Divinity: The Gathering: Book One (67 page)

I heard her sigh, “
What is it Cam? She’s already been asking a million and one questions and it’s getting on my nerves.”

I laughed a bit, “
The others are here now, and they will stay with her. When you get a moment, I’d like you to see if you can find her friend Joel. It’ll be tricky and maybe you can figure out what kind of aura he has. I couldn’t make it out.”
I then told her
.

She was silent for a moment, “
You sure he’s not a void?”

“No, he isn’t a void. He can’t be.”

“He could be a scout then; their auras are jagged, like camouflage to the enemy and if you and I can’t make it out, well…it must be for light.”

“Wouldn’t she have picked up on that? He has been her friend for a while.”
I asked.

“No, not necessarily. She doesn’t even know that she’s a chosen.”
She replied.

“So it’s possible that if he is, he doesn’t even know either.”

“That’s right, it’s the same as being a chosen d
ivine.”
She said.

“Can you find out and bring him here to the farmhouse. She’d be upset if he got hurt or worse at the concert.”

She groaned,
“Cam, this is all so pointless. This is major interference.”
Edanai replied.

“
No, it really isn’t. Could you do this, please?”

“I don’t even know what he looks like, how will I find him?”
She asked.

“
She’s got pictures of him in her cell phone. Go as soon as you get a chance, soon though. Thanks again Edanai. Nay and I are going to the concert to see what’s happening and to get her other friend China if she’s still there
.
We’ll all meet up back here later.”
I told her.

              With that both Nay and I left. I reverted back to my police officer uniform and recalled the police cruiser I had been using. It would work better to maneuver around the concert area without hindrance or question especially by mortals. Nay actually looked forward to playing the role of a police officer as well, he had never done that so we arrived at the concert as police partners.

Funny, I hadn’t heard from Drakael in a while since earlier. I supposed he had finally given up and reported me to Elohim for failing to follow through on a request.

              Though I now understood why things were playing out the way they were so far…it actually surprised me, because I was sure that I would get some sort of backlash for having kissed Star, but so far I hadn’t yet. I didn’t plan on pushing the limits, but I’d come pretty damn close if it meant keeping her safe tonight. That was the main reason why I didn’t bother to bring her to the concert to begin with. I was trusting and relying on my own instincts, this time.

              Nay did a sweep from above to scope out the perimeter of the concert in order to find the line of tour buses in the back behind the stage. The portal that had been beneath the stage was massive, large enough for any number of beasts and shadows to enter, and an even bigger horde of people and souls to make an exit.

I hadn’t even expected this kind of turnout
, but I supposed Morning Star did. There had to have been thousands of young people in the crowd, all unsuspecting, all vulnerable to become victims whose either souls or physical bodies would be swallowed up into the spirit realm, and straight into Morning Star’s lap as toys and food.

And Drakael wanted me to bring her here?

Not a chance!

             
Nay ghosted back into the patrol car where I remained parked behind an alleyway between two buildings, before we pulled out and merged into traffic with lights flashing, in order to push through quicker.

“There’s a row of ten black buses all sitting like chuck wagons from the wild west days. I don’t know what her friends’ aura looks like bu
t I think I saw her. Tall, lily-white, short brownish red hair, green eyes?” Nay said, going by a photo of her at her and Star’s apartment that I had taken.

“Sounds like her. Where did you see her?”

“There’s a party backstage, surrounded by those dark divine and a few fallen. She was among the crowd of people there, a little drunk. They’ve got a couple of stripper shows going and some kind of orgy in two of the buses. That’s why it took me so long,” Nay grinned and bit his bottom lip.

I sighed and gave him a look of derision.

Nay snickered and threw up his hands, “I just watched for a second or two, I didn’t participate. Anyway, they’re paying extra special attention and care to her and her boyfriend though, I think they’re gonna try to use them as bait to lure or blackmail Star into coming out, if you know what I mean.” Nay reported.

“Any sign of Morning Star, the angels or Drakael around?” I then asked.

“Not back there. Morning Star is gonna hit the jackpot here, yet again,” Nay whistled and shook his head.

             
I sighed internally. Nothing I can do about that even if I wanted to. It wasn’t my place anyway.

“The group Army
Oblivion is on stage right now — big time dark divine and fallen in that group. Lots of fallen, but I can’t tell if it’s one of Morning Star’s or that other legion. Keep going this way and make a left then follow it around. It’s barricaded with police cars so you’ll blend in and we can easily get back out this way. Several fights have broken out already, one of them near the right side of the stage adjacent to the backstage area so we’ve got a cover if we enter from there, or we can do it the traditional way. I’ve already glimpsed the area though, so what’s the plan?” Nay went on to say.

             
I glanced around as we drove through slowly, looking for any of the dark divine or fallen nearby, but only seeing rolling shadows creating dark clouds beneath the feet of unsuspecting humans. Traditional, meant ghosting in or staying cloaked, and that was going to have to be our only option to surprise them all. Whatever we’d have to do…we’d do.

“Once we make it in, I’ll set off a flash of light that’ll take them all out or at least blind them for a while
, and then we’ll get in, get her and get out.” I then said.

“What about her boyfriend?”

I shrugged a shoulder, “If he’s there with her he’s lucky. We’ll take him too.” I told him.

Nay nodded, “I think he was. So you wanna pr
etend they’re under arrest for some bullshit and cuff them?” He then asked.

“Yeah, I think that’s what we’re gonna have to do.” I nodded.

“Tell me, how did you do it? What spell did you put on her? I thought that was forbidden especially if she was a chosen. I didn’t think that would work on her.” Nay then asked me.

“How did I do what?” I looked at him.

“Make her fall for you like that. She knows what you are even though she doesn’t know what she will be.”

             
I was hesitant on answering the question, and even more curious as to why Nay wanted to know. I supposed because it was unheard of and never allowed to happen at all, for obvious reasons.

“I didn’t do anything. I wasn’t allowed to do an
ything, and I requested permission.” I told him.

His ice colored eyes widened, “Permission? Why? How? He spoke and allowed you to be with her?” He asked in surprise.

“Not necessarily allowed me to be with her. He allowed me to meet her, but I had rules to follow. I didn’t do anything to her. For once, I was just who I was, and I care about her — very much.” I then said.

“So that’s how it’s done huh? But what’s the point Cam? It isn’t like you at all.” Nay then said.

I thought for a moment.

“I never said this
was how it’s done. There doesn’t always have to be a point to something. We know that better than any being out there. Being lonely and forever full of sorrow is pointless.” I told him.

He looked at me strangely
, as if I’d grown horns and hooves and then he laughed, “So how come you haven’t deflowered her yet. She’s a virgin Cam,” He said, as if I were insane for not having taken her physically.

I just shook my head, “She’s not just a simple source and being of pleasure to me. She means way more than that. She’s going to choose light
, and she should. I’m not going to influence that otherwise and ruin her.” I replied.

“I wouldn’t call it ruin,” He shrugged a shoulder.

“Then what would you call it? What if I impregnated her?” I cut a sideways glance at him.

             
He inhaled a breath in thought for a moment, and turned to look at me with a serious edge,

“How can you stop that from happening? At some point, you’re going to want her…physically. The want is driving you insane right now, I know.” He then said.

“Yeah, it is, but what I feel for her is much stronger,” I said thoughtfully, and I was serious about my words and explanation.

Nay studied me for a moment as if trying to u
nderstand why I was trying to fight against my own lustful desires for her.

He blew out a breath and shook his head, “Man, you are in love
, and apparently she must love you too. She kept asking Edanai if you were okay from upstairs…made me want to throw up.” He then joked.

I laughed.

I had heard her too. Knowing that was enough to get me through the next possible millennia without her, and face what was about to happen a little easier.

“Alright, ready?” I said once I parked the cruiser and killed the engine.

“Yep.” Nay affirmed.

“You lead the way, I’ll follow and we’ll come in from opposite sides. Hopefully this will go quick and smooth without incident. Let’s keep this as covert as possible.” I said.

              We both ghosted from the patrol car into our spirit forms, hovering above the massive crowd below and taking in every aura of every being we knew. The band was on stage, smoke curling around the audience as they cheered to wailing guitars, and the heavy thumping of drums. If they listened carefully enough, which most mortals didn’t, not that they would have picked up on it anyway, they could hear the chanting beneath the words of the song.

             
The tops of the tour buses formed a perfect square around a group of both fallen, dark divine and drunk young people both male and female being set up for the taking in the middle of all of it. The stink of fallen, demons, voids, imps and dark divines was palpable and strong. I waited for Nay to move in from the left, and then back out to create a diversion, before I dove in from the right.

             
They all instantly knew who I was, and immediately wards and powers were thrown at us, which luckily — I had expected. I pulled light up from within me, forming a ball and filling it with energy before releasing it like an atom bomb.

Screaming,
the gnashing of teeth, cursing and howling could only describe the instant aftermath from the light I had released. I quickly pulled it back in amid the confusion, smoking remains of shadows, imps and demons as well as a few dark fallen. I continued to move through the crowd, spying Nay moving in from the opposite side. The humans were oblivious to what had happened, thinking it had been some sort of special effect that was part of the show. They cheered and cursed, expressing how wicked that had been, and then there was another explosion.

The smell of heat and fire sparking in o
range red flames from the front of the stage billowed out with pops and crackles. More cheers, applauding and then — the screams followed.

             
It had all happened within a breadth of a second after my own flash, and then I heard a furious growl of rage.

“Cam`ael!” the dark fallen howled.

Through the smoke, it took me a moment to figure out who had the nerve to call out my true name in front of so many humans. Something, heavy, foul and fetid crashed into me like a falling boulder. I grunted as I was pushed backwards, and we both went flying until I was slammed into the ground, back first.

I wielded my weapon as soon as I heart the metal chink of the fallen above me wield his own.

“You’ve got balls…” He growled before stabbing downward.

I twisted to the right, unable to get my weapon up in time before his blade sliced into my shoulder.

              I gritted my teeth at the searing dark power that was flowing from its edge into me, trying to snake its way into my being and permeate the light within. My shoulder burned and throbbed in blinding pain. When he pulled the blade out to stab again, I took that second to push up, one hand around his throat, driving him backwards and smashing him into a burning fire, where he laughed and reveled in pleasure as he swung his blade again.

             
I sliced my sword straight into his belly driving light down the length of it into him, causing him to screech and implode into oily mist.

I didn’t even stop to think when I sensed, smelled and heard another pack coming for me from b
ehind. I spun around with my sword out, cutting a clear line to catch and slice several demons through torso’s, heads and stomachs — all at once.