“He’s human!” Cassiel laughs as Sebastian sniffs the air and his eyes turn red with hatred and revenge. He can smell Lailah on the air around him.
“Hold him!” Morgan shouts to Liam and Cassiel. They grab Sebastian before he can seize Caius. “We need him alive, Sebastian!”
Sebastian struggles but even an ancient is no use against the strength of the two angels.
“For now,” Liam murmurs into Sebastian’s ear. He stops struggling and stares at him and gives a nod of understanding. Liam releases him and they watch as Morgan points a sword at Caius as he stumbles to his knees.
“Your traitorous daughter left us here to die!” Caius spits out at Keane.
“Wrong, she left you here to die. The thing about Anya’s bite that you do not understand yet, is that when she strips you of your immortality it leaves behind traces of something… well, let’s just say if an immortal creature bites you, it will kill you. Not change you.” Morgan whispers as he grabs his wrist.
“Never again will you feel the gift of immortality,” Keane snarls.
Morgan feels her in his mind and smiles. Of course! Morgan pushes to his feet and seizes Caius by the throat before he disappears.
All the color drains from Caius’s face. One second he is kneeling in the cave and flash the next second he is standing in the center of Beijing. Chaos, screaming surround them, sensing the new comers, the creatures turn in unison to look up at him. He is their master, creator, maker of the hell they exist in.
“I will tell you everything!” Caius screams in terror clutching at him. “There is no antidote! I only wanted her to open the gate! To leave this hell, I wasn’t supposed to end up here.”
“You lie!” Morgan drops his screaming body to the horde below but grabs him just before they reach him.
“I swear,” Caius screams, “they will spread across the planet creating a new version of humanity. It is too late. The forced evolution has begun.” Glaring at Morgan with hatred he sneers, “Your kind will no longer hold dominion over everything. We will all be free!”
Unable to stand his evil any longer, Morgan slams his forehead into Caius’s and knocks him out cold. When he returns to the cavern with Caius and tells them what he said.
“Very good,” Keane replies when an intense flash of light followed by a powerful wave of energy blows everyone from their feet. The cavern wall begins to glow as a gate forms on the rocky surface behind them. Glyphs etch into the stone in a language only the angels can read, and they fall to their knees in reverence. As soon as the script is complete it opens and Anya steps through. Behind her, Lailah smiles at her beloved. Beautiful as the day he met her, she glows with the silver light of heaven. Large pink pearlescent wings spread out behind her, long red hair and her lilac eyes shimmer with love for him. Sebastian steps forward to run to her, but Anya stops him.
“Not yet, Dad. We have some work to do first.”
Lailah smiles at him and then blows a kiss before stepping aside as the gate begins to glow.
Turning to the group Anya smiles, “You might want to back up. I brought some help.” They scramble out of the way pulling Caius with them, just as a surge of light pours through the gate. Legions of Angels follow, and when the first touches the cavern wall it explodes outward in a shower of rock and debris. The angels fill the sky in a grey blur covering the ceiling of the earth.
“Join me, brothers,” Anya calls. Her summons rings out to the Fae, the Shadow Kings army, even the Fallen Angels. She calls to every immortal who lives on this planet to join them and they answer the call. They leap into the sky to join in the healing of the planet.
Those people watching across the planet will remember the day the sky was blanketed by angels and immortals in numbers so great they blacked out the sun. Wing tip to wing tip they fly, raining down their power on the dead and dying. Just as before in New York, humans are healed, and the animal hybrids are returned to their original form.
Caius sees his opportunity to leap into the gate, but Keane punches him, knocking him out cold once more. “You won’t get away from me so easily,” he hisses. Keane ties his hands behind his back and returns to watch his daughter work. Pride fills his heart and soul as he hears Lailah call to him from the gate. She’s as beautiful as the day he met her.
“Keane, I promised you once that you would be rewarded for your service. Immortality is yours if you want it.” He stares into the sky at the child he has raised and loved, smiling with pride.
“Ah, Luv, she is all the reward I could ever need.”
“Thank you, Keane.” Lailah gently smiles at him and she looks at Sebastian with sorrow. “Look after them for me,” she asks and fades from sight.
Keane sighs and turns to watch history.
In major cities across the globe, people and animals are healed and return to their natural form. The angels stay long enough to help the sick, injured and wounded. Sebastian returns with Anya to the newly formed gate and they watch as the legion returns.
“I have more work to do.” Anya turns to look at her Dads and the fallen Angels standing around her. “There will be four new gates on earth. Each will have new guardians, and should they fall more will take their place. You are to watch over them, guiding them and helping when they need it. I will see you soon, look after Vorn for me.” Anya
