The Lost Chapter
That day started like any other, I looked out into the wide open courtyard under my bedroom window, the marble floors were clean with their crisp corners and the pillars stood tall and proud as if no force had ever shaken them, the nearby brook sang its song and the trees echoed. I expected rain that day, and I remember turning to one of my servants and asking him to remind me to take the birds inside. Philip, my servant, continued replacing the linens that were due for their wash and left the room in a slight hurry, that's how things functioned back then, at a faster pace than they do now, it was almost as if my workers feared they would run out of time. Of course now we regard no time, but back in times of war our days were marked by events, that day for instance was an event I had carefully planned out since the beginning, an event that outlined the turning point of our war against the Fallen in gold letters. The first step of that event happened the night before when a conversation with my beloved son was cut short by a group of the Fallen's own handymen. That day, I was to continue as if nothing happened and resume my place in the Throne Room.
Since then, the walls of my palace have not changed in stature and the halls continue to be filled with servants and children, the only difference is that the rooms and mansions I so longed to fill in those days are now inhabited by joyful children who have found the rest they sought. Inside the throne room on that day the sweet perfume perforated the air as it always did and the constant silence was only broken by the sweet song of seraphim but, unlike today, the seat at my right side was empty and awaiting its owner who had ventured out to complete the final phase of the war we were fighting. There had been a sense of incompletion among the inhabitants of my kingdom for that season and Michael, the one who had taken the place of my son's role in our armies, would bring back daily reports on the status of the war. That particular day Michael, along with a few of his men walked into the room and beckoned for a meeting. I can still recall the contents of the conversation we had that morning for I was merely awaiting a restatement of what I already knew; I let them in with, "Of course, these are routine, no need to beg." "Understood my Lord," replied Michael, of course he never really understood, every day during the 30-odd years before then he had beckoned for a meeting, only to claim he understood there was no need to beg, "We bring astonishing news sire." At that point the events of the night before replayed in my head but the hope of a new beginning for those who were lost far outweighed the present suffering my son so bravely endured. "Yes, I expected this, go on, please." I replied as calm as always. Flustered, Michael replied, "Well, this week has gone as usual, he has journeyed and spoken and all, but," a look of dismay fell upon his face as he continued, "We suspect a member of the Fallen has found his way into his path by tricking one of his friends." I nodded in understanding, "Yes, go on." Michael swallowed, "Well, he stood trial last night and is now awaiting death." One of Michael's men, Augustus, a young fellow in charge of those who walked beside my son, fell on his face and pleaded with me, "Forgive me, O king! I have failed you, I implored with one of his own to accompany him, and even with the one who betrayed him to repent of the evil act, but my attempts to fix this problem were of no avail!"I rose up my hand to quiet his pain and motioned to a nearby servant, "Excuse me, Theodore, would you please take Augustus to a place of rest, thank you." Theodore and two others lifted up Augustus and supported him as they led him out of the room. Although both my son and I knew of the fate he would suffer upon voluntarily stepping onto the earth I created, the news hit as hard as if I had been ignorant of the situation because I knew I could not be present at the time of his demise. I turned back to Michael I said "This news does not surprise me, but you must understand, none of your men have failed, I have not failed, my son has not failed, this is but a mere operation which we, my son and I, have refrained from you until appropriate. Now, I must ask you to collect your men from the battle field for we need help here, but Michael I will have to ask you to keep an eye on the situation." Bewildered, Michael replied "Of course your majesty." He turned to gather his men and they exited the room.
Upon being left alone I began to look back on the events leading up to that point, the first great battle and the maleficent oath on behalf of the Fallen leader that followed. He swore to cause great damage on the helpless babes that inhabited the earth that lay at my feet, he rallied up his feeble troops against me by promising freedom in a place of darkness and promoted the idea of pride over dignity. Since then, he has claimed many lives of the innocent, at times even nations have denied me and fallen victim to the indoctrination of his false promises. I recalled on the present circumstance and knew at that moment justice and peace would finally prevail over corruption and disgust. I asked one of my servants to gather up the citizens in the courtyard for a speech.
That afternoon, I looked over my balcony into the concerned faces of my children and servants, their eyes beckoned words of encouragement and reassurance for a number of them had heard of what happened and for the first time doubted our cause. I opened my mouth; "Today we shall have victory, my servants no longer need to hurry and my children shall find rest in the truth and promise made available to them today. My doors will forever be open to them, and you, the inhabitants of my kingdom, needn't fear a raid any longer, the chains of the babes taken prisoner we have so carefully watched over, shall be broken and their eyes opened to the possibility of the pursuit, as well as the completion, of virtue and magnificence. They will no longer believe that I have changed and am vengeful; they will forget all deceit and hate towards me and remember how merciful and constant I am in my ways, even if they delay to join us here, in paradise. My beloved friends and family, do not be alarmed by the news, this not another casualty, today is not a day to mourn, today is the first day of our eternal victory." Some cried tears of joy, others clapped, a few of them began to sing, I looked down on ones I loved so fervently and rejoiced in the fact that more would come in and join in the festivities. I remember they made their way to the waterfall, our passage to the realm of earth, to continue the celebration and serve as comforters to the keepers that had watched the entirety of my son's betrayal. I returned to my chamber, I could not watch the false accusations manifested on my innocent son, it pained the very core of my being seeing every iniquity and treacherous act that separated me and man, laid on the shoulders of my beloved son. My goals were not for myself, I stopped caring about the damage Satan had caused for my children from the moment he was cast out, while he rallied his troops and festered in vengeance, my son and I began our operation which was now unraveling before my eyes and for that I regained my composure and began what was needed to be done.
While everyone was by the waterfall I, along with some of Michael's men and a handful of some that stayed behind, began preparing the many empty rooms and mansions that were scattered about my kingdom, by nightfall they would be filled as they are today, I carefully laid every piece of furniture and tended every garden, some of the soldiers and I even prepared a feast when all handiwork was done. As we finished the display of food in the ballroom, we heard a cheer in the distance, my attention was grasped and I ran to the front door of the palace in view of the kingdom's gates. Before my very eyes, scores of tired and broken children, cheated men and oppressed women, my precious chosen ones, rightful members of my royal court, began walking into the city they would forever call home.