“Ah— I-” Words left Tim as he watched the scene unfold before him. The conflict in his mind to run or watch kept him glued to the ground, though his thoughts screamed at him that something bad was about to happen.
The already eerie atmosphere of the cemetery suddenly became more chilling, alarming Caelum. He turned around to see what was going on. He walked to the side of the roof and looked down, where he saw the mist covering the graveyard. His eyes turned to the tree near the church, and as he expected, it was the source.
“Crap,” Caelum muttered. “As much as I love our talks, I guess it is time for me to split.” He turned around to the wraith and was suddenly pushed back by a gust of dark wind. Caelum was thrown off the roof and fell to the ground beneath, his vision covered by the mist. He fumbled back to his feet, escaping the thick heavy smoke and saw demons spilling out from the shadows of the tree. Not wanting to be outnumbered, Caelum turned for the gate. But he was met with the wraith, whose face shifted constantly, all the while wearing a grin.
"We were told your presence is requested by those in the land below,” the wraith told him.
“Sorry, but I decline the invitation,” Caelum said, swinging his leg across it. The souls scattered away upon contact with his leg and regrouped behind him, but he was already on the run. From the distance, he could hear multiple demons chasing him. His muscles grew cold and rigid as the mist circled around him. He leapt over one of the tombstones, then to a higher one, to avoid the mist. But the dark smoke rose up, trying to reach after him.
Caelum scanned the area for a way out. Behind him were at least five demons closing in, and all around him the mist covered the cemetery. Something caught his eye to his left; he saw something rising up from the mist. His eyes widened, and he leapt off. The smoke exploded, releasing the souls that circled all around him. Caelum crashed back to the ground, feeling his arms and legs pinned by the souls that were slowly feeding on his energy once again. Whispers circled him, with the voices of a hundred souls disorienting him.
“Stay with us.”
Chapter Three: Seizing the Chance
Disorientation flooded his system. The leeching souls fed on him while he lay cold under the dark mist. The whispers taunted him, rejoicing at the taste of demonic energy once again. He fought through their power over him, lifting first his arms and his head from the freezing mist. He held his breath in fear of inhaling the smoke and turning his lungs to ice. Caelum pushed off and breathed in the air when he broke free from their grasp, but his eyes found the six figures standing around him, sneering with their awful faces.
“Well, if it isn’t lover boy.” A demon he remembered as Van laughed at him. He looked like a typical punk with a Mohawk and piercings, completely lacking in good taste by Caelum’s standards.
The souls finally released Caelum, allowing him to lift himself up as they gathered together to form the shifting shape of the wraith. He glared at it with narrowed eyes. “So much for being family, eh?”
An odd shape that looked like an evil smile appeared in the shadowy figure of the wraith. “We are all the family we need."
"Has tasting some angel juice knocked out common sense in you?" Another demon with long blonde hair named Brad spoke. "As if monsters know the concept of loyalty."
"Big boss has been looking for you," the female one Caelum hadn't met before said. "And we’re here to claim the reward for your head.”
The mist around them began to disperse, gathering at the base of the tree near the church. Caelum eyed it, calculating the distance. He turned back to the female. “What makes you think you can get me that easily?” Caelum challenged her. “Your perky good looks can’t really get me to go that far.”
“Dragging you to Azazel is always an option,” Van said, hopping down from the tombstone he’d been standing on and walking cockily towards Caelum. Van looked him up and down, stashing his hands in the pockets of his leather pants. “I think I kinda prefer it, you know?”
Caelum smiled at him. “Well, you know what they say.” He waved his hand at himself, gesturing to his body. “Something as good as this isn’t that easy to get.”
“Yeah, well- oof!” Van crouched forward as Caelum drove his fist against his abdomen. The other demons were alerted by his sudden movement, but before they could react, Caelum flung Van’s body at the group to his right. The three demons collapsed under Van’s weight, clearing Caelum's passage. He leapt over them.
The mist was retreating back to Hell, but Caelum intended to take advantage of what was left of it. He ran fast towards the mist, hoping to hide himself in the smoke. Suddenly, a weight clashed against his ankles. The force pushed him forward, throwing off his balance. He landed on all fours. Caelum looked over his shoulder to see silver chains wrapped around his ankles, weighing him down. The female demon ran towards him. He kicked his leg out and used his hands to remove the chains, but a flash of light caught his eyes. Another set of silver chains flew towards him and Caelum had a split second to evade. The chains landed on his left arm, bringing it down as if magnetized by the ground.
He twisted around to see the female demon, and the rest of her group, approaching him with angry faces. Caelum gritted his teeth and reached with his right hand to remove the chain. A movement from above distracted him, and he watched as a small bag landed between him and the demons. A flash of light and smoke exploded from the bag. The smoke filled the air and stung his eyes.
“Don’t breathe it, stupid!” a familiar voice ordered him, and he felt warm hands fumbling with the chain on his arm.
“M- Mikaela?” he croaked.
“Yes, look at that. You owe me another one.” Mikaela appeared by his side, seemingly immune to whatever smoke she’d released from the bag. She went around to free his legs and hoisted him up. “Told you this was a stupid plan. Come on!”
With Mikaela’s crimson hair leading him, they made their way out of the graveyard. A dark shade against the smoke caught his eye, and he turned in its direction. “Watch out!” he warned Mikaela. The witch wheeled around to see the dark shadows spinning towards her. She dodged and the shadows zipped above her head. The wraith formed itself in front of them, blocking their way.
“You are not to leave through these gates.”
“You’re not the boss of me,” Mikaela said, extending her hand; a force caused the wraith to explode into the many souls it was composed of. The souls screamed and flew over their heads in complete pandemonium. But the short interruption had cost them.
Caelum turned to see the demons gathering themselves after the distraction his daughter had pulled on them. One of them spotted the two and called to his companions. Caelum turned back to Mikaela and saw the wraith returning to its form behind her.
“Looks like we have no choice but to fight,” he told her, and Mikaela crinkled her nose.
“I guess so,” she replied, turning around. Caelum faced the demons running towards them. His back hit Mikaela’s; he noticed how her shoulders were mere inches from his now. What a way to realize that they do grow up so fast. He smirked at the thought.
Like a trigger pulled, Caelum and Mikaela simultaneously removed themselves from their position and charged for their opponents. Caelum first met a small demon with a shaved head who jumped at him. Caelum reeled back and swung his fist against his stomach. The demon was pushed back, crashing against another. The female one came after, swinging a chain; she let it fly towards Caelum. He jumped to avoid it, but the fist of the blonde one came next, and he bent his back to evade it.
His hands touched the ground and he threw his legs up, knocking down Brad. Caelum got back to his feet and swung his foot against Brad’s face, who flipped over the ground. The female one and another demon he didn’t know came rushing towards him. Caelum jumped on a tombstone and found one heavy chunk broken. He went around the concrete and kicked it, aiming for the two demons’ legs, making them stumble forward.
He looked around to find Mikaela handling the wraith well. She�
�d split the souls from their form, trapping it in a porcelain jar designed with odd symbols. She’s trying to capture it?
Footsteps reached his ears and he wheeled around to see Van rushing towards him with raised fists. Caelum slid to the side as Van punched his fist at him, then took a step forward and went around him. Caelum wrapped his arm around the other’s neck and hoisted him up. Instead, Van’s body dissolved into smoke that billowed above Caelum’s head. He turned to see his grinning face behind him, the demon’s fist connecting with Caelum’s face.
Caelum staggered back, wincing at the pain on his cheek. This might turn out to be more difficult than I thought. He caught sight of the other four demons recovering from his attacks. His mind had to work quickly for a way to get his to objective, and he saw Mikaela completing her capture of the wraith. They made eye contact and a silent agreement was made.
Caelum dodged another punch from Van and slid his leg against his ankle to make him fall. Then he turned around to face the others. He leapt over a tomb to land a kick against Brad's jaw. The female one threw another chain that wrapped around his other leg, causing his balance to be off. Before landing on the ground, Caelum grabbed the woman by the neck and brought her down with him, slamming her face against the ground. With his other hand, he quickly removed the chain and threw it in the air.
“Mikaela!”
Mikaela whipped her head around and saw the chain flying in her direction. She stretched out her hand and grabbed it in midair. She then swung the chain against the smaller demon behind her. The charmed chain wrapped itself around the demon’s torso, weighing him down.
Caelum struggled free from the two demons, elbowing Brad and kicking the woman in the stomach. He stood up, only to be jumped on by Van. They slammed to the ground, face first. Caelum drove his elbow repeatedly against Van’s midsection, but he refused to release him. A glint of light caught his eye and Caelum reached up to pull at Van’s nose ring. The demon screamed as the ring was ripped from his nose, grabbing Caelum’s wrist to force him to let go. Caelum released the ring and Van staggered back, allowing him to get back on his feet.
“I got him!” Mikaela called over, holding the chain that bound the small demon. A large shadow appeared behind her. Caelum barely had time to yell for her before a hand threw her off to the side.
He screamed her name as she crashed into the wall of the church and landed limp like a rag doll. He tried to go to her, but the shadow moved again. Caelum lifted his arms to shield himself as another hand slammed against him and he flew across the cemetery, his speed only slowed down by the numerous tombs he crashed through. His back hit the edges of a statue of an angel that finally ended his flight, and he felt the air go out of his lungs as he finally crashed to the ground. Opening his eyes, he saw Van and the female demon rushing towards him, while Brad was freeing the small demon. “Mikaela…” He breathed the name as he pulled himself up. He caught sight of her crimson hair against the pale concrete wall of the church, another figure moving towards her.
A large, burly demon, easily twice his size, was inching his way towards his daughter. Panic rushed through him and his eyes frantically searched for a way to escape. The bright sun had moved in the sky, casting more shadows in the cemetery than when he’d entered. Van and the female demon were nearing him, the female one procuring another chain to bind him. He gritted his teeth, feeling the weakness in his bones again. He glanced at the tree beside the church where demonic energy oozed out. A patch of shadow was between them.
Now or never, he thought. The chain glinted against the sun and he jumped to the side out of its way. He landed on the shadow of the angel’s statue and willed it to bend his location. He felt the pull of the shadow, and he reached out to find himself standing in front of the tree. With no time to waste, he reached for the tree and consumed as much of the demonic energy it offered him. The souls from the land beyond screeched in his ears, and he quickly removed himself from them.
Turning around, the large demon was reaching for the unconscious witch. Caelum rushed forward, swiping his hand on the ground and commanding the shadow to transfer him again. He appeared standing in the small shadow of the church just beside Mikaela and flung the piece of rock he’d picked up in the demon’s face. The short distraction was enough for him to take the witch and disappear with her in the shadows.
Minutes after their escape, Baron paced the graveyard. The five demons filed themselves before him, looking down at their shoes. “Five demons and a wraith against one demon and a witch. And yet, the two managed to slip through your fingers?"
“They were fast—” Brad began, but something caught his throat and he choked. He gripped his throat, lifting his eyes to Baron, who glared at him.
“That fast?” Baron asked him, condescendingly. “Caelum may be tricky, but I doubt he’s fast enough.”
“They were prepared!” The female one reasoned. “We weren’t….” she said in a softer tone.
Baron looked at her with his bored expression and released Brad from his hold. The blonde demon dropped to his knees, coughing and gasping for air. Baron searched the faces of the lower demons before him, seeing nothing but their weaknesses. He sighed heavily, “This is the price we pay for sending out mindless slaves,” he said, stabbing the words into them. “No worries. I have no doubt he will pay us another visit soon.”
“May I ask something?” the female demon requested. “Why does Azazel want him to be delivered alive? He is a rebel against Hell; it would be easier if we delivered his head instead.”
“You are in no position to question our leader’s plans, slave,” Baron told her. “But if it’s anything to drive your motivation to do your job well, I might as well say.” He stood in front of her, forcing her to meet his eyes. “Our King has big plans. And Caelum will provide us with what we require.”
His smile, rare though it was, showed his glee.
Laughter filled her ears while the stars shone above her head. Her vision turned as the swing reeled back, and she felt another push that lifted her up to see that starry sky. She looked around, seeing the sandbox and slide to her left. She recognized the place, a playground she’d visited twenty years ago in Long Island. The young Mikaela gripped her swing as she was cradled in the night air.
Her eyes fell upon the sandbox again and she giggled. The sand began to lift itself, forming a messy square block. Then, her swing began to slow; she hopped off her ride to run towards the sandbox. She continued to giggle as the sand formed other shapes at her command. A shadow appeared behind her and she turned around.
“Let’s not play magic while outside, little one,” Caelum cooed to the child, lifting her by the arms and taking her away from the playground. Her eyes were glued to the sandbox and the shapes that began to crumble as she and her father left the park.
Pain stabbed at the back of her head when she awoke from the dream. Mikaela rose from her bed, finding the thick blankets neatly placed over her. Memories played in her mind and she remembered the demons, the wraith, and the giant one. Her hand went to her head, massaging the pain away.
Her bedroom door swung open, alarming the witch, who grabbed the silver dagger under her pillow. She was poised to throw the dagger, stopping herself when Caelum walked in, holding a tray of tea and biscuits. He raised a brow at her, eyeing the dagger in her hand.
“I’m still considering if I’m gonna throw it or not,” Mikaela told him.
“Really? After I saved you?” Caelum smirked, walking over to her nightstand and placing the tray on top. “And prepared you dinner.”
“Dinner?” Mikaela crinkled her nose at the tray. “Biscuits and tea, you call that dinner?”
“I have not required nutrition for centuries, dear. Do you expect me to know how much you’ll need to eat?” Mikaela frowned at him. She reached around for the tea and took a sip. Caelum watched her as she did so, annoying the witch.
“Awful,” she declared, placing the cup back on the nightstand.
“H
ow are you feeling?” Caelum took a seat on the side of her bed.
Mikaela was the one to raise a brow at him now. “You’re actually concerned about me?”
Caelum glared at her but said nothing. He looked down at his hands and Mikaela couldn’t help but read the worry in his eyes. The thought of him having concern for her brought back memories she’d buried deep. She looked back at the dream she had and how she’d cursed herself for reminiscing in the past.
“Why did you save me?” she asked him.
“What?” He looked at her, brows pulled together.
“If you hadn’t come back for me, you could’ve gotten the demon I captured. You need him for answers, don’t you? You need to save that angel girl, don’t you?”
Caelum’s lips were tight, seemingly taken aback by his daughter's questions. But he couldn't find it in him to answer, having gotten used to being closed off towards her. Instead, he said. “Think what you want, Mikaela.” He stood from his seat and walked towards the door.
Mikaela bit her lip, her eyes finding the tea and biscuits he’d prepared for her. She shook her head to free herself from her thoughts and prepared to stand. She stopped when she saw Caelum still standing in her doorway, staring at something on her table.
At the foot of her bed was the table she used for her personal experiments. A glass lamp stood on the center of the table where fire crackled bright despite having no fuel to keep it burning. The question was in her mind already before he could even speak it.
“What are you doing with that?” he asked, nodding to the Hellfire he’d given her days before. The perpetual flame from Hell glowed bright, giving the room a soft orange light.
“An experiment,” she replied, hopping off the bed. Mikaela walked over to her table and faced Caelum, blocking his view of the fire. “Something I really can’t disclose right now.”
“Not even to your father?” Caelum dared to ask.
“Especially not to you.”
“I’m the one who gave you that.”
The Damned and The Pure Series: Books 1-4 (The Damned and The Pure Series Box Set) Page 24
