Unholy Empire: Chronicles of the Host, Vol 2: Chronicles of the Host, Book 2 (35 page)

Chronicles of the Host

First Blood

And so Moses returned to Goshen not with a promise of deliverance but with the burden of harsher labor. We moved in as a caution, to protect him not from Lucifer but from his own people. For Israel was enraged that Moses had caused such hardship to come upon them, and they complained bitterly.

But Moses, encouraged by the Lord, promised the people that he would go back to Pharaoh, and that the Lord God would bring the people out of Egypt in great power. Thus Moses did indeed return to Pharaoh, this time in Luxor at the great temple of Amen-Ra at Karnak. There Rameses was being attended by the priests in an annual ceremony reaffirming Pharaoh’s position as god-king…

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17

“It will take more than tricks to release your people.”

“Moses? Again?” asked Rameses.

“Yes, divinity,” said Kephti. “Maret-men foretold that he would return. I believe he will continue until he is destroyed.”

Rameses looked at the great temple around him, then stepped off the ceremonial dais and took off the robes he had worn for the occasion. He looked at Kephti.

“I understand a man’s devotion to his god,” said Rameses. “It can be intoxicating. But it can also be a snare. I believe Moses has become devoted to a god who will in the end abandon him as He has done to the rest of the Hebrews. Send for Moses. I’ll see him in the temple garden. And send for Maret-men and his magicians!”

“Yes, my king,” said Kephti, who was incensed at the thought of Moses profaning the great temple of Amen-Ra. “I will see him to the garden.”

Kara had assembled the council in order to display the might of Egypt that was under his control. Knowing that Rugio was quite jealous of his position in Egypt, Kara wanted to make sure that Rugio and any others who had doubted his abilities, would be stifled once and for all.

Lucifer arrived with an angry look upon his face.

“What is the meaning of this, Kara?” Lucifer demanded. “You have no authority to call the council together. Only I have that privilege!”

“My prince, it is out of respect for your authority that I assemble the council,” Kara answered. “Together they will see how your authority is exercised through me to oppose the Most High in this rather intricate game.”

“Then I suggest that you play the game well, Kara,” said Lucifer. “I cannot afford to have my authority look foolish.”

“Trust me, my prince,” said Kara, as he escorted Lucifer to the garden complex.

Moses waited nearly two hours before Rameses finally appeared. The pharaoh came in with several of his aides, as well as Kephti, a few priests of the temple, and Maret-men and his two sorcerers. They assembled themselves around Pharaoh in their usual positions.

“Moses, you have returned,” said Rameses. “Forgive my lateness; I was in the midst of a dedication to the great god whose house you are in. Perhaps if your god lived in a temple so marvelous, I might be willing to take you a bit more seriously!”

His attendants laughed.

“The Lord God has no need for houses made by men,” said Moses, who was once more accompanied by Michael and Crispin. This time Serus and several warrior angels had also come. “For He is not merely an image carved by men that frowns upon worshipers. He is the great I AM, the living God of Abraham and Israel. He demands once more that you let His people go!”

“Moses, twice now you have come to see me,” said Rameses. “And I have been in a generous mood. But you are beginning to wear on me—you and your desert god. For the last time I shall not free your people. Why should I? Who is your god that I should listen to him?”

Moses looked at Aaron and nodded.

“Behold, Pharaoh, the power of the Lord!” Moses said.

Aaron threw down his staff. The crowd laughed at first and Rameses could only manage a quizzical look upon his face. But then the staff began to move and quickly transformed itself into a cobra. Rameses stepped back in astonishment and the others gasped at the sight.

“You dare try to frighten me with magician’s tricks?” asked Rameses. “Really, Moses, you disappoint me. Bring two staffs here at once!”

Two servants came back with rods. Rameses ordered them given to Maret-men and his sorcerers. They understood at once what he wanted.

“Highness, my greatest sorcerers, Jannes and Jambres, stand ready.”

“Bid them commence,” said Rameses.

“Time to get in the game,” said Kara, who moved in near Jannes and Jambres.

“It is only by such subtle deception that you rule here,” said Michael. “These men think they are calling upon the gods for great powers!”

“And so they are,” said Kara, smiling.

Jannes and Jambres began reciting a series of incantations summoning the great god Thoth, who was lord over the secret arts practiced by the magicians of Egypt. They continued calling upon the god, begging his intercession.

“I believe Thoth has arrived,” said Kara, as a wisdom angel called Condar who had thrown in with the rebellion arrived.

“Condar, be so good as to accommodate these two servants of yours,” said Kara.

Condar looked at the angels around him—both holy and profane—and realized that this was no ordinary display of power. He nodded at Lucifer but was quite surprised to see Michael.

“Even the archangel is present,” said Condar. “I shall try to do something truly spectacular for you, Michael.”

“Your manipulation of earthly elements is hardly spectacular,” said Michael.

“Ah, but we must play by the rules that the Most High has set up,” said Kara. “Now, Condar!”

Condar walked over to Jannes and in an instant entered his mind, so that Jannes convulsed for a second or two and then was completely under the control of Condar. Jannes took the two sticks as Jambres continued praying to Thoth, and tossed them down on the floor.

The rods lay still at first, but within seconds they began to quiver and move. They suddenly became cobras as well so that three snakes slithered along the floor of the garden. Rameses looked up at Moses with a smirk.

“Your magician’s tricks mean nothing, Moses,” said Rameses. “It does not surprise me that you would retain some of the knowledge from the fine education my father gave you when you were in his house!”

“My king, look!” said one of his aides.

All eyes were upon the snakes. The one that had come from Aaron’s rod quickly consumed the other two snakes so that they completely disappeared. It then became a staff once more. Aaron bent down and picked it up. Thoth was furious and, throwing Jannes down in a rage, came out of him.

“Let the people go, Rameses,” said Moses. “Or a far greater and more terrible demonstration of the Lord will occur that will humble the very gods of Egypt!”

“Leave me, Moses,” said Pharaoh. “It will take more than tricks to secure the release of your people!”

Sobek was enjoying the visit of Pharaoh at one of the river temples along the Nile. Rameses’ presence was an indication of the importance of the Nile river god, and Sobek enjoyed the esteem of his brother gods.

Pharaoh had finished dedicating the season to Sobek and was preparing to perform the rite of deluge, that is, the pouring forth of Nile water from a sacred pitcher to ensure the seasonal flood that was the lifeblood of Egypt. He held the pitcher in his hands and began to recite the customary words.

“Rameses!” came a now familiar voice. “You have not heeded the words of the Lord God Almighty to let His people go!”

Rameses, visibly annoyed, set the pitcher down and looked at Kephti, who immediately went to fetch Maret-men. Moses and Aaron moved to the little pavilion that served as the small place of ceremony.

“Moses,” said Rameses. “You are really trying my patience. I thought you had left Thebes for good.”

“I will not leave until you have met the demands of the Lord of Heaven and earth,” said Moses.

“Rameses is the lord of Heaven and earth,” said one of the attending priests. “He is the god incarnate, Amen-Ra!”

“You are disturbing a ceremony dedicated to the god Sobek,” said Rameses. “You are tempting the anger of the Nile god!”

“And you are tempting the anger of the living God,” replied Moses.

Sobek was in fact very angry. He ordered his agents to find Kara and bring him at once. Sobek wasn’t sure how to handle Moses. He had tried to kill him once before, but the child had been well protected. True, this time there weren’t as many angels around. Still, the ever-present Michael again stood beside Moses in Pharaoh’s presence.

“Michael, you are certainly persistent,” said Sobek. “Don’t you know that you are opposing the power of the Nile god?”

“Moses opposes you in the name of the Most High, Sobek,” said Michael. “And your powers are meaningless.”

Sobek saw Jannes and Jambres returning with Maret-men. He also saw that Kara had arrived with sufficient forces to make him feel more comfortable. He smiled at Michael.

“We shall see how meaningless my powers are,” he said.