Bonded

Chapter 15

'Please Adam do not be dead.' Sarah thought as she lied upon the bed, 'I need you more than ever.'

Sarah curled up into a tight ball as she hugged her knees close to her body. She glanced at the small widow as the sunlight faded from view. Her stomach growled with hunger. No one had come in since Celestia and Lilith. Sarah heard only silence from the hallways beyond the room, which held her captive.

'I am going to die.' Sarah thought, but tears did not fill her eyes, 'I discover my past and then I am going to die. It's not fair.' Sarah felt rage swell in her.

"It is not fair!" Sarah screamed hugging herself tighter.

She knew it was over, 'I will not give them the satisfaction.' Sarah thought.

The anger which spread through her body, warmed her to give her courage and strength. She felt a sense of calm overtake her body as the sunlight disappeared from the window.

"You are right little one," Sarah heard Lilith's voice, "it is not fair, but oh well."

Sarah glanced up at the pale woman standing before. Sarah saw the smile on her blood red lips and felt the rage push pass the calm.

"I hate you." Sarah whispered through gritted teeth.

"Well you have become quite spirited," Lilith laughed, "Show me your hate, Sarah."

"When the Nephilim are raised into this world, you will be the first to die." Sarah whispered as she pointed a finger towards Lilith.

Lilith stopped laughing. When Sarah pointed, it felt as if something pierced her heart. She felt the blood drain from her face when she noticed Sarah's eyes glowing gold.

"You will die first." Lilith spat trying to muster courage behind her trembling voice.

It was Sarah's turn to smile. She noticed how Lilith's eyes went wide and her voice trembled. Lilith was afraid for the first time.

"You should be scared, Lilith." Sarah whispered, "Death comes for all of you tonight."

"The Headmistress wants you." Lilith said trying to calm her fear.

"What does she want me for?" Sarah mumbled as she lowered her head back onto the pillow.

"You are to be cleaned for your sacrifice."

"What does it matter?"

Pushing back the fear, Lilith walked up to Sarah and grabbed her under the arm and wrenching Sarah up. Sarah gritted her teeth and tried to keep from crying out. Pain spiked up her arm as Lilith hauled her off the bed.

"You will be presentable for your death." Lilith ordered yanking Sarah up.

Lilith did not wait for a response, but half-dragged Sarah out of the room. Sarah did what she could to keep her feet under her. Outside the room, Sarah noticed that the passageways were eerie quiet.

'Not a servant in sight,' Sarah thought as she looked around the empty passageway.

Lilith half-dragged Sarah into a room and pushed Sarah onto the floor were two servants walked up and tried to remove Sarah's shirt. Sarah pushed back against them as the pulled at the shirt.

"Leave me alone!" Sarah shouted pushing herself into a corner.

"Stop resisting, Sarah," Lilith said, "You will only make the servants suffer."

Sarah froze when Lilith spoke. She remembered what had happened to Tom and Jacob. She could still hear their screams. Taking a deep breath, Sarah stood, walked to the middle of the room, and removed the shirt. Lilith nodded to the servants and they proceeded to bath Sarah. She stared directly at Lilith the entire time.

"Does Azazel only prefer women that smell clean?" Sarah asked angrily.

The servant bathing her flinched at the sound of the name. Sarah smiled as Lilith blanched. It felt satisfying to see Lilith show fear. Sarah continued to stare directly at Lilith. Lilith felt a chill run down her spine and she looked away from those golden eyes. The servants dried Sarah off and helped her into a white silk dress, which left her arms bare. The dress clung to her body and had golden symbols stitched into the dress.

Sarah looked at the symbols and knew their meaning. They were the same symbols she saw in Adam's vision of the cabin. The symbols painted in blood on the walls. The chanting and the words all made sense to Sarah. The symbols of angelic nature used to seal and ultimately used to release the Fallen.

"I see she is ready." Sarah heard Celestia voice.

Looking up from the golden symbols, she saw Celestia standing at the entrance to the door wearing a similar dress. Unlike Sarah's white dress with golden symbols, Celestia's dress was black with blood red symbols stitched into the dress. Oddly, Celestia's dress seemed to suck the light and warmth from the room, except were Sarah stood. Sarah's dress radiated warmth and light as it pushed back against the darkness.

"You notice it too." Celestia stated with a smile.

"I notice that the darkness cannot absorb the light.' Sarah retorted.

"Well, well," Celestia responded, "It seems that Afriel has found her courage."

"I am Sarah!" Sarah shouted hearing her voice ring throughout the small room, "I am not bound by this destiny. I am free of this and will not give you the satisfaction."

"Are you sure about this?" Lilith whispered feeling fear grip her. Lilith did not know how to handle this emotion.

"Shut up." Celestia hissed.

"Yes do shut up Lilith," Sarah commented, "The important people are talking."

"How dare you?" Lilith growled raising her hand.

Sarah heard the tremble of fear in her voice. In a defiant gesture, Sarah stepped towards Lilith and turned her cheek towards her.

"Go ahead," said Sarah, "Hit me again. It makes no difference to me."

"This is all rather interesting, but the hour is getting close." Celestia said in a bored voice, "We must prepare."

"Where are you taking me?" Sarah asked as she turned her eyes to glare at Celestia.

"No need keeping it a secret from you," Celestia smirked, "Let's go meet destiny."

Celestia turned and beckoned Sarah to follow her. Sarah knowing that she could not escape followed Celestia out of the room. Sarah walked down the empty hallway and followed Celestia down another passageway. Sarah looked confused.

'I have never seen this passageway before.' Sarah thought.

"Of course you have never seen this passageway, Sarah." Celestia spoke as if reading Sarah's mind, "I have kept it hidden until it needed to be used."

Celestia led her down the passageway until it dead ended. Celestia stood to the side and Sarah saw stairs spiraling down into the earth. She leaned over and noticed a small pinpoint of light at the bottom. She felt a hand push her firmly in the back. Sarah looked up and saw Celestia gesturing for her to go. Sarah took a deep breath to calm her fears. She stepped onto cold metal step and descended into the darkness.

As Sarah descended the staircase, the air became noticeable colder. Sara saw her breath fog and goose bumps rose up on her arms. It seemed to take a long time, but Sarah noticed the pinpoint of light become brighter. Finally, she reached the bottom of the staircase.

Sarah discovered a torch lined passageway. The walls and floor of the passageway seemed to be made of a black glassy material. Sarah reached out and touched the walls. The wall felt cool and smooth to the touch. She also felt the cool, smooth feeling on her bare feet. Another thing that stuck her as odd was how the walls and floor absorbed the light from the torches.

"It is called obsidian." Celestia answered Sarah's confusion, "Now move."

"What is it doing here?" Sarah asked with her hand still pressed against the wall.

"The original fort was built upon an underground volcano. This is one of the lava tubes." Celestia explained. "Now move."

Celestia reached out with her hand and pushed Sarah forward down the passageway. Sarah taken off guard stumbled. At the same time, she felt her toe scrape against a sharp piece of obsidian. Sarah flinched slightly as the wound on her toe opened back up. She felt the warm blood flow freely from the wound. Neither Celestia nor Lilith noticed. As they walked, Sarah felt the warm blood cover part of her foot.

They reached the end of the passageway and Celestia placed her hand on the wall in front of them. Sarah heard a soft click, followed by a sound of stone grinding against stone. To her amazement, the wall in front of them slid to the side revealing a large semi-circular room.

A wave of heat hit Sarah as the room revealed itself. It felt like the blacksmith's furnace from Salem. A huge fire lit in the back of the room lit the area. Suddenly a vision from a nightmare flooded her mind.

'This is the room from my dream.' Sarah thought looking around as panic filled her. 'It was under the Covent the whole time.'

Glancing around, Sarah saw angelic symbols carved into the ceiling. All around the room were alcoves built into the walls. The other sisters occupied those alcoves. Turning her eyes to the middle of the room, Sarah knew what she would see there. Even thought, she let out a gasp of shock when she saw the obsidian altar with the chains attached to it. Looking down she noticed two circles carved into the ground, one inside the other.

'Those are circles of protection.' Sarah thought, 'Why would she...'

Sarah quickly turned her head to look at Celestia. Celestia cold smile caused the blood to drain from Sarah's face. Celestia pointed at Sarah and then at the altar. Sarah swallowed and with shaky legs walked over the two circles and to the altar.

"You can lie down now, Afriel." Celestia ordered.

Sarah feeling helpless sat down on the altar. With a deep breath, she lied down on the cold, smooth surface. Celestia moved her hand through the air and the chains came alive. The chains wound their way up to Sarah's arms and legs. The end of the chains had shackles, which clamped around her wrist and ankles.

Celestia leaned over and whispered into Sarah's ear, "It is good that you are being obedient."

"The other sisters are going to die tonight." Sarah whispered back, "The circle is design to protection you." Sarah felt a cold chill run down her spine.

"You are very observant." Celestia commented, "You would have made a great equal." She chuckled.

"How could you do this?" Sarah said coldly.

"Someone has to be payment for the fallen." Celestia said, "This will also ensure that Azazel will be trapped when I kill him."

"You don't know what you are unleashing into his world." Sarah pleaded and pulled against the restraints.

"Joshua, let us prepare." Celestia said looking away from Sarah, "I believe Afriel is ready to play her role."

"Joshua you don't have to do this." Sarah cried and screamed in pain as the chains pulled her arm and legs back against the altar.

"Hand me the knife Joshua." Celestia commanded as she held out her hand.

Celestia held the knife over Sarah's face. Sarah recognized the knife from her nightmares. The dark blade, which Celestia used every time to tried and kill her.

"It is a knife as old as the world itself, forged by Azazel as the first weapon." Celestia spoke as she rubbed the flat part of the blade against Sarah's cheek.

To Sarah's shock, she felt warmth from the blade. It hummed as it touched her skin. She noticed that the handle ended in a sharp point and what made of white ivory.

'That is odd.' Sarah thought, 'Why would this knife be designed like that."

"The hour draws near Afriel," Celestia said and handed the knife to Joshua, "Prepare to fulfill your destiny Afriel."

"My name is Sarah!" Sarah yelled. She felt power surge though her body as her words. The feeling of raw power gave her hope. It warmed her core and gave her strength.