The Angel

by Blaire Hammond

  Laura shook her head. She had no idea where to start, or what to even think of.

  Truthful and correct. The words echoed in her head. Truthful and correct. What truth was in an answer? Truth came from the heart. For it to be correct, it had to be the right answer, not glazed over, not dulled down.

  A thought reached Laura. A memory. A blackness that gripped her, a place where she could hear people talking to her, could see them, could feel the water around her, could taste the salt, and could smell the fear within. It had been a world of blackness, and she’d been drowning in it.

  ‘She is me,’ Laura whispered to herself.

  She started, turning back to Addissary.

  ‘She is me.’

  Addissary smiled, though the smile was not one of glee nor excitement as Laura had become used to in their short acquaintance. It was one of sadness, for she understood the pain Laura had gone through after losing her father and watching her mother being dragged from his body; after discovering the Spirit World.

  A gold ‘1’ materialised in the air beside her. ‘Very good,’ Addissary said.

  The God seemed to think for a moment, before she met Laura’s hazel-gold gaze.

  ‘When did you know?’ She asked.

  Laura stared at her, waiting. Waiting.

  Addissary said nothing more, and Laura shook her head.

  ‘Know what?’ She asked eventually.

  The God did not respond.

  What the hell was she talking about? When did she know? That could be so many things. When did she know she was a Caster? When did she know she was a part of the Spirit World? When did she know Erebus was back? When did she know she had to say goodbye…

  Laura realised then that it was a trick question? Of course it was. Because Addissary was asking when she’d known everything had changed – when she’d become that girl drowning in darkness.

  ‘The moment I heard that gun shot, I knew. Everything changed. Everything I’d once believed, it was all gone. I fell into an ugly dark pit, and I didn’t know how to get out. I knew then that I would be stuck there until I allowed myself to accept it.’

  The gold ‘1’ turned into a gold ‘2’ beside Addissary, and her eyes watched her calmly as she opened her mouth.

  ‘Have you?’

  That was it. That was her last question. And it was perhaps the hardest one of all. Truthful and correct. Had she accepted it? Had she accepted the world she had so swiftly become a part of, the people she’d lost, the power that grew inside of her, the destiny she was sure to have? Had she really accepted it, or had she only convinced herself that she had?

  She’d been thrown into the Spirt World after such a tragedy, that the only reason she’d clung to it was to find her mother. It had led her on a wild journey that had ended with the death of her mum as well. Since then, she’d barely had a moment to stop and think. She’d thought she was doing the right thing, she’d thought she was doing what her parents would have wanted her to.

  But maybe the reason she’d done it; decided to fight in the war and help the Enchanted, was because she’d wanted to forget about the things she’d lost? Maybe she was still stuck in the darkness, and she felt the only way to escape it was to end it all – Erebus, the war, all of it.

  But then, she saw them. Stella and Leo, tears in their eyes as they hugged her, worried about her leaving to find the Westmill Ruby.

  She saw Gemma, as she confided in her about her fears, about the future, about how she missed her parents and how she worried she’d never trust again.

  She saw Grace that first day as she carried clothes down the hall to her room for her to wear, the way she’d spoken to her with incredible kindness and warmth despite her own inner battles.

  She saw Logan, who always went out of his way to help her in training. Who showed her how to be better, how to stand her ground.

  She saw Caspian as he thanked her for saving his life. As he spoke to her about the horrors he’d experienced. As he told her they were one and the same; that she would never be alone in her life.

  She saw Mitch, who fought by her side on the battle field, and had numerous times had her back, protecting her from attacks. Who had ensured no harm would come to her.

  And she saw Drew, his kind face, his emerald eyes, and that grin. She saw him laughing, him holding her when she was upset, him reading books with her, him being there for her, him kissing her.

  She loved her parents. She always would. And maybe, her wanting to fight in the war and defeat Erebus was partly her way of making it up to them and the fact that she couldn’t save them. But no matter what, she knew that they had loved her, and that she would always love them. They would always be with her in her heart.

  But through all of that, she was an Enchantress. She was a Caster. She was alive and loved and she had a world to save.

  Laura turned to the God, a smile on her lips.

  ‘Yes,’ she answered truthfully and correctly.

  The gold ‘2’ flickered, fading into a ‘3’ and the God Addissary smiled brightly back at Laura.

  The Westmill Ruby showed up again in the air in front of Laura. She paused, eyeing the God, then reached out and closed her hand around it. It didn’t slip from her fingers, as it had before. She gripped it, and looked up at the God.

  ‘Thank you.’

  Addissary giggled, bouncing around happily, and Laura wondered if, despite the God’s not being able to tell her outright what to do, they still did what they could to hint at her the truth. Laura couldn’t help but laugh a little, grateful if that was indeed what they were doing. It was either that, or the God’s simply valued things that would otherwise be unimportant to people.

  ‘Be safe, child. You have much to do yet,’ Addissary told her, then, in a gold poof of smoke, she disappeared back into the waterfall.

  ~

  Drew walked the length of the boarder, the night beginning to fall again behind him. It had been a long day of preparations as they readied for another attack. More and more runners had arrived passing on the news of Goblin assaults all over Lastrala, and they’d been sending groups out all day to help end the battles. They’d managed to rescue another few cities in the process, but as Drew peered across at the dead, Goblin mounds and his own people alike, he wondered if it was really a win at all.

  He hadn’t yet seen or heard from Laura, and he was worried. It was night already, and while she said she would return that night or the next morning, he still wanted to see her, to know she was okay.

  All was quiet around him, and he peered across the land in front of him, his ears pricking at the slight thumping sound. Beneath him, the earth began to shift and he stumbled a little, turning to see Mariadies, Casters, Enchanted and Creatures doing the same. They looked about, confused.

  Then, the thumping grew louder. The shaking harder. Stronger. Both becoming deafening. Until, before him, the ground shifted apart, an enormous crack appearing in the land.

  For a moment, he watched, thinking the Goblins had returned. But then, through the crack, appeared a blackened shadow. Something so dark and sinister that Drew stepped backwards. Another step. Another.

  Then, he turned on his heal and began to run, screaming at everyone to do the same.

  The Devils had come.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Answer The Call

  Laura could see the ground shaking, could hear the rumble and thumping and other terrifying eruptions of sound as the Devils rose from the earth. Looking down from Pergo’s back proved to be frightening, and she knew she had no time to spare.

  Rising higher so she was hidden among the safety of the clouds, she looked to the sky.

  ‘I have it!’ She called, feeling the cold air against her face and wind brushing through her hair.

  There was silence so high up, but that didn’t conceal what was happening beneath the clouds. Laura knew that the Goblins had only been a distraction. That Erebus had been planning for the Devils to rise, to assist in the war. She r
ealised that it had been a part of his plan all along.

  There was a golden figure above her, descending quickly. Then, Marries, the Emperor, was before her, much closer than he had been the first time she’d met with him.

  ‘Here,’ Laura said, reaching into her pocket and tugging the ruby free. ‘I have it. Now please, help us. The Devils are down there right now.’

  Marries blazing eyes settled on the Ruby, his arms crossed, his brow raised. His staph hung in the air beside him and the thoughtful look on his face led her to become worried – more so than she already was.

  ‘Please!’ She cried desperately.

  ‘This stone has great power,’ Marries told her, nodding towards it.

  Laura peered at the Ruby still within her grasp.

  ‘Well now it’s yours,’ Laura responded, thrusting it towards him, praying he would just take it so they could complete the deal and help those below.

  But Marries only stared.

  ‘What! You asked me to bring you the Ruby. I did! Please, you said you’d help us if I did this!’

  The corners of Marries mouth upturned into a slight smile, and Laura felt the world begin to shift around her. For a moment, she was confused. Then, peering around, she saw that the clouds hung still about her, that Pergo was frozen beneath her.

  ‘What did you do?’ Laura asked, fear creeping into her voice.

  ‘I didn’t do anything,’ Marries responded. ‘The Ruby did.’

  Laura suddenly felt the hot stone within her tight fingers and, swiftly, she released them, not having noticed how hard she’d been gripping it.

  ‘What?’ Laura asked, looking at the glowing red stone.

  ‘The Ruby’s power is time. All bends of time.’

  ‘So it paused time? The Devils are frozen in time right now?’ Laura asked.

  Marries inclined his head in acknowledgement.

  ‘But… what does that mean? That I can go back in time and stop all of this? That I can end this?’ Laura asked, her heart beginning to race with the possibilities.

  But Marries shook his head. ‘The Ruby can shape and bend time. It can turn it back or forward. But it cannot change the outcome. Nor can you. We have a path. We have a story to tell. We cannot alter our destinies.’

  Laura slumped a little, feeling the poor bird beneath her frozen stiff.

  ‘You have much to do yet, child. I knew that the moment I saw you,’ the Emperor told her.

  Laura laughed sarcastically for she knew she had much to do. It was no secret. Still, she glanced across at Marries. ‘When was that? The first time you saw me?’

  Marries smiled at her, his eyes bright. ‘When you called for my help in the Lost City.’

  Laura started, straightening in her seat. She recalled that moment as if it were yesterday. She’d been kidnapped by James, one of Stella and Leo’s ex-students and whom had, evidently, betrayed them. He’d told Erebus about Cara and Oliver coming to Stella and Leo for help, and how she’d eventually given birth to a healthy baby. A baby that shouldn’t have lived. He’d been the one to tell Erebus of Laura’s existence – to set in motion the series of events that lead to where Laura was currently. Drew had found Laura locked up in the tower of the Lost City, but when they’d met up with the rest of the residents of the Grand Manor they’d soon discovered Gemma was missing. They’d found her, bloodied and near death, being tortured by James. That was the first real time Laura witnessed the extent her power could be pushed. It was also when Erebus had first tried to take over her body, and thus, her power. Laura’s mother, Cara, had, however, had other plans, and before Laura realised what was going on, she’d called the Gods. A God – Marries, Laura realised – had indeed come, bringing the wrath of the planets elements.

  Laura stared at Marries, dumbfounded. ‘Wait, that was you?’

  Marries only continued to smile.

  ‘But why? Why did you help us?’

  ‘You still had much to do,’ Marries responded, only repeating his earlier statement.

  Laura sighed.

  ‘You do not realise the extent of your role in this story. It was my part to play – helping you and your friends. But only so you could continue onwards in your task of influencing the end of this tale.’

  Laura’s brows furrowed, mulling over his words. She’d known, always known from the moment Erebus had spoken to her, that she would be an important part in his plan, and remaining out of his reaches had been the best thing she could do to stop him. But hearing from the Emperor of the Gods that she was more important than just that, that the decisions she made affected the outcome of the whole war, it was a lot to take in.

  ‘I see you are overwhelmed. Unfortunately, I still have much to tell you, and little time to relay it in. The Ruby has frozen time, but time will catch up with us, so listen carefully. I sensed something else that day in the Lost City, when you called to me. I sensed good. When I arrived and saw that there were only a few Enchanted, I was confused.

  I soon saw the truth. That not all the Wicked were evil at heart. I assume that was why they did not all engage in battle. Why you were able to survive that first encounter with Erebus.

  There are Wicked who are pushing back. They are not loyal to Erebus, they are only loyal to their people and granting them a better life. They follow Erebus for such a thing, but they are beginning to see that he will not be the one to give them that.’

  Laura felt the words swirling through her head. She’d speculated for a long time, had discussed her thoughts with the others, had heard their own feelings of agreement on the matter, but never had she known for sure if she was right. Even so, she wasn’t sure exactly what the Emperor was telling her.

  ‘Listen to me, child,’ Marries said, drawing her attention back to him. ‘Not all the Wicked are evil. Not all the Enchanted are good. The Enchanted have been wrong all along; blinded by their hate.’

  Laura shook her head, pain shooting through her at the understanding that all that time, through all the deaths, the Wicked had only been misunderstood. The fact that she had been right, only intensified something within. It was the guilt she carried – that endless feeling of sorrow at every death she’d caused. She’d grown not immune to death, but entering the war, and even being taken hostage in Alast, had opened her eyes. She’d experienced such horrific things, seen shocking sights, killed with her own hands, and so, on some level, had become somewhat desensitised by death. But what Marries was telling her changed everything. She’d killed Wicked with the knowledge that she had to – that they were like Erebus. But the Enchanted had been wrong from the very beginning, which meant she’d killed innocent people, and that only intensified the constant feeling of disgust at what she’d done. She was forced to push her thoughts to the back of her mind, though, for they were running out of time. ‘Why didn’t you tell them? Why let the killing and fighting go on?’

  The Emperor of the Gods had the good mind to look somewhat ashamed, and Laura pressed her lips together, awaiting his reply.

  ‘Because we cannot dally in your lives. Because stories must be told and paths must be taken. Because if we try to change the progress of a lifetime, we alter the planets course all together. We can only watch, and hope and help in whatever way we can that does not change one’s destine.’

  Laura couldn’t accept it.

  Marries looked down at her, sadly. ‘The Wicked were meant to lead a hard life, because it would make their future stronger. How that will occur, it is not yet clear. Whether it is the Enchanted who help them or Erebus, we do not know. But it was their destiny. We could not change it.’

  ‘So that’s why you couldn’t even help the Humans? Innocent people being killed, experimented on, taken hostage? You created them to begin with! Why not at least protect them? Is that not a part of their story, the fact that you, their Gods and almighty creators, are always there to look out for them? To do right by them? You sit here and tell me the truth of the Wicked, yet you cannot help your own children.’

&n
bsp; Marries face was grim, and Laura knew it pained him to hear her words. She didn’t realise she had such power over the Emperor by simply speaking. But it was the conflict in her heart, and she would not conceal it.

  ‘They are our creation – our children, yes. But we cannot change their story as much as we cannot change yours. You do not understand, and perhaps you never will, the extent of power that is in one decision. We cannot diverge from our path without altering our universe forever.’

  ‘What if it’s altered in a good way? I don’t know what you mean by altering it,’ Laura countered, shoving her pony tail of chocolate brown hair over her shoulder.

  ‘I mean, it would end it. We would no longer be. One wrong decision, one person diverging form their path, would be enough to push us all down a new one. One that ended in the destruction of our whole world.’

  Marries uncrossed his arms, taking up his staph and appearing to sigh.

  ‘I do not like it. But this is the course their life has to take. It is how it is. We cannot interfere. We can only help when the story permits it.’

  ‘And does your story permit you helping us defeat the Devils now?’ Laura asked quietly, taking a breath as she ignored the worry in her gut.

  Marries seemed to pause for a long time. Laura felt the anxiety grow within, waiting, hoping, praying.

  At last, Marries’ eyes flashed bright, the gold about him growing stronger.

  ‘The Devils have always been our counterpart. Our enemy, yes, but to us, there is always them. It was forever in our story to keep them at bay, and them us.’

  Laura bit back a frustrated sigh, opting to ask calmly. ‘What does that mean?’

  ‘It means, we will help defeat the Devils,’ the Emperor told her.

  Laura let out her breath, relief flooding her entire body, right through to her bones. Suddenly, the air brushed against her face again and the wings beneath her began to flap, holding her in the sky, above the moving clouds.

  ‘What happened?’ Laura asked quickly, looking frantically about.

  ‘Time has caught up,’ Marries told her.

  Laura looked at the no longer glowing ruby. She thrust it towards the God before her.