Part 15 (1/2)

Eduard reached out and grabbed Sascha's hand as they moved quickly through the trees, Patrice following close behind. They tried desperately to avoid the frozen snow and walk only where there was powder, but in the darkness it became increasingly difficult to tell which was which. The occasional crunching noise echoed through the forest. The cold air stung their throats as they breathed deeply. Suddenly they heard the loud smas.h.i.+ng of snow and plants behind them.

”Oh, children...come out, come out, wherever you are...”

Patrice held his finger to his lips and motioned for the children to run toward the road. The elderly man was having trouble keeping up with the little ones, but when they tried to come back for him, he waved them on and shook his head. At that moment, he felt a hand on his s.h.i.+rt-and the ground disappeared beneath his feet.

Muller slowly turned the little man to face him. His bright blue eyes filled with fear as he now gazed on what Muller had become. His eight-foot frame, no longer covered in the black and silver uniform of the Gestapo General-but almost naked in the freezing, winter night-seemed to put off heat. Patrice could see Muller's eyes and he grasped the cross around his neck. Muller laughed.

”Do you really think your G.o.d will save you? He cares nothing for you, old man!”

”I am already saved,” said Patrice.

”Mapapa!”

Eduard and Sascha had returned when they lost sight of their grandfather.

”No, let him go...please!!” they cried.

Muller turned, looked at the children, and smiled.

”Come here, children...and I won't hurt your mapapa...”

Patrice shook his head, but Muller shook his entire body, disorienting the old man. Slowly, the children moved forward, never releasing each other's hands. Each held their pendants and Sascha wished that someone would save them. She prayed to G.o.d that someone would save their mapapa.

Muller watched and when they were in reaching distance, he dropped Patrice and took a step toward the children. Just as he was about to grab them, the earth shook with the force of an earthquake and Muller almost stumbled. He focused on the children, who had taken a step back, and narrowed his black eyes to slits-once again reaching out to grab them and take from them the prize his Master desired.

”Step away from my children, brother.”

Muller looked up into the forest as he recognized the voice behind him. He slowly turned and looked into the clearing.

There staring back at him was Azar Engle. He stood eight feet tall and his lean, muscular frame was dressed similarly to Muller, but his face was kind and light, surrounded by a halo of long white hair. Eduard and Sascha ran to their grandfather and dropped to the ground beside him.

”h.e.l.lo, Raphael... It's been a long time,” said Muller.

”Yes, brother...it has.”

”I need the relics, brother” said Muller.

”I can't let you have them, Va.s.sago. Nor will I let you harm my children to get them.”

The fallen one, Va.s.sago-the finder of hidden things-smiled and held out his arm. From the nothingness, a sword appeared, engulfed in flames.

”Well then, I suppose I'll have to take them. As always, the obedient child, Raphael...never questioning... Before I do kill them-were you punished for creating these half-breeds?”

Raphael smiled and shook his head.

”No.”

”He allowed it?” Muller asked, his furrowing brow growing ever deeper.

”He decreed it.”

Raphael placed his arm in the air as Muller had and another flaming sword appeared.

”He would never... Not after last time!”

Raphael smiled and again shook his head.

”You never did understand him, Va.s.sago...any more than you understand humans.”

Va.s.sago growled and then yelled-from his back sprang ma.s.sive, black wings. Like a black cloud made of torn leather, they flapped back and forth, casually lifting Va.s.sago's ma.s.sive form off the ground, his feet hovering several feet above land. Raphael, the archangel of divine healing and love, narrowed his deep, blue eyes and flexed his arms and shoulders-from his back wings also uncoiled. Like a flash of lightning, his wings expanded as if they were main sails on a clipper s.h.i.+p. Brilliant white and silver, they moved with such strength as to compel the trees around them to bend under the pressure of their force. The two giants circled one another, floating above the ground, and then Va.s.sago struck. With blinding speed, he slashed at Raphael, who spun around. His wings engulfed him like a s.h.i.+eld as Va.s.sago's sword connected, sparks flying as if metal against metal. Raphael's wings opened and he struck with the same ferocity as his adversary. With each strike of their weapons, the brilliant sparks mimicked the bombing that plagued the European skies each night as fire rained down from the sky. Va.s.sago struck at Raphael and then brought his wings down swiftly across his opponent's chest, slicing through Raphael's skin, causing crimson to pour down his belly. As Raphael collapsed to the ground, the earth shook with monumental force. Va.s.sago flew at him, but Raphael beat his wings hard and fast, causing his body to be lifted in the air just as Va.s.sago's sword struck the earth. Va.s.sago cursed him and stared at the heavens. Raphael wrapped his wings around his body and began to spin, faster and faster.

Patrice and the children clung to one another, just out of reach of the giants. They all prayed and held one another. Suddenly, the pendants began to glow and, as they did, Raphael began to glow with the same brilliance. Light radiated from every pore of his being as he spun faster. Va.s.sago turned his gaze to the children and grinned. He flew at them, his sword raised behind his head, screaming furiously. The children clung to Patrice, who closed his eyes and prayed. Just as Va.s.sago was about to strike, Raphael disappeared in a flash of light and reappeared in front of the children. The two angels stared at one another for only a moment, and then Va.s.sago dropped the blade behind his head as Raphael withdrew his own sword. Va.s.sago collapsed into Raphael's arms, his breathing labored as he grabbed his brother's shoulder.

”Does he still love me, brother?”

A tear fell from Raphael's glowing face.

”Of course he does, brother... Whomsoever asks for forgiveness with truth in their heart, shall receive it.”

Va.s.sago smiled, and then gasped as his head rolled back. Raphael lifted his brother's face to his own and continued to cry as he gently closed his brother's eyes, kissed his forehead, and then laid the fallen angel gently on the ground.

”May you be welcomed into the arms of our father, brother.”

He laid his hand on Va.s.sago's chest; a great light came from underneath and spread across Va.s.sago's body, then flashed as his appearance changed. His hair lightened, his features softened, and his wings became silky as they turned white. Raphael lifted his hand and Va.s.sago's body lifted into the air. After it had risen twenty or thirty feet, there was a flash and the body was gone. Raphael smiled as he turned back to Patrice and the children.

”Azar? Azar Engle?”

Raphael turned and looked at Patrice.

”h.e.l.lo, Patrice.”

”You are what I think you are?”

”I am a servant of the Father. One of his messengers.”

”Could you not have saved my Miriam?” Patrice asked, bitterness seeping into his voice.

”She did not need saving, Patrice. She is home...but I have little time.”

Raphael looked at the children, who smiled and ran into his arms.

”Papa,” said Eduard.

”You are so beautiful-both of you are so strong.”

”Did you ever love her?” asked Patrice.