COVENANT KEEPER: Prophecy of the Raven

Chapter 2: Secrets Unveiled

As the adrenaline from my conflict with the demon slowly ebbed away, I turned my attention to Rebecca, still unconscious on the floor. With a heavy sigh, I draped the blanket I had given her earlier over her to keep her warm until she awoke. My fingers absently rubbed the golden ring on my hand as my thoughts drifted to the ancient tomes and dusty manuscripts lining the shelves within my study.
The demon had claimed that this was THE Ring of Solomon. According to legend, this ring was gifted to King Solomon by the ArchAngel Michael, bestowing upon King Solomon the ability to command demons and spirits, which he is said to have used to build his first temple in ancient Jerusalem. The idea that such a powerful and legendary religious artifact had somehow ended up in a small wooden chest in my family's church in the suburbs of Detroit Michigan, seemed utterly implausible. Yet, I had just used it to banish a demon without even knowing how to wield its power. I had to know why.
Returning to the solitude of my study, I closed the wooden door with a soft thud behind me and breathed in the familiar therapeutic scent of old parchment and candle wax. I decided to start by examining the genealogical records I inherited along with the position of pastor after the passing of my late father. These records, meticulously kept by my familial predecessors, documented the lineages of scribes and holy men who had served this church, spanning centuries of my family's movements from one church to another. Somewhere within these fragile pages, I hoped to find a clue to the origins of my actual heritage.
Days, possibly even years of research loomed before me in an attempt to learn whether or not King Solomon and I were related. Otherwise, I doubted I would have been able to access the ancient power of the ring with such ease. The research process threatening to drive me through a downward spiral into madness before I even began.
I sat at my desk, the golden ring now in my hand, I looked it over curiously. The ring was covered in various, intricate Sigils. I recognized some of these sigils from my biblical studies to be names of both angels and archangels. While other sigils adorning the ring's golden body I did not recognize.
An inscription on the ring read, "The Seal of Solomon."
I slid the golden ring back onto the index finger off my right hand before continuing my search through my cluttered study. That is until I came across an ancient pocket bible hidden away in a forgotten corner of one of the many bookcases surrounding my study. As I held the ancient pocket bible in my hands, a strange feeling told me the answer would be within its pages. But before I could open it, a knock echoed throughout the church once again. My heart beat faster as I stuffed the ancient pocket bible deep into the pocket of my dark gray peacoat and left the study to answer the summons once again.
At the door stood a man about my age, clad in a hooded jacket. His belt held various strange items attached by clips, though he made no move toward any of them. A long, thick, tattered fabric draped around his legs, revealing thigh-high work boots. On his shoulder perched a raven, the same one I had seen earlier watching from the window.
"Exhilarating! Absolutely exhilarating!" the mysterious man cried in excitement as he strode past me into the vestibule of the church, leaving me standing there blinking. "I have to say, you had me goin' there for a second, mate. I honestly thought I was going to have to intervene! But I wasn't expecting you to handle that demon as well as you did, and on your own no less!" He continued, turning toward me as I closed the church door. "How did you do it, by the way?"
"I'm sorry, who are you?" I asked flatly, holding my hands up in a gesture of confusion.
"Ah! Right, right. Forgive me, Pastor. I'm Simon," he said, approaching me slightly bent over as if he were bowing, extending his hand for a handshake. "And this is my familiar, Corvin," he added, gesturing to the raven.
"Did you say familiar? As in a demonic spirit?" I asked, rubbing my fingers against the golden ring on my hand to ensure it was still there.
Simon closed his hand before suddenly standing up straight again. "Demonic?" Simon asked, glancing at Corvin who returned his glance. "Ehh... Can be, but no. Spirit? Well, technically, yes. My familiar is more of a faerie spirit compared to a demonic spirit. Similar type of entity, but from a completely different realm, I can assure you."
I immediately thought of "Leviticus 19:31 which states, 'Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them.'"
"Simon, I think you should leave," I said calmly, re-opening the door for him.
"Alright," Simon said with a cheerful shrug, striding out of the church and back into the pouring rain. I sighed with relief as I closed the door behind him.
"Oh, I forgot. I was hoping you could help me out with something," Simon's voice said from behind me. Startled, I spun around to face him.
"How did you...? You know what? Nevermind. But help you? No, no, no. I'm sorry, Simon, but as a pastor and a man of God, I am not supposed to associate myself with wizards," I said sternly, making my way towards the doors of the sanctuary.
Simon waited a beat before replying, "Do you think maybe if you consulted that ring of wisdom you've got there, you might reconsider your original consideration?"
I froze. "What do you know about the ring?" I asked guardedly.
"I know that it's not originally from this world," he said, strolling around the vestibule aimlessly. "I know that it's ancient and extremely powerful, and if placed in the wrong hands, it could unleash more chaos than either of us would want to deal with." He stopped walking and looked at me with a knowing smirk.
Simon certainly seemed to know far more about the Ring of Solomon than I did. "Alright, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to try," I said, raising my hand and focusing on the ring. I regarded the symbols and the six-pointed star on its golden surface. At first, nothing happened. I was about to tell him that, when I started hearing barely audible whispering. Somehow, I understood what it was saying. My eyes grew wide as Simon watched, a knowing grin on his face.
"So, what's the verdict?" Simon asked, breaking my concentration. I blinked, returning my attention to him.
"What exactly do you need my help with?" I asked, still wary but intrigued.
"Excellent!" Simon said. "Why don't we sit down, yeah?"
I led Simon into the sanctuary, where Rebecca still lay on the floor beneath her blanket. As we passed her, I noticed Simon's face change with a brief hint of recognition as he glanced at her on our way past.
Simon and I sat together in the quiet of the sanctuary, the only sound coming from the rain striking the roof outside. The air thick with the natural scent of old wood and used candles. As he began to explain, I listened intently.
"Pastor," Simon started, his playful demeanor turning serious. "I'll cut straight to it. There's a cult in Detroit. It started out small, so I didn't think much of it at first. But they've been growing in number."
I nodded, urging him to continue.
"I sent Corvin to follow a few of their members," Simon said. "Through Corvin, I overheard them mention a woman shrouded in darkness. They claim she is prophesied to rise with the blood moon and become their leader."
"They don't have a leader now? Who brought them together?" I asked.
"Witches. Members of the Coven of Detroit. All Covens throughout the country are part of the Greater Coven. That's why I couldn't ask my Brotherhood for help. They refuse to move against the Greater Coven because of a longstanding grudge. The Greater Coven still holds it against the Brotherhood of Wizards for not intervening during the witch burnings of the Inquisition."
A Brotherhood of Wizards and a Greater Coven of Witches, feuding for years because of the witch burnings during the Inquisition. Wonderful, I thought, sarcastically.
"You said this woman shrouded in darkness would rise with the blood moon? That sounds almost biblical," I said, stroking the stubble on my chin.
"I came to the same conclusion myself, which is why I sought someone with more knowledge on the subject. Unfortunately, I don't know any religious folk like yourself. Thankfully, I was informed of the demon in the area and planned to take care of it. Wouldn't you know it, it led me straight to you. Funny how that works, isn't it?"
"It is, yeah. God works in mysterious ways."
"So I've heard." Simon said with a respectful nod.
"Well, it just so happens that I might know someone who can tell us more about this woman shrouded in darkness and her connection to the blood moon," I said.
Simon's face lit up with playful excitement. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go pay them a visit!" he said, jumping to his feet. Corvin returned to his shoulder from the wooden rafters above us. As I rose, I noticed Simon's expression suddenly shift to somber.
"Is something wrong?" I asked.
"Pastor, there's something else I need to tell you."
"Alright, let's hear it."
"I don't think you're going to like it, but you need to hear it. I had a vision. In it, you willingly succumbed to darkness. It consumed you. And I wasn't there to stop it."
His revelation struck me hard, yet another chill running down my spine. I remained silent, haunted by the implications.
At that moment, a soft moan broke through the tension. Rebecca, the young woman I had saved from demonic possession, was waking up. Her eyes fluttered open, confusion giving way to recognition as I approached her.
"Rebecca," I said gently, moving to her side. "It's okay. You're safe now."
"Pastor Parable?" she whispered, her voice weak but clear.
"Yes," I replied with a reassuring smile. "Are you feeling alright?"
"I think so..." She said as I helped her to her feet.
"My friend and I were just about to go out. Would you allow us to take you home?" I asked.
She nodded as Simon and I guided her out of the church. The heavy knowledge of the cult and Simon's troubling vision lingered in my thoughts, but I pushed them aside for now. Ensuring Rebecca's safe return home was our immediate priority, then it was off to see an old friend who might know more about our predicament. The three of us climbed into my vehicle and pulled out of the church's parking lot onto the main road. Corvin following close behind, his presence a silent reminder of the darkness we were up against.