Dark Angel Ch. 08

Ashriel quickened his pace, his heart slamming hard against his ribs over what Seth had just revealed. "But how? Is that even possible? Who could be powerful enough...?" He scowled, halting his flow of words. All the Alpha Angels together had enough power to do such a blasphemous act. Davariel's other would be Davariel's complete opposite, evil incarnate.

"I know what you're thinking. We are not out to destroy the universe."

"But you can," Ashriel accused.

"If we destroy the universe, we'd destroy ourselves."

"Devon is immortal."

Seth stopped and turned to stare at Ashriel. He stepped up close to the weretigri. "His essence is that of a divine angel. He and his son. If he takes your mind over, you won't care whether or not you live or die. He cannot die. His physical body will perish with this realm but his essence will live on in a different realm. Ainrodonel."

Seth remained quiet for a moment. "Won't that eventually happen anyway? Someday this realm will come to pass."

"We don't know that, Seth. Only the Divine one knows if and when. The Divinity created all of this. For all we know, we might just be an idea come to life within his and her mind."

Seth cheeks rose as if he were smiling. "Like some wild crazy story?"

Ashriel grinned back, but then his expression soured. "If it were a story, I'd wish for a happy outcome. Let's find Anniel. I need to hold her."

They moved forward. Ashriel's boots were covered with squashed bugs after a while, and he had to kick at a few brave rodents that attempted to scurry over his feet. At least the tunnel was wider now. It spanned about twenty feet all around. Other tunnels branched out from it and every once in a while Seth would veer off in a different direction. Ashriel only hoped he knew his way back out, because he felt lost after so many turns.

They also passed a few groups of humanoids. Thankfully, they were ignored. Ashriel's heart clenched seeing smaller rag-covered shapes. Children. There were misshapen children in the tunnels too. How could this society, that boasted so much technology, have citizens living in such deplorable conditions?

Seth stopped and began feeling a wall.

"What?" Ashriel prodded when he continued to run his hands along the metal grommets on the wall.

"There's a secret passage around here."

Ashriel was loath to touch the wall with all the insects crawling over it, but his desire to find Anniel had him gritting his teeth and feeling along the grommets as well.

Bugs kept trying crawl up his arms and he shook them off in disgust, glad he wore vinyl gloves to his elbows. The nasty things would probably crawl into his wings and hide amidst his feathers. Sweat broke out over his body and his skin crawled with revulsion.

He noticed the bugs veered away from the weretigri and grew angry. Seth was using his powers to keep the disgusting things off him.

"Why don't you do something so that—"

Ashriel stopped talking when he inadvertently slapped at one of the bugs and the metal panel before him slid open a few inches.

"Good going, Ash," Seth blurted, dashing to push the panel more.

It had some sort of spring activation, because it kept sliding back closed. They stepped through to the other side and released the panel. It slid back, but stayed open a few inches.

"It must be damaged," Seth said sliding it closed all the way. "If we leave it open it might alert them that they have intruders."

Ashriel nodded.

"I sense life ahead. We walk on like nothing. So far no one has stopped us. Maybe we can continue on the same way, but sooner or later we might need to fight."

Ashriel looked around, relived to see that in this section of the underground tunnel there were no insects. "I'm always ready for fighting." He looked back at Seth. "It is what I was born and bred to do."

Seth nodded and they moved on.

They passed more humanoids, but this time, Ashriel felt a strong tingle of power emanating from them. They also turned to look at Seth and Ashriel as they passed by, though no one said anything to them.

"She's up ahead, Ash. I can feel her."

Excitement raced through Ashriel's body at seeing his love again. Just the thought of holding her again had his loins aching. He would take her out of here and they would go straight back to Alpha 7. To hell with everything. Anniel meant all to him. He also knew that this was why reapers weren't allowed to take mates. They switched their utter devotion from the Divine One to their mates.

"Forgive me," he whispered feeling guilty.

Ashriel walked right into Seth's back and frowned looking back up.

Five men blocked their path.

"She's just around that bend, Ash. I'll take care of these goons. You go get her."

The five men standing in front of them began to laugh.

"This little intruder thinks he can take all five of us, boys."

They laughed louder.

"We'll crush his ass and have the little birdie for dinner."

Ashriel didn't have time to feel insulted that they'd called him birdie. The humanoid shapes before him began to shift, material tearing as well as flesh. Bones crackled and blood and fluids ran across the floor while the human shapes morphed into large wolves. Snarling and growling filled the air.

Seth pushed Ashriel away from him. "Go."

He didn't really need to push Ashriel away. The feel of the weretigri's power being unleashed bit against Ashriel's skin like razor blades. The air around Seth distorted and his body filled out into the shape of an enormous white tiger. Had Ashriel not jumped away, he would have ended up beneath the twenty plus foot tiger. His snarl and subsequent roar left Ashriel's ears ringing.

The minute Seth lunged at the wolves, Ashriel dashed around the corner to where he'd said Anniel was.

There was a large round chamber with a door at the far end. Standing before the door was a Seraph clad in black. One white wing spread out, the other wing was made of metal and glowed between its metallic feathers with blue light. The strange creature's face was hidden behind goggles and respirator, but his hair hung down to his waist in dark blond dreadlocks.

Ashriel summoned his divine sword when the cybernetic Seraph's wristbands began glowing green with fire.

"I will kill you," the creature rasped, his voice deep and rough like a demon's.

Ashriel spread his wings as he tore his goggles away. He no longer needed them because he felt the shift in his eyes. He knew they'd gone completely black.

He raised his sword and crouched, ready for battle. He tipped his head to the side and regarded the cybernetic Seraph calmly. "You could try."

Ashriel's sword glowed with divine fire. It was almost blinding. He'd battled Demons and devils. One cyborg Seraph would be nothing for him. His Anniel was on the other side of that door, and nothing would stop him from getting her back.