“You don’t believe me?”
“I believe you,” Tamael answered. “But I wish to see this for myself.
“I don’t believe it,” Jomjael answered.
Sariel slowly nodded. “Alright. I’ll take you there. After you see it for yourself, then you’ll take me to Semjaza.”
“Agreed,” Tamael said.
Jomjael and Batarel simply nodded.
* * * *
ARAGATSIYR
In the soft morning light, Enoch followed the diverted stream which ran to the Myndar city from the nearby river.13 He was unsure how long this would take, so he chose a spot under a tree that would provide plenty of shade in the coming hours. The fact was, he didn’t really know what he was doing, or if it was possible. But he’d made up his mind to find a quiet place where he could at least speak to the Holy One without interruption. There was no guarantee that his prayers would be answered, but he was confident that the Holy One could hear anything.
Leaning against the smooth trunk of the tree, one that looked more natural than those in the city, he slid down to a sitting position. The sweet fragrance of the tree filled his nostrils, and the constant gurgle of the slow river drifted to his ears. He knew right away that he’d found the right place. Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply.
Holy One. In Your infinite wisdom, You led me to this place. Again I find myself among Your angels. Their ways seemed complicated to me, yet they revealed to me everything that has transpired …
Enoch’s thoughts trailed off as he was distracted by a mist that had risen from the river. He watched as it spread outward from the water and began to climb the banks on either side. It continued to climb fast until it enveloped him, blocking his sight of everything except the sky above. He rubbed his eyes to ensure that he was seeing correctly, but the mist remained. He looked up and stared in disbelief as the sun raced across the sky in a giant arc, heading quickly for the western horizon. Suddenly, the sky darkened and the stars and moon passed by with the same suddenness as the sun. Enoch now began to look frantically around him, fearing that something bad was about to happen. Instead, a gentle breeze began to blow. It felt cool against his skin, while the mist began to clear. In a short time, he could see the river again, briefly glittering in the light of the moon. Only a moment later, the moon fell below the western horizon and only the stars remained, speeding across their course in the same direction. To the east, the sky began to change from black to the darkest of blues, then gave way to violet before bursting forth with a brilliant orange. The sun leaped quickly from the horizon and began climbing in the sky again. The breeze had now grown into a fierce wind, and Enoch rose to his feet and walked toward the river, covering his face from the stinging sand that was beating against his skin.
Then, just as the sun touched the western horizon, Enoch felt his body lifting into the air. The same exhilaration he had felt when flying with the Speaker’s escorts, he felt now, only it continued much longer as he rose higher and higher into the air. The valley became smaller and Aragatsiyr all but vanished below him as he could now see to the horizon in all directions. He’d never witnessed something so grand in all his years. The thought occurred to him that somewhere below and far to the south, his own village of Sedekiyr was nothing more than a tiny speck on the earth, which now appeared as a blue and green mottled sphere, hanging in the darkness, with stars in the distance.
Once again, the sky turned light, but the light came from everywhere and nearly blinded him. He blinked at the harsh transition, then noticed that he was flying over land again, ascending in elevation as if he were climbing a steep mountain. The terrain looked somehow different, foreign and indescribable. As the rocks and trees sped by underneath a great city appeared, white on the mountain peak above him. It was majestic and its radiance illuminated everything near it. Enoch’s eyes began to tear, but he dared not cover or close them for fear of missing the beauty that he struggled to comprehend. As he neared, he could make out a flickering movement around the base of the wall surrounding the city, which seemed to stretch so high into the air that the top could not be seen. His rapid ascent was uncontrollable and he shrank back in fear at the sight of fire surrounding the multi-colored foundation of the translucent wall. The tongues of flame burned white at their centers, with flashes of every conceivable color at their edges. In the center of the wall stood an open gate, wide enough for every member of the Shayeth to walk through side by side. But the fire burned everywhere and blocked the entrance. The dancing colors of the flames were reflected a million times from the wall, which appeared as though constructed of innumerable pieces of transparent stone, as smooth as a lake surface turned on its side. Helpless against his own movement, Enoch covered his face with his arms and flinched, expecting to be burned, but he passed through the flames and the gate unharmed.
Inside the gate was a vast city stretching to the horizon and beyond. Countless numbers of structures covered the landscape, their crystalline shapes glimmering from the light that seemed to come from all directions. Enoch’s pace failed to slow as he approached a structure unlike anything he’d yet seen. Though the wooden intricacy of Aragatsiyr had seemed incredibly fantastic to him only yesterday, this building made it seem like a crude abomination by comparison. Its floor and walls were constructed of the same clear material, exquisitely formed into symmetrical shapes that interlocked.14 As he moved inside, he saw pillars and arches that supported a ceiling of water which both reflected what was below it and the stars that showed above. Between the arches hovered magnificent and terrible creatures of light. Somehow, though he’d never seen them before and no one had ever explained them, Enoch knew they were called Keruvym. Their bodies, displaying both human and animal characteristics, looked as though they were made of fire. And they hovered in the air, propelled by six wings that moved in a blur.15 Through the windows, Enoch could see the flames outside and he felt both intense heat and numbing cold at once.
Fear seized his heart and he felt his body shudder, then convulse uncontrollably. The convulsions sent him to the transparent floor where he landed hard on his knees. Collapsing from the terror in his spirit, he fell forward onto his face, but the motion seemed to carry him through the floor in a disorienting tumble until he found himself on his hands and knees in a different place.
Lifting his head slowly, he now saw the entrance to a second structure that was greater even than the first, both in immensity and splendor. The floor and ceiling and walls—if they could be called such, for they seemed as distant as the horizons and sky—danced with flame, but were not consumed by it. Through the pervasive terror, Enoch marveled, and wondered how it was possible for someone to craft such a thing out of fire. Through the entrance, at the center of the building, he could see there stood a throne of the most brilliant blue colors he’d ever seen. Nothing on earth could even compare to it. It hovered above the ground. Its cool light rivaled the intensity of the surrounding flames. Beneath the throne were living creatures that burned with the light of the sun. Shaped as circles standing on end, they were covered with eyes and spinning in all directions so that they appeared as spheres. Enoch knew them to be Ophanym, though he’d never seen them before. And he knew their purpose was to support the weight of the throne.16 And for each of the Ophanym, one of the Keruvym stood alongside. From beneath the throne and the living creatures, rivers of white fire flowed in all directions.
Enoch shrank back in fear and covered his face from the blinding light. With eyes closed, he could still see the image that was burned into his mind. The One who sat upon the throne was still and immovable as a mountain. Enoch could feel power and majesty flowing in waves from Him. His clothing shone brighter than the sun itself and the fire around his throne prevented any others from coming near. Slowly, Enoch opened his eyes, but dared not look upon the Holy One. Instead, he kept his gaze averted and saw a multitude of angels larger than any number that he could count, for his language was unable to express such a number, neither
could he comprehend their quantity. Their ranks stretched from horizon to horizon. And like him, they were unable even to stand or look at the One upon the throne.
An omnipresent silence abruptly cut through the air. It was so complete that, until this moment, Enoch hadn’t realized the sheer volume of sound that preceded it.
“Come here, Enoch and listen to my voice.”
It was the voice of the Holy One and Enoch knew it immediately. His shaking arms and knees suddenly lost their strength and he began to fall. Just before he crashed into the floor, one of the Keruvym caught him and lifted him by the arm. It escorted him through the entrance and into the throne room. Being pulled through the air, Enoch began to panic and dropped his head, suddenly ashamed at his own unworthiness.
“Do not be afraid, Enoch. Your obedience is counted as righteousness in my sight. Come near and listen to me.”
The Keruv gently set him down upon the crystalline floor, which was surprisingly cool to the touch, despite the rivers of flame which flowed beneath its glossy surface.17
Enoch’s fear dissipated entirely in that moment, replaced by an all-consuming love.
In the perfect silence, the Holy One spoke again. “My Wandering Stars have sent a human to intercede for them, but their purpose is to intercede for mankind.”
Enoch could hear the sadness in his voice and he began to cry in sympathy.
“Because of their hardened hearts and deaf ears, I will speak to you. For you listen to me. Go and ask them, ‘Why have you left the Eternal Realm? Why have you defiled yourself by lying with earthly beings? Why do you take wives like the children of earth and produce abominations as your offspring?18 Though you were holy and eternal, you have now defiled yourself with human blood and begotten children of flesh. You lusted after animals and have begotten creatures who were not meant to be. You desired these things as those who die. I have made the flesh of the earth as male and female so they may have children to continue their generations. But this is not my desire for you. I did not make companions for you because you were immortal for all generations. And now, abominations of spirit and flesh move throughout the realms. Because they were born of the flesh, the abominations of the Nephiylim will be a curse to the Temporal Realm. And because they were also born of the spirit, their eternal bodies will be a curse to the Eternal Realm. I see what is to come and the sin of the Nephiylim is always before me. They will afflict, oppress, destroy, make war, and work destruction upon my creation. They will rise up against the children of men and women, because they have proceeded from them. The Nephiylim will destroy each other before your eyes and by your hands. You will witness the death of your own children. And in the days of the slaughter and death of the Nephiylim, their spirits will be freed from their fleshly bodies and will continue to persecute mankind until the Day of Judgment in which this age will be consummated.’”19
“Now, go and say to the Myndarym, ‘You were born in the Eternal Realm, yet all mysteries were not revealed to you. You know only the insignificant ones, and these, in the hardness of your hearts, you have made known to the children of men. Through these, they work great evil upon the earth.’”
“Though they claim to have revealed all things to you, I see their hearts and the things they keep hidden, even from each other. I see the things they have done and the things which they have yet to do. They have asked for peace, but will make war and teach the children of men to do likewise. Tell them, ‘You will have no peace.’”
Through this dire message, Enoch could feel the brokenness and utter sadness of the Holy One as if they were his own emotions. Tears streamed down his face, uncontrollably.
“Now Enoch, son of righteousness; I have another message that you will not speak to the Myndarym. You will teach it to your children and they will teach it to their children. Thus, it will remain with your household for generations to come. At the appointed time, it will be revealed to my Wandering Stars and they will hear and understand.”
“Say to them, ‘You will see your destruction from afar and will know it is coming. Because of your unfaithfulness, this judgment must come to pass. Therefore, I will raise up one from among those you despise. And I will awaken his eyes to the mysteries which I have hidden from men since the foundations of the world. His feet will I make to tread upon the paths of destruction and his hands to make war. He will uproot the seeds of corruption which you have sown throughout the earth. And then you will know that I am the Lord and my justice is everlasting.’”21
The words pierced Enoch’s heart and he knew instantly that they would remain with him forever.
“Now Enoch, one who listens; there are many more things which you must see and hear, and write upon your heart and your mind. Things which are yet to come.”
One of the Keruvym lifted Enoch from before the throne and began to pull him backwards. Slowly, the throne and multitude of angels withdrew into the distance. But the Holy One never receded. His vast form remained the same size even as the Keruv sped Enoch away.
CHAPTER 17
ARAR GAHIY
Sariel approached the lake carefully, coming from the east and moving around the north end. Jomjael, Batarel, and Tamael followed close behind. All was eerily quiet in the valley, with only a light breeze stirring the tall grass. Swinging wide around the reeds, Sariel shifted his consciousness and saw a pale and sickly creature, its limbs grotesquely long, moving in the grass.
“Shift slightly toward the Eternal,” he whispered over his shoulder. “You’ll see it there in the grass.”
A sharp intake of breath could be heard from the other Myndarym.
“You see. It’s just as I told you. That’s the one that was dragged away from the lake when I threw its statue.”
“Indeed,” whispered Tamael.
“Do you want to go closer?” Jomjael asked.
Sariel looked back at them. “If you wish.”
“Yes,” Tamael said softly. “I’d like to see them up close.”
Sariel nodded, then began to make his way forward. Keeping one eye on the lake and one eye on the demon in the field, he stepped carefully through the dense grass.
“AHH!” A scream cut through the silence of the valley.
Sariel stopped.
“I see you, Child of Light. I see you. Do you think you can hide yourself?” The demon in the field frantically jumped and bobbed its head over the grass to get a better view.
Sariel turned his gaze toward the lake, then frowned. His eyes scanned the water and the reeds, but the something was missing. “Where are your friends?” he yelled to the demon across the field.
A small cough was the only reply. Then another. And another. It was laughing.
“Wouldn’t you like to know,” it taunted.
Sariel pumped his wings and leaped into the air, crossing the expanse of grass while shifting his body toward the Eternal at the same time.
The demon scrambled to get away, but snapped backward as if on a leash, unable to leave the statue on the ground.
Sariel came down swiftly on the pathetic creature, pinning it to the wet earth by its neck. In his angelic form, he was more than four times its size. He leaned his head closer to the demon who was now struggling to breathe. “Where are your friends?” he repeated calmly.
The demon wheezed and Sariel let up slightly on his grip.
“No. No friends of mine! Ack,” it coughed. “… abandoned me.”
Sariel looked up to the other angels who were approaching cautiously. Their eyes were wide and their mouths hung open.
“Keep talking,” Sariel ordered.
“Yes, of course. Lots of activity today. It’s been so lonely here, but not today. Children of Light and children of men.”
“What are you saying, demon? You don’t make any sense!” Jomjael said, stepping forward.
“Children of Light and children of men. Grabbed our trinkets and carried them away. But I’m not free. No. I’ll be here forever,” it said sadly, allowing its head to drop
back to the ground. Its bulging eyes now swam with an almost human longing.
Sariel slowly released his grip and stood up. In several quick steps, he reached the shore of the lake. He could see now that the once-smooth sand had been churned up as in a great migration of animals. Another few steps brought him into the water.
There, just under the surface, the bones of some unfortunate humans lay in disarray. “Someone’s been here,” Sariel announced.
The Myndarym came quickly, but stopped just before the water’s edge.
“I’ve never seen one dead before,” Batarel said quietly.
“They’ve taken the figurines. See, the bones have been dug up,” Sariel said, pointing. Then, he turned and waded back to the bank where he noted the path of the footprints as they disappeared into the grass to the south.
“Ha ha! THE PEOPLE OF THE TREES! THE PEOPLE OF THE TREES!” the demon screamed hysterically. “They like shiny things and we like war. Now they like war and we like shiny things. Ha! Trees and People. People and Trees. Ha ha!” it screamed over and over.
Sariel’s gaze strayed across the lake to the southern horizon. Far beyond his sight, between the peaks of Bokhar and Ehrevhar, was the village of Bahyith.
Sheyir!
Sariel unfurled his wings and burst into motion. The grass beneath him bent low from the sudden downdraft as he climbed rapidly into the sky.
“Quickly, we must move!” he yelled over his shoulder.
* * * *
ARAGATSIYR
Enoch opened his eyes. The river below continued to flow peacefully through the land. The sound of the water and buzzing insects were all that could be heard. The canopy of leaves overhead moved gently in the breeze, casting flickering light and shadows down the bank toward the water. Enoch looked to the west and noted that the sun was only a hand’s breadth from the horizon.
I must have fallen asleep. I’ve been here all day!
Pushing against the ground, he struggled to lift himself. His body ached and his limbs felt weak. He grabbed onto the tree trunk for balance and noticed that the skin on his right arm was red and felt quite uncomfortable.
Have I been in the sun too long?