Her words had not completely left the demon’s lips when a blood red portal split the air just to their right.
“Well, well, well, look at the motley crew we have here. And everyone completely loaded for bear as the saying goes.”
“Lucifer!” growled Kellan, “What the f—”
“Now, now, baby-Sentinel, be nice. You can turn off your little eye-lights, I don’t mean to cause trouble. Well, that’s not exactly true. Allow me to rephrase. I don’t mean to cause trouble—for you.” With that he spun about and stretched his arms out to Meghan. “Oh, and look at you, daughter. Just look at those ephemeral wings.” He waggled a finger at her. “You’ve been practicing haven’t you. Why, they are magnificent. Did you know that it normally takes a Nephilim decades to even begin to change them from mere shadowed projection. I am so proud of you!” He reached out and ran his hand along one of her shadow-wings. As he did so each vane solidified to his touch with the barbs momentarily forming into what seemed like finely carved onyx. Lucifer met her eyes and lilted, “I could make those immutable for you. All you need do is ask.”
“Piss off, and stop making us more closely related than we are,” growled Meghan as she batted his hand away. Her wing returned to its previous shadow-state then vanished altogether.
Lucifer ignored her jab and spun about, spying Ariel for the first time. She launched herself at him and yelled, “Deceiver! Accuser! I will not suffer you to—”
The Devil arched an eyebrow and casually held up a hand in her direction. Ariel froze in place with only her eyes still moving back and forth. He closed the distance between them and chuckled, “Well, I didn’t see this!” then turned to give Kellan a grin. “What have you done, baby Sentinel? I love it.” He peered deeply into the newly fallen angel’s eyes. “Now that is something new. A fallen angel who has not yet completely fallen. Yes, there’s still some grace in there. My, my, did you disobey Father in some noble pursuit?” He released her and Ariel stumbled forward, confused. Lucifer pointed at her. “No matter, but you best behave.” He then lowered his voice menacingly, “You aren’t on team white-feathers anymore, so show some respect for your new High Prince.”
“I will never show you respect,” growled Ariel.
Lucifer turned and waved a dismissive hand in her direction, “Ok, fine, probably too much to ask for anyway. Just don’t launch yourself at me every time we meet.” He glanced back at her, “I’d hate to destroy you, given how interesting you’ve become. Honestly, a fallen angel that retains grace, who could have seen that coming?” Lucifer reached upward as if having an epiphany, “We might need an entirely different name you Ariel. Since you aren’t completely fallen, perhaps we should just call you a tripped angel.”
Lucifer looked around the assemblage expectantly, then frowned. “Nothing? I thought that was really quite good. Tripped angel. Oh well, I thought it was funny.”
“Are you done?” asked Kellan, “we are a bit short on time.”
“Oh, yes, I know. You must find a soul for poor old Merlin there before he pops off into oblivion.”
“Yeah, and you are not helping so, I have to agree with Meghan, but will be more polite about it. Please, piss off.”
Lucifer walked next to the Sentinel and put an arm around him. “Kellan, you wound me, and after everything we’ve shared together, all the intimate things I’ve seen,” He gave a sly wink to Shannon.
The Soulborn narrowed her eyes and said, “Kellan, he hasn’t shared a damned thing.”
The young Sentinel waved it away, “I know Shannon, don’t worry about it. He’s just being, well, him. But, this is a good example of why you shouldn’t let him in our hot tub.”
Merlin surprised everyone by laughing and all eyes turned toward him. “You let Lucifer in your hot tub?” He laughed again, harder this time. “Shannon, that has got to be one of the funniest things I’ve ever heard. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Oren,” she said dryly, “now, please conserve your strength and don’t expend it laughing at me.”
“Anyway,” continued Lucifer, “to your earlier question, I’m here to help. I told you before, Kellan, I’m a helper and I never lie.”
The young Sentinel stared at Satan with undisguised skepticism. “You, are going to help us, find the Guff and get a soul?”
“Yes, I am. Well, if you let me.”
“What do you even know about it?”
“I was there when it was filled, baby Sentinel. Watched the whole thing with eyes that were only ten minutes old. Actually the eyes were zero minutes old because there were no minutes. Time hadn’t even started yet.”
Silence fell across the circle and Lucifer casually leaned against one of the massive stones with a supremely self-satisfied look on his face, then chuckled, “Yes, let that sink into your little ape brains. I’ll wait here.”
“So you know where the Guff is?” asked Shannon.
“Of course, it’s just a highly secured pocket universe. Only our Father and Gabriel have access. Gabriel does all the real work, of course. It’s through his tacit will that souls exit the guff.”
“This is excellent news,” boomed Ares, “we have a target and an assault team. Tell me, Apollyon, how do we breach this fortress of souls.”
Lucifer tilted his head and winced slightly at the god of war. “First, I’m not fond of that name and second, you really are just a hammer in perpetual search of a nail aren’t you. No, I’m afraid you cannot just hulk-smash your way into the Guff.” Kellan’s eyebrows went up at the reference, then he narrowed his eyes at the Devil who raised both his hands. “Ok, Kellan, you caught me. I convinced Jarvis I was you and he gave me access to your iTunes library. I’ve been watching your movies. It helps me relate to you better and is that so bad?”
“That is extremely unlikely,” said Jarvis sounding defensive, “I have extensive protocols in place to prevent any such intrusion. The biometric contacts are keyed to Kellan’s DNA and all external requests require a 99.997% voice match at the deconstructed phoneme level.”
“That’s quite interesting,” said Lucifer in a voice so identical to Kellan’s that Shannon’s eyes widened and she shot a grimace toward the young Sentinel, “and what percentage accuracy is this?”
There was a pause, then Jarvis said, “100% accuracy. I have now tracked all recent occurrences of voice communications at 100% accuracy.” Jarvis sounded contrite, “Sentinel-Kellan, there have been dozens such interactions in recent months, all dealing with various aspects of your social life. I apologize.”
Kellan glared at the Devil, “Really?”
He smiled and pointed both fingers to himself, “Satan!”
“Setting aside that I have now experienced the emotions associated with having been violated,” began Jarvis, “all voice communication with 100% accuracy have now been blocked.”
“Oh no,” cried Lucifer, “looks like I’ll have to shift to 99.99% accuracy now.”
There was another pause and Jarvis said, “Kellan, I am placing additional security protocols in place and will discuss those with you through biometrics at a later time.”
Kellan turned to Lucifer, “Dude, you are exhausting. Do you even know the week I’ve had? Must you be this way all the time? Promise me you won’t hack my personal life again.”
“Why in hell’s name would I do that, Kellan?”
“I don’t know, because I’m asking you?”
The Devil cocked his head, considering, “I’m not sure what to do with such a one-sided request. It’s never happened before. People are always offering things. Oh, how wonderful. That’s brilliant. I love when new things happen.” Lucifer’s eyes flared to life and his entire body was bathed in a red aura as he said, “Kellan Thorne, Sentinel of Order, I promise never to hack your personal life again.” With the last word, a wave of crimson energy wafted over to the Sentinel and settled on him just as had happened between Kellan and Ah’Anon hours earlier. Lucifer smiled. “Happy now?”
“Happie
r, but happy will be when you tell me how to find the Guff and break in.”
“The first part is easy,” said the Devil, “even the tripped angel over there can do it. It’s just like any other pocket universe. All you need do is channel the power with specific intent. Go ahead, try it.”
Kellan glanced around the small group and found them all looking at him expectantly. He shrugged and reached inward to embrace the emerald river. His eyes flared and Kellan concentrated on the Guff, then whipped out his hand willing a portal to form. Nothing happened. Three times he tried with the same result, all nothing.
“Well, that is odd,” said Lucifer, “I thought for sure it would work.”
“You try it, Trippy. Do you mind if I call you Trippy?”
Ariel glared at the Devil, “Do you mind if I spend every moment seeking to destroy you and all those who fell with you or at any time hence?”
Lucifer considered a moment, “Very well, Ariel. You try.”
The newly fallen angel nodded and her eyes flared to life, it was only then that Kellan did notice they had a slightly different tint than all other demons he had seen. Like the fine scales that comprised her skin, both were lighter in color. She gestured several times in the manner angels used to open their portals, but nothing happened. After the third attempt she, too, shook her head. “It is no use, I cannot picture the Guff. Intent is not enough. I have never seen it.”
Lucifer snapped his fingers, “That’s it. How silly of me. Here, this should help. He reached over and tapped Kellan on the temple.”
A flash of pain struck the Sentinel and his world shattered around him. It was not the first time he’d experienced the sensation so adjusted quickly and looked around, taking in his new reality. He stood in creation’s workroom, but it looked completely different from anytime he’d seen it before. There was no throne or bench and instead of a sterile, rocky landscape, the entire workroom was filled with life as far as the his eyes could see. Thick, rich, grasses covered the ground with trees, flowers and all manner of living things stretching into the distance. He recognized the two figures before him from when he performed the binding ritual in Eden and waited for the scene to play out.
Kellan marveled at Lucifer as he stood facing an open portal with beautiful white wings folded tightly down his back. Within the portal spun a glowing disk which suddenly shattered into countless gleaming fragments of violet light. The Archangel turned and seemed to be supporting the other figure who gave His angel a contented smile and said, “The Guff is full.”
Kellan stumbled and felt Shannon’s steadying arms around him, her eyes filled with concern. “What happened?” she asked. “You just stood there staring for at least two minutes.”
“Uh,” Kellan stammered as he tried to regain his mental footing.
Lucifer stepped up and snapped his fingers in front of Kellan’s face causing the Sentinel to blink several times. “Sorry about that, Kellan, I keep forgetting that your little ape brains can’t process things very quickly.” He turned to Shannon who he found glaring at him, “Don’t blame me, Soulborn, I didn’t make your brains so small that they can only experience one reality at a time.”
Kellan stepped forward as his eyes warmed with power. He channeled and a brilliant blue portal rotated into view, through which could be seen a swarm of gleaming violet motes all swirling and dancing in seemingly random patterns.
There was a collective intake of breath among the small group and Merlin reached up a hand toward the open portal. “I feel them,” he said, “oh, Kellan, you cannot know what it feels like to be so close to something that will complete you.”
“I do,” said Lucifer and Ariel together, then looked at each other.
Kellan walked to the open portal and moved his hand toward the threshold. He found it blocked almost as if there were a solid pane of glass separating him from the souls within. He tapped the threshold with a finger and tiny violet sparkles radiated from the contact. He turned and looked first to Ariel and then Lucifer. Both shrugged.
“As I said, Sentinel of Order,” began Ariel, “only the Father and Gabriel may enter the Guff.”
Kellan concentrated and willed energy into the portal so that it would remain open without his continual attention, then addressed the group, “Ok, ideas? How do I get in there?”
Merlin struggled to a less reclined position and cleared his throat. “I’m afraid it’s time for my final confession if I have any hope of your succeeding.”
“Confession?” said Kellan quizzically “I’m no priest, Oren, and I’d rather you save your strength than waste it on words I don’t need to hear. Nothing you can say will change how I feel or what I need to do. I made you a promise and I’m going to fulfill it.”
The old wizard nodded, “And I appreciate the sentiment, Kellan, I really do, but the plan is broken and therefore my confession is required.”
“What plan?” said nearly everyone in unison.
Merlin sighed. “My plan. Nearly everything you have experienced over the past weeks has been based on a complex series of intercessions by me.”
“Oh my,” said Lucifer, “this is going to be delicious. Wait, just a moment.” His eyes flared to life and mist gathered around him. When it faded, a large chase lounge rested among them and Lucifer hopped on it. Several pairs of eyes each glared at him and he held out a bucket which had formed at the same time as the chase. “No need to get angry,” he said with a smile, “I’ll share. Popcorn?”
Kellan ignored him and knelt beside Merlin. “I don’t follow you, Oren, what do you mean by that?”
Merlin sighed and said, “I knew Caleb Mellville sought to bring Váli into the world and rented him a warehouse that was within the sensor mesh Jarvis routinely monitored.”
Kellan’s eyes widened. “Why would you do that? That bastard nearly killed me.”
“Technically Sentinel-Kellan, that bastard did kill you or at least got you killed,” offered Jarvis.
“It was the means I used to first introduce myself to you Kellan. I needed something that would intrigue you so that you would engage with me on our next meeting. I was also the one who told Mircalla how you could quicken her womb so she would seek you out. Knowing her as I do, I correctly surmised she would take the most direct route to that goal by seducing you.”
“And how exactly was that helpful?” asked Shannon.
“It placed Mircalla and Ah’Anon in your debt and I knew their assistance would be needed. For that same reason, I traded the Seal of Bathsheba to Maurius while implying that should he use it to subdue Ariel it would pit Michael against Kellan when he refused to help rescue her.”
“But, he did rescue me,” said Ariel.
“Of course he did,” said Merlin, “but Maurius could not comprehend such a selfless act given the previous enmity between Kellan, Michael, and you.”
“Dear god, Oren,” whispered Kellan.
“There is more. Ever since you became the Sentinel of Order, I have subtly and continually fostered Neopaganism, so that one of the gods would return and be the reason for me to introduce you to Gaia and her aspects.” The old wizard fell silent and looked down.
“Now, is that it?” asked Kellan.
Merlin shook his head. “No, the worst is the last and you may never forgive me for it. I manipulated Lucifer into believing that Maurius had found another means to obtain your Ordered power so that Lucifer would set the Sentinel of Chaos against you in earnest.”
Lucifer had a handful of popcorn halfway to his mouth and slowly lowered it back in the bucket. “What was that? You, manipulated me? Maurius had no plans to do what you told me?” Merlin shook his head and Lucifer stared at him for a long moment then burst out laughing. “Oh my, that is glorious. I don’t think I’ve ever been manipulated before. Bravo, dying wizard, bra-vo!”
Merlin ignored the outburst as tears welled in his eyes and he said, “I assumed Maurius’ first move would be to attack someone close to you and Meghan was the most likely targe
t because she is often far from your immediate protection. Unfortunately, I was unaware of her,” he paused to stare at the Nephilim, “lineage, nor of how formidable she was. Obviously, Maurius’ attempt failed and he moved on to a different target.”
“Oh, no, Oren,” said Shannon.
The wizard nodded. “It is my fault that Juliet was abducted.”
Energy crackled around Kellan as his eyes blazed with power he had not consciously summoned. He stood and looked down at the stricken wizard, “How could you do that, Oren? How could you do that!” Several ribbons of green power arced from the Sentinel without channeled intent and struck the standing stones leaving scorch marks and causing chips to shear off.
Merlin said nothing and Kellan felt his anger continue to rise, when someone touched his arm. He whirled around and a barely controlled aura of raw power billowed out from him as his fury met Juliet’s peaceful countenance.
“It’s ok, Kellan,” she said softly and slid her hand down to hold his. “I’m ok.”
Her words caused some of the heat to leave him and the raw power subsided as Kellan said, “Ah’Anon is not ok, Juliet.”
Tears were falling freely from the wizard’s eyes now and he said, “I didn’t anticipate him trying to block so much power. It made no sense. That’s why I was there. I tried to push him to safety but he was too strong. Too resolute in his desire to protect you, Kellan.”
The Sentinel could find no words but just stared at the wizard in dumb disbelief and horror. Juliet shouldered her way next to Merlin and said gently, “Why would you do that, Oren. You must have had a reason.”
He sighed. “I did, and it made sense in the cold logic that accompanies such plans. Kellan needed to defeat Maurius and obtain at least a portion of his Chaotic energy. Only one who holds the violet power of creation can pierce the Guff. When I was a child, I saw what he did in creation’s workroom. I saw him fuse Order and Chaos to create life. I knew he could do the same and draw forth a soul. The Creator is bound by oath to not interfere and I knew Lucifer would not”
Sentinels of Creation Page 31
