I do as well, Caelum thought, but he never chose to let anyone else see that. He neared the young man and patted him on the shoulder. David looked up to him, his brown eyes wide and bloodshot from days of restless research. “I will be going now,” Caelum told him. “If you need anything, please do ask. Your sister is desperate to hear from you.”
David looked as though the words confused him, but the mention of his sister had him looking away from the demon. “I see,” David said, his demeanor falling into one of deep thought. “I’ll contact her when I can.”
“Please do,” Caelum said. Then, a smile spread across his face as he added, “It would truly be appreciated if the ladies would stop using me as their messenger. Even Hell itself never made me do meager errands such as this.”
Caelum was delighted that he heard a faint laugh escape David, but no words followed. He took it as his cue to leave, and with a bow, he stepped away and reached into the shadows that formed in the dimly lit room. He allowed himself one last glimpse of the warm home that his daughter had once lived in. And from a flash of his imagination, he pictured Mikaela busy at the table instead of David.
The scene before him dissolved away as he changed locations. He moved from the darkness, appreciating how he no longer depended on someone else for his journeys like when he’d become human for a brief time. It took mere moments for him to cross the states until he was in front of the townhouse he now called his hiding place in Wisconsin.
The establishment was a mirror to each house on the street. With white walls, dark red roofing, a balcony off the second floor master bedroom, and a lawn separated by white picket fences, the house looked so normal that it seemed dull to him. Caelum longed for the small space he’d acquired in Chicago where the streets below were a hotspot for crimes and deals. It had kept him busy, peering into the minds of such sinful humans and finding ways to push them over the edge. But on the street he now lived, the sinful minds were more peaceful, though sinful nonetheless.
His leather shoes tapped against the stoop as he climbed up to the hardwood door and reached for the knob. Inside, he was met with the narrow stairs that led to the upper floor. To his left was the common room where he sat on a large, comfortable sofa. He let his fatigue drain from him, taking a deep breath to speed up the process. Demons, like he was now, did not feel fatigue as easily as when he’d been human. But something weighed him down, despite the lack of tasks he had the past few days. Or perhaps that fact is weighing me down. Such boring days after the battle.
“You have returned.” A sweet warm voice welcomed him. Caelum looked behind him to see Ariel coming down from the stairs. Though she was invulnerable to the chilly weather, she wore a gray, long-sleeved dress with black leggings and knee-high boots. Upon Jenny’s advice, they needed to blend in with the neighborhood to keep suspicions low. Therefore, Caelum had to hide his favorite dark blue suit under a black trench coat and a red scarf that he often adjusted around his neck.
He shifted his position from the couch and sat up straight to greet the angel. “Hello, my dear.” He smiled at Ariel who walked around the couch and took the seat next to him. “Did you miss me?” Caelum teased, looking into her blue eyes.
A small smile tugged at Ariel’s lips. Being kept in Heaven for so long had affected the angel’s interactions with others, making it difficult for her to understand the teasing and limericks he so often offered her. But slowly, Caelum saw improvement, if only a fraction.
Ariel looked at him with concern. “What have you found out?”
Caelum sighed, leaning back on his seat. “Nothing much, to be quite honest. Things have been rather boring lately.”
“It is preferable than being chaotic,” Ariel commented.
“That is where we disagree, my sweet angel. But let’s leave that discussion for a more appropriate time,” Caelum cajoled. He lowered his gaze and brought up another topic. “I went to her place, too.”
Even without the name, Ariel knew who he spoke of. She watched him with such sadness, and her hand hovered over his, hesitating to touch him and deciding not to. With a low voice, she asked him, “What happened?”
Caelum’s eyes lifted to the room around them. The walls were decorated in a white and beige pattern with a painting that hung above the fireplace. The carpet was a soft brown, and in the corner of the room was a plant that gave the room a homey feeling. To a typical family, it was a perfectly nice home. But to the demon, it was torture.
His thoughts these days, if not with the battle that they had been preparing for, were of his daughter, though he made sure no other eyes could see his despair. Caelum had kept Mikaela at arm’s length for years, claiming he was merely tired of parenthood. But in the end, he truly did it for her own good. At least, that’s what I thought.
But Caelum didn’t feel the need to hide from his angel. Perhaps it was the influence of a virtue that affected him. He looked at Ariel and felt the warmth of her presence enveloping him. Her soft blue eyes stared back at him, and he felt comfort looking into them. Slowly, his body moved forward to lean towards her. He felt weary, and his eyes were hooded. When he spoke, even he could hear the pitiful tone of his voice.
“I visited her grave.” He choked, picturing the stone that bore her name. “I went inside her house, and…” He chuckled softly, sadly, thinking of how he’d felt when he saw Mikaela’s house again. The few days he’d spent there had been truly interesting, and he found himself longing for such days again. “Memories are a cruel thing.”
Ariel sat motionless. The angel studied his expression, still keeping her hands to herself with the uncertainty of how she could help. She had comforted one’s soul until he welcomed faith once again many times before. But she was more hesitant in comforting Caelum, the one she cared for so much. Ariel’s memories of their days together in the past were still a blur, but she remembered in her heart what those days had done to her. She remembered the simple joys of seeing a smile, such as she had never felt for another before. Ariel, a virtue from Heaven, gifted to bring comfort to others and keep them from straying off the path, wished not to use her usual tricks and powers on Caelum, despite the opportunity of bringing him solace. It simply will not do.
Then she remembered Caelum holding Mikaela in his arms. How he had mourned for her. Ariel had folded her arms over his shoulders back then, and she’d held him while he trembled. The thought prompted Ariel to move. Finally, she reached for Caelum who had not shed a tear despite his grief. The angel’s hands touched his shoulders and pulled him to her. Caelum’s head was cradled on her chest, and Ariel’s arms went around him, massaging his back.
The demon let out a soft gasp before relaxing. They stayed in that position for some time, Caelum breathing in her scent while his eyes stung with suppressed tears. He let out the breath he had been holding, and the regret and longing that filled his chest finally burst forth. He thought of the day he’d first held the small bundle, he thought of the days he’d held her until she resisted his touch, and he thought of the last moment he was able to hold her in his arms. Now, he buried his face against Ariel’s dress, taking in as much strength and comfort as he could. I cannot be like this. How can I fight a war when I am crippled by such emotions? How can I avenge her!
“Hush thy thoughts,” Ariel cooed in his ear. “Rest thy heart.”
Caelum held on to Ariel like the tether to life. He would not let the tears escape him. He would not let his weakness spill. Instead, he pushed down the despair and turned it into anger. Anger would be his fuel when he headed out to battle.
Like a flash of lightning to disturb their solace, a white light bathed the room from the skylight above. Caelum pulled away from Ariel, squinting against the brightness that filled his vision until it dimmed to reveal the visitor that had invited himself in.
Daniel stood before them, eyeing them rather curiously. Caelum, though having left Ariel’s embrace, was still sitting close to the angel. The demon knew the cause of Daniel’s odd look. Desp
ite the state he had been in mere seconds before, Caelum managed to crack a smile. “To answer your question, you did come at a bad time.”
Daniel shot him a look that undoubtedly showed annoyance, but he spoke none of it. Instead, Daniel addressed Ariel with his purpose of visiting. “I have a message from our sister, Gabriel.”
“You do know that you need three more people to do a barbershop quartet?” Caelum interjected sarcastically.
“Hush,” Ariel repeated, though her tone was more scolding than comforting now. She turned back to Daniel and told him, “Please.”
Daniel nodded to Ariel and reported, “Gabriel has recruited a few of our fallen brothers and sisters, those who Michael and Raphael ordered to be punished in the past centuries. And we were also successful in gathering a few clans of the earthly monsters. However, with the previous battle during Ramiel’s and Azrael’s leaderships, many of the clans have turned against us instead.” He shook his head. “They will no longer hear reason. At least, not until it is too late.”
“Can you blame them?” Caelum said. “You have attacked them under shallow suspicions before. Might I say, you, Daniel, have led both attacks!”
Daniel gave Caelum an unamused look and said, “Your humor does not help.”
“Not that I was trying, really.” Caelum smiled.
“Any word from home?” Ariel asked, shifting the mood of the conversation.
“None,” Daniel admitted. “Heaven has been silent since our victory.”
Ariel lowered her gaze, disappointed. “That is very troubling. I would have expected them to make a move by now. It has been days.”
“They’re likely planning something big,” Caelum suggested. “After an unexpected defeat, I imagine they will fortify their strategy as to not meet the same end.”
“I agree,” Daniel said. “However, that is not to our advantage.”
“Well, both sides are preparing, right? Gabriel is extending her army while Heaven is probably doing the same,” Caelum opined.
“But we are still at a disadvantage,” Ariel claimed. “We have no way of knowing what is brewing on the other side, while they have every opportunity to spy on us. None of us can enter Heaven at the moment, but they can still enter the mortal land whenever they wish.”
Caelum lifted his hand to his chin. “True that.”
“I shall be leaving now,” Daniel announced. “I have other duties to attend to. As you say, we must take this time to prepare for the oncoming war.” With that, the angel walked back to the light that spilled from the skylight. The sunlight grew bright, dissolving his form in the light until he’d disappeared completely.
“Well,” Caelum leaned back in his seat, spreading his arms across the back. “We can’t just sit here waiting for another message.”
“Yes,” Ariel agreed, nodding. “I may visit Sister Gabriel’s post soon. Perhaps, I can assist them in their preparations.”
Caelum took a deep breath, considering his options. He had been feeling rather restless the past few days, knowing that any given moment could be the enemy’s chance for first strike. He wished not to be caught with his pants down, so to speak, and he had been itching for something useful to do.
He pushed himself up and stood straight. With conviction, he told Ariel, “I will meet with your other sister, then. The one that is friendlier to demons.”
Caelum turned to leave, but a hand caught his arm, halting his movement. He met Ariel’s concerned eyes, conveying the question in her mind. He placed his hand over hers and assured her, like many times before, “It will be fine, my dear. I know what I’m going to do.”
Ariel was still for a moment, frozen in her thoughts. Then her hand slipped off his arm and she nodded. “I have faith in you.”
Caelum had the urge to go to her, to take her in his arms and kiss her. But he chose not to indulge just yet. Instead, he gave her a confident smile before turning again to leave. In his mind, however, he admitted the lie he told her.
Though he was certain about what he wanted to do, he wasn’t certain of the how. But it was something he would figure out along the way. Besides, Purgatory can’t be any worse than Hell. The thought reminded him of the feeling of the heat of Hell, the flames that licked his skin and soul, and the beast that had threatened to chew on him multiple times. He shuddered at the thought, yet a smile still marked his face. Hell is hell, indeed.
Hell was filled with the haunting screams of the trapped souls again. After the horrible disaster created by Lucifer’s escape, Hell had never been the same.
“Now, it’s better,” Azazel told himself, celebrating his success of finally closing the gaping hole that had released their resources. It took days and the sacrifice of a few demons, but it was a done deed. And with the permanent departure of the self-proclaimed Queen of Hell, Azazel could breathe freely, though there were still things bothering the demon’s thoughts.
“Sir,” Baron’s voice came from behind. Azazel removed himself from the window of his tower and turned to see his ever loyal assistant. Baron’s face was of one in deep thought, and it was an image he rarely saw in his assistant. He gestured for Baron to state his purpose, and when he did, Azazel could barely keep his calm demeanor.
“I was checking the labyrinth to make sure things were in order. But upon entering the maze, I discovered that the prisons have been opened,” Baron reported.
Azazel’s eyes widened. “H-how?”
“Ah, finally!” A voice echoed in the room. “It took you a while to finally notice, huh?”
Baron was already equipped with his daggers, poised to throw at the sight of the enemy. Azazel looked around his office, searching for the owner of the voice. A movement caught his eye from a spot near his table. The shadow distorted, swirling around like black ink being stirred. He lifted a hand up to halt Baron’s attacks until the distortion revealed the uninvited visitors.
Four demons of different sizes grinned from ear to ear, appearing as if from thin air. Leviathan. The one who led them, a tall slender figure with silky black hair, took a step forward, spreading his hands to Azazel.
“It has been a while,” he said, his voice calm.
Azazel reflected the smile on their faces. “Indeed, it has. What brings you to my humble lair?”
“Ah, that is the question, isn’t it?” the tall demon jeered. He placed a long finger to tap against his pointed chin. “Word spread that the evil queen has fallen. Is that true?”
Azazel pursed his lips, uncertain where the conversation would go. “Yes, Lilith is dead.”
One of the demons behind clapped his hands together. “The time has come!”
“It has,” the tall one agreed. “And that is why we have returned.”
Azazel cocked his head to the side, his curiosity piqued by the tall one’s words. “What do you mean?”
The tall one smiled. “With the wretched queen gone, we are free. One wonders how such seals imprisoned us for so long. To be quite honest, we are merely keeping our distance from that creature. Now that you have eliminated her from the picture, we are free to walk away.”
The words confused Azazel further. The creatures that stood before him were ones he had fought with many centuries before. With him taking control of Hell, Azazel had kept the ones he deemed to be competition away, never knowing that it was for their benefit as well.
A chuckle escaped from Azazel. “So, is this the part where you take your revenge on me?”
The tall one’s laugh echoed in the room. “Please, there is a time for such a thing,” he said. “For now, we wish not to ignore the great service you have done us. Therefore, in return, we offer you our services as well.”
Azazel had to raise a brow, truly surprised at the turn of events. The tall one bowed his head to Azazel, his golden eyes staring at Azazel’s startled face as he declared, “We, the archdemons of Hell and former generals of the great army of Heaven, are at your service, Leader of Hell.”
Chapter Two: Vengeance Unserv
ed
Under the bridge of an abandoned town whose citizens had been driven away by beasts of the night, Caelum dug through the snow until the concrete floor beneath was exposed. He drew the same sigil as before, one with a circle that locked the symbols together, using lighter fluid that was nearly invisible upon contact with the ground. With a flick of his fingers, fire erupted from the liquid, revealing the sigil. The flames rose from the ground, filling the air with its soft warmth and melting the snow around it. A gust of wind snuffed out the flames, and the ground was marked with the charred ashes.
Caelum waited. The whistling winter wind was his only company as he leaned against the wall, patiently expecting his invited guest. It took at least a minute before he felt her presence in the air. He looked around, searching for the angel he sought, but the place was empty. A road stretched on both sides while a river extended beside it. But no other life apart from himself was present.
The sound of heavy winds blew in front of him. Caelum turned to find that his guest had arrived. Her ebony hair was a stark contrast against the immaculate snow, and her fiery crimson eyes stood out against her pale skin. Her face did not convey an emotion, and her arms were folded over her chest. Before he could speak to greet her, she cut him off with her own thoughts.
“I hope that you have an intention for summoning me here, rather than to merely have a conversation,” Azrael said flatly.
Caelum chuckled at the angel’s mood. “Have you grown tired of my pretty face?” Azrael did not respond to his question, and only glared at him with her unsettling gaze. Caelum chose to continue so as to not add to her sour mood. “Alright, then. I do admit harboring ulterior motives for summoning you, and I do expect that you can already guess what that is.”
“The request you made,” Azrael confirmed.
“Yes.”
“My answer is still no,” Azrael quickly added. “I will not open Purgatory for one who does not belong there.”
The Damned and The Pure Series: Books 1-4 (The Damned and The Pure Series Box Set) Page 66
