The Day of Reckoning
They pushed on. Time was different here like it was in Hell. Days above were hours here and it had been a three-day journey before they reached the gateway. Sophia stopped at another great tree, similar to the one in the middle of the swamp. Fairies flew around it, and small animals scurried about the bottom of the trunk. “We are here.”
“This looks like the tree from the swamp,” Gabriel commented.
“But this tree is the gateway. The other one was in the middle of a dead forest. It wasn’t what it appeared to be. I’ve never tried anything with it, but my gut told me it was dangerous. That is why I didn’t want you to attempt anything. This is the one. I can feel it. Adele, can you feel it?” She looked back at Adele, who was staring at the tree’s wide branches.
“Yes. There is something really beautiful about it, but I can’t place what. I see a kind of glow around it.” She moved closer and placed her hand against the large trunk, smiling when she felt warmth. “Yes. This is the one.”
Maxwell and Gabriel couldn’t see anything unusual about the tree, but Sophia and Adele could see a white light glowing around it. Gabriel smirked at Adele. His worries about her using them for dark and vengeful deeds disappeared the moment her hand pressed lovingly against the bark of the tree.
Sophia moved to the side and placed her bag on the ground. Digging through it, she began pulling satchels out…three in total. “Adele, you will have to help me.” She handed her one satchel. “This is black charcoal salt. It’s the richest this realm has to offer. It’s mixed with charcoals from a blessing I performed when I came through the gateway to this place.” She grabbed another, handing it to her. “This is crushed basil for good luck.” Smiling, she picked up the last. “Finally, this is a small donation from Bacchus and his bride, Bestla. It’s oak because we need strength to open the door properly. Now, before we begin, I will need to go meditate. I’m going to make sure Anya and the others are in place before we go through.”
Adele took each small bag as it was handed to her. Holding them, she felt a tingling in her hands. Her eyes closed, and she inhaled deeply through her nose, exhaling through her mouth, calming herself for what was to come. Maxwell and Gabriel stood near The Great Oaks, who had been standing, watching things unfold. Their bark felt tingly as if static was running over them. It was a frightening feeling, but they knew what it meant. Sophia turned and went off to find an isolated, quiet place.
She settled in the distance with her legs crossed. Placing her walking stick across her lap, her eyes closed. In through her nose and out through her mouth. Her breathing began to calm, and her head began to slowly move in a circle. “Anya, I am calling,” she whispered, her lips barely moving. She repeated her breathing and head rolling, finally gasping sharply. Her eyes shot open and were now a solid white. “I call upon you, my sister.” Her body began to sway, and her arms rose, palms to the sky. She continued trying to communicate with the other side. Her chest slowly rose and fell. “Answer!” she yelled at the sky, then felt a spark hit her. She screamed, falling to the side. She held the side of her face as her eyes returned to normal. Something was wrong.
Hearing her scream, the others ran toward her, Gabriel helping her up. “What happened?”
“Something isn’t right. She didn’t answer, which is dangerous,” Sophia explained. Adele’s hand rose to her mouth. “I can usually see her, or a hint of her. However, I saw nothing but darkness.”
“Kokabiel,” Maxwell stated. “He must be there, interrupting communication. We have to go through without them.”
Sophia nodded. When she removed her hand from the side of her face, a long scratch appeared, dripping with blood. “I agree.” Her attention went to The Great Oaks. “You two need to head back. If you try to cross over, you will become a regular tree and won’t be able to help.”
The trees nodded sadly. They knew what would happen to them. The magic of this place couldn’t cross over the gateway. They would become statues of themselves…able to see what was going on, but unable to help. Both held their hands over their hearts. They knew things were bad.
“Remain at the door?” Bacchus asked slowly, a rumble in his voice.
Sophia nodded. “Yes, you’d better. Assure nothing of that demon comes through.” She feared for her tree friends. The Great Oaks were an ancient race she had stumbled upon when she first moved to this plane. They taught her of this land, the beauty, and the dangers. Without them, she wouldn’t have survived as long as she had. As she stared up at their large, hollow eyes, their leafy eyebrows told her they were scared for her, as well.
Bacchus frowned at Sophia, his leafy beard moving and his skin creaking as his face turned sad. His body swayed as all Great Oaks’ bodies did. Swaying in a wind, even if there weren’t one. Behind him, Bestla did the same. Her softer face frowned, as well, giving a low creak. Her hand rose, and she lovingly held his shoulder, comforting him. She remembered the first time she saw this strange creature, Sophia the human. Her leafy brows moved as her eyes closed and she thought back.
“What are you?” Bestla’s voice was slow and simple as she looked down at the silver-haired being that had referred to herself as Sophia. “Are you here to harm us?”
Sophia waved her hand dismissively. “No. I am here to live in peace, make my home. I am not here to do harm. Those like me live with nature, not destroy it.” She smiled up at the larger than life being. “I’m from a powerful family of witches.”
Bestla’s eyes went wide, fearful. Her mouth opened in worry, cowering until she witnessed Sophia moving, gardening and taking care of the flowers. Not hurting the bees that landed on the flowers. Her aged eyes moved watching this new creature moving, almost lovingly taking care of every single thing more so than she had witnessed any other creature do before. Her observations were slowly taken down the wall she had built and she began to trust, but with hesitation.
“I see you’re used to witches who do harm. No, dear. Come with me. You will see I am not like that.” Sophia held her small hand out to the large beast. “I will take care of you if you take care of me.” Her gentle nature won Bestla’s trust and her large branch arm moved, placing her branch fingers in Sophia’s hand. The woman was barely able to hold onto it due to Bestla’s size, but it was a comfort.
Bestla’s eyes reopened and a single auburn sap tear dropped from the corner of her left eye.
Sophia stood with the help of Gabriel. Wasting no time, she moved to the great tree and raised her arms. “Mother of Nature, Father of Creation, I beg you to open this door to us, so we may move through those who do not belong here.” Her eyes closed once more, reopening to a solid white. Her hands shook as she evoked permission and assistance. “Mother of Nature, Father of Creation, I beg of you…”
Adele moved forward, standing at the right side of Sophia. Her hands rose, and she locked her left with her relative’s right. They now spoke together. “Mother of Nature, Father of Creation, I beg of you. Open this door.” They were stronger together than alone, and the large trunk of the tree began to tremble, leaves fell from its branches, and a white light began to part the tree from its center. Adele’s eyes changed slower than Sophia’s own had, turning a solid foggy white. “Mother of Nature, Father of Creation, we beg you to open this door.”
The blinding white light continued pushing the tree apart until a slender oval cut itself through the trunk. Maxwell and Gabriel stood there, watching the witches at work. In their prayers, God heard them. He had been listening, and that showed he had been watching over them. Gabriel smiled, his hand to his heart.
“Mother of Nature, Father of Creation…” Maxwell and Gabriel slowly chimed in.
With the added power of the angels, the portal to the Earthly realm was cemented open. A white light streaming from the doorway was now dimming slightly and was no longer blindingly painful. As the light streamed from the tree, it vibrated with screams from the other side of the doorway. The pained noises told more than the light itself.
“The time is now,” Sophia said, turning to Adele. “You must go through.”
Adele nodded and grabbed her bag, jumping through, Maxwell and Gabriel behind her. Sophia waited until they were all through, sealing the door behind them. The thought of joining them had crossed her mind, but with her advanced age, she would’ve surely turned to ash and bones if she’d crossed over. As the slender opening closed, her hands touched the tree.
“Mother, Father, please protect them. Help them.” Her pleas were heard by the greatest of creators, physicists, and builders.
As they appeared on the other side of the doorway, they walked in on a battle that had already been raging. Blowing hard winds should be stated as it pushed against them with strong resistance. Adele’s eyes began to water at the pure raw power of seeing angels in their purest form battling the minions of Kokabiel. The angels were awe-inspiring with their metallic silver armor, red fabrics cinched to buttons on their shoulders, signifying rank, and smaller dark, rich blues hanging from the shoulders and down the backs of the lower-ranking angels. All wore helms with plates to protect their faces.
The only hint of what lay below was through a slender, rectangular slit in the helm showing the organic armor of a human-like body. Beautiful symbols adorned the armor, describing their grace and their loyalty to God, the Mother, and the Father. Some held mighty shields, wielding a sword with their other hand. Others held no shield at all, merely wielding two swords. Bright white angel wings had silver armor over the boney main branches and the sensitive tips of the feathers. Witches, vampires, and werewolves were spaced between the angels, giving ground support for those not flying around.
Across from this almighty army was the darkness of the damned…minions, dark priests, and the lesser master demons. Kokabiel stood amongst them, his minions standing apart from all others, their devotion to him clearly seen in their appearance. Their hairless, flaky skin, dark tattered binds over their eyes. They looked just like their master. Long raven, claw-like fingers were sharpened into glossy daggers. They were clad in harem pants, a small fabric, containing the symbol used to summon Kokabiel and his strength, rested over their pelvis. Their teeth were glossy with thick saliva as they hissed and growled at their foes.
Maxwell reflected on the memories of the Clash of Angels, good versus evil, but this battlefield was in a valley in northern Georgia. The clouds were dark and the sky ashen with the dust of those already fallen. The sun was setting but, with all the commotion, it was barely noticeable. In the distance, Goodwitch Anya was screaming her commands, ordering her own, while she let another command the angels. The angels twirled, using their wings to toss back those that came toward them, blocking attacks like shields.
“It’s begun.” Maxwell’s voice broke as lightning shot across the sky. The thunderous boom sounded, signifying the turmoil below, the sky changing to an orange fire.
The doorway behind them closed and Gabriel grinned. He removed his cloak and his wings unfolded, opening wide. He darted up and away, tearing through the sky. His sword in one hand and the horn in the other, he was a soldier of God, and he was meant to battle. When he blew the ram’s horn, the noise distracted the demons long enough for his brothers and sisters to deliver fatal blows. It also signified that he was there and had joined.
To Goodwitch Anya, it was an indication Adele and Maxwell were there, and she yelled, “Get her!” Her order was to a nearby companion, a vampire. Her hands continued in front of her, pushing a green string of magic into the ground, creating large vines to wrap around the demons and toss them like tentacles.
The long-haired Mongolian Vampire crossed his Turko-Mongol sabers in both hands and cut the demon in front of him. The demon screamed, its head falling from its body. The vampire looked around, spotting Maxwell holding Adele at the forest’s edge. Wiping off the thick blood on the demon’s chest, cleaning his weapons, he made his way toward them, moving quicker than mortal eyes could see. One minute, he’d be in one place. The next, he’d be further away.
“Adele, you must come with me. I need to get you out of here.” The Vampire grabbed her elbow, only to have her jerk away from him. “There is no time for this.” He reached for her again.
“I’m here to fight,” Adele said, not appreciating this stranger’s actions.
Maxwell looked at the vampire. “I wouldn’t do that again. We’re going to fight. Where is Kokabiel?”
The vampire turned his head and spotted the master demon. He dipped his head in that direction. “He’s there, flanked by other masters. He showed up with his own minions. They are the ones blindfolded and wearing the harem pants. The others showed up after the battle started. They brought their own followers and priests. Once they had us outnumbered, the angels began coming down. It was like they were riding lightning bolts.”
“They were,” Maxwell grinned. He wanted this. He wanted to end Kokabiel himself. He turned toward Adele. “I love you. I have loved you from the moment I knew you existed.” He kissed her.
“I love you, as well,” she said, but Maxwell had already turned, tossing the bag Sophia had given him to the ground, heading toward the battle. His fingers ran down his arm, pulling his weapon. This time, though, his hand ran over his other arm, pulling a similar weapon. His wrists rotated, and he spun his weapons, slashing at demons with smooth and precise movements, quickly killing many, carving his way through the demons with a direct route to Kokabiel.
“You will see him again,” the vampire said to her. Once more, he reached for her elbow.
Quickly, she grabbed his throat and lifted him, gritting her teeth. “I said not to grab me. I have killed so many of your kind. Be careful or accidents can and will happen. I do not know you.”
The vampire’s eyes grew wide. He wasn’t expecting that. His feet flailed until she set him back down. He did see Bishop blood running through her. She was already showing traits he’d seen in the other women and men of the family he’d known for centuries. Because of this, he knew better than to test her again.
Adele clenched her jaw as rage filled her, overwhelming any fear of never seeing Maxwell again. Through this extreme emotion, her powers began to come forth.
Her hands began to close, the skin illuminating her veins, the blood enhanced. She held them over her head. “Mother, Father…give me strength,” she said under her breath with no fear in her voice. Not thinking, her instincts kicked in. With a deep inhale, she slammed her hand into the ground, causing the Earth to open. It rumbled toward the demons, tossing many into the air. The opening in the Earth lit up and many demons fell into it.
“I call upon you, Mother. Send your beasts to aid,” she whispered.
Suddenly, the woods started to rumble. Thousands of birds and insects flew toward the demons. Her hands moved, swaying in the air as she directed them, like a composer to an orchestra. The birds turned upward, then dove, hitting many of the demons, who began hissing at the attacking animals.
Goodwitch Anya stood back, watching this, then followed the trail back to Adele. She smiled. “That’s my girl.”
Adele clapped. The birds came together, then dived down upon the evilness tainting this plane, spreading out between the demons; hitting, and distracting them. The angels, seeing these creatures being directed, fell back. From above, Gabriel continued to blare his thunderous horn, pushing back the dark forces. Maxwell dodged Adele’s birds and insects, continuing to carve a pathway to Kokabiel.
“Kokabiel, you bastard!” he screamed, jumping on the master demon’s back as he turned to face him. Both weapons stabbed into the sides of the fallen angel’s chest, cutting into his already torn and blood-stained robes. “I’m going to kill you like I did our brother, Azazel.”
“I could say the same to you.” Kokabiel’s voice was strained, his lips beginning to drip blood as he spoke. His teeth, covered in blood, made the maniac smile more insane. His hands rose, grabbed Maxwell by the shoulders, and tossed him over his head to the ground. Slowly, his body healed, and he moved around, circling Maxwell. “This is long overdue, little brother.”
Maxwell didn’t hesitate before attacking again, his knives stabbing into Kokabiel’s stomach and left side. With his brother healing as soon as the blades were removed from his body, Maxwell wasn’t sure if he’d get a chance to be close long enough to behead him. He knew that would be the only way to end such a powerful demon. Kokabiel flicked his wrist, tossing Maxwell to the side with an unseen force. His body hit the ground, and he started gasping for air. His grey eyes changed, golden flecks becoming brighter as they swirled around the iris, focusing on the master demon. His swords clanged against the rocks as he launched himself toward Kokabiel.
As Maxwell sprang forward, a devoted disciple of Kokabiel rose up behind him, its alabaster arms drawing back. From the forearms, the flesh broke in deep gashes, allowing a boney weapon to break through. Each hand held a weapon made of the very insides of the devotee. Like a mantis about to attack, the demonic follower raised its arms back, but as it moved to stab Maxwell, a great white werewolf came from the right. With a growl, it grabbed the acolyte’s throat and furiously brought the being to the ground. Snarling and thrashing its head, the werewolf began shredding the demonic beast. This werewolf had protected Maxwell and slain a demon in one stroke. Maxwell, in his focus, was unaware of this playing out behind him.
Despite his wings no longer having a function, Maxwell could keep in the air with Enochian magic written in his very flesh, his hands firmly clutched to Kokabiel. His forehead came down upon the demon’s face, breaking the bone resembling a small nose. Maxwell’s hand rose, and with an almighty punch, he broke Kokabiel’s jaw, causing dark blood to splatter across his own face. Disoriented, he could only focus enough to hover as Maxwell continued punching. Over and over, Maxwell’s knuckles met with Kokabiel’s face, breaking bones. Beginning to gag on his own blood, the master demon turned into a black mist and broke from Maxwell’s grip.
The black mist hovered over the ground, dripping blood. It moved through the crowd, darting away from Adele’s animals, dodging the other witches, running into the forest. Adele, as well as the Mongolian, saw this. She stretched out her fingers, communicating with the insects and birds, and went after the master demon.
The vampire chased after her. “No, Adele. That’s a master!”
Maxwell hit the ground hard and swayed as he got to his feet, heard the shout, and saw her going after the master demon. His boots dug into the ground as he began running after her.
Adele wasn’t listening because she was focused on the black shadow darting amongst the trees, disappearing for a moment, reappearing elsewhere.
The vampire moved faster, running past Adele. She felt only a gust of wind as he went after the master demon. He was able to leap into the trees, jumping from branch to branch, landing in front of the fearful, black shadow. With the shadow now paused, Adele was able to catch up. Her sides were burning, but she ignored the pain. “This has to end, Kokabiel. Demon, you have to end.” She began reaching into the bag on her shoulder, digging for the small bags Sophia had given her. She found the salt and began moving around the shadow, encircling, and trapping it. Kokabiel’s voice bellowed out in anger.
Adele paused a moment as she finished the large circle. “Wait a minute,” She stared at the demon, her head tilting to the side. She began moving again, using the rest of the bag of salt to make smaller circles at key points around the larger one. Her cell memory was coming back to her, remembering things from her first time on Earth. Magical symbols Maxwell had once taught her when she was still Lilith. The circle of natural sea salt was strong against lower negative beings, but against the stronger ones, the circle must be more…elaborate. The Enochian language, written in what would simply look like circles, broken lines, and figures, amplified the power, trapping Kokabiel and forcing him back into his true form. As his mist form became solid, his echoing voice changed into a roaring growl. He was experiencing a pain he’d never endured before.
The salted circle sank into the ground, carving a cage around the master demon, holding him in place with magic. One by one, the symbols and smaller circles began to sink into the ground, turned clockwise, and held the monster in place. Kokabiel’s deep demonic growls continued as his body thrashed.
“What do we do?” the vampire asked, staring at the demon convulsing in pain within the circle.
Having caught up with them, Maxwell was aware they were ill-prepared, but he was impressed about how Adele was running on her instincts, moving with grace and dignity. He watched her evolution come full circle. Her hair blew back as she moved around the circle. Pausing a moment, she tossed off her boots and socks, wanting to connect with the Earth itself. Her toes pushed into the soft ground as she moved around him.
“Demon monster,” Her icy blue eyes stood out against her dirty skin and red hair, swirling with a white light. She looked up to the sky. “I summon you, Abathar Muzania. Hear my words.”
The fallen angel blinked several times. The vampire stood in ignorance of the name the witch had just uttered, watching everything unfold.
“Abathar Muzania,” Adele repeated, hoping the name would summon the angel, the one who presided over the judgment of souls.
From the woods walked a chocolate-skinned, handsome angel with white eyes. As he moved, his robe flowed behind him, hovering above the ground. The bald-headed angel slowly moved forward, investigating what the little witch had done to the master demon. “You have summoned, and I have come, little witch.”
Adele turned toward the angel. “This one,” Her arm slowly rose, and she pointed directly at Kokabiel. Maxwell became nervous and moved back, not wanting to gain his attention. Abathar’s white eyes looked into Adele’s icy own. With a nod, he acknowledged what she was wanting.
He turned his attention to the demon. “Kokabiel, little brother, you have committed many crimes. I am here because Lilith summoned me, but I’m also here because God wills it. You have been more trouble than Lucifer himself so, because of this, there is no going back to perdition for you.” He stepped over the black salt line. His hands rose towards the demon’s face and Kokabiel froze. Abathar’s fingers tugged off the blindfold, exposing his soulless sockets. Although no physical eyes remained, Abathar took the demon’s jaw in his hands and stared at them. “Kokabiel, the fallen, I am here to remove all of you from existence. Everything you were or have become will be erased from all of history. For eternity. You will no longer be.”
The angel’s eyes began to glow brighter and brighter until white light shot from them into the sockets of the demon. From underneath the angel’s ebony skin, his veins lit, and the power of his almighty judgment reigned.
The brightness forced Adele to cover her eyes. Maxwell, however, stared at it, mesmerized. The vampire dropped his sabers, covered his eyes, and fell to the ground, fearful of such pure grace of judgment coming from the angel. Kokabiel’s slender face became sunken, darkness shadowing his features as he slowly emptied out. His mouth fell open in a silent scream, his jaw crumbling and falling awkwardly.
Abathar released the master demon’s lifeless form and it fell to the ground in a pile, shattering and crumbling to ashes. A wind began to blow, tossing the salt and the remains of the demon until there was no more. A sudden explosive boom blew the large trees over like twigs, leaving a perfect circle around the group. The only thing that remained of the master demon was the scorched outline where he had fallen.
Abathar’s arms fell to his sides and he stepped back. “God’s will be done.” He turned, walking off. He slowly began to fade, then disappeared.
With Kokabiel now gone, his minions started to turn into ash, scattering in the wind. Seeing the demons vanish, the fighting ceased, leaving many in attack position as their enemies disappeared.
The master demons began to retreat back to Hell, taking their acolytes with them. Group by group, the demons walked toward the forest’s edge, fading away. Some angels hovered above, and those on the ground let their arms fall to their sides and breathed a heavy sigh of relief.
The vampire shuttered and shivered in fear until Adele’s hand rested on his shoulder. “It is done.” The Mongolian slowly stood. At first, he was fearful that it was a trick, then turned to see it wasn’t.
Maxwell came closer to Adele and wrapped his arms around her in a hug. His hands pushed her hair back from her face. “You were beautiful.” His lips touched hers and she smiled. “You have all your abilities back.”
Her smile grew larger, then fell. “I still don’t remember everything. I don’t remember our children’s faces or the things we had together.”
“Give it time.” His thumb rubbed her cheek.
“Adele!” Goodwitch Anya yelled, coming through the trees. Along with Anya came other Bishop family members, kneeling down in front of Adele. Gabriel landed, his wings slowly lowering down behind him before folding to hug his body. Tired and wounded dire wolves came from behind the rest of the group, pushing their way to the front. The Werewolves had also arrived to see Lilith reborn for themselves.
“He’s gone,” Gabriel said, stating the obvious, looking around at the circle of trees lying on their sides, then at the blackened outline of Kokabiel.
“Now is a time for healing and rebirth,” Anya said, pulling her hair back to a makeshift ponytail. Seeing her vampire friend still visibly startled, she moved to him. “It will be okay now.” She hugged him, patting the back of his head. Calming, he tightly hugged her back.
“What do we do now?” said a blonde Bishop Witch, still trying to catch her breath.
“We bury our own and celebrate. We have much about which to rejoice. The first of us is home now. The demon is gone,” Anya answered. “We will start the other work soon.”
“I have some things to handle,” Gabriel spoke, looking at Maxwell. “Then I will be returning home with the others.” He had to get back to Eshu, tie up some loose ends.
Slowly, the group began to break apart, heading out of the woods. Dire wolves transformed into human beings, cuts and dark bruises marking their flesh. The battle had taken its toll. Adele looked up at Maxwell, sadness growing. She knew something was going to happen to him, but she wasn’t sure what. The vampires took off, leaving a blurry trail behind them as they disappeared into the darkness. The angels transformed into light and headed upward, their wings moving behind them as they disappeared into the clouds, going home. Only the Bishop Witches, Maxwell, and the vampire, Hannibal, remained.