by R M Gauthier
Nevaeh shakes the thoughts from her head as she turns her focus back to Fallen.
“So how are we going to get out of here?” she asks.
“I’m not sure, but we’ll find a way.” He spins around and scans the area for the hundredth time. “We got in here, so there has to be a way out.” He takes several strides into the clearing before calling over his shoulder. “Come on.”
The other two scramble to catch up to him, falling into stride behind him as they trek across the flat cleared space.
7
Arriving at the other side of the clearing, Fallen peers ahead at the mountain laid out in front of them. He glances in all directions attempting to find the easiest path to the top. After much consideration, he spins around to face the other two.
“I think we should fly up there and have a look around,” he suggests.
“I thought we didn’t want to alert anyone to our presence?” Nevaeh questions.
“We don’t, but have you seen anyone? Heard anyone? Is there any sign of life at all?” he counters.
Nevaeh too, scans the area a tad more carefully than Fallen did.
“I guess not,” she mutters. “But what about the voices we heard earlier?”
“It’s a risk I’m willing to take, we’ve wasted too much time already.” Fallen expands his wings once again. “Let’s go,” he says as he takes a step forward.
“What about me?” Aaron asks before Fallen can take flight.
Fallen stops and turns around to face the boy.
“Right.” Fallen turns his gaze to Nevaeh, then back to Aaron. “Fine. Come here.” He waves a hand motioning Aaron over.
Aaron steps toward Fallen coming to a halt when he’s in front of him and peers up at the much taller angel.
“Turn around.” Fallen uses his forefinger in a spinning motion to demonstrate.
Aaron swallows the bile rising in his throat as he slowly spins around, his gaze lands on Nevaeh and there’s no mistaking his pleading eyes.
Fallen steps behind Aaron, grabs him around the waist and chest, caging him against his own body. Aaron squeezes his eyes shut tight feeling extremely uncomfortable, until the sensation of floating overpowers all other emotions. Aaron’s eyes spring open and he lets out a scream. A high pitched, earth shattering, toe curling scream—and snaps his eyes shut tight once more.
“Stop that awful racket,” Fallen shouts over the screaming. “Close your eyes and don’t open them again,” he commands.
Aaron’s screams halt, but the echo carries on as he pries his eyes open peering down at the forest area and clearing, watching it grow smaller and smaller. Out of the corner of his eye a vision of white flutters in and out of view. He turns his head to see Nevaeh in her full glory, wings flapping as she soars through the air. Aaron’s fears diminish as he watches the angel next to him float like—well, an angel.
As they near the top of the ridge, the ground rushes toward them at an alarming speed. Aaron’s fear kicks in once again. His heart beats out of control and his head spins slightly. Fearing he may be sick; he clenches his eyes shut tightly until he feels the ground under his feet and a cool breeze replaces Fallen’s body heat. He opens his eyes and scans the immediate area, realizing they’ve safely landed. He breathes a sigh of relief and falls to his knees breathing heavily.
The two angels concentrate on the search for anything that will tell them where they are and who is here with them. With a concerned expression across her features Nevaeh turns to Fallen.
“Nothing,” she announces. “I don’t see or sense anything. Do you?”
Fallen takes another moment to view the entire area.
“No,” his voice anguished. “This doesn’t make sense. Where are we and why?” His eyes travel the entire valley below under the canopy of trees covering the vastness. “We heard voices when we first got here, but where are they? We should be able to see or at least sense others.”
“I know, it’s like they’ve disappeared somehow,” Nevaeh replies
“What does this mean?” Aaron pipes up as he climbs to his feet, his nausea subsiding.
“We’re not sure,” Nevaeh turns her attention to him. “Are you sure you don’t remember anything? About your human life?” she asks.
Aaron shifts uncomfortably from one foot to the other.
“Nothing. I remember nothing.” He lowers his head and looks at the ground.
Fallen takes a step toward him.
“Part of my talent is knowing when someone is lying.” He takes another step toward Aaron. “And I’m telling you now, I know.”
Aaron peeks up at Fallen watching as he takes another step toward him.
“I swear to G—” Aaron snaps his mouth shut immediately and glances at Nevaeh.
“It’s okay, Aaron.” She smiles at him.
“I don’t remember anything,” Aaron vows.
“I don’t believe you,” Fallen accuses taking another large step bringing him directly in front of Aaron.
Aaron puts his hand out, palm up in a surrender gesture. Green sparks of light pulse out of his hands creating a circle in his palm. Aaron snaps his hand back then tosses it forward in a motion as if he’s throwing a ball. The green ball of light is released from his grasp heading straight for Fallen. It hits its target, throwing Fallen back causing him to stumble and fall on his butt.
Nevaeh laughs spontaneously, but her laughter dies down as she glances at Fallen’s angry expression. He appears ready to explode. She rushes to his side, kneeling next to him and brushes her hand along his cheek. He peers up at her.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes,” he responds, dropping his gaze in embarrassment.
He regains his composure, stands to his full height, his wings sprouting behind him, as a red glow engulfs him and pulses. He turns his glare on Aaron, who is standing with a stunned expression on his face as his glare travels from his own hand to Fallen and back again.
“You’re magic?” Fallen more accuses then asks.
“That can’t be.” Nevaeh steps closer to Aaron.
“Yet here we are,” Fallen responds.
“Magic can’t survive outside of the human plane.”
“He just proved it can,” Fallen moves to stand in front of Aaron again. “Who are you? And what are you doing here?”
Aaron’s sole focus is his hand, leaving Fallen’s questions unanswered.
“Fallen, stop.” Nevaeh moves to stand next to Fallen, while inspecting Aaron’s hand and dumbfound expression. “He doesn’t know anything. Look at him.” She waves her hand in Aaron’s direction.
“You’re underestimating our little friend here. He knows more than he’s letting on.” Fallen glares at Aaron.
Aaron snaps out of his stupor and peeks up at the two angels staring at him.
“Honestly, I don’t know where that came from,” he pleads.
“And somehow, I just don’t believe you,” Fallen responds as he takes another step toward Aaron. “You’re magic, that’s not something you forget.”
“I, uh,” Aaron struggles to remember.
Fallen turns to Nevaeh. “Don’t you think it’s a little odd that we were sent to retrieve him?” he asks.
“It’s not unheard of,” Nevaeh trails off.
“I haven’t retrieved a body in centuries, and I know you haven’t either. So why now? Why him?” Fallen snarls.
“Always about conspiracy theories. You know what your problem is Fallen?”
“Please enlighten me, oh wise one.” Fallen dramatically waves his hand toward Nevaeh and bows.
“You think everyone has an ulterior motive.”
Fallen leans close to Nevaeh, the heat from his breath tickling her ear as his lips practically touch it sending a shiver down Nevaeh’s spine. His voice lowers a few octaves as he whispers in her ear. “Don’t they?”
Nevaeh closes her eyes struggling to keep her composure and shake off the feelings that are rushing through her body. She takes a step away f
rom Fallen, snaps her eyes open and glances at Aaron. His soft eyes are pleading with her to believe him and she wants to, but she knows Fallen too. For all of Fallen’s fallacies, he does know things—a lot of things.
8
While Nevaeh is deliberating what to do next, Aaron starts walking away. Fallen watches him like a hawk.
“Where does he think he’s going?” Fallen snarls.
Nevaeh shrugs her shoulders, then side steps Fallen and follows Aaron. Fallen drops into step behind the two. Aaron wanders down a path, through some bushes breaking through on the other side and coming to a halt at the very top of the mountain. The space is small with all three standing around leaving little room to maneuver. Aaron takes a couple of steps toward a huge rock with moss growing all over it, there’s so much it’s hard to recognize.
Aaron brushes the moss out of the way to reveal the rock in its entirety. He stands staring at the rock, lost in thought.
Fallen takes a step closer, peers at the rock, then glances at Nevaeh. She peeks over Fallen’s shoulder to see what is holding their attention. It resembles a regular rock formation, nothing special to the naked eye.
“What are we doing here, Aaron?” Fallen asks, frustrated.
“I’m supposed to do something,” Aaron responds.
“What are you supposed to do?” Fallen’s forehead scrunches as his eyebrows pinch together.
Aaron tosses his arms in the air. “I don’t know.”
Nevaeh steps forward. “It’s okay, Aaron.”
“No, it’s not okay,” Fallen growls. “He needs to figure out what we’re doing here,” he glares at Aaron. “Concentrate.”
“Leave him alone.”
“No, I’m tired and I want to get out of here. So, if he needs to do something to make that happen then he needs to do it now.”
“Fallen, not everything is about you,” Nevaeh snaps. “I know you think the universe revolves around you, but it doesn’t. Aaron will figure out what he needs to, when he needs to. So just leave him alone.”
Aaron turns his attention to Nevaeh.
“Am I dead?” he whispers to her.
She gazes at him with sympathy-filled eyes.
“I don’t know, Aaron,” she responds, then turns to Fallen.
“More than likely,” Fallen offers.
Aaron takes this information in and glances at the ground.
“Okay,” Aaron whispers. “All right then. At least it won’t be a shock,” he peeks up at Nevaeh.
Nevaeh gives him a small smile.
“Aaron let’s not worry about that right now. Let’s focus on what’s happening here,” Nevaeh offers.
“Yeah,” Aaron whispers. “Yeah, okay. You’re right. So, what do you think we’re doing here?” he asks as he glances back at the rock.
“I don’t really know. But it must be important if Fallen and I are here,” she explains.
“Why?” He returns his attention to Nevaeh. “Why are you two so important?”
“It’s too much to explain right now, but just know we don’t retrieve bodies anymore. It’s been a long time since I’ve been sent on a mission like this. Fallen too?” she questions more than states.
“She’s right. I haven’t done this in centuries, which leads me to believe there’s more going on here. More you’re not telling us,” Fallen adds.
“Okay, so you guys are here. I’m here. I have some sort of magical ability and I have no memory of my human life,” Aaron thinks out loud.
“That’s the thing though,” Fallen begins as he moves closer to Aaron. “If you truly don’t remember your human life, or how you got here, how is it you remember your name?”
Aaron steps back away from the glaring dark angel. He stumbles on a loose rock and falls to the ground onto his butt. Fallen stands over him glaring down waiting for a response. Aaron lifts his hand; beams of light gather in his palm gaining strength and size.
In a split-second Aaron releases the ball of energy, not at Fallon this time, instead he throws the ball of energy in Nevaeh’s direction. Fallen jumps in front of the blast in time to divert the ball and it hits his side knocking him to the ground. He rolls onto his back gasping for breath as red liquid pours out of his side where the blast hit him.
Nevaeh gasps and rushes forward kneeling beside Fallen.
“Are you okay?” she asks, as she glances down and sees the liquid pouring out. “Shoot, you’re not.” She presses her hand to his side hoping to stop the liquid. “What have you done?” She glares up at Aaron, then back down to Fallen.
Fallen’s eyes flutter before closing.
“He’ll be fine,” Aaron says, then turns to the rock behind him.
He waves his hand across the rock from one side to the other. As his hand moves an inscription suddenly appears, written in script, an actual engraving in the rock.
Nevaeh glances at the words trying to decipher them but can’t manage to read them from her vantage point.
Aaron spreads his arms wide, energy gathering in his fingertips, as he reads the words.
“Free the mind. Free the body. Free the soul,” Aaron spews.
Lightning sparks overhead as a cloud formation gathers above them. A strip of lightning strikes Aaron on the top of his head exiting out his fingertips at his sides.
Nevaeh peeks down at Fallen, but he remains unconscious.
Aaron moves to the other side of Fallen, kneels and puts his hand over Nevaeh’s.
“What are you doing?” she asks.
Aaron peers up at her, then pushes her hand aside and presses his palm to the wound his blast created on Fallen’s side. He presses his hand all around the area painting his hands in the red liquid, then stands to his full height and returns to the rock.
Nevaeh presses her hands back to Fallen’s wound.
“Aaron, stop. Whatever you’re doing just stop.”
Aaron returns to the position he was in seconds ago with his arms out at his sides, the red liquid pouring down as he continues to read the words on the rock.
“Free the mind. Free the body. Free the soul,” Aaron repeats. “Ancestors, please come forward.”
The clouds above their heads part and a beam of light strikes Aaron sending sparks out of him through his fingertips, feet and head again. Aaron’s head snaps back and his eyes close.
As fast as everything happens, it all comes to a grinding halt. The air returns to normal, the clouds clear out and Aaron’s head snaps forward. He lowers his arms, shaking them out as he goes. He twists his head to the right, then left before he turns around and glares at Nevaeh.
“What was that? What have you done?” Nevaeh shouts.
“It is done,” Aaron growls. “There’s no stopping it now.”
Aaron lifts his arm and Nevaeh jumps up, her arm rising in his direction.
“What is done?” she asks, her hand at the ready.
“Everything,” Aaron says, then pushes his hand to the side.
The wind kicks up and the air around them becomes thick and heavy. The air begins swirling like a tornado except its vertical instead of horizontal. The swirl starts out tiny but grows as the wind grows in strength. The pressure begins to suck air into the swirl.
“Aaron?” Nevaeh calls out.
“Aaron’s no longer here,” Aaron smirks at Nevaeh. “He’s been given a second chance.”
“No,” Nevaeh screams, as Aaron jumps into the swirl.
Nevaeh watches as Aaron disappears through the whirl. In a knee jerk reaction, she hauls Fallen over her shoulder and jumps through too.
9
Pulled through the light once again, the angels twist and tumble around before landing on solid ground with a thud. Stunned silent for a moment Nevaeh regains her equilibrium quickly and jumps to a standing position.
She quickly scans the area viewing the fluffy white atmosphere where this journey began. She leans down to Fallen and checks his wound, which has stopped leaking the red liquid and is healing quickly. She brushes the h
air away from his face as she leans closer to him.
“Fallen, wake up,” she whispers.
Fallen’s eyes flutter.
“Come on. Wake up,” she says a little louder.
Fallen’s eyes snap open and he immediately jumps to his feet, his head pivoting left and right. “What happened?”
Before Nevaeh can answer, Fallen spots Aaron several feet away, a swirling mass in front of him that he’s about to step through.
“Stop,” Fallen’s voice roars through the space causing Nevaeh to turn her attention to Aaron.
Aaron freezes for a moment before slowly turning around with a smirk plastered across his face.
“I see you’ve found your way out. A little sooner than I’d like, but it doesn’t matter now. It is done.” His attention zeros in on Fallen.
“How?” is the only word Fallen says.
“Does it matter, dear brother? The point is I’m back.” The smile that spreads across Aaron’s features is nothing short of sinister.
Aaron jumps into the swirling mass and disappears.
Fallen rushes forward, but the mass disappears before his eyes. He stands staring at nothing.
Nevaeh moves to his side.
“This is bad,” she states.
“Yeah.” He peeks at Nevaeh before staring straight ahead again. “This is bad.”
“What are you going to do?” she asks.
He takes a deep breath, then turns to face her. “Nothing.” He walks back to where they were before.
“You can’t do nothing. Do you know what this means?” Nevaeh says, her voice higher than normal.
“Of course, I know what it means. There’s nothing to do now, except return home and report it.” Fallen glances down at the wound he had moments ago. He lifts his shirt and checks the healing process.
Nevaeh steps in front of him glancing down at his abs, which are damage free and as rock solid as ever. She peeks up through her eyelashes at Fallen’s face.
His eyes meet hers.
“We can’t just leave him out there,” she whispers.