Port City of Ingleport

“You did not!” The excited voice squealed.

“Yeah…” Lilith said feeling none of the excitement her friend did. Across from her at their small round table sat Nora Orr, her best friend and now roommate. Best friends since their time together at the orphanage, they looked nothing alike. Nora was short, just topping over five feet and had many Hellborne characteristics. She had long raven black hair that reached her waist with two thick ram like horns curling out of front like a true demons did. Her skin was a light shade of crimson, giving her a permanent sunburn look. She didn’t have the standard crimson eyes of many Hellborne, instead hers was a radiant blue which could be shocking when first meeting her. Most significantly, at least to Lilith, was her magical talent. She wasn’t good enough to join the demon’s mages guild, but she could still magically charge most mundane items from stoves to lights. She most certainly wasn’t a null like Lilith.

“Barkeep!” Nora roared over the surrounding noise. “Another ale for me and Lilith here! The woman who knocked an angel on its ass!” The resulting applause from all those around was thunderous. Here at the Inferno Tavern, the angelic were not popular. A drinking hole exclusively for demons and the Hellborne, it was a welcome taste of the underworld for those who miss it. Lilith always felt at home here. While technically citizens, the Hellborne, by ancient laws were limited to trading port cities with connections to Hell. Discrimination of the demonic was rampant everywhere not surprising after countless generations of war. The angelic and heavenborne had no such issues. They were full citizens in every regard. Lilith smiled at the cheering crowd. She didn’t fail to notice, like she always did, that she was the only one here with pale skin, yellow eyes, long white hair, and small black horns in the middle of her head. It didn’t matter. These were her people. Many of them she grew up with.

“Put it on my tab!” Roared a pure demon, from a cluster of them lounging at the bar counter. Their skin was the deepest of crimson along with the long tails made them stand out among the surrounding Hellborne. The one who spoke was none other than Darthnos, the demon who been annoying her all day at the docks. At least until she punched the angel. That was all everyone was talking about. He raised his tankard to her in salute. Lilith reluctantly returned the gesture, before slamming the remainder in one long gulp. A little bit tricked down her chin, splashing on her work jumpsuit which she had yet to change out of.

“Did he cry?” Nora asked still all excited having rushed here after her own work. News travel fast among the small population of Hellborne, gossip was twice as fast. It wasn’t often that they got the best of anyone from Heaven.

“I don’t think so. He was moaning too much after he woke up for me to tell,” Lilith said.

“I would’ve been crying if it was me,” Nora said practically bouncing up and down in her chair. Lilith’s strength was legendary here in Ingleport, among the Hellborne and the heavenborne alike, now with this; her tale might spread even farther.

Lilith drank her free ale as she recounted all the event of the day to Nora’s great amusement. Nora had likely heard much already, the story was spreading all over the city. Over the buzzing of conversation Lilith heard the story of her mighty punch being retold yet again. With every telling it became more embellished. This time it was Darthnos himself, after having a bit too much strong ale to drink. He lurched out of his chair as he did a prancing type of walk mimicking either the angel or Lilith herself, she wasn’t sure which. Lilith felt a blush of embarrassment as Darthnos did a high pitch tone trying to imitate her voice.

“Do you feel lucky punk?” The demon asked swaying his hips suggestively before play punching the air.

“I DIDN’T SAY THAT!” Lilith shouted above the boisterous laughter of all those around. Even Nora, knowing full well that Lilith said no such thing, collapsed on the table having trouble breathing between her uncontrolled gusts of merriment.

Lilith gave up as she sat back down hard. The world was a bit tipsy. “I didn’t say that,” she muttered finishing her third tankard of ale. Or was it the fourth? “No one would say such a ridiculous line and be taken seriously.”

“I don’t know, sounds like you,” Nora said slurring her words before violently tossing her head back and finishing her own tankard. “I think we need another,” Nora added suspending her tankard above her head letting the last drop fall into her open mouth.

“I think we need to go to bed,” Lilith said. “Any more and they'll have to cart us out.”

“Fine,” Nora said slamming the tankard down. “They dilute the ale with angel piss anyways.” Nora rose unsteadily to her feet wiping some crumbs from her green tunic. It was a nice fitting garment unlike the bulky jump suit Lilith had to wear at the docks. On the front was a little badge sown into the left chest that had the mark of a local magic shop on it. Nora worked there full time, charging magical items for a small fee. She wasn’t talented enough to work at a weapon shop but there was always a demand for magic. Lilith got to her feet, swaying only slightly. Together they headed to the door. A fresh burst of salty air refreshed her as she heard Darthnos call after her.

“Don’t go knocking out any more angels, girly. Save some for the rest of us!” Laughter followed them out as they closed the door.

Some festival of peace this was turning out to be, Lilith thought going out into the night.

The mood was sour at the heavens height tavern. The most popular bar for the heavenborne and angels, the atmosphere was eerily similar to the reminiscent of a great battle being lost. The crew of the heaven’s hammer sat around a large table mostly silent sipping angelic ale, which did little to get them drunk, but was enjoyable non the less. Various patrons came and went as the night progress none staying long as if being around the angels was taboo. Most of the crew had gone to bed. Valiner was waiting for the rest to go so he could go out and get the good stuff. He distinctly felt the need to get very drunk after this humiliating day.

“Don’t drink too much mates,” Captain Galadorian said looking mostly at Valiner. “We’ll stay here for the festival before going home. I don’t want any more trouble.”

Valiner said nothing, but gave her a dark look that she returned with just as much fervor. Captain of the heaven’s hammer, Galadorian been commanding the ship for the last one hundred years. She might do so for the rest of time if she didn’t get herself killed. Ageless like all pure angels and demons, she was too hot tempered and independent to rise any farther in Heaven’s hierarchy. Valiner knew that suited her just fine. She wanted to be nowhere else besides on her ship. Valiner wasn’t like that. Son of a greater angel he had yet to grow into his full power being relatively young by immortal standards. A flare of white hot anger burned in him at the humiliation that awaited him back in Heaven. What would his father say to the fact he was utterly beaten by a lowly Hellborne with a single punch?

“Valiner I want you to drop it,” Galadorian said sternly furrowing her brow at him. Valiner remained silent. She leaned in closer smelling of flowers and the sea. “You hear me?” She didn’t raise her voice but the threat was certainly there.

“Yeah, I got it,” Valiner said dropping his gaze.

“Good,” Galadorian said getting up. “That goes for the rest of you too. I leave you all alone for ten minutes to check on the engines and when I get back to the deck, one of you are knocked out and the others are wrestling with demons. I expected more out of you.”

This time Valiner wasn’t the only one who gave her a dark look. It didn’t faze her at all. She was tough, Valiner had to admit. She had the silver hair like all angels but she kept hers in a long twisting braid that rested on her back. During the last war with demon kind she had done her fair share of killing and had the marks to prove it. Scars ran all over her arms down to her legs, with a deep one on just below her mouth giving her a cleft chin look. Her golden skin was lighter than most having seen too much sun of this world, losing its luster. Most notably was her single wing that gave her a lopsided lope as she walked. She had lost the other during the final days of the last war. Angels and demons could heal from most natural wounds in a day, but the magic infused blades now commonly in use, left marks that never healed properly. Magic always had its price, for the wielder and victim both. Perhaps it was her own lack of flight that made captaining the ship so appealing to her. She left Valiner and his close friends to contempt in peace.

“She doesn’t know what she’s talking about,” Rodin said leaning back in his chair his wings spread out over each side. “The filthy little Hellborne cheated is all. Probably had a magical strength booster on her.”

“Yeah…” Valiner said non-committedly. Magical items off all types exist some from above and below. Woven bands of Orichalcum with stardust for Heaven made artifacts and Orichalcum with Talerite for Hell forged ones. Runes could be used to accomplish many things. Popular items were rings that boost strength or speed for a short duration, but in practice they were not commonly in use. Such trinkets would have to be constantly recharged with magic.

“I doubt that. That bitch Lilith is strong,” a voice said sitting down near them on an opposite table.

His mood darkening further Valiner turned to see a Heavenborne there looking far too pleased with himself. Of average height he was nothing special to look at having few angelic characteristics. His skin tone was that of the common folk, just a sun baked brown that could use a good scrubbing with vast amounts of soap. Valiner might have mistaken him for human if it wasn’t for his blonde nearly sliver hair and green eyes. His wings were a joke, only a few feet long giving him a cupid look that was matched by his fatty face.

“Who?” Rodin said glaring at the heavenborne.

“Lilith, white hair girl with two tiny black horns, skin like milk, and a nice size chest,” he said grabbing an ale from the counter, taking a long swig. “Told the dock master to get rid of her eons ago. He insisted on keeping her. Said the Hellborne can’t be trusted, but he won’t listen. She might be warming his bed for all I know.” Valiner regarded the man closely seeing the distinct gray jumpsuit of the dock workers.

“The Hellborne are a plague on this world,” Valiner agreed. “They take good jobs from descent folk and tainting the land with their very presence.”

“Got that right,” the man agreed.

“Can you tell me where she lives,” Valiner asked quietly.

“Hey Valiner lets…” Ronin began grabbing his arm.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“I’m not going to do anything,” Valiner lied. “Just want to know where to avoid is all. Don’t want to annoy the captain any further.”

“I don’t, but I’ll ask around,” the man said. “Someone got to put the Hellborne in their place.”

“That they do,” Valiner agreed.

Valiner got the man’s name and a promise to snoop around for him then went to his room. The entirety crew was staying at the heavens height tavern having rented out the second floor. Being of higher linage than his crew mates, Valiner got his own private chamber while many of the others had to share. It was only fitting given his station. Now he was glad for another reason. Once he was safely behind the door he let out a groan, nearly collapsing to his knees. The intense pain he been fighting all day finally overwhelming him. He stumbled to his cot where he gently stripped off his white robes letting it fall to the floor, revealing the mail hauberk beneath carefully concealed till now. It was a sparkly silver color that perfectly matched a pure angel’s hair providing strong magical protection against most weapons. Valiner had dirks brimming with dark magic scrap along its surface leaving only a faint scratch. The armor was forge in heaven by one of the most talented smiths in heaven. Valiner himself had charged it with magical power just a few days ago. How the heavenrunes imprinted on its surface was completely dark. Most notability there was a fist size indention in the center. Valiner shivered, as unfamiliar wave of fear traveling up his spine settling in the back of the mind where all terror lies. The damn hell bitch had hit him so hard that the rune failed and even the metal was deformed.

By the sulfurous pit, what is she? Valiner thought. If he hadn’t had his hauberk on and fully charge he would have died. An eternity lay out before him, where he would raise high in Heaven’s ranks, like his father before him. Perhaps he would serve one of the ten archangels, and it all almost came to an end by a single Hellborne’s punch. It was absurded and yet unmistakable true. It made him want to laugh.

He released the leather straps at his shoulders, letting the armor tumble to the floor. He looked at his chest and grimaced. Valiner moved to the small bathroom to get a better look. He stood before a drity mirror gaping at what it showed. An ugly bruise the size of a coconut was dead center of his chest throbbing with intense heat. Slowly he raised his hang gently brushing his skin. He winced at the flare of pain even the lightest of touches brought. It was this bruise that disturbed Valiner more than anything. More than his dented armor or humiliation. In all his life he had never been serious hurt. His angelic healing ability allowing him to recover painlessly from most anything non-magical. Even an accidental knife cut as a child down to the bone was gone in two hours. It’s been half a day since he was hit.

How could this be? Valiner wondered wincing as he again touched the mark as if unable to believe it truly existed on his flesh. Whatever that hell bitch was, she was not going to live past he festival. Valiner would make sure of it.

Opening the door to her home, Lilith carried Nora in who had collapsed halfway here. She lifted her up as easily as one would a small cat. After than Lilith carried her like a sack of potatoes, slung her over her shoulder for the remainder of the trip. Nora might call the ale at the bar angel piss, but it was still enough to knock her out. After a ten minute walk Lilith entered their small home. She dodged the clutter on Nora’s side of the room skillfully making it to her bed which lay stuffed into a corner. Lilith gently laid her fried down covering her up in blankets as Nora muttered incoherently. Their home wasn’t grand or spacious, which was typical for Hellborne. Unless you had prodigious magical talent this type of meager living was all one could expect. Still, she was happy enough. Lilith had a good job that she liked most days and there were the children at the orphanage. They were like the sibling she never had. She also had Nora and all the other Hellborne of Ingleport, most feeling like close cousins.

She touched a hellrune on a small lamp. Immediately the room illuminated with a faintly reddish glow. It was not a large space. Nora’s half of the room was a mess with various half-finished projects lying about. Items that need to be charged and even a few she was making herself. Magically charging objects could be vastly exhausting, but the demand was so high that most Hellborne did nothing else. Nora kept all the hellrunes here fully powered. Every time she did Lilith could see her shoulder slumping in exhaustion. Guilt tugged at her for not being able to help her friend. She crossed room to her side, which was almost as messy as Nora’s. Lilith opened one of the windows, which could use a good cleaning, letting in the fresh sea air. Lilith pull on a dark curtain suspended on several rings in the ceiling around her bed area, granting her some privacy. Opposite of her bed rested a small basin. Lilith touched a hellrune there that drew water through a series of pipework that all residents of Ingleport used. The pipes rattled as Lilith scooped up a wooden bucket from the floor, positioning it beneath the faucet. Ice cold water smelling faintly of the sea flooded into the bucket. Next she grabbed two fist size rocks from a shelf directly above the basin, Lilith frowned as she saw that the hellrunes were dark. Placing both back on the shelf she grabbed the last one which had only a faint glimmer of power. Lilith pressed the rune dropping it into the bucket where it heated the water. She’d have to ask Nora to charge the others later. The water heated slightly from the stone before it too was it exhausted. It‘d have to do. If it wasn’t so late she would have made a fire, but the late night and her exhaustion was too great.

Lilith brought the bucket over to her bed. She stripped off the jumpsuit and undergarments tossing them into the basin for washing later. Nude, she looked into a full-length mirror next to her dresser. Her skin was white as snow which was pale even by human standards. She reached up she gently patted the top of her head. There she felt the two horns there like small insect antennae on opposite sides of her head. She began washing herself with the small towel and the cold water. She suppressed the chill from the water determined to get moderately clean before she went to bed. Lilith had just finished when a squawk sounded and a large raven fluttered in landing atop the dresser. The size of a cat, it actually seemed to be leering at her.

“Very nice view!” The crow said excitedly. Lilith shrieked covering herself with one hand, while punching the bird with the other. An explosion of feather erupted all around as Lilith accidentally obliterated the bird and left a sizable hole in the wall as well.

“Angel piss,” Lilith said looking at the mess. A trickle of light blue energy leaked like blood from the various bits of bird all around. The energy swam together forming into a figure of a man.

“Damn Lilith, I was only joking,” the insubstantial figured said.

“Get out Rufus!” Lilith shrieked covering herself with both hands this time. “Or I’ll kill you again.”

“Fine, just let me know when you are done,” He said gliding through the curtain not disturbing it at all by his passage. “It really is a nice view though.”

“Rufus!” Lilith said angrily, hastily getting dressed. She choose fluffy white shorts and a matching top before pulling the curtain back. She glared at the shade of Rufus Clancey then to the remains of the dead bird and the broken wall. Dead almost ten years now, he been hanging around Lilith and Nora since they were children.

“Look at the mess you made!”

“Hey it’s not my fault you killed my ride,” Rufus said shrugging. “Did you know there are angels here?”

“Yeah, I noticed,” Lilith said thinking about the punch again.

“Are they here for me?” Rufus asked looking terrified.

“No they aren’t Rufus. No one is looking for you,” Lilith said rolling her eyes. Paranoid, Rufus was convinced that Heaven was personally out to get him. That’s why he refused to cross over to the other side, afraid of what they would do if they found him. He couldn’t say why he thought this. He didn’t remember, he just knew it was true. Utter rubbish, Lilith wished he just cross over and be done with it instead of being a free-lance poltergeist.

“How do you know?” Rufus asked, then looking shocked added. “You told them about me!”

“It didn’t come up,” Lilith said dismissively. He always got so paranoid this time of year when more angels were in the city than normal. “What were you doing in a bird?”

“Checking things out, I think they are here for me this time. I can feel it,” Rufus said drifting like the shade he was over to Nora. “Was she poisoned?”

“She just drunk,” Lilith said.

“The ale could have been tampered with. No one ever suspects the bartender. Look at the way she’s breathing. That’s not normal.”

“It’s called snoring and she does that whenever she drinks too much. Just like last year and the year before that, no one is out to get you Rufus.”

“None that you know of,” Rufus countered looking around closely.

“Whatever,” Lilith said turning away from him and climbing into bed. She snuggled into her warm blankets. She looked up at the hole above her and sighed, another job for tomorrow. Lilith breaking items was hardly anything new and she could patch it up quickly. She turned in her bed staring at the wall with many distinct patches from other mishaps she had. Lilith wondered how much more the building could take before it would collapse. Reaching out to nightstand drawer, Lilith withdrew a small book she had over since she was a small girl. Her diary was filled with her most precious secrets and desires. She grabbed a quill from atop the stand where she scribbled in the day’s events. At the end she wrote a small piece regarding her thoughts of tomorrow.

‘With the festival three days away I got nothing to look forward too except a lot of work. Michael did promise me I could have the festival itself off! I never had the festival itself off before! I think I’ll spend most of it at the orphanage and do some shopping at the wharf. I hope the heavenborne don’t bug me too much about the whole angel thing. After all, I was just trying to stop them. Well no matter. It’ll be a festival to remember and despite what the paranoid shade thinks, nothing bad will happen.’

Atlantic Gateway

Wallace cursed as the rope he was untying slipped a bit burning his hands as he adjusted the rigging.

“Watch it Wallace or I’ll go up there and thump ya on da head!” Came a shout from the deck bellow. He gave a retort involving sea lions and his mother performing various unsavory acts before moving to the next section of sail. He had been in a bad mood all week. Many of the lads were. They were missing the festival of peace having left Ingleport two weeks ago. When the captain told them they were doing another run, nearly all the crew mutinied. It wasn’t until he offered to double their normal wages that they agreed. Still if the old man wasn’t so cheap then they could have been back by now. If they had only raised the celestial sails in Ingleport and flew instead. Then they would already be in Heaven instead of being in transit. But it was no good. No captain would ever do such. They much rather spend the two weeks sailing here with just the wind and save money by not using the diatomaceous crystals to power the celestial sail. Deep down Wallace couldn’t blame him. Even a single crystal was usually worth more than a life of a crew member to some of the heartless bastards.

Wallace finally managed to untie the final knot freeing the sails. The massive curtain drifted down as the crew below began rolling it up. With a free moment with Wallace looked up at the gateway as the boat gently rocked beneath him. It truly was marvelous. High above them just below the clouds was a glowing ring of light with a dark center not unlike a permanent solar eclipse. It shone with unearthly energy powering the way to Heaven. It was large enough to allow several ships to simultaneously pass through. They would have to raise the celestial sails to fly up there and transverse the void to reach Heaven. Below him they just began dragging out the carefully wrapped celestial sail from its store bin when the sky itself shook. Wallace nearly fell to his death. The seas rocked violently as huge rippling waves spread outward from under the gateway like someone dropped a massive boulder there. He held on for life itself as she gaped at the gateway.

Fingers were trying pry open the gateway. Six digits were on either side of the glowing ring straining to open it further. Black as night, the fingers were things from a nightmare, utterly alien and grotesque beyond imagination. Each one was a quarter of the size of their ship with thousands of twitching strands of what looked like hair that Wallace could make out even from this distance. Again, the sky and sea shook as a howl of impotent rage poured forth from the gateway hitting them like a wind storm.

“By the gods of above and below! What is that thing?!” A man called from the deck. Before anyone could answer something appeared in that window to another world and Wallace felt his world collapse. Visible just past the fingers was a face like no other, with features that could destroy minds if studied for too long. Dominating that twisted visage was a single eye of burning white phosphorus. The intensity of that stare felt like it would set you afire even from a distance. More howling erupted that nearly capsized the ship before the fingers and eyes withdrew. Wallace dared to hope that it was over before countless swarms of significantly smaller being poured forth. Numerous as raindrops in a storm, they darken the horizon like a sudden brewing storm. Wallace watched terrified beyond all reason as most headed in the direction of Ingleport with a large group heading right for them. A sound of a thousand angry bees filled Wallace’s ears. Instinctively he covered them, losing his balance. He fell to the deck far below. Before he landed breaking his neck he had time for one last thought. This wasn’t not worth the extra pay. Wallace world went black as he was spared the terrible fate that awaited the rest of his crew.