Prologue:New Years

It was a cold new year’s eve she was led on the damp grass with her boyfriend staring up at the cloudless sky, he turned to look at her and just smiled she smiled back and took his hand and led on his chest counting the stars, counting down. Five minutes until midnight. He pulled her on top of him and kissed her, just a slight peck but she felt warm even in the coldness of the night she returned the kiss and soon they were full-fledged making out. She heard rustling in the bushes

“What was that?” she whispered in between the kisses. He pulled her closer and continued kissing her, she pushed away and was sat up now.

“No stop, seriously what was that?” He sighed

“It's just the wind baby come...” She interrupted him.

“It wasn't and I’ve told you before don't call me your baby” Even in the darkness of the night she could make out his light blue eyes, she found them beautiful and mysterious at the same time one of the things she was so attracted to.

“It's probably just one of the lads messing around” She looked annoyed.

“I thought you said you told no one where we were so we could have privacy to... you know” He smirked and moved closer to her.

“Oh so you want to now? What about the rustling leaves” he joked. She forgot about that and in that moment all she saw was him, was this lust she felt or love something she may never be able to figure out. The got back into the routine and we're in the process of making out again. Rustle. She decided to ignore it as just some animal moving around a bird possibly. Rustle, rustle, and rustle. She stopped again. The boy looked pissed, she felt apologetic. He got up and walked over to the bush saying as he went,

“Fine shall I get rid of this animal or whatever for you, for goodness sake girls these days” She was half tempted to say something back but she gave up on the idea and just let him figure out what the rustling was she didn't like the possibility of someone looking on her and her boyfriend. She was sorting out her hair in her compact mirror she always carried around in her pocket. She heard screaming, she looked around scared. It only took a couple of moments to realise it was her boyfriend frightened she dropped the mirror in an instance and headed towards the bushes. She had a bad feeling. She headed towards the bushes where her boyfriend just went. As soon as she got to the bushes she wished she handed there was her boyfriend led on the floor bleeding. So much blood. He couldn't survive losing that much blood she felt sick. And what was that smell. She backed away as she did  she caught glimpse of something human...no not human. She was scared what was this thing? She ran.

She checked her phone no signal, she tried to navigate through the bushes without getting lost using her phone as a flash light but forgetting her phone had low battery. She just got onto the street when her phone died she stopped to catch her breath. 'Damn' she thought she stuffed it back into her pocket and started walking down the empty street, she heard rustling behind her and didn't even wait to look behind as she ran off. She didn't know these streets, she didn't live round here. Where was everyone? it clicked there was a massive firework display at the water front everyone in the town would be there. She ran down streets not paying attention to anything just wanting to get to civilisation. She turned the corner and ran she got to the end of the street before she realised it was a dead end street with no where to go she had to go back the way she came. Unknown to her if that thing was still following her she walking back to the end of the road looking around cautiously.

She saw nothing so decided to walk she could hear people now cheering and shouting she was near, the thing wasn't around but she still felt it was best to return to everyone else. Wait was that a good idea they'd ask where he was and she couldn't say dead. She felt sick as she remember the image of him covered in blood with that thing on top of him. She was leant against a wall trying to recompose herself. She smelt a foul smell. She turned around at the end of the road where she just was and saw the thing stood... well more crouched watching her licking it's lips. It didn't take much to get her to run in that distance the cheering was getting louder.

'Ten' The countdown began as she was running down an empty road away from something that could kill her.

'Nine' The chorus of people sounded like they were counting down her life. She ran faster.

'Eight' She round a corner.

'Seven' She saw a dustbin and hid.

'Six' She thought she was safe.

'Five' She smelt the poisonous air.

'Four' she said her last prayer

'Three' She called for help "Oh Angel of thy lord rid me of this trouble and save my soul"

'Two' The creature was in front of there now

'One' These seconds were starting to feel like minutes.

'Happy New Year' The creature was upon her she was scared stiff completely frozen she felt like she was screaming but no words were coming out the creature was now licking her as if to taste her before she was devoured. A sudden realization hit her 'I'm going to die here' She thought.

She fought back with all the strength she had left but it felt like the creature was sapping her energy she was trying to push I away but it wasn't working she couldn't move her arms. What was this thing? Why hadn't it killed her yet what was it planning to do? She thought. She realised she was never going to save herself so she said the prayer again it took all her effort to say the words.

“Oh angel of thy lord rid me of this trouble and save my soul!” she didn't realise but she was shouting it. The creature seemed to respond to this and moved its claws up to her face she was prepared to die. She was losing consciousness as well so it wouldn't hurt right.

She was barely conscious when a bright blinding light the creature appeared frozen was this what your final moment looked like.

No. There was something in that light she thought. She was dying and hallucinating now, she strained her eyes to see. Wait is that a person, no she realised it was angel. An angel had actually answered her plea she thought it was just a myth.

The angel was more beautiful than stories could ever make them out to be this would be something she would remember for the rest of her life. If she wasn't killed before the angel did something that is but the creature seemed too focused on the angel as well to worry about her any more. Without her seeing it that angel had moved with such swiftness and was now holding the creature by the neck so carefully and with her other hand... wait a female angel she thought without realising the angel had offered her other hand to help her up. There isn't female angels right? Maybe she was just a very attractive male. She noticed the hand and took it. As soon as she did she felt life come back to her she no longer felt like she was losing consciousness.

She looked up into the angels eyes 'what a lovely shade of blue' she thought as she said to the angel “What will become of that uh..." She didn't know what to call it and pointed to the creature like thing in the angel’s hand. The angel smiled, the most beautiful smile the girl had ever seen before it spoke.

"Oh sinned soul wandering about,

Why not go see what hell is all about,

And when your sins are all paid for,

God will accept you at the door"

Its voice was gentle even to the creature, the creature then melted away not in a sinister way it looked peaceful the girl thought. The angel spread its wings again and hover just above the ground, readying itself to return. The girl spoke up again

"Thank you with you I would have been dead for sure, I will never forget this" At this the angel turned round and gave her a grateful smile before turning back around and whispering to itself

"This will just be a dream to you 'dormio' and with that last word the girl collapsed and fell into a deep sleep and the angel disappeared in another bright light from once it came.

Chapter 1:Special Operations

 

Heaven was a beautiful place, the land of angels, the land of god. The sky shone a brilliant blue with wonderful red streaks, the place was constantly bight even without the presence of the sun. Heaven was a place above earth, beyond the solar system which consisted of god’s creation, previous earth’s he had made in which humans had destroyed yet he kept trying to get a race in which humans aren’t greedy and destroy the world but it looked bleak. In the core of each of these earth’s belonged the sinned lands or hell as it was otherwise known in which Lucifer ruled over the corrupted and sinned souls.

The angel sat on her bed and looked down over the heavens she lived in the tallest tower of God's Palace the most important headquarters of the angels where only the most respectable and honoured angels lived. She was the most revered and talked about angel in the heavens, she was the sort of person who hated to stand help but couldn't help it because in the end she was the only female angel and she shouldn't exist. She was used to it now but she knew they all hated her.

She was the second angel to ever exist and no one knew what happened because angels were only supposed to be males but she wasn't and god refused to explain the situation even to her which left all the other angels treating her terribly. She was extremely infamous in heaven and was scorned the main reason of the other angels hatred for her is that she could love she had a heart and reproductive organs like a human, but she was an angel.

A shock to most angel when there first born is there lack of love and lack of care for anything other than there job. They were created this way to avoid the imperfections of love no one could ever understand god. There were rumours related to the first Lucifer and some believe that he had a heart also which had betrayed god and that's why he was cast down from heavens but no one ever knew he was never to be seen or spoken of as was the rule.

She sighed as she walked out on to her balcony she thought about her life she has been alive much longer than any another angel she was alive when the first earth was still being created. She knew the origins of the universe and the history of angels better than anyone as she was the one who had first began the records and recorded time. However she was tired of life, and angel should never been able to get tired so she didn't understand was this due to her heart and how much she has been through. She sighed.

At this point her name is Alexia, she often used to change her name as she had never been given a proper name. So she picked hers out herself. Angels when they are created go through a naming ceremony in which there name is picked out depending on their ancestors and so on. It was the most revered ceremony of the angels as your name shown what type of angel you were. She was never allowed to go through this ceremony she had asked before why she wasn't allowed but god never answered and she just assumed that it was because she wasn't supposed to exist.

She sat on the railing and looked down at the New Year’s celebrations going on beneath her, this was to celebrate the start of a new angel year and consisted with a century. This celebration brought together all of the peaceful souls from the century to share the achievements of the century. This lasted for almost ten human years and the only angels in operation at that time were the Special Operations Squad. In which she belonged.

She closed her eyes. Eyes which she was looked down on for she had deep blue eyes. An almost human colour. Angels usually had purple or yellow eyes, she had never understood why she found the human eye colours much more beautiful but she wasn't going to argue with god’s choice. Angels surprisingly looked down at humans and saw them as lesser. Alexia believed this was likely due to them constantly looking down from the heavens. Only a few angels actually viewed humans unprejudiced and surprisingly most of them belonged to the SpecOps.

A bright light appeared in front of her she opened her eyes. It was a shining ball of light but she knew exactly what it was. A smile appeared on her face as she touched it a message appeared in front of her. It was a summons by Virtue the head of SpecOps telling her she needed to come to the headquarters. She laughed he was always so formal it when it came to work. She slipped off the balcony letting her long blonde hair blow in the wind as she hurried into her room.

She stopped to look at herself in the mirror she grimaced. She was still wearing her white dress, and her wings were still out. She put her hand to the mirror she looked extraordinarily beautiful that wasn't just her being cocky she was. She stood back and concentrated on bringing her wings in unlike other angels the size of her wings didn't represent her strength and power her wings were the right size for her. They looked just big enough to carry her weight. Her wings were an example of the fact size doesn't matter. She however was extremely powerful she was more powerful than the other angels and if her power was shown through her wings they would be stupidly massive so she limited the size or it could be a catastrophe if she let all her power out at once.

She chucked off her dress and chucked on some jeans and a smart shirt, she hated dresses with a passion but the other angels made a massive fuss if she wore trousers or jeans as that's what they wore and she wasn't allowed to be like them as she was an imperfection in their eyes. She smirked they were all down at the celebrations apart from the SpecOps which couldn't care less.  But she was wary she knew in her heart something wasn't right but she couldn't place a finger on it.

She slipped down the corridor silently, the corridors of God's Palace were all a white marble material, she had never understood God's obsession with marble but she didn't mind it was just blinding at times the reflective ability of the marble. Luckily the bedrooms weren't marble otherwise she would have probably torn her room down by now. She turned several corners before reaching a set of double oak doors the last door on the second to top corridor. She took a breath and walked through them.

The dark light hit her and it took several seconds for her eyes to adjust to the dim light she could see barely anything. She was just about to switch the lights on when her eyes saw a dark shadow in the chair in the corner. She knew who it was without needing to turn the lights on.

“Another one of your pranks Raphael?”  She said in a loud tone as she flipped the lights on. She heard a chuckle.

“Aww you saw through it” He looked at her with his dark violet eyes. “You’re finally here then, what took your time the message was sent a while ago?” She searched his eyes and sighed.

“I was on earth purifying a lecherous soul, and if I remember correctly that was your job today” Raphael sat up from the chair and gave a mischievous smile.

“Oh you took that, I was busy you know paperwork, document and such” She smiled at his blatant lie and glided past Raphael with such swiftness he didn't notice until she had picked up what he was reading.

“So this is important paperwork huh? Care to explain Raph?” She spoke in a sincere tone. He looked worried and was in the middle of making up some lame excuse when she burst out laughing.

“You should have seen your face it was a picture!” He looked shocked and then he smiled as she continued “But seriously next time it's on your head I almost didn't get there in time you know” He lowered his head and mumbled and apology. With the book still in her hand she read over the front cover.

“Bleach huh? What's this one about?” Raphael’s eyes lit up like a flame as he smiled.

“Well seen as though you’re interested it's about soul reapers and monsters called Hollows and what not” she smiled as she handed him back the book.

“Sounds just like you, just don't let Virtue catch you reading them when you’re supposed to be on duty” he nodded and returned to his seat setting the book down onto the table. She never could understand his obsession with these human manga books, but that's what made him different she thought. She was just about to ask where the other were when an angel walked in, Cassiel. He looked middle-aged and wore glasses even know angels had perfect vision ‘does he think they looked cool?' she thought as he spoke up.

“God needs to speak to us get a move on the others are already waiting” He said as he walked off towards the corridor at the back of the room. At this Raphael and Alexia both looked at each other and smiled. This meant a special mission it always did. They caught up to the others who stood waiting at the Door of God. They were massive carved black oak doors in which behind was the only room in which god ever met angels, and the only way to get to this room was through the SpecOps headquarters  which was one of the reasons the other angels looked at them with respect and jealousy.

They stood in a line with Alexia in the middle waiting expectedly for the doors to creak open. When they did the angels all entered in unison forming a V type shape behind Alexia who was technically the leader of SpecOps but Virtue preferred to take over that job. Not that she minded it was too much effort and she enjoyed her freedom as much as she could get.

As the angels entered the chamber the doors closed behind them with a thud which echoed around the silent room. None of the angels now looked surprised as they entered the room which was surprising considering how extravagant the chamber was. It looked as if it went on forever which it didn't of course but it was still several miles wide in each direction. The walls where covered in a carved image depicting the history of angels put there by Alexia herself although she appeared in none of it she was constantly updating it but she didn't mind it kept her busy.

Running down the centre of the room were giant black and white marbled columns running in several rows down the entirety of the room. As the angels reached the centre of the room there was an immaculately carved white crystal throne with several black marble steps running up to it. They looked like a sort of red carpet although it was black marble but this was God and his obsession with marble. The throne was etched in a massive amount of detail the angels all lined up in front of it. Waiting in silence for God to appear before them and tell them of their mission

The angels stood with Alexia in the middle to the right was Raphael and to the right of him was Cassiel who was the angel that came to get them earlier. He was the youngest of the angels in SpecOps although he is often considered one of the oldest due to his middle-aged look. He just liked to be better than everyone else so others looked up to him but still remained with an aspect of solitude around him no surprise really. He was the archangel of solitude after all.

To the left of Alexia was Raziel, who was the only family Alexia had. He was her brother so to speak, he was created from her when god decided she needed someone there for her. For this reason he had the same feature as her, he had her blonde hair and blue eyes.  He always had a way to hide what he was feeling or thinking, the air of mystery he told her once. He was the archangel of secrets and mystery which couldn't help but make her think if that had anything due to the fact that she was such a mystery and he was made from her.

The last angel the one next to Raziel was Virtue the leader so to speak of SpecOps. He was a third generation angel and the second oldest angel if you discount all the second and third generation angels who have died already. He had red hair and bright purple eyes which were always unwavering and empty Alexia thought. His wings were still currently silver due to an accident with paint down on earth, he's often made fun of by other angels but he doesn't wash of the paint Alexia suspected that it was maybe because he liked to be different. Unlike other angels he had no special power so to speak he was just tasked with putting angels into hierarchy’s which is why he is also a quite hated angel as he holds all the power over the angels, he is technically the most powerful angel under god in that aspect.

She was almost getting tired of waiting as the room filled with the purest light imaginable the angels all shielded their eyes with their hands until the light had dulled down. This was due to the blinding ability of the light. When they returned their hands to their side they looked up and saw God, there was never a way to describe God. He changed face depending on how you view him and think of him but to Alexia he always looked like a father or cared if that was a way to describe him.

God spoke in gentle but booming voice

“I’ve called you here as I have a dangerous task for you all in which I can trust no others. This is the most dangerous task I have ever tasked you, if you do not want to participate in this task you may leave now”

No one moved a muscle they didn't dare this is what they're job was they know tasks can be dangerous there have been plenty of other angels who have died doing tasks but that didn't frighten them they were prepared to die for God and the heavens if need be, even if no one remembered there name they would be recorded into history.

“I shall continue then” God spoke “As some of you may have noticed the amount of sinned souls have increased dramatically over the last couple of years and it is time for me to tell you why” Alexia was listening intently thank goodness someone else noticed she thought she was going crazy about the increase of purification jobs she was doing.

“The reason for this is the first angel Lucifer has disappeared from my vision, I do not yet know the reason for this”

Alexia stood frozen this was trouble this must have been the bad feeling she had earlier was about she stood shocked and glanced quickly to the other angels they we're all as shocked as her. God always knew where the angels where especially if that angel was the first, in charge of hell and all the underworld. She broke the silence.

“What do you mean disappeared? I thought you could always sense where we are?” She knew she spoke what was on everyone’s mind. A flash of emotion flashed in his eyes was that sadness? No she must have been mistaken. 

“I can but the signal has vanished, not dead I know that much but I fear this may be the work of outer realm demons or other-worlders”

At this all they were all surprised otherworlders rarely got mentioned. Alexia was unfazed, otherworlders had infiltrated this realm before but none of the other angels knew this that was one of her tasks to find out what they want and send them back. Each realm was supposed to stay out of the other but occasionally there would be some nosey otherworlders who wanted to learn about other realms, but the other angels were kept in the dark about it.

Raphael broke the silence with a truly curios tone “What is it you want us to do your holiness?”  As god spoke up he spoke in a serious tone

“Alexia, Raziel” He looked at the two as he continued 

“You two shall go to earth and keep an eye on the wards between the realms and keep a lookout due to your human like features” We nodded as he turned to Raphael

“You shall go to the other realms and see if they know anything of this disappearance” Alexia felt Raphael to her side suck in a breath and he knew why Raphael was the worst at handling people especially people he had just met.

God ignored this or didn't noticed and looked between both Cassiel and Virtue as he continued “You two shall go to Hell and be a stand in to Lucifer and look over the sinned souls as well as keeping an ear out for information, That is all I will send in detailed reports of what I want you to do tomorrow”

As the angels turned to leave God spoke up again “Raziel stay I need a word” Alexia caught his eye and he smiled at her as if to tell her that he'd be fine. Curious still, but she knew it was best to leave. Her and the other angels walked towards the door as Raziel stood there silent wondering what this was about. When they door creaked shut Raziel spoke up slightly impatiently.

“And this is about, your holiness?” God looked at him slightly humoured by his impatience then that emotion quickly disappeared as he became serious.

“Alexia” Raziel looked a bit shocked at her name then it vanished leaving behind only curiosity.

“I'm going to need more information than that” God smirked as he continued.

“Of course, I'm worried she may be waking up, she's starting to affecting others around her making them show human like emotions” Raziel sighed he was fearing this.

“What’s so wrong with us angels have more human emotions?” God remained emotionless.

“Nothing is wrong it's a sign of her waking up” Raziel was growing annoyed and in a spite or irrationalism he spoke up.

“If your so worried of her waking up why did you create her, you’re the one who made her who she is” God showed a brief glimpse of sadness as if he was offended by the comment, Raziel ignored this and waited for him to reply.

“I couldn't change her and it's all my fault she gets treated the way she does I was trying to protect her but she's too powerful and can change people's views and emotions” Raziel snapped

“Are you implying the reason she is so resented and hated is due to you making angels view her that way, you created them that way?” It was more of a statement than a question, God searched his eyes currently full of rage and hate, all human emotions. He sighed as Raziel continued.

“If it was your fault why did you create her the way she is, why did you alter the other angels’ views on her? Why do you make her suffer so much but care for her so deeply” At this God faltered. Sadness and regret shown on his face.

“She was a mistake she should never have existed” God whispered at this Raziel was furious at this he flew up to Gods face and pinned him against the throne as he looked into his eyes he cried out.

“How dare you, I don't care if your God, I don't care if you can create and destroy life, Never talk about her like that, you had the choice to change her when she was created you can't complain about her now. Not after everything she's done for you and this world, this realm would be in turmoil without her you should know that by now, don't you ever say she was a mistake again” Raziel seemed to snap back to his senses and gasped he returned to the floor but didn't apologise.

God looked outright surprised that Raziel had a proper outburst but didn't get angry at him for these emotions he showed was due to his half a heart. When he created Raziel from Alexia he couldn't remove the heart fully so he showed more emotions than the average angel but he should not have been able to produce this much emotion was this due to Alexia. He focused his mind as he looked back at Raziel.

“I'm sorry I know I should never have said that” Raziel looked outright shocked God had never apologised to anyone he didn't need to as whatever he said was right or you might regret it denying it. Ignoring Raziels shock God continued speaking. “It's about time you know the truth, you can never tell another soul until Lucifer is found or Alexia awakens” Raziel nodded.

“I understand, I swear I won't say anything” God nodded

“Alexia was born an angel, I didn't create her so to speak” Raziel froze for a second from the utter shock, but then realization hit him and he nodded.

“You’re her father? That's why you treat her the way you do, that's why you couldn't change her because she wasn't a creation.” God nodded “Don't worry I’ll protect her” He almost added 'She won't wake up' but he knew it was only a matter of time. He turned to leave as the room filled up with a bright light as God disappeared to wherever he went.

~ She stood with her back to the door the other three had dispersed to ready for their mission tomorrow but she remained for several minutes worrying about Raziel before she finally decided he'd be fine. She walked into the main room surprised to see Cassiel still there, he looked up as she walked in slightly intrigued. He spoke up.

“He'll be fine you know don't look so worried” She smiled slightly.

“I can't help it, I feel like something bad is going to happen” Cassiel remained intrigued.

“I do hope not but your 'feelings' always end up being right” Alexia strained a smile.

“I know that's why it's worrying” Cassiel got up and walked over to her and placed something in her hands. She opened her hand to see a flower, a pink five leafed flower she had no idea what sort of flower it was. One of Cassiels abilities flower reading. He put his hand on her shoulder and leaned in to whisper in her ear.

“It's an Oleander, it means caution, I do not know for what you must be cautious about but be on your guard” He returned to his seat. She stood still for a second before clasping the flower in her hand.

“Thank you Cassiel” she whispered as she disappeared through the doors.

She was walking down the corridor slowly her mind swimming in thoughts, she headed towards her room as she turned the corridor her body trembled. She stopped dead and whispered to herself

“Not now please not now”  she tried to continue walking but it was calling to her, her hand still clasped around the flower opened letting it drop on the floor she could feel herself falling into the blackness. She tried to hold on as long as she could be she was already gone. She collapsed unconscious on the floor.

Impressum

Texte: Stephanie Watkins
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 14.04.2015

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