Page 2 of Witch's Betrayal
"Look, wife!" Adam sounded pleased, which was surprising. "Look at His almighty power! Those who refuse Him are in for a rude awakening."
I opened my eyes to see massive, angry storm clouds moving quickly across the sky. They blocked out the sun and my skin erupted in shivers from the resulting temperature drop. The wind picked up, howling through the trees as the sky grew even darker.
I sat up, pulling my feet out of the now-freezing water and wrapped my arms around myself for warmth.
"What's happening?" I asked. The fear in my stomach clenched into an even tighter knot. Something wasn't right.
"There have been betrayals among His angels in heaven." Adam gave me a pointed look. "He's casting them out and setting an example for the world to see."
A bolt of lightning flashed and struck a nearby rock, sending sparks and a burning smell through the air.
"Adam, we've got to run!" I shrieked, my fear spurring into panic. "We'll get killed if we stay out here!"
His lip curled as if the sight of me disgusted him.
"True believers have no reason to hide," he snarled. "His wrath will not touch me, but only those who have been unfaithful in their heart."
I froze for half a moment, wondering if this man was really crazy enough to stay out in a lightning storm. My answer came in the form of a deafening clap of thunder right over our heads.
To the sound of Adam's maniacal laughter, I ran.
Not knowing where else to go, I followed the stream as fast as my feet could carry me. Like a frightened rabbit running for its life, I ran to escape the lightning which I swore was following me.
My ears rang and my lungs burned as I ran to my only hiding place, a small cave created by a cluster of mossy boulders.
I darted inside, gasping for air as I sat on the ground and brought my knees to my chest. Across the horizon, a stream of light shone through the storm clouds as if a hole opened up in the sky. A tiny, dark speck shot out through that hole and plummeted toward the earth. I narrowed my eyes as I tried to figure out what it was. A bird of some kind?
I covered my mouth in horror as a burst of furious lighting strikes hit the falling figure again and again in rapid succession. It twisted and transformed in the air and I realized it was an angel.
No, Ashtaroth!I thought.
The figure disappeared from view behind a hill and another one soon followed, also being struck by lighting at rapid speed. A smell filled the air that turned my stomach. It could only be burning flesh and feathers.
"How many more are there?" I whimpered aloud. The pain of being struck by lightning seemed unfathomable to me. I hoped falling to earth from that high would give them quick, sudden deaths to end their suffering.
But from what Adam told me about His wrath, that didn't seem likely.
My entire cave lit up with a blinding flash before my shelter shook all around me. I yelped and covered my head as small rocks and dust came showering down on me.
I need to move! It's going to collapse in on me!
I began crawling toward the cave entrance but a large bolt struck just inches away from my hand. With a cry, I pulled my hand to my chest. A rock the size of my fist hit me on the shoulder and another fell on my head.
I'm going to die in here,I realized as stars dotted my vision. The large boulder creating the roof of my cave began wobbling. I scooted toward the opening again just to get a painful jolt of electricity through my finger.
As consciousness began leaving my body, I could barely make out another winged figure hurtling out of the sky. But rather than falling, this one seemed to fly straight toward me.
A final sharp crack filled the air and I knew the boulder had come loose. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for my crushing death.
Something with inhuman strength pulled me like I was a limp animal and I suddenly found myself tumbling, wrapped in dense white feathers.
I came to a stop lying on my back and found myself looking into the clearest blue eyes.
"Ashtaroth!" I cried in relief, touching his beautiful face which suddenly contorted into a grimace of pain.
He pulled me tight against his chest and spread his wings out, shielding my body with his as the lightning strikes continued their assault all around us. When his pure white feathers began turning dark red with blood, I realized with horror that all lighting bolts were concentrated on his back, relentlessly striking with rapid fire.
"No!" I screamed. "Don't die for me!"
"It's alright..."
I barely heard him over the thunder. His head lolled to the side as if knocked out or worse, already dead. Before I could shake him, the ground seemed to give way beneath me.
And together, we fell.
