Abaddon (Demonology III)

III

FINN

Hiding in public was an odd experience. With a hood on, I looked like the average person, and couldn't be pointed out unless someone saw directly into my eyes. I could no longer mask my presence from the world like I once could when I was still a Nephilim, but I still managed to keep out of the spotlight. 

  As Lilith and I moved through the busy streets of Westminster, I took in the scene around us. Things had changed drastically since the Great Cataclysm. The Buckingham Palace was no longer a symbol of British royalty. Instead, inside of the palace was a statue of Abaddon on his throne. The bastard even had the nerve to charge people to visit it.

  The Westminster Abbey disgusted the new king, as expected. It was converted from Anglican to Satanist, and many of the devil worshipers who had been shunned in the old world were now free to rejoice and praise the devil without fear of being ostracized. Just walking past the place made me shiver. It was an odd feeling that was both excitement and worry at the same time. Having harbored demon, angel, and human blood in my body all at the same time, any aura had that effect on me.

  I turned to Lilith, who was also hooded. I could see her fingers twitch as the church provided her with power. It would be key to pulling off our plan perfectly. 

  After a few more minutes of brisk walking, we reached the Needle. Cleopatra's Needle wasn't a needle at all, as I remembered reading in a book in high school. It was a large stone obelisk with inscriptions all over. The great stone structure overlooked the River Thames, with the Golden Jubilee Bridge not too far away. Opposite the river, we were fairly covered. Trees blocked the buildings' view of us, and the guards at the embankment station were still a ways down the river. 

  The thick clouds in the sky were an ominous sign of the storms that were to come. In this November weather, nothing else could be expected. Everything under the sky had a gray touch to it. It was as if the vibrancy in this city had been drained. But then again, what else should I have expected from a world ruled by Abaddon?

  "The Needle is guarded with all kinds of wards." Lilith whispered to me, pulling her full dark lips close in a way that was almost aphrodisiacal. "Major cities like this are known for underground resistance groups, so my brother took great precaution in blocking access to the Needle as a gateway. The wards not only quell the Needle's aura, but they also keep it rooted in its spot."

  "So you're gonna fry the wards, and then we take off with the Needle. Simple." I gave her a reassuring smile, a rare gesture for me in those days, but she didn't return it.

  "I thought it would be that easy." She pursed her lips and shook her head. "But these wards are far more powerful than I suspected. Can't you feel them?" I squinted, focusing and searching without knowing what exactly I was looking for. With my newfound power, I was more keen in sensing auras and differentiating between them, but I still needed some practice. 

  "Are we backing out?" I asked. Lilith looked like I had just slapped her in the face.

  "No!" She whispered harshly. "This can still be done. I'm going to destroy the wards. It's going to take a lot out of me, but I can do it. Once I do, you grab it, pull it right out of the ground, and take it into Heaven."

  "That wouldn't work at all." I shook my head, uneasy at how willing Lilith was to put herself at risk over this one artifact. "If it takes too much out of you, they could capture you. Plus, they could just follow me to Heaven." Heaven had been pretty much clear since the Great Cataclysm. Abaddon's army could withstand its pressure,  but it wasn't optimal for living, so they had abandoned it. There was no longer an army of angels, so they saw no risk in deserting Heaven. 

  "We'll be fine. Taking down the wards will be like an electromagnetic pulse. Every demon or angel in the area will be stunned for a while by my burst of power. That buys us enough time for you to escape with the Needle, and for me to run off to somewhere safe. We can meet back up later." Lilith stared into my eyes with that look that never failed to break my resolve. I was reluctant to let her out of my sight even for a second. To leave her on Earth alone at the mercy of her brother was unthinkable. But something in her face told me that it was the right thing to do. She wanted to do something, to rekindle this war, and I had promised to play my part.

  I nodded. "Do it." Lilith sat at the trunk of a planetree and shut her eyes. I took the chance to practice seeking out auras. With great strain I was able to see dark purple and black funnels of smoke dancing through the air from the church all the way to Lilith. A shadow grew around her as more aura made its way into her body. The shadow resembled a female body, but with large pointed wings. It was her pure form, which I had witnessed during our first battle against Lucifer and Abaddon. 

  Suddenly, her eyes opened. They were white all over, and the veins around them stood out like sore thumbs. She stood and raised an open hand towards the Needle. There was a loud explosion of sound, though there was no physical blast. A sharp ringing followed. I put a hand to my ear and it came away bloody. 

  "Now! Finn, move!" Lilith's voice was distant. I took a few uneasy steps towards the Needle before my ears popped. I felt a physical force against my skin. It was like pushing against a great rubber wall. Emergency measures, I realized. A backup for when the wards fall. But unlike the wards, they were tangible and not atmospheric. With a great shove, I tore through the barrier. Inside was like being in the eye of a storm. It was strangely calm. The ringing in my ears stopped and I could walk without wobbling. I turned back in search of Lilith, but she was gone. What I instead saw was the flash of a camera and a large black van that I could have sworn wasn't there before. My heart sank as I realized my hood was down. Hastily, I pulled it back up over my head, though the damage was already done. 

  To my far left, I could see a squadron of fiends of all shapes and sizes - demons, vampires, goblins, and other strange creatures - gathered outside the embankment station. My window of opportunity was dwindling quickly. I grabbed the obelisk firmly, pressing my chest against the cool stone. With one great kick, I pushed off of the ground, sending myself into the air along with the Needle. I let my fire surround the Needle and I, careful not to destroy it. If Lilith's blast had disoriented the demons, mine would blind them. I soared upward, passing the stratosphere and atmosphere. I traveled up into the empty space until my fire tore a hole in the nothingness, revealing a gateway to Heaven. And after that, there was silence.