Ashes of Eden

by Mandi Konesni

  Paying for their meal, they headed back outside and chose an outdoors shop at random. There were two, one on either side of the street. Raziel assumed they belonged to the two women overheard in the diner.

  It took awhile to find clothing. The first shop didn't carry Baylin's size. Rather than allow her to feel bad about herself, Raziel curled an arm around her waist, gently leading her across the street to the next. Here, there was a wider variety of sizes, but not as many designs. They could live with that.

  As she selected a few lightweight pants and tanks along with a pair of sturdy boots, Raziel headed into the camping section. He had no idea what the geography was like up there, but he assumed they'd need to camp at least one night, as the transit wasn't until tomorrow night at the earliest. If they were waiting until the Blood Moon was at it's fullest, it'd be two.

  A tent, then, along with sleeping bags, food supplies, water bottles, and the like. Not knowing what all was needed, he must have looked quite lost, as a sales associate came rushing his way after he stood there for a bit staring at the products helplessly.

  Once the younger male had gotten him sorted, he'd taken the cart up to the register, meeting Baylin there. If he'd thought shopping for things was bad, attempting to pack them in the two packs he'd bought was far worse.

  After nearly an hour, they were finally ready to begin their hike, both wearing suitable clothing with hiking packs secured across their backs. He'd put the heavier items in his, much to Baylin's annoyance. Still, as much as he enjoyed her ample curves and womanly softness, she didn't exactly seem the type to have hiked much. It meant taking some of the strain from her would likely be the best idea.

  He was right. As the sun rose, it baked the earth, and them. The heat was atrocious, the light nearly blinding. They had to sidestep snakes and other critters, as well as stopping to rest every twenty minutes in the small bits of shade they could find. Sweat coated their skin, soaking their clothing as they ascended higher, dehydrating them far faster than he'd expected. Thankfully he'd brought plenty of water for two days, but it was discouraging.

  Yet, all around them, they could hear it as they rose higher. The infamous 'Taos Hum'. The very ground beneath their feet seemed to emanate with a rich, vibrating tone, surrounding them on all sides. It kept them moving, realizing this must be what the demons were following as well. Wherever this sound led, they would find them. Raziel only hoped it wouldn't be too late.

  They didn't stop until stars began to sparkle in the sky, darkness settling over them. Camp was pitched quickly, a fire easily started with the supplies he'd bought. As Baylin sat, he noticed her flinch when she tried untying the shoes.

  Moving to her side, he reached to help, expression sober as he spotted the blisters on her toes and heels. She hadn't made a single complaint, although it must have been killing her to walk all this time in such pain.

  Retrieving the small first aid kit the associate had convinced him to add to his list, Raziel pulled out the supplies he'd need to doctor her. After gently cleaning both feet, he smoothed a soothing lotion over them, lips curving upward as she moaned, toes curling when he began massaging it into the inflamed skin. Once convinced he'd tended to every painful spot, he taped the adhesives over the blistered areas themselves to protect them.

  Sitting back, he found Baylin watching him with an odd expression on her face. Bemused, he tucked everything back into the kit for safekeeping before raising a brow.

  "What?"

  "No one has ever massaged my feet, or taken care of me when I've gotten hurt. Even when I was dating someone, everyone I've known has always cared more about themselves and how I could take care of them. It was never about me." Her voice was wistful, a tinge of sadness in the tone.

  Raziel shook his head, mouth firming into a thin line. He despised men who only thought of themselves when they were with someone. Relationships with a two-way street, both parties should devote themselves to each other. It sounded as if she hadn't found that, and it was a damn shame.

  "I fear you've spent your life around fools, darling. Let me be the first to apologize for the entire male gender on behalf of my Father. I'm not sure where he went wrong, but thankfully some appear to have the capacity for learning."

  Her giggle was a welcome thing, it wiped the sound of hurt from her voice, which was all he'd wanted. She was slowly securing herself a spot in his heart that he could ill afford to lose.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  The next day, they worked smarter. Getting up before the sun rose, they were able to start out while it was still far cooler. They made good time, reaching the falls as midday hit, when it became so uncomfortable they knew they'd need a break shortly anyway.

  The sound of rushing water nearly drowned out the hum, but not quite. The legends were true. As they ascended, the tone had changed. It was as if nature herself was singing a song to urge them on, to draw them higher.

  The sound was beginning to grate on his nerves, sounding discordant and harsh to his ears. He couldn't imagine living here and having to hear this all the time, never getting away from it. What had sounded beautiful and welcoming now sounded like a warning bell, telling them something was desperately wrong with the situation. That this area had once been blessed, but now had been overrun by darkness.

  You could clearly see where the waterfalls split, and the hint of caverns opening behind them. He knew the demons who had come here had likely marked out their locations before heading back to a more comfortable vantage point.

  Once they knew where they were apparating to, they didn't have to stay up here. It meant, for the time being, they were likely alone. Perhaps they could figure out what was being searched for and get rid of it before the moon shone high above El Salto tonight.

  "Let's peek into these caverns, see if anything catches our interest. Clearly there's something up here they're calling a gate. If we can shut it down before they come back, all the better. If not, then we'll figure out what to do as we go."

  Together, they began exploring, pushing through the watery expanse to the corridors behind them. The first few were empty, devoid of anything except bugs, bats, and mud. Near the end, just before the last few, they both paused at the same entrance.

  A feeling of dread, of heavy foreboding filled the air around it. It made their hair stand up on end, their stomachs twist in knots. Whatever they sought, it was in this cavern. Taking a breath to steel himself, Raziel stepped through the entrance. Instantly, a wave of revulsion hit him, his palms beginning to sweat.

  He could feel it, the beast in him salivating. Raring to escape, to take over, to be a part of this... whatever this was. He had to be stronger than this. He had to fight it. Tarin chose him as the one least likely to be strong enough to hold out against her. He desperately wanted to prove her wrong. He couldn't allow himself to be led astray, not when he needed to protect Baylin. If he fell, he had no doubt she'd go with him.

  Pushing the urge down through sheer force of stubborn will, he continued into the rocky corridor, following the eerie sound of the infamous Taos hum. An unearthly light seemed to pulse from deeper inside, a blue otherworldly hue impossible to recreate on Earth. Or Heaven, for that matter. As they turned the corner, he heard Baylin's in-drawn gasp.

  As they stepped through some kind of barrier that must have recognized them as something other than human, a marble temple was revealed. Etchings in the stone columns were from a language so old neither of them could recognize it, similar to cuneiform, possibly.

  As Raziel focused, he was able to summon a basic grasp of it by allowing some of the Leviathan powers to seep through his consciousness. As the letters began to take shape, he took a step back. "The Temple of Ihaos... when time is unbound; past, present, and future are found."

  As he spoke the words, the temple shimmered, appearing to dissolve before them. The four columns remained at the cardinal points, but instead of an actual temple, an ancient, rough stone arch stood in its place.

  The t
hing looked as if it was held together by hopes and prayers, the black obsidian rock chipped and broken in places. Across the top, in etched letters of the same cuneiform design, was written The Arch of Souls. Baylin snorted when he murmured it to her.

  "Well, that sounds comforting. Why can't anything be named the Fluffy Bunny Gate? Or the Puppy Portal? I want to go through those ones."

  Truthfully, if given a choice, he'd likely take one of those too. Walking around it, he couldn't find anything written on it explaining how it worked or what exactly it did. Perhaps the spell was in the Requiem Codex, which they'd already secured. Or the demons had some other way to break the seal, or at least an idea of how to do it.

  Either way, they wouldn't be attempting anything until the Blood Moon was at its full zenith in the night sky, when Mercury was midway between its transit over the sun. Though it wouldn't be visible at night, the energies would still be felt, at least to those seeking them.

  It gave them some time to rest, at the very least. They didn't bother setting camp this time, simply starting a small fire in a copse of trees off the path where they wouldn't be easily noticed. The smoke would be dispersed by the waterfall spray nearby as it rose, keeping them relatively secluded. It gave them a decent vantage point, being slightly higher up on the peak. When the demons began arriving, they'd know it.

  Settling in, he forced himself to eat a protein bar Baylin pushed into his hand, before chasing it with a healthy dose of water. That was not meant to be food. Food was supposed to be nourishing and taste decent. The protein bars she'd grabbed had neither of those qualities. As she glanced at him, he froze. She had a pensive look on her face, a sad expression in her eyes. Whatever she was thinking, he wasn't sure he liked it.

  "What are you going to do, when this is over? You said you were doing this to earn back your wings. So... you'll be an angel again. You'll go home, back with your brothers, I imagine? There's nothing keeping you here, not really."

  If only he could tell her the truth... if she asked, he'd stay for her. He wouldn't do that to her, though. Yes, he had known when this was all over, he'd earn his absolution and be granted access to Heaven. He'd go home. He hadn't planned on his emotions getting the best of him, of meeting someone who threw his heart into a tailspin. In the end, it changed nothing.

  He was an Archangel, a soldier. He was no good to anyone on earth, his life and duty were on the battlefield. He'd done all of this in order to erase the stain on his soul. He couldn't give it up at the end, when they were so close.

  If he was going to break her heart anyway, he may as well get it over with, so she'd be able to heal once he left. Swallowing past the sudden lump in his throat, he nodded.

  "Yes, Baylin. When this is over, I will be gone. There's never been anything on earth to hold my interest, and that remains the same still. My home, my life is in Heaven."

  He forced himself to ignore the shine of tears in her eyes, the way she turned her head so he wouldn't notice if any escaped to trickle down her cheeks. How he hated this. He wanted to tell her that she was everything worthy on earth. That she alone could keep him here, if she'd have him.

  It would only prolong her pain, though, and he wouldn't do that to her. Best if she thought him an arrogant asshole who'd used her. Then she wouldn't pine for him when he was gone. Sensing a disturbance in the air around them, he glanced towards the caverns, spotting movement as the sun began to set. "They're here."

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Raziel had kind of hoped without the Codex, they'd give up and just go home. He should have known it was wistful thinking. They began arriving in pairs and small groups, the endless parade continuing until he wasn't sure how they were all fitting in the tiny cavern. He and Baylin slowly made their way down to the ones still milling around, trying to blend in with the crowd as much as they could. Since both had demonic blood, few paid them much notice.

  Getting into the inner chamber was harder. People were standing so close together, pushing through them was damn near impossible. In annoyance, Baylin began mumbling something under her breath. He didn't see what she did, but slowly people began to shift, as if something in the air around them was annoying them. Raziel didn't even ask, he was simply going to take the opportunity for the blessing it was.

  Pushing past, he got them to a vantage point where they could see the Arch and Tarin standing on the rocky outcrop that served as a podium. Anger, quick and hot, boiled in his stomach. He saw red, and this time, he couldn't blame the Beast. It was all him.

  Raziel didn't even know how he moved from where he was, but the next moment, he had Tarin's throat in his hands, squeezing tightly. Her smile was wicked with delight as her eyes changed to match his, her hands gripping onto his fingers.

  She wasn't trying to pull him off. Instead, he felt power swell, deep and dark, the air so thick it felt like he was trying to take a breath through molasses. Clarity hit an instant too late. She wasn't strong enough on her own. Tarin knew he'd follow, this had been her game plan all along.

  His fury was his undoing, summoning the evil he'd tried so hard to keep at bay. Energy crackled through the air like lightning a moment before he felt the ground begin to shake under their feet, the space inside the arch seeming to split like fabric ripping.

  The scent of sulfur and brimstone came first, followed by sounds he'd never wanted to hear again. Hellhounds baying, demons screeching, voices like nails on a chalkboard as they bellowed in glee. They'd been locked within the deepest pits of Hell and he'd just handed her the key.

  As they flooded through the portal, the cheers that rang out quickly turned to fearful screams. The demons didn't recognize their own. How could they? These demons had been caged in the lowest levels for a reason. They had no ability to blend with humans. They were true demons, the visions that kept mortals awake at night. The slaughter was brutal, blades cutting them down where they stood, blood splattering all surfaces of the chamber.

  Tarin slipped from his grasp, hands raised as she attempted to summon them to her side. They paid her no heed. Of course they didn't. What did the fool woman expect? They had no Master. They obeyed no God. He could feel the Beast tugging at him, knew he had little time. The chaos and scent of blood and desperation all around him was too much. He couldn't stop it, couldn't keep himself under control.

  Trying desperately to get to Baylin to at least attempt to get her to safety before he could no longer summon rational thoughts, Raziel remembered his brother's words. Glancing back at the portal, he closed his eyes and sent up a prayer. Please let his aim be true. Please let this be a decision that wouldn't come back to haunt him. Opening his eyes, he frantically searched for Baylin in the crowd of stampeding demons and hounds.

  Meeting her terrified eyes, he slid his pack from his back, removing the wrapped parcel from within. Tossing it at her, he made sure she caught it before he dropped the pack, head tipping back as he let out a bellow that seemed to shake the cavern itself once again.

  Crimson filled his vision as his teeth elongated. Without conscious thought, he caught the demon nearest him, sinking fangs deep enough to tear his neck, relishing in the warm spray of arterial blood as the nourishing liquid ran down his throat.

  People panicked, attempting to run from the chamber to reach the waterfall. Past that lay potential freedom. Most couldn't make it that far. Bodies were strewn everywhere the eye could see, two and three thrown across each other at points.

  Raziel found the newer demons more of a challenge, so he focused on them, relishing the snap of their necks between his hands. Hellhounds yelped as they hit the walls, before thudding to the floor without further sound.

  Hearing a musical voice lifted in prayer, Raziel snarled, whirling towards the sound. Baylin. She stood on the podium where Tarin had been, chin raised defiantly as she stared at him. In one hand, she held the Rod of Aaron and the Sword of Michael. The other held the oil lamp and spike. Pure golden light suffused her, lifting her hair on an unseen wind.

&
nbsp; Raziel attempted to get to her, fangs bared, but the barrier of light around her refused to budge. No matter how he battered against it, he couldn't get through. Pacing like a caged animal, he watched her with wild eyes as she seemed to be channeling power from the relics, attempting to draw it into herself.

  A sound of whispering started low, then grew until it was so loud he had to cover his ears, a ringing tone rising in pitch until he felt certain his eardrums were going to burst.

  Without warning, wind began to pick up speed, a wind that hadn't been there before. The rushing sound filled the chamber, amplified by the rock until it became an echoing crescendo.

  The swirling tempest was so strong it began to lift the bodies on the ground, a macabre tornado of blood and remnants of what used to be demons. Before Raziel could react, he felt himself pushed down by an invisible hand, sprawled flat against the stone floor.