He sighed in relief as the large gates began parting and the sea of the dead rushed in. The movement was enough to make him almost pass out, but he managed to stay conscious enough to hear the gates resonate throughout the huge space as they were pulled shut. He was thankful they were finally in. The people around him were deathly quiet─ more than before if that were even possible. He looked around just to make sure that they were still there.
None of them were awake. Even Michael was in what seemed like a coma. His eyes were rolled back and barely opened a slit. All that was visible was the whites from his eyes. Great─ they had finally made it hundreds of miles, only to have Michael missing his wings, and him barely conscious and sick. What a pathetic bunch they made coming face-to-face with Azrael. He took the quiet time to look around, trying to memorize every detail. He wasn’t sure how quickly they may need to try and bust out of here─ or if Azrael would even see them. This was all riding on the hope that a long time ago, they were friends. Azrael was the Angel of Death, which meant he was as neutral as they came. When Messiah had split itself, it knew the need for balance. Or so, he theorized. No one really knew, but it sounded more plausible than anything else he could come up with. John knew that he was placing a lot on a theory, but it was a bet he was willing to take. Seems like he was just full of cliché’s lately. He chuckled at how stupid humanity had made him and what he had done for love. He never understood it before, but as an imperfect human─ he could.
The area was completely devoid of wetness. It was as if the air itself was taken from the desert and yet, he could feel the wetness from the water they trudged along in. But it was the water that was beginning to feel uncomfortable. As if the wetness itself was sticking to him, and he was unable to breathe. He needed out, these creatures were stealing his air and the water was pulling him down. John didn’t know why he fought this, but he just knew that somehow, he wasn’t supposed to go down there. He clawed his way to the top, terrified at the falling and wet sensation. Bless Michael─ that son-of-a-bitch caught on real quick and he snapped awake, clawing next to him. They thrashed until they broke the surface and both shot their heads back and forth.
“OUT” Michael screamed. Digging his way toward the sides. “Thank you, Captain Obvious” John muttered as he dove toward the same side. He couldn’t see much, but he could sense there was a wall that bordered the sides of the damned. There was a thick, grey haze all around them but somehow his eyes managed to make out something solid in the distance. Michael must have sensed it too, since he was matching him stroke for stroke. To his horror, John felt something tearing at his legs. Whatever it was, made him feel like he was never going to make it. He could feel himself doubting every kick of his leg, or stroke with his arms.
He needed to clear his mind. What was it he remembered learning from his mentor? Then he heard Michael’s voice from all those years ago:
The first part of the three tests is by far the cruelest. It takes your mind and instills fear and doubt─ leading its victim to panic into becoming a mindless idiot before they let go and fall into the depths of despair. It is meant to weed out all the weak minded people that cannot think for themselves. It can last anywhere from hours to days. Some of the strongest contenders I've seen could not make it past their own self-doubt. This is the pit’s secret─ it turns you against yourself.
John hadn't come this far to be shut down, and he sure as hell wasn't going to lose for both of them. He felt his power bubble from the inside, until finally it burst from his body. Not sure how it was going to work, his hands shot out, and grabbed Michael. He focused all his energy on what he hoped was a shore and blinked.
8 Miss Fortune
“You can't be serious.” Daniel stared across the room at the man that sat and drank his coffee. The short walk from the rooms with the tapestries to the dining area felt hard, but were minuscule in comparison to what bomb was just dropped on him. “That's him?” Matilda smiled and nodded. The cowherd was now dressed lavishly, but what was even more impressive was the sheer look of content on his face at the woman seated by him.
“That─ is the guy that fucked us all over?” he sputtered. “The same,” she drawled. Daniel stared at the man for the first time, trying to get a good look at his face. His warm brown eyes, and dark hair perfectly complimented his fair skin. He was as beautiful as he was masculine, and his lightly tanned skin further accentuated its softness. It wasn’t just the fact that the man looked kind that unnerved him, it was that his face held some sort of─ familiarity to it. Where had Daniel seen him before? It was right on the tip of his tongue.
Matilda walked next to the man and smiled across at Daniel. “Trying to remember, but you can’t just yet─ can you?” He shook his head, feeling frustrated. Matilda had this way about her that she knew everything you were thinking, even if you didn’t say it out loud. It was seriously starting to piss him off. “Don’t you worry about that. It’ll come to you, just give yourself more time to find your footing.” She brushed herself off, staring down at the couple. “This whole discovering yourself nonsense doesn’t happen as quickly as most of us would like” she finished. And there it was─ her ability to not only piss him off, but calm him down in the next sentence. Damn her witchy ways. “Daniel?” the sincerity in her voice, and the oddness of hearing his first name from her made him squirm. He glanced at the couple as they both stood from the table and walked from the kitchen. “Yeah?” he said. “When you do feel something, it─” she trailed off, her voice shaky and quiet. “Just. Don’t be alone when it happens.” She said. He nodded slowly, failing to meet her eyes. Out of all the meetings he had had with Matilda, this had to have been the most awkward. He cleared his throat and scratched the back of his head, “I do actually feel something.” He said. Her eyebrows furrowed, “What’s that?” she asked. “Hungry. Can we eat?” Matilda cackled and slapped him across the shoulders. “Boy, I oughta whip you!” She flashed them out of the room and they were back in the small café.
After a few seconds the room finally stopped spinning. Daniel looked around the room and relaxed. No one had noticed that two people had just poofed into the room. Matilda’s eyes gleamed as she let go of his hand. “We haven’t left this room” she said. His eyebrows went up, “I beg to differ.” She laughed, shaking her head. “No, I mean to everyone else it looks as if we’ve been sitting here chatting the whole time.” “Ah,” Daniel said, “of course.” He was starting to think that nothing would surprise him anymore. But then something did. A hunger like he had never experienced in his life washed over him. He snatched at the drink in front of him and devoured it, only stopping to chew the tapioca pearls between gulps. In seconds it was gone. He looked at Matilda and whimpered─ like actually whimpered like a dog. She nodded and gripped his arm. In seconds they were seated in another place. More importantly, a place with a pile of food in front of him. Daniel didn’t care how, or when she managed to get them Chinese food, or wherever the hell this place was─ the food was shoveled in.
“So.” He patted his belly and let out a long sigh, “that was the guy that all of us are searching the universe for.” he stated. Matilda arched a brow, “do I need to repeat myself a third time?” He laughed at her exasperated tone. Damn, he loved this woman’s moxie. She was certainly the most entertaining person he had met. And Daniel had been on the force for over ten years. He could see why she was a family favorite. “I don’t like repeating myself, kiddo. But I will say this much, I’ve got a feeling that he has returned to the original Hell, or should I say the Christian Hell.” Daniel eyed her from across the table, “there’s more than─” he stopped himself, “you know what? I’m just going to stop questioning half of what you say and listen to the facts.” Matilda cracked a sly smile, “see now that’s how a real cop behaves. Smart boy.” She winked at him and grabbed his hand. They were suddenly out in a large clearing, surrounded by a dense growth of wood. “We really need to stop doing that,” Daniel said grimacing as he held his side. “
Sorry about that, too many eyes and ears in the city.” She walked over to the center and flicked her wrist. A large couch appeared and she sat down. He just rolled with it and walked over and sat down. So, apparently Matilda is also capable of making things from nothing.
“So, why all the need for the theatrics?” I mean, let’s just go to my house or yours.” Matilda’s laugh made him realize what he just said. “Not like that” he said. “I know what you meant. If you haven’t noticed, I kind of like to see the lighter side of life.” “I had kind of noticed that, yes,” he bristled. He could only handle so much of this, it was starting to annoy him. “Oh, don’t bunch your britches. I have my reasons,” she snapped. He sat silently, knowing eventually she would talk. It really seemed like she was stalling a lot tonight, it wasn’t a bit like the women he knew.
After several minutes of silence, he decided to change the subject. “Where are we anyway?” She glanced at him and then over to the trees. “Oh, somewhere in East Texas along the Texas and Louisiana border.” “Really?” he asked, “how far east? I’ve got family in Gun Barrel.” “A little further than that,” she murmured. Her quiet nature was making him extremely nervous, all of her silliness was a way for her to hide what she was really feeling─ that much he knew. In his line of work, this kind of quiet usually meant something was very wrong. “Look, I know you don’t want to talk to me about whatever this is, but if we don’t do this soon, I’m going to pass out from exhaustion.” Despite her odd mood, she still managed that easy grin of hers. She reminded him a lot of his dad, the man had that same quality about him. The world could be falling apart and he would face it with a grin. Daniel learned a long time ago that his father’s easy nature was a mask for what he hid well beneath. Matilda’s dark eyes glowed in the sun, her tendrils bouncing in the breeze. “Daniel─” she began cautiously, “you and Celeste are destined to be together.” He blinked a few times, but managed to stay quiet. He needed to hear more. “You, like John, were an integral part of her life from birth. Daimono forged you─” she looked around searching for her next words. “So that you would be by her side. You were basically his right-hand.” She finished. He knew she was telling the truth, but she was holding something back. Somehow he knew that it was fated. The fact that they were drawn to one another instantly, how he never felt right with any of the girls that he had been with. There was some feeling of hope that he held onto─ that there was someone in the universe made just for him. He smirked at that notion, him a romantic of all things.
“I know this is all a bit much to take in─” “neh.” He interrupted. “I get it, it will all come back to me later and shit.” Matilda cracked up and nodded, “there ya go. Keep that outlook up and you may earn all your badges.” She sighed and they both sat staring at the setting sun. “You know, I actually was in the─” “boy scouts? Duh. Your type always is.” They shared a laugh and he nodded. The last of the light slipped behind the trees, bathing the area in twilight. “Guess my father was wrong about one thing,” he drawled. Matilda looked up at him. “I did make something of my life.” Her face sparkled and a hint of something gleamed in her eyes, “guess we all have something to prove to someone” she said.
* * *
9 Morning Star
“Luce, if you don’t start talking right this second I’m going to cancel all my meetings this week and quit my damn job.” She looked up from her plate, “You wouldn’t dare” she teased, “You’d rather jump off of a building first.” He didn’t budge, his face displaying a wry smile, “Oh, I would. I have enough money to live a hundred lifetimes─ comfortably.” She sized him up and then pushed her plate away wrinkling her nose. “Fine, I’m not going to eat whatever that is anyway.” He chuckled, signaling the man behind the counter, “It’s called sushi, the best in the world, and you just insulted the best sushi-ya in Japan. You know, most people have to book four to six months in advance to have Jiro Ono make their plates.” Luci’s eyebrows went up and she turned to the chef apologetically. “Don’t worry about it, they know me and Kotone. We came every year, before the world knew about them. The Inoue and Ono family have known each other since before Kotone was born.” She nodded, but still held up both hands in a prayer-like motion apologizing. The man smiled and shook his head, indicating that he understood. He patted Scott on the shoulder and walked to the back. Scott smiled, knowing the old man was probably still working in the back. His son was visiting this location tonight, but Scott knew that the old guy was probably going to pass away in the kitchen doing what he loved. He admired that man more than most he had ever met. Not many people found their ikigai at all, let alone know so early in life. He hadn’t found his reason for being until he was damn near thirty─ Ono had been a boy of seven when he started working in the kitchen. There was a strange sense of peace knowing your place in the world and doing the job that made you happy. He had always found it odd that people back home constantly shifted from job to job─ never happy.
They were out under the stars moments later, holding hands. The Ginza area in Tokyo was especially beautiful tonight as they passed through Sukiyabashi Crossing. He stopped, staring at the white Sony building─ it’s clean, calming lines pleasing to the eye. Out of many of the wards in Japan, Chuo was his favorite─ especially all of the art and galleries that lined the spaces. Shibuya was fun, but this would always be his favorite. Celeste always loved Shibuya for the Hachiko statue and the energy of the people with the lights. She had to get a picture every time they passed through. He frowned, swiping at the tears that gathered in the corners of his eyes. “Yeah, I miss her too,” Luci echoed. The side of his mouth drew up into a half smile and he squeezed her hand.
They arrived at Millennium Mitsui Gardens Hotel in less than ten minutes. He marveled at the wind-like brush strokes that decorated the lobby and throughout the space. The wall was comprised of subdued LED’s that slowly shifted from color to color. Its shine reflected off of the dangling metal sculptures that floated from the ceiling. It was as if they were surrounded by a lighted wind tunnel, with bits of metallic dust suspended around them. It was calming and quite lovely. Luci hardly glanced at them as they checked in. He could tell her mind was elsewhere. Somewhere she really didn’t want to go. In minutes they were on their way up to their room─ Singular. His shirt collar suddenly felt extremely tight. Why had she only ordered the one room? He wanted to ask, but at this point the jet-lag had finally won. Scott was tired, and he wanted some damn answers.
They had barely crossed the threshold to their room when she kicked off her shoes and went straight to one of the beds. He relaxed a degree─ there were two beds at least. He knew that he was being a bit old fashioned, but there was something alarming about spending the night in the same bed with a woman he wasn’t dating. Heaven forbid, he poked at himself. Unfortunately, it had been so long since he had actually been with anyone that he was almost afraid he would screw it up. It’s not like he was an old man, it was just new to him. Scott had spent so many years pouring himself into work, that he had forgotten such little things like this. Enjoying a woman’s body. His eyes lingered along the generous curves in her hips and almost impossibly small waist. Her hair, usually straightened, was left natural today and he couldn’t help but notice how the subtle waves framed her angelic face. The thoughts charged through without him meaning it to, and he blushed. He actually, blushed. The guys at the office would have a field day with this love-sick puppy behavior. He wanted to enjoy his view longer, but a more pressing matter took its place.
“Luce─”
“Come here.” She interrupted. He swallowed thickly, but obeyed, crossing the room to her. She sat up abruptly, her eyes wide with fear. Her nostrils flared slightly and for a moment, she reminded him of a feral cornered animal─ ready to lash out at any moment. He cautiously sat on a corner of the bed, easing himself down until it held all of his weight. Her eyes never left him as she tucked her knees under her chin, wrapping her arms around them. He was reminded of Celeste as a
child when she knew that she was in trouble. If he was worried before, it was certainly justified now.
“Scott. I realize by now you are aware that what I’m about to say won’t be pleasant─ but please, hear me out until the end.” He stiffened, but managed to offer a smile to try and reassure her. Luci’s eyes flitted across his face, no doubt reading his expression. “Please” she begged, “just, don’t hate me.” “Luci.” She jumped at his tone. He sighed, rubbed his face and softened his voice. “I’m sorry, but it’s been tearing me up since we got here. Please, just tell me.” She nodded, but her eyes remained wide, her pupils dilated. “A long time ago, before any of this existed, I sat next to the most beautiful creature in the Universe─” “Are you going to give me the long winded version or just tell me who the hell you are?” Luci blinked a few times, unsure of how to respond. “Scott, if I just flat out say it, you won’t understand.” He practically growled his response, “The hell I won’t. I’ve seen some shit, Luce.” Her mouth twitched up in a half smile and she looked at the ground, “Funny you mention that…” she trailed off, letting what she said sync in. He looked from her face, to the floor, and then back to her face again. “No.” He stood up and paced the room shaking his head. “You are not about to say what I think you are, are you?” His mind spun with the possibility. Could she actually be what she was suggesting? Her name, never been touched by a man, her appealing nature, her dislike for man, her beauty─ “Oh god damn it,” he whispered.
10 Resurgence
Celeste stared out from her window. Her father had left her to her thoughts since last night. At least, what she thought was a night. It was hard to tell with this new perpetual twilight. He explained that she would no longer have a need for sleep, but knew that she would need time to adjust. She couldn’t believe the size of the library. She wasn’t big into sports but just by eyeballing the space it looked to be at least half the size of a football field. She could tell by all the years she had been in marching band in high school. The first time that she saw it, it took the words right out of her mouth. Her father had probably read every single one of them more than once. She didn’t know how long he had been here, but knew enough to realize that it was longer than humanity had been around.
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