3R

3R

Jashen took up the ancient weapon and glanced at his divine guest. "Again, Lord Belphegor, by your leave?" With the order to proceed, Jashen squeezed the Golden Gift to allow the black shaft of nothingness to lick the headband into oblivion. But he could not avoid damage to the table.

He said, "The Lord Elyon will affirm that only two defects in locality now extend through his umbilical with Bat-El."

"What you say is of a truth. Now, Jashen, you will deliver this Golden Gift into my hand."

"Alas, Lord, such is my own will, but it is not the will of Bat-El."

"What is that to me?" snarled Belphegor. "You say you serve the elohim. It is an eloah who commands you to do this thing."

"Milord, Bat-El's power to compel obedience is at the heart of my quarrel with him, and I am not alone in this. The weapon would be of no avail to you in any case, milord. Over the centuries the B'nei Elohim have gained an understanding of how this relic works. There is an unseen tube that somehow stretches directly back to Elyon, and this is held open by a substance we call dark light, made by Bat-El's body. In most cases the tube connects two fold-doors, and can be made as thick as a man is tall, for a brief period of time. In the case of this weapon, there is only the source of dark energy in the heart of the sun that is Bat-El."

Belphegor saw it was indeed pointless to demand the relic. Bat-El would simply refuse to make it work. On the other hand, now that he knew the secret of it he could make one very much like it himself. He said, "And how do you control the weapon if it relies on Elyon to operate?"

"A firm pressure by the hand is all, milord," said Jashen. "This is somehow sensed by Bat-El."

"You ignorant fool! The sound of your voice is changing pressure. He is listening to everything we say!"

Jashen tried to think of a way to shrug respectfully in the presence of a seraph but he could not. Instead he said, "Lord Belphegor, we already know he is listening, and it matters not at all. Bat-El is perfectly aware there is an unsatisfied faction among the B'nei Elohim. The controversy is ancient. An angel named Joy once served Samael in the days of the dragon."