ANGEL'S LANDING | BL ✔

CHAPTER 45 | ANGEL'S LANDING

"So...What say you?" Ilios inquired as Axel recovered from the thought of losing the soul of his mother forever. "Will you unlock Angel's Landing and give your soul to its defense? Or will you resort to other measures?"

"What other measures are there?" Although Axel did not place much hope in Ilios' answer, he still had to ask. If there was a way to prevent the possible destruction of thousands of angels' souls, he had to know.

"You can deny Angel's Landing and resort to using whatever strength the allied forces have left to defeat the one who began the war while cleansing Earth of the demons who are scorching it as we speak." Ilios fell silent after preventing Axel with his only other option. "Are you confident that the allies have what it takes to save Earth and send humanity's enemy back to the underworld?"

Axel's hands clenched closed as he lowered his head. "No, I am not." As much as he hated to admit it, Axel did not have faith that the allied forces could overcome Hades and its endless supply of demons. Even if Rae was able to shut down the portal, a deadly amount of demons had already crossed over, and the city was already in flames. 

"Then, what is your decision? Will you call forth the souls from Angel's Landing to fight for Earth?"

"Is there not a way I can guarantee the survival of the souls? A sort of insurance, if you will." Axel tried once more to find a way that could ensure the souls he would call forth would be spared from the fate of being erased for all eternity. He was desperate to save as many as he could. However, Ilios reminded him of the urgency of the situation they were facing.

"You must not delay this, Axel. Rae is fighting a vicious foe as we speak."

Axel's eyes snapped to Ilios at the mention of the colonel. "What do you mean? Where is Rae? Is he alright?"

"He is facing Darath, the demon who began this terror. Although he has Aklys to aid him, Aklys is weakened and can not overcome Darath. If Earth is to be saved, if Rae is to be saved, it must be now."

The conviction Axel needed suddenly filled his veins as a fire consumed him. Rae was fighting an ancient foe while he was delaying the inevitable. He must act before it was too late. So, Axel lifted a silent prayer for the souls housed in Angel's Landing before inquiring of Ilios, "How do I access Angel's Landing?"

"Much like how you called me forth from the depths of your consciousness." Ilios then proceeded to guide Axel on how to unlock Angel's Landing before adding, "If you are able to keep Angel's Landing from shattering until the souls you call forth return to Angel's Landing, they shall be spared."

Hope entered Axel upon hearing Ilios' words as he prepared to summon the power of Angel's Landing. Taking a deep breath, Axel closed his eyes and let his mind empty of all thoughts. He tuned out the sound and feel of the water that hugged his ankles until all was still and silent. 

Axel's mind was empty for just a split second before a voice sounded in the hangel's mind. What began as a quiet whisper quickly grew into several voices overlapping each other until the words were clear as day. Unsure of exactly what to do but deciding to follow his gut, Axel began voicing the words that repeated over and over in his mind.

"By the power vested within my soul, I call forth those who slumber in the great halls and wade the everlasting waters. Be my sword, shield, and spear, and vanquish those who seek to destroy life. Restore peace and bring back the light."

Unaware that he was verbally chanting the incantation, Axel repeated the chant until his voice aligned with the layered voices who had begun the chant. Ilios' voice joined those who had begun the chant, and Axel quickly realized the voices were of his past lives. As he repeated the incantation, Axel's voice became the key that unlocked the realm of Angel's Landing.

Axel's body began to glow golden and levitate as his soul was transported to Angel's Landing. Kilo, Castyr, and Orion continued to protect the hangel's exposed, floating body while a large beam shot from his heart. From the beam, emerged the souls that Axel had called forth to cleanse the planet of Hades' darkness.

Orion watched the souls of the angels in limbo enter the night sky before quickly racing throughout the city, filling Dexys with a golden glow. He now needed to keep Axel's body alive while the angels' souls fought against Hades' forces.

The moment he was transported to Angel's Landing, pain engulfed Axel's body. It felt as if chains were wrapped around his arms and feet and were pulling him in every which way. Realizing that his soul was now being used as the glue to keep Angel's Landing from shattering, Axel ignored the pain that ripped at his every cell and focused on keeping his soul intact. Although he had been pulled from his physical body, Axel knew that if his spiritual body was destroyed, so would his soul and physical body.

No matter what happened, Axel knew he needed to remain intact. His mind, soul, and spirit were being put to the test, and he would soon discover whether or not he had the strength and conviction to survive.

The pain increased as Angel's Landing was emptied, leaving Axel alone to keep the realm from breaking. A cry ripped from Axel's throat as his body felt like it was being split into two. Although he knew his physical body was still intact, the pain felt so real.

As much as he longed to call for help, for someone to save him, Axel knew it was futile. He was alone. Just like that night when he was being chased by rabid demons following the attack on the camp, Axel was utterly and completely alone. And in pain. On the verge of death.

But, this time, there was no one to save him. Rae could not reach him; they were in two separate realms. And it was Axel's duty to protect Angel's Landing until the souls had been restored to their state of limbo.

Axel's breathing grew haggard as he did his best to suffer through the pain. But it was too much. He had never been in such agony. Every fiber of his body was being pulled apart and restored only to be split again. 

The hangel eventually entered an internal bargaining cycle where he would plead with himself to give up and accept his fate. He begged himself to escape the pain even if it meant allowing himself to be destroyed. The torment broke down the hangel's defenses and threatened to make him go mad.

No being, no matter their strength, could endure a pain of such intensity for long without losing their sanity. But Axel tried. No, he fought. He fought to retain his sanity. As much as he longed to let everything end, he turned down his mind's plea for silence. He would not allow himself to succumb to the pain; he could not.

There were so many whose lives depended on him. They depended on his soul's strength to endure the torment and keep Angel's Landing from falling apart. So, Axel fought with all his might. He fought tooth and nail even when his mind called out for him to let go.

But, after what felt like an eternity, a white light engulfed Axel's mind, and his consciousness was spirited away. A weightless sensation engulfed the hangel, and he let his mind relax as the pain was alleviated. 

Axel was too exhausted to question what was happening. He was aware that he was no longer in Angel's Landing, but he did not have the capability to foresee what he was about to endure. There was no way he could have known that what he was about to experience was much worse than the pain he had felt at Angel's Landing.