The Morningstar Brigade

Chapter 66

XXXXXXVI

URIEL

Day Thirteen.

The Deep, Morningstar Keep

Uriel rubbed his temples and then walked out into the center, or at least what he thought was the center, of the Deep. Ancient tombs and decaying scrolls were spread all across a table of Dawn that hovered beside him. The archaic manuscripts ranged from poetry to prophecy, pictures of winged figures to practical combat applications, but each had been meticulously arranged and annotated by Uriel. He sat down on the floor, crossed his legs and then breathed out slowly. His arms fell to his knees as he shut his eyes.

"Again," he commanded himself. "I'm going to get it right this time. No mistakes."

He summoned forth the fire inside himself that had lain dormant for so long. He felt its hot energy burn in his veins, his body quivering as white sparks crackled along his skin. Fire raced excitedly up and down his spine, free of the restraints that had held it back. Uriel concentrated on images of Eli and Jonathan, of all the Shepherds that had been lost. He stoked the flames even further until his mind was consumed in the blaze. He smiled as a pair of smoldering white wings burst from his back, embers covering his eyes. It felt dangerous. It felt good.

His hands shot out in front of him and he began to create. Uriel could see the monster he sought to craft. He had seen it only once before, but he knew its every contour. The image had been seared into his mind, lurking somewhere just beneath the surface, just beyond where he had dared to go. Slowly, the creature began to take shape. Formless fire began to melt into sharp claws and slick scales. Eager sparks leapt into sets of jagged teeth.

Then Uriel's concentration was shattered by a sharp series of raps on the door of the ethereal study he had summoned. He tried to complete the creation, frantically fighting to maintain its shape, but each new knock caused his flickering sculpture to degrade further until it eroded into nothingness. Uriel cursed under his breath and lowered a finger at the door. A bolt of energy leapt from his fingers and flew into the small socket on the back of the door, opening the entrance.

"Always in the last place you look," Kat muttered, walking into the chaotic chamber. "You won't believe what it took to get in here."

Uriel sighed as he laid eyes on Kat. "Oh. It's you. Has Solomon finished Jacob's Ladder then? I figured it would be soon."

Kat raised an eyebrow. "You want to try that again?" she asked, crossing her arms and weaving her way through the trail of manuscripts as she approached Uriel. "And no, Solomon says it isn't quite ready yet, even if the attacks have stopped. It seems like he's really gone. But after just up and disappearing on the entire Brigade, that's what you have to say for yourself? 'It's you'?"

"Days? What do you mean days?" Uriel asked, scratching his head.

Kat's eyes went wide as she realized Uriel was still wearing his torn, bloodstained uniform from his fight with Isaac. Dark stubble had begun to replace clean-shaven skin. Purple-brown bags hung under his eyes. "Uriel, do you know what today is? How long do you think we've been back at the Keep?" Kat pressed.

He shrugged disinterestedly. "An hour, maybe two?" Uriel offered.

Kat's eyes went wide. "Uriel, it's been three days."

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised," Uriel admitted. "Time moves so differently here. It's not like Purgatory, but it's less... linear. Especially when I'm like this." He groaned and rubbed his head. "Sometimes it doesn't even feel like I'm a part of it."