It's Not Over

Lazerous summoned Darius too his office not long after Aerie's residents had returned from the funerals.  The leader stood by the large alcove window in his office, watching as three of his fallen warriors dragged Damasen's unconscious body back inside the dungeons of Aerie.  He heard Darius's light footsteps as he came up to the slightly open office door.  

"Come in, Darius." Lazerous said softly.  He rubbed his forehead.  A headache was pending at the front of his head.

The Nephilim-wolf boy stepped inside and shut the door behind himself.  "What did you want to speak with me about, sir?"

Lazerous did not turn away from the window.  "I was hoping that you could explain to me why it is that you saw fit to release Aerie's worst enemy from his place in the dungeons."

Darius scratched his head.  "I knew that he would unite with our army - at least temporarily - and fight against the demons.  I know that he has a very good set of battle skills from having killed thousands of Nephilim in the past century.  I admit that I did not think he would attack Lucifer since he was on our side as well.  But, I knew we would be likely to recapture him relatively easily.  He's not at his full power yet...."

Lazerous turned from the window finally and set his green DVD eyes upon Darius' gear-clad, lean form.  He had a few cuts and bruises from the fight.  "I thought that might be your reasoning.  You've always had a knack for battle-logic.  It must be something you managed to inherit from your warrior father.  It's what made you into one of our best."

Darius smiled shyly at this.  

"However, that gives you no excuse to set Damasen free without consulting me.  You couldn't have known that he wouldn't have fled as soon as he could when the battle had finished for the day." Lazerous went on.

"I knew he wouldn't.  I knew that he'd hang around and try to make sure that all the demons were gone or begin to try to go after the other Nephilim which could give us a chance to capture him." Darius said defensively.

"That is even worse.  Even at a weak point, Damasen can manage to be very fast.  He could've managed to kill one of us in the time it would take to find and capture him."  Lazerous snapped.  "He was very close to killing Lucifer and his daughter.  If I had not stepped in...if Lucifer had not managed to dig up the power he had so long ago...we would've lost our best asset in this war."

Darius sighed, looking down at the floor, his hand against the back of his neck.

"That was a very reckless decision, Darius." the leader hissed.  "Though it managed to save many of our lives this time...it could've cost us many lives."

Darius looked at him, his blue eyes, ringed with gold from his werewolf side.  "I apologize for my reckless deed, sir.  It will not happen again."

Lazerous nodded.  "There is a girl that a couple of the fallen captured and have put in the dungeon.  Her name is Athalia.  She is marked with Azazel's axe on her chest.  Go there and question her.  Report what you find to me."

Darius nodded.

"Take Uriah and Kadir with you."  Lazerous added.  "You'll need back-up."

Darius sent out a telepathic message to Uriah and Kadir, telling them to meet him in the front hall.  They found him on his way there, appearing with their wings wrapped around him.  Uriah was first, his white wings brushing Darius' shoulder as he headed down a hall of rooms, halfway to the hall.  Kadir was next.  His black wings rustling as he folded them beneath his skin.

"Lazerous has given me orders to question a Nephilim girl named Athalia that they have captured.  She is on Azazel's side, marked with Azazel's axe." Darius said without preamble.  "He specifically mentioned you two by name to bring with me as back-up."

Both boys nodded.

"Bring it in." Darius paused in the middle of the front hall. His red wings unfurled from beneath his gear and he opened his arms.  

Kadir and Uriah ducked under the red wings and Darius pictured the dungeon.  The place he did not yet wish to return to after a year there.

He felt the hard-wood floors disappear from under his feet.  Felt his body separate from reality, crashing through layers of matter only to be dispensed in the damp, dark dungeons with the rough concrete floors.

Darius' wings folded back under his skin.  Kadir and Uriah lifted their heads and looked around.  Kadir's sharp, angled features became sharper as he looked at all of the various prisoners kept beneath Aerie.  Uriah looked plainly focused, searching for the girl they were to interrogate.  

Kadir ran a thin hand through his wavy black hair.  "They're darker than I remember.  More...evil."

Darius acted as though he hadn't said anything, scanning for the prisoner girl.  "There."

He spotted a new person among the demons and Hybrids that commonly occupied the cells and chains here.  There was a head of silvery hair that hung down in front of the girl's face, casting it in shadow.  Her tan arms were stretched out the way Jesus's arms were stretched on the cross.  Her booted feet rested against the floor.  She was dressed all in black as any Nephilim would be.

"You're Athalia, correct?" Darius spoke loudly as he approached the girl in case she was dozing.

She did not answer.

Darius approached her, remembering that Lazerous said she was marked with Azazel's axe on her chest.  He reached for the low collar of her shirt, pulling it aside.  He caught a glimpse of a black axe in the midst of a fire on her chest before she began to growl and tried to bite him.  He yanked his hand away and saw that she was looking at him with sharp gold eyes.  Her dark eyebrows arched defiantly.  Then, she began to laugh like a lunatic.

"What's the matter wolf-boy?  Afraid of a little nip?" she taunted. 

Darius looked at her with confusion, his eyebrows lowered. 

"You and I both know that Nephilim can smell werewolves within a few yards of one." Athalia continued.

"I do."  he allowed.  "Now, that I know for sure that you're awake, answer my questions.  You are Athalia, yes?"

"Yes.  And you are?"  the girl leaned back against the stone wall as though she were used to being chained to one.

"That doesn't matter."  he said.

"We're beginning with the pleasantries, aren't we?" Athalia said mockingly.  "It wouldn't be polite if you didn't tell me your name too."

"There's no call for my politeness.  I'm here to question you.  I'm following the orders of my leader.  You do not need to know my name.  I asked yours for confirmation only."  Darius replied sternly.

The girl pouted. "You really know how to hurt a girl's feelings, pretty wolf boy."

"I would consider myself being relatively kind compared to how I could be treating you, prisoner."  Darius snapped, feeling his patience drain.  "Now, first question: What brought you to Azazel's army?  As a Nephilim, you would be expected to be on Aerie's side."

"Aerie, Aerie, Aerie," Athalia mused, lolling her head in circles.  She laughed.  "The safe-haven of Nephilim and fallen alike.  The place of peace.  The place where no demon, Hybrid or devil could penetrate.  Yet...they say the Devil roams these grounds with his offspring.  Isn't that right?"

Her gold eyes blazed upon his.  "Of course, the little soldier boy wouldn't dare divulge that.  No, he's on the fallen leader's orders.  Must follow orders, must follow orders.  Don't disappoint the dear master."

"Answer the question." Darius looked at her with bored eyes.

She lolled her head to her right, resting it upon her shoulder.  "Ha.  You have no idea the things that my lord has offered me in return for my allegiance.  He found me lost and dying and saved me.  Brought me to a safe place.  Healed me.  When he is finished with this world, he will allow me to be his queen.  I will be his if I choose.  Have whatever I like.  All I must do for him is fight for him.  Be his hand."

Darius raised an eyebrow.  "You must be special to him.  He's giving you everything and anything for doing the same things that any other Nephilim, demon, or Hybrid in his army is doing."

Athalia laughed, throwing her head back.  "I'm a soldier and so much more to him.  He is a man as much as he is a demon."

Kadir stifled a bark of laughter.  Uriah smirked.

"I see.  So you've been - "

"Think what you like, pretty boy." she cut him off, licking her lips.

Darius curled his lip.  "You realize Azazel's dead, right?  Lucifer killed him.  There's no point to all this that you're doing.  No point in defending him."

Athalia laughed again.  "No, he's not.  He's too powerful to die from that little show Lucifer put on.  He will rise again.  Re-gather himself.   He will be back and this little haven of yours will be laid in a grave."

Darius took a step forward.  "What do you mean?  Lucifer is Azazel's only equal match in battle.  Lucifer's power is the only thing that can truly destroy Azazel."

Athalia licked her lips.  "Blue eyes.  The pretty boy has blue eyes.  Oooh, I like this."  She leaned forward as far as she could with her hands chained to the stone wall.  Her tongue slid out of her mouth again, reaching for Darius, who leaned away.  

"Stop with the attempts at seduction, girl.  I'm not interested.  I'm here for information and I will not leave until I have what I need for the time being."  He rolled his eyes.

"Azazel is a powerful man.  He will do what he wants in order to get what he desires.  He desires the destruction of the abominations of this earth.  That includes humans and any beings who disobey him.  Those who obey will share the earth with him as their ruler."  Athalia smirked.  "My king will have his throne of fire, built with the skulls of his enemies.  He will take you all down with his battle-axe and you will be helpless against it.  You only have two choices.  All of you.  Join my king or lay on the ground and wait for your head to roll." 

Athalia leaned against her wall, her legs crossed at the ankles.  "It would be such a shame to see you or your friend's pretty head being severed and burned."  Her gold eyes flashed upon Kadir's face and she dropped a wink at him.

Kadir kept his face blank.

Athalia laughed.  "Your choice entirely."

"How many Nephilim are on your side?" Uriah asked, almost sounding frightened.

Athalia looked at him, her head tilting slowly toward her left shoulder.  "How many  do you think are on our side?"

"Stop playing games.  Answer the question directly." Darius said sternly.

The Nephilim girl's eyes flicked to him.  She smiled slowly, a low laugh rumbling in her throat.  "More than you think.  We have eyes everywhere.  We didn't bring the whole army today.  A large percentage, yes.  But, why begin with the biggest and best?  We have so many in our ranks.  Many of our kind have wisely chosen to join my king to save themselves."

"Where are these Nephilim now?" Darius asked, shifting his weight from one foot to the other with a sigh.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." she smirked.  "As I said, we are everywhere."

"Are there any from his army here?" Darius asked.

Athalia smirked again.  "Why ask me?  I don't know every command that Azazel gives his soldiers."  With that she burst into laughter.  "May want to start looking through all your little residents' heads.  Weed out the bad ones if you can find them."