Unholy Empire: Chronicles of the Host, Vol 2: Chronicles of the Host, Book 2 (8 page)

“I tell you it was the Lord Himself,” said an exasperated Kara. “How long can we contend if He keeps interfering?”

Lucifer, Rugio, Pellecus, and Kara were gathered in another frustrating strategy session. All were silent except Kara, who recounted the events with Cain. “It was all going so well,” he continued. “Berenius was doing a masterful job and Cain was seething. Michael and Gabriel were completely helpless. Nobody was praying, as I could tell. And then the Most High stepped in to interfere.”

“Yes, how dare He?” asked Pellecus with mock outrage at Kara’s babbling. He looked at Kara. “He is, after all, sovereign. Unpredictable, but sovereign.”

“How like the Most High to interfere and counter our suggestions,” Lucifer agreed. “We are fighting according to the rules. But as Pellecus points out, God is sovereign and can adjust the rules as He sees fit.”

“But even God cannot interfere with Cain’s ability to choose,” said Pellecus hopefully. “That is our advantage. I believe that in the end Cain’s low character will carry the day. We must remain vigilant.”

“Agreed,” said Lucifer. “The battle is in the choosing. Until the choice is made the outcome is still in doubt.”

“So what do we do?” asked Kara. “If the Lord interferes every time we are suggesting to a human…”

“We must keep at it,” said Lucifer. “Day and night we will hammer the humans. And should the Lord speak to their hearts we will seek to undo the damage He does by continuing a persistent, relentless attack. In short, we must wear the humans down.”

“And they do wear down,” said Pellecus. “As they proved in Eden.”

Michael and Gabriel were in the Great City, walking down one of the many avenues that crisscrossed a wide boulevard in front of the Temple of the Most High. All of Heaven was thundering the news of God’s intervention and hailing it a great victory for the Lord. Only Gabriel and a few others knew that the battle was far from over—or won.

“The Lord has called an assembly of all the elders and archangels,” said Gabriel. “The Most High will deliver through the Chief Elder the new protocol in dealing with humans. It will then be disseminated throughout the Academy and become a part of the Host’s new disposition in the war.”

“The war,” repeated Michael. “What odd words in Heaven. Who would ever have thought it would actually come to war?”

Gabriel looked at the Great Mountain of the North, the Most Holy Place where the Lord’s Presence resided. “Who would have thought an angel capable of rebellion in this place? Yet it has happened. Who would have thought a human capable of rebelling in a place like Eden? Again, it happened. Short of God Himself, nothing is true, sure, or right.” He smiled at his friend, Michael. “And that is why I am happy here in Heaven. In the end Lucifer must know that he cannot win. At least I believe that to be so.”

They arrived at the Hall of Elders, where Michael and Gabriel seated themselves among the other high-ranking angels of Heaven. Many of these were recently appointed, having assumed the positions vacated by the angels who sided with Lucifer. Michael nodded at Crispin, who sat across the vast room with the other wisdom angels from the Academy of the Host. Crispin returned the nod cordially. Both Michael and Gabriel noted that the normally animated chatter among the angels was subdued.

The Chief Elder appeared on the dais with the full Council of Twenty-four and called the assembly to order. He then addressed the assembly.

“Most holy angels, greetings,” the Chief Elder began. “I wish this were a different setting and that happy tidings brought us together here. But, as is evident by the new faces among you, there are some who have abandoned their sacred places in Heaven, thinking they might achieve some measure of glory on the earth. I assure you all that the only glory in Heaven and on earth is the that of the Lord Most High, holy be His name!”

“Most holy is His name,” the angels said in unison.

“Nevertheless, the Lord Most High, in His infinite foresight and care for His creation, has instructed us as to our new disposition, and particularly how we are to respond to our former brothers, as well as to the fallen humans. I realize that there have been instances wherein some of those who have departed have actually approached the very gates of Heaven, some cajoling and mocking, others begging forgiveness and asking to return to their former duties. I must remind you that no unwarranted contact is to be made with any of these disgraced creatures.”

He looked down among the crowd at a few angels in particular, who had had conversation with some of the outlaw angels across the gulf of the heavenlies. “I too am deeply moved by the loss of so many who once walked freely among us—who chose unwisely and profanely. Some of these very angels sat with me on the Council.” He indicated the elders stationed behind him.

“They are no longer our brothers,” he continued. “They are the enemies of our Lord, therefore the enemies of this Kingdom, and are to be despised.”

The Chief Elder watched the effect of his words and then continued. “I shall now give instruction to the entire Host from the Most Holy Throne regarding these matters. It is our sworn and holy duty to disseminate this throughout the kingdom to our charges, so that all the Host will be in one voice and mind in the matter of how we are now disposed to our former brothers…”

Chronicles of the Host

A New Order in Heaven

A strange melancholy came over the hall as the Chief Elder spoke. It was a morose feeling, born of an understanding among the Host of how things had changed in Heaven. Indeed, those angels who remained loyal to the Most High now found themselves in a most unimaginable position—at war with a third of the Host!

The war was to be conducted on earth as well as in the heavenlies. On earth, the battle for the minds and hearts of men was to be waged through men’s prayers and their willingness to call upon the Lord. In the heavenlies, a far more brual and violent conflict was in store as angel fought against angel in a grueling struggle that pitted the faith of men against the doctrines of demons.

And so it was that through the disgrace of A’dam, a second unholy age was unleashed upon creation. And for all the battles waged, and for all the angels cast down, and for all the power that Heaven could muster, the progress of the war was not to be determined by angels, but by men whose freedom to choose had already borne a horrible price…

C
HAPTER
5

“How odd it is in Heaven these days.”

Serus observed the Host as they left the assembly. Many of the angels who held positions of authority were grouped together in the hall, discussing the day’s events and strategizing how best to deploy their legions when the war became more active. Others left the great hall, nodding encouragement to one another, speaking kind words that might deaden the sting of war.

“We need a recording of this for the Chronicles,” came the familiar voice of Crispin from behind. Serus turned to see the scholarly angel, who had recently been appointed head of the Academy of the Host, giving orders to his new apprentices. “And please be careful with the text—I want this verbatim. This is war, after all!”

“Yes, my lord,” said the exasperated angel whose duties to Crispin kept him busy indeed. “I have it all down in detail.”

“Very good, Sarbus,” said Crispin. “You are learning well!” Crispin smiled and looked over toward Serus. “Ah Serus,” he said, waving. “Such extraordinary times, hmm? Sarbus, I’ll see you at the Academy. Remember, one of these goes in the Hall of Records, one in the Great Library, and one in my study.”

“Sarbus nodded in servile agreement and hurried away. Serus grinned at the angel’s plight.

“Your apprentice reminds me of my time as Lucifer’s apprentice,” said Serus, baiting Crispin for one of his typically understated reactions.

“What? Are you comparing me to Lucifer?” blustered Crispin. “When I think of how shamelessly he ordered you about I am still appalled. That dark angel had you in chains that blinded you to his true nature. Besides all of that…” Crispin caught himself and smiled. “Don’t you know it is improper to make a wisdom angel appear unwise?”

“You shall never appear unwise, Crispin,” called out a voice from above.

Serus and Crispin looked up to see Sangius descending upon them. He embraced both of the angels, and they walked together through the magnificent doorway to the outside. They descended the stairs that opened onto the great square and then stopped suddenly as Crispin began talking.

“How odd it is in Heaven these days,” he said as he surveyed the sea of angels pouring out of the hall. Serus understood exactly what Crispin was feeling at that precise moment. How very different this departure from the great hall was compared to that glorious day when the Creation was announced and the angels were dancing and singing throughout the Kingdom.

“It was certainly a different occasion when we met here last,” agreed Sangius.

“I was at the Academy at the time,” remembered Crispin. “I was talking to Michael.” He smiled. “He was concerned that there was something afoot with Lucifer. How right he was.” Serus and Sangius looked at Crispin in solemn agreement.

They continued through the square, down a wide pavilion that led through an ever-flowering garden and into a meadow where Crispin often found solitude from his duties at the Academy. They sat alongside a still pool of crystal water. After a few moments of silence, Sangius broke the reverie.

“Crispin,” he began, “what does it all mean. I mean…what does this war mean to us angels?” Crispin thought about his answer for a bit and then looked at Sangius in a tender, almost fatherly way.

“What does it mean?” he repeated. “It means that our Lord shall lead us into a great conflict and will prevail. War means that you and I and every other angel loyal to the Most High will be engaged in some measure to ensure that His plans are carried out to the fullest extent. Every angel shall be called upon, to be sure. War means we have a responsibility unlike any other, all the time that angels have been in existence. It also means that we shall engage humans in a new responsibility as well.”

As Crispin spoke, more and more angels gathered around him. Being one of the greatest teachers in the Kingdom, he was accustomed to this sort of behavior among the Host. Many of his students had become great teachers at the Academy in their own right, instructing the angels on the knowledge and ministry of the Most High. But Crispin was something extraordinary and whenever he spoke he drew attention to those wise enough to give a listen.

“I could not help but notice that as I spoke the word ‘humans’ many of you grimaced,” he said, surveying the many faces surrounding him.

“Well, they did complicate things a bit,” said an angel from the back of the crowd. Others joined in with affirming remarks.

“A’dam’s transgression certainly did complicate things,” agreed Crispin. “But that is not our concern. Our concern is the conveyance of this war to the enemy. Our foes are well organized and motivated. They are also cunning and ruthless and, as we all know too well, led by a very capable angel who has surrounded himself with strong leadership. Lucifer understands, as we do, that their only hope lies in destroying or deceiving the humans and preventing the Seed of the woman from ever bringing forth the One who will crush the serpent’s head.”

“But the humans know that God has promised their deliverance through Eve,” said Kamas, an assistant to one of the Elders. “Why should they believe anything that Lucifer’s angels would tell them?”

“Because humans are in essence spirits and therefore susceptible to spiritual persuasions,” said Crispin. “Oh, I know they are cloaked in flesh and blood and that the judgment of death is upon them. But in the end, they are spirit.”

“So we as angels must deal with them as spirits?” asked Sangius with a puzzled look upon his face. “How can that be? If they are judged and shall die, how can we help them? Can a spirit die?”

Crispin smiled. “If I understand correctly, they have doomed the physical natures that the Lord created. This is quite clear since the Lord said they should return to the dust from which they came.” The gentle teacher had a quizzical expression as if he was still sorting it out himself. He turned to Sangius with a hopeful look. “But somehow their spirits must survive. They are immortal. So what shall become of A’dam—the true A’dam, which is his spiritual nature made in God’s image? This is something better left to the Lord’s wisdom.”

As the impromptu meeting continued, the subject changed to the more practical and yet tricky subject of the conduct of the war itself. All agreed that they would serve the Lord in whatever capacity they were called—even if it meant open strife with their fallen brothers. Word had spread throughout the Kingdom of the power of human prayer and how such prayer would be an important factor in angelic involvement. It was evident that when prayer was born out of a true acknowledgment of the Most High and belief in His ability and desire to provide such help, that the Lord responded.

But as to the nature of prayer, the angels wondered what limits the Lord might set upon human supplication. The humans had blatantly violated the trust of the Most High and willfully disobeyed Him. Were the angels now to help them out of the catastrophe they had created? Still, the mysterious connection between the Lord Most High and these creatures made in His image was astounding. It was not the duty of angels to question the Lord in such matters but to obey Him. And so spoke Crispin.