City Appointed_Winning a City for God Read online

  “Now what do I do?” muttered Liberty to herself under her breath. She started to pace a little and looked down to the ground in thought, feeling alone and a long way from the comforts of her home that had broken apart and disappeared to who knows where. She then lifted her head heavenward directing her thoughts toward God, ‘This is just like you Holy Spirit! Falcon could have told me what to do next, but instead, I’m left to work out what to do all by myself. I know you are with me to help, but ever since forever it has been prophetic writings, parables, and promptings. Never a “Hello, and this is your agenda for today Liberty Elizabeth Rose Parkinson!” Why not some direction that is straight forward and easy?’ She pondered these things, then as if by a reaction she immediately corrected her theology, already knowing how God worked. She had known all along of course. ‘I guess life is faith, and faith is life. I will trust you, Jesus. Show me what to do next.’

  “Right, first thing...” she spoke out loud as if to instruct her body to move.

  “Find the others... I wonder who they are. I wonder if this is their first time too. Lord, this is so much to take in.”

  She took the time to drop to one knee in prayer because she felt that it was important to commit herself to the mission that the Lord had set before her. ‘Help me to be strong in this place. Use me to complete this mission, show me what to do. Where do I go?’ A clear voice sounded from within her, ‘You go forward of course.’ That was it?! No more instruction than that?!

  Liberty took a couple of steps forward. After a dozen paces, the level ground unexpectedly dipped, and her foot dropped down into a depression in the ground. After a moment she realized she had stepped into the impact crater left by Falcon as he had launched. The impression was circular, but it wasn’t just a crater, it seemed to have design. There were markings inside it. As she studied the ridges and valleys of the earth, her eyes heightened in their ability to see. It was like she had been instantly endowed with eagle lenses and saw in more detail. The crater was like a richly ornamented compass with a meridian line connecting her position, right where she stood, to another point on the compass on the opposite side. It indicated a direction and guided her line of sight toward a tall building within the central business district. She didn’t recognize the building initially but understood that the spiritual landscape of the city would be different from seeing it with natural eyes. The more imposing features of the landscape depicted areas of spiritual significance. Churches were amongst the largest buildings in the city. Spiritual strongholds of the enemy were also significant, revealing where the darkest areas of the city were. She decided that the compass was given to direct the beginning of her journey. It felt right in her spirit, which gave her a sense of relief that she now had a course of action to follow. ‘If I’m going to be left signs like this, I’m going to have to be very aware of my surroundings and not miss anything that God wants to show me,’ she thought.

  Even though she was in an unfamiliar environment, she felt a sense of confidence and also a heightened sense of awareness. It wouldn’t take her long before she felt comfortable in this realm. Liberty ran down the hill, skipping from rock to rock. She descended toward mid-city and toward her awaiting mission.

  9.

  Enemy’s plans

  Liberty approached what she knew to be Firth Road. She glanced up at the street sign and noticed that the original name had faded and was almost unreadable. Scratched over the top of the sign was a new name, ‘Grolg Ravine.’

  ‘Doesn’t look like much of a Ravine to me,’ thought Liberty, ‘Still looks like a road.’ She proceeded along the right-hand side of the road following the building line where the shadows were deepest. She became more and wary with each step. She didn’t like the thought of falling off the edge of a precipice into some forgotten universe that would keep her suspended in darkness forever. It wasn’t long before she discovered the reason for the name change. A few buildings down on the opposite side of the street, she saw three demons carrying an unwilling figure with arms and legs flailing in the air. They threw him off the side of the road, and he disappeared with a cry.

  Hesitantly she crept closer. It wasn’t that she felt scared, but she wanted to remain hidden from those who were obviously enemies. Her mission lay ahead not behind, so there was nothing for it but to continue in the direction indicated by the compass. She got closer to the creatures. Finding a dark line of shadow to follow, she crept along the pavement until she got to the point where she was across the road from them directly.

  From this distance she could quite clearly overhear their boasting, “That’s another one fallen for Grolg,” said one demon in a raspy voice with a joyous chuckle.

  “Yeah, we’ve done well over the last week. A dozen or so have fallen thanks to us. We may even be in for a promotion soon, eh,” as it nudged the first one who spoke.

  “Don’t celebrate yet, Shroud,” said the ugliest of the three, “We have to clear the way before the attack and the final decimation of this city. We still need to rid ourselves of those chosen ones who will bring the most resistance to our advancement. We need to be especially aware of the evangelist who is due to speak next week. There is a lot of activity around him. The church has wised up too and hasn’t advertised who he is. With his identity currently kept from us, we will have to move fast once he is revealed. No doubt God will alert His intercessors to hinder our advancement and even prompt them to expel some of us from the realm, so we must not slacken off or get too pleased with ourselves over the few we have already taken out.

  “Remember, if you hear of any planned prayer gatherings on the surface, report them at once, so that we can turn away as many as possible from attending. You know what happens once they get started, our plans get dashed, and we have to start again. All a waste of time—a waste of time!” The demon spat on the ground angrily, recalling past experiences and failures.

  Liberty couldn’t believe what she was hearing, the enemy’s plans were discussed so openly in a way that she could understand. Did the intercessors in her church know how directly they impacted the spirit realm? Did they know that they could expel demons and stop their plans? Did they know how powerful it is to gather together? In a moment of revelation, she knew that her personal prayer life would never be the same after overhearing this conversation, brief though it was.

  Just then a shadow passed overhead, and a creature landed with a thud a little distance away from the three demons. A small dust cloud rose from its feet.

  “Oh great,” Shroud growled in a raspy, unhappy voice, “We are being checked on again.”

  The advancing tall and skinny creature looked a cross between a ragged bat and a cheetah that walked on its hind legs. Folds of skin hung off its bones. It scurried over to them.

  “Krow!” the arrival hissed, “How many have you disposed of?!” The bat-like creature obviously had a higher rank than the other three.

  “We have disposed of two more today,” said Krow. The creature picked up a stone from the ground and scratched two marks into its forearm to keep the tally.

  “Good for you. Correction. Lucky for you!” It glared, and then continued, “As you know there has been movement in the realm. A number have just been granted access to enter like an infectious disease.”

  “Infectious disease?!” whispered Liberty angrily, “I’ll give you more than an infectious disease, I’ll give you the blade of my sword!” as one surprisingly materialized in her left hand. She calmed herself a little, knowing it was unwise to reveal her position. She also had no idea how she would measure up to facing a demon in battle. As she looked at the foreboding figures, the reality of the situation arrested her again and caused her to crouch deeper into the shadows.

  “They are top of our list as the most dangerous now,” the creature continued, “I only know the name of one of them, ‘Jack’ whom I have met in battle on the surface,” recalling the incident at the park. “But now that they have granted access they have a better chance at restoring
the city. But they must not!” spat the creature. “We have fought hard for the dark tri-references, and while they remain empty shells, without life, we have the upper hand. We won’t give them up for anything!” it snapped in an angry, broken voice, but also displaying a hint of hurt emotion.

  ‘Whatever these ‘reference’ things are, they must be real important,’ thought Liberty. ‘I wonder if these demons have destroyed them?’

  Meanwhile, the demon had composed itself and lifted its head to the sky, and the corners of its mouth turned up in a devilish smile.

  ‘But they are ours!’ it confirmed to itself as it spread its wings. Each wing looked like an old sheet stretched across a bony five-fingered frame. The bones splayed out, tapering off to claws on each tip. It flew off into the shadowed sky.

  Liberty also looked up to the sky, to where the demon had looked, and noticed the same strip of eerie red light that faintly hung in the air like the nebulaic remains of some distant star that had exploded to its death a millennium ago.

  ‘Is that to what the demon was referring? The red in the sky?’ she thought.

  “Glad he’s gone,” said Grolg in a quieter voice, almost to itself, “I always feel uneasy around him.”

  Liberty was still crouching on the opposite side of the road in the shadows. ‘I have to find the others before they get themselves discovered by the enemy’ she thought. She was surprised that she wasn’t feeling fear, rather more like one who was ready and trained for battle. A verse came to mind, ‘...physical training is of some value, but the spirit has value for all things holding promise for this life and the one to come.’

  ‘God, you have been training me,’ she thought as she remembered the many times she had spent reading the Bible, memorizing verses, praying, fasting, and taking steps of faith. She was prepared and ready to serve her Lord Jesus Christ.

  She sensed the urgency of her mission and continued along the street, being careful to remain unseen by the demons she had overheard. She darted between shadows and held tightly to the sword. Liberty stopped for a second to admire its warm golden glow. Its surface looked glassy and she could see her reflection in it. Suddenly, to her horror, she saw another reflection glancing off the blade just behind her. A ghastly demon lunged at her from an open doorway bearing sharp teeth, hungry to tear some flesh. She spun around instantly slashing her sword across its form, expertly slicing off its head with one blow. Shocked, she watched the rest of its body slump to the ground. Demon blood dripped down the stairs, but her sword remained clean and glistening. Quickly regaining her composure, she scanned the area to see if the brief confrontation had compromised her position. She set off again, this time at a gentle run. ‘I just got attacked by a demon!’ she thought, ‘I hope I reach the others soon. I wonder if I’ll meet this Jack person the demons mentioned.’

  10.

  The Gathering

  Liberty found the building she had seen from her original vantage point when she had first entered the realm. She quickly stepped around the side of the building, allowing her fingertips to run over the rough brickwork and continued toward the doorway. As she got closer to the entrance, she slowed down and edged forward, not wanting to alert the enemy that might be inside. The opening seemed free from danger, but it was hard to tell if the main foyer was safe for her to enter. She peered around the door frame and scanned the interior. Inside the foyer was an Oakwood counter, some chairs lining the edges of the room set like a reception area, shelving units, a coat stand and some potted trees in the corners to soften the room. Black and white chequered tiling covered the floor space, met by cream coloured walls hung with modern art in appropriate places. On the opposite side of the foyer were some stairs beside an elevator. All was quiet; she waited. ‘Better take the stairs,’ she thought, not liking the idea of being trapped within the confines of an elevator if another demon was to suddenly appear. Liberty detected no movement, so quickly stepped inside the building, she proceeded toward the stairs. As she climbed the many steps, she felt peace settle over her. There was an anointing in this place. It also wasn’t as cold as it was outside. ‘This building has protection,’ she thought to herself. There was nothing else for it, but to continue up the stairs, right to the roof. She ascended the many flights, filling the air with the echoing tap, tap, tap of her footsteps.

  As she arrived at the top and stepped out onto the roof, she felt intimidated by what she saw. It looked like the Council of the Holy. This gathering brought more fear than all the demons she had seen so far. This kind of fear was more like awe, the fear of the Lord. Standing around the perimeter of the roof were five angels facing outwards towards the corners of the city. With flaming crossbows drawn, they stood ready to defend their human assignments. The flames of the crossbows disturbed the veil of darkness like a breeze parting atmospheric curtains, allowing a glimpse into a distant place warmer than here. The fire was restraining the darkness from enveloping the rooftop, so that the council could stand freely, in full view, but undetected. These angels were watchmen.

  Standing in the centre of the roof were other beings radiating the presence of God. They seemed different from angels somehow, more human perhaps. The six standing in the centre turned as one towards her. The attention of their eyes overwhelmed her, arresting her senses. Liberty’s heart produced a single hard pound in her chest. She couldn’t help her mouth from opening allowing her heart beat to be felt in her throat. Her eyes also instinctively grew wider. They wore golden armour. Each person’s attire was unique to them, indicating their personality and calling.

  All at once she noticed other things that she hadn’t noticed until then, such as what she was wearing. She too wore armour. Whether she had always been wearing it or whether it had just adorned her as she stepped out onto the roof she did not know, but she looked like one of them. Her armour had an accent colour of purple, distinguishing her from the others. She also sensed another presence next to her, accompanying her entrance. She glanced up.

  “Falcon!” she said. He smiled and then turned to join the other angels in their survey of the city.

  ‘I wonder if he has been with me the whole time,’ she thought.

  ‘And on the surface,’ came the response in her mind.

  ‘Is he like my guardian angel?’ she questioned again.

  ‘Let’s just say he knows you.’

  The response came as a comfort to her. Perhaps he had been with her since her birth or even before.

  A member of the council spoke, drawing her attention back to the ones in the centre of the rooftop.

  “Welcome Liberty,” he said.

  ‘He knows my name?’ she thought.

  “You complete our number.”

  “Thanks,” said Liberty, now relieved to know that she stood among friendly faces. Immediately she recalled the task that had been set for her—‘find the others.’ Here they are, all together in one place. She knew that they were called by God, as she was, for some great purpose. She could see in their eyes, that even though they were powerful representatives of God, they all shared her questions of ‘Why?’ and ‘How?’ and ‘What?’

  “My name is Jack.” said one of the male figures who looked to be the oldest of the group. “Over here we have Tristan, Caden, Samantha, Layla and Trinity.” Tristan waved, Caden nodded, the girls smiled.

  “Including myself, there are seven of us,” he said.

  Caden was next to speak, “I assume that you haven’t done anything like this before? This is all way new for us. We are still trying to piece together what we are doing here and what God has called us to do. So far we know that our mission involves our entire city. Like we have to save our city somehow and that our time is short.”

  Liberty responded, “I can tell you what I learned on my way here, just before I had to chop a demon’s head off.”

  “Wow,” interjected Samantha as she shuddered at the thought, “Sounds like your adventure is well under way.”

  Liberty shared her story thus
far about seeing someone being thrown off the edge of the road by three demons. She recounted the conversation that she had overheard as the demons discussed the imminent attack on the city, also the evangelist due next week and the fact that the demons knew that humans had been given access to their realm.

  Caden asked, with a somewhat bemused expression, “Where did the guy disappear to? I mean the one the demons caught. Did he like, just disappear?’

  “All I know,” said Liberty, “is that Firth Road has had its name changed to ‘something Ravine’, and now it apparently has a massive chasm that we had better not fall in to.”

  “Yeah, that’s right,” continued Caden, “So what I’m saying is that we can’t trust that we know the layout of our city any more. We have entered the spiritual landscape of Riverdale and there could be all kinds of traps and chasms. So we all need to be super ‘on to it’.”

  Just then a wind blew in from the east that caused all of them to turn towards it. The wind was refreshing, and it felt warm against her skin. Liberty’s hair blew back from her face. She breathed in deeply filling her lungs with its energy. The sound of thunder accompanied the wind. As she looked, she noticed a stirring in the clouds that grew as she watched, forming a widening, spinning funnel. A bright light blazed from within it. The light reflected off the armour of those on the building. The concrete surface they were standing on sparkled in the glory. Liberty felt a transfer of energy from whatever it was into her body. She focused her gaze expectantly on the swirling centre. She couldn’t help but feel excited by what may appear. The energy that was radiating from the source was captivating. ‘Could this be God?’ she thought.