“He said he is unable to use the Faithstream.”
“Why?” Riell asked.
“He did not say, but I trust him.”
“Once you have it what will you do?”
“I will become Satan’s chisel, his tool for demolishing and rebuilding the universe as we see fit. Don’t give me that damning glare. Everything is going to work out just fine.” Shrazz reached over to rub her back.
“Don’t touch me right now. You contradicted yourself. ‘His’ tool, as ‘we’ see fit. How do you know you won’t be his? How do you know he won’t take advantage of you?”
“You know me.” Shrazz stared into her. “I would not do this unless I was sure of the outcome.”
Riell sighed.
“Like I said, everything will be fine once this job is over. The both of us will be revered. We won’t have to go into this line of work ever again. We will live among the humans without any fear of persecution.”
Riell sighed and folded her arms. “I’ve already told you that I’m going to help you with this job.”
“Mmhm.” Shrazz tapped his medal again in anticipation of her answer.
“I know you trust, Satan, but I’m not just going to throw away my beliefs.”
She sighed at the sound of his claw against metal and turned her lips up in annoyance.
“Okay.” He kept tapping.
“I’m doing this not because I believe he wants to better the universe, but because I believe in you, and I gave you my word,” she finished.
Shrazz hugged Riell, and his gesture caught her off guard. She tenuously returned his embrace.
“Thanks, girl, I won’t let you down.”
Riell patted Shrazz on the back.
“This feels pretty good. You in my arms I mean,” Shrazz said.
She heard the tone in his voice. She knew he was going to try to make a move on her. When he pulled his head away from her shoulder and looked into her eyes; she had her chance to stop him: she only stared.
He kissed her.
Drean burst from the door and saw them. He had heard Shrazz’s tone too.
He cried out, fell to the floor and passed out.
Shrazz wailed, his face contorted by some intense distress that tore at his mind. He collapsed on the ground and held his head.
Images of a great conflict between himself and his angelic prize rapidly flashed through Shrazz’s head. After the vision ceased, a plan that would enable him to reach his goal solidified. It felt real as if he had devised it himself, and after a moment he believed he had. Shrazz felt his plan would be the most effective though he did not know why.
Riell looked from Drean to Shrazz and did not know what to do. She pushed Drean against the wall, made him invisible and replaced the splintered wood of the closet door with an illusion that looked like the wall and prayed Shrazz would forget he saw him.
Shrazz’s face relaxed, and he passed out on the floor.
Riell struggled to drag Shrazz onto her bed. She took a step away to find something to wake him when Shrazz gripped her wrist.
She flinched as one of his claws bit into her skin. Warm blood trickled down her hand, down her fingertips and onto his hand. His skin trembled with excitement as it drank in her half-angel blood through its pores. She looked down at him.
“Riell who is this Drean? Why was he hiding in the closet? And where did he go?”
Riell instinctively jumped. Shrazz held her fast.
“Who is he?”
“He is a friend of mine, the man that I met when I was tracking down the angel. He teleported in without knocking and so he fell through the closet. It’s a safety precaution I put in.”
“That’s brilliant. They would wake you up by breaking through the wood and you could just roll over and stab them.” Shrazz released her. “Does the security enchantment strip them of their armor too? He was naked.”
Riell laughed. “Yes it makes it easier for me to... stab them.”
“True, true.” Shrazz chuckled. “He left quickly.”
“Shit, Shrazz, your screaming like a little girl frightened me! How do you expect a human to react? Even an enchanter?”
Shrazz rubbed the center of his forehead: it throbbed. He managed a smile.
“Does he have some connection with this angel?”
“Like I said before he is one of the angel’s friends. I persuaded him to give some information to me.”
“Alright, I have come up with a plan for bringing our angel out of hiding so that I can get at him. It involves this Drean.”
“Just tell me what you want to do, sir.”
“First I need to rest. Whatever just happened has drained my strength. I’m going to need to be in perfect condition before we attack this angel head on.”
Riell nodded. “I understand, sir.”
“Alright, I’ll contact you once I’m ready to execute the plan.”
Shrazz turned to leave, and then glanced at the wall where her closet had been.
“You didn’t have to clean it up or anything.”
“You know how I am, sir. Obsessive compulsive.”
Shrazz shook his head and opened a gate that would take him back to his apartment.
“See you soon, Riell.”
“Take care, sir.”
Shrazz stepped through the light-gate, and it closed behind him.
She was thankful he had not mentioned anything about the kiss and hoped that it had somehow been erased from Drean’s memory. She was angry that it happened, but even angrier that she did not regret it.
Riell closed her eyes and restored all of her security measures. Then with a sigh she waved a hand at the hidden closet and removed the illusion over it and Drean.
She sat down next to him, held him close to her and stroked his soft, white hair. Riell closed her eyes and enjoyed her time with him: it was obvious to her that leisure time was over.
When he woke their eyes met, and he pulled himself away from her.
“Who is he?”
He yawned and wiped his groggy eyes.
“My boss, Shrazz. Are you ok?” She smiled at his mannerisms.
“No. No I’m not ok. You were doing what we were doing last night with him. Kissing him. I thought you said that it was special, and you were only sharing it with me.”
She blinked and looked away from him.
“He kissed me. I didn’t kiss him back.”
“I don’t know the difference. You didn’t look like you weren’t enjoying it.”
Riell leaned against the wall. She didn’t know if she had or not.
“I was just shocked that it happened.”
“You should have stopped him. You should have done something.”
“I’m sorry, Drean. I really am...” she said.
She tried to sit next to him, but he stood up and paced around the room like he had lost something important.
“But we don’t have time for this,” she said.
“I’m not just going to forget!”
He shouted and was surprised at the anger in his voice and the reverberation of its volume in the small room. “I don’t expect you to. If you don’t want to trust me, fine, but you will have to put it aside for now.”
“Just make me a door,” he said and shook his head. Tears were on his cheeks.
Riell hugged him though he struggled all the while.
“If you leave you’ll die,” she said quietly. “You’ll be killed. You need me. And I need you too. Please stay. Let’s do this together.”
He was silent and wanted to give into her tenderness.
“No,” he said, and stepped away. “You need me for Shrazz’s plan. I will not play a part in it.”
Riell walked to him slowly with intent on her face. Drean froze and realized if she tried to subdue him with violence he would not have the will to fight back. Perhaps God’s judgment was misplaced when he selected him for the mission.
Riell stroked his face and brought his lips down on hers. When th
ey disconnected she held him close.
“I need you. Stay.”
“Ok.”
“Ok?”
“Ok.”
He pulled her back in for one more kiss: he never wanted to forget kissing her.
“Get dressed,” Riell said, and looked Drean’s naked body over one last time. “We have some important things to discuss.”
“Alright.”
Riell went into her living room and sat down on her couch.
I don’t know what to think about all of this. But if Drean can be saved from Shrazz’s wrath, I might as well go through with Shrazz’s plan. The outcome sounds chaotic no matter what though. What will happen to Shrazz when he becomes a lesser divine? Will he be able to control that power, or will it destroy him? What does Satan really want with him?
“Riell?” Drean called from her room.
“I’m in the living room.”
Drean came in and sat down next to her on the couch.
“Before we talk I wanted to tell you,” Drean said, “I didn’t pass out because I saw you two. My head felt like it was going to burst, and now I feel odd. I feel like a part of me has been torn away.”
“You might just be jealous. I told you, you have nothing to worry about.”
“No, that is not what it feels like at all.”
Could Drean’s experience and Shrazz’s epitome be linked? Riell thought.
“We need to stop Shrazz, Riell,” he said.
“What?”
“I heard his plan for using the Faithstream for Satan’s designs. We have to stop him!” Drean’s eyes sought comfort in Riell’s, and he was sad to find none.
“Now, Drean, calm down.”
“I need to return the Faithstream to its rightful owner and that will not happen if Satan’s plan is facilitated!”
“I know what you are supposed to do, Drean,” Riell said. “What God sent you down here to do.”
“If you know, then you know you shouldn’t try to sway me! It’s my duty!”
“Drean, try to look beyond that.”
“Impossible. My Father...”
Riell put her finger on his lips.
“Let me talk.”
Drean nodded, his tension fell away at her touch. Riell removed her long finger from Drean’s lips.
“We have to make Shrazz believe that the angel he is after is your friend Gerald.”
“But...”
“No! There’s no other way! If he knows you’re the real angel I won’t be able to hold him back. He’s too powerful. He’ll have all the strength he needs to initiate Satan’s plan if he captures you.”
“Yes. If.”
“Do you really want to chance the fate of the universe?”
Drean bit his bottom lip and wanted to argue with her but could not dispute her logic.
“Listen,” Riell said in a stern voice, “if you don’t cooperate I will just render you unconscious and fashion an illusion of you to draw Gerald out.”
“You would do that without my consent?”
“In this case, yes. Too much is at stake.”
I thought I could trust her. I loved her, gave her so much of my emotion. Only to be betrayed by action and thought. She would betray me without thinking if she had to.
Riell placed her hand on top of Drean’s.
“Somehow I care about you more than I’ve cared about anyone. It seems impossible to me.”
Drean tried to remain serious and impassible, but Riell’s confession shattered his defenses like a battering ram.
“I need you. I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize you.”
“But you did!”
“I said I was sorry. Drean, you have to trust me.”
“But I cannot forfeit my duty. It is why I have life. It is my life.”
He sat on her bed and folded his arms tightly across his body.
I cannot give up on my mission! It’s the last thing I should consider! I shouldn’t relinquish it for anyone or anything! He looked at Riell’s face. I care for her: but she threw that away!
“Drean,” Riell said tenderly, she placed her hand on his shoulder.
Drean looked up at her like a frightened animal.
The only reason why I have free will and an existence is because of my covenant with Father.
“I’m with you. Try to remember that,” she said. “I know this decision is going to be hard for you. I can help you. Together we will complete your mission. I care about you so much. Just trust me again. I won’t let my guard down with Shrazz again. I promise.”
“Gerald is my mentor,” Drean said. “To condone this plan is to blaspheme, to turn away from Father!”
“There’s really no other way.” Riell looked down at the floor. “I’m sorry, Drean. I tried to think of an alternative.”
She paused and felt like she could cry. She did not know if she actually cared for Drean, or if she was using his feelings for her own selfish reasons, but Drean thought her apology sincere and comforted her with an embrace.
“I’m so sorry, Drean, for everything.”
“It’s ok. We can do this.”
She wiped her tears away and composed herself.
“I just wish this were easier, Drean. I trust you. That’s why I haven’t given you to Shrazz. But, I know he wouldn’t have risked our lives and our careers unless he was sure of himself.”
“Riell, Satan is a master of deception. He can cause people to believe whatever he wants them to believe.”
“Damn it. I know.” Riell sighed.
“Shrazz also talked of becoming god-like. Don’t you think he might be doing this because he’s power hungry?” Drean asked.
Riell did not reply. She did not want to believe he was right.
“It sounds like he lusts for the power of the Faithstream just as Satan does,” Drean decided.
“Shrazz may be an exous, a devourer, but this is his world as well as ours! Did you hear his intentions for my people? They are your people now too, Drean.”
Drean was still unconvinced but tired of the discussion.
“I think I’m going to lie down, Riell.”
He walked back to her bedroom.
“Drean, you just woke up!" she said as she followed him.
“I feel tired. All of these emotions have taxed me. I need to rest.” Drean stretched out on her bed.
“Alright.”
“I’m going to sleep for a bit. Then we can discuss this further.”
Riell pecked him on the cheek.
“Drean remember I only want what’s best for you: I would never try to harm you in any way. I care about you too much to give you up.”
You did though. You did harm me.
“I know, Riell. I feel the same.”
Riell went to the door.
“Where are you going?”
“I think I’m going to go to the bar for a while and talk to Keep. I haven’t gotten to chat with him in a while.”
“Keep? Oh right, the owner of the bar Gerald and I went to.”
“Yeah. Did you get to meet him?”
“No, I spoke with a man named Greg though.”
Riell scoffed at the mention of his name.
“That guy is worthless. I have no idea why Keep hired him.”
Drean rolled over.
“He seemed nice enough to me.”
“I’ll see you when I get back. I’m going to go talk to Keep for a while and see if he can give me any insight.”
“Promise me you won’t be alone with Shrazz unless you have to.”
She looked at him.
“I promise.”
“Alright. Be careful.”
“I will. Sleep well Drean.” Riell dimmed the lights and closed the door behind her.
Drean pulled the black comforters of Riell’s bed over him and drifted to sleep.
Chapter 20
Gerald awoke next to his car. He remembered well what had taken place: the explosion, the unrelenting hurt, the cold release of his
soul’s decay and God’s voice. His Ruah had coursed through him, sustained him and revitalized him.
Gerald stumbled to his feet next to his undamaged vehicle. He had expected a local Hell: screams of the dying, cries of loss and fire fighters and police trying to bring order to it all.
Just like His clean up after the fall. Just a breath and all of it was remedied. He’s never concerned with the lives of his angelic creations and always seeks to get approval from these humans.
“Heh, I guess I can’t really say that now,” Gerald said after considering what had happened. He saw his reflection in the windows of his car and noticed his wings were gone, not invisible, just gone.
How am I still alive?
Foreign energy pulsed within him. He had not felt anything like it since before the fall.
“This can’t be! But maybe, maybe...” Gerald hoped, closed his eyes, and concentrated on the spark of power he felt within.
I shouldn’t do this in the middle of the street.
Gerald hopped on top of an apartment building to avoid curious eyes.
“Alright.” Gerald concentrated. He felt something twitch in his back.
My wings!
He flexed his wings, felt them poke through his skin and almost passed out. Blood ran down his back and pooled on the roof of the apartment. Agony wracked his body.
Gerald groaned.
Jet-black feathery wings ripped his back open, and a bellow escaped his throat. He took deep breaths and struggled to stay conscious.
Despite the torture his human disguise caused him, the ecstasy of the angelic energy coursing through him fulfilled him more than any earthly pleasure ever had.
“Yes! Yes!”
A window opened up below.
“Hey sicko, clean up when you’re done up there!”
Gerald ignored the ignorant man’s comment. No human would ever know this pleasure.
He stretched his bloodied wings out. Flame rose from them and the fire consumed him. He cried out, but could feel the change beneath his human skin. Soon he would be divine once again. His fire extinguished.
I feel so powerful. So alive! Time to complete it. Gerald smiled and braced himself. Time to rid myself of this human shell.
He ripped blackened human skin from his face and scalp and released the pristine tan skin and long black hair beneath it. Gerald flexed his muscles as tightly as he could. His human skin cracked. Blood oozed out of it.
From Heaven To Earth (The Faith of the Fallen) Page 14
