Welcome to the second installment of Heaven’s Mercenaries, and the fourth and final season of Power Couple! This has been one amazing journey, and expect one hell of a blazing end to this amazing series!

Let’s get right into it!

SIXTY YEARS AGO

“The teachings of the word are without repentance. The only ones who do not follow the full bible are people who want to live by their own dictates. You must be both a lifelong student and follower of the word to the letter if you want to thrive in the things of God. Ministry is not about standing in front of people and talking. Ministry is about demonstrating a life you live with God behind the scenes, so that people may learn how to do the same. And that, is the end of our lesson today. May God open these concepts up to you in your periods of private meditation. As always, do be certain that you do not skip curfew tonight.”

The class emptied out quickly. Two straight hours of lectures on the hottest day of the year was enough to have everyone both parched and starving, and no one was about to wait one more second for Reverend Dr. Carl Tumi to utter another syllable. As the boys began to head to the canteen, Dr. Tumi took a seat at his table as he called out, “Cassius. Stay behind.”

Most of the boys briefly turned to the boy in question and gave him an apologetic look while packing their bags. He sat down with a neutral look on his face, although his heart began to perform a drum solo in his chest. Once the class was emptied, Cassius remained in his seat.

“Am I going to have to show you the proper protocol once again for when an adult wants to speak with you, or would you want to make this easier on yourself?”

Cassius stood up and went to stand in front of Reverend Tumi. “My sincerest apologies, Reverend. I forgot myself.”

Carl stood up and walked around the desk, holding a sheet of paper in his hand. “It seems you forgot more than yourself, boy.”

Cassius remained in place with his head down as Carl continued. “I have here a report from your dorm master that you were conducting a  meeting last night. A meeting of the kind which you have repeatedly been warned against organizing. Tell me, Cassius, is this true?”

Cassius nodded, but Carl was not having it. “Look up at me, boy, and answer with your words. Is it true?”

Cassius swallowed and looked into Carl’s eyes. “Yes, reverend, it is true.”

“You were holding your own private service last night?”

“Yes, reverend.”

“And this service included the prophetic ministry?”

“It did.”

“Tell me, boy, why do you persist in espousing beliefs that you have not been taught at this institution? And why do you continue to attempt to corrupt the other young men with an unsanctioned, unbiblical gift?”

“Reverend, the prophetic gift is completely biblical, and it is the oldest gift among them all. Prophets have been around since the old testament. I was only following the leading of the Holy Spirit.”

“How many times must I tell you that the prophetic ended when Jesus died! Prophets were not gifted beings; they were hand selected to carry the message of God at very specific times, and their consecration separated them from other men. Jesus’ death took away the need for them, and anyone in modern times who claims to be one is a charlatan, a liar, and a schemer. How many times must I warn you against heresy, boy?”

“Reverend, Agabus prophesied to Paul in the New Testament. This was well after Jesus died. John wrote down revelations on the island of Patmos; that was the prophetic at work. And if God only chooses to operate with specific people at specific times, why was Rhoda able to see Peter and think that it was rather Peter’s angel? Does it not stand to reason that the sighting of angels was not uncommon even after the death of Christ? Surely you would not want to convince me that Rhoda was part of the select few made for consecration for the purpose of spiritual vision.”

Cassius was so passionate about his speech that he did not pay attention to the increasing anger on Carl’s face.

“So, boy, you now fancy yourself equal to me.”

“No, reverend, I am simply saying-”

The heat which burned Cassius’ cheek from the slap he took was only worsened by the immediate heat from the slap that followed the first one.

“You, a sapling under my tutelage, are now convinced that you have learned enough to lecture me. You, a nothing and a nobody, now challenge me. Me, who led the revival that brought enlightenment of spirituality to this country. Me, who has furthered the cause of the gospel for over thirty years. Me, who has written books given to me by God himself for the edification of the body. You now want to challenge my understanding of scripture?”

Cassius began to plead, “Reverend, I am sorry. I did not mean to-”

Another double slap.

“KNEEL DOWN!”

Cassius immediately fell to his knees, knowing how bad this was about to get. He was still recovering from the sting of the first two slaps when the last two hit. He felt his tear ducts welling up, but he refused to release them. His fear intensified even as he watched Reverend Tumi take off his belt and fold in a manner he was familiar with.

“Bend down.”

“Sir, I assure you, I didn’t-”        

Carl smacked the back of his head so hard that his face hit the floor. Cassius lay prostrate and lost control of his tears as the searing pain from the whip continued to flood his senses over and over and over without count.

*****

Carl dragged a borderline unconscious Cassius into the basement of the campus sanctuary, into a tiny room with only one door and no windows. The room had a really high ceiling, and it felt like the inside of an industrial freezer. Carl threw Cassius into the room like he was a duffel bag.

“Since you clearly need more time to mull over the lessons we have tried to teach you, you can stay here for the next month. And don’t expect any food either. Insolent child!”

With that, the door slammed shut, and Carl’s footsteps echoed on the other side of it with increasing distance until there was no longer any sound.

Cassius did his level best not to move on account of the wicked soreness he felt on his back. It was as though someone had taken a hot metal strip and dragged it across every inch of his back. This was neither his first time on the wrong side of Reverend Tumi nor his first time in ‘The Dungeon,’ as the boys called it. Being a teenage child with the courage of his convictions in a highly traditional setting meant that he’d made a habit of offending his teachers whether he tried to or not. That usually came with a number of different punishments, one of which was being locked in this freezing, windowless cellar.

The only semblance of air in the room came from the crack beneath the door, which was also how the roaches and the rats came in sometimes. Thankfully, those creatures hated the cold more than he did, so there weren’t many that visited.

“Boy, I thought I was the only one who knew this place.”

The sound jarred Cassius into turning, and he winced at the pain from his back. His eyes were still blurry from the tears, but even in the dark, he was able to make out the shape of another boy. He looked about the same age, except he was a lot scrawnier, and he barely had any clothes on.

“I thought I was the only one who ever got sent here too. I had no idea this was a more common form of punishment.”

“Well, I am not under punishment.”

“You’re not?”

“No, I come here very often of my own free will. It is an excellent hiding place. Although, looking at you, it appears to be a colder form of hell for others.”

Cassius’ shock spread across his face faster than a plague. “In a manner of speaking. I am still stuck on the part where you like this frozen tundra.”

“What did you do to deserve being beaten until your shirt was torn?”

Cassius found a way to sit up against the wall, and the immediate relief from the cold against his wounds made him sigh. “Well, I organized a prayer meeting against the school’s wishes.”

The other boy frowned for a second. “Wait a minute. You cannot be the boy who has been causing a stir all around campus. The boy who can tell the past, the present, and the future?”

Cassius lightly rubbed his back against the wall for more cold soothing. “I don’t know about all that. I do know that there tends to be a significant prophetic element in my prayer meetings.”

“So you’re that boy. I must say, I thought you’d be a lot taller or simply more imposing. Still, I’m impressed. No one stands up to Reverend Carl Tumi enough to anger him to the point of destruction. That is a level of bravery and defiance I aspire to.”

“I consider myself more foolish than brave or defiant. I don’t know why I keep choosing to attract this punishment. But I cannot help how God chooses to partner with me.”

“Partner?”

“Yes. I believe that God works with us instead of just using us like they teach. I don’t believe in a God who treats his children like pawns or rags for use only. I think that God likes to work hand in hand with us.”

The boy nodded and shifted to sit next to the wall beside Cassius. “Interesting. By the way, I’ve watched your meetings from afar, and I’m intrigued at what’s actually happening. But I should at least know your first name before I start bothering you. Something my grandfather taught me before he died.”

“Right. My name is Cassius. Cassius Benton.”

“Good to meet you, Cassius, although in unfortunate circumstances. My name is Aurelius. Aurelius Glazer.”

Now there’s a piece of information we didn’t know. The Archbishop was Cassius? And he knew a Glazer? This should be interesting…