Inside, Mary screamed, cried and tried in vain to overcome Narathan, the demon that possessed her body and mind. As hard as she tried he could not be beaten, silently she stopped struggling as Narathan lifted the dagger again and drew it down upon her own chest. A soaring pain filled Mary’s body as the dagger dug deep into her heart. Mary fell upon the marbled floor, blood pouring gently from the side of her mouth. Violently she fell on her back, heaving in and out, fighting for air and wanting the pain to stop. Mary could hear footsteps coming from the kitchens and tried to cry out for help, but was enveloped in a deep and timeless cloud of darkness.
*
Fires engulfed the skies of London as a different war raged on. Theodore followed Galean towards Westminster Abbey and watched on in awe as Galean commanded the large Cathedral doors to open. The sound of the doors hitting off the wall was drowned out by the noise of the German and British planes passing overhead. Eveline lay motionless in Theodore’s arms, blood staining her throat and hair. Galean was yelling out to Gabriel desperately, turning to motion Theodore to make speed toward the altar. Theodore watched as Galean threw the candles from the altar bidding Theodore to lay Eveline atop. Theodore ascended the steps to the altar and gently lay Eveline down. A bright light blinded both of the angels for a mere moment before it faded.
“Theodore, Galean.” Gabriel spoke urgently making his way to Eveline. Pressing a hand to her forehead, he closed his eyes a spoke softly. A soft, golden light illuminated his hand as he laid it across Eveline’s forehead gently. Galean and Theodore watched on in a mixture of awe and grief. Theodore wanted to be by her side but felt a strong force bordering Eveline and Gabriel, keeping Galean and himself away as Gabriel tried to save Eveline. A beautiful glow filled the cathedral and both Theodore and Galean turned from Gabriel and watched as the pews filled with angels, deep in prayer. Looking at each other Theodore and Galean exchanged confused gazes. The angels chanted softly repeating Gabriel’s own chant. Eveline’s body was now hovering above the altar alit in a soft golden hue, her long hair falling onto the blood stained marble. From the back, Galean observed an angel, taller than most making his way toward the altar, his face downcast. Theodore watched as the angel stopped before them, his eyes lowered and his hands folded in front of his white gown.
“I am bidden to tell you that our friends, Peter, Ada and Bram have died this evening,” the angel announced quietly, now lifting his silver eyes to Galean and Theodore.
“No,” argued Theodore looking to Gabriel for help, but only finding anger in his eyes.
“How?” whispered Galean, his eyes moist with tears, his heart beating heavily.
“Lagmar entered the house with Belem, it seems Narathan the deceiver has been possessing the body and mind of Mary, the owner of the house and friend of Eveline’s grandmother,” replied the angel weakly.
“But how? How did they kill angels?” cried Theodore fanatically, waving his hands in the air desperately. If only he had listened to Gabriel, his friends would not have perished.
“Belle,” whispered Galean. “Did they kill Belle?” The angel shook his head slowly.
“They have taken the child from the house, Belem has her,” answered the angel his eyes filled with sorrow.
“Did they kill anyone else?” Theodore asked thinking of Estelle and Hannah.
“Simon found the bodies of Estelle, Mary and Harold their neighbour in the reception hall, it seems Mary choked Harold and stabbed Estelle before taking her own life.” Theodore looked to Galean in shock. Galean however looked at Eveline, who now lay on the altar silently still. Gabriel was holding her hand in his own and praying over her.
“I must go, Belle needs me,” he announced to those who could hear him. Gabriel turned his head and nodded in agreement.
“You can’t leave Eveline,” begged Theodore, his eyes drifting from Gabriel to Galean.
“Eveline is safe, you are here, you are the one she needs,” Galean replied kindly, keeping his anger to himself it would have been useless to start an argument in front of Gabriel and a church full of angels. Theodore clasped Galean in his arms and hugged him tightly.
“I should have listened,” he cried into his shoulder. “I have let her down.”
“No you haven’t, she is here isn’t she?” Galean answered warmly, “She will need you now more than ever, only love can bring her back from the darkness. Gabriel can heal her body, he cannot waken her, only she can do that.”
“What if she can’t hear me?” Theodore asked releasing himself from the embrace and gazing across at the sleeping Eveline, her face soft and rid of pain.
“Theodore, she loves you, if there is anyone with whom she will respond to it will be you,” comforted Galean, “but you must be prepared for the consequences of your decision to bind yourself to her, you must face the wrath and exile of your King and people.”
“I am willing to sacrifice all that I have to love her and protect her,” Theodore replied firmly.
“You will be a human Theodore, you will not be able to protect her in the way that you used to, but come, it is too late and I am too tired to discuss this, have faith, she will come through.” Galean smiled before turning to take his leave.
“Will you come back?” Theodore asked hopefully. Galean stopped and nodded quietly before leaving the cathedral through the side door. Galean didn’t know if he would return, for the first time in his life he was unsure of the outcome. As he walked away from Westminster, the heavy rain soaking his suit and drenching his golden hair, he cried. Stopping in front of the road he hunched over, planting his hands on his hips and breathing in deeply, he had to concentrate, where would Belle be? Time was of the essence, he had to be sure where she would be if he was going to save her. Eveline would never forgive him if Belle was killed. Standing up he looked to the sky and watched a spitfire pass, rain drops staining his face and dripping down his throat beneath his collar.
“Galean?” a femine voice boomed from behind. Galean turned and through the rain saw a figure running down to meet him.
“Who are you?” he asked. The figure stopped in front of Galean and smiled up at him.
“Jophiel,” replied the beautiful woman, whose radiant face was shielded by her hood.
“The angel of enlightment?” Galean replied confused.
“Well yes according to Christianity, I am in essence an angel of enlightment, I am actually what you and I would observe as being an academic angel,” she laughed kindly, her blue eyes beautifully set within her round face.
“And what are you doing here?” Galean replied bluntly.
“Well Gabriel bid me to follow him here, to help Celestine, and now he has bidden me to help you find Belle,” smiled Jophiel, a bud of rain landing on the tip of her fine nose.
“And how do you intend on helping me find Belle?” Galean asked flatly, knowing that time was running out.
“Well despite aiding humans to open their mind, I also spy on demons..,” she began, waving her hands about dramatically, “you know to help the keepers out.”
“Okay,” sighed Galean, exhausted and cold.
“Well I happen to know where Belem and Lagmar may be, its actually about half an hour away in a cemetery called Barnes Cemetery?” she looked at him in hope, but instead was met with a frown. “I am guessing you don’t know where that is, that’s okay,” she replied motioning him to follow her, “I will take you there.”
“And when we get there?” Galean asked following her across the road to a nearby taxi. Jophiel turned and shrugged.
“We can think about that when we arrive, anyway you’re a renowned angelic warrior I’m sure you will find a way,” she answered brightly getting into the cab and telling the driver where to go. Galean shut the car door behind him and sat back in the seat closing his eyes briefly.
“Have you ever had any experience with shadows?” Galean enquired, turning his eyes to Jophiel who was now fixing her dark hair.
“Oh well,” she muttered, “no, a
ctually.”
“Great,” sighed Galean turning his eyes to the window and watching the outside world pass by.
“I have read about shadows, and I know they have acquired greater powers but no I haven’t as of yet met one.”
“Well why did you come then?” Galean asked frustrated.
“Because despite not having the skill to fight a shadow I do have other skills,” answered Jophiel sharply.
“Like?”
“I can stun their minds, which will give you time to find Belle and maybe even kill some of them,” announced Jophiel. Galean turned again and looked at the petite angel, her hair perfectly curled, her lips red and her eyes alive.
“Well that may prove useful,” he managed to say feeling slightly pathetic and stunned himself.
“Yes so I thought, now I have heard that Lagmar intends on possessing Dantel’s power and then drawing blood from Belle, I’m not sure why he needs her blood,” she frowned, her mind clearly trying to find some reason as her eyes became fixed on the floor.
“Yes it sounds a bit strange,” Galean agreed also trying to think of a reason.
“Is it possible that by consuming someone’s blood it enables them to track their whereabouts?” Jophiel asked seriously, “I know it sounds mad but lately demons have been doing the same thing, obviously because they cannot be in two places at once, not even we can, bar angels from the council,” she concluded, her eyebrows drawn together.
“You might be on to something,” Galean answered darkly, “it makes sense and as we know they seem to have been enlightened recently.”
“And really who better to take on the newly enlightened shadows,” laughed Jophiel, slightly nervous in Galean’s company. Jophiel had always been held in high esteem, this nobody could repute, but the sad truth of it was she was quite lonely. Jophiel had watched humanity evolve, she had spent most of her time in the company of great thinkers, although admittedly she was for most of it a man, it was easy for an angel to disguise themselves, and it was, unfortunately for her still very much a man’s world. Times were changing for women, and Jophiel found that she didn’t have to disguise her gender anymore, she could be herself. All female angels had heard of Galean, the brave and fierce warrior from Meerin, and to actually sit beside him was slightly bizarre and fantastical all at once.
Jophiel looked at Galean, who was sitting silently looking out of the window, she observed how forlorn and quiet he was and felt very sorry for him. She was off course aware of why he had been exiled from heaven and ordered to go home to his father, but he was here and she couldn’t help wonder what it was that kept him here, she had a strange feeling that it was Celestine. Jophiel had watched both Theodore and Galean standing close by to Celestine as Gabriel healed her. Galean seemed to be talking intensely to Theodore, who rumour had it was in love with the Kings granddaughter. It wasn’t the conversation that lead Jophiel to her suspicions, it was his face. Galean’s eyes were desperately sad, they spoke of an untold grief between himself and Celestine.
“Is something wrong?” Galean broke in shaking Jophiel from her thoughts quite suddenly.
“No, it’s just you seem well upset,” Jophiel slurred nervously, she never had this problem with professors, probably because she was over three thousand years old.
“It’s been a difficult day,” Galean replied blandly trying to force a smile upon his lips but failing terribly. Jophiel nodded in response, twisting her fingers about on her lap.
“Yes it has, and I’m afraid that it is about to get worse,” she began, Galean raised his eyebrows, “I mean if the rumours about Cael and Celestine are true, well it’s going to cause some problems.”
“True, but what can any of us do?” complained Galean, not usually one to be so personally open, however he had a feeling that Jophiel was a good, kind and trustworthy angel, not that he was offending other angels, just that she seemed to be the kind of angel who would make for a good friend, and he needed a friend and more importantly he needed to be able to talk to someone who wasn’t directly involved and unlikely to gossip.
“We can hope that Theodore returns to reason, he has always been a great angel, a brilliant commander ruled by logic and reason, but..,” Jophiel frowned, “ he seems to be besotted with her and from what I hear she him, if they choose to marry he will need his friends and she will need courage and strength.”
“Yes, he has put her in a terrible position, not only will she feel pushed to marry him because he will be exiled, but who will protect her?” Galean moaned pulling his hand into a tight fist, anger surging through him. Eveline loved him as well, but if she knew the truth about Heiden’s prophecy she would think that he was only pretending to love her to protect her and to please his master. Galean closed his eyes at the thought his stomach turning.
“I am sure Celestine is very able to make her own mind up, she seems to be to be sharp and independent.” Jophiel answered firmly, “and if they love each other then who are we to judge, we are ruled by love it is what we believe in.”
“She has only just met him, he on the other hand has been her guardian since her birth, he knows the complications, the rules,” growled Galean wishing they were at the cemetery so that he could find Belle and kill the shadows.
“Well in my lifetime, I have seen many people falling in love at first sight, yes many of them go on to fall out of love but for the rare few couples, it works, they make each other better, brighter, maybe that can happen with Cael and Celestine,” Jophiel said kindly, “even if it goes against the rules, after all her own parents went against Heiden and their love for one another is still talked about not just amongst the people of Calhuni, but amongst those in heaven.”
“There love doomed them, it brought suffering and darkness upon the four kingdoms and now across the universe, was it worth it?” Galean stressed rubbing his forehead with his hand, his head sore.
“There love didn’t force Lagar to become more powerful, it didn’t alter the chaotic paths that the Kings and Queens of Calhuni were already walking,” Jophiel urged softly, “they died loving one another, they saved their daughter, she is our hope so in essence going against the rules aided our fight it didn’t weaken us, she will be the light we have waited for, she will, I pray bring peace to Calhuni and defeat the darkness.”
“I wish I could believe that. I understand what you are saying and truly what you say makes sense, I just have a bad feeling about this,” sighed Galean, he not only had a bad feeling, he knew for a fact it was a bad idea.
“I hope you are wrong, but it your prophecy proves true, then dark times are ahead.”
Galean and Jophiel sat in silence until the cab stopped in front of the cemetery. Together Galean and Jophiel got out and waited until the cab had driven out of sight before entering the dark and wet cemetery, quiet and vigilant.
“Do we have a plan?” whispered Jophiel following Galean carefully manovering herself in between overgrown graves, now hidden beneath wild trees and bushes. Drops of rain fell onto her perfectly curled hair and slithered down her neck, soaking her under blouse. Even for angels like Galean and Jophiel, Barnes cemetery put the fear of God into them, the long and lifeless paths were shielded by very old trees that branched over, creating an arch above their heads. In the distance Galean and Jophiel could hear cries, similar to those of shadows who were in the heights of ecstasy. “I forgot to ask, how many shadows do you think will be here?” Jophiel whispered anxiously. Galean stopped and turned looking down into Jophiels anxious face and relaxing, he suddenly felt protective of the angel, she had obviously never seen a shadow ritual before and she was in for a shock. Theodore was more experienced in this area of shadow devilry, Galean dealt more with one on one situations with isolated demons.
“Truthfully I am not exactly sure, but I can only guess by the commotion on ahead that we will heavily outnumbered,” Galean answered steadily, “but rest assured I will not confront them without a logical and strategic plan.”
“Ah
good,” smiled Jophiel leaning against a tilted cross, her hands on her hips breathing deeply.
“Without sounding ridiculous, have you any experience of hand on hand combat?” Galean asked hopefully because if she didn’t they were really stuck.
“Well many shadows have attempted to kill me, but my stunning powers seem to help so I have never really needed to physically fight to defend myself,” replied Jophiel her eyebrows raised.
“Right well I suppose that’s something.”
“Should we keep going?” Jophiel enquired a rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins and causing her to become slightly fidgety.
“Off course, right keep close to me,” ordered Galean leading them forward. Jophiel shivered at the sheer creepiness that the cemetery conveyed, she had been in a lot of cemeteries in her life on earth and a few had been quite dark and scary but this cemetery was on another scale of dark and scary. Each step she took sent a spike of fear up her spine, a branch would break, a leaf would rustle or she would notice a rat jumping behind a gravestone. Jophiel should be brave and courageous, at least that is how religious sects painted her, and if they knew the real Jophiel she doubted they would speak of her at all. Jophiel was an academic, she marvelled in intellectual work, being so far beyond human capacity she tried through her work to entice academics to open their minds to go beyond social, political and philosophical limitations. When not working she stayed at home in Chelsea, looking after her two dogs, Willow and Oak, baking, writing and walking , mostly by herself. Jophiel had a circle of friends that she knew quite well, but she supposed her being an angel and them merely human caused quite a divide and she never saw herself as an equal.
It was nice, thought Jophiel as she slipped off the pathway and into a dense patch of forest, to be involved in something out of the regular with one of her personal hero’s. It was she supposed similar to an academic meeting his academic hero, Jophiel had always been a little jealous of the feisty and heroic female angels who fought alongside the likes of Galean and Theodore, no one really gave angels like herself much time. It was easy to get lost amongst the crowd and although Gabriel himself appreciated the work that Jophiel did, no one else much cared and so her life was solitary and quite lonely. When she was much younger and in her youth, she had fallen in love with a great warrior like Galean, but unfortunately he was killed and she had sworn never to love again, but deep down she wished she could find someone to make her happy and whole, maybe not a great warrior like Galean but an academic. Jophiel understood Theodore, she was like him forbidden to fall in love with a human and many times she was tempted to forgo her identity, to throw it away on a whim so that she could taste the happiness of love and security.
One Crown & Two Thrones: The Guardians Page 24