The ropes that bound the fallen angel glowed a faint blue, marked with Enochian characters that sealed him in. Daniel and his men surrounded Ramiel whose eyes were still wide and blank, trapped in the illusion that rendered him immobile. Ariel walked over to the group with Caelum following a few steps behind. She looked at Ramiel with both pity and anger.
"What will you do with him?" she asked Daniel.
"We will take him to Raphael. The archangels will decide his punishment," Daniel answered. He turned to look at her and saw the demon standing behind her. He caught Caelum's gaze and sighed heavily, obviously feeling odd about his next statement. "Thank you for assisting us in his capture, demon."
"Caelum," he introduced himself. "Please call me by my name."
"Caelum?" Daniel had the same expression on his face as the first two angels who’d heard his name. "Heaven extends its appreciation for your help. This may be the mark in history where Heaven and Hell can mend their differences."
"I wouldn't be so optimistic," Caelum said. "A lot of my kind still hate your lot. And the feeling must be mutual. Just ask your friend over there who still looks like he wants to kill me." Caelum nodded to Nathaniel whose face glowered in Caelum’s direction.
"All the same. This is a change that will be a milestone in history," Daniel assured him.
Caelum lifted his palm to his chin and looked at the fallen angel who was lying down silently, trapped inside the dream he’d been plunged into. "I don't suppose you would let me have him, would you? As a prize?"
"No," Daniel was quick to deny him. "He is a prisoner of Heaven now. And he will be questioned and punished by our superiors."
"Ah, I see," Caelum said, feeling defeated for not taking Ramiel to Azazel. “So much for my reward. Good thing I have a backup plan.”
"Would I be able to speak to him?" Ariel asked.
"After the archangels do, Ariel," Daniel told her. Ariel looked from him and Ramiel, considering her options. She had many question to ask the fallen one, mostly questions about her past which she couldn’t trust the others to answer. But she was in no position to insist. Instead, she nodded, though she fully intended to conduct her own investigation about Ramiel's claims.
"Pity that we desecrated a house built in God's name. Ramiel chose such a location to bring his allies." Daniel looked over at the destroyed altar with solemn eyes. "We shall take him to Heaven now. Thank you for locating and capturing him." He nodded to Ariel and Caelum then walked back to Ramiel and the two angels who accompanied him. "Ariel, will you not be returning home with us?"
Ariel looked over her shoulder at Caelum who gave her a smile. "I..." Ariel looked down, then turned back to Daniel. "I will return home shortly. I wish to remain here for a while longer."
Daniel nodded without further questions, his eyes only briefly moving to Caelum. His companions lifted Ramiel towards the hole that used to hold the oak doors, Daniel following behind. The light was bright and high over their heads, and the moment they stepped into it, they disappeared. Daniel gave Ariel one last glance before stepping into the light himself and disappearing.
"You didn't mention the other one, the one in the robe on the roof," Caelum said, walking to Ariel's side.
"He disappeared before Daniel and the others came," Ariel told him. "I intend to find him myself in case Ramiel spoke the truth. At least I know there is someone who can tell me what I want to know."
"Yet you let them take Ramiel," Caelum said.
"I still am not sure. But I cannot get in Daniel's way without putting a target on my back for the rest of my days," Ariel said. She walked towards the entryway and went out into the cemetery. She looked up to the bell tower where the hooded figure had stood moments before, wondering who Ramiel's ally was.
The demon walked to her, his hands in his pockets. "So, now that we're alone. . ."
"Thank you, Caelum," Ariel interrupted. "If not for you, I may not have gotten this far."
Caelum smiled. "You are calling me by my name now."
Ariel felt a rush of blood in her face. "I—" she began. She lowered her eyes. "You were human, once. Weren't you?" Ariel asked him.
"Yes, as far as I know," Caelum admitted. "Most demons were once humans whose souls were corrupted."
Ariel was quiet for a while. She let the memories flood her mind, trying to make sure that she wasn't deluding herself with hope, hope that fate had woven her and Caelum together. The odd turn of events had completely changed her mindset. While she’d feared her hidden memories before, she held them close to her now. But she couldn't shake away what Ramiel told her.
The only way to completely stop what Michael and Lucifer are trying to do is if I kill you before you can fulfill their requirement.
Is it truly fate that brought me here? Ariel questioned. Michael had spared her life, and she had always thought that it was out of mercy. She’d loved the archangel for it. He had been the one who she wanted to prove herself worthy to. But if Ramiel spoke the truth, the archangel might have had another purpose for her to fulfill.
"Ariel?" Caelum's voice brought her out of her reverie. “Is something bothering you?"
She wanted to admit to him that a lot was bothering her, but instead, she changed the topic. "Do you really believe the dreams you forced on yourself are the key to your memories as a human?"
Caelum shrugged. "I hope they are. But I have to be realistic about it and not completely believe. I wouldn't want to fall into despair if they end up not being true."
"And what do you intend to do if you remember?"
The demon furrowed his brows and pursed his lips. He looked over to the cemetery, his thoughts running. "I don't know," he admitted. "I just know I want to remember. Whatever I decide when I finally get my memories back is up to that future me." Caelum turned back to her with a wary expression. "Do you remember your lost memories, Ariel?"
"Yes," Ariel said. "But not all of them. At the very least, I have an idea what sin I committed that caused my imprisonment in Heaven for centuries."
"Oh," Caelum said. "Would it be too much for me to ask what it was? Out of pure curiosity, of course," he added, giving her an encouraging smile.
Ariel stared at the demon, pondering if she should tell him when she wasn't sure herself. Her thoughts brought her back to the white church and the man in the dark blue suit. His smile, his figure, and his voice. She wanted to believe and yet she wanted it not to be true. The clash of emotions caused such confusion in the angel’s mind. If what her memories suggested were true, then there was a possibility that Ramiel's claims could also be true. It may mean that Heaven was in fact planning something, and that who she thought was her savior may have had ulterior motives and plans for her.
Her eyes shifted away from him. She wanted to deny all she was thinking, turn away from it. She didn't want to see Heaven in such a way. I want to make sure of things before I make a move. I don't want to turn into Ramiel who spouted out such things without proof.
"Caelum." Ariel turned to him again but stopped. She looked at his face which was alarmed and confused. Then, she felt the reason. An eerie energy was spreading across the cemetery. The spirits were once again panicking, their cries and pleads reaching their ears. Her brows furrowed. "What is happening?"
Caelum looked at her gravely. "I don't understand..." he began, then his words were cut short by Ariel’s sudden scream. Her eyes were wide in horror and her hands clutched clumps of her hair. Caelum went to her, but when he tried to touch her, something like cold fire went to his skin and caused his hand to jerk away. "Ariel, what's wrong?"
"I— Don't—" Ariel stuttered. She screamed again, falling to her knees. Caelum reached for her again, the cold flames licking at his skin as he touched her. But he bit his teeth and tried to hold on to her shoulders.
"Ariel!" he shouted. "Ariel, calm down!"
A force threw the demon off her. Caelum skittered away, the invisible flames still lingering all over his body. He looked up, gathering himself to
run to her again, when he saw what was happening.
The trapped spirits of the cemetery were gathering themselves around the angel, spreading their negative energy and feeding on hers. Caelum gritted his teeth and ran forward. "Ariel!"
"Caelum," a familiar voice called to him in a bored tone. Caelum turned to find Baron standing behind him, flanked by two other demons he was not familiar with. "Thank you for your hard work. We will be taking the angel now."
Caelum's eyes widened. "Ariel— She's not the fallen angel you wanted!" he argued. "She's not even a fallen, look!" He pointed back to the angel, who crouched on the ground, shaking violently. The sunlight faintly illuminated her invisible wings.
"We are aware of that," Baron said. "It is too bad that the angels have taken the fallen one from you, so she will have to do."
"What?" Caelum hissed. Baron nodded to the two demons who moved towards them. Caelum took a step back. Then, he ran forward. "I won't let you take her!" He punched the first demon square on the jaw, but he didn't flinch. Instead, he grabbed Caelum's fist and twisted it. Caelum yelped in pain, kicking his foot against the demon's leg.
The demon lost his balance, and Caelum drove his elbow against his neck, releasing himself from his grip. He kicked the demon in the face, throwing him back on the ground. A large weight jumped on Caelum's back as the other demon grabbed him by the armpits and dragged him back. The other demon wheeled around, bringing Caelum with him and threw him off. Caelum hit the side of his head against the wall of the church. When he opened his eyes, he felt groggy and his vision blurred.
"Ariel..." he called for the angel. Slowly, he began to see figures moving around. He saw Ariel, still crouched on the ground, the spirits draining her energy. "Ariel..." he called again, more weakly this time, but he saw her move. Caelum shook his head, and he saw Ariel trying to fend off the demons that surrounded her.
The spirits had drained her energy so much that her attempts were weak. She could do no more than shake away the demons' hands on her arm only to have them grip her tighter.
"Stop!" Caelum screamed, charging forward. Baron turned to him with his stoic face. The spirits turned and moved towards Caelum. They hit him with a light push again and again, growing stronger, halting his movement. He fought their force, eyes glued to the scene before him. Baron held out a familiar rope with Enochian symbols etched on it and one of the demons took it from him.
"Stop! Ariel, fight! Run!" Caelum screamed. Ariel lifted her eyes to him, tears staining her cheeks. Her mouth opened, but her words were muted as the demon wrapped the rope around her arms and tied it to her hands.
A large force pushed Caelum back, knocking him to the ground. The spirits gathered around him, clouding his vision with dust and smoke. Like the ghoul Ramiel had commanded, the spirits drained his energy, making his body weak. He gasped, turning his head to watch Baron control the spirits with his blank face. The two demons who served him had Ariel by the arms. The poor angel barely had the strength to plant her feet flat on the ground as they dragged her towards the tree where he gathered energy minutes ago.
“No…” Caelum whispered weakly. They’re taking her to Hell! The thought drove him to push forward, lifting his arms in a sad attempt to push the spirits away. But the smoke-like beings circled him, and he could almost hear their laughter. They were growing more powerful, using his own life force against him.
“Ariel…” he whispered her name.
Silhouettes moved before him, and he watched the shadows from the tree come to life, expanding higher and higher, engulfing the three figures that stood before it.
Then, darkness.
Chapter Twenty: Wavering Heart
Light peeked between his lashes as he slowly regained consciousness. He blinked multiple times, trying to acclimate to his surroundings. His bones and muscles strained and cracked as he lifted himself up, pain and weariness filling him. Caelum looked around, the sky a dim orange with wisps of pink and blue. The cemetery was silent, empty. Even the spirits that resided within the tombs were nowhere to be found. What happened before he’d lost consciousness slowly returned to him. With a sudden surge of panic, he shouted her name.
“Ariel!” he called across the barren cemetery. No response came besides the cold wind that passed through. All around him, the place bore the mark of the battle that had taken place there. But there was no sign of life at all. Caelum racked his mind, trying to remember exactly what happened. He closed his eyes and saw the silhouettes moving behind his eyelids. His eyes snapped open, wheeling around to face the dead tree that could be turned into a gateway to Hell.
They didn’t… Caelum denied, but the images in his mind suggested otherwise. His feet began to move forward, shuffling against the dry soil as he struggled to keep his pace. Fatigue was slowing him down, and he had no intention of succumbing to it. Ariel…Her name echoed again and again in his thoughts. He conjured up the image of the angel to fuel his body, hoping to reach his goal. He stumbled forward and fought to keep his balance until he nearly collapsed against the trunk of the tree, his hand planted on it.
Breathing heavily, he consumed the demonic energy from the tree. He closed his eyes and let his energy replenish, his thoughts running wild. Why did they take Ariel? He looked up to the sky. No doubt he had been unconscious for a long time. What could they have done to her?
With his energy replenished and his muscles healed, Caelum pulled himself to stand. What do I do now? he asked himself. Baron had captured Ariel himself, no doubt ordered by the leader of the demons, Azazel. Going against Azazel meant going against Hell itself. And he was one demon; it would be a suicide mission.
Caelum! he heard Ariel’s voice. She had protected him from the angel that was about to kill him. His eyes lifted to the setting sun, determination set in his heart. I will not abandon her now.
The demon called upon the shadows of Hell, darkness spilling out from the roots of the tree and crawling towards his shoe. His eyes fixed on the sun slowly descending into the horizon, day giving in to night. Faint orange light shone in his eyes until the shadows reached up to him. He closed his eyes and immediately felt the heat of hellfire.
Caelum opened his eyes. I’m home.
Dry land cracked beneath his feet, darkness was everywhere. On the horizon, he saw the brick towers where the higher demons resided. All around him, whispered pleas and screams sang the harmony befitting Hell. Embers and smoke filled the air as he walked forward towards the bridge. The pit below him was all fire and arms stretched out, grasping for anything that could save them from the sea of flames. He looked down on the countless souls being purified in the pit, their agony and despair palpable. They turned to him, some screaming in fear while others sought his help, hoping he would pull them out. Caelum turned his face away and marched on.
The Gates of Hell stood before him, fifty meters of heavy metal forged by the flames that burned the very land. Below it was Azazel’s guard dog, the monstrous three-headed beast that devoured uninvited souls that crossed the bridge. The monster lifted its heads to him as he neared, snarling and drooling puddles on the ground. He gave the beast a smile, cocking his head to the side. Caelum moved around the monster, the beast watching him with its three pairs of eyes and bared teeth. But it did not move a muscle, allowing him to pass just as the gates opened with a loud groan.
Caelum stepped forward, eyes ahead. The great kingdom of Hell was livelier than he’d ever seen it. The formless shadows of souls transitioning into demons walked the land with morbid glee. He could hear their sad laughter, and he saw the dark vibrancy of a few. He looked back and tried to remember the days when he didn’t have a form, but no such memory knocked in his mind.
He trudged forward, keeping his distance from the formless demons who parted for him out of respect and fear. He reached the great labyrinth where the central tower stood. All the shadows feared the labyrinth, but for a demon who had been there a few times, it was easy to avoid all the traps.
In the da
rkness and fire, demons never lose their way, Caelum thought, and he walked inside the labyrinth, passing through shadow after shadow that the formless demons could not. Each wrong corner one took in the labyrinth brought fresh nightmares, and it was a challenge to overcome by the tormented souls who wished to leave the land of Hell. Everywhere he felt the fear of the formless souls and the despair of the ones that were eternally lost inside. But for him, the task was easy. He reached the tower and its large double doors quickly. A figure stood waiting for him.
“Took you a while,” Baron said, looking down on Caelum. “Perhaps the spirits of that graveyard were more desperate than I expected.”
Caelum glared at the demon. He wanted to demand Ariel’s freedom, but he knew there was no point in that. Instead, he said, “Is the boss in?”
“Yes, and he is waiting for you,” Baron told him, turning to the door without waiting for Caelum to respond. He followed the demon lord’s assistant inside the tower where he found numerous demons standing in all corners, their eyes focused on the newcomers. They were new demons, fresh out of the labyrinth that had forged their physical forms. When they reach the land above, they will spread corruption amongst the mortals. And the cycle continues.
The spiral staircase reached up to the very top of the tower, and the tireless demon climbed up the countless steps to meet their leader. Baron did not indulge in small talk, allowing Caelum to scrutinize the area and plan ahead. The tower was littered with stone windows, almost like a beehive, overlooking the large labyrinth below.
They reached the final landing and stood before a large space with marble flooring and a black carpet at the center. A large painting of a white dragon climbing up with its mouth open to the sun stood at the end of the carpet, just behind a large study desk and leather seat. Admiring the artwork was a stout man in a black suit. The man had one hand in his pocket and the other was dangling by his side.
The Damned and The Pure Series: Books 1-4 (The Damned and The Pure Series Box Set) Page 20
