Hell's Ascendant (Mantles of Power Book 3) Read online

  “I’m glad to hear that,” Anna said, handing the flail back to him as she continued. “That said, you need to practice with your abilities; I can tell that you’re new to them. Cyclone and his fellow deities were so respected because of how well their powers synergized, and between the three of them they could put up a good fight against me, even when my equipment vastly outclassed theirs. You simply need to get used to your powers so you can use them properly in a fight.”

  “That’s about what I’ve been saying for the past few months,” Cyclone said, smiling slightly as he looked at Krath, who had a thoughtful look on his face.

  Sanguine shifted, frowning for a moment before the goddess asked, “Um, is she right? Did she really take all of you on at once?”

  “Yes, but any explanation will have to wait. Give me a minute to go calm the guards and priests, then we can help you, Anathiel. I have to assume something happened to draw you out of hiding,” Cyclone said, then he all but vanished in a rush of wind, leaving Anna with the two newer deities.

  For a long moment they stood in awkward silence, and Anna studied the two. Based on what Cyclone had said, she knew they’d inherited the powers of the deities she’d known, which gave her a solid idea of their abilities. For their part, they were studying her in turn, their expressions betraying both worry and respect.

  “The reason your predecessors could put up a good fight against me was simple enough, really. Cyclone handled ranged attacks and was incredibly mobile, while Ellis tangled me up in melee,” Anna finally spoke, nodding toward Krath as she did so, and she smiled slightly as she continued. “That wasn’t enough to deal with me, though, even outside of a city. That’s why Ohsa was so helpful, as he used his powers to slow me down a bit while he healed the other two. As a group they were highly coordinated and skilled, people I respected.”

  “I’ve heard a little about them, but… what I find more startling is the idea that you could take all of them on at once. We’re all deities, after all, and I’ve never heard that archangels are that much more powerful than us,” Sanguine said, frowning slightly.

  “Ah, but there are deities, and then there are deities,” Anna replied, smiling a little more warmly now as she tilted her head. “Tell me, would you expect the deity of baking to be as powerful in combat as Krath?”

  “Well… no, of course not. Their mantle isn’t meant for fighting… oh, of course,” Sanguine said, her confusion easing visibly as she nodded, then frowned. “A deity of baking wouldn’t be good at battle. Yet our powers are heavily focused on things like that, aren’t they?”

  “They are. However that doesn’t mean they’re entirely focused on combat. Cyclone and Krath have weather control. You have the ability to manipulate all fluids to some degree or to seek them out. Each of you have aspects of your powers which aren’t focused on battle,” Anna said, her smile fading as she let out a sigh. “I, on the other hand… do not. I am the archangel of battle and war. The sheer breadth of my mantle means that I’m among the most powerful echelon of archangels and deities, and every single bit of my power is focused on combat. Beyond that, I have both a great deal of experience and the most powerful weapon and armor the heavens could forge. There are only four or five deities or demon lords who could fight me on a near even footing, and I’m not certain that all of them still live. Though I’ll admit, I am a touch out of practice.”

  “Ah, I… I see,” Sanguine said, looking shaken. Conversely, Krath seemed to be much calmer than he had been.

  “Cyclone has said similar things before, come to think of it. I just didn’t take them that seriously,” Krath murmured, watching Anna thoughtfully. “But when you say it, well… you’re a legend.”

  “She is,” Cyclone agreed as he reappeared in a blast of wind, settling onto the ground as he let out a sigh. “There, the guards have been informed that we have a distinguished guest, so things should calm down. Now, why have you come, Lady Anathiel? If you’ve been hiding for so long…”

  “That should be obvious, I’d think,” Anna said dryly, looking down at the sling holding Rose’s frozen form, and she continued. “This is a friend of mine who was traveling to Uthren’s Throne with her friends, an angel you might have heard of, Roselynn Emberborn.”

  “Emberborn? I’ve certainly heard of the family, and have even known a few of Ember’s wielders,” Cyclone said, his eyebrows shooting up, and he looked at Rose in concern as he asked. “What happened to her? She looks like she’s in bad shape, and that… is it a stasis spell?”

  “It is. She was mortally injured, I’m afraid, so I placed her in stasis and brought her here so I could have her healed,” Anna confirmed, letting out a soft sigh as she shook her head. “An angel was the one to do it to her, which is a… bad sign, to say the least. I’m afraid that there’s trouble brewing in the heavens, and that’s what made me finally decide to reveal myself.”

  “That doesn’t sound good,” Sanguine said, shifting from foot to foot, then asked, “Would you like my help with her, then? We have priests capable of healing virtually anything as well and could give her assistance quite simply.”

  “Thank you, but no. At the moment I simply need private lodging where I can wait for her friends, someplace where I can concentrate a little,” Anna declined gently, shaking her head.

  “Ah… I thought that your powers were focused purely on combat,” Krath said, frowning. “If you’re coming here for assistance…”

  “Mm, perhaps that was the wrong way to phrase things, earlier. See, I have something with me which will allow me to heal her, most likely, and if it doesn’t… well, it’s always good to be somewhere I can get help. What I need for that method is privacy, mostly,” Anna said, and smiled wryly as she added, “Honestly, that’s why I came here rather than to the angelic outpost. They wouldn’t be polite enough to leave me alone.”

  Cyclone’s lips twitched, and Anna watched as he slowly failed to suppress his grin, and the deity chuckled softly before replying. “Well, I can understand that, and a private room… I think we can manage that. Do either of you disagree?”

  “Of course not! I would like the chance to speak with you at some point, however… as we said, you are a legend,” Sanguine said, her gaze moving between Rose and Anna curiously.

  “And considering what you’ve said, I’d appreciate some pointers if you have time,” Krath added, his tone slightly hopeful.

  “I think I can manage that, assuming things don’t go poorly. Might we get situated, then? I’ll give descriptions of her friends for when they come seeking an audience later,” Anna said, watching the three deities relax as she smiled at them. Almost no one else would get a reception like this, she knew, but there were advantages to being a living legend.

  “That would be better communicated to the priests, but can be taken care of,” Cyclone said, then grinned as he added, “I must say, your reappearance is liable to cause enormous waves. I can’t wait to see how the other deities react!”

  “I can only imagine, and the Holy Council is likely to throw a fit,” Anna said, a bubble of mirth welling up inside her. “I’m sure it’ll be good for them.”

  The laughter of the deities set her a bit more at ease, even if she did miss Estalia. Hopefully everything would end on a high note soon, and she could go home.

  But for now, she needed to take care of Rose.

  Chapter 26

  Sorm finished downing the potion and set the vial aside, resisting the urge to curse again. The burns inflicted by the incineration stone eased still more as the healing magic washed through his body, and he let out a soft sigh as his wings began relaxing at last.

  “Damned woman… who knew she would be that good of a shot?” Sorm muttered unhappily, wishing the brunette had missed, and not only because he hadn’t appreciated the pain he’d gone through. He’d been so close to ensuring that all the loose ends except for the demoness were taken care of, only to be stopped at the last possible moment. That was galling, though he wasn’t as d
ispleased as he might have been.

  “Roselynn took the brunt of the blast, and unless something went wrong, she should be dead,” Sorm said, straightening as he looked around the room, noting that the house he shared with Haral was dustier than normal. She must still be out on a trip, as otherwise she’d have cleaned. Taking a breath, he nodded in satisfaction, his emotions hardening as he continued. “I suppose I’ll just have to go back and finish off Isalla and the others. This is harder than I’d expected, but I’ll manage.”

  Either way, he had to consider the attempt a success, by and large. He’d at least slowed down the group, and they’d have trouble getting in contact with anyone important with Roselynn out of the way. Things were looking brighter.

  “Who is in the temple?” Rathien the Blue demanded, shock overwhelming any sense of complacency he might have had. A single angel flying to the First Temple shouldn’t have been more than a footnote among his evening reports, not something that required a runner to urgently interrupt his afternoon.

  “According to the priesthood, the archangel Anathiel has reappeared after her millennia away at last!” the younger angel replied, his blue eyes almost shining with hero worship as he continued. “Apparently, she’s taken a room in the temple for the time being, and is ensuring an injured angel she rescued from the hells is healed!”

  “I… well, this is most certainly a shock, Gabriel! I thought she was long since dead, since Lord Aelon is the archangel of glorious war, but I’m happy to hear that isn’t the case,” Rathien replied, regaining his bearings as he nodded. “Do you have more information than that?”

  “No, sir. Unfortunately, we’ve only just received word of her presence, and I wanted to inform you immediately,” the brown-haired angel said, straightening slightly.

  “I see, well, I’m going to have to dispatch a message to the Holy Council immediately. I’m sure my counterparts will as well, but in the meantime, I’d like you to gather as much information as you can about her. If you can find out where she’s been all these years, I’m certain they’ll want to know,” Rathien said, and the younger man nodded in acknowledgement, saluting as he did so.

  “Yes, sir!” Gabriel said, and quickly turned to leave the room.

  Rathien watched the man go, and once the door closed he felt a frown take hold, and he couldn’t help murmuring, “Anathiel, really? What in all the heavens is she doing reappearing now?”

  Part of him suspected that it had to be an impostor, after as long as it’d been since the archangel had gone missing, yet an impostor managing to deceive the deities in the temple strained his sense of disbelief. Cyclone was old and experienced and had risen to power during the fourth crusade in the hells, so he’d known Anathiel.

  “Appearing just as things are reaching the final stages… that’s worrying,” Rathien said, distinctly unhappy about the news, but after a moment he sat down and pulled out a couple of sheets of paper. Regardless of why Anathiel had reappeared, if it was truly her it’d cause the balance of power to change throughout the heavens. She was simply too powerful not to cause changes, and he had no idea what would happen.

  That was why he was sending a letter to not only the Holy Council, but also to the leaders of the Society of Golden Dawn. They wouldn’t be happy about someone like Anathiel throwing their plans into chaos, but the sooner they heard about her the more easily they could revise their plans.

  “Even if she’s an archangel, she can’t be allowed to change the course of the future. The heavens will prevail,” Rathien said, his confidence surging as he quickly penned the letter. He might not be able to do what needed to be done on his own, but the society was stronger than any one of its members.

  It had to be, to eliminate the hells once and for all.

  Anna touched the door and murmured the word she’d been given, and immediately felt the wards around the room seal it off. She’d still have fresh air, but it would take a battering ram to disturb her or breach the door, which would be difficult to get into the halls to begin with. She did approve of the quarters she’d been given, even if the colors clashed ever so slightly.

  “They’ve taken to being gaudy, which is a shame,” Anna murmured, then her lips quirked into a smile as she shook her head. “Or maybe they were always gaudy, and I simply didn’t notice. That’s a distinct possibility.”

  The room wasn’t as bad as the deific audience chamber, but some of the ceiling had gilding, as did the posts of the heavy wooden bed against the back wall. There was a bathing room attached, which was a ruinous expense in Uthren’s Throne, and a large walk-in closet that was mostly empty, along with the requisite table for tea, and an armor rack in the corner. Most important was the cot which had been brought in, along with a drop cloth for when Anna treated Rose. Not that she was planning to break the stasis spell just yet, not until she had things worked out properly.

  “I suppose it’s time to get to work, though. I can’t believe that Herbert has had to train five fellow deities at this point. Is he a glutton for punishment?” Anna murmured, her smile widening a little more as she resisted the urge to laugh, then her smile faded. “Not that I can count on him for help. He’s always trusted the heavens more than is wise, and his companions… well, they follow his lead, at least for now. We’ll see about the future.”

  She sighed, then walked over to the armor rack as she began unbuckling her armor. It felt almost like a second skin with how easily it moved, but there was no reason to wear it when she was entirely in private. Besides, she was confident she could fight off most other deities even without the armor, though she’d be more likely to take wounds.

  It took a few minutes, but at last Anna changed into something more comfortable and walked over to Rose’s bag. She pulled out Ember without hesitation and looked levelly at the sword as she stated, “Burn me and we’ll see how well you hold up against Infinity’s Edge.”

  There wasn’t a response, but she didn’t hesitate as she unsheathed the ruby-bladed sword, and its blade blazed to life, flames almost dancing around it. It was beautiful, and Anna admired the weapon for a long moment, then gently propped it next to the fireplace, setting down the sheath as she smoothed her dress and sat in a chair, looking at it with a raised eyebrow.

  For several minutes she just sat there, then finally spoke, her tone blunt. “How long are you going to keep pretending to be just a sword? I know the truth, and you know it too. I’ve even kept your little secret from Estalia, and that was a hard decision to make.”

  There still wasn’t a response, at least for a minute, but just as Anna started to scowl, the sword shivered, then a male voice replied, his voice deep as the sword’s light flickered with every word. “I suppose I should be thankful, but I find it difficult under the circumstances.”

  “There you are, Javan. I was beginning to think you’d gone senile or destroyed your mind when you transferred your soul into that blade,” Anna said, smiling thinly as she shook her head. “How long are you planning to sulk, anyway? Not everyone has the opportunity to become an archangel, you know.”

  “And those of us who get the mantles sometimes aren’t particularly thrilled to get them. I certainly didn’t want to inflict it on anyone else!” Javan snapped back tartly. “Now, what do you want, Anathiel? I certainly hope you didn’t bother me because you wanted a little conversation. Not considering everything I’ve heard about what’s going on in the heavens.”

  “Why haven’t you healed Rose?” Anathiel asked, sitting back as she looked at the sword. “For that matter, why haven’t you chosen one of your descendants who would want the mantle and is worthy? Ember has gone through the hands of at least forty different members of your house at this point, and I know some of them would have been excellent recipients. Rose isn’t even close to the most skilled wielder you’ve had, though I do like her well enough, so… what are you waiting on?”

  “You can be an interfering, nosy bird, you know that?” Javan said, and Anna felt like she could see him hunker
ing down and sulking. “I haven’t passed on the mantle because I don’t think the family has deserved it, for the most part. Sure, a few of the wielders made me think they might be good archangels, but power corrupts too many of us, and once I make the decision it isn’t like I can take it back. I’ll be dead at that point, not just trapped in a sword, and inflicting something like that on the world… well, it doesn’t sit well with me.”

  “Alright, I suppose I can understand that, though you did it to yourself, just because you didn’t want anyone else knowing you were an archangel,” Anna conceded, considering the ancient sword for a moment, then asked, “Why not heal her, then? Your power is that of the phoenix, not of fire in general. I’ve always been puzzled that Ember has only embodied the destructive aspects of fire, not the aspects of healing and rebirth.”

  “There are a few reasons for keeping that part of things hidden, mostly because I dreaded the thought of the Order of the Phoenix making Ember their signature weapon or some hogwash like that. It’s not like they haven’t worked my wielders to the bone anyway, as you know perfectly well,” Javan said, and around Ember the flames began rippling more quickly as he hesitated. “As for healing Rose… I’m reluctant.”

  “Why?” Anna asked, her eyebrows rising in curiosity. She’d always thought that Javan’s decision to hide his mantle and transfer his soul into a sword was odd, but not healing Rose made her more confused.

  “Because if I heal her, others might figure out that I’m able to do so, and come to expect it. Worse, they might figure out that I’m here,” Javan replied, his tone slightly more frustrated now. “I don’t want that. This is the first time I’ve spoken since I hid myself in Ember, Anathiel, and I don’t care to be revealed lightly!”