Realm of the Dead

by Donovan Neal

  As a cloud of devouring locusts, the Hosts of Heaven arrayed themselves to battle fallen angels who resided within Hell's loins and Lucifer. Lucifer surrounded himself with a spherical bubble of sound around his person. As a flying sonic cannon, he barreled into the legions of Heavens, blasting through Malakim warriors and exploding their ranks, but the legions of heaven were not be deterred. They reconstituted their lines by projecting beams of power at the bubble of sound that surrounded the former chief prince. Lightning strikes, discharges of heat, cold, and fire blasted the shield that armored Satan. Wave after wave of angels descended upon him with abandon and smashed upon him in self-slaughter, disintegrating instantly.

  The dark prince found himself overwhelmed by the sheer number that sought to dismount him, and his sonic armor collapsed under the volume of attackers. The Prince of Pride fell from his mount, plummeting in a trail of fire to the floor of Hell.

  As a meteorite that smashes into the Earth. Still, the angels of heaven descended after him, refusing to relent in their attacks.

  He rose groggily as lightning strikes continued to rain down upon him, and angels landed to cut him down. Backing away, breathless, he looked for means to regain the upper hand and using his power over light, bent electromagnetic waves around him and disappeared, leaving false images of himself hither and yon, giving his opponents pause for thought.

  "It is a trick!" some yelled. "He cannot be several places at once, so how is the thing possible?" The collective mob paused in their assault and weighed the new battle tactic used against them, while Lucifer taunted them behind the veil of angelic sight.

  "Come, fools!" he mocked. "You desire the head of Lucifer? Then approach and seek your prize!"

  Angels attacked the false images, each striking and wondering if they fought a doppelganger of the dread lord. Several swung their swords at an apparition only to realize the deception too late as they saw the Sword of Malice protruding from their bleeding chest. With deftness of speed, Lucifer cut them down before they could calculate why they were experiencing dissolution.

  Charon however, stood afar off, ambivalent to the goings-on of all things, for his was to warden the creature Hell, and all smartly stood aloof from him. All except Eladrin, who approached the giant angel, landing in twinkling lights before the one he had engaged in a stalemated battle so many centuries ago.

  Charon acknowledged the King of Ophanim and bowed his cowled head to him. Eladrin returned the gesture. The two celestial giants faced one another both dubiously and with an air of mutual respect.

  "Leave this realm and return home to the realm immortal," the human face of Eladrin said.

  Charon lifted his head to reveal the skeletal face of a mare and replied, "Theee darrrrk Looord, holdss keyyyyys of servitude. Booound to himmm I ammm. Retriiieveee theee keyyyysssss of Deaath, and Hellll. And freeeee once more I willlll beee." He then lowered his head and his features once again became dark under cover of his hooded cowl.

  Eladrin nodded and turned from the angel of death to scour the battlefield and find Lucifer. The King of Ophanim would risk all to acquire the keys and strip Satan of his power over Death and Hell.

  The battle raged all about Eladrin as angel smote angel, and the righteous dead engaged in heated clashes with daemons. Eladrin's eyes then found Nephanos, the only one of his kind to ever leave the realm immortal and venture into Hell, and the Ophanim watched his peer in wonder.

  The King of the Seraphim was fire incarnate, and released from his oath to stand before El, he was a dreaded sight to behold. As a floating wave, he moved through the throng before him, burning the enemies of Heaven alive. His body's composition was that of living fire and thus immune from Hell's ability to harm him, for Hell was made to devour Elohim, and the Seraphim's very substance was made from the same fires that formed the Kiln. Thus with impunity, Nephanos scorch-marched through rebel angels and daemons, cremating foes that burned and flailed helplessly while he ravaged all that stood in his path.

  Where are the Lumazi? Eladrin thought. He continued to scour the field of battle, for he separated from Michael and the others during the assault. At last, his eyes found them. In the distance, various ones of the angelic council immersed in combat and fighting doggedly, skirmishing toward a common rallying point on the field. He tracked their expected destination and saw ten images of Lucifer fighting a throng of Heaven's angels, beating them back with sword, sound, and light.

  The two groups will find themselves soon.

  A flash caught the periphery of his eyes and he turned his four faces to find the provocation of Heaven's descent – the Lord God Yeshua.

  Yeshua hovered within the shadow of Death and stood floating as a radiant bridge between Hades and Paradise. A shining light that blinded the underworld...a realm now totally overrun in battle.

  * * *

  The begotten Son of God was unstoppable, for the Lord God Yeshua was a marching hurricane of carnage that waged beneath the mantle of the Earth. Bright as a star amidst the dimness that was Hell, He was yet in the form of a man. Two golden swords floated about His person as wings from His back. Each was a full blade with no hilt and no hand grasped them. The Lord faced His people in Paradise, and from His position, He observed His children's actions as a general eyes all things around Him.

  The flaming golden swords slashed fallen angels naive enough to accost the Lord, and the golden light of life that animated their stones floated back into Yeshua, for Yeshua was an army unto Himself. In addition to the golden blades that were as wings on His back were also four words in angelic script that floated about His person, orbiting Him. Each shimmered, and powerful, deep, rataplan notes emanated from them. Eladrin noted the four words that circled the Lord were Judgment, Death, Recompense, and Hell.

  And when the Lord walked, each word transformed into one of four objects that reached out of its own accord to slay those that stood in the Lord's way. The first was a bow nocked with an arrow of fire; the second was a red sword, but much smaller than the hiltless blades that floated at his back. A balance also hovered, aglow, and transmuted from a scale into the word judgment as the Lord passed judgment on all that he surveyed, and the last was a scythe. The curved obsidian blade with a golden handle flickered one moment from the word Death to a living reaping force that harvested the life of El autonomously from everything it touched.

  A storm unto Himself, dark clouds and mutterings of thunder emanated from Yeshua's presence. Lightning streaked from His person, the bolts of which slew those arrayed against His children. Booming thunder shattered the cocooned dead that Hell still held in reserve for dining.

  The Lord Yeshua walked over Hell and its minions as easily as He had walked on water as a man on the Earth. The weapons and words that floated about Him as wailing spirits wiped members of the Horde who did not immediately fall to their knees in surrender. The Grigori of destroyed enemies shown momentarily between thunder claps their stenographic duties now over and released to return to Heaven.

  And thus the Grigori recorded that on the day the heavenly Host invaded Hell, that Yeshua stood above the gulf that separated Hades from Paradise and unleashed a tempest of vengeance and anger. Yet, even in this was His angered tempered, lest the Earth fail from His wrath.

  Yeshua and the fathers of their faith led the righteous dead to victory against the Horde. Some of the ungodly stood with their backs pushed against the cliff, unable to maneuver, surrounded and flanked by the army of dead saints. And when the Lord saw that His people were safe, He turned His eyes to his celestial children who had arrayed themselves against Lucifer.

  * * *

  Jerahmeel was first to enter into Lucifer's view undeceived by his brother's ruse and the Prince of Darkness mocked him as he drew near. "Hast the head of House Harrada come to surrender his other eye?" he laughed.

  Jerahmeel armored his body in glistening white. Frost trailed behind him as axes materialized in his hands. He closed the distance between him and Lucifer and swung a
n ax at the dread lord.

  Lucifer backed away, dodging his brother's blows, but Jerahmeel was not unskilled and drew close enough to his brother and hammered his forehead into his brother's, knocking him to the ground.

  Lucifer fell to his rear, and Jerahmeel stopped his assault and smiled. "Surely you can defeat an angel blind in one eye?"

  Lucifer scowled as Metatron and Eskalion landed behind Jerahmeel.

  The head of House Harrada extended his hand to his brother and signaled with his curled opened hand to 'come here.' "Get up. We are not done yet."

  Lucifer stood to his feet and wiped the blood that now dripped from a gash above his eye. His eyes narrowed, and the taunt that Jerahmeel levied against him made him pout in ire. He cocked his neck to the side and armored himself. Unsheathing the Blade of Malice, he replied, "This has been a long time coming."

  Jerahmeel nodded, "Agreed, and believe me when I say I hope this will not go quick."

  "Arrghhh!" Lucifer cried, enraged. The sound of his roar created a blast wave that preceded him. The audible wave of pressured vibrations burst as an explosive force across the space between them.

  Jerahmeel took a step back, and Metatron stood as a shield before him. He opened his mouth and released a blast of sound that punched through the oncoming destructive wave, dissipating it into nothing. He drew his sword and flew to engage the former lord of his house. Their swords clashed, and sparks from their blades sprinkled flecks of light into the air, and however Lucifer turned, Metatron turned with him.

  Jerahmeel looked on, aloof. "Pssfftt, and to think that you were once the Lord of all Draco, and yet an underling keeps thee from shutting my mouth. Your glory hast diminished in thy exile."

  Lucifer, incensed in boiling anger, deflected Metatron's sword downward. With a flick of the wrist, his light blinded Metatron enough that Lucifer sought to bring his blade square over his opponent's head.

  Eskalion entered the fray and drew his bo-staff, extending it and blocking Lucifer's killing blow, allowing Metatron time to recover from the makeshift flash grenade. Eskalion continued his attack with an overhead bo-strike, forcing Satan to retreat and adjust to the new form of attack.

  Gabriel and Turiel gazed from a distance and fought their way to their sides. When they were close, Eskalion stepped aside while Turiel misted and moved forward. And Lucifer, thinking Turiel would succumb to his wiles as his Lord Argoth had many days before, smiled, ready to grab his misted form as he floated closer, but the Grigori was aware of his Lord's last encounter and prepared for it. Lucifer knew not that Turiel concealed Eskalion from his gaze, so Turiel inched within arm's reach of Lucifer and Eskalion jumped from the midst of his gaseous body.

  Lucifer lifted his sword to fend off his attacker, but Eskalion's surprise attack was too strong. Eskalion stamped Lucifer in the chest with a four-point strike of his staff and sent the rogue angel reeling. Eskalion then stopped his advance while Turiel solidified. Jerahmeel stood behind the duo and Gabriel landed to join the fray, having fought his way through daemonic forces.

  Lucifer bent over, panting to catch his breath as air wheezed through his burning lungs. He reached for his chest, rubbing his bruised sternum, staggering to stand straight, and spoke in melodious rage.

  "I see that you have learned to fight as one. Good, for thou wilt die as one. As for me, I will see thine heads hanging from Hell's walls."

  Lucifer then touched his necklace, and the key of Death glowed blood red.

  Many of the Host and Horde had in their collective wisdom, stayed away from the Angel of Death. For Charon stood aloof from the goings on of that which surrounded him. Eying the scenes, he focused on the Lord Yeshua who also hovered over the gulf, watching the battlefield.

  The Warden of Hell stirred, aroused by the Key of Death's call to him, and the great angel turned his face from the Word Made Flesh to the master who held him in bondage – Lucifer. Bound to the rogue angel, Charon in obedience stretched forth his mighty wings and lifted himself from the floor of Hell, and took flight across the battlefield.

  All took note that the embodiment of Death had now been roused and made his way to Satan's side. Many trembled, for the power of Charon was known, as few in their natural state could walk the colon of Hell, let alone tame the creature to its will, and yet it was Charon who kept the creature Hell in submission to Satan...who allowed the King of Lies to twist the innards of the creature to his whims.

  Gabriel saw the hulk, Charon, approach and the thought gave him pause. "Death rises to meet us," he said.

  Michael landed next to his brother, surveying the scene as Charon flew to engage them. He nodded, inhaled hard and replied, "Indeed, but the Author of Life watches from afar." Michael's halo then glowed, and he faded in and out from sight. He called to Nephanos and Eladrin, and the two kings made their way to his side.

  Gabriel stood aside as the three heads of state stood next to one another – Eladrin, Nephanos, and Michael. Michael lifted his arms high, and Nephanos enveloped the Chief Prince in fire and he was ablaze. Eladrin's faces changed and merged with Michael's own face, and when Gabriel looked upon his friend, he saw he had become something altogether different. For Michael shimmered between existence and non-existence with a golden Halo over his head, and his face changed to one of five faces. Twirling around him, the sword of Ophanim raged and Gabriel could not stand near, for the weapon was ferocious in its orbit around its master, and great fire surrounded Michael's person.

  Gabriel spoke. "Is the Michael that I know still with us?"

  The face of a human turned to him and spoke. "We are here, for we are the Sum of All Things and the image of what Lucifer should have been. Now go to, and help our brethren resist the Devil – and we shall see to Charon."

  And when Michael spoke those words, he launched himself at the oncoming Angel of Death. With wings of the Ophanim and skin of the Seraphim, Michael, prince of all Elohim, rose to do battle with Charon.

  All of Hades watched as Michael smashed into the Warden of Hell. Charon's chest cavity caved in and he fell from the sky falling in smoke, fire, and ash...with Michael atop him.

  Michael commanded the Sword of Ophanim to split, and the blade broke apart and rocketed to cut the angel down. Charon's cloak then turned obsidian and hard as diamond. Flecks of light and the clinking of sword strikes could be heard, as the blades of cadmium scratched the armored angel.

  Unexpectedly on the defensive, Charon turned his back to Michael. And when he did so, Michael disappeared, his swords still striking and hacking. Charon unsheathed his dreaded scythe, and when he pulled the weapon from his robes, Michael materialized in front of him. With a stretched out hand, Nephanos leaped from his palms and blanketed Charon in a ferocious attack of fire, and the Angel of Death blazed. His great hands attempted to swish Nephanos's fire as one would bat a buzzing mosquito.

  Lucifer took note that Charon had not come to assist him, and he frowned.

  "What plagues the Lord of Darkness?" mocked Jerahmeel. "Surely the mighty Lucifer doth not need anyone to assist him?"

  Lucifer smiled as Jerahmeel, Eskalion, Turiel, Metatron, and Gabriel stood before him as a shining wall of light, each armored and ready to battle.

  Lucifer unsheathed his sword of Malice and replied. "Charon is but a tool. You have yet to understand the power of sin to repel the Father. But I will teach you this lesson."

  He then touched the flaming key of Hell around his neck and broke a small piece from it. The great mountain of Hell then let loose a guttural roar that reverberated so that it shook even the nations of the earth above. Mountain ranges lifted further into the sky, and sent volcanoes into eruption and disturbed the deep places in the earth. Tectonic plates shifted as the Heavenly mountain cried out in pain and men would long remember the day when whirlpools emerged from the ocean depths and swallowed whole kingdoms into the sea, for Lucifer had released Hell. Since the dawn of mankind's fall, her pent up rage waited to be unleashed upon her captors. Now her chains la
y in pieces and she was free to attack all that indwelt her – and the beast hungered.

  Tendrils of fire and the maggots of Hell raced from every corner, and lava flooded chambers above and below. The inhabitants of Hades and Paradise became as one man to fight Hell herself and to resist her digestive clutches, for she no longer discerned friend from foe, and all were but foodstuffs to the living mountain of Hell.

  Jerahmeel, Eskalion, Gabriel, Metatron and Turiel watched the chaotic collapse of the bowel as teeth emerged from the floor all about them.

  Lucifer stood in the midst, and his eyes glistened in beaming pride and jubilation as he shouted, "See the beginning of the Void! The end of all things!"

  He grinned and slammed his blade into the moist floor of Hell's flesh, and a tremor rumbled all about them. A fissure of fire exploded beneath Lucifer's sword and raced toward the position of the assembled vanguard of heaven.

  Gabriel, seeing the crack, looked to see the Lord Yeshua watching him. The Lord nodded in affirmation and Gabriel sprinted toward Lucifer like lightning that flashed across the sky. Instantly, he absorbed the kinetic power of the oncoming blast and was upon his brother, his staff at the ready to belt the jaw of Lucifer.

  Satan raised his hand and caught the Prince of Malakim by the throat, then chuckled and cocked his head in disappointment. "You think your speed can avail against me? Only God is light, dear brother, and thou art much, much slower than He."

  Gabriel looked back, struggling in Lucifer's grip and cried to his brethren, "NOW!"

  Lucifer then took his sword and thrust it into Gabriel, hitting a hard thud on his breastplate. Slowly, the features of the head of House Malakim shriveled before Lucifer's eyes, and he said, "Goodbye, brother."