Chapter 9 – Heaven responds
A voice from heaven proclaimed, “And these will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are chosen and faithful.”
Derrick lay absolutely still in his bed as tears rolled down his cheeks. He wanted to run into his parent’s room and somehow make them stop arguing. But he knew he would only get into trouble and nothing would change. “Why do they always have to fight? Don’t they love each other anymore? What if they split up like Melissa’s mom and dad? What will happen to me then?”
The devilish pair assigned to torment the young Simpson boy howled in delight. As despair sank deeper and deeper into the heart of their innocent prey, the demonic duo leapt back and forth from one corner of the room to the other. They jumped from the floor to the top of the bookcase near the door. With fangs dripping with saliva, they swooped down towards Derrick’s head. As they did, a gleaming white net fell down through the ceiling and landed directly on top of the attackers. The unsuspecting pair was forced to their knees as the massive steel-like net pressed harder and harder against their struggling bodies. Before they were able to cry for help, the would-be assassins were crushed beneath the weight of heaven’s web. Pressed through the carpet and into the wooden floor boards, their hellish bodies dissolved until nothing remained except a small, cross-shaped image burned into the carpet fibers.
Two Radiant warriors quickly spread their wings over Derrick’s bed, creating a protective shield over the troubled, human soul. A holy, soft white light drove out the dark shadows scattered throughout the room as heaven began to worship. Instead of tormenting whispers, sweet songs of deliverance could now be heard by those with ears to hear.
Derrick stopped crying. The terrible, twisting pain in the pit of his stomach was gone. “Jesus,” he said softly. He wasn’t using the name as a curse word like his mother frequently did. Neither was it a desperate cry for help. Not really. It was just a name, a special name which for some reason came into his mind.
“I remember now,” Derrick thought. “Jason said whenever I was afraid I could ask Jesus for help.” Derrick sat up not knowing exactly why or what to do next. Then as best as he knew how, he began to talk out loud to Jesus, as if Jesus were a real person sitting next to him at the end of the bed.
“Jesus,” Derrick whispered again not wanting his parents to hear, “I don’t know you and I’m not really sure if you know me either. But Jason says you’re real and not just some make-believe character like those in my video games. If that’s true and…like Jason said…you really do know what’s been going on around here lately, would you please help my parents stop fighting. Would you help my mother to not hate Jason so much so that we can be friends? And if I’m not bugging you too much, would you let Miss Trin still be my teacher?”
Having received their call to arms, holy warriors secretly stationed in and around 666 Mocking Bird Lane sprang into action. From the corner of the living room, Captain Aza and her sisters flew straight up and out the brick chimney and stood on the sidewalk west of the home across the street. Winged angels stationed underneath the work bench in the garage flew out the side windows and took their place on the pavement to the east of the residence. Angels hiding underneath the swimming pool cover in the back yard flew out from under all sides of the heavy, blue plastic and joined their army along the roadway directly in front of the Simpson home. Assembled and battle ready, Holy Healers then waited in silence as they faced their enemy.
Khan arose from his perch on the branches of a hundred year old maple tree in the yard next door to the Simpson residence. Causally gliding to the top of a telephone pole further down the street, he surveyed the enemy standing curiously silent before him. Grinning, the sly commander then chuckled and whispered, “At last…we’ve lured heaven from her slumber.”
Khan slowly extended his massive, jet black wings and in his usual grandiose style, glided down to the intersection of Mocking Bird and Raven Court. Brazen, he thrust back his shoulders, raised his head high and roared, “Fools! They think us unprepared. Let heaven now see the full power of our Prince as we crush them forever. Demons…to battle!”
Scores of demons occupying homes in the surrounding neighborhoods emerged, swiftly circled overhead, and then as if in slow motion, glided down to the intersection next to their commander. Destructive Ones resting on power lines and fence posts took to the skies, circling several times over the Simpson’s home before they too gathered on the asphalt alongside their leader. Before long, demonic warriors from as far south as the funeral home on Hwy 67 had joined their comrades. Like ravenous, blood-thirsty wolves, they too awaited strike orders from their Commander-in-Chief.
Relishing his moment of glory, Khan paused once again as he carefully surveyed his ancient enemy. Inwardly laughing at the short-sightedness of Captain Aza, he thought, “They are outnumbered ten-to-one, and this is only a fraction of those who will join us in battle this day. So much for their all-knowing king.” Intoxicated with images of angelic annihilation, he shouted, “To battle!”
As hell’s army advanced, Captain Aza and her regiment took to the sky in flight away from the Simpson home. As they fled, Khan’s troops followed in close pursuit. The two armies flew in mass north through the downtown area, past Plymouth Elementary school, over Discovery Inn, and then turned eastward towards Union Cemetery on the outskirts of Plymouth.
Fast and furious Khan continued his chase, driving the Holy Healers east towards the Sheboygan County Memorial Airport. Just as the heaven’s warriors reached the sky over the baggage terminal, wave upon wave of demonic fiends began to appear along the entire length of the runway. A split second later, like clouds of black locust, a mass of sinister soldiers appeared in the skies over the airport. Hell’s massive army could be seen on the horizon as far as Black Wolf Run Golf Course near the Sheboygan city limits.
The exuberant commander flew ahead of his army and stood beside Major Zanti who was waiting at the end of the runway. “I told you my plan would work,” declared the battle-seasoned warrior to his superior officer.
Nodding his head in agreement as he surveyed hell’s army, Zanti pressed his lips together tightly and replied, “So you did, Khan. So you did. The General will be impressed. He will join us soon to the north as planned. Remember our orders. Under no circumstances are we to engage heaven in direct combat until they reach Crystal Falls. Once Diablos is certain the slaughter is complete, he will deliver the victory report. And Khan…one more thing. You do know the cost of failure at this point, right?”
Commander Khan turned to face his major. Looking him straight in the eye he replied, “Victory is ours this day. Our great prince will be enthroned before daybreak. Praise his unholy name!”
Turning towards his evil comrades now assembled on the runway, Khan took a deep breath, raised his head and single, black horn high into the sky and with a voice that shattered glass in the windows of nearby terminal buildings, roared, “For hell’s glory!”
But before fragments of broken glass even hit the pavement, Captain Aza’s forces were once again in flight. In a singular winged formation, angelic warriors retreated north along Interstate 43, past Manitowoc toward Green Bay. Radiant Ones flew past Dead Horse Bay and then crossed over the Machickanee Flowage as they continued their northward retreat.
With Major Zanti in the lead and Commander Khan at his side, hell’s enormous army took to the skies in a massive pursuit. The air was so thick with supernatural beings, car alarms, building security alarms systems, and highway patrol car lights along their path were activated. Local air traffic control began to see several unexplainable blips on their radar screens. Even the NASA team at Spaceport Sheboygan began tracking the unidentified objects with great interest as the supernatural confrontation continued dangerously close to restricted military air space.
Angelic watchers raised the trumpets to their lips. The blast of their ca
ll was heard as far north as Thunder Bay. “Brethren, His time has come!” announced Major Cyrus.
“Amen and Amen!” shouted the assembled armies of heaven. “To battle…for the LORD Almighty alone reigns!”
It started outside the home directly across the street from the Simpson’s. In a burst of magnificent white light, Truthful Ones flew out from the basement windows underneath the front porch. Before the small contingent of Khan’s remaining soldiers even knew what hit them, it was too late. Angelic warriors stormed the Simpson house and captured every remaining demon on the property. Hopelessly outnumbered, their unearthly bodies were then cut into pieces and thrown into the swimming pool in the back yard. Like lead boulders, their remains quickly sank to the bottom and mysteriously vanished down the pool’s drain pipe.
Once the Simpson home had been secured, four-footed holy warriors rushed out of several homes in the immediate neighborhood. Not far away, angelic unicorns came out from the senior Woodard’s home on River Bend Drive, just east of the Myers Nature Park. Winged warriors emerged from the woods at Glory Meadows and from the Henry estate.
Throughout the entire town of Plymouth, wave after wave of heavenly warriors emerged from their hiding places. They flew out from the attics and basements of stores and businesses along the downtown section of Constitution Avenue. They came out from behind the old judge’s bench in the courthouse museum on Washington Way. An innumerable heavenly host came out from the sanctuary at Calvary Church of Plymouth and from the damaged classrooms of the high school wing. And from inside the gym of Plymouth Elementary School, thousands of kindred hearts rushed to answer the holy battle cry.
Major Cyrus assembled heaven’s army over Mill’s Pond then gathered his military leaders in the parking lot at Calvary Church. After a brief discussion regarding confidential, tactical battle plans, he then sent the mighty warriors on to Mill’s Pond. He also sent a top secret communique for Captain Aza on ahead to the prearranged rendezvous point. With wings like the wind, heaven’s messenger flew west to Rochester, then straight north.
Gary had just reached over to turn off the lamp beside his bed when he heard the sound of breaking glass. The car alarm on his BMW, which had been parked in front of the house earlier in the day, was blaring and the security lights in front of the house had been activated.
“Edith, wake up! Someone’s breaking into the car! Call the police!” Gary yelled frantically.
Grabbing his robe, Gary ran downstairs, flung open the front door and bolted down the porch steps. But by the time he reached the street, the carjacker had already vanished. Gary then opened the car door on the driver’s side and disconnected the security alarm. Trying to catch his breath, he then surveyed the damage to his vehicle.
The entire windshield was shattered and both side windows were laying in pieces on the pavement. Glass was everywhere. Exposed wires were dangling from the dashboard where the radio and CD player had been. The glove box door had been thrown out the passenger window and the contents scattered on the floor below. He could see that several music CD’s were missing. Derrick’s IPod and headphones were also gone, as well as Edith’s laptop computer which she had left on the back seat after the hearing.
“Man, oh man!” Gary said. “What a mess! I hope the police catch the crook who took all this stuff.”
The words were barely out of his mouth, when he heard a voice behind him saying, “What’s the crime, Gary? No one was hurt, right? The thief just saw something he wanted and he took it. He had a great time smashing your windows. You made his day! And besides, what gives you the right to judge his actions?”
Gary spun around to see who had spoken to him, but discovered there wasn’t a human being in sight. All of the sudden he was overcome with fear and a terrifying feeling that someone or something he could not see was standing very close. Chills ran down his spine. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end as he realized some unseen force was with him on the sidewalk outside his own home.
Major Cyrus confidently winked at the small gathering of Holy Watchers standing nearby. He, like his comrades, knew the conscious of Gary Simpson had been stirred from slumber. Truthful Ones also made silent intercession for Mrs. Simpson, painfully aware that her fate was as yet uncertain.
Just then a Highway Patrol car pulled into the driveway. By this time, both Edith and Derrick were standing next to Gary on the sidewalk surveying the destruction.
“Is everyone ok?” Officer Todd asked Mr. Simpson. “Was anyone hurt?”
“No, no one was hurt officer, unless you call being scared half out of your wits ‘hurt’!” Edith replied sarcastically.
“Looks like it may have been quite a heist! Do you have a list of the stolen items, Mr. Simpson?” the officer asked Gary.
After a long pause, Gary replied, “On second thought, Officer Todd, I don’t think that will be necessary. The items stolen were not worth much and can easily be replaced. You don’t need to make a report about this. I’m sure you have more dangerous criminals to pursue at this time of night. Sorry to have bothered you and thanks for coming.”
“What do you mean, you are not going to press charges?” yelled Edith.
“Edith, be quiet and go back inside!” Gary said sternly. “We’ll discuss this in the house.”
Turning to the Highway Patrol officer, Gary once again said, “Thank you and good night Officer Todd.”
With that Gary took Edith firmly by the arm and escorted her back in the house. Once inside, Gary sat his wife and son down on the couch in the living room and said, “Don’t you get it? This is exactly what Miss Woodard was talking about at the hearing yesterday, Edith. How can we press charges against a car thief, and at the same time demand that no one hold our own son responsible for his wrongdoing…or for that matter excuse our own behavior during those proceedings? What are we doing, Edith? Where did we go wrong?”
Looking at Derrick, he said, “Son, go to bed. We’ll talk more about this in the morning."
Derrick crawled back into bed while his mother stomped up the stairs in silence. Gary paused to take a final look at his damaged car, then once again locked the front door and turned out the downstairs lights. The Simpson family went back to sleep.
A powerful Canadian cold front had been moving south towards the Great Lakes region all day. About 12:30 early Sunday morning the monster storm collided with the strong weather system already hovering above Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. Record-breaking tide levels were reported throughout the upper Great Lakes regions. However, following an unprecedented weather pattern, the eye of the storm had settled over Lake Superior in Canadian waters somewhere between Hiawatha National Forest and Sleeping Giant Provincial Park east of Thunder Bay. As the storm cells intensified, enormous waves crashed along the entire southern shores of Lake Superior, flooding many coastal communities and recreational areas. Lightning strikes were wide spread and weather bureaus confirmed the presence of several funnel clouds, especially north of Highway 8.
Commander Khan and his army had yet to engage their enemy in a single, horn-to-hoof encounter, as ordered. Instead, hell’s army continued to drive Aza’s troops further and further north, ever closer to Crystal Falls. Having already joined his troops securely stationed in and around the city, Major Zanti asked his second-in-command, “Has the general arrived yet?”
“Yes, sir. At this moment he and his special forces are in position,” assured the junior commander. “The general eagerly awaits news of our enemy’s demise.”
“Excellent!” said Zanti. “As soon as Aza’s army is north of the Michigamme Reservoir, our forces will join Khan’s army in a joint assault from the south. Once hell’s elite swoop down from the north the Captain and her Holy Healers will be the ones who need holy healing!” Zanti laughed. “Only this time, there will be no divine rescue. How ironic really…to behold the blood of His anointed ones as it cascades down the Falls of Death. It reminds me of that triumphant day two thousand years ago when the b
lood of another Anointed One saturated the earth atop that accursed hill outside Jerusalem. All power and glory to the Prince of Death!”
Speeding around and through numerous funnel clouds causing havoc on the ground, the two armies continued their cat and mouse chase northward in the skies high above State Route 141. But as heaven’s army reached the dragon of Caldron Falls Reservoir, miles south of Crystal Bay, Captain Aza’s army suddenly split into two contingents. Two thirds of the army made a slight course correction, picked up speed and headed northwest towards the Apostle Islands Archipelago on the southern shores of Lake Superior. The remaining one third also picked up speed and veered slightly west, headed instead for Union Bay.
Surprised but undeterred by his enemy’s unexpected tactical maneuver, Khan also divided his army into two segments. In like proportion he ordered a lieutenant commander to lead one third of his troops in pursuit of Aza’s smaller contingent towards Union Bay.
“Continue to drive the enemy north to the shoreline at all costs,” he ordered his lieutenant. “Maintain a tight formation around the army. Don’t let them altar course again. If they do, blast our orders. Kill them all! And send a dispatch on ahead to inform the major of the situation. Once the Healers are north of Crystal Falls, Zanti’s troops will join your contingent. With the combined strength of your two armies, resistance will be futile as you drive heaven’s warriors to their final resting place at the Hemlock Glades.”
With diminished forces, Khan quickly turned his attentions towards Captain Aza. Intoxicated with his own military prowess, Khan was still confident he would be able to obliterate his mortal foe without Zanti’s assistance. With renewed fervor, he and his troops picked up speed and maintained their fierce pursuit. Faster and faster the unholy army flew. As the gap between the two armies began to narrow, the demonic army began to taunt their fleeing enemy. “Stop and fight. We’re hungry for your blood!” they chanted in unison. “Stop and fight. We want to see you die!”
With single-minded focus, Captain Aza’s Holy Healers continued their northern retreat. Healers flew over Three Lakes and past Toy Lake Swamp. Reaching State Route 2, they followed the roadway through the thick forested areas along both sides of the highway until they reached the Bad River Slough on the shores of Lake Superior. Closely following the contours of the sandscapes, Aza then led her warriors out over the water to the La Pointe Light House. Suddenly Aza’s army disappeared into the icy waters of the west channel. Fifteen feet beneath the surface of the water, they continued their retreat towards Red Cliff Bay on the other side of the channel.
Flying inches above the stormy waters, hell’s army could clearly see the shimmering golden warriors beneath the waves. Thirsty for the blood of their age-old foe, demonic warriors began to salivate in anticipation of their imminent demise.
“It’s time to end this ridiculous game,” Khan exclaimed. “I don’t care what Zanti said. The instant these cowards surface, strike!”
But as the two groups reached the southern tip of Basswood Island, heaven’s entire underwater army suddenly vanished from sight. Now invisible to their demonic attackers, Aza’s army circled back around Madeline Island at Devil’s Caldron Bay. Surfacing, they flew back over La Pointe and positioned their ranks directly behind Khan’s army. Close enough to bite into the furiously swishing, hairy black tails of their enemy Aza’s forces momentarily paused, suspended in mid-air over the channel waters.
Just over Buffalo Bay, Khan brought his army to an immediate halt. “Where are they?” he yelled. “One minute we had them within our reach. Now they’re gone! I want them found do you hear? Found!”
But even as the command was given, the shallow waters beneath his hooves began to stir. Submerged boulders began to tremble. The ground around the army began to quake and sandy beaches began to sink into the surrounding water. The thunderous roar of a thousand hooves pounding the earth became louder and louder. Spinning around, to his horror Khan saw the white, luminous horns of hundreds of Holy Warriors from Major Cyrus’ army charging straight towards his soldiers. As if in slow motion, Khan then turned to the north only to discover yet another contingent of Truthful Ones as they surfaced from the turbulent waters along the shores of Bear, Otter, Sand, York, Raspberry, and Oak Islands. Looking west, Khan watched aghast as wave after wave of heavenly warriors advanced from the sloughs of Bark Bay. Then instinctively turning eastward, he beheld the faint outline of hundreds of winged warriors emerging from their hiding places within the abandon quarry mine on the south side of Apostles Island.
Completely surrounded, Khan screamed, “It’s a trap! To the Falls!”
In the blink of an eye, angelic warriors from every direction extended their massive, steel-like wings and rushed towards Khan’s army. Encircled by a radiant wall of light, the demons were trapped. In the chaos of the ambush, confusion quickly spread through their ranks. Destroyers began lashing out at their own comrades, furiously biting, kicking and stabbing one another. As they did, heaven’s army tightened ranks pressing hell’s wounded closer and tighter together until the dark warriors could hardly breathe.
As a single massive glob of unearthly tangled bodies, heaven’s collective army then lifted the demons off the ground and into the air. With one mighty gesture, the gigantic mass was then slammed into the high rocky cliffs above Red Cliff Bay. As their bodies hit the cliffs, they were sliced into pieces against the sharp rocks and razor-like crags. Blood ran down the mountain side and began to collect in pools along the shore line below. Bloody body parts, twisted black wings ripped from their sockets, fractured black horns, fragments of horse hooves, and chunks of hairy horse flesh plummeted one hundred and sixty feet onto the beach.
When the last chunk of flesh rested atop the mountain of carnage, an enormous bolt of lightning struck the bloody pile setting it ablaze. The explosion sent streams of fiery electrical bursts high into the stormy night sky. In an instant, the supernatural blaze reduced Khan’s army to nothing more than a mountainous pile of ash. A series of massive storm surges then crashed onto the beach sending iridescent foam and icy water caps to the uppermost edge of the cliff. As the water receded, the blood on the cliffs and the cremated demonic remains disappeared into the depths of Lake Superior.
Watching heaven’s victory from the land, from the sea, and from the air, angelic warriors bowed their heads in reverent worship and gave thanks to the King of kings and Lord of lords. Regrouping near the lighthouse on Sand Island, a Holy Healer asked Captain Aza, “Captain, was Commander Khan among the dead?”
“Fear not, my friend. His fate was ordained from before time,” replied heaven’s soldier. “But the battle is not yet won. To arms my sisters!”
While his army burned, Khan and one surviving lieutenant continued their escape down the shaft of an abandoned copper mine near the peninsula. With multiple cuts to his head and neck, a broken hind leg, protruding ribs and a large section of his lower left wing missing, Khan led his subordinate through the narrow, winding passages deep beneath the earth. Fleeing west, they emerged just south of Hwy 2.
The two demons then flew inches above the terrain through rural forests, along abandoned creek beds, over boulders and through slough after slough. With a deep head wound just above his right ear and a gaping hole in his right shoulder, the lieutenant did his best to keep up with his commander. It wasn’t until they reached the Ariel Life Bridge in Duluth Harbor that the demonic pair felt they were finally out of harm’s way. Monstrous storm waves repeatedly crashed over the uppermost bridge cabling as the two sat licking their wounds, silently contemplating their next move.
Resting along the water’s edge under the bridge, Khan said, “We have to get to the glades and join Zanti’s army. Since he will certainly not come looking for us, it’s our only hope of survival. Any suggestions, lieutenant?”
“North!” stammered the lieutenant after spitting out a mouthful of blood. “Sir, if we can avoid detection until we reach Thunder Bay, we can then make our
way back down to Hemlock from the other side of the lake.”
Breathing with increased difficulty, Khan simply nodded his consent. In agony, the pair carefully walked out into the open harbor, extended their wings and prepared for flight. As they did, out of the corner of his eye Khan noticed a massive water surge rising up from the middle of Superior Bay. Still fearful of discovery, he quickly turned to investigate. He watched in frozen terror as the waters crested high above his head and then swiftly subsided. For standing on the floor of the bay, a solitary figure had emerged. Towering almost eighty feet above the surface of the water stood Eli.
Aghast, Khan whispered, “Prince Eli!”
“Going my way?” Eli teased the egotistical warrior.
Before the stunned pair could blink, Eli lunged at the terrified lieutenant. With mouth open wide, Eli sunk his razor sharp teeth deep into the demon’s crest. Crying out in in anguish, the creature struggled to free himself but to no avail. Unable to strike back, the weakened demon fell limp in the powerful jaws of his mighty adversary. With a single jab, Eli then plunged his massive horn into Khan’s torso just in front of the flank. Ripping into his flesh and through the rib cage, Eli’s horn emerged on the other side of the demon’s body. As blood fell into the swirling waters below, Eli unfolded his mighty wings and lifted the demonic duo into the air.
Heaven’s prince flew his helpless captives inland, following Highway 61 northeast to Brule River. Dodging hungry black bears and an occasional herd of moose, Eli continued upstream along the river bank. Reaching Devil’s Kettle Falls, Eli alighted atop a massive outcropping of volcanic rock high above the cascading falls. The great prince then leaned over the ledge and opened his mouth, dropping the lieutenant’s lifeless body into the frigid pothole fifty feet below the summit. The pounding frigid waters spun the unicorn’s body head over hooves again and again until nothing remained except a thick layer of bubbling, black ooze.
Then with a swift turn of his head heaven’s prince withdrew his horn from Khan’s skewered body, hurling the half-dead commander into the center of the foamy caldron. As Khan’s body sank, a huge inverted water spout appeared in the center of the falls. The power of the funnel’s swirling waters sucked the demon’s body further and further down until it disappeared in the bowels of the earth below.
Staying just ahead of Khan’s contingent, Captain Aza’s sisters continued their flight towards Union Bay. Once the two armies crossed the state line into Michigan at Land O’ Lakes, Khan’s lieutenant commander sent a courier with an update of the battle to Major Zanti at his base came near Crystal Falls.
“Sir, our time has come!” reported the enthusiastic messenger. “The two armies are at this moment in route towards the lake. They will soon be within range of the general’s army. All is proceeding as planned, sir.”
“And what of Commander Khan?” asked the major.
“My lord major, we have not seen nor heard from his army since heaven divided their troops at Caldron Falls,” humbly replied the courier.
“He will no doubt join us from the rear once he has annihilated Captain Aza and those pathetic healers.” Laughing Zanti added, “Poetic justice, don’t you think? That heaven should fall at Apostles Island.”
The major and his comrades enjoyed a moment of hellacious laughter before Zanti ordered, “Enough! Sound the alarm, lieutenant. We move out at once!”
A loud clap of thunder rang out above the small town of Crystal Falls. Thick darkness descended upon the small community as a massive bolt of lightning struck the Paint River Power Plant. The ground trembled at the end of Bristol Mine Road as thousands of demonic warriors flew out of abandoned mine shafts deep beneath the surface. With Zanti in the lead the enormous army took to the skies, headed northwest over Hwy 141, and then continued through Ottawa State Park. Just past Hwy 45 at Bruce Crossing, the army joined Khan’s troops. The combined demonic forces continued their pursuit, steering Holy Healers straight towards the Porcupine Mountain range and the awaiting ambush.
But as Aza’s sisters flew past Lake Gogebic, they once again picked up speed. Like a bullet speeding out the barrel of a revolver, they raced towards Mirror Lake creating a wide gap between the two armies. Reaching the gorge at the southern narrows, Healers descended straight down the 100 foot cliffs along the shoreline then dove into the lakes’ icy waters below.
As they did, Major Cyrus and his army of Truthful Ones rose up out of the water on the opposite side of the lake. Thousands of winged unicorns took their stance from the western edge of the lake to the end of Little Carp River, eight miles to the east. Dripping with icy crystals of water, the glistening unicorns extended their wings. Touching the feathers of their comrades’ wings on either side, they formed a thirty-five foot high wall directly in front of hell’s advancing army. As their wings touched, a great boom of thunder shook the ground for miles in every direction. A massive display of finger lightning exploded over the lake. An enormous bolt of electrical power then struck the center of the lake igniting the unicorn’s wings with the holy fire of God.
Like a thousand flood lamps being switched on simultaneously, the supernatural radiance blinded oncoming enemy forces. Stunned and utterly confused, they lost all sense of direction. In waves, the demons began crashing headlong into heaven’s wall of flames. With fractured skulls and crushed body parts, they tumbled down into the muddy shoreline. Trembling in pain, bloody warriors fell backwards and sank into the icy lake. Wounded Liars and Deceivers bounced off the fiery wall like ping pong balls. Dazed, they were flung into the air and scattered atop the old growth hardwood trees of the forest. Lifeless soldiers landed in dried up river beds and at the bottom of ravines all along Little Carp River.
As hell fell, Captain Aza and her sisters joined in the battle from the opposite shore. Preventing any possible retreat from the south, Aza’s warriors attacked from the rear. Piercing, kicking, and biting, they drove what remained of Zanti’s army forward, slamming them against the fiery wall of death.
Another boom of thunder once again shook the skies over the lake. Baseball-size hail began to fall on the scattered, bloody carcasses. Relentlessly, the hard ice pounded their dark flesh. When the hail ceased, Major Zanti and his entire army were dead.
A massive water spout then formed just off the northern tip of Outer Island at Austad Bay. As it grew in size, it moved south towards the Michigan mainland. Hovering directly over Mirror Lake, the enormous funnel began sucking up mounds of demonic remains. Once in the air, the powerful, swirling waters spun their bodies around faster and faster tearing them to pieces. Legs, hooves, horns, heads, and tails, were ripped apart by the water’s merciless grip. The supernatural spout then moved west and dumped their remains along the shores of the Apostles Island Archipelago.
Barely alive, a lone demon hobbled on two legs through the Porcupine Mountain range. Unable to fly, the bleeding warrior carefully crept north beneath the thick underbrush of the forest canopy. Determined to warn his Commander-in-Chief of the approaching enemy invasion, he inched his way to the summit at Hemlock. Escorted by a scouting party who discovered him at the base of the glades, the escapee was forcefully brought before General Diablos.
“Oh, Exalted One,” began the trembling warrior, “Heaven has massacred your entire army. They are only moments behind me, sir. I alone have escaped to warn your eminence.”
The general’s eyes narrowed but he never said a word. With a single glance towards his major, a unicorn’s horn was thrust into the heart of the lone survivor. His lifeless body fell to ground landing face first in a pool of his own blood.
Turning to his commanders in utter disgust, Diablos ordered, “Mobilize the army at once. We’ll regroup at base camp near Thief River.” With that the general kicked aside the carcass lying at his feet, extended his enormous black wings and flew away. A split second later, his form had disappeared into the blackness of night.
Within minutes of the alarm, hell’s troops were mobilized for their westward
retreat, but it was too late. Holy attackers began their coordinated assault simultaneously from every direction. Having split into two contingents, half of Major Cyrus’s army had flown north from Mirror Lake and began their attack from the west near Sunset Run. Remaining Truthful Ones had also flown north, but charged in from the eastern edge of the army, along Hidden Trails. Captain Aza and her sisters were on the ground and began their assault at Timber Trail. Sparks filled the nighttime sky as horns collided and spiritual warfare erupted on the ski slopes of Porcupine Mountains.
Diablos maintained an eastern heading flying just off shore parallel to Hwy 64. Devoid of any light, he fled virtually invisible amidst the thick, stormy clouds. Passing White Pine Cooper Mine, Diablos began to hear the faint sound of laughter coming from somewhere behind him. Stopping in mid-air, he spun around to investigate but saw nothing except gloomy darkness. The lone general resumed his retreat.
“Look at him run,” continued the mysterious, taunting chorus.
One voice began to rise above the rest. “While his own die, he slinks away like a coward. Where’s the fierce warrior I remember from of old?”
The mocking laughter grew louder and louder, as the recognizable voice once again shouted, “Afraid to stand alone, are we?”
Diablos came to an abrupt halt. Ready for battle he turned, his eyes searching the skies for the source of the taunting. Suddenly, a brilliant light pierced through the surrounding darkness. Hovering over the mouth of the Ontonagon River stood Colonel Ryak and his strike team.
Diablos shouted, “Ryak! I should have known He’d send you…”
Taking aim, the general quickly spread his wings, lowered his head and lunged at his immortal adversary. Ryak and his special forces also spread their wings and prepared for battle. As they did, a finger-shaped bolt of lightning fell from the sky and set their wings ablaze. Ryak and his entire team grew to three times their normal stature. When the lightning subsided, a glistening sword appeared in each hand.
Undaunted by their miraculous transformation, the general momentarily paused. Extending open palms downward towards the earth below his feet he shouted, “Oh great Prince of Darkness, arise.”
The hellish plea had barely been uttered when a massive earthquake rumbled through the area. As the ground shook, a large triangular chasm opened up at the mouth of the muddy red river exposing the entrance to one of the ancient cooper mines located just beneath the surface. The waters rolled back and a cavern extending deep into the earth’s core became visible. A barrage of shadowy, iridescent rays shot out of the pit piercing through the clouds above. Then beginning in his hooves, a dark force of energy moved up the general’s legs, through his torso, neck and head, then out the tip of his horn. With hell’s energy coursing thru every cell of his body, Diablos also grew in size and stature equal to that of his adversaries. Drunk with satanic power and clutching a steel black sword in each hand, Diablos charged.
Like two welding torches in the night, sparks flew in every direction as the four supernatural swords collided. Steel upon steel, blade upon blade, with each connection icy shock waves rippled through the air. Over and over again the two immortal beings struck intent upon the annihilation of the other.
As Ryak and Diablos engaged in combat, heaven’s elite encircled the two mighty combatants. With both swords poised as one, Diablos made one final grandiose effort to strike at the heart of his primary aggressor. Shouting, “Death to you and your Lord!” he lunged towards Ryak. But as he did, the blades of two soldiers sliced through the coarse flesh on his back and hind quarters, causing lacerations up and down his spine.
Realizing he could not take on Ryak’s entire team single-handed, the general made the decision to retreat. Speeding east, he flew over Misery Bay, past Torch Lake, and on towards Mary McDonald Park. He sped out past the long abandoned rocket testing site at Kenweenaw Point and then over the water near Manitou Island. Visible below him were bow sections, chunks of broken sterns and the skeleton frames of long sunken ships having met their fate among the rock and shoals of the treacherous waters beneath. Turning to see Ryak hot on his heals Diablos mustered all remaining strength, increased speed and headed north towards the Canadian border.
Blood dripped to the ground as Major Cyrus withdrew his single horn from the belly of yet another demonic unicorn. Turning to fight two more destroyers advancing from the rear, Cyrus saw Captain Aza on his right. When their eyes met, each knew the hour had come.
Suddenly, heaven’s army withdrew from the battlefield. Flying high into the sky, they formed a gigantic circle around the enemy below. A foreboding silence descended eerily throughout the area. Not a single battle cry, not a single shout of war, nor a single voice was heard for one full minute. A brilliant light then exploded over the skies to the north and shone down onto the battlefield. Hovering just above the Union Bay Campgrounds, a single figure came out from the midst of the light. Towering one hundred and thirty feet in height, Prince Eli emerged. His radiance was like a noonday sun.
The blackness of hell could not remain in the presence of heaven’s glory. Without the cover of darkness, the demons had no place to hide. Fully exposed, hell’s elite cowered in terror as they heard the deafening sound of a trumpet blast. From somewhere beneath the sphere of light, a monstrous waterspout appeared. More than twenty miles in width, the eye of the massive cyclone swooped down upon the ski slopes of Porcupine Mountains. With sustained winds of 175 miles per hour, hell’s entire army was caught in the grip of the powerful swirling winds. Engulfed in the sphere of heaven’s light, the cyclic funnel carried the helpless demons northeast out towards the open sea. Major Cyrus, Captain Aza, along with thousands of Healers and Truthful Ones followed, taking up their respective places in order of rank behind Prince Eli.
Somewhere near the U.S. and Canadian border, the tornado stopped moving. Although the waterspout was still in full motion, it hovered, suspended just above the waves in the middle of the lake. Breaking through the swirly clouds above, the heavens began to open. Other-worldly light began to pour down like rain towards the water’s surface. As if possessed with a will of their own the brilliant clouds above the funnel began to swirl and roll and tumble down towards the earth. As they fell, two columns of billowy white clouds began to take shape on either side of the funnel cloud. As the columns formed, a radiant staircase appeared above the clouds. Like a large piece of carpet, row upon row of iridescent pearly-white stairs rolled down out of the sky until they had reached the surface of the lake.
From the midst of the rolling clouds at the top of the stairs, an innumerable host of angelic beings began to descend the stairs on both sides of the columns. The first to descend were the unicorns, centaurs and fawns. After these came a large assembly of human-like beings with the legs and torso of a man but with a pair of feathery wings attached to their spine. Flying behind these were creatures that looked like earth-bound lions but with brown, furry wings twice their height attached to their shoulders. Following the lions, scores of huge, whitish-colored eagles with wings also descended. With the incandescent light shining down from above, each creature seemed to glow from the inside out.
Heaven’s army continued to march down the staircase until the first unicorns reached the bottom step. As they did, the entire company came to a halt. Then turning towards the center of the stair case so as to face their comrades on the opposite side, each assumed a military poster of alertness. With the lifeless remains of Diablos’ army still swirling within the vortex, Major Cyrus and his Truthful Ones positioned the funnel cloud at the bottom of the staircase on the left.
Unconcerned with the fate of his army and confident he had finally outrun his pursuers Diablos sped out into the center of the lake. Approximately fifty miles south of Slate Islands, Diablos noticed a change in the storm’s behavior. The winds had ceased and the lake waters had become strangely still.
As Diablos paused to survey his surroundings, he began to sense an uneasy yet familiar tension in t
he air.
Turning to investigate, he saw the staircase and heaven’s host standing at attention. But rather than preparing to strike, all eyes were focused on the events unfolding at the top of the staircase.
Straining to see what was happening Diablos was temporarily blinded when a massive flash of lightning fell from heaven and into the waters below.
When the fireworks ceased and he had regained his sight, Diablos saw a throne at the top of the stairs. Encircling the throne, a rainbow of living colors swirled and swayed as if dancing to its own instinctive melody. Two living creatures stood on either side of the throne, each having four wings. With two wings they covered their faces, and with two wings they flew around the throne. As they flew their wings sounded like a mighty army marching into battle. In the midst of the lightning and sitting on the throne was a figure whose appearance resembled a man. His face was like gleaming amber; his feet as a flickering fire. To his horror, Diablos watched as a large wooden cross appeared to the right of the throne.
Turning to flee, Diablos shouted vehemently, “Cursed you have been from the beginning! Cursed are your pathetic people! Forever cursed be your son! You…”
But with that statement, a bolt of lightning from the middle of the throne fell upon him. The holy fire passed through his entire body and into the lake waters below. Against his will, the fallen angel was transported to the bottom of the staircase. No longer in control of his bodily functions, Diablos found himself on his knees. As he knelt, an irresistible power forced the general to bow his head. Diablos then began to speak words which were not his own.
“Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father,” said hell’s defeated servant.
The demon’s facial features became grotesquely contorted as he tried to keep his mouth closed. In vain he struggled to silence the words being spoken. Vehemently despising every syllable yet unable to resist, the general uttered his final words, “All glory to Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb.”
With one voice, heaven’s army shouted, “It is finished.”
Instantly, peals of lightning and roaring thunder poured forth from the midst of the throne. The deafening sound of a single trumpet blast filled the skies over Lake Superior. The earth shook. Winds began to howl and wild waves began to pound the shoreline. A tidal wave raced north inundating the Canadian coast as far as Thunder Bay to the west and Pukaskawa National Park to the east.
A new waterspout formed on the water’s surface directly under the general’s feet. As it grew in strength, Diablos was caught up in its swirling, violent grip. Diablos watched as a massive hole began to open at the tip of the waterspout. As the mouth of the chasm became wider and wider Diablos found himself hovering motionless above a bottomless, fiery caldron. Flames in the shape of a man’s hands clutching an enormous white-hot chain shot up from deep within the pit. With one fiery hand, the chain was wrapped around and around the screaming demon’s body. With the other hand, a red-hot padlock secured the burning chains about his body. Both hands then grabbed the demon by the legs and pulled him straight down into the flames of hell.
The chasm disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. Instantly, the fierce waves ceased their roaring and the howling winds were calmed. Stormy clouds dissipated and the skies above Lake Superior became crystal clear, revealing a silvery crescent moon high in the sky.