Sitting on the throne in the back of the grand hall was a giant being with six immense wings resting over his shoulders like a cloak. The great being’s long white beard rested in his lap, and his hands curled over the edges of the throne’s armrests. His glowing gold eyes seemed to pierce the very fabric of time and space. His silver robes glistened in the glorious light that was this angel’s very essence. There sat Amun-Ra, lord of Heaven, and Victor’s father.
Victor approached the throne in trepidation and fell to one knee, placing his hand over his heart and bowing his head. “I apologize for my intrusion, Father,” he said. “I did not realize you were in council with someone.”
Amun-Ra tilted his great head in acceptance and said, in a voice that reverberated through Victor’s skull like a church bell, “It is perfectly fine, my son. In fact, you have impeccable timing. I was just about to summon you here myself.”
Victor rose to his feet and glanced uneasily at Artemis. The archangel paid him little heed. “Then you know of why I came?” Victor asked.
Ra shook his head. “No, my son, but your council is indeed needed in a matter Lord Artemis and I are discussing. That can wait a moment, however. What is troubling you, Victor?”
Victor took a deep breath, then said, “I was watching a demon near my home on Earth and-”
“Dante,” Artemis sneered. “He had the fog of Death shrouding him the last time we met.”
Victor looked at Artemis in amazement. What had Lord Death wanted with Dante? “I saw him encounter a hellhound a few moments ago.”
“Interesting,” Ra muttered. “And what was the beast’s reaction?”
Victor searched for the right words. “Humility, Father. The beast was…” He trailed off, unsure of exactly what he had seen.
“And what are your suspicions, Victor?” Ra inquired.
Victor shrugged. “Is he-”
“No,” Artemis interrupted again. “As I told you, uncle,” he said to Ra, “that demon is not ready!”
Ra nodded his head in agreement with the archangel. “So you have repeatedly been telling me, with no arguments from me. The Heavenly Council is the group that needs convincing.”
Artemis clenched his fists, knowing that the council was a pack of useless angels stuck in their bureaucratic ways.
“Then I am correct in my suspicions?” Victor asked.
Ra nodded. “You are, albeit only by a technicality. What are your thoughts on his readiness? I feel your endorsement could sway the Council’s decision.”
Victor almost laughed. After his exhausting vigil over the demon, he was sure that Dante was not as much of a threat as it seemed. Although with this new information, Victor was less sure. “Ready or not, Dante could pose a threat to our world if he learns the truth. If he learns of what power could be his, I fear he would try to overthrow us all.”
Ra inclined his head, mulling over Victor’s words.
“I hate to say it, but I agree with Victor,” Artemis growled. “Dante cannot know until he is ready.”
Ra nodded again and waved his hand. “Then off to the council with you, Lord Artemis. Inform them of Victor’s stance on the subject.”
Artemis bowed and turned to leave, tossing a contempt-filled sneer Victor’s way before he left.
Victor ignored it, turning back to his father. “What would you have me do, Father?”
“You will do nothing,” Ra replied. “Await a missive from me on the Council’s decision. I understand your wish for haste but know that this could take some time. Until then, continue your good works on Earth. You are doing very well there.”
Victor bowed and left the castle, his spirits sinking. He had been ready to accept Dante as the respected member of the community he had become. Now, however, he felt that it would be prudent to kill the demon. His old grudge was gone, lifted by Dante’s peaceful interactions with the townsfolk. But this new information left the angel feeling increasingly uneasy. Killing the demon would not be an act of personal aggression, but an act of mercy. Victor would see him dead in order to prevent another war. Even so, Victor felt torn. He had entertained the thought that he and Dante could have actually been neighbors, if not friends.
The angel went back to the tower, his home in Heaven, and climbed the stairs to the top. There, he drew the same rune that brought him here and placed the ring back on his finger. His wings shrank away into nothingness and he stepped through the portal, going back to Earth.
Dante and Erin exited the forest in the evening with Manhattan just a few miles away.
“About another hour and we’ll be there,” Dante mentioned, keeping a brisk pace.
Erin nodded, glad to be out of the forest and near home. “Grandfather will be pleased to see you,” she said. “He has been asking for you for weeks, now.”
“Then why did it take you so long to tell me?”
“We thought he would pull through. This isn’t the first time he’s been sick. We realized it was as bad as it is when the doctors were unable to help him. They have given up and helped us to make Grandfather as comfortable as possible.”
Dante remained silent, letting his thoughts roam back to Staci, back to where he was happiest. Using his thumb, he absently spun the ring he wore on his middle finger. It was warm to the touch, telling him Staci still wore his ring’s counterpart. The soft warmth of the ring pulsed like a heartbeat, mimicking Staci’s own heart. She was calm, whatever she was doing, therefore safe.
Erin watched him spinning the ring on his finger, figuring he was thinking of the woman back in Bethlehem. She felt a pang of jealousy, but kept it hidden. Who was she to think Dante could love her? She, who was so frightened by the beast in the forest, was but a child compared to the demon with whom she traveled. Then again, so was Staci. What was so different about her? She was a teacher, a dancer, and a mortal. Though Erin was also a mere mortal, she was a budding warrior, something that Dante had to respect. Why would someone so obviously at home in battle not love a fellow fighter? Sure, Erin was nowhere near as experienced as he was when it came to swordplay, but she was at least as good as anyone else, perhaps better. Why couldn’t he love her?
“You’re pouting,” Dante muttered, breaking Erin’s trance. “Stop.”
Erin glared at him, while he kept his gaze on the upcoming city. He had never turned from it, but had noticed that she was over-thinking something.
“Gerard had the same set to his shoulders when something was bothering him,” he explained. “Knowing you, it’s probably something trivial.”
“You don’t know me,” Erin countered indignantly.
Dante scoffed at her. “You think that just because you’ve been around the world once, and have seen more than most have, that you are somehow better than the rest of them. And now, you’re bothered by being so impossibly outmatched by the hellhound that you’re over-analyzing… whatever it is you’re thinking about. So stop. You survived. Be content with that.”
Erin glared harder, staring daggers into the side of his face. How could he be so cold?
“Staring won’t help, either,” Dante stated.
Erin sighed and focused on the city. She stowed her thoughts for when she could be alone.
They entered the city just after sundown, making their way to Gerard’s home. The old man was fast asleep, his labored breath wheezing through his lungs. Dante knelt by the bed and looked to Gerard’s daughter, Guen, for an update.
“He’s been sleeping most of the day. That seems to be almost all he does now: sleep,” she said. “I’m glad you’re here, godfather. He’ll be overjoyed to see you.”
Dante smiled at her and let her resume her duties. Guen knew the bond shared between the two men, having been Dante’s god-daughter all her life. When she was a child, Dante practically helped raise her. She loved him like a father and accepted him as a part of the family.
Gerard slept through the night, comfortably resting in his bed. When he awoke, Dante was sitting in a chair next to the bed.
“You came,” the old man wheezed.
Dante looked up from his contemplations and smiled at his old friend. “Nothing could stop me from being here,” he replied.
Gerard smiled, bringing a happy gasp from Guen, who was just coming into the room with Dante’s breakfast.
“That’s the first time he’s smiled since he fell ill,” she sighed. Tears rimmed her eyes as she set the plate down on the bedside table next to Dante.
“How have you been, my friend?” Gerard asked. He struggled to sit up, but Dante placed his hand gently on the withered old man’s shoulder to stop him.
“Rest easy. I’ve been well. I found a new home in Bethlehem.”
“That old hamlet?” Gerard coughed. “The hell’s there that’s got you stuck?”
“You wouldn’t believe me,” Dante smiled.
Gerard’s eyes brightened and he grinned mischievously. “You found yourself a woman,” he pointed.
Dante nodded, feeling his face flush red. “She’s definitely a keeper.”
Gerard laughed, which turned into a coughing fit that worried everyone in the room. When he finally caught his breath, he patted Dante’s hand. “Good for you, old friend. It took you damn long enough.”
“Hey, old man, I live longer, therefore I’m not on a time crunch to breed.”
The two friends laughed together, enjoying the company after so long.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Dante awoke to a slight pulsing in his head. He rolled over and rubbed his eyes, wiping away the sleep, and felt his ring pulsing in time with his head. Staci was trying to reach him again. They had kept in regular contact nearly every day for the last two months. He allowed her thoughts to flow through his mind, letting her know she had his attention.
“Hey, beautiful,” he greeted. While he spoke aloud, he enacted a globe of silence around himself so anyone outside his room would not be able to hear him talking.
“Hey, you,” Staci’s voice floated in. “How’s Gerard?”
“He’s as good as can be expected. We’re all pretty surprised he’s lasted this long, but he’s a tough old man.”
“So you’ve told me,” Staci replied. “I thought you’d only be gone a couple of weeks at most.”
“I know,” Dante apologized, “and I’m sorry. I wish I could be there with you, but I need to be here for him until he’s passed on.”
“I understand. You’re not really missing much out here.”
“Still,” Dante sighed, “I feel a little guilty for not being there while you were sick. Are you feeling any better?”
“I’m still throwing up a bit, but not as much as before,” Staci said. Dante thought he heard the hint of a smile in her words. “Turns out it wasn’t food poisoning, though.”
“Is it serious, then?” Dante asked fearfully.
“Oh, very,” Staci quipped. “But it’s nothing to be afraid of.”
“What is it?”
“Well, I had wanted to wait until you were back home to tell you, but it seems I would have to wait too long for that. I’m pregnant.”
Dante nearly fell over. His face split into an enormous smile and he wanted to jump for joy. “That’s great!” he exclaimed.
Staci’s own joy flowed through Dante’s mind, adding to his own. “I know! We’re gonna have a family!”
He was so pleased at the news, Dante could not contain his happiness. He burst into the adjacent room where Gerard lay. “I’m going to be a father!” he exclaimed.
Gerard grinned from ear to ear while Erin and her mother gasped. Dante didn’t hear the disappointment in Erin’s breath. He was too focused on his own joy. He did not even notice her leave the room.
Erin ran to her room and wept. She had thought that with Dante near her, she could turn him away from Staci and toward herself. However, now that Staci was pregnant, Erin knew that her love for the demon was never to be returned. She knew that she would never find a man like him.
Then, due to the pain of heartbreak, an idea struck her. She could remove the opposing woman from the picture somehow. Perhaps she could convince Staci that Dante was being unfaithful. Or she could simply kill her. Either way, Dante would lose Staci, and Erin could swoop in as the comforting friend and win his heart. Erin smiled at the thought, relishing her chance at the demon’s love. She began packing a bag for the trip back to Bethlehem.
Dante sat with Gerard, both grinning from the good news, and talked of the new life to enter the world. The old man would laugh and pat Dante on the shoulder, telling him of the wonders of fatherhood and the joys of raising a family. That was one of the only things Gerard had experienced which Dante had not. Dante brimmed with excitement and mild trepidation. He was worried that something would happen to him or Staci that would leave the child with only one parent. Or worse, what if something happened to both of them? He pushed the disturbing thoughts from his mind and focused on the positive. He would teach his child of the wonders of the world.
Dante became distracted by the prospects of his new life of fatherhood, so much so that he was not aware of Gerard drifting off to sleep. The old man often slept for much of the day, leaving the rest of them to take care of other matters.
“Have you seen Erin?” Guen asked that evening, while Dante helped her prepare dinner.
“Not since this morning,” he replied. “Why?”
“I thought I saw her heading out on another trip. It’s not like her to leave without telling anyone, especially when her grandfather is so ill.”
“Perhaps she’s headed out for supplies and didn’t feel it was important to say anything,” Dante shrugged.
Erin adjusted the strap of her pack to a more comfortable position on her shoulder as she walked along the road to Bethlehem. Anger drove her steps, her goal clear in her mind. She was going to find Dante’s woman and bring an end to the relationship however possible. Erin kept reminding herself that there was still a possibility that Dante would find out she had something to do with whatever happened, but she did not care. She would deal with it when the time came. All she cared about was her current goal.
Thoughts of the demon’s wrath slowed her steps, though. She tried to brush them away, but the lingering fear of his ire remained. Erin forced her thoughts away, telling herself that she had overcome more terrifying beasts than Dante through her travels. Her short sword was stained in the blood of werewolves and vampires. The blade was notched from biting into the bones of minotaurs. She had even met another demon, one who truly looked the part. Its crimson skin glistened with its own spilled blood as she stood triumphantly over its dying body.
But how could Erin have felt more fear upon witnessing Dante’s cold, calculating evil than she had during all of her battles combined? What was it about Dante that left such a chill in her spine? There was definitely something about him that she could not quite figure out. Even her grandfather once admitted to feeling a certain level of fearfulness around the demon. Something set this demon apart from all of the others, even though he was the most unassuming of any magical being. He lived as a simple human outside of the city, carving out his own meager existence in a forgotten relic left behind from the war. Erin shook the thoughts from her head and increased her pace. Bethlehem was near, as was her mission.
Erin entered Bethlehem just after sundown two days later and it was just as she remembered it, other than the return of electricity. The town glowed with a subtler yellow light rather than the flickering, orange light of torches. The world was slowly becoming whole again, finally making an effort to return to the former glory it once held. All throughout her life, Erin had heard tales of how much better the world was before the war ravaged Earth. Her grandfather weaved grand tales of how a person could talk to someone half a world away, all through a small handheld device. With the return of electricity, such communication was once again within the realm of possibility, even if most of the present population regarded the stories as mere legend. Supposedly there were great metal objects
in the sky that aided in much of the communications of Earth, but they required ‘realigning’ as Gerard had put it. Erin was skeptical of the validity of his claims, but she indulged the old man by listening to his tales.
Erin walked through the town, gaining her bearings and mentally making note of the layout. She would likely be forced to make a hasty retreat. Whatever happened, Erin had to be prepared. She checked into an inn just off the main road and stored her belongings for the night. Her sword stayed belted to her hip while she wandered the empty streets. She passed by the barren schoolyard, barely noticing the moonlight glinting off the metal playground equipment.
A light appeared in one window of the schoolhouse, immediately gaining Erin’s attention. She hid around the corner of a nearby building and peeked through the lighted window. Inside was Staci rummaging through some papers on her desk. She flipped through them, apparently seeking a particular page. Finding it, Staci sat at her desk and read the child’s work.
“Late night homework grading,” Erin surmised. She suddenly felt very unprepared. What had she planned on accomplishing when she found Staci? Erin had no idea how to proceed. She had been so focused on her anger that she failed to have a plan for how to deal with the woman sitting not twenty feet away from her. Beginning to panic, Erin hastily formed a rough plan. Kill Staci. It was simple. The woman would be out of Dante’s life for good and all, leaving Erin the opportunity to console him and turn his attentions to her. Erin knew she was beautiful; she had been told as much by nearly every man she spoke to. She was no novice to using her womanly assets to sway a man to her will. She stopped short of bedding most men, but Dante wasn’t most men.
Smiling, Erin began to draw her sword.
Down the street and around a corner, Victor strolled along his patrol route, enjoying the night’s beautiful moonlit sky. The lights diminished the visibility of the stars a bit, but Victor was far enough away from the city center to enjoy most of the stars’ light anyway. His sword hung comfortably from his belt, well within easy reach if the need to protect anyone arose. He rarely needed to draw his blade for anything, but he knew the world far too well to trust in the goodness of humanity. Still, Victor walked with an easy gait and felt quite at peace. His mind wandered to Staci and his growing feelings for her. He knew that he should not be in love with a human woman, no matter how close they were, but he could not help his feelings. She was a very desirable woman, after all. But she was human nonetheless, and he was an angel. Heaven had no laws against loving or being with a human, but the pain that was inevitably involved was often its own deterrent. Angels lived for thousands of years, while a human lived only decades. For an angel to fall in love with a human only promised pain from the eventual heartbreak brought on by the human’s death. Victor feared what he knew he would have to face when Staci died, whether she was with him or with Dante.
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