Masomi

Paul hardly spoke on the trip back to Bertha's, which didn't bother me. It was a mutual understanding that the two of us didn't get along, and I found that things would go easier if we didn't make many conversations. I pointed up ahead and said, "That's her house."

Paul nodded, looking at something else. I wondered if he was even paying any attention to where we were at. I led him into the house, where we found Bertha sipping on a cup of coffee and watching the news in the living room. She turned to look at who had entered her house, and almost dropped her cup when she saw Paul. "You already found him?" she said, surprised that it hadn't taken us several months like we thought it would have.

Bertha put down the cup of coffee before she did drop it. Paul was inspecting the house. He was one of the few Fallens who didn't bother to go to Caretakers for help, so this was new territory for him. He didn't seem to be very impressed though.

While he was looking at a picture hung on the wall, he said, "Masomi told me that you have a problem that requires my help. He didn't bother to explain it back at the bar." I growled and muttered a couple of words under my breath, but he didn't hear them. Bertha did though, and she elbowed me in the ribs, as if to tell me to shut up.

I rolled my eyes, knowing that I did need to watch my words because we couldn't afford to lose Paul. He was the only one that we could think of that would be of any help to us. Bertha cleared her throat and said, "We do have a slight problem. I'm sure you've heard of Kiba."

Paul leaned against the wall and said, "Yeah, the name's floated around quite a lot." Bertha nodded and said, "Well, he's our problem. He's-" I cut her off and said, "He's completely gone off the deep end." Bertha glared at me and continued to speak. "That's about right. But what I was trying to say is that he's plotting to create a new world."

Paul stared down at the ground and said, "How do I play a role in this?" I had no clue how Bertha was keeping her cool around him, when I wanted to pull out my hair and shout. I couldn't stand the arrogance on his face. This was a serious matter, and he wasn't taking it seriously.

"You were the only one that we could think of that hasn't been influenced by Kiba," Bertha replied. Paul tilted his head back and asked flatly, "How do you know that I haven't already been influenced by him?" I tightened my jaw and snapped, "If you were, then you would have killed us because we're trying to stop Kiba."

The two of them stared at my sudden outburst, and Paul shrugged. "True enough, I guess. I still don't understand how I'm supposed to help with this. What do you plan on me doing? Kill the Messenger angel so your problem will be solved?"

Paul might have stood a decent chance against Kiba, but odds were he wouldn't have escaped the fight alive. He did have a valid point; we had no idea what Paul could do in the fight against Kiba. But, as usual, Bertha was one step ahead of all of us. "You have to get on the inside. Join Kiba's army and earn his trust. From there, you can try and chip away at the foundation he's made."

Paul thought for a moment. Would it be a good enough plan for him? It sounded legitimate enough to me. Then again, Paul would consider me as one of the lower Fallens in our society. Stuck up- Before I could finish my thought, Paul was speaking again. "It sounds like it could work. But I doubt it will be enough to stop him."

I was surprised that Paul even bothered to recognize Bertha's plan, but he was unpredictable. The woman nodded and told him, "We know just the infiltration of his army won't be enough. While you're doing the damage on the inside, we'll still be working on the outside to build up our own forces. Then, we'll see where it goes from there."

I wanted to run over there and hug Bertha for her genius plan, but I didn't want to just yet. Paul had to agree to all of the plan, and without him, it was pointless. He looked at me and asked, "Question, why doesn't he join Kiba's army?"

It felt like a punch in the stomach, and I didn't like to think about the betrayal I had faced against my own friend. Bertha saved me the trouble of explaining my predicament. "They used to know each other before Kiba started this world domination plan. He isn't able to go on the inside."

If I could have gone and joined Kiba's army in order to stop him from this insane plan of his, I would have. But he knew I was against him, and that I would never stoop down to his level. Bertha held out her hand to Paul and asked, "So, are you going to help us?" Paul stared at her outstretched hand, then took it. "I'll help. Where do I find him?"

Paul

The Caretaker woman and the Fallen gave me directions to where I would most likely find the Messenger angel that I was looking for. Normally, I wouldn't have taken this kind of job, seeing as this wasn't my problem. But I had never trusted Messengers from the start, and I wasn't about to let one of them reshape the world; whether it was for the better or worse.

A world made in the image of a Messenger, made me cringe and left a sick taste in my mouth. If this Kiba succeeded in his world, then the madness would be unfathomable. At least, from the descriptions of him I've heard of so far. He did sound like a threat and dangerous being, so I made a note to watch myself around him.

I had to make my faith in him sound believable, which shouldn't be all that difficult. Kiba had never seen me or heard of me as far as I knew. I found the place that the Caretaker told me about, and knocked on the metal door. According to them, I should find him in an office towards the back.

The Fallen that was manning to door, opened the little eye window and looked at me. The last time I had been here, which was years ago, there was another Fallen in his place. Something inside my gut told me that something happened to the previous guard.

The Fallen asked me what I wanted. Since when did this place become so closed off? I made my voice sound professional when I said, "I'm here to speak with Kiba. It's….Highly important." The Fallen raised an eyebrow, then slid his little window shut and opened the metal door. "Make it quick. I'm not supposed to let anyone see Kiba unless he commends it. But since you made it sound so urgent, I'll let it slide," he said, pointing me down a hallway towards the back.

I thanked him, and stepped inside. This place, which had once been a sociable place for Fallens, now had an entirely new look. There was no laughter like I remembered. The Fallens who were there, looked ravenous and ready to fight. These must be some of Kiba's recruits. He's not playing around, is he?

They glared at me with their animal-like eyes, and they watched as I made my way towards Kiba's office. I found the door, and knocked twice. It unlocked and slowly opened. A young Fallen who didn't fit the description I was given, opened the door. "Who's there?"

Behind him, I saw the Messenger angel sitting behind a desk. He raised his head up to look at me, and I was suddenly overcome with nervousness. I had never felt this kind of intimidation from any being. I remembered that the Fallen who opened the door, was still waiting for my response.

"I'm here to ask Kiba for the recruitment to his army of Fallens." Kiba raised a brow from behind his desk, then smirked. He thinks that he's got another. But that's what he thinks. Kiba stood up from his desk and said, "Tristan, let him in." The young Fallen did as the Messenger told him to, and allowed me entrance into the office. Kiba laughed and told me, "This is Tristan. He's the one who shall be leading my army, and you as well if you truly want to join."

I looked back at the young Fallen, disgusted that I would even have to pretend to listen to this inexperienced being. I could see why Kiba chose him though; this Fallen was easy to manipulate. While Kiba would sit back behind his chair, he had this Fallen doing all his work, leading his army and causing chaos.

Kiba's eye narrowed at me and he said, "I don't doubt that you do want to join my army. If you were against me, I'm sure this would be below you. But I do want to see your combat skills." I looked at the Fallen who was sitting down in a chair, expecting this to be my competition.

Kiba laughed and said, "No, no. It won't be him you'll go up against. It will be me." I was taken aback. The Caretaker and Fallen didn't mention anything about this, but perhaps they didn't know he would want me to fight him. I felt my body already prepping for my upcoming fight. What should I expect from the Messenger?

I knew that his kind were trained in the most lethal and relentless form of combat, one that was much more powerful than any Fallen knew. I was highly skilled on my own, but I doubted that I could match what he knew. Kiba looked around the room and said, "This space will not do. If we are to spar, then we will need more adequate room."

I nodded in agreement, and he led me and his Fallen up to the roof of the building. Night had already arrived, giving us enough cover from any wandering eyes that might have been walking around the street below. The Messenger struck at me with speed that I wasn't prepared for.

I dodged his attack just in time, but he had succeeded in knocking me off balance. While I was trying to recover, he sweep me out from under my feet with a low-kick. I fell on my side and quickly scrambled back up to my feet. Now that I was accustomed with his speed, I was able to dodge more easily, but he was still landing heavy hits to me.

I unfolded my wings, taking the fight into the air, where I was more in my element. He did the same, and when I looked down, it was like a missile shooting past me. Kiba climbed higher into the air than I was, then whipped his massive wings in the air, sending sharp-edged feathers shooting at me like knives.

I dodged them, but several caught my leg and side. I hadn't even landed a hit on him, and was getting beaten down like a pathetic dog. Unable to take anymore of this humiliation, I flew up at him and slashed him with my own wings. I felt the razor sharp feathers slice through the skin of his arm and abdomen.

He shrieked, not expecting me to land a hit. When I got a look at the wound I inflicted, it looked like I had sliced him with a knife, but it was already healing up. The wound I gave him, seemed to have angered the Messenger. He's at that point where he thinks he can't be hurt.

Kiba's hands wrapped around my throat, and he flew down towards the roof, slamming me into concrete top of the building. My back arched, and I bit back a scream of pain. Finding the strength I needed, I brought my feet up and kicked him away from me, then slashed him again with my wings.

The fight seemed to pause, both of us standing about ten feet away from the other. Blood pouring from wounds, and sweat dripping from our foreheads. He panted and said, "I haven't had a Fallen give me this much fight before. It's really a nice change of pace."

And I had never had so much resistance handed back to me. I didn't like the way it felt either; it made me feel weak, and I knew how strong I was. This Messenger had some serious power, and I had underestimated how much. But I knew, that he had the ability to kill me, and it scared me when I realized how much he had been holding back.

Kiba straightened up and said, "Seeing the fighting skills you possess, I think I fitting place in my army for you, would be the second-in-command. If something were to happen to Tristan, you would take over from there." His Fallen didn't look impressed that I would be the one to take his position if he were unable to fight, but it didn't bother me.

This was what the Caretaker and that Fallen were looking for, and I had succeeded in making it into Kiba's army. "I'd be more than happy to take that spot," I said, trying to keep my voice flat, despite the pain I was in. Kiba laughed, and it sent chills down my spine.

"Very good. You never did tell me your name, Fallen." I held my bleeding arm and told him, "Paul." Kiba smiled and nodded. The wounds on his body were almost gone now, while mine were still pouring blood. "Well, Paul, I suggest you go and heal up. I can't have my second-in-command unfit for battle."

The Messenger and his Fallen left the room, leaving me by myself. I had to go back and report to the Caretaker about my success, and that would be the last time I would speak with them. From here on out, I was a pawn to this Messenger, and there would be eyes on me at all times.

Kiba

That Fallen had put up a good fight, and I was sure he could have done better. But by his facial expression most of the time, he was unprepared for the skills I possessed. Most of them are like that. I returned to my office, Tristan right behind me, and sat back down in my chair.

"Are you sure you don't need somebody to look at your wounds?" my underling asked. I looked at the injuries had obtained in my fight; they were virtually gone now. "No, I am fine. You must remember, Tristan, that I heal much quicker than you Fallens. Paul will probably be out of action for a week, while I'll be good as new by morning." One of the many perks of being a Messenger.

Tristan nodded his head and told me, "I know. But at times I forget about that…That Fallen. There's something I don't trust about him." I leaned back in my chair, and looked up at the ceiling. There had been something different about him that I picked up when he first came into my office.

I just couldn't place it. I'm going to have to keep a watchful eye on him. The fact that such a strong Fallen randomly appeared, asking to join my army, sent up a red flag. Things like this, just don't happen overnight.

it has been a really long time since i uploaded this story (i've been deadlocked with ideas and i actually forgot about it o.o) so, thank you to all that have been patient with me. it was bugging me today that i haven't uploaded in about two months, so i decided to put my mind to rest and upload. so, read, review, and other things. ~Copperpelt~