by Justin Price
THE CALLED:
CHOSEN
Foreword
This second book of The Called series has been an enjoyable and challenging undertaking for me. As always, I want to thank my wife for her support and input in everything I do. My relationship with Jesus Christ is the most important aspect of my life. I pray that He receives glory. Without Him, I couldn’t do what I do. I pray blessings over you, the reader. I hope that this book and the entire series entertains you, but most of all, I hope that this fictional account of the end times makes you think about your own relationship with Christ and the importance of who He is, not only in world history, but in your own personal life. God bless you always!
Justin Price
CHAPTER 1
Charles Billingsley sat on the ground staring at Assad as he approached with his hand extended and his gaze not wavering. His icy, blue eyes cut through Charles. It felt as if he knew everything about him…his every thought. The cloud of dust still covered him, but Charles could see that Samyaza was literally glowing, even shining through like the sun breaks through the clouds at the peak of the day. In what seemed like forever, Assad reached for Charles and picked him up off the desert sand.
As their hands joined, Charles could feel a strange force go all through his body. He wasn’t sure what it was. He had never felt anything like it before. Fear began to grip him as his throat constricted and he began to shake. All that he wanted to do in that moment was to pull away and run all the way back to Damascus. He couldn’t process all that was happening and he wondered if Assad and the shadow creatures that came out of the wormhole were somehow related.
“I know”, said Samyaza. “It’s alright. I will explain everything to you. What has happened may be frightening or strange to you, but it is truly a beautiful thing.”
Charles wondered how there could be beauty in the midst of all the chaos. He was only thankful that they were far away from the city when everything went wrong. He finally broke gaze with Assad and looked around at the other men. Assad’s right-hand man, Adnan Bahar was getting to his feet with tears running down his face, yet smiling as if he knew exactly what had transpired.
Charles stood there, wondering to himself what Bahar knew. Did both Assad and Bahar know what was going to happen before this even started? How did this strange event serve their purpose? He really hoped that those questions would be answered honestly and quickly.
He continued to scan the area. Nick peaked out from behind the car, several feet away. He must have somehow managed to crawl over there during all the chaos. “Nick are you okay?”
“Yeah boss. I’m good”, said Nick in a squeaky voice.
All of the men got up from the ground and joined Charles and Assad. “What was the point of all of that?” asked Cain.
“I’m sorry Mr. President. It didn’t go quite as planned”, said Charles.
“Oh well. I don’t know about tampering with the space-time thing anyway. It sounds like it could cause more trouble than it’s worth.”
Charles grew unsettled at the fact that nobody mentioned what they saw. Did they see the dark shadows that poured out of the portal? What about Assad being illuminated with the intensity of the sun? He wanted to say something, but he didn’t want to draw attention to the situation any more than he had to right now.
Assad turned to Charles and said, “You will get the answers that your minds are seeking.”
He then motioned to the cars waiting on them. “Let us go back to my palace and discuss these matters. There is a lot to take in and understand. I want a comfortable and quiet place that we can do this.”
Without delay, the men filed into the vehicles that were waiting on them and headed back toward Damascus. It seemed like a much longer ride back than it was when they came out earlier. All of their excitement and conversation had turned to total silence. None of them really wanted to speak. Their ears were still ringing from the noise that came from the wormhole.
Finally, Nick spoke up. Alright, since Assad and Bahar are in the other car, I will be the first to mention it. Did anyone see what I saw?
“What did you see?” asked Charles and President Cain, almost simultaneously.
“I ducked behind the car and as I looked up over the hood, I saw these beings. They looked like shadows. I wondered if there was really something coming out of that portal or if my eyes were playing tricks on me in all of the commotion.”
Charles gave him a knowing glace. “No…unfortunately your eyes weren’t playing tricks on you. Something really did come out of that portal. I wouldn’t be sure myself if it weren’t for…” He paused and looked down at his shoes.
“If it weren’t for what?” asked Nick.
“If it weren’t for me seeing a creature come out of the portal before.”
Nick furrowed his brow and said, “Are you serious Charles? You actually saw this happen before, and we did what we did today anyway? Why didn’t you say something to me or cancel this demonstration?”
“Listen…I was exactly like you were after it happened. There was a lot going on. I thought my mind could be tricking me or my emotions of just seeing my wife could have gotten the best of me. Besides…this was a big deal for both of us. I didn’t want to just cancel everything and risk us missing the big pay out.”
Cain chimed in, “Well, it looks like someone got a pay out today. I’m not sure for what purpose, but Assad seemed pretty happy with this demonstration.”
Both of the men looked at Liam curiously.
“What did you see?” asked Charles.
Liam shook his head and said, “I honestly don’t know. I can tell you what it looked like, but what it was…I just don’t know.”
“Well, what do you think it looked like?” Nick asked.
“It looked like something was let out of that portal. I did see that. What stood out the most to me though was that Assad for a brief moment, didn’t even look human. He looked…alien.”
Nick chuckled and said, “I guess we’ve made first contact.”
Charles looked at him sternly. “Nick, you know that is no joke. You know very well that the portal can open up anywhere in time and space. We never could pinpoint or get control of where it led to. This could be a very serious problem. If we have visitors here, then that could cause some serious ramifications for all of us.”
Nick quickly turned solemn as he looked down and nodded his head. “Sorry boss. I was just trying to make light of the situation. To be honest, I am a little bit freaked out. I am hoping that Assad can give us some answers…and do it without having to take us on his spaceship and test us like lab rats.”
Both Charles and Nick tried to choke back laughter as the President just shook his head and looked out the window, pondering how all of this applied to his newfound faith in God.
The day of his angelic visitation was the day that he knew for a fact that the human race was not alone in the universe. There was a Supreme Being that created everything that existed and not only did He create, but He cared for each individual. This God had a plan for him and for all of mankind.
What he saw today, what he felt in his gut all along about Samyaza al Assad may be right. He could be the embodiment of evil on earth. In the few days that he had been a Christian, Liam had privately studied as much of the bible as he could. Many of the prophecies he read seemed to match the current world situation perfectly. He thought, ‘Maybe the reason that Cain and those preceding him were so intent on getting rid of religious books, especially the bible, was that he knew that he could be exposed to the world for who he really is.’
President Cain was already aware of Assad’s intentions of visiti
ng Jerusalem, the birthplace of all the Abrahamic faiths. He was going to seal the deal on a seven year peace treaty between Israel and her formerly hostile neighbors. He said that he even had a surprise for them that he would not disclose until the right time.
Liam thought, ‘This could actually be the beginning of the tribulation period of seven years described in the book of Daniel.’ The more he thought about it, the more everything came together. The more he understood, the more he wanted to get far away from Damascus and Samyaza al Assad.
Meanwhile, in the other car, Samyaza and his right-hand man, Adnan Bahar, were celebrating what they had just accomplished. “I want to be the first to congratulate you sir on this major accomplishment!” said Adnan.
“Thank you Adnan. Most of my kind had been banned from earth from my enemy for so long. We are going to now finish what we’ve started millennia ago. The human race will evolve and advance now to the point that they no longer have a need for a “god”, for they will be their own gods. They will have the power to do things that their race never thought possible and we will be hailed as the rulers over this creation.”
“I have one question though sir. I saw their form as they exited the wormhole. They all looked like merely shadows. Will they have a physical form as well?”
Samyaza smiled. “They will. As they gain strength and become accustomed to this world again, they will take the form that they once took when we visited the ancient civilizations. That seems like another lifetime. I tried to ruin the creation of Yahweh, the one who set himself up as God and banished me from his Kingdom. He knew that I was greater than He and that I had planned on taking the throne to do things the right way.”
“I believe your majesty. I have seen your greatness and what you are capable of. You were taken from your home and sent to this dump. You deserve to at least have this world to yourself.”
“Exactly”, Assad continued. “We tried to once altar the human race by impregnating the women and creating hybrids. They were called the Nephilim. What glorious creatures they were. They were giants living among the small, weak creation of Yahweh. We were getting closer to taking this world until that terrible God of the humans wiped them all out with a flood. Their spirits were then banished from the earth. This time He won’t ruin my plan.”
They raised their glasses and toasted to their future. The two cars pulled up to the palace and everyone exited to walk up the steps. They all filed into the palace one by one. Assad’s three guests were all expectantly waiting for what they would hear from the world leader. As they walked through the door, Assad motioned to their left. “All of you can make yourselves at home over there in the banquet hall. I am going to get my hologram projector for the presentation that I have prepared for you.”
The four men gathered in the massive banquet hall where they had been entertained the night before. Within minutes, Assad came walking in with his handheld hologram device. He placed it in the middle of the table and stood back as his own image appeared in the middle of the room. He turned to everyone and said, “This will surprise most of you, but it is the truth.”
The presentation began as the hologram version of Assad said, “Greetings. If you are watching this video, it is because you have now learned that there are visitors among us. I want to ensure everyone that there is nothing to be alarmed about. Since the beginning of time, there have been accounts of visitors that came from other planets to help teach and shape the cultures. The ancient Mayans were one such culture. As can be seen from various artifacts from that period, these higher beings came and taught them various methods of farming, architecture, and methods of warfare that set them far beyond their contemporaries. Even in the fertile crescent, where human life began had visitations with alien species.”
Assad’s image continued and looked each one of them in the eye as if he were staring through their souls. In a nearly hypnotic cadence, he continued, “The truth is that these ‘aliens’ were our creators. They first genetically altered the DNA of apes millions of years ago until the race known as humans evolved. With the ancient civilizations of earth, they attempted to again genetically alter the human race to make them larger, stronger, and more intelligent. Unfortunately, a rival known to the world as Yahweh, whom the ancient Hebrews would adopt as their God, became jealous of what the aliens were building and tore it apart and killed many of their creation by drowning them. They left earth for several centuries, only making occasional visits until mankind became advanced enough to understand the truth and allow the last phase of their genetic evolution…to become gods themselves and to achieve immortality. I not only endorse their activity, but I tell you that I am also one of them myself. I have taken human form only to bring peace and harmony to our world. The Jews called me Messiah and the Muslims called me Mahdi. To many in Buddhism, I was called Maitreya and still yet, I was Kalki to the Hindus. I am he who many throughout centuries was waiting for to unify the world and usher in a new era. That era has now begun. We are here to help you all achieve peace, harmony, and immortality.”
The presentation ended and everyone looked over at Assad. Each of them had their own thoughts about this. Some had bought into it completely. The lines were being drawn already among this small group of three. The world would soon find out the most profound news in the history of mankind.
Assad’s voice echoed throughout the banquet hall as he expounded on what they had just seen and heard. “It may sound outlandish, but it is the truth. To answer one of the questions that I am sure is swirling around your minds, yes…I set this up with the expectation that this would happen. You see, many of my kind had been banished to another dimension and imprisoned by our enemy. He has lied to mankind for centuries and made our kind out to be the monsters. That is not what we are at all though. On the contrary, all we have wanted for mankind is to be like us. To be immortal and advanced to the point that anything is possible for you. We can now begin realizing that dream.”
President Cain swallowed a lump in his throat and asked, “What do you and your kind expect in return for these gifts that you bear?”
Assad walked over to the side of the table where all the men sat and looked each of them in the eye. Cain realized that he was the only believer in the room in that moment. He began to sweat as he wondered if he would be discovered so soon. ‘What is Assad going to do?’ he wondered. ‘Kill me?’ Maybe if he was just a normal person, but he was the President of the United States. Surely that still held some weight. Then again, maybe he would make an example of him.
These thoughts kept racing through Liam’s mind as Assad approached him with his icy blue eyes locking him in. “I expect that anyone who wants to benefit from what our kind can bring to worship me for who I am”, said Assad.
“Who are you?” asked Liam. He wanted to take that question back as soon as he said it, but it was too late.
“I am god in the flesh. Though I have chosen to come into the world in this human body, I am the leader of the greater life forms. There is none who is above me, nor will there ever be. This is despite what Yahweh and His followers would have the world to believe.”
“What is your real name?” asked Charles.
“I have gone by many names. I am the Son of the Dawn and my angels are The Watchers. We were entrusted with watching over mankind and seeing to its evolution through the millennia.”
“Where is your home? Where do you come from?” asked Liam.
“My original abode was just above the circle of the earth. In the northern reaches of space, we had a land until civil war tore us apart. We have come to make sure that the same thing doesn’t happen to your world.”
Nick was watching him so intently that he appeared to nearly be in a trance. “Every fiber of my being believes in who you are. Everything makes sense. You are the chosen one. The one who all of those religious nuts waited for, they just didn’t understand the full picture.”
Liam Cain was feeling almost sick to his stomach over what he was witnessing. Ev
er since the day that he was visited by the angel at the White House and he read the bible, God’s Spirit had dwelled in him. He had given himself over to who he knew was the true Messiah. He had no doubt in his mind now that this man was the Antichrist and he had to get out of his presence soon.
Charles Billingsley’s analytical mind was still at work as he was processing all of the information that he had received. As a scientist, the possibility that this man was in fact an alien fascinated and excited him. On the other hand, he wasn’t sure what he thought about worshipping a self-proclaimed alien as a god.
He knew what he had seen out in the desert after the portal had been opened, so there had to be some truth to what he was saying. He just had a nagging feeling that they weren’t getting the entire truth of the story from Assad. That was preventing him from jumping headlong into believing him like his associate, Nick, apparently did.
Assad warned them all that he wanted to keep this news under wraps until the right time. “I am going to make an announcement in Jerusalem at the Temple Mount this weekend. This will be the final step toward peace in this region. That is where I choose to make the announcement to the world, and to show them who I truly am.”
The three men agreed on it and they were dismissed to their quarters for the evening after a few more lingering questions were answered. They all had the answers they had come in seeking. Two had made up their mind and one was undecided. Charles knew that he would have to make a decision at some point in the near future, but he had to think on everything that he had seen and heard that day.
As Charles went upstairs to the beautiful suite that had been prepared specially for him, he thought to himself, ‘When, where, and how will Assad’s army show up and what will they look like?’
CHAPTER 2
Abbie walked into the spacious recording studio at Moonshine records to lay down some tracks for her debut album. The music industry had certainly changed. Technology was so advanced that anyone could make an album from their own home sound professional with multiple layers of vocals and music. It never would be professional though. Those were a dime a dozen now and the market had become so saturated with those independent artists that few of them ever enjoyed success.
