Chronicles of the

Children of Destiny

“Anthology II”

by

Daniel Thomas Andrew Daly

http://noahidebooks.angelfire.com

© 2010

Stories

1. Eve and Adam

2. Meludiel

3. Mercy

4. Revelation

5. Lord Chronology and the 700 Time Masters

6. Samael and Logos

7. The Fantasmagorical Adventures of Insanity Man

8. Luke Warm

9. Going Home

10. Kayella and Callodyn

11. Vain and Pretentious

12. The Cherubim Urakiba – Angel of God

13. The Impossible Unification of the Warring States of Terravana and Kadramere

14. Life in Kadravana

15. God the Father

16. Unity Hour

17. The Facts of Life 2

18. Ruth

19. The Cherubim Sandra – Dreams

20. Orange Worker

21. The Sundering

22. The Celestyel Angel Aphrayel – Benjamin

23. The Nixian Agenda

24. Dark Times

25. Saruviel – The Quick and the Dead

26. Michael – Dungeons and Dragons

27. Daniel – At Arm’s Length

28. Ambriel – Supercop

29. Mary

30. Moses

31. David

32. The Fabulous Misadventures of the Famous 17 Kaleidoscope Collectors

33. Jesus

34. Matthew the Artist

35. The Tour de France

36. Gabriel

37. Survivors

38. Aphrayel – The End

39. The 7^th Angel

40. Crazy Funky Love Child

41. The Frosty Nightmares of Professor Zelzazon

42. Zelzazon and the Death of an Ancient Evil

43. The Solstice Tree

44. Callodyn’s Vengeance

45. A Wicked Sense of Humour

46. Beyond the Reaches of the Impossible Lords of Chaos, Destruction and Minor Ego Problems

47. The Facts of Life

48. Salvation

“Eve and Adam”

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‘The protoevangelium. Yes, I know, an ancient doctrine. But it is Catholic lore and we still accept the basic view that Jesus was the seed of the woman to destroy the serpent’s work.’

Jonathon looked at the elderly catholic priest, satisfied that his hunch on what Catholics taught on this issue was in fact the case, thanked the priest and left for home.

* * * * *

- LONG AGO -

‘….the Children of Destiny, the Children of Fate.’ John smiled at Eve’s dramatic flair in her quotation of the Seraphim Torah of Eternity. ‘But beware our brother Jesus, dear John. Beware his crooked ways and tangled delusions. For he himself will be the eternal child of destiny, the eternal glorious one, if he can possibly persuade others to follow him. ‘Yes indeed,’ responded the Seer of Visions.

* * * * *

Jonathon sat down, Lucinda quietly watching television, and reviewed the official doctrinal statement the pastor of the fellowship had given him for the ninth time. In longstanding Haven Noahide Fellowship tradition the seed of the woman from the Protoevangelium as the Catholics called it, Genesis 3:15, were indeed the children and angels of God. The firstborn children of God in heaven were Adam and Eve, and then, their human incarnations being made after their own image and being filled with their own spirit, as Genesis 1:26 taught, the manifestations of the Children of Destiny began being born from the seed of Eve and Adam. Yet, when the Logos appeared, and when Jesus was merged with him, the complete manifestation of the Angels of Infinity and Eternity began taking place. They were not mere representative, but complete transmutations into human form who, upon death, returned to the Realms of Glory. There purpose, as Jonathon came to understand, being the sanctification of the rest of humanity, those not made in the image of the ‘gods’ but born of human seed, those who would be brought to life in the latter day resurrection to the new spiritual human universe. And of course, the Ketravim. Those humans, who through constant devotion to love and God, achieved angelic glory upon their deaths.

He thought on the Priests words understanding Jesus to indeed be the seed of the woman but, as the book of Hebrews called it in the New Testament, the firstborn amongst many brethren. He thought then on the way the apostles had taught exclusive salvation through Jesus and was reminded of Haven’s position that, as the Jesus Seminar research continued onwards, the words of the historical Jesus were mainly contained within Matthew, Mark and Luke and that from Haven’s perspective Jesus himself didn’t appear to teach exclusive salvation. In Haven’s words, the apostles had simply gravitated to this doctrine to teach the importance of the new birth and life which Jesus blood on Calvary had brought them and the excessive devotion they had to their messianic leader. Yet, as in other things, an example being the deification of Jesus in the mind of the latter church, they were misled in ways, yet their heart, as Haven emphasized, was usually in the right place.

‘Man, I dig theology, Lucinda.’ Said Jonathon, happily picking up another one of Haven’s books.

‘I guess that is how he made you, J. But it sure as hell bores me to death.’

‘You’ll like it one day. Trust me. It just takes time to understand the knowledge and how it impacts on real life. It is really fascinating after a while.’

‘I’ll take your word for it. Oh, come on. Titanic is on shortly. Go get us some coffee and Tim-Tam’s. You know how I love Jack Dawson.’

‘As you wish,’ said Jonathon, disappearing to the kitchen.

‘Meludiel’

‘Do you think she heeded the rebuke?’ Karanasius asked Brendakius, his Ozraphim brother.

‘It was arranged properly. The dragon was shocked – quite shocked. He had not expected David to choose a human over his twin. But he has chosen Justine Atkinson instead of Meludiel.

“Then he has made his choice.”

“Such is life.”

“Then neither Daniel nor Ambriel will win her heart. That is quite ironic, I think.”

“Mmm,’ agreed Brendakius.

* * * * *

Rebecca looked at the sign. “Haven Noahide Fellowship”. This was it, she thought to herself. A whole life dedicated to Jesus, countless concerts dedicated to his glory, and then a crisis of faith in which God says ‘It aint him.’ And so what choice did she really have? Judaism had had its initial appeal but, ultimately, not again. Not again. She would not again go down the Jewish pathway – it was too much to commit to those people yet again. And they were not hers – they were not her family, her culture, her identity. They were simply not Loveheart’s or Celtic Anglo people. Yet Noahides were everyone, and the Celts and Anglo’s were Noahides. So would give this ‘Haven Noahide Fellowship’ a chance. Perhaps it was for her after all.

* * * * *

God looked down at Meludiel entering the Haven Noahide Fellowship assembly hall. He knew his daughter Rebecca would be nervous, but his Son Daniel Daly would take care of her. That much he knew to be true.

* * * * *

The sermon was interesting, similar to her Baptist heritage in many ways, but a bit calmer. She noticed that instantly. She thought on Justine who had suggested that if she really was having a faith crisis with the Baptist church, then perhaps she really should look into the Haven one. Her new friend David Rothchild had spoken about it and said that his brother Daniel knew the pastor, a close friend, another Daniel ironically. Perhaps this would be right for her.

Sitting there in the small hall, the other 5 Noahides having left, Mr Daly noticed her and came down and sat next to her.

‘Well, Miss. How did you find the sermon?’

‘Oh, it was ok.’

‘Do you know what we believe?’

‘Noah’s covenant. I have looked into it a bit.’

‘Yes. We are pretty simple in the end. Mainly the first part of the bible until the Tower of Babel. Uncomplicated, really, unlike the Talmud based movement.’

‘I heard about that. I didn’t like some of the things they taught, nor their strong connection to Judaism. They’re too Jewish for me.’

‘Jews have kept Unitarian faith for a long time when most gentiles strayed. But I know what you are saying, it is the same conviction that I have. Judaism, too me, is for a particular type of people. People with convictions on Torah and that particular type of lifestyle and connection too God, but for me it is too awkward and inconsistent with my own nature. But there is another reason also.’

‘Which is?’

‘Noahide faith represents the oldest covenant with God. As a proper Noahide our assembly represents, in our faith, the oldest and deepest connection to God. We strive to be the most grown up, in a sense, amongst the children of men.’

‘Isn’t that Israel’s job?’

‘Yes, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. But while that may motivate them, they don’t take it seriously any more. It is religious observation without passion. For many idolatrous messianic devotion without God’s due respect.’

‘What do you mean by that?’

Daniel picked up the bible, showed her 1 Samuel chapter 8, and read it to her.

‘…..But when they said, ‘Give us a king to lead us,’ this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. And the LORD told him, ‘Listen to all that the people are saying to you; It is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.’

Rebecca was convicted. ‘The same problem with Jesus, isn’t it?’

‘100% Miss. God gave them Saul, and then David, and they worshipped him. They still loved the LORD, but he wasn’t the God of their hearts that he wanted to be.’

‘And that is what you claim as Noahides, is it? To be devoted to God alone?’

‘Yes. That is the purity of the faith we represent, and we try our best not to corrupt that truth. We are of the Oldest covenant. Of the oldest brit. And we try to take it as seriously as the oldest covenant warrants. To be that which the Most High esteems greatest of all. And we will never budge from that, Miss. Never.’

She looked at him for a moment, her decision made. ‘I would like to join your fellowship, if that is ok. You have said enough for me.’

‘Glad to have you. We are meeting for lunch at 1. Do you want to come along?’

‘The fellowship you mean?’

‘And a few other interested parties. There is a Jewish man named Daniel Rothchild who occasionally takes an interest, but doesn’t come that much anymore. He might be here today, but don’t count on it.’

‘I know him,’ said Rebecca, stunned.

‘Small world, isn’t it.’

* * * * *

Two years later Rebecca was finally happy. Haven was working well. They had not really grown, but it didn’t seem to matter. It was a devoted fellowship and there was a quiet, gentle spirit when she was at assembly. Something which said to her innermost heart, you are home. And she had grown to know she would never leave, and that she had found what she had been looking for. And for that she was thankful. Truly thankful.

The End

“Mercy”

‘He’s not much to look at,’ said David.

‘I wouldn’t expect him to be. He’s 72, spent the last 40 years on the street, so he was barely able to communicate to me, dealing with schizophrenia, hoodlums, other drunkards and failing health. He’s been in a bad way.’

‘We are way over budget already this week, Daniel. Perhaps Vinnies can feed him. They always take care of the ones we can’t handle.’

Daniel looked at Fred. He looked at him and an inner voice said ‘Have Mercy.’

‘I know, Dave. I know. We just have to, ok. I’ll put my own money into it.’

David nodded. ‘Alright then. We’ll make room.’

Later that evening, Daniel Rothchild and David Rothchild had finished their rounds of the streets of Sydney, and in the back of the Bus were 8 lost souls, needing food, needing shelter, needing love. They would be taking them back to ‘Haven’ to give them temporary shelter, to personally look into their situation and see what could be done, and to give them that ‘Light of God’s love’ that people on the streets did not always receive.

They had been doing this for some time now – quite some time. They started the work in Canberra, but it spread Australia wide, and David continued the work himself in Jerusalem. It was there personal ministry in a sense, but Daniel Daly also got involved a lot as it flowed out of ‘Haven’. Daniel Daly and Daniel Rothchild were the brains behind the work initially, and Daniel Rothchild, who had founded Haven and given it its initial doctrinal stance, but left things mainly to Daniel Daly afterwards, took this work of ‘Haven’ perhaps more seriously than anything else. They had good finances now – had been making more and more money – and they employed other workers for ‘Haven Outreach’ around the world. But they never neglected the personal touch. They never neglected doing the ‘guts’ of the work themselves. They knew they had to. God’s love demanded it of them.

Later that evening in the Shelter Daniel brought Fred out to the back room, were there were 3 beds put aside for special cases, currently 2 of them unoccupied. These were special cases which the Outreach wanted to take special care of – those souls which touched them as particularly in need. Fred didn’t have a lot of years left in him. That much seemed apparent. And, knowing how long he must have been out on those streets, suffering, thinking nobody at all loved him and that society had forgotten him, mercy and pity of strange quantities had risen up in Daniel’s heart. He just had to help this guy.

He helped Fred undress and shower and, when he was comfortably in bed Daniel brought in some new clothing from the special supplies cupboard, which he let Fred know were now his. ‘You can stay with us now, Fred. You don’t have to leave. You can stay for your final years. We don’t mind.’

Fred nodded, but wether he really took the information in or not Daniel couldn’t really say for sure. But the old man seemed grateful anyway.

Daniel sat with him that night. He sat with him well into the wee hours, reading softly from the Bible. He read about Samson and Delilah, and about David slaying Goliath, and he read some of the psalms and proverbs. Fred seemed to listen for a while, but then seemed to have dozed off, but Daniel read on anyway. Somehow, someway, this was doing Fred some good.

‘Haven Outreach’, in a very real and true sense, was the heart of what Haven had wanted itself to be for a long time anyway. To start with funds had been limited – they only earned so much and had to help themselves before they could help others. But, in time, their income had grown and they had committed to doing this sort of outreach service, like the Salvos and Vinnies also undertook. There was also a new player – or perhaps, in a strange way, a very old player. The Samaritans. The Taheb pushed his ‘Hostel’s’ strongly these days as places of refuge for those of lower incomes in a tough money hungry world. But they likewise had an outreach program and, from time to time, Haven worked directly with the Samaritans on this. David had long been a fan of the Samaritan movement, and had met the Taheb himself a number of times. Ultimately David seemed to have chosen the Karaite way for himself, but the Samaritans and the Taheb were his other faith, his other respite of spirituality, and he took it to heart to work with them were and whenever possible.

The work, sometimes, was overwhelming. Your heart could not help but fill with sorrow at the real crap some people had to deal with in their lives. Naturally, they couldn’t always help everybody. A lot of people just didn’t want helping, and a lot were too far wasted away on drug or alcohol use that the life they lived was now a shell with a ghost inside just wanting more of that stuff. But, thankfully, there were a lot of souls which David had coined the term as ‘redeemable’ – souls which had just, it seemed, gone off the tracks for a while and just needed a correction or two. Sometimes a correction or three, but the Rothchild’s didn’t mind that.

And nights like these they ran into ‘Fred’s’. Fred’s, who they somehow had missed in previous outings, a guy who probably hid as best he could from the society that either had rejected him or that he had rejected, staying away from all those who could possibly harm him, even when it was someone, like Haven Outreach, which was trying to do him some good.

David and Daniel had given much of their life to this work. And, right at the back of Daniel’s mind, he knew that in the eternal destiny before him this work would crop up again and again at times, and that he would need to be a strong and resolute ‘father figure’ to those who needed shelter from the harsher elements in life.

But, that was what it was all about anyway. Shelter. Helping others. Being that ‘Haven’.

He watched Fred that night, and watched him for a number of months. The old man never really improved that greatly and, despite being able to finally persuade him to take the medications, he still seemed a reclusive fellow in his heart, out of touch, out of the mainstream. He passed on a few years later and, David giving the words at the funeral to a handful of people, one who had been on the streets with him and known him for years, Daniel spoke kind words of prayer to God for Fred’s soul.

‘Father. There are a lot of Fred’s. This one, well, perhaps he was not that special in any particular way, but just special in the way we all are in the end. Souls who need a home. Souls who need love. I pray, make a heavenly abode for this poor man, and grant him grace at this time of his journey, grace which Fred needs, like so many of us, from your infinite mercies. Amen.’

The End

‘Revelation’

‘The truth is, David. I am not your brother.’

‘Very funny Daniel.’

Daniel Rothchild took out a photo of Daniel Daly and showed it to David.

David looked at it and smiled. ‘Yes, I know. The resemblance is uncanny. But that is genetics – sometimes funny things happen.’

Daniel took the envelope, placed it in front of David’s desk, and sat there, staring at him.

David sensed his brother wanted him to read it, so opened it, noticed it was signed by their father Alexander, and started reading.

‘Dear Daniel

We have always raised you to be a good child, and we have worked hard to ensure you had a good work ethic so that you could prosper in life. We thought this our responsible duty. I have something to tell you.

When I was young a met a lady who was on holiday in England with her first child. She was in grief at being near the poverty line, and said to me she could not afford to raise her child. We had become friends at the pub, and I said, in most uncommon fashion that I would offer to raise the child for her. And she accepted.

I met her again, in Canberra, years later by chance, when you were 12. I showed her a photo of you, and she smiled. You were her child, you see.

She lives with her family in Macarthur, were we came from. I moved there with Rose to be near her, for she wanted to see you passing by on the streets. She had asked me to name you Daniel, but her finances improved when she returned to her husband in Australia and had other children, another Daniel amongst them. As you can probably now guess, that was Daniel Daly. He is your younger brother.

I know this comes as a shock to you, and now that I am no longer with you, this letter has been forwarded on by my lawyer at my request.

I leave you to tell David in the goodness of time.

Your loving father

Alexander Rothchild

David put the letter down, looked at Daniel and sighed.

They spoke a little more that day, and David went out that night to be alone. In some ways he was not surprised, and in the end life would seemingly go on without much change anyway. But it was a revelation of revelations, and the heart of David Rothchild had taken a knock which he might never quite get over.

The End

‘Lord Chronology and the 700 Time Masters’

From a place, perhaps only existing in fantastic imagination, a place were concepts arise, but aware of by certain individuals, Lord Chronology was busily at work with the Time-Masters. ‘How the Fugg are we going to fix up this doozy?’ queried Apholox to his master, Lord Chronology. ‘Mixing reality with spiritual reality and fantasy is often difficult work,’ replied Lord Chronology to the number one Time Master. Take Booster Gold for instance. He works his ass off in the DCU to ensure proper continuity takes place. A bloody difficult job, but someone has to do it.’

‘Aye,’ responded Apholox. ‘Now, out on the Real Earth matching up the universe of the Children of Destiny with their universe will be challenging.’

‘Let us concentrate on the Chronology for now,’ responded Lord Chronology, very keen on that particular subject. We have to work out the events and dates in the Children of Destiny universe to gradually converge in harmony with the real universe.’

‘Difficult work,’ Apholox.

‘But someone has to do it,’ responded Lord Chronology.

And they both laughed.

“Samael and Logos”

Callodyn looked at the screen. Pope Benedict XVI in another sermon. That pope really was thumping along these days. He remembered his conversation with Logos when Logos had denounced Benedict completely for teaching legalism with the Noahide Laws the pope had discussed for the church. It was back then, in late 2009, when Logos had heard of this that he had declared the Pope dead to himself, twice dead as scripture maintained, and then declared the inauguration of the last pope before his return, Peter the Second.

Callodyn felt that the ancient prophecy of Malarchi, which they had discussed, was perhaps being fulfilled. He knew from scripture that Israel represented the Olive Branch, a common symbol for that people. And with the promotion of the Noahide laws by the Pope which the rabbis favoured, as Malarchi prophecied, Pope Benedict XVI was indeed the ‘Glory of the Olives’. Yet, inevitably, so Logos had declared, Benedict would pass and his inauguration of Peter the Second, the final pope, would come to be.

Logos, sitting behind him, commented. ‘The Noahide laws will not work forever, Samael. They simply won’t. They are flawed from their foundation. They disregard scripture for the emphasis of the heretical Talmudic system of Noahide faith. The penalty of cutting off the head for even the sin of theft is thoroughly ridiculous. Really, Ratzinger should have known better.’

‘I guess I would agrees, Yesh. I favour the scriptural approach to that faith. I am aware of a fellowship, ‘Haven Noahide Fellowship’, which teaches the approach of the Hexateuch alone.’

‘Hexateuch?’ queried Logos.

‘The first six books of scripture, ending with Joshua.’

‘An interesting approach. I do not think that I would agree, but perhaps something to look into one day.’

‘Yes, perhaps.’

As they continued to watch Benedict continued with his sermon, another fine day passing on planet earth when all was seemingly well in the world.

“The Fantasmagorical Adventures of Insanity Man”

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‘Amazing. Really, amazing. Now pass the chips.’

Bruce was disappointed – she really did not give the slightest Fugg as far as he could tell, no matter how much he bragged about the plot for his hopeful debut bestseller of all time.”

‘But the title, I mean, really, its Fantasmagorical.’

‘Is that even a real word Bruce. I think perhaps you just made it up.’

‘No, it’s real. Not in the dictionary yet, but it will be. Jus you wait.’

‘If you say so.’

‘Now, after Insanity Man defeats the “Sane One” in a battle of wits, the “Sane One” finally concedes Insanity is true wisdom.’

‘What happens next,’ she asked, eating another chip.

‘Well, I’m not really sure. That is the opening chapter and it is as far as I have got.’

‘Perhaps you’re Insanity Man, Bruce. I mean, come on.’

‘Look Rach. It’s cool. It’ll sell tonnes. I’ll be rich.’

‘And I’ll be the queen of England one day.’

‘You’ll see, you’ll see.’

* * * * *

Unfortunately for Bruce Magee, after about 3 years of solid submissions he still had no takers. It seemed that nobody wanted to touch ‘The Fantasmagorical Adventures of Insanity Man’. He finally, out of frustration, deleted it from his computer and threw out the USB drive.

‘Too much bloody heartache,’ he said to himself, and went to bed.

The following morning he felt a little better. His mind had cleared up a little and Insanity Man had been put to death as it were. And then the new plot entered his head, a far more sane alternative, and an English bestseller began to form on the IBM computer in the flat of Bruce Magee, a happy little sane man busily typing away.

“Luke Warm”

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Mr Warm joined Potters House Canberra in 2073 CE, gladly welcomed by the flock who, upon hearing his full name, gave the pastor a sly but careful look and dutifully went outside to laugh softly so as not to be heard.

Sofya Faraq smiled at Luke, slightly puzzled. She said a quiet prayer to Jesus saying, ‘For heaven’s sake, J. Don’t you have any mercy? With a name like his in our church?’ But LJC remained silent.

He had made his commitment and was very serious about it, but 3 months later, despite heavy convictions that it was impossible to move to another part of the body of Christ, he had just about had enough.

The pastor, in his mercy, had gone easy on him, but the flock knew no such graces.

And so, Luke Warm, almost ready to deny the Revelation of John, carefully disappeared from the ranks of the Assembly, off to the calmer waters of the Revival Fellowship.

Going Home

Paul Saberton was really, and very truly, pissed off. Several thousand churches in the heavenlies. Ready to demonstrate his place as one of the Sovereign elect of Christ, keeper of the doctrines of truth of the New Testament, and when he passes and arises to the heavenlies, the Whore itself is there, and Jesus likes her, and all the little harlot daughters are out busy evangelizing the populace. Boy did things suck. All Brenton would say was to cheer up because Jesus was just being compassionate. He knew, in the end, who his true elect were. He must. The word of God demanded such loyalties.

But try as he might in his initial evangelistic crusades from his father’s home, who he was very surprised to find in heaven, assuming he must have slipped by temporarily for a reward for his good works towards one of the elect, as Jesus did promise a reward to such people, he seemed to have little to no success in building Superchurch, the church of the glory of the Father and the Son. But narrow was the way, so he would keep the faith.

And then Satan showed up. Of course, he had always liked Daniel Daly, thought him very spiritual initially, but thought he had sold out on Jesus for Noah, and as such two men could not walk together with such major disagreements. And then Daniel began his campaign of indoctrination into Haven Noahide Fellowship.

The first task, from this dark lord, was the addressing of Paul’s Messianic concerns. And Paul, having arrived at the conclusion that if Daniel had reached heaven being a Noahide, as well as all the other people who were now here, he would give him a fair hearing. Perhaps, in the sense of mercy which God had been teaching him since his arrival home, he could exercise some patience and carefully voice his disagreements. Perhaps Daniel, in time, would see the error of his faulty thinking.

But, inevitably, the debates were difficult and challenging, and Daniel likewise gave no quarter, exhausting Paul’s nerves and patience many times by some of his claims.

In the end, though, he saw Daniel’s points. He recognized the arguments and were he was coming from, and could at least understand his opponents perspectives. And then Daniel had a word of wisdom. ‘Things like this take time, Paul. Lets be friends – we know how to do that – and let the discussion come forth slowly and carefully in a spirit of good friendship.’ Paul didn’t object to that and, as the years passed, they discussed the issues gradually, but neither side really shifted.

And then Meludiel showed up. She preached love as salvation. Paul didn’t argue. Daniel basically agreed. And they were friends again, and they let the issue drop. The one in error would find the truth in the fullness of time.

So they had fellowship, and peace was restored, and things were good for Paul Saberton in his heavenly rewards. And the future – well only Jesus knew for sure.

The End

“Kayella and Callodyn”

‘I’d do anything. I’d give you my world. I’d cross the threshold of the infinite, ride on the rays of the eternal glory, slay demons, defeat devils, crucify frauds, and even getting around to sending you some roses, chocolates and all that girly stuff you apparently like.’

‘Really you’d do all that for me?’ asked Britney, her eyes shining brightly.

‘Fugg no. I’m not that innocent babe. Remember, all men are bastards. Don’t forget, k. We don’t break that easy, lass. Don’t forget, mind you. Don’t forget. Hey, shall I quote Genesis at you?’

‘You are such a male. They are so arrogant these days. So bloody arrogant.’

‘Hey, we’re all womanizers aren’t we? I mean, that is what you call us all, so who gives a flying Fugg, sweetheart. Who gives a flying Fugg.’

‘At least David romances me and says sweet and lovely things.’

‘David? Gayvid you mean? That homo.’

Brit smirked a little at that. ‘He’s not gay. Shut up. Shut up.’

‘Nah, all of those type are totally gay, cupcake. Totally gay. He is too sensitive. Really, he is mush in the end. Soft mushy goo. Bwerrh. Who the hell cares. Not me.’

‘Oh, I think you underestimate Mr Rothchild. He really is very advanced in many ways. Really, very advanced. For example, he is extraordinarily wealthy. How about that?’

‘An inheritance quickly earned is quickly spent. How about that?’

‘Your point?’

‘We go slow. Very slow. In fact we ‘walk’ with God. I mean, he has all the moves, all the love, all the charm, but there is a teeny weeny little problem which, in the end, a girl who actually prefers to ‘Get it Right’ will actually give a damn about. And I am the master on getting it right, cupcake. Jus you wait and see.’

‘We’ll see.’

‘Cool. Oh, by the way, as an act of good faith, would you like a drink of watermelon juice? If you don’t want one, that’s cool. But remember, babe, I won’t always play so easy to get. If you are not really, in the end interested, I will take the hint. I have learned that lesson before and know when to butt out.’

‘So that’s it then? Britney, gone and forgotten? Off to the new girl?’

‘It takes two to tango, cupcake. It takes two to tango.’

‘Fine.’

‘Cool. Oh, there was this girl I fancied once. Really fancied her. I was prepared to commit – really loved her. But the Gayvid fellow pushed in, promoted his angelic name, and claimed her as his own. So, fine. If he wants her then that is the way it is. I still like her, but Gayvid is up his arse, so Fugg him.’

‘I get the point.’

“Vain and Pretentious”

‘Cool! You want me to be Fugging cool? Cool people are simply vain and pretentious, replied Daniel to Billie’s request.’

‘You are soooo uncool, Daniel. Despite the fact that you have the bearest modicum of talent in that tryhard brain of yours, you simply have no real idea how to apply it. You are so out of touch with modern tastes and styles. Living in clothing fashions belonging to those BELOW the lower class. You’re crap, Daniel. Crap.’

Daniel looked at her and smiled to himself. Typical for a daughter of Babylon. Really, quite typical. Giving lip service to the ‘In Crowd’, staying cool to maintain her reputation, producing the kind of material which was, apparently ‘Cool’ or ‘In’. Really, in the end, he doubted she was worth the effort. She was pretty, had decent music and dressed nicely, but the Billie who was Billie seemed now to be something entirely different. A clone of the ‘In’ scene. A product of manufactured style, not flowing from the natural spirit Billie herself should try to express.

Mr Daly replied. ‘Who gives a Fugg, cause I sure as hell don’t.’

‘But don’t you want to be ‘Popular?’

‘Hey, babe, Popular was a song by Dazzer. That Savage Garden fellow. And we all know the kind of people he is in to, don’t we. And, hey babe, ‘HE JUST SOLD HIS SOUL.’

‘Point taken.’

‘So don’t have a go at me for being myself. I do what I want, think what I want, say what I want, and am sensitive when I want to be. All to suit my Fugging self. And if I want to have double standards and apply one standard to myself and another standard to someone else I Fugging well will. And, really, babe I don’t give a shit. I really don’t give a shit. Because the reason is, agro blokes are full of violence. And the God I serve destroys violent men and women – those are the FACTS of life. So if you want a ‘Tough Guy’ or a ‘Solo Man’ or a ‘Body Builder’ or all the other kinds of egomaniacs, go for it, because I really don’t give a shit. I am not going to conform to someone else’s opinion of what I should be like just because they want me to. Fugg the world, as far as I am concerned. So if you like those sorts of men, then you really aren’t for me in the end, babe. And I guess that is just the way it is.’

‘Whatever,’ responded Billie, and walked off looking for a hot guy to shag.

* * * * *

Daniel sat at home, put on a CD, drank some Coke, and felt better. Some worlds were not meant for Mr Daly, and that really was the way it was. No point in trying to put a Hexagon into a Square shape. It just didn’t work in the end.

The Cherubim Urakiba

‘Angel of God’

(Note:  The first 3 chapters are from ‘Eternity’.  The last 3 chapters are original material.)

Chapter One

Urakiba, often, remembered the early days of life for the Cherubim.  His brother Semyaza had been greatly admired by many of the Cherubim, so eloquent in speech and passionate in heart for the Cherubim community.  Urakiba had looked up to him for a long time because of this, joining him and following his methods which had led Urakiba also to be admired in the Cherubim community.  Yet his twin, Talael, had admonished him often, encouraging him to be his own angel.  Able to stand firm for his own life not always having to run around after Semyaza.

Urakiba and Talael were the secondborn in the Cherubim community.  They came from the community of India in the Pelnaphora district, were Gandel of the Seraphim often resided as well, he being the oldest and most respected of the Pelnaphoran Indian community.

Urakiba had, initially, been a little reluctant to partake of the fruit of knowledge of good and evil, but when Semyaza had persisted, he had gone along with the idea, like Ramiel and Kokabiel.

For weeks afterwards Urakiba had been greatly depressed, very withdrawn and almost hating life.  But then there had come two days of extreme joy, almost as a climax most unexpected – a time of healing – to the days of darkness.

He had contemplated death in those days, as if such a thing were ever a possibility for an angel.  No angel in the community of the Realm of Eternity had ever died but, slowly, Davriel and others had been communicating to the realm that, as Torah said, in the Garden of God was knowledge of life but also, and to be feared because of it, there was knowledge of death.

But for the angels of eternity, death was something all of them had yet to encounter.

Very rarely an Angel did major injury to himself, in which case the healing properties of Mitraphon could be called upon to assist the Angel in healing.  It seemed no malaise was beyond the healing ministry of Raphael and Mitraphon.  But, fortunately, injuries were rare, apart from minor cuts and bruises, and as such Raphael’s great powers were rarely called upon.

But Urakiba, in his recent malaise, had wondered, should the mysterious death enshroud his soul, whether even the greatest of healing powers of Raphael could recover him from the grip of the underworld, to which he almost felt destined to travel to.

But, no, he had healed from the darkness, and when the joy had subsided, normality had returned.

And now, in light of the way the fruit had affected him, Urakiba was seemingly following the pathway both Saruviel and Semyaza had trodden, into his own private introspective thoughts on the authority of God and whether such a thing need necessarily be as it was in the realm of eternity.

He thought on the Seraphim Torah and his recent malaise.  Section 11 principle 9, Melaniel’s principle, read:  ‘In the Garden of God is the Knowledge of Life’.

To know this life, Urakiba felt, would be so important.  Would be so fundamental to his life.  Of course, the Seraphim partook of the tree of life of the Garden every century, but the Cherubim only partook so, in the centre of Zaphora, once a millennium, as this was all they really needed, so God had maintained, an issue which had puzzled Urakiba.

When he had first partaken of the tree of life he truly had felt an invigoration of the soul, and had been tempted, as many of the cherubim had been, to ask for more.

And due to that life in him from the fruit, when it had come to knowledge of good, which Urakiba seemingly connected with knowledge of life, he had made another connection.

He had partaken in his early youth of the tree of life.  And, recently, with Semyaza, under Saruviel’s suggestion, of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  And thinking on Melaniel’s principle in the Seraphim Torah, he thought on the very next principle, section 11, Principle 10, Davriel’s principle, which read, ‘In the Garden of God is the Knowledge of Death.’

If life was good, was death, then, evil?  And if he had partaken of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, did he now have knowledge of death within his soul?  Perhaps, in the very craving for death that had haunted him, that may have been very, very true.

But, now, the pain and the passion were gone from him, and normality resumed.  Yet, the questions lingered on.  And in those questions simply being there, which Semyaza also had affirmed, Urakiba questioned what exactly would knowledge of death bring about for his heart and soul.

God had spoken to Urakiba personally, in one of the throne-rooms, speaking of one of the eternal children unknown to the angels of the Realm of Eternity.  He had forbidden him speaking of her to others, but had taught him that ‘Death’ was one of the eternal children of God from the Realm of Heaven, as it was known as.  And then he had told him this, ‘Urakiba, Angel of God.  Within the heart of death, hades herself, from which none ever return, the eternal destiny of darkness lives on forever.  If you venture to this realm only Death’s gentle embrace you will ever know.  Unless, of course, those other Eternal’s insist on interfering.  Which they might, dear child of God.  They just might.’  And then God had been silent, speaking no further, and the flickering of purple amongst the flames had returned to the persistent green which Urakiba was most used to.

With all of these thoughts in mind something, though, did become clear to Urakiba.  Saruviel had around him a spirit – a spirit of darkness.  Urakiba had sensed this spirit on more than one occasion.  This darkness was of death, Urakiba had begun to believe.  Saruviel had very early on partaken of the fruit of knowledge of good and evil and, in a sense, partaken of death.  And because of that, the darkness hovered there, around him, enshrouding his soul.

For Urakiba darkness, death and evil had now become associated with the stance Saruviel had seemingly taken in relation to God his father – one of rebellion, denying God’s authority and the notion of individual freedom.

And because of this reality, Urakiba had come to a firm conclusion in his mind.  If he trod water with Saruviel and Semyaza in the way they were heading, he would taste, ultimately, death.  Of this he was sure.  And to choose that, would mean he would meet the child of eternity and disappear into her eternal dark embrace.  And, in that temptation – in that temptation to leave life completely and embrace the heart of what could only be called ‘Other’, Urakiba surrendered his soul, dedicating himself to pursue the agenda of Saruviel and Semyaza to the very bitter end.  And, ultimately, for no other purpose than to taste the fruit of death itself and see what ungodly paradise it could offer his soul.

Chapter Two

‘And the serpent.  When the serpent is grown, Ramiel, it becomes a dragon, as all serpents in fact do.  For the destiny of Serpents is to partake of the blood of their enemy and fly into the heights of eternity, filled with new life through death.  For life, through death, is the glory of the Serpent – the glory of the dragon – the glory of the devil.’

Ramiel sat listening to another of Urakiba’s endless tales about Serpents and Dragons and Devil’s from the Torah’s rich tapestry of imagery, but for Ramiel such teachings, while flattering his now bad-boy imagery and nature, were the stuff of imagination only, and no practical use apart from fantasy story telling.

Indeed, for Ramiel and Semyaza, who had witnessed firsthand Saruviel’s first exile for the rebellion, and second exile only to be finally forgiven for that also, returned to them once more, but taken to the heart of God in repentance and restoration, seeing Saruviel, as many once did, as the grand ‘Dragon’ of the Seraphim and Cherubim Torah, which Urakiba seemingly maintained – one destined to lead the coven of dragons in their war against the children of the light, as the Cherubim Torah spoke of – had lost its potency as a strong belief for so many given Saruviel’s current repentance and acceptance of the authority of God.  Ramiel had maintained that if Saruviel ever really were such a Dragon, it had since departed his nature.

Ramiel suspected, personally, that Azazel was perhaps the infamous dragon of the Torah.  Azazel himself, unlike Saruviel, had been born in Kalphon Keep, the firstborn child of God of the Cherubim to have come alive in the throneroom of Kalphon.  And considering Azazel’s rebellious nature, he who was the 21^st born male of the Cherubim of eternity, who had become such a dragon in so many ways, often competing with Semyaza for the headship of the growing community of ‘bad angels’ amongst the Cherubim, seemed like the far more likely suspect to be the infamous ‘Dragon’ of the Torah.  And in that assumption, Ramiel was in fact quite correct, unbeknownst to himself. Of course, the realm would never suspect Azazel. Who possibly could. His name Azazel was only a secondary name, a strange secondary name, with some sort of rationale behind it which Azazel kept to himself. For Azazel was none other than Jesus of the Cherubim, 21^st born. Azazel had long ago joined in with the bad boys and said Azazel would be his name in fellowship with them, but they must keep his identity secret and never let his flock know he had joined them, to which they had agreed. He was the ‘hidden one’. The ‘hidden’ member of the bad boys, one who was never revealed, only known to the top bad boys who swore secrecy on the issue.

Yet Urakiba himself, while he had nearly always viewed Saruviel as the Dragon, being one who had promoted such ideology for so long, was slowly coming to the position of Ramiel and Semyaza in accepting Azazel as the new and most likely of identities for that role.

Azazel, himself, was perhaps the most feared of the ‘Bad Boy Angel’s’, and had gained a reputation around the realm for fierce fighting, especially when drunk.  While it was still true that, while they carried on this image, they still apparently respected God and attended the usual celebrations the other angels did.  The community was slowly and inevitably coming to the conclusion that there existed amongst them two competing forces or groups based on two fundamentally and diametrically opposing principles.

On the side of goodness were such angels as Michael and Gabriel and the other Archangels, and especially Ambriel who was disdained greatly by those of the darkness.

On the side of the dark a smaller number, initially followers of Saruviel, but now particularly in line with Semyaza who remained of such inclinations, and the ultimate bad boy himself, Azazel, who was generally feared amongst the populace to whom he was the ultimate figure of darkness and mystery.

This problem, if it were a problem, was ignored by many of the senior angels in the community for much time.  Yet, when Saruviel’s reign began, it was queried by many what would now happen.  Seemingly, though, during Saruviel’s millennia reign as head of Zaphon and the Realm in general, little did change in this respect and it was only as Michael took over the running of Zaphon as head overseer for the fourth time, that what had been happening silently during Saruviel’s tenure became noticeable.

The darkness had been growing.  Slowly, silently, and inevitably, the darkness which emanated ultimately from Samael of the Realm of Heaven, the grand devil behind all the schemes of evil, infiltrating the Realm of Infinity when and were it could and, likewise, through Samael’s protégé, fallen from the Realm of Infinity, firstborn of the Saruvim Angels, Satan, who now haunted the Realm of Eternity with his other Fallen Saruvim Cohorts, to the purpose of achieving the plans of Samael of Heaven in his opposition to Destiny of Heaven, the darkness had indeed been growing through Saruviel’s millennia, and was now about to strike.

The father of Glory, from his eternal domain, had spoken with Eve – Destiny – of the Children of Heaven.  And he had pronounced a judgement upon Saruviel for Saruviel’s lack of dealing – once and for all – with his legacy of darkness, by countering the work he had earlier done.  He had spoken with Destiny and crafted the ultimate role within her plans of the final days ‘Antichrist’, the man bearing the number 666, as a punishment to Saruviel for his failing to rebuke the seed of evil he had sown when he should have.  This destiny would come to Saruviel in the latter days – in the days of ‘Terra’ – but he would not know of the judgement of God until years beyond then.  God would leave him a time to contemplate and, ultimately, teach him why he had been judged as such.

When Saruviel’s millennia did in fact end, Urakiba had suggested something.

God had announced, with the return of Michael, an impending creation.  The creation of ‘Terra’ and mankind.

Urakiba, mighty Angel of God, had suggested to Azazel and Semyaza that the dark angels, or demons as they had come to be known, seek to corrupt the ways of the humans and seek to control the destiny of mankind.  And Semyaza and Azazel had both listened to Urakiba’s ideas and, in the end, agreed and affirmed to them.  Yet they would wait many years, for the creation of mankind was to be postponed.  For many reasons, beyond the knowledge of the Angels of Eternity, God had deemed it important for the idea of man to be known first, and brought into being much later.  With proper planning came success, for in mankind the destiny of angels lay eternally intertwined.

Chapter Three

When the creation of men finally came to pass, the demons fell to earth and, through Enoch, God passed his inevitable and ultimate judgement on the evil angels.  It had been a judgement long awaited by the good angels of eternity and, when the evil had been purged from them, they had been greatly relieved.

But the judgement of God had been without mercy and as the years passed in heaven Ambriel thought on his brothers gone from him, and he thought on Urakiba who he had gotten to know for some time early in Urakiba’s youth.  And Ambriel had besought his father and pleaded for mercy.  And God had spoken to Ambriel and asked him if no other would plead – as if he was all alone.  So Ambriel had spoken to Daniel, with whom the friendship of angels had become close, and Daniel had agreed to speak on the fallen ones behalf as well.

And then God had passed this judgement.

‘Dear Children, ultimately, in life, there is no place or no heart or no evil that can escape the love of goodness.  You, dear children, have shown this.  And because of this I speak to you that every heart – whosoever it may be – which truly seeks repentance before God, can and will be forgiven through the atonement of the soul.’

‘So there is hope for them, Father?’ Ambriel had asked, in hope.  ‘If they repent, dear son.  If they repent.’

And with that decree Ambriel and Daniel had been satisfied.

*   *   *   *   *

In the suffering torment of hades which Urakiba had dwelt in so long, God had watched over his son seeking signs of repentance, as he had promised Ambriel he would.  And God had, ultimately, seen those signs.  And, acting in his mercy, which endures eternally, God had lead Urakiba to a place in his heart were he remembered being a simple Angel of God – not of the darkness – not of evil – not of hate and despair and death – but an Angel of God, loved by many and brought to life to enjoy the goodness of life in the Realm of Eternity.

And God had helped his son, then, and when the final embers of madness had been crushed from his soul, new life in his humanity in India, in the year 2010AD by the Christian Calendar, began for Urakiba, secondborn of the Cherubim Angels of Eternity.

Chapter Four

5980 – 6000 SC (2010 - 2030 AD)

‘Arjuna.  His name will be Arjuna.’  The wife of Ravi Shrinistan nodded silently at her husband’s choice of names.  ‘It is a good name, husband.  May Krishnah watch over him.’

Arjuna grew steadily from a tiny baby in his home city of Bombay, choosing to play cricket at the age of 5, growing more and more competitive at the game as he increased in age.  When he was in his early teens he had forsaken the Hinduism of his upbringing, coming more in line with the modernizing of India.  And at 19, just selected for his provincial cricket side, and already talked about as a potential national representative, Arjuna thought of himself as a modern day Indian, free from the religious shackles of the past, born again into the new modern era of progress and civilization.  And then, having top scored for his side on averages for the season with an impressive 83 run average, the national selectors put him into the national side for the upcoming test series against the Aussies in Australia.  Arjuna was more excited than he had ever been.  Real wealth would now come into his life.  But more than that – a chance to represent his beloved homeland and face the threat of the world champions from Australia.

*   *   *   *   *

‘Yo Michael.  Watch him bat.  He looks good.’  Michael Warne, son of Shamus Warne the legendary Australian leg spin bowler, came over at Jonnos’ request and gandered at the Indian batsman in the nets.  ‘Right in the bloody middle of the bat.  Practically every ball.  It’s as if he sees it with a microscope.  Hits it right were he wants it.’  The leg spinner nodded at Jonnos comment.  ‘Everyone has a weakness, Jonno.  We’ll find his. Don’t sweat it.’  ‘Let’s hope so,’ replied Jonathon Bradlock.

Warne noticed his team-mate ‘Saad Beed Warner’ staring at the Indian.  ‘You reckon he is any good,’ Michael asked him.  Saad was carefully observing the Indian’s style, noticing how he anticipated the ball well, keeping his eyes solidly focused on it all the way from the bowler’s delivery.  ‘He’s like the Don,’ commented Saad.  ‘Keeps his eye on the ball.’  Warne nodded.  ‘Is he a danger, Saad?’  ‘Could be.  They have a warm up match in a few days.  The PM’s XI.  If they put him in watch his innings carefully.  Take notes, ok.’  Warne nodded.  They would crack the Indian, he was sure of it.  But looking at him as he again struck a ball right off the middle of the bat Michael Warne knew he was in for a contest.  One hell of a contest.

Chapter Five

Michael was nervous.  Australia had managed a modest total of 272 in their first innings, dismissed half an hour before the end of play on day one.  India had opened with its usual opening pair and Australia managed an early wicket with an over left in the days play.  It was then Arjuna came to bat.  6 blocked balls from Arjuna from the last over of the day, but right in the middle of the bat.  He seemed impregnable.

That was yesterday.  A good day for the Aussies in comparison.  It was again half an hour before the end of day and India were 1 for 417, Arjuna 3 runs short of his double-century on debut.  The partnership had just passed 400 and the Indians in the crowd were going berserk.  Michael Warne didn’t want a double century.  He had already gone for nearly 150 runs with no wickets and the series looked threatened, as well as their world champion’s status.  India was second on the table currently, just behind the Aussies and just ahead of the Poms.  If they won this series they would be ladder leaders – official world champions.

He thought about using one of his dad’s classic deliveries – the flipper.  He had saved it all day and felt now was the time to use.  He walked in, let the ball go, and a few moments later with the Indian crowd cheering a wonderful 6 from their new hero, Arjuna was on 203 not out.  It didn’t look good for the Australians.  It didn’t look good.

*   *   *   *   *

317 on debut was not a bad effort so his team-mates kept telling him after they had won the test, but Arjuna was still somewhat disappointed.  He had been set, his eye firmly on the world test record.  But he had fallen nearly 100 runs short, and would have to wait some other time for the glory.  Warne had gotten him in the end.  Another of the flipper deliveries which had caught him by surprise.  For much of the last two days Arjuna had been on top of the Aussie, but Warne had been learning as well.  Slowly working him out.  And, it seemed to Arjuna, it may be the beginning of a long rivalry.  A long challenging rivalry between the new Indian superstar and the son of an Australian legend.

Chapter Six

‘And the serpent.  When the serpent is grown, Ramiel, it becomes a dragon, as all serpents in fact do.  For the destiny of Serpents is to partake of the blood of their enemy and fly into the heights of eternity, filled with new life through death.  For life, through death, is the glory of the Serpent – the glory of the dragon – the glory of the devil.’  ‘Very funny, Daddy.  Besides, you are only a gentle dragon.’  Arjuna scruffed the head of his 8 year old Son Ramiel Shrinistan.  He had been telling him stories from Islamic Bahai literature, recent stories, for his family attended a Bahai temple in India with strong Muslim leanings.  The stories told of Satan, the chief of the demonic dragons, and his war with the children of Adam and Eve.  In true Bahai tradition God had sent messengers for many generations to thwart the Devil’s work in conquering mankind.  Ramiel, who had been named after the Angel, took delight in hearing all the stories of angels and devil’s and Arjuna liked entertaining the mind of his young son on such subjects.  Young fantasies purely for entertainment.  ‘Will you win tomorrow, daddy?’  ‘We’ll see, Rami.  We’ll see.’

*   *   *   *   *

Again, it was Warne.  Almost inevitably Warne.  Stranded with number 11 Arjuna had let loose and Warne had now just claimed him.  And they only had a lead of 127.  But that might just be enough.  The final session of the final day had begun and there were only 11 overs left in the days play.  A Twenty20 side could probably make the runs, but India had all the advantages of playing Test style on a fading pitch.  It would be close.  He looked to the skies, prayed a silent prayer to his God and looked at his opponents.  This was the final test, again deciding world champions.  And as captain of the side he needed to now step up.  It was now or never.

*   *   *   *   *

Ramiel looked down at the young Indian child, his namesake in a sense.  Semyaza was standing next to him, observing the match mostly, but Ramiel was curious about Urakiba’s young son.  ‘I hope to have children as well, God willing.’  Semyaza smirked.  ‘You’re barely forgiven, Rams.  All of us are.  He is wrathful, is God.  Very difficult to obtain forgiveness from him, especially once he has made up his mind.’  ‘Still, it would be nice,’ said Ramiel, looking down at young Urakiba’s protégé.

*   *   *   *   *

India was lucky that day.  Australia fell short, hitting a 4 off the last ball, still needing another 5 to win the test.  It was drawn.  And India retained its world championship.  They were still number one.

It was later that day, Arjuna with his wife and son celebrating, that a strange thought entered his head.  He had prayed to God that day for the Angel’s to guide him to victory.  To be the power in the Indian side leading them to victory.  And he had prayed to one particular Angel of God in particular, the angel Urakiba, whom the Bahai story tellers had told many tales about and who was Arjuna’s favourite angel.  Somehow, that day, he had felt the strength of an Angel guiding him and giving him wisdom.  It was as if the angel Urakiba was with him, helping his captaincy.  And when they had ended the match with a draw Arjuna silently thanked God and the angel Urakiba.

But all that night Angels were on his mind.  Angels and demons.  He knew of the struggle in religion between the saints of the world and the sinners.  It seemed, in this era, that it was a blur between the children of God and the children of the Devil.  But Arjuna knew what he represented.  He knew, now, he served God.  He remembered his youth, growing up in Hinduism, were God was a vague concept, not clearly defined by his parent’s.  But he had faith now and praised the Almighty and it was, in some way, as if he had made a long pilgrimage from the darkness into the light.  He couldn’t explain it but it was as if he had been involved in an Angelic war all his life and had somehow come from a losing position into a winning one.  It felt strange in his heart, the spiritual realm, as if he was alive to it in some way – a way unlike so many others who he talked to about it but who couldn’t really relate.  But, whatever the truth of it all, Arjuna was happy with the way God had protected him and his family and led him onwards in his destiny.  And silently he thanked the Angel of God who had protected him and strengthened him, giving him victory in his darkest hour.

“The Impossible Unification of the Warring States of Terravana and Kadramere”

Terravana was simple in its hatred. They are an inferior people, and all mankind knows that. Yet, despite being a significant micronation of 7,000 citizens on the south east continent of Australia, Terravana was generally disregarded by the Australian Continental Micronation League as unruly and plain rude to their next door neighbours. Kadramere were copycats. I mean, come on, said the president of Terravana. Who the hell starts a micronation next to another one? And considering the founders of Terravana and Kadramere were cousins, the latter stealing the idea for a micronation from the former, they had always been disdained as copycats, unoriginal and any other such slur which perchance crossed their mind.

And then the wars began.

Kadramerians stole beer first. Supposedly a joke, but with no great opposition police force to worry about, and the regular mainland Australian Government not interfering, Kadramere went for it. And then it escalated. Fortunately, they were civil enough to never kill their enemy, but there were many confrontations of strong words and complaint.

Eventually Terravana had had enough and insisted to the league Kadramere be barred and kicked out, denied the league currency which had recently become accepted by Australia itself as a tradeable currency. But the league Supreme Chancellor had another idea. Unification was the cry. Simply for Kadramere to acknowledge its unoriginal idea and join its older brother, as sense dictated. But everyone knew that was impossible.

Roj Blake was a proud Terravanian – very proud. And Avon Jennings, a feared Kadramerian foe, had him on his list as enemy number one. But they were brought to the council of the Supreme Chancellors table and he put this before them.

‘Peace must reign between you two brothers. You are responsible for over 20,000 souls, so you must be at peace. You two presidents need a United Nation, with two provinces. It is the way forward, and the whole league knows it.’ As the Supreme Chancellor spoke those words President Blake looked at President Jennings and smiled.

‘Well, how about it? Put to rest old warring wounds and unite?’

‘But is that not simply impossible? Can we really get along?’

‘We can try?’

‘Well, alright. We’ll try. And the new name of the Nation?’

The chancellor spoke up. ‘Kadravana.’

They looked at him, looked at each other, and both nodded. And thus it was settled. The impossible unification between Terravana and Kadramere had come to pass, and life in Australia would never be the same again.

‘Life in Kadravana’

Jantok Blake had been an Aussie. Had been. But now, thinking over his move to his cousin’s province of Kadramere in the micronation of Kadravana, he reflected on the totally different spirit which pervaded the place. Far more potential, really. Far more than Australia. Australia was dull, boring, predictable. Locked up on a legal system mainly to control its renegade citizens. The Aussie Bloke. But Kadramere, now, was flourishing. Just south of Eden, Kadravana was a fair size micronation, with many people. They didn’t have a huge amount of land, and had built upwards. But they were competitive on the world stage on the one thing they did have – talent. You see, the spirit of Kadravana, a micronation with two provinces, seemed to have a unique culture which brought forth writings and intelligent literature totally unlike the boring and predictable mainstream world. It was unique. And they didn’t sell it cheaply. They had access to the World Wide Web, paying for it from Australia, and charged in Australian dollars for their fiction and other writings and music to be read and listened to. And they were becoming wealthy. In the end a macronation was boring, predictable, and didn’t offer much of a unique life. Escaping the rat race, escaping Babylon as his father had put it and then encouraged his son to come join him – well that was simply the way to go. Out with the old, in with the new. A new world – a brave new world – escaping the old traditions which were going nowhere and doing nothing. And as a Noahide, looking up at the sun setting, he said to himself ‘Thank God for that. Thank God for that.’

“God the Father”

8,506 SC

“God the Father.”

“Yes, I know him,’ responded Alexander Darvanius II to Moses statement.

“Do you love him, Alexander? For peace to reign between you and us, you must love your God.”

Alexander looked at the lawgiver. A million responses beckoned him, yet one sufficed.”

“I will try, Rabbi. I will try.”

“Then we may have peace,” responded the Father of the Torah.

‘Unity Hour’

9507 SC

It happened in a moment in time. In a moment in infinity and eternity, planned from the mind of God, planned for the unification of his children. And then, suddenly, they became aware. The Angels of Infinity suddenly were visited upon from the children of Heaven who then took some of them to the Realm of Eternity and Paradise as well. And, finally, Metatron left home and started his long awaited holidays in the other realms. Unity hour, at the end of the Millennium on Earth, was the time in which New Terra in the Spiritual Universe came to its final formation, and the resurrections began. New Terra housed all of humanity to start with, such being its magnificent size, but of course, in the very near future, the first 12 planets and then the second 12 planets and then the others were to come forth. Ultimately a continuing expansion of humanities planets for their eternal existence.

And now, at Unity Hour, the awaited further expansion of the Realm of Eternity outwards, with Pelphora, Brephora, Romnaphora and Kalphora, the new outer discs being created, to complete the seven inner discs with the Uniting of the Realms. The Realm of Infinity also accomplished further expansions. And, in the Realm of Eternity, the firstborn of the Saruvim finally came to be.

Unity hour, also, saw the final end to the official economic system. Throughout the realms it was deemed by Michael that the angels and humans had finally toughened up enough on their work ethic that working for a monetary reward no longer seemed necessary. The original system established in the realm were people simply worked in roles most suitable for them, and took their turns on the roster for the more difficult jobs was restored. Money was kept, also, and everyone was allowed the same allowance with their money kept in the banking system. The main purpose of money, in the words of Michael and Saruviel, was that for the ‘collectable’ items of limited supply, items which had a strong demand for by many people, a monetary system in which those who paid the highest price were assumed to be those who desired such objects the most anyway, money was the simplest solution to arrange the distribution of such good. But food, clothing, shelter, and standard goods and services of a non-collectable nature really had no need for money to determine their availability, so the role-system was established in which people simply did the work and provided the goods. And this was deemed, by everyone, wise indeed.

Unity Hour was a point in God’s life that he remembered often as the years passed. He remembered the spirit of friendship and togetherness that people had found, finding new friends and becoming aware of things which had been in existence for so long but never known of. It was a time of awakening, a time of preparation for New Beginnings and a time of real peace, love and joy for the God of Eternity and Infinity. A time he would never, ever forget.

Chronicles of the Children of Destiny

The Facts of Life 2

It was not long before the death of the fourth beast, and Ambriel was doing his duties in Israel as Ruler and Messiah. It was about this time, not long before the end, in which Daniel Daly was explaining certain protocols required of Israel towards the gentile world and, a curious issue, the reasons why gentiles no longer complained about the impending Israelite Messianic Kingdom over mankind. They all knew it was coming in their hearts, and that 666 himself, master Saruviel, would not be ruling too much longer.

The gentile nations had sunk in their holiness standards. While churches still existed, they had shrunk in numbers greatly because so few were willing to commit to the standards of holiness which Jesus required of them. They didn’t really give a fuck about being that holy.

And then Noahide faith had shown up and absorbed, in general, those with just a basic sense of lawfulness towards God.

Yet the world, those whose families left the church and did not turn to Noah – the gentile nations of the world – well, they served Saruviel, but in the end they only served their own lusts and desires. They did not care.

But there was an undercurrent amongst them, promoted by various Christian, Noahide, Muslim, Bahai and Jewish bodies, that the righteous would end up ruling the sinful gentile nations of the world, simply because the pious of the nations were doing the shit work in ensuring, at the very least, a basic sense of lawfulness – even though the standards were far from high. And with that undercurrent the gentiles of the world who acknowledged God did not seem to care anymore wether they were ruled or not. The spirit had made it perfectly clear that over the many generations so many of their ancestry had had ample opportunities to repent and serve God, yet they had served their own lusts and desires instead. And so, because Israel and their spiritual offspring were doing the real shit work of sorting out these sinners, they were given the reward of ruling mankind in the soon to be realized Messianic Kingdom. And this, now, was being accepted. The gentiles knew what was required of them – but they didn’t care. They would only serve Israel in the end because their own standards had been so low, that they knew they would get into real trouble with God if they sunk any further.

And then came the end.

And Saruviel was taken out of the picture, as was Jesus. And Michael reigned over the millennia, yet David Rothchild was always there as ruler of Israel. And then, the day came, Michael and all of the angelic host amongst mankind were returned to heaven, barring two members – David Rothchild, and the angel Callodyn, who had been serving God personally for particular rewards.

And then there were two.

David, from his many conversations with Michael, learned of Meludiel, but learned that he had married a human woman, for which Saruviel had judged him for. But David had married her in grace, for he loved her.

Justine Atkinson had been blessed with uncommon life because of her husband, and when what was also called ‘The Rapture’ occurred at Unity Hour, and the angels were taken away bar two, Justine sat with David, in their palace in Jerusalem, looking over the Kingdom of God they were destined to rule together for quite some time yet to come.

And then began the new prophetical age, when new religious teachers arose amongst mankind, teaching new revelation and new holiness, and attempting to redeem mankind from the terribly low standards he had sunk to prior to the Messianic Kingdom. And David was largely behind this work.

As for Callodyn, he was undertaking one primary objective – the continuation of his wealth building for himself and his various clan offspring’s.

David knew Mr Daly was the richest man in the world, exceeding himself now by quite a fair margin, but that particular child of Noah had always served God with the kind of determination which made such things, perhaps, inevitable in the end. It was just Callodyn’s talents coming to the surface in that way.

Yet the day came, towards the last thousand years of David’s rule, when he had set things in place and, in the restored United Nations, something which David had worked upon to ensure no Saruviel could disrupt again, he had set things in place for the eventual emergence of an Arch Regent Chancellor to administer mankind’s affairs from the proposed seat of Stellar Harmony in New York. While his offspring would continue in their role as defenders of God’s faith from the Israelite Kingdom, their role would be royal – a figurehead. Administration would go back to the world to run their own affairs. Israel would retain royal power, but nothing more.

And then David passed, and returned to heaven, and Justine joined him a few years later.

And then there was one. Just one.

* * * * *

Cherubim Ramiel sat in the reception of ‘Daly Tower’ in Canberra, waiting to be called in. He was on a diplomatic mission from heaven, for the time had come for Mr Daly to put forward exactly what he wanted.

Soon he was called in, and Daniel sat there, in his office, the last angel on Earth, smiling.

‘Ramiel. Good to see you again.’

Ramiel cut to the chase. ‘What do you want, Daniel? What do you want?’

Daniel looked at Ramiel, picked up a letter opener, toyed with it, and turned to the window, in his upper Garran office, looking out upon the nearby hospital. He was happy. Very happy. He could now get exactly what he wanted, and he knew why as well.

‘You are authorised to speak on behalf of God, I take it – as was arranged?’ queried Daniel.

‘I am,’ responded Ramiel.

‘Then I will cut to the chase. He is not interested in reinventing the wheel – is he? He is not interested in replacing Israel’s role.’

‘He never really has been, Mr Daly.’

‘Yet, I could if I so chose. He has given me the power to do so if I chose.’

‘Yes,’ stated Ramiel flatly.

Daniel nodded, and turned again once more to look over the hospital.

‘I always like Canberra this time of the year. Autumn is my heart, I think.’

Daniel turned to Ramiel. ‘If I am to come home any time soon, and forsake my planned glory – well, there must be………………………………………………………

He turned to the window.

Eventually Ramiel spoke.

‘Yes. There must be???’

Daniel turned back to him.

‘There must be… Compensation.’

Ramiel nodded. He assumed as much.

‘And your desires?’

‘For forsaking the glory I desire, dear Ramiel – well, suitable compensation. Suitable compensation.’

Ramiel nodded. ‘I understand.’ He then opened a briefcase, handed Daniel an envelope, and Daniel took it from him. He opened it, noticed it was signed with God’s personal seal, and read the short note.

And then, putting it down, looking out the window, he nodded – satisfied.

He didn’t look at Ramiel, but nodded. ‘That will be satisfactory.’

Ramiel smiled. ‘We will take you in a while – a few hundred years. Complete your business, and treat Israel with some respect for now. For your reward they will require a gentle leaving from yourself.’

‘I understand,’ responded Daniel.

Ramiel stood, bowed, and departed.

Danny watched him go, looked again out at the hospital, and suddenly was in the mood for a pizza.

Things were good. Things were looking good.

And the facts of life remained true, no matter what some may object to – no matter what some may say.

The End

‘Ruth’

Televon 511

Televon was a beautiful planet, thought Ruth.  She and her husband Boaz had settled there, heads of a small Israelite community in the small city of Paradision on the southern continent of Televere called Androma.  They lived at the end of a street in Paradision with houses only on one side of the street, the opposite side all bushland as much of Televere still was.  Their next door neighbour was a certain ‘Daniel Daly’ who had shared similar religious views, funnily enough, to the children of Israel, himself being a noahide. Daniel was a recent addition to life on Televere, having arrived not long back. And while Ruth and Boaz knew he had lived on earth and that he was also the angel Callodyn, they had not known that he had been the last of the pre-unity angels to have lived on earth. Of course, angels were taking on human form again on earth, yet these were newer angels, ones which had never yet tasted human existence.  Daniel had been overwhelmed to have found himself living next to King David’s great-grand parents but all Boaz would say is that it was a small world.  Daniel, though, thought destiny may have had a say.

Ruth had three pet cats:  Simon, Paul & Mary.  They were named after her three favourite Christians, even though she herself was not Christian in faith.  When they had first come to new life from Sheol Ruth and Boaz had studied out the Christian faith and attended church often.  Like most traditional Jews they soon rejected Jesus as being the messiah, but found his religion in terms of holiness and love quite appealing.  They had never formally converted to Christianity in their decades attending various churches, but still felt a sense of community with Christians.  However, they were Jewish in the end, keeping faith in their own covenant with God.

Ruth remembered coming to Israel the first time from her homeland of Moab.  Boaz had loved her and accepted her.  Some of the other woman of Bethlehem had slight feelings of resentment, but accepted her as they had grown to know her.  She had started obeying God and following his Sabbath, but there had been no formal conversion processes in those days to take on the torah for females.  It had not really been expected of them.  But in her years on Televere she had made her bat mitzvah and was now a full member of the Jewish community according to Jewish law.

David visited her often.  He lived on one of the northern continents of Televere, which was settled by many Israelites.  They had claimed Televere mainly as an Israelite planet, but there were numerous other peoples on the planet as well, a population of around half Jewish and half Gentile.  Mostly, after having lived there for some time now, Ruth had noticed that the gentile population was of people who’d generally had good will towards Israel.  Perhaps, and unsurprisingly, this was why they were now all together on Televere.

She had visited Zaphon of the Realm of Eternity just the once with Boaz, having been invited by her great grandson of many later generations, the Seraphim Angel Ambriel who had been Messiah.  She had found the place idyllic and lovely and her and Boaz had been on a small boat with Ambriel and Meludiel sailing over golden lake.  The level of peace in those few weeks had been extraordinary and Ruth looked forward to going back one day.

All things considered, Ruth was happy with her life on Televere.  Boaz worked in the local community, mainly helping with farming duties.  Televere, as an economy, had a monetary system mixed with what were felt were the best mix of socialistic and capitalistic policies to ensure the best quality of life for all.  Everyone had work when they wanted it and nobody went hungry.  In this respect it generally followed the economy which had gradually developed in the Realm of Eternity.  Ruth was happy enough, living out her modernized life in Televere and, with the new Internet having been established globally, spent much time emailing friends and just enjoying her simple life with Boaz.

Chapter Two

‘Well, how say you,’ asked Boaz to his neighbour Daniel.  ‘It will be a dinner for about eight of us if you can attend.’  Daniel Daly nodded, generally happy enough to go along to the dinner party Boaz had arranged for the upcoming Sabbath night.  ‘Yes, alright Boaz.  It sounds good.  And thanks.’  Boaz nodded, offered his hand which Daniel shook, and departed.

Walking back up the driveway Ruth was on the front lawn, watering her roses.  ‘So is he coming then?’ she asked.  ‘Yes, he is coming,’ replied Boaz.  ‘Good,’ said Ruth.  ‘Claudia has promised to come along as well.  This could prove interesting.’  ‘Not matchmaking are we Ruth?’  ‘You have seen fiddler on the roof too many times Boaz.  Really, too many times.’  But Ruth really was matchmaking.

Sitting in his living room, listening to his Televeran CD walkman, a Bongiovi All-Stars CD, Daniel thought on the up and coming dinner for 8 next door.  Daniel was co-founder of Haven Noahide Fellowship, which had become quite a large fellowship on earth.  He had never married though, not finding anyone suitable to himself.  There were about a thousand Havenites on Televere, one other living in Paradision.  He no longer managed the fellowship on an ongoing basis, but occasionally sent in an email on various spiritual perspectives to the hierarchy which usually forwarded it on to their mailing list.  He was retired in a sense, having found more suitable people to replace him in the noahide field of ministry.

He kept it simple now, not overly concerned with finding a mate.  Heck, he had been alone all his long life on earth as one of the elect and that had continued in his years so far on Televere.  He did doubt he would be alone forever, guessing he would eventually meet someone.  But for now the single life suited his purposes.

Ruth, finishing off her watering, went inside to ring somebody.  Coming inside she picked up the phone and dialed the number.  ‘Hello, Claudia speaking.’  ‘Oh, hello Claudia.  This is Ruth.  I just wanted to check that you were still available for dinner this Sabbath.  That is ok isn’t it?’  ‘Yes, ok Ruth.  I have no major plans of my own so I can make it.  What time do you expect me?’  ‘Just after sundown, ok.  As the Sabbath begins.’  ‘Shall I walk or don’t you mind me driving?’  ‘Up to you, dear.  We are not that fussed either way.’  ‘I will see you there then.’  ‘Thanks Claudia.  And thank you.’  Hanging up the phone Ruth was happy with her little matchmaking effort.  Hopefully everything would go as planned.

Chapter Three

The dinner was going well.  Daniel was sitting next to Claudia engaged in light banter.  He could not help but notice Ruth observing him from time to time, albeit unobtrusively.  He smiled.  He knew then she had set him up to chat with Claudia, but he didn’t mind.  Claudia was an attractive looking Spanish Jew.  She seemed familiar in a way, but he could not quite place were he had met her before.  Nonetheless they had a good time that night and when Claudia invited Daniel to a movie Ruth and Boaz just looked at him waiting his response.  He said yes, and Ruth let out a small smile, trying not to be noticed.

The next day Boaz was in conversation with his wife.  ‘You know, Ruthie, matchmaking often has drawbacks.’  ‘Nonsense, Boaz.  People who are meant to be together just need a little encouragement.  That is all it was about.’  ‘I hope so,’ replied Boaz.  ‘Well I got a call from David this morning.  He is coming to see us in a few weeks.  Just to say hello.  He is bringing Bathsheba so it should be an interesting time.’  ‘Oh, that is good.  I will have to prepare his favourite meal.’  Boaz nodded.

Next door, Daniel was looking at his clothes.  He had a few suitable things to wear to the night’s movie.  Some black trousers, a nice red shirt and a leather tie.  It was more his type of clothing.  He had been a little nervous having been asked out.  That had happened rarely in his life.  But it only bothered his male pride a little.  He was somewhat taken with Claudia and if she was the one for him in the end her asking him out meant little in the grand scheme of things.

That evening, pulling out of his driveway in his red sedan, Ruth ran to his car window and he pushed the button to open the window.  ‘Well, it is your night out with Claudia, isn’t it?’  Daniel nodded.  ‘Good luck then.  Remember to tell me all about it.’  Daniel nodded with his usual smile

Ruth sat in the front living room all that night and when Daniel returned at around 11 she was tempted to go next door, innocently mind you, just to see how the night went.  But in the end she decided against it, happy to wait until the following day.  She would then know how successful her little matchmaking effort had been.

Chapter Four

‘So how did it go then?  Tell me all about it.’  Daniel, sitting at his breakfast table, eating a piece of toast with bacon and eggs on the plate, didn’t really mind Ruth bothering him at breakfast.  But he did like his breakfast.  ‘It went fine Ruth.  The movie was great.’  ‘I am not talking about the movie Daniel Daly.  How were you and Claudia together?’  ‘Oh,’ said Daniel, smiling somewhat.  ‘I had thought you were curious about the movie.’  ‘Daniel, Daniel, Daniel.  Will you ever learn?  To win a fair maiden’s heart you have to be interested in more than just movies.’  Daniel nodded a little.  ‘I know.  I wasn’t born yesterday, you know.’  ‘I think you were when it comes to women, though.’  ‘Very funny.  But, seriously, we had a good time.  We ate a meal before the show and I got to know her.  She said she had known me once, but didn’t disclose were from, which I found surprising.  But these things happen in such a long life.’  ‘Yes they do, don’t they.  Well, will you see her again?’  Daniel took a bite of toast and turned to the TV, watching the morning show.  He never responded to the question and a few moments later Ruth persisted.  ‘Well Daniel?’  He continued staring at the morning show, eating his toast, and eventually said ‘Maybe.’  Ruth stared at him.  He really was difficult to fathom was this Daniel Daly.  But be that as it may she had done her best.  Best to now leave it in the hands of heaven she thought to herself.

Later on, having related her story to Boaz, he commented. ‘Perhaps the lad is just not ready to settle down Ruth.  You know, some of us go more slowly than the rest on issues like that.’  ‘How old do you have to be Boaz?’  ‘I don’t know.  But I don’t think there is a rulebook on romance and life.  Things happen when they are meant to happen.  You can’t go rushing them.  Daniel will find his mate in time.  And, perhaps, the last thing he needs or wants is Ruth the wife of Boaz interfering with his destiny.  Leave the kid alone.  Let him find her in his own way.’  Ruth considered her husband’s words.  They seemed, for Boaz, wise enough.  So she would listen.  But, secretly, if she could bring Claudia and Daniel together, she would.  It was good for a man to marry.  Of that much she was certain.

Days came and went and Daniel saw Claudia a few more times but, in the end, nothing more eventuated.  She was not for him.  Still Ruth thought on her neighbour often and wondered just what was in the heart of Daniel Daly.  Time will only tell, she thought to herself.  Time will only tell.

The Cherubim Sandra

“Dreams”

Televon 511

Chapter One

‘Living in the Realm of Eternity again, after her long sojourn on earth, was a period of bliss in its initial years for the Cherubim Sandra. She had resumed working with Ambriel from time to time, but had gradually travelled outwards to the new outer disc, further out than Terraphora, the new disc of Mitraphora. Mitraphora was the third outwards expansion of the Realm of Eternity, after Zaphora and Terraphora. It was the same width as from Zaphon to the edge of Terraphora, meaning the Realm had doubled again in width. But, of course, circling all around Terraphora the amount of land had grown voluminously. And now the new Ketravim were finding home in the new disc of Mitraphora. The firstborn of the Ketravim was Rachael, who had been the wife of Samael of Infinity on Earth. For a while she had lived on human planets, but had now taken up her destiny and resided in Mitraphora in one of the capitals of the Realm. Since the firstborn, Rachael, had come the secondborn, Lucy Bridges, and then an alarming rush following that. Now, all told, there were around 17 million Ketravim who now resided in Mitraphora. Sandra wondered if there numbers would be one day completed but, seeing the fact that they had recently been developing procreative abilities and having children – something which just started happening, supposedly as part of their gradual development, Michael had announced that the offspring of the Ketravim had, unsurprisingly, a particular name. And that was the ‘Saruvim’, which meant the seventh group of angels. And now, just announced by Michael, the new disc of Pelphora was soon to come to be which would house the Saruvim. And no sooner had Michael announced Pelphora that three days later Ambriel displayed on his internet message board, after a quiet conversation with God, the next 7 discs, each of increasing size. For after Pelphora would come, Brephora, Romnaphora and Kalphora, completing the 7. Then four more discs, Dalnaphora, Bethlephora, Nazraphora and Glimmerphora. And Ambriel, not too subtley, let it slip that like humanity the angels could generally expect the discs to go on expanding on a permanent basis. He also let something go by which pleased many of the angels. Like the abilities to procreate which the Ketravim now had obtained, gradually the earlier angels, as angels, would be endowed with this ability as well. It was simply a matter of time.

Living in Mitraphora, Sandra was now occasionally visited by her twin Samael of the Cherubim who occasionally made the trip from the edge of Terraphora to see her. She had grown gradually closer to Samael, never really having been that close to him in his younger years. But, like many, she craved a relationship with her twin now.

And now, having decided to go on a holiday to a human planet, Sandra had suggested they visit Televon for her to see an old friend who she had known from earth. A certain Daniel Daly who had been a friend of Callodyn Bradlock’s and who had met Sandra and developed an email friendship with. Sandra suspected that Daniel seemed to be one of the Ketravim, just blooming late. He was unlike most humans in the way he more strongly related to angelic beings, but still she couldn’t be sure. So she would go and visit Daniel to catch up and see what was happening in the life of her friend. Like Daniel Sandra had been a Noahide on earth, one of few. Daniel had been a big comic guru and Sandra had worked in one of Callodyn Bradlock’s comic stores. They had discussed comics from time to time and from what she had learned of Daniel from the letters he occasionally sent her he wrote some comics for a small comic company he had been putting together. He was still not very good at the artwork, but wrote well, from what he had said.

So, Samael in tow, Sandra headed to a gate one fine afternoon, her credit vouchers for 200,000 standard universal credits in her handbag, and made the trip to Televon.

Chapter Two

‘So what are your dreams, Daniel? What are your dreams? Do you want to marry, to make a name for yourself, to see the universe and all its enchantments? To build an eternal legacy?’ Daniel Daly, sitting at the dinner table, sharing a meal with Sandra and Samael, thought that over. ‘You know, Sandy. I have had my full of dreams, in a way. Building Haven Noahide Fellowship had been a big deal for a while. A very big deal. Being the founder for what then was a brand new Noahide world had meant a huge amount. But the work has been done now. And Haven continues to slowly grow universally. I mean, it really is like Jesus said. Like what he taught his apostles without holding anything back.’ ‘And what is that?’ asked Sandra interested. ‘Sow the seed. Sow the word of God. But, like Jesus did, to really become famous in the end, if that is what your innermost heart really desires, leave a legacy of being a child of God. And in a way that is what Haven was all about.’ ‘What do you mean exactly?’ asked Sandra, most curious. ‘Well, of course it was all about the Noahide faith. When I left the church I had been a strong evangelist and wanted to continue to spread God’s word. Being Jewish didn’t seem that appealing and didn’t really seem the kind of religion you could evangelise to the man in the street. But Noahide faith looked practical and had its appeal. Telling people that they already were Noahides seemed quite feasible. And it slowly took off and now, today, I have a still growing legacy. Even now people occasionally come to seek me out as the founder of Haven just to meet me and gain my perspective on things. And I guess that is what I wanted. Somehow, seeing what Jesus did to build the church seemed like the obvious way to also proceed. Spread the word and build an assembly. And even the Jews say Abraham initially did similar things.’ Sandra nodded, gaining somewhat more of an understanding into the life of Daniel. ‘And is that what you really want, then? An enduring legacy?’ ‘Doesn’t everyone?’ She looked at him, considering that, and took another bite of toast. Samael spoke up. ‘You might not know, but I am yet to go down and taste my time on earth. But father tells me it will be soon. But what you speak of, building a legacy, it sounds very interesting.’ ‘It is mostly for the sake of a neverending list of friends and people to do things with,’ replied Daniel. ‘I mean, God knows we all need friendships. All of us need that. And some crave it more than others. But some of us even want a bit of fame as well as friendships. And perhaps God likes to answer the desires of our hearts. Perhaps that is all it is.’ Sandra nodded. That much seemed understandable at least. ‘Well, how many visitors do you get then?’ ‘Oh, a few. Really, I usually tell people I am not available but, if they want, I can put them on a waiting list to see them. But I tell them it could take a while.’ Sandra smiled. ‘Jesus has that problem. Apparently you have to wait millions of years these days just to spend an afternoon with him.’ Daniel laughed. ‘You know, I think that problem is only going to get worse and worse. Perhaps inevitably so for that character.’ Sandra and Samael both smiled at that point. ‘You could be right,’ said Sandra.

The three of them chatted on for a few hours that morning before Daniel said he had an appointment and would see them again later on in the day. Sitting there with Samael, watching some Televeran television, she thought on some of the things Daniel had said. Certainly she understood the desire for fame. Perhaps that was just a human instinct in some ways. But it was a most different way to go about it, building a religious assembly. But perhaps that was just Daniel. And perhaps it was just the kind of people he wanted to attract to himself. Perhaps that was just all it was.

Chapter Three

Well, what dreams did she have? What dreams did Sandra of the Cherubim really have? She was back home in Mitraphora, at work, thinking that over. Certainly, like the Seraphim, being the 29^th born of the Cherubim, next in rank after the 70 Seraphim, meant that she likewise had a fair degree of universal fame. A lot of humans out in that universe knew of her – knew who she was. She knew that, in truth, she was quite famous. But they were rarely allowed to visit the Realm of Eternity and usually they wanted to meet Ambriel or Michael or some other elder of the community. But she knew she had fame, especially in the way she was treated by many Televeran’s, who had known who she was. Her face, it appeared, was quite well known out there. Out there beyond the comfortable shell of the Realm of Eternity. It was surprising, really, and made Sandra think this. What should she do? What should she do with the opportunities available to her with her fame? What dreams should she let come to life? It was a most interesting question. After thinking this for a number of weeks she decided to go visit Ambriel to see if he might have something useful to say. Fortunately she would probably not have too much difficulty meeting him when she wanted. She knew, like Jesus, he gave a few days over to his appointments, or waiting lists for want of a better word. But after that they had all the time with their own regular families. And Sandra was very important to Ambriel, so he continued to tell her.

‘Dreams. I think, Sandy, it is not so much what we can dream for ourselves, but that which the infinite one can dream for us. If you place your heart and trust into the goodness of God he can give you dreams beyond even your wildest. If you will only trust in his unlimited grace, that is.’ Sandra nodded. As ever Ambriel had glorified God and given her the insight she knew she needed. ‘And how do we find these dreams, Ambriel?’ ‘Let them find you. They will, in time. It is true for every soul ever born and every soul to ever be born. They find their dreams when they need to. It is just a matter of time.’ Again she nodded. It was as if this was wisdom – eternal wisdom – wisdom from a soul who had given long contemplation to such subjects. She thanked him and the finished their lunch before Ambriel excused himself.

On the trip back to her home in Mitraphora Sandra gave much thought to Ambriel’s words. Perhaps she just needed to wait. To just wait and let her dreams happen when they should. But how would she know when a dream came along. And what if she missed her opportunities. Still, she had to trust. She knew Ambriel was right. She had to trust and assume, when things fell into place, her dreams would sneak up on her and tell of the glory she perhaps wanted.

Chapter Four

9020 SC

She looked at the script. It seemed easy enough, memorising these words. Perhaps she should indeed take the part. Perhaps she should. Really, it had been a surprise. A community from Televon had written to her asking if she would like to take part in a movie about some of the angels. The angels were very difficult to reach, but they were loved. And Televere had written to a number of Seraphim and Cherubim asking if they were interested. She eventually found out, a few weeks later, that about 20 Seraphim and 10 Cherubim had been asked if they would like to star in the movie. It appeared she had been one of the lucky Cherubim. And so, deciding that this might be just the opportunity she had been waiting for, Sandra accepted the part. What it would bring only God knew, but it was something. A start, perhaps. A start at the glory she had felt she wanted. And thinking of what dreams could come, Sandra was a happy little angel of God. A happy little star.

The End

* * * * *

Orange Worker

Paul Saberton looked up at the orange tree, picked an orange, peeled it, ate the fruit, and wandered down to the stream. Here he was, naked, married, in Paul’s own private ‘Garden of Eden’ with his new bride. She was a non-religious naturalist, who believed in God, but hated religion. And, despite himself, he was drawn to her and found her challenge on his faith a calming balm. In the same way opposites attract he found her terribly human behaviour the solace for his still spiritually thirsty soul in the most ironic of ways.

She was on the opposite side of the bank, naked, and waved him over. They talked for a while, made love, and returned to their modern house, just a few hundred metres up stream.

Jesus had been challenging. Explaining in no uncertain terms that if he had known what it had meant when it was written ‘I desire mercy and not judgement’, he would not have been so quick to condemn the Catholic Church. Paul had responded, in no uncertain terms, that he could not stomach such a faith. Jesus had said, so be it, protestant. And that had been that. And now, committed to being a friend of Jesus forever, for that would not change, he had done it. Renounced his Christianity. He really did not think he could stomach the Noahide thing which Daniel maintained and, instead, found his solace in Naomi Peterson, the naturalist and non-religious bride he had found himself with. And, despite himself, he was letting it go. Letting go of religion being the driving force in his life and, instead, simply going with nature’s way. The natural order. Not being dictated to by words in a book, but by the natural rhythms of heavenly life. And it was funny – a weight had lifted because of it.

He had been this way now for a century and, while Jesus visited occasionally, having been instructed by God to pay particular attention to Paul Saberton for certain doctrinal reasons, Paul drifted away into the simple life. The basic life. And he knew, in the way his soul was healing, not being dictated to in how to heal, but healing naturally, he was content.

The End

* * * * *

“The Sundering”

35,334 HY

10,025 SC

And as instantly two became one, one became two and Logos, in a moment in time, found himself seated in his room in the tower of Infinity and Jesus found himself on a grass plain in Terraphora, not to far from a keep. For the sundering had just taken place, the returning of the two beings to their own planes of existence, for the purposes of the Logos and the 21^st Cherubim Angel of Eternity had come to be and were no longer needed.

The Celestyel Angel Aphrayel

‘Benjamin’

10,026 SC

35,335 HY

Chapter One

‘His name is Benjamin.’ Aphrayel, having been introduced by Logos to her long awaited twin, shook Benjamin’s hand. He smiled at her quite formally. Very traditionally, it seemed. ‘So, Benjamin,’ she began. ‘What do you like to do?’ but she caught herself. ‘Sorry, I mean, forgive me. I mean, how would you know what you like to do? You are only a few hours old.’ Aphrayel was nervous, and it showed. Her newborn twin stood in front of her, looking quite attractive in his trousers and shirt, with his long brown hair and good features. He smiled at her. ‘It’s ok Aphrayel. Really. Besides I am as old as yourself in many ways. I have lived that long in the loins of God.’ ‘And what is that like exactly?’ asked Aphrayel. ‘Don’t you remember?’ he asked, in a way which intimated that she perhaps should. ‘No, Ben. Not at all.’ He smiled. ‘Well that doesn’t matter. I am here now and we can get to know each other. Become friends, hopefully.’ ‘Yes, that would be nice,’ responded Aphrayel.

Samael looked at the two of them getting to know each other. He was not really sure what he should say. Almost as if he should say ‘That is my girl, you know. Go get your own.’ And in truth they had been close again for the last 8 years especially. It had started as a reaction against his own twin, Rhaemliel, who he barely had time for. It seemed, all of a sudden, confronted with the reality of choice, his heart craved the familiar. The longstanding relationship between himself and his lover Aphrayel. And he had snubbed Rhaemliel, clinging to his Celestyel sister, making sure she knew how special she was to him. But now there was her twin. Now there was Benjamin. ‘Hello Ben,’ said Samael offering his hand, deciding to try and make the best of the situation. I am your older brother Samael. Ben smiled warmly at Samael, offering his hand as well, and spoke. ‘I know you, Samael. I dream of you often.’ ‘You dream?’ he asked. ‘Well, sort of. But that is what the heart of God is like in a way. Dreams and illusions. Patterns of reality which come and go, never really being concrete like this world, but alluding to it. Always making you aware of what is to come.’ ‘How do you speak so well?’ asked Samael, curious as to the angel’s strong grip on his language. Benjamin looked over to Logos, who spoke up for him. ‘I guess you don’t really remember, do you Sam. But you spoke vibrantly in your first few years. It was a language we inherited, in a sense. Almost as if it was spoken instinctively. Ben understands much of this realm already, as if by instinct. And his dreams have been with him for thousands of years now. In a way he already knows us quite well.’ Samael nodded, acknowledging Logos information. It did actually sound right, from memory.’

‘Have a swig of this,’ said Sandalphon, handing Benjamin a glass of Scotch. ‘It will put hairs on your chest.’ Aphrayel looked alarmed. ‘Sandy, no! Don’t bloody give him scotch. He is barely 1 day old.’ Sandalphon grinned a little. ‘Better to get it into the little tykes when they are young. They grow up so bloody soft otherwise.’ Samael smiled at that comment. A typical observation from Sandalphon on human culture. But, funnily enough, Benjamin reached out his hand, took the scotch and, too Aphrayel’s amazement, swigged it in one mouthful. ‘Huuurrr,’ he exhaled. ‘That was good Sandalphon. The burning in the throat. Whoa. Feels wonderful.’ Sandalphon grinned. ‘Look at what you have gone and bloody done,’ said Aphrayel. ‘You have got him addicted already. ‘Welcome to the club then,’ replied Sandalphon. ‘Better sooner than later.’ Aphrayel stared daggers at Sandalphon and took Benjamin aside, grabbing the glass from his hand. ‘Now, Ben,’ she began. ‘Don’t go getting yourself caught up with the likes of Sandalphon, you hear me. God knows I love him, but there are far better examples of angels than the likes of he,’ she said, staring at Sandalphon through slanted eyes. He just smiled back, pretending to not care.

Benjamin spoke up. ‘Well, it has been good meeting you all. But, gosh. I am very tired.’ He turned to Logos. ‘You said there were living quarters for me?’ ‘Yes. Yes of course,’ responded Logos. ‘The outer towers. Come on, I will show you the way.’ Aphrayel gave him a little wave as he left the room and Sandalphon and Samael just stared as their newest brother left.

Standing there, staring at the now empty doorway, she could feel eyes on her back. She turned to look at them both, grinning slightly. Sandalphon spoke. ‘Well, have you got plans for him. Is he going to be the one, huh?’ ‘Sandy,’ said Aphrayel with a slight whine in her voice. ‘Don’t ask me that. You should know, ok. You should know.’ ‘Know what,’ said Samael. And she turned to look at him. ‘That I only have eyes for you, Callodyn Bradlock. That I only have eyes for you.’ Samael nodded and as an afterthought said ‘Good. Well, yeah. That is right. And me you, ok. And me you.’ ‘I should hope so,’ she responded.

They chatted on that afternoon, engaged in their usual affairs of life. But that night Aphrayel thought on Benjamin. She thought on the twin who had now, finally, come into her life. And she thought that, in the way he seemed like the total gentleman, God had chosen wisely for herself. Just what would eventuate in the next few weeks, though. Well that was definitely something worth finding out. It was definitely that.

Chapter Two

Ben looked at the fish which Samael had reeled in from the Rageeta Garden Pond. ‘And what do you do with that, exactly?’ asked Benjamin, staring at the fish. Samael smiled. ‘We eat it, Ben. And they taste good.’ ‘We eat it?’ he asked, slightly alarmed. ‘But it is alive?’ ‘Hey, it’s only a bloody fish,’ commented Sandalphon. ‘Besides, God made them for food. Apart from entertainment purposes.’ Ben still looked at the fish slightly alarmed, but seemed to have conceded the point. Aphrayel spoke up. ‘There are lots of animals in our Realm now, Ben. We don’t actually eat all of them, ok. But we do eat a number and as Samael said they do taste good.’ ‘Very strange,’ responded Benjamin. ‘Eating a living animal.’ Samael spoke up. ‘They have less intelligence, and apparently no soul from what Logos maintains. They are not spiritually alive but creatures of small thought and basic instinct. And they never live forever anyway.’ Ben nodded. ‘Well ok. If that is the way it is.’ ‘Yes that is the way it is,’ responded Samael. ‘Now come on. Get stuck in with the rod I gave you. We want to catch half a dozen or so for lunch. A fry-up today sounds ideal.’ Aphrayel showed Ben how to use the rod and shortly he was fishing, nervously, like Samael.

Once they had caught 7 fish Samael signalled that that would be enough and they headed off. They placed the rods in a shed near the northern towers were such items were kept and headed for the lunch hall. Logos was busily at work preparing lunch that day as it was his turn on the roster. He spied the fish, though, and got excited. ‘Only 7?’ ‘You can always do your magic tricks,’ replied Samael. ‘If you want an abundance of them, that is.’ Logos smiled. ‘Not today, Sammy. But leave me one, ok. It will go well with the lasagne as a side dish.’ Samael and the others looked at the oven. Inside were 7 large dishes of lasagne, the meals for those Onaphim who were still with them.’ ‘Looks great,’ said Samael. Logos nodded and went back to his work. Samael turned to Aphrayel. ‘Do you want to show Benjamin what to do with the fish?’ Aphrayel nodded and took the fish from Samael and motioned for Ben to watch her. She took a knife and started skinning the fish. Then she cut their heads off and, finally, slicing down the centre from the spine carefully removed the bones. ‘You have to be careful with the bones, Ben, to make sure you get them all. But the bones of these fish never really cause problems.’ Ben nodded, understanding his first lessons in cooking.

Eating the lasagne and fish, Aphrayel was seated with Samael on one side and Benjamin on the other. She offered him wine, which he accepted and sitting there, her lover on one side, her twin on the other, she was caught in two minds. She thought on Rhaemliel who Samael, although friendly towards, had consistently made no advances towards. And she knew then he had remained loyal to their relationship, placing Aphrayel above his own twin. He had honoured her – this much she knew. And because of that she had made a decision. She would treat Benjamin well – with love, respect and kindness. But she would remain faithful in her friendship with Samael. He had chosen her even above Rachael, so she would not forget his love.

They spent that afternoon out on the basketball court, taking turns in shooting hoops, introducing Benjamin to the game. Samael had a lot of skill at shooting hoops, now, after a number of centuries of occasional practice, but Sandalphon had not bothered. But Ben seemed to like the games they played and Aphrayel, after a while, wondered if the little trio of friendship which had evolved between herself, Samael and Sandalphon had a new friend in that of Benjamin. He was certainly very polite, got along well with them, and seemed to like them. And Samael, sensing that Aphrayel through body language and various words, was choosing him, was more accepting of Benjamin and seemed to like him. Perhaps this would be a good thing, Aphrayel thought to herself. Only time would tell.

Chapter Three

She was slightly uncomfortable. But only slightly uncomfortable. Samael and herself were in her abode watching a movie on the television set, Sandalphon standing by the window looking out over the city, with Benjamin on the other couch watching the show. In a way she was embarrassed, sitting right next to Samael, lying against him, his arm around her shoulder. She was worried that Ben might feel left out. This thought had bothered her for the last half an hour while they were watching the movie, despite telling herself that Ben, from the looks of it, didn’t seem to mind. But still she had convictions.

It was then, with that on her mind, a knock came on the door. Aphrayel stood, walked to the door, opened it and found Logos and Rhaemliel standing there. ‘Care for company?’ asked Logos. ‘Sure, come in,’ responded Aphrayel. Logos came inside, went to the kitchen and returned with two glasses of melit water, giving one to Rhaemliel. Rhaemliel thanked him and Logos then went over to chat with Sandalphon. But he was looking at Rhaemliel as if expecting something.

Aphrayel smiled at Rhaemliel and then returned to her seat with Samael, who resumed putting his arm around her. It was then a relationship began. A long lasting relationship. Rhaemliel, a little nervously, sat down next to Benjamin, who turned to look at her. She smiled at him, and he warmly smiled back. ‘Ben, isn’t it?’ asked Rhaemliel. ‘Yes. Benjamin. Aphrayel’s twin.’ ‘I am Rhaemliel. Samael’s twin. It is a pleasure to meet you.’ They chatted then, for the next 2 hours while the movie went through its drama and ended. And when the movie was over, they were still chatting, engrossed in their conversation with each other. Aphrayel, while pretending to watch the movie, had turned her head, but trying not to be noticed, often in the last 2 hours. Samael, though, had paid no interest. But after they had dinner, and Benjamin and Rhaemliel had left with each other, Aphrayel turned to Samael. ‘Well!’ she exclaimed. Samael, finishing off his glass of wine looked at her, feigning innocence. ‘What?’ he asked. ‘Come on. You can’t tell me you didn’t notice. They were practically all over each other.’ Samael smiled at Aphrayel. ‘Well personally I think Logos could have been a little more subtle, but such is life.’ ‘What?’ And Samael just grinned.

That night, Samael asleep beside her, Aphrayel considered his words. It had been planned. Quite obviously it had been planned by Logos. Bringing Benjamin and Rhaemliel together. As if to solve a romantic dilemma in a most unusual way. She really did not know if she was supposed to be jealous or not. Samael seemed totally unconcerned and, in a strange way, an awkward situation had now been resolved. And considering Samael’s words she wondered to herself just what Logos had been up to behind the scenes. Perhaps, in time, she would find out.

Chapter Four

Over the next few months a relationship blossomed between Rhaemliel and Benjamin. In a strange way to Aphrayel it was as if they were destined to be with each other. Gradually Benjamin spent less and less time with the three of them and formed his own little clique with Rhaemliel and some of the other recent twin additions. But that was the way of life. People seemed to gravitate towards those which they connected to in the right way. To those which somehow offered them the most in a relationship.

It was later on in that year that Aphrayel found herself in conversation with Logos and then brought up the issue of her twin and what it was supposed to represent in the planning of God. ‘God is a deep thinker, Aphrayel. I guess, he knows the eternal future before us and what will ultimately work for the best for all of us. There is a mystery to the twin. A divine unfolding mystery. Life will teach us this mystery as we continue to walk in our eternal pathways before us. And we might not always know the reasons and rationales of the Almighty, but they are discerned and learned over time. Suffice to say that Benjamin will likely play an important role in your eternal future, as Rhaemliel will for Samael. That is the way of life. But what more I can say beyond that, well……. Well that is really in the hands of God to say, and not myself.’ Aphrayel nodded, consoled somewhat. Logos seemed to make sense. His words seemed to resonate with wisdom. And perhaps, in time, she herself would understand the point and the purpose of a twin. And perhaps, in time, gain an appreciation for the wisdom of her eternal father for bringing a twin into her life.

That night, preparing a private meal for herself and Samael, she was somewhat glad now. The steady relationship which had developed between herself and Sammy was now no longer really at threat. The twin thing had come along, been understood, and now no longer really caused a problem. And sitting there, whipping up some cream for the desert, she realized that she really did love Samael and that she was with the right angel in the end. But what the future held, well God only knew. And as she continued to prepare the nights meal she allowed the simple fact that an unknown and mysterious future had always been part of her life and to simply accept the days as they came and went. All things made sense in time. All things usually worked out for the best. And in that truth she had happy consolation.

“Stellar One Tales”

The Seraphim Jembryel

The ‘Nixian’ Agenda

40,000 HY

14,699 SC

‘Of course, everyone knows Hydran’s can’t be trusted. Those fowl snakes have always thought themselves superior to us, especially on the sporting field. But a day of Judgement has come, I tell you. We live in a new era, in this stellar civilization. The old ways time and time again have failed. Everyone knows that. Pluto and Charon never act in our best interests and rarely present our claims to the stellar council. So I urge you, fellow Nixians, join the revolution. Join the ‘Way of Darkness’ and we will ultimately conquer our foes. Remember, united we stand, divided we fall.’

The speaker, Roge Jembray, got down from his soapbox after another afternoon on his usual crusade and started handing out flyers to the crowd which had gathered. About 50 metres away a parked cruiser ignited its engine and took to the skies. As the cruiser headed back to its hotel destination, the two men on board in the back seat felt satisfied. They had seen enough. They had seen firsthand the growing revolutionary feeling on Nix, one of the moons of Pluto & Charon, and would take this news back to their Hydran politicians. Conflict was coming – that much was certain. And Nix and Hydra were about to face a most decisive of encounters.

***

‘So how did it go today, Roge?’

‘Oh, the usual turnout, Julessa. I did sign on 20 or so new recruits, which gives us the number we were looking for. We have 10,000 now. 10,000 souls willing to put their life on the line for the future of Nix and our place in the system.’

‘And if it leads to war, Roge? What then?’

‘Then some will live and some will die, Julessa. But freedom always has a price. Mankind has always known that truth.’ Julessa Jembray nodded at her husband’s words. They were in truth familiar.

‘Will you be at the meeting tonight, or have you changed your mind and agreed to spend the night with me and mother and father to celebrate their wedding anniversary?’

‘You know I would love to, J. But you know how important the meetings are. I can’t miss them. Not for anything.’

‘Yes, I know. I was only hoping.’

Roge, having been greeted by his wife after returning from his preaching, got up from the kitchen table and walked into the living room to turn on the holoviewer. He switched the channel to Nix’s main news channel. The usual mix of politics and other events. As he sat there, relaxing, he thought on his struggle – his struggle for the future of Nix, one of the furthest moons from old Earth, right out near the edge of the system. It was 400 years now since colonisation, and completely settled. Solar magnifiers gave them the heat and the electricity they needed and they had ample water taken from one of the ice rings of Saturn. Nix homed a billion people or thereabouts. The whole surface of the moon was covered and sublevels went down near to the moons core – it was its own new world. And now that it had a growing culture and identity it was proud of itself, and Nixians wanted more. Roge knew that. They wanted to impress themselves upon the system and, as far as Roge Jembray was concerned, in a way that would not be forgotten.

***

The man in black examined the picture. ‘So this is Jembray?’ The agent in front of him nodded. ‘Mmm. He doesn’t look that dangerous. But better to be safe than sorry. Agent 8X, you are authorised to use deadly force to deal with this radical. But please, obtain your weaponry on Nix. We want no leaks back to Hydra. Am I understood?’ Agent 8X coldly nodded. He understood, alright.

***

The meeting had gone well. Better than expected really, the latest in the long rally. They were ready now, the ‘Way of Darkness’, and the political stage was the next logical step. They had the 10,000 official members required for a political party and, despite Nix being long regarded as a left-wing haven, the radical right might just have a say in the affairs of Nix in the immediate future.

As he drove home that night in his cruiser Roge Jembray was excited. The party was to lodge its official application to become a political party tomorrow morning. It required the standard electronic application but new parties still had a degree of old fashioned paperwork to fill out as well as official hard copy documents needed to be sighted, which Roge had been working on for the last few weeks. He was the number two man in the ‘Way’, technically, but number one, old John Sinclair, was more of a figurehead from a ruling right wing party from earlier in the century. In all practical manners Roge ran the show. He was not sure just how far he would go, in the end, but he sensed a sentiment on Nix. People were fed up with the short straw this end of the system usually got in system resources. Nearly always the last on the handout cue. Of course, they were largely self-sufficient as a satellite body, but they still needed the rest of the system as no planet stood alone in the end. Roge had a plan. He wanted to ruffle Hydra’s feathers in some ways. Hydra was much like Nix, similar in size, the other major moon of Pluto/Charon. But Hydra had a long standing attitude of superiority against their Nixian neighbours, being older in settlement, and slightly larger in population. They were competitors on and off the field of sporting glory, but there was a growing feeling in Nix that if Nix could get one really good one up on Hydra, well the whole planet would feel better about itself. And that is the role Roge Jembray saw for himself. Being the right man at the right time for Nix, his beloved planet of birth.

Driving along he was oblivious to the cruiser which had just pulled up behind him. And as Roge Jembray neared his home agent 8X in the cruiser behind him readied himself for his assassination attempt.

The cruiser landed in the port of his home and he got out and stood looking at his house, a technical wonder in this era of Nixian history. He reached back down to the open cruiser door, picked up his GHT567 phaser which he carried for defensive reasons and heard a zapping sound just as he picked up the laser. Looking around he noticed a scorch mark on his house and turned quickly to see a figure in black hiding behind a cruiser just across the road, weapon pointed at him.

Roge reacted quickly. They had chosen the wrong guy to mess around with. He had served in Nixian security details and was an expert with his weapon. So much so that after an exchange of a dozen or so shots he landed the killing blow on his opponent.

Coming over he looked at the dead figure. All in black with and id badge reading 8X. That sounded familiar. Hydran special agents used that id system. He had read the action novels about them as a youngster. Hydra was after him now – that much was apparent. He would have to be even more cautious in the future. But this was a good thing. It meant he was being noticed. And if he was being noticed, it meant one other most important of things. He had power coming to him. And with that power he would change the history and future of Nix and the stellar system forever.

***

Gaining 14 seats out of the 5000 House of Representatives sitting members was a good start for Roge Jembray and the ‘Way of Darkness’. Both John Sinclair and himself were amongst the winning members and there was a sense in the party that this was just the beginning. Just the beginning. After he had survived the assassination attempt the news had been leaked that Hydra had been responsible and there was a growing undercurrent in Nix now, more so than ever. Nix wanted a piece of Hydra. They wanted to stand up to their older brother.

At the next election they increased to 158 seats and were officially a minor party in the House. They also gained 2 Senators. While previously they’d really only had voting power in the house of Reps, Senator’s carried a lot more weight. And Roge had foregone his seat in the house of Reps to take up one of the Senatorial positions for the party. Now he had a degree of power – real power. They were a far right party, but the right wing opposition occasionally had words with them and sought their support on voting issues from time to time. Roge now had some influence.

It was at this time Roge formed ‘Children of the Night’, a long planned part of his agenda. The ‘Children’ were special operatives of the party, which Roge worked hard to gain official power for, which had just been granted by a special sitting assembly. Even the left wing recognized some of the sentiments the ‘Way’ represented. The ‘Children’ were then given the resources to accomplish their objectives.

Nix had a long standing arrangement with Hydra on supply ships from the inner system, but when special operatives of the ‘Children’ amongst other key groups started abducting the robotic operated supply ships arriving from the inner system which were due for Hydra, Hydra eventually noticed. And hostilities began.

It started slow. Firstly official words from one President to another seeking clarification of the situation and the hope diplomacy would end the problem. But Nix remained insistent of their innocence, which both parties knew was not true. Nobody really expected war, in the end. Nix had a grudge, nothing more. And their agenda to gain revenge on their long rivals was seen just as that. And because of that, after the first official space conflict between Hydra and Nix in which a Hydran battle-cruiser was destroyed, the Hydran President decided that Hydran’s simply did not want war. They would wait this one out.

***

It was 4 years into the conflict that the inner system finally decided to act. A special council was convened on Earth, head planet of the stellar system. Representatives of Nix and Hydra were summoned and the Grand Chancellor spoke directly with Roge Jembray, Nix’s selected representative. It was an illuminating conversation and years later Roge Jembray had finally acknowledged the wisdom in the Chancellors words.

The Chancellor had said this to Roge, in private, at the seat of stellar harmony in New York. ‘Roge, we humans have a long history of conflict. Our history is rife with such a reality. Indeed, this represents human nature in so many ways. And while we often react to the oppression of others in hostility and hatred, as a civilization we have slowly learned the lessons that war and pride must give way to peace and forgiveness for the good of all of us. The ancient United Nations was a beacon in the early days of a united humanity, symbolizing the best in us to get along on a global scale. In those days there was so much racial and religious division that many despaired of ever finding universal peace. But we persevered as a people and, in the end, saw the light. Be it the creator’s grace, or just that funny thing called ‘love’ we eventually learned enough to know how to get along as a people and respect each other. And that, I think dear Roge, is what Nix and Hydra must learn. It is not unique, your situation. Civilizations have gone through such dilemmas many times before. So I urge you, dear Roge Jembray. Learn from them. Learn from their mistakes and successes and learn that getting along, being at peace, is always preferred to a life on the edge, in which safety has vanished. I am sure, in the end Roge Jembray, you will do the right thing.’

Later on that year the conflict between Nix and Hydra had largely died down. The council seemed to have resolved most of the issues that Nix in particular had. And Roge, as he continued in his political life, thought often on the wisdom of the Grand Chancellor and eventually nodded to himself that he had indeed spoken with a wise man. And, as the years past, and Nix and Hydra grew more into friends than rivals Roge Jembray acknowledged that there was wisdom in the way of peace. There was wisdom indeed.

“Dark Times”

35,902 HY

The stranger looked up at the tower. Paramount tower, highest tower in the Realm of Eternity so far, 666 stories of Satan’s most viscious pride.

‘A Babelite indeed,’ he chuckled to himself. He was careful now. Very careful. 700 solid years of spiritual ministry under Rabbi Rosenberg on New Terra had taught him many things, but mostly to beware the power of evil. For, as the Rabbi would say, if your heart truly succumbs to the power of darkness and lets it go were it will, then God himself will forsake your salvation and allow you to taste the hallways of death which your pride thusly desires. And the Rabbi had reminded him again and again that no other power was known of as damnable in persuasive ability than the old devil, Satan himself. The stranger was aware of this. Intimately aware, and his agenda was now sure. The Rabbi had talked for a long time about the death penalty in the Torah of Israel and how the Angels seemed to be exempt from such a reality, subject to the Torah of heaven. But after many careful and private conversations, with careful words of prayer to Hashem to ensure his tacit acceptance, if not approval, the plan was hatched. One day, said the Rabbi, Satan would again act in his pride and rage, and in the power he would achieve, threaten the very foundation of human society through the spiritual universe. ‘We must act decisively, and now,’ the Rabbi spoke to him. ‘We must slaughter this beast and ensure our own survival. For if we do not it will be a dark end to all of us, and of that I am completely certain.’ And so the stranger finally agreed, despite the heart within him, a heart of love telling him to think otherwise, and plotted out his first assassination attempt. He knew he could never tell Meludiel, his twin. He knew that. Some secrets were meant to last for all eternity. But a time of testing had come for the stranger. A time of testing for Ambriel, son of God. If he were to be the man he needed to be, Satan, the dark lord of evil, would have to succumb to his wrath and taste the bittermost death so many for so long had wished upon him but not had the strength of courage or will to dare attain.

* * * * *

Satan looked at the picture on his desk in front of him, sitting in his office atop Paramount tower in the Realm of Eternity, nestled near Terraphon keep. He looked at Gemrayel, his heart sighing. It was not really as if could repent. Such an idea had vanished from his nature upon his fall. Who did that imbecile most high God really think he was to try and instruct Satan on ideas of religious ruling. Satan knew no authority, and would never respect any. Of course, he knew to fear God, but that was only because he knew the power, ability and wrath of God his father. God could get you at any time if he wanted to and his power was unavoidable. But he knew God to live by a sense of personal morality and if whenever he told God to Fugg himself and leave him the hell alone he always noted God withdrew according to Satan’s wishes. These days, it seemed, God had an inability to get mad at his son, something which Satan did not really understand. But, thinking about it for many years now, he knew it to do with his lack or real practice of evil for a long time. Satan, while never ever regretting his ways, had seemingly, as he noticed himself, toned down his nature. But he did not care for he sensed this to be naturally occurring. Almost as if he were getting along simply out of personal desire, which was a paramount thought of his own. Absolute freedom, his hearts love, said do what you will. But this old devil had grown a little softer now, so many millennia having passed, and found it strange that he got along a little better with those who had once been his sworn enemies. But he was Satan, still, and looking at Gemrayel he still grinned a little at the rape he had once accomplished. But his heart sighed for, not really knowing why, he longed to see her again so long she had sworn to stay away from him. He had seen Aphrayel a century ago and almost felt obligated to be a little polite, such had been his desire to rekindle his acquaintance. But that had not gone too well as he had insulted her after a while, and she had left frustrated. And now, in recent times, introspective thoughts. Thoughts on God’s actual views on morality itself and a simple thing God had said to him. A simple thing which he was at odds with because it actually seemed to make sense in reflection. The simple thing was that a moral life worked the best as you ended up getting along the best with everyone else to your own personal sense of satisfaction. Of course he had laughed at God as he had suggested that absurdity, but in quiet reflection he almost dared his heart to say that, well, yes, there seemed to be some truth to that idea. Yet, nevertheless, he was Satan, and he had a reputation to maintain, and therefore such fantasies of being a nice guy were left to the vain and trivial desires of his Almighty father.

* * * * *

The wound hurt. It hurt a hell of a lot. And despite thinking he would probably die, in the recovery ward of the hospital, Satan starting to feel just a tiny bit better, the doctor ensuring him he would not in fact die as the bullet had just missed his spine, Satan knew that something had just happened on a spiritual level. A punishment had been inflicted. An age long punishment for an age long sin. And laying there, the spirit reminding him of his rape of Gemrayel, he now understood that God really did have a long memory and could wait a hell of a long time to punish someone. But, laying there, wincing often, the pain quite high, there was a strange sense of relief. A strange sense that, almost, something foreboding had been lifted from his shoulders. Some great and dreadful foreboding punishment had been removed, and that with this injury and seeming a few more occurrences of great anxiety over the next few years, a few years of dark times for the lord of evil, a penalty of a lifetime of darkness would be atoned for. And lying there, feeling strangely a little more positive about everything in life, his mind turned back all those millennia ago to a time, just a little before he chose the dark magic, a time in his room when he questioned wether such a choice was really for the best for his future. And thinking on that very idea he suddenly, despite noting his own internal sense of hypocrisy, felt that, just perhaps, he had made the wrong decision after all. But he banished that thought after a few moments, turning to other things and wincing on his pain, but still, nevertheless, feeling a little better about his lot in life and a little happier with things in general.

* * * * *

As he watched the GHT rifle melt away in the furnace, Ambriel reflected on his final moment. No, he couldn’t do it. No matter what else, he just couldn’t make the kill. But his vengeance rose, and he knew exactly were to place the bullet for maximum pain, but no permanent damage. And, his pride intact, his vengeance largely satiated, he watched as the rifle melted away, thoughts of vengeance and death thankfully dissolving away, along with the lethal GHT.

Saruviel – The Quick and the Dead

35,999 SC

Saruviel examined the bullet wound.  His mind analyzed quickly, countless spiritual neurons making connections with the data.  The bullet was from a GHT 459.  One of the deadlier types of rifles.  His murderer was an expert.  Only experts used that rifle.  Only experts enjoyed its subtle killing power.

Seven dead, now.  Seven dead in a week, and still no clues as to whom.  Televon Police suggested that it was likely the man in black himself.  The old devil who had started up his business again.  But Saruviel couldn’t picture Satan doing this.  Not this time.  He knew Satan now lived down in Paradision on Androma.  Very close to Daly.  Very close to him.  They had become friends and the ‘Chronicler’ had talked to Satan about repentance.  He had talked to him more seriously than most ever tried to bother doing, and Satan had felt grateful for this.  Which was why he trusted Daly somewhat, living near him in the same city.  Could this be the work of Satan?  Could the old devil really be up to his old tricks?

The bullet was gone.  The killer was not stupid – not stupid at all.  Saruviel had spent the afternoon examining the crime scene, looking for clues.  Every interaction from the killer with the crime scene left clues.  The old Jack Dagger mysteries had taught him that well enough.  But this killer left all clues absent.  Totally absent.  He or she was an expert – an expert of the highest caliber.

The latest victim, another of the royal house of Televon.  Albert Rothchild, grandson of the king.  3 dead royals now and 4 dead senior politicians.  And each untraceable, each using a different method of murder.  This was the case of Saruviel’s life.  He knew as much.  1,700 years in Homicide in the Zebulonian police force had trained him for this.  Zebulon had never seen murders like this, of this brutality.  Never.  The other continents of Judea, Traxia and Androma had their fair taste of crime, certainly.  Such was life.  But Televon’s continent of Zebulon, home to the royal family and planetary governance seemed to have always been immune to most criminal activity.  But not any more.  Things had – changed.  Could he crack the case?  He hoped so.  The hopes of Trillions were depending on him.

*   *   *   *   *

Seventeen weeks and Saruviel stood in the trees, looking at the shack.  Stuck out in the nature parks wilderness, all the clues had lead him to this.  He signaled the two other officers, and they slowly approached.  Saruviel, treading carefully, made his way to the back of the shack.  Suddenly two quick shots rang out and the officers cried in pain.  ‘We’re down,’ yelled one of them.  ‘Fugg!’ said Saruviel.  The situation was tense.

He remembered something then which Kantriel had said to him.  Had said to him about the slender grip life really had on people.  ‘There are the quick and there are the dead, bro.  The quick and the dead.  Make sure you are not the latter.’

Saruviel knew the killer was expecting him.  He knew it.  So he would have to be the quick, now, and not the dead.  His life perhaps depended on it.  He carefully trod along the back way of the shack, gun raised, walking to the front.  Carefully peering around the corner, he spied a rifle poking out the front door.  The killer seemed to be looking at the shot officers.  And then he made a quick connection – ‘the quick and the dead’.  Instantly he turned around and went to the other side of the shack.  He picked his aim, carefully gave the best of his measurement, and fired 7 quick shots into the wall of the shack.  He heard a muffled yell and then silence.  Complete silence.

This time he was less careful.  This time he would be bold.  He rushed the door, found the killer slumped, and turned him over.  He was dead.  He pulled the mask from off his face and looked at the killer.  The one who had finally demanded One Trillion Universal credits to stop killing.  Yes, it was a demon.  An ancient demon.  One of the fallen Oraphim of Infinity who had joined Satan.  Daxran, a cold heartless bastard.  Saruviel recognized his profile.  But he was dead now.  Dead and gone.  Off to Sheol were so many of his fallen brothers and sisters now also remained.  Dead and gone.

It had been a nightmare of a case, but it was over.  And calling in the medics for the downed officers, Saruviel wiped the sweat from his forehead.  Serving God was tough work.  Bloody hard and life endangering work.  But it was life, in the end.  It was life.  Do it God’s way, as Ambriel and Michael kept reminding him and, when all the pretenders have come and gone, you will be left standing.  And that much was true to Seraphim Saruviel of the Realm of Eternity.

Michael – Dungeons and Dragons

35,999 SC

Michael examined the bullet wound.  It was from a gun he did not know of.  That much he was certain of.  But, heck, it was a bloody large universe and there were all sorts of firearms out there.  Of course it didn’t make his job any easier.  In no way easier at all.  Stationed on New Mercury for the last 307 years, God had provoked him to action.  Saruviel had been acting responsibly.  Taking on man’s work.  Risking his life for others – doing the real hard work in protecting society.  Michael had no choice but to take it on as well.  In fact, God had been expecting it of him for a while.

‘It is all about Dungeons and Dragons, Michael.  All about Dungeons and Dragons’  ‘The game, you mean?’  Scaradel of the Cherubim of Eternity smiled at him.  ‘Not quite that obvious, bro.  We have a dragon on the loose.  Of that much I am certain.  And from a recent report from Televon, it looks as if the Dragon’s are busy at the moment.  Quite busy.  Saruviel has had his hands full.  Daxran had turned evil again.  Killed 9 people, before Saruviel managed to top him.  And now it looks as if the Dragon’s have chosen New Mercury for their next killing spree.’  Michael nodded.  That was not unlike the underworld.  That was not unlike them at all.  ‘And the dungeons?  How does that figure in?’  Scaradel smiled.  He had been a cop on New Mercury for a while now.  He knew a thing or to.’  The bullet hole.  I know the bullet.  It is from a Santron gun – a rare make.  I have come across one before in my time.  And it was used by a Dragon.  The thing is the Dragon’s store their guns in Dungeons, along with the rest of their supplies.  Call it ancient tradition, but Dungeons suit dragons.  They think it is cool.’  Michael nodded.  That much sounded true.  ‘So what do we do next?’  Scaradel grinned.  ‘I thought that would be obvious?  I mean, there are only so many dungeons on New Mercury.  While the super cities go upwards forever, the planet base is quite small and fits only so many dungeons.  So we go adventuring, Michael.  Oh, and bring your sword and shield.  We will need them.’  Michael grinned.  He liked a good adventure.

*   *   *   *   *

This particular dragon was Reznak.  Another of the Oraphim once in league with Satan and the Saruvim.  And Reznak, while not as smart as Daxran, was just as deadly.  The thrill of the chase was one thing, but when they had cornered him in his lair on the outskirts of Valluna, New Mercury’s second biggest city, they entered the dungeon of dread with great care.  Funnily enough, Michael had his sword.  A short dagger belted to his waste.  And, of course, he carried his cops shield.  He really was a fighting warrior.

A hideous laugh greeted them in the lair.  ‘I see you,’ said a voice over the intercom.  ‘Are you ready?  Let’s play.’  A grenade was then thrown, just landing in front of them.  Michael and Scaradel jumped to the side just in time as it exploded, spreading shrapnel form a parked jeep everywhere.  Some of it hit Michael’s legs, and the pain shocked him.  But he would heal.  He always did.  Michael signaled for Scaradel to take one side of the lair.  And he, having spotted the walkway up above, silently climbed a ladder to overlook the situation.  He positioned himself halfway along the cave wall and waited.  Silently he waited.  He noticed Scaradel gradually moving through the maze of vehicles and equipment when Reznak jumped him, shooting him in the shoulder.  Michael was quick.  With one clear shot he took it and marked Reznak in the centre of his chest, the dragon collapsing instantly.’

He scurried down and carefully approached.  Scaradel was breathing hard, but motioned him to check on Reznak.  Michael looked at the fallen figure, and presumed him dead.  But as he was about to move the body Reznak jumped at him and plunged a dagger into his side.  The pain sent shudders through his body.  It was agonizing.  Totally agonizing.  But despite the worst pain of his life, he held the dagger in place, grabbed his own with his right hand, and plunged it into Reznaks back.  Reznak screamed, looked dreadingly into Michael’s eyes for one last fleeting moment, and collapsed dead on the ground.

Later on that week Michael had been released early from hospital.  He had healed, to a degree, and could get back on his feet.  But the flesh would take some time to repair properly.  And then a scar for a few hundred years.  Something to write home to Elenniel about, he thought.

He felt, then, in those few weeks, like a man.  Perhaps it was bravado.  Perhaps it was dumb courage.  But in putting his life on the line and paying a price for it he felt as if perhaps, just perhaps, he was making his father proud of him.  And it felt good in its dumb manly way.  It actually felt alright.

Daniel – At Arm’s Length

36,002 SC

‘Just who the hell do you think you are Rothchild?  Supercop?’  ‘Worse.  I’m his brother.’  The Dragon Jandox spat in the face of Daniel Rothchild, the Seraphim Daniel, laughing all the time.  ‘Take him away,’ said Daniel to the lieutenant in charge in the Bronx station on New York city on the planet New Terra.

Daniel sat in his office that afternoon, brooding.  It had not really been a big deal to him when God had asked Michael to take on a cop’s job.  That hadn’t bothered him personally.  ‘Better him than me,’ Daniel had thought.  And then God had asked both him and his brother David – Ambriel – to likewise take on the work.  Daniel worked in the Bronx while David was uptown in New Jersey.  And while David had gained the reputation of ‘Supercop’, it was Daniel who was generally more despised by the Dragon’s.  They hated Daniel Rothchild – absolutely hated him.  And knowing he was at the top of a number of hit lists didn’t make him sleep any better at night.

The war was going hard now.  The new war with the Dragon’s.  They had, once again, rebelled.  But this time it was serious.  Murder had been their tactic and as such, with a full on head of Israelite Torah, Saruviel and Michael had responded to the Dragon’s war.  It was death, now.  Complete death.  The Dragon’s knew they would not survive this war if unvictorious.  Both sides knew that.  The death penalty as the ultimate act had been regrettably authorized by about 20 of the inner circle of planetary systems.  But to curb the new scourge of the Dragon’s war they had little choice.  It was the most viscious the Dragon’s had ever become, and people worried now.  They worried about their lives and what could happen to their families.  And so God had chosen the Seraphim and various Cherubim to deal with the issue.  It was time for them to earn their money.

Daniel was not enjoying this war.  3 Seraphim of eternity had died.  3 of his precious brothers killed by the Dragon’s.  Surafel had been killed in 36,000, now resting in Sheol.  And then Talzudiel followed by Adruel.  Some of the most respected of all of God’s angelic children.  Slaughtered at the hands of the Dragon’s of Darkness.  But the Angel’s had been keeping score.  They knew each dragon – they knew them all.  1,723 dedicated rebels in Satan’s key attacks from the final confrontation at Zaphon.  Nearly all of the Oraphim of Infinity.  Of course, they had humans in their ranks.  Probably many.  But the angels knew once the Dragon’s were disposed of their job would be easier.  Much easier.  And they had eliminated 327 of them so far – all dead.  All dead and gone.  Apart from the 3 Seraphim, about 70 Cherubim officers had also been killed by the Dragon’s.  And their losses had been greatly lamented.  But such was life David kept telling him.  And such was death Daniel thought to himself.

Tonight was a key night in their campaign.  They had leads – important leads as to the location of 7 key dragons, on the outskirts of Boston.  They would strike tonight and, with a bit of luck, soon have to deal with 7 less of their most dreaded opponents.

*   *   *   *   *

Meludiel, stitching up the wound, smiled at her hero.  She was pleased.  Very pleased.  ‘You did well, hon.  Very well.  I am proud of you,’ she said, leaning forward and kissing his forehead.  6 Dragons now dead, 4 of them by Daniel’s own hand, and the other in custody.  And now his girlfriend was kissing him and stitching up the hole in his arm were the bullet had gone through.  They had been close like this now for the past 3,000 or so years.  Not married.  Not married yet and perhaps never.  ‘Supercop’, she reminded him.  ‘Probably won’t marry you because of Supercop.’  But Daniel didn’t mind, in the end.  It was an age long triangle.  Well understood now.  She would go back to him one day.  He didn’t really doubt that.  But she was with him for now.  And they were tight as a unit, lovers and the best of friends.  And with his arm being stitched up, thinking how lucky he had been that night, he was just glad he had someone to share his ordeals with.  Someone to care for.

He had kept Meludiel at arm’s length recently.  But for a reason.  He feared his own death.  But keeping her at arm’s length Daniel knew something was still true.  Like David might say.  If you love her you have to do the opposite.  You have to hug her and kiss her.  ‘Keep the bloody dragon’s at arm’s length, Dan.  Not Mel.’  And Daniel had acted on those words, acknowledging them and drawing even closer to his sister.  It could kill him, this war with hell, but he was not dead yet.  And in the end if he did perish then keeping his beloved at arm’s length in his final days was the last thing he wanted to do.  How would that end a life?  How would that be glory?  And so, as the war with the Dragon’s continued Daniel drew ever closer to his sister and prayed to God that somehow he would come through alive.  All he could do, in the end, was pray and trust.  It was simply in the hands of God.

Ambriel – Supercop

36,002 SC

The bullet had just missed his head.  But Supercop, as always, kept his cool.  His cool demeanour, known by everyone, earning him the tag Supercop.  Mild mannered David Rothchild, they all called him.  And he chuckled at the comment.  He peered out over the car, noticing were the Dragon was stationed.  It was down to them two, stuck in a Dragon’s lair, fighting for his life.  But Supercop, so all the Dragon’s knew, was practically invincible.  Always a trick up his sleeve.  He undid his coat, and let his wings come loose.  He would use flight, right now.  A tactic seldom employed by any of the angels, almost as a tribute of honour towards their human cop counterparts.  But they did fly, occasionally.  When the situation warranted it.

He flew to the edge of the lair, over on the right hand side.  And then he pulled out a small smoke bomb and hurled it in the direction he knew the Dragon was waiting.  And then, flying around the Dragon, doing a loop to his opposite side, the smoke started clearing and Supercop was behind him.  He landed, tapped him on the shoulder, and the Dragon turned.  He was about to go for his gun and blow David away when David let out a quick punch right between the eyes, and the Dragon fell to the ground.

‘Well done Supercop,’ David said to himself.

*   *   *   *   *

They’d had a good few weeks.  119 Dragons arrested in the local area, all awaiting the fateful day on death row.  It was gruesome business Ambriel thought to himself, sentencing a soul to Sheol.  But such was the penalty.  An ancient Noahide law he had known once, and part of his own Israelite Torah as well.  And he understood why.  He understood that if they let the Dragon’s, once they had killed, get away – well then they would never stop killing.  And bloodshed required vengeance.  That was God’s holy law.

He thought of the war with Dragon’s this past few years.  It had made him strong.  So much stronger than he had ever been.  For he had confronted fears greater than he had ever known.  The fears of very death itself.  But, like his brother Daniel, he had remained calm under pressure.  He took the job seriously, applying his knowledge and skill as best he could.  And, from all the commendations, New Jersey was eternally grateful.  And he knew he was doing the right thing because of it.

He thought on his current girlfriend.  Cherubim from eternity who he had been his first real romance after Meludiel.  She was really one of his closest confidantes and she understood when Meludiel was around to make herself scarce.  But David loved her anyway.  She was a friend when he needed her to be there, and as much as he once hated to acknowledge the point, actually having a break from Meludiel from time to time, despite his enormous love for her, actually seemed to make sense.  You just couldn’t, in the end, be surrounded by the same person indefinitely.  It just couldn’t work.  You needed time apart.  To see other people, to make other friends, to have other lovers.  And while Ambriel prized fidelity perhaps higher than any other soul, it was the wisdom his brother Valandriel so often expressed which seemed to remain the very truth in the real world.  ‘Such is life,’ God said to him once on the subject.  ‘Rules guide us, dear son.  But reality will always have its say.’  And that consoled Ambriel somewhat.

It was hard work, now, in the life of David Rothchild.  The hardest he had been involved with.  The war with the Dragon’s kept him up at nights.  But looking into the eternal destiny before him he seemed to instinctively understand that God would not have it any other way.  Really, in the end, he would have it no other way.

“Mary”

Mary smiled. Her heart was tender, so tender, looking at her twin Cyril she had not seen for quite a while. The Cherubim Cyril smiled at her with the warmth of an angel of Glory. He loved Mary, with all his heart. It was a blessed day in heaven, a day he would never forget.

“Your name is engraved on my heart, written in eternal letters. I love you.”

“And I you, beloved husband.”

“Moses”

Pharaoh looked at the Hebrew. “Do you know my power? The gods I serve can destroy your Yahweh. He will bow, I tell you. He will bow.”

Moses stood firm. His rock would not break. The man who held life and death over a multitude standing before him would soon bow himself, overcome by the Glory of the LORD.

“You are a fool, Moses,” Pharaoh said.

“If I am a foolish man why do you yet tremble? Can not the gods of Egypt withstand a simple Hebrew of stuttering lips?”

Pharaoh looked at him and a distant echo, an eternal ancestral voice said to him, “Child, heed your rebuke.”

“Begone from me, Hebrew. You will taste death before we next meet.”

“As you wish,” responded the Prince of Egypt, and hastened to his people.

“David”

Solomon looked at David. “That is you, isn’t it Dad?”

The ancient Israelite King, sitting on the rock outcropping near the river Samaraday on the planet Kazarma, way beyond the outer colonies, looked at Solomon. “50,000 years. It’s been that long. So how did you find me?”

“Bathsheba finally squealed. She can only keep a secret so long I think. Anyway, you’re missed now. A few people have been hassling me for a while, especially Adam. Wants to know were the bloody king is.”

“I have been on a sabbatical, young Shlomo.”

“A 50,000 year sabbatical?”

“It takes a little time to understand life, Son.”

“You’re talking out of your arse, KD.”

“Is that a new proverb?”

Solomon couldn’t help but grin.

“Well you have found me now. I’ll try harder next time.”

“Come on old fella,” responded the wise one. “Let’s go home.”

“The Fabulous Misadventures of the Famous 17 Kaleidoscope collectors.”

“Why Kaleidoscopes, Daniel?”

Daniel the Seraphim considered Meludiel’s question.

“Why not sis?”

“Its not quite like you.”

“Times Change. You know,” responded Daniel.

Later on in the week the other 16 top ranked collectors in the universe of rare kaleidoscopes along with Daniel at 17 were in New York City on New Terra for a conference. But Daniel decided to skip the show and persuaded the other guys and the one lady to go to the girlie show.

Janek Smithton looked at the scantily dressed female. He was embarrassed. Still quite innocent at 498. Daniel smiled and said “Whistle at her. Tell her she’s hot.” But Janek just blushed.

A little later on that night, after several pints of New York Ale, Daniel dragged them all to the circus which had a late night special. After they’d seated Daniel threw up on the fat lady in front of him. Janek just grimaced.

Around 2, four of them still remaining, they were in the brothel. Daniel managed to slur to the lady ‘Yurrr beewtifull’ before passing out. He woke up the next day, naked, handcuffed to a lightpole on liberty isle looking at the statue.

* * * * *

“Yeh, we got him,’ said Absalom to David. ‘He’ll be dead embarrassed.’ David grinned.

“Heh, heh, heh. Revenge is sweet.”

“Jesus”

He sat on the edge of the field, looking at the white men. The game was close. 8 down, 17 runs to win. A wicket fell. Paul Saberton walked over to Jesus and said, ‘You’re a number 11. You can’t bat for crap. But you only live once. So have a go.” Jesus nodded.

He was on 5 runs. All quick singles and the team needed 4 to win off the last ball and he was on strike. He was bloody nervous. Warne came into bowl and the number 11 for Israel said to himself “It’s now or never.”

Warne watched as the ball just trickled over the rope. The umpire made the ‘4’ signal. Israel won its first test ever against Australia. And Jesus, for the first time in his new life said “FUCK!”.

“Matthew the Artist”

“Deborah. It isn’t just that I like painting pictures of you. You are me twin and you are dear to me.”

“But Matthew, you have done 3 pictures of me already this week and after 1000 years heaven is starting to run out of room to store your pictures.”

“Yes, it is getting like that.” Responded Matthew. “Just one more then, and I will leave it for a while.”

“Very well” responded his twin.

* * * * *

6 Months later Matthew had just finished going through heaven removing about 3 quarters of his art work. Sitting out in the field the pictures were before him in a giant stack, like a bonfire. About 40 others of the 70 children of heaven were present. It was now late enough, and as Joah finished pouring on the kerosene and Matthew flicked the match at the pile, the pictures erupting into flames instantly, he reflected.

It was true – they had eternity before them. And if he needed to he could eventually paint the same painting again. But for now recycling was the rule of the day and thence forth forever more.

* * * * *

In his eternal domain God had finished arranging the copies of Matthews destroyed artwork. In his own personal domain God had infinite resources and would go on storing the words of his children for all eternity. But he had given them resource management lessons and was glad they were starting to learn this fundamental, eternal lesson.

“The Tour de France”

He was famous. Jesus knew he was famous, but sitting in the reception area of the administrative offices of the ‘Tour de France’ on New Terra he wondered to himself if that would be enough. Half an hour later, as he exited the building, he was happy. Because of his fame they had granted him a wildcard entry. He smiled to himself.

* * *

Evans and the other cyclists, the best in the universe, looked at the semi trailer as it rolled into the starting line.

“The egomaniac is finally here,” said Evans.

There was a fanfare and the back of the trailer opened. And then Jesus came out pushing his bicycle. And then there were gasps – real gasps. As Jesus pulled up alongside Evans at the starting line Evans jaw dropped. He looked at the bicycle. A ladies pushbike, with ribbons on the handle bar and two bells – as far from being a racer as humanly possible. After the laughter finally died down, the race began. The pack took off but Jesus slowly started pedalling. After the pack was 100 metres down the road Evans quickly looked back, looked at Jesus, and then shouted to the pack to stop. Unsurprisingly they all stopped. The looked at Evans and then all turned to look back at Jesus. A few moments later Jesus was up to them and then a far more sedate opening leg of the Tour de France got under way.

About 30 Kms from the finishing line they had all retired for lunch at the café Jesus had stopped at. Inside he had just finished off his hamburger and Coke and gone over to the “Gauntlet” arcade machine. He chose the Valkyrie as his character and Evans and two others joined him. After getting to level 1000 early the following morning and finishing the game after Jesus had pumped in quite a few coins, the pack retired for the night at the hotel next door.

It was a big breakfast and they got started in finishing the leg.

After they had finally finished the tour, every day following a similar pattern, gaining the biggest ratings ever, Evans reflected on Jesus winning the race. They had all been at about 50 metres to go and the pack stopped. AS they watched Jesus slowly rode on, finished the race in first place, and then the pack joined him.

Things were different on the Tour de France after that, with Jesus a regular entrant. For most it was simply this – “Always look on the lighter side of life.”

“Gabriel”

39,647 HY

‘Quick. Run. Run. Run.’

The demon was a bastard, one of the worst. Gabriel looked at him, spoke some words of power, ‘Get stuffed,’ and Satan’s newest pup shrieked at being belted with the power of too many trillion volcanoes, melted away, and finally showed up at his father’s domain fourteen quadrillion years later with quite a story to tell.

Later on, chuckling at the poor fellow’s probable current state, Gabriel finally made his way back to the portal. A quick word, he stepped through on the signal, and he was suddenly back home. He looked at the rim – it seemed the same as ever – but being this far from Zaphon would be awkward. He really hated it when God deactivated the earlier portals and said everyone had to use the outer rim portals if they wanted to go out. His way of keeping his children at home, Gabriel thought to himself.

* * * * *

‘And what exactly is a Googolplexian, dear Aquariel?’

‘A number, Gabriel. Daniel showed it to me on the web. Quite a large one.’

‘How big?’

‘I forget. But big. Real big. More than millions, billions or trillions. Really bloody big.’

Gabriel, looking at her probable exaggerations, decided to look at the website, which she shortly brought up on the screen. After a few moments, having made the mental connection somewhat, he understood.’

‘Yeh, that is big. I suppose Cimbrel did up this website.’

‘Uh, no actually. It came from Televon. A Noahide fellowship website started it.’

‘Which one?’

‘Haven, I think.’

Gabriel nodded. ‘Mmm. Well, it is interesting. I will have to look at it more carefully later on. Sus it out.’

‘Do that.’

* * * * *

Michael was pretty casual for not having seen Gabriel in over a century, but firstborn, these days especially, could often be like that. His new ‘Chill out’ mentality some Cherubim had conned him into. But Gabriel went through the formalities anyway, queried if he was finally sick of being overseer again for so long, and disappeared, headed for the pub. He was thirsty, needed a drink, and wanted to catch up with the Zaphon crowd. Find out what had been happening.

* * * * *

‘So Semyaza says, ‘Who the Fugg do you think you are? God or something?’, and then Daniel told him to Fugg himself and walked off, totally pissed.’

Gabriel found the story of the two Cherubim’s arguments on a matter of authority quite interesting, but doubted that Daniel really meant what he was saying to Semyaza. Just trying to get the fellow to repent a bit were Gabriel thought’s. Still, adjuring Semyaza by the living God to repent of his carnal ways took guts from Dan and Gabriel was a little impressed, especially going up Semyaza. That devil was a handful at the best of times and his twin Sharakondra – hell she was a wildcat when she wanted to be. But that was their way, the way they had always been. Ever since the fall Gabriel had known Semyaza was destined to be a bad boy, and even after he finally repented before God and the Father let him home he still went back to some of his bad ways. But never had they quite been as bad again and he felt, in all likelihood, Daniel was just keeping Semyaza on his toes. Probably sensible of him.

‘Yeh, its not a bad tale mate. Anyway, cheers,’ he said, raising an ale and taking a long swig.’

* * * * *

Gabriel sat in the throneroom of Terraphon, half asleep. It had been hours now and God still had not responded and he was about to give up. But suddenly, noting the flames of the throne turn to a bright purple, God spoke. ‘INTERESTING IDEA. NO, I DISAGREE.’

‘You took your time. But why? Why not now? Surely they are becoming worthy of more of your attention, more of your heart. Surely, especially New Terrans, should hear their God in person. Should hear him speak to them in their assemblies, to hear the living word of God. It is bloody funny but there are alternative theories on life and everything, people calling the angelic explanation a delusion. They say you don’t really exist and this is just an atomic progression from earth-life into the next state of consciousness. It was a bloody popular theory, and there are hundreds of variants. They need to know you are there, father. They need to hear your voice. ‘WHICH IS WHY THEY WON’T’.

He thought on that, thought on it for half an hour sitting there as God had gone silent. And finally, remembering earth and what he put them through down there, left the throne room unsurprised. He was never really into those who were faithless. Never really that much, and it looked as if he hadn’t changed. But perhaps he had considered it, given his lengthy time to respond. Perhaps he had.

* * * * *

‘Look, Gab. Father is right. It is the way it is supposed to be now, and I think even more so for the outer planets. I even think God wants them to forget he is even there again. Want’s to be left alone. Has the ‘Do not disturb’ sign up.

‘But why?’

‘Because most of them really have not repented seriously and you know the dropout rate, don’t you. Some barely make a millennium and they’re gone. Had enough of the same old struggle, dealing with the same old problems.’

‘But that is why they really need to hear from him.’

‘It’s a sin issue, bro. It’s a sin issue. But I wouldn’t sweat it in the end. It is the way of life – those who will be or who are meant to be, or maybe even both – well they will make it in the long run. So don’t worry about it. Remember the fate of the wicked, bro. Remember that and leave them be.’

* * * * *

He thought on the issue for the next 6 months straight, finally conceding that Michael was probably correct. It was simply the way God was towards the sinner – simply the way he was. But Gabriel knew, now, they all had fair warning and plenty of time to choose. The facts of life and death, in the end, the facts of life and death. And then, heading off to the pub to get the heavy thoughts off his mind, Gabriel thought on his sis and felt a few carnal urges towards her. Something to get him over his current bloody malaise and back to reality. ‘Yeh,’ he thought to himself – back to reality.

“Survivors”

59,667 HY

Aphrayel looked at her two brothers, Samael and Sandalphon. Two male angels remaining. Only two angels remaining, and Logos himself, besides herself and Rhaemliel, over at the central tower. Satan’s vengeance really had been quite deadly. Quite deadly indeed. And now, of all the angels who had ever lived in the Realm of Infinity, only 4 remained. Such was life.

The Realm of Eternity had faired a little better, but not much, really. Not much better. All of the Seraphim had survived from that realm, as well as the first few hundred twins amongst the Cherubim, but the rest had been killed in the wars. God’s children had been decimated by the dark one. Totally destroyed.

She thought on Satan, and the final killing blow Callodyn had made upon him. How he had slain him with the 7^th sword of power ‘Excelsius’, and ridded life once and for all of the master of evil. Her own beloved Callodyn, Samael, had watched the Angel of Eternity as he had slain the dark lord, impressed by the dark vengeance which had been in this Angel of God. And Satan, now, was gone from them. Vanquished forever.

And now peace had returned to the United Realms. Peace, and hope for a fresh start – a fresh beginning. She missed her brothers and sisters, and probably always would, but such was life. Such was death. And thinking, really, there was no point in crying over spilt milk, she continued on with her game of solitaire, occasionally looking up at Samael who was over by the window staring out at the Golden City.

The Celestyel Angel Aphrayel

“The End”

59,801 HY

‘I am telling you this for the millionth time, Sammy. I am perfectly safe. I have addressed every area of ergonomic concern, healthy eating, morality and what have you for thousands of years now. I am perfectly safe dear brother. Worry not, ok.’ Samael looked at her, very worried that his sister, with only 199 years to go, that she would have the attitude necessary to survive the final two centuries to the ‘life blessing’ promised by father. And then, knowing he once bore the name ‘Satan’ a thought came to him on life and justice. If she was ready, if she was truly ready, humility would be her hallmark and pride would not claim the day. So Samael thought on a little trip, just to test wether his sister really would accompany him on the great and grand trip of eternal life.

* * * * *

‘Come on Sammy, Sandy. It is perfectly safe.’ Aphrayel was at the top of a particularly high mountain out in Mitraphora, higher even than Mt Zadar, standing on the anciently constructed ‘Playhouse’ at the top of the mountain on a shaft of rock just away from the side of the mountain. There was a short 20 foot bridge which lead to the playhouse. ‘I don’t know, Aphy. I don’t think I trust that bridge,’ said Samael, a little grin at the side of his mouth which Sandalphon had been eying suspiciously all that morning. ‘Its safe, Sammy. Look, I can even jump on it.’ Aphrayel proceeded to step onto the bridge and jump up and down. ‘I told you,’ she said while jumping, ‘it is perfectly…….’ WHOOOSH. And suddenly, the bridge collapsed, and Aphrayel began a long plummet downwards, seemingly to her death, caught up in the bridge and the collapsing playhouse and shaft of rock following her down.

* * * * *

The funeral was a simple affair, so used to death had the angels become. Sandalphon, since the accident and having searched the rubble for hours, was remorseful. Somehow he knew Samael was to blame. Somehow he expected his brother.

Later on that day, Samael and Sandalphon were in Samael’s room, Rhaemliel sitting next to Samael, now seemingly enjoying her brother’s company, when suddenly the door burst open and Aphrayel, clothes dirty and in tatters, limping on what appeared to be a broken leg, wings ruffled and scrapes, cuts and bruises all over her body, came towards Samael, looked in his face, and said, ‘YOU, YOU, YOU……..AAAARRRGGH.!!!!’ And she left in similar a manner.

Samael could not help but grin, noticing Logos in the doorway who had probably shared some of Samael’s ideas with Aphrayel. Still, in the end, she had survived. She had survived.

“The 7^th Angel”

7 angels stood on the precipice, overlooking the Insanity Abyss. Colexios spoke.

“The Dark One resides below.”

“So you say,” responded Miznadura.

Brengalenta flew down 50 feet and returned.

“Don’t go in,” she said. “The hostility is too great.”

“Then we are doomed,” said Shelarmyos.

Layendriel looked at Elltaravere. “Is he worth it?’ he queried.

Elltaravere nodded.

“Then we hunt Demon.” Finished the 7^th Cherubim Angel of the group, Vistrantiel to his Cherubim brethren.

AND THEY FELL AS ONE.

“Crazy Funky Love Child”

137,692 HY

‘Jenny you suck.’

‘You wish,’ replied the ravenhaired firey drop of Satan’s precious love, dressed in scarlet, looking like every man’s most desperate wet dream.

‘Hey, Fugg. No, I mean, Fugg. I mean you don’t suck. That’s not what I meant, bitch. You always screw what I say.’

Jenny Savereign came over to Kalan Listomore and responded in the way only Jenny Savereign can, holding his cheeks, and almost kissing him.

‘It is because you are such a wuvvely little boy, Kalan. I can’t help but tease anyone as adorable as you,’ she said with the cuteness of a nymph dryad after a hard nights activities.

Kalan was about to give up, completely frustrated. She had bedevilled him again. For the third time this month his guardian angel duties towards the Colvin boy had gone awry as Jenny claimed the monthly prize for the most spiritual fruit in her steward, Rachel Leigh. You see the Most High ran contests in these most enlightened times to ensure his numerous protégés continued their zesty life challenge of sanctifying the human race. And when Jenny inevitably brought forth those special qualities of crazy, funky love which only Jenny Savereign could, then she used her credits earned in true competitive fashion to do disaster upon disaster (within legal allowance) upon the Colvin boy under Kalan’s tutelage. Oh yes, she was a devil dressed in red, completely and utterly alike her devastating father of darkness, the dread Lord Saruviel Savereign, Premiere Archangel of the Realm of Splendour.

‘I’ll get you, bitch,’ said Kalan with unveiled hostility.

‘When hell freezes over, cowboy.’

‘Cowboy! What the hell is that supposed to mean?’

‘Oh I was forgetting. Cowgurrl. Tee hee.’

Jenny looked up at the scoreboard in the centre for spiritual sanctification, Canberra division, Tuggeranong Sector. Only the top 300 angels on points were represented at any one time and she was numero uno. Of course Kalan was pretty adroit at his work, all things considered, and usually cruised in around number 50 or so. But he was challenging Jenny’s sovereignty constantly and would do anything to claim her spot. Well, almost anything (within legal allowance, that is).

Jenny turned to Kalan. ‘Remember, amateur. To get to number one you have to be bold. But you have to also learn all the tricks of the trade and then a few things or to. Be original, silly. God likes that. And last but not least, love your steward. If you don’t love him you won’t change him. They never respond otherwise.’

‘Yeh, I know. Duh, I think I had that figured out.’

‘Perhaps. Seeya, LOSER!’ And she disappeared, headed for the nightclub and her usual coven of she-wenches.

* * * * *

Saruviel Savereign, Premiere Archangel of the Realm of Splendour, inspected the long blade. The merchant wanted 12 million credits, quite a hefty sum. But for a blade once belonging to his greatest idol, the Lord Saruviel of the Realm of Eternity, and one of such fine quality – well was any price really too high.

‘You drive a hard bargain, merchant man. Surely, sayeth I, your prices can be devolved to something more utterly reasonable.’

The merchant man was a merchant man because he was indeed skilled at his trade.

‘But cannot you rightly see the magnificente quality of the blade, sire. It would surely cut through light itself when put to the test.’

Savereign looked down the edge of the blade.

‘So you say.’

‘Indeed sire. Dare I say it, the Most High could not fashioneth such a blade lest he had studied the fullness of eternity, such being the skill of the ancient blademaker who forged such perfection.’

‘And who was such a personage,’ inquired Savereign with great interest.

‘A divine mystery, I am afraid. Suffice to say the dread Lord Saruviel held the said individual in great esteem.’

Savereign inspected the blade once more.

‘Surely you ask too much. But I am well endowed with funds as of late, so you shall have your paltry sum. Here,’ he said, handing over the ‘HEAVENLY VISA’ credit card.

Two hours later, his disaster of a daughter and all her witchlike crony friends in the main living room of his mansion, Savereign retired to his upper den to inspect the blade.

‘Indeed it may verily cut through light,’ he thought to himself, running his thumb down the sharpness of the sword.

Just then his beautiful daughter entered, dressed in something appropriate for the raping of teenage men to lose their virginity, not untypical for a Savereign female.

‘Daady.’

But Savereign was still engaged in the idolatrous attention due the beloved once property of his great object of admiration, the said Dread Lord Saruviel.

‘Daady.’ She continued.

‘Yes, child.’

‘3 more weeks. 3 more weeks and I graduate. Up to senior division. I have done well, haven’t I?’

‘My God this is a good blade,’ he said, continuing his love affair with the steel of Angelic glory.

‘Oh Daady, I love you,’ she said, hugging her father, who looked down at her, momentarily puzzled, then cautiously put his arm around her shoulder, showing her the affection he knew he should as a proud father of a daughter ready to graduate to senior humans sanctification.

He came to himself.

‘Remember, daughter of mine. Adult humans are different. They get, how shall I put it, values when they get older. And they can be quite stubborn on them. Your techniques may work well for the younger audience but I am afraid the traditional approaches of the classical workers are what usually work best for the older clientele.’

‘Nonsense and poppycott. People have changed. Society is different now. Trends in human behaviour and valuation of morality demonstrate that clearly. You are living in yesteryear, father. Totally out of touch.’

‘Be that as it may, you may see some sense in my words quite soon. Take them or leave them – they are my advice to you.’

She softened, and decided to accept, in true graciousness, his advice.

‘I’ll remember, father. I’ll remember.’

And she disappeared to her Goth angel friends as her father continued his adorations.

* * * * *

John Dawkins was a regular shmo. But at 28, single, no kids, unemployed, and just finally getting over a drug addiction, halfway between a halfway house and a new flat which looked promising, John was ready for something to happen in his life. Anything. And so when he prayed that prayer one fateful night to God for the first time in his life, as the rehabilitation officer had suggested he do, The Most High despatched the decadent mistress of harlotry, Jenny Savereign, for her first tour of duty in the Senior Sanctification division. And the start of a new lease on life began for both of them.

John looked in the cupboards of his new flat. Empty again. He had been here for 3 months now and still hadn’t balanced the budget properly. He was going to be hungry for a few days until Centrelink allowance day again. Over in the corner, sitting on the floor, invisible to John, Jenny Savereign looked, finally, defeated. She had practically given up her goal on this most stubborn individual. At first she had placed within his mind the urge to use charm on people. To speak kindly and compliment them. But while, in his newborn spiritual zeal, which had lasted barely a month, his mind had considered that, he soon shrugged it off as too much of a bother.

And that was when she began getting the not so subtle hints her father and others had hinted at. Adults were different.

After that she tried suggesting this 28 year old virgin flirt with the girl in the flat next to his, an athletic trim looking 20 year old with a good job. She would be perfect for him. But all his mind responded to the suggestion was ‘Yeah right. She is way out of my league.’ It was by then that Jenny was learning that John Dawkins had confidence problems. But more that that – low self esteem. So she tried encouraging him and praising him instead, but searching his memory all she could find was a fourth place in junior athletics when he was 12. ‘Gee, it’s hardly worth the effort,’ she began thinking to herself.