An Unholy Redemption Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

The following morning, Jeremiah, Daniel and the three other brothers, Timothy, Mark and Peter, were gathered at Daniel’s house, sitting quietly talking. Jeremiah had a look of anticipation on his face as he looked at the other brothers.

“Well gentlemen, I do believe it is time that I made the most important phone call of my life.” The four other men looked at Jeremiah as he rose from his chair. Daniel assisted the ageing man to his feet.

“Thank you Daniel and thank you for agreeing to have the meeting at your house.”

“Jeremiah, the pleasure is all mine. I still can’t believe that I could be potentially witnessing the change of mankind starting in my own house.”

“Yes Daniel,” Peter said, “we all have been vigorously studying the scrolls and the signs are all there. I feel this is going to be a very special day for mankind.” The other two men nodded in agreement.

“I am all right from here, Daniel.” Daniel let go of Jeremiah’s arm and sat back down. “I’ll only be a few moments on the phone. Please excuse me and talk amongst yourselves.” They watched him walk off into the corridor, closing the door behind him.

“Will I be allowed to be present when the scrolls are presented to Luther?” Daniel asked Mark nervously.

“We’ve spoken about this and we are all in agreement that you and David will be present. You must be present to secretly record what takes place and David will be entitled to be here because of his patience and fortitude. That’s what led him to Luther in the first place.”

“I am so excited.” Tears of joy and anticipation ran down Daniel’s eyes again.

“You won’t have to wait much longer now, my friend.”

Back at David’s house, Lucifer was still lying in bed after a restful night’s sleep. His eyes flashed open just before the phone began to ring downstairs. It was as though he had somehow expected the phone to ring. He heard the sound of David’s voice.

“Hello Jeremiah,” David said, then paused. “Yes, he is still with us. Okay we’ll be there in about an hour.” There was another brief silence. “Thank you so much, I’m honoured. I also have some great news about Luther and what happened yesterday. We’ll tell you when we see you. Goodbye.” Lucifer heard the phone receiver click down.

“I’ll be down shortly.” Lucifer anticipated David calling up to him and shouted downstairs before he had the chance.

“Okay, I’m in the kitchen with Ruth. Do you want anything?”

“Just some tea and toast, thanks.” David walked into the kitchen where Ruth was sitting at the kitchen table.

“Is there anymore tea in the pot, my love?”

“Yes sure darling, does his majesty want anything else?” Ruth jokingly asked.

“Ruth stop it. If you hadn’t gone to bed early, you’d have seen him last night. It’s like looking at a different person. He even gave me a hug, can you believe it?”

“This I have to see,” Ruth said.

“And yes, his majesty would like some toast. That was Jeremiah on the phone. The brothers have gathered and we should leave in about half an hour. I’m so nervous.”

“Why?”

She turned to her husband as she put Lucifer’s bread in the toaster. “Because today we really find out if he is the one. From what he told me about what happened last night, he surely has to be.”

“What happened last night? Oh apart from the hug, of course.” He lifted his eyebrows at her.

“I can’t tell you. Luther was very secretive, but he did say he would tell us today at the meeting.”

“You boys and your secrets. I expect I’ll find out from Mary or John anyway. So what’s so important about today?”

“Again I can’t tell you too much, partly because of my vows of secrecy and partly because I don’t

know myself. All I can tell you is that what Luther sees and learns today will make a difference to mankind.”

“What difference would that be?” Lucifer had opened the kitchen door and stood looking at them both quietly talking in the corner. Lucifer smiled as he saw Ruth’s eyes widen on seeing him in a new light.

“Good, you’re down,” David said. “We were just talking about the meeting. Are you nervous or excited?”

“Very good,” Lucifer retorted, “answering my question with a question. Now tell me what difference were you talking about?”

“I don’t know. All I know is that when you have had the meeting you will know.”

“Riddles and half-truths. I suppose I’m intrigued. Good morning Ruth, you’re looking fine this morning.” Lucifer smiled again when Ruth’s mouth dropped open in astonishment at his compliment.

“Thank you.” She glanced at David with a look that made him feel as if he wasn’t complimenting her enough. Lucifer sat down and poured himself a cup of tea and spooned in his usual six teaspoons of sugar. He could feel Ruth’s eyes on him as he sipped his tea.

“Is that my toast burning?” Lucifer asked as he looked over her shoulder to see smoke rising from the toaster.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” She quickly pushed the eject button and two pieces of black toast shot into the air.

“Don’t worry Ruth. I don’t feel that hungry anymore.”

“Are you sure? I can make some more.” She was opening the window to let the smoke out.

“No honestly, it’s fine. This will tea will keep me going.”

“Why don’t you feel hungry anymore Luther?” David asked with a concerned look on his face.

“I don’t know, I just feel strange. Like my fate and destiny is about to be revealed to me.”

“Like what?” Ruth had joined both of them at the table.

“I just feel that’s the news I receive today is not going to be all good.”

“Really, who for?”

“I think it could be most probably me.”

“Don’t be silly,” David scoffed, “the brotherhood would never let anything happen to you, especially if you are the one scripture talks about.”

“What scripture?” Ruth asked with interest.

“Oh nothing. I’ve said too much already. Come on Luther, it is time for us, sorry you, to finally meet your destiny.” The two of them got to their feet. David kissed Ruth on her cheek before she could enquire anymore about the scriptures.

“Goodbye then,” she shouted as they closed the door behind them. Jeremiah had rejoined the four other men in Daniel’s lounge, who were all waiting patiently.

“Are you okay, Jeremiah?” Peter had noticed that Jeremiah was looking slightly pale. “Yesterday and today, I’ve noticed you’re not your usual self.”

“I’m fine, Peter. Thank you for asking. However, I do feel my existence in this mortal frame will soon come to an end.”

“Never!” Daniel replied. “I think you will outlast all of us. The Most High has still got great work for you to perform.”

“That is very kind of you Daniel, but I feel my work is nearly complete. I have lived a full life and remain true to our order. I am glad to be participating in this occasion.”

“We are honoured you are still with us Jeremiah.” Mark was at the window watching for David’s car. “You are very fondly thought of in the order.” Jeremiah began to blush at all the compliments.

“Thank you all for your kind words. I am very proud to be a member of the brotherhood with so many good friends.”

“So how will we present the scroll to Luther?” Mark asked.

“When he arrives we will introduce ourselves informally, then we will introduce ourselves ritually. After this we will hand him the scroll and tell him the secrets. Hopefully after that he will know his true name. The most important thing we must achieve today is to get Luther to discover his true name and for him to translate what is written at the bottom of the scroll. If he’s the one, he will certainly know what it says." Mark turned to the window at the sound of a motor outside.

“They’re here.” Mark released the net curtain of the window and sat back down.

“Okay, remember,” Jeremiah lowered his head to speak to them discreetly. “If he isn’t the one, we will have lost nothing. The scroll will mean nothing to him and afterwards we can go our separate ways. Are we all in agreement?”

“All hail,” the four of them said aloud. Outside, David had pulled up opposite Daniel’s house.

“Are you sure you are all right Luther? You look pale and you were very quiet on the way over here.”

“I am a little nervous of what I’m about to discover.”

“Well my friend, there’s only one way to find out. Look, there’s Daniel at the door. Ready?” Lucifer looked at David.

“Yes, let’s go and find out the truth. If Mary can face a ferocious lion, I’m sure I can be strong enough to face my truth.”

“That’s the spirit. Come on then.” They both left the car and joined Daniel at his front door.

“Hello, Brother David.”

“Hello Daniel.” They greeted each other with a welcoming handshake.

“And how is Luther?”

“I’m okay, thank you.” He took hold of Daniel’s hand and shook it firmly.

“Come in, we have three very excited people inside, desperately wanting to meet you.” They walked past Daniel who closed the door behind them and then all three walked into the lounge.

“Hello again Luther,” Jeremiah said. “I hope you don’t mind if I don’t get up.”

“No, not at all, please stay seated.” This time Lucifer held out his hand to the frail old man.

“Hello, I’m Peter.” They exchanged handshakes as did Timothy and Mark after introducing themselves.

“Please sit down,” Daniel gestured to David and Lucifer.

“David told me on the phone there something special happened last night. Would you find it in

your heart to relate the story to us?” Lucifer nodded, then began to relate an account of the previous night at the zoo. The brothers sat wide-eyed as they listened intently to his story. Daniel recorded it in the usual big black book. David in particular couldn’t believe what he was hearing. After he had finished, there was a brief silence which was eventually broken by Jeremiah.

“Well gentlemen, after hearing that do we still doubt that this could be our man?” They looked at each other and shook their heads.

“Luther what happened to you yesterday was remarkable. I feel confident that now we can impart our intelligence to you, but first we have to introduce ourselves by the names which we and our fathers and mothers have had since time began. Afterwards we will present you with the scroll and the writings that have governed our faith since the beginning of time. Daniel, would you mind closing the curtains? We need the room in total darkness. David, take these two candles. Light one at the table and give one to Daniel so he can see what he’s writing.” Before long, they were all sitting in a blacked-out room in which the only movement was their shadows flickering and dancing on the walls.

“Gentlemen, shall we begin?”

“All hail.”

Timothy stood up, took hold of Lucifer’s hand and led him to the centre of the room where the candle was resting on a table. “Just stand there,” he whispered to Lucifer, then went back to join Mark and Peter who were all standing in a row. Peter held Jeremiah’s hand to support him as he stood unsteadily on his feet. Daniel was in the corner busily writing in his book and David was sitting wide-eyed at the ritual being acted out in front of him. The four men standing all looked at each other then bowed their heads in Lucifer’s direction. Mark was the first to break the line. He stepped forward and shook Lucifer’s hand.

“I greet you well Master of Masters, I am Fly-Isis-Fly the guardian and ruler from the West. I am of the air we breathe and the four cardinal winds, especially that which blows from the West.” He bowed and returned to the line and Timothy stepped forward.

“I also greet you well Master of Masters, I am A-Mia-Hey the guardian and ruler of the North. I govern the rain and the water that falls from the northern skies to the ground giving birth to Mother Earth’s oceans.” After bowing and returning to the line, he took Jeremiah’s hand so Peter could step forward.

“I for the third time greet you, Master of Masters, I am Set-Death the guardian and ruler of the East in the absence of the One. I govern the Earth on which we all stand and that which supports us in life and consumes us in death, when we give up our flesh deeply buried in its bosom.”

“Thank you Peter, I can manage.” Jeremiah steadied himself then joined Lucifer in the centre of the room, then with a tear in his eye he spoke. “I for the final time greet you well Master of Masters, I am Our-Ra-Knew, the guardian and ruler of the South. I govern the fire which is but a spark of that which comes from the sun. It gives us warmth to our mortal bodies and spirit and fuels the passion in our hearts.” He bowed then stood for a while looking into Lucifer’s eyes. He returned to the line where they all bowed for the last time then sat down.

“Please sit at the table, Daniel would you mind,”

“Of course not.” He stood up and took a wooden chair for Lucifer.

“Now Luther, do you remember when we first met and I examined that wound on your head?”

“Yes, I remember.”

“I wasn’t only looking for a physical wound. I was looking for a specific kind of wound.”

“I did wonder at the time. I remember you looking at it and dropping your stick on the floor in shock.”

“I had very good reason to react the way I did, but first tell us who you really are and how you really got that mark on your head.”

“I feel that I can tell you as much as I can and as much as the Most High will allow. I am Luc…” Still, he was not permitted to speak out his name, but he continued. “I was and had been a rebel angel, the head of an angelic order committed to the overthrow of the Most High. I and my army of angels committed many atrocities against mankind and made them do evil things to one another. I even committed the ultimate sin of killing my angelic brethren in pursuit of establishing my own will on earth. I succeeded, at least I thought I had succeeded, when I conquered man and the Archangel Michael and his army of angels. That is when the Most High struck. In my moment of triumph, God deceived me and took all that away from me. For me it was irony, the great deceiver had been deceived. Before I knew what was happening, I was taken up in God’s presence where I was told that I only existed because man had created me in their minds. God had decided that my image in man’s mind was getting too powerful, so to readdress this I was to return to Earth in mortal form and help save lives of men who I hated so much.”

“May I speak Jeremiah?” David nervously asked.

“Of course, David.”

“So, Luther you were the one who cured John of his cancer.”

“Yes, now you can see what my predicament was. I was the one doing the healing and yet God is getting credit for it. I had to keep doing this and save myself, only then could I return to my angelic state of being. As for the mark on my head, I have no clue where that comes from.”

“Well that I can now explain to you,” Jeremiah said, “but first we have to present you with the scroll that has been in our possession since the beginning of mankind. Here, written in the words, you will at last discover your true name.” Jeremiah lifted a briefcase from beneath his chair and clicked it open. He put on his protective white gloves, opened it and removed the four separate pieces of scroll.

“David, put on these gloves on.” David looked at Jeremiah and realised Jeremiah wanted him to handle the pieces.

“Oh no, I couldn’t, it’s such a precious thing. Surely someone else should have the honour of that?”

“Ritually, it should be my honour, but I feel that it’s right for you to present it to Luther as you were the first person to discover him.” David looked at the other brothers who were all smiling in agreement, then like an excited boy he stood up and put on the gloves. The excitement didn’t last long when his nerves took over at the realisation of what he was handling. Tentatively, he took hold of the four pieces of carefully sealed scriptures and carried them gently to where Lucifer was sitting. He laid them on the table in front of him and returned to his seat. Lucifer sat in his chair for a while looking at the men in front of him. He was deliberately stalling the inevitable, it was as though, paradoxically, he didn’t want to know the truth, and yet he desired it so much. The eyes of the men in front of him were watching his every move. Finally Lucifer took in a deep breath, exhaled and turned to the table. As Lucifer was slowly reading the ancient parchment in front of him, the other men in the room sat forward in their chairs in anticipation of Lucifer’s response.

“I am sorry, these mean nothing to me,” Lucifer finally spoke, “it’s in a strange language I can’t read or understand.” Some of the men sat back in disappointment, but Jeremiah and David still sat forward.