Finnegan Cooper, The Second Harbinger: Chronicles of The Holy Way part 1

Virgil Cooper can’t remember how he got here, but he believes it was divine intervention. An act of God that delivered him from evil once again.

He does remember the Devil himself taking control of his body and attacking his earth angel, Trisha Moore. Black and indigo colored smoke choking out his free will. The gate to Hell sparking with black and white energy as Trisha prepares to fight the Devil. He wishes he could’ve helped her more. Then it all goes dark after he lunges at Trisha like a wild animal.

The next thing Virgil sees is the sky lit with the grey early morning light. Stars are barely visible, and the moon is tucking itself to bed with the horizon as its blanket. He sits up and can feel the cool, damp sand clump in his palms. As he looks around he can see the canyon off in the distance from atop this large dune. Virgil can see the entirety of the Darkest Desert, now somewhat dwarfed in comparison with the rest of the Arizona landscape.

The town of Starlit Mirage a mere speck in the vast desert ocean. A footnote in history that will be forgotten to time and indifference.

“Nobody cares what happens to anyone in the territories, especially not these damn Americans. But I do. I can feel all of their souls cry out for justice! I have been selected to show this world the Holy Way of righteousness and I will do my duty!” Virgil cries out with righteous indignation.

Virgil turns around, his back to the Darkest Desert, and he begins to walk. His first step he can feel himself kick something buried in the sand. He bends down, digs into the sand, and pulls out a book bound in brown leather.

“Let this be the first of many.” Virgil opens the book and sees that it is a blank journal with a strange looking pen. It made from some kind of smooth, hard material with rubber where you place your fingers, and he can see right through it.

Virgil looks at his pocket watch as he writes “I, Virgil Cooper, on July 4th 1870 at 6:06am, am the first of His followers to be shown The Holy Way. I shall find and shepherd more souls so that we all may walk the path of The Holy Way until it is time to go to war with Hell.”

As he finishes scribing, a white man, probably early thirties, dressed in a three piece white suit walks out of the shadows with a bright white flash. Virgil’s eyes wince at the light, but he stands firm as this new earth angel has stepped before him.

He truly is the divine’s chosen.

***

“Arabella Johnson.” A young teenage girl, dressed in her ceremonial white robes with a golden trim, walks up to the podium in the chapel of St. Malachy’s Educational Academy. She places her hands on two etchings on the podium. One a large golden crown, the other The Holy Way’s golden cross. A bit of white light emits from her hands. The etchings begin to glow, then a rush of white flames wrap around her. She stands firm and stoic as she whispers a prayer to herself.

A disembodied voice echoes in the chamber. The Divine Flames have made their decision.

Priest.

The white Divine Flames turn a beautiful baby blue.

“Nicolas Miller.” A young teenage boy, dressed in the same white robes as the girl, walks up to the podium. The same white Divine Flames engulf him.

Soldier.

The Divine Flames turn a fierce red.

“Benjamin Brown.” A less confident looking boy walks up to the podium. His hands shake as they touch the etchings. The Divine Flames engulf him just the same, but he wiggles in discomfort.

Unworthy. Cleanse.

“No, wait! Please! Ahhhh!” The white Divine Flames enter Benjamin’s soul as the congregation watch another unworthy soul be cleansed of all that makes them unique. A blank vessel to be reused by the Harbinger.

Benjamin is gone. His eyes void of color and independent thought.

“Finnegan Cooper.”

Finn, a fifteen year-old boy with shock red hair, bright green eyes and freckles from head-to-toe, stands frozen at the podium. Large pure white angel wings flourish out atop a golden cross that towers over the two siblings casting a large shadow over Finn. The rest of the congregation and the students of The Holy Way patiently wait for Finnegan to take his turn.

This is the induction ritual of The Holy Way, and Finnegan is a Cooper. He has the blood of the founder, Virgil Cooper, the First Harbinger. Everyone wants to see what the Divine Flames choose to do with his soul.

“Don’t be a coward, Finnegan! Just do it already!” Gina’s irritating, shrill voice scratches at Finn’s ear drums. His older sister really knows how to antagonize him. Her long, curly coal black hair, perfect porcelain skin and strong frame in stark contrast with his own appearance.

“I’m not a coward! I just don’t see the point in this stupid ritual! We are Coopers. We shouldn’t have to deal with this pomp and circumstance.” Finn’s voice creeks and shakes with early adolescence and hesitation.

“Daddy will know you didn’t do it and then we both will be punished! Now shut up, be a man and do it! Or are you not a Cooper?”

“I am a Cooper!” Finn replies rather aggressively. He can’t stand it when Gina makes him question if he is a Cooper.

Finn has to offer his soul up to Him and be chosen as either a soldier or a priest. Soldiers are given great strength and divine blessings to continue the secret crusade happening in America right now. Priests are granted the ultimate divine magic and can directly communicate with the Harbinger of The Holy Way, their father.

There is another possibility when performing the induction ritual and that is to be chosen as the next Harbinger. However, that is only possible when the previous Harbinger is already dead and their soul returned to the Almighty God.

Those white flames are His divine judgement. All those that are true to The Holy Way are given their soul’s purpose. Any who carry seeds of doubt are cleansed of those doubts and their soul reset.

“You’ve always wanted to be a soldier since Mom died! The Divine Flames knew what to do with you!” Finn exclaims somewhat desperately.

It’s not that he has doubts about the Holy Way and its crusade. If anything, he harbors just as much rage, resentment and righteous indignation as his sister at the demons that took their mother’s life three years ago.

And yet on the eve of his induction ritual to the Holy Way he was plagued by nightmares of the Holy Way’s cross ablaze in gold flames and the chapel littered with the bodies of priests and soldiers. All of their souls cleansed. And he was happy.

“Ugh…you’re such a baby! I hope you get reset so I can have a more capable little brother!” Gina cackles at Finn. His fists clenched in frustration and anger.

“Don’t call me that!” shouts Finn. He gets enough bullying like this from his classmates. He refuses to take it from his sister just two years older than him! If only he was the older sibling and gone through the induction ritual before her. Then he would have the power to shut her up.

“Ha you got a lot of nerve, BABY brother! Don’t forget which one of us has the Blessing of the Divine, and who is too much of a baby to let the Divine Flames judge his soul!” Gina flares up her Divine power as her eyes glow a righteous lite red and her hands shake with anticipation.

The rest of the congregation begins to mutter to themselves. Some of the students giggle and point at Finn. He can tell they are looking down on him.

“Shut up!” Finn bellows as his fists come crashing down on the etchings of the Crown and the Cross. He wants nothing more than to silence Gina. The power to make her submit, to make everyone who has ever disrespected him and his noble name bow in his mere presence!

Why should he, Finnegan Cooper, with the blood of the first Harbinger coursing through his veins, be mocked by his own sister!? By all these people that think they are better than him just because they revel in cruelty and violence. Calling it His Divine Will. God doesn’t care about what is happening on earth. He doesn’t care about his holy soldiers or the priests that praise His name.

The Holy Way is a farce! Their secret crusade a pointless endeavor that only forces its followers into further seclusion from the outside world. What’s the point in being God’s chosen if it means hiding in the shadows of the world?

Finn wishes that The Holy Way could be the world’s most respected religion! That everyone praise the Almighty God as they grovel at his feet! The Holy Way should be taught to everyone! Not to be kept in the dark, but shine its brilliant light on America and then the whole world!

Gina’s mouth is agape as she looks at her little brother, having poured more than enough of his latent power into the etchings, be wrapped in white flames.

Finn doesn’t even notice their heat. All he can feel is his will to change the Holy Way into something more than a stupid secret society hidden away in the forest. The white flames seem to respond to his will as they grow in ferocity.

Gina stumbles back, the heat from the flames singeing the hairs on her arm. The impossible standing before her as the commotion has drawn more priests, soldiers and students into the chapel. The whole campus is here now.

They all see Finnegan Cooper, fifteen years old, standing at the podium the Divine Flames having chosen his soul’s purpose.

Harbinger.

Today on June 6, 1970, a second Harbinger has been chosen. Finnegan Cooper stands in front of the whole congregation who are witnessing an impossibility. The Divine Flames have changed into a brilliant gold color.

A handful of people begin to kneel to Finnegan, including Gina who has wisely recognized just how strong her brother is now.

Finn sees with his new eyes. Eyes that can see just how dedicated souls are to The Holy Way. The sparks of doubt and resentment flicker in the souls of those that did not kneel to him. So be it.

“In the name of the Almighty God, I, Finnegan Cooper, the true Harbinger of The Holy Way, will cleanse all who doubt my power. For to doubt my calling is to doubt God. Now kneel!” Finnegan’s voice reverberates with authority and power.

The rest of the people in the chapel kneel.

“Good. Now let us begin anew! Free from the old teachings of The Holy Way! Let us weave our destinies into the very fabric of reality!”

“Finn wait! Don’t do it! Please!” Gina begins to plead with her brother as the new golden Divine Flames begin to engulf everyone. Their bodies writhe in agony as their souls are cleansed.

Gina’s tears are gratifying to see as Finnegan rest his hand, still lit ablaze with golden flames, on her shoulder.

“Please, Finn. I’m sorry for being so mean! I’m your sister! Your flesh and blood! Please don’t do this to me!” She begins to weep.

Good.

Finnegan pulls his sister in closer so he can see the spark of independence in her eyes. He leans in and says “Don’t worry, Gina. I’m not going to cleanse you.”

Gina breathes a sigh of relief.

Finnegan continues “No. I have different plans for your soul that require your absolute undying loyalty to me. Do I have that, Gina?”

Gina shakes uncontrollably. Her little brother is gone. All that remains is the Second Harbinger of The Holy Way.

“Y-yes of course, your holiness. I, Gina Cooper, pledge my body, soul and life span to you.” She gives Finnegan a deep bow as she gets down on both knees.

“Thank you, dear sister. Let us start to rebuild our order! Then, once we are ready, we will bring the others into the fold.” Finnegan pulls Gina up to her feet.

He continues “I want to confront father and his sect in New York City in five years. That is when the Holy Way will debut itself to the world with a little help from the American military during their bicentennial. All in good time this world will be cleansed of the City of Shadows, and the City of Light will open its holy gates to its faithful.”

***

For the next five years, the Second Harbinger of the Holy Way trained all his soldiers and priests in the art of magic, war, and political subterfuge. All in the name of bringing The Holy Way into the light.

St. Malachy’s Educational Academy became a common household name for any New York State residents. On the surface it is a private Catholic school from birth to high school prepping the very finest minds to lead the world one day.

Rumors of it being more than just a school began to spread amongst the locals. People who wandered too deep in the forests outside of Geneseo NY would go missing. Never to be seen again. Others say that sometimes in the dead of night, people dressed in red, black and gold robes would come kidnap any children that strayed too far from their homes, and that you can hear their cries coming from the dark woods.

However, no one can prove a thing. The newly formed American Empire has allied itself with The Holy Way in 1972, thus covering up any evidence that would link the disappearances to St. Malachy’s Educational Academy.

At the same time, the fast growing privately owned corporate metropolis, Savoir City, begins to thrive near Sherburne, New York. Original Products Incorporated, O.P.I., a powerhouse in the pharmaceutical and scientific engineering continues to innovate more and more.

Finnegan Cooper waits patiently for the day he can debut The Holy Way to the world.