Part 42 (2/2)
Time could not encompa.s.s Him. It bowed to its creator. In reverence, the universe ceased to tick.
The Spirit of the Father drew intimately near and entered me. The demons within me hushed and trembled at his presence.
Leave him.
At the Father's command the demons skittered like c.o.c.kroaches in a sudden light. I was free of them. I breathed freely. My mind was uncluttered. My muscles relaxed, weary from the fight.
But I felt more than just the absence of possession. I felt a communing, and with it a peace, a strength, an a.s.surance, a wisdom I had never known.
Thank you, I prayed.
The Father addressed the tribunal.
The boy deserves a chance to live. See, I have set my mark upon him. For as long as he bears the mark, you will not harm him.
I blinked and it was over.
Once again night's natural canopy of stars arched from horizon to horizon. The tribunal was gone. Traffic sounds filtered up from the street below. The building's air-conditioning unit roared to life.
I was alone and, strange as it sounds, it saddened me. It's amazing how empty a person can feel after a nation of demons is suddenly evicted from him. But what saddened me was that for one brief moment I knew what it was like to have the Spirit of G.o.d within me.
Shuffling my feet in the gravel, I did a three-sixty. I was standing on the roof of the Emerald Plaza tower in downtown San Diego. Not so much as a sc.r.a.p of supernatural had been left behind.
I made my way toward the stairwell.
”It's not over.”
I turned. It was Semyaza.
”At best, a temporary reprieve,” he said.
”I'll take it.”
The understatement of the year, considering without the reprieve I'd be clinging to someone's ceiling.
Semyaza didn't stick around. The thought crossed my mind that given the turn of events, he might have some explaining to do. I hoped so anyway.
A hand fell on my shoulder. I jumped.
”Abdiel! Don't do that!”
”You have been given a special gift,” he said.
”I know.”
”Don't mess it up.”
”Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I said. ”Oh yeah, and a little while ago when I was fighting for my life? Thanks for helping. Maybe I can return the favor someday.”
”But I didn't help.” He thought a moment. ”Oh. Sarcasm. I get it.”
He stood there and we stared at each other.
”Anything else?” I asked.
”You wielded your weapons well tonight, like a warrior,” he said.
”My weapons . . .”
”Courage. Strength of will. Steadfastness. Spiritual weapons. You fought a good fight.”
”Thank you.”
”I may even come to like you.”
”Let's take it a day at a time, shall we?”
I started to leave.
”One other thing,” he said. ”A couple of the angels in the circle tonight . . . on the other side . . . until tonight I haven't had communion with them since before time began. They were friends then. It meant something to me. Thank you.”
”Was Semyaza one of them?”
Abdiel nodded. ”And Azazel. And it's been a couple of eons since I've seen Lucifer. He's looking good, don't you think?”
”Good night, Abdiel,” I said.
Again I started to leave, then turned back. ”Abdiel . . .”
”Yes?”
”The mark that is on me. Is it visible?”
He nodded. ”It's on your forehead.”
”My forehead!” My hand flew to my forehead, half expecting to feel some kind of scar. I could feel nothing. ”What does it look like?”
He studied my forehead a moment. ”Three digits. 666.”
My mouth fell open.
Seeing my expression, Abdiel let loose with a huge guffaw. ”You're not the only one with a sense of humor, Grant Austin,” he said. ”Wait until I tell the professor!”
CHAPTER 32.
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