Jesus brought the second covenant, one that opened the spiritual eyes of those who believed. But even Jesus said that few people can find it. The path he provided is invisible, and billions are lost because they cannot clearly see the way.”
While Mardon railed on, Ashley noticed Karen edging toward the door.
“My tower, on the other hand, creates a new path, a third covenant, allowing people to see Elohim with their own eyes. Now the entire world will know and understand when they behold his majesty. Surely the salvation I bring will gladden Elohim’s heart as we inaugurate a covenant of full revelation. He will usher me to his side as he did Jesus, the author of the second covenant.”
“You’re mad!” Sapphira shouted. “God wants people to seek him by faith, and you’re shredding the only veil that makes faith possible!”
“It’s worse than madness,” Ashley said, glancing at Karen as she cracked the door open. “If the gravity vacuum causes a lunar shift or even a change in Earth’s orbit around the sun, millions or even billions of lives could be lost.”
Mardon shook his head. “I have already proven the opposite. When I brought Hades and Earth together, far from killing billions, I brought people back to the world of the living.”
“How did you do that?” Sapphira asked. “You had no tower.”
He pointed at Sapphira. “I used you. Every time you crossed between Earth and Hades, you created a small void between the dimensions. Left alone, it would have dissipated, but I created a permanent link, an inter-dimensional rope that pulled the living and the dead closer together every time a void appeared.”
Sapphira raised a hand to her cheek. “I caused the problem?”
“Unwittingly, of course, but, indeed, the merging of two dimensions was fueled by your actions.”
Throwing the door open, Karen ran outside. Her cries for Walter died away as the door closed again.
Mardon stalked toward the exit. “I believe I will check on my giant. Chazaq will be here soon to join him for the final step.”
“I’d better follow him,” Gabriel said, flapping his wings as he scooted across the floor.
When Ashley and Sapphira were alone, Ashley opened her hands and showed her palms to Sapphira. Each had a deep, bloody wound the size of her pennies, both with copper-colored smears encircling them.
“What does it mean?” Sapphira asked.
Ashley’s lips trembled. “It means I gave up my intelligence.”
“You did what?”
“I figured out how we might be able to stop Mardon.” Ashley shook her head slowly. “But my brain choked so hard, it doesn’t work anymore, like my intelligence drained away.”
Sapphira took Ashley’s hands and clasped them inside her own. “You’re just exhausted. After healing Roxil and making all those calculations, you really are drained.” She caressed the gemstone in Ashley’s ring with her thumb. The gem’s color had paled to a pearly white rather than its normal deep red.
“Ashley,” Sapphira said shakily as she released her hands. “Look at your rubellite.”
Ashley gave her a weak smile. “I know. I kind of thought that might happen.” She displayed her palms again. “I gave my widow’s mites to God, and my dragon powers are gone.”
Karen spotted Walter in a huge open area and dashed toward him. “Mardon spilled his guts!” she called. “We know what’s going on now!”
“If you can tell me in about five seconds, do it.” He pulled out Excalibur and pointed it at the drizzling sky. “Roxil’s coming, and I might have to help her.”
Karen spoke rapid-fire. “He’s making a gravity vacuum that’ll destroy the barrier between Earth and Heaven so he can become some kind of messiah. Ashley says if we don’t stop him, he might kill billions.”
Walter glanced at the door to the control room. “Here comes Dr. Delusional now.” He took Karen’s hand and hid behind a concrete pillar. “Stay here. So far Roxil’s just been stalking from the clouds. I saw her peeking out to check on the giant, but she hasn’t had a chance to see if he’s going to take the bait.”
Mardon scuttled back toward the wall the giant had punctured to get into the turbine room. He stood in the opening, glancing between the turbine and the exit, apparently waiting for someone.
Karen brushed her dampening hair back from her eyes. “Maybe Roxil’s more scared than she was letting on. Remember she was worried about facing the giant alone.”
“You’re right. I’ll go ahead and try to distract Mr. Ugly, and maybe she’ll be able to get closer.”