The Beast and The Word

“Okay, I have to keep a calm mind seteven if I am about to die,” John said, speaking in a trembling tone as he breathed heavily, staring at the immense beast eye-to-eye.

John fumbled in his memory about mythical creatures. Images of pages flashed in his mind.

The sphinx bared its sharp teeth and spread its wings.

Text and pictures ran through John’s consciousness.

John unsheathed a sword and barged at the beast and the sword stuck against the beast’s chest like it was metal.

Then the picture of a sphinx in front of a man baring a cross entered his mind.

“Sphinxes are spirit creatures! Only a spiritual weapon will work. But what am I supposed to do?”

John kneeled, closed his eyes and did the only thing he could. He prayed. “God…please…he…help me!”

John looked and saw the sphinx roar on its hind legs. The beast grinned and charged at John as the ground thumped.

John hid behind his hands and screamed. Suddenly, a bright light flashed and the form of a man in a robe appeared. He took out a flaming blade and the creature backed away.

John’s heart pounded and he stared at the human-like apparition.

The being lunged at the sphinx and slashed it across the chest. Silvery blood dripped and the sphinx fled, leaving a trail of the silver ooze through a dense thicket where John looked from a glade.

The robed being faced John and stretched forth his hand for John to take.

John was helped up to his feet. “Who are you?”

“I am the angel Ithicus. You asked for help and God has spared you.”

John blinked a few times, as if he were trying to wake from a dream. Several minutes later John took in the situation. “After taking a course of speed-readingI have been able to acquire knowledge from books in little time. In all my recollection, I have only read of angels in the Bible.”

“But you see, the Holy Word is the only book of true and ultimate knowledge. You should commit yourself to its passages and find eternal life and its meaning.”

“What if the sphinx comes back?”

Ithicus grinned. “If there is a next time, I will not be allowed to save you.”

“What can I do to defend myself!” said John.

“The answer rests in the Holy text. I must leave now.”

In another flash of light, Ithicus vanished. John gazed around and scratched his head. John picked up his sword and faced the edge of forest then began walking. The angel’s word echoed in his mind. “The answer rests in the Holy Text.”

About twenty minutes later, he heard the sound of horse’s hooves pounding on the ground. The sound came closer. John sighed. “At last. Another human.”

A man on red horse and a chain mail and an azure cape appeared.

“Herold! I am glad to see you!” said John to the rider.

“What are you doing alone in the Thorn Forest? You have heard the accounts,” said Harold.

“Yes! And they’re true! I saw a sphinx!”

“Really? What happened?”

John spoke giddily. “Well, it was actually hostile and I almost lost my life.”

“Ha, ha, ha! And how is it that you are alive, then?”

John looked to the ground then faced Harold again. “Oh, I…” What could John say? An angelic encounter was over-the-top, even for mythical beings. “I was able to fend it off with my sword and it just fled.”

“Well, come home then. Hop on, John.”

John sat behind Harold and they trotted out of the forest towards the kingdom of Evercrest. When they passed through the gates, they dismounted.

“Oh, and John, I have a book for you,” said Harold.

John smiled and Harold gave John a small leather-bound book. His smile faded to a sneer. “A knitting Book!”

“Ha, ha, ha! What a classic response!”

John cast the book to the ground. “Do me a favor. Keep the matter between us.”

Harold grinned. “Very well. Good day to you, John.”

John dashed into the royal castle and went to his own room in one of the sage’s quarters and opened a cabinet and rummaged through it until he found a Bible his mother gave him. He pulled it out it fumbled out of his hands and it fell with a page open.

John stooped to pick it up and read a part of a passage it had landed on. “The Sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.”

Suddenly, a servant barged into his room. “John! An evil creature is attacking the city!”

John ran with Bible in hand after the servant.

When they came to the courtyard a wounded Sphinx was tearing apart the buildings and chambers attached to the castle.

Soldiers were trying their best to restrain the creature but swords and spears were like toothpicks to the supernatural beast.

“What can we do!” said the servant.

John had an inner epiphany, like a light had lit in his consciousness. He approached the Sphinx. As John neared it, the sphinx stopped its actions and glared at John maliciously; it wanted revenge!

John opened the Bible and spoke a verse. “The weapons of our warfare are not physical, but mighty in God…”

The sphinx slid back like an invisible force had struck it. It crouched and prepared to pounce.

John repeated another verse. “Greater is He who is in us then he who is in the world.”

This time the beast went flying back and hit a wall of a cathedral and the sphinx yelped like a scared pup.

John uttered one last verse. “Put on the whole armor of God.”

Then the beast fell to the ground and its hide burned off like self-stripingpaint. Then it stilled.

John fell to his knees and the crowd of people stared at him.

“What did you do, John! How did you do it!” said the servant.

“It wasn’t me it was God.”