Angel of Darkness Books 1-5

by Mackenzie Morris

  A black raven flew down from the sky and landed on the windowsill. "Perhaps I can help."

  Gavin gasped then fell to his knees in front of the bird. "Ata-Lin! My Ata-Lin, you have returned!"

  "Xair? Where have you been?" Zeriel asked.

  "Gathering intelligence about Wolfekin and Axaniel's treachery. Funny story. Apparently Axaniel kept the heads of the paladins and angels that he cut off at that fort."

  "How is that funny in any twisted way?" Zeriel asked, stripping his wet shirt off with some pain from his injuries.

  "Because there are some missing."

  "Which ones?"

  "Trevor, Liam, Oviel, and Brinx."

  Zeriel couldn't help but smile at the possibility. "Are you serious?"

  "As serious as a demonic contract."

  "When did you find out about this?" Zeriel asked.

  "About a month ago."

  "Then why haven't you said anything before now?"

  The raven pecked at the wooden windowsill. "I had to make sure. I didn't want to deliver a false report and get your hopes up for nothing. But now it's confirmed that those four were taken alive as prisoners, much to Sulstair's orders so he could deal with Liam on his own. I also found out that Axaniel wanted to secure Oviel and pay him back for what he believes was injustice about their relationship. It's all about revenge and spite. The only problem now is finding out where they were taken. I've been hiding out behind enemy lines in Wolfekin's capital city of Fayng for the past two months."

  "And you haven't uncovered anything?"

  "Not entirely true. I found something. Well, more like four things." A slight breeze surrounded the raven as it morphed into an older teenage male human form with the shimmering extremely dark skin of the ancient Ka'taylin people that was covered with white runes. He had large purple eyes and shoulder-length white hair. "I managed to narrow down our search to four separate areas. I have been ordering many of my leashed demons to track Wolfekin soldiers who may have been witnesses to the attack in the fort or who have any kind of contact with prisoners and they have brought back these four locations where prisoners of war have been taken in the past."

  "Why have your demons do it and not yourself?" Zeriel asked. "Don't you think that you could uncover more with human interactions personally?"

  "No." Xair turned to the silent incubus who was still on his knees. He tapped his hand on the top of Gavin's head twice. "You may stand, demon. Use your legs until I make you crawl again."

  Gavin kissed the tops of Xair's boots before standing, still taking care not to look his Master in the eyes. "Thank you, Ata-Lin. Do you need anything? Can I make you a drink?"

  "Tea."

  Gavin scurried to the table where the teapot was still steaming. "As you wish, my dear Ata-Lin."

  "That's my good demon." Xair removed his purple cloak and draped it over one of the chairs. "Anyway, back to your question of why I have my demons do things instead of doing them myself. If you haven't noticed, I stand out on this continent and many people don't like my skin and eyes. They point at my runes and whisper behind my back. They know what I am and they don't want their children around me."

  "Because of your black skin?" Zeriel asked. He found an extra shirt in his bag then dressed after he was drier.

  "No. They're not racist. They are terrified of demons. Well, when you think about it, no other people have skin this dark, huh? I guess it might be a little bit racist when my race is the only one that tames demons. Huh. I didn't think about it like that before."

  "It's not that, Ata-Lin." Gavin poured a cup of tea and handed it to Xair. "There are many other people from various parts of Aldexa with tan and very dark brown skin who aren't persecuted, even angels."

  "But mine is unnaturally black, isn't it? Like the night sky."

  "So? You were right the first time, Master. They are afraid of you because of the runes on your skin. They know you summon demons and most people don't even know anything about your people other than rumors. You are the last one, after all."

  "True, in some ways." Xair sipped the tea. "This is good. Thank you very much, Gavin. You have definitely shown yourself worthy of looking me in the eyes, if you wish."

  Gavin smiled a little as he looked at his Master. "It's peppermint tea, Jaylen's favorite."

  Xair patted Gavin's red hair then set his teacup down on the table. "And how is the young paladin? I trust he is well."

  Zeriel poured himself a cup of tea. "Um . . . no. No, he's not well. Not at all."

  "Oh?"

  "Do you really not know anything about the past two months?"

  "Not anything specific. When I left the vampire coven, I didn't think I would be missed so much. It's almost sweet."

  "Requiem Squad was overrun by Sulstair's skeletons and Axaniel's sword. All of the paladins and angels died except for me and Jaylen. Jaylen watched the entire bloody thing and was so overwhelmed by it all that he didn't fight. I fell out of the sky after Sulstair's daggers went all the way through me. You could see the scars when I took my shirt off. Then two trees fell on top of us and cracked my pelvis, hence the cane. Jaylen suffered a couple of broken bones and had some brain damage. He was then arrested and kept locked up in the castle where he was tortured for two months. Now he has retreated into his mind and thinks he's a dog. So no, Jaylen isn't doing very well."

  "I knew about the incident at the fort, but not about the details." Xair tied his white hair back behind his shoulders. "Can I see him? I might be able to do something to help."

  Zeriel grabbed his cane and shook the remaining drops of water from his feathers. "This way. He should have calmed down from his bath by now. Let's just hope that he's clothed."

  "Small steps, Zeriel." Gavin followed closely behind Xair into the hallway.

  "It's not a pretty sight." Zeriel pushed the door open.

  Jaylen was whimpering as he struggled to dress himself. He had managed to find his underwear and a tunic, but no pants. As he continued to make the pitiful sounds, he crawled on his hand and knees around the floor as if he was looking for his missing articles of clothing. He looked up when Zeriel sighed then he smiled and excitedly greeted him. "Woof!"

  Zeriel shook his head. "See what I mean? This is what I've been dealing with for the past day. If I wanted a dog, I would have gotten one that didn't need clothes."

  Gavin snickered.

  Xair tapped his fingertips against his lips as he studied Jaylen's altered behavior. "Hmm. This certainly is interesting. I have seen something like this before, but it was a bit worse, actually. Do you mind if I try to perform an exorcism?"

  "An exorcism? You think he has been possessed by a demon?"

  "There is a chance. And you have no need to be overly concerned. I realize that he has had a very bad experience with the public torture the clergy likes to call a soul purge exorcism. That was not an exorcism. Only Ka'taylins can perform actual exorcisms. If there is indeed a demon playing around in Jaylen's mind and making him behave this way, then I will be able to leash the demon and force it to stop possessing Jaylen."

  "Will it hurt him?" Zeriel asked.

  "Not at all. Remember, a true exorcism does not involve the human's body. It is instead a call to the demon to release its prey. The only thing that will feel uncomfortable is the demon. A key part of understanding a true exorcism is that the demon is not actually inside the human, but controlling or influencing him from a distance. It is simply easier for many people, including priests, to explain demonic possession to the uneducated masses as the demon being inside the person. And in a way, the demon is inside the person's mind, so I guess it makes sense."

  "You are a very confusing man. As long as you don't hurt Jaylen, then you can try anything you want."

  "Very well." Xair rolled up the sleeves of his long buttoned shirt before going to the bed and patting it with his hand. "Jaylen, come here, boy. Sit right here on the edge of the bed for me and stay perfectly still. I will try to get that nasty demon out of y
ou."

  Jaylen obediently jumped onto the bed and locked eyes with the Ka'taylin.

  Xair unlaced the top of Jaylen's tunic then pulled it open. He placed the palm of his hand on the purple sun sigil. "Take a deep breath for me, Jaylen. Good. Now try to clear your mind and let my magic enter you."

  For a few seconds, nothing happened. That silence was abruptly shattered as a flash of white light exploded, sending Xair backwards to the floor.

  Gavin ran to him and helped him to his feet. "Ata-Lin!"

  Jaylen opened his eyes, seemingly unaware that anything had happened.

  Xair coughed a couple of times as he caught his breath. "So . . . I can tell you one thing for certain. There is no other demon controlling Jaylen."

  "Other? Other demon?" Zeriel asked. "So you mean that there is a demon?"

  "Well, not like you think. I don't really know how to tell you this . . . I don't think it's my place."

  "Tell me, please. I'm running out of hope and choices."

  Xair wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Jaylen can't be possessed by a demon because he is a demon."

  "Because he's technically a tainted paladin?"

  "No. Tainted paladins aren't actually demons. That is only a lie spread by the church. I mean that Jaylen is as much a demon as our friend Gavin here."

  Gavin made a concerned noise. "Jaylen isn't a demon. I would be able to tell. Wouldn't you have been able to tell before now as well, Ata-Lin?"

  "He's partially a demon. You know why demons come into existence, right? They are so absorbed and consumed by a driving need or emotion. There must be something from Jaylen's childhood that has completely taken over his mind to the point that his soul is fixated on just that pervading aspect. This behavior could stem from a traumatic childhood experience. This could be just his way of hiding away inside of his soul."

  Zeriel was not amused. "So my pure paladin is a demon? Why does he have light magic?"

  "Not all demons are demons like you think. Sometimes a human soul can be corrupted, but it can always be redeemed. My guess is that Jaylen is not fully a demon because his soul is warring against itself. Half of it wants to be holy and move past the darkness of his past while the other half is trying to keep him anchored in that pain that is threatening to drown him. Seeing his friends and fellow paladins being slaughtered in the fort could have triggered a defensive mechanism in his mind, so he shut down everything except basic bodily functions to prevent one half of his soul from taking over the other."

  "Have you dealt with something like this before?" Zeriel asked, eyeing his paladin who was growling at something invisible.

  "Sort of."

  "So this is more of a psychological condition than anything else?"

  "Yes."

  Zeriel groaned as he watched Jaylen who was crawling around on the bedroom floor sniffing things. "I think I have an idea of what that traumatic experience could have been. If I tell you, can you fix him?"

  "It will certainly help. I have been on this planet for over one thousand and seven hundred years. I have learned a great deal about many different things, including how magical anomalies can affect an already fragile mind."

  That was something that Zeriel didn't want to think about, but it was for Jaylen. "Doran would put a collar around Jaylen's neck then tie him to his bed so Jaylen couldn't run away. He told him to behave and take whatever awful punishments he had for him. After he was done hurting that little boy, Doran would pet him and tell him he was a good boy and feed him treats so he wouldn't go tell his mother what had happened."

  "Did this happen often?"

  "About once a week when Doran was home."

  "And you watched this?" Xair asked, raising an eyebrow.

  "Sometimes he made me stand outside and watch through the window. I wanted nothing more than to save Jaylen and stop that abuse, but I couldn't do it because I swore to obey Doran's orders. I'm not proud of my actions."

  "Yes, yes. I think I understand now. Gavin, bring me one of those cinnamon buns from the kitchen."

  Gavin returned with a cinnamon bun wrapped in parchment paper. "Here you are, Ata-Lin."

  "Thank you. Now, Zeriel, you may want to look away. What I'm about to do will hurt Jaylen, but it is worth it."

  "What are you going to-" Zeriel's voice left him as Xair's hand connected with Jaylen's jaw, leaving a dark red handprint and making Jaylen squeal in pain. The boy crumpled to the floor.

  "There. That's what you wanted, isn't it, Jaylen?" Xair knelt down by Jaylen then petted his messy blond hair. "Jaylen, look at me. Be a good boy. Your punishment is over. You have paid for your misbehaving at the fort. Those paladins and angels didn't die because of you. This is not your fault anymore. You've been a very good boy for taking responsibility and punishing yourself. But now it's treat time." He unwrapped the cinnamon bun and held it out to Jaylen. "Go ahead. This is for you."

  Jaylen's blue eyes brimmed with tears as he stared at the cinnamon bun. He whimpered a few times then looked up at Zeriel as if asking permission.

  "Jay, you've been such a good boy. It's time for treats now. We're all here for you, no matter what state your mind is in. We love you. No one here blames you for anything. You know what? We are going to go after the evil people who are to blame, okay? We need your help."

  The tears streaked down Jaylen's cheeks as he took a bite out of the cinnamon bun. He stood up shakily then turned his back to all of them. A few silent minutes passed as everyone waited for whatever response might happen.

  Xair stood up and motioned to Zeriel. "Take his collar off. It's done."

  Zeriel leaned his cane against the wall then reached out to Jaylen. "I'm going to take your collar off now, okay?"

  As soon as the thick leather collar fell to the floor, Jaylen spoke. "I . . . I . . . am . . . s-s-sorry."

  Zeriel stepped up behind his paladin and took him in his arms. "All is forgiven. You have already been punished."

  Xair shook his head. "It seems like he does have some actual brain issues, but I'm sure we can find a competent healer outside of Ilyan who will be able to help him. That amulet probably didn't help anything. Jaylen's magic could have made the effects worse, actually."

  Zeriel let him go and paced around the room as he tried to formulate a plan. "We need Oviel back. He would know what to do."

  "No."

  Everyone turned back to Jaylen who had picked up his old longsword from the corner.

  "What are you doing?" Gavin asked.

  "He . . . wants me . . . to bleed."

  "Who wants you to bleed?" Gavin asked. "Don't do anything to hurt yourself. Put the sword down, Jaylen."

  Before anyone could pry the sword out of his hand, Jaylen sliced his left inner arm, directly below the wound where his hand was amputated at the wrist. He dropped the sword next to him. Instead of dripping onto the floor, the blood swirled around his arm as a dark shadow of demon magic appeared in the middle of the ball of blood.

  "This is unexpected." Xair was obviously intrigued.

  Zeriel watched as Jaylen shaped and formed the blood. "What is he doing?"

  Gavin jumped up and down. "I know what this is."

  "You do?" Xair asked, still looking every bit as confused as he was before.

  "Yes. It's vampiric in nature."

  "He's a vampire?" Zeriel asked.

  "No. Calm down. Who has that amulet that has his soul segment inside?" Gavin asked.

  "Someone from the Ilyan Tribunal, probably the head judge."

  "Whoever has the amulet is a vampire. That vampire is using Jaylen's soul segment to power his spells. They now have a pseudo bond. Jaylen isn't the one manipulating that blood. The vampire is."

  "And this is why I thought there could have been a demonic possession." Xair shrugged his shoulders. "Vampires are the only otherworldly beings that Ka'taylins do not have much experience with. My people always believed that they should be left alone and never studied for fear that they would take our children from us.
"

  "Really?" Zeriel asked. "Did vampires ever take children from Ka'tayl?"

  "Not that I'm aware of. There were many superstitions among my people."

  "So the people who trap the souls of demons in runes on their own bodies are afraid of vampires?" Gavin asked.

  "Not afraid. We have a healthy respect for them. We leave them alone and they leave us alone."

  Zeriel held up his hands. "Whoa, whoa. Wait. Am I the only one who is at all concerned that there is a vampire on the head court of Vilyron? Does no one else get that?"

  "Oh, we get it, but we simply don't care. As long as vampires aren't feeding off of innocent people, then I say let them do whatever they need to do." Xair motioned towards Jaylen who was growing very pale as the ball of blood grew bigger. "You probably want to stop that bleeding or your paladin is going to pass out from blood loss."

  Zeriel pushed Jaylen onto the bed then tore the boy's hand away from the mass of blood, sending it soaking into the blankets. "Oh, Jay. No more playing with that, okay?" He quickly wrapped a towel around Jaylen's arm. "There we go. Apply pressure to stop the bleeding, all right?"

  Jaylen nodded his head then leaned back against the pillow and started humming a slow haunting song.

  Xair instantly spun around, frowning. "What is that? I know that song."

  Zeriel tried to comb through Jaylen's mop of blond hair. "It's the paladin dirge that the citizens sing during the procession of the paladins to The Cleansing before their deaths."

  "No, no, no! That's not right. Now the true evil of the clergy is coming to light. I never in a thousand years would have guessed that the clergy was doing something like this. That song is used to summon a dragon."

  "Dragon?" Zeriel asked. "The otherworldly demon-like lizards with the wings?"

  "They aren't demons. They eat demons . . . and angels."

  Zeriel didn't understand any of this. "But I've seen The Cleansing performed many times and there has never been a dragon."

  "Are you sure? What if the dragon didn't look like a dragon? That would explain why the clergy had to have all those sacrifices. Dragons are summoned with that song and the blood of virgins. Paladins are virgins."