Celestial Matters

But my body was deaf to my commands.

All I could do was sit listlessly in the demon made chair.

I glanced over to the tiny inn. From its windows I saw the faint orange glow of a fire. Maria was in there. So close, and yet so far away. I could see the knight without a soul leaning against the door frame, his hand was on the pommel of his sword. He needn't have bothered. I was bested.

I wondered if I had ever stood a chance against this monster.

The demon prince sat down gracefully in his own chair. We stared at each other from across the tea table he had constructed. With a flick of his wrist red sparks once again glowed against the night's darkness. A white candles nestled in a black candelabra appeared. With a click of his fingers the wicks flared into life.

"This is all very dramatic don't you think?" I said sarcastically.

He paused, and considered me. No doubt he took in my ruffled red hair and grass stained tunic. My wards were designed to protect me from Dark magic. Not a tumble in a field.

"I thought you were her mother," he said suddenly.

I choked, "What?" I said.

He laughed. "Your relation to Maria," he explained, "I thought you would be her mother, not her sister."

I could feel something snap inside of me. If I had control of my body I would have slumped in my chair. "But you knew I was related to her?"

Devnikolus grinned, "It was the only conclusion that made sense," he said.

I raised an eyebrow, part of me had despaired ... the other half was curious.

He tapped the table impatiently, as if I was missing something unbearably obvious. "Out of all the Angels in heaven, you seemed the most interested in Maria's little predicament. You confronted her outside my cave. You should have taken her away then ... but I don't think your plans were thorough enough ... at that time you were probably just following orders."

I winced. That time outside the cave had been hard for me. My commander had ordered me to check on her, and make sure she wasn't ignorant ... but he gave me strict orders about taking her away.

I had cast an emotional block on myself for that meeting.

I told Maria about her heritage with perfect serenity ... I told her she had to be a slave.

I cried until it hurt when the spell wore off.

Tears began to pool in the bottom of my eyes. I hurriedly tried to blink them away. I refused to let Devnikolus see me cry.

The demon leaned forward, and extended a finger. He lightly brushed a tear from my cheek. I tried to flinch away ... but my arms fell to my sides. I choked back a sob. All my scheming undone ... this fight was a bad idea. I should have convinced Michael to let me have a Legionnaire or two.

Devnikolus settled back into his chair.

He looked at me curiously. He popped his tear stained finger into his mouth.

I closed my eyes.

"Look at me Cariel," he said harshly.

I shook my head slightly.

He sighed, "Stubborn Angel."

He talked down to me now ... but I could feel something wonderful happening.

I could feel my limbs loosening. The spell was losing power. If I could pretend to be immobilized, perhaps I could surprise him. The knife in my tunic was a comfortable weight.

Soon ... I thought to myself

-------

-Devnik- The flame haired Angel was crying.

It had been a long time since I had my prey so neatly trapped as this. I was like a cat with its paw on a rat's tail. The chase was already over ... now it was time for that glorious in between time. The magnificent limbo that separates the battle of wills from the damning blow.

I was enjoying laying bear her pitiful scheming.

My immobilization spell was strong enough to last well into the dawn ... and by then I will have completed my task.

Still, I could not help but torment her.

I spoke again ... to once more rub salt in her wounds.

"When you came calling upon her a second time I imagine you were prepared. You had found a way to wrest control of her away from me? Perhaps by enlisting the help of a Greater Angel?"

Cariel closed her eyes and tilted her head down. Her hands flexed slightly.

She shouldn't be able to move that much...

Cariel cleared her throat, "Michael agreed to transfer the binding spell to Viriel."

I nodded. I hadn't known such a spell was transferable ... but the Aethling binding magic had started with Michael ... hence I imagine he knew its intricacies.

I watch the flame haired Angel closely for movement. Her pointer finger twitched again. Perhaps she was not as weak as I thought ... if my immobilization spell could not hold her for even such a paltry amount of time.

The candles flickered in the wind.

Cariel watched my face ... wondering perhaps if Michael's name meant something to me.

"Ah yes," I said smoothly. "High Lord Michael the Valiant, Archangel of the Center Sphere."

Cariel nodded impertinently, her silver eyes glimmering with hatred, "I take it you know of him?" she said scathingly.

I shrugged, "Only by reputation."

She smiled, "Then you know what kind of ire you provoke by refusing me my sister."

She looked so delicious sitting there, her red hair waving in the wind ... her silver eyes radiating hatred. The moonlight was kind to her skin ... its milky light set her face alight with gentle ivory tones.

I licked my lips before I could stop myself. I had grown to enjoy Angelic blood ... and I wondered what hers would taste like.

Cariel leaned forward slightly, another movement that my magic should have denied her.

"Give me my sister and I promise Michael will not harm you. Find some human to torture. Respect the Light as a worthy adversary, and vent your perverse desires elsewhere."

I couldn't help it ... laughter welled up in my chest, and spilled over.

An owl hooted indignantly at the noise and fluttered away from his perch ... in search of quieter tree tops.

"You must take me for a fool little Angel," I said between breaths. "You've come alone three times now. If Michael was going to come and help you fight personally ... he'd be here right now. If he thought this little quest was important enough, he would have sent Legionnaires with you."

Cariel sunk lower and lower into her chair. The bluff that had sparkled brightly in her eyes waned. I watched her fingers flex again. They trailed lightly over a slight bulge in her tunic.

I continued on mercilessly, "Not even Viriel, whom I hear was her original intended stands by you."

"At least he came through with the water," Cariel muttered, almost inaudibly.

I reached into my cloak pocket, and fingered the neck band. Jon coughed in the cold air. He still stood on the inn's threshold, ready to defend me should she get the better of me, or run with Maria should things become unsalvageable.

"Yes, Cariel..." I said softly, "Viriel was useful enough to trap me here with an underhanded trick ... but then he had to fly away to an assignment ... did he not?"

Cariel didn't answer. She continued to finger the bulge in her tunic. She was being careful not to move too much ... but any movement at all meant my spell no longer held her. The only reason she would remain seated ... would be to try and surprise me.

"In fact, I would wager that you are here between assignments yourself."

Cariel's mouth turned down into a snarl.

I found myself repressing my laughter again.

A silence descended upon us.

Jon audibly cleared his throat at his post on the inn's door. I glanced at him. In all actuality I would have preferred never having to have this confrontation ... despite how amusing talking with the red haired Angel was. A question emerged upon my mind...

"Cariel ... despite your current state of failure ... I do have some respect for you. You managed to track my movements ... right from the very beginning. I would like to ask you how."

"The imp," she said sullenly.

"The imp?" I repeated questionably.

Cariel nodded slightly ... then caught herself.

"Yes," she replied. "I was watching the cave after I talked with Maria. When you set that disgusting imp with the claws and the baby's body out I tracked it's movements ... and caught him."

My mind slowly made connections ... Turkik ... my bondservant. I had forgotten all about him ... I had sent him out to discover if Maria had been asked to spy on me.

Cariel leered at me for a brief moment. "I bested him and absorbed his knowledge of you. Imagine my delight when I discovered he had a summon spell placed on him."

I cringed slightly. A summon was a specific kind of spell. It allowed me to call whatever creature was possessed by the spell to my side magically at any time. But it created a link ... like a string attached from one person to another. It would be so easy to follow that link.

I looked upon the flame hair woman differently. She had proven time and time again her intelligence and her cunning.

She was employing her trickery even now. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that my paralysis spell had degraded completely ... her complacency was an act ... to catch me off guard.

It was another trap ... one that she would spring soon.

It wouldn't be much longer now.

She would try and surprise me with the weapon concealed in her tunic.

I would be ready.

-------

-Maria- My frustration was mounting.

Seithi rei Seithi rei SEITHI REI Nothing ... the darkness spanned around me ... like a gaping chasm where forgotten things lived. I needed to see my Master ... I needed to see if he was alright.

Maybe the Angel had lied ... despite the fact that it should have been impossible. I gripped the chains around my wrists. Master loved me enough to chain me down ... I loved him enough not to let that stop me.

I was a member of the Light ... I had magic within me. I just had to find it.

Seithi rei Seithi rei Seithi rei ... I felt a tingle on the back of my neck. One lone blue spark briefly illuminated the all encompassing Darkness.

I focused on that spark. I had made that happen. Now I had to do it again. I turned my mind inward upon itself ... searching for more sparks ... more magic.

My consciousness bounced against a wall, deep inside my head. It was a weird sensation ... similar to attempting to recall a particularly elusive memory. I knew the power that I needed was just beyond this mental barrier ... but I couldn't pass ... I couldn't pass.

But I had to.

I gripped Master's chains even tighter, and threw myself utterly against the obstruction. Tears sprung to my eyes as I was repelled.

Again, I thought to myself.

Once more, I threw my being at the wall inside my mind. It caved slightly ... blue sparks jumped up against the darkness.

Once more Magic burst through the wall with the force of and intensity of thunder. Blue light poured into my consciousness. My fingers crackled with energy ... I felt more alive than I ever had before.

Cariel's words defined themselves in my head.

FREE ME! I shouted in the language of Angels.

The sparks around me seemed only too happy to oblige. Power rushed out of me with a woosh ... and went to work on my bindings. When the blue sparks touched the black manacles, a red light briefly flared.

I could sense how finely crafted they were. I could sense the magic and the intent that had willed them into being. They were so fine ... so delicate ... it was such a shame to destroy them.

A few half hearted red sparks jumped ... but they were quickly washed away by the sea of blue at my command.

With a sharp crack, the manacles dissipated, and turned to smoke.

I shifted my attention to my leg restraints, again taking the time to savor the craftsmanship of my Master. However, these too snapped easily under the onslaught of my previously untapped magic.

With my hands free I made to stand up.

To my surprise, I found I couldn't. It was as if the blackness was another restraint ... keeping me from my Master.

My magic hovered around me ... sparkling and crackling.

I willed it at the darkness around me ... and it went.

A blinding flash of red roared into life as soon as my magic touched the outer darkness. An all powerful weight suddenly seemed to press its way against me from all sides.

The blue light waned ... as I watched crimson sparks dance around them.

I pushed harder.

The lurid crimson glow flickered ... and once more my magic attacked the darkness.

"I'm coming Master!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.

Magic erupted out of my body ... and the darkness was tossed aside in a sea of ocean blue magic.

-------

Cariel and I both sensed it at the same time.

A blue flash lit up the inn with a blinding radiance ... for a moment the night sky brightened with Maria's magic. I turned my head. Jon was hurrying back inside to see what had happened.

Maria must have shaken free of my spell.

Impressive

-------

I almost didn't see it coming in time.

Cariel vaulted over the table and sprinted toward me at a blinding speed. In her hand she brandished a silver knife with a cross carved in the golden pommel.

I had been waiting for her ambush ... but I hadn't expected to be distracted by Maria's little display.

I purposely leaned back in my chair ... and kicked Cariel in the chest with both of my feet. As my boots repelled her, she viciously planted the knife in the meat of my thigh.

The cross flashed blue. Pain shot up my leg. I screamed into the night.

Cariel landed on the field once more with a thud. She sprung quickly to her feet ... and resumed her assault. She waved her hand in that same motion ... and her silver sword once more appeared in her fist.

I couldn't work my magic while a holy item was gnawing at my flesh.

I reached down ... and grasped the hilt of the knife. My hand burned and sizzled when I touched the cross ... but I ignored the agony ... and ripped it from my leg. Wet gore came away with the blade. But it would heal.

I tossed it aside.

My gaze shifted quickly up toward Cariel. Her flame hair danced in the early morning twilight ... her silver eyes gleamed in triumph.

I couldn't call my sword to my hand in time. My only hope was to overpower her with nothing but sheer magic. That would mean overwhelming her wards ... and Cariel herself ... with nothing but raw might.

It would be exhausting.

I usually didn't have to use the Demonic language to work my spells ... but they lend power and focus.

"Halt!" I screamed in the language of the Dark.

The unholy sound ripped through the clearing.

My hands rippled as I drew upon power so great ... reality and time had to bend to make way for it.

A crimson beam of lighting arced across the air.

Blue symbols appeared upon Cariel's tunic and sword ... as they attempted to deflect my will. They might as well have been ants trying to slay a dragon.

The blue runes were torn asunder with a ease.

My magic collided with the brave little Seraphim ... her body froze immediately. Red sparks shimmered gleefully across her body.

She lacked the ability to even move her eyes.

I wouldn't have been surprised if her very blood had ceased to move in her veins.

I willed myself next to her.

Her motionless face betrayed no emotion ... but the stench of her fear radiated off her in waves. I think at that moment, she truly comprehended what entity she stared at.

I was not like the pathetic Bra'rul she might have done battle with in the past. I was no Wraith ... I was no Imp, like Turkik.

I was a Prince of Hell ... and she was insignificant ... like offending dust to be brushed from my sleeves. I could feel my mortal body quivering. If I called upon any more magic this human form would crack ... and then the true form of The Prince of Destruction would be free upon the Earth.

I couldn't let things progress that far ... I would be tempting the wrath of the entire battalions of Heaven should so much Dark power be noticed.

I pulled the band from my cloak pocket, and showed it to her still eyes. "Do you know what this is dear Cariel?" I asked mockingly.

As expected ... she didn't answer.

"This is a binding ring," I crooned, "Magicians use these to control magical beings ... like you and me."

I gently fastened it around her neck.

"To activate them, you just need imbue them with a little magic ... then you'll be at the mercy of your binder."

I touched the band... "But to make this last ... to make it permanent ... I'll need to put quite a bit of magic into it."

My hand started to glow as I began to pour energy into the ring.

"You see little Angel ... when I realized that you were related ... I came to the conclusion that you would never stop hunting Maria. So I pulled this little beauty out of my collection. I don't have to kill you ... I can just bind you ... you'll become harmless."

The stench of fear grew ... this was probably her worst nightmare...

I threw my entire concentration into my work with the band. The spelling not only needed to be strong ... but it needed to be intricate. That intricacy would foil those that simply attempted to use brute force to break the band's binding hold on Cariel.

This binding would be perfect ... and it would be forever.

The green glyphs on the edge of the band began to glow ... and I continued to construct my spell.

I lost myself in its subtleties.

-------

-Maria- My eyes were created by the dusty wooden ceiling of the inn.

I took a deep breath ... and tried to get my bearings. I was in a broom closet ... huddled in a corner. Blue sparks flittered through the air like leaves in an autumn storm.

My legs were a bit wobbly, but they found purchase, and were able to support my weight. I wearily turned the door knob. I felt drained ... as if I had been running a great distance. My earlier energy had left my limbs numb and heavy.

The door opened on creaking hinges.

I came face to face with Jon.

He looked like a different man. His hair was tied back in a knot, and he wore leather armor with a intimidating looking sword hanging casually on his hip.

"What did you do?" Jon asked quietly.

The normally good natured Jon seemed to be holding back and inner intensity.

"I got out. I have to help Master! Is he still fighting? Is he alright?" I said hurriedly.

Jon shook his head. Listen, what's done is done, but I can't let you go outside. You would just get in his way. He would worry about you ... while he needs to be concentrating.

I gazed out the window. The night was not so dark any more. It was tinged with a light purple and pink "But it's almost dawn!"

Jon glanced out the window ... and seemed to just notice the same thing. "Shit," he said.

He turned on his heel and hurried back towards the door. I followed him quietly ... trying to stay unnoticed.

I peeked around Jon ... to gaze at my Master's battlefield.

What I saw took my breath away.

My Master's magic waltzed across the twilight. Red lights flashed and sparkled. The entire field was tinged crimson. The air smelt like him ... everything reeked of my Master. My breath tightened.

Threw the torrent of light and magic ... I saw the silhouette of my Master. His broad shoulders were tense ... and his dark black hair waved widely amongst the energies surrounding him.

In front of him ... was Cariel.

The Angel was dressed as I saw her last ... in a white tunic, with her long red hair down. In her hand was a vicious silver sword, emblazoned with golden crosses and strange symbols.

Her sword was raised and her face was twisted in a vicious scowl ... yet she didn't move.

Around her neck, sat a beautiful golden collar, with green runes sparkling intently along the band.

My Master's hands lay on this precious necklace...

"What's going on Jon," I whispered softly... "Is he winning?"

Jon nodded grimly. He was staring at the horizon. The sliver of the sun was almost visible on the tree tops.