Micah arrived at Nicki’s condo at the same time Nick had but for different reasons.
“Micah! Jake… I saw Jake… I lost him but he’s in trouble. A demon has been whispering into his ear. I saw it…”
“Another demon?” Micah stopped, taking Nick’s hand. “We need to deal with one at a time. Okay?”
There was no answer.
“Okay? Caleb and Nehemiah are here. We’re finally gonna get Nicki away from Sebastian’s hold. “
Nick nodded solemnly. “Yes… of course.”
“We’ll help Jake. I promise.”
“It might not have been his fault…. None of it may have been. I mean… I saw the demon at his side.”
“It’s okay.” Micah put both hands onto Nick’s face. “We will help him. We will but Nicki first.”
Nick nodded again and followed Micah inside.
Micah opened the front door and stepped inside. A smidgeon of fear shot through him when he saw Nehemiah standing in the hallways so close to Caleb.
“I see you…” Nick said. “Your angel self.” Despite Nehemiah dressed in plain clothes and without his wings, Nick saw past the façade and to the real angel. “You’re so beautiful.” He dropped to his knees and openly wept, tears streaming down his cheeks.
Nehemiah stepped past Caleb and Micah and put his hand down to Nick. “You have the sight. You can see me.”
Nick looked up at him with pleading eyes. “Yes.”
“It is all right. Rise now.”
As soon as he took Nehemiah’s hand, Nick stopped crying. He caught his breath.
“Nick, remember to focus,” Caleb said.
“It’s okay,” replied Nick. “I don’t mind seeing him.”
“Let’s do this,” Micah said finally. “Night is falling.”
Caleb nodded and put his arm around Micah. “Maybe you should stay out here.”
“No way. I have to be there. You’re not keeping me out.” Micah rushed to the bedroom door and grabbed the knob. “Ah! It’s burning hot.”
“Sebastian grows more powerful,” Nehemiah said. “We must do this soon.”
“Agreed,” Caleb said. “All right Micah, you may follow us in.” Caleb took hold of the knob but the door wouldn’t open. He pushed against it again but it wouldn’t give. He shifted his hands into scaly claws and punched the door but it remained untouched. “There is a force holding the door.” He turned to look at Micah then at Nehemiah. “He’s much more powerful than I am now.”
“Step aside.” Nehemiah stepped over to the door and let is wings unfurl from his back. A white light enveloped him and the door. The angel drew back his hand and opened his palm. He struck the door with his palm hard and it shattered, pieces of wood sailed into the bedroom.
“Uh-oh,” Sebastian said. “Looks like I’m in trouble now.” Laughter followed.
Nehemiah and Caleb entered the room as Micah followed directly behind them. He was shocked when he set his gaze on Nicki. The skin on her face was beginning to be overrun with what appeared to be snakeskin. Her tongue that licked her mouth and cheeks was now forked. Her eyes flared with red.
“Nicki…” Micah tried to be strong but his heart sunk and the tears fell.
“Hello bestie,” Nicki croaked, partially in her own voice and partially Sebastian’s.
“You’re leaving!” Micah screamed. “Now!”
“Oh really?”
A gust of wind surged through the room. Micah, Caleb and Nehemiah flew into the air and crashed against the back wall. Micah felt pain burn across his back and ribs. He fell to the floor but the wind kept pressing against him like a tidal wave.
Both Caleb and Nehemiah fought against the thrashing, biting wind, pinned against the wall like flies. Caleb shifted into his demonic form, scales rippled down his arms, black-feathered wings spread wide and flapped hard against the wind.
Caleb roared and flung himself to the ceiling. He crawled across it and over Nicki’s bed. She glared up at him.
“You’re too late, fallen brother! She is mine. My full power is coming now… can’t you feel it?”
“All I want to feel is your soul between my teeth!” Caleb dropped, falling down to Nicki but he was halted in mid-fall. Nicki blinked at him and he sailed through the air and onto the floor, crashing hard.
“No. You are no match for me. Taste my fire.”
Flames spread across Caleb’s back. Howls of pain filled the room.
“Caleb!” Micah cried but he was unable to move as the powerful, icy wind held him back.
“ENOUGH FOUL ONE!” Nehemiah cried. He inhaled and the wind ceased, sucking up into the angel’s body. He blew it back at Caleb and put out the scorching flames. “You are no match for me, no matter your power!” Nehemiah glowed with white light, his hair was a golden yellow and his great white wings spread the length of the room. “I am an archangel of Michael’s charge. I am the leader of the legion of hosts. I am the warrior angel first into battle at Michael’s side. And I am here to smite thee!”
For the first time, fear burned in Sebastian’s eyes. Nicki’s face was a mask of terror as Nehemiah began toward her despite all of the horror that spouted from her lips, despite more wind blasting the angel.
“You stay away…” Sebastian moaned. “My Master will punish you. He will take revenge on your heavenly spirit. I will not go… do you hear archangel? I will not go!”
Nehemiah leaped onto the bed, standing tall, looming over the cowering demon as it fought to hold onto its possessed. The angel laid his hand on Nicki’s forehead and she screamed. Sebastian also screamed.
“Your crimes have not gone unnoticed, angel!” Sebastian screamed his last words. “Your precious Heaven will reject you. Michael has seen all!”
White light engulfed Nicki’s face, her skin glowed transparent and for a second Micah could see her skull. The light grew brighter and the entire room filled with it.
A boom echoed through the room and the light exploded. A screech sounded last as a black, shadowy form lifted out of Nicki’s body. A set of eyes and a gaping mouth stretched in the shadow’s writhing mass before it disappeared.
“It is done.” Nehemiah climbed off of the bed and sat on floor. He put his face in his hands.
“Micah…? Micah?”
“Nicki!” Finally Micah was able to stand up. He raced to her side and held Nicki his arms. “Its okay now. I’m here. I’m here.”
Her tears soaked her face as she buried it into Micah’s chest. “I was so lost and I couldn’t reach you. I could reach any of you. My God… Micah…. It was like a nightmare.”
“It’s okay now. He’s gone. He’s gone for good.”
Deep sobs escaped her as she held onto him like never before.
A smile drew on Caleb’s face as he watched the two friends reunite. His heart was full. He turned to thank Nehemiah and saw him exiting the room.
“Brother?”
“The demon was right,” Nehemiah said. “Michael’s rage will be terrible. Once he finds out.” He left the room.
Micah looked up. “It’s okay,” he said with a smile. “Go after him. We will help him.”
###
Taking video on his phone was a new experience for Tom. He was old fashioned by nature and it felt so strange to try to capture paranormal events on a phone but this time, he just had to do it. He practically stumbled upon the end of the banishing.
He didn’t know why he was drawn to this condo complex but when he saw what he thought was an angel and a demon in the window of the condo across the street, he know he had to do something.
“An angelic banishing,” Tom mumbled. “Right here in Blackstone City.”
He crept closer and closer to the building with the condo apartment in question and stopped when he heard the thunderous screams. He scanned the entire outside of the apartment with his phone and managed to capture the huge, cloud-like shadow that filled the condo’s windows, rose through the top of the building and vanished. He swore that shadow had a face on it but he wasn’t quite sure. It disappeared so quickly.
Tom started to playback the video on the phone when he heard the front door open. He ducked around the corner of the building and peered back. He saw a stunning blond man walk from the inside the condo and take flight on a pair of wings.
Tom’s jaw dropped and he fumbled with his phone to get the angel on video but he was gone in the blink of an eye. He just couldn’t believe it. Everything was true. This was the place. All of the prophetic dreams he’d been having about an unknown city and the war to end all wars were real. It was going to happen right here.
“It is happening.” Tom lit a cigarette as he walked back to his rental. “The fallen one living in repentance. The angelic banishment. The tear in the fabric of Hell. The war to end all wars—Heaven against Hell, here, on Earth. Here in Blackstone.”
He wasn’t sure what to do next all he knew was he had to meet Micah Donovan and soon. He got in his car and headed back to his hotel room. Little did he knew, Micah was just feet away and had called an ambulance to take he and Nicki to the hospital.
Unaware of narrowly missing Micah, Tom returned to his room and coordinated all of the information he had. Maps, photos, old books, recordings, they all added up to the same thing. The big paranormal event was coming soon and it would begin and end in the old part of the city. He walked over to his hotel room window and opened it. He was always so warm, especially when he was in the old part of the city. Tom couldn’t help but think that too was a sign.
In the night sky the moon rose, waxing toward full. He lit a cigarette, blew the smoke out the window and sighed. He hated when he was right. Just once he would love to be wrong and finally his wife could sleep easier at night.
###
The morning sun held new meaning for Micah. For a change he welcomed the new day and the light shining down on him felt pure, warm and loving. He wore the biggest smile on his face and carried the prettiest flowers he could find. Ones he purchased at an actual florist and not in the hospital gift shop. Flowers from the gift shop never made it past the next morning.
He took the elevator up and could barely stand the wait. After all they had been through it would be good just to talk to Nicki, just to hug her, laugh with her and appreciate the fact that she was still here, still his best friend in the whole world.
Micah stepped into the room and beamed. “Hey, there’s my girl.”
Nicki’s eyes lit up the moment she saw him and she almost started to cry again. Instead, she fought back the tears of joy with a smile to match his. “Hey.”
“How are you feeling?”
She paused for a moment, looked at her IV, at the cold breakfast on her tray table, at the medications in a plastic cup, at the bandages on her hands, wrists and legs and grinned. “A hell of a lot better now. Thank you so much. Thank you for not giving up.”
“Like I ever would.” He reached out for her hand and she took it, holding on as tight as she could. He set the flowers down on the table beside her bed and sat on the edge of her bed.
“Did I hurt anyone?”
“No. Just yourself.”
“Jesus.”
“I know.” He rubbed her hand with his thumb.
“What an asshole he was.”
Micah broke out laughing. “Well…they don’t call him an Arch Demon for nothing.”
“I’m just glad he’s back where he came from. Let him fry.”
“It’s so good to have you back.” He put his arm around her and she leaned her head onto his chest. “I love you, Nicki.”
“I love you too. I’m still here because of you. I’m still… me.”
“Don’t mention it. Like ever…”
“Sure, if you remind me never to get possessed again.”
“Deal.” He kissed her cheek. “I gotta get to work. I’ll come visit again soon. Can’t wait to have you back on the job, partner.”
Nicki beamed as he left the room and headed for the elevator.
###
It was after sunset when Micah finally returned him. He was met with a huge embrace within Caleb’s strong arms. He’d nearly forgotten what it felt like to be held by him. He looked into Caleb’s eyes and kissed him.
“No sign of Nehemiah?”
Caleb shook his head. “Not yet. I think I know where he’ll go eventually, once his fear subsides.”
“I hope Michael doesn’t do anything to him. Nehemiah has a good heart.”
“He truly does. I need to reach him and make sure he is all right.”
“You’ll find him. Then we can put this behind us, finally.” He leaned in to kiss Caleb again when Nick entered the room.
“I still can’t reach Jake. He isn’t at home either.” He paced around the kitchen, rubbing his hands together rapidly. “This is bad, guys. He needs our help. Why are you just standing around? We need to find him.”
“Nick, buddy, we will. We need to find Nehemiah first.”
“I’m so worried about him. This wasn’t his fault, you know? He’s being coerced and tempted.”
“Jake can free himself, Nick,” Caleb said to him. “He has to want to. He can resist the whispers.”
“No, he can’t. Not right now. He’s too vulnerable and alone. He doesn’t have anyone. What if he does something crazy? What if he hurts himself? I need to find him. He needs me.”
Micah left Caleb’s warm embrace and halted Nick. “Hey…hey… look at me. We’ll find him. He’ll be okay. I swear it. You need to calm down so we can make a plan. Okay?”
“All right.”
“Good. Why don’t you get some rest while I make dinner.”
“Right.” Nick headed down the hall to his room.
Caleb took Micah’s hand and kissed him on the cheek. “I’ll begin my search for Nehemiah again in the morning.”
“You got it. Maybe you can ask him about Jake.”
“Do you really want me to?”
“I promised Nick.”
“I suspect that Nehemiah will tell us much the same. He can only chase away the tempter. More will return to meddle. Jake has to want them to go away. If he is not willing… then…”
“I know. I’m afraid we all know the answer to this one. Everyone except Nick.”