POLTERGEIST:

THE LEGACY

WHEEL OF FIRE

PART 3

BLOOD DEBT

Introduction

“Do I have to be the one to tell her?”

Michael looked round, his arms folded. “She is almost family to you. This news will be easier to bear if it comes from someone she regards as almost a brother. Certainly, you are a brother in arms.”

Gabriel sighed briefly. “She’ll still want to kick my ass.”

A horribly quick smile raced across Michael’s mouth. A horribly brief moment of levity to bring light to his present darkness.

“People who hurt often attack the messenger. It is no reason not to take the message. She has to know the truth, Gabriel,” Michael said, turning back, “or we will lose her.” He paused. “And I am not prepared to lose her yet.”

“How should I tell her?” Gabriel wondered. “Gently, try to cushion the news? Or just say it?”

Distracted, Michael shook his head.

“What does that mean?” Gabriel demanded.

Michael spun, his eyes flaring like twin suns going supernova. Gabriel, shocked, stepped back. He’d never seen the boss so coldly furious.

“It means I don’t have the answer! Gently, harshly .. I don’t know! What I do know is that I must take this battle into my brother’s domain and demand answers of him. Why has he done this? Why did he allow it to happen?”

He shook his head and looked almost helpless. “He must know that God allowed him to fall, to set himself upon a throne and rule the endless night. He is still one of God’s creations and no amount of lying or self-deception is ever going to change that. God lets him guard the evil souls taken from the world. God lets him create demons and devils to torture and torment mankind. God could stop him like that,” Michael said, snapping his fingers. “But God allows choice. Good .. or evil. Lucifer made his choice a long time ago. But God also insists on consequences for actions. There are rules, even in chaos. Yet, now, an agreement has been breached. My brother has released a soul from his realm or he has allowed that soul to escape. Nothing happens in Hell without Lucifer knowing. This was no accident, Gabriel.”

He paced to the balcony of his dwelling and back again. “If it had happened in the higher or lower realms, we could have dealt with it. But this soul has returned to the world, the world which gave it birth. And that means the Flamefalls must confront it and defeat it, or it will wipe them out.”

“Then,” Gabriel warily suggested, “perhaps you have answered the question of why. With the army gone, evil has a free hand.”

“Not necessarily. An easier hand but not a free one. The Flamefalls are powerful creations and they are not many, not now. We send against this aberration our most powerful mortal warrior.”

“Alone?” Gabriel whispered, stunned.

“With her partner who has said he is ready to fight beside her. If they fall, the other Flamefalls will take up the battle. And we must not forget their allies – the Legacy.”

Gabriel looked uncomfortable. “With respect, Michael, the Legacy doesn’t possess the weapons.”

“I know.” Michael finally faced Gabriel. “For so long, the Legacy has walked a parallel path to God’s Warriors. We have allowed them a certain latitude. The Legacy has called upon the Flamefalls time and time again, for protection, for defense. So it was agreed, right back at the start .. and, at the start, it was also agreed that, one day, the Flamefalls would ask the Legacy to repay the debt.”

He paused and drew in a long, steady breath. “That time has now come.”

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