Rebirth - The Beautiful Fallen (34 page)

             
I felt my heart almost stop at those words.  And my first thought was that this just couldn’t have been.  Zane wouldn’t have betrayed us like this.  He’d told me many times now that he’d never turn on his friends and allies.  Why would he lead us into a trap like this?  I was certain that it went against everything he stood for.

             
Didn’t it?

             
A strange sound brought me back to reality again.  Near us, the shadows seemed to move across the darkened floor, seeping upwards into the writhing shapes of creatures with cavernous black eyes and mouths that opened to reveal flames within them.  They shrieked at us as they saw us.  “Oh my God, what are those things?” I asked as we took a step back. 

             
“They’re young Shades.” Chris told me.  He looked around for a moment, then caught sight of the stairwell in the next room.  “We’ve got to get out the hell of here right now.  Even younger Shades are hard kills, especially when they're in a group like this.  They’ll tear us to shreds if they can get a hold of us.”

             
The Shades seemed to draw closer to us as we moved back.  Whenever we walked, they glided towards us, leaving deep scratches in the flooring with their claw like hands.  Chris quickly swung his sword at one as it got too close, and it passed through its arm, causing it for fall off.  The thing shrieked, its cry echoing through the large room. Quickly jumping back, it hung onto the wall near us, and I stared in disbelief as the arm regenerated.

             
Finally, we were able to get to the doors leading into the other room that had the stairway.  “Get moving and try to get upstairs.  I’ll be right behind you.  If you can make it to a window, open it and fly out to safety.” Chris ordered as he slammed the double doors shut and locked them.  We could hear the Shades on the other side pounding loud and hard against them.

             
“But…” I started.

             
“Just go now!  I’ll hold these things off long enough for you to get away.” Chris interrupted.

             
I really didn’t want to just leave him all alone down there like that, especially seeing the doors begin to splinter a little as I turned to run away.  But I also knew better than to disobey.  I had formed my spear that I'd learned to make to protect myself, but I didn’t think I’d have much luck in holding them off for very long.  And I certainly couldn’t fight as well as he could.  I’d only have been in the way.  So I headed up the stairway and down the next long hallway.  It was darker now, and I could feel the electricity in the air intensifying.  And to top it off, it seemed like all of the windows were gone.  In desperation, I tried using my pendant to call for Saffron, but it wouldn’t work.  Was some kind of unseen force blocking it now?  Was that even possible with a Heretic Stone?

             
But as I reached the next turn, I was surprised to feel someone grab my arm and pull me down and off to the side.  “Quickly, stay still!” a familiar voice ordered.  Just as it did, I saw lights wiz past us in the open space I'd just been in.  They were the same kind of lights I’d seen when those angels had attacked us only the night before.  It was a good thing I’d been pulled down to that hidden space, or I would’ve been hit dead on.

             
Finally turning myself around, I was shocked to see that it was Zane who had grabbed me.  “How’d you get here?” I asked, forgetting for a moment about everything that had just started happening moments before.

             
“I was up here when I suddenly realized that the atmosphere had begun changing.  It looks like they pulled a fast one on us.  It seems that those tickets were bait to lure us in here.” Zane replied, letting out an exhausted breath.

             
His words brought the reality crashing back to me very quickly.  “You liar!  Why the hell did you bring us here?  You knew all along that this was a trap, didn’t you?” I said angrily, standing myself back up.  The gravity of the situation was definitely weighing down on me now.  It was no coincidence that this had happened.  Zane had betrayed us.  He’d led us right into a trap.

             
“What?  I had no idea that they were planning such a thing.  I simply followed the invitation I’d gotten at my last showing.  I get them all the time.” Zane defended, standing himself up as well.  He looked around again.  “What's happened to Christoff?  Where is he?”

             
“He’s down there fighting off those Shade things or whatever he told me they were!” I replied.

             
Zane stared at me in shock.  “They sent Shades as well?” he said in disbelief.

             
At that time, we both heard the sound of wings coming towards us.  Within seconds, Chris landed near us, using his wings for a powerful gust to send the incoming Shades back down the hallway.  “Now’s a fine time to deny any involvement Zane.” He confronted him as he stood himself up straight.  I could see where he’d ripped open the back of his shirt when he’d brought out his wings quickly.  He probably knew that he wouldn’t have a choice.  In a way, I was kind of glad that I had a low cut back in mine.  I’d come to prefer those kinds of shirts and dresses anymore for that reason.  At least, I wouldn’t have to destroy my clothes if this kind of thing happened.  Again, stupid thoughts in a bad situation…

             
“I told you, this was none of my doing.  I wouldn’t betray us to the powers that would kill us.  I would never believe that they wouldn’t kill me as well!” Zane protested.

             
“Then how can you explain all of this?” Chris challenged, looking back as we heard more shrieking from the nearby stairwell.

             
“I… don’t know.  I don’t know how they knew we would all come here tonight.  The invitations were private to this.  Even if I came, there was no guarantee that you and Ariana would, or Will for that matter.” Zane replied.  He looked like he was grasping at straws himself with this.  It made me question if maybe, just maybe, he was actually telling the truth and didn’t have any involvement at all in what was happening.  But if not, then who had planned this?

             
Still, we had bigger things to deal with then blame at that time.  I was reminded of that by the horrible sounds coming closer again.  “Don’t you think there might be a better time to deal with this?  Those things are coming back.” I told them.  For as upset as I felt at being betrayed somewhere, I wasn’t ready to let myself get killed either.

             
Chris let out a frustrated breath.  “Zane, you’d better tell us the right way to get out of here, or I’m going to drive this sword straight through your heart.” He ordered, pointing the sword at him.

             
“I swear to you that this isn’t my doing!” Zane snapped back.  “But there is a large ballroom up here.  And off of it are the balconies.  Maybe if we could get ourselves to them, we could fly away.”

             
“It’s worth a shot in the dark.  Come on then.  Let’s get moving.  Hopefully we’ll be able find Will there as well.” Chris said, taking my hand.  He looked back over, and we followed his gaze to see the shadows twisting and moving towards us from down the hallway.  The Shades were coming back up there, and they were definitely angry.  The three of us quickly turned and began to run.  There was no way that we'd be able to face this huge group of them.  We were dangerous outnumbered.

             
As it turned out, the ballroom that Zane was talking about wasn’t that far from where we were.  Getting inside, we slammed the large door closed as the Shades slammed against it.  We could hear the scratching and muffled screeching, but the heavy door actually held them back.  But turning and looking at the room we’d come into, I immediately froze.  The floors and walls all looked like they were made of crystal glass, and there was no furniture at all in there.  I felt my eyes widen as I stared in disbelief.  And then, the vision flashed through my head again.  Oh my God, it was all the same.  The dark, shadowed shapes coming after us, Chris pointing his sword at Zane.  And this room, the room that looked like it was made of crystal.  It was all the same…

Beside me, Zane was staring in disbelief as well.  “What... what is all of this?” he managed to say.

              Chris quickly pulled me back behind him.  “You know damn well what it is.  You led us right into another trap!” he accused.

             
“No!  I swear, this is none of my doing!  I had no idea about any of this!” Zane protested, backing away from the point of the sword.  He was in too much shock apparently to draw a weapon of his own to defend himself.

             
But before anymore could be said, another voice interrupted us.

             
“Of course it wasn’t him.  It was me.”

             
The three of us turned to see a black winged figure walk out from behind one of the glass columns.  I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw who it was.  “Will?” I whispered.

             
“You did this?” Zane said in disbelief.  “But… why?”

             
Will smiled at us.  “Honestly Christoff, did you really think that Zane has the spine to turn against his own kind for his own salvation?  He barely managed to survive before he met you.” He said.

             
Chris’s eyes narrowed in anger as he looked at him.  “Why this?  What could they have possibly offered you to make you turn against the ones who’ve stood beside you?” he asked him evenly.

             
“Why you ask?  For a just a little bit of salvation, of course.” A deep voice said.  As we watched, a large mass of golden light appeared from the ceiling and landed behind Will.  It turned into the form of a beautiful man with long blond hair and blue tinted wings.  He was very tall and strong looking, and dressed in light, gold colored armor. 

             
“Judiel!” Zane said, his wings quickly bursting out.  He swung his hand over, forming his own sword in it.  It looked a lot like Chris’s, although the black flames seemed brighter.  But that could’ve very well been for how mad he was now.  No doubt he didn’t like that he’d almost been blamed for the situation we were in, or that our so called friend had done it.

             
“So you do recognize me.  It seems you all have good memories for heretics.” Judiel commented.

             
“Of course we'd know you.  After all, you did manage to kill most of our families.” Chris said, staying in a defensive stance in front of me along with Zane.

             
“That is true.  But as I recall it, I only killed heretics who shielded forbidden children.” Judiel said, actually looking thoughtful now.

             
“A murderer!  That's all you are!  They were innocent human lives you took!” Zane said angrily.

             
At that time, I noticed the wall morphing a little near us.  And from it came another Shade.  It looked like a billowing black shadow with huge claws for hands, and was much, much bigger than the ones we’d seen downstairs.  A loud, screeching roar came from its burning mouth as it appeared.  But it didn’t move to attack us.  Instead, it slithered back and forth on its long tail, as if anxiously waiting.  Apparently, Judiel had control over it.

             
“So what’s this all about anyways?  Why recruit one of our own?” Chris asked him.

             
“Isn’t it obvious?  Because having a Fallen Child on our side is perfect for our needs.” Judiel replied.  He quietly put an arm around Will’s shoulders, pulling him in closer.  “What better than offering them something that they would want more than anything?  Your former friend here certainly wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to regain what was once had.  Not to mention he gave us all of the information we’d ever needed to know about our newest addition.”

             
Chris just shook his head.  “So those angels were sent to see if she was really there, and to see just where I was.  I’m not stupid about any of this Judiel.  I know you’ve been aiming for my head for years.” He said, the anger now seeping into his voice.

             
Judiel smiled, letting Will go.  “Of course.  Not to mention I had to see where that father of yours was.  Even catching that other one coming out of captivity was well worth the loss.  After all, contending with the Dark Ones is a chore that we ourselves do not need to take on unless it has to be done.  This way is much easier.” He said.

             
Near us, the Shade slithered back and forth a little more rapidly.  No doubt it was itching to get to us now.  But Judiel was keeping it held like a lion in a cage where it was.  By then, I could also see the smaller Shades appearing in the corners of the room as well.  “So this is what it comes down to.  You’ll send the monsters after us instead of doing it yourself.  You’ve become nothing but a coward.” Chris commented.

             
“Of course not.  The monsters are only for your friends here. 
You
I want for myself.  And that girl will serve as a display of our power.” Judiel told him.