very friendly.
Christopher turned toward Jerry and took a deep breath. “Demons are creatures of habit and duty. They will expect the older of us to do the talking. That would be you. They would be suspicious, even offended, if I spoke on our behalf.”
“All right,” replied Jerry. “What should I say?”
“Don’t worry what you shall say, for in this very hour the Lord shall tell you what to say,” said Christopher.
“Matthew 10:19,” replied Jerry.
Christopher smiled broadly. “Very nice, Jerry. OK, here we go. Are you ready?”
Jerry definitely looked nervous. “Into the valley of death rode the two.”
Christopher smiled slightly. “Rudyard Kipling would have been proud.”
They boldly advanced toward the archway. All the while the demons watched them carefully. These demons had taken on a visage not unlike the one that had appeared at the church a week ago. Except for their black bat-like wings, they appeared in all manner human. One toward the center advanced in their direction. He had the appearance of a man in his mid-30s, a handsome man at that; stranger still, he wore a pleasant smile.
“Greetings, children of the most high God,” he said. “I am Lieutenant Vigaran of the Seventeenth Cohort, Fifth Legion. I regret that my orders are to allow none to pass on this day. The city beyond these walls is not safe. Even now the streets are being cleared, and routes to the Holy Place are being given priority for those who seek communion with the Father. I assume that is where you are going.”
“You assume right, sir,” said Jerry, in as pleasant and respectful a tone as he could.
“I ask you to be patient with us,” said the lieutenant. “We have over ten thousand of our forces securing the city, making it safe for you. We do not wish to bar you from communing with the Father, but our concern is for your safety.”
“I can understand that,” said Jerry. “Tell me, has the City of God been damaged badly?”
“The damage is extensive,” confirmed the lieutenant. “Should a wall collapse at the wrong time and injure a child of God, I fear that we may be held accountable. We made a promise to the Father that no child of His would come to harm due to our actions. We intend to keep that promise. It is dangerous enough for the inhabitants still within the city. We do not wish to compound that danger by allowing additional people to enter.”
Jerry nodded. “Do you know when we will be able to enter?”
“I do not think it will be much longer,” assured the demon, “a week, perhaps less.”
“I understand,” said Jerry. “We shall return in a week.”
“I do appreciate your understanding,” said the demon, his smile growing. “It is my sincere hope that the children of God will one day come to trust and depend on us. I know that trust will not come easily; but we hope that, in time, we will be able to earn it.”
Jerry smiled as best he could. “I hope so too, really I do.” With those words, Jerry turned and walked away. Christopher followed. “I’m gating out, follow my lead.”
The starry mists materialized before them and they vanished into them. Jerry glanced behind him.
“Are we going home?” asked Christopher, looking over at his friend.
“No,” said Jerry, “not quite.”
A moment later, Christopher felt the cold wind as they materialized on the snowy ridge of a mountain. The cold wind seemed as if it were blowing right through him. He saw a great alpine valley before him. Through its center ran a mighty glacier. He turned around to see the magnificent City of Zion far below and about 20 miles away. The city dominated a high plateau just beyond a forested river valley. The city itself stretched out for nearly 30 miles. From here they could see that all was not well. Smoke still rose above portions of the great metropolis. The heaviest damage was around the Great Hall of the Angels near the center of the city and those parts of the city farthest south,
Christopher turned toward Jerry and took a deep breath. “Demons are creatures of habit and duty. They will expect the older of us to do the talking. That would be you. They would be suspicious, even offended, if I spoke on our behalf.”
“All right,” replied Jerry. “What should I say?”
“Don’t worry what you shall say, for in this very hour the Lord shall tell you what to say,” said Christopher.
“Matthew 10:19,” replied Jerry.
Christopher smiled broadly. “Very nice, Jerry. OK, here we go. Are you ready?”
Jerry definitely looked nervous. “Into the valley of death rode the two.”
Christopher smiled slightly. “Rudyard Kipling would have been proud.”
They boldly advanced toward the archway. All the while the demons watched them carefully. These demons had taken on a visage not unlike the one that had appeared at the church a week ago. Except for their black bat-like wings, they appeared in all manner human. One toward the center advanced in their direction. He had the appearance of a man in his mid-30s, a handsome man at that; stranger still, he wore a pleasant smile.
“Greetings, children of the most high God,” he said. “I am Lieutenant Vigaran of the Seventeenth Cohort, Fifth Legion. I regret that my orders are to allow none to pass on this day. The city beyond these walls is not safe. Even now the streets are being cleared, and routes to the Holy Place are being given priority for those who seek communion with the Father. I assume that is where you are going.”
“You assume right, sir,” said Jerry, in as pleasant and respectful a tone as he could.
“I ask you to be patient with us,” said the lieutenant. “We have over ten thousand of our forces securing the city, making it safe for you. We do not wish to bar you from communing with the Father, but our concern is for your safety.”
“I can understand that,” said Jerry. “Tell me, has the City of God been damaged badly?”
“The damage is extensive,” confirmed the lieutenant. “Should a wall collapse at the wrong time and injure a child of God, I fear that we may be held accountable. We made a promise to the Father that no child of His would come to harm due to our actions. We intend to keep that promise. It is dangerous enough for the inhabitants still within the city. We do not wish to compound that danger by allowing additional people to enter.”
Jerry nodded. “Do you know when we will be able to enter?”
“I do not think it will be much longer,” assured the demon, “a week, perhaps less.”
“I understand,” said Jerry. “We shall return in a week.”
“I do appreciate your understanding,” said the demon, his smile growing. “It is my sincere hope that the children of God will one day come to trust and depend on us. I know that trust will not come easily; but we hope that, in time, we will be able to earn it.”
Jerry smiled as best he could. “I hope so too, really I do.” With those words, Jerry turned and walked away. Christopher followed. “I’m gating out, follow my lead.”
The starry mists materialized before them and they vanished into them. Jerry glanced behind him.
“Are we going home?” asked Christopher, looking over at his friend.
“No,” said Jerry, “not quite.”
A moment later, Christopher felt the cold wind as they materialized on the snowy ridge of a mountain. The cold wind seemed as if it were blowing right through him. He saw a great alpine valley before him. Through its center ran a mighty glacier. He turned around to see the magnificent City of Zion far below and about 20 miles away. The city dominated a high plateau just beyond a forested river valley. The city itself stretched out for nearly 30 miles. From here they could see that all was not well. Smoke still rose above portions of the great metropolis. The heaviest damage was around the Great Hall of the Angels near the center of the city and those parts of the city farthest south,
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