Page 210 of Crimson Promises
“Please return to the front of the dais so we can proceed.”
I swooped Aurora into my arms and flew us the small distance to stand in front of the dais. Some of me wondered if this would be the last time I would hold her in my arms. I did the right thing, not ending Azrael’s life, but I couldn’t deny I had violated the orders given to me. I had failed my task. What that meant for me, I wasn’t sure, but I would be damned if Aurora had to pay for my decisions. She had passed her test; I hadn’t.
My biggest fear was them splitting us up. I needed to complete Lucifer's tasks, or Aurora would never go free.
Lucifer was many things, but he always upheld his end of a bargain.
"Bennett Caelum, by choosing not to kill Azrael…" the voice boomed. "You have passed the test presented to you by the Vision Relic."
A profound sense of relief washed over me, accompanied by an unexpected surge of emotion. I hadn't fully grasped the gravity of my choice until those words affirmed it. I was expecting punishment or consequences for choosing not to take the life of the archangel, as that had been the initial parameters I was given.
“But I didn’t kill Azrael,” I said, planting Aurora before a purple cushion, gold tassels attached to each of its ends.
“Exactly. For a long time, you have carried darkness inside of you, and while parts of it are still there, choosing not to murder Azrael finally let some light back into your soul. You demonstrated mercy and compassion before your own desire for vengeance. Bennett, your decision today broke a cycle of revenge that has consumed you for centuries. The Vision Relic has deemed you and Aurora both worthy.
“As a token of your success in these trials, the moon and starilliciumdagger is yours to keep. You must arm yourselves as best you can on your journey ahead.”
My jaw dropped. “I can’t take it.”
I learned long ago that things were rarely given for free. Everything had a price, and I was done paying mine.
“Bennett, rumors of war are swirling. The Threshold of Whispers is not immune to the information that travels between realms. Take the dagger. You will need it.”
Aurora reached down to pick up the dagger, holding the blade in her palm, handle extended towards me. In that instant, the world around us was suddenly thrown into chaos. The ground quivered and groaned beneath our feet, tremors intensifying. For a moment, it felt as though the ground was going to split open and swallow us whole. Screams erupted from the crowds, and dust motes spun in mini tornadoes across the stadium. Shifting stones and cracking echoes filled the air.
Our surroundings swayed and rocked, and I could hear the sharp intake of breath from Aurora as she struggled to maintain her balance. The sensory onslaught was overwhelming,
But as swiftly as it had begun, the upheaval ceased. The ground settled, the tremors faded, and the arena returned to an eerie stillness. The crowd stopped trampling over each other to try and escape.
The moons and stars etched into the dagger's blade pulsed and shimmered in response to Aurora's touch.
It was a sight unlike any I had seen before, and it left me wondering if there was a deeper connection between Aurora and the dagger.
"Ben," Aurora said as she turned to me, her voice filled with amazement. "I think this dagger is meant for me."
I nodded, a sense of awe settling over me as well. The dagger seemed to have recognized Aurora as if she were the one it had been waiting for.
With theilliciumdagger in her possession, I couldn't help but wonder about the significance of the moons and stars on its blade. They were part of Lucifer's banner, his insignia.
The bond between us wiggled and danced. She was excited. Her face was lit up in awe. She rubbed her fingers over the moon and stars etched on the handle.
“How come yours doesn’t have these markings?”
“Not too sure.Illiciumdaggers are rare, yours even more so, with its heavenly fire and integration of angelic power. The level ofaurumin the dagger is powerful enough to kill an archangel. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart. You must protect that weapon at all costs.”
Aurora pressed the dagger to the center of her chest. “I will,” she promised.
“It is done,” the voice concluded.
I grabbed Aurora's wrist as the world around us faded to black.
My body felt like it was twisting and contorting itself until my ligaments felt like they had been stretched and strained. When I opened my eyes, Aurora and I stood again before Haziel. This time, we were inside the inner sanctum of The Threshold of Whispers.
The first thing that caught my eye was the alabaster pillars carved with celestial motifs; they stood guard within the sanctum.
Beneath my feet, the mosaic floor held an intricate pattern of cosmic symbols. Stars, moons, and constellations interwoven in a complex design. What struck me as most peculiar was that these symbols were not static; they shifted, rearranging themselves in response to our presence.
At the far end of the sanctum, shadows were deep and impenetrable, like a shroud of protection. If I was a betting man, that’s where I would assume the Vision Relic was held and heavily guarded.
