The Third Heaven : Apocalypse of Kings

by Donovan Neal

  Immediately a ribbon of the seven prime colors descended and the roar of a ladder was over the group as they huddled together then were lifted into the skies.

  The undead scurried under them as they lifted off and a wave washed all around them. And as prophesied by Elizabeth Foley Eridu’s body was overtaken by the flotsam of the undead that overran it, and the maggots of Hell animated his corpse as he too became a mindless zombie to be controlled by Hell. Some undead leaped into the air to capture the living. Several breached through the funnel only to slice as it sheared them and their corpses fell into the base to the ground screaming as the group lifted higher and out of harms way.

  “What is happening?” said one.

  “We are living.” said another.

  The ladder curved towards the capital near the palace and Vantress prayed he did not position the beam to cause harm to any of the populace. The ladder touched down in the fountain of Poseidon and dissipated and the group fell with a ‘thunk’ to the ground and knocked the wind out of many.

  Elizabeth breathed heavily still recovering from her battle with Eridu, and looked at the angel who had just rescued them and spoke to Vantress. “Thank you,” she said.

  She hugged him and held his cheeks in her hands. “I know who you are. Thank you Vantress.”

  He looked at the human to whom he had been assigned and a tear welled up in his eye. Vantress smiled and allowed himself her a moment to savor a brief victory as he returned her warm embrace.

  ✽✽✽

  Michael heard Lucifer's challenge. For all of heaven knew Lucifer’s ambitions. His display to kill, steal and destroy was evident for all to see. If Lucifer had his way there would be no Heaven…no Earth. He would destroy it all to achieve his goals. Creation itself sacrificed at the altar of his lust. Michael had prepared for this possibility. That Heaven could be overrun by the enemies of the Horde. He had calculated what it would take to ever repel such an enemy as the undead he had witnessed in Hell.

  There was no force in Heaven save God Himself that could stop the mountains march. For what in the arsenal of angels could repel that which could consume angels alive? The maggots of Hell poured out of the creature, undead carrion that could siphon celestial life. Larva of brimstone and fire that multiplied even as they overran all that stood in their path.

  Hell was an unstoppable celestial force of nature. Created to contain the murderous rage and lust of angels. She could not be stopped. Nor detoured.

  Prayer and communion with God had taught Michael much. But there was no weapon that could be mustered against Hell that could halt her. Her very existence was the rebuke of God on the ambitions of Satan and his angels. Only Charon ever possessed the power to tame the creature and he was nowhere to be seen. And now Lucifer rode atop the beast as a rider would his stallion. Michael knew that only one thing, save God himself could combat the wave of the undead and now Hell itself that sought to overrun them all.

  “We need to slow Lucifer down,” said Michael.

  Gabriel who stood by his side replied, “How? He mounts the monster itself!”

  Michael frowned and nodded in acknowledgment, “I know…take me to see Janus.”

  Gabriel looked at his leader. “To Limbus? Are you sure?”

  “We do not have much time…we must hurry.”

  Gabriel nodded and took Michael’s arm and the two vanished to the basement of Heaven and materialized deep within the bowels of Heaven’s deep.

  Michael was never one to arbitrarily query the Lord God. There were some things that kings kept to themselves. The secret of Limbus and the why of its existence was one that El did not share. But Michael knew what Janus protected…the corridors of choices that lead to other dimensions and realities. The Realm of Limbo.

  A place only El traversed.

  Michael and Gabriel materialized at the swirling gates of Limbus and the two-faced Grigori met them. Janus stood in front of the mammoth opening, his sword drawn. The angel with two faces floated above them both. Slightly larger in build, he was quiet and neither of his faces turned towards them. The eyes of the guard seemingly focused on events beyond sight.

  Dust and debris fell from the ceiling and tremors could be felt and rocked the basement floor.

  Michael looked to Janus and spoke, “Hail, guard of Limbus. I come seeking your aid.”

  The black face of Janus with white eyes turned to Michael and spoke. “I know what your petition is Chief Prince.” Immediately, the white face with black eyes turned to them. “I have seen the choice you make, and if this is done, Heaven will end as you know it, and only El can undo it.”

  Michael was somber and seriously considered what he was about to unleash. “I see no other choice Janus.”

  Both faces of Janus laughed and then sighed, “You stand at the gateway to the realm of choices Chief Prince. There are always choices.”

  Michael replied, “And do the Mists approve of the choices opted by Lucifer?”

  Janus looked into the great mirror that stood before him. The entrance to the gateway to Limbus, and fog swirled within it; showing places, peoples and events in rapid succession.

  Janus replied, “The Adversary has unleashed the creature Hell upon this land and released the captives therein…the Mists do not approve.”

  “Then with the power vested in me I bid the Mists come.” said Michael.

  Janus nodded then turned his head. One face looked at Michael and Gabriel and the other the gate of Limbus. Janus went to the gate and reached up and turned a circular handle clockwise as if he was turning a great seal, the whole circular gate then moved and a hissing sound of escaping gas could be heard as if pressure was released from a valve. Fog seeped along the floor and then coalesced in front of Michael into a form that mimicked his and spoke. “You have called us from the twenty seven gates of existence. We would know why?”

  “You have seen what transpires above?”

  “We have seen the entirety of all outcomes Chief Prince. Yea even your death. We have seen the destruction of Heaven itself. A destruction that will surely come if we intervene. But your people will live. But you…you may not.”

  Gabriel stood back remembering his bout with the Mists before, and spoke to his brother. “Michael is this wise?”

  “Michael stood his ground and spoke. “Above us the Usurper moves to undo Creation. To destroy all celestial life. I stand as a standard against this. I command in the name of El that you fight for us.”

  The smoky form then replied, “Know that it will be done. We have seen that the line of the multiverse ends here with this choice. That the crimson thread of God’s injured heel leads all dimensions to this place, and this time: THIS…now.”

  The smoky doppelgänger looked up as if seeing beyond sight and said.

  “Yeshua still reads, but when the God-king has ceased his commentary on the Book of Life…when the God-king journals the last name. Only Yeshua will choose which reality will be saved and which ones shall cease to exist. For all realities save one…will end. Are you prepared Chief Prince for the possible dissolution of your reality?”

  Michael’s face hardened as he understood that as the federal head he was the leader of his race. But this decision would not just impact him, but all of Creation as he understood it. He paused to consider as Gabriel looked on quietly and Michael answered.

  “You would not ask me this if I had not the power…the choice to bring the act about. I have spoken, let the thing be done. For if I must but sacrifice my own life to see El’s purposes fulfilled and our reality itself to prevent the schemes of madness, then my life is given and I will even lay creation down to serve El.”

  The coalescent figure disappeared into nothing and one word could be heard as he vanished.

  “So be it.”

  Both of Janus’s faces turned to the angels and spoke. “Go, for Creation itself now hangs in the balance…a choice has been made, and what has been done cannot be undone.”

  The cavern of Heav
en’s basement then began to creak and shake and both angels moved to keep balance as cracks and tremors and the groans of collapsing beams began to fissure and collapse around them.

  “Go!” said Janus.

  “But what of you?” Michael replied. “Come with us.”

  The faces of Janus smiled and he walked into the glass mirror-like gate and disappeared.

  Michael turned to Gabriel and spoke, “Hurry!” as the ceiling began to cave in and the ground beneath them gave way.

  Gabriel grabbed Michael and they vanished as boulders and ancient ornate columns fell smashing behind them. Gabriel sprinted with Michael on his back and the two escaped the underside of the palace and as they exited: the entry to Limbus came crashing down behind them; barring entry to go back.

  Both angels scurried back to their command observation post. Michael watched as redeemed men fought side by side with Seraphim and Ophanim to beat back the unleashed regurgitated forces of the Mountain. Even the Horde fought by the side of the Host for none were want to be consumed and or overwhelmed by the undead that made no distinction between friend or foe. But it was clear that the undead overwhelmed them all. Maggots consumed angels alike and for each one that was infested: friend became foe and then turned on those whom had previously fought by their side. On the battle went; as wave after wave of the undead merely crawled over one another to consume all life.

  In the distance, Michael saw great emaciated principalities that smashed their way towards them. Principalities he recognized from millennia ago. Ares, Saturn. Pluto, Odin, so many consumed….so many fallen. All now marched as shadows of their former selves. Controlled by the consciousness of Hell…and Hell controlled by Lucifer.

  Michael thought to himself about the promise of the Mists to intervene and he looked over the landscape to see where his help might come.

  If you are going to do something…do it quickly. He thought to himself.

  It was then that the ground opened up from beneath them all. Great yawning fissures cracked and splintered the ground as smoky apparitions climbed out and ran towards the undead. Spirits came up from under the feet of Michael and from all that watched. Great legions of mist like angels rose from the earth as wave after colossal wave of the spirits streamed from the basement of Heaven and slammed into the incoming wave of the dead. Angels that in other dimensions and in other times fought but whose purpose was now to fight alongside those in this realm.

  And fight they did, and like a storm surge: the spirits of angels beat upon the wave of the undead.

  Smoke and shield, fire and lighting erupted across the plains of Heaven. A scene that surpassed even the civil war of angelic kind. For in this battle all of celestial life was now at war.

  David fought with his mighty men by his side, while he and all the redeemed, blasted the undead back and fought furiously against both the walking angelic corpses and the carrion that emptied from Hell’s stomach. But the King of Israel was an expert in war and seeing that their position would soon be overrun knew that unless El himself intervened the numbers were such that they could not hold the tide of both Hell’s carrion and the undead back.

  David then found a girl who was nearby and spoke to her. “You, child…come here!”

  The young woman pointed at herself. David nodded and motioned her to come near.

  She did so, and he looked at her and asked, “Have you prayed to God today?”

  She thought to herself for a moment and then replied, “No.”

  David shook his head. “We have been remiss, sing with me.”

  David then lifted his voice in praise to his God and sung as loud as his voice would allow. And the young woman looked at him in confusion and said, “Are you mad? Shouldn’t we be fighting?!”

  David stopped briefly for a moment to answer and said, “We are fighting. For this battle was never ours but the Lords. He, but waits for us to exhaust what we know to do, that His strength made be shown in our weakness…now sing!”

  David and the young woman then sung a song and when they did many of the surrounding saints heard them and withdrew their swords from fighting and lifted up their mouths instead to praise. For if it was purposed by God for them to die on the shores of Heaven, they would sing his name even in this.

  And the saints of the most high God then lifted each one his voice and David led them into a song of warfare praise. And when the Seraphim saw that neither fire nor sword repelled the undead, and when Ophanim saw that to teleport the Undead away did not suffice. They too joined in chorus with the rest of the redeemed who sang, and the words were on this wise.

  “Rescue us from our enemies, O LORD,

  for we hide ourselves in you.

  for you are our God;

  and may your good Spirit

  lead us on level ground.

  For your name's sake, O LORD, preserve our lives;

  in your righteousness, bring us out of trouble.

  In your unfailing love, silence our enemies;

  destroy all our foes,

  for we are your servants.”

  And when they did, the undead paused for a moment in their screaming sprint to overrun them, and in their march to consume them alive. Paused to hear what had only been heard previously in life. Praise and worship.

  Praise that stilled the enemy.

  The song was such, that the living clouds of Heaven took notice. And the song of the saints traveled even into the throne room and entered the ears of the Virtues. Instinctively, the creatures turned from the throne that they might be let out to join the singing. And as a master lets out his dog to his yard, so too did El release the Virtues to leave the throne room.

  The Virtues seeped under the sealed palace door and they with the clouds of heaven settled over the people of heaven and coated each with a fine mist and perfumed them.

  And when David saw that the air itself was moved to their cause, he was attuned to the spirit that lived within the clouds and spoke to them this word.

  “Defend this thy home! Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. And they that do not: remove the breath thereof!”

  And when the clouds of Heaven heard the words of David. The cumulus of Heaven did as commanded and dispersed from the Host of heaven and pillowed as an incoming iridescent storm across the plains. The virtues also rose to form a giant wall cloud of rain. And creatures that had previously pillowed white and sparkled with the colors of the rainbow now darkened and became black, their shadows blocking out any light that emanated from the mountain of God. And Lucifer’s forces slowly became overshadowed by the invading and towering billows.

  And each unredeemed man looked up and knew not how they would fight against the climate of the realm of Heaven.

  The Virtues then lifted from the Host and screamed as they launched in tornado like strands and descended upon both unredeemed men and the Horde. The whole of heaven watched as the clouds then solidified and fell like giant mountainous stones upon the teeming masses of the enemy.

  For beings that floated in the air now became weapons of mass destruction and pummeled all the adversaries of God beneath them. And men that did not die from the living clouds bombardment, suddenly found that their lungs deflated where they stood, as the breath of life that was within them was taken. The Host watched as the souls of the men were removed from their bodies and their spirits flailed into the air to mingle with that of the Mists. And those angels whose souls had been trapped clamored to escape merging into the Mists. The undead paused, confused by the singing that went on about them, while those that had advanced in their wake slowly perished from the heavenly bombardment.

  The angels that sided with Lucifer turned in panic and ran in retreat towards the portal to escape; unwilling to face a foe that was able to remove the very breath of life.

  For, in and out of the mouths of the enemy, did the Virtues, Clouds and Mists move: from the mouth of one, did a virtue enter; only to exit out the nose, before moving again unto another. Like Will-o'-
the-Wisps, the vaporous beings exited from the breathing regions of men and angels, and wherever they exited, men fell down dead; as thousands upon thousands collapsed en ’mass.

  Screams of men mixed with the screams of the Virtues until at last, the living clouds grew quiet, and lifted from the army of men. And when they did, light from the mountain of God returned and no man was left for the Host to fight. Not one unredeemed human had survived and the Mists had taken scores of the undead and the carrion into Limbo and were no more to be seen.

  Michael, David, and the Host stared upon the bloodied plains that were before them, and none stood alive save one upon the topside of the crest of the mountain of Hell.

  Leto.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Riders of Sheol and Death

  Lucifer stood atop Hell looking over the battle field as he directed her encroachment over the corpses and structure of Heaven. All was consumed within Hell. Like a rocky amoeba, Hell inched forward to make contact with the mountain of God. And nothing in Heaven slowed its march.

  Michael saw Lucifer atop the creature and turned to his brethren. “He must be stopped! Michael’s halo then glowed and when it did he lifted into the skies, and the whole of the Lumazi save Argoth also lifted with him. “Hell is but a beast. It is Lucifer with which we must contend. He somehow needs the boy king. Make him release him and perhaps this may end!” His brethren nodded in understanding. Michael raised his sword and pointed it towards his felonious brother. “Attack!!”

  And so a phalanx of angels led by Michael flew across the sky to assault the prince of darkness. For the loss of brethren they fell. For the love of God they fell. For the rescue of man they fell. Legions of Elomic winged warriors, living flames of Seraphim, and the twirling wheels of the Ophanim moved as one; flanked by an army of redeemed men.

  But Hell was not done for she but regurgitated more of the undead and her carrion to meet the Host. She was full of the undead, and obese with unregenerate dead men and angels. But Michael and his men were neither deterred, nor dismayed and pressed forward.