The Gift of Knowledge (The Gifts Book 2) (24 page)

     Ethan watched in horror, as Lazar pulled Emily with him. All Ethan could do was mouth the words
I will come for you
to Emily.

     
Just before the forest enveloped both her and Lazar, Emily mouthed back,
I know you will.

***

     When the demon horde began screeching, Liam and the battle-ready warrior angels began to fend off the onslaught. Demons descended straight at them from everywhere, blinding and crushing the angels with their great mass. When Lazar escaped into the forest dragging Emily with him, the demons formed an impenetrable wall between them and the angels. In white-hot fury, the angels fought on, as Ethan ran to check on Russ.

     Phoebe and Gary were already assessing a semi-conscious Russ for injuries.

     “I think his leg is broken,” Gary said as Phoebe concurred.

     “We’ll have to carry him out of here. It’ll take two of us to do it.” Phoebe paused as she looked up at Ethan. “That leaves you to go after Emily, Ethan.”

     Ethan was already in motion. He grabbed all the gear he could carry, and before he took off in the direction Lazar left, he took a last look at his remaining team members. “You’re sure you can get him out of here, right?”

     “Yes, we’ll take care of Russ. You go and get Emily. Bring her back safe, and Ethan, don’t forget to pray.” Phoebe gave Ethan an imploring look just before he ran into the forest.

     “I’m praying all right, for all of us.”

***

     The angels pushed forward as the wall of demons slowly retreated until a great horn sounded in the air. Gabriel sounded the command for retreat. The angels followed the command and withdrew.    

      Liam met with Gabriel in the sky.

     “What message do you bring, brother?”

     “The Lord our God says his daughter Emily must go with her captor for now. He says not to despair, as you and your legion have fought valiantly. He also says to remember that she is not alone. The Holy Spirit goes with her. Your assignment now is to aid Ethan on his way to find Emily and to send others to assist and minister to the injured man, Russ. The Lord says He will suffer no more casualties at the hands of the demon Armodius.”

     “Tell the Lord our God that it will be as He says. For the Lamb, who alone, is worthy to be praised.” Gabriel shot into the heavens at the speed of light, as Liam saluted.

***

     Pretending to be passed out, Emily allowed Lazar to drag her in hopes of slowing him down, as he pulled her deeper into the forest. The stench coming off him was enough to make her pass out, but she willed herself to stay conscious. The air around her felt heavy and oppressive. Emily recognized the feeling of being inside an enemy stronghold. Without looking she knew Terrence, her ever-present guardian angel, had been separated from her. She also knew he would not be absent from her for long. Even now, she could feel the Holy Spirit welling up in her chest.
The Lord my God shall never leave me or forsake me.

     It seemed like hours before Lazar finally stopped moving. He had to be tired after dragging Emily and her heavy backpack through the thick rainforest, but he seemed to have the strength of ten men. He shoved her against a tree and pinned her there then dug through her backpack for climbing gear. When he found ropes, he lashed her tightly to the tree.

     After checking again to make sure Emily couldn’t get loose, Lazar took the backpack, emptied her rations and guzzled her water. Emily watched him closely, as he ate like a wild animal. He was clearly deranged. There was no mistaking that Lazar was possessed of an evil spirit.

     “You know, Dr. Lazar, Jesus loves you, and he will forgive you any of your sins if you ask him into your heart. I can help you find Jesus.”

     Lazar began to beat himself on the head with his fist. “That name, do not speak that name in our presence.”

    “I’m not speaking to you evil spirit, so shut your mouth, in Jesus’ name. I am speaking to Dr. Carmine Lazar. Dr. Lazar, you can hear me can’t you?”

     “The man you seek is no longer here.” Lazar looked at Emily and cocked his head from side to side as if he saw her for the very first time. Clearly, this was not going to be an easy conversation. Emily prayed silently and asked the Holy Spirit to guide her words and actions.

     “If you’re not Dr. Lazar then what is your name?”

     “I go by many names, child of God. None of which is any of your concern.”

     “If you know I am a child of God you must know I have the authority to cast you out.”

    “You have the authority, yes, but this man will not release me. He loves me and cherishes me. He will not let me go.”

     “Surely, you have him as a prisoner then. Tell me, evil one, what is your name?”

     “I have many names, but one I will share with you is Ari The Small. My brothers cast me aside and sent me away.”

     It seemed this demon had a story he wanted to tell, and Emily needed information. “What do you mean your brothers cast you aside?”

     “My brothers, the last three of the great giant kings, ordered the human priests to cast spells against me, so I would never be able to stand in their presence again. Dead or alive, I can never be near them again. All my powers and knowledge were stripped from me then. But I vowed I would get back at them someday, and that day approaches. Soon I, Ari The Small, will again walk the earth as a giant king. The masters of the Ba al` will build a new giant army.”

     Puzzle pieces came together in Emily’s mind. Ari The Small was the giant the Spaniards encountered all those years ago. The one who led them to the lost cave where the Spaniards thought Incan gold was hidden. She needed to keep this spirit talking no matter how loathsome she found it.

     “You said you go by many different names. How is that?”

     “I am Armodius, the deceiver. As a deceiver I can be any one I choose to be. As Ariella I can lure men to their death.”

     “Is that how you overcame Dr. Lazar?”

      “ARRGGG…. You talk too much, child of God.” The demon put his hand over Emily’s mouth. The contact was so foul she began to wretch. For the demon the contact was like dipping his hand in acid, causing him to screech and run up a tree.

***

     Liam ran side by side with Ethan through the perilous forest. Where Ethan was blinded by foliage all around him, Liam steered him towards Emily and Lazar. Ethan ran with an entire legion of angels behind him. The angels kept him going and helped to lighten his burden by sharing his load. His thoughts were filled with so much worry for Emily he didn’t realize how light he was on his feet.

    
What will I do without her if something happens to her? Dear Lord, if Lazar touches her I’ll kill him…Oh no, God please don’t let any harm come to her. Please keep her safe…

     Near twilight, Ethan came to a small, open area where he heard voices.

     “You talk too much child of God….”

      Hidden behind foliage, Ethan watched as Lazar climbed up a tree, leaving Emily on the ground but bound to another tree. His first instinct was to free Emily and run away with her. But something held him back. A thought occurred to him that even if he did free Emily he wouldn’t get far with Lazar, and the gun he had, chasing after them. Liam whispered in his ear. Ethan did not know where this clear voice beside him came from, but he now knew what he had to do. With hands up in front of him, Ethan walked slowly into the open area and called out to Lazar.

     “Carmine, look, let’s talk about this. I have food, water, and supplies. I’ll trade you everything for the girl. We’ll walk away and leave you to it. You can have everything, including the hidden burial site. That’s what you’re really after anyhow, isn’t it?”

     A voice echoed from the trees above Ethan’s head. “It’s all mine anyway. You’re just going to get it for me.” Lazar landed on his feet just behind Ethan and shoved the gun in his back.

     By nightfall Ethan was tied to the tree next to Emily, as Lazar retreated into the darkness not far away. Emily was never so happy to see anyone, as she was when Ethan stepped into her line of sight. She praised God for his safety.

     “I think he’s sleeping now. I can hear snoring coming from above us,” Emily whispered. “Thank God you’re alright. How is Russ? He looked really bad.”

     “Just before I found you I heard the helicopter in the air. That means that Gary and Phoebe must’ve gotten Russ back to the campsite. It looks like he has a broken leg, but he has a good chance as the helicopter was nearby. And thank God you’re all right. I don’t understand why Carmine is doing this. Clearly, he’s lost his mind. What does he want?”

     “He has lost his mind, but more importantly, he’s possessed by a demon. A demon calling himself Armodius, I think he is, or was, the giant Ari. Do you remember in the Spaniard’s journals the giant Ari The Small?”

     “I remember, but what does that have to do with Carmine holding us hostage?”

     “You have to remember that your friend Carmine is not the enemy. Carmine has been deceived. The enemy is the demonic forces that surround us even now. We are inside of a demonic stronghold.”

     Ethan scoffed. “Emily, this is a lot for me to swallow. I don’t believe in demonic possession. I think it’s just a cop out for humans to behave badly, to be able to say the devil made me do it.”

     “It’s no matter if you believe or not, Ethan. It’s up to the Lord to show you the truth, not me. Anyhow, the reason we are being held captive is so we can retrieve the giant’s DNA from the cave and give it to Lazar. The demon who possesses him believes the cave is cursed, and he can’t go down and get the DNA samples himself. He needs us to do it for him.”

     “And after that?”

     “After that we will no longer be useful.”

     “I can’t believe that he would go to all this trouble just to gain a little notoriety. I know he’s always been a little jealous of me, but this is just so extreme.”

     “You’re missing the larger picture here. Lazar intends to take the DNA to a cult masterminded and controlled by a demonic council called the Ba al`. I’ve dealt with the Ba al` before. They intend to use the DNA to bring the giants back. They hate all men. They only long for our destruction. Their plan is to bring the giants back to destroy all mankind.”

     Now Ethan was speechless. This was just too much for him to take in.

Chapter Twenty Two

He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Luke 10:18-20

     The angels could not penetrate the wall of demons that hovered over Lazar, Emily, and now Ethan like a great dome sealing them off. The angels fought hard to attack the dark dome from all sides without success. Liam would not surrender, nor would he give any quarter. Emily was behind enemy lines, and he would not rest until she and Ethan were safe.

     It was time to fall back and strategize. Liam gave the order, and a great trumpet sounded the signal for retreat. In the sky, beyond the sight of the demons below, he assessed the size of the demonic mass to be close to three miles in circumference. It was the largest horde of demons the commanding angel had ever seen in one place in all his years on earth. Whatever the Ba al` wanted, they wanted it badly. Once Simon and Matthew joined the ranks of angels in the sky Commander Liam shared his battle plan.

     “Matthew, I have need of an angel with speed and agility to deliver a message precisely when I tell him to.”

     “Yes sir, I am ready. For the Lamb, who alone, is worthy.” Matthew lifted his slim sword high into the air and gave the salute.

     Liam had known all along there was a reason God the Father sent him an angel built for speed. Praise God, for his great plan was beginning to emerge.