Paladin of the Seraph, page 38
Darren watched doubt flash across Horon’s face. He could almost sense what the frustrated Prime Saint was thinking. Perhaps it was time to abandon the ruse.
“We cannot wait for the Lord of Light to take action on our behalf this time,” Horon said.
Synthia continued to smirk. “And why’s that? Have you been hiding something from the people of the heavens, Horon?”
Horon took a deep breath, eyes gleaming as he prepared to answer honestly. But Darren wasn’t the only one to realize what Horon was about to say.
“Synthia, let us desist with these questions. The Lord of Light is very busy, and we should not disturb him,” spoke a fierce-looking Prime Saint with a hawk-like nose. Though he was addressing Synthia, his eyes were locked on Horon. The message was obvious. Publicly revealing the Lord of Light’s death or disappearance would likely lose him the help he was trying to gain.
Synthia huffed as the other Prime Saints nodded in agreement, but with an uptilted nose, she voiced her agreement. “Very well. We shall assume the Lord of Light is too busy to deal with a matter as small as these allegations against Kalaziel. But tell me this, why are we holding Kalaziel’s character for trial while the man himself is absent? Isn’t that a bit unfair? If you’re going to throw accusations at him, Horon, he should at least be here to defend himself.”
Horon’s face darkened. “Don’t make light of the evidence I’ve brought before this council! Kalaziel has corrupted millions of innocents for his personal gain!”
Synthia rolled her eyes. “They ended their mortal lives. It’s not like their souls were destroyed. One could even say they’ve risen to a higher plane of existence now that their souls are in the Seven Heavens.”
“He corrupted the ophanim and perverted their natural disposition.”
Synthia scoffed. “He didn’t do anything. The human souls did it when they ascended to the heavens.”
“He created magical objects to inject those souls into my Protectors, turning them insane, no doubt with the plan of eventually making them his own loyal servants!”
Synthia shook her head. “And all we have is the proof you brought with you. Everyone here is aware of your vendetta against Kalaziel. How do we know you didn’t plant this evidence and sacrifice your Protectors yourself? This could all be a ploy to turn the council against Kalaziel.”
Horon’s glare at Synthia could light water aflame. Such was its intensity. Slowly, he replied, “You have my word. As the Prime Saint of Honor, that should count for something.”
Synthia smiled. “The Prime Saint of Noble Deaths and Self-sacrifice, you mean.”
Horon’s fingers twitched. A man with less self-control than him would already have his sword in hand. He visibly fought to calm himself, then pointedly ignored Synthia and looked at the rest of the Prime Saints.
“Now comes the time to ask the rest of you how you stand.”
Kothar’wa was the first to stand. “Horon’s words have merit. We should launch a full investigation to confirm his findings.”
Synthia glared at the bearded older seraph, but Kothar’wa ignored her.
Horon frowned. “While I am more than happy to have my findings confirmed, there is no telling how much harm could be done between now and then. We should act to contain Kalaziel now, then perform our investigation after.”
“You simply want to see Kalaziel behind bars!” Synthia shook her fist in Horon’s direction. “I won’t stand for it. Anyone who plays along with this farce is no friend of mine. Or of Kalaziel’s.”
“Of course, I want to see him behind bars!” Horon shouted in reply. “Look at the harm he’s caused! And the devices he’s crafted! How can these be anything less than a betrayal of all the tenets we Prime Saints are expected to uphold?”
A tense moment of silence passed between everyone gathered in the room. The Prime Saints looked one another over, gauging the opinions of their peers without making their own known. The Fourth and Fifth-Order seraphim didn’t dare to even breathe, such was the tension in the air.
“Shall we vote then?” Kothar’wa suggested.
“All in favor of investigating Kalaziel for the crimes presented to us by Horon?” Kothar’wa raised his own hand. Horon joined him.
None of the others raised their hands. Darren’s heart sank. That was a bad sign.
“All opposed?” Synthia raised her hand. She glared at a few of her peers, and eventually, one other joined her.
Kothar’wa frowned. “Three of you have made no vote. What is your decision?”
The three undecided seraphim looked at one another and shrugged. Eventually, Iliana spoke for them all. “We are abstaining. We will take no stance in this matter. In fact, I think it is best for the three of us to leave immediately.”
“This matter concerns the safety of the Seven Heavens and all the mortal lands we are charged with safeguarding!” Horon slammed his fist against the arm of his chair. “You can’t simply abstain!”
But the three neutral seraphim were firm in their decision as they shook their heads.
Variel flapped his wings contemptuously. "This seems like a personal issue, and I don't want to get involved."
“What, are you afraid of Kalaziel?” Horon demanded. “He may be more powerful than most, but certainly not as strong as all of us. Stand by my side, and I swear no harm will come to you.”
All three shifted awkwardly in their seats. Synthia looked on smugly. “Now, who’s the one trying to intimidate the newer Prime Saints, Horon? No wonder you were so quick to throw such accusations at Kalaziel. You are the pot that calls the kettle black.”
“It seems we’re at an impasse...” Kothar’wa shrugged. “If the council is undecided, we can take no action.”
[Darren, let me out.] Ashe said. [I can break the tie.]
Darren felt his heart tighten in his chest. “Is that wise?”
Ashe was still at a mere fraction of her old strength. Without a real body of her own, her abilities were limited. Darren had been reasonably confident he could fight his way free and escape from Horon, but this situation was entirely different. There were six Prime Saints all gathered here. Would his aura disguise even hold up under such scrutiny?
[I will try to keep the attention off you.] Ashe promised.
“But what about you?”
[Please trust me.]
Darren found he did trust Ashe. And so, with a sigh, he released her.
Divine Aura swirled in the stands, drifting out of the stands. Several people stood up in alarm, but Horon recognized the power and held up a hand.
Ashe’s body formed, settling into one of the empty seats. She opened her eyes and crossed her legs, leaning into the chair as though she’d been sitting in it the entire time.
“Apologies for my tardiness. I vote we apprehend Kalaziel.”
37
Everyone was shocked by the sudden appearance of another Prime Saint, from Prime Saints to bystanders. Horon was the least startled, and he quickly worked to hide his surprised expression.
“Good of you to join us, Ashe. It’s been a long time since you’ve attended one of these meetings, hasn’t it?” Horon spoke as pleasantly as if they were simply talking about the weather.
Ashe shrugged. “Ten centuries or so. It’s hard to keep track. I see a lot of new faces around the table.”
“Ashe, you’re not a demon?” Kothar’wa stroked his beard as his brows furrowed so deep they nearly split his forehead in two.
“Rumors of my fall and subsequent demise were greatly exaggerated.” Ashe looked out over the gathered seraphim around her. She locked eyes with Synthia. “And I hear someone has been abusing my manor.”
Synthia shifted awkwardly, looking beaten for the first time during the entire meeting.
The other Prime Saints glanced at one another. They looked like each of them felt like they should say something, but with Horon acting so normally, and Kothar’wa joining him a moment later, they found it hard to protest.
And so, despite the looks of shock on the faces of every seraph present, Ashe slid into the meeting like she’d always been there.
“Now, as I was saying, Horon’s evidence has merit to it. I know this firsthand, since I’ve been on the lousy end of Kalaziel’s schemes myself. He’s stolen something very precious to me, and I would like to have it returned,” Ashe continued. “So let’s proceed with the investigation.”
Kothar’wa nodded. “Very well, Ashe. It is good to have someone from my generation of Prime Saints back among us. Besides Kalaziel, the others have all since left to tour the lands abroad. We will have to reminisce about old times at some point.”
Ashe returned Kothar’wa’s pleasant smile. “Are you still trying to brew divine wine? I remember you going on a trip of your own to find the grapes.”
“Figured that out centuries ago. If you’d like, I have a few bottles with your name on them.”
“That sounds wonderful--“
Synthia finally recovered from the shock of an unexpected Prime Saint suddenly appearing and sliding into their council like she’d always been there. She jerked a finger in Ashe’s direction and scowled.
“I don’t believe you’re the real Prime Saint of Purity! You’re an imposter!” Synthia shouted.
Ashe crossed her arms. “Ask me any question then, and I will answer honestly. Kothar’wa knows me well enough to determine if I’m who I claim to be.”
Kothar’wa let a smile touch his lips. “What was the name of the family I helped found during my mortal days?”
“An easy question. The Heavengrace royal family of Whiteguard, of course,” Ashe replied.
“Correct.” Kothar’wa turned to Synthia. “Few would know that little fact about me. I’m inclined to believe the real Ashe sits before us.”
“I have met Ashe recently and know this one to be the real one,” Horon added.
Synthia scowled. “I’m not satisfied with a test of knowledge. I desire a test of strength. Let’s see if she’s really a Prime Saint.”
Darren’s nerves needled at him. This was exactly what he’d been afraid of. Ashe couldn’t fight a Prime Saint alone, not in her current form. Inside Melancholy, she could take a hit from one, but if she returned to his sword to fight, everyone would know something was wrong. She needed to look like a perfectly healthy ancient Prime Saint from long ago.
He met her gaze, and she let her eyes flick across his for a brief instant. He sensed her anxious confidence. Ashe knew how important this was just as much as he did. He wondered if he should step in and help somehow, but something in that gaze of Ashe’s told him to wait. He remembered her words.
Trust me, Darren.
And so Darren trusted her.
“Very well then, Synthia. Take however long you need to. Let’s see what the new generation of Prime Saints is capable of.” Ashe wore a confident smile, despite Darren’s worries.
Synthia snorted. “It’s your funeral. Don’t blame me if you die for good this time.”
She pressed her hands together, and Divine Aura swirled in the air, all of it tinged a passionate pink color. She spread her hands, and a bow appeared in her hands made of the same bright color. An arrow formed on the drawstring, swirling with brilliant Divine Aura.
People in the crowd gulped. Though she had the looks of a damsel in need of protection, Synthia was a Prime Saint. Her power eclipsed that of even the strongest Fifth-Order seraphim. That one arrow held enough power to slay entire armies or fell ferocious demons capable of trampling an entire city to death. Her hands held back the string, arms shaking with strain despite the superhuman power in her divine limbs. Poised to strike, she looked more alluring than ever.
She let go of the string, and the pink arrow flew forward. While Synthia channeled her power, Ashe leaned back in her chair with her eyes closed as if she couldn’t be bothered to erect any defenses at all against the incredible attack aimed right for her heart.
But the moment Synthia released her arrow, Ashe exploded in a fountain of Divine Aura gushing in all directions. The light the Divine Aura radiated was utterly blinding, and all the seraphim watching with bated breath could see nothing but the flash.
When the light faded, Ashe was still unharmed, sitting in her chair. The arrow continued on behind her and struck a nearby mountain, cracking it in two and sending huge piles of stone tumbling downward. A few of the seraphim watching the Prime Saints flew off in a hurry to mitigate the damage from the landslide. The rest gawked and stared at Ashe, who’d effortlessly deflected Synthia’s arrow.
“Now, as I was saying,” Ashe continued as though nothing had happened. “I vote we investigate Kalaziel for crimes against the heavens. That makes the vote three to two, and we have the majority.”
“I’ll hear no more of this!” Synthia stood from her chair and stormed off, leaving seven Prime Saints remaining. She flapped her wings, disappearing over the mountain’s edge and vanishing in a huff.
Many turned to look, but Horon cleared his throat to get their attention again. “Now that our decision is clear, let's get down to business. We’ll want to freeze all of Kalaziel’s assets at once...”
Horon went on to explain the plan that he, Darren, Gaviel, and Ashe had devised. The rest of the crowd was still shaking their heads in wonder.
Darren smiled to himself. He knew the trick Ashe had used. The Divine Aura she released wasn’t meant to do anything but blind her viewers. Her body really had been destroyed by that arrow. She just reformed it before the light faded, so it looked like she emerged unscathed. It was a neat trick, and it was one few would see through.
Looking at the Prime Saints, Horon wiped his brow in relief, and Kothar’wa was the only one grinning. He knew what Ashe had done, but he wasn’t going to explain it. The rest of the council remained oblivious. Ashe had passed both of Synthia’s tests with flying colors.
Horon, in particular, seemed overjoyed. Meeting the other Prime Saints had gone as well as he could have hoped, and assuming nothing unexpected happened, he’d have everyone else on board to fight Kalaziel at his side. Kalaziel was strong, but against all the other Prime Saints in the Seven Heavens combined, even he wouldn’t stand a chance. Darren grinned to himself. Maybe Horon could convince the others to let him get a few swings in.
But just as he was thinking about how to celebrate, he felt a gnawing deep in his guts. Something wasn’t right.
He sensed the feeling growing stronger, and he realized it wasn’t feeling. It was a presence. One he’d felt before.
Darren wasn’t the only one to sense the last Prime Saint who had yet to appear. On their own, the presence of every Prime Saint was awe-inspiring. But there was a certain depth to Kalaziel that Darren hadn’t noticed until he compared him to his fellows. Just that feeling alone was all it took to know that Kalaziel was a cut above his kin.
“What’s all this I hear about an important meeting without me?” Kalaziel asked, though the cold gleam in his eyes that locked right on Horon said everything. He knew exactly what this was.
His golden armor gleamed in the afternoon light, and his mace hung limply along his hip. Synthia stepped out from behind him, concealing a smirk behind her hand. Darren silently groaned. No wonder she’d left in such a hurry. When she realized she couldn’t turn the vote in favor of Kalaziel, she fled to get the man himself. Darren would have been willing to bet that Kalaziel had listened the entire time through that little ruby around Synthia’s neck.
Synthia glared at the three neutral Prime Saints who’d refused to vote before. “I told you you’d regret not listening to me...”
Iliana took a step back, and Variel crossed his arms before also putting some distance between him and both groups. The remaining Prime Saint realized the other two neutral parties were edging away and crept back to get clear as well.
The three of them looked at one another, then to Horon. The Prime Saints were weighing their options. The three of them had hoped to remain neutral by refusing to vote, but now they were being dragged into this dispute, whether they liked it or not.
On one side stood Ashe, Kothar’wa, and Horon.
On the other stood Kalaziel and Synthia.
Synthia was a newer and weaker Prime Saint, but Kalaziel was as old and powerful as they came. Kothar’wa was just as ancient as Kalaziel, but his focus had never been on combat. He might match Synthia, but Horon couldn’t match Kalaziel alone.
Their eyes locked on Ashe. Her power was truly the determining factor. If she could hold her own, then her side would surely win. After her earlier display of power, it looked like the neutral Prime Saints were willing to put their trust in her and were edging toward Horon’s side.
But then Kalaziel struck.
“Brothers and sisters, stand with me,” Horon urged the three neutral Prime Saints. “Show Kalaziel that you will not be intimidated!”
But those three neutral seraphim weren’t the only ones to identify Ashe as the lynchpin in their deadlock. Kalaziel saw her as well.
“Well now, isn’t this an unexpected surprise...” Kalaziel’s eyes ran up and down Ashe’s form. He didn’t look at her so much as look through her. That one look told Darren that the trick Ashe had played on Synthia wouldn’t work on Kalaziel. After all, Kalaziel had been the one who killed her and tore out her heart with his own hands. If any knew her true state, it was him.
“Stand down and submit to the will of this council, Kalaziel!” Ashe crossed her arms, putting on a brave face. The three neutral Prime Saints slowly nudged closer to her side.
But a smile split Kalaziel’s face, and his hand darted for the mace at his hip.
“How about this!” The mace head exploded into dozens of spinning blades. Most hurled themselves directly at Ashe, though a few spun off for Kothar’wa and Horon to keep them from defending Ashe.
