Chapter Sixteen
Becca approached Ellendon Fortress, her first visit to the bastion of angels. Gabriel had sent her to spy on DeKaylm and she had discovered that Qwantar was there to meet with Krendal.
She had been able to find out little but knew that Qwantar needing to speak with Krendal could only mean he was on his way to Jerusalem.
She came to the closed gates and landed on the platform outside them. She smiled and pondered which song she would sing to gain entrance. She was also a herald as well as a spy and never spoke when she communicated, only sang her words. She decided to sing a new song to the guards.
“Hello my friends,
Hello my fellow
Servants of the Lord.
Hello my friends,
Hello my fellow
Servants of the Lord.
May you praise Him
Praise Him with holy lips,
May you praise Him,
Praise Him with all your gifts.
Hello my friends,
Hello my fellow
Servants of the Lord.”
A guard looked over the side of the wall.
“Agatha, come here,” Jacob said. “There is a herald here.”
Agatha looked over the side of the wall next to Jacob.
“May it please you friend
To open the gates for me.
May it please you friend,
To open the gates for me.
For Gabriel,
Has sent me on a quest.
Yes Gabriel, Gabriel,
He sent me on a quest.
Which brings me,
Brings me to Ellendon Fortress.
Which brings me,
Brings me to Ellendon Fortress.”
The sound of Becca’s voice easily carried over the wall and echoed throughout the fortress. One by one, angels gathered on the wall to witness this wondrous sight. Some tried to sing along but the rest shushed them. The sound of Becca’s voice was so lovely and pure. The angels did not listen with their ears, but with their spirit. The sound of Becca’s voice resonating within each, causing their very souls to vibrate with love.
“Do you love Him?
Do you love Him as I do?
Do you love Him?
Do you love Him as I do?
Do you love Him?
Do you love Him as I do?
Do you love Him?
Do you love Him as I do?
He is merciful and gracious, and longsuffering
He’s abundant in goodness and in truth
He keeps mercy for thousands,
He forgives iniquity
He forgives all transgressions and all sin.
Do you love Him?
Do you love Him as I do?
Do you love Him?
Do you love Him as I do?
Do you love Him?
Do you love Him as I do?
Do you love Him?
Do you love Him as I do?
He is merciful and gracious, and longsuffering
He’s abundant in goodness and in truth
He keeps mercy for thousands,
He forgives iniquity
He forgives all transgressions and all sin.
Do you love Him?
Do you love Him as I do?
Do you love Him?
Do you love Him as I do?
Do you love Him?
Do you love Him as I do?
Do you love Him?
Do you love Him as I do?”
Becca started dancing as she sang. She twirled around and spun her robe. One by one, angels descended from the wall and joined her. As she repeated herself they learned the melody and some sang with her. Some danced and some did both.
Jeremy and Jabon noticed that all the angels were heading for the wall near the front gates. They stood still and listened as the chorus of angels grew and the song of Becca drifted over the wall.
“What is going on,” Jeremy said.
“Not sure,” said Jabon, “But I like it. It makes me feel, well, I just feel love.”
Gabriel leaned in between the two and quietly said, “It is Becca. The Herald of Praise and Truth.”
Jeremy looked at Gabriel. “I have never, I mean never heard anything as beautiful as that.”
“I have never felt a song so powerful. It fills me with love Gabriel. How does it do that.”
“Becca is the Herald of Praise and Truth. Come, let us go and invite our guest in.”
The three flew slowly towards the wall. Only the angels on duty remained at their posts. The rest joined in the song and dance. They flew gently over the wall and peered down at the gathering of angels below them. Becca weaved in and out between them as the others gathered into groups of four to six and danced among each other. Jeremy watched as the seemingly random dance moved with precision. Every angel in perfect synchronization with all the rest. And Becca weaving in and out.
Becca looked up and smiled at Gabriel. She weaved a few more times then glided up to the three watching from above. The song and dance continued as her eyes met Gabriel’s. He reached out and took her hand and began dancing with her as they drifted over the wall. Jeremy and Gabon followed, mesmerized by what they were witnessing.
Jeremy watched angels rise and descend around Gabriel and Becca as they danced their way to the ground. Once their feet touched down Gabriel wrapped his arms around her and held her close for quite a while.
Jeremy and Gabon landed next to them and waited for the embrace to end. Gabriel stepped back and still holding her hand it turned towards his two fellow warriors.
“Becca, allow me to introduce you to Jeremy and Jabon.”
She smiled and began singing again.
“Is this Jeremy?
The one true Jeremy?
The one the Lord has chosen for Himself?”
Jeremy melted in his boots. His mouth moved but no words escaped his lips. Becca giggled at him.
“Yes, yes. This is the one the Lord has sent with me to deliver the message to Zechariah.”
She curtsied to Jeremy. Turning to Gabon she sang soft and slow as she bowed before him.
“Hello Gabon,
Your spirit is righteous,
Your spirit is true.
The Lord delights,
The Lord delights in you.
You honor those,
You honor those,
Who stand with you.
I am honored,
To stand with you.
Hello Gabon,
Your spirit is righteous,
Your spirit is true.
The Lord delights,
The Lord delights in you.
You honor those,
You honor those,
Who stand with you.
I am honored,
To stand with you.”
Young Gabon simply fell to his knees before her.
“I am the one who is honored. I have never met a herald before. You words, your voice, it is too wonderful. How – how is one to take all this in?”
Gabriel looked at Becca. He motioned with his head for her to follow him.
“Come Jeremy, you need to hear her report. Gabon, please find Michael and ask him to join us.”
Gabon rose to his feet. He looked at his friend Jeremy. The sense of oneness and camaraderie was greater than he had ever felt before.
“You go Jeremy, you go. You the angel,” Gabon said. He smiled and punched him in the arm.
“Uh, yeah Gabon, right. Save it for another time bro. See you in a bit.”
Jeremy, Gabriel and Becca headed for the Captains barracks. Gabon went in search of Michael.
Becca gazed around the fortress. This was her first visit to Ellendon though she had been in many of the kingdom’s fortresses. This one was different. It held a sense of royalty the others did not. The walls were not merely for protection. The artwork which adorned them declared, no commanded a sense of allegiance to the Lord. This was the home of Archangels. Not mere warriors, they were the captains of captains of captains. Their strength was infused in every panel, every notch, every bolt that held the walls in place. This was no ordinary fortress.
The walls glowed with a rainbow of colors unlike any she had seen, yet purple and white still seemed to effuse from everything. It was as if she could feel the color reaching out and touching her heart and soul. This fortress, it calls me to a higher place. Becca’s heart swelled with song and she burst aloud and started skipping to a beat only she heard.
Jeremy watched as Becca sang and skipped and danced. Her words and voice once again filling him with love and joy.
“Oh how the kingdom,
Calls forth itself.
Oh how the kingdom,
Calls forth itself.
It’s beauty is everywhere.
Oh how the kingdom,
Calls forth itself.
Oh how the kingdom,
Calls forth itself.
It’s beauty is everywhere.
The walls they call me forth,
To sing unto my Lord.
The colors reach inside me,
They stir a song within me,
A song unto my Lord.
The kingdom is beauty,
It’s beauty yes I feel,
I will sing of it’s beauty,
And to it’s beauty kneel.
My Lord is the kingdom,
The kingdom, yes is He,
And I am one, who delights,
To sing of His beauty.
Oh how the kingdom,
Calls forth itself.
Oh how the kingdom,
Calls forth itself.
It’s beauty is everywhere,
It’s beauty is everywhere,
It’s beauty is everywhere,
It’s beauty is ev-ry-where.”
The three arrived at the Captains barracks and entered. The other angels present quietly gathered their things and left.
“Would you like something to drink Becca? Something to eat?”
She smiled and nodded her head. Gabriel led her to the lounge chairs and sofas to await Michael.
Jeremy set some food and drink on the table between them and said a quick blessing over it. Becca popped a piece of fruit into her mouth and leaned over to Jeremy. She reached out and stroked his wing gently tugging on some of the feathers as she drew her hand downward. She reached the bottom tip and raised her hand back to the top of the wing. She closed her eyes and grasped the top edge of the wing. She squeezed the muscle along the ridge. She smiled and let go.
Jeremy looked on her, puzzled as to who she was. Something about her was different than any other angel he had ever met. He just wanted to remain in her presence. To drink it in. Her presence was pure peace. Not peaceful, but peace, the very essence of it. Just like the Lord’s presence. In fact, he realized, her presence reminded him more of the Lord’s presence than any other being he had ever met.
“This one is strong,
He is strong in our Lord.
A trial is coming,
A trial without swords.
The Lord He is mercy,
In your trial you will know,
The Lord He is mercy,
Unto you He will show.
You will protect His people,
Protect them well my friend.
You will protect His people,
Right to the bitter end.
For His loving kindness,
Unto you has been revealed.
For His loving kindness,
Within you it has been sealed.”
She stopped singing and layed her head upon his shoulder. Becca started crying softly, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of his uniform.
Jeremy looked at Gabriel. He silently mouthed his confusion to him.
“Just who is this?”
“Jeremy, this is Becca. She stands in the presence of the Lord. Continually. She is never not in His presence. This is different than what you or I experience. He is with us continually, but we do not continually stand in His presence. Becca does. Her heart is so inexplicably intertwined with His that she cannot not stand in His presence.”
“Why is she crying?”
“Because she knows.”
“Knows what.”
“She knows the trial that awaits you. She knows the trust the Father has in you and what He is going to allow in order that all creation will see.”
“See what,” Jeremy asked.
Becca placed her hand on Jeremy’s chest, right over his heart and softly sang again.
“This one is strong,
He is strong in our Lord.
A trial is coming,
A trial without swords.
The Lord He is mercy,
In your trial you will know,
The Lord He is mercy,
Unto you,
Mercy He will show.
You will protect His people,
Protect them well my friend.
You will protect His people,
Right to the bitter end.
For His loving kindness,
Unto you has been revealed.
For His loving kindness,
Within you it has been sealed.”
Jeremy felt his heart become very warm and he was filled with grief and tears. He felt a deep, deep, sobbing well up within him. He suddenly feared he would betray his Lord. He felt his weakness to stand firm for his Lord.
“I don’t want to fail,” He cried out sobbing uncontrollably. His whole body shook with grief and sadness and fear. “Nooo, please Lord, don’t let me fail you. I don’t want to fail you. Ever, ever. I can’t do this, I just can’t. I don’t know how to serve you in this. I just don’t.”
Gabriel leaned forward and stared to reach for his friend, but held back. He searched Becca’s eyes for some sense of what his friend needed. He dropped to one knee between the sofas. Everything, everything in him wanted to spare his friend this grief. But he understood. The Lord must test everyone. He must test them so they will know. So they will know their weakness and His power.
Michael entered the Captains barracks and joined his companions. He sat next to Jeremy and slid his arm around him.
“You are not alone my friend. You are never alone.”
Becca pulled a cloth from her sash and handed it to Jeremy. He dried his eyes and started sobbing again.
“All I have ever wanted was to serve my Lord. That’s all. I just want to bring Him glory and watch over His people. They need so much help. Everything is against them. The world, Satan, his demons. They are soooo fragile.”
Jeremy burst into tears again. He squeezed the cloth against both of his eyes and wept bitterly.
Becca sat back. She reached out and pulled his chin up so he could look her in the eye. Then she sang to him. Sang to him alone.
“This one is strong,
He is strong in our Lord.”
She waited then continued.
“A trial is coming,
A trial without swords.”
She waited again. Jeremy felt something changing within him.
“The Lord He is mercy,
He is mercy unto you,
The Lord He is mercy,
In your trial you will know.”
She sat patiently and waited again. Jeremy felt his grief changing. As though he soul and spirit were being cleansed, as though something had just been washed away.
Becca turned his gaze back upon her eyes.
“You will protect His people,
Protect them well my friend.
You will protect His people,
Right to the bitter end.”
Jeremy groaned in his soul and began grieving again. The grieving went deeper, deeper than he had ever known.
“This is the Lord’s grief Jeremy. This is not your own. You are feeling his grief over His people. Over each and everyone of them.”
Jeremy groaned again and again and again. He wept till he felt their was no more grief within him. But each time he stopped, Becca gently blew upon his heart and he would be filled once again with the Lord’s grief. Finally it subsided, then stopped altogether.
The Becca stood. She reached under Jeremy’s chin and drew him up off the sofa. She brushed his chest and smoothed his uniform then looked him directly in the eye.
“This one is strong,
He is strong in our Lord.”
She placed her hand over his heart and sang some more.
“For His loving kindness,
Unto you has been revealed.
For His loving kindness,
Within you has been sealed.”
Jeremy felt the completeness of the moment. Whatever Becca and the Lord were doing, it was finished, it was complete. She smiled and tugged on his sash drawing him closer. She slipped her arms around him and held him. He slipped his arms around her neck and pulled her close. He cupped the back of her head with the palm of his left hand and just held her. He held her a long time, longer than he had ever held anyone before.
She released her hold and stepped back. She turned to Gabriel and pulled out a small scroll.
“The report?” has asked.
She shook her head yes and curtsied. She twirled around and danced toward the door a few steps.
“Now I must be going,
My work here is done.
I can sense His presence,
Dawning over us.
Another He is calling,
For the battle must be won.
And I must be going,
For my work here is done.”
She bowed bending her right arm under her abdomen. She pulled her gown up from her left thigh making a wide arc from the floor up as high as she could reach. She stood and smiled and sang one last word.
“Toodaloo.”
With that she quickly turned and headed out the door of the barracks leaving the three angels to process her report.
“Well,” Jeremy said. “Didn’t see that coming.”
Michael laughed, “We never do.”
Gabriel walked over to the table and spread the scroll out along the map. He took a couple of paper weights and placed them on each end. Michael stood beside him and the two read silently together.
Jeremy poured a chalice of wine for each of them and carried them back to the map table. He set down the two for Jeremy and Michael and then eased into a lounge chair.
He felt drained. Not in a bad way, just drained. He closed his eyes and let his mind drift. He listened as Gabriel and Michael began discussing Becca’s news.
“Qwantar,” Gabriel said.
“Yes. I haven’t heard that name in quite some time.”
“And I don’t like hearing it now.”
“So he went to DeKaylm to meet with Krendal. That can only mean that he is planning to enter Krendal’s realm of authority,” Michael said.
“Did they really throw him in a dungeon? He’s gonna be pretty ticked off when he leaves DeKaylm.”
“He’ll get over it. So, the question is, where exactly is he headed.”
Gabriel studied the report some more.
“What are we missing,” Gabriel said. “Satan is sending Qwantar into Krendal’s realm. I am sure that he wants Krendal’s full attention upon us, so what is Qwantar planning to do?”
Jeremy opened his eyes.
“He is not going where we expect him to go and he is not going to who we expect him to go to,” Jeremy said. “Think about it. What does Satan really know? What does he suspect based on what he knows?”
Michael and Gabriel took seats with Jeremy.
“He has to know that the Lord is preparing to reveal the Messiah. And that means He is sending one before him to prepare Israel,” Gabriel said.
“So what would you do?” Jeremy asked.
“He doesn’t need to stop a message, he needs to stop a birth,” Michael said.
“Two births,” said Jeremy.
“We have got to protect Zechariah,” Michael said.
“Maybe,” Gabriel said.
“Maybe,” said Michael.
“Maybe,” said Gabriel.
“Elizabeth,” said Jeremy. “She is the key. Without a woman, there will be no child. If Satan knows you are being sent to Zechariah, then he will have Krendal deal with that. But Elizabeth. Who is Qwantar? What does he do that would move Satan to send him to Krendal’s realm?”
“A tormentor,” said Gabriel.
“A pretty good one at that.” Said Michael.
Gabriel looked at the other two angels.
“He always tries to bend a will, be it an angel or a human.”
“Or a demon,” said Michael.
“Exactly,” said Gabriel.
“And, he always tries to find your pain and twist it,” said Michael.
“Elizabeth is seventy three and barren. I think I know what pain she carries. Michael, who do you have that can go toe to toe with Qwantar?” Gabriel said.
“What do you mean?”
“Who can counter his moves well and not be manipulated by him themselves?”
“Hmm, Nathan, DeRick, Jameson.”
“Qwantar will not be alone. I am sure Elizabeth will not be his only target. He always gets a kick out of watching humans do his bidding. I am sure he will try to involve the other women,” Gabriel said.
“I had Ashton scout out Zechariah and Elizabeth before you arrived here and Elizabeth has a young friend Miriam. She is like a daughter to her. If Elizabeth is going to be tormented, then her young friend will be invaluable to counter anything Qwantar does.”
“Ok Michael, let’s send the three of them. Debrief them and send them quietly. Send them in a different direction and send a few to guard their trail and turn back any would be spies.”
“I’m on it,” Michael said.
“Jeremy, it’s time to prepare for our journey. You’ve got an hour before we leave for the Temple in Jerusalem. Meet me at the front gates. If I am right, we are going to have a little fun about one quarter of the way there.”
The two angels smiled at one another and grasped one another’s forearms.
“For the kingdom,” Jeremy said.
“For the kingdom,” Gabriel said.
© 2011 John Pearson All Rights Reserved.
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