John Lyman - The Secret Chapel

Slowly regaining his strength, Leo was trying to stand. He looked at the cardinal with disbelieving eyes.

Cardinal Lundahl stepped forward and put his left hand on Leo’s shoulder while making a sign of the cross with the other. “We’re glad you made it back to us, Father.”

A strong movement within the chapel shook the ground beneath their feet, and bricks and rocks began to fall from the ceiling above.

Morelli looked up at the cardinal. “We don’t have much time, Marcus.”

Leo was completely baffled. He looked from Lundahl back to Morelli, not knowing what to believe anymore. “Time for what?”

Morelli looked Leo in the eyes. “Cardinal Lundahl is the one.”

“The one for what?” Leo shouted.

“He is the only one mentioned in the code who must face the demon in the chapel. You and the others were only meant to retrieve the book and bring it here. Marcus is the one who must face the evil within that room on the other side of this wall. That bump I got on the head prevented me from telling you that before you all entered the chapel.”

“But Lev knew. I remember him telling me in the chapel that I wasn’t the one.”

“Somehow, he sensed in the midst of the encounter with the demon that you weren’t the one chosen to deliver the book,” Morelli said.

“He’s right, Leo,” Lev said. “That’s the first time I’ve ever retreated in battle, but I knew we weren’t supposed to be there this time. We needed reinforcements, and I believe they have arrived.”

The ground shook violently again as more bricks fell around them and a series of hideous growls could be heard inside the chapel. The cardinal looked at Morelli and the others with a mixture of sadness and resignation. “I must go now.”

“May God be at your side, Marcus,” Morelli said.

The solemn chant of men praying in Latin echoed in the tunnel as the priests and cardinals doused Lundahl’s clothing from their vials of holy water before he walked to the entrance of the chapel. Without looking back, the cardinal ducked and squeezed his tall frame through the opening in the wall before disappearing into the red mist beyond.

After the cardinal had disappeared into the chapel, the demon could be heard laughing with a hideous cosmic voice that seemed to come from everywhere at once, like an echo connected in a never-ending stream. With the fearlessness of youth, Alon and John wanted to follow, but Lev and the others held them back. Morelli stood beside them and looked through the opening. “He has to do this alone. Whatever you do, don’t enter the chapel.”

“But why?” Alon asked, his voice trembling and his body shaking. “We’re the ones who found that damned book and brought it here. Why does he have to go in there alone? You heard what that thing said; one priest is not enough.”

Morelli winced and pulled at his Roman collar. “He’s a cardinal, a Prince of the Church and the one God has chosen by name to enter and face the demon. We must not interfere.”

They all stood looking through the opening as another series of violent quakes shook the ground and the crumbling ruins of the catacombs around them. A few glanced up at the ceiling above, not knowing how much more shaking the ancient tunnels could withstand before the entire area caved in.

Leo stuck his head into the chapel, momentarily catching a glimpse of the cardinal standing before the demon and speaking to him. The creature’s hideous face was now inches from Lundahl’s, breathing in and out and filling the air around them with a warm and nauseating stench. The Devil’s breath. Time seemed to stand still as more rumbling and growling noises could be heard from within. Suddenly, the cardinal cried out.

In the blink of an eye, the room filled with a brilliant light, and the foul smell of the demon was replaced with the aroma of roses. Leo stared unbelievingly at the sight that began to unfold around Lundahl. Seven enormous angels encircled him, bathing the cardinal in their golden light. They were beautiful. Their shining brilliance made it difficult to look at them. Their features were blurred, but Leo could still see their faces and the kindness that flowed from within.

Leo’s mind was barely able to absorb what he was seeing. Somehow, he knew that these were no ordinary angels, but archangels, God’s most powerful and faithful soldiers. The others gathered around the opening and stared at the astonishing sight before them. The priests and cardinals who had accompanied Lundahl immediately dropped to their knees and began to pray. Leo, Morelli, Lev, John, Ariella, and Alon stood transfixed in front of the opening, unable to speak or move.

The cardinal was now standing with his arms outstretched. The dazzling light emanating from the angels reflected off the cardinal’s golden cross as they spoke to him in inaudible tones. Only Morelli seemed to know what they were saying and began to tell the others. “They’re identifying themselves one by one to the cardinal and the demon.”

Morelli paused for a moment, a smile spreading across his face. “The first and tallest one is the archangel, Michael , meaning he who is like God . He is God’s most faithful angel, and his main function is to rid the earth and its inhabitants of fear.” The angel spread his long wings and held his sword high before turning to face the demon, his mere presence forcing Satan’s most powerful soldier to recoil in fear, for these two had met in battle before.

Morelli paused again. The otherworldly voices of the archangels that only he seemed to hear had caused his entire facial expression to change. “The next one is Ariel, the lion or lioness of God . This archangel is a fierce protector.”

Ariel spread her luminescent wings forward around the cardinal and looked sweetly back at Leo and the others. Her presence gave comfort to those watching from outside, especially Ariella, who saw the angel’s eyes meet hers for a brief second.

“The third is Chamuel ,” Morelli said, “meaning he who sees God , and he is endowed with the power to protect the world from fearful and lower energies like demons.” Chamuel advanced on the lesser demons, causing them to shriek in fear and take on a vapor-like appearance. The angels were also communicating with each other and looking over their heads at a vision only they could see.

Morelli looked upward in an effort to see what they were looking at but could see only the stone ceiling. Despite the fact that he had the look of total peace on his face, his whole body was shaking.

“What about the others, Father Anthony?” Ariella asked.

Morelli shook himself loose from the grip the experience was having upon his physical body and peered back into the chapel. After a full minute of silence, he staggered away from the opening, unable to go on.

Leo watched Morelli with concern, waiting for his friend to regain his strength, when, without warning, Father Leo suddenly found himself seized with the ability to hear the archangels speaking within the chapel. Tears of joy began to stream down his face. The angel’s voices were the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. Leo knew no choir in the world could stir such emotion. He inched closer to the opening and listened before speaking to the others.

“The fourth archangel is Gabriel ,” Leo said. “His name means God is my strength . He is known as the angel of resurrection and is the patron archangel of the clergy.” The others gasped at the mention of his name, and the priests in the tunnel crossed themselves. He was considered by many to be the rock star of all angels. Gabriel had placed himself between the demons and those outside the chapel.