chapter 3
I stood there for a few minutes, trying to make sense of everything that had happened within what had felt like only a couple of hours. Somehow, I had been brought back to life. I worried first that I was one of the undead, a zombie or something, but I could feel the pulse beneath my fingers, and I was cold in the night air. I was still wearing the same clothes, which I was grateful for, because it was REALLY cold. Hadn't I died in the summer? How much time had passed? What was I supposed to do? Where should I start?
I looked at the phone Dante had given me. It was a newer model, a smartphone. I lifted it up to my chest and turned it on. Along with the standard assortment of apps was one titled 'Landon'.
I thought about opening it there, but I was freezing. I edged my way around the torch to the small door that led down into the main stairwell. Please be open. It was. I slipped inside and closed the door; glad to be out of the bitter winter wind. Not that it was a whole lot warmer inside, but at least I was out of the elements. I descended the ladder and made my way out to the staircase, then sat down on a step and opened the app.
Buongiorno Landon,
I'm sorry that you will have to learn in this way. It means that we've been compromised to Mephistopheles, and his Collectors have come for you. Be thankful that I had suspected a traitor in our midst, and have prepared this guide to help you on your journey to discovering your full potential and making good on your promise. I will speak with you again once I can be assured that it will not lead them to you. In the meantime, if you do nothing else, read the entry titled ‘Rules’. Following the rules within will keep you alive. Yes, you are 'alive', although not in the manner you are used to. You are Awake, and a full member of the Divine, with all of the rights, privileges and power that comes with it. You will find out what that means in time. Stay safe my friend.
Ciao,
Dante
There was a menu item at the bottom that said 'Rules'. I pressed it, and read them.
1 Check the inside pocket of your jacket.
2 Find somewhere safe to read the rest of this guide.
3 Do not travel at night.
4 Stay aware of your surroundings. You will be able to recognize the Divine. Most of the Divine will also be able to recognize you. Only the weakest will be fooled by glamour.
5 When in doubt, hide. They will know what you are, and they will try to kill you. You have no allies.
6 Both sides have human allies. The agents of good are called the Touched. The agents of evil are called the Turned. They have some power that has been transferred to them by the Divine, but they are still mortal. They will try to kill you, but will not recognize you so easily.
7 You can kill an angel with anything that has been cursed.
8 You can kill a demon with anything that has been blessed.
9 You cannot kill a Divine with anything that is not Divine.
10 Do not lose hope and do not give up. You are special.
That was it. A few bits of advice that read more like instructions, and a few helpful tips that may or may not keep me alive. That part about killing angels and demons; I couldn’t even fathom the concept, but if they really were going to be out to kill me, I guess I wouldn’t have a choice.
I reached into the pocket of the blazer, grabbing onto a large wad of paper with a familiar feel. I unfolded it and a wedge of blank plastic the size and shape of a credit card fell out. What was I going to do with a blank card? I tucked it back into the pocket and spread the cash. It was mainly twenties and hundreds; four thousand dollars. That wouldn't last me too long, at least not in the Big Apple, but it was better than nothing.
Rule one taken care of, now what about rules two and three? It was nighttime, and Lady Liberty seemed safe enough for now. The problem was, come morning this place would be crawling with people and I didn't know if I should be afraid of that or not. How many Others were there? Did they mix in with the population, or keep to themselves? What about their allies? I could just picture Joe Blow the Tourist laying eyeballs on me and literally unleashing Hell. Of course, I was on Liberty Island. There was zero way I was going to get out without getting on a boat. There was no way I was going to get on a boat without any other people on it.
Decision made, I figured it best to at least head towards the bottom of the Statue, so if nothing else I'd be set to make a break for the ferry right away. Once I had gotten off the island I would find a hole in the wall somewhere and stay there until Dante got back to me with some useful information.
I was cold, slightly confused, and really scared. Through some strange twist of the Universe I had been granted a second life. It occurred to me that this was not the kind of second chance I would have imagined, and I doubt one that too many people would have jumped at. What would have become of me if the dark angel's sword had made contact? Dante hadn't had the chance to tell me what the downside to this was, but I could guess. I couldn't go back to Purgatory, and the other places didn't want me. Could a being just cease to exist completely? Could I be erased from the Universe?
It was a long way down, but to my surprise I didn't tire. I pounded onto the steps with gusto, hopping two at a time and expecting to become winded with every drop. I wasn't a total sloth, but I wasn't exactly Tony Horton either. I kept my body in shape, but it was more of a visual in shape than an actual efficiency in power and endurance. When I got to the bottom without even breathing hard, I began to question Dante's assertion that I was alive. He had called it being Awake. He claimed I had power. Maybe this was part of it.
I didn't see any guards, but I assumed that one of America's national treasures wouldn't be completely deserted. I pushed open the door to the stairwell, trying to prevent any squeaks or whines from the hinges. The coast was clear. I slipped away from the stairs and looked around. I assumed the outer door had to be alarmed, so that was a no-go. What I wanted was the men's room.
I circled around the entire area, past the old torch, up the steps and around the exhibits. I had only been the Statue once before, and I never realized that there was no bathroom inside the pedestal. I would have to find somewhere else to hide out.
The somewhere else turned out to be a small janitorial closet out of the way of the main traffic lanes. I was fortunate in that the door was unlocked, hanging open about a quarter of an inch when I spotted it. It was your standard maintenance room; shelves with cleaning agents, buckets, mops, and so on. I turned on the light hanging over the center of the room, found a comfy looking box to sit on in the back corner of the small space, flipped the phone over to face me, and opened the 'Landon' app again, pressing on 'Guide' in the menu.
*******
What is written here has been collected through over five hundred years of exhaustive research, along with a number of interviews conducted by Mr. Ross, and through direct verbal interviews with Miss Charis Stone, the first true diuscrucis to be granted access to the mortal realm. Miss Stone’s first hand experience is the most vital part of this guide, as it will give you a common insight into what it means to be what you are, and to take on the responsibility that you have. Read these words and take heed in every message contained within. Do not expect that being Awake will be easy. It is a difficult yet rewarding existence.
The assumption has been made that you have already read the rules, and are hiding out somewhere safe so that you can read this guide. In order for you to be prepared to survive the coming days, you must learn to control the universe around you. This will not be an easy task, but I believe you will find it most beneficial.
You may be wondering what this means. When you were in Purgatory you had the ability to change your surroundings at your will, although only subconsciously. You hold this same power in the mortal realm, albeit to a lesser degree. How much less, I cannot say. Your ultimate strength rests within yourself. Since you are still wearing clothes, you have your first physical proof of this power.
To control it, you must above all things believe in it. This is not a simple task, as you must let go of every natural law that you have ever learned or experienced. These laws do not apply directly to the Divine, as the Divine originated from the Creator to help guide the world He created. This does not mean you will be able to fly, or walk through walls, or any such nonsense because abuse of these laws can have catastrophic consequences on the fabric of the universe that you are manipulating. The more you push, the more resistance you will encounter. You do not have unlimited resources. You will become fatigued and could lose consciousness if you push too hard, leaving yourself open to your enemies, of which there are many.
Read this first exercise, then close the Guide and practice it. Once you are able to succeed in producing the desired effect, move on to the next page. Do not give up, no matter how difficult it may seem.
Make It Rain
1.Close your eyes, try to relax
2.Think about rain
3.Open your eyes.
4.Focus on a spot directly in front of you
5.In your mind, command the water vapor to condense in the air, creating rain.
*******
I turned off the phone and put it in my pocket. After what I had been through already, how hard could it be to reject the laws of nature? Was there any reason I couldn't make it rain? At the same time, it just felt silly.
I closed my eyes and tried to relax, but even that proved difficult. I didn't feel like I was any different now than I had been before. True, I had just hiked down the Statue of Liberty without a sweat, but that was physical. I opened my eyes and focused on a spot just in front of me. Rain! Nothing happened. Rain! No dice. Dante had known this wasn't going to be easy. Anyway, what else did I have to do while I waited for daybreak?
"Rain," I said out loud. I felt a small touch in my mind, as if I was actually using my brain as a muscle to physically push something. Nothing happened. I concentrated on that feeling, tried to duplicate it. Nothing. I took a deep breath and started over, closing my eyes and slowing my breathing. When I opened them, I was face to face with a vampire.
Her face was only inches from mine. Her fangs were bared in the scariest, most malicious smile I had ever seen. She had come out of nowhere, and hadn't made the slightest sound. Her skin was a lifeless white, her hair and eyes black. I could feel the animosity pouring off of her. Even if she had been a little girl smiling at me and offering me candy, I would have known her intent.
"Oh crap," I cried as I leaned to the side and started flailing like a fish, desperate to get off the box and away from the thing.
The force of her strike put chips in the wall where my chest had just been. The momentum of my flailing sent me off my seat and onto her, shoving her back and onto the floor. I fell on top of her, and by her expression I could tell she was surprised by the maneuver. I guess she had been expecting someone who actually knew how to fight.
Recovering from her shock, she grabbed my shoulders and literally threw me off of her, sending me slamming against the wall next to the door. I looked at it longingly, but who was I kidding. There was no way I could outrun or outfight this thing. I was done before I had even gotten started.
She hopped to her feet, not even using her hands to help push up. I got a good look at her now. She looked to be between eighteen and twenty two years old, five and a half feet tall, an athletic build, and a small face with high cheekbones. Her eyes had changed from all black to a more human looking, and quite striking blue. She was wearing a cropped leather jacket over a pink tank, a short black skirt and medium-heeled black boots that cut off just below the knee, accentuating her pale, well-toned legs.
She stood there and looked at me. If she hadn't been a demon-spawn who was about to kill me, I might have been thinking about asking her on a date. Why wasn't she finishing the job? I was the mouse and she was the cat. It made sense.
"What are you?" she asked me.
I hadn't expected her to speak. It caught me off guard. "Wh... what?"
"You smell like a seraph,” she said, “but you fight like a human."
I didn't know what to say. I figured either way I was about to become a meal, so I went with the truth.
"Just part, actually," I replied. I inched my way towards the door while I spoke. She just stood there. Why should she be worried? I was pretty sure she could close the gap in half a second or less. "Part angel, part demon, part human. I just found out today."
"A crossbreed?” she asked. “You?"
Okay, maybe I wasn't much in a fight, but the way she said it was just insulting. I glanced over and saw I had almost reached the door. As I had thought, she noticed. She was on me in two strides, her long delicate fingers gripping my throat and pulling me to my feet. She put her face right into mine, and then leaned into my neck. I could feel the heat of her breath against my skin, and I prepared to be food.
Instead, she pulled her head back and looked into my eyes. It was the same look Dante had given me, the one that I had felt deep within my soul.
"Indeed," she said. She let go of my throat and backed up a few steps. "How did you get here?"
I was shocked enough by the fact that she hadn't bitten me. Now she was engaging me in conversation? "I was dropped off here," I said. "I haven't been Awake for very long."
She laughed. "That much is obvious. Today is your lucky day crossbreed. I only hunt pures. Sometimes humans when I need the sustenance, but angel blood tides me over longer, and to be honest it’s much more tasty." She looked me over like she was trying to pick out a pastry. "I can't be sure if you'd be more like a chocolate bar or a clove of garlic." She smiled, showing off her fangs. She started to step around me to get out the door.
"Wait a second," I said. That was one of the oddest and most stomach churning things I'd ever heard anyone say, and she scared the heck out of me, but since I had limited sources of information I had to see what I could get from her. "I was told your kind would rip me apart without a second thought."
"Most of my kind would," she replied. She gave me that condescending look again that made me feel like I was less than dirt. "You're no good to feed on, and you're no sport at all; maybe in a few months when you've had time to adjust. My name is Rebecca. Perhaps we'll meet again."
I started to form another question, but before I could get it out she was through the door without a sound. I sat there motionless for a few minutes, trying to absorb all of the signals being rushed to my brain. Vampires were real!
It was a hopeless endeavor, and I stumbled over to the corner just in time to dry heave. Once that was over, I started shivering, the adrenaline withdrawing and leaving me to pick up the pieces. I sat down on the floor. I didn’t care anymore if someone found me here, as long as they were human.
I reached into my pocket to retrieve the phone, and then groaned in dismay. What I pulled out of my pocket didn't resemble a cellphone at all. It was just a mess of wires, circuit boards, and glass. As if things couldn't get any worse. I leaned back against the door so I wouldn't be surprised again, and went to sleep.