Unholy Empire: Chronicles of the Host, Vol 2: Chronicles of the Host, Book 2 (50 page)

“Perhaps now your majesty will be able to sleep,” said Zora.

“Perhaps,” said the king. “But I shall not sleep well until Balaam arrives and curses Israel for their incursions. He will call upon his god and humble the desert god of Israel!”

C
HAPTER
25

“These people cannot possibly keep the law.”

Rugio and Kara watched as Balak drifted off to sleep. They had decided to allow him a good night’s rest. Thrown together by the circumstances into an uneasy alliance, Rugio, whose regional authority included Moab, and Kara, whose tactics for subtle deception were needed, stood together in the king’s bedchamber. Next to Rugio were his two main aides, Nathan and Vel.

“Balaam’s reputation among the Hebrews will certainly work to our advantage,” said Kara. “He claims to worship the Most High as they do.”

“It certainly had an effect on Balak,” agreed Rugio. “I must admit that the dreams you have been introducing into his mind drove him right into our plans.”

“My plans, you mean,” Kara snorted.

“At any rate, as principal ruler over this region, I applaud your efforts on behalf of Moab and the gods that reign here in our name. Despite our conflicts of the past, I must say that I am grateful.” Rugio added, “Should the time come when you need my assistance, I hope that you will call upon me.”

“Have no fear, Rugio,” said Kara as he vanished. “I shall. In the meantime I must be off to Pethor. Balaam is about to be visited from the great divine…”

The elders of Moab arrived and were admitted into Balaam’s luxurious home in Pethor. They could not believe how richly fitted the house was. Balaam’s art of divination certainly had paid off! Balaam took the message and then invited the elders to have some wine while he read the message.

When he had read the note and considered it, he went into the room where the elders were relaxing.

“I am gratified that your king thinks so highly of my gift as to send for it,” he began. Balaam was dressed in a purple robe that had gold thread woven in strange lettering and magical symbols along its sleeves. His belt was crimson, and he also had a huge emerald, which, he explained, was a gift from a “grateful king from the east for whom I performed some little service.”

“As you know, I am familiar with the God of the Hebrews. I have studied Him and He speaks to me, although I don’t know Him as His people do. Nevertheless I respect Him and shall see what He instructs in the matter. Spend this night as my guests, and I shall give you an answer in the morning.”

As Balaam sought the answer from the Lord as to what he should do, Kara entered his room. He intended to appear to Balaam as an Angel of Light, and order him to Moab at once. But before he had an opportunity to manifest before Balaam, the Presence of God filled the room. Kara immediately fled.

“Lord?” asked Balaam, sensing His Presence.

“
You must not curse these people, for I have blessed them.
”

“As You command, O Lord!”

The next morning, Balaam told the elders from Moab that the Lord had appeared to him and that he was unable to curse the Hebrews. Zora tried to reason with Balaam, but it was no use. The elders left, feeling that perhaps Balaam had indeed heard from the Lord. Zora, however, suspected something else.

“It is my opinion that it was not the Lord who spoke to his heart but the size of the offering we brought him,” concluded Zora.

He was speaking to the king and his chief elders. Behind them, watching the proceedings, were Rugio, whose administration of this territory was being tested, and Kara, still Rugio’s sometime ally.

“You mean to say that our offering insulted him?” asked one of the elders. “I thought it extremely generous.”

“Perhaps to an average seer it was generous,” said Zora. “But Balaam is renowned throughout the world. He is called upon by kings and generals; his lifestyle bespeaks expensive taste.”

He looked at Balak, who sat drinking from his cup and listening to the discussion.

“I suspect, majesty, that were we to increase the sum of his payment, we might secure his services—appeal to his vanity, so to speak.”

“Very well,” said Balak. “I authorize you to draw upon the treasury whatever you deem necessary. I further order the most exalted princes of this land to accompany you and speak once more to Balaam at Pethor. We need him…so get him.”

As the men excused themselves from the king’s presence, Balak walked to the window and peered out over the city. Kara and Rugio looked at each other. Rugio was puzzled.

“If he would not accept the money the first time, why should he now?” asked Rugio. “The Lord already spoke to him on this.”

“Balaam is a diviner, Rugio,” said Kara. “He is capable of hearing many voices.” He smiled at Rugio and picked up a gold medallion. “We shall speak to what truly drives his heart.”

He tossed the coin into the king’s cup, splashing some of the wine onto the table. Balak turned at the sound, and upon seeing the cup gave a puzzled look. As he reached for the wine, Rugio knocked it off the table. Balak left the room screaming that his chamber was haunted. Kara and Rugio laughed and vanished.

Zora handed the letter from Balak to Balaam. Once more Balaam received the delegation from Moab, this time consisting of some of the greatest men in the land. He bid them relax in his courtyard while he read Balak’s second letter to him:

This is what Balak, son of Zippor, king of Moab says:

Do not let anything keep you from coming to me and I will reward you quite handsomely and do whatever you say. But come and put a curse upon these people.

As before, Balaam told the delegation that he would have an answer for them in the morning. But before he even arrived at his bedroom he was hindered by a figure in his hallway—a figure of a man…or was it a god? The being was brilliant, as if made of light, and emanated a peaceful, almost intoxicating, sense of love.

“
Balaam, son of Beor, hear me.
”

“Is it You, O Lord?”

“
Because you obeyed me when I was testing you, I have granted you the great wealth that these men bring to you—for I know it is in your heart to receive their gift
.”

“Yes, Lord, it is indeed a great sum. I had decided to go with them this time.”

“
Well done. Take the gift and do what is in your heart to do. For I have opened the door for you
.”

As quickly as the apparition had appeared it vanished. Balaam rubbed his eyes to make sure he had truly witnessed this spectacle, and then retired to his bedroom. Had he been able, he would have heard the laughter of Kara and Rugio in the hallway.

“The Lord has graciously given permission for me to come with you,” reported Balaam to the delegation the next morning. “However He requires certain provisions.”

“Such as…?” asked Zora suspiciously.

“I can only do what He tells me to do—no more.”

“Agreed. What else?”

“Well, in the matter of the fee,” Balaam began in a distressed tone. “The Lord requires that an honorarium be given in His holy name as well.”

“I see,” said Zora. “And to whom are we to give the honorarium in his name?”

“Why to me, of course,” said Balaam in an astonished manner. “I am to deposit it at His temple outside of Babylon on my next journey there.”

“Yes, of course,” said Zora. “After you have performed your services you will be paid in full. In fact, until you have served our king we shall hold the fee in honor of the Lord at the treasury in Moab.”

Balaam thought about it for a minute. He was ready to let it all go but the fabulous amount offered, plus the honorarium he had just wheedled out of them was too much to pass up.

“Very well,” Balaam said. “I shall depart for Moab in the morning.”

“We shall ride on ahead of you to announce your arrival,” said Zora, bowing his head. The others bowed their heads as well. “Balak will be most grateful.”

“Grateful kings are what I live for,” said Balaam, smiling at the delegation as they left the room.

Gabriel was waiting on the road to Moab. He was speaking with a new assignee named Jerub, who had most recently been attached to the Temple warden in Heaven. Jerub longed for a place on earth serving with one of the archangels and was promoted as a commander in training. Gabriel was to let him observe his interaction with humans.