The Angel's Humanhood

25. Sins and Prophecies

The scene of the mountain had nothing to do with how it was before they went in. The sky was dark and rumbled in rage, ready to bring down vengeful rain. The trip back over the ledge was much less sure and stressful. Between worrying about the dark static energy in the air and trying to hurry, Dow's foot slipped and she almost lost ground if not for Wahag throwing his arm behind her and slamming her back into the stone of the mountain.
"Thanks. I am fine now," she managed through the cheek that wasn't splashed onto the mountain.
As Wahag struggled to slow down his breath, he realized that Dow being in harm's way bothered him... no, it scared him. As an angel, he wondered why humans never welcomed the transformative journey pain and death offered, but right now he couldn't stomach the idea of watching her go through any of it.
"Try saving me next time without potentially breaking my face," Dow managed as she regained her grip and started to moving again.
"Try not to need saving again," Wahag murmered.
The second Dow reached the end of the ledge, she was grabbed by dark hands and Wahag suddenly heard in his head the hissing of a pool of hounds.
He quickly jumped to pull her back but the mountain was bustling with hounds who surrounded him the second he placed a foot on it.
"Well... what do we have here?" The dark figure holding Dow mocked. Wahag tried to make out his details, but he looked covered in haze. "Jonah's body with a jin in it," the dark being paused and inhaled audibly, "A jin that smells like angels," he released Dow from between his arms and held her in a dark cloud elevated in the air. "A rogue angel... what a lucky day." Even though the dark figure was fully turned towards Wahag he couldn't see it any better, "Hand me that book and let's be friends." He reached out a limb that had black flames for fingers. As he leaned closer, Wahag saw a small familiar ball hanging from a rope around his neck, the summoning talisman. He suddenly recognized the being from his dreams.
"Where did you get that?" Wahag ushered with his eyes to the talisman.
The being's hand reached for the talisman almost lovingly, "Oh I searched for it for years, its powers were dimmed and muted by heavenly water energy," his voice carried immense disgust, "till few days ago, the long chase was over and it called for me from an abandoned hut in the woods. It was in a jar filled with water," the dark being laughed as if he just hit the punchline of a joke.
"It doesn't belong to you," Wahag's chest rose high with every breath, wanting to glance towards Dow, but afraid of what that being might do.
"Neither does this book belong to you," the dark being extended his hand again to Wahag, "The hounds are hungry and I am not a patient one."
"You won't be able to do anything with it. It has a seal. It's immune to the likes of us," Wahag reached back trying to protect the book hanging in a net on his back.
The being hissed in glee, "But it's not immune to the daughter of Solomon, is it?"
"The daughter of Solomon?!" Wahag repeated cautiously.
Suddenly time slowed down for Wahag and he was swallowed by another memory.
Jonah was standing in the woods where Wahag first realized that he descended in a human body, but it wasn't day or night. The sky was twinkling with stars and colorful arora. A voice echoed through the air,
"The daughter of Solomon is the key.
She will take these woods to a great destiny.
It's a command from high above.
Follow, or not, the prophecy of Jonah will live."
The sound of thunder brought Wahag back facing the dark being. The hounds started to whimper in agony from the rain drops touching them.
Wahag realized that this was his chance to flee, but the dark being was enraged and as he leaped to grab Wahag, Dow was released from her dark static air jail and landed on the ground motionless. Wahag wrestled with the being who was obviously stronger, but weakened by the surrounding rain.
The sky roared with the sound of thunder and even the being froze for a second, only enough Wahag to kick him off. Wahag's first thought was to go to where Dow was but he could risk getting caught and losing the book to a being that was without doubt going to use it to cause no good. He told himself that he will summon a shield and circle around to reach her. But the second he sprinted few steps away, everything quieted except for the rain. He turned around and all the hounds were gone, and so as Dow and the dark being.
"No, no... Dow!" Wahag ran frantically to where they were turning in every direction trying to catch a glimpse of the hounds or their voice, but nothing they were gone.
But not all hope was lost, Wahag heard footsteps, he turned to trace it and ran, but his wishful thinking turned out to be Prince.
"They are gone. How did they do that? What was that!" Prince paced wearily in the rain, "I was so close to grabbing Dow, but suddenly, everything turned to mist and they disappeared! Evaporated!"
Wahag tried to take steading breaths, "I need you to summon someone," he fished Prince by the shoulder and stopped his pacing.
"We need to rescue Dow!!!" Prince yelled, "All you care about is saving yourself! Don't you have your book, now leave us be!" Prince pushed Wahag's arms away, "Dow was wrong about you. She followed you here because she thought you could save us. But all you brought us was trouble and weird creatures!"
"I admit I messed up," Wahag's shoulders sunk, "but, the prophecy is about her."
"Enough! No more talk about... about dreams, goatmen...or .. or.. powers! Enough!" Prince's voice roared loud through the heavy rain, "I am done with you! Go back to whichever cloud dropped you on us!" Prince turned and walked away.
Wahag felt a weird desire to melt with the rain and just... be no more.