In the Beginning (Archangel Jarahmael and the War to Conquer Heaven, Book I) (28 page)

"Why are there such barren areas on the Earth?" she asked Jarahmael. "It looks like something awful happened there."

"It was terrible. The Almighty sent us to clear the planet of certain destructive creatures. They had been made by the First Born of the Archangels, Luciferael. These creatures had gotten out of control. It was decided that they would harm Humans like yourself, and so we had to clear them from the planet so your kind could inhabit the Earth someday. The creatures were known as dinosaurs and were very destructive to themselves and others. It took a great deal of effort by the Angels to destroy them."

Lillith grew very quiet and Jarahmael could feel her tense up on his back. Her voice trembled slightly as she asked, "You don't think the Almighty is angry with me for leaving Adam? Do you think He just wants to destroy me, like He destroyed the dinosaurs, because they were out of control?"

Jarahmael wanted to believe that the Almighty was only concerned for Lillith's safety. He also knew that the Almighty had realized that Lillith and Adam were not a good match. Otherwise, He would not have replaced her so quickly with Eve, but would have tried to get the two of them back together.

Jarahmael responded, "No, of course not. The Almighty selected me personally to go find you and bring you to Him. He would never have done that if He wanted to punish you or destroy you. He told me I was being sent because I knew you better than any of the other Angels."

Lillith continued, "I am still a bit frightened, but if you tell me that there is nothing to fear, I will believe you. I never saw a dinosaur, but I did meet something called a Serpentalia who helped me when I was hiding from Adam," she added. "He was an odd creature, that's for sure."

"You will have to tell me all about that creature Serpentalia sometime," Jarahmael said. He did not want to worry Lillith with the news that Sammuael and other members of Luciferael's Auxilium were looking for her and that Serpentalia was most likely assisting them find her. But he also wanted her to be aware that the serpent was not one to be trusted. "I have seen him too, lurking about Eden. I noticed he was often hiding behind trees and bushes watching Adam and you. The Almighty spared the Serpentalians from destruction, as they supposedly have more of a mind than other comparably sized creatures. They may also be the only remainders of the reptilian race created by Luciferael."

Jarahmael ended the circle around the gateway between the Earth and the First Heaven and flew back through it on his way into the Second Heaven. As they flew through the gateway the two of them saw the strange orbs of light floating about under the golden hued sky broken up by red colored clouds. Jarahmael hovered for a few moments so that Lillith could observe these strange orbs of light as they flashed in flight.

"What are those spheres of light floating through here?" she asked about the orbs that glowed and vibrated much like the stars in the Heavens on a clear night, but in much brighter colors.

"Those are Angels from the Order of the Potentates. Watch, the air here is filled with so much energy from these spheres of power that at times bolts of electricity will dart from one Potentate to another, and then flash to any other that is close enough," Jarahmael said.

A few moments later, just as Jarahmael had predicted, one of the Potentates came too close to another. A bolt of light flashed between the two of them, stalling both of them mid-flight long enough that two other groups flew in too close, causing a chain reaction of lights flashing from one Potentate to another. The light show grew with all sorts of flashes going between groups of them; at one point there was a flash across half of the Second Heaven below them.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Jarahmael commented. "I had better get you out of here though, I don't know how one of those energy strikes would affect you, Lillith."

Lillith again tightened her grip on Jarahmael as they now raced upwards through the rest of the Second Heaven, not stopping until they got through the gateway into the Third Heaven.

As they entered the Third Heaven, Jarahmael slowed down once again.

"You should be safer and more comfortable here. We are back in a realm where the Angels look more like me, not spherically shaped," he said to her reassuringly.

"The sky here has a reddish color though, not blue like I am used to," Lillith said. "Pink clouds rather than white?"

Before Jarahmael could answer, a small group of female Angels flew past, heading off into the distance.

Lillith interjected, "There are female Angels too?"

"Yes and no," responded Jarahmael. "The Almighty has given some of the Angels who live in this level of Heaven, the Order of the Principalities, the same physical characteristics that he had given you as a female Human. Most likely they were the model he had in mind when he created you. However, Angels don't reproduce like Humans do. So they are not female in that sense. And there has never been any question about males or females being equal among the Principalities as there was between Adam and you. Their leader is Annabael, a Principality with female characteristics."

"The male Angels don't tell the female Angels what to do, then?" she asked.

"The way it works is that we have Angels that are specially appointed by the Almighty who are designated leaders. They are considered to be trusted servants rather than masters. They all have greater responsibilities put upon them by the Almighty as well as special talents to equip them to carry out those responsibilities. Leaders are deemed to be worthy of those extra responsibilities because of the Almighty's selection of them for the tasks, and the Angels respect that."

A particularly beautiful blue winged and white bodied Angel flew over and rose in the air parallel with Jarahmael and Lillith.

"Who do you have there?" asked the female.

"This is Lillith, Annabael. Lillith, meet Annabael."

"You are one of the Humans, Lillith?" Annabael asked.

"Yes, I am. I have not seen a female Angel before," responded Lillith

"The Almighty made me like this," Annabael answered. "The Order of Principalities as Jarahmael insists on calling us, are Angels who engineer parts of the Creation as needed. For example, we are the ones engineering the pyramids that are now being built," she added, with a slight touch of pride in her voice. "The Almighty has found that male and female minds add to the ability to create; different viewpoints can be good. Sometimes even the male mind of an Archangel can have a decent view on things," she added, giving a sly grin to Jarahmael.

Lillith noticed the look and wrapped her arms tighter around Jarahmael.

"Jarahmael says that you are the leader here," Lillith said with a hint of jealousy in her voice.

"That is true, Lillith. I am the leader of the Order of the Principalities," she said, giving an extra flourish to her wing stroke.

"And you are in charge of building the pyramids?" asked Lillith.

"Yes, in part. We are in charge of building the structures themselves," Annabael answered without noticing the hint of jealousy.

"That is amazing," responded Lillith. "I think I have seen your face before, Annabael. Do you know about the statues down by the one pyramid?"

"The pyramid at Aegyptus, Lillith?"

Lillith nodded her head.

"Yes, that is correct, Lillith. You are quite observant. There are two statues there called Sphinxes, one is half male and animal, the second is half female and animal. One of the statues has the face of Cerebriel and the other has my face. Better to have an even pair!"

Jarahmael was proud of Lillith's observations but still interrupted. "We need to keep going. I am taking Lillith to meet with the Almighty," he added, speaking directly to Annabael.

"I don't want to delay you," said Annabael. "Nice meeting you. I am sure I will see you again!" she added, dropping her head and gliding back down to the lower range of the Third Heaven.

Ascending again, they flew though the gateway into the Fourth Heaven. Here Jarahmael and Lillith were illuminated by clear silver light.

"Look at that!" Lillith said, pointing towards the center of the Fourth Heaven, where there were a collection of tall buildings that floated on a layer of clouds. "What a beautiful thing!"

From where they were hovering, they could see beautiful Angels in red tunics and brilliant white wings flying in and out of the structures.

"What happens here?" asked Lillith.

"This is the home of the Angels who are the Order of the Dominions. These Angels keep the Universe in motion, the ones who have a larger view of the Creation. They advise the lower Orders of Angels as they continue with the Creation, if needed," said Jarahmael

"The Creation is a continuing thing?" asked Lillith

"Yes. It is ever expanding. That's why the lower Order of Angels work to fill it in with structures like the pyramids and adapt new life forms for the planets. But all of that work must be maintained under a certain order and pattern. This way the Universe stays ordered and structured according to the plan of the Almighty. Rathaniel is the leader of this Order and a strict fellow. He was specially chosen, as he keeps a tight rein on how the Universe functions."

"And where is he?" asked Lillith.

"He often holds court in that building over there. He and his assistants keep busy supervising all the Angels working on the pyramids. Today, I suspect he is most likely at one of the pyramids checking on the progress of the work there, if I know him at all."

"Yes, those pyramids are beautiful structures and quite amazing! I am so happy they existed, otherwise I never would have been able to make my escape from Adam," Lillith said.

They next ascended upwards and through the gateway into the Fifth Heaven. They arrived into a clear brilliant light, but the clouds in this Heaven were all in shades of blue. In the center was a large meeting hall, a huge arched structure. Jarahmael pointed to the structure and said to Lillith, "This is the home of the Order of the Virtues. From this Heaven onwards will be the Heavens closest to the Almighty. Two of my Archangel brethren are the ones who hold court in that arched building. Michael and Sammuael often take different positions to argue. They discuss potential changes to the Almighty's plans and discuss the reasons why there should be such changes or not."

"I remember Michael, he would be there with you checking up on me and Adam in the Garden of Eden, wouldn't he?" Lillith said.

"Yes, Lillith, that is correct, Michael and I were assigned to help with the Garden of Eden."

Lillith was looking over Jarahmael's shoulder and saw a group of Angels fly into the building. She asked, "How do the arguments end?"

Jarahmael laughed when he responded. "Not all arguments end in decisions. Just like you and Adam. If the Virtues can agree to a position or decision, it is then given to the Almighty. They often act as advisers to the Almighty. If the Virtues can't agree, then most likely there will be no change at all. The Almighty will implement changes if everyone agrees, or propose a change that all can live with. It sounds much more complex than what it is."

"It does sound complicated!" she responded.

"Michael or Sammuael would be able to explain it better, and when the time comes they are the best to ask about what they do there.

"Let's fly up to the Sixth Heaven now," Jarahmael said as he began ascending again. They then flew up into the Sixth Heaven. Lillith looked about, noticing that the sky in this Heaven had a purplish hue. Then Lillith nudged Jarahmael and pointed to a group of Angels flying into one of the palaces on a white cloud there.

"These Angels look familiar, they resemble your friend Cerebriel!"

"Yes, he is the leader of the Order of the Cherubim," he responded.

Lillith looked around further and saw a group of Angels who did not appear to be fully grown, but resembled small Humans. Sweet faced and smaller than the muscular animal-bodied Angels she knew as the Cherubim.