AngelFire

by Luke Valen

  “‘After He drove the man out, He placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden Cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.’ Genesis 3:24.” Uncle Homer pointed to the photo. “This is the only place Lucifer knows he is not allowed, and the only place no angel dares threaten the Cherubim.”

  “But how do we get there?” Bryon asked again.

  “You will head to the Middle East. To the place where the four-headed snake meets…Baghdad.”

  —§—

  “Damn it!” Kip yelled angrily as steam billowed off his shoulders. “Every time I’m close…he messes it up!”

  The room was a hot, dark, wet dungeon decorated with black candles. The bed in the middle of the room was lined with red silk linen and a tall wooden bed frame boasting a red-and-golden canopy attached to the intricately carved posts. A large firepit surrounded by a round wall of stone lit the room from nearby. The pungent smell of mold and charcoal lingered in the stale air.

  “Be calm, brother. You’re going to overheat again,” said the slithering voice of a young girl lying in the bed.

  “He probably told the boy everything by now! His strength is returning, I can feel it.” Kip paced back and forth, furious.

  “Not to worry, I have smelled the child up close. He is not who he once was. His powers have diminished,” she said again as she ran her fingers through her long black hair. “You will defeat him with ease.”

  Kip stopped his pacing in front of the pit of fire. His pale, scarred face illuminated by the yellow and red flames. “That is the last time that pest Nile interferes with my business. I need the stone!”

  “You know Uncle will not give you the stone—he is saving it for you-know-who,” she said with a stern face and monotonous temper.

  “I will take it then if that’s what it takes. I will not fall again to that lackey Nile. Let alone the brat,” Kip said, placing his hand in the fire playing with the flames.

  “Come to bed, Legion. Come keep me warm,” she said with an enticing tone, softly patting the bed.

  Kip made his way over to the bed and sat at the edge. She crawled over to him and began to unbutton his shirt from behind, placing her hand on his chest. “Come, brother, now is not the time to get worked up.” Beth’s face came into the candlelight as she placed her head on his shoulder and whispered something in his ear with her forked tongue.

  “I will get him if it’s the last thing I do. I don’t need Uncle’s help. I will prove to him I am the one who deserves the stone,” Kip said, paying little attention to Beth’s advances.

  “Yes, we will show him your strength…The kingdom will be yours,” she said, turning his head toward hers and placing her lips onto his. The fire raged as it grew and danced around the room. The two intertwined their decrepit bodies and rolled in the flames.

  —§—

  Some time had passed, and the day grew dark as the sun receded behind the mountains. The birds and all the animals had settled in for the night, and the woods were quiet. All the lights in the town were slowly put to rest one by one as the people headed home. Over at the Li’ved castle, a light shone through one of the windows. Mr. Li’Ved was in his office, sitting at his desk. Always in a suit and tie; this time it was blue. He sat hunched over as he scribbled signatures on paper after paper. It was business as usual.

  “Yes, Flint. What can I do for you?” he said, without skipping a beat as he signed away at the documents.

  With that, a puff of smoke materialized into a large, dark creature. It stood there on its backward legs, burnt skin, its eyes piercing red, with a snout-like face and tusks like a boar’s.

  “Sir. I have news,” it said in a raspy, deep voice.

  “Have you found it?” Mr. Li’Ved said monotonously, with his eyes glued to his papers as he continued to sign.

  “No, sir,” the creature said.

  “Well, then what is it you are bothering me for at this hour?”

  “I apologize, sir, but I believe I have located the boy.”

  Mr. Li’Ved stopped his signing and placed the pen on the table, slowly turning to look at the abomination.

  “Where is he?” Mr. Li’Ved said, staring into Flint’s deep red eyes.

  The ugly demon took a slight step backward. “Here, Your Grace. In AngelFire.”

  Mr. Li’Ved shrugged it off and turned back to his desk. “Impossible. I would have sensed his energy.”

  “Legion himself fought the boy earlier,” Flint said, taking a small step forward.

  “Good, so then he has been dealt with.” Mr. Li’ved said, beginning to sign his papers again.

  The creature said nothing.

  “He has been dealt with…” Mr. Li’Ved reiterated, stopping the signatures and gripping the pen tightly.

  “No, sir, a war angel interfered. Nile.”

  “Nile!” Mr. Li’Ved jumped out of his seat. “He has been a pain in my ass for millenniums. Where is the boy now?” His eyes enraged with red fire. His body literally steaming through his suit.

  “We don’t know, sir. He disappeared after the encounter. Legion was forced to retreat.”

  “You are certain of the boy?”

  “Yes,” the beast continued. “I first took notice of him when I was on mission. He was at a party. He had the mark, sir. His power is growing. I have tracked him for the past month to make certain before coming to you. It is him.”

  “Show me.” Mr. Li’Ved approached the creature, reaching out his hand.

  The creature closed its fiery red eyes just as Mr. Li’Ved’s hand touched its forehead. Visions of Dean went flashing by first at the party, then in the junkyard, running up to the house and speaking with Abigail, and finally with Bryon and Jade as Legion approached.

  “Ah!” Mr. Li’Ved exclaimed as he pulled his hand from the beast. “I let that boy in my house! I fed him and let him leave! I knew I had sensed something in him, as did Beth. I thought he was a half-breed!” Mr. Li’Ved quickly turned and gripped his desk, crushing the edges in his bare hands. “I showed him the room of antiquities. His power, it is diminished. It is so low I couldn’t tell.” He flipped his chair over his desk. “AH!”

  “Sir, he was here?”

  “Abigail.” Mr. Li’Ved said deeply. Burn holes began to appear through his suit jacket.

  “What would you like me to—”

  The door to the office swung open.

  “Hey, Daddy! I…” Abigail said as she came bursting in.

  Faster than the blink of an eye, the creature was gone without a trace.

  Abigail looked around. “Were you talking to someone in here?”

  “No, baby,” Mr. Li’Ved said as he reslicked his hair back on his head and straightened his suit.

  “Oh, I thought I heard you talking,” she said, still holding onto the door handle. “What happened to your chair—”

  “Yes, I’m sorry, I was. It was a conference call. I know how much you hate when I bring work home. I didn’t want you to know. I’m sorry,” he said as he walked up to Abigail, placing both hands on her shoulders and staring her in her eyes. “And the chair. You know how I get when I receive bad news. It was just something I wasn’t expecting to hear, that’s all. It will be dealt with.”

  “It’s okay, Daddy,” she said, looking him deep in the eyes and pulling him in for a hug.

  “Did you need something, baby?” he said, pushing back a bit, still in her embrace.

  “Oh yeah, I just wanted to tell you that I am going over to Cherry’s for a little while. We are going to have a girls’ night, is that okay?”

  “Of course, baby. Just be careful and make sure to call me when you get there.”

  “Thanks, Daddy,” she said, giving him another big hug.

  Just as she was turning to leave, he asked, “Hey, baby…Where has Dean been lately? You haven’t had him over.”

  “I don’t know, I haven’t talked to him in a while. Why? You never care about any of my friends, weirdo,
” she said, looking back at him.

  “He seemed like a nice young man. Be sure to invite him over for dinner again soon, okay?”

  “Ohhhkayy…bye, Daddy,” she said with a confused look on her face as she made her way out the office door.

  “This time he won’t be leaving so easily…” Mr. Li’Ved whispered to himself under his breath. He sat back at his desk, readjusting his suit and wiping it from where Abigail had hugged him.

  Leaving his office, he made his way through the marble-laden hallways and into his room of antiquities. Dimly lit, the room was cold and eerie. As he made his way to the large object being covered by a black linen, his hands dragged on each piece of art, seemingly drawing memories from each. Growing near, the black sheet began to shake violently.

  “Soon…your time will come soon,” he said, placing his hand on the object.

  —§—

  The night was brisk as Abigail made her way over to Cherry’s house. A full moon lit the town with its soft blue light as the stars hid in its wake. A car would pass on occasion on the empty dirt roads, lights blinding as they passed Abigail. The cold air stung her nostrils and awakened her senses. The thought of Dean had tormented her. Though she tried to think little of him and the way he had felt, it was like wishing for rain in the middle of a drought, impossible to not think of. Where had he gone? Did I do something to upset him? The thoughts swirled around like snow in the breeze. As she walked the lonesome roads, he was all she could think of. Why had her father taken a liking to him so much? The confusion danced around her mind like a ballerina performing “The Nutcracker.” About halfway to Cherry’s house, Abigail stopped.

  The thoughts were too overwhelming. She turned, changing directions to head to Dean’s place.

  Cherry could wait.

  Hidden in the woods, watching as she altered routes, Kip stood in the shadows.

  Abigail could feel the eyes burning a hole in the back of her head. She whipped around in a circle, seeking the energy.

  “Hello? Daddy?” Abigail shouted.

  Nothing.

  She continued forward, back on the path to Dean’s.

  The eyes appeared once again, finding their target, following her every move. As she passed under each lamppost, her golden-blonde hair shone brightly as if lit for the stage by spotlight. Not far behind was the dark shadow creeping around the beams of light.

  The church in sight, Abigail drew near and could see a light on inside the wooden enclosure.

  Buzz. Buzz.

  Her phone vibrated in her pocket. She stopped under the lamppost just outside the church to check it. The message from Cherry read: Where are you?

  She started responding: Be right there I had to stop for—

  Before she could finish the text message, she saw it. The reflection in her phone showed a man standing behind her.

  Abigail screamed. “Ah! Get back!”

  —§—

  “Did you hear that?” I asked. A scream had come from outside the doors. “That sounded like Abigail.”

  The three us looked at each other and ran for the door, me outpacing the others in only a few strides.

  —§—

  “Abigail, don’t be afraid. It’s me, Uncle Flint,” the tall man said.

  The man came into her view under the lamppost from out of the shadows. He was a tall, gangly man and pale as could be. “Don’t you remember me? I’ve known you since you were a little girl.”

  Abigail shook her head no and trembled as she stood frozen in fear. She must have heard the door of the church slam open. She turned to look and then back to the man.

  He took a step closer. The man continued as he approached Abigail. His black-and-white suit began to stretch at the seams. His arms and legs seemed to grow in length. His six-foot stature increasing in height. “You need to stop what you are doing. Your father cannot have you interfering with his work.”

  “I don’t know who you are—please just stay away from me,” she said, taking a slow step backward and tripping on a crack in the road. She stumbled onto her butt.

  —§—

  “ABIGAIL!” I shouted from the doorstep, spotting her red jacket under the lamp and a man quickly approaching.

  “Dean, you aren’t ready.” Uncle Homer came from behind me, grabbing at my arm. “I will call for help. Stay here.” I couldn’t wait. I couldn’t stand by, idly watching the girl my heart beat for tremble in fear. I looked at Uncle, still holding my arm, and gently pulled my hand from his grip. “Dean,” he whispered faintly, eyes closing.

  I turned to Abigail and ran. Uncle’s eyes had looked so scared. I had never seen his eyes like that before, full of fear.

  “Please just stay away,” Abigail said fearfully, crawling backward while keeping the man in sight. As she did, her birthmark began to flicker a white glow.

  “You must not interfere. You don’t know who you are dealing with. I am here to protect you.” The man stepped forward again, now reaching out his long, ghoulish arm.

  “Dean!” Abigail shouted, not turning away from the pale man.

  His eyes began to glow the bright red.

  “She said stay away!” I yelled as I came running in between her and the man, putting Abigail behind me. Jade and Bryon must have followed me out, as they slid on the snow right next to me. The man pulled his long, skinny arm back to his side. Jade and Bryon grabbed Abigail and began pulling her back to the church, dragging her feet through the snowy ground.

  “Don’t worry. Dean’s got this. He’s kind of…special,” Bryon said through heavy breaths.

  “You don’t know who I am, do you, boy?” the man asked me as I stood at the ready. Both of us stood under the streetlamp, our bodies prepared. The roads were empty and frigid as an icy breeze blew past. The smell of burning charcoal was becoming all too familiar. Sweat drops began to form on my forehead. I could feel them freeze as they fell.

  My wrist began to glow a deep blue.

  The man turned his head ever so slightly, looking at my wrist.

  I remembered. “Those eyes…” I had seen those eyes before. The familiarity was hitting me like a belly flop in still waters.

  “Dean, get back!” Abigail shouted just before Bryon and Jade pulled her farther away, nearing the doorstep of the church for safety.

  The man looked deep within my soul. “Yes…these eyes.”

  His body began to grow and morph, shredding his clothes as he grew bigger and bigger. His arms stretched down to the ground, his knees broke and bent backward, his jaw dropped eight inches as it broke open and reformed into a snout. The sound of breaking bones echoed in the quiet streets, causing chills to run up and down my own. The tusks came next as they grew out of his mouth, shaking his head. His ghostly pale skin darkened from one shade to the next instantaneously, now blackened and burnt.

  The creature stood there nearly the same height as the lamppost overhead.

  I stood my ground, as the memory of Chase’s party flashed through my head. “I remember you,” I said. “I’m not afraid of you.” I felt my body begin to give off a great heat. My long, black peacoat blew in the wind as burn holes formed all through it.

  —§—

  “Asorath,” Abigail quietly mumbled.

  “Huh?” Bryon asked.

  “Nothing,” Abigail said. Her body language shifted from fear to confusion as she released tension.

  Jade and Bryon gawked in amazement as neither had ever seen anything like the creature before. He is going to kill him. Asorath is different, stronger, she thought to herself. Abigail’s eyes widened as she fought to get past the human blockade Bryon and Jade had made. With all her might, she broke free and pushed between the two to get a better look at the looming monster.

  “Abigail…” Bryon murmured, reaching for her shoulder to stop her.

  “He’s going to get killed!” Abigail yelled as she made a move to run toward Dean.

  “Abigail, stop!” Bryon ran and tackled her to the snowy floor. “He’s
got this. Trust us,” Bryon said, looking her in the eyes and then up to Dean. Her facial expression was filled with anger. Knowing who Flint was pulled at her heart as she desperately tried to wriggle free from Bryon’s clutch.

  —§—

  My body began to grow so hot that my favorite coat was now disintegrating. My bare skin held against the icy wind. Scars tattooed my body. My mark was glowing brighter than I’d ever seen before.

  “I see your strength is returning,” Flint said, looking down on my ant-sized body, oozing goo dripping from its mouth with each slimy word. “No matter, I will make quick work of you yet.”

  He lunged forward in a fiery ball of smoke.

  We clasped hands as he reached for me, our strength even. Face-to-face, we stared the other in the eye menacingly and unwavering. The heat emitted from the two of us began to melt the very ground beneath our feet. His body literally on fire.

  “You are stronger than I thought you would be—it is coming quicker than we anticipated,” the creature struggled to say as it pushed back against my shaking fists.

  “Just like riding a bike,” I forced out as I tried not to show that I was giving it my all. Veins pumping jet fuel through my body, throbbing above the skin.

  The creature was becoming too much to handle. I dug my feet into the ground as the creature pressed harder. “AH!” I pushed back harder, my muscles grew and bulged. The ground below me began to break and depress as I was forced down into it. The heat became unbearable. I turned my head, breaking eye contact with the creature to protect my eyes from the smoldering waves of the flames. My bones felt like sticks of bamboo bending under the pressure, about to snap.

  The lamppost was red-hot and bending from the melted metal.

  “Dean!” Jade yelled from the church. “Dean…” The rest was inaudible.

  I pressed with all my might. The creature grew bigger, its hands the size of stove tops set to high heat.

  “AHHHH!” I let out a loud yell as I was brought to my knees, still pressing against the creature.