It’s like a mirror
The water in the lake is so clear and hit by the sun in just the right way that it reflects everything around it, giving the lake the illusion of a mirror. The morning sun is a safe haven from that terrible creature--The Tempest. Even though we have less than a day to warn The Citadel for the creatures return at nightfall, there was something mesmerizing about the lake that made us become idle
The Angel moved silently beside me as we walk the perimeter of the lake for the second time. I study our reflection in the mirror, she is beautiful and larger than life almost fantastical creature and I for my part seem to be the completed opposite. A darker version of her light
"Light.”, I said, “Fire. I think it’s the only way to stop The Tempest. It is intelligent, it causes the rain and winds upon arrival to dowse out all candles before it begins to. . . attack."
She nods
“That little light fixture back on in the village. ”, I say, “It was a. . .a flame enclosed inside a glass orb. The glass protected the fire from the creature's rain. If we can gather more of those I think we can use them against the creature."
The Angel looked back in the direction of the journey we would need to make back to the Citadel.
"Does it bother you, Angel ? Helping to save the capital of your enemy."
She looks at me and slowly shakes her head.
"When The Tempest is destroyed I will be at peace.", she says
"It will be destroyed", I said taking both her hands, "I promise."
+++
We head back up the Angel Village, The Angel tells me it has an ancient name that I can't even begin to pronounce. I instruct her to scour every home and building for the decorative glass orbs. Most were broken in The Tempest's early attack but some are intact in the wealthier homes. The villages had turned them off when they went to sleep.
We start a steady pile of the glass orbs. It's hard to believe something so beautiful and fragile could save us all.
I hold one of the orbs in my hand. It's unbroken but the flame is not lit. The entire thing is solid spherical glass except for a bit of gold on the bottom.
"How do we light it ?"
The Angel emerges from a nearby house at the sound of my voice and I hold my breath for a moment. Her elaborate structured gown had been replaced by a shimmering gown of fabric that draped like fabric from her shoulder down past her feet, still giving the illusion she was floating. Her modest veil was still in place over her pale hair.
She picks up the fragile bulb and I remembered why I'd called her in the first place. She gently turns the gold end on the orb and there is a click as the fire snaps to life.
"Brilliant", I feel the warmth around the glass globe, then add it with the others in the sack, "The way I see it we alert the Royal armory. The king recently commissioned a catapult and once The Tempest is in sight we launch the fire orbs into the creature followed by a series of arrows to break the glass. All that fire should destroy it."
The Angel seems to approve of my plan and gives one last look at the deserted village as we turn to leave. This plan has to work if not to save the Citadel then for vengeance for the home she lost.
+2+
The trek back to the Citadel takes the entire day and most of the night. Our steps are light and slow to keep the glass from shattering. Night had fallen log before we reached the Citadel. It was only a few moments until daylight. A part of me hoped the creature wouldn't show at all, but something in the air hinted that something was following us. The Angel keeps her eyes up on the stars the entire time.
I let out a sigh when the tall spires of the Citadel come into view. Everything is at peace, we still had time. The Angel stopped as we approached the clipped dark grass that indicated the entrance to Demon lands.
"It's alright", I said, "As long as you are with me no harm will come to you. It's almost morning perhaps the creature--"
The shimmering material on the Angel's dress begins to blow lightly in the wind, suddenly there is a hint of moisture in the air. The wind begins to pick up whipping the fabric around, clouds were starting to move in.
"It's here", I said looking back and hand the sack to the Angel, "I'll run to warn the armory and tell the King to prepare the catapult. Stay here"
She nods and I head to the Citadel. The entire blackstone fortress is silent. Not even the guards stand at their post. I stop for a moment to take in the silence. The Citadel is empty. Father must be away on campaign. He must have taken all the forces with him. I run up the stairs to the tallest spire in the Citadel. I step out onto the ledge and take in the view of the city below.
I see only a few glowing lights from the village below. Row upon row of squat buildings and houses encircle a series of dirt roads. The village is quite, most villagers must be asleep. They probably think the howling wind and heavy clouds are nothing but a summer storm. In the distance I see the Angel waiting for me, her gaze on the approaching creature.
I step off the window and back inside, then head to the armory myself. King Lucifer's newly furnished catapult sits on on the lawn of the armory. The wooden structure on wheels. It is a series of wheels and gears that can launch stones or sharp rocks at the enemy from a deep basin. It's archaic but will do the trick.
I began pulling the catapult by its ropes, and the wheels began to turn. Pulling the machine is generally a two man job but it moves easily the wet clipped grass. I dig my heels in moving pace by pace. I slow down thinking the plan is falling apart when I see the Angel gliding towards me. She watches me then picks up the other rope and helps me pull the machine several paces.
"Stop", I say looking at the sky. The Tempest is almost over us, "I think this is good."
The Angel take a moment to find her breath and begins placing the orbs in the basin. The wind picks up at the Tempest gets closer, a current blows so hard the Angel and I topple over. I pick myself up and offer a hand to help The Angel.
"It sees us", I tell her, "It knows what we are doing. Let's hurry"
Once all the orbs are placed into the basin, I move to set the tension in the machine. Careful to direct it toward the monster.
"As the orbs hit the target we--"
I'm cut off by a gust of wind that throws us the ground, the arrows fly and scatter into the air. We now have no way of breaking the orbs once they are in the creature. No matter. Maybe we can at least weaken it.
I drag myself back over to the catapult but the machine is rocking as The Tempest is growing larger and darker. A final gust of harsh wind throws the catapult over sending the orbs scattering into the foundation of the Citadel. They smash and break on contact.
The glow of the village dims as the wind knocks out all the torches, and the Tempest begins its descent. I gesture to the Angel to move towards the Citadel. We push through the wind and I pull her inside the main entrance. I don't think hiding will save us, surely the fog formed creature could go through windows and doors. The creature left no survivors.
"It's too late", I tell her, "I'm sorry. At least the King is not here, when he sees what happened here he will take vengeance on this creature."
The Angel keeps her grip on a column and watches the creature approach. She looks down the main hall and then back outside.
"What is it ?"
She looks at me, her pale eyes focused on the hall. In a flash she moves down the hall faster than I'd ever seen her and picks up one of the torches.
"What are you--"
"I'm. . . sorry", she says
She raises the torch behind her back and I realize what she is going to do.
"No", I yell, "Don--"
The Angel raises the torch to her burned wing and the flame catches instantly like a wick. The flame burns down her back and all of her feather are alight. She hovers above the ground and gently soars through the main hall past me and outside into the torment.
I run out to stop her but all I can do is watch as she flies higher to meet the creature, with her wings on fire. For a moment she turns back and I think she is looking at me.
"No", I whisper
She throws herself into the creature and at first nothing happens. Then the creature begins to glow from the inside. The creature stops moving and begins to darken. The creatures' anger picks up and wind and rain crash down on the Citadel.
The creature begins to slowly expand, it howls unlike anything I've ever head just before the creature explodes. The sound is deafening and the sky is filled with tufts of black clouds and fire that fall to the ground. When the sky clears I can see dawn on the horizon and the ground is covered in dark fog.
I also see two things at once in the early morning light.
On the cliffs over looking the Citadel I see My Father, King Lucifer, watching the entire event from his perch. I also see the Angel's body hovering in mid air, crooked burnt wings stuck out at all angles. Her body hangs in the air for several seconds before plummeting into the river below as dawn approached.
I
wade into the fierce current as far as I can and turn her around properly, she felt lighter than I would have thought. Damp light hair stuck to her
forehead. Her lips and eyes were cold and closed.
I settled the candle I had bought with me into her lifeless hands. The flint from my pocket was wet and my hands were clumsy. All the while I was aware my Father was watching me, judging me. The candle slid from her dead hands and dropped into the water.
I cursed and rooted around for it.
I gave up and pressed my forehead to hers. I willed myself not to shed a tear over an Angel.
"Thank you" , I said, "For saving my--"
A tight pressure on my arm jolted me. I looked up and saw the Angel’s long elegant hand clamped to my arm. The Angel's eyes fluttered open and I immediately helped her stand up.
“You’re alive. I . . . you’re alive. . . ", I can feel the thrum of a pulse on her wrist, "Your wings. . . I'm sorry"
“They’ll grow back “, she said if she hadn’t been almost dead.
“What ?”
“They can grow back”, she said “As long as I’m home. ”
I broke into a smile.
“We must go.”
“Go ?”, The Angel says.
"There is someone I want you to meet."
I look towards the cliff where my Father is watching this scene play out. The Angel gasp when she catches sight of the infamous Demon King.
“My Angel you saved the Citadel. You saved my kingdom. The
people here owe you their lives. The king will be so
pleased to meet you. You will be honored and maybe one day an alliance can form between our people. "
“ An alliance ?”
“Yes,. I hope our new found friendship grow into a more formidable alliance for our people."
, I helped her to land and she knelt forward to kiss me but I turned away and looked up to the cliff where the King was waiting. She saw him too and looked at me, her eyes wide with worry.
"He will want to meet you", I said, "He saw your act of bravery. It would be honor to introduce you."
+++
“Almost there.”
The
Angel's arm is in mine as we reach Father's position. The remains of her wings washed away in the river, a swath of draping from her dress covering her burned wings..
I can see Father's strong posture as we reach him. When I gaze upon him it’s as if I
haven’t seen him in ages. He looks more supernatural.
“What is this ?”, he says. His voice is gruff and familiar. I feel so at home hearing it.
The Angel bows respectfully.
“This Angel. She saved us, Father. She saved the entire Citadel. She is my friend", She laced her finger with mine, "I hope to form an alliance with the Angels through her. We can top this madness, stop this feuding."
“What filth is this you spew, my son. You say an Angel saved the village ?”
“Yes--”
“Lies"
“Father, she was magnificent. She nearly sacrificed her herself. You saw, you watched from this cliff--”
"No.”,
he said, “She did not. Unspeakable. A Prince defends his Citadel. It was you who defeated the creature. You launched yourself into the storm and destroyed that creature.”
"That is not what happened. . . Father."
"Renounce this madness, my son."
"No", I said, "Never..."
Father walks away, clearly done with my madness. I watch the village below, wondering how he can be so selfish.
The Angel's grip on my hand tightened, her eyes go wide and she is very still. A small stream of red blood drips from her mouth. I look past her vacant expression to see Father had turned around and plunged his sword through the Angel’s back. The tip going all the way through her back and out her stomach, spearing her to the hilt.
"No", I say my voice trembling.
“She”, Father twist his sword and the Angel gasps
“Did not”, he tries to pull it out but it’s stuck inside her.
“You will stand in front of your people tell them people it was you who saved them."
The Angel's body was beginning to slump. She was going to fall off his sword and into the river below. I move in front of her doing my best to keep her upright, her weight hard against me.
Outraged Father jerks the sword out and plunges the sword into her again, this time the blade going in her back through her belly and into mine, binding us together on his sword. I felt blood pouring from my wound, the pain is unbearable.
"Weak, Prince", Father said
He twisted the blade and put his foot on the Angels back for leverage and pulled the blade out of us with a ragged ugly jerk. I stumbled back, the dead Angel's weight on me as we fall off the cliff and plummet to the water below.
Both dead before we hit the surface.
+++
I wake up screaming, the pain below my chest radiated and I lifted my shirt expecting to see a stab wound. Nothing. I'm fine. . . I'm fine. I slowly open my eyes, my lashes are wet and dried tears on my cheeks.
I take in a deep breath and nearly gag from the putrid rotting smell in the air. I try to breathe again and nearly lose my dinner.
Oh, God. That smell. It was familiar.
"Fuck", I wipe my eyes,for a moment thinking Sera was beside me.
Instead the room is empty, the only thing out of place is the window by the door. It's ajar and looking like it has been pried open from the outside.
When I see what's on my doorstep my hand starts to shake. I hear someone banging on the inside door to my room. I realize everyone had probably heard my screaming.
I manage to open the door that leads outside, under the dim outside light I grimly confirm what I see.
6 dead demons are at my doorstep. I know all their names, I know where they sleep, I know who their closest comrades are. They are naked and dead. Their faces are stretched in horror, their bodies drained of blood.
"Thank you for meeting me here”
“Where are the others ?”
“Isn’t it obvious. . . they aren’t coming. I didn't want them here.”
Sera says nothing at this and my gloved hands tighten over hers. There had been a very long silence before I had broken it, now I wish I hadn’t. The oversize lapels on her white coat began to shiver in the wind, I could almost see my reflection in the shiny white gold buttons. What a pathetic reflection it would be.
She sighes
In front of us is a startling view of Downtown Manhattan from 70 stories up. The view is breathtaking and we have the best seat on the rooftop edge of the skyscraper that housed Helios' office. Out of context it might have looked like the loneliest , coldest most desolate date in existence.
“Paris—“
“The smell”, I cut in, "Was unbearable. Seeing them like that, strewn around as if they were nothing."
“I didn't know what Helios did with the hostages I would have--.”
"Damien says they were all dry. Not a drop of blood. Helios drained them"
"Demon blood is one of the ingredients in daemons. I told you Helios is building his army."
“Ingredients ? They were fucking people. Fuck, I can't do anything right, I can't keep anyone safe and I keep having this awful dream. . ."
She peers down, I catch her rolling her eyes. She is probably wandering when she
should let go of my hand. Her delicate white gloved fingers fit perfectly in my hands.
“I don’t think they would take kindly to you right now. It’s getting dangerous now and tensions are so very high. I know you must think this a moment of weakness, Love.”, I let out a exasperated smile, “I know this display of emotion must disgust you. I just don't have the armor you do. They were my family. I was charged to protect them, they counted on me and I’ve done nothing but let everyone down. I wish Hmjeu was here, I wish he hadn’t died. I wasn’t ready.”
“And what of Hilarion or Kronos ?”, she says, “Callum mercilessly shot them in the warehouse as if they were nothing. Yet, Helios goes on.”
“I-I don’t know who you are talking about. It’s all Greek to me”, I said with very little humor
“Helios’ friends, his compatriots. . . mine. Some who were actually decent to me. You killed them.”
“I’m sorry, but we were protecting ourselves. Helios started this, he blew up three of our shops--”
"Was leaving New York truly that much to ask ?"
"Sera", I say not liking her rationalization, "What is this ? Helios killed 13 members of my family."
“They aren’t our family. Hmjeu and Anne are not our parents they don’t really love us.”
“Hmjeu was good to you. They bought us here and helped us survive”
“Only out of hope they’d be rewarded. The way Anne gives preferences
to the girls from elite families, the way Hmjeu cherished you even
though you were no different from any other orphan. They’ve banished
countless
of our kind, not giving a blind eye to those who disappear or go missing.
They
only kept going out of a twisted obligation—not love. Who knew it would
be a
thousands years of wandering ?
“Sera.”
“It’s true”, she said, “I see the way Aria and Leon are with Tessa. That's real love.”
“Must you be so pragmatic ?”
"Yes."
"Sera, is Helios getting in your head ? You're not that stupid--"
"Don't you dare", she snaps
"Are you picking a fight with me-"
"Paris. . . we have to stop seeing each other."
I hold on to the edge of the roof.
"No. Sera we will be fine. This conflict is almost over. We know what Helios is planning we are one step ahead of him."
"It's far from over. Helios isn't going to give up"
"Sera--"
"It's just getting worse and I need to be strategic. It's to reckless for us to continue, this isn't going to end how we want it."
"It's not ?"
"Paris, I lied to you. "
"What do you mean, Sera ? What's happening ?"
She turned to face me.
"Paris, do you remember when I told you Isobel Charter was destined to be your true love."
"Yes."
Sera shakes her head.
"Paris. . . Isobel Charter isn't your true love. I am"
"What ?"
"When I saw you that first time in the halls of St. Liltih's I felt something powerful. . . like an intuition or a force between us. I realized those old wives tales were true. I knew I would fall in love with you. It disgusted me so I lied to you. You and Isobel were never destined for anything, she was just convenient. . . "
Sera's hair whips in the wind and she seem usnable to continue. I'd built the past year of my life around Isobel based on Sera's promise that Isobel was my true love.
"Sera-"
"Isobel is special", she continues, "You weren't supposed to love her but you did. That's powerful."
". . . how could you lie to me like that ? Am I really that horrible of a conquest?"
She looks me in the eye.
"I didn't want to be in love with a Demon, it felt like a curse."
"A curse ?", I thought back to what Helios said, "Oh. . . Because you murdered the who demon took your home and enslaved you and your mother ? That was one thousand years ago."
She rolls her eyes, surprised that I knew about that. Then turns her attention to her long sharp nails.
"That's not the whole story."
"Is anything with you ?"
She sighs
"Yes, a Demon did take quarter in our home. He forced my mother and I into servitude but. . . over time. . . my mother. . . she . . she feel in love with her captor. It disgusted me. My father had died in battle not a few months ago. They wanted to run away together and live free in the wilds. I couldn't have it, I'd been raised to hate Demons. . . so I killed him. The village thought me a brave little girl, but my mother was so distraught she couldn't look at me. She put me out and I never saw her again. Ever since that day I've had this hatred of your kind."
"Sera. . ."
She lets out a very small laugh.
"It was like the gods were playing tricks on me and decided my punishment would be for me to not only fall in love with a Demon-- but The Demon Prince no less. . . and when I kissed you last year Paris, it hit me hard. I realized what a mistake I made when I killed my Mother's love. Anne and Hmjeu knew the truth of my past. They knew we would be together one day and she never told me."
". . . Hmjeu knew about this too ?"
She shifts uncomfortably, she never did that.
"Yes. I figured it out when I read Hmjeu's journals. He mentored and took me in on
purpose. He taught me about fighting and weapons not so I could protect
my sisters but so I could protect you one day when he was gone. Everytime I would see Hmjeu he
would tell me charming stories about you, stories that made me secretly
fall for you. As far as Hmeju was concerned he was making me for you, he only put up with me so you would have a .. . suitable mate to protect you and keep your bed warm. It's always been about you. Everything is about you."
"Hmjeu loved you, Sera. You were more than that."
"Did he ever mention me to you ? Ever ?"
I was silent
"Interesting, because he never stopped talking about you."
My mind slowly starts turning. Seraphina lied to me and pushed me into Isobel's arms. Then I remember something else.
"That's why you took that bullet for Isobel last year. . . you wanted to die in that cave. You would have rather died than be in love with me ?"
“Paris, I did not get a say in leaving my Homeland, or who my sisters are or where I get to live. I've spent centuries having my meals and clothes and even my first husband chosen for me. When it comes to my heart I most certainly get a say. When it became clear that I was destined to be with you I made a choice. I said no . . . for as long as I could. I don't regret indulging but this has to stop."
"Did you not enjoy our time together ? Do you really want this to end ?"
"It's time, Paris. Sometimes the person you are destined to love is the person you choose to love. You chose Isobel. You spit in the face of destiny and chose Isobel for a whole year."
“I might have Sera, but during that year with Isobel I thought about you all the time and I had no idea why. You have always been on my mind and always will be."
“That's enough. Paris do you really see a future here ? I want a family. A wife or husband one day away from all this madness. You don't want to leave New York. You want to be everything Hmeju was, you want to take his place.”
I nodded. That was true.
“What about Boston ? That was good wasn’t it ? That could be our life together”
“If only a entire relationship could be escapist getaways and sex. . . but that's not how this ends. Perhaps if you were just any other Demon but you're The Demon Prince."
“Is this it then ? What about our plans to stop Helios ?.Unless . . . you want New Aeterna to rise now ? ”
She stood up on the roof, pulling her coat tight.
“No. Helios doesn't need anymore power. Leon
and some of the other SGI are thinking of rebelling. They barley trust me . . . but it's best I stick with my own kind to defeat Helios."
“Then what ? Are you going take over for Helios ?--”, I say half serious.
“Leon seems the best choice."
“What will you do afterwards ?”
“I don’t know. I'll be free. Finally.”
She was right. Of course she was right. What if Sera wanted a family ? I could never give her that. She'd never be accepted at St. Lilith's and I couldn't just leave. I didn't want to.
“Did you really ever love me, Seraphina ?”
“I did”, she said, “I’d loved you long before I knew you. I’d listen to Hmjeu's stories about you and I thought you sounded wonderful. So kind, virtuous and smart. I loved you for a long time Paris Prince, but not enough to give up my life for. ”
I stand up to face her and she kisses me on the forehead. I close my eyes as she turns to leave. I hear her heels slush through the snow and she slips through the roof door.
For a moment I seriously consider jumping off the building, but I'd probably live. Instead I decide to do something a little more dangerous.
I run to the door and down the steps in time to hear the the elevator doors close . I head
back to the stairwell and bolt down all 70 flights. The building that houses
Helios' office is quiet on a Sunday and I can dash through the lobby without
getting any attention. I run through the revolving doors to where Sera is getting inside of a white Hummer parked outside.
"Sera", I call out of breath, "Wait"
I run infront of her car and put my hand on the hood, she starts the car.
"Wait, Sera"
She revs the engine and moves forward a little. A few bundled up New Yorkers glance over at the display and then quickly move on.
“Paris get out of the way.", she shouts from the window
“No. I let Isobel walk away from me. I just let her go. I’m not letting you do the same. We can be together even if we are apart. Seraphina. I love you. I will still love you when Helios is gone. If you're in New York or across the globe.”
“Paris--”,
“I’m not going to let you do this to yourself. You deserve to be happy for once in your life. Think about what we can do for our people--"
"Paris, shut up. Get out the way."
I don't move and she drives forward knocking me down with the the front end of the car.
"Sera, leave him. I'll protect you."
"You can't protect anyone", she revs the engine again her voice catches but I don't see tears.
"Seraphina."
She backs up and pulls onto the sidewalk to avoid hitting me, a few passerbyers curse her out and I move back in front of the car.
"Sera--"
"Stop this, Paris. I see the writing on the wall. You're to weak to help anyone and I refuse to end up dead in a river because of you. It's over."
I stand there stunned as she closes the window and the tires screech as she pulls away and down the snow covered street. I stand up and dust off my jacket my mouth hanging.
I refuse to end up dead in a river because of you. It's over.
How the hell did she know about my nightmare.