dismounted and strode towards them, speaking as he walked. ‘Forgive my tardiness, my honoured elders, my revered brother Michael. I received urgent word from my Revelator scouts. Our greatest danger, I regret, is almost upon us. Lucifer dispatched Darsoc and the Grey Magi this very dawn to follow the magi. It will be only a matter of time before Lucifer realizes that the newborn prince of the East, and Christos, are one and the same.’
All around the table lifted their heads; Michael and Gabriel exchanged a grave look. Lamaliel shook his head. ‘His wrath will be unbridled.’
Issachar stroked his beard. ‘His first action will be to investigate the constituents of Christos’ blood.’
‘We are well aware,’ said Xacheriel, drumming his large fingers, rather too loudly, on the table next to Jether.
‘Lucifer’s evil genius is no match for the unfathomable wisdom of Yehovah,’ said Jether, closing the book of Eternal Law. He placed his wizened hand softly on top of Xacheriel’s to restrain his pounding.
‘He becomes blinded by his own preconceptions,’ stated Issachar.
‘His choice to consistently despise Yehovah’s treaties struck with the Race of Men in aeons past could ultimately lead to his demise,’ Gabriel said.
Jether nodded.
‘His pride renders him more careless. He is contemptuous of the accords which will be to our advantage.’
Xacheriel stroked his bushy eyebrows. ‘He will be more easily persuaded with his misgivings satisfied.’
Jether nodded. ‘We must have faith.’
‘Lucifer is become drawn to the Eastern regions,’ Michael rose. ‘He dispatched Dagon and his Black Horde deliberately to divert me to the West. I sent forty legions after Dagon to dispel my brother’s unease – eighty of my legions remain hung well back in the First Heaven. They await my return to the East.’
‘My Revelator legions are mobilised,’ Gabriel added. ‘The Proclaimers and scouts left for the Eastern horizons at dawn. They await your command, brother.’
Jether stood up slowly from the table, as did the seven elders. Jether clasped Michael’s arm, and they followed Gabriel across the pearl sands to the marble-columned pergola, up the gilded steps to the lush tropical gardens where the archangel brothers’ thrones stood beside the waterfalls of nectar. The blue gales blew violently. Jether stared out past the Sea of Zamar at the winged stallions galloping across the pearl beaches. Far above the stallions an enormous white eagle with golden talons soared towards them.
The eagle landed gracefully on the sands next to Jether, who unclasped a missive with the seal of Yehovah from its diamond collar. He read silently.
‘Yehovah summons me,’ he murmured, then turned to gaze up at the shimmering indigos and lilacs of the rainbow overarching the Crystal Palace. To the north of the two massive trees in the hanging gardens, above the labyrinths, a colossal ruby-encrusted door, ablaze with light, was embedded in the tower’s jacinth walls – the entrance to Yehovah’s throne room. There were few, so few, who had ever gazed upon the beauty of Yehovah’s countenance. Jether, faithful steward of Yehovah’s mysteries, was one.
Jether closed his eyes. ‘The codices of the White Judgement,’ he whispered. ‘They are to be opened.’
Michael stepped back, stunned.
‘The codices of fire,’ Gabriel echoed.
Jether nodded. ‘The Day of the Seventh Stone approaches.’
He mounted the great eagle, sitting astride the golden saddle and stroking its soft white neck feathers. The eagle looked up at Jether, its piercing brown eyes gentle, awaiting his command.
‘Faithful Vespar, I would journey to the labyrinths of the seventh spire,’ he said, his eyes strangely misted.
‘Michael – make haste to the eastern heavens. Gabriel – meet me in the seventh spire of the labyrinths. Let us never forget, my angelic princes, that we fight on behalf of Yehovah for the greatest prize in the
All around the table lifted their heads; Michael and Gabriel exchanged a grave look. Lamaliel shook his head. ‘His wrath will be unbridled.’
Issachar stroked his beard. ‘His first action will be to investigate the constituents of Christos’ blood.’
‘We are well aware,’ said Xacheriel, drumming his large fingers, rather too loudly, on the table next to Jether.
‘Lucifer’s evil genius is no match for the unfathomable wisdom of Yehovah,’ said Jether, closing the book of Eternal Law. He placed his wizened hand softly on top of Xacheriel’s to restrain his pounding.
‘He becomes blinded by his own preconceptions,’ stated Issachar.
‘His choice to consistently despise Yehovah’s treaties struck with the Race of Men in aeons past could ultimately lead to his demise,’ Gabriel said.
Jether nodded.
‘His pride renders him more careless. He is contemptuous of the accords which will be to our advantage.’
Xacheriel stroked his bushy eyebrows. ‘He will be more easily persuaded with his misgivings satisfied.’
Jether nodded. ‘We must have faith.’
‘Lucifer is become drawn to the Eastern regions,’ Michael rose. ‘He dispatched Dagon and his Black Horde deliberately to divert me to the West. I sent forty legions after Dagon to dispel my brother’s unease – eighty of my legions remain hung well back in the First Heaven. They await my return to the East.’
‘My Revelator legions are mobilised,’ Gabriel added. ‘The Proclaimers and scouts left for the Eastern horizons at dawn. They await your command, brother.’
Jether stood up slowly from the table, as did the seven elders. Jether clasped Michael’s arm, and they followed Gabriel across the pearl sands to the marble-columned pergola, up the gilded steps to the lush tropical gardens where the archangel brothers’ thrones stood beside the waterfalls of nectar. The blue gales blew violently. Jether stared out past the Sea of Zamar at the winged stallions galloping across the pearl beaches. Far above the stallions an enormous white eagle with golden talons soared towards them.
The eagle landed gracefully on the sands next to Jether, who unclasped a missive with the seal of Yehovah from its diamond collar. He read silently.
‘Yehovah summons me,’ he murmured, then turned to gaze up at the shimmering indigos and lilacs of the rainbow overarching the Crystal Palace. To the north of the two massive trees in the hanging gardens, above the labyrinths, a colossal ruby-encrusted door, ablaze with light, was embedded in the tower’s jacinth walls – the entrance to Yehovah’s throne room. There were few, so few, who had ever gazed upon the beauty of Yehovah’s countenance. Jether, faithful steward of Yehovah’s mysteries, was one.
Jether closed his eyes. ‘The codices of the White Judgement,’ he whispered. ‘They are to be opened.’
Michael stepped back, stunned.
‘The codices of fire,’ Gabriel echoed.
Jether nodded. ‘The Day of the Seventh Stone approaches.’
He mounted the great eagle, sitting astride the golden saddle and stroking its soft white neck feathers. The eagle looked up at Jether, its piercing brown eyes gentle, awaiting his command.
‘Faithful Vespar, I would journey to the labyrinths of the seventh spire,’ he said, his eyes strangely misted.
‘Michael – make haste to the eastern heavens. Gabriel – meet me in the seventh spire of the labyrinths. Let us never forget, my angelic princes, that we fight on behalf of Yehovah for the greatest prize in the
Similar Books
