Soul Guardian

Even with the collapsed tent and the mysterious disappearance of his glasses, Bael had to admit that he was enjoying the camping trip. After a few minor setbacks things had settled into comfortable boredom. They went for a walk around the lake and talked about the books they were reading.

Bael was currently trying to wrap his head around the book that was Six’s latest obsession. “So, the rabbit is a vampire?”

“Yep,” Six informed him, “But he doesn’t eat people. He drains the juice from vegetables.”

“Fascinating. And what’s the point of the story?”

She wrinkled her forehead in thought. “I don’t think there is one. Maybe something about not judging people who are different? There’s a whole series apparently.”

Bael summoned a paperback and handed it over to his daughter. “I was rereading some old favorites until I got distracted by this. It’s really good.”

Six could have read the blurb on the back cover, but she wanted Bael to tell her in his own words. “What’s it about?”

“People, mostly. There’s a hard-boiled detective trying to unravel a conspiracy, and a young idealistic recruit with a heart of gold.” Bael took the book back. “I like Vimes, the main character. He knows what’s right and even though he’s not perfect, he does his best.”

She picked up a rock and skipped it across the lake, searching for another as soon as the first one sank. “Does it have a happy ending?”

“Yeah. It’s just about perfect.” Bael picked up a rock of his own and joined her. He had the speed and strength, but Six had finesse. That put them about even in terms of how many times they could get a rock to skip. “How are you holding up?” he asked.

“Honestly, I don’t know,” Six said with a shrug, “I know this is the place where I almost died, but it feels almost like it happened to someone else. Or maybe like it was a dream. I keep thinking that I should be afraid of the water, but I still want to go swimming. Is that weird?”

Bael shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. Everyone deals with stuff on their own terms. You’re just more mature than most kids your age, so you give it more thought.”

“I’m not a kid though,” Six looked up from the rocks she had gathered, “Not really.”

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“Yes, you are. You’re not even a teenager yet.”

The young witch rolled her eyes. “Ugh, I am not looking forward to that. Hormones sound terrible and I’ve heard boys get even more annoying when they hit puberty.”

Bael and Maharet were also secretly dreading their daughter’s upcoming teenage years. Nobody could do teen angst like a witch. “Don’t be in a hurry to grow up too fast. I’m not ready to let go of my little girl, just yet.”

“But I’m not a kid. I’m much too mature.”

“So you keep telling me,” Bael said as he handed over what looked to be the perfect skipping stone, “But let me ask you a question. Do you want to be an adult? Or would you rather make the most of your time and have fun while you still can? Once you get older it's all bills and responsibilities.” He lowered his voice conspiratorially, “You might even have to get a job.”

Six took the rock. “But people treat me like a child. They don’t listen, even when I’m right. I don’t like that.”

“I hate to break it to you, but that doesn’t change until long after your hair turns gray. Then they tell you you’re old and out of touch.”

“That doesn’t sound fair. Growing up is bullshit,” Six said as she launched the rock with all the force her body could muster, “Nobody listens to you, and you still have to get a job? No thanks.”

Bael tossed his own rock after hers and rubbed his hands together to get rid of the dirt. “Yeah, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Take it from me, stay a kid for as long as you can.”

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She looked up at him. “Good talk, Dad. I think I’ll keep you around.”

“Oh good,” Bael said as he reached out his hand for her to take, “Now, come on. It’s still a little bit early to start a fire, but I want to roast some marshmallows.”

***

Working slowly like Maharet had taught him, Bael put the biggest logs down first to build a platform then worked his way up to progressively smaller pieces of wood. Six watched with skepticism. “I think you’re doing it wrong. You’re supposed to make a little tent out of the logs with the small stuff in the middle.”

Bael smiled. “You would think so, wouldn’t you? They call this an upside down fire. Your mom showed me how to make one. They’re supposed to produce less smoke and burn for longer. Apparently they’re popular in Sweden.”

Six wasn’t convinced. “Maybe you should let me handle it.”

“I’ll tell you what, if it doesn’t work I’ll let you do the next one. Deal?” Bael reached out his hand for her to shake.

“No deal. I’m not in the habit of making deals with demons if I don’t have to.”

Bael beamed up with pride. “That’s my girl! Ok, how about a bet? If I can get this fire going in the next five minutes I get the first smore?”

The young witch found that acceptable. “I can get behind that. But let’s make it three minutes, just to keep things interesting.”

“Deal!” Bael waved his hand over the logs, sprinkling something silvery over the wood. “You might want to stand back though. And don’t look directly at the fire when I light it. This stuff burns hot.”

Six rolled her eyes and turned around. “I’m pretty sure that using magic is cheating.”

There was a flash of light that painted her shadows across the trees around their campsite. Six could feel intense heat radiate against her back and when she turned around the logs were merrily ablaze.

“If you aren’t cheating, you aren’t trying,” Bael said with a smug look on his face, “And technically this was science. I recently found out that some of the metals I can produce are quite flammable. It’s amazing how much human technology has improved these last few centuries.”

This new information perked Six’s interest. “Can you make aluminum? How about iron oxide?”

Bael considered the idea. “Probably. Why do you ask?”

The young witch grinned. “Bael, have you ever heard of something called ‘thermite’?”

***

“It’s all quiet, almost too quiet,” the young angel said, “I think they’re up to something. I’m going to go in closer to get a better look.”

The other angel shook his head. He had been stuck babysitting the younger angel for nearly a week and was sick of his shit. “Kenny, you’re a fucking moron. You know that, right?”

Ken scowled. “And you’re an old fossil, George. Has anyone told you that?”

“Not anyone still alive,” George replied as he got in the smaller angel’s personal space, “Look, there’s no point in getting in close because there’s nothing to see. There’s also zero chance that anything you do see will change anything. We’re still attacking tomorrow, no matter what. Also, if Bael spots you, he will probably realize what’s coming.”

“You’re just afraid.” Ken looked down at the lake. The demon and his daughter had constructed a boat out of some silvery metal and were pushing it out onto the water.

“If by afraid you mean that I have no desire to go toe to toe with a baron of hell, especially one who is with his family, you’re absolutely right.” George shook his head. “But by all means, get yourself killed and ruin the plan because you’re bored. I won’t stop you.”

The younger angel swooped down towards the water instead of replying. It was starting to get dark and Ken figured it would be his best chance to see what they were up to. He didn’t think the duo would spot him. After all, they were still wearing sunglasses despite the approaching darkness.

He landed on the boat, which looked to be some kind of metal canoe. But instead of satanic artifacts or magical items, it was filled with sand. George scooped up a handful of the material and let it run through his fingers. What were those two up to?

***

Bael and Six watched from the shore as their boat drifted out towards the middle of the lake. The young witch had rigged a detonator from a remote control car they had “borrowed” from one of their more annoying neighbors. Apparently some members of the cult had been amateur pyromaniacs.

“Do you think we made too much?” Bael asked, looking from the controller in his hand to the small boat filled with thermite.

“Nah,” Six said, giving him a thumbs up, “Three hundred pounds should be just about perfect. We might even get some cool secondary effects when the hot metal hits the water.”

Bael shrugged as he triggered the device. “If you say so…”