The Forgotten Sin (Purifiers Book 1) (29 page)

           
"I will burn you myself!" Father Benjamin spat.

           
Iliana stared at Father Benjamin a little taken back. Firstly... because she had never
seen this side of him before. He always had a calm tone to his voice. Secondly... the two of
them seem to know one another quite well.

           
"Catch me if you can... Benji!" Samael smirked before looking intently at Iliana.
"Only time will tell of the future that awaits you... you and the most precious thing you hold
dear."

Samael narrowed his eyes as he flicked his hand and a scream from Caitlyn turned
everyone’s head. Caitlyn was thrown against the wall ricocheting to the floor like an
unwanted rag doll.

           
"CAITLYN!"

           
Jung rushed to her side picking her limp body into his arms. Father Benjamin and
Iliana whipped back round to Samael who had already slithered away leaving a swarm of
demons that had gathered in his wake.

           
"He has escaped!" Father Benjamin shouted. "How are we going to fight them all
with two Purifiers down?"

Iliana could feel her heart racing within her, she closed her eyes and concentrated on her
breathing. Her mind focussed on the flowing water that she sensed from outside the
building. Once her heartbeat calmed she re-opened her eyes and a wave of water crashed
into the building. The glass doors and walls crumbled from the strong force of the wave.
Iliana raised her arms and commanded the water to rise up into the air over the army of
demons.

           
"Father Benjamin... step back with the others!" Iliana ordered, her blue eyes
sparkling brightly.

           
Father Benjamin nodded without a word. The water flew towards Iliana encircling
around her body. The force of water was so strong it caused gushes of wind. Her long shiny
black hair billowed behind her like a banner of black silk.

           
For a moment the demons watched how Iliana controlled the wave of water so
effortlessly, but as Iliana began to direct the water towards them, they scattered. Iliana
whipped out lashes of water in all directions catching groups of demons into a water globe
which soon dissipated into the air. Father Benjamin, Jung and Kazuki looked up and
watched in amazement. Lord Baddesley wearily fluttered his eyes open and lifted his head
up a little to find jets of water flying everywhere around the room with just a wave of
Iliana’s arms. As the army of demons lessened Iliana began to tire but she continued to
command lashes of water to the demons who could not even get close to her. With one last
swing of a tentacle like jet of water all the demons were gone.

           
All the humans lying on the damp floor inhaled and exhaled deeply in unison. Iliana
lowered her arms beside her, feeling as if all her energy was drained out of her. She turned
when Father Benjamin called out her name. Father Benjamin was kneeled besides Lord
Baddesley and pressing down the black jacket he was wearing on Lord Baddesley’s wound.
Kazuki and Jung was on the other side of Lord Baddesley with Caitlyn lying unconsciously
in Jung’s arms.

           
Iliana kneeled down next to Father Benjamin and Lord Baddesley turned to her. His
face was pale and weary but had a soft look on him, a look Iliana had never seen from him
before. Father Benjamin moved aside as Lord Baddesley took Iliana’s hand.

           
"I was supposed to Taint your soul... however... you Purified mine instead, even
after all the dark sins I have done... why?"

           
"Nobody in this world has lived a life without having sinned. We all deserve a
chance... a chance to redeem ourselves." Iliana replied, holding his hand tightly.

Tears filled his eyes, his bottom lip quivered as he tried to speak again.

           
"I will never be forgiven for my sins. My soul will rot in Hell."

           
"No!..." Father Benjamin firmly exclaimed. "God shows mercy to those who
confesses their sins and repent... no matter how dark the sin is. Have faith as he always has
faith in all of us."

Lord Baddesley looked at Father Benjamin sorrowfully and a small smile lifted from the
corner of his lips.

           
"Thank you." He whispered, then added. "I must tell you... Samael is a powerful
demon. He can play with your mind so easily."

           
"Who is he?" Iliana asked.

           
"He is the Mayor... and my... adopted brother" Father Benjamin stated, lowering his
eyes to the floor as if ashamed in saying it out loud.

           
"What?..."

Iliana stared at Father Benjamin in shock, who did not dare lift his eyes up.

           
"He is... your adopted brother?... Y-you never said anything about having a brother!"

           
"You never asked."

Iliana turned to Kazuki who looked just as shocked as she was... this statement was
obviously new to him too. Jung however quickly lowered his eyes when Iliana flitted a
curious glance in his direction, as if he already knew. Iliana then faced Lord Baddesley still
confused.

           
"So... wait... I was swayed to believe that you did not get along with the Mayor."

           
"It was an act that Samael wanted everyone to believe. So no-one would suspect our
plans... especially Father Benjamin."

Father Benjamin huffed under his breath in annoyance and Iliana looked over to him.

           
"When I asked you about the Mayor... I thought you said he lost all the feelings in
his legs."

           
"That was what I thought too."

           
"That is because... we found another Miracle!" Lord Baddesley informed, his voice
sounding in pained. "The Miracle of Healing."

Everyone quickly turned to Lord Baddesley as if they had misheard him, but the serious
look on his face soon told them they heard correctly.

           
"Doctors come to the County Hall regularly to check Samael’s condition. This
morning a different doctor with two trainees and a nurse visited. One of those four was the
Miracle and somehow healed Samael’s deformity without him knowing until later."

           
"Which one?" Jung questioned.

           
"I do not know... and I do not think Samael knows either. He only told me over the
phone that he had been cured by the Miracle this afternoon and ordered me to gather the
army."

Lord Baddesley groaned in pain, he let go of Iliana’s hand and touched the bleeding wound
in his stomach. When Iliana looked down, she saw blood seeping from underneath him.

           
"Lord Baddesley!" She gasped in shock. "We must find this Miracle and get him to
heal you."

           
"No... There is no time." Lord Baddesley’s breathing sounded laboured yet he
continued to speak. "Samael’s original plan was to find all the Miracles and Taint their
souls, just how he Tainted mine. Once all the Miracles are Tainted, this world will become
so fragile and even more unstable than it is now."

           
"But he said, his plans has changed." Iliana said.

           
"Yes... but he desperately wants to ruin this Earth and smother it in darkness, but he
still needs to find the other Miracles to fulfil that. You must save the others from Samael.
Save them from turning into what I had become."

Pain and discomfort twisted Lord Baddesley’s face. Iliana held his hand again.

           
"What about your son... Lucas? Does he work for Samael too?"

Lord Baddesley eyes levelled with Iliana’s.

           
"Lucas knows nothing about the Unknown World. I do feel guilty for not being the
Father that I should have been. I wish I had the time to amend things with him. But to be
honest with you, he too had changed dramatically since the loss of Lucy. We rarely spoke
since that day, not even when he returned from London. I still do not know why he
adamantly wanted to transfer to London Academy two years ago. He must have really hated
being in my presence or maybe blamed me for her death."

Stunned and confused, Iliana stared at Lord Baddesley who then encouraged her to lean
closer to him and whispered in her ear....

           
"I do not believe you are in love with Lucas."

Iliana lowered her eyes as she drew back, ashamed of having said such an untruthful
accusation, but her eyes soon gazed back to Lord Baddesley when he turned to Kazuki.

           
"You have probably heard this a thousand times... but... you really are a split image
of your Father."

           
"Yes... I do
get told that a lot." Kazuki responded, quietly with a twitch of a smile.

           
"Your Father and I were once good friends... and I-I said some very harsh words to
him and Eleanor. I hope you can tell him how very sorry I am... sorry for all the pain I have
caused, and that I am glad he married for love and not for money. I wish I had time to repay
what I have done in the past."

Kazuki nodded just before Iliana added....

           
"I talked to Mr. Williams earlier and I asked him if he regretted anything from the
past. He said... he wished he had never turned his back on his friend."

A peaceful smile stretched across Lord Baddesley’s face but he then sniffed the air.

           
"Roses?" He said, closing his eyes and breathing in deeply.

Iliana could smell nothing.

           
"You can smell roses?"

           
"It is beautiful... It is like walking in a rose garden."

Iliana instantly remembered the time when she experienced the same thing, in Lord
Baddesley’s mansion.

           
"I think it is time..." Lord Baddesley stated.

He let go of Iliana’s hand and released the bird brooch from his cloak, he handed it to Iliana
who took it from him. It was made out of solid gold and a little heavier than Iliana had in
mind. The engravings were well detailed especially the folded wings.

           
"It was Lucy’s... it was her favourite bird, that was why she was
nicknamed...Wagtail." Lord Baddesley said softly, laying a hand on Iliana’s. "Look after
her for me... I will search for her in the next world in the hope that she will forgive me for
what I had done."

Iliana looked at him, she still had so many questions to ask him.

           
"Wait... w-who is it that walks this Earth whom Samael is afraid of?"

           
"S-Sa..."

Lord Baddesley’s eyes slowly closed, his hand slipped from hers and fell onto his chest just
as he breathed his last breath. Iliana held onto the gold brooch tightly in one hand and the
other she placed on top of Lord Baddesley’s now lifeless and pale hand.

           
"I believe your Lucy has forgiven you a long time ago." She whispered, dipping her
head down low.

           
‘Good Morning everyone...I am standing just outside the City County Hall where
nearly a hundred people were found inside earlier this morning by the police. Reports have
come through to say that there was one unfortunate and tragic death of a man that had
made this City... the bustling, vibrant City it is today. Lord Baddesley was found and
announced dead at the scene. No-one else was injured... but the strange thing is... none of
them could remember what had happened or even how they got here.

Now before I go... I will just show you the scenes behind me. So this was the entrance to the
Hall. As you can see... it has been completely battered. Rubbles of marble stone and broken
glass litters the whole area. And even the large water fountain that has stood in front of the
Hall for many years, has been severely damaged... Even the water pipes underneath is
shattered. No-one can explain how any of this happened... and some say it could have been
a mini earthquake. But we will not know for sure until a full investigation on this peculiar
incident has been made.’

           
"Hey!"

           
Iliana tore her gaze from the television as Jung approached her, looking as if he had
not slept for days. The blood that stained his forehead was now clean and the deep
scratches on his face was stitched up.

"I just saw your Father... he told me you would be here." He said taking off his
jacket. "Hey Yuki!..."

Yuki perked up from the floor besides Iliana and licked Jung’s hand before lying back
down.

           
"I thought dogs are not allowed in hospitals."