Champion (War Angel Academy Book 3)

by S. J. West

  An uneasy murmur can be heard through the crowd.

  “If you decide to fight, some if not all of you will die. Death in Heaven isn’t like death anywhere else. If you die here, your soul will return to the Well of Souls in the Guf. It will be like you never existed. That’s what happened to the first group of you who phased up here. Do you really want that to happen to you? Are you willing to fight for him and annihilate your own souls?”

  The apprehension within Levi’s army grows as low murmurs of uncertainty can be heard and true fear enters their eyes.

  “What else can we do?” one of the troops asks. “Can you return us to the Void?”

  “I’m not sure that’s enough,” God tells him. “You’ve been led by Levi for far too long. Some of you will be able to change your ways, but some of you will not, and you’ll end up with the same fate as you would if you died here.”

  “Then what are we supposed to do?” a female trooper asks.

  God turns His head and looks at Caleb. “You may be their only hope, Caleb. If I send you all back to the living world, you can use Azrael’s power to reap their souls and send them back to the Void without their memories. They’ll have a second chance to do things right, and it’ll give Azrael a chance to use his powers for good again.”

  “Does he have to do it or can I do it myself?” Caleb asks.

  “You are one,” God replies as a gentle reminder. “You share a body, a soul, and his powers.”

  Caleb looks off like he’s listening to something . . . or, more than likely, someone.

  “What’s Az saying?” I ask.

  Caleb looks back at me. “He said that if we were really one, why wasn’t he allowed to phase into Heaven. Why did I have to be in control for that to happen?”

  “That’s easy enough to answer,” God says. “I didn’t let him in because I needed to talk to the more levelheaded part of you. Azrael still has some unresolved issues to deal with. Although your time together in the Void helped with some of that, he still needs to work a little harder on others.”

  Caleb grins at God’s assessment of his . . . body mate? I’m not even sure what to call their connection.

  “Enough of this ludicrous talk.” Levi turns to Leo. “Open a doorway to the Void from here, and we’ll show this group what real power looks like.”

  Leo puts his hands together. His face becomes a mask of concentration.

  “I wouldn’t bother,” God tells them. “He didn’t open the doorway the first time. I did.”

  “Do you really expect me to believe that?” Levi scoffs. “Why would you let us just phase right in here?”

  “To stop what you were doing on Laed-i and to give your people an opportunity to accept the second chance I’m offering them.” God looks at Levi with a pity that only a father can feel for their child. “I’m not sure why you continually choose a path of destruction no matter where I send you, Levi. I’m afraid you’ve left me no other choice but to teach you a lesson.”

  Levi folds his arms over his chest and strikes a defiant pose in the air.

  “And what lesson is that, Father?” The acid in Levi’s voice causes pain to enter God’s eyes.

  “A lesson your brother Azrael had to learn.” God looks to Lucifer as he raises his hand to eye level before quickly jerking it down. The action causes Levi to lose consciousness but both he and Leo fall out of the sky, landing rather ungracefully to the ground.

  Lucifer phases to Levi and grabs him by the scruff of the neck.

  “Are you sure we shouldn’t simply end his life now, Father?” Lucifer asks. “Some souls can’t be saved, no matter how many chances you give them.”

  “I haven’t given up hope yet, my son. Let’s give him one more chance to see the light.”

  Lucifer shakes his head. It’s obvious he doesn’t believe Levi will ever change.

  After Lucifer phases away with Levi, I turn to Caleb.

  “Where did he take him?” I ask him, hoping he can see where Lucifer’s phase trail leads.

  Caleb begins to chuckle. “Azrael’s cage. Serves him right. I hope he rots down there.”

  “The Wardens know about that place though,” I point out. “What’s to stop them from discovering Levi and letting him out?”

  “You don’t have to worry about the Wardens anymore,” God tells me. “They’ve seen the error of their ways with this war, and know that the angels on their planet are only there to protect them. Their leader ended up dying fighting alongside Ethan and the others.”

  “And what are your plans for Leo?” I ask.

  God looks over my shoulder at Cal and Rose. “I believe his parents should be allowed to decide his future.”

  I turn in time to look at my friends as they both nod in silent agreement about their son’s fate.

  “We believe he should be sent back to the Void with everyone else,” Cal says. “We would also ask that you send us back with him. With us by his side, we believe he’ll earn the right to live here in Heaven one day.”

  “What?” Leo jumps to his feet. “I don’t know you people! Why would I want to be sent back there with you?”

  God snaps his fingers and Leo falls back to the ground with a thump. This time unconscious.

  Rose gasps. Cal looks worried.

  “He’s fine,” God says, allaying their fears. “I just put him into a deep sleep. Neither of you deserve to be yelled at. I believe you’ve both been through enough, don’t you?”

  Leo’s parents look relieved.

  God walks over to talk to Levi’s troops, and Caleb turns to me.

  “I guess this is goodbye,” he says. “I’m sure Az isn’t going to want to stick around after we help these people get back to the Void.”

  “Stay with us,” I practically beg. “I don’t want to say good-bye to you.”

  Caleb takes my hands with his. “I don’t think this is good-bye forever. Az cares about you too. He’ll want to see you again, but after spending so much time cooped up in his worst memory, we both need some rest and relaxation somewhere peaceful.”

  “That’s where you’ve been.” No wonder he was nowhere to be found. “Who did that to you?”

  The answer to my question wails in pain as she stumbles through the crowd running after Slade like a lost puppy dog.

  “You have to forgive me!” Olivia screams. “I did everything just so I could be with you again!”

  Slade whirls around, anger clearly on his face.

  “I know the things you’ve done,” he says in disgust. “How could you, Olivia? How could you be so cruel to people that I care about? I can’t even stand to look at you right now. Leave me alone.”

  “Slade!” Olivia falls her knees as he continues to walk away from her.

  Despite myself, I feel sorry for her. She spent so much time, did so many horrible things just to get here to see Slade and he wants nothing to do with her. I can’t even imagine how heartbroken I would feel if that was me lying on the ground and Silas walking away.

  “Go to her,” Caleb encourages. “She needs to know she’s not alone.”

  “I don’t think I have the strength to be that kind.” It’s the truth. Olivia has caused me and my friends so much pain. How can I just forgive and forget all of that?

  “Show her how to be a better person. You’re the only one who can help her change her life for the better. I think she’s reached her lowest point. She can only go up from here, but she’s going to need help to do that.”

  I hang my head and consider Caleb’s words.

  He’s right. If I don’t help her, no one will.

  Even though I still haven’t forgiven her for what she did to Silas, Emi, and Caleb, a part of me holds out hope that the sister I knew in the Void is still inside Olivia somewhere. If she can find that part of herself again, maybe . . . just maybe, she’ll be able to save herself.

  Each step I take toward Olivia gets harder and heavier. By the time I finally reach her, she’s a mess of blood and tears.


  “Olivia . . .” I take a knee and place a hand on her shoulder. “You can change your fate. Your life doesn’t have to be this way.”

  “I just want to die,” she wails. Without warning, she grabs me by the arms. The expression on her face reminds me of a wild animal desperate for help. “Kill me, Lora. End my life so I don’t have to feel this way anymore. Please, kill me!”

  “No. I won’t kill you because I believe you can become a better person. One your animus might even return to.”

  Olivia’s eyes register surprise.

  “Do you think she would actually come back to me?” she whispers, wanting to hope but scared to.

  “Your animus left when you sided with Levi, right?”

  Olivia nods.

  “Then I think you have a chance to regain her trust, but you have to go back to the Void. If you can prove you’re worthy of a soul, she just might give you one.”

  “Huh, a soul . . .” Olivia sits back on her heels and contemplates what I’ve said. “I’m not sure I’ll ever be worthy of that. You’re the only one who’s gained one out of all of us.”

  “Then you know it can be done.” It’s the best encouragement I can give her. “Go back, Olivia. Remember what our goal was when I left you there. Help the humans earn their redemption and you just might earn salvation for yourself too.”

  Olivia remains quiet for a while before she nods her head. With a new determination in her eyes, she stands up.

  “How do I get back there?” she asks, lost yet hopeful.

  “I can open a portal to take you back,” God offers, having overheard our discussion from where He stands.

  “Thank you,” she says to Him in surprise. She obviously didn’t think the Almighty Himself would help her in her time of need. She turns her gaze to me. “Thank you, too. You didn’t have to show me kindness after everything I’ve put you through.”

  “No, I didn’t,” I wholeheartedly agree, “but everyone deserves a second chance. This is yours. Take it.”

  “Is everyone ready?” God asks Levi’s troops. They all nod or voice their consent.

  Cal and Rose say goodbye to their friends and family before walking over to their son. Cal bends down and gently picks Leo up in his arms, cradling him like he’s the most precious person in the world. After they stand with Levi’s troops, God looks to Caleb.

  “Are you ready to help them?” He asks my friend.

  “Yes.” Caleb walks over to God.

  “I’m going to transport you all to a remote island on Laed-i so my angels don’t attack you.” God turns to Caleb. “Once you’re there, reap their souls to send them back to the Void. Their bodies will turn into ash once they’ve left. Do you have any questions?”

  “No. I believe I understand.”

  “Wait!” I run to Caleb and throw my arms around him. “Promise me this won’t be the last time we see each other.”

  “I promise.” He hugs me back.

  “And you never break a promise, right?”

  Caleb laughs. “Never. I’m not sure when we’ll come back here, but I do know we’ll see each other again one day.”

  He kisses me on the cheek before walking to stand by God’s right-hand side.

  In an instant, Levi’s army vanishes with God and Caleb to lead the way.

  “Are you all right, kid?”

  I turn to see that Jess is the one who asked me the question. Having seen everything that happened, both she and Mason seem worried about me.

  “I’ll be all right. I think I just need to go home.”

  I look around Heaven and feel out of place here. It’s not so much a feeling that I don’t belong. It’s more like I’m not ready to be here yet. I still have a lot of life to live in the living world, and I need to make sure all of my friends are all right. Thankfully, I haven’t seen Emi appear. If she had died from her injury, I know she would come to me.

  “Let’s go home,” Lilith says with Liana walking beside her. “I think we all need to see the rest of our families after this.”

  I look to see where Anna is and find her consoling a distraught Slade.

  “What’s Anna doing?” I ask.

  “Slade is upset about what he had to do to Olivia,” Lilith tells me. “He knew she needed to go back to the Void, and that he was the only one who could make her really look at what she’s done with her life.”

  “Are you saying all of that was an act? He doesn’t really hate her?”

  “Of course, he doesn’t hate her. He still loves her a great deal, but reaching Heaven by cheating doesn’t work. He wants her here because of how she lives her life, not by ruining others to get what she wants.”

  It all makes sense now. His rebuke of her was harsh, bordering on cruel, but it also did exactly what it was meant to do. I hope Olivia takes her second chance seriously, because the love of her life still wants her to share his afterlife with him.

  “I’m ready.” I hold out my hand for Lilith to take. “Can we go directly to the infirmary? I’m sure Silas and the others will be there with Emi.”

  “Emi was hurt?” Lilith looks startled.

  “Was Will at the academy or the castle?” Liana asks.

  “He was at the academy.”

  “Thank you.” She phases, presumably to search for her husband.

  Lilith phases us to the infirmary which has spilled out into the hallway with so many wounded. It doesn’t take us long to find Emi’s bed. Everyone she cares about is surrounding it and Sariah’s hellhound stands out like a sore thumb in the crowded space.

  Silas sees me first. When he smiles in relief, I finally feel like everything is going to be all right.

  “There she is,” he says as I walk up to Emi’s bed to stand by his side. I wrap an arm around his waist as I look at my friend.

  She has a bandage wrapped around her head. She doesn’t say anything but she does look at me.

  “Did they remove the bullet?” I ask.

  “Not yet,” Silas tells me. “Desmond said it didn’t hit anything vital and that it could wait. They have other wounded who are in more serious condition.”

  “Why isn’t she talking?” I whisper to him.

  “The bullet hit her frontal lobe. It’s the part of the brain that manages speech and motor functions.” Silas leans in and whispers in my ear. “He’s not sure she’ll ever walk again, but he said not to give up hope. She could heal and be perfectly fine or need nanites placed in her legs to help her walk. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

  It’s not a perfect diagnosis, but it’s one I can live with. Emi is alive, and that’s all that matters.

  “What happened during your fight with Olivia?” Sariah asks.

  “It’s a long story, but you should all know that the war is over and Heaven is safe.”

  Everyone starts asking me questions all at once, even those just standing around who overheard me.

  Patiently, I recount everything I saw and heard to satisfy their curiosity. The tension in the room lifts and everyone seems happy now that we’ve saved both the living world and Heaven. Although, a lot of that was because of God’s plan. He knew exactly what needed to be done. I simply wish we hadn’t lost Cal in the process, but even that was fated.

  Now Cal and Rose can be with their son and help him during his second journey through life. One day, we’ll all see each other in Heaven again, but I don’t want that day to happen too soon. I still have a lot of life to live, and I plan for Silas to play a starring role in all the days of that life.

  Epilogue

  “Take it easy we’re not in a race, Emi.” Keelan walks beside Emi ready to catch her if she falls.

  “I know,” Emi says as she hobbles across the sand to reach the water’s edge, “but I want to swim. It helps strengthen my legs.”

  When Emi’s knees give out, Keelan scoops her up into his arms before she hits the ground.

  “My hero.” She giggles, looping her arms around his neck and smiling brightly at him.

 
“I’m always available when beautiful damsels are in distress,” he says as he walks her into the water. Once there, she swims around like she was born of water, not earth.

  “Hey, you two!” I shout out. “No funny business under that water. I’m keeping my eyes on you Keelan.”

  I point to my eyes with my index and middle finger and swing them in Keelan’s direction to get my meaning across.

  “Silas!” Keelan yells. “Tell your girlfriend to stop picking on me.”

  “Stop picking on him,” Silas says as he lays on his back on our pink and white beach blanket, soaking up the warm sun’s rays.

  I lay down on my side next to him with my head propped up on a bent arm. He peeks at me through half open lids and grins.

  “I live to pick on that boy,” I confess. “He is after all dating one of my best friends. It’s my duty to make sure she’s treated right.”

  Silas rolls over onto his side and duplicates my pose so he can charm me with his beautiful hazel eyes. I may be biased though. His eyes always shine a little brighter when he looks at me, or am I imagining that? I don’t think so. I’m sure they do.

  “And who makes sure you’re treated right?” he asks, running his fingers through the white strands of my hair lying between us on the blanket.

  “That’s a silly question,” I tease. “You do, of course. You’ve always treated me with love and respect. It was the love part I had a hard time seeing for a while.”

  “I know what turned the tide in my favor,” he says flopping onto his back again as he uses his arm to shield his eyes from the sun.

  “Oh? And what pray tell was that?”

  Silas smiles cheekily. “My sexiness that day we were on this very same beach. You couldn’t resist me after that. I could tell. The teal underwear was the clencher. After that, your heart was mine.”

  I have to laugh. Even though he’s partially correct, his reminder of that day makes my heart smile.

  “You’re already swimming?” Kodi asks as he and Zoe climb down the last few steps of the metal staircase that connects the cabin on the cliff to the beach area. “Don’t you know you’re not supposed to swim before you eat?”