Eternity

by Karen Ann Hopkins

  I increased speed and twisted out of the way of a snapping jaw. In a blur, I wrapped my arms around Youmi and rolled down the hill. We bounced, striking things that I wasn’t even sure what they were until a tree trunk stopped our momentum with a sudden thud.

  “My friend, my friend is gone,” Youmi wheezed.

  I grabbed him by his shirt and shook him. “Control, man. Stay in control.”

  “We are lost—”

  I slapped him, forcing his gaze up. “We are not yet lost. You must reach Ember and Insepth—tell them what is happening here.”

  Youmi’s eyes cleared. “I have to be in the dream state to find her. How will I manage that in the middle of this chaos?”

  I drew my fist back and punched Youmi squarely in the face. His head lolled to the side and I dragged him into the bushes, placing him beneath the densest foliage I could find.

  “There you go, Watcher. I’ve provided you with the sleep you need to find our dear Ember. Do not fail us.”

  Chapter 20

  Ember

  Silence, glorious silence.

  I opened my eyes and blinked. Massive white-barked tree trunks reached into the gray sky. There were no birds chirping or breezes rustling leaves. There were no clouds, stars, moon, or sun either. Just a thick, overcast ceiling that looked like a sheet had been pulled across the sky. In the distance, I could see the blue flames that ringed this world. Purgatory. I’d woken in the dream world.

  I sat up, the injuries and pains from moments ago were gone. My gaze flickered around. The place was even more desolate than I remembered. A few of the giant trees were down, uprooted and broken apart. Samael had ripped the gateway into Hell here, near the acid lake filled with sea monsters. Ormer the dragon had died at the gate fighting Sin, the Angel who had been distorted into a dragon’s body by her time in the Underworld. I caught a whiff of smoke and turned my head. Beyond the treetops I could see black tentacles rising. That must be the direction of the broken gate.

  And not the way I wanted to go.

  What was I doing here in the first place? Only a few minutes before, I’d been on the plain of Armageddon. I pressed my hand to my forehead trying to remember. Slowly, the cloud lifted and memories came trickling in. The Horsemen had been battling the Angels, and War, along with help from me and Insepth, had killed Phanuel. Gabriel and the rest of the Angels, in their Heavenly light, came for all of us. Then there was darkness—and now I was here.

  A cold chill swept through me as I sucked in a deeper breath. “Am I dead?” I murmured.

  “Unless all laws of physics have disappeared, I think you’re still very much alive, but to find you in this God forsaken place makes me wonder for how long.”

  I whirled around and Youmi stepped out from behind one of the giant tree trunks.

  The shock that nearly stopped my heart was quickly replaced with happiness. I ran up to the Water Watcher and threw my arms around his neck. He awkwardly patted my back and then disengaged himself, taking a step backward.

  “How’s Ivan and Horas, and Angus? Are they doing all right? And what about Lutz and Sir Austin—are they behaving themselves?”

  I rattled off the questions, feeling giddy that I wasn’t dead, and that I could finally get an update on what was going on back at Ila’s valley.

  Youmi frowned back at me without speaking. It suddenly occurred to me if the Watcher had travelled to the dreamland to find me, something terrible must have happened. I shivered and managed to say in a rough voice, “What’s going on?”

  “The forces of Hell, led by Sawyer, ravaged Oldtown and then set their sights on the valley. We didn’t have much warning. Lutz barely got away, fleeing into the forest with Ila’s pets. Cricket left with the Horsemen, and the rest of us escaped through a loophole Sir Austin and I managed to create.”

  I held my breath, horrible visions of what he was saying dancing through my head.

  “We chose to go to Romania where the wolves were gathering. The Watchers of Light had been wiped out, and it wasn’t very far from either Sir Austin’s homeland or the Mediterranean Sea, which would replenish my powers. It seemed like as good a place as any to go.”

  A single tear sliced down Youmi’s cheek and I touched his hand. “What happened?” I whispered.

  He met my gaze. “Sawyer found us. Sir Austin is dead. I don’t know about Ivan and your dog. They were fighting the Hell beasts the last I saw. Horas is the one who sent me here to find you” —he pointed to his bruised eye— “and bring you back to help us.”

  “Sawyer? Are you sure it was him?”

  Youmi’s voice held an edge that wasn’t there before. “Yes. It was your guardian and lover who led the army that struck down my closest friend.” He leaned in with narrowed eyes. “He followed us, Ember—from the valley and across the world, he came after us. The evil hordes have overtaken us—we’re all going to die.”

  I pictured Sawyer smiling devilishly at me, black hair falling over his one eye as he bent to kiss me.

  I shook my head. That man was gone. Samael had succeeded in turning Sawyer into a monster. And I was the only one who might be able to stop him.

  I rubbed my face and my head hurt. The trees were losing their solidness, becoming hazy. A sharp, cooler burst of air hit me.

  I faced Youmi. “I’m coming to help you!”

  Youmi nodded, but he was disappearing, becoming mist, like the trees.

  I jumped forward into the place he’d been standing and shouted, “Stay alive, Youmi. I’ll save you all!”

  Chapter 21

  Insepth

  There was a sound like a sonic boom, and the Angels’ glow dimmed enough that I could blink up at the sky. Stars twinkled behind the scene that made my heart pound madly. Thousands more Angels spilled onto the plain from an opening in the clouds. Weapons of gold and silver flashed, and pounding wings filled the air.

  Ember was motionless beside me and her body was limp beneath my hands.

  “Wake up, Ember. We have to leave, now,” I whispered fiercely into her ear.

  She didn’t respond. Her eyes moved beneath her lids and I pressed my ear to her chest to listen to her heartbeat. It was so weak I could barely hear it.

  Cricket nudged Ember’s shoulder, snorting warm breath over both of us.

  Without Ember, there was no chance of building a loophole out of here. Even combining our powers it would be tricky. We’d both expelled most of our energy and the blinding light of the Angels had weakened us even more. The clashing sound of steel and the bursts of lightning made me rise to my knees. I gripped Ember’s shoulders and gently shook her. “Wake up—you must wake up!” I whispered desperately.

  A flurry of wind and feathers pushed my hair back. Cricket whinnied and I raised my eyes. Uriel and Raphael peered down at us. Michael, Raguel, and Azriel stood behind them. They all looked grim, except Raphael, who appeared to be working hard to not smile.

  I rolled my eyes. I really hated Angels.

  “Move aside,” Uriel ordered me, but I stayed with Ember.

  I was about to tell the Angel to go to Hell when Gabriel swooped in, landing in the middle of the cluster of Angels.

  “Those two are the root of all our problems!” he bellowed.

  Michael moved between Uriel and Gabriel. “There may be some truth to that, but your actions here”—he spread his arms wide— “haven’t helped our cause, either.”

  Raguel twisted his thick neck, searching the crowd. Many more Angels hovered in the sky above.

  “It has been decided, Gabriel. You and your followers will return to Heaven and await judgment on your actions. We have the entire Celestial Host at our backs. If you refuse, we will cut you down.”

  “And who will be the judge—you?” Gabriel snarled.

  Raguel’s eyes sharpened. “You know who will judge your actions.”

  “Really? Our Father has been absent of late. Perhaps He’s condoning my actions by ignoring them.” He tilted his head. “Have you considered th
at?”

  Azriel dropped back his hood and his tattoos glowed when the moonlight struck them. “He has spoken to us, brother. We shall all retreat Heavenward. It has been ordered.”

  Gabriel’s mouth dropped open and the Angels stirred with fluttering wings.

  “Is this true?” His voice came out in a harsh whisper.

  “Yes,” Michael answered him. “We shall return home and leave mankind to their fate.”

  Gabriel strode forward and Uriel stepped in front of him just before he reached me and Ember. “They killed Phanuel, an arch Angel of the Lord.” His eyes shifted to the Horsemen and he pointed his sword at them. “With their help. They cannot go unpunished!”

  “The Horsemen will return to their stable. They are not needed to destroy the land of men. Samael and his army will perform their tasks, finishing off the humans in short order, as it is written,” Raguel said.

  “I think not!” War had changed into a man and pushed past the Angels. His flaming hair and beard stuck out in the dark night. He was close to the same size as the Angels, and when his brothers joined him, the power that emanated from the four could not be denied. “I believe you’re fibbing, Azriel.”

  Azriel’s face was stone, but he said nothing.

  “There are only four of you and thousands of us. You can’t win, Horseman. Are a couple of Watchers and humankind worth your deaths?” Michael said.

  “It is written that we bring the plagues to this land, not the king of the damned. I don’t believe that is how our Creator wants it all to end.” Death eyed the Angels, a sprinkling of colors peppered the air around him as if he was close to changing back into a horse.

  “Why does it matter who destroys this world, as long as it is destroyed?” Raguel said.

  “Because there will be even more suffering if the creatures of Hell are allowed to take over this realm. The land will die, and then there will be only Heaven and Hell.” Death licked his lips, letting his words settle over the Angels. “Samael won’t end the human race—he’ll keep some alive for pleasure and torment. When he grows bored, his eyes will shift toward the Heavens. And then he’ll come for you.”

  “That is blasphemy! Samael and his army can never cross the threshold into Heaven. It is impossible!” Michael’s voice rose, echoing over the plain.

  “He never should have been able to break the barriers into this world without us unleashing the plagues first, but he did.” War crossed his arms over his chest in a gesture of defiance.

  Ember began shaking beneath my hands and her eyes rolled back in her head. “She’s having a seizure!” I shouted as I tried to push my remaining Earth power into her.

  “Allow me to assist my offspring.” Uriel looked around, his gaze landing on Azriel. “Unless it is her time.”

  “I do not feel the strings of death with that one. She is invisible to me.”

  Raguel and Michael exchanged glances. It was Raguel who answered Uriel. “Do what you may with the girl. She means nothing to us.” He looked back at Gabriel who was opening his mouth to speak. “Phanuel lost his life because he followed you, instead of us. His death is yours to claim. Gabriel, you will have a chance to make your argument before the council, but until then, we retreat to our homeland.”

  Uriel knelt beside Ember and grasped her head in his hands. Cricket stomped her hoof nearby and I balled my fists.

  Raphael finally found his voice. “Just to be clear, brothers. It is your decision to allow our fallen brothers to rampage this land, and we will do nothing?”

  “That is so,” Michael answered.

  Raphael nodded, lowering his head.

  “Do you come willingly, Gabriel, or must more blood be shed on this day?” Raguel asked.

  Gabriel smiled at me. “Perhaps giving them over to Samael is the most just thing to do.”

  He spread his black wings and flapped them hard, sweeping stones and dirt up from the ground into our faces as he flew upward. Taking his lead, the ones who attacked us moments before surged after him. Then the Celestial Host began to leave in legion formations.

  Ember coughed and I pulled her into my embrace. I ignored Uriel’s eyes boring into me.

  Raguel faced the Horsemen. “What is your decision? Will you be as wise as Gabriel?”

  War and Conquest laughed and Famine shook his head. It was Death who stepped up close to the Angel and said, “The numbers mean nothing to us. We have the pure power of destruction at our disposal—to use on men, monsters, or Angels. We stand down not because we are afraid of you, but because, unlike Azriel and his clever tongue, we have not spoken to our Creator. We will remain in this realm until He tells us to leave. And not before then.”

  “Your presence will disrupt the balance,” Michael said.

  Death smiled crookedly. “What—do you fear that we may impede Samael’s march on this land?”

  Raguel exhaled. “It matters not what you do, as long as your wrath is not directed at the Angels. I think that you’ll realize, sooner than later, that humankind is a worthless cause.”

  Raguel nodded to Michael and Azriel, and with another rush of wind, they were gone.

  Only the Horsemen, Cricket, Uriel, and Raphael remained on the plain of Armageddon with us. The sky was free of Angels and lightning, and the bushes rustled in the breeze. A night bird whistled in the distance.

  Ember coughed again and finally opened her eyes. She looked around the group before her gaze settled on me. “Where is everyone?”

  I chuckled. “Ember, my dear, you missed the battle.”

  She grabbed my shirt. “We have to leave now. The war has begun.”

  Chapter 22

  Ember

  All was quiet, so different than what it had been when the Angels’ light had knocked me out. Stars twinkled above and the breeze was pleasant. But looks were deceiving. In another part of the world, my friends were fighting for their lives.

  I pushed myself up on wobbly legs, clutching Insepth’s arm. “There’s no time. Sawyer is leading an army from Hell and they’re attacking the wolves in Romania. Ivan and Horas are there—so is Youmi. He’s the one who found me in Purgatory and told me what was going on.”

  “Your spirit was in that place?” Uriel asked, stepping closer with a piercing stare.

  I had lost all patience. A surge of energy made my heart pound and my skin tingle. I took both my hands and smacked the Angel on his stomach as hard as I could manage. His eyes widened, but he didn’t move.

  “You could have helped us!” I accused.

  Uriel’s mouth twitched before he spoke. “My loyalties are to my brothers and the oaths we made to our Father. I had to wait for the council to agree to bring Gabe and his followers home. It was not my decision to make.”

  I turned to Raphael. Fire roared to life inside of me as my Gaia was repairing the damage the Angels had done to my body. I blurted, “Why are you here? What is your interest in any of this?”

  The brown-haired Angel snorted, throwing his head back. He was just as tall and well-built as Uriel, but he moved with a wiry stealth, and had never seemed as warlike as the other Angels.

  “What else do I have to do? The glorious order of our kind has been reduced to chaos. No one knows what our path is, or what is even right or wrong.” His mouth lifted into a smile. “So until order is restored, I will follow my gut.”

  “And your gut tells you to stay with us?” I narrowed my eyes and thrust my finger at him, a flame lighting the tip. “Or maybe you’re a spy for the Angels?”

  “That is a valid accusation,” War said. He’d been hanging back with the other Horsemen, and the careful look he gave Uriel and Raphael made my stomach tighten.

  “Oh, yes. I could be a spy.” His smile deepened when he looked at me. “This is a time when you must trust your own gut. What is it telling you about my intentions?”

  I stared at Raphael, searching my heart and mind. My thoughts were muddled, and I couldn’t say for sure what my feelings about Raphael were, but I knew on
e thing for certain; I didn’t completely trust any Angel, even Uriel. Time was running out. My friends needed me.

  “I won’t waste time on trying to figure out your motives. Unlike the Angels, I’m going to help my friends, and try to stop the Devil from destroying the world.”

  “You will die trying,” Uriel said. “I cannot come to your aid any longer. Samael is marching into the lands of men, as was foretold in the Scriptures. The way it all came about is not what any of us expected, but so be it.” His voice deepened. “Our Father’s silence speaks volumes. I will not defy Him or my brothers any longer. I admire your spirit and bravery. Even though I wish I had never taken pleasure with your ancestor so long ago, I don’t regret your existence. Everything about you is more than I hoped for.” He stepped back, raising a brow. “Many blessings to you, child. I pray that your end is a painless one.”

  With a rush of wind, Uriel surged into the sky. He didn’t even slow down to look back. He became smaller and smaller until he disappeared. A single red feather floated down and I caught it. Shoving it into the inside pocket of my jacket, I looked around. “Who’s coming with me?”

  Insepth nodded, a small smile reassuring me that he was ready for whatever came next. In a burst of colors, Cricket became a woman again. She stepped forward and said, “I will go. They are my friends as well.”

  My gaze rested on the Horsemen. War was the only one in man form, but he seemed to be communicating with them in mind speech. Conquest tossed his head and Death snorted. Famine was his usual quiet self, although he looked alert.

  When War joined us, his face was somber. The three horses whinnied and whirled away, galloping across the plain with increasing speed. Clouds formed beneath their feet and lightning cracked across the night sky. The gusting draft made it difficult to stand, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the Horsemen as the clouds carried them away.