“I cannot be sure, whatever that was we must make sure to keep ourselves hidden and quiet,” Lier said, lifting his index finger to the curves of his cold lips, silencing Theodore from any more questions. It had obviously rained the night before as the cemetery was awash with a pungent smell of decaying vegetation. Theodore and Lier made sure to keep their eyes on the ground beneath them, any sound created by their feet could place them in a vulnerable position. At what seemed an age to Theodore, the men finally made it to the meeting place which lay at the very core of the cemetery. Together the hid behind a statue of a decapitated angel and looked out over the centre of the cemetery where a great statue of a cross lay atop the tomb of the Hedgman family which happened to be opposite another grand tomb in which a George William Lancaster was buried. Theodore found his gaze settle upon the latter which was a most impressive tomb. It was comprised of a large female angel in bronze, with roses upon her skirts, leaning over in mourning. Lier followed his gaze.
“Interesting man,” he whispered into Theodore’s ear. Theodore turned to Lier. “He was a successful miner who had quite a dramatic personal life. Louisa Mary Lancaster who is buried with him happened not to be his legal wife, for he was already married to another Mrs Lancaster.”
“Interesting,” Theodore mumbled, his hands upon the two daggers that were neatly shielded within leather pouches inside his coat.
“I’m sure you remember a great many stories from the nineteenth century.”
“Indeed I do,” Theodore smiled before hushing Lier as the sound of feet echoed around them. Firmly out of sight, Lier and Theodore drew themselves down to the wet and muddied ground below them, quiet and unmoving as the cemetery began to fill with men and women dressed as normal citizens, no hint of their true persona on show. Quietly Lier and Theodore each peered round the edge of the tomb and watched on in silence as the men and women encircled the great Hedgman tomb, awaiting their master. The air about them became still and the temperature dropped so much so that Lier and Theodore could visibly see their own breathe causing them to become alarmed. Both wanted to turn from their positions on the ground but found that they could not, not when Lagmar had made himself visible, appearing from nowhere to stand upon the tomb, his pale body covered with dark robes. Many writers, poets and theologians each had their own view as what a demon looked like, many beheld them as beautiful and seduction others as monstrous and dark. To Theodore and his kin, demons were both beautiful and monstrous. Men would flee before a physically monstrous looking demon but would be seduced by a beautiful demon in possession of a seductive tongue.
Theodore had only ever once laid eyes upon the fearful Lagmar, who stood at least a foot taller than he. He was thousands of years older than Theodore and it showed not in the way one would expect, he did not slouch and he was not covered in wrinkles, his skin aged and dying. No, Lagmar was tall, strong and defiant. Not many demons could equal his strength but for his master Lagar and his son Heidan who was equally alike his half-sister in looks but not nature. Lagmar, his feet bare jumped down from the top of the tomb almost as though flying with elegance, until he stood within the centre of the group. Suddenly the shadows bowed before Lagmar, their knees touching the wet grass as their heads were swept low, nearly touching the ground. Above them a full moon hung over the cemetery, casting a silvery glow upon the shadows and headstones. About them, Theodore could hear the cries of ravens as they began to flock to the bare trees, squawking loudly, each bowing to their master. Lier turned to look at Theodore, a feeling akin to fear passing over him as he pointed upwards to the branches that hung over them. Theodore looked up and saw a great raven above them, not yet aware of their presence. A tidal surge of fear flooded Theodore, their plan whatever it had been could not possibly survive tonight. They had weakly forgotten to account for other beasts that shared in the same master as the shadows below.
“Children of darkness, with whom do you serve?” Lagmar announced coldly, his red eyes upon the group of men and women.
“We serve Lagar, our Lord and master,” they replied in unison, raising themselves from the ground to stand tall before Lagmar.
“This night as the moon reaches its height of fullness and the skies of London burn we come in receipt of news, gladly received by our master that the granddaughter of Heiden lives.” The cemetery was still and quiet as Lagmar paced around the circle of shadows. “And to account for the whereabouts of Celestine, I have for us a guest. Bring her forward Belem,” Lagmar announced loudly. Theodore removed his eyes from the demon and followed the direction of his index finger. From behind a tomb came the figure of Belem, known as the child snatcher. Tall, dark and terrifying, Belem walked towards the group with a figure, clocked hovering in mid-air behind him. Theodore watched as members of the group split to allow Belem to enter the circle with the ‘guest’. A coldness fell over Theodore as he watched on. Belem fell before Lagmar and bowed. Lagmar in return bent his head and kissed Belem’s forehead. Belem drew himself up and turned to the lifeless body. With a swift wave of his hand the cloak was flung from the body of the lifeless guest, revealing their identity to the group. Theodore gripped the decapitated angels body with his fingers as he beheld his dearest friend Jophiel, her body lifeless before Belem and Lagmar. Without a word, Lier grabbed onto Theodore, restraining him.
“You may awaken her,” Lagmar announced, standing away from Belem as he stepped towards the body of Jophiel. Belem stepped closer to Jophiel, until his mouth was upon her neck. With a grunt he dug his teeth into her neck, awakening her from the spell that been cast over her body. With a painful cry, Jophiel awoke, her body crashing to the ground beneath, winding her upon impact. Belem stood away from Jophiel and took his place among the circle of shadows that hissed loudly at her presence. Theodore watched on in horror as his oldest friend rolled onto her knees and dragged herself up onto her feet, her face bruised and swollen. She looked around her and shivered, her eyes finally coming to rest upon Lagmar.
“You do not frighten me Lagmar,” she said loudly, her trembling words betraying her fear. Theodore shuddered, his eyes filling with tears. He had spent a great amount of time with Jophiel and counted her as his best friend, his greatest confident and at one time his greatest love. Lier understood how Theodore felt in that moment but knew that they could not reveal themselves, if Celestine was to survive and so he kept an arm about Theodore, restraining him against his need to save Jophiel.
“Then why do you tremble so,” Lagmar hissed, coming to stand before her, tall and fearless. With a hiss he stroked her cheek, smiling as she clenched.
“You will get nothing from me demon!” she said loudly her eyes bright and firm.
“Such gallantry, such bravery, you always were a mockery of courage Jophiel, but nobody seems to have the heart to tell you,” Lagmar replied coldly, edging his face inwards so that their noses met. “But I will.” With a swiftness Lagmar brought Jophiel to her knees with a thundering blow to her head. Blood gushed from Jophiels mouth as she found herself spinning inwardly, her body falling beneath her. As she lay upon the ground, she caught sight of a man familiar to her and blinked. Cael. Cael was their hiding behind a tomb. Jophiel closed her eyes in sadness, she had not seen him in so long, not since they had parted under bad terms. Both had come to love one another strongly, until Cael’s commission had come and he had chosen Celestine over her, leaving her behind, broken and lost. “I said get up!” Lagmar’s voice suddenly hit her like a thunderbolt and she found her focus upon the demon once again. With a wave of his hand she found herself standing on the spot once more, her body drenched with blood and pain. Belem had forced her to drink a poison that had frozen all of her powers, leaving her alone and defenceless. “Now that’s better,” Lagmar lay an arm about Jophiel and forced her forwards until she stood at the centre of the circle once again. “Jophiel as well known by many of us here has a special bond with the angel Cael. Cael was one of two angels designated to retrieve Celestine from Calnuthe, bringing her h
ere to earth, isn’t that right Jophiel?” Lagmar asked, sending a blow to her abdomen causing her to cry out.
“Yes!”
“So evidently Jophiel will know where the child is,” Lagmar went on, now pacing about the circle. “But as we all know, Jophiel is strong and courageous, she will not openly tell us where her lover and the child are.” Lagmar mocked, his head falling back as he laughed out loud causing the rest of the shadows to follow suite. A stab of guilt and remorse reached Theodore in the pit of his soul as he watched his closest friend and once lover fall prey to the evil of Lagmar. Jophiel was strong and courageous, but he knew she was no match for Lagmar. “As to the other angel that followed Cael, we all know his name,” Lagmar turned suddenly to Jophiel and whispered with venom in his voice. “Galean.” Jophiel cried pitifully, her eyes finding Theodore’s, holding his gaze for the briefest of moments before turning them away, protecting him. “Galean, the angel and heir. Galean whose fate has since the dawn of time been ever bound to Celestine. They are one of the same. Would you care to reiterate the prophecy of the great love that will vanquish all Belem,” Lagmar laughed, standing back to give Belem space. Belem stepped forward, his eyes on Jophiel for a moment before turning away.
“Two hearts, bound by fate and time shall cast a great light across all seven corners of the universe. Under the tree of life they shall come, sipping from the fountaint of time, binding themselves to one another. Together they shall become one and one shall overcome all that stands in the way of the light. Together they will vanquish darkness and reign glorious forever more, never to be parted or broken.”
Theodore fell back at the unheard prophecy. Lier aware of such a prophecy sighed quietly, seeing the anguish fall over Theodore’s face.
“Go on,” Lagmar urged Belem. “For that is not all.” Theodore lay himself against the back of the stone and closed his eyes tightly.
“Yet fate is not easily cemented if bend it must, for Man will try to part what does not belong to him, breaking the bond of eternity, cursing the light to forever live in chains, bound to the everlasting darkness.”
Jophiel bent over her broken body and tried in vain to muff her cries as she listened to the prophecy. Belem stood back, standing within the circle once more as Lagmar stood forward, as though addressing the greater audience within the cemetery.
“I wonder who could possess such power over the two lovers?” he exclaimed, turning his eyes to the decapitated angel. Theodore felt his gaze upon him and trembled, looking to Lier for help. Lier sat still, his face expressionless. “Come out come out wherever you are,” Lagmar teased as the raven above Theodore and Lier’s head squawked wickedly almost laughing at the pair, now cowering behind the tomb in fear. Lier took Theodore’s arm abruptly.
“Stay here, whatever you do, do not budge!” he said sternly. “Promise me?”
“No!” Theodore whispered hotly.
“If you wish to see Jophiel and your wife alive then you will do me this one last favour,” Lier said with pleading eyes. “Please,” he begged as he rose to his feet. Theodore, fighting the urge to disobey his mentor unwillingly shook his head. “Remember, fate always has a reason for changing its mind.” With those last memorable words, Lier stood away from the tomb and walked forward towards the shadows and Lagmar who stood still, watching him as he strode towards him, unwavering.
“Ah the old keeper of London. What a delight to see you on such a fine night Lier,” Lagmar announced clearly as the circle of shadows opened to allow Lier to enter.
“Your tongue does not avail me, Lagmar, demon of fire!” Lier proclaimed loudly, his body suddenly stretching as though he had been transformed. Theodore clung to the tomb and watched on, still fighting the urge to step away from the shadows to reveal himself.
“Shall we put it to the test?” Lagmar said, his voice now raised to such a tempo that it began to pain the inside of Lier’s head, causing him to lose his footing and fall before Jophiel, whose own head was now pressed firmly in the palms of her hands as she battled against the high pitched squeal. Theodore curled up as the world about him faded away, the pain so intense he felt as though he would be forcefully sick. All at once a white light drenched the cemetery and Lagmar’s voice faded away. When the light faded, Theodore turned and searched for Lier. The keeper of London stood tall, his wings of light now unmasked for all to see.
“Be gone creature of the dark!” he ordered, pushing Jophiel away. Jophiel understood what her old mentor was doing and quickly before the light faded, ran away to find shelter. Theodore watched Jophiel scurry away under the cover of light and quickly stepped away from the tomb, running through the thicket of trees, searching for her. With a heavy thud they ran into one another and without thinking, Jophiel wrapped her arms about Theodore and clung to him. Theodore held Jophiel, resting his chin upon her dark curls, his gaze now directed at Lier. Theodore dragged Jophiel to safety behind a tree.
“Shush you must stay silent!” he ordered roughly.
“It is a trap!” Jophiel cried out. “They already know where Celestine is!”
“How? How is it a trap?” Theodore whispered quickly, as Lagmar revealed his terrifying wings of fire, throwing Lier to the ground.
“I don’t know!” Jophiel cried, her body shaking violently beneath him. “They had a man in the same cellar as mine by the name of William Drake.”
“William? He died…,” Theodore said through gritted teeth, the memory of their plane being struck and William dying.
“No, no he wasn’t dead,” Jophiel said through muffled tears. “They found him and tortured him.”
“Where is he now?” Theodore asked Jophiel as an agonising cry erupted from Lier.
“He is dead,” Jophiel whispered softly, now standing before Theodore. “They killed him this morning.” Theodore felt rage, raw and white run through him and turned, preparing to launch himself at Lagmar.
“No!” Jophiel cried out, restraining him. “No! He wants us to escape!”
“I’m not leaving him here to die!” Theodore raged, trudging his way past Jophiel. At once, Theodore was thrown backwards by Lier, his body hitting a tree and falling. Jophiel crawled over to Theodore and picked him up.
“I know you want to help Lier, but I promised him that I would get you out of here!” she cried out, lifting Theodore onto his feet. Harshly she clasped his face and forced him to look into her eyes. “We must leave now!” she said, forcing him to walk away from the cemetery. As they quietly walked through the trees, Theodore looked back once more and saw Lagmar standing over Lier. “Cael quick!” Jophiel cried out, forcing him into a run. Theodore suddenly found focus and urged himself onwards, finding the eastern gate and exiting, leaving the cemetery and Lier behind. Together Jophiel and Theodore crossed the road, under cover of darkness. With shaking hands, Theodore found Lier’s car and opened it, getting in. Jophiel ran to the other side and slid into the passenger seat, her eyes wide with terror. Without speaking, Theodore started the engine.
“Are we not to wait for Lier?” Jophiel asked shyly, blood dripping from her mouth.
“We cannot stay here,” Theodore pointed towards two men who were hurrying themselves across the street, headed in their direction. “Lier can meet us back in Oxford, if he makes it that is,” Theodore said coldly, unable to look at Jophiel. With a loud screech the Austin Cambridge roared into life and sped down the street with Jophiel hanging on to the edge of her seat.
*
“Here,” Theodore said, bringing in a bowl of luke warm water and cloths. Jophiel was sitting down upon the leather chair by the unlit fire, unable to speak the shock of the last two days suddenly dripping into her psyche. Theodore seeing the shock in her face decided to keep his mouth shut and to help his old friend who was badly beaten. Quietly he knelt before her and peeled her hands away from her face.
“Should we not light the fire so that the house is warm for Lier when he returns?” Jophiel whispered, her green eyes upon Theodore’s.
> “No, if I am correct in my thinking then I should think that Lagmar’s shadows will know we are here,” Theodore replied kindly, dipping a soft cloth into the water now saturated with anti-septic liquid. Jophiel kept quiet, biting down on her lip as Theodore attended to the cuts on her face. Much lay between the friends, unable to raise their eyes to one another. The atmosphere was tense and filled with uncertainty. “There, I will run you a bath and find you a change of clothes.”
“Thank you,” Jophiel whispered as Theodore walked off into the darkness, leaving her alone with her thoughts. They had known one another for over a century, both assigned to London to work under the tutorage of Lier, keeper of the city. Together with their friends, Ada, Bram and Peter they worked together to keep the citizens of London safe from shadows. What began as friendship had over the course of a century turned to love. Cael and Jophiel had come to love on another at a time when the universe converged forcing them apart. She had known the dreams Cael had harboured, specifically to serve Gabriel. When the commission came she left London and Cael, not wanting him to choose between herself and the commission, hoping that he would refuse. He didn’t and she had been broken, hiding away from her kin in Scotland, carving out a solidary life for herself, crippled by heart ache and loneliness. It had been Lier that had found her and brought her back to London nursing her back to health. She had heard of Theodores return and of the transformation he had undergone to protect Celestine and in vain had hoped that in time he would come back to her. Theodore had never returned and her heart had never fully healed. Under the torture of Belem she learned of Theodore’s marriage to Celestine and did not care for life any longer, wishing Belem would end her existence, the pain too deep to create drawing breathe.
“Jophiel?” came a familiar voice. Jophiel lifted her tear stained eyes and found Theodore. “Are you alright?”
“Has the bath been drawn?” Jophiel asked quickly getting to her feet.
One Crown & Two Thrones: The Prophecy Page 11