by Erin Snihur
“You are not telling the entire truth,” Turning to Pascal, Chamuel steps toward the blind angel and extends his hand. “Show us, seer.”
Pascal hesitates, but extends his own hand. As their palms touch, only a few seconds pass before every Archangel in the room is standing and yelling at one another. Michael is the only one who is silent as he stares down at Elara’s shaking form, still locked in the chains.
I gaze at him and only faintly hear the words fall out of Azrael’s mouth, “I am not that mortal’s creator. I would have such memories! Jophiel, what have you done!”
At Jophiel’s gasp I speak, my words faint, but loud enough that it stuns the entire room, “She is your daughter, isn’t she?”
My gaze stays latched on Michael, whose tormented expression gives him away as he turns away from us to stare at the others.
“Open the gates to the InBetween, Azrael.” Michael orders. As he collapses into his chair, Jophiel extends her hand to place it on her brother’s shoulder, only to be swatted away like a fly.
“But, brother…the girl…,” Azrael mutters in protest, but one look from Michael has him straightening and leading us out of the room.
Ariel looks as if she will protest, but remains still watching as we drag Ambriel away.
“Mother! Forgive me! Please don’t let them take me! Please!” Ambriel shrieks and thrashes in Ezekiel and Gideon’s hold.
I watch as Ariel turns away, unable to watch as we leave the room. It isn’t long before we are once again outside in a small garden. At the back of the gardens, looms a mountainous wall with the familiar dark rune burnt into the side of the wall.
The symbol for the InBetween, a voice whispers in my mind in anticipation.
Azrael stands before the symbol and unsheathes his sword. Kneeling with the blade tipped into the ground, Azrael begins to mutter a chant so old, even Pascal stiffens at its use.
Slowly, white light breaks through the rock wall and the rockiness of the wall vanishes to reveal golden gates. The golden walls of the gate are carved with the InBetween rune symbol.
“How long has this been here? Could the Archangels have used it when the curse was placed?” Pascal asks the question I had been thinking and Azrael rises from his kneeled position to glare at all of us, his sword still drawn. His glaring eyes land on Elara and he tips his sword in her direction.
“Powerful curses such as that are too powerful for us. Not even the Almighty wished to test it for fear of doing harm to those on the other side. Get the sword and return here. If you don’t, we’ll hunt you down like a pack of dogs,” Azrael steps back and motions for us to enter.
As Dina draws her sword and proceeds to go first, Azrael’s sword rises up and he glares at her with disdain. “Not all of you. Just the Keeper and the hero of the InBetween,” Azrael mocks.
Dina protests and Ezekiel and Gideon back her up. Only Pascal is silent. I turn to him, gaging his reaction. He is calm. He knew this would happen.
Turning back to the others, I scan their faces, “I can go the rest of the way, myself. I have to do this myself. It was my fault the InBetween was cursed and I intend to right the wrongs.”
Grabbing my sword out of my sheath, I pull Elara’s shaking body, still wrapped in chains, to stand. Ezekiel nods at me as I scan his face before sliding it to Gideon, whose face is serious and practically rippling with anger. He wants to come with me. To join in the fight.
I place my hand on his shoulder and smile, “There will be many more battles after this one, brother.”
Gideon grins sadly at me and nods. I smile and poke Dina in the nose and pat Pascal’s shoulder before turning away from them and standing before Azrael’s blocked sword. Staring at him, I refuse to back down until he drops the sword and I proceed to drag Elara’s possessed form kicking and screaming into the bright white light.
Welcome home to the InBetween.
The air is stale as I breath in for the first time since the white light dimmed. Death. Everything has been destroyed. The wall, the beautiful village, even my castle is practically rubble. As I stare all around, the gates close behind me, effectively locking me in.
Elara’s form groans as Ambriel pulls at the chains, “You’ve doomed us both, Darius.”
I ignore her and listen for the rustling of any demons waiting to pounce. The hazy fog is thick, but no one appears to do us harm. Instead, as I peer through the fog, my eyes drift to a light shining from what remains of my castle.
“If they won’t come to us, then we’ll go to them,” I growl and inhale as my wings extend out of my back until they are fully stretched. I kneel down and stare into Elara’s darkened eyes, “I know you’re in there somewhere, Elara. Fight it.”
Elara’s face remains blank before turning into a hateful sneer. “She’s as good as dead, Darius. Just like you will be soon.”
Ignoring Ambriel’s hateful remark, I grab her by her upper arms and slowly feel myself rise from the ground with every flap of my wings. As we fly through the sky, soaring closer and closer to the castle, my senses scream at me to turn and go in the opposite direction. I know if I listen to them that Elara will never emerge from the darkness.
This time, we will both leave the InBetween in one piece, Elara.
23
Darius
All that remains of my castle’s walls is rubble. As I land in the courtyard and carefully lay Elara’s shaking form on the ground, I stare up at the mountain that my castle had been built into. My home. Wings retracting, I try to ignore the feeling of being watched.
Demons.
A light shines from one window above. The throne room. I know it is a trap, but it is the only way to save Elara. As I stare up at the crumbling staircase, I groan at the thought of carrying a reluctant girl up those same stairs. Ambriel would probably gladly push me to my death.
Turning to Elara, I am met with the same black glare as before. Kneeling down to her eye level, I begin to slowly unhook the chains that are latching her feet together.
“You’re going to walk in front of me,” I tell her, ignoring the way her eyes widen in fear as she also stares up at the crumbling staircase.
“Not happening. I’m not your shield,” Elara hisses as I drag her to stand. She stands reluctantly on shaky legs as I push her forward, my own hand holding tight to the chains wrapped around her back.
“They won’t hurt you. They need you,” I mutter and we slowly make our way up the stairs.
“Not me. Her. The hero of the InBetween,” Ambriel scoffs in disgust and I rattle the chains around her upper arms, chest and back tighter causing her to groan in pain.
“Watch it. Elara is a hero. She didn’t have to save all those souls from your agonizing curse. She did it because she’s a good person. She could have used the sword to escape, but she didn’t. She’s completely selfless.”
“And stupid,” Ambriel mutters, struggling in the chains once more before freezing as we reach the top of the stairs and walk the familiar halls, “I always hated this place.”
“Why did you take the position then as my consort?” I ask the question, I’ve been longing to ask ever since Ambriel’s supposed death.
“I was getting too close to the humans on Earth. Ariel grew worried my fascination would lead to unsanctioned things. She always favored me as her favorite protege. Never mind that she was my mentor and treated me like her own child. She had me placed in the InBetween in the hopes that my fascination would wain, but being so close to those souls who wished to wait in the InBetween was worse. She never expected I would…,” Ambriel’s words trail off as we both approached the fake wall that leads to the throne room. Inconspicuous was the entrance to the throne room. Hidden by an incantation that made it appear like any other wall of my castle.
Yet, Elara found it, a voice in my head whispers and I shake myself inwardly to clear my thoughts. I can sense true evil beyond the wall. As well as the sword. It makes my skin crawl to know that someone truly evil possessed the sword.
Forcing Ambriel as Elara to stay close to me, I draw my sword from its sheath once more and stride through the wall. The scent of filth and evil is far worse beyond the wall. My once regal throne room is now dark and decimated.
A hissing, laugh draws my attention to the partially destroyed throne on the raised dais. Tensing, I glare at the shadows that shift into the familiar form of Renna, the one-armed soul who’d tricked both Elara and myself into being captured by Tarnin.
“Welcome back to the InBetween, Keeper,” Renna croons as her gaze slides away from me to Elara whose expression has gone blank and eyes are level with the boulder.
I don’t acknowledge Renna. I’m too shocked by the sight of the Flaming Sword once more encased in rock. Its shining and beautiful countenance is unrivaled and there is no mistaking it.
“What have you done?” I ask, not taking my eyes off of the sword.
“I’ve merely protected my investment,” Her voice hardens, “Ambriel.”
In a flash, the chains wrapped around Elara dissolve and I’m kicked back by a bare foot. My body flies through the air and lands against what remains of a stone wall. Leaning against the wall, I grit my teeth and raise my sword at the sight of Renna slowly descending the throne steps to stop on the last step of the dais.
Renna smiles coolly down at me, her one arm extends toward the sword jutting out of the stone, “Go ahead, Keeper, take it.”
I grit my teeth harder and slowly rise up, leaning against the wall slightly as I feel the twinge from a bruised rib. I ignore her ploy. I know the moment I touch that swords hilt, I will feel a pain I have felt for centuries.
“What’s your endgame here, Renna? You know the moment Ambriel takes the sword as Elara and opens the gates, the Archangels are going to swoop in here and destroy everything in their path. If you end this now, I can see that they show you leniency,” I am utterly sincere in my words. All I care about is getting the sword and using it to cure Elara.
Renna scoffs and turns to Elara who waits patiently, her face blank, like a dog would for her master, “None of the Archangels are a match for one of their children who also happens to wield the Flaming Sword. They know it and you know it. Why else would they send you here alone, Darius? They want you to fail.”
“Why are you doing this, Renna?”
Renna’s fists clench and she stares down at me with her hate filled eyes, “You don’t even remember him, do you? He’s nothing compared to Darius, the great Keeper of the InBetween. He didn’t deserve to die such a horrific death and if you had spent anytime actually protecting the souls of the InBetween instead of mourning in your beloved castle, then he would still be alive.”
“You’re referring to Adam. I warned Adam not to go beyond the wall. Did you know that? He attempted to climb the wall and nearly fell to his death, but I saved him and scared him off. Instead of heeding my advice he brought you as his shield. He was using you, Renna,” I take a step forward, my angelic blade light in my hands as I approach her, “Stop this madness.”
Renna screeches and in burst of fury flings sharp, jagged shadowy daggers at me. I duck and dart out of the way as one after another plunges into the stone wall. A blinding pain shoots up my arm as one of the final daggers she throws hits home and binds me to the stone wall. I drop my sword and growl in anger. As I go to remove the shadowy dagger, the faint touch of my fingertips on the hilt has me crying out in pain.
Renna grins and turns to Ambriel, “Take the sword. We’ll kill the Keeper with it. For ironic purposes, of course.”
Ambriel hesitates, Elara’s face morphing into confusion, “I thought you were going to infect him. Use him against the Archangels. He could be useful.”
Renna snorts and turns away from Ambriel and myself as she glides up the steps to the empty throne. “He’d rather kill himself then let that happen, wouldn’t you Darius?”
She grins down at me before turning her black eyes on Ambriel, “Do it.”
“Don’t Ambriel! Can’t you see she’s using you? She’s a follower of Tarnin. Don’t listen to her!” I growl as I hold my arm in place, gritting my teeth with every slice of pain that slides up my arm.
I can see Elara’s face is pained. Perhaps there is a war being waged within. I groan and use this to my advantage. I cry out as she takes a step toward the boulder.
“Don’t do it, Ambriel. We were friends, consorts. I treated you like my sister.”
Renna scoffs, drawing our attention. “Please. Would a friend or even a beloved brother do this?” Standing, Renna pulls away a blanket revealing the white, feathered wings. Ambriel’s wings.
Instantly, Elara’s face morphs into one of pure anger at the sight of her wings. Though, they are no longer as pristine as they had been in the glass case. It appears that the wings had been ravaged. Perhaps by demons or whatever else lurked in the InBetween now.
With her renewed anger, I watch as Elara stomps over to the boulder and turn to look over her shoulder. All I see on her face is Ambriel’s anger and black eyes.
“You’ll pay for everything you’ve done to me, Darius,” Ambriel hisses; and as she reaches out to grasp the swords hilt, I call out for her to stop, but it’s too late. Her hand is grasping the hilt and her whole spine curves upwards with her head thrown back in a harsh scream that vibrates the walls and floor of the already crumbling castle.
A white light flashes out from her hand and I’m pushed back against the wall. The shadowy dagger that impales my arm dissolves under the white light’s pressure. I feel myself collapse to the ground, my eyes straining under the white light. I can faintly hear Renna crying out in pain and, as I struggle to lift my head, I see tendrils of white light capturing her and pinning her to the dilapidated throne.
The floors begin to rumble and stone falls from the crumbling ceiling. This place is going to fall apart and who knows what Ambriel will do with all that power.
“Elara! I know you can hear me! Stop this now!” I cry out, praying she hears me somewhere deep inside.
Please, Elara, fight back.
24
Elara
Everything is cold and dark. The only light that shines into the dirty, dark pit is from the top. The bars that cover the pit’s entrance are in place and locked. I’m once again locked in the pit the villagers of the InBetween threw me into all those months ago.
I don’t remember how I got here. But I’m here again and all I want to do is cry. There’s no ladder to the top this time so I can call for help. There’s no blanket to keep me warm. There’s no Darius to rescue me like before. I have already tried calling for him and the others until my voice is raw. Even the meditation techniques Pascal had attempted to teach me in order to become more in tune with my abilities haven’t worked.
Curling up in a ball and crying seemed to be the only solution. It is pathetic.
“I’m pathetic,” I groan into the silence as I try to stay warm, pressed up against the dirt wall of the pit.
“You’re not pathetic, Elara, merely discouraged,” An older, fatherly voice speaks up on the opposite side of the pit.
My mouth gapes open as I stare up at the elderly man who is leaning against the pit’s dirt wall. His long, white hair is pulled back and his white beard stops at his chest. His skin is tan and leathery. Nothing like Santa Clause. His white eyes meet mine and I immediately stand, fists clenched to fight.
“Demon,” I mutter as I try to stand on my weak legs.
The old man smiles a bright, perfect smile, “I’ve never been called a demon before.”
I pause and blink, staring the man down, using the same technique Darius taught me to see through a demon’s illusion. I see nothing. The old man remains the same in his grey suit jacket and grey pants. All I sense from the man is warmth and kindness.
“Who are you?” I ask, confused as I stare up at the opening of the pit. The bars are still in place, locked, as they had been for who knows how long. I turn back to the man as he watches me, his smile soft as hi
s inquisitive white eyes glanced over me.
I ask, “How did you get in here?”
The old man shrugs. “You may call me anything you wish. I have many names. Father, Allah, the Creator, the Almighty and so forth.”
I stare, wide eyed at the man before me. I feel myself kneeling and the old man laughs, reaching out to stop me from bowing.
“No, Elara. Do not bow,” he scolds as he forces me to straighten on my knees.
I begin to shake and hug myself instinctively to keep the shaking under control, “Am I dead?”
I must be. There’s no way I’m alive right now. This must be my own personal version of hell.
The old man, the Almighty, sobers and pats my shoulder, “Not yet.”
I breathe in and out quickly, my eyes bunched closed, “No.”
“You’ve been possessed by a demon infected angel. She is going to destroy the world. My Earth,” The Almighty reaches out a hand and lightly caresses the pits wall.
My eyes tear up and I curl into a ball once more. All my thoughts drift to Darius. It’s all my fault. If I had just listened and stayed at the hotel with Dina, this would never have happened.
Please forgive me, Darius.
“I find it hard to believe that the supposed hero of the InBetween has given up and is crying on the dirty floor of a pit,” The man mutters in disbelief and when I open my eyes, I stare at him once again leaning against the wall.
I shudder and shake my head, “I’m no hero. It’s all my fault this is happening. Why did I have to pick up that sword? Why did I have to involve Renna? Why did I try to escape? Why did I even walk up to Darius that day?”
My chest hurts at the thought of not knowing Darius. Darius who is so kind and generous in his love and attentions. Darius whose only dream was to be with his family and to be loved.
