Angels of Chaos
2 8
“Daisy, I have something to give you.” Clarence’s voice is calm as they stand beside the lake together. They’re out of view from the others as Mortals dance around them and flames burn brightly in oil lamps and torches. The fresh scent of dew and leaves misting them. A cool breeze brushes Daisy’s arms and chest, but her skin is burning from their closeness. She has all of her attention turned to Clarence.
Reaching into the pocket of his coat, Clarence pulls out a small cotton pouch. The top of the pouch is tightly secured with a bow of red strings. He hands it to her, placing it into her cupped palm, “I had it made for you at the market yesterday morning. I haven’t had the chance to give it to you until now.”
Daisy stares at him for a moment before dropping the golden necklace into her hand. The small amulet engraved with flowers, daisies , to be exact. It’s stunning, like no other jewellery she’s ever owned. The delicate design is so personal to her.
“Oh, Clarence.” Her voice hushed, hand lifting to cover her mouth as she stares at its gilded beauty.
“May I?” questioning her as she admires the amulet more.
Nodding, he takes it from her hand, unclasping the ends and indicates for her to turn around.
She does.
Placing it around her throat, she can feel the light touch of his fingers grazing the sensitive skin of her neck. This simple movement sends shivers travelling down her spine. Her toes curl inside her shoes. She’s amazed by how his gentle touch can make her squirm so much.
The amulet falls to sit just above her clavicle, on display for all to gawk at. “Thank you, Clarence.”
“Don’t thank me just yet. I am not even sure it will work.”
She frowns at him. “What do you mean?”
“I had it made to protect your mind from whoever it is trying to haunt you. The Elemental said this should help. As long as you are wearing this, it will protect your mind.”
Her fingers graze the amulet. The smooth metal is cool under her touch. “How did you even think of doing this?”
“I told him of your situation, and he spelled it for me to give to you.”
Daisy’s eyes widen slightly. “You told him!”
“I had to for him to charm it correctly. Please don’t hate me for it. I’ve known Julius for years. He won’t tell anyone.” His hands cup her cheeks, lifting her head ever so slightly to gaze up into his. “I want to help you, to protect you, and this seemed like the right idea.”
Daisy nods against his hands. She goes to thank him again when he leans in, kissing her gently on her full, soft lips. Butterflies swarm her insides as her mind blanks. It’s only thinking about Clarence’s hands holding her.
Eyes fluttering closed, he deepens the kiss. His hands frame her face tighter as he leans in more. The sounds of the festival around them drowning out. This is what she’s been waiting years for, and it feels exactly like how she dreamt it would feel.
Pulling himself back after a few blissful moments, her eyes flash open to his. A full smile arresting her face as he drops his hands.
“I am so sorry. I just needed to do that.” His voice hushed.
Daisy lets out the smallest giggle, feeling her face flush with happiness. “I have been waiting a while for you to do that.”
“Oh, really?”
He goes to touch her face again when the shouting begins .
Both of their heads snap towards the loud commotion. Clarence immediately spots the group of Infernals appearing in front of the others, who are quickly grabbing at their weapons.
Clarence grabs Daisy protectively, rushing towards the others and pulling a dagger out from his leather boot.
Matthew pulls Alice behind him, following Clarence’s movements.
Daisy readies herself for the attack.
Kora twists around to see the group of Infernals covered in darkness, glaring at them with soulless dark eyes. The familiar stench of demonic energy suffocates the air as Mortals and Marked kinds scatter from the water’s edge.
Kora removes Uriel’s blade smoothly from the spot between her shoulder blades as Levi shouts in the demon’s direction, “Who sent you here?”
The Infernal at the front angles its head in a menacing way, its gnarly voice speaking gravelly, “Angels of light. We are here to retrieve something.”
Alice squeaks from behind Matthew’s back. Her pulse is thumping and rattling her bones. Her brother’s hand grips her tightly as he holds out his weapon protectively.
“Who sent you?” Levi repeats in a harsher tone.
The Infernal steps closer and blasts a shot of darkened mist towards him and Melody.
Levi takes the hit, falling backwards, and his head collides with the earth. “Levi!” Melody shouts, falling to her knees to wake him, but the impact has knocked him unconscious.
“Angels of light. We are here to retrieve something.” The demon echoes itself, like it’s programmed to only repeat one sentence.
Matthew’s jaw clenches, and he takes off, running at the Infernal. It reaches out, swiping its blackened nails towards him, but misses. Matthew grunts, spinning and tries hitting the Infernal, but his blade narrowly deflects. He swipes out again, embedding the dagger into the monster’s chest.
With a grunt, he pulls out another weapon, pushing it through the neck of the creature. A guttural scream releases from its mouth as it falls to the ground. Its flesh burns from the angelic weapon piercing its skin and failing to repair. Essence pours out leisurely from its throat like sticky water.
Clarence strikes down another as Lewis and Daisy fight off three more Infernals. At least a dozen demons swarm around them like vicious, shadowed monsters. One appears after the other as they’re being summoned from different realms. Some are holding onto demonic blades while others fight with only their dark elements and poisoned claws.
Clarence pulls a knife from the head of the Infernal lying in the shadows when another dark creature goes to hit him with a gust of darkness.
Jordan pushes him out of the way, taking the blow and falling backwards onto the hardened ground. His vision blurs momentarily.
A hand reaches out, helping him to his feet. “You all right?” Clarence asks while his attention is on the next Infernal approaching them.
“Thanks.” Jordan says with a hard look on his face.
He spots Kora on the other side of the battle, her blade swiping through an Infernal. The Infernal falls just like the others, its body leaking clear essence on the ground as she shoves it away.
Another creature is getting ready to hurl a gust of shadow at Kora. Jordan lunges forward, wrapping an arm around its neck, dragging his dagger from its throat down into its rib cage, opening up a gaping wound. The cry that floods his ears is deafening as Jordan lets go, and the creature slumps lifelessly to his feet.
Kora stares at him. Her eyes scream thank you while her body screams help .
He goes to approach her when she grabs two daggers from her thigh sheaths and tosses them through the air. They sail past Jordan into the foreheads of two Infernals who were on his heel. He looks down at them, clear liquid spilling down their faces. Grabbing a dagger, Jordan’s hurled backwards by another bout of shadowed mist.
Landing with a thud on the ground, Kora comes to stand over his body defensively. The Infernal goes to choke her when she swings her body around, clasping the creature’s forehead backwards and slicing a horizontal cut along its oesophagus. Essence pours from the wound like sap.
Jordan is both shocked and impressed with her speed and precision.
“Get up!” She yells down at him.
Jordan does as another demon approaches them, fighting it to the ground. It claws at his back, the fabric of his shirt ripping open as he wrestles his weapon against its leathery flesh. Thrusting the dagger into its chest, the Infernal lets out a sour cry of pain. Shoving it further into the creature’s cavity, Jordan watches the life drain from the Infernal’s eyes.
Wiping his forehead, Jordan whips his head around. “How many are there?” He asks loudly, although he doesn’t really want to hear her answer.
“There seems to be more appearing every second.” Kora shouts back to him.
Another creature stalks up to him. Its gaze locks onto Jordan as it outstretches its hands. Dark shadows creep along the ground, cupping around Jordan’s throat. Tendrils divide like claws, pressing into Jordan’s neck. Jordan throws a dagger, and it narrowly misses the creature suffocating him from afar. The shadows press down on his windpipe, cutting off his breathing.
Jordan grabs another knife from his sheaths, throwing it viciously. Missing a second time, he grunts, the feeling of blood filling his head overcomes his senses. His lips are puffing and bluing as he struggles to inhale oxygen.
The Infernal is now in his face, laughing darkly and maliciously. Jordan tries fighting out of the shadow’s grip when the demon stumbles into him. The tendrils diminish and Jordan sucks in as much oxygen as he can muster. Stars leave his vision as the creature slumps on top of him like a dead weight.
Pushing it off, Kora is standing beside him once again, face to face with an Infernal. Jordan raises his weapon, which is aimed at the demonic creature glaring down at Kora when he realises it’s speaking to her.
“Little one, you cannot defeat us.” It snarls at her in a scratchy voice.
“I am not little!” She shouts back at it.
The Infernal lets out a noise, “Our master sent us here to show you what you are up against.”
Kora frowns at the creature. “Up against? You think we don’t know how to defeat your kind? This is what we train for. This is the reason for our entire existence!” Shouting back.
The Infernal steps forward, causing Kora to step backwards in response. A roguish grin widening on its terrifying face, “Our master doesn’t want you interrupting his plans.”
“What plans?” Kora half yells.
“The plans to take his rightful position and overrule Earth as a Dark Angel.”
Kora looks sideways at Jordan, who is defending himself against a different demon, protecting her as she talks to the creature before her. “Dark Angels live in the depths of the Beneath. They don’t stalk Earth. Only Infernals do, their little hand puppets that we train to kill!” Kora yells out angrily.
The blackened eyes of the Infernal narrow on hers. “You think a Dark Angel wouldn’t want to come here and return this realm to its right fruition? He will become the seventh Dark Angel of the Beneath when his sacrifices are complete.”
“Sacrifices?” Kora echoes.
The Infernal grins, tilting its head in a menacing way. She feels the shock wave running through her, the creature’s hands pulling apart, sending waves of screeching noise towards her.
Kora crouches to the ground, covering her ears tightly.
“Do not stand in his way, little one.” It hisses.
Kora grunts, glaring up at the creature controlling her, “How can I when I have no idea who your master is?” She hisses back.
An evil cackle escapes its twisted mouth. “You think he doesn’t know about you, Angelus Purus. You think he hasn’t been watching you all these years? Watching your every move. Knowing every ability you harness. Figuring out who’s closest to you.” It snarls sharply with its hissing tongue. “Your precious Daisy. Your precious brother trying to protect you from everything. He failed to tell you about Colton, did he not?”
Kora removes her hands from her ears, tears of anger stinging her widened eyes. “How do you know about him?” She gasps out in shock.
Another blood icing cackle is thrown her way. “Who do you think our master is?” It hisses sharply like a serpent, followed by a vicious laugh that echoes through the deserted park.
Kora’s lips part when a dagger flies through the air, embedding itself into the head of the Infernal. Clear blood oozes from its mouth as it sinks to the ground like the rest of them.
“No!” Kora cries out, rushing over to the Infernal’s limp figure. “Colton. Is he your master? Did he send you here?”
Essence drips from its chin into the shadows beneath. Its blackened eyes somehow looking even more soulless than before.
Kora bites back a sob. She’s by no means upset about the Infernal dying. She’s mad that she wasn’t able to get a straightforward answer from the creature .
Glancing sideways to Jordan, who is fighting off yet another creature, she stumbles over, jumping onto its back and twisting its neck until she feels the tendons and bones snap apart. Its body falls limp against her.
Jordan stares in her direction, panting and wiping sweat from his forehead.
“You killed it.” Kora breathes out.
“I had to Kora. It was going to kill you itself if you waited any longer.”
“No,” she shakes her head at him, “it was warning me of-” She can’t bring herself to speak her brother’s name out loud.
“It was lying to you, Kora! That is what they do. Why would it tell you the truth? Colton is dead. DEAD ! He’s not their master, he is nothing to them. It was just a way to get under your skin!” Jordan yells at her.
She wants to believe him, but part of her can’t.
Shaking her head at him aggressively, she retorts, “What if it wasn’t lying to me?”
Jordan looks at her like she’s out of her mind. Perhaps she is. “Clarence said he’s dead. What makes you think he is alive and out there mastering Infernals and becoming a Dark Angel?”
She stares at him.
Jordan’s gaze settles on something over her shoulder. Pulling her behind him like a shield, Jordan tosses a knife at an Infernal advancing on them.
“If there is a chance, then I have to believe it.” She says loudly into his ear.
“I know you want to believe it, but Infernals are demonic, cunning creatures. They will lie shamelessly to you. You can’t believe what it tells you. You need to find out if he really died for yourself.” He shouts back at her.
Another dagger releases from his weapons belt. It flies through the air, missing the Infernal attacking Lewis .
Jordan curses loudly.
“And how do you suggest that?”
“Go to the archives in the Ascendancy. They record every death there. That should tell you your answer,” Jordan tells her.
He goes to grab another weapon, but his belt is empty.
Kora jumps out from behind, unsheathing the golden blade from her back. Driving it at the Infernal, its eyes light up as it hisses towards her.
Kora grunts, forcing the blade out. The creature’s hand grabs onto the blade and the sizzling sound of flesh burning crackles around them.
The Infernal curls over, shying away as he pins her with a dark glare. Kora slashes her mother’s blade once again and the Infernal flops limply into the grass. Clear blood sprays onto her bare skin. She feels the familiar burning sensation of the essence, but she’s too shocked to register it.
The shadowy mist begins to fade around them and the dusking sun peeks through the sky once again. The few Infernals left diminish in thin air as the last of the mist dissolves.
Kora’s eyes immediately land on Elodi’s bloodied body, lying lifelessly in the dewy grass. Her blue eyes are dull and hooded. Lewis extends a hand out to find a pulse but shakes his head at everyone. “She’s gone.”
Kora’s throat tightens, seeing the gaping wound in Elodi’s side and essence eating away at her torn flesh.
“Elodi!” Ada rushes forward, falling to her knees to hold her friend in her arms. Blood stains her clothing, but she doesn’t care. She pulls her friend into her chest, crying softly as everyone watches in silence.
Looking up, Kora notices Daisy holding her arm, a long scrap running from her shoulder to her forearm. Rushing over to her, Kora inspects the wound as Daisy sheds silent tears. “We need to get you to the infirmary. ”
“Onto it.” Clarence agrees, holding her against himself. He scoops Daisy up with ease into his arms, her wound cradled in his chest.
“I’ll meet you there,” Kora tells her brother.
He nods, leaving with Lewis and Matthew who carry Elodi’s body behind him.
“We should go with them.” Jordan says by her side.
“We will,” she agrees, taking his hand into hers, sparks shooting up her arm like bolts of lightning, “after we check the archives.”