Ethereal Underground Part 11

"You don't care about anyone but yourself. That's why the Officials are looking for you, and that's why I'm going to bring your dead body back to them." Ash felt his fists start to ball up, Jaron had hit a nerve. Ash had no idea how the fallen tracked him and Annalise down since she was teleporting. Still somehow they had found the keeper nook.

"I'm not going to listen to this." Ash held his hands up and tried to take a step around Jaron, but Jaron followed his move and blocked him. "Don't do anything you are going to regret. I am going to kill that fallen," Ash told him.

Jaron's right arm swung out to knock Ash down, but Ash was a keeper and he knew exactly how Jaron fought. He grabbed Jaron's forearm tightly before pus.h.i.+ng him away.

"You always fought like a girl," Ash smirked. The statement pushed Jaron off the deep end and he started to scream and charged at his former friend.

Ash stepped to the side to dodge Jaron's attack. The man wasn't thinking clearly, he was fighting with his emotions, not his head. That was the first thing that keepers learned. Emotions had no place on the battlefield.

"I wanted her," Jaron yelled, as he hit the wall. He turned around to look at Ash. "Jedzia was mine. You were out of the picture, I made sure of it, and this was my time to s.h.i.+ne for the council! I deserved to train for the Official position, not you."

Ash winced as Jaron's betrayal was confirmed. "I knew it was you." What other things had Jaron been hiding?

"Yes. We all fought and worked in the conservatory while you snuck off to fight and drink and play cards on the eighth layer of all places. We're not allowed to consort with females- but you did anyway. You were always so selfish, careless and you didn't care who you put at risk. Sune always had a soft spot for you. He believed you would be great." The last sentence that left Jaron's mouth came out as a mockery.

Ash let Jaron's words sink in. They were all true. He could be careless at times. He did put those he loved at risk. The day the council told him that he would be on a sabbatical burned in his mind. "Only until we decide if you can come back," they had told him, "You have broken too many rules, a keeper must be obedient."

Ash didn't care, the keepers were wrong. Everything about them was wrong. He hadn't felt loyalty to them in a long time. Jaron could take his spot for Official.

Ash leaned to the side to dodge another one of Jaron's fists before countering with his own left hook straight to Jaron's nose. He smiled as he felt the crack of Jaron's bones against his knuckles. Jaron looked stunned for a moment, before his eyes turned cold. Ash felt fear for only a split second. Jaron started to throw cleaner punches. They came back to back in an unnatural fas.h.i.+on. Ash put his hands up to block each punch, but he couldn't keep up. Jaron was moving much too fast. Missing Jaron's right fist, he felt the impact against his jaw from his left. His head snapped back and hit the metal wall behind him. Jaron put his forearm against Ash's throat. He pushed him against the wall in a forceful choke.

"Wow!" Ash laughed, tasting the blood inside his mouth. He struggled to take another breath. He let Jaron's ego inflate a little. Jaron had gotten better since the last time they sparred.

Then, Ash used his strength to easily push the keeper off of him.

"Did you really come down here with no weapons?"

Jaron smirked in response. Ash flexed his hands impulsively. He couldn't believe it, this guy was ruthless.

"I wanted to kill you with my bare hands. I want to feel your life leave your body, I want you to feel my pain, and after I am done with you, I am going to kill that blonde you were with."

Jaron moved once more to attack, each punch and kick being blocked without hesitation by Ash.

"I've always been a better fighter. That's why I was chosen to be an Official over you. I could stand here all night. Aren't you tired yet?" Ash knew he was being a little c.o.c.ky, but it was his nature.

Jaron wiped the blood that had dripped from his nose with the back of his hand. Ash may be the better fighter, but Jaron was cold and brutal.

Looking into each other's eyes, Jaron started to speak.

"If fighting you didn't work, I had plan beta. Bringing home the traitor would surely result in a promotion from the Officials." He reached into his jacket and pulled ot his keeper blade. Ash looked at the long jagged knife; he used to own a similar one. The keeper symbol was engraved on the metal handle, the t.i.tanium blade sharp and thick. He instantly wished he had brought a weapon. Of course, he didn't think he would need it. He hadn't planned on going far, and he knew he could fight any creature. That was what he got for thinking arrogantly.

"And," Jaron added, "Since I'm going to kill you anyway. I might as well let you know that the fallen didn't get to the keeper nook because they followed the two of you. It was because I saw you sneaking around outside and I called them."

Suddenly, so much made sense. Jedzia had the feeling that Jaron was up to no good. Annalise said he had talked to the fallen like they were friends. Jaron was working with them.

"Why?" Ash spit out. How could Jaron betray his own kind like that? He had brought the enemy into their homes. Realization dawned on him. "You are the reason Jedzia is dead, not me."

Jaron brought his blade up as Ash made that last comment. "No, they were supposed to kill you and take the girl. Jedzia was to be unharmed. You weren't supposed to fight them! You weren't supposed to go to her home."

Ash took a step back against the wall. What could Ash do? He could fight him, but with the keeper blade in his hands, Jaron had the upper hand. The keeper blades were infused with an essence that made the beholder stronger, faster, and more agile than before. Ash knew he could only hold him off for so long, but he would die trying. He wasn't about to go down without a fight.

"And you have been working with these fallen? Do the Officials know?"

Jaron didn't answer; he only spun the blade across his hand like a baton before taking a swipe at Ash's stomach. Ash jumped back with barely enough time and spun around to kick the wall. Using his entire body's strength, Ash kicked off of the metal wall and aimed his other leg at Jaron's hand. He meant to try and knock the blade from his grip, but Jaron was too fast and moved from within range. Jaron made a few more swipes with the blade, and barely missed each time. With a frustrated cry, Jaron made one final try for Ash's heart. This time Ash was ready and grabbed his hand firmly once again trying to knock the blade from his grip. Jaron held on to the blade with a deadly vengeance and used his elbow to knock Ash in the face. Ash felt the ground slip out from beneath his feet as the two of them struggled for control. They both fell to the ground; each fighting for control of the blade. Ash gritted his teeth as he struggled to gather up all his remaining strength. The sound of a woman's cry made them both look up and pause.

A few feet away stood Annalise, with her gun in her hands.

"Get off of him, Jaron. Back away slowly."

Jaron recognized the defeat and started to climb off of Ash.

"You don't want to do this seraph. An eye for an eye, Ash deserves to die."

Annalise looked conflicted as the held the gun out in front of her with two hands. She shook her head, her blonde hair swis.h.i.+ng back and forth in her ponytail.

"No, Endarial is the reason Jedzia is dead. Ash would never kill someone."

Ash couldn't believe how blinded Jaron was about his own part in Jedzia's death.

The sound of Jaron's evil laughter filled the tunnels echoing back and forth. "Ash? Ash has killed plenty. Tell her old buddy. Tell her how we used to visit the fourth layer." He looked at Ash with a grin, but Ash didn't look amused. He knew what Jaron was about to say, and he didn't want Annalise to know. He wasn't proud of the things he did as a keeper, and she wouldn't understand.

"Kill him Anna. Now!" he demanded, but she didn't move.

"No? Well..." Jaron took a step further away. "Ash here murdered an entire crew. s.p.a.cecraft 908, carrying medical supplies to the fifth layer. We were given orders because there were rebels on board. He blew it up. There was also the time-"

"Kill him Annalise. He's working for the fallen. He was the one who called them to the keeper nook that night." Ash grew impatient. Annalise needed to end this right now. He didn't like Jaron airing his dirty laundry.

"Ash is also responsible for not one but two keeper deaths."

When Jaron said this, the interest in Annalise's blue eyes flashed. So the keeper continued on. "Ash was supposed to go with a newly trained keeper to track down and bring back a drug peddler on the eighth layer, but Ash got sidetracked with some girl of the week. The keeper, Gabe was his name, he went alone hoping to find Ash already at the home. Ash never showed up- the poor boy was dismembered limb by limb for information. That's what started this sabbatical by the Officials. It was only when they learned the extent of Ash's activities that they started to become concerned."

Ash took a deep breath before he had the nerve to look across the tunnel. Her blue eyes were wide with disbelief and fear. His heart ached with his own disappointment.

"It's not like that Anna- I swear," he pleaded with her. He wasn't proud of the decisions he had made in the past, but Jaron was twisting the truth.

Jaron, who was obviously losing it, gripped his dagger tighter and took another step back. "He's a monster Anna. A reckless and careless monster."

She looked back and forth between to two men, torment glossed over her eyes.

"Trust me," Ash mouthed to her. He hoped she would end it all right here. He wanted her to believe him. Ash didn't teeter on two worlds anymore. He had to declare a loyalty to someone, and the keepers no longer owned him.

With his final word, Annalise pulled the trigger on her gun hitting Jaron square in the chest with the silver bullet. He flew back and hit the floor.

The popping noise echoed in the tunnel, causing her to jump back. Ash jumped up and ran to her side.

"I'm so proud of you," he whispered.

"I do not like it when people call me Anna," she replied.

They both looked at Jaron's lifeless body, jealousy and hatred had driven the poor keeper mad. In a way, Ash felt sorry for him, but the feeling was quickly washed away. He had come to the tunnels to kill Ash and return the betrayer to the Officials.

Annalise slammed the still hot gun against Ash's chest. She didn't say a word. She refused to look him in the eyes.

"Talk to me," he begged. He knew she was mad. He could feel it. He had snuck out of the bed after she had given herself over to him. He didn't mean to hurt her; he had just needed some time to think.

Even though her face was emotionless, he knew what a big step she had taken. He tried to ignore the hurt that drifted off of her. Annalise had just made her first kill.

Finally she opened up her mouth to speak, "I-"

She was cut off by Finlay and Arie running down the tunnel from the entrance of Natara's home. Finlay made it to them first, but Arie was close behind.

"What's going on? I heard a gunshot," he exclaimed. He looked at the sight before him.

Arie stepped over toward Jaron's body.

"Oh moons," she said shocked. "How did he get down here?"

Ash put the gun in his pants and walked over to the body. He pulled the keeper blade from the dead man's grip and felt the power instantly fill him.

"He must have followed us from the Ethereal Underground, he was here to kill me and bring me back to the Officials."

Arie suddenly understood what was going on, she wrapped her arms around Ash and held him tightly.

"You're a rogue keeper, of course they wouldn't let you just walk away."

Ash put his arms around his friend; she knew what his future held. It wasn't like he didn't expect it, but until Jedzia's death, a part of him had expected the Officials to turn their heads and overlook his mistakes. He had always been a favorite of Sune, but now his influence seemed to be lacking. Now that he knew that Jaron was the one to call the fallen to the nook; he wasn't sure what to do with the new found information. Would anyone believe him?

"I do not understand," Annalise said.

Finlay put a hand on her shoulder protectively "If you are a keeper, you are a keeper for life. If Jaron was down here looking for Ash, the Officials must have decided his fate."

Ash let the redhead go and turned to Annalise.

"I was already teetering on the edge when I was put on a sabbatical. They believe that I lead the fallen to the nook and caused Jedzia's death. It must have broken the vote."

Finlay walked over to Jaron's body and lifted him up in one sweep over his shoulder. He made it look so effortless.

Ash punched Arie in the shoulder playfully as he caught her gawking at the seraph's strength. She looked away embarra.s.sed and rubbed her arm.

"Maybe Jaron came looking for you on his own. He seemed to be very angry with you." Annalise told him.

Ash put his hand on the back of each of his friends and slowly ushered them back towards the house. He looked around nervously.

"It's possible, but right now I'm not worried about them. I'm worried about anyone who heard that gunshot. We need to get out of these tunnels now. It's not safe."

Finlay was already way ahead of them. "Ash take them back, I will dispose of the body before a reaper shows up." They both gave a short nod before going their separate ways.

Natara greeted them at the door, her dark hair pulled high up on her head and her lips pursed with curiosity.

"What are you three doing?" she hissed, ushering them inside the small home. "Do you think I can afford to be seen having keepers and seraphs outside my home?" Ash pushed the two girls in first, both of them apologizing to the woman who had graciously opened up her home. Ash gave her a crooked smile, but didn't say a word. He had a bad feeling about this lady, as much as he wanted to trust her. Something about her just didn't sit right. Over the years, Ash had learned to trust his keeper instincts, and he wasn't about to abandon them now. Natara went back into the kitchen where she was setting out a huge array of foods. Looking at it, Ash realized how hungry he was. He hadn't eaten in days, and had slept only a handful of hours. Normally he would be worried, but he figured it was the seraph inside him now that no longer needed so much of those mortal things. He grabbed Annalise's arm and pulled her to the corner of the room.

"We need to talk about what just happened."

Annalise shook her head. "Not now, not with everyone in the room." Her eyes focused on Arie who sat comfortably on a chair only a few feet away.

"Trouble in paradise?" Arie asked. She raised an eyebrow and gave them both a suspicious look.

Ash took a moment to gather his thoughts.

"We don't need to worry about the keepers looking for me. We need to focus on killing these fallen so Annalise can get back home. I am the reason she is being banned, so I will make sure she gets back there. If that is what she wants." He looked at Annalise from the corner of his eye. Back home was the last place he wanted her to go, but he wasn't about to a.s.sume anything right now. He didn't deserve her; he had no right to ask her to stay.

Arie nodded in agreement. "They won't send too many people down this far- plus I'm the one who they usually hire to find traitors. I won't hurt you." She gave Ash a quick wink. It was typical of her to flirt with Ash, but this time it only made him feel awkward. He looked at Annalise again, but she refused to look his way. She stared at the wall, deep in thought.

Ash cleared his throat to fill the awkward silence. "I hope Finlay is okay," he muttered.

Annalise let out a loud but short laugh.

The others all looked her way, it was so unusual for her to be so loud.

"Finlay is used to cleaning up your messes," Annalise explained. "After all, he was your guardian."

"What are you talking about?" Ash asked. He remembered her explaining what the different seraph roles were, but she had never mentioned Finlay's role.

"Finlay is, or was, your guardian. Who do you think has been there making sure you do not get into too much trouble or get hurt?"

It made sense, Ash thought. Finlay had been in the right place at the right time when they met in the underground and since then he always seemed to pop up when needed. Except for the one time he didn't; the night Ash was supposed to die.

Arie's eyes were lit up with excitement. "Do I have a guardian too?" she asked.

"Did I miss anything?" A voice appeared from the front door. Finlay walked in covered in a red clay like substance. His usual blonde hair was dark and matted against his head and his clothes were singed along the edges. Arie rushed over to his side.

"What happened?" she exclaimed as she picked off some of the red stuff from his s.h.i.+rt.

"I threw Jaron in a volcano," he boasted.

Natara walked in from the kitchen to see her friend tracking in dirt all over her floor.

"Jaron? Oh my- Finlay you are covered in dirt. In my home!" Ash could have sworn he saw her eyes flash black for a split second before she waved her hand at Finlay. A gush of wind tore through the room causing books to fly off the shelf and a mirror to fall off the wall and break. Arie let out a small yelp as Finlay pushed her against a wall and Ash instantly put an arm out in front of Annalise. He wasn't sure what was happening, but he was certain Natara was about to try and kill them all.

The wind hit Finlay straight on, but it didn't seem to faze him. All of a sudden, all of the terrain, soot, and dirt drifted off of him and lifted from the ground. Natara threw her hand back behind her pointing at a small potted tree in the corner. Finlay looked cleaner than before.

Everyone's mouth dropped in amazement as the particles fell into the pot.

"That- was- amazing!" cried Arie, she ran up to the brunette and started to pester her with a dozen questions.

Ash felt more scared than impressed though. He turned to Annalise who seemed to have a similar look on her face.

"Too strong for a fallen stripped of her powers," he whispered. If Natara could use her powers so easily like that, what could Endarial dish out, or Loki, for that matter? The fallen were supposed to be weaker.