The Chronicles of Heaven's War: Burning Phoenix (101 page)

Pausing, Zadar stepped back, clasping his
hands behind him, and began to slowly pace in a small circle. “Yet
I wonder how long it would be before your hearts would blaze in
anger if I should, even with truthful speech, rail against you with
denunciations and condemnations for all your real and imagined
failures. Should you not wish to stone me in your hearts even
though my words might be true, saying,
‘What insolence! Where
does this little child gain the right to insult and abuse us in
this manner?’
”

He spun about quickly, facing the audience
while pointing a finger. “And what if in a contest of your own
riddling wisdom, I should best the most ancient and intellectual of
you, and then boast of my success through ridiculing speech and
insulting gestures, presenting to the world your foolish
reasoning?”

Grinning sinister, Zadar shook a fist high.
“And what if I, through truth and winsome words, tore down your
worlds of sweet majesty, casting the works of your hands into the
sewer, all your wonderful philosophical ideology, scientific
hypothesis, political councils, your very foundation works of mind
and heart that you have studied and developed over ageless time?
And then for me to expose all your whimsical fantasies publicly to
the universe so that your own siblings begin to mock you with their
ridicule?”

Zadar leaned toward the crowd, standing on
his toes. “And what humiliation would be heaped upon you should I
stir up the peoples to riot and bring down your institutions of
learning and thought, destroy your council chambers, burn you
writings in the public square and openly condemn you to your faces
for being false prophets and wicked seers?! Surely you would reel
at the humiliation as you watched all your works dissolve into
nothing while the names of your greatest counselors became
proverbial sayings!”

Zadar stepped back, resting clasped hands in
front while giving his audience time to ponder the things he had
spoken. Some people respectfully considered his words. Others were
seen whispering to nearby companions, while some showed faces
filled with consternation, wondering just what his intentions might
be. Yet all concluded, in agreement, that it would certainly be a
great humiliation to have such a thing done to them.

When sufficient time was allowed for the
audience to grasp the argument Zadar was making, he continued. “My
brothers... My sisters... My trusted companions... Your hearts
reveal to me the truthfulness of my revelations. But are you people
not the very Children of God - her loyal, chosen, servants? Has not
her spirit, this very day, sealed your hearts to truth and loyal
honor to your very death?! Yet the thought of such rueful
denunciations charged against you and all your works - even if
those charges might prove true - disturb your hearts so greatly
that your feelings toward me have been placed in question.”

“You are the
chosen ones
of Lowenah,
holy children with refined hearts. Yet my very presence disturbs
you to the point of wishing to drive me away, for fear of what my
mouth may yet speak. Worry not, for you are of my flesh and my
soul. I love you with all my heart and wish no harm what so ever to
any of you, even though a blow you should give to me. I have spoken
what I have to reveal this observation I have made, that it is the
heart, not the mind, from which humiliation gives rise. Yes! The
unreasoning heart
loves or hates, becomes ashamed or
inflamed, not the mind. The war of revenge, then, must be wage
against the heart for its success to be made complete!”

Zadar looked at Lowenah and then back at the
others. “Now listen, please, for I have not spoken to you with
empty speech or hollow words. Chrusion - the greatest of all of
Mother’s children, the most splendid in beauty, tongue, wisdom, and
might, until he fell from the heights into the dismal abyss of
self-aggrandizing loathsomeness - this same man sees not his world
filtered through the mind, for had he done so, he would still walk
among us our saint, but he chose to worship the person of the
heart, enslaving his flesh to its whimsical platitudes.”

“And so it has come to pass that only
through a corrupted, selfish heart does this man see anything at
all, and all things approved by him must satisfy the whims of his
degenerate heart. I perceive, then, that one need not bring down
the Worm’s house through strength of might to destroy his world,
but to only slap his heart a telling blow and he will destroy his
own house in an attempt to gain revenge. Through his desire for
revenge, will Mother’s revenge be assured.”

Lowenah leaned forward, ears alert for what
her son might say next. He did not disappoint. “I saw in my visions
with my sister, Rachel, as the blood grape devoured her mind and
soul, the selfish intent of the Wicked Serpent as he sought to
enslave her body and spirit. His pride was so great, as I have
previously stated, that he believed her already his prisoner, thus
not bothering to cloak his real intentions for her should she fall
to his entreaties. His humiliation at her refusal to go with him
has brought us to the nearing hour of renewed war, the man’s pride
refusing to allow him to overlook Mother’s slap. At any cost, he
must have revenge on her and her entire house.”

“Yes, Rachel’s actions proved to be a
humiliation to him. But it was not made complete because the woman
did not hold the line all the way to its end, but sought another
avenue of escape, thus taking a stand neither on his or Mother’s
side. Brave and righteous this woman is, few being more so, yet in
the Universal Court of Law, her case in defense of Mother cannot be
made, thus no vengeance can Mother gain from the actions of my
sister.”

Darla’s head sank in dismay, her silent
tears flowing freely. Those who glanced in her direction quickly
turned away, wondering if they would have had the strength to have
done better.

Zadar apologized to Darla, cursing the need
to reveal these agonizing truths. He explained, “I bring up this
matter to make an important point about the Worm. If, because of
the stalwart action of one woman, Asotos is willing to risk the
fates of war and ruination to accomplish his revenge, then through
the actions of one
monkey child
… one bred through his
making… he may well bring down his entire universe for the same
cause!”

Again heads wagged as the room filled with
hushed chatter. Zadar quieted them. “It has been said that Tolohe
stood in Eden’s garden and made the pronouncement to the woman of
her seed and the Devil’s spawn warring to his destruction. I tell
you a sacred secret: the woman’s seed was not Abram’s - our Michael
- but another, a child of abomination, for the woman’s seed and the
Devil’s seed are but
one seed
.”

Zadar lifted a hand in pronouncement. “And
so becomes Desmond, the Lord of Darkness and the Light. Black and
white, evil and good… So shall the seed wield the magic of the
Darkness to shatter the night and bring glory to the day. By the
serpent shall the Serpent be eaten, and by the fire shall the fire
be consumed. Then all the works of Evil shall become holy, locked
everlastingly in the very heart of the one loving Lowenah so
much.”

He turned and faced Lowenah. “My Lord, my
God, I have revealed, then, to you, my strategy for your vengeful
success. Remember, please, the cost for using this weapon. Should
you choose to do so, then all hope and life rests upon the future
choice of a man untested. Should he fail, then all your works will
fade away into nothingness. Remember you own words: ‘Elijah must
come or I will destroy all things.’”

He added one final warning. “Never again
will innocence rule your worlds, for forever will the machinations
of the Wicked One reside in your house.”

Lowenah’s face beamed. Ignoring Zadar’s
warning, she jumped to her feet, crying out with passion,
“You
have gifted me with a treasure beyond measure! For you, my wise and
noble son, I give the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, aide-de-camp and
personal liaison to our field marshal, Trisha.”

Zadar bowed respectfully, saying
nothing.

After walking over to Zadar and wrapping her
arm about his waist, Lowenah pointed toward a person in the
shadows. “This man’s trusted companion sacrificed all give to us -
to me - secret knowledge that has led to this victorious moment.
May I recommend that his ally in deed be promoted to rank of major
in the Marine Division serving the Third Fleet?”

Commodore General Planetee stood, grinning,
asking, “For the record, what person of such valor do you
refer?”

Lowenah’s clear answer was quick.
“My
darling, Rachel...”

Planetee was beginning to make her
acceptance when another voice shouted above the others,
“I object!”

All eyes searched for the person behind the
voice. Lowenah turned, surprised, curtly replying, “Ardon! We are
not here to debate my decisions. I am an able enough person to
conclude the wise road. Be silent!”

Ardon refused. “No one doubts your intent,
or the child’s righteous loyalty to you and cause, but your son’s
own revelations reveal a heart in tumult - a tumult that might sway
a reasoning mind into making hasty decisions!”

Lowenah fumed, shaking a finger at Ardon.
“This is not up for discussion! I have asked an experienced
officer, commander over all Marine forces, permission to do this
thing. It is her counsel I will listen to, not yours!”

Ardon countered, arguing, “Look about you at
the faces in the crowd. By your very public declaration, you have
invited debate. I am not the only one here concerned about demons
and devil spawn, handing the command over hundreds to one untested
as to fitness.”

Lowenah turned her attention away from Ardon
and studied the faces in the crowd. Oh yes, many were very angry
with Ardon, but others reflected concern over what he spoke. She
feared not her daughter, believing fully in the girl’s strength of
character and secret powers protecting the girl.

Ardon suggested, “Another reward, more
fitting, should be offered for the woman’s valor. Then all can
watch and see if any of our doubts are legitimate.”

Planetee was incensed and wrathful.
“
Foolish man!
Shut your mouth before I
shut it! There is not to be found a more trustworthy soul in the
mortal universe than our Rachel. She has never faltered! Nor does
she talk to the wind.”

Ardon chided her, asking, “It is late in the
day? Has the wine freed you mouth to speak so boldly?”

Her face red with rage, Lowenah screamed,
“
Shut up, you two! All of you!
Shut up
or I shall teach you all a thing or two! This is My keep! My world!
My universe! So easy I brought you into this world, and easier
still is it for me to take you out of it!”

She stared in Darla’s face, now a mask of
hidden emotion, the same face so often displayed when as a little
child she silently stood in the corner while the others in the room
politely ignored her. Where did the girl go at times like this?
What worlds had she invented to wander away to? Ardon’s actions
were so uncalled for.

With clenched fists, Lowenah angrily shouted
at Ardon,
“You have hated my child from the day of her birthing!
Why don’t you take the knife and be done with her, instead of
raping the girl day and night in front of the public
assembly?!”

Ardon decried the accusation. “I wish no
harm to
it
... I seek what is only good for the others, to
make close observa…”

Lowenah cut him off.
“Shut up, you! I
will not tell you again...”
She then addressed Planetee. “How
say you regarding my request?”

Planetee first looked over at Darla, her
heart filled with sorrow for her little sister. She then answered
resolutely, “Should you ask her to lead
all
your armies, I
would gladly surrender my soul to ride behind her banner. What you
ask is too small a reward for her.”

Lowenah stared down at her hands in
contemplation. So much she wanted to pour her rage out upon Ardon,
make an example of him in front of the others, and humiliate him
just once as he had done to her Rachel so many times. But no, this
must not be done. Other eyes watched and ears listened. Justice, as
blind as it often was, must be satisfied in the hearts of her
children. But how might Justice be served while teaching that fool,
Ardon, a lesson at the same time?

Slowly she faced Ardon, asking, “If someone
wise and long in years, honest and respected among his peers,
someone trustworthy to the others clear unto death, were assigned
to remain close - as an observer - to make sure no demon spawn
might escaped to contaminate this world, would it be enough to
assuage your concerns, so that I may gift my daughter with my
request?”

With her eyes boring into his, Ardon felt
compelled not to pursue the matter. “Yes...” He slowly nodded. “A
wise and noble observer will serve the purpose well...”

Lowenah then addressed Darla. “RachelOchlah,
you have been offered the position of major in the Marines in the
king’s service, your appointment pending upon this one little
request of mine: to place beside you a trustworthy, noble and wise
seer to serve as your leftenant of staff, to serve under your
direction and obey your orders unto death, but be accountable for
making report to me regarding the issues raised here this day.”

Fear gripped Lowenah’s heart as she peered
into Darla’s face. Grim it was, with an apparent resolve to reject
Lowenah’s request. But Darla was a good girl, always obedient to
the smallest of Mother’s desires. Darla finally answered that she
would, struggling out with, “Your faithful servant...”

Lowenah slowly turned to face Ardon, a smile
creeping across his face melting away as she addressed him. “First
Leftenant Ardon, seeing that you are the
wisest
of all my
counselors, and so deeply concerned for the welfare of
all
my children, I have chosen for you this very important assignment.
I know of none other more qualified to carry out all your
recommendations you have made here this day.”