“You—” Sodom said.
Ardat would never find out how he intended to finish the sentence. Raising the lightning dagger over her head, she sank the weapon into the top of Sodom’s skull, silencing him for eternity.
---
Alan rose higher and higher into the sky until he could barely see the battle below. Even the great black dragon looked like a small figure to his eyes. Up there among the clouds everything seemed so peaceful.
Alan felt the warm sun on his face, the gentle breeze roll past him as it stirred his blonde hair. Images of a young boy standing on a rooftop entered his mind, making Alan give a sad grin. This time’s different, Alan thought. This time there’s no Michael to save you.
Alan took a deep breath as he pushed higher and higher into the sky. A nagging voice in the back of his head warned him a plunge from this altitude would kill him. It said there were limits to even his powers and he should abandon his plan now.
Alan ignored the voice and pressed on so high, now the air was beginning to thin. His wings beat heavier and his lungs worked harder to suck in the sparse oxygen.
He stopped then, knowing he had reached the maximum altitude he was able. The sun was much warmer here. The clouds below him shimmered in the heat of the bright star’s rays. From somewhere beside him, he thought he heard her voice.
She’s dead, Alan reminded himself as thoughts of Seraphim flashed in front of his eyes. The image of her was so real, Alan had to blink. A figure looked as if it was floating toward him, a winged angel, a woman. Alan blinked again, just about to call her name, but she was gone. Anger burned inside him as he recalled her death. Her voice echoed in his ears.
In one fluid motion, Alan pressed his wings behind his back and plummeted to the earth far below.
The wind pushed past him so quickly it made his eyes tear. Anger at Seraphim’s death made Alan throw caution to the wind. Instead of being content with his rate of speed, Alan flapped his wings harder and harder behind him.
The ground was approaching quickly; the dragon’s form was taking shape. Alan angled his course to aim at the dragon’s giant right front foot.
He extended his arms in front of him and wrapped himself in his glowing wings just seconds before impact. Either I’ll succeed or I’ll see you soon, Alan thought.
He didn’t even feel his body tear through the dragon’s foot. All he could see in any direction was the blue veil of his wings. Alan didn’t have time to even wonder if he had hit the right location, it all happened so quickly.
One instant he was plummeting, the next a violent tingling raced up and down his body. His ears were ringing, but his wings held him firm in their cocoon.
Alan took a breath then forced his wings open from their protective bubble, taking a look at his surroundings. He had imagined he would awake to a crater of some kind or a deep crevice in the battlefield floor. Instead, he was lying in a world of white. The floor was some kind of white marble, and in every direction only white existed, no walls or doors.
Alan was so confused with his surroundings that he failed to notice the woman materializing beside him until she cleared her throat. It was Seraphim.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” she smiled, wrapping him in a hug.
Alan’s mouth moved to speak, but no words came out. Instead, he retuned her embrace, closing his eyes and hoping the moment would last forever.
Much too soon, Seraphim extracted herself from his embrace. Alan looked at her up and down; the scar on her face was gone. Both black wings were whole and folded on her back. “We don’t have long,” she said. “This will be the last time I’m able to see you for—for awhile.”
“Why?” Alan asked.
“You have a lot to do,” Seraphim said. “Your journey is only beginning. No matter how much I wish you could be here with me now, know that one day you will be. I can say that He’s shown me his plan for you. The world needs you, Alan, maybe even as much as I do. But until then, don’t let anger define you. I love you, Alan Price, and I always will.”
Her tone was so final Alan felt panic rise in his chest. “Wait, why can’t I stay? What is it that I have to do?”
Alan struggled with more words as she waved to him with a smile. Then she was being pulled back from him, as was the entire white room.
Alan sat up with a jolt. He was breathing hard, his wings opened up for him to see yet another unbelievable site. He was in a crater, more like a fissure in the earth ten feet deep and just as long. The smell of fresh-plowed earth hit him the same moment he heard shouts of battle.
Pushing himself to his legs, Alan found that although wobbly, he was able to stand. His wings beat the air behind him and he rose from the earth to see the fallout of his action.
His plan had worked, at least to an extent. A massive body still quivering from its cling to life lay like a large raven-black scaled structure. The dragon’s head from the top of its skull to the bottom of its jaw wore a hole the size of Alan’s body. He had missed the paw and instead ran through the beast’s head before striking the ground.
I guess I should have thought of that instead of aiming for its paw. Alan turned to see where the shouts of fighting were still coming from.
Free of his hold on the summoned creature, Rolf was fighting the remaining three Horsemen in a losing battle. They were too much for the demon, even without Alan’s help. He witnessed Rolf fall from a strike of Tracy’s spear. A second later, Kassidy disarmed him and Kyle had a blade to his throat.
“Wait!” Alan screamed as he ran to the group on shaking legs.
His three counterparts looked at him in shock. Even Rolf who had much larger problems to deal with at the moment studied Alan in awe.
“Are you okay?” Kassidy said as she ran to Alan and wrapped an arm around him to steady his shaking frame. “You hit that dragon Mach 2. I didn’t know if you were going to survive it.”
“I’ll be fine,” Alan said. Turning to Kyle, he shook his head. “Not like this.”
Kyle gave him a sneer as he inched the blade closer to Rolf’s exposed neck. Alan could see the struggle taking place in Kyle’s eyes.
“Kyle,” Alan said louder as he moved to stand next to him.
“He would do it to us,” Kyle said, pressing the blade so hard against Rolf’s neck that a trickle of blood stained his sword. “He did try to do it to us.”
“But we’re not him,” Alan said. “We’re better.”
“How can you say that?” Kyle said in anger. “How can you stand there and spare his life after he killed so many, after he killed Seraphim?”
Alan felt a stab of pain in his chest at the mention of her name. Like a furnace sparking to life, fury at the memory of her death overpowered him. If he hadn’t just seen her, if she hadn’t just spoken to him, Alan wondered if his wrath would win out. But her voice was still too fresh in his mind.
“She wouldn’t have wanted this,” Alan said in a firm voice. “We’ll give him to the angels. Look around, Kyle; it’s over.
Alan took his own advice. All around them, fighting was coming to an end. What demons remained were either running or surrendering. The dragon had stopped its death throes. As far as Alan could tell, even the conflict with Sodom had been resolved.
Rolf laughed out loud as Kyle breathed an angry sigh and stood from his victim. “I knew you wouldn’t do it,” Rolf said.
“If I can’t kill him,” Kyle looked over to Alan, “can I at least punch him in the face? Just once, one really good one.”
Rolf stopped laughing and looked to Alan for an answer.
“Yeah, I guess,” Alan said.
---
The days after the battle were a blur to Alan; great pyres were erected for the dead, prisoners had to be guarded until their trials, and the wounded were placed inside the Temple for recovery.
Alan found himself working beside Danielle as they cared for both the supernatural race of humans and the Nephilim, their human counterparts. Both the minotaurs and
centaurs had declined the angels’ offer to cater to their sick. Each race had set up makeshift camps outside the Temple and were caring for their kind in their own way.
“Your friends can be so stubborn,” Danielle said, eyeing Alan as though it were his fault their allies weren’t accepting their offer for aid.
Alan was standing beside Danielle as the pair collected more fresh bandages from one of the many storerooms in the Temple.
“Hey, it’s not my fault. Besides, it kind of makes sense. I mean, they have their own way of doing things. It’s probably weird for them to have you lay your hands on them and heal.”
“I didn’t hear you complain any of the many times I healed you.” Danielle gave Alan a stern look and piled clean cloths high in his outstretched arms. “Especially the last time you decided to use your body as a human harpoon and go right through a dragon’s skull.”
“When you say it like that, it sounds weird,” Alan said as Danielle placed another stack of towels in his arms and obscured his head.
“How can you see where you’re going like that?” Artemis’s young voice asked.
Alan turned toward the sound of the voice, but all he could see was a mound of white. Before he could respond, Artemis continued, “Michael wants to talk to both of you.”
“Great,” Alan said, placing the mountain of bandages back in the shelf. “How’s he feeling?”
“Good,” Artemis said, bobbing her head and leading the way down the winding Temple hall. “He’s still sore and banged up, but it could have been a lot worse.”
Alan exchanged a knowing look with Danielle. The story of Michael’s return was spreading through the camp after the battle. Where he had been, how he was found, and the way the battle with Sodom had ended.
Artemis stopped at a set of double doors and ushered them in.
“You’re not coming with us?” Alan asked as he and Danielle stepped in and Artemis turned to go.
“Nope, not this time. The cycle is over. Soon, I’ll just be a little girl all over again,” Artemis said, trying to smile.
Alan had to remind himself the spirit of the prophet only revealed herself during the conflict of the Horsemen and then only until the struggle was resolved. She was right; soon her purpose would be over and Artemis would return to the human plane, once again a young orphan girl.
Alan looked to Danielle, unsure what to do. Danielle sank to a knee and placed her hand on one of Artemis’s shoulders. “Hey, don’t be too sad just yet. I’m not sure what the future holds, but I promise you when we get back to the human world we’ll find you. You won’t be alone.”
“Really?” Artemis asked, her face breaking out in a huge smile.
“Really,” Danielle said.
“Really?” Artemis looked at Alan for further confirmation.
Alan received a quick jab to his leg from Danielle’s kneeling position when his response wasn’t quick enough. “Oh, yeah, totally. We can hang out and eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches together and play video games.”
Artemis was beyond words. She ran first to Danielle and almost knocked her over with a hug then turned to Alan and pulled him down to his knees so she could do the same.
Alan hesitated at first then hugged the girl in return.
“You’re the best Horseman of War ever, Alan Price,” she said in his ear.
“Thanks,” Alan said with a laugh as he let her go.
“Okay, okay,” Artemis said, clapping her hands and jumping up and down, “you have to go inside. I have to plan all the cool stuff our family is going to do together.”
In the wake of those words, she ran down the hall. Alan looked to Danielle as they both knelt, shocked. Danielle’s face reddened, and Alan could tell she was thinking the same thing.
“Come on, Turner,” Alan said, getting to his feet then reaching down and pulling Danielle up. “Let’s get inside and see what Michael wants before you start getting all weird and awkward.”
“What? I don’t get weird,” Danielle said, her voice full of indignation.
“Yeah, sure you don’t. I still remember our first meeting,” Alan said.
Chapter 22
As Alan and Danielle walked into the large meeting room, it was obvious they weren’t the only ones who were summoned. Sitting on either side of Michael were Raphael and Ardat, the former wearing a sling, the latter dressed in white. Tracy, Kyle, and Kassidy were all there as well, sitting next to one another, talking in whispers. Angelica was leaning against the stone wall, speaking with Esther. Both women waved to Alan and Danielle as they entered.
“Good,” Michael said with a welcoming smile, “we can begin. Please, take a seat.”
Alan exchanged head nods and grins with everyone in the room as he followed Michael’s instructions. To his surprise, even Ardat gave him a tight smile.
“Thank you all for coming,” Michael started. “I know how weary you all must be, not only from the battle but from the mountain of duties that follow. I’ll spare you from any empty words and get right down to the point. The angelic order is reeling. We require time to heal and find a way to rebuild our ranks. In the meantime, we cannot leave the human plane undefended. Humanity needs their heroes and we cannot deny them their own.”
Michael paused to look at each of the Horsemen in turn. Alan could feel what was coming next and anxiety’s familiar touch prodded at him like an icy finger running down his spine.
“Alan, Kassidy, Tracy, Kyle, Danielle, and Angelica, I need you to return to the human world and protect them until we can join you with reinforcements.”
Alan’s mind was still racing with all this would mean, but before he could ask any of the many questions he knew he needed to, Kyle spoke first. “And we’ve found a way back? I mean, I heard rumors of showing up in a lightning bolt naked.”
“Yes,” Michael said, shaking his head as if he were remembering the experience. “Our planes won’t parallel one another as they did before, but we do have a way to transport back and forth fully clothed now. Gideon was given instructions by the Shaman before he departed.”
“Shaman?” Kassidy asked, looking around the table to see if she was the only one who didn’t understand the reference.
“He was,” Ardat said, speaking for the first time. Her eyes looked toward the ceiling as she struggled for the right word, “he was a guide sent to us when we needed him the most.”
“And where is he now?” Kassidy asked.
“I thought he died in the battle,” Ardat said. Then she corrected herself. “No, he was dead. I saw it. But since the fight, he has appeared to some like Gideon, imparting wisdom.”
The room sat quiet for a moment as everyone tried to understand and believe Ardat’s words. Alan found it simple to accept. In a world full of so many amazing and wondrous creations, why couldn’t the Shaman exist?
“So,” Tracy said, looking to Ardat instead of Michael as she asked the question, “we’re going back home, but what about our powers? If the cycle is over, then we’re not Horsemen and women anymore, right?”
Ardat gave Tracy a genuine smile, something Alan had only ever seen reserved for Michael. “You are right, Tracy,” Ardat said. “However, you don’t need the title of a Horsewoman to have powers. Nephilim have their own unique gifts that will serve you as you fulfill your duties on earth.”
“So we won’t be as powerful?” Kassidy asked with a hint of remorse.
“You’ll be powerful enough to battle anything you come against,” Raphael said to Kassidy with a reassuring smile. “Your gifts may change as you make the transition, but it will be painless and”—Raphael looked to the four with a twinkle in his eye—“you may even be able to keep your wings.”
Alan felt his heart surge with a joy he didn’t expect. He didn’t realize until now how much he enjoyed his abilities and wings. They were as much part of him now as his arms or legs. Thinking about never being able to fly again was not something he wanted to have to accept as part of his new life.
> “Are there any questions?” Michael asked, searching the table around him.
“What happened to Gabriel?” Danielle asked. “Why isn’t he at this meeting?”
Michael cleared his throat, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. “In the aftermath of the battle with Sodom, it seems Gabriel—with Triana and a few of the demons who deserted Sodom—slipped off unnoticed.”
It made sense to Alan; he hadn’t seen Bobby or Rana since the battle, and he didn’t expect to. If they had fallen in with Gabriel, he only hoped it would mark a turning point for them all. Perhaps they weren’t fully ready to embrace the Light, but there were other paths to follow rather than returning to their old habits.
“When do we leave?” Kyle asked, squirming in his seat as if he was adjusting something in his pocket. Alan thought he caught the slightest hint of a red feather before Kyle’s hands obscured his line of sight.
“Tonight,” Michael said.
Alan’s eyes widened and he could feel his mouth drop open. He expected the trip to take place soon but not this soon.
“Trust me, I wish I could give you more time for good-byes and to prepare,” Michael said with a frown. “But we need you on the ground, recruiting Nephilim. It’s only a matter of time before the demons find their own way back and the cold war between the forces of Light and Dark continues. They will be eager to build the ranks of the Dark Nephilim on earth, as well. Until then, you will have a chance to choose and find others worthy of the calling and do some work even in the absence of any supernatural enemy. There are plenty of humans up to no good who would merit a visit from any one of you.”
“You mean you want us to hunt down bad guys? Like superheroes?” Tracy asked with a tilt of her head.
“I can’t think of any better way to use your powers,” Michael said. “I’m placing Alan in charge, knowing he’ll lean on Angelica’s and Danielle’s wisdom.”
Alan wasn’t sure he had heard Michael right. He could feel his face redden as everyone in the room looked at him and smiled with nods of agreement.
Alan Price and the Horsemen of the Apocalypse Page 18
