Carvael set fire to another building with his light magic, sending children screaming and running away.
Jaylen had seen enough. "Carvael!"
The archangel chuckled as he turned around to face him, the golden sword of Heaven in his hand. "Well, well. It's about time. I was beginning to wonder if you were going to show up."
"Why are you doing this? It's not about some agreement with my cousin. This is far too big for something like that. Why are you letting Wolfekin take over Sola's blessed country? You hating me isn't an excuse for taking all of these lives. What you are doing is inexcusable."
"You're her favorite."
"Stop talking in riddles."
"I have to know why you are her favorite. Why does Sola value you so highly?" Carvael asked. "You're just a boy! I have been searching for answers all over Aldexa, Heaven, Hell, The Veil, and any other place I can think of, but everything keeps coming back to you. Your name is all over the ancient tomes in Heaven. Why? Answer me!"
"Oh? I see now. That's why you haven't killed me yet. You need answers to your questions. You have to know why Sola has picked me, don't you? Or why she needs me. That's why you have put me through all of this abuse and those terrible things. You wanted to break me down until I was too weak to say no. You thought that you could break me, didn't you? You thought that if you hurt me enough and tried to take my mental stability from me that you would uncover something in my subconscious. Amazing. And you actually thought that would work?"
"Tell me or I will kill you."
Even if Jaylen had any idea why Sola seemed to need him so badly, he wasn't anywhere close to giving the evil archangel what he wanted. "Why would I tell you if I knew that the only thing keeping me alive is not telling you? That's why you never were going to actually kill me, isn't it? You kept me alive in the isolation cell because you wanted me to break. Can you keep a secret? I will never break."
"You are a spoiled noble brat who will always be worthless. Your father was right. You are no better than a dog. That is all you will ever be. A worthless dog!"
Jaylen felt his magic surging up inside of him as his rage grew as well. "Call me what you will. But I know who I am. Those people in that castle are my flesh and blood. They are my family! I will not let them down like my father did. I will not stand by and watch my relatives be destroyed. No matter what they've done to me, blood ties are everything. I must save my family! I am a Corrifus, Tainted or not, heretic or not. None of that matters. Even if they shun me, exile me, torture me, or try to kill me, I don't care. I will die in order to protect them from the evils of this world or any other. Deep down, there is only one truth I know to be correct. I am a paladin. I am a protector of this country, its people, and its rulers. I will defend the throne of Vilyron until my dying breath. Listen well, Carvael. I am a paladin and I will be a paladin until the day I die."
"Is that so? You sure have a high opinion of yourself. But do you have what it takes to actually stand up on your own two feet? As long as you have my son by your side, you will never truly amount to anything. Does he still bathe you and feed you with a spoon as well? Pathetic. Why don't you open your eyes and be a real man? Don't you want to make your father proud? What do you think Doran thinks of you right now? Cowering behind your angel? Join me and we can work together to get you the power I know you want so badly. Can't you taste it? All you are doing is disappointing Sola."
That one almost hurt. Jaylen took a step back. "But Sola blessed me. She chose me."
"Not to be hiding behind a fallen angel. Think about it, Jaylen. If I was truly the enemy of Sola, wouldn't she have cast me out of Heaven by now?"
Jaylen's sword fell to the street. "No . . . you're right. Everything you said is . . . right."
"Jaylen, don't listen to him." Zeriel said. "It's that amulet making you think crazy thoughts. He is the enemy. You can't really believe his lies, can you?"
"Shut up, Zeriel. I am your Master. Archangel Carvael, can I be forgiven? Can I still atone?"
"Sola will always forgive you if you come with me. We will end this petty fighting and you can be pure again. That's what you want, isn't it? Stop living under the dark spells of your fallen angel. Zeriel belongs in the darkest pit of Hell, not parading around up here with innocent paladins that he wants to corrupt. I know you've heard about the children by now. He laughed as all of those orphans were hanged for nothing. Just like you, they were innocent. Don't let that demon corrupt your soul as well. Did you think that he actually cared about you? I'm the one who cares about you, Jaylen. I did all those things to you so that you would be knocked back into your senses and see the truth. I am trying my hardest to protect you from my own son."
"Oh, nice job, Father." Zeriel spit at him. "You will stop at nothing to get what you want, even if it means fabricating these ridiculous stories. Jaylen, quit talking with him. It's not worth it. Let's find Gavin so we can end this properly."
Jaylen snapped at him. "Shut up, Zeriel. This is my decision, not yours. You know, you haven't exactly been very holy lately. It seems like every day, I find out something sinister from your past. Do you think I want to be around that?"
"What are you saying?"
"Yes, Jaylen." Carvael grinned. "What are you saying? Come back to the side of justice and righteousness. You will be forgiven."
Jaylen pointed his sword at Carvael. "Today, I cast off my mask of weakness and innocence. Today, I kill an angel." With one fluid swing, Jaylen sent his sword through Zeriel's stomach.
Zeriel's white eyes filled with tears as he struggled to breathe. "Jaylen . . . why? What . . . are you . . . doing?"
Jaylen callously pushed the angel off of his sword with his foot then knelt down before Carvael. "Archangel Carvael, your will has been done."
"Wonderful. I knew you would see this from my side. Welcome to the true face of Heaven, Tainted Paladin Corrifus. Now, finish off my son before he bleeds on my shoes."
Zeriel was on his knees with blood pooling around his knees. His ebony feathers were matted and soaked in it. His body was shaking as he struggled to breathe. "Jaylen . . . we are bound. You will die . . . too."
"Oh, yes. I forgot that tainted paladins and fallen angels become fully dependant on each other. Pitiful. This is why you need a real angel who won't take you with him when he dies, Jaylen." Carvael went to Zeriel then ripped the necklace from around his neck. He held up Jaylen's tiny glittering silver soul key in the light from the inferno that grew around them. Then he snapped his fingers and a small chest materialized on the ground in front of him. "He won't die with you if I have his soul chest. Jaylen, unlock the chest then drip your blood on the soul segments and cast your magic. Tell Sola you are breaking your bond. It will end any connection you have with this worthless excuse for an angel. Do it quickly before he dies."
Jaylen knelt down and slid the key into the lock on the front of the chest. It clicked. He pushed the lid open then bowed his head as he prayed. "Divine Sola, goddess of the sun, with my blood and magic, I hereby sever any bond between me and Fallen Angel Zeriel. By your will, let it be done."
"Now your blood." Carvael sliced through Jaylen's wrist with the heavenly blade.
Jaylen watched as his blood poured out over the three glowing locks of his hair, the three soul segments that Sulstair had returned to the chest. He tried his hardest to push back the tears that swelled in his eyes, but when he stood up and drew his sword, he couldn't stop them from escaping. He turned to the injured angel who he had regarded as his best friend and his father. He had to do this the right way. "Forgive me, Zeriel. I do what I do because it is right, not because it is good."
Zeriel didn't respond as he stared at the blood-covered cobblestones where his heavenly shotgun had fallen and started to disappear.
Carvael growled at him. "Do it, Jaylen."
"I love you." Jaylen held up his sword and lined it up with Zeriel's chest, directly to the side of the ruby buttons of his black wool coat. "I love you." He thrust forwar
d, sending the entire blade through the angel's torso again. This time, Zeriel collapsed motionless on the street. Jaylen withdrew his sword as the life drained from his angel's eyes. "I love you!"
Crownless
Angel of Darkness
Book Five
Crownless
Copyright © 2015 by Mackenzie Morris
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Chapter 1
Xair carried the black-winged angel through the doorway into Jaylen's house, leaving a trail of blood behind him. He rushed into the kitchen then shouted at Gavin. "Clean off the table! We need to operate immediately."
"Yes, Ata-Lin." Gavin pushed all of the plates and glasses off of the wooden table and removed the lace tablecloth. "There."
"Get some warm water and some towels." Xair placed Zeriel on the table then quickly tore off the angel's clothes. "Find me any kind of string you can. There should be some scissors and pain pills in my bag in the bathroom cupboard. Bring them to me. Amari!"
The albino woman with the black silk tied around her eyes stepped towards him and bowed.
Xair guided the albino woman's hands to the bloody holes in Zeriel's chest and stomach. "Apply pressure to the wounds. We have to stop the bleeding. Take care of him like you took care of that baby back there. Her grandparents were so pleased with your work."
Once she touched Zeriel, she jumped a bit, but made no sound.
"It's an angel. We have to work quickly." Xair ripped the leather pouch from his belt and dumped the contents on the table. He took a mortar and pestle from the shelf behind him then sorted through the various herbs, minerals, and crystals. Once he had the ones he needed, he dropped them into the mortar and began crushing them into a paste.
Zeriel made a low moaning sound.
"Amari, I need fuel. I won't take too much." Xair grabbed the woman by her neck then took a small knife from his pocket. He cut off a lock of her hair then added it to the mortar. "Thank you."
Gavin returned from the hallway with two handfuls of supplies. "Here. I got all the pain pills I could find and some thread."
"Perfect." The Ka'taylin sniffed the mixture in the bowl then shook his head disappointedly. "I need more power. Fighting drained me earlier. I'm out of mana as well."
Amari held out her hand obediently then barely winced as the tip of her finger was clipped and a river of blood flowed out into the potion.
"I'm sorry. I know what I promised, but you know how things are. Gavin, where are my towels? Hurry up!" Xair quickly combined all of the ingredients then dipped his fingers in the salve. He smeared the gooey substance over Zeriel's wounds and casted a green glowing magic over him. "Zeriel, stay with me now. Don't close your eyes. Stay awake."
Zeriel finally opened his eyes and weakly spoke. "Cold . . ."
"I know, but you can't go to sleep. Look at me. Open those eyes, damn it! Gavin, get in here."
"I'm coming." He raced back into the kitchen then handed Xair a towel.
Xair coated the towel in a large glob of the mixture and pressed it into Zeriel's chest. He waited for a few minutes as he felt the angel's heartbeat growing light and slow. "This isn't working. I'm going to have to call a demon."
"What kind?" Gavin asked, intrigued.
"One that knows how to heal these kinds of wounds. I'll give up some of my power over her if she can do this for me. She is your superior, so you stay on your knees and don't speak around her. Down, boy." Xair waited until Gavin was kneeling in front of him before placing his hand against one of the white runes on his extremely black skin. He closed his large violet eyes as he concentrated on calling the demon. "Come to your Ata-Lin, Evina."
A swirling black portal appeared on the far wall by the hearth then a second later, a slender woman with leaves and vines for hair and skin that looked like tree bark stepped through. The only thing covering her body was a sheer lace-like gown. Her glowing orange eyes were softer than most demons'.
Gavin obviously couldn't help but speak. "Whoa. She's a nymph."
"Yes. A forest nymph, to be exact. They are very rare, but talented. She was one of my first demons. Now, silence."
The female demon bowed to Xair. "You called for me, Ata-Lin?"
"Heal this fallen angel. If you save his life, I will release you from your leash for two years."
"I will do what I can."
Xair watched his demon closely as she summoned all kinds of healing magic and placed shadows between the severed skin and muscle. She then took more of the salve he had created and added it to her magic. After a few minutes, she began sewing up the wounds with steady and careful hands.
Evina snipped the rest of the string between her claws then stepped back to admire her work. She nodded her head, sending tiny pink petals from the vines of her hair. "I have done all I can, Ata-Lin."
"Tell me his status."
"He is stable and I have stopped the bleeding. He will likely be unconscious for a couple of days. Make sure to keep him hydrated and comfortable. If he doesn't wake up in three days, call me back. The sword managed to miss all of the vital organs. They were clean stab wounds. No broken ribs and not much internal bleeding. Whoever did this knew what they were doing. If I had to bet on it, I would say that the attacker purposely injured him without killing him."
Xair washed Zeriel's blood off of his hands in the sink then dried them on a towel. "Yes, that's what I was thinking."
"His paladin did it, didn't he?" Evina asked.
"How did you know?"
"Paladins are talented with their swords, Ata-Lin. I have spied on them a couple of times when they were training to use the longswords. They analyze the weak points of the body and they know where to wound versus kill their opponent. The training starts early on in the Clerical Academy after they decide whether they want to be priests or paladins. The prospective priests practice literature and religion along with social interactions so they can help relate to people. The prospective paladins study religion, anatomy, and swordplay. The paladins start practicing with wooden swords at age seven."
"Anatomy and swordplay. To hit the right parts at the right time. I see. So they are like the warriors from my homeland."
"Who is his paladin and why would a paladin attack an angel, Fallen or otherwise?" The nymph asked as she wiped Zeriel's blood on her lace gown.
"Just a misguided boy." Xair watched Zeriel's chest rise and fall with his shallow breathing for a few minutes. "You have done your job well, Evina. Thank you. Anything else I need to know about his condition?"
"You had better be glad he is Fallen. If he was a Holy Angel, I wouldn't have been able to use my shadow magic to bind the wounds. Still, he does have light magic which made the process a bit tricky, but I think he should heal quickly."
"Again, you have my thanks. Now, hold out your hand. A deal is a deal." Xair placed the rune on her hand against the matching one on his forearm. There was a tiny burst of light. "There. Two years."
"Thank you for your kindness, Ata-Lin." Evina glanced down at Gavin. "I don't believe I've met your newest demon."
Xair petted Gavin's frizzy red hair. "This is Gavin. He's a naughty incubus. He stays by my side or with someone I deem a suitable guardian most of the time because I simply can't trust him to be alone."
"Did you say Gavin, Ata-Lin?" Evina asked with a sly grin on her pale lips. "He wouldn't happen to be the one in a blood covenant with Stephan, would he?"
"The same."
"Oh, I have heard many juicy rumors about this one. I wonder how many of them are true."
/> "Probably more than you'd like to know."
Evina gave a flittering giggle then bowed again. "I will take my leave now, Ata-Lin. If nothing else happens, I will see you in two years."
"Farewell, Evina. Stay out of trouble, or I will be forced to come get you."
"Naturally."
Once she had vanished through the shadowy portal again and it disappeared, Gavin stood up and went to the table to look at the nymph's handiwork. "Should we move him to a bed, Ata-Lin?"
"Not yet. The less we have to move him, the better. Look at his feathers. They've faded. You know more about angels than I do, Gavin. What does it mean when the color fades from an angel's wings?"
"They are close to death, Ata-Lin. It doesn't happen very often because most angels are immortal unless they take too much trauma that they can't heal from on their own. Though, I have seen one instance when an angel was given a larger and larger dose of a specialized poison over a few days that eventually killed him. It wasn't a pretty sight. Those wings faded so fast. It was obvious the angel was in complete agony."
"Something Stephan did?" Xair asked.
Gavin looked down at the floor. "Yeah. Something Stephan did."
Xair smiled at the extremely pale woman who had been silent this entire time. "I suppose I should introduce you to Amari. Yes, she is an albino Ka'taylin. She is blind and mute because she has no eyes, tongue, or vocal chords. As an albino, she did not receive any of the magic of my race that is concentrated in our dark skin. That is why we value our black skin so highly and also why it is not a natural shade. It is purely magical."
"And lovely."
"Thank you, Gavin."
"So, is she related to you?" Gavin asked.
"Amari is my Ili-Anan."
"And that means?"
Xair thought for a couple of seconds, searching for the right word. "I don't know a word to adeptly explain. In Ka'tayl, albino children are given as gifts to the druids for special accomplishments. Amari was a gift I received upon becoming a journeyman. Her body parts help with my spell and potions like you just saw."
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