Chapter Five 

The clash of swords filled Jeremy’s ears as he and Gabriel entered the courtyard of the Ellendon Fortress.

“Nathaniel, keep your wrist straight,” Denbare shouted. “Dance with it. Make him work for position.”

Jeremy and Gabriel headed for the Captains barracks. Slowly the sound of angels training abated as everyone stopped to observe Jeremy.

“Jeremy,” Jabon said as he motioned for him to come closer.

Jeremy walked over to him and slapped his hand hard with a firm handshake.

“My friend,” he exclaimed.

Jabon slowly circled Jeremy examining his stature.

“I heard that you were anointed and sent forth with Gabriel. Sure wish I could have been there to see if for myself. Man, your wings look twice the size they were before you left.”

“I know. They took some getting used to. But man, I can fly three or four times as fast now.”

Leaning over to Jabon, Jeremy said with a hushed voice, “I was able to keep up with Gabriel, stride for stride.”

“So you think you can out race me do ya Jeremy.”

Jeremy blushed as Gabriel joined the two of them.

“Perhaps I will give you a run for your money tomorrow. Come, we have work to do.”

See you later Jabon,” Jeremy said as he turned to follow Gabriel.

Gabriel motioned for Michael to join them as he entered the Captains Quarters. He pulled down a couple of glasses and filled them half full of wine. He handed a cup to Jeremy and motioned for him to take a seat at the conference table.

Michael came in and poured himself a glass of wine. He bent over the conference table and swept his hand across the top in a wide arc. The table turned black with spots of red and white glowing like floating candles in a sea of darkness.

Gabriel studied the table and took a sip of wine. He scanned from left to right and looked at Jeremy.

“Jeremy. Now begins your real education. What do you see before you?”

Jeremy leaned over and studied the table. He reached out and swept his hand back and forth across the table.

“The lights. They are, hmmm.”

Gabriel watched as Jeremy searched for his response.

“I don’t know how I know this but the white spots are angels and the red spots are Satan’s fallen angels.”

“Yes.” Gabriel said.

“Which one is Satan himself?” Michael asked.

Jeremy closed his eyes and relaxed. Reaching out he let his hand drift across the table.

“None of them,” he said.

“Good.” Gabriel said. “Jeremy, the Lord has given you a gift. The ability to sense your enemies presence. You must learn how to use it and use it well.”

Jeremy’s heart raced with the gravity of Gabriel’s words.

Michael look him straight in the eye. “Up till now I have shielded you from our enemies. I have kept a fog of light surrounding you which blinded them. The battle before us now requires our full attention and focus. We need you to step up and fight like an Archangel.”

Jeremy looked at them. While he wanted to shrink back from this challenge, a hot burning passion coursed through him. Looking at the two elder angels he slowly pulled out his sword. The blade shimmered with sound as it cleared the mouth of the scabbard. He held it out in front of him with his right hand then quickly slashed the air right to left than swung it around in a wide arc and brought it down over his head. He twirled it around a few times and sheathed it.

“Nothing would satisfy me more,” he said, a smile slowly growing on his face.

Michael smile at Gabriel. “I remember the first time I felt that fire myself. Invincible, that is what it felt like to me. Invincible and determined. Like nothing would ever stand in my way again.”

“Yes,” Gabriel said. “Till the lessons of war brought home the reality of just who we are dealing with.”

“Jeremy,” Gabriel said looking at him.

Jeremy looked him right in the eye. The compassion he saw was second only to the Lord’s.

“This isn’t going to be any cakewalk. Satan is crafty and he has a way of diverting you that will play right into any feeling of superiority you may feel towards him. Never forget, he was once the great herald of the Lord till pride consumed him. He will attempt to do the same with you. But know this, the Lord would not have chosen you or placed the fire of His will in you if He did not trust you. And if He trusts you, then I trust you.”

Looking back at the table Gabriel asked him, “Where will the enemy emerge from?”

Jeremy closed his eyes and relaxed. He opened his eyes and placed both hands on the table. He moved both hands to the left and the red and white lights shifted with them revealing more darkness from the right and hiding the same amount on the left. He felt his eyes drawn to a solitary cluster of red and as he focused he will the image to grow larger. He was able to see the individual fallen angels each light represented. He kept concentrating until he gasped.

“Berazel,” he whispered to himself. Looking up at Gabriel he said, “Berazel will bring his minions from the north. There are so many.”

Gabriel and Michael listened in silence as Jeremy continued to study the table.

Jeremy closed his eyes and waited for a few moments then opened them and placed his hands on the table. He pulled them towards himself and the darkness shifted again. The table began to glow red as he continued to pull his hands towards himself. The darkness between the red lights disappeared for the most part. Jeremy paused and cocked his head to the left slightly as he studied the new information. Suddenly a waft of foul smelling smoke hit his nostrils. Instinctively his head jerked away and he raised his hand.

“Oh my. The stench. Whew,” he said. He rubbed his watery eyes. “Man, I have encountered the stench of demons before but never like this. Whew. How do they deal with that.”

Gabriel and Michael moved to stand on each side of Jeremy.

“They are the stench Jeremy,” Michael said. “They have no clue they smell like that.”

“Well, somebody ought to clue them in,” Jeremy said. “Whew. Man…that’s rank.”

“Focus Jeremy,” Gabriel said.

From the right side of the table a small band of red lights emerged. Jeremy watched them move towards the red mass in the center of the table.

“His spies.”

“Yes,” said Michael.

“They know about us. They are going to tell Satan.”

“Yes, they know something is about to happen and who is being sent. But they don’t know why. The Father did not allow them to understand everything. Just enough.”

“Why did He let them understand anything at all?”

“He has His reasons. Everything has a purpose, everything has a time and place,” Gabriel said.

“Michael, how do you think they will proceed?”

Jeremy listened closely as the two old warriors began to strategize. This was going to take a while.

© 2011 John Pearson All Rights Reserved.