Uriel (The Hallowed Chronicles Book 1) (8 page)

Chapter Fourteen

The energy around the house radiated darkness, and I couldn't help but feel as if we had been too late; it was something I dreaded. Putting a finger to his lips, Jophiel motioned me behind him. As we walked through the house I had learned to call home, my heart skipped beats, passing torn and broken furniture that upon looking closer, bore claw marks. Walking into the kitchen, we heard growls come from the basement where we trained and Jophiel walked to the door. "Stay here, Uriel. When you hear my signal, come down. We're in this together, no matter the outcome," he said quietly. I didn't even know what the signal was supposed to be, but I nodded and began examining the destroyed kitchen. Drool had plastered the tiled floor and black blood smeared its way to the basement. My heart was fluttering violently inside my chest and when Jophiel walked down the stairs, I extended my energy to connect with his and willed myself to feel what he was feeling. Instead, I found myself looking through his eyes. He walked down the stairs to spot a canine-like creature with a constant smiling face. Its body radiated darkness and through its slit eyes, it watched Jophiel moving closer, stopping its snarls at Gazardiel who stood with sword poised neatly in the air.

Jophiel looked toward Gazardiel and behind him where there lay Nikita with her wings out and matted with blood. My hand went to my mouth, realizing she wasn't moving. Instead, she kept bleeding, her blood creating a crimson pool around her body. My body began to shake as I had realized I was losing time with her, knowing she may not survive. It felt as if my eyes had rolled to the back of my head, and the wind began whipping at my face. Summoning my blades, I focused my energy into the ground, and watched emotionless as the floor exploded, providing a hole for me to fit through. And I jumped.

Landing in front of the beast, I took note of the blades coming from its elbows and the black tar spewing from its opened, mocking mouth that had been sewn together carefully. Down here, it smelled of rotting flesh, but my body wouldn't let me move to cover my nose. Instead, I shouted at it, damning it back to the pit of Hell it came from and rushed forward. With a snarl, it leapt at me, opening its jaws to reveal why there were stitches in it. Its jaws opened abnormally wide, presenting two rows of rotten teeth that yellowed from decay. My wings provided stability and balance and I slashed at it with my blades, grinding my teeth in hatred.

The beast was larger than I thought, toppling onto me and pinning me with its large paws. Through amethyst slits in all black eyes, it watched me with that constant, mocking smile. I summoned a burst of energy, forcing it to explode in front of me, knocking it off me. Its aura was visible and as black and tar-like as its drool reached for me. "Uriel, get out of the way! It can corrupt you," Gazardiel yelled in warning. Ducking out of the way, I continued to face the beast, showing my teeth. "Stop telling me what to do and help Nikita!" I yelled, my voice splitting into two. I didn't care for its weakness or its strength. All I wanted was put it back into the hole it came from. It growled and circled me, a true predator; but I knew better. As if I had known about it earlier, a shield came up in front of me of my own energy just as it leapt for me with its claws extended. With a quick swoop of my blade, I let it slice through one of its legs, cutting it clean off at the middle.

Its yelp should have made me stop; I was hurting an animal. No, I really wasn't. This thing was worse than an animal, and it was worse than the earthquake that continued to shake the world beneath us. Black blood poured from the severed area as it limped away, snarling, and I lashed out at it again, pushing forward to slash at its exposed side. The dark energy came at me again in full force and I unwillingly breathed it in and fell in front of the beast, coughing and spitting up black tar. "Uriel!" Jophiel yelled, running at me with his weapon in his hand. "No, get away from me," I snarled, turning to him. The  look in his eyes made me realize something wasn't right. Darkness was already running through my veins and I couldn't control it. Screaming, I forced myself up and slashed blindly at the beast, not caring as its body fell without resistance. "I won't let you corrupt me!" I screamed, still tearing at its flesh even as it disintegrated into dust.

The world stopped shaking and I was stumbling toward Nikita, using my energy to flush out the darkness. In my body, my energy chased after the corruption and swallowed it in its light and by the time I reached her unmoving, bloodied body, I was myself once more. I dropped to my knees and touched her crimson painted wings before turning her over onto her back. She was still there hanging on, and it pained me to see her struggle. Her eyes rolled to me. She formed a weak smile on her lips, raising her hand to touch my face. "Uriel," she said quietly, my name barely escaping her lips. I shook my head at her, not wanting her to speak, but she didn't listen. "You are a very brave girl and to be honest, I envy you," she continued saying.

"Stop, Nikita. Please.”

"I know angels aren't supposed to really feel envy, but you have done more than anyone can say they've done after waking only a few days ago."

"No, stop. Please, Nikita. I beg you."

"I also know you know the council is corrupt. I saw it in your eyes when you saw the one in particular. I want you to know that I'm not hurt because you didn't tell me."

Tears brimmed my eyes and fell down my cheeks, hitting Nikita as they fell off my face. She wasn't listening to me; she only wanted me to hear what she had to say. I only wanted to have her longer; it shouldn't have been this way. I grabbed her hand that was on my face and nuzzled into it, trying not to make the ugly noises threatening to come from my mouth as I cried. "My dear Uriel," she said softly, attempting to move. At my name, I sobbed, knowing that soon, I wouldn't be able to control the tears, wouldn't be able to stop myself from doing what I could to prevent this from happening. "I want you to know something; though I may never be able to have a daughter of my own, you are still considered mine. Our Father paired us up for a reason, and I know that now. You could never disappoint me. Never," she struggled to say. Jophiel put a hand on my shoulder and knelt behind me, waiting to be the one I would go for comfort. Instead, I ignored him, grabbing Nikita's other hand as she continued to speak.

“I knew I wouldn't be here long, honey. We all need to lose someone we love in order to fully understand life itself... in any world. I'm just so sorry it had to be so soon."

"Y-you can't leave. Not now... Please..."

She was more than my Guardian; she was my mother. Adopted or not, I believed that family didn't have to be blood. She had given me more than anyone else had in my past or my present and I just couldn't lose her. My eyes began to sting as tears kept falling down my face, creating moist paths off my chin. Her hand moved from mine and to my scar, where inside, my heart yearned helplessly to do something to stop this from happening. "Time is running short, love. You must find the others and in the meanwhile, find yourself. You cannot win if you are still conflicted with whom you are. Gazardiel will help you train and I know Jophiel will look after you as I hope he would," she said with a pained smile. She inhaled sharply as blood poured from the wound on her stomach; a fresh bite into her flesh. She was bleeding out. I couldn't stop sobbing as she traced the scar along my chest. "Your heart is pure, Uriel. I can feel it, but do not let your emotions get in the way of what needs to be done; do not let them control you as they have done before," she said truthfully.

Her breath was getting shallow and I knew we were running out of time. I needed to say what I've wanted to say to her for a while; something that will finally come off my chest and into her heart, even if it was only for a few moments. I could feel her energy slipping away and I grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "No, not now, Nikita. Please stay! At least long enough for me to say what I need to say," I cried. I grabbed her face as her eyes closed only to open and look at me expectantly. This was it; I had to say what I've wanted to. She couldn't leave not knowing it. "Nikita, I love that you think of me as your daughter. I think of you as my mother. You've done more for me than anyone else has and though we are not bound by blood, I am thankful to Our Father that He has put you into my life," I said quickly, watching her smile even as she closed her eyes.

I put my head into her neck and sobbed, letting the ugly noises belt from my throat. A soft hand touched my shoulder, but I ignored it, willing my energy to bring her back to life, suddenly not wanting her to leave me. I hadn't finished what I wanted to say and I knew now that I wouldn't ever get the chance to again. I once heard a wise person say, 'you should never leave angry; you never know if you'll see that person again.' It was true; though I didn't leave mad at her, I knew I shouldn't have let her leave without saying the three words that she could have left with, the three words I never spoke to anyone in my lifetime. It was then that wind had escaped indoors and made me look up.

Nikita's ethereal form stood in front of me, flashing in and out before me. The tears had stopped flowing; my body unable to produce any more. With a quivering lip, I outstretched my hand to hers that she had held out to me, watching as mine passed through hers. Sobbing, I stood weakly and faced her. It was as if she knew I wanted to say more for she stood there expectantly with a smile pushing her mouth upwards. I walked to her, passing over her body that had turned to glittering ashes and stood tall. "Before you pass, I have one more thing to say... Something I should have said long ago," I said, watching her reaction. She nodded in response and my breath got caught in my throat. I had to say it. "I love you... mother," I said, allowing the tears to flow once more as her eyes widened and seemed to begin tearing. Her hand went to my face and gently touched it and though she did not move her lips, I heard her voice inside my head.
And I love you, my precious Uriel. I will always be with you. Just listen to the wind and we will never be apart.

Chapter Fifteen

In dreams, I escaped the reality that haunted me as I was awake. It was a harsh reality that wasn't fair to live, a reality that would strike you down with all it has got. Even if that meant taking the ones you love from your life. I learned that this reality was a cruel one and I had no say in what went on, no say in who continued to be in my life. But even when reality took away the person most precious to me, they were still held closely in my heart. I woke to Gazardiel's presence at my door and I turned to him with stinging eyes. The night before, I had cried myself to sleep; a miserable day that had become a living nightmare. He stood there watching me and I stared back, unable to find the strength to get up and do anything. In truth, I was still bent out of shape on losing an important person my life and I didn't want anyone sympathizing with me. No, I just wanted peace... I just wanted seclusion. Instead of ignoring him, I found words falling from my lips in a harsh melody that scratched at my throat. "I want to move out of here," I said quietly, moving my eyes to the desk across the room. It was true; this house still held the ghost of Nikita; a residual memory I would not be able to shake, but something told me she was still here, just like she said she would be. He was silent for a moment, unmoving and watching me under careful eyes.

I knew he wasn't human; he was a celestial being but even then, he was as human as ever. The lines in his forehead whispered worry for my feelings. This was the first time that I could remember losing anyone that I loved and he seemed to know that. I could feel his hesitation at the door way, unsure of what he should do to console me. "You don't have to do anything to make me happy," I said to him. Sighing, he stepped into the room and stood at my bedside looking down at me. "Uriel, she meant a lot to the both of us," he said with clear pain laced in his words. He didn't have to say it; even after I attacked him for hurting her, I had felt something form between the two and my heart dropped, noting that we had both lost someone very dear to our hearts. "And though her presence still haunts us, we must keep this place. We won't have to go downstairs; we will train outside," he continued to say while looking around the room. I didn't want to be here, but with Nikita close in mind, I knew I shouldn't risk another day to find a place just to erase her haunting presence from my life. "On a better note; Jophiel will be residing here as well so I can keep an eye on you two," he said with a wink. In all truth, I had never seen Gazardiel act this way and it felt as if losing Nikita had finally made him realize that even when you're a celestial being, you can still lose people and feel emotion; you weren't just an apparition.

My heart fluttered in my chest when he told me of Jophiel coming here and staying. His presence seemed to nullify the pain stabbing at my heart and even more so that we had something in common; we both lost our Guardians. Downstairs, the door opened and closed with ease, and Jophiel appeared at the doorway with suitcases in hand. I stared at him from the bed and noticed he looked different; creases in his forehead were visible with black lining his eyes and the scruffy beard on his face told me that he couldn't sleep. Putting down his suitcases, he came over next to Gazardiel and put his hand on mine. "Uriel," he said, pain clear in his voice. Gazardiel's presence faded, leaving Jophiel and I alone. He sat at the edge of the bed and kept himself up with his arm that was poised on the other side of me, trapping me between him and his arm.

Looking down at me with tired eyes, he gave a small smile; a small attempt at feeding me hope and it worked. "I know what you are going through," he said softly, never looking away. "It's tough... More so when you were so close to her. But you have me, okay? Don't let this turn you into someone you're not," he continued to say. Swallowing a lump in my throat and pushing the tears away, I wiped at my face. "What would I even turn into?" I asked.

"When I lost mine, I became lost in depression. I wasn't myself and I had no one to pull me out of the funk. Then you came and it was like the depression never existed. You were like the light that would guide me to Heaven. Home."

With those words, something in my stomach flipped. I had the urge to hug him, but I was unsure whether or not it was the right thing to do. Instead, I remained silent and watched him as he took away his arm and stood up. "How about you come with me? I know a secluded place where we can be what we truly are. A place where we can escape from reality," he said with a sudden hope rising from inside. Tilting my head, I studied him before pulling myself out of the bed. "Let me get ready," I said with a hoarse voice and he nodded, leaving me to do what I needed to do as he settled in.

When I was finished getting ready, I met Jophiel in the kitchen where he sat with Gazardiel and spoke quietly. Upon feeling my presence, Jophiel turned and smiled, standing in his chair. "Thank you again for letting me stay, Gazardiel. When the house sells, I'll let you know and we can use the money where we see fit," he said walking over to me and grabbing my arm, leading me out to the house and into his car. "Where are we going?" I asked curiously. Smiling, he refused to say a word until we reached a spot that was indeed secluded. He parked his car on grass; making his own road to wherever he was taking me. Instead of waiting for me, he ran up the hill in front of us, getting to the top quicker than I expected him to.

The birds seemed to sing to the silent song of the graceful breeze that blew gently through the newly budding trees. The air had a crisp scent in it as the temperatures rose to that of perfect existence. There were no clouds in sight in the great blue sky where the sun radiated its Light, and my skin drank it up greedily, making me feel rejuvenated. Jophiel was waiting for me on top of the hill in the distance, his hand waving in the air as he waited for me to join him. I was unsure of why we were here exactly, but the seclusion of this place was definite and made me wonder all the more what he was up to. As I climbed the hill, he reached out to me and took my hand, guiding me under the lonely oak that stood tall. We said no words; our eyes did the talking, even when we stood closely next to each other at the edge of the hill where the sun looked over us. "Do you feel that, Uriel? The sun," he said with a sigh. A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth as I stared at the clear sky. "Yea, my skin is drinking it in and it makes me feel amazing," I replied.

"Light. It is a sign that things will be okay... at least for a while."

"I hope so. I don't think I can take anymore fighting darkness crap for today."

My hair whipped around my face as wind blew through the locks of hair that sat gently past my shoulders and I closed my eyes, breathing it in. I had never felt so alive and at that moment, I wondered if humans had ever, just once, stopped their busy lives to stand like this and allow the sun to kiss their skin, the wind to whisper gently to them, to take in the beauty of something that came from nothing. A bird call brought me back down from the heavens and I opened my eyes to an autumn colored bird soaring gracefully in the calm breeze, allowing the wind to guide it through life without a care to where it may end up. Its white face turned toward me and it called out, swooping up and descending easily towards the ground, only to once more steady itself in the air. I gasped in wonder at the majestic bird; it radiated the word freedom and I couldn't help but yearn to fly with it. "You see that bird?" Jophiel asked, reading my mind. I turned to him and nodded. "Yes, it is a gorgeous bird," I replied with a small smile.

"That’s a Red Kite. Not only is it rare in this country, but it is my favorite; and most of all, it is the bird that reflects who I am."

"I can see it. It's... amazing."

"Uriel."

I turned fully toward him, facing him and those azure eyes that watched me. They turned serious, even as the red kite circled above our heads. He was trying to tell me something and by the knot forming in my stomach, I had a feeling that what he was about to say, wouldn't be positive. His hands grabbed mine and he pulled me forward. "I don't know what the future holds and I hate to say this so close after what happened yesterday, but I want you to know something. If I don't make it--" he started. I interrupted him. "Stop, nothing will happen and you will make it... we both will," I said quietly, ignoring the tight feeling in my stomach.

"Please listen. If I don't make it, I want you to know that no matter what, I will always be with you. Look to the skies... I will be that Red Kite guiding you because I would never let you go through this alone."

All words escaped me and my breath froze in my lungs as I hung onto every word he spoke. These words reminded me of what Nikita had said and I closed my eyes, straining to hear the wind, giving up when nothing was said. I found myself escaping his grasp and touching the scar pulsing faintly beneath his shirt. He shuddered beneath my touch, only to do the same; his fingers traced the scar against my chest and I exhaled a shaky breath. I couldn't find anything to say to him so all I did was look at him, my palm still against his chest. He didn't expect me to say anything back, instead, he continued. "I also want you to know something. Angels aren't supposed to love the way humans do, but technically, we're still human. We have lungs, a heart, emotions... we're more human than anything else. That is why I want to tell you this; I think I love you, Uriel," he said. My heart leapt up to my throat and I swallowed hard, ignoring the twisting feeling in my stomach.  I had never felt love for anyone other than Nikita and never loved anyone of the opposite gender. What was I looking for in this?

The world stopped; it was only the wind and us. The wind whispered to me in Nikita's voice; advice she would have given me... Advice she took the time to give me in that moment.
Don't let him go.
Tears made liquid trails down my face and he wiped them away with his fingers. Sniffling, my eyes fell and his hand lifted my chin. I stared into those beautiful eyes, knowing for sure that I could get lost in the ocean of them. And he kissed me. Something inside me exploded as our lips touched and he cupped my face before backing away. He ran a hand through his hair. I stood there staring at him as my heart raced in my chest. Touching my lips, I scanned the sky; the sun seemed to have brightened. The red kite remained in the sky, dipping past the hill and I studied the edge, Jophiel doing the same. "You want to follow it?" He asked softly.

Looking at him, I nodded, still dazed from his kiss. He pulled of his shirt, letting his wings stretch from behind him and I did the same, not caring that I had been only wearing a bra beneath my shirt. Together, we held hands and watched as the red kite swooped up, calling to us, beckoning us to feel free. And we jumped, forgetting the merciless reality that threatened to separate us. Freedom had never felt so good.