Chapter 135: Divine Heart

Chapter 135: Divine Heart

Wait, wait, wait, said Denzel, closing his eyes as he raised his hand. Hold up. They were doing what?

James sat heavily on the bar stool and pointed at a whiskey bottle. Yadriel fetched it with neat alacrity and set to pouring him a glass. They were having drinks, far as I could tell. Like some kind of lounge. Different kind of angels. One in the back looked more like a sun than anything else. There was this view. One of the walls was glass, or not there. Looked out over something like I dont even know. Paradise? If your idea of paradise is all waterfalls and floating rocks and jungle.

Theyre having drinks? Denzel dropped his hand. Like, what, in a fancy VIP lounge while waiting for us to call on them?

He called you a brazen little bitch? asked Serenity. The angel did?

This is not sounding like angels I have heard about, said Olaf heavily.

James nodded his thanks to Yadriel and took up his drink. Leaned back against the bar and considered his companions. He was definitely pissed. Said wed both be destroyed if the other angels found out.

Everyone just stared at him.

Kerim coughed. Far be it for me to guess at the appropriate behavior of angels, but it would seem reasonable? That they would wait in comfort while awaiting their summons. How else should they behave?

I dont know, said Denzel, his outrage obvious. Maybe fighting demons in some kind of angel-war thing? Being less at peace with whats happening here? Something?

Perhaps they are as compelled as the demons, said Kerim.

He said something along those lines. But couldnt reveal more. James sipped the whisky. Was it real whisky? His body sure seemed to think so. Maybe theres a god responsible for all this, and the angels and demons are all pawns on his board.

Nah man. Yadriel set the bottle down. Were the pawns. The demons and angels are the bishops and knights.

That still means there could be a king orchestrating all this, said Denzel.

Or queen, said Serenity.

Or queen, said Denzel with an apologetic nod.

Nobody said anything for a spell.

Well fuck. Denzel rubbed at his hair furiously. I dont like any of this, but thats nothing new. So whats up with this castle?

Nine layers in one, yet all distinct, said Kerim softly. I suppose theres one way to find out.

Nobody looked enthused.

James knocked the whiskey back. Whatever we face, its probably gonna be the next order of magnitude in difficulty. I dont know how these layers were meant to be, challenge-wise, but I think its safe to say were catching up with whatever challenged a Lord of the Increate. Right?

Maybe. Kerim pursed his lips. From what youve described the Sinister Blockade wasnt that difficult. Perhaps we are still far ahead of the grade.

One way to find out. Serenity knocked her drink back and tossed her glass over her shoulder. Ready, bitches?

Who you calling a bitch? asked Yadriel.

You, snookums, said Serenity sweetly and turned to the exit. Lets go figure out this castle already.

They filed back into the tower chamber and gazed at the portal that hovered in its center.

How are we going to get Jessica and the Castrum through it? asked Serenity.

James approached the swirling portal slowly and extended his hand to its golden fire. As he did so the walls of the chamber faded away, revealing the bleak exterior world. When his hand was an inch from the flames it seemed as if they all hovered in midair.

Thank god, Jessica said, her Somnia moving up close to tower over them. I was beginning to think I had to hack my way in after you with my Divisor.

Its been a fucked up time, said Serenity. You sure missed out. James went and partied with the angels.

James quickly recounted his experience as the Wings flew themselves up to where they stood. Jessica listened attentively, the mech absolutely still.

Sounds like some kind of backstage area. If we could use it without fear of the other angels, itd be a hell of a shortcut.

Sure would, said James. But Im not sure how kindly a Dominion or Throne would take our using it.

True. Good to keep in mind.

We all ready? James looked at this companions. Circles up, Armor, Shields, the usual.

Everybody powered up and got on their Wings. Jelly re-inserted himself into the helm. Soon they were surrounded by the eight revolving bands of gold, clothed in glowing full-plate armor, and lit up by their own Empowering Light.

If shit gets difficult, dont hesitate to summon an Archangel, James said. If things get real bad, Ill teleport us out. Count of three. One. Two. Three!

James urged his Wing forward. He sensed his companions gliding forth alongside him, and they hit the portal in a wedge formation, the Somnia reaching down to insert its Divisor blade after them.

For a moment all was aureate flame, and then James felt himself pass through into another realm and appeared in the air high above the castle.

The Somnia leaped down from the high tower to land lightly in the bailey. Ill make my way around the back in case there are windows to it that need protecting.

No windows, but there are other rooms behind it, yeah.

Castrum! James pitched his voice to carry. Get inside the bailey - protect the front of the keep here.

Target acquired, boomed the Castrum and turned to plow through the shattered gate, its sides scraping against the guard towers, dislodging stone blocks and sending curtains of dust into the air. Massive as the Castrum was, its head only reached two thirds of the way up the huge keep and the blue tiled roofs that sloped down from the towers.

James paused at one of the ramps leading below. Serenity! Yadriel! We found it!

Then he ran forward and leaped up onto Denzels balcony. The pair led him and Olaf inside. Faded tapestries hung on the grand walls. The ceiling was twenty feet up. This place had once been grand. An angels palace? Or just a set piece, with no past, just an ever-bloody present as a testing ground?

Kerim and Denzel led them along echoing hallways and into a grand hall. Columns lined the sides, fronting covered walkways, with balconies above. Ancient flags and other signs of past victories in battle lined the walls, but the focus was on the throne, a great chair carved from a single block of lapis lazuli and inlaid with gold. It was resplendent, the top flaring out like a peaking geyser, but Denzel led past it to the back, where a huge iron door hung off one hinge to reveal a circular chamber beyond.

A diamond as large as a basketball hung in the air glowing a gentle blue. Ripples of light shimmered over the walls as if reflected off a pool, and the air thrummed with power.

Damn, said James as he drew close. This thing is potent. He could sense with his Spiritual Exaltation just how potent it was - it burned so brightly in his minds eye with Aeviternum that it could have probably powered a host of Castrums all by itself.

Olaf immediately set to walking the rooms perimeter. This is better. Only one door. Nine sides. He tapped the walls with his axe as he went. Walls thick. Very good. Much better.

How many entrances to the hall? James stepped back out to answer the question himself. Denzel and Kerim followed, one leaping up to the left balcony that ran the length of the room, another to the right. The double doors were the easiest point of entry at the halls end, but James scowled at the sight of two more doors, one on either side behind the throne.

James, the demons will be on us in ten minutes. Maybe less. Theyre coming in fast.

Shit. Olaf, check that door. Ill look at this one. Jelly, get Serenity and Yadriel up to the main keep pronto. We need to all be together.

James ran through the door and saw a short corridor that terminated in a circular stairwell. A couple of rooms led off the corridor. What might have once been a library, the shelves sagging, the books spilling out and layering the floor in ancient pages. The next room had a nine-sided table in its center, a large window in the back wall. An old meeting room?

James leaned out the window. Just a thirty foot drop to the desert outside. Fuck. A window leading out to the world? What kind of idiot designed this place?

He ran out, swiftly as he could, and to the stairwell. It both climbed and descended. Grimacing James stepped back. Demons could come from the steps and the window, then. Not secure at all.

He returned to the throne hall and saw Jason and Miriam entering through the double doors.

Theres all kinds of weird shit in this place, said Jason. The walls have collapsed in some places revealing gears and pistons.

Other spots revealed, like, veins of diamond, said Miriam, raking her hair out of her face. She looked flushed, her eyes bright, her breath coming quickly. She glanced nervously at Jason.

James waved the information away. Well have to check that out once were done defending the diamond. He summoned the countdown.

Protect the Divine Heart for 5 Hours 37 Minutes

To Unlock the Next Level

Yadriel slowed as he ran into the room, Serenity behind him. Dude, its like a zerg rush out there. 360, yo. And not just one type.

We got a ton coming our way, confirmed Serenity. Fast, smaller ones like the demons in Hollow Hill. More than I could make out.

This side is no good, said Kerim, appearing at the balcony. Three doors leading to a variety of places. Servant quarters, guest rooms, main chamber.

Olaf appeared in the other doorway. This also lead to many places. Kitchens, mostly. This hall must have served feasts, once. Big table down middle.

Olaf, dude, we all know you love this castle-shit, but we dont need the tour, you know? said Yadriel.

Denzel appeared on the opposite balcony. No good -

Listen up, everyone. James cut him off. Our main advantage is that theres one entrance to the diamond chamber. Which means we hold the door. The demons will come at us from all the entrances to this hall. Well stay inside the chamber, layer Shields over the entrance, layer our Circles of Protection, and then flare Nova and use Aura Mastery to keep the pressure from building up too high.

What about Jessica? asked Serenity.

Shes nimble. Ill have her set up atop a tower and blast the enemy as they come. When they swarm up to her, she can just jump to another tower.

Jason raised a hand. Is it worth for a couple of us to stay outside on Wings? Strafing runs, thin out the ranks?

No. We dont know if flyers wont show up. We stand together. We dont need to kill all the demons. We just need to keep the diamond safe.

Jason nodded.

Theyre on us, said Jelly. James, theyre going to hit us in less than a minute.

Tell Jessica to take to the towers and keep moving to stay safe. Were going to hole up in the diamond room.

And the Castrum? asked Miriam quietly. Hes out there alone.

Jessicas got his back. James pulled his golden skeggox from its sheathe. But yeah. Hes got a hell of a lot of demons coming his way. Lets just pray he can hold for the next five hours.