12 Chapter 12 The Truth

Stepping into the bar, Airow and Grey spied the two strangers still sitting at their table, but this time, the taller one looked to be asleep, while the shorter one was fidgeting and throwing glances at Bob. When he saw them, he jumped from his seat and rushed over.

"Oh, good! You were successful then? The elder demon is dead?"

"Yes, it was a hard fight, but he has been vanquished," said Airow.

"I do not believe we have been properly introduced. I am Grey and this is Airow."

"I am Guit, and that is my master Argen. We were hoping you would be successful because we would like to work with you, if you are interested?" Guit couldn't seem to stand still anymore than he was while sitting. He danced in place, finally dashing back to the chair and climbing into it.

Airow and Grey went to the table as well, and sat. Argen seemed oblivious, a soft snore escaping every once in a while.

"You must forgive my master; he is always so very tired! We have no home to live in anymore, because the demons have taken that from us."

"The demons have taken much from everyone," said Grey, thinking of her feathers.

"How did you know that the elder demon was in that mansion?" asked Airow, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"My master can feel them. He was talking about how much he hoped you would be willing to let us tag along with you, if we told you where the demons were? I'm afraid we're not very good at fighting though."

Grey looked at Airow. "It would be nice to be able to know where the demons are. That would make finding and killing them much easier."

Airow nodded as he thought about it.

"We have to be very careful leaving the city, though," said Guit, squirming in his seat.

"Why?" asked Grey.

"The angels will come to see why the portal closed."

"What? But the elder demon is dead!" exclaimed Airow.

"You don't know?" asked Guit. It was clear from the looks they gave each other that Airow and Grey had no clue what he was talking about.

"The elder angels and the elder demons have an agreement. As long as the portals stay open, then the angels won't attack the elder demons, only the weaker demons. The only reason you were able to take out that elder demon was because he was weak after already having been attacked," explained Guit, pausing in his constant motion to lean forward in his excitement.

"What?" they both exclaimed in horror and disbelief.

"Why would they do that?" cried Grey.

"No way! That would make all of the elder angels of heaven evil! They would all be evil and actually demons!" exclaimed Airow.

"Have you actually ever seen an elder angel?" asked Argen softly, opening his eyes.

They looked at each other. Neither of them had.

"But why?"

"Why would they do that?"

"Angels and demons gain their powers from the prayers of the humans on this realm. If the portals close, the demons will no longer be able to access this realm, and the few prayers they receive will dry up. They will never be able to return. Without demons, the angels will have no foe to fight, and the humans will stop praying to them. Their power will also diminish. Both groups fear this, thus the war continues."

Guit nodded in agreement to Argen's words.

"It's a lie?" whispered Grey confused.

"Could it be true?" wondered Airow.

"Bob!" called Argen.

"Yes?" Bob was suddenly there, standing next to the table, wiping an empty mug with a white cloth. "Is there something you wanted?"

His eyes sparked with knowledge, and Airow hesitated to ask. What if it was true?

"Is it true? What Argen said about the angels and demons only fighting the war? About an agreement between the elder demons and elder angels?" Grey's voice was broken, harsh. Tears were threatening to fall. Everything she thought she knew was being threatened.

"Are you willing to pay the price for this information?" Bob asked softly, setting the mug down gently and putting away the cloth.

Airow looked at Grey. If it was true, everything they were trying to accomplish would be for nothing. How could they ever return to heaven, if the elder angels found out they were the ones who had closed the portals? What of the other angels? What would happen to all of them if it became known the elder angels were actually evil? Would whole legions fall? They couldn't dare to go against any angels! They wouldn't just fall, they would become demons!

"We have to know," Airow whispered. Grey looked in his eyes and nodded.

"Whatever the cost, we must know."

"Everyone is always under the assumption that there is only black and white, good and evil. But life is far more complicated than that. The price for this information that you want, is very pricy. It cost me a lot to get it. If you accomplish your goal of defeating all of the elder demons, then a new heaven will be made. One where those in charge are not evil as they are now. I want as payment, for this information, in the form of allowance for the angels to be able to visit my bar. None should be barred from entering my establishment."

"That's it?" asked Grey, confusion written plainly across her face.

"What do you mean, is that it?" cried Bob. "Do you now know how hard it is to sell my stock of angelic wines when angels can't come to my bar??!"

"Um, okay?" said Airow, with Grey nodding in agreement.

"Wonderful!" said Bob gleefully.

"Now," he coughed and took a stance of seriousness again, "the elder angels are not actually angels any longer. Their wings have become the blackest of any demons. Though the wings are still feathered, not scaled. They only manage to remain in control of heaven because of illusion and trickery. They still believe themselves to be pure and good, and insist on all angels being so. Any angel that begins to suspect the truth finds themselves facing a situation that is impossible for them to overcome, and thus they fall."

"That must be why all angels that have fallen are kill on sight. They won't be able to tell the other angels the truth!" cried Grey.

"Yes. As for the agreement between the elder angels and elder demons, Argen's words are true. If the portals are closed, the demons will never be able to come here again, to this realm, through them. The angels will also suffer because humans will not be praying to them as much about the need to be saved from demons."

"Grey, we may need to change our goal."

She looked at Airow and nodded. "I believe we need to close all of these portals and end this war!"

Guit smiled in delight, and the hint of a smile formed on Argen's face.