Unholy Empire: Chronicles of the Host, Vol 2: Chronicles of the Host, Book 2 (31 page)

“You humble me, my lord,” said Sobek, his crocodile teeth showing in a crooked and bizarre smile.

“I am grateful for the fact that so many of our brethren have found themselves as gods of this world,” said Lucifer. “From Egypt to the farthest span of this planet, we have set ourselves up as local deities, controlling the hearts and minds of men given to such nonsense.” He looked at Sobek. “I only wish that the gods were more attractive!”

“Ah, my lord,” said Sobek. “One does what one must when one is a god!”

“Yes,” agreed Lucifer, “which is why I am here. You cannot help, but know that the search for the deliverer is in full detail right now. We have killed hundreds of newborn males.”

“That is most gratifying,” said Sobek.

“Yes, but not reassuring. The Lord is not a fool. He will surely make an attempt to rescue the child. However, he is bound to the rules of the game and subject to the whims of human choice—just as we are. Therefore we must be vigilant in watching for subtle human plans to get the child out of Egypt.”

“Berenius has not uncovered the child yet?” asked Sobek.

“No,” said Lucifer. “And I suspect that he will not until a move is made to actually take the child out. And that is where the Host will make their mistake.”

He laughed as if imagining the scene.

“They will cover the child with great numbers of angels, and in an attempt to save the poor lad will only end up exposing him. Then we can kill him at our leisure.”

Sobek nodded in understanding.

“But there are only a few ways to conceal a child and take him out of the country. They cannot take him west into the desert. They could possibly take ship into the Great Sea, at which point the child will be trapped onboard an isolated vessel. He might be smuggled across land, but I have seen to it that Anipur has doubled the border patrols.”

Lucifer walked over and placed his hand on the head of one of Sobek’s images that lined the several steps into the small temple.

“So my dear Sobek, god of the Nile, it is quite possible that the child shall be smuggled down this great river.” He looked at him. “And should he get by, it will mean destruction for us all—do you understand?”

“My lord, I can assure you that if the child is on my river, he and the mother shall never leave it alive!”

“That’s well and good,” said Lucifer. “I believe you are a capable angel.” He indicated the priests who were finishing up their river blessing ceremony, chanting the name of Sobek. “But never make the mistake of believing you are as great as these priests believe you to be!”

“My lord,” said Sobek, showing his ugly lizard teeth. “I am Sobek, the terrifying god of the great sacred river Nile! I serve only you! Have no fear about the child. All that I do is in your service. And I promise you, by the name of this sacred site, that this river shall one day turn to blood!”

By the time Michael arrived, the angels under Serus’s command had created a parameter around the little reed vessel making its way slowly down the Nile. As far as he knew, the enemy had not yet been alerted—but it was only a matter of time. He immediately ordered the angels who had accompanied him to scout ahead farther down the river.

Serus was glad to see his mentor and hoped that the defensive measures he had taken were adequate in the archangel’s eyes. Michael flew over to Serus, who had stationed himself just above the ark. Michael inspected the setup.

“Excellent work, Serus,” he said. “As long as Jochebed continues in prayer we can maintain quite a force here.”

“Yes,” said Serus, “her prayers have increased our strength considerably. If only humans realized the value of calling on the Most High.”

“How is the child?” asked Michael.

“Quite safe,” said Serus. “There are angels below him as well as above.”

“Good,” said Michael, looking about. “Then we’ll just have to see how long before the enemy gets here.”

“You won’t be waiting very long, archangel,” came a voice above them.

Michael and Serus looked up to see Berenius, with a large number of angels, looming above them. He was smiling at Michael.

“Still guarding the Lord’s precious plan,” said Berenius. “I am touched by your loyalty, Michael.”

“Stay away, Berenius,” said Michael, who pulled his great sword out. The sword gave off a magnificent blue aura that backed off some of the devils. Berenius only smirked.

“You’re wasting your time with that,” Berenius said. “The woman Jochebed is even now despairing of praying. I suspect it won’t be long before she gives up altogether.”

Michael could sense that the strength from the woman’s prayers was not what it had been only moments before. He noticed that a few of the angels that had made up the defensive line had already been called back to Heaven.

“Sobek will be glad to host the child,” said Berenius. The angels with him howled with laughter. “He is lord of this river, you know.”

“He is lord of the deluded minds of men,” said Michael. “He has no real power here!”

“Then you had better tell them that,” said Berenius. “I believe Sobek would argue otherwise.”

Michael turned to see three of the largest Nile crocodiles he had ever seen swimming rapidly toward the ark. Above them with a troop of reptilian-looking devils was Sobek, who had come to finish the fight. At the same time, Berenius and his troops swooped in and began clashing with the holy angels who surrounded the ark.

“Tighten it up!” shouted Michael. “Come in close to the ark. Mind those crocodiles before they get to the child!”

Michael himself dived into the water and killed the first crocodile with one swing of his sword. The creature sank deep into the Nile mud. The other two were already opening their ugly jaws in anticipation of crushing the little ark. Serus grabbed the ark and pulled it out of the water just as the mighty jaws snapped together in a loud crash. Serus set the baby down in the reeds and stood watch.

Sobek faced Michael and came down hard with his sword across Michael’s shoulder. Michael winced and swung back, just clipping the Nile god. He gave orders for an attack, and the others joined in and began hitting the archangel from all sides. Some holy angels managed to jump into the fray, and within seconds swords were flying and bright streaks of light were breaking in every direction.

“Go after the child!” Sobek screamed, as he ducked another parry by Michael. “Kill it now!”

Berenius immediately broke off the fight and pursued the ark, intending to drown the child. Several of his attending warriors followed.

From the shore, a little girl watched the progress of the ark, unaware of the great battle that was occurring over the river. Her eyes remained fixed on the ark, which now rested in the reeds near some steps leading up to a pavilion. The child crept over toward the walkway, careful not to be seen. The ark was safe, it seemed. She was about to come into the open and check on her little brother when she heard voices coming toward her. She ducked down to watch what would happen.

“A child, my lady!”

The angels and demons immediately stopped fighting, when they realized the child had been discovered by another human. Sobek cursed Michael and flew over to the bathing pavilion where the child had settled. Serus continued to watch over the child, even as a woman gently took the baby from the ark.

“Bring the child to me,” came a voice.

As if in a gallery or arena, the angels now watched, all of them eager to see what would be the fate of the child. The woman handed the child to a very regally dressed lady, a princess from the house of Pharaoh. She held the child curiously at first, and then looking at the ark, realized it had been placed there for safety.

“Destroy that vessel,” she commanded. She looked at the little three-month-old boy and had compassion for him. “I will keep this child. He shall be my son! He shall be a prince in Pharaoh’s house.”

“My lady?” said one of the handmaidens.

“Yes,” the princess repeated. “It shall be just as I say. Have an offering of thanksgiving made for me in honor of the god Sobek, for bringing me a child in my loneliness!”

“Yes, lady.”

“And since I drew my son out of the water, I shall name him Moses.”

“Well, Michael,” said Sobek. “This is a very interesting development. It looks as if the deliverer of the Hebrews shall be raised as one of the oppressors in the pharaoh’s own household!”

All of the devils standing near Sobek burst out in mockery and laughter. Some of them even spoke the name ‘Moses’ over and over.

Michael looked about but did not respond. Serus also kept a weary eye watching the baby as the princess wrapped him in soft Egyptian linens.

“Not only that, I get a thanksgiving in my honor,” said Sobek. “I think this is even better than delivering the child to one of my crocodiles.”

“Indeed,” agreed Berenius. “Instead of being a Hebrew devoured, Moses shall become a devourer of Hebrews!”

“And the people will remain in bondage,” added Sobek, looking hatefully at Michael. “You hear Michael? It’s over! The deliverer has become the oppressor!”

”And the Seed shall consume itself,” added Berenius, smiling.

Chronicles of the Host

House of Pharaoh

And so it was that the child Moses was indeed raised in the house of the god-king Seti. Raised alongside the prince and heir Rameses, Moses learned all of the wisdom that Egypt offered: military tactics, diplomacy, history—the greatest places of learning that existed on earth at that time were open to his young mind.

Holy and wicked angels alike watched him grow from boy to man. We clung to the hope that he was the deliverer, while the enemy sought to keep him enamored with his life as a prince. And as for Israel—the nation toiled in backbreaking slavery for another 40 years, waiting for their deliverance, hoping that someday their God would return to them.

But Moses knew that he was a cast-off Hebrew, and it was in his heart to feel compassion for his people and to be moved by their affliction. Indeed the day came when he rose up and killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew. When the crime was discovered, Moses fled Egypt into the wastes of the desert in Midian. He believed that his life in Egypt and his part in the nation of Israel were finished. We the Host also wondered if indeed he was correct. Perhaps deliverance should come from another. In fact, Moses’ part in the nation of Israel was only just beginning…