Spirit Fighter (Son of Angels, Jonah Stone)

by Jerel Law

  “There are so many things that hang in the balance here. Your mother and the other nephilim are the linchpin to their plan, and if they fall . . .” Henry paused. “Then I am afraid that everything all our futures hold will be in question. Abaddon has planned this for some time. He asked his fallen angels to father children—to create these nephilim.”

  While they were talking, Jonah paid the bill, and they headed out of the restaurant and down the street.

  “Why would he want to create so many nephilim in the first place?” asked Jonah.

  “Nephilim are immensely powerful creatures,” Henry said. “They have a history of wreaking havoc on this earth. Marcus told you that they were part of what caused Elohim to send the flood in Noah’s day. There is something about the combination of angel and human blood that makes them incredibly powerful, and quite unstable. Your mother has no idea what she is capable of. Of course, what we now know is that the birth of your mother was only one part of their plan.”

  Jonah walked in silence along with Eliza, his brain churning. This was so much bigger than just getting their mother back.

  “Abaddon wants to use her to somehow rule the world?” Eliza asked.

  “In some ways, he does rule this world,” Henry said darkly. “What he wants is total rebellion and utter chaos. He wants hate, murder, selfishness. Those things cause him to grow stronger. He believes he can sway the nephilim to his side.”

  Henry continued to walk like he knew where he was going, turning another corner.

  “There were others who were created and captured, as you know,” he continued. “Seven others in all. Marcus and Taryn believe that they were all taken to the same place.”

  “They’re all in New York together?” Eliza said. “Along with our mom?”

  Henry nodded.

  “Abaddon will try to break them down, to pull them into his grip and draw them into the war against Elohim. As you might imagine, he can be quite persuasive. One nephilim wields enormous power. They are great warriors. Having eight on their side—well, the world has never seen it. With their sheer strength and ability to influence humans, it would be no exaggeration to say that they could cause unprecedented destruction.”

  Jonah’s brow furrowed. “What I don’t get is that if Elohim knows all of this, why doesn’t He just send down, like, a couple hundred thousand warrior angels to handle it? Why doesn’t He just swoop in and take control and get our mother back?” Eliza nodded in agreement.

  “It does no good to question the will of Elohim,” Henry replied. “Send in warrior angels He may, and if He does, thanks be to Him. But our duty is to obey, to respond to what is in front of us, and to do our best to do what is right.”

  Jonah was not satisfied with that answer. He wanted to see power and strength, to watch the bad guys get destroyed. How was that going to happen through a ragtag couple of kids and a measly guardian angel?

  “Where are we going, anyway?” Eliza said as she tried to keep up with the fast-moving Henry.

  “There’s another reason your dad would have failed in his attempt to get your mother back,” he said. “You see, humans can’t enter the hidden realm.”

  Eliza walked along silently for a few steps, squinting her eyes in thought. “Hidden realm? HR!” She pointed to Jonah’s MissionFinder 3000.

  Jonah held up the watch. “Since Helene and Robert didn’t work out, I guess that makes perfect sense.”

  “Yes,” said Henry. “Your mother and the other nephilim are located there.”

  Henry stopped walking. They had emerged from the shadows of the skyscrapers to the edge of a large lawn, almost the size of a football field, but rounder, with trees scattered through it. There were a few people sitting on benches. A lady in a pale green business suit was walking a tiny dog across the lawn.

  Beyond the grass was an expanse of water, and in the middle of it, a small island with a figure just barely visible through a bank of fog under the cloud-choked sky.

  “Look, Jonah!” Eliza pointed. “The Statue of Liberty!”

  “Cool,” he said. They were at the very southern tip of Manhattan.

  They walked with Henry to the middle of the park and stood underneath the outstretched branches of a tree.

  “The hidden realm is not so much a where as it is a what,” Henry said, eyeing them both. “Jonah, pull out your Bible. Read Ephesians 6:12.”

  Jonah slid the book out of his pocket and found the verse.

  “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

  “Thank you,” said Henry. “You see, there is a world that is invisible to humans. It’s a layer, a deeper layer, to this physical world.” He pointed to the people sitting on the bench across the lawn. “It’s a world that most people do not believe exists. Even though they are influenced by it every day.”

  “Can humans see it—if they believe in it?” Eliza asked.

  Henry smiled. “Insightful question, Eliza. They cannot see it like angels, who do most of their work there. But if they are in tune with it, they can sense it and even engage in the battle.”

  “How about us?” asked Jonah. “What about quarterlings?”

  Henry cleared his throat. “In theory, since you have one-quarter angel blood, you should be able to access the hidden realm like any angel could.”

  “In theory? What does that mean?”

  “I’ve never actually worked with quarterlings before,” Henry admitted. “I don’t know any angels who have. We’re in some unknown territory here.”

  Suddenly, an image of Jonah’s mother seared across his brain, a picture of her in chains, her exhausted face drooping, her eyes closed. He didn’t know if it was just his imagination or for real.

  “Let’s try,” Jonah said urgently. “What do we need to do to enter the hidden realm? How do you do it?”

  “We just . . . do it. Angels don’t think about it,” Henry said, scratching his head. “But if I were to break it down, there are two things that allow us to enter the hidden realm. One is the fact that we are angels.”

  “Okay, we have that covered,” said Eliza. “What’s the second thing?”

  “Belief. That a hidden realm exists, that you have always sensed, always been a part of, but never seen. That’s the essence of faith, after all. Believing in what you don’t see.”

  Jonah looked at Eliza. “Okay. Belief. We can do that.”

  Henry nodded. “Okay, then. All it should take is a heartfelt prayer.”

  Standing underneath the tree, he grabbed their hands so that they formed a circle and he closed his eyes.

  Jonah caught Eliza’s eye, and they both bowed their heads.

  “Elohim, I believe in the reality of a spiritual world, which is the real world, where the battle between good and evil is taking place.” Henry solemnly uttered these words and squeezed Jonah’s hand.

  Jonah cleared his throat and said from his heart, “Uh, I believe too.”

  “So do I,” Eliza said.

  They waited a few seconds, and then opened their eyes.

  PART III

  THE HIDDEN REALM

  He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.

  Daniel 2:22 NIV

  FOURTEEN

  ARCHERY LESSONS

  The first things Jonah noticed after he opened his eyes were Henry’s wings. They were back again, sparkling with a silvery light much brighter than when he’d seen them earlier.

  The second thing he noticed was Eliza. There was a glow emanating from her, a soft, brilliant golden light that seemed to be coming from the center of her chest and working its way out to her arms and feet, almost dripping off the ends of her fingertips.

  Henry noticed Jonah and Eliza staring at each other. “It is the mark of Elohim you see. In the hidden realm, the true spiritual nature of people is much mo
re evident. You have both given your hearts over to Him, allowing Him entrance into your lives. It’s His light that shines through you. Quite beautiful, don’t you think?”

  Jonah reached out and touched Eliza on the arm, noticing the soft light around his own hand.

  “Cool,” he said under his breath. The glow around her was stunning. Eliza seemed just as mesmerized by the light coming from him, staring with a suprised smile.

  Jonah sensed movement behind him and he turned quickly to see what it was. The woman who had been walking her dog had circled back and was on the path, staring right at them. The little fluffy dog seemed to be eyeing them too, and he growled and then barked.

  “Max!” she said, tugging at his leash. “What’s wrong, my little mushy-kins?” The dog just kept barking at them.

  Jonah whispered to Henry, “Can she . . . ?”

  “No,” he said evenly. “She can’t see us. Max the dog can’t either. However, he can sense our presence. Dogs are funny like that.”

  “Elohim is Elohim.” Jonah shrugged with a grin. He stepped forward until he was only a few feet away from the dog lady and waved. She looked straight through him and continued walking. He realized too late that he had gotten so close that he couldn’t get out of the way in time. Bracing himself for a collision, he closed his eyes.

  The woman passed right through him. Literally. Her entire body went through his. As this happened, Jonah felt a shock run through his chest, like a sudden blast of electricity. She must have felt the same thing, because she breathed in sharply, stopped in her tracks, and turned around. Her forehead wrinkled and her eyes looked longingly through Jonah once again, as if she had remembered something very important but had just as quickly forgotten it.

  “Hmm,” she said to herself, slowly turning away. They watched her continue to walk for a few more seconds.

  “In the hidden realm, humans cannot see, hear, or touch you,” Henry observed. “But every once in a while, they can sense your presence.”

  “Especially if you let them walk right through you. Right, Jonah?” Eliza said, smirking.

  Jonah ignored her, glancing at Henry. “She has a glow too. But it’s not nearly as bright as ours.”

  “Yes, that’s right,” he said. “Every person is born with it. It’s the essence of who they are, the image of God. It’s Elohim’s fingerprint—it comes from the soul. But when humans have chosen to ignore Elohim, to resist Him, they cannot experience the full life—and therefore the full light—that He wants them to have. They live as shadows of themselves. Their light is diminished. Like hers.”

  Jonah stepped off of the pathway and onto the green grass. All the buildings, cars, and streets looked exactly the same in the hidden realm. But there was a kind of electricity that ran over the grass he was standing on, subtle, but there. It appeared alive, and in a constant state of motion.

  “Look at the grass!” Eliza said. “And the trees!”

  The branches of the trees in the park had a pale, but similar, electrical glow.

  “They’re alive,” Henry said, reaching up to hold a tree branch, which seemed to grow brighter when he touched it. “Anything Elohim creates has His mark all over it. Not a soul, like people do. But they do have His touch.”

  “Okay. So where’s Mom?” Electric grass or not, Jonah was ready to find his mother. “Are there any other clues about where they are holding her?”

  The natural smile faded from Henry’s face, and he shoved his hands in his pockets. “Like I said before . . . we know she’s in the hidden realm, but beyond that . . . we’re not exactly sure.”

  Eliza took a step closer to him, arms folded. “Aren’t you supposed to know what’s going on here?”

  “I’m a guardian angel,” Henry said. “I’m here because it’s my duty to protect you as much as I can. But I’m not a warrior-class angel. Not yet.” Jonah thought there was an edge of disappointment in his voice.

  Eliza rolled her eyes and turned her back toward Henry. Henry was staring down at the asphalt pathway beneath his feet, clearly ashamed he didn’t know more.

  “While we’re trying to figure out what to do, you could at least give us a few pointers,” Jonah said helpfully. “We haven’t had a lot of practice with these new abilities and we could really use some help before we get attacked again.”

  Henry perked up a little. “Good idea, Jonah.”

  He motioned them to stand in the middle of the grassy field.

  “Jonah, you start with your arrows. Fire them at the fire hydrant over there.”

  Jonah reached back over his shoulder, and, just like it had in the alleyway, an arrow appeared in his right hand, a bow in his left.

  “Good!” Henry said. “Now aim and fire.”

  “But what if I hit it?” Jonah said uneasily. “I don’t want to destroy it and blast water all over the place or anything . . . well, okay, maybe that would be awesome, but I’d rather not wreak any unnecessary havoc right this moment.”

  “If we were back in the physical world, then, yes, that would be a concern,” Henry said. “But in the hidden realm, your arrows don’t harm objects that aren’t alive. They have no concern for them. This is a spiritual world, remember? Angel arrows can only harm spiritual beings.”

  His voice darkened. “Just make sure you don’t ever get hit by one. Humans are spiritual. If you get hit, it doesn’t just hurt a little bit. You die. And I wouldn’t want that to happen on my watch.”

  Jonah raised his eyebrows at Henry, then turned back to his target. He aimed at the fire hydrant and released. The arrow flew lazily off to the right, fizzling when it hit the side of the building.

  “Eliza,” Henry said, “go ahead and see if you can form a shield.”

  He stood behind Jonah, repositioning his legs, back, and arms into a better stance, and giving him a few more pointers. Jonah shot a few more, each one getting better.

  Eliza had extended her hands above her head and formed the shield.

  Henry smiled. “That’s great, Eliza! The shield of faith. Excellent. Now, here’s what you need to know. The stronger your faith is, the stronger the shield becomes.”

  The light of her shield grew fainter. Her hands stayed raised, but she looked at him uncertainly. “To tell you the truth, faith is not something I’ve been very good at, Henry.”

  “Don’t worry,” he said. “It’s obviously stronger than you think it is. It is called a shield of faith, you know. You have to have some to be able to form it.” She breathed a little easier as he said this, and the light of the shield grew stronger again.

  “Good! Now, the key to a strong shield is this—close your eyes, and rid your mind of everything. Everything that bothers you, that you worry about, even that you feel. And let your mind focus on Elohim, and Him alone. Imagine what He looks like, what He sounds like. Picture Him right there beside you.”

  Henry raised his hands above his head and immediately produced a shield of bright golden light that went all the way around him, so bright that Eliza had to cover her eyes. He quickly extinguished it.

  “See?”

  She nodded obediently and tried again, squinting her eyes shut. After a minute, she opened one eye. Her shield wasn’t any brighter. In fact, it may have grown slightly weaker again.

  Eliza dropped her arms in frustration, and the shield disappeared.

  “It will happen,” Henry said. “It just takes time. And practice.” He turned toward Jonah again, and Jonah couldn’t help but see the lack of confidence on Eliza’s face. Faith was hard. They’d never felt until today, though, like their lives depended on it.

  Jonah’s aim was getting a little better each time. He shot two more arrows that narrowly missed their mark. The third one hit the fire hydrant squarely in the center. Jonah pumped his fist in the air and Henry cheered.

  “Nice shot,” said Eliza.

  As Jonah pulled another arrow and Henry and Eliza looked on, a man in a business suit carrying a briefcase came around the corner of a nearby
building, walking along the street across the lawn. They saw a very dim glow in the center of his chest, no brighter than if he were holding a lit match in front of him. Over his shoulder sat a black, winged creature. It had its gnarled claws dug into the man’s back, and it was busily whispering in his ear. The creature was so focused, he didn’t notice the three pairs of eyes watching him.

  The creature made Jonah’s heart pound. He brashly leveled the arrow at him and prepared to release.

  Henry grabbed the shaft of the arrow before Jonah could let it go. The bow and arrow disintegrated in Jonah’s hands.

  “Not now,” he said calmly. “You need to stay focused on getting your mom back. He didn’t see us, and I’d like to keep it that way. The less fallen angels know about you, the better your chances.”

  Jonah didn’t like seeing the fallen one with his claws in that man’s back, but Henry was right. They needed to concentrate on the mission in front of them.

  “I wonder how long that creature has been on that man’s back,” Eliza said, concern in her voice.

  “It could be mere days,” said Henry. “Or years. Judging by how dim he was, I’d say a very long time.”

  “But doesn’t he know?” Jonah asked. “How could you not be aware that a fallen angel is on your back?”

  Henry smiled sadly. “They are crafty creatures, the Fallen. They start with a whisper, an encouragement. Pushing him toward self-absorption. Telling him he doesn’t need anyone. Soon he’s telling him he doesn’t even need Elohim. Before the man knows it, the creature has his claws in him and won’t let go.”

  Jonah shivered as the man rounded the corner, the fallen angel digging in deeply, and walked back into the shadows.

  “So what do we do now?” Eliza asked. To their backs was the Hudson River and to the right, a subway station. In front of them were three streets heading in different directions.

  “For we walk by faith, not by sight,” Henry murmured.