Unnerving Doubt
3 5
“You do realise that Shifters have no reason to hate us?” Clarence points out to Charles as they stroll through the alleyway together.
They were sent out on assignment by Robert earlier this morning. A Spellcaster was caught using dark magic on a Mortal. The Ascendancy was informed, and the two boys were sent out to investigate while the Elders met with the White Women.
Clarence wasn’t thrilled by the idea of working with Charles, but he also knows it’s the perfect opportunity to show Robert that he is leadership material. Yet, he’s now so close to hitting Charles over the head with the way he’s trying to blame the carvings on Shifters.
“Shifters don’t care who hates them,” Charles spits out annoyed, “they are ferocious creatures and will attack anyone in their way.”
Clarence looks at him sideways. He often wonders what goes through Charles’ mind. With all the hatred he expresses for the other Marked kinds, Clarence knows that if Charles is selected as the next leader of the Ascendancy, the entire world will be tipped upside-down with chaos.
He shakes his head at him. “Shifters are not all like that, Charles. Only the wild rabid ones that live in the forest and attack Mortals who stupidly go hiking on their own and never return again to see their family. Most of the civilised ones are like you and me. They’re normal and fit into society. They know the rules of the Ascendancy and abide by them, for the most part… ”
Charles scoffs in disagreement. “Please, Shifters have their scent all over these attacks. Who else would be wanting our kind dead? Carving shapes of celestial symbols into their flesh. If you ask me, I think it’s some crazy sacrament those wolf Shifters complete for full moons. Wanting to get rid of us so they can rule over everything. I hear things down at the docks. The Marked kinds want us out of leadership. They want to rule themselves. Wild beasts, if you ask me.”
Clarence’s mouth shuts. He’s not even going to bother arguing with him anymore on this subject. It seems like a waste of breath. “Are you joining the Night Guard?” he asks, changing the topic completely.
He gives another scoff. “I’ll be the leader soon, so there will be no chance of me patrolling the city at night for Infernals.”
Clarence lifts a brow. “You are aware that your father patrols with us from time to time?”
“Yes, and I don’t agree with that. He doesn’t need to help patrol. He has more important things to worry about.”
“Well, no, he doesn’t need to, but it’s considerate to help out once in a while.”
Charles shakes his raven hair. “Well, I will not be helping when I am the leader.”
Clarence just rolls his eyes. There’s no use trying to talk him into it. Charles is overly stubborn and too smug to consider helping out others. Clarence doesn’t even know why he’s trying right now. It just seems pointless.
They stroll past one of the bars in Soho. Some Marked creatures stumble out from an entire night of drinking and dancing. It’s still early morning. Dawn broke over the city less than an hour ago. It’s normal to see people out this early returning home.
They continue down the alley. Oil lamps have burnt out on either side, but the warm glow of the rising sun is enough to light up the laneway. Dew and chill fill the air. Winter has most certainly arrived. A wintry breeze blows through the narrow walkway, and frost drops in tiny flakes to the cobblestone ground .
At the end of the alley, Clarence sees a few people rushing past. A few yells and gasps fill the air, and he instantly knows something is wrong.
Clarence breaks out into a run.
Charles calls out for him to slow down, but Clarence ignores his request.
A cluster of onlookers surround something on the ground. Women cover their eyes as men kneel to investigate.
Clarence pushes between two people to see his body lying in an unnatural way on the cold cobblestones. Light brown eyes staring dully into the sky, his bark-coloured hair strewn about like a bird’s nest and mattered with essence and blood. His body is stripped of material, and deep carvings have been etched into his skin. His own bodily fluids pooling around him, drying into the stone beneath.
Clarence pushes down the unpleasant bile burning its way up his oesophagus, kneeling beside Levi’s contorted body. Reaching out his fingers in the slightest bit of hope, he’s immediately shattered by the lack of pulse beating through his friend’s veins. Clarence’s chest feels as though someone has slammed it with a sledgehammer. Devastation icing his insides.
Charles brushes against him, covering his mouth in shock. “Levi. They got Levi.”
Clarence stares up at him momentarily before removing his coat and covering up Levi’s torn body. “Tell them all to leave.” He mutters to Charles. “We need to get him out of here.”
Listening to him for once, Charles scatters the crowd that’s accumulated around them, gasping and commenting on the bloody scene.
Closing Levi’s eyes, Clarence takes him into his arms, not caring if Levi’s blood ruins his own clothes. Levi was one of his closest friends, being only a few months younger than himself. His throat works as he looks at Levi’s limp body hanging in his arms, lifeless and battered .
“We have to get him to the infirmary. The Elders will know what to do.” Clarence tells Charles without looking at him.
Charles’ face twists with a look of disgust, “Are you sure we should not just leave him here to be assessed? I can tell them to come down here themselves.”
That scored him an icy glare from Clarence. “We are not just leaving him here. Levi was my friend. The least we can do is take his body to the Ascendancy like decent people. Do you have even a lick of respect in that cold heart of yours?” Clarence grits out as he walks away towards the Ascendancy building.
Charles scurries after him like a frightened puppy. “I just don’t really like dead bodies.” He admits in a murmur.
Clarence scoffs repulsively, “Really? I hadn’t noticed.” Sarcasm dripping off each word.
“I am not like you, Clarence,” Charles lets out, sounding vulnerable for a moment, “I have never been around death like you and Kora. This is why I don’t want to join the Night Guard. It’s not that I am scared of Infernals. I am terrified of dead bodies.”
Clarence halts and looks slightly down at his olive-green eyes. They look wide with honesty, which he’s never seen before in Charles. “Charles, nobody likes dead bodies-except perhaps the White Women-but apart from them, nobody else likes dead bodies. Believe me, the last thing I want to be doing right now is carrying my deceased friend to the infirmary like this, but it’s what we do. We are fighters, not pansies!”
Charles’ eyes flare even more at Clarence’s irritation. “All right. You’re right. It’s the least we can do, just,” he pauses to bite the corner of his mouth, “can you carry him on your own? I don’t think I can handle touching a dead body.”
He swallows as Clarence rolls his eyes and walks past him, not bothering to say anything.
They make their way back to the Ascendancy. Everyone’s gaze is on Clarence as they hurry from Soho to Holborn. Charles strides in front of him, never turning around to see if Clarence was behind him still with Levi’s body-not, that Clarence even expected him to care.
“Who is that?” A young Elemental couple gawks at Levi as they pass by. The silver of her Mark peeking out from the top of the ladies’ dress sleeve.
“Have you never seen a dead Seraphim before?” Charles grumbles at her.
The lady shakes his head hurriedly, eyes widening in astonishment as her husband drags her away before Charles has time to snap at them again.
Clarence mutters with irritation, “Must you be rude to everyone ?”
“I’m not rude,” Charles snarls at him over his shoulder. “I just know my worth?”
“Your worth?” Clarence echoes, catching up to him.
“Yes, my worth. I know who is worth my time and who’s not. Those two aren’t worth my time.”
Clarence’s mouth opens in disgust. “You have a lot of problems.”
“I do not!” Charles snaps in his direction.
Ignoring him, Clarence pushes on along the cobblestone road. Levi’s body is heavier than he thought, so he’s eager to get to the Ascendancy as fast as he can to put him down. He stops on the side, re-adjusting his grip on his friend. “You don’t even offer to help me?” he snarls back as Charles walks right past him.
“I told you, I don’t like dead bodies.”
“And I don’t like stubborn, arrogant boys, but you don’t see me complaining right now,” Clarence retorts.
Charles shoots him a glare. “Don’t call me arrogant.” He spits out.
“Why? You don’t want to acknowledge the truth?”
His gaze narrows on Clarence, who is flushed with exhaustion and irritation. “Go to Hell, Hamilton.” Charles sneers.
“I will be sure to look for you when I am there, then.” Murmuring under his breath, even though Charles is way out of hearing range already .
He summons all his strength and continues carrying Levi until they reach the infirmary. Charles reluctantly opens the doors for Clarence before rushing up to the Elders and the White Woman. A dark-skinned lady dressed in the familiar white gown watches them enter the room along with the Elders.
“Father, we have found another one.” Charles interrupts their conversation.
Clarence places Levi’s half covered body on one of the cleared metal examination tables and steps backwards, allowing the woman and Percy to step forward to begin assessing Levi’s body.
“Where was he found?” Tobias asks Clarence hastily.
“In Soho. We were there for an assignment and stumbled upon him. I have no idea how long he’s been dead for before someone discovered him, but there were quite a few around by the time we showed up.”
Tobias scratches his stubbled chin. “Another adolescent.” He mumbles.
“We need to stop this, Robert. That’s three sacrifices now,” Thomas points out, stepping beside Percy and Lavina, who are examining the carvings closely.
“What sacrifices?” Clarence questions, looking around the room. This is what they must have been discussing before they’d interrupted with Levi’s body.
Lavina shares everything she knows with Clarence and Charles while examining the boy’s carved figure closely.
Clarence curses loudly, and Lavina gives him a stern glare. “Apologies.” He murmurs to her.
Lavina clears her throat, turning to Robert. “I will take the body with me to the stronghold. Make sure you have that blade found. The other women are beginning to worry, and while I’m here to safeguard the dead and dying, I also need to protect my kind.” She grits out authoritatively. “Find the blade and stop the Angels, Mr Bladesmith, before we are all doomed. ”
She and Levi’s body disappear through a swirling argent portal minutes later. The rest of them are left crowding the infirmary.
“The Blade of Uriel,” Clarence scratches the back of his neck. “I know where it is.”
“We need it safe. It’s a weapon that can bring down a Dark Angel. It can stop whoever it is killing our people.”
Clarence nods to them. “It is safe. It’s in very capable hands, and I think Kora can protect it.”
“Your sister has it!” Charles yells, storming up to Clarence and pinning him against the brick wall. “She’s had it this whole time!”
“Calm down,” Clarence says, shoving him off. “I only recently handed it to her. Our mother left for her to use.”
“Tessa left it for your sister. But does she realise how powerful that thing is?”
Clarence shrugs. “She knows it belongs to Uriel.”
“Then why hasn’t she returned it to him?” Charles snaps.
Clarence groans loudly. He can’t believe he’s about to do this to his sister, but he is quite literally backed into a corner right now. They’re all looking at him for an answer. “Because she’s a descendant of Uriel.”
They all stare at him, eyes wide with disbelief.
“You mean, she’s from Uriel. The Archangel.” Percy finally speaks up.
Clarence nods, “Yes, but she didn’t want anyone to find out.”
“She can wield the blade, then.” Percy continues.
“Wield?”
“Yes. It’s how the Archangels use their weapons. Only those with angelic blood can touch the weapon and use it. Seraphim can, but if she’s a descendant of the Archangel herself, then her powers with the blade will be stronger than anyone else’s.”
“What if the person is a descendant, but also dark?”
Percy shakes his head at him in confusion. “What do you mean as dark ? ”
“If a Dark Angel is seeking the blade, then he needs Archangel blood to use it.”
“Correct.” Percy confirms.
“So he can use it himself then.” Clarence’s voice dropping lower.
“Who can?”
“Colton. My-” the word catches in his throat. Bitter against his tongue like metal.
Tobias hastily disagrees, “No. Not possible. Colton was killed as an infant.”
“Then why was his death not recorded in the archives?”
Robert, Thomas, Tobias and Percy all look at each other in realisation. “Wait, if Colton wasn’t killed, then you’re saying-”
“I’m saying Kora and I believe he might still be out there trying to become the seventh Dark Angel. He’s making these sacrifices to gain power to destroy the world.”