Chapter Eighteen

As Oz searched for the warding and Michael continued to hold me, Atropos tended to the wounded and updated me on the events in Darklight.

"Saint Bell is trying to raise the wall?" I was horrified by the statement and twisted in Michael's death grip. I managed to turn myself around in his grasp and hugged his arms for support.

"He is. Which means that the demons and angels will be cut off until his death." Atropos said as Gabriel helped her with Carina's wounds.

"Why can't we just travel through the Veil to the other side?" Michael's breathing became harsh and Atropos froze.

"The wall is imbued with magic that separates people with blood magic. The only people who would be able to cross are Nephilim because they possess both blood." My body almost shut down at her words.

"How would they--?"

"Purgatory." Atropos cut me off, "Surrounding Darklight is Purgatory. The only way that an angel could see a demon Guardian would be to travel from the Celestial or Circle gate to the opposite gate. No one has ever been able to make it to the other side." I clung onto Michael for dear life and felt a wetness spread across my shoulder from Michael's tears.

"We need to stop that wall being brought up! If I'm there then there will be no need for the wall the be brought up!" I felt more tears falling down my face and the blood splattered on me was making my clothes difficult to move in.

"Who are you all?" The Latino boy finally broke our tension with his arms crossed.

"Can it Eyebrows, we're busy!" Lilith snapped and ignored the bushy eyebrowed boy's question.

"Lilith, that's not fair." Carina broke in the argument and the tension dissipated. She looked towards Red who nodded. He began ushering the three away using a similar explanation I was given when I first learned of this world.

"How long does it take to find warding?" Atropos grumbled are she raised her hand over Carina's stitches. They began to glow and tighten in her skin and Carina hissed in pain.

"I'm sorry." Atropos apologized as the poison slowly dripped from her wounds. I grew anxious every second we were stuck in the warehouse and clung onto Michael's warmth.

"Found it!" Oz came back with a triumphant grin pasted on his face.

"What do we do with those three?" Lilith poked her head towards the three people surrounding Red. They looked like three children being told a horror story by their terrible older brother.

"We bring them with us. Arachne had a refined taste, something must be up with those kids for her to take them." Mitch knelt down and patted Atropos on the back. She stepped to the side and allowed him to pick Carina up.

"Michael… you should put me down now. We have to go." He did not follow my request but instead twisted me around to hold me in the way he was originally.

"I'll carry you home if I have to." He muttered against my skin as he forced me to wrap my legs around his waist. My fingers were tense with pain but I did not protest. Atropos and Lilith walked over to the group and took a the shoulder of one of them. I felt dizzy and squeezed my eyes shut to avoid the melting world around me. The cool air became warm and light burned my closed eyelids.

"We're home." He whispered in my ear. I slowly opened my eyes to see the outside world, in the middle of a large circular room surrounded by books and green crystals.

"Where are we?" I gasped at my surroundings.

"Welcome to Casa de Oz!" Oz gently took Carina from Mitch and marched towards a large bookcase. Whistling sharply a shadow from the ceiling screeched before diving in front of him. My jaw crashed on Michael's shoulder as I stared at the flying baboon that hovered in front of the man. It's powerful wings caused the open books around it to flutter it the gusts. Another monkey screeched and flew down beside it.

"Take her to Anne," Oz handed the wounded girl over to the first monkey who screamed and shot out one of the doors.

"What the--?"

"Don't ask." I cut off the ramblings of the new girl before she broke down. The two boys stepped back in horror.

"Take a message to the Judges. Tell them the Star-Blood is safe. Stop the raising of the wall." The second monkey shot out of a different door next to the three newcomers.

"Stay back!" The Latino boy grabbed a crucifix hiding behind his dress shirt and thrust it at the rest of us.

"Please don't say--"

"The power of Christ compels you!" He cut Lilith off with a wail and waved it around. The Guardians in the room-- myself included-- all let out an annoyed sigh.

"Put that thing away before you poke someone's eyes out." The dark boy beside him growled and slapped his back.

"Who are you people?" The girl in the crimson and gold sari reflected the Latino boy's first question. Reluctantly Michael put me on the ground but still held me against him as everyone politely introduced themselves. The dark boy was Gideon who was a private in the Canadian Army. Riya was dressed for her wedding which she was rudely torn from by Arachne and the cross wielding boy was Raphael. They knew our names and what we were but they still stood on the other side of the room. Their noses kept twitching and it got to the point where Riya was holding hers.

"Are there anymore… monsters?" Riya eyed the ceiling and a multitude of furry heads popped out.

"How rude!" Oz frowned at her rude statement and crossed his arms in annoyance. She shrieked at the beasts on the gold panels and hid behind Gideon.

"Stop it! You're hurting their feelings!" Oz growled and peered at the ceiling. A dozen of the creatures did a dive towards Oz and knocked him over.

"That's a good girl! Who's a good monkey!" He cooed like a doting parent as he stroked the individual monkey's head who were curled up on his lap.

"That's not weird at all." Mitch said as he eyed Michael and I carefully. His arms were wrapped tightly around my waist.

"We should get washed up." I eyed everyone's bloody clothes. The blood from Oz had transferred onto the monkey's fur as they cuddled with him. Oz snapped his fingers and one of the bookcases next to the golden fireplace started to rumble. The bookcase slowly began to shake and open to reveal a cobblestone staircase.

"Follow me." Oz shooed his pets away and started to walk to the steps. A faint squishing sound was heard from his clothes. I was desperate to get the smell of dead monster off me-- everyone appeared to be in fact. Atropos stook a seat and eyed the three newcomers, silently assuring us that she would keep an eye on them.

The steam rolled off the floor as Lilith and I stood in the girls communal shower. According to Oz, the middle of the Incantatio Sector use to be the Star-Blood's base. He had modernized it and made it his home for his familiars. I wanted the guts off as quickly as possibly and Lilith wanted the same.

"Why is it every time I go against spiders I end up having to take a shower?" I muttered in annoyance as I captured some water in my mouth to swish it out.

"Bad luck?" Lilith chuckled as she twisted her hair to let loose the bubbles trapped in it.

"We've been through a lot together, eh?" I spoke through the steam as scratched the suds out of my scalp.

"I guess you could say that." I could almost hear her smile even though our backs were to each other.

"We've laughed, we've cried-- well I mostly cried. We've faced spiders and faced new worlds."

"And we're still alive." She added at the end. My heart warmed at the thought as I scrubbed the last of the grime from my skin. Wrapping the fluffy towel around my hair and waist I waited patiently for Lilith to finish. As I waited at the door a small knock cracked against the wood.

"I brought you guys some clothes." Atropos called from the other side of the door. Slipping the gold bar out of the socket I allowed her to enter the steamy room. She was wearing her hoodie once more and had a pile of clothes in her hands.

"How's it going?" Atropos smiled and shuffled through the clothes.

"Better." I croaked as she handed me a small bundle of cloth.

"Still a little shaken up?" I nodded as I began to dry off my skin.

"You'll get use to it eventually." Lilith emerged from the steam, wringing out her hair on the tiles. I slipped the blue jeans and olive long sleeve on, the dampness of my skin causing the clothes to stick to me uncomfortably. Atropos reached into her pocket and pulled out both Lilith and my phone as well as my cards. Stepping out of the bathroom the hot air of the building slowly started to dry off my skin and damp hair.

"So I don't understand this building. Where exactly are we if this building is the entire Incantatio Sector?" I asked as Atropos lead us down the gold and slate hallway.

"The home of the Star-Bloods is built inside the maze walls." Atropos lead us through the twisting corridors of the home.

"That's not creepy at all." I cringed as we continued our confusing journey through the 'walls'.

"What do you think the first Star-Bloods were like?" Lilith asked as we stared at the bland walls.

"Colourful." The word escaped my lips. The walls were bare and for some reason it… unsettled me. It seemed wrong to me.

"What do you think Mary-Anne would say to the first Star-Bloods?" I giggled at the prospect.

"Blah, blah, blah. Threat, threat, threat. Where's my fiancee! Take me now!" Lilith acted out her story in a dramatic fashion with waves of her hand and swoons. Atropos and I were cracking up like hyenas. I was gasping wildly for breath and wiping at my eyes when I hit something warm and solid.

"Peanut you should watch where you're going." Michael's voice hummed above me.

"S-Sorry." My laugh got caught in my throat as I peered up. Atropos kept walking while Lilith tried to stop. Atropos reached back and shackled her wrist with her hand, slowly dragging her away.

"Let them have some time alone." She muttered Lilith as they kept walking, their footsteps echoing on the walls. My face had flushed as I stared at Michael. My mouth wanted to form words but it felt like it was glued shut.

"Are you feeling okay?" He asked and gently touched my forehead.

"Better," I managed to croaked for the second time in ten minutes. He still seemed worried about my well being and his hand shifted from my forehead to rest on my cheek.

I really do love you Peanut. His confession rang through my head as we stood close together. I wanted to say the words to him back but my gut was twisting around. Michael's eyes buried themselves into the fragmented bits of my bravery and tried to piece it back together. His head was bent down and some of the droplets of water splashed onto my cheek.

"Are you going somewhere?" I finally managed to sputter. He had a jacket and his shoes on so I was assuming he was leaving.

"I was going to stop by my house and grab a few things. I'll be back soon, okay?" His eyes scanned my face lovingly before a soft smile spread across his face. My breath was caught in my throat as he leaned down and tilted my head up with his free hand. Pressing his lips gently but firmly against mine. Electricity shot down my limbs as I gripped his soft shirt. My brain soared and my heart thundered in my chest. Every atom in my body was on fire at the chaste kiss he had place on my lips before pulling away quickly. His scent washed over me as he pulled away and placed his lips against my forehead.

"Michael, I--"

"You're nervous." He had a devious glint in his eyes as he pressed his forehead against mine. My face burned with an unholy fire as he edged closer. I needed to tell him though. So I took a deep breath and steeled my nerves.

"Michael, I want to tell--"

"Stop." He covered my mouth with his free hand which effectively silenced me. Confusion filled me to the brim as I stared at him intently.

"I want to hear it when I get back, not when I'm leaving." His voice sounded hopeful and his face was bright. I could not help the cute smile that pursed my lips in slight joy.

"Okay." I whispered and closed my eyes as I drank in the moment. He pressed feather light kisses against my cheeks and eyelids before diving down and gentle kissing my lips once more. My heart fluttered in my ribcage and I felt true happiness bubble in my chest. Perhaps I would be able to have something in my life that I never expected.

"One last thing," He said as he pulled away and gave me a playful wink, "The white hair suits you." As he had said my once dark hair had reversed into an almost full snowy white with streaks of blonde and pecan. Whispering a quick goodbye Michael released me and was on his way. I watched as he disappeared down the bare hallway my nerves singing in my body. Magic poured out of every pore of my body as I jumped on the spot in happiness. The happier I got the tighter I shut my eyes. The magic growing in my body released in a whirlwind of warm wind. The smell of metal and flowers filled my nose as I opened it.

"Oh shit." My happiness did not waver at the sight before me, in fact it only grew higher. The halls were no longer empty. Thin white vases were lined down the hallways with starry flowers blooming within them. Portraits of Star-Bloods lined the hallways as well as renaissance style painting of demonic and angelic battles. Star-Bloods garbed in flowing dresses and robes stared at me from the walls. It started to feel like home to me for some strange reason. Someone in this hallway or the rest of the hallways was a dead sibling of mine, and these portraits made their legacy live on. I did not question how they got their by my magic-- frankly I had my own theories on what happened. I brushed it away and stared dreamily at the rich and vivid pictures for a good ten or fifteen minutes. I inspected the paintings in awe as I moved along the hall. Mix that with the five minutes I had spent celebrating I had been in this hallway for quite a while. One girl was garbed in a sable gown that hugged her curves with a corset. A blood red silk cape was draped around her shoulders, a black floral and fiery design embroidered on the end of the cape and fading closer to the hood. Her white hair was twisted into an intricate bun done up with jewels and her golden eyes looked into the distance.

She looked a tad bit like me. I read the inscription on the portrait. The girl's name was Phyllis Lachapelle and the simple name sent a shiver down my spine.

"What did you do?" Lilith yelled from down the hallway. Atropos and her returned, drinking in their new surroundings.

"I'm sorry!" I yelped in surprise as they walked towards me. Atropos eyed the picture of Phyllis next to me before biting her lip and looking away.

"I don't know what I did!" I raised my hands to surrender. Lilith just shook her head before reaching out and patting my cheek.

"You're a wild card." She chuckled as she pinched my cheek.

"So how was your make out session?" A chuckle erupted from Atropos as she asked.

"We did not make out!�� I snapped at her as the two began to howl.

"Shut up!" I cried and my face burned in embarrassment. Lacing her fingers through mine Lilith just continued to laugh and lead me through the now decorated walls.

"I give up, I don't know how to work with this thing." I looked at my hands in slight fear and curiosity.

"You'll learn sweetie." Lilith giggled and rubbed my back.

"Ladies!" Oz's voice boomed through the hallways. I jumped and my heart sunk in dismay. He was most likely mad about me accidently cluttering his bare hallways and that made me nervous to find him.

"I'm sorry!" I wailed once more and began to cower behind Lilith and Atropos. Oz turned down the hallway, his green eyes wild and frightened.

"Monkey boy, what's wrong?" Atropos asked. Something chilled the air in a horrific manner as he eyed us.

"I'm sorry about the decor!" I winced and coward behind my friends. Confusion passed across his features before they hardened.

"What? I don't care about that!"

"Then what's going on?" Lilith crossed her arms and tried to look intimidating.

"Coco came back--"

"Is that a monkey?" Atropos interrupted.

"--the wall is still being raised." The air dropped to below zero and my ears popped.

"What?" We screamed in unison.

"Xander Bell refused to move from his stance on the wall. The others were too scared to take back their votes." His voice was rough and hoarse as he told up.

"Michael." I said numbly.

"If they raise the walls the Source worlds will be cut off from the Sinks! No one will be able to see their friends unless they cross through Purgatory!" Lilith protested.

"We need to stop him!" Atropos grabbed Oz's wrist in an urgent manner.

"How do we do that?" My anxiety was rising ever higher every second we stood there.

"Kill him?" Lilith was shadowing my anxiety to an extreme.

"We need to go!" I screamed and started furiously searching for the exit.

"Come on! Call your boyfriend!" Oz growled and lifted me up like a sack of potatoes.

"Why don't we take your monkey's?" I said immediately said after the fact. Everyone went quiet at my idea.

"Why don't we do that." Oz sucked on his teeth as he turned around and started to dash down the hallway with Lilith and Atropos on his heels. Through the running that I was not associated with I reached into my back pocket. I drew out my phone and furiously flipped through my contacts. With my phone bright and ringing I pressed it against my face.

"Peanut? I'm on my way back, is something wrong?" His voice was laced with worry as he picked up. I began to sputter in a grave panic, and was on the verge of tears.

"He's still raising the wall!" I cried into the phone as Oz reached the lobby.

"Coco, Raja, Alvin, and Rain! Get us to the wall line immediately!" Oz barked as he set me down.

"What are you talking about?" His voice grew as panicked as mine.

"You need to come back, we're going to stop it now." I began to sniff as one of the winged baboons shook the ground beside me.

"I'm on my way!" He screamed as he hung up abruptly.

"I suggest you all hold on." Oz's voice was as sharp as nails.

"Wha--" I was suddenly pressed against the monkey's hairy chest as it shot into the air. The air ripped violently at my clothes and my skin as we hit the outside. Rain and I screamed as one as she shot high into the sky.

"I hate heights!" I screamed as the others caught up. The world looked so small below me as Rain held me in the air. I clung to her arms and tried to squirm. With a loud shriek Rain dove. The wind hit my face like a brick wall as the ground grew closer.

"Don't kill me!" I cried and clung to the monkey. The air around me howled and drowned out the breathing of myself and the monkey. We curved up and soared close to the glittering demon buildings. A herd of what appeared to be large stone bats with lion heads flew around us. The monkey and the bats roared in sync as Rain twisted into a corkscrew making my head spin and my hair dry. Luckily I had not put on my glasses after the shower or else I would have lost them forever. Fear washed through my veins and made my body tremble. A crowd of people were gathering in the very centre of town where the Darklight insignia was located.

"Oh thank the Lord." I sighed as my tears were dried from my face. Rain waited for the others, her soft fur and the cool air tickling my skin. Gently we descended to the ground in an elegant fashion. By elegant I mean the other three were elegant and calm while I was a tangled mess clinging to the monkey for dear life. The crowd was screaming wildly and starting to run to each side. Rain gently set me down on the ground before retreating to the building tops. As soon as my bare feet hit the ground I was running past people. Nephilim families were crying and carrying their belongings, a demon mother was holding her child as an angel drove her off before retreating to the other side of the town. A sharp dressed middle aged man stood in the middle of a glowing gold circle with a power hungry grin on his face.

"Salayria wait!" Atropos called out as she struggled to catch me.

"Michael!" I screamed over the panicking crowd.

"He's going to raise the wall!"

"It's a civil war!"

"Where is my family going to go!"

"My fiancee is on the other side!"

"Where's my baby?" These shouts and more fell through my ears as I weaved through the crowd. My body was pounding in anxiety and fear as people rushed by me in a blind panic. A few demons seemed to realize my presence and tried to shove me back as I pushed through the oncoming tide of people. The pushing made me stumble and struggle in the sea of people. Over the crowd I saw a silver haired woman running across the wall line to reach a man crumpled on the angel side. A toddler gripped onto the man's bloody clothes and screamed into the air. As soon as the woman stepped across the line two burly men dropped out and struck her. She crumpled a ways away from the man with blood spraying from her jaw. They continued to kick and hit her fallen figure and the toddler slowly began to make his way over to his mother.

"Get that mongrel out of here!" Bell barked at the man and pointed to the baby. The mother reached for her daughter.

"Mommy!" The child was no more than three and the men roughly picked her up roughly. Both crying and unable to move the mother could only watch helplessly as her daughter was brought to the demon side and dropped on the ground.

"Take those two disgusting beasts away!" He pointed now to the fallen mother and father. She wept as she was taken farther away from her baby who sat on the ground and wailed as people ran past her.

"Move!" I screamed into the crowd, my voice twisting into something almost inhuman. Everyone was thrown forward and flew past me almost like a slingshot but no one seemed harmed. As Oz and Atropos bolted for the insignia I made an ever so small detour to the crying child.

"Come here." I grunted and scooped up the baby from the cold ground and broke for the line. The child screaming in my ear and cried into my shoulder. My breath had grown ragged and my legs grew tired from the physical activity. A tall black head was weaving through the crowd of vicious looking angels. My heart leapt and I knew it had to of been Michael and I sped up.

He told me to tell him when he got back. But what would I do if he didn't come back? How would he know that he was not along on this journey. His heartbroken face flashed through my face as an elbow swiped at my arm. Yes I wanted to stop the wall for selfish reasons, but I was also determined to keep it down for the people around me.

Lyon, Chris, Gold, Lilith, Robbie, Atropos, Oz, Eclair, Red, Gabriel, Carmella, Carina, Michael. Their names rang throughout my skull on repeat as I pushed past the people.

"Salayaria!" Michael's booming voice raised over the crowd on the other side. I saw him running towards me as Oz and Atropos made their way towards Bell. Atropos drew her glittering blade while Oz lobbed a ball of fire at the Saint. It dissipated into green sparks as Bell cringed at us.

"Get away from us you filthy heathens! Today, the old days arise!" Xander shouted over the screams. The little girl's mother saw me running to the side and reached out for me, he little girl clutching the cloth of my shirt in her little fists. Holding the little girl securely in my arms I sped up only about twenty feet from the line.

"Michael!" I called out one last time. Ten feet from the not glowing mechanical furrow there was a clear thirty metre between us. I reached out for him, my fingertips tingling for contact. His legs were almost a blur as he ran. Three angels shot out and grabbed at his clothes, pulling him back roughly.

"Let me go!" He screamed and ripped at his clothes. He grabbed one of their wrists and flipped the burly man over his shoulder. The others backed off the fuming archangel and he charged at the wall once more. I could hear the faint clicking of metal and bursts of energy coming from the wall. Just like in the hospital I could feel the thrum of energy in the air and it grew louder the closer I got.I needed to tell him, he had to know how I felt. I could not go one more second without him knowing my answer. I opened my mouth and screamed over the sudden whirl of mechanical gears and sparks of wires, the laughter of angels forcing me to go louder.

"Michael I