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.I can't let you hurt him; I won't let you interferewith the Plan.So what choice do I have?""Anyone else in your group, Michael, I would destroy.""Which means?""You've won, for now."Her head disappeared beneath the water, followed by the length of herbody.Her tail showed in the air for a moment, then it, too, vanished.Michael knew, somehow, that she had gone, though he didn't know howshe had done so.He suddenly felt lighter, as if he had been carrying aburden that was now removed.Without another look, he turned and headed toward the Hold.Zaphkiel and Camael stood together as their forces assembled.Theysurveyed the scene, clean and empty except for the Thrones, Dominions,Virtues, and Powers.They saw Michael walking back from the lake, but hedidn't appear to see them.Camael turned toward the Southern Hold."Might they still be in there?""Doubtful," said Zaphkiel."I'll check, though.""No need," said Camael."Oh?""If anyone is left, we'll find him.""As you will.""As the Lord will have it."Zaphkiel shrugged.Camael motioned toward several of the Powers whostood nearby."Kindle fire," he said as they approached him.They hastened to obey.If Zaphkiel noticed the strange lights burning inCamael's eyes, he gave no sign.The fires were soon lit.Abdiel spotted Zaphkiel and quickly approached him."Well done," hesaid.Zaphkiel nodded."Your timing was quite adequate.I think we got all the effect we could.I'm going to get us back together now, and what in Heaven?!" Abdielturned as he spoke, in response to a cracking sound from behind him.Hesaw smoke, then flame welling from the near wall of the Hold, then a blast ofhot air struck him and flames appeared from the windows near the top.Hespun back to Zaphkiel."What's going on?" he asked."Camael."Abdiel turned back to watch the blaze.Slowly, he nodded.Michael came up to them."Who did you say?""Camael."Michael studied the blaze."Why?"Zaphkiel shrugged.Camael motioned the last of the Powers out of the area and remainedbehind, a flaming brand still in his hand.He spat, then, into the fires andwalked slowly out.Behind him, a portion of the ceiling fell in.Below him,out of his sight, the flames licked the barrels of lamp oil and worked theirway closer to the refinery.aaTTnnssFFffooDDrrPPmmYYeeYYrrBB22.BBAAClick here to buyClick here to buywwmmwwoowwcc.AAYYBBYYBBr rSatan held himself still, crouched behind a rock formation about threeleagues distant from his home."They're still there," he said."They will leave anon, milord.""I just can't believe it.""Can'st not, milord? That is passing strange.Thou hast struck the LordYaweh; he hath returned thy blow.It amazes me not.""But how can you say I struck him? I never intended what is that?""What, milord? Thine eyes are better ""Smoke! There's smoke coming from.NO!"He lunged forward, but Beelzebub was the quicker.His teeth fastened onto Satan's leg, tripping him.Satan fell, rolling over onto his back, andBeelzebub landed on his chest."Thou shall not, milord! Tis foolish.They will slay thee ere thou canstcall out."Satan pushed him off and started to get up, but Beelzebub jumped again,catching Satan as he was starting to rise, and he fell over once more."Beelzebub, let me ""No, milord." Satan lay there glaring, then he suddenly turned and lookedback.He slowly got to his knees and stared at the red tongues that beganappearing in the distance near the top of the Hold.Beelzebub watched him,ready to spring again."There's naught thou canst do, milord."Satan shook his head."Why would they do that, Beelzebub? My home! It went back to the SecondWave, a part of the foundations of Heaven.Why? What does it gain?""Perchance some overzealous archangel, milord.Thou hast no way toknow 'tis Lord Yaweh's doing."Satan watched for a moment longer."He will pay dearly for inspiringsuch zealousness, then.""What wilt thou, Lord?"Satan stood quickly and turned his back to the Southern Hold."Come,"he said."I wish to see the mighty Lord Yaweh.I will have words for him thathe has never heard in all the ages of Heaven."He began walking.Beelzebub paused to urinate against the stone wherethey had stood, then hurried to catch up.Like a prophecy, Harut stood amidst inferno.Like a prophet, he heard, andfelt, and smelt, and tasted but could not see what was before him.He had heard the sounds of feet below while he was on the stairs to deliverhis message, and so he ducked into the nearest room, guessing who it was.The sounds had come and gone, and then came the smell of smoke, and theincredible heat.He breathed it in and felt it scorching his lungs.He toucheda wall and nearly screamed from the pain.He stumbled out of the room and tried to get down the stairs, but hetripped and fell, choking and gasping on his way.The fumes were muskyand thick, and he became aware of pain in his nose.His eyes watered, andhe tasted the coarse, harsh grittiness of ash.His cheek touched the floor,which was amazingly cool.He used his arms to begin rolling, and almost screamed again when hishand touched a burning spot on the floor.From long experience in the dark, he didn't lose his sense of direction, sohe knew which way the door was.He continued rolling, feeling the flameslick at his clothing and skin [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]