Evenstar

by Darcy Town

  Brian grabbed Dahlia from the others and held her in front of him. He put his blade to her neck. “I have her. You cannot attack me.”

  Blue fire roasted every man in the room besides Brian.

  “Demon!” Brian held up Belial’s lamin. “Attack this newcomer.”

  “I’m going to go for your head, so dodge.” Belial threw herself at Lucifer.

  Lucifer knocked her down. He sat on her. Belial smiled. Lucifer looked at Brian and struggled to speak coherently, “Give me what is mine now.”

  Brian pulled Dahlia towards the fire grate. Her feet trailed on the ground leaving bloody streaks through the ash of dead men. She did not move or protest. Brian sneered. “We are all willing to die, but this one is important, yes?”

  Lucifer said nothing. Belial rocked underneath him. “Take me out already, and kill him!”

  Lucifer broke Belial’s neck and her bones in a rolling motion. She went unconscious. He stood and stepped out of the summoning circle, eyes on Dahlia. “Give her to me.”

  Brian put her near the edge of Andy’s circle. He hit the controls and fire shot up through the grate. “Step closer and she goes in.”

  Lucifer stopped.

  Dahlia twitched and opened her functioning eye. She opened her mouth to speak. Blood poured out past her lips. Her blue eye focused and met Lucifer’s. She reached for him.

  Brian sliced downwards taking off her fingertips.

  Fire ignited across Lucifer’s skin. He bared his fangs; his fingernails sharpened into points. His irises turned black, and veins showed on his skin as his muscles knotted.

  Brian shuddered. “This is the girl the angels are looking for, isn’t that right, Satan.” He pressed the blade up against her neck. “They didn’t mention that she had to be alive.”

  Lucifer stomped on the floor. Cracks opened along the concrete. Brian frowned. Lucifer stomped harder. The iron circle around Andy snapped in two.

  Brian shifted his gaze. “I—”

  A flaming, handless Andy roped his arms around Brian’s neck and pulled him onto the fire grate. Brian screamed as his hair and clothes caught fire. He beat at Andy’s face. “Let me go!”

  Released, Dahlia fell sideways. Lucifer caught her and pulled her away from the flames. He grabbed Belial’s lamin from Brian’s still twitching fingers. He set Dahlia down on the floor gently. He threw Belial’s lamin to her. “Belial, you are released!”

  Belial caught and swallowed her lamin. She pulled Andy out of the fire grate and carried him to the floor, leaving Brian to burn to death. She wrapped her body around Andy’s to put out the flames. She pushed herself off him. His skin flaked off at her touch. She saw that his hands were missing. “Andy, your hands!”

  Andy’s eyes were burnt out, but he recognized her voice. “I don’t think you’re trash. Not trash.”

  Belial burst into tears. “Stop trying to talk, you need your energy to heal!”

  Lucifer examined Dahlia. His hands fluttered over her broken and bruised body. “Dahlia?”

  Dahlia looked up into his eyes. “Lucifer?”

  Lucifer kissed her forehead. “Shh.” Men burst into the room with weapons drawn. He threw out his hand and blasted them with flame. The concentrated heat vaporized the men and melted the metal door shut.

  He examined Dahlia’s wounds. The hair thin blade had made many. He touched her stomach and the skin separated in numerous locations, but no blood came out. Lucifer took in the paleness of her skin, the lack of continuous bleeding. He looked at the blood on the floor and the realization sank in; she had lost too much blood to be alive. The only thing keeping her animate was the link she had with Furcas.

  Lucifer closed his eyes. “Belial, get them both back to the City now.”

  Belial sent a pulse through a new pendant she wore at her throat.

  Thanatos appeared. He took in Dahlia’s condition and looked between her and Lucifer. “She is de—”

  “I know.” Lucifer handed him Dahlia. “Take her now.”

  Thanatos opened a portal and gestured to him. “We should go together.”

  Lucifer stood up. Blue fire danced across his skin. “No.”

  Thanatos cradled Dahlia gently. Belial stepped up beside him with Andy in her arms. Thanatos opened his mouth to speak. Belial pushed him back through the portal. She looked at Lucifer, nodded, and stepped into the portal. It closed.

  Lucifer stood alone in the room, Dahlia’s blood all around him. He let fire, anger, and madness take over. He gave himself to it. The room burst into flame. He attacked the metal door, tearing through it like paper. He stormed out of the room and came face to face with scores of armed men. He let loose a torrent of heat, killing them where they stood.

  He roared and threw himself at the building. He punched through walls and raced through rooms, setting fire to everything. The building shook and collapsed. He climbed out of the rubble and stood under the open sky. He surveyed the land. He was on a fort. Soldiers looked up from drills and training. Rows of barracks were in sight; beyond those were houses for the families of the soldiers.

  Lucifer threw out his arms. Fire and heat engulfed the base and everything for two miles around and above it. He became inferno.

  In the sky, the Morningstar rose over the horizon, heralding dawn, a new day.

  ***

  Darkness enveloped Dahlia. Her pain, a constant presence. The air warmed; her senses dulled. She grew conscious of her surroundings. She smelled flowers. She whirled around, alone, floating, bodiless.

  LADRIAM.

  Fear ripped through her. She shrank into herself, trying to be invisible to the voice.

  I CAN FEEL YOU. YOU ARE NEAR. YOU ARE CLOSE TO DEATH, LOST, AFRAID. GIVE UP AND COME BACK TO ME, LADRIAM. I WILL TAKE AWAY YOUR PAIN.

  Dahlia sought for a way out. Cracks of light marred the darkness.

  YOU CAN RUN, BUT I WILL FIND YOU. NO MATTER WHAT HE DOES, YOU WILL BE MINE AGAIN.

  Feathers encircled her, cutting off her escape. Her scream died on her lips. The feeling was friendly. A blurry figure pulled her from the place of warmth into cold, electric air. A familiar girl’s voice emanated from behind her, “He’s pretty hard up about you.”

  Dahlia spun to see Faith at her shoulder. Faith shifted to Furcas. “Hello, Dahl-face.”

  Dahlia hugged him. “Furcas! Thank you!” She pulled back and looked into his eyes. “You have wings!”

  Furcas shrugged, four red wings flapped at his back, his irises matched crimson red. Electricity flowed across his skin. “This is a place of dreams. I also have my eye and arm. I’m quite dashing in red I think.” He smiled roguishly. He sobered up as the pain came back to hit them both. They shuddered together. Furcas wrapped his arms around her. “Time to go back.”

  “It will hurt more.”

  “Yes, for us both, but it’s that or God talk. What’s your preference?”

  Dahlia interlaced her fingers with his. “Pain it is.”

  ***

  Michael let Uriel slide off his shoulder. The beaten Archangel was unconscious. Raphael leapt over him and examined his wounds, his face a mask of concentration. Michael watched with distaste. He gave Raphael room to work and sent out a summons to the others.

  Gabriel, Jegudiel, and Selaphiel arrived together. Barachiel showed up last. The dark circles under his eyes were worse. He glared at Gabriel. “Next time you go bother your brother.”

  Gabriel ignored him. He looked at Uriel. “He has lost a wing.”

  “Yes, Belial’s doing.” Raphael held on to the broken appendage. He rolled Uriel over onto his stomach. He plucked two long silvery feathers out of the base of the torn-off wing. The lost wing dulled. Raphael jabbed the feathers into Uriel’s bloody wing-stump. They stuck into the flesh. They glowed and formed a new wing.

  The others watched fascinated. Michael examined Raphael’s work. “How did you know to do that?”

  Raphael shrugged. “They are the seed feathers. We all have them. They are all you need to r
ecreate the whole.”

  Uriel’s wing unfurled, healed and whole. His body finished healing itself. He coughed up blood and sat up slowly. “I will kill that bitch I swear it.”

  Michael laughed. “I think she got you closer to death than you ever brought her.”

  Uriel glowered. “That will not happen again.” He shrugged off Raphael’s ministrations. “I am fine!”

  Barachiel sighed. “Things went better for me, but Paimon is not a fighter.” He rubbed his neck. “Furcas still lives. He knows where Ladriam is. She is in danger, but he is split off from the others and cannot tell them. Though now those two are missing, escaped.”

  Michael stared into space. “Yes, but that means she is in danger and split off from the others as well.”

  Barachiel nodded. “Did you check in with the humans yet? They may have succeeded in acquiring her.”

  Michael frowned. “No. They have not reached out to me.”

  “I think you—” Barachiel shuddered and closed his eyes. “Lucifer is using energy, massive amounts of it.” He held his head as the stress of information gave him a migraine. “More than he has in a very long time.”

  Michael grinned. “Show me where.”

  ***

  Thanatos rushed Dahlia to the Sanctuary. The air throbbed with energy as Furcas and Dahlia became close. The force tore her from his arms and pulled her to the dais. She came to rest at Furcas’ side. They lay unconscious, side by side with matching wounds. Red light enveloped them both, redoubling the strength of the glowing barrier.

  Thanatos pressed his hands against the barrier, but could not push through.

  “This situation is no better.” Ceres shook her head. “Where is Lucifer?”

  “Raging. Someone should get him.”

  Neptune got up and sighed. “I will do it this time.” He disappeared.

  Set stepped over to look at Dahlia and Furcas. “She is dead.”

  Thanatos nodded. “She should be, but the two are linked. I do not believe she will die unless he does.”

  Paimon swallowed. “How bad is he, Thanatos?”

  Thanatos looked grim. “Worse than Lucifer was, far worse. This extra burden of keeping her alive makes his energy run out even faster. I give him hours to live on the outside.”

  Paimon pushed between them. “Furcas!”

  “Don’t yell at him!” Ceres was aghast.

  Paimon put his hand in her face. “I am ages older than you, get out of my face! Furcas, wake up!”

  “He is not going to wake up!”

  Paimon pounded on the light shield. “You lazy shit, wake the fuck up now!”

  Furcas’ eye blinked open. “What do you want, you naggy bitch?”

  Paimon pointed to Dahlia.

  Furcas looked over. “Old news.” He held his side. “Her wounds are not my fault.”

  Paimon shook his head. “You’re the only reason she’s still alive! Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it!”

  Furcas closed his eye. “The Archangel of Lost Causes is on the case.” He passed out.

  Ceres glared at Paimon. “He needs his energy, and you drain the both of them!”

  “Shut it, Ceres.” Paimon leaned on the wall. “Someone get me a fucking drink.”

  Belial poked her head in the room. “I could use some help too!”

  “They’re not doing any good here, shoo!” Paimon waved the second generation Lilliam to her. He grabbed Thanatos. “Not you. You stay.”

  The rest of them ran outside. Andy leaned on a wall a few paces from the doorway. His skin was black and charred, his eyes burnt out pits. Belial helped him stand. “He’s not healing right!”

  Andy struggled to speak, “I’m just tired is all. Tired…”

  Belial ignored him. “Do something!”

  Spider took Belial’s hand. “Calm down, let us look at him.”

  Andy breathed out and the smell of burnt meat filled the room. “I could use some water.”

  Belial pointed at Helion. “Get him water now!”

  Shalim waved Helion off. He sent out a call and his daughters, the Auroras, came in with jugs of water. They set them down in front of Andy.

  Andy bent over to drink. He stopped midway as his skin peeled and split along his back. He dropped to his knees. “Ow.”

  “Andrealphus!” Belial screamed, frantic. “You guys, do something!”

  Andy shrugged. “I don’t have hands anyways.”

  Belial scooped up water for him. “Drink!”

  Andy sipped out of her palms.

  “Drink more!”

  “Please stop yelling, I do have a working ear.”

  Belial snapped her mouth shut. She sat down next to him and whispered, “Sorry.”

  Andy plunged his head in the water and drank. Belial dumped another jug over his shoulders. He shook the water off and was able to grin, lips and teeth reformed. New skin and muscle replaced dead flesh. He sighed and smacked his lips as his hair grew in. Belial helped him up.

  Andy leaned on her, wobbly and naked. He stared at his wrists and shook out his arms. Bones snapped and cracked as his hands took shape. He managed a smile. “Oh good.” He fell over.

  Belial caught him. “What do you need?”

  He held on to her. “A long nap.”

  She picked him up and carried him out of the large waiting area. She brought him to a small room full of pillows. She set him down and closed the door behind her. She sat down against it and tucked her knees to her chest. She bit her nails.

  Andy opened an eye. “Come here.”

  Belial landed on the pillows next to him. She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed, knocking the wind out of him. “I’m sorry for fighting.”

  Andy trembled and shut his eyes. He kissed her hair. “You do not need to apologize for anything.”

  “But—”

  “No. I’m the one that is sorry.” He took a deep breath. “I never meant to push you.” His voice caught in his throat and came out cracked, “I didn’t know about what Uriel did.”

  She stiffened. She pushed away mechanically.

  He resisted the urge to grab for her. “Belial.”

  Belial shook her head. “You weren’t supposed to know, no one was. Ever. Just forget about it please.” She got up and walked towards the door.

  “Wait.” Andy pushed himself off the pillows. He took a step and stumbled.

  Belial caught him before he hit the floor. “Lay down, Andy. You need to rest.”

  “Please stay.”

  “I can’t.” Belial couldn’t meet his gaze.

  “Why?”

  “Because I can’t be what you want me to be.”

  “You don’t need to be anything for me.” Andy tilted her chin up. “I love you as you are.”

  She sank to the floor in front of him. “You shouldn’t.”

  “I can’t help it. I’ve always loved you.”

  Tears rolled down her cheeks. “You’re such an idiot, Andrealphus.”

  “Yes, I am.” Andy reached out and gently rested a hand on her arm. “Please stay with me.”

  “I—”

  “All I need is you near, nothing else.” It was his turn to cry. “I will never do what he did. Never.”

  Belial tucked her knees to her chest. Andy touched her shoulder. She shivered and shook him off. She stood up. “I’m sorry. I can’t.”

  “Why?”

  She wiped tears away, but more came after. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I can’t be that for you. I’m not her anymore, Andrealphus.” She looked at him. “That Belial died during the war. I’m just her shadow and memory, a doll of the same name. I’m not something to be loved.” She threw open the door and ran from the room.

  Sobs wracked his body with pain. He reached for the door. “I love you regardless.”

  ***

  Helion saw his sister flee from the room. He left Whitney’s side and dashed after her. Belial morphed the palace and hit the Grand Promenade. Helion soared above her. “Bel
ial!”

  She ignored him, her gaze fixed on the Old Road. She passed Jacob, Tracy, and Celeste. They said nothing, no Lilliam stopped her. Belial wiped tears from her eyes. She ripped at her clothing, dropping pieces on the ground as she sprinted for the Road.

  Helion dropped down, picked her up, and carried her into the air. “Belial!”

  She slashed at him. “What are you doing?”

  “What are you doing?”

  Belial twisted in his grip until she could see his face. “I have to go kill things!”

  “Why?”

  “It will make me feel better.”

  “No it won’t.” Helion soared away from the Old Road and down the twisting caverns of the City. He hugged her. “Don’t punish everyone else.”

  “Why not?” Belial snarled. “I hurt Andy. All I do is punish!”

  He landed in a remote, empty area of the City. “Take it out on me instead.”

  Her mouth dropped open. “Why?”

  “It’s my fault.”

  She glared at him. “Don’t remind me, Helion!”

  He pressed his hands together. “I am. I made the mistakes, no one else. So take it out on me if you must.”

  She shuddered. “No.”

  “You only want to attack the weak, the humans.” She remained silent. Helion tensed. “You only want to attack that which cannot defend itself, like Uriel.”

  Belial leapt on her brother. “I am not like him!”

  “You kill humans for fun. You take pleasure in it. You are like him.”

  She punched him in the face. “I never do to them what he did to me! Killing them is a mercy, one I was not allowed. I begged Uriel to kill me. He laughed.” Her rage died as quickly as it came. She crawled off her brother. She stood and stared into the darkness. “He laughed at me.”

  “But he is not here to do that anymore. We aren’t like that. We want you to be better.” He rolled to his feet. “Andy loves you, Belial.”

  She shuddered. “And I love him, Helion, but I can’t be with him.”

  Helion reached for her. “Belial, why don’t you let yourself heal so that you can live?”

  “I cannot heal and I don’t want to live.” She sank to her knees. When her eyes met his they were empty. “I stay alive to see this through to its end. Lucifer promised me before the war. He gave me his word.”