The Final Rite: 2 (Children of Adam)

There are two books in The Children of Adam series, with a third to be written, they are:

1. The Second Conflict &
2. The Final RiteBack-story.

In the beginning The King of Kings and Lord of Creation, brought with him across the universe a fearsome host of Angels, whose powers were raw and naïve. They then carried out their kings will to create a perfect world called Near Earth. Nothing was beyond them; each had different and distinct powers so great, that together with the four Lords of the Elements, they could accomplish anything. They had children and gradually twelve tribes were formed who separated and occupied the four quarters of the compass, each quarter being ruled by one of four kings, collectively known as The Magii.

Once they had finished what needed to be done, The Lords of Elements concealed themselves, relying on Hermes, one of the sons of the King of Kings, to call them if their presence was required to discharge their part of an ancient promise.

This perfect world almost immediately disintegrated into chaos, because Hermes brother Satan, became jealous of those around him who did not have his father's blood, but were preferred to him in the ruling and governing of their new world. He then convinced some of the other Princes who were born of the Arch Angels and also been passed over, to rebel and abuse their powers which they used to seduce most of the tribesmen, who were promised that Satan would increase their power if they joined with him.

This jealousy and rebellion resulted in Satan's father setting his brothers Hermes and The Smith against him and his followers, which ended up with them being cast out of their perfect world called Near Earth into a new world, The World of Men.  Satan and his followers then gathered strength and eventually crossed The Rainbow Bridge dividing the two worlds to confront his father and brothers once more. Satan was well beaten, but refused to yield, which resulted in his escape. The Princes who joined him however, were along with their evil creations, incarcerated for a 1000 years. They included Lucifer, Appolyon, Baal, Asmodeus, Beelzebub and others who had over time created the seven rungs of hell. This conflagration was known as 'The First Conflict.'

After this, the rest of Satan's followers and their families, were banished yet again to exist in The World of Men, a place now devoid of everything that had been created for them, where they had to learn to survive on their own, the memory of who they were and the knowledge and power they once had, being erased. A few of Satan's followers who were originally tribesmen also avoided detection and shared some of his power in return for protecting him across time. They were allowed to dominate and rule however they liked and did not care about the price they paid for this privilege, as a result, some even became immortal and were worshipped as gods. Seeing this, the rulers of Near Earth sent an army after Satan and anyone who supported him. Many perished on either side, nonetheless, he survived and waited for the 1000 years to end, so that he and his followers could join with those who would be released and conquer Near Earth, and in so doing destroy their ancient enemy and rule the two worlds.

The back-story referred to above is alluded to throughout. The first book, 'The Second Conflict,' commences when the 1000 years ends, when Appolyon tries to convince Lucifer and the other princes of darkness, that his plan to attack their old enemy rather than sue for peace is their only choice, since otherwise they would be reduced to ignominy. Agreement is reached, promises are exchanged and battle plans are drawn up on the assumption that Satan will come to their aid with what remains of his army. Thereafter The Second Conflict commences between the Appolyon and Lucifer's army and the armies of the four quarters, consisting of what remains of The Twelve Tribes on Near Earth. This army is headed by Hermes and three of the old rulers, who unknown to the tribes are substituted for their real rulers, The Magii, who have been sent across The Rainbow Bridge into The World of Men to hunt down anyone who may escape this second conflict, however long it takes, because Hermes suspects that there will be treachery. The Magii, are the true magicians of the universe, whose secret magical powers and ceremonies become legendary in The World of Men.

Much of the magic that The Magii possess, including various ceremonies, has been written down and is contained in the white books that they each possess, which have to be protected at all costs and never lost. To ensure this, their ceremonies are copied and secreted at various places and clues are left as to their location, by carved marks that can be found in the foundation stone of churches and temples. Parts of these ceremonies are also given to different people, who in time hide them within the ceremonies performed by freemasons in their various degrees, but more especially within the ceremonies practised by one of their smaller orders, known as 'The Knight Templar Priests', which ceremonies are only ever performed by the select few and even today seldom worked, especially 'The Final Rite'. This rite and the performance of it, is something The Magii dread, because they have never performed it before, which means that its outcome is unpredictable and whilst its purpose is to destroy everything that is evil wherever it exists, it could destroy or join the two worlds of The World of Men and Near Earth and leave Satan's army in control if the Magii get it wrong. That is why The Magii would prefer to use the swords of the fallen angels to destroy or capture those that escape the second conflict, which is what they try to do in order to avoid performing The Final Rite, simply because the interpretation of evil, may have changed!

This Final Rite is what Satan is seeking, because he believes that the mere possession of it by him would put him in an unconquerable position. To begin with and unknown to him, Appolyon, who escaped with Lucifer after The Second Conflict, has discovered the ceremony at Solomon's temple in Jerusalem, when he anticipated the emergence of The Magii, who arrived to honour Christ, which on Herod orders, resulted in the slaughter of The Innocents overseen by Appolyon, who to begin with does not understand what he possesses. Then at Freemasonry's headquarters in Covent Garden, Satan after many close calls becomes the librarian, and with the help of Lilith his female companion, discovered the whereabouts of one of these books containing The Maggii's ceremonies' which has apparently been mislaid by one of them. Lilith  has seduced her way through both worlds and even now is not sure where her loyalties lie, having been involved with Hermes, Appolyon and now Satan.

The first book traces the emergence of Appolyon, Lucifer and The Magii throughout history, at the time of the reformation, when Apployon and Lucifer are the Pope and a Cardinal, Offices they contrive to keep throughout time. They are being followed by The Magii and further emergences of them all are seen at The Nuremberg Rallies' where an attempt on Hitler's life is halted, then The Yalta Conference where Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt are present and later on, The Magii appear at a meeting of Tony Blair's  Generals just before the invasion of Iraq. Hermes and The Lords of The Elements observe these events and cannot understand how The Magii have not prevented various events happening throughout time, especially the dropping of the atom bomb and the use of drone attacks, when so many innocents are slaughtered in the name of peace.

EXTRACT:

1. SATAN: "I know that someone has searched high and low through the ceremonies of the  Freemasons, who have received and concealed the secrets of one terrible ceremony, that if performed could end the world and all life on it, and that these secrets have become part of the different degrees and orders that they operate, it is there in  lots of parts, but not so that it is really obvious, I also believe that when it was within their grasp they somehow lost it or were distracted. Thank god too, that by pure chance I have probably found what they always feared,  the complete secret..."

2. "I know that someone has searched high and low through the ceremonies of the  Freemasons, who have received and concealed the secrets of one terrible ceremony, that if performed could end the world and all life on it, and that these secrets have become part of the different degrees and orders that they operate, it is there in  lots of parts, but not so that it is really obvious, I also believe that when it was within their grasp they somehow lost it or were distracted. Thank god too, that by pure chance I have probably found what they always feared,  the complete secret."

Thus by way of summary:

The first book ends with the disappearance of President Putin and English and Chinese ministers who have arranged a secret meeting to discuss the mounting unrest and riots around the world fuelled by Satan and his followers. The Magii however have to be hidden and separated, because of their near capture. Meanwhile, The Lords of the Elements alter the way certain elements combine which results in the failure of weapons and aviation fuel used by the military.

This the second book in the series follows The Magii in the present era, where to begin with they have no knowledge of who they are. Then gradually as their memories return and they discover who they are, they find one another. In the meantime, Satan, Lucifer and Appolyon are close to finding The Maggii's secrets having obtained their ceremonies and swords, or so they think. Satan's minions meanwhile continue to push the world into total anarchy. This book finishes with The Magii and Hermes waiting together in The Sealed Vault of Adonai, where they have to decide whether to go back in time and alter what has occurred. Meanwhile there is war on the streets where brother confronts brother, mother her son; to all intents and purposes, it looks as if Satan has succeeded and discovered 'The Final Rite!

These two books set the scene for more adventures to follow, as well as the journeys of the individuals which have brought them to this point in history.

John T O’Halloran has been an English Freemason for over thirty five years. Having taken part in countless ceremonies, he became convinced they were incomplete and that the missing pieces had probably been hidden in other Masonic orders, which led him to explore his instinct. His search took him to the Rose Croix, where he became a Past Sovereign and a member of the 30th Degree. Eventually he became a High Priest in the mysterious order of Knight Templar Priests and a member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. His discoveries made him certain there remains a silent but serious fight to bring peace back to this forlorn planet – the history and current threat to which he continues in this, his second novel in a series of three.