Rise of the Fallen 1 - My Soul to Keep

by Sean Hayden

  Mr. James called his celestial sword. It came to his hands and looked like one of those giant Scottish swords you needed two hands to hold. Its handle and hilt were pure silver and the blade flamed with eerie green light. He nodded at my empty hand.

  I closed my eyes and called my blades. They sprang forth in a puff of black smoke. The blades gleamed dully and seemed to darken the room. I saw Mr. James’ eyebrows meet above his nose as he saw my swords.

  “They’re not what you think. The runes are different.”

  “Perhaps, but that is a matter for another time. Follow me, young man.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  He did a double-take at that. Maybe I was being too polite. It didn’t matter. All I could think of was Jessie. For once, my thoughts of her weren’t pleasant. She sat in my mind, broken and bleeding. I let out a growl and followed her father into the dimly lit garage.

  Jessie sat unconscious in a leather chair in the center of the garage. Nobody else was there. I smiled and ran to her, or I tried. Her father’s hand on my shoulder stopped me.

  “If something appears too easy or too good to be true. It usually is.”

  I looked around. We were in a garage. Nobody else was there. Jessie sat alone in the middle of the room. I couldn’t see any danger anywhere. I took one small step forward.

  Mr. James was right.

  “Stupid,” he yelped.

  Through my jeans I couldn’t feel the thin fishing wire he had strung six inches above the ground. It pulled through a series of eyehooks and knocked a multitude of sealed glass jars from the rafters in the roof. They fell eight feet to the ground and shattered all around Jess in a rough circle. The smell of gasoline and other highly flammable liquids filled our nostrils. Breathing hurt.

  The metal storage locker burst open and Brett stepped out. An evil smile darkened his face as he pointed an orange flare gun at the floor by Jessie's feet. I couldn't believe I hadn't heard him in there. Then I realized the back wall of the cabinet was gone. So was the garage wall behind it. He had made himself a secret entrance. More importantly, he had made himself a fireproof exit.

  “Hiya, Connor. I’ll be honest. I didn’t think it would take you that long to find me. Shame on you.”

  “You never let me see who you were, Brett. You kept clawing my eyes out like a little girl. Can’t blame me for that one.”

  “Like a little girl? I was bored! You move too slow! I can’t believe you gave me this much power! You’re pathetic. So now, I get to take everything from you, kill you, and then I’m going to eat your family.”

  “Put down the flare gun and I’ll let you have me.”

  I don’t know who looked more shocked, Brett or Mr. James.

  “You would sacrifice yourself for my daughter? Even knowing her father is one of the Chosen?”

  “In a heartbeat, Mr. James. I love her. With all of my heart."

  He frowned, but it softened into something more thoughtful. Then I swear I saw the corners of his mouth lift just a little. It was almost smile-like.

  “You make me sick. Know what? Screw you. And your family. Maybe I’ll make your sister a vampire,” he said.

  Time slowed as he lowered the flare gun just a hair more. I could hear the tendons in his finger as he pulled the trigger. I watched helplessly as the glowing ball of fire flew from the tip of his gun and strike the chemical soaked floor. The whole world exploded, or at least mine did.

  Jessie started screaming. Mr. James stepped toward the flames and shielded his eyes. His clothes caught fire and he swatted at them but kept trying to get closer to Jessie.

  “Screw this,” I said and ran. Not for the door, but for Jessie. I almost knocked her father over as I felt the first of the flames. Jessie's screams urged me on. I picked up her and the chair and ran for the wooden garage door. Just before we hit it full force, I turned. I shielded us with my wings as my back rammed the door, splintering it into a hundred pieces. We flew through the air and I landed on my back with Jessie and a chair on top of me. I hurt everywhere.

  I thought demons liked fire.

  I looked up and saw the Reaper Darius and Clarisse looking down at me.

  “Are you okay?” Clarisse knelt down and started unfastening Jessie's bindings. She didn't take her eyes off of me the whole time.

  “Yeah. Just ducky. Thanks.”

  A smoldering Mr. James flew through the hole I had created a moment before. He swatted at the remaining fire on his clothes as he bent down and scooped the newly freed Jessie into his arms.

  “She is safe,” he said and took a deep breath.

  “For now, Maclyn. For now.”

  He looked up from his sleeping daughter and frowned at Darius. “Hello, Daren.”

  “Maclyn, you know it’s Darius. Show some respect,” Darius said angrily.

  “He does it to everyone. He even calls me Conrad,” I said, trying to ease the tension in the air.

  “Silence, young one,” Darius said.

  I shut up and moved over by Clarisse who was also unusually silent.

  “I have my daughter back. I shall leave you three to clean up your mess.”

  “Is it okay if I see her tomorrow, sir?”

  He paused. I could see the wheels turning in his head.

  “I should say no. You are a Fallen. I shouldn’t let you within a mile of her.” My heart sank. “However, you helped me save her. You love her. She obviously loves you, too. I do not know how much time she has left and I would never deny her what little joy she has in her life. Yes. Come by tomorrow, Conr…Connor.”

  “Thank you, sir,” I said and meant it.

  He smiled at me, frowned at Darius, and ignored Clarisse. I felt very happy as he jumped and pumped his powerful wings.

  I watched them disappear into the night sky. I took a deep breath and let it out. Jessie was safe.

  Chapter 28

  “Are you ready, brother?”

  “Um, for what?”

  “We need to find your creation. He must be stopped.”

  “Oh, yeah. Duh. Sorry, my mind was on getting Jessie safe. How are we gonna find him?”

  “We’re not. He will find us. We have something he wants,” Darius said and pointed at my chest.

  “What?”

  “You,” Clarisse finished for Darius.

  “You think he’ll come after me?”

  “What do you think? He’s got it bad for you. He thinks you’re the only thing in the universe stronger than he is. He also has been toying with you. Now he thinks you’re weaker than he is,” Clarisse added.

  “I’m starting to think so, too.”

  “We shall see,” Darius said ominously.

  I faced him and my stomach suddenly turned. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. I could feel my sister’s fear in my head. Brett was there. He was going after my family. “No!”

  “What?”

  “He’s at my house. He has my family,” I said and jumped higher and farther than ever since becoming one of the Fallen. I beat my wings and headed home. I didn’t even look to see if Darius and Clarisse were following me.

  * * *

  I landed in the middle of the street right in front of my house. The front door hung open and no lights were on. I swallowed my fear and walked up the driveway. I didn't hear any screaming and told myself it was a good sign. I pushed the door the rest of the way open and…

  “Well, that was fast. Maybe you’re not as stupid as you look.”

  My eyes adjusted and I saw Brett standing there holding my sister in front of him. He had his elbow bent and held her throat in his talons. One squeeze and he could rip her throat out. That didn’t stop Caelyn’s eyes from bulging at the sight of me. I’m sure she figured I wasn’t wearing a Halloween costume anymore.

  “What do you want, Brett?”

  “You, dead. But not before you suffer.”

  “Why? What did I ever do to you?”

  “You made me what I am, so I guess I should be thanking you. O
ne thing kept bothering me though. You made me promise never to hurt anyone. I couldn’t help myself. Those people who adopted me never loved me. They wanted a slave. It was time for a little payback if you know what I mean.”

  “Brett, I’m sorry. I didn’t know…”

  “Don’t pity me! Pity yourself.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I realized something after I killed Janice and Phil. You didn’t know I'd done it. See, the way I looked at it is, if you were the creator and I misbehaved, you should have known. I think you goofed. I think you poured too much power into me. The other demon said it herself. I shouldn’t have changed that fast. You screwed up. You made me stronger than you are. The way I figure it is if I kill you, I’ll be invincible. The watching you suffer part is just a bonus.”

  That settled it. Brett was crazy.

  “You’re nuts,” I said.

  “Yes, but there’s nothing you can do about it, demon!”

  He brought his lips to my sister’s neck in an unbelievably fast strike. Her eyes widened as his fangs pierced her flesh. I expected him to rip it open like he'd done to the others. Instead he drank, looking up at me while he did. His blood covered lips pulled up in a smile.

  I took a step forward. “Stop!”

  He pulled back and Caelyn slumped in his grasp. “Or what?” He smirked as she dropped to the ground.

  I prayed she was just unconscious as I called my blades and attacked. She surprised me by lifting up his pant leg, latching onto his ankle, and biting him with everything she had. He didn’t have time to stop her as I attacked twice, slashing his chest. He caught my other blade in his hands.

  “Stupid demon,” he said and kicked me with the leg in Caelyn’s mouth.

  His kick broke her grip and kicked me through the open front door.

  Darius caught me before I crashed down on the driveway. “Problems, brother?”

  “Always. He’s got my family.”

  “Come.”

  The three of us walked back into the house. Brett was reaching for my whimpering sister. She scrambled to get away from him. He looked up as we entered.

  “Connor, now that just isn’t fair. Three against one. Really? You should have brought more demons.” He moved across the room so fast I couldn’t follow his movements.

  Darius could though. He caught the vampire in his hand.

  “Now you see why he’s a Reaper,” Clarisse said from behind me. I nodded. Darius was fast.

  “That was unbelievable.”

  “You should see the Warriors.”

  Darius picked Brett up by his throat. The vampire struggled futilely in his grasp. He stopped when Darius put his hand against the vampire’s forehead and pulled. My arms shivered at the sudden drop of pressure in the room.

  Darius’ hand left Brett’s face. A blue light leaked from the center of his forehead and gathered in Darius’ palm. The more light that escaped, the more it took on characteristics of Brett. It looked like a pale life-sized blue ghost of himself.

  The ghostlike version smiled hideously and wrenched itself from the Fallen’s hand.

  Darius looked at his palm in surprise as Bret slashed him across the throat. Darius fell clutching his wound.

  “No!” Clarisse’s scream brought me to my senses.

  I'd only started to move when Brett smashed the wooden end-table next to the couch, grabbed one of the splintered legs, and drove it through Darius’ chest.

  “Stupid demon,” he said and kicked the dying Fallen. “Where were we? Oh, yes. I was about to kill you, your friend, your sister, who is quite tasty by the way, and your parents.”

  He struck Clarisse in the face. She hit the wall and slid down. I still hadn’t seen him move. One minute he stood on one side of the room, the next he had attacked. We were seriously screwed.

  “Brett, please stop.”

  “No,” he said and threw a couch at me. I ducked, but not fast enough. I hit the wall and began to search for loose change in the cushions. With my face.

  I pushed the couch off of me and pulled myself out of the wall separating the living room and the kitchen. Pieces of drywall and 2x4 were stuck in my back. I could feel the blood dripping down. It felt like a Mack Truck had plowed me into the wall instead of a 1970’s couch.

  That’s enough of that shit.

  “Let’s see you deal with the real me,” I said. I called my true form. Maybe then I would be strong enough and fast enough to kick his undead ass.

  “Bring it, bitch,” Brett said.

  “You have serious anger management issues, I hope you know that.”

  “That’s what my therapist said. Right before I killed her.”

  My body grew taller, my wings longer, and everything became sharper and clearer. I could see the rhythmic rise and fall of Caelyn’s chest as she struggled to breathe. I could hear my parent’s heartbeats from upstairs. At least I knew they were still alive. I could even hear Clarisse breathing behind me. Darius, not so much. I needed to end this now. I called back my blades.

  They came to my hands sporting red and black flames along the blades. I held them out to my sides, tried not to bang my head on the ceiling, and beckoned Brett on. He smiled and charged.

  I could see his movements now. He closed the distance between us and clawed my stomach before I could get a blade up to defend myself. I did, however, manage to slice his back as he retreated. He howled in pain when he reached the other side of the room.

  “You’re a little better, but still not good enough, Connor.”

  “We’ll see. Let’s finish this. I have a date tomorrow.”

  “With destiny.”

  “No, Jessie. I stopped dating Destiny in the third grade. She was a nice girl though.”

  Brett looked at me confusedly. Apparently being undead screwed with your sense of humor. Or maybe he was just a douche to begin with. Either way, I would be kicking his ass. I gave him a feral smile.

  He gave me a kick to the jaw I didn’t see coming. I swung down with the blade in my left hand as a reflex, peeling his jeans and the skin on his shin back. I saw bone glistening through the hole in his jeans. Sweet.

  He must have felt the pain in his leg because he looked down in disbelief. He snarled and reached down and pulled the flesh back up on his leg. He held it there for a moment and when he let go, he had completely healed. Damn. That sucks.

  He must have hit his breaking point, too. “Enough games, this ends now. Just know that once you are dead, so is everybody else you love,” he said and full on, arms flailing, mouth snarling, attacked me.

  I tried to use my blades, but he was still faster than me and slapped them away before I could score a hit on him. He slapped one blade completely from my hand and it disappeared instead of clattering to the floor. He got three more strikes to my face, neck, and chest before he slapped the other one away, too. He closed in for the kill and wrapped his arms around me as he prepared to fully bite my throat out. In one final act of desperation, I called back my blades and drove them straight down into his back.

  He screamed in my face.

  I pushed down on the blades and forced him to the ground in front of me.

  He knelt down and tried to grab my hands.

  I turned the blades.

  “No! You can’t kill me! I am immortal!”

  “So am I.”

  I released one blade and touched my palm to his forehead just like Darius had done. I concentrated on his soul. I don’t know how I did it, but it worked. As my hand pulled away from his face, I felt his soul following. He screamed until I fully wrenched it from him. I let go of my other blade as his body turned grey. He fell dead at my feet as I held his soul in my hand.

  Clarisse finally woke up.

  “What did you do?” She stood and walked over to look at the soul in my hand.

  “I guess I reaped him,” I said hoping I didn’t sound stupid.

  “But you’re not a Reaper!”

  “Apparently he is,” a raspy voice ca
lled from behind us. We turned and saw Darius raise himself up on one elbow and yank the wooden stake from his chest.

  Right then the police showed up.

  I looked at my battered broken house, the dead body at my feet, the soul in my hand, and my sister unconscious on the floor.

  “Oh, shit.”

  Chapter 29

  Police filled the house in a matter of moments. They took up their positions and pointed guns at everything but us. One of them went upstairs and yelled, “Clear!”

  I spun around in circles and watched them pull back one by one.

  “Huh, must have been a false alarm. Weird. The neighbors said a war was going on. Let’s go see what they have to say,” one of the officers said to another.

  Clarisse had her eyes closed in concentration.

  Ah. These are not the droids you’re looking for. That explains it.

  We watched the police in silence as they left and lightly closed the door behind them. I let out the breath I didn’t realize I'd been holding. “Whew.”

  Darius started standing. Clarisse rushed to help him. “You going to be okay?”

  “I’ll live,” he said back to her.

  “Um, guys? I’d really like to check on my family, but I don’t know what to do with this.” I pointed to the squirming soul in my hands.

  Brett was yelling at me, but I couldn’t hear his words. His spectral fists beat furiously at my hand, but it felt like feathers. I put my middle finger against my thumb and plinked him in the nose. I expected it to go through his face, but it didn’t. He grabbed his nose.

  “Can I keep it as a pet?”

  “No, brother Reaper. Let it go. His soul knows its place and will join the others in our realm.”

  I let it go and sure enough it turned into a ball of spectral light and sped off through the ceiling and up into the night sky. I shoulda stuffed it in a jar.

  I ran to where Caelyn was lying on the floor. She didn’t look so good. She was very pale and still had a bloody hole in her neck.

  “Caelyn,” I said and shook her gently. She didn’t respond. “Clarisse, could you get her to the hospital? She lost a lot of blood. I’m going to check on my parents.”