Rise of the Fallen Read online

  And as was always the case, a war between the angels and the Fallen meant there was a war between men. The fates of the spirits of men were the same as that of the angels and demons—all went to prison, the righteous to be comforted and the wicked to be tormented.

  Those of the Carrier Order left the Hall of Vision to experience the horror of war firsthand. For each child or righteous man or woman who died, a carrier angel was waiting to take them to Paradise in the heart of the earth, where they would be comforted as they waited for the redemption of their souls.

  But for the wicked men and women who died, demons of the Draeger Order were waiting to drag their souls to torment, also in the heart of the earth. A great gulf was fixed between the place of torment and the place of comfort so that none could pass from one side to the other.

  Twelve wide tunnels led into the heart of the earth, six for the draegers and six for the carriers. During the battle for Kish, many souls of men and women would be taken. If Validus lingered too close to the action of a draeger, Persimus would turn away, for the vivid horror of judgment of the wicked was hard for him to watch.

  As Validus continued to sweep across the battle, capturing fight after fight, the eyes of heaven watched and the trumpets of the guardian towers of Mount Simcha sounded. All 144 trumpets resounded with sorrowful notes proclaiming the end of thousands of angel warriors. Voices of heavy sadness sifted through the trumpet blasts to add to the sorrow welling up in Validus. He struggled to stay on the portal, but he knew that nearly all of heaven was watching his portal to reveal the end of the war for earth.

  The lines of angel warriors collapsed, and the Fallen descended on them in a frenzied slaughter of merciless conquest.

  “How can this be?” Persimus asked.

  Validus didn’t reply. He wished he had been wrong all along.

  Validus searched for Commander Danick and found him courageously leading a band of fifty warriors out of the fray. By some miracle they fought to a hill and were able to keep the higher ground west of the city until the demon forces around them considered it too costly to finish them off when there was so much city to plunder.

  Commander Danick led his remaining men away from Kish to a safe haven some distance from the city. Validus spotted two other bands of angel warriors fighting their way clear as well. He wondered how long they could survive in a world now controlled exclusively by evil men and more evil demons. He feared for them and for the few righteous men and women who remained.

  Validus could take it no more. He flew the portal to a distant view of the conquered city and stepped away. The marble floor caught the tears of the angels as they wept for their brothers and for mankind. Validus’s sorrow was so deep he could not weep. He launched himself into the air, spreading his wings wide to catch as much lift as he could.

  “Validus!” Persimus called, but Validus could not stay in the thickness of such heavy sorrow. He dodged fellow angels and exploded out through the high arched doors of the Hall of Vision.

  Zion looked dark and heavy. He glanced toward the Holy Mount where the Throne Room of Elohim was. Michael and Gabriel stood near the fiery pillars as if waiting for some order. Their swords were drawn, and they gazed across the holy city, watching.

  Validus fled from the sorrow, but there was no place to go. All of Zion was filled with the sorrow of evil’s conquest. Lightning and thunder shook the Upper Realm, and fear mingled with the grief of all. Validus flew across the city until he was skirting the open fields and hills of the outer lands. He thought he could hear the cheers of hell, and he covered his ears.

  How could Elohim have allowed the power of Apollyon to culminate in such victory … in such destruction? He dared not think the thought, but it would not leave his mind. Had He given Apollyon too much power? Would the war now come to heaven, to the very gates of Zion?

  Validus streaked across the pale-blue sky, racing to a place he had never been, to a land far beyond the borders of Zion. He skimmed the trees and waters at blinding speed, fleeing the questions and inner pain in his chest. What was the meaning of it all? Why did evil prevail? Why did he exist if only to spend thousands of years trying to be content yet denying the warrior heart that beat within his chest the opportunity to exact justice on the evil of all the realms?

  He slowed and fell to the green valley below, exchanging the beat of his wings for the sprint of his legs. In the distance he saw one of the stairways that led to the Middle Realm. He drew his sword and ran to a battle that did not exist. The images of Commander Danick standing like a stone wall against the tide of evil filled his mind. Validus jumped from a large boulder high into the air and swung his brilliant blade above his head. As he landed, he thrust the sword deep into the ground and knelt before it. His head drooped while his hands hung from the hilt of the unused sword of the King.

  There was so much about Elohim he did not understand. Pain, suffering, and evil seemed to abound. Many minutes passed as he became lost in questions and thoughts he knew he should not think.

  “What are you running from, my dear Validus?” The voice was strong yet gentle.

  Validus jerked his head up, and his stomach rose to his throat. The Prince of Perdition himself was there, and Validus was kneeling before him.

  Apollyon glowed in splendor, his wings white and his countenance nearly aflame. He did look different—better, more powerful. Though Apollyon’s eyes were brilliant white, Validus shuddered when he looked into them, for within their depths was something sinister.

  Validus stood carefully, keeping his hand ever on the hilt of his embedded sword.

  Apollyon smiled and slowly shook his head. One move and it would be the end of Validus. No one had stood against Apollyon and survived. Validus began to tremble.

  Apollyon tilted his head to one side, looking deep into Validus’s eyes. “What are you running from, my friend?”

  “I am not and never will be your friend.” Validus became aware of dozens of darkened wings rising up from the stairway and settling down around him.

  The Prince of Perdition closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I’ve been watching you, Validus. You have questions, good questions. Questions I once asked.” Apollyon opened his eyes. Wisps of red fire flickered in them, then faded to white. “My army celebrates victory as we speak.” His gaze turned lovingly down toward earth. “And it’s not too late to join me. His reign is over. It is obvious to you; I can see it in your eyes.”

  “No! You will never overcome Elohim. He is the Creator of all, and you cannot win.”

  Apollyon laughed. “Do not be such a fool. Did you see Him create me? Did any of you see Him create me?” He looked about at his gathering legion of evil warriors, and they shook their heads. “You have been lied to, Validus, for I am and always have been.”

  Validus searched for words of rebuttal, but there were none. Could it be true?

  “Join me, Validus, before it is too late. My victory over the Middle Realm is just a foreshadowing of my complete conquest. The war for heaven is coming, and you must choose. Join me and I will make you a king of lands!” Apollyon raised a clenched fist before him.

  The crafty words of Apollyon confused Validus, for they were supported by what he had just seen on earth and by the unanswered questions that daily plagued his mind. So many had chosen to follow him. Behind Apollyon he could see Niturni, his old friend, beckoning with a knowing smile. Validus scrambled to find something to hang onto, something that did not shift beneath him.

  He gazed into the mesmerizing eyes of Apollyon. He remembered looking into the eyes of Elohim, and peace filled his heart, for it was there that he found what he needed. The gaze of Apollyon did indeed hold great power, but there was an absolute absence of that which Elohim was: love. The terrorizing screams of humanity filled his mind in contrast to the unfaltering, gentle love of Elohim. In that Validus found his strength and his resolve.

  “You are a liar, Apollyon! And I will not follow you, for your ways are the ways of dest
ruction and death. I belong to the Great I Am!”

  Apollyon cringed at the words, and his brilliant white eyes faded into the fiery red eyes of a serpent. The color of his white wings melted to black coal, and a visage of evil transformed his facade of glory. He scowled, then sneered.

  “You fool!” His hand moved faster than Validus could respond. He grabbed Validus’s neck, squeezed, and lifted him into the air. “I will ascend to the throne of God and be like the Most High! I will rule both heaven and earth and all that is in them!”

  Validus clutched at the steely fingers around his throat, trying to loosen the grip enough to get a breath. The strength of it was frightening. A roar of curses and laughter rose up around him from the dark voices of the Fallen.

  “You are nothing but a weak-minded follower … the least of the least!” Apollyon threw Validus to the ground and drew his grisly black sword.

  Validus tried to rise up, but two of Apollyon’s demons were on him in an instant. They pinned him to the ground, finding an opportunity to blast a knee into his side. The pain churned his stomach. Why had he allowed his frustration to take him so far from Zion where no one would hear him call for help or come to his aid?

  Apollyon stood over him, lording his power and might with an arrogant sneer. “Oh, how I love to extinguish each one of His miserable slaves.” He raised his sword.

  Better to die at the hand of evil than to live under tyrannical rule, Validus thought and prepared himself.

  “My lord,” one of the demons called out and pointed upward.

  Apollyon turned his gaze to the skies. His league of demons all drew their swords as an army of white-winged angels descended on them.

  “Hold,” Apollyon commanded.

  Michael touched down just a few feet from Validus, who felt the demons’ grip on his arms loosen and tremble. Three hundred angels followed the archangel.

  Michael looked from right to left, and as his head turned, one of the nearby demons lunged toward him with his blade extended. Michael’s sword flashed so quickly that the demon only had time to scream before he was dissolved to a green vapor that sank down to the depths of the Abyss.

  “Venturing a little far from Zion, aren’t we, Michael?” Apollyon glared at his archenemy. “Surely you do not come for such a lowly creature as this, do you?” He pointed his sword at Validus, who still lay prone on the ground.

  Michael stepped around Validus to face Apollyon eye to eye. Validus took the opportunity to stand and retreat. His heart was racing. Would his foolish flight be the catalyst for a war in heaven now too? He glanced quickly around him and saw Persimus just behind him. His friend didn’t look pleased.

  “The outer lands have no claim, but come too close to Zion and we will end your days before your time.” Michael’s chest rose and fell with each angry breath. The defeat of Kish was still fresh on his face.

  “Make no mistake, Michael, I am coming to Zion, but it will not be my days that end, but yours.” Apollyon lifted his chin. “Earth and all of His creation are mine. Soon so will heaven be!”

  “You do not own all of earth.” Michael inched closer. He was anxious for a fight but seemed restrained by something higher. “The righteous are not all gone, and while one righteous soul remains, we will fight!”

  Elohim’s holy angel stood brow to brow with the Prince of Darkness, both tightly gripping their swords.

  “Then you fight in vain, foolish angel, for it is only a matter of time before we kill them all and send their souls to hell where they belong.” Apollyon’s scowl turned to a heinous smile. “And when that happens, I’m coming for you.”

  One trailing demon rose up from the stairway and flew toward his master. He was one of Apollyon’s messengers, and he didn’t even balk at the apparent impending battle as he landed just behind his dark lord. Apollyon seemed to sense the urgent message. He stepped back from Michael and turned, but maintained eye contact with the captain of the heavenly host.

  “Archangel,” one of the angel captains called to Michael. “Gabriel comes.”

  Michael glanced upward. Validus looked as well and saw a silver streak coming from the direction of Zion.

  Two messengers—one from below and one from above. Something had happened.

  “What is it, Zurube?” Apollyon commanded.

  “Elohim has spoken to a man.”

  Every angelic being, both good and evil, fell to utter silence. No one moved, as if frozen by the power of that single message and what it might mean.

  Apollyon broke the silence. “Who is the man?”

  Zurube hesitated. “He is of the seed of Enoch. It is the man Noah.”

  As if a veil were rent between them, the forces of good and evil peeled up and away from each other: Apollyon and his demons toward the stairway to earth, Michael and the holy angels toward Zion.

  “Assemble on the Holy Mount,” Michael commanded to his captains and then flew to intercept Gabriel.

  Validus rejoined Persimus as they hastily made their way toward Zion’s Holy Mount.

  “What do you think it means?” Persimus called to Validus above the sound of hundreds of beating wings.

  Validus knew of this man Noah. He was one of the last of the righteous. Perhaps now the only righteous man alive on earth.

  Every time Elohim spoke to man, something significant happened.

  “It means we are not beaten,” Validus called out.

  Persimus returned a wide smile.

  Validus looked toward Zion and the Holy Mount, where his King ruled. “Not beaten indeed,” he repeated to himself.

  7

  ENEMY AT THE GATE

  2468 BC

  The assembly of angels on the Holy Mount waited. The Great Hall and the Throne Room of Elohim could not hold them all. Validus and Persimus were able to gain a position on the grounds just before the grand doors of the hall.

  Thousands and thousands of thousands gathered to hear the words of the Almighty. Validus could not begin to imagine the words of the Creator, but since He had spoken to the man Noah, there must be some great plan to regain the earth and wrest humanity from the grip of Apollyon.

  They waited until the doors opened. Brilliant white light spilled from the crack and out onto the city of Zion. Validus shielded his eyes as the doors continued to open until all of Zion was bathed in Elohim’s brilliance. Validus had to close his eyes, but it did not help, for the piercing white light penetrated his eyelids.

  Just as he was about to turn away, the light subsided and he caught a glimpse of two cherub angels cloaking Elohim in His robe. The entire assembly of angels lifted their voices in worship to the King. A glorious song of praise filled all of heaven with perfect music, and Validus could not contain the worship that poured from his soul for almighty God.

  Elohim held up His hands and the assembly hushed to silence. Validus waited in anticipation to hear how Elohim would recover His creation.

  “I will destroy man, whom I have created, from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I regret that I have made them.”

  Elohim’s voice thundered across the Holy Mount to every ear in Zion. And when the thunder of His voice diminished, all that remained was the heaviness of silence.

  Validus stood stunned. The words of Elohim were never spoken indiscreetly. They were always just and true, but what could He mean? Validus looked at Persimus and saw the same confusion. Destroy man and all living things? How could this fulfill the Plan? Had He abandoned the Plan along with His creation? Had Elohim made a mistake?

  Before Validus’s thoughts could grow wild with doubt, Elohim spoke again.

  “The man Noah has found grace in My eyes, for he is a just man, perfect in his generations. I have made a covenant with him, and by him the Plan to restore humanity will come. The warriors that remain shall keep him and his family until the day of My judgment. I will destroy humanity in order to save humanity.”

  Elohim gazed across the holy assembly. �
�Be mindful of your brothers, for the days ahead will be difficult.”

  Michael and Gabriel lifted their hands and shouted, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.”

  Then all of Zion was filled with angelic voices that shouted in unison, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.”

  At first the Fallen did not fully grasp the impending judgment, for they did not hear the words Elohim had spoken to Noah, but General Tarsis was quick to discover the truth. That was the day Apollyon came to the gates of Zion.

  Alarm sounded across the walls of Zion when Apollyon flew toward the gate. He was alone, but this in no way diminished the apprehension all felt at his approach.

  Validus was nearing the end of his duty at the gate. He and three other guards drew their swords. Razeem was their superior and the guard of the watch, so he moved forward, but Validus could tell he was unnerved by the presence of the Enemy of heaven.

  “Girlanka, find the archangel,” Razeem said. “Quickly!”

  Apollyon came close but did not draw his sword. His arrogance was intimidating. “I will have an audience with Him.”

  “Of whom do you speak?” Razeem goaded, for all knew Apollyon hated to speak Elohim’s name.

  Apollyon charged him but stopped inches from Razeem’s blade. “Don’t play with me, pawn, or I will crush you like I have crushed all of earth!”

  Razeem flew back slightly, putting some distance between them. “Michael will deal with you. You will wait here.” His voice did not match the command of his words.

  Validus gripped his sword tightly. He had felt the power of Apollyon, and it frightened him.