Akio followed St. Michael deeper into the Garden. They'd left St. Dismas behind them for what seemed like days now, yet he knew they were still on the outskirts of Paradise.
Everywhere he looked, there were fruit-bearing trees spreading their large branches to shelter the inhabitants of Eden. Under each one, heavenly creatures and glorified saints were resting and enjoying the fruit.
"Now you see the environment your first parents enjoyed," said St. Michael. "If they'd remained obedient to the Father, you'd have been born and raised here."
Hearing these words, a brief flash of anger arose in the little boy. How could Adam and Eve have been so thoughtless that they'd deny their descendants the delights of the Garden!
That fleeting thought was smothered by a wordless admonition. They didn't know, Aki-chan, said St. Michael mentally. No human being had ever heard a lie before, and they were truly taken in by the deceit of the devil.
The boy and the angel pressed on into Paradise. Eventually, they arrived at the foot of a tall and mighty tree, reaching high into the heavens. It had the appearance of a mighty warrior dressed for battle, with sword, spear, and shield at the ready.
"This is the Tree of Battle," the archangel told Akio. "The Heavenly Father wants you to eat one of the fruits of this tree."
Obediently, the little boy reached out his hand and plucked a small green fruit for himself. To his amazement, he saw that there was writing on it.
"Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight," read Akio aloud. "Psalm 144:1."
"Amen," said St. Michael reverently, bowing his head. "Thy Word is truth. The LORD is a Man of war, the LORD is His name."
"I thought that God was a God of peace," asked Akio in puzzlement.
"What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?" answered the angel, "and what communion hath light with darkness? There is no peace unless the LORD brings the fight to the enemies of peace! You are called to be His soldier and push back the forces of evil on Earth."
St. Michael waved his hand, and the scene around the two of them changed. In a moment, Akio could see the actual events which led to Lucifer's expulsion from Heaven.
"The martial arts you know on Earth are devolved versions of spiritual disciplines practiced in the heavenly realms," explained St. Michael. "The Lord God is a God of order, and fighting is no exception. Once Lucifer introduced sin into creation, the One filled my companions and me with knowledge to resist the devil. On that day, the first true martial arts were born!"
In the flashback, Akio witnessed St. Michael wage war against the newly fallen Lucifer. Every military tactic was employed, including some which did not yet exist on Earth.
"In response, Satan did the same with his followers, using his talents to counterfeit the styles our Father gave us!" St. Michael continued. "His rebellion failed, but he and his angels brought their corrupted knowledge to Earth, where they taught men to fight and kill one another. This was not the Father's plan!" said the angel emphatically.
The scene changed once more to a montage of various human kingdoms and civilisations. All around the world, demon spirits tempted human warriors to turn to them for guidance.
"On Earth, Satan modelled his counterfeit arts on the beasts which are found in nature," remarked St. Michael. "Men started acting like wolves instead of their gentle Creator. However, today the Lord will give you the way of a heavenly creature, which no demon has seen before!"
YOU ARE READING
Antuki: A Little Boy's Story
FantasyOrphaned in Hiroshima at the age of six, Akio Sakai was rescued by Peter Pan and brought to Neverland. After a falling out with Peter, Sakai must leave to find his own place in the world. Together with his faithful fairy, Yoko, he will brave challen...
