Chapter 14 The balm's call

Chapter 14 The balm's call
Raziel woke with a sharp gasp, his body jerking upright on the couch like a man pulled from deep water. Sweat glistened on his golden forehead, and his breathing came in ragged bursts. The air in the penthouse felt thick, heavy with the faint scent of leather and polished wood. For a moment his eyes were wide and unfocused, as if the weight of centuries still pressed on his chest.

Thaddeus leaned forward in his chair, heart pounding against his ribs. The morning light slanted through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting long golden stripes across the mahogany desk. Malachi stood beside him, calm but alert, one hand resting lightly on Raziel’s shoulder.

“Easy,” Malachi said softly, his voice steady like a quiet river. “You went far back. Take your time.”

Raziel blinked, then focused on Thaddeus. His voice came out hoarse but clear, carrying the faint echo of ancient winds. “I saw it, my lord. The Ageless Balm… it is still unclaimed. It sits in an ancient alabaster vial inside a hidden shrine on the mountain outside the city. It waits for its true host. But there is more.” He paused, swallowing hard, the sound loud in the quiet room. “The prophecy says the Balm will not only heal you. It will give you a new identity — the true Keeper of the Ledger. It will mark you. And that mark will draw more enemies. Hellites — fanatical demon worshippers who crave the Ledger’s power. And it will create a stronger version of Echo, one with sharper mind and deeper hunger.”

Thaddeus sighed heavily, rubbing his face with both hands. The leather of the chair creaked under his shifting weight. The words landed like stones in his stomach. He had barely begun to accept this life, and now it was about to get even more dangerous. “Of course it will,” he muttered, the words tasting bitter on his tongue. “Nothing in this cursed thing comes free.”

Malachi’s voice remained steady, almost gentle, like a mentor speaking to a weary student. “My lord, the risk is real. But so is the reward. Without the Balm, your body will continue to fail. With it… you become what the Ledger always intended — the anchor that can actually hold the balance.”

Raziel nodded slowly, still catching his breath, the faint glow of his skin pulsing with each inhale. “The vial is there. Its essence is already spreading across the mountain like liquid starlight — threads of gold and silver shimmering in the air, pulsing gently as if alive. It calls to you. But others are searching too. We must move quickly.”

Thaddeus stood up, pacing to the window. The city sprawled beneath him, lights twinkling like distant stars even in daylight. The glass felt cool against his fingertips. He thought of Lily’s small wave at the orphanage. Of the trust he had set up. Of the thousands of other children still waiting in the dark. He couldn’t keep running. He couldn’t keep hiding.

He turned back to them, voice firm. “Then we go for it.”

Malachi bowed slightly, the fabric of his suit whispering softly. “I have already arranged transport. A private jet is ready for tomorrow. We will present it as a business trip to Mexico. No one will question a wealthy man traveling with his aides.”

Thaddeus nodded. “Good. Let’s do this.”

The next morning they drove to the outskirts of the city, leaving the glittering towers behind. The road turned rough, winding into dense woods at the base of the mountain. Pine needles crunched under the tires, and the air grew cooler, carrying the sharp scent of resin and damp earth. When the SUV could go no farther, they stopped.

Raziel and Malachi stepped out first. Without a word, they removed their suits, folding them neatly and placing them inside the vehicle. Their golden skin caught the morning light, wings unfurling in a soft rush of air that stirred the leaves around them. They glowed — truly glowed — becoming the majestic, otherworldly beings they were meant to be. The sight sent a strange mix of awe and unease twisting in Thaddeus’s gut.

“You’re sure about this?” Thaddeus asked, voice low.

Malachi smiled faintly, the wind ruffling his feathers. “It is the fastest way, my lord. And the safest. No one will see us up there.”

Thaddeus climbed onto Raziel’s back, arms wrapping carefully around the angel’s shoulders. The warmth of Raziel’s skin was surprising — like sunlight given form, steady and alive. With a powerful beat of wings that sent a rush of air whipping past Thaddeus’s face, they launched upward.

The flight was breathtaking. The forest fell away beneath them, trees blurring into green waves. The mountain rose, rocky and ancient, its peak shrouded in thin mist that felt cool and damp against Thaddeus’s skin. Higher they climbed, wind rushing past his face, until they landed gently on a hidden ledge near the summit. The stone felt rough and cool under his shoes.

There it stood.

A small, ancient shrine of weathered stone, moss clinging to its edges. In its center, resting on a simple pedestal, was the alabaster vial. It glistened softly, its essence spreading across the mountain like liquid starlight — faint threads of gold and silver shimmering in the air, pulsing gently as if alive, carrying a faint, sweet scent like ozone after rain.

Raziel set Thaddeus down carefully, his wings folding with a soft rustle. “Master… here is your prize.”

Thaddeus stepped forward, heart hammering. The air felt charged, electric, raising the fine hairs on his arms. He reached out, fingers brushing the cool, smooth stone of the vial. It was heavier than it looked, warm to the touch. He turned it slowly in his hands until a single drop of the refreshing liquid fell onto his palm — cold at first, then soothing, alive, carrying a faint metallic sweetness like fresh spring water mixed with honey.

“Take it, master,” Raziel said quietly, his voice echoing slightly off the stone. “A drop heals you. And now… you can heal as many as you wish. Everything points back to the Ledger. Each save binds a fallen. More money. More army. More strength to face what is coming.”

Thaddeus stared at the drop. It shimmered like liquid sunlight mixed with stardust, warm and inviting. He brought it to his lips and licked it.

The sensation was immediate.

It spread through his body like a wave of liquid sunlight mixed with gentle electricity — warm, tingling, alive. It flowed into his chest, his lungs, his heart, knitting damaged tissue, soothing inflamed organs, washing away the constant dull ache he had carried since the fire. Strength returned to his limbs. His mind sharpened. For the first time since the Ledger had claimed him, he felt truly whole.

He let out a long, deep sigh of relief, shoulders sagging as the tension finally left his body.

“I’m fine,” he whispered, almost in disbelief. “I’m actually fine.”

Malachi smiled softly, the wind rustling his feathers. “You are healed, my lord.”

Thaddeus turned to them, eyes bright with new resolve. “Now… let’s go save Uriel.”

The three of them stood on the mountain ledge, the vial now safely tucked away. Below them, the world stretched out — full of Lilys still waiting, full of Gregorys still hunting, full of shadows that would not rest.

Thaddeus took one last look at the horizon.

Then he nodded.

It was time.