Unholy Empire: Chronicles of the Host, Vol 2: Chronicles of the Host, Book 2 (9 page)

“From here on the concern of the Host is serving the Lord in this matter,” he admonished. “If that means ministry to humans then that shall be our sacred calling. Our rather difficult challenge is that in their rebellion they have relinquished spiritual sensibilities to base and earthly impulses.”

“Poor choices often lead to worse ones, hmm,” came Michael’s voice over the crowd. The angels dispersed and made a pathway for the archangel as he glided in to greet Crispin. Michael loved his former teacher and was not at all surprised to see him in the familiar role of interpreting events to others. He embraced Crispin warmly.

“To be sure, poor choices often escalate as we have seen here in the Kingdom,” Crispin responded. “Lucifer might have stopped himself at any moment had he wanted to. A’dam might never have disobeyed had he truly not wanted to. In either case, both choices proved prideful and disastrous.”

Just as he finished speaking the sound of trumpets blasted through Heaven, calling every angel to his designated commander. Michael watched as the angels around Crispin dispersed, each to his own legion in readiness for the same briefing that Crispin had been alluding to all along: a call to war. It was with satisfaction that Michael observed his angels in action—dedicated, loyal, and dutiful. Crispin caught the pleasure on Michael’s countenance.

“You have trained them well, Michael,” said Crispin. “They are an efficient organization to wage war in the name of the Most High.”

“Perhaps,” agreed Michael. “I am honored by their obedience. But I wish that the need for such a mobilization had never occurred.”

“The war will be won by our Lord,” said Crispin. “This we all know.”

“Yes,” said Serus, who had been silently observing the dialogue between Michael and Crispin. “But when will Eve’s child rise up? At what point will the prophecy be fulfilled?”

“That is a puzzle, Serus,” said Crispin, smiling at Serus’s recently discovered knack for asking pointed questions.”Let’s take it up in my quarters.”

They began walking toward the Academy. Since Serus was attached to Michael personally, he did not need to attend a commander elsewhere as did the other angels. Sangius bade the group farewell and departed for his duties at the Temple. The three angels made their way down the now deserted pathway and into the Academy. They didn’t speak until they found themselves in Crispin’s study deep in the heart of the complex. This was always a favorite spot for discussions and Crispin looked forward to such moments.

“Now Serus, you had a question about the prophecy,” said Crispin. “But rather than give you my opinion I would like to hear yours.” He sat up in his chair and continued. “What do
you
think will be the outcome of the prophecy? When will Eve’s child ‘rise up,’ as you put it earlier?” Crispin settled back in his chair and awaited the response. He always enjoyed getting his students to think through things for themselves. Michael smiled at Serus’s quandary.

“Well, obviously the Most High knows when and where the Seed should come,” Serus began. “And He is in control of the prophecy. So at His time and choosing the one who shall crush the serpent will arrive!”

“I could not have reasoned it out any better myself,” applauded Crispin.

“But I didn’t answer the question,” said Serus with a bemused look.

“But you did,” said Crispin. “The time and fulfillment of prophecy is a matter too lofty for mere angels. Ours is to help the humans expedite the prophecy in a way and manner of our Lord’s choosing.”

“Humans!” said an exasperated Serus. “That we should be allied with such capricious spirits! If we must depend upon the will of men to win this war we are defeated already—prophecy or not!”

Crispin smiled. “True, Serus. If we were to depend on men for
anything
as to the successful conclusion of this war we would be beaten already. Fortunately, we are dependent upon neither men
nor
angels.”

“Either way, it seems quite obvious that of Eve’s two children Abel shows some promise,” interjected Michael. “Perhaps Abel will end this nonsense once and for all.”

Before the others could respond, a figure appeared in the entryway. It was Gabriel. He stood there silently.

“Ah Gabriel, come in” said Crispin. “We were just discussing which of Eve’s children might be the vanquisher of Lucifer.”

“Abel seems a distinct possibility,” said Michael. “At least he seems to have a true devotion to the Lord.” He looked hopefully at Gabriel. “Don’t you think Abel might be the one foretold?”

“I’m afraid not, my brother,” said Gabriel sullenly. “Abel has been murdered.”

Kara and some of his angels stood around Abel’s cold body lying face down in the field. The back of Abel’s head was encrusted with dirt, blood, brown straws of grass, and grains of wheat, evidence of the brutal attack he had suffered at the hands of Cain. Berenius congratulated Kara on the subtlety and success of the effort. Kara acknowledge the praise and remarked that with Abel out of the way, Cain should prove no hindrance to them.

“I would even say that the prophecy has been reduced to a shadow,” Kara said smugly. “If the Seed must come through humans such as this, we have already won!”

More and more wicked angels gathered around the carnage. A few holy angels scouted out the situation, but they remained largely away from the area, sorrowful at man’s ability to kill one of his own so readily. As the demons chattered among themselves, feeling better and better about their prospects now that Abel had been killed, Lucifer arrived with Pellecus to survey the scene.

“Well done, Cain,” Lucifer finally said. “I knew that your brutal side could be exploited. It was only a matter of time.”

“My lord,” interrupted Kara. “I would like to add that Berenius and even I had a part to play in this victory. We were constantly speaking into Cain’s mind thoughts of murder.”

“Ah Kara,” said Lucifer. “Ever desirous of glory. Yes, you and Berenius played a role in this matter. But it was Cain who chose. Remember that! If there is one thing we have learned in this war thus far, it is that humans ultimately will choose of their own free will. We can provide encouragement; we can inflame passions; but the choice to act is their own. We only have them when they surrender their complete will.”

“The Lord made that quite clear when he tossed Berenius at Cain’s feet like a pitiful newborn calf,” said Pellecus, smirking. Berenius looked at Kara, who could manage only a scowl.

“Sin was indeed crouching at Cain’s door…but the sin mastered him,” Lucifer said, as everyone laughed aloud. He looked at Abel’s remains. “And now Abel is dead.”

Lucifer knelt down and touched Abel’s cold face. He sat in this position for a moment and then looked up at the bewildered expressions around him. Finally he said, “You really should feel death. As I felt it in Eden when the serpent died. Death, brothers, is our ultimate weapon in this war. Death is what we are waging for. By defeating the Lord’s plan at Eden we have become the caretakers of death. Each of you must learn of death…how it feels…how it comes. Whatever carnality we can evoke in men, it means nothing if it does not ultimately result in death.”

He looked at one angel in particular. “Pellecus?” said Lucifer.

“Yes, lord,” answered Pellecus, lulled out of an almost trance-like fixation on the body of Abel. “What is it?”

“You are always one to learn something new,” continued Lucifer. “If you are going to administer the academy here on earth, you must acquaint yourself with death.” He looked hard at Pellecus. “For I assure you this is only the first of many crimes among men, and we must have a fellowship with death if we are to exploit it.”

Pellecus hesitated for a bit, then walked over to Abel and bent down close to the body. After looking it over he knew what Lucifer wanted, and he suddenly entered into the corpse. Kara and the others stood back as if they were expecting something frightening to happen, but were unsure exactly what it might be. In a moment Pellecus emerged from Abel’s body.

“Well?” purred Lucifer. “What did you learn, teacher?”

“Death is cold and dark,” said Pellecus, a bit shaken but exhilarated at the same time. “It is void and empty. And it transforms quickly.” He indicated Abel’s body and assumed the role of a teacher giving a lesson in class. “Notice how quickly these humans begin returning to dust. Already Abel is changing in appearance. While inside his form, I could sense the decay already beginning. His physical makeup was breaking down rapidly. And there was nothing of the spirit in him at all. What inferior creatures are these humans!” Pellecus looked back at Lucifer and said in a matter-of-fact way, “Well, back to the dust with him!”

“And with all humans!” agreed Lucifer. “But let me demonstrate something even more remarkable—and useful to us in the future, I believe.”

Lucifer vanished and left the others wondering at his behavior. They continued in quiet chatter, commenting upon Abel’s murder and drawing a variety of conclusions as to its ultimate effect on the war. Kara was about to make further comment when an astonished look overcame him. He pointed across the field at a figure ambling toward them—the figure of Abel.

The angels looked at the body on the ground. It had not moved. The figure continued toward them and came to stop just at the edge of the meadow where they stood. The figure was semitransparent, a spirit-like replica of the real Abel but with a bluish-white aura streaking about him. Pellecus smiled, realizing what was happening. The puzzled angels looked at each other in amazement as the pseudo-Abel transformed before their eyes back into Lucifer.

“Ah Kara,” Lucifer said. “The look on your face betrayed your surprise.”

“Naturally,” admitted Kara. “I was not expecting to see Abel again—not alive anyway.”

“And you didn’t see him alive,” said Lucifer. “You saw him dead…so to speak.”

“I don’t really understand,” said Kara, feeling flustered for having been taken in by the specter of Abel. “Why should we encourage humans after such a loss by creating an illusion of a visitation from death?”

“Really Kara, you disappoint me,” said Pellecus, exasperated. “We shall use anything to get the human mind off the Most High. That is the point!”

“Precisely,” said Lucifer, who noticed the other angels listening to their conversation. He led Kara and Pellecus away from them and continued talking. “It occurs to me that despite the material nature of the battlefield, the war itself will be fought and won on a spiritual plane. Thus whatever spiritual deceptions we devise will ultimately be decisive.”

“Why so?” asked Kara. “These creatures are incited through material passion. I should think that we would exploit their material tendencies.”

“Humans are spiritual creatures, Kara,” said Lucifer. He casually plucked a ripened piece of fruit that hung low on a branch. “They are spiritual creatures with a weakness for a good argument.” He held the fruit in front of them and smiled. “Just as in Eden.” He smirked and tossed it away.

“Remember that,” he continued. “Of course we shall exploit every carnal desire that we can arouse in these filthy creatures. And though we can inflame human passion through physical senses, as you and Berenius did with Cain, nevertheless it is through the godlike freedom to choose that the battle shall be won. Choosing is a very spiritual discipline born out of the image of God given to men. A very tarnished image indeed.”

Pellecus continued the dialogue. “Therefore, whatever we can do to distract humans from looking to the Most High will be useful. We shall have them looking everywhere but upward for their deliverance!” He laughed at the thought of it.

“Imagine,” Pellecus continued, “the confusion we will be able to create by having humans believe they can be comforted from their fallen dead; or to have them make contact with benevolent spirits who appear to them in a friendly light of instruction, only to deceive them. Think of the potential in having humans worship our appearances because of a few simple manipulations of earthly elements.”

“I promised all of you that you would be as gods on this world,” said Lucifer. “The weakness of the human mind is ripe for deception!”

As they spoke, Rugio, the unquestioned commander of the warrior angels loyal to Lucifer, suddenly appeared before the group. Lucifer nodded at his commander as the group exchanged greetings.

“So Rugio, my valiant commander, how is the bloodstained brother?” Lucifer asked, placing a hand on Rugio’s broad shoulder.

“He is in hiding, my lord,” said Rugio. “Near the old encampment that he and his family once frequented.”

“It seems that we can always count on humans trying to hide after they commit an indiscretion,” mused Lucifer. “Of course he comes by it quite naturally, what with his parents trying to hide in Eden under the very face of God.” The group burst out laughing. “I’m sure Eve will be quite astonished that it came to murder.”

“She searches for him now,” said Rugio. “Abel’s flocks are scattered and she is afraid for her sons. A’dam too.”

Lucifer looked solidly at the group. “She will fear much more than this in due course. There is far more at stake here than a dead son—and that is a dead dream. With Abel dies the only possible hope of this generation for the Seed to emerge.”