“Hurry up,” Greer said as she hoisted Vero to his feet. “We need to get away from this step.”
The fledglings raced higher up the stairs. Vero limped a bit, but he managed to keep pace with everyone. After a few minutes, Greer stopped and sat down. “Take a breather,” she said to the others.
Vero plopped down next to her and caught his breath. He pulled up his torn pant leg and saw bloody claw marks embedded into his skin.
Greer winced. “They hurt?”
Vero shook his head. “Not too much.” He looked at the others. “Thanks, but how did you know where to find me?”
“We heard you screaming like a little girl,” Greer said. “For that matter, I think everyone in the whole Ether heard you.”
“Actually, we were only a few steps ahead of you,” X said. “But you wouldn’t know because this staircase winds around so much.”
Vero turned to Kane. “Nice swordplay.”
“Yeah, not bad . . . my first malture kill,” Kane said, looking into his now empty hand. “Too bad there’s nothing left of it. I would have liked to have that malture stuffed and hung over my fireplace.” He chuckled.
“Why are there maltures along the staircase in the first place?” Vero asked the group. “I would have thought this was sacred ground.”
“Maybe there’s still a chance they can pull souls off it,” Ada said. “It’s sort of a last-ditch effort.”
“Have you guys seen any of the other angels?” Vero asked.
“Not yet,” Pax answered, his glasses fogged up from the mist.
“Did I miss something?” Vero asked. “Because for some reason I can’t get airborne.”
“Uriel told us that flying up and down the ladder isn’t possible,” Pax said.
“Yeah, well, my legs are gonna be in great shape after this,” Greer said standing up.
The angels trudged up the stairs. Their lungs and thighs burned.
“I once climbed the Great Wall of China,” Kane said. “But that’s nothing compared to this.”
The staircase wound around and around, bringing them higher and higher into the unending clouds. As they climbed, Vero thought of Clover. From the moment he had realized her soul was under attack and that she was missing, worry had spread through his mind like wildfire. He needed to deliver a fort-i-fire to her while she was dreaming. But how could he? Uriel had blocked him from doing so. He needed Melchor to show him a vision of Clover’s future. Even a glimpse might help him figure things out.
“Is anyone else getting dizzy?” Ada asked.
“Me,” X answered.
“Me too,” Pax said. “I’m getting vertigo.”
Greer felt wetness in her shoes. She looked down and noticed water pooling around her boots. She bent down and ran her index finger through it. It was water, all right. She glanced farther up the stairway. A small stream of water dribbled down the stairs.
“It looks like there’s a leak somewhere,” Greer turned and told the others.
“Let’s go see,” Kane said pushing past her.
They climbed a few more rotations when Vero heard a low rumble. It grew louder. His eyes darted around for its source when a deluge suddenly came crashing toward them from above. The currents picked up the angels and knocked them off the stairwell, but they didn’t fall into empty air. Vero felt as if a huge ocean wave had pushed him under.
He looked up at the turbulent surface above and kicked and swam towards it. He poked his head up out of the water. Vero saw that he was in the middle of a deep blue lake that had three waterfalls thundering down into it from up above. It was the lake Uriel had once shown him where the souls had bathed on their way to meet God. The water was cooler and more refreshing than Vero could have ever imagined. As the other angels began to surface around him, they all recognized where they were . . . they had been here not too long ago when they had begun their search for the unicorns.
“How did we get here and where have the stairs gone?” Kane asked.
“Gone for now,” a voice said.
Vero cocked his head and saw Ariel sitting on the shore of the pool. She was no longer a cat. She had gone back to her Ether form with her human head and lion’s body. Kane and the others swam towards her and walked up out of the water onto the shore.
“Great, now the competition has caught up with us,” Kane said.
“Or the competition has caught up with me,” Ariel shot back.
Vero smiled at Ariel. He was happy to see her. Kane would be furious if he knew he had helped Ariel escape the arcade. Ariel must have known it, too, because she discretely winked at Vero.
“I wonder why we’re here.” Pax said.
“It’s the reflection pool,” Ariel said. “The pool of truth.”
“But I thought this is where human souls bathe before they see God?” Vero asked.
“It is,” Ariel answered. “But that’s not all that happens here.”
“So what is it?” Pax asked.
“The waters show you the truth, no matter what,” Ariel said. “It’s impossible to lie to it. Try it.”
Greer bent over the pool and saw her reflection staring back at her. “I’m a very charming, patient person with impeccable manners,” Greer told the pool.
Instantly a stream of water shot Greer in the face.
“Ahh!” she yelled, pulling back.
“See?” Ariel said.
“That’s one serious lie detector!”
Ada looked cautiously at the pool. “What’s it here for?”
“It’s mainly for human souls. After they shed their earthly bodies, their guardian angel — you guys — escort them up the ladder. Every soul must stop at the pool where they are stripped of all their lies before they meet God.”
“So how do we get out of here?” Kane asked impatiently.
Ariel flicked her tail. Pax moved back, as her venomous tassel of stingers got a little too close to his face. Ariel noticed. “Sorry,” she said. “I would never use my stingers on you.”
“Nice to know.” Pax eyed her tail, still a bit nervous.
Kane cleared his throat. “So how do we get out of here?” he asked again.
“You must reveal something deeply personal,” Ariel said. “Something honest about yourself. Kind of like a confession . . .” she nodded to X. “If you do, you’ll be returned to the next level of Jacob’s Ladder.”
“Out loud in front of everybody?” Greer asked, outraged.
“No, it can be silent.”
Pax kneeled by the water. He looked hard into his reflection. His lips moved as he silently spoke. Taking the shape of Pax’s body, the water rose out of the pool, wrapped its arms around Pax and pulled him under. Pax disappeared.
Vero turned to the others wide-eyed. “Was that a good thing or a bad thing that just happened?”
“That’s how you get to the next step,” Ariel said.
Kane narrowed his eyes at Ariel. “Why should we believe you? Why would you help us?”
“The pool of truth is common knowledge. I’m surprised Uriel hasn’t covered this material with you yet. As for whether you believe me or not, that’s up to you.”
“I believe her,” Vero said with great conviction. “She wouldn’t lie to us.” X then kneeled before the pool. He closed his eyes and concentrated. Nothing happened. After a few moments, he opened his eyes.
“What the heck? I just revealed something honest, so why didn’t it take me?”
“Your eyes were closed,” Ariel said. “They have to be open when you speak, so you can see yourself.”
Vero thought about the expression, “You can’t lie to yourself.” Vero understood he had to see himself for who he was.
“Try it again, with open eyes,” Ariel told X.
X stared at his reflection. With his eyes wide open, he spoke to his reflection mentally. A moment later, the water formed into his shape, reached out, and pulled him into the pool, and X was gone. Ada also knelt before her reflection. The “water Ad
a” grabbed her and pulled her under the water.
“You’re next,” Greer nodded to Kane.
Kane got down on both knees and focused on his reflection. After a few moments, his lips stopped moving. As he waited for a response, a stream of water shot into his face.
“Hey!” Kane yelled as he wiped the water from his eyes.
“Guess someone is holding back,” Greer teased.
Kane knelt closer to the pool, closed his eyes, but once again, water sprayed into his face.
“Dude, you’re doing something wrong,” Vero said.
A look of resolve came over Kane. He stared into the water. As he silently spoke, Vero was surprised to see a tear escape his eye and roll down his cheek. The water took Kane’s shape and pulled him into the pool. Kane vanished. Greer, Vero, and Ariel were left standing on the pool’s edge.
“Vero, you next?” Greer asked.
Vero ignored her as he looked intensely into the water. He watched as a light bounced off the surface.
“Vero?” Greer said. “Hello?”
Vero spun around and grabbed the air next to him. He rolled around and wrestled with . . . nothing.
“You lied to me!” Vero yelled.
“I think you’re totally losing it, dude,” Greer said.
But then Greer noticed that the air Vero was wrestling was reflected in the pool. It was the illuminated image of Melchor. She could see his wings, head, and entire body. Vero finally pinned Melchor.
“You promised to show me Clover’s future! You’re nothing but a little weasel!”
“I am not,” Melchor said. “I’ve been looking for you ever since the arcade.”
“Liar!”
“No, I must have landed on a rung lower than where you did. Let me up and I’ll show you what you want to know.”
“No tricks?” Vero asked.
“No tricks.”
“Swear to God?” Vero asked.
“Swear to God,” Melchor said solemnly.
Vero considered for a moment then slowly got off Melchor. Though he was invisible, Vero could still feel Melchor’s body. It didn’t feel like skin and muscle, but rather like air that had weight and shape.
“You better not try to pull anything,” Vero said.
Vero and the others could see Melchor’s reflection in the pool — a silhouette image of his body.
“Keep looking at the water,” Melchor said. “I will show you what I can of your sister’s future.”
Vero, Ariel, and Greer watched the pool of water. An image of Clover appeared on the surface. Vero thought it resembled a movie playing on a rolling screen. He saw Clover standing in a dark alley. She looked terrified as two dangerous-looking men approached her. Then the image disappeared.
“Wait! Where was she?” Vero asked as panic rose in his throat like bile.
“I don’t know,” Melchor answered.
“Can you show me more?”
“I see nothing past that point, but I might be able to show you events leading up to the moment.”
Another image of Clover appeared in the water. She was sitting on a bus gazing out the window. She looked apprehensive as she watched the setting sun. Another person came into view. Kira was sitting next to her. The bus stopped in a rundown section of a city. Kira and Clover got up. As they walked toward the front of the bus, Clover suddenly stopped and turned back to her seat. She seemed to be looking for something. Kira picked up Clover’s purse. Vero could read her lips — “I’ve got it,” Kira told Clover with a sickly sweet smile.
Vero wondered where they were going. As Clover continued to walk up the aisle, she passed a man reading a newspaper. The image was so clear that Vero could read the print on the paper. He read the date, and it was today! I thought Melchor was showing me the future? The concert! They’re sneaking out to the Two Dimension concert!
Clover stepped off the bus, and the doors shut behind her. Vero’s heart jumped into his throat. Kira remained on the bottom step holding Clover’s purse and cell phone, smiling as the bus pulled away from the curb. A frightened look came over Clover when she realized she was stranded and alone.
“She ditched her!” Vero yelled. “She left Clover without any money or her cell phone!”
“What kind of friend is that?” Ariel asked.
Vero thought for a moment. “Melchor, show me her friend, Kira. I need to see the truth of who she is!”
An image of Kira’s face appeared on the water’s surface. Vero stared intently at it. He needed the truth from her. The desire to know what was really going on with Clover consumed him. Suddenly, Kira’s face began to break apart as the water swept away. Vero and the others looked on with great fascination as the water rushed back together and reformed into another image. To their horror, an old hag’s face appeared in the water — the same one who appeared during Vero’s sword training. She had razor-sharp fangs and hollow eyes. Ripples formed around her head, and soon the water was spinning in circles, creating a whirlpool. Vero saw the whirlpool resembled a chain of hair. Lilith! The whirlpool then swallowed her up.
“Kira is Lilith!” Vero shouted.
It all made sense to him now. Her influence over Clover was what had caused Clover’s personality change. Lilith had Clover under her power!
“Melchor, has this happened already?” Vero desperately needed to know.
“No, but it will tonight.”
“But time is supposed to stop when we’re in the Ether!” Greer said, now panicked for Clover as well.
“I willed myself here,” Vero said. “With the heart attack. They didn’t call me back. That’s why time didn’t stop in the arcade.”
Then Greer remembered. When Danny had been under attack from maltures, Vero had jumped in front of a fire truck to get to the Ether. He wasn’t called back that time either and, like now, time on earth had not stopped.
“I have to move fast!” Vero told the others. “I have to save my sister.”
“How?” Greer asked.
Vero swallowed hard. “Slay Lilith.”
All grew silent. After a moment, Greer locked eyes with Vero. “I’m going with you.”
“Me too,” Ariel said, stepping forward.
Everyone looked at Melchor’s reflection on the water. He appeared confused. “It’s okay,” Vero said. “You helped enough.”
“Sorry,” Melchor said.
“Then at least tell the others what we’ve gone to do. And tell them to go on without us.”
“I will.”
Vero turned to Greer and Ariel. “You can go with him. You don’t have to do this. I’ll understand.”
“No,” Greer said, shaking her head. “My Vox Dei is telling me very clearly that I need to go with you.”
Vero nodded then turned to Ariel. “It’s the right thing to do,” she said.
“Thank you.”
“Where do we find old Lilith?” Greer asked.
“My best guess is the forest where we found the unicorns,” Vero said. “That’s where she first attacked us.”
Vero thought he saw fear in Ariel’s normally stalwart face. He put his hand on Ariel’s shoulder. “Are you sure you want to do this? You’re leaving the Powers without any competitor.”
“I’d have a hard time hanging a medal around my neck know it came at the cost of your sister,” Ariel answered.
Greer smiled. “I like this chick.”
Melchor watched as the three sprouted their wings and flew towards the rivers above the waterfalls.
“God be with you,” he whispered.
24
MARSH CREATURES
Vero, Ariel, and Greer flew at breakneck speed above the unicorn forest. The land below was thick with trees and shrubs. Vero spotted a small clearing.
“Down there!” Vero yelled to Greer and Ariel. “That’s where the unicorns were grazing!”
Vero motioned with his head for them to land in the open area below. Greer and Ariel followed him to the ground. Vero scanned the area.
Dense woods surrounded them on all sides.
“Okay, now how do we find her?” Greer asked.
“I’m not sure,” Vero said. “All I know is that this is the spot where she attacked us.”
“Then we have to ask those that live here,” Ariel said. “They’ll know her habits.”
“Who lives here?” Greer asked.
“The animals of the forest.”
“And how are we going to talk to them . . .?” Greer asked.
“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m half animal.”
“Good point.” Greer nodded, smiling.
Ariel turned her head toward the ground in front of her. Vero saw her human nose twitch as she picked up a scent. She then pounced on a patch of earth and began to dig furiously with her front claws. Dirt flew between her hind legs and splattered all over Vero. He watched as Ariel pulled something out of the ground. Ariel’s claws were retracted, and she held a mole around its midsection.
“Please don’t hurt me!” Vero heard the mole plead. He was surprised he could understand it.
“Answer my question, and I won’t eat you,” Ariel said forcefully.
Greer gave Vero a look. Gross!
“What do you want to know?” the mole asked.
Vero noticed how velvety its dark fur was. He looked for the creature’s eyes, but all he saw were tiny slits nearly hidden by fur. Vero thought the mole was strange-looking with its large snout and sharp claws.
“We need to find Lilith,” Ariel said.
Hearing Lilith’s name, the mole panicked. It violently squirmed in Ariel’s palm and freed itself. It hit the ground and frantically burrowed into the dirt. Ariel chased after it. Once again, she caught it in her paw.
“No, I won’t speak of her,” the mole squealed.
Ariel opened her mouth wide and dangled the mole over it. Vero shot Greer a disgusted look. Suddenly, she didn’t look so beautiful to him.
Pillars of Fire Page 23