Chapter 6 Isiah

This mountain resort was far too much. It wasn’t just the cost of the resort. There wasn’t an aspect of the cabin which wasn’t state of the art. Part of me wanted to grab a tent and sleep by the lake, but I didn’t want to leave Lauren.

Thomas’s comments about our origins stirred a little resonance inside me. I couldn’t just discount what he was saying as bullshit. Granted, he was full of shit sometimes, but I know when he was sincere by now. If I hadn’t just had that strange dream and the memories, then I would have discounted it all together.

Until a few days ago, I’ve never been the type to pray. However, the night she was in the hospital was overwhelming for me. Thomas mentioned there was an angel in the room. The reason I believed him was that when I prayed, I truly felt something different. I had the feeling I wasn’t alone but couldn’t put my finger on it. That’s not to say I don’t feel anger over letting what is happening to occur. I needed an outlet, and God was it.

I told Lauren about my dream, and we dissected it, trying to figure out some significance. I sat down and wanted to do it again. Except I couldn’t, at least not at first. It wasn’t until I remembered my presence of mind the first time it happened. Focusing on Lauren, I let my mind drift, and I felt my mind and body lifting off.

Again, I was in the same type of forest and heard a waterfall nearby. Unlike before, there wasn’t a beautiful woman nearby. I made my way to the waterfall and looked down into the water. There wasn’t a time I didn’t feel somehow drawn to the water. Nothing about it held any discomfort or fear. I was as comfortable swimming as I was walking on dry land. Looking down into the pool, I was ready to jump in when I felt a presence nearby, a significant one. I’m not sure how I knew, but I did. It was “my place,” and I knew its visitors.

Turning, I saw a large man and a tall black woman approach. He was easily my height with a similar build except with long blonde hair. He was dressed in a combination of gold/silver plate and chain armor with ornate flowing designs and characters I remembered earlier as Enochian. Along with the silver and gold armor, he wore a red Roman-style cloak, but he didn’t bear any weapons. His presence alone was overwhelming. Part of my brain made me think to bow, but I decided not to. The woman was not as tall, but she looked like a very fit black woman. A set of white wings were present and folded along her back, and she kept a stony expression. I wondered if this was the woman Thomas described earlier. He nodded to me in greeting, and I returned the gesture.

“Isiah, it’s been a long time. How are you?” he greeted me in a deep yet friendly voice.

I shrugged. “I’ve been better. Memory isn’t what it used to be.” I snubbed in a blatant attempt to let him know I had no idea who he was.

“Apologies, I keep forgetting. I am Michael, and this is Briathas. I call her Bree. We are of Host of the Almighty.”

Taken aback, I nearly spluttered, “Michael? As in the Archangel?”

He seemed to have been expecting the comment. “That’s a title the humans gave me many years ago. It’s suitable, I suppose, and correct in the general meaning.”

The look of shock on my face and the overall pause made him continue. “I noticed you gazing into the depths a few moments ago. Shall we sit? I’ve come to inform you of a story that is long overdue in its telling.”

I nodded and took a seat by the water. I noticed Briathas didn’t take a seat. Instead, she stood behind us a few steps. She gave me the impression of a bodyguard or sentry, focused on nothing yet everything around us.

“Assuming you know the original story of Adam and Eve, I will start there. Adam, created in God’s image, was created for dominion over land and animals. Eve was created from his ribs to be his mate and to help him in the dominion. They lived, of course, in the Garden of Eden, as you know. All was fine until Lucifer, in the guise of a serpent, approached Eve and convinced her to eat the fruit. You may know the rest.”

He grabbed a stick to prod absently at a rock nearby. “The Almighty found out and cast them out of the Garden, each with their curses. Here is the part you don’t know. Eve was created, but at no point did she ever have a choice to be with Adam. It was, as it turns out, to be the ultimate in arranged marriages. She was his perfect mate, but the opposite wasn’t true. The first time they ever fought, what did he do? He didn’t stand up for the woman he was supposed to love. Adam accuses her in front of the Almighty for his failings. Eve, of course, admits her part, but the damage was done. Adam was shallow, insecure, and weak. I was forced to watch their relationship unfold, and by the time Cain was born, followed by Abel, their marriage was a loveless one.

Michael sighed loudly, shaking his head. “Cain slew his brother Abel as you well know, but his reasoning was born out of sheer jealousy. Abel was a sheepherder and a very gentle person resembling his mother’s temperament. Cain was very much like his father, Adam. Abel was in the Almighty’s favor, and Cain was not. During this time, Eve and I spent many hours in conversation. Of all the Almighty’s creations, Eve stands as his crowning achievement in beauty and magnificence.”

The mighty Archangel paused in reflection for a few moments. He was silent so long I turned to look at him, prompting him to continue. Glancing at me suddenly, I realized he drifted away in his thoughts. “Her beauty unmatched by any in heaven’s creation, and that includes the host. Her personality is magnetic yet gentle, and you couldn’t help but love the woman. She was a woman most worthy of desire which she instills all men most severely.” He said the latter dreamily as if remembering how he felt back then.

I picked up on his present tense use of her personality. “You said her personality IS magnetic.” His description led me to believe he still harbors intense feelings. Worse, he is utterly helpless to act upon them.

He glanced at me and smiled. “Eve’s soul is eternal Isiah. I assumed you knew.”

I nodded, not wanting to sidetrack his story. “Go on. What happened next?”

The large Archangel stood up and grabbed a rock. Walking over to the edge of the water, he tossed it in. His back was to me as he continued his story, “As you may have figured out. I wasn’t immune to the effect of Eve. We consummated our relationship, effectively cuckolding Adam. Eve became pregnant, and she bore the very first fraternal twins. Seeing Eve pregnant wasn’t a new thing. She had several children, but they all bore a similar appearance. It wasn’t until one of the twins was born with blonde hair did it occur to anyone something wasn’t right. If Eve’s marriage was bad before, then it became worse. Adam refused to speak to her, and Cain became jealous once again. He pursued and sexually abused his mother. Cain forced Eve to give up the twins. The twins barely survived by the compassion of the other son Seth. Eventually, the twins were discovered by Cain and killed.” He stopped and took a breath. The story’s pace and tone changed for the worse.

“Twins, as it turns out, are unique in how they hold and use power. They are more powerful together but are reliant on each other. Whether this is intentional or not, no one knows, but it’s something they do instinctively. The twins’ power was emerging when Cain found out.” He paused again in his story to reflect internally.

“What does this have to do with me?” I ask

Turning to look at me, he arched an eyebrow. “You are one of the twins Isiah. You and your sister have been escaping heaven and reincarnating yourselves longer than anyone can remember.” He turned toward me and placed his hand on my shoulder. “You are my only son Isiah.” He said this with emotion in his voice I couldn’t quite name. Was it pride or shame? “You have a potent mix of my gifts and your mothers.”

“My sister is?” I let the question hang but knowing the answer before he said it.

“Spiritually speaking, Lauren is your sister. You are, of course, not biological siblings now. Bree thinks the reason you look the same during every reincarnation is a result of the potent power of your divinity. Your angelic divinity rewrites your biology. You only have a fraction of what you could have, but it’s enough.”

It was all just too much to wrap my mind around. All this getting thrust upon me in a short time is hard to fathom.

“Look, I know this is hard to believe, but when you started to manifest abilities, it was clear you were going to be incredibly powerful. You were a good and gentle soul back then. Cain took advantage. Each time you reincarnated, you changed a little. The same applies to Lauren, but she is much less hardened. In that way, she is very much like your mother, and the warrior spirit you bear comes from me. Her gifts are more spiritual, and yours tend toward the martial. It’s only a guess, but I assume it’s only a matter of time before you both will eventually balance out. All the Archangels were forbidden to couple with humans after that. I was ordered not to interfere with your lives. It was an order I regret following most dearly.” He looked at me with a pained expression before continuing.