The demons quickly retaliated, and they were just as skilled with their swords as the alkins. Claudia was placed in the center of the alkins and Holly as they fired back, but they always had one eye on her. As the clanking and slicing sounds of the swords echoed, all their fast movement created a dust storm. In the confusion, they were forced to separate.
Davin and Caleb leaped from boulder to boulder, trying to lure the demons and fallen away from Claudia. When they landed, they flipped behind them and took them out. Holly managed to find Vivian and they stood back to back. To baffle the demons, Holly completely enclosed both of them with her wings. When they got close enough, she unexpectedly opened her wings and they both fired.
Claudia successfully shot several demons coming toward her, but all she could do was watch, afraid she might shoot her friends. Everything was happening so fast, she couldn’t tell who was who. All she could do was whirl in circles and point her bow, ready to shoot anything that looked unfriendly.
Nicholas fought along with the group of demons and fallen that enclosed Michael, thinking Michael would be easily defeated. But he was dead wrong; he was unaware of Michael’s secret weapon, his sharp razor wings. Michael swiftly opened up his wings, spinning like a tornado, decapitating the fallen and demons. In shock, Nicholas tried to run, but Michael captured him, pulling him up by the back of his shirt as his feet dangled.
“Please, don’t hurt me,” a female voice called out innocently from Nicholas’s mouth, hoping to sweet talk his way out.
“You’re pathetic, possessing a woman’s body. You don’t deserve such beauty.” With Michael’s last words, he flung Nicholas into the pool of water. Nicholas called out in agony, but Michael speedily headed over to Claudia, worried, knowing she was using a weapon. Even though Michael knew everyone had one eye on her, he needed to be close to her.
“I got your back,” Davin said, killing a demon who’d escaped Claudia’s blow before returning to help Caleb.
Holly tried to reach Austin, but she had to go through Aliah. Aliah was extremely angry, seeing most of his demons vanish into thin air.
Then, unexpectedly, Aliah ordered the demons and fallen to stop and surprisingly brought out Trinity. Holly wanted to dive for her and mutilate her, but she couldn’t get close enough without having to go through Aliah first.
Trinity’s eyes were still, without blinking. It seemed as though she could clearly see her friends, but she showed no expression on her face. “Look who I found wondering about,” Aliah said.
“She lied to you,” Davin said to Michael.
“No. She isn’t with him. Look into her eyes. She is being compelled,” Michael replied.
“A beautiful addition to my legion, don’t you think?”
“Leave her alone. She has nothing to do with you!” Michael demanded.
“Why, Michael. You can’t keep all the beautiful creatures to yourself. This one belongs to me. Let’s have some fun. Trinity, drive this sword into Austin’s heart.”
“No!” Claudia and Holly screamed. Caleb held Holly back from dashing toward them. “Let me go! I’ve already lost Patrick. I can’t lose Austin too!” But no matter how much she begged, Caleb held on tighter.
As instructed, Trinity moved forward. Her body was abiding the commands, but her mind was desperately trying to stop, for she could see clearly what she was about to do. Aliah’s hold on her was too much for her. She couldn’t fight his order. She moved closer, inching toward Austin. Michael telepathically instructed Davin to guard Claudia, and when Aliah turned to watch Trinity position herself, Michael darted for her. Trinity stumbled to the ground and wakened from the trance. Confused and dazed, she hid behind a boulder, panting in fear. The boulder was large enough to block everyone’s view of her. She wanted to stay there, lost in the darkness, unsure of which side she was on.
After pushing Trinity out of the way, Michael tried to retreat, but Aliah grabbed his wings and pinned his arms from the back.
“Michael!” Claudia screamed.
“Well…well. I’ve caught me an alkin. You think you fools can out smart me? I am one of God’s first angels. You are no match for me. I may have been locked up, but don’t underestimate my powers in Between.” Aliah elevated Michael and bound him against the cave, adjacent to Austin. Then one by one, he bound the others in the same way. Claudia was left alone, standing in the open.
Aliah glared amusedly at Claudia. “Here we are, alone at last. Before I take your soul, let’s play a little game. I’m in the mood to be generous, so before I kill all of them, which one shall I save?” Aliah pointed his sword to Michael first. “This one? Or shall I let this one live?” he asked and pointed to Austin.
Austin was gradually coming to. Peeling his heavy eyelids open one at a time, he saw himself afloat and tried not to panic, especially when he saw Aliah pointing the sword at his chest. His pulse escalated when he saw Michael and the others bound. He knew he was back in Specus but couldn’t remember how he got there. Then in the dead center, he saw Claudia alone with fallen and demons he couldn’t identify.
“So, who is it going to be?”Aliah asked again. “I can tell you care for both. So as a gift to you before I take your soul, one life will be spared. It’s the least I can do,” he chuckled cunningly.
How could she choose? She felt hopeless, drained from the possibility that no one would survive today.
“You’re too slow, my dear,” Aliah said, moving toward her.
Cold chills blasted through her painfully as if thousands of needles pricked her all at once. She wanted to run, but her feet were planted from being terrified; she became paralyzed.
Just when hope was drained out of everyone’s hearts, Katherine and Samuel appeared. Then relief settled through all and hope became alive once more.
“Aliah!” Katherine called out loud, feeling disgusted by his doings. Seeing her son, unconscious and bound, shattered her heart. She had to stay calm, in control in order to think straight or her emotions would get in the way. “Your day of glory ends today!”
Aliah laughed out loud as if Katherine had told him a riddle. “Woman, you do not know who you are standing next to, do you?”
Katherine was confused. The only person who was standing next to her was Samuel. “I won’t be standing alone. The others are coming. It ends today.”
Before another word was spoken, Samuel held his sword behind Katherine. “I didn’t tell the others. They have no idea we are here right now. It ends today for you.”
“Samuel, what are you doing?” Katherine shouted, feeling bewildered.
“I’m tired of you, Jeremiah, and the others. You are all pathetic and weak.”
“Samuel!” Katherine cried, devastated by his betrayal. “Please. Think about what you are doing. Let the others go. You can have me.”
“But I already have you. You have nothing to negotiate with.” Samuel gave a menacing smile, pulling her toward Claudia.
“What do you want?” Katherine asked.
“The same thing Aden wanted…power. But he’s gone. Now I have a second chance. When Aliah takes over, I’ll be by his side. Where will you be?”
“I will never stand by you,” Katherine fired back. “You took the crystals and Aden’s sword from Crossroads, didn’t you?” Katherine accused, recalling the stolen items. “Then you’re the one who helped Alexa Rose escape from Crossroads so she could help Aden open the gates of the Abyss. You erased her memory of doing it.”
“Really? How did you ever guess? And we all thought Michael did it,” he said with sarcasm in his tone. “It’s too bad Aden’s dead, but I found his replacement—someone even more powerful.”
“You are pathetic,” Katherine glared at him with disgust. “You also told the watchers to leave that night they were guarding Claudia?”
“They were so easily convinced. And Trinity…your little protégé…all I did was promise her Michael—betrayal, all in the name of love.”
Michael’s question was answered, a nam
e he had been waiting for from Trinity just before his friends showed up at Island of Eden. It was Samuel who had given her the order.
“What did you do with Michelle and Gracie?” Katherine asked in fury.
“Don’t worry,” he replied smugly. “I let them live. I bound them so they wouldn’t inform the others. They’ll have to face Aliah for their deception, not me.”
“So that’s how Aliah found out they betrayed him. You told him about the girls.”
“Very good, Katherine. Now… no more talking. We have a ritual to witness.”
Austin’s eyes grew fiercely wide seeing his mother helpless. He had to find a way to set himself free. There was only one hope. “Michael,” he whispered. “Tell Claudia to get the bonds off of us.”
“You know she can’t. Bonds can only be broken by the angel who placed it.”
“Yes, she can. She has her father’s blood. Tell her to concentrate on the bonds and say ‘licen.’ She has to believe. Her powers are within her. She has no idea the power she holds. It’s our only hope.”
“Claudia,” Michael called in her mind. “Don’t look at me when I’m speaking to you. They will know. Concentrate on our bonds and say ‘licen.’ You can do this.”
Claudia wanted to tell him that she couldn’t, but she couldn’t communicate through her mind. Michael believed that she could do it, and though she didn’t know how, she had to try. Claudia paid no attention to Samuel and Katherine. With all her will, she concentrated on the bonds. With her eyes closed, she envisioned the bonds being released on all the nephilim and said, “Licen,” as loud as she could, as loud and powerfully as when she told the demons to stop. She watched in amazement as the nephilim were released from their bonds.
As the bonds were broken, Austin couldn’t catch himself. Michael dove straight down and before Austin plunged into the pool of acid water, he stopped his fall. When Samuel looked away, Katherine surprised him by jabbing her elbow into his stomach, flipping him over, which produced a loud thud sound. Swiftly, she placed her sword on his chest.
Samuel, dazed and shocked by Katherine’s ability to do what she had just done, surrendered with an amused smile.
“You coward,” she stated with fire in her eyes. “I’ve learned a few tricks while observing my venators in training.”
Aliah, flabbergasted and stunned by the release of his enemies, dashed for his prize. Claudia saw Aliah coming for her. There was nowhere to run. She defended herself the only way she knew, the only thing she was familiar with. Lifting the bow, she aimed precisely for his heart. One lightning bolt darted right for him. As if it was nothing more than a mere speck of dust in the air, he waved his hand. The bolt stopped in mid-air and disappeared as quickly as it came.
“Silly girl, have you not learned anything today?” Claudia was now in the arms of her worst nightmare.
“Drop your weapons!” Aliah ordered with his arms around Claudia’s waist.
Hesitantly, they did as told. Their bows and swords lay on the pebbled ground, leaving them defenseless. Demons and fallen enclosed them and helplessness settled in their defeated eyes.
“We’ve wasted enough time.” He turned Claudia toward him and gripped her arm. Pain traveled through her and forced her to drop the bow. “Say, I give you my soul freely unto thee.”
“No, Claudia!” Michael pleaded with her. Then to Aliah he warned, “Don’t touch her!”
“Either way, she’ll be dead. Now say it!” he demanded, startling Claudia with his fierce tone, so cold that it immobilized her.
All Claudia could do was look at him. This infuriated Aliah even more so that he yanked Claudia’s hair and drew her close to him, looking bleakly into her eyes. “I will kill every single one of your friends. Do you understand? Starting with this one…I can feel the strong connection you have with him.” He looked at Michael and pulled him by angelic force. Michael’s body protruded forward while his feet dragged on the ground, unwillingly gliding toward him as a sword in Aliah’s hand awaited him.
“No, no, no…I will do it!” Claudia bellowed. “Stop!” From Claudia’s command, Michael’s movement toward the sword slightly slowed its pace. The few seconds given was just enough.
Before Michael contacted the sword, Trinity appeared from behind the boulder and covered Michael with her body. The sword hit home, and they both fell to the ground with the sword protruding from Trinity’s back. “Michael,” she gasped, her eyes filled with shock. In the commotion, everyone had forgotten about Trinity.
“No!” Claudia screamed with grief, trying to release herself. She had to know if Michael was all right.
Michael closed his eyes, pretending to be injured. His heart was filled with guilt and sorrow. Though Trinity had made some bad choices, at the end, she’d saved his life. If only things could have been different for her. “Trinity, thank you. I forgive you. Rest in peace,” he said to her telepathically. She smiled weakly and drew her last breath with the satisfaction of knowing that she had saved him. Then Michael focused on Claudia mentally. “Claudia, I’m okay.”
Claudia squealed in delight inside but pretended to howl out in grief.
Michael continued. “You have a special soul. You are the only one who can do this. You must have peace in your heart. Will your soul,” Michael instructed her in her mind. “I don’t want to lose you. I need you. I love you too much. You are the reason my life is worth living.”
Claudia breathed in Michael’s words. She felt his words radiate in her heart, soul, and mind. Every inch of her glowed with his love and peace, fulfilling her.
Losing patience, Aliah said once more, “Say it, before I kill another.”
“I…give you…” Claudia started to say, trying to buy some time, trying to figure out what she was supposed to do. It was the moment of truth and all eyes rested heavily on her, waiting for her to overpower him, but all she could do was look at death in the eye. “God, help me,” she prayed in her mind as she tried to summon the light she’d felt several times before—the light that helped her, the light that was her soul’s energy, the light that she hoped would conquer the darkness, but nothing happened.
Gamma, I’m sorry I failed you. She would rather die than give her soul to this heartless creature. Preparing for her life to end, she closed her eyes and tried to come to peace with it, but all she could do was think about Gamma and how she’d loved her. She thought about her mom, Michael, alkins, venators, and her friends, and how much they meant to her. Tears started to stream down her cheeks, knowing she would never see them again.
Then she remembered Gamma’s words. Peace in your heart. Let me go. I will always love you. Consumed with those thoughts, she now knew what she had to do. All this time, she thought she would defeat him with some deadly power, but how wrong she was. She needed Aliah to feel and see what was once good. She needed to show him the good light that he once had.
As these thoughts rushed through her, light started illuminating around her, traveling upward. She glowed brighter until it reached her hands; they were as bright as shooting stars. Unexplainably, her soul was guiding her; she knew exactly what to do. And when she felt ready, she placed her hands on Aliah’s chest. “I give you…peace, love, and hope. Let my light consume your heart. Feel my peace and know that good will always conquer evil even in the darkest time.”
“Impossible,” Aliah fumed. “I was told you had no powers. Your light is no match for mine. There is no peace, love, and hope.” He laughed out loud, amused. “Little girl, you are wasting…”
He didn’t get to finish. Claudia’s light transferred to him. He saw himself glow, but the light pained him. It was not his own. He saw and felt peace, love, and hope. “Impossible,” he muttered as he started to become transparent, and then he screamed out loud in agony.
The last thing Claudia heard was Michael telling her to pierce her butterfly necklace into his heart.
Aliah never saw it coming. The butterfly necklace melted into him with the heat radiating from Claud
ia’s hand. Claudia’s light completely transferred into Aliah. With Aliah’s hold still on Claudia, they both started to radiate so brightly that everyone had to cover their eyes, and even then it wasn’t enough. Without warning, Claudia and Aliah burst into a ball of flame. Claudia was thrown back several feet, but Michael was ready for her, catching her fall.
The demons and the fallen evaporated into black ashes, and there was no trace of them or Aliah. Safe, everyone gathered around Claudia and Michael. Katherine bound Samuel and dashed for her son who was still lying on the floor where Michael had left him, but he was already in Holly’s arms.
“He’s okay. His energy is drained out of him, but that will take time to recover. Thank God he’s okay,” Holly said to Katherine, voice trembling as tears escaped her.
Katherine lovingly caressed Austin’s face, and then swiftly turned and headed to the alkins.
“How is she?” Davin asked, seeing Michael cradling her carefully and tenderly.
“Davin, don’t worry. I won’t die without giving you one last dance,” Claudia whispered weakly, smiling with her eyes closed.
“You better not. I mean…I better not mess with you. You can kick my ass.”
Caleb smacked Davin on his back. “Watch your mouth. Katherine is here.”
“I mean…butt…no…behind…oh shit! Oops! I mean crap! Or poop.”
“I see you’ve become assimilated into the human teenage language. Learned a few words, haven’t you?” Katherine commented, finding Davin amusing. Davin shrugged his shoulders and turned red.
Then Katherine turned her attention to Claudia. “How is she?”
With one eye open Claudia said weakly, “My body aches, but I think I’ll be fine.”
“I’m sure you’ve had better days. You’ve done a brave thing. Lucy would be very proud of you. I think it’s best if you all head to Island of Eden to rest up. I’m going to lock up Samuel for the rest of his pathetic life.”