"Get off of me." Jaylen squirmed out of the angel's grasp then slapped him across the face. Once Zeriel stumbled backwards, Jaylen turned to Jeremiah. "I renounce and denounce my religion. I take on the burden of apostasy."
"So be it." Jeremiah picked up Cael then stormed out of the cabin and flew off into the sky.
In a fit of rage, Jaylen went to the bedside table and yanked the drawers out, spilling papers and toiletries to the floor. He found his small glass statuette of Sola and threw it against the wall where it shattered into a hundred pieces. He screamed as he ripped his paladin yellow tunic off and tossed it into the small hearth against the far wall. Jaylen's tears streamed down his cheeks as he watched the flames engulf the tunic he always wore. It was over. He was finished hiding behind purity and false teachings.
Kato helped Zeriel to his feet and sat him down on the bed. "Let me see."
Zeriel was shaking as he removed his hand to reveal a dark red handprint where Jaylen had slapped him. A stripe of bright red blood trickled from a cut directly below his right eye. "I'm fine."
"You're not fine. What cut you?" Kato asked.
"Jaylen's signet ring."
Jaylen felt sick. He didn't think about it, but he had hit Zeriel with his ring. It wasn't something he paid much attention to, but sure enough, he was wearing it. "Zeriel, I'm-"
"Stop. I'll go. If you're not a paladin anymore, then you don't need an angel."
Jaylen didn't say another word as his best friend left the cabin, slamming the door shut behind him. "Kato, did I do the right thing?"
"I don't know."
Chapter 14
Apostasy according to the Book of Holy Scriptures: Anyone who has been a faithful child of Sola and turns his back on her will be known only as an apostate. If that person had been a priest or a paladin of the Holy Order, the only course of action is an immediate execution. No soul who has become so lost should ever be forced to suffer in darkness. Let everyone, both believers and nonbelievers, make it their one priority to hunt down an apostate, for the apostate threatens both religious and secular ideas. It is better for a man to be a nonbeliever than to have once been a believer and abandon his faith.
Jaylen closed the copy of the Book of Holy Scriptures and slid it across the desk. "Well, that wasn't comforting at all."
"I thought you knew all that already." Kato was busy sweeping up the broken glass from the shattered Sola statuette.
"I did . . . but seeing it from this side makes me question everything."
"It's too late to go back now. A seraph witnessed your denunciation."
"I'm aware." Jaylen shivered in the cold and went to get a shirt.
Kato sounded concerned. "Wait. Turn back around."
"What?"
"Sola's rays . . . Jaylen, your sun sigil."
Jaylen looked down to his chest where the sun sigil used to be. Now, it was gone. He ran his hand over his muscles then ran to the mirror. "What? How?"
"I guess Sola knows. She has removed her mark from you."
As he continued to stare at his chest, he noticed something else. A black X appeared in its place. "Kato, look."
"The apostate's mark. Now I know it's Sola."
Jaylen began to panic as he scrambled to find a cloth. He dipped it into the water and began frantically scrubbing at the mark. "It's not coming off. Kato, it's not coming off!"
"Calm down. You're rubbing your skin raw. It's not going to come off if Sola put it there."
"I thought Sola was in a cage."
Kato went to him and traced the black lines with her fingertips. "That doesn't mean she can't do anything. I'm sure Carvael let her have angel attendants to do her bidding."
"What if someone sees this?" Jaylen asked, starting to panic. "Oh, no. Everyone will know. They'll hunt me down, Kato."
"Then we run. We hide. We're already doing that to stay hidden from the Inquisition."
"Now I'm being hunted by the Wolfekin Inquisition and all the angels in Heaven. They tolerated me when I was a tainted paladin, but this is beyond that. This is something they can't ignore. Now Seraph Jeremiah is going to smite me."
Kato shrugged her shoulders. "Probably."
"Kato!"
"But until then, we will find a way to hide you. I won't let them hurt you, Jaylen. I won't. Everything will be fine."
"You're lying." Jaylen said. "There's no way to know that."
"Do you really know anything for certain in life?"
"I used to. I would have said Sola's love. But now . . . I can't say that anymore, can I? Because Sola isn't the all-powerful goddess I once believed."
"I don't know much about the scriptures, but isn't there something else about a fallen paladin?" Kato asked.
"The Fallen Paladin of Finality? Yes. But I don't want to talk about that."
"Why not?"
Jaylen found a black tunic underneath his bed and slipped it on. "Because . . . because I'm terrified and really freaking out right now. I know what this mark is and it's that mark."
"Open up the scriptures again and read that passage to me."
"I'd rather not. I feel sick."
Kato gave him a demanding glare.
"Fine." Jaylen took the book and flipped through the pages until he read over the passage.
The Fallen Paladin of Finality: Upon the dawn of the final era, a new leader will emerge to bring about the apocalypse. His name will be the Fallen Paladin of Finality. The most pious and devoted paladin who once valued Sola above all else will denounce his religion and break his vows. Upon his chest, he will bear a black mark of two intersecting lines so all who see him will know of his treachery. Every angel in Heaven and every demon in Hell will join forces to eliminate the Fallen Paladin of Finality, for their hatred and differences mean nothing when the universe will end. The Fallen Paladin of Finality will unleash hatred, darkness, and evil upon the world like nothing ever seen before. Heaven's gates and Hell's flames will quake at the mention of his name. And his name shall be changed to Finalis, the Bringer of the End. Finalis will be the final fallen angel, the Angel of Darkness.
Jaylen passed the book to Kato who read over it and turned pale. She made a concerned whimpering sound as she closed it and looked up at him. "Jaylen . . . this is bad."
"I know." He turned to the window to watch the frozen waves of the rough seas. "I just don't know what to do about it. I don't want to be Finalis. I don't want to end the world. I just want peace."
Kato poured herself another cup of tea and traced the sun sigil on the cover of the leather-bound book.
Jaylen's breath fogged on the cold windowpane as he spoke softer and more thoughtfully. "Maybe I am destined to be the one who everyone hates. I mean, look at my life so far. When have I ever truly had a place to fit in or to be accepted? Even my own father didn't want me. I'm one big mistake, a mistake that Doran should have killed off. It's becoming more and more apparent that I was never meant to exist. Though, I wonder . . ."
"No. Killing yourself won't solve this."
"No, not that. What if I do fight against Heaven?" Jaylen asked.
"Huh?"
"What if I use this ability to fight off the angels and find a way to free Sola without Carvael's help? I can find out what is really going on up there. I'm sure Sola would be grateful for my help. Then I could leave it all behind."
"And do what?" Kato asked.
"Live life. My life, not someone else's. I don't know if that means ever rejoining the church, if they will allow it, or not. Either way, I am beyond relieved that I'm not so confined in my thoughts any longer. I will fight for this freedom."
"Even if that means fighting against Heaven?"
Jaylen placed his hand over his heart. "Especially if it means fighting against Heaven. The religion I used to treasure and obey is no longer a reality. It is long gone and has been replaced by something far darker. If I am to become Finalis and bring about an end to all of this pain and warfare, then I had better make damn sure my sacrifice
means something."
* * *
Nimiel woke up.
Oviel and Liam both rushed to the cot in the hull of the ship they had bought in order to hunt down any sign of Jeremiah and Cael out on the open ocean. Oviel knelt down beside the fledgling angel and brushed the boy's blond bangs out of his grey eyes. "Nimiel? Can you hear me?"
The young angel's voice was raspy and weak, but audible. "Yes. I remember."
"You remember what?" Liam asked, his bright green eyes flashing in the mage-glow.
"Everything. The paladin has fallen. Finalis is among us."
"What paladin? Finalis?" Oviel asked. "Finalis, as in the one from the scriptures?"
"Indeed. Tell me, have you seen a seraph?" Nimiel asked. "Any seraph? I must find one named Jeremiah."
"Just calm down for a minute." Oviel helped Nimiel sit up and gave him some water in a tin cup to drink. "There. Now, start from the beginning. What is going on? You can't just wake up from months of being in a coma and start spouting off all kinds of random nonsense."
"It's not nonsense. Do you remember my titles? Herald of the Apocalypse, Guardian of Lost Souls, and Defender of Truth."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Oviel asked.
"I am a seraph. I am the one who will lead the war against Finalis. I will save the world from the apocalypse. As the Herald of the Apocalypse, I must alert the angels and demons. The final war is among us. It is the war that will free Sola, unite angels and demons, and finally bring the sun back once and for all. Once the fighting stops, the sun will remain in the sky where it was always meant to be, instead of being pulled back and forth between the angels and the demons who are constantly bickering over it. Finalis will not be the new Sola."
"New Sola?" Liam asked. "Can he do that?"
"If left unchecked, yes. Finalis will storm Heaven, slaughtering everything in his path. He will then kill Sola and take her power for himself. Then everything begins anew. Finalis will destroy Aldexa, Heaven, and Hell. Not even The Veil or The Rift will be safe. Everything will be erased so Finalis can remake it the way he wants it."
Oviel set the cup down and thought it over for a minute. "Is that truly so bad? I mean, think about it. Not every new thing is evil. What if Finalis makes it better than it is now? A universe without hatred, sickness, or warfare."
"A universe without hatred, sickness, or warfare? Is that what you want? Without hatred, you will never know love. Without sickness, you will never know health. Most of all, without warfare, you will never truly know peace. Everything must be balanced. Why do you think Sola created Heaven and Hell? There must be order to things or the universe will crumble into dust."
"I simply can't afford to look at it that way."
"None of us can, but we must. We all face things that are unpleasant. Now, help me find some clothes and a bowl of hot stew. I have to go kill my best friend."
* * *
"Now what?" Jaylen asked, wiping away the fog on the glass and turning back around to face her. "What do we do now that we know I could possibly lose my mind at any moment and become a bloodthirsty manic hell-bent on destroying the universe?"
"We go to Cilona. We continue with our plans until something does happen. You can't just abandon the people who still need you, Jaylen. I know you loved Liaxa. You can't hide that from me."
"Are you angry about that?" Jaylen asked.
"Not at all. You need to help her. That's why we are going to get to Cilona early and defeat Stephan. Then we will find a way to enter The Veil and rescue Liaxa from the angels and demons. We will get her back."
"You're not jealous?"
Kato scoffed. "Why would I be? You're not jealous of what I had with Divinus before, are you?"
"I guess not."
"Then let's get packed up and ready to go. I need you to get the coordinates for Cilona. Are you stable enough mentally to do that for me?"
Jaylen nodded his head and turned back to the map on the desk. "I think so. It will be good for me to set my mind to something and forget about all of this, at least for a little while."
Chapter 15
"I want you to know that I do not approve of your decisions. I do not appreciate the way I have been treated. I do not condone your recent behavior. However, I understand why you did the things you did. I told you long ago that I would be here for you, that I would never abandon you again like I did back in Tivareshen. I meant it. Even if it means being killed and destroyed for it, I will be right by your side until the very end. Finalis or Jaylen, either one, I will be here and I will fight. We all will fight together, not for Sola or for Heaven . . . but for you. You have brought us all together and bonded us through fear, loss, and prejudice. No matter where this road takes us, I vow to follow it in your brave footsteps."
Jaylen looked out onto the deck at Zeriel who knelt down in front of him. He stepped out of the cabin then gasped when he saw everyone else. The entire crew was on their knees. Even Kato knelt in front of him with Xair perched on her shoulder. What was going on?
Kato stood and joined his side. "And the most important part of this is that we trust you, even if some of us have expressed our doubts. We are all here for you, Jaylen. Wherever you go, I will follow. I don't care if you are an apostate or some being trying to destroy the universe. I love you."
"I love you too. Now, everyone to your feet and get ready to head to shore. There is no telling what we will find once we get to Cilona." He led Kato and Zeriel back inside the cabin where he immediately hugged Zeriel once the door was shut. "Oh, Zeriel. I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry. I got caught up in everything and I lost control of my temper. Will you forgive me?"
Zeriel stroked Jaylen's short blond hair and laughed. "Of course I forgive you, Jaybird. Didn't you hear me out there? I meant every word."
Breathing a sigh of relief, Jaylen went back to the map and glanced over it. Something wasn't quite right and it had been bothering him since he first received word from the crew that they had arrived in Cilonan waters. "We made quick time."
"The winds were on our side." Kato said as she began gathering up Jaylen's belongings. She slid his sword into its sheath and handed it to him.
Jaylen took it and fastened his belt around his waist. It felt good to have his sword on him again. "How did we make it past Carvael's barrier?"
"There wasn't one. It's gone."
He looked up at Kato and gave a frustrated sigh. "Doesn't that strike you as odd? That barrier has been in place for so long and it disappears just now when we arrive here? Zeriel, ideas? You are the one who has been so keen to notice traps in the past. Getting anything from this one?"
"Nothing. I have about as much knowledge about it as you do. The call is ultimately up to you and Captain Kato as to what we do next. I, for one, am not thrilled about this plan to begin with."
"Your opinion matters, Zeriel. What would you have us do instead?" Jaylen asked.
"Let the demons and angels fight it out on their own and forget about Stephan."
"What about Gavin?" Jaylen asked.
"What about him? If Carvael and Sulstair have had him for this long, then our incubus friend is as good as dead. Add your father to the mix and those three are capable of all kinds of horrible things." Zeriel went to the window and looked out towards the rocky shore. "Hey, Jaylen, look. It's that isolation cell you spent five months in."
"I don't want to see it. Let's just get this over with and get off of this continent as soon as possible."
Zeriel pushed his black bangs out of his eyes. "First, there's something else you should know that may or may not have an impact on your decision. I flew back over the northern part of Vilyron a few nights ago to check on things and I found the house that our friends were using as a base, but it was abandoned. No one is there. Even Nimiel is gone. There was no sign of where they could have gone. I'm surprised that Oviel hasn't tracked us down yet. You know how he is."
"I can't concern myself with them at this point in time. We have to take things
as they come to us, don't you agree? Let's get to shore. I'm ready to fight Stephan."
* * *
Being back in Cilona only made Jaylen's skin crawl. When he was here last, he was a slave. He was forgotten and left for dead by all but Carvael who saved him so he could be manipulated and used for his own purposes. It was a time in his life that Jaylen didn't want to remember. He walked down the streets where the people were going about their daily lives, seemingly unaware of the strangeness that had been going on around the world. More importantly and possibly more concerning was the fact that none of them even looked twice at Jaylen. Didn't they know he was an apostate? Either way, he kept his black tunic laced up tight and wore his leather jacket so none of them could spot the black X on his chest.
As they reached a side street where only a few citizens were, there was a sudden gust of wind. A black shadow raced past and a voice came from behind them. Jaylen spun around to see the black-haired incubus in the tight pants and vest. "Stephan. You knew we were here?"
Stephan grinned, flashing his polished white fangs. "You are too clever for your own good. I see you figured out Carvael's little code on that letter. I have to admit I thought you would have spotted the trap and not come here. That code was so easy. I told Carvael to make it harder so it would be more believable, but it turns out that it was perfectly fine."
"Damn it all." Jaylen drew his longsword from his hip. "The letter was a fake."
"No, that letter was indeed written by Liaxa, but Carvael added the code himself."
A large man with wide shoulders and a messy brown beard and hair stormed out of a side alley with a war hammer strapped to his back. "Where is my son?"
What? Jaylen glared at him. "Trevor, get out of here."
"No. We tracked you down to find Cael. I know you and Zeriel have him."
"Zeriel and Kato, get everyone out of here. This isn't their fight. Tell Oviel to keep them there. Go!" Just as Zeriel and Kato were leading a shouting Trevor away, someone else stepped out onto the secluded street with an air of confidence and determination about him. Black rose petals fell from to the cobblestones from the crown of roses on the boy's head. "Nimiel?"
Angel of Darkness Books 6-10 Page 12