Alan took the information in as fast as it was being related. “They want Kassidy,” Alan said.
The group of warriors looked at each other uncomfortably. Danielle finally spoke. “They want Kassidy,” she said in a low tone, “and they want retribution for what you did.”
Alan couldn’t believe his ears. “What I did?”
“Yes,” Esther took up the story. “It seems that when you rescued Kassidy you embarrassed one of the demonic princes.”
Memories of his encounter with the demon named Trubic came back to him in a rush. “This is ridiculous. We aren’t going to give them Kassidy or meet any of their demands, prince or not.”
Esther raised a gloved fist for silence. “We have no intention of giving them Kassidy. However, if we can avoid bloodshed, we must. With Gabriel’s influence on the rules of our world, an encounter now would mean death to our men and women. I cannot knowingly go into a battle until I have exhausted all other possibilities for a peaceful resolution.”
Alan knew he should agree with Esther. The Captain was only trying to spare her men. Still something burned inside Alan with the heat of a fury he never knew. It begged him to speak. Alan bit it back. His stomach churned with the effort and sent bile to his mouth. In the absence of any words, Alan nodded his agreement.
“They’ve requested an audience,” Esther said. “I think we should hear them out. I’d like you and Danielle to come with me.”
Alan nodded again. Danielle looked shocked. Her eyes nearly filling the insides of her large framed glasses. “Me? You want me to come?”
“Yes,” Esther said, “will that be a problem?”
“No, nope. No problem here.”
“Good,” Esther replied unbuckling her sword belt and handing it to one of her lieutenants. She gave parting instructions before making her way to the frontlines. “If anything goes wrong, you tell the archers to fire without restraint. We’ll be coming back fast so be ready.”
In the echoes of the, “Yes, ma’am’s” from her soldiers, Alan and Danielle followed Esther. “Why do you think she wanted me to go?” Danielle said with a nervous twitch in her voice. “I mean, you I understand but, me? I’m just the tech girl who has the ability to heal.”
“I don’t know,” Alan said. “I guess we’ll find out soon.”
The ranks of warriors that made up the frontline parted. A narrow walkway was opened for them in one smooth motion and closed behind them just as efficiently. Esther, Alan and Danielle made their way up the beach and to the area of grassy hills that marked the end of the sand’s reach.
When they crested the embankment, Alan’s breath caught in his throat. The inside of his mouth tasted like chalk in the face of the horde. The mass of bodies was hard to see because they were green. The army melded into the grassy terrain. Alan guessed they numbered in the hundreds. Perhaps not enough to overwhelm Esther’s forces but enough to give them a blood-soaked fight.
Ahead of the moving caravan three lone figures rode forward on creatures well ahead of the main force. One of the figures held a white flag attached to a tall wooden pole. Alan raised a hand to shield his eyes against the midday sun’s gleams. The three figures as well as the animals they rode took shape as they approached.
Alan could feel his heartbeat quicken with every step they took nearer. Easy. We’re not here to fight. We’re here to talk. Think about the lives that will be lost if this goes bad.
Alan didn’t have to concentrate on keeping his composure for long. Soon disbelief took the place of any kind of blood lust or battle fury. The three demons were a surprise themselves: all clad in black with dark billowing capes. The only one Alan recognized was Trubic. The other two much larger demons were menacing with wide shoulders and dirty scowls. What was even more disturbing were the animals they rode. Alan had read of the mythological creatures before, but reading and seeing a chimera in real life were two extremely different things.
The chimeras each had three heads; one of a lion, and a goat to the front and one of a snake on its tail. It seems the monsters were also able to cover long distances on foot. Alan witnessed the chimeras run towards them as fast as any horse. As the creatures came closer, Alan could see their front paws were those of a lion while their back legs resembled the goat and a tail ending in the head of a snake. All six eyes of each chimera fixated on Alan and his companions as though they were the only prey left in the world.
Alan steeled his nerves as the surreal creatures stopped just yards from where the members of the Light stood. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Danielle grimace as she looked at the animals. To her credit, Esther’s face remained emotionless. Her back was ridged, hands falling to either sides of her frame.
The stench coming from the beasts was nauseating. Alan felt a tickle in the back of his throat as the creatures’ reek begged a cough or worse. Trubic, the only demon Alan recognized, stared at him through dark ebony eyes as he dismounted from his ride. Alan could practically feel the hate coming off the member of the Fallen race in waves. “That one,” Trubic said raising a withered hand to point at Alan’s chest. “That is the one that attacked me.”
The large man seated next to him shifted off his stead. “Put down your hand, Trubic, we have all heard of the Horseman of War.”
Trubic obeyed as his tongue flicked in and out of his mouth almost with a mind of its own. In a whiny voice he muttered, “He also has the other one. The girl.”
“Esther,” said the demon who ordered Trubic to lower his hand as he approached. “It has been too long.”
“That’s far enough, Sodom,” Esther said stopping the demon in his tracks. “Spare me your pleasantries and tell me why you requested this audience.”
The third demon who had not yet taken part in the conversation slid off his chimera with a dull thud. He was armored from toe to neck. His thick black hair fell behind him in long dreadlocks. He snapped his fingers and the three chimeras evaporated in front of Alan’s eyes. The demon joined his comrades and stared with impassive eyes at Alan, Esther and Danielle.
Sodom’s already large eyes grew at Esther’s remark. “Well, I thought it would be you, not me, that would start the negotiations for a peaceful interaction. As I’m sure you well know, we are not as invulnerable as we once were. Gabriel, it seems, is trying to play Creator and decide what is best for us all.”
Alan caught the sneer in Sodom’s words and found himself surprised the demon did not speak with favor when he mentioned Gabriel. Until now, Alan thought the demonic forces were all on the same page. It seemed that there were rifts in the Fallen hierarchy.
“It’s true. Our mortality in battle even with normal weapons is real,” Esther said, “but I suspect you are only leveraging this new truth to meet your own endgame.”
Sodom took a step back with feigned hurt. He even lifted a hand and placed it on his chest as if Esther’s words had hurt his feelings. “Please, Esther, I only bring this up so we can understand the weight of this conversation. Its outcome could mean the death of hundreds from both our sides. All I want is the girl.”
No one was more shocked at Sodom’s request than Trubic. The demon, who looked like a budding adolescent compared to his two gigantic counterparts, choked with rage. “What?” Trubic shook his bald head in anger. “No, the Horseman of War must pay for what he did to me. I will see him drown in his own blood. There must be payme—”
The look Sodom gave Trubic was enough to turn someone into stone. Trubic’s voice trailed off ever lower until his words were inaudible. Appeased, Sodom turned his gaze to Alan. “My nephew would see a fight with you and a battle to restore his pride. I, being a reasonable man, see no benefit from this. As I stated before, give me the girl and we will go about our way. No one has to die today.”
Alan wasn’t sure if it was his place to speak or not but he couldn’t contain his rage. The idea that these demons would even think they would give up Kassidy was beyond him. “No.”
Sodom did a double-take
first at Alan then Esther. “You are going to throw hundreds of lives away? Without the edge of Celestial Blades, your advantage is gone. My forces are more than enough to seriously contest your own. You must see that.”
Esther took a long moment to respond. In the interim, Alan could feel the anger continuing to build from deep within him. He forced the idea of battle out of his mind struggling to keep his racing heart in check. When Esther finally did respond, her tone was even and calm, something Alan admired. “We will not give her up. That decision is final.”
Her words were so firm Sodom immediately realized trying to argue otherwise would be a waste of time. Rage boiled over inside the demon. He took all three of them in with a sneer, “You did this. When your forces lay bleeding around you, remember this could have been avoided.” With a quick turn he stalked back towards his army.
Trubic smiled and licked his lips as he followed his uncle. “You’ll live just long enough to regret your decision, Horseman.”
The third demon, who still had not said a word, stepped forward and fixed Alan with a stare close to admiration. Something in the man’s eyes turned Alan’s blood to ice. “It has been a millennium since I tested my metal against a Horseman. I will be looking forward to finding you on the battlefield.” Whoever the demon was, he didn’t wait for an answer. With a sincere smile he turned and followed Sodom and Trubic back to the enemy lines.
“We must hurry,” Esther said already making her way back to their encampment. “Sodom is not known for his patience.”
Chapter One Hundred One
Ardat caught Michael before he hit the floor, cradling his head in her arm as if he were a newborn baby. She ran her fingers through his dark hair to make sure she hadn’t broken his skin. He was fine. Waking was sure to bring a headache but his rhythmic breathing told Ardat no permanent damage was done. “I’m so sorry, my love. But it has to be this way. Forgive me.”
Unwillingly, she allowed Michael’s body to rest on the ground. “You are doing what needs to be done,” the Shaman said from his still, seated position. “He must see that when he awakes.”
Ardat ignored the man’s reassurance. “What would you have of me? I need passage to Gabriel and to insure Michael will not be injured while I am gone.”
The old man raised both hands and shook his head. “I am a noncombatant in all of this. I would never lift a finger to harm an Archangel. Michael will be fine while you are gone.”
Ardat lifted an eyebrow, “If it was only so easy to trust a stranger. I’m going to need more than your reassurance if I am to leave him in your care.”
The Shaman shrugged. “If nothing else, I am a businessman. Let us strike a bargain fit to satiate your distrust. You would like passage to Gabriel, where I sent the two before you, as well as safety for Michael while you are gone.”
“That is correct, and what would you have of me?”
“I am a simple man, Ardat. I have few desires I cannot fulfill on my own. The only thing I would ask of you is a favor when the time comes.”
Ardat was no fool. She took a moment to think though of all the repercussions such a deal could bring. Not for the first time, the idea of forcing the Shaman to send her where she asked presented itself. The idea was easily dismissed. If she used any kind of force, the Shaman could extract his retribution on Michael who was as helpless as a lamb. Still she had to go. Gabriel needed to be dealt with and in a way that would keep Michael out of the fight. She loved Michael and she knew he would stand his ground no matter what the odds. Against a Fallen Archangel with double the strength, he would not survive. This Ardat could not allow no matter the consequences, she couldn’t bear the thought. “You have a deal,” Ardat said.
The Shaman smiled and began reciting incantations. Ardat lifted a hand and silenced him before he could continue. “I do have a condition.”
“Please,” the Shaman said fighting back the annoyance in his voice, “continue.”
“I don’t trust you with, Michael. I will take him back to the surface and wake him just outside the stone. I’ll shut the entrance behind me and then you will lead me to Gabriel.”
The Shaman shrugged. “Have it your way. I do not have any interest in him. However, it seems you are not the trusting type. Go, take him to the surface and return.” The Shaman cocked his head to the side with a twinkle in his eyes. “Or shall we seal this deal with a spell? It will be unbinding and not allow either of us to back out of our responsibilities on pain of death.”
Ardat hated the idea of continuing business with the untrustworthy Shaman. The fact that she had no memory of him bothered her in a way she had never known. However, the clock was ticking. Michael would wake soon. She needed to be off. “Fine. Hurry then.”
The Shaman bobbed his head as he began waving his right hand through the air announcing a spell Ardat had never heard before. The incantation made no sense to her. The language the spell was recited in was also foreign to Ardat’s ears. As the Shaman chanted and waived his hand, a dull red light trailed after the motions of his palm.
The red light grew in power until it hurt to look at the Shaman’s hand. Ardat winced from the light as the spellbinder’s voice rose in the air. Nearly at a shout, the Shaman recited a verse over and over again. Then it all came to a stop. The Shaman lowered his hand with the red light disappearing and then he smiled, “It is complete.”
There was whoosh of air, a feeling of a million goosebumps prickling at Ardat’s skin. In a tenth of a second, she was teleported from the underground lair of the Shaman to the base of a mountain. Cold air swirled around her digging beneath her clothes and skin to sink its teeth into her very bones. The frigid air took her breath away but none of this compared to the scene before her.
Ardat stood at the base of a mountain. A winding dirt path zigzagged up the mount until it was lost in the darkness. The moon competed against the dark clouds, showing its silver light on the world in sporadic pulses. But the light was enough for Ardat to see the black castle that stood at the peak of the mountain.
---
A million scenarios of what the future held came to her as she walked up the winding path to meet Gabriel. Flight presented itself as an alternative to walking for only a moment, Ardat needed time to think. Now, as her sandals brought her closer to the top of the mount, her brain sped through and connected the events.
Gabriel had made his home at the same location as the Usurper. Why? Why would he choose such an obvious place? Why would he choose such a place that carried so much history and so many memories for them all? Even more pressing, was how she was going to bargain for Michael’s life. How was she going to save the man she loved?
These questions and more piled on top of one another as Ardat made her ascent. The entire time she walked she expected to be met with opposition. But none came. There were no sentries along the path or lookouts hiding in the bushes. Before Ardat could think to slow down her pace and give herself more time to draw a conclusion to at least one of the many questions that plagued her, she reached the top.
The trail ended at a pair of gigantic wooden doors. In the irregular light, she could only just catch a glimpse of the top of the battlements. Memories of the many battles and struggles over the course of the Usurper’s campaign at this very spot washed over her. Ash filled her mouth as she remembered the countless slain on both sides. The number of deaths it took to secure this location for the Light was in the thousands. This was where the Usurper’s reign had come to an end.
Ardat was torn from her vigil of the past as the doors creaked and groaned. Ardat immediately expected an attack and readied herself for the onslaught. The ancient wood protested against the hinges as it was forced inward. Like two massive buildings being shifted from their spots, they creaked with every inch given. But no one was inside.
Shadows layered shadows in the monolithic courtyard. Smaller structures used for housing guards and supplies lined either side of a path that led to the castle’s keep. Ardat steeled herself and
began the journey inside. She had never been known for her fear and she wouldn’t start now. Michael needed her more than ever whether he liked it or not.
Ardat took a deep breath and lifted herself from the stone floor that made up the ground of the courtyard. Enacting her ability over gravity she floated to the castle keep’s open doors. Light pooled through the keep’s windows giving Ardat a view of the interior. A long hall with stone pillars led to a raised throne. From her vantage point she could see a figure sitting on the oversized chair.
Ardat continued to float forward until she was only yards away from the figure. Gabriel, or what looked like what had once been Gabriel, stared back at her. The man was wrinkled with white hair and so many lines it was hard to see where one crease ended and the other began.
“You have come,” Gabriel said in a tired voice. “I should have known the Shaman could not be trusted.”
For a moment, the reason for her presence evaded her. All Ardat could fixate on was determining had happened to the powerful Gabriel she had seen only days before. Gabriel chuckled in his seat. He grimaced as he shifted his weight. “Not quite what you were expecting?”
At once the puzzle pieces began to fit. In the folds of Gabriel’s black cloak, Ardat could see the thin chain around his neck. A small, circular emblem fell from the necklace. Ardat knew what the emblem meant. It was the ability to cast only the most powerful of spells. If the person evoking the emblem’s spells was powerful enough, there was no limit as to what the person could accomplish. “It seems even with the control of two Archangels, the power to enact the Shaman’s spell was too harsh for you to endure.”
Gabriel smiled through perfectly straight teeth. “You’ve gathered information quickly. But that was too be expected. I imagine the entire force of Michael’s army is searching for me. Gathering any information they can. If the fools would have just opened their eyes, they would see I’ve been hiding right under their nose.”
The Complete Archangel Wars Series: A Shared Universe Series (The Archangel Wars) Page 46