Destruction

by R C Knight

  “Yea,” she mumbled into his shoulder. “I can’t wait to get to the city tomorrow and just get this over with.”

  “Neither can I.” He smiled as Aria looked up at him, a small smile on her face.

  “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “For always looking out for me.” She smiled; her eyes filled with gratitude. “And for never giving up on me, even when I had given up on myself.”

  “I’d do anything for you, Aria.” Ryder smiled as he leaned down and softly kissed her lips. “And I’m looking forward to proving it to you for all eternity.” Aria sighed with relief as she kissed him back, her body relaxing into his.

  ~~~~

  The bright light of the morning sun filtered through the canopy. Zane sighed with exhaustion as he dismantled his rawhide tent. Their training with Kai had done wonders for his self-control over his corruption. However, he felt like he was mentally falling apart. Every night was another version of Raphael’s torture by Lilith. Every night he tried desperately to save him and failed. Every night he was reminded to keep it under control, and to have Aria help him with that. It was driving him crazy. “One more day.” He muttered to himself as he glanced around their makeshift camp. Aria and Ryder came out of their tent, his hand resting gently on her lower back, a smile of content on her face. At least they’re finally happy, he thought to himself as he packed the tent into its satchel.

  Dominick strode up next to him, the morning light reflecting off the bronzed skin of his bare chest, a loincloth barely covered his cock.

  “Is there a reason you’re walking around without any clothes?” Zane muttered as Dominick stopped in front of him, his muscles straining against his skin.

  Dominick smiled darkly as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Just impressing the ladies.”

  “Trust me when I say, no one here is interested.”

  Dominick chuckled as he looked around the group. Aria and Ryder had finished packing up their tent and were talking to Bishop. His only female warrior, Gabriela, was with Dominick’s men, her face filled with anger every time she looked at Zane. “Slim pickings,” he commented with a sigh. “We reach city when sun highest. Spend night in Colosseum.”

  “Yea, yea. I know.” Zane sighed as he picked up his satchel and slung it over his shoulder. “It’s just those of us participating that will be staying in the Colosseum, correct?”

  “Yea. Others get room at whorehouse.”

  “Alright,” he responded as he walked towards the rest of the group. “Let’s get going. I’m going to enjoy this fresh air while I can.”

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Earth

  Keira sighed wearily as she stared out at the sparkling blue water, the morning sun’s reflection shining on her face. “I can still feel it,” she sighed as she glanced up at Kai. “The anger and jealousy. I can’t believe how I acted because of that red mist.”

  “It happens to the best of us,” he responded softly; his dark blue eyes filled with understanding. “You definitely handled it better than Bishop.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You didn’t notice?” Kai chuckled. “He is filled with hatred for you and Zane. Probably because you’re a couple.”

  “Ah,” Keira sighed. “I guess I was too busy trying to keep Zane away from Aria,” she chuckled as her blue eyes gazed out at the ocean before them. “Which is stupid. I know they’ve both realized it’s better for them to stay apart.”

  “Yea,” Kai agreed as he turned to look at the ocean. “And she’s with Ryder now, so I don’t have to listen to his damn complaining anymore,” he chuckled as he ran a hand through his dirty blonde hair. “That is always a plus.”

  Keira laughed. “Yea it is.” They stared out at the ocean, waiting for the skyline of the Red Horseman’s city to appear. “Kai,” Keira muttered; her eyes filled with concern.

  “Yea?”

  “On our way here, Myra mentioned that we use our souls to fuel those holy weapons that Michael gave us.”

  “Yea,” Kai responded nonchalantly.

  “She then mentioned that angels don’t have souls because of Lucifer.”

  “Uh-huh,” he muttered. “Where are you going with this?”

  “If angels don’t have a soul, then how…” She sighed wearily, trying to figure out how to say what was on her mind. “How are you able to care about anything?”

  “Ah,” Kai responded. “You think your soul controls your emotions? That’s a common misunderstanding.” He paused as he smiled down at her. “Your soul is merely a source of power. One that can be corrupted. Heaven and Hell have fought over the souls of humans since God first created them. But a soul is not required to have emotions.”

  “If it’s just a source of power, why didn’t God give all of the angels a soul?”

  “You’ve heard of the fall of Lucifer?” he asked; Keira nodded her head. “Well, for some unknown reason, once Lucifer was given a soul, he became corrupt. He despised the humans, because of God’s affection for them. He became obsessed with himself, his looks and his power. He figured if he could become more powerful, if he could become the perfect being, then God would love him more than the humans.” Kai sighed as he looked down at Keira, her blue eyes filled with curiosity. “His sin was his pride, which led him to become the first Fallen. There’s no way to know if it happened because of the soul he received. But God did not want to lose any more angels, so he refused to give us souls.”

  “I see.”

  “Hey!” Nikolai’s melodic voice floated on the breeze. “Any sign of the city yet?”

  “Not yet,” Kai responded as he examined Nikolai. His melodic voice seemed out of place with his rough exterior. It was clear he had endured extensive torture through the years. “But we should be seeing it soon. Dominick said it was only a two-day trip by ship.”

  “Yea,” Nikolai replied, his brown eyes scanning the horizon. “I just don’t want to fuck anything up.” He sighed as he looked over at Kai. “You think this plan is going to work?”

  “There’s no doubt in my mind,” he responded with confidence. “I can send their weapons to Ryder in the Colosseum when they are ready.”

  “How will you know when they’re ready?”

  “Simple. I made these amulets that connect Ryder and me.” He smiled as he ran a finger along a silver emblem he had hanging around his neck. “This allows us to communicate, only short distances though. It will also allow us to create the connection we need for me to teleport the weapons to him. All we have to do is make sure we are close enough to the city for it to work.”

  “And how close is that, exactly?” Nikolai asked, his voice stern.

  “I don’t know.” Kai shrugged. “We’ve never tested the max distance on these. But once we get in sight of the city, I will try to connect with Ryder. He knows to try and connect with me once they arrive.” Kai sighed as he saw Nikolai’s face fill with worry. “It’ll be fine,” he reassured him. “There’s nothing to worry about.”

  “If you say so,” Nikolai muttered.

  “And we’ll get a test run in when we send over Aria’s weapons before the final Colosseum battle. So, if something doesn’t work at that point, we will have time to figure it out or adjust the plan.”

  “I guess,” Nikolai responded with unease. “I’m just uncomfortable with all the ‘what if’s’ this plan seems to be filled with.”

  “Me too,” Keira muttered wearily.

  “Guys, it’s going to be fine.” Kai reassured them as he glanced out at the ocean, hiding the worry in his eyes.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Heaven

  Eliza sighed with exhaustion as she sat down on her bed. She stared at the white marble wall in front of her, its holy light glowing softly. She rubbed her hand along her neck, her muscles tight from overuse. I just need some sleep, she thought as she laid back, some of the tension leaving her body as the mattress cushioned her. She rolled onto her side, her blonde hair falling
in her face. Her eyes landed on her desk as she brushed her hair behind her ear. The worn leather binding of a book stood out against the white marble. I need to return that, she thought as she closed her eyes, willing herself to fall asleep.

  Eliza held a small crystal in her hand, its silver glow illuminating her worried face. “It will be a simple mission.” The figure from the orb reassured her, his blue eyes shining from beneath his hooded robe.

  “But what if it doesn’t work?” she muttered as she looked around the small chamber. “What then? Surely they’ll kill me if I were caught.”

  “You won’t be. Once Aria is out of the picture, we will be able to restore Heaven to its former glory. And then we can reclaim the Earth. Isn’t that what you want?”

  “Yes,” she sighed. “But is this really the only way?”

  “Yes.” The man’s voice was stern. “I have already planted the seed to get you on the mission. Just be prepared.”

  “Alright,” she sighed as the figure disappeared, the crystal orb losing its silver glow. She carefully tucked the orb into her robes and left the small chamber.

  Eliza opened her eyes as a soft knock echoed through her chamber. How did I never see his face? She wondered as she rolled in bed, her eyes looking at the door. Another knock echoed, followed by Laila’s soft, melodic voice.

  “Eliza… Eliza are you awake?”

  “Yes,” she muttered as she forced herself out of the bed, her body aching with each move. She opened the door, Laila was waiting patiently, her green eyes filled with worry. “What’s wrong?”

  “Not out here,” she muttered as she glanced at the guards stationed next to the door. She quickly let herself into the room. Eliza sighed as she closed the door and made her way back to the bed, sitting on its edge. Laila sat down next to her, twisting her hands in her lap. Silence filled the air as Eliza waited.

  “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” she asked softly.

  “Have you remembered anything yet?” Laila looked over at her, a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

  “No,” she sighed as she looked down at the floor. “I don’t think there was ever a time I saw his face. I’ve been trying.” A tear streamed down her face as her voice cracked. “I’ve been trying so hard. Please say you believe me.” She looked back at Laila. “Please.”

  Laila sighed as her eyes softened. “I believe you.” She looked away, scanning the small chamber. “I just wish there was something… anything that could help us get to the bottom of this.” Her eyes landed on the worn book sitting on Eliza’s desk. “What’s that?” she asked as she stood, her footsteps soft as she walked over to the desk.

  “Oh. I found that in one of the healing rooms,” Eliza muttered. “I’ve been meaning to return it… I’ve just been so tired lately.”

  Laila looked down at the book, her eyes tracing the delicate script she had stared at for countless nights. The Fall of Lucifer. “You found it in the healing rooms?”

  “Yes,” Eliza muttered as she watched Laila run her hand across the cover. “Why?”

  “Oh.” Laila looked back at her as she gently lifted the book, cradling it against her chest. “It went missing from my chambers a while ago. Michael and I have been searching for it since then.”

  “Ah.” Eliza shifted her weight uncomfortably as Laila gazed down at her.

  “Don’t worry.” She smiled softly as she sat down next to her. “Did you find it interesting?”

  “Not really.” She shrugged. “But did you know that Selaphiel used to be friends with Lucifer? Before the fall, anyway.”

  “What?”

  “Yea.” Eliza continued. “It was mentioned a few times. It was really boring though; I wouldn’t be surprised if you read over it.”

  “Huh.” Laila sighed as she looked down at the worn leather. “Could you show me where?”

  “Sure.” She grabbed the book from Laila and started flipping through the yellowed parchment, her eyes searching the delicate script. “Here is the first one.” She smiled as Laila leaned over her, reading over the page she had indicated.

  “Where else?” Laila asked as she finished reading. Eliza smiled, her body finally relaxing now that she was able to help, even though she didn’t know exactly what she was helping with.

  ~~~~

  Michael stared at the dancing flames in front of him. The smell of lavender filled the air. The cold of the stone bench beneath him seeped through his robes, chilling him to the bone. “I don’t know where else to look,” he sighed as he glanced over at Cordelia. Her black hair was matted against her face. Her milky, white eyes staring right at him.

  “You haven’t been looking hard enough,” she responded. “You have been distracted.”

  “Of course, I’m distracted,” he hissed; his voice filled with frustration. “We have a traitor in our midst, and I can’t figure out who it is. And on top of that you’re telling me I need to find out what happened to Christ or else our whole world will be destroyed. So yes… It has been difficult to get anywhere.”

  “Michael,” her voice took on the tone of a reassuring mother. “I have faith that you will find what you need. But you must focus on Christ, everything else will fall into place.”

  “But there’s nothing there,” he muttered as he stood from the bench and paced around the room. “I’ve read everything on the Battle of Armageddon multiple times. I have searched through the archives to no avail. Nothing talks about what happened to him after the battle.”

  “You won’t find what you seek in a book,” she responded, her raspy voice echoing off the stone walls. “You must speak to those that were close to him. Only then will this mystery unravel.”

  Michael stopped his pacing as he turned back towards her, his eyes narrowed, and his fists clenched at his side. “If you know so damn much why don’t you just tell me who I need to talk to and get this over with?” He shouted; his breathing heavy. Cordelia stared up at him, letting the silence permeate around them. “Say something, damnit!”

  “This is a journey you must take on your own.” She spoke softly, the firelight illuminating her bronzed skin. “But I can show you this.” She lifted her hand; incoherent words left her lips as the holy light left her fingers. She traced a rune in the air, its elegant swirls overlapped one another, creating a jarring disharmony.

  “What is this?” he asked, his eyes staring at the rune floating in the air.

  “Interesting,” she muttered. “Raphael recognized this rune immediately.”

  “What?”

  “It’s why he went to Earth,” she continued, watching as the rune faded away. “I don’t know what this rune means. But it is extremely important. Maybe Raphael could help you.”

  “Have you forgotten?” Michael sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. She’s losing her mind. “Raphael died decades ago on Earth.”

  “Did he?” she smiled up at him. “Or did he just want you to think that?”

  “It’s impossible,” he muttered as he began to pace around the room. “Selaphiel and Uriel informed us of his death. They even had some of Raphael’s belongings.”

  “There’s a traitor in your midst,” she sighed. “You must ask yourself how long this traitor has been here? What can you really believe?”

  “Nothing, apparently,” he grumbled as he stared into the fire. “You have given me a lot to consider. I thank you for your advice, as always.” He turned towards the stone door. “Let me know if I can ever be of assistance to you.”

  “I will,” she responded as he walked towards the door. “And Michael.”

  “Yes.” He looked over his shoulder at her.

  “Don’t do anything stupid.” She smiled up at him, her knowing eyes filled with hope. He chuckled as he left her chamber, closing the door behind him.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Earth

  The sun shone brightly overhead, its light bouncing off the bright blue waters along the coast. Aria sighed with relief as the walls of the city came i
nto view. Their group paused, watching as lines of unarmed tribes made their way into the city. Her eyes followed the city walls, landing on the black spire, rising high above the city on top of a steep hill.

  “At least we won’t have to search for the spire,” she chuckled as Ryder’s eyes followed hers. She looked over at Bishop and smiled. “You ready to destroy it?”

  “I can’t wait,” he responded, a dark gleam in his eyes. “Hopefully there will be a shit ton of demons to kill.”

  “Great motivation.” Ryder chimed in, his eyes darting towards Aria with worry.

  “Well,” Zane strode up behind them, clapping his hand on Bishop’s back. “Finding the spire was easier than I thought it would be. You two still going to scout the city tomorrow?”

  “Yea,” Bishop responded as he shrugged Zane’s hand off him. Zane’s eyes lowered to the ground as he shifted away from Bishop.

  “It wouldn’t hurt,” Aria interjected as she stepped between them, her hand lightly brushing against Zane’s arm. Her eyes softened as she looked up at him, her lips curving into a smile. “Besides, we can’t let you have all the fun fighting in the Colosseum.”

  The corner of Zane’s mouth quirked up; his eyes alit with excitement. “I suppose you’re right. Just stay safe, we can’t get our weapons from Kai until we have a plan in place.”

  “I will.”

  Zane smiled softly at her, relishing the soft innocence on her face in that moment. “Well.” He cleared his throat as he stepped back from her and looked over at the city. “We should get going.” He turned towards the rest of their group. Dominick stood with his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes narrowed with contempt. Gabriela stood behind him, with a small group of their tribe members. Each of them had a small satchel slung over their shoulder. Zane sighed wearily as he ran a hand through his hair. “Let’s get going. Dominick, you’re up here with me,” he shouted to them as he turned and continued towards the city. “I can’t wait to get this shit over with,” he muttered under his breath.