by Tim Marquitz
Without another word, Azrael leapt into the air and streaked toward McConnell, an obsidian trail of shadows swirling in his wake.
Azrael gone, I crawled my way to my feet, finally able to function somewhat. Rahim and Katon did the same. We staggered toward one another, all of us stumbling as though we were drunk. I could only wish.
Despite the head start of everyone else, I was confident we could still get to the gate first, with Rachelle’s help. I just wasn’t sure what we could do when we got there. Looking into Rahim’s eyes, I saw he was running on empty, Katon only slightly less weary. I knew where I stood and it wasn’t good.
“You ready for this?”
Both nodded without hesitation despite knowing we had no chance. Talk about balls.
As I sent a message to Poe, I glanced up and saw Azrael plowing his way toward the gate, bowling over vampire and Nephilim alike in his rush. McConnell’s energy had begun to slip, the wall of explosions I’d first seen now little more than the flicker of candles. He was running out of power, his body defying him.
The storm around the gate had grown worse, the first signs of its deadly fall beginning to manifest. Lightning flickered through the clouds with such tenacity that the entire sky seemed purple. Azrael was right, the Tree was on its deathbed, thunder its death rattle.
Rachelle’s voice sang inside my head and I started to give her our locations when a thought sparked to life, cutting through the murky gloom of my defeatism. I told her to wait a second and looked to Rahim and Katon.
“I’ve an idea.”
Rahim shook his head. “We don’t have time to get laid, Frank.” He glared at me impatient.
“Though that’s a great idea, it wasn’t what I had in mind.”
McConnell’s explosions now gone from the sky, the first in the wedge of Nephilim and vampires reaching the gate, there was no time to explain. I gave Rachelle coordinates and hoped dearly I hadn’t just helped to screw the pooch.
As a shimmering blue portal appeared before me, way too small for any of us to fit through, Rahim snarled, his eyes flickering red as he realized I’d gone ahead with my plan. Katon just stared as I dug in my pocket and yanked out the vial of my uncle’s blood.
I popped the stopper and stared at the shifting blood inside for just a second. A frustrated sigh slipped out and I growled, then made up my mind to hurl the open vial through the portal. It spun and zipped through the passage, a scarlet arc whipping about behind it as it flew out the other side of the portal and careened into Heaven.
“What are you thinking, Frank?” Rahim asked with a graveled stutter, his ursine face just inches from mine. Katon stood behind him, his sword wavering in my direction, fury and confusion engraved upon his dark face with equal measure. He’d always thought I’d betray them one day, believing I still owed a debt to Baalth. He might be right about the betrayal, but in my defense, I’d never do it on purpose.
By accident or incompetence was an entirely different matter.
Watching as Azrael and thousands of violent intruders disappeared into Eden’s gate, I felt my chest tighten as the stress of the last few days caught up to me all at once. My legs going limp beneath me, I fell to my knees staring up at the ashen flakes that drifted down toward us. Thunder rumbled so loud it shook the ground, but the gates stayed open, enemies pouring into its gaping maw.
“I’m thinking I just fucked us all,” I answered in all honesty. “How was it?”
Though the original plan never really had any realistic chance of a happy ending-at least not for us-had I stuck to it we could have gone out with some semblance of honor, dying in battle, however futile. Instead, I went with a stray thought that popped into my head after days of sleep deprivation, drunkenness, and plain old fashioned physical abuse. It wasn’t one of my most rational moves.
After a moment of screaming at me, Katon and Rahim stumbled off and I barely noticed. My eyes were frozen on Eden. Not only had I condemned us all, but I’d pushed Uriel and Forcalor under the bus while I was at it. I’m nothing if not generous.
My stomach a boiling pit of guilt and acid, I heard a high pitched whine scream to life. It sliced through my skull. Above us, flickers of light, like a million matches being lit at once, appeared before the gate.
I looked to Rahim as he readied his magic to take him and Katon up to Eden, apparently oblivious to the sound. “Wait!” I screamed at them as the whine grew inside my head. Pointing to Heaven, they glanced up to see the flickers.
Right then, the world exploded.
Chapter Twenty-Two
A wave of energy erupted from Eden, a searing light burning away everything in the sky in a whitewash of brilliance. The piercing whine a physical agony that threatened to shatter my skull, I covered my head and curled up in a ball as the sky rained down on top of us. Hurricane winds buffeted my back and its sharpened tongues licked at any exposed flesh, searing lines of agony appearing red across my arms and scalp, a patchwork of razor cuts.
After a moment of slicing torment, the wind subsided and I braved a quick glance through shredded fingers. The energy disbursed, I could see again, though tiny flashes of pop-lights plagued my vision, flickering in and out to the frantic rhythm of my heartbeat.
From above, pieces of flesh and bone, scraps of clothing, and a wet red rain fell all around us, the ground pooling moist beneath it.
The gates of Eden were charred an ashy gray, wisps of smoke drifting out in great tendrils. The skies around them were blotted out by an oily blackness, the clouds and deadly snow gone. The world was silent, though I wasn’t sure if it actually was or if my eardrums had just burst. I touched my hand to my ears and came away with spots of blood. Both were an option apparently.
Nearby, Rahim and Katon got to their feet, appearing just as disheveled and battered as I felt. There was no doubt we all looked like twice-warmed shit. They glanced at me with questions in their eyes, and I shrugged, all of our gazes swinging upwards as the world suddenly became brighter.
The obsidian dark was squeegeed from the sky in thick swaths revealing shining stars and glimmers of moonlight as the unnatural blackness was washed away. Quiet thunder sounded in the distance and I began to be able to hear the muffled splashes of the morbid rain that fell around us. Guess I wasn’t deaf after all.
Then suddenly, a whispered song fluttered into my head, a melodic chant that seemed to float around us as though it had substance. After a moment, the song rose in volume and a shimmering light appeared in the darkness of Eden’s gate.
Roughly spherical, the light drifted from the gate and hovered in the sky above us. Tiny wisps of dimmer lights circled about the sphere like moons in orbit around a planet. Its light so bright, that after a minute, I had to look away, flickering dots searing on my eyeballs.
A gasp drew my eyes back up, the light having dimmed. At its center floated what appeared to be an old man, a long white beard flowing down his narrow chest. His bald head glistened in the light and golden eyes stared down at the battlefield from under thick white eyebrows. He held out his hands, his light brown robes fluttering despite there being no breeze.
Though I’d never seen him before, it didn’t take a genius to realize that this was Metatron. His power butted against my senses like hurricane force winds, and I was kind of glad I hadn’t chosen to stand, the feeling humbling.
“Begone! Heaven is not yours to defile.” His voice roared through the air and his words slapped against my face as though they were a solid object.
Already in retreat mode, the Nephilim needed no further encouragement to hit the road running. Cockroaches scrambling for cover under the lights, they scattered in every direction but up. There was nothing to see but half-breed assholes and elbows for miles.
I caught sight of Venai as she summoned an escape portal, Jorn’s massive bulk alongside her. She cast a furious glance my direction and slid her thumb across her throat before diving through her gate. Jorn trundled after and the portal disappeared.
&n
bsp; The vampires were long gone by then, and what remained of the weres imitated the Nephilim and hightailed it out of sight. After just a few minutes, the battlefield was clear of the living, only the dead and us still in attendance. If I’d had any energy left, I’d have been right there with them.
Metatron watched the retreat for a moment, then turned his focus on us. He looked from Rahim to Katon and then his golden gaze settled on me. It took everything I had not to look away. His power still battered my senses, but it had been tempered to a manageable level.
He drifted down and settled before me, his sandaled feet floating inches above the ground. He shook his head as he appraised me. Still on my knees, I felt a bit awkward so I got back to my feet. Weariness helped keep my fear in check.
“Duke Forcalor told me you were a fool, Triggaltheron, but I would never have imagined it was to such an extent.” He stuck his hand out and there was an empty vial in his wrinkled palm. His face was expressionless, but there was a sense of dire seriousness wafting off his words. Not sure what he wanted me to do with the empty vial, I left it sitting in his hand.
When I had imagined the blood of my uncle rousing Metatron, I hadn’t thought it would actually work. I also hadn’t thought about the consequences of Satan’s essence returning to Heaven after all these years. While I’d hoped it would be enough of a shock to Metatron that it would rile him up and get him to react, I really hadn’t given any thought to what would happen after he woke up and finished dealing with the angelic rebellion. That’s me: one step ahead, two thoughts behind.
Rahim and Katon took a few steps back, leaving me alone before the archangel. I could feel the love, though I couldn’t blame them. I’d have done the same thing.
Metatron cast the vial aside and stared at me a moment longer before a soft chuckle spilled from his mouth, the sharp lines of his eyes softening.
“It seems, however, that we were in need of a fool.” Once more he stuck out his hand, but this time I didn’t shy away, his smile encouraging. I took his hand and gripped it tight. “Long have I mourned the loss of God, blinded in his absence by my self-pity. When I felt Lucifer’s essence, I was startled into awareness with hope that He, too, had returned.” I tried to look apologetic, but I really suck at it. “Alas, though it was not to be, I am grateful to be awoken to world where I once again have a purpose.”
He nodded to me and reclaimed his hand, casting thankful smiles to Rahim and Katon.
My adrenaline dumping and my mind shifting gears to think of all the things I’d overlooked, I asked, “What about Scarlett?” Ambushed by Azrael’s vampires, I didn’t have much hope Metatron’s answer would be a positive one.
His smile faded some, but didn’t disappear entirely. “She is gravely wounded, but she will heal in time. She is in Heaven, with her family.” He rested his hand on my shoulder to soften the blow of his words.
I barely noticed, glad she had made it through the other side. Abraham dead, and possibly Michael as well, I couldn’t imagine losing Scarlett too. That would be too much for me to handle.
“Azrael?” I had to ask.
“I have taken his powers and given them to Raguel for safekeeping. I cannot find it in my heart to condemn him for he was nothing if not true to his nature, but he will be banished to Limbo until such time I believe he can be trusted again.” He gestured to Heaven. “As for Gabriel and his followers, Uriel and Forcalor have seized them, and they await punishment.” He sighed slow and long. “They will suffer greatly for their misdeeds against Heaven and humanity alike.”
Gabriel had been nothing but trouble since God’s hiatus and it was high time he paid for all the chaos he’d sown. As spiteful as it was, I hoped Metatron was true to word. If he weren’t, I’d do everything in my power to ensure Gabriel paid for what he’d done. Abraham’s death was on his head, as well as my own. The remnants of my heart cracked brittle in my chest.
A gust of wind drew my vexed attention skyward, a handful of angels flying down toward us, a silver bier balanced between them. My heart drummed a blast beat in my chest imagining who lay upon it. I only had a moment to wonder before they were upon us.
The angels settled, placing the bier reverently upon the ground. Having expected Michael, I was surprised to see McConnell-and strangely not relieved.
His arms crossed over his chest, his eyes were closed in peace despite the myriad burns and wounds that covered his face and body. Though I hated the man, always believing him to be a coward and a betrayer, he had gone out on his sword to save the world. He may well have done it for selfish reasons, but he’d still done it. Alone, his promised backup never showing up, he stood before the gates of Heaven and fought an army of invaders.
No matter my personal feelings for the man, I couldn’t help but respect that. He’d died with honor and courage of the sort I could only imagine. As weird as it was to think, his death was tragic.
Don’t quote me on that because I’ll deny it.
Rahim stepped up beside me to get Metatron’s attention. “What of Earth?”
The archangel’s expression turned sad, his gold eyes narrowing. “There is little I can do for its people, the dead beyond my ability to help with no God to gather their souls.” Rahim sighed and I knew it was reserved for Abraham. “As for the Earth itself; as the Tree of Life heals, so shall the wounds it caused. All life connected to its heart, its recovery will bleed out into the world…in time.”
At least there was some good news. Sickened by all that had happened I wanted to make sure it didn’t happen again. I dug Eve out of my pants-and you’ll notice there are no boner jokes-and passed her over to Metatron. “I don’t think we need her down here anymore.”
Metatron smiled as Rahim and Katon handed over their pieces as well. He looked the bones over and smiled, cradling Adam and Eve in the crook of his arm, while he held Lilith in his free hand, apart from the other two.
“I remember these three when they were first created. God was so proud. Despite it all, I believe he would be happy to see them returned to Heaven…even Lilith.” Once more he graced us with his smile. “Thank you all. You have earned a friend this day.”
He bowed and leapt into the air, the angels who’d carried the bier following him up. In a flash of gold, he streaked toward Eden. A moment later he disappeared inside and the gate shimmered and shifted, closing behind in silence.
Distracted by the sight above, we didn’t notice Rachelle had gated in. Our eyes at last free of the glory of Heaven’s light, we looked back to Earth to find her there, along with Poe and a bruised and battered, but very much alive Michael. It was great to see him there.
My heart caught in my throat as Rachelle smiled and gave me a gentle hug. “The angels took Scarlett. They said she’ll be okay.”
Unbidden, tears welled up in my eyes, but not for my cousin. I pulled Rachelle in tight and fought back a sob. She clung to me and whispered everything was okay, though I’m sure she thought I was upset about Scarlett. She had no idea how wrong she was. Things would never be okay again.
I glanced over at Rahim. His head was bowed, but his eyes locked onto mine. We agreed in silence. It would only be cruel to hold back the truth any longer.
I drew in a deep breath and gently separated from Rachelle. She caught my eyes and latched on as she realized there was more to my grief.
“I need to tell you something.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
It had been almost three days since we’d averted the end of life, but for me, things really hadn’t gotten any better.
Pissed and hurt and feeling betrayed, Rachelle had exploded with grief when I told her about Abraham; and for good reason. It was wrong to mislead her, but we’d needed her to be there in spirit, mind, and body. Often in her own little world under the best of circumstances, we couldn’t risk her retreating to it when we needed her the most. We couldn’t have succeeded without her.
Deep down I think she understood that, but that didn’t make her feelings any l
ess valid. She was mad that I had no faith in her, and she had every right to be. It hadn’t been my intention, but not telling her only made things worse between us.
Rahim tried to tell her it was his idea, but I warned him off. Rachelle needed a pillar of strength she trusted, one who wouldn’t let her down. I’d burned that bridge and there was no point in making them suffer more than they already were. He fought me on it, but in the end he gave in. This wasn’t about the truth. Maybe it would be one day and we’d clear the air, but until then, Rachelle needed Rahim more than she needed to know the truth; certainly more than she needed me.
Katon was mad too, but more than anyone, he understood. A warrior to his marrow, he knew why we hadn’t said anything. He’d get over it faster than Rachelle would, but he’d been quiet since we’d let the truth out, a little cold.
Though hurt, Michael could rationalize our choice and agree with it. He knew how delicate Rachelle was, and though it pained him to see her suffering, he was just glad she was alive to feel anything at all.
On a more global scale, Metatron had been right. Shortly after he sealed the gate to Eden, storms sprang to life across the world. Gratefully, these weren’t the same kind of storms that devastated the planet. These brought wind and rain, to spread the seeds and nurture them.
Humanity on edge, they panicked and scrambled to escape the weather, but it was all in vain. Rain fell over the barren patches of earth that had been scoured away. In defiance of all the laws of nature man has come to know, the planet began to repair itself. Blades of grass sprung up in the wake of the storms, tiny trees and shrubs sprouting to life within hours to start the process.
No less miraculous than the storms that had wiped it all away, humanity found a reason that reinforced their belief in something beyond their senses, their faith renewed. Most simply attributed it to God, whatever their flavor might be; in anger he’d cleansed the earth, in forgiveness he’d begun to heal it. It was easier to let them believe that than call attention to the supernatural beings who lived amongst them here on Earth. However, the door had been cracked open for some and could never be closed again.
