The Awakener (35 page)

Micah faced Astaroth
, who shrugged. “Enough with the play time. I’m tired and bore easily. You have no powers to even defend yourselves. It’s pitiful really. Not very challenging, and no longer entertaining. My Elite will deal with you.”

Astaroth descended toward the mouth of the well, but Micah stepped forward. “I’m not done with you.
Now stay put!”

The demon stopped short.
He glared at Micah, his scowl revealing confusion and uncertainty. Then he roared out, “Destroy him!”

The Elites’ arms rose above their hoods, their wrists
bent, with their white fingers fanned out like claws. The effect was immediate; Micah felt sharp hooks tear into his stomach, ripping his insides out. Glancing down was like watching a gory horror film, his shirt rapidly turning crimson from his own blood.

Hearing Micah’s cry, Eden twisted around Gabriel in time to see Micah double over, his shirt blood soaked.

“Gabriel!” she shrieked. “Micah’s hurt bad! Help him!”

Smashing two demons’ skulls together, Gabriel yelled back, “I’m not leaving you.”

“He needs
you
!”

Her guardian faced her, his eyes conflicted.

“Please,” she begged, tears forming.

He sighed heavily
. “You’re right. They need help. Elite’s need fire to be destroyed and Sage can’t show her flames yet. I’ll go.” He turned to the angel at his right. Eden recognized him as the angel with black hair from prom night. “Aaron, keep her safe. Don’t let anything even
touch
her. You’re in charge now.”

Aaron
nodded, taking Gabriel’s spot. Spinning his wrists, Gabriel’s sword became a blur of fire as he flew towards them. The hooded Elites noted his approach.

“Get him out of here,” Gabriel commanded Trent’s guardian.
Micah watched Trent fight against him, but the burly, bearded angel easily dragged him away.

Good, Trent doesn’t need to be here.

The Elite guard took a wary step back towards the well, Astaroth’s eyes sizing Gabriel up. “So this boy does have more than mere angels protecting him after all. I recognize you, but I do not fear you, Gabriel.”

Astaroth flicked two fingers out. Following orders, the Elite arms shot out, with three fingers on each hand pointing at Gabriel.

Damon’s arm wrapped around Micah’s waist, supporting him. At the same time, foreign-sounding words flew from his mouth.

Micah felt nothing.
The Elite’s attack must have been thwarted, whatever it might have been.

“No,” Micah mumbled to Damon.

“Whatever, man. I’m not leaving,” Damon spat back. “And I’m not letting you get hit by their stupid attacks anymore. I can stop them.”

Gabriel glanced at Damon and muttered, “That’s the man I used to know.”

Micah stared at Damon.
Wonder if he’s figured it out yet…
Micah felt the ground beneath him sway. Heat was radiating off Sage.
I don’t have a lot of time left. She’s desperate to ignite.

Gabriel must have felt it too.
“Your desires are your weakness.” Gabriel rose into the air, until he was eye level with the old demon.

“Fool!” Astaroth snarled as he soared higher.

Gabriel grinned and continued to ascend. Micah knew he was trying to nettle the demon, to push his pride far enough to break him free from the well.

If only that’s all it took.

But the demon’s yellow eyes narrowed and he dropped back down over the well’s mouth.
He sneered. “You think I would leave this for
you
? You think too highly of yourself, Gabriel.”

Gabriel remained levitated but moved near Micah and Damon.
“No, but I’m pretty sure you would for
him
. You know he speaks the truth and you know what his soul would mean, the glory he’d bring you.”

Astaroth’s lips curled up, desire dripping in his eyes.
Gabriel slapped Damon’s shoulder. “I think it’s time for the Elites to know their place.”

Damon grimaced
. “With pleasure.”

The words rushed out, the force and power of them felt even by Micah.
The Elite crossed their arms over their face to defend themselves, but the impact was apparent. Hoods snapped back, the shrouded figures stumbling to regain footing. They retaliated swiftly with left hands shooting forward, palms facing out.

Damon’s words shielded them again.

Micah felt his chin hitting his chest, and his knees go weak.
It’s happening too fast. I’m losing too much blood.
Damon’s arm was the only thing holding him up now.

“He doesn’t have much time left,” Sage
observed, lacing her arm under Micah’s other shoulder. He felt a rush of warmth and strength shoot through him.

“Enough Astaroth, you know you can’t win.
Now it’s time to bow to the Captain!” Gabriel roared, raising his right hand.

Immediately,
all thirteen hooded figures collapsed to their knees, their white hands clutching their hoods, as if trying to block out Gabriel’s demand. Gabriel held his sword out, the bright flame sending them into shrieking wails.

Green vines shot up from the ground, wrapping around the Elites’ robes like pythons.
Astaroth squinted at Damon, his eyes studying him.
Yeah, you’re realizing he’s not just a kid, aren’t you?

Gabriel took advantage of Damon’s vines trapping their extremities. He flew toward the Elite
, sword drawn. As his flames burst through the first hooded demon, sending an albino head flying free, Astaroth snarled. Gabriel worked down the line, decapitating them. When he was halfway through, Micah heard a whistle and a snap just past his ear.

He forced his head up off his chest.

Astaroth had unfurled his whip. Micah shuddered, memories exploding in his head.
That’s the whip I saw.

Gabriel dodged it and Astaroth’s yellow fangs gnashed at the air.
His attempts to stop Gabriel’s killing spree were thwarted by Damon’s words, which intercepted the weapon, sending it far off target when it landed.

As the head of the last Elite soared past Micah, Gabriel muttered, “So much for your Elite guard.”

Astaroth’s robes fanned out as his wrath mounted. He slashed at them with his whip repeatedly and Damon continued to stop it, but barely. Astaroth was already calculating his counter attack.

When the tangled ends of the whip landed just inches in front of Micah, its nine tails hooking and clawing at the dirt, Micah grimaced.
He pushed the words out, “Go, it’s time.” The effort it took to speak pained him.

Sage and Damon both stared at him.

“No way,” Damon barked back.

“Damon
.” Micah grasped at Damon’s shirt, his fingers too weak to even gather the shirt together in his hand. “This has to be. You have to leave me, now.”

Damon shook his head. “There has to be another way
. If you had told me more—”

“Now you know why I left some parts out.”
He tried to grin but gasped for air instead. “Our friends need you for what comes next. Save them.”

Damon hesitated, eyes raging.

A blood-curdling cry shot through the air from behind. Damon twisted around. “They broke through, demons have Willow.” He cringed.

“Go,” Micah urged.

Damon sized Micah up and then glared at Sage. “Don’t you let him die. This
plan
of yours was flawed. And you all knew it.”

He’s figured it out, our ruse.
But how else could it have worked?

Damon swore under his breath and gently detangled himself from Micah, and then he was gone.
Micah was too weak to turn and see the chaos behind them. Sage’s hot body was pressed against him, his skin burning where she touched him.

She fumed
. “Gabriel, hurry! Get them all out here, now!”

Gabriel was gone, shooting through the air like a bullet.

Well, this is it.
Micah mentally braced himself for it. He’d seen it so many times, but it hardly prepared him for actually living it.

As the whip again snapped in the air, the impact almost popping his ears, Micah knew it would be the last time Astaroth missed.
The nine tails landed in the dirt, being once again thwarted by Damon’s last command before leaving Micah’s side to rescue Willow. Watching the cat o’ nine tails, covered in sharp glass, rocks, and metal claws, scrape at the ground, sent terror rippling through him.

It was worse than any nightmare she’d ever had.
All of her friends shrieking in horror as, one by one, demons snatched them away. Aaron was true to his word. She was fine, but no one else was.

She saw Damon running back.
No! Don’t leave Micah!

But she saw he was darting after the demon that tore Willow from the angels.

She tried to make sense of it all.
The demons had broken through the line. Guardians were desperately chasing after her friends.

Gabriel’s voice rang out, “Get her out of here!” She peered around Aaron to see Gabriel was there and meant her.

“Wait, no! What about Micah?” Eden screamed at him, but he was already gone to help rescue the others.

Aaron scooped her up into his arms like she was weightless. She pushed against him, struggling.
A demon leapt on top of them, and he had to release her to fight it back. It was the moment she needed. She sprinted away, numb to the danger surrounding her, twisting and pulling free of the claws that grabbed at her.

Micah heard Gabriel roar, “Guardians retreat!”

At the same time, Sage taunted, “Astaroth, why don’t you come claim your prize?”

As Astaroth reared back
again, determined to do just what Sage jeered at him, Micah remembered someone else who’d suffered at the end of such a whip. His last coherent thought was a prayer to Him for strength. He was half-aware of Sage squeezing his body against hers; he felt one last burst of strength course through his veins.

He squared his shoulders, facing Astaroth, whose whip was already cresting in the air.
“Just think of your master’s reward if you capture me. Your power and glory will be endless. You’d be more than just Prince of Thrones; you’d be Prince of Seraphim.”

Astaroth’s greedy eyes stared Micah down as he bellowed, “So I shall be!”

Micah stepped forward, leaving Sage’s arms behind, knowing where the cat o’ nine tails would land. Sage gasped as the tails seared through his skin, burrowing into his shredded flesh, some tails hooking in and others tearing free.

Eden felt the impact, like it had been her own body struck.
She heard the crack and the deafening sound of contact made. She staggered as she ran, blinded by tears. She swiped the back of her arm against her eyes, clearing her vision. Kicking back the nails that bit through her pants, she scrambled forward, ignoring the demon pursuing her.

She gaped at Micah’s body, his frame limp
and lifeless, as he crashed to the ground.

He’s going to die! Where’s Andrew?

“What now?”
Sage called out. “Will you stay there forever and miss your opportunity? You know your master will reward you. What are you waiting for?” Sage stood over Micah’s body, which was so still it terrified Eden. She took hold of the end of the whip, its tails still wrapped around Micah.

Why isn’t she freeing him already? It’s killing him!

Astaroth reeled in his whip, trying to retrieve ‘his prize’.

Sage’s grip brought him up short. “Come and get him, or stay where you are.”

Eden’s view was blocked by Gabriel’s chest as she collided with his body.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Gabriel shouted.

Let him be mad!
I don’t care!
How can he leave Micah behind to die?

“Micah needs you
—” she began, but he pulled her into his arms and shot off the ground.

She punched at his chest
. “Gabriel, go back! Don’t leave him!”

But she knew she’d never get free as they soared towards the exit.
Below them, Caitlyn and Trent were ushered out by their guardians. Andrew came into view. He was fighting against his guardian, trying to free himself too.

“Wait, I can heal him!” he yelled, but
the angel didn’t seem to care.

“Eden, tell him!” Andrew shouted up at her.
The opening in the wall loomed closer.

“He can!
He heals people. Let him help Micah,” she begged.

But the angel with the bow and arrow only hefted Andrew up by his arms and forced him through the opening.

Damon appeared, carrying an unconscious Willow in his arms.
Eden could see her clothes were ripped and there was way too much red covering her. If she weren’t worrying about Micah’s eminent death, she would have panicked over her friend more. As it was, she yelled to Damon, “Help him! You can help him!”

Damon’s brown eyes stared up at her and then he plunged through, stowing Willow.

Realizing this might be the last time she’d ever see Micah, Eden strained to look over Gabriel’s shoulder.

She wasn’t seeing the collapsed young man wrapped in a barbed whip; she saw the boy with a mess of black hair and big blue eyes helping her into the tree fort.
He always wanted to be a brave knight. I didn’t get to say good-bye!

The vines scratched her back, as Sage’s voice rang out, “Then stay, and never progress!”

Astaroth’s red robes clapped behind him as he lunged for Micah’s body, leaving the well behind.

Sage consumed herself with flames and comprehension dawned on Eden.
It was a trap.
Sage would level the prince, and all remaining demons, with her searing, white flames.

The stone wall and
cornfields whirled below them as she sobbed uncontrollably into Gabriel’s chest. He landed and held her tight against him as he ran. She caught glimpses of her other friends doing the same thing, as they weaved through the cornstalks.

Micah was the bait
, her mind repeated, as the earth shifted and they were suddenly tumbling down a steep hill, which came out of nowhere.

Lightning catapulted across the
sky, and the ground rumbled with cracking thunder. Seconds later, they were submerged in a downpour unlike any Eden had ever seen. Visibility was limited to only a few feet in front of them.

“Gabriel, wait,” Eden shouted up to him.

“What?” He craned his neck down.

She pressed her lips into his ear.
“We’ve got to go back! This rain may have saved Micah!”

Gabriel stopped running, his arms still cradling her.
She knew he was reluctant to let her go until he decided it was safe to return.

At that
moment, Damon’s body surged past them, sprinting full speed back uphill the way they’d come. He was swallowed up by the sheets of water. Then Andrew nearly collided with them, shooting past.

Oh good
, Andrew!

She peered up at Gabriel, waiting.

When Trent ran past them next, he set her on the ground.

“Ok, but you’ll go faster if I carry you.
This hill’s pretty steep and slippery.”

“I’m not going to argue with you there.”
She was confused as to why there was a hill to climb in the first place.
Didn’t we go downhill before?

Willow and Caitlyn came into view, grasping
cornstalks to keep from falling backwards. It seemed all the guardians were letting them go back now. Eden could see the rain had washed the blood off Willow’s skin. Eden couldn’t detect any serious injuries.

“Are you ok?” Eden hollered.

“I’m fine. What happened?” Willow yelled back, trying to be heard over the rain.

Eden glanced in the direction of the well.
She was anxious to get back.

“It’s ok, I’ll fill her in.
Go to Micah,” Caitlyn shouted.

“Thanks.”

Gabriel scooped her up and took off. She ducked her face into his chest. The rain was painful at the speed they were moving. They reached the opening at the same time as Damon, Andrew, and Trent. Being airborne, they flew over the wall. Damon glanced at the sky and shouted out something. Immediately, the rain ebbed, slowing to a drizzle.

Damon sent the rain!
Maybe he saved Micah!
Gabriel landed, releasing her. She ran forward, the once-barren dirt now a muddy quagmire.

Sage was on the ground near the well, Micah’s head was in her lap.
Her fingers were gingerly freeing the barbed whip from his flesh. Relieved his body didn’t look burned, she sickened at the amount of blood staining the pool of water Sage and Micah sat in.

He looks so pale…
his lips are blue!

Damon and Andrew dropped to Micah’s side
. Andrew wasted no time thrusting his hands on Micah’s chest. Damon gasped.

“It’s ok, he’s helping,” she said, touching Damon’s shoulder as she knelt beside him.

The gashes are closing!
She gazed at Andrew, still amazed by what he could do. Then Andrew put his ear over Micah’s mouth.

“What is it?” Damon demanded.

Andrew ignored him, burying his hands in Micah’s abdomen. Eden panicked at seeing the open wounds, torn flesh and strips of fabric tangling in a bloody mess.

“You can save
him, right?” Damon pushed as Andrew again checked for a pulse.

“I don’t know,” he shouted back, his hands and arms now bathed in Micah’s blood.
Abruptly, Andrew’s face shot up, peering around. “Caitlyn!”

Sage broke her silence.
“Alaina, bring Caitlyn now!”

The young, blonde girl immediately
appeared, holding a bewildered Caitlyn by the arm. Caitlyn’s eyes swept the scene. She dropped down by Andrew, reassuring, “Micah’s not supposed to die now. His mission isn’t over. You can save him.”

Andrew nodded and the gaping wounds sealed together in rapid succession. After minutes that felt like hours, Micah’s chest rose and fell.
There were collective gasps from the audience. After another deep breath in, Micah began coughing. Sage helped him sit up. Eden couldn’t help it; she grabbed his hand, pressing it against her wet cheek.

Micah turned and focused on her face.
He gave her a weak smile. “It’s ok. It’s over now.”

A lump had taken over her throat and she could only nod, afraid she’d sob if she tried to talk.
Micah lowered their clasped hands and gave her fingers a squeeze. Somewhere in her brain, she knew she shouldn’t act so obvious. Andrew was sitting next to her, watching. But at the moment, she didn’t care.
Micah’s ok!

Damon rose to his feet and moved closer to Willow, who stood behind Caitlyn. “Sorry I left you so fast.
Are you sure you’re all right?” he asked, looking her over.

A strand of wet hair stuck to Willow’s lips as she smiled back at him.
He hesitated, and then brushed it back. Her smile deepened. “Yes, I’m fine. Thank you for saving me.”

Damon gave Willow a somewhat awkward smile before glancing away.
Micah was climbing to his feet; Damon leapt to his aid.

“Thanks, I’m good,” Micah
said, gripping Damon’s hand. “How’d you do it?”

Damon shrugged. “Looked like you could use a waterfall.”

Micah chuckled. “Glad you’re on my side, Damon.” Then his face sobered as he walked past them. Eden turned and saw why. Trent was on his knees, his complexion drained of color. He swiped at his eyes with his forearm and took a deep breath.

“Never again, Micah, never ask this of me again!”

Micah nodded. “I know and I won’t.” Micah grabbed his hand, pulling him to his feet. They both thumped each other’s backs.

Trent muttered, “Good
, ‘cause Aunt Lacey still believes I’m a good influence. How could I ever explain myself if you died on my watch?”

Micah grinned as they stepped apart.
“Welcome back, Trent.”

Trent sighed over-dramatically. “Don’t think I’ll ever recover from this one.
You owe me big time, Micah.” He rubbed his hands together. “But now that it’s over, let’s get to the good stuff.”

Micah peered around at all of them; they were all drenched, covered in mud, and in some
cases, blood. “Yeah, I think we could all use some good stuff right about now.”