Rise of the Fallen (23 page)

Present Day

It was nightfall. Validus found Tren standing near the edge of the trees at the back of Drew Carter’s home. His arms were crossed and his gaze was ever on the house.

“Are we clear?” Validus asked.

Tren didn’t respond.

Validus was immediately frustrated with him. This was going to be a long mission. One thing he had learned about command was that you don’t let things fester. Perhaps Tren was so used to working alone that this was just his mode of operation, but Validus felt like there was something more. He turned to face Tren.

“Look, I don’t like this assignment any more than you do. In fact, I petitioned General Brandt against it, but here I am … and here you are. If we are going to work together as guardian and warrior, we need the air clear between us.”

Tren turned slowly and looked at Validus, eyes seething with an ancient grudge. “Do you know how many children we have watched be destroyed by Apollyon?”

Validus waited. How could this be personal?

“For thousands of years before Messiah came, the warriors abandoned the guardians to an impossible duty. Countless children and thousands of guardians died because the warriors would not go with us to the outer lands. I just want to know why.”

The memories of an angel are vivid, and Validus saw Tren’s eyes sadden as he remembered back to the days before Messiah. Validus remembered those days well too—decisions made, actions taken, and actions not taken. He had been part of it.

Validus dropped his gaze. “I’m not going to pretend to understand the pain a guardian endures when a child is lost to the whims of evil men. But what I can tell you is that General Danick made some tough decisions for the sake of the Plan. And because of it, millions of children today are hearing the truth and coming to salvation. War is always messy, Tren, and there’s no war worse than the one we are fighting right now.”

Validus saw Tren’s countenance ease a bit.

“For some reason,” Validus continued, “Elohim has put us together, and we have a job to do. And I’ll make this promise to you: this warrior will never abandon you.”

Tren took a deep breath and turned to look at the Carter home. “Yes, we’re clear. I haven’t seen any Fallen since you left, but it’s a good thing you’re back.” Tren spoke almost as if the previous conversation had never happened, but the edge in his voice was gone.

“Why’s that?”

Tren didn’t take his eyes off the home. “By the way Carter’s acting, I’d say he’s about ready to take a trip and not come back.”

“How do you know? Have you heard him say so?”

“No, I’ve stayed out of sight, and we need to continue to do so until we can verify that the Fallen aren’t watching him, but I’ve observed enough human behavior to know when a man or woman is about to do something out of the ordinary.” Tren pointed at the house. “And he’s primed.”

Validus frowned. “I don’t like guessing at his intentions, but I think we’d better play it safe. The fact that we are both standing here is enough to know that something unusual must be happening or is about to happen.”

The following day, Tren’s suspicions were confirmed. Shortly after Carter’s mother left for work, they watched as the young man loaded his car with supplies, fueled up, and made a stop at a bank. A few moments later he was on the highway heading east.

Validus and Tren followed at a distance, often riding in various vehicles until they arrived at Drayle University. When Carter left his car and began walking toward the student union, Validus pushed through the trunk of his Mustang and took a quick inventory of his pack.

“He’s not planning on returning any time soon … if ever,” he said to Tren as they watched the young man walk away.

Tren made a quick scan of the campus. “We need to be extremely careful here. The Fallen have a lot of influence on campuses like these.”

“Is this where the accident happened?” Validus asked.

“Yes, in the physics lab. Why don’t you take a look there and see what you can find. I’ll follow him.”

Validus nodded and bolted north to put some distance and a building between himself and Carter. The reconstruction crew seemed to be on lunch break, so Validus was free to examine the lab without distractions. There wasn’t much to evaluate. All the equipment had been removed and the offices cleared out to allow the reconstruction crew access to the whole lab.

Rather than rejoin Tren right away, Validus decided to see if he could learn anything by checking the records of the university. He read the report that the dean of the Physics department had filed and learned that Benjamin Berg was accused as the perpetrator and had been expelled from the university. Carter was cited as an accomplice and dismissed for the remainder of the year for injuries sustained during the accident.

Validus then checked out Carter’s previous dorm room and his former roommate to see if he could learn anything new. Nothing. He made one more visit back to the lab after realizing that Berg may have left something behind in a desk that could help, but he came up empty. He walked over to the window that looked down on the campus. It seemed too peaceful. Where were the Fallen?

A twinge of self-pity rose up from the pit of his stomach. He had fought in a thousand battles across the sands of time, and now he was searching through files and desk drawers for scraps of evidence. And for what? He wondered if the blade of his sword would ever see the light of day again.

Validus watched as Carter and a girl who must be Sydney Carlyle walked out of the student union. In a small way, they reminded him of Eber and Tamaral from the days of old—Tamaral and Sydney Carlyle passionate about their faith in Elohim, Eber and Drew Carter thrust into circumstances beyond their control, desperately needing the faith that was right before them. Good men just misdirected.

Even from three blocks away it was obvious to Validus that there was a connection between Carter and Carlyle that could only be explained by human emotions. The couple entered one of the campus buildings.

Somehow Validus and Tren needed to get closer to Carter without giving away their purpose if any Fallen appeared. He had to know more.

Just then something flashed between two buildings. Validus was pretty sure it was one of the Fallen, but why was it acting so secretive?

Across the street from the building Carter had entered, a Fallen materialized through another building and scanned up and down the street. He was clearly a lookout.

Something was going down.

20
 

2236 BC

“We must protect the wayfarers!” Brandt glared at General Danick from across the table, but Danick didn’t notice. He was studying the elaborate lineage chart that spilled over all four edges of the table.

Eight of their primus commanders along with General Danick’s new executive officer, Validus, stood in the command room watching the exchange between the remaining two veteran warriors.

“The guardians won’t stand a chance without our help in the outlying lands.”

Danick seemed unfazed. Validus was anxious for him though. Commander Brandt was not someone to be ignored. Of the original two hundred commanders, only Danick, Brandt, and Captain Rafinni had made it through the first-generation war and still survived.

Validus watched the anger build in Brandt until he could take it no more. He slammed a fist down on the table in front of Danick.

“We must act, Danick, or we will lose this war faster than we lost the first one. You should be studying tactics, maps, and enemy fortifications, not this silly chart of names! Don’t you care about saving humanity?”

Validus wished he were someplace else. It unnerved him to see his two commanding angels at odds, and with such intensity.

Danick slowly lifted his head and glared back at Brandt. He stood straight and crossed his arms. “Tell me, Commander Brandt, how would the tactic of chasing every tribe to the four corners of the earth change anything from how we fought the first war? Run the numbers. We have enough warriors to cover humanity right now, but remember how quickly the population grew to five
billion people. We were spread so thin that Tarsis was able to pick us off one legion at a time until we couldn’t even defend the last city. And now that Elohim has divided their languages, they will spread across the face of the earth even faster.”

Brandt huffed and turned away. He pointed to the north. “Five thousand people are journeying north right now, and we have over two hundred thousand warriors sitting idle. How is that fulfilling our duty to Elohim?”

“First of all, they should not be sitting idle. They should be training. Practicing translation, materializing, swords, and hand to hand.” Danick looked sternly at his commanders. “Second, we can’t save humanity, Commander Brandt. Only Elohim can. And we are going to fulfill our duty to Him by preserving the lineage of the Plan that makes that possible.”

Brandt walked back to the table and put both fists down on the chart, leaning toward Danick. “And how are you going to know which lineage is the lineage of the Plan?”

Danick looked at his commanders. “Leave us. Wait for your orders outside.”

All the commanders saluted. Validus followed them toward the door.

“Validus, you stay.”

Validus turned back, an uncomfortable participant in this intense exchange between angel warriors of renown.

Danick met Brandt’s gaze, and his eyes softened as he looked back down at the chart of thousands of names all linked by a spider web of perfectly drawn lines.

“I don’t know, Brandt.” Danick spread both of his massive hands wide, holding them just above the chart. “But the answer is here and in the actions of Elohim. He will guide and reveal it to us if we don’t become distracted with the impossible task of trying to keep all of humanity from falling into evil. Their hearts are inclined to it. You know that. You’ve seen it.”

Danick glanced at Validus, then down at a new name on the map. “I’m certain that this young maiden, Tamaral, is one of the missing pieces I’ve been looking for … the piece to restore the lineage.”

Brandt eased, lowering his head. “And what of the guardians? They are charged to protect the little ones no matter how far they’re taken to the outer lands. Do we abandon them?”

General Danick looked up, his eyes filled with sadness. “Tell the guardians to resist to their utmost, but not unto dissolution. No matter what they face, they must live to fight for their charges another day. If they are overcome by the Fallen, they must retreat for a time. We will help when we are able, but not at the expense of our mission to preserve the Plan.”

Brandt didn’t look convinced, but Michael had given Danick command of the earthbound warriors, and Brandt knew the importance of the chain of command. He lifted himself up. “As you wish.”

He turned to leave.

“Commander Brandt.”

Brandt turned back.

“There’s a reason the guardians stand before Elohim each morning.” Danick gazed back down at his chart. “It is so they are strengthened enough to bear the burden of their mission. Theirs is by far the heavier.”

Commander Brandt gazed back in silence, then exited.

Validus breathed a sigh of relief. He had never seen such an exchange between holy angels before. And if he were honest with himself, he was struggling to embrace General Danick’s strategy too. It felt like they were giving up before the war had even started.

“Validus, come look.”

Validus stepped up to the map as Danick traced his finger along a line that led from Noah through his son Shem, then Arphaxad, then Cainan, Salah, and now to Eber because of Tamaral.

“This is the lineage. This is where we must focus. I was convinced that Shem’s lineage was part of the Plan, but something was missing. The power of Ruach Elohim was not as prevalent. But you saw it and felt it in Tamaral, didn’t you?”

Validus remembered thinking many times that there was something different about Tamaral. Was it Elohim speaking to him about her?

He slowly nodded. “Yes, I felt it.”

Danick closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Michael chose you to execute judgment on the last of the Fallen warriors from the first generation. That was no accident. He saw something in you that I needed in order to protect and fulfill my strategy. You must help me see the lineage for the Plan.”

Validus felt unworthy and incapable. “General, I am a simple warrior with much to learn, but if I can help in any way, I am here to serve you.”

“Good. You will focus on this lineage.”

“Yes sir.” Validus looked down at the map. “What of the other commanders? Do you still want them and their men protecting the other lineages that you’ve identified?”

“Yes, until we are absolutely certain. When you leave, send them in.”

Validus saluted and exited the abandoned farmhouse in the Mesopotamian Valley, the headquarters of the mighty angels of Elohim. Outside, he addressed the other commanders, and they reentered the farmhouse.

Validus walked away, wondering at the responsibility General Danick had just bestowed on him. There was so much to learn.