Moses, consumed by determination and love for his adopted son Ezrae, activated the Mark of Chronicles. As he began the prayer that metatron told him, the mark began to sear and glow with light.
When his marked hand touched Ezrae's staff, a surge of power coursed through his body, causing him to convulse in agony. The desert air crackled with energy, and the very ground trembled beneath them.
The magic of the Mark proved to be volatile and difficult to control. Instead of channeling the blessing properly, as Moses activated it and bent the blessing to his will, he felt an overwhelming drain on his vitality. Before the horrified eyes of Aaron and Miriam, Moses began to rapidly age, his hair turning white, his eyes becoming dull, and his skin wrinkling.
Aaron's voice trembled with fear as he shouted over the deafening roar of magical effects, "Sister, Apparently the Mark of Chronicles requires a sacrifice of vitality! If we don't help Moses, he will be aged to dust before our eyes!"
Miriam's eyes widened with panic. "How do we help him, Aaron? HOW?! If Moses dies, surely God will smite us for our failures, and the Israelites will be left in Panic and Destruction at the hands of Amalek."
Aaron's mind raced, desperately searching for a solution. Then, a sudden realization dawned on him. "Grab the staff, Miriam! Hurry! Perhaps we can help to abate the effects if we interrupt the channel!"
As Miriam and Aaron both grabbed a hold of Ezrae's staff, an incredible phenomenon occurred. Time itself seemed to freeze, and the world around them came to a standstill. The deafening chaos was replaced by an eerie silence, broken only by the hollow sound of a single person clapping.
In the midst of the frozen scene, having regained the ability to move and react; Moses, Miriam, and Aaron turned their attention towards the source of the clapping sound.
There, dressed in deep black robes, stood a man with burning eyes of fiery red-orange, exuding pure malevolence. The air around him turned frigid as his presence sent shivers down their spines. A wicked smile played upon his lips as he addressed the high priests and priestess of Israel.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't Moses and his petulant siblings," the man sneered. "I was suddenly alerted to three very important souls that needed to be collected and brought to Sheol, and I just had to come and get the all-important world-famous prophet of God, myself."
He grinned maliciously as his icy gaze turned to Miriam, and a look of seduction spread across his face, "Although you, my darling, have been on your way to my house for quite a while now."
Aaron and Miriam, overwhelmed by the immense spiritual pressure that was just oozing from this man, were forced to their knees. But Moses, gripping the staff tightly for support, managed to summon the strength to speak; his voice filled with defiance and anger.
"Go Back... To Hell... Lucifer," Moses spat out, his words laced with the holy venom of righteousness.
Lucifer chuckled darkly, relishing in Moses's defiance. "Ah, the prophet has a backbone… How delightful." he taunted. "But do you really think you can defy me? That you can change the outcome? The fate of Israel? You are but a fragile mortal, withering away before my very eyes. It was sickening to me the day that Adam was created, and to this day, the human condition makes me want to vomit. "
With a wave of his hand, Lucifer unleashed a wave of dark energy towards Moses, intensifying the aging process. Moses could feel his body weakening, his bones growing brittle.
Miriam, filled with desperation, clutched the staff tighter and began to pray with all her might. "Oh, Lord of Lords, God Almighty, Father of Israel, Yahweh; grant us your protection! Deliver us from the clutches of this vile demon! Your darknson knocks at the door of Israel and we lack the strength to combat him. But through you we can accomplish the world over."
Her prayer resonated with a profound force, piercing through the frozen world around them, and reaching the divine realms. In response, a blinding light enveloped the frozen scene. Lord Yahweh descended upon their tentin the form of a raging storm of Flames, Light, Clouds, and Smoke, forcing Lucifer to shield his eyes, and step back.
When the light subsided, Moses found himself restored, his vitality replenished. His aged appearance vanished, leaving him standing tall and resolute. The staff in his hands humming with renewed power.
Lucifer growled in frustration, his eyes narrowing with hatred, as he shielded himself from the raging storm around him, covering his body with his 10 midnight-black wings. "You may have won this battle, Moses, but the war is far from over. I shall claim what is rightfully mine in due time." He turned to Miriam and winked at her, as she felt a deep and piercing cold, right down into her soul.
With a flash of darkness, Lucifer disappeared; leaving Moses, Miriam, and Aaron shaken… but momentarily safe, and victorious. In response to Lucifer's presence disappearing, Yahweh withdrew his form back to the heavens.
Moses took a moment to catch his breath, gratitude and determination shining in his eyes. "We must remain strong," he declared.
"We have faced darkness before, and we will face it again. Now, more than ever, we must unite and use the power we have been granted to save Ezrae.
And Miriam… You need to repent, and you need to stop any activities that may draw you from the nation of Israel. You are far too old and mature to be acting like a child, as you have been."
As the world around them resumed its normal flow, Moses, Aaron, and Miriam gathered their resolve. With the staff in their possession and their faith unwavering; they prepared to continue their mission, ready to confront any challenge that lay ahead.
With their efforts combined, they were each able to sacrifice enough vitality to harness the Mark and create a beautiful, magical Illusion of a full moon against the roof of the tent.
Moses looked over at the Moon-Chime Lillie's, biting his lip and praying to Yahweh that they would be successful in their endeavors.