by J F Cain
He was thinking that for the Archdemon to know about his personal matters, he must have been watching him for quite some time. That meant that he was after his soul, which explained his sudden interest in revealing Jean’s murderer. Was it true that Galen knew who had murdered her? In his encounters with the Cursed there was no way he hadn’t seen the blade attached to Vincent’s wrist and must have put two and two together, but he hadn’t said a word to him. He had obviously wanted to avoid going head-to-head with the vampires before they had achieved their longed-for goal, as he had in fact mentioned in their last meeting.
Kenelm clenched his fists, which were trembling from his eagerness to rip Vincent’s head off his neck. He resumed his cross-legged position in front of the fire and shut his eyes, trying to calm the rage he was drowning in. He knew very well that he shouldn’t give in to the urge to avenge Jean’s murder immediately, because he would then be serving the Archdemon’s interests. And beside the fact that after that the dark spirit wouldn’t leave him in peace, he would also be risking their alliance with the vampires. And that he had to avoid at all costs.
All in good time, he told himself, and behind his closed lids he thought he saw Jean smiling at him, as if she was applauding his attitude.
CHAPTER 23
The sandy desert stretched silently as far as the eye could see. Rocky mountain ranges shot up from its bowels, their sharp peaks jutting into a yellow sky. Above the sky, an enormous nebula containing celestial bodies was slowly drifting along and casting its shadow on one side of the planet.
On one of the mountain ranges, Cassiel and Cerviel appeared on the ledge of a mountain cliff. The leaders of the Powers and the Rulers exchanged a look of misgiving and slipped through a crack between the two tall rocks. As soon as they had entered the mountain, they looked around curiously.
The cave stretching before them was totally different from the planet’s surface. The walls, ceiling, and floor were made of a translucent emerald-like material inside which you could see the polyhedral crystals. The little yellow streams that had once flowed among the strange formations were now still, like veins of gold against an emerald backdrop. There was no sign of movement on this dead planet located in the furthermost corner of the invisible universe, where nothing ever happened and no one ever stepped foot.
All the commanders of the celestial forces were already gathered inside the cave: Gabriel, Uriel, Anael, and another three Archangels. Raphael had curly hair, a chestnut-colored complexion and bright blue eyes; Sachiel had long black hair and her brown eyes were slanted; and Raziel had long white hair and gray eyes, but he didn’t look older than thirty. The Archangels stopped talking among themselves and turned to look at the newcomers, who approached and greeted them with a slight bow.
“Isn’t Michael here yet?” Cassiel asked, his gaze searching for Elether’s commander in chief among the other high Celestials.
“We didn’t invite him. He wouldn’t approve of such a secret meeting,” Gabriel replied and went on: “I’ve told everyone about all the events to date.”
“Events that were kept from us,” Sachiel remarked, his expression betraying his confusion and disappointment.
“Do you wonder why?” Anael asked.
Raphael pinned his gaze on Gabriel.
“How could the Source do something like that? It’s unheard of!” he said, still unable to believe his ears.
“When we were asked to invade Eregkal, we had been just as shocked,” Cerviel admitted. “But let’s not forget that we did it to get the Superior back.”
“You took her from Eregkal and left her on Earth. You didn’t bring her back where she belongs,” Anael pointed out.
Cassiel turned his gaze on Elether’s leader.
“Those were our orders. We cannot defy the Source,” he replied calmly.
Uriel, who had remained silent until then, spoke up.
“Defy, no, but we do have the right to judge. Everything that is happening concerns us all.”
That point of view seemed to bother Cerviel.
“Who are we to judge the actions of our Creator?” he said with a frown.
“You are wise and faithful, Cerviel,” said Gabriel, respectfully acknowledging the leader of the Rulers. “But we need to assess the situation we find ourselves in.”
Raphael was watching Gabriel with an air of interest but also reserve.
“If the Source intends for the prophecy to come true, then why is It separating them?”
“Because It does not work in obvious ways,” Raziel explained and folded his arms across his chest, looking troubled. “Lucifer is not easy to deal with, especially now.”
“That does not mean we have to use the same methods as him,” Sachiel stated. “We cannot abandon our kind!”
“We will not,” Gabriel replied resolutely.
Everyone’s gazes settled on him.
“What do you have in mind?” Raziel asked, surprised by Gabriel’s definite tone.
“A coalition,” he stated. “When the Superior and Abaddon are in danger, we must unite and ask the Source for permission to help them.”
Cassiel was the one who voiced the question in everyone’s minds.
“And if It refuses?”
“Then we will act on our own.”
The shock Gabriel’s words caused was written all over the celestial generals’ faces.
“Go against the Source’s will?” the leader of the Powers asked in astonishment, unable to entertain such a notion. “Do you realize that could bring about a second fall, perhaps even worse than Lucifer’s?”
Gabriel regarded him with a calm and steady gaze.
“I believe that it will bring about the opposite; Its satisfaction,” he replied with certainty.
Anael nodded, the look on her face showing she had just made a very serious decision.
“I believe so too.”
The high Celestials exchanged deeply troubled glances. Uriel nodded—he agreed with the other two Archangels. Raziel and Sachiel were wary. But the expressions on the faces of Raphael, Cerviel and Cassiel revealed their disbelief.
“Your close relationship with Abaddon is affecting your judgment,” Cerviel said mildly. “What you propose is very dangerous.”
“More dangerous than the Source’s decision to leave the Superior on Earth?” Anael stepped in. “You who have fought in Eregkal to get her back shouldn’t have any doubts about what It expects of us.”
“And you are close to Cassiel,” Gabriel stated. “What would you do if he was alone on the physical plane and needed your help?”
Cerviel didn’t need to think about it.
“I would not leave him alone. Nevertheless, it seems that Abaddon has undertaken a mission. Have you considered the likelihood that our involvement might cause problems?”
“He cannot fight the dark forces on his own,” Gabriel replied. “But even if that need does not arise, he still has to deal with Lucifer. And we all know what an able corrupter he is.”
“I have faith in Abaddon,” said Raphael. “His clash with Lucifer may have turned him into a Dark Angel, but he managed to keep himself and the other Defenders from falling. He has a strong spirit.”
“The problem is that right now he has a human consciousness,” Sachiel pointed out. “Under these conditions, it is extremely doubtful if he will be able to withstand Lucifer’s manipulation.”
“As long as he has the Superior at his side, we do not need to worry. She will support him,” Raphael countered.
Gabriel didn’t give up trying to convince those who disagreed.
“The Source has taken the Superior from his side. He is entirely alone, hurt, and seems unable to comprehend Its aims. Even we who are in possession of our angelic memories and consciousnesses cannot grasp them. How would he be able to in his condition?”
“The Superior’s departure is a serious problem. Even so, I believe our involvement in their mission would endanger us all,” Cassiel insisted.
&n
bsp; Raziel shook his head in disagreement.
“I don’t know. The fact that the Superior is carrying Abaddon’s child shows that the Source has changed the Rules. I think we also need to change our thinking in order to meet the new challenges.”
Most of the Archangels nodded their agreement. However, Raphael, Cassiel and Cerviel continued to have doubts.
“Is there any chance that the Superior did not become incarnated to serve the Source’s purposes, but fell from grace because of her love for Abaddon?” Raphael asked, searching for the truth behind the events.
“None whatsoever,” Gabriel stated with certainty. “The Superior has been in love with Abaddon ever since her last human incarnation, as he has been with her. However, they always put duty above all.”
The revelation of the eternal love between Elether’s leader and the commander of the Defenders left the Celestials speechless. They stared bewilderedly at Gabriel. Some still found it difficult to believe everything he had revealed and others were wondering if there were other weighty secrets being kept in Elether.
“I am certain that I have understood Its will correctly, and that is for us to evolve spiritually,” Gabriel continued. “If we do not experience doubt, how will we help people escape the entrenched patterns of thought that Lucifer has implanted in their consciousness over many centuries as he prepared to rule Earth? Don’t forget that our existence is interlinked with that of humans. If Lucifer takes over the Earth, he will weaken us, and then he will attack Elether.”
The words of the Archangel who had repeatedly proven his devotion to the Source made Raphael think. But the commanders of the Rulers and the Powers didn’t seem convinced.
“I will not support any action that goes against the Source’s instructions,” said Cerviel with icy determination.
“Neither will I,” added Cassiel.
The Archangels’ gazes all focused on Raphael.
“I will think about it,” he answered the unvoiced question.
“Alright, let us know what your decision is,” said Gabriel.
Cassiel, Cerviel, and Raphael bid the other celestial generals farewell with a bow and left the meeting.
Uriel turned to Gabriel.
“I am certain that they will let the Archivist and Michael know about the meeting.”
“It matters not what they do, but what we will do,” Gabriel replied. “Do the rest of you all agree for us to act, even if it goes against the Source’s instructions?” he asked, his gaze traveling over all the Archangels as he awaited their answer.
“I do,” the remaining generals answered one by one. Raziel hesitated for a moment, but then agreed too.
“Aright, then,” said Gabriel. “Even if it is a big battle, our legions are enough to fight the dark forces.”
“What will we do if Michael and the rest try to stop us?” Raziel asked, his tone worried.
“Whether alone or with our forces, we will transport ourselves directly to the physical plane. Michael will not fight us there. He would never give Lucifer the satisfaction of seeing Celestials clashing. And I am certain the Source will never instruct him to do so.” Gabriel regarded his allies with eyes that gleamed with an intensity at odds with his temperament. “We are not fighting our brothers and sisters or our Creator,” he stressed. “Our ultimate purpose is always to preserve balance in the physical world. We are not insurgents,” he concluded, his voice rumbling with passionate conviction.
The Archangels remained briefly silent. They knew that their brothers and sisters would consider them insurgents rather than trailblazers. Even so, that didn’t change their decision to help the Superior and Abaddon in their mission.
“We will all have to closely monitor the developments in the physical dimension and be ready to act,” said Uriel.
“Owing to my position, I am always ready to act,” Anael replied.
“I am still not back in action. I can therefore watch Abaddon at all times.” Gabriel shifted his gaze from Anael to the others. “I shall notify you all at once when there is a need,” he added, putting an end to the meeting.
The great generals of the celestial forces bowed to each other and left the cave, certain that they had made the right decision.
Gabriel watched his spiritual brothers’ and sisters’ ethereal forms fade one after the other. He wondered how many high Celestials would pass the test their Creator had set for them and how far It would go to achieve Its aim, which only It knew. Gabriel believed that the Source intended to create a new power. At the moment, there were two forces affecting humanity’s evolution. But the universe was run on the law of three forces—a positive, a negative, and a neutral or balancing force that had waned on Earth. A force that would escape the Angel-Demon bipolarity and would help humans find balance in their tri-natured existence, as well as find solutions to the problems plaguing their societies.
Gabriel was certain that if It wanted to create a third force, it would choose Abaddon, whose nature hovered between the angelic and demonic. And, of course, It would give him helpers to carry out his task. That would explain the Dark Angel’s incarnation, which was so that he could get to know human nature well, and his own, so that he could guide him. It would also explain the Source’s other actions. What Gabriel couldn’t explain, however, was why, one by one, It was taking Abaddon’s helpers and guides away from him. Even if it was somehow part of the trial he had to go through, it was unthinkable to expect him to succeed in such a difficult mission all on his own. Aranes’ departure especially would wreck him. Why was the Source being so hard on him?
I’ll find out at some point, Gabriel told himself as his supernatural vision penetrated the physical world in search of the one who was going to carry out this daring mission.
A new day had dawned in Earth’s western hemisphere, but it didn’t gladden Abaddon’s heart. He marched down the castle’s corridor with a scowl on his face. Each passing day, each passing hour, brought Aranes’ departure closer, and it made him feel like a caged beast. He knew he could free himself, just as he knew that he shouldn’t do it. That inner conflict had ignited a rage in him that was often aimed at Aranes, because she, as her actions showed, was putting humanity above him. And while he found that reasonable—in fact he admired her for her strength—he also found it hard to accept.
He stopped outside the library door and looked inside. Aranes, Fares, and Eiael were standing in front of the desk at the far side of the room and were waiting for him to discuss the upcoming journey to the Exorcists’ fortress. But the discussion had already started without him. Abaddon assumed a calmer expression and walked in. His partner’s and the two Guardians’ gazes fell on him, searching for an indication of his mood.
“So, have you decided on how you’re going to get there?” he asked as he approached.
Despite his indifferent tone, Aranes realized that he was still in a bad mood.
“That is not something I’m going to decide on my own,” she replied gently.
Abaddon’s brows shot up, creasing his forehead, as he regarded her with feigned surprise.
“Well, that’s a pleasant change,” he scoffed, a note of bitterness coloring his voice. Uncaring about the astonishment his answer had caused, he sat down in one of the armchairs in front of the desk and crossed his legs. “I’m all ears! What are our alternatives?”
An uneasy silence fell in the room. The two Guardians looked at Aranes, waiting for her to react. But she was watching Abaddon silently, wondering yet again if he was playacting to mislead the Demons or if the pressure he had been under for so long was bringing out his dark side.
Eiael broke the silence, believing that this would help the Superior out of the difficult position her partner’s behavior had put her in.
“We could use helicopters that some of the Guardians can pilot,” she said without showing a single trace of annoyance. “We’ll get there sooner, but the Superior will be in danger of being attacked by Demons, and we cannot fight in the air. The seco
nd solution is to go by car, but it’s a long trip and we will have to go through a forest after sunset.”
“Without being able to rule out Demon presence there either, of course,” Fares added.
“If that happens, the Exorcists can intervene,” Aranes pointed out.
“And why can’t they do that in the first scenario?” Abaddon asked.
“Their powers, just like all of ours, aren’t unlimited,” Eiael answered. “Exorcists were created to fight Demons on Earth not in the heavens. That is the job of the Angels.”
A sardonic smile formed on Abaddon’s lips.
“Oh yes, I forgot! The Rules …” he said with imperceptible cynicism.
Aranes ignored his sarcasm.
“I believe the cars are the better solution,” she suggested politely, yet decisively.
Fares nodded.
“I agree.”
“I am of the same opinion,” added Eiael.
Everyone’s gaze turned to Abaddon in a silent request for his opinion. He knew the decision had already been made and his consent was just a matter of form. He appreciated the effort, but it didn’t make him feel better.
“Alright, then, it’s settled,” he replied, concealing the feeling of inferiority his absent celestial memory created in him behind an amenable expression.
“We will set out early tomorrow morning,” Aranes told the Guardians and then turned to her partner again. “I’m going to get my things ready,” she informed him, looking at him with a soft smile that was both tender and understanding.
“I will begin the preparations,” Fares told his leader and, after bowing to Abaddon, he followed Aranes out of the room.
When the Superior and her second-in-command had left the library, Eiael turned to Abaddon. He was still sitting comfortably in the armchair, showing no indication that he was planning to go. He had pinned his gaze on her and was observing her strangely.
“Is there anything I can help you with?” she asked with formal politeness.
The Celestial had a curious expression on his face. Her body’s composition was strange. It wasn’t like the other Guardians’.
