Chapter XI: The Legacy: The Dawn of the Fallen Angels

In the veranda, John stood-up to stretch his body. His torso was well sculpted with firm muscles and abs. John was physically fit and healthy at his late forties. He could still be the subject of women’s fantasy. Any adorable and lusty women would desire him. Aside from being gorgeous looking, he was a symbol of opulence and power.  When his father, Zar and the fallen angels acquired the hidden treasures, he began to build a fiefdom. The blueprint of the transition was meticulously planned and laid out so no single loopholes could be the cause of its downfall in preparation to the advent of his nemesis, August.  He had established conglomerate businesses- a combination of two or more corporations under one structure such as oil, shipping, steel, aircraft, cars, hospitals, cellphones, software  and  hardware, etc.  He constructed myriad of skyscrapers and towering buildings all over the world.  The head of the different countries respected him at the same time feared him. His influence in political and economic structure was too contagious. The political leaders need his support to stay in power nonetheless, John thwarted the corrupt and greed leaders. He'd found a way to topple down the corrupt leaders. He spoke with authority, being half of angel. He was a rainmaker of his own kind. He employed millions of people all over the world and treated his employees fairly. Under his companies, social welfare was practiced. There was quality of life-free housing, free hospitalization, and free traveling expenses in a year and the likes. Racial discrimination or apartheid was prohibited. Each one should be treated equally and has his fair share. It was his Draconian rule.   He sent the downtrodden free from their oppressors and providing them jobs to start a new life. He feed the hungry and gave them dwelling especially living in the poverty stricken countries. He was admired by many but hated by devilish leaders.

Yet he had maintained his magnanimity despite of his financial standing because for him he was just an instrument to execute what his father desires and the legions of the fallen angels. 

John was still entangled of the series of memories of the past. He was unconscious what was happening inside Abigail’s small sanctuary. He was thinking of Bethany, Abigail's mom.

John happened to stumble upon Bethany in Nigeria when his Josephnus Group of Companies was constructing a 30 story Hotel Building. Bethany was a LDS missionary in Nigeria. As part of her religion, she was missioned to Kenya, the poor district in Nigeria for a community service and proselytizing. She would almost complete “the best two years of her life” of her missionary work when she got sick of some heart ailment. She kept this in his heart not informing the Church of the status of his health. She only want to finish the two years of her missionary work so she could fly back to Utah, USA.  One day, while on community service, Bethany felt a sudden severe pain stabbing her heart.  She asked permission from the kids to leave and bade goodbye. While on the way back to her Church she collapsed on the street. The beating of her heart was too weak including her pulse rate. Her face was colored purple. A Good Samaritan from the crowd called an ambulance. She was transported to the hospital. She was pronounced between life and death when her body reached The Aga Khan Hospital in Kenya. She was only 28 years old. Too young to die!

John was disturbed about the commotion when he passed the emergency room of the hospital.  As part of his philanthropic role, he was making ocular inspection of the hospital facilities and immediate needs to cater to patients health needs.  He also brought high tech equipment to donate for the hospital use to improve the delivery of health services. Out of his curiosity, he halted in front of the emergency room. With permission of the attending physician, he went inside. Bethany was under the life resuscitation support. The chance to live was very slim according to the stout attending physician. The members of the LDS Church were inside when John entered.  John found Bethany in a pitiful situation and at the same time, his heart bled for her. He said to his self “She is too young to enjoy the the possibilities of life.” Although Bethany was in ashen and frail figure, Bethany was ravishing with blond curly hair, porcelain Caucasian skin. The contour of her face was a blend of Marilyn Monroe. Her lips had thin lines.  He knew instantly he was love-struck. His heart never beat this way before.  With permission from the LDS leaders, he carried Bethany. Sneaked at the back where no conspicuous eyes could see them and up up and away, he was airborne with Bethany with him.  In split second, he was in Shangri-La. John laid down Bethany in a bed covered with white silk sheet in a sacred sanctuary. The bed was decorated with white and red petals of roses including the ground. The sanctuary smelled roses. The sanctuary was heavenly scent.  The angels began to gather around. Zar was watching his son. He had never seen John so upset and concerned when it comes to women before. This time Zar knew that John liked the ashen face girl.  Zar just watched John’s ritual silently. He loved his son dearly and whatever pleased him, he was pleased too. John kissed her forehead gently and breathe into her nostrils. A miracle occurred. Bethany was resuscitated to life. Her heart began to beat normally including her pulse rate. Her face was turning red. The bloods in her veins were pumping oxygen to her weak heart once again. Bethany opened her eyes slowly. The image was quite blurry. Bethany closed her eyes again.  While trying to close her eyes, Zar and the fallen angels hide themselves from Bethany in just half seconds. When Bethany opened her eyes this time, he saw a dashing guy in front of him.

Bethany was shocked. “Who are you? Where am I?” “Don’t be afraid. I won’t harm you. I took you from the hospital from Kenya and bring you over here. You had a mild stroke. You were under life resuscitating support when I happened to see you inside the emergency room sort a bit in lifeless form. You were battling between life and death.  The chance for you to live was minimal as declared by your attending physician," stressed John. 

“Oh really? The only thing I remembered was that I collapsed in the street and nothing else but in my unconscious state, I was traveling inside the tunnel. I was traveling in the abyss of time, in the dark passageway. Everything was dark. I could not see anything. My body was floating as though I was flying.  At the end of the tunnel, there were two holes that I could see. One was dark; the other one there was a shining beaming light but I don't know where the light came from.  I choose the hole where there was light but a man suddenly pulled me back to the present time so I woke-up and was shocked to see you standing in front of me. I thought that you were that man I saw in my unconscious state,” declared Bethany.

“So where am I really?” demanded Bethany. “You are in Shangri-La in the Himalayan Mountains. My family lives here. This place is paradisiacal. Very peaceful, quiet and far from the realities of the world,” John replied. How did I come here from Kenya? Kenya is too far from Shangri-La. It takes long boring hours to travel like I have experienced a long boring hours traveling from Utah to Nigeria. Don’t tell me that you are superman, my favorite comic character. Besides, you look one. You look awesome and enigmatic.  Did you fly me from Kenya?  Bethany was bombarding John with questions.

John blushed. Bethany was young almost 15 years her junior and very inquisitive. “Of course, I am superman, your superhero. I fly you here from Kenya just to revive you back to life.”  “Oh thank you, superman for saving my life. I have been sickly these days. I find it hard to breathe exactly. I thought it was just stress. I did not inform my ministry of my health condition because I want to finish my two years of community service before I go back to Utah. I find joy in serving. I love to hear the kids laughing and giggling. I love to play with them. I became an orphan at the age of 10. My parents died due to fire accident. They were burned alive. I grew up with my grandparents at my mother’s side. I don't have any siblings. I could have one if my mother was not burned in that fire.  My journey has been lonely. It was a pain knowing I’d never see my parents again and feel their love. We were one happy family. I am sad my health is deteriorating. Maybe I have few years to live. Can you let me go back to Kenya, to our Church? The Church might be worried about me,” said Bethany.

“I asked permission from you Church leader when I brought you here.  My name is John Josephus. What’s yours?” John asked. “My name is Bethany. Bethany Caldwin. John Josephus your name you say? The powerful John Josephus? Oh gracious, what a small world. Wow, my pleasure to meet you, Sir. Oh sorry for that joke that you are  superman, my superhero. I was just kidding. I have this illusion about superman. That I can meet a chivalrous guy one day... Forget about it, Sir. But did you really fly me here? Oh forgive me Sir, I am nutty at times. I’d like people smile when I talk to them. I guess I have to return to Kenya. Could you? Please Sir I need to go back,” Bethany pleaded. Bethany could be one voracious talker sometimes.  Kids loved and enjoyed every moment with her. She never ran out of stories. She had a funny bone.

“Okay, I will bring you back to Kenya, Bethany. I need to bid goodbye to my parents. Come with me.”  John held Bethany’s hand. Her hands were not soft. There was some sort of roughness. John sensed that Bethany was using her hands doing humanitarian works and light labor as part of her community service. She was not the type of girl who pretended to be socialite and a gold digger. She was not either wearing make-up or sexy dress to attract men. She was simply an ordinary girl but for John, she was a princess and John wanted Bethany to experience at least a life of a princess with a fairy tale ending.

On the other hand, Bethany was amazed about John’s abode. The architecture was that like a picturesque of celestial kingdom which she found in books. The place was colored white and the taste was so dainty. There were sculptures mostly of angels and Jesus Christ. They were made of gold and silver. The abode was so large at the grand scale but he could not found any human beings living.  Oblivious to her, there were angels scattered inside the place all wearing white linen sheets or silk wrapped around in their spiritual bodies.  She found the place calm and quiet. When they reached the garden, Zar was into archery. His favorite sports. He could hit bull eyes the target with grace. Ayumi was sitting eating grapes while watching Zar. As they walked towards them, thousands of butterflies with kaleidoscope colors were dancing around Bethany. Bethany was dazed. Then the butterflies slowly disappeared. They left silver dust floating in the atmosphere. The garden was full bloom of roses- red, puce,  white, yellow, blue, violet, vermillion,, yellow green and pink. Bethany have never seen these splendid colors before.  Bethany was so enchanted that she picked one red rose. She loved roses and she had garden of roses back home but not like this one in Shangri-La. 

“Mom, Dad, this is Bethany,” John introduced Bethany to his parents. “Come Bethany, sit beside me,” said Ayumi. Bethany obediently sits beside Ayumi. “How are you feeling now?” asked Ayumi. “I guess I am doing good at the moment. I thank you for saving my life.”  “You thank my son, dear. He saved your life,” stressed Ayumi. Bethany bowed her head then slow raised and looked to the direction of John. “I thank you again, Sir. How can I repay your kindness? I can be your servant after my two years of community service.”

“You don’t have to repay me. You don’t have to be my servant. It is my obligation to help you and others if they are in the same situation as you.  You don’t owe me anything, Bethany.” John reacted. “Mom, Dad we have to leave now. I must bring back Bethany to Kenya. Her Church might be upset now of her situation”.

“You have my blessings Bethany.” said Zar. Ayumi added, “You are always welcome here my child. John you have to take good care of her. I know that you have a special feeling for her for you won’t bring that beautiful child here.” Bethany's cheeks turned rosy red when she heard that statement.  She felt uneasy and cold sweat gushing from her forehead.  John was really dashing and every time their eyes met, she was melting like an ice cream. Her heart was racing fast. It was Amor Vincit Omnia for Bethany or love conquers all. She never felt like this before when it came to love. Although she had some crushes before that was pretty infatuation. This time she knew it was love at first sight. She could not take away her eyes from this good-looking creature he met today.

John noticed that Bethany from time to time would glance at him. When their eyes met, Bethany would instantly avoid his glance. John mused of her reaction. John held Bethany’s right hand with his left hand when they went outside of the dwelling. Bethany’s hands were trembling a bit. She bit her lips to control the trembling of his body.

“Bethany, do you want to fly? Just imagine I am superman, your comic super hero,” stated John. Bethany looked quizzically at John. “Sir, I was just kidding when I asked if you are superman. You know sometimes I am nutty as a fruitcake. I love to fantasize things as though they are real. At least, it helps me to me a peppy person,” answered Bethany. “Let me hold your hand firmly. Close your eyes and imagine we fly the sky, the universe. Just imagine that way, okay?” John instructed.

Bethany closed her eyes and she felt John’s hand holding her right hand firmly. She sensed that her feet were no longer touching the ground and he sensed too that she was floating without the gravity pulling her body down. She got excited that she slowly opened her eyes. She was shocked to see the small buildings below. She screamed loudly. Bethany was scared to be in great heights. There were butterflies in her stomach. She glanced at John. John saw that she was frightened so he immediately pulled him closed to him and embraced him tightly.  Bethany’s head was on John chest. Her golden hair smelled roses. John so loved Bethany closed to him. He wanted to kiss her yet he controlled his feelings. 

Bethany, “You’ll be alright.”  The fear of Bethany slowly subsided. She spoke softly, “So you can really fly and you have brilliant feathery wings. Are you an angel?”  “I am not a pure angel. Half-angel, half human! My dad is an angel, oh rather fallen angel. You heard the story about the fallen angel right waging war against God and they were cast to earth? My mom is human. Out of the seed conceived between angel and man, I am more of  an angel. There is no need for you to fear, you are safe with me.” John assured Bethany.  “You can now open your eyes. We are now going to land Kenya,” John said. When Bethany opened her eyes, they were standing in front LDS Church. Bethany gasped, “That was too fast”. 

Chapter X The Legacy: The Dawn of the Fallen Angels

John’s mind was still preoccupied of the past events, never yet knowing what was happening in my room. Meanwhile in my room, Joey was still pacifying my  panicky feeling  He saw my small body shook in fear. I had never been acquainted with this remarkably gorgeous figure now wearing denims, white collared shirt and leather sandal. Plus factor, his hair well groomed. Although he was ravishing and had a great taste in dressing,  in my conspicuous eyes, my first impulse was not to trust this compulsive guy drawing near me. For me, he might be a devil disguising before me but his long thick thorns were hiding behind his forehead and sharp claws ready to strangle me. 

When Joey tried to go near me, I almost screamed. Joey was startled that he had to cover my mouth softly with her hand. “Shhhhh, don’t be frightened. I am Joey. You’ll send the whole house in chaos if you shout,” Joey whispered. I was still tensed. “Don’t ever touch me. I don’t know who you are. What planet you came from! Or you are an alien disguising to be a macho man. Just leave before I do something bad to you. Just leave now,” I was pointing the door and spoke in a low manner of voice.   Joey whispered back, “I am not evil as what you think or a bogeyman.  I am a warrior angel not a fallen angel like your grandfather or Khail. I, your grandfather and Khail were once comrades in the celestial kingdom before they waged war against God. I have been watching you since you were a toddler. Your father doesn’t know about this nor Zar nor Khail. They cannot sense me, they cannot see me. My powers are stronger than them and stronger than you. But you are the chosen one. That is your destiny so I am here to protect you too.  This is  the high time that you have to see me in flesh.” My violet eyes usually turned flaming red if I got excited, enthralled or smelled danger. This time my eyes turned flaming red of what I’ve heard. When my eyes turned to flaming red, I could become destructive, which I still could not manage to control!  Once I thought of destructions, one colossal debacle would happen. I was dangerous specie in this side that I must learn to use that bad side to fight against evil forces. I was wangling to control that demons in me. 

“Don’t try anything foolish kid or create any destructible behavior or I’ll gonna make you blind and I mean it indeed. You can never utilize your eyes again, stubborn kid,” warned Joey. I stiffened from his ominous warning. His voice was full blown authority, more powerful than the voice I heard from Zar. Joey’s voice sent pallor of chills down my spine. The more I shuddered. I couldn’t control the fear deep inside me. Joey could see that.  I was frozen and I found it hard to move. I felt my face ashen and the cold sweat dampened my skin. I was staring blankly to Joey. I  could decipher how this ravishing man could scare the hell out of me.  The message was clear to me. It was a kiss of death. I began to inhale, exhale to relax my trembling body. To calm myself,  I began of think that I was walking in the garden of paradise where I can hear the chirping of birds.  I was wearing white silky  gown dress and picking up red roses, daffodils, daisies and violets. Near the marbled fountain I saw my mother, Bethany smiling charmingly. She was too elated to see her lil daughter. She had a golden curly hair like mine. Mystical outline of face, her features defined  more of me.  Out of my illusion, I saw my mother for the first time.  She was running towards me with a bouquet of red roses ….then I heard a voice speaking to me.

“Come child, hold my hands,” commanded Joey. I obeyed him and hold his soft wamth     hands.  “What do you feel?” he asked. “Calmness of the spirit, calmness of the mind,” I replied. Yes, I felt there was essence of peacefulness when I hold his hands. It is beyond my comprehension to explain.  “Great, as long as I am with you and you are with me, you will feel tranquility. You don’t feel troubled, no dystopia in your human mind. This is how life is in the celestial kingdom of our creator. Peace is omnipresent. Not here on earth, not with the fallen angels. There is no forgiveness to their sins but I know God has mellowed down for them who were trying to return to the folds of God. You are the product. God knows your destiny before you were born. I was missioned to watch over you. In short, I am a warrior angel but your guardian angel too.  One warrior angel will be coming soon. We will make a compact with the fallen angels when the right time comes. God has given you the power of the mind to control matters and set things in motion yet you have rational mind, you have a deliberate free will, you have all the liberty to choose – either doing good or either doing bad. I am here to give light to your directions so that you will not go astray.” Those were the words of wisdom from Joey!


I pulled my eyebrows together in quizzical mood. I had encountered many melodramas these days. I was the tour de force in these melodramas.  I was the main actress. Every page of it became so thrilling and exhilarating. I am that force to be reckoned with.  Since I was the main actress in this play, then I have to play my role with great performance. Subterfuge  was the only name of my game at mind.  I expected that more surprises would unfold soon packed with actions and suspense. I had been surrounded with fallen angels protecting me since birth. Now, a warrior angel was right beside me ready to clash the enemies with all his might. His words of wisdom touched the deepest soul my existence. I should now be ready to fight with all my powers the enemies. I chose what was right and the lesser evil.  


The phenomenon that revolves my life were getting too complex. These angels were preparing me to the battle of Armageddon. Are we going to win this war?  The question that befuddled my mind right now. I was only six years old. Why me of all the seeds of the fallen angels? How long more years that we have to prepare for the next Armageddon? Should I be ready then when that time comes?  There were more evils swarming everyday and they were getting uncontrollable. Men liked the ways of evil because that was more easy to gain power and authority. There were numbers of questions playing on my mind. I shuddered to the thought then looked back to Joey. 

Yet, as little kid my emotions could be easily appeased. I walked towards Joey and  hugged him tightly. He reciprocated my hug with warm embraced. He lifted me up in one swift motion. I felt like I was floating. I felt like I could fly. I was amazed. He slowly removed his hands on my small body. Now I was floating like a balloon. I told him, “I can’t fly I have no wings.”  “You can fly Abigail like the fallen angels. You once levitated in this room when you were mad. You made the objects fly. Think that you can fly, what is in your mind is your reality,” he explained.  I followed Joey’s instruction. I contemplated that I was like a balloon floating lightly inside the room. I spread my arms as though my wings.  I filled the spaces in the room. I flew from one corner to another. I felt something unusual. I felt that two small wings were coming out from my ankles. When I somersaulted I saw a small feathery white wings flickering back and forth. I started to giggle and laughed. I lost my concentration; I fell down at the arms of Joey.

“Uncle, I can fly,” I exclaimed exuberantly. “Hahaha, yes you can”, laughed Joey. “One favor Abigail. Don’t call me Uncle.  In heaven, they call me Joseph. Just call me Joey or Joe. I don’t grow old. I did not earn tons of fine lines on my face all these years,” smiled Joey. “Okay, I’ll call you Joe from the now,” I emphasized. There was rapture all over the room.

Haniel heard our laughter. He wanted to pass through the door but he just couldn't go through. There was a barricade. There was a wall preventing him, a wall that he was familiar with thousand years ago. A wall that only the warrior angel of God could ever formed. This wall was impenetrable for the fallen angels. He attempted once to go to Heaven to ask forgiveness but he was blocked by the invisible wall which meant to say that his action was never condone henceforth, he went back to earth. This was the same wall that blocked my room. He shivered of the thought. He wanted to call the attention of Zar, Khail and my father in veranda who was busy lingering on the past events. Haniel instead changed his mind. He listened one more time, he could still hear me giggled. He was anxious of what I was doing. He knocked at the door...

Chapter IX The Legacy: The Dawn of the Fallen Angels

John was sitting all alone in the veranda. It was in the darkest side of the night. Everyone in the house should have been sleeping but slumber would not befall to John. He gazed towards the sublime sky. He could see millions of bright stars glimmering over the towering mountains and tall trees. The added attraction that night was the full moon so magnificently beautiful in the coaly night- a ghostly disc that occurred every 29 days of the month.  Besides the moon and stars shining and flickering above, the surface of the earth was also illuminated by millions of light bulbs. These light bulbs kept of flickering, glimmering, illuminating like fireflies dancing in the night. The lights that shine the path of every human as not to stumble in the dark!  During full moon, it was believed that evil spirits were lurking in the dark, tempting, pestering and stealing human souls.

“Awesome flickering lights bulbs at night!  Hmm Humphry Davy was such a talented and witty guy to invent light bulb. He had earned this invention because he was the original inventor. If not for his invention, the earth should be dark at night. Every human would be groping in the dark. Every human would be unproductive.  God indeed had given men so many talents but only abused it not propagate,” John murmured to his self.

John gazed back to the sky. “Starry, starry night, paint your palette blue and grey, look out on a summer’s day, with eyes that know the darkness in the soul…but I could I have told you Vincent, this world was never meant as beautiful as you.” John was humming the song of Don McLean. He spoke again to his self. “If Vincent Van Gogh was alive today, would he still be able to conceptualize starry starry night in his paintings differently?   Would he still capture the elegant beauty of the night in his sanity state of the mind without too much self-affliction? Could he paint the fate of the fallen angels? He was such a greatest artist but my only regret is that, he curtailed his life due to bipolar depression.”

Veranda was the most significant portion of Khail’s house. This was the rendezvous for him and Khail whenever he wanted to sneak secretly into Abigail’s situation. Spring was the most splendid weather in Japan. Cold breeze of the winds were invigorating and the cold wind filled his nostrils to his lungs. It was so enticing for him to float in the air without any problem of gravity pulling him down - watching the enormous beauty of nature that God had carved in His bare hands, watching how time was variably odd and paradoxical, watching how the world evolved into the lives of the fallen angels. John instead opted to sit and remained standstill. He was quietly sitting on a leather chair with his right leg crossed over the left and his chin on his right hand. He reminisced the past how they stole the astronomical wealth at the bottom of the Red Sea. Shibboleths of memories were overflowing…. On the other hand, he never sensed that Abigail had unexpected visitor.

Like a time capsule, John’s mind was journeying deeply to the past....

Zar and Khail were dramatically preoccupied discussing the strategy on how to plunder the astronomical treasures hidden below the Red Sea whereas; he and Khail’s son were steadfastly listening to the discussion. There were instances that John pushed his eyebrows together for it was hard for him to comprehend the angelic language his father and Khail spoke. When they spoke in their own language, it seemed like it was forbidden for them to hear. It seemed like it is a forbidden fruit- the more forbidden, the more Eve was tempted to eat the fruit of knowledge. Figuratively, the forbidden fruit symbolize by an apple had opened the world to sin and mortality.  In John’s case he felt the same thing.. The knowledge of the fallen angels incredible richest was like forbidden for them to hear. The more he listened, the more he got curious what was all about but later on gave-up and sighed.

“Dad, what are you talking about? We don’t understand both of you. What are our involvements?” stubbornly asked John. Zar turned to face John. “It is free flowing for us to speak in this language rather than the language of men. Nothing is forbidden here. We don’t like to encounter a "feet of clay" with the plan once it is laid down; we still need to have tedious discussions with the legions of the fallen angels back in the Himalayas. We need to patch holes. Out there, the Temple of Nowhere is guarded by thousands of demons and monsters. We don’t want to underestimate their powers because they were posted there to watch the treasures until Satan had his chosen one. There is one already, August! Our only edge, I have memorized the “Riddle of Rebellion”. Our populations are outnumbered. Don’t be too impatient kid, ” underscored Zar. John then seated patiently and observed the two.

They patiently laid down the plan. When Zar moved clockwise, Khail moved too into the direction of Zar. They were like gravity pulling together in the orbit like the moon rotating around the sun. Their actions were somewhat choreographed. There was kind of magnetic field attracting them together but both of them were flexible. They were like this for few hours. The best thing about Zar and Khail, they understood each other movements without talking much.  They had strong friendship that even a spell couldn’t break it. They were chanting and moving all the time yet there was sense of solemnity inside the house. The house was like filled with musical notes. John just fixed his attention in awe to both of them then he slowly dazed to sleep.  His subconscious mind could hear their chanting but his eyes were too timid to open. He succumbed to sleep.

He had a REM (Rapid Eye Movement) when he felt a soft hand touching his head and heard a voice. “Son, let us go back to Shangri-La. Khail and his sons we’ll be coming with us. We need to have a thorough dialogue with the legions. We have to sail now”, lamented Zar. They opened their wings behind them. So off they went airborne again. They were like Unidentified Flying Objects against the dark blue sky. They flew smooth sailing behind the thick clouds. John and Khail’s kids were having fun. They were competing who had the fastest speed to reach Shangri-La. They were laughing loud and giggling in the sky.  Khail and Zar were behind them.  They flew so fast that the flocks of birds in the sky were so alarmed of their speed. The birds were scattered everywhere and they lost their formation. They were chirping, burping and slurping. Ah these birds were confused of to see humans flying. Their leader called them. They gathered again in one formation and dived down to the trees.

To be continued