Part 12:
House of Angels:
It felt like a dream. There was nothing more to say.
She was a mere mortal. A firefly compared to the immortal Angels. And she now stood with the Lord of Angels in the House of Angels, which she might have called as Heaven.
The poets were not wrong. Heaven was indeed a place worth seeing. There were no words to describe what she was seeing; because she was not in a state to process anything.
Just hours had passed since she had slept in her Angel's arms. It felt like ages away. But Zara could still feel him in her soul. But she was scared. He was going away from her life, and maybe one day from her soul too.
Michael watched the mortal girl who stood standstill in the Great Hall of House of Angels. The Great Hall had a beauty to even take the breath away of an Angel who lives up here. He had thought that the hall would have distracted her for a while. But here she stood, with her fingers curling on her pearl drop pendant, looking lost in her own world.
"Michael..." He heard the tone of the silent calls from the Gods. He knew they were not yet ready to take the risk.
Mike turned to Zara and placed his palm over her shoulder. "Zara, you will have to wait here. I have to meet the Gods."
"Gods! Are they here?"
"In the House of Gods."
"Gods! As in there are many?"
Mike nodded silently.
"And to whom should I pray so that they help Ryan and others out of this trouble?"
He found the sincerity in her voice.
"Keep faith in them, Zara. They all want the same thing. Peace."
She was silent for a while. A slight painful smile tugged at her lips. "And there down at Earth, we fight for Peace... taking each God's name. Such a pity! Tell them Lord! Please tell the Gods to stop this war."
"It's already out of our hands, Zara. I am sorry."
The colour drained from her face. "Will I ever see him again?" Her voice was down to a whisper.
Michael chose not to answer her now. He just placed his palm on her head. "I will be back soon." And then he flew off.
Seated on the cool white marble steps, Zara looked down to the crystal clear pond. Even the water and air stood standstill. Maybe they already knew what was about to happen.
Zara closed her eyes and fisted her pearl drop. "Ryan... Come back to me please..."
***
House of Gods:
"I really hope this works, Michael" God's voice boomed in the hall. "Else we are going to be in a bigger loss."
"It's a risk worth taking, My Lord. A mere human and her guardian angel taught me a bigger lesson. I am standing up for something we should have done long back. Instead we hid and sacrificed an innocent human soul in every 20 Earth years. They paid our debt. But not anymore."
God saw the confidence in Michael's eyes. "Ok, Let's go ahead. Angels!!" He voice rang in every corner of the Heaven. "Prepare for war."
Michael took off and went to Zara. "I am going to leave you again, Zara. The war will begin soon."
"But how will I know what's happening over there?"
Michael swished his hands in the air. A white fog came up and made a screen. "You will see it over here."
"Can I see him?"
Mike took a moment. "Yes. But he won't see or hear you."
"Why?"
"Because I can't let him or any other angels go weak now. I wish I could stop this sacrifice. But I and they know well. We don't have another choice."
Michael leaves her to join his soldiers. He knew this was going to be long day.
In the foggy screen her eyes searched for the one her soul wished to see. And there he was. Standing alone with his wings curled behind him. His eyes were set to the infinity. And she knew he was thinking of her; he had that smile that she always loved to see.
Her fingers forwarded to touch him. But the fog took in her fingers, blurring the image. He was indeed far away from her. And will be like that forever. "What have you done angel?"
***
In the centre hall that was fixed as the venue for the sacrifice, stood hundreds of Angels with their thoughts lingering on those 20 years were they lived with the most innocent heart of that time. Each one of them could remember the smiles and joy and tears of that mortal.
And Ryan was still living with the thoughts of his little devil. He turned about and saw others in same state too. Their love and pain will strengthen the sacrifice. It was about time.
***
Lucian knew something major was up. So he had come prepared. And the presence of the Gods and Lord of Angels confirmed it. He smiled wickedly at their presence.
"Where is my gift, oh great Gods?" he mocked them instantly.
"There is no gift for you, Lucian. Not now and never again."
"You are kidding, isn't it? Don't you remember what happened ages back? This treaty is what kept the balance till this time. Why waste many of your own kind for a mere mortal, whose life ends like a firefly?"
"We also thought the same till now, Lucian. But why should they pay our debts?"
"Because you can't afford paying it by yourself." He laughed as a maniac now. "Imagine what would have happened if I had asked for an angel in every 2o Earth years? Can you afford that?"
"What if we set the price again?"
"For that you should need a wining stand to bargain. Losers never bargain. Oh... Are you planning for a war? For what? A mere mortal who fell in love with an angel?"
"That's not your problem, Lucian."
"Fine! So you are indeed calling for a war. Tch tch..." he acted as in pain. "Don't you ever learn a lesson? You can't fight me. You all can't win over me"
"What if we can?"
"What if you couldn't? Well... I can make a hell out of anywhere. Don't forget that."
"And if we win! This treaty ends forever. Agreed!"
"IF!! That's the main point! IF!!"
"Are you ready for this Lucian?"
"I am. And if I win, which is for sure, I will have whatever I want, whomever I want, and whenever I want! Nothing will stop me! Agreed?"
Gods looked at Michael, who nodded reluctantly. Lucian smirked viciously again.
"Well well then... Welcome to Hell!"
The voice proclaiming the war boomed in the Heavens. Thunder and lightning struck in the skies. The war was to begin!
Zara had seen it all. She shivered at the sight of Lucian. She wondered what had happened to all the previous chosen ones. Where they alive? Where they just like him now? She didn't know.
But her eyes caught something else now. Ryan and his fellow angles were gathered in a circle now. The centre of the circle was empty. Ryan and many angels stood in the inner most circle, followed by others behind him. Their face held a smile and an air of confidence. It was time.
A silence filled the air. A storm was coming up. Crashing the wall of silence with a sword of ice came a cry. The war has begun. It was nothing as she had expected. The Angels in the side of the Gods with wings of white, grey and tinges of silver and gold flew at the ones at Lucian's end who had shades of black and grey wings. She felt the tremor beneath her legs. The war was indeed begun. And she was the reason.
Blood, feathers and angelic bodies were piling up. The Lord's angels were falling back. Her eyes went in search of Ryan again. And this time she knew it was for the last time.
The centre of the circle was now filled with the Blue Flames of Life. It grew up mercilessly. The angles had their concentration on those flames.
But her eyes never left Ryan.
She could see him standing with closed eyes. He was smiling. And when his eyes opened, she felt that he could see her. But that was impossible.
"Ryan... Please don't..." but she knew the words wouldn't reach him.
Her fingers passed above him on the foggy screen. "I love you..." Her eyes were getting blurry, tears streaming down.
"I Love you too, Zara." She heard him for the last time.
And then he stepped into the fire along with the others.
His wing tips caught fire. But he still walked into the centre of the fire. And within moments the Blue flames of Life took him in. The other angels followed his path.
She fell to her knees now. He was gone. But the cry in the war field increased by a greater notch. But it was not the cry of pain. Instead it boomed with power.
Lucian and his minions watched with terror. A thin blue film of fire that roared with power was covering up the white and silvery wings of the God's angels. They now struck with power as never before.
And Zara knew it now. Ryan was gone... forever...
She was alone...
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
CID
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