The Morningstar Brigade

Chapter 74

XXXXXXXIV

URIEL

Solstice

Fallen Chapel, Earth

"You said that this was something in our stars." Smoke rose off of a small hole just to the left of Faustus' head as Uriel lowered his hand. "Then I reject my fate. I keep my promises. I choose to love," Uriel said, helping Faustus to his feet. "You said that there were scales to be balanced. That there was retribution to be taken." He walked over to Eli's side and took his hand. "Eli... he loved you until the very end. He watched your family, my family, be torn to pieces." Uriel placed a hand over Eli's wound, allowing white flames to knit the skin back together. "You see this hole in his chest as a curse. An evil that you could never correct, a price you could never pay. The next round of a cycle of blood and death." Uriel turned, kissed his brother's forehead and hugged him tightly. "But Eli's blood isn't a pair of shackles. It's the key. He gave us the chance to set you free. He paid your price in full. He ended the cycle. Now we plot our own course." He gave him a squeeze. "You're forgiven, Faustus. By him. Not because you earned it. Because you're loved."

Daken tumbled to the ground, the dark fires that had held him at bay at last relenting. He laughed as he got to his feet and sprinted over to the other two, warpping them both up in his arms and spinning them around with big, brotherly might. "You two scared me half to death," he bellowed. "In the future, let's make our philosophical statements about fate and forgiveness a little less dramatic. I already need enough therapy as it is."

They spent a moment just like that. In this happy embrace. An angel, an apostle and an apostate. A world nearly torn in two hung still.

"Ok," Daken said slowly, pulling back. "It's time for you both to go."

Faustus' face wrinkled with confusion. "What? Go? What about you? Aren't you coming with us?"

Daken shook his head. "Sorry, little brother. Our ride back only has two seats. I've had plenty of time to spend on Eden. It's your turn."

"No. No, we can make this work, Daken," Uriel insisted, grabbing Daken's arm. "We can-" He stopped cold as he looked in to Daken's eyes. "Daken... Daken, what is happening to you?"

"So, it's already started, huh?" Daken said with a hollow chuckle as crouched down next to the remains of a mirror. He tilted his head, examining his appearance in the shattered reflection. "Damn. I had hoped that this wouldn't be the way that you would see me last. It would have better if you didn't have to worry."

Faustus' heart skipped a beat. "Daken, what did you do? Your eye, it's..."

Daken let out a slow breath as the last bits of his left iris disappeared. The eye was now blank. Just as Faust's had been. "Bloodmoon always exacts a price," he said resignedly. "It's ok. I knew this was going to be the cost. That's why I'm the one that stays." He smiled at Faustus. "It was more than worth it."

"The Brigade will understand," Uriel argued.

Faustus thrust a hand forward, attempting to summon his old powers. "We're not just going to leave you here," he agreed. "I can open a new rift, we can make it back to Eden together." But despite the confident front he attempted to present, no portal appeared. A dark spark or two flashed before his hands, but it was clear that his power was a fraction of what it had once been. "This isn't the end."

"No, it isn't. You'll make it back. This isn't a goodbye," he said, reaching into Uriel's pocket and clicking the bronze transporter beacon. "It's just a 'see you later.'"