Holly followed the angel into the center of the room. Her mind was spinning. She was too nervous to speak. Her tears had painted her cheeks into a mist. Oddly though she felt better. It seems she had let go of years of frustration in the form of tears. Had he known she would cry like that?
In the center of the room lay a round table. It was decorated with ancient scripture, and books in different languages. The wall across from her contained a large board with formulas, and names on it. Holly didn’t attempt to read any of it. She could already tell she was way in over her head. All she could do was listen. There must be a reason he wanted to meet her.
Barachiel had replaced the white hood back on his head. His wings were neatly tucked back, and yet still towered high above his body. He was simply beautiful in every way. This made her intimidated.
To her right was a very large painting that stood out from the others. It was of a pale weak looking vampire, he was chained to what looked like a stone wall. Carved into his body in many places was the word Dalkhu. Holly didn’t recognize the language. It was a gruesome sight to see.
“I know you must have many questions for me,” Barachiel softly said.
Holly didn’t speak. Instead she stood there quietly, still in shock at what was softly gazing at her.
“I ask only that you simply listen to what I am about to tell you. Time is of the essence, and there are things you must know,” he says.
Holly nods her head, and sits down in a chair at the table. Her palms are sweating, and she can feel her chest is tight.
“I have been watching you dear Holly from the moment of conception. From the moment you opened your eyes, up until this very moment. I have been with you during every heartache you ever had, and every sin you have ever committed. We are all the watchers of mankind.”
“I shall start from the beginning. A very long time ago God had created the universe as you know it. The dawn of time was a peaceful existence. God loved his children equally. Mankind however, was not the first creation to exist. No. Before humans God created angels. We once thrived on this planet. We all lived in harmony. This was once a beautiful planet. It was God’s first true creation.”
“God created a hierarchy upon us. He hand-picked 8 Angels and called us archangels. We were each given specific tasks and responsibilities. In those times God had given his creations abilities and powers. We had access into the gates of heaven, and we’re allowed to come and go as we please.”
“The one thing he did not give us however, was the ability to possess freewill. God put all his time and effort into our creation. His finest work, was an angel by the name of Morningstar. He was the most beautiful of us all. God bestowed upon him the strongest of abilities. He was a prideful angel.”
“God granted Morningstar the rights to rule over this planet, and rule he did. In those days Morningstar was a humble, and kind angel. The archangels sat under him, and together we lived in peace. Morningstar however, was not fond of the absence of freewill.”
“He begged God to grant his angels this gift. God refused. This upset Morningstar, but still, he continued to do as he was told. Over time God decided to expand his creations. He wanted to make something more in his image. He decided to alienate these new beings from the world of magic, so he created separate dimensions, and a parallel planet known as Earth.”
“God then created mankind. God gave us angels the task of watching over them. The Angels fell in love with the humans of old times. All except Morningstar. He was jealous of them because God had granted mankind the ability of freewill.”
“Morningstar, in his fit of rage, decided he was going hate the humans. He then instructed the other angels to follow his lead. He felt he should be the Supreme ruler, and not God.”
“Since the world’s rested on different dimensions, Angels were able to visit your world at different time spans as we pleased. Some of us grew to close to humans, and interacted with them against God’s and Morningstar’s wishes. None were more guilty of this than Aro.”
“Around 5000 BC your time, angels interacted with mankind more than any other time period. This was the dawn of civilization in your world. In ancient Mesopotamia around 5000 BC, in the city of Sumner Aro had made good friends with a race of humans known as the Sumerians.”
“He introduced magic to them. He taught their young minds the art of language using pictographs that would later develop into the first known writing style called cuneiform. The Sumerians started worshipping Aro as a god. They would hold celebrations, and animal sacrifices for him.”
“Once word got out to Morningstar that Aro was doing such things he decided he was going to intervene. Morningstar being the most powerful of angels, and hating the humans thought up the most devious of plans. He knew God would never allow him to destroy them.”
“He took form of a beautiful goddess, and called himself Enlil. He then created a gateway into Sumner and made his presence known to the Sumerians. He told them Aro was a deceiver of man. Enlil then introduced hatred, jealousy, envy, lust, and greed into the population by teaching them black magic.”
“Morningstar did not have the power to directly teach such evil feelings. Instead he taught them the dark arts, tricked them into thinking he was God, and then sat back only to watch the Sumerians destroy themselves. He told them the spells they were casting granted joy, and immortality. In this way hatred was taught at the hands of the Sumerians themselves.”
“Slowly madness set in. The Sumerians were clouded with hate, and deceit. They then turned on Aro. They poisoned his drink, and when he fell to they captured him, and tore away his wings and casted them into a fire, and then burned Aro at the stake.”
“In his dying breath, Aro cried out to God begging for his help. God could no longer stand idly by. He intervened Morningstar’s devious plan. God felt betrayed by both Morningstar, and all the angels.”
“Once God stepped in, Morningstar knew his days were numbered in heaven. In one final spiteful move he casted a terrible curse on all the angels. He used all his strength, and turned every angel into monstrous demons. Since the Angels loved mankind so much he decided in this curse, the angels would have to kill, and feed on the blood of the humans in order to survive themselves.”
“Aro was the first to turn. He did so as he was burning at the stake. The fire that was killing him now no longer hurt him. He stepped out of that fire as the first vampire. His black charred skin healing itself in front of the Sumerians eyes set forth a panic. Aro was no longer himself. He was filled with a terrible thirst for human blood. He ate his way through half the city before he was finally captured.”
“God had removed mankind’s ability to use magic, but not before the Sumerians had cursed Aro in order to save themselves from his reign of bloodlust terror. They had weakened him, but unknowingly gave him immortality in the process. They could not kill him. Instead he was chained underground in the deepest of caves with only one candle.”
“The Sumerians carved the word Dalkhu meaning devil Into his flesh as a warning to others who may stumble upon him. To this very day Aro remains in the dark caves deep underground screaming for blood. He is forever doomed to a pitch black blood thirsty immortal life of darkness, hatred, and pain.”
“Morningstar’s wrath was not done. He hated God for granting humans freewill. He hated God because he knew he would be banished. He transformed God’s first beautiful creation into a world of death, and blood. He decided he to would create beings, but to mock God’s beauty he made them monsters of evil, and destruction in his own newly transformed image.”
“God created a place for those who do not wish to follow in the path of light. He created hell. He angrily called out to Morningstar, and when he appeared at the gates of heaven, he had an entire army of followers behind him who saw his curse as a gift. For it granted very powerful abilities but at the cost of human life. Those that hated the humans welcomed it.”
“I was not present the moment he was banished, but for those who were there say it was a powerful sight to see. God displayed his true power to them all. A great battle occurred as Morningstar, and his vampire followers attacked heaven in an attempt to overthrow God, and take his throne. The archangels led a full on attack. Many lives were lost.”
“During this fight for the throne to heaven I myself was given a task from God. I was to make my way into the deep caves of Sumner with his son Jesus Christ, and collect a vial of blood from the first vampire. This blood, and only this blood contains the cure to the curse. So I did as I was told. We found Aro asleep in his chains. My heart was heavy with pity as I saw him there lost in madness.”
“We completed the task as instructed. Knowing there was nothing I could do for Aro I regretfully left him where he lay, and departed back to heaven with Christ. When we returned, the war was done. Morningstar and his followers had lost. His wings were removed, and he was shot from the heavens down into the lake of fire where he would remain frozen for all eternity. God couldn’t find it in himself to destroy his most prized angel.”
“God had then turned his back on the archangels. This curse Morningstar placed on our kind was our punishment for betraying him, and interacting with the humans. I fell to my knees in sadness. All the archangels did so, and we cried tears of pain for our kind. Jesus turned to us. In one last favor from God before he turned his back, he had Christ give me the cure. He said if one day Morningstar breaks from his icy curse I would have my chance to free us from this sickness he placed upon us. Until then he commanded us to watch over mankind. Then they departed into heaven, and refused to let us in.”
“We are all forced to stay here in this hellish world until that day comes. There has been a divide among us all. There are those that welcome the curse, and see Morningstar as the true god, and then there are those who wish to revert back into angels. Because of this divide we are in the middle of a great war. This war is led by the archangel Ramiel, who aims to free Morningstar from his grave.”
“Their ultimate goal is to claim the throne of God alongside Morningstar, and destroy the other archangels that sided with myself, and the vampires wishing to regain their wings.”
“I have sat by many years waiting, watching, and allowing Ramiel to try to free Morningstar. His freedom is our only chance to rid this vampirism. All the while I started building my own powerful army alongside the other two cities in the realm. Each of the three cities are guarded by an archangel. We know one day we will have to join forces to overthrow the rebellion led by Ramiel.”
“Until 566 years ago I didn’t have much faith in winning against Morningstar. Once I met Aidan asleep in his pod hope rang through again. His power is unlike anything anyone has ever seen. The High lords, and myself have been training Aidan all of his days, and molding him into the perfect warrior.”
“I believe his power can stand up to Morningstar, but he needs an army. Unfortunately time is against us. He is but a child. Many more years are needed to harness, and control his abilities but Ramiel is only getting closer to freeing Morningstar from hell, and his army of ferals are growing larger.”
“Young Aiden has taking a liking to you Holly. We all have a role to play, and your role should you decide to join us would be to support him through these troubled times. Aidan is a wild-fire. He needs a companion, and he chose you.”
“When a human imprints with their vampire it will link the both of you together, and you become one with each other. This bond grants him unlimited access to Earth. You will feel his power, and he will feel your pain, and know your thoughts. Two different beings become intertwined into one spiritually.”
“It’s a big decision. I do understand this is much to take in. Unfortunately you do not have a lot of time to decide. Take a moment to let this sink in, and then you can choose your destiny. Take this time to ask me any questions you may have.”
Holy took a deep breath trying to absorb everything that was placed in front of her. To think not very long ago the only real decision she had was what drink she wanted to order. This was insane. Almost unbelievable if not for the magnificent creature that stood before her. She chose her words wisely. She felt like she wouldn’t have much time.
“Um… So Aidan is special? He is different than the others. He is the only one with black eyes. Do you know why? The vampire Ira… I think he said his name was said he was a demigod. Aidan said it wasn’t true. Is it?” Holly asked
“Ira says many things. The idea of Aidan being a demigod has been speculated since his birth. The elder Theylnn found him outside the city gates as an infant. He was alone with no signs of his deliverer in sight. Nobody knows exactly where he came from so these stories are in fact only that. They are stories.”
“And Morningstar is Lucifer correct? You said he was frozen in hell?”
“Yes. Morningstar has many names. Your kind knows him as Satan. Lucifer, is his angelic name given to him from our maker. Most others refer to him as Morningstar for as he fell from heaven, he did so with such heat, and intensity, his departure appeared as bright and fast as the Morningstar. God casted him down into the lake of fire to sleep in a frozen slumber for all of eternity. God and Morningstar were very close once.”
“God is all-knowing. He knew one day an archangel would attempt to thaw him from his grave. He knew a war was on the horizon. He also knows the outcome if it is in our favor means the destruction of Morningstar’s curse. Morningstar rests as we speak now in the very center of hell waiting to be released.”
“Hell is believed by your kind to be a pit of everlasting flames in which the sinners burn for all eternity. This is not so. Hell is more like a circuit. Hell is comprised of rings all interconnected, and entwined with one another at various points. The damned are casted to various locations depending on their sins. The only place all the rings of hell touch is the center. This location is known as the lake of fire.”
“But you said Morningstar is frozen,” Holly interrupted.
“Yes. The lake of fire in itself is an ice pit that’s comprised of Morningstar’s closest followers all casted deep beneath the ice. Morningstar himself is the only being that rests on top. He is forever frozen until the day he is thawed. If he is thawed, I can only imagine the pits will thaw as well releasing his followers below him.”
“I have spent many moons pondering how, and when this will occur. Aiden, alongside my army of vampires will have to be strong enough.”
“Wow. This is…”
“Hard to accept. Yes,” Barachiel interrupts
“The end of days is neigh Holly. A sense of urgency is present. Even as we speak… The ice… melts.”
“Do not burden yourself with fear. The one thing they do not expect is the power we hold that rests within Aidan and our warriors. Behind me is the lift you’ll take back to the top. It exits out the rear of the cathedral. Rest your head child, and take the time you need before you make your choice.”
Holly takes a deep breath. She looks around the room at all the figures in the paintings. She feels the urgency in his voice. Somehow holly found herself in the middle of a war. This war that has been going on for generations, and all of this made her feel so small. All her problems, and those of earth was wiped away having heard an angel speak of these true, and troubled times. She now understands what Maggie meant when she said a part of something bigger.
She senses a lot of faith being placed into the black-eyed warrior. This warrior… Was the same childish vampire that gazed at her with strong infatuation. He was to destroy an entire rebellion of damned angels alongside Satan himself. He hid all of this from her.
Suddenly Holly felt bad for him. She could only imagine how hard this must be. His fate was chosen for him. He would never know peace all of his days. He would never feel love, or the welcoming touch of a mother and father. She wondered if he had ever been kissed, or held. Her heart grew heavily for him in this moment.
She had to leave. She had to get out, and make her way to him. She wanted to apologize for being so distant, and withheld. He had been so honest with her about his feelings for her. This had to of been uncharted grounds for him. She would tell him she knows. Everything has changed. He was no longer a scary monster in her eyes.
Once she got to the top, she would hug him deeply. Maybe… Just maybe…. She would try with him. Maggie seems happy with Esra, and although she stumbled into this world with Aidan, she felt for the first time that maybe this was fate. The sea of change was moving like a current all around her. She could either resist this, or let go and flow with the current to wherever it would take her.
There was one thing she was starting to feel deep within herself. If she let go…. There was nobody else she would rather do it with than the onyx eyed warrior of kanthos, who for some reason, wants to belong to her.
Holly swallowed hard, and made her way back to the surface to find him.