Wayward Son
By Dabeagle
Chapter 15
“What does that mean? Who comes, Seth?” Joel moved to look down into Seth's eyes which were open wide, but unfocused. I impulsively reached down to check his carotid artery and was relieved to find a pulse. I reached up and used my fingertips to close his eyes as his body relaxed and seemed to enter a deep sleep, something more natural than the pseudo suspended animation he'd been in before.
“Who was he talking about? Shouldn't we be getting out of here if some badass is coming? Like that Azrael dude?” Joel jabbered.
“Be still a moment,” Woolcott muttered as he glanced around the room. The interior light flickered for a moment and Woolcott's eyes flared open in surprise before settling back into place. “Daniel, come with me for a moment. Gideon, pull personal and food items into this space, leave no trace.”
Woolcott strode quickly from the room and I fell into step behind him. Panic crowded my serenity and I told him as much.
“It's to be expected. Your serenity isn't completely formed and not what your mind is used to; it will take time.” Woolcott had arrived back in the room where he stored all of his trinkets. “Now pay attention, you never know when this will be useful to you. One of the reasons your mind is cataloging things the way it does now, applying order, is that it will store and recall more than you ever thought possible. You've heard me use spells, speaking the phrases aloud? All of those are memorized.”
So saying he began to speak aloud, more clearly than his previous mutterings. I couldn't make out any real words, just things that seemed close to words. But I also realized the words were now locked in my mind. As he spoke the phrase the door to the room shut quietly and then disappeared, appearing as nothing more than a brick wall to match the rest of the room.
“All right, back we go, make sure you pay attention.” Woolcott set out at a quick trot returning to the room with Seth and the others. All of our effects were gathered and stacked in a corner, both Gideon and Aila pacing in restless paths. As we stepped into the room the lights flickered again and Woolcott developed a deep frown.
“What is it about the lights that bothers you?” I asked.
He glanced at me once in mild surprise before reaching into his cloak while he spoke. “The lights are powered by the plane, something very old has to be disrupting the connection.”
“The 'he' Seth spoke of?” Gideon asked.
“More than likely. Attention,” Woolcott nodded at me and I gave him a curt nod in response. He withdrew several small multicolored glass disks from his many pocketed robe and began tossing them in the air while speaking aloud a phrase. Each of the disks flared with power and moved into place, fully encircling us and creating a barrier inside the room. As I looked at the field the disks created I noticed, if I looked hard, I could see writing. It was very similar to the writing I had thought I'd noticed on the walls of the old house that had been abandoned.
“The writing?” I queried.
“Runes, protective. Should hide us from view, as well.”
“What's coming?” Joel asked in a near whisper.
“Not completely sure.” Woolcott replied, pulling the rod from his cloak and allowing it to lengthen to the floor. “But it should be quite soon.”
“Why don't we portal out?” I asked.
“It's too close, it could see where we went. No,” Woolcott shook his head, “This thing that comes is very old, such a trick would not work.”
“I have a bad feeling about this,” Joel said, his voice cracking.
The building shuddered, feeling as if it were shifting on it's foundation. My mind trembled, the serenity slipping for a moment allowing full panic to reign, and then was back. I glanced at Gideon who was breathing methodically, gearing his body for combat. Aila had moved Joel over by Seth for protection and stood nearby, ready to spring to their aid. The building shook again.
“Oh dear, this is not good.” Woolcott muttered.
“I'd guessed that much, care to mention why?”
“The spell that keeps this place safe works against almost anything, but there are a very few, very old and powerful things that will see this for what it is, a place of concealment. Though I have to admit...wait.” He glanced over his shoulder at Seth, who was peacefully sleeping. “Of course. Blood calls to blood.”
The building shook again, dust raining down in hundreds of places. I called out asking what Woolcott meant, but my voice was lost in the squeal of metal as a section of the roof peeled back and a ray of intense white light, shot down to the floor of the room. All noise seemed to have fled, and the group of us was focused on the beam of light which slowly expanded, fluctuated, and resolved itself into an angel. This was what many western societies had designed as the prototypical angel; tall blonde and serene. But it was far more than that.
It's wings stretched slowly, regally, and soft light glowed from between each feather. The face and hands had the healthy glow of well cared for skin, the face free of blemish with long hair framing it. Peace radiated from the angel, a soft soothing sensation that seemed to settle deep into my bones, into my being. It's voice was musical, a thousand tinkling chimes seeming to comprise it's vocal chords.
“Sorcerer. I've been looking for you.”
“I didn't realize I was being sought,” Woolcott replied. My mind registered his calm tone and I abruptly realized that my serenity had broken, replaced by something much more calm. I felt subdued and began to struggle against it.
“Come now, you are in such a fortified place, surely you expected some...unwelcome visitors?”
“No, not really; privacy was a concern of course. But tell me, what is it that brings you here?”
“A sorcerer who wishes to go straight to the heart? Most curious.”
“These guys say curious a lot, don't they?” I muttered.
“I find anything that moves outside normal patterns curious. Curiosity and the change that may come with it prevent the fall.” The angel intoned, obviously having no trouble picking up my near whisper. “I had heard, sorcerer, that you have assembled quite the...unusual group. Plainly this is true, and I can't help but wonder...to what end?”
“What would existence be without mystery?” Woolcott replied. The angel shifted it's feet, giving a slight nod.
“Indeed, what indeed. A point I will ponder with you another time. My purpose is not idle curiosity, but my child. He cried out in fear days ago and when I arrived he was gone. I have been searching for him, yet he has been shrouded from my view these few days. No small feat.”
“Lucifer.” Aila whispered.
The angels gaze shifted to her and he nodded his head slightly, “Indeed, I am the Morningstar. Are you the scion of Rafael of whom Azrael spoke? I think not.”
“Raphael is my father.” Gideon spoke firmly. I felt a twinge of pride at his iron nerve in the presence of this awesomely powerful being. The waves of peace and comfort radiated from him, palpable waves of mentally numbing serenity. Thoughts of home, warm beds and home cooking filled my thoughts.
“We do indeed have your child. He is suffering, and we have striven to alleviate that with limited success.” Woolcott replied. I frowned slightly, for some reason finding him a touch rude.
“A mistake. If he is indeed so dire, as you say, you should have found his parent.” Lucifer replied.
“Yes, we should have.” I heard my voice, and yet not my voice. Woolcott tapped his staff on the ground and a jolt of electricity arced from it and to my leg. I jumped and suddenly my visions of home and comfort vanished and I began to suspect Lucifer had been tampering.
“We were hoping to track either yourself or Raphael to heal him. Instead we ran into Azrael.” Woolcott continued, as if he hadn't just jolted anyone with electricity. Ass.
“Would you have me believe that a Sorcerer of the Plane could not locate a single angel?”
“Not in the least. However the angel we found is, apparently, in trouble with Azrael.”
“Ah, Azlea. Yes, her descent has been slow, but she seems to be at the cusp. Azrael has decided no more shall fall, better we cease to be than become demon.”
“I see.” Woolcott replied in a thoughtful tone.
“Why has Raphael not been contacted? Has he refused to aid my child?” Lucifer asked.
“Why would anyone do that? Everyone should want to help,” Joel suddenly spoke in a dreamy voice. Another clack from Woolcott's staff and yet another arc of electricity and suddenly Joel was shaking himself from the Morningstar's induced stupor.
“Raphael has been imprisoned, last we knew, by Michael. We were hoping angelic contact would allow us to find him.”
“And?”
“So far we have met with no success.” Woolcott replied evenly.
Lucifer stood still, seeming to consider. The more I looked at him the more beautiful he became, shimmers of light winking through his wings which stirred restlessly behind him. His serene face and obviously fit body beneath pure white robes seemingly made of light. I felt drowsy and, dimly, I realized he was affecting me again. A small part of my mind tried to fight it, but a much larger part remained sluggish and determined to bask in the beauty and majesty of Lucifer. A slight breeze caught my attention and my mind finally awakened to realize that Joel had sprinted beyond the shield, past Woolcott's grasping hand, and to Lucifer's side.
“It seems to me you lack motivation, Sorcerer.” He smiled, teeth in perfect rows of white as he placed an arm around Joel, who looked up at him in adoration.
“Your child is here and safe, we only sought to help. Take him if that is your wish. Harming that child will come to no good end.”
“Joel? Joel come back over here.” Aila said calmly. I too called out to Joel, not nearly as calm. In fact, my serenity was completely shattered and I took two steps towards him before Woolcott's staff blocked my way. I was frozen in place, tears flowing down my cheeks as I saw Joel's dopy look, staring up at Lucifer in wonder.
“No harm shall come to him, providing none comes to my child.” Lucifer intoned, stroking Joel's hair.
“He is not responsible for your child's condition, he was never trained. Return him to us and we will make finding Raphael our top priority.” Woolcott stated firmly.
Lucifer continued to stroke Joel's hair and spoke in his gentle, melodic voice. “What is your name, child?”
“Joel Montcalm.” He replied in the dreamy, stupefied voice of someone drugged.
“Joel Montcalm, are you loved?”
“Yes.” Joel frowned slightly, “I think so.” The Morningstar's form glowed once, twice and Joel's frown faded.
“By whom are you loved?”
“My parents and my friends, Aila and Daniel.” He promptly replied, turning to point us out. Lucifer smiled and looked back at us.
“I will keep him safe with me, to ensure you follow through on your offer Sorcerer. Upon successful completion of your task, I shall return him to you.”
“No.” Woolcott replied calmly. In my heart panic fluttered, how could he sacrifice Joel?
“We'll do it,” I blurted, “just don't hurt him.”
“No.” Woolcott replied again. Lucifer tilted his head in question.
“Your child's condition is not due to our error, he was never trained. Why should our help be rewarded with you kidnapping one of our own?”
“Very simple, Sorcerer. You take a longer view than most, do you not? Of course you do, you must. It is in your nature. Surely you have thought, more than once, that letting him die is more in alignment with your long term plans? Perhaps even as a lesson to your little band that sacrifice is sometimes necessary? That success isn't always attainable?”
“They have made clear,” Woolcott began.
“Enough!” Lucifer's wings spread wide and the light in the room increased to near painful levels. “I know your kind, Sorcerer. To you my child is no more than a pawn on your gaming board. They have such short lives, the opportunity for them must not be lost! I will ensure your co-operation and our bargain is simple. Complete your end if you want this one back.”
With a burst of even greater intensity, a light so bright even closing my eyes did almost no good, Lucifer vanished with Joel.
My serenity kept flickering off and on, stupidly reminding me of the time I had accidentally switched my radio to the AM band. Fear, panic, pure terror raced through my veins and cracked the shell of organization my mind struggled to preserve; but above all was anger. Seething, furious, bloodthirsty anger. How dare he threaten another? We'd done the right thing! We'd taken steps to save Seth every step of the way! Weren't these angels supposed to be close to god or something? Shouldn't they know what we'd been doing?
“All right. All right. Let's sit down. We need...we need a plan.” Woolcott was clearly rattled. His voice shook, his hands were unsteady; indeed his whole body betrayed him as he slumped at the table.
“He was right,” I said in a near whisper. “He was telling the truth. You were going to sacrifice Seth, weren't you?” Anger, indignation, hatred for his manipulation surged through my veins.
“Of course I considered it, you little fool!” Woolcott stood suddenly, whirling to face me. “And for all the reasons he stated. But!” He held a finger up and pointed it at me slowly, “That was before. You must always have a plan for the worst case scenario.”
“Clearly this is it.” Aila replied coldly. She stood, frozen, arms crossed and her eyes a mellow glow of purest white light. “Our first priority has to be finding Lucifer.”
“No, my father can help!” Gideon stated firmly. They began to bicker before I screamed. I hadn't planned on it. I wanted them to stop, sure, but all of a sudden all the rage, the helplessness poured from me in what I can only think was a primal scream of loss. I fell to my knees, knowing in my heart that Joel's life was in mortal danger because of me. If only I'd acceded to Aila's wishes and not told him what was happening. Sure, he'd have hated me for keeping secrets, but he'd be safe. My poor, insecure Joel would be safe.
Gideon kneeled next to me and I pushed him away as I stood awkwardly, shaking my head and rubbing the tears away with my palms. “No, no, no, no. This shit has got to stop!”
“Finding Michael is our best chance,” Woolcott said quietly.
“Fine, we have to do something. I can't just...sit here. Joel is in danger and Seth is still dying. How do we find Micheal? That Azlea person again?” My words were coming too fast, I was hyperventilating, and then everything went dark.
I awoke with a headache in a dark room. I sat up slowly, but put my head back down as my brain throbbed behind my eyes. I dimly thought of Joel, and hoped that he stayed doped up on Lucifer until we could get him back. My mind began stacking the questions and options pertaining to solving the problem of getting Joel back, it's work easing the throbbing in my eyes.
My first problem was to learn if Lucifer could be trusted to keep his end of the bargain. Would Joel be safe? If I accepted that as true, then what next? Michael knew where Raphael was, so where was Michael? What if he wouldn't tell us where to find Raphael? Questions upon questions that I had no answers for and no ability to place in order past a certain point. The door creaked open and a wedge of light brightened the space.
Light footsteps padded over to the pallet I lay on and someone sat next to me. Gideon's hand felt along my brow, fingers moving into my hair where he gently combed it back before starting again. Slowly his hand cupped the side of my face, only to move gently up and through my hair once more. I felt soothed and the pounding in my eyes receded even more. I felt stress pulling on me, flaking away like a sunburn, but still uncomfortably tight on me: a film across my being.
“I had no idea Woolcott was searching for you, Daniel.” Gideon said softly.
“I know.” I whispered back. His hand kept moving, caressing my cheek and sliding up and slowly through my hair, soothing me.
“I think I feel as stressed as you do, even a little betrayed.” His fingertips trailed across my eyelids, gently drawing them back down as he caressed my face. “My whole life I was raised to think he was my guardian, my protector, even if I did think he was a little flaky. Now I find out I was just bait to catch you. Kind of shakes my world.”
“I can't imagine.” I whispered back.
“Everything's been turned upside down for you too. I guess you have a little bit of an idea.” He adjusted in the dark, laying his body next to mine, his hand roaming farther, but ever so slowly.
“It's not the same. I know that.”
“It's making me question a lot of things, Danny.” His hand stopped, on my chest. I could feel each finger radiating from his palm, the warmth, the feather light touch. “Do you think he made you like me?”
My eyes shifted over to see the sad questioning on his face. I realized then that both of us were on the edge, peering into the yawning maw of confusion and sadness. Both our lives were torn out from under us and right now, all we had was each other. I put a hand behind his head and pulled him to me, kissing him as deeply as I knew how. His chest was on mine, and he responded with an urgency, a need for intimacy far beyond such petty concepts as horniness. His need, and I realized my own, lent us a touch of sanity, self preservation, life itself.
Clothes were shed, heat filled the room. Echos of passionate whispers, kisses and moans of encouragement bounced from the walls. A gasp, a sudden pause, and a shuddering breath before the gentle, rhythmic sound of two becoming one filled every sense I had. The urgency, the passion and desperation of our need for each other filled every second, every shuddering breath that accompanied the crash of our bodies meeting until the pent up emotion finally released.
We lay together, I don't know how long. My skin was cool with sweat, except where it made contact with his, and there it still tingled. I felt hyper aware of him, the heat of his body and his passion still pressing into me with need. His fingers drew lazy circles with one hand, while the other rested on my shoulder, his arm under my head. I turned into him, his warm eyes that so trapped me in our long ago shared classes. My heart and body longed to be lost in the sea of our love making for just a moment longer and so I pulled him to me and urged him on.
I awoke alone, half covered with a blanket. I lifted my head and glanced around the darkened room to see that Gideon had gone. My mind seared at the thought of him, of us, and what we had shared; even now my body ached for his touch, to make the world recede. As if hearing my mental call the door opened and he entered. He'd neglected to put socks or shoes on, and his shirt was on backward, but my heart leapt to see him. He carried two large metal cups with him, handles protruding from the steaming tops.
I sat and turned my back to the wall as he extended a cup to me. I smelled the soup, and my stomach grumbled as though I hadn't eaten in days. Gideon sat next to me with is own cup and we ate in comfortable silence. I'm not sure if my now orderly mind decided there was no reason to feel embarrassed that I was naked next to him, even though I was covered by a sheet from the waist down. I guess if things like embarrassment were logical I'd just figure he'd seen it all already, and I had no fear that he'd be disappointed unless it hadn't been as good for him. Wait, is that even possible? Bad sex? I scraped the bottom of my cup and finished it off by using the cup for it's designed purpose. I set it down and moments later he did the same.
“Do you...” I began to ask before drifting off into silence.
“Yeah, I do. Feel a lot better.” He placed his hand in mine, lullpulling my hand to him. “After talking to Woolcott I was kind of feeling like...an afterthought. All this time I felt so strong and like I had to protect you because you and I...well we were trying to have a thing, right?”
“A thing?” I asked, a lopsided grin spreading on my face.
“Yeah. I mean, we knew we had something. I guess,” He sighed deeply, pulling the back of my hand over his chest. “With his scheming I guess I thought maybe he'd made you like me, just to get to you. To get his apprentice.”
“From what he told me all he knew was that you'd fall for someone with 'the spark' as he put it. I don't think he knew who, he had to wait to find that out.” I squeezed his hand lightly and rubbed my thumb across the back of it .
“I was afraid that...after all this, after how much I really felt as though I were falling in love with you...” He gave a shuddering sigh, and then a short bark of a laugh. “You certainly proved there was no doubt in your intentions last night.”
“Was I...all right?” I asked.
“I was just going to ask you if...I was...” He sighed. “Look I know, you're a really good looking guy, I'm sure you have more experience. It's okay if what we did wasn't...I mean.”
“Gideon,” I leaned in and put my head on his shoulder. “You were my first. And it was beautiful, phenomenal. It was the best thing I've ever felt.” I turned my head a bit to try and catch his eye. “It was perfect.”
He let out a breath and smiled at me. “Really? It was my first time too. I mean I guess I didn't last long the first time...”
“Every time was great. I've never,” I shook my head and smiled. “Look, you'll just have to take my word for it since I can't describe it any better than I have. It was just perfect.”
We lay there, propped up by the wall, side by side. Eventually I got his clothes off him again and, once he'd taken me from the worries of the world for just a bit longer, we lay stretched out in each others arms to gather ourselves to face our compatriots and, with them, the troubles we had to solve. I knew that something between Gideon and I had changed, that somehow the physical intimacy had forged us anew because it had been born of our need for each other, based on that love we'd slowly been growing, and not simple drunken horniness. No matter what happened, no matter what dark places I may walk in the future, I had the warmth of him in me now.
“Can Lucifer be trusted to keep his end of the bargain?” I asked. We sat, the four of us, around the table. Our options were few, but Woolcott did bring some sense to the table.
“Yes. A bargain on this scale is one he can't break. Breaking a sealed bargain like this gives one power over the other, almost like knowing ones secret name,” Woolcott replied. “No, though we may not like it, Joel is perfectly safe. In fact, safer for now than we will be as we move forward.”
“So our choices are to find Raphael, Michael or Azlea.” Aila sighed. “It seems to me that finding Michael should be first, since he knows where Raphael is.”
“The same can be said if we find Azlea, but then we'd have to turn her over to Azrael to get our information. That's a lot of work, and maybe not enough time. Azlea didn't seem like the type to come quietly.” Gideon shook his head, “I'm not sure how we'd even make a swap like that.”
“There may be another path to Michael,” Woolcott said as he leaned back in his chair.
“And that would be?” I felt one of my eyebrows go up in question.
“It seems as though these followers of light, this...council of light,” his face distorted as he said the words, “they have to have a central figure, a fountain head for their rhetoric. Now,” He held a hand out for patience before he continued. “Any angelic creature could fit the bill, but I think Michael has created this group, intentionally or not.”
“Why would you say that?” Aila whispered.
“Michael is painted, by all accounts, as a warrior. Consistently fighting the darkness, blazing sword of the divine in his hand. Early man may have had it right in the idea that angels did slay demons, and Michael certainly led the path. There is a statue in bronze above the Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome showing Michael slaying a demon, sword held high for the killing stroke. Even if Michael had no real contact, as we've discussed there is a natural human trait to favor light over darkness.
“This council of light could be based, and I think it is, on Michael's warrior ways.” Woolcott steepled his fingers in thought. “With the weakening of the barrier that separates the demons from the planet, it is logical to think Michael may try to co-opt such a group to be his network.” He shook his head, making a decision.
“Only one way to find out. Come, let's get geared up.” He stood abruptly and we, warily, followed suit. We went back through the facility to his sealed room of powerful items, which he asked me to open. I repeated his words, memorized from earlier and the veil that kept the door hidden wavered to show the steel frame and sturdy door. Opening it, Woolcott began to rummage, handing me back the cylinder that had protected me before as well as handing out cloaks, defensive trinkets to pin to our clothing.
“Now, the plan is pretty simple but stupidly dangerous,” Woolcott stated as he continued to load small items into the pockets of his cloak. He glanced up at Gideon and asked, “Do you still trust me?”
Gideon stood frozen for a moment, as if shocked. Finally he replied, “I don't see that I have many choices.”
Woolcott sighed, “I suppose it's the best I can hope for right now. The trinket you have on your chest? That will be key, followed by the one on your sleeve. Keep in mind that humans are unpredictable, so plans are great until they actually come down to combat. Here's the idea.
“We need a council member to question, someone that can lead us either high up the food chain, or to Michael himself. In order to do that, we'll have to kick a nest.” He looked firmly at Gideon.
“That's what I'm for, bait again.” Gideon frowned. Woolcott surged forward and gripped Gideon's face in his hands, staring intently into his eyes.
“I know I have caused you pain and sorrow, and for all my knowledge I do not know how to restore any faith you may have in me or even if that is possible. But I do know that it matters to me, and that is frightening...more than you know.”
“We don't have time for this,” Aila said quietly. Woolcott nodded, still looking into Gideon's eyes as he slowly released him.
“We will portal back to the old house, as if we were returning for some relic we failed to recover in our hasty withdrawal. We'll only have moments, possibly, before they begin to pop in. We'll try to disable them, I'm not sure how many we'll face. Use your recall trinkets if you get pinned, they will return you here. It's not much as plans go,” Woolcott gave a weak smile, “But let's try and make it work.”
Woolcott flipped the coin and the portal spun out from it. One by one we filed through, into the ruins of the old house in the hazy glow of late afternoon. The portal winked out and we'd barely begun to take in the damage before the first blast of light indicated a light worker traveling in. Several more followed and we fanned out, taking cover where we could. Lances of light began to smash into the burned out remains of the building as the Council began attacking.
Aila let out a pretty bloodcurdling battle cry and leapt from her position, wings out and staff blazing. Gideon dashed out from his space, his dual kris slashing and his dark wings bearing down on another council member. I saw lightning flash from Woolcott's staff before I sprung out after a pair that were closing one of Gideon's flanks. I gripped the cylinder at my side and as I brought it in front of me the twin beams of light and dark sprang to life, twirling in front of me. I screamed and jumped at the council members, ensuring I took their attention away from Gideon who was madly battling at least four.
A shaft of light burned at me and my hand twitched of it's own accord, moving the staff to intercept the beam which it promptly swallowed. The staff spun and as I neared the two a third came from my side and lashed out with a punch that rattled my jaw. My staff twirled even as I fell and my assailant cried out in pain. I landed hard, pain now radiating from my jaw, but my mind was clear. My two original targets closed in on me and I lashed out with a kick that was ineffectual, but it allowed me a moment to roll away and regain my feet.
I heard a wail of pain, unearthly and so gut wrenching that I turned to see what it could come from. Gideon. A shaft of light was tearing through one of his wings, shredding it and leaving nothing but ragged shadows behind. I heard Woolcott then, a spell of some kind, and a shaft of pure power, light, dark, purple and blue smashed into Gideon's aggressor and he disintegrated. Gideon hung for a moment and fell heavily.
I howled in rage and repeated the spell I'd heard Woolcott use, but my attackers were gone. In moments the council members had fled. I turned and raced to Gideon's side only to find he was not there. Shadows, living bits of shadow, crawled over the area where he'd been. Other than that there was no sign he'd ever been there.
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