The Otherling

by Heather M. Walker

  "Annaleah," Seraphael whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

  She turned to him, her heart thundering with awe and adoration. She stood, taking in his beautiful angelic form, basking in his splendor. She held his gaze with her own, walking to him slowly before throwing her arms around him and collapsing into his arms.

  She knew in his angelic form he was called Seraphael and in her time with him she had only called him the Professor, but she didn't feel these names to be right on her lips. As she laid her head on his chest and heard the steady beating of his heart, she called him by the name that felt the most right in her heart.

  "Sebastian," she said, enflamed in the energy of perfect calm and peace that he exuded toward her. With the uttering of his human name, it felt as if she had claimed him.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Revelations

  Annaleah listened enraptured to the strong beating of Sebastian's heart as she pressed herself against his chest. A wellspring of love burst forth from her soul and washed over her completely, making her shiver. He held her tighter, and she listened as words of gratitude for her life escaped his lips.

  She looked up at him, taking in his angelic form. He gazed into her eyes tenderly, a smile curving on his lips. She reached up, holding his face on each side with gentle devotion, her eyes never leaving his. As she held his face in her hands, she noticed his eyes had changed. They were no longer silver, but a deep, glorious shade of indigo. Having been healed and blessed by the Goddess Herself, he was no longer a “fallen” angel. He had been redeemed.

  Sebastian, deepening the intensity of their connection, lowered his face towards Annaleah and said, "Say my name again.” His voice was low and breathy. “Say my human name.” He paused to run his finger slowly down her cheek. She felt his heart thundering against her, matching the fire in her own heart as her eyes closed in enjoyment of his touch. A sigh escaped her mouth, and Sebastian ran the pad of his thumb over her parted lips. She relished the delicious trembling that ran through her.

  "Sebastian," she whispered breathily. Annaleah slowly opened her eyes, starving to lose herself in the impressive and beautiful depths of his midnight eyes. Her lips were hot and moist, awaiting a kiss. She had never hungered for anything in her life more than she craved the feel of his mouth over her own.

  They continued to look deeply into one another’s eyes, seized by an emotion neither had ever experienced before. It was as if their bodies and souls were over powered with an energy that overwhelmed them, surging up from their hearts and pulsing throughout their bodies. The adoration they felt for one another fueled this emotional scintillation, and emanated from their hearts as their very souls merged in a burning inferno of potent emotions that surged and grew until the emotions were a glorious pyre; a myriad of undulating feelings. Holding each other, they became aglow with the power of their merging that bonded them together as twin flames, one soul within two bodies.

  “I knew you were different the moment I met you,” Sebastian whispered into her ear, still holding her close. “I never should have treated you as cruelly as I did.”

  Annaleah kissed him on each cheek and said, “Please don’t be sorry. I know where you were coming from now. I would go through everything again, a million times. To be in your arms is worth fighting a thousand wars.”

  With her heart beating quickly, filled with love and a desperate yearning, Annaleah watched as Sebastian lowered his head and prepared to kiss her.

  "There you two are! We have been looking for you both for quite a while now. Thank the Goddess you are both safe." Gabriel emerged from the woods to their left, followed by Michael and Marchosias. Their kiss interrupted, they turned to Gabriel. Disappointment flooded through Annaleah, but she smiled warmly at Gabriel.

  "Oh, sorry guys. There will be time for that later." Gabriel winked at them, his eyes twinkling merrily. "I am assuming it was one of you who called the Goddess,” he said, nodding his head towards Seraphael. “Smart move. It could have gone wrong, but we’re glad that you were brave enough to do it. Michael got separated from Annaleah after he killed one of the demons that had charged her.” He looked towards Michael. “I just got here after admitting Uncle John to the hospital. From what I gather, there were many more damned than holy fighting. There was some sort of struggle and the angels of Light were having trouble coming through to the clearing. It is over for now, but I am afraid there might be a retaliation from the damned at some not so far off date."

  "It was worth it," Sebastian replied, holding Annaleah close. "Even knowing the repercussions. Annaleah was close to death; the Jorogumo had poisoned her. Satanael had taken her and was about to have his way with her when I arrived. I was injured and weak, and had little choice but to call to the Creator. I knew it meant that I could have been damned for it, if my cause had been deemed as unworthy. I was willing to be one of the damned, if it meant saving Annaleah. I could not bear to lose her again."

  Gabriel was at their side almost instantly, worry in his face. Michael and Marchosias were right behind him, concern in their expressions as well.

  "You almost died? Satanael was with you too? I’m so glad you are okay." Gabriel threw his angelic arms around Annaleah. Breaking her embrace with Sebastian, she returned his hug, happy to see her friend again.

  "There is something I must say to you, Gabriel," Sebastian said. He placed his hand on Gabriel's shoulder and looked him in the eye for emphasis. "Thank you. A million times my brother, I thank you,” He paused, trying to get control of his emotions. “I know as the angel of dreams, that it was you who sent me the beautiful dream of Annaleah. If it weren't for that dream, I am not sure who or where I would be today, or what side of the war I would have gone to. Yet, because of you, and the dream of seeing her in the clearing, I knew that she was special. Why else would the Dream Keeper come to me with a dream after so many centuries of silence between us?"

  "You are quite welcome, brother," Gabriel answered. "I have wanted to come to you again for years, but I didn't know how I would be received.” Gabriel looked at them both and smiled. “You and Annaleah are destined for one another. The dream was my way of showing you both that you belonged together, and of thawing you, Seraphael. You see, you never truly fell. The Goddess has wanted you back in Heaven for a very long time, but you had hardened yourself against Her, and against love itself. It was almost impossible to get through to you."

  Sebastian looked at Gabriel, his eyes taking on a hardened sheen. "What do you mean I never fell? You were there when it happened. I tried to save an angel from falling and.... You know what happened! How can you tell me that I never fell? You know what I have gone through, the agony I have endured.” Sebastian’s eyes were shimmering with disbelief and confusion, his brows knitted together. “It made me into what I had become for so very long.” His expression changed to sadness and anger, hurt pressed into the creases in his face. “How can you deny I fell, after all of this?" He spread his arms out, indicating the war.

  Gabriel hung his head. "I do not deny what you have gone through, Seraphael." Stepping back, Gabriel looked at Annaleah, encouraging her to speak. "Annaleah, it is time to let him know the truth."

  Seraphael turned to her, his eyes looking bewildered and troubled. "Annaleah? What's going on?" She went to him, compassion and love glowing within her. She thought of what she wanted to say to him, and found that words were not enough.

  "Do you trust me, Sebastian?" she asked. His face softened.

  "Yes, Annaleah I trust you." His voice was low and subdued.

  "Then come to me, and let me show you what really happened." Seraphael stood in front of Annaleah and closed his eyes. She touched him softly on the temple, closing her eyes as well. She entered his mind with her thoughts and showed him the scene Marchosias had shown her not so long ago. She gave him the image of her father, Metatron, his long snowy white hair flowing out into the deepness of the cosmos. She brought him back to the moment when Metatron warned him not to go to th
e aid of the female angel who had fallen.

  Sebastian flinched, but didn’t break his contact with her. Seeing Metatron after an untold age was shocking and unexpected, and he had to stifle a cry of surprise.

  It was as if it were yesterday, seeing Metatron’s youthful face and long flowing hair, against a backdrop of the Universe itself. He could feel the concern and pleading in his friend’s eyes and it stung him, the pain as intense as a physical wound.

  The scene played again as he watched the angel he had tried to save fall and burn, her ashes scattered into the night by a war torn wind.

  Tears threatened Sebastian now, and the lump in his throat was difficult to swallow back. What was she trying to tell him with all this, he had gone through it all before, why show it to him again?

  The scene shifted and now he saw the Goddess. She was standing at the gates of Heaven, weeping for his loss. The sight of this all but broke his heart, and flooded him with the need to go to Her and comfort Her.

  "It was the first conflict in all of time," Annaleah told him with the voice of her mind. "The Goddess had not prepared for Satanael's betrayal, and she was deeply hurt by it. She was deep in mourning, and unable to deal with the loss of her lover as well as your loss. A lot of Holy angels died in battle, and she felt each loss deeply. She felt that She had failed in so much, and She went into a period of solitude to learn from what she saw as her flaws and errors. In this time Heaven was governed by the Archangels.”

  Sebastian could see all of this clearly in his mind as Annaleah spoke to him. The saw the Goddess’ deep indigo eyes filled with tears, her withdrawal into a deep cave in the secret parts of Heaven. He saw the angels govern in her leave, protecting Her and Heaven itself with their very lives.

  “Your eviction from Heaven has been a terrible mistake she has regretted since it happened."

  "What?" Sebastian replied. "A mistake? All of this time? Why wasn't I told? Why didn't someone try to do something?" His voice sounded heavy and pained as he spoke within her mind.

  "I don't know the answer to that, but I will ask you, if someone had come to you with this message, would you have listened? Would you have believed?" Annaleah wanted to hold him, to comfort him. She felt his pain and it wounded her, too.

  "I don't know," he answered truthfully. "I was hurt and angry for such a long time. I cannot say I would have listened to anyone."

  "Then listen to me now, Sebastian," Annaleah implored him. "She never meant to lose you. Perhaps this is why she came to you so willingly when you called to Her. Perhaps this is why, sweet angel Seraphael, your eyes are no longer silver. They are indigo, my precious one. You were never truly one of the fallen, but by calling to Her with only love in your heart, she had a chance to make things right. If you truly wished it, you could enter back into Heaven right now, and be with Her."

  Annaleah knew her words must have roused Sebastian, and she wondered if he sensed her fear that she would lose him to the Goddess. Seraphael broke the mind lock and opened his eyes. Feeling him leave her, Annaleah opened her eyes as well, and looked deeply into Sebastian's.

  "It is true I have wished for nothing more than to never have fallen," Sebastian confessed to Annaleah. "To be in Her grace and company." Hearing him say this sent a hollow pang of pain into Annaleah's heart. She feared that he would, indeed, leave her for the glory of Heaven he had so longed for. She knew she would let him go with no grudge against him, if it would make him happy. If it would bring him joy, she would gladly watch him go and rejoice in knowing he would finally know peace. However, this did not mean she wouldn't cry for months afterwards.

  Sebastian placed a finger tenderly under her chin, gazing with adoration into her eyes. "There is no reason to fear my leaving you, Annaleah. There is no longer a place in my life without you in it. I have felt things for you that I never knew I was capable of feeling.” He smiled down at her, his eyes shimmering. “The thought of losing you is more than I can bear. I will always be on the side of the Light, and no one will ever take the place of the Goddess. You, however, sweet Annaleah, have brought me what no one and nothing on this earth or in Heaven could ever have done.” He paused, his Adam’s apple working in his throat. “You have brought me hope. You have brought me peace when I was resigned to living with animosity for the rest of time. You have changed me and there is no going back. There is no me without you."

  A sweet flood of relief washed over Annaleah, and love blossomed inside her. From within her chest, a beautiful golden light began to glow. It pulsed and undulated, growing strong and bright as love blossomed strong and steady within her.

  Gabriel, Marchosias and Michael walked to her, each placing a hand on her with reverence.

  "Annaleah Nicole Grace," Michael spoke in his deep, masculine voice, "Daughter of Elise Leeann Grace and the Arch angel Metatron, Halfling and one and only true Otherling, it is time. Those who fell but did not turn to the Darkness will see your light. It is a beacon, and is something that they have hoped for since the moment they fell from grace. It is to the love you have in your heart that they will come. It is time to redeem the fallen."

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Satanael’s Last Stand

  Seraphael let out a cry of pained remorse and alarm at seeing how the clearing in the woods had been desecrated. Everywhere, except for the blessed spot where the Goddess had stood, blood soaked the earth with feathers, scales and all manner of severed flesh scattered within the blood. Some trees had been uprooted and tossed aside, others broken in half. The soil steamed in places, as if trying to scour itself from the terror that had occurred here moments ago.

  Annaleah took Seraphael's hand, squeezing it gently. "We can sanctify this place again; plant new trees and rededicate it as a Holy place."

  Seraphael's mind spun, his heart sinking as he took in what he saw. The damned had been burned to ash, and where the wind had not blown the ashes away, detailed outlines of their bodies told of their anguished deaths. It looked as if an artist had lovingly carved each detail of wing, horn and claw into the ash, purposely trying to evoke a sense of terror and empathy from any who looked upon the expressions on the faces of the damned. Seraphael walked past a body of ash that had its hand over its eyes, the mouth contorted in pain, shock and death. He stopped and bent to look at it, wondering if it was one he had known once long ago, before the Fall took place.

  As he examined the details of the dead unholy being, he took in the mix of scales and feather in its wing, he reached out to touch it. His curiosity turned to horror as the place where he softly placed his finger caved in. From this spot, the ash around it began to fall, until the entire body was no more, having been rendered to a pile of gray dust upon the broken earth.

  Michael placed a hand on his shoulder. "It was their choice to follow the Darkness, Seraphael. Don't feel too badly for what they went through. War is never a pretty thing. Come, let’s move on. Though this place has been destroyed, it is still accessible. Those who want redemption will come."

  Seraphael, still feeling the pain of what had happened here and knowing his calling of the Goddess had caused it, stood and tried to forget what he had seen. The emotions coursing through him were new to him. Having hardened himself to all feeling eons ago, the onslaught set his mind and heart ablaze.

  Annaleah took his hand again, and asked her friends, "What do I do now?"

  Before Gabriel could answer her, the ground began to rumble and shake as though the earth beneath their feet had begun to growl low in its throat. As the ground shook harder, Annaleah fell to the red Georgia earth, stunned.

  "What's happening?" she asked, her eyes wide with fright. Instead of answering her, Gabriel, Seraphael, Michael and Marchosias flanked her with swords drawn as guardians. The air was charged with electricity, heavy with dread and foreboding.

  A deep, haughty laugh rang out seemingly from everywhere at once. Its mocking tone was instantly recognizable as Satanael.

  Now his voice seemed to come from behind a
tree that bore long claw marks, "Did you really think you could get rid of me that easily?" His words echoed in the sky, followed by more laughter.

  "Did you think I would retreat without another word, Seraphael? Do you truly think yourself so great a threat to me?"

  His voice now seemed to come from the vicinity of a large, blood soaked stone. "You will pay for what you have done to me, all of you. Calling in the Goddess was an unfair tactic that even I would not have stooped so low to do. You must have really been terrified, "Professor." Laughter rang out from what seemed to be the whole sky, raining down with scornful mockery upon those assembled below.

  From all places at once, Satanael announced, "Prepare to die."

  The rumbling beneath them grew, forcing those who stood guard over Annaleah to brace themselves or fall. The earth began to open, a small hole at first, quickly caving in on itself to open into a larger wound within the earth. Sulfuric steam belched forth from it, the stench powerful, carrying within it deadly intent. From the great depths below this terrible opening, a scream of rage issued forth, chilling Annaleah's blood with its raw, palpable hatred. The vibrations in the earth and the growling continued to rise until, from this terrible opening, a figure emerged that was more terrifying and repulsive than anything she had ever seen.

  Its clawed hand, with slick webbing between the long, dark fingers, tore for purchase at the earth. Its arms were covered in coarse black hairs that looked like tufts of fur. The head was that of a black goat with red eyes that glowed within their sockets. The horns were a dark red and curved away from its head, the tops singed black and dripping blood. The barrel chest was well defined with muscles, the taut skin over it a deep burning red from which small, sharp bony plates protruded. The legs bent backward at the knee and were also covered in the thick black fur. They ended in two great hooves that scalded the earth beneath them, sending stinking smoke into the air. On its shoulders were the remains of once glorious wings. They were soaked in blood and showed the beginning stages of decomposition, the skin black with rot and filth. Veins and sinews showed through the numerous crude stitches that appeared to hold the wings onto its shoulders.