Unholy Empire: Chronicles of the Host, Vol 2: Chronicles of the Host, Book 2 (30 page)

“I grew up with those same tales of a deliverer,” Seti continued. “I used to think it was a tale concocted by my father to discipline me—you know—‘if you misbehave the deliverer will come!’” He smiled at his servant. “But I speak of something else—something dark, and not of a child’s tale. I speak of something that the gods themselves visited and warned me about. Something told me by Amen-Ra himself last night as I dreamed!”

“Tell me the dream, great one, and I will try to divine its meaning.”

Two figures, unseen, stood next to the men.

“Yes, great one,” said Lucifer. “Tell the fool your dream.”

“It’s very simple to work in a human mind, isn’t it?” said Kara smugly. He was satisfied with his visit to Seti the previous night. “His mind was completely open to my suggestions.”

“Of course,” said Lucifer. “He is deluded, like all humans.” He shook his head in disbelief. “The pharaoh hears what is in his heart to hear. But I am interested in hearing his recounting of your visit. It should prove interesting.”

He looked at the proud Kara and added, “It will also demonstrate how effectively you rule as prince over this nation.”

“Meaning what?” said Kara suspiciously.

“Meaning that we rule a nation only when we rule its leaders. We must effectively become the mover behind the man—a strongman of sorts. As the leaders go, so goes the destiny of nations. Egypt is the greatest nation on earth. The gods of Egypt are feared. It would be a pity to waste such strength at such a critical time in the war.”

“I dreamed that I was at the Temple of Amen-Ra in Thebes. As I made my way into the sanctuary, I saw all of the former pharaohs—all of my predecessors—mourning over the land of Egypt. Even my father was weeping. I went to my father and asked him, ‘Father, why do you weep?’ He answered me, ‘I weep because the greatness of Egypt is no more! The gods of Egypt have been profaned!’ He continued his weeping, and I walked on. I came to a room that contained images of all the great gods of Egypt. One by one down the line I saw their terrifying visages:

The Crocodile-headed Nile god, Sobek

The Frog-headed fertility goddess, Heka

The Earth god, Geb

The sacred Scarab god, Khepara

The Bull god, Apis

The Ibis-headed Thoth, god of sacred knowledge

The goddess of the sky, Nut

The god of harvest, Hapy

“As I continued, I noticed that images of many of the less powerful gods stood behind these great gods. Looking upon the images, I saw that they bled from the corners of their mouths and from their eyes and ears. I was terrified!”

Seti held his cup out for more wine, and Anipur obliged him. “I tell you, Anipur, never have I had such a dream!”

“Continue, great Seti, that we might divine the meaning of this foreboding dream,” said Anipur, handing him his cup.

“I ran from the room and entered the next room, the antechamber before the sacred shrine of Amen-Ra, I saw the high priest of Amen-Ra, making oblation to the great god. He was chanting sacred texts and burning magic scrolls, but the god was not responding. He wailed aloud, and I went to him and asked him what this meant. He told me that Amen-Ra was in darkness, because a darkness was coming on the land. He said the gods of Egypt bled from their eyes and mouths and ears because they no longer respond to men.

“I then determined to approach Amen-Ra myself, and went to the shrine. When I opened the door, the shrine was empty! I began to weep. After a while a light appeared in the room—it was Amen-Ra himself—and he told me that the Hebrew foreigners had profaned the gods of Egypt. He said that they must be dealt with before the one who was foretold came and set them free. I asked him what must be done…”

“Yes, great one,” said Anipur. “What did the great Amen-Ra tell your majesty?”

“That the time was at hand for the rebel deliverer to be born—that the only way to save the honor of the gods of Egypt and retain the glory of the pharaohs, who were crying out from their tombs, was to destroy the Hebrew children as they are born!”

“What?!” asked Anipur. “Destroy the newborns?”

“Only the males,” Seti said, trembling. “Amen-Ra commanded that the newborn males be killed by the Hebrew midwives, but that the females be spared.”

“Amen-Ra is a merciful god,” mused Anipur. “And wise, great pharaoh. For in killing the male children we will steal the hope of this foretold deliverer once and forever! We shall be rid of the threat they pose to us—and their shepherd god!”

“It is our only hope,” agreed Seti grimly. “It is the will of Amen-Ra and therefore the will of Seti!”

“Thus shall it be done,” said Anipur. “And the gods of Egypt will forever honor your name, great one. I shall assemble the Hebrew midwives and give the order. And I shall have the priests of Amen-Ra offer sacrifices to the god for three days!”

“Yes, yes,” said Seti. “See to it!”

Anipur bowed his head low, arms out front as Seti left the room.

When he was sure he was quite alone, Anipur smiled and picked up the pharaoh’s wine cup. He held it up in the air and said, “I honor you, Amen-Ra, for your wisdom in dealing with these rebellious Hebrew slaves.”

“Thank you, thank you,” said Kara, mocking Anipur’s toast.

“Well done, Kara,” said Lucifer, watching Anipur drink from the pharaoh’s cup. “I would say Amen-Ra’s message to the pharaoh last night was quite clearly heard.”

“Yes, and Anipur’s message was just as clear,” said Kara. “His hatred for the Hebrews will prove useful in the coming struggle. I believe he will make a marvelous governor in Goshen. He knows how to handle…obstacles.”

“Agreed,” said Lucifer, watching Anipur. “Just don’t let him get too used to drinking from the pharaoh’s cup. If we have learned anything since our great struggle began, it is that ambition can be deadly.” He looked at Kara accusingly Kara nodded his head and looked at Lucifer. “For men
and
angels,” he said.

C
HAPTER
15

“Go after the child!”

Chronicles of the Host

Seti’s Fury

Just as Seti had commanded, Anipur told the Hebrew midwives the pharaoh had decreed that all male children born to Israel must be killed on the spot. It was a grand strategy that our enemy had concocted, aimed not at Israel, but at the Seed he so dreadfully feared.

But the midwives feared God rather than man. Encouraged by the Spirit of God and ministering angels, they took care to hide the children rather than murder them. This only incited Lucifer’s rage further and, acting through Anipur, agents of Pharaoh began combing Goshen in the search for children.

When they found a newborn male, they tossed the poor child into the river. Sobek, the demon crocodile god of the Nile, was drunk with the blood of the innocents, and saw the carnage as a sacrifice to himself. But what of the deliverer? Surely the time for the prophecy was up. Surely the words spoken to Abraham that his children should leave Egypt, and with plunder, were about to come true!

Berenius, still bitter from the inability to contain Hagar years earlier, had been given the task of rooting out the child. He sent his demons throughout Goshen, and wherever a newborn male was discovered, they would get the word to Anipur by speaking through one of his priests.

Unknown to much of the Host however, and to all the enemy, there was born to Amram and Jochebed, of the tribe of Levi, a male child whom God had selected to lead the people out of Egypt. Serus and the others watched for the agents of Berenius and knew that it was only a matter of time until the child was discovered. Jochebed knew, too, that she had only a short time with the child before she must do something desperate…and piercing to a mother’s heart. She kept him as long as she could. Then, setting him forth in a small ark of reeds onto the great river, she entrusted the child to the Most High God—never dreaming that she was not losing her son, but launching her deliverance…

“There he goes,” said an angel.

“Mind that ark!” came a command from Serus.

“He’s alright,” said Alyon, one of many new arrivals sent to aid Serus in the protection of the child. Alyon had gone into the water to inspect the ark. “The ark is fine. No leaks at all!”

Serus looked about at the swarm of holy angels.

“Where are all these coming from?” he asked. “They are sure to draw attention to the child!”

“Jochebed is praying to the Most High,” answered another of the new arrivals. “The archangel Michael has dispatched us to watch over the child. And Michael will be here soon himself.”

“Keep a watch for the enemy, then,” said Serus. “And watch that child! The current is picking him up now!”

The little ark began moving into the main portion of the river now, steadily increasing in speed as it drifted downstream. The angels wondered how long they were to follow it and what their mission was to be once the ark landed. Was there someone to take the child on the other end?

Sobek, the Nile god, stood at his temple beside the river, watching his priests perform their customary act of worship to him: sprinkling the sacred water of the Nile over one of his images. Formerly an angel of worship, Sobek much preferred the adoration of these silly humans to his own humbling of himself before a God who seemed indifferent to his worship.

The priests also cared for the live crocodiles kept in the temple pools. Sobek thought of how foolish men were to keep such creatures and call them sacred. But he was a god who was feared, and the crocodile struck terror into the hearts of the men and women who depended on the Nile to survive.

Now the crocodiles in the great river were getting their fill of Hebrew blood in this most recent aggression on the part of Lucifer. Sobek was proud that, of all the gods in Egypt, he was the one who should be responsible for the death of the Seed.

Lucifer came into Sobek’s temple and greeted him. Sobek bowed to his lord and welcomed him. They stood at one of the images of Sobek and looked over the river at the great structures flanking the other side.

“Yours is a great divinity in a country that is so dependent upon this river,” said Lucifer. “You are certainly a god to be esteemed.”