Chapter 1
Jora sat in the back of a tank of an SUV, watching her parents and other Verlac's paint an enormous summoning circle in the middle of a swamp. She straightened her red dress and recalled her mothers' words, telling her to be on her best behavior when Michael arrives. Outside, the circle shone like fire in the night and the clouds separated to reveal a bright light reaching up to the heavens. Jora plastered her face against the window as a giant man in white robes dropped to the ground, surrounded by hundreds of winged demons. She stared helplessly as her family surrounded the man who had started to shrink down to the size of a human. The 4 year old saw seraph blades flash in the red fire while her parents made their way to the car with the robed man's arms over their shoulders.
"Jora, move over!" her father ordered, struggling to keep the tall, unconscious man upright. The girl scootched over, "Is that… Michael?" she asked as the man was shoved next to her.
"Yes, dear. Buckle your seatbelt, it's going to be a rough ride." Said her mother who had just opened the door to the drivers seat.
"Joan, I'll take the car behind you. Go straight to the Institution." Her father said, reaching over to kiss her mother. "Be safe."
"We'll see you back home." Joan replied and started the engine of the car. As the car jerked forward, Michael fell into Jora's lap, his long golden hair fraying over her legs. She gently moved some of his hair aside to see his face. Even in the dark of the moonlight, she could tell he was beyond beautiful. He looked like a young adult, maybe 21 or 22, with sharp features on dark Arabian skin, his long lashes brushing his high cheekbones. The angels' eyebrows were much darker than his hair, elegantly curving along his brow over his peacefully sleeping eyes
"Noel? It's Joan! There's been an ambush." Her mother exclaimed through her phone, "Resh'eym, a thousand, at least! They followed Michael through the summon. Those bastards must have known he was coming-" She spoke quickly, swerving the car through the marsh. A few demons knocked against the shell of the SUV, but Jora stayed calm. Now that Michael was here, everything will get better.
She cradled his head in her lap as the car swerved onto the highway, the demons lost in the dust behind them. Streetlights illuminated his face every few seconds and the girl continued to stare at the angel, feeling his steady heartbeat with her hand on his chest. When the car came to a stop in front of the Institute the angels' eyes fluttered open, his irises flashing gold in the dark.
"H-hello… m-my name is Jora." She said, smiling down at the man. He turned his head to meet the girl's grey eyes and the corners of his lips weakly lifted.
"Hello Jora, I'm Michael."
"And at that time shall Michael stand, the Great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people." – Daniel 12:1