I came back with tears in my eyes and the dragon had stepped off me, freeing me, but staying close with smoke pouring from its nostrils. The councilman was laughing at me as I choked on my own tears. He was feeling accomplished and was amused by my agony; he wanted me to fall apart and he wanted to be the one to watch it in person. Standing weakly, I gripped the hilt of my sword tighter and let my energy burst from me and into him, sending him back several feet. "That's it," I said standing over him. "I won't let you torture me or anyone else again. If the others have a problem with my decision, let them do their worst. I don't care anymore." Readying my weapons, I pulled my shoulders back and slashed at him, stopping without the intention to as the mighty roar of the dragon followed its pounding footsteps. It was coming after me, protecting the councilman and I rolled out of the way, hoping it would trample him.
My heart fell when its feet dissipated as it traveled over the councilman's body and reappear when it went past him. Cursing myself, I extended my wings and pushed at the air, feeling my body being lifted by them. My wings burned from being torn, but I had to keep going. Pushing harder, I made my way into the sky only to be followed by the dragon. I heard a boiling noise coming from the dragon's throat as I continued my attempt at escape, only to be hit with a severe pain in my wing, causing me to fall from the sky. When I hit the ground, I pulled my injured wing toward me; it had been eaten away by something acidic that came from the dragon's mouth. Crying out in pain, I stared in horror as the acidic liquid dripped down my wing, dissolving it until part of it fell to the ground. "You really thought you could get away?" the councilman asked, chuckling to himself. Snapping his fingers, the dragon's face descended on me and it opened its jaws, ripping its teeth into my stomach. The pain was unbearable and I screamed, feeling the blood pouring from me and create a crimson pool around me.
Life was slipping away and the world was getting dark, only to light up again. The pain ceased and the dragon disappeared, but the laughter coming from the councilman did not. Looking down at my stomach, I noticed no wounds and I went for my wing which had been solid and intact. "What the hell did you do to me?" I yelled with tears in my eye. His laughter stopped short and he looked at me with an unreadable expression. "You think you don't feel fear after what happened? Well, how do you feel knowing I can get into your head and make you feel... see anything I want you to?" he said with a malicious grin across his face. "See you in Hell, Uriel," he said before disappearing, leaving me to dry heave and choke on my own tears and the taste of true terror.
Chapter Twenty One
Ever since that night with my encounter with the councilman, I couldn't sleep. The fear dragon's presence was imprinted upon the back of my eyelids, its haunting form roaring at me every time I tried to get a good night's sleep. The fear had been growing inside me this whole time and I began to wonder how I would go about defeating it if all I radiated was the perspiration caused by the fear I had to face every day of my life. Alone. When the councilman disappeared, I staggered my way back home, not wanting to risk flying and being attacked by the real dragon and told Gazardiel what had happened. At first, he didn't believe me when I accused the councilman as being corrupt, but after he took a look at my back to see the slight tear of my wing, he himself began to fear for the future.
All of this was happening so quickly and I wanted to give up, but something with Jophiel's voice kept pushing me along, telling me I wasn't someone who would give up so easily, that he knew I would overcome this fear somehow. I just wish I knew how. A few months after the attack, I had growing pains at the base of my back; as if something was inside me trying to burst free and it kept me sore all day long. More and more survivors had found their way to our house; I acted as some kind of beacon to them, but I knew we needed to find a new place. One that could actually hold the remaining humans so we didn't have to kick any out. So we did just that.
Though we were never safe, we traveled in a medium-sized pack, having about ten people including Jenna, Gazardiel and I. They all remained packed closely together, not wanting to risk straying from the boundary Gazardiel and I had set. Jenna was at the front, leading us to a house she had spoken of; a mansion with more than enough bedrooms. My wings carried me over them, giving me enough warning when we would be coming across demons. In our travels, we came across none; it was far too quiet and it put me on edge. Had someone unknown to us clear out the area? Approaching the large house, I descended and walked beside an older man who looked as if he was approaching his sixties. He stared at me with calm eyes and took out a notebook from the bag he had been carrying, immediately starting to scribble words onto the blank pages. "What are you doing?" I asked curiously, stretching my neck to get a glimpse of what he was writing. Chuckling, he put a hand on my shoulder, hesitating for a moment to take in his touch. "Since we may be the surviving group, someone needs to keep a record of it," he started saying. "Let's think of it as a new kind of bible." A smile wrinkled his face and I couldn't help but return that smile; the first one I've broken since I lost Jophiel.
"Let us hope the new age of people do not get your words mixed up as they had long ago."
"Why do you say that?"
"Well, the bible was translated consistently, its true meaning locked away somewhere in the world."
"I haven't thought about it that way. What comes of the people who had taught others to fear God?"
"They go to Hell. They are misleading and they are false prophets."
He was silent for a moment, scribbling more words into his notebook, being careful not to bump into the other people. As we approached the mansion, two people came running at us, yelling for help. Studying them, I noticed they were still young and what looked like an older brother and his little sister. "Please, someone help us!" the boy cried and I stepped forward, stopping them mid stride. "What has happened?" I asked them, pulling back my shoulders. They stared in awe, forgetting what they had run here for. "You're an angel," the little girl said staring up at me with wide eyes. I squatted in front of her and took her hands. "Yes, I am and I am here to help. Please tell me what is wrong," I said in a sweeter voice.
"Monsters have our house surrounded. Mommy and daddy are in there!"
"Don't worry. I'll get them, but you guys stay here, okay? So the monsters don't get you either."
I stood tall and extended my wings, my arm caught by the older man. He looked at me stubbornly in the eye and I knew what he wanted. "No, you can't come with me," I said sternly. He pushed the notebook in my face and gave an apologetic look. "Someone needs to record these events. Someone needs to know what you have done to help our world," he said weakly. Sighing, I looked to Gazardiel who had made his way to us. He nodded, agreeing with the elder. "I will get them into the mansion after making sure it is clear. If you hear screaming, you know what's going on," he said putting a hand on my arm. Nodding, I took the elder's hands and stretched my wings, pushing the air with them until we were airborne.
The man was silent on the way to the other destination, even as screams pierced through the air, coming from a small run down house that I knew wouldn't hold if the demons kept bashing themselves into it. I landed several feet away from the horde and turned to the man. "If you get attacked, scream. I will know it is you and please, stay here. Do not move. You can see everything from here," I instructed, putting my palms in the air. When he agreed, I pushed up again and landed myself onto the roof of the house where the demons snarled and gnashed their teeth at the house. Sighing, I stood and summoned my blades, jumping from the roof and landing at the center, exploding my energy around me. The energy shattered into small dagger-like objects and pierced through the crowd of demons, fatally injuring them until the Light of that energy burned them to ash. I knocked on the door and the couple inside screamed. "Stay away, I have a gun," a man said from inside. I knocked again and they ignored me. "Your son and daughter came searching for help to get you. I am that help," I said.
"You? You sound like just a kid."
"I'm not. In fact, I'm older than I appear."
My answer seemed to be good enough because the man who had been talking to me opened the door and gasped. "Holy mother of Jesus," he said breathlessly. Holding back a smile, I just decided to greet them back warmly. "No, I'm not Mary," I said. The man opened the door wide enough for his wife to stare at me. I seemed to have gotten a lot of stares... as if no one actually truly believed in the existence of angels. "W-where are my children?" the wife asked, appearing as though she was trying to be careful with what she said around me.
"They're safe. We have a group of survivors moving into a large house and you are welcome to come. At least then, you'll be safe."
"We will go with you, right, honey? You are the most trusted safety here."
"Come then, we will walk back. I can't fly with three people in my arms."
"Three?"
I waved the elder man over who was intently scribbling in his notebook and he hurried over, taking a look at the new additions. He nodded at me, as if knowing I had said we needed to walk and began doing so with the couple behind him and me overhead. The way back was just as quiet as it was on our way there and when we had gotten closer to the new house, no one was inside. I landed in front of everyone and walked them inside, the house coming to life when the silence from outside stopped and there were loud conversations going on inside. People stopped talking when we walked in and the kids ran screaming to their parents, creating a tiny welcome "home" ceremony. My eyes traveled around, counting the heads and noticed one was missing; the teenager that I had saved from the church. "Where's that teenager?" I asked looking around. Gazardiel and Jenna shrugged and I walked about the house looking for him. And someone screamed.
The teenager's scream bellowed against the walls of the house and I noticed it was coming from the backyard. Running down the stairs, I pushed out the door to find a demon over his screaming body and tearing away at it. My heart sank and worsened when the boy looked at me with pleading eyes. "P-please," he sputtered. "Don't let them drag me into Hell. I-I was a good person," he cried out as a single tear tore his life from him and his soul stood above his unmoving body. I stared at the demon and rage swelled from within me. They kept taking away everyone I was supposed to protect and I wouldn't let them drag anyone else into Hell where they didn't belong. Crying out, I summoned my blades and rushed forward stabbing the demon in the head with enough force that it split open, splattering ebony tar over me. My own power surprised me and I was shaking from the intensity as others poured in. The people watched from the house as I shaped my weapons differently; turning them into a whip.
Time had slowed down as the horde of demons came at me with their teeth gnashing, lusting for contact. Cracking the whip, I readied myself and lashed at them with the glowing steel of the whip. My back began to throb, making me unfocused for a split second and allowing myself to be lost in the sea of the horde that attempted to grab at me and dismember me. The pain became close to unbearable and I let my own power build up in me as the pain burst through my back, the skin tearing as something was released from my flesh. Simultaneously, I let my power burst; Light filling the area and blinding me before dimming to reveal no sight of another demon. My heart was racing and I found the soul of the kid staring back at me with a calmness spreading across them. He was waiting and then he was pulled partly into the ground. Fear crossed through visibly in his eyes and I reached forward, grabbing his hand and pulled, taking him back up. "I need to do this now, whether you're ready or not," I said touching his face.
"I was always ready. But you have always been the one to guide me there. Tell me, what is it like?"
"If I could tell you, I would. But I was man made and therefore, have no knowledge of Home."
"Then I will go for the both of us. If you can, read up on those zombies, angel girl."
I closed my eyes and concentrated, my energy forming a pillar sprouting from the crown of my head and into the sky, parting the dark clouds. Your way is through the light. Follow it and you will be Home, I whispered in my head to him. I concentrated closely, feeling his soul make its way further and further from this world, disappearing beyond the clouds as the Light that came from me dissipated. Gazardiel's presence startled me and I turned to him. His eyes were near the ground and confused, my eyes traveled against his line of sight to where another pair of wings lay nestled up against my feet, hovering there as if to shroud them. "Well, Uriel, looks as if Our Father has given you another pair. More power, a higher rank," he said bowing slightly. Tilting my head, I stared up at the sky. "What does that mean?" I asked softly.
"If you gain another pair, you will be more than just an archangel. You will have gained the rank of Seraphim. And you, my child, belong among the other Seraphim. Trust me; you have proved it to us all."
I didn't deny it. Something told me this is what was always supposed to happen. Staring at the sky, I closed my eyes and got to my knees. "Thank you, Father," I said quietly. More feet made their way into the backyard and I heard as the others had also gotten to their knees. Their silent prayers filled the air, parting the clouds above to allow Light to shine on us all. He was listening, He always had been and now, we knew He would always be rooting for us down here, granting us all His mercy. We wouldn't be giving up any time soon; there was too much left to leave behind... a world that was meant to be saved, to be healed for humans to live and survive again like they always had... and always will.
Chapter Twenty Two
Several weeks came and went with no other sign of the other archangels, and I was growing weary. Though I could feel them, it was as if they couldn't feel me and I began to wonder if they would ever find me. Only a few other survivors came here seeking shelter with all the same conversations about what I am and what I was doing here. Those grateful for the help without questioning stayed, while the others who blamed me for the downfall of their world and told me that I should have stopped it before it started were kicked out by Gazardiel. It seemed that even when the world comes falling down, some people stay the same and try to pin the blame on someone so they could feel anger instead of the constant fear that they may not live until tomorrow. I pitied them and their lost souls; wandering the forsaken earth without people who could help instead of just shutting their mouths and being thankful for the mercy we had blessed them with.
While the ever growing group sought shelter in the mansion in our presence, they showed their thankfulness through labor to get things done and get food on the table. We taught them to fight and they began taking groups into the closest stores to gather food, though I would always accompany them out of sight. In the evenings, I continued attending my hunts; not allowing the event with the councilman to keep me cowering in a corner. Since the world had opened up, I had found that I didn't need much sleep because an hour or two was all that was needed to recharge the energy I had used.
Everyone busied themselves as a few of them made food in the kitchen when a loud knock came at the door. Everyone grew quiet and the mood in the room shifted with anxiety. Summoning my blades, I walked to the door cautiously and opened it slowly. On the other side was a tall male around the age of nineteen with ebony hair, green eyes and a wide body that became scarred with black along his left arm. He leaned on the door frame when I opened the door a bit more, presenting my wings; something humans had to see before saying one word. My eyes found his and something inside me flipped with the thought that we had some sort of connection. "Well, now I can't use the pick-up line I wanted to use," he said chuckling to himself. Placing a finger under my chin, he lifted my face to his. "You are a wondrous sight, my angel. Who let you down from Heaven?" Rolling my eyes, I went to close the door. It stopped midway and I made a face at him like he was crazy. "What do you want?" I asked through clenched teeth.
"Wow, no 'hello, survivor. How are you doing and would you like some shelter?'"
"We do not hand out shelter to anyone. They earn their spots in our safety."
Something in his face changed then and he started thinking to himself. After several seconds of silence from him, I crossed my arms and exhaled loudly. We were getting nowhere with each other, so I opened the door wider and directed him inside. "You are not safe here. Not yet. You must earn your place," I said walking down the hall in front of him. We arrived in the kitchen and were greeted by stares from the anxious people, waiting to see what would happen. "How about you start by introducing yourself?" I asked before walking to Gazardiel who seemed focused on the new guy. Clapping his hands together, he jumped up on an empty seat and opened his arms. "Ladies and gentlemen, you can call me R," he said proudly, attempting to be entertaining. While everyone introduced themselves to R, Gazardiel pulled Jenna and I into another room. It seemed as though since I had saved her life, we hadn't really spoken in a while; time wouldn't allow it as often as I wanted. "You feel it too, don't you, Uriel?" Gazardiel asked me, grabbing onto my arm. Looking down at his hand, I shook my head. Sure, I felt a certain connection, but that was it. "No, I don't. What am I supposed to feel?" I asked.
"There is some kind of darkness coming from him. I do not trust him."
"Don't worry. If he isn't what he comes off as, I will take care of it. For now, he seems sincere enough and I made sure he knew he had to earn his place among us."
"But the others didn't."
"No, they didn't. But they also weren't as annoying as this guy. I feel as if he's mocking me... like he knows something I don't."
We were quiet for a moment, listening to the sounds of basic table chatter and the clanking of plates and silverware. Sighing, I pushed the hair out of my face and rubbed my temples. It was as though caring for the humans and keeping them safe was getting more and more stressful, even if I wasn't the only person to care for them. Jenna took my hand and looked me in the eyes and I noticed how much she had changed. What her father did to her did not prepare her for this, but in a way, it made her stronger and it was clearly visible in her eyes. It was then that a thought about her father's soul being dragged into Hell that put a small smile across my face, justice. "Uriel, I know you know what you are doing. Ever since I've known you, you've made decisions with everyone else in mind," she said pulling me into a hug. My arms wrapped around her in a small thank you and I found comfort there. Though we didn't love each other like Jophiel and I did, she filled a sort of void that I knew would be hard to fill without her. Gazardiel nodded and stepped back, moving away from the door into the kitchen. "Please be careful around him. We don't know anything about him," he said. Smiling, I pulled him into a hug too, surprising him. "We don't know much about a lot of the people that are sheltered here," I replied before walking into the kitchen.
Uriel (The Hallowed Chronicles Book 1) Page 13
