Ariel Rising

by A. J. Sparber

  Easing herself down, she sits against the hard, damp wall. Within an hour, the cave will begin to fill. She just has to sit there. The sea will do all the work, drawing her out and battering her against the sharp rocks below. She will not fight it. Death is her only hope for freedom. That is her plan. She closes her eyes, sighs, and waits.

  Unseen and unheard, Calliope and Lycos fly low, circling the island, less than a hundred feet above the ground. They are Prostáti—the rarest and most deadly of all angels.

  “Janus is not here,” Lycos says, disappointment flavoring his voice.

  “We knew he wouldn’t be. Our mission will still succeed,” Calliope answers. “Four of his most trusted generals are here. When we destroy them, Janus will have no choice but to regroup. It will set his plans back by months, giving Damian, Lana, and Chloe more time to prepare, more time to train Ariel and Davin.”

  “I would rather kill him now.”

  She sighed. “So would I. But you know we cannot.”

  “What of the humans, Callie? What will we do with them?”

  The two angels counted twelve humans. Eleven are in the main house. The twelfth is near the beach, inside a cave, probably hiding.

  “Let us deal with the Fallen first. Then we will assess the humans and determine our next step. Do you agree?”

  “Yes. To the main house, then. After you, my love,” he says with a grin.

  Janus’s four generals will not stand a chance.

  The four fallen Serafeím—the generals—are gathered on a large terrace, overlooking the sea. Oblivious to the two invisible Prostáti approaching them, they sip drinks and chat.

  Calliope and Lycos land on the terrace in complete silence, unsheathing their swords as they became visible.

  Four chairs, and as many cocktails, go flying, as the generals leap to their feet, staggering backward.

  “Surprise you?” Calliope asks calmly.

  The generals are slack-jawed and speechless.

  Lycos grins, waving his sword in greeting, as he points to each general. “Soros, Forin, Strok, and Belorik. We are pleased to see you.”

  The generals eye each other, looks of panic and confusion on their faces. Soros speaks. “I assume you are Prostáti?”

  Lycos smiles at Calliope, then locks eyes with Soros. “Well, we’re not leprechauns.”

  “Why are you here?” Soros demands.

  “To kill you,” Calliope says with a steely confidence.

  “Serafeím were created to rule all angels. Including you,” Belorik says.

  “Then why do you not rule Janus? Why does he rule you, Serafeím?” Lycos asks with a smirk.

  “Because he is one of us, idiot!” Belorik roars.

  “Wrong,” Calliope says.

  Belorik shakes with rage, pointing a trembling finger toward Calliope. A pulse of energy pours into her torso, quickly dissipating with a loud pop.

  She glares at him. “You cannot kill me, imbecile.”

  Calliope’s sword moves impossibly fast, cutting cleanly through bone and cartilage as if through butter. Belorik’s head tumbles from his shoulders, hitting the tile floor with a wet thwack.

  She sighs and wipes the blade across the general’s headless torso before sheathing it and turning to face Lycos. “Not the brightest star in the sky, was he?”

  “Clearly not.”

  Calliope glares at Soros. “We sensed eleven humans in the house. Now there is only one. Why is that?”

  “They are dead.” Soros spits the words out as if he is describing vermin.

  Forin cringes. “You did not have to kill them, Soros. They were children and they posed no threat to us or to our plans.”

  “They were pretty little monkeys, eh? I will get you another. Do not worry, my friend.”

  Calliope loses it. “You dreadful, despicable lump of excrement…”

  Soros smirks and lunges at Calliope. “I will squash you like an insect…”

  They are the last words he will ever speak. Calliope’s sword moves faster than the general’s brain can register, taking his head cleanly off. It lay on the terrace floor, smiling up at them.

  “Impressive,” Forin says, calmly. “What do you want from us.”

  Calliope walks closer and the two generals can smell her sweet breath as she whispers to Forin. “I want to know if you helped to kill the children. I will know if you lie to me.”

  “We did not know,” Forin answers. “Soros and Belorik were…deranged.”

  Calliope grunts and backs up. “Where is Janus and what are his plans?”

  “How will you kill us?” Strok asks.

  Lycos points his sword at the bodies of the dead generals. “You understand that when you are killed with a Prostáti’s sword, your soul is forfeit?”

  “I do,” Forin says.

  “Tell us what you know,” Calliope says, “and we will allow you to keep your souls. If not, you will taste my blade, and all that you are will cease to be. The choice is yours. And be forewarned. We will know if you lie.”

  Forin speaks first. “There are four trigger points: Beijing, Washington, Paris, and Damascus. We were to travel tomorrow. Janus is on his way to Beijing, where Soros would have met him.”

  “What do you mean by trigger points?” Lycos asks.

  “We were to address regional government officials at each location,” Forin explains. “Officials we have been cultivating for quite some time.”

  “Please get to the point,” Calliope commands.

  Strok takes the floor. “It’s fairly simple. Beijing has been led to believe that the Americans and the Europeans are ready to institute excessive tariffs, which will undermine China’s trade surplus. The Chinese will retaliate by launching a series of massive cyber-attacks. American and European intelligence operatives will discover the impending attacks, countering with a salvo of cruise missiles, dozens of them, designed to emit microwave bursts. As the missiles fly over major cities, they will generate electromagnetic pulses of sufficient magnitude to disable all electronic devices.”

  “Lights out?” Lycos mutters.

  “Completely,” Strok affirms. “Japan and South Korea will align with the Americans and Europeans, while Russia, Pakistan, and India will align with China. The entire civilized world will go dark within six days. Power grids will fail. Society will shut down.”

  “What about the Middle East?” Lycos asks.

  “Utter devastation,” Forin replies. “Syria and Iran will discover that Israel is planning a nuclear strike on Tehran. The Israelis will believe that Iran is planning a nuclear strike on Tel Aviv. The Middle East will be reduced to ashes.”

  “And when chaos reigns, the Fallen will strike?” Lycos asks.

  “Yes,” Forin replies.

  “Is the Middle East the only region where nuclear weapons will be used?” Calliope asks.

  “Yes,” Forin answers. “Janus plans to use Los Angeles as his seat of power. It is essential that we keep North America from going toxic. We have been working with several human scientists to ensure that the fallout is contained.”

  “And can these plans go forward without you?” Calliope asks.

  “Not according to the current schedule. Our teams need to be in place to coordinate the flow of false intelligence and the timing of each attack. Janus will need to replace us. The replacements will then need to establish the proper relationships. It will take a few months,” Forin says.

  “Interesting,” Lycos comments. “While we have focused on protecting heads of state, you have been working with lower-level officials, whose leaders are clueless. Tell us more. Tell us everything.”

  And Florin and Strok do. They sing like birds.

  “Janus is not Serafeím, is he?” Forin asks.

  Calliope shakes her head. “He is Prostáti.”

  “I had my suspicions. Then you cannot stop him?”

  “Oh, we could. But it is not our role.”

  Forin sighs deeply. “The prophecy? Damian’s daughter
?”

  Calliope nods. “She and her Promise have a destiny. Janus is but a part of it, but yes…she will destroy him.”

  “When we first rebelled,” Forin says, “I thought our cause was righteous. Once I realized how evil Janus was, I tried to reason with him.”

  “And how did he react?” Calliope asks.

  “He tortured me. His Sages fashioned a collar, gilded with argosinio. It suppressed the absorption of the Essence. The first time…” Forin pauses and shudders, visibly. “He threw me in a cell and sliced off my arms and legs. Then he shared just enough energy with me to prevent me from bleeding out. And then he left me alone and isolated. I couldn’t move. I lay on the ground, marinating in my own filth. The collar allowed me to absorb a small amount of energy. Enough so that I could heal. But it took months. I was broken. Lost.”

  “But you did not pray for forgiveness. Obviously, you recovered. But you continued to follow Janus.”

  “My parents were killed in the rebellion. So were Strok’s. We were raised by Janus, and knew nothing of Paradise, except that they had abandoned us.”

  “Paradise abandons no one,” Calliope says. “You must pay for your crimes, but your soul can still be redeemed.”

  “How?” Strok asks.

  “Telling us about Janus’s plans was a start. Look inside your hearts. The answers you both seek are there.”

  Forin gazes at Strok and nods, slowly. “We will try.”

  “In your opinion, is Janus rational enough to pull this off?” Lycos asks.

  “He is obsessed, but rational. However, when he finds out we have been eliminated, that could change.”

  “Thank you,” Lycos says. “Are you ready to die?”

  Strok closes his eyes and nods.

  “I am ready,” Forin says with a slight bow of his head.

  Beams of pure energy shoot from Calliope’s hands into the heads of the two generals. It is the least painful, most merciful way to dispatch them. Once they are dead, Lycos incinerates the four bodies, turning them to fine white ash.

  Calliope turns to Lycos. “If Janus acts rationally we will be able to stop him. But if he doesn’t…”

  Lycos nods slowly. “He has no idea what Ariel and Davin are capable of. He will not know that his generals betrayed his plan. If he acts impulsively, he will fail. He will take the time to ensure that his strategies are properly implemented. He has not come this far to allow emotion to dictate his actions.”

  “I sense a human,” Lycos says, as he opens the glass doors that lead into the house.

  A young girl emerges, looking utterly defeated. “You killed them?” she asks in a trembling voice.

  “We did,” Lycos says.

  “They hurt us. They…”

  “They will not hurt anyone again,” Calliope says.

  “Who are you?”

  “I am Calliope and this is Lycos.”

  “I’m Sandy,” the girl says. “You are angels? Good angels?”

  “We are good angels,” Calliope says with a warm smile. “You are safe now.”

  Sandy begins to sob. “They’re all dead.”

  “The other girls?” Calliope asks.

  “Yes.”

  “I am sorry we could not save the others,” Calliope says. “How did you escape?”

  “I hid outside. I’m sure that Soros would have found me eventually.”

  “There is someone hiding in a cave near the beach. Do you know who that might be?” Lycos asks.

  Sandy gasps. “My God. Grace. Her angel left a few hours ago. I think she’s going to kill herself.”

  “Lycos will stay with you while I go to Grace,” Calliope says.

  “Hurry, please. She must be terrified.”

  Calliope takes off running, not wanting to frighten Sandy. Once she is clear of the house, she leaps into the air, speeding toward the beach. Fortunately, it is not very far away.

  Grace is easy to find, her emotions providing a clear and precise beacon. Calliope slips through the small opening into the cave. The girl is sitting against a rock wall, submerged in water up to her hips, sobbing uncontrollably. She does not look up.

  “Grace, I am here to help you.”

  Grace looks up, startled to see a young woman dressed in a form-fitting white jumpsuit. Or is it a uniform? Is she a soldier? A sword hangs at her waist, but she does not look dangerous. “Are you an angel?”

  The woman nods.

  “I am Calliope and I was sent to stop the bad angels.”

  “Did you kill them?”

  “Yes, child.”

  “How do I know I can trust you?” Grace asks.

  “You don’t. But if you allow me to help you up, I think you will see that I am trustworthy.”

  Calliope holds out her arms and smiles a smile that seems to show through to her soul. Grace reaches up, grasping the angel’s hands, and is immediately overwhelmed by a sense of peace. Complete and utter peace. She allows Calliope to pull her into an embrace and it’s the most wonderful thing she’s ever felt.

  “You are safe, child.”

  Grace shudders. “The other girls, did you save them?”

  Calliope’s heart sinks. “Only you and Sandy survive. I am sorry, but we were too late to save the others.”

  “They were my friends.”

  Calliope holds her tightly, protectively. “Sometimes bad things happen to good people. It is the price we pay for free will.”

  “Will you kill all of the bad angels?”

  “Paradise has declared war on the fallen angels.”

  “I want to help. I want to fight with you.”

  Calliope smiles inwardly. “That is quite brave of you. How old are you, Grace?”

  “Sixteen.”

  “You are a very beautiful young woman.”

  “Thank you. You’re pretty beautiful, too.”

  Calliope grins. Even in her current disheveled state, the girl is quite lovely. Her golden hair and deep blue eyes are striking. She can see why Janus pursued her. “Are your parents alive?”

  “I’m an orphan. I was living with a foster family. They hurt me, and so I ran away. That’s when Janus found me. I thought he was…”

  Grace’s voice breaks and she sobs.

  “You have no family then?”

  “No one.”

  “Then I shall see to it that you are properly cared for. I can take you to a place where you will be safe and loved. Would you like that?”

  “Heaven?”

  Calliope suppresses a smile. “Not heaven, but someplace almost as nice. We’ll need to fly. Would you like to fly with me?”

  “You can carry me?”

  “I am very strong for my size,” Calliope says with a big smile.

  “I’d like that…” Grace pauses, trying to remember the angel’s name. “I’m sorry, what is your name again?”

  “Calliope. But now that we are friends, you may call me Callie.”

  “That’s such a pretty name. Does it have a special meaning?”

  “It does. In the language of angels, I am one who inspires. I bring out the best in people.”

  “That’s amazing, Callie. How would you say Grace in your language?”

  Calliope locks eyes with the girl. There is something about her. Something old, something beautiful, something… “In my language you would be called Chari, which was the name of a very special angel.”

  “What was special about her?”

  “She was like a princess. And I think you are very special, too.”

  “You do?”

  Calliope smiles.

  “Yes, child. I can feel your soul. It is strong and full of love.”

  “I would like to go with you, Callie.”

  “Excellent. Let’s go to the house and see how Sandy is doing. She is with my husband, Lycos.”

  Grace gasps. Her opinion of angels is getting better by the moment. “Your husband?”

  “Mm-hmm. Actually, the term we use is Promise.”

  “Is h
e as nice as you?”

  Calliope chuckles. “He is much nicer than me.”

  Callie is the most beautiful woman Grace has ever seen. Black hair that shimmers like raven feathers, high cheekbones, a perfect nose, full lips, a model’s figure, and gosh…her eyes. They’re violet. The female angels who visit the island are very pretty, but in a cold, hard way. Callie, on the other hand, radiates goodness.

  “Callie, can regular people ever become angels?”

  “Now that is a very interesting question.”

  “Do you have an interesting answer?” Grace asks with a raised brow.

  Calliope likes the girl. She has spirit. And she is smart, too. “It has happened twice.”

  Grace’s eyes light up and she smiles. “So it can happen!”

  Can it happen again? “It is very rare, and the circumstances were extraordinary. Let’s take things one step at a time. All I can promise right now is that you will be safe and cared for. Okay?”

  “Okay. Deal,” Grace says. She won’t allow herself to be sad any longer. And if she is going to be around Callie and the good angels, she will do everything in her power to become one of them. She’s a survivor. And now she has a goal. A big one. “Are we going to fly to the house?”

  “Hmm. It’s not too far, and it is such a lovely day, and I so love the feel of the warm sand between my toes. Besides, I’d like to tell you a story, about a girl from Virginia. It’s a really amazing story.”

  Calliope stands, arm in arm with Lycos, as Grace gawks. Calliope throws back her head and laughs. “Are you okay, Grace?”

  Grace can’t take her eyes off the angel couple. They’re so gorgeous. “Huh?” Grace mumbles.

  “It’s alright, child. He has that effect on female angels, too.”

  Grace’s face erupts in a wicked hot blush. “Oh, no. I mean, yes, he is very handsome. I just think you are both totally awesome. Please, I wasn’t…”

  “Grace, I am so glad you are safe,” Sandy says, as she gathers her young friend in a big hug.

  “Thanks,” Grace whispers into Sandy’s ear. “And thanks for saving me from making a complete fool of myself.”

  Sandy nods. “Did you hear about the other girls?”