Book 1: The rise of Ashentel and Madu
Chapter 1
"I want out!" Sentel screamed as he slammed the holy book on the wooden desk of Teema the high priest. Teema looked down at the holy book with a somber expression. Teema was a peaceful loving man. Even when confronted by violence he seemed to always have the same peaceful demeanor. He looks at Sentel as if he was gazing at Sentel's very soul. As he motioned Sentel to sit with his open palm at one of the two empty wooden chairs with purple cushion trimming in gold, he rose from his chair to stare at the moutain peaks that were outside his window. As if he were talking to the mountains themselves he asked, "Sentel... son what is upsetting you so much? What has gotten you so angry that its forcing you to depart from this holy sanctuary." Sentel still seated leaned over with his elbow on his knees and his hands folded and replied respectfully "Holy one, I am not cut out for this life of solitude and isolation. What angers me is that for years I have been praying and meditating faithfully asking what my purpose is. I have asked God over and over again what my purpose is in this life and still to this day no response." Teema turned to Sentel with a discerning look on his face "my son, to be angry is to open the soul's gates to welcome in Madu. You must be mindful of your anger and put your total faith in God." Sentel rose from his chair. He leaned over the desk and pleaded with Teema "Please, I am begging you, let me depart from these gates. Give me my release so that I can go out into the world and discover the answer for myself. Your holiness, we are a people that have the ability to see the spiritual realm even from this realm. I haven't had the vision since Thripe passed away. The last time I remember having the gift is when seeing Hudu(death) carry my brother away. After that I could not see anymore spirits...God has abandoned me!" As Shentel collapse to his knees in a quiet weep Teema picked his head up. With a smile on his face Teema gingerly placed Sentel on the chair in front of his desk. Teema sat in the opposite chair. The 104 year old priest crossed his boney legs, leaned over towards Sentel and tapped him on his forearm. With a very deep breathe Teema said "God has not abandoned you. He is here all around us all the time. We have to be sensitive to that. He may not have answered your prayer simply because you weren't ready for the answer. And even now you probably aren't ready for the answer. Son do you know why we meditate, I mean truly know why we meditate." Sentel looked at Teema and shook his head, Teema continued "its not only to calm our spirit and promote peace in and around us. Its also to establish a connection to God and to be open to the sensitivity to the spirit realm. Son be patient for patience is for the strong. Be patient your answer will come." Sentel lifted his tear soaked face "how long must I wait" he asked as if he was defeated. "In time, he does hear your cries" Teema responded. Teema reached for the desk and grabbed a sacred scroll. Under his breath he mumbled "the time is at hand" Sentel looked at him puzzled. He asked "what is at hand your holiness?" "Ashentel is on his way." Teema replied. He looked over at Sentel and asked "Do you know the sacred legend of Ashentel?" "The guardian of the skies and Heaven's pass?" Sentel continued "Well, Yes I do. Our father told us the story when me and my brother was young. Well part of it anyway." Teema nodded solemnly. He gripped the scrolled tightly. So tight that his knuckles were stretching the skin so that the bone definition was prominent in his hands. He leaned over to Sentel as if he was telling a closely guarded secret "Most of the priests, even archpriests know that this isn't just a story. You being born into the priesthood should know what Ashentel is and what he means to this monastery as well as our way of life. Your father wanted you and your younger brother God bless their souls to make the decision to stay in our way of life on your own. Well to be honest with you most of the priest here don't want you to know this secret and sacred part of our way, but I believe that you should. Most of the same priest have stated that you my dear child are dangerous. Not only to the monastery but threaten our way of life. Well I am going to tell you the story." Before Teema could start his son walked in. Temiom was Teema's youngest and also the cousin of Sentel. Teema rose from the chair and offered it to his son. His son accepted the invitation and they both respectively sat. "Well Tem you already know the strory of Ashentel but I do believe it's time that your cousin here knows." Temiom shook his head in agreement. And so the story begins
Chapter 2
"Three thousand years ago the earth was visited by a man. More than a man, the earth was visited by it's savior. The night before his final meeting with his followers he was visited by four angels. Loru, one of the angels relayed a message from God that him and three of the angels that accompanies him were entrusted and blessed with the essences of the four elements and was charged with protecting the four dominions. This man summoned one of his closest followers and closest friends to meet with the four angels. The closest friend was named Teomu, and he met with them. After that fateful meeting our monestary and eventually this holy city was established. For two Melania: Loru, Rhenora Primier, Shiletna, and Ashentel have been raging war against Madu. Madu knew being an ancient, older than the angels knew that he could not defeat God's earthly protectors in spiriual warfare, so the only way to destroy the guadians were to destroy their essence. So he corrupted the hearts and minds of men with his essence. Humankind ravaged the earth. Three out of the four guardians were forced back to heaven, but one remained standing... Now I know you are looking at me confused so let me explain how he used mankind to defeat those guardians. With every negative actions create dangerous evil spirits that empowers Madu. Times were so bad with the spirit of greed and selfishness running rampid that Madu grew so powerful he was unstoppable. The one guardian who survived was Ashentel. The only reason he survived was because he was able to retreat to Heaven's Pass. Now do not judge this action by making a mistake in thinking that this was a cowardice move. He fought side by side with the other guardians until they themselves had to walk through Heaven's Pass. And he protected them at the pass. With certain things in place Madu could not walk onto the hallowed grounds. Under normal circumstances no one was permitted to walk on to heaven's pass unless permitted to from an arch-angel. But since it was under Ashentel's domimion he was able to retreat there... Every 700 years Madu tends to grow strong enough from the world being in disarray. Hes able to feed off that disarray and become strong. Since Madu uses the spirit of man Ashentel combats him with also using man. Most of the time he selects someone from this very monestary but the last inherit wasnt from this monestary. He was a gunslanger, someone very handy with firearms. So natrually the monks here were appalled. Some monks were so disgusted and questions our way of life to the point that they joined Madu. Many questioned why he had chosen someone that didn't have the vision. My take on it is if God had allowed it then there must have been a reason. Legend has it that there is going to be a final battle that Ashentel himself is going to appear and Madu for earth's soul as well as the soul of humanity. That the person he chooses will become him and become greater than any of his predecessors. It is also told that Madu will for the first time choose an inherit himself and take the spiritual warfare to the manifested realm. That he himself will build an army in both realms and bring the fight through Heaven's Pass and straight to the Heaven's Gates. It's been a little past 700 years and Ashentel has yet to choose his inherit. Times are really bad. It seems that Madu has victory at hand in claiming this realm his. I, myself do not know what is taking Ashental so long. I knew that I would see his inherit in my lifetime but the waiting is putting citizens as well as the monks faith at odds. I don't know if this will be the commencement of the mega war but I do know that Ashentel's return is at hand. I have prayed and meditated and I have seen the winds are coming. So as you can see Sentel thats why I have been acting strange." Sentel looked at Temiom and then diverted his attention back to Teema. "Okay I do understand the legend, but when you say Ashentel is coming back himself how is that possible? I thought he needed an inherit to exist in the manifested realm." Teema explained "When Ashentel selects his inherit its more like a partnership. The inherit summons his power in times of distress. When the battle, the mega battle emerges, Ashentel and the inherit will be somewhat fused. The element of Ashentel will be the essence of the inherit soul. Put it like this, Ashentel will cast his essence onto the inherit and his angelic being will ascend to heaven. The soul will have the essence of Ashentel and will become guardian of the skies and protector of Heaven's Pass. Only thing is this, the person will exist both in the Spiritual realm as well as the manifested realm with angelic vision." Sentel looked indifferent as if his mind was preoccupied on other matters. He slowly rose from the chair and began to walk towards the door. Before reaching for the doorknob Teema ordered Temiom to grab Sentel. As Sentel turned the doorknob Temiom grabbed Sentel's left shoulder. Because of Sentel's martial art training his reaction was to flip Temiom on his back. Sentel apologized and picked up Temiom by his wrist. Teema slowly walked over to Sentel and gently said "I know you have a great question unanswered inside you. Listen if you want to depart from these walls then that's your decision. I cannot force you to stay... Can you do an old man one favor? Before you make your final decision on whether you are going or staying, can you go down to the meditating meadow and mediate one more time?" Sentel looked at Teema, bowed respectfully and quietly walked out the room.
Chapter 3
As the door closed behind him, Temiom walked back with his father to the big window that was on the opposite side of the room. Teema noticed distress on his son's face. "Son, my son, what is bothering you?" Temiom just stared at the window. Turning his head from the window to look at his father. He replied "Father in all your wisdom I do not understand why you are trying so hard to convince Sentel to stay?" "Tem, he is not just a member of this community he is our blood, our family. I never told anyone this because I swore to secrecy but my dear brother Shenu was supposed to be the High Priest. Before he was poisioned we made a pact that if one of us were sent on the spirit's journey the other would inherit our father's responsibilities. Even on his death bed he swore me to secrecy not to tell a soul about the pact. I guess he wanted everyone to think that I was the rightful person for the role." Teema walked slowly to his desk. Sitting in the middle of his desk next to the holy text was a gold emulate. He gently picked it up with his right palm and started rubbing it with his left index and middle fingers. While starring at the gold piece he continued, "I loved my brother dearly. He was my best friend, even your mother and his wife we met together. This is his emulate I carry it on me everyday since he passed away. When he died, believe it or not I was distraught. I questioned God on why he would let this happen. All I wanted to do was leave this place and never look back. I was full of anger, pain, and rage. My heart was darkened by grief. If it wasn't for your mother I would had led a life of destruction. Her love and warmth became my saving grace. Looking back on it my brother would have been disappointed. Tem my son, I see the same in Sentel. He reminds me so much of his father... Let's cut to the chase shall we? I am trying so hard because I see something great in him. It would be irresponsible not only as a priest but as his uncle to let him go." Temiom sat in front of his father. "Father why? The other priests do not want him around. They see what I see! He is not of this way of life. Why can't you see that?" "He has suffered alot! Still he strives to become better. It takes great strength to continue on even when he was comsumed by anger and hatred. He still kept going even when he wanted to give up. We preach that even through the darkest times in our lives God still shines a light. It may be faint at times but it is still there. In our teachings our greatest test of our inner strength is adversity. Sentel is a living example of what we are taught and for other priests and monks not to see that is what I find disheartening and what I question" " To be honest I feel that you love him more than you love me?" Teema rose from behind his desk. Starring at the golden statues that are on either side of the doors he walked toward his son with tears falling from his eyes. He sits in the opposite chair from his son, he reaches out for Temiom's hand. Softly caressing his son's hand Teema softly says, "Tem, it was never my intention to provoke jealousy within you. I am proud of you, you are my youngest son. You have become a great priest, especially at you age. Your mother would be most proud of you as well. I do love Shentel like a son but-" before Teema could continue Temiom snatched his hand away. Nearly pushing his dad over he jumped out of the chair and starts to walk furiously towards the doors. Half way to exiting the room Temiom starts screaming at his father. His voice sounds like a shrill as his face started to become drenched with tears. As he points to his father "I HAVE FOLLOWED YOU! BEEN BY YOUR SIDE! THROUGH THE YEARS I HAVE WITNESSED YOU SHARING MORE TIME WITH HIM AND MY OTHER BROTHERS. YOU HAVE GIVEN HIM THE ATTENTION THAT I SO DESPERATELY WANTED AND FOR WHAT? FOR HIM TO WALK OUT ON US! I NEEDED YOU WHEN I HAD QUESTIONS, I NEED YOU WHEN I WAS FACED WITH DIFFICULTIES BUT YOU WERENT THERE. I HATE HIM WITH ALL OF MY BEING, I TRIED TO RESIST IT BUT I CAN'T. Father I love you but I hate him equally." Teema rushed to Temiom and embraced him. Quietly in his ear Teema spoke "Temiom you are my son. There is nothing or no one that will ever replace you. I love you my son, I never knew that I was causing so much pain. I do beg for your forgiveness for I did not know. Son take comfort in knowing that I will always love you unconditionally. But son please do not carry this resentment inside you. It leads to dangerous things that I cannot see you get mixed up in. Its not his fault at all. I am not defending him because I love him more than you. I hope you understand. I hope you seek refuge in your understanding from this hate because in these times it is paramount that you have love and peace in your heart. The other can lead to destruction. Do you understand me?" "Yes father I do understand." They embraced each other firmly. As they released the hug Teema tapped Temiom on his shoulders "Come on son the festival of righteous is beginning. Remember you are loved by the whole community." They both proceeded out of the door. "Boy you are becoming big!" Teema said to Temiom as the door closed behind them.
Chapter 4
Sentel departed from the monastery and started to make his way towards the mediating meadows. As he walked through Teomu City, other monks were giving him dirty looks and giving him wide berth. Those monks wanted it known that he was not wanted. One of the monks name Derinu walked up to Sentel. Derinu was one of Temiom childhood friends. As Sentel walked passed one of the open markets Derinu walked straight up to his face. With a smirk he said "So I heard that you wanted to leave this city, is that true?" "Who told you that?" Sentel asked inching closer to Derinu. Derinu with the same smirk replied "Tem of course, who else would have told me that?" "That is a private matter and he had no right to tell you what is going on in my life." Sentel said it as he felt rage and pressure building in the back of his neck. As Sentel try to sidestep, Derinu blocked his path. Now standing face to face, Derinu started to raise his voice "What a coward! You leave because you are weak. Look at you crying over your father and brother. From what I was told they were the scum of the earth themselves. I wish-" before he could finish his teasing rant Sentel side kicked him in the back of the head. He hit him with so much force that it sent Derinu's head into the ground which made an indention in the concrete. Sentel stood over the bleeding head, grabbed the hair of Derinu and whispered in the unconscious ear "I would kill you where you stand. Tell Temiom he isn't even half the person my brother was and the next time he decides to tell my business it will be me and him in combat." After the sentence he released Derinu's head and continued his walk. The priests who witnessed the altercation gave Sentel great space. As he walked out of the market he decided to visit his family's grave which was on the way to the meadow. The cemetery had a pebble path that led into the meadow. He remembered where is mom, dad, and brother graves were because it alwaysed faced the temple and was under a native tree to the region. In fact it's the biggest tree in the whole cemetary. He aproached the grave and knelt down between the three graves. He began to weep, the pain of missing them was almost unbearable. That was one of the reasons why he wanted to leave the holy city. He began to pray "Father, this pain I have is deep inside me. I wish I could get over it but I can't, please help me in my time of need. Dear father please do not be disappointed in my actions of late for I forsake those actions. Brother I miss you dearly. I love you always and keep the love for you deep within my heart. Thank you for uncle Teema. Blessing be with you forever and ever amen." After he finished the prayer he kissed each of the tombstones. After pushing of the ground he pulled out an emulet out of his right back pocket. It was his brother's. He gave the emulet a long kiss and draped it over his tombstone. He turned to walk out of the cemetery but before reaching the exit he turned around and whispered "One day I will see you again." He continued his walk towards the meadow. The walk was three miles southwest from the cemetery. When he aproached the meadow he saw the big grey stones. Behind the grey stones sat two boulders on either side of the entrance. He was looking at the meadow from the entrance and thought how amazing it was that a lush green meadow can exsist in the mountainous terrain. He hesitated entering, his legs started trembling. A small voice inside him told him to enter, so he did. He walked to the center of the meadow. As it was custom he knelt down and blessed the ground. He proceeded to unwrap the rug that was strapped to his right shoulder. He gazed at the rug. He never noticed how beautiful it was. It was a silver rug with metallic blue all over it. It was no bigger then a throw rug that had silver and blue trimming around it. The rug didnt have a pattern but as he noticed it, it was a mural of the meadow that he was in. He rolled the rug on the grass. Taking a deep breathe he began to kneel on the sprawled out rug. As he been trained to do he concentrated on nothing but his breathing. An unknown amount of time went by. He felt himself becoming lighter and lighter. Inside of his mind, it felt as if his whole inside was being filled with emptiness. His soul became intuned with the soul of nature as his senses became sharper. He could hear the batting wings of bees and could smell the dirt under the grass. The wind started to pick up. Dark clouds began to roll in. Tears started rolling down his face as he resited the same prayer he always prayed for years on end. Out of no where the sky split. A flash of light illuminated his eyelids, heat surged through his body. His body felt like it was on fire. His soul leaped out of his body. As he looked down on his lifeless body, laying sprawled out on the rug he noticed all the ambient light surrounding him. He looked around waiting for Hudu to come. He turned away from his body and as he turned away he noticed a figure walking towards him. Thinking it was Hudu, Sentel walked towards him smiling as if he was greeting a long lost friend. He knew he was going to see his family again. But as the figure was walking closer he noticed that this figure was wearing western clothes. Sentel also noticed wind swirling around him. As the guy approached Sentel he touched Sentel on the head, before he knew he began to open his eyes. But the figure was still there. Sentel in a groggy state ask this figure "Are you an angel? I have seen Hudu and I know that I am dead but you are not Hudu. Who are you?" The figure interlocked his fingers and started to speak "Well you have not passed on. And you are right on both accounts I am not Hudu and yes I am an angel. So who am I..? Well... you didn't know my story for a long time. Not until today. The last person I talked to didn't know who I was either. Who can blame him, he didn't follow the beliefs. Made a lot of people angry but I made the right choice, he stuck it to Madu and didnt upset the balance. Well... I am Ashentel heavenly elected protector of the air dominion and guardian of Heaven's Pass."
Chapter 5
Sentel tumbled backwards tripped and fell on a rock. After landing on his back he tilted his head and gazed at Ashentel with a courious look. Standing before him was Ashentel. He was a tall man that skin glowed like the sky above. He had dark midnight blue eyes long wooly black hair that reached his shoulder-blades. He had an old western sherrif's look with a long bluish grey overcoat. Ashentel reached for Sentel's hand but he refused the aid. Sentel picked himself up and stumbled to one of the boulders that was at the entrance of the meadow. He sat down and stared at Ashentel for a while. Taking a deep breathe Sentel asked "Okay so let me get this straight. You are telling me that you are Ashentel, The protector of the Air Dominion and Guardian of Heaven's Pass? Thee Ashentel?" Ashentel look amused. As he laughs, "Why yes I am that Ashentel. Why wouldn't I be, I don't look like an angel or something?" Sentel looked him up and down and shook his head slowly. Ashentel looked at him with bewilderment. "And what does an 'Angel' suppose to look like?" "An angel is suppose to have these wings like eagles, wear all white, blonde gold hair, glowing white skin. You look nothing like that. You look like a cowboy. The whole get up! And you don't look that much older than I do." Ashentel got up and dusted himself off. "Well whoever told you that is what angels is suppose to look like is wrong. Yes we do have wings like an eagles but thats for the protecting angels. All that blonde hair and blue eyed crap is for the birds. Angels come in different forms like people here on earth. As far as my appearance I adopted it after the last inherit. I kind of like this look even though my wife may not approve of it. I look around your age because in heaven, angel's do not age rapidly. Now are we done?" Sentel pointed one finger and asked "I have one more question, how can you protect the sky and Heaven's Pass at the same time?" "I will answer that question and many more soon." Ashentel answered. Sentel got up and Ashentel stood next to him. They walked out on the other side of the meadow. Ashentel stopped and began talking to Sentel "Now the major question is why I am here. It is to choose my inherit. I choose you Sentel. But before we can continue I have to ask you to come with me because there is so much I have to show you." Sentel expression was silent. He didn't know what to say or what him being chosen meant. Ashentel nudged Sentel's right arm and gestured toward the sky. Sentel nodded his head in agreement and they both started ascending towards the sky. When they landed it was in a fiery pit of a volcano. "What is this we are in? Are we in Madu's dominion?" Ashentel looked around the volcano. He turned to Sentel and proceeded to answer his question "No this isn't Madu's dominion. This is actually Loru's dominion. Well it was his dominion before the great battle. But man, you should have seen the look on his face when The Holy One gave this for him to protect. He always wanted the air dominion but when he was called to protect this dominion he was upset." Ashentel started laughing so loud that it echoed throughout the chamber. When he whiped the tears from his eyes he continued "Well thats my big brother always wanting to be over everything. I think thats why God gave him the fire dominion instead. Okay we are here because I have to show you this. As you see how the fire has no form, no orginization. It burns without a cause and it isn't under control. It hasn't been under control since Loru left. Souls cannot start their riteful journey because these gates are closed. It is here where the just and the unjust gets sorted out. Here is what is called Heaven's Walk." Sentel interrupted and asked "If this is closed then how are people going to heaven then?" "They are going there through heaven's pass only, but only through special circumstance. Everyone that is suppose to be up there are still on earth walking around aimlessly looking for a way up. Now on to our next destination." Both ascended into the sky again. When they landed they landed into a sea. With the wave of Ashentel's hand the sea turned into a rotating tunnel. They both entered. When they reached the end of the tunnel was a bluish gold gate that was closed. "After they leave Heaven's Walk they come here. The last cleanse as the priest call it. As you can see this also is closed. Here is where the soul gets its last Baptism on the way to Heaven. This Ulisha and also the Water Dominion. You see the way that the seas are churning and the animal life down here is unbalanced. This is what Madu has always wanted. This dominion. He does not have it now but he soon will. He wants to conquer this dominion first because of the last cleanse. This process is important because after this all souls are becoming saints. If he stops that then there cannot be anyone that can get into heaven." Ashentel pushes the gate open and they walk through. When they passed the gates Sentel seen one of the most beautiful sights he had ever imagined. It was bright green grass similar to the Meadow he meditates in. But at the horizon there was a moutain bigger then anything he ever seen. 7 times bigger than the mountains that surrounded the monestary. Ashentel continued "This is the earth dominion. And there is Old Hill. Here is where the saint's walk to get to Heaven's Pass. Here is where the souls can wait for other souls and they can walk the hill together. Its deserted now. And now we go to the dominion that I protect." They again both acsended to the sky but this time they landed on a path that lead up to a blinding light. "Sentel this is Heaven's Pass. The light that you see is Heaven. This is the last part of a saint's journey. These are hallowed grounds and thats why you are not able to stand where I am standing." Before Sentel could blink they were back at the meadow. Ashentel stood at the entrance of the meadow. He glanced up at the sky and then down towards the ground. While seeing him standing there Sentel sat back on the same rock he sat at before the journey. Alot was going through his mind. In mid thought Ashentel touched him on his shoulder. "The time is now, the time is at hand for you to make a decision on my offer." Sentel stood off the rock. He walked to the outside of the entrance. He turned around, "Why me? All I have done was question God and become fed up. I was so angry at him for taking my father and brother away from me. They were good people. They were faithful servants and I felt that it was his fault. For a long time I was lost and if it wasn't for my uncle Teema I don't know where I would have ended up." Ashentel smiled at Sentel. "Well I cannot answer why He allowed for those events to happen in your life. But I can answer why I have chosen you. Through all the pain that you had to endure you still believed. Your mind was filled with doubt but not your heart or your spirit. You still prayed even at times when you felt like it wasnt working. You served with all of your heart. There is a great strength within you. There has to be when Madu kept a close eye on you. You never gave into the anger when others would have. You have a spirit of a general, a warrior soul. You may not see it but you do. Your sight was gone to be given a new sight, a greater sight. I have chosen you because no matter what storm you have faced you have burried your feet taken it head on and never lost the important sight and thats sight of faith and hope. Thats your essence and thats why Teema never gave up on you... We have to go." Ashentel grabbed Sentel's hand and they ascended to Heaven's Pass. Ashentel asked Sentel "Do you accept?" Sentel took a minute to think. After raising his head he replied proudly "I accept with all my being" Ashentel levetated a foot of the cloud. An amazing thing happened, Ashentel started shedding light as if mist was coming down off his body. It reached toward Sentel and started to engolf him. When it was complete Sentel could see Ashentel's angelic form. "I can see you. You are now most certainly an angel" Ashentel laughed. Sentel felt a lot of power coursing through him. He could see the spirits in the tree tops. He could see the gates to Heaven. He could feel the wind as if it was apart of him. Ashentel stepped in front of him now in his angelic form and said "You are now Guardian." Sentel stepped back and when his foot hit the cloud a loud roar of thunder boomed in the atmosphere. "Whoa, why did you do that?" He asked Ashentel. Ashentel shook his head. "That wasn't me, that was you. You are not my inhert." "Then what am I?" "You are now Sentel the protector of the Air Dominion, guardian of Heaven's Pass. You were never meant to be my inherit. I have given you my essence.You are now what I once was and the battle has begun." "Whoa so you are telling me that I am Ashentel" "No there is only one me Sentel. I am just now an angel named Ashentel thats all. But you have become what I was. Look there is alot of power you now have and it is going to take alot of getting use to. You defend whats good and pure. You are ready and here is where the road to your purpose begins." Sentel now dressed in a metallic blue dress shirt with a silver tie, with black dress slacks, black shoes with lightening coursing through them, black suspenders, black raincoat with a black hat and a blue band now stands before Ashentel. "What to do next" Sentel asked him. "Seek Teema and I will be sure he will know what your next step will be. And by the way, can you grant me passage, got a wife waiting on me" "And how do I do that" Ashentel slapped his head while shaking it and said "Lift up your hands towards those gates over there, you see them Heaven's Gates, yeah, and say 'I grant you passage'" Sentel followed Ashentel's instructions and Ashentel started to walk onto Heaven's Pass. Before continuing his walk Sentel grabbed him and gave him a hug. Then he said "Wait a minute, you are an angel why did you need for me to do all that?" Ashentel walk away. Then he turned around and yelled "TWO REASONS. YOU JUST LEARNED YOUR FIRST LESSON AND FOR THEATRICAL EFFECT. WE ANGELS HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR TOO. WHEN YOU FIND TEEMA ASK HIM FOR THE BOOK OF TEOMU, IT WILL TELL YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW. GOOD LUCK AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU. I WILL BE CHECKING ON YOU FROM TIME TO TIME. AND REMEMBER GOD ALWAYS HEARS YOUR CRIES!" Ashentel walked up to the gates and it opened for him. Sentel felt like he lost a friend but now knew what he had to go do. So he started to return to the monastery.
Chapter 6
Sentel returned to Teomu City. He first landed in Yola Market. To his dismay he notices that the market was empty. Not a soul was in sight. The sky above started churning reflecting his inner feelings. He walked to an empty bench on the eastern side of the market that faces the monastery. Sitting down Sentel decided to try out his new abilities. He pointed with his left hand and lightning coursed through his body. He struck a brick wall on the other side the market which created a 6 foot diameter smoldering whole. He smiled with satisfaction knowing that the meeting with Ashentel was real. Still sitting on the bench the absence of people started to bother him. Sentel was running his hands down his side when he noticed something heavy and hard on either side of him. Pulling back his long coat he fixed his hand on two metal objects. When he finally put his palms around the two objects he proceeded to pull up towards his armpits. When he pulled his hands eye level he had two desert eagles in his hands. He had seen guns on television but firearms were forbidden in the holy city. Knowing that he put the weapons away quickly fearing someone would see him. Some time had passed, Sentel holding his head in his palms something jumped in his mind. "The Festival of Righteousness" Sentel said to himself. He immediately jumped to his feet causing thunder to boom. He slightly squatted his legs, pushed off and exploded into the air. Sentel not being able to before began enjoying the sensation of flight. Being able to hear wind feeling air rushing by him and surrounding him bending to his will. Approaching the monastery he noticed smoke billowing from the main sanctuary. Sentel landed gently on the granite steps in front of the sanctuary. The doors were partially opened. Using a gentle wind, he opened the door. He stepped into the main hallway. It was night time, normally there would be wall torches lit. Nothing was lit which was very unusual, a light bearer would come and light all the torches. Sentel started walking down the dim hallway. At the end of the hallway stood two statues of two angels. One pointed towards the main sanctuary, it was a statue of man with one arm out towards the front door and the other arm towards the sanctuary. The other statue pointed towards the holy annex where arch-priest and high priest lives. Sentel walked up to the intersection. His intuition was telling him that something was wrong. He immediately turned toward the sanctuary. While walking down the hallway he came across a body. He ran to it and he saw something he thought to never see in his life. A monk violently murdered. With his angelic sight he could see that the body was vacant. No soul just an empty vessel. Kneeling down on one knee he turned the body over on its back. Sentel jumped back startled. It was Teema's eldest son Olupu. His face was stiff and motionless. Blood streaming down his face, Olupu final expression was of horror. Sentel placed the body in a more traditional stance. He closed his eyelids and crossed his arms. Sentel got to his feet. He started picking up his pace. When he reached the main Sanctuary doors he used all the winds he could gather and blew the doors open. What he saw nearly crushed his soul.
Chapter 7
Sitting in the High Priest chair was Temiom. As Sentel looked around he could notice and sense great evil in the great room. Bodies of dead monks and priest layed everywhere. Empty vessels lied still as Sentel saw citizens died in pain, horror and agony. On either side of Temiom was a mixture of monks and priests. But their essance wasnt of light. It was of darkness. As Sentel gazed at them he noticed meat cleavers and swords dripping with fresh blood. The evil in their eyes gleamed a blood red color, thier souls oozing black tar which is called geedrod. Sentel turned back to Temiom. Temiom looked different. In an identical suit as his own Temiom was dressed in red, yellow, and black. He was sitting in the chair sideways swirling a hammer the size of 4 cement blocks. The hammer was made of red gold with a wooden shaft that was not of this earth. On the hammer had angelic writing on it. Sentel studied the hammer hard. As Sentel studied the hammer Temiom noticed Sentel. "Look who decides to show up! Sentel! The trader, what are you doing here, I thought you left for good?" Sentel stepped forward. As he stood in the isle between the last pews he says "Why are you sitting in that chair? You have that hammer that wields angelic properties, why do you have that in your hands?" "Ah, you have gained your sight back? Poor Sentel you gained your sight back but yet you are still weak and still cannot see." "Where is uncle Teema and what happened here, why are all these people dead Temiom, why!?" "Well thats easy Sentel, I had them killed. You must realize that I cannot survive with them still being around. As far as father..." Temiom looked down at his feet. There Teema was sprawled out with his chest in caved in with the imprint of the head of the hammer. Temiom turned around in the chair and put his feet under Teema. With one great push, Teema lifeless body stumbled down the stairs that led up to the chair. As the body came to rest at the front pews, Sentel rushed to Teema's body. Sentel face was drenched in tears. Sentel looked up "Why would you do this to him. He loved you and you betrayed him! He did not deserve this you scum." "You did this, you are the cause of all this. He loved you more than he loved me." Temiom stood from the seat and he continued, "now back to your earlier question, what happened here. Well... We were all here and in the courtyard enjoying the festival. Out of nowhere father looked up and started saying he sees Ashentel. He ordered everyone into the Sanctuary. All of the citizens packed this room as father stood where I am standing and said Ashentel has arrived. He prayed for this day for a long time and now he gets to see the inhert that will fight for balance. Something arose inside me. An anger unrivaled, a feeling I never had before. I now hated someone more than I hate you! I hated Ashentel! I wanted to see him crushed. I closed my eyes and I saw him. He showed me all the wrong you have done and revealed to me a power I have never known. I loved it, adored it, and I wanted more. He asked me Temiom do you want to become powerful to make your father proud and of course I agreed. When I opened my eyes I was feet off the ground. I had this hammer in my hand being surrounded and protected by my agents. Most of the monks looked horrified and it fed me more power. So I pointed my hammer at the people and ordered these agents to kill. Derinu here saw my brother run so I ordered him to kill Olupu. I turned and saw father sitting in this chair. I floated to him. He didn't look scared more like disgusted. I told him, he needs to join me his son! But he spat in my face. Called me pure evil and tried to throw me off the pedistle. I raised my hammer and struck the old fool in his chest. I saw his soul wanting to escape. I held his soul by my hand and continued to strike him until my arm was sore. I hope you got at least one of your answers out of life" Sentel laid Teema in a pew on his right. He looked at Temiom. He noticed that he wasn't the same. Sentel asked "You are not Temiom. Who are you?" " I grow tired of your questions! I am Temiom... I am also the one that the heaven's call MADU. I am Lord of all darkness. And now you will know pain and agony" Temiom threw the hammer at Sentel. To his dismay Sentel palm thrusted the Hammer back at Temiom. Temiom caught the hammer. He ordered one of his agents to attack Sentel. With a sweep of his hand he sent the agent through one of the windows on the roof. Temiom let out this yell! "WHO ARE YOU!" Sentel palm pushed three agents to his left with the power of the wind. He was now in the air with Temiom. Sentel commanded the wind to pick up and swirl around him. As he raised his arms and yelled above the swirling wind with authority "I AM SENTEL PROTECTOR OF THE AIR DOMINION GUARDIAN OF HEAVEN'S PASS! YOU SAID I DO NOT HAVE MY ANSWER AND HERE IT IS!" Sentel released the wind that swirled around him and hit Temiom directly in his chest. It sent him across the roof and he landed back first into the brick ceiling. As Temiom recovered from the blow he rushed at Sentel shoulder first. Sentel accelerated so fast from the force of the shoulder block that before he could even draw his next breath he was already sent through the wall. As Sentel regain his composure Madu was already on top of him. With one hand he lifted Sentel by his neck and threw him across the length of the sanctuary. As sentel crashed into the High Priest's chair the thought of how was Temiom so strong crossed his mind. He rose from the rubble looking down the same aisle that he entered a few moments before and saw Temiom standing in the same place that he was just standing in. As Sentel got to his feet he shook of the rest of the destroyed chair that was still on him. He gazed at Temiom. Now he saw something that he did not notice before. I dark figure that had a weird aura that emanates from deep within. At first he did not know what he was looking upon but then it hit him. He was staring at the Angel Madu. Looking in the face of pure evil, in the face of tyranny, famine, greed, and destruction, the true source of all the evil in the world. To any normal person this look would have been terrifying. Sentel was in awe at first but that awe turned into great anger. Sentel reached for his weapon. As he reached around for his gun which was located on the small of his back Temiom began to speak "What do you think that you are doing? You are not strong enough to fight me let alone defeat me. I feel your anger and it feed my hunger. I smell the pain and it's delicious. You are weak, you always have been! You think that this was your true purpose? You think that your purpose wasn't in the power of your hands the whole time? God has sent you on a suicide mission. Come and join me. And I will show you your purpose, join me Sentel and you and I can rule this realm together." Temiom reached his hand out towards Sentel with an offering gesture. Sentel stepped back. The left hand gripped the butt of the gun and without a second more Sentel pulled out the beretta. He aimed at Madu's head and pulled the trigger. A bolt of lightening escaped the gun with a fury of wind behind it. Temiom lifted the hammer and the lightning bolts struck the stone without damage. Two agents of Madu charged at Sentel. With two pulls of the trigger the agents were thrown to the back of the Sanctuary and disintegrated on impact. Temiom started to laugh. With an evil chuckle Temiom rose off the floor. He looked at his hammer and smiled as if the attack by Sentel was amusing. "Did you really think that you can defeat me with poor attacks like that. I am an Ancient, made before the angels, before the arch angels. We are the beginning. What, Ashentel didn't tell you the whole story? This hammer is made of the corner stone of this world. This handle made from the tree of the holy that is in the center of Heaven. These markings on it is before the creation of man, before the beginning of time made by and written by God himself. This is the most powerful weapon in the Heavens!" Sentel dropped his hands. He had a puzzling expression on his face "Why would God give you the most powerful weapon ever created?" Temiom with a grin responded "Thats not important-" and before Sentel knew it he was in an tight embrace by Temiom. The air rushing out of Sentel's lungs, bones crushing under the extreme pressure by the embrace. Sentel was almost ready to surrender. Air rushed between Temiom and Sentel. Temiom released his grip. Sentel willed the wind to surround Temiom. Sentel thought that this would slow him down. From deep inside the mini tornado he heard a low growl. Then Temiom's voice echoed as if he was speaking to the wind "You may have an immortal soul but you still have a mortal mind..." Temiom out of the tornado jumped out and struck Sentel in the head with the hammer.