Earth's Last Angel (38 page)

Mop up squads are flushing out hidden survivors and executing them on the spot. It is a total rout not one of the Ishtara survives this hellish slaughter.

News of the Ishtara genocide pleases The Word, his frills quiver and vibrate with excitement. He is especially pleased with the news of the capture of Erok and his daughter. Now it is time to deal with the last of the pretenders, the Ahamrik. He does not have to wait, already their King priest is on his way to beg for peace. Now this truly is cause for celebration! The Word is now in total control of Thera!

A massive celebration party is held in the City of Light. The King priest of the Ahamrik has arrived and announces the Ahamrik capitulation to The Word and his Most Holy Righteous Empire. The King priest makes the announcement on his knees as he kisses the hand of The Word. The Word swats him aside like a despicable fly, and marches to the balcony overlooking the city.

He roars out to Thera's inhabitants:

‘I am The Word chosen by Azeebar your God to lead you I am the chosen one, I am your God!

A thunderous roar and cheers rises from his followers.

The celebrations are broadcast on the sky screen for everyone on Thera to see.

Through that dark night a small drone armed with the Hammer device is headed for the Ahamrik city state of Vanteok. The entire population of the Ahamrik people crowd into the city for protection. No one in the city suspects anything is amiss. Their King priest has just bought them their lives, or so they believe.

The party moves along at a steady pace, food served up with the entertainment, alcohol flows freely, and a genuine party atmosphere starts to develop. The revelers are glad that hostilities are finally over, and the prospect of peace seems to give hope to the attendees.

Screams fill the main dining hall as a young female is dragged into the hall, Erok's daughter. On the orders of The Word the troops that captured her and her father were given orders to have their way with her as many times as they liked. Her virginity was ripped away from her earlier that morning and ravishing of her has only now stopped. They lash her naked body to a post to begin her torture. Next, they drag her father out and lash him to the post opposite his daughter, both of them in full view of each other. When they finish her horrendous torture for the entertainment of the onlookers, they dump her into a steel cage and lower her in to the fire pit. Her pitiful screams fill the hall and are broadcast to the whole of Thera.

Her father is now a dribbling wreck, all of his power gone. To add insult to injury, her cooked body is lifted out of the cage and laid on the main dining table. Her skin is now crackling as it is sliced open and cut up into portions. She is now on the menu!

The Word now stands up and walks over to Erok. He takes out a small knife from his robe folds, and slits Erok's throat. Golden blood soaks his chest as Erok slides to the floor dying.

‘This is the fate of any who would rise against me. I am your God!'

The Word returns to his place at the table and picks up a small remote device, casually waving it around for all to see. He walks to the center of the room and asks the former King Priest of the Ahamrik:

‘Are you sure all of your people are gathered to celebrate this momentous occasion in your…no, my city state of Vanteok?'

‘Yes, my lord. Every last male, female and child will be in the city by now.'

‘Excellent.' Instantly The Word presses the button detonating the Hammer.

An explosive light fills the hall, blinding everyone in the great hall. Slowly the light dims enough for everyone to see. To everyone's astonishment the Sky Lion hovers, with his powerful golden energy emanating from his body. His majestic wings fill the great hall. He has the head of a lion, with his mane running down his back to his tail. His powerful, beaming eyes, are humanoid, as is his limbs and torso. He looks down directly at The Word who has just soiled himself and is shaking uncontrollably.

‘Did I not come to you to warn you? You executed me with the two you called devil worshipers. They were totally innocent. Their blood adds to the massive blood debt you owe for all the innocents you have murdered.'

The Word raises his veiled face towards the Sky Lion.

‘No, this cannot be. I saw you die!' he groans now fully flat on the floor with his guests and onlookers prostrating themselves.

‘You and your species have defied the law of the master creators. You have engaged in worship and now you will reap your bitter harvest!'

‘ME'NE, ME'NE, TE'KEL, PE'RES' which means: ‘Your days have been numbered and brought to a finish. You have been weighed on the scales of justice and have been found deficient. This planet is to be taken from your creator and given to another.'

With that the Sky Lion claps his hands together unleashing an energy blast vaporizing everything to a subatomic level, totally erasing all life on the planet leaving only dust, rocks and water, all evidence of the existence of the Mazubans, from cave paintings to their massive city states, and advanced technology. everything Mazuban in that solar system is gone in an instant!

Now with the sun shining brightly through a crystal clear blue sky, the Sky Lion's feet gently touchdown on the newly cleansed planet surface. The lakes and sea are now sweet and pure with all the garbage and pollution gone! The Sky Lion takes a deep breath of fresh clean air, then squats down, touching the planet's surface. He sends a wave of energy down, embracing the heart of the newly cleansed planet. With this action, he moves the planet's tilt initiating an ice age. Now the planet can rest in its cold fallow state until a new creator is found, worthy to awaken her once more and bring new life to this now cleansed barren planet.

The Sky Lion now shifts his attention skywards again, having completed his first mission. The arrogant creator Azeebar is condemned to roam the outer fringes of the universe as a lifeless, mindless black hole, thankfully he did not create any energy life forms.

The Sky Lion calls out into the depths of the multiverse to the Guild of Master Creators, to meet with them at his birthplace in the void that separates the centurial cluster of universes. He reports all that has happened. They are well pleased with their son, he has performed his duties beyond their expectations. Now he is free to guide and direct any and all new intelligent life forms that appear from the diversity of life on the new planets.

The old man's eyes grow misty as he loudly clasps his hands together, creating a powerful flash of golden light that he contains within his clasped hands. The light intensifies as he squeezes harder. Beads of sweat appear on his brow, a loud groan escapes his lips as his eyes roll backward exposing only the whites of his eyes.

I immediately panic and ring for an ambulance, they are dispatched quickly and soon on their way, the advantage of living in a small town, everyone knows everyone.

A loud groan snaps my attention back to my grandfather, who now looks very frail, just clinging to life by his fingernails!

‘Son, I need you to take this. It is the key to your kingdom.'

I look down at my outstretched hand. My grandfather has just made and given me the biggest diamond I have ever seen! Cut to perfection, every one of the 777 facets reflecting a riot of sparkling color.

He smiles up at me weakly as he now lies comfortably on the floor. I had placed a small pillow under his head. For a moment I stare in disbelief at the beautiful flawless gem, it is the size of a golf ball, a perfect stone.

‘My time has come to return to my place,' he smiles up at me ‘I will be with you always, guiding you, watching over you.'

The paramedics arrive with a stretcher, and as they enter the lounge room my grandfather squeezes my hand.

‘Goodbye for now, son, I will see you again.' His whole body starts to emanate a searing, blinding, golden light. When the light dims again only my grandfather's clothes lay on the floor. He is gone!

‘What in the name of God just happened?' dropping to his knees as the power of his legs gave out, the big medic Dave grabs onto the stretcher to stop himself falling flat on his face! Francine just stands there on the spot, transfixed, her jaw hanging slack, her mouth wide open in shock.

Only moments later, the local police sergeant, Terry sticks his head in through the open door.

‘Are you guys Ok? You all look like you saw a ghost! We saw the massive light show that kinda looked like an explosion.'

‘Sergeant…' I start to reply, slowly coming out of the shock of it myself. I slip the diamond in to my pocket as I stand up.

‘My grandfather was in those empty clothes just a second ago, he was here and then in a massive flash of energy he vanished leaving these!' I say, pointing to the empty cloths laying on the floor.

He looks over at the other two slowly coming out of their shock. They both nod in agreement.

Realization finally dawns on him ‘Holy crap! That was the bright golden flash we saw driving past, it was him!' now just a little scared and awestruck all at once.

‘I'll get the coroner to sort this one out. I'll get some tape from the car and tape this room off. ‘Have you got somewhere you can stay until the coroner's finished?' the sergeant asks me.

‘Yes, I can stay with my sister Nancy for a couple of days.' I reply.

Geoff and Nancy welcome me with open arms. I explain to them what just happened to our grandfather. They are flabbergasted.

‘Just you stay as long as you need,' they kindly offer.

I say my goodnight to my hosts. I then collect my overnight bag from the lounge containing some clothes and a new bottle of scotch. On my way through the kitchen I borrow a small glass for my scotch. My room is the spare room at the end of the porch. I enter quietly, closing the door behind me so that I don't wake my little niece sleeping in the next room. I put my bag on the bed and get the bottle of scotch out, and picking up the chair I move it to the glass doors opening out onto the porch. I open the doors, then place the chair on the edge of the porch, giving me a clear view of Nancy's beautiful gardens in full bloom. To be honest, at this time the gardens do not interest me. My attention is fully fixed on the starry heavens, it looks like black silk with thousands of diamonds scattered over it!

I wonder where he is out there, this person I had known all my life, my grandfather, my best friend. Now it turns out he is one of the most powerful energy lifeforms out in the multiverse, the Sky Lion!

In fact, when he returns to his place out there the last 96 years will be for him like a millisecond, a micro sleep. Head bending stuff, I must admit!

My grief is tempered by the fact that this majestic energy lifeform has chosen my family, and me personally, to train and tutor for my new role. All these years of playing, ‘What if…?' with him taught me all I need to know. The sudden realization that it was all training and grooming sends a wave of emotion through me, a tear slips down my face. I still can't stop the intense feelings surging through my brain. love, gratitude and loss. I open the bottle and pour a measure into my glass, and holding it heavenwards I whisper quietly so as to not disturb my hosts.

‘Here's to you mate, safe travels.' I down the glass.

Then another realization struck me. He's been here before! His monuments are scattered all over our planet, The Sphinx of Egypt, Babylon, Persia, to name just a few!

I ponder the years of training he has invested in me, never disclosing who he really was or his intentions until the very end, always gently pushing me to demand and give more of myself as I built our business interests. I think maybe now I should take some time out, go on a holiday and get my head right and plan how I should prepare myself for what lies ahead.

I become conscious of the lump in my pocket. I slide my hand in to collect the diamond. Placing it onto my palm I get a sense of its weight, and I lift it up to the moon light, holding it between my forefinger and thumb. Immediately it explodes into a riot of sparkling color.

I feel a little hand on my leg.

‘It's very pretty, uncle,' a tiny voice says as she looks up at the sparkling gem between my fingers, lit up by the moonlight.

‘Yes, it is.' I pick up my little 5 year old niece Valarie, and sit her on my knee.

‘Would you like to hold it?' I whisper to her.

‘Oh, yes please, uncle!' a little loudly, her face lighting up with a smile.

‘OK here it is. Now hold your hands together like a big cup.'

She does as I ask, and I place the diamond in her little hands, her delight is evident with her little giggle. Then she frowns: ‘It's getting warm, uncle!' giving it back to me. I take it back and sure enough it is warming up, in fact it starts to glow and sparkle from within. Valarie slides off my knee, a little scared. But not taking her eyes off the glowing gem for a second. I place the gem back in my pocket.

‘Can I ask you something, uncle?' she looks up at me with both her elbows on my leg, her hands tucked up under her chin.

‘Of course you can sweetie,' I reply.

‘Were did you get the shiny stone, uncle?'

‘From pops, he gave it to me just before he left.' I smile.

‘You two are best pals! Can I be your best pal now?'

‘You better believe it girl! You and I are besties forever!' I smile down at her. She raises her arms for me to lift her up, her face just one big smile.

‘I'm going to love you forever, uncle!'

‘We'd better get you back to bed before mom comes out and gives me a thick ear for letting you stay out here in the cold.'

Valarie just giggles ‘Mommy won't give you a thick ear, because I won't let her!' she announces, squeezing my neck.

A chill breeze springs up, carrying with it the mixed sweet aroma of the blossoming gardens. Valarie snuggles in as I carry her back to her room. Her mom is waiting at the door, smiling at my little niece.