Forged by Fire (Angels at the Edge Book 1)

by Michael Arches

  “It appears you can spare some time,” he said.

  I nodded. “Actually, I’d love to separate the governor and his chief of staff, if you have any ideas about that.”

  “Sorry. I’m afraid you will have to wait longer. The time has come for you to learn how to improve your healing powers. When your training session concludes, think of me again, and I will return you here at my earliest opportunity. Perhaps then you can check on the demons nearby again.”

  Chapter 12

  JUST THAT QUICKLY, I found myself standing in a lush deciduous forest. The air was warm and humid, like in the jungle. In front of me, a pool of water fifty feet across glistened in the dappled light filtering through a high forest canopy.

  Song birds sang, and water gurgled as it spilled over the lip of the pool into a brook that flowed into the forest’s shadows. I had no idea where I was, but Honah must’ve sent me somewhere safe.

  The sun hung high in the sky, although mostly obscured by the trees, so I was obviously on the opposite side of the world from Colorado.

  Something moved in my peripheral vision to my left, and I focused on a spot above the mouth of a gloomy cave. A clear stream flowed from the darkness into the pool, which was surrounded by flowers I didn’t recognize. What a gorgeous refuge from the real world.

  A small bird with silver and blue feathers skipped along a rocky shelf above the cave’s mouth. I peered at it as it glided to a bench carved out of a log next to the pool. The bird landed on a brown cushion and transformed into a tall, thin woman with long silver hair. She wore a diaphanous blue gown the same color as the feathers I’d seen an instant before. Her head was covered with a white scarf. She reminded me of the old paintings of the Virgin Mary.

  “Come; sit by me, Gabriel Townsend.” She spoke with a melodious, high-pitched Middle Eastern accent and patted the cushion on the bench next to her.

  As I stepped forward, a short, tanned man with straight black hair poked his head out of the cave. He looked Asian, with almond-shaped eyes, and he wore a white martial arts uniform.

  “He’s my newest student, Lin. Honah sent him.”

  The man nodded but stayed where he could keep an eye on me.

  “This area is well-protected,” the woman said, “but we can’t be too careful. Satanic threats continue to increase, particularly in this region. Lin and two other guardian angels patrol constantly, and they regularly encounter demons skulking around the outside of our reserve.”

  I knew what it felt like to be under siege, and I couldn’t help but sympathize with her. “Where exactly are we?”

  “Deep inside one of the largest forests in Persia, now called Iran.”

  As I approached her, I noticed her narrow face was covered with tiny wrinkles. If she were human, she could’ve been anywhere from sixty years old to a hundred.

  But as an immortal, she could look as young as she wished. I wondered why she chose to show age. Maybe appearance wasn’t important to her.

  “I am Yasmin.” She extended her right hand with her long fingers outstretched so I could touch her pads with mine. I did, and a gloriously peaceful sense of calm flooded through me. This was the sense of bliss I’d often felt with my mom. The feeling was so powerful it staggered me, and I had to hold her hand to keep from sliding off the bench.

  Although she looked frail, she was as solid as a marble statue. She waited for a moment then handed me a jasmine flower. I found it intoxicating, like I’d drunk a bottle of wine.

  Birds continued to sing, and her peace pervaded me. Why would anyone ever leave this tiny bit of Heaven?

  She remained silent, as though she could wait for an eternity.

  “Quite the nice little spot you’ve got here.” My voice was low and raspy, like I’d just woken up from a long sleep. “Do you ever leave?”

  She giggled, and it reminded me of a meadowlark’s song. “This is my home and hospital, where I spend most of my time. I do leave when my duties require me to help elsewhere, but I’m safest here.”

  This was what I’d always imagined Paradise would look like—the kind of place I’d love to stay if I could bring Ellen.

  Yasmin pointed at a large, flat, oval rock covered with a large mattress sat next to the bench. “This is my emergency room. If a sentient being makes it here with even the smallest spark of their spirit remaining, I’ve always managed to save them.”

  I glanced at a pink canopy that covered the rock, but there was no medical equipment of any kind in view. “Do you have any trouble with bugs or wildlife interfering with your healings?”

  She smiled as though the idea was absurd. “If I ask nicely, they mind their manners.”

  Given how dense and humid the forest was, it had to be crawling with critters of every shape and size, but I didn’t doubt they’d honor this woman’s request.

  “Let us begin our work,” she said. “Milton told me you possess significant healing powers. I see he is right, as usual. Let us begin by improving your empathy. It is the first essential step in helping other sentient beings. You must care about them before you can fully treat them.”

  But I already can heal.

  She sighed. “Yes, but you are like a simple camera—the kind one buys at a tourist shop. You point and shoot. The device works automatically, without you understanding how or why. That is fine for simple injuries and diseases, but you’re capable of much more. You are like a child drawing with chunks of chalk who could become an artist.”

  I was more than a child.

  Yasmin shook her head. “Not in my eyes. You provide an identical response to every patient. You simply speed up their body’s own healing ability. I will teach you more, over centuries perhaps. Then you will be able to tailor your miracles to each need.”

  I had thought it would take a while to learn how angels help the afflicted, but I’d assumed that meant weeks or months, not centuries.

  Yasmin closed her eyes. “I began my training more than three thousand years ago. I worked for the first rulers to unify Persia and learned from doctors still spoken of reverently today. Despite all my past successes, I continue to develop my gift. The road is long but well worth traveling.”

  All the senior angels I’d met were incredibly experienced, to the point where I couldn’t imagine how wise they were. By comparison, my puny efforts to develop my powers over these first few days as an apprentice had to seem ridiculous. Still they tried to help me. “The least I can do is to appreciate your efforts.”

  “Thank you.” She beamed at me like my thanks actually meant something to her. “Meditation is the first step. If your mind is troubled, you cannot perform any of the healing arts. You must be at peace to share peace with others. You need to begin meditating immediately. Start with at least an hour a day.”

  That seemed impossible. “Really? I don’t have any free time. I mean none. Can’t we plug into the power of the force or something?”

  Yasmin shook her head as though she’d never heard of Star Wars. “I’ve often wished I could follow a shortcut—a childish fantasy. The reality is healing angels meditate a minimum of three hours a day.”

  That seemed like an incredible waste of time when so many people and animals were suffering.

  Yasmin’s brow furrowed. “Spare me the wailing and gnashing of teeth, Apprentice. Over time, you will work up to the same level of commitment or you will not deserve my attention. Our calling requires many sacrifices, and this is one of the least onerous.”

  Three hours every day? How did she find the time? “After practicing miracles for three thousand years, I would’ve thought you’d figured everything out already.”

  “Maintaining inner peace is not easy in such troubled times. This is the only way to develop and maintain a connection to God’s perfect grace. That is the true source of your healing ‘miracles’.”

  When she put it that way, it made sense. Who wouldn’t want to connect with God’s grace? “Okay, what do I do?”

  “Counting is as good
a way to begin as any.”

  “Sounds exciting.”

  She laughed. “Not the way I do it, but as I said, I’m always learning something new. Please sit comfortably and focus on your thoughts. Notice how your body feels as you clear your mind. Every time you think about anything other than the next number in a series—and your mind will often wander at first—return to your count.”

  I tried that from one to twenty. “Okay, I’ve got that part. Then?”

  “Then…keep your focus on counting. Start over once you reach a hundred.”

  “Right. I relax myself. Once I’m calm, how do I perform miracles?”

  She smiled in the way a mother would as she ignored a child’s foolishness. “You’re not listening. Keep your focus on counting until the hour ends. That’s all you must do for now.”

  She’d lost me. “This is supposed to help me control my healing power, not teach me arithmetic.”

  “You are frustrated again.” She took my hand in hers, and once more, complete calmness flooded through me. I had to figure out how to do that.

  “I just showed you how,” she said in a perfectly mellow voice. “Your power will reveal itself, once we ease your massive ego out of the way. We are not witches or sorcerers but servants of God. We need no incantations or potions to heal, but we do need a strong spiritual connection to His perfect grace. We find the connection by meditating. Start now.”

  Although she hadn’t raised her voice, I understood she’d heard enough whining. So, I tried to do as she’d instructed.

  We sat erect, side-by-side, butts on the bench. Yasmin seemed to turn into stone. Her eyes stayed open and locked on a spot in the pool.

  I fidgeted, constantly, but remained quiet. I couldn’t get my mind off all my troubles back in Colorado for more than a few seconds at a time, despite my constant counting. And I kept wondering when I’d get a shot at Houston alone.

  -o-o-o-

  A CHIME RANG. Thank you, God! I couldn’t have sat still another minute without groaning.

  Yasmin took her time coming back to life. Finally, she asked, “What have you noticed about your mind?”

  Which reminded me that I was supposed to be learning to control my thoughts, not wallowing in self-pity. “It’s impossible to stay focused on anything. I can’t even sit still. Right before the chime, I’d started considering slinking off into the trees.”

  She nodded but didn’t smile. “Let’s walk a while—work off some of your frustration.”

  We silently followed a path through the woods. Flowers grew everywhere, including more intoxicating jasmine. The humid air was saturated with a variety of floral scents. In one spot, a group of white azaleas bloomed along the trail and reminded me that some of the Lord’s creations were incredibly beautiful. I savored their rich fragrance that reminded me of Easter lilies.

  We kept walking, and I wondered whether Yasmin really wasted three hours of every day turning off her mind?

  She sighed. “You doubt this practice is valuable? Let us understand one another. If you aren’t willing to meditate, you can’t progress as a healer. It’s that simple.”

  I could tell from her even voice that she was getting tired of my lack of enthusiasm. An hour ago, I’d felt complete peace, but that sensation was far behind me now.

  The problem was that she’d been an angel so long. She’d forgotten the frailties of the human condition. “I’m sorry, but this is almost impossible for anyone with an overactive imagination. And my body constantly itched or ached. It kept begging me to do something, anything. I will do better, but I need time to adjust.”

  “Everybody starts out that way.” Her voice softened, as though she fondly remembered a challenge she’d long since overcome. “With training, your mind will quiet. As it does, the subtle harmonies hidden in the crush of background noise around us all will reveal themselves. That perfect grace powers the universe.”

  Yasmin and the others had obviously overestimated my abilities. I sniffed at a white shrub rose, and that helped me to relax more than counting. “Every couple of seconds, I became distracted. Toward the end, one thought piled onto another, like an orgy of distractions.”

  “Typical for a beginner. The question is—are you willing to take this training seriously? If not, you will be of no use to me.”

  I fought a lump that grew in my throat and threatened to choke me. The thought of losing my power to heal was too much to bear. I needed to shape up, or sweet Yasmin would surely ship me out.

  “I’ll try harder, I swear,” I said. “I may need more time than you expect, but I’ll do whatever it takes. That’s a promise.”

  She clapped her hands. “The force is strong with you, young Skywalker. I’m sure, with persistence, you will succeed. Let us return to the pool for more reflection before you go home. And do not forget—meditate for at least an hour each day.”

  -o-o-o-

  WHEN I GOT back to Fraser, it wasn’t yet dawn. I helped the fawn drink another bottle of formula. Does hated to abandon their young, even in the face of terrible danger, so this one was probably an orphan.

  I sat in the tent alone while Griffin was called away for some big battle. Luckily, the fire was mostly contained. Humans like Raj and Sophie couldn’t keep this level of effort up indefinitely, unlike me. My work never seemed to be finished anymore.

  I held the bottle steady as the fawn drank. Then a distinct voice came from outside the tent. “Leave me alone.”

  It sounded like Scarlet’s, but not as friendly as the last time I saw her. She’d no doubt try to get the fawn on camera. No way, but if she behaved herself, I’d let her stick around to help the baby deer. She had a genuine soft spot for animals.

  Then I heard another voice saying, “You can’t hide forever, babe.” It was followed by a deep laugh, actually more of a chortle, that sounded like Houston.

  “There’s a light on in there,” he said.

  After those words, I had no doubt. The demon was right outside the tent.

  My mouth went dry as I remembered how ill-prepared I was to fight any demon. I sent a mental message to Milton and Honah. Houston is right outside the tent and probably coming in!

  Honah immediately thought back, I cannot help at the moment. Another critical emergency compels my attention. Griffin will arrive as soon as possible. Flee!

  But I couldn’t. The tent had only one door, and I didn’t have a knife to cut another opening. How I wished I was powerful enough to teleport myself to safety.

  Wishes were useless, so I tried to remember what Diana had taught me about fighting. I stood in a balanced stance and tried to calm down. As if to confirm the worst, the handle of my sword appeared. A dark spirit was definitely nearby.

  So, I could cut my way to safety, but that would leave Griffin alone to deal with the demon. I couldn’t abandon him if he wanted my help.

  Houston’s laugh sounded again, more clearly as he approached the open doorway. My only chance was to catch him by surprise. I steeled myself then yanked my sword from its scabbard.

  At that instant, my guardian angel materialized next to me wearing his white gown, and his wings were folded behind him. He held his flaming sword in his right hand.

  The fawn froze, so I was sure we’d entered the alternative dimension. That change should’ve warned the governor’s chief of staff that he faced imminent danger. No time for us to lose.

  We dashed for the doorway, and I held my flaming sword in front of me with my right hand.

  “Stay back, Townsend,” Griffin said. “I’ll handle this.”

  That really stung. He didn’t want my help, after all. I was too feeble. He ran out the entrance with his white sword and disappeared outside.

  Houston roared with anger. The clang from unseen clashing blades was so loud it reverberated inside the tent.

  I ran toward the trouble anyway.

  Griffin was locked in battle with the chief of staff, who seemed much taller and broader than before. Houston had turned into
a classic devil, seven feet tall. His naked top half was covered with reddish-brown skin. He had horns on his head and short black hair. The bottom half of the demon looked more goat-like, with short black fur on his legs and hooves instead of feet.

  The fighters’ movements were so quick it was hard for me to keep up. Their blades threw off a constant stream of sparks, and it sounded as if a dozen people were fighting instead of only two. The acrid stench of sulfur filled the air.

  I wasn’t sure what to do, but I had to help Griffin somehow. I wasn’t much of a warrior but better than nothing.

  And Griffin seemed to have his hands full. Houston towered over him and benefited from his longer reach with his sword.

  While I was still coming up with a plan to help, a raven flew into the open area between our tent and Harriet’s. The bird dropped from the sky and transformed into a stout, dark brown goblin. I couldn’t let him gang up on Griffin, so I brought up my sword and dashed toward the demon, hoping to catch him by surprise.

  I swung my blade, but as soon as his feet hit the ground, he jumped sideways. So, I found myself off-balance, despite all of Diana’s work to train me. I had to fight smarter if I planned to survive long enough for her to chew me out.

  The goblin screamed in a high voice and swung a flaming red battle ax. He swept it from side-to-side, forcing me to rock back on my heels. Once again, I was off-balance. Diana might wash her hands of me completely, assuming I survived.

  The handle on the demon’s ax was longer than my sword, and the goblin swung it back and forth at blinding speed. With each motion, the blade hissed closer, and I kept backing away.

  My tongue tingled with fear, but I pushed it out of my mind. Fight now and whimper later.

  I feinted to my right, to encourage the goblin to extend himself farther in that direction. As the dark immortal advanced, I moved back, still trying to figure out how to get past the burning ax blades.

  The goblin’s brow furrowed as he kept missing, and after a particularly powerful swing, he leaned too far to his right.

  I could almost hear Diana scream all the way from Italy, NOW!