“Keepers, Angels, hear my voice, join with me,” she prays, “Father, strengthen us with your shield and deliver us from the fires of darkness here!” She raises her hands heavenward pushing more power into the barrier holding the demons at bay. More of the hell spawn burn as the walls energy intensifies.
Elina’s voice fades into the background as Alex drops to the ground and flips through the pages of the book. Shock shows on his face.
“NO! This can’t be right!” he flips through the dry, empty pages of the book. “Nothing! Elina!”
She turns and smiles at him, “Faith, Alex, Trust me.” She whispers, “You don’t need ink. Now Alex!” she yells.
“Elina, I don’t know his name!” he yells.
“Say my name!” The Mocker screams and Elina hears Malach say, “Never to be spoken again.” So she shares the name in his mind.
“NO! Say my name, Keeper!” he rages turning to destroy the young Keeper and the book that has cursed him since the beginning of time.
Alex pulls the wooden pen from his pocket and imagines the light flowing through his arm and into the pen. He scrawls the name, Samiel, into the ancient pages. The book absorbs the light and the name glints on the pages.
The mocker screams as the light explodes from the page, and he is pierced by the light of God.
Elina runs to Malach. Together they tap the earth and watch as a fiery red crack opens. Heat and flame pouring forth billowing their hair and wings back from the force of it.
Samiel is lifted into the air, screaming in rage as the fallen watch. Silence falls as steam from the earth surrounds him as he screams, “Say my name! Say my name!” The steam turns to ice and he is frozen with a permanent scream to his face.
Elina turns to the Fallen, surrounded now by the Keepers and leaps into the sky drawing her sword. It glows blue with the light of judgment and she swoops down striking the Mocker shattering the frozen form leaving only dust drifting down to be burned by the eternal fire held below.
Elina lands by Malach and they seal the doorway forever with a grinding growling crack of the earth as it closes.
Slowly the archangels; Malach, Simeon, Uriel, Gabriel, Michael, Gideon and Elina turn lifting the shield holding back the demon horde.
Elina looks at the cowering creatures, seeing them for the pitiful corrupted souls that they have become.
“The Mocker was right, there is nothing I could do to you that you haven’t already experienced, but I can offer you something you have never been offered before. Forgiveness.”
“Our Father is offering a chance to those of you who so choose to return to purgatory where you will serve out your time on Earth in whatever form he deems fit for you. You will be offered a chance at life, but with that comes death. What do you say?”
Surprise ripples across the Fallen as they struggle with the possibility. Hope. It flutters on the night air like a gentle breeze. They fall to the ground in a wave. On their knees, they accept this final gift, Elina spreads her wings and lifts her hands to heaven.
Now glowing with the power of the One, she pushes a wave of power towards them. As it passes through the gathered followers and demons, it disintegrates those that choose to continue fighting. Those remaining dare not look up at the sound of screams echoing across the land as it passes.
Uriel and Michael step forward when the sound of a trumpet sounds out.
Alex blinks, and that quickly, they are gone. All the Keepers and Archangels are gone, leaving only the scorched earth and destroyed smoking remains of the village. Only Malach, Elina, and Alex remain.
Alex is on the ground holding the book and pen staring open mouthed at the sudden silence around them. “Is it truly over, Elina?” he asks, looking up at her as she lands beside him.
Elina pulls her wings in tightly to her body and sinks to her knees. With tears in her turquoise eyes, she meets the eyes of her brother and laughs.
“You did it, Alex!” She cups his cheek in her hand and leans forward to speak to him.
“I’m so proud of you, and so are Mom and Dad!” Alex covers her hand with his and looks at her with tears streaming down his cheeks he whispers to her.
“How can you say that to me, I failed you?”
“NO, Alex. You saved us all!” Elina shakes her head at him. “I made the mistake of thinking I knew better than our Father, but in truth this was his plan all along. For the first time, Alex, I am at peace.” She looks at Malach and he smiles at her.
“But the book is empty, Elina. I don’t understand any of this.” Alex tells her. Frustrated, he tosses the book onto the ground and leaps to his feet. Elina slowly stands and takes a deep breath.
‘Malach he’s so young!’
“No younger than you were. He is ready and he will not be alone, Elina.”
“Alex I know you don’t understand right now and I will not pretend to have all the answers for you. But I do know that our Father does not make mistakes. You are the Keeper now.”
“The Keeper of what, Death? It seems that everyone I love is dead and it’s because of this… this gift.” He says holding up the pen in fury. He looks at his sister and rage fills his heart. “Alone again! Mom, Dad, our brother, Nameed and now you!”
She steps towards him, but he yells at her holding up the ancient pen, “NO! Stop Elina! Don’t try to tell me everything will be okay…” with a scream of rage he snaps the pen in half and throws the pieces away turning around looking at anything but her. His body shakes as he tries to stem the feelings of resentment. Elina steps closer,
