William H. Hallahan - Read Free Page A

replied.
 
 
    "If we are to do this," Lucifer told them all when they
had assembled far from the throne of the Lord, "let us do it
quickly. Surprise and speed are essential."
    And in great haste they built fires and erected forges and they
made spears and flaming swords and lightning bolts and other
impedimenta of war. And they girded themselves with armor.
    Lucifer conferred with the leaders--Moloch and Beelzebub and
Belial and Timothy. And quickly he sketched a plan of battle. He put
Beelzebub's forces and his own side by side in the center of the
line. Timothy's vast host he put at the right wing, and at the left
he disposed all the others, holding the forces of two legions in the
rear for reserve. And they marched toward the throne of Heaven.
Lucifer had decided that he would have it for himself.
    Fully seven tenths of the angelic host had defected. And when the
enormous army was seen by the Lord, Michael was hastily summoned and
he quickly drew his forces up in front in solid phalanxes to defend
the throne.
    Lucifer struck with the utmost ferocity. His troops soon had
Michael's army reeling. But Michael's flaming sword seemed to be
everywhere and he rallied his men and re-formed them and led them in
furious counterattack. Soon there was a stalemate in the center.
Though outnumbered four to one, Michael's forces had stood their
ground. But the price was high; they were nearly spent and Lucifer
was gathering for another attack.
    Lucifer had a surprise for them. While he made a great show of
presenting another attack, he secretly ordered Timothy on the right
flank to attack Michael's flank. And Timothy's troops responded
immediately and went into battle in enormous numbers, enough to
overwhelm the forces of the Lord.
    When they were nearly in the position of battle, streams of fresh
troops were released by Michael, all sworn to defend the throne and
the Lord. But these angels weren't armed. They walked out onto the
field of battle, and Timothy recognized every one of them--all
friends and comrades who had remained loyal. And they called on
Timothy's forces to lay down their arms, to repent. Soon they crowded
the battlefield and prevented by their presences the army of Timothy
from advancing on the throne of the Lord. Timothy became abashed. He
was unable to strike them, unarmed as they were. And their words were
having their effect: Many of his troops were throwing down their
arms. Hastily, Timothy called for a retreat and a regrouping. But the
unarmed angels followed after, mingling with Timothy's troops and
creating great confusion. The troops failed to disentangle themselves
and regroup. And more and more of them were wavering in their resolve
to attack the throne.
    In a short time Timothy's forces were nullified. And Lucifer saw
the collapse of his right wing, recognized the Lord's guile behind
it. The Lord well knew Timothy. Now Michael raised his flaming sword
again and led his weary troops into furious battle. They attacked
with all their weapons but most particularly with lightning bolts
that scorched the ground and blackened Lucifer's angels. The two
forces clashed in a thundering splintering collision. The battle
swayed back and forth, then Lucifer ordered his left flank to attack.
These were the forces of Moloch and his cohorts. And they proved
worthless. They hung back, they attacked without conviction. They
fled from danger. And their line parted, turned and fled. Soon all of
Lucifer's forces were in disarray.
    "Timothy!" he shouted. "Timothy! Attack! Attack!"
    But Timothy stood helplessly by and watched Lucifer and all his
officers and troops being slowly driven back to the edge of the
precipice. Michael with his flaming sword had formed a wedge and was
driving Lucifer back, back and farther back. At last Lucifer's troops
were fighting for their very existence, struggling to maintain a
toehold on the very edge of the precipice. And they failed.
    They were swept over the edge. Legion upon legion fell from