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Until his wings began to illuminate, and Light danced on his armor, his hair, his face. The rest of his angels did the same, making themselves clearly visible against the night sky. The wind was gushing at this point, whipping at my hair and my wings as it came up and over the battlements.
It wasn’t long until the Guardians managed to complete their shield of interlocking Light nodes. Once they were in place, they tightened to create a latticework of Light with gaps that were barely a foot wide, not at all large enough for someone to get through.
One of Medrion’s angels came up beside him. Medrion spoke, though I couldn’t hear him.
Then a voice roared out across the gap between his forces and our bastion. “People of Helena,” came a mighty, booming voice. “I, the Archangel Medrion, have come here seeking an audience with your leader. My angels are tired, and we are in need of food and water. Please…help us.”
From across the way, Abaddon looked over at me and shook his head lightly. We hadn’t expected him to attempt this, but I was not surprised—the coward. Atop the beacon’s tower stood Helena with her Guards and her Trumpet. Helena tilted her head and spoke gently toward the Trumpet before turning her back to Medrion and entering the tower.
“The Bastion of Helena denies your request, Medrion,” the Trumpet repeated, “Kindly,get fucked.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
SARAKIEL
Apause lingered in the space after the Trumpet’s crude announcement. I was tense, as taut as a bowstring, but a small part of me wanted to laugh.
Medrion’s expression changed in an instant, from serenity to wrath, and back again just as rapidly.
Good
If he was angry, he was more likely to make mistakes.
I watched him scan the battlements, taking stock of our numbers and defenses, before settling his eyes upon me. In a brazen move that defied all tactical logic, Medrion approached the bastion and hovered at the edge of our shield, face to face with me, bathed in golden Light, his face entirely lit up.
“Sarakiel,” he said, opening his arms widely as if he was greeting a long-lost friend. “It warms my heart to know you are still alive.”
“I can’t say I feel the same way.” I responded.
“That hurts me. I’m here only to talk.”
“Like we’re going to believe a word you have to say. You’re a murderer, and you’re not getting into this bastion.”
Medrion lowered his head, then shook it, disappointed. “You misunderstand me… but it isn’t your fault.” He turned his eyes up at me. “How could you understand God’s plan?”
“God’s plan?” I frowned.
“God’s plan for all of us. I know what it is, and I have been carrying it out from the moment I received the first vision.”
“You’re insane.”
“Look me in the eyes, Sarakiel, and you will know I am telling you the truth. You will all know. I have not come here as a conqueror—I have come here as a savior.”
“That’s enough,” barked Abaddon. I had been so focused on Medrion that I hadn’t noticed him pushing his way past the other units to get to us. Azrael was also flying her way over, her Trumpet following shortly behind.
Medrion slowly turned his head. “Thereyou are,” he said, his lips curling into a smile. “The mightyTyrant. And I see you as well, Azrael. So many fresh, eager faces. But tell me, where has Helena gone? It behooves her—as leader of this self-named bastion—to be here, does it not?”
“You have come here with a force of angels ready to attack this bastion. We do not believe that you are here simply to talk, so cut the crap and get on with it.”
“You…” Medrion said. It looked like he was about to smirk again, but the smirk fell away. His eyes narrowed as he looked from me, to Abaddon, to Azrael, weighing his options. “Very well, you wish to oppose me. But first, we must discuss my need for refuge. Surely you and your angels could spare us some food and water… in the interest of having afairconfrontation. We have come all this way, after all.”
“Fair? Was it fair the way you butchered the Ebon Legion? Was it fair how you bashed Aithen’s skull in with your foot? Was it fair the way you treated me in Heaven?”
“Those were different times. I am ready to turn a page, for all our sakes. You need me.”
“We don’t need you. We don’t need your visions, we don’t need your words, and we certainly don’t need any more of your lies.”
“Did I lie to you when I told you Lucifer was the key to getting us back home? How do you think I knew about that if not through my visions? There is more you don’t know… I can tell you—I amwillingto tell you—because we want the same thing. We all want to go home.”
