Bane of the Dead (Seraphim Revival Book 1) by Jacob Holo Page A

on his sabbatical without explanation and forbade his friends from following. Though it pained them to see him go, Seth and Quennin had honored that request. Seth had long suspected it was more a quest of self-discovery for Jack than a search for something tangible.
    What did you go searching for? he wondered. What did you find that brought you back?
    The complex eye of screens merged into an image of Jack in his pilot uniform.
    “Sovereign Daelus, I…” Jack realized who else was in the room. A thousand emotions played across his face.
    Seth dipped his head slightly. “It is good to see you again.”
    “Very good to see you again, Jack,” Quennin said.
    Jack grinned tentatively. “Seth? Quennin? Wow, look at you two! Look at you guys, all grown up. It took me a moment to recognize you. Hell, it’s fantastic to see you two again! I wish I had time to say more, but I must be brief. The Grendeni will get suspicious if I take too long.”
    “Of course, we understand,” Quennin said. “There will be other chances to catch up.”
    “Sovereign, the archangels are being readied for deployment. I think around twenty pilots are here on the Righteous Anger , but more will arrive in three days. There could be enough to crew all three hundred archangels.”
    “A formidable threat indeed,” Vorin said.
    “If you strike now, you could set their program back years, though I’m afraid you can’t stop their progress. The Righteous Anger is just a staging point. From what I understand, the factories and breeding centers are well distributed throughout the schisms.”
    At the mention of “breeding centers,” Mezen clenched his fists until his knuckles were white. His face remained unmoved.
    “I’m transmitting what little data I have,” Jack said. “Use it as best you can.”
    “Jack?” Quennin asked.
    “Yeah?”
    “Did you find what you were looking for?”
    Jack grinned sadly. “Yes, unfortunately I did. I need to go. I wish you all well.”
    The screen turned black.
    Quennin and Seth exchanged puzzled looks. Just what had Jack meant by that statement?
    “We should act upon this information, Sovereign,” Mezen said, his deep, gravelly voice filling the silence.
    Vorin nodded. “Yes, I have to agree. This is an unexpected opportunity. Choir, your thoughts?”
    A personality rose to dominance within the Choir’s cacophony of thought. The hologram shimmered into existing next to Vorin, taking the form of a young woman clad in the grey and gold of a sovereign from Aktenzek’s past. When she spoke, her voice was ancient and devoid of mercy.
    “We concur, Sovereign Daelus,” the Choir’s representative said. “Attack. Make our Fallen brethren pay for their crimes.”
    “Then it is settled,” Vorin said. “Pilot Elexen. Pilot S’Kev. Let us plan the attack.”
    ***
    Jack pushed away from the console. He blew out a frustrated breath and rubbed his face, feeling dirty and disgusted. Both sides were in motion now, heading towards an inevitable collision. It had to be done, but that didn’t make the task any more appealing.
    “Well, here we go,” he said quietly.
    Jack leaned back in the chair and stared at the ceiling. He wanted to focus on the now, to cleanse himself of these past attachments, but seeing those two again opened old wounds and dragged out forgotten memories. He tried to clear his mind of them, but it didn’t work.
    “I thought this would be easier.”
    The seraph did not respond.
    “I know, you’re right. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them.”
    Jack sighed and closed his eyes, letting the memories play out. His mind gravitated towards one particular event twenty years ago, the first of many times Seth and Quennin helped him battle his inner demons. It had happened shortly after they drove back the Grendeni at the Battle for Earth, amidst the jubilation of a great victory.
    And in the pit of his personal despair…
    ***
    Jack sidled up to the edge of the seraph bay’s catapult