by Donovan Neal
Lucifer replied, "Who hast thou chosen?"
Assyrix replied, "To serve as defender to our company, I would draft Volac. To serve as angel of destruction, I ask for Lathatiel. He was instrumental in helping to set Heaven on fire, and he rivals my Lord in his calculating nature to destroy. For healer of wounds, I solicit my king to grant me Zathiel though reluctant to engage or to injure, he will do as commanded. And I shall serve as support, to the group and provide guidance to our mission. Is this to my king's pleasure?"
Lucifer thought upon the words of his Chief of Eyes. "The thing that thou sayest is good. You will gather those you have submitted, and be swift in your charge. Are you clear in your purpose?"
"The maiden's spirit will help fire the engine of Hell. She will be dead before the setting of the next day's sun. I am clear in my purpose."
Lucifer smiled. "See that it is done. Do not fail me, Assyrix."
Assyrix bowed and walked backwards two spaces, then turned to see Ashtaroth awaiting him outside. "What does the master require?"
"I go to bring dissolution to a house of the Jews. Assemble for me the following, and let them meet me here before night’s end. For I wish to depart soon to accomplish our Lord's will."
Ashtaroth bowed and signaled couriers to him. To each he gave a scroll with the seal of the red dragon of Lucifer Draco, that those whose names were written therein were given command to assemble and bidden to come with haste by nightfall. And it was so, that by the eve that three angels stood before Assyrix, ready to move as directed.
Volac stood 10 cubits high. His broad shoulders were draped with Hell-forged armor, grey in color and it emanated an icy fog with white dendetric crystals. His eyes were blue, and a bluish white mist floated from them. The Arelim held a large mace, a brass ring pierced his nose, and he snorted when he spoke. "Speak, Grigori, at it was not told me why the master bids me come. The word is that I am assigned to protect a squad of Lucifer's making."
Assyrix looked over the Arelim and spoke. "What thou hast heard is true. You will accompany me with those assembled here to destroy a human female, and those that have sired her."
Volac chuckled. "We are four angles descended from Heaven. And where is that army on Earth that can withstand even one of us? Yet you would have us sully our hands to raise arms against one human female? Are we despised so above all the Horde that we stand as errand boys to execute a daughter of Eve? Volac spat on the ground. "I will not waste my time on such a mission of no import. Send one of lesser rank. I am Volac of House Arelim. Have Lucifer send a lackey more suitable to this task."
"And which lackey would you recommend?" Lucifer approached the group from the rear, and all immediately turned and bowed as one when they saw him.
"I spoke out of turn, my king," said Volac. "I am at my Lord's service and honored to serve."
Lucifer smirked. "Of course you are." Lucifer walked up to Lahatiel. "It is good to see you again. I trust that Assyrix hast informed you all of why you are here?"
Lahatiel replied, "We have been told that we are to seek the dissolution of a daughter of Eve. One of the seed of promise from Abraham's line. Is this so, my king?"
"The thing that you have been told is true."
"May my Lord be not angry with his servant. Volac's question also is my own. If such is the case, why are four needed to see to this thing? Is not one of the lower ranks sufficient to bring to naught the line of but one human house?
Lucifer nodded. "What you say is true. But is there not a cause? For lo, I have given you honor to destroy Shiloh Himself."
All three angels gasped, jaws wide opened, and anxiety began to overtake them.
"My Lord, will not the Host have protection to watch over such a precious thing as the mother of Shiloh?"
Lucifer nodded, "Oh, undoubtedly so. Yet you are my vanguard to wipe such resistance away. Assyrix will see to the dissolution. You three will see that he is supported. Destroy any human settlement the family hast made contact. Heal one another of injury if such is needed, protect one another that the thing be done. But above all, do not return if Shiloh lives." Lucifer then stood in front of all three, and glared at them all. "Are you clear in your purpose?"
They bowed and spoke as one, "We are clear my king."
Lucifer turned, his cloak swishing about his muscled frame. "Then go, and be about my business."
Chapter Eight
Kenosis
Azaziel and Argoth Laddered to the central continent of the Earth and landed in the Roman Empire's province of Galilee in the small Jewish enclave of Nazareth. It was a tiny city about 2 days journey north of the human city of Jerusalem. The city smelled of sickness, and was rife with people who scurried about. Merchants and traders walked the dirt streets and the sounds of camels, and scruffy-looking children running to and fro attempting to catch one another in games of hide and seek filled the air.
Azaziel sniffed and covered his nose. "Is there anything good that can come from such filth? Where is the maiden?" Azaziel asked.
Argoth pointed to a well where a young Jewish woman drew water. "There, she draws water." Argoth looked around to see if they had been spotted. "How long are we to offer protection?"
Azaziel shrugged his shoulders. "Until we are relieved by the command of God or the Chief Prince." Suddenly the sound as if from a trumpet bellowed over the air, and many of the cities’ people followed the sound to a small nondescript building where several men sat teaching out of the law of the books of Moses. One spoke up to the people, "Come! Come! For the noon hour is at hand, and let us give prayer to God that He might hear us!" Men sat on the ground facing south to the city of Jerusalem and began to recite words from the Grigoric book God had given to mankind. "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all soul and with all your strength..."
Argoth looked nervously about him as the people followed along in their recitation. "Take up position by the girl, for our arrival has not gone unnoticed." Argoth pointed and Azaziel's eyes tracked the direction of his finger. In the distance standing above the synagogue were two opaque figures floating above the building.
The young woman had finished drawing water and sat near the rear of the assembly also reciting her prayers. "There is commandment from El, even among the Horde, that we will not reveal ourselves. Would they dare defy Him with so many to see?"
Argoth replied, "I know not. To interact with the physical realms inhabitants is not our charge yet the Horde is the Horde. My Grigori bring reports where members of the Fallen have possessed the bodies of humans. The Horde are beyond redemption, we can not assume that they will abide by articles of war that govern our kind. We would do well to prepare ourselves for when they arrive. I sense that the two of us may not be enough." Argoth then took his stylus and when he waved his hand, a parchment materialized, and he wrote upon it. Then tossed it in the air and it burst in brilliant colors above them and disappeared.
"What did you just do?" Azaziel asked.
"Called for reinforcements." Argoth looked upon the small female child that Michael had sent them to protect. "We need to try to get her to a more secure location. There are too many of the humans here."
"How?" asked Azaziel.
"If need be..." Argoth was cut off in midsentence by the gruff voice of another.
"The girl is not yours to have, but our charge to destroy. And though you be Lumazi, you would be wise to leave, and to leave now." Volac cracked his neck and scrunched his shoulders and moved closer to Azaziel.
Assyrix looked at Argoth and added. "It would seem that we have a problem. For their can be but one Chief of Eyes. The Enslaver I see hast chosen thee, whilst the patriot of our freedom hast assigned me tittle. There can not be but one eye that sees for the people."
Argoth smiled. "Then if mine eye offends thee—come and pluck it out."
Assyrix looked at Lahatiel and spoke. "Kill the Lumazi and bring the girl to me."
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Talus had commanded that a hundred of his house follow their Lord to the Earth. Jerahmeel also commanded another hundred, including Chronos, from House Harada. They were a troop of just over two hundred strong. Two hundred angels gathered to save one.
Michael gave command of the search and rescue mission to Talus. The Chief Prince had made their mandate clear. "Get in, find Iblis, and get out."
Michael walked the duo to the waypoint to the end of the city. He looked at each of the soldiers he was sending on what some in the council thought was a foolhardy mission. Jerahmeel walked towards him fully armored.
Michael smiled and spoke. "You look fearsome, my friend. No weapon formed against thee shall prosper."
Jerahmeel laughed. "I pray not, but whatever the case, we shall prevail. However, when we do find the lad, what pray tell would you have us do with him?"
Michael looked at him. "When you secure his release, be swift and bring him home. I would question him. Lucifer I am sure has plans to siege Heaven. I would know what they are."
Jerahmeel looked at him, surprised. "You would have me bring a member of the Fallen to the realm after El Himself hast expelled him—are you mad?"
"Perhaps..." said Michael. "Perhaps."
Jerahmeel moved as if to carry on the conversation but Michael cut him off as he saw Talus approach, and spoke aloud over his shoulder as he walked towards Talus and away from Jerahmeel. "You have your orders Prince of Harada." Jerahmeel sighed and walked to the platform to await Talus's arrival.
Talus stepped to walk past Michael, and Michael reached his hand out to stop him. "Hold! High Prince of House Arelim!"
Talus stopped and looked upon his brother. "Have you further orders for me, my prince?"
"There is but one." Michael paused. He took his hand from off Talus' broad shoulders and in the view of the entire squad reached out and hugged him. "You will make sure that you return to me." Talus opened his eyes wide at the unexpected gesture of emotion on Michael's part, then relaxed and allowed himself to also embrace his brother. "I will see that it is done."
"See that you do," said Michael. "For if I would send two hundred and two from the Lumazi to rescue just one of the fallen, how much more would I do to secure my own brother? For neither life, nor death, nor things present or those to come will separate me to see thee returned safely to Heaven's bosom. Do not fail to come home. Are you clear in your purpose?"
A tear streamed from Talus's eye. "I am clear."
Michael released him and shooed him away. Talus walked to the platform, and for a moment, he smiled at Michael. Then he steeled his face, spoke an Elomic command and the waypoint exploded in color as a great funnel cloud of a Ladder descended and transported the group to the Earth below.
Light skipped about the troop as Talus, Jerahmeel, Chronos, and two hundred angelic soldiers from both houses descended as great beams of light. The Lumazi followed Chronos as he guided them between galaxies and stars. Each turned to fall through the stellar cosmos as they were swiftly brought to the small planet El had carefully crafted and placed His name among its people. Earth quickly approached them, and Chronos, knowing they would be detected, exerted his power over time in this realm, and he opened his wings as a great sail and was pulled backwards. He traveled towards the rear through the group while enveloping the troop in a cocoon of temporal power. Faster they flew past asteroid and moon, slipping past the angelic guards that Lucifer had placed in their path. A cosmic blur the group became, imperceptible to the guardian’s gaze. The atmosphere greeted them and Chronos controlled the discharge of gas and friction so that none could trace the vapor trails the group left in their wake. Particles of gas and light flickered into nothing at the command of the Archon of Time. Quickly the southern hemisphere of the planet raced into view and the jungles of the southern continent men had called Amozoa zoomed into view, and the troop landed quietly in the midst of a great rain forest.
Chronos then removed the wrap of temporal invisibility from around them.
Jerahmeel looked into the sky and asked, "Where we detected?"
"Nay," said Chronos. "The Horde that dwell in this region were not able to distinguish us from the breeze. We are for the moment safe."
"How far to Quetzalcoatl's lair?" Talus asked.
"Not far," said Chronos. Just beyond the mountains one leagues flight. But a quarter league if we fly by nightfall. For if we move by day we must move slower as to avoid detection.”
Talus and the team gazed at the peaks and the length of the range of cloud-covered slopes. The length stretched from the top to the tip of the southern continent. The sight was inspiring for all to behold. For the mountain range stretched 500 leagues.
Talus looked at their surroundings. "Although it would be quick to move during the night. If we move now under cover of the brush we can reach the area by nightfall. For every moment we abide here, we risk loss to the charge Iblis. Keeper of the Hour, we will make haste, that we might fall upon them during the night."
Chronos nodded. "It is a wise plan."
"Lead on," said Jerahmeel.
With deftness of gait, two hundred and three angels hiked and glided over palm trees headed towards a series of pyramids built deep in the Andes Mountains. Darkness slowly crept over the troop, and the coolness of the jungle breeze made their superheated bodies give off a faint steam.
"Just ahead," said Chronos. He took his hand and lowered it, and everyone immediately ducked lower into the brush. "There, see the opening to the cave?"
Talus and Jerahmeel strained their eyes to see through the darkness, and made out an opening carved into the rock at the base of the mountain. "How do we get in?"
Talus knelt into the ground. We must use stealth to secure Iblis's release. The three of us will go inside and acquire him. The first and second squads will stay in hiding. If we are not out in one day’s time, first squad will create a diversion to lure those within outside. Do not engage them if your numbers are inferior. But if equal or superior, you may engage. If they outnumber you, then you will lead them as far away as possible. Your role will be to serve as distraction. Upon completion, you will attempt to find a place to hide that you might observe our escape, and rejoin us. If this cannot be done, then you will return to Heaven. Second squad will remain here in hiding. You will provide defensive cover for our escape if we are pursued. Are you clear in your purpose?"
Each commander nodded. "We are clear."
Talus looked at Jerahmeel and Chronos. "Let's go."
Chronos enveloped the trio in a cloak of temporal power, and they moved into the cave's entrance and walked past two guards who stood motionless as the three angels rushed past them unnoticed. Deeper they moved into the cavern as tunnels and dank stonewalls lined with cool, moist air filled the chambers. Finally, the trio came across a side chamber where voices were heard.
"Iblis, Iblis—why do you resist us? Are we not thy family? Have you not joined yourself to the Usurpation? Why must we continue in this fruitless endeavor? Why do you allow this pain to continue? Inform us of what you have done and we will spare thee from the prison of Hell. But if not, we will let Hell suckle on thy stone until your mind is nothing but a husk, and daemon shall you be. A phantasm, an apparition, and nothing more. Let your suffering end. We beg of you."
Chronos, Talus, and Jerahmeel hid behind a wall and peered to see that Zeus and Quetzalcoatl stood over Iblis. Iblis's face was bloodied and Quetzalcoatl had imprisoned him in chains of fire. Designed by Ares, they burned as the flesh of Hell. Iblis was strung aloft naked, and above him hovered three creatures of female form in ghostly robes, and they screamed at him and Iblis cried out in pain for their wails, and the creatures were haggard and deformed daemons, and did not cease wailing into his ears. Each held a stylus and wrote glyphs into his flesh, and Iblis’s skin burst in pustules of blood and the maggots of Hell fed off his wounds where they were written.
"Iblis, Iblis..." said Quetzalcoatl. “Why do you persist in th
is devotion to a king who hast cast thee asunder? What meaning doth the thing have for a member of the Fallen? You cannot return. For there is no repentance for thee. No turning of El's mind. Renounce Him. Speak the words and recant. Just tell us where are those that have assisted thee with the Time Lord Chronos?"
Iblis lifted up his head, as if to speak, and Quetzalcoatl commanded the Banshee's to cease their wails into his ears. The creatures stopped their screams and floated away from Iblis, and then he whispered something.
"Say again, Iblis," said Quetzalcoatl. "Speak, that we might hear thee. What have you to confess?"
Talus and Jerahmeel and Chronos looked on, concealed behind a protrusion near a wall, and Jerahmeel spoke. "We should kill him, if he gives away the secrets of the rebellion then they will be hunted and destroyed and all hope for undermining Lucifer from within will be lost."
"Hold, my Lord, please...I have faith in him," pleaded Chronos.
Jerahmeel looked at Talus. "You are in command—what say you?"
Talus looked at Chronos and his face was downcast. "If his lips seep of betrayal, I will cut him down myself, for he cannot be allowed to reveal those that assist the cause of Heaven."
Chronos looked at Iblis, and watched the scene play out before his eyes.
Quetzalcoatl grabbed Iblis by his chin, and his hands covered the angel’s cheeks, and he pulled his face that Iblis might gaze upon him. "Speak, traitor! You will give me what I desire or know that all tatters to that which you hold dear will be burned in the fire! Speak! I command you!"
Iblis opened his tired eyes, and looked into the eyes of his captor and spoke. "I am friend of the Host. I am bound by the ancient laws to never sever my word. Though I be lost in this thing, honor will remain. Promise I have made to one of the Host, and though I burn in Hell. It is a promise to Chronos I will not make void. For who among the Horde hast lifted finger to save me? But one not of my house rescued me from the fall of Kilnstones, and his life will I honor."
