We blew through the small basement window with a shattering force and bypassed the bleachers and fence that lined the football field before landing in between the snow covered twenty and thirty yard lines. I extinguished my light immediately so I didn’t light the whole field on fire and then breathed in the fresh, cold air, turning on my back to look up at the now black sky.
Seth and I lay in a pile of upturned snow and dirt, our clothes singed and frayed. Both of us were covered in the dirt that flew up with our hard landing and I could feel new injuries begin to burn from the force of our impact.
Still our hands were held tightly in each other’s.
We laid there for a brief moment more, taking in all that just happened silently before Seth hopped to his feet, pulling me with him.
“Come on,” he ordered.
“Where are we going?” I asked breathlessly, not sure if I was ready for his answer.
“To find Aliah so I can kill him and my sister,” he answered and then took off for the sky, my hand still in his.
Chapter Twenty
No sooner had we made it into the thick cloud cover than we met Serena and Nate. They were untouched by battle yet and both sets of their eyes grew big when they met us. The four of us clustered together made a hole in the black clouds we were taking cover in with our light. All four of us reflecting against the blackness and preparing our bodies to fight again.
“We got here as fast as we could, are you two alright?” Serena asked, her eyes glowing with the bizarre mixture of concern and bloodlust.
“We’re fine, we just need to find Aliah,” Seth bit out, his eyes frantically searching through the dense, murky clouds.
“We tracked him here,” Nate said in a low voice and all of us tensed.
“He’s not alone,” I warned in a voice just above a whisper.
“Do you know who’s with him?” Serena asked. A burst of lightning lit up behind her. None of us were afraid of lightning, but the dramatic effect paired with the gravity of the moment sent chills snaking over my body.
“My sister,” Seth replied.
“Among others,” Jupiter growled, meeting our powwow in the sky.
“Are my parents here?” I asked, wondering why he would be here but not them.
“They’re trying to control the situation out front,” Jupiter explained. “School was canceled after the weather turned dangerous. The fire department was still inspecting the school for bats when a fire started in the boy’s locker room. They went to deal with that situation, when one of the big Maples lining the parking lot was struck by lightning, toppling over and landing on a couple cars. Nobody was hurt, but the tree and excitement surrounding the fire have left students loitering in the parking lot. Your parents are trying to help clear everyone out while making sure they stay safe.”
But in my head I knew the truth, I knew they weren’t safe. And they wouldn’t be safe until Seth and I destroyed this evil.
“How did this happen?” I growled, casting my eyes back to the ground that was obscured by cloud cover.
“Oh my Callisto,” Jupiter gasped suddenly. His voice was an angry snarl and his red eyes had turned a brilliant reddish-orange with intensity.
I followed his gaze, looking through where the clouds parted and the football field was visible. Aliah stood in the center of the field taunting me.
Or all of us, I realized when I saw Seth’s expression.
“I’m going to stay here for a moment,” Jupiter whispered. I glanced at Serena and Nate to gauge their reaction to Jupiter’s hesitance, but when I saw their knowing smirks I decided there was more to Jupiter staying behind than fear.
Serena led the charge to the field and I followed closely behind, landing with my feet planted firmly on the snow packed ground. Seth and Nate flanked us, their glows so brilliant and blinding I could feel the heat radiating from them. Suddenly I felt better just knowing Jupiter was in the clouds watching over us. He was a tangible guardian Angel.
Or guardian grumpy old guy from the planet Jupiter.
Either way.
Aliah stood watching us. I could feel swarms of Shadows nearby, enough to drag us all down to hell, but he didn’t summon them immediately and I couldn’t help but wonder what his game was. I could feel how hungry they were though, as the wispy demons waited on the sidelines. Their hunger licked against my skin, I felt the hairs stand up on my neck as they snapped and bit at an invisible gate to get to us. Aliah had them cowed, but they were desperate to consume our goodness and I could feel it in the very fibers of the air between us. The temperature had dropped dangerously with such a concentrated evil presence nearby and I struggled not to gag from the scent of sulfur polluting the air.
My eyes drifted from Aliah to those Fallen surrounding him. They were all former Angels, completely perfect and beautiful outwardly and morally bankrupt internally. Saul was back, along with two other Warriors, one so blonde and pale that he seemed to be all one monochromatic shade of albino and the other with striking silver hair and a scar that ran from his eye to his jawline. And then there were two Stars. The first was shockingly alien like. She had long, soft peach hair that wrapped around her half naked body like a cloak, her limbs were long and lanky and her skin so golden and tanned that she still seemed to glow even with the haze of gray around her.
And then there was the final Star.
Seven.
I knew her without anyone saying her name.
Seth stood stoically still next to me, his chest not even moving with the effort to breath. His eyes boring into his sister and I desperately wanted to make her pay for her sins against my Counterpart. She would pay. I would make her answer for her betrayal.
Her hair was golden brown like I had imagined in my dream, just like Seth’s, only it was wrapped up in a high bun on the top of her head. Her eyes were just like Seth’s, liquid gold and they sat tilted at the corners making her look exotic and mysterious. Her plump, full lips were quirked in an evil smirk and her head tilted smugly on her long, pretty neck.
I gulped back a shiver as I took her in, noticing the bright yellow light filtering the air around her. She was clearly evil, everything from her expression, to the posture of her body to the way she was sizing me up screamed immoral and wicked. Yet the light pouring from her in warming purity defied that very notion.
I tore my eyes away from hers, hating how she had locked our gazes together easily and looked to Seth. I didn’t even want to investigate the range of emotions he was going through, or imagine what this must be like for him. I felt like it would destroy me before the battle even began. And to his credit, he was definitely not going to give anything away.
He didn’t even look at her.
His eyes stayed focus on Aliah, never once straying to the long lost sister that had taken everything from him.
He was certainly doing better than me. I wanted to rip her pretty little throat out and send her to the Hell she pledged her life to.
“I suppose you have some kind of master plan for challenging us today,” Serena grunted after the silent standoff stretched her patience too thin.
“We’re waiting,” he smirked while continuing to remain patient. “Since you two refused to play nicely, and die easily,” he finished with a sneer and I wanted to flinch. His eyes flicked between Seth and me with a devouring intensity. He wanted so much more than our death, it was sickening. He wanted our allegiance. I held my ground, boring my eyes into his, forcing myself to stay brave.
“What are you waiting for?” I asked casually, figuring he hadn’t really lied to me up until this point so why not go for it.
“Your parents,” he growled and then switched back into a more relaxed version of evil.
I shuddered. I shuddered hard.
“I thought if one family should get to be together tonight, why not every family,” Aliah declared with a sick twist to his mouth.
Seven let out a laugh that filled the space around all of us. The Shadows tittered in the
background in response to her musical laughter that chimed like bells. She didn’t sound evil, which was almost more haunting than if she had spoken with a deep growl or worse.
The laugh sounded innocent and pure.
I shuddered again.
“It is good to see you again brother,” Seven gushed, her eyes lighting up when she talked to Seth and she bounced on her toes anxiously. “I’ve missed you,” she declared.
Seven sounded disgustingly sincere, her eyes immediately filling with tears. I was disturbed by her, more than I thought possible. She was older than Seth and I, but her voice was bubbly and young sounding. She was evil, but unexplainably she had an unquestionable bright light and I could have sworn that when she talked to Seth it actually increased in intensity.
It didn’t make sense.
Her light should be as black as her heart.
Seth stood there, not responding except for clenching his jaw as tightly as he could, and tightening his grip on the sword that hung at his side.
“He doesn’t miss you, Seven,” Aliah announced. He sounded sad and confused, but worst of all he sounded disappointed in Seth. I wanted to laugh at Aliah for even considering Seth join the other side, but when I glanced over at Seth again I was shocked by how affected he seemed by the disappointment.
He would never let it show to anyone else, or admit that he was seeking Aliah’s approval, but it was in his amber eyes when they flashed with a desire to please and in the sinking of his broad shoulders that felt the weight of trying to gratify a parent.
Seth was facing demons from his past, literally, and he was doing everything he could to hold on to who he was.
“You are one sick, son of a b-“ I started before I could even stop myself.
But then I was cut off by Aliah himself, “Now, now Stella, we wouldn’t want to get negative marks for performing badly in our training, now would we?” He gestured at the high school, but I knew he was referring to me training to be a Star. “You are a saucy little thing,” he murmured, his voice slithering over me like slime.
“I cannot wait for the day you go to meet the master you decided to serve. That will be a well-deserved life sentence. Hell has a very special place for the depth of your depravity,” I smiled, taunting him.
“Shut up!” Seven screamed from her place next to Aliah. This time her voice was shrill and ugly, shrieking into the charged air between our side and theirs.
She was standing next to Aliah, almost hiding behind him. He kept his body so that it shielded her without having to put his arm around her and I wondered what their relationship was. He whispered in her ear after her outburst, calming her…. centering her…. controlling her…. and even though it was just for a brief second, he seemed to have the desired effect on her that he wanted. She melted into him, letting his words float over her like a hit of her favorite drug.
“Ah, finally,” Aliah announced, although maybe four minutes had passed since we met them on the football field.
My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach, and my lungs stopped functioning. My chest constricted painfully and my vision blurred into confusion as six more Fallen walked across the field roughly holding my parents and Tristan. The evil Angels held multiple swords to each of them as they walked across the field and in front of me.
For at least a full minute I saw red…. like the actual color. My vision blurred into a hazy nothingness of rage and I fought the urge to rush at the six capable Warriors and fight my loved one’s way to freedom.
I shook my head, focusing my vision back on the people I loved most in this world and stopped thinking things through. I let an ancient battle instinct take over that had been passed from generation to generation since the beginning of time, finally landing on me and readied myself for what would be the most important battle of my life so far.
My eyes met my parents, who stood with unabandoned resolve, ready for whatever fate they faced. And then flickered to Tristan’s who mirrored their resolve. I took a second to stare at him and forced myself to believe he was actually ready to die; but his emerald green eyes shimmered with a strong belief in me and if it wasn’t me that could save him than he could face death. He was willing to die for this….
My heart contracted at the thought of it. The impossible thought of it. I would never let him die from my war. Never.
“A human, Aliah? Really?” That’s low for even you.” Serena growled, her shoulders trembling with barely restrained anguish.
“Really?” Aliah asked dryly. “You really think there is something too evil for me?”
Laughter bubbled up in Seven again and the sound was hauntingly refreshing in the midst of all the thick battle tension. And because of that, she seemed even more disturbing. I hated the brightness of her light and the depth of her evil mixed together. She shouldn’t be able to keep both.
“Off you go, my pet. Say goodbye to your brother and I’ll meet you at home,” Aliah murmured to her sweetly.
“Seth won’t you come with me?” Seven asked, her bottom lip trembling in a pout.
“No, Seven,” Seth growled, his voice husky from a complexity of emotion I couldn’t even comprehend.
I began to tremble then, looking across the field at my parents and Tristan, at hearing the turmoil in Seth’s voice. I needed the battle to begin now, I needed to move into action and save some people. My eyes cut to Tristan’s again and held his gaze for a moment, promising him I wouldn’t let anything happen to him.
“Till next time then,” Seven smiled wickedly at Seth and then she shot across the field to cup his face in her hands.
The rest of us stood shocked for just the second it took for her to place a kiss on his cheek and then shoot up into the sky. Seth’s eyes followed her but he stayed next to me, he stayed with me to fight.
And I could literally feel the war waging inside of him to follow her.
Thankfully, with Seven’s movement the battle began. Serena descended on Aliah with all of her heavenly power and the rest of us followed suit. Swords were drawn, metal met metal, and the sound of Shadows shrieking and screaming filled the air.
The black sky opened up and snow poured from the dark clouds in a violent blizzard of ice and wind. I let my light extend around me so that I could be as strong of a fighter as possible. Lightning cracked overhead and flashed; striking images of good versus evil all over the field came in short glimpses through the darkness.
Seth and I worked together in perfect unison, fighting off Fallen and Shadows alike. Evil seemed to be everywhere, attacking from every direction. I moved so fast and struck out my sword so quickly that it felt like I was fighting blind. I struck before I could see what I was striking at and I blocked before I could see what was coming. I was engaged with the one remaining evil Star, matching her sword swings exactly with mine, while also fighting off the relentless flow of Shadows that thickened the air into a black choking blanket around me.
I had one goal and one goal only and that was to get to my parents and Tristan.
It was impossible to see who was winning or who was fighting who. We were a jumbled mess on the football field.
A Shadow sliced against my lower back and my knee fell to the soggy floor. I swung my sword up over my head to meet my opponent and made it just in time. She had swung down straight with all of her power and the viciousness of her blow jostled and unnerved me. I dug my toe into the ground and sprung forward, knowing she would be off balance because of the power she put into her swing. Without thinking things through too closely, I swung my sword out to the side and across my chest. I hit her weapon at just the perfect place near the hilt and knocked it out of her hands. I let the momentum of my swing turn me in a full circle and then while she still watched her blade fall to the ground with wide eyes, my sword connected with her neck and sliced all the way across.
Her head lolled forward and then fell hollowly to the ground before her body crumpled and followed.
I suppressed a sob and kept moving without look
ing back at my victim. Shadows had been the extent of my killing up until now, save for the kindergarten hamster that met an untimely and accidental death at my hands years ago. Even if she was evil, even if she had turned her soul over to the Darkness…. she was still a Star, an unnamed and dead Star.
And I was responsible for her death.
I didn’t have much time to think about it though as I was met with another of the Fallen, this one a huge Warrior that had helped drag my parents here. My saber met his and we fought each other just a few feet from where my parents and Tristan still knelt, living at least. They were only guarded by two Fallen now, and I assumed the rest had needed to join the battle…. which was a good thing.
A very good thing.
The bad thing was that my parents were definitely still unarmed and Tristan was in serious danger.
So was I.
This Warrior was unbelievably strong. My muscles ached and trembled from the effort to continue to fight and hold him off. My feet started to slow and the Shadows had worked their icy cold death into my veins making me feel sluggish. I kept Tristan in my peripheral vision at all times to motivate me to get to him, but this Warrior was determined to end this battle quickly.
Iced bits of snow whipped against my face as the blizzard consumed the air around us. My hair was slicked across my throat and forehead and my clothes were soggy and dripping water. The ground wasn’t softening even with the light of our presence heating it while we fought; the cold temperature of evil seemed to win out even against the ground.
And it seemed it would win out against me too, as I failed to meet the Fallen’s swing in a fatal error and stumbled awkwardly to the ground. I stared up into his black eyes, with his gray haze surrounding him and my mind found complete clarity. He raised his sword high above his head and stepped on my sword so I was helpless to defend myself.
I closed my eyes not giving myself time to think about the end, but it turned out my moment of zen wasn’t necessary. Seth let out a battle cry of fierce determination and when I opened my eyes again he had flipped through the air and decapitated the Fallen Warrior before the bad guy could turn around and realize he was in trouble.