The Gift of Knowledge (The Gifts Book 2) (14 page)

***

     Like a stone cast into still water, the ripples of Emily’s prayers spread out across the Amazon and out into the world. Liam felt the strength of her prayers, as he descended onto the streets of Rio with twenty warrior angels from his legion. The demons in Rio could also feel the strength of Emily’s prayers, as they screeched in their restlessness.

     The angels’ presence on the streets of Rio could not be missed, as they glowed bright as the sun. Liam made a grand show to attract the attention of Dycidius and force an appearance from him. It did not take long. In a grand display of his own, Dycidius appeared with dark clouds onto the middle of the street in front of Liam.

     “Liam, I thought we had an understanding that you would not be in Rio for long and would not be causing any disturbances here. So why are you walking my streets with weapons drawn and lit for battle?”

     “I agreed to no such thing, Dycidius. All these years have passed, and I see you still live in your own puffed up mind making your own reality.” Liam purposefully baited Dycidius. He knew how smart and crafty Dycidius could be, but the demon’s weakness had always been in his pride.

     Dycidius let out a low growl and seriously considered drawing his own sword to attack Liam for his insult, but he held himself. Dycidius had much to lose. He’d learned it was better to work around angelic intrusions into what he considered his realm. The less attention he drew to himself, the easier he found it to control those around him.

     “Fine, Liam. What is it you want here? How can I assist you, that you may be on your way?” Dycidius wanted Liam gone as quickly and quietly as possible. There was too much at stake, and the last thing he needed, besides angelic intrusions, was the Ba al’ descending on him. He was stuck in an intricate situation that required a perfect balancing act on his part if he wanted to come out still in charge of his own little empire.

     “I want to know why you are helping the man Lazar as he searches for my charges?” Liam got right to the point.

     Dycidius groaned inwardly. “What I do or do not do is none of your affair, Liam.”

     “It is our Lord’s affair, and it involves his children who have been placed in my care. That makes it my affair.”

     The angel and the demon stood toe-to-toe, face-to-face. Neither backing down, it was then that Dycidius felt the ripple. The strong, effective prayer of a righteous saint saturated the air and hit his skin like an acid, first as an itching burn and then a full on flame.

     Dycidius began to back away with an abject look of fear and pain crossing his cruel features. He took to the air, appearing as a streaking ball of red light against the pale blue of the sky. Liam and his angels gave chase.

***    

     Deep in the forest, another demon began to feel the effects of Emily’s prayers. Armodius writhed in pain inside Dr. Lazar’s body, and his control over the man weakened. Lazar took advantage of the demon’s weakness and began to run away from the demon horde surrounding him. He had to find his way out of this forest.

     Though his physical body was very weak, Lazar pressed forward. He did not see the two angels at his back, as they fought off the advancing demons that gave chase. Armodius continued to groan inside of him as if he were somehow glued to Lazar himself.

     Just when it seemed he could run no more, a light appeared as a beacon in the dark forest. The smell of a fire and cooking food assaulted Lazar’s senses. He could hear people singing in a language he did not recognize, but he knew he’d found some kind of town or settlement. People who could help him were near.

    Lazar ran to the sound and smells of people and collapsed in a heap at the feet of several native men gathered around the fires of their village.

    “Help me,” he croaked out with his last breath as he lost consciousness. The angels Matthew and Simon appeared to the natives and quickly gave them instructions for the care of Lazar.

***

     Across land and oceans, Liam and his warriors chased the demon Dycidius. The air became colder and the mountains taller. Day became night and on they sped. Into the great Netherlands of the north, the angels watched Dycidius, as he dove into a tightly packed black mass of demon sentries.

     Millions of demons created an impenetrable wall over the lair of the Ba al’. Liam and the others came to an abrupt halt in the dark sky above the demon mass, as Dycidius disappeared into the great numbers of the black horde.

     “Commander, shall we follow?” A deep voice came from one of Liam’s bravest warriors, as the angels carefully watched the wall of demons from a safe distance.

     “Nathaniel, only you would be brave enough to go into that wretched hive.” Liam clapped his fellow angel on the back. “No, I think we shall return to our charges and leave Dycidius where he is. He will face the Ba al’ now. Better them than us for him, I guess. But still not a position I would want to be in. We shall wait and watch for Dycidius’ return from the sky over Rio. If he returns.” Liam was disappointed at the loss of Dycidius and the information that only the demon  could’ve shared. Without a doubt, the demons were after something of importance. Something he needed to find before they did.

***

     Lazar languished in a state of semi-consciousness in a small, grass hut, fighting an inner battle with the demon Armodius. By his side, Simon and Matthew quietly watched and waited. The angels could only intervene if the man called out to Jesus. Even though Lazar wanted to be rid of the demon, he still did not ask for his Lord and Savior. He needed to be ministered to before it was too late for him.

          Simon felt it was time to speak with Lazar. “Matthew, my brother, I have an idea.”

Chapter Twelve

 
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
 
Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
 
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Ephesians 6:10-12

     Dycidius found himself under full guard, as he burst into the lair of the great Ba al’ unannounced. One only appeared in front of the assembly of demonic leaders by invitation. His mind spun, as he waited for the council to decide if they would see him or not. He almost regretted his cowardice in running from Liam and his legion of warrior angels. Almost.

     The problem with the angels was not so much in facing them. It was in the power they gained from the prayers of the children of the most high. The saints, as the children were called, had the ability to cast out demons and send them into the abyss by calling on the name of the great and exalted Morning Star. Jesus.

     Faced with the prayers of the saints, a demon had only two choices: fight to the death or run. If he’d stayed to fight he surely would have died. Liam was a gifted warrior. Many demons had fallen under his sword.

    
No,
Dycidius thought. It was far better to face the Ba al’. It would not be a pleasant experience, but he may still yet live on this earth after all.

     After hours, days even, crept by, Dycidius was at last granted an audience. The large demon actually trembled, as he was led to the great room of the crumbling castle where the Ba al’ assembled together. Even for a demon such as he, being in the presence of such dark evil was a fearsome thing. The Ba al’ was second only to Lucifer in the demon ranks, and they answered directly and only to the king of evil.

     Dycidius bowed low before the council before he was granted permission to speak. He was careful to remain humbled before the number of red-robed figures that made up the Ba al’.

     The voices that spoke from the hooded cloaks were coarse and raspy. “Why are you here, Dycidius? You were not summoned, and you have been given the great task of protecting Armodius as he carries out his orders. Why have you left your post?”

     “I bring word of the Host of Heaven. Just before Armodius arrived in my appointed realm, the angel Commander Liam arrived with his legion of warrior angels. The angels have accompanied the man Ethan McGowan and a woman. The woman is a saint. She prays and endangers the mission of Armodius.”

     A cacophony of high-pitched wails and screams ensued all around Dycidius. The noise brought him to his knees.

     “Who is the woman? Is she the one Liam protects from Hook Pond? How is it that Liam and the woman are with the man Ethan? This could ruin us all. We will not suffer another catastrophe at the hands of the saints who pray from Hook Pond. Lucifer will punish us all if we fail him again.” The screams bombarded Dycidius until he wailed and collapsed with the pain from it all.

     The demon sentry guards of the Ba al’ lifted Dycidius and carried him away from the council. The Ba al’ ordered him to wait until they decided what would be done following this awful news.

     Several days passed before Dycidius appeared before the Ba al’ again. This time he would receive his own orders. The council decided that if Liam was in the Amazon then they would strike his assigned post in America. Dycidius would lead an attack party to the angelic stronghold of Perry House. His orders were to take out the woman who prays in Hook Pond.

***

      Without Emily for company, Aunt Gemma kept busy around Perry House. She loved to work in the gardens, and with spring in full bloom, she had plenty to do to keep occupied. This afternoon she was taking a break from planting and pruning to paint. The flowers and trees came to life in full color on the canvas under her expert hand.

    Staniel, Gemma’s ever present guardian angel, watched over her shoulder as the painting took form. It was a pleasant afternoon for both of them.

    Gemma shivered, as the warm air around her began to chill, and a strong gust of wind knocked over her easel. She lifted her hand to her eyes and looked up. Where the sky had been calm and blue just minutes before, a large storm cloud began to form. She gathered her things and calmly headed for the back door to the main house. Staniel followed her in.

     “Gemma, they are here,” the angel warned her.

     Gemma could hear Staniel as clearly as she could on that day when he first came to her and her brother’s aid. She was only four and living in foster-care then, but she still communicated with Staniel by using sign language.

     “Yes, they’ve come. Just like the Holy Spirit warned they would.” She signed as she went to her knees and began to pray. Staniel flew into the air and sounded the alarm, as all the angels in the area gathered to their posts.
Yes
, he thought.
Let them come. We are ready
.

***

     Simon and Matthew took up residence with the natives who cared for Lazar. They appeared to the tribe as holy men. Lazar was in and out of consciousness, as he lay on a mat in the grass cover hut. A small fire burned on the packed dirt floor. A native woman brought hot food in a straw basket for the ailing man.

     The angels took turns encouraging Lazar to eat and drink during the brief times when he was awake. Still, the man had not called out to the Lord. Simon wondered what the man’s story was. He knew that some evil things had to have transpired for him to be in this state of demonic possession. What events had taken place that allowed Armodius to assume control of this man?

     Slowly, Lazar regained his strength. He began to realize that two men, who seemed to be missionaries of some sort, were caring for him. He also knew he was in a native village somewhere in the Amazon, and the demon Armodius was still inside of him. He reviled the thought of the demon, who seemed to be dormant somehow, as if being restrained. The stench of the demon was still present, and Lazar knew he would never be fully rid of the foul being.

     At first Lazar welcomed the power he seemed to wield with the demon’s presence, but soon the demon took complete control. His despair over his current state was complete. Lazar had given up. The only way out of this was death. He hoped it would come quickly.

     “Oh, dear Jesus, please let me die now,” he moaned.