Samael – Chapter Nine

Chapter 9

Out of all the rooms that exist within the Palace, this one is unique.  It stands at about thirty feet by thirty feet.  With some carefully placed lighting, it gives the illusion that the room is larger in size than it actually is.  The only place that isn’t lit is the ceiling, which is concealed in flickering shadow.  Due to how the ceiling is constructed, these shadows cause the observer to perceive the ceiling as to continue on indefinitely.

Decorating the walls are a number of tapestries, each one depicting a different event in Earth’s history that bares special significance to God or to God’s followers.  Some of the images that are depicted spread over to two or more of the tapestries.  In addition to the tapestries, there are several statues scattered throughout the room.  Some are constructed out of marble where as others are constructed out of ivory.  One or two of them are constructed out of bronze.  These statues depict God’s true prophets as well as other important figures of the faith.  Most of the prophets that are depicted have already come and gone, but a few of them are from the present with the remaining statues representing prophets yet to come.  These statues act as nothing more than a reminder of who the heroes are and how one should live their life.

Even through there are some flickering shadows located throughout the room, it is pretty well lit, despite the fact that there are no visible sources of light located anywhere within the room.  The light just exists wherever it needs to be and the primary energy they create is directed toward the center of the room.  Located at the center of the room is another pillar of mist.  It is similar in nature to that in the Hall of Tribulation, but is generally thicker and brighter than its counterpart.

The large double doors that lead into the room consist of solid oak and contain intricately carved designs of the Creation Event.  Laced into the designs are pieces of gold and platinum that enhance the carvings on the doors.  Hanging from the pillars and around the doors are long pieces of silk that are dyed varied shades of purple and pink.  The reason why this room is so well decorated is because of its importance.  Out of all the rooms located throughout the Palace, this one is where the inhabitants can go and talk directly to God.

But access to this room is not an essential right.  Only a select few are allowed to gain entry; and even then, they need approval before entry is granted.  And gaining approval is in itself not an easy task.  To secure that no unauthorized personnel gain entry to the room, two guards are posted outside of the room to ensure this.

Samael, however, doesn’t face any difficulty when he wants to gain entry to the room.  This is because Samael is one of the beings who have unrestricted access to the room.  Unless the room is currently being used by another, Samael is able to enter the room without question from the guards.  Since no one is currently in the room, he is able to enter without pause or hesitation.  The two guards that are positioned outside the room stand at attention when Samael approaches and enters the room.  They stay at attention until the doors close behind them.

Whenever a person enters or leaves the room, it isn’t required for them to ever touch the door.  This is due to the fact that the doors will open and close on their own accord.  And when the doors move, they do so without ever making a sound.  Once inside, Samael approaches the column of mist and kneels before it at a respectful distance.  Even though he is the greatest of all of God’s creations from the realm of Heaven, and is the closest to God in power, strength, and glory, Samael still subjugates himself before his Lord and Creator.

“My Lord,” Samael says, “I need to talk with you.”

“Rise my child,” replies the Voice of God.

Like that in the Hall of Tribulation, the pillar of mist brightens as the presence of God enters it.  But unlike the Hall of Tribulation, when the Voice of God speaks, it fills Samael’s ears as if God was right next to him instead of traversing a medium.  The Voice of God is also filled with kindness and love.  But yet, it also sounds distant, as if it is covering a great distance to reach Samael’s ears.  This is a strange dichotomy in which Samael finds both interesting and a bit creepy.  Though mortals assign a gender to God, Samael knows that such a concept is absurd when dealing with God.  This also applies to giving God any type of form or shape.  God is beyond the realm of human understanding and can’t be arbitrarily assigned a gender or form.  To Samael’s ears, the Voice of God comes across as androgynous and without shape.  Upon hearing God’s command, Samael rises to his feet.

“What do you have to say, my child?” asks the Voice of God.

“My Lord,” Samael says.  “I demand justice.”  Samael would have given more emphasis to this, but he desires to maintain a respectful tone when he is talking to God.

“What wrong has been committed that warrants you to make such a demand?”

“A violation of one of your Commandments, my Lord; thou shall not commit adultery.”

“And who do you charge in violation of my Commandment?”

“I charge two of my own kind; those known as the archangel Michael and the angel Sara.”

“You are making a bold claim Samael.  Have you thought this through and are not acting in haste?  Is this the course of action you want to take?”

“Yes, my Lord.  I stand by my claim and I want to see it through.”

“When I issued my Commandments, I gave them to my Followers, not my Servants.”

“My Lord, when you gave your Commandments to your Followers, it was because they kept defying your laws and ignoring your edicts.  You gave them your Commandments and carved them into stone so that they would have an anchor, a point of reference, to live by.  You didn’t have to do that with us because your Servants in Heaven followed your laws and decrees.  But that is irrelevant.  It is irrelevant because the principles that underlie your Commandments remain true, regardless if you are in Heaven or on Earth.”

“Have these angels committed any acts of fornication?”

“Not to my knowledge, my Lord.”

“Then on what ground does your charge stand upon?”

“Adultery isn’t just the engagement of fornication between two parties.  Adultery is when an intimate relationship is formed when one or both parties engage in a relationship while still engaged in a previous one.”

“And do you claim to be the injured party in this situation?”

“Yes, my Lord.”

“Have you taken this claim through the proper courts and channels?”

“No, my Lord.”

“Then why have you brought this issue before me?  Do you claim that you are superior to everyone else?”

“No!  I claim that you should stop giving preferential treatment to those who are in your favor and punish those who disobey your Commands!”

“No.  Your request is denied.”

“What!?  How can…”

“Silence!” The Voice of God proclaims this in a thunderous tone that resonates throughout the room.  It is loud enough for the guards posted outside of the door to hear it.  Samael cringes at this as he brings his hands up to cover his ears.  Due to the compression wave generated by the response, it causes Samael’s long blond hair to flutter and wave.  “How dare you question my judgement!?”

“Forgive me my Lord.  I meant no disrespect.  I just don’t understand why you will let this crime go unpunished.”

Samael gives a bow as he says this.  As he waits in the bowed position, he expects to receive a response from God, but none comes.  Samael looks up hesitantly.  “My Lord…?”

Continued silence from God.  The only response Samael receives is the opening of the chamber doors.  This infuriates Samael.  But what is he to do?  He has no choice but to leave.  He turns around and heads out of the room, the light from the mist darkening as he goes.

 

(c) 2009 Bradley P. Thomas

 

Samael – Chapter Eight

Chapter 8

When Samael finally returns to the Palace, it is fairly late in the day.  Due to the time he spent in Forbidden Lands, he is covered from head to toe in rust colored dust.  Though most of the dust is located upon his boots and pant legs, it coats the rest of his clothes as well as his face and hair.  As he travels down the corridor within the Palace, Samael does so with a purpose, leaving a trail of dust behind him.

He’s been played for a fool and he wants his retribution.  Though he doesn’t have a clear idea on who was responsible for this, he does have a few leads in which he wants to pursue.  But first things first; he heads off to Sara’s apartment to see if she’s there.  As he comes in sight of Sara’s apartment, he just so happens to cross paths with Gabriel, who is currently distracted by some papers that he has in his hands.  Since Gabriel is here, Samael figures that now would be a good time to ask him a few questions, the foremost being, where he got the note.

“Gabriel,” Samael says.  “I have a question for you.”

Looking up, Gabriel meets Samael’s eyes and doesn’t like what he sees.  They promise nothing but trouble.  “What’s wrong Samael?” Gabriel says concerned.

“I came across some information today that I found to be a bit disturbing.  It has to do with that note you gave me yesterday.  So I have to ask, where did you get that note?”

“I’m not following,” Gabriel says confused.

“Don’t play dumb with me Gabriel!  Someone had to give you that note and I want to know who that person is.”

Gabriel thinks for a second.  Then, with a look of confidence, he says “I’m not at liberty to tell you.  And besides, it shouldn’t matter who I received the note from.  Whoever sent you that note must have identified himself when you read it.”

After hearing this, Samael rushes forward in a fit of rage and grabs Gabriel by his neck and lifts him clear off the ground.  Once his arm is fully extended, Gabriel’s head is just inches away from the ceiling.

“Don’t play with be Gabriel,” Samael proclaims.  “I just got back from meeting the person who the note was allegedly from and she said that she had nothing to do with it.  Since I trust her, it must mean that someone else had to have sent that note.  So I’m going to ask you again, who gave you that note!?”

“Listen to me,” Gabriel manages to say through Samael’s grip as he squirms against the hold.  “You don’t want to do this.  You’re upset and you’re not thinking straight.  Take a few days off and rest.  Then you can proceed with this matter in a calm and collected manner.”

“No.  I’ve waited long enough and I want some answers, now!  What are you hiding from me?”

“What do you want me to say?” Gabriel says choking.

Realizing that he isn’t going to get any answers from Gabriel, Samael decides to get his answers elsewhere.  Looking off to one side, Samael looks upon the door that leads to Sara’s apartment.  He makes his way over to it, hauling Gabriel along with him as he does so.  He checks the door to see if it would open.  No luck; it’s locked.

As Samael deals with the door, Gabriel does what he can to get out of Samael’s grip, but without success.  As Gabriel tries to escape, Samael looks at his prisoner and decides that there is more than one way to open a locked door.  Whirling Gabriel around to gain some momentum, Samael throws his fellow angel into, and then through, the solid, hardwood door, causing it to splinter.  Once through the door, Gabriel lands hard on the floor and comes to a stop once he hits a dresser located on the far wall, smashing it.

With the doorframe now vacant of its wooden occupant, Samael is able to walk into the apartment unimpeded.  As Samael goes about looking for any evidence that Sara is home, Gabriel remains on the floor, showing very little evidence of consciousness.  When his search is completed, Samael finds no sign of Sara.

With his primary search coming up empty, Samael starts combing through the apartment, looking for something, anything, that might tell him where Sara is.  Though he doesn’t know exactly what he is looking for, Samael has a feeling that he’d know it when he finds it.  In his search, he eventually comes across a scrap of paper that is sitting upon a bedside table.  When he picks it up, an amulet is revealed.  Upon seeing this amulet, Samael becomes confused.   He knows who it belongs to, and it’s neither him nor Sara.  Turning the piece of paper over, Samael notices some writing, which reads:

“To my beloved.  Take care.”

Samael recognizes the handwriting and his anger becomes even deeper.  He crushes the note and makes his way over to Gabriel, grabbing the amulet as he does.  Gabriel has regained consciousness and has managed to make it to his knees when Samael grabs him once again and lifts him off the ground, using his clothing to lift him up this time.

“What do you know of this?” Samael demands.

“Ahh.  What are you referring to?” Gabriel replies while gasping for breath.

“Don’t play with me Gabriel!  Why have I found Michael’s amulet next to Sara’s bed?”

“Hmm.  I figure the answer to that question should be self-evident; as clear as the nose on your face.”

At that, Gabriel once again takes an unexpected flight at the hands of Samael.  When he lands, it is hard against the bureau, smashing virtually everything on it. Samael storms out of the room, looking for the archangel Michael.  The people who congregated at the door to watch what was going on inside make way for Samael as he passes.

It doesn’t take long for Samael to find his target.  Michael is in Orkney Palace and is located in one of the corridors, conversing with some other angels.  Michael is a tall figure with a well muscular physique.  He has the look of a well weathered warrior, something in which he has rightfully earned.  He is dressed in a plain white dress shirt which hangs loosely upon the arms and is tied to his chest with leather straps.  He is also wearing a leather kilt with emeralds embroidered at the bottom of each strap that make up the kilt.

As Samael comes around the corner, he is almost betrayed by the natural aura in which he possesses.  But fortunately for Samael, he manages to sneak up on Michael before Michael is able to react to his presence.  As Samael approaches, Michael notices a growing light from the corner of his eye and begins to turn to see what it is when Samael lands a punch right on Michael’s jaw.  The force of the blow causes Michael to drop down to one knee and causes him to place a hand on the ground as well for balance.

If Michael wasn’t as powerful as he is, then the blow he received would have knocked him out.  But because of who he is, Michael is only left stunned.  What really got him was the shock on being hit.  As Michael holds his jaw as he crouches on the ground, Samael manages to land another strike, this time a kick to the ribs.  As Michael rolls about upon the ground, Samael gets ready for another strike.

But before he can, a number of angels grab Samael as well as get between him and Michael to prevent him from landing another strike.  This is in itself a Herculean task, but they manage to hold him back, but just barely.  There are also several angels on Michael to prevent him from landing any blows of his own on Samael once he regains his footing.  Luckily for them, when Michael does regain his feet, he isn’t as hard to detain.  He is also more agitated then anything else.

Pushing against the angels, Michael says, with a clear bruise developing on his jaw, “Is that all that you got Samael?  I would have expected more from you, God’s most beloved angel.”

“Brave words coming from the likes of you Michael.  Your mouth wouldn’t be so smart when I am through with it.”

“And what exactly do you have planned for me, oh great one?”

“I plan on teaching a traitor a lesson.”

“Me, a traitor?  That is pretty pompous, even for you.”

“I’d rather be pompous then a snake in the grass.”

After hearing that, Michael receives a burst of energy and tries to get Samael, but the other angels manage to restrain him.  The same thing applies to Samael, but it requires even more angels to restrain him.  If this continues to go on as it is, weapons are going to be drawn and blood will be spilled.  But before that occurs, something catches Samael’s eye.

It is Sara.  She must have been nearby when the confrontation first broke out, for her body language indicates that she has been there for awhile.  She is standing near the front of the crowd, but it wasn’t until now that Samael noticed her.  When Samael notices her, he looks in her directly.  When he does, he notices that she averts her gaze.  It is clear whose side she is on.

When this realization hits, it takes the wind out of Samael’s sails.  He eases his pressure against the angels holding him back as a look of shock comes over his face.  The truth of the matter just came home in a hard way.  He had his doubts, but seeing her now, the love of his life, side with another, erases all such doubts.  He no longer has a desire to stay, but before he goes, Samael takes out the amulet he found in Sara’s apartment and throws it at Michael’s feet.

“Don’t think that we’re through here,” Samael says.  “We still have some business to attend to.”  Turning, Samael walks away.

 

(c) 2009 Bradley P. Thomas

 

Samael – Chapter Seven

Chapter 7

As Samael leaves the cave and heads into the light, he can’t help but shield his eyes.  Even though Forbidden Lands is dark and bleak, it is still brighter than the pitch blackness of the cave.  But Samael’s eyes adjust quickly, taking only a second or two to adjust.  With the time he spent in the catacomb, Forbidden Lands has become somewhat brighter as the day gets older.

Once his eyes have adjusted to the light, Samael curses the dust that hangs in the air for it gets into his eyes.  Once this irritation has been taken care of, he spreads his black-feathered wings and takes to the air.  Once in the air, he heads in the direction in which he came, back to Orkney Palace and out of Forbidden Lands.

But once he has taken flight, Samael’s eyes are once again drawn to the solitary figure that is lost within Forbidden Lands.  This figure hasn’t made much progress across the landscape during Samael’s absence.  To underscore this point, there is a patch of dust that indicates that the figure fell down and then either sat or laid their for a period of time.  Even though he needs to return to the Palace and take care of some business, Samael decides that he will stop and talk with this figure among the dust and ruins of Forbidden Lands.  He descends quickly and lands hard, kicking up a plume of dust that covers his boots and thighs.  He lands several feet in front of the figure, scaring him badly.

Addressing the figure in a strong but not unkind voice, Samael says, “What are you doing out here, human?”

“Please—please, let me be,” the human says in a scared and almost whinny tone.  “I don’t want any trouble. Please, don’t hurt me.”

“I will not leave you alone because you don’t belong here.  So I ask you again, what are you doing here in Forbidden Lands?”

When Samael asks the human his question, he approaches in an overtly aggressive manner.  As he does this, the human moves backwards in an attempt to retreat.  As a result, his foot catches the edge of a rock, causing him to trip.  He lands hard on his ass, becoming completely covered with dust.  He then scurries back a bit before coming to a stop.  The human has also cut himself when he tripped over the rock.

“I’m just passing through,” he says.  “Please, let me do so in peace.”

As the human gives his response, Samael closes the distance between the two.  As he approaches, Samael notices something about the human that looks familiar; as if he has seen him somewhere before.  As he studies the human’s face, the human says in a whimpering voice, “Please.  Please don’t hurt me.”  He even raises a hand over his face in a defensive manner as he says this.

As Samael looks down upon the frightened figure, the mark that exists upon his forehead screams to be identified.  The mark spans the width of his forehead and makes its way into the hairline as well as the eyebrows.  It is reddish-gold in color and looks as if it is a shadow impression of a forking bolt of lightning.

“Caine?” Samael asks.

“Who are you and what do you want?” Caine responds.  “I have nothing.  I have nothing.”  This last part he says while crying.

“I’m not here to hurt you Caine.  Relax.”  Samael takes a step or two closer as he says this.

“Stay away!” Caine says as he crawls back to his feet.  He begins to run but he trips over another rock, landing flat on his face and once again covering himself in dust.

Unimpressed with what he sees, Samael speaks in a commanding and booming voice that has an echo when he speaks.  “Mortal!  Rise to your feet and stop your groveling!”

As Samael says this, he extends all four of his wings and releases his inner light upon Caine.  Though he relies primarily upon the environment’s light to create his aura, Samael has the capability to generate his own light when the situation calls for it.

As he has been instructed, the broken man known as Caine raises to his feet and turns to face the angel, though his head hangs over his shoulders.  He has stopped his groveling, but his lips continue to tremble.  Once Caine has complied with his demand, Samael folds up his wings and tucks them within his garments.  He also allows his aura to return to its natural, environmental dependent glow.

“Caine, it’s not my intention to hurt you,” Samael says in a friendly voice.  “I just want to talk to you as a friend, as a companion.  Let me help you.”

“You can’t help me.” Caine says as tears stream down his face.  “No one can help me.  I just want my brother back!”

“I know Caine, and I am sorry for what happened to you and your brother.  You didn’t understand the consequences of your actions.  You were just a child.”

“My parents hated me.  My siblings hated me.  Everyone turned against me after what I did.”

“I know Caine.  I was observing it as it occurred.”

“Then why didn’t you do anything?!  Why didn’t you come and stop me?”  Fresh tears come poring out of Caine’s eyes as he reaches down to pickup a rock.

He then throws it at Samael, who catches it easily and then discards it.  Caine reaches down a throws some more rocks at Samael who disposes of them as easily as the first one.  Caine would have thrown more, but the environment ran out of projectiles before he was able to wear himself out.  Once out of projectiles, Caine runs up to the angel, fully intending to strike him, not caring that he is clearly outmatched.  But before a punch is able to land, Samael catches both of Caine’s arms.

“Get a hold of yourself Caine before you do something that we’ll both regret,” Samael says, looking into his eyes.

“Regret?  I’ve been living in regret ever since I killed Abel.  What else can I do to make my life worse?”  At this, Caine relaxes his arms and drops to his knees.  He then leans forward, hugging himself as he does so.

“I understand that you are hurting.  But you have to understand that what you did was beyond your control.”

“No.  It was.  It was under my control.  I should have known better.”

“You had no concept of what you were doing.  No one had died before, let alone murdered.  ‘Knowing better’ implies that you had a point of reference to compare your actions to.  You had no such reference point.  Caine.  You were setup and God is responsible.  God needed someone to set a precedent and he decided that you were the one to do so.  It just so happened that it was your brother Abel who had to pay for it.”

“No.  I don’t want to hear this.  I don’t want to hear this.”  Caine rocks back and forth on his knees as he says this.

“But you will.  You will hear me and you will hear me well.  It was your first offering.  You didn’t understand how it was to be performed.  No one told you what needed to be done, so you had no idea on how you were to proceed.  In addition to this, no one explained to you why your offering was rejected whereas Abel’s offering was accepted.  Abel was rewarded whereas you were punished.  It wasn’t fair and it wasn’t hard to understand why you got upset.  If anyone is to blame for Abel’s death, it should be God, not you.”

“Then how come it hurts so much.”

“Because he was your brother and you miss him.  You didn’t want to hurt him and it tore at your heart to realize what you did to him after it was too late.”

“Leave me alone.”

“If you take anything away from this, remember what I tell you now.  What you did was something that was beyond your understanding until it was too late to take it back.  You are being punished because no one took the time to properly teach you.”  For a moment, Samael pauses, hoping that what he just said will sink in.  “It wasn’t your fault, Caine.  There are people who still care about you.  In fact, there is someone here in Forbidden Lands who cares.  She is in the cave near the highest peak of the mountain range behind me.  I suggest that you go see her.”

Though Samael doubts Caine will go see Lilith, it was worth a shot.  And besides, humanity has surprised him before.

 

(c) 2009 Bradley P. Thomas

 

Samael – Chapter Six

Chapter 6

Morning has come and Samael has left Orkney Palace to take care of his errand.  He has left the bright realm of Heaven and now finds himself within the realm known as Forbidden Lands.  Forbidden Lands is the territory located to the north of Sagun and is a dark and decollate place where there is little to no sign of life and has a deep sulfur smell that hangs in the air.  It is totally absent of water and the only thing it has in abundance is suffering.  Screams and howls of pain are the only things that can be heard, but these sounds are just a light echo of the true horror they possess.

Though the morning is fresh and the day is young, there is no evidence of that here.  Within Forbidden Lands, the day is always bleak and the sunlight is always dull and shallow.  The landscape itself is not much better.  It consists of nothing more than rock and dust, consisting primarily of a dark rust color, accented with muted grays and blacks.  There is even a freak tree or bush that will occasionally dot the landscape.  But they are few and far between.  Whatever plant life that does exist is itself barren and desolate.  They possess a look that is either of a sick or dying creature reaching up to the sky for salvation.

Samael soars above all of this with black-feathered wings splayed, and the primary set tucked against his body and under his shirt.  Though Forbidden Lands is dark and bleak, Samael still manages to imamate an aura of light, which is itself muted like all other light within this realm.

As Samael makes his way across the sky, there is some activity on the ground that catches his eye.  It is a solitary figure that has become scrawny through hunger and is staggering about due to exhaustion and fatigue.  On occasion, the figure will give out a solitary scream of pain, though it doesn’t appear physically hurt.  As he passes by, Samael makes a mental note of this.  It might be something worth investigating once he is done with the task at hand.

As Samael proceeds across Forbidden Lands, a huge mountain range makes its presence known within his vision.  They are as dark as obsidian with patches of gray and appear to absorb whatever light the landscape allows to exist.  The peaks are jagged and resemble that of teeth that belong to a horrid beast.  As he approaches the mountains, an outline of a cave makes itself apparent.  Though it is hard to spot, one can be able to find it if they know where to look.

The cave entrance is located upon one of the mountains high peaks and there is no visible path that leads to it.  Without a path, the features of the mountain would make foot travel to the cave nearly impossible.  The rock face itself is steep and it would be hard to gain traction when climbing.  But yet, someone has been able to climb the rocks and gain entry to this isolated cave.  The mountain features also give the mouth of the cave an ominous appearance, as if it belongs to a demon, hungry for the flesh of anything that is foolish enough to wonder to close in its travels.

Without hesitation, Samael approaches the cave mouth and lands right in front of it.  Upon landing, he kicks up whatever dirt and dust that is present into a little cloud that hovers around his feet.  With momentum from his flight, Samael enters the cave.  This allows him to have one continuous movement once he hits the ground.  Unseen and unnoticed by Samael is a screeching owl who sits next to the cave’s entrance.  It is un-frightened by the passing angel and doesn’t move from its location.  Do to its coloring, it manages to blend in quite well with its surroundings.

The cave network contains of a vast number of expansive tunnels and a significant number of alcoves and the humidity becomes increasingly palpable the deeper one goes.  It would be easy for someone to become lost here.  But despite this fact, Samael knows exactly where he is going.  Without the aid of a torch or a map, he is able to navigate his way through the catacombs as easily as he would through the corridors at Orkney.  He even appears to be oblivious to the increasing temperature that exerts itself within the cave as he goes deeper and deeper inside.

After about an hour and twenty minutes into his trip into the cave, Samael finds what he is looking for.  In one of the alcoves, he finds a series of candles that encircles the alcove floor as well as lining the walls, all of them lit and casting shadows that dance throughout the room.  The candles are also scented, making the humidity not so intolerable.  He sees that the walls are also painted and there is a pictogram located in the center of the alcove, though it is partially obscured by some bedding that sits there.  Scanning the alcove, he sees an open basket sitting against the far wall filled with an assortment of fruit, one from each of the fruit bearing trees.

Also located against the far wall is a lone figure sitting on the ground.  The figure appears to be naked and is slowing scratching the wall.  She appears to be covered in dirt and her once long flowing hair has become matted.  Without seeing her face, Samael knows that she was once beautiful; a beauty so great, it was once compared to that of the angels.

Though he didn’t make a sound, the woman on the floor knows that Samael has arrived.  The woman turns her head and looks at him over her shoulder.  When Samael sees her face, it is hard to miss that the once beautiful face has been eroded by time and malevolent forces.  A human face that was once designed by the Divine hand has become one that disserves to be pitied.

This woman is Lilith, the wife of Adam before he had Eve.  Even though she was a human at her creation, she has become, over time, what many people may consider to be a demon.  But this is not true, as Samael clearly knows.  Though she is no longer human, he doesn’t think that Lilith has become a demon.  But whatever has happened to her, it has allowed Lilith to have a life that boarders upon immortality.

Though millennia have past, Lilith still manages to remain a powerful woman, both in mind and in spirit.  And it is because of this that scared Adam in the first place.  In reacting to this, he first tried to subjugate her to his will.  But after this failed, he then banished her from his life.  To add insult to injury, God banished Lilith as well, removing her from the Garden of Eden, all at Adam’s request.

From her banishment and abandonment, Lilith became overwhelmed with vengeance and anger.  And it is from this anger that caused her to put a curse upon the heads of Adam and Eve.  This curse comes in the form of a parent’s worst nightmare; it caused their descendents to die in infancy.  This curse also affects all of Adam’s and Eve’s descendents who make it to adulthood.  In addition to this, it was Lilith who sent the serpent to tempt Adam and Eve in the Garden so that they would eat the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge.

The serpent in which Lilith sent was similar in nature to that of a land based dragon.  It went about crawling on all fours with massive shoulders and a long, powerful tail.  As it made its path through the Garden, it went looking for Eve.  Fortunately for the serpent, it found it’s pray as she went strolling past the Tree of Knowledge.  Eve, though she was still unaware of the difference between good and evil, became scared when she saw the serpent approach.  The serpent was a large and intimidating beast, so Eve had the right to be scared.  This is due to the fact that fear and intimidation work independently from the knowledge of good and evil.  Fear is a basic instinct and intimidation plays off of this fear.

When the serpent came within several feet of Eve, it stopped and spoke to her. “Eve,” it says.  “Be not afraid for I am a friend and I wish to help you.”

“But I am afraid,” Eve replies.  “You are intimidating to look upon and you make me feel uneasy.”

If the serpent was able to smile, it would have done so.  “I understand your concern, but I assure you, I pose no threat to your health or to your well being.”

Because Eve was naïve and lacked any form of wisdom or knowledge, just like her husband Adam, she believed what the serpent said and trusted it.

“Eve,” the serpent continued.  “I have a question for you.  What tree are you standing next to?”

“This is the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.  The Lord our God said that I may not eat of it.”

“But didn’t the Lord say that you are allowed to eat the fruit from any tree found in the Garden?”

“Yes, I am allowed to eat the fruit from any tree found in the Garden, but the Lord instructed me and Adam not to eat the fruit that hangs from the tree at the center of the Garden, or else we will die.  And this is the tree found in the center of the Garden.”

“My dear.  I assure you that you will not die if you eat the fruit that hangs from that tree.  Nothing will occur even if you touch it.  God knows that when you eat that fruit, your eyes will become open and aware.  You will also become like God, knowing the difference that exists between what is right and what is wrong.  So, my dear, eat up.”

Eve looked back at the fruit that was hanging from the tree, still hesitating.  She then looked back at the serpent.  Seeing her hesitation, the serpent lowered its head, made a deep throated hiss, and made a threatening forward gesture.  Scared, Eve scampered backward and took a piece of fruit that hung from the tree.  The serpent than made a gesture with its head, indicating that she should eat.

Hesitantly, Eve sank her teeth into it.  As she did this, Adam came out of a small grove of trees not to far from the Garden’s center.  Seeing that she was eating the fruit, Adam started to run in her direction in order to stop Eve from eating.  He also started to yell at her not to do it.  But it was too late.  And even if it wasn’t, the serpent would have made sure that she ate the fruit before Adam arrived.

Upon his arrival, Adam asked, “Why did you do that?  You know that God had forbidden us to eat that fruit.”

Ignoring Adam’s question, Eve said, “These are delicious.  You should try one.”

Adam stammered as Eve plucked another piece of fruit off of the tree and offered it to Adam.  At first, he declined because he didn’t want to break God’s commandment.  But at Eve’s persistence, as light as it was, he gave in and ate.

As she was eating the fruit, Eve enjoyed the taste and fragrance that it provided.  When Eve eventually finished her piece of fruit, she still was able to enjoy the after taste it provided.  But eventually, as she was enjoying the ghost of the now devoured fruit, a strange feeling overcame her.  This feeling was caused by the fact that she had gained the wisdom and knowledge that was, until then, only found with God.  She then realized that what she did was wrong.  She defied God and she was going to have to suffer the consequences.  This realization eventually overcame Adam as well.  Upon the realization of both Adam and Eve, a light from Heaven descended upon them and they knew that the world in which they knew will no longer be theirs to enjoy.  It is because of this action that caused Lilith to become what she is today; a lowly creature in which Samael is currently laying his eyes upon.

“Hello Samael,” Lilith says.  “It’s been ages since we last met.  I was beginning to wonder if you have forgotten about me.”

“I would never be able to forget a woman like you Lilith,” Samael replies.  “A strong willed woman is one to marvel.  It’s not often seen.   How you were able to stand up to Adam and demand that you be treated equally is not something that is easily forgotten.”

“Thank you for your complement.  It is appreciated.  I noticed that you have come unarmed, Samael.  Why did you do so?”

“You underestimate me and my power.  Though I am not carrying a weapon, it doesn’t mean that I am unarmed.”

“Intriguing.  Now I wonder, why have you come here after such a long absence?”

“I received your message.  It said that it was urgent and that it couldn’t wait.”

“You say that I sent you a message.  If I did, than how did I do so without paper or any possible writing utensil?”

“You are a resourceful woman.  I’m sure you found a way to get your hands on some parchment and a pen.”

“For all of your might and majesty, there is still the possibility for you to be fooled.”

“What are you getting at?”

“What I am saying is that someone played a trick on you for I never sent you a message.”

A look of confusion comes over Samael’s face.  For a moment, he doesn’t understand what is going on.  He thinks about it for a moment and then a look of anger comes over his face as comprehension dawns.

“It appears that you realize who played that trick on you,” Lilith says.

“I have my suspicions, yes,” Samael replies.

“It must be pretty strong suspicions if anger has overcome you as it has.”

“I have a pretty good idea on who is behind this.”

“There appears to be a greater level of dissention in Heaven than I once believed.  Maybe you and I have more in common than either of us realize.”

“That dissention is very possible.  There is too much going on however, to really determine one way or the other.  And with our common threads, it’s probably one of those situations where the answer may never be known.”

“Whatever the answer, I suggest that you take care of yourself and to watch your back.  There is the possibility that the person you entrust to protect it will be the one who will land the deadly blow.”

“Are you saying that Sara is going to turn her back on me?”

“I speak from experience, and with love, there is always that possibility; and I wasn’t necessarily referring to her when I made that statement.”

“Are you saying that it will be God who betrays me?”

“How do we know that such a thing hasn’t already occurred?”

That strikes a nerve with Samael.  With that letter he received regarding his new assignment, how does he know that it won’t include God abandoning him as well?  As he thinks about it, Samael finds it to be absurd.  But yet, a grain of doubt remains just below his consciousness.

“I need to go Lilith,” Samael says.  “There are some things I need to take care of back at the palace.”

“Take care Samael.  But I have one last question before you go.  Why did you come?”

“I believed that you needed me; that you needed some help.”

“You derived all of that from a simple note?”

Samael walks up to Lilith and squats right in front of her, taking one of her hands as he does so.

“Just because your husband stopped loving you doesn’t mean that everyone else has as well.  Believe me, there are still those in existence who care about you.”

After saying this, Samael kisses Lilith’s hand.  He then grabs the only piece of fruit in the basket that failed to spoil and holds it in his hand.

Samael then says, “For knowledge and love.”

With that, he eats the piece of fruit.  Samael then kisses Lilith one more time, but on the forehead instead.  As Samael turns and heads out of the alcove, a single solitary tear rolls down the dirt incrusted cheek of Lilith.

 

(c) 2009 Bradley P. Thomas

 

Samael – Chapter Five

Chapter 5

The day is late and the night has set upon the land.  Samael has returned to his apartment and is staring out the window.  Because of his status, Samael’s apartment is located high up in the palace, allowing him to have a spectacular view of the surrounding landscape.  He is looking upon the lake as it reflects the twinkling starlight and the three-quarters moon, making it a beautiful sight.

After he had his conversation with Harahel, Samael went looking for Sara.  Though he looked throughout the palace, he wasn’t able to find her.  In addition to this, he is yet to receive any word from her, despite the fact that he was trying to reach her.  All of this disheartens Samael.  He has been denied the chance to talk with her, at least for now.

Hopefully, he’ll have better luck when the sun rises tomorrow.  But there are other things that need to be taken care of before he is able to look for her.  This obligation has to do with the note he received from Gabriel.  After reading it, Samael understands that he needs to go and see its author.

It’s too late for Samael to leave tonight, even though he is able to handle himself in Forbidden Lands at night.  But why should he put himself in needless danger if he doesn’t need to?  So Samael decides to go during the day.  He also doesn’t look forward to taking care of it, for it will eat into valuable time that he could otherwise be using to find Sara.

However, Samael needs to take care of the note he received from Gabriel and the issue it addresses.  He’s been meaning to see the note’s author for awhile now anyway, but he has never had the time to get around and actually do it.  He’s either been busy with other issues or preoccupied with other assignments, preventing him from getting out and seeing her.  But because he received the note from her, Samael knows that he can no longer postpone the trip.

He decides that the best time for him to take care of the situation is in the morning.  He sees little point in taking care of it later in the day because there are distractions.  Once he finishes looking at the lake, Samael heads to his bed and turns in for the night.

 

(c) 2009 Bradley P. Thomas

 

Samael – Chapter Four

Chapter 4

Job is an honest and upright man.  He follows the laws and decrees of Moses and he is a God-fearing man.  He is also a self-made man.  Everything that he owns came from the work he derived from his own two hands.  From his honest labor, and smart decisions, Job has come to own a large track of land.  Upon this land, he raises and breeds livestock.  These animals consist of no less than seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred oxen, and five hundred donkeys.  To attend his flocks and herds, Job has hired a large number of servants.  Job is admired by the community for his wealth and for shunning deeds and practices of evil men.

At home, he is a wealthy man as well.  Besides his loyal and beautiful wife, he has seven dedicated sons and three faithful daughters.  They all manage to get along and are able to do so quite well, though there is the occasional dispute which all families have.  This household wealth Job attributes wholly to God.  Who else could create such a miracle?  None of them, however, are aware of the fate that is about to be bestowed upon them.  Before the trial began, Harahel was responsible for roaming the Earth and to judge the heart of Job.  In court, Harahel reports everything he observed when he visited Job.

Mihr speaks up and asks, “Is Job an upright man, standing on a firm moral ground, and shuns evil?”

“From what I have observed,” replies Harahel, “Job is as you have described.  He is upright, shuns evil upon hearing of it, and he fears God.  But I am forced to question if he is truly blameless.  Though he fears God, does he do so for nothing?  Look at his social standing.  He is a wealthy man with eleven thousand heads of livestock and plenty of servants to help him.  He is respected in the community.  His family does not go hungry and he is content.  When one is content, it is easy for that person to follow God’s laws and decrees.  In addition to this, look at what he has to lose if he does not fear God.”

“Just because Job is financially set, it does not speak of his character or of his heart.  It is the content of those two features that the true measure of the man should be taken, not the measure of his personal wealth.”

“True, but property and wealth have the tendency to change a man.  In some occasions, it can even corrupt him.  How do we know that such an occasion hasn’t happened to Job?”

“If this is true, than what do you suggest be done?”

“What I suggest is that we remove Job from his position of wealth and standing.”

“And how do you propose such a deed be done?”

“I do not suggest that we remove him from the community.  This is due to the fact that his wealth and social standing will continue to stand.  What needs to be done is to destroy both.”

Mihr is stunned.  “You can’t be serious.”

“But I am.  What other way can his wealth and standing be nullified?  If we cause his wealth to deteriorate slowly, he will not curse the name of God for he will not perceive it as the act of God but just the flow of the economy.  With his social standing, he is thought of to highly by his neighbors and is to up right to turn them away with his actions.  We couldn’t turn the community’s hearts to stone; that would be unfair.  His wealth needs to be destroyed in order for the trial to work.  My proposal is the most effective manner of doing so.”

“I disagree and I will not give my approval for the execution of such a plan.”

“Then it appears that we are at a stalemate.  To settle our dispute, I defer to God to pass final judgement on this subject.”

After a moments pause, an answer comes from God.  The Voice of God emanates from deep within the pillar of mist.  It is distant, but firm.  The answer in which God decrees affirms Harahel decision.

“When you say that he should be removed from his wealth,” Mihr says, “does that extend to his family as well?”

“Yes it does,” replies Harahel.

“What do you suggest happen to his family?”

“His family will die.”

“What will happen to their souls?” Mihr says concerned.

“Do not worry.  Upon my visit, I looked into the hearts of his family and they were just as pure as their father.  Upon their death, they will pass through the Gates of Glory and enter Heaven.”

“I am going to have to object.”

“Object if you must, but the decision on this matter has already been made.  The power and authority to act in this matter has already been granted to me and I have made my decision. It will stand.  If it is a consolation, I only have the authority to affect his possessions.  The man himself will not be touched.”

Before Mihr is able to raise an objection, Harahel waves his hand and the deed is done.  This leads to the death or theft of all Jobs oxen and donkeys by a wave of Sabean attacks from the north.  This Sabean raid also leads to the slaughter of most of the hired help that tended to the animals.

Following the raid, balls of fire descend from the skies, consuming all that they touch.  This rain of fire destroys Job’s sheep that were roaming the fields as well as most of the shepherds that were tending to them.  Finally, from the east, three raids from the Chaldeans laid claim to the camels, killing a few in the process and putting the blade to their handlers.

The final blow in this series of tragedies comes with the death of Job’s children.  Located at the house of the oldest son, all ten children, accompanied by their respective spouses and children, were enjoying a meal together and giving thanks when a great wind came, accompanied by a terrible storm.  The storm was so violent that it caused the entire house to shake and collapse.   None of the inhabitance survived.

Upon hearing of these tragedies, Job is devastated.  He becomes so overwhelmed with grief that he bursts into tears on the spot and starts to wail inconsolably.  He rips at his clothes and drops to the ground as if he was a diseased and withering flower.  The worst pain of all is the loss of his family.  It is a wound so deep that it is crippling.  Whatever property he lost is insignificant to this personal tragedy and Job had to be carried back to his house by his neighbors.  It isn’t until several hours later that Job manages to regain enough of himself to begin praying.

“Oh, Heavenly Father,” Job says.  “Please forgive this tired old man and his ways.  What plans you have for me will be beyond my control or comprehension.  All that I ask is for forgiveness and the strength to pull through this tragedy.”

In the Hall of Tribulation, all of the angels watch intently as the events unfold before them as they view it on a cloud of mist between the benches.  Even though these events occur over most of the day on Earth, it lasts for several minutes within the Hall.  Through their observation, they witness Job retaining his faith, in intact, despite the great personal loss he has just sustained.

“Well,” Mihr proclaims.  “Despite the great misfortune in which he received, Job’s faith in God still remains strong.  He also doesn’t want retribution or to seek vengeance.  Though in despair, he still remains an upright and God fearing man.  He still shuns the acts of evil men and the deeds in which they perform.”

“True,” says Harahel.  “He remains faithful and does not desire to curse God’s name.  He doesn’t even wish harm against those who have wronged him.  But despite this fact, his soul is yet to be fully tested.”

“What else can he be put through that would cause him to curse the name of God?”

“In addition to the sorrow that is burdening his heart, I propose that his flesh be attacked as well; a physical torment that would prevent him from being able to walk or even sleep.”

“And what do you plan to achieve with this?”

“Nothing questions a person’s objectives and purpose more than having to exist in constant pain.  In ravaging both body and soul, we would be able to fully test the man’s faith and determine if he will curse the name of God or question the All Mighty’s judgement.”

Mihr thinks for a moment before he gives his response.  “If you desire to attack the flesh, than Job’s body must remain intact without ruptures, loss of tissue, or appearance of cannibalistic growth.  When experiencing this ordeal, his life must also be spared.”

“Agreed.”

They both turn to the pillar of mist that represents the presence of God and Harahel asks, “Do you approve of our arrangement, Father?”

“Yes,” replies the Voice of God.

Mihr turns to Harahel and says, “You may proceed.”

Harahel moves his hand.  Upon completion of the movement, Job receives painful sores all over his body.  Not an inch of flesh is spared from these sores.

When Job receives these sores, he is out getting some fresh air with the aid of a cane.  When the sores develop, he is still in deep mourning over the losses in which he received.  The sores cause him to collapse onto a nearby rock and once again require assistance in order to return to his house.

After hearing about his afflictions, Job’s friends Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite come to pay him a visit.  They hope that they could bring some sort of comfort to him during his time of need.  After arriving in Uz and seeing their friend in such an emaciated state, all three friends are brought to tears.

For seven straight days and the accompanied nights, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar stay by the side of Job, none of them speaking.  With the completion of these seven days and the emergence of the eighth, it is Job who breaks the silence.

“My friends.  Why are you still here?”  When he speaks, it is as if Job is speaking out of a daze in which he has just woken up from.

“Job,” they proclaim.  “We are your friends and you are in need.  We are here to give you our support.”

“Then you have wasted your time.  Stop squandering your time and go home.  Just let me be.”

“Why?  We spent seven days and nights by your side.  Why would we desert you now?”

“Because I want to be left in peace.  My life has become utter misery.  My heart has been ripped out of my chest and fed to the dogs like scraps.  And to top it off, the empty shell that is my body has become a blemish upon the Earth.  I curse the day of my birth for I wish that I have never been born.”

“Oh, Job,” proclaims Eliphaz.  “You should not speak like that.  The relationship between you and God is a sacred one and it should be cherished above all else.”

“It is because I cherish my relationship with God that I wish for death.  For, through my death, I would not defile God or his name.  But I can’t help but wonder why.  Why am I afflicted with so much suffering?  What sin have I committed that warrants my current condition?  What crime did I enter and law I violated that warrants my current affliction?”

“Why do you say such things?” Bildad asks.  “Why do you say such offal and horrible things?  Please, my friend, do not give up on God.  And do not give up on your faith.”

“I have not given up on my faith dear Bildad,” Job retorts.  “And I haven’t given up on God.  I still hold God the Creator up above all else and all the wonders that he has bestowed upon us.  But I am forced to ask why the innocent and the blameless are punished and harmed in the ways that they are whereas the wicked live in ease and splendor.  Though I am innocent, I am left here filled with shame.”

“You are not meant to understand,” replies Zopher.  “God is beyond the understanding of all creatures, like the actions of man are beyond the understanding of the cockroach.  Don’t lose hope in God my dear friend.  And don’t lose hope in yourself.”

“My hope still remains in God and that hope will forever remain strong,” Job proclaims.  “My hope remains in God for He is truly all powerful.  Where my hope has faltered is with the three of you.  You claim that you came here to comfort me, but you mock me instead.  I asked you to leave, to let me be.  But yet, you insisted on staying, much to my chagrin.  You claimed to be my friends, but you have proven to be my enemies.

“Oh, God.  What have I done to offend you?  What sin have I committed that led you to act against me?  Please Lord, tell me so that I can amend my ways.  Oh God, why are you acting as my enemy?  I have been your faithful servant.  Tell me and I would act.”

“Still your tongue Job,” Eliphaz says.  “You are speaking wickedly.  Please Job, stop doing so.  You don’t mean what you are saying.  What you are saying is only because of your distress.  Your mouth is speaking in place of your heart.  It is causing you to act in a way that is not yourself.  It is leading you down a troubled path.  You are beginning to believe that you are superior to other men.  Such believe has caused other men to fall.”

“Fools!” Job says.  “You are all fools!  You only say what you say because it is easy for you to do so.  You are not afflicted as I am.  My children have died and my health is failing and you three have the gall to mock me.  Leave me and get out of my sight.

“Oh, God.  Why do I have such fools for friends?  And why are you attacking me?  I have done nothing wrong but yet you set out to destroy my heart.  Why?  Why have you shunned me?

“I followed your laws but you still seek to destroy me.  Why have you bestowed such an attack on me and been so relentless?  I was once respected by my peers and held in such high regard.  But now, everyone looks down upon me with disgust, like I was a leper.  Even my own friends have betrayed me and treat me with disgust.”

“Why are you speaking so?” asks Bildad.  “Should the world stop just because you are in pain?  Such arrogance will only bring trouble and despair.”

“Despair?” Job says scoffing.  “How can I be in any more despair?  I have lost everything important to me and my friends have come to mock me.  I have become an object of ridicule to my friends who I once held dear.  I am being punished by God, reducing me to a figure of distain.  And this distain has even come from those who surround me.”

“Stop speaking so wickedly my friend,” replies Zophar.  “Your condition is clouding your judgement.  Please remember, God strikes down the wicked.”

“I question God’s judgement,” Job says.  “If God strikes down the wicked, then why do they prosper?  They go about their deeds with wicked thoughts and actions, but they do not suffer God’s wrath.  Their deeds go unpunished and I lay here suffering.  If I am wicked, then why punish the children instead of the man?

“My children have done nothing wrong that disserved their death.  They had their arguments and their fights, but such behavior is natural among siblings.  If I have wronged, why did they have to pay?  Where is God’s mercy in situations when such atrocities occur?”

“But you brought this upon yourself Job,” Eliphaz replies.  “The torment you are suffering occurred because of your wicked deeds.  Only if you embrace God, then you will receive great wealth and treasure.”

“Ha!” Job replies.  “You make it sound like I no longer fear God.  I still fear God with every inch and every fiber in my body.  But I am forced to wonder where God is to punish the evil and crooked people of the world and why He punishes the upright and righteous instead.”

“What is your reasoning for this, my friend?” Bildad asks.

“My reasoning?” Job asks.  “I am a righteous man, for I have lived a pure life, sustaining from committing any possible sin.  I followed all of the orders and decrees in which the Lord has given to me.  I helped those who were in need and I looked after the helpless.  But yet, God has turned his back on me!  He has stricken me down like I was a sick dog and he has filled by heart, along with my life, with pain and sorrow.  What sins have I committed?”

After hearing this, all three men fall silent.  It is at this point, noticing that all of the older men have had their say, Elihu, son of Barakel, speaks.  “If you would be so kind, I would like to speak.  Job, you claim that you are a righteous and upright man who is pure of heart.  But as I listened to your conversation, I couldn’t help but notice something in which you managed to overlook.  During the course of your conversation, you committed a sin.

“The sin you committed was that of arrogance and pride.  You put your needs and importance before that of God.  I do not doubt the fact that you are what you state yourself to be; that of a God-fearing man.  But that doesn’t forgive the fact that you did sin and you must accept this guilt.

“So when you asked, ‘what sin am I guilty of?’, it was that of arrogance and pride.  And God does punish the wicked; if not in this life, then in the next.  Their punishment will be not to enjoy the pleasure of being close to the presence of God.  They will not be allowed to bask in His light, His knowledge, and His warmth.  So this is your folly, Job.  You denied the grace, knowledge, and power of God.  You put yourself first, not God and that’s why you suffered.

“When you spoke out of arrogance, it was the responsibility of your friends to point this out to you.  That should have been the first thing that they pointed out to you when they where trying to amend your ways.  Though it was not intentional, your friends failed you.”

It is at this point that something changes within Elihu.  He appears to have gained a presence that he didn’t have before.  This presence fills the room and spills throughout the rest of the house and along with the surrounding countryside.  Elihu’s posture changes and his eyes appear to glow.  He then rises of out his chair and takes his feet.  Once he speaks again, this change can also be heard in his voice, taking a much deeper tone.  When Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar, and Job see this change and hear this new voice, they do not fail to recognize that it belongs to God.

“Job,” says the Voice of God through Elihu’s mouth.  “With everything that you have just said, I ask you this simple question, what do you truly know?  Do you understand what the meaning is of the world that I have created?  And do you know what its underlying purpose is?  Do you know why the bees fly or what causes the birds to migrate?  Do you understand why the earth shakes or why the seasons come when they do?

“Job.  I created the universe and everything within it.  No detail was, or ever will be, beyond my control, no matter how minor or arbitrary it may appear to your eyes and mind.  If any person has the power and capability to stop any of my creations, then that person can no longer answer to me and become his own master.”

Upon hearing this, and witnessing all that he has, Job becomes shaken and scared.  Not knowing what should be done, he does the first thing that comes to mind; he crawls out of bed and drops to his knees, without any form of style or grace.  Upon dropping to his knees, the sores located there rupture and bleed.  But Job ignores this.  It is even doubtful that it registers.  The only thing that matters now is to humble himself before the power and presence of God.  And as he does so, he bows down before Him, extending his arms straight before him.

“Dear Lord,” Job proclaims without taking his eyes away from the floor.  “Please forgive me.  My deeds and actions are beyond excuse.  I have no defense.  My pride has blinded me to your mighty grace and power.”

“Job,” God replies.  “Rise to your feet and approach.”

Job does as he has been bidden.  Who is he to protest the command and authority of God, especially after the way he has acted?  But as he approaches the body of Elihu, now the representative body of God, Job does not take his eyes away from the floor.  He doesn’t have the courage to look anywhere else.  Upon reaching his destination, Job once again returns to his knees.

“Look at me,” proclaims the Voice of God.

Job is at first reluctant.  He believes that he doesn’t disserve to look upon his creator.  But through Elihu, God puts a hand underneath Job’s chin and raises his face.  Once his face has been lifted, Job looks directly into the eyes of God.  Tear tracts are present on Job’s cheeks and fresh tears roll out once he meets God’s eyes.

“Please, forgive me my Lord,” Job says in a soft, stammering voice.

A smile comes across Elihu’s face.  “My child, you have already been forgiven.”

At hearing this, Job begins to weep aloud.  He than doubles over and starts to kiss the symbolic feet of God.  As Job does this, God turns his attention to Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite and frowns.

“As for you three,” the Voice of God says.  “You have disappointed me.  You have failed to speak of me as Job has done.  Though you spoke my name, it was without praise.  You must repent.  Sacrifice seven of your bulls and seven of your rams in a smoke offering.  As you take these actions, it will be Job who will pray on your behalf.”

“Yes, my Lord,” the three men say in unison as they get to their knees and bow.

And that’s what they did.  Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar all sacrifice seven bulls and seven rams each as Job goes to the local temple and prays for his friends.  As he prays, he does so with all of his heart and soul.  Because of what he said to his friends and the way that he treated them, Job does what he can to make it up to them.

Once these deeds have been completed, God has Job prosper once again.  His physical affliction is healed and his wealth is restored.  But unlike before, Job is granted twice as much riches.  He is given fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand oxen, and one thousand donkeys along with twice as much land to attend to.  Friends and family from all around came to his place and dined with him.  They also give Job money, taken directly from their own pockets.  Job is once again blessed with a loving family of seven sons and three daughters.

And there isn’t a day that goes by where Job doesn’t think about the ten children that he lost.  To honor the children that he lost, Job names his new children after those who have fallen.  In addition to this, he includes his daughters in his will and they will acquire an inheritance along with his sons.

From the time of his affliction to the time of his redemption, several months have passed in the life of Job, but only five hours have passed in the Hall.  The trial is over and all of those who are in attendance are either leaving or are preparing to leave.  The light that is being admitted from the pillar of mist has returned to its soft, dull glow, indicating that the presence of God has departed.  As Harahel leaves the courtroom, Samael is quick to go to his side.

“You did a good job today, Harahel,” Samael says.

“Did I?” replies Harahel.  “Then how come it doesn’t feel right.”

“That feeling is natural.  Everyone who sits in that chair feels that way in the beginning.”

“That is not much of a conciliation prize.”  As Harahel says this, they head out through the courtroom doors.

“That’s part of the job.  Regardless of how you feel, you performed a service in which only a few people are capable of handling.  The whole point of sitting in that chair is to argue against God’s faithful.  That’s why the concept behind that chair exists.”

“It still tares me up inside.  I don’t think that I could do that again.”

“That is a shame.  You did well in there and I don’t want to see that go to waste.”

“I don’t see it as being wasted, so there’s nothing to be concerned about.”

“I can’t force you to stay if you don’t wish to do so.  I’m going to ask you one more time, do you really wish to quit?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’m going to wish you good luck on your future endeavors.”

At that, the two angels turn to each other, shake hands, and go their separate ways.

 

(c) 2009 Bradley P. Thomas

 

Samael – Chapter Three

Chapter 3

The two big doors that lead into the Hall of Tribulation consist of solid oak and contain ornate carvings that run the full length of both doors.  These carvings are located on both sides of the doors and are laced with silver and ivory to accentuate the designs.  When Samael pushes open the two heavy doors, they barely make a sound.  They also close on their own accord after he passes through them.

Unlike the corridors, the Hall is not well lit.  It is noticeably darker in the Hall than in the corridor.  Candles and torches burn throughout the Hall, generating just enough light for people to go about their business without bumping into each other or anything else.  They only location in the room where there is plenty of light is located exactly at the center.  Two courtroom-like benches sit opposite each other consisting of stained padauk that is elegantly carved.  These carvings consist of ivy with lions located at each of the corners.

Between these two benches is a pillar of mist that emanates its own light.  This pillar represents the presence of God.  Thou this pillar exists independently from God, it acts as the seat of God whenever God is actually present in the Hall.  In addition to this, whenever God is present, the light that is emanated from the pillar intensifies.

The Hall is also very well decorated.  The floor consists of black marble with intricate linings imbedded in it.  With the rooms flickering lights, these lines have the appearance of movement.  The walls also consist of marble, but dark blue instead of black.  It ascends all the way to the ceiling which is covered in shadows, giving the allusion that the walls ascend eternally.

The wall mounted torches are attached to the surface by steal rods or by stone carvings shaped like arms.  There are also statues scattered throughout the room, located either against the walls or next to pillars.  The statues are generic figures draped in ropes with hoods pulled up and over their eyes.  Most of them have something in their hands, but a few of them are empty handed and are conveying an unknown message to the viewer.

Located on the benches are a small number of angels.  They belong to the Divine Council of Advisors.  Like in any proper courtroom proceeding, the court is divided in half, with the prosecutors on one side and the defenders on the other.

Whenever Samael takes part in these trials, he is always on the side of the Divine Council of Adversaries.  It is with the Divine Adversaries where the Chair of Satan is located.  In every courtroom throughout Heaven, there is a physical seat that represents the chief prosecutor of the trial and bears the title of Chair of Satan.  Its equivalent of the side of the Divine Council of Defenders is the Chair of Champions.

With the word satan itself, it simply means “adversary.”  It applies to any person, group, or thing that is in opposition to the goals or plans of another.  By its very nature, it is devoid of any moral implications that are recognized by the Divine Council of Advisors.  When an angel is given the responsibility of taking the seat in the Chair of Satan, he is bestowed with the title of Ha-Satan, which basically means “accuser.”

Under most circumstances, when Samael is taking part in these trials, he would claim the Chair of Satan.  But today is different.  Today, Samael is one of the co-councils and it is the responsibility of another angel to take the Chair.  But despite this fact, a stir has been created among the Divine Council members because they have grown accustomed to seeing him take it, despite the fact that there hasn’t been any official decree issued that made Samael the Chair whenever he does a trial.  Tradition is a powerful thing, even among angels.

As Samael approaches the prosecution benches, he extends a greeting to the angels Taharial and Mumiah, both of whom are located in the Defenders bench.  Once Samael is by the Chair, habit causes him to put a hand on the armrest, tempting him to take the seat.  He then remembers that it isn’t his turn to take it.  As he passes by, Samael’s hand slides down the armrest.  He then takes a seat located right next to the Chair.

Not long after Samael takes his seat, the remaining angels who have been assigned to this trial arrive.  For today’s trial, the angel who takes the Chair of Satan goes by the name of Harahel.  Once all of the angels have arrived and have taken their seats, the pillar of mist brightens and appears to thicken, indicating that the Presence of God has arrived.  All of the angels rise to their feet at this as lawyers do when a judge enters the court.  Once the brightness reaches its peak, all the angels retake their seats except for one.  This angel is Baglis and it is his duty to act as the court reporter.

Once everyone takes their seats and has settled down, Baglis proceeds.  “Today’s proceeding, held in the Hall of Tribulation at Orkney Palace, will be a Trial of Faith.  The person standing trial today will be that of Job from the land of Uz.  His high level of commitment and faith to God is what led to this trial today.  Taking the Chair of Champions for the Divine Counsil of Defenders is Mihr.  Mihr, are you present?”

Mihr stands up and says “Yes.  I am present.”  He then retakes his seat.

“And taking the Chair of Satan for the Divine Council of Adversaries is Harahel.  Harahel, are you present?”

Harahel rises and replies “I am present.”  When he speaks, he does so in a soft, medicated tone.  After giving his response, Harahel gives a little bow before retaking his seat.

“Do both of you have adequate members for your co-council?”

Both answer in the affirmative.

“With everything in order, let the trial begin.”

 

(c) 2009 Bradley P. Thomas