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

by J. D. Stonebridge

  Asmodeus rode the huge seven-headed beast into a city. Once he made his way into a plaza, the heads began to look in every direction and unleashed their powers. People who saw the beast ran in fear, but Asmodeus shouted, “If you want to be saved! Gather near it! Watch as I destroy these angels!” Sure enough, a seraph screamed as one of the heads spat acid on it, making it melt. “If you want this baby to be even more powerful, praise it!” Cherubim and seraphim fell like flies from the beast's continuous assault, and a number of people had already gathered below it, taking cover behind its tail. Suddenly, Asmodeus almost fell from the Beast of Babylon as all its heads ceased their artillery and looked up. All the heads of the beast let out a soft cry, as if weeping.

  The skies above were filled with black shadows and white lights clashing. Belphegor stood atop a floating sigil, commanding a massive cloud of demonic souls to intercept an armada of ophanim. She raised her hands as the ship-like sigil approached, and like the conductor of an orchestra, started waving them about. From the titanic cloud of formless demons, a portion of them burst forth and separated into smaller parts, all whizzing towards a few of the ophanim. Hellfire scattered and landed on the sigils, burning the cherubim that rode on them.

  The angels began their counterattack and fired rays of light towards the archdemon. She waved her hands up and brought them down, and from behind her, a curtain of darkness fell and absorbed all the lights. The beams fired back as she had guided the beams towards them then sent more of the formless demons to bombard them all. As I calculated. Greatest impact with minimal effort!

  After exchanges of attack and defense, she realized she was winning, but suddenly, Belphegor crossed her arms, feeling great power bathing her from above. The ophanim above ceased to move and began to hum in chorus. The formless demons she’d commanded to fight with her all cowered from the immense rays above.

  Gabriel saw the sudden ray of light just as she slammed a fist on one cherub. Her eyes widened as she saw the dome of her very home. Heaven had revealed itself to the mortal realm, and all mortals who still lived saw a glimpse of the eternal promise God had given. Gabriel’s scepter began to glow a green light, and Seraphiel’s voice shouted from it.

  “Sister! Michael has consumed the Tree! He is aiming to control Heaven and use it to absorb all angels!”

  Gabriel shouted in alarm, “No! Have they achieved their plan?”

  Seraphiel quickly replied, “It matters not! Please gather as much of our kind to you! Now!”

  The scepter suddenly pulled Gabriel’s arm up and casted a dome of green light all around. Gabriel took a deep breath and her voice boomed, “Gather to me! Heaven has turned against us!”

  Ariel heard the voice. The light from above nearly blinded her. She searched for Caelum, but could see nothing but light. With Gabriel’s voice to guide her, Ariel rushed for her own safety in the chaotic song of the world.

  A massive boom rolled from the skies and cleared the clouds above. Belphegor watched as the ophanim slowly dissolved into particles of light. Their remains floated up and zoomed into Heaven. To her surprise, her skin began to release the same particles. She quickly placed her fingers on her head. “Everyone!”

  Leviathan wondered at how his black body was oozing the light. Everyone, listen. He heard in his head. Apparently even we, who were former Dukes of Heaven, are being called.

  Beelzebub bathed herself in what she considered the ultimate spotlight, listening to Belphegor’s voice. Apparently, Azazel was spot on with his prediction far more than I have foreseen.

  Asmodeus watched in disappointment as all the angels inside the beast’s belly began to seep out of its skin. Soon, we shall be part of Heaven, but let us honor Azazel’s bet, shall we?

  Back at the Ivory tower in Hell, Baron watched helplessly as Azazel twitched and writhed in pain. “Blast that Michael!” he screamed. “I am the King of Hell, but apparently still among the clan of angels!” His skin burned as light began to spill from his skin. “Baron! Sorry chap! I’m done for!”

  Suddenly, four shadows burst from the windows of the room and made their way to Azazel. The shadows surrounded him and plunged into him. His writhing suddenly ceased, and the light that spilled out of him was absorbed back in. Baron looked on with surprise, feeling the presence of the Archdemons.

  Pardon us, said Asmodeus, Azazel hearing it inside his head. Michael called our angelic parts.

  Next was Beelzebub's, It feels weird to be devoured. Is this what everyone I eat, feels?

  Then Leviathan, We sent out essences to bolster your demonic soul, it should be enough to mask your angelic remnants.

  Belphegor then finished with, Humph! I was enjoying myself. You really love to ruin things, don’t you?

  Azazel felt a pang of pain, a pain unlikely for a demon to feel. “Well, that’s why I’m King! When things all blow over, I promise you all, I will make it all up to you. It’s only....fair trade.”

  His balled fist slammed into the chair. “Damn...” he cursed under his breath.

  Baron approached him cautiously. “What happened?”

  “It’s all over,” Azazel exhaled. “Michael won, and there’s no point running things here in Hell.” He stood up slowly and looked out the window of his office. Hell was empty. Empty of souls, as he had distributed it to all his forces. Empty of the demons that dwell in it. Only he and Baron remained to man the Ivory Tower should anyone attempt to take it.

  “Only one thing left to do. Let’s take a stroll above, shall we, Baron?”

  Chapter Fifteen: Unequal Trade

  The light that enveloped the world ceased, and a silence blanketed the land. Ariel, who had braced herself from what wrath she expected to fall on her, unveiled her eyes. The land was devoid of life and movement, and only idle debris and dust from the battle was within her vision. A sense of relief washed over her at the realization that the war was over. She heard a sigh behind her, and when she looked, Gabriel stood tall, her face sullen with defeat. Gabriel fell to one knee as her scepter dropped on the ground.

  “No...” She sighed.

  Ariel then saw a figure nearing them. Daniel let his eyes wander, seeing the aftermath of Michael’s call.

  “Does that mean...” Daniel asked, seeing the absence of angels around him. “Michael has called all our brothers and sisters?”

  Both Ariel and Daniel heard a groan from Gabriel. “We stood no chance. It was a loss before the fight even began.” Gabriel stood, and with tightly balled fists, she continued, “But this does not mean it is over! I am still standing, and so are we!”

  Both Daniel and Gabriel turned as Ariel gasped. “Caelum!” she shouted, the absence of the demon’s presence only now noticeable. She didn’t understand why, since only angels had been called. “Caelum!” she called again, trying to remember where she had last seen him before Gabriel forcefully pulled her from the fight in an effort to save her. “Sister Gabriel, where is Caelum?!”

  “Forgive me sister…” escaped Gabriel’s lips. “I failed to heed your lover’s safety, for I could only call upon my own brethren.”

  Ariel fell to her knees as her heart sank. Her lower lip trembled, and her eyes couldn’t stop the tears. After all the effort she’d used to fight, all the times Caelum had risked his life to save her, this one moment when she’d tried to do the very same with all her might, she had failed.

  Daniel wanted to approach the silently weeping angel to comfort her. Gabriel gestured at him to stop and slowly shook her head.

  “We are the only beings left, as far as I can sense.” Gabriel gritted her teeth. “They may have won this battle, but as long as I stand, this will not be over!” Gabriel looked up to the sky, cursing Michael and Lucifer under her breath.

  Michael pulled his hand out of the now-ashen trunk of the great Tree. His skin radiated a golden light and his aura hummed as he moved his fingers. The energy of millions of angels now coursed through his body from the departed archangels to all the seraphim, cherubim, ophanim,
virtues, and all the other ranks. Michael truly felt his role as the ruler of all angels. Yet, to him, there was still one more.

  Lucifer appeared in the Garden. He minded his steps as he landed on the crumbled, dry ground. Preferring to hover rather than dirty his soles, Lucifer floated across the destroyed remains of the Garden, feeling a bit of pity for the dead trees and the remaining brown and wilted flowers.

  Scott had managed to hang on to a nearby fig tree that somehow remained rooted on a large piece of the fragmented ground. He watched Lucifer slowly approach Michael, noting Lucifer’s placid smile in contrast to the odd contempt in Michael’s face.

  “Brother,” Lucifer called, looking at Michael’s glowing back.

  Michael took a deep breath and turned to him. “Welcome back.”

  Lucifer could not help but feel the excitement for the coming events. The moment he’d been banned from Heaven, sealed into the abyss which was his cage in Hell, and all the moments where his plan was hindered had brought him to this very moment. He amused himself with the memory long, long before when he had first hatched his plan.

  It had been so long since order in Heaven existed when every angel had their tasks. From maintaining the energies gathered by the souls who were sent from Purgatory to ensuring that Heaven’s good influence on man was constant so that man gathered good energy, providing Heaven with a steady flow of power.

  This has been the result, Lucifer had thought in those days as he gazed from his white tower, a structure built for each of the archangels to serve as both their home and a place of honor. The result when man was cast unto the realm. The true realm of God.

  This was a part of their Father’s schematic. Should man fail, man shall turn into a necessity, for their souls were invincible. To many angels, man was ignoble, more so to the archangels. But to Lucifer, man was the closest he could be to God, their Father. He believed it so much that he consulted one of the advisors of Heaven, Duke Asmodeus. Following the incident of Lilith’s rebellion, he’d discussed with the Duke how they could bless man best. How they could free man from captivity in the Garden.

  It was easy, apparently. Asmodeus, in his changing forms, changed into a serpent, a small slithering form that could easily sneak into the Garden without alerting Seraphiel. Their plan was a success, but Asmodeus’ banishment was the price for his deception. Lucifer frowned at this, but sure enough, man and woman were freed from the Garden, armed with the knowledge of creation. Lucifer smiled at this idea as he sat in his tower. And it was good.

  As time passed in his tower, he gazed upon God’s throne. An endless pillar of the purest light, forged in the most primal powers of creation, its beauty was unrivaled. To all of them, this was God, for no angel had ever seen His face. To Lucifer, however, there was no face, for he knew, a very long time ago, that there was no God.

  Rather, God had already left. Instead, there was this shell who acted like him and kept everyone believing, even Michael, that God was there. With man now flourishing in the true world of God, he’d formulated his next plan.

  He secretly gathered all the angels that sided with him, those who were aware of his hand in the fall of man but kept their silence; the Dukes and Duchesses and the angels who were known now as the archdemons. As they gathered in the tower, Lucifer took out the essence of consciousness, Umbra. And as the ball of darkness wisped around them, copies of themselves appeared. Fear not the eyes of Heaven, he’d said, for your essence shall still be one with it. He then produced the essence of form, Ignis, which, as it swirled, created copies of the tools and penchants each angel possessed. And with your essence, stay your badge of authority.

  Under this veil of illusion, the angels prepared for their descent to Earth. Before Lucifer left, he paid a visit to Michael’s tower.

  On his throne, Michael sat, imagining how his Father would sit on such. It was a petty thought, but one that distracted him from his endless responsibilities.

  “Greetings, Brother.” Lucifer appeared. Like all the towers, the inside of every archangel’s quarters was nothing but white, as they didn’t need any amenities but themselves. Michael, however, fancied the human’s creation; a throne which was a seat that symbolized power.

  Michael didn’t budge from the seat but greeted his elder brother with respect. “My greetings as well. What brings you here?”

  Lucifer gave a placid smile. “I need your assistance in creating a secret doorway to the human world.”

  The statement pulled Michael into a standing position. “What?”

  Lucifer raised his hand and gestured to him to be calm. “Now, now, there is no need for pretense. I believe you are aware of my plan.”

  Michael sat back down on the throne, his eyes full of wonder. “Here I was, doubtful of your keenness, Brother Lucifer.”

  Lucifer lightly shook his head. “You have cared for all of us and watched over us as our Father would. Here I am before you, dear brother, asking you a favor as no other would understand.”

  Michael found comfort in Lucifer’s words. “You are to descend to the realm of mortals and spread your seed among the souls. What good will that do?”

  “None,” Lucifer flatly answered. “But it would, as I predict, make the flow of events come forth.”

  “Events?” Michael pondered.

  Lucifer nodded. “As I see it, I shall be punished for what I will be doing, and my seed, once it passes to many mortals, shall be wiped out, culled and destroyed.” He walked gently on the pure white floor. “But as these mortal souls are of our Father’s, they will not be eradicated completely. Instead, they shall flow into Purgatory, and from there, I shall prime the seal.”

  Michael’s gaze was stern. “I see. You wish to infuse some of your essence in Purgatory by providing your own soul, but…” Michael stopped, for a bit of doubt had entered his mind. “You are doing so in order to control something?”

  “Yes!” Lucifer was suddenly exalted. “It brings me great joy that you understand the machinations of my plan.” Lucifer weaved light around his fingers and displayed five symbols. “As of any sigil, a prime and a circle of influence must be made.” A circle of light appeared before the symbols. “The essence of my soul, as captured by Purgatory, will create the prime. In the next stage, I shall need five specific souls before I can open the Gates of Purgatory.”

  “Brother!” Michael interrupted. “Surely, you shall incite the Rapture! The Horsemen are a part of our Father, they shall lay waste to you.”

  “Now, Brother, have faith,” Lucifer chided. “In my studies, I have found that each of them are a part of God’s will. In order to suppress that will, I need five souls that went against the will mapped for them. Once I have all those souls to pass the seal, each of the Horsemen will be kept at bay.”

  “Until?” Michael asked again.

  “Until I gather all the souls in Purgatory, take their energy, and use it to take the form of our Father.”

  Michael didn’t act surprised, instead, he sighed. “Ah, am I to take your silence as an agreement?” Lucifer mused. “Worry not. I came to you for this exact favor.”

  Michael’s eyes were filled with assurance from Lucifer’s statement.

  “I shall need you to become the vessel that will be the new God.” Lucifer held his hand out. “First, I must have your trust.”

  Michael did not think twice; he quickly grabbed his hand. To Michael’s surprise, when he pulled his hand back, a small gem lay in his palm. “What? Is this a seal?”

  “Yes,” Lucifer whispered. “I am sure Gabriel will take it upon herself with much joy to slay me. Please use this seal on me when the time comes. I pray you will seal me someplace quiet, but what you think will be the most effective or more influential will do.” Lucifer paused. “Mind you, God in that pillar of light will eventually detect my absence and shall look for a substitute. Dare I say it might be one from the mortal realm? Please make sure you supervise the event.”

  Before Lucifer could leave, Michael asked one q
uestion. “Why would you do all of this?”

  Lucifer answered with his back turned. “Humans. I am doing it to provide them the paradise they truly deserve.”

  In the present times, Lucifer swatted the memories out of his mind as he reached his glowing brother. “Michael,” he said with an air of victory. “It is time for us to make the final sacrifice.”

  In a quick motion, Lucifer threw his hand out, a spinning line of light leaving his fingertips. Michael recognized the feeling and caught the light as it was flung to him. Michael stared at the item that had taken form from the light. The familiar weapon balanced in his grip, and he gazed upon it as though it was a lover he had been reunited with. “Let us begin,” he said with a hint of enthusiasm.

  “Not here, brother.” Lucifer swayed, looking at the wilted remains of the Garden. “Let us go to a more fitting place.”

  The two angels looked at Scott who wondered where they might take him. Then, a flash of light filled his vision, and soon, he found himself in a different place. Scott was filled with awe. A wide field with a floor made of silver and pearl marble and six tall white towers surrounded him, each scoring more than ten stories high. In the center, surrounded by a circular moat of the clearest water, was a pillar of light as wide as the towers themselves. The light reached above, towards the sky-like dome of Heaven.

  He turned and saw Michael and Lucifer before him. “May I have the honors?” Michael asked Lucifer.

  “Of course. It will be a delight,” he replied.