Josh was enjoying the moment between him and Penemune, her hand resting on his chin as she was about to kiss him again, as the Priestess walked up.
“We still have to do the naming ceremony and…” started the Priestess as suddenly a shimmer portal opened beside her. The portal was massive as two figures walked through. One was a massive ten foot tall men dressed in golden armor with multiple sapphires inlayed in the armor in a pattern to make the outline of a tree on the breastplate. His six golden wings, with flowing golden locks all below a rainbow colored halo made him stand out to anyone.
However, it was the second figure which drew the attention of everyone else.
He was equally tall and built like a tank, his thick neck almost seemed to explode from his armor while a pair of cat ears and with a matching tail moved behind him. His skin was a sickly brown color like a toad or something like that. His armor was pitch black with a dark purple jewel inlayed in it.
“What is he doing here.” growled the priestess with hate in her voice. “You opened a portal into this holy place for the likes of him.”
“I understand your concern, but this is a matter of importance to both Heaven and Hell.” Stated the 10-foot-tall men.
“Believe me, I don’t want to be here.” grumbled the toad skinned man.
“Princess Penemune.” greeted the tall man
“Archangel Michael.” greeted Penemune as Josh’s eyes widened. “This is Josh Church, we haven’t gone through the naming ceremony yet so I can’t give you his court name.”
“No matter.” said Michael waving it away, before looking at Josh. “First, I thank you for stepping forward and taking the blow meant for our Princess here, God was very impressed by your love of her there.”
“Thank you.” said Josh to this towering figure of a man.
“We have destroyed most of the Iron Knights, but your father and a few other local members of the order are still missing.” Stated the toad man “Where could he be?”
“Forgive my…guest, this is Baal Command-in-Chief of the armies of Hell and my counterpart.” Explained Michael “However we do need to find him.”
“I assume you have checked the house and the church?” inquired Josh
“Yes, we actually burned the church down.” Stated Baal as the Priestess bristled at a church burning. “Under God’s orders that is. Michael himself called down the thunderbolt which started the fire.”
“Is there anywhere else he could be?” inquired Michael as Josh considered.
“Maybe the country club, he always spent Sunday afternoons there playing a round of golf with his buddies.” Offered up Josh as Baal and Michael shared a look. For a moment Josh was worried he had said something very dumb.
“Rounds of golf, sounds like great cover for an Iron Knights meeting.” Stated Baal
“I agree.” Confirmed Michael “We shall go there. Thank you, Josh I am sorry to interrupt your naming ceremony.”
With that another portal appeared, this one shimmer black flames as Baal and Michael walked through it before disappearing.
“Alright, lets go on.” Said the Priestess as she looked at Josh. “Do you proclaim yourself to be an Angel of Heaven?”
“I do.” Answered Josh, not sure if he had to say that or yes, but Penumune nodded her head confirm what he said was right. He had his head bowed; he didn’t know if that was right either, but he did it.
“Do you give your allegiance to King Jehovah on his throne?”
“I do.”
“Do you agree to sever only the light and to honor the will of God?”
“I do.”
“Do you agree to only worship the light and to never turn your back and embrace darkness?”
“I do.” Said Josh
“Good, then I welcome you to stand among the holy ranks of angels for all time and grant you the name Thoth.” Proclaimed the Priestess as Josh raised his head as the Priestess nodded her head and went off to sign some documents.
“Do I have to go by Thoth?” inquired Josh to Penumune who shook her head.
“Only in legal matters.” Confirmed Penumune before she smiled. “My father must have had a hand in this, that is a holy name.”
Josh looked at her confused.
“Thoth was the first head Librarian; he was killed in Lucifer’s rebellion protecting knowledge and God forbade people from using his name to name kids so that he would stand apart for all time. I think he is considered an Egyptian god on Earth.” Explained Penumune “He had to give the go ahead to the Priestess to use it. To carry that name is a high honor.”
“Well then, I am honored to carry it, even if it is only in court.” Said Josh “So what now?”
“First we get you some cloths and I assume you want to see what happened to your mother we will see if we can open a portal to hell to see her and your sister.” Stated Penumune.
“You can’t just open a portal to hell?” inquired Josh as Penumune shook her head.
“That would be like you just walking into the Pentagon. I can open portals to earth and into the capital city but not everyone can. Even I can’t open one into the Palace itself and Hell is flat out for me.” Explained Penumune “Maybe Michael could open a portal to one of the layers but each layer has it’s own defenses and it gets harder and harder to transport yourself there.”
“Then how does the Iron Knights attack demons?” inquired Josh
“Ancient magic allows them to open a portal to the first circle….maybe the second circle, those are the easiest to get to.” explained Penumune “That is how the armies of heaven used to do it, but they never got past the 4th circle and where pushed back afterwards. To be fair the armies of hell can do the same to us, they have taken whole holy cities in the past but not for long.”
“I have so much to learn.” confirmed Josh
“And I will be happy to teach you.” added Penumune
On Earth a door came crashing down, as a mighty war hammer covered in sick purple flame turned it into splinters after a single strike.
If anyone had been standing on the other side, they would have been horrified to see a man in black armor like some kind of medieval knight step through the door. Moments later, another figure this one in golden armor with a flaming sword out and at the ready came in behind him.
“He isn’t here.” Growled Baal, they had found the hidden marks showing the location of the bunker of the Iron Knights.
“No, he isn’t.” confirmed Michael as he scanned the room. His eyes focused on a wall full of multiple blades, some of the spots were very noticeably empty. “Several weapons are gone. They must be on the run.”
“Yes.” Confirmed Baal as his eyes shifted toward a corner of the room as he sniffed the air. “I smell Hell.”
“You are smelling yourself.” Stated Michael
“No…someone opened a portal here, my guess no more then 2 or 3 hours ago.” Stated Baal as he snorted. “I know where they are, the cowards are in hell.”
“Could Rev Church be going after his daughter?” inquired Michael “Seams strange that they would launch a raid on hell at this moment.”
“I don’t see how he would know.” Stated Baal “Still once he got there all he would have to do is get a hold of a newspaper and he would learn that. The Marriage of the 9th daughter of Lucifer is top page news.”
“If I know humans like him, he will want kill her.” Stated Michael
“There is no way he could get down to the 9th circle.” Stated Baal as he bristled at the idea of an Iron Knight getting past all the defenses he had personally set up. “Still, you may be right.”
He turned and opened another flaming portal and stepped through followed moments later by Michael who found himself standing in the Private meeting room at the Heart of the Palace in the center of Hell. His brother lucifer was standing at a table with multiple other demons, some of whom he recognized as some of the upper generals in hell.
“My Lord, sorry for the interruption.” Apologized Baal as he bowed his head, while Michael stood behind him with his arms crossed over his chest. As everyone turned and looked, instantly everyone’s eyes aside from Lucifer’s himself was filled with hate toward Michael. The Archangel didn’t care, he knew they blamed him for the failed rebellion, he had informed God of the rebellion when Lucifer had come to him with the offer to join it, some including himself knew if had given into temptation that day, Lucifer would be ruling from Heaven not Hell.
“Not a problem, my friend.” Said Lucifer before his eyes moved toward Michael “How are you brother?”
“It’s been a bad day; I have had to shed blood.” explained Michael “Even if it wasn’t the blood of the innocent.”
“I understand.” Confirmed Lucifer before turning to Baal “Have you found the Rev?”
“No, my King however we have found the safe house he was likely using, and someone has opened a portal to Hell from this location a few hours ago.” Reported Baal “Judging by the strength of the smell, I would say it is possible they opened a portal to at least the 5th circle.”
“No mortal has ever opened a portal beyond the 2nd.” Countered a court official.
“If not lower.” Added Baal his voice threatening. “How many generals in human history end up dead by underestimating their enemies. At least the 5th circle, I am sure.”
“So he comes to my Kingdom.” stated Lucifer his hand under his chin.
“So it would seem.” confirmed Michael “Brother, you know how humans are, once he learns his daughter is a demon he will attempt to go after her.”
“An Iron Knight in the lower circles…” scuffed a Demon behind Lucifer.
“If he is in the 1st or second circle, he will soon learn that the Iron Knights are no more and that makes him and his comrades dangerous.” Stated Lucifer as he placed his hand behind his back. “With so many Iron Knights souls destined to go to the lower circles the gates are opened, it would be easier then normal for him to pass down here unnoticed and he would want to kill his daughter and wife once he learns of her becoming a demon.”
Lucifer then turned to one of the knights standing against the wall.
“Captain, gather up members of the royal guard I want protection around my daughter and her soon to be wife and mother.” Stated Lucifer “And begin a search of Hell.”
“Sir.” Confirmed the Knight as he went off to carry out the orders of his king.
“Brother, if I may make a recommendation.” offered Michael as Lucifer looked at him, before nodding his head for him to go on. “Maybe the safest place for your daughter and her future wife and mother-in-law is to be in heaven.”
All the demons aside from Lucifer scuffed at the idea.
“Give a Princess of Hell to heaven as a hostage?” inquired another demon general.
“She wouldn’t be a hostage, she would be heading to heaven to see her brother-in-law and a mother’s need to see her son is
understandable, isn’t it?” offered Michael as Lucifer considered the offer. “If you are worried about a hostage situation, I will remain in her place while we hunt for the Rev. I would make a far better hostage then my niece and her family.”
The supreme general and best warrior in all of Heaven was offering himself up as a possible hostage. That was something unheard of. God would want his champion back at all cost and a princess of Hell wasn’t the equal of him, not even if Astaroth joined her the two of them with the addition of Rachel and Rebecca wouldn’t equal how important Michael is. That wasn’t even counting on the fact that God wanted Rec. Church more then almost anything at the moment, no mortal across all of time has struck a daughter of God, let alone one of his favorites.
“So brother yes? Or No?” inquired Michael