I Am Rosaline

The feral screeching grew louder and louder as we approached. The front lines had already clashed and I looked ahead and try and find Gabriel. I could see him far ahead swinging his sword, which was already stained with the Gibborus’ rusty red blood.

As I drew nearer, Dorian showed me that we needed to move to the left where the lines were thinner and the Gibborus were moving in quickly. We held up our swords and I put my shield in front of me and we ran forward.

Michael and his warriors were running ahead, just as a few of the Gibborus broke through. Angels attacked from all sides and the sound and smell was overpowering. A creature came at me with gaping mouth and showing its jagged teeth. I pulled up my shield just in time to prevent a claw from stabbing me in the chest. The force of the blow knocked me back but I pulled myself straighter and pushed forward with the shield. Its foul breath was blowing hot in my face and its claws grabbed at the shield. I raised my sword and brought it down in a blinding flash. The blade caught the creature across its shoulder. It screeched out in pain as the arm was almost severed and I brought my sword down for a final blow to the head. As I pulled my sword free, another took its place. I used the evasive manoeuvres Dorian had taught me to jump free of another grey, sleek-skinned creature. Holding tightly onto the shield I smashed it with all the force I could muster into the creatures head. There was a sickening, cracking sound and the creature dropped. Yet again, another one took this one’s place.

The battle was fierce and I tried to glance around me to see if my friends were all still standing. I did not see Dorian, but I did see Dante and his daughter Sienna, fighting side by side. Just when I saw Alvina, a grey creature jumped up onto her. I pushed my way through angels and demons to get to her. I smashed the hilt of my sword into the back of the creature’s head just as it was about to rip at her neck. The creature screeched and leapt around at me with flaming eyes. I brought my sword down across its throat. Warm blood flew through the air and the creature tumbled to the ground, groping at its throat. I grabbed Alvina by her arm and pulled her to her feet and quickly looked her over. She nodded and smiled and we continued to do battle.

The creatures came at us one by one and the battle looked fairly matched, but I knew that Erro had to be nearby and I looked for Dante and Sienna. I saw them still fighting side by side. I managed to make my way to where they were just as Dante felled another of the creatures. He looked up at me and knew that it was time. Slowly, still fighting, we moved back and I looked for Gabrielle. She saw us and started to move towards us as well. We moved further and further back until we were as clear as we could get from the battle.

Lastly I looked for the huge Gabriel who was in the thick of the fray and saw his large back and the massive sword he was swinging. He had a creature by the throat in his huge hand and grinned at me and nodded his head. With one motion he broke the creature’s neck and barked out orders. A few of what Gabriel called the dogs of war angels, moved in beside him and retreated silently and surreptitiously behind a large hill. I nodded my head and went to stand with Dante and Sienna.

“I think we all know she is here and now is the time we need to move. She will be concerned that we are pushing her army back so she will be unsettled. Gabrielle did you bring what I asked of you?” I looked at Gabrielle and she nodded and from beneath her white garment, which was now bloodstained and dirty, she drew a leather bound book almost exactly the same in size as the one I was protecting.

“She will never harm her own daughter so Sienna has to carry the book. Put it in the waste-band of your pants and pull your jacket over it. When she sees you both leaving she will surely be suspicious, but she will not be able to stop herself from following you. Do not fly for the first hour of your departure. Keep on foot and then you make sure you look around carefully as though you are checking for anyone following you before you lift yourself up. Her entire army is not here. I am convinced that she will have a small army with her because Erro will not fight alone. Dante I do not want you to try to be a hero. You had to come along because Erro would surely be suspicious if you allowed Sienna to come here on her own. Keep away from the edges of the cliffs and caves and move westward in as straight a line as you can. I have made sure that your path has been covered and is protected. Do not look for the warriors, just know that they will be there.” I looked at Dante and saw that he was concerned and I could understand fully, but there was no other alternative. If it was just me that headed out with the book, Erin would have no qualms about sending in her vile creatures to do her dirty work for her. This way I was almost guaranteed she would make an appearance.

I placed my hand on his shoulder, “Dante, I know how concerned you are and I understand and I am also very grateful that you have allowed Sienna to help me. My friends and I will do everything in our power to protect you both.” Sienna stepped forward and touched her father’s face before whispering to him, “Father, we can do this. We have to do this to prove to everyone else and to ourselves that we are on the side of the good and not the evil. Come, let us take our leave so that Rosaline can take care of what needs to be done.” She took his hand and started westward without so much as a backward glance.

I had to admire this young girl. She had a sad history of her own. I thought about how I would like to meet up with her one day and get to know her better. She was, after all, my niece.

Just as everyone started to head out and in the directions that they needed to go, I heard a shout and before I could see who shouted and why, I was struck on my shoulder. The blow sent me crashing into the ground. Feeling a bit stunned and with sand in my mouth I gripped my shield tightly and pulled it over my head just in time to block another blow. I grabbed my sword and pulled it up in defence. I looked over the rim of the shield just as a flame eyed, ragged toothed creature came at me with its claws. I was breathing hard by now and as the creature took another step forward, I brought up both my legs and rammed my feet into its gut and kicked with all my might. As I sent it stumbling back, I jumped to my feet and took on a defensive stance. As it came for me again, I dropped to my knees with my shield above my head and brought my sword up into its belly. The blade pierced its grey skin like a hot knife, melting everything in its way. The creature arched its back and screeched almightily before rocking back on its feet. I pulled the sword out and sliced across its throat. It clutched at its throat and fell to the ground.

I looked around to make sure that Dante and Sienna were on their way and I could see that a few creatures had tried to follow them, but Dorian and two of Michael’s warriors had held them back. I looked in the other direction and saw Gabrielle and Alvina with a number of the dogs of heaven at their sides, fighting off the Gibborus.

I thought to myself that if I had back-up waiting in the wings, then I knew Erin would think no differently. I knew I had at least another two hundred angels waiting; therefore Erin would have five hundred of her creatures waiting with her. I had to think that way because I would be damned if Erin defeated me and took what she had come for.

I could no longer see the sheen of my sword’s blade or the white of the hilt as I swung it one more time at the head of a another creature. It was crusted with rusty coloured blood and sand. I moved forward again and looked up to see Gabriel standing beside me. He looked down at me and grinned. He clearly lived for this kind of action I thought to myself as he shouted to me, “Lift your elbow and keep your shield in front of your chest. If you drop your sword too low you will take longer bringing it up for your defence. This is the best time for lessons!” He laughed at me as I watched as he swung his sword and took down two creatures and grabbed one of his own men off the ground and hauled him to his feet to continue fighting. Gabriel clearly knew how to fight, but I also saw how much he cared for his own soldiers. I had watched him rescue quite a few during the battle so far.

Bringing my elbow up and my shield to my chest, I moved with him and watched his moves and then mimicked them. He looked over to where I was and smiled and nodded his head. We continued to fight like this for quite some time before he called to me. “Move back with me, but stay in my shadow. It’s time and my men are waiting for you. They have a leader and his name is Uriel. You will know him when you see him. I have given you two hundred handpicked men. Michael made your plans known to me and I wish you well.”

We moved back slowly and I remained in his shadow, which was not too difficult because of his size. As we got closer to the edge of the battle, I looked up and thought I saw a figure on the highest ridge. It was difficult to see because the sun was right behind the ridge and I was behind Gabriel. I moved further back and looked again and this time I was sure I had just seen someone turn away. She was there. I grabbed Gabriel’s arm and when he looked down at me, I looked up at the ridge and he followed with his eyes. Looking back down at me he nodded and pushed me behind him and worked even harder at getting us out of the battle. Just as we reached the outskirts of the battle, at least fifty angels moved in front of us to take up the battle. Gabriel looked at me and showed me with a movement of his head that I should go. As I turned to head out, he swatted my backside with his sword. I did not even bother to look back or rub the spot where I was now smarting because I knew that this was his way of saying good luck. I started to run up the hill and as I reached the first outcropping of rock, a young man stepped forward who I could only guess was Uriel. He was a tall, skinny chap with light red hair, green eyes and freckles all over his face and was not someone you could easily miss. His wings were identical in colour to his hair with mottled white flecks.

“We need to move as fast as we can to gain some ground. Dante and Sienna are quite far ahead and we know that there is an army of about five hundred Gibborus just over that ridge.” He said, pointing to the north. Dammit! I was right!

I started climbing with him and his men and felt safe knowing that there were these soldiers with me and another two hundred waiting in the wings. I knew Erin would not come at me alone and I was sure she knew that I would not come empty handed either. I was sure that she would try all sorts of tactics to get the book and I just hoped that she would not sway Dante and Sienna.

“You and your men will have to go up now and leave me to walk on alone. Erro will definitely sense your presence and I don’t want anything spooking her. I will fly as soon as I know where she is and I am able to head up without her or her army noticing. I want her to think that I am alone. I want her to think that I am naïve enough to think that I can talk to her alone. I have to have some element of surprise.” I looked over at Uriel and waited for his reply, but he just looked over his shoulder at his men and with one nod of his head they silently lifted off the ground and quietly started flying higher and higher.

I watched them go and a strange sense of loneliness came over me. Since I started this journey I had not felt this alone, not once. There had always been someone nearby with an encouraging word or gesture, but now I had to do this on my own. I silently prayed that my plan worked and that no one would get hurt.

I started to move in the direction that I had seen Erin, and with renewed energy I started to jog and retracted my wings. I tried to move as swiftly as I possibly could and kept a lookout for any hints that Erin was nearby. I jogged along a plateau and when I reached the edge where I needed to head down, I lay down and crept to the edge as quietly as I could. I looked down but didn’t see anything, so I looked out further and in the distance I saw movement. I concentrated on the movement and it slowly came into focus.

Oh my God, there she was. Was it possible that she was out there alone and walking? I crept backward and then stood up and unfurled my wings silently. The more often I did this, the easier it was to do it silently and I lifted gently off the ground and headed straight up. She was far ahead, but if she got wind of me she would be gone in a flash. She was definitely on Dante and Sienna’s trail and walking beside her, was a very large black panther. I looked again and it was apparent that this was the same black panther I had seen before.

I moved further and further up and soon there was a small cloud covering beneath me and I was able to move forward without being seen. Silently my wings took me over the dry land and I started to make up for lost time because my part in the battle behind me took a bit longer to exit than I had originally planned.

While I was flying, I started trying to communicate with Gabrielle and before long I could hear her thoughts. “Gabrielle. I have found her. Follow my thoughts and you will come upon us, but you must remain hidden until the right moment. Please bring Alvina with you, you will need her help for what we are about to do.” I knew she heard me because I could hear her talking to Alvina and relaying my message. I then relayed the same message to Dorian and Michael. They too heard me, but I stopped when I saw that Erin had stopped and was looking around her and then she looked up. If it wasn’t for the small cloud covering, I am sure she would have been able to see me.

I watched her as she spread her arms and raised her face heavenward. I couldn’t hear what she was saying because she was able to disguise her thoughts. This was how I knew she was getting help from a higher power. It was only with the help of a higher presence that anyone was able to disguise their thoughts. Who could possibly be working with Erin?

I held the shield tighter and felt for my sword in its sheath. I found some comfort from these objects, but knew that the time was near when I had to show myself to her. I would be lying if I said that I was not afraid. I started to feel that familiar heat rising in my stomach and then my chest and waited for it to run along my arms. This time, though, the heat radiated out to my whole body and even my fingernails felt as though they were vibrating and tingling. I looked down at my hands and saw a fine blue haze around my fingers, hands and arms. I looked at my legs and saw this haze around them too. My body was preparing for a different kind of battle and I would need a lot of courage.

I looked back at Erin and saw that she was moving again with the large animal beside her. She had clearly called for assistance because that is exactly what I would do if I were in her situation. I decided that I would confront her when she reached the centre of the flat plateau. That way I could see for miles on either side of us.

When I felt the time was right, I started to head down. Controlling my heat energy was a bit difficult because of how anxious I was. I headed closer and looked to see what she looked like. From above I could see that she too had red hair, the same shade as mine. She held her head up proudly, jutted out her chin and walked with long strides, holding her arms tightly by her sides. If I did not know any better, I would think that she was walking like a trained soldier.

I gently glided down and touched my feet quietly to the ground at about one hundred and fifty meters behind her. I silently retracted my wings and put my hand on the hilt of my sword. I couldn’t believe that she was so close to me.

As I took my first step, she stopped dead in her tracks and I held my breath. The blue heat emanating from my body didn’t waver, but my heart skipped a beat. I stood and waited for her to turn around.

With my eyes glued to the back of her head, she slowly turned around to face me. Her eyes were as black as the night, but I saw a glint of red in there. She looked furious. Her face was set and I could see her jaw muscles moving. My eyes darted to the sword in its sheath around her hips. Her animal turned with her and when it saw me, it opened its large jaws and let out a growl that shook the ground beneath my feet. I looked deep into its yellow eyes and in my mind I mimicked its growl and projected that growl so loudly that the animal sat down on its backside in shock.

Just then Erin started to clap and she said with a laugh. “So look what little sister can do. How big and brave of you, dear sister, you scared my pet.” She put her hands on her hips and looked around us, “Where is your army? Surely you would not come after me without one?” Her voice was raspy and sounded hoarse. I chose not to answer her and remained calm, but I wondered where her army was. There was nothing to be seen for miles around us. I knew where my army was, but not knowing where her army was, made me feel apprehensive to say the least.

“I know you are using my daughter to move the scrolls, Rose. Make no mistake, I will get them and you will rue the day you ever crossed paths with me. I know where she and that coward are headed so once I am done with you I will find them. Firstly I will kill that traitor who stole my child from me and then I will take my daughter and teach her my ways and we will rule together. This is my plan and not you or anyone else will stand in my way.”

I actually believed she would do everything she just said if I did not stop her, but I still wanted her to disclose who the power behind her was. I took a few steps closer to her and she did not move. I could see now how much she looked like Samara and I was a little taken aback. Samara is pure and good and her one daughter that was almost her image was dark and evil. I felt the leather bound book heavily against my arm in the shield and was reminded once again why I was here.

“Do you no longer speak Rose? Have those who trained you taken away your ability to communicate other than via your thoughts? I heard you many times and I found you and yet you still lived and chose to go back time and again. You are a very slow learner Rose. You always have been. Your handlers had to step in and force you into the Grey City before you realized what your real purpose was. I find it laughable that they think you can defeat me. I have had so many more years than you to train and harness my power. How long have you had little one?” She was trying to make me angry, but I would not allow her to do that. I needed to keep my wits about me and took a sweeping glance around us. Something drew my eye to the ground. The earth seemed to be loose and not as hard as where I was standing. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I knew it meant something.

Just as I looked up, I saw the huge black animal leap forward and speed in my direction. Its black pelt glistened in the sun I could see the movement of its muscles and I knew that this animal would slice me to pieces. Keeping my eyes on the animal ahead of me, I dropped to one knee and held out my right hand, palm forward and watched as this beautiful specimen of an animal ran into the blue energy I was exuding from the pit of my stomach. I watched the shock in its eyes as it disintegrated into fine dust. This took mere seconds, but it felt longer and I stood back up and looked at Erin. She was clearly shocked and angry and I saw her aura radiating red. I worked at keeping my energy under control, but my face remained impassive.

“You will pay for that!” she hissed at me through clenched teeth and came at me with sword drawn. I drew my own sword and took an offensive stance and tried to remember what Gabriel had told me about holding the shield to my chest and lifting my elbow. I moved forward and watched as Erin ran toward me. I could see her harnessing her anger, because that was what fuelled her and as our swords crashed together I could feel her hatred pulsating outward. This hatred was so strong that it felt as though it was burning my skin, but I controlled my own emotions and defended myself from her blows.

We moved around one another, with me warding off her blows and waiting for a chance to catch her off guard. Just when I thought we were going to continue this way for a while, she changed her tactics and brought her sword in low and in a slicing motion. The tip of the blade caught my left hip and part of my abdomen. The cut burned like fire and I felt as though I was going to explode, but I stood my ground and fended off the next attack. I held on tightly to my sword and felt my energy running along the blade. I moved in again, but this time I pushed forward one step after another and moved her back. I could see her surprise and took advantage of it by lifting my elbow and quickly drawing my sword down. The blade pierced her left thigh and she jumped back and howled with pain. I could see my blue energy hovering over the wound. Erin put her hand over the wound and looking at me, literally growled like an animal.

“Enough! You know you are going to die here, but I will not allow you to take me with you. Up! Up, I say!” she shouted out loudly and raised her arms above her head. I saw the loose ground start to shake and was momentarily stunned when I saw her creatures pulling themselves up out of the sand.

Dammit, I knew it. I knew she would do something but I did not foresee this.

“Erin. Stop this now. You are foolish to think I would come here alone and without an army. I have an army and a very big one. You are going to lose this battle. I am only going to ask you once to stop this and give up.” I looked at her and I knew that she wouldn’t.

“I will never give up. I have to prove that I can do this. I have to prove that I can defeat you and take what is rightfully mine by birth. I am the firstborn, not you.” She sobbed at me. I had her now. “Who do you have to prove this to? Who is insisting that you steal something that does not belong to you?” I pushed her, but she didn’t budge.

“Never. I will never reveal her name to you.” She hissed at me as her army pulled themselves up out of the ground.

“Well, sister dear, you have already told me that it is a ‘she’, which is halfway there.” I knew I sounded like I was mocking her and she just grew angrier.

Erin began howling like an animal. Her army of revolting creatures stirred into action and started moving in. I looked around me and up at the skies and was not surprised to see the skies full of winged soldiers.

Erin looked up too then turned on her heel and started running. As she ran, her wings unfurled. They must have once been beautiful and white, but from spending so much time with the Gibborus they had become tainted and the edges looked torn and tattered. She was going after Dante and Sienna, who I hoped had already taken to the skies.

One of the vile creatures jumped in front of me. I brought my sword down on it and its screeching filled my ears. Beside me, there was a crack of thunder and without looking, I knew that Gabriel had just dropped from heaven to help me once again. I looked around and saw Michael with Dorian at his side and the rest of the soldiers with Uriel.

I unfurled my wings and lifted off the ground, swinging my sword at any creature that tried to follow me. Quite a few lifted off the ground, only to be sent hurtling back down by soldiers descending from the skies.

I headed off after Erin. I felt compassion for her because it was clear that someone had swayed her. This she had admitted herself and I couldn’t help but wonder who it was.

As I flew further up, I looked to my right and saw Gabrielle and Alvina moving in beside me and knew that it wouldn’t be long before Dorian joined us.

In the distance I could see Erin. We were catching up to her fast because her wings were so weak they couldn’t move that fast or lift her as high as mine could lift me. I wondered why this was? Was it because she spent too much time with the Gibborus or was it because she was failing in her chosen duties and had turned her back on all that was good?

She turned around and saw that I was getting closer and then she caught sight of Gabrielle and Alvina. Her face contorted in anger and as she turned her back on us, I saw her red aura being pulled into a ball between her hands. I quickly flew to Gabrielle and Alvina and moved in below them as Erin sent a fireball sizzling and hurtling in their direction. I moved up closer and then turned and spread my wings as wide as I possibly could. The force of the impact was so hard, that I was pushed up towards Gabrielle and Alvina and almost crashed into them.

The burning sensation on my back was breath-stoppingly painful, but my friends were safe. I knew she was hiding a power. If I had a power, it was only logical that she would have her own. I looked over my shoulder at her and her face was pure rage as she headed back down.

I was anxious about Dante and Sienna’s whereabouts. If Erin saw them, she would kill Dante, and then Sienna when she found out that the book was not genuine. She was so angry right now I think anything was possible with her.

She hit the ground running and retracted her wings. We were not far behind her. Just as my feet touched the ground I sensed Dorian close behind. He drew up beside me and shouted, “Dante and Sienna are not in the air. They have no defences and she knows this. We have to get to them first Rose.” I knew this and was so worried, I could barely think straight. I took a deep breath and concentrated while as I ran with Gabrielle and Alvina on my right and Dorian on my left.

“How can Dante have no powers? He is one of us isn’t he?” I called to Gabrielle – she had known him the longest. She looked over at me and shook her head, “Rose, Dante is the Angel of Death. He has one purpose only, and I don’t need to go into details for you.” I should have put that one together, but I had clearly not paid attention during my time in the Grey City.

“We need to get to them. Gabriel warned me that I was not to let anyone die.” I recalled his words when we first met and I knew he meant them.

At that moment a dark shape moved over us at a speed I had never seen before and not far in the distance we all heard the crack of thunder and put two and two together. Only one being was capable of making such an entrance. With renewed hope, we picked up the pace. Ahead of us was a small hill. We raced around it and stopped in our tracks. Dante and Sienna were standing together, with Erin in front of them and Gabriel to the side.

I looked at Gabriel questioningly but he shrugged his shoulders, “This is all I can do for you. This is not my battle. My battle has already been won so my men and I are going to be heading off now.” He tipped an imaginary cap and lifted off into the sky.

“Erin, please don’t do this. We cannot let you go through with your plan.” I said as I walked closer to her.

“You deceitful little bitch!” she hissed at me through clenched teeth. “How did you know that I would follow these two in the first place? How did you know that I would not send my army after them?” her voice was so low, it was almost a growl.

“Well, Erin, to use your words – ‘we are twins after all’. Besides, your vile creatures would have probably killed Sienna and I know that deep inside you did not want that to happen. She is your daughter after all and you would rather take her with you and teach her your evil ways. So I basically got into your head and thought the way you would.” As I spoke, I moved closer and tried to manoeuvre myself between Erin and Sienna.

Erin looked past me at her daughter. A pleading look came across her face, “Sienna, my darling, don’t let them hurt me. That is what they are planning to do you know. They fear me and are trying to get rid of me. I am the mother you were taken from so long ago and they thought that they could hurt me by taking you, but I never gave up looking for you and trying to get you back. You are part of me, Sienna. That book that you are holding is what they intend on using to hurt me. There are secrets in there that my father wrote down millennia ago that is meant to be mine. I am the eldest child, but this honour was taken from me when my evil younger sister stole the book and hid it from me. All I want to do is rightfully own it again and use the secrets inside for us. Please believe me Sienna, I would never harm you.” She sounded so genuine that even I almost believed her.

Before I could say anything, Dante moved forward and stood in front of Sienna. He looked at Erin who glared at him with unabashed hatred. “You are lying, Erin. From the moment I met you, all you could speak of was the secrets your father took to his grave with him and how you wanted to use what was in the book to ‘teach all the goody two shoes’ who was the more powerful of the two spectrums. You are most definitely not on the side of all that is good.” I was proud of Dante for standing his ground and speaking out.

“Don’t speak to me you weak little man. I cannot believe I chose you to be the father of my child. I thought I was being careful when choosing a mate, but clearly I erred.” She hissed at him. Poor Dante looked crestfallen by what she had just said.

“Erin, you have to tell us who you are trying to prove yourself to and you will also have to give yourself over to us. You do know that we are all here to take you back to the Grey City?” I tried to talk to her again.

She turned around to face me directly with blazing eyes and I could feel a scorching pain where her sword cut into my flesh. She was becoming angry and drawing on her powers and where her energy touched me was a lingering effect.

“I will not give in to you or your pathetic little troupe of clowns. You will never be allowed to take me. My mistress has not been bound and she still has free will.” Erin quickly kept quiet because she knew she had said too much.

I was beginning to realize that she would not come freely and started drawing on my own powers. I looked over at Gabrielle and Alvina and I could see by their stance that they were ready, as was Dorian. Michael and two of his soldiers were still standing on the outskirts of the group of people.

I returned my gaze to Erin, I watched in horror as she jumped forward, hit Dante out of the way with her sword and grabbed Sienna by the arm that was holding the book. The poor girl was so shocked that she dropped the book and when Erin retrieved it, Sienna crouched down beside her father, who had fallen to the ground.

Erin grasped the book to her chest and laughed hysterically. She had a wild look in her face and bared her teeth in a snarl, “I told you I will win little sister. I will make you all sorry and make you beg for my forgiveness. I will not give it, I will rather see you all burn.” With frenzied laughter, she raised the book above her head in a victorious motion. As she did this, Gabrielle held out her hands and a fine gold electric field moved from her hands to where Erin was standing. The energy swirled around Erin like a rope twirling itself around a stick. Erin gasped and her aura became dark red, but the golden rope continued to swirl around her. Alvina stepped forward and a dark blue haze enveloped Erin and her dark red aura started fading.

Gabrielle had the power of binding and Alvina had the power of healing and together they worked well.

As Dorian stepped forward with his power of honour and justice, a loud crashing noise erupted around us and a large cloud of black smoke rose up from a fissure in the ground near to where Erin was being bound. The thick black cloud moved silkily over Erin like thick black silk ribbons and she was lost from view.

We all stood in stunned silence and a fair amount of fear. None of us were aware of who or what this black cloud was. A hissing and a crackling noise emanated from within the cloud and Gabrielle and Alvina’s powers were cut loose and fell to the ground. Then the dark cloud started emanating a sucking sound.

I ran to Sienna and helped her to move Dante further away from the cloud and the others rushed over to help us.

We all stood back in awe of the cloud until eventually it started lifting off the ground taking dust and sand and Erin with it. The spot where Erin had been was cleared of all debris and in its place all that remained was solid rock.

I ran closer as the cloud lifted above my head. I could see Erin with a dark-haired woman rising higher and higher. We stood and watched as the cloud moved onto the top of the nearby hill and the black cloud swirled about the two women. With a flash of lightning and a loud crack of thunder, the cloud disappeared and a wind swirled around us, forcing us to put up our hands to protect our faces. I clutched the shield close to my chest with my other hand on the hilt of my sword, but there was no need to use it.

I felt totally deflated as though I had failed in my mission, but I kept these thoughts to myself and I turned around to make sure all of my friends were still with me.

I would have to try harder next time.

Epilogue

We were all sitting in the drawing room of Dante’s house in the Grey City and I looked around me at the others in the room.

Sienna was by Dante’s side and was smiling at her father.

Dorian was leaning against the windowsill gazing at the grey buildings outside. I was grateful that his wounds had healed and in their place were scars the colour of gold. They looked rather intriguing to me, but I would not say so to him because I dared not remind him of the pain he went through when the tattoos were literally torn from his body. I would forever have the scars that Erin gave me and I am sure mine would remain with her.

Gabrielle and Alvina were sitting together on the chaise lounge chatting about whatever they were fascinated by currently. I had never seen two people who could chat all day and not get bored with each other. I adored them.

I knew that Michael had returned with his soldiers to wherever it was they needed to be for now. Those soldiers were constantly battling for good and Gabriel was always there to back them up.

I knew that our journey together had just begun and that there would be more battles ahead of us because by now Erin, or as she liked to be known, Erro, had figured out that the leather bound book that she took from Sienna, was not the correct book. The book she took was filled with all the good things that happened on earth, heaven and the in between.

I kept rattling my brain to try and figure out who her mentor could possibly be but the only name I ever remembered her mentioning when we were children was Lillith.

I could imagine her anger and the anger of her mentor at how easily we managed to fool them. I could also imagine that should there be a next time, which I am sure there will be, we will have to be smarter and more cunning.

Dorian walked over to me and put his arms across my shoulders. “We will always be here to fight with you, Rosaline. I think we are all aware that this is not yet finished. Gabriel has offered to give us all tips on hand to hand combat.” He said with a grin on his face.

Quite honestly I think I could do with a few of those lessons, but I just smiled and returned Dorian’s hug.