Page 203 of Crimson Promises
"But why are we the chosen ones?” I inquired, my heart heavy with the weight of responsibility.
Haziel regarded us with a sense of both sorrow and determination. “It seems your fates are meant to be intertwined with the relic. What I can say is that the threads of your lives are part of the tapestry it unveils. To what end, I cannot determine. No one else has made it this far, let alone adimidiumand a fallen angel.”
I sucked in a breath. He knew what I was.
As we absorbed his words, a chilling thought crept into my mind. "What about Lucifer? What if he seeks to use the relic for his gain? He was the one who sent us to retrieve it. Now, I know it was something he never would have been able to recover himself.”
Haziel’s expression darkened. "That is my greatest concern. With his cunning and ambition, Lucifer may attempt to exploit the relic's power. He could intensify the negative energy in beings, feeding off their fears, doubts, and discontent."
Dread coiled in my chest like a serpent awakening from slumber. The thought of Lucifer harnessing the relic's power for malevonet purposes sent a chill down my spine. But so did the idea of Ben dying. We had promised to fulfill the quest. Could we do that while keeping him from getting his hands on the relic? If we were even able to convince Haziel to ‘lend’ it to us.
"We can't let that happen," Ben said.
Haziel nodded, his gaze unwavering. "Indeed. Your journey is about unraveling the relic’s secrets and protecting it from those who misuse its power. The fate of both Heaven and Hell may hang in the balance."
“Isn’t that your job?”
“Ben!” I reprimanded.
Haziel waved his hand in the air. “No, no. It’s a fair question. That is my role, but if the relic finds a wielder worthy of taking it outside of The Threshold of Whispers, that duty transfers to those holding the relic.”
I shared a lingering glance with Ben, my mind heavy with the revelation of the Vision Relic's potential for misuse.
"Is there a way the relic can be used positively, Haziel? Can its power be harnessed for good?"
Haziel's form held my attention; he was tall but looked gentle. No wings donned his back. Did he have any? Or did he keep them concealed like Ben did when he was pretending to attend ACU?
"The relic's power is neither inherently good nor evil. It is a mirror, reflecting the intentions of its user. With the right heart and purpose, it can unveil the beauty of the interconnectedness of all things,” Haziel said.
My heartbeat quickened with the possibility, like the flutter of a caged bird tasting the sweetness of freedom. I mentally ran through the memorized lines of the prophecy:For in the heart of twilight’s seam, Lies the hope of every dream.It had to be referring to Chamuel’s relic. That linked hearts, fates, and dreams. Lucifer sent us here to secure the relic he would no doubt take advantage of.Also,he spent twenty-one years trying to find me, to fit me into this puzzle to use my powers. He obsessed over this riddle way longer than any of us. There is no way he missed that line. Was the end goal always for me to secure the object for him?
Ben interjected, "But what about Lucifer? Can we trust him not to exploit its power for his gain, even if the relic can be used positively?"
Haziel regarded us with a sense of sorrow and wisdom. "Lucifer Morningstar's motives have always been shrouded in mystery, his actions unpredictable. He was once a beacon who showed such potential to those around him. Lucifer was the angel that was made in the image of the Almighty, destined to succeed one moment and usurper the next. While the relic may hold potential for good, it also risks intensifying the negative energy within him. Within anyone.”
A stone dropped in my stomach. Lucifer wasn’t the only one intent on a path of vengeance. A week ago, I would never question that the relic could be in danger if it were in Ben’s hands, but he committed twenty-one years to look after me. He had made deals with Heaven and Hell to exact revenge against those who wronged him. It seemed nothing was more important to quench that thirst for revenge. Not even me.
The bond between us rolled in unease.
Ben snapped his gaze over to mine as if sensing my thoughts. “Aurora, you don’t have to worry about me.”
“Are you sure about that?” I whispered, my voice hoarse. I couldn’t handle another betrayal from him. It had happened too many times already. Did that make me a fool for wanting so badly to believe the words coming out of his mouth?
“Yes. I’m done making mistakes that cost meyou. No amount of revenge is going to bring back Jos or my mom. I could have saved myself so many years of pain if I had accepted that sooner. One day, Azrael and the Originals will pay for what they did to me and my people, but I’m done making deals with the Devil to ensure it happens by my hand.”
I dug deep. The bond was tense as if holding its breath. Was it because he was telling me more lies? Or did he finally realize his choices had consequences that hurt others—me?
My feelings towards Ben felt like whiplash. Before Hell, it was us against the world; the lingering touches and almost kisses meant something. But then the hurt and anger of his deception would claw its way back to the forefront of my mind, making me feel like a fool. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice—shame on me.
“Okay,” I relented. There was no choice but to trust him. He had to survive completing these tasks. If there was anything I could bet on, it was Ben’s desire to survive. Whether that was for me or to exact revenge was something I couldn’t decipher yet. Once again, I was going to put my faith in a fallen angel's hands. This time, he better not let me down.
The dilemma hung in the air like a storm cloud obscuring the brilliance of a sunlit sky. The relic's potential for both light and darkness left us grappling with uncertainty.
Ben's voice was tinged with suspicion as he questioned, "Do you believe Lucifer's intentions for the relic could ever be positive, Haziel?"
Haziel's gaze held a profound sadness, like a fading echo of a mournful melody. "Lucifer's desires have always been driven by ambition, and the allure of power may lead him down a treacherous path. It is the unpredictability of his choices that concerns me."
“He wasn’t always that way, though,” I said. The relic Haziel had said held the potential to shape destinies, for better or for worse, and our choices would determine its ultimate purpose.
