Indigo Soul

Chapter Five
The Orical
Karissa

I had gotten a shower and was shocked to find that the water was actually hot. It was the best most liberating shower I’ve ever experienced. I didn’t even mind that my mass of thick hair had gone back to its natural curl that normally I despised. I dried my hair and changed into the pale gray pj pants and the bland white top I had found in the closet. Taking my curls into a bun atop my head a few strains falling free around my face. No matter how I tried, I could never keep all my hair in my ponytails or buns I made.

I threw back the sheets of my new bed and climbed in looking towards the stain glass window that only reflected darkness back at me. The moon was gone, the stars too. For as long as I could remember that was how I got to sleep. I would face the window and count the stars and then whisper a “goodnight” to the moon. I hadn’t put up a fight to this theory that I was this “indigo” soul person because I hadn’t had reason to. I finally found a place I belonged. But now, I finally found what I would miss of the above ground world.

I curled up in a ball and closed my eyes picturing a clear night sky in my mind. I visualized myself in a beautiful field that smelt of rose and lavender with a perfect crescent moon in the sky and a limitless number of stars. Purples and blues rippling across the sky like northern lights. I soon slipped into a deep sleep keeping this picture in my mind.

My dreams that night were nowhere near as pleasant to behold. Vivid visions of demons lunging at me from a burning darkness that was white hot with black flames. The flames extended from the walls around me and wrapped around my body restricting me. Once I was bound there was no escape form the demons. Screaming at the top of my lungs I jolted awake before the demons could devour me.

Firm hands gripping my shoulders catching me as I jolted forwards crying out.

“You’re alright! Open your eyes!”
His voice bringing me back to reality as my eyes focused on him. Lazarus sat on the edge of my bed holding my shoulders. His toned arms and chest exposed. The light in the room bringing out the rich blue of his eyes. Tendrils of blond waves hanging against the sides of his face.

I could feel the wet hot tears rolling down my cheeks. I swallowed hard before speaking.
“I, Demons, I was dreaming about demons attacking me”.
Lazarus nodded to me.
“It’s understandable, this is all new to you”.
I nodded quickly trying to gather myself. I didn’t want to cry in front of Lazarus. I didn’t want him to see what a weak person I really was. Lazarus stood going into the bathroom. That was when I noticed them. The angel’s wings tattooed to his back.

“Wings”.
I said, Lazarus returned to the room with a cup of water for me. He smiled at me handing it over.
“Yeah, they blend in better that way. When you earn yours we take you to the temple and a big ceremony goes on. The ink is enchanted with angel’s blood. So when you need them to be real wings they will expand from your back and you can use them to protect those around you or you can fly to the higher realms with them”.

I smiled at him bringing the cup of water to my lips.
“Sounds like I have something to look forward to”.
I said changing the subject from the fact I was moments away from having a nervous breakdown. Lazarus didn’t let me change the subject so easily.
“It gets easier you know. Facing them. You come to realize that the only power they really have over you is the power you allow them to have over you”.

Lazarus made it sound so easy. Like killing a demon was the same as stepping on an insect. Maybe it was like that for him. Lazarus sat with me and we talked until I ended up falling back to sleep. This time I didn’t dream, nothing but rest came to my mind. When I woke again it was morning, I could tell by the sounds of people moving around in the halls.
The sun, I thought to myself. I’d miss the sun too. Pushing myself upright I got up and started to get ready to face yet another day. Only today was different, today I was going to the orical. I let my hair down and the curls fell in perfect rings resting against my waste. I had never experienced what it was like to have a good hair day. My thick curls were impossible to manage and often made me the victim of cruel hair jokes.

I changed into a pair of black skinny jeans I found in my closet added a white V-neck t-shirt and pulled on my leather jacket. As I made my way down the steps I followed the smell of cinnamon. As I entered the dining chambers everyone was already sitting down eating. Just the group of kids I’d met the other day and Lady Seraphim were at the table. The table looked like it was fit for an army of earth angels though.
As I entered the room Lady Seraphim smiled.
“Karissa, good morning. Please make yourself at home. We’re having French toast”.
French toast was my favorite breakfast food ever.

“The angels who ship us supply’s sent us what we’d need to welcome you into our family”.
I sat down next to Fallon who was smiling at me. She was wearing a pair of black skinny jeans too and a gray top with a tan jacket. Her black hair was taking back into a fishtail braid that suited her.

“You’re going to the orical today right?”
She asked handing me the plate of French toast. I took a couple slices and put them on my plate. I nodded to her looking over as Ember smiled at me handing me the fruit salad that was at her end of the table. I took it and put some on my plate. Skyler slid the orange juice down in my direction.

“Yes, I’m kind of nervous though”.
I stated not sure why I was so relaxed around these people I’d just met. But I could be honest with them, it truly was like being around my own kind just as Lazarus said. Lazarus was sitting at the head of the table to Lady Seraphim’s right. His brother who didn’t care too much for me, Leviathan was sitting to Lady Seraphim’s left with dark sunglasses over his eyes and only a glass of orange juice he had hardly touched sitting in front of him.

I caught sight of the worried gaze Fallon shot in his direction. I didn’t have to be intuitive to notice that Fallon cared for Leviathan even if he was a jerk to me. I felt bad for her, to care so much for a guy who couldn’t care less about anyone but himself. I finished eating then Lady Seraphim called me aside and I followed her from the room.
“I have word from the angle council your powers are indeed stronger than any of the others. You possess the gift of magic from your mother, and from your father the gift of leadership. That being said. This is for you”.
She handed me a red book it was hard cover with old writing on the front.

“Basic spells for beginners”.
I said reading the title out loud. Lady Seraphim smiled at me.
“Yes, the angels are sending you a mentor to train you in the use of magic. But today you are to go with Lazarus to the orical. Good luck. I will see you both when you get back”.
I nodded to her tucking the book into the inside pocket of my jacket. Turning I saw Lazarus waiting for me, since coming here, he was the one thing that was keeping me together. If it wasn’t for him, I knew I’d be lost here.

Lazarus and I made our way out of the underground church that had once been home to the earth angels that fought in the first wave of the war between Heaven and Hell. He led the way through the tunnels knowing them like the back of his hand. We emerged to a platform that was underground and I saw a glint of sunlight coming down the subway steps. I was almost drawn to it like a moth to a flame. Lazarus took hold of my wrist keeping me back.

“Better not, your dead to the world remember?”
I nodded staying in place next to him as the subway arrived, I followed Lazarus onto it and we took our seats.
“So is the orical above ground?”
I asked looking at him. Lazarus gave a nod.
“The orical is a full day’s journey away from sanctuary, we only go if we have to. We’ll be stuck above ground tonight. It won’t be safe to travel back to sanctuary during the night. Demons will be looking for you”.
Lazarus said as the subway sped along rumbling against the tracks. I looked over at him.
“Shouldn’t we have more people with us?”

Lazarus smirked to himself.
“You have me, that’s more than enough”.
He said confidently. I didn’t question him but the air of his cocky personality kind of made my heart flutter. I guess I found confidence attractive or maybe it was over confidence. I’d have to wait and see if we were attacked by demons. We reached a platform that I knew was all the way across town. Lazarus and I made your way from the platform, he handed me a pair of dark sunglasses and drew the hood of his black leather vest he had on under his leather jacket.

“Keep your head down, don’t draw attention to yourself and don’t make eye contact with anyone.”
I nodded putting the sunglasses on, he then took hold of my hand in his the way a boyfriend would hold a girlfriends hand. I blushed looking up at him. I was glad for the silence as we walked, the fact that he was holding my hand had me silenced and flustered.

As we were walking I wanted him to slow his pace. I wanted this moment of him holding my hand to last for as long as possible. How lame is it that this is the first physical contact I’ve ever had with a guy? But it was shocking to have physical contact with a guy as hot as Lazarus. I turned my gaze to the right as we were walking and I saw it. A photo of me on the wall just outside my old school grounds. There was flowers laid at the base of the wall and candles flickering. A girl with dark hair kneeled in front of the photo.
“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean for you to die”.
I heard her say. My feet stopped moving as I took in just who it was crying in front of the memorial.

“Lilith?”
I thought to myself. Lazarus pulled me to him his arms wrapping around me as Lilith stood looking back over her shoulder. Just how loud had I spoken her name? Lazarus rested his forehead to mine.
“I told you not to do that. We can’t risk people finding out what you are, what all of us are”.
He whispered to me. I blushed gaping up into his eyes.
“A, Are you going to kiss me?”
I stammered, Lazarus smirked down at me.
“Do you want me to?”
I blushed scarlet, the answer screaming in my mind was of course “yes”. I didn’t understand it though. Yes he was hot but I wanted my first kiss to be like something out of a movie. Ugh I was so lame. Lazarus lifted his gaze over my head.

“She’s gone, let’s go”.
We continued walking and slipped down an abandoned alley way. We rounded a corner and came to a door that didn’t belong where it was. We were facing a dead end and behind us by some form of magic was another dead end. We were boxed in, a door that looked very old and Victorian in style was waiting for us where the first dead end had been.

Lazarus knocked three times on the door and it unlocked swinging open. He looked back at me and smiled.
“Let’s go”.

I followed him into the dark room looking around as the door closed behind us. I could smell the scent of roses and lavender in the air here just like when I had been sleeping. Lazarus and I approached the thick velvet drapes that hung over the archway. When he pulled them back we entered the candle lit room. Seven elderly women sat in a circle together. Their eyes were blank white, all seven of them were blind. They appeared to be quilting but what they were sowing looked more like a scroll of parchment with writing appearing on it.

“Welcome Karissa Kane, daughter of Michael and Isis, We have been expecting you”.
The seven of them spoke in unison. I looked back at Lazarus not sure what to say. I had never experienced anything like this before in my life. I turned back to the orical bracing myself for what was about to happen.