The request seemed to catch Seraphiel off guard. “For what purpose do you require to visit the Tree?”
“It does not concern you.”
“It does.” Seraphiel argued. “I am first of the seraphim, the warriors of Heaven. I have given up my freedom to serve our Father and protect His beloved Garden. Everything you do here must go through me.”
Michael looked at the face of Seraphiel. “Do not allow your ego to overcome you because you were tasked as the guardian of the Garden. I still hold the highest position in Heaven.”
“You do not,” Seraphiel disagreed. “Our Father does.”
A smile touched Michael’s lips. “But He is not here.”
“His authority remains, however,” Seraphiel warned him. “And my orders were clear. I will hear your reason, and I will judge if you shall pass.”
Michael laughed at the other’s bravery. “You shall hear the sound of my sword instead.” In one move, Michael brandished his sword and cut through the vines that made up Seraphiel’s form. The vines fell to the grass, limp and lifeless. With the obstruction out of the way, Michael marched to the Tree.
Something caught on to Michael’s ankle, halting his steps. The grass beneath his feet grew tall and trapped his feet. Michael pulled on his leg, but the grass kept its hold. Michael grunted, lifting his sword over his head and stabbing it into the ground. The earth exploded, soil and rocks showering the area. Then the soil formed into Seraphiel in front of Michael.
“How dare you defile this sacred place!” Seraphiel shouted.
Michael swung his sword across, destroying the figure that stood in his way. He trudged forward again, sensing the movements of the plants that surrounded him. Here and there, vines and leaves tried to take him and pull him away from the Tree. But before they could touch him, Michael cut them with his sword.
When he was only a few feet away from his destination, the earth rumbled and a sprout erupted from the soil. Michael halted, watching the sprout grow into a vine that stretched above his head. Michael gripped his sword and swung at the vine. But before his blade could touch the vine, countless more erupted around him and trapped him in a dome.
Seraphiel’s voice spoke in Michael’s mind again as the cage narrowed, threatening to crush him inside. “Leave!”
Michael’s golden eyes shone when he lifted his head. “No.”
Michael raised his sword over his head again and stabbed the blade into the ground. Light glowed from the blade and reached the earth. The land glowed bright and the cage imploded, obliterating the vines that Seraphiel commanded.
The white light from Michael’s blade rushed across the Garden, reaching all the trees and plants, but not the great Tree at the center. When Michael stood, his eyes scanned the destruction he had been forced to create. He scrutinized the entire Garden, sensing none of Seraphiel’s presence around.
Michael turned to the great Tree behind him, and with the obstacle gone, he approached it. It stood tall at the heart of the Garden, bearing no fruit on its branches. Michael reached the Tree and placed his palm on the trunk. He smiled.
Brother, I have taken the Garden.
Chapter Seven: The One God Knows
All across Hell, Asmodeus’ anger was heard. He spoke of his interaction with Lucifer, and how the archangel had not only turned him down but also attacked him. “He sees us as nothing but filth beneath his feet,” Asmodeus told the rest of the archdemons. Azazel sat behind his desk, clearly bored with his story, while Leviathan sat on the windowsill. Belphegor and Beelzebub stood side by side against the wall, next to Leviathan, watching Asmodeus address the archdemons.
“Were you really expecting something out of asking to be a part of his army?” Beelzebub asked.
Asmodeus turned to Beelzebub, his face distorting to one with narrow eyes, a pointed nose, and a deep frown. “I was the general of his army. I demanded some respect!”
“Things have changed over the years, Momo. I could have told you that if you hadn’t run off like some rebellious princess,” Azazel chided while checking his fingernails.
Asmodeus’ eyes widened when he looked at Azazel. “What did you call me?”
Azazel looked up to Asmodeus and laughed. “Oh, sorry. I forgot to tell you I’ve decided to give you all nicknames, since all your names are a mouthful. Let’s see here…” Azazel leaned on the table and pointed at each of them. “Levi. Phoebe. Lizzie.” He listed Leviathan, Belphegor, and Beelzebub. Then, he pointed to Asmodeus and repeated the nickname. “Momo.”
Asmodeus turned to the others to see their reactions, and none of them seemed to mind. He, however, was not pleased. “I hold my name proudly! I prefer you respect me by saying it properly!” he yelled, his face turning red.
“Calm down, will you?” Belphegor said lazily. “My head is aching from your voice.”
“What was that you said?” Asmodeus challenged her, only to be stopped by Leviathan who swung his legs around, letting them dangle over the windowsill.
“Are we talking about Lucifer or not?” Leviathan tilted his head.
“Ah, yes.” Asmodeus frowned. “As I’ve said, Azazel made a good point. Those pretentious bastards think of us as nothing but dirt they mean to step on. After the years we served their kingdom, this is how we are repaid? Lucifer is taking all the glory while we rot here just because we did what he wanted us to do that one time!”
“Those were good times, though,” Belphegor sighed.
Leviathan’s steps echoed in the room. He stood up straight and tall, addressing his fellow archdemon. “I say it is truly unjustified that they get to have all the fun. We have been treated unfairly for making the mistake of siding with the first angel all those years ago, and now he means to wreak havoc above while he treats us as nothing but pests he must remove for his new world.” Leviathan snickered. He looked to Belphegor and Beelzebub and asked, “What do you have to say about that?”
Belphegor merely shrugged while Beelzebub said, “It’s boring to just sit around here anyway.”
“Well, Azazel?” Asmodeus turned to the leader of Hell. “I heard from your butler that you’ve decided to ally yourself with that peculiar demon and his gang of misfits. What will you be doing, then?”
Azazel had his elbows on his desk, his fingers intertwined. His eyes scanned the faces of the archdemons before him, seeing their determined or otherwise bored expressions. He had offered Caelum an alliance, even going as far as giving them a bit of information. But his intention was only to ensure that he held a trump card over whoever would lead their side to victory. But with the archangels, he was less likely to hold on to his kingdom if they triumphed, so Azazel felt the need to bet on the riskier dog.
“I guess we will crash the popular kids’ party, then,” Azazel announced to the rest. His decision earned him nods and smiles from the rest, all exhilarated for the oncoming battle.
Contrary to the enthusiasm of the archdemons, Enoch preferred to keep his mind off the wars of the worlds. Relishing the fresh scenery of the mountain did little to keep his thoughts away from such things, however. He sat on a wooden bench, hoping to enjoy the sun after a series of rainstorms that had lasted for days. The sun shone brightly with the clouds parting and birds chirping from afar. Yet all Enoch could think of was the angels descending from Heaven and the complete defeat of Uriel.
He has yet to return, Enoch thought mournfully. The one he waited for had not returned on the day he thought He would. When the light erupted from the earth and into the heavens, Enoch had hoped it was the sign he had been waiting for, but it was an omen for something different.
Enoch wanted to believe everything would fall into place.
A gust of wind blew, sending a chill through Enoch, causing him to shiver. Not long after the breeze, he sensed a strange presence nearby. He abruptly stood from his seat. In his moment of panic, Enoch readied himself to flee in case an enemy presented himself only to find the smiling face of Caelum.
“I see you have nic
e lodging here,” Caelum said. “Nice view. Though I hear it storms a lot in this part of the world which certainly would dampen my mood.”
“C- Caelum?” Enoch inched away in surprise.
Another figure emerged from the shadow behind a nearby tree and the face of the angel, Ariel, greeted him. “The Scribe of God. Sister Gabriel sent us to ask for your assistance.”
Enoch escorted the angel and the demon into the hut where he had resided for the past few days. With the events that had happened, Gabriel had taken him to a location continents away from the center of the battles. The country, though tropical, was in the rainy season, so it had rained nearly the entire week. He had become accustomed to the scent of dampened soil, finding comfort in the smell. The home was quaint with barely any furnishings; just a dingy wooden table with two benches at its side, a small sink under a window that gave a view of the mountains, and a hand-woven mat in one corner where the journal he had been writing on lay.
Ushering the angel and the demon inside, Enoch had them sit on one bench while he sat across from them. It was clear that the demon found the residence not to his liking. Caelum scanned the bare housing with furrowed brows and tight lips. Enoch was surprised he did not offer a sarcastic comment about it.
Ariel, however, was the one more willing to speak her thoughts. “Is it safe to speak here?”
“Oh, yes, yes.” Enoch nodded. “Gabriel helped me protect this place, just in case.”
With that assurance, Ariel told her story. She began with what had happened after the battle, skipping Mikaela’s funeral for Caelum’s sake. She revealed to him what David and Jenny had figured out by looking through his books and scrolls, and what Baron had told them regarding the sacrifices. When she spoke about their attempt to rescue the reaper that had saved Caelum’s life before, a sweat broke from Enoch’s hairline.
“Raphael captured the reaper to make it the fourth sacrifice, the one representing Death,” Ariel continued the story. “We tracked him down with Azrael’s help, but we failed to retrieve the reaper when Lucifer brought his army to attack.” At the mention of the name, Enoch turned to Ariel, wide-eyed. “Lucifer descended on the mortal land again, bringing his own army. I believe he meant to finish what they’d started with his own hands.”
“L- Lucifer? He’s here?” Enoch buried his face in his hands. “Oh, this is bad.”
“Obviously,” Caelum added.
“So, Purgatory has been sealed already?” Enoch looked up to Ariel, who gave him a small nod as an answer. Enoch groaned. “Then, they are close to completing their goal,” he said with a frown.
“I thought you’d predicted all of this already?” Caelum was doubtful.
“No, no, no. You must understand what prophecies really are, Caelum,” Enoch corrected. “We can only predict possible ends to multiple scenarios, but we cannot predict which we will end up with. Say, for example, you are famished and thought of eating cereal with milk. One possible scenario is that you will satisfy your hunger and go about your day, another is that you will get a stomachache because you didn’t realize that the milk was nearing its expiration, or you lost your appetite because someone left the cereal box open and a spider had crawled in. All are very possible scenarios but only one of them will happen.”
“So, you know multiple scenarios about how the world could possibly end, then?” Caelum asked, skeptical of the idea.
“Yes,” Enoch admitted. “I was hoping for the one where God will arrive and the Rapture will begin peacefully. When Lucifer rose into Heaven, I thought there was still a chance.” He sighed heavily. “At least it wasn’t the scenario where another world war breaks and one side miscalculates the biological weapon they released, causing human extinction. That would have been horrible.”
“Anything that would involve the end of the world is horrible in my opinion,” Caelum pointed out. “In any case, that is the news report about Heaven going warfreak mode. That and the fact that even Gabriel’s forces were attacked.”
“We lost some of our already small army,” Ariel added, looking down at her hands.
“Oh, no. That’s bad. That’s very bad,” Enoch muttered, shaking his head. “How is Gabriel?”
“She is well,” Ariel answered. “I recently spoke to her about a concern. One that she told me to come to you for.”
Enoch looked at Ariel with a confused expression. “Ah… I don’t really know if I will be much help in this war. I am no warrior.”
“It is not about fighting. We need information about—” Caelum told him.
“I believe it is best we speak of this somewhere more private,” Ariel cut his words off. “I am certain you and Sister Gabriel have worked hard to protect this house, but it’s better to be safe.”
The seriousness in her tone caught Enoch’s attention. His face turned ashen, wondering what the angel wanted from him. Then again, he could not deny Ariel’s point. In such a crucial time, it was best to proceed with all caution.
Without raising any protests, Enoch agreed to take Ariel and Caelum back to his library, where the Tenney siblings awaited them. David and Jenny jumped from their seats when they arrived, their eyes directed to the scribe. David was the first to greet him. “Wh-where have you been?”
“David!” Jenny scolded him. “You can’t speak to an archangel that way!”
David shrugged and pouted at his sister before sinking back to his seat. Ariel gestured for Enoch to take a seat and the archangel complied. He had not stepped in his library for so long that he felt quite alienated being within the four walls he had called home for many years. Enoch spent countless days keeping himself inside the library that he could tell each book and item that was misplaced from when he had last touched them. Though he was never a diligent one, Enoch knew where his things belonged and he knew when someone had touched them. Not that it mattered; he’d entrusted the records he had been keeping to his two descendants, after all.
Jenny took the seat next to Enoch while both Ariel and Caelum stood against the wall, watching them intently. Enoch looked at each of their faces, feeling a little awkward about the gathering, though nonetheless comforted to have company. “So, what is this that you wanted to ask me?”
“Ask him?” Jenny turned to Ariel with a questioning look. Then her eyes widened at the realization. “Oh! Is this about the immortal man?”
Enoch turned to the girl with the same questioning look she’d had a moment ago. “The immortal man?” he repeated. The Scribe looked to Ariel and Caelum in his confusion. “Is he who you’re looking for?”
“So, you know where he is?” David asked, leaning on the table.
“Oh, no, no, no.” Enoch waved his hand over his face. “At least, not exactly.”
“And that means what, exactly?” Caelum urged.
Enoch rubbed his hand against his lips, pondering what he should do. “Um, why are you looking for him, anyway?”
Ariel removed herself from the wall and approached Enoch. “We mentioned to you what the sacrifices meant, according to the demon who once worked for Lucifer’s cause.”
“Ah.” Enoch raised his brows. “You are thinking he will be the final sacrifice? The Guide?”
“Yes!” Jenny answered enthusiastically. “It’s only a theory. But considering that, according to what they figured out, the fifth sacrifice will guide the mortal souls like how the Angel of Death does. And what kind of soul could better guide the others but another of their own, right?”
“Granted, there are other possibilities,” David added. “But it’s the best bet we’ve got.”
Enoch slumped back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. He had his eyes closed as if considering the situation. All of them waited for his answer patiently, or at least as patiently as Caelum could. He tapped his shoe on the floor, making the sound echo in the room. When Enoch finally opened his eyes, everyone was focused on him.
“Perhaps you are correct,” he said. “The immortal man seems viable as the last sacrifice
. And I can assure you that he does exist.” The statement sparked hope in their eyes. Enoch continued. “However, I do not know where he is.”
“Oh,” David mouthed, looking down. Jenny’s excitement also died, and she slumped in her seat.
Caelum was curious, however. He tilted his head to the side and asked, “How do you know he exists, then?”
All heads turned back to Enoch, waiting for his answer. Enoch let out a deep sigh and explained, “Well, I’m not really sure how to say this, but.... I can feel him.”
“Feel him?” Caelum laughed at his choice of word.
“You know, the way I sense that you two are mortals.” Enoch pointed at David and Jenny. “And that you are a demon and she’s an angel.” He directed his finger to Caelum and Ariel. “I just sense the soul somewhere. A very old mortal soul, centuries old.”
David looked skeptical. “I’m not sure I get how that works.”
Enoch slumped his shoulders. “Okay, just say that I can sense the energies flowing around the world. I’ve been here for so long with this ability to read the energies in this world that I have it all memorized. Billions of mortals, a handful of fallen angels, thousands of demons, and millions of monsters.” He waved his hand again as if swatting a fly. “I don’t bother counting the exact amount, really. It’s a bother. But do you understand how it works?”
David frowned. “I guess…”
Enoch continued. “Out of the souls that I do not bother counting anymore, one of them I find very peculiar. It’s a mortal soul, most definitely. But I can sense that the soul itself is very old. An ancient one, in fact. And yet, I can tell its vessel lives.”
“Then, without a doubt, that is the immortal man,” Caelum stated. “And I assume you cannot tell where this man is?”
Enoch frowned. “No. I can tell he is part of the energy pool of this world, but I cannot pinpoint his location.”
David’s forehead was creased while he was in deep thought. He had his chin resting between his thumb and index finger, his eyes cast down. “Maybe I can help with that.”
The Damned and The Pure Series: Books 1-4 (The Damned and The Pure Series Box Set) Page 72
