Chapter 8

Miles and Daniel huddled together in the tree as the Demon-Dog lurked below, howling loudly. It was almost as if the beast was calling something. Suddenly a voice rang out, "Debilito! Calcaneum!" Immediately, the Demon-Dog backed down, tail between its legs and head lowered. Miles and Daniel looked to see the frightening visage of Umbra Diaboli step from the night's shadows.

Daniel's ears shot up in surprise, "Father?!"

Umbra looked up at Daniel and smiled, "Why hello again, Son."

Daniel went to leap out of the tree but Miles grabbed his arm, "Daniel wait!"

"Miles, he's my father!"

"Yes I know. But Christine told me about that demon. Hes Umbra Diaboli, the same demon who destroyed Heaven, your home. And if I'm not mistaken, thats his dog, which killed Christine." Daniel contemplated this.

"Your right… Why would he do that?"

Umbra called up the tree, "There's no need to be frightened Daniel. I don't want to hurt you. I just-"

"Why did your dog kill Mother?" interrupted Daniel.

"Excuse me?"

Daniel jumped from the tree and looked his father in the eyes, "Why did your dog kill Mother?"

Umbra cast his eyes to the ground, "I sent Debilito to protect you. He doesn't know Christine. When she approached you, he took it as a threat to your safety and attacked."

Miles now came down from the tree, "If that's true, than how come it went on to attack us as well?"

"He was going after you, Miles. My apologies for that, he doesn't know you either."

Miles stepped back, frightened, "How do you know my name?"

Umbra smiled, he seemed amused in a way, he then said, "I might ask the same about you. After all, you were just a baby when we first met."

Miles frowned with the utmost disgust, "Christine told me all about you. What you did to her, and what you did to my parents."

Daniel looked at Miles curiously, "What did he do?"

Tears came to Miles' eyes as he growled, "He killed them."

"Why would you do that?" gasped Daniel as he looked at his father with horror etched into his face.

Remorse flooded Umbra's features, "It was a long time ago. However, becoming a father has changed me. I myself was surprised at the love I bore for you, son. I wanted to be a bigger part of your life but Christine refused to let me see you and locked you away. I have since made it my mission to get you back from your selfish mother."

"So why did you attack Heaven?"

"It was all ruse to create enough chaos for me to get to you. But Christine was clever and I had scarcely found you before she whisked you to the Middle Realm. I've been watching you closely since I found you, waiting for the right moment to bring you home."

"Home?" inquired Daniel as he tipped his head.

Umbra nodded and smiled, "Yes Daniel, home. Unlike the home your mother provided, you will be accepted and won't have to live like a prisoner."

Miles shouted, "Daniel don't listen to him! Demons do nothing but lie!"

Daniel scowled as he thought What if Miles is right? Father is a demon. What did Mother say about demons? They serve the Evil One and will do anything to please him. From lies to murder. Even if he is my father, I cannot trust him. The other angels despised me because I look so much like my father and for good reason. My father is evil and I will not follow in his footsteps. Mother died for Miles and me. Her sacrifice will not be in vain.

Umbra held out his hand, "Will you come with me Daniel, my son? Will you come home?"

Daniel spat in his face and yelled, "Never! Hell will never be my home for I am not a demon like you!" He turned and began to walk away, "Come on Miles, let's go." Miles spat in Umbra's direction as well and followed.

Umbra wiped the spit from his face and snarled, "Tenebris manus." Without warning hands made of pure darkness sprang from the ground and grabbed hold of Miles and Daniel. The boys cried out and struggled as the hands held them in place. Umbra went to them and roared at Daniel, "Insolent child! Are you oblivious to the tension that pulls at the realms?! A war is about to engulf Heaven and Hell! I offer you safety and you deny me?! You are fortunate He wants you as well as the gifted boy! If not I would have killed you both for your lack of respect. Dimittere." The hands let go of Miles and Daniel and vanished. Umbra whistled and at once Debilito was at his side. "Genuflectitur." Debilito crouched low to the ground. Turning to the boys, Umbra ordered, "Get on." When Miles and Daniel hesitated he said with a cruel smile, "Don't worry he won't bite, unless you try and get off." After exchanging hopeless looks, the two climbed onto Debilito who gave a warning growl as they grabbed tufts of his long coat to hold on. "Currere." commanded Umbra as he opened his huge bat-like wings and soared into the night sky. Debilito lunged forward and ran after his master. Miles and Daniel clutched at fistfuls of fur in a desperate effort to not fall off as the swift Demon-Dog leapt onto the roofs of buildings and dashed round sharp turns. At last, Debilito skidded to a stop in an alley as Umbra landed and folded his wings.

To a normal mortal it would have appeared to be normal dead-end alley with graffiti on the brick walls on trash on the ground instead of the big dumpster. However, immortal beings and gifted mortals like Miles could see a glowing red and black circle with Latin words inscribed around it on the farthest wall. They could also see a young male cheetah with wings and soiled angel's garb. He did not have a halo yet, suggesting he had only recently became an angel. The young male was chained to the wall with the circle by dark shadow chains. He lifted his head at the sound of company, revealing a face that was swollen and bleeding from several beatings. Umbra looked at him as if he had spotted a cockroach in his kitchen, "Oh. You're still here?"

The angel glared at him, "You bound me here with shackles cast from darkness. Where would I go?"

Umbra slapped the angel across the face, "Silence, you pitiful insect!"

"Leave him alone!" shouted Daniel from Debilito's back.

The angel saw him and gasped, "You! You are the Demonic Angel! So you succumbed to evil just as the elder angels said you would."

"No! Daniel is good just as Christine was! And we are both prisoners just as you are." corrected Miles.

The angel gasped once more, "The Gifted Boy! Oh Heaven, this monster has captured you as well? The forces of good truly are doomed! No, St. Michael will not allow this. Using his sword of holy flame he will-UGH!"

Umbra kicked the angel in the stomach, "I said SILENCE! Dimittere." The chains disappeared from the angel's wrists and Umbra seized him by the throat. He pinned him to the wall in the middle of the circle. Umbra said, "Now that I have the boy who can open the Gates, you no longer have a purpose." Using his claws, Umbra slashed the angel's throat and blood splashed all over the circle.

Upon the spilling of blood the circle began to shine brightly and Umbra read the Latin inscription around it, "Offero igne inferni sanguinis. Haec oblation fidei probationem aeterna Princeps Tenebrarum." The circle began to spin around rapidly and shrink in diameter as it did so. When it was so small that is seemed to have disappeared, it exploded outward to twice its original size with a swirling, dark mass in the middle. Umbra tossed the young angel's corpse aside and said, "Genuflectitur." Debilito dropped to the ground. "Get off and enter the Hell Gate." instructed Umbra. Hurried by a snap and snarl from Debilito, Miles and Daniel did as they were told and slid from the Demon-dog's back. Together they approached the Hell Gate.

There was a hot gust of wind coming from it that carried the smell of brimstone and burning flesh and the screams of the tortured and the damned. Miles and Daniel joined hands and squeezed. Umbra frowned and said, "Hurry up and step into the Gate!" Debilito stepped toward them with an angry bark as if agreeing with his master.

Daniel dropped Miles' hand and stepped back, "No. I'm not going in there."

Umbra seized Daniel's arm and hissed, "Listen brat, step into the Hell Gate or I'm going to make you wish you were dead."

Miles looked at Daniel with pleading eyes, "Daniel, you can't win against him."

Daniel looked back at Miles, his expression calm yet full of fiery determination, "I don't have to win. I just have to buy you some time."

With that Daniel punched Umbra as hard as he could in the jaw, catching the demon unawares and sending him flying into one of the alley walls. Debilito pounced on Daniel, his jaws threating to deal him the same fate as his mother's.

Straining against the Demon-Dog's bulk, Daniel screamed at Miles, "Get out of here Miles! Go!"

"No! I'm not going to leave you! We promised Christine we would stay together! We're brothers!" Miles shouted back.

Daniel managed to throw Debilito off him and into Umbra who had just gotten up, "Than do me a favor as my brother and run!" Debilito jumped onto Daniel's back and pinned him with his massive paws. Daniel yelled, "GO MILES! PLEASE, GO! DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME, JUST GO!"

Tears poured down Miles' face, "I'll come back for you Daniel, I promise! No matter what it takes, I'll rescue you!" Miles turned on his heels and ran as fast as he could from the alley. He ran down the street, the connection cross Christine gave him thumping against his chest. Gasping for breath, he burst into a diner. The staff and customers gave him questioning looks before returning to what they were doing. Miles went into the restroom and locked himself into a stall. He fell onto the floor and tried to catch his breath. Umbra is probably dragging Daniel through Hell right now. I need to get him out of there but how? My best chance at success would be to bring help. But who can I ask? Miles held the connection cross in his hands and stared into the gem in the center. Then an idea hit him.

Author's Note: Hello everybody! It appears we have reached the climax of our tale doesn't it? I'm so excited to type this cause even I don't know exactly how this is all going to end! Btw, I don't know if anyone has noticed but yes this chapter has the same title as a movie. A very good movie by the way. I totally recommend it but be warned, it's a supernatural horror movie! Anyways, here are the Latin translations: 1. Debilito Translation: Maim 2.Calcaneum Translation: Heel 3.Tenebris manus Translation: Dark hands 4.Dimittere Translation: Release 5.Genuflectitur Translation: Kneel 6.Currere Translation: Run 7.Offero igne inferni sanguinis. Haec oblation fidei probationem aeterna Princeps Tenebrarum Translation: I offer this blood to the fires of Hell. This offering is proof of my eternal loyalty to the Prince of Darkness. Whew! Where would I be without Google? Please read, review, and most importantly, enjoy!