"Can't we run? We can go into the mountains and hide where they won't be able to find me. You can keep me safe there and we can figure out something else."
Zeriel grabbed Jaylen's neck in his hand and pushed the boy against the wall. "No. You are no coward, Jaylen Corrifus. You are not a deserter. You knew your fate when you agreed to become a paladin. I will not allow you to run from your duties. Be a man."
Jaylen squirmed under Zeriel's iron-like grasp. "I didn't agree to die now! I still had four years to do things, to make a difference, to learn what I haven't had a chance to learn. There's so much in the world that I haven't experienced. Please, Zeriel. I don't want to watch this world pass by and leave me behind. I don't want to fade away. I don't want angels to eat my soul."
"That is your lot in life. You volunteered. You even fought against the clergy members who tried to talk you out of joining the Holy Order. You wanted this. What changed in you, Jaylen? Has my paladin become nothing more than a selfish coward? You will face your fate. You will go to The Cleansing and see the true face of your beloved Holy Order, even if I have to drag you there myself. You will bear witness to it all. Don't forget for one second that you are the one who wanted this. You wanted this, Jaylen!"
"Not this." Jaylen started crying as he gasped for air while Zeriel's grasp grew tighter around his neck. "I didn't want to die yet."
"You will learn that actions have consequences. Tonight, you will be a part of The Cleansing, as thousands of paladins have done every fifty years. This is your time, Jaylen. It is your time to be a sacrifice for the world."
Chapter 11
For a reason unknown to Jaylen, he followed the procession of paladins, all in their chainmail and yellow surcoats. While he may have seemed calm and collected on the outside, inside he was panicking. Nothing about this seemed right. The group of paladins and angels slowly walked through the city streets as the citizens lined the buildings and softly sang their haunting song. They lifted their children up to see the men who would be dying in a few short minutes. Women tossed down dark red rose petals from up on the roofs of the tall buildings. The velvet petals drifted down and landed around them like the blood that was soon to be spilled upon the freshly-fallen snow.
None of the paladins made a sound. No one said a word as the groups marched through the darkness and soft shades of mage-glow with their heads down low and eyes cast on the ground below their feet. Their angels showed no emotion. Their wings were held tight against their bodies and they followed silently behind the men they had bonded with. Their hands were holding securely to the golden daggers hanging on cords around their necks. Jaylen glanced behind him at Zeriel who also had a golden dagger, just like the others. His heart was heavy as the realization dawned on him. The angels were the ones who would be doing the killing tonight.
It was as if some force was dragging him forward, towards his impending death. Those invisible hands that pulled him along continued without end. Every part of Jaylen's body, mind, and soul screamed at him to run. They begged him to run the other direction, to steal a horse and go out into to the hills where he could hide from these eyes that watched him. The stars all watched as well. He gritted his teeth as he marched, herded by angels to his slaughter. On that night, even angels seemed unholy.
Every step he took made Jaylen lose another scrap of hope. The frozen dew that hung from the blades of dead grass snapped and crackled under the soles of his boots. His breath fogged in the icy air. Patches of snow lined the path that led towards the circle of tall obsidian stones that stood on end, like guards watching them all and judging the quality of their souls. A large fire blazed in the middle of the circle of pillars where all the priests had gathered in their ceremonial yellow robes. The paladins lined up in the order they joined the Holy Order with Jaylen at the end. The angels took their places directly behind their Masters.
The haze of smoke from the fire hung in the frozen air, nearly blocking the stars from view. Around the fire, priests picked up their golden bowls and lined up facing the paladins, one for each. Jaylen knew that those bowls would soon be stained red with collected blood for Sola. He watched the bowl in front of him and nearly fainted as he thought of his own blood filling it. Zeriel had to reach out and steady him with a firm hand on his shoulder.
The high priest made his way down the line of paladins, offering them a horn of wine to sip from. This was the only time a paladin was permitted to drink alcohol. When the ram's horn was placed against Jaylen's quivering lips, he drank the spiced wine and felt his body warm with the cinnamon and cloves. It was the same wine they gave to criminals who were about to face the gallows. It was strong and immediately numbed some of Jaylen's panic. But no amount of wine could make him accept this. Zeriel's fingernails dug into Jaylen's shoulder where there was no chainmail as a sign to stay calm.
The high priest poured the remaining wine onto the pyre where it sizzled and popped, sending more thick smoke into the night sky. He joined hands with the other priests and the singing stopped. He then looked up and made eye contact with each of the paladins as he spoke. "Holy paladins, blessed men of Sola, servants of the divine goddess, you have gathered here of your own free will, bound only by your vows. You give yourselves willingly to Sola for the benefit of all humankind. We must be protected them from the otherworld and Hell's demons. Only the lives and blood of you chosen paladins will appease Sola and bring back the sun once again to light this weary world. Each of you has proven yourself through the Divinity Trial as a pure and chaste man worthy of the honorable title of paladin. Tonight, your mission will come to an end. Through the Divinity Trial, you were tested in many things to judge the value of your soul. You endured the fasting, the whippings with holy grapevines, the nights in the snow, the scarring of the soles of your feet, and the searing pain of the sun sigil on each of your chests. You were then offered unto the Angelic Court to see if any Holy Angel would deem you worthy of his trust. You are the holy men who survived and emerged from the cloister with a new and glorious purpose. You are the paladins who the angels vowed to serve. It is those same angels who will now perform the ultimate honor."
For a tense minute, the wind picked up and threatened to disrupt the silence of this sacred place. A few red rose petals were tossed into the stone circle and scattered at the feet of the paladins. The lingering patches of snow glowed orange and yellow with the flickering flames of the raging pyre. They all watched those dancing flames, some holding their breath, some quietly resigned to their fates, others with tears in their eyes. But none of them tried to run. None of them voiced their protests. None of them screamed.
When the eerie funeral dirge began again and the townspeople all gathered around the edges of the circle of stones to watch The Cleansing, each angel drew their golden dagger from around their neck and then pressed the edge of the blade against their own paladin's throat. Jaylen quietly gasped as the cold metal dug into his throat and he was held steady against Zeriel's chest. His pulse vibrated against the golden blade as his breathing grew rapid and sweat beaded up underneath his blond bangs.
Would Zeriel actually kill him? Would he slit his throat to spill his innocent blood onto the snow and fill the golden bowl? Jaylen had trusted Zeriel to protect him, to guide him, and to keep him safe through all things. Was this not part of that trust? As Jaylen watched the others out of the corner of his eye, the truth became all too vivid to him. No one here had a choice. The angels took no pleasure in this sacrifice. They held the blades to the throats of their friends, their companions, their caring Masters.
"Begin."
The first angel, far on the end, dragged his dagger across his paladin's neck. The hot blood splattered into the bowl as the priest collected it diligently and solemnly. No sooner had the paladin's body collapsed lifeless to the ground, that the next one was bleeding then the next and the next. The angels continued performing their sacred duty all the way down the line. Jaylen smelled the pungent stench of the blood. His head was swimming a
nd his stomach turned. When the paladin next to him crumpled to the ground in a gory mess, Jaylen couldn't help himself and he vomited. He was quickly restrained again by Zeriel's strong arms.
The priest in front of Jaylen nodded his head. "Go ahead."
"No."
The high priest stepped forward. "What is the meaning of this interruption, Holy Angel?"
"This won't work." Zeriel said.
"You have no authority to spread lies like that."
"Angels don't lie, High Priest. I happen to know something about my paladin that would prevent his blood from having any effect on the sun."
The high priest glared at him. "You have one minute, Zeriel."
"Then I will gladly take it." Zeriel tossed the dagger onto the ground then pulled off Jaylen's chainmail before ripping open the back of his tunic. He spun him around, to show everyone in attendance. "Do you not see the demonic mark on his back? Jaylen Amalas Corrifus has been claimed by a demon!"
The crowd erupted in nervous screaming, whispering, and profanities. High up on the walls surrounding the temple courtyard, archers appeared with bows already drawn and aimed at them. Guards poured past the obsidian stones and drew their swords as they moved closer. Some of the priests began praying out loud to Sola for protection.
The high priest looked at Jaylen and crossed his arms. "Kill him."
"What?" Zeriel spread out his wings to block them from getting to Jaylen. "Didn't you see the mark? Jaylen's soul has been compromised by an incubus. He won't have the possibility to become an angel. His soul will be completely erased."
"Stand aside, angel. Didn't you hear my order? I said to kill the boy. He will die just as the other paladins have." The high priest pushed the jagged dagger into Zeriel's hand. "Either you slit your paladin's throat like a good angel, or I will do it myself."
"I'm sorry, Jaylen. They've given me no choice." Zeriel made a shallow cut, just deep enough to draw blood. When the priest stepped closer with the golden bowl, Zeriel threw Jaylen out of the way and landed a powerful kick to the priest's stomach, causing him to drop the bowl. Jaylen scurried away and jumped on Zeriel's back. He took off into the sky as screaming filled the air.
"Archers, take out the angel." The high priest ordered as he pointed up to the sky. "Do not hit the paladin. We need him to complete the ritual. We will bring back the sun no matter what!"
Jaylen held on as tightly as he could to his angel's shoulders as Zeriel dodged arrows that sped past them. "They're shooting at us!"
"I know. Stay close to me. I'll block what I can with my wings."
One arrow sliced through the side of Jaylen's leather boot. He cried out and lost his grip. "Zeriel!" Jaylen slipped from Zeriel's back and plummeted towards the ground. The swooping of wings raced through the cold air as a lion's roar echoed above the city walls. Jaylen continued to fall until he hit something soft. When he opened his eyes, he was cradled like a baby in the arms of Gavin the incubus on the back of his gryphon.
Gavin grinned from behind his mask. "Well, well. Nice of you to drop by. I knew you'd eventually fall for me."
Jaylen screamed and tried to squirm out of the man's grasp, but he held on tightly to his waist. "Let me go!"
"Darling . . . shut up."
"Don't talk to me like that!"
"I don't want to drop you back down there with those bloodthirsty hypocrites. I'm not going to hurt you. I came to help you. Now shut up and let me help you."
Zeriel flew through the volley of arrows and came up beside the gryphon. "Unhand my paladin."
"Not now. We have to get out of here."
Jaylen blinked as his vision switched without warning to spirit sight. High above the smoke from the fire, a swirling vortex of purple and black split the night sky open. "What is that?"
"Oh, you can see these now?" Gavin asked. "It's a rift. That's a great idea, actually. This way! Follow me through the rift."
"Why should we trust you, incubus?" Zeriel asked.
"Because my name is Gavin and I have an interest in keeping Jaylen alive as well. I won't take you straight to Hell. There is an in-between place called The Veil where dark and light coexist. You will be safe there until you find out how to return to this world safely. You can stay at my place."
Zeriel caught an arrow and threw it back towards the archers. "Not a chance."
Jaylen held out his hand to Gavin. "Gavin, we would be very appreciative for whatever help you can offer us."
Gavin squealed giddily as he threw his hands in the air. "Yay! To Gavin's Place!"
Chapter 12
Once they passed into the purple barrier, Gavin held up his hand where a glowing orange light danced in his palm. He whispered something as another rift formed in front of them. "Through here and into the Veil. Don't worry. It won't hurt you. You will feel very cold, but you won't freeze to death. Just hold onto me and close your eyes. The light gets bright. I wouldn't want you to go blind."
He clenched his eyes shut and buried his face into Gavin's short shirt as the air turned icy and the light burned his eyes. Just as it was nearly too painful to bear, Jaylen cried out and all the sensations stopped.
"All right. You can open your eyes now, Jaylen."
Jaylen gasped as he looked out over the misty forests of black twisting trees, glistening waterfalls, and giant gemstones of all colors that spotted the landscape. A singular white ball of light hung in the sky, cascading over everything. Herds of white deer-like creatures ran free in the fields where blue fires burned, but didn't destroy the vegetation. "It's beautiful."
"Welcome to The Veil, the divide between Heaven and Hell."
"Have you been here before, Zeriel?" Jaylen asked.
"No. I try to stay away from liminal places like this. They make me feel unstable."
Gavin giggled. "Don't like knowing that here you both exist and don't at the same time?"
"That's certainly a big part of it. Can't this have a negative impact on Jaylen's soul?"
"Humans can generally stay in The Veil for about a week before their soul segments begin to deteriorate."
"Then we will have to get Jaylen back into the human world as soon as possible."
That made Jaylen uneasy. "What do you mean by not existing?"
"Your physical body was left behind on the other side of the rift. You are technically dead. But don't panic! You have a better one now that is an exact replica of the one you had over there."
Jaylen turned his hands over and examined himself. "I feel the exact same."
"See? Nothing to worry about. It's just a way for you to be in this in-between place without losing your soul. You will never be able to tell the difference."
"I know. My jaw still hurts."
"And what happened to his real body?" Zeriel asked.
"It won't decay or anything while Jaylen is here because he is still connected with it spiritually. When he passes back through the rift, he will awaken in his human body . . . if it hasn't been destroyed."
"What if they burned it like they do with the paladins after The Cleansing?" Jaylen asked.
"Then we might have a slight problem."
Zeriel growled in frustration. "Sola help me. Gavin, take care of Jaylen. I'm going to go find his body and hide it somewhere. You make this so much more difficult than I thought it was going to be."
"Hey, while you're out in the human world, will you bring me one of your feathers? I need one for a potion."
"Get your own feathers, demon."
Gavin took his gryphon lower and landed outside a small square building made out of what appeared to be black glass surrounded by hundreds of flowering plants and fountains. "This is my home. Feel free to make yourself at home as well. It's pretty bleak inside, but I spend most of my time outside in my garden." He slid off and helped Jaylen down. "Oh, it's so nice to be back. It's been a while, since I was busy with those mindless vampires. You're going to love it here."
"Why do you live in The Veil? I thought all demons lived
in Hell."
"I don't like it there. Hell is all about drunken parties, orgies, and sadistic rituals like flaying, flogging, and incineration. Plus, the archdemons wouldn't let me plant my herb garden there. 'It's too pretty.' They said. 'It detracts from the lava and rivers of blood.' They said. Well, they can all go to Hell and stay there."
"An herb garden?"
Gavin led his gryphon to the large nest of straw and branches next to the front doors of his house. The gryphon took its place on his nest and nestled down to sleep. Gavin patted its beak. "Why does that of all things surprise you? I told you I'm an alchemist as well. Plus, I like to grow things. It makes me feel useful."
"A demon with a garden . . . now I've seen it all."
"That is such a judgmental word, wouldn't you say? Demon . . . not very nice at all."
"Then what do you call yourself?"
"Gavin."
Zeriel landed next to them on the front steps. "Okay. Crisis averted."
"That was quick." Gavin pointed at him. "You have a bleeding hole in your arm."
"That's what arrows do. I'll be fine. I gave Jaylen's body to a friend who will keep it safe."
"Are you sure?" Gavin asked.
"He promised."
"He could have lied."
"Angels don't lie."
Jaylen only shook his head as he listened to them. It wasn't worth arguing over at that point.
Gavin jumped down the steps and waved to them as he skipped away into the forest. "I'll go get us some dinner. While Zeriel and I don't have to eat, I know you're probably starving, Jaylen. Oh, the guest room is in the back right corner of the house. Take a bath or a nap. I'll be back later."
Jaylen was still overcome with awe at this new reality around him. He had never known anything like this existed. Even the air smelled different. Something about it was smoky and sweet at the same time. While the wind was blowing occasionally, it wasn't cool. It was like a giant wave of heat that constantly moved over the land. However, the surfaces of objects were cold, nearly icy to the touch. "This place is weird."
Angel of Darkness Books 1-5 Page 8