Wayward Son
By Dabeagle
Chapter 20
Lucifer's call to battle met with unanimous agreement and we all assembled in the courtyard. I informed Lucifer that I had a path to Woolcott, and we were to follow it. Lucifer began commanding his princes, outfitting them for combat.
While preparations to depart were made I sought out Seth, for whom the world had become a stranger place than he'd ever imagined. While he'd done remarkably well on just the smallest amount of notice, I wanted a chance to let him know we weren't simply abandoning him and that we would return.
“You all right?” I asked quietly. He turned, a look of mild surprise on his face. He appeared thoughtful and then shrugged his shoulders while giving me a smile.
“I'm not sure, to be honest. It's a lot to take in but...now I kind of understand my mother a little, how overwhelming this must have been.” He shook his head sadly. “It was too much for her, but I hope I can learn to survive.”
“Your father,” I smiled at him, “He loves you. He went through an awful lot to get you back and I think he'll take care of you.”
“Do you have any idea how weird that sounds to me?” He shook his head again and sighed. “For so long I thought the world was one way, that some people were one way. I thought I knew how the world worked and where I belonged in it. Now I know better. I do have a question though.”
“Just one?” I smiled.
“Most important one,” He wet his lips and glanced around before meeting my eyes. “Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why did you work so hard to help me, to save me? We weren't friends, we barely knew each other.” He glanced down, “You could have let...nature take its course.”
“Seth!” I nudged him and he reluctantly met my eyes. “Listen, maybe we aren't besties or anything, but you're a good guy. No one, even if they weren't good people, deserved what you were going through. Besides, I think maybe I was the closest thing you had to a friend and a friend wouldn't let you down like that.”
“I still can't believe I thought you were evil, once.”
“He can be,” Gideon smirked as he joined us.
“You guys make a nice couple.” Seth smiled at us, “Thanks for everything.” He stuck his hand out and I took it and pulled him to me for a hug. Gideon and I made our way back to the assembled group. Azlea and Ithuriel were deep in conference with Lucifer; thankfully Azlea had made him somewhat prepared for our arrival, although I have no idea what she said in fact. I suppose whatever it was had to have been reasonably good, since the last time Lucifer and Ithuriel met they were locked in mortal combat. Or angelic combat...immortal combat?
“What sort of plan does your master sorcerer have in mind?” Lucifer asked as he took note of my approach.
“Woolcott was going to secure Michael’s aid. The combined might of you, Raphael and Michael fighting with us should be enough to defeat Azrael.” I replied confidently.
“Azrael is a long- lived creature; this will not be as easy as you think – or hope.” Lucifer stated solemnly.
“Ideally Woolcott will have found Michael and we can move from there, united, against Azrael in an attack he won't see coming,” I replied, leaving out the worst case scenario. It seemed prudent.
“Additionally I believe the other sefiroths are still alive, but perhaps controlled somehow. Our combined might – that will be key.” Raphael stated. “I think we should have felt a sefiroth die; I know I did when Yaweh ceased.”
“His strength is formidable, and a surprise attack is the only logical way to bring him down.” He lifted his weapon, a trident with blue flames on its tines. “To war!”
I grasped the trinket of recall Woolcott had provided. With a final glance at Gideon's sweet face, I tossed it in the air and murmured the trigger which opened a wide portal. The princes leapt through immediately, followed by the archangels Raphael and Lucifer. Azlea and Ithuriel spread their wings and drew their celestial weapons, and with a quick nod at one another passed through the portal. Finally Gideon, Elijah and I went through and the portal winked out. The smell of burning meat hung heavy in the air and my nose wrinkled involuntarily; and the gagging scent of decay nearly caused me to vomit.
We were in a large courtyard, one that mirrored Lucifer's own except that this showed the signs of combat. Even now Woolcott madly battled Azrael, barely countering the massive attacks he wrought. Aila was doing her best to distract Azrael, to give Woolcott some space to work, but the fallen seemed supremely confident of victory. The angelic host began to fan out in order to flank the sefiroth, but our arrival hadn't come without notice.
“How fortuitous. A sorcerer is always challenging but none can truly test me, save another sefiroth.” Azrael's rumble was a deep bass that I felt reverberate through my chest.
I glanced at the voice and froze in horror. Azrael stood, his massive wings spread wide with the multicolored discolorations marking them. He wielded his staff, with its many eyes rolling madly, taking in the whole scene before them. My serenity allowed me to examine every detail before me, and I realized I'd overlooked a lump between Woolcott and Azrael, one with enormous wings that had electricity dancing across them and a blazing sword still grasped in its hand.
“With Michael caught unawares, the sorcerer and little nephilim was all that stood between myself and the sword.” Azrael rumbled. “But I see you have brought me the remaining weapons in my task. Today I will lift the veil.”
Continuing to scan the courtyard my mind focused on the statuary, which had not been in evidence at Lucifer's courtyard. The angels were huge, wingspans similar to Raphael and Lucifer...and with a jolt I realized these must be the missing sefiroths that Azrael was trying to control.
“My fellow sefiroths, you come in numbers to move against me. But I, too, have my princes.” He waved his staff and slammed it into the ground, the eyeballs bulging and the serpents head spewing out a demonic language. In a flash of sickly green light demons began to appear near the fallen, the serpents head chanting their names as they appeared, five major demons in all and a slew of smaller ones. But one name chilled my blood.
Moloch.
I lost sight of him immediately as the combat began, bloodletting on an epic scale. My weapon blazed to life as a minor demon with no head but with three eyes on a lump protruding from his chest approached me. His claws whistled through the air and my blade met them in a shower of sparks. I parried madly as his claws only increased in speed. His foot kicked out and lashed with claws at my legs, but I was learning and reacted much more naturally to the direction of my weapon, twisting to avoid the kick and drove my blade through the demons chest. Completing the spin my blade separated the demon at the waist; it exploded in sulfuric dust. I spun and released a disintegration spell taking out the demon closing in on my flank.
All around me chaos reigned; the stink of demon roiled the air. Screams, attacks both magical and physical echoed off the stone walls. Raphael, with his ebony wings spread wide, was shooting solid beams of darkness from his hands, blasting holes in the ranks of the lesser demons who were swarming and almost seemed to be multiplying. Lucifer's trident flashed as he parried a hammer blow and drove the handle of his weapon into the demons midriff, and still they came, driving us back towards the wall of the courtyard and separating us.
Gideon was battling multiple demons and I quickly moved to flank one, driving my blade through its arm and pinning it to the creatures side. It squealed in pain while acid dribbled from it's wound. Aila flashed by, caving in its head, then she was gone in a burst of light to her next target. As I took in the scene, the the only word to come to mind was hopeless, for this shattered offensive. The demons were overwhelming us and though I began to cast almost ceaselessly I couldn't seem to disintegrate them fast enough. I tried to move closer to Gideon to close ranks, to allow us to cover each others backs. Slowly we made our way to the rest who had similar ideas.
We formed a loose semicircle, defending one another and having the wall behind us to prevent sneak attacks. Two of Lucifer's princes were taken down during the fighting, massive explosions of multicolored light and a tremble through the ground signaling their deaths. Moloch surged to the fore, shouldering through the thronging masses of demons, and brought his cloven hand down in a whistling arc, crashing into the ground and splitting the flagstone of the courtyard. I stabbed out with my weapon while gathering a disintegration spell but Woolcott was faster, blasting Moloch in the face with a surge of power.
Moloch stumbled back and I let fly with my spell as well, and danced out of the way of his fiery cloven hand as he swiped at me. I moved in to try and get a shot at something vulnerable underneath, and be too close for him to get any kind of arm extension. Sidestepping his hand I brought my blade up to his chest and struck with all my might. He heaved forward, his bulk ramming backward and onto the ground, pain flaring in my back as I realized I'd landed flat on the crushed flagstones.
Moloch swung at me, a killing blow for sure and I raised my staff to defend, but it all made sense a moment later when he abruptly changed his arc and swung back at Woolcott, who was no longer facing him. I screamed in warning, my weapon sending up a spray of sparks as the weapon bounced off his plated arm. The cloven hand completed its arc and slammed into Woolcott's exposed back. He collapsed forward, his head half turned to see what had hit him and blood exploded from his mouth. His body sagged and, as Moloch's hand withdrew, the ragged hole in Woolcott's chest told me instantly that the sorcerer was dead.
My weapon spun in a blur as I squared off with Moloch, stabbing forward and parrying his attacks and alternating my attacks with the energy of the plane. Gideon flowed past me and was on Molochs' back, stabbing him in the undefended areas between his shoulder blades. Aila rushed forward and soon we three were fighting Moloch, a fury unrestrained as he began to lose ground. A jet of pure black streaked past me, in and through Moloch throwing him back deeply into the roiling mass of demons. Gideon pushed me back behind the line to catch my breath, while the semicircle reformed and the fight raged on.
I tried to think; the chaos before me threatened to shatter the serenity I had remaining, the courtyard resembling an abattoir. Woolcott's broken body was lost under the feet of the demonic horde attacking us. My casting hand fell down in abject depression, hitting a box on my belt. I glanced down, startled as I recalled Woolcott's words. 'Break in case of emergency'. With a final glance around I pulled the box from my belt, opened it and broke the glass with the tiny hammer and the world froze.
“Well, balls.” Woolcott said. I glanced up and saw him standing before me, taking in the chaos and bloodshed.
“Woolcott?” I reached out tentatively, “Is it really you?” He turned and faced me and, upon seeing my face, his expression softened.
“No, Daniel, I'm sorry. It isn't really me, merely an echo. I knew it would probably come to this.” He sighed and glanced at Michael, still laying on the ground. “Foretelling isn't always a blessing. I knew I'd die here, I knew it years ago when Raphael first bargained with me to care for Gideon, my poor little darkling.”
“But isn't foretelling like...an art? You don't” I sniffled and my chest shuddered, and I tried to steady my traitorous body. “Isn't it like seeing a possible future?”
“Yes, it is. I'm glad you were paying attention,” Woolcott beamed at me. “I did all I could, I brought as many weapons to the table as I could. Trust me when I say I tried to live.”
“I thought with Lucifer and Raphael...,” I said with tears filling my eyes. “Your plan was working.”
“Well, I figured that part would. The rest? A crapshoot.” He glanced again at the frozen scene and put his hands on his hips. “Damn, damn, damn. Well, can't waste time.”
He turned to me and stared for a moment, studying me perhaps. I have no idea if he was measuring his words, or even if this echo had the capability.
“I think that you care so much is your strongest attribute, Daniel, but you must temper it with reason. You have an advantage that I never did, in all my long life.” He smiled, perhaps the first smile I can recall that wasn't hiding some sort of joke or harsh lesson. “Gideon will be as long lived as you will now be. You have stability.
“Although it may have seemed that I didn't care, I did. Deeply. But I realized, rightly so, that time was far shorter than any of us realized.” His brows came together and he glanced away from me. “Life is ugly, just under the surface. You are in a constant struggle with what is and what should be. What should be is that I would teach you and be here to protect Gideon.”
“But you can't.” I whispered.
“Well,” He smiled again, softly. “You'll have to take care of Gideon for me. His father doesn't know him and Eli, well, Eli means well.”
I fell silent, staring at the frozen tableau. Both archangels blasting away with light and dark, Gideon looking fearsome and weary in the frenzy of combat. Aila was a beacon of light, slashing and dancing yet frozen now in her terrible grace. Ithuriel and Azlea were back to back, their metallic wings slicked with the sulfuric dust of slain demons. My shoulders slumped, the brief lift seeing Woolcott had given me was now gone and only despair remained. He turned back to face me.
“Oh, now, I see that look of defeat, but we aren't done yet.”
“How can we win without you and Michael? Look at all the demons!” I nearly wailed.
“Ah, Daniel. Remember your lessons, keep your poise,” he placed insubstantial hands on my shoulders. “Remember your love and how it strengthens all that you do. Study the field of battle, use what your enemy does not have.Oh!” He smiled, “And of course, you now have my accumulated knowledge. I couldn't let it all go to waste!”
So saying Woolcott's image began drifting as if being blown apart bit by bit by a strong wind and his essence was slowly funneled at and into my forehead. His form became fainter and fainter but I heard his voice echo, “Remember, a good illusion like a good lie, has some truth at its core.”
Knowledge flooded my brain and my serenity felt as though it would burst from the pressure as more and more knowledge filled my head. I didn't understand it in a cognizant sense, just that a very long lifetime's worth of lore was piling into me, ready to be recalled as needed. I looked around, studied the battle...and saw it. Each of the lesser demons was fainter than the main five, each was the tiniest bit less substantial. I saw they were no more than magic conjurations and more importantly I could see how to unmake them. I realized, belatedly, that the sulfuric dust was the remnant of their conjuring, not the way a real demon exploded on death.
Reality resumed, the combat returning to the desperate struggle for our very existence. Filled with Woolcott's knowledge, I levitated to observe the field and summoned the power of the plane for a massive spell. The spell washed like a wave of fire and, as it hit each lesser demon, they abruptly vanished in a puff of sulfuric dust leaving just Azrael, his five princes and a handful of lesser demons. Only a moment's hesitation in the fight was discernible before Lucifer and Raphael fell on one of Azrael's princes, shredding his infernal body as he vainly fought his attackers. Aila and Gideon had flanked Moloch who was bleeding acrid blood from his previous wounds and trying to dispatch Elijah quickly so he could move on, but before he could complete his attack Gideon drove his twin blades deep into his back with a feral scream of triumph. Moloch roared in pain and tried to face Gideon, but his turning body was met with the repeated bone breaking blows delivered by Aila's staff.
Gideon rode him as if Moloch was the world's ugliest bull, his twin krises a blur as he drove them through Moloch's back, rending his flesh and sinew. Elijah gave a powerful thrust with his wings and brought a war hammer crashing into the side of Moloch's head, causing him to cry out in pain and, I think, fear. Aila blurred in front of him, and in what could only have been called angelic timing she drove her staff through the bottom of Moloch's jaw and into his head while Gideon climbed up and, with one swift motion drove both blades into the base of Moloch's skull. Elijah brought the hammer down squarely on Molochs ugly head and with a crunch, his skull exploded and his body abruptly burned to ash.
Lucifer's remaining princes were engaged with yet another of Azrael's demonic princes, and were now reinforced by Gideon, Aila and Elijah. Ithuriel and Azlea were fighting the last, a multi armed demon with sharp blades as hands. Azrael sat back, watching the carnage, unaffected. It was to him I directed my attention, dodging blows until I stood before him, out of range of his mighty staff.
“Child of Clay, you wish to follow your master's example and die foolishly? So be it.” Azrael grinned ghoulishly and took a single step toward me and I...burst out laughing. He stopped, momentarily confused. I waved my hands and suddenly Woolcott was before Azrael, hands glowing with the power of the plane. Minor angels and the great, towering archangels began to appear, ringing the fallen. He lashed out, his opponents dancing and parrying while I laughed. My compatriots slowly joined in as the enemy princes were dispatched, and began striking at Azrael.
Raphael discharged concentrated shadow, which punched a hole in Azrael's wing. He let out a mighty bellow and his wing resealed as he tried to counter-attack. Lucifer drove his trident into Azraels shoulder causing another bellow and a back hand that threw the light bearer the length of the courtyard. Aila blurred around him, attacking and withdrawing; Gideon was balancing his attacks with Elijah, hitting from opposite sides.
With Azreal so occupied I took Woolcott's great gift in hand and studied the enchantments on the statuary. They had all been tied off, much as my own spells could be, and I diligently searched for the knot to unravel them. I began to sweat as Azrael figured out my ruse, that I had used an illusion against him in the same manner as he'd used upon us. Not that they were any less lethal, but he was dispatching them and separating the real from the imaginary; each one he destroyed burst in a wave of purple-blue light.
I felt the blood rushing through my brain as I concentrated and with a final push, the first statue released. The look of confusion was momentary as the sefiroth unfurled her mighty blood red wings and surged into combat against Azrael. Feverishly I worked on releasing the other sefiroths before Azrael realized what was happening. The good part was he'd apparently used the same magic each time, so the knot was getting easier to find. With a grunt of satisfaction I released another, sky blue wings opening and a scythe blazing with white flame charged into the battle. As I released the last of the caged sefiroths, Azrael finally figured out what was happening, that these new combatants were not more illusions.
I smiled grimly; apparently I had gotten the hang of illusions. As the combined might of the sefiroths began to take a visible toll on Azrael I floated into the air, channeling the spell Woolcott hadn't had time to wield. If only he'd told us he needed the time for this ultimate strike, perhaps we'd have been able to shield him long enough. The power built in me; the plane was filling my being and I concentrated as I never had before. This was no spell of disintegration, not even one of unmaking. No, this spell was only for the demonic and it was, I'm sure, worse than death. Sefiroths are near impossible to kill, demons go up in ash but they still manage to reform after a length of time, perhaps eons in some cases depending on their power. The reason for that was the veil; demons weren't ever fully in this world, even if it appeared so visually – they were tethered down on the other side.
This spell would break that tether and make Azrael truly what he feared most. Vulnerable. Mortal. Azrael spun faster than the eye could follow, dodging and parrying attacks. Most of the illusions were now gone, but still Azrael couldn't be killed, merely delayed for perhaps a few centuries. At least as he was now.
“Azrael, Keeper of the Book of Names,” My voice thundered and my illusions paused, as did the sefiroths arrayed against him. They glanced at me in expectation, assuming a sorcerer had something up his sleeve. My serenity told me they were right. Azrael stared at me malevolently, his eyes filled with a deep seated hatred. “Fallen angel, I have a lesson to teach you this day.”
“What would that be, whelp?” He snarled.
“Illusions have to be very good, in fact perfect. One day they might save your ass.” In one stroke I released the illusion creating his ring of aggressors and channeled their energy into my spell, a beam of solid golden light slamming into his chest, piercing his demonic armor and causing him to shriek in pain. The beam kept on, tearing into his flesh and following him as he spun to avoid it. Then the golden light traced up and away from his body, burning away his umbilical, the tether to the other side of the veil. In pain and rage he charged me, a desperate attempt to stop my attack. I floated in the air, the power of the plane pouring from my eyes, coating my breath and intoxicating my brain, knowing he was defeated.
Azrael leaned on his staff briefly, gathered himself and launched his bulk at my position. With a snap of unleashed power I waved my arm in a wide arc discharging a wave of silver light that washed forward, engulfing Azrael in burning light. The other sefiroths, seizing the chance, struck in unison. Azrael's screams resounded off the courtyard walls as he burned, the silver light engulfing him. He dropped his staff, the serpent head snapping in all directions while the eyes continued to roll madly. With a colossal clap like thunder, Azrael exploded in silver light. It was over.
“You know, I realized from the start you had to be special. I have to admit, Daniel is more patient than I am about his finding a boyfriend. You can imagine my relief!” My mother sat at the end of the table next to Gideon in our dining room. Yes, she was fawning over him. Aila and Joel were side by side and my father sat on the end closest to me. “I only hope that you can encourage him to get back to doing his chores; being in love has turned him into a real slacker around here the last two weeks.”
“Now, Helen, you got what you wanted,” My father chuckled, “Now you can go to your wine drinking and tell all about your son's handsome boyfriend.”
“It's a book club, the wine is for atmosphere,” my mother replied tartly. Her expression softened as soon as she turned back to Gideon. “It is so wonderful to have you here in our home. Saturday lunch is something of a tradition with us and I have so looked forward to meeting you where we could properly talk. Dean had you all to himself at the ball game.”
“I've been looking forward to it,” Gideon smiled.
“Me too,” Joel smiled at me, the little shit. He was thinking how uncomfortable this would be for me, and even after all we'd been through I was still afraid my mother would find a way to embarrass me. Even so, I glanced at Gideon and took his hand as I recalled his conversation about this very event. He was happy that someone even thought to ask him if he could be in love, and he welcomed all the love and attention so maybe I shouldn't worry – after all, what was there to be embarrassed about?
“So your father is a doctor, how fascinating. Do you plan on being a doctor too?” My mother asked him.
“Yes, healing seems to be a family passion,” he smiled at her.
“Hear that Helen? Doctor in the family means more fodder for your book club.” My dad looked at Gideon and stage whispered, “By the time she gets to the book club you'll already be out of med school and a famous neurosurgeon!”
“I do not tell stories like that!” she laughed at him. I glanced at her and she colored slightly; oh no, dad was right. I realized, however, that Gideon had literally healed someone's mind so I guess she could say that and it would be true.
“So I'm curious,” My dad began and my ears detected something in his voice that I normally found in my mothers voice and I was once more on alert. “I know couples usually give each other bracelets or necklaces. You guys done that? I don't see any rings or anything.”
“Dean! You'll embarrass them!” My mother smiled back at us, “They need time to figure each other out; these young relationships are so fragile.” She reached out and pushed the sandwich plate at Gideon, “Please, have another.”
“Oh, thank you, these are great.” Gideon smiled at my mom who melted, completely charmed. “But I have to say, our relationship is very strong. If I were a poet I might say it was forged in the silvery fire of heaven itself.”
“You do have the passion of a poet!” My mother put a hand to her chest, “That may be the most romantic thing I'd ever personally heard. I should write that down; the book club will just eat their hearts out!”
“Mrs W, do you have any frozen M&M's for dessert?” Joel asked.
“I may have a bag, just for you,” My mother smiled at Joel, who ate up the attention. After lunch Joel and Aila left and Gideon and I were hanging out in my room. He sat on my bed and looked around at the posters on the wall, taking it all in.
“So strange, after all we've been through, to come back to this normal place. Such a relief.” I smiled and sat next to Gideon.
“You know, the last time I was here was to drop you off from your first visit. Woolcott insisted I bring you...home. Said it wasn't safe.” He trailed off into silence.
“I miss him too, though I never thought I'd say it.” I whispered.
“Yeah. I know what you mean, but still he was a huge part of my life.” He smiled and shook his head sadly, “But he knew I'd find you, he knew I'd be happy.”
“I find it hard to believe he didn't see more of this coming, he was too smart.” I said quietly. I'd already shared Woolcott's last words with Gideon, along with my thoughts that there should have been something we could have done. “But you're right, we have him to thank for giving us that push.”
“I can only imagine how you must have felt in the mall,” Gideon smiled.
“It was so weird,” I grinned, “It was exactly what you'd described, he walked up and dumped a bunch of cryptic shit on me and buggered off.”
Gideon burst out laughing, “That was him. You know,” he looked at me slyly, “I think he was controlling so much of what happened – I think he even arranged to have me see you that first time at school.”
“When I was changing?”
He nodded, “Woolcott at heart, believe it or not, was a romantic. I think he'd be pretty happy knowing he'd put us together, made us so strong. Maybe that was really what he was after?”
“Who knows, I certainly got very few straight answers out of the guy.”
“We could use him now, with all the sefiroths out there again spreading their influence.”
“Yeah,” I shook my head, “Even though he loaded me up with his knowledge a lot of it is just data, without a context. I get so much information, almost like a Google search.”
“He could make sense of it. It's a shame he never really shared with us though.” Gideon sighed, “I wish there was something we could have...”
I took his hand, “Woolcott was probably the smartest guy we'll ever meet. He took as many precautions as he felt he could. He was at peace with it and I think...well, he was happy.”
“He was my only family for a long time, most of my life.” Gideon murmured.
“Now you have your dad, that should be a good thing, right?” I smiled, trying to change the mood.
“He's been really great. Every time I'm with him I feel how much he loves me and how much he wants me around him; it's like a positive version of that vibe Lucifer puts out.” Gideon grinned, “And the healing techniques he uses? So advanced compared to what I knew.”
“That's so awesome,” I ran my thumb along the back of his hand, “You got your dad and brother back; Elijah seems pretty cool.”
“He's been awesome, actually. He keeps telling me to call him Eli and he's been pumping me for information one minute and the next he's yelling at our dad for keeping me a secret; he's really excited to have a sibling.” Gideon smiled at me, “He thinks we're cute together.”
“He's right, of course.” I smiled and kissed him quickly. My mother appeared suddenly at my door, camera in hand.
“Lets go outside for a minute and take a picture!” she grinned happily and headed back down the stairs.
“Elijah wants you to come visit, he claims it's his duty as a big brother to watch you,” Gideon laughed as we stood. “I had to practically tie him up to keep him from coming today.”
I shook my head and held my hand out to Gideon. “Come on, handsome. My mother wants a picture of me with my boyfriend.” I studied his face, so beautiful and thought for a moment that I really didn't want to share him with anyone, at least not this minute. We deserved some together time and so, with barely a thought there were suddenly four of us in the room; two of each.
Gideon looked at me with a question on his lips and I shrugged as they headed down to have their pictures taken.
“All your power and you're going to use it to make out with your boyfriend?” Gideon smirked.
“As a man much wiser than I once said, can you think of a better use of a sorcerer's power?” After that there weren't a lot of actual words.
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