From Heaven To Earth (The Faith of the Fallen) (29 page)

Gerald turned to look back at the center of the courtyard but could no
longer see it. The path seemed to stretch on infinitely behind them.

“That trips me out every time, Gustav,” he said as he tried to break
through the illusion.

What if there isn’t one though? What if the ground moved beneath us so
quickly that we didn’t even notice?
he thought.

Gustav smiled broadly at him and led the way.

When Gerald turned round he could see the entrance to the northern part
of the living quarters in the distance: a large double door made of blackened
metal. As they drew close to the entrance a low rustling sound whispered from
the west.

“The garden creeps me out.” Gerald shuddered. “It has a mind of its own
just like this cursed house.”

Gustav turned and frowned, displeased at Gerald’s comment.

“It’s beautiful don’t get me wrong,” Gerald said.

Gustav grinned.

“I just wouldn’t want to walk around in it. I would get lost for sure,”
he said.

And probably tortured by whatever lives in it for all of eternity,
he finished in thought.

Gerald stopped in front of the door, but Gustav continued through it.

“Hey, I’m not as blessed as you, Gustav. You’re going to have to let me
in,” Gerald said.

A rush of perfumed air hit Gerald full in the face when the doors swung
open.

Gerald hesitated at the entrance.

If I enter I risk reverting back to the way I was, and if I were to
see her again...
Gerald thought.

“Gustav, tell me something.”

The ghost faded from view ahead of Gerald and appeared right in front of
him with a smile on his face.

“Is... Marylza working today?” he asked.

Gustav’s smile widened into a grin, and he flitted about Gerald
excitedly.

“No, I don’t want to see her. I just wanted to know if she was on duty,”
Gerald said.

Gustav hung his head, faded from view and reappeared in the hallway.

Gerald’s muscles instinctively tightened when he breathed in the air from
the hall.

I could always ask for another room.
He nodded at this thought and
changed his mind.
No. I have to face this.

Gerald stepped into the wing. Its door slammed shut behind him and left
him in darkness.

I guess the hall keeper hasn’t come round to light the torches yet,
he
thought and tried not to breathe in too much of the perfumed air at a time.

“Gustav can we...” Gerald heard a woman’s low moan from down the hall. He
felt his loins stir at the sound. He took a deep breath to try to calm himself,
but the perfume only excited him more. Gustav appeared in front of him. His
iridescent form was the only light in the hall.

“Get some light in here?” Gustav studied Gerald and then disappeared.

God, I felt like I was on trial when he was staring at me like that.
Gerald managed to calm himself a little, and his erection receded.

Bright yellow-orange illuminated the hall from a newly lit torch on the
wall. Its light revealed another set of double doors framed by shimmering,
flowing red cloth. Two more halls branched off to the right and left of the
door, leading to more living quarters and training rooms.

More women joined in with the singular moan: a chorus of ecstasy.

“It’s getting hot in here,” Gerald muttered. He tried to ignore the
sounds but found himself aroused again.

Gustav lit torches along the wall until he reached Gerald. The ghost
stared at him, smiled and offered his torch to him.

“Yes, you’re right. I know my way from here.” Gerald took the torch from
the ghost. Gustav grinned.

“Take care, Gustav. It was nice meeting you,” Gerald said.

Gustav gave a curt bow and faded away.

Gerald’s footsteps clicked against the smooth gray tile of the hall.
Every time Gerald passed the wooden doors to the student’s rooms he could hear
not only the moans of the succubae but human sobs and whimpers.

The succubae must be eating breakfast,
he thought.

Images of the hundreds of succubae in the wing leisurely torturing humans
in unison sickened him. He found it very easy to control his libido.

Halfway down the hall he saw a tapestry of two naked succubae entangled
with a human male. Terror was on the man’s face while the succubae were the
ones overcome with ecstasy.

Maybe I could have just one taste of Marylza while I’m here.
Her
green irises encompassed his mind’s eye. He wanted to lose himself in them.

Gerald shook the vision from his mind and continued down the hall. As he
walked the moans intensified and ceased altogether. One after another the doors
in the hall opened. Succubae of different ages, nationalities and figures came
out of their rooms and walked briskly down the hall. He moved against the wall
to let them pass. Their crimson garments accentuated their curves.

Most of these aren’t pure demons,
Gerald noted as they passed by.
I
guess pure succubae are getting harder to come by these days.

Gerald watched the succubae gather around the door at the end of the
hall. An older demon in a black robe trimmed with crimson walked up to the door
and muttered an incantation. They waited while it opened. The elder succubus
stood aside and ushered the other demons in then stepped inside herself. She
looked at Gerald and smirked.

Gerald offered a wave.

The succubae’s mouth moved, but her words were not for Gerald. Gerald saw
her smirk at him again before the doors closed.

Gerald scratched his head.

He moved down the hall and ignored the tired, breathless pleas of the
humans that saw him from their cages in the succubaes’ rooms. Freeing them
would only doom himself and his companions to a similar fate.

When he got to his room he fumbled in his pockets for the key and
unlocked the door.

Why was she smirking at me like that?

The room was dark.

Gerald thrust his torch in and entered.

Torch-light revealed a dresser-vanity mirror combo piece with a fan of
three mirrors. This was to the right of Gerald, against the wall, by the door.
Gerald stepped into the room and let the door close behind him. Reflected
torchlight looked like the ghost of a fire on the walls.

A bed made from unfinished black wood in the middle of the room was large
enough for at least six people. Gerald walked to the bed and slid the torch in
a notch on the wall. He ran his hands up and down the black sheets. They were
smooth.

“The most comfortable bed I’ve ever slept in.” Gerald sighed, and tossed
his ruined leather trench coat at one of the bedposts. It hung on it for a
moment and fell to the floor. Gerald frowned.

He stripped out of the rest of his tattered clothes, threw them at the
foot of the bed, took the torch from the holder and moved to the bathroom area
of the quarters.

A small circular mirror hung above the sink. His face, hair and body were
caked with a mixture of mud and blood.

Gerald placed the torch in a holder to his left, turned the water on and
splashed it on his face several times. His face felt cool and refreshed. His
face itched as the healing properties in the water reduced its scarification.

Gerald smiled and walked into the bathroom. It had a toilet and a shower
enclosed in glass large enough for two.

Gerald sighed with relief as he urinated. He flushed the toilet and
glanced at the shower, smelled himself and decided it was a good idea. He
opened up a small cabinet above the toilet, removed a black folded towel from
it and closed it.

The shower knobs and head were both made from the same well-polished
black metal. A naked succubae’s upper body was the head of the shower, and when
he turned the water on, it sprayed from her mouth.

He cringed when freezing water hit him, but it warmed quickly. He watched
the mixture of blood and mud flake off of him and drain from the shower. He
scrubbed the remnants of his battle with Shrazz off of his body. He lost track
of time and let himself relax.

Later, he stepped out, dried himself off with a towel and threw it over
the shower’s door. In the vanity mirror he could see his body’s scars had
almost completely vanished. He felt at ease.

He glanced at the torch.

Nah, I’ll leave it there. The light will probably just keep me awake
if I leave it by the bed.

He folded the covers back and slid into them. As soon as he laid his head
down on the one of the four pillows he felt comfortable, and he let his
consciousness drift.

His room’s orange glow vanished. Gerald’s eyes snapped open.

“Did the oil go out?” Gerald sat up.

Not likely,
he decided.

He waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. A hand pushed against
his chest, and he fell back on to the bed.

Strong, supple arms held him close. His head fell against the soft bosom
of his captor. His body burned with want. He looked up to see who it was,
though he already knew.

Iridescent green eyes met his gaze, and the red of the succubae’s full
red lips were accentuated by her fair skin. They smiled at him.

“Welcome back, lover,” Marylza said.

Riell stood before the opaque blue crystal double-doors to the
easternmost part of Gri’s estate. Multicolored incandescent crystal framed
them. She could not sense Gerald or Drean anymore and her blindness unnerved
her. Slow, deep breathing did not lessen the anxiety and frustration building
up to an inevitable eruption. As long as they were on Earth and not in Hell she
would not be able to rest. So what was the point of their vacation? What the
hell were they doing here?

“Will you be able to find your way from here? Your room will be at the
end of the hall on your left,” Ajeb said, interrupting her inner tirade.

“I’ll be fine.”

Ajeb dropped a small silver key into her hand.

“Mind where you keep that key. Don’t lose it,” the ghost said.

“I won’t.”

Ajeb bowed and faded away.

I think he could tell that I was ready for him to leave,
Riell
thought.

An arched hallway of black stone that looked like it had been polished by
water and time was beyond the door. Blue tongues of flame hovered close to the
high ceiling.

Riell walked down the hall, and the door closed behind her.

She passed the first of the rooms and noticed they had no doors. Some
force within the doorways repelled light cast from the flames in the hall,
which made the rooms pitch black. As Ajeb had said, there were two staircases
leading to the floor beneath her. Blue luminescence from below lit the hallways
dimly, but enough for someone to find their way. She continued down the hall.
Her room was on the top floor.

She could hear low hums. She glanced to her left. Her room was behind
her: a door with a small silver lock. She reached to insert her key and
stopped.

Purple light shone through a gaping entrance at the end of the hall.
Riell closed her hand around the key and stored it in the spirit realm with her
armor and weaponry without much effort.

She decided to satisfy her curiosity and peered into the room.

Several male and female half-breeds in gray hooded robes sat cross-legged
upon brown cloth rugs with their backs to Riell. They faced their teacher who
sat at the front of the group. His eyes were closed.

What is he?
Riell thought to herself as she gazed at the demon’s
face.
Blue skin, with spines and small spikes on his cheeks and skull? I
can’t place the race in my head.

“Concentrate, my pupils, how are you to master the ways of the ensynae
when you cannot even feel the Inner within you?”

An ensynae. I thought that race of demons was extinct.

“Good, Loranna, Chino, Brazy.” The demon nodded. “Your minds are clear
and you are fully connected with your spirit’s energy.”

They sat still. Their bodies glowed with the purple light that Riell had
seen from the hall. The three students levitated a few inches off the ground.

“Yes. That’s it.” The teacher stood up and opened his eyes. “See how long
you can stay like that. I’ll be right back.” He stared at Riell from his
pedestal.

Do you wish to join us?
His smooth, deep voice resonated in
Riell’s mind.

She immediately turned from the door to go back to her room.

“Please, miss?”

She jumped at the closeness of his voice and turned. He extended his
hand.

“Riell.” She shook his hand briefly, and folded her arms.

“I am Azuleophis.” He gave her a low, gracious bow. “You may call me
Azule, or teacher, as I am known to the residents of this manor.”

If he thinks I’m going to waste my time in a class with students that
don’t look like they have even seen the turn of a century yet...
Riell
opened her mouth to say something to end the conversation.

“I was informed we would have a guest,” Azule interrupted.

Riell’s mouth shut. She tightened her lips in annoyance.

“Please, Riell, join us.” He gestured back at the classroom. “I can sense
you are skilled in Inner utilization.”

“I was schooled for many years as a child.”

I want nothing to do with fledglings,
she thought.

“You could learn more from the young than you think.”

“Did I say that out loud? I’m sorry. I must be getting tired. I need to
rest.”

 
Azule smiled.

“Are you familiar with the ensynae race?”

“I can’t say I am,” Riell said, barely noticing that Azule had changed
the subject. “They were said to be extinct long before my time.”

“Many half-breed races are blessed with strength beyond humans and
enhanced senses,” Azule said. “We are blessed with neither. We have a distinct
connection with the energies within us and the world around us. It is true
however that our race seemed to dwindle and then vanish,” he said.

“Yes,” Riell said. “I was taught that Asmodeus wiped your kind out
because of your gentle nature and your relationship with the humans.”

“Like I said, it only seemed like our race dwindled and passed away,”
Azule said, with a smile.

“You used your powers to mask your race?” Riell asked.

“Yes.” Azule nodded at her recognition. “Our most powerful elders made it
possible to allow the remainder of our people to feign extinction.”

“Your kind must have been extremely gifted to escape the eradication
parties of Asmodeus,” Riell mused.

“Indeed,” the teacher said. “Would you like to know more about us?”

“Sure. I’ve got some time,” Riell said, trying not to sound too
interested.

Azule gave a nod and smiled. “We can attack the mind with an assault of
Inner or use it to move objects.”

“So can many who know basic Inner utilities,” Riell said.

His eyes flashed a brilliant violet. The silver key Riell had previously
stored away faded into view in front of their faces and hovered in the air.

She gaped at this. “How did you...”

It rotated in the air. Its spin accelerated by the second.

“This is the most basic of our psychic abilities.” He glanced at Riell.
“You may want to move.”

Riell pressed herself against the wall.

Azule gave the key a telekinetic nudge and thrust it down the hall faster
than a bullet. Riell could not follow it with her eyes, and when it clanged
against the exit to the courtyard less than a second later her eyes widened.

“Perhaps I underestimated you.” She moved back to her original position
in front of the teacher.

He bowed.

“But tell me this, how did you remove that from the spirit realm?”

He gave her a knowing look but said nothing.

“I put that there myself, and it should have been secure.” She was half
berating herself, thinking it was something she did that gave away the key’s
location.

“It was just a demonstration,” he said. “In time you will learn how to
keep your mind guarded from intruders.”

So he did take the information from my mind without me knowing,
she thought.
Maybe he has something to teach me after all if he could slip
through my defenses so easily.

He chuckled. “Surely by now you must know that your thoughts are as open
to me as a house without walls. Easy to see. Easy to predict. Easy to
manipulate.”

Riell glanced down the hall where the key had flown and back at him, her
face expressionless.

“I’m going to need that key back so I can rest.”

Azule frowned at this.

“Surely you know why I am here,” she said. “And I do not appreciate you
infiltrating my mind.”

“Why are you here, Riell?” he asked.

“I...”

“Moreover,” the teacher continued, “why didn’t you just go into your
room? Why did you investigate the class instead?”

Riell nodded abruptly. “I get your meaning. You have knowledge that could
be useful to me. I don’t understand how you think I can trust you after what
just happened.”

The ensynae’s face grew solemn. “I apologize for my intrusion, Riell,” he
said and bowed his head to her in supplication. “As I said. It was merely a
demonstration.”

She sighed. “I can tell you mean no harm. I just wish I had been able to
detect you is all.” She looked at the floor. “I was powerless, and I hate
feeling that way.”

Azule put a hand on her shoulder to reassure her. “These are things you
will develop in time.”

“I’ve been around longer than you would think,” she said, backing away
from his reach. “I should have grasped that by now.”

“Then, with a little focus you should be able to develop natural barriers
rather quickly,” Azule said.

“Tell me more about the ensynae,” she said. “What do these students learn
from you exactly?”

“After a few years of schooling ensynae can break illusions and use Inner
as potent weapons, leaving their opponents either brain dead or irreparably
mad. The most skilled of us can cancel, redirect and bolster energy with our
wills alone: a kind of telepathic aikido if you will,” Azule said. “We also
learn how to invoke deep meditation states to rejuvenate the mind, body and
Inner rapidly.” He looked into Riell’s eyes. “You came here to rejuvenate
yourself did you not?”

“Yes. I did,” she said.

“Do you know of the art of deep meditation?” he asked.

“I know that it’s long and boring.” Riell folded her arms and smirked.

“So you’ve tried it before with no success?”

“I fell asleep if that’s what you mean.” Riell laughed.

“No, this isn’t a state of unconsciousness I’m talking about.” Azule
remained serious. “You remain conscious, but your body shuts down while you
give yourself to the Inner.”

“Is that all you’re going to teach me then? I might as well be on my
way,” Riell said.

“So, you’re still unconvinced? Or are you just too proud to realize that
you are completely inferior to me?” the teacher asked.

“Inferior?” Riell smiled at this and drew her short sword, and stepped
back into a combat stance. “That’s a word you should have left out of the
conversation.”

“All right then.” Azule nodded. “If you can show mastery over me in
combat, I will take my leave of you.”

She noticed he had no weapons on his person.

“Fair enough. What are the rules of engagement?” she asked.

“Hold nothing back,” he said. “The first one on the ground for ten
seconds or longer loses.”

Riell sighed, put her long hair up and sheathed her sword.

“Don’t hold back I said. Your fists alone will not be enough to subdue
me.”

The teacher closed his eyes and placed his palms together in front of his
chest.

Let’s test this guy. Charging in is probably what he’s expecting me to
do,
Riell thought, before remembering he could hear her thoughts. She
silently cursed. She would have to improvise without really thinking about what
she was going to do before she did it.

Riell connected herself with the darkness beneath the teacher’s feet and
felt it ripple in response: a tickle in her mind.

Certain that her plan was going to work, Riell attacked.

As she neared him, he made no movement to counter her. She somersaulted
and used the wall in conjunction with her wings to flip up above him. She drew
her sword.

Still he did not react.

Her feet touched the ceiling and she vaulted off it, her sword poised to
strike. As she grew closer she called upon the shadows below Azule to entrap
him, they leapt up behind him in response. When the shadows touched his body
they fizzled despite Riell’s commands.

She felt pinpricks in her head as they dissipated against his skin and
could not concentrate to mount another assault with her Inner.

Riell flapped her wings to slow her descent, and she tumbled out of the
way and landed behind him.

“Having second thoughts about this?” Azule chuckled.

Riell jabbed at him with her sword. Before it punctured him he spun about
and knocked it aside with the edge of his right hand. Energy surged through
Riell’s arm and numbed it. She struggled to keep the sword in hand. Azule
punched Riell’s stomach. She fell to her knees.

My whole body is numbing...
She tried to stand up, but her muscles
wouldn’t respond.

One, two, three...
the teacher’s voice resounded in her head. He
took his time, his count noticeably longer than seconds.

She managed to put one foot on the floor and stood, clenched her sword
with both hands, and slashed upward at the ensynae. He opened his right palm as
if he were going to try to catch the incoming blade.

Her sword halted like it had been embedded in a wall. Her momentum kept
her moving. She fell backwards and smashed her head against the floor. Her
vision blurred and her head spun. She lifted her head and Azule pressed her own
sword against her throat with his mind. He stood with his arms folded and eyes
closed.

“Do you concede?” he asked.

I will not give up that easily,
Riell thought and used her wings
to push herself away from the hovering sword and flipped up onto her feet.

Violet flared beneath the teacher’s eyelids. Azule’s will debilitated
Riell’s body immediately and pressed her into the floor. Its pressure increased
steadily and the floor cracked against the strain. Riell simultaneously
screamed.

One, two, three, four, five, six.

Riell’s ribcage buckled, and she could not breathe.

I concede,
she thought.

She could breathe again. She took a deep breath and coughed it out. She
fought the urge to rub her burning chest and lifted her head to look at her
opponent. Azule offered his hand. She grasped it. He pulled her to her feet,
and she braced herself against the wall.

“This is yours.” He offered the sword back to her. She took it and
attempted to sheathe it but missed her scabbard altogether. Riell stumbled and
almost fell back onto the ground again. Azule caught her and put her arm around
his shoulder.

“Thanks.” She coughed. Blood ran down her chin.