by A. Catherine
They hadn’t missed a thing, but they weren’t going to push it.
“We’ll pick this back up again later. I need to be somewhere,” Seere said as she walked towards the pentacle on the other side of the room. “In the meantime, do some strengthening exercises. Gaining some muscle will help you more in the long run,” she instructed.
She blew a kiss towards the Angel of Sight. “Iaoel, my sweet, keep the bed warm for me,” she cooed.
Iaoel snorted and shook their smiling head. “See you later, Seere.”
A small pillar of ash smoke surrounded Seere for a moment and then disappeared along with her. A simpler winnow style than Kale’s or Gabriel’s. Iaoel was still shaking their head when I returned my gaze to them.
“Where’d she go?” I asked.
Iaoel shrugged, stretching their legs out in front of them.
“Probably off to join the Prince wherever he’s off to. She can’t get far on her own without him.”
The who?
“Prince?” I called curiously.
Iaoel’s gaze locked on mine and then widened with realization.
“Oh! Right. I guess no one told you. Kaleus—he’s the Prince of Darkness,” they said plainly.
I raised an eyebrow, still confused.
“The Heir Inferno?” They stated. I shook my head.
“He’s the son of Lucifer. The antichrist if you want to reference a derogatory religious depiction.”
Oh. My eyes bulged. I’ve been spending time with the devil’s son?
“But I thought he wasn’t a demon?”
Iaoel nodded. “Maybe that half-angel part of you is keener than we thought, it was trying to tell you something. He is Lucifer’s son in the loosest definition, Daevas is one of Lucifer’s actual sons. Technically Kaleus is no one’s son. He wasn’t born, he was created,” Iaoel explained.
“Created from what?” I asked.
My heart was racing, the antichrist…no wonder his power is so much stronger than the others. And like most of the seeds of knowledge these immortal freaks were giving me, this bit was only increasing my long list of questions.
Iaoel bit their lip and narrowed their eyes.
“I think I’ll leave the rest of the story for Kaleus to tell. I might have told you more than he might be comfortable with. Who knows, he might’ve had specific plans on how he was going to share this information with you and when. He does have a pension for the theatrics.”
“Wait, why can’t you just tell me now?”
Iaoel stood quickly and briskly made their way over to the pentacle.
“Seems my shift is over. Jade is upstairs getting lunch ready. I would recommend you spend your time doing what Seere instructed. Exercising will pass the time anyway.” They waved as a pillar of light encircled them.
“Hey! Wait!” but they were gone.
And I was alone on the sparring pad. Within moments I could hear Jade upstairs humming.
I huffed. “This is why I prefer to be alone.”
I sighed and walked over to the stairs. If I was going to work out, I was definitely going to change. As I slipped past a distracted Jade in the kitchen and walked down the hallway towards my bedroom door, I thought about what Iaoel had said.
Kale was the prince of hell? And not born like the other demons—but created.
In the religions I had studied, I recalled mentions of the antichrist being the spawn of the devil, meant to inherit the Inferno and bring about the apocalypse on earth.
When I entered my small concrete room, my instincts overpowered me and instead of changing I flipped open my laptop.
In my Christianity religion folder, I searched key words antichrist and son of Lucifer. The first results that popped up were relating to the bible prophecies that encircled his name. He was mentioned with many names.
The Little Horn and The Prince Who is to Come in Daniel, Master of Intrigue—that seemed about right.
In Thessalonians they call him The One Who Brings Destruction. I read further as it spoke of the antichrist’s personality and nature.
“Daniel: seven-eight, ‘This little horn had eyes like human eyes and a mouth that was boasting arrogantly.’, okay, he is a bit arrogant can’t argue with that,” I recited out loud.
Most of what I found stated that he would spout falsities and blasphemy to claim power rather than through sheer force. Most of it sounded like religious babble, even describing him as a beast with horns, but perhaps these depictions were where the humans began going off the rails.
“—'and the dragon gave him his own power and throne and great authority.’ Revelation: thirteen-two.”
Dragon? Lucifer maybe?
So Kale wasn’t a demon. He wasn’t an angel. He wasn’t human. But he was something entirely different.
But what exactly?
And whatever he was, I wasn’t sure I should trust him?
TWENTY-TWO
Kale
WE WERE WORKING WITH WHAT information we had, which wasn’t a lot.
We didn’t know what these relics were, where they were, how many we had to find, or the potential power they possessed. We’d be lucky if digging through millions of years’ worth of archives were actually going to give us more to work with.
My head was pounding. I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. Like we were still at square one, while our adversary was a hundred squares ahead of us.
I would give my left arm just to know who was behind all of this—if it were one person. At least I could work with that.
How did I get involved in this anyway?
It was only a week ago I was going about my long and miserable existence as usual. Moving from one legion to the next inspecting their progress and reports. Boring as usual.
I was in the middle of teaching a mouthy lower-class demon a lesson when it happened. When even in the lowest pits of hell the echoing sounds of a scream and a rumbling deep in the dirt halted everything.
I didn’t have to be summoned then. I willingly went to my father’s office, Seere and Daevas in tow. Even the devil was stirred crazy, unsure how to comprehend the event that had occurred. Lillith was there, along with four of Lucifer’s most trusted Fallen.
Lucifer was listening to the Opsalis. An orb stolen from heaven during the Fall that can tap directly into the supernatural web without permission. Satan was the only one allowed to use it, and it gave him the ability to listen and gain key information inconspicuously.
The Opsalis was usually locked up in Lucifer’s vault, alongside rows of angel wings he took from the Fallen as proof of their loyalty after the Fall—and also as leverage when they didn’t comply.
Only the holder could decipher the messages inside, to the rest of us outside the only evidence we saw of it working was the swirling of gray fog and golden streams inside it. Lucifer was listening intently, not paying attention to the others in the room.
The four Fallen that were there—Abaddon, Ipos, Sytry and Cain. Lucifer’s high commanders. Many of the other Fallen contributed to demon breeding and soul acquiring. Not these four, they were what gave hell its reputation.
Abaddon dipped a small bow when I entered, the only one of the four that I had established a working relationship with. When or if I ever take over this realm, he’ll likely be the only one that continues to work in my order.
I would happily demote Sytry and Cain, I was already shaping Seere and Daevas to take over for them when the time came. Ipos would be a pain, but I would take her over Lillith any day.
Seere and Daevas blended into the background, seating themselves on the couches against the dark walls next to Lillith. The swirling of the orb slowed to a stop, and it was only then that Lucifer deigned to acknowledge our arrival.
“It seems the Balance has been tipped in a rather intriguing manner.” Lucifer grinned coldly as he eyed us all one by one.
It was rare that all of us would convene in the same room for long. An annual meeting usually was all w
e could manage, and it was done in a much more spacious venue where we could argue without melting the walls.
I crossed my arms across my chest, tapping my foot impatiently.
“Spare us the dramatic pandering, Lucifer.” My voice was tight and low.
On my way here I had formed the cold exterior mask that I wore around him, constantly soothing the churning magma under my skin so he wouldn’t see it.
That was always what it needed to be. Any sign that my inner fire was out of control was an opportunity for him to exploit. So, a cool calm was the only thing I would give him. That I would give any of them.
Lucifer chuckled. “A Guardian angel is dead. Murdered it seems.”
I furrowed my brows and even felt the click of confusion come from my connection with Seere.
“Really?” I asked.
I turned to the four Fallen, who didn’t give any indication of guilt or shock. Abaddon however, had enough curiosity in his expression to tell me that this was unusual.
Another reason I didn’t like this particular group, their range of expressions were limited to utter boredom and icy calculation.
Lucifer glanced between them as well. “I’ll leave it to Sytry and Ipos to investigate internally. Though I am already confident that none of our kind are to blame. In the meantime, I’ve been requested to meet with the almighty to discuss the matter.”
“He’s allowing you into heaven?” I asked pointedly.
Lucifer gave me a knowing smirk.
“The almighty isn’t that stupid. Neutral territory,” he replied.
Neutral meant that they likely were to meet in the mortal realm. I felt electricity spark up my veins, but I reigned it in. Lucifer didn’t spend time among the mortals, but I did.
And in a way I considered it my territory, with no real claim to it. But I used it as a getaway from the hellhole.
Cain spoke next, “Will you be needing company, my liege?” he asked.
Ever the faithful dog. Or a crafty one. Lucifer seemed to have a similar thought process when our eyes locked.
“I know it’s been a while since you’ve been on the surface, Cain, and you’re just itching for another opportunity to shed blood. But I have no need for company, and I’d rather not have to deal with ending you when you attempt to escape,” he purred.
Cain didn’t show that he was disappointed or shocked. He only nodded numbly.
The last Fallen that escaped Lucifer’s control had much better resources available to succeed. Cain was a brute, and not worthy of his position in my opinion. But I didn’t decide those things—not yet anyway.
Lucifer went to the wall behind his desk and pressed his palm to it. A hiss sounded and then numerous sigils and wards glowed red across the wall. And then a door-sized section disappeared inward. Lucifer stepped a few feet inside the stone hallway and set the Opsalis on a shelf on the inner side.
When he stepped out of it the wall resealed behind him, the wards glowing once more before fading and the wall once again solid.
His vault was locked with his very essence, more than his blood. Not even Daevas or any of his other blood relatives could open it. But I could…as I was created with a piece of his essence.
I could. But I wouldn’t. Not when the risk outweighed the rewards. Maybe one day when the circumstances were reversed.
“In the meantime, I’ll leave Kaleus in charge.” I held my breath. Crafty asshole. “You can handle the pit while I’m gone, can’t you son?” he teased.
I wish I could melt those cunning eyes right out of their sockets. I responded by nodding, maintaining my cool composure even as the tips of my fingers sparked.
Ruling hell. That was my destiny.
Lucifer had never intended on being in-charge of that realm forever. It was a means to an end. He never revealed any of his true motives and intentions for the future with anyone, not even when I was the most loyal among his followers.
No, Lucifer invented what it was to be conniving and scheming.
He would tell half-truths in order to get others to do his bidding. It was how he convinced other angels to follow him to hell. One would assume that he wanted more power, as most of those with power wanted.
But I always thought it was more than that.
There was a time when all I wanted was my father’s approval. I wanted to help him cripple the world and stand beside him in the ruin and rule alongside him.
I was a boy, and all I knew was fire and chaos. I had to learn the hard way that things aren’t black and white. Evil can’t be defined in only one way.
Lucifer learned something too from those early years. That I had acquired more traits from him than he intended, and that those traits and values were weapons that could be used against him.
The rebellious archangel learned the hard way that his creation wasn’t someone that would be bent to his will.
I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t hear Seere arrive, not until I heard her panting behind me. She coughed.
“Took you long enough,” I chuckled.
She was bent over, taking in long deep gasps of air.
She glared up at me. “Oh I’m sorry, your high-fuck-ness. You know I can’t get far on my own, it’s not my fault you asked me to travel five thousand miles without warning. Someone had to stay with the mortal, so I had to leave without my angelic partner.”
Seere finally caught her breath and walked up to stand next to me. She peered down off the glacier we stood on into the crack in the earth. The crack was so deep we couldn’t see the bottom.
“So, this is Tyurma huh?”
“Yup,” I answered.
The icy wind whipped past, hitting our faces like a thousand tiny needles. She shivered.
“Couldn’t you choose a warmer prison to check out? Jeez, this makes me miss the pit.”
I shook my head, grinning. “Nothing would make me miss the pit.”
I waved my hand towards her, sending a small flicker of fire to bubble around her. I would have to continually use a bit of my power to maintain the bubble around her while we were here.
At least it would let me siphon some of the pressure off.
Seere, being a lower-class demon, couldn’t summon enough power to keep herself warm in harsh climates such as this. She could pass as human if she wished to, but she would be bored.
I could see her joining a traveling circus or even entering a fight club to let off steam and burn energy. But even then she would have to hold back.
And that, would be a torture of its own for hell’s most honed wrath demon.
I looked back down into the crack and held out my hand for her. “Shall we?”
She looked down and didn’t look thrilled. “Are we winnowing in?”
I shook my head.
“We get to slide in.” I waggled my eyebrows. Her pupils widened.
“Slide? What do you mean, sli—”
“Let’s go!” I didn’t give her another second to change her mind before I clutched her hand and jumped, dragging her down with me.
To her credit, she didn’t scream, instead she gasped for air as we free fell into the icy fissure. As our bodies neared the jagged ice edge, I put a wall of hot air between it and us to slow our fall and to melt the ice enough to slide.
Down the frozen glide we went, far past where the light leaked in until there was only darkness. I let some embers escape my skin to help light the way, and after a few minutes of slick dropping our feet touched the bottom.
We stood and brushed off our clothes, the leather keeping us from being soaked, and the bubble of hot air I had around us easily dried any remaining moisture off. Seere tossed her blonde braids behind her shoulder and looked around.
“Still a child at heart, fire-boy,” she joked.
I laughed.
“Always, beasty.”
We stilled when we both felt it. The stirring. It was ahead of us, in the shadows. It was like the sound of shifting sand. Even the air felt shifty and dry. It w
as warmer down here, as if the ice above did nothing to freeze the beings down here.
“What exactly is imprisoned in this one?” Seere asked in a whisper.
The hairs on my arms rose, and even my fire dulled like it was shrinking away from what lay ahead. This place was more ancient that I was, older than even some of the archangels, feathers included. And whatever was in here predated the world he knew.
