Fallen

by R C Knight

  He ran as fast as he could, fighting the stiffness of his muscles. Damnit! Why did I have to fight so hard? He paused to regain his bearing then ran off again, following the stream. A bolt of lightning shot from the sky, quickly followed by a scream. Zane picked up his pace, running towards the lightning strike. What the fuck is going on? he thought as he followed the bend in the stream.

  Another bolt of lightning shot down from the sky. Illuminating two figures fighting in the distance. Aria was on her back, blocking Eliza’s staff with her daggers. Fuck! Zane pulled energy from his sword, running towards the fight. An eerie silence filled the air, fear gripped his heart. No, no, no... he thought as he arrived at the scene. Aria was curled on her side, a pool of bright red blood forming beneath her. He scanned the area, Eliza had disappeared.

  “Fuck!” he shouted as he sheathed his sword and knelt next to Aria. Working by the light of the moon, he quickly examined her body, finding the wound in her side. Zane threw off his cloak and pulled off his shirt. She groaned as he applied pressure to the wound with his wadded shirt.

  “Come on Aria,” he pleaded as he looked for other injuries. “You’re going to be just fine.” Satisfied that this was the only injury, Zane wrapped his cloak around her and picked up his sword, strapping it to his back. He gently picked up Aria and cradled her in his arms, running back towards their camp as fast as he could.

  Ryder, Kai, and Myra had returned to the camp, hoping that Aria or Eliza would be there waiting for them. Zane’s group was talking nervously amongst themselves, fear in their eyes. “Where’s Zane?” Ryder asked as he noticed Keira sitting by herself.

  “He ran off shortly after you left.” Keira nervously picked at her nails. “What’s going on?”

  “I don’t know,” Ryder responded. He heard a shout coming from the stream. Zane came sprinting towards them, a figure cradled in his arms. Ryder’s heart sank as he ran to meet him. “What happened?” he demanded as Zane ran past him to the fire.

  “I don’t know,” he responded as he gently laid the figure down next to the fire. He unwrapped his cloak, revealing Aria’s pale face.

  “No!” Ryder shouted as he knelt next to her.

  “You can help her? Right?” Zane pleaded. “Eliza disappeared. I saw them fighting but she was gone by the time I got there,” he explained breathlessly as the rest of the group gathered around, staring at the fallen angel. “It’s just the one wound in her side.”

  Ryder placed his hands over the wound, a bright glow encompassing Aria’s body. “Myra, Kai, come here,” he requested; his voice strained. “I need your help.” They nodded and knelt next to him, pushing Zane further away. They placed their hands over his, the glow of holy light increasing. After what seemed like an eternity, the light dissipated, and Ryder nodded with satisfaction. He wrapped the cloak around Aria and stood up. “We need to find out where Eliza went. Where did you find her?”

  Zane quickly explained where he had found them. Ryder looked at Aria, his face full of sorrow. “We should’ve paid more attention.” His voice shook with grief. Myra began to cry.

  “This is all my fault.” She shook her head. Kai pulled Myra into him and whispered words of comfort into her ear. Zane sat down by Aria, gently pushing a strand of hair out of her face.

  “Zane, watch over her for me.” Ryder’s voice cracked.

  “Of course,” Zane responded quickly.

  “Myra, Kai. Let’s go.” Ryder looked at Zane’s group. “We don’t know the extent of the damage, but she should be fine for now. We heal faster than humans, so she should be awake soon. Stay within the wards and wait for us here. I don’t know how long we’ll be gone.” Zane nodded, barely listening as he stared at Aria’s pale face. What the hell is going on?

  ~~~~

  Aria felt a sharp pain in her side as she woke up. “Fuck!” she shouted, clutching her side, and curling into a ball. Tears formed in her eyes as she willed the pain to go away.

  “It’s okay now,” Zane’s voice whispered in her ear. “You’re safe.” He gently stroked her back as he whispered words of comfort. She took a deep breath and slowly rolled onto her back. His bright blue-hazel eyes met hers, sadness radiated from him. She looked around the camp, everyone else had fallen asleep.

  “What happened?” she asked, her voice strained and hoarse. “Do you have water?” Zane turned quickly and grabbed a canteen.

  “Here.” He lifted her head and tipped the canteen to her lips. She sighed with relief as the dryness left her throat. Zane set the canteen back down and looked at her, his eyes full of concern. “What do you remember?”

  She looked up at him, confusion on her face. “I was sitting by the stream.” She paused, looking around the camp again. “Eliza was there. But not because of Gabriel, it was someone else. Where’s Ryder? I need to tell him what she said.” Her voice filled with panic as she looked around the camp.

  “Shh.” Zane grabbed her hands to try to calm her down. “Ryder went to examine the scene of the fight and look for Eliza. Myra and Kai are with him. I don’t know when they’ll be back, but the wards are still up. We’re safe here.”

  “I can’t believe I was so stupid.” She stared into the fire, silent tears rolling down her cheek.

  “I haven’t known you for very long, but stupid is nowhere close to how I would describe you.” He softly ran his fingers across her cheek, wiping away her tears. “You’re beautiful and smart. You absolutely dominate the battlefield and you’re an extraordinary leader.” He paused, running his hand through her hair. “Your people love you, Aria. They would do anything for you. I don’t know what happened with Eliza, but it’s clear the others would die for you.”

  Aria closed her eyes and relished the feel of Zane’s hand running through her hair. She sighed with relief as the sound of his voice filled her soul with peace. “I never thanked you,” she mumbled; her voice soft.

  “For what?” Zane asked.

  “For stepping in with Gideon.” She paused. “And for saving me tonight.”

  “Not a problem.” He smiled. “I’d do it all again in a heartbeat. Now relax and get some sleep.” He began to hum as he stroked her hair. Aria didn’t recognize the tune, but it was very relaxing.

  “I like that.” She smiled, relishing this moment, committing it to memory. As she drifted off to sleep, she could’ve swore she heard Zane’s voice whisper in her ear, “I love you.”

  ~~~~

  Aria awoke to someone gently shaking her shoulders. She groaned as she opened her eyes, sunlight glared down at her, forcing her to squeeze her eyes shut.

  “Come on,” Ryder prompted. “We need to get moving.” He gently placed his arm under her back and helped her stand. She winced as a sharp pain shot through her side. “It still hurts?” he asked, his face full of concern. Aria nodded, wincing with every step she took towards the horses. Zane came running over to help get her in the wagon. She laid down slowly, pain etched across her face.

  “How is she?” Zane asked Ryder as they went to their horses.

  Ryder shook his head sadly. “She should’ve healed by now. We need to find out exactly what Eliza did to her.”

  “What did the Counsel say?”

  “They’re going to look for Eliza. Someone opened a portal last night; they think she’s in hiding. They have everyone looking for her, but clearly she has someone powerful helping her.” Ryder looked back at the wagon. “This weakness is going to drive her crazy. She’s never been good at sitting around and letting other people help her.”

  Zane chuckled sadly. “She definitely doesn’t seem like the type to enjoy being pampered.” They mounted their horses and headed to the main road. Myra and Kai stayed at the back, leading Aria’s and Eliza’s horses.

  The trip went smoothly, they stopped at another village for lunch then continued on their way. Aria slept the entire day, the occasional moan of pain leaving her lips. Thankfully, there wasn’t a lot of demon traffic today. They made camp early that night, making sure
to get away from the main road. Myra and Kai placed their wards while Bishop got the fire going. Mikayla and Keira quietly prepared dinner, while Liam and Riley pulled out blankets for everyone. Zane and Ryder gently woke Aria and helped her over to the fire. She sat down on a blanket, hiding the grimace on her face.

  “Has the Counsel been informed?” She looked at Ryder as he sat down next to her. Zane sat down by Ryder; his face full of concern.

  “Of course,” Ryder responded. “They are looking for Eliza now. There’s nothing for you to worry about.”

  Aria laughed, then quickly grabbed her side as she winced in pain. “Tell that to my organs,” she groaned.

  “Is it still that painful?” Ryder asked with concern.

  “No, Ryder,” she retorted sarcastically. “I enjoy clutching my side whenever I laugh.”

  “I don’t understand. You should be completely healed by now.” Ryder looked at her carefully. Her face was still pale, and her green eyes seemed dull. “Can I take a look?” She nodded, opened her cloak, and slowly lifted her shirt. Her side was swollen, a bright red line marked where she had been stabbed. She looked down, worry filled her eyes. Ryder leaned in and gently prodded her side. She winced as he examined her, a tear silently rolling down her cheek. “This is worse than I thought,” he muttered under his breath.

  “Why does it look like that?” Zane asked as she pulled her shirt back down.

  “I don’t know.” Ryder looked at Aria sadly. “Does anything else hurt?”

  “No,” she responded quickly. “Just my side. But I feel.” She hesitated. “I feel different.”

  “How so?”

  “I don’t know.” She stared at the fire. “I just feel, depleted. Like I have no energy left.” Ryder sat silently as he thought.

  “Do you mind if I check something?” he asked.

  “Do whatever you want. As long as you think it’ll help,” she responded. Ryder gently grabbed her hand. His hands began to glow, the light spreading from him to her. His face fell in shock. “How bad is it?” she asked quickly, fear shining in her eyes.

  Ryder shook his head sadly. “Try it.” Aria looked at him then at Zane.

  “What’s going on?” Zane asked, uncomfortable with the look on Aria’s face. She lifted her hands, her face set with determination. She fisted her hands, opened her hands, and fisted them again. A shout of frustration filled the air as she looked at her back. Tears started to stream down her face as she placed her head in her hands. Zane looked at Ryder, his face was filled with such sadness that it felt like it pierced his heart. “What?”

  Ryder slowly turned to Zane. “She’s Fallen,” he whispered with disbelief.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Heaven

  Michael’s voice rose in anger as he hit the table. “Enough!” The Counsel had been called together to discuss Aria. The last message from Ryder had confirmed their deepest fears. Eliza needed to be found quickly so they could work on a cure. They also needed to find out who was helping her and why. “We cannot spend all of our time bickering and pointing fingers.” He looked around at the Counsel, anger in his eyes. “Aria needs her powers back if she is to succeed. We’re already planning on asking her to complete the impossible. She needs all the help she can get right now.”

  “How are we supposed to help her with a traitor in our midst?” Gabriel hissed.

  “I understand your concern,” he replied calmly. “But our main goal right now needs to be finding Eliza. After that we can worry about who has been helping her.”

  “It shouldn’t take long to find her.” Uriel commented. “There aren’t a lot of places to hide here. The warriors will find her soon enough.”

  “I want everyone working until she is found. They can sleep in shifts if needed, but no one is off duty until this is resolved.” Michael watched as the Counsel nodded in agreement. “Very well. Now, I need to speak to Laila about an antidote.” Michael left the cathedral quickly, wanting to get away from the chaos as fast as possible. He entered the medical center and was escorted to Laila’s quarters. She welcomed him in with a kiss then returned to her desk. Books were stacked everywhere; some had even been strewn across the floor.

  “Have you found out anything?” he asked hopefully.

  “Nothing,” she sighed as she flipped open another book. “There has never been a case like this. Lucifer’s insurrection is the only time we’ve had fallen angels, and it was God who cast them out. I didn’t know it was even possible to make an angel fallen without God’s will.” She paused to read. “I wish we could bring her back here so I could run some tests.”

  “I know.” Michael responded sadly. “But she’s a Fallen now. Without her powers, she won’t be allowed entrance into our realm.” He sighed as he sat down on Laila’s bed. “I have failed her. Raphael would never have let this happen.”

  Laila closed the book and turned towards him. “There was no way for you to know. Aria was the only one worried about taking Eliza on the mission. And that was because she was pissed that I wasn’t going.” She walked over to him and knelt in front of him, gently grabbing his hands. “There was nothing you could’ve done.” She stared into his eyes, her green eyes conveying the truth in her words. Michael sighed as he looked away.

  “I feel like I’ve been blind to what’s been going on here. We just had an angel turn on another angel, and she is clearly working with someone.” He looked around the room. “I don’t have any idea who is helping her. It must be someone on the Counsel, we’re the only ones who can open the portal. But I don’t know where to start looking for proof.” He looked at Laila, sadness in his eyes. “I was supposed to protect her. I failed her, just like I failed Raphael.”

  “Oh honey,” Laila said softly as she sat next to him and pulled him into her chest. “You haven’t failed her. She’s still alive. We’ll find a way to help her.” Laila ran her hand up and down his back. “You’ll fix this,” she said with confidence. “I know you will.”

  ~~~~

  Gabriel couldn’t believe what had happened. He felt like he was responsible since he had insisted on Eliza going in Laila’s place. Although there was no way he could’ve known what she was up to. We should’ve questioned her motives more, he thought as he walked through the sparring grounds.

  It was late afternoon as Gabriel entered the medical center. He talked with the receptionist and was led to a room in the back. Eliza opened the door; excitement filled her face as she let him in.

  “Good afternoon,” he said as he sat down at her desk. “I understand you wanted to speak with me.”

  “Yes,” she responded enthusiastically. “Laila informed me that she has been pulled from Aria’s mission. I’d like to go in her place as their healer.”

  Gabriel looked her over, wondering why she was so excited. “And why should we allow you to go?”

  “Well,” she responded confidently. “I know I’m not as good of a healer as Laila, but I am more than competent in healing. And, unlike Laila, I can fight.” Gabriel nodded as an idea struck him. He knew Aria had never liked Eliza, maybe this addition would help with her arrogance. She’d have to learn to work with someone she hated. It could be a good learning experience for her.

  “Very well,” he responded slowly. “I will speak with Michael.” He stood up and held out his hand. Eliza quickly shook it, excitement on her face.

  “Thank you!” She smiled. “I won’t let you down.” Gabriel nodded and left the room, excited for Aria’s reaction to the news.

  Gabriel had made his way to the bathing pools and examined his surroundings carefully. I never should have trusted her, he thought sadly.

  “Gabriel!” A shout echoed off the walls. He turned to see Alistair running towards him. “We found her!” he shouted excitedly. Gabriel’s face lit up with hope.

  “Really?” he responded, excitement in his voice.

  “Yes. They found her hiding in a cave behind one of the waterfalls.” Alistair stopped to catch his breath. “She
had a dagger on her, which we brought directly to Michael and Laila. They’re examining it now. Michael thought you’d like to be the one to question her.”

  Gabriel nodded. “Lead the way.” He followed Alistair as they made their way to the prison cells. A man’s painful screams filled the halls. “That doesn’t sound like fun.” Gabriel looked at Alistair. “I didn’t know we had any prisoners down here.”

  Alistair looked uncomfortable as he avoided eye contact with Gabriel. “Officially we don’t have any prisoners,” he responded, “but that doesn’t mean anything.” The man’s screams echoed down the hallway. They were coming from an enclosed room at the end of the hall. “Anyway.” Alistair stopped in front of a cell. “She’s in here.” He pulled out a set of brass keys and unlocked the door, stepping aside for Gabriel to enter. He walked into the cell; Alistair quickly closed the door behind him. “Let me know when you’re ready to leave,” he said as he turned his back to the door.

  Eliza was huddled in the corner. Her blonde hair was a mess and her blue eyes looked around in fear. “He said I would be protected!” she screamed as she pulled at her hair. “I can’t be tortured. Not like that man,” she mumbled as another of the man’s screams echoed down the hall. Eliza looked up at him, her face full of pain and regret.

  Gabriel stood by the closed door, staring at Eliza. “You brought this upon yourself,” he replied. “Now, tell us what you did to Aria and who you’re working for.”

  She laughed as she rocked back and forth. “I imagine you already know what happened to Aria. She deserved it! She was going to ruin us all. Just like Raphael wanted to!” Gabriel looked at her in confusion.

  “What does Raphael have to do with this?” he asked.

  “Everything!” she shouted. “He was a demon lover. He practically trained Aria to be the same! He was trying to find a way for the demons to get to Heaven.” Eliza looked at Gabriel, her eyes pleading. “Please, you’ve got to believe me. He told me what happened. That’s why Raphael had to be taken care of. Aria was following in his footsteps. She would have destroyed us!”