Chapter one

Founded

Whether it was a notion of honestly and likeness for me, I wouldn't accept or return his feelings. As bad as I felt he could not have my heart and would never win me over. Love was just a game for men to get sex quickly and ruin a womans' heart, body and self being.

"No..." I stared him right in the eyes as softly and sweetly as I could, but had to blankly say no. He nodded and held back the tears I could see swelling up in his golden eyes. "I'm truly sorry, and I hope we can still remain acquaintances." I frowned and looked down.

"Of course we can," he smiled so delicately and put his soft hand on my chin to lift my head up. "Head up sweetheart." Smiling, he walked away and I sat back down at my lunch table.

I felt bad for him, he was a kind hearted boy.

For all my years in highschool, that being of three and a half to this very day, I had stayed distant from others. I didn't want to risk heart ache, or betrayal as such in my past. I had one good friend, someone I could never rely on and was never around. Only when I needed her did she ever show up, so randomly she'd come to my house or school and give me a hug with a grin on her face and say "Hello doll." She was almost a sister, maybe even closer. But it had been a year since I saw her last, she decided to move to Italy.

She went to a small town that I forgot the name of, I only got post mail from her. They didn't have internet there, not even a pay phone in town but I had accepted the fates although the writings became less and less recently. I missed her with all my heart, but I had to live without her.

The bell rang, lunch only seemed to be 5 minutes if that but I guess when you doze off as much as I've been doing, time flies. My teachers name was Mr. Nutwig, he was a short bald man who had no connections to the outside world and seemed to be consumed by his teaching career. But he was a funny and great teacher, alas he was diagnosed with lung cancer two weeks ago and had been getting more and more pale. He was a heavy smoker, "A pack a day keeps the doctor at bay," he used to say and still says when we pass in the halls.

He knew I was a fan of smoking cigarettes, he caught me a few times and we'd smoke together if he had time. Knowing I was seventeen, he'd always take my cigarette if he saw a cop then smile and wave so all suspicions left the cops mind. And of course if the cop would pull over, he'd explain the situation and say he'd caught me smoking and had taken the cigarette away and crushed the pack. After the cops would leave he'd snicker and say, "Little does he know there Camel Crushes, we have to crush them!" Then he'd laugh and cough a bit. I saw him cough up blood every once and a while but I'd keep my mouth shut. I confronted him once and that's when he finally told me he went to the doctor. He told me not to be upset and everything happens for a reason, so I listened to him and we went our separate paths.

Looking up from my paper Mr. Nutwig was standing over my desk with a smirk. "Wake up darling, you have a test to take." He snickered some and turned to the rest of his class. "Okay everyone, I told you about the test a week ago and I hope your studied up! Write down TEST, in big letters of course and as usual you name, date and period as a headline. When I say go, go and no talking." He stopped talking and sat at his desk.

I could hear him writing, with pencil as he always did. His body movements were slowing down and he was taking shorter breaths. I quickly finished my test and turned it in.

"Will I be expecting an A+ as usual?" He didn't lift his head but I saw the smile.

"Maybe I'll surprise you this time," I walked away without thought in my mind.

Forty-five minutes later the bell rang and it was time for me to go home. My brother was going to be coming home from his business trip today, he took care of me every since our parents death. He wasn't my father figure or a man I looked up to, in fact I looked down upon him for looking after a child he had neglected every since I was born. He was weak and I pitied him for it, but I could only love him for making sure I got home safely everyday, whether it was a phone call, an email or he came home early to surprise me. The man was a saint, such a saint that I could even imagine a halo right above his head.

I finally got to my car and in one motion open the door, got in and pulled out a cigarette. It took me a minute to look for my lighter, I tend to throw it around because its to much of a hassle to keep in my pocket. Luckily this time I put it in my glove box so I was able to light it up before I left campus. Looking back I saw Mr. Nutwig getting in his car, coughing as always. His spasms seemed to get more frequent, but the doctor said there was nothing he could do about it.

When I pulled into the drive way of my brothers' house, I saw a strange car parked the garage. I thought maybe a break in, so I pulled out the a twelve inch knife my mom gave me when I was thirteen, "Just for protection," she'd say. Stepping silently into my own house I held the knife tight and heard a creak from the dining room. I peered behind the wall and saw my brother, Paschar I just call him Char thought, he likes it better.

"Char your home!" I ran up to him and hugged him so tightly I thought he might explode, but he quickly retaliated.

"Run...now..you must leave and find somewhere to hide." I hadn't noticed the blood on his face, his mouth was gushing and his eyebrow as well. I was in utter shock. "Quickly, leave I will explain in time. I will find you but for now Camael, you MUST find Malchediel, she lives in Bergamo, Italy! They're coming back take you car and go to the airport I hid money under your seat twenty thousand dollars should be enough now go!" Without a thought I ran to my car and drove away.

For a reason I can not explain I began to cry, maybe it was the thought that I left my brother to die, that I might never seem him again, that he was the only family I had left. I was never very nice to him, I loathed him for years. I blame our parents death on him, but for the past years I'd been trying to forgive myself for hating him. So I began to love him once more, he was my brother, at the least I could do is care for his safety. And now, now he was going to die and I couldn't save him.

I arrived at the airport and got a ticket to Rome, Italy. The ride was dreadful but there wasn't any turbulence, just the airline food was sickening. I could taste every plastic item, and when I asked for real food they just scoffed and said, "This is the best you'll get riding lower class kid!" I reported the rude woman to the flight attendant and they fired her the moment they got back to Alaska. I only know that because they called me to confirm my feeling were not hurt and they were willing to pay for the plane ride and give my money back. I declined the offer and said I was going to press any ridiculous charges, they thanked me and I said my farewells.

I arrived in Rome but quickly set out to find the small town Char called Bergamo. Luckily I got a driver who spoke fluent English and was willing to make the two hundred and ninety five mile trip. On the way we sang to American music, and danced to Italian classics. He especially loved when I did the robot, and when I'd make my arm look like a snake. When we finally made it to our destination, he said he'd miss me and we had some good fun together, then drove off.

I hadn't smoked on the whole ride here because I wasn't sure if he'd approve, so I lite one up and sat on a bench so strangely placed in front of me. It was almost dark and nobody seemed to be walking the streets.

"The town becomes alive at night," Said a deep voice, I could feel his breath on my neck. "Be careful my child, or you will regret your decision to come to this accursed place."

"I regret nothing, I came here for a purpose and nothing will fear me enough to keep me away from my Malchediel. I need her help..." He man did not reply, but just stand in the shadows and watch me smoke my cigarette.

Maybe he was curious, maybe they didn't smoke in this town but I couldn't care less. I wasn't here to put on a show for an old man. Although I didn't even look at him, maybe he wasn't as old as I thought. He sounded young, I turned around and he was still in the shadows. I wasn't able to see his face, but he was much taller then I. He had that, tall dark and possibly handsome feel about him. But I wasn't interested in him, I needed to find Malchediel.

"Can you help me?" I was still facing him.

"You need to find this Malchediel?" He said the name as if it were familiar, as if he'd known her and known her well. "I will help, I know were she resides." He turned around but flipped his head back. "Follow. Presto, ora."

I understood follow so I got up, patter down my dust ridden skirt and followed him into, what seemed to be an alley way. I was hoping he didn't think I was naive, so I tried to create some conversation.

"Do you know Malchediel?" He started walking faster, "Listen I can't walk this fast, can we slow down our pace. Or your pace I should say." He stopped and turned around, he looked angry and it seemed as if his eyes began to glow with anger. "Never mind I can take it, I need a good workout anyways."

Without a thought in his mind, he picked me up and held me across his chest like I was a mere baby. He wasn't even trying, I felt like a feather in his warm arms. They felt a bit to warm, maybe he was coming down with a fever. His arms burned like fire on my body yet he didn't break a sweat, but somehow the heat felt good. He gave me a home like, safe feeling and I was falling asleep.

But I couldn't help but ask, "Are you getting sick?" I still couldn't see his face, it wasn't to dark but we were covered by shadows. Yet, I could tell he was confused by my question when he looked down at me and his steps became slower.

"No." He said flat out, no explanation no excuse like 'It's just hot, or yes I'm not feeling so well' but it was fine with me. Not like I was going to force him to tell me.

"You can put me down now, I think I can walk. Plus I need a cigarette and I don't want to get smoke in your face." I always cautioned myself around people whom I didn't know. Actually, people in general, I was never aware of who was allergic to cigarette smoke and who just didn't like the smell.

He stopped walking and I tried to get down but instead he swung me around to a 'piggy-back' style on his back He said, "Si può fumare non mi mente, or em..how to say you may smoke." I didn't notice his accent before, it wasn't very thick for an Italian. "Actually if you don't mind can I have a sigaretta?"

I paused for a moment to see if I heard him correctly, "Sigaretta?" I giggled some and I could tell he was confused.

"Si, may I?"

"Si, si of course. But you must put me down first." He gently knelt and placed me on the stone floor.

There was finally a light above us and I saw a shadow of his face. He eyes were bright green and so beautiful, I remember my mother called eyes his color 'Celadon'. I had never seen the color but I imagined it to be what his eyes were. He towered about me like a skyscraper, and was so thick with muscle that he seemed to be a brute. But there was a friendly essence about him, as if he wanted me to be here. I almost felt expected...

I handed him the cigarette and he sat down to smoke it. Patting to his side he implied for me to sit next to him, so I did as much to be nice. When I did I began to blush for no reason, maybe it was the heat coming off his warm body or the humidity of the hot Italian air, either way I was burning up.

I took a drag of my cigarette, I had lit one up after he did. I didn't want to make him feel awkward by smoking alone. "You never answered my question you know," He looked at me with suspicion. "I asked if you knew Malchediel." His head went down and he took another puff, the cigarette was half gone now. He smoked like a chimney.

"Si, she is my amore." After another drag he explain, "My girlfriend, I found her beaten and bloody in Rome, I go there for festivals. After I found her I brought her here and helped her get better, the town accepted her so she was welcomed." He put out his cigarette and implied for me to jump on his back, so I did just that.

"I have another question," He nodded. "What is your name?"

"Valoel de Sonvichi, Leo is what they call me though. I prefer a short name." Since I met him I didn't hear him laugh once, he barely wanted to talk to me. He paused before every sentence and talked slowly. He was endearing and charming though, I saw why Malchediel would date him. "We're here now." He dropped me off his back and opened a brightly decorated door.

The door was a dark shady red with gold lining, the handle I think was pure gold too. I finally entered the house and all the furniture was blood red, maybe it was the style for the town. Leo came out of a door way to my right as I entered but stood next to the door. Not but two minutes later Malchediel entered the room. I guess he didn't say my name because when she looked up to see me her eyes ran with tears. She ran so fast to me that I was trampled onto the floor, yet I couldn't help but laugh and cry as well.

"CAM! I missed you so much!" she didn't let go of me for a second.

"I missed you too Mel! I tried to contact you but..." We were to busy crying that there wasn't enough time to talk so I stopped and just held her for a few moments before I had to push away. "We need to talk Mel..." she knew why I came now, she knew I knew about Char.

"Paschar, I see. So he made it home?" I nodded. "Come, sit with me so I cant explain," she looked at Leo with a sad look in her eyes. "Drinks my love," she looked back at me and held my hand gently. "He came to me two months ago, and told me the story of how Lucifer fell from Gods hands, you know, Gods favorite angel? I nodded kindly. "Then after he was done he told me, it may happen all over again, another angel might fall. But this time it will be Gabriel, he has follows as well. Raguel being the most important one. He told me he needed help to stop all this from happening, even if it meant defying God. Asking an angel of death for assistance is a sin in Gods mind and no-one, not even Gods most favored angel may repent. He began to beg for my help, so I agreed of course. Anything for your brother, but then he left and told me he needed to tell you what you were, what he had hidden from you for so long. But it was too late, Raguel followed him home. And by Gabriel's orders he was to be beaten or killed depending on the information he released."

I was speechless, what is all of this God stuff. My brother never told me anything. I got up from the couch and dropped the drink Leo gave me during Mel's speech. "Mel...I didn't know...any of that. What is an angel-an angel of death..?"

Mel looked at Leo, and leo at me. They expected Char to have explained what I was, but he didn't have enough time to tell me. I was an Angel...