The Devil's Daughter

Chapter 10 ~ The Cave

Chapter 10 ~ Razakiel

The darkness enshrouds us as we blindly follow Isa through the dank, musty tunnel. The crumbling dirt walls leave a slick muddy residue on my fingers, as I trail them along the wall to maintain some semblance of sight. The tunnel ceiling is low enough that I have to hunch over slightly in order to avoid scraping the roof with my head as we walk. It feels like an age has passed since Isa felt the demons at the edge of her shield trying to break through. In reality, no time at all may have passed, but in the dark silence within this endless tunnel time hasn't much meaning at all.

How the demon's managed to find us, and so quickly, I have no idea. But it doesn't bode well for the future; if we really are going to get back into Heaven it's going to have to be sooner rather than later or they'll be back and next time we might not be so lucky. And if Abby is captured, or... I stop the thought in its tracks, not entirely sure why the idea sends a jolt of fear running through me. The realisation that I would rather never set foot in Heaven again than let Abby come to harm has me halting in my tracks for a moment, my eyes coming to rest on her figure before me. Her silhouette just visible in the darkness with my eyes adjusted to the lack of light.

As I start moving forward again, eyes still focused on her slight frame, I see her wings flickering behind her, as if she's afraid of something. Without further warning fractured images of another dark space fill my mind, something akin to blind terror accompanying them. It doesn't take long to realise I'm not seeing just anyone's memories; these flashes of terror are hers. Her battered and bleeding body curled up in the dark. Lucifer looming over her. A dark smile. The steady trickle of blood as it pools across the rough ground. His voice, almost indecipherable and sickeningly joyful permeates the air around her.

The shivers that wrack her broken frame inside her long suppressed memories are mirrored in the present where she walks just ahead of me in the darkness of the tunnel. Without giving her any more time to succumb to the shadows in her mind, I gently take her hand in mine. She turns quickly to glance back at me and I tighten my grip slightly in reassurance. Her flickering wings disappear after a minute, though every now and then another shudder passes through her.

Eventually realisation strikes her and she slams her shield back into place in an attempt to keep me from seeing anymore of her thoughts and memories. Her hand does not, however, release its suffocating grip on my own and she even slows her pace until she's walking right by my side. I can't help the slight tilt to my lips as I realise she feels safer with me by her side; that she might even trust me. The thought is barely formed before I feel the odd flutter in my chest and start to question the risk of handing her over to Mikhael and the others.

 I feel the last of the tension slowly ease out of Abby's body as we climb up a rocky incline and the first rays of light appear ahead, dancing in the distance. Finally we step out into an open, light filled cavern, exchanging looks of relief as we do, I almost ready to thank god for the fresh air after so long with the stagnant air in the tunnel.

"Well. Here we are." Isa's voice resounds clearly through the open space, almost too loud after the eerie silence of the tunnel. "Welcome to The Cave." As she speaks, she moves further into the cavern leading the rest of us with her and, all too soon, Abby releases her grip on my hand to follow Isa in and discover the wonders of our new temporary place of residence.

 My feet carry me after her, almost of their own volition. And then all five of us are standing in the centre of Isa's cave. And the awe inspiring beauty of it ensnares us in a shroud of silence.

Two enormous cracks in the high vaulted ceiling overhead allow rivers of the early morning light to fill the space. It sends millions of crystal flecks flitting across the walls as it reflects off the rippling surface of the underground pool occupying almost a third of the expansive room.