed him. Ashtaroth could now sense the heat that emanated off his brother’s celestial body and he drew close enough to see his face. And when he did so he gasped. For Zephon’s eyes were black, dark with no light. His features were emaciated. The great angel was clearly dead. His skin was green and sickly with the Withering and his body was decayed. Ashtaroth turned to his soldiers and screamed.
