Chapter 27
Stepping out of the star gate into the massive amphitheater was jarring. For a brief moment, all that existed was the quiet of the gate as I traveled, feeling like I was being shot across the galaxy through the stars. I was entirely enveloped in starlight with a rush of breezy wind.
As I stepped from the star gate, and planted myself midair, I hovered over a platform that led into Titombwe—the largest amphitheater in all of the Ouanaviel Empyrean. Empràr Zadkias had an obsession with them.
Smaller versions could be found throughout Ouanaviel, and across all the neighboring islands. He enjoyed the thrill of having mass ceremonies performed in them. He also used them for entertainment. Sport. Terror.
One never knew what Titombwe would consist of. Either worship of the Infinite, or a game of angels versus gods where they had to fight to the bloody end.
“Something about this Titombwe feels different.”
I looked at Ellabeth as she floated over from her star gate.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“The air is charged with something…” She looked around, squinting across the darkness. “I can’t put my finger on it. But something’s…off.”
“Mm.” I looked around Ouanaviel’s colosseum. The trimoons hung overhead, the bright silver stars etched in ivory shining down on us. A light breeze kissed the air of the night promising a soothing chill. “I don’t know, Ellie. It seems like any other Titombwe mass we’ve ever attended. Come on.”
I began floating around, hunting for a good seat.
Presbitari Davithius had given us free will.
Titombwe was a public event, where angels and the other Elledellien races were invited to come watch and participate.
Since everyone who chose to come would be here, all Disciples were allowed to split up and be with their friends and family from outside of Temple Efysis.
I searched the dark for silver eyes with purple streaks, purple eyes, thick hair, and swirling starlight.
If my family was here, streaks of their starry ethèr would give away their position.
I scanned the millions of angels present, as they all filed into the innumerable amount of cloudchairs available.
“You really don’t sense it, Sazu?” Ellabeth asked. She was scanning, too. I followed her gaze and fanned out into a close direction. If we could find the blonde headed, water-ethèred Riventhelles, then I’d spot the Anathelles, too. “The air is charged.”
“Ellabeth.” I flew across rows of cloudchairs, passing gilded upholsteries covered in glass with platters of food, Saccrents, and bowls of incense.
“It’s Titombwe. There’s a gazillion angels here.
Not to mention, the Gods, Giants, Shifters…
everyone is here. Of course there is a ‘charge’ in the air. But it’s not anything sinister.”
I flew up several levels, passing row after row, aiming for higher ground to scan the mass of Titombwe better. Stars. Why was the colosseum so stars-forsaken large?
“Whatever.” Ellabeth kissed her teeth. “I’m telling you, something’s up.”
I didn’t answer. Flying to an archway, I hovered by the ivory stones, looking over the sea of golden cloudchairs already filling up with angels, and the differing races, from all over Ouanaviel.
Down by the lower levels, reserved for nobility, Farasees, Empyrean Legionnaires and Watchers, and angels of Seraphim rank, I spotted a flash of starlight.
Found them.
I spread my wings and shot down from my high perch like lightning. The fresh wind brushed my cheeks as I descended endless rows, flying past all the attendees until I made it down to where most of the Disciples were seated with their loved ones.
Up close, I spotted a head of ivory. When he turned, his silver eyes with purple streaks plastered the widest grin on my face.
“Ezekiel!” I shrieked. His head snapped to my direction. My eldest brother floated to me, arms wide, and scooped me up. I squeezed him tight, fighting tears. “I’ve missed you! Stars. We haven’t seen you since you left for the Seal Gate!”
“Sazu,” he said, affectionately. “You did it. You burning did it. You’re a Disciple.”
“Did you ever doubt me?”
He scoffed, pulling his head back to reveal a wide, white-toothed grin. “You’re an Anathelle. I’d never doubt you.”
“Stop hogging the little runt!”
I spun and found Hosea already reaching over to scoop me out of Ezekiel’s arms and into his tight embrace. I laughed as my brother squeezed me like I was still a youngling.
“Save some for us, too, yeah?”
I opened my eyes and found my other brothers, Uriah and Gabriel, waiting for their embrace. I threw myself into the warm hugs of my brothers, before a throat cleared itself.
When Gabriel, who was younger than me by a few hundred cycles, put me down, I turned to find Jael and Evanae with crossed arms but beaming eyes. They stared at my golden Disciple gown with shining pride.
I grinned as I threw myself into their arms. All three of us squeezed each other for a long time. Stars, I’d missed them so burning much. So much had happened since I’d left. It had only been several weeks since becoming a Disciple, but it felt like I’d already been in the temple for cycles.
“Gold looks good on you.”
Jael smiled at me, making me flush. My older sister had always been hard to impress.
But seeing her mauve eyes glitter with pride made something in my chest swell.
Evanae slipped closer, looking like a youngling version of Papi, with bright silver eyes, bone white, braided coils down her spine, and umber skin.
“Do you like it in there?”
Evanae watched me with a curiosity that almost made me laugh. I slipped her hand into mine, lacing our fingers.
“It’s been…interesting. To say the least.”
“What does interesting mean?” Hosea raised a brow, his purple eyes watching me intently. Like me, he got Manmi’s features. Sharp eyes, brown skin, dark brown hair.
“I don’t even know how much I can share?” I shrugged. “Manmi prepared me for a lot, but there’s still so much I wasn’t ready for. The amount of deaths being among them.”
“I’m…sorry.” Jael butted in. “Deaths?” Her eyes widened. “Of whom?”
“Disciples, Jayi,” I whispered. “They’ve been dropping like shadowbats with everything we have to do in there. Surprise trials. Bonding us to the Fallenspawn—”
“The whom?” my siblings chorused all at once.
Trumpets began blaring as tanbou drums began to beat all over Titombwe.
“Letters,” Hosea said, leaning into my face. “Write them. Send them. With details.”
I snorted. “As if you can read them, Watcher Hosea! Deployed Watchers in active combat don’t have time for letters.”
“Yeah? Well, Incense Fusers do,” Jael said, raising a brow.
I opened my mouth to say something else when the trumpets blew a final warning for everyone to take their seats.
I sat in the middle of my siblings, with Evanae to my right, still holding my hand.
Jael sat at my left. Uriah and Hosea sat on the other side of Jael, while Gabriel and Ezekiel sat on the other side of Evanae.
Papi had always instilled in my brothers to shield us Anathelle females at all costs, no matter where we were, regardless of age and distance of time.
I leaned forward, tilting my head to look for Ellabeth. I found her, also nestled at the center of her three older brothers. We smiled at each other, before I leaned back in my cloudchair and faced forward.
I looked around, marveling at the diversity of life all around Titombwe. The Shifters all sat in one section this twinight, remaining in their dominant form.
The Dragèth sat perched on stone mounds.
The dragons clustered together, sitting tall and proud, their large, scaly bodies gleaming beneath the starlight.
The Pagali were adjacent to them, as the Pegasi sat on their haunches, their hooves scuffing the ground.
I didn’t see any Unikai. It seemed the unicorns opted not to show up.
But the Ylisks were also here. I stared at the terrifying basilisks as they swung their serpentine heads, looking around as if searching for prey.
Then there were my fellow Angels. All the angels sat mainly with their own ranks. The only ranks that weren’t present were the two higher than Seraphim: the Calvaethim and Iris.
Thank the living stars.
Calvaethim lived in a separate realm where the Infinite himself physically called home. The realm of the Ellelights. Their presence here would mean certain judgment and cataclysmic punishment.
I frowned. I knew there were Iris angels here because eight of them were in the Purification Hall. But none of them found this Titombwe mass important enough to be present.
“Strange,” I muttered. “Not only are there no Calvaethim and Iris angels, but I don’t see the Giants or the Merriens, either.”
Uriah snorted, running a hand through his braided, ivory hair.
“The Giants are definitely not coming. They’re protesting.”
Ezekiel laughed. “As if the Empràr will actually give a rot.”
“And the Merriens?” I asked.
“At war,” Hosea chimed in. “They don’t have time to come and sit around.”
Evanae sighed dreamily. I glanced at her and traced her gaze. The corners of my lips began curling into a sinister smile.
“Not you having the hots for the Faerèth?”
“The fae are just…whew.”
Her eyes were glued to a Faerèth male with deep brown skin, pointed ears, light green eyes, and dark hair down his back clasped by gemstones. He was dressed like a royal, and had the posture of one.
“Angels don’t mate fae, Vava,” I nudged her.
She snapped her head toward me. “And why the stars not?”
“Are you nuts up here?” I tapped her temple. “We rarely even mate outside of our own rank. You think it’s simple to mate outside of our race?” I pointed at the male. “You’re an angel, Vava. A Seraphim no less. He’d never be able to handle you.”