The Return of Blagden Asmodee - 1. The Return of Blagden Asmodee

The Return of Blagden Asmodee

Dolores Esteban

“The time has come,” Heathcliff Seymour said.

Maureen Dwayne, Colden Amaury, and Raven Moore nodded solemnly. They were sitting in their Victorian style parlour. The four of them matched the style perfectly, the men dressed in beige pants, black tailcoats and puff ties, Maureen in a long red dress.

“He’ll awake soon,” Heathcliff said, looking at his golden pocket watch. “The ban ends in three hours and nineteen minutes.”

“Finally,” Maureen said. “We’ve been waiting so long.”

“We knew the day would ultimately come,” Raven said.

“It was a long wait nonetheless,” Colden replied. “The world has changed considerably. Only this house has prevented us from being detected.”

“Certainly,” Maureen said. “The protection spell will last as long as I hold it up.”

“A hundred and fifty years have gone by. Who would have thought that the world would change so much,” Heathcliff said. “Back then, I thought the punishment was mild, but I was mistaken.”

“We need to confront him with the truth only slowly,” Maureen said. “But I’m certain he will adjust quickly.”

“It won’t be difficult for him,” Raven said in a bored voice. “Stop worrying, Maureen.”

Heathcliff cast him a dark look. “Things have not changed much for you, Raven. You have only rarely left the house,” he said.

Raven shrugged and took out his pocket watch. He looked at it and ignored the others.

Colden drummed his fingers on the wooden table. “Things have not changed much for you as well, Heathcliff,” he said. “Things have not changed much for all of us, but they will change when Blagden has awoken.”

“And this is exactly what we are waiting for,” Maureen said impatiently. “Better resume the fight than sit and wait for a lifetime.” She gave a laugh and then turned serious again. “The one who cast the ban is waiting also. You don’t think Azrael forgot about Blagden, do you?” she asked.

“So what?” Raven asked in an annoyed voice. “Azrael banned Blagden for a hundred and fifty years, just the blink of an eye from his and our perspective. He can’t intrude into the house. In fact, he cannot do a lot. What the hell are you afraid of?”

“He’s right,” Colden said. “We were not able to lift the ban, but Azrael was able to cast it only for a limited period of time, a very limited period of time.”

“We’re safe in the house,” Maureen said. “Back then, Blagden was taken by surprise. But I’m certain he will come up with a plan, a plot as to how to defeat our enemy.”

“Definitely,” Heathcliff said, looking once more at his watch. “Two hours and fifty-two minutes.”

The time had come. Heathcliff, Colden, Raven, and Maureen ascended the stairs to the first floor. They walked solemnly down the corridor and stopped in front of a wooden door. Heathcliff straightened and then placed his hand on the doorknob and slowly turned it. He opened the door.

The curtains were drawn. The light in the room was dim and the air smelled of lavender and lemons.

“His scent has filled the room,” Maureen said.

“Naturally,” Raven replied. “He has been sleeping in his bed for a hundred and fifty years.”

They approached the bed, gathered around it and looked at the pale face of the man. His black hair was half-long and framed his delicate face. His eyes were closed and he breathed calmly.

“He has not changed a bit in a hundred and fifty years,” Maureen said in awe.

“Neither of us has,” Colden replied.

“You sound as if you have not seen him for a long time, Maureen,” Raven said in an unnerved voice. “You have entered his room every single day since he fell asleep.”

“True,” Maureen replied. “And every day I was stunned by his amazing beauty.”

Colden and Raven exchanged a look. Heathcliff frowned at Maureen and she fell silent. Heathcliff stepped forward. He looked at his pocket watch.

“One more minute,” he said.

Heathcliff knelt down beside the bed and looked at Blagden’s face. The others stood behind him, motionless and quiet, their eyes resting on the sleeping man. Heathcliff took Blagden’s hand. Blagden turned his head slightly. They all held their breath. The time had come.

Blagden Asmodee opened his eyes and looked at them from under his lashes. A few seconds passed and then he recognized them.

“Heathcliff,” he mouthed. “Colden, Raven. Was it just a dream that kept me apart from you?” he said. He tried to sit up.

“Slow,” Maureen said and stepped forward. She sat down on the bed and looked at Blagden.

Blagden gave her a brief look and then turned his eyes to Heathcliff.

Heathcliff squeezed Blagden’s hand. “It is good you have returned, Blagden Asmodee,” he said under his breath.

Blagden smiled at him and then turned his eyes to Colden and Raven. The two men stepped forward and also knelt down by the bed.

“Welcome back, Blagden,” Colden said.

Blagden reached out his hand and stroked Colden’s arm softly. Tears of joy showed in Colden’s eyes.

Blagden looked at Raven. “Hello there, sunshine,” he said with a tender smile.

“Slept well?” Raven asked in a whisper.

“Like a log,” Blagden said, his eyes resting on Raven’s face.

He gave a laugh and the others joined in. They all relaxed. Blagden Asmodee clapped his hands.

“Let’s get on with it!” he said cheerfully. “The time for revenge has come.” A dangerous twinkle showed in his eyes. “There can be only one!” he said. He looked from one to the other and his eyes turned dark. “Only one,” he said.

Blagden Asmodee rose to his feet. The others watched him in awe and with obvious admiration. Blagden stood upright and raised his arms in the air. He looked strong, determined and invincible. An awe-inspiring aura surrounded he and it grew more powerful and mighty with every breath he took.

Blagden Asmodee had returned and, inexorably and fast, he was rising to his former power.

Azrael sensed the rise of Blagden Asmodee, but he was not taken by surprise. The time had come, the ban was lifted and the demon was set free again. Azrael had always been aware that he had not stopped Blagden Asmodee forever. The ban had been a forced break, a break to recover and gather strength and rethink on a more adequate procedure.

Blagden Asmodee was smart, clever, a quick thinker and planner, hard to deceive and even harder to defeat. Blagden Asmodee, however, had a weakness. Even a demon had a soft spot. Azrael had pondered on Blagden's weakness. Asmodee’s soft spot was obvious to see, once the demon was looked at closely. Azrael had laughed at his own blindness when he finally realized what he had seen.

Blagden Asmodee had awoken from his long and forced sleep. Azrael rose to his feet in order to find the demon’s den that was hidden in a magical mist, protected by a mighty spell. Azrael sensed the demon. He sensed his aura, his spirit. It would lead him to Blagden Asmodee.

“He’s coming,” Blagden said.

He stopped short within the movement and, his eyes half-closed, he listened and scanned a beyond territory with his inner senses. Blagden opened his eyes and put the book aside that he had just taken up from a table in the parlour. He turned to the others. Their eyes were fixed on him.

“Azrael’s coming,” Blagden said.

“He cannot find the house. It’s protected by a spell,” Maureen replied swiftly.

“Why does he come now? Why not earlier? It would have been easier for him to beat you when you were fast asleep,” Colden said.

Blagden gave a laugh. “He can’t sense the den, he can only sense me. We’re connected by an unfortunate bond. I’m getting stronger with every minute that goes by. Azrael knows. He’s getting prepared and I know that he has devised a plan,” he said.

“What kind of plan?” Heathcliff asked.

“So far, I have no idea of it,” Blagden said. “But his plan won’t be simple nor will it be silly. Azrael is too smart to make up a blunt plan. This is what I like about him. He’s a challenge and his chase is a thrill. Come on, admit, the past one hundred and fifty years were dead boring, weren't they?” Blagden gave a laugh. “He defeated me, but the fight’s not yet over. He won a battle, but he has not won the war.”

“Yes, the past years lacked excitement and thrill,” Raven said. He was leaning against a bookshelf and looked at Blagden.

Blagden cast him a look. Maureen straightened in her chair. Heathcliff and Colden exchanged a look. The brief moment of tension passed quickly. They shrugged it off and pushed it aside.

Azrael had sensed the energy change that had lasted only for a split second. It sustained his theory and ultimately removed his doubts. He was certain that his plan would work out, once he had found Blagden Asmodee’s place. Azrael had long searched for the spell that protected the house, but he had not been able to find it. He was aware that Blagden Asmodee sensed him too. Naturally. A bond connected them, a bond that so far neither of them had been able to dissolve. The bond had been established by a higher power that both of them were subordinate to.

Once, many aeons ego, Blagden Asmodee and Azrael had been like brothers, companions in war who fought the same battles and strived at the same goals. This had changed a long time ago, soon after they had all been banned from the Heavens. Doubts had been cast and the seeds of discord had been sown among the black angels who had disturbed harmony and spoilt peace in Heaven. They had become dark demons who distrusted each other and cast at each other evil bans and spells.

Azrael crossed the spheres of the beyond and came closer to the place where Blagden and his companions dwelled. It was their fate to fight each other and to deal ill with the worlds. Azrael gave a sarcastic laugh as he walked through the veils and mists of the beyond. They had never been able to dissolve the bond that connected them not only with each other but also with the white angels and the creator himself. They had chosen the dark side, had volunteered to take on a task that was dishonourable and inglorious.

Night had fallen. Blagden Asmodee stood by the window of his room and looked out into the darkness. Thy sky was clear, the stars were twinkling, and the crescent of the moon shed a ghostly light. The air was cold. It was late autumn and the beginning of winter was near. The dark of the night appealed to Blagden Asmodee. All looked unreal and transient in the world of the shadows that were bound to be a part of the world from its beginning to its end.

Blagden pondered. When was the end of the world supposed to come upon them? Soon? Or never? Blagden was lost in his considerations and didn’t hear the faint knock at the door. Only when the door opened, did he move. He turned around and made out a figure in the darkness.

“Raven,” he said.

Raven closed the door and crossed the room until he stood in front of Blagden. They looked almost identical, half-long black hair and a pale and delicate face, both dressed in tight black pants and white frill shirts. Blagden looked at Raven’s face and he sensed a thrill that he had not sensed since he had awoken from his long and forced sleep.

“What about the others?” Blagden asked under his breath.

“Fast asleep,” Raven replied. He gave a laugh. “Whatever sleep is for a demon. They retired to their rooms and I sense no agitation, no movements. They are in a state of tranquillity and silent peace after a long time of worry and quarrel.”

“Azrael won a battle, but he has not won the war. This war will come soon and it will not just be a war between two unfortunate brothers,” Blagden said.

“I know,” Raven whispered. “But the time has not yet come. Whatever Azrael tries, he cannot win in the end. None of us can. We’re all bound to ruin.”

“All things must end and crumble to the ground. Ashes to ashes and dust to dust. What new can arise when nothing comes to an end? The end is just a new beginning,” Blagden said.

They stood in front of each other, already anticipating the touch of their bodies, yet deliberately postponing the encounter in order to enjoy it the fullest when ultimately their bodies would touch. Neither of them dared to make the first step.

“What about Maureen? You can’t deceive her forever,” Raven said.

“Can’t she see the obvious? I think it’s plain to see. Whoever has eyes ought to see,” Blagden said.

“She stood by your bed every single day in a hundred and fifty years. She watched you sleeping in your bed,” Raven said.

“She can watch me forever. That’s what she can do, but she will never sleep with me in my bed,” Blagden replied.

He placed his finger on Raven’s temple and ran it down his cheek. Raven took a breath and closed his eyes. Blagden leaned forward, and then their lips touched. The kiss was long and sensual. Raven wrapped his arms around Blagden’s body and Blagden drew him closer until their bodies touched. Blagden finally withdrew from the kiss and placed his lips against Raven’s forehead.

“I’ll ultimately send her away. She has come to sow discord between you and me. But this will never happen, Raven,” he said in a low voice.

“She distracted you for just a second when she called out to you. It seemed Azrael’s attack came like a bolt from the blue, but he had just seen his chance when Maureen distracted you,” Raven said.

“Yes, I know,” Blagden whispered. “She’s inconsiderate, but she’s on our side. She’s holding up the spell that protects our house from Azrael and his clan.”

“I warn you, Blagden. She’s prone to change sides. She’s only with us as long as you flatter her. I have a sense of foreboding,” Raven said.

Blagden kissed Raven’s forehead and then ran his lips down his temple and cheek. Raven moaned and pressed his body against Blagden’s. He had waited one hundred and fifty years, just the blink of an eye for a demon, but a very long time from the perspective of someone who loved. Raven gave a laugh.

“What?” Blagden whispered.

“Is it love that I’m feeling?” Raven asked with surprise. “Can a demon feel love? Or what is it, Blagden?”

Blagden captured his lips and Raven gave in.

“The longing of your heart,” Blagden said when he had withdrawn from the kiss. “We all share the same bond. In the depths of our hearts we’re all one and none of us is evil.” He paused. “We’re good and evil at the same time, although we shy away from this truth. This is a mistake we should not make again. We erred once and were banned from Heaven.”

“It was our choice, after all,” Raven replied.

“It was HIS choice and ours,” Blagden said.

He ushered Raven to his bed and made a sign with his hand that locked the door and kept the others from entering his room and from intruding his most sacred den.

Azrael sensed the rise of energy. He sensed Blagden’s ecstasy and passion. The warmth banished the cold from Azrael’s heart and for an instant shed a light in the dark. The cold in his heart was unbearable and the darkness appeared to be impermeable when the moment had passed. Azrael felt sick at heart. The feeling roused his bile and aroused his envy. Wrath overwhelmed Azrael and he fastened his steps. He was still far from Blagden’s refuge, but he was getting closer with every second that passed.

As he came closer, he realized that something had changed. Azrael sensed a likeminded soul. His mind was working. He memorized Blagden’s stalwarts. He had seen them all back then on the day of the battle. Heathcliff and Colden and a delicate man, beautiful and fragile, Raven. Blagden had guarded him like gold. Azrael gave a laugh. Raven was Blagden’s weakness.

Azrael pondered. Who was the likeminded soul he sensed? Heathcliff or Colden? An image occurred to Azrael’s mind. The woman, he thought. The woman who had distracted Blagden. Azrael stopped short. He was no longer in a hurry. He altered his plan in the split of a second. It was entirely unnecessary to enter Blagden’s den. Azrael visualized the woman’s face. Her name was Maureen. When had she joined Blagden’s clan and what had been her motives?

Azrael walked on in measured steps. He sensed the woman’s intentions. Was Blagden blinded? Did he not see the danger that came from Maureen? Azrael gave a laugh. Fate was on his side. The woman was the source of mischief and ruin. He needed to establish a bond and feed her morbid jealousy. Blagden was blinded, but he, Azrael, was able to see.

Maureen awoke with a start. She sat up in her bed and listened into the darkness. Silence. The spell worked well. The house was protected and shielded from sight. Nobody would ever find it. For a split second she doubted her words, but she pushed her feelings of doubt aside. Heathcliff and Colden feared Azrael’s coming. Blagden did not fear his enemy. Blagden looked forward to Azarael's coming. She didn't know about Raven, though. Maureen pondered. Did she fear Azrael's coming or did she look forward to the war?

Maureen listened into the darkness. Had she heard a faint noise or had she been mistaken? She scanned the house with her inner senses. Everything was quiet, silent, at peace. They were all fast asleep. Blagden had locked his room and shielded it from her perception. Something, however, was nagging on her mind, but she was not able to grasp it.

Maureen had kept up the protection spell for a hundred and fifty years and she was still keeping it up. It was easy for her. She was skilled in using the power. She didn’t know that Blagden concealed from her that he was continually getting stronger. He would soon have regained his former powers and those powers surpassed Maureen’s by light years. Blagden planned to take control of the spell and thus weaken Maureen’s position. Maureen, however, had no idea of his plan. She believed she could see through him, but she had no true conception of Blagden.

Maureen had joined the clan late, on the day of the battle. Blagden had not invited her to join in the fight. She had fought on his side on her own accord, and then, after Azrael had cast the ban on Blagden, she had fled with the others to their den. They had taken Blagden home and she had cast the spell that guarded the house and protected them from Azrael. Heathcliff and Colden accepted her, but Raven only tolerate her presence.

Maureen looked into the darkness. Raven was hard to read. He resembled Blagden in appearance, but his personality and his traits were different. Blagden was a leader, a ruler, a king, whereas Raven was a subject and follower. Maureen stopped short. Was she more than a subject to Blagden?

Azrael caught Maureen’s last thoughts. He gave a mocking laugh. The woman erred. She was mistaken. He would take advantage of her blindness, her conceitedness, and her vanity. Azrael made a gesture with his hand. Once and for all, the mist had cleared away. Azrael saw Blagden’s house with his inner eyes. The image was distinct and clear. Azrael was close enough to get in touch with the woman. He subtly called out her name.

Raven awoke with a start. He sat up in his bed and listened into the night. A sudden feeling of fear had awoken him. Raven’s heart was pounding fast. He was under the impression of someone calling a name. The call was faint and distant. Raven closed his eyes and focused. His eyes opened wide then he recognized Azrael's voice.

“Blagden!” Raven called out.

Blagden opened his eyes and instantly realized why Raven had called him. He sat up in his bed.

“Azrael?” he asked in a sharp voice.

“I heard his call. He was calling out to someone in the house. I’m certain about it, Blagden,” Raven replied.

“Did anybody respond?” Blagden asked, already scanning the house with his inner senses.

“I don’t sense an energy change. Either someone knows how to conceal it, or nobody heard Azrael’s call,” Raven said.

“Could it be he called out to you?” Blagden asked.

“No,” Raven replied. “I accidentally overheard the call.”

“Who did he call?” Blagden asked. “Heathcliff, Colden, or Maureen? Who does he want to get in touch with?”

“You know the answer, don’t you, Blagden?” Raven asked in a quiet voice.

“Yes, I do,” Blagden admitted. “I had hoped he would not act so trite and unimaginative. Does he really think I cannot see through his plan? I almost feel disappointed. Do you think Maureen answered his call?”

“No,” Raven said. “She did not hear it. The call was too subtle to get to her ears. He must enforce the call, but this won’t go unnoticed by Colden and Heathcliff.”

“So he must change his course of action, must come up with an alternative plan,” Blagden said.

They sat in silence for a while, listening out and scanning the house. But Azrael didn’t call out anymore and nobody in the house responded.

“Who is this woman and where did she come from?” Blagden asked. “I only remember that she entered the battle that Azrael and I fought, together with our clans.”

“It seemed she came out of nowhere,” Raven replied. “She joined us and fought on our side, and then all happened quickly. Colden was hit, albeit not badly. Maureen called out to you. You were distracted for a split second and Azrael saw his chance. He struck a blow that was supposed to be lethal, but Heathcliff stepped in and parried it off. The moment of shock paralyzed us. Our guard was down and Azrael cast the ban.”

Raven turned his head to Blagden.

“You fell asleep, ” he said. “Heathcliff picked your body up from the battlefield. We retreated to our house, crossed the spheres in a second. Azrael and his clan followed us. They were close on our heels. We reached the house and as soon as we had entered it, Maureen cast a spell, and the house disappeared from Azrael’s sight. He has never found it. We were watching out, but we never sensed him coming. Maureen kept up the spell and shielded us from Azrael. She shielded you and therefore we were indebted to her. We kept her with us, although we didn’t approve of her staying with us in our sacred den. She told us more over the years. She had been with Lilith and her clan, taking revenge on every man they met. It was their destiny, their task they had to accomplish. But Maureen left her clan. She said she felt drawn to some other place. ”

“Fate called her to a place where she was needed,” Blagden replied. “But she was not called to protect us. Her task is to sow discord. She must take revenge on every man she meets. That’s the task the creator has assigned to her. She will ultimately take revenge on us. It’s inherent to her nature.”

“We must get rid of her, make her leave. She will ruin us in the end,” Raven said.

“This is exactly what would make her step on the path of revenge,” Blagden said. “No, we must keep her with us and make her feel at ease in our house. Only then will she leave on her own accord and seek a new target for her revenge.”

“Right,” Raven said. “She is temptation, but she can also be tempted, if done right, that is. So what must we do, Blagden?”

“It’s easy, Raven, but we all must agree on the plan and we must strictly stick to it. No jealousy, no envy. This would only play into her hands. We must do the opposite of what she expects. I’ll speak to Colden and Heathcliff tomorrow.”

Raven cast Blagden a sad look. “She’s up to mischief, yes, that’s what she is. I know very well what she expects and wants. She wants you, Blagden.”

“That’s not what she wants,” Blagden replied. “That’s what she is hoping for. However, she is deceiving herself. Deep inside she has a different goal. She wants to take revenge. She wants to get us apart. She wants us to break with each other. She’s playing into Azrael’s hands. Azrael has already realized her traits and her goals. That’s why he called out to her tonight. He hopes to bond with her, find an ally. This would make his task a lot easier.”

“So what will you do? Flatter her and start an affair? I can put a good face on the matter, but not for a very long time, not for aeons, Blagden,” Raven said. “I’ve already waited too long for your return. I have been waiting for one hundred and fifty years.”

“Just the blink of an eye, my dear Raven,” Blagden said and placed his arm around Raven’s shoulders.

Raven relaxed and leaned in. Blagden drew him down on the bed once more.

Azrael glared at the house. The woman had not heard his call, but he could not call out louder. Had one of the others already heard him? Azrael wondered if he had risked too much, but the house remained quiet, not even the energy changed. Had they put up a new ward that was more powerful than Maureen’s?

Azrael pondered. Blagden Asmodee was powerful, but Azrael doubted his enemy had already regained his former strength. The others, Colden, Heathcliff, and Raven, were not capable of putting up a spell that Azrael could not lift in a second. Azrael shrugged his worries off. He needed to think of a different plan, a different way on how to connect with Maureen.

He made a gesture with his hand. A mist arose and he could not see Blagden’s house any longer. No need to keep up the image longer than necessary, no need to attract unwanted attention. Azrael turned around and walked away through the mist.

Maureen gazed into the darkness. An uneasy feeling had taken hold of her, but she was not able to say what had caused it. She was cold. The excitement of the day had totally vanished.

One hundred and fifty years had passed. She had looked at Blagden’s pale face every day. She had stood by his bed and had admired his features. Every day she had memorized how he had fought in the battle, proud and erect, a beautiful angel of black. She had fallen for him at first sight.

She had dreamed of the day when he would finally awake, when his eyes would finally rest on her. But Blagden had barely taken notice of her. He had spoken with Colden, Heathcliff, and Raven. Maureen was jealous, but she tried to push the feeling aside. Blagden had spent aeons with his friends. It was only natural that he focused his attention on them. Maureen told herself to be patient.

She would watch him and wait for her chance, and then she would approach him, talk subtly with him and make him feel at ease in her company. She knew how to do it. She had learned it from Lilith. She would not sow discord anymore. She wanted to love Blagden and she wanted to be friends with his followers. She wanted to belong to them, be part of their clan.

Something was nagging on her mind, though. A faint voice told her that she was wrong and that she was deceiving herself. Maureen grew angry. She hated the voice that spoke to her. Was it really her own voice? Maureen turned on her side and closed her eyes. She wanted to sleep and dream, but her sleep was restless. She tossed and turned and she was glad when morning was breaking.

Maureen lay still until she heard noises from the ground floor. Someone was working in the kitchen. Maureen got up, cleaned up and dressed, and put on the most beautiful dress she possessed, and then she descended the stairs and entered the kitchen.

Blagden stood by the table. He raised his eyes when she entered. Blagden cast her a tender smile. Maureen sensed a warm shiver running through her body. She returned Blagden’s smile and stepped up to him. Was this her chance? Had it come so soon? The others were not around. Maureen cast Blagden a look that promised nothing and all. Blagden Asmodee’s smile broadened, but Maureen did not see the wicked twinkle in his eyes. Maureen was blinded, whereas Blagden saw clearly. His mind was fast and as sharp as a razor. He made a gesture with his hand and invited Maureen to sit down with him. His eyes were resting on her face.

“Thank you for stepping in and saving me and the others,” he said. “I’m indebted to you. What can I do to pay back my debts?” he asked gently.

Maureen melted. She was off guard and Blagden noticed it. He measured her, hiding his cold calculations behind a soft smile.

Heathcliff, Colden, and Raven had gathered in the library. Blagden had informed them on his plan. Colden and Heathcliff had agreed on it quickly. They would do whatever Blagden wanted them to do in order to fight Azrael and his clan. They hadn’t heard Azrael’s call and the incident shocked them. Raven stood by the window and looked out. A mist had arisen and rain was falling in a drizzle. The day was gray, bleak, and dismal. Raven’s look was grim. Colden stepped up to him and placed his hand on Raven’s shoulder.

“It won’t be long. Patience, Raven,” Colden said in a sympathetic voice.

Raven did not respond. He continued looking out of the window. Heathcliff joined Raven and Colden.

“Bear in mind that Blagden has not yet regained his full strength. We must bear with Maureen until he can take over and keep up the protection spell on his own. Her spell is powerful and only Blagden is able to keep it up without effort. Azrael was not able to lift it. We must not carelessly give away what we have gained,” he said.

Raven turned his head to him. “It’s hard to bear with it. One hundred and fifty years have gone by and yet it’s not over,” he said.

“We must do what Blagden told us to do,” Colden said. “We must make her feel comfortable and welcomed in the house. Azrael will attack sooner or later, will disturb our peace and threaten our happiness anyway. And Maureen sooner or later will do what her true nature commands her to do. She will hold a grudge against Blagden and us and then she will seek revenge. We must channel her energy towards Azrael. Maureen is just a weapon that fate put into our hands.”

“True,” Raven replied, nodding thoughtfully. “True. Thank you, Colden,” he said.

Colden patted his shoulder and then turned away and sat down in a chair. Heathcliff remained standing near Raven. They looked out of the window and into the rain. Half an hour went by.

Colden looked at his watch. “Time to join them in the kitchen,” he said.

They looked at each other, their eyes dark and grim. The atmosphere in the room changed from one moment to the other and the energy grew darker and thicker. Blagden’s return had renewed their bond.

They entered the kitchen and joined Blagden and Maureen at the table. Maureen looked between them, feeling disappointed because they had interrupted her conversation with Blagden. Heathcliff, Colden and Raven smiled at her warmly and Maureen pushed her disappointment aside. Something had changed. The wait had ended and something new was about to begin.

Raven handed her an apple and asked her how she was doing. Raven, who had not been very sociable in all these years and always had talked with her in a bored tone of voice, now suddenly was talkative and friendly. Heathcliff and Colden acted likewise. Blagden Asmodee’s return had brought about a change. A smiled crossed Maureen’s face as a thought came to her mind. They were a family.

She didn’t see the look that Blagden and Heathcliff exchanged, a brief mocking look that they quickly hid behind a smile. She didn’t see Raven’s grim look when she turned her head aside. She didn’t see Colden’s scornful and triumphant look when Blagden cast her another smile. Maureen was totally off guard.

Blagden was scanning her mind, unnoticed by her. He tried to find out about the powerful spell that she had been keeping up for so long. Maureen seemed to do it effortlessly and almost subconsciously. While Blagden talked lightly, he tried to gain access to her subconscious mind. It was no effort to him. He cast Colden a look. Colden nodded, turned to Maureen and engaged her in a conversation. Maureen focused on Colden. He distracted her and kept her mind occupied.

Blagden leaned back and crossed his arms in front of his chest. He half-closed his eyes and focused on the woman. He subtly scanned her mind and looked for a gap, an entrance to it. He straightened slightly when he had found it. He gave Raven a quick look.

Raven leaned forward and joined in the conversation. Maureen focused on Colden and Raven, while Blagden was investigating her mind. He glanced briefly at Heathcliff and made a subtle gesture with his hand. Heathcliff focused on Blagden and channelled energy to him and thus increased Blagden’s power. Blagden read Maureen’s mind. He copied the spell into his own mind where he fixed it and filled it with energy. Blagden weakened the spell in the woman's mind and left just a shadow of the former spell, a mental image that was not much more than a long-lost memory, and then he withdrew from Maureen's mind.

Maureen sensed a sudden energy loss. She touched her forehead and closed her eyes. What was it? It seemed the spell had become weaker. She tried to enforce it, but the spell appeared to be less powerful. This had not happened in one hundred and fifty years. What had caused the effect?

Blagden read her mind. Her thoughts were easy to see through.

“Azrael,” he said in a dark voice. “Azrael will be coming soon.”

Maureen winced at the name. Blagden's words distracted her.

Colden made a dismissive gesture with his hand. “He has not come in one hundred and fifty years. Perhaps he has given up on the fight,” he said.

They studied Maureen’s face furtively. It seemed that something was disturbing her mind. Blagden reached out his hand and seized hers. He squeezed her hand gently. Raven looked sourly and turned his head away. Heathcliff touched Raven’s arm in order to calm him. Blagden’s touch distracted Maureen again. She stopped pondering on what had caused the energy loss.

“I felt like I was getting a headache,” she said. “But I feel better now at your touch.”

Colden rolled his eyes and smiled mockingly. Heathcliff cast him a warning look. Colden rose to his feet and placed his hand on Raven’s shoulder.

“How about a walk in the rain?” he asked.

Raven looked up and gave a nod. He stood and left the room instantly. Colden followed him and closed the door. Blagden and Heathcliff exchanged a brief look.

“I’m going to the parlour,” Heathcliff said. “I’m going to read a bit.”

“Good idea,” Blagden replied. “I’m coming with you. What about you, Maureen? Would you like to keep us company?”

Maureen was indifferent. The warm atmosphere had suddenly vanished. Colden and Raven had left abruptly and Heathcliff had given her a reserved look. Only Blagden remained unaltered and kept smiling at her.

“I’m going to rest a bit,” Maureen said slowly. “I didn’t sleep well. I’m still feeling tired.”

She rose to her feet and left the kitchen. She retired to her room and lay down on her bed. The faint voice in the back of her head tried to speak up, but Maureen silenced it swiftly. She closed her eyes and unexpectedly fell asleep. Her sleep was deep and long.

Heathcliff and Blagden were sitting in the parlour. Colden and Raven soon came back from their walk. Blagden locked the room with a spell. They stood in the room, focusing on each other and renewing their bond. Blagden Asmodee had returned and once again he was gathering his followers, his companions in war, his brothers in blood, in life and in death. They were a unit, invincible and strong, and Maureen was not a part of it. The demon energy had already doubled, compared to the previous morning when Blagden Asmodee had awoken.

Blagden looked at the others. “Soon we can leave the house and we must only return when we need the protection of the spell. I’ve copied it and I now know how to cast it. I only left a shadow of the spell to her. When the time is right, I’ll ultimately lift her spell and put it up myself,” he said.

Heathcliff gave a barely visible nod. Colden and Raven just stood and returned Blagden’s look.

“One more day, maybe two,” Blagden said. “And then we’ll go and seek Azrael.”

“What about Maureen?” Colden asked.

“She cannot go where we are going. The next battle will take place in a sphere that she cannot enter without help. Neither I nor Azrael want her to enter a war that was never hers in the first place,” Blagden said.

“What about Azrael?” Raven asked. “It seemed he wanted to enter the house. It seemed he wanted to use Maureen for his plan. Does he not expect we’re coming?”

“Azrael is not a fool,” Blagden replied. “He’s able to sense my power and I don’t plan to conceal it from him.”

Colden gave a laugh. “He won a battle, but he has not won the war. The end of time has not yet come.”

They stood and focused on the energy. It built up and increased with every second that passed.

Azrael focused on the house. He sensed a drastic energy change. He scanned the altered energy and then he realized what had caused the change. Blagden was recovering faster than he had expected. The united power of the men was high. Azrael stood and pondered deeply, and then he realized what Blagden Asmodee had in mind.

A wicked smile appeared on Azrael’s lips. Blagden would soon leave the house in order to challenge him and his clan, in order to fight an open fight. So be it, Azrael thought. They would continue the battle and take up on where they had stopped it. The fight would be harder and more severe. Would he have a chance to ban Blagden again? Azrael shook his head. Blagden Asmodee would not make the same mistake again. Blagden would come with his clan. The woman was not a part of it.

Azrael walked slowly through the mist. He called out to his companions. He used his sixth sense and his clan answered promptly. Azrael fastened his steps and walked through the spheres to the place where he would meet up with his clan. Blagden Asmodee and his men would go there in order to wage war on them. Azrael and his men would wait for them.

Maureen slept deeply and she had a dream. She dreamed of Lilith, the head of her former clan. Lilith laughed at her and told her she was a fool, not only a silly fool, but a blinded one also. Lilith stepped closer, her black cloak swaying around her. She stopped in front of Maureen and looked her deep in the eyes. Do what you are bound to do. Do what is inherent to your nature, Lilith said with urgency. Her look was severe and demanding.

Maureen awoke with a start and sat up in her bed. She still saw Lilith’s face with her inner eyes. And then the scales fell from Maureen’s eyes and she was finally able to see. She saw through Blagden’s wicked plan. She realized that he wanted to dismiss her. He felt no need to keep her around anymore.

Maureen touched her forehead. She felt close to a headache, and then she realized what Blagden had done. Blagden Asmodee had stolen the spell, had secretly taken the words from her mind. He had left just a shadow that was intended to deceive her and make her believe she was still in control of the spell.

Maureen flew into a rage. Her love turned into hate in a second. She clenched her teeth and her face turned red. And then she gave way to her rage and let out an infuriated yell. Her yell was loud. It filled the house and changed the energy in the split of a second. The energy of boundless hatred erupted and spread from the house to all other spheres and worlds.

Azrael had entered a far away sphere that was sealed from the more mundane spheres and worlds, and yet he heard Maureen’s horrible cry. Azrael stopped short. The woman was strong and her power was big. Had he underestimated her? Azrael called out to his clan and they moved farther away. They entered a sphere that was empty and cold, an icy desert, a wasteland that had just come into existence. The immaterial world was like an image, a mirage, an illusion, an idea in the mind of HIM, the one who created all things out of nothingness.

Azrael and his clan had crossed the sphere that separated the formed worlds from the Heavens. The place was their last retreat and they could not go any farther. The next gate was sealed to them. It was guarded by powerful beings, the white angels, their archenemies. Azrael sensed them watching out and looking at him. They did not move, they did not seize their weapons, they did not take up their powerful heavenly swords. Not yet. Not for the time being.

Azrael stood and looked at the far end of the wasteland. The icy desert stretched far and seemed endless to him. As long as they remained in the wasteland, they were no threat to the Heavens. As long as they fought here, their archenemies would not interfere, Azrael knew.

Azrael had no intention to challenge the gatekeepers. They were a force more powerful than his and Blagden's together. The white angels were a united army, whereas the black angels were split and fallen out with each other. Azrael knew he would not stand a chance against the heavenly army.

A shadow crossed his heart for an instant, a sudden and deep regret. He was an outcast, banned from the Heavens and bound to never return. Azrael took a deep breath, and then he straightened and moved on. It was his destiny and he could not avoid it. He and his dark brethren were bound to sow discord. The white angels were destined to bring about peace and unite what Azrael and his brethren had broken and split.

Azrael walked on with a grim look. He slowed his steps when he caught sight of his companions who had already gathered amidst the wasteland.

Blagden Asmodee turned his head at Maureen’s infuriated yell.

He then made a gesture with his hand. "We must not wait any longer," he said. "We must instantly leave the house."

Blagden and his men united their forces and the demon energy rose end enlarged quickly. And then, from one second to the other, Blagden and his clan transcended the house and entered a place that was far away from their den, a sphere that separated them from the woman and her blind rage. Blagden focused and banned the woman from his mind. Her image disappeared at his command.

Blagden moved on and walked through the mist that was hovering in the sphere they had entered. He sensed the faint energy that Azrael had left when he had walked there as well. Blagden and his companions followed the trace. Their appearance had changed. They looked dark and dangerous, powerful and awe-inspiring. The white mist could not stop the black figures that moved on at a steady pace.

They left the worlds that were formed in detail. The spheres they entered were increasingly pervious, not completely formed, not entirely built. They entered the spheres of imagination where images lasted for only the blink of an eye. The images were seductive and tempting, fata morganas that captured the eyes.

Blagden Asmodee did not pay attention. He crossed the realms, his mind focused on his target and goal. He did not give in to the temptation and ignored what were only lullabies in his eyes. Too long had he slept, too long had he dreamed. Dreams did no longer appeal to him. Blagden moved on, followed by his companions, and finally they entered the land that only few were able to find.

They stopped, aware that they could not go any farther. They had entered the sphere that separated them from the Heavens. Blagden sensed the mighty gatekeepers that guarded the entrance to the heavenly world. They stood silently, watching out and observing. They did not intervene, not yet, not for the time being, not as long as the outcasts did not try to force their way into the white angel's world.

Blagden Asmodee stood upright and proud. He had passed the heavenly gate a long time ago. He had stepped out from the Heavens and had descended the spheres. Sadness crossed his heart for an instant, a sudden feeling of deep regret. Blagden pushed it aside. Doom was spelled for him and never would he escape his lot. He looked at his companions and they responded with a nod. They moved on to meet Azrael and his clan and wage war on their dark brethren. Azrael and his men were close and they were waiting for them.

Silence hung over the wasteland. The heavenly guardians stood and watched out.

Maureen stood in the house that was deserted and empty. Blagden Asmodee and his friends had left. She could sense them nowhere. They had left from one moment to the other, leaving her behind and on her own. Would they come back or had they left for good? Maureen stood quietly. They had gone to meet Azrael. They had left to fight another battle.

Maureen felt disillusioned, empty, and cold. She stood for a while and then she came to a decision. She had to punish them for their deceit. Wild rage seized her again. Maureen was hell-bent on vengeance, but she knew she was not able to complete her mission on her own. Her energy had diminished. Blagden had stolen her most powerful tool.

Maureen ascended the stairs of the house. She entered her room and locked it. And then she called out to the woman who had warned her earlier. Lilith responded at once. Her voice was faint and seemed to come from the depth of Maureen’s own mind. Maureen listened and connected with the energy. Subtly, the energy filled her body and mind and increased her overall power.

Maureen straightened, refreshed and revived, and then she stepped forward and left the house. She entered a sphere where hovering mist shielded everything from her eyes. Maureen stood for a while, concentrating, and then she started to see clearly. She focused on her goal. She could see an image, vivid and almost real. Blagden was marching forward. Maureen followed him. She walked through the mist.

The image was her guidance and Maureen moved on to complete her mission, to reckon with Blagden, the traitor, the scoundrel, the blackguard and wretch. She would bring him down and take him to ruin, and also his friends who were likewise liars and traitors. She would take revenge and punish them all and she would not stop until her mission was accomplished.

Maureen walked on. The mist was clearing away. She arrived at a gate and crossed it. She entered a new sphere that she had never crossed before, but she moved on without effort. Maureen was animated with her desire and driven by her new power. She moved fast and soon ascended to the next world.

The guardians watched out, like they had done for aeons. The passing of time meant nothing to them. They stood silently and guarded the gate that led to the Heavens. The wasteland had come into existence when the white angels had banned the black angels aeons ago. It was a borderland that only few dared to enter.

The guardians stood silently and watched those who had entered the wasteland to wage war on each other. They would not intervene. This was not their mission. The guardians looked at Blagden and Azrael who had unconsciously answered a call. The call had been subtle and faint and had come from the depths of their hearts. They had heard it and they both had answered it. They had come here to fight the final battle.

Only few were able to fight this battle, but those who were, were able to win. The outcome, however, could not be predicted. It depended on the willpower of every chosen man. The guardians watched Blagden crossing the wasteland in order to meet Azrael, his enemy.

Azrael caught sight of Blagden and stepped forward. Azrael’s men stood motionless and Blagden’s men stopped walking. Blagden made a step towards Azrael. The two opponents looked at each other, measured each other, and weighed their odds.

The guardians of the heavenly gate stepped forward and appeared at the edge of the battlefield, majestic figures drowned in a bright light. Blagden and Azrael turned their heads and recognized their heavenly brothers. Once they had dwelled with them in the Heavens, once they had been like them.

The guardians' eyes rested on them. Their look was awe-inspiring and their eyes were filled with fire. The heavenly gatekeepers raised their swords and then drove them into the ground. Azrael and Blagden understood. The white angels had acknowledged their fight. The guardians stepped back to watch and await the outcome of the battle.

Azrael and Blagden looked at each other.

“The Heavens approve of the fight,” Azrael said, his voice shaking slightly. “I had no idea they were bound to watch.”

“After all, it’s their almost territory,” Blagden replied. “No wonder they watch.”

“It was just a warning,” Azrael said. “They warned us to not challenge them.”

“Would you do so?” Blagden asked with a laugh that he had intended to sound sarcastic. It sounded bitter instead.

“Do you think I’m a fool?” Azrael asked. “I can’t defeat an army.”

“Yes, you would not stand a chance,” Blagden said.

Azrael gave a mocking laugh. “Neither would you and your friends,” he replied.

He made a step forward. Blagden straightened and then also stepped forward. They measured each other again.

“Last time I won,” Azrael said. “But I did not enjoy it. It was an easy victory, too easy in my honest opinion. You got distracted by a woman’s cry. You got distracted by her lament. You’re a wimp, Blagden Asmodee. You don’t know how to fight. That was why I sent you to sleep. The woman watched over your sleep like a mother does watch over her child.”

Blagden frowned at Azrael. Azrael laughed out loudly.

“Do you mean to threaten me with a frown? Do you mean to win with a pout? Blagden Asmodee, you’re not a demon. You were not banned from the Heavens for being in league with the devil. You were banned for being a wimp, not worth the league of the angels, be them black or white,” Azrael said with a sneer.

Blagden made a step forward.

“Cautious, Blagden,” Raven called out.

“Ah, that pussy of yours dares to intervene and give you advice. Can’t you take a decision on your own?” Azrael asked in a scornful voice.

Blagden narrowed his eyes. “Can you fight only with words, Azrael? Have you forgotten how to fight with a sword? Can you speak the words of a spell but not wield a sword? Can you sing a lullaby but not wage war? Are you a woman or a man?” Blagden hissed mockingly.

Azrael drew his sword. Blagden drew his sword as well. They were glaring at each other.

The energy of the place changed. It grew thicker and enveloped them. Their companions and friends were no longer able to intervene. The battle had become Blagden and Azrael’s battle, a fight between only two men.

“The Heavens have intervened,” Azrael said. “You can’t ignore it any longer.”

“So what?” Blagden asked. “Why do you always mention the Heavens? Would you like to go back? Is that what you want? Do you think they let you in once you have won the fight and have defeated me ultimately?”

“Blessed are the ignorant,” Azrael said. “Do you really think I want to dwell with imbeciles?”

He made a step forward. Blagden stood motionless. Azrael pointed his sword at him.

“You know, Blagden Asmodee, you are a true challenge. I have not expected you to recover so quickly from your draining sleep,” Azrael said. “So much the better. I don’t want to fight with someone who I know is inferior to me. I didn’t enjoy my victory back then. You were not worth to die by my sword. But I have offered you a second chance. Do you want to take it? Make up your mind, Blagden Asmodee!”

Blagden spat in Azrael’s direction. Azrael clenched his teeth, and then he raised his sword and dashed against Blagden. Blagden did not move and just raised his sword. Azrael’s blow was powerful, but Blagden parried it off. Azrael made a step back and raised his sword again, but Blagden was the one who struck the next blow. The final fight had begun.

The guardians stood motionless and watched them. Blagden’s companions and Azrael’s men tried in vain to cross the mist that separated them from the fighting men. The men were enraged and their rage increased as time passed by and none of the opponents could win the other one over. The energy in the place grew dark and destructive, but the white angels did not intervene.

Several hours had passed. The fight was lasting. Blagden and Azrael fought each other grimly. Their men watched them through the mist, unable to intervene. The men were boiling with rage.

Maureen had reached the gate to the wasteland, but was unable to cross it. The gate was locked, secured by a higher power. Whatever she tried, she found no way to cross it. Maureen was in a cold fury. Suddenly, a figure stepped through the gate, a guardian, an angel of white. He pointed his sword at Maureen. Maureen stood paralyzed.

“Make you choice, woman,” the guardian said. “You can send one of them to hell. Who do you pick? Azrael or Blagden Asmodee?” The guardian fell silent, his cold eyes resting on Maureen.

Maureen gave a triumphant laugh. Against all expectations, she had found a powerful ally.

“Blagden Asmodee,” she called out. “Send him to hell. He’s a traitor and liar.”

The guardian did not respond. He stepped aside and the gate opened. Maureen hesitated, but then she stepped through the gate. She saw the two men fighting in the distance. Maureen gave another laugh and rushed forward. The mist did not stop her.

“Blagden Asmodee!” she called out. “I’ll send you to hell, you traitor and liar.”

However, nobody heard her call.

Maureen had almost reached the battlefield. She carried her sword in her hands. The mist that separated the others from the two fighting men disappeared suddenly. Azrael and Blagden’s men stormed on the battlefield to join in the fight.

“The hell with you, Asmodee!” Maureen cried out in fury as she reached the fighting men.

Blagden turned his head, yet immediately turned back to the fight, but for a split second he had been distracted. A scornful expression crossed Azrael’s face as he raised his sword to strike the lethal blow.

Raven jumped between the two opponents. Azrael struck a blow against Raven and Raven's body dropped to the ground.

Maureen laughed out maliciously. Azrael turned his eyes to her, raised his sword again and struck her down with a single blow. Before she lost conscience, Maureen heard a voice in the back of her head: Who are you to think you can send someone to hell? Who are you to challenge your creator?

Heathcliff and Colden tried to get to Raven, but Azrael’s men stopped them with their swords. Heathcliff and Colden fought back .The fight was bitter and merciless.

Blagden stood paralyzed for a second, torn between his desire to kill Azrael and his desire to take care for his fallen friend. Raven’s eyes flickered. He was on the edge of death. Blagden was cold. He sensed an energy loss.

Azrael’s look was triumphant. “Blagden Asmodee, you have lost the final battle and you have lost the war. I’m going to destroy what you loved most and then, Blagden Asmodee, I will kill you,” he said, his voice was cold and calm and his words final.

Azrael raised his sword with both hands and aimed at Raven. He tightened the grip and then struck the lethal blow, but Blagden jumped forward into Azrael’s sword. Blagden Asmodee fell dead to the ground.

Azrael looked at his dead archenemy. Raven stirred and tried to move. Azrael turned his head to him and their eyes met. A dreadful moment passed. Azrael's look was motionless, without remorse or regret. He let his sword go. It fell to the ground. Azrael turned around and walked away. Raven looked at Blagden's body and tears shot into his eyes. His chest was heaving and he let out a pain filled cry. Raven's eyelids flickered and then he closed his eyes.

The fighting had stopped. A dreadful silence had fallen.

The heavenly guardians stepped forward and pulled their swords from the ground. Time stood still and nobody was able to move.

The white angels pronounced the sentence.

“Raven Moore, you died in the name of love. Come and step through the heavenly gate. Blagden Asmodee, you died in the name of love. Come and step through the heavenly gate. The time has come for your return.”

The heavenly gate opened wide.

Blagden sat up and knelt down beside Raven. He ran a finger down Raven’s temple. “Hey there, sunshine,” he said softly. “It’s time we go home. It’s time we return.”

Raven opened his eyes and smiled at Blagden. "I have been waiting for so long," he said.

They rose to their feet and stepped through the gate They did not look back. The gate closed and disappeared from sight.

Heathcliff and Colden looked after Blagden and Raven with tears in their eyes. Heathcliff placed his hand on Colden’s shoulder.

“Our time has not yet come, but I feel that it is near. It’s near, believe me, Colden,” he said.

Colden just gave a brief nod.

The guardians pointed their swords at Colden, Heathcliff, Maureen, and Azrael and his men.

“You were once banned from Heaven and sent to Hell. You’re banned again. Leave. Your time has not yet come.”

The guardians pointed their swords up, made a step back and then disappeared from sight. The wasteland dissolved and the sphere became transient. Azrael and the others were transported back to more material worlds.

There they took up on their task that once had been assigned to them: sow the seeds of discord until love would get the better of them.