 
"Intricate, heavy . . . intensely deep! This book made me have dreams, man." Viet-Nam Veteran, ex out-law biker, ex gang-member, ex drug-addict—converted Christian and missionary to the American Indians, the late Skip Cronin.

The Faith of Angels.....Book one of the trilogy.....Christ's Millennium Reign

Copyright © 2009 by Kevin Hofsas

Revised 2010 Copyright © by Kevin Hofsas

Cover art Kevin Hofsas with Tech Assistance by Caleb Osborn

Post Office Box 771

Strasburg, CO 80136

www.MarkMyWordsPublishing.com

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All scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible (KJV)

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The Names of the Chapters

prelude...... 1 The Dragon and the Man...... 2 Answers...... 3 To Watch...... 4 Randall Walker...... 5 Heaven...... 6 Hannah...... 7 Mission...... 8 Risk...... 9 Natalii...... 10 The Dragon's Tragedy......

11 Outward..... 12 The Angel's Tragedy..... 13 Summoned...... 14 Mt. Zion...... 15 Discovery...... 16 A Dragon's View....... 17 The Light....... 18 Enlightenment....... 19 Piercing the Clouds....... 20 The Return of the King...... 21 Dragon Meld...... 22 Victory...... 23 Eastward...... 24 Praise...... 25 Alvinston's Story..... afterword

Prelude

I think I know what shut down my avionics and electronics—an EMP blast. I say 'I think,' because I saw a weird flash far away in the sky and then my engine quit. At same time my radios went dead. Not a good thing while cruising at 8,000 feet over the Atlantic at night. I was flying back to the mainland in the company's newest addition, a spanking new Kodiak utility plane. The Kodiak is a strong, capable, single engine work-horse. I had just dropped off relief supplies to a hurricane stricken island in the Caribbean. The Kodiak and I were pressed into service because we could land on the beach. Ahh, the privilege of being a bush pilot flying a rugged airplane!

But to the matter at hand . . . knowing what caused a problem and fixing the problem are often two different things. Case in point, my state of the art turbine engine aircraft was now a very inefficient glider! And not only was I unable to declare an emergency and radio a mayday, none of my lights worked. Whatever happened just fried even the most basic of electronics.

At least my flight controls were mechanical. I was still 'flying' the airplane, unlike if it had been a fly-by-wire aircraft. Fortunately I had a cloudless night and a half-moon to see by. I still had a fair chance to ditch successfully in the sea. The bad news is, that would leave me 40 miles from nowhere in a rubber raft with no one aware of my plight—and possibly, if I was right about the EMP—able to come to my aid, even if they did know.

~

Maybe I should have said, 'if' concerning the rubber raft. Maybe my glide-ratio would have been better too, if the auto-feathering function of the prop hadn't been compromised by the EMP. As it was, my glide angle was so steep coming in that the Kodiak dug in and flipped. I thought I'd planned for every contingency, but this time, everything went wrong. Being suspended upside down in a pitch dark aircraft quickly filling with water disoriented me. Somewhere between extracting myself from the sinking aircraft and retrieving my survival kit I got tangled up.

The only unexpected thing was what it felt like to drown. I'd always imagined it would hurt. But the sensation turned out to be so pleasant, I'd have to say it was comfortable! Well . . . comfortable at least, after I couldn't hold my breath any more . . .

Chapter 1

The Dragon and the Man

The first thing I realized is that some kind of entity was leading me deeper into the water. It entered my awareness that same disorienting way it is when you wake up, and don't know where you are, and have to figure it out. I also knew I had just ditched a brand new plane in the sea because I could still see it in my mind's eye, far away in the water. That I could use my mind's eye should have seemed unusual, but for the life of me, I couldn't figure out why . . .

Then it occurred to me I didn't know how much time had elapsed. What I did know is I continued to be led deeper into the water and I had all my cognitive abilities. I figured that because I felt with strong certainty I was of sound mind, body and spirit. Which is why I think it's rather funny that it took me so long to notice that I didn't have to breath. So much for my body . . .

Right on the heels of that I discovered something wonderful—whatever my body was now, for surely I still felt like I had one, it felt livelier then it had in years. I was experiencing a buoyancy of 'being' that had nothing to do with the water. Perhaps in the absence of a flesh and blood body, a new and improved 'spirit body' made room for the feelings. Or maybe it was something else. Either way, I was more than happy to keep feeling this way. If it were to last forever, that would suit me just fine, thank you.

I didn't have the foggiest idea what propelled us. I suppose the entity was simply pulling me along beside it, but that didn't explain how it moved. I could also feel the water moving past me, but it felt strange. I've never felt anything like it before. I think I could have been led to believe during life that there wouldn't be any resistance while moving through water when one was deceased . . . assuming again one could move through water when one was deceased. Maybe what I'm getting at is that the water just felt better than it should have. The saying 'too-much-fun' comes to my mind . . .

I could also see quite well in what should have been pitch-black depths—and that shouldn't have even been possible. But for example, if I'd been up near the surface on a sunny day and had on a scuba mask, I still couldn't see as far as I could see now. Without a doubt, it should have been impossible to see this far under water.

Concerning the darkness, it really wasn't dark, because things glowed with a luminescence all by themselves. The glow spread into the surrounding areas and everything stood out in relief from everything else. It never dawned on me there were so many things under the sea.

Soon I could see faint, translucent outlines of unusually structured shapes and the entity and I moved forward through them. There's no way I had ever seen anything like them before. They were so faint, I could see them better if I didn't look straight at them. They were ponderously huge and structural or mechanical like in design. They flowed with such fluidity into each other it reminded me of the fantastic precision one often finds in nature. The shapes moved, too, within and upon and around each other, pivoting and sliding and turning, though how and for what purpose I knew not. They fit into the natural surroundings as if they belonged there and disappeared into the distance.

Gradually the shapes grew brighter and more definite. Promptly the floor of the ocean materialized. From so far away, it looked utterly alien. Now I could tell all the strange mechanical like shapes attached to the floor of the ocean and if possible, looked to have grown out of it. Or maybe they were simply anchored there. I don't know which. Either way, they fit with such seamless precision to where they attached, I couldn't doubt they belonged there.

As the seabed approached I figured out where we were going because we headed straight for one object. It was shaped like a bell or a dome and it had six flattened sides. Like all the other fantastic translucent shapes it had perfect form. From far away it looked small but drawing near it loomed as tall as a ten-story building.

The six sides were perfectly symmetrical and so exact they looked as if they'd been sliced from the dome by a giant laser. Right before we got there the flat parts slid aside together—and passing through, it seemed the mysterious walls held up the entire weight of the ocean.

As quick as that we were through and walking down a dry path in a cave. The transition flowed as seamless as the transition of a dream. The floor of the cave seemed to be hard-packed dirt. It was covered with dust and relatively flat. The walls were the same rough-stone cave walls are always made of and curved up to form an arched ceiling.

Everything here was lit in a strange surreal kind of twilight where nothing stood out more illumined than anything else. Floor, walls and ceiling all radiated the same soft glow. There weren't any shadows and the worst that could be said for dark corners is they were just a bit duller.

Then I had another pleasant surprise—my mood had changed. The difference is that while I was in the ocean I was curious, but now a happiness infused me and I felt certain I didn't need to fear any harm. The entity was still with me, though if I tried to look at it, it disappeared. But if I kept looking straight ahead, it constantly remained on my right side, a presence I couldn't touch, a light that cast no radiance, steadily intruding upon my peripheral vision.

Without a sound the entity led me deeper into the underwater sanctuary. Sometimes we cut through a large chamber before exiting the other end. Other times it looked like we walked through a tunnel. Once in a while we went under a bridge. Occasionally secondary corridors came along but we always stuck to the main branch. Our route gradually led down, sometimes curving, sometimes steep, until finally it opened upon a huge cavern.

At first, boulders blocked my view. But as we stepped past the last one, I saw the cavern was home to a underground lake. The lake was simply gigantic and had an island smack dab right in the middle of it.

Seeing the lake triggered memories of how I used to wonder what it'd be like to die. Maybe it had something to do with the fact I'd been baptized in a lake. Being baptized under water was a way of saying my old, sinful nature died with Christ on the cross. And being raised up out of the water meant I was raised with him in newness of life. But either way you remember it, the bottom line is, after I died, I was supposed to be in the presence of the Lord. But this was something else.

As if answering me, the entity beckoned me to get in a small boat at the edge of the water. I could have sworn it told me my questions would shortly be answered, though I know I didn't hear a voice.

I got in the boat and it headed towards the island. I felt it moved by the same power that had propelled me under the sea. Then it began to circle the island. The island had sheer, nearly vertical walls everywhere except for one spot. As soon as I thought that's where we should go, the boat zeroed in on it and went straight there. The spot was a raised landing that we had nearly circled the island to find.

As the boat approached the landing, it coasted to a stop. I docked the boat and stepped up on the landing. An inviting stairway led up so I began to climb. It was quite steep but the climbing was effortless. Reaching the top more boulders blocked my view so I maneuvered through them to see what was there.

Finally breaking into the open I received the biggest shock of my life—for not twelve feet away sat a dragon whose face was so big I had to turn my head right or left just to past see either side! The surprise on my face must have been priceless, because the reaction it elicited from the dragon was even more spectacular. And that put me entirely and completely off balance. The reason for that is, the expression on the dragon's face was hysterically funny . . .

It was,—Don't look at me like I'm the Devil—I'm more scared of him than you'd be!

About a million things shot through my head but I latched onto, 'More scared than I'd be?'

As clear as ink on paper his expression said,—If you were in my shoes.

After which he just sat there and stared at me.

So I started wondering—fast. I did the same thing anybody else would do and tried to figure out what was going on. Problem was, I drew a blank. I've never believed in dragons before, let alone gigantic, telepathic ones. I didn't know whether to be surprised, astonished or petrified. Or all of the above.

At which point the dragon said by facial expression, again without speaking,—Now you see why men have always feared dragons.

I was stunned. Thrust face to face into a confrontation with a telepathic dragon communicating through his facial expression left me quite speechless. Totally by accident I thought, 'what can I hide from a dragon?' But seeing the possibly offensive nature of that thought, I squelched it for something, anything more polite which turned out to be, "What does this dragon want me to do?"

Instantly he communicated, again just with his face,—Accept the chore you've been picked for.

All of this was happening so fast I didn't have time to make rationalizations. It was all I could do to just hang on and keep up with him. I said in my mind, "What chore?"

—You're it.

Again, without a word, his face said it all. Then an uncomfortable sensation like I was at the wrong end of a joke began to tease my mind. As I tried to adjust to being read faster than a book, I could have sworn I heard the rowdiest laughter of my life. Or perhaps I should say, since my life. Though as soon as I thought that, the hint of laughter died away and was replaced by a sense of mercy. It was weird.

The friendly dragon's face withheld all comments and just looked at me. Which I figured he was because he hadn't tried to eat me yet. Some of his fangs had to be longer than I was tall. I imagined it was about time to punt. In my mind I said, "I'm it for what?"

The answer promptly arrived,—The chore.

I started to wonder if this guy always communicated in a 'two steps forward, one step back' fashion, but thought I'd better keep that to myself, supposedly, and said, "What chore?"

—You're it because you're the last one to die.

Absorbing that with a sideways glance knowing I didn't get it yet, I looked back at him and saw,—So you get to do the chore.

I felt the laughter again. I figured I'd better keep questioning the dragon. "Last one to die?"

—Before the Lord began the end-time judgments.

Just like that I was back on solid ground. Even if I didn't know anything else, the terrible end-time prophesies had finally begun. I was here, wherever this was, talking to a dragon who said I'd been picked for a task because I'm the last one to die . . . The obvious question was, "Picked by who?"

—The Lord.

"The Lord? To do a chore?"

—You might call it a blessing, his expression said, though I wasn't used to it. And wasn't sure I ever would be.

"What does he want me to do?"

—You get to tell the story.

Needless to say, I didn't understand. "Of what?"

—Of after His return. Then I knew I heard laughter, although it was faint and wasn't the kind you hear with your ears. I thought I'd ignore it and hoped I was finally getting somewhere.

"How?"

—By watching and telling, came the expected silent response.

I wondered why the dragon didn't speak out loud and thought if this dragon is just a messenger, I probably had a little latitude. I asked, "Why don't you speak out loud?"

Instantly the dragon became angry and his countenance fell. I felt something like '. . . I'm going to give this—man—one chance for you, Lord . . .' while the dragon's face struggled not to show,—silly—man—thinks everything should be like—him . . . which abruptly ended as the dragon's face projected a crystal clear, —Don't.

Hesitantly I wondered if there were any questions that didn't offend him as I simultaneously remembered I had just been asking lots of questions. I knew I needed to find the right track and stay on it.

Just like that, the dragon's countenance relaxed. In a decidedly much humbler attitude I wondered if it was okay to ask him if he had a name.

It must have been the right thing because his face instantly reflected approval. He expressed, —Ackseekcelong-Sayessa is my name. You may call me Ace.

Naturally a lot of thoughts parried for attention in my mind but I was just beginning to understand my new circumstances and sadness overcame me. I hadn't had the time to contemplate what it meant to die, hadn't thought about my wife and daughter who were now alone and what it meant for them, hadn't thought about what the end-times events held for anyone . . . hadn't done anything except been shocked to the core of my being. So I became quiet and just looked at the dragon.

As if on cue, his expression communicated to me as clearly as if he were putting his thoughts in my mind,—Your wife and daughter are in heaven.

For some strange reason, I wasn't impressed. I mean, you'd think that would be something that would impress me, since that was the focus of our lives. But if anything it made me sadder, nailing home the reality I would never go home and even if I did, they wouldn't be there. I wasn't so sad I felt like saying 'so what,' but to tell you the truth, I felt jilted. There didn't seem to be anything I could do about it, either. I remembered how sometimes things get worse before they get better. I began to hope this wasn't going to be one of those times.

My stewing lasted about that long and then rising to the occasion, I felt a surge of energy and motivation and new strength inspired me. Doesn't take long I guess, sometimes. Maybe in the afterlife there are fewer things to work through before you get on with it. Then again, maybe the Holy Spirit quickened me to cause me to let go of my less than perfect attitude. Either way, the only way I could go was forward.

I felt like professional courtesy might be a good place to start so I asked Ace, "What's your protocol?"

He looked at me in what I could only call an endearing fashion and expressed,—Don't overstep your bounds, don't joke, don't assume anything.

"What about questions?"

—Ask anything but silly questions.

No doubt, I had a lot to think about. And any number of places to start. I figured the best thing to do would be to pray and ask for direction. But have you ever tried to pray when a giant dragon is staring at you?

Apparently it didn't matter, because as quick as I shucked off worrying about the dragon, I had my answer. And the answer was to seek as expeditious a route through the chore as possible. Which sort of left the dragon in control. Because only he knew what was going on.

Truthfully though, I felt encouraged by the direction and wanted to get the show on the road. The sooner the better.

I asked Ace, "Where do we start?"

Beginning a pattern of regularly and effortlessly destroying my expectations, Ace's expression said,—That's up to you.

Chapter 2

Answers

I never accepted the idea that God plays tricks. To me, believing in Christ worked—it brought me into relationship with God. Perhaps because of that, my life had always been easy to plan and generally functioned without a lot of difficulty. Sure, we'd had our trials, everybody does. But this was extreme. I mean . . . what do you do when a one-hundred ton dragon wants to play Twenty Questions and acts like he'll eat you for breakfast if you take a wrong step?

—It's not that . . . Ace's expression was saying as soon as I looked at him, which is what I did as soon as I realized my blunder. Submitting to a dragon isn't something I had ever considered a part of my Christian duty. Had I not been so acutely aware of and in control of my facilities I'd probably be wondering if I was dreaming. But now I had to watch even the way my thoughts flew around because Ace could read my mind. Oh, what to ask him . . .

I could think of two things I wanted to know right now, so that's where I'd start. "Where are we, and have you always been able to read people's minds?"

With a look that I might call nonchalance, Ace communicated,—We're hiding, and yes, always.

That's nice . . . I thought sarcastically, making me more anxious, but the hiding part took precedence and I needed to change the subject.

"Hiding from what?"

With a look of incredulity that I didn't know what he was hiding from, a look that that underlined his feelings stronger than words would have, Ace's expression said,—Men.

"Men? Why hide from men?"

—Haven't you read fairy tales about men slaying dragons?

Those fairy tales were real? And dragons, plural? There was more than one of these? Not to mention the fact that modern man never found them! I didn't enjoy being this far out of my league so I said, "Please forgive me, Ace. How many dragons are there?"

With a look that was bashful and contrite at the same time, Ace communicated,—Thirteen.

Thirteen? What an unusual number. It was like every question could branch into two new questions. It's also like I never got back to the branch I didn't choose. I thought I'd try to be more cautious about what I asked him. Carefully I searched for a really good question. Coming up with what I hoped was a good one, I said, "Where are we hiding?"

For the first time, he smiled. Fortunately it wasn't a vicious smile.

—We're between, and under, and above.

Frustration tempted me because he so often refused to answer the question the way I wanted him to. But I was getting used to not understanding on the first go round so I prompted, "Between?"

With exactness, Ace's expression conveyed,—Between earth's realm and the deep, in the overlap. He let his face relax, sizing me up, taking in my confusion and added, —The overlap is beyond the reach of men.

Well, I could think of a few places beyond the reach of men—heaven, hell and the place where the angels tread. Then Ace barged in on my thoughts and expressed, —Those places are not the overlap. But we are aware they exist.

The way he answered my questions left something to be desired. But it wasn't like I couldn't keep probing. In my mind I tried to picture where he meant we were. I really hadn't ever thought of an 'area' beyond the reach of men, but I've always known full well angels operated around us. Then Ace volunteered more information.

— Jesus would have cast a legion of devils into the deep. He stared at me intently, sizing me up before he added, —They begged to be allowed into a herd of swine.

Contradicting him I said, "You mean a far country?" That's the way I remember the story. The demons had implored Jesus not to cast them far away.

—No, your bible states both places. The deep the demons shunned is a spiritual dimension. He flipped his long snout towards the ceiling —Beyond earth's material realm. We are between that deep and earth's material realm.

It figured things would get 'deeper.' Shaking it off, I got back to his explanation. "Then we're under . . . ?"

—It's the ocean we're under.

I know I should have been able to guess that. So we're in a 'no man's land' between earth's realm and the 'deep,' we're under the ocean, and we're above . . . ?"

—The Lord's stones, he offered.

"The Lord's stones? What are they?"

—Special stones.

"Why are they special?"

And Ace got ticked. Or maybe I should say he began to lose his patience, because he started looking angry. But he answered,—They're alive.

Living stones? Seems I've heard of that before, too.

Not sure what it all meant, I tentatively accepted it. When it rains it pours, they say. And it sure looked like this was going to be one of those times. Going back through his answers to make sure I had them right, I rattled them off.

"We're under the ocean, we're between earth's material realm and 'the deep,' and we're above the Lord's stones." I looked up at him to see if I had it right and his expression said,—Correct.

With all of that explained, roughly, I decide to try some other questions. Pondering what to ask next, I decided the most important thing was the other dragons. With an attitude of respect I said, "Ackseekcelong-Sayessa, where are the other dragons?"

—They are here hiding also.

Well, I can tell you right now I didn't see any other dragons. I also didn't want to ask any questions I didn't have to. For all I knew, they could be invisible. Acting more casual than I felt, I decided it was about time to figure out how to accomplish this task. But just for a second, I had to admire the color of Ackseekcelong-Sayessa's scales. They were the most intense shade of green I think I've ever seen. Even though there wasn't any noticeable light source other than the muted glow which came from everywhere, his scales softly glittered and shimmered as if there was more light in the cavern than there actually was. I wondered what they'd look like in broad daylight.

He noticed my admiration and stretched his wings out and up, they were huge wings, unbelievably huge! And then he folded them back on his body. They were the same shade of green and the wing span was gigantic—it must have been close to two-hundred feet. The whole time he stretched his wings, his serpentine tail moved about. It too, was the same tantalizing green and almost as long as his body.

The shape of him was generally what you would expect a lean, muscular dragon with a deep chest to look like, only bigger. How much bigger? How about the size of a Boeing 747? No doubt, he could fly. But the cavern we were in wasn't big enough for that, so yet more questions arose. I didn't want to sound stupid and figured if I just waited, some of the questions would answer themselves.

I decided to ask him about the task. "Ace, you said it was up to me where I started, but you didn't tell me who I was going to tell the story to."

Ace looked at me and narrowed his eyes, —Your posterity.

"And it's up to me where we start?"

—That's correct.

"And it's about what happens after Christ returns?"

—Yes.

Boy, did I feel lost.

Ace must have noticed my confusion because his face said, —You'll go with me. He seemed to have his mind elsewhere. —How do you think we got here?

Being clueless didn't mean I had to give place to silly ideas, and that just made me frustrated. "I don't know."

Ace looked at me and communicated, —Through the lap gate.

I don't have to tell you I didn't know what the lap gate was, but on top of that, I was beginning to get the feeling the dragon wasn't adept at long sentences. As soon as I thought that, he stared at me with a look that measured how long it had taken me to realize it. The precision of his gaze seemed to measure things about me I was unaware of. Being that he left the ball in my court I had to ask, "What's the lap gate?"

Except apparently, he decided it was his turn to quiz me. —Where did I say we were?

"Between?" I said, and as I said it, I tried to imagine a place between earth and the 'deep.' When I did, a much different idea came to me than what I first imagined. In my mind, I saw a crystal clear picture of earth as seen from space. The beautiful planet was brightly lit by sunlight but seemed to be pressing against a dark area. It wasn't just the blackness of outer space, either. The dark area reminded me of the illustrations of a bowling ball on a trampoline used to describe gravity. Upon seeing it, I knew the dark area was 'the deep.' I also knew that the place where the earth and the dark area touched was the lap gate.

Intuitively, I understood that a lap was formed in the area where the earth and the deep mingled, a pocket that neither area could claim as its own. Yet from within that boundary, both areas were accessible. I also realized the dragon's had gone into one of those pockets.

Now the only thing I couldn't figure out is how they got under the sea. It was a short step to ask, "How did you get here?"

Ace ignored the question and pressed on,—How do you think you'll go with me?

Not wanting to ride on his back in some kind of a saddle was a given. I was a pilot, not a dragon rider. Unfortunately, I couldn't think of anything. Stuck, I said, "How?"

—There are other ways to travel, Ace expressed. Then an idea formed in my mind of a golden hued bubble surrounding me while I stood within it. I could reach the top if I stretched my arms and I was quite comfortable being inside it. About the time I got to the part about being inside it, I realized the bubble was somehow Ace. Man! Talk about paranoia of being eaten by a dragon!

When that thought dissipated, I again felt certain the bubble was somehow Ace. For the second time, I just looked at him.

Then he showed me,—No man has ever traveled dreaming with a dragon.

An explosion of fascinating dreamlike images blurred through me, too fast to catch. Naturally and with obvious displeasure, if only because I'd already thought I wasn't, I found myself asking, am I just dreaming?

As quick that, Ace locked his eyes on me and snapped his head to the right—and like a fish on a string, my whole life jolted past me with the movement. Not very important was ditching the plane at the end, though even the short amount of time afterwards was included. The review gave ample proof I wasn't dreaming. I decided to stay away from the sadness this time.

Ace expressed,—Why do you think men have never traveled dreaming with a dragon?

Naturally, I was stumped. How was I supposed to know? For the third time, I just looked at him.

Irritation flashed over him while his face said,—Don't get lazy on me, think!

It jolted me so much I asked myself, 'Why do I think men have never traveled dreaming with a dragon?' I didn't know, and I was sticking to that. So holding that in my mind, I gave Ace a hard stare right back. Which made me feel like a minnow before a whale.

But his answer came back, as clear and as unfazed as can be,—Because the devil interfered, and men and dragons have never gotten along since.

Immediately an intense picture of what had happened sprang into my mind. It began in the Garden of Eden, an oasis of perfection in an otherwise rough and untamed world. Then in a blink—the devil worked his chicanery, mankind got the boot and Eden was off limits. Next a riot of unrest boiled over and The Flood happened. But the dragons were safe because they could escape into the overlap.

When the flood dissipated, the dragons returned to earth, but quickly, much of mankind feared and hated the dragons. When it escalated to murder, the dragons fled the abode of man.

Feeling just short of shell-shocked from the jarring adjustment to my understanding of world history, I thought an apology would be appropriate. But immediately knowing in my heart he sensed that, I tried to do it one better by offering the next best thing I could think of. "Will you ever come back to the earth?"

Smiling and projecting love with more devotion that any dog has ever shown for an earthly master, Ace projected,—When Christ returns.

Chapter 3

To Watch

I think I was jealous of Ace then, when I saw his devotion to Christ. But I decided I wouldn't be, and that was the end of that. Naturally I wondered if all dragons thought of Christ the same way. With a little move of my head, I made a question out of it for him. He regarded me and then surprised me by the simple act of looking away from me for the first time.

He lifted up his head and his deep golden eyes, eyes like pools of liquid so deep eternity fell into them, and reverently looked up towards heaven. I was about to wonder why I hadn't noticed that much about his eyes when a profound smile settled on his face. As he smiled, he gathered to himself a nobility I have never in all my life seen. It didn't come upon him all at once, either. Rather it built up in stages, but in less than half a minute, he transformed himself into a creature of such great dignity and honor that only in heaven, glorified and standing next to God, would I ever have any hope of comparing myself to him.

Unexpectedly he closed his eyes and the next thing I knew, we were in a huge cathedral like cavern multiple times larger than the area where Ace and I were alone. To my astonishment, surrounding us were more dragons, all as majestic as he. They were all looking up, like Ace, except he still had his eyes closed. Without question, every single dragon was enraptured in worship to God. It had to be the glory of the Lord shinning on their faces—nothing else could be this spectacular. Their worship of God radiated with such profound magnificence that it weighed upon me with a pressure I could feel.

Not one of them glanced at me, though I felt certain they all knew I was there. I was so stunned by their worship it took a while before the dissimilarity between their colors became significant. Each of the dragons was a different color. I noticed a yellow one, and one a deeper green than Ace. I also saw dark and light blue, silver and red. There were other colors too, but then Ace opened his eyes and like a switch, all the other dragons disappeared. We were alone again back in the smaller cavern. I hadn't wanted to leave the other dragons—why in the world had Ace taken us away?

He imparted,—You are not yet ready to meet with many.

Why would anyone want to kill such beautiful creatures anyway? I thought, could it have been self-defense?

Ace quickly corrected me,—Men feared us. Especially our communication.

As if highlighted by flames I saw the incendiary effect the dragon's style of communication had on fearful men. Especially when those same men were told by the dragons to serve God. Reacting with fear and unbelief, they turned on the dragons and vilified them. I shook my head in sadness. I could see why the dragons had fled.

Ace lowered his head and sadness came upon him. For a brief moment he didn't look at me. When he returned his gaze, some of the sorrow had left.

—We may not procreate while we are hiding in the overlap.

I don't know why, but the first thing I wondered is, how many dragons would be a complete population?

Ace conveyed,—We never had time on earth.

Without even meaning to, I asked myself, how do dragons gestate?

—One egg is formed.

Then it crossed my mind, how old do dragons get before they die?

Ace lowered his head and narrowed his eyes as he instilled,—We don't die unless we're killed.

My internal dialogue sort of stalled when he revealed that but I quickly recovered and said, "Does that mean the dragons have eternal life?"

—It's not the same kind that you think.

The only thing I could think was, how couldn't it be?

Ace's expression showed me he couldn't figure out whether I was ignorant, insensitive or just rude. I'm not sure what he decided.

He expressed,—The eternal life God gives man is immortality. You can't die once you're immortal. Ours is only until death.

When it finally sank in, it smote my heart and I pitied the dragons. The baldness of it cut deep. I cried out in my heart to God. As unexpectedly as lightning striking from a clear sky, God said, "My son, the dragons are as Adam was in the beginning."

It happened so fast I didn't even react. I knew enough not to look around to see who spoke, it being infinitely obvious who had, as it was equally obvious he had projected his voice into the cavern. But in that moment, I was more surprised than I've ever been in my life. Then my identity disintegrated before my eyes and dissolved into the infinite ocean of God's presence. It felt as if I ceased to exist as the presence of the great I Am engulfed me. His visitation reduced me to the point of being aware—only of him. He overwhelmed my awareness the way a supernova would overwhelm a match.

Yet most potent of all was awakening to the truth of how intensely I recognized him. That was most potent of all. If you think you can recognize your parent's voice, or your spouse's voice or your child's voice, that's nothing. I recognized God's voice at least a trillion times better than I have ever recognized anyone. Proving without a doubt that he knew me before he created me in my mother's womb.

None of which even hints at the infinite goodness that is his presence! Man knows not the happiness there will be to lose ourselves in the vastness of the great I Am, and his goodness. We don't know! It can only be known by tasting and seeing that yes . . . the Lord is infinitely, infinitely good!

How it broke my heart that his presence lingered only as long as a majestic roll of thunder. Yet at the same time, I was so thrilled to have been blessed by his visitation, I couldn't be sad. It'd be useless to even try. The peace saturating me refused to allow it.

Sometime during the astonishing encounter I had stopped looking at Ace. Remembering him, I looked back. He wore an expression that reminded me so much of my earthly father that it took me by surprise. It was the paternal concern that surprised me. In that moment, I realized Ace had a spot in his heart for me. Naturally I felt caught in a paradox. I, the less fragile creature, being cared for by the more fragile.

And then Ace laughed. And let me tell you, if you've never been at ground zero when a dragon laughs, it—is—intense. His head went way back and his mouth opened a good 75 feet, and a huge roaring staccato-like buzz emanated from his throat. It was good and deafening too, like a decent clap of thunder. When it finally sub-sided, he lowered his head and closed his mouth at the same time. Returning his gaze to me, he looked happy.

I almost couldn't believe he just laughed. I was dumbstruck. Remembering he didn't like it when I just stared, I rifled my mind for something appropriate to say.

Ace beat me to it and projected,—Only men can be born again. Sweeping his gaze over the chamber he imparted,—The rest of creation has solely been redeemed.

I thought, if things didn't get weirder they wouldn't change at all.

Ace looked at me as if I had slighted him. —Why weird?

His frankness compelled me to be honest. "Because life never prepared me for something like this."

—You seem to be managing.

He had me. The Holy Spirit reminded me that God gives us the strength to do what he leads us to do. I got the distinct feeling that God was looking over my shoulder. Fortunately, it wasn't humiliating to be contradicted this way. Be that as it may, I wanted to find out more about his relationship with God.

"So, you've heard his voice before?"

In humble definition, a supremely satisfied smile animated Ackseekcelong-Sayessa's face. He gazed at me with that expression a few seconds, as if he was reminiscing, then silently imparted,—Only a few times, but it is enough.

I wondered what the conversations had been about, if that's what you'd call them, but thought it better to mind my own business. A desire to find out how old he was rose up in me so I asked, "How old are you, Ace?"

He looked at me and smiled.

—We are the only creatures Adam didn't name.

Whoa . . . now that was an incredibly long time ago. "Does that mean you were alive back then?"

—Yes.

I wondered why Adam didn't name the dragons but didn't want to ask him, in case it might offend him. He understood my question and wasn't offended, revealing this by calmly answering the question I didn't ask.

—He didn't name us because the Lord named us. The Lord also assigned us to watch. It is our appointment and office.

Chapter 4

Randall Walker

This, I thought, is totally amazing. Peaceful, sentient dragons who live forever and who worship God, or rather, mind-reading peaceful dragons, before I realized how distracting it is to think when you know somebody is eavesdropping on your thoughts . . . and right out of the blue without any warning whatsoever, Ace spoke directly to my mind. —You'll get used to it.

I heard his voice inside my head.

You have to remember, the whole time I'd been there, Ace communicated to me via the facial expressions or with the pictures he gave me in my mind. So up to this point, his face just had whatever he wanted to say, written all over it.

But now . . . now he talked to me inside my head! I felt like I'd been deliberately left in the dark. Another thing I felt that was roughly opposite to that is, I recognized his voice. How, I don't know. But when his voice strummed in my mind, undeniably masculine, deep, articulate and precise, I recognized it. It wasn't the same as the overwhelming recognition I had when I heard the Almighty's voice, but more like the familiarity of an Air Traffic Controller from an often visited airport. I didn't see how I'd get used to it though. I wondered if there would ever be any let up to his eavesdropping on my thoughts and he said, —Not while you're here.

"So you'll be right here in my mind, all the time . . ."

—Unless I leave.

Well, at least I'd have company. "Why did you wait so long to let me know you could telepathically speak to me?"

—You needed time to become functional in an unfamiliar paradigm.

"Unfamiliar . . . paradigm? Sounds like 21st century philosophy or something, Ace."

—What do you think us dragons have been watching for millenniums?

"But I thought you've been in the overlap since just after the flood?"

As soon as I said it, ideas began forming in my mind. I remembered the golden hued bubble, Ace's statement about men having never 'traveled dreaming with a dragon,' fairytales about dragons sleeping with one eye open, statues of dragons holding various spheres . . .

It didn't take long before I suspected Ace could go places in ways I've never dreamed of. I imagined dragon consciousness floating all over the world, watching and witnessing, learning all sorts of things no person ever could and said, "Just how much watching have you been doing?"

—It's more than that. You have guessed that dragons are telepathic among themselves?

"No, but now that you mention it, that makes sense."

—Dragons are able to communicate much more efficiently telepathically than you and I.

"How much more?"

—Many times more. We may communicate simultaneously and understand each other, for instance. We may also communicate with multiple participants, also simultaneously, and still understand each other. We are also able to communicate over . . . considerable distances.

Not only did I now have more questions, but I suspected if they can do all that, the most radical scenario for how much they knew about mankind would be . . . practically everything. I just couldn't imagine an upper limit to what the dragons might have learned. As a matter of fact, they probably knew mankind better than mankind knew itself.

Ace interrupted my grousing, —What makes you think we've limited our travels to planet earth?

With a shock I absorbed the implication of that. The dragons might have traveled beyond earth, which begged the question, how far?

I asked it by arching my eyebrows.

In a matter of fact tone, Ace trumped my furthest extrapolations, —We've limited our explorations to this galaxy.

And that blew my mind.

I've always been interested in the cosmos. With that many stars, who couldn't be? But the greatest efforts of man barely scratched the surface if you compared it to dragons exploring the galaxy.

Ace said, —I didn't say we were there in person.

That brought my mental groveling up short. "You explored the galaxy, but not in person?"

Ace spelled it out for me. —Dragons have the ability to travel throughout the material dimension, being fully aware, while in a special state of dreaming. During our exile from earth's surface, it pleased us to explore the galaxy.

Other than sputtering, I didn't know what to say.

It finally dawned on me to ask, "How much of it did you explore?"

—Quite a bit, though undoubtedly you would say it's only the tip of the iceberg.

One question instantly burned within me.

"Did you find intelligent life among the stars?"

I stared intently at him, teetering on the brink of what I hoped his answer would be, when he quite simply, deflated me on the spot. I felt rather than saw or heard what the answer would be. And the feeling was, it's not what I wanted. I wanted there to be other intelligent life in our galaxy.

Ace though, for whatever the reason, wasn't going to be specific.

He said, —Maybe the Lord will answer that for you.

Taken back by the evasiveness of his answer, I decided to let it go and pursue my other question. "How much have you studied mankind?"

—We've studied mankind. He said it with a finality that resisted further questions.

Stumped and feeling in a quandary, I figured I'd let it slide. I didn't want to, but then again, I didn't think I could manipulate the answer out of him either. My conclusion had the unexpected effect of appeasing him. He resumed a subject he introduced earlier.

—Because you're it, you'll travel with me as you witness the events that you need to see to fulfill your task.

Seeing no other option but to go with the flow, I said, "How will I travel with you?"

—It will be as you have already imagined.

The idea of the golden hued bubble again came to mind. "You mean inside that bubble?"

—Of course. God has chosen to team us together to do this. It is a very great honor for me, for no dragon has ever been outside of this time-line. To accomplish your task, you must have access to both the past and the future.

"Wait a minute. You said I'm to tell the story of after the Lord's return. What's this about going into the past?"

—Apparently there is something in the past you are required to see before you study the future.

"What is it?"

—I have not been informed what it is.

"What have you been informed of?"

—The briefing covered my appointment to accompany you during the task. I also learned we'll venture outside the universal time-line during your study.

"Why you?"

Ace paused, as if the question created some difficulty for him.

—Because I am alone, he answered in a subdued tone.

This struck a strange note in me, because of all the other dragons. I asked, "What do you mean, alone?"

Ace stared at me for a prolonged moment. He seemed to be recalling something.

Then he said, —One of the dragons that was killed before we left earth's surface was my mate, Teleannie-Teleena.

Immediately his countenance became sorrowful and he looked away. He was as grief stricken as if it'd happened yesterday. I couldn't help but remember how people dealt with loss and grief and how the world was full of it. But this had to have happened a very long time ago. Was the suffering this strong because the dragons were different in ways I didn't understand?

I said, "Please forgive my ignorance, Ace, but why are you still so sad? It's been a very long time, hasn't it?

Ackseekcelong-Sayessa appeared to be only marginally controlling his grief.

He said, —It is somewhat as you have guessed. Dragons are different than mankind. More different than you can imagine. Besides which, you were given to care for and tend to the earth, and we were to watch. But there is one great difference. When Adam fell, dragons alone remained undefiled.

Ace paused as if remembering. —But even that didn't last, because violent men killed some of us.

He looked away. Lifting his head toward the high ceiling he said, —We should have known.

The grief coming off him at this point was palpable. I began to worry about him. The giant dragon closed his eyes and lowered his head. I couldn't keep my heart from going out to him.

—What you don't understand, Ace's voice came into my mind, is that without Teleannie, dragons will never complete our population.

Ace looked back at me. Suddenly he wasn't sad anymore, because now wrath was burning deep down inside. A wrath he was holding back.

Other than feeling really small right then, the statement about the dragons not being able to complete their population confused me. I figured the dragons would be able to multiply their population like any other life form.

Abruptly Ace intruded into my thoughts, —We are like no other life form.

The anger within his huge eyes had smoldered for millenniums. That much was obvious.

—Our population is a preordained specific number. If any one dragon falls out of the link, we cannot finish our circle. He paused for a moment. When he continued, his tone was grave.

—It is because each pair of dragons have . . . only . . . one . . . offspring! And he fell silent.

I was thunderstruck. How could God create a life form with so fragile an existence? I didn't know, but I thought I ought to comfort him. I really didn't know how though.

To make matters worse, something inside me wanted to know right then how big the dragon population would have been if all the dragons had remained alive. It felt totally crass, thinking about numbers at the same time that I learned about the dragon's tragedy. But there just wasn't anything else. Almost as if I couldn't think of anything else.

But before I could figure out how big the dragon population would have been, I needed to know what it started out as. So without anything to cover what I felt was my own callousness toward their loss, I looked up at Ace.

Gratefully, he knew what I needed to know. He even told me. —Sixteen.

Right then, no matter how inappropriate it felt, I realized I was becoming familiar with my new environment. And started crunching numbers. 16 dragons would pair off to make 8 offspring; 8 dragons would make 4 . . . I wondered what baby dragons are called, but before I could ask, Ace said, —Draglets. I glanced up at him and then away, and kept working on the math. 4 dragons would produce 2 draglets, and the last 2 would obviously make 1. I had to add them all up now, 16 and 8 and 4 and 2 and 1, and it came to 31. 31? Only 31 dragons? I didn't expect Ace to say anything, but he chimed in right on cue, —Correct.

As I began to nurture the idea a preordained limited population seemed a little bit unfair, Ace interrupted me. —It is how we were made to be.

The response, vested in dignity, came without anger or disappointment or envy, and so much was it void of these traits that I immediately felt Ace was spiritually above me. The notion of the 24 elders in heaven came to remembrance. I figured if the dragons were anything like them, I'd need to raise my opinion of them several points on the importance scale. I'll never forget the nobility Ace and the other dragons displayed when I saw them worshiping God together. Indeed, if they were similar to the elders of heaven, it would justify the total acceptance in Ace's attitude when he said, —'It is how we were made to be.'

I knew he'd been following my thoughts because he said, —We are not elders of heaven, though maybe they are a good example.

He also didn't need any help managing his grief. He shifted in and out of it seemingly at will. But it still bothered me.

"Ace . . . I wish there were something I could say . . ."

As soon as the words left my mouth, he looked as if I'd cheated him. The tormenting grief had jumped back on board, too.

—There is nothing. His outlook made the word bleak seem cheery. But then I thought, what about when the New Heaven and New Earth is here . . . wouldn't it be possible for God to do something then?

Ace turned his head to the left, then moved only his eyes back to me. Hope touched his face. He said, —We have never thought of that.

Instantly Ace's mood changed and his despondency lifted. I felt encouraged. I knew it was a long shot, but the only hope really was for God to restore Ace's mate. The more I thought of it, the surer I got. Now if I could only get Ace to keep believing . . .

I'd just found the first thing I needed to entrust to God. How strange though, that my faith became activated first not for me, but for my unearthly guide.

Chapter 5

Heaven

Now that I wanted to see something happen in Ace's life, I set my faith the same way I'd set my faith to believe for something long term during life. Believing a miracle would happen for Ace had the positive effect of inspiring me and invigorating me. It also reminded me of my work as a pilot, when I flew missionaries and their supplies into remote parts of the world. I'd done that work in faith. Having faith now for Ace was easy. It energized me and more than ever I wanted to get started.

Ace had been watching me as my thoughts flew around in my mind. No doubt, he was reading me like a book, but it didn't bother me. I'd learned during life to trust the God whom I put my faith in. From this point on, I'd look forward to the outcome the Lord would bring, regardless of how long it took.

I looked up at Ace and said, "What do we have to do to start?"

Ace nodded approval and said, —I will enter my dream state. You will then see my awareness floating before you. It will be a simply matter of picking you up. Because you are a spirit, I will carry you effortlessly.

That sounded easy enough. "But what about where we're going? And this into the past stuff . . . how's all this going to work?"

Ace was unperturbed by my questions. —You must still make certain decisions, but I think you will understand once we are together. The instructions I received were simple. The Lord will have an angel waiting for us to take you where you need to go.

"An angel?"

—That's right.

An angel . . . I've always been curious about angels. I wondered what finally meeting one would be like. The thought of it almost scared me and made me feel like I had butterflies inside, no matter my unique circumstance . . .

I figured there wasn't any need to stall around. As a matter of fact, it actually felt good to barrel head-on into this. Responding to my enthusiasm, Ace arched his eyebrows.

"Let's do this!"

Ace dipped his head again, —It will take only a short while for me to enter dragon sleep.

"Whatever it takes, Ace."

Taking his gaze off of me he put his head down between his front legs. Then, without ceremony, he closed his eyes. As soon as his eyes were shut, I felt different. More alone maybe. My sense of self was definitely more pronounced. I don't have any idea why. But finally I could do something I had wanted to do since I first encountered the dragon. I could look at him without needing to talk to him!

The thing that most amazed me about him was his size. He was flat out huge. He easily dwarfed any of earth's current creatures, short of the whales. And just like a bird, he didn't attain his full stature until his wings were outstretched. The second most prominent thing was his brilliant color. I would have expected only tropical birds or fish to wear so much color. If it wasn't that it looked right, the amount of color on the dragon would have been overkill.

After that, the next incongruity was the absence of all the dangerous armament dragons were usually adorned with. Ace didn't have any of the pointy horns and barbs that dragons were depicted with in contemporary art. He only had, considering his size, modest fangs and claws. It kind of made me wonder, 'where did all the fearsome ideas of dragons come from in the first place?' Except Ace had already explained that when he revealed how ancient man had reacted.

Without warning, a golden hued bubble appeared over Ace's head. It floated there for a moment before easing toward me. Even though I could see straight through it, I could tell exactly where it was. It came to within six feet of me and stopped. It had to be close to eight feet in diameter. Unlike a soap bubble, it didn't have a glossy sheen. I guess you'd have to say it looked dry. That made it seem more substantial, too.

While the bubble approached, I just watched. But when it stopped, an unexpected urge to 'move' came over me. It felt childlike in its insistence, but that was innocent enough. Automatically I linked it to the bubble. I walked forward to step into it, but the bubble moved toward me at the same time and enveloped me. There was a quiet ker-plunk, a low frequency vibration and I floated free. I was floating! Somehow, the bubble carried me as if I was weightless. It was definitely a strange feeling, but I liked it.

Right away I tried to look at Ace, because after I entered the bubble it spun away from Ace's body. At my thought, the bubble turned and aligned perfectly straight ahead.

Ace still looked like he was sleeping. Before I could say anything, he said, —I'm right here.

I heard him inside my mind like before. Except now I could feel his presence. It reminded me of when he revealed all the other dragons and the awe I had for their worship of Father God. Now I felt that nobility up close and personal, along with a sense of age I hadn't picked up on before. The sheer maturity of Ackseekcelong-Sayessa was impressive all by itself. I stood in the presence of someone who'd transcended levels I had never even reached.

Reassuringly, I felt Ace smile at me.

—I am smiling.

"What's this feel like to you?"

—With you here, it emphasizes how small you are compared to us. But it's as easy as looking down your arm to follow where you want to go. Shall we?

"Ready and willing."

Ace did a quick loop of the cavern, then flew straight over the lake and up the passage I'd come down. Quicker now, we blew past the domed portal and arched up towards the surface. Far above, I could see the surface of the ocean. It looked small and fragile.

Up from the depths we rushed and the surface flashed past like a huge doorway—I felt like a giant that had just stood up. A vast panorama instantly became accessible. We were off the coast of Florida, where I'd sent my last mayday from.

"Whoa . . ." was all I could say.

Higher and higher we flew, the sky quickly turning black as we reached for space. By now I could look down and see practically a whole hemisphere of earth. We were far above the Karman line and Ace kept climbing and accelerating.

I could watch the earth shrinking now, and knew we must be traveling faster than any man had ever gone. And the stars! The bubble <insert dream-sphere before here?< must have been shielding my eyes from the sunlight, because they didn't hurt. But when I looked in the other direction . . . the stars! I couldn't get over how many stars I could see. No! It's not possible . . . I could actually see tiny galaxies! It was incredibly, totally fascinating. I wanted to take it all in, but I couldn't.

"Ace . . ."

—It's better for you, I think. Because you're a spirit. I don't think I can see quite as far.

"You can't see the tiny galaxies . . ."

—In your mind's eye I can, but not of myself. And the image I get from you is faint. It's not nearly as clear as what you must see.

"This is so incredible . . ."

—The heavens declare His glory, Ace said.

It couldn't have been more understated. I just wanted to soak it all in. I also couldn't get over my improved vision, and the view it gave me of what looked like the entire universe. There appeared to be no limit to how far I could see, though I knew I probably only saw the closest galaxies. But it was still more than I would have expected, even if someone had told me how much better my eyesight would one day be.

The next thing I knew, coming out of the distance, I could see the angel approach. Smiling and radiant, exuding power and love, the angel arrived from the direction I'd been facing. She drew in and slowed as she approached, though there had never been any sense of speed about her. She stopped about six feet away from me.

To my delight, I decided that if I had to use one word to sum up the angel, I'd have to combine two human words together to do it. There was no other way. And I knew what words I would use, too. It would either be beauty-perfected, or perfection-beautified. One word alone wasn't enough.

I also couldn't quit marveling over the fact I had to put two human words together just to describe her. Gazing at the angel used up all the understanding I had for the word beauty, and my only solution was to tack on the word, perfected. The same thing happened when I marveled over her perfection. I had to add, beautified. And though it highlighted for me two distinctly separate definitions, each one was absolutely true. I also couldn't help but marvel over the fact either way made perfect sense.

The result of all this was that I worshiped God. Now—at long last—I had my first taste of heaven. But the very next instant, I realized this beauty doesn't belong on earth. At least, not until God dwells among mankind . . .

Chapter 6

Hannah

The angel—so utterly beautiful—that to describe her by saying silvery golden hair, or arrestingly intense eyes, or an impossibly beautiful face, or a radiant countenance would be the foisting of a rude injustice, because it'd be describing her with fallen words. Words as lowly as a child's crayon drawing. Words that could no more approach her than a ladder could approach the sun.

Upon seeing her, I knew immediately, beyond any shadow of a doubt, my lot in life would forever limit me and my kind to earthly beauty—and that would always be as low compared to her as the earth was lower than the heavens.

I understood this at a gut level that left zero room for negotiation. Also understood at the gut level was the real and potent power emanating from her. I could see plainly why some people in the Bible become like dead men upon meeting an angel face to face.

She though, hadn't the slightest bit of haughtiness or conceit about her. Quite the opposite, she acted like she was happy to be meeting me. I, for one, was more than a little taken.

What she wore seemed simple at first glance. But then I realized it was smoother than anything I have ever seen in my life. The flowing short-sleeved full length gown looked soft enough to make the finest silk appear burlap in comparison. Whiter than white, it almost looked alive. The cloth shone and shimmered as if it might say at any moment, 'back away from me, mortal!'

To say I was in shock cannot convey how powerfully I was affected. If I were to say I was stunned by her potency, it would fail to describe her exceedingly superior beauty. And if I informed you of how awestruck I was by her appearance, it could not convince you of how hopelessly I was overpowered by her presence.

Perhaps it would be best if I borrowed an example from science. I could say her appearance touched me like a catalyst, and I was the mere substance being catalyzed.

When she finally spoke, her voice flowed as clear as sunshine. How was I to know human voices are raspy? I thought I'd entered a dream. Her voice was so much more lovely than a human voice, the nearest comparison would be between digital FM stereo and antiquated, static disrupted AM radio. Game over. Humans will never catch up.

She said, "Randall Walker, I'm Hannah. It's good to meet you. The blessing of the Lord be upon you."

Sometime before she finished speaking my mouth must have dropped open, for I found it that way. I can't believe it, but I just blinked. Then I managed to close my mouth and smile.

Mustering words to speak, I said the first thing that came to my mind.

"This is the most fabulous thing . . ."

Letting my sentence trail off I probably looked like a five-year-old finding 100 things more excellent than my best wish under a Christmas tree.

Having an angel of glory stand before me while I floated in space above earth, my vision improved so much I could make out distant galaxies, the whole time occupying a dream-sphere generated by a peaceful God-honoring dragon 'dragon-sleeping' was—to say the least—over the top.

Thankfully, I could fall back on church pleasantries. Those at least offered a safe reference point.

"The Lord has blessed me," I finally managed.

Hannah, apparently pleased I was somewhat maintaining my equilibrium, changed her focus the slightest amount and said, "Ackseekcelong-Sayessa, greetings."

—Well met, Hannah, Ace said.

She looked back to me. "Do you understand what you must do?"

"Well . . . ahh . . . not exactly . . ." I confessed, too overwhelmed to be self-conscious about my admission.

"It's quite simple, actually," Hannah said, smiling, "Christ the Lord will shortly reign on earth. When that happens, many, many things will change."

I nodded in acknowledgement, thoroughly mesmerized.

"You're to witness these events and make a record of them. The account you make will become a testimony for all mankind."

"Okay," I said, not able to say much else.

Hannah gestured to the earth and bizarre as it sounds, somehow included all the time it's been there in the movement. I followed her motion and because she indicated the earth, I looked and noticed it was changing.

She said, "As you know, God chose holy men to fill with his spirit to write his word so men could know and believe the truth."

Nodding again, I began to split my attention between watching the earth and watching Hannah as she spoke. The earth was changing topographically.

Hannah said, "When Christ returns to earth, he will reign as King. All men will look to him for direction. The Holy Bible will be passed over in preference to hearing him personally minister from Jerusalem. Peace will be over all the earth. He will shower his blessings upon men in ways mankind has never dreamed of."

This was one of my favorite subjects and I warmed to it. Hannah paused to acknowledge my enthusiasm so I added, "The word of God says, 'His kingdom shall always prosper, and of his government, there shall be no end!"

Still smiling, Hannah nodded her agreement. "That's correct. The Lord has always planned to bring certain things about, and that will be one of the most important.

"For now though, one of the most pivotal is about to happen. In a way, it will be a forerunner of his return."

I looked more carefully at the earth, wondering if I would see it.

Hannah uttered a soft, one syllable laugh and said, "Not here, Randall. We're already traveling into the past. That's why you see the earth changing."

Mind-boggling realization dawned on me. "Oh."

"We're traveling into the past so you may observe a pivotal event. We are going to watch the installation of unique elements that Christ will use during his reign. Once they're installed, you'll track their growth cycle into maturity.

"While we wait, I will reveal certain facts concerning mankind that have previously been hidden. It's the Lord's will that you learn this, so that from your record, mankind will also learn these things."

Suddenly apprehensive, the look on my face must have given me away.

"There is no danger to you," she said reassuringly. "It is information the Lord wants mankind to be aware of. He has determined to provide humanity with this information so they may understand their position. You will simply tell them."

On the one hand I was placated by her explanation, but on the other, apprehension still bothered me.

Smiling as if she knew something about me I didn't, she looked back at the earth, lifted her arm and the pace of earth's change went into high speed. Rapidly retreating into the past, the continents of the earth regressed. I watched with fascination as it unfolded.

Hannah explained, "If we go all the way back in time to when God created man, death wasn't part of the equation. Sin brought death. And the Devil instigated it. But when he did, he sealed his own doom."

I nodded my head as I listened to her. To say I was enthralled would be a gross understatement.

Hannah stopped her discourse to watch as the earth transformed into a younger planet. The continents were very close together now. I had to watch too. The spectacle was like a giant computer simulation, only a million times better.

"If death wouldn't have entered the picture, the Devil may have remained secure, possibly forever. But as it is, he sprung his own trap."

I'd been so intent on watching the earth devolve I felt like I ran over a speed bump when she said, 'trap.' Looking at her, I was again struck by her superior appearance. I'd almost forgotten because of the fantastic scene before me. Her unearthly beauty only added credibility to her explanation.

"How did he spring a trap by causing man to fall?"

"You understand man was given dominion over all the earth?"

I could easily remember the story in the Bible. "Yes."

"God regularly accomplishes more than one goal with a single action. When he created man, he did more than simply create a living soul to share creation with. He was also punishing the Devil, by placing man in dominion over him.

"This proved too much for the Satan. As it was, he already hated God. When God created man in his own image, and then gave him dominion over everything, including the Devil, the Devil couldn't stand it. Every time he saw man, it reminded him of God."

Hannah had an unreadable expression on her face. "In a way, his only recourse was to lash out. But by doing that, the Devil decreed his own eventual doom."

Turning back to face the earth, I pondered her statement, watching as earth became a primordial desolation. The atmosphere had long since changed too. As I thought about her explanation, I could see how it made sense. But thinking about the 'trap' aspect, I turned back to her and said, "Why would God create man and then use him as if he were only bait?"

Hannah looked over lovingly and said, "There are many reasons why God has done things this way. None of them are easy to explain. For that matter, all of the reason can't even be discovered, not even by angels who examine issues such as this.

"But the why part is that God wasn't only using man as bait. God planned to create man before the foundations of the earth were ever laid. It is simply one more thing God gets double duty from."

I looked away. The earth had become a mass of churning activity. That it would one day be so hospitable after being this, even in light of the disturbing revelations, totally fascinated me.

"But the suffering mankind has gone through . . . wasn't there any other way?"

"There might have been, but God didn't choose to take it. The fact that humanity is able to enter heaven should more than compensate for the trouble along the way."

The one thing I thought of when Hannah mentioned heaven was hell. "But why subject man to hell?"

Hannah measured me with her gaze. "You know the answer to that, Walker."

Momentarily I perused my knowledge on the subject. It wasn't one I liked exploring. "Well, I know what I've always believed, but you probably have a different perspective. I'd just like to know if there's a difference."

Hannah apparently accepted my reason, for she said, "Those who choose to reject God are worthy of the punishment due his enemies."

I must have had one of those, 'I thought you were going to say that,' look on my face, because she said, "Perhaps you don't realize the opportunity man was given. He alone in all of creation was allowed to either believe God, or reject him. That the stakes are so high is God's doing. No other temporal beings ever had this choice."

I could easily see how Hannah's definition fit within the parameters of biblical information. But when she said, 'No other temporal beings ever had this choice,' my curiosity lit off straight after it.

"Other beings?" I asked, not able to resist a question I've always wondered about.

"Yes. The universe has many other sapient beings, but none of them were subjected to the trial man has been given."

I don't know what kind of expression that put on my face, but I had to pause to process the information. She kept right on talking.

"In a way, God chose the least of his creation to have this choice—either for him or against him. That a man, by his own choice, could become either a joint heir of heaven or a partaker of hell, is poetically fair to me, Walker."

Needless to say, I had no small curiosity over her angelic sense of poetry. But that was nothing compared to my curiosity over her statement, '. . . God chose the least of his creation . . .' I asked, "What do you mean, 'least of his creation?"

She said, "When God made man, he used the dust of the earth. In comparison, all other sapient life forms are made from either more complex or more exotic elements."

The fact that she spoke so casually about extraterrestrials was hard enough to come to grips with. With her now informing me that humans were at the bottom rung of interstellar higher intelligence, I not only didn't know where to begin, but was also quite speechless. She effortlessly displaced my silence.

"That God shaped man after his image, was, you might say, 'stacking the deck.' But if so, it would work in only one of two possible ways. It would either work for, or against, each individual."

Though I hadn't finished processing her previous mind-boggling statement and the implications it introduced, somehow I still had enough presence of mind to ask, "For or against?"

"That's right. Everyone knows subconsciously they're created in God's image. This knowledge either becomes an inspiration, or something an individual wishes to deny."

Overloaded with information, I was reduced to skimming the surface of her explanation.

"How so?"

She looked at me like she couldn't believe I had just said what I said. But she gave an answer anyway.

"When an individual wishes to deny truth which his subconscious is aware of, it always leads to delusion. A common one is to pretend God doesn't exist. Sinners under that delusion think they will not be accountable to God."

I only had to remember history to cringe away from an avalanche of facts illuminating mans unjust mistreatment of other men, underscoring their contempt of the Almighty. Surprisingly or not, I found myself trying to hide the shame I felt over it. Hannah didn't appear to notice my reaction. She continued after the slightest pause.

"In the context of helping man, it fosters a deep kinship with God. It justifies actions such as love, mercy and self sacrifice, to name just a few, because these attributes come from God himself."

Hannah looked over at the planet. It was now a glowing, seething rock, absolutely lifeless.

"Those who find the wisdom to fight by putting their faith in God earn a reward so great, their very beings must be strengthened just to receive it. It is that great. I doubt you have yet fully appreciated how magnificent this gift truly is."

She gazed at me, appraising my reaction.

Who, me? I wasn't going to contradict her. After the slightest pause, she continued.

"Either way, whether one chooses to put faith in or against God, one is rewarded above one's station in life. Those believing with God are promoted to God's own paradise, while those who believe against him are promoted to a Devil's hell."

I reflected on that for a moment, acknowledging it explained some tough questions. But my extraterrestrial curiosity still had a hold on me. "What's this about other beings though? Don't they have to be found obedient to God's will, like us?"

Hannah glanced at the bulk that would one day become host to an amazingly intricate ecological system. As she did, an oblong object came into view, and it headed straight for the embryonic planet.

All three of us had our attention on it now and it quickly grew in size and speed. Much too fast for me to guess size or speed, other than it was massive and moving exceptionally fast, the oddly shaped projectile smacked the surface with brutal force. Violently exploding in a giant eruption, huge quantities of matter spewed into space. Catastrophic by any sense of the word, the spectacle shocked me.

"What was that?"

Hannah, also impressed by the sight, shot me her eyes. "That was the installation of the elements I spoke of and the event we backtracked time to witness. The object that just imbedded itself inside the planet contains elements pivotal to the future of mankind."

I could only wonder what that meant. But then I got an idea from Ace, or rather, Ace reminded me of the special stones he told me about. It was quite unusual sharing a thought like that—quite extraordinary actually. Even with Hannah there, it was like only Ace and I shared it. I gawked as the event played itself out.

Hannah said, "The material that's been ejected will form earth's moon." Already the material was gathering itself together.

As the event transpired, now in fast forward, the planet's surface quickly stabilized from the impact.

Hannah continued from where she'd left off.

"Other beings simply are obedient to God. There's no reason for them not to be."

Grating me instantly, I objected, "No reason for them not to be?" All I could think is how that contradicted practically everything I had learned from life.

Hannah looked at me with a desire I'd understand. Explaining carefully, she quietly said, "The reason is, no other beings have ever been tempted by the Devil."

A short moment after that, it clicked in my understanding. "You mean the Devil's been limited in his reign of terror to the earth?"

At my words, the most beautiful creature to ever grace my sight bowed so humbly it seemed she lay herself before me, as snow lays itself down to carpet and beautify everything it touches. She held the bow, waiting to see if I'd draw more conclusions.

In afterthought, my mind reeling from the ramifications, I exclaimed, "So only humanity has been plagued by the enemy of God . . ."

And then I began to cry.

Chapter 7

Mission

Once it sunk in, my only outlet was to weep. The revelation of humanity's predicament cruelly seized me and wouldn't let go. The savageness of the truth paralyzed me. What blew me away is the fact it was only us; it had only ever been us.

As I wept, my thoughts went to the faceless masses who've suffered so grievously since time began. Wars, brutality, slavery, oppression, starvation, sickness, rape, murder, torture—there was no end to it! And to think, it was just some elaborate trap!

But I knew God loved mankind. Loved us so much he willingly sent his only son to suffer being tortured to death on the cross to prove it and save us.

But it still overwhelmed me. Knowing other sapient beings existed in the universe who weren't afflicted by the Devil—while we were . . . it rocked my world to its core.

The vast misery inflicted upon humanity became an endless ocean of grief . . . that swallowed me. Here were incomprehensible depths. Here were questions I didn't want answers to. Here was enough sorrow to drown anyone.

Then, from within that ocean of grief, in an almost abstract way, I thought of all the pain I'd suffered. And though I understood pain to be an instrument God uses to refine a believer, like fire refines gold, it suddenly took on a new definition. I began to see my pain as being small. I saw my suffering had been slight. In comparison to what many had endured, I shouldn't have any complaints. In comparison to the atrocities some have experienced, I should be embarrassed to even mention my light afflictions.

Compared to others, my pain amounted to a minor inconvenience, while the immeasurable torment others had endured became impossible to wrap my mind around. I also knew I couldn't deal with it on my own. But somehow I'd become locked into the vision of humanities afflictions and couldn't get out. Something compelled me to remain fixated on the incalculable injustice the race of man experienced. Unable to stop gazing at it, the agony of mankind overwhelmed me. The cup of misery humanity drank from was unbearable.

Eventually my grieving reached a point where I was willing to let myself go. Willing to let myself drown in it, just to get it over with.

Like the eye of a hurricane, I had found the center of the sorrow. But in this case, instead of being calm, it was the most severe. Like an airplane flipping over on its back into a death plunge, I spiraled in. Except it wasn't so much a catastrophe to be feared as an escape to be coveted. To go through the pain—even if it meant going deeper than I could survive, was better than enduring it. Which maybe is a way of saying I embraced it.

And when I did, when I stopped resisting the torment and gave myself to it, God intervened. As soon as he stepped in, I gave the burden to him. He deliberately waited until I embraced the full cup of humanities suffering before coming to my aid. Evidently wanting me to give myself to it 100 percent, before giving it back to him. Perhaps so that when I gave it back, I would be handing him all of it.

Now I knew—only God could ever fully deal with it. Only then did I begin to recover. Only then did the suffering let me go. Gradually I came up from the depths.

The knowledge had absolutely devastated me. For whatever reason, the illumination of mankind's predicament had unleashed tidal wave after tidal wave of the greatest sorrow upon me. But turning it over to God had released me from all of it.

By the time I got around to thinking about my companions, quite some time had passed. Somewhere along the line Hannah had stood up. They were both patiently waiting.

"I'm sorry," I said, wiping my eyes with the heels of my hands, "You just don't expect something like that to hit you every day."

They held their peace as I regained my composure.

After a while Hannah said, "It is a catastrophe that humanity has suffered so greatly."

Though it felt like an understatement, I nodded my head.

She added, "I know it is of little consolation, but heaven too, has been afflicted by the destroyer. And not only heaven and earth, but even all of creation has been caught up in this struggle. Though it's true nothing has endured the magnitude of suffering humanity has."

At least that didn't sound like an understatement. "When will it all be over?" I asked, still bothered by the revelation of mankind singlehandedly resisting the Devil.

Hannah nodded slightly. Then she looked back to the earth.

"You have asked a very simple question. And I don't mean to cause you more hurt. But what specifically do you mean?"

She turned back to me. "And what part of being over are you asking about? Man's involvement is not yet finished. Satan's involvement, on the universal time plane, is about to be cut short. Your involvement, the sole individual chosen for this task, has much to go. The battle between good and evil isn't finished yet. Certainly creation has very far to go. Only my explanation is nearly finished. Which answer would you prefer?"

I looked at her like she didn't have any feelings. She held my stare and as I stared back, I drew strength from her. I realized she wasn't being heartless—only practical. No doubt, I didn't want her to coddle me. But it was my turn to look away. When I did, it was amazing how space gave me more room to think.

I'd been shattered by the information she'd given me. Shattered beyond repair. If God wouldn't have intervened and lifted me out of it, there was no way I could have climbed out on my own. No other set of conditions could have shocked me as bad as that did. But pondering it and comparing it with the Bible, it didn't skew anything. It's just absolutely the last thing I would have guessed, if I had been asked to.

And fortunately, the reward of going to heaven did give great comfort—it's a fact that once in heaven, the blessing of being there will far outweigh all the difficulty encountered along the way. There had been good things in life, too. It would be wrong to ignore all the blessings God had given. Come to think of it, God deserves praise for the all good things he gives.

Recovering from my internal struggle, I realized there were a myriad of questions I could ask. As I searched for the right one, it occurred to me it might be better to give her the floor.

She took the ball and ran like she'd been waiting for it. "The Devil was cast to the earth because earth could be used as a prison. He isn't able to leave earth and therefore cannot travel to other solar systems. And he absolutely cannot travel to other galaxies."

She gazed at the young planet as if contemplating something about it. After a moment she turned to me and said, "Besides humans and dragons, there's no other sapient life in this galaxy."

Instantly I was disappointed. I've always hoped that other sapient life existed in our galaxy. I don't know why. I guess I just thought it would be cool. By the way she explained it, I'd taken it to mean our galaxy was chock full of it. But no . . . Now I couldn't believe how disappointed I was.

"Where is there other sapient life then?"

She smiled at me gently, like a mother would to a child, before sharing good news. "Walker, there are millions of sapient species throughout the universe."

"Millions?" I stood there flabbergasted as excitement roared through my mind.

"Yes," Hannah said smiling, "and every one of them is unique."

"What are they all for?"

Hannah just laughed. "What do you think they're for?"

Unexpectedly caught off guard, I absently looked around and ended up gazing at the dream-sphere I was in. Without meaning to, I'd just linked with Ace's attention. Instantly I knew he would speak to me. I tried not to cringe.

—Don't look at me, she asked you.

I might have expected it. It didn't bother me though. If anything, it lifted my spirits. Happily I realized the reason. "To glorify the Lord," I said confidently.

Hannah nodded her head. The intelligence in her eyes suggested her wisdom exceeded her beauty. "Your spiritual sensitivity is good, Walker. I'm glad the Lord picked you for this task."

I humbly accepted her complement. "Thank you, Hannah." Though honestly, I didn't see how I deserved the honor.

"But now isn't the time to explore for other sapient life in the universe. We are now at the point where you may begin your study." She indicated the young planet.

"What you are about to see are elements that are unique unto themselves. Nowhere else in the galaxy may these elements be found. For that matter, they cannot be found anywhere else in the universe. But the installation of this component isn't the only exclusive event to happen to earth." She looked back to me. I felt like I was being lined up in the cross-hairs.

"As I've already said, earth is the Devil's only prison. But also, earth is the single place the Lord of glory takes to himself a flesh and blood body. Moreover, solely on earth is he crucified. Likewise, only on earth does he rise from the dead. On top of all that, his righteous reign will soon begin, and it will be administered, again, only from earth."

Hearing the check list of unique attributes gave me a feeling not unlike bowling pins receiving a strike. I don't even know why—I didn't disagree with any of it! Not only that, the look on her face said that had been the short list. I tried not to be affected. She wasn't convinced.

She said, "When the Lord created these elements, they became an exclusive component in an otherwise uniform universe. But as I said, they are both a precipitator of the Lord's return and an essential component of man's future."

Hannah paused another moment, staring at the new planet. "One of the reasons we've backtracked time was for you to witness that event. But in addition, you will now be able to study the growth cycle of these elements, beginning from their earliest stage and then on to maturity. Afterwards, along with the other related events you'll witness, you'll observe their future."

Thinking about the mysterious elements, an uncontainable question about them rose up in me. I thought if I could get Hannah to answer this one question, I might understand the elements enough to satisfy the better part of my curiosity.

Just like Ace, Hannah appeared to be able to read my mind. She waited like someone who knew what question was coming.

"Hannah," I began, reaching carefully for the right words, "what exactly are these elements for?"

Momentarily taken back, she assessed me with a look and then shook her head. "I think you do not understand the nature of your question, Walker."

That elicited a double take from me and as I averted my eyes to introspect, I again focused on the inside of the dream-sphere.

—Ask her what their most important application is.

Of course. Locking my eyes on hers I asked, "What's their most important application?"

Hannah's expression changed to one that knew I had collaborative help with the question. But at least she didn't seem bothered by it. She said, "Their most important application will be to give mankind the ability to travel faster than the speed of light."

I wouldn't have been more surprised by any other answer. I also couldn't have been happier. A huge smile broke out on my face and I said, "Hot dog! You mean all of us will be able to travel to the stars?"

Curiously, Hannah acted as if she hadn't heard the question. Then I realized she was having a private moment with Ace. When she finally got around to answering, it was obvious my enthusiasm wasn't contagious.

"You could put it that way, but wouldn't that be assuming everyone will want to go?"

I didn't expect her to downplay the event. As her comment gave me pause, I realized it would be too much to expect everyone to want to travel to the stars. I rephrased my question. "Well, will everyone who wants to go be able to go?"

Hannah smiled, seeming to like my childlike animation. Then she dropped the ax.

"Walker, it's for the glory of God that the universe was created. It's also for the glory of God that he made man. Without a doubt, giving mankind this ability will also be to give God glory."

I felt like I needed to hold up a white surrender flag. "So . . . it depends on who will give God glory?" It would be safe to say, confusion had overtaking my enthusiasm.

Gazing at me as if she thought I might be mentally challenged, she said, "The issue isn't who or how many, but rather, why don't you wait and see?"

I couldn't keep from arching my eyebrows, and then Ace laughed. I decided right then I'd found a new definition for being caught between a rock and a hard place. When I got over my chagrin, Hannah continued.

"Now. The elements we've come to study are buried deep within the molten mantle. As I've already said, it is for you to be able to witness their growth cycle that we've traveled this far back in time."

What's important about their growth cycle?" I knew it sounded immature, but I was unable to recall the question.

"You will learn things during that period that you cannot learn at any other time."

I nodded my head and said, "I see." Not that I saw much.

She ignored my flippancy and continued. "These elements, as I've said, are unique to themselves. They will also have incredible power. They will vault humanity forward to a civilization mankind has never before imagined. But as comes with all power, there will be responsibility. Perhaps your record will help mankind mind its manners?"

I couldn't believe she'd just said that! As if I'd have anything to do with it. But being in no position to contradict her, I simply said, "I will do my best."

I would hope so, Walker."

Stung, I wondered what had changed the ambience of our relationship. Remembering my excitement over her revelations, I figured I could have acted wiser. That was probably it. She was eons older and who knew how much wiser than me, and when I acted less than perfect, it probably offended her. Deciding without delay I needed to remain in her favor, I made a conscious decision to do and to be the best I could possibly be.

Not commenting on my thoughts, she continued explaining the elements.

"The main reason the elements are so powerful is because the Lord created them that way. How they are so powerful is that they are inter-dimensional. In effect, the Lord has imbued them with power over the material dimension."

Now what in the world did that mean? If my interest in them hadn't been great before, it sure was now. But because of my recent upbraid by her, I felt intimidated. Matter of fact, I felt just like I had after Ace chewed me out that first time. Reflecting on my situation, it occurred to me that it might help to follow Ace's advice.

Carefully I asked, "Do the elements have a name?"

Her countenance softened a bit, though she didn't give any indication that she'd soon allow me to become casual.

"Yes. Properly they are called, lobes. And you will go to study them, now.

"What will happen is you will go to sleep. Then in a special dream more powerful than any dream you have ever known, you will witness the growth cycle of the lobes. Your identity will become an extremely focused singular point of awareness. You will be able to perceive matter at the sub-atomic level as easily as you can now look at your own hand. You will also be able to instantly perceive the entire planet. You will have astonishing abilities at your control. Use them to observe the growth cycle of the lobes. Study them to the best of your ability. Witness everything!

"When you're finished, you will wake yourself up. By the time you awaken, we will have returned to universal standard time.

"Ackseekcelong-Sayessa and I will remain here and await your return."

"That's it? I'm just going to sleep?"

"Pleasant dreaming, Randall Walker."

Regardless of the fact I'd just decided to practice my most controlled self-discipline, I blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "Ace! Do something!"

—Such as?

Not surprisingly, his response arrived with a finality that no suggestions would be forthcoming and with it, the annoying sensation he actually thought this was funny.

Before I had time for another thought, I began to feel light-headed. It grew into a sense of being out of control, like I was no longer master of my actions or able to enact my choices.

Then I began to feel a rushing inside like fear, except it wasn't. As the rushing increased, I knew I would lose consciousness. Resisting until I couldn't resist any longer, I relinquished the awareness of my surroundings and began traveling through a long, grey tunnel.

Chapter 8

Risk

Against an infinite curtain of the silkiest black, upon which an unreasonable number of stars did shine, an impossibly beautiful angel and the dream-sphere of an unassuming dragon patiently waited.

The earth, still crude and not yet the mostly blue and white globe humanity would come to love, already carried itself with poise, as if gifted with the foreknowledge of its destiny.

Though the two unlikely companions could only wait for earth to return to universal standard time at the conclusion of Walker's study, neither the angel nor the dragon acted in the least way impatient.

Walker, asleep in the golden hued dream-sphere, had curled up semi-fetal. Ace spoke first.

—Do you think his race will ever settle down?

Hannah lifted her gaze from Walker and focused on the dream-sphere. Then she turned away. "I have no doubt they will during the Lord's reign, because peace will be everywhere. What concerns me though is, what will happen during the final solution?"

One could almost imagine the dragon's expression of surprise, superimposed like an apparition on the surface of the dream-sphere.

—Do you not think the Lord will suffice?

Hannah turned back to him. "The Lord will always suffice," she said. "What will happen to mankind, though, Ackseekcelong-Sayessa? What will happen to mankind?"

Chapter 9

Natalii

By the time the end of the tunnel dissipated to nothingness, Walker's consciousness had become an exceedingly small, extremely brilliant, singular point of awareness. The size hinged upon that being the lowest possible denominator, while the brilliance began at and then effectively reached out of the visible register. He could now perceive in every direction—at the same time. What he saw, he knew. What he knew, he understood.

For all practical intents and purposes, he was now no more human than say, an angel or even a dragon. His one remaining similarity to humanity was the focal point of his perception. Or in other words, it would still—in essence, be him—who saw what he would see.

~

Precisely inserted by the angel to optimize his study, Walker grasped first that during the elements violent intrusion, they had barely been aware. They only partially perceived the event as a loving omniscience placing them deep within an infant planet.

To the elements though, this hardly mattered. As drastic a change as the molten depths were from the hard vacuum of space, they went unfazed. For the elements were in a protective shell, and the shell protected them during the violent collision.

Automatically engaging its next purpose, the sturdy shell immediately tempered the incredible pressure and tremendous heat. In addition to fulfilling these two tasks, it began converting the intense pressure and unbearable heat into energy. It then fed this energy to the lobes.

Displaying the fascinating multipurpose efficiency often found in nature, the shell used this energy not only to nurture its inner charges, but in feeding it to the lobes, it used them as a heat sink.

~

The first natural step the lobes took as they nursed in the infant planet was to focus their attention. And the first thing they focused their attention on was their own individual outer perimeters. One of the reasons for this was simply to memorize it.

It would take a long time for each lobe to memorize its own outer perimeter, but they had to do it. The process was crucial. Through it, they'd solidify and establish themselves in the physical universe. The reason it would take so long, even though they weren't much larger than a baseball, is they were mapping themselves at the atomic level.

~

At Walker's command and operating through his highly focused awareness were a plethora of extrasensory abilities. He couldn't help but feel like some kind of a supernatural being with all sorts of amazing gifts and talents. These unexpected abilities empowered him with virtually unlimited perception. Fortunately he was also equipped with an understanding of how to use his new abilities. Exercised correctly, he could ascertain voluminous amounts of information.

One of the tools he'd been supplied enabled him to move forward and back upon the time-line the lobes maintained. Another tool allowed him to slow down or speed up the rate at which he perceived time. Experimenting, he discovered he could stop it completely, or if he wanted to, make it go backwards.

Yet beyond the ability to scan his immediate area or to manipulate time, he could also expand his awareness until it permeated the entire planet. Thus it was easy for him to note that the lobes established a benchmark as they shifted their attention from surveying their exterior dimensions to surveying their interior dimensions. For the shift in their focus coincided with a major step in earth's geological formation.

Walker observed and noted, that in the same amount of time it took the lobes to survey and memorize their own individual outer perimeters, the crust of the earth cooled, formed, and the ocean condensed from the atmosphere.

~

Now knowing their outer form completely, the lobes next each focused on their interiors. From a point deep within itself, the attention of each lobe proceeded to map every aspect of its interior mass. Upon the commencement of this phase of their development, the lobes contacted infinitesimally small particles. Upon coming into contact with them, the lobes began to employ them.

~

Nat·a·lii (nătʹǝ lī) n. [gnat-a-lie] n.

Not ordinarily or readily perceived, natalii particles

are perhaps best described as the 'after-presence' of

God Almighty upon speaking Creation into existence.

An apt 21st Century analogy is the residual aroma of

perfume in a room shortly after the person wearing it left.

—Christ's Millennium Encyclopedia, simplified, circa 2505.

~

Another one of the abilities the focal point of awareness called Walker utilized is the near-instantaneous recognition of complex and often mysterious information. It happened just that way when the lobes found the natalii. Walker spontaneously understood how the lobes were inter-dimensional as they began employing the natalii. He also recognized a number of additional things at that same time.

He realized the infinitesimally small, arc shaped particles were natalii, and that they permeate everything. Residing beyond the physical dimension kept the natalii out of reach of his era's scientists.

How the natalii are able to be present in everything, while residing beyond the physical realm is, natalii inhabit eternity. How they inhabit eternity while permeating ordinary matter simultaneously is because when God created the universe, he tied all matter to eternity.

The simple reason for this is, matter needs eternity. It is one specific facet of eternity which matter needs: the facet of timelessness.

Timelessness is the value of eternity which is void of time, and is the value which matter requires. For it is only in the absence of time that the light speed fast travel of subatomic particles, particles which all matter is made up of, may function properly.

Walker also saw this was how God had separated the eternal spiritual realm from the physical mortal realm. Like an island whose foundation is hidden beneath the sea, the foundation of matter is hidden in eternity. God simply built them hanging half way into each other, if you will.

~

Mirroring their first growth phase, as the lobes memorized their interior makeup, simple life formed in the ocean.

~

Like a baby crawling for the first time, lobes began to explore their greater world. Except they didn't move, physically. Lobe consciousness doesn't use sight, sound, smell, taste or touch the way humans need to. Instead, they employ a sophisticated type of spatial awareness. It could vaguely be compared to the knowledge a person uses to negotiate a darkened room, avoiding objects by having memorized where they are. But that's only a rough comparison.

As the lobes began to explore their greater world, each lobe cast its attention out. As it did so, the natalii, far easier than light waves carrying photons so eyes may see, carried information back to the lobes. The natalii did this far easier than light waves because the natalii, not being restricted by time, moved faster than light.

~

Searching for the first time beyond their own surface area, the lobes contacted the material they were bedded within. Throughout the entire enormous mass, every lobe in every lobe chamber rested in the same intimately compatible substance. This same substance transferred the energy that fed the lobes.

Exercising the gift that perhaps could loosely be defined as precognition, Walker recognized this intimately compatible substance as lobe base. If he would have considered earthly things right then, he might have realized Adam would use a similar gift to name all the animals.

~

Quickly finishing their exploration of the lobe base, the lobe's attentions proceeded to expand. Each lobe cast its attention not only through deeper and deeper levels of the lobe base, but also through the open areas that surrounded all of them.

Once past the open space which every cavity had, the first solid object each lobe encountered were other lobes, just like themselves.

At first, each lobe met only one or two, or at the most, three other lobes. Their power was small and limited how far they could reach.

What wasn't limited is the amount of fascination they generated as they discovered others, just like themselves.

~

Interestingly, Walker saw how the lobes kept track of what they perceived. Each lobe designated one atom as center-most atom, and then used its own internal volume as a three-dimensional map. The lobes posted the information the natalii brought to the area directly surrounding the central atom. Then they posted this information directly onto other natalii residing within the orbits of their own subatomic particles.

It was as if one natalii would arrive with a piece of information, hand it to a stationary one and say, here, hold this. Then it would leave. A different natalii particle would arrive at a different location and repeat the process.

Radiating from the central atom, spatial information was superimposed in midair upon the natalii dwelling within the flying orbits of each lobe's subatomic particles.

~

The lobes were fascinated to find neighbors. As they marveled over their profound discovery, the intensity of their consciousness changed. Specifically, their level of focus increased exponentially. Walker noted that before they discovered neighbors, their focus had been rather mundane. But as soon as they found other lobes, their interest spiked. To him, it was kind of like they just woke up.

~

The lobes could tell their neighbors apart. This was fitting, for each lobe had an individual identity. These identities were derived from the knowledge of their memorized interior and exterior forms. This knowledge then generated signatures, by the simple act of being conscious. But the lobes didn't know that. They just knew the intricately unique pattern of each lobe was a different neighbor, and marveled over it.

~

Eventually the lobes got over their fascination of finding neighbors. Coinciding with that, their power increased, permitting them to resume exploration. Which promptly caused them to find more neighbors. Whereupon their fascination rekindled.

The cascading cause and effect compelled Walker to realize a similarity between the lobes and mankind—their joy appeared to be human-like. Happy to find such a similarity, it took him a moment to see what was missing. Emotions. There weren't any emotions. The intense marveling of discovering neighbors had to be classified as a pseudo-joy, because the lobes didn't have any feelings. They only hyper-intellectualized it. It couldn't become a feeling—it didn't have anywhere to manifest.

Not for the last time, Walker noted the lobes were more alien than he'd originally cared to admit.

~

Ever more neighbors became accessible to the lobes. In the order they were discovered, every lobes memorized each neighbor's signature, along with its orientation and location. The lobes did that by using a moment in a specific subatomic particles' position. This always oriented from each lobes designated center-most atom. And the information posted instantly as each new lobe appeared. Continuously, the information was arranged inside the lobe to mimic its location outside the lobe.

The further the lobes cast out their attentions, the more information the natalii gathered. As necessary, more atoms were enlisted to enlarge their three-dimensional maps.

As he was supposed to, Walker saw and noted that as the lobe communities grew, plant and insect life began to exist on earth.

~

Within the huge shell that housed the lobes were countless numbers of pockets, each pocket a separate lobe community. Some of the pockets were small, holding only several dozen lobes. These small pockets were along the outer perimeter of the giant mass. But other pockets were huge and the smallest of these contained tens of thousands of lobes each. The further away from the outer wall the communities were located, the larger they became. Approaching the center, surrounding the massive conduit the converted energy flowed through, huge communities flourished that numbered in the millions.

~

In everything there being a fullness of time, the lobes finally needed to journey beyond the limits of their own isolated areas. For the lobes had both figuratively and literally, hit the wall. Having the smallest areas to search enabled the lobes from the tiniest communities to reach beyond their individual pockets first. Expertly casting their attention out upon the natalii, these lobes then discovered more lobes beyond the confines of their small pockets. Within a short time, all of the lobes from all of the countless communities sojourned beyond the areas of their individual pockets.

Within a short time that is, to the lobes. For in the same amount of time it took all of the lobes to sojourn beyond their own respective compartments, birds, reptiles and mammals had begun to exist on earth.

~

Dinosaurs would go and man would come and in all that time the lobes met, registered orientation to and memorized every single other lobe. From one end to the other of the mountain range sized shell, all the lobes knew each other. This was no small feat seeing their community numbered well into the trillions.

Walker had only known a little about computers and less about their subtle requirements for the storage space of data. But he thought the lobes had computers handily beat. He could see the amount of space each lobe used to record the signatures and spatial information of every other lobe. This space was located the same way in every lobe—at its core. Judging by its size, he estimated the volume of atoms each lobe used to record this data was the size of a very, very small pebble.

Chapter 10

The Dragon's Tragedy

While Walker studied the mysterious lobes, Hannah and Ace were free to commune. Although angels and dragons knew of each other, opportunities to communicate were few and far between. To them, the rare occasion would not be taken lightly.

"I offer my condolences for your mate, Ackseekcelong-Sayessa," Hannah said.

—Thank you, Hannah. Though this is twice that Teleannie-Teleena has been mentioned without once speaking of the loss surrounding her.

Contemplating the dragon's comment, a shadow seemed to drift over Hannah. When it passed, it was obvious that beneath her beauty lay a number of years that surpassed even a dragon's age. "Please tell me what happened."

The golden hued dream-sphere, motionless in the ethereal pocket of safety the angel kept about her paused in remembrance. When he spoke, it was with sorrow.

—There really isn't any good reason for it to have happened.

A tone of somberness saturated the pair. When Hannah spoke, it was very soft.

"I assume you're saying it could have been avoided?"

As if Ace were nodding, a moment elapsed before he went on. —We think it could have, though that doesn't describe the trickery that was involved. When Teleannie-Teleena was slain, she was ambushed.

Shocked, Hannah said, "Didn't she know violent men roamed the earth?"

Again it seemed as if Ace had nodded. —She knew, well enough. But the group of people she tutored didn't know deadly machines had been hidden to ambush her. They gathered in their weekly spot without knowing the peril they would draw her into.

"Who did it?"

A moment elapsed before Ace could reply, —Those who obeyed the false religion that arose after the flood.

"Baal."

—That was one of them. Those she tutored, she tutored in the way of the Lord.

"Because you had lived before the flood." It was more statement than question.

As if reliving memories from those days, Ace lingered before answering.

—Exactly. The religious leaders felt threatened by those relearning the old truths. So they prepared a trap.

"Couldn't Teleannie-Teleena detect their thoughts and avoid them?"

As if the question wrung his heart, Ace labored to answer. —The trap functioned automatically. It was a bobby trap. They weren't even there when they killed her.

Grieving with him, Hannah said, "Again I offer my condolences."

—Thank you, Hannah. It is felt and appreciated. I only wish we had immediately gone into the overlap after Teleannie-Teleena died.

"Because of the other deaths?"

Pained by the answer, Ace said, —Of course.

Empathy flowed from the angel. It was easy to see she didn't enjoy drawing the answers out of him. "Who else died, Ackseekcelong-Sayessa?"

As if the dragon took a deep breath, a pause transpired. When he spoke, he was distant and resigned.

—Phillylanor-Falonday was ambushed not one month after Teleannie-Teleena, he said, and then couldn't go on.

"Oh my friend, I am so sorry." Hannah reached over her hand and rested it upon the dream-sphere. She stood there lending her compassion for an extended amount of time.

The dragon was in a deep a state of mourning. But after a while, as the mood of the dragon lifted from those terrible depths, she was willing to ask, "How did it happen?"

Mustering his strength, Ace was able to say, —Those that sought truth were persecuted. She tried to help them escape—to rescue some of them . . .

Again he couldn't continue. It was easy to imagine he'd be crying if he were human. Patiently Hannah supported Ace as he grieved. Eventually he continued explaining what had happened.

—Phillylanor-Falonday thought nothing of herself and dove into the storm of arrows the heathen were killing the believers with. She thought the arrows wouldn't hurt her, because they were so small. But this too was a trick. The small arrows were meant to look harmless to a dragon. Too late, she learned she was poisoned.

Quietness and sorrow settled over them as Hannah tearfully shared Ace's grief. Again she said, "Ackseekcelong-Sayessa, I am so sorry."

—I receive all of your compassion, angel Hannah. When I return to the other dragons, I will share with them your empathy.

"Thank you, my friend."

—It is we who thank you. Our mourning has been long and grievous.

"Because the dragons may never complete their population circle with even one dragon gone, let alone . . ."

—Three . . .

"Three!" Hannah said, and shook her head in sadness, as a grief fortified by the ages piled up on the dragon. By the way Ace carried the burden, plainly the dragons had suffered long and catastrophic loss.

"It must be unbearable, having your species future denied its full expression."

—Yet how can we not accept it? Has not God suffered even greater loss?

Tears again welled up in the angel's eyes. "Oh, Ackseekcelong-Sayessa, truly you honor him! Multitudes of angels will hear of your unwavering love of God."

—It is the only right thing to do. Satan is ultimately responsible for all evil. If it wasn't for his rebellion, it's easy to say, none of this would have ever happened.

Sagely nodding with his answer she asked, "How is it that Phillylanor-Falonday didn't detect the poison on the arrows?"

—Another trick. The soldiers shooting the arrows didn't know they were poisonous. That truth got lost through the chain of command. By the time soldiers used them in the field, no knowledge of the poison was in any of their minds.

Hannah was shaking her head again. "The treachery of it is almost unbelievable."

—Only the Devil's treachery against God seems worse to us.

"That is quite understandable."

Hannah and Ace held their peace for some time, the angel lending her support and compassion to the dragon. After a while, Ace continued.

—It was Phillylanor-Falonday's death which ultimately brought the wrath of Wisearlyon-Ozooka upon the land.

"How did that happen, my friend?"

—Phillylanor-Falonday was his mate. After she died, he went berserk.

"There was nothing you could do to stop him?"

As if the dragon were shaking his head, the dream-sphere imperceptibly moved.

—We tried to the very end to convince Wisearlyon-Ozooka to cease and desist, but to no avail. He was overwhelmed by her loss. Nothing we could do would comfort him. His grief kept building until it drove him beyond himself. Then he attacked the men who did it.

"How did he know who was responsible?"

—It was obvious the soldiers had come from the temple of the great city. Before he attacked, he did reconnaissance in his dream-sphere, to spy on them. He told us as much. It is also where he learned what enraged him.

"What was it?"

—He would never tell us. But I think they were mocking Phillylanor-Falonday, because they'd been able to kill her.

"And it pushed him over the edge."

—He attacked the temple the same night.

"How?"

—He found out they had devised many weapons of war, and wanted to use them. So he carried large boulders high in the air, and dropped them on the temple.

"Did the temple get destroyed?"

—Certainly. Along with many of the weapons of war within it. But it turned out to be only the first stroke of a long and protracted war. When they realized battle was joined, they turned all of their energies to fighting him.

"During all this time you tried to dissuade him of his actions?"

—Absolutely. Because of our telepathy, it was impossible for us to avoid knowing what he was doing. But it was also impossible for him to avoid us.

"Would he not listen to reason?"

—He could not accept the fact that Phillylanor-Falonday was gone forever. To him, the loss was too great to bear. He began a loop of reasoning in his mind that he was unable to step out of.

"But isn't it the same thing that happened to you?"

—True. But he couldn't see the importance of getting over it.

"How were you able to, while he wasn't?"

The dragon paused to gather his thoughts. Then he said, —I believe it was because of my focus. To me, God was most important. But to Wisearlyon-Ozooka, the gift God had given him was most important. Or rather, I should say, the gift he lost. He drove himself crazy over it.

"What exactly did he consider the gift to be?"

—Everything to do with his mate. He cherished above all else Phillylanor-Falonday. She and all four of the offspring that would've come had not the circle of descendants been broken, meant more to him than life itself. He truly could not bear to lose this.

"Yet you could?"

—Angel Hannah . . . The dragon, once again distraught over the memory, paused to compose himself. After a time he continued.

—When I lost Teleannie-Teleena, instantly I cried to the Lord. I cried, 'God, God, God, no! Wisearlyon-Ozooka felt it. All the dragons felt it. I was the first to suffer this loss, and having never happened before, I only knew to cry out to God.

—Wisearlyon-Ozooka had time to fret. He thought about how he'd feel if something like it happened to him. When it did, he went in an entirely different direction than I had. That what he worried about actually happened might have had something to do with how he eventually reacted.

Hannah stood before the dragon, a lone sentinel bidding respect and condolences for ancient tragedies. She didn't speak for quite some time. When she finally did, it was with the utmost of respect.

"Do you know what eventually happened to Wisearlyon-Ozooka?"

It was almost as if the dream-sphere of the dragon nodded again, and turned to gaze at the earth. When he spoke, the words sounded far away.

—The war lasted for centuries. It was hard for humans to fight him, especially when he exercised caution. But there came about a certain king who thought he could draw out Wisearlyon-Ozooka by taunting him. So he instructed his army to mock Wisearlyon-Ozooka if ever they found the chance.

"And they did?"

—Of course. It was bound to happen. Hunting parties would journey out to look for him all over the world. It held rapt the attention of ancient man for centuries.

"Didn't they come across the rest of you?"

—We fled into the overlap as soon as the hunt became widespread.

"Could you still communicate with Wisearlyon-Ozooka?"

—Yes, but from the overlap, only by dreaming.

"Would he ever come to see you?"

—No. Because we refused to join his war against men, he shunned us.

Stunned by the wrongness of it, Hannah could only shake her head. After a moment she said, "He became the epitome of a one man army."

—Yes, unfortunately. Because he fought alone and had to make the most of his time, he always did reconnaissance while dreaming. But it also made him vulnerable. It would have taken men much longer to get him if they wouldn't have enraged him, which made him careless.

Taking no joy in the question Hannah said, "How did it finally happen?"

—After they found out they could taunt him, it became a permanent fixture in their armies. Somehow, they had caught onto the fact he could see them secretly. Probably one of the ancient sorcerers figured it out. So they never ceased to torment him.

"I find it curious they didn't fear having him enraged at them."

—They made a contest out of it. They strove to see who could hate him and insult him the most. Their rage also helped block Wisearlyon-Ozooka's telepathy.

"Did he use it in battle?"

—It was one of his main weapons. He would wreak havoc with it on green recruits.

Hannah's eyebrows shot up.

—He would send them the thought of fire and burning. The fearful ones would often become overwhelmed. Every once in a while some poor soul would even spontaneously combust.

"From Wisearlyon-Ozooka's telepathy?"

—It only worked when a soldier became hysterical and actually believed he was on fire. That's also how it became a contest. Since everyone knew by the look on a recruits face when he gave into fear, it was standard procedure to chide new recruits and say only the weak were afraid.

"Courage didn't guarantee survival though, did it?"

—By no means. The attrition rate was astounding. But that only fueled the rulers demands for more soldiers. With the race of man temporarily at peace with himself, they could afford joining forces to fight the 'Great Dragon.'

"How did they ever expect to win?"

—Their strategy evolved. At first they just experimented. The only thing that would usually reach him was arrows. They used poisonous ones, but he built up an immunity to that. They knew they had to catch him on the ground, but to do that, they had to sneak up on him. Of course, that didn't work very well. But Wisearlyon-Ozooka would wipe out so many villages, the soldiers had to chase him to try and keep him away. A lot of crimes by wicked soldiers were blamed on Wisearlyon-Ozooka. Which in turn only fueled the rulers cries for more soldiers.

—It was a couple of centuries before they figured out he could see them. Then they put two and two together and tried to draw him out. It was only a few short years after they began tormenting him until they were able to injure him so he couldn't fly. When that injury happened, it spelled his doom. After they got his wing, he only lasted three more days.

Hannah lamented, "It must have been terrible for you. To watch him suffer and die."

—The worst thing about it was he became enraged at us in the end, saying we abandoned him. As death approached, he could tell we were about him, in our dream-spheres. It took many soldiers to finally kill him.

"What overpowered him?"

—In the land that would one day be called China, rockets were invented specifically to use against him. While flying in the heat of battle, one of their exploding rockets got his wing.

"Did he fall out of the sky?"

—He was able to slow his decent enough to not cause further injury when he crash landed. But he was never able to fly again.

Hannah shook her head.

—Immediately he headed for the coast. If he could've made it to the ocean, he probably would have gotten away. But they guessed he would try that, and they cut him off.

"How could they cut him off? Couldn't he still outrun a horse?"

—He could still run faster than a horse, but the soldiers were clever. They developed signal corps.

"What kind of signal corps?"

—They used giant kites. Relay post were set up within eyesight of each other. When they needed to exchange messages, they pulled a giant kite into the air behind a galloping horse. Though the messages were primitive, they still conveyed Wisearlyon-Ozooka was fleeing to the ocean.

—By the time he got to the coast, an army waited for him. He fought as hard as he could to break through and many, many men died, but in the end, Wisearlyon-Ozooka perished.

Her countenance sorrowful, anguish in her eyes, Hannah said, "It is such a terrible waste. It's as if he threw his life away. I understand why this wound has not healed."

Again she extended her arm, reaching out to touch the dream-sphere. Then she bowed her head. "I release the love of heaven upon you. I extend the comfort of heaven to you. I speak the healing power of Eternal God in heaven for you, right now. I proclaim healing and comfort to all dragons." Slowly she lifted her hand.

—Thank you, angel Hannah. Your prayer is deeply appreciated. I will share your comfort with all dragons. They will be grateful.

Seeming to turn back to her, his sorrow put away in that strange way where it dissipates suddenly, the ancient creature said, —But enough of my troubles. Didn't angels also suffer?

Chapter 11

Outward

The earth, vibrant and thriving and full of life, hardly noticed when ancient man finally stood upon its crust. It knew not that it would one day be deeply touched by the race of man. Good then, to let well enough alone, that it might enjoy the short time of peace it had left.

~

Coinciding with man's arrival, the lobes began exploratory excursions beyond the shell that housed them. The lobes still remained stationary, but with help from the natalii, their attentions quickly left their home behind and discovered a viscous, superheated and intensely pressurized environment. Having little interest in the deadly environment, their attentions passed quickly on up to the surface. At which point ancient man was farming and raising animals.

~

As the lobes probed further and further out, Walker found the first truly unbelievable phenomenon since his study of these incredible life forms began. And it wasn't that he didn't understand what he saw. He knew that alright. He just didn't know it was possible.

What happened is that the lobes, as they began charting beyond the shell that housed them, had somehow created a flowing, independent layer of electrons that completely encased the inner information pebble.

The information pebble was called that because that was the actually size of the group of atoms each lobe used to catalogue the location and identity of every other lobe. This continuous unbroken blanket separated the inner zone from the rest of the lobe.

In an amazingly intricate dance, one electron from each of the millions of atoms bordering the inner memory zone was stripped from a nucleus and directed to orbit the nucleus next to it. Then it went on to the next, and then the next and on and on. Over and under the border nuclei the stripped electrons intertwined, creating a fascinating and impossibly complex pattern.

Walker watched as electrons cavorted among the border nuclei, which were all short an original electron, but never lacked having a different one! As he studied the phenomena, the mind numbingly complex pattern astonished him. He marveled about it so much he backed up to watch it begin.

On invisible cue, multiple millions of natalii all simultaneously deflected an electron, and the whole pattern just snapped to. When he slowed it all the way down to lazily floating past, it was as if a railroad conductor had simply thrown a switch, and they just changed tracks. He gawked in amazement. He was sure this wasn't supposed to be able to happen.

~

Outward the natalii probed for the lobes, the only contingent being the amount of power the lobes used to cast forth the natalii. In direct proportion, as the power exerted by the lobes increased, the reconnaissance distance of the natalii increased.

The first celestial object the lobes encountered was Luna. Distance, trajectory and size were measured, plotted and recorded. Without interruption the lobes kept exploring.

~

As the lobes continued to expand their knowledge base, fresh atoms had to be recruited to provide material for the three-dimensional maps. As this process developed, Walker noticed something new—atoms were tuning into each other. Before the structure of an atom could be used to post data, its flying subatomic particles first had to be synchronized and aligned. They were shifting so their electrons would mesh through the orbits of all the other electrons. As each atom was recruited to post data, the light speed fast orbit of its subatomic particles became precisely synchronized with the orbits of all the other atoms subatomic particles.

After alignment was achieved and the atoms meshed with each other, the difference was so great he couldn't believe he hadn't seen it immediately. He figured it slipped by because without focusing on it directly, it didn't attract attention. But comparing the mass of atoms beyond the conversion area to the tuned atoms within, it reminded him of the difference between a huge pile of jumbled and mixed up lumber to a tightly wrapped bundle of studs.

~

Tirelessly the natalii probed for the lobes. As natalii came upon heavenly bodies, onto the three-dimensional maps the information went. Always, more celestial bodies were discovered as the distance the natalii reached increased. And that was always a function of how far the lobes thrust out their attention.

Walker appreciated the simple efficiency of how the lobes ordered the information. Arranged using line of sight, the delineation of the solar system couldn't have been more logical. Wherever celestial bodies happened to be in relation to the actual location of the lobe is where they appeared within the expanding area of synchronized atoms.

When orbits of charted bodies advanced, natalii automatically updated the positions. The information was noted by ingoing natalii by simply piggybacking itself on other ingoing data.

~

By the time ancient man was naming the stars, the lobes too, had discovered them. Further and further they reached out, their power increasing exponentially. Every single significant astronomical item in the Milky Way galaxy was measured, plotted and recorded. In an impossibly dense swirl of faster than light motion, all matter more significant than space dust became inventoried by the lobes via the natalii.

~

As man developed telescopes that reached beyond the limits of the galaxy, so too did the lobes reach beyond it. Abruptly discovering galaxies not their own. These were foreign galaxies, unknown—and apparently unknowable. For the lobes were not able to memorize them completely. All they perceived of the unfamiliar galaxies was a generalization amounting to their location, size and trajectory. It wouldn't be right to say they were taken aback, but it came close.

Rapidly overcoming the minor setback, the lobes continued to thrust out their attention, discovering galaxy after galaxy. The further they reached, the more galaxies they discovered. As the universe unfolded bigger and bigger, the smaller their own galaxy seemed to become.

Finally, their perception reached the fullest extent of the knowable universe. Finding the end, they realized their own galaxy was only one of multiple trillions, and exceedingly small when compared to the entire cosmos.

If pride would have been part of their personality, they might have compared the universe to themselves. All the galaxies would be like their atoms, and their center most atom would represent the Milky Way galaxy inside the universe. If they'd of had pride. As it was, they simply stopped pulsing out the natalii and calmly waited for their next task.

~

The mature lobes were now in command of their full awareness—a perceptual ability formidable enough to preside over an entire galaxy. They'd also attained a major portion of the power they would command. With it, the lobes would exercise authority over the material dimension in ways temporal beings never could.

Development now complete, the lobes no longer required the type of nourishment the shell provided. But the shell that housed them could only survive and protect its charges by using them as a heat sink. The lethal environment at that level was endured only by transferring the massive amount of energy present every second into the lobes. Without an outlet for the heat and pressure, the shell would perish. But if the lobes continued to be fed, they would perish.

Immature for so long, the time had arrived for the lobes enter their adulthood. Like any ordinary creature struggling to break free from a metamorphic stage, the lobes would similarly need to break free. Only the breaking would be anything but ordinary.

Chapter 12

The Angel's Tragedy

For once, Hannah looked like she didn't want to explain what she'd been asked. Then her countenance grew sad, and though she didn't seem ashamed, she appeared to be trying to figure out how to avoid something that had gone wrong a long, long time ago. And had yet to figure it out.

The same event must have grieved, disappointed and saddened her. The kind of event one considers to be an unnecessary—or even unacceptable loss. An event one prefers not talking about. Thus the extended pause that elapsed before she said anything served only to make her words weightier.

"Ah, Ackseekcelong-Sayessa . . . our struggles . . . the struggles of all the angels . . . they are much different than what the dragons suffered. You suffered murder. We could wish that is all we suffered. To me, it seems our tribulation is worse than if a vast number of angels had been slain."

Reacting to her statement, the dream-sphere appeared to turn, though no facet or feature of it might display such a movement.

Hannah put her hands up, pleading. "I know, I know. Angels aren't given in life-bonding. Besides which, there are infinitely more angels than dragons, so there's no way to compare numerically between the two types of losses. But that isn't the definition I'm making. It's the nature of the loss and the consequences which makes it so great."

Hannah paused, struggling to find a way to explain herself.

"I'm not belittling the loss you suffered. Something as irreplaceable as an eternal mate has to be unbearable. I stand in awe of your resolve to overcome it. But angels . . ." She trailed off, not knowing where to begin.

—I am aware there was war in heaven, the dragon offered.

Seeming at a loss for words, Hannah delayed giving an explanation. Finally she said, "Of course you are, my friend, but that only hints at the rend the war made. What it doesn't explain is that the rend was a wound to our very hearts."

She paused again, as if what she had to say deeply troubled her. "When Lucifer convinced one third of the angels to rebel with him, all of the angels were disgraced at the same time."

The dragon, though respectful, acted as if she spoke of no great loss. She looked like she couldn't bear for him not to understand.

"Tell me, Ackseekcelong-Sayessa, have you listened often to scripture being read?"

—We have listened and have heard the entire Bible read, yes.

"Do you remembering hearing, no one could be found in heaven who was worthy to open the book that is in the right hand of him that sits upon the throne?"

—Yes . . . sounding for the first time as if he might believe her loss could also be great.

"It is in all ways true. Because of the deceiver, the entire heavenly host was led astray. Every single angel became disgraced. And not only them. All creatures were involved. Not even the elders were exempt.

Her wrath now kindled by the memory, she added, "Satan made all of us unworthy."

—How?

"How else?" She asked. "He tricked us!"

When the remainder of the explanation did not happen, the dragon was forced to ask, —How did he trick you?

Making him wait, she resisted speaking. Whatever it had been made her very uncomfortable. It was hard to tell what vexed her more, remembering the transgression or talking about it. Finally acquiescing, she uttered the words as if they were a bad taste in her mouth and she spat them out. "With a song."

—A song?

As if she'd been asked to repeat a dirty word, she said, "Yes." Saying it rekindled her anger. "A very elaborate song performed before the entire congregation of heaven."

—How did this happen? He asked incredulously.

Though despondency hung on her like a blanket, she was no longer able to avoid his questions. "It happened during what began as an ordinary worship gathering," was all she could manage before she had to turn away, struggling to compose herself. Then she turned back to him.

"I apologize, Ackseekcelong-Sayessa. No one has ever told this story before. I didn't know it would trouble me so."

—I empathize with you, angel Hannah. Perhaps you wish not to share it?

Relief flooded her features and she noticeably relaxed. She paused there a moment before looking down. When she looked back up, her brow was furrowed.

"I am tempted by your offer, my friend. I am also comforted by your kindness. It's only fair to let you know what happened. Thank you for bearing with me."

The dream-sphere seemed to pulse and he said, —Thank you for being honest.

Nodding her head, the angel smiled. "Of course. Though this is difficult, I can think of no one it would be easier to tell."

—I am honored by your kindness.

She dipped her head and plowed into the story.

"Normally, Lucifer led everyone in worship. The Lord appointed and anointed him to do so. The Lord gave him great talent with music to fulfill that responsibility.

"But it came about during one particular gathering that Lucifer informed everyone he would like to perform a special song for the Almighty. Naturally, the Lord allowed his petition.

"Little did we know what was in store.

"The song began by praising all the good things of God. Of all the songs ever sang, this one was the most beautiful. Only the Lord himself ever sang a more beautiful song. But then the song shifted. With incredible subtlety and craftiness, Lucifer wove into the song the question, 'why?'"

—Why what?

"How I understood his insinuation was, 'why praise these things.'"

-Instead of directly thanking and praising God for those good things?

"Precisely. But how could you see it so easily?"

—It seems . . . obvious.

"Well. It may have been a good thing if you had been there that day."

—Perhaps not—my guess is the product of having a lengthy time to learn his tricks.

"Yes, I suppose. But still it's impressive. Not one angel caught the trick.

It is generally believed it's because the songs of heaven are often long and complex that no one saw the deception. Everyone thought the song would lead to praise, so we continued to follow with the choruses."

—He led you all where you knew not?

"Yes. Only the Lord saw it, and he refrained from interfering. Everyone else fell into the trap. On top of that, Satan deftly prolonged the timing to reveal what he was doing, probably to take as many with him as he could.

"So having begun by praising the good things of God and then asking why praise them, he shifted the question to, why glorify God? And we were still under his sway. We naturally thought the song would come full circle and glorify God. That's how it worked. That's how it always worked. Even though this song was so much different than any other, we assumed it would eventually praise God. All songs always praised God."

—But it didn't.

"No, it didn't. And by then, he had us. The next stanza began by stating the small and humble things of God." Hannah seemed to take a rest.

The dragon had to prompt her, —You followed along?

Hannah looked like she couldn't bear saying the next thing. Her brow furrowed and she bowed her head—the radiant power of her presence even seemed to diminish.

"We did. We couldn't help it. To us, the song had to exalt God eventually. We were confused why it hadn't already. We knew of those things the song spoke, but couldn't figure out why they were in a song. And I must admit—by this time I felt funny. But we blindly trusted because nothing had ever been any different.

"So of course, when he led us to sing, 'why not exalt him above God,' we knew it was wrong, as much as we knew it wouldn't happen. But it was a worship gathering. We assumed there would soon be a counter point, revealing the absurdity of such a notion."

—But none came?

"No. None came. By now he'd made his point. But as if to make his point ever so clearer, he sang what he would do if he were made the Most High. That is the part that hurts the most. We sang it with him! I think of all the sorcery and witchcraft and deception in man's world today, and it's only a shadow of the power Lucifer exercised that say."

—The whole heavenly host followed him in this song . . . ?

"Yes! He tricked us! He used sorcery and witchcraft! Satan prayed on our innocence and good faith. He used out own goodness against us and perverted the habit of praise into an insult. And we followed along."

Incredulous, the dragon asked, —When did it stop?

"The elders were the first to react. While everyone else sang the chorus about what Satan would do if he were made the Most High, they'd already stopped singing.

"The nest stanza Lucifer sang commanded everyone to exalt him. At that stanza, the elders stood up. That got the attention of two archangels, Michael and Gabriel. When the archangels saw the expressions on the faces of the elders, they acted immediately. They, along with all loyal angels, hadn't appreciated where the song had gone. But the archangels could exercise authority and step in."

Hannah paused, remembering the fiasco. It so saddened her that she again became reluctant to go on. The dragon spoke up.

—What happened next?

"War. That was when war broke out in heaven. Michael and Gabriel marched up to the platform Lucifer sang from and the whole time, Lucifer just kept singing and smiling. As a matter of fact, his smiling became quite sinister while the angels approached. As if he'd been waiting for it to happen.

"By this time, many of us had stopped singing. But those whom the song had swayed, the angels who chose to rebel and follow him, kept singing and praising Lucifer.

"Then right before Michael and Gabriel got to the platform, some of the rebel angels intercepted them and fought to keep the two archangels from reaching Lucifer. That's when everything broke loose.

"Multitudes of godly angels jumped to the aid of Michael and Gabriel and more rebel angels reinforced those who'd begun to defend Lucifer. It became a giant free-for-all before Michael and Gabriel retreated to petition the Lord for permission to throw the offenders out of heaven. The Lord granted permission—and then the dynamics of the struggle changed."

—What do you mean?

For a moment the angel cast about for a way to explain. Then she said, "Before the Lord gave his permission, the struggle was almost like a court case with no grounds, or maybe like a push fight where there isn't any traction. But when the Lord granted permission, God's loyal angels had grounds to throw Lucifer and his followers out of heaven."

Hannah didn't say anything for a while so the dragon said, —And they did?

"Of course. Though not without damage, and not without loss." Hannah paused again, apparently remembering something or ordering her thoughts.

"You see, things in heaven are different from the way things are on earth. You told me your mate was ambushed and killed by poison arrows. I don't bring it up to cause you sorrow, but to make a comparison. No one in heaven died during the revolt because it's not possible for one angel to kill another angel. And likewise, the things of heaven, even the simplest of things, are indestructible."

At that, Ackseekcelong-Sayessa was taken aback, though Hannah explained at once.

"A chair, for instance, in heaven, is a spiritual thing. You could no more destroy it than you might destroy an angel. The chair 'is' and cannot be unmade.

"And the forces of nature which are so evident on earth are different in heaven. Gravity for instance, though it's a necessary component for life to exist in the physical universe, has no place in heaven."

The dragon didn't give any indication he understood.

"For example, the crystal sea of heaven," Hannah waited until Ace confirmed what she spoke of, "while very similar to water, remains where it is not because of gravity. It stays where it is because that's its place. That's its identity. It could no more float away than your earth could fling itself away from the sun. But that's a comparison between the spiritual and the physical. What should be understood is that the spiritual is more substantial than the physical."

She paused to add emphasis to her words.

"When the Lord made the physical universe, he made it mimic his higher creation. He created and assigned things like gravity to the physical universe. Gravity and its laws are entirely real in the physical domain—but if I were to take gravity with me to heaven, then it would appear . . . immature or child-like.

"Similarly, if I brought light from the physical universe to heaven, it would seem like a simulation of real light, which comes from God. All heaven is alight with his glory. I could compare his light to a physical sun, yet for all that, we are never burned.

"Time, too, would seem like a novelty if I brought it to heaven. Life is so much bigger in heaven, time doesn't fit. Or maybe what I should say is time is too small for heaven."

Hannah gave room for Ace to comment.

He took his time before he said, —What you've saying makes life seem small and childlike. He didn't seem very happy about it.

"It is." She was being as empathic as she could be. "Remember, the Bible says earth is God's footstool. And that he humbles himself to look upon the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!

Probably the best way to look at it is that God was creating his family when he created mankind." She looked over at the planet and then back to Ace. The planet had almost returned to universal standard time. "After forming Adam and Eve, every living soul born into the world needed to grow from conception into an adult. This stage of creation is as much for procreation and children as anything else."

She turned and stared at the planet, as if gazing at something about it not entirely physical. "Of course, there are other things the Lord will use this level of creation for."

Something about the way she'd said that piqued Ace's interest.

—Like what?

Keeping her eyes focused on earth she said, "You've heard the word of God. Do you recall Jude saying, 'The angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day?'"

Somewhat with satisfaction Ace said, —Yes.

"Those angels mingled themselves with the physical realm. Then they took wives and made off-spring. The off-spring were so wicked God had to wipe them out in the great flood. But mingling themselves with the physical realm also exposed them to the rules and laws of that dimension. That's one of the reasons they're held in everlasting chains. Mingling themselves with the earthly dimension gave them physical characteristics . . . that physical chains could hold. It then obliged God to bind them."

—Ha ha ha ha ha . . .

She whirled on him. "You think that's funny?"

—Absolutely. That's Divine Justice, if I've ever seen it.

Hannah looked as if that was the last thing she expected to hear from him. And if that wasn't enough, the next thing he said revealed a discernment she hadn't expected.

—But the unchained free demons still plague the earth.

"There you go again. How do you know that?"

—When you give me a clue that big, it illuminates a considerably larger picture."

"Yes, I suppose it would. As you've said, you've spent a long time learning the Devil's tactics. But it's still impressive."

—Thank you. But I would prefer the knowledge of how evil works to be something I didn't have to know.

"Well put, my friend. I agree with you. There wouldn't be any evil or sorrow or pain anywhere if Lucifer hadn't fallen from grace."

—I tend to think the great evangelist Billy Graham put it right when he said, 'this is God's way of letting evil destroy itself.'

"Easy to say. Not so easy to deal with when one is within that sphere of influence."

—But believers are born into it. They might not like it, but they know they will win gloriously if they don't give up.

"Redemption's triumph. Glory to God. But it's still sad. I've often thought that the reason so much damage and destruction and wrong happens on earth is because it couldn't happen in heaven. As if Lucifer is taking out in the earth what he would have liked to have done in heaven."

—So he couldn't destroy anything in heaven?

"No. Even though they would have liked to, the rebels could destroy nothing as they left. While things on earth may decay and be destroyed, things in heaven are indestructible."

—Then how was there damage and loss?

"All of us were tainted when Lucifer tricked us. Not only because of what he did, but also because of how he did it. After that, the only one worthy to open the book in the right hand of him that sits on the throne became Jesus.

"I said what the angels suffered is worse than what the dragons suffered because if only several were murdered, countless billions wouldn't have been lost in the rebellion." Hannah bowed her head, as if shame had suddenly afflicted her. Without lifting her eyes she said, "And if only several were murdered, all wouldn't have been disgraced."

Then she implored him with her eyes. "I know it sounds uncaring, but the dragons lost only three of their members and the offspring that would have followed. We lost a third. On top of that is the fact we will always remember he tricked us, and when he tricked us . . . he defiled us. The damage in heaven is one in our hearts, because we remember how it felt before defilement came. There is something different in every angel's heart that none of us can deny. And we remember all those who selfishly spurned God, because they were once our brethren.

"We will never forget this. Nor may we ever be forgiven this."

At that, the dragon said incredulously, —What?

"That is the way it is, Ackseekcelong-Sayessa."

—You may never be forgiven?

Hannah stared intently at him and her full age poured into her expression. She looked for all the world like the daughter of the Most High, and almost as eternal.

After a few moments, Ace stood down his question. —He doesn't hold it against you, does he?

Shrinking back to her normal angelic self, she said, "No, he doesn't. It's just the way it is. We may never undo it."

Chapter 13

Summoned

Time hadn't gone three seconds past the lobe's exploration of the knowable universe before Walker felt a bodily jolt rip through every lobe in the artifact. The jolt suffused all of them with a command—and though it wasn't verbal, it was more compelling—because it contained more meaning than words.

To Walker's understanding it said not only come, but also, come now, instructions for how to come, a calming explanation not to worry to come and an admonition concerning their own welfare, that they must come. All of it transmitted in a single, all encompassing electrifying jolt.

Less than a second elapsed before he felt the lobes orient their focus in a new direction. And the direction they focused their attention, was up. Not the up as in the celestial direction of overhead, but rather the up someone looks to when they pray to God.

And then they began to obey.

Walker watched as the lobes exerted a part of themselves he hadn't noticed before and he fathomed, neither had they. For with a totality of focus so complete as to engulf the user, the lobes all willed to obey the command.

Applying themselves so utterly and completely to obedience exposed a facet so fragile, so transparent, so like infancy, Walker felt sympathy for them. He knew he'd never seen anything apply itself so completely to one task.

Not individually or in groups but in unison, as one single entity, they all began to move. Inevitable, the entire mountain-range sized shell that housed them . . . also began to move. Buried so deep in the earth the only thing surrounding it was molten rock necessitated the expenditure of a huge amount of energy to cause a noticeable effect.

Fortunately, Walker's perception was acute enough to perceive the nearly imperceptible amount it did move. Though it was but a fraction of an atom, Walker saw it.

Apparently the lobes also didn't know frustration. Or anger, or desire, or hope, or perseverance or what have you. It's as if all of those things would have taken precious energy from them. Energy they refused to spare.

Nor apparently did they know fear. Or any of its avenues, like the fear of failure. Which Walker felt surely they must do, because there was no way they were going to get that immensity to move, he felt, at all. The miniscule amount it did move had to be a fluke. Like a vehicle only getting itself more stuck in mud.

But then the lobes renewed their effort. With such absolute abandon that a person would have to abandon their own self to match such unreserved effort, they moved the mass . . . again.

Unlike Walker's analogy, it didn't just rock back and forth—it rose. He knew that because he'd become almost as well versed directionally as the lobes. He wondered if the lobes felt anything like a man when he's winded. But as he gazed at them, he gathered an entirely different impression. The effort had strengthened them. But they still hadn't gone anywhere.

Walker finally gathered what he considered proof as they exerted another long, sustained heave. With his attention expanded enough to include the perimeter of the mountain-range sized mass, it moved a substantial percentage of the width of an atom. Maybe it was possible, he thought.

At first, many minutes passed between their efforts. And though the range of movement had to be measured on the macro scale of physics, the fact that the distances kept increasing could not be denied.

Before one day had transpired, they had passed beyond the distance of the atom. Their effort and rest cycle had become a rhythm like the waves of an ocean.

Before the second day was over they surpassed the width of the molecule. Their work-pause cycle advanced through stages from the pace of the slowest of beating hearts to the quickest of rates in the tiniest of hummingbirds.

By the third day, they were exceeding the distances measured at the realm of cells. They also no longer stopped.

On the fourth day, their progress advanced into the dimension human eyes could measure. And the lobes continued to accelerate—exponentially.

Day five arrived and the progress of the monstrously huge artifact could be compared to a vehicle, the size of a mountain range, that moved.

By day six, the lobes, all in one accord within the gigantic mass, were visibly accelerating. Walker watched in stunned amazement. The thing that most astonished him was the lack of any outward physical sign. At no time—did any of the lobes—so much as twitch.

As the seventh day arrived, earth's outer mantle was in turmoil from the object lifting through it. This caused tremors above it, at the level of the crust, over the whole surface of the earth.

Walker had never needed to worry about when he'd wake up, because as he rode the colossus to the surface, it finally reached a pitch where he knew it was time to leave. Bailing his consciousness out of the shell like a scuba-diver leaving a boat, he thrust himself from the racing immensity.

Immediately his motion stopped relative to the hurling mass and as it did, he judged its velocity to be better than two-hundred and fifty miles an hour.

Spontaneously remembering he was in a dream, he reached up to his sleeping spirit body, pulled himself into it and awoke with a start.

"Get down there!" he said to Ace.

Instantly Ace saw what Walker wanted him to do, bid farewell to Hannah, and darted to the surface.

Not having to safeguard fragile flesh enabled them to jump to the surface in an instant. Which itself was of such an agitated state that it held no constant position. It vibrated and trembled with a fierceness that would make any mortal heart quake.

"Move back, Ace," he said, and the two of them promptly fell back five miles. Which was a good thing, too, because in the next instant, the earth exploded as millions of cubic yards of mountain labored to throw itself—as if it were entirely possible—off the very planet. Walker's astonishment grew as the shell that housed the lobes from the time of earth's infancy hove into view. The cone shaped peak was quickly one mile high and climbing like a combat jet on full afterburner.

As it passed two miles, Ace automatically backed up and began climbing, so they could maintain an accurate perspective. At three miles, towering over them, Walker realized it wasn't slowing down. To the contrary, having perforated the bond of earth's surface, it accelerated. He didn't have a stop watch, but he knew it was gaining at least another mile, each and every ten seconds.

Higher and higher the mountain rose, the violence of its ascent unparalleled by any of Walker's experiences. It made him think of nuclear weapons and volcanoes. He knew he didn't have a clue of how many it would take to equal this kind of power. But to his layman's terms, there wasn't anything this powerful in all the earth.

Beyond comprehension, the monstrosity climbed out of the earth.

Maybe thirty or more miles away it would sound like a roar—up close the ascension produced a constant ear shattering explosion. Walker appreciated not having to protect a physical body. If he had been in his physical body, he knew he couldn't have survived this close to the mountain's birth. Debris showered past him at varied velocities and angles. He felt like an ant next to an out of control freight train.

And still it kept climbing. The higher it went, the wider it got. As it passed ten miles high, Walker determined the base was at least twelve miles wide. And still growing. By now he could no longer watch the peak and the base at the same time. He couldn't decide whether to watch as more and more of the base plowed into view or the peak as it ascended out of sight. So he asked Ace what he thought. In answer, Ace backed up.

As they retreated roughly 50 miles, Walker stared in mute amazement as the thing visibly grew bigger by the second. The higher it rose the more he had to revise his concept of the word dwarfed. Looming over the horizon and then earth itself, it dominated its surroundings on an ever increasing scale.

Frightening was as good an adjective to use as any as he realized, earth's topography was dissolving. Or looked like it. With focused inspection came the insight that the surface was moving with fluidic ease. Mountains, hills and valleys were dissolving together and becoming one flat plain.

Mesmerized, Walker split his attention between the mountain, as it obnoxiously bulged into the sky now at least 25 miles high, and the earth, as its known surface irrevocably disappeared.

Without warning, from their vantage point 50 miles away, the sound of the explosion of its ascent again crashed through them. Stunned, Walker struggled to take it all in. The magnitude of the transformation the earth was undergoing appalled him. Even though he knew it was foreordained, part of him wanted to cower in terror, unable to process or even justify the event. He supposed the overwhelming graphic finality of it was like a soul being cast into Hell. So unchangeable was it, and so complete.

As he watched, numb with perceptual overload, the peak climbed higher. He shook his head—he could no longer compare to anything in existence. If he didn't know better he'd of said the mountain was laughing. Seized by an awe he couldn't overcome, he watched with trance-like abandon.

Eventually, it finally appeared to be slowing down. At least 35 miles high now, he wondered if it was an optical trick, only appearing to be shedding velocity because of its size.

—It is slowing, Ace said. —I've been watching it against the stars and it's losing momentum.

"You think that's momentum?" Besides which, it stuck awkward in his mind that Ace said he could gauge it against the stars, since it was still daylight out.

—What else would you call it?

Walker scrutinized his own understanding of it and had to accept it. Even though the huge enormity had thrust itself into the world, momentum would still be a factor. Like a line-backer taking time to slow down . . . through a china shop.

Approaching 40 miles high, Walker knew it would finally peter-out for it was rapidly decreasing speed. Passing 41 miles high, it took on the noble grace of a huge ocean-going vessel preparing to dock. Too much momentum to stop, yet not enough speed to be hurtling and frightening anymore. Just ponderous, inevitable, unstoppable power.

~

Summons complete, the lobes had long since ceased their lifting. Of its own accord, the shell ground to a halt.

Ultimately reaching above 42 miles in height, the impossibly tall, impossibly giant mountain seemed to survey its surroundings, like a long absent king looking once again over his kingdom. Not that there was much to see except endless plain. But at least the palette was expansive.

The curve of the earth, clearly visible from the peak, vanished into the distance, the horizon melting into the haze, the distance humbled by the mountain's hold over it. Closer in, the earth, meek and far away, trembled at its feet.

The rite of passage with its accompanying earthquake had flattened topography worldwide. The towering behemoth now held double bragging rights. For not only was it the highest mountain on earth, but for all practical intents, it was the only mountain on earth.

Though to this titanic immensity, that is a role it would discharge with ease. For this mountain was like no other mountain. This was the Lord's mountain. This was Mt. Zion.

Chapter 14

Mt. Zion

Thus appeared the holy mountain of the Lord. In disbelief I stared at the endless devastation Mt. Zion's ascension had caused. For miles in every direction around the foot of the extraordinary mountain, the tortured ground resembled a quilt-work of tumbled boulders scattered about the riven and upended earth. Random crevices pocked the abused landscape, and the monstrosity's base had foothills as high as regular mountains piled against it. Beyond this, rolling plains reached out of sight.

Pulverized rock and dust, hurled into the air as the terrific pinnacle burst through the crust, covered everything. It continued to rain back down now, as it had been doing for the last five minutes.

The silence was eerie. After so much noise, the quiet felt like a sign the land had surrendered. As if by its thunder, the mountain had claimed the whole earth as its prize.

But the better view was higher up. Vaulting above the dust, we leapt to clear it at my request. We could just barely make out the sun. I felt we were about 100,000 feet high. I'm not sure how I knew that—but I was confident I wasn't far off. I've never been anywhere near that high before, but having read accounts of Air Force pilots who had, I figured the guess couldn't be far off. The black color of the sky gave mute testimony to the inaccessibility of that height.

It looked to be about 45 minutes before sunset, and the sun glowed dark orange through the dust. And even though we were at such a great altitude, a shadow was actually being cast up in the sky because the peak had climbed so high. Awed by the devastation, I wondered if one of the much worried about doomsday asteroids would've caused this much damage.

Unexpectedly Ace barged in on my thoughts. —Most certainly a doomsday asteroid would cause greater damage.

"How do you figure?"

—Because of the velocity. A relatively small amount of debris hangs in the air. A large rogue asteroid impacting above hyper-mach speeds would shroud the planet in stifling, life terminating dust.

Irritation flashed within me. A physics lesson was the last thing I wanted right now. "Why are you so calm about this?"

—Why are you so upset?

Honestly I didn't know. Maybe it was only . . . earth was my home. For whatever reason, it didn't bother Ace the same way. I couldn't figure it out.

—As it is, life on earth will still be able to function. Photosynthesis won't be interrupted and the planet will continue to be habitable.

All I could think was, the earth as I knew it was gone.

—Why are you so concerned about the fate of the earth when heaven is your home?

Now that was a good question. And I didn't have the answer. I'm not sure why I viewed what happened as a violation. As Ace said, heaven was my home. Even if I wasn't there yet. Still, the totality of the damage crushed me at some deep, hidden level.

—Perhaps it is the Lord that has put this burden on your heart.

"The Lord?"

—Why else would you be carrying on like this?

Driven to look within my heart to find a motive, I realized where it came from. Yet the realization happened to be the one I hadn't expected. For it actually was the Lord's burden. He felt this heaviness for the earth. And if I read it right, for having to do this to the earth.

With that understand still fresh, he opened my mind. Or maybe I should say he opened his mind, because revelations flooded into me. With the revelations came joy, joy over being in the presence of the Lord and joy over the future, for the wondrous things he would do for mankind with the lobes. In a way it seemed like an appeasement for the destruction that had happened to earth, only ten times better.

Concerning the things that would occur on earth, I felt something like the happiness one feels when a difficult job is done well. I knew the good things to come would outweigh the bad that had passed. And as the revelation dissipated, I again rejoiced in the Lord.

I also knew, inasmuch as it's possible to know anything, the changes coming to earth would be so radical, earth would practically be unrecognizable to her former inhabitants. That's not saying they won't like her—it's just saying they won't recognize her.

Why I knew that is because during the vision, I received a glimpse of his mind, like a movie preview, only better. Better, because unlike a movie preview, I understood what all the little pieces I saw meant.

One flash was of a gigantic bustling space-port on earth, central hub of intergalactic commerce and society. Another was the contentment of people's hearts as they lived on an earth covered with peace—an earth where war was forgotten, the wisp and tendril of nightmare, remembered only to be thankful it was gone. Best of all was the image of earth being the spiritual anchor to an innumerable host of star systems. What tantalized me about this is the way they all synchronously worshiped the Lord at the same time.

There were other things too, like the glory of marvelous new planets that were discovered and then inhabited, the glory of amazing discoveries, the glory of huge edifices built to magnify the Lord, the glory of space travel, even the glory of nations as they prospered.

There were even more things than that, but as they became more varied and, not to say unimportant, but less momentous, they were swallowed up by the magnificence of the larger glories.

One last thing I ought to mention is the glory of the dragons. The unusual thing about their glory is it resided in the amount of interest men had in them. Of course, not all men were intrigued by the dragons. But then again, it wasn't only men. There were women, too. And little children, and big children, and young adults and even some elderly that were fascinated by the dragons.

A curious thing about it is it wasn't wrong for people to be interested in the dragons. That is, in the sense of how people used to go overboard about things in the old world, when the Lord called it idolatry. But with the dragons, because the Lord was present on earth and the Devil had been vanquished, idolatry became a non-event. Certain people had an unquenchable curiosity about dragons, and the Lord permitted it.

But I'm not sure the dragons appreciated it. They appeared to cope with humble endurance, looking like a meek house cat receiving too much attention from a toddler. For whatever the reason though, the dragons allowed it to continue. However, they did defer the adulation back to the Lord and proclaim he alone is worthy of any and all praise.

It was nothing short of amazing to discover the future held so many marvelous things. As the memory of the revelations lingered, I determined to tuck them away for future reference. It would give me a lot to think about. I wondered when I'd see all those things. But for now, I had to set them aside. The present moment had marvels of its own that needed my immediate attention.

From our vantage point far above the earth, Ace and I watched darkness swallow the earth as the sun set. Thereafter followed a thunderstorm which competed in ferocity with Mt. Zion's ascension. Lightning bolts continuously struck at the colossus while wind drove huge quantities of water upon it. Steam billowed throughout the onslaught and the surface of the mountain glowed at varying degrees, some areas brighter than others.

I'd heard of rare thunderstorms able to build clouds rising above 70,000 feet. But this thunderstorm exceeded that height easily. This thunderstorm lashed the mountainside to at least 90,000 feet. That being so much higher than any storm had ever risen suggested the mountain might be affecting the weather of its own accord. Perhaps the heat rising off the super heated giant and the steam, mixed with the cold air to produce the phenomena. Or maybe it was something else.

From our vantage point above the maelstrom, the sight riveted my attention. I think if I wouldn't have known the altitude was above 90,000 feet, it wouldn't have felt so bizarre. Because it kind of looked like a very low tropical storm surrounding an impossibly tall island. But because I knew what height everything was at, it just seemed that much weirder.

Then I had us move to see the apocalyptic mountain from higher and further away. Now the cloud layer looked like a carpet 25 miles below the stratospheric peak. From that vantage point I could see the clouds were actually swirling around the massive mountain. It reminded me of a hurricane.

Lightning pulsed inside the roiling clouds and occasionally, lightning flashed up the mountain, though compared to the machine gun like inner cloud lightning, the upper lightning was sedate, reaching up only every few seconds.

"That must be the mother of all storms."

—It does appear the mountain is developing a micro weather system. Though I would suggest, this may be a temporary condition. The entire region will have to adjust to this new feature.

"You think?" I wanted to get back at him for his cracks when I'd been distraught over the devastation. He didn't take my bait. I decided to drop the other line I'd been thinking about.

"You know, Ace, there aren't any more mountains anywhere else on earth now. And those mountains were weather systems to themselves. What's this monster going to do?"

—Evidently, that is yet to be discovered. What do you mean though, there aren't any more mountains?

"Revelation 16. It says there would be a great earthquake and that the mountains would not be able to be found and that the islands would flee away. Haven't you seen it?"

—We don't have Bibles of our own. We didn't forget the Lord, you did.

With silence I responded to Ace's last barb—it stung too deep for me to banter. But I knew Ace could read my thoughts, being as I was, enveloped by his dream-sphere. So I let my thoughts answer for themselves.

As usual, my defense rested upon the scriptures. I let my mind wander among them—like the Lord being foreordained before the foundations of the world to come and be crucified, how all men were born into sin . . . at least after the fall in the garden of Eden, how all men had to be born again to enter the kingdom of heaven . . . soon my argument ran out of steam. Ace was probably more right than I first thought.

—It has always bothered us dragons that so few humans lived all out for God.

I groped for an answer. "Don't you remember, Hannah said that it's a trap?"

—Yes, that's right. Forgive me if you think you need to Walker, but to dragons, this issue has always been difficult for us. That Hannah explained what she did doesn't remove a dragon's perplexity over this—it only gives a small reason why the Lord allows it.

"So you think all men should serve God?"

—What other position should we hold?

I was baffled. I knew my world view might not be perfect, but the fact that some men would always refuse to serve God was integral. It was a given. It would persist in varying degrees until God dwelt among mankind. Remembering that brought another scripture to mind.

"You know, it says in proverbs, the wicked are a ransom for the righteous."

—And that's supposed to be a good reason to not serve God?

"No. I was only . . ." My defense evaporated. "No one has ever served God like you're talking about, except Jesus himself. I bet even you dragons have some kind of sin in your life, even if you still live forever."

—And what kind of sin would that be?

"I don't know . . . something."

—Such as?

"I already told you I don't know. But that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. It only means I don't know what it is."

—We don't sin, Walker. Didn't God say dragons are like Adam was in the beginning?

Understanding and remembrance struck at the same time. It made sense now. The way Ace endured such terrible loss without becoming bitter had pointed all along that his heart had always been right with God. Besides the fact that dragons were eternal. Or at least could live forever, if something didn't interfere. I began to wonder how much of an apology would be appropriate.

Ace spoke before I could decide. —It is your naivety that causes you doubt and offense. I am so much older than you that it's difficult to remember much from my days that equaled your age.

—Furthermore, as you've noted, you were born into sin. This creates even more disparity. Whereas I have always held the truth in good faith, you converted to it.

I raised my hand to object. Ace overrode me.

—I know many humans are raised in the knowledge of the truth. But even the best of you must make an active choice not to do wrong. It is what plagues humanity. Shortly though, the deceiver who vexed and tormented your race will be put down. I expect at that point, humanity will begin to grow in grace and mature beyond anything you have previously been able . . . even beyond your wildest dreams or highest aspirations.

I was moved by his consolation. Understanding I didn't need to apologize caused me to view Ace with even greater respect and admiration.

"Thank you, Ace. I wish our races had always been able to get along. You would've helped mankind a lot."

—Yes, it is unfortunate. We have not enjoyed hiding either. There is much that God had planned for our races to do together that has been stolen. I look forward to some of it being restored during Christ's millennium reign.

"Let us hope so, my friend. Let us hope so."

Chapter 15

Discovery

Even though the storm was fascinating and the mountain could hold my attention in and of itself, I was still curious about the prophesy foretelling the disappearance of all the mountains. I really wanted to know if they were all gone. To that end, I began formulating the question for Ace. Overseeing as it were my thoughts, before I could utter the question, Ace interjected, —That may prove interesting. I would like to see this too.

"How fast will we be able to go down here in the atmosphere?"

—Very nearly unlimited. Or more precisely, limited only to your mental ability.

"How is it limited to my mental ability?" He came up with the weirdest statements sometimes.

—Because ever since we finished with our rendezvous with Hannah that first time, you've been taking over responsibility of where we fly.

I thought of all the flying we'd done, from before we met Hannah and then after that, when the lobes matured and we flew down to the surface, up until now . . . funny, it didn't seem like I'd been in control.

—You knew where you wanted to go as soon as you woke up. There was practically a picture of it in your mind. I just went where you were thinking.

"What if I'd been thinking of something harmful?"

—I have already told you. Dragons won't do anything that will harm themselves.

"So I'm in control, but you're my safety backup?"

—Essentially, yes.

A feeling like being a much older kid at Christmas seeped into me. The fun falling into my lap was almost too hard to believe.

"And we can go as fast as I can think?"

—Would you like to give it a try?

On the verge of laughing, I almost couldn't believe my good fortune. Remembering the sun had set only a couple hours ago, I thought a good beginning test would be to try and catch it.

Turning to face west, which put Mt. Zion off our right side, I began to will myself forward.

Slowly we began to move.

It didn't take long for me to become frustrated. Mostly because of my pitiful forward motion but the rest of it due to an annoying sensation. The sensation of trying to move through molasses.

"How do you make this thing go faster?"

—Don't you mean, how do you make us go faster?

"You know what I mean, Ace."

—Most likely I do know what you mean. But your question is indicative of the root of the problem.

The dream-sphere had coasted to a stop. I concentrated on being patient. Silence settled upon us. I knew I was being grilled. I also knew I probably deserved it.

—You must learn how to do this like anything else. Your flippancy, though inbred, is as I said, indicative of your overall problem. You have not been serious enough about life, and it is evident even know.

I really didn't enjoy being upbraided by Ace. Remembering I'd been a missionary pilot and had lived a sacrificial life serving the Lord caused righteous indignation to rise up in me like a tsunami. It was teetering and ready to fall when I saw the error of my ways.

Pride in whatever I'd done couldn't change my inherent shortcomings. Nor would accomplishments in one area overcome weaknesses in another.

Stepping away from the indignation like stepping out from under a ladder, I calmed down at once. I appreciated my renewed perspective immediately.

Looking around with gratitude for where I was and what I was doing, I said, "Is there something you would recommend?"

Ace seemed mollified by the transformation.

—Focus on the distance with your eyes and desire to be there.

Almost too easy, I thought to myself—and tried to hide my reaction from Ace while simultaneously thinking I was probably being sarcastic or frivolous or something . . .

I gazed into the distance, where the cloud layer and the darkened horizon met. I let myself want to be there and suddenly I was moving again, at many hundreds of miles an hour. How easy! What a relief to finally get it.

I also noticed a relation between where I wanted to go and how I moved. Kind of like riding a bike. Glad I'd finally gotten the hang of it, at least of this beginning step, I felt a modest sense of accomplishment. I also became enveloped in a profound happiness. This must be what an eagle feels like, soaring above the clouds. Competence clothed in regal mastery.

As I settled down to some serious flying, I ran through a series of long, graceful S curves, then began to pour on some real speed. "I would have thought something like this was fun, but it's much more than that."

—I believe you are being blessed with the same sensation dragons feel when we fly.

"You can fly with your wings too, can't you?"

—Of course. But the sensation you are feeling is the same that I am feeling, and it is the same way when we fly using only our wings.

"Only using your wings?"

—Yes. We are necessarily limited to atmospheric flight during winged flight, but while dreaming, we are effectively unlimited in our capability.

"How far have you gone, Ace?"

—As I said before, we limited out exploration to this galaxy.

"I remember you said that, but how much of it did you explore?"

—We probably did not explore the same way man would.

"How is that?"

—Because we view the world in two different ways.

"I would expect that. But how different can it be?"

—At a fundamental level, the purpose behind our two exploration styles would be separate.

"Yeah, I know. You already said that. But how much different could they be?"

—I believe I would be correct to say, when man explores, he is searching for things to exploit.

Taken aback, I instantly objected. "That's not all men," I said, remembering the national and state parks on top of all the other beautiful places on earth people went to appreciate nature. Sometimes it was even in their own backyard. And what about extreme environmentalists? Or societies formed to protect the many fragile aspects of our planet? How could Ace accuse all men of abusing God's good earth?

—I beg to differ. You say, 'not all men,' acknowledging that exploitation occurs. Then, all of society uses those things that exploitation reaps. If all use the products acquired by said means, how does it not become the responsibility of the whole?

Stumped, I groped for my bearings. Finding my argument I said, "Just because I use petroleum products doesn't mean I'm responsible for pollution in the ocean."

—Why not?

"Because I'm more responsible than that!"

—Are you?

"Of course I am. I also don't go around blowing off nuclear weapons just to see what happens, either."

—But you reap the benefits of those experiments also.

"Only abstractly. How much control of the government do you think the little people have?"

—So you're claiming governments are not the responsibility of its citizens?

"I didn't say that. I said we don't control them."

—Then who does?

Righteous indignation finally flared and I blurted out, "Principalities and powers. The earth lays in the lap of the wicked one, and he gives power to whomever he chooses! Do you think benign peaceful folk started the world wars? Or voted to start one? Or to go and be murdered in one? Do you think the peaceful folk plotted how to become persecuted or oppressed? Or exorbitantly taxed? Or run off their own land? Or how about being enslaved? Who would choose that?" I couldn't believe the direction the conversation had gone. I was so mad I wanted to shout.

Knowing it wouldn't do any good, I let go of my anger and frustration and calmed down. "I thought you said you studied mankind?" I didn't understand why Ace had taken this tack.

—We did. To a dragon though, a species is an entity unto itself. For you to say it's not your responsibility nukes were blown off doesn't take the guilt off your species.

Incredulous, I said, "What about separating the goats from the sheep? Haven't you heard about that?" I didn't understand his angle and it troubled me to be interrogated like this.

—We have. We understand the need for separating different types of individuals, but it still eludes us as to why the Lord allows this.

"Don't you remember Hannah saying it's all a trap? That it's a choice left up to the individual? That when Satan caused man to fall, God had enough evidence to condemn him?"

—Of course. What you are not realizing is that because dragons are telepathic, we cannot conceive of a species that isn't of one mind.

Baffled, I searched for something to say. I needed to figure out how to make my defense move forward. Then I remembered something about angels—angels don't understand certain things that pertain to the human condition either. It added up. Angels are so far removed from humanity and its woes, they can't understand some things that are easy for men to understand. Likewise, the dragons must also have an elemental distancing from the human perspective that prevents them from understanding what are obvious truths to humans.

Inspiration struck and I asked, "Since you can read my mind, why aren't you able to understand the simplicity of these truths the way I do?"

—It would perhaps be easiest if you compared understanding what you think of a foreign language. You can hear someone speaking a foreign tongue but are unable to comprehend it. So also, I can see what you think, but cannot comprehend it.

"Well, how do we communicate at all?"

—I didn't say we couldn't understand anything. Only those things which are alien to me can I not understand. And certainly, because dragons are united in telepathy, we cannot fathom a race not similarly linked.

As we hurtled west, the sky continually got lighter as we caught up to the sunset.

"So those things familiar to each race you can comprehend, but those things exclusive to a race you cannot?"

—Not necessarily.

Patience, I thought to myself. "Well, what do you mean now?"

—Take for instance the act of procreation. Both of our species have the capability to do that. But though dragons may only procreate once, we can understand that it's completely natural for humans to exercise that gift without even procreating.

Needless to say, he had my attention. "Explain."

—You remember I said two dragons have only one off-spring?

"Uh-huh."

—It takes one full year for a pair of dragons to complete their mating.

I didn't think I understood what Ace meant so I said, "What's all involved in that?"

Seeing I didn't understand, he said, —The act itself takes one full year.

"A whole year?" I couldn't fathom it.

—Why is that so unusual?

"Why? Why do you think I think why? Come on Ace, you gotta be kidding."

—About what?

"About the year thing." I was trying—rather unsuccessfully, not to think it was funny.

—I am not. Dragons need one full earth year to accomplish the act of procreation. After that, we are finished. Never again will we do that.

I could think of a few species that only mated once and then died. Most of them were insects. "Why does it take a whole year?"

—You remember that each pair of dragons have only one offspring?

Of course I remembered. For the life of me though, I couldn't figure out how to be discreet about it since he was reading my mind. Graciously overriding my concern, he made his reply without a hint of offence.

—Material from both dragons is required to form the egg. It takes a year for the material to separate from each of our . . . bodies.

I could feel Ace become distraught right in front of my eyes—he was obviously remembering his mate. But then it lifted, like water that quickly evaporates from hot surface. Acting like it never even happened, Ace said, —It appears we have reached a coastline.

The sky had become so bright it was obvious we would soon catch the sun, fleeing ahead of us. In the distance, I could make out a coastline. Though I was quite sure it was North America because of the stars I'd been reckoning by, it soon became painfully obvious it bore little resemblance to the land I once recognized. Even though I was confident of our location with a certainty I felt, a certainty mysteriously stronger than my ability to astral navigate should have provided, I had to ask.

"Are you sure this is the United States?"

—It is as you have stated.

Slowly my surprise gave way to horror. With disbelief I conceded the destruction was worse than I had suspected. The land I once knew was gone. Oh, it's not that there wasn't some kind of terra-firma still left. That much was obvious. But of the teeming cities that once filled the eastern seaboard, no healthy examples remained of them. As a matter of fact, in places, trees that had no right growing at the ocean's edge were not only at its edge, but also submerged to varying degrees till those farthest out were actually completely under water.

Whatever the consequences of the earth wide quake would be, one thing was for sure. It was way worse than I would have ever thought possible.

16

A Dragon's View

Surprise embedded with sorrow emanated from Walker. This utterly fascinated the dragon. The whole time Walker had been with Ace, Ace had felt a curiosity toward him that bordered on enchantment. Everything about Walker was of interest to Ace. And the fact his curiosity didn't wear off was only one more thing he found remarkable.

What this amounted to far outweighed the studies dragons had conducted upon the race of man throughout the ages. Those studies, Ace fancied, were like a snapshot of a family dog—interesting or funny or what have you, but easily bored with and nothing compared to actually playing with the same dog. So his curiosity over and fascination with Walker continued to entertain him.

The man though, didn't know this. To Walker, as it would to anyone, the thought never entered his head that the dragon might have anything other than normal interest in him. Which Ace wasn't about to change. This was way too much fun.

Once they had descended and slowed considerably, they flew along the coast of North America at an altitude of roughly 12,000 feet and a speed of approximately 300 knots. Ace kept their course and speed constant, yielding to Walker's desire for an autopilot. The man's attention was distraught, a tight bundle of perplexity shot through with acquiescence, overlaid with grief.

This intrigued Ace as much as the rest of Walker's many feelings, if only because Ace could see the protection and provision of the Lord surrounding Walker as thoroughly as the earth is surrounded by a magnetic field. There was no way anything adverse was going to happen to him. But that was only one more thing Walker didn't seem to be aware of, though Ace was confident Walker could figure it out if he but applied himself. These humans really were more interesting to be with than to watch. If only the Devil wouldn't have interfered . . .

Ace flew for Walker, occasionally changing course and speed to follow Walker's curiosity or whim. He couldn't help wonder when the man would remember what he'd been looking for. It crossed his dragon mind, if Walker knew the depth Ace could see him, he might not like it.

On and on they flew, Walker's shock at the total rearrangement of the eastern coast of the United States rivaled only by Ace's humor over that same reaction. Walker had totally forgotten what he'd been looking for. After a satisfactory amount of entertainment with it, Ace finally decided to distract him.

—Have you decided not to look for mountains?

"Oh. I'm sorry, Ace. This place is so devastating. I can't get over how wiped out it is.

—No problem. Take as long as you like.

"No, you're right. We should get going."

—It is your expedition. That's up to you.

Walker decided to follow the sun, which was getting away again, and they zoomed due west. Before long, they came upon the remains of what had been a huge city.

"Oh, man . . ." Walker said in despair.

That this floored the man worse than seeing the natural devastation after the worldwide quake was obvious.

Upon seeing the flattened buildings, Walker deduced what had been the epicenter. The epicenter itself had been torn and shifted by the monstrous quake. But there it was, the remnant of a shallow giant crater, at least two miles in diameter. At a mile out from the impact point the remains of buildings began to appear. There, sections of foundations could be seen sprouting twisted and sheared off I-beams. Surveying further out, partial shapes began to appear. But as a whole, the city had been leveled.

Whatever caused it had happened a long time ago. Dust and sediment had built up in many places. Water erosion had taken place, but curiously, plant life was non-existent.

"What . . ." In a flash, Walker got an inspiration. "I bet I know what happened."

—What?

"It says in Isaiah 18, "Woe to the land shadowing with wings . . ." It describes a nation that could only be the United States. It says something terrible would happen to that land, and by the looks of it, we've been nuked!"

—How do you know it wasn't a rogue asteroid?

"Look how's there's no plant life anywhere. Nothing grew after this went off. Something annihilated this place before the worldwide quake struck."

Once again, Walker's curiosity delayed them from catching the sun. In the gathering dark, he could only shake his head at the unbelievable destruction.

Ace though, continued to be humored by the man's reaction. What he found so humorous is that the church, with all the rest of the end-time believers of whom Walker was eminently one of, had looked forward to this scenario endlessly. Which is why Walker shouldn't have been so amazed.

—Why are you so surprised? If you believed this was coming, why is it so hard to accept?

"I don't know. I don't know. Come on. Let's go."

Walker directed Ace to leave the site of what had once been . . . Atlanta? Walker wasn't sure, and Ace didn't much care. Yet the two of them were in this together. At least neither of them minded each other's company.

Bolting westward they passed other cities. Some were flattened by nuclear detonations and then further dissolved by the worldwide quake while others were flattened only by the quake. But they never came upon any people. Concerning that, Walker kept going back to the scripture he believed to be America in the book of Isaiah.

Ace interrupted his thoughts. —Do you think that's what happened?

"It seems as likely as anything. But it still blows me away. It's such a shock. I looked towards these prophesies practically my whole life but they never happened. Now that they have, they just blow me away. Even though I knew they could happen, I wasn't prepared for it."

The two companions raced across the desolate continent, passing over all manner of dead cities and town, but never spying any people.

"Let's hurry up, Ace. This place is morbid."

—As you wish.

Not wanting to tell Walker it was up to him, Ace brought their speed up very high. Almost at once, they were over what was left of the Rocky Mountains. They looked like they had been crushed. As if someone had taken a giant sledge hammer and driven them into the ground.

Walker had no idea what had happened to all the towns and cities that had once been there. As a matter of fact, he was actually losing interest in finding out. Seeing so much devastation had begun to numb his mind and disorient him. He couldn't take any more in. The mountains being flattened came as only one more incomprehensible fact. He was shell shocked and reeling from it. Yet there was more to come. Walker requested they push their speed up even higher. In hardly no time at all, they arrived over the west coast.

Walker didn't wonder if he'd see the huge California cities destroyed. He only wondered what manner of destruction had ended them. So it came as no surprise when he realized much of the pacific coast had become submerged. That was almost a relief. In a way, at least whoever died there got covered up and buried.

Wistfully, Walker regretted the illumination from having caught up to the sun. He wondered abstractly, why had they ever begun chasing it in the first place? Weighed down with the heaviness from seeing his once beloved nation brutally destroyed, he wanted to escape. He needed somewhere to get away from it all. Anywhere.

Ace took the liberty to make a suggestion. —May we go back to Hannah?

What a good idea, Walker thought. The mention of her brought a sense of refuge to him.

"Sure. Why not? Can we go right now?"

—Not only may we leave right now, but I can rendezvous with her most expeditiously.

"That's great, Ace. Thank you."

Seeing the collateral damage from the kingdom of God being birthed into existence on planet earth forced Walker to realize the event was truly earth-shattering. As Jesus had said, 'not one stone would be left upon another.' And if that wasn't enough, his once great nation had been nuked. What's more, he hadn't seen hide nor hair of anyone since they began overflying the United States. If this truly was the fulfillment of Isaiah 18, which there didn't seem to be any doubt about, it proved certain biblical prophesies were worse after they happened.

~

Ace took his time as he powered up out of the atmosphere, though that's really a misnomer since none of the laws of flight were actually in effect. To Ace, it was fascinating watching Walker's turmoil over the condition of his nation. He wondered if he should present to Walker the possibility that some of the people from his once great nation had unwittingly performed a tactical retreat?

Though watching him be fitful and concerned over something he could do absolutely nothing about, and with such severity of passion, continued to be pricelessly entertaining. Ace wondered if the Lord would ever let man see what they looked like when they fretted over things they couldn't change. He imagined they'd realize they had looked like ants, trying to change the orbit of earth . . .

Chapter 17

The Light

Hannah was waiting for us as we returned. Except this time I spotted her from a much greater distance than before. This was due to the simple fact that she now visibly radiated light. Bright, powerful, spectacular light. Without a doubt, this was a new facet and level of her glory—and something I have never seen before, not in my entire life.

It was easy to remember that when I first met Hannah, her beauty surpassed any beauty I had ever seen—but now, now her beauty left all worldly things behind in the dust. Shinning with lightning bright radiance, innumerable taunt, hair fine strands of light extended two feet from her in every direction. And every single strand was alive with lightning bright brilliance.

It wasn't artificial lighting either—the light came from her. On top of that, the light exuded a glory all its own. Dazzling beyond comprehension, diamonds were mere dirt clods compared to this light. It was astonishingly beautiful. It would forever be astonishingly beautiful. No one could ever become bored with this beauty.

The light, laser taunt but as fine as hair, covered her entire person and flowed like prairie grass caressed by a gentle wind. Not the tips of the innumerable strands of light bending, but the light itself mixed like it had currents and eddies moving lazily through it.

To grasp all of it was to be dazzled beyond comprehension. Just one strand of this living light was more amazing than the finest or rarest jewel—yeah—one strand held more potency than any material object.

And somehow, as I gazed into the depths of the glorious light . . . a new universe unfolded before me. For the old one had boxed me in like a cage. But now it opened wide. Like a shell that encased a baby bird it had marked my boundaries, but once the old universe opened, I could see this new universe is where true life began!

As I looked back to the old way, to the life I'd always known, I realized to the core of my being that everything from that existence, even all of the knowledge of all of the ages, was as nothing. Everything I'd known—everything everyone had known—was nothing. All it could ever amount to was being stone cold asleep, compared to this universe where living light dwells. Without question, the universe of living light is where true life begins.

If ever there was a way I could stay in this light I thought . . . and then remembered Hannah.

Focusing on her beneath the fantastic glory, there she was, gracious and humble, still recognizable, still abiding constant, ever her exceedingly beautiful self, magnified gloriously by the lightning bright radiance she now projected.

It crossed my mind that if there was just one thing truly drop dead beautiful . . . but I couldn't bring myself to compare such glory with the word 'dead' in the same sentence—but I just had! Despising my own nature, my heart broke within me. The ease with which corruption could engulf my thoughts appalled me.

I fell to my knees. "Please forgive me, Hannah," I said. To say I felt like a pathetic worm would be a compliment.

She though, would have none of that. Reaching through the dream-sphere, she placed her hand on my shoulder, shook me gently and said, "Walker. It's alright. Please stand up. I'm only a servant of the Lord, as you are."

"Only a servant of the Lord . . . !" I collapsed prostrate before her. Eyes crunched shut I bellowed, "I am a sinner!" Tears forced themselves past my eyelids. I shook my head. "I might be saved by grace, but I am nothing compared to you. If I'm not worthy of you, how will I ever be worthy of the Lord?" I felt like I had trespassed upon something I shouldn't have been allowed to see. I felt like an animal next to her. Slowly I pushed myself up on my knees, but I couldn't look up at her.

In a stern voice she said, "Walker, stand up."

The harshness of her voice had a sobering effect. I stood up. To my surprise, the radiance had vanished. I didn't know what to think.

Gently, so gently, she said, "Someday, Walker, you will be as you saw me."

"How?" I tried to say, but my voice cracked.

She smiled at me. I've never seen anything like the kindness in that smile before. She said, "By the Lord. It is the way of life in heaven. Didn't he say, 'you would be equal to the angels?"

"Well . . ." I began, only to bow my head in heaviness. The glory she'd radiated so overwhelmed me I felt like a used up rag—no wonder the Lord said the righteousness of man was as filthy rags. I nodded my head in realization, but nothing came out of my mouth.

Seizing the moment to strengthen me, Hannah said, "Be not discouraged Walker, and be not down cast. The Lord has chosen you for this noble task. If it weren't for that, you'd most likely be clothed right now with your heavenly body."

"That's really how we'll look?" I could hardly believe it.

"Truly. And that's not the half of it."

"What?" Anything better was totally unfathomable. "How can you beat that?"

"You'll understand when you're clothed in your heavenly body—and you see God."

Her statement evoked a cloud of fantastic expectations and a scripture came to mind. Experimentally I quoted, "We shall see him as he is?"

"I believe you have the idea."

"But where did it go? The light I mean—what happened to it?"

"What happened to it? Nothing happened to it. You can't see it anymore because it takes an act of God to let you see it. Once the conditions are broken, it would take another act of God for you to see it again."

Crestfallen, the disappearance of the glorious light felt like a well deserved rebuke. But I was still curious about it. "How did you know I saw it?"

She gave a small, quiet chuckle. "A part of you was quickened. You might say your face fairly glowed with the recognition of it."

To say I'd been amazed would be a gross understatement—the revelation had cleaned my clock. I not only felt like a babe, but compared to her, it was like I hadn't even reached the main event yet! Then I thought of all the lost souls who spent a lifetime on earth, searching for happiness, often suffering endlessly through all kinds of hardships and realized, they would be cheated out of that light if they didn't come to the Lord . . . I could not imagine a more profound tragedy.

I also knew without a doubt, I wanted to acquire that fantastic light more than I have ever wanted to have anything. As a matter of fact, it was such a strong feeling, I started to worry that I might be putting it ahead of the Lord. While I wondered if I should repent myself over it, she interrupted my thoughts.

"It is good for you to fear the Lord, Walker, but do not worry. There is a place set for you in heaven. You cannot lose that good thing which you received during life, which is the Lord. You are in him, and he is in you. Rejoice, for not long from now, you must meet with him."

I don't know what kind of look that put on my face, but my heart felt like it both froze and started racing at the same time.

Hannah's expression seemed to vacillate between bafflement and amusement over my reaction. She said, "Randall Walker, I give you good tidings. Be not afraid. The Lord knows the task he's given you is great. He intends to comfort and strengthen you. Be of good courage and remain steadfast in your faith. It has served you well these many years. Do not forget it now."

Her words help steady me. "Thank you, Hannah. I won't forget." Concerning the revelations I'd been given, I only hoped I could remember them. Already they were fading from my mind. But if what she said was true, it wouldn't matter, because in the end, I would be like that too. 'When' seemed irrelevant. What I could look forward to now is meeting the Lord. At least that would happen soon.

Anticipating the next step of this incredible journey, the revelation fading, a certain line from a certain verse in that rugged old hymn Amazing Grace came to mind. It now spoke volumes about being in heaven. It went . . . 'bright shining like the sun' . . . I couldn't help but wonder about the line, the glory it bespoke and about John Newton, the eighteenth century author who penned it.

I had to ask myself, how had he known? How had he possibly known?

Chapter 18

Enlightenment

To my chagrin, the first thing Ace said promptly contradicted me. Infinitely louder than the still quiet voice of God had been during life, Ace's voice strummed with a presence so powerful it assumed a 'whether you like it or not' presence effortlessly. He said, —John Newton didn't write the 'bright shining like the sun,' part.

"How do you know that?" I said, wondering where he came up with all this stuff.

—From our studies of man. John Newton ignited quite a revival, and dragons enjoyed it. I even distinctly remember the song you're referring to. But when they first began to sing it, the song didn't have that verse.

"Who changed it?" Somehow I felt I should know the answer to my own question.

—Change it? I didn't say anyone changed it. I said John Newton didn't write that part. I personally like the addition.

"You . . . like . . . the addition?" I was trying, rather unsuccessfully, to ignore my own ignorance.

—Yes. Because it's true. It gives glory to God.

I felt kind of confused. "You're sure he didn't write that part?"

—Positive. Dragons never expected man to figure out what the heavenly looks like. An addition like that is hard to miss.

As if things shouldn't be able to go from bad to worse, or as it worked in this case, from ignorance to incomprehensibility, I said, "You know what heaven looks like?"

—I said what the 'heavenly' looks like. We've never been to heaven.

"So the heavenly is . . ." Like a spotlight piercing the darkness, I realized Ace meant Hannah's glorious radiance was heavenly. Amazed, I said, "You saw the light too?"

—Obviously.

My mind stalled trying to form some kind of an explanation. When I finally found my tongue, I said, "How long have you been able to see it?"

—For as long as we've been around.

I wondered if he enjoyed surprising me. "You're kidding me, right?"

—Absolutely not.

"You can see it whenever you want?"

—Actually, yes.

"No way!" To say that blew my mind . . .

—Why not?

"Because . . ." is all I managed before I fell silent. The rapture of the beautiful light brought more fulfillment in a few moments than anything had during my entire life. I'm not talking about earthly or carnal pleasures, either. The satisfaction I enjoyed loving and being loved by a wonderful wife, a great daughter and a close extended family can't be beat. Not to mention how much I liked what I'd done for a living. And overshadowing all of that was the peace and contentment of walking with the Lord. But all of those things were so far removed from what the light had been . . . It was as if the hidden purpose for my existence had finally come to light, in that light.

Which begs the question, what will it be like seeing God, if there's this much glory in a single solitary angel? It should go without saying, it will be infinitely better. Words cannot describe the goodness it will be. Heaven will be fantastically over the top. Heaven will be so good, we will need eternity to experience God this way, because we will never, ever get bored with it. We won't be able to.

Yet besides my short-lived and apparently singular privilege, the dragons have always been able to see this fantastic living light! How? In comparison to the dragons, mankind seemed hopelessly outclassed. Absently I wondered if this was how domestic animals felt.

As if she'd been waiting for me to come full circle back to her, Hannah only needed my attention before she spoke. As soon as I looked at her, which is the first thing I did when I peered out of my funk, she said, "The reason you were allowed to see it is because it's relevant to your mission. The reason humanity is not allowed to see it is likewise relevant to their position."

She looked over at the beautiful and stately planet that just so happened to have a single mountain rising far above the breathable air. It rose like a small protuberance above the thin layer of atmosphere that covered the earth in uniform smoothness. The rotation of the planet along with our counter-rotating orbit brought the mountain steadily closer.

She pointed to the mountain and said, "The lobes. You witnessed them from their very beginning. What did they learn first?"

Thinking back, it wasn't difficult to remember. "The lobes first memorized their exterior surface." She nodded and said, "Before the mountain ascended, what was the last thing the lobes learned?"

That was easy to recall. "The last thing I remembering happening was that their attention expanded beyond the farthest extent of the knowable universe."

With a slight movement, she tilted her head to the right. Then she said, "Is there a big difference between what they learned first and what they learned last?"

Just a little, I thought. But what I said was, "About the same as the difference between a newborn baby and a brain surgeon. But what does that have to do with keeping us in the dark over this light?"

She wasn't finished with her argument and the twinkle in her eye should have warned me. "When a newborn baby enters the world. What are its needs?"

What, did she think I was stupid?

"I don't think you're stupid Walker. Just answer the question."

Trying not to feel flustered, I said, "To be cared for." I could easily remember when our daughter Rachel was born. "Babies are helpless. Everything has to be done for them, except autonomous functions." Thinking about the implications of that last statement and how it would apply to dragon offspring, I wondered what Ace would say. It did nothing to deter Hannah's persistence.

"So what need would a baby have for seeing the light?" Hannah asked, and patiently waited for me to answer.

"None, that I can think of." Which didn't convince me adults shouldn't be aware of it.

"And the parents of the baby. What do they need?"

Not understanding where her questions were going didn't exactly inspire my confidence in her final answer. Nevertheless, I had to say something.

"First. I suppose, to supply the needs of the baby. Then it'd be to acquire the items necessary for the continuing health and welfare of the baby and the family." I realized as I answered that it was easier if I just relaxed and played along.

"Why a family's welfare?"

Impatience rose up in me but I reminded myself to relax. "Because that's the most important thing. Preservation of life and welfare always gets priority."

"So the world humanity lives in has enough innate difficulty that acquiring provisions takes on primary consideration?"

I looked at her like she had a screw loose. "Where have you been?" I couldn't believe she had the audacity to ask something like that.

She looked around, almost in exaggeration, before saying, "I've been in heaven."

Reconciling the two locations seemed out of the picture. At the moment, I couldn't think of two more different situations. And it broke my heart the way she acted so aloof.

She said, "The needs humanity had to deal with on earth aren't present in heaven."

"How's that supposed to make me feel?" I didn't see how enlightening me about humanities impoverished state explained anything. Her in heaven, while a large percentage of humanity suffered in conditions that . . . compared to her . . . I felt crushed.

Having read my thoughts as if they'd been on display, she cut me off saying, "Not everyone lived at that level, Walker."

Spontaneously I thought of kings and regimes, rulers and the wealthy, and the oppression many of them created. "Of course not," I said. The fact that people from those classes don't endure the hardships the poor or common folk struggled with was obvious. Which isn't saying they didn't encounter sickness and pain and death like the rest of us. It's just . . . they're able to avoid material need while cushioning themselves with plenty at the same time.

She continued questioning me. "Do those having the power to 'take' live easier lives than those who were being taken from?"

I didn't understand her point anymore than I wanted to dwell on it. Remembering the off balance distribution of wealth and power, I said, "By and large, yes."

"So a condition developed where some acquired more than others, yet those who acquired it didn't give to those that had need . . . because they didn't view their neighbors with love?"

I threw my hands up in mock appeal. "The problem of the ages." To say her tack frustrated me would be an understatement.

"Humor me, Walker." Her words affected me like a splash of cold water.

"Do infants need the light?"

"No."

"Do their parents?"

"No."

"Do those who've acquired much by taking it from others need the light?"

The logical answer that crowded my mind came out my lips. "If God gave them the light, maybe they'd look on their neighbors differently." That much seemed obvious.

She nodded her head sagely, but said, "How can God give them the light when they don't love their neighbors?"

I felt like exploding. "What difference does that make? What would matter is that all the hording and wasting and starving and all the other oppression and cruelty and mistreatment stopped."

Hannah nodded and smiled and then said, "God cannot give them the light when all they focus on is the material world."

In one heartbeat, I saw the higher level of cause and effect she alluded to. They can't see the light because it's opposite the material world . . . and like a monkey who can't get his hand out of a vase because he won't let go of a piece of fruit, they too, are stuck. Their hold on the material world is so tight it precludes them from having or receiving anything else.

But it only partially mitigated my position that if God gave the rich and powerful a revelation of the light, things could change.

She didn't even wait for me to reply. "What you're really asking is for God to force the revelation upon them."

I had to say, "Why is it such a bad thing to 'force' the revelation on them? They're about to have a lot more things forced on them right now, with the end-time judgments here."

"Exactly, Walker. But the end-time judgments are exactly that—they're judgments. Those that refuse to serve God have run out of time, and now they pay."

"They couldn't have been enlightened before now?"

"While they lived, the Lord waited for them to come to wisdom. Yet their only concern was to be selfish. Which parable did the Lord speak concerning that?"

As if she'd pulled it out of my mind, it came unbidden to remembrance. It spoke of a rich man who had so much abundance, he decided to pull his barns down and build bigger ones. Except that very night, his very soul would be required of him, and he would have to give an account of his life to God. God called him a fool at that point, because he hadn't striven to be rich toward God when it counted.

Recalling the scripture sealed her argument against me. The realization I'd said too much settled into me like an afterthought. I looked at Hannah. She was looking at me. I couldn't say anything. There wasn't anything left to say.

Hannah wasn't finished though. "Regardless of how cruel it may seem to allow people to make their own decisions, love demands it. One reason God created freewill is to see who truly loves him. Besides which, it also proves who loves him. He didn't want or need robots. That so many choose the dead end that is the world and the things of it is their own doing—and their own fault."

She was looking at me with a rather intense expression. Somehow I didn't feel intimidated by it. Just rooted to the spot.

She motioned with her hands. "Yet God will receive glory even from them. Were they not all created from the dust?"

I had to nod my head in agreement.

"Is it fitting that dust should rebel against the God who created it?"

I felt trapped like a fly in a stone. "No."

With a fluid motion of her hand she said, "They will understand from hell—unfortunate as that may be—that they rejected the one God sent in love to save them."

It was more than obvious whom she meant. It was also obvious she was waiting for me to supply the answer. "Jesus," I said.

"That's right," Hannah confirmed. "Jesus."

Altogether more potent than during life, hearing her discuss hell dredged up more horror about it than I've ever felt. Yet the next thing she said changed the subject entirely.

"You must bring this message to those who will live during Christ's millennium reign."

Chapter 19

Piercing the Clouds

I hadn't been watching the earth because of the discussion we'd been having. But now that I'd been so to speak, brought up to speed, I was ready for the next step and earth again became the main focus. Orbiting far above the atmosphere, we moved counter to the rotation of the planet. Mt Zion approached the terminator from the opposite direction, apparently at the same rate we did. It would soon be in sunlight. Still surrounded by cloud cover and dark, except for the light cast from the stars and the moon, the peak rose majestically above the swirling chaos as if somehow, it was more than only literally above the clouds. Because our trajectory headed straight toward the mountain, the peak would pass directly under us. We were higher than the peak, though still lower than the many satellites modern man had placed in orbit. Probably because we weren't a lot higher than the peak caused it to look larger than it was. That was normal enough. What wasn't normal, is that as the mountain came closer, I could feel it.

To me, feeling something from the mountain was illogical. But at the same time, I didn't think there could be anything wrong with the mountain. It was Mt. Zion, it arose because the Lord summoned it, and its purpose was to bless mankind. Yet undeniably, I felt something as the mountain drew near. Wondering why I had such curious feelings, I looked to Hannah for an answer. Knowing of course my thoughts, she consented to give me an answer.

"Were you not examining the lobes during the extent of their maturation?"

I didn't see how that could have anything to do with my feelings. Evidently, Hannah saw that too. She answered like it couldn't be more obvious.

"Think of it Walker, for practically their entire life, you've been intimately involved with them. Though you handled not one of them, they all know you. Your essence has dwelt among them since time immemorial. Shouldn't they be interested in seeing you?"

Her response evoked mixed feelings from me. Foremost, a quizzical curiosity buoyed a sudden happiness I felt unabashed to revel. No wonder I felt like the mountain was tugging at me—it was! But beyond that, it crossed my mind that I may have been unwittingly used as a surrogate parent or something. It took only a moment to decide there was nothing wrong with that even if I had been, and the next thing I thought is, it must be an honor. I mean, somehow, it had to be an honor. What else would it be when one individual is exposed to a phenomena of this magnitude?

Ace spoke up then, —I wouldn't let that go to your head.

Surprised by his sudden comment, I said, "Of course not, Ace. It's just that this is so . . . impossible."

—Impossible?

Acutely aware that I had experienced the irrevocable event, I said, "Okay, incredibly unlikely anything like this would ever happen."

Apparently satisfied with my answer, or maybe just content to have voiced a warning, Ace didn't say anything further. I too, lapsed into silence, pondering my fortune. In the pause, Hannah continued.

"Ace will need to return to his body soon."

Irrational fear stabbed my heart. "Why? Is there something wrong?"

Shaking her head back and forth in the negative, she said, "Nothing is wrong, Walker. Aced must return to his body because he must move it. The dragons are coming out of hiding."

Well, that's a good thing I thought, partly because it confirmed I hadn't done anything wrong.

Ace volunteered more information. —We have been invited to a feast.

For some reason, I couldn't figure out if Ace was referring to the marriage super of the Lamb, the celebration commemorating Christ gathering all believers to himself, or the great battle, when he invites all the fowls of heaven to dine on the flesh of the adversaries he's slain. The majority of whom would be men. The thought of which particularly repulsed me.

But contrary to that, my instincts felt the dragons would be intruders if they arrived at the wedding supper of the Lamb. Either idea skewed my sense of right and wrong. I stood at a loss over what to think.

Apparently not wanting to prolong my distress, Ace helped me out. —There will be many horse carcasses at the battlefield.

At once I felt relief. That was okay then. My ad-libbed etiquette wasn't offended if the dragons only ate horse flesh, and the marriage supper of the Lamb remained an exclusive event for the redeemed. That was how it should be. Why I felt so possessive about it, I didn't know. I only knew it wouldn't be right unless that was how it worked out. Having settled it in my mind, I returned my attention to Hannah.

She acted like nothing had transpired. "Ace must drop you off before he moves his body. He will leave you at a prime location where you'll be able to witness to battle of Armageddon. During that time, I will remain with you. Once the battle is complete and the Lord finishes with immediate concerns, he will see you."

Why did I get the feeling I was being passed around like luggage?

Hannah showed the slightest displeasure over my frivolous reaction, which upon my noticing, caused me to void that thought and set my mind to a sort military attention. She gave me a glimpse of approval. At least sometimes she was easy to please. But even after all I'd seen, I couldn't begin to imagine what came next. One thing was bound to be true though, it would have to be interesting.

Knowing that everything I would soon witness could reach farther than what the prophets of old saw excited me. And another thing—why me? Could me being picked really have been as random as Ace had said? That simply because I was the last one to die, I was it? I didn't know, but figured that like a lot of other things, this would just have to wait until I got to heaven to be answered. Whenever that would be. But that was okay. I was getting used to waiting. Besides which, as I exercised patience, the waiting got easier.

"When do we start?" I said, knowing the time would fly if I was preoccupied.

Hannah stared at me without really focusing her eyes. "It is time." Her tone had taken on great seriousness. "The battlefield prepares even now."

Focusing on the dream-sphere, she said, "Follow me."

~

From their vantage point 50 miles above earth, the solid carpet of clouds stretched in intricate detail before the three companions. Where Mt. Zion thrust mightily through, the clouds actually bulged up around the mountain, seeming to prolong their embrace, before the towering peak pierced and soared above them.

As the trio plunged to the surface, the blistering speed they acquired would've impressed astronauts. And though they didn't arrive instantly, like they had when Ace took Walker to the surface, they were still able to move quite rapidly, for tracking a moving target is a normal trait of dragons.

Walker didn't feel any G-forces during what would have easily been lethal acceleration, but as the cloud layer came up fast, the thought crossed his mind, 'will we stop in time?' But as soon as he thought it, even at the same time, he knew they would. He knew it because of the love and comfort that enveloped him. It spoke to him with an assurance significantly beyond words—you are safe.

Perforating the clouds like a lightning bolt, Walker realized for the first time he felt more peace while in motion than when he stood still. And though he questioned it immediately, being an eternally inquisitive soul, the answer remained out of reach. As it would for quite some time. For in the next moment, he became so distracted he complete forgot his arcane musings.

As the trio came through the clouds, Walker didn't have time to wonder how they stopped so fast. Not that he wouldn't like to know. He'd like to understand their unnatural flight characteristics. But when they broke through the clouds, the sight preempted any other thoughts.

Walker knew Hannah had said the battlefield was preparing, so he really didn't have any excuse. He'd trusted his own preconceived notions, and hadn't asked what it would be like. Now that he thought about it, he really should have expected something massive. But the fact is, nothing had prepared him for the advanced stage of the base and the overwhelming number of soldiers. Not even his knowledge of scripture.

The more he surveyed the scene, the more it surprised him. His level of astonishment kept going up. Everywhere Walker looked, personnel crawled like ants, readying the base. If that's what you'd call it. It took up the entire valley.

The fact that it was raining crept slowly into his awareness. A distant bolt of lightning and the thunder it awoke finally brought him out of his trance.

From the foothills behind which Mt. Zion rose though hidden by clouds, to the other side of the valley, both north and south as far as he could see, every single acre seemed disposed to the task of warfare. Where all the equipment had come from was beyond him. He hadn't know this much military equipment existed in all the world.

Add to that, the equipment had lasted through what must have been several years of acute violence . . . not to mention that earthquake! Besides which, how had it all been transported here? He couldn't venture a single guess how it all came about. The situation mystified him.

Right then, Ace surprised him by saying, —It has most likely been observed by at least one of my fellow dragons.

Really . . . "Will they be able to tell me?"

—I cannot speak for them, but I would assume so.

That's good, Walker thought. Then he got an idea. Looking to Hannah, he said, "Could you tell me how all this equipment got here?"

"I am not sure either," she said. "But it's safe to say the Lord will provide a way for you to learn everything you need to."

If that isn't that a well-worn method, nothing is, Walker thought. But with so much to see, he refused to be distracted by unanswered questions. He returned his attention to the battlefield.

The frenzied pace of the personnel spoke silently of the whips driving them. Very few people walked anywhere. If one could be spotted who was walking, those around him were running even faster. Cargo aircraft were coming and going from half a dozen improvised strips. Pick-ups, APC's, all manner of trucks and flatbeds, multitudes of tanks, self-propelled guns, mobile missile platforms, and still other equipment, unrecognizable to him, swarmed from the strips faster than the flow of aircraft which never seemed to stop moving.

Surveying the chaos, he struggled to take it all in. Fortifications were everywhere.

Upon the slopes bordering the valley, weapons were either dug in or being set up, heavy equipment working areas flat. Combat aircraft patrolled above the clouds while choppers patrolled beneath them. At various strips, attack aircraft sat poised for takeoff, pilots manning the motionless but deadly aircraft. Self-propelled guns and tanks stood like sentinels spaced evenly apart. Missile batteries inter-spaced these, while treaded vehicles holding racks of smaller missiles seemed everywhere.

Aircraft control towers stood out and bunkers bristling with guns sat everywhere. Ammo depots were obvious by the overflowing munitions spilling from them, canteens by the soldiers carrying food away, command centers by the flags and sentries. Fuel depots doted the base like oases in a desert, bloated tanks and tanker trucks giving them away. Even some strange type of what looked like beam weapons were spaced at irregular intervals. The only thing he didn't see was something not disposed to the craft of warfare.

But then at the furthest distance he could see, across the valley against the slopes, partly obscured by the rain which continued to fall, Walker discerned the outline of a large if not outlandish building. Perhaps the first incongruous thing in this place devoted to killing.

"Let's go see what that is," Walker said, indicating the building.

Hannah, without looking at the building and using the sternest expression she'd used yet said, "I can tell you what that is, Walker. That's the command post of the Anti-Christ."

Chapter 20

The Return of the King

The three of us moved forward, though now at a much reduced pace. As we did, a building slowly materialized out of the rain until standing there—in total incongruity—was a hauntingly oppressive castle-like mansion. As we drew close, embellishments came into focus. Adorning the structure in its entirety, there covered the building a garish blend of pseudo and religious motifs that intertwined repeatedly with occult symbolism. Statues, gargoyles and other various creatures also added their flavor. Everywhere I looked upon the mansions surface, whether upon stone, metal, glass or wood, symbols, runes words or creatures covered the structure. It reminded me of a person who'd been tattooed from head to foot and didn't lack for body piercings.

How the mansion got here was beyond me. At the least, it must have utilized a wizardry of prefabrication. Compared to the level of preparedness the base had reached in what I had to imagine was the same amount of time, the mansion looked like it had been here for years already. As if it had just been transplanted from somewhere else.

Behind the mansion, to the west, the armaments dwindled to practically nothing when compared to the overflowing number of them strewn eastward, throughout the elongated valley. Which got me thinking. The bible says about the return of Jesus that, 'as lightning goes from the east to the west, so also shall the son of man return.' The armaments were positioned so that an attacker coming from the east would have to pass over the entire valley of weapons before reaching this mansion. As if the Anti-Christ prepared his defenses in opposition to the exact way Jesus said he would return.

Was he that sure the Lord wouldn't circle around from the rear? That is, if the Lord didn't dispatch with the weapons in another way altogether? I didn't know, but it was easy enough to lump it into the same category as any other number of unwise endeavors, the most serious being, not serving God in the first place. And knowing the world was full of people who did just that and worse, it came as no surprise to find the same kind of behavior in this emissary of Satan. If I read it right. Then I noticed a peculiar thing. It wasn't raining on the mansion.

—If you're ready, Hannah has something to tell you, Ace interjected. Which caused me to look at her at once.

Instantly she reminded me of something I've never seen before. As she stood there, it appeared that she radiated the full and complete authority mother's were ever given from on high, except she also had the consummate ability to tear limb from limb the first miscreant she got in her hands. There was so much intensity in her eyes I knew it wasn't directed at me, because I no more needed that kind of force than a blast furnace would be used to light a candle. It crossed my mind, I was glad I was on her side.

Hardly detracting from the intensity of her focus at all while indicating a bare rise south of the mansion, she said, "I think that hill will do."

—Very well, Ace said, and followed her to the hill. The hill sat about 300 yards south of the mansion which faced east, up the valley. It wasn't a very high hill and the mansion, easily more than four stories high, not counting its seriously complicated and steep roof, reached higher than the hill.

It was the roof, too, that made it seem like it wasn't a castle, because in my mind, castles were always portrayed with flat roofs. But this roof was a maze of sharp peaks and steep valleys interspaced with turrets, pyramids, cones and towers. Walkways connected several of them and most likely would afford an excellent view for anyone up there.

As we approached the hill she picked I noticed it was covered with a combination of sand, pebbles and small rocks and entirely devoid of vegetation. Ace lowered me to the ground. When both of my feet were firmly in contact with the surface, he lifted straight up. I stayed put on the ground and felt his dream-sphere drag up and over my body. I felt a sensation which reminded me of the way water feels when it runs off your body after being immersed in it, except backwards. It was a bizarre sensation that I don't have any other way to describe, though it was quite painless.

I looked up, and there Ace was, straight above me. He maneuvered back to float in front of us and the sphere quivered, as if bidding farewell. Then without warning, it vanished. His departure left no wind or sonic boom, but I heard as much as felt a small, whispering 'pop.'

"He's certainly not one for theatrics, is he?" I said.

"Nor am I." Staring hard into the space he left reconfirmed the no-nonsense attitude she'd adopted earlier.

Well, that didn't leave many options except to wait. All in all, I didn't think it should be that hard. Besides, if I could start up a conversation, things might lighten up.

"So, that's really the command post of the Anti-Christ. When do you think we'll be able to see him?"

Looking over at me, her hardened gaze led me to believe I'd said too much. Again. But that was nothing compared to what she said next.

"Walker, do you have any idea how many demons are surrounding us at this very moment?" Other then turning her head to look at me, she didn't so much as move a finger.

"Sometime during the next couple of hours, the punishment of all of them will be executed. And that is something they are deathly afraid of. Anything they can do to resist the will of God they will do, including harming you. Do you want to know how many of them are trying to get at you right now?"

I felt like the bottom just dropped out from under me. Suddenly I was terrified. It was like she opened a door and caused me to see something that would slaughter me in an instant, if given the chance. For the moment, it seemed like I was standing on the edge of a razor, calamity on all sides.

In the very next second, calmness washed over me. As if she deliberately put the thought in me, I realized she wouldn't let me come to harm. I felt I'd just learned a valuable lesson.

Sometimes there's nothing like a close call to make you appreciate how blessed you've been. Whenever a 'by the skin of my teeth' save has happened, it's always made me realize the sovereign hand of God is upon me, giving greater diligence to my survival than I can. This felt just like one of those times. The thought 'whoa' came to mind, but the word seemed too impotent for the situation. The only thing I could do was thank her.

"Thank you."

"Think nothing of it," Hannah said. "It's about time you learned it's a privilege escorting you."

I felt a little too self-conscious right then to make much out of that statement, but I could guess at the math she referred to. The only thing I couldn't figure out was how to pencil myself into the equation.

Unearned or unmerited favor is what grace is, and as I waded through the extra large dose she'd just given me, it amazed me at how quickly my perspective could change. On top of all of which, I don't think I've ever yearned to be an innocuous spectator more in my life. Now would be a good time to shut up I thought to myself, wishing with all my heart that I could hide it from her.

~

Patiently we watched as the base continued to set itself up. It's like they kept adding to what was more than enough already. The area being used kept expanding. I could see farther than normal with my improved vision and certainly much further than normal through the rain which kept falling. I could guess where the rain should have cut off my vision, but I could see so far past that, it's as if it were clear. The only exception being how the rain had hid the mansion. That I couldn't figure out.

Periodically, helicopters would land in front of the mansion to deliver a high level commander. Five or ten minutes later he would come out, get back in the helicopter and leave. Then a different helicopter would land and the process would repeat. It settled into a rhythm.

As I tried to take in all the activity, including the cargo and patrol aircraft coming and going, the base took on the abstract quality of insects busily hurrying about their business. All the movement, noise and waves of motion blended into a seething collage that seemed to form a single entity.

Just when I started to wonder if anything else would ever happen, everything stopped. And that was just flat weird. Before I could make any kind of deal out of it, combat jets flying combat air patrol thundered away while cargo aircraft seemed to separate from the whole and take on individual importance. Likewise, the many different types of vehicles seemed to detach from everything else and take on individuality. Now these vehicles focused on a private task, while the seething mass of the base sought an alternative goal.

The stand-by attack aircraft became frenzied islands of motion and the quickest of these began to launch. Attack helicopters laden with armaments took to the skies, and all of them, jets and choppers alike, headed east.

Then I felt Hannah stir from her position next to me so I looked at her. She had begun to gaze at the mansion, so I looked to.

An ensemble of people in strange, shimmering robes came striding out surrounding someone who could only be the Anti-Christ. This man is also called the beast. He alone wore normal clothes consisting of a smart looking grey suit fashioned after the uniforms the soldiers wore. He also had a crown. Except it wasn't an ordinary crown. It looked like it had been fashioned to declare, 'I am a crown of war,' more than anything else. It complemented the grey color of his suit, but lacked any kind of jewels. All that adorned it were wicked, knife like points and barbs and hooks. It reminded me of a war time razor wire fence. Offhand I wondered how he'd put it on without any help.

At the front of the procession strode someone I presumed to be the false prophet. He wore an even more elaborate robe than those in the entourage along with a hat that looked like a wizard's hat. It too, matched the shimmering multicolored robes.

The whole group walked out the two-hundred or so feet to the helicopter pad. Then they lined up and formed a phalanx, assistants on either side while the beast went forward to stand next to the false prophet. And though it was raining where Hannah and I stood, the rain seeming to go through us and leave us dry, it still wasn't raining upon the beast and his group.

Before I had time to think, 'now what,' silence settled upon the base. The combat jets, which up till then had flown on full afterburner went to some kind of economical mode and became almost silent. The cargo aircraft and helicopters were gone. Movement had all but ceased across the immense base. Then I noticed a foreboding thing. All the weapons were pointed east, up towards the sky.

I was just about to turn and look at Hannah when the slate grey clouds suddenly became lighter in the east. As I watched, at the far end of the valley, a light as bright as sunlight began to pierce down in places, just like a sunbeam. Except it wasn't the sun. The sun was behind us.

Then the clouds began to peel away, opening by what appeared their own volition, and the powerful light broke through. More dazzling than the sun, the brilliance made everyone in the army cover their eyes. Even the beast and the false prophet reacted as if the brightness hurt. Only Hannah and I seemed immune to the blinding radiance.

Both of us were mesmerized by the sight. I, because I knew this had to be the return of my long awaited King, Jesus Christ, and her, presumably for that and also much more. Her understanding of him must exceed my understanding as far as her age exceeded mine. Thinking of her, I glanced and saw her face aglow with love and adoration. The spectacular glory of God reflected on her countenance. The radiance now shinning outshone the sun. How I could look at it was beyond me.

It bothered me that the Devil could trick so many into not serving this awesome God. I imagined a very strong delusion must have gripped their hearts to keep them at war with their maker. Even knowing that they'd all undoubtedly taken the mark of the Beast, the number 666 on their hands or foreheads, the very act of which separated them forever from God, I still wondered in a part of my heart if any of them would repent, now that they could see the glorious brilliance of God.

Before I could think another thought, the entire base vomited its lethal contents. The eruption of the valley ignited a deafening explosion of violent flying death. Projectile weapons fired at the same time that droves of missiles whipped away, exhaust plumes hiding half the base. Thunder from the massive amount of guns blended into a wall of noise. It was multiple times louder than I would have thought possible. My heart panicked within me—how would the Lord defend against such an overwhelming assault?

Immediately the remedy appeared. I shouted in triumph and had to jump for joy. All the missiles, projectiles and beam weapons blossomed like flowers against an invisible barrier, forced aside like so much water. It reminded me of Moses splitting the Red Sea. So much ordnance was lofted that its detonation against the shield looked like two fiery walls reaching far above and beneath the Lord.

I could see him now, on a white steed flying through the air, not a Pegasus, but a far nobler mount, fit for the King of Kings. I sensed a fierceness in this horse that would dominate all other earthly creatures.

The fire base continued to belch its produce at the Lord and his army, which followed behind. And there were millions in his army! They were all dressed in brilliant white and all rode upon white horses. The army seemed to reach to eternity, or maybe it was only to heaven . . . surly at the distance I marveled . . . and then I realized the heavens had opened, and I could see all the way to heaven! The sight held my attention like a vise.

The ferocity of the noise receded to an innocuous buzzing. I became oblivious to the deadly barrage assailing the impenetrable shield.

I could see in heaven the saints at the extreme end riding past clouds brighter and more beautiful than any I've ever seen. And beyond the breathtaking clouds were fields of luscious green. How I marveled at those fields! They were at once from another world, and altogether of the most real world I have ever seen. My mind overflowed with joy upon seeing those heavenly fields, for surely my instinct was to try and measure and calculate, but I could not—my understanding was based on things finite, but those fields were rooted in the infinite. Immediately, all the fields and pastures of earth amounted to a small, rationed portion. For the fields of heaven have no end! How I rejoiced with awe to see such an infinitely better dwelling place!

Then I looked at the Lord and at the same time, a sword appeared before him. Silver and gold, the sword reflected the blinding light and jewels in the handle glittered with rainbow colors. The sword was larger than ordinary, at least six feet tall and flew upright in front of his horse and then I saw his eyes and did fear—they were like fire but utterly more potent that any earthly flame—surely they would scorch unrepentant men dead in their tracks.

The Lord's countenance displayed the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. He embodied it and it rested upon him like a coat. And he wore a royal robe, and if someone could miss every other clue, the robe declared his sovereignty was authorized from a level above earthly jurisdiction.

The combination of absolute authority, inexhaustible wrath and unlimited power made crystal clear the truth that everything lays at the mercy of this King of kings. Now though, he would let his terrible wrath loose. Now he would take vengeance upon evil. Now he would do as he pleased . . . Now would come judgment and the treading down of enemies.

Even knowing I love him with all my heart, I felt an irrational desire to hide, like a child who doesn't enjoy seeing other children get in trouble.

The Lord and his army were half way up the valley. The vomiting profusion of ordnance from the base had slowed. Probably many of the systems had to reload or cool off. But if what I expected came true, it wouldn't matter, because shortly there wouldn't be anyone left to man the weapons.

Then the sword flying before the Lord began to discharge a flood of smaller swords. Identical except for size, the miniature replicas flowed from the master sword effortlessly and en masse. The replicas flew along in front of the master sword, continuing to multiply and increase until they were as thick as a cloud. Then they fell on the army.

Chapter 21

Dragon Meld

After setting Walker down and bidding farewell, Ace's dream-sphere flew straight back to his sleeping dragon body. The dream-sphere passed through all barriers as if they were less than smoke. The homing instinct of a dream-sphere for its body was magnitudes stronger than any other homing instinct the world might offer in comparison.

Without slowing when it got to his body, it snapped into him the same way a person's thoughts might snap back to the work at hand, after daydreaming. He lifted up his huge head and opened his eyes. He was inside the large cathedral like room with the rest of the dragons.

"Ackseekcelong-Sayessa, you have finally returned."

Ace looked around, taking in the familiar surroundings the way a person might scan their home after returning from a vacation. Then he said, —It is good to be back among dragons.

"Did it go badly?"

He shook his head as if to say, no. —It isn't that. But humans are so . . . Ace paused. Because of the many aspects he could recall from his time with Walker, he found himself at a loss over how to sum it up. The other dragons, speaking to Ace through dragon meld, their natural and telepathic form of communication, offered a suggestion.

"Immature?"

—That is one way to say it, I suppose. Though now that I think about it, the biggest difference is how it's more peaceful among us dragons. They, or he, I should say, has practically no sense of God's abiding presence.

"Could it be just him?"

—I don't think so. I know it could be, except you know how similar they all are. He actually received several compliments from the angel for his 'spirituality.' Which happens to remind me—the angel Hannah, she . . .

Technically, the last word Ackseekcelong-Sayessa said was, 'she.' If observers were present, his dragon eyes might have appeared to un-focus. As the other dragons communicated with Ace, some comments or questions might have come across as individual words. But it was altogether like the voice of an orchestra, for it was colored by all of the dragons minds. To them, their thoughts flowed like a group of vehicles moving down a twelve lane highway. Or a school of fish in the ocean. Or a flock of birds through the sky.

Dragons, by their nature, accommodate the thoughts of each other with courtesy and respect. Being so few in number and having great love for one another, they enjoyed communicating as much or more than a family, or group or gathering of contemporary humans could.

And though technically 'she' was the last word he said, it was the beginning place for him to communicate to the other dragons the flood of sensations he recalled from being with Hannah. First he shared the condolences she had given verbally, with the words accompanying them. But quickly he moved to the sorrow, empathy, mercy and pity. Sealing the deal was the power that had touched him when she had prayed for him.

But it was more than that. Ace projected his memory of her, vivid in detail and focus. All of her considerable beauty was illuminated in every other dragons mind, and they experienced this, reliving highlights of Ace's encounter with her, as if they'd been there.

When Ace finished his preliminary report, the other dragons were in awe. They'd never considered how it might help them for an angel to empathize with and pray for them. Nor had they any inkling of the angels grievous loss. Taken together, the dragons felt a mixture of relief, consolation and encouragement as the beginning stage of healing restoration settled upon them. Occurring without them having asked for it made it all the more pronounced.

As one, they realized their restoration had been triggered by Ace's interaction with the angel Hannah. Though nothing of physical consequence had occurred to them, they all felt the same relief. Something tangible now washed and assuaged their ages old grief, and was causing it to recede. They also realized that one of the things that had weighed them down for eons had been shame. Shame over what had been done to them, and shame over what one of their kind had done in retaliation.

As they carefully began to explore the freedom their restoration was bringing, they looked with new eyes to the future. Which happened to be a major benefit, because up till now, the dragons had been apprehensive about returning to the surface. Though none of them knew when the time would be, its coming loomed over them inexorably. As their grief dissolved like a frozen lake in a spring thaw, they knew returning to the surface would be faced without shame.

The dragons also understood the ramifications coming from their restoration better than humans might in a similar situation. To them, the deliverance would both tint their near future with thankfulness as well as be something none of them would speak about. The shame they had despised, which had covered them for so long, would be buried and forgotten. They would no more talk about it than they would wish for it to remain a little while longer. They were entering a new phase of their existence and with one mind, refused to encumber it by holding onto the past.

Also as one, they determined to garner as much momentum from the joy of being restored as they possible could. The united dragon consciousness fairly brimmed over in exuberant celebration. Knowing the return of their God and Creator would happen any minute put them quite over the top. As they rejoiced together for the incredible blessing God was pouring upon them, the dragons felt better than they had in literally, thousands of years.

Chapter 22

Victory

It wasn't that the miniature swords fell so much as flew upon the beast's army. Into the lull of the barrage the cloud of replicas surged like water breaking from a dam. Spreading out as they came, the swords first thinned and then dissipated as each sword bent itself upon a single soldier. Almost simultaneously, the swords found their intended targets. No barrier, hard or soft, protected any soldier. Whether through a tank or a bunker, an armored personnel carrier or body armor, the swords clove their victims, cutting through anything and everything with the greatest of ease.

In the air, pieces of fighter aircraft and helicopters tumbled from the sky, severed randomly by the swords no metal could stop.

On the ground, one moment the phalanx shaped group surrounding the beast and the false prophet stood there and the next, gruesome pieces were falling slowly to the ground. Every servant had been cut indiscriminately, efficiently and completely in half.

Throughout the base and without pause, the swords slew every soldier. So much carnage occurred at the same time that it seemed to be happening in slow motion. It was then that I saw the swords struck in no particular fashion. Whatsoever angle the sword arrived is the angle the blow was struck. Hewing the soldiers into two pieces seemed the only characteristic common to the death blows being dealt. Some came at the waist, and torsos toppled over, while other sliced from shoulder to hip, soldiers flailing like dolls, uttering screams abruptly cut off. No two blows seemed to arrive identically yet they all achieved the same goal. Every soldier died in two pieces.

As soon as each sword accomplished its grisly mission, it flew back to the master sword, disappearing into the dazzling brilliance. In what seemed no time at all, all of the miniature replicas returned to the one sword which had remained constant before the Lord. The moment the last miniature returned, the master sword vanished. The screaming faded quickly.

The Sovereign rode straight toward the beast and the false prophet and his glorious army followed behind. I could see its end now, for they were all clearly in front of the clouds of glory. Though of the number of this army, there was no way for me to know. But certainly, there were millions of them. And all of them were robed in white, and they stretched as far as I could see. Too numerous to count, I wondered how many ages and generations of people were here when I realized . . . all of them.

I looked at Hannah and instead of being mesmerized like me, she was the happiest I've ever seen her. A smile beamed from her face I could have almost thought was impossible. She looked back at me, and contagious as her smile was, it kindled a similar grin on my face. We smiled at each other until I knew we both must have looked like little children before a noise brought me out of my reverie.

Moments after the master sword disappeared the valley became deathly still. Distant munitions cooked off randomly from the scattered fires, innocuous and unimportant. The only motion came from the explosions and the plumes of smoke rising from fires and burning wrecks. Everything else was still. I wondered how much fratricide occurred from wild ordnance. I also doubted any severed pieces of aircraft had killed anyone, because the army had likely been annihilated before any of those pieces had reached the ground. The valley of Armageddon, which could now be more aptly named the valley of gore, began to secrete a foul odor. The stench quickly mingled with the bite that had filled the air from all the missiles and munitions.

Into this stillness, seeing the approaching army was silent, I heard a gurgling. Turning to locate its source, I found it to be the false prophet. Sometime during the slaying of the beast's army he must have fallen to the ground, for upon it he now lay, uttering the noxious noise. Evidently, of the entire army, only he and the beast had been spared. As I watched, he began blithering like an idiot. Then the beast began swearing and cursing at the gloriously radiant King.

Well within earshot now, His Majesty, Lord of lords and King of all Creation drew near to the sole survivors. Upon the noblest of steeds, eyes burning like fire with righteous indignation, earth's Sovereign came. The magnificence he embodied easily exceeded words.

For the first time in my short, miniscule life, I knew what it felt like to be dust. As the Omnipotent King of kings approached, awe gripped me. As clear as my reflection in a perfect mirror, I could see—unquestionable—that I was created from the dust. Moreover, I had been created for God's good pleasure. As understanding flooded me, I saw how fitting it is to realize I was only dust! Besides which, it is the proper place! For only from this lowest of stations am I in the proper perspective to this Eternal King. No wonder John the Baptist said he was unworthy to untie the Lord's sandals—I could see it would be an honor just to be the dust that clung to his sandals!

To realize this is the Holy One who spoke worlds into existence, entire galaxies of worlds, while I on the other hand, could not speak a single grain of sand into existence . . . It floored me. I bowed under the weight of extreme humbling until, stirring within me, I felt a surge of love rise up. It was the Holy Spirit, reminding me that I too, am a temple of this living God, who loves me and gave himself for me so I could be saved!

Praise I gave to God then, hallelujahs to this Blessed Savior who is risen from the dead! I realized how grateful I should be for having been given life, that I could know this True Living God. Truly, as the Lord said to Abraham, he is the great reward. I could only stand in awe as the master and creator of the universe drew close. His presence over-rode any pretenses I might have ever had concerning my own importance. Thank God, God is good! Thank God he has assigned us the purpose of worshiping and praising him!

Having plumbed my own finite nature to its core and finding that I am the dust and it is I, I looked back to the scene unfolding in front of me. The beast continued to curse the glorious King. The closer the mighty God came, the more vicious the beast's tirade became. My ears burned as he cursed God. How he could keep it up was beyond me. I actually feared for him then, even though I despised him, even though I rejected everything he stood for. Insolently he carried on.

His Majesty finally stopped, to stand motionless on the invisible highway that held him and his glorious army up in thin air. Lining up echelon by echelon, the white riders upon their white steeds formed level after level behind him. Silently they fell into tiered positions as if they'd trained for centuries.

And still the beast swore. By now, surly his repertoire of defamation must have been used up, but he knew not how to stop. He's possessed, I thought. Past loathing for him, I was appalled by his countenance. He was so ugly in his wrath I had to piety him. His face contorted out of shape and tears of pure hatred streamed down his checks. The lost soul insulted and swore at the Holy King as if the Devil himself gave him the lines.

The whole time the beast carried on, the bright shining army silently fell in. Fully encircling the recalcitrant pair, terraced layers of the bright white army assembled around us for miles.

Somehow sensing completion of the assembly, the Eternal King's mount nickered, shook his head, mane waving, then reared up and whinnied, hoofs beating the air, before coming back down to stomp the invisible ground. When that didn't halt the ravings of the beast, the King bellowed, "Silence!"

The command rang out as loud as a clap of thunder. Unquestionable, it produced the desired result. Paralyzed into silence, cursing and swearing halted mid-sentence. Even the blubbering of the false prophet had ceased, though compared to the cursing, his utterance was almost appropriate.

Giving commands now, the King spoke, apparently to angels. "Michael, Gabriel."

Two glorious and regal angels strode up to the silent pair of miscreants. One of the angels, I don't know which, grabbed the beast by the collar and forced him to his knees. The other angel took the false prophet by his robe and pulled him up, also to his knees. The beast glared at the righteous King, venom in his eyes. The false prophet wasn't nearly as bold. He only seemed to anticipate his own fate, and fearfully at that. Then the King spoke.

"For long I have endured your gross and revolting rebellion." As if it wasn't quiet enough, a deeper hush settled upon the huge assembly. "Your deceptions and lies have led millions away from the truth, and millions of others have you slain for believing in me." As the King spoke, his words took on a life of their own, invisible tendrils weaving a blanket before settling upon the two offenders.

"Always, you labor to increase your corruption and multiply your transgressions. Ceaselessly you worked to pervert everything you touch. You prefer lying to truth. You delighted to coerce many to reject me. You went out of your way to find offences against my people. You killed without cause. You made laws to force other to follow your wicked ways. You set watchmen everywhere to make sure people transgressed. You rejoiced over evil and whenever unrighteousness increased."

The Sovereign Majesty paused. Everything was deathly still. Thankfully the blessed odor of the glorious army overrode the slaughter house reek from the battlefield. The rain had stopped. Beautiful sunshine poured through holes in the scattering clouds. The rider's apparel gleamed so brightly it would've hurt mortal eyes had any been present, not counting the two wicked ones being judged.

All eyes were riveted on the matchless King, who shone even more brightly, his glory breathtakingly powerful. His radiance was different from the light of the angel Hannah, when I had seen her glory. This radiance was brighter—more like pure light, rather than the laser-fine tendrils of light Hannah exhibited.

Interrupting my thoughts, the Sovereign continued. "I will not ask what you have to say for yourselves. Your willful corruption speaks for itself."

At that, the beast snorted a short, final barb.

As if the King wasn't angry enough, his eyes tangibly brightened and an invisible force slammed into the beast, knocking him back. Only the angel restraining him kept him from falling. The false prophet continued to hang limp from the support of the angel behind him, his own destruction apparently poignant in his mind.

"Always you choose to be profane," the King said. "Yet your army lies dead at your feet. Let me assure you—your end shall be worse—far worse." The words rang with finality like a giant door slamming shut. Lifting his gaze from the condemned pair, he locked eyes on the angelic guards. A silent message was exchanged.

Each angel dragged his charge backwards while turning them to face the mansion. They worked in unison, finishing their coordinated maneuver at the same time. As soon as the two transgressors were turned and looking at the mansion, the King lifted his right hand. Speaking words that I couldn't understand but that sounded like Hebrew, the King spoke a sentence, then lowered his hand.

For a moment, nothing happened. But in the next, a rumbling stirred in the earth. Several lightning bolts leapt into the air, straight off the roof. Deep, resonant vibrations began strumming the ground around the mansion.

Though the sky had been clearing, dark clouds moved in and the sky darkened. More lightning bolts ripped the sky and the building began to tremble and quake, windows cracking. Wind whipped all over the place and dust devils tore around. The tempo of the lightning and thunder increased and the ground began to shake furiously.

Plums of dust spurted out from around the building. The entire mansion moved as if a giant invisible hand had reached up and was prying it loose. Like a foundering ship, it settled into the ground.

Great booming thuds and crunches began to compete with the thunder, sharp cracks ringing out almost as loud as lightning bolts. Dust in the air began to obscure the mansion and lightning bolts sizzled through the clouds.

Irresistibly, the mansion sank into the earth. Groaning and creaking, it disappeared foot by foot. Then the hill it sat on also began to give way. In ever increasing amounts, the terrain around the mansion caved in. As the ground around the building caved in, the building sank with it. The sinkhole continued to spread out around the ruined mansion until all the ground surrounding the mansion had caved in.

During all the commotion, the dazzling army remained motionless. Of the riders whose faces I could see, stern expressions covered them all. Of the beast, all I could see was the side of his face. But what I could make out was contorted by rage, unbelief and despair. The false prophet had let his head hang long ago.

The ground had finished opening its mouth for the edge of the hole became a steep ledge and no more earth caved in. The tall parts of the roof slipped beneath the horizon and disappeared from view. The wind, lightning and thunder died away.

Then the pace quickened. A sound like a great grain silo being filled reached out of the hole, a giant hissing, a forlorn sign from the earth as the invisible way to hell opened up. The largest boom yet thundered out of the earth and a huge fracture tore itself from the gaping hole out across the valley at many hundreds of miles an hour, ripping the earth apart. The earthquake rent the entire valley, from the hole where it began all the way to the other end.

The earth on each side of the rend dropped as if the support underneath had given way. Both sides of the valley now slanted down toward the long jagged crevice. Immediately it took on the appearance of a grievous wound as blood from the slain army rushed into the giant fracture.

Without warning, the King spoke. "I hold you accountable for these men's blood. In futility you ordered them against me and in futility they did fight." Even as he spoke, the engorged crevice emptied itself into the hole that had swallowed the beast's mansion. All the slain contributed their blood to what quickly became a torrent. It rudely gushed into the yawning orifice, a putrid and unholy waterfall.

"Throw them in."

At once the miscreants began to scream and fight, kicking and flailing about. To no avail. The angels brought them up the invisible path to a point over the hole where the river of blood poured vulgarly into the depths. Without pause, they tossed them in. Screaming, the beast and false prophet fell head first into the torrent, theirs screams choked off as they plunged in.

The angels calmly returned to where they had stood. Both of them locked their gaze on the king, awaiting further orders. The dark clouds, which had gathered so quickly, began to dissipate. The King stared at the river of blood rushing into the abyss. He seemed to be contemplating a hidden subject.

Stirring from his thoughts, he spoke one word. This one I understood. "Satan," he said. His word forged a summons irresistible to deny. His inflection carried absolute power. The command radiated with assurance that it would be obeyed. The authority invested in that one order blew past me like a shock wave. The summons carried so much potency, it's like I experienced God in yet another entirely new way. I stood in awe to have heard it. I had to wonder, had it been the same for everyone else?

And then without warning, the Devil appeared.

When he did, when he appeared out of nowhere, my notions of beauty were smashed forever. I know it says in the Bible that Lucifer had been created with great beauty. But I, for one, must have sub-consciously thought this beauty had somehow disappeared when he revolted against God. Except it hadn't! It hadn't!

Unparalleled beauty had been given to Satan from the get go. And none of it had left. He was as beautiful and perfect as the day the Lord created him.

In comparison, Hannah had been beautiful. Ravishing, even. Without a doubt, her beauty and the glory she radiated is breathtakingly, astonishingly beautiful. But as the Devil stood there in person, I realized there isn't any beauty that can compete with him. No matter how beautiful anyone or anything is, the beauty God appointed to him was the highest and the best, and nothing would ever be more beautiful. It was obvious . . . his appointment had been to wear the highest order of beauty, and it was irrevocable.

But that's not all. I wish I could say that it was, but unfortunately, I can't. For not only did I have to deal with the humbling fact that all things were lower in beauty than the Devil, but there was also this facet of him that was absolutely . . . totally . . . impossible. Yet this facet was also undeniable—for the Devil has four different faces!

Now I don't know what it would take to convince you of this if I hadn't seen it for myself. Because quite frankly, what I was seeing was impossible. It positively defied all reason. Though it could not be—as the Devil stood there before me, he wore four separate and distinct heads. Each head perfectly clear and uncluttered by the others. Which is altogether impossible according to the laws of physics.

As plain as day, the Devil has simultaneously the head of a bald man, a lion, a bull with great horns and an eagle. All at the same time! It made me think that if the Devil hadn't of fallen but rather had done his job, which some have speculated would have been to teach men to fear and obey God, we never would have gone astray. His appearance would've scared us straight forever.

I thought it would be nice to get a handle on how the Devil could have four heads so I began searching for an explanation. Almost immediately, the elegant and enlightened answer settled itself in my mind—the Devil could wear four different faces because God had made it so! It was easy from that point to flop to the next conclusion—there must be truth to the scientific claim of there being more dimensions than what we see, because without a doubt, this creature has to be from somewhere else! Though even that was tempered by the fact the four heads were common enough. It's just that I wouldn't have believed it remotely possible if I hadn't of seen it with my own eyes.

I suppose the easiest way to describe the phenomena is to say the four images superimposed themselves on each other. It'd be like drawing a star, a circle, a square and a triangle all overlapping on a piece of paper. Anybody can see them at the same time. But what mystified me about the Devil is how the same thing could happen with four different faces—and how it could be so natural. That was actually the harder part to deal with—not that he wore four different faces, but that it was so natural.

While I reconciled myself to a new definition of the universe, I noted offhand that he didn't have any sexual organs. There simply wasn't anything where something should be.

The one thing that came as no surprise is that his color and hue was quite red. He reminded me of boiled lobster. I knew I should think that was funny, but for the life of me, I couldn't bring myself to laugh . . .

I had to shake my head and wonder how this man had caused so much pain and ruin. The height of him barely topped five feet tall!

Yet as I marveled at these things, I began to look deeper, and as I did, I sensed a foreboding, I sensed something wrong, a kind of desperate evil . . . for contrary to the beatific appearance of this creature, beneath his skin a malignant corruption festered. The more I looked for it, the more malevolent and abominable it became. Quite quickly I was back peddling, trying to escape the wickedness I had found.

Once I focused on the spirit emanating from the Devil, I desperately didn't want anything to do with him. He was nothing if he wasn't full of vicious rage, murderous atrocities, obscene lies, corrupt intent, unfettered destructiveness. The fierceness of the four faced creature was greater than anything on earth. His countenance displayed hate, fury and murderous intent. Quite on purpose I reminded myself, 'I am under the protection of the Almighty.'

As if on cue, the Lord spoke. "You choose to be absent while your servants were condemned for obeying you." It was more a statement than a question.

"What I do with my own is my business!" Satan said, and I don't know how, but every mouth moved in unison as the Devil spoke. It was the eeriest thing I have ever seen. The velvety silkiness of his voice seemed out of character coming from one filled with so much wrath.

"Alvinston," the King called.

Immediately another angel appeared, this one with a huge chain in his hand. He wasn't as large as either Michael or Gabriel, who were each comparable to large, athletic men, but he was still taller than the Devil. He wore a bright white robe like everyone else, but unlike the other angels who had golden hair, Alvinston's hair was white.

He held the chain with one hand, by holding one side of the first link. The links had to be at least a foot long and easily two inches in diameter. The chain gleamed brightly, reflecting both the radiance from the Sovereign and the late day sunlight. From some angles the chain seemed the brightest white, while from others, it gleamed like polished chrome. Alvinston had about seven feet of chain and what he didn't hold in the air rested on the invisible surface that held up the entire army.

"Bind him," the Lord said, without the slightest pause or explanation.

The Devil glared and fumed but didn't move. Something held him in place. I presumed it was the power of the Lord. I turned to Hannah to ask her what held the Devil and practically fell over backwards when I saw her! She knew when I looked at her, and the look on her face told me she'd been waiting for me to do just that.

I know I said the Devil was beautiful. I know I said he was created with and appointed to the highest order of beauty. But when I looked at Hannah, it hit me like a ton of bricks . . . the Devil's beauty is carnal! He has no glory!

Hannah, on the other hand, was waiting for me to discover this. The smile on her face said so. The difference between the glory that radiated from her and the glossy picture that is the Devil radically clashed. It would seem the two types of beauty were as far apart as possible. Hannah's beauty was alive, while Satan's beauty is static.

Imagine being at the ocean the morning after a storm, air and earth scrubbed clean, standing on a white sand dune, feeling sunlight break through the clouds, seeing and hearing the breakers crash, tasting the salt air, watching the seagulls swoop and cry on the brisk breeze, feeling the wind and the sand under bare feet . . . verses holding a wallet size picture of a perfect rose. Not being able to touch it. Or smell it. No wind. No sun. No sound. Nothing except a picture. It was that different.

I couldn't resist looking back at the Devil, to compare his sculptured perfection with the living beauty Hannah embodied. The contrast was simply unbelievable.

I looked back at her and she winked! Then she tipped her head a little, indicating I should watch.

Alvinston had already wrapped the chain around Satan. He had encircled his waist and as I watched, he pushed the link he was holding really hard on top of another link, and amazingly, it snapped into place. Without any break in the chain, it simply locked into another link without any visible opening. My heart leapt. About time!

Now with the first loop secured around the Devil's waist, Alvinston lifted the chain over the Devil's shoulder and snapped the chain again in the back. Then down between his legs and up over the other shoulder, and he snapped it again in back. Then he went sideways, around his arms, securing them to his sides, snapping the chain in place with the same audible at least once every pass.

As Alvinston wrapped him up, the Devil stood there and glared at the King. If I didn't know better, I'd say he was planning a Houdini. All of a sudden he blurted out, "You wouldn't have won today if you wouldn't have used your God powers!"

My attention flew to the great King. He calmly answered, "Had you obeyed me, this would have never happened."

That flustered the Devil so much he didn't know what to say—or the power of the Lord forbade him from saying it. Neither did he swear and curse at the Lord like his servant the beast had. For that I had no explanation.

Alvinston continued to wrap up the Devil. It finally dawned on me, and I don't know why it took so long, but the chain always stayed the same length. As one link was applied, another link came out of nowhere. It now looked so natural for it to happen that way that that must have been why it took so long for me to notice it. I have to assume the Almighty supplied it.

Encircling Satan's legs figure eight style, Alvinston continued to bind the Devil with the amazing chain. Around and around he wound it, bit by bit covering up the Devil. He continued the interesting stunt of snapping one unbroken link through another unbroken link. Slowly but surely, the Devil was becoming entirely wrapped up with the intriguing chain.

Speaking while Alvinston executed the task, the King said, "Now for the first time, mankind will experience life without your influence."

Satan was almost entirely covered. Only part of his fierce head and red feet stuck out. As the King made his last statement, Alvinston pulled a link over one of the Devil's horns and snapped it into a link on the opposite side. Then he did the other horn.

"You . . . you . . . ! The Devil screamed, all the more weird because his voice flowed like smooth, warm oil.

His statement caused Alvinston to pause and glance at the King, chain in hand.

"Finish it," the King said, and Alvinston promptly pushed the Devil over. There wasn't any thud, though the chain made a small noise as it rolled and gave a little from absorbing the fall. Now that the Devil was prone, Alvinston could wrap the chain under his feet, which he did.

Encircling him the long way, Alvinston continued returning to the area around the feet and head. He had to roll what had become a rather large ball of chain to access the different sides. He fastened it every half a pass. Repeatedly he returned to where the head and horns had been, covering them up entirely.

Shortly, not one iota of the Devil could be seen. Finally running out of chain, Alvinston pulled the last link taunt. With a smile, he snapped it into place. Straightening up, he turned back to his King.

Anticipation hung in the air like a balloon ready to pop—I didn't know what to expect. Would there be any fanfare?

The glorious King raised his right arm and spoke in the same language I hadn't understood before. I didn't need an interpreter to know he spoke a command.

In no time at all, far away rumblings ushered forth out of the huge hole. I wanted to see what was happening so I looked to Hannah. She raised her eyebrow at me, and then held out her hand. I took it and instantly we began to rise in the air. Up we went like an elevator, nothing holding us back.

Almost immediately, I could see into the hole. Blood was still draining into it, but it was nothing compared to the torrent that had flowed earlier. The sides went straight down, and quickly no sunlight reached in. Higher and higher we went. Soon I noticed a glow reaching up from below. Higher still, and finally I saw what caused the glow. One part of me said it was lava, but another part said, 'No. The lake of fire.'

Gazing from the height of a tall skyscraper revealed the hole had mysteriously bored through miles and layers of earth to open above a cavernous area, the sides of which could not be seen. Far below the opening in the cavern lay the lake of fire. Yellow, orange, red and what appeared black flames danced randomly on its surface. Wherever the beast and false prophet had gone was beyond me. How large the lake was also couldn't be determined. For all I knew, it could reach all the way around the world at that level.

Directly under the hole that reached up to the surface, the lake itself had dilated open. But something kept the lake from pouring into the new hole. Beneath the lake of fire were more molten depths. Rapidly the new hole opened deeper and deeper and a suction like noise blended with the rumblings. The noise rushed up from the hidden depths. It got louder as the hole opened deeper. As deep as it was it must have been incredibly loud, because we were miles away from it and it was still loud.

Suddenly the noise quit, like the power had been cut off, and the echo died away. No light at all reached those forsaken depths. For all I knew, it could have been to the center of the earth.

Startling me, the King said, "Throw him in." His voice was so clear it seemed like he wasn't twenty feet away.

Alvinston grabbed a loop of chain and tugged. The chain flexed the smallest amount and then he pulled the oblong ball, easily eight feet in diameter toward the hole. He got very close to where Michael and Gabriel had thrown in the others and let go. He walked around to the opposite side and without ceremony, pushed the ball of chain in. It didn't even do a complete roll before it fell.

A muffled shriek rang from it as it dropped. Falling straight down, it accelerated to what must have been terminal velocity. I watched as it shrank smaller and smaller.

Before it even disappeared, Hannah began to lower us to the ground. Startling me for the second time in less than a minute, a wall of sound blasted past us. It took only an instant to realize it was the army of God spontaneously praising their King.

Hannah continued to lower us to the ground and the roar intensified. Everyone that I could see was exhibiting one type or another of visible praise. Some clapped their hands while others held their arms high in the air and shouted, hallelujah! Still others waved. Many sang praises as they rejoiced. Peals of uncontainable laughter came through holes in the wall of noise. Singing resounded from dozens of different areas as whole sections took up special choruses, some of which I recognized. Hallelujahs to the Lord abounded. Others yet cupped hands to mouths to amplify shouts of praise and thanksgiving. It was awesome.

Even before we set down, it developed a resonating cadence as waves of praise crashed upon us. It was so loud I could barely hear myself think. Naturally I thought of Hannah, and looking at her, I saw her smile was as big as the last time, but now it also held satisfaction, thankfulness and relief, as if a heavy load had been removed.

With the slightest of hints, I felt I should let go of her hand. I did, and she began clapping. She looked back to her liege, lifted her voice and said, "Well done, my love, my heart, well done! Well done!"

She looked back to me, tears glistening in her eyes, happiness radiating from her face and the next thing I knew, she threw her arms around me and hugged me like there was no tomorrow. Or rather, like there were endless tomorrows, each one of them better than the day before.

Stepping back to hold me at arm's length, she beamed at me with a radiance of love so powerful I felt like a leaf before a mighty wind. But this was a wind that would do me no harm, a wind pure and holy, filled with unselfish intent.

Leaning close so I would hear here above the din from the army, she looked me straight in the eye and said, "It is done, Walker. It is done."

Chapter 23

Eastward

—It is time, Ace said, the other dragons receiving his silent communication. —We are invited to a feast. Shall we?

Before they could give mutual consent, one of the dragons spoke up. —I, for one, will not miss this place. It was Pentecotay-Pataco, the dark green dragon. He would have liked to have been the one picked to escort Walker. That he wasn't he easily accepted. He still had his mate, and understood the Lord's reasons. But he'd been the most inquisitive and out explored all of the others. For that same reason, he was more than eager to leave.

\--We shall all translate at the same time? He asked.

The other dragons looked at him in their minds as if he'd committed a faux-pas, usurping Ace's lead. Pentecotay-Pataco saw this and responded in kind. —Well come on, dragons! Haven't we been here long enough?

With a liquid murmuring of accessions, they agreed. Together they entered dragon sleep.

~

Dragons have . . . peculiar abilities. Actually, to be exact, they have quite a few peculiar abilities. One of their most unique is the ability to hide . . . absolutely. When they do this, they hide so completely as to place themselves beyond all possibility of detection. The dragons acquired this talent from the Lord. He knew they wouldn't survive unless given an extraordinary capacity to avoid detection. To this end he gifted them.

Many different types of creatures employ many different techniques for hiding, but none of them may hide like a dragon can. What the Lord gave the dragons is the capability to enter the 'overlap.' The overlap is a buffer zone between the temporal material realm and the eternal, spiritual realm. It is more or less similar to and could be defined as the area created between two circles which slightly overlap, leaving a tapered arc. The overlap is the space between them. Though it cannot be found on any map, it surrounds everything.

For the dragons, to have access to the overlap meant they could literally go where no others could follow. And so they did. At the dawning of their persecution, they left the abode of man.

Unfortunately, several irreplaceable members of their race had already been killed, and another one, driven mad by loss, would eventually die in battle. Thus began the long exile of the dragons.

To remain in the overlap, the dragons necessarily practiced patience. Though sometimes, they would come out. Usually this was to fish, and eat. The problem was, to do that, they had to enter the world. Which as it turned out, wasn't as much of a problem for the dragons as it was for the world.

And so it happened that the biggest methane burst to ever release occurred as the race of dragons rendezvoused three hundred miles due east of the former location and state of Florida, on the ocean floor. To the dragons, it held no special danger. Once assembled in their dream-spheres, they simply commanded their bodies to follow. The natalii did the rest. One after another, the dragons shot to the surface like so many deep-sea ballistic missiles being launched.

~

Not had such a sight been seen on the earth, not even in many long years. Thirteen giant dragons, each one a distinct and individual color, enthusiastically re-experiencing the gift of flight. Circling and climbing, diving and gliding, the dragons exalted in their long denied flying prowess. If little sparrows flew with such abandon, one might be led to believe they'd recently mastered the gift of flight. That these were creatures as big as Boeing 747's careening about the sky—well, it would have caused shock and awe, had any witnesses been present.

—Ackseekcelong-Sayessa, will you lead us? Pentecotay-Pataco summarily asked. It's not that he couldn't recall everyone's discomfort after his impromptu suggestion before they all translated. It's just that he enjoyed leading so much, he refused to not jump at almost every opportunity he found to do or say something first.

In the next instant, realizing as one that the sooner they left, the sooner they'd see their Lord and Master, thirteen giant dragons bolted away. Shortly, a dozen and one very fast and very high flying outrageously colored dragons could be seen heading due east.

Chapter 24

Praise

The victorious praise continued unabated for a length of time that was difficult to determine. Like when you're too close to a speeding train as it goes by, or stranded in a deafening torrential downpour where it's hard to make out objects ten feet away.

Not long after the praise began, the Sovereign obliged his children by willingly receiving their praise with a gracious smile. He hailed the incalculably huge assembly. The noble mount he rode began treading a wide circle. It was easy to imagine flowers being thrown, if any had been available.

The drumming cadence reverberated and made the ground tremble. I thought of military jets and the thunder they make. They might be this loud. But compared to jets which just belch out spent kerosene, this praise sang like a living being, full of love and joy and adoration. Like fine champagne being opened at last, the bottled up praise needed, no—demanded—to run its course.

This event, looked forward to by countless believers, took centuries to come to fruition. In all that time, many of these saints had gone to be with their Lord, the desire to see his return unfulfilled. Finally, at long last, God's word was accomplished. The God of the whole earth had returned.

Completing a full circle, His majesty held his arm high, motioning the assembly for quiet. I almost expected them to overrun his request and continue the praise unabated. Yet how the praise ceased astonished me. They altogether, like a flock of birds flying quickly overhead, where the sound of wings can be heard one second and is gone the next, suddenly stopped. Beatific smiles bedecked as many of them as I could see, and it seemed they desired to hear him speak more than they desired to praise him.

He did not make them wait long.

~

I am not sure why the voice of God should take on different aspects at different times. Of course, a moment's reflection cures me of that oversight. It's because each encounter seems infinite and absolute—and that there couldn't possibly be any more magnificence to the voice of God. Except it happens again, and you realize what you knew was infinite was only a slice . . .

I could tell you to hear him recite the alphabet would be enthralling. I could say my heart ached for joy as he exalted the Father of all. Yet the best way to describe his voice is to say, it wasn't only my ears and brain and heart that listened, but every cell in my body. Maybe then you could imagine what it's like to be gripped by the voice of God. And why it's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living God. It may serve us well to remember, this voice spoke creation into existence. May we never forget, his name is The Word of God.

~

"This praise is worthy of my Father and your Father, of my God and your God. But let us go now ye swift riders, and gather those who have endured through the great tribulation. Go with their angels who will lead you to them. Go and bring them to my presence. Go now, for many of them are at the edge of death, and bring them to me."

In all this time, I'd not heard or seen any other angels except the ones I've already mentioned. But as soon as the Sovereign gave the command, I saw the first of them. Coming from the same direction the Lord and his army came from, a multitude of angels rushed towards us at high speed. Riders began pulling from the ranks. The angels approached many time faster than when the Lord appeared. Quickly, two angels teamed up with and escorted each rider.

Dispatched into every direction of the compass, the teams mounted up on the same invisible pathways that supported the army. Although as the teams dwindled from sight, I had second thoughts about that. For it seemed I understood less about what held them up than I supposed.

As the teams left, the horses galloped and the angels flew alongside, semi-upright, leaning into their forward motion. That wasn't hard to accept. What challenged me is, the horses traveled many times faster than any horse I've ever known. Their motion didn't look any different than when horses run, but as they left, they moved out like high performance jets. And then they kept accelerating. The first idea that came to mind is the invisible pathways became force multipliers, though to be sure, I had no more proof of that than my own guess.

By this point, about one quarter of the army had left to gather those who had endured the great tribulation. Then the King addressed the gleaming army again.

"We must now prepare a place to receive those who have survived the tribulation. It is proper for us to do this at the foot of Mt. Zion, where my Holy City will be established. It shall be as a benediction and blessing upon my City. For all time, it shall give Jerusalem this byword—that she comforts those in need."

As if on cue, the entire assembly turned and headed for Mt. Zion. I could see more angels coming from the clouds of glory at the far end of the valley, and flowing right, heading towards Mt. Zion. The amount of angels were easily beyond number. It was awesome seeing angels being released by the hand of the Almighty. They flowed in such profusion, the easiest thing to say is they resembled a cloud. Except this cloud had a will of its own.

The Lord departed with the glorious army, a pathway through the riders opening before him. Most lifted a hand to hail him as he passed and speak more words of adoration and praise. He moved through their mist, ranks of riders moving out of his way to close behind again as he passed. Soon I lost sight of him.

Slowly the whole army began to make its way after the King. As they moved out, they flowed around the opening to the lake of fire and gave Hannah and I a wide berth at the same time. I guess these were the things that fell under the heading, 'immediate concerns,' because surely the Lord had just left without speaking to me.

Interrupting my thoughts, Hannah said, "Would you like to hear Alvinston's story?"

Chapter 25

Alvinston's Story

As soon as she mentioned his name, I realized he was actually coming towards us. With everyone else leaving, I hadn't noticed. But as soon as she said it, I saw him and noticed another thing—I'd begun to feel weird. And for that, I had no answer.

Having spent so much time with Hannah, I'd adopted the opinion I somewhat understood angels. But without question, as Alvinston approached, I became anxious. Resisting the temptation to hide it from myself, I forced myself to focus on it, to try and figure out why I was uneasy. Achieving only partial success. Poignant in my mind was the fact—this angel had just chained up the Devil and thrown him into the bottomless pit! So that aspect I knew. What I couldn't figure out is why some part of me was anxious at all. Too late for more reflection, the moment was upon me.

He walked straight up to me acting like he'd known I'd been here the whole time, held out his right hand and said, "Pleased to meet you, Randall. I'm Alvinston."

I took his hand, unable to avoid the memory of him bare-handedly binding the Devil. "Very pleased to meet you, sir," I said. It was impossible to keep the awe out of my voice. Though my eyes told me he was an ordinary enough angel, my mind, soul and spirit gawked as if he was the mightiest angel in the universe.

He smiled and shook my hand. As if he could feel my anxiety, he held it for a polite moment and looked deep into my soul. When he let my hand go, the anxiety had left. Glad it was gone, I didn't ponder it further.

Next he turned to Hannah. He said, "Good to see you, Hannah."

"Nice job, Alvinston. What was it like?"

"Ahhhh," Alvinston said, and he looked up at the sky. His shoulder length hair was entirely white, and his eyes completely blue. Chiseled features gave him a handsomeness that defied reason. I found it ironic humans had thought they'd been the crowning achievement of beauty and handsomeness.

His robe, almost identical to Hannah's, seemed to be the same unearthly material, with simple a more masculine cut. I looked down and saw he wore sandals and noticed—somehow for the first time—I still wore the same shirt and cargo shorts I'd had on the night I ditched it in the sea. Somewhere along the line I'd become barefoot, too.

When I reached to touch my face, in reflex to see if I was clean shaven, I found with relief that I was. It made me all the more self-conscious when I looked up and saw both Hannah and Alvinston watching me. I put my hand down. Hannah saved me further embarrassment by returning her gaze to Alvinston.

He responded by supplying his answer. "It was satisfying and fulfilling at the deepest level."

Hannah nodded. "I can imagine," she said. "It would have been enjoyable to any of us. But I have a request. Would you tell Walker your story?"

Immediately he said, "Of course." He glanced again at the departing army, motioned with his hands and said, "Let's follow them, shall we?" It was more instruction than suggestion.

Once we were following the receding army, he returned his attention to me and said, "What do you know, Walker, about when war occurred in heaven?"

I quickly reviewed what I'd known about it. "Not much," I said, and we seamlessly left the soil to walk upon the invisible highway the Lord's army had departed on. I figured it was a good thing, too, because this way we'd avoid all the gore left behind after the Devil's army got wacked.

I was also generously comforted by the pleasant aroma the brilliant army and the two angels gave off. Quite effectively, it repelled the slaughterhouse stench that must have been below us. The aroma was simply . . . tantalizing. A hundred different hints too elusive to pinpoint, yet it constantly attracted my attention.

Remembering his question, I said, "I know Lucifer bragged he would exalt himself above the Most High. He caused one third of the angels in heaven to rebel with him, and then he and his cohorts got thrown out of heaven and cast down to the earth."

"Entirely true," Alvinston said, and as he talked, he moved his hands a lot, something Hannah didn't do. "Though there is more to the story than that. When Lucifer rebelled, every angel was forced to make the choice to either serve God, or to follow Lucifer. And every angel made that choice, right then. Every angel that is, except me."

I stared at him not knowing what to expect. I also wondered what made him different. I felt justified to assume he could read me as easily as Hannah could, so I stalled for time. The way he watched me made me think he was testing how well I'd learned to act around angels.

He took in my thoughts, I think, and proceeded. Planting his hands on his chest like he was pleased with himself, he said, "I waited until everything settled down after Lucifer and his followers were thrown out, and then I sought for a moment to be alone with the Lord."

"That was possible?" I asked, because I didn't see how one single being, even an angel, could have personal time with God. I've always imagined so many angelic beings and saints surrounding God that being alone with him wouldn't be an option.

Alvinston eagerly proved me wrong. "Certainly it was and is possible. Heaven is replete with countless beautiful places, no, let me correct that," and as he talked with his hands, he looked up in the sky, "countless places that are beyond beautiful, places of supreme, utter perfection and peace. Places of such majesty and beauty and perfection that to stand and gaze for a week is as simple as to look for a second. Yet all one must do to request an audience is to retreat to somewhere and petition him."

"What did you ask him?"

Alvinston startled the smallest amount and said to Hannah, "Is he always this way?"

She chuckled and said, "Sometimes. But the dragons are worse."

He nodded his head a little before returning his eyes to me and said, "I asked him what I should do."

"You mean about rebelling?"

"Why yes, but there you go again. Howe did you know?"

"Well, I just put two and two together, I guess. But why would you ask God that?" I had to think to myself, what was wrong with this guy? Didn't he have anything better to do than to waste God's time?

Instantly Alvinston said, "I assure you, Randall, it did not waste the Lord's time." Voicing that, he verified he could read my thoughts too. Though he didn't use any hand motions when he became serious.

I looked him straight in the eye and thought, 'I'd like to make that call myself, thank you.'

His face broke out in a knowing smile, full of confidence and assurance. As easy as that he turned the tables on me. Now I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. But I still wanted to hold my ground, not to mention my dignity.

Alvinston gave me a respectful look, showing me he wasn't being condescending. Quietly he said, "The Lord told me, 'Alvinston, you should serve the Lord your God and rejoice always in his goodness."

They were both watching me, waiting for my reaction. "And?" I said.

It seemed neither of them understood my question, but Hannah could defer to Alvinston who said, "And what?"

I threw up my hands, shook my head and said, "What did you decide?"

They both looked at each other like they were trying not to laugh. Alvinston answered, "I said, thank you, Lord. I thought that was the right thing to do."

For some reason, I was almost mad at him. I said, "Why did you need to ask the Lord what to do?" It rubbed me the wrong way that he didn't automatically know the right answer.

He closed his eyes, and after a moment seemed to understand the direction I was coming from. He said, "Randall, every angel in heaven was tempted by Lucifer, to follow him. Every single angel. All of them made their decision . . . right on the spot. All of them except me. I wanted to ask the Lord what to do. What's wrong with that?"

"What's wrong with that? What's wrong with that?" I tapped my forehead with my open palm and said, "What are you, serious?"

Alvinston cracked up. Throwing his head back, he laughed a big old belly laugh. Then he said, "Randall, you amaze me. You go from being practically petrified of me one minute to rebuking me in the next!"

His comment though, didn't mollify me. "But you weren't fallen. Why didn't you just know to serve the Lord?" I figured if two thirds of all the angels were able to make the right choice, why not him? He was mostly there already, what, with him honoring God by wanting to know the Lord's direction. Why did he even need to ask?

While I mulled over those ideas, both of the angels became very still, almost subdued. I thought to myself, I've never seen them so quiet. Though actually, it wasn't the noise level that changed due to them not speaking. It was something else about them that seemed . . . eerily silent. I felt like I had waded in over my head, again. It reminded me of the Mariana Trench, where the ocean is seven miles deep, and how weird it feels knowing it's that far to the bottom, regardless that that fact is for all practical intents, irrelevant.

I caught the impression they wanted me to be quiet and patient, so I automatically prepared myself to be corrected. But that wasn't it either. So I worked myself up to the next level. When I finally became very still like them, Alvinston answered.

"My reply isn't to remind you there was a time when you didn't serve God," and as he said this, he used the gentlest voice I'd heard him use yet. "I see you would expect my understanding of the Lord to compare to yours, after you received his spirit. At that point, you would never reject him. We acknowledge that." He looked at Hannah for a moment, then back to me. "You should know Randall, that angels admire every believer who has endured tribulation, and has not turned from the Lord. We truly admire that. And so does God. Faith in God is one of the few things on earth that genuinely pleases him.

"What you probably don't yet grasp is how greatly God is pleased when a believer exercises overcoming faith."

He stopped explaining and looked again at Hannah. They exchanged a deeply intimate stare, sharing things I couldn't begin to guess at. He returned his gaze to me and in a voice that was so quiet it had become conspiratorial, he said, "Angels have never been able to use faith."

Like a bomb shell, it rocked my boat. The initial flash highlighted a vast gulf separating humans from angels. Then, as if it had been but a single bolt of lightning that only briefly ripped the night, darkness returned. Whatever I'd seen in that moment vanished. I was left with what I could remember. It amounted to a mere pittance . . . a fleeting afterimage of the glaring knowledge detailing how different angels are from humans.

They couldn't use faith because they already knew everything associated with their work and duties. They have full and complete understanding. Nor would God ever need to wait for them to utilize faith, so that he could extend himself. The angels already had everything they would get from God. Unlike men who must grasp the promises of God and hold onto them by faith until they come to pass, angels simply know what they need to do—and get it done.

Being able to exercise faith separated me so far from angels, I now knew I understood them less than I had before. The revelation amplified how they were greater than I, and how I was lower. The knowledge caused me to quit my case. Yet as I pondered angels with new understanding, I still didn't see how Alvinston had needed to ask God what to do. But at least I no longer felt like criticizing him. Add yet another item to the long list of things that were out of my league.

"Randall?" Alvinston said, and I looked up. "We didn't mean to hurt you."

"Oh, it's not that," I said, politely denying I was again bruised at some hidden inner level. Then I reminded myself, 'they probably know me better than I know myself,' renewing my feelings of inadequacy. Sometimes . . . it just pays to turn things over to the Lord. Which upon realizing, I happily did, and my feeling of inadequacy disintegrated.

How blessed—always—is the comfort of the Holy Ghost!

It made me want to laugh, how quickly I felt so good. A joyous spirit had seized me. I didn't have to understand everything. Joy was available to me, simply by waiting on the Lord. Such joy as his could spontaneously and continuously, not to mention everlastingly, cause my cup to overflow. What else could I want?

"Resilient," Alvinston said.

"It is one of their strong points," Hannah added.

"What am I, a specimen or something?" I felt like they were examining me.

"Not at all, Randall. Haven't I just explained how humans have abilities that angels cannot in the least bit exercise? We are only spectators when it comes to using or having faith. The fact that to, 'fight the good fight,' means to exercise overcoming faith we understand. But angles cannot exercise faith. Only mankind is allowed by the Lord to believe by faith upon him, thus exercising faith in the unseen."

Alvinston was back to using hand gestures to emphasize what he said. "I may no more exercise faith than you might fly yourself to heaven. But it goes without saying, you understand that angels are able to go straight to heaven."

I saw what he meant. It was obvious to me that angels could go straight to heaven. I would expect them to. Yet at the same time, I can't explain how they do it. Conversely, according to him, angels can't use faith. Even though they know of it, even though they probably watch it work, angels are barred from using it. The same way I can't get myself to heaven. It made sense, in an inverse sort of way. I had to wonder, did they take our faith for granted the same way we take their mobility for granted?

Looking at Alvinston, I tilted my head to the right and waited for him to answer.

He cracked up again. He laughed so hard he closed his eyes, and opening them, there were tears from laughing so hard.

"Ah, Randall, it is a joy to experience your viewpoint," he said, wiping an eye with the back of his hand.

I could only offer a slightly confused smile and shrug my shoulders. Then I looked at Hannah.

She said, "Like me, he has never been in close contact with mankind. God has many different tasks for many different angels. For us, our specific duties didn't bring us into close personal contact with people until now."

"That's right," Alvinston said. "God gives his angels very specific chores. As soon as the Lord confirmed that I should serve him alone and rejoice in his goodness, he appointed me my task. Since then, I have waited to fulfill it." He looked into the distance, in the direction the nearly endless white army had gone, so I looked that way too.

The clouds were breaking up, the sun having set, and I could see Mt. Zion as it thrust unbelievably high into the sky. And though the sun had gone down a while ago and it was getting dark where we walked, the peak still shone with dazzling brilliance.

It looked hauntingly unnatural for an earth mountain to be so incredibly high. And the peak, reaching higher than any jet could reach, higher than should have even been possible, seemed utterly alien. Its inapproachability gave it a moon like quality. As if I only had to look up to see an unearthly mountain, instead of needing a telescope and having to look at the moon.

"You see, Randall," Alvinston said, bringing my attention back to him, "from the moment the Lord appointed me to bind the Devil, I have continuously held that chain."

"No way!" was all I could say. It must have been thousands of years!

"It was not heavy," he offered apologetically.

"It's not even that!" I said. "How could you hold a chain that long?" I couldn't imagine it. Wouldn't he get tired of it? I'd be torture in hours, let alone days.

"Oh no no no no no," he said, shaking his head. You don't understand. To an angel, a task from God is like . . . life itself. It was, what you would call it . . ." He glanced at Hannah, presumably to help him figure out how to explain it before supplying, "fun."

"Fun?" I said, bewildered and not seeing how that was possible.

"Yes. Fun. Though I am only trying to put it into terms you can understand. I thoroughly enjoyed holding the chain as I waited to put it to God's purpose."

Other than being surprised, I couldn't generate a reaction to it. After a few seconds my wits began to return. I said, "Fun?"

"That's right." He looked at me with that huge grin and just nodded his head.

Now that I thought about it, it would be cool to have a permanent, steady, full-time 'fun' occupation.

"Fun . . ." I said again, as if I could taste it by rolling it around on my tongue.

"Fun!" Alvinston said, with another of his big hand gestures. His grin never seemed to go away, either. "The Lord appointed me my task the moment I thanked him. From then—until just a moment ago,' he tilted his head indicating the spot where he'd thrown down the Devil, "I have waited to accomplish it." He gathered his thoughts a moment before continuing.

Putting together his hands and pointing with his index fingers, he said, "To be more specific, you could say I yearned to accomplish my task. For the entire period I waited, it energized me. As I waited, except during seasons of worship, it was all I focused on."

I shook my head. How could he stay focused on one thing that long? I mean, I know he's an angel and all, but to focus on one thing for that long . . . I suppose, because he was an angel it was possible, but it still seemed extravagant.

"What you don't understand Randall," Alvinston said, "is that it completely satisfied me, even while I waited to perform it." He stopped and turned and looked back at the place where he'd chained up the Devil. Speaking as he gazed into the distance, he said, "To focus on the task God had appointed thrilled me. To mediate upon it didn't bother me in the least. You might say it very nearly mesmerized me."

"For that long, though?" I asked, still doubting the ability of anyone to focus their attention on one thing that long. I mean, the patience it would take . . .

He turned back to me, we began walking again and he said, "For that long. But your mistaken if you think it was a matter of having or needing patience. I know you know God is the author of patience. But for this it wasn't necessary. As I focused upon mu duty, I relished the prospect of doing it. It was as if I raced in place, every moment bringing it closer to culmination. It gave me great joy to do this, Randall."

"But was that really efficient?" I asked. By his expression it appeared he didn't understand my question. I clarified. "What I mean is, wouldn't it have been better if you could have done other things at the same time?"

He just shook his head in the negative. "There are so many angels in heaven, I didn't need to do anything else. It was my purpose to do this, Randall. Can you not understand that?"

"I didn't mean to offend you." I said, holding up my hands. "It's just that is massively different from the way things worked on earth. I flew for MAF and had lots of different hats to wear. Matter of fact, sometimes after I landed, I had to unload supplies by myself. And when I was in the field, I always serviced my own plane. But worst of all is the fact that so many professing Christians did so little."

"I understand that, Randall. You labored for the Lord because he said to. Your choice to obey him indicates you were wise of heart. Remember, the Lord said, 'the laborer receives wages.' You have not yet learned how the Lord will reward you for your labors.

"In heaven though, things are different. Every angel that chose to obey God exerted maximum effort to accomplish their personal or group tasks. There is no shortfall. Every job is covered. For me, it really was good as I waited to fulfill my task."

That last one about every angel pulling their own weight finally got to me. Seeing there was no way around it, I surrendered it up to the Lord. At least I'd known I'd done my best. I could rest knowing I had done all that I could do.

I took a moment to look up at the mountain again, it radiated so much light. For some reason, it seemed to grow brighter as it grew darker. The area where we walked was quite dark, but the peak stood out like a beacon. It couldn't have reminded me more of a light house if it had been painted red and white. It also gave me a second to organize my thoughts.

"Thanks for explaining that to me, Alvinston," I said. "I appreciate it." I held an arm out to shake hands and convey my gratefulness, but instead of taking it, he said, "Don't you want to hear the rest of my story?"

Taking back my hand, I said, "There's more?"

"Of course. I have only told you that I waited from the beginning of the Great Separation until just a short while ago to fulfill my task. What I haven't told you is what else happened." He took a second and glanced at Hannah before continuing.

"Since I alone of all the angels had sought his instruction concerning The Choice, he gave me the unique job of binding the Devil. Carrying the chain was one sign, and I no longer have it. But the other two I will keep, and they will remain with me forever."

"What are they?" I asked, curious as to what they would be.

"The other two signs are these," he said, motioning with his hand to his face. "He changed the color of my hair, and he changed the color of my eyes."

I hadn't known they weren't supposed to be that color. As I tried to picture what they were supposed to be, he laughed again, raising his hand.

"Randall, Randall. You are always trying to figure everything out. You would probably have called the color of my hair and eyes brown. But God changed them as a sign unto all the angels, a sign that will last for eternity."

I couldn't begin to venture a guess. "Why?"

He aimed a challenging expression at me and said, "In the future, on every Sabbath and at every new moon, all flesh shall worship before God. Afterwards, they will look upon the carcasses of those who transgressed against the Lord. All will see that the worm that eats them never dies, and the fire that burns them is never quenched.

"Why do you think God designed the future to hold this?"

It's funny how he could ask me about something I'd always thought about. It sounded exactly like the prophesy at the end of Isaiah. I was grateful for the chance to unload my thoughts about it. I said, "It must be so we will never forget. It will remind us of the fact that we were once lost—and what we escaped from. The same way the Lord will carry the scars of being crucified forever, we too, will be forced to remember we would have wound up in hell had not God intervened.

"On top of that, those who oppressed and tormented believers will be on display. We'll look upon all those who harmed or unjustly treated us. I imagine it'll be particularly significant for those who've been tortured or martyred for their faith."

Alvinston spread wide his arms. "I'm glad you see this, Walker. It's important to know that the battle which has raged between good and evil, though it will ultimately go the way God intends, is serious indeed.

"Likewise, whenever the heavenly host assembles to worship Father God, for praise will be sung to God forever, the entire congregation of heaven will see me. I was assigned a permanent position where everyone would witness that I held the great chain. And though I no longer hold the great chain, that is where I will always stand in the great congregation, to forever be a reminder to every angel.

"Thus the angels will remember, because only I have white hair and solid blue eyes. They will remember that God changed the color of my hair and eyes as a sign. I sign that I alone asked him what to do concerning The Choice. And because I asked him what to do concerning The Choice, he chose me to bind the Devil.

"I will be a reminder to them, everlastingly, that heaven suffered tragedy. For all eternity, I will remind every angel that their faith died when Satan rebelled."

He caught me off guard. "Their faith died . . . when Satan rebelled?" I thought you said angels couldn't use faith?"

"I did. Because that's how it is now. There was a time when we could have exercised faith. Indeed, we should have. But Lucifer destroyed our opportunity to exercise faith. Instead of christening it, we had to abort it."

I didn't have a clue what he was referring to. He graciously explained.

"Instead of rebelling, Lucifer should have obeyed God. He should have humbled himself and trusted that it was right for God to have the preeminence. He should have been grateful for his lofty position and not coveted that which belongs to the Most High alone. But that would have taken faith. Unfortunately for all of us, Lucifer became too proud to exercise faith, or trust God. He looked down on faith. He scorned it."

Alvinston took a second and glanced at Hannah. She had tears in her eyes. He looked back at me. "So he murdered it. Because he despised it, because he hated what it meant, he figured out a way to destroy it for everyone.

"With subtlety you can only guess at, he tricked everyone in heaven to defile their faith. Using great deviousness, he deceived the entire assembly of angels."

"How?"

Embers of righteous anger glowed beneath the surface of Alvinston's countenance. "Lucifer crafted the most exquisite song he would ever sing and used it to lead the entire host of heaven astray. As the song played out, it led all of us," he glanced at Hannah, who gave him the smallest of nods before he looked back to me and said, "to erroneously worship him."

"You . . . erroneously worshiped him?"

"Because of what he implied in the beginning of the song. He implied there would be a counterpoint. We were all expecting a counterpoint. We were waiting for the song to illuminate the absurdity of worshiping him. All songs always exalted God." He lowered his head and at the same time, held out his arms in a gesture of futility. He had fallen into a mood of despondency. "Before the song got to worshiping him, he first planted the idea he would counter it and give the praise to the Most High."

Alvinston again locked eyes with Hannah. For the angel who had bound the Devil, he no longer exuded an attitude of victory.

"Once we began to praise him, during which, we fully expected him to disallow it, he instead kept it. He stole our praise—by sleight of hand and sleight of mind—that he had led us to believe he would give to God."

He took a moment and composed himself, shaking off the despondency he touched. His righteous indignation also returned.

"When we saw that he didn't give the praise to God but kept it for himself, two things happened. The faith of angels died, still-born, and war broke out in heaven."

I could only shake my head in disbelief. He clarified.

"When we were prompted to praise Lucifer, under the suggestion the praise would be returned to God, it was an act of faith."

Alvinston stopped and bowed his head, eyes closed. Putting his hands together in prayer, he held them up to his lips. After a quiet pause, he looked up.

"When we figured out his subterfuge in having us place our faith in him, to give our praise to God, and then not doing that, we had to discard our faith. It had become defiled.

"It was the watershed event for angels. Presenting itself to every angel, each angel was forced to deal with it spontaneously. The Choice was to either reject the direction our faith had been led, incidentally destroying our faith, or continue to praise and follow Lucifer.

"The angels who chose to follow Lucifer kept their faith. That in itself might explain why those angels, all of whom degenerated into demons, were able to exert so much power and influence over nations and men to do evil."

"Because they kept their faith," I said, amazed by the baldness of it. No wonder mankind was guilty of so much depravity and unspeakable evil—because the demons who had inspired it had been empowered by faith.

Alvinston lifted his hands, palms up, affirming it with a nod. "And none of this tells of the hole it left in our hearts."

As if under compulsion, I empathized with him. I had no idea the angels had gone through anything like that. If you got right down to it, it had never been explained how war came to heaven. And for Satan to take out the faith of angels . . . all at the same time . . . it reminded me of humanity in the Garden of Eden, how before we ever got off the ground, we were, so to speak, shot down . . .

But then an arresting thought dawned on me. "You alone made the choice to ask God what to do, in the middle of all that," I said.

Bobbing his head up and down, Alvinston said, "Yes."

"So . . . does that mean your faith wasn't destroyed, because you waited?"

His face went rigid, he looked back and forth between Hannah and I a couple of times and said, "Ahh . . . well," Alvinston displayed the first perplexed expression I've ever seen on an angel's face. "You know, I have never thought of that."

I pressed my point. "It makes sense to me. Since you waited, you didn't reject your faith." I looked at him and Hannah and said, "Maybe God needed an angel who could still exercise faith to bind the Devil?"

They just looked at each other and stared. They stood like that for a prolonged moment, exchanging thoughts I had no way of discerning. Then they gave their attention to me.

In the most elegant acknowledgement I have ever received, Alvinston said, "We are humbled by the speed and accuracy of your intuition in this, Randall! We concur. It makes absolute, perfect sense. Yet to our knowledge, no angel has ever thought of this. Both of us are wonderfully astonished. The truth of it is so apparent now that you've discovered it, we cannot help but be amazed. Not one single angel has ever guessed this. Both Hannah and I, and I am certain, all angels, will forever hold you in the highest esteem, Sir."

I didn't know quite what to think then, because I have always tried to follow the advice of proverbs to, 'Let another man's words praise you, and not your own,' and my eyes began to burn with tears from their compliment.

In an effort to maintain my composure, I glanced up at Mt. Zion. Looking all the way to the peak required me to tilt my head back 45 degrees. The mountain was so tall, the only way to describe it would be to start multiplying adjectives together. Massive time gigantic times gargantuan times immense might get it. Beyond plausibility, it smote the senses. It was so much higher than anything that was reasonable that it defied reason. My eyes told me it was there and my mind agreed it could see it, but logic said it couldn't be there. Not unless it was a dream.

Pulling me out of my thoughts, Alvinston added a footnote to his explanation.

"I will tell you this, even though you would probably guess it soon enough. The reason it fell to mankind to exercise faith is because the angels of heaven no longer could."

Instant recognition jarred me back to the present—the elect became the elect—because they choose to exercise the faith the angels lost! Manna fell from heaven in the Old Testament and likewise, the faith of the angels fell to earth, free to all who would take it. Evidently, God set things up so he'd be glorified through faith one way or another. No wonder his word says, without faith it is impossible to please him . . .

Alvinston confirmed my conclusion by adding, "Indeed. Many angels have pondered how events would have worked out had not our faith been ruined. And the heart of those speculations always hinge on the question, would humanity have needed to be redeemed if God's angels had kept their faith? A mote point for sure, but an interesting issue, none the less."

I bowed my head and concurred. Interesting issue indeed. I couldn't begin to imagine what it would have been like not being born into sin. On a lighter note, it also seemed to explain why people could eventually become equal to the angels in heaven. Because it was their faith we now exercised. To think, faith had basically been laying around on the ground, waiting for people to pick it up . . .

Alvinston leaned his head to his right and tipped it back to the glorious army that had left.

"We should get going," he said. "Triage is about to begin. You'll want to see it."

~

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he rewards them that diligently seek him." Hebrews 11:6

Chapter

Afterword

There are six things I would briefly address concern this work of fiction:

1.) Angels

2.) The actual appearance of the Devil.

3.) The prophetic view of America. (This is the view I have held for a long time. It is the view I believe is correct. The alternate possibility is that there will be no pre-tribulation rapture, and that only at Christ's Second Coming will he call his believers to meet him in the air. My advice, other than be sure you are redeemed by Christ, is, prepare for the worst but hope for the best.)

4.) What our glorified bodies will be like.

5.) What the actual presence of God feels like. No disclaimer here, this is the absolute truth.

6.) Faith

The most 'corrective' confession I can make is that there are no female angels. Not to cause an uproar, but that's just what the Bible indicates—feminine gender indicators are never given to angels in the Bible, only masculine. Why then did I make Hannah an angel with feminine characteristics? Well, the simple answer is I'm a man, and there is no way I could think of an angel as beautiful and not be female. Sure, I've explained in my non-fiction how beautiful a masculine angel is but remember—whenever an emissary of heaven visits me, I am stepped-up to a higher level. In that higher level, the physical senses are trumped so completely it's as if they don't exist. The masculine angel's beauty at that point becomes two things: perfect, and something that glorifies God. Gender is left in the dust. Probably, not many men can imagine that, but to try, do this—step outside of yourself and away from your flesh which is rooted to this world. Once removed from your physical identity, your spirit may then perceive without carnal 'lenses' on. So it's the carnal 'lens' which gives men the male perception. As I wrote The Faith of Angels, I could not easily avoid that lens. Especially for the length of a book. So a female angel it would be, because there is no way I can think of a male angel as beautiful. Sorry. It's just a man thing.

Secondly, yes, that's what the devil looks like! Upon comparing the memory of him to the most beautiful thing I could think of in the world, and snow capped mountains were the first thing that came to mind, those mountains were but a dull brown paper sack compared to him. This is because the devil originated from a higher plane—heaven. That we can perceive things from that place indicates that God has placed within us dormant attributes which are capable of recognizing it. But the description of that creature's beauty also contains this stipulation: his beauty is from the neck down and only skin deep. Underneath the beatific form emanated an evil that I both loathed and fled from. This event happened at the very end of my four and a half years on a counterfeit path of salvation, right before I came to Christ. In hindsight, it was like the devil's best, last ditch effort to make me his follower.

Thirdly, indeed I believe that Isaiah 18 is a Biblical Prophecy concerning the United States. The King James Version translates it the clearest. Sorry state of affairs, that scripture, but look at it this way—that nation, who's people are terrible, are terrible from their beginning hitherto—and they bring a present unto the Lord of hosts. So if you don't want to get left behind as victuals for the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, as that scripture states, do this: get on board with God and become one of his servants. Humble thyself, take up the cross he gives you, practice works meet of repentance, yea—fall in love with God—and you will fall in love with serving him. As to America the beautiful—what's a tactical retreat to someone who knows they will win all in the war?

Forth, that is indeed what the luminous body looks like. Except in actuality, the luminous body is a trillion times better. It's like this—imagine what it'd be like to see with 360 degree surround vision. That's a minor attribute of the luminous body and an upgrade which all the redeemed will inherit. I classify it as a minor attribute because even if you could imagine it, it'd still be imagining that attribute in this present world, and not in the realm of heaven above. Also, it would not yet be perceiving the One who is the loveliest of all to behold. So to explain why we will become luminous beings in heaven, it's because of this: The real reason we will become luminous beings is to perceive God! Only after we receive this enormous upgrade will we be able to fully perceive God.

Fifth, Yes!—every encounter with God—to hear him, or to see him or to feel his infinite presence saturating every cell in your body is exactly like that, except infinitely better! Infinitely better because words can never adequately describe or do justice to his blessed, wondrous, magnificent presence.

Sixth, faith. Unfortunately, not all men have faith. That's II Thessalonians 3:2. Furthermore, Christ is the Author and finisher of our faith. My use of faith in this story is allegory. The similarity that should be noted is that whosoever chooses to put faith in God through Jesus Christ may do so.

Non-Fiction by Kevin Hofsas

Seven Visitations from God, Twelve Revelations from Heaven

Kevin Hofsas has seen the face of God . . . an Impossible Event . . . needing both the favor of God and the circumvention of Natural Law, 'for no man may see the face of God and live' Exodus 33:20. Explaining how the Impossible happened, Kevin goes on to describe 7 visitations and 12 revelations he's received from God Almighty. You will discover amazing things about God never before written. Your faith will be stirred when you find and see new facets of Everlasting God. You'll be quickened when extraordinary truths of heaven are revealed. You will feel the unbelievable astonishment Kevin experienced when he was engulfed and overwhelmed by the tangible presence of Father God—the One who inhabits eternity. Your desire to see others saved will grow when you learn new reasons why each and every human being has incalculable worth. Stoke the fire of revival in your soul, become permanently equipped to never lose your salvation and know how to stand in it . . . victoriously . . . until His kingdom comes!

Seven Visitations from God, Twelve Revelations from Heaven, by Kevin Hofsas. www.MarkMyWordsPublishing.com

