The Angel

by Blaire Hammond

  Megan smiled as the memories came back to Laura. Laura peered across at her friends, each of their eyes watching her, waiting for her reply.

  ‘I… how do I do it?’ She asked croakily.

  But Megan inclined her head, and Laura realised she already knew.

  She nodded at the woman.

  ‘We better start clearing the park and streets,’ Loki suggested, then set her gaze on Laura. ‘We’ll give you some privacy.’

  Laura gave a grim smile of appreciation.

  ‘I’ll be back soon,’ she said, for she didn’t know what else to tell them.

  She turned away, hurrying across the park, trying to ignore the dead, the piles of ash, the burnt grass and trees.

  ‘Ace!’ Drew called, running to catch up with her.

  He caught her hand, and she turned to face him.

  ‘I have to talk to them, Drew,’ she replied, ready for a fight.

  ‘Hey, I know. It’s okay. I know,’ he said quickly.

  She sighed with relief. She hadn’t wanted to argue with him.

  ‘I just wanted to tell you to be careful. I… I can’t lose you, okay?’

  Laura looked up into his emerald green eyes, full of emotion, of worry, of pain. She wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tight to her.

  ‘I’m not going anywhere, I promise. It’ll be fine,’ she told him, pressing a warm kiss to his cheek. ‘I’ll come find you the moment I get back.’

  He nodded down to her, forcing a brave and encouraging smile onto his lips. Then, he kissed her firmly, before stepping back and turning to re-join the group as Loki handed out tasks.

  Laura watched him for a moment longer, then left.

  She found a quiet place in the forest, a tiny clearing surrounded by trees and bush. The night sky was still lit up by the large, bright moon, the stars twinkling in the blackness as if they hadn’t just witnessed a cold blooded battle.

  She bit her lip, holding her breath as she peered around. She knew it would be as easy as speaking the words aloud. As thinking them, which was what she’d done the last time. Terian had heard her call for help, had come in an instant. Would he come again? Would someone else?

  She sighed. ‘I don’t really know what I’m supposed to say. I know you guys can hear me. I know you know what I’m thinking. We need you down here. This war is turning to hell. The Humans are suffering. We’re suffering.’

  She scuffed her boot on a clump of grass and fiddled with her scabbard, ignoring the stench of blood and grime that clung to her body. All was quiet, except for the sound of insects chirping, owls hooting and animals scurrying through the earth. It hardly seemed possible that past the trees, a war was raging. That over the seas, people were dying.

  She’d never seen anything like what was happening, had never in her life believed she would experience such things. She’d always been ordinary, stuck behind the pages of her books or studying for her classes. It had never crossed her mind that she would one day be thrust into such a dark, unforgiving world.

  She wondered about Beth, about the kids she’d gone to school with, about Bill, the farm hand. Were they all held up in Corin, believing whatever story had been spun to them to keep them inside? Had they been captured and converted or killed in the experiments? Would she ever see any of them again?

  The world was going to be a very different place once the war ended, no matter which side won. But either way, Laura had to do everything within her power to ensure it wasn’t Erebus. She would never forgive herself if she didn’t. Yes, maybe she’d been some normal teenager once. Helpless, young, naive, free. But she’d changed. She’d grown. And she knew she would do anything to ensure the safety of her world.

  ‘Please,’ she murmured. ‘Please help us.’

  Above, a golden light appeared in the dark night sky. Laura found herself holding her breath again as it grew larger and larger. It didn’t appear as Terian had, all guns blazing as the world turned an angry, fiery red. It was simple, barely even noticeable unless one knew to look.

  The gold turned into the form of a man, a slight beard of stubble forming on his chin. He looked middle aged, but he was also handsome, his skin appearing smooth and his bright blue eyes reflecting the golden hue that encircled him. His chest was covered in vines and the staph in his hand glowed brighter than himself.

  But that wasn’t what caught her eye. No, what drew her eye, was the simple but noticeable crown that sat upon his head. The gold crown, indicating she knew exactly who the God hovering in the sky before her was.

  ‘Miss Laura Westmill,’ the God said, a smile growing large on his face. ‘An honour to see you before me in the flesh.’

  Laura gaped for a moment, unsure what she was meant to do. She managed to bend down in a clumsy display of a bow.

  ‘The honour is all mine,’ she stammered, peering back up at Marries, Emperor of the Gods, once ruler of Alast.

  ‘Stand, dear girl. You need not bow to me,’ he responded kindly, and she hurried to straighten, brushing the dirt from her, though she knew she wasn’t anywhere near presentable for a meeting with the Emperor regardless.

  ‘Thank you for coming,’ she managed to say after an awkward silence.

  Marries inclined his head, the radiant smile still present on his lips.

  ‘I thought it was about time I met you.’

  ‘You know who I am?’

  Marries’ smile grew larger, and Laura felt somewhat at ease at the compassion in his eyes.

  ‘Of course I do. Terian does not stop speaking of you. And, we’ve been watching. Your story is an interesting one. I was wondering when you would come to us for help.’

  ‘But we did come to you for help. You refused,’ Laura responded before she could stop herself.

  ‘We did. It was not yet our time. Everything must happen as it should. Not sooner or later, but exactly on time,’ the Emperor replied.

  Laura didn’t know what that meant. It didn’t make much sense to her, anyway. The fact was the Enchanted went to them for help before Alast was invaded and they’d refused to become involved.

  ‘Does that mean now is the right time?’ asked Laura eventually.

  The Emperor seemed to think on that for a moment, before his smile slowly began to lessen.

  ‘If you want our help, then you must retrieve the Westmill Ruby and bring it to me, just as your ancestor, William Westmill, did so many years ago.’

  Laura reached for her sword instinctively, before it hit her. She did not have the real ruby. Her mother had traded it for their survival. The ruby that resided in her weapon was not the original.

  ‘I see you realise the dilemma,’ the Emperor said.

  ‘Addissary has the Ruby. Mum gave it to her. How am I meant to get it back to give to you? Can’t you just ask her for it?’ Laura replied hopefully.

  The Emperor laughed, his deep, regal voice echoing around Laura, making her cringe.

  ‘I’m afraid the young God Addissary keeps to herself. She does not let us see her, unless she wants to be seen.’

  Laura sighed, frustrated. ‘So, if I want your help in making sure the whole planet isn’t taken over by Erebus, then I have to go on some ridiculous, and probably unrealistic, quest to find Addissary, ask her for the ruby back, trade away my soul in the process probably because all you Gods just have to have something in return, then give it to you,’ she threw her hands up, feeling just as she had with Terian. Angry, defeated and annoyed. ‘Great. Just great.’

  The Emperor chuckled, his cheeks growing rosy, mirroring the joy in his eyes at her irritation.

  ‘You land-livers can be rather… dramatic,’ he commented. ‘You will find Addissary at the place where the ground meets the sky. I think you know where that is. Find her, take back the ruby, and then call for me again. I will be waiting.’

  Laura frowned, her thoughts taking over as she wondered what the Emperor was talking about. Where the ground meets the sky? That could mean so many things. The mountains? There wer
e many of them. She looked back up at the Emperor.

  ‘Till we meet again,’ he said, his deep voice echoing around her as, all of a sudden, he shot up into the night sky.

  Laura’s mouth remained open as she stared after him, the breeze lifting up around her, cool against her skin. As if mocking her, light rain began to fall, wetting her face and making her blink. She pressed her lips together, tasting the water against her tongue, when unexpectedly, a memory hit her. A memory of a waterfall so tall that it reached right up into the clouds, and when the water hit the river, it sprayed out over the bank, wetting anyone standing close by. It was a place her parents had taken her as a child, a place she’d loved until one day they’d simply stopped going.

  She’d never understood why, but she suspected after all she had learned that something had happened that had led to her mother wiping it from her memory. Something to do with the Spirit World.

  If that was where the God Addissary was, then Laura had to set off for there at once. She hated the idea of leaving her friends in the midst of battle. She was at war, and yet she had to run off on another quest. But she knew she had to do it. Marries had said the Gods would help them if she brought him the Westmill Ruby. They needed the Gods, especially if Erebus had more in store for them.

  Laura turned away from the clearing, thinking through what she would say to the others, the rain cold against her skin as she trudged across the forest floor. She would find that ruby and give it to the Emperor. Then she would make sure he would help them win the war. Because, she was telling the truth when she said she would do anything to ensure they beat Erebus. That they ended him.

  ~

  Erebus smiled to himself, his fingers steepled before him, his elbows resting atop the stone bench.

  ‘The Goblins are mostly dead, but the Enchanted armies took a big hit. A lot of the Wicked have fled the areas though, so the enemy are clearing the dead and healing the wounded,’ the Wicked Guard reported to him.

  Erebus raised a brow at that. ‘You can inform the Wicked they are safe to return to the battle. They are not the ones in danger.’

  The Wicked nodded her head. ‘Of course.’

  ‘Excellent. You may go.’

  The Wicked paused a moment, clearly confused about the fast dismissal, then turned and left. Erebus watched, pleased. He could no longer hide the thrill that was permanently within him. At last, all was on track.

  The Devils had played their part. He’d found himself a Sorcerer that would do the work he required. Kane, the only Sorcerer in Erebus’s possession, and unfortunately a loyal friend to Laura, remained tight lipped, and thus had been cast aside. Erebus had kept him around for fear of not finding anyone else who could help – but his Wicked had come through. The Goblins had the assistance of the Demons within them, thanks to the Devils and the Sorcerer’s hard work. The Enchanted were shocked after the fast and frightening battle, and so were off guard.

  All was just as Erebus had wanted it. For the Enchanted would not be ready when the Devils arrived.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Madness Ensues

  ‘I have to go now. I can’t spare any time,’ Laura pronounced to Stella and Leo’s protests.

  She’d returned to the camp to explain to everyone what had happened with the Gods, and after informing them of the quest to locate the Westmill Ruby, she was met immediately with refusals. Of course, it wasn’t their choice to make. She had to do it, and they all knew it, no matter how dangerous the journey could end up being.

  ‘I’ll come with you,’ Drew said hopefully, but Laura was already shaking her head.

  ‘You’re needed here. All of you are. And I think he wants me to do this alone. I don’t know if Addissary will even give it to me, let alone what she’d do if I had others with me,’ Laura countered.

  As much as she wanted Drew by her side, and she did, for it had been a long time since they’d been on a journey together, and moreover, a long time since they’ve had real time alone. But it was a serious journey. Much depended on Laura retrieving the Ruby. She couldn’t risk anything going wrong.

  ‘Laura, please, I can make sure you get there safely-’

  Laura took Drew’s hand, squeezing it within her own. ‘I know you want to protect me, but I have to do this.’

  ‘We still have the birds,’ Grace spoke up, having been quiet for most of the discussion. ‘You could fly one of them down to the waterfall. It should only take an hour or so.’

  Laura smiled gratefully at her friend, then glanced back up at Drew. ‘See? I’ll be fine. I’ll fly there, talk to Addissary, then come straight back.’

  The sky was still dark, though morning was on its way. If Laura wanted to make it before the sun rose, she had to leave soon.

  ‘I will be back tonight,’ said Laura. ‘Tomorrow morning at the latest.’

  Drew hung his head in defeat, then pulled her to him in a warm embrace. Laura hugged him back tightly, hating that she had to let go. They all still smelt of the night’s death, but she had little time to change. She had a Ruby to collect.

  ‘Okay,’ Laura said, pulling back, seeing the sadness on Stella’s face. She knew her mentor didn’t want to say goodbye so soon after finding them all again. But she had to, and she knew it. Laura reached across for Stella, pulling the woman into a hug. ‘I’ll be fine.’

  ‘You better be,’ Stella responded, laughing a little as she sniffled.

  Laura chuckled, then stepped back, turning to retrieve her backpack, already filled with supplies thanks to General Lain.

  ‘The birds are in the barn down near the docks,’ Logan told her. ‘Do you want me to come?’

  Laura shook her head. ‘I think it’s best I say goodbye here. Before I change my mind.’

  Laura smiled at her friends, seeing the worry in their eyes, the anxiety on their faces. She pushed her own concern aside, knowing they would look out for each other.

  ‘See you all soon,’ she said, forcing herself to turn her back on them and make her way down to the barn.

  She found the birds snuggled down in the hay, sleeping. She laughed a little at how cute they looked, then reached for the nearest one and gently patted it’s forehead until its eyes flickered open and it cawed.

  ‘Pergo?’ She asked in a whisper, remembering the bird that had flown herself and Drew across the sea to Alast all those months ago. ‘Is that you?’

  The bird leant into her pat, wagging its tail feathers excitedly, and Laura laughed in disbelief. Was it really the bird she’d become friends with? It nudged her with its beak, its tongue falling from its mouth at it panted like a dog.

  ‘It is you!’ She exclaimed, excited. ‘All right boy. At least, I hope you’re a boy. I never really figured it out. Anyway, we have quite a journey ahead of us. We’re heading for Corin. Think you’re up for it?’

  The bird’s tail feathers wagged faster and Laura grinned, leading Pergo from the barn and out into the still dark morning. She hooked her bag on the bird’s feathers and climbed up onto its back, sucking in a breath.

  ‘Let’s go,’ she whispered into its ear, and the bird spread its wings, taking a running leap before soaring off into the sky, rising higher with each second that passed.

  Laura bit back a squeal of delight as Pergo flapped harder, lifting further and further from the ground. The air was cool against her face and still smelt of rain, though the patter of it had stopped half an hour before. The moon shone down over them as Pergo took off through the darkness, heading for Corin.

  Flying over Lastrala was an eye opener. The war looked to have quietened a little, but there were still Goblins visibly in battle with Enchanted and Wicked escaping across the land. Fires raged and there were dead bodies evident even from the sky. It was awful, and soon Laura could look no longer, forcing herself to face ahead.

  If Erebus’s plan was to release the Goblins, using them to fight the Enchanted, then there had to be a reason for it. Laura knew of his intentions to help the Devils gain acces
s to the Heavens, but if the Devils were also willing to help the Goblins and Demons enter Elixir from Hell, then it had to be for good reason.

  It was only a matter of time before the next wave of Goblins, or something even worse, hit, Laura could feel it. She hoped she could make it back in time to help.

  The flight was fast, and she was met with no trouble, to her relief. Once she reached Corin, she found herself circling the sky, searching for the Manor, wondering if it remained standing. She caught sight of it perched atop its hill. The windows remained dark, the curtains drawn, and the place looked sad and lonely. It was awful to see, considering how much it had come to mean to her.

  Laura sighed, then turned Pergo towards a forest not far from where she used to live with her parents. The forest she was referring to was none other than the one located on the other side of Wimerack Mountain – the one known for its dense bush and fantastic rock climbing opportunities. There, hidden among all those trees and shrubs, was a waterfall so high it looked as if it truly did meet the sky.

  Pergo flew as far down as he could, before he dropped Laura in one of the trees.

  ‘Stay here. I’ll climb back up when I’m ready to go,’ Laura told him, then hurried to make her way down the tree.

  She was lucky that she had great experience in tree climbing thanks to her childhood. She loved exploring as a kid, and had often climbed the trees around the waterfall whenever they visited.

  Laura was still a small walk from the waterfall, so she marked the tree with a strip of rope so she knew where to find her bird upon her return. Then, she began forcing her way through the foliage towards the waterfall. There had once been a path from a small road that they would take when she was a child to reach their destination, but she had no idea where that road and path were anymore. She only knew of the waterfalls location, and continued in that direction.

  She didn’t know what she would find once she reached it. She wondered if Addissary was waiting for her – if she knew Laura was coming. It seemed as if she had fallen out of favour with the Gods, so maybe she was somewhat… kept in the dark about such things. What had she done to lead her to be shunned?