Chronicles of the

Children of Destiny

‘Lazy Days’

by

Daniel Thomas Andrew Daly

http://noahidebooks.angelfire.com

Prologue

A time for rest.  A time for relaxation.  A time for doing not very much, but going with the gentle and merry strum of life, resting in the calm splendour of the life of Infinity and Eternity, resting in the calm embrace of the eternal love of God.

PART ONE

Still and Calm Waters

Chapter One

1,000,090 HY

And yet, while Daniel was ever ambitious to achieve his goals of glory, God had a word for his son.  In the throneroom of Zaphon he spoke to the 45^th born of the Seraphim of Eternity and said ‘DEAR DANIEL.  DEAR CHILD.  RELAX FOR A WHILE.  RELAX AND BE AT PEACE WITH YOUR BRETHREN.  SEEK NOT TO DOMINATE THEIR HEARTS IN SUCH A SAVAGE MANNER AS YOU HAVE DONE IN THE PAST, FOR I DESIRE A PERIOD OF REST FOR THE REALM OF ETERNITY.  A PERIOD OF SLUMBER, IN A WAY, A SPIRIT OF PEACE.  SO RELAX DEAR CHILD, AND LET YOUR AMBITIONS OF GLORY REST UNTIL A MORE APPROPRIATE TIME, A MORE APPROPRIATE SEASON, WHEN THE CHARMS OF DANIEL THE SERAPHIM AND HIS BROTHER VALANDRIEL WILL BE MORE WELCOME.’  And so Daniel, heeding his eternal father’s request, returned home to Danielphon, kissed Ariel on the cheek and, having put it off for several hundred thousand years, opened up his PC, clicked on his ‘Movies’ tab, and started watching some of the several million movies he had put aside for watching at a later date.  And then, yelling for Ariel to grab some coke and cold pizza from the fridge, he settled in to watch ‘Titanic 2 – Return to the Titanic’, wondering how on earth Jack Dawson could possibly have survived which was apparently the case.

*   *   *

Gabriel sat on his chair in the overseer’s office of Zaphon, working on his yo-yo tricks.  Michael, over on a chair against the wall, sipping on his tea which Cindradel had brought in, watched his brother with mild amusement.  Of all the things that Gabriel could possibly have taken a fancy to, he least expected the yo-yo to be on top of the list.  But Gabriel often surprised Michael, in his simplicity, his quiet charms, in his ways of just being an angel of God and not pretending in vanity to be anything more than that.

Michael’s mind wandered back all those years to the early days in the Realm of Eternity, when he and Gabriel were at Michael’s fort, before any of their other brethren had come to be.  He remembered one incident in particular.

‘So, Gab.  We grab the rocks, fly to the lookout, throw them to hit the enemy trees, fly to the river and dive in, and the first one back to the fort is the winner.’

Gabriel smiled at his brother.  They were having a race again, which Michael was fond of.  Gabriel loved competing with Michael.  He was wonderful to play with and the two of them had had ever so much fun over the last few years that he hoped it would really never end.

‘And the winner gets to sleep in the big room of the fort and the loser has to get his breakfast for a week,’ said Gabriel.

‘Ok,’ said Michael.  ‘You ready?’

Gabriel nodded.

‘Then ready, set, go!’ yelled Michael, and the two of them took off.

Thinking back to that race Michael remembered that Gabriel beat him on that occasion, but that was not surprising.  Gabriel often had the edge on Michael in athletic events.  But it was the brotherly love – the affection they shared – which made Michael so eternally glad that God had brought his brother to be and that, here and now, the two of them could still share a moment to be little children of God, enjoying a yo-yo of all things.

‘Walk the dog,’ said Michael to Gabriel.  ‘You probably want to.’

‘I’ll think about it,’ said Gabriel.  ‘But I am working on some pretty advanced yo-yo techniques now.  For example, the firestorm, as I call it.’

Gabriel proceeded to throw the yo-yo in short little bursts in front of him, like bursts of flame from the sun, Michael impressed at his ability to keep it going for so long.

‘I must admit that the yo-yo has never really been my thing, Gab.  But to each their own.’

‘You should pick up a hobby.  Get good at one.’

‘I think, in what I am hearing some of the angels talk about God’s words these days, that relaxation is the call of the moment.  He wants a quiet period in the world.  A time to refresh ourselves from our long works.’

‘Yes, I have sensed that.  It is why I chose the yo-yo.  A simple toy, but we are never anything more than children to God in so many ways, aren’t we?  After one million years, we are still so young.  Still so much to learn.’

‘And perhaps we always will be, dear brother.  Perhaps we always will be.’

Gabriel nodded, and proceeded to display his yo-yo talents.

*   *   *

Meludiel looked at Ambriel.  She had some urges.  Some desperate urges.  197 years without him touching her, on a sabbatical of 2 centuries abstinence from sexual relations, and she had just about had enough.  And so drastic measures were called for.

She walked into the room were he was watching one of Jesus sermons on television and started undressing.  Ambriel noticed her for a little while but was mostly focused on the tv.  And, finally, taking off her stockings, standing before him completely naked, the bastard said the following.  ‘Uh, 3 years to go Mel.  Sorry about that Mel.’   Meludiel looked at the man she was starting to think had converted to homosexuality and left the room, hands in the air, saying ‘I give up.’

*   *   *

4 hours later Daniel had snuck into the back of Ambriel’s and Meludiel’s place after a little birdie had whispered something in Daniel’s ear.  ‘So, Mel.  You need a little action, do you?  Heh heh heh.  I know somebody who can give you your hearts desires.’

She looked at him, smiled to herself at lifes ironies, and came over and kissed him on the lips, seductively, pushing in her tongue, enjoying his taste.  He put his hands to her breasts, took off her top and bra, and started licking her nipples.  And then, pulling down her knickers, started eating her out.  Suddenly, the brute pulled off his pants and his manhood – his hot cock as Meludiel told him – ravaged her face, the beast plunging it into her mouth, running it over her breasts, and savaging it into her hot horny cunt.  And then he thrusted and thrusted and thrusted and she came in orgasmic ecstasy as he erupted his hot creamy load into her moist vagina.

Later, as she finished her cigarette, she saw Ambriel standing in the doorway, looking at the couple with a soft smile on his face.  She mouthed ‘Sorry’ to him, but he mouthed back ‘Its ok.  I understand,’ and then he disappeared.

*   *   *

Ambriel, now that Daniel had left, was feeling a little better for his sister and, realizing how absentminded he had been, should have suggested she seek out Daniel sooner.  But he had known she was being faithful to her love.  She was like that, and he didn’t want to say anything which would upset her.  But the situation had resolved itself and sitting there, realizing just how much he was dedicated to being spiritually pure and gentle at times, as he deemed necessary, he realized perhaps that for so long how important Daniel’s affections towards Meludiel must have been for her hearts desires.  And realizing that he no longer found any jealousy in his heart towards his brother.

*   *   *

It was 3 years later, Ambriel walked into the room, and he knew that Meludiel had not been with a man since Daniel that day.  She was sitting watching a movie so he started undressing.  She instantly noticed and queried wether the 3 years were up.  He nodded.  She moved over to him, pulled on his pants, and his dick stood at attention.  She’d always had a particular fondness for Ambriel’s penis – it was well shaped and she was able to grip it well.  She moved her head forwards, started sucking the tip while massaging his balls, and pumped and pumped while he closed his eyes and slowly started grunting.  This was really starting to make her hot and, pulling down her skirt and taking off her knickers, she guided Ambriel’s manhood into her divine sanctuary.  He looked at her as he was thrusting into her, declaring his unfailing love, and she put her arms around her beloved, grunting against him, feeling ever so alive while he pushed into her in a rhythm of bliss.  It took a few minutes but shortly she was orgasming constantly and suddenly he let loose, told her he was coming, and exploded his load into her.

It was 4 weeks later, she had done the test, and confirmed she was pregnant.

‘Can we call it Daniel if it is a boy?’ she asked.  ‘He took care of me when you couldn’t.’

Ambriel nodded.  ‘Daniel will be a fine choice.’  Yet, in life’s little ironies, 12 months later the angel Danielle, sitting obediently in her pram, was the toast of Zaphon as proud parents Ambriel and Meludiel showed her off to all and sundry.

*   *   *

Callodyn looked at her.  Straight at her.  Straight at her, and then realized were he knew her from.  It was early on, listening to pop music, she had been an artist he had known and then moved on to other pop artists.  He was now sure of it.

‘Kelly.  It’s Kelly, isn’t it.  That was your name on earth.  You always lied to me, Kayella.  First of all the bullshit about being a Callophim.  But saying you had never been on earth, no.  You had.  And I remember now.  I have been having dreams of the time before, of the time in the realm, before I was human.  So many of our lives are hidden from the Cherubim, our earlier years, and the Seraphim never speak of it.  But I remember.  You were my twin, and we had to go to earth, first me and then you.  And I wanted you to become 6 girls and then you said how about 7 girls, but that never happened in the end.  God forbade such nonsense.  But you were Kelly something or other.  I can’t remember.  When I got to Televere I had all but forgotten by then.’

‘We did meet, Callodyn.  We met a number of times.  But I prayed that you would forget me.  I didn’t want you then, at that time.  I wanted you to keep your faith and find the special girl for you.’

‘We met?’

‘I came to Canberra.  We hooked up.  But I took advantage of your schizophrenia and asked God to take me from you.  You were too important to me, your heart choice for Haven.  And I couldn’t join that then.  I was a faithful Christian.’

‘Did we sleep together?’

She looked at him, looked away, but nodded softly.  ‘It was wonderful, you know.  You were perfect.  Those few months were perfect.  But nothing lasts forever.’

‘Did we have children?’

She said nothing.  She refused to speak.  But she quickly looked at the pictures of the children they had birthed in the Realm of Eternity on the wall, and looked at him.  And he asked her no further questions.

*   *   *

Mastering ‘Walking the Dog’ on the yo-yo didn’t take that long really, but Michael puzzled how Gabriel managed the ‘Firestorm’ trick.  It looked impossible to him.  But, with practice, all things could be achieved – within reason.

He sat down at his current desk in a lower section of Zaphon, were he was currently employed in a basic finance position for a company which made basic restaurant utensils.  They had an unbelievably high number of depots out in the outer discs, but a lot of the administrative and executive decision-making took place at HQ in Zaphon.  The company was one of ‘Talzudiel’s’ companies, that particular Seraphim brother of his being quite adroit in the business world.  Talzudiel was the 43^rd of the Male Seraphim angels, a South American angel of Columbia.  Michael knew Talzudiel to be a quite competitive angel and felt linking into his business world would provide a stable place of employment for as long as he should desire.  Still, he’d had to apply for the position and was up against some competent financial wizards from outer discs looking to work in the big centre, but his experience as overseer of the realm seemed to guarantee him the position and he was not surprised when he got the job.  Talzudiel had suggested he would give him a position anyway, if he really wanted to work for him, but Michael had insisted on going through the protocols of actually applying, as his conscience directed him to do as such.

Work was hectic at the moment – very hectic.  The big announcement had just come from Gabriel – the expansion of the realm once more with ‘Zadennuphora’ the 31^st of the Discs of the Realm of Eternity now ready to unfold and be officially settled and sanctioned.  While another 17 discs had been created so far beyond Zadennuphora, but sparsely settled as of this date, they had to yet await official classification and official disc status, promised forthcoming at a later date.  But one at a time, so God had constantly maintained.  Thus, yet again, the realm was to be doubled in official size and classification, from Zaphon to the rim of Canbraphora doubled with the new disc of Zadennuphora becoming now officially the verified 31^st disc of the Realm of Eternity.  What that meant for the company was an expansion of business as the new disc would be inevitably settled with the angelic families who needed, yet again, more room.

Inevitably, each disc had so far gone through a teething process of having to become officially verified as a genuine and authentic cultural disc of the Realm of Eternity.  48 discs had been created so far at this moment in time, but only 31 now had official status – officially recognized by God as discs of the Realm of Eternity.  The outer discs were, at this stage, just land.  Just the place were official status, once approved of, would be recognized.  All the discs had been named, so far, up until the 70^th planned disc of the realm, Davriphora.  Rumour had it that God had spoken with Elenniel and promised her the 71^st disc in her honour, as well as the 72^nd through to the 140^th discs, all in honour of the female Seraphim.  Apparently she had shared this possibility with a number of her sisters, but she was reluctant to ever confirm such a truth with any news reporter, television presenter or the like.  Thus, that was still officially a matter of speculation.  But, what they did know factually, was that there would definitely be at least 70 official discs, and time would tell beyond that point.

Official status was not automatically granted, but God had declared that he personally would see to it to ensure continuity came when it needed to be, and that the discs would be ready, wether they liked it or not, to come alive to the purpose for which they served.  Yet so far no real problems had arisen in such plans, each consecutive disc usually following standard procedures to ensure its official status.  There was a protocol, thus, which God mandated would be followed, in point of fact, wether the angels liked it or not.  But such was the necessity of God to create and maintain a society for an evergrowing, everbreeding populace.  Yet, so the theophany maintained, God delighted in this grand project of his anyway.  It was the stuff of the dreams and managerial expertise of God, and that was the way he liked it.

What Michael had learned from Gabriel’s discussions with himself was that Zadennuel, 31^st born of the male Seraphim of Eternity had now disavowed any latter day claim to the overseersmanship of the whole realm in favour, instead, of being outright overseer of Zadennuphora.  And no sooner had he announced this than Michael was receiving CC emails from all the male Seraphim practically announcing the same basic idea.  Each of them would take an overseers post for each disc in accordance with birthrank.  This had been speculated for so long by many of the Seraphim males, but had never quite come into reality as the official way it should be – not officially declared as such from Zaphon anyway.  But now, with the 31^st disc coming to be, for various reasons it seemed that Zadennuel had made the decision on behalf of his Seraphim male brothers and nobody really was complaining.

For a long while, mainly in a jovial sense of appropriateness to the idea, the male Seraphim had claimed each disc as their disc based on birthrank.  They hadn’t always been overseers, though, and Azrael paid scant regard to his supposed position of responsibility over the 27^th disc of Yalphora, leaving the old Cherubim overseer of Yalphon, the town from Terraphora disc after which the 27^th disc had been named to handle such responsibilities.  But it had become an unwritten tradition that each disc would have the corresponding male seraphim as its overseer.  But now, with Zadennuel’s strong insistence that even the overseersmanship of Zaphon, should it ever come his way, be available, such a reality was not necessary.  He had his own strong agenda, did their beloved brother Zadennuel, and in the machinations of the glory of Zadennuphora, Zadennuel would claim his own particular glory, determined, so it seemed, to not leave such a legacy to the whims of another.  And Michael could not really fault him for such a desire.

But one Seraphim, Daniel, while he voiced gladness at Zadennuel’s decision, had been somewhat alarmed at many a male seraphims opinion that Zadennuel really had about the right idea, quite strongly voiced his desires to still at a point in the progression of overseersmanship's, to be overseer of the entire realm if still at all possible.  Gabriel had then CC’d everybody and said, while he would not state exactly how long the term of his overseersmanship over the realm would be, the third of the Seraphim males, Raphael, was likely the choice he would make one day to replace him and, as such, perhaps a continuance in birthrank may possibly arise, but not absolutely insisted upon.  This meant each overseer, in turn, would be free to accept the offer made by his potential predecessor.  Which meant for Daniel quite a long wait, potentially, which Michael knew would frustrate his ambitious young brother.  He was not really sure what Daniel and Valandriel were after, not completely sure at all, but he surmised the penny would drop one day and Daniel would let on about his goals and visions for the Realm of Eternity.

Zadennuphora, like Zadennuel, was to be based on the Moroccan culture of Mitraphora district of Terraphora disc.  The Angelic tongue was the universal language of the Realm of Eternity, but each culture had developed, somewhat, its own distinct language system, as mirrored on earth.  But Canbraphora had set a precedent, by being largely based on Canberra and Australian culture, with the chief tongue actually being English for Canbraphora, the dominant language of Canberra on Earth.  Zadennuphora, in Zadennuel’s plans, was to follow this tradition and thus Arabic and Berber would become the dominant tongues of this disc, with the major districts and provinces of Zadennuphora coming from the established names of Morocco in Mitraphora district of Terraphora as well as from Morocco on Earth.  And after that, so Zadennuel had announced, the names would be established from Moroccan angels and humans, who would be the one to inhabit this disc, following the pattern established with Canbraphora.

It was exciting times for the Realm and for Talzudiel’s corporation as well, but for Michael, while he enjoyed the work somewhat, he really wanted to take his father’s current mandate of rest and relaxation seriously.  And thus, sitting in his office cubicle, throwing a yo-yo into the air, he was happy in his own little world, content to be doing not very much, nothing to straining, and at peace with the universe.

*   *   *   *   *

King David and Jesus were having a game of chess.  A long awaited game of chess and, in fact, their first.  They had only ever met a few times over the million years nearly of their lives, and while David had greeted him warmly, he had never really taken that much of a personal interest in the Jesus fellow.  But, today, playing chess, in a request from Jesus to spend some personal time with the King, David was happily enough making his moves, smiling at his opponent, engaged in friendly chit-chat.  And then, after they had both settled into the game, an interesting conversation began.  A most interesting one indeed.

‘So, JC.  You are the pseudo-christ, apparently.  The great and grand pseudo-christ of 1 Enoch.’

Jesus nodded.  ‘Apparently, David.’

David stroked his beard, and took a sip of his apple cider.

‘And Pseudo means false, doesn’t it.  It means false.’

‘Indeed it does,’ responded Jesus.

‘Mmm,’ nodded David, looking at his pieces.  After a while he continued.  You know, Ambriel doesn’t challenge that.  Still, after so long we have waited, assuming her probably would in the end, he claims there is no point in doing so.  In fact, supposedly, it is not even his domain anyway.  Supposedly, in his own words, he is not even the subject of this grand and great epistle of 1 Enoch.  Supposedly you are.’

Jesus nodded.  ‘I guess so,’ he finally responded.

David continued stroking his beard, and then went on with the subject.  ‘Well, now, that is interesting.  Very interesting.  You see, despite the constant assurances of rabbi after rabbi, including Rashi and Maimonides, names I am well familiar with, constant assurances that the Pseudepigrapha is just that, false writings.  Well.  Well I know a little better on that subject.  I am a little more informed.  You see, those writings indeed are Jewish scripture.  They are our work.  They are our righteousness.  A number of do in fact accept the Pseudepigraphal writings as holy, sacred and of scriptural importance.  In fact – in very point of fact – fundamentally so.’

Jesus, looking down at the chess set, had a subtle smile on his face.  He did not really see this coming.  Was it?  Really?  Was it an acknowledgement of sorts?  After all this time?

David continued.  ‘I have looked at your genealogy.  I have consulted the lists, and spoken to my descendant, after descendant, and indeed found a Joseph who is my progeny.  Indeed he is.  And it was funny.  I asked him an important question.  Well?  Did you?  Did you sleep with her?  Whose kid is he really?  We are all dying to know.  And you know what he said, Jesus?  You know what he said.’

Jesus, staring at David, calmly replied ‘What?’

David smiled.  ‘Well Joseph spluttered, ummed and ahhed for quite a while and then, almost pleadingly looked at me and said, ‘Well, you know.  I mean, what can I really say?’  So I sort of put two and two together, and have come to the conclusion that you are really quite indeed flesh and blood, and of the house of David to boot.’

‘Yes,’ responded Jesus.  ‘Yes, I don’t think I have ever really fully denied such a claim.  I certainly was a human being.’

David smiled at him.  ‘Indeed, Jesus.  Indeed.  And while there is indeed a seed of Joseph in your very flesh and blood, Joseph later on that day spoke to me and said this.  ‘Well, King.  There was an angelic visitation.  Sorry, but that is the way it is.  Gabriel himself.  Said our new baby was to be glorious, the son of the very God.  And then he smiled quite coyly at me, and I rebuked him instantly.  I said to him, ‘You are lying.  To my very face, you are lying.’  And he softened, then, and said.  ‘Well.  It was confusing.  It was a confusing time, and our memories are shaped by legend, after all, and who can truly say what transpired.  But he is an angel after all.  That sort of proves our case.’  So I did acknowledge that truth, as indeed your gospel wisdom was trained in eternity, as I have vague memories of.  But many of Israel were Cherubim in our former lives, and while you also were one of us, that proved nothing.  That proved no great boast.  I investigated your Christianity from former years, and learned quickly were your human soul picked up and continued this work.  But, even then, it was, I believe, a work of your own devising, was it not?  A work of your own imagination.  A work of your own political agenda.  Did you really ever have the approval of God?  Were you ever really the Messiah?’

‘You spoke of 1 Enoch,’ responded Jesus.  ‘Who is that figure?’

‘Why is it not yourself,’ responded David.  ‘Are you not the paragon of glory to have claimed such a role?’

Jesus went silent.  He had a question.  A key and fundamental question.  ‘Do you accept that then?  That I am the Christ of 1 Enoch?’

‘How can I ever possibly hope to challenge your glory on the issue, dear old Jesus Christ?  How could I ever.’

‘But, do you accept me then?  Do you accept me as the Christ of the Christian faith, the Christ of Christianity?  The redeemer of the church, who I purchased from the world of Sin with my blood?  Do you accept me and my bride?’

David looked down at the chess set.  Perhaps, now, time to settle the issue once and for all.

‘Jesus, in truth we do love you.  I don’t think you really doubt that anymore.  I don’t think you really do.  1 Enoch is in truth now sacred and holy scripture to myself and many Jewish thinkers.  We accept that.  I foresee that no other claimant can really hope to challenge your apparent fulfillment of 1 Enoch, and it would, in truth, be vanity to do so.  Not even Ambriel could be bothered.  Sure, you can be the Christ of 1 Enoch, if that is what you really want my son.  But, and I mean this ever so sincerely, don’t expect us to come a knocking on your church doors.  Holy rollers, belting out an Alleluia and a praise the lord at the drop of a hat, really, my dear friend, is not quite our style.  We are a bit deeper than that.  Sure, you are old enough now.  You can have something of an acknowledgement by the community if that is what you really need.  I didn’t think you really ever gave that much of a damn about our approval anyway.  Not as far as I see it in your gospel.’

‘I had a point,’ responded Jesus.

‘I guess you did,’ said David flatly.  ‘But if you want our acknowledgement and, more than that, our actual praise, there are some issues which still, really, need to be addressed.  By both you and your bride.  You haven’t, dear child of mine, always treated your Jewish family with the greatest of respect.  You, at times I do recall from our earthly sojourn, have in fact been the very bane of Jewish life.  Quite antagonistic indeed, and yes, we really did suffer.’

Jesus went quiet.  Very quiet.  David had raised a point – a very human, a very real point, and Jesus, in humility, would have to accept his rebuke.  But he spoke in his defense.  He raised his issue.  ‘We have, as a Christian community, for very long now been amending our ways and trying to be better people.  We, too, have a reputation to consider.  It is not just old Israel that seeks the glory of the Kingdom of God, either, dear David.  It is not a vision splendid of the magnificence of the Israelite kingdom which motivates us.  And neither, in truth, did Rophiel, or Bahaliel, or even old Callodyn assent to such divine wisdom.  A new agenda began recently and, in the truths of that new agenda, I found sufficient enough justification for my old ideal, my old purpose, my old spirit.  I saw sufficient enough justification indeed.  Christianity has issues with Israel, dear David.  Fundamental issues.  Issues on holiness, issues on justice, issues on love.  We are yet to really see eye to eye on many an issue.  Yes, you have grown old as a people, and stabilised somewhat.  The idolatry is largely gone, and your fidelity is obvious now.’

‘You judge us still,’ said David, throwing his hand in the air.  ‘Have you really yourself learned wisdom?  Have you?  You would not be so casual and quick to judge the son of God if indeed you had?’

‘And you hide behind such apparent justification as if it is the hallmark of virtue itself.  But I see through it David.  I see through it.  I see a people, which many a prophet would testify to, is not as holy as it perhaps believes itself to be.  A see a son of God which, while enduring for now, I still indeed question as to wether this beast of Judaism has the strength of eternity.  Wether this divine wisdom of the so called Jewish soul has the true devotion of heart to indeed go the distance.  And, in truth, I am yet to be satisfied that it does.’

‘And that is your concern then?  Our eternal hope and legacy?’

‘A large one.’

David nodded.  ‘Ok.  Ok.  I see were you are coming from.  I have some understanding of your concerns.  Really, I could say a lot in our defense, as you seem to think our faith shallow, and our commitment temporary.  But I will give you one, perhaps banal to you in many ways, perhaps awfully trite and traditional, but one definite answer.  We are indeed God’s son, the Jewish nation.  But it is because of that truth, and often in spite of ourselves, that we have his favour.  We are his.  We belong to him.  Our salvation, our eternal commitment, our life of eternity, ultimately can not rest on our own efforts.’

‘On that much we agree,’ responded the Christ of 1 Enoch.

‘Yes.  But to belabour my point, it is on God’s grace upon us.  It is upon his choosing of us, his own sanctification of us, his own effort, by which we are saved.  Can a man truly save himself?  Can there be any true saviour apart from the holy one upon high?  I challenge you, Jesus of Nazareth, can a might cross of salvation yet still be an answer to the power of the one who created everything, both you and I.’

‘No,’ responded Jesus, and said nothing more.

David looked at him for a moment, thinking that over.  Shortly, quick to respond, he continued.  ‘No, you say?  No?  Then my point is accepted?’

‘There are choices, King of Israel.  Choices which God requires of us.  His salvation is by his grace upon his chosen, but he looks for things within us, choices of life, choices of wisdom, choices of holiness, choices of love.  And, in my mind, it is when I see those choices being made, being made be a community which genuinely cares and does not rely upon its apparent choseness.  It is when I see real, life affirming, true holiness affirming choices being made, that I realize that God is indeed saving a soul.’

‘Mmm.  The heart of the problem.  I have one response to that, and I will leave this as our fundamental point.  You are quite strict in your judgements upon us.  You set a high, apparently, level of holiness as a justifier for the salvation you speak of.  But we Jews have likewise studied the scriptures, and while we quite possibly lack your own severe determinations on this particular issue, we would make this bold claim.  We have made enough wise choices.  We have been faithful enough.  We have accepted the Lord of Glory and, in truth, we are holy enough to satisfy his desires.  To satisfy the one who knows us better than all the wisdom of the Church of Glory or that Jesus of Nazareth can aspire to.’

Jesus looked at the chess set.  And then he smiled to himself.  He would finish this conversation with his own last point.  ‘Yes, King David.  I know that as well.  And I do trust that you are confident of yourselves.  Perhaps it is enough and, in the end, if I really had to say so, I would through the mercies of God quite likely agree.  You have addressed the fundamentals, and your salvation is assured.  But, for me, and this is just were I am coming from personally.  Just me, and perhaps my Christian church.  We want a bit better of a standard than Israel maintains.  We want a bit better of a community of holiness, a community of peace, a community of love.  Sure, Judaism, whatever?  Your doing great.  Keeping the faith.  Studying Torah.  But, to cut a long story short, dear father.  We aint that impressed.  We haven’t been so far, and things don’t look like changing any time soon.  Ok.  That is just the way it is.’

‘Then you have my blessing, Jesus.  You have my blessing.  Don’t worry about it ok, we sure as hell don’t.  Sure, be super holy people.  Probably pillars of pride in reality.  Reinvent the spiritual wheel, be paragons of bloody virtue.  Be Clark Kent himself.  We don’t bloody care, Jesus of Nazareth.  Quite frankly, we would rather watch reruns of Seinfeld, enjoy our KOSHER dinners, keep Sabbath FAITFHFULLY, and smile at everyone as the world passes us by.  Kapiche, dear Jesus of Nazareth.’

Jesus looked at him, and smiled inwardly.  ‘Then enjoy the average,’ said the Christ child.  ‘I guess you were born for such glories.’

‘Amen and amen and Amen,’ responded the King.  ‘Now, it is your move.  Enough with the theology.  I have things to do later, and we can’t chat all day, as much as I would really like to.’

Jesus nodded, looked down at the chess set, and, in his heart, acknowledged the point which God was saying to him anyway.  ‘Why even bother with my son, Yesh.  Why even bother.’  And Jesus sighed.

Chapter Two

King David looked at the list Callodyn had passed him.  Pastimes.  Pleasant pastimes to fill in ones life.  The list was of things to do, and David looked it over.

Things to do with your free time.  A Haven Noahide Fellowship general list.

·       Work (lots and lots of work available)

·       Read comics

·       Read books

·       Read magazines

·       Listen to music

·       Play an instrument

·       Sing in bands

·       Play board games / assorted games, such as

·       Monopoly

·       Squatter

·       Connect 4

·       Chess

·       Backgammon

·       Scrabble

·       Risk

·       Checkers

·       Guess Who

·       Ludo

·       Kingmaker

·       Snakes and Ladders

·       Connect the dots

·       Play card games

·       Play role playing games

·       Play computer games

·       Play arcade games

·       Play video games

·       Knit

·       Weave

·       Craftwork

·       Play marbles

·       Do Jigsaws

·       Surf the internet

·       Talk on the phone

·       Watch television – Movies, Serials, Cartoons, Documentaries, Sports, etc etc etc

·       Play sports – Cricket, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Softball, Baseball, Grid Iron, Basketball, Golf, Tennis,

·       Australian Rules Football, Soccer, Badminton, Darts, Netball, Hockey, Ice Hockey, Curling, Skiing, Sailing, Volleyball, Curling, Handball, Gymnastics

o      etc, etc, etc

·       Travel

·       Go on cruises

·       Ballet

·       Sight seeing

·       Eat food

·       Have sex

·       Watch and read pornography

·       Study – religion, nature, philosophy, science, architecture, you name it

·       Get involved and dedicated to a spiritual community – A Church, A Mosque, A Temple, A Synagogue

·       Go to mall

·       Try on new clothes

·       Go to dances

·       Irish Dancing

·       Latin Dancing

·       Go to clubs

·       Go to pubs

·       Paint

·       Sculpt

·       Carpentry

·       Make models

·       Teach children

·       Nature walks

·       Go swimming – beaches, rivers, pools

·       Go to concerts

·       Go to plays

·       Act in plays

·       Do puzzles

·       Do Crosswords

·       Do Rubik’s cubes

·       Do Rubik’s clocks

·       Do cooking competitions

·       Sit on a beach and do nothing

·       Surf

·       Ride Bikes

·       Athletics for fun

·       Go to shows

·       Go to fairs

·       Roller-skate

·       Rollerblade

·       Ice Skate

·       Cooking for fun

·       Collect things

·       Paintball

·       Go Karting

·       Magic Mountain – big waterslides

·       Mazes

·       Playgrounds

·       Raise Family – Teach Family Values

·       Do nothing but mope around the house

·       Write stories

·       Email friends

·       Tell Jokes

·       Start Websites

·       Build universal business empire franchises

·       Play the stock-market

·       Spend a moderate amount at the casino

·       Act in movies

·       Scuba diving

·       Dating

·       Go fishing

·       Go camping

·       Mountain Climbing

·       Have kids and build a kingdom

·       You name it, go ahead and have some fun.

David smiled to himself.  ‘A practical list, Callodyn.  I guess I had never given the issue that much thought.  Sort of travelled were life had taken me.’

‘Oh, you can make routines, and timetables and all the stuff people do.  If you really want to.  Have a full yearly calendar, achieve it all, satisfy all your curiousity and desire.’

‘This last one, though.  Oh, I mean the second last one.  Have kids and build a kingdom?  What exactly is that supposed to mean.’

‘Glad you asked,’ responded Callodyn.  ‘Well, now that the realm is of such a bloody vast size, with so many divers opportunities available in it, and an evergrowing preponderance of land for us to fill up and use as we see fit, establishing our own dynasties becomes something of a definite possibility.  The main rule I advise personally to interested members of Haven on the issue is, but first of all I query wether they want to do this in Haven’s overall fellowship, or go off on a new agenda idea, as they call it.  But if they want to remain faithful to Haven, which really doesn’t mind either way, we have a sort of traditional view on the subject.  First, for the discs, to honour the overseer and to abide by basic disc law and custom.  Our empires must fall within acceptable Torah law and principle of each sovereign disc of eternity.  But in forming our own distinctive nations within various discs, through the purchase of land to establish such a country, dreams of glory and eternal kingship can truly be realized.  Haven has a lot of copyrighted information on this subject, and a list of billions of reserved names on the official register for us to utilize in the formation of such kingdoms.  I mean, really, names aren’t that hard to come up with.  If you must know, we just made our entire list up.  Just got sort of creative with letters and wordplay and had a lot of fun for a while.’

David smirked at that point.  ‘Oh.  So you just make them up.’

‘Well somebody has to do it.  Anyway, once you start your kingdom project, we support you as a fellowship to establish our vision as a Noahide body, and bless your efforts with finances, teachings and other supports.’

David grinned.  He had heard about the obviousness of Noah before.  ‘Mmm, hey Callodyn.  Just start an empire, hey?  I suppose someone has to do it, hey?’

‘Exactly,’ responded the Cherubim.  ‘Hey, I have been told that once you get the handle on things, they come pretty easily after a while.’

‘Like rulership, huh?  Comes pretty easy after a while?  Huh?’

‘You said it.  Anyway, kingdom building is just one of those activities.  We sense that a whole heck of a lot of people will be interested in that hobby.  And not just kingdom building, but the major work.’

‘Which is, dare I ask it,’ responded David.

‘Empire.  Many kingdoms, united, serving your own pinnacle of glory.’

‘Should I even have bothered to ask,’ responded David dryly.  ‘Look, bro.  Thanks for the list.  I will take it to heart.  I mean, really, thanks.  You have been an eye-opener.’

‘Glad to be of help,’ responded Callodyn the Cherubim.  As he left, David shook his head somewhat.  ‘There goes a braver soul than I,’ said the King of Israel to himself.  ‘A braver soul than I.’

*   *   *   *   *

‘I do believe,’ continued Gabriel to Callodyn, ‘that it was not that long ago you in fact did pray to be returned to earth for a continuation of your spiritual ministry.’

Callodyn stared at Gabriel, blankly to start with, then made the connection.  He picked up his glass of Coca Cola, thanked the bartender, and took a sip, as always enjoying the refreshing buzz of the stuff.

‘Right.  Right Gabriel.  So he is happy enough for me to go back now, is he?  Well, how exactly?’

‘You can’t be born again again on earth.  He won’t hear of it.  Won’t tolerate that.  But there is a buzz at the moment, down there.  A buzz which God hasn’t been reporting on.  In point of real fact, it is some of the hierarchy of Haven itself which have been on the news recently, presenting old documented histories of the messianic advent, with videos and other reports of all the angelic interventions.  Well, a lot of people have been accepting this, but there is a major Atheistic platform which said ‘If he can provide another witness, which he should do after all this time, then will probably accept that.’

‘And he approved of this?  That’s not like God at all.  He has always wanted faith, hasn’t he?’

‘Not at this point in man’s history.  Apparently the atheistic platform is pretty genuine.  People have real doubts but are prepared to believe and commit if it appears true enough.  Apparently this time they just lack a decent witness.’

‘And how do I figure into this?’

‘God has contacted an orthodox rabbi on earth.  Told him the head of Haven Noahide Fellowship will be appearing from a cloud out of heaven in Jerusalem in the next week.  That was two days ago.  You don’t actually have a choice.  I am hear to get you to say your farewells.  Your prayer has been answered, but remember you prayed it.  Oh, and he has a task for you.’

‘Which is?’

‘He hasn’t yet said wether he approves of the 1 Enoch Pseudo-Christ doctrine or not.  Never, ever answered any of Jesus’ or the Churches queries on the issue.’

‘How does that affect me?’

‘He wants you, if you want the job, to make the bold enough claim that Jesus was a Jew on a mission – nothing more than that.  But that he did make this point for you to know – I just want YOU to teach that.’

‘Uh, what does that mean.’

‘A clever way from God of maintaining his official ‘No Comment’ policy on the issue.’

‘Oh, I say old chap,’ said Callodyn, in his best toffee English accent.  ‘That sounds like a bit of a sticky wicket.’

‘Apparently you have a reputation down there which has to sort the issue out.’

‘So I teach Jesus was not the Pseudo-Christ then?  Mmm.  Interesting.’

Gabriel paused, and looked straight at Callodyn.  ‘Uh, no.  I didn’t specifically say that.  Did I?’

‘But you just said….?’

‘What did I say?’ responded Gabriel, cautiously.

Callodyn went slowly.  ‘That he was a…..a Jew.  On a mission.’

‘Yes.  Yes, specifically that.  That he was a Jew on a mission.  A very good argument from Haven indeed.  Suits God’s purposes no end.’

‘So he actually is the Pseudo-Christ!’ exclaimed Callodyn with grave concern on his face.

‘Uh, mmm, uhh.  Well, did I actually say he was the Pseudo-Christ?’

Callodyn smiled.  Oh boy.  So that was the way it was with God and Jesus, was it?  That was the way it bloody was?  ‘Just suits your bloody purposes for the Christian Empire to believe that, and for us Havenides to attack them constantly on the subject, don’t it, bro?’

Gabriel smiled, happily.  ‘Oh, you know.  Whatever.  I mean, sure.  Why not.  If that’s what you want to do.  I mean, sure.  Hey, why not preach that Jesus is the Antichrist.  I mean, if that’s what you want to do.’

‘Shut up, David! Just shut up.’

‘Heh, heh, heh,’ grinned Gabriel madly.  ‘Hey, we weren’t born yesterday, Cally boy.’

‘No.  No you weren’t.  A good bloody servant, aren’t I?  Happily ENTERTAINING God, aren’t I?’ responded Callodyn, with not the faintest tinge of sarcasm in his voice.’

Gabriel looked around, head in the air.  ‘Whatever, Callodyn.  Whatever.  Now say your farewells,  We have work to do.’

It was later that day, just about to leave for earth, for yet another jolt in his glorious Havenide ambitions.  He made up his mind, though, on one particular issue.  One for certain.  The dudes made up 1 Enoch in the end, anyway.  Call it whatever the hell you like, it was still Pseudepigrapha as far as Callodyn was concerned, and Jesus was just that.  A Jew on a mission, Zealous for Empire, Serving his bloody God of Glory, out to rule the world.  As simple as that, Callodyn confidently declared to himself.  As simple as that.

*   *   *   *   *

King David stared at the young Messianic Rabbi.  ‘The 70 books.  We will accept the 70 books in the latter days?  Is that what you are saying.’

‘Yes,’ replied the Messianic Rabbi confidently.  They are the Pseudepigrapha.  They are of such age, character and notability and of such historical significance in Judaism, predating the advent of Jesus, that they shall now be considered sacred and holy writings.’

David chuckled.  ‘Aye Carumba.  Sacred and holy writings. FICTION!  Sacred and holy writings.  Really?’

‘Yes,  Yes they did likely make them up,’ responded the Rabbi.  ‘Yes.  Yes they were invention.  But they were inspired as well – they ARE inspired as well.  They serve a divine purpose, in this sense.’

David wanted to hit the bloody rabbi for that kind of statement.  Really, he wanted to throttle him.  But he couldn’t.  There it was.  There it was.  They had said it.  Established the historical precedent for the idea.  Established it in history.  And now they were writing about it and saying ‘It Is Written’ in their traditional manner.

‘Yeh, well fine.  I guess we don’t have much of a choice then, do we?’

‘Uh, no.  You see, to argue that Ambriel was the fulfilment of the 1 Enoch Messiah, and Not Jesus, has been called ‘pathetic’ by even Callodyn himself, historically.  He fully acknowledged at a point, in his writings, that Jesus quoted the hell out of that book and really comes across, after reading the gospels, as being the Christ of 1 Enoch very strongly.’

‘Yet, it is Pseudepigrapha.  False Writings.’

‘Yes,’ responded the Rabbi.

‘Then we were right to reject his claims.

‘Yes,’ responded the Rabbi.

‘But, now, supposedly, the 70 books are accepted.  Supposedly, now, they are scripture.’

The Rabbi nodded his head for a while to himself, thinking that over and said, ‘well, well.  Mmm.  Well, kind of, sort of, I suppose.  Mmm.  Well.’

‘Out with it, man.  Out with it,’ rebuked the King of Israel.

‘Well yes.’

‘And who accepts this?  We don’t.  Israel doesn’t.’

‘Many messianic Israelites.  Callodyn does.  Ask him.  He just accepted it a few hours ago, after a trial of the heart.’

I’ll go ask him.  Maybe talk to you another time.

*   *   *   *   *

‘They made the Pseudepigraphal books up, Callodyn.  As simple as that.  The church itself testifies to this truth.’

Callodyn nodded.  ‘Yes, David.  They did.’

‘Then why even bother accepting them?’

‘Because they are of significant age, significant historical relevance for Judaism, teach many interesting and notable ideas of spirituality, and can be accepted on the grounds of appropriate fictive ancient Jewish reading material.’

‘And that is all you argue?’

‘And because of that truth, Jesus is the Pseudo-Christ.  The False Christ.  It has all the authority in the world, and none at all.  He is the Christ of many of the hearts of the children of Adam and Eve, the Church of Glory, and is officially this.  Officially their Pseudo-Christ.’

‘And that is all he is?’

‘Yes.  But he is officially the Pseudo-Christ.  Officially the false Christ.  I now accept that.’

‘Because he made an excellent attempt at 1 Enoch.’

‘Precisely.’

David stopped, and considered that.  ‘To…To you, the Pseudo-Christ.’

‘Yes.’

‘Not the official Messiah of Isaiah 11?  Not David?  Not Ambriel?’

‘No.  In fact, most definitely not.’

‘And David’s claims to 1 Enoch?’

‘You are kidding aren’t you?  Contradicting yourself aren’t you?’

‘Yes.  Yes, I guess we would be.  We would look like a joke to you, wouldn’t we?  Wouldn’t we, if we argued that doctrine?’

‘In fact, Davy, pretty fucking pathetic if you did.’

‘So this is what Haven accepts then?  Jesus as the Pseudo-Christ?’

‘Uh, yeh.  Yeh, completely.  Oh, because he is just that, though.  The Pseudo-Christ.  Because he is just that, we are like you guys.  We don’t give that much of a crap about the ‘Jew on a Mission’ the blessed ‘Christ Child’.  Sure, let him pursue his agenda of glory.  Let him do what he wants.  His life.  His glory.  We are happy enough with Noah, and our traditional family way of things.  Sure, we will never dispute Jesus being the 1 Enoch guy, but after that we don’t give the slightest damn.  We don’t need him for salvation.  Matthew, Mark and Luke never teach this at all.  John and Paul largely conceived of that idea.  Sure, he has an interesting gospel.  Intense.  Full on spirituality.  But fine.  Christianity can do its thing, and we don’t really object, and we will do ours.  Uh, yeh, we agree and know he wasn’t God.  We are not confused on that point.  But apart from that, whoop de doo Jesus of Nazareth.  Whoo de fucking doo.’

King David looked at Callodyn.  The famous old Karaite Noahide warrior of faith.  He had been through the battles with the church.  Reached a conclusion he was happy with.  An answer which worked.  Didn’t care now.  Didn’t want to bother any further.

‘Yes, well I see your point Callodyn.  I see your point.  Jesus, though, has persecuted the hell out of Israel for a long time in many ways.  We are NOT impressed.’

‘Your problem.  I don’t really care.’

‘No.  No, I guess you wouldn’t, would you.’

‘Hey, Davy.  You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs.  Ask a pissed off Canaanite about that issue, BRO.’

David went silent.  But he spoke after a moment.  ‘Yehh.  Yehh.  Cool.  Cool.  Bloody, bloody, cool.’

‘Anyway, continued Callodyn, I have to be off very soon.  Gabriel will be back in a few short hours, and I have yet again a sojourn on earth.  The Christ Child needs some keen competition.  He can’t have every soul in the Kingdom of God in the end, anyway.’

‘Good luck, Mr Daly.  Good luck.’

‘Cheers.’

*   *   *   *   *

‘And then, can you believe it, he claims that Jesus really is the Pseudo Christ.  That it is pretty much an open and shut case.  I mean, can you believe that?’

After a few moments, God spoke to King David.  ‘JESUS?  THE PSEUDO-CHRIST?  AND THIS IS WHAT CALLODYN MAINTAINS?’

‘Yeh,’ said David.  ‘Yes, he bloody does.’

After a few moments, not really believing it, but he heard a soft but pleasant ‘HEH, HEH, HEH.  THE PSEUDO-CHRIST, HEY CALLODYN.  THE PSEUDO-CHRIST.’

David sounded annoyed.  ‘What is that supposed to mean?  Your not agreeing with him, are you?’

‘IF CALLODYN SAYS SO, WELL I GUESS OLD YESHKA OF NAZARETH REALLY WAS THE PSEUDO-CHRIST.  I MEAN IF CALLODYN SAYS SO.  HEH.’

‘You have a sense of humour?’ queried David, extremely annoyed and puzzled.

‘GO IN PEACE, MY SON.’

‘But, but.  But Callodyn?  Jesus?  The Pseudo-Christ?  I mean, come on, big guy?  Come on.  Seriously.’

‘GO IN PEACE.  HEH HEH HEH.  GO IN PEACE, MY CHILD.’  And God spoke no further.

*   *   *   *   *

Four months later King David was sitting in a pentecostal church.  ‘Good grief,’ he said to himself.  ‘Pentecostals.  They do bloody go on about it.’

But the Christian Church of eternal Triumphant Glory surrounded there beloved Jewish brethren, showering him with affection, love and kind words.  And all David could say was ‘Why me?’

*   *   *   *   *

‘Yeh.  Yeh, that is the passage, Callodyn,’ Daniel responded to his brother.  ‘That is the one.’

Callodyn had referred to a passage in 1 Samuel 8.  A passage in which Israel had rejected God as king, choosing their own king.

‘Right,’ said Callodyn.  ‘I remember you showed that to me once.  So, well.’  He left off speaking.  ‘So, that is the way it really is to you, Daniel.  The way it really is to you.  Jesus – just another Christ Child.  David – another seeker after the glory due God alone.  All these icons of the heart of men, thieves of the loyalty due God.’

‘Uh, uh, yeh.  Pretty much.  I mean, understand the passage literally as well.  God did tell them to go ahead with a King for themselves.  He was being practical, you see.  Know their shortcomings.  The same goes for the Christian thing.’

‘And Noahide faith?  You don’t criticize me for that, though.’

‘Noah is hardly an idol to Noahides.  Just an old father figure.  Never really been anything more to them, as I have seen it.  Still, we need family anyway.  But, yes.  The kingdoms of Israel – the Kingdoms of their Messianic glories.  Well, bro, they are a joke in the end.  God actually cares if you love him, and your life is focused on him.  I promote Daniel the Seraphim ministries and pursue my agenda of Realm rulership with me and Vally boy, but I don’t forget the fundamental truth of who runs the show.  And, in fact, I sort of have a point to prove on this issue on my own particular judgement day later on.’

‘Really?’ queried Callodyn.

‘Yeh, and I think you will probably get the point.  Oh, I won’t be too harsh on the issue.  I know their failings.  But I do intend to put some pillars of pride in their place.  I definitely intend to do that.  To show just what I really think of many of the egomaniacs out there who really think that they should run the show.’

Callodyn looked at Daniel for a while, thought on Elihu from the book of Job, and smiled to himself.  Yeh, Danny seemed to get the point.  He seemed to get the point exactly.

*   *   *   *   *

‘All in a rush,’ Callodyn thought to himself.  ‘Visitors all of a sudden in a rush.  Well, here we go.  Earth again.’

Gabriel stood next to Callodyn.  ‘Are you ready?’

‘Yes.’

‘Here we go.’

*   *   *   *   *

Abraham was a content, happy and blessed old soul.  Father of a number of nations, including his blessed Israel, Abraham did indeed like the attention he often received, but he remembered to praise his God for it had been his faithfulness through the good times and the bad which had been the cause of his glory.

His grand-son, Jacob, often known as Israel, hung with him a lot.  They chatted about this and that subject, mostly over family dinners, and usually discussed the future of the world.

The family lived on Televon, also known as Televere, in a world of the spiritual universe, as it was called, which in nature was very similar to that of life on earth itself, with just a slightly less solid bodily feeling, and a larger diminishment in the feeling of bodily pain, which was deemed a necessary requirement for eternal life.  Oh, in the end, you could feel pain – but it would never be like the pain able to be felt on earth – and there was a bodily limit as well.  Pain still served its purposes, usually that of bodily preservation, but life and the focus was different in the eternal.

The Royal family of Televon was a Jewish Royal family, Albert Rothchild the long serving King of the planet.  He was a descendant of David, the Messiah, who usually resided in the Realm of Eternity.  Albert was a pleasant and happy enough King, quite popular and doing his job well.  Abraham met him often, as this was deemed appropriate, and the Grand-fatherly figure was apparently quite dear to Albert.

Televon had a number of Continents, and Abraham resided often in various places upon them.  Today, though, he was visiting his grand-son to a number of generations, Boaz, and his wife Ruth, in Paradision.

‘Democracy, Boaz?  You favour a change to Democracy for Televon?  You are not happy with Albert?’

Boaz took another sip of his hot chocolate, and stared into the flames, late on the cold winter’s day.  ‘It is true, Abraham, Albert is a good king.  A very good king.  He does his job well, setting a good example for the Jewish, Noahide and Unitarian Christian population on the planet.  And, yes, we all need good examples.’

‘Then why speak of Democracy?’

‘A conviction, father.  A personal conviction.’

‘Which is?’

Boaz stared into the fire, took another sip of hot chocolate, but remained silent.  Abraham stared at him for a while, waiting on his answer, but Boaz said and continued to say nothing.

They sat there for quite a while, and still Boaz hadn’t spoken.  Eventually Abraham, feeling tired, rose to his feet and said, ‘Well, Boaz.  It has been a long day.  And this old man’s bones need a rest.  If you will excuse me.’  He began to leave the room, and was about to head out the doorway, when Boaz spoke.

‘God.’

Abraham stopped in his tracks, turned, looked at Boaz, and responded.  ‘God what?’

‘God,’ repeated Boaz.

Abraham thought about that for a few moments.  ‘And that is your conviction, is it?  God?’

‘Yes,’ responded Boaz.

Abraham came and sat back down.  Looked at his son, and poured out the cold hot chocolate into a mug and started sipping.  He also started eating some marshmallows, enjoying them.

He turned to him.  ‘God what?’

‘Our loyalty.  Our devotion.  Our inscribing HIM as King.  Not one of our own.  God first.  Not Albert Rothchild.  Not even David Rothchild.  God.  God number one.’

Abraham considered that, and responded in his wisdom.  ‘But God is first amongst us, Boaz.  We all know that.  God is the father of Israel, the father of mankind.  He is enshrined in our hearts in the most significant way, above all earthly princes.’

Boaz remained silent for a while, and spoke again.  ‘Callodyn spoke with me once, about his brother Daniel’s words.  He quoted a section of 1 Samuel.  It was interesting.  And he said, Israel doesn’t really bother with this passage that much.  Not that concerned.  Haven keeps this in mind, though.  We have a plan for that passage.  A long term passage.’

‘Mmm,’ responded Abraham, and went to pick up a Tanakh from the bookcase against the wall.  He found the passage Boaz mentioned, read it carefully, and put the Tanakh back down.  ‘It says God told us to go ahead with a king anyway.  It is still his idea as well.  Why worry?’

‘It is not about worrying.  God will never complain about Messiah.  I know that.’

‘Then your point.’

‘It is unwritten.  It is an unwritten…well, not even an unwritten command.  Not even an unwritten law.  It is…an unwritten truth.  Unless we put God first.  Unless we inscribe God as our King… Well are we really his child?  Are we really his servants?’

Abraham spoke again.  ‘We need hierarchies, Boaz.  The priesthood functions on this, and that is divinely ordained.  I feel, in overall context of the Tanakh, you make this point too much of a big deal.  A king serves a practical purpose.  A realistic role.  We can not betray our Messiah.  That would not be right.’

‘No.  Perhaps not.  Perhaps not.  But sometimes I wonder,’ responded Boaz.

Abraham stared at his son, felt the tiredness in his heart again, and excused himself.

It had been a long day, and as he drifted up the stairs, thinking on his love for God from his own heart, he gave a little thought to Boaz’s concerns, but was resolved that the way things were was the way things should be.  If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.  And, falling to sleep, dreams coming in, the slumber of Abraham was sound and contented on that truth.

Chapter Three

Ruth was down at the small stream that ran through much of Paradision, fishing for yabbies, which were common here.  Her new child, Dominic, 8 years old, was with her, in the stream with his net, hunting out the yabbies.  She smiled at him often, and encouraged him to keep on hunting.  Countless times before she had been here at this stream with her new children to Boaz, sometimes swimming, sometimes yabby hunting, sometimes on a picnic, or sometimes just escaping the house.  It was not far from their home, just a few hundred metres, but her little family visited often, usually in summer, but it was a bright and cheerful winters day today, the sun beamed strongly, and little Dominic had been quite insistent.

As he searched and hunted, Ruth relaxed, and laid back, picking up her bible, to look at the section Abraham and Boaz had been discussing fervently that morning.  In 1 Samuel.

‘…….For it is not you they have rejected, but it is me they have rejected as king……’

She had read those words several times now.  Several, several times.  And then she reached a conclusion.  It was a matter of formality, mostly, anyway.  The hearts of the populace were not maddened with Rothchild fervour.  The populace, of Televon anyway, enthroned Jehovah in their hearts, and he was God, above all kings and princes.

‘I am sure we know this truth,’ she thought to herself.  ‘I am sure we know this truth.’

*   *   *   *   *

Gabriel sat in the overseers office of Zaphon, in the heart of Zaphora, staring out the window at the city outside, bored.  Well, not bored exactly.  Not bored.  Perhaps restless.  Perhaps indifferent.  Perhaps lacking any real motivation to do anything real.  But, all things considered, so he concluded to himself, probably bored.

‘Well, may as well do something,’ he thought to himself.

He grabbed his yo-yo, went out to Cindradel, appointed her to take his calls and messages for the day, and said he would be gone all afternoon and not to worry. And then he was gone.

*   *   *   *   *

The two of them floated on the northern private section of Golden Lake, reserved just for the Seraphim.  Out on the rest of the lake, with the now enormous population of Zaphora and the Realm of Eternity, floated countless souls, all pursuing their dreams of being on Golden Lake, the most famous lake in the world.

Aquariel was floating, with floaties on her arms and legs, on the water, staring up at the warm sky, in bliss.  Gabriel was not far from her, on a board, paddling around happily, just enjoying the warm weather.  It was bliss.

They had chatted with Florel briefly, who was watching over Glimmersphon in Dameriel’s current absence, and arranged a private dinner at Glimmersphon that night.  She had some guests with them at the moment, but the Overseers suite, as it had come to be called, up behind Glimmersphon, very expensive to rent, was currently vacant.  Gabriel agreed to the sum, and he and Aquariel would be spending the night there, happily ensconced in each other’s arms.  The two of them, now, sort of, were together.  Not officially.  Aquariel seemed to be of the opinion that they were not likely destined for such closeness, as such understood it, but Gabriel persevered anyway.

He decided to touch the bottom so, getting off the board into the water, he dived down, and shortly touched the bottom, gathering a handful of sand.  He came up, got back on his board, and decided to bother his twin.  He swam over, touched her on her arm, and she righted herself and looked at him.

‘Hello sweetie.’

‘Having fun, Gabby?’

‘You bet.’  He stared out over the lake, and looked again at her.  He had something on his mind.  ‘Tonight.  You know.  Tonight.’

She smiled.  ‘Tonight what?’

He came out with it.  ‘Make love to me.  Properly.  Get pregnant.  Have another.  You don’t mind that with me, do you.  Occasionally, even your twin is ok.  That is what you said.’

She looked at him, right into his eyes, almost his soul.  She then adjusted herself again, floating again on the still and calm waters, whatever thoughts on her mind beyond the comprehension of the Archangel Gabriel.

*   *   *   *   *

She stood before him, in her nightgown, while he was on the presidential bed.  And, still a little embarrassed, despite having made love to him many times before, she took off the gown and stood before him naked.  ‘This IS what you wanted, isn’t it Gabriel?  You did mean it, didn’t you?’

He nodded, looking over her fit and nubile body.  His member hardened quite quickly and he motioned for her to come forth.  And she came forth, and he took her, and they were passionate.

It was 3 weeks later, and the doctor confirmed Gabriel’s hearts wishes.  Aquariel was pregnant again.  And the baby was doing well.  Later that day she looked up at the ceiling, resting on her bed.  He was persistent.  She would give him that much.  He was persistent.

*   *   *   *   *

‘Relax, huh?  Do not much?  Flubbergust.  Flubber bloody flubbergust.  Mmm.’

‘What was that, Danny?’ queried Ariel.

Daniel, sitting on the couch, anxious to do something, so relaxed had he been forced to be by God’s words, said nothing, but continued to mumble.  ‘Flubber bloody flubbergust.’

Ariel looked concerned, but returned her gaze to the television set.  Whatever was on her twin’s mind, she was sure he would work it out.

Daniel looked at her, mumbling to himself, got to his feet and went to the fridge in the next room, took out cold pizza, mandatory Daniel food, sipped on Coca Cola, and continued mumbling to himself.  And then, suddenly, ‘Mmm.  Mmm.  Mmm.  Well, he doesn’t want MY agenda.  Perhaps an older idea.  An older project.  Mmm.  Yes, I’ll visit now.’  He walked into his bedroom, looked at himself in the mirror, noting his current clothing was good enough, decided he didn’t really need to bring a change of clothes and so on in a suitcase, so grabbed his wallet, walked in and kissed Ariel and said.  ‘I’ll be back in a few weeks – probably.  Going to Televon.’

‘Why?’ she asked, confused.

‘Umm.  Something to do.  Something to do.  Well.  Seeya,’ and as she watched, somewhat stunned, he exited the house, walked down to the bus stop, sat there waiting about 20 minutes, and caught the bus into Zaphon central.  And then, off to the portal, and away to Televon, for he was again an angel on a mission.

*   *   *   *   *

Zebulun was a happy enough Jewish man.  Favoured by God as son of Jacob, the father of Israel, he was the head of one of the 12 official tribes of Israel.  Of course, there were numerous tribes more now, as Jacob had continued to have children in the heavenlies, but he and his brothers were designated the official ones.  The religion they practiced, now, had come to be known as Judaism.  Certainly, Samaritan, Karaite and the various denominations of Israel were to a degree separate, but they were usually united under the Jewish banner and the figure of Judah, Jacob’s son, who they would praise in accordance with the scriptural decree, and seemingly had accepted, through messiah, as their leader.  But now, sitting in his abode on Televon, entertaining Daniel Daly Rothchild, the Seraphim Daniel, he was curious as to Daniel’s suggestions of Zebulun’s potential ambitions.

‘Karaite Zebulunism, Daniel?  Karaite Zebulunism?’

‘Or just plain old Zebulunism, as it can be called in time.  But the Karaite idea is a good enough foundation stone for the movement.’

‘And the adherents to this movement, as you call it?’

‘Your father of a bloody enormous tribe now, aren’t you?’

‘Yes.  Yes I am.  So this is a ‘New Agenda’ proposal?’

‘Sort of.  But it is not exactly that new an idea, nor new in its religious basis.  Karaism is ancient.’

‘Indeed it is,’ conceded Zebulun.

‘Have Rabbis.  Have Hakhams.  Dress them in, well this is my suggestion, but dress them in red instead of the traditional black.  Be original.  Be an interesting alternative to what one day may become a bit of a stale and predictable religion.  Do something new Zebulun.’

‘And will not Hashem object to this?’

‘Do you think he will now?  In light of his words about the New Agenda?  In fact, well I reckon he likes ambition well enough if the ambition is grounded.  I am sure you will make a firm foundation.’

‘I will have to talk it over with father.’

‘Will you go ahead if he approves?’

Zebulun looked at him, and acknowledged the point of new life and new endeavours.  It may as well be him.

‘Sure, Dan.  If father approves, no problems.  It doesn’t sound like too much of a problem, especially these days.’

‘Good to hear.  Well, if you will excuse me then, I must get going.  Things to still do here on Televon.’

‘Sure, Danny.  Good to see you.  Remember, drop around some time.  It is always good to catch up.’

‘Will do, Zebulun.’ They shook hands, and Daniel left, leaving Zebulun sitting in his lounge, thinking things over.  Shortly he walked over to his bookcase, took down the work ‘The Theology of Judaism’ a work he himself had written, and thought on things.  The book had been well received all those years ago when he had released it.  And, in many years of consideration, he’d had time to review things.  Could it be the basis of Zebulunism?  Could he, for want of better words, start again?  Could he?’

*   *   *   *   *

Jacob looked at his son.  His blessed son Zebulun.  Was there any point in even objecting in the current climate?

‘You have my blessing, Zebulun.  I am sure you know what to do by now.  Be original, and do something new.  But don’t forget your roots.’

‘I won’t father.  Thanks.’

And that was that.

*   *   *   *   *

Reuben laughed.  Shook his head saying ‘Daniel, Daniel, Daniel,’ and laughed again.  And then he looked at him, and gradually stopped laughing.

‘Mmm.  Reubenism.  Mmm.  Interesting.’

*   *   *   *   *

When Gad arrived later that week, Jacob looked at him in the entrance way to his home, 11^th and probably last son on the list, as Judah would probably not be coming, Jacob said ‘No problems, Gad,’ and Gad looked at him, a little puzzled and said, ‘Ah, oh.  Well, Cool.  Thanks dad.’

*   *   *   *   *

It was half a year later.  A full 6 months, and Judah, son of Jacob, was feeling just a bit upset, but had gotten over it.  The amount of resignation letters he had received from various high ranking rabbis and officials in his assemblies and synagogues, all apparently children patrilineally from the other tribes, which was the current Karaite vogue way of reckoning tribal affiliation, was just too many to count.  Judaism had shrunk – remarkably so.  In fact, alarmingly so.  King David and David Rothchild had been visiting that afternoon, both somewhat freaked out, and Judah had consoled his children and said, ‘Well, you know, whatever will be will be,’ and they had shared a beer in his basement bar, drowned their sorrows, and started to get over it.’

‘Life goes on,’ said Judah, and King David said ‘Amen to that.’

*   *   *   *   *

A very pissed of Davidic Messiah by the Name of David Rothchild headed up, in a very cross mood, his twin Meludiel reluctantly following, up to the front door of Danielphon.  He knocked.  He knocked twice.  And under his breath he was muttering ‘I will give him bloody flubbergust.  Grrr.’

Daniel opened.  Saw his company.  And, suddenly, smiled very broadly.  ‘Ooohhhh.  Ambriel.  Lovely to see you.  Please, come in.’

Ambriel grumbled, motioned to Meludiel to precede him, and walked in, not before giving Daniel a stare of death, which Daniel returned with the most pleasant of smiles.

They came to the living room, Ariel brought out a pitcher of lemonade, and the four of them sat there, drinking courteously, while the snarl on Ambriel lips seemed to curl up even more so.

‘Now, dearest Ambriel.  Why the visit?’

Ambriel looked at him, the impregnable aura of absolute mockery, and went cold.  ‘One day, Danny Danny Daly.  One day, a big bird will drop from the sky, and gobble you all up.’

‘Big bird himself?  The yellow freak?  He doesn’t fly, does he?’

The snarl continued.

Meludiel spoke to Ariel.  ‘The lemonade is lovely, Ariel.’

‘Thank you,’ responded Ariel.

Daniel looked suddenly happy.  ‘Hey, Ambriel.  How go Messiah Ministries?  Numbers?  Are they on the increase?’

‘They WERE!’ he exclaimed,’ very, very pissed off like.

‘Whatever do you mean, dear, dear brother?’

‘Well, it’s like this, you see.  Some idiot called Zebulun – and I mean a bloody idiot to boot – some idiot called Zebulun is happily progressing in Judaism, keeping the faith, walking with God, not being stupid and, lo and behold, he suddenly is granted this vision, apparently.  A vision of glory in which the Holy Zebulunite Kingdom of Glory, with dear old Zebulun enthroned as King, is the new reality for the truly holy tribe of Israel.  And, lo, not 2 days into this grand and great revelation, then certain other tribal leaders are likewise visited upon with similar and thus, apparent, divine revelations.  And I sayeth to myself, what does father Jacob make of these revelations.  And father Jacob spoke to me kind and true words and sayeth, there was this fellow, Daniel I think his name, who mighteth be the sourceth for such divine truths, or words to those effect – I can not say for sure.’

‘Ahhhh,’ responded Daniel.  ‘Well, yes.  There are a lot of Daniel’s.’

‘Yes.  Yes.  Yes.’  Ambriel did not know what to say.

‘Say, Ambriel.  Let us walk.  Come, out to the verandah.  I have some advice.’

Ambriel shook his head, but stood, walking with Daniel to the side verandah of Danielphon.

Daniel began.  ‘You are quite intelligent, dear brother.  Quite intelligent.  But a fool and his holiness are sometimes the playground of the devil’s of evil.’

‘Too true,’ muttered Ambriel, with a force of hostility quite unlike him.

‘But don’t take it to heart, dear brother.  Don’t take it to heart.  A word of advice.  People don’t always follow the right.  They don’t always follow the true.  They don’t always follow the holy.  Sometimes they follow the love.  The humour.  The joke.  The relief from there divine frustrations in conforming to a system they had no real choice in the beginning with anyway.  Now, part of being in the hearts of men, is this.  Understanding the hearts of men.  And part of ruling the hearts of men is this.’

Ambriel looked at him.  ‘Yes?’

Daniel looked at him, silently for a few moments, before responding with a gentle smile on his face.  ‘Now that would be telling, wouldn’t it AMBRIEL?  Mmm.’

And so, looking at him, Ambriel softened.  He smiled.  He got the joke.  He took it in good humour.  And he left, generally contented that Daniel, as far as Daniel really was concerned in the end anyway, had done the right thing as far as Daniel thought right.

And in the throneroom of Zaphon, a pleasant mixed flame of scarlet and purple burned brightly for a few moments, let off a glorious parade of sparks, before returning to a pleasant and steady blue.

*   *   *   *   *

Jesus looked at Callodyn’s culling.  A culling.  A culling.  Mmm.  It had a long-term reputation now, the Gospel of Jesus of Nazareth, as the document was called.  A number of Haven offspring movements held to the document, populated by mostly ex-Christians who were of the firm opinion that Jesus was not in fact the messiah, but who had a fascination, an interest, or, apparently as Callodyn had stated, a genuine love for the Jewish Rabbi, Yeshua Bar Yosef.

For a long time now Jesus had to face up to the fact that David Rothchild had been God’s promised Messiah, but equally, for a long time now, the Christian Church had maintained, in general, a two messiah position, and that Jesus, being the so called Pseudo-Christ, was a messianic figure intended for the establishment of Christianity, Christianity being a preordained and preplanned religion of God.  For so long this had been the status quo.  But things, to Jesus, had changed.  They had changed.

He had listened to King David’s words, in that conversation.  Disputed them, but listened.  Listened carefully.  And he had thought upon the issue.  It was long ago on earth, a time with the apostles, he had been glorified?  Hadn’t he?  Hadn’t he?  Wasn’t he truly the Son of God?  Wasn’t he?  Wasn’t he?

He looked at the document – the text – the book – the gospel, and sat down to read it.  As he knew well, all Christ references were gone, all crucifixion references were gone, nearly every contentious passage with the Pharisees had been neglected.  It was, in the words of Callodyn, the sanitized, Kosher Gospel, acceptable to God and men, for the acceptable and compliant ambitions of Jesus of Nazareth towards his desired Church of Glory.

And now the New Agenda had come to pass.  Now things were alive again to possibilities, to new life, to new thought.  And, even in Israel, the wisdom of Daniel had been listened to as they were about to really diversify somewhat and put some new life into an old beast.

He looked at the Gospel in his hand – he looked at it seriously.  Some truths, in the end, never really changed that much anyway.  Some truths did just that – remained true.

He would visit a ‘Jesus of Nazareth Ministry’ assembly hall.  He would visit one, have a chat, get to know this flock.  Get to know this flock which didn’t even bother baptising, but accepted some of his ministry and, so far, were called acceptable by a significant enough number of, otherwise hostile, Jewish organisations.

Would he change from his Christian ambitions?  He doubted that any time soon.  But he would like into this idea of Callodyn, give it some thought and, perhaps, perhaps, lay down some eternal roots.

*   *   *   *   *

‘Blaze.  How about the name Blaze?’

Aquariel looked at the baby in her arms, smiling up at her.  It was a beautiful boy.  A beautiful baby boy.

‘Ok, Gabby.  Blaze it is.’

Aquariel looked at the baby in her arms and said, softly, ‘My little Blaze of Glory.’

*   *   *   *   *

‘Don Bongiovi!  Are you related to Jon?  Hey Gabriel?’

‘Archangel Gabriel looked at the young Cherubim, barely 15, who was sporting a ‘Bon Jovi – New Jersey’ T-Shirt.

‘Umm, well, yeh.  Very closely in fact.  He is a grand-father of sorts.’

‘REALLY?  But aren’t you sort of Jewish as well?’

‘Uh, yeh.  True.  There is a very strong Jewish link.  Mother, actually.’

‘Whoah!’ said the young Cherubim.  ‘And you named your latest kid Blaze? Was that after Blaze of Glory?’

‘Well, sort of.  Hey, yes I am a fan of the band.  Not the biggest – sort of got into music from my own generation.  But, yeh, theyr’e alright.’

‘Is it true Aquariel is descended from Madonna?  The pop singer, I mean.  Not Jesus’ mum.’

Gabriel nodded.  ‘Yes.  Ms Rosetti is a direct descendant.  Not too many generations either.’

‘Your old band.  The Bongiovi All-Stars.  Did you get the name from Jon’s early project?’

Gabriel smiled.  ‘Yeh, I suppose.  I mean I did know he used that in Runaway’s recording as the guys who produced the record, but it wasn’t ever trademarked or anything like that, and I figured they wouldn’t mind.  The ‘Bongiovi All Stars’ sounded different enough from ‘Bon Jovi’ that I figured we’d get an original enough audience.’

The Cherubim produced a ‘Bongiovi All Stars’ Cd, and said ‘Could you sign it, Gabriel?  I actually like your music.  I know it is not traditional chart stuff, a lot more folksy and old beatles style, but I like the stuff.  Its ok.  It rocks.’

‘Thanks kid,’ and Don Bongiovi signed his life away in a request that was not that common these day – fandom.

When the kid and his parents had left, Gabriel, just for the heck of it, opened up his myspace band webpage.  He looked at the total hits – 36,789,489,242,152 total hits.  Hey, not bad.  Nowhere near the big guys, but time had certainly done its thing.  And, just for the heck of it, he brought up the world charts of album sales, typed in his band name, and checked their success.  Position 46,723 on the album charts featured ‘The Bongiovi All Stars’, their debut CD.  Yeh, they had been consistently in the 40,000s for a long time from his memory.  Not too bad.  A hell of a lot of competition, and for the type of album it was he knew his personal fame want a long way in getting it such glory.  It possibly wouldn’t even make the top million otherwise.  He knew it was a traditional sort of album, one which had its moments and appealed to a certain audience, some of them quite loyal.  But it simply didn’t have the impact of the bigger albums from the various superstars.  I didn’t compete in that way.  But, that didn’t matter.  So what.  The band retired aeons ago, happy with 7 albums and a moderate amount of success.  And, funnily enough, the sales from those albums for Gabriel personally was were about 90% of his income still came from.  He’d never really bothered with business, shares, rentals, or any of the enduring avenues of permanent income.  There was way too much competition to even bother for an angel of his standing.  Mainly, he worked, spent the regular income on his life, and left it at that.  He did have a few other projects were royalties came from, his 2 novels and a few minor poems in various anthologies which still sold.  That made up the 100%.  Well, not technically.  Technically the overseers position, his current job, made up a little over 1% of his income.  That said, it paid enormously well, and had to, but with the population beyond counting out there of people in that big old universe, even position 46,723 for one CD on the world charts brought an amazing income.  More than he could ever possibly dream to realistically spend.

He knew many didn’t, in fact, work at all now.  A lot of stars lived off royalties which were pretty much assured from key web-links and, in truth, simply popular product which sold itself.  But, ultimately, that seemed to be the ultimate purpose in life, anyway.  Eternal retirement from active service, and off to the ways of various pastimes.  Gabriel, though, had looked at the simple enduring fact that actual work itself could also be a pastime.  He was a strong angel, had been made that way, and felt a degree of personal responsibility for his birthright and reputation.  Thus he worked.  He planned on being the overseer of Zaphon until the million years were up, and then, in truth, if it was available, of to the second disc of Terraphon for eternal overseer duties there.  At that point he didn’t expect to work that heavily, mainly a few days a month, but it was in his nature to do something useful and somewhat challenging.  Not too much of it ultimately, but a few days a month was actually enjoyable to him.  Something useful to do, and something he in fact desired to do.  Such was life.

But he certainly didn’t need the money.

*   *   *   *   *

Andrew held Jessica’s hand.  Here they were.  Brave new world.  Canbraphora.

*   *   *   *   *

‘The doctor said it was a very rare form of rabies.  Only transferable by certain species of bats from Mitraphora.  They have ordered a drug, said they could possibly manufacture it if they needed to, but that the drugs would be sooner.’

Andrew shrugged.  He hated dealing with doctors.  Hated it.  Jessica had thus gone out when the doctor had rang, heard his report, and shared the news with him.  ‘Will the sweating continue at nights?’

‘They should gradually reduce over the next few days, but it will stay in your system and future problems could occur without the treatment.’

He came over, kissed her on the cheek and said, ‘Well, whatever.  I guess I can leave off studies for a few days.’

Jessica sat down on a couch in there rented unit, picked up a magazine, and Andrew, having been surfing the net, thought on returning to his purchasing of certain items from eBay, instead picked up the remote, flicked on the TV, and sat there watching ‘Full House’ of all things.  He zonked out, lost in his own thoughts, lost in the comedy somewhat, when Jessica spoke up.

‘We had a visitor this morning, Andy.  When you were out.’

‘Yeh, that’s good,’ he said, not terribly interested in the conversation.

‘It was a certain girl by the name of Bianca.  Said she knew you.  In fact, I do remember you talking about her.’

He looked at the tv, then his brain caught up with the conversation.  Bianca?  Oh boy.  Her again.

‘Uh, what did she want, Jess?’

‘Didn’t say.  Just that she wanted to catch up again.  Talk about old times.  Said she missed you.’

He looked over at Jessica, who was leafing through a magazine, not looking at him.  He looked carefully at her, but decided to lose interest in the conversation.  He was sure she would not be concerned, really.  I mean, nothing to be concerned about, he thought to himself.  Nothing to be concerned about.

‘Well,’ she said.

‘Well what?’

‘Are you going to see her?’

‘Did she leave a number?’

She put down the magazine, went to the fridge, and took a sticky note off the fridge and handed it to him, and then returned to her magazine.

He looked at the number.  It was her old mobile.  Still hadn’t changed.  In fact he had that in his little black book.

Jessica turned to him.  ‘Do you still like her?’

Andrew gave her a somewhat shocked look, but said nothing.  There was nothing to say.  He looked at the note in his hand, crumpled it up, but did put it in his back pocket.

‘I have to go, Jess.  I know I should be inside, but it is a bit stuffy in here.  I’ll probably go down to the pub, or something.  Ok?’

‘Sure,’ she said, waving her hand.

As he pulled out from their driveway, driving along towards no yet particular location, he was well aware of the crumpled note in his back pocket.  Well aware indeed.

*   *   *   *   *

Bianca was dressed in yellow, the dress she had been in when they had been particularly passionate one night, and she smiled warmly at him.  He knew, really, that he probably shouldn’t have called her.  He probably shouldn’t.  Should he.

‘So, how the heck have you been, Andy boy?  Boy, have I missed you.’

He smiled, nervously.  ‘Yeh, sure.  Well, Canbraphora rocks, B.  Canberra 37 has a buzz we like.  It is why we chose it.’

‘Yeh, Canberra 37.  When your mum said Canberra, I assumed the big one.  It took me ages to go through the internet searches to find you.’

‘Right.’

‘You didn’t want to be found?’

‘Uh, no.  No, it isn’t that.  It was just sort of a new life me and Jessica had planned.  I guess that was it.’

Bianca nodded her head, and took a sip of the pint of beer.  ‘So, Andrew.   You and Jessica.  Married yet?’

‘No.  Not yet.’

‘But you have proposed, haven’t you?  I mean, she is the one, isn’t she?’

He looked at her.  ‘So that is what it is about?  Your not just here to catch up?’

She looked at him, took another sip of beer, but did not answer.  Instead she changed the subject.

‘You know, back in Zaphona, before you left, I was going through issues.  Issues of the heart.  Issues of judgement.  I was at Elenniel and Jonah’s place, and Ambriel was there.  He said a few words to me.  Said people can be so judgemental at times.  Sometimes so serious, caught up in personal rules.  Not flowing in a gentle spirit.’

Andrew stared at her.  ‘Your point?’

‘I was perhaps a bit to harsh in the way I judged you.  Didn’t accept you on your own terms.  For yourself.  For the man I was starting to like anyway – despite myself.’

Andrew nodded.  ‘I’m glad you resolved that.  I suppose I was cut up somewhat, but I moved on.  I found Jess.’

She smiled at him.  ‘Yes.  Jess,’ and took another sip of beer.

They sat there in silence for a few moments, not saying anything, Bianca smiling at him somewhat, and then she spoke.  ‘Hey.  There is a dance floor down the back, looking unused.  And a jukebox.  Dance with my, Andy boy.  Dance with me.’

He thought on objecting, but she grabbed his arm, tugged on it, and brought him down to the back of the pub.  She put in a coin, and ‘All I want is You’ by U2 started playing.  And she put her arms around him, looked into his eyes, and they danced slowly.  Slowly.  Slowly.

Chapter Four

‘Susan!’ exclaimed Daniel.  ‘It’s Susan!’  That’s it, isn’t it?’

Ariel looked over at him, suddenly alarmed.  ‘Eh, what did you say?’

He stared at her.  ‘Your human name.  Susan.  Susan, something or another.  I can’t remember.  I can’t remember exactly.  You were a singer.  Um.  A Christian singer.  Susan.  Oh, for the life of me.’

‘Well, if you must know, the albums are still available.  There are no photos of me in the cover, but they have been released.’

He looked at her.  ‘I don’t think we ever met on earth, but I had some of your music.’

She looked at him, squarely.  ‘I guess God must have provided that for you.  I never knew you.  Never even heard of you, but it is a large world, isn’t it.’

‘Yes.’

‘Of course, you found Sharlamane.  Jessica Goldstein.  You married her.’

Daniel suddenly looked at a photograph on the wall.  Sharlamane.  His cherubim sister, Sharlamane.  His deepest human love.  It had been so bloody long now since he had seen her.  So bloody long.  In fact, although he had seen that photo on the wall countless times, he had never made a connection about his past love, his past association.  It was like she was lost in the annals of history, a forgotten maiden, once his love, now gone forever.

‘Do you know were she is now?  Were Jessica lives?’

‘On Televon.  She emailed me a century ago.  Asked how you were.  She left an address.  I think I probably still have the email, if you want to know.’

Daniel looked at her, his heart suddenly fluttering.  ‘Yes.  Can I see it?’

Ariel stood, walked over to the PC, and opened up her email account.  She did a search, and finding Sharlamane’s last email in her personal folder, clicked it open and let Daniel read.

He wrote down the address in his little black book and looked at Ariel.  ‘I don’t have anything on at the moment.  No working commitments, nothing.  You don’t mind, do you?  It will probably be as much as a year, but I really need to catch up with her.’

Ariel smiled.  ‘Its ok, Danny.  I understand.’

Daniel nodded, went to his bedroom, packed a quick suitcase, grabbed his wallet, and came back out.  Ariel was standing at the door.  He came over, and looked into her eyes.  ‘You know, don’t you.  You know by now, don’t you.’

‘Know what?’

‘I do play the field, somewhat.  But only somewhat.  Only a small percentage of the time, now.  I think, in the way I do love Sharlamane and the way I do love Meludiel, that such realities…Well that will never change.’

‘I didn’t think it would.’

‘But you do know, don’t you?’

‘What?’

‘Who my first love is.  Who my priority, when all is said and done, really is.’

She looked at him, smiled to herself, and kissed him on the cheek.  ‘Go on, Danny Boy.  I will see you when I see you.’

‘Thanks!’ he said, kissed her own cheek, and disappeared out the door, off to the bus stop, and away to an old love.

*   *   *   *   *

Abraham was visiting Eber at one of the Hebrew Gatherings.

‘You know, Abraham.  I have always wondered, out of all the Hebrews, why you?  I have surmised, often, that it was probably preplanned destiny.  I have surmised that.  The scriptures seem to teach this truth, so maybe you were just made for it.’

‘Or he found something he liked in me?’

‘Or you just got lucky,’ finished Eber.  Abraham smiled at that comment.

They both took a sip of their beverages, and looked out at the dancing in the large hall.  It was Eber’s traditional Hebrew Celebrations on Televon, and it was a good turnout as usual.

‘This Karaism, I hear of Abraham.  This new development in it.  Zebulun.  My boy Zebbie.  Going solo.  And then, apparently, the other lads taking him up on the idea.  What is going on, son?’

Abraham responded carefully.  ‘Well, it was Daniel, David Rothchild’s brother.  He got the ball rolling on that issue.’

‘Oh, Daniel Daly Rothchild.  The adopted one.  The Seraphim.’

‘That’s him.  He visited Zebulun and proposed the idea to him.  Zebulun asked Jacob, who gave him a blessing.’

‘And you don’t object?’

‘I was promised to be a father of many nations.  I am sure Zebulun is well old enough and experienced enough by now to know what he is doing.  All of them are.’

Eber nodded.  ‘And what about you, son.  Do you have any more ambitions for any of your other children?  You must have thousands of them by now.’

‘They are content as Hebrews.  It is generally the tradition they follow.’

‘And the circumcision?  Do you still enforce it to the degree of the past?  I have heard that now it is out of vogue.’

‘We still circumcise our children.  Sarah insists on it, but the other wives are of mixed opinion.  Some insist that I leave the children alone.  I don’t worry about it now.’

‘Has HE commented.’

‘The theophany drops around occasionally.  We discussed it.  He told me not to worry.  Said it was primarily a human covenant of earth.  That in this world beyond earth, it can be continued, but life is just what life is.  Tradition is important, but so is the heart of men.’

‘So you don’t worry.’

‘Little point in losing sleep.’

Eber nodded.

Abraham continued on the theme.  ‘Oh, it hasn’t stopped with the tribes.  David Rothchild emailed me.  Let me know of an idea he got from a Joel Rosenberg.’

‘What?’

‘Joel has formed Karaite Rosenberg faith.  Faith for the Rosenberg clan – the Rosenberg family.  And David took an instant liking to the idea and formed Karaite Rothchild faith.  Said, considering the enormous universal size of the Rothchild clan now anyway, that they may as well.’

Eber nodded.  ‘That actually sounds like a good idea, son.  They will only continue to grow.  They will only get larger.  Denominationalising it, for want of a better word, is really the only practical idea in the end anyway.  I think that is just probably reality.

‘You are probably right in the end, old man.  You are probably right.’

*   *   *   *   *

Noah was having a conversation with Adam and Eve.  The parents of mankind were traditionally ‘Free Spirits’ and Adamic faith stressed as usually having little real requirements – ‘People take it as they want amongst me seed’, Adam commented to Noah.  Noah had come to the realization gradually, which had been forming in his mind for many years, that as he had long assumed in as much as many Rainbow Torah Noahides accepted only the Rainbow Torah as their book of Divine Judgement, so likewise Adamides enjoyed their spiritual freedoms, responsible only to the laws of the land of the current day, to which they usually complied, in Adam’s own word.  ‘We don’t really have specific commands to live by, Noah.  How can I put it,’ said Eve.  ‘It is sort of like being just who you are.  Just how God made you.  An alive being.  Law has its place amongst those who are not always choosing to be lawful.  A person who understands the real nature they are made to be – the holy image of God they are made to be – does not so much need a law of moral rules, but to simply love and respect ones fellow man.  But, and this is probably important, in our developed society with all its infrastructures and complexities, unlike the Garden of Eden in its simplicity, rules, of necessity, must develop.  When it was just me and Adam there were no rules against theft, because who exactly would we steal from, if you know what I mean.’

Noah nodded.  He understood perfectly.

‘As society developed and became more complex, rules and laws likewise developed.  It all happens naturally.’

‘As I have likewise assumed,’ responded Noah.

‘But we are not, by nature, meant to be simply people addicted to rules and a programmed way of life.  We are free spirits, not made to fit to a law, but laws developed to fit to us.  To help us – not to be a program we must follow or else.’

‘So you dislike Israel’s Torah?’

‘They need it.  They have responsibilities.  They don’t operate on the same level as us,’ responded Eve.  ‘God chose them for a priestly role among our children.  As a rabbi would probably tell you, 7 represents the natural order, which is the 7 days of creation, but 8 is the circumcision which supposedly represents divine intervention on the natural order for corrective purposes.  Almost like a spiritual doctor – made to heal mankind.’

‘But not for mankind.  That is not mankind’s destiny, only Israels?’

‘Correct,’ responded Adam.  ‘The issue causes no end of trouble with a lot of young kids in theological circles.’

‘Yes, I know,’ responded Noah.  ‘A lot of rabbis still have problems as well.’

‘There has never been clear consensus from Israel about their role,’ commented Adam.  ‘David says there job as a people is to teach mankind to love God and to obey the 7 Noahide laws.’

‘Yes.  He does follow that tradition.  Of course, there is more freedom in the Rainbow Torah perspective, but David seems to be of the opinion that the 7 law approach is the best one to follow,’ responded Noah.’

‘It gives most Noahides something to cling on to.  A developed spiritual legal code they can learn the rules for and abide by.  Makes it very simple.’

‘And the problem with that?’ queried Noah.

‘It is only for younger Noahides.  And mainly for younger Noahides who have not developed terribly wise spiritual choices yet anyway.  Those who need to be told a set of laws to obey, rather than simply choosing to be a holy and moral person, walking with God, loving neighbour, and trying to do the right thing in general.  If you have the right type of education into spiritual things, you don’t need a list of laws to tell you what the right thing to do is anyway.  You will know.  Your wisdom and conscience will guide you.  Your living spirit, alive to God, will enlighten your mind on issues of right and wrong, and the moment of time you are in and all other relevant factors.  It is so much more complex in many ways than a list of 7 rules which people take for granted as the end of their requirements.  But the rabbinic system suits many people and in his own way David is quite wise for promoting it.’

‘But you disagree mother?’

‘Not really.  Not disagree.  It works as necessary for those it needs to work for.  For others, who have gotten over being a sinner, they don’t need to be told when they have sinned or if they have sinned.  They are already responsibly going about their lives with God in their heart.’

‘This sounds like young Callodyn’s approach.’

‘Very similar to his viewpoints in many ways, I would agree,’ stated Eve.  ‘He focuses on the Rainbow Torah quite strongly as a fundamental sort of text, and we would let him worry less about Sabbaths and genealogies, but his heart is also in the right place.  I think, like 7 law Noahides, or Karaite Noahides, as long as they are happy with there lives.  Well, that is the main thing.’

‘Amen mother.  Amen.’

*   *   *   *   *

Ruth was busy with Dominic, her son, washing him in the bath, and talking to him about God.  Dominic asked a question. ‘Does God Love us mummy?’

‘God loves you very much Dominic.  You are a special little man of his, very important to his plans.  You will meet him one day. We know his Theophany personally.  We are very blessed to be some of the very few lucky ones he gets around to visiting regularly’.

‘Were does God exist mummy.  I mean, the spirit stuff?’

‘Oh Dominic.  You do have so many questions for me these days.  I can’t ultimately answer that question, Dommy.  I can’t say.  God does not reveal the truth about the specifics of that question to any soul, no matter how many times they ask.  He just says he is spirit and life, and that is all we know.’

‘Oh,’ said Dommy, and splashed around in the tub.

Later on that evening, sitting on her bed, Dominic fast asleep, she looked over at Boaz reading the paper.  She thought she might raise Dominic’s question.  ‘So were does God Almighty really exist, Boaz?’

Boaz put down his paper, and looked at her.  ‘Did Dominic ask that?’

She nodded.  ‘I didn’t really know how to answer him.’

‘You should have tried the omnipresent answer.  Christians use that constantly.’

‘I know they do,’ said Ruth.  ‘But we don’t really know for sure, do we.  We don’t really know.’

‘He just is,’ responded Boaz.  ‘It is what the rabbis say.  God just is.  I don’t know if we really need to know more than that.  Or if he ever really wants us to know more than that.’

Ruth looked at him, got into the bed and pulled the sheets up.  ‘When the Theophany visits, I may ask him.’

‘He might get that question a lot.  I don’t think we know yet, so he probably doesn’t say.’

‘I might ask him anyway.  To get some idea.’

‘Good luck.  Now are you ready to put out the light?  I’m quite tired now.’

She nodded, and as she stretched out, Boaz turning of the lamps, she thought on God, her God, and wondered on that question.  Just were did God really exist anyway?  Would she ever really know for sure.

*   *   *   *   *

Jessica was finishing off the dinner preparations, and Andrew walked into the kitchen, taking a piece of lettuce, munching away.  Jessica looked at Andrew and, cautiously, not knowing if she wanted an answer, but asked him anyway ‘How did you go the other night?  What did you get up to?’

‘Oh, not much,’ he responded cagily.  He took a piece of tomato from the salad and went back into the living room, sitting in front of the television.

She steadied her gaze on him, thought very carefully if she wanted to in fact ask the specific question she felt she might need to, but forewent it.  Perhaps...perhaps it would be better if she didn’t ask.  For reasons more than one.’

‘Ok,’ she said softly.  She came over and sat next to him on the couch.  ‘You know, Andy.  You know I love you, don’t you.  You do know that.’

‘Very much so,’ he said, turning to her, and holding her hand.

‘If you want to tell me something, I can be very understanding.  I am a gentle heart, Andrew.’

Guilt was suggesting it might need to speak.  But guilt of what?  He had danced with Bianca.  Nothing more.  Did he have to make a confession to an act of innocence.  Did he?

‘Just that I love you too, Jessica.  Just that I love you too.’

She smiled, and he kissed her on the cheek, but then, turned back to the television show, and his own little world.  She smiled at him.  She smiled at him, looked at the television briefly, and looked back at him.  Then, the subtlest of frowns graced her face.  The subtlest.  She stood, walked into the bedroom, grabbed her handbag, and came back out.

‘Umm.  You don’t need me at the moment, do you sweetie?’ she asked, a slight tinge of anger in her voice.

He looked at her.  ‘Uh, no.  What?  Are you going out?  What about Dinner?’

She looked at him for a few moments, looked at her handbag, and looked at the clock and the calendar.  3 O clock.  Still enough time in the day.  She returned her gaze to him.  ‘Yes.  Yes I am going out.  Don’t wait up.  Have the dinner yourself.  I.  I will eat out’

He nodded cautiously.  ‘Sure, Jess.  If that is what you want to do,’ and, thinking no more of it, returned his gaze to the box.

She left, gave him a stare from the doorway, and went away.  She did not return for quite some time.

Andrew, sitting there, staring at the tv, started thinking.  Started thinking about what had just transpired.  ‘Oh,’ he thought to himself.  ‘Oh fuck.’

*   *   *   *   *

Gabriel had decided, perhaps even against his own better judgement, to come out of retirement and do a series of live gigs with the ‘Bongiovi All-Stars’.  He had contacted the man himself, Jon Bon Jovi who suggested the gathering of the original ‘Bongiovi All-Stars’ with Gabriel’s band to do a series of live gigs with the full crew from both bands combined on stage.  Gabriel had agreed to the idea, and the night of the first gig had come.  Aquariel was with him, and as the bands were backstage, warming up, Gabriel was chatting with Jon.  ‘Well, it should be a good night.  It’s a sell-out out there.’

‘My Bon Jovi band sells out constantly.  We still tour regularly.  Only live albums these days – nothing new to release.  But we keep on touring and promoting the albums.  Hey, we have to make a living after all.’

‘You actually worry about that?’

‘Nah. Not really in the end,’ responded Jon.  ‘But Richie and Tico and Dave and Alec are happy enough to tour for a while.  Maybe as many as 5 or 6 million years, we all agreed to once.  Just to cement ourselves for eternal sales.  Eternity might cost that much effort,’

‘It doesn’t, you know,’ responded Gabriel.  ‘I am aware of artists with one album who never had anything at all approaching sales success, but with a webpage established and enough of a market sold over a few thousand years, they get an audience who keep on buying the CD from time to time and who spread the word about it to their kids and others by simple word of mouth.’

Jon nodded.  ‘But if you want to be the biggest, you have to work at it.  I know what you are saying, Gabriel.  One album really does set you up forever.  There are only so many songs to go around anyway, and there are buyers who want it all and buy it all from time to time.  We probably really just do it for kicks for now.  Something to do.  We’ll retire one day.  One day.  But our generation of rock and rollers saw the birth of so much of the pop and rock music scene – so much of the legends came from our time.  We had to earn it, in the end.  We had to show the kind of guts our boasts were made of.’

‘Forever and a day?’ asked Gabriel.

‘Always,’ responded Jon.

They went on stage that night, and the fruit of their efforts saw a live CD and DVD put together, which, for Gabriel’s efforts of having another go, went straight to number one.  Living in a rock and roll dream indeed.

*   *   *   *   *

And time comes, and time goes.  And the Realm of Eternity saw lives of young children grow up.  And one particular child, Young Blaze, Gabriel’s latest addition, took a large interest in his dad’s touring efforts and took on the informal name ‘Blaze Bon Jovi’, just for the hell of it.

Blaze was studying at university in Zaphona, the capital city of Zaphora, not far from Zaphon Tower and one lunchtime, in the cafeteria, he bumped into an attractive young angel, one he had seen around the campus, but hadn’t been introduced.  He put out his hand and said ‘I’m Blaze.’

Danielle, Ambriel and Meludiel’s daughter, smiled back, but didn’t take his hand.  ‘Danielle.  To Blaze, Danielle was a real spunk, and he was instantly in love.

‘How old are you?’ asked Blaze.

’20.  And you?’

’19,’ responded Blaze.  ‘Hey, do you like guitar?’

Danielle looked at this young angel.  He was trying to impress her.  Nice, but that is not what she was looking for in a guy.

‘Sort of, Blaze.  But not now, ok.  I have to go.’  And, waving at him, she took her lunch tray, walked to the back of the cafeteria and sat down, not even looking at him.

But Blaze was successful over the next few months getting to know her, and tried very hard to impress her with his wicked guitar solos, yet all she would say was ‘Wow.  Amazing.’  Very sarcastically

.

*   *   *   *   *

Talzudiel was the 43^rd male Seraphim in birth rank in the Realm of Eternity.  Recently, relatively speaking, he had finally wed his twin Winoniel, and they had had a son, name Jason.  Deciding that Zaphona University would be the ideal place to educate him, as it was the premiere university in the Realm of Eternity, he sent Jason to study at Zaphona University upon graduating from high school.  Wandering around the campus in the first few days of the new year, Jason ran into Blaze and the two of them became best friends very quickly.  They shared similar tastes in music, both had premiere Seraphim parentage, and both were studying Geography at the University.  And then Jason met Danielle, and instantly fell in love with her.  Blaze was furious.  He wanted to say ‘Hands off my girl, J,’ but Jason just smiled whenever Blaze dropped the hint that Danielle was with him and said, ‘Sure thing, bro.  Whatever.’ 

Yet, out of the two of them, it was Jason who was the first to successfully land a date with Danielle, and Blaze was nothing but jealous..  Moaning to his father Gabriel about his heart being broken in two, Gabriel suggested ‘Write a song about it.  Impress her.  Blaze looked at his father, smiled to himself, and later on that night, back on campus,, picked up a guitar, and started writing a new song. 4 months later he released ‘Blaze Bon Jovi – Hearts on fire for Love’ on his myspace page which, very quickly, was picked up by a major label, and went to number one in the realm charts.  Yet, despite this monumental effort and his heart pleading in every verse of the lyrics, Danielle ignored him.  He had yet to really impress her.

.

*   *   *   *   *

Jesus has his headphones on, listening to his Sony Tape Walkman, listening to ‘Hearts on fire for Love’, on his lunch break at McDonalds.  He was thinking over King David and considering inviting him around for another conversation.  They hadn’t completely hit it off so well in their last meeting, so perhaps another go at it, just to hopefully gain himself a bit better of a personal reputation with the King.  Yes, that would be a good idea.  He would arrange it soon, if David was available and hopefully, second time around, get a firmer representation of what he was really about across to David, and gain a better understanding of David for himself.

*   *   *   *   *

Talzudiel dropped in on Michael who was faithfully at work in one of Talzudiel’s organisations to see how work was going and if he was happy with his responsibilities.   ‘You know, Mikey.  You have a solid reputation with management.  You’re a quality worker, and you have demonstrated that to management.  Despite your own reputation and fame, you have genuinely earned a promotion if you are interested.  There is a middle management position available here at the moment.  Are you interested?’

Michael nodded.  It was the promotion he was looking for.  ‘Thanks Tal.  Yes.  Yes I am.’

‘Good.  Finish off what you are doing today, but next week see your manager.  He will have a package for you to look at.  And good luck and, again, thanks for the work you do for us.  Your invaluable.’

Michael smiled, happy at his continued good reputation and, as Talzudiel left, he thought over the work he had been doing for a while now.  It was ok, but he was capable of more.  He had wanted to earn more, to really show to the world he would not simply get by on past glories, and hopefully he had done just that.  Perhaps, in truth, that would be an eternal part of being the Archangel Michael.  Perhaps he really always would have to ‘Earn it’.  But if that was what destiny and life had in store for him, then so be it.  It rewarded him so richly in so many ways anyway that he could not complain.  You took the good with the bad, and whoever you were, in the end, if you patiently and carefully earned your glory, nobody could take it from you.  Nobody.

*   *   *   *   *

Jason and Talzudiel were at home, discussing life in general, and Jason spoke of his new girlfriend Danielle.  ‘Doesn’t Blaze Bon Jovi’ love her,’ queried Talzudiel.

‘Yeh, he’s crazy about her.  But she went for me first of all, and I like her dad.  I think she is the one for me.’

Talzudiel nodded..  ‘Watch that Blaze though, son.  He could be no end of trouble in the end.’

‘I will dad.  I’ll be careful.’

*   *   *   *   *

Winoniel was sitting on a rocking chair, listening to ‘Over My Head’ by Kings X on her CD Walkman, looking out from her verandah at the night.  She was reflecting over finally being with Talzudiel, her twin, after so long never even liking him very much.  He had found out she was currently single, had come around to chat to her, and she had welcomed him warmly.  That had been 22 years ago.  And lo and behold, here they were, still together, now with there very first child ‘Jason’, upon whom they both doted.  She thought back, all those years ago, to the words of Saruviel that he had once spoken to her.  ‘Talzudiel is not for you, Winny.  Not right away.  He has a lot of issues – a lot of problems to work out.  Don’t trust him for a long time.  Maybe even a million years, sweetie.  Maybe even a million years.’  She had not known why Saruviel had shared these words with her straight away, but she had been friendly to him after his return from his second exile for a while, and he had formed something of a friendship with her.  She had felt him, at the time, perhaps jealous of Talzudiel, but promised to keep his words in her heart anyway.  And then she had carefully watched Talzudiel for many years, and seen the wisdom of Saruviel for herself.  But now, after so long, and in point of very fact, the passing of one million years, Talzudiel seemed to have left a shade of darkness behind him, something she had known in him for a while, and he seemed a better man.  As if a fundamental act of repentance had taken place.  Of all the crazy things that Saruviel was known for, she had not really suspected that he had seen what may have been called by some a ‘Sin’ issue in Talzudiel.  But he had.  And she had been careful because of it.  But now, now she and her twin were together.  And though she had known many lovers and husbands, suddenly the very fact it was her own twin, perhaps even in the Michael and Elenniel tradition, seemed to mean so much to her.  Something so incredibly fundamental in fact.  And they had a child, now.  Young Jason.  And she loved him.  So much did she love him.  So much.

*   *   *   *   *

Blaze had invited Danielle to Golden Lake for an outing.  Danielle, though insisted upon bringing Jason, despite Blazes complaints, and the three of them had been given a special pass by Gabriel to enjoy the private Seraphim section.  Blaze was on a board on the ‘Still and Calm Waters’ looking at Danielle.  Jason was on the shore, building a sand castle, paying them no heed.  He looked at her and suddenly wanted to touch her.  He got off his board, swam over to her, and paddling in front of her, quite close, smiled at her.  She smiled at him politely, but responded, ‘Uhh, Blaze.  You’re a bit close, aren’t you.’

‘I know,’ he responded.

He continued staring at her, looking into her eyes.

‘Let me guess,’ she said sarcastically.  ‘You love me.  Your hearts on fire for me.  Huh?’

‘You said it sweetheart.’

She smiled to herself.  She liked Blaze.  She did.  But he was not the one.  ‘See him,’ she said, pointing to Jason.

Blaze looked at him and said ‘What of it?’

‘’Well, I’ll marry that boy one day.  Kapiche?’

Blaze stared at her and, quietly, a little root of bitterness rose within him.  A bitter root of rejection and humility. ‘Sure, he said.’  And under his breath there was the faintest ‘Bitch’ before he got on his board and swam off.

Later on he looked at the two of them together, building a sandcastle, happy in each others company, smiling and peaceful.  He couldn’t let it go.  It was deep in him.   An attraction to her, almost carnal.  He would have her, one way or another.  One way or another.

*   *   *   *   *

The theophany was lost in thought, sitting at home, thinking.  A Bon Jovi song.  Blaze of Glory.  He was Cain, looking for an Abel.  Mmmm.

*   *   *   *   *

The library was empty, well almost.  Almost.  Two kids were studying, well in love with each other now, one of them seriously thinking about proposing.  And, then, a librarian who had decided that the kids should be alright, left for home early, decided she didn’t need to lock up, and headed off for her microwave dinner.  And then the Devil entered the building.

Blaze had purchased the gun from an old military collectables store, and purchased the bullets as well.  Guns were rare in the Realm of Eternity – extremely rare – as most residents were of extremely high ethical standards and did not need to rely on such things.  But Blaze had found the gun, loaded it, and when the librarian left, he decided he need not wait, but went on in.

He found them, seated near the back of the study section, laughing, chatting, delirious.  He looked at Jason.  His friend.  His friend.  He hated him, now.  Despised him. The girl was his.  He knew that instinctively, the girl was his.  And he would have her, wether Jason liked it or not.  He put the gun in his pocket, and walked up to the chatting couple.

Jason smiled.  ‘Yo, Blaze.  How you going.  What are you up to?’  Both of them looked at him innocently.  ‘This,’ he responded, took out the gun, pointed it at Jason and, seeing the horrified look on the couples face, didn’t care.  It was his bitch.  One, two, three shots.  One in the head, two in the chest, and Jason reeled over.  Danielle screamed, but Blaze grabbed her.  ‘Don’t worry, sweetie.  You wouldn’t have liked him anyway.’  And then, looking over her, the carnality from the murder rushing to his head, he thought he may as well go through with it and, despite the scratches to his face from the shrieking maiden, he pulled down her jeans, ripped off her underwear and, his manhood feeling a force of nature not that common amongst the children of the angels, he slowly, with a demented heart, raped his lovechild.

When he was finished she was not fighting him any more.  He got up and she was weeping.  Weeping.  He looked at her, and looked at Jason, whose blood was over the floor. As he watched she crawled over and checked Jason.  She looked up at Blaze.  ‘He’s Dead.  He’s dead.’

Blaze looked at them, the two of them, the love he had destroyed.  He dropped the gun, and, staring at his crime, backed away, backed away, and then started running.  He ran out the library, he ran out the university grounds, and looked at the city of Zaphona.  What would he do now?  Were would he run to?  How could he hide from this?  And then, guilt him.  A sudden rush to his mind, a feeling, never really felt before, of just how evil he had become. And suddenly, knowing that he was supposed to be an angel, an esteemed angel of glory, son of the overseer of the Realm of Eternity, he felt a sense of loathing for himself.  Loathing at having killed one of his best friends.  He looked in his wallet, saw the credit card, and took it out.  He walked – for 20 minutes he walked, and then hailed a cab.

‘Were to?’

‘The Airport.’

‘Right on, son.’

*   *   *   *   *

Gabriel did not know what to say to Talzudiel.  He did not know how to find the words, or how to apologize enough.  He did not know what to think at all.

Talzudiel was cold towards him, but said he understood.  Said Gabriel wasn’t to blame.  Said these things happen.

‘And the kid?’ asked Talzudiel.

‘We don’t know.  He touched down at the portal, paid for a ticket to Televon, and left.  But we have no trace of him after that.  He is not using his credit card anymore, so could be hiding anywhere on Televon, if he is even still there.’

Talzudiel nodded.  He though on justice – justice which was crying out for vengeance.  But he let it be.  It was Gabriel’s kid.  For Gabriel, for the length of time he had served on holiness, he would give his kid a break.  This one time he would give his kid a break.

‘Then don’t worry about it, Gab.  Let the kid go.  Let him go.  I don’t think he will ever return, so there is no point in hunting him down.  He will be a fugitive.  He will be a Cain.  So let him wander in Nod.  Let him wander.’

Gabriel put his head in his hands, and nodded to himself.  A wandering Cain forever.

Chapter Five

Jesus was again chatting with David.  ‘You are very strong in your faith, David.  Certain of yourself.’

David looked at Jesus, not sure if this was another tactic, so responded carefully.  ‘Thanks, Yesh.  I suppose you might be yourself.  In your faith, I guess.’

Jesus looked at him, instantly understanding.  ‘And you have a problem with that?  Shouldn’t a man live by his faith?  By his word?  I am sure you have a catalogue of psalms you won’t consider betraying.’

‘No,’ I guess not,’ responded David, sipping on his latte.

They were at a Canbraphoran Café, enjoying themselves, out in the middle of a lake were the café was situated, with a ramp going to the shore.  Swans and ducks were swimming all around and David, thinking upon an idea he felt might be worth, right at that moment, developing, started on an angle.

‘Nice.  Swans.  They are nice, aren’t they?’

Jesus nodded.  ‘Yes.  I have always liked swans.  Serene.  Full of grace.’  Suddenly a black swan jumped up on the board to the side of them, squawked madly at the two of them, seemingly looking for food, before David shooed it away.  ‘Yes, full of grace,’ said David, the faintest hint of a grin on his face.

They sat there for a few moments before David continued.  ‘Duck’s, though.  They are a smaller creature than Swans.  Aren’t they Jesus.’

‘Yes.  Yes they are.  I like Donald.  A good sense of humour.  And that Daffy.  Daniel’s favourite duck, apparently.’

David smiled.  ‘Mmm.  Ducks.  But between ducks and swans, which creature, in your opinion, would be the more glorious.  The more graceful.  The more divine.’

Jesus looked at the ducks, swimming happily, going about their business.  He turned to David.  ‘Well, each have their strengths.  In the end, I don’t think one could live without the other, but I would probably favour the swan.’

‘The BIGGER swan,’ commented David.

‘You could say that,’ responded Jesus.

‘Mmm.  Nodded David.’

They continued sitting and after a while an attendant came forward, asked if they would like anything more, and David ordered another latte and two donuts.  Jesus didn’t ask for anything.

David continued.  ‘So the swan.  The swan is the creature of glory.  The LARGER swan.’

Jesus nodded to himself for a moment and said, ‘Yes.  I guess so.’

‘You know,’ started David, on a point.  ‘The Old Testament is a LARGER book than the New Testament.  Isn’t it?’

Jesus nodded.  ‘Why, Yes it is.  Quite significantly.’

‘Quite a bit more to study in there. Wouldn’t you say?’

‘Maybe.  But understanding the New Testament is, well, more of a life challenge than the old.  The old is quite simple.’

‘Perhaps,’ responded David.

He took another sip.

‘Well, this is a good day.  I am enjoying myself.  Perhaps like that swan.’

Jesus smiled ‘Yes David.’

‘Oh,’ said David, offhandedly.  ‘How are your numbers?  I mean, your Christian numbers.  All up.  The whole universe.’

‘Uh, not completely sure.  But well over the quintillions.  Probably not in the Septillions yet.  Probably not.’

‘Mmm.  There are over a Decillion Jews in the universe, Yesh.  There are many of us, now.  A huge amount.  Perhaps like the way the Swan is Larger than the duck.’

Jesus smiled at that point.  David did, indeed, have a fundamental point.

He came out right out with it.  ‘Se we are the duck, are we David?  And you are the glorious swan?’

‘Did I say that?’ queried David, with perfect innocence.

‘No.  No you didn’t,’ responded Jesus.

‘Mmm,’ smiled David.

They sat there, drinking there lattes, and Jesus looked out at the lake.  Perhaps a response.  A good one.

He came up with one, something basic, but it would do.

‘Have you ever been to Australia, David?  Out on New Terra?’

David nodded.  ‘A number of times.’

‘Mmm,’ nodded Jesus.  He waved to the waitress, who came over.  ‘Can I have one donut, please.’

‘Yes sir,’ and she disappeared.

Jesus continued.  ‘Oh, did you happen to notice the currency they use there?  The dollar coins?’

David thought upon it, and then nodded.  ‘Yeh.  Yeh a kangaroo on the dollar, but I forget what was on the 2 dollar.’

‘Mmmm,’ responded Jesus.  ‘Did you notice there size?  I mean, the difference in size between the two coins?’

David thought on that, and realized he in fact did so.  ‘Uh, yeh.  The dollar is about 2 centimetres in diameter, while the two dollar is about 1 and a bit.’

The donut arrived, and Jesus thanked the waitress.  He took a bite and stared at David.

‘So the smaller coin is the 2 dollar, then.’

David nodded.  ‘Yes.  Yes it is.’

‘The SMALLER coin.’

David grinned, suddenly catching on.  ‘Uh, yeh it is.’

‘Of course, two dollars is worth twice as much as a dollar, isn’t it David?  ISN’T it?’

David tossed his head from side to side, thinking it over, but had to smile and say, ‘Why yes, Jesus of Nazareth.  Two dollars is worth TWICE as much.’

‘Good to hear,’ responded the man from Nazareth.

David looked at Jesus.  He looked at him and made a mental note.  ‘A clever boy.  A clever boy.’

And the day passed, and glory had been attained by certain individuals, and on went life.

*   *   *   *   *

Ariel was staying with Bathsheba in Canbraphora, and King David had returned home, sharing an anecdote.  He had gone to his personal collection in the basement of his Canbraphoran abode, were he stayed often, and retrieved an Aussie coin collection.  He looked at them and nodded to himself, and Bathsheeba tried to console him.  ‘Don’t worry, Davy.  You’ll get him back.’

‘Oh well,’ said the King of Israel.  ‘The kid is still a schmuck, but does have a brain.’

Ariel looked at David’s coins.  ‘Oh, you collect Australian coins.’

David looked at her, and nodded.  ‘Yes.  I have a huge collection on Televon, but also keep a lot of them here in my Canbraphoran home as well.  They are down in the basement.  David, I mean Ambriel, was born in Australia, and has a vast collection of them.  I got the hobby from him.’

‘Mmm.’ Nodded Ariel.  ‘Do you have a favourite coin?’

‘Mainly the two dollar coins.  Old ones.  Early dates.  They are worth a fortune now.’

Ariel nodded, and decided to comment, having heard the anecdote.  She decided to comment, and place some potential faith in her twin.  ‘Daniel collects Australian coins as well.  He also has a vast collection.’

‘Does he,’ said David.  ‘Interesting.  I will have to have a chat with him.  Does he have a favourite coin, then?’

‘Uh, yes.  Well, he has absolutely trillions of 5 cent pieces.  Too many to count.  But they are not his favourite, though.  There not his favourite.’

‘Which one is?’

‘The $200 coins.  The rare ones.  The collectors ones.  He has chased down early models for many years, buying them from eBay and going to swap shops and coin stores all over the place.  He doesn’t have as many as the 5 cent pieces, but he has over a billion of them now, so he tells me.  Apparently, so he claims, the largest known collection of them.  The biggest in the universe.’

David looked at her, but said nothing.  Nothing at all.  Bathsheba finally spoke up.  ‘The biggest in the universe?’

‘As far as he is aware of.  Of all the known of collections, including the Rothchild’s, his collection of 5 cent pieces and $200 coins are officially the largest known collections.  He is quite famous in numismatist circles for having them.’

‘Right,’ said Bathsheba.

Ariel nodded, very very softly.  She had said her piece.  She had defended her man.

David looked at her, almost sharply, but then turned back to his coins.  And then, putting his head in his hands, slowly, very slowly, he sobbed.  Bathsheba tried to console him, Ariel felt somewhat guilty, and in the throneroom of Zaphon a burst of purple and scarlet flames danced around the room, almost in a shout of joy, before a steady blue resumed.

*   *   *   *   *

Andrew looked at the newspaper.  ‘The Bongiovi All Stars – One night only in Canberra 37 – Book Now’.  ‘Hey, Bianca.  Do you want to go and see the Bongiovi All Stars?’

Bianca came into the room from the adjoining bedroom and nodded.  ‘Sure.  That sounds awesome.  But will you be able to get tickets?’

‘I hope so.  I’ll ring now.’  He picked up his mobile, was about to make a phone call, when a knock came to his unit.  ‘I’ll just get that,’ he yelled out to Bianca, who had gone back into her room.’  He made his way to the door, opened it and, standing there, a face he had not seen in nearly 20 years – Jessica.

‘Shit!’ he said.  ‘Fuck!  What are you doing here?’

Jessica looked at him.  ‘Well, I live here, don’t I?’

‘Uh.’

‘You going to invite me in?’

‘Uh.’

‘Well?’

‘Uh, yeh.  Sure.’

He motioned to her and she came in, looked around at their flat which had not really changed in nearly two decades, and sat down on the couch. Andrew just stared at her.  After a while his mind was yelling to him, come on.  Deal with it.  It’ll be ok.  So, instinct taking over, he came in, sat down on the other couch and looked at her.  She said nothing.

‘Who was that honey?’ said Bianca, walking into the room.  She noticed Jessica practically immediately and said ‘Fuck.  Jess.’

‘Hello Bianca,’ responded Jessica.  ‘I guess I really shouldn’t be surprised finding you here, SHOULD I.’  The question was completely rhetorical.

Andrew spoke.  ‘You.  You left Jess.  You never called.  I didn’t know were you went.  I was worried shitless.  I mean, we were together.  What was I supposed to think?’

Jessica looked at Bianca, standing in her place.  ‘I don’t know, Andrew.  I wonder what I was supposed to think.  You DID go and see her that night, didn’t you?  Didn’t you?’

‘That was a long time ago Jessica.  And, yes.  But fuck you, cause nothing happened.  Nothing at all.  We met up, danced, and that was all.  And I came home.’

Jessica nodded coldly.  ‘But she is here now, isn’t she.’

Bianca defended her man.  ‘You left, Jess.  I mean, Andrew did nothing with me for about 6 months after you had gone.  He was waiting for you to return.  I came around about twice in that time, and nothing ever happened.  He was perfectly faithful.  But, well, you know.  He’s a guy.  He has urges.  And, well.  Well I love him.  And with you gone, and not saying anything, not even knowing if you were alive or dead, well…’ she trailed off.  ‘Well you can hardly blame the guy.’

Jessica stared at Bianca.  ‘Can’t I?’

‘You overreacted,’ said Bianca.  ‘As simple as that.  I came to catch up with Andrew.  And, yes, it is true I still wanted him again.  I wanted to see how loyal he was to you and if there was a chance between us.  But I am an honourable woman, Jess.  I would have taken the hint.’

‘Would you?’ said Jess, with unveiled hostility in her voice.

Bianca didn’t respond.

For a few moments the tension in the room was palpable, but nobody said anything.  Eventually Andrew spoke.  ‘Uh, we have all your stuff, Jess.  It is locked up in the cupboard.  We haven’t touched anything.  I think Bianca wore one of your little black dresses once, but got really convicted and swore she wouldn’t do it again.  So we put all your stuff in the cupboard and locked it.’

‘We washed all your clothes,’ said Bianca, now showing some concern.

‘Uh, thanks,’ responded Jessica.  She looked at Andrew.  She looked at him and realized something.  He had moved on.  Whatever thoughts she had about returning now, after all this time.  Whatever possible thoughts she may have been considering, well.  Was there any point now.  She stood to her feet, looked at both of them, and said ‘You can keep all my stuff.  There was nothing to personal.  I don’t want to go to the bother of going through it all. Throw it out if you don’t want it.’

‘Uh, sure,’ responded Bianca.

Andrew looked at her, sensing Jessica’s frustrations, but it was clear he wasn’t going to say anything more.  It was clear he wasn’t going to say anything about love, about anything like ‘Stay for a while’.  About anything like that.  It was clear as day.

Jessica looked at Andrew’s hand.  There was no ring.  She dared it.  ‘Well, are you.  Well.  Well, are you married yet?’

Bianca smiled.  ‘Not yet.  But we have talked about it for a while.  It seems like a good idea to both of us, but we have decided to go slow for a while.  No need to rush.  Maybe in a few more years, perhaps.  If everything goes well.’

Jess nodded.  ‘Mmm.’  She looked at Andrew, he looked back at her, almost helplessly.  What could he really say.

‘Well.  Ok.  It was good to meet you again, Andrew.  But I will go now.’

Andrew got up and showed her to the door and Bianca, deciding they might want some privacy, went back to the bedroom.

Jess stared at him.  ‘I have one thing to ask, Andrew.  One question.  And then I will leave you in peace.  Did you ever really love me?  Did you?’

Andrew looked at her, and sighed.  ‘Oh, Jess.  Oh, Jess.’

She looked at him, knew enough from that response, and smiled at him.  She may as well, then.  She may as well.  ‘Well, here is my card.  Ok.  I left the city for a number of years, but moved back 6 months ago and have been working as a secretary for a modelling agency northside.’

‘So you have been avoiding us?’

‘Only to start with.  Look, you can call me if you like.  If you like.  I know you and Bianca are together, and I wouldn’t want to interfere with that.  But if you still want to be friends, well there is my number.’  Andrew looked down at the card and nodded.  ‘Thanks Jess.  Thanks.  And it was great to see you.  Great, ok.’

She nodded.  ‘Well, ok.  I gotta go.’

She was about to turn when, suddenly, he took hold of her, looked right into her eyes, and moved forward, kissing her on the lips.  She didn’t resist.  ‘Jess, I do love you, ok.  I never stopped, ok.  I never stopped.’  She stared at him, and a faint smile crossed her lips.

‘Ok.  Well, bye.’  She turned, walked off, and did not look back.  Out in the car, sitting there, she was thinking.  Thinking on his kiss, on his words, on what he said.  He never stopped loving her.  He never stopped.  She turned the key, started the car and drove off.  Whatever else, it was doubtful she would not see him again.  She doubted that very much indeed.

*   *   *   *   *

Ariel had returned to Danielphon, was sitting at her couch, looking at the calendar.  He was still gone.  Still gone.  He had emailed her upon arriving, and then about 2 years later saying he would still be a while.  The last email was 5 years ago, and she had heard nothing.  She had thought about going to visit him, but decided against it in the end.  As far as she knew it they were still married, and she assumed he would be faithful.  But men could marry more than one woman if they wanted.  The law allowed that.  Maybe he had married her.  Maybe.

She didn’t have very much to do these days.  Ambriel had kept her company from time to time, and he was in the habit of seeing his mentor, King David, quite a lot.  She had thus gotten used to Bathsheba’s company, and visited them in there Canbraphoran abode quite regularly.  They had become close friends, her and Bathsheeba, and with Daniel gone she needed the solace and the company.

She worked, casual, but she got about one day a fortnight and that was about it.  But, really, she didn’t need the money at all and mainly did the work to occupy herself.  It was simple relief work for substitute teachers, and she had a contract stipulating one day a fortnight at most, which the company honoured.  In the last few months she had seriously considered taking up a full time teaching position at some Zaphoran school or another, so long had Daniel’s absence become.  But, not yet.  Something inside her said he could return at any moment, and she didn’t want to have commitments she might suddenly want to get rid of.  So she waited.  She waited for her man, and lived a simple, basic life, knitting a lot, watching tv, playing the guitar to herself, and visiting David and Bathsheeba.  Oh, there were a million things she could potentially do to occupy herself, but she had no real desire to.  Instead she waited.  Waited the return of her twin.

A knock came to the door.  She put down her magazine, went to the side mirror and looked at herself.  She was immaculate, as usual.  She opened the door, ready to smile, and was pleasantly and happily surprised.  There he was.  Finally.  Back.  Her beloved.

‘Hi sweetie,’ he said, and gave her a peck on the cheek.  He turned away and waved to some people on the sidewalk.  ‘Uh, we have guests for a while.  Possibly quite a while.’

Ariel nodded softly.  ‘Sure, she said.’  The guests came forward, one young man about 15 and a girl about 13 and then, suddenly recognizing her, Sharlamane.  Daniel looked at her.  ‘This is Daniel, my boy, and Danielle, my girl. And you know Sharlamane.’

The kids smiled at Ariel and she smiled back.  Sharlamane spoke.  ‘I am sure you will like my children.  They are just like there father.’

‘Really?’ said Ariel.  She looked at Daniel, and smiled inwardly.  ‘Just like there father, are they?’

Daniel looked a bit guilty, but said nothing.  ‘Oh, yeh.  I probably should have let you know.  We are hitched.  Me and Sharlie.  I mean, you knew that though, didn’t you?  I must have said something.’

‘No.  NO word,’ responded Ariel.

‘Oh,’ said Daniel, again looking guilty.  ‘Well, now you know.  She will be staying in one of the guest’s room and, well.  Well.  You know.’

‘Know what?’ queried Ariel.

‘Well, some nights I will be staying in the same room.  If you know what I mean.’

‘I think I do,’ responded Ariel, looking at the children.  ‘I think I do.’

Later that evening, after they had retired for the evening, the kids sleeping, and Daniel in with Sharlamane, Ariel sat in front of the fire they had started, staring into the embers.  Daniel.  Daniel.  Daniel.  Did he ever really change?  Just then a door opened and closed, and Daniel came into his twin, sitting next to her, putting his arm around her.  He kissed her on the cheek and said.  ‘It is good to be home, Ariel.  Great to be back.  I have had the time of my life with Sharlie and the Kids, but it is great to see you again.’

Ariel nodded.  Somewhat reluctantly, but she nodded.

‘And how long will they be with us?  How long?’

Daniel looked at her, but understood.  ‘Ok, for a while.  Possibly for quite a while.  But Sharlamane has already made it known she will want to get back home eventually, and she doesn’t expect me to follow her.  She knows, ok, that you are my twin.  I don’t think she is trying to change that, as if she really could.  All I really need to know, sis, is that you are ok with this.  I know I haven’t put this on you very much previously – hardly ever in fact.  But sometimes stuff like this happens in life.  But I won’t abuse the situation, ok.  I will have plenty of time for you. And when she finally leaves, it will just be me and you again.  The kids will return with her.’

Ariel thought that over.  She thought on that being the reality.  She wasn’t really, in truth, jealous of Daniel’s relationship with Sharlamane.  It was as old as the hills, that romance.  It would just be frustrating for a while.  But she was firm in her love for him, now.  Very firm.  And it wouldn’t last forever, so, the tiny bit of resentment that had been building up, she put aside, with the grace of a Seraphim angel, and smiled at him.  And nestling up against him, she was just pleased to have him back.  Just pleased to have him back home again.

*   *   *   *   *

Jesus sat with his twin, Jenna, watching a show on Orthodox Judaism.  Principles of Kosher food preparation.  Jenna, now, occasionally cooked for her husband, but was reasonably devoted in her Orthodox Jewish faith, and was learning to cook in the Kosher style, something that had usually been done for her previously.  She had for a long time been something of a hard-nosed, almost feminist, Jewish business woman, dedicated to financial success and living a quality life.  She hadn’t married that many times, had absolutely no concern whatsoever for ‘Jesus Christ and his Christian Church’, which she still called a cult to him occasionally, but when he finally had gotten over his vow of poverty fixation, she had agreed to hang with him and when he had proposed, with a decent pay-packet now able to support her, which she knew she might need long term, because she would NOT take any of his church money, she had accepted and they were now happily wed.  He was, in truth, a fairly spiritual guy, which had led him to go off on his Christ agenda.  The church went way overboard in the things they assumed of Jesus of Nazareth, qualities they assumed he possessed which she knew were in fact only shallow or lacking.  But, yes, in truth, he had been one of the more spiritual soldiers of God of his generation, and did have a firm handle on those sorts of aspects of the Jewish faith.  He was pleasant, careful, treated her appropriately like a good Jewish man should treat his wife, and was duly respectful.  All things considered, despite his sometimes erratic viewpoints, he was a reasonably good catch.

She didn’t really care about his fame.  Long ago she had surmised, if she herself needed such fame to compete with him, she could achieve it in the goodness of time.  So what that people called him God – so what.  A lot of that was only illusory devotion anyway as far as she was concerned, and SHE was faithful to God and his religion – Jesus wasn’t as far as she was truly concerned.  He was somewhat handsome.  By no means ugly, but neither a playboy.  But he did have reasonably good looks, and somehow the beard he wore seemed appropriate – traditional.

‘I don’t know why you bother with shows like this,’ said Jesus.  ‘Really.  You aren’t serious, are you?  Kosher?  Kosher?  You think God gives the slightest damn about Kosher.’

‘Shut up,’ she said, watching the television.  ‘And don’t even start on your theological conceptions on this issue.  Don’t want to hear them.  Jews are Kosher.’

He shook his head, and stared at the box.

God couldn’t help himself.  The spirit settled in the corner of the room, and listened attentively.

‘You know,’ started the defiant Jesus anyway.  ‘It’s just bloody food.  We all know what it is made of – dirt.  Molecules, Atoms, etc.  Unclean?  That’s a joke.’

Jenna said again, ‘Don’t want to hear your excuses, Jesus.  Talk with a Rabbi if you are confused on that issue.’

‘A Rabbi.  Ha.  That’s a good one.  Pharisees are a joke.’

God smiled to himself.

‘A Pharisee is a well educated Jew actually interested in obeying, God,’ responded Jenna.  ‘Not going off on vain pursuits of self-glory with an accumulation of so called divine wisdom, all of which is actually an excuse not to learn your place and keep the commands of God.’

‘Yeh right,’ said Jesus staring at the tv.

God continued listening.

‘And, come to think of it, who exactly gave you this commission?  To go off on your own agenda.  I think, really, it went to your head.  You were probably bipolar or something like that.  Heard voices.  That is what I think.’

Jesus just shook his head, staring at the box.

‘You probably are still a schizo.  Like that Daniel fellow.  Two peas in a pod.’

‘Don’t mention Daniel.  He is pure ego.’

‘He’s not the only one,’ she said under her breath.

God smiled.

They continued watching the show and Jesus dared ask the question.  ‘So what is for dinner?  Pork Chops.  You know, my church loves Pork chops.  They taste yummy, sweetheart.’

Jenna nodded.  Typical Jesus comment.  ‘No.  We are NOT having Pork Chops.  Nor are we having Bacon, or Calamari which you like, or Dog or Cat or Horse or Camel.  None of those things.’

He smiled at the Dog or Cat comment.

‘We are having roast lamb, which will be properly prepared.’

‘Fine,’ he responded.

She thought about for a few moments, and put in ‘And I am sure you like LAMB don’t you.  Jesus of Nazareth.’

He almost smiled.  He almost smiled, but kept his nerve.

God, having enjoyed himself, disappeared, but had taken notes and would chat with a few angels one day on the marvellous theological beliefs of Jesus of Nazareth.

Chapter Six

‘Biology, Daniel?  Biology?  You want to study biology?’

‘Yep.  Human and Angel biology.  I have found my calling in life.  A Doctor.  Rob suggested it.’

‘Robert Preston.’

‘Yeh, Bobby.’

‘The Lawyer.  The controversial one.  Goes on about rights and so on.’

‘That’s him.’

‘How do you know him, then?’

‘Oh.  I guess I never mentioned it.  We were best friends in our human sojourn.  Very good friends – he was loyal to me, all the way through life.  Completely loyal.  A lot came and went, but Bobby kept the faith.’

‘Oh,’ responded Ariel.  ‘You should introduce me some day.’

‘Yeh, sure.’

‘But you are quite familiar with biology now, aren’t you anyway?’

‘Not the finer details.  There is quite a lot to study, especially the human brain.  It is a complex machine, really – a testimony to God’s grand design.’

She nodded.  That much sounded true.

‘Anyway,’ he continued.  ‘I have studied before.  Biology, I mean.  But I have never gone all the way to becoming a Doctor.  But, well.  You know.’

‘What?’

‘I have never felt a calling in life.  A Specific calling.  I mean, sure, I have my own goals.  My own desires.  But this, well…’ he left off.  ‘Well this feels like it might be something I am supposed to do.  Sort of like an eternal responsibility – taking care of people.  Looking to their wellbeing.  There bodily health.’

‘Has Maimonides inspired you?’

‘Him?  Uh, no.  We are poles apart in theology.  But, yes, he was a doctor also.  Still is one – very professional.’

‘So biology it is then?’ finished Ariel.’

‘Yes.  Yes, I guess so.’

‘Good to hear,’ said Sharlamane, coming into the room.  ‘I think that is a very good idea for you Daniel Daly.  A very good idea.’

‘Thanks Sharlamane.’

*   *   *   *   *

Callodyn was on earth.  And, funnily enough, the first thing he had been requested to do by the Messianic family was ‘Write more Chronicles, dude.  People love that shit.’

And so, ensconced in Haven Noahide Fellowship in Canberra, the world generally accepting that he was probably the returned Callodyn from heaven, Callodyn sat in his office at 29 Merriman Crescent in Macarthur, typing up new adventures.  His mind was focusing on a subject – one which Daniel had brought up with him.  ‘In the end, Cally, there are only so many words, so many original sentences, so many stories to tell.  But I think the secret is this – dig your own universe to tell tales in, and just keep on writing.  Population never ends and there are always new fans to the work.  It is just soap opera in the end.  Go over it, and over it, and over it again, but always offer them up a new and fresh variation in your current writings.  And, really, take the time and effort to write it afresh each time.  It creates a spirit upon the work and, if you bring something of the culture of the day into the writing, it feels culture current and serves a useful purpose that way.  Now, never plagiarise your own work or somebody elses – at least not deliberately.  Stay away from the universes of classic novels which you should know about by now.  Leave famous characters alone, unless you are doing a not-for-profit fanfic.  Be careful on that though – check to see if the author approves of fanfics of their work.  A lot don’t mind, but some do.  And make sure you stick with your established characters – in that way it is your own original work and writing which you contribute to the universe on a regular basis.  It is your own share of the pie.  Inevitably you will end up writing exactly the same sort of novel you have written countless times before anyway.  That really doesn’t matter.  Just make it a new project, give it an original numbering and date sequence, and release it.  One thing, make sure you promote your early foundational original works.  When it was all new, fresh and original.  They are a key part of the market and selling point for you.  Pray about them, promote them constantly, and never stop signing autographed copies of the same old text.  Never stop promoting your first works.  This is especially true for angels like you and me because we were born so bloody early in civilization.  We are lucky, really.  Now, on fanfics of your work, don’t allow them to sell them for profit.  You don’t want the competition.  Do, though, allow donations to their websites for their fanfics, and make sure they keep their published book format fanfics  not for sale, but only for giveaway for free and only to their local regions – you know, the planet they are from or the particular disc they live on.  You really don’t need to worry that much about fanfic competitors in the end.  As the original creator you get plenty of glory for your work, and really it needs to be shared to those who have a love for what you write so they can write the stuff in their own words and share in the love for what you are writing about.  You own it – you created the universe – but other people who have read it and delighted in it have a moral right also to sort of take part in the glory you created.  But only to a certain degree.  You retain moral rights to all your universes.  Yeh, in the end, when you have filled a cover of your novel with a page full of the current volume number of the saga, and the date as well, then it is about time to get over an official volume number and just release your new writing to the market without any specific volume number or date of publication.  Just release it under New Releases in book stores and from your websites.  It is meant just to be a current book for the public to read, probably like many of them that they have read countless times before.  Just keeping it in print.  But, again, make sure you write it afresh.  Put in the effort to write it again, because the story will feel fresh to the era that way.  That is an important point.  I mean, sure, you could study out that idea and release a suitable work from your back catalogue, but the best idea is to simply write it afresh because it will be perfect that way.  Of course, retirement is always an option if you must, and just go on promoting the old originals and not bother working.  But continuing to work, well.  Well this might sound stupid, bro.  It might sound stupid, but it just gives you something useful to do with your time, and is a good source for a current income.  May as well work, God said to me once.  May as well work. And, well, that is mostly about it, bro.  That is mostly about it.’

Callodyn had agreed pretty strongly with Daniel all those years ago and, sitting at his desk, realizing that the work of actual work – of writing – would give him a pastime and occupation anyway.  May as well do what he liked doing on a permanent basis.  May as well.

*   *   *   *   *

Ariel was curious on an issue.  The theophany was visiting her, catching up with his Seraphim daughter, sitting, eating some stew she had made, seemingly as happy as he always was.  Daniel was out at the moment, Sharlamane was in the other room with her kids, and Ariel was left alone with God.

‘God.  Does everyone have a soulmate?  Even our offspring?’

‘No.  You don’t know the statistics?’

‘What statistics?’

‘Male to Female ratio in birth rates?’

‘Uh.  Mm.  Oh yes, slightly more women are born.’

God nodded.  ‘Yes.  That is the plan.’

‘Why?’ asked Ariel, wanting to know.

‘The firstborn Seraphim and Cherubim all have a twin.  That was all arranged.  Human’s don’t.  Ketravim don’t.  And why?  Usually, so men can have more than one wife if they can afford to keep her.  Men are prone to stray, women to be faithful.’

‘Don’t I know it,’ said Ariel to herself.

God took another mouthful of stew and continued.  ‘Well, realm law forbids a woman from having more than one husband at any particular time, while men can have more than one wife at a time if they so wish.’

‘And that is how you want it?’

God looked at her, but continued eating his stew.  He continued looking at her, finally speaking.  ‘I don’t really reveal my own viewpoints terribly much, you know Ariel.  Only certain things.  Only certain things which are required to be known.  I am usually happy thereafter for each to find their way.’

‘But you are going to tell me?’

‘Will you keep it to yourself?’

She nodded.

‘Well, yes.  That is generally how I want it.  Some men are quite randy, for want of a better word.  They seek to mate as many times as they can.  It is in fact how they were made.’

‘Why?’

‘Just because.  Call it the wisdom of God, but that is just how it is.’

She nodded and took a sip on her diet coke.

‘I suppose if that is how you want it.’

God smiled at her, and continued eating his stew.

*   *   *   *   *

Callodyn looked at the world.  7 Billion souls.  They had finally settled, after settling the galaxy and much of the universe, back on earth.  There were now few out there – in the distant stars.  Few humans.  The alien races were gone, now.  Dead.  Galactic warfare had destroyed world after world, and the peoples of this universe had never found true peace.  But mankind had survived – mankind had gone on.  They had found out they were the first of God’s creatures, and were the last as well.  That, seemingly, was the way of things.  That was the way of the divine.

Today on earth mankind was approaching the millionth year since creation, as the creationists reckoned it.  Israel ruled the hearts of men, so it was claimed by many.  Israel, the everlasting Kingdom on earth, still going strong since defeating the final horn of the fourth beast in the legendary World War II.  The fourth beast’s final expression, the Nazi nightmare, had lost that war, and then Israel as a kingdom had been reborn, and had never been defeated since.  But they were not alone.  Callodyn, who had been studying the last million years of earth history, had an atlas in front of him, looking at the nations of today.  Australia, still the same nation, unchanged.  Tasmania had thought once of independence, but stayed firm as Aussies in the end.  The United Kingdom, still unchanged, as well as Ireland.  New Zealand, Canada and the United States of America were still the same, and in fact the very same 50 states of the USA had prevailed.  They had not gone anywhere.  But nowhere else was the same.  No other nation he recognized.  He thought on his prayer, all those years ago.  When he had gotten down on the ground in Macarthur were he had lived, his face in the dirt, humbled before God.  And he had said ‘Infinite Lord of Glory.  Majestic Yahweh.  Preserve my people.  Preserve my nations.  May they endure eternally before you.  May they prevail.  Lord of glory, I know full well the promises you have given your son Israel.  I know this of eternal truth.  Yet, I know also the promise to Edom that, in time, he would break his brother’s yoke.  And I know you honour your word and the faithful.  Lord, while Edom has strayed, let that never happen to us.  Let your true grace be upon my peoples, and let our nations survive.  Let our sovereignty endure.  For the nations beyond us, I can not object if the Kingdom of Israel rules them, for this is your promise to them.  But grant us exemption – grant us grace – and let our dominions endure, for we love you truly Almighty God, and call upon your name with humble hearts.’

Callodyn had written down that prayer once, and found it on a website he had started.  Still online.  Still the same content, the same prayer.  Amazing.

It was funny.  The prophet had said, in the Neviim, those nations which failed to serve Israel, which failed to serve the Everlasting Kingdom, would end.  And they all had.  All other nations were now gone, and mankind had seen empire after endless empire form and fall away, simply by utter refusal to serve the chosen anointed of God.  His people had been given grace, but he knew in his heart it was more than that.  They had committed to God personally – from the uttermost parts of their heart – and they had endured.  In the words of President Obama which he had recalled, the United States will prevail, it will endure.

He found a strong Jewish population in Canberra, now, were he lived, with 4 synagogues.  He had spoken with Rabbis at the synagogues who had claimed they were careful with there numbers.  ‘The English are proud of their dominion, Callodyn.  They are proud.  We live here in harmony, though, and have very good relations with the English Commonwealth.’  But the rest of the nations.  Well, they come and go.  They never choose to serve God.  They never choose to humble themselves and seek out his ways.  In fact, lawlessness is not that uncommon beyond Israel or English borders.  They have chosen sin, we feel.’

‘And destiny?’ queried Callodyn.  ‘Will Israel one day claim more territory?’

‘We do in fact plan on doing so.  But we are cautious with the British monarchy.  Very cautious.  They speak of equality with Israel, in the ultimate sharing of spoils, and we can not say we rightly object to very much.  They have only endured by God’s grace, but have served the Covenant of Noah in true faith for very long now.  The other nations spat out that belief after a while.  They rejected God and chose sinful ways.’

‘Yes.  Haven is doing very well, now.  As are the other 6 assemblies I began.’

‘They prosper, child of Noah.  Yet, we always acknowledged the truthfulness of the claim of children of Noah.  They are partakers of the Everlasting Kingdom also.  That much they have earned.’

Callodyn had nodded.  That much, in the opinion also of Daniel, seemed to have now been proved the case.

‘But what the future holds?  Well who knows,’ said the Rabbi.  ‘Who knows.’

*   *   *   *   *

Bantriel smiled at the question.  ‘The Eternal Kingdom of France?  Well I should hope so.  We are well aware of our shortcomings on earthly soil, but there we were never really given a chance by the prophets of Israel anyway.  Serve or perish as a nation.  So we let it go and chose a heavenly reward instead.  And, lo and behold, the bible is an interesting and accepted spiritual book in the heavenlies, but not binding in the same sense.  We find here strong Jewish popularity, and the enduring popularity of Prince Michael, a proud and true son of Israel.  But we do know our English brothers are equally as proud of Metatron, a son of the British Empire, first in rank in the Realm of Eternity.  Yet they all had to choose somewhere in the end, and such were there choices.  I am French.  Of France, and we have many promises from the Theophany God, for our long ancient service, for the enduring eternality of the Kingdom of France in the heavenlies.  He has promised me in no uncertain words that France will endure in the Realm of Eternity forever, that the French language will never cease to be spoken, and that upon our own soil our sovereignty is ensured.  We know this true also of the Kingdoms of Israel, as well as the British, our Russian compatriots, and so on.  Callodyn, upon his recent return to the Realm of Eternity, has spoken much of the welfare of Earth, but what can we really say.  We made our mundane choices in the end.  But no bother.  No bother.  France endures eternally in the heavenlies, so such is life.  Such is life.’

The reporter asked another question.  ‘The glory of France?  Do you seek more of the future discs of eternity?  Those promised to the Ketravim?’

‘We know so well that the Cherubim discs, 99% or thereof, have been claimed by Sariel and Callodyn’s great earlier machinations in the Realm of Eternity for the glories of the British dominion, but again, such is life.  And while they have had the remarkable good fortune to claim the last 73,118 Cherubim officially on the register, ensuring the greatest Cherubim dominion without challenge, especially as they simply have the last disc sown up, why should we really complain too much when latter glory is promised and, ultimately, time marches on.  The Cherubim have 1,400,000 promised discs of eternity.  We all know this.  Semyazaphon is the popular name for the first, and so on until the 1,400,000^th disc.  We have a tiny smattering of these discs, but no matter.  They shall suffice in the end.  But, it is in the glory of the Ketravim that France is competing.  As we all know God has stated Ketravim numbers shall never cease, and all well and good.  But there are available but 1,400,000,000 Ketravim choices for disc-ship and overseersmanship, and half and half to both male and female.  These choices, so God has made quite clear, are based on merit – are based on the task to glory God has set the children of men.  It is those children of men who have become blessed Ketravim angels who strive to the uttermost in the planetary bodies were the high majority of Ketravim are chosen from, were the future glory of France will be won.  We know well truly that Rachel of the Cherubim will be Rachael of the Ketravim, and oversee the so-called unified discs to bridge between Cherubim and Ketravim world.  But beyond that, the choices of glory will only be made known as time progresses, and God has yet to declare any such choices beyond Rachael.  The theophany has stressed merit as the means whereby the Ketravim choices will be realized, and it is on such truths that we serve.  Such truths that the Kingdom of France righteously serves.’

The reported nodded, and Sariel spoke up.  ‘We of the British have decided, also, to meet such a challenge.  But we have also declared we seek little more than a fair ratio of the division amongst Ketravim choices.  Of course, the real thing we look forward to is the Saruvim discs, were the discs simply remain the same length outwards, as it has been declared.  Naturally, each time the area of each disc gets bigger, but nowhere near the size of the earlier doublings.  This is were England has proposed to all nations a fair and equitable division.  By the grace of God, he has already chosen the Kingdom of Andorra to be the last of the Saruvim discs of Eternity, for we all know too well what small and humble size they were given on earth.  But we have much agreement with most nations, France here included, that we share the glory of the Saruvim as equitably as possible, and it indeed seems that we can come to about an equal size in land for the nations of the traditional Terraphoran and Zaphoran community.’

Radrukiel, Prince of Russia, spoke up.  ‘Sariel has spoken truly.  And he has spoken well.  I will point this out to everyone.  Russia has claimed 20% of the Abraphim discs from long memory in the community, which are to be exactly 20% of the overall area of the Abraphim disc-ship as well.  God has consented that, after the British Empire claimed the most land and built the largest Empire on Earth, that Russia’s dominion at the height of its glory was second.  And thus we follow on after the British glory in claiming Cherubim to claim the lion’s share of Abraphim glory.  God has consented to this fact, so we state this once more for the record.’

‘Of course, Noah himself,’ continued Sariel, ‘has claimed the entire 1,400,000,000,000,000,000 discs for himself, for all the Noaphim Angel’s overseersmanship, which are yet to be created, alike with the forthcoming Saruvim and Abraphim.’

Cimbrel spoke up.  ‘The Cimbrphim are to be all Japanese angels.  God has assented to this, and we have claimed 77% of the 1,400,000,000,000,000,000 discs assigned for Cimbrphim rulership.  Of course, as God has ruled previously, there shall no longer be any increase in total disc numbers for each new grouping of angels than the 1,400,000,000,000,000,000 discs promised for both the Noaphim and the Cimbrphim.  From then on, all new series of discs shall carry such a number, and they shall all be of the same width, naturally increasing somewhat each time with the circumventing of the entire realm.’

Another reporter queried Michael, who had remained silent.  ‘And this is to go on perpetually?  Forever?’

Michael nodded.  ‘Well, there is no intention of God to ever refrain from allowing us to reproduce.  Sexual relations is a normal and healthy part of being alive, and so is progeny. Thus, as it is truly called, the Realm of Eternity is planned on being just that – eternal.  Now, to clear up a point, later on history, when we are well beyond the segments of discs assigned to the glories from The Seraphim through to the Cherubim, the micro-nations become a reality with the Ketravim titled discs.  New Kingdoms can at that point start making there claims for dominions, but for the earlier discs all the Kingdom choices are well and truly established.’

‘Good to hear,’ yelled someone in the crowd, and everyone laughed.

Finally, Callodyn himself spoke.  ‘The Kingdoms of Angel and Men have always had a purpose for God and if it has been proven useful, God will use it.  I am assured by the theophany that God was faithful to Israel on earth, and such things were necessary to keep faith in the word of God.  But in heaven all God’s children shall find his grace and their own desired purposes, for God is not a taskmaster to deny the freedom and sovereignty so many of us truly desire.’’

And Michael, under his breath, said ‘Amen.’

*   *   *   *   *

Ariel was talking with Daniel.  ‘Danny.  You were raised with the Rothchild’s.  But, you were never circumcised?’

‘No.  The family was Christian to start with.  David never got circumcised either, and never had Michael done.  He didn’t really bother.  Still hasn’t done it yet.’

‘Oh,’ responded Ariel.  ‘And that didn’t bother the Israelites?’

‘Uh, David tells me that for him they all assumed it.  He never actually disclosed that he wasn’t.  I never told anyone either, but I mainly associated with Callodyn later on anyway.  Went back to my Daly family.  I was just an observant Noahide.  Didn’t bother with Karaite Judaism anymore.  Didn’t see a point.’

‘So the Messiah and Archangel of Israel were not ever circumcised.  You don’t find that a little bit ironic?’

‘Uh, sweetie, they were never Israelites.  They were indeed Rothchild’s, but had left the faith of Israel for quite a while.  They were officially Christians, and when they left that they could only be regarded by God as Noahides in being restored to God’s Israelite family.  The theophany cleared that up with me once.’

‘Oh.  I see.’

‘Yes.  But David was so righteous in his walk with God that Destiny had shaped him to be Messiah.  Technically the Messiah didn’t have to be an observant Israelite – he just had to be descended from Jesse through David.  It was only descent which Isaiah 11 spoke of.  I think God chose that role for him a long time ago, but he was never meant to be circumcised.  That wasn’t part of the deal.’

‘But the newborn Israelites – they still circumcise now.’

‘Not all of them.  Certainly not all of them in the heavenlies.  It doesn’t seem to strictly apply.’

‘So Noahides don’t circumcise.’

‘No real point, Ariel.’

‘What role did you serve – In Israel with David?’

‘I only visited Jerusalem once.  Only ever once, in younger years, on holiday to visit David.  I didn’t like the place at all.  Too many rabbis, too many dressed in black, too bloody old fashioned and just, quite frankly, too bloody many Jews for me.’

‘That is not an anti-Semitic tone I hear, is it?’

‘Oh God.  Possibly.  Hey, I am a proud Irishman if you really must know, Ariel.  I love my English mother and adore the Empire, but I am a son of the Emerald Isle in the end.  I’m a Daly, and proud of it.’

‘But David says you are officially the Prince of Jerusalem in status.’

‘Oh, yes.  I have heard about that.  That is here, though, in the Realm.  Danielphon is in Zaphona which sort of equates with Jerusalem on earth.  Apparently I am the most regular citizen of everyone, surprisingly.  More than Ambriel or Michael or any of the others.  Actually, you and me, from what I have been told, have lived here longer than anyone else.’

‘Yes.  And David says you are now Prince of Jerusalem because of it.’

Daniel looked at her.  ‘He said that to you, did he?  I had heard some recent murmurings after the first Arc was completed that I personally had the record.  I mean, I know I was on Televon from time to time for a few thousand years, but thinking it over there has been about 950,000 plus years spent here in Danielphon.  I haven’t really left, I guess.’

‘And now you are the Prince.’

‘Fancy that,’ responded Daniel.  ‘But, if you want to know the honest truth, if I can achieve the glory I am after much later, I plan on moving to Danielphora and being overseer of Danielphora and, hopefully, the Arch-Regent of the entire Realm under God’s authority.  He is King, but I desire Arch-Regency with Valandriel as Prime-Minister, and the regular rotating Overseer of the entire realm forms the triplet.’

‘And Michael?’

‘Ah.  He is overseer specifically of Zaphora – the central disc – in the end.  Just this disc.  I doubt very much, personally, from all that I have heard, that the overseers position over the entire realm will ever stop progressing on the list of angels of rank.  Pretty sure that is established, now.’

‘Oh,’ said Ariel.  ‘I see.’

‘But you will get your glory as well, Ariel.  They will name a disc after you, and you will get your turn as overseer of the Realm and of your own disc.’

She looked at him.  ‘We will be apart?’

‘Look.  I have thought about that already.  I guess you can delegate for most of the time and live with me in Danielphon if you want to, and some of the time I can spend with you on your disc.  That doesn’t matter that much, does it?’

‘Oh, no.  I suppose not.’

‘Then it is settled.’

She nodded.  It was settled.

*   *   *   *   *

‘How long did you live on Earth, Danny?’ Ariel asked her husband, the second time that day she had bothered him with questions on past history.

‘The life of a tree, Ariel.  The life of a tree.’

‘What is that supposed to mean?’

‘Isaiah 65 promised the elect the life of trees.  I was there a bloody long time, ok.  Nearly as long as Callodyn, who went on a bit longer.  But he was younger, and I think all up I probably took him in year count.’

‘And how long was that?’

‘Mmmm.  Well, there was a resurrection, and I was around before that had happened.  But I lived on beyond the resurrection and never actually died, like Callodyn.  I was taken to heaven instead, like Enoch had been.  Like Elijah had been.’

‘Oh,’ she said.  ‘I didn’t know that.’

‘Yes.  My body has been adjusted to eternity – that was done pretty quickly – but I never saw death.  I had the promise of Isaiah 25 over my life.  I had prayed for that and God had granted it to me.  It was the tree of life I modelled myself on, from the choices of the trees which Isaiah 65 might perchance reference if it had to.’

‘Smart move.’

‘Thanks.’

‘So, how long before you were taken?’

‘It was over a thousand years.  That is all you need to know.  I don’t want to talk about it, though.  Very private memories.  Very private.’

‘Why?’

‘Well…If you must know, well.  Well there were a lot of women I knew.  A lot of them.  I ended up having quite a number of children, and I don’t want to provoke you to jealousy, sweetheart.  I married a large number of times, and had a large number outside of marriage as well.  But those days are gone, now.  Forgotten.’

‘Yes, I knew you had seed out there.  A lot of it.’

‘I don’t always talk about it.  Sometimes I just shield this information to people – let them think something about my life which just wasn’t true in the end.  But I don’t want to go over all the details with every Tom, Dick and Harry.  Really, I’d rather not.  Callodyn was the same.  Exactly the same.  Flaunted a sort of virginity with a lot of people.  Claimed he had no children for a long time, which was utter rubbish.  Absolute utter rubbish.’

‘Really?’ she exclaimed.

‘But don’t tell him I said that.  He has a reputation he doesn’t want sullied.  But, like me, he was equally as promiscuous.  He just didn’t tell that many.

Ariel laughed.  Callodyn and Daniel – two peas in a pod.

Chapter Seven

Ambriel had been chatting with Ariel all afternoon and the Theophany had returned for the night.  He had some questions he wanted to ask him.  ‘God.  Should I now circumcise?’

‘Why would you want to do that?  You don’t intend following Judaism, do you?  That was for earth.  The Seraphim Torah is what I gave you.  I don’t expect anything more than that for your morality.  Oh, the Realm Laws formed by Council are important for society as it grows – in fact fundamental – but in the spirit of freedom of Eden, it is the Seraphim Torah I require you to continue studying, my son.’

Ambriel nodded.  ‘And that is all?  You don’t want me to convert to Judaism?’

‘There would be little point.  It is a human religion for earthly realities.  It has little to no place for angels.  It is not appropriate for them.  So, if you really must know, I would prefer if you didn’t.  It could create problems, especially with Daniel.  He would not like you to.  Quite against that.’

Ambriel nodded.  He had surmised as much.  ‘Then I won’t.’

‘Good decision,’ responded God.  And for all eternity Ambriel never broached the subject with God again, and left Judaism in its own place in the world.

*   *   *   *   *

Metatron had followed God quite a distance upwards from home, right into the pinnacle of God’s glory.  Eventually they neared an object which had gradually become visible, and the two of them came to rest on rather a large looking machine.  Metatron looked at it.  ‘What is it?’

The theophany smiled.  ‘A huge weight off my mind and workload.  It is the Disc-Creator Version 1.’

‘The Disc creator?’

‘Yep,’ responded God.

‘What does it do?’ queried the curious Metatron.

‘Why, it makes discs, of course.’

‘Realm Discs?  For Infinity and Eternity and the others.’

‘Precisely,’ responded God.  ‘They have finally gotten around to what they want for the foundational discs, and I don’t need to fiddle around any more with requests for specifics – I have the basic formulas all worked out now, and this machine spits them out automatically.’

‘Were does the matter come from?’ queried Metatron.  ‘Don’t you still have to create it all?’

‘I have.’

‘Huh?’

‘A lump of solid matter is used.  It could really be any size, but I created a cube of about 1 centimetre cubed, just for the sake of it.  It is solid black.  It contains the structural material for an endless supply of discs.  Eternally so if I want.’

‘Can I look at it,’ asked Metatron.

God opened a compartment on the machine and took out the cube.  Metatron looked at it.  ‘Its solid black.  Everything can come from that?’

‘Indeed it can,’ responded God.  ‘Now the machine is programmed to very soon spit out discs at a uniform rate.  After a while it will leap frog beyond all attempts to settle the discs quickly, but I don’t care anymore.  Going slow was fun to start with, but I will allow the machine to take over now.’

‘And the naming of the discs?’

‘The council can do that now.  And when they become too long I will provide them with a USB drive which will automatically create a new disc name for all the latter discs.’

‘Mmm.’ Nodded Metatron.  ‘Have you done a planet creator for the humans?’

‘Why, yes.  Finished that last week.  Same basic design – just a little bit of different fiddling.  Same stuff.’

‘What about the new angels?  Do you continue with that project?’

‘I have an Angel Generator now.  I have placed my spirit within the substance of the generator, endowed it with a large portion of my concern and love and care, but it is programmed to spit out the ratio of original angelic genomes I desire.  It is all finished.  The angels will simply be born in the new throne-rooms of each new keep as they are established.  They will be using shorter names for their own communities, and the discs of length will have shorter names, but they will also all have original full-length names to signify their originality, though eventually they will be beyond the comprehension of everyone except me.  But it was a requirement I put on myself.’

‘I see,’ said Metatron, looking at the machine.  ‘Then most of your work is done?’

‘Now I have a good time.  I have worked on my PC at home to now include a prayer receiving device which processes requests to meet me personally from everybody.  I have assigned one official day every millennium to meet someone new.’

‘Is that all?’

‘Well, it is going to take forever, practically, anyway for people later on in history to meet me, such being the length of the cue, so I will not put too much on my plate.  People can pray to meet me as many times as they want, and I will eventually make that known to everyone.  But only one official new home visitor every thousand years.  But as a Theophany I have no desire to replicate myself, so it is only one on one.  That is the way I want it.’

‘Right,’ said Metatron, again looking at that machine.  ‘Mmm.  Can you do that on my PC also?  I get a neverending request to meet up from all sorts.’

‘I will be creating a USB creating machine to create USB’s for connection to PC’s for my elder children to deal with the problem of requests to meet them.  In fact, for all the really famous citizens of the realm, it will be made available.  Lots of people will need the device after a while.’

‘Sound’s cool,’ responded Metatron.

‘They can adjust the timing rate of recipients at will, but it will only accept them in chronological order.  That is my will on the subject.’

‘I understand,’ responded Metatron.

‘Good,’ said God.

They continued staring at the machine for some time more, before finally floating back down to home and getting back to there prior activities.

*   *   *   *   *

‘Still and Calm Waters.  Still and Calm Waters. Still and Calm Waters.  Relax.  Think of Nothing.  Imagine – there you are – on Golden Lake.  Floating on Still and Calm Waters.  Relax.  It is you and the Lake and God and nothing else.  Nothing Else.  Still and Calm Waters.  Still and Calm Waters.  Still and Calm Waters.  Peace.’

The voice stopped speaking on the ‘Relaxation CD’ and Gabriel, lying on the floor of an upper quiet room of Zaphon, the floor covered in thick padded mats, was in peace.  A peace he needed.

Blaze was still on his mind.  His son – lost to him.  The sin of Cain.  Aquariel had recovered somewhat since the incident, but she was still somewhat depressed.  Still feeling down and sorrowful about it all.

Murder was a rarity in the Realm of Eternity or humanity’s civilizations.  Very rare.  There had been, out on New Terra, the Dragon Wars for a time, when a number of dark demons had terrorized many.  But that time had passed, and lawlessness seemed, as it was supposed to be, a thing for earth and nothing more.  But murder, while extremely rare, did occasionally happen.  About one in a trillion or so souls, statistically, were killed by deliberate action in the Realm.  Not many, relatively speaking, but too many as far as Gabriel was concerned.  Especially considering his own son was guilty of such an act.

Other deaths occasionally resulted from accidents and very bad health choices, such as extreme use of certain recreational drugs, a lifetime of alcohol addiction, or a lifetime of cigarette abuse and so on, as well a the rarity of dying from extreme obesity, which did happen as well.  But such things, again, were rare.  Each cause of death about as rare as murder in the end as well.

Life had been structured like that in the Realm – people were supposed to be very hard to kill – very hard.  It was generally accepted that the dead rested in Sheol – a place of the grave, were souls had a shadow of a life, and little more.  But that was mostly speculation – God would not share.

Jason, presumably, was in such a resting place.  Down in the shadows, down in the darkness.  Resting.  Recovering from his ordeal.  Gabriel felt for Talzudiel’s son, and had incessantly prayed that God would watch over him, wherever he was, whatever ordeal he was dealing with.

But in the end, no more could he do than that.  No more.  Words of comfort, well…. Well they seemed lacking.  Nothing really could be said.  But, perhaps.  Perhaps in time, with healing, sanity could be restored.  Sanity and something of the semblance of a normal life for Archangel Gabriel, Secondborn Seraphim of the Realm of Eternity and Overseer of God for this special Realm of Angels.

*   *   *   *   *

‘Daniel.’  It was Ariel again.  The questions seemed to never end these days.  ‘Do you have anything to do with the Celestine Prophecy?’

Daniel smiled to himself.  Time to confess.  ‘Uh, well.  Yes.  I guess you have seen a copy of the book in my library.’

‘You have a number of Redfield’s books there that I have noticed.  Are you involved with his movement?’

‘Mm.  Well, yes.  Actually.  I am a life member of the Celestine Foundation, officially calling myself a Celestine – the group are called Celestines in plural form.  But there are numerous groups now, many calling themselves such names as Celestines, Celestinians, Celestineals, Celestinites and Celestials.  And various organisations, oh, such as the Celestine Foundation which I am part of, as well as Celestial Blessing, Celestine Warriors of Virtue, The Celestine Brigade, The Celestine Way and the Celestine Prophets, amongst numerous others.  They are now well established groups, but with the New Agenda there has been an avalanche of new projects gotten underway, each focusing on a particular way of the Celestine or a particular Interpretive approach, or sometimes just different ways of building the temples and organising the services.’

‘So it is standard religion is it?  I have never bothered with the book.’

‘It’s monotheism.  The Celestine Prophecy itself is technically just a novel presenting some of Redfield’s ideas, and a lot of it is controversial with a lot of people, evolutionary ideas and so on.  But it reads damn well and what attracts me to it, mainly, is the strong ethic it represents.  I find it inspiring.’

‘Inspiring?’ she queried.

‘Very.  I read the work from time to time and visit the Foundation to hear an occasional sermon.  You find them here and there, but it is a big Realm after all.’

She nodded, taking that in.  ‘Should I join?’

‘Oh my God.  Ariel a Celestine.  Whatever will happen next?  Look, sure sweety.  But you should read the book first – see if it is for you.  You might like it, but you might not.’

‘I will,’ she responded.  And then, sitting there, looking at him, she persisted with this line of inquiry.  ‘Are there…’ she trailed off and he looked at her.

‘What, Ariel?’

‘Are there any more religious organisations that you are part of?  Any that you haven’t told me about?’

‘Oh Christ,’ he said to himself.  His religious affiliations of all things.  ‘Well, yes.  Yes there are.  Quite a hell of a lot of them now.  I am a contributing member to way too many of them for me to bring to mind just now, but there are the older ones which I have quite strong affiliations with.’

‘Which ones?’

‘The Catholic Church.  It was my first human religious experience.  I have never left it.  But I also joined Potters House Christian Church and the United Pentecostal Church, and was baptised in both of them for various reasons.  I am still strongly affiliated with those churches.  I try to visit them at lest once every thousand years or so.  I have quite a large number of official church attendances in each of them now.  Quite a large number.  Well over 4,000 attendances for Potter’s House.’

‘Oh, that is the Pentecostal one you like.’

‘That’s them.  I usually go off to Canbraphora now and visit various Canberra City Numbered Potters House services.’

She nodded.  That was interesting, as he didn’t always tell her the places he went off to.

‘What else?’

‘Mmm.  I visit the Baptist church, the Uniting Church, the Presbyterian Church, Revival Fellowship, The Christadelphians, The Jehovah’s Witnesses, The Anglican Church, The Assembly of God, Harvest Christian Fellowship, The Lutheran Church, The Mormon Church, The Church of Christ as well as various Bahai and Jewish assemblies from time to time as well.  Oh, and my own Muslim Assembly which I formed – the ones which accept the Second Quran as a text of spiritual significance.’

‘That is the one you wrote, isn’t it?’

‘Yes.  It never really caught on in any major way with Muslims – they claimed it was mainly just my own work, so didn’t really care.  But there is a lot of interest from progressive Muslims these days, simply because it was the first official ‘Second Quran’.  It was an historical interest with a lot of them after a while, but mainly liberally minded Muslims.  Traditional ones find it something of a humorous article, to put it bluntly, but not to take too seriously.  But that is fine to me.  It doesn’t really bother me either way.’

‘Was it inspired, dear brother? It seems to make that claim.’

‘Whatever God had in the writing of it is beyond me – in truth I simply wrote what came to mind.  So it may be inspired, but I can’t really prove any such truth.  It was, yes, mainly my conception.  But I tell people who ask that question now anyway.  No point in denying it.’

‘Right,’ she said.  ‘Well, are there any others?  Religions?’

‘Quite a few.  I am an Eckist from way back.  The Religion of the Light and Sound of God.  I have something of an occasional affiliation with Scientology.  And there are now quite a number of New Agenda religions, monotheist ones, with interesting spiritual philosophies which I have joined.  Both to stay abreast with current religious knowledge, but also to continue to find Haven’s of the soul were people have new spirit to offer us all.  New homes of spirituality.  A lot of them I really do like, and have really committed to quite strongly.  I can’t visit them all at once, but intend to place future seed in a lot of these organisations.’

‘Our children?’

‘And others.  I want strong connections with a large array of spiritual bodies.  That is how I think.’

‘Are you a member of Messiah Ministries?  Ambriel’s organisation.’

‘No,’ responded Daniel.

‘No?  After all this time you still haven’t joined.

‘No,’ he responded again.  ‘I won’t join that one.  Not interested.’

‘Why not?’

‘Now that would be telling, dear sister.  That would be telling.’

‘Interesting,’ she said to herself, but said nothing more.

*   *   *   *   *

Ariel again.  ‘Daniel, who formed Haven Noahide Fellowship?  And the others.  Assembly of the Divine Creator, Universal Faith Assembly, Assembly of the Living God, Universal Truth Assembly, Assembly of the Most High and Haven Adamide Fellowship.  Who formed those?  The 7 Divine Fellowships, as they are called.’

Daniel turned to her.  ‘I thought everyone knew that.  It was Callodyn, of course. A major preoccupation for him.’

‘Really,’ she said.  ‘I was speaking with God this morning, and he told me that it was in fact yourself who formed the 7 fellowships.  That you were the driving force behind setting the names, the doctrine, and the early writings.’

Daniel looked guilty.  She wasn’t really supposed to know that.  ‘Yeh, sure.  I got Callodyn off to a great start.  But he was the one who took them to heart and ran with them and did the real work of getting them established through all his evangelistic efforts.  I just let him run with it.’<