An Angel's Ascent (40 page)

He pulled his daughter to him and held her close. She did not know how much she meant to him. How proud he was of her. That thought made him pause.

“
Angel? I know I’m not the father of the year, but if it means anything I am sorry. I doubt you believe this, but I do love you. You’re an amazing creature. A very talented witch, a beautiful woman just like your mother, and stronger than anyone I know. You have stood against the world alone save for a few friends, and I know that even though you have fallen that you will stand again. I’m so proud of how you turned out. You are a fighter of evil and have come far in all your battles. But you are not done yet. There’ll be many battles before this war is over and you will win them all. There is not one person I know that is even half of what you are, because no one on earth is a half goddess except you.”

Angel’s trembles were fading, and her sobs were farther apart.

He continued hoping he had time. Outside their little world, Angel’s blood pressure was dropping fast and heart beat slowing. Nanna was doing all she could to give him time.

“
He was a good boy. Even I saw that. Like most guys, he didn’t think straight in the presence of females, but his heart was in the right place and he did all he could for the side of good. It isn’t easy losing a close friend; I know that well. Time will help, but never heal this pain. No matter how much it hurts, how deep the pain goes, I know you are strong enough to choose this or Kali would have never chosen you as her vessel and her human mother.”

He was running out of time. Angel was still human enough that her body could give out like anyone else’s. He could not and would not lose her like he did her mother. He was not long for this world and would miss her greatly, but this was where she was needed and would stay, even if he had to give her everything he had, including his life force.

“
As much work as you have done there is more to be done, and you can’t let this all go to waste. You love your friends and family and hurt at the loss of one of them. If you do not get back to yourself, you will lose them all.”

Angel looked at him then.

“
I know. It hurts so much. I wish I could have made Michael happy before he died… before he killed himself…” she said, gasping at the last part, holding her chest.

She was suffering more from guilt at not being able to save him, and that made her feel like she would not be able to save all the others.

“
I saw in his mind. He wanted you, but he wanted your happiness and well-being more. He was willing to give you that, but unfortunately, he was not strong enough to watch you suffer. It broke his heart just as much as it has yours, and he would not want you to suffer like this. Give his passing… his death, meaning Angel. Let him go, it is time to save the world. Only you can do this. Not me, not Aries and the others… only you. You will lose more, much more, but no matter how great the loss you must succeed.

“
There are beings of unimaginable power that are just waiting to make your people either slaves or food. Without you, they will either die, or their lives, even Michael’s, will have been useless and lost for no reason. Aries needs you to do well. He’s hurting too, and without you will turn to the dark. Go back to him. Go back to all the others. There is a baby being brought into this world, two babies that will make this world a new and great place, and all the loss will have been worth it.”

Sen could think of nothing else to say. If he could, he would fight this fight for her. He had begged, threatened, and tried to do just that. But whatever his destiny was it was not this.

Angel nodded and stood.

Sen felt Nanna’s fear, Angel’s heart was faltering. Her body was dying without the soul in place.

He stood along with her and grabbed her as she fell. He was worried there was not enough time.

“
Thank you, Dad.”

Angel’s form, the one she had created, died in his arms. He was confused. What had happened? Then he felt her soul leave the body in his arms and grow, she was not as scared anymore and had finally let Michael go. He just hoped that he had saved her. He let himself find his own body so that he could help Nanna save Angel’s.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Angel had never felt pain like this before, pain so intense it burned with icy intent sweeping maddeningly through her body, incapacitating her. It took everything she had and then some to just stay conscious, much less do everything Nanna wanted her to do. She had learned quickly that screaming did absolutely no good and made the others worry more. She had just bit through her tongue causing Raven to panic. She was so weak she had no control over her powers.

“
Grab dat rag Raven and put de ice chips in it and Angel ye bite down. I know it hurts chile, think of de baby tho’.”

Angel felt the metallic tasting liquid flow down her chin.

Pushing was more than a job. It was a torture she must endure. Sen had forced Aries from the room.

Black stars danced before her eyes as another contraction hit her.

“
Push! Push now! With everything ye are…”

Angel slipped from consciousness causing Raven to run towards her head and start calling her name. She patted her cheeks and cried.

“
She can’t do this… It’s too much for her! We have to try something else. I will not lose my sister to this!” Raven screamed at Nanna causing the doctor to glance over.

He gave the nurse directions to add something to Angel’s I.V. while he waited for Lillian’s baby who was having a little less trouble. Lillian screamed, got angry, and cried.

Raven’s heart beat madly. She could not lose her. She was just as much a sister as her blood sister she had convinced to come live here.

Angel fought the darkness. Something tried to pull her deeper, but she fought her way back. Finally, she could hear their fear stricken voices and saw brightness. Her eyes cracked open as another contraction hit.

“
Ye are almost dere, just a little more girl. Ye can do it. For Aries, for de baby, for de world…”

Angel scrambled to sit up. Raven wrapped her arms around Angel’s shoulders and helped support her. She could hear things inside her tearing. Could her body last long enough to deliver the baby and finish the conversion?

If Aries asked for more babies, she would beat him until he begged for forgiveness.

Another contraction tore through her broken body causing a cry to escape her lips. This was too much… how could mortals do this? She was not entirely human and felt like the grim reaper stood too near for comfort. Dying was not an option for her, but she craved the respite anyways. If she couldn’t do this, how could Lillian?

Out of nowhere the room began to shake causing things to fall and capsize. The lights flickered and nearly went out.

Kali was close to being born into the human world. Angel felt it deep within her.

She felt things break within her body, her back arched up off the table, and she screamed louder than ever before. There was no controlling the sounds coming from her now.

“
Sen!!!” Nanna cried. This was beyond her limited healing and small magic.

He rushed in already aware that Angel was dying. Her hips were too narrow, and the baby couldn’t be stopped. He knew she had to be brought in this way. Angel had to die to become immortal. The conversion would be complete then. He knew she had to die but did not know much more than that, and the others were in full panic mode.

Raven collapsed against a wall, fear gripping her. What could she do? She was a strong witch, but even she knew that this was meant to be. What if she did not return? She heard more bones breaking, and tears ran freely down her cheeks. Rage consumed her, and she poured it into her limited magic and sent it to Angel, adding her magic and her own life force. If it helped keep her alive, she would die for her. She gave everything she had and prayed to whatever higher being that Angel lived as she too lost consciousness. Raven slid down the wall as the last of her own magic left her and entered Angel.

Sen added his own but channeled it so that he kept enough to stay awake. He put his hands over Angel’s stomach. He sensed the baby within. Kali was desperate to be born, but was scared and regretted the pain she caused her human mother. She called to Sen for guidance. Kali was ignorant of this side of human childbirth.

‘
Come child, it is time, the sooner you are here the sooner I can help your mother.’

Sen held Angel’s life force to him. He felt her struggle to leave, but he held on. Her human body was dying, but her powers were growing. He felt it hum just beneath his fingers. There had to be enough time. He would not lose his daughter. He added a bit of his magic, his own immortality, hoping it would help. His master had told him she would survive, but the conversion would be worse than any death. Angel had to accept the pain along with everything else. It was the price of becoming whatever she was. It was the price of being Kali’s mother. Kali had suffered so greatly in all her years that it was just a part of her, what made her a goddess. All the pain she had consumed in all her years would be wrought when she came into this world.

Aries felt Angel leave the mortal world, felt her die.

He growled as he ran towards the room his mate was in. Switch and the others jumped forward and restrained him. Cross took a swing as did Arch. Aries roared and fought against his captors. He would go to her and give his life if that would save her. He had powers, and he would do whatever it took.

Sen had tried to explain that the conversion would be hard and anything could happen, but he didn’t expect this.

Angel felt something inside her. Something alive, it spoke to her.

“
I am sorry mother; I can give you peace but the pain is yours, can you… will you pay it for this world to be cleansed? To be made anew?”

I knew that no matter how much it hurt, it would hurt more to lose everyone I loved. It hurt so much to know that billions of people were dying all around me, as I lay dying in a small bed. I could say it was not my fault, but I felt it was everybody’s fault the world had come to this. Through my pain would come life, and through my death.

“
Yes.”

At that moment, many things began to happen. I was vaguely aware of them. The earth groaned and shifted all around us as it continued to shake. I could feel so many lives being extinguished one by one, all begging for life and forgiveness, and I asked God how he could allow all this. He must have known what we would do? Why create something that you know will destroy itself? Why watch it grow and live and love it when you must watch it turn around and destroy itself? Could I be Kali’s mother, watch her suffer? Could I bring her into this world and let her take on all the responsibility that came with being her? Maybe even someday watch her die too?

I took a deep breath and waited, through the agonizing pain and fear I felt love. My love for all the things I cherished. I could deal with this. Love made it worth it.

I could feel Sen’s and Raven’s weak life force. They had shared their life with me. I smiled and knew I had made the right decision. Out of the millions or so who was worth saving, they were, they were worth this pain.

It felt as if my body was on fire and being ripped apart by jagged claws. It was changing. I was changing in order to protect those I love.

Was I a martyr? No, I didn’t think so. I had a choice; I did it for love. I would have been a weak, shallow person to have given it up.

I felt as the world began to calm itself, to settle for a moment in the joy of mother nature returning.

They were all dead, everyone who wasn’t on this island. Everyone and Michael… My heart hurt at the thought of his name. Could I have been happy with him had all of this never happened? No, he was a brother to me. I loved him like a brother. I missed him more than anything. Would I ever see him again? Did he go to hell with all the rest of the suicides? I would go through all of this torture five times or more to save him.

I couldn’t understand a lot of things, but I did understand love and sacrifice. How many would sacrifice for love? Would you? Would you take on the world? Would you die for it? Would you suffer more than thousands of people combined? If you said yes, then I died for you…

I heard a weak cry and knew it was Kali… I had died for her… I would live for her…

Two cries and I smiled. I would live for them…

EPILOGUE

Our world was now gone, along with billions of people. We’d have to rebuild it. Hopefully the ones that came after the two babies I now watched from my bed would make this world worth living in. That they might make it better, heal it and help it grow. I didn’t know what would happen now. I could only wait. Patience was not a virtue of mine.

I was not human or mortal any longer, but my family refused to let me out of bed for at least thirty six hours, I had died. I didn’t mind. Neither did Lillian. We smiled and laughed as Kali and Gabriel waved little fists and cried at minor discomforts. Both babies were special. I could see and feel how intelligent they were. They would lead us into a new world together, side by side. Michael Gabriel Lothos would protect my daughter Kali and make her happy as she tried to make this world worth living in. They would give it a chance to survive. Something the people of my human time had misused relentlessly. They had greedily sucked every bit of life from it. Like leeches, taking until they burst from their gluttonous ways. Even I had my hand in the cookie jar.