by Aiden James
“Hell, no, Jackie! I’ll knock on your door at eleven-forty-eight! That way, we won’t be late, Mr. Slowpoke!”
Jeremy smiled before disappearing inside his room, closing his heavy door behind him.
Jack stepped inside his own room. Once he closed the heavy door, and after tearing off his own blood and sweat soaked clothing, he headed straight for the luxurious shower in the bathroom. He finally had a chance to test the waterfall affect of the shower, which provided his sore and badly bruised body some welcome relief. After allowing himself nearly fifteen minutes to get clean, he was startled when Jeremy began pounding on his door.
“Let’s go, Jackie! Damn it, man, we’re going to be late again!!”
“I’m coming!”
Pleasantly surprised to find a complete change of clothes waiting for him on his bed, he threw the garments on and was just buttoning his shirt when Jeremy pounded on the door again. Before his brother could berate him further, he pulled open the door and joined him on the colonnade outside their rooms.
“It’s eleven-fifty-two!” Jeremy pointed to his watch. “Man, you’re worse than any woman I’ve ever known. You know that, Jackie?”
He scowled, but only for a moment. He seemed amused by Jack’s vain attempt to keep his dripping hair out of his eyes.
“Sorry, man, but that shower was just so nice!”
“Yeah, I imagine so,” said Jeremy, as they walked quickly to the stairwell. “But my need for a good smoke overrode my desire to linger in the shower, regardless of how tempting it was. And to think I still had plenty of time left to wait on your ass to get primped and ready for our twelve o’clock date!”
Juan was already waiting for them when they reached the main landing.
“I decided to save you the trip to the reception area since Francisco’s study is this way.”
He motioned to another hallway on the left side of the stairwell. An ornate runner covered the hall’s length, its designs much more lavish than any others they’d seen.
Rafael awaited them at the very end of the hall, leaning on a cane in front of another immense doorway, his knee heavily bandaged. He seemed fully at peace for the first time that day.
Just a low flicker on the guy’s face…that’s good, thought Jack. Relieved, it seemed like every peril they’d dealt with since leaving Alabama coincided with Rafael’s fluttering nerve endings.
“Come in, my friends!” said Rafael. He motioned for them to follow him inside the enormous room.
The study quite exquisite, hand carved engravings etched upon solid oak paneling covered most of the walls. The fifteen-foot ceiling was painted with another amazing fresco, this one detailing Adam and Eve’s expulsion from the Garden of Eden.
Heavy mahogany furniture dominated the room, including several overstuffed chairs and a long fur-lined sofa. A single Persian rug covered much of the floor, and along three of the walls stood tall oak bookcases. Many of the volumes appeared ancient, even from just inside the doorway where Jack and Jeremy stood surveying the room.
“Please sit down.”
Francisco stood behind an immense mahogany desk and motioned for them to take a seat in two of the chairs closest to the desk. He looked refreshed since they saw him earlier, and as soon as they sat down, he did likewise in a high-back leather chair on the other side of the desk. Behind him, a stained glass window took up that entire wall. Its theme similar to much of the angelic artwork they’d seen so far, only the angels here were armed with swords and their likeness true to the unearthly beings they encountered that morning.
“We could begin almost anywhere, as I am sure you have many more questions now than you did when we first met last night,” he said. “Perhaps you would like to begin with what happened to all of you in the caverns this morning. Or, would you rather discuss the items in your backpack?”
“Tell us about the angels,” said Jack, certain this was foremost on everyone’s mind.
“Ah, yes. Rafael told me about your encounter with Moroni and the other archangels,” Francisco acknowledged, grimacing slightly. “While we anticipated your amazement at the work that goes on in Las Cavernas Segradas, we were completely unaware of what had recently developed there and the presence of God’s four mightiest protectors in our midst. I apologize for my own foolishness and naiveté in this, as I would never have suggested or even allowed either of you to visit the caverns—at least not until safe enough to do so. Of course, after today, such a time may never again be possible.”
“If they’re so damned mighty, why didn’t they protect us? Why couldn’t they keep anybody from dying out there??” demanded Jeremy.
Francisco studied him in silence, for the moment refusing to answer his questions. When he did finally address him, his eyes were misty.
“Sometimes the reasons for why things happen the way they do is beyond our comprehension,” he began. “There is more than just comfort in the phrase ‘God allows all things to work together for good’. Yes, the four archangels alone could have routed the demons easily. Their collective army, of which only a few hundred were present from what Rafael told me, could easily have destroyed them as well. Yet until it suits Elohim’s purpose, the angels are powerless to disobey His will, lest they end up like these fiends themselves. It would surprise you, perhaps, that Bochicha’s emissaries were once as beautiful and holy as the angels you saw today.”
“Has anyone ever been attacked like this before?” asked Jack.
“No. It is the first time anything like this has ever happened,” said Francisco. “Rafael told me that according to Moroni, these demons have not been heard from in twelve thousand years. Less than a week ago, a group of us traveled deep into the caverns without incident—as is almost always the case. To have something like this happen can only be related to what is going on throughout the world, which we will discuss in a moment. You may need to save some of your questions until lunch, since I have much to share with you in the next twenty to twenty-five minutes.”
Francisco looked over at Rafael, who indicated he would keep an eye on the time, and then returned his focus to Jack and Jeremy.
“When I told you both last night that the castle was built between twelve to twenty thousand years ago, long before civilized man had built his magnificent cities on this continent, did either of you guess at the time that maybe it was supernatural beings who built this place?” he asked, leaning forward in his chair. “Surely you wondered how such immense stones could fit together so perfectly and at such fantastic heights. The only things we have done through the years, other than add modern conveniences such as running water and electricity, is replace the wood planks in the doors when they rotted, and add the windows, wall coverings, and frescos. Other than that, the world’s best construction crews and architects today would be hard pressed to create something like this in the middle of nowhere. Do you not agree?”
They nodded they did.
“According to records we have from our forefathers, in addition to the visions from Gabriel that I mentioned to you last night, the archangels Moroni and Ossisa led the first Essenes to this place,” he continued. “I am sure that you both have already wondered, ‘Why here in the middle of the Andes?’ Was it because the angels knew we would be protected from harm within the castle’s walls? Perhaps that is partly correct.”
Francisco stood up and stepped out from behind his desk.
“After the angels built this place, they occupied the castle for thousands of years. You have noticed the immense doorways, which are really only suitable for a creature worried about getting its wings stuck while entering a room. There are windows up in the highest reaches of the castle that are as tall and wide as the doorways. Even many of the passageways you followed this morning would seem like they were created to assist the angels as they flew from the castle to the deepest recesses of the mountain.”
He moved around to the front of the desk and leaned back against its edge, directly in front of them.
“So, why did they abandon their home?” Francisco continued. “According to the writings of our ancestors, both here and abroad, the emissaries of the imprisoned deities that lie between this world and the next made it impossible for the angels to rest peacefully in the castle, as they were under constant attack. They eventually moved to an unknown location, which might not even be located on earth. In the meantime, they continued to store the spheres they created in the caverns here until these objects were called upon. As you both know from your own experience, the spheres are used to plug the portals between heaven and hell that exist throughout this planet.”
“So, what do ya’ll do for them if they don’t even live here anymore?” asked Jeremy. “You call yourselves the ‘Servants of the Angels’, but it’s not like you can protect them from anyone? Right?”
“Actually, they do need us,” said Francisco, smiling stiffly as if stung from Jeremy’s latest remark. “From ancient times our Order has always been dedicated to the preservation of all things holy and belonging to Elohim, the one true God. Our ability to maintain secrecy until no longer necessary is well noted throughout the world and our network has reached far and wide for nearly two thousand years.
“For that reason alone, we have been the perfect instruments for the angels to use throughout the centuries in disseminating important revelations to the masses. God has influenced the entire evolution of religious thought in the western world through the angels and, in turn, through the Essenes who have infiltrated the many denominations and sects therein. We have even had an impact on Islam and our estranged Jewish brethren, as well as in Buddhism and Hinduism, though our influence in these religions has intentionally been much more subtle.”
Francisco moved back around his desk. Before he returned to his chair, he seemed to study the huge angels depicted in the window.
“But, we have needed the angels as much as they need us. If not for their continual support and aid, we surely would have died out long ago, as most biblical scholars assume we did,” he told them, still facing the window. “As for me and the Essene Superiors that came before me, Moroni and Ossisa have provided much insight into the past, present, and even future events in the world, focusing mainly on those that affect the more developed nations in the west. Rafael told me what he said to you earlier, that your survival is critical to the new world set to come. Would you like to know more about this?”
He turned around to face them. Jeremy and Jack told him ‘yes’, after exchanging uncomfortable glances.
“It is perhaps best that I mention first the archangels’ visits to my father, Frederico de Luciano. He lived a long life, and served as our fifty-sixth Superior for nearly sixty years, on up to his death in 1991 at the age of eighty-six. Intent on living a celibate life, I was the result of a late-life tryst. He later took my mother as his wife, who was nearly forty years younger than him. Her name was Francesca, and I was named after her at my father’s insistence.
“Moroni told my father long ago when he was young that his son would be the last Essene to reign in South America, and that our existence as a group would end during my lifetime. It is why he set out never to sire children, so this would never happen. In his mind, he thought it would be some incompetence in the fruit of his loins that would bring about the downfall of the Essenes.”
Francisco grimaced slightly before going on.
“Not until after I was born did Ossisa clarify Moroni’s earlier prediction to my father,” he continued. “He now understood that our extinction had nothing to do with anything ‘we’ as a group could or would do. The coming age that will also bring about the destruction of much of the earth as we know it, will bring about a heightened spiritual awareness to the men and women scheduled to be born in the next thirty to forty years. In this more enlightened age, there will be little need for the intervention that has been the Essenes’ strongest calling throughout the last two thousand years. This has already started on a very small scale, but will increase dramatically by the year 2040, according to Ossisa.
“As for my own encounters with these two archangels, they are too numerous to recount. I will tell you about two particular visitations that directly involve you. The first happened when I was fifteen, just two years before my father died. Moroni appeared to me the evening after your parents disappeared in the realm of Talusha. He told me then that you, Jack, had been ordained by Elohim to rule the new America. You were chosen not only because of the obvious physical and mental abilities you inherited from your bloodlines, but on account of the spirit given to you by the Almighty. I know none of this makes sense to you now, and probably will not for years to come. But mark my words, you have been chosen to do this.
“The other visit from Moroni involved both of you, and came to me almost eleven years later. Apparently, the archangel waited to make sure you both survived Talusha’s revenge perpetrated by his most wicked daughter, Genovene. Even though certain things are ordained to happen, Elohim allows enough tribulation and the wiles inherent in free will to either slow the events He would like to take place or abort them entirely. This is why our present circumstances threaten us as well.
“What Moroni told me then was that you, Jack, had taken another critical step toward your destiny as the American leader. Jeremy’s name was mentioned as well, for the archangel admired his courage and toughness, as well as his tenacity for the truth, even though his disdain for authority has sometimes been a problem. Moroni told me that his minions will ‘ensure the elder brother of the future American ruler is a worthy commander for the most powerful army of men in the new world’. Surely, you have noticed a definite change in your dedication to gaining as much knowledge as you can lay your hands on, Jeremy. If you doubt me, just look at how quickly you moved through your undergraduate studies at the University of Alabama, as well as your frenetic pace as a graduate student.”
Jeremy snickered, but then nodded thoughtfully. Jack sat stoically in his chair, unwilling to believe the heady information Francisco told them. Francisco acknowledged their disbelief, advising them both to simply store what he said in the back of their minds to see if any of it came true someday.
“I assure you the angels are with you on a constant basis, though you cannot see or hear them,” said Francisco. “None of this is critical right now, other than the fact Moroni asked me to reveal this information to you just a few days ago, when he came to tell me it was finally time for us to meet. Not since the day he told me my father was about to die, and that I would be elected the fifty-seventh, and final, Superior at the tender age of seventeen has he been so adamant about what will come to pass. The ‘war of wars’ and the ‘reign of unending darkness’ are events grounded in reality...but only if we fail together to stop the Blood Star from being reborn.
“If the Children of Elohim are successful in this, then everything prophesied by the archangels down through the centuries will be for not. The coming earth changes will still happen, for they are of a higher order not dependent on free will. But, the blood-soaked altars of the seven deities presently closing in on the Alabama shore, along with the one belonging to Talusha who is already in Tuscaloosa, will be fed from dawn to sunset until the last of the human race is extinct.
“Perhaps Bochicha’s emissaries were sent specifically to stop the two of you from returning to Alabama, for surely they are responsible for the tunnel ice plug we encountered this morning, after Rafael led you deep within the mountain. It may have been another test to see if you are ready for the next step in your development as the leaders you will someday become.”
“How come some of the demons we encountered burned up and disintegrated, but others were unaffected by fire?” asked Jack.
“Yes, Rafael mentioned that as well,” said Francisco. “It has something to do with the trough. According to our legends, our ancestors created it. But, several years ago we allowed another Vatican scientist to take a small piece of the trough that had broken off with him back to Italy for examination. Two mont
hs later, he sent me a report that told us the trough was at least five thousand years old, and that there was plant residue on the piece. Some of the residue has been identified as coming from the Amazon basin. But, the rest is still unknown to this day. In any case, we are in agreement the trough was likely created by the Aymara or their contemporaries.
“I had not previously shared this information with anyone here, including Rafael,” he continued. “I felt it might undermine other legends we’ve held dear throughout the years. But after he told me what happened today, I told him of the findings. We both agree that something in the trough—perhaps whatever plant mixture still remains there—is what affected the flames that touched the demons. If so, it would be interesting to learn more about the magic of the ancient people who once lived here.”
Rafael pointed to his watch to indicate it was 12:20 p.m Francisco let him know they were almost finished. He moved over to the corner of his desk and motioned for them all to join him there. Once they did, the bookshelf closest to them swung open, revealing another room on its other side.
“Follow me, for it is time to discuss the present developments going on in the world outside Bolivia.”
Francisco led the way into the room. Much smaller than the study, the room’s high-tech equipment surprised the brothers, as other than a computer on Francisco’s desk there had been little else in the castle to indicate their hosts had moved past the Twentieth century. Three small mainframes hummed quietly in one corner of the room and what looked like a long command station sat in the middle. A row of computers and touch-screen panels dominated this station, and a pair of young Indian men sat at their terminals while they continuously entered commands into the room’s intricate system. On the wall before them was an immense HD screen featuring a three-dimensional map of the entire earth.
“This is another gift from our friends at the Vatican,” explained Francisco. “There are several more of these advanced GPS locator systems throughout the world, and our brethren are fortunate enough to have two of them. For the sake of time, since we have little of it left, I am going to stick with what concerns us most right now, which is the movement of the towers over the past seventy-two hours.”
