plan and somehow circumvent the death of Yeshua. "My dealings with El are not your concern," he said. "You are here to help the kingdom. To determine if truly your repentance hath been to sorrow, turn from your wicked ways and restoration may be interceded for thee."
Iblis laughed mockingly, "But is restoration possible for a being whose heart is stone? Can I, who hath changed his own stone, remove the scar contained therein? Can I, indeed, come home, Kortai? Can I?" Iblis rent his robe to reveal his kilnstone. His beating heart pulsed in his chest and across his breast lay a discolored scar. "Look, oh high prince, and make promise to me if thou art able. Can this which I have done be undone?"
Michael stared at the scar Iblis had made. A token of Iblis' commitment to follow Satan. The public physical confession of those who belonged to Satan. An act Michael had come to learn that Lucifer commanded of all those that would follow him. 'Mar with thine own hand that which El hast placed within thee. Show me thy devotion with a token of initial obedience.
Michael gave a somber nod and said, "All things are possible with El."
"You will let me pass this instant!" a distant voice said from outside the cell door.
Michael turned toward the sound of scuffling. His hand fell to the hilt of his sword as he took a stand between Iblis and the entryway. The door swung open and Jerahmeel strode in. Michael looked past Jerahmeel to the two guards that lay on the floor unconscious.
Jerahmeel wore a look of disgust. "I will speak to this prisoner, nor will you hinder me, unless you care to join these on the floor," he said, pointing to the unconscious guards on the floor.
Michael loosened his hand from the hilt of his sword and stepped aside.
"Wise move," Jerahmeel said. He walked toward Iblis, grabbed him by his torn robe, lifted him off his chair, and slammed him against the wall. "My charge, Chronos, believed in you and now he's dead! Dead! And why? Because he convinced the council that saving you from your master was to the benefit of Heaven. You will, therefore, give his death meaning by revealing what possible information could a traitor to the realm be worth the risk of life to save?"
Michael looked at Jerahmeel concerned, and interjected, "Jerahmeel, do not hurt him."
Iblis struggled to speak whilst Jerahmeel pushed even harder against his breast, ignoring Michael.
"SPEAK," Jerahmeel said, "or by Heaven and Earth, you will have more than Lucifer and Charon to fear! Speak I say..."
"Jerahmeel!" Michael moved to his side.
"Lucifer builds a forge..." Iblis whispered.
Jerahmeel smashed him against the wall again. "SPEAK!" he roared.
"JERAHMEEL STAND DOWN!" shouted Michael as he pulled the Sword of Ophanim from its sheath and it buzzed to life.
"LUCIFER BUILDS A FORGE!" Screamed Iblis. "HE SEEKS TO REBUILD THE KILN!"
Jerahmeel dropped Iblis to the ground while his captive panted and wheezed from his treatment.
Michael stood in disbelief, his mouth open.
Jerahmeel looked at Iblis satisfied, turned and walked past the frowning Michael. "You were taking too long," he said, smiling as he left the room.
* * *
Enoch's breathing grew heavy as he sparred with Kalien in the use of the sword. He ducked as the angel swung at him.
"You are too slow, Adamson! Move quicker," Kalien said.
Enoch parried the blow of Kalien's blade and kicked him hard in the chest, sending him reeling.
Kalien smiled. "Yes, that's more like it." He lifted himself into the sky and accosted Enoch from the air.
"Not fair," Enoch shouted. "You know I cannot fly."
Kalien laughed and swiveled mid-air. His wing knocked Enoch to the ground. The human tumbled and spun to drive Kalien's sword smack into the ground, then ran from his foe.
Kalien pursued, landed in front of him and pointed his sword at his throat. "Do you yield?" he said.
"Aye," Enoch said. "I yield. How the Lord expects me to combat your kind is beyond me. How am I to fight
Iblis laughed mockingly, "But is restoration possible for a being whose heart is stone? Can I, who hath changed his own stone, remove the scar contained therein? Can I, indeed, come home, Kortai? Can I?" Iblis rent his robe to reveal his kilnstone. His beating heart pulsed in his chest and across his breast lay a discolored scar. "Look, oh high prince, and make promise to me if thou art able. Can this which I have done be undone?"
Michael stared at the scar Iblis had made. A token of Iblis' commitment to follow Satan. The public physical confession of those who belonged to Satan. An act Michael had come to learn that Lucifer commanded of all those that would follow him. 'Mar with thine own hand that which El hast placed within thee. Show me thy devotion with a token of initial obedience.
Michael gave a somber nod and said, "All things are possible with El."
"You will let me pass this instant!" a distant voice said from outside the cell door.
Michael turned toward the sound of scuffling. His hand fell to the hilt of his sword as he took a stand between Iblis and the entryway. The door swung open and Jerahmeel strode in. Michael looked past Jerahmeel to the two guards that lay on the floor unconscious.
Jerahmeel wore a look of disgust. "I will speak to this prisoner, nor will you hinder me, unless you care to join these on the floor," he said, pointing to the unconscious guards on the floor.
Michael loosened his hand from the hilt of his sword and stepped aside.
"Wise move," Jerahmeel said. He walked toward Iblis, grabbed him by his torn robe, lifted him off his chair, and slammed him against the wall. "My charge, Chronos, believed in you and now he's dead! Dead! And why? Because he convinced the council that saving you from your master was to the benefit of Heaven. You will, therefore, give his death meaning by revealing what possible information could a traitor to the realm be worth the risk of life to save?"
Michael looked at Jerahmeel concerned, and interjected, "Jerahmeel, do not hurt him."
Iblis struggled to speak whilst Jerahmeel pushed even harder against his breast, ignoring Michael.
"SPEAK," Jerahmeel said, "or by Heaven and Earth, you will have more than Lucifer and Charon to fear! Speak I say..."
"Jerahmeel!" Michael moved to his side.
"Lucifer builds a forge..." Iblis whispered.
Jerahmeel smashed him against the wall again. "SPEAK!" he roared.
"JERAHMEEL STAND DOWN!" shouted Michael as he pulled the Sword of Ophanim from its sheath and it buzzed to life.
"LUCIFER BUILDS A FORGE!" Screamed Iblis. "HE SEEKS TO REBUILD THE KILN!"
Jerahmeel dropped Iblis to the ground while his captive panted and wheezed from his treatment.
Michael stood in disbelief, his mouth open.
Jerahmeel looked at Iblis satisfied, turned and walked past the frowning Michael. "You were taking too long," he said, smiling as he left the room.
* * *
Enoch's breathing grew heavy as he sparred with Kalien in the use of the sword. He ducked as the angel swung at him.
"You are too slow, Adamson! Move quicker," Kalien said.
Enoch parried the blow of Kalien's blade and kicked him hard in the chest, sending him reeling.
Kalien smiled. "Yes, that's more like it." He lifted himself into the sky and accosted Enoch from the air.
"Not fair," Enoch shouted. "You know I cannot fly."
Kalien laughed and swiveled mid-air. His wing knocked Enoch to the ground. The human tumbled and spun to drive Kalien's sword smack into the ground, then ran from his foe.
Kalien pursued, landed in front of him and pointed his sword at his throat. "Do you yield?" he said.
"Aye," Enoch said. "I yield. How the Lord expects me to combat your kind is beyond me. How am I to fight
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