by Robert Ross
“Sorry, babe, I’m not unilaterally disarming.”
Kellan could see the demon’s jaw clench as her eyes glowed even more brightly than suddenly faded to a solid black. She spread her arms and unfurled her wings causing a dark shadow to fall over Kellan. “Very well, Sentinel of Order. I am in your power, but know this. I am the only key into Eden. No other will come if you harm me and without our cooperation, creation itself will likely fall.”
Kellan released his power with a snort of derision, “Drama much. I’m not going to attack you. I rarely throw the first punch.” He took a step forward extending his hand. “Nice to meet you, demon.”
She accepted his hand in hers. “I have a name. It’s Kali. Nice to meet you too.”
“Kali, that’s a pretty name isn’t it…Hey, Kali, as in the Hindu Kali, source of all evil? Who named you after her?”
She gave a hearty laugh, “Named me after? Sentinel, I am she, but don’t believe everything you read or hear. I don’t. If I did, I might believe Lamia when she talks about how easy you are to seduce.”
The demon smiled wickedly and leaped into the air wings flapping slowly. “Meet me below and I will take you to the gate.”
“She didn’t seduce me!” called Kellan after the demon who was sailing toward to the massive church entrance, “I was just luring her in with a false sense of security.”
I can’t believe Amy said that about me, thought Kellan as he stepped off the edge unconsciously wrapping himself in a gravity bubble to soften his fall. I definitely need to make sure that version doesn’t make it to Shannon. She’ll bloody well kill me.
Kellan touched down amidst his mental musings and found himself staring directly at a blue skinned man, heavily muscled with long white hair that appeared adorned with hundreds of feathers. His lower torso dissolved into a roiling cloud of smoke that appeared to have small lightning bolts continually coursing throughout.
“Holy shit!” exclaimed Kellan. “Who the hell are you and where is Kali?” He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see her massive form just behind him. “Oh, there you are.”
She smiled evilly, “See, I could have killed you again.”
“Ha! You could try.”
“We both could try, Sentinel of Order,” said the blue man “and we would have a good chance to succeed.”
“And you are?” Asked Kellan trying to appear nonchalant.
The man bowed, an awkward moment given his lack of lower extremities. “I am Focalor, high Djinn of—“
“Water,” finished Kellan.
Focalor inclined his head. “You honor me, Sentinel.”
Kellan shrugged. “How much of what I’ve read is true…about the women I mean?”
The djinn smiled widely, “Some of it I’d assume.”
“Most all of it,” added Kali. “He is incorrigible. I suggest you keep him away from that soulborn of yours Kellan. He makes Lamia look like an amateur in the seduction game.”
Focalor looked stricken. “Why Kali. You wound me. You wound me deeply. I would never interject myself into our dear Sentinel’s one true love.”
Kellan narrowed his eyes and stared at the djinn, “And why don’t I believe that?”
“Because you are not a complete fool,” answered Kali and then added, “Enough. Come inside. Both Focalor and I are needed to open the first gate.
As the three walked up the steps leading to the Church entrance, Kellan turned to Focalor, “Say, didn’t you live at Alma Torran for a while?”
The djinn looked surprised but didn’t pause as he gave his response, “You are remarkably well informed or is there truth to the tale of your perfect memory.” Kellan just gave a non committal tilt of the head and Focalor, continued, “Yes, I lived in Alma Torran, why do you ask?”
“Well, Ah’Anon mentioned that the Seal of Solomon was one of the items I needed to keep safe and since you lived in Alma Torran with Solomon, I figured you might know about it.”
The djinn nodded thoughtfully, “Well informed indeed. Yes, Kellan, I know much about the seal including where it is housed, but you get ahead of yourself. All this and more will be discussed with the broader Council, assuming you survive entering Eden of course.”
“Focalor!” shouted Kali in annoyance.
Kellan stopped short. “What?”
The djinn spread his hands looking to Kali. “You didn’t tell him? How was I supposed to know you didn’t tell him about the guardian?”
“What guardian?” asked Kellan.
“Why would he need to know, Focalor,” said Kali with a growl. “Either he would pass or he would be dead. In either case, knowing about the guardian would do him no good.” She turned to Kellan looking down. “Don’t pay him any mind, young Sentinel, I’m sure you will be fine.”
Kellan laughed. “Yeah, bullshit. I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what’s up with this guardian.”
Kali ground her teeth and glared at Focalor, “See! See what you did now?”
The djinn simply smiled and opened his arms, “Can I help it that I am honest with our newest ally. I am just not built for deception.”
Kellan heard a deep growl from within the demon but she turned to him and sighed. “This stupid djinn and I will open the first gate that separates the mortal plane from that of Eden, but after that comes the garden’s gate itself. It is guarded by an angel set there ages ago with but one task.”
Kellan took a deep breath and sighed. “And that would be?”
“To keep all humans from entering.”
Kellan mused on that a moment. “Well, if it’s on a different plane, how would humans get there in the first place?”
“You’d be surprised, Kellan,” began Focalor, “Humans get into all sorts of places they aren’t supposed to. They are like mice always sneaking in through little cracks you never knew were there.”
Kali ignored the djinn. “Irrespective of how they arrive at the gate, the guardian is there to prevent their passing.”
“Ok,” said Kellan, “And how does he do that exactly? Does he ask nicely?”
The demon shook her head. “No.”
“Does he just bar the way?” asked Kellan?
“No, he generally just cleaves them in two.”
“Of course he does,” said Kellan shaking his head. “So why am I going on this suicide mission? Why don’t we just meet at a nice hotel somewhere?”
“That is impossible,” answered Kali. “Much of your plane is toxic to members of the Council and it is our considered opinion that you are no longer human so it is unlikely the guardian will kill you.”
“Unlikely?” asked Kellan. “Well, as long as it’s unlikely, then let’s head on in.”
Kali smiled, “Really? Excellent and she turned back to the entrance.”
“No, not really,” yelled Kellan. “I’m the only Sentinel of Order there is and I can’t just go sticking my head in someplace for a guardian angel to lop it off.”
Kali stared at the djinn. “This is your fault. Fix it.”
Focalor raised his hands in acquiesce, trying to cool the demon’s rising ire. “Very well. This is not that difficult to navigate. Kellan, all you need do is ask the guardian if you may pass. If he says yes, then you are safe. As we all know, angels cannot lie.”
Both Kali and Kellan nodded at this and the young Sentinel stepped into the church doorway before pausing again. “As long as I stay outside Eden’s gate, I’m good, right?”
“Yes,” said Kali in exasperation.
“Almost certainly,” said Focalor, earning himself another glare from the demon.
Kellan shrugged, “Well, I suppose that’s about as good as it’s going to get. Let’s go.”
The three walked into the main floor and Kellan took in the expansive room. The ceiling disappeared into darkness with the gloom only partially dispelled by the several carved windows he had seen from atop the surrounding land. The walls and floor were made of that same rust colored stone with no masonry pre
sent or needed. Truly, the room was hollowed out from solid stone and completely stark without the slightest adornment. They walked to the back of the room where stood a massive stone altar raised on a dais. To either side, there were stairs heading up, presumably to the second floor. Kellan angled for one of the stairs but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.
“Not that way,” said Focalor with a mischievous grin. He pointed to Kali who stood behind the altar and just in front of a slightly recessed alcove that Kellan had dismissed as being the room’s lone decorative element. He allowed himself to be led there and waited with Kali to his right and Focalor to his left. The demons eyes began to glow their ruby red but Focalor held up a hand.
“Wait, let him try to open it himself. If he can, then we know it will be safe for him to enter the garden.” Kali nodded curtly and her eyes returned to their normal onyx color.
The djinn grinned widely and nudged Kellan with his shoulder. “Go on. Open it up.”
Kellan drew on his power feeling his eyes warm and seeing the slight green aura reflect back from the polished stone. He concentrated on the alcove and, as he did so, a door resolved where there was only stone a moment before.
“Nicely done,” said Focalor, “Now, trip the lock and open it.”
Kellan reached out and grasped the large metal door handle while concentrating on the lock beneath it. He pressed the handle downward, then lifted it, then tried turning it. Nothing. The door did not budge.
“Just press the switch down with your thumb and push,” offered Kali.
Kellan did. Still nothing. He tried channeling more power, to the point where ribbons of green energy starting rippling around him and both demon and djinn seemed to shrink away slightly. After another moment, Kellan let out an exasperated breath and released the power. “It’s no use. It won’t open for me. I suppose that means I’m human and the guardian is going to try and cut me in half.”
“No, no,” said Focalor quickly, “None of us were able to open the door the first time either. We each needed help, but once we’d been in the garden, we could then open the passage at will each time thereafter.”
Kellan raised an eyebrow. “If none of you were able to open the door the first time, how did the first person get in there?”
Kali grinned at the djinn, “See, he’s not as stupid as you thought. The truth, Kellan, is that we don’t know. Ah’Anon believes it was Lucifer who first unlocked the door from within. He alone had remained in the garden when all were exiled and so was able to unlock it for the first who made it back. Whether those first were humans who Lucifer wanted to see destroyed by the guardian, or inhumans he wanted to assist for his own reasons, is unknown. In fact the whole story is just that, a story. All we know is that none have been able to open the first gate without having first been inside. Some few, like Ah’Anon can open it by themselves. For most of us, it requires two. One to trip the lock and the other to push open the door. That is why we two are here.”
The djinn affected a yawn. “I’m bored, Kali. Let us be done with this. Unlock it,” said Focalor. The demon nodded and reached out her hand as her eyes flashed. The door appeared again and Kellan could see the locking switch slide downward in response to her channel power. As it did, Focalor, reached out with both hands and wind rushed upward from his lower extremities revealing normal human legs. The power continued up and then down his arms, finally to fly out amidst a rush of wind and crackle of energy. The door swung open and bright sunlight bathed the three of them in its warmth. “Kellan, go,” yelled the djinn, “I cannot hold it open long. Kali will be next and I will follow.”
Kellan’s stomach did summersaults as he took a breath, clenched his teeth, and leaped through the open door. Nothing happened. A heartbeat later he was slammed from behind, lost his footing and sprawled on the soft, lush, grass. He rolled onto his side, looking backward to see Kali struggling to keep her feet and looking frustrated.
“Why did you stand there like a fool?” she growled stepping to one side.
Another second passed and Focalor deftly jumped through with the door slamming shut behind him. The djinn looked down at Kellan. “You stood in the doorway?”
“Yeah,” said Kellan.
“Pretty stupid,” said the djinn reaching down to offer Kellan his hand and hoisted him back to his feet.
“Sorry, it was my first time through the magic door,” Kellan replied then motioned to the door. “Does it just stay like that, a disembodied door floating an inch off the grass?”
Both demon and djinn just nodded and then Kali shrugged. “To be honest, I never really thought about it. The door has always been thus so it does not seem strange to me.”
Kellan just shook his head a took in the rest of the visible area. It clearly didn’t look anything like Ethiopia. The grass was a deep verdant green and so thick as to feel like the richest carpet. Looking back the way they came and past the portal door everything seemed to grow dark and indistinct. Turning, Kellan’s eyes followed a barely visible path stretching from the portal door and leading a couple thousand feet where it ended at a giant gated archway made of some shining metal.
Kellan took a few steps in that direction and paused, looking over his shoulder at his companions, then back to the gate. Standing to its left and rising at least twelve feet tall was a massive, unmoving angel, a giant sheathed sword lashed to its back. “The guardian, I presume,” asked Kellan.
“That’s him,” answered Focalor walking up beside the Sentinel.
“He looks like a statue,” said Kellan.
“He mostly is a statue,” said Kali.
“Right, he only moves when he kills humans,” offered Focalor, then added, “What?” as Kali glared daggers at him.
Kellan was already walking along the path toward the silver gate. He was within maybe a hundred feet when the angel’s head swiveled and it stared at him. Kellan immediately stopped.
“Is that bad?” he asked.
“Well, it’s not as good as if he hadn’t moved,” replied Focalor hesitantly looking askance to Kali who this time seemed to agree with the djinn.
Kellan took another few steps and the angel reached across its back, withdrawing the massive sword from its sheath. “Stop!” it commanded in a voice so loud that Kellan felt himself rock backwards from the force of it.
“Ok,” said the young Sentinel, “This is definitely not good.”
“Try talking to him,” offered Focalor. “He never will talk to us, but I’ve heard he will talk to humans. You know, before he kills them.”
Kellan took a deep breath and tried to ignore the djinn, but locked his eyes on that of the angel and said, “What is your name, angel. I am Kellan Thorne, Sentinel of Order and, I would like to pass through this gate.”
“You shall not pass!” said the angel.
“What if I tell you my favorite color,” offered Kellan and then looked to his companions with a grin. They stared back at him blankly. “Oh come on,” he added, “that was classic Monte Python right there. You know,” Kellan affected a a British accent, “What, is your favorite color?” More blank stares. “Never mind.”
He turned back to the angel. “What is your name?”
“You shall not pass!”
“Do you know Raphael? He’s a friend of mine.”
“You shall not pass!”
“Do you know Michael? He’s not a friend but he hasn’t killed me.”
“You shall not pass!”
“What if I do pass?”
“You shall not pass!”
“Why can’t I pass?”
There was a pause, then the angel said, “No human may pass. You shall not pass.”
“I am not human,” said Kellan. “I am the Sentinel of Order. I am God’s unchecked hand on the world.”
“You are human. You shall not pass.”
“No, I’m not human and I shall pass,” said Kellan as he took a couple steps toward the gate.
The angel lifted the sword high in hi
s right hand, while reaching upward and to the left with his other, striking an attack posture.
“Um, Kellan,” began Focalor, “I think the next move is going to result in you losing about a head’s worth of height.”
Kellan opened himself up to the power and felt the emerald energy fill him. He called to it again and again, until his body radiated with its heat desperately seeking release.
“I’m going through the gate now,” said Kellan.
No response.
Kellan took another step but the angel did not move. The Sentinel smiled and looked back to Kali and Focalor. “See nothing to it, just had to channel the power so he could see I wasn’t human.” Kellan turned and closed the last few feet to the gate then reached for its handle.
Kali yelled a warning and Kellan looked up just in time to see the massive sword arcing down toward him. He hastily erected a shield, involuntarily closed his eyes, and braced for impact. It didn’t come. Kellan sheepishly cracked open one eye and saw the massive sword buried in the ground half way to its hilt. The angel’s right hand remained on its pommel with his left crossing his waist as he knelt before Kellan, head bowed.
“Uh, hello?” said Kellan hesitantly, “As you were?”
The angel looked up. “Sentinel of Order, Eden greets you. Enter and be welcome.”
Kellan brightened, “Well, that’s more like it. You may call me Kellan. No need to be that formal. You have done well, guardian of Eden. What is your name.”
The angel continued to stare at Kellan, then said, “Sentinel of Order, Eden greets you. Enter and be welcome.”
The young Sentinel glanced to his companions who just shook their heads in answer to his unvoiced question.
Kellan looked back to the angel tried to affect his best formal tone, “Thank you, guardian of Eden. Return to your post.”
The angel immediately stood, replaced the sword in its sheath across his back and became still.
“Well come on then,” said Kellan and opened the gate to Eden.
Eden exceeded all of Kellan’s expectations, a perfectly beautiful and expansive garden. He had thought the area beyond the first gate wonderful, but this, was something beyond imagining. The air seemed to shimmer and light played off leaves, grass, rocks, and wood as if they all were slightly reflective. He knelt down and ran his fingers through the grass, then looked up at Kali and Focalor.
