But he only chuckled. “Good reference. And no, Dale is not Rocky. I didn’t build him. We didn’t plan this at all,” he said, shrugging. “We didn’t even know it was happening until we started training, in our second week of holidays when we were in Scotland.”
“You didn’t know what was happening?”
He grinned, and met Dale’s eye. A spark flew between them.
“I was training in the glen," Zel explained. "Down from the castle we were staying at. After an hour or so, Dale wandered down to join me, and jokingly, I showed him a few moves from the Wing Su school.” Zel’s gaze became hot, his eyes glazed. “He knocked me across the glen,” he murmured softly.
“You let me,” Dale smiled back.
“Lover, I would let you do anything to me.”
“Okay, stop that.” I waved my hands between them. “Dale, why could you suddenly smack him across the glen? Not that I’m judging you for that,” I added. “He deserves a good smack.”
“I have no idea,” Dale shrugged his massive shoulders, and I blinked, stupidly, as I watched the muscles rise and fall. “I just felt a lot stronger than before.”
I frowned, and thought for a minute. “He made you feel stronger?” I asked, pointing to Zel.
Dale nodded.
“And you’re still strong when you’re away from him?”
“I am.”
“He’s absorbing my essence,” Zel murmured, his voice ringing with pride. “My lover is taking from me some of my enormous physical strength."
I closed my eyes tightly. “He bloody what?”
“It's not depleting me in any way,” Zel went on smugly. “You do not have to worry about my constitution.”
“I wasn’t worried about you, Zel. You could fade into vapor like Ailo and Loera for all I care.”
“That’s unkind, Chalice.”
“Look what you’ve done, Zel!” I shouted. “You’ve dragged him into this mess. You’ve put him in danger.”
I felt tears come to my eyes. “My beautiful, sweet friend. You’ve turned him into a beast, and I’m supposed to be happy?”
Zel looked mortally offended. “I would never put my lover in danger. This is all your fault anyway, Black Chalice. I’m not putting my lover in danger. It's you that is going to destroy the whole world.”
“I’m trying to stop all that!” I screamed. “If it’s not me, it will be another poor girl, and I’m doing everything I can to figure a way out of this mess. Unlike you,” I added, eyes flashing with rage. “You’re just jetting around the world bare-chested and shagging my friends.”
“That’s it,” Zel snapped his fingers in my face. “You’re off the bridal party. I no longer wish you to be our bridesmaid.” He stepped back and sneered at me. “You’re too fat anyway.”
My mouth dropped open. “Why, you fu-”
“Zel,” Dale raised his hand. “Eve, stop it. Fighting about this isn’t going to change anything.”
Dale turned to me again and got down on one knee, so he could stare at me directly in the eyes. “I’m not a beast, Eve,” he said gently. “I’m still the same person. Being with Zel has given me extra strength, that’s all. He told me it happened with those funny imps out there,” he pointed out the window.
“You can see them now?”
He nodded. “And the cherubs. I noticed them when we got back from vacation. Zel also told me that it happened with those monks who tried to kill you, but it sucked all their energy away from the angels who were trying to supercharge them.”
“I should probably point out that they didn’t know it was going to happen,” Zel announced. “Vane and his brothers assumed that they could impart some essence onto Godric, making him stronger, and they would be relatively unaffected, in the same way the angels were unaffected when the Katadonis absorbed their essence and became angelic creatures. It didn’t work out that way. Another bit of information for you,” he said snarkily. “Because that’s what I do, I bring you vital information and help you with your protection and help save your baby. You ungrateful hussy,” he added in an undertone.
I ignored him. “How come it happened to you, then?” I asked. “And how did it happen so fast?”
Zel and Dale locked eyes again.
“Love,” Zel said breathlessly. “That’s what Vane was missing. It is what the imps had when they became our servants. They loved us, and we loved them. Over time, they became angelic creatures with powers of their own, completely by accident. And we were not depleted in any way.”
“Okay, so how did this happen so fast?” I pointed at Dale’s new six-pack. “From what I understand, it took hundreds of years for the imps to become what they are now.”
“Vane proved that it is possible to do it quickly. With the imps and the cherubs, it was an accident. I guess that the energy can flow as quickly as you need it if you direct it properly.”
“So you did intend for this to happen.” My voice was sharp.
He shook his head. “Not consciously, in any case. Intention and higher emotion is everything when it comes to energy work. I love my Dale with so much of my heart, I want to give him everything.”
“And I love him so much,” Dale said softly. “I would do anything for him.”
“Our hearts are connected now.” Zel reached out and took Dale’s hand. “We will give each other everything. He’s given me peace. I give him physical strength.”
“It’s a beautiful thing, Eve,” Dale’s eyes were pleading. “Don’t be mad at him.”
“I’m not mad,” I said sulkily. “Okay, fine, I am. Dale, this is all the worst kind of trouble, don’t you understand that? If you get mixed up in it all, you’ll get hurt.”
“Let’s be honest, here,” Dale shook his head gently. “When you have that baby, we’re all in danger. I know,” he held up his hand to stop my protest. “You’re doing everything you can to try and stop the unstoppable. I understand that. And if anyone can do it, it would be you. You’re the ultimate survivor, and you’ve got great back-up.”
“I’m trying,” I whispered. Tears came to my eyes, my anger dissolving into despair. “I’m trying so hard, Dale. I’m doing everything I can think of.”
“I know you are. I trust that you can do this. You’re my friend, Eve, and I want to help.”
“What do you mean... help?”
“I got this way for a reason,” Dale said, waving his hand over his body. “I got strong, and I think I know why. We all have a destiny, we all have a path, and I think this is mine.”
“What?”
“I’m going to fight alongside Zel. I’m going to fight in the battle.”
“No," I said sharply.
“They’re going to come for you soon, Eve,” Dale pleaded. “You can’t stop me from trying to defend you. I have to.”
I shook my head. Suddenly overcome with emotion, I pinched my lips shut, and a tear spilled down my cheek.
Zel moved back in close to us. “I told my lover about how Vane is raising a human army to try and destroy you. He thinks we should raise one of our own.”
“A human army,” I said dumbly.
Dale nodded. “There are lots of humans out there that know about us,” he said. “Zel has lots of contacts in the human world. There’s a lot of people who would be willing to fight for you. Fight the angels.”
“I don’t think you get it, Dale. If the angels win, and I die, the world will carry on. Isn't that what everyone wants?”
“No! I honestly don’t believe that it will happen like that. I think that our theory is right - you have to be defended at all costs. We can’t take an innocent life. I think it’s a test of sorts. Like the opposite of what God did to Abraham.”
I cocked my head. “What?”
“In that one, God told Abraham to kill his own son, to prove his love.”
“It’s an awful story. It makes God out to be a petty, selfish dick.”
“It does,” Zel agreed. “It was a stupid story that the Church made
up to get their people to obey their commands without question. So they would murder their own family if the Church wanted them to.”
I shuddered. “Yes, it’s a good allegory of how not to be a good person. You don’t take an innocent life, no matter what the consequences. A good deity in that story would have smacked Abraham down for even considering murdering his own son.”
“That’s my point,” Dale said. “Humanity is not worth saving if we would murder an innocent girl just to survive ourselves.” He shrugged. “Maybe that’s the test. To see if we’d do it.”
“Well, a good chunk of Heaven and Earth are planning on doing exactly that,” I said, my voice wobbling. “They’re coming to kill me.”
“We can’t let them succeed. I truly think that this is what the war is about. Do we deserve to live, or not?”
“I think you do. I’ve picked my side,” Zel said firmly, crossing his arms over his chest. “Even if you are a vile bitch sometimes,” he muttered under his breath.
“And I picked my side the second I met you, Eve,” Dale said gently. “I want to fight for you. I think that this is God’s plan.”
“We don’t know that,” I shook my head sadly. “We have no idea what God wants.”
Dale grinned suddenly and winked at me. “Is that because God’s mouthpiece is running a pizza and Buffy marathon night in the cinema building right now?”
“Partly,” I muttered, wiping a tear from my cheek. “I think we’ve all accepted the fact that Metatron has lost his marbles.”
“He picked the wrong side,” Zel said grandly. “He is far more demon than he is an angel. He enjoys all the best of human creations.”
“I don’t think Met has a side,” I muttered. I lapsed into silence for a moment. “How are you okay with all of this, Dale?” I wailed. “The end is coming. I’m going to end the world, literally. How are you fine with all this?”
“I’m not fine with it, Eve. I’m determined. I’m going to fight,” he said firmly, and he reached out and took Zel’s hand. “I’ve finally got everything that I ever wanted, and more. I’m going to do everything I can to keep it.”
My chin wobbled for a good minute, and I couldn’t stop it. It was overwhelming that my friends had so much faith in me. They believed I would stop the apocalypse somehow. They trusted me, even when I had no faith in myself. Dale had made his decision; I saw it in the set of his jaw, and I saw the hard glint in his eye.
He was part of this now. There was nothing I could do to change his mind.
He was never going to to be safe anyway. The end was coming for us all.
“Fine,” I said sullenly. “I do wish you would run far, far away from here, Dale, but you’re clearly not going to.”
I grimaced. “I just have to figure out a way to get Clover away from here when I get close to due.”
“Revelations has a bunker,” Dale said brightly. “We’ll lock her in it with a few bellboys. She’ll be right until we get the souls back into Hell.”
“You really know everything, don’t you?” I choked out a laugh and wiped my cheeks. “Tell me, hot stuff, how is it that you’re suddenly an expert fighter? I thought Zel just gave you strength. But you were smacking down on him like you knew what you were doing.”
“I, too, wondered about that,” Zel said loudly. “I assumed you had some innate knowledge of fighting.”
Dale grinned. “Evander Holyfield was responsible for my gay awakening. I used to watch all his boxing matches when I was young,” he winked at Zel. “I must have picked up a thing or two. My dad and I really bonded over our love of Evander. Yet, for very different reasons,” he chuckled. “Dad admired his sporting abilities. I used to fantasize about him getting me in a clinch and not letting go.”
Zel threw his head back and bellowed with laughter. “You have good taste, my lover. Evander Holyfield is one-quarter demon, you know.”
“Okay, that’s enough for me.” I turned around, bump first, and went to waddle out the door. “I’m done here. Dale, if you decide that you've changed your mind and you don’t want the apocalypse to happen, I’d like you to plunge the knife into me first. I gotta go. Clover will be wondering if I’ve been murdered. Again.”
“Wait,” Dale held out his hand to stop me. “I have something to tell you.”
“Oh, God, what now?”
“There’s a reason I’m so confident about this, Eve. I know it’s going to be okay. It’s in my blood. And that’s another reason why I think that this is all meant to be.”
I put my hands on my hips and glared at him. “Okay, what?”
“Information, Chalice!’ Zel boomed. “That’s what you get when you come and see Zale.”
“Did-” I shook my head, bewildered. “Did you just give yourselves a singular collective name?”
He nodded proudly. “We are one now. Zale.”
“Yeah, I’m not calling you guys that,” I muttered, turning around again.
“Wait, Eve.” Dale jogged to catch up to me. “Babe, I’ll meet you back at the bungalow. Eve needs to hear this.”
Zel pouted. “We were going to do some Greek wrestling. Chalice, you ruin everything.”
“So I’ve been told,” I muttered darkly, as I stomped out the door.
Chapter Eight
Dale caught up with me on the path, just in front of the huge gum trees that shielded the gym from the main building. “Eve, wait.”
I stopped and turned. My bitchiness evaporated when I caught his expression. “I’m sorry, Dale. I’ve got a lot on my shoulders.”
“I know,” he said. “It must be awful, having the weight of the world right there.” He took a couple of steps forward and folded me into his arms for a hug.
I breathed him in. It was the same old Dale. Now that we were out of the gym, I could see that.
“I’m sorry for being so mean back there. I was just shocked, that’s all. You look amazing,” I said, giving him a small smile. It wobbled straight away. “I was scared that you’d turned into someone else. Everything is just so messed up, and it’s all because of me. I couldn’t stand for something else to be my fault.”
“We’re all in this together, doll,” Dale replied, stroking my back. “You don’t have any control over that. Our decisions are our own. And, for the record, I’ve never been happier.” He pulled me back so I could see how much he was grinning.
“I’m happy for you,” I told him. “Honestly. Zel loves you very much. I should be happy about that.”
Dale shook his head in wonder. “I feel like I’m living in a dream,” he whispered. “Zel is perfect.”
“He thinks you are perfect too.”
“We’re going to be so happy together forever.”
My smiled faded. “Forever is probably only another month, Dale.”
“No,” he said firmly, shaking his head. “That’s what I came to tell you, Eve. I know things. Things about the apocalypse.”
“Yes,” I said patiently. “Zel said he told you everything.”
“No, stupid. My stuff. Aboriginal lore.”
“Oh,” I breathed out after a second. “I didn’t think there were any stories about the end of days in Aboriginal culture?”
“There’s not,” he said simply. “Because there is no end of days.”
“What?”
He linked his arm through mine, and we started walking slowly towards reception.
“Now, I’m not the greatest scholar of my people’s history,” Dale began, “However, I do know a few things. Zel was right when he says I’ve got the blood of the world’s most ancient race in my body. Right here,” he pointed towards the ground. “It’s the cradle of all civilization. This is where it all began. My people were the beginning of it all.”
“I thought it was Africa?”
Dale shook his head. “This is where humans first sensed the divine. We already had consciousness, but we were the first to acknowledge the divine in everything. That there was something bigger than all of this, some
thing intelligent, that ran through everything and everyone. We knew everything was connected.”
“Okay.” It was a lot to take in, but I was ready for any good news I could get.
“The stories have been passed down for sixty thousand years. Of course, the colonial invaders tried to bash and breed it out of us and replace it with Christianity, but some things remain. One of those things is that there is no such thing as the end of days.”
I cocked my head. “What? Why?”
“We don’t have an apocalypse story in our culture. For us, humanity is never-ending.”
“Well, that’s good news, I guess?” I said cautiously. “But…. just because you haven’t heard an apocalypse story, doesn’t mean there isn’t one.”
“No, I mean that there is a story, and the story quite emphatically says that life on Earth will go on forever,” he replied, smiling. “I only know the oral tradition, so these details might all be wrong. I do have a plan to correct that, though. Now, in the story, a great battle is mentioned, which would be the coming war. There’s something about Above, fighting Below, for the outcome of the future.”
Dale's smile wobbled slightly. “It’s an oral tradition, like I said. It could all be lost in translation. Now, there is a written version of the prophecy that will give you exact details on what will happen, plus details on how you can stop the apocalypse.”
My eyes flew wide. “There is? That-”
“Hang on...that's the tricky part.”
“What is?”
“The story has been documented in writing.”
“Oh great, so I can read it?”
He grimaced slightly. “According to our legends, it’s drawn on the walls of a cave, halfway down the bottom of the Devils’ Drop.”
“Oh.” Goddamnit.
“It’s why we stayed the hell away from that place,” Dale said. “We’ve always known that the screams of the damned can be heard down there, and it can drive you mad. Zel told me that there's an insane convergence of ley lines, and the barrier between Earth and Hell is the thinnest. This is where we think the souls are going to bust out, right?”
Revelations: The Last War Page 9