Author's Note: I want to add a disclaimer right now, as the remainder of Ages of Conflict will likely be dealing with a lot of heavily controversial subjects. Just because I write it does not mean I believe it. My beliefs and thoughts are something I never write into my work, preferring instead to be as objective as possible. I will be mentioning and perhaps even describing various lines of thought from many different religions, as well as opinions on a lot of subjects, however keep in mind that - being fiction - this is entirely opinion and conjecture. As always I try and base any of my more in-depth work on as much fact as I can, but I am not averse to changing things to suit my storyline where needed. I mean no offense, but if for whatever reason this offends you...keep your hate mail to yourself. No one's holding a gun to your head and making you read this. I am sorry if that comes across sounding harsh, but I had an incident a while back when I posted a dream I had as a story on a site some years ago, and the next day my email inbox was filled with everything from destructive criticism to death threats to one very memorable "God hatez you and he will throw you into hell and the Devil who is Satan and Lucifer and the Lord of Destruction and Pain will eat your skin from your burning corpse while you watch you heathen whore." I'm sure you can understand why I'd not want a repeat of that annoyance. Four hundred and sixty messages over a three day span, all but four negative and all of them anonymous will kind of sour a person on that, LOL Essentially, I love criticism in any form, but the overbearing bullshit from the 'good god-fearing' readers and the devout athiests and such, questioning why I choose to write such things is a bit aggravating. It's fiction, people, get over it. I'd bet these are a lot of the same people that wanted Harry Potter banned because it 'teaches kids witchcraft.' No, it teaches them friendship, loyalty, morals, and very bad Latin. But thanks for playing. *wipes sweat from brow* Wow. Sorry about the rant, y'all. I do tend to ramble when I'm standing on my soap box, don't I?
Anyway, here goes. Welcome to the newest installment. Enjoy your stay! :)
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previously:
CARLISLE: "At any rate, if I'm right, what you were dreaming is another of our 'myths'." "Which is?" Bella asked, ridiculously curious now. "The second war in heaven."
Bella just stared blankly at Carlisle.
"I'm sorry, the what?" she asked, her voice disbelieving. His lips parted in a slight smile as he spoke.
"Esme, maybe you'd better field this one. It is your favorite myth, after all." All attention turned to the dark-haired woman sitting beside him. She looked a bit startled, but nodded.
"Well, I don't know quite where to start. There have been legends and stories of wars between the 'forces of good and evil' in every belief system everywhere since time began. Religion doesn't seem to matter; what comes across is mostly the belief that good fought evil and won, but at a cost. Which explains why evil is still alive in the world today."
"Are we talking evil evil? Like God and Satan and all that?" asked Bella incredulously. Esme thought a moment.
"Yes and no. I don't think anyone could deny that evil exists. Murder of innocents, rape of beliefs, war for paltry reasons...the list goes on. But no one can deny the presence of good, either. Such simple things as the first cry of a newborn baby, or the sound of raindrops on the leaves of a tree. Whether your thoughts lean towards gods, devils, demons, angels, science, or something else entirely, there is a definite and delicate balance between positive and negative in anything and everything in existence. Science has proven it to the human race. The religious and spiritual never needed the proof to believe.
"Tell me, Bella...have you ever researched the religious beliefs of mankind?" The brunette shook her head. "I have. The sheer number of them is overwhelming, and fascinating. The similarities are so blatant, the differences equally so. But this particular myth, of the war in heaven, spans across numerous ideologies for untold centuries. Christianity holds that God cast out his angel - the one most know as Lucifer, though that's a whole other discussion - whether because the angel attempted to rise in power to compete with or surpass the Almighty, or because he disagreed with him, for his pride or his arrogance...the list goes on. But it says that Lucifer's forces battled with those of God and lost. The Babylonians had a similar myth concerning Zu and Ethana. The Greeks told of Hephaestus being cast down by Zeus. Even the Titans have played the part of the fallen.
"Regardless of who is telling it, the story remains the same. Good versus evil, locked in a struggle for dominance. Some would argue that there can be no dominance because it would cause the end of all things. I personally -" Esme broke off, looking around as everyone just stared at her. Bella thought if the older woman could have blushed, she likely would have. "I'm sorry. I just get started and...well, anyway, the first war in Heaven was told by many different people over the centuries. However, it's only been in the last half a century or so that something has come to light about the possibility of a second war."
"About what?" asked Bella, interested despite her worry. Esme leaned back against the back of the couch, closing her golden eyes as she spoke.
"Supposedly there was a text found, an ancient one, dating from the same era as the Pyramid Texts. It was found carved into a stone of some size, and it mentioned a second uprising. No one has all of the details, unfortunately. What I know I've gotten mostly from browsing books and artifacts in Caralla's house in Greece. She has an extensive collection of historical religious works; some in replica form, though most I could believe she's collected over her lifetime. The text had been translated to English in the last decade, but as far as I know most of the religious and scientific communities are still ignorant of its existence. In my opinion, that is probably for the best right now. Everyone is talking about the end of days, and this would be one huge log to add to that fire."
"What did it say?" Esme, eyes still closed, recited from memory.
"And thus there shall be an huge uprising, with the armies on high leading the attack. And there shall be great lamentation through all the earth as the pestilence and plague from the battle spreads and devours all. Until nothing shall remain for the victor to rule, and the world becomes as barren as death." Silence ruled over the living room for a while. The others had already heard this, but the entire concept was new to Bella. She hadn't had much of a religious background, Renee not being much of a churchgoer in any form and Charlie usually being on duty when she'd come to visit him. She'd had a few friends over the years that had grown up with different beliefs, but she'd always had questions they couldn't answer or didn't think she should be asking, so she never really looked into anything. To hear Esme talk about this with such knowledge and nonchalance was almost odd, and had Bella wondering what the woman's background had been before her change, and if she still held over any beliefs from her human life. Now, though, wasn't the time to ask. Instead she kept her questions to the subject at hand.
"So this second war in heaven essentially brings about the end of the world?" she posed thoughtfully. Esme sat up.
"Yes, but that wasn't all it posed. As near as anyone can tell or translate, there is going to be a chance to end the war before it begins, but most of the remaining symbols have been worn by time and weather, and are completely illegible. So to date, no one that I know of has any idea what the rest of it says."
"Would Caralla know?" asked Rosalie from where she sat beside Emmett.
"I'm not sure. I only ever brought it up once with her, and she seemed almost pained and changed the subject. I never asked again."
"Maybe we should ask. I mean, if this is what Bella is dreaming about, even if it is all a myth, information couldn't hurt." Edward's voice was sure and steady, but Bella could feel the tension in his arms where they rested around her waist. She could feel Carlisle's concern through their mental bond, as well as his immense curiosity, though his face showed nothing but what he wished it to. No one replied to Edward's statement, either positively or negatively, so Bella took a deep breath and reached in her pocket. She pulled out her phone and flipped it open, then stood and walked towards the kitchen.
"What are you doing?" asked Esme quietly, but it was Alice that answered.
"She's calling Caralla."
