“Stay close,” Valoel told me as she helped me off the horse. I followed her as she headed over to the angels who all stood behind the gates. I could hear screaming voices around us, souls crying for help, and I understood why Gideon said I couldn’t handle the Underworld. He was right, hearing the painful cries made me want to stop and help them.
“Princess,” one of the angels said, bowing to Sela.
Sela asked him, “Is there a problem here?”
“King Babylon saw the fallen star and sent us here, but we can’t enter because the gate is locked.”
Sela didn’t get a chance to answer because Gideon’s voice called out from behind us. “What are you waiting for?” he asked irately, appearing beside us. I wanted to go over to him, but Valoel took my hand and stopped me.
“The gate is locked,” Sela said, and then out of nowhere, a tiger and a lion appeared in front of the gate. I tightened my grip on Valoel’s hand.
Gideon smirked when he saw the animals. “Panic and Pain,” he said. “I knew D would send you to do her dirty work for her.”
I knew the story of the Underworld, and I’d watched Hercules enough times to know that Pain and Panic were Hades’ minions. What I didn’t know was that they’d be vicious animals.
Gideon walked to the animals. I almost screamed for him to stop, but I bit my tongue when I remembered he wasn’t human. “Pain!” Gideon called. “Where is Tristan?”
I watched bewilderedly as the animals transformed into people—a woman and a man, both approximately in their twenties.
“Gideon, welcome,” the man, Pain, said with a smile. He backed away as Gideon approached.
Gideon asked, “Do you want to open the gate, or do you want me to?” He didn’t wait for an answer. Instead he released a powerful flame that erupted against the iron. The gate cracked open with a loud, grating sound.
“Don’t make me ask you about Tristan’s whereabouts one more time,” Gideon threatened, and then suddenly, with a flick of Gideon’s hand, Pain levitated in front of him.
“He’s on his way to see D,” Pain wheezed in a choked voice. “Please don’t kill me!” he cried. There was a crash as Gideon threw Pain hard on the ground and made his way to the gate. Gideon took another step, and then two swords appeared out of nowhere. Pain and Panic blocked his way.
“You cannot enter,” said Panic. “And don’t try to fight, because you’re already surrounded.”
Sure enough, when I glanced around, I saw that all sorts of creatures surrounded us—the kind that looked like they’d died and come back to life. They were nameless creatures I had never before seen, not even in horror movies or my worst nightmares. All of them had dark eyes and icy breath, and they carried fierce weapons. Their faces showed anger and nothing else. I squeezed my eyes shut, blocking out the sight of them. I figured if I couldn’t see them, then my fear would lessen.
My breath was now coming out sharply. Terror raced through my body as the screaming around us became louder and louder.
“Abigail, hey, breathe,” Valoel whispered beside me.
I forced myself to open my eyes. “I’m fine,” I lied and inhaled deeply.
“Sorry about this, Gideon, but I’m afraid no one is going home today,” Panic rasped.
“It’s time!” Pain shouted.
Suddenly, spears flew in every direction. Both the Lumenians and Grandinians held weapons, and some were able to shield themselves before the spears hit them. But others fell screaming from the sky. I didn’t have time to shield myself, but luckily for me, Valoel had my back.
“I love killing,” Panic told Pain loudly from inside the gate as it began closing. Gideon was quick, though. He managed to blast the gate into flames again and rushed inside. Valoel, Sela, some Lumenians and Grandinians, and I managed to leap inside with him before the gate was magically replaced and closed.
The area we entered looked like a battlefield. It was a large field with heat and steam emerging from the ground beneath.
Valoel let go of my hand and flew high into the air. “Brothers!” she shouted, and immediately all eyes turned to her. “We have less than two minutes before that gate opens again.” She pointed to the Iron Gate. “Now hear this: thousands left for war, but only nine will return.”
Valoel’s words froze me in my spot. Not one of the warriors made a sound.
Gideon stood beside Sela, and both of them watched Valoel.
Valoel continued her speech, “Brothers, I’m not going to promise you tomorrow. The truth is, we are going to die, and the best we can do is to take as much of D’s army with us as we can!” The warriors cheered. “Do we want our families to weep tomorrow for their loss?” Valoel asked and the warriors shouted together, “No!”
“No!” she continued. “Tomorrow, we want them to toast to our victory!” The warriors shouted in agreement. “So raise your swords, brothers, and fight! Fight and kill!” The warriors raised their swords and shouted cheers. “We are at war!” Valoel threw her hands into the air, and then suddenly, the sky was filled with flaming arrows, all of them heading toward the gate.
The gates blasted open the moment the arrows reached it, and then chaos started. My eyes met Gideon’s before he disappeared. I drew my sword and inhaled deeply as the chaos around me grew intense.
Valoel appeared behind me. “Abby, you have to fight. Kill anything and anyone you don’t know,” she said.
“The warriors, why don’t they care that they will all die?” I asked, trying my hardest to block out the cries around me.
Valoel smiled and said, “It’s simple. Any angel would rather die for Tristan than live, because without him, none of us would be alive. He’s our savior. The warriors would rather have him live to protect their families than live themselves and die with their families.”
I didn’t understand. “But what are they afraid of? What is it that only Tristan can save them from?”
“Gideon,” she replied, and then she was gone. She left me alone, standing in the middle of a battlefield.
It seemed that whenever I thought Gideon couldn’t be all that evil, I was proven wrong. I hadn’t known Tristan or Gideon were that powerful and feared. I was terrified, but I was also highly alert. I clasped my medallion, breathed in deeply, and joined the battle.
The first creature my sword slid into turned into ash, and I almost dropped my sword and ran. But, with the thought of Tristan on my mind, I moved though the creatures like they weren’t terrifying and dangerous, sliding my sword through them.
“Abigail, watch—” Valoel warned, but she was too late, my hand was already bleeding from a gash. I screamed out in pain.
The creature behind me, who looked like a human, smiled evilly when I looked at him. His breath was filled with smoke, and his eyes were cold, unnatural orbs. He raised his sword again, and I blocked it with mine.
After I slit the creature’s throat, it too turned into ashes. I ducked just in time to avoid what looked like a green light flying past me. It hit one of the Grandinian angels behind me, and immediately the angel turned into ice. Seconds later, he shattered into a thousand pieces.
Spears flew toward me from every direction. Both the Lumenian and Grandinian warriors were skillful. All sorts of colorful illuminations flew from every direction. Many creatures, both Underworld warriors and angels, fell from the air and turned to dust upon impact. There were screams of pain, and I even heard laughter. Smoke billowed from nooks and cracks.
“Is that a human?” someone behind me asked. I didn’t have time to turn and look because a sword swung right in front of me.
“In the name of the devil, it is!” It was Panic who answered.
“But what is she doing here?” a male asked.
“I don’t know,” Panic answered. “But I am about to find out.”
“Abigail!” Gideon shouted my name, and I turned around just in time to dodge the arrow Panic sent flying at me.
When my eyes met Panic’s, I drew my own arrow and I let i
t fly. I watched as the arrow went straight toward Panic, not stopping until it pierced her chest. She cried as she fell. Gideon stood somewhere at the far end of the battlefield, looking at me with a shocked expression.
I didn’t have time to enjoy my victory because suddenly I was sinking.
I screamed as I slipped into a tornado swirling down into the ground. “Help!”
“Abigail!” both Sela and Gideon shouted at the same time.
I watched as they rushed over to me, both of them killing everything in their path. I yelled as I tried to free myself from the vortex pulling me into the earth.
Gideon and Sela were almost halfway to me when Sela screamed in pain from an arrow Pain threw at her. The weirdest thing was, Gideon also screamed when Sela did. I watched as both Sela and Gideon fell on their backs. Both grabbed their left shoulder, where the arrow hit Sela.
Out of nowhere, Valoel was beside Sela. Gideon looked confusedly at his shoulder and at Sela before he stood and angrily hurled a fireball at Pain. The flames kicked Pain off his feet when it hit him. Pain fell hard on his back and yelled. Gideon started rushing toward me again, but the tornado started spinning out of control, and then I was falling down, down.
“Gideon!” I screamed as I fell deeper until suddenly everything went dark, and I was whirled into the deepest darkness imaginable.
IMMORTALITY
*Gideon*
“Veni, vidi, vici: I came, I saw, I conquered”
Julius Caesar
“Abigail!” I shouted into the darkness. There was no sign of her. I had followed her into the tornado before it closed.
I waved my hands above me, and a ball of light shaped like a half moon appeared and feebly lit the place. Looking around me, I was surprised to find myself surrounded by thousands upon thousands of gravestones. The ghastliness and silence of the surroundings didn’t scare me, but I was scared to think of what might have happened to Abigail.
“Abigail!” I shouted again. I glanced around, desperately searching for a way out. I knew D well, so I knew I wasn’t going to find a huge door with a flashing exit sign above it. She loved playing games, and from the look of the graves around me, I knew she never lost.
I made my way through the headstones, shouting for Abigail as I moved. Halfway through, I felt like the dark, strange world was closing in. Angels didn’t have to breathe in order to survive, but for once, it felt as if I was losing my breath and possibly my mind.
“Abigail!” I shouted more frantically, and then I began rushing through the gravestones.
Hello. Anyone out there? Gideon, can you hear me? Valoel? I heard Tristan’s voice calling out in my head.
Tristan? I called, finally happy to hear a sound, even if it was Tristan’s voice. Tristan, I can hear you. Where are you?
I’m behind the red line, he answered sadly. You’re in the Underworld?
I was surprised. The red line?
The red line was the line that separated the living from the dead. Souls had to cross over it when they passed so they could enter the land of the dead. D’s job was to lead souls to the line so they could cross over.
Tristan, move away from that line, I warned him.
I can’t. I tried. D said only someone who is alive can pull me back to the side of the living, or my other choice is to cross over.
I swear if I find her I’m going to… I stopped myself when I realized how I sounded. Do you remember how you got there?
Tristan whispered no. He looked around him. I saw what he saw. He stood in a clearing. In front of him was the red line, and behind him were thousands of gravestones.
I knew I had to save him, for Abigail, but I really didn’t want to. I didn’t like him, and he almost kissed my girlfriend, so I was sure no one would blame me if I didn’t save him. But then Abigail kept showing up in my head. I knew she’d be upset if Tristan died, and I’d never hear the end of it from Valoel if I didn’t save him.
I literally had to pinch myself when I realized I’d save Tristan.
I’m surrounded by gravestones, too. Just stay where you are, and I’ll come get you.
You’re coming to save me? Gideon, I think you’re going soft, Tristan said cheerlessly.
Don’t make me change my mind, I warned. I was saving him instead of looking for Abigail, but maybe by saving him, we’d have a better chance in finding her.
You came here alone? Tristan asked as I made my way through the gravestones, knocking some of the stones out of my way.
I wanted to tell him that I came with thousands of warriors, but I knew Tristan. I knew that if he knew only nine of those warriors would return home to their loved ones, it would kill him.
Yeah. Abigail and Valoel want you alive, so…here I am. I lied. Tristan was right! I was going soft. What was with me trying to spare his feelings?
I ran and ran through what seemed like a never-ending graveyard, but I couldn’t find Tristan. I went in circles. Almost half of the gravestones were in ruins because I smashed them into pieces during my search. I was covered in dirt, and there was no sign of either Abigail or Tristan. I was losing my mind, and giving up wasn’t an option.
I could just cross over and…
Don’t you dare! I shouted angrily. I came here to save you, and I’m not leaving until I do.
After I said this, both of us went silent. I thought about nothing but Abigail being lost. I even tried making sense of why when Princess Sela was shot and fell, that I fell, too.
Can you feel that? Tristan broke through my thoughts, a little hope ringing in his voice.
I couldn’t feel what he was talking about at first, but suddenly I felt his presence. I knew he felt mine.
I think I can find you, I said with renewed energy, and I started heading toward the pull of Tristan’s presence. I walked for a while before I finally reached the clearing and saw Tristan. I had never been happier to see him in my entire life.
You found me. Now I’m positive you like me, Tristan said, and this time his voice was full of teasing.
Don’t psychoanalyze this, I said as I rushed toward him. But before I could reach him, a scream from behind stopped me.
“Abigail!” I shouted when I saw her. She was hanging in midair with her hands tied behind her. I saw that her body was covered in bruises and blood. Her eyes were bloodshot and filled with tears. I rushed over to her, but the moment I reached out to touch her, she disappeared.
Tristan sounded scared when he said, “Gideon what’s going on? Was that Abigail?”
“Yes,” I said and made another attempt to free Tristan, but the moment I stepped toward him, Abigail reappeared.
Her appearance and reappearance could only mean one thing. “Cut the crap, D. I know you’re there.”
D appeared right beside Abigail, who was struggling to free herself. The moment my eyes met D’s, I charged at her, but she vanished, only to reappear behind me.
“Gideon, aren’t you happy to see me?” D asked with a seductive grin on her lips.
“D, let them go,” I demanded.
She laughed, “I must say, Gideon, I never imagined this day would come. You trying to save Tristan and a human.” She laughed again, and her voice filled me with rage. I turned from her and took a step closer to Tristan, but the moment my foot touched the ground, Abigail started screaming in pain.
“Abigail!” Tristan and I shouted. I moved toward Abigail, but D disappeared with her again.
D’s voice came from behind me again, saying, “You move, and I keep torturing her.”
“I swear, D, if I—”
She cut me off, saying, “You’ll what?” She smiled at me. “I can’t let you save Tristan, and I’m enjoying torturing this human, so I can’t let her go either.”
I was now standing between Abigail and Tristan, both within reaching distance, but I knew D wasn’t joking, so I didn’t move.
“What the hell do you want?” I couldn’t stand seeing the pain in Abigail’s eyes. Blo
od dripped from her wounds, and I knew whatever it was that D was doing to her was killing her.
“War,” D answered simply. “I’m tired of doing the same thing day after day. I lead souls here to the Underworld and make sure that they cross over—it’s boring. I want my freedom. I want to die and get my happy ending.”
I didn’t understand her reasoning. “Here’s an idea. Why don’t you go look for a freaking new job?”
“Oh, but you are missing the point. I’m bound to this job as long as those stupid humans exist.”
I still didn’t get where she was going with her speech. I couldn’t bear to see Abigail looking so weak and hurt. “What has Tristan got to do with this stupid plan of yours?” I demanded. I was pretty sure the human race would be around for a long time.
“I need Tristan out of the way. I can’t have him trying to save the humans when I try to destroy them all.” Finally, I understood why D held Tristan captive behind the red line. If Tristan died, no one could stop her from destroying everything. She was powerful enough to do that.
“You can’t do—” Tristan started.
D laughed and cut Tristan off. “Oh, poor naïve Tristan, you—”
The fireball I launched hit D in the chest, and she crashed to the ground on her back. I looked away from her and immediately rushed over to Tristan.
“Stop!” D shouted the moment I reached out to pull Tristan from the line. At the sound of her voice, Abigail started screaming louder than before. “Stop or I’ll kill her!” There was no remorse in D’s voice, and I knew her well enough to know that she meant what she said.
Abigail’s screams echoed around the graveyard. I didn’t know what to do. “D, let’s—”
“Let’s make this more interesting, shall we?” she asked through a laugh. Suddenly, she moved Abigail’s levitated body toward me. Abigail was close enough for me to save. “You can only save one of them, but either choice you make falls in my favor.” And then she laughed louder.
Dominion Page 23
