“Morning Star told me there had been a war in Heaven, you know,” said Eve, convinced she was right.
“What do you mean, a war, Eve?” Adam asked.
“When I asked Morning Star where Michael was, the Angel that you and I had met, he told me that there were different groups of Angels in the Heavens and that one group of them threw another group out. Morning Star said he was the Archangel in charge of what happened now on the Earth where we live.”
“Shouldn’t we have been told this by Michael? The Angel we know? Why wouldn't Michael be the one to come tell us that our prayers were being answered?”
“Michael must be busy!” said Eve smugly. “Or maybe he was on the losing side. Or he just doesn’t have time to send us messages.”
“So what are we supposed to do now?” asked Adam.
“Morning Star told me that we do not need to keep praying to the Almighty, he will take care of us. Instead he wants us to begin to pray to him, and he promises we will be restored to our proper place very soon. He said it may take a few days, as they need to make sure our place is all clean and ready. There was that thing the Angels called the war, remember,” Eve added.
“I don't know why these Angels only appear to you, Eve. The Almighty used to appear to me personally, well before you were created.”
“Maybe the Almighty just doesn't trust you as much as he trusts me,” she said proudly. “Let's go back to our cave and get out of this weather,” she said as the rain continued.
“Yes, not much point continuing to pray from the river. At least our prayers have been heard!” Adam said, relieved.
The two of them walked off into the fog in the direction of the cave as Jarahmael and Cerebriel stood there watching them disappear.
Jarahmael was angry that he had not been able to see or follow Luciferael and his rebel Angels. Again there was no trail to follow and he still would not be able to find Lillith. Time was passing and he felt that he had not seen her in ages, and was afraid that something terrible could be happening to her. And Luciferael’s interference had destroyed the Humans’ opportunity to redeem themselves. But that was not the thing Jarahmael had heard that infuriated him the most.
“Blasphemy!” said Jarahmael. “Luciferael has gone too far. Now he thinks he can trick the Humans into worshiping him.”
“Agreed,” responded Cerebriel. “Now maybe the Almighty will allow us to intercede with the Humans.”
“We can't protect them while Luciferael has unlimited access to them and reveals himself to them as a god.”
“Yes, he is leading them to further destruction and they have no idea,” said Cerebriel. “We need an immediate audience with Michael and the Almighty to discuss this!”
“Yes, we do, Cerebriel. Will you fly on ahead and make the arrangements? I just want to make sure that the two Humans get back safely. One can't predict what Luciferael may have in store for them, especially since he believes he has separated them from the Almighty and the loyal Angels.”
“Sure Jarahmael. Do you want me to accompany you just in case Luciferael or his other Angels are in still in the vicinity?”
“No. That is quite all right. I am sure Luciferael would not stay around here to watch what the 'mud' creatures do. Besides, I am armed today!” Jarahmael said as he reached between his wings on his back and pulled out the light spear he had concealed there. Then he opened his tunic and his two light swords were hanging in his scabbards.
“All right, I will go on ahead see you back in Heaven,” Cerebriel said as he prepared to take flight.
“Yes, my friend. See you soon and thanks for everything.”
Jarahmael watched as Cerebriel took flight and went up through the overhanging storm cloud. He suddenly became sad when he realized this could be the last time he would see his friend.
Jarahmael flew through the rain and fog and landed near the entrance to Adam and Eve's cave. They had been given this cave as refuge here soon after having been cast out of the Garden of Eden, right before the war for Heaven had broken out. Jarahmael surprised himself that he was even here to help Adam and his mate, Eve. The first time Jarahmael had seen Adam, he became jealous that Adam had Lillith as a mate. Later, Jarahmael had won Lillith as a mate and the Almighty replaced her with Eve. But Eve was not as beautiful as his Lillith!
Although Jarahmael loved a Human, he did not have strong feelings for either of these two Humans. However, Luciferael had made all Humans his enemy, beginning with these two in particular. He had been toying with them again the past two days and was sending them on a path that would close them off forever from the Almighty, their Creator.
The idea of the Humans worshiping Luciferael and the rebel Angels sickened Jarahmael. Luciferael and his contingent's need for adoration had no bounds, whether they were ruling the Heavens or had been outcast here on Earth. Jarahmael knew that he could not continue to stand by and do nothing. And he had seen how the Almighty and his fellow loyal Archangels were dealing with this; he had argued just this morning to allow interaction between the Angels and the Humans. If he raised the issue again, he was sure that the Almighty would have assigned someone else, and he would not have the opportunity to find Luciferael and consequently Lillith. Jarahmael’s mind was made up. But what he was about to do to help the Humans now was forbidden and could cause him to be ostracized forever from the loyal Angels and even the Almighty.
Chapter 12
TO WORSHIP LUCIFERAEL
“That should cause a major discussion up in the Heavens!” Luciferael exclaimed as he and Sammuael were flying out of the rain storm, headed back towards the entrance into the Underworld.
“Yes, my lord, we have thwarted the Humans from redeeming themselves with the Almighty for the second time.”
“Your idea to have them begin to worship me as the Morning Star was a touch of genius, Sammuael!” Luciferael said, his smile growing even broader.
“To think we can turn these Humans from worshipping the Almighty to having them worship you, my lord, is the ultimate justice,” Sammuael added as they neared the entrance into Hades.
“All of the Almighty’s work to elevate these creatures of mud and now they will worship us rather than the Heavenly Host is just too sweet.”
“Under your guidance we may bring a whole new set of rules and meaning to this Universe, my lord. I see what you mean about how easily the Humans are deceived, especially that woman, Eve,” Sammuael said as he allowed Luciferael to go before him into the entrance cave to the Underworld.
“She still had no idea that I took the disguise of Serpentalia when I tricked her into eating the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden,” Luciferael said as he turned, waiting for Sammuael to catch up.
“I wonder if they will be developing their own prayers to seek our attention, my lord.”
“Perhaps we should give them a set of prayers and sayings to use,” Luciferael suggested.
“That can be good for tomorrow’s venture. I am sure they will be back to praying once again tomorrow. And this time they will praying to you, begging you, my lord Morning Star, for forgiveness!”
Chapter 13
COMPASSION
The rain continued to come down as Jarahmael stood outside the cave. He could hear Adam and Eve talking inside, something about finding a new way to worship. Jarahmael could not contain himself any longer, so he made himself visible and intensified the light waves within himself to shine as brightly as the sun. He turned the corner and his brightness caused Adam and Eve to fall to the ground and lower their eyes. The brightness was so intense that in a few seconds they were covering their heads with their hands to protect their hair from Jarahmael's heat.
Jarahmael turned down his level of light but did not extinguish its brightness totally, just enough to make it uncomfortable for the Humans to talk with him and so that they remained afraid of him.
“Rise Adam! Rise Eve!” Jarahmael commanded in a deep voice that penetrated into the middle of the Humans’ minds.
As Adam and Eve got up from the floor, they shot a reassuring and joyful glance to one another.
“Do you know why I am here?” asked Jarahmael.
Eve could not contain herself and blurted out, “You have come to restore us to the Garden of Eden, my dear Angel!”
Adam was likewise happy, and had a huge smile on his face. “The Almighty has heard our prayers and is now returning us to the Garden of Eden. Tell us, dear Archangel, when do we leave and what should we bring with us for our return?”
Jarahmael once again used his command voice. “You shall not be returning to the Garden of Eden anytime soon.”
Adam and Eve looked at one another with a mixture of confusion and sadness.
“How can that be?” asked Eve. “I was told by the Angel Morning Star that we shall be restored to our rightful place.”
“Where is the Almighty?” asked Adam. “I want to speak with him directly.”
Jarahmael thought to himself what an arrogant request that was from this mortal man. Most of the Angels themselves could not ask for an audience with the Almighty, much less expect that it would happen at their own command.
“I have come to help you, Adam. Demanding for the Almighty to appear, at your will, won’t get you very far. Demanding even an Angel to appear like that won't happen either. Unless it is the Angel you call Morning Star and his other rebel Angels.”
“What do you mean by that?” asked Eve indignantly.
“I mean that the Angel you call Morning Star is the Archangel Luciferael. He is the leader of the fallen rebel Angels who battled for, but lost, the war to conquer the Heavens. They tried to take over with Luciferael replacing the Almighty. The war for the Heavens that started with Eve being tricked to eat the forbidden fruit!”
Adam calmed himself and got quiet. “We have been tricked by this Luciferael?”
“One and the same, Adam. Eve, Morning Star was the Angel who tricked you into eating the fruit.”
“But it was a snake, Serpentalia, who tricked me!” she said.
“No, Serpentalia was a creature made by Luciferael. And Serpentalia was not the brightest of creatures. The serpent denied any knowledge of tricking you Eve, so I have come to believe that Luciferael either took over the snake and its body or duplicated Serpentalia's appearance in order to trick you.”
“Morning Star looked nothing like the snake!” Eve repeated.
“It was Luciferael who wanted you and Adam destroyed. He still wants you destroyed. What exactly did he promise you?” Jarahmael asked.
“That he would be able to return Adam and me to the Garden of Eden!” said Eve proudly.
“He said he was going to put you back in the Garden of Eden?” Jarahmael asked with specific emphasis.
Eve responded, “Well he didn't say the Garden of Eden specifically. He said he would restore us to the place we should be.”
“Don't you understand that in Luciferael's mind the place you should be is dead and out of the Almighty's Universe? Did he interrupt your prayers and petitions to the Almighty?”
“Yes, twice,” responded Adam. “Oh yes and Eve, tell him what he wanted for us to do after today.”
Eve started to look down as she was thinking. “He told me that Adam and I did not have to keep worshiping the Almighty, but that we could worship him, the Morning Star, instead and he would make sure we were rewarded.”
“Luciferael then wanted you to stop praying and worshiping the Almighty but that you should worship him instead,” Jarahmael repeated.
“So Eve and I were fooled again?” asked Adam.
“Yes, you were,” said Jarahmael. “Although it looks like Eve was the one who was actually tricked again by him. Did he talk to you directly at all, Adam?”
“No, he did not come near me,” said Adam.
“He was afraid you would see through him. That's a good sign, Adam He may not bother Eve if you stay with her.”
“I am angry with Eve right now,” said Adam. “She has been duped at least three times in dealing with this creature.” Adam paused, and then asked, “Do we still have to worship him?”
“No. You don't need to worship him. In fact, I would advise against worshiping him at all.”
“Thank you Archangel, for your help. If the Almighty has not sent you to return us to the Garden of Eden, then why are you here?” Adam asked.
“Let's just say I have an interest in seeing Luciferael receive his own justice,” Jarahmael said as his eyes glowed. “And I want you and Eve to have a nice life while you are on Earth.”
“It would be nicer here in the cave if we had some way of getting warm during the night!” Eve said.
“I can teach you something that will help you stay warm anytime. It will also allow you to cook your food, make it better so it won't spoil.”
“What is that?” asked Adam.
“It is a way to make fire, Adam.” Jarahmael reached over and grabbed some wood, some leaves, a piece of thin vine and a flat rock. He assembled a small bow-like object with the greener and more flexible stick, took another stick, and wrapped it in the bow string. He placed the end of the stick against the rock, and placed the leaves and small bits of wood around it. Then pushing and pulling the bow string and stick with one end against the rock he generated heat and a spark that set the small leaves and debris aflame. Once he had built a small fire he said: “That is fire, Adam. You can make it anywhere that you have dry wood using that technique. You can also keep fire going by continuing to feed it with more dry wood.”
Adam and Eve were amazed with what they had just seen. “Thank you, lord Archangel. What should we call you?”
“I am Jarahmael, the fourth Being of Light born into the Universe. I have more things to teach you to make it easier for you to survive here on the Earth, but that is enough of a lesson for one day.”
“Should we continue to pray from the river?” asked Adam.
“I do not want to tell you what to do when it comes to praying and making requests to the Almighty. That you must find from within your own heart” Jarahmael responded.
“Will this Morning Star harm us?” asked Eve.
“I don't think he can actually do anything physical to harm you, but he can trick you into doing things, things that if you do to yourself, can cause harm to yourself and others,” Jarahmael responded, trying to keep his anger against Luciferael under control.
“Can you tell us why the Almighty does not come and talk to us as He did in the past when we were in the Garden of Eden?” Adam asked, his eyes welling up with tears.
Strangely, Jarahmael felt a wave of empathy pass over him as he looked at these two frail creatures having to survive in a world created for them but now turned hostile. He did not want to tell them that the Almighty would not redeem them now that they had not prayed all day and all night as they had promised.
“I don't understand all things, only the Almighty does. Violating the commandments and rules that are set by the Almighty have consequences apparently, perhaps even not controlled by the Almighty,” Jarahmael said, holding back his own tears as the sadness grew from his own loss of Lillith, and it became quiet in the cave.
Jarahmael thought for a second about how he was similar to these creatures for his actions this evening. Actions that he felt compelled to do. Teaching them was in violation of the Almighty's commandments not to interfere, but he still had the assignment from the Almighty to protect them, to watch out for them. It may be all tied to the concept of free will, he thought to himself. But these creatures are not going to even come close to understanding that concept. Jarahmael suddenly felt exhausted and wanted to get some rest. But he wanted to leave them with some hope.
“Maybe over time the Almighty will find a way to forgive your transgressions, return things to the way they were. But for now you need to be able to survive. I will return and in the meantime be careful of any Angel or creature that appears before you saying they are from the Almighty or making any promises to you.
Now I must go,” Jarahmael said as he turned and left the cave, taking wing a few yards outside the entrance, and disappearing once again into the dark and raining sky.
Adam reached out and pulled Eve over to him and they moved foward on their knees closer to the fire, enjoying its warmth. They were thankful, too, for its light, as they had been in darkness at night, all the while in a world they did not understand.
“Let us give thanks to the Almighty for sending us the Archangel Jarahmael,” Adam said as he bowed his head and both of them said their thanks to the Almighty.
Those quiet prayers of thanks were heard far away, both through to the highest Heaven and to the lowest pit of the Underworld.
Chapter 14
INTERFERENCE
Jarahmael knew that he had purposely broken one of the Almighty's commandments. He was supposed to keep an eye on the Humans but not to have direct contact or assist them. Although Cerebriel was also assigned to help with this task, to protect his friend, Jarahmael sent him back up to Heaven. This way Cerebriel would not be responsible for Jarahmael's actions. Now with Adam and Eve sending prayers upwards thanking the Almighty, the Angels above would know that Jarahmael had broken the commandment in helping the Humans. Jarahmael was nervous about what would happen to him but had made up his mind that someone had to intervene to assist the Humans, as Luciferael and Sammuael had already been intervening with the Humans to help destroy them. It was a way to prevent Luciferael from succeeding, and payback for his taking Lillith from Jarahmael.
Rather than fly back up into the Heavens, Jarahmael remained on the Earth and headed back towards the pyramid and the Sphinxes in Aegyptus. He had the Book of Creation and the Book of Life hidden there. So far, no one had realized that he had been able to get the Books out of the Throne Room in the Seventh Heaven in the midst of the rebellion. But he also knew it was only a matter of time before Michael and the rest of the loyal Angels realized that the Books were gone. Jarahmael could assist and protect the Humans by using the Books. He also realized the danger and was fearful of the Books falling into the hands of Luciferael or his rebel Angels. If Luciferael gained possession of the Books there would be no stopping him. The Books would enable Luciferael and the rebel Angels to renew their quest and succeed in conquering the Heavens. A purpose Jarahmael knew Luciferael and his Auxilium always kept in the forefront of their minds.
In Exile (Archangel Jarahmael and the War to Conquer Heaven, Book III) Page 6
