Page 152 of Crimson Promises
At approximately 8:56 pm Pacific Standard Time (PST) a grubby looking man with straggly hair brought a solid gold necklace with initials embossed in the pendant. He was willing to take whatever someone offered. Most of the merchants turned him down. It was just a plain gold necklace. After all, what could it really offer a demon, witch, or warlock? The grubby man was persistent. He went from stall to stall, offering this treasure he called it. He said it was special, obviously another tactic to try and find a buyer for however he came across this possession.
With each dejection, his shoulders slumped down further. The second to last stall on the right was sparse. Outside hung a sign that reads, "Curiosities of the Cosmos." The shopkeeper was cloaked in a flowing robe that concealed their true form, their face hidden beneath an ornate mask of unknown origin.
The stall was an awe-inspiring tapestry of rare and ancient artifacts, each one whispering tales of forgotten realms and arcane knowledge. Shelves and tables filled with artifacts from distant galaxies and parallel dimensions, showcasing a diverse array of creatures and curiosities.
Glass cases protect delicate crystalline spheres, capturing miniature ecosystems of bioluminescent beings. Nearby, a shelf displays vials containing shimmering cosmic dust, said to grant visions of celestial realms to those who dare to inhale its essence.
Mounted on the walls were tapestries depicting scenes of intergalactic battles and mythical beings. Ancient scrolls, meticulously inscribed with forgotten languages, long-lost spells, and incantations.
In the center of the stall, a magnificent glass case housed a majestic creature—a shimmering phoenix with feathers ablaze in hues of crimson and gold. Its regal presence filled the air with awe and wonder, captivating all who gazed upon it.
The shopkeeper was known to be a collector of rare and ancient artifacts.
When the grubby man entered the shop, the concealed figure held out a robed arm and brought the necklace deep into its sleeves.
The grubby man laced his fingers behind his back and tried to hold an austere posture.
“I’ll give you five thousand for the necklace.”
The grubby man’s jaw fell open. “How about seven?” It was clear he was a man who was used to taking.
“Five thousand or nothing.”
“Deal.” He held out his hand, but the robed figure did not return his gesture. Instead, a stack of bundled hundreds landed in the man's waiting arms.
The grubby man has never been seen in The Sublime Nocturne since, but the question remains: how did a mortal without The Sight find his way into a place that he never should have known existed?
Days later, Behemoth, one of Lucifer’s generals, was combing through the market. It was no coincidence he appeared after a few Gifted angels had completed their patrol. He strode straight to Curiosities of the Cosmos and declared his interest in procuring a gold necklace.
The shopkeeper nodded its head vicariously. No one said no to Lucifer’s general.
Behemoth pawned the necklace and asked what was so special about it. One would think he would have some knowledge of what he had been sent to retrieve. Lucifer’s general was just a page boy sent on an errand to retrieve something for his master. It brought joy to several of us in The Sublime Nocturne who have been victims of Behemoth's entitlement and crude humor.
“This necklace is disguised as an ordinary piece of jewelry. I’ve had the chance over the last few days to test it and trace its origins. It is a powerful magical artifact. The necklace is made out of gold, but this was constructed by Hail at the request of a powerful angel. Who it was, I cannot tell. The gold was mixed with aurum. The angel that requested this piece poured some of their own aurum into the essence of the necklace. It turned an ordinary object into something magical. As it happens with demonic objects, once it is embedded with a powerful essence, it becomes other. Particularly, this necklace allows the wearer of the object to remain undetectable for any that wish to cause them harm. Additionally, it renders the wearer untraceable to those with demonic origins or dark powers.”
“My master will find this intriguing.” Behemoth dropped a bag onto the center table with the phoenix. The phoenix squawked in protest and flapped its wings. The clank of the coins cast a disturbing echo down the corridor of stalls.
Behemoth left without another word and disappeared from The Sublime Nocturne to the relief of the rest of us. Not to mention the shopkeeper.
Originally, we all wondered how the grubby human was able to enter The Sublime Nocturne. Finally, it dawned on me because of the necklace. The wards failed to restrict the human from entering.
So that was how Lucifer was able to finally find Aurora. It hadn’t just been an heirloom for her mother but a method of protection. How did Alice come to have possession of such a rare object? And more than that, who was the angel that gave it to her?
Everything made sense now. Michael’s insistence on tracking down the necklace even when I had argued it wouldn’t do anything to help protect Aurora. I was wrong. The necklace was everything, and now it was in the hands of the one who would stop at nothing to use her.
Guilt ripped through me. I had once believed the lies that Lucifer had told. Promises and hope for a life worth living. It was all honey-spewed lies.
I roughly rolled up the parchment, folded it, and tucked it into my jacket. Aurora had such few things from her mother. Revealing this information to her would only cause her pain and question the memory of her mother, which she held so closely to her heart.
I refused to be the one to shatter that one untainted part of her past. Eventually, I’d have to give this information to Michael. For now, I was going to hold on to it a little bit longer. It didn’t hurt to have my own ace up my sleeve.
Once again, Greta’s information was worth the cost.
I let my head hang. The exhaustion of the day, of the years, of the millennia felt like a weight pressing in on either side.
Arch Cape was Aurora’s fresh start. The beginning of her life. Somehow, she wanted to spend that with me.
Would the revenge and power of eliminating Azrael eliminate the hollow feeling inside my chest? Was that really what I was living for?
