Demon Hunters: Book 1 Faith [editing]

Chapter 30

Zacharias surveyed the charred remains of the two story house which had been located down an isolated stretch of road. According to the firefighters, the blaze started at about three in the morning, and it took them hours to extinguish it. Of course, no bodies were found.

A much shorter and stocker angel watcher, Rathaniel, stood beside Zacharias. "Definitely demons."

Zacharias nodded. "Yes." He could still sense the demonic energy. "But why?"

Before Rathaniel could fathom an answer, a third angel descended from the sky, floating slowly to the ground with her white wings extended. When she landed in front of both of them, she meticulously retracted her wings. "Zacharias."

"Ophiel," he said, folding his arms about his chest.

"I didn't realize Rathaniel asked you to come." She stared daggers at the shorter angel, who visibly flinched.

"I... I thought—"

"It doesn't matter what you thought," she cut him off. "Not now at least."

Rathaniel cast his eyes downward and took a small step backward.

Each team of watchers had its own leader, and every leader managed their teams differently. Zacharias always thought himself to be fair, consistent, and patient. Very patient actually, especially with Zoe on his team. Despite Zoe's remarkable skills as a hunter, she lacked a sense of order. Ophiel, on the hand, ruled with nothing but order.

"So, the question is why would demons attack and kill Leo and his squad."

"Yes, that's the question." Zacharias felt his jaw tighten.

"Did Leo find out something they didn't want to be known?"

"Not likely," Zacharias stated. "They will be able to materialize again in three days."

Rathaniel shook his head. "This seems so stupid. Killing angels in their human form. For what?"

"Maybe they found our scion and want to kill us off to decrease our numbers. That will give them a numerical advantage." Ophiel glanced at Zacharias. "Speaking of which, has your team made any progress yet?"

"Not yet."

"Well, maybe we should have sent another team to infiltrate the high school."

"I didn't remember your team or any other angel watchers volunteering for that assignment."

"Fine." Ophiel turned back to the ruined house. "It's probably a dead end anyway. Just a waste of time. Let Zoe suffer more of high school. At least that keeps her out of our way so that we can do the real investigating."

Ophiel's team had once been the most successful team of watchers, but that was long before Zoe mastered her skills as a hunter. Now that Muriel had joined the team, no other group of watchers could rival their success. Besides, didn't Zoe report that Ren was in the school too? That meant someone in the school knows this scion.

"I doubt this has anything to do with the scion. Demon recruiters wouldn't kill watchers. It would be harder to track us." Indeed, Leo and his team could return back to the Earth plane with completely different human bodies.

"Maybe we have outstayed our welcome," Rathaniel offered.

Ophiel picked up a rock from the ground and threw against a piece of the charred wood. "Araqiel's behind this." The fallen angel, now turned demon, had no interest in the struggle between watchers and recruiters. The only thing he cared about was maintaining his power over the city and its surrounding areas. He would even reject demon recruiters if they got too mettlesome.

Zacharias nodded in confirmation. "We should all be on the alert. No telling what Araqiel is thinking. Maybe it's a sign for us to leave."

"Maybe there is no scion at all," Ophiel retorted. "Maybe this is all a waste of time."

They all knew that the scion was real and that he had yet to be found, even Ophiel.

"Perhaps we should convene another gathering," Zacharias said.

Ophiel scowled. "Do you really think that is necessary? Are we overreacting here, Zacharias? I think we should wait and see. This was probably a random event."

Jealously? Ophiel didn't want Zacharias to call a gathering. Although she was the eldest and most senior angel, the success of his team afforded Zacharias just as much authority. Nonetheless, he deferred to her rank. "As you wish."

Rathaniel's mouth fell open slightly, but he held his tongue. When Ophiel asserted her position, she clung to it right or wrong.

"If I change my mind, I'll let you know. Until then, we should monitor things closely."

Zacharias bowed slightly. "Very well." He turned around and stared at the cloudy sky. Normally, he disliked flying out in the open, but the risk was minimal. He needed to inform Muriel. He needed to come up with a plan.