As the dog was half way toward her, Lily saw one of Gaap’s men in the air swooping toward that winged animal. That was it, Lily thought, but the evil animal was smarter than she had expected. It spotted the enemy, and it launched itself into the air using its hind legs and seized the enemy’s throat with its sharp teeth. They both crashed down to the ground; the body of the man began melting, and the dog spit the rest of him out of its mouth.
Its eyes found Lily again. Her heart leaped into her throat, and she shrieked loudly, seeing its monstrous eyes. Even Gabriel’s and Gaap’s attention turned to her. Samael covered her with his left hand quickly and wheeled around to face the dog where it was already airborne. It flung itself against the gray angel, Samael let Lily’s arm go and lifted his hand toward the animal. It was as though he caught the falling dog and slammed it into the ground, but Lily clearly saw that Samael hadn’t touched it. It was his supernatural power at work again.
He looked back at her abruptly, held out his hand to her and Lily grabbed it swiftly. Samael hid her behind his back again, and hoisted the sword to a defensive position.
“Samael,” Lily cried out fearfully.
“Don’t panic,” he replied, turning around to look for approaching enemies. “Just stay close and I’ll protect you.”
Lily only nodded absently.
The blood and dust globs soaring in the air distorted Lily’s view. She hadn’t noticed where one of Gaap’s partners had come from, only that he was now attacking Samael. He had obviously overestimated his own strength. Samael blocked his strike then sliced him into two halves.
“Whose side are we on?” Lily asked looking distraught at the sight of the melting body. “I thought we are on Beelzebub’s side.”
“We’re on our own side,” Samael told her.
Though her diameter of vision was small, it was clear from the clashes and howls echoing around that the battle was in full play. The smell of blood flooded Lily’s nostrils. She felt sick, but tried to hold herself up. Her confused eyes were searching for any danger that might emerge from the stormy battle. She raised her hand, her face contorted in disgust as she saw her hand was colored red from the blood. On any other ordinary day she would’ve shrieked endlessly, or rather collapsed to the ground in a state of hysteria, but not now.
The dust around them cracked open, and from the gap Gabriel emerged, illuminating Samael and Lily with his wings’ light. He was like the sun amidst the storm of battle, but his furious eyes were a reminder that the sun yet burns.
Gabriel’s sword sparkled, ready for the fight against his youngest brother. His light attracted Samael’s attention, and Samael spun around to meet his enemy. With a snarl, Gabriel rushed toward him. The ground quaked under his feet, and even the suspended blood drops were pushed aside by his loud and powerful voice. Samael held his sword in front of him, his free hand stretched back to Lily and pushed her backward. Lily was tossed aside and slammed into the sand face first. She turned her head to see what happened to Samael, but the brothers were out of her sight, only the sounds of clashing swords reached her ear. But that sound meant Samael was still alive.
There was no time to lay down and gather strength. Lily had to stand up. She struggled to pull herself up and was on all fours when somebody grasped her back and lifted her on her feet. Thinking it was Samael, Lily turned to face her savior with a blithe smile, but upon seeing Beelzebub instead her smile faded away.
“Let’s go, Lily,” he said, squeezing her arm tight. “Don’t be foolish this time. The servants of Heaven will not let you alive. If you want to live, then you have to come with me.”
“I can’t leave Samael alone,” she spluttered.
“He’ll join you afterwards,” Beelzebub said suspiciously, and hauled her far from the place where Samael was struggling against Gabriel.
“Stop, I don’t want to go with you!” Lily fought to free her arm, but it was no use. “Let me go!”
Beelzebub didn’t even acknowledge her protests. Lily peered back over her shoulder desperately, hoping that Samael would notice Beelzebub’s actions, but instead Gaap’s comrades were encircling Beelzebub and Lily. They had no intention of fighting against Gabriel’s army when they could just take her instead. The only person who would want to save her was the keeper of Eden, but he was alone fighting two enemies.
It’s said that when the last bit of hope leaves you, you should try to find God’s light above you. Lily looked up in search of help, wondering if maybe God would send someone to rescue her. She didn’t know whether it was God’s will, but in that same instant a dark shadow fell over her and Beelzebub. She heard an echoing voice speaking in Latin. Her eyes searched frantically, and upon looking at Beelzebub, she realized that somebody was nearby. Somebody who was enough to make Beelzebub stand at attention, stopping him from running. They halted.
18. Eden
As they stopped, Lily realized that absolute silence now reigned; the sounds of battle were absent. Beelzebub had hauled her far away from Samael and his fight. Looking up, Lily saw a shadow soaring above. Somebody was coming close. Again Lily heard several words in Latin. Beelzebub jerked around. Lily felt her hands and legs trembling, her throat was dry and fear flooded her whole body.
“Come close to me,” Beelzebub ordered his men.
The pack straightened tightly, slowly everyone was holding their swords in front. Lily wondered who it might be in the dust that frightened Beelzebub. In search of an answer, she spotted motion in front of her. Before she managed to call out, a creature rushed out of the dust, his long spear knocking several heads off of men within the pack. Beelzebub released her arm, holding his sword tight with his two hands.
“Come on,” he cried out bravely, but his voice trembled.
Lily stepped back slowly and noiselessly. Nobody paid attention to her now. She heard another swish and jerked to the left. There stood Raphael, his head tilted as his blonde hair was scattered across his eyes. Blood was flowing down his spear. What was the monk now – a savior or a murderer? If the archangel Gabriel had come to assassinate her, then Raphael had probably received the same order from Heaven. Before Lily could reach the answer, Raphael darted toward Beelzebub. His wings lifted him from the ground. He sped forward. The first person standing between the angel and Beelzebub was beheaded instantly. Beelzebub tried to attack first, but Raphael’s reaction was much faster. Now it was Beelzebub who had to deflect the archangel’s attacks. Lily watched them fighting and was sure that Beelzebub would have to give up soon. He was weakening, and there was nobody to save him from series of Raphael’s mighty strikes.
Lily’s heart lifted, but not for long. From out of nowhere Gaap leaped into her view and rushed toward Raphael. With a last strike the archangel tossed Beelzebub aside, then hurried to prepare his spear against Gaap. Compared to Beelzebub, Gaap had been taught to fight more effectively. He was huge, and his blows were far more powerful.
The first stroke pierced through the air with a sharp sound. Lily blocked her ears with her hands and knelt down. She hadn’t any idea what to do, where to run, and whether she should run at all. Due to the dusty clouds surrounding her, she couldn’t find Samael, and didn’t know if he was still alive.
“Dear God, please, help me, give me a sign to show me what to do,” she prayed under her breath, closed her eyes and tried to imagine herself somewhere else. But Raphael’s and Gaap’s snarls cracked her mind from within, she couldn’t push them out.
“Lily!” she heard her name and her eyes flew open. There was a creature flying toward her. The wings were gray. She jumped to her feet, her soul filled with happiness at the sight of Samael alive. He landed just next to her and embraced her, but still held his sword out. Somebody was after him, and they would come out of the dust at any second.
“You’re alive, thank you, God,” Lily let out with difficulty. Her throat was dry, her eyes tearful.
The man pursuing Samael turned out to be Gabriel. Who else could it be? He flew out of the dus
t and landed, looking around. His eyes flew from Samael to Raphael fighting against Gaap. Seeing his brother, Raphael seemed to regain his lost strength, and his next powerful stroke tossed Lucifer’s servant backward. Two archangels now remained against Samael.
“Hold on to me tightly,” Samael whispered over his shoulder.
Lily circled his arm with her two hands. Her fearful eyes looked from one archangel to the other. Gabriel took a step forward slowly.
“You see,” he pointed out to Raphael. “He took Lucifer’s side again, Raphael. I told you, all of you, that he wouldn’t change. Father shouldn’t have given him Eden, he won’t protect it,” Gabriel jabbed his gleaming sword toward Samael. “He’ll bring us to a loss.”
“I protected the garden for about two thousand years,” Samael reminded him irritated. “But all I need now is her.”
“Oh, it’s clear now,” Gabriel chortled with a gloating air. “Your little brother has fallen in love,” he said to Raphael. “Can you believe it?”
“Why shouldn’t he?” Lily broke into the conversation. Gabriel’s smile froze on his face.
“You know why,” his eyes found Lily. “Because a person who lives without emotion won’t be ever able to feel real love. You think he loves you, that he’ll protect you? No,” Gabriel said scornfully. “He definitely has his reason to look as if he cares about you. Stupid girl.”
“What are you advising me to do?” Lily cut him off. “Take your side and get killed for my trouble?”
Gabriel didn’t answer, he had nothing to say to her.
“I think we should give Samael another chance,” Raphael broke the heavy silence.
Gabriel couldn’t believe his ears. He looked at his brother with a bewildered expression. “What are you talking about?”
“Gabriel, I won’t let the girl die either. Father wouldn’t want us to end up like this. The archangels aren’t cowardly enough to stop Lucifer by killing the problem. We have to solve it instead. We have to be reasonable about it.”
“What do you suppose then, brother? We’d better close Heaven’s gates and prepare to lose Earth.”
“You’re already losing it,” Samael sniggered.
“Shut up,” Gabriel roared. “You have nothing to do with this.”
“Don’t tease me, Gabriel,” Samael’s voice became rough. “The fate of Heaven was always in my hands. If the gates of Eden fell, Heaven would follow them.”
“Therefore your betrayal was all according to plan, Samael?” Gabriel raised his sword. Raphael made a step, but Gabriel stopped the monk with a gesture. “Don’t do that, Raphael. This is not your fight. It’s between me and him.” He glared at Samael rigidly. “Come on.”
Lily heard the sound of an approaching pack and looked to see the dogs of heaven preparing to join the fray. It wasn’t fair, Gabriel was cheating. If Samael somehow won, the dogs would tear him into pieces afterwards.
Samael waved and his sword evaporated into gray smoke vanishing in the air. Lily gawked at him with a jolt of surprise. Had he given up?
“Not today, Gabriel.” To Lily’s surprise, a wide smile curled over Samael’s lips. He turned to her and hugged her tight, then glanced at Gabriel and winked.
“Your act won’t solve the problem, Samael,” Raphael sounded calm, but his eyes were worried.
Samael replied with nothing. His hand slid down behind her back. Lily only caught a glimmer of Gabriel’s wrathful expression, then everything leaped away from her as she was in the air, flying up into the open sky. The desert beneath disappeared. She didn’t know how fast Samael could fly, but three seconds were enough to leave Earth behind. Lily closed her eyes in fear.
“Samael,” she whispered with a quavering voice.
And then her feet hit something hard – ground. She slid her eyes open slowly. The first thing she saw was Samael’s eyes looking down at her lovingly. He nodded and released her from his embrace, his wings unwrapped her quickly. Lily had a chance to look around. There was a glade like a paradise, fresh green grass ruffling in the chilly morning breeze. The sunlight on the dew made the glade twinkle, the wood itself stretching forward and blending into the endless blue line of the horizon. Her eyes stared and she forgot to breathe as she saw the golden gates beyond – the same gates she had seen in her dreams. But instead of Samael there, she had crossed them with Lucifer. Now she knew the meaning of her dreams. She had been destined to come here at the side of someone else.
“Come,” Samael said, and took her hand gently.
“I’ve seen this place in my dreams,” Lily said.
“Naturally.”
In her dreams the golden gates hadn’t seemed so colossal. There was a circle in the center illustrating a man and a woman sitting on a stone. In the etching, a man had a woman in his arms. There was a waterfall in the background, and the sky above them was cloudy, but God’s light rippled through the clouds to rest on the humans’ heads. They should be Adam and Eve, Lily thought.
The gates swung open lazily, inviting them in. Samael hurried in, hauling Lily with him. She spotted two tall creatures wearing long gray cassocks. Their faces were hidden by the hoods, and their motions were unnatural. They seemed to be gliding instead of walking.
“Close the gates,” Samael ordered, his piercing voice echoing over their surroundings. “No heavenly or hellish creatures should pass these gates.”
The gates obeyed his will. Lily watched them close, and the endless glade before remained behind her. Peering back, Lily realized where the white leaves in her dreams had come from. The trees here were high and light, bearing white leaves. Birds’ song with the rumbling of river adorned the beautiful forest. For a second Lily forgot about Samael and where she was, she wanted to run, jump and lay on the grass.
“Prepare for war,” Samael’s wicked voice brought Lily back from her daydream. She shook her head and looked at the commander and the keeper of Eden. “I want every single creature to be gathered at the wall. The enemy is near.”
His eyes fell on Lily who appeared confused. Behind him much activity began, the hooded creatures hurried out from the forest toward the gates. The bright weather seemed to be changing along with the messy situation. Loud noises were heard, and Lily raised her eyes up at the sky. There was a high rock far in the distance where the first clouds were gathering rapidly. Angry lightning struck the rock, and a sharp wind came toward Lily, tossing her blonde hair back.
Within seconds a bright angel appeared, his white wings bright against the dark shadow of the hovering clouds. Even though he was far away, Lily felt the weight of Michael’s eyes on her.
“I’ll be right back,” Samael said, wheeling around and opening his wings. This time Lily saw him fly, he was like the lightning itself. In a second he left the ground and appeared on the rock.
*
The two winged creatures stood and glared at each other. The high wind ruffled Samael’s hair and his ripped black shirt. His wings were closed on his back. Michael looked especially discontented, although his cold eyes always seemed to be displeased.
“You brought her here,” Michael spoke first. Despite his malicious expression, he behaved calmly and politely. “You know that no human can cross the garden gates since Adam and Eve were banished.”
“I didn’t have any other chance. I told you to buy as much time as you can. Your brother likes to solve problems without any kind of reasoning.”
“Heaven’s army can’t protect you at the garden gates, Samael,” Michael exhaled mournfully. “What were you thinking when you brought her up here? Lucifer’s army will tear up Eden and you as well, they’ll take the girl and march into Heaven.”
“You’re scared because Lucifer knows the direct way into Heaven,” Samael said confidently. Michael stared at him in surprise. “I always suspected there must be a connection between Heaven and Eden. You and Lucifer are the first archangels, of course you should know about it. Now I understand why he needs Eden.”
“Azazel,” Michael sh
ook his head. “You took it away from him, didn’t you?” He approached Samael and put his hand on his shoulder. “Everything started here, Samael, and in order to change the end of something you should go back to the beginning. That’s what Lucifer thinks, anyway.” Then Michael tore his eyes away from him and gazed down at the glade beneath. The green grass stretching toward the endless horizon looked too perfect to be real. The glade was separated from the forest by a thin river. “He was sitting right here,” Michael went on unconcerned, pointing to the solid rock some steps afar, “waiting for the first dawn. I mean on the first day Eden was created. He was more interested in Father’s creations than the rest of us. Something flinched inside him when the first rays of sun hit the glade. I watched him examine the first creations. I was nearby when Lucifer seduced Eve.” He paused, sighed, and turned to face Samael. “You remember the last time Lucifer reached Heaven’s gates. Azazel opened Eden’s gates for him, and if you had doubted for a second and chosen not to notify me, the war would have been lost. I appreciate that you let Uriel know about the Island of the Dead’s gates, and that some prisoners had escaped.”
“I hate this undercover life, Michael,” Samael’s cold expression broke, he exhaled plaintively. “This time, I will fight for myself and I’ll be summoning my brothers to stand side by side next to me. Then we’ll see who is ready to fight for me.”
“Samael.” Michael took him by the shoulders. “Compose yourself. Do you think she is worth the risk of being locked away in the Island of the Dead? Father will never let you out, nobody can get out of there.”
“I’m not just anybody. I’m different,” Samael announced solemnly. “Look back at what I’ve done, brother. Without me Eden, Heaven, and the Island of the Dead would’ve been under Lucifer’s reign by now. I gave God another chance.”
“No, Samael, you gave yourself a second chance,” Michael interrupted with a thin smile on his face. Samael opened his mouth to protest, but closed it quickly. “You see, we are parted from Father, we were created from his flesh. He gave every one of us one of his characteristics. I’m his wrath and commander, Lucifer was his desire to make changes, Raphael is his kindness and his healing. You,” he jabbed his finger towards his brother, “are his cleverness. But there is something that no one of us has thought of.”
Godforsaken: Book 1 (Shade of Light) Page 21