Daystar

by Darcy Town

  Raphael grinned and skipped to his side. “I will help!”

  Helion looked her over. “You know what I am trying to do?”

  “Totally of course, it’s obvious, right guys?” She looked back at everyone and they stared at her blankly. Raphael shrugged. “Maybe not.” She put a foot to his stomach. “Ready when you are.”

  Helion nodded. “Go!” Raphael pulled, Helion ran. He stretched, lit up white and red, and split. Helion fell to the ground panting. Raphael lurched and the twin slipped from her grip.

  Belial cartwheeled and hit Andy square in the chest, knocking him over. Helion leapt to his feet and ran after her.

  Belial grinned at Andy through her blonde hair. “Hi, Andrealphus!”

  Andy stared in utter shock. “Be—Be—Belial, but you are, you—”

  Helion lifted her off Andy and spoke rapidly, “She was sick, but she is better now. Isn’t that right, Andy?”

  Belial bounced from foot to foot and nodded. “Heli says I have been asleep for a really, really long time!”

  Andy met Helion’s eyes. He knew what Helion had done. Andy flashed a forced smile at Belial. “That’s right.”

  “Yeah!” Belial grinned. “I missed everyone so much!”

  Dahlia and Lucifer walked around Helion and looked her over. She was a younger, livelier, carefree Belial.

  Dahlia smiled. “Belial!”

  “Ladriam!” Belial leapt into her arms. “Oh wait, Helion says you are going by Dahlia now. I am sorry!”

  Dahlia shook her head. “No worries, either name is fine for you.”

  Lucifer patted Belial on the head. “Do you feel better, Belial?”

  “Much better! I felt really super groggy when I was talking with Helion and I had bad dreams, but I am better now.” She opened her wings. They were gray and silver. She looked to Dahlia. “Helion says I am your Archangel now, is that true?”

  “Yes, of metal.”

  Belial danced from foot to foot. “That is so wonderful! Helion is too!”

  Helion’s wings were a mix of black and translucent feathers. His halos faded in and out of view. He nodded to Dahlia. “Not sure why. Sorry Lucifer, side effect.”

  Lucifer shrugged. “It is better this way. You two are stronger when together. Selaphiel will take your place.”

  Selaphiel dipped his head and smiled slightly. “Thank you.”

  Raphael licked Selaphiel’s cheek. “See!”

  Belial ran at Furcas. “Your hair is short! Your wings are sparkly!”

  Dahlia took Helion’s hand and spoke to him, “You are sure about this with her?” Behind them, Belial jumped onto Berith’s shoulders and met Apple for the first time.

  Helion nodded. “She is innocence again.” He looked at Andy. “She chose this. She would not come back otherwise.”

  Dahlia watched Belial. “What exactly has been done?”

  “Belial purged what was left of Uriel, his legacy is gone, and she is free of him.” Helion took Andy’s hand. “Are you all right?”

  Andy frowned but nodded. “I do not know what to feel.” He looked at Belial. “I am beyond elated to see her, but—”

  Helion gripped Andy’s shoulder. “She came back to be with you and to have her own second chance at love and life.”

  Andy gaped. “But I—”

  Helion hugged him and spoke into his ear, “She always loved you, Andy. What prevented her was Uriel, not a lack of feelings for you.” He pulled back. “She is as she was before he hurt her. You have a second chance too.”

  “She is so young.”

  Paimon and Furcas padded over with Jegudiel and Bean in tow. Furcas pointed to his chest. “So was I.”

  Bean giggled. “And Mommy kicked the shit—”

  Furcas cupped a hand over Bean’s mouth. “You have your second chance, Andy. Don’t waste it by talking through it again.”

  Paimon punched Andy in the shoulder. “Just be a good man and everything will be fine. It’s about time you lost your virginity.”

  Andy balked. “But I know the truth. How am I supposed to relate to her?”

  Jegudiel grinned at him. “All you need is love.”

  Bean bit Jegudiel’s neck. “Lurve!”

  Jegudiel coughed and staggered. “Bad, Bean!” Furcas grabbed Bean and tugged.

  Whitney hugged Helion, unable to let him go. She spoke through his hair, “Andy, come on. She’s Belial, just the softer, younger side.”

  Andy trembled. “She has forgotten our time together.”

  Helion nodded. “Forgotten the pain, the shame, the rage, the deaths. She has forgotten what it is like to have lost hope, to be terrified of her shadow. She is no longer plagued with Uriel’s urges. What she chooses to do now is her own. But she is not a child, Andy. Do not make the mistake of treating her like one.”

  Berith tossed Belial in the air. She screamed in happiness all the way up into the air and all the way back down. She saw Andy. “Andrealphus, jump with me! You can go higher!”

  Andy waved to her. “Be right there.” He frowned. “This does not feel right you guys.”

  Dahlia tapped his head. “Up here perhaps.”

  Lucifer tapped his chest. “What do you feel here?”

  “I love her, but—”

  “No buts.” Lucifer eyed him. “Did you love her before Uriel took her?”

  “Yes!”

  “You wanted to be with her then, you desired her then?”

  “Yes, but we were both young! We didn’t know any better.” He looked as Belial flipped in the air. “Sex was innocent then, we would have discovered it together. We would be making a choice with the same level of information”

  Dahlia smiled at Andy. “You still have not discovered it, so I do not see what has changed.”

  Andy shook his head. “I feel as if I would be taking advantage of her. She would not choose this if she was the same as before.”

  Helion frowned. “She did choose this, Andy. Belial with full-knowledge, full-experience chose this, she chose you. She wanted to be with you as it should have been. She did not want to be with you, and have that tainted with memories of Uriel. You are her first and only love, as it was before, as it is again.”

  “But it is not the truth!”

  “It is, Andy.”

  Raphael ducked in. “I wiped my memories of stuff I did in Heaven, but I don’t feel it is not truthful, I just choose not to remember. Just because something happens, why does that have to define you? She doesn’t want it to define her, good for her!”

  Dahlia nodded. “I too have made the memories of my prison faded things. I do not allow them to rule over me.”

  Belial’s laughter rang out across the plain. Andy watched her soar, his heart pounded. His hands shook. “I still...”

  Dahlia patted Andy on the back. “You might not have a choice in what comes next, just keep that in mind. She is probably still headstrong regardless of what she remembers.”

  Dahlia and Lucifer took to the air and flew towards Eden. Raphael and Selaphiel broke off towards the shield to take first watch. The other groups left shortly after and Andy was left on the ground.

  Berith hugged Belial and set her down. He and Apple headed towards the wilderness, seeking to roam for a time.

  Andy’s heart raced. Things were happening too fast for him to cope with. He felt dizzy. He sat down. Belial flipped over to his side and flopped down. She smiled. “Andrealphus, Helion said you could show me around this new place. It is different looking.”

  “Yeah?” He nodded. “All right, what would you like to see first?”

  Belial kissed him.

  Andy put his hands to her shoulders, then took them off and held them in the air, not sure what to do with them. He broke the kiss. “Uhm, Belial?”

  “Yes, Andrealphus?” She linked her arm with his.

  Andy looked at their arms. His hands trembled as he took her hand in his. “I, uhm, well.”

  Belial blinked her large blue eyes at him. “Andre
alphus, you are turning red!” She poked his cheek, pushing him onto his back. She leaned over him. “Why are you pink?”

  Andy tried not to look at her naked body. “Well.”

  “Is it because you like me?” She smiled.

  “Like you?” Andy’s voice cracked.

  “I love you, Andrealphus.”

  Andy closed his eyes. He pressed his hands into his eyes. “I don’t know what to do right now. I am seriously confused.”

  Belial put her head on his shoulder. “I am sorry. Helion told me that I have missed things, that there are things that I do not remember. Do you not love me like you used to?”

  “No, I do!”

  “Then why do you not want to kiss me?” She touched her lips. “Are you with someone else?”

  Andy shook his head. “No, no, not at all. That’s not it.”

  “Then what is it?”

  He sighed. “I…just. I need some time. Can we not talk about this now?” He rolled to his feet. “Let me show you around.” He held his hand out to her and she took it, a frown painted her features.

  Andy walked her into the woods, pointing out plants and animals. He went over the non-violent bits of their shared history. Hours slipped by as they wandered, making paths of their own in the dense forest. The sun went down and the light on the trees turned silver as the moon came out.

  She skipped along at his side, content to listen, asking questions when she did not understand something. Belial looked at her feet as they stepped into a forest clearing. She scrunched her toes in the grass. “Shoes you say?”

  “You love shoes.” Andy smiled. “You had more shoes than any reasonable creature should. You love purses too.”

  “I love you.” She looked up at him, her eyes hesitant.

  Andy stopped and frowned. He leaned against a tree. “I thought we weren’t going to talk about this.”

  She took a step towards him and reached for his hand. He pulled away. She rubbed her arms. “But I do not understand why you are acting like this.”

  “Belial, it’s not your fault. Your brother should not have put me in this position, I’m sorry.”

  She gulped. “But I want—”

  “No.” He turned away from her, his heart aching. “You are a child and I am an adult and I do not feel right about this. I do not want to discuss it now.” He walked away.

  Belial followed him with her eyes. Andy turned at the edge of the clearing and sighed. “Coming? I have more to show you.” He turned away and walked into the shadows.

  She took a deep breath and charged in after him. Andy did not turn at the sound of her stomping through the underbrush; she had never been graceful.

  Belial grabbed his elbow, picked him up, and threw him back towards the clearing. She leapt on him and knocked him to the ground. Her eyes welled up with tears. “I am not a child!”

  “Belial, it’s just—”

  “Shut up!” She jumped back and stood, pointing a finger at him. “I am not a kid, Andrealphus.”

  Andy struggled for words. “You cannot make informed decisions.”

  “Because I was sick?”

  “Yes!”

  “But what happened, Andrealphus?”

  “I cannot tell you what happened to you, your brother has forbade it.”

  “To me? To you, Andrealphus. What happened to you?” Belial shivered. “You used to smile all the time. You used to hold me and toss me like Berith. He still does that. But you do not. You can barely even look at me.”

  “Because you’re different.”

  Belial paced. “This has nothing to do with me!”

  Andy jumped to his feet. “Of course it does! You do not know the truth about the time that has passed.”

  “Do you think I am a fool? That I could not formulate on my own what I missed?” Belial looked at her hands. “I remember the trial, Andrealphus. Dahlia locked away and I remember the order to take my wings.” Her chin trembled. “I remember escaping with Helion; it is only when Helion leaves me to go get help that the memories stop.”

  “Belial, you don’t want to know what happened.”

  “Exactly! Because I know who Helion went to get and I know Uriel is dead, Andrealphus. I smell his death on you, on Helion, on the ashes.” Belial let tears fall unrestrained. She shook her head. “I do not want to know what deed could drive the two of you to kill him, but I trust that his death was well-deserved, because you are a good person.”

  “Belial.”

  She wiped at her cheeks. “I know I was not sick with something like the flu, Andrealphus. I was sick in the soul and heart. Uriel hurt me.”

  He paled. “Yes he did.”

  “Then why should I have to experience it again so that you can treat me like an equal? Why must I be damaged for you to love me?” Belial stared at the ground. “The only reason you act this way is because my memories are gone, but I do not want to remember them.”

  “Belial?”

  Belial shook her head. “I love you, without reserve and I understand that what happened to me must have driven something between us, something insurmountable. For that, I am glad it is gone. I will never request the memories of it from Helion, never.”

  Her eyes met his. “If we cannot be together after all this, then whatever he did hurt us both and it still is damaging you.” Belial touched her chest where her heart beat. “I am free of what he did. The only thing hurting me now is you.” She turned and fled into the woods.

  Andy gaped and stared after her.

  “You idiot!”

  Andy turned. He got a fist to the face and flew in the bushes. Jegudiel landed on his chest. “What are you doing?”

  Andy caught Jegudiel’s fist. “What?”

  “Why are you acting this way?!” Jegudiel was near tears. “You love her and she loves you. You finally can be together and you turn her away? You hurt her?”

  Andy stared. “But, I am not trying to.”

  “You still are!” Jegudiel punched at Andy. “Why does everyone hurt her? Why can’t you just love her as she is?”

  Andy gaped. “I—”

  “Say it!”

  “Say what?” Andy pushed Jegudiel off him.

  “Tell me why! Give me one good reason why you can’t be with her!”

  Andy looked into Jegudiel’s burning eyes. “I don’t want to hurt her. I don’t want anyone to hurt her.”

  “Then get off your ass and go after her! Show her what love is supposed to be!” Jegudiel hauled Andy to his feet and pushed him towards the forest. “Go, damn it! If that is the only reason you have you have no reason to stay here!”

  Andy took a step and stopped himself. “I cannot.”

  Jegudiel fumed. “You will lose your chance! You will fuck it up again! You do not deserve her if you mistime this again!”

  Andy turned to him. “What did you just say?”

  Jegudiel flapped his wings angrily. “It’s true; you slow on the uptake idiot!”

  “It’s too soon.”

  “How do you know, Andrealphus?” Ice white flames danced around Jegudiel’s head. “When have you ever gotten the timing right? You either think it is right and you’re early, or you think you need to wait and you lose your chance.”

  Andy scowled. “That’s not true.”

  “Bullshit. Just accept it. You know fuck-all about love and you’re a coward.”

  “I know more than you and I am not a coward!”

  Jegudiel scoffed. “I am a no-experience loser; I got that, but you? You have it, you stupid bastard! You have everything right fucking there and you just let it slip through your fingers over and over again!”

  Jegudiel’s voice rose into a shout, “You are so lucky to have someone that loves you so much they would give up a piece of themselves for you! Think about that decision! Think about how scary that would have been, but she made it and trusted that you would love her still. And what to do you do? You chase her away!”

  Jegudiel’s cheeks flamed red. “If I ever
had someone so in love with me that they would do even a fraction of something that brave, I would never let them go. Never push them to the side because of my fear. If you do not go in there and chase her down you are a worthless coward who deserves to live alone!”

  Jegudiel’s anger morphed into radiation, and the clearing grew scorching hot. He reached into the air and pulled a flaming sword out of the firmament. He leveled his weapon at Andy. “You have run out of chances to make this work, Andrealphus, and as the Archangel of Love I am telling you that this is your last shot. Get your fucking ass in gear and go to her now!” The trees around him caught fire, sending pillars of flame into the sky. The flames burnt their clothes away and made the ground smoke.

  Andy gaped at him as ash painted him gray. “I…”

  “Now!”

  Andy ran.

  He threw himself into the forest. It was not hard to see where she had gone. Everything in her path was broken or bent. Andy ran without thinking, he couldn’t allow himself to or his feet would have stopped. His heart pounded in his chest. He was afraid.

  He slipped and fell into a stream. He got up and trudged through the icy water, looking for where she had run into the woods. He did not walk far before his eyes caught upon silver wings in the moonlight.

  Belial sat at the base of a fig tree with her knees pulled into her chest, her eyes covered, her wings wrapped nearly all the way around her. She sat on moss, inches from the stream. He reached for her.

  Her body shook and a whimper escaped.

  She wept…she cried because of him. He dropped his hand. Andy was, at that moment, the most miserable creature on the planet. He sought for someone to strike him dead. He was an asshole. He looked at himself in the stream. This was his fault and she was not going to get better on her own.

  Andy jumped up onto the bank quietly and got down on his hands and knees. He crawled up to her and touched her big toe with a finger. Belial’s wings pulled back and she looked at him through the curtain of her hair. She gasped, but did not say anything.

  He took a deep breath. This was his to lose and he knew that. He rubbed her feet. “I am sorry. What I said was not fair to you. Your decision was brave and certainly not childish. I am being the child.” His face heated up from a blush. “I’m scared, terrified and instead of facing it, I chase you away.”