Alhamdulillah!

Chapter Eleven

A Battle

I

Hosea sipped from his chilled Manhattan upon the highest balcony of his Cycladic-Style Beachfront manor. The home and the surrounding properties had been purchased for him to find solace.

His security team decided it would be in his best interest if he stayed secluded from the outside world, and he, reluctantly agreed.

No more whimsical strolls through the Venetian streets, buying rounds for everyone at an El Paso saloon, or getting something as simple as a shoeshine in a shopping mall.

He was too adored by his people, too worshipped to lower himself to connection and commencement with lower echelons and classes. He stood above them all in their eyes. He was the creator and provider of their most loved sustenance – the marvelous Blue Dream. The drink that offered joy, pleasure, motivation, and hope. No drug could replace it; nothing even came close.

The Blue Dream recipe was highly sought after, mystical in legend, for it was known that only Hosea knew the correct way to replicate it.

So, he stayed, protected from his people, captured in a castle amongst the Grecian coast on an island to himself, his employees, and his guests.

Hosea had difficult times sleeping, the dark presence inside him never needing rest. And as it swam through his bloodstream, projected from the black jewel upon his ring, Hosea could always feel an unextinguished hunger for power and violence.

He stood upon the balcony, finished off the last of his drink, and felt incredibly tired.

He looked down below to the white foamy waves crashing against the cliff and thought about jumping, wishing a sacrifice on his life would bring back his precious Salome.

When her death made the news, Hosea fell to the ground on his knees and ripped his shirt open. Ever since he was gifted the ring, his body, soul, and mind had been in a constant state of awareness and anguish towards each other. As he elevated, grew legions of loyal followers, knowing what he was about to do, Hosea seemed to have a bigger disdain of the climate at each new height.

A holy anger abided inside him now, a reflection of himself unto the world.

Women came and went – as well as the cars, hotels, homes, lawsuits, and delicacies.

The lavishness never meant much to him; he only desired a place to work in peace and carry on his plans of control.

A Grecian island seemed to have done the trick.

Only his closest and most devoted friends were allowed on the vast property.

He stepped into his office, looked at the legal paperwork that were stacked upon his desk – the Manual to World Domination.

Every contract, bill, handshake, speech, company, and fundraiser laid upon that desk.

Checkmate.

The kingdom had been taken from underneath them without anyone knowing. All it took was one PR campaign, one burst of media advertisement, then all the dominoes would fall.

And he had the greatest ally in the world. A blue bottle. Ice cold and shimmering under the setting sun, touching the lips of the world’s population. Over a billion beverages were consumed daily by people waiting for Hosea to make a difference; praying for him to direct them wherever his heart desired.

Blue Dream was served in large platinum vats, filled to the brim, chilled with exotic ices at the party going on in his home. Music played loudly, shaking every window of the abandoned neighboring homes on the island.

He should be celebrating his victory. Everything was about to be his.

Absolutely everything.

But somedays, all Hosea wanted to do was load up another black van and perform music across the country.

It didn’t have to be very many people. Sometimes he just wanted to start all over – without the blue drink and the black jewel. He had spent so much time learning the guitar and songwriting. Even though his performances were calculated, he still would have liked to record more from the heart.

He had masterpieces in him about Shiloh and his Salome. His family. How he adored them so. How he despised himself for ever hurting them.

Maybe, then… she wouldn’t have put the barrel of a gun to her heart and pulled the trigger.

Maybe she would still be alongside him. It disheartened Hosea that he could no longer remember the smell of her hair or count the freckles on her shoulders.

So many years had been spent with an empty heart, only temporarily being filled with grandeur and domination.

And in the loneliest of moments, he would trade everything for another chance to be with her.

Then the presence would take over him. Demanding an audience to be in awe as he would pull the strings. This was his stage – and may anyone who opposed him be pushed to the edge of the plank and forced to jump into the ocean.

After sitting in his plush office chair, there was a knock on the door.

A pretty woman with cream white hair stepped inside the office. She wore a simple designer black dress and black heels. “What are you doing in here, Hosea? You’re supposed to be enjoying today, not locked inside of your office.”

Hosea gave her a sleek yet unconvincing smile.

She returned the gesture and placed his hand in hers.

“In case you had forgotten, it’s kind of our anniversary celebration. And it’s sort of confuses the guest when the husband isn’t attending his own party,” she said. She took her hand from his and placed her palm upon his beard.

“Oh, my dearest wife, Lilith. What shall we ever make of the life we lead?” he asked, rubbing his beard over her palm.

“Is that what has torn you away from your friends and family?” Lilith asked.

“Maybe I don’t want to be around my friends and family and just want to be with my wife?” Hosea asked in response.

“Oh,” Lilith laughed then wrapped her arm around his shoulder, sat on his lap, and continued, “is that so?”

They kissed and gently swayed back and forth on the plush office chair for a few moments. “You’re going out there, Hosea. You’re not going to persuade me to stay in here,” Lilith joked and stood. “Nice try though.”

Hosea sighed and followed her by standing.

“After you, my darling,” Hosea said as they walked towards the bustling street party outside their luxurious home.

Yes, the women had come and gone, but Lilith always remained. She was different than anyone he had ever met. She always rejected his advances and never caved in to his tricks, for Lilith was also a child of Moriah.

Lilith was just as calculated and trained as him, if not far greater.

It was the unmistakable colour of her hair that gave it away amongst the sea of people attending his stadium concert.

When they reunited as friends, it was the truest form of passion he could feel. And when she rejected him, it would devastate him.

He would look out into the sea of people in general admission for that specific glow in her hair.

For months on end, he beat himself up, the dark presence would always remind him of Salome’s fate.

How much planning and tactical sociological movements and sacrifices he would have to make to explain her death.

“Hosea is a monster,” were the last words Salome spoke through a microphone.

She was such a prominent and successful painter in the art scene. Why would anyone want to take their life at the peak of their career? Whatever happened to their baby?

All of these were trials and complexities that had to be dealt with before people would trust him.

What was he to do? He had no other option than to villainize her.

Soon after, with every lie, tear, and smile, Salome and the child were long forgotten.

It was only the beginning of remorseful things the dark presence led Hosea to do in his quest for power. And as he stepped on the backs of everyone to elevate himself, the elevation seemed to justify the needs.

Lilith understood that. During her Harvest, she became a popular news journalist, travel writer, and war correspondent. She saw the world for what it was, how dangerous life could be, and how lost the people from every walk of life seemed.

She met a widely respected Colonel and began a romantic liaison with him. Even though she enjoyed his moments of tenderness, she found him quite a bore and dolefully pedantic.

He never knew she became pregnant.

During her Harvest pregnancy, she remained in a cheap hotel in Rome, finishing the first draft of a nonfiction novel, sipping lime-flavored sparkling water, and listening to Hosea’s records.

She boarded the private jet back to Moriah with her newly born son, sat on the throne of the palanquin, carried upon the golden streets, through the crystal city, up the sapphire steps, and into the Diamond Temple as those had done before her.

Lilith was rejoiced for her successful Harvest by the Moriah inhabitants at her Gathering celebration.

She placed her unnamed son in the hands of the nine elders and was granted access into the Sanctuary.

She asked Elohim for strength and favor during any challenge in life.

Elohim, the nameless deity responded, “I shall give you what you ask for. You will be hidden from enemies in plain sight. When lions are hungry, they will look upon you and feel full. When danger comes, you will be protected and guarded. Your skin will be as thick as diamonds, and you will not be led or devoured by your emotions. Let it be granted.”

Now, as Lilith enjoyed her anniversary amongst the Grecian island cobbled streets, with the crowd of people imploring her and envious, not a care in the world crossed her mind. Those closest to her wished for her position, to be adored and infatuated upon by Hosea, but she knew none of them would ever raise a finger in dispute to her. No weapon formed against her would prosper.

Hosea made her swoon but not for his massive wealth or fame, but how he looked at her, challenged her, and sought the deepest intensities of her soul.

They made a perfect couple. Their personalities melded and towered above everyone. As children of Moriah, they saw the rotating gears behind the clock and knew every correct movement to make.

Lilith knew of the dark presence dwelling in the black jewel interlocked with Hosea’s DNA. She saw how it would feed and devour him. It was his closest friend and dearest enemy. He felt abandoned if the presence did not take control of him when he desired.

There were times their lives seemed utterly normal. Hosea and Lilith could watch television and waste the day away in their large bed. Then without warning and in an instant, everything would change into chaos and vapid motion. The currents would pull them into another place, surrounded by new people, and be introduced into new and more difficult challenges.

Now, they were here, on their own island – seemingly with no place to call home.

When the anniversary party ended and the streets emptied, Hosea retreated to his plush office chair and smoked a cigarette alone and in quiet.

He exhaled smoke and picked up a stack of paper from his desk. Without looking at it, he placed the pile on his lap and brushed the pages with the edge of his thumb.

Hosea sat there, finishing off the last toke of his cigarette, when he crushed it in the ashtray and leaned back in his plush chair.

He rested his eyes for a few moments with his feet propped up on the desk, when a passing shadow crossed the light above.

Hosea rubbed his bearded cheek with the back of his hand and opened his eyes.

Upon the desk was a large owl staring dead at him.

Hosea pushed off the desk with his feet and lunged back, ramming the chair into the cabinet behind him.

“Shoo!” he waved at the owl, but it did not move or break concentration.

“It seems like you’ve been busy,” the owl spoke, looking down at the piles of contracts under its feet then continued to gaze upon him.

“Oh, great. It talks. Of course, it talks,” Hosea responded.

“Have we not spoken before, son?” the owl replied, pulling the wool from Hosea’s eyes so he could see clearly.

“Elohim?” Hosea stood and straightened his shirt.

“Yes, I am Elohim. I am the presence of light in the Sanctuary of the Diamond Temple. But I am also far more than that,” the owl replied as it extended its great wings far and wide. “Those who seek to have a relationship with me call me “Yahweh.” I am the alpha and omega – the beginning and end. I guide and protect my children; I forgive them for their mistakes and make their shortcomings their blessings,” Yahweh continued. The owl began to grow in height and strength. The golden feathers began to brighten, causing Hosea to shield his eyes with his hand. Yahweh began to speak with a fiery tongue, “I break down mountains for my children, I guide them so they can live abundantly and give them favour when they ask.”

Hosea stood, stark with fear and awe as Yahweh morphed into His true presence. “What is it you want?” he asked the brightening light. His eyesight faded and Hosea became blind, causing him to stumble on the hardwood floor of his office.

The bright light burned through the shirt on Hosea and penetrated through his skin, deep down into his inner being, causing the dark presence to take over his body.

Dark Hosea morphed into his true form, a shadow being with sharp-edged wings, large fangs, and incredible strength.

There in the office of the Grecian manor, stood darkness and light.

Dark Hosea saw Yahweh in His absolute true form where his human counterpart could not.

“Father,” Dark Hosea said as it bowed to Yahweh.

“Why are you doing this, Gadreel?” Yahweh asked the darkness.

The dark presence hadn’t heard his real name since the beginning of the universe. It brought back memories of Heaven and peace – before his fall from grace. Dark Hosea stood from his bow and answered, “They are just humans.”

Sharp talons came from the bright light, grasped upon Dark Hosea’s shadow, and screamed in holy anger, “They are my greatest Creation!”

Dark Hosea jerked himself loose from Yahweh’s grip. “I was supposed to be your greatest Creation!” he yelled back. “I was never going to bow to Adam.”

Adam, the first man, molded from clay.

“You created this world and this universe and asked for me to worship and praise it. I could never have given you that, Father. You gave them dominion and partnership with You, and I was just supposed to go along with that? After all we have been through? What we had was perfect! But this – I never understood why you would make these tiny and insignificant, mortal beings such a high and mighty throne,” the dark presence grew in strength and anger. Then, weakened and saddened it said, “When you created me, you called me ‘good,’ but when you created them, you called them ‘great.’ These creatures made from dirt – great. But I – I was made from your pure and perfect light. I…”

“And after all this time, you’re still angry with Me because you don’t see your purpose,” the light of Yahweh spoke.

“Oh, I’ve made my purpose and decisions, Father! I gave Eve the fruit. I have made offspring with your children of clay. My children were powerful giants and you killed them in the Flood of Noah. I put the blade in Abraham’s hand to kill his son and you gave them a lamb. I took everything from Job, and you returned to him double of what he lost. I made your precious David a murderer and adulterer and you still blessed him…” Dark Hosea replied shaking with anger. “…You always win, Father. Every time I try to show you how worthless and unreliable these humans are, you set them back on their feet and make them Kings and Queens. But my empires – you destroy! But what are you going to do now that my fire has been molded with your clay? What will you do with the world that I will have control of? Are you going to cast the humans that defy you and praise me from this Earth? Will you finally see me for my worth?”

“This world will never be yours, Gadreel,” Yahweh spoke.

“I know, Father,” Dark Hosea replied, “you’ve made that perfectly clear. But before this is over, you will see my power and witness my might.”

Dark Hosea placed his hands through the hardwood floor, past the stone foundation of the manor, and grasped a handful of dirt. “And you will see that I can make people, trees, oceans, and animals out of dirt – just like You.”

The light of Yahweh dimmed and morphed back into the shape of an owl. “Then make your own dirt,” he replied.

The dark presence receded back into the bloodstream of Hosea, leaving the blinded man on the hardwood floor with his hands full of clay.

Yahweh flew over to him and landed by his feet.

“I have blessed Shiloh tremendously, Hosea – even though she was born from Gadreel and Salome. She’s married now to a man named Joel and they have gone through space and time to save Salome from putting the barrel of a pistol to her heart,” the owl spoke. “This is my army. Everything that you are about to do, no matter the height of your fame and success, will be fought by them – your family. The high tower you are about to build will be shaky and weak. The chaos you are about to unleash will once again find peace and solace. People will once again praise “Holy” and “Shalom” in the streets because of your daughter and her strength and courage.”

Hosea, shaken with fear, began to crawl away from the voice until he hit the edge of a stairwell.

The owl flew to the bottom step beside his head and spoke softly, “You’re never too far gone. Remember that, my son.”

Yahweh brushed Hosea’s forehead with his light feathery wings then flew away into the night sky.

II

Three days later, light began to slip through the bandages over Hosea’s eyes as the doctors unraveled them.

Hosea’s vision had returned, and the events of that night seemed to be a blur. He looked down at his bare chest and saw large talon scratches marking his abdomen.

Lilith padded antibiotics over the scratches and dabbed liquid bandage on them. “Why don’t you just postpone it, darling?” she spoke, unfolding his shirt down to his waist.

“You know that would never happen. Everything I have ever worked for has come to this moment,” Hosea replied agitated.

“Okay, okay,” Lilith said. “Then by all means, do whatever you may.”

Solomon, the radio host that gave Hosea his first broadcasted performance, was now a wildly successful television executive. For the past three days, the Grecian island had been taken over by Solomon’s television crew to prepare for Hosea’s latest broadcast. His biggest one yet.

The island was crowded with performers, stage designers, developers, and choreographers.

Hosea’s return was not going to be missed.

Over 90 million people were estimated to tune in when the lights came on, translated in countless languages, and readily available to people across the world.

Solomon walked into the luxurious bathroom, where Hosea was sitting before a mirror, and makeup was being placed on his face.

“Good morning, Lilith,” Solomon said with a subtle smile upon his face.

“Good morning, handsome,” she replied, standing, and kissing him on the cheek.

“How is he doing?” Solomon asked, nodding over to Hosea.

“The redness in his eyes has gone away and he’s regained vision. He still can’t remember where the scratches came from,” she responded.

“Oh,” Solomon replied with doubt, “Hosea and his secrets.”

Lilith laughed. “Absolutely! The man is an enigma.”

“Well, at least it keeps everything a little more exciting. Keeps us on our toes,” Solomon said as he made his way over to Hosea.

He patted Hosea on the shoulders. “How are you doing, old friend?”

“I feel like I was thrown in a paper shredder,” Hosea replied.

Solomon smiled and said, “Well, I’m happy you’re alright. Would you like to postpone the show?”

Hosea stood, almost insulted. “I have never missed a show – ever! I don’t plan on starting today, especially when it’s as important as this!”

“Alright, Hosea! You know I didn’t mean anything by it. Just looking out for you, is all.”

“Is that what you are doing, Solomon? Or did you just come in here to try and pep talk me into giving you ratings?” Hosea snarked at him.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Solomon said in defense.

“You don’t want me to go on if I’m going to perform poorly,” Hosea replied in attack.

Taken aback, Solomon looked at Hosea with a confused worry. “That isn’t why I came in here at all. You’ve never performed poorly. I didn’t even think you could.”

Defeated, Hosea’s body weakened, and he shrugged his shoulders. “I’m sorry, Solomon. I’m just a little shaken up.”

Solomon reached out and placed his hand on his shoulders. “It’s quite alright, kid. When you’re in this business, you deal with your fair share of drama queens.”

The two laughed and hugged, patting their hands on each other’s backs, and put the argument behind them.

The broadcast was meant to be an hour-long performance and interview. Hosea played the handcrafted guitar he was given by the elders of Moriah – it being incredibly sentimental to him. He performed his classics, not having released new music in over a decade. Record labels clawed at the chance for a new album, but no one could afford him.

In all honesty, his music took the backseat in his purpose whenever Blue Dream became widely known and demanded.

Moriah had taught him the secrets to influencing people and winning over friends – and he bottled it for mass consumption.

Blue Dream was the American icon. And Hosea was the lovable singer-songwriter that winked at you when you took a sip.

Ninety million people sat around a television set, watching him perform with emotion and vigor. They were in awe of his talents and genius.

When the setlist had been performed, the stages had been moved away, and the scenery had been changed, Hosea shook Solomon’s hand and they sat down in their assigned seats.

Solomon told the audience Hosea’s story, they talked about the radio contest, how he won with the song about his grandmother, and how his career changed completely before their eyes. There was no mention of Salome or Shiloh – only his charisma, wealth, and success were placed into the discussion.

Then came the moment Hosea had always been waiting for, “…Well, you have a beautiful wife, an island, billions in the bank…what are you going to do with the rest of your life?”

“I want to be King,” Hosea replied.

Everyone tuned in opened their mouths awestruck.

“King of where?” Solomon responded, knowing he was sitting on a goldmine of ratings.

“Well, I suppose I don’t know, yet. But I think it’s time for me and my wife to go back home.”

“Are you saying you want to become King of America?” Solomon responded.

“No!” Hosea laughed. “That’s absurd!”

Solomon looked at him, without any expression coming to his face.

“I do not want land; I want people,” Hosea continued. “I want to help people make something great out of their lives. I want them to follow me and expect me to open better doors for their lives. I want to be a King because I know how to make a difference, and I know what is best for the people.”

And there it was. Ninety million people, with their bloodstream filled with the hypnotic toxins of Blue Dream, placing the crown upon Hosea’s head.

King, the multitude thought. “I like the sound of that.”

Checkmate.

III

The phone awoke Shiloh as Joel slept calmly beside her. She picked up the receiver and answered the phone as if she hadn’t yet been to sleep.

“Hello?” Shiloh answered with energy.

“Shiloh,” a female board member at her health technological company responded. “It’s beginning.”

Shiloh hung up the phone, ran her fingers through her long curly hair, and slammed her hand against Joel – jolting him back into reality.

“Oh, good. You’re awake,” she joked sarcastically. “Time to go to work.”

Shiloh slapped her badge on the passenger window and the security guard let them inside the facility.

Noah drove a newly purchased black van into a loading dock at Shiloh’s company’s headquarters.

A few of her employees pulled down the overhead door, enclosing the van.

Salome and Joel sat in the backseat, Yahweh had yet to return.

The platform Noah drove the van upon began to rumble and lower.

The four of them sat in darkness as the platform stopped.

Noah flipped on the headlights and Shiloh directed him through the underground facility.

After they came to their destination, parked the van, and stepped outside, a woman in a lab coat met up with them and directed them to a large vault door.

Shiloh elongated her slender hand, the golden owl ring shimmered as Tyto banded around it. She inserted a key inside of the door alongside the lab technician, both keys unsealed and opened the vault.

Inside was Shiloh’s most guarded secret: Joel’s battle armor.

For the past few years, before Joel had ever come into her life, Shiloh and an exceedingly small team of people worked diligently on the armor in preparation for this day.

A black leather chair sat under bright lights in the vault. Around them was a laboratory, with highly advanced machines, technology, and scientifically unknown elements.

“Go on. Sit,” Shiloh said to Joel.

In the physical realm, Shiloh, Noah, and Salome were nearly invincible. But Joel – mortal and human could weaken, lose, stamina, and be vulnerable to weaponry.

Shiloh’s Nephilim body was strong and stronger than steel.

Salome and Noah’s ghostly bodies could bend the physical properties of the universe and form the world to their will.

In the physical realm, Joel needed to become as invincible as them.

But this wasn’t only going to be a physical battle; the true danger lay ahead in the spiritual realm.

Joel’s body tightened and cracked as the green fluid was inserted into his body from the needle.

His skin became as strong as a matador, his bones became as dense as titanium.

After the excruciating pain of his bodily transformation, Joel could see more clearly, focus better, run faster, and lift an incredible amount of weight – he had become, for the lack of a better word, Superhuman.

Once his transformation had been completed, the four left the health technology facility in an ambulance in paramedic uniforms.

Noah drove the ambulance on the highway, sirens blasting, up a mountain winding road, and through a large, forested area.

Noah drove the ambulance through the forest until the four saw countless police officers, cruisers beaming blue and red upon the trees, and terrified people.

Below them, on the other side of the railroad track was an annual fall festival where the locals came to celebrate and enjoy themselves.

Hours before, a devoted follower to Hosea walked into the crowd of laughing and smiling people, took out his gun, and began firing at the innocent civilians.

He was a man who had drunk himself insane with Blue Dream and throned Hosea as his king. The man refused to sit by and watch the country decay by democracy. How insane were they, the patrons of this small festival, law-abiding and being led like sheep?

The man felt it was his calling to be the sacrificial lamb for Hosea.

Shiloh had known this day would come along and knew this was going to be the traumatic event Hosea would dig his nails under to elevate himself higher when his followers looked to him for answers.

Noah drove the ambulance to the site after the multiple hour-long shoot-out between the man and police – ended when a swat team bombarded behind him in the trees – a bullet tearing through his red jacket, entering and exiting his chest.

The massacred bodies lay beside each other underneath blood-soaked white sheets.

Noah, Shiloh, Salome, and Joel made their way down into the festival grounds to be near the bodies.

Shiloh stroked the golden owl ring on her finger, calling Tyto to appear. The band fell upon the ground and Tyto excitedly began to rotate and revolve.

“Take us to before this happened,” Shiloh spoke to Tyto.

They stepped inside of Tyto and were transported to the festival hours before.

People were laughing and enjoying themselves. Dim light bulbs were strung around the trees, warmly lighting the ground, and softly caressing the practitioners’ faces.

The four looked and scoured the area until they spotted the man in the red jacket, sipping from a warm bottle of Blue Dream.

Noah and Joel covered his mouth and pulled him into the darkness of the forest, where Shiloh and Salome were waiting for him.

They took the pistol from his jacket pocket and uncovered his mouth.

“Who are you?” the man asked in horror.

“We are the ones holding you back from making the greatest mistake of your life,” Salome responded, releasing the ammo jacket from the pistol, and throwing it far away from them. She then put the pistol near his face, leaned in, and whispered, “This isn’t the answer, son.”

“How…. how..” he muttered.

“We see everything,” Noah cut him off. “Now that we saved you and these people, we need you to do something for us and return the favor.”

The man thrashed and tried to break loose. He was angry and felt there was still time to go through his plans.

Joel slapped him in the face. “Hey! You need to calm down and listen to my friend here!”

The man began to abandon his movements, seeing breaking free from their stronghold as hopeless. After a few moments, with the four holding him down, the man asked, “What is it you want?”

“That’s a good question, son,” Salome responded. “Exactly what we wanted to hear. We need you to give Hosea a message.”

Tyto appeared.

The man shrilled in fear as the four grabbed him and entered inside of the glowing rings of eyes.

Hosea and Lilith were sitting alone, eating dinner on the oceanfront balcony when the large entity appeared. Hosea and Lilith quickly stood from their seats as they saw five people exit the illuminated being.

The four held a man in a red coat.

Then Hosea saw her – Salome.

His heart dropped and he was at a loss for words.

“Who are you?” Lilith asked them.

The four released the man and he fell to the ground. The man crawled, bowed to Hosea, and kissed his feet.

“I’m Salome, Hosea’s first wife. This is Shiloh, our daughter. This is Joel, her husband, and….”

“…. Noah. The best saxophonist I’ve ever heard,” Hosea murmured with a downcast head.

The man stood and replied, “Hosea doesn’t have a daughter or a first wife.”

Lilith saw her husband’s fear and became viciously protective of him. She turned to the table, grabbed a knife, and threw it across the oceanfront balcony.

The knife pierced through Joel’s paramedic uniform and bent like soap shavings upon his diamond thick skin.

Joel leaned down and picked up the curved and broken knife. Everyone stared at it as if it were some rare artifact from another planet.

He smiled and began to laugh hysterically. “Your armor works, honey!”

Shiloh grabbed the knife from his hand and threw it across the balcony floor. “So, it begins,” she spoke softly.

“He was going to massacre innocent people for you, Hosea,” Salome said, looking at him straight in the eyes. “It’s going to happen more quickly; people are going to want to create the most chaos for you. We won’t be able to save everyone. Stop this, Hosea. Please? Take Blue Dream away from the public.”

“I…. I will,” Hosea replied more sternly than he hoped.

“Thank you, Dad,” Shiloh spoke.

He looked straight into her eyes. There was no mistaking it, she was a part of him. He looked at her thick curly hair and gave her a small grin.

“What?!” Lilith replied in shock. “Surely, you can’t be serious!”

“You can’t take away Blue Dream from me!” the man said, aching for another taste.

“It’s alright. It’s alright,” Hosea responded, placing his hand on Lilith’s shoulder. “I knew this day was going to come. There must be peace.”

Noah, Shiloh, Salome, and Joel stepped inside of Tyto. During the transition of space and time, in the nebula of the vastness of the galaxies, Salome looked out into eternity and said, “He’s lying.”

Lilith and the man were both in a panic, begging Hosea to reconsider. He walked over to one of the platinum vats filled with ice-cold Blue Dream. He cracked open two bottles and handed them to Lilith and the man.

They both took large gulps of the carbonated blue beverage and their bodies calmed.

“What kind of weapon did you try to hurt those people with?” Hosea said with a deep growl.

The man took the pistol from his jacket pocket and handed it to Hosea. “They threw the ammo cartridge in the woods.”

Hosea studied the gun, the pupils of his eyes began to glow red.

“This will never do,” Dark Hosea voiced crackled under the night sky. “We’re going to need something much bigger than this.”

IV

Over time Hosea’s army grew.

His incredible wealth and notoriety made him a perfect leader. That smile, that golden voice, that beard – everything was calculated and perfect.

He fed, sheltered, and prospered the people devoted to him. In any major city, a gated suburb with nicely furnished homes rested the heads of those ready to conquer with him.

They were armed and anxiously awaited his call.

Then…. The letters came, selecting the civilian soldiers to duty.

Ten thousand men and women were called to the fields of a secluded ranch in Oregon.

They were trained and suited viciously.

Burgundy uniforms were handed to the people after their graduation.

Hosea stood out and gave a vivid and voracious speech to the graduates, showing his pride and gratitude to his flock.

They were deployed and created total havoc to the civilized world, bending the political world to its knees.

They were hopeless. After every signature and contract – he owned all of them.

His army lifted the highest echelon of power. His following lifted him to the wealthiest of men.

The landscape could change at his whims. The seas could part and the skies could fall at the dropping of his fists.

But as he grew to godlike status, the vision of the people against him became clear.

Every day his legion grew, as well as his adversaries – led by Shiloh.

Innocent lives were being taken every day. Casualties too high to appropriately count.

New technological advances in warfare created a rift in human moralities; violence and horror had become a normal activity – just another annoyance in the day.

There were shifts in the family makeup. Mothers and fathers were vacant in the household. Children were being neglected and aged too quickly.

Modernization took away human innocence. Simple-minded hearts with meek souls were becoming rarer and rarer.

Anger fueled the people, and no one stopped to smell the roses. No one sought peace. They only longed for an unspoken justice to feed their crowned Hosea.

Hosea was their protector and provider.

His army lived peaceful days at home in their gated suburban homes, able to be with their families every night.

When they were on duty, they changed from their t-shirts and sweatpants to their decorated burgundy uniforms, ready to conquer where the winds took them.

V

Joel, Shiloh, Noah, and Salome geared up in a half-destroyed beach resort.

Hosea’s army and Shiloh’s were below, clashing into each other.

Joel kneeled in his golden armor, with his face covered by the Mayan lion mask, as the bomb shrapnel pierced into the sheetrock walls around him.

He crawled to the open door, ran down the stairwell, and equipped his golden sword.

He opened the stairwell level one door and ran through the abandoned hotel lobby– broken glass, torn curtains, and fallen dusty chandeliers adorned the dirty carpet.

He ran down the side alleyway when a sharp “Hey!” echoed off the surrounding buildings.

Joel turned and saw a small group of five men in burgundy running towards them.

They pulled out their automatic rifles and began firing at him.

The bullets absorbed in his sweat and began running at them.

Joel jumped on the hood of a car, extended his golden sword, and slashed at the soldiers – their bodies hitting the ground before him.

He cleaned the blade back to shine and began running back in his original direction. Down the street to the beach’s pier.

Joel slashed at and thrust his blade into anyone who tried to attack.

Physically he remained strong and energetic. He remained focused and kept trudging through the battlefield on the sand.

Bombs, rockets, and missiles fell around him, taking many brave lives.

The muscles of his face began to tighten. His ears rang and his heart kept beat on, trying to make it to the edge of the pier.

Through the eyes of the bloody golden lion mask, he saw the edge. He grinned through his tight shell-shocked muscles and sped on faster until he climbed up the pier’s outer fence and jumped from the great height into Tyto rotating majestically below.

Into the spiritual realm, to a place where Hosea stood before a stadium of people.

Joel witnessed the endless corrupt souls fueled by Blue Dream.

In front of them, on a marvelously crafted stage, stood Dark Hosea and the darkness shrouding the people.

The spiritual realm was dark here, reaching far and wide behind the veil of the physical world like a bloodborne disease behind a young and vibrant child.

Shiloh, Noah, and Salome followed Joel where he could finally see them for as they were. He turned to them and took the lion mask from his face in awe.

Salome was a beautifully talented young soul who was disciplined to the violin and her paints.

Noah was a brilliant soul with a passion for the saxophone and had a kind charming heart.

And his Shiloh glimmered more beautifully. She had large ivory and golden wings extended wide from her back. She stood tall and as a giant of her former self. The only Nephilim since the Flood of Noah. Fire that had been molded back to light surrounding her clay vessel.

Tyto rotated excitedly behind them, ready for anything.

Joel looked back at Dark Hosea, the spiritual sky getting blacker and blacker after every word Hosea would speak to the crowd in the physical universe.

The four ran towards Dark Hosea.

Joel, with his sword extended as black rain began to fall upon his golden armor.

“Now!” Shiloh yelled into a walkie-talkie.

Outside, in the physical realm, ten planes flew over the baseball stadium, pouring a gaseous form of Shiloh’s red antidote over the storming clouds.

The water took in the antidote and fell upon the followers. The antidote absorbed in their skins, where the four could see the souls clean and brighten in the spiritual realm.

“Ah! Ha-ha!” Noah remarked as they neared Dark Hosea.

They came to the edge of the stage, where Dark Hosea jumped and clung onto Joel, the edge of the golden gladius near its presence.

Dark Hosea clenched its mighty claws into Joel’s spirit. He was completely vulnerable in this realm.

Dark Hosea grew large and its black wings stretched far. It then roared in Joel’s face, “Where is your owl, now?”

Then, a soft feathery touch patted the back of the dark presence. “I’m right here,” Yahweh spoke. “And I’m getting pretty tired of you.”

Yahweh’s talons pierced into the soul of Dark Hosea, twisting and gnawing its innards.

Dark Hosea dropped Joel, releasing its dark grip on the human soul.

Joel hit the ground in great pain and anguish. His lion mask now cracked and scuffed.

Shiloh, Noah, and Salome attended to the fallen knight. “Tyto, come!” Shiloh ordered as Yahweh fought the Jinn behind them.

The golden rings took them back to the physical realm, hoping to fix Joel’s wounds.

Joel fell from Tyto onto the ground. His skin torn and body now broken.

He held Shiloh’s hand as his last minutes came to be. With tear-soaked eyes, he knew these would be the last moments he would see Shiloh’s beautiful face. He looked at Salome and Noah. They surrounded him and began to pray.

Yahweh jerked Dark Hosea back and forth, thrusting him to the ground and piercing into its being.

The dark presence screamed in pain as the eternal fire of its being began to dim greatly.

Gadreel, the Jinn once made of light, now began to fade into nonexistence.

“Have mercy on your child, Father….” Yahweh heard. A silent prayer by Noah for Joel’s salvation.

“Oh, ye of little faith,” Yahweh spoke, about to banish the dark presence to the pits of Hades.

Then Yahweh let loose the evil one. “I most go and be with My Children,” he said to the savagely beaten Dark Hosea.

“Hey!” the dark presence voiced with all he could muster – the anger still raging. “You may have won the first battle, owl. And you may win the last. But there is still a war in-between them.”

Yahweh turned and flew above the broken and burning soul. “Your chaos will lead you to your own demise, son,” the owl spoke. He then vanished and left Dark Hosea as a small ember upon a bed of ashes.

Yahweh appeared above the four.

Red rain fell from the above black storm clouds upon the cracks of Joel’s helmet.

“Oh, Yahweh!” Shiloh cried as she embraced the owl. “He’s hurt so bad - I don’t think he’s going to make it!” she sobbed into the holy owl’s feathery chest.

Joel lifted himself by his right shoulder. He outreached his hand to Yahweh. The owl flew over to him and Joel looked into His dark black mirror eyes.

“I’m going to have to sit the rest of the game out, right, Coach?” Joel asked weakly.

Yahweh smiled. “Yeah, son. You’re being put back on the bench. But tonight, you’re going to be sitting on a throne at the edge of paradise, watching your wife find victory.”

Joel’s face smiled as his body began to shut down. “You know, you were right, Shiloh. If we stayed dedicated to each other then … … we would die on the best day of our lives. …. And today was perfect.”

Joel’s body shut down and his spirit left his body, where he was crowned and highly favored behind the Celestial Gates.

Yahweh, Noah, Salome, and Shiloh cried for the broken pot of clay – turned into a human with a personality, dreams, ambitions, and exhaustive child-like faith.

The rain ceased.

Hosea slammed through the baseball stadium doors as he made his way to his green room. He felt like he was going to puke.

Dark Hosea lay on the edge of existence beneath his skin.

He puked into the bathroom toilet.

Lilith came in and consoled her aching husband, holding him as he ached in otherworldly pain.

“What have I done?” he asked.

“You orchestrated the end of the world, my dear,” she responded.

Life was a simple musical composition, he thought. Whatever you create brings you closer to your purpose.

Yahweh flew over the ambulance as it raced through the battle-torn streets, with the paramedics trying to resuscitate Joel.

Noah, Shiloh, and Salome grieved as they said their goodbyes.

But they knew he was watching from the front row, cheering them on. Soon to reunite.

So, they stood tall after they placed the roses on his casket.

Ready for war.

THE END