The Damned and The Pure Series: Books 1-4 (The Damned and The Pure Series Box Set)

by J. D. Stonebridge

  “That’s in two days,” David commented.

  “Perfect,” Caelum said. “I can wait another two days. We just have to make sure they do not find the final sacrifice before then.”

  “That is not the only reason I refuse, Caelum.” Azrael stopped him. Her jaw was set and her eyes were hesitant. When she spoke again, her voice was low. “Opening the Gates of Purgatory will not only allow something to get in, but it will also allow another to leave.”

  Caelum raised a brow. “You mean the souls.”

  “No,” Azrael quickly corrected him. “If I were to open the Gates for you, we would end up releasing the Four Horsemen of Purgatory. And to let them walk on mortal land will trigger the beginning of the Rapture.”

  This time, Caelum was at loss for words. He stared at Azrael in shock, absorbing what she had just revealed. Since he’d made the choice to enter Purgatory to prevent Lucifer from taking the souls, nothing could make him reconsider. Not Ariel’s worries, nor Azrael’s warning. But now that he knew that to let him enter would ultimately trigger the end of days, the demon found himself having second thoughts.

  Ariel’s hand gripped his arm while the other rested on his back. Caelum felt the comfort exuding from the angel, and his body began to relax. He could not release his worries, though. What I wanted to be my final act of sacrifice will trigger a grander setback. Perhaps, this is my fate.

  “Locate the fifth sacrifice,” Azrael requested. “That is all we can do for now.”

  “Yeah, I suppose,” David agreed.

  The Angel of Death nodded. She stepped away from them and said, “I will find a way to deal with the situation in Purgatory. If you need my assistance, you may summon me.” And with that, Azrael disappeared in a gust of dark wind.

  Confused and burdened with thoughts that ran wildly in his mind, Caelum hung his head low while Ariel caressed his back in her attempt to comfort him. He was set on the plan he’d thought of days before, and now he wasn’t certain what to do. “I guess…” he began, attracting the attention of the human and the angel who stood by him. A weak laugh escaped him as he continued. “I guess we have to find the mysterious sacrifice.”

  Chapter Six: The Last

  Much like how she’d spent her recent days, Jenny had her nose buried in books and scrolls that were written by the Scribe of God. The scent of parchment had surrounded her for so long that she had gotten used to the smell without even noticing it. Filled with records of the most secret parts of history— the truth about creation, the descent of God on Earth, wars and plagues triggered by angels and demons alike— Jenny took in all the information she could store in her memory. To her surprise, however, the one book Enoch didn’t write in his collection was the one that pointed her in the right direction. Jenny focused on skimming through any references she could get her hands on about what she’d discovered from reading the Holy Bible, and her mind seemed disconnected from her body as it encompassed the ideas she’d gathered.

  When the door burst open, Jenny jumped at the sound and grabbed the largest book near her. She held the heavy book over her head, ready to throw it at the intruder, only to find the suspicious face of her brother, David, with Caelum and Ariel behind him. “D- David!” Jenny yelled at her brother. In her surprise, the book slipped from her fingers and slammed hard on the ground with a loud thud. Jenny jumped at the sound and quickly gathered the book from the floor, fearing that she had damaged one of Enoch’s precious records. “Oh, dammit!”

  “What in God’s name are you doing, Jen?” David scolded her. He crossed the room to approach his sister, placing the box he held on the table.

  The smell of cheese and pepperoni caught Jenny’s attention, and instantly, her stomach grumbled. I haven’t eaten anything since yesterday! she suddenly remembered, having spent the entire day and night with a book or a scroll in hand. David caught the look on his sister’s face and grinned.

  Jenny caught her brother’s teasing expression and pouted. “Don’t say anything! I’ve been working non-stop, okay?”

  “And I almost got killed by a bunch of angels, but that’s nothing, really.” David shrugged, taking a seat on the table.

  The statement shocked Jenny, who stared at him, jaw agape, as David opened the box of pizza. Caelum and Ariel walked to them, the angel giving her a gentle smile. “How have you been, Jenny?” Ariel asked.

  “I—” Jenny looked at the angel. “I’m okay.” She sat back down at the table, staring at her brother who munched on a slice without looking at her. She wanted to ask what had happened, but she read from his body language that David wished not to talk about it. Instead, Jenny reached for a slice of the pizza and satiated her hunger.

  Caelum walked around the table and stood in front of the shelves at the corner. “While we are glad that you are benefiting from the little errand your brother forced us to go on, would it be so selfish of me to ask for something in return?”

  Jenny gulped the piece of cheese and pepperoni in her mouth. “A payment? I’m kinda short on cash, you know. And what do you need money for, anyway? You’re a demon!”

  “He didn’t mean that,” David told her. “What have you found out so far, Jen?”

  “Found out?” Jenny repeated. Then, her eyes widened. “Ah! That’s right!” She dropped the half-eaten slice of pizza in the box, much to David’s displeasure, then rushed to the corner table on her right. She grabbed the thick book on top of it and placed it on the table next to the pizza box.

  David looked at the book incredulously. “The Bible?” He gave Jenny a questioning look.

  “Yup!” Jenny sat back down on her seat. “I’ve been trying to research who could possibly be the next sacrifice for this sealing of Purgatory thing.” She opened the Bible and turned the pages. “Honestly, I wasn’t sure what I would find. A prophecy maybe, or someone in history that defied whatever their nature is. Then, I saw this verse!” She pointed to the page she’d opened and David, Caelum, and Ariel all gathered to read.

  And Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple following whom Jesus loved, who had also leaned on His breast at the supper, and had said, Lord, which is he who betrayeth Thee? When, therefore, Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, Lord, and what shall he do? Jesus saith to him, if I will that he remain till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me. Then this saying went forth among the brethren, that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus had not said to him that he would not die; but, if I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? -John 21:20-23

  When David was done reading, he eyed Jenny curiously. “And?”

  “And?” Jenny repeated. “Don’t you know the story of the immortal man?”

  Ariel was the one who addressed Jenny’s claims. “The immortal man? Is there such one?”

  “I’m not sure, but there have been many references about him,” Jenny claimed. She fished out a notebook from the stack of books that littered the table and flipped the pages. “Judas, the Wandering Jew, even Cain himself! A lot of stories talk about a man who has been alive for many centuries because God cursed him. Either Judas for betraying Jesus—”

  “Judas didn’t betray Jesus,” David corrected her. “He only did what Jesus told him to do. You already know that.”

  Jenny ignored her brother and continued. “It could be this man they called The Wandering Jew who mocked Jesus during his crucifixion. And some say it’s Cain who first took a life! There are many legends that talk about an immortal man, and isn’t that the biggest irony? A mortal who is immortal?”

  The other three looked at each other, digesting the theory Jenny had offered them. “What about Lilith, then?” David asked. “Lilith was the first woman, right? And she became immortal. Until…” His voice trailed off as he looked to Caelum.

  “No, Lilith is different,” Jenny claimed. “Lilith was cursed by God, yes. But after Lucifer was banished from Heaven, Lilith became a demon. Well, an archdemon to be specific. Her soul no longer counted as a mortal’s. But this man could st
ill qualify!”

  “There is some sense to that,” Caelum agreed. “And it would make sense that the Guide of the mortal souls is another mortal.”

  Jenny tilted her head. “Guide?”

  David took it upon himself to explain to his sister what the demon, Baron, had told them. He explained to her what happened in the cave and how they’d not been able to rescue the fourth sacrifice, though he left out what he had done to the angels who had faced him. When he was done, Jenny’s eyes were wide with surprise, though her face was blank.

  “O...kay?” Jenny mouthed. “Wow. So Lucifer’s here, the archdemons are free, and Purgatory is already sealed. But they need to get the fifth sacrifice before they start the global massacre. Does that sum up everything?”

  “Pretty much,” Caelum said.

  “Do you really think this immortal man could be the fifth sacrifice?” Ariel asked Caelum.

  “I’m not sure. But it’s the best bet we have so far,” Caelum admitted. “I don’t suppose you have the address of this guy, do you?”

  Jenny shook her head. “No clue. No matter how much I dig through Enoch’s records here, he rarely mentions him, much less where he is.”

  “Well, can’t be helped, then,” Caelum sighed.

  “The immortal man…” Ariel pondered. She had lived for many centuries, serving as a messenger to humans before she was imprisoned in Heaven for loving one of them. But in her days of serving in the mortal world, she had never encountered an immortal man like Jenny was describing. Perhaps the others have…

  “I will visit Gabriel,” Ariel announced to them. “She has served with the mortals longer than most other angels. She was the first messenger of Heaven, after all. Perhaps, she may know something.”

  “That’s possible,” David agreed.

  “I shall accompany you, then,” Caelum offered.

  Ariel looked at him oddly. “Very well,” she answered. She turned to Jenny and David. “Please continue to look through the Scribe’s records. There may still be something within his words that can point us in the right direction.”

  David frowned and took a deep breath. “Sure.”

  “Yeah…” Jenny grabbed another piece of the pizza, concerned about her brother’s lack of enthusiasm. She watched the angel and the demon standing side by side. Caelum placed his palm under Ariel’s, their fingers intertwining before a flash of light from the skylight enveloped them and they disappeared.

  The younger Tenney looked back to her brother, seeing his disappointment at having to stay in the library. After hearing that he had gotten himself involved in the battle against Lucifer’s army, she wondered if he had truly changed. Jenny only hoped that the theory she’d given them would pan out and that Ariel would discover the location of the immortal man from the archangel, Gabriel.

  Ariel transported herself and Caelum to the area where she sensed the presence of Gabriel. She found it curious why the archangel and her army hadn’t arrived when she’d called for help in the cave. Her confusion grew when she found the archangel not in the tower where they’d hidden before, but instead in the graveyard in Kansas that had become infamous after their battle with Ramiel a month ago.

  The angel and demon appeared in front of the ruined church, memories of the battle welcoming them. Caelum was the first to walk forward, scrutinizing the area. His eyes fell upon the tree that serves as a gateway to Hell, and the demonic energy it exuded now is weak. “Are you certain she’s here?”

  Ariel nodded. “I can sense her presence here. Let us go.”

  She entered the church. Caelum followed suit, staying a few steps behind her in case of an attack. He watched their surroundings carefully, sensing no presence other than theirs. Ariel moved to the door to the right of the altar that hung only by one of the hinges. Caelum followed her as she went down the stairs, dust and cobwebs catching onto his suit.

  When they reached the underground crypt, he felt a wave of energies enveloping him. Caelum had his brows furrowed in thought, sensing the presence of countless angels and a few monsters nearby only after descending. “So even their energies are hidden.”

  “Yes,” Ariel agreed, continuing inside the crypt. The dark hallway was narrow and smelled of mold. Caelum extended his palm at his side, ready to unleash Power if the need presented itself.

  A set of footsteps echoed across the hallway, halting their progress. A figure moved in the darkness at the other end of the path, and Ariel immediately dropped her guard when she recognized the figure. “Daniel!”

  The angel, Daniel, looked weary. His hair was disheveled and his clothes were torn in places, though his skin was unscathed. He limped as he walked towards Ariel, gesturing to them. “Come.”

  Ariel and Caelum exchanged looks before deciding to follow him. They made their way through the narrow path, curious about what had happened to Gabriel’s army. Daniel led them to a doorway, which led to a bare concrete room littered with injured angels and an assortment of werewolves, wendigos, and other predatory monsters.

  A wave of panic pushed Ariel forward, her feet taking her to see her brothers’ and sisters’ conditions. Many angels’ energies were depleting, and a few of them had injuries and some mutilations. Her heart sank at the sight of them. “What happened?”

  “We were attacked.” Gabriel’s voice came from the other side of the room. The archangel’s clothing was torn, but she still walked with regality. She faced Ariel and informed her, “We were unable to heed your call hours before. When we left the tour, an army of seraphim and ophanim attacked us.” Her golden eyes lowered. “We lost many.”

  Ariel’s hand covered her mouth in shock. She looked around at the angels and monsters that had faced the army of Heaven, feeling a tinge of guilt over forcing them out of their hiding place.

  “Is it true?” Daniel asked from the doorway. “Has Lucifer descended with his own army?”

  Caelum was the one who answered. “Yes. He was the one we fought.”

  “And you escaped him?” Daniel asked, bewildered.

  “With some help,” Caelum admitted.

  “And what of the sacrifice?” Gabriel inquired, looking at Ariel.

  The angel turned to her, shame in her eyes. “We failed to rescue it.”

  Gabriel sighed. “I cannot blame you. You were fortunate to even escape Lucifer’s wrath.”

  “We have information about the fifth sacrifice,” Ariel reported. “At least, we have a theory about who it might be.”

  Gabriel nodded. She looked around at her weakened army. “Best we not speak of this here, while they are resting. Follow me.”

  The archangel moved past Ariel and walked to the doorway. Caelum, Ariel and Daniel followed her back down the hallway where she marched towards the stairs that led up to the church. Gabriel climbed the stairs and led the three to the broken altar where colored shards littered around their feet. The sunlight spilled from the broken stained glass window that had borne the image of Jesus Christ.

  “Such a pity,” Gabriel muttered, taking in the destruction of what the humans called God’s home. She turned back to Ariel and beckoned for her to continue her story.

  “Do you know of an immortal man?” Ariel asked the archangel.

  Gabriel cocked her head. “An immortal man? I have heard of stories about a human as such; however, I have not personally met him.”

  “But he’s real?” Caelum wanted to confirm.

  “I am not certain,” Gabriel admitted. “I have only heard stories, but I do not believe until I confirm his existence myself.”

  Ariel’s shoulder slumped, her hope fading. “I see.”

  “Maybe the Scribe would know,” Daniel offered.

  “Enoch?” Caelum raised a brow. “We don’t even know where he is.”

  “I do,” Gabriel said. “I’m the one who took him from the battle. I needed to keep him safe.”

  Ariel looked up to her. “Where is he, then?”

  Gabriel held out her hand to Ariel, which the angel took
. When their palms touched, Ariel felt warmth spreading from her hand up her arms and through her body. She closed her eyes and saw images flashing in her mind. She saw the horizon of the rising sun and bare trees with their leaves falling when the wind blew. An empty dirt road stretched out before a small hut with the green mountains towering behind it. When she opened her eyes again, she knew where to find the archangel she sought.

  In Heaven, Michael entered the sacred place that no other angel had set foot in for millennia. When he opened the golden gates, he was met with a fresh warm light and wind that cooled his cheeks. He breathed in the air, relishing in the fragrant scent of leaves and flowers. With his feet bare, the grass cushioned his steps and tickled his skin. With all the serenity that the Garden bestowed upon him, Michael’s face, however, remained stern and serious.

  His eyes fell on the large thick tree with lush and dewy leaves. Against the light, the tree seemed to have an immaculate glow, towering at over twenty meters. Michael trudged towards the great tree that exuded such power. But before he could near it, vines from the ground rose, twirling around itself until it stood just at his eye level. The vines morphed into an image of a smooth face; the illusion of the face had green, thick locks that flowed down on the grassy field.

  “Michael,” the face said, its mouth unmoving. Its voice resounded inside Michael’s mind as if it has spoken directly to his consciousness. “My brother. It has been so long. What is the purpose of your visit?”

  Michael’s face was blank as he spoke. “Seraphiel. I appreciate how you have tended the Garden well.”

  “It is all that I do,” Seraphiel said. “But I request an answer, Michael. What is your purpose in being here?”

  Michael’s eyes hovered beyond Seraphiel and to the great Tree. “I require to visit the Tree.”