Chapter 1: Guardian (if you haven't read the Intro, you will be lost!)
Year 1425 A.D.
It was a nice day, with sun and the wind. Joan ran across the field of tall yellow hay and into the lush forest, going toward the nearest chapel in the next town. As her Guardian, Fallen flew above the trees, keeping a close eye on the young girl.
The girl sprang from the forest, into another field, on the last stretch of land towards the village of Kapél. Happily, she ran into the village and towards the chapel.
Fallen landed in front of the chapel. People in Kapél and Domrémy were used to seeing this ex-Archangel, for Fallen had lived in Domrémy for four years, acting as Joan's Guardian.
Fallen walked up the stone steps, causing her wings to drift behind her. She paused at the wooden doors, and then pushed them open. She stepped into the chapel and let her eyes wander over the inside. A usual appearance stood in front of the steeple, which was in front of the large cross. It was a male angel, one with six white wings, one who came to visit often.
Fallen walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his torso. She placed her head on his back, closed her eyes, and smiled as his six white wings and six black wings disappears.
"Hello, Archangel Gabriel," Fallen smiled. Gabriel closed his eyes and smiled.
"Hello, Archangel Alex," Gabriel sounded pleased. He reached behind him and wrapped his arms around Fallen's torso. "It's good to see you again."
"And you, Gabriel," Fallen whispered.
"I'm very glad that Joan comes to the chapel often, or I would not see you at all," Gabriel laughed.
"Even if it means coming into a chapel, I will always come to see you, if you come to see me."
Gabriel turned around and brought her into his arms. She looked up into his deep green eyes on a face framed with silky blonde hair. She smiled and he smiled. Then, they held each other in a kiss of eternal love.
Gabriel sighed as the kiss ended.
"Alex, why will you not come back and go to your trial? If you do, I'm positive the Lord will forgive you."
Fallen stepped back, hurt, releasing Gabriel. "Why can't we ever meet without you bringing this up?"
Gabriel sighed. "You at least owe me an answer. Why will you not come back?"
Fallen turned from him. "I have an obligation here now. I am Joan's Guardian Angel. I have been thinking about coming back, but I have not decided." Fallen's eyes dropped to the ground.
"Alex…" Gabriel stepped towards Fallen and brought her into his arms. "Alex…I'm sorry…"
Fallen wrapped her arms behind him and dug her head into his chest. Gabriel stroked her hair and held her.
Just then, the confession booth door flew open and Joan came out, smiling. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Fallen and Gabriel. Their wings appeared suddenly.
"Fallen?" Joan asked, confused and overwhelmed.
Fallen looked up and stepped back. "Joan, this is Archangel Gabriel, the left hand of God. I and he have been friends for a very long time. Gabriel, this is Joan d'Arc. She is my Godchild."
Gabriel smiled pleasantly. "Hello Joan d'Arc."
"Hi!" Joan smiled. "Since you're the left hand of the Father, that means you know him! Am I in His good books?"
Gabriel smiled again. "Yes, Joan, you are. He loves all His children, and will not let them go to the Underplain. That is why He sent His beloved son to save them." Gabriel then turned to Fallen. "Alex, He loves you, as well. He is very proud of you. Even though you do not live in Heaven or Hell, you still continue doing good deeds and watching and guiding a child of God, protecting her from sin."
Fallen turned away from Gabriel. "Archangel Gabriel, do not talk to me about such things. I do not care about Him, or His counterpart."
Gabriel sighed. "Why, Alex?"
Fallen whirled around, forcing Gabriel to dodge her spiked cross. "My name is no longer Alex, Gabriel! It's Fallen, so get it right!"
Fallen's eyes were building up tears. Gabriel stepped toward her and grabbed her forearms. He brought her into his embrace and held her. This time, though, Fallen didn't wrap her arms around him, or dig her head into his chest. Instead, she rested her head sideways on his chest, her hands clenched in fists resting next to her head, also in his chest.
"Why, Gabriel, do you always call me by my prior name?" Fallen whispered, tears now flowing.
"Because, Alex, it is your proper name, the name God gave you as you entered Heaven all those long years ago. Do not forsake it, Alex. It will always be your name."
Not always, Gabe…not always… Fallen thought.
The door opened and closed just then. Fallen looked up and around the chapel. Only Fallen and Gabriel remained in the chapel. Joan was gone.
"Joan?" Fallen asked the empty air. "Joan's gone. I have to go." Fallen jumped into the air and landed on the right corner window ceil. The window was open. Before she flew out, she flashed Gabriel a smile. Then, she took to the sky.
Gabriel watched Alex take to the sky.
Why will she not come back? Why can she not accept her right to be in Heaven, with the rest of us? I realize she is like a bird and she needs freedom, but on Earth, as a Guardian, she doesn't have much freedom… Gabriel sighed. I better go before I'm late. The Father and the council have hopefully made their decision by now…
Gabriel disappeared, leaving a white feather in his place.
The Lord convened the Trial, calling al Angels and Demons to the Hall of Justice. As the last Angels and Demons appeared, the trial commenced.
"I and the Council have come to a decision," God's voice sounded sorrowful. "Ex-Archangel Alex will be admitted into neither Heaven nor Hell. She is destined to live out the rest of her immortal life on Earth, among the mortal humans."
God turned away as the Hall of Justice broke out in an uproar. He left the Hall, as did several other Angels and Demons.
Gabriel left and flew to God's Holy Abode. He knocked on the door and entered. God was sitting in the living room on the couch. He looked up as Gabriel entered the room.
"Father?" Gabriel asked with a heavy heart. "Why?"
The Lord got up and embraced Gabriel. "I'm sorry, My child. I did not want this, but the Council believed it necessary to honor Alex's wishes."
Gabriel's eyes dropped. "Alex was going to return…she just needed time…please, Father…just giver her time…she will return to your embrace…"
The Lord sighed. "I know you believe that, Gabriel, but Alex made her decision. I shall honor her wishes. As shall you."
Gabriel sighed. He turned away from God. "As you wish, Father." Gabriel left the Lord's home and flew to the ninth circle of Heaven where Angels were training fro field work. Gabriel remembered the first time Alex to field training…
1,000 years earlier…
"Field training?" Alex laughed. "Why do we need 'field training'? There's nothing to being an Archangel but sitting your---"
"Don't say it!" one of Alex's friends, Freon, cautioned.
Alex laughed. "Freon, be real. I'm not going to say the word that is a rude variation of the word butt." Alex laughed again. "We're in Heaven. I can't even think those words!"
Alex and Freon laughed.
"Besides, the next level of the Angels is the Guardian Angel. Then Guardian Archangel, then Superior Guardian Archangel, then Archangel."
"Yeah, but after that is…" Freon stopped as Archangel Gabriel, left hand of God, landed in front of the class of 150 Angels.
"Hey, isn't that Archangel Gabriel?" Freon asked.
"Yeah, but he's more than an Archangel. He's the Right hand of God, the only Superior Archangel Serif." Alex smiled. " They just call him an Archangel. I heard he was a cocky---"
"Alex!" Freon almost laughed. "Stop it!"
Alex laughed. "Sorry," she smirked, "I couldn't help it."
"Sure…" Freon sighed.
Gabriel whistled. "Alright, Angels, pay attention! Today…"
Year 1425 A.D.
Gabriel smiled to himself as he sat down at his desk. She had a right to be cocky, while me…well, I obviously did too bad a job for words, or I would be out there training the new Angels. She was the most amazing Angel of her class. She reached Guardian Angel the fastest, record time, in only 50 years. She continued to climb up the ladder until she reached Superior Archangel, 550 years after she had reached Guardian Angel. Gabriel sighed. Now, she can't move any further up the ladder. She always bragged to me that if she kept that up, she would pass the Serif test and be my equal in no time. Gabriel looked around the office. All the Seraphims, every level, were busy at work. An Angel walked in, but Gabriel couldn't tell what rank. The Angel strode toward Gabriel.
"Serif Gabriel, I realize you do no recognize me. I am Superior Archangel Alex's first son, Kartigimaru. I'm here to see her. I was directed to you."
Gabriel looked down at his papers and continued working. "I guess you haven't heard, or you weren't at the trial. Alex has been vanished from Heaven and Hell. She is no longer able to enter Heaven. She resides on Earth."
Kartigimaru said nothing. Gabriel glanced up at him.
"If that is all, the rest of us have work to do."
Kartigimaru turned his back on Gabriel. "Do you hate my human father so much?"
"You know the answer to that, Kar," Gabriel grumbled. "You don't need to keep bringing it up, half-breed."
Kar clenched his fists, causing his leather gloves to crunch.
A young angel girl walked in just then. She walked over to Kar and took him by the wrist.
"Kar! Jigo is making Katrina cry!" the girl whined.
Kar sighed. He looked over his shoulder at Gabriel and said, "You were saved this time, Gabe. Not the next." Kar walked out of the office with the girl.
Gabriel glared at them as they left. Half-breeds…hate them all…
A Seraphim walked up to Gabriel.
"Sir, what did you mean when you said, 'half-breed'?" the Seraphim asked.
"How can you be a Seraphim and not know what Alex did? Those two are half-angel and half something else..."
A murmur swept across the room.
"And it's not only those two. There is one more just like them. Alex had two sons and two daughters, one of those daughters being a full human, while the other children…half-breeds."
"So, mother was banished to Earth?" Jigokenmaru laughed. "'Bout time. I got tired of watching Kat while you two got to see mom."
"Jigo, this means she's no longer able to enter either of the celestial worlds." Kar glared at his younger brother.
Again, Jigo laughed. "So? Now she's just like Kat. Though she's not human, she can't die."
Kat glared at her older brother. "It's not my fault I only got mom's invulnerability and immortality, and not her ability to shape shift or fly!"
"And that wasn't nice, Jigo! Stop picking on Katrina!" the girl whined.
"Stop whining, Hirokina. It's annoying," Kar growled.
Hiro stuck her tongue out. "Not my fault you were raised to rule, but your throne was stolen by a whiny brat, now is it? You're just angry."
Kar grabbed Hiro's upper arm. "Hiro, that only happened because mother and I had somewhere to go!"
Jigo shrugged. "You two never did inform us as to where you went."
Kar glanced over at Jigo. "You don't need to know."
Hiro slipped out of Kar's grasp. "That hurt, Kar."
Kar looked at Hiro. "Sorry, Hiro."
She smiled. "Apology accepted."
"Hey, why don't we find mom?" Katrina suggested, looking off into the distance.
The three others looked at her, and then smiled.
"Okay, Kat. Lets." Kar smiled. He walked over to his little sister, stood behind her, willed his wings to appear, and took a hold on Kat. "Ready, sis?" Kat nodded. Kar jumped into the air and spread his wings. He flew into the air, carrying Kat in his arms.
Jigo and Hiro flew up after them.
"Joan!" Fallen called, soaring over a field of tall grass. "Joan, where are you!"
Why isn't my feather detector working? It worked well enough the first times, like with Alexander! Why isn't it working with Joan!
Moments later, Fallen saw Joan laying down holding up a sword in her hands. She was just laying in the grass. Fallen flew down and landed next to her.
"Joan, what are you doing?" Fallen asked, with a smile on her face. "If you had wanted to learn how to fight, all you need to do is ask me. I'm a master sword fighter."
Joan sat up. "You would teach me?" Joan asked.
Fallen smiled. "Of course. When I'm not around, you have to know how to protect yourself."
Joan stood, bringing the sword with her. She started to swing the sword, but Fallen stopped her.
"First, you must learn with a wooden sword. Metal swords come later." Fallen took the sword and wrapped it in cloth. "I'll hold on to this for now, Joan."
Joan smiled. She grabbed the sword and ran toward her village.
"Joan!" Fallen called after her. "Stop!" Fallen sighed. "I just can't tame her wild nature, can I?" She took to the air, flying after Joan.
Smoke rose from the burning village. Joan's footprints led into the village, leading to her home. Fallen flew towards the village, but the smoke prevented her from flying over. She had to land. She flew down and landed next to the village. After willing her wings to disappear, Fallen entered the village. Men were laughing. Horses galloped through the village. Fallen ran through the streets, following Joan's footsteps. She ran until she got to Joan's home. As she entered the hut, she saw Joan's sister in front of the closet and a man in front of her. Two other men sat at a table, gorging themselves in spilt food.
"Hey, here's another!" one of the English men laughed, speaking a crude form of English.
Fallen placed her hand on her sword necklace.
"This is a warning. Unlike others here, I'm armed and trained. Now, get away from the woman!" Fallen growled in English.
"Ah, so you speak English. I'm surprised," the same on laughed.
Fallen glared at him. "Step away from the woman, you filthy bastard!"
The man laughed. "Why am I a bastard?"
"Because you don't have a father. Your mother was raped and her name is Elizabeth."
The man stepped back. "How…"
Fallen smirked. "I know more about you than you know about yourself."
Then pain. Pain was all Fallen felt as pain shot down her back, her spine, and her neck. Her body went stiff, and she collapsed, falling forward.
Joan's sister died that day because of the English. Moreover, as a result of the destruction by the English, Joan was sent to live with her aunt and uncle. Her parents stayed in the village to help rebuild it.
Fallen wasn't found after the English left. Many believe her to be taken captive. Joan gave up on her Guardian ever returning.
As a result, Joan gave her life to the teaching of God, ignoring the world around her. Moreover, since her Guardian was gone, no one could set her straight.
As Fallen woke, she was in a stone cell, laying face down on the floor. The stone was cold on her face, relaxing her. Slowly, she rose from her position, now sitting up, leaning against the wall. Her forehead thudded with pain. She groaned and massaged her temples.
"Ugh…what happened?" she inquired in Angelic.
"Hey, the wench is awake," a male human said in English from outside, in the hall.
"Go tell the Commander," another said in English.
Boots could be heard in the hallway, fading into the distance.
Fallen slowly stood, using the wall for support, and leaned against it. She was breathing heavily and her eyes would not focus.
What's going on? Fallen thought. Where am I?
Using the wall for support and balance, Fallen stumbled to the door. She looked through the cell door to see a male human soldier staring at her with wide eyes.
"Where...the hell…am I?" Fallen demanded in English.
"I'm…not at liberty to inform you of anything," the soldier said. "Please, sit down and stay quiet. I'm just doing my job."
Fallen allowed her weak knees to give way and fell to the ground. She gasped as her arms took the shock. Her arms shook with the strain and she pushed herself onto her rear, leaning against the wall. Her breath came in short, labored breaths. Her vision was weak, so she closed her eyes, letting her hearing take over.
Then, she heard boots coming down the hall. Next, she heard words, but they were talking fast. Her tired mind couldn't grasp the words. Then she heard a click in the lock on the door. The door swung open and three pairs of boots came into the cell. Fallen opened her eyes, keeping her head down.
"Maybe you can answer my questions," Fallen said. "Where am I, what the hell is going on, and what do you want that I could possibly provide?"
"Demanding, aren't you?" one laughed. "Well, if you must know, you are in one of many cells at the King's castle. You are here to answer some questions, and to translate letters for us, if you can read, since you can speak many languages."
Fallen grunted. "That's all?" Fallen sighed. "Yes, I can read, write, and speak in all languages known to man, and two known to Celestials."
"What do you mean?" the leader interrupted.
Fallen sighed. "You are not at all smart, are you?" Fallen asked in Angelic. She smiled as the man looked at the other two.
"Oh? You do not understand that?" Fallen laughed, switching back to English.
"We understand English quite well," the leader said. "It's the other we've no clue as to what you said."
"That language was Angelic, the language of Angles," Fallen informed them. She leaned her head back against the cold, stone, gray wall. The cold was refreshing for her pounding head.
The humans exchanged glances.
"Call the priest," the leader ordered. The humans left the cell and locked it. One ran down the hall in search of the priest.
Fallen smiled. "Your priest will not know the language." Fallen laughed.
"She's crazy," the leader said. "How will we ever get these letters translated when our translator is crazy?"
"I'm not crazy, humans. There are demons all around me. They surround me, watching me. They whisper in Demonic, some whispering the Angelic language to me…free me from this Hell, for I cannot survive these Demonic apparitions any longer." Fallen smirked. Maybe if they look in, I can make them see demonic illusions…
Then, the sound of boots echoed in the halls, as well as the sound of rustling robes.
Feeling stronger, Fallen got up and glanced at the door. It creaked open and the three men came in accompanied by a man in priest robes. He was average height, middle aged, and had short brown hair. His eyes were amber, and they had a certain touch to them, as if this human priest was looking straight into your soul.
"You can speak the language of Angels?" the priest asked, amazing, in Angelic.
Fallen responded in Angelic, "Fluently, priest."
"I've never met anyone who can. What is your name?"
"Fallen. Yours?"
"Charles."
"Charles, why don't you tell them to let me go? I'm not the enemy."
"Then why are you in here?"
"A misunderstanding."
"Oh? Then why don't you just tell them?"
"You-" Fallen switched immediately to Demonic, "-bastard."
The priest stared at her. "That I did not understand," he said in English.
"Of course not. It was a word you are not allowed to say in Angelic." Fallen smiled, switching to English.
"I see. What's the language of your homeland?" Charles asked.
"Angelic," Fallen said, "and would you like to see why?"
"That cannot be! Only Angels have Angelic as their native language!" Charles cried, outraged.
Fallen willed her six black feather wings to appear. "Is this proof enough?"
The priest stared, wide-eyed.
"But…how did you hide six wings?" he asked, bewildered.
"All Angels gain the ability once they reach Guardian status. A Guardian Angel has to keep his or her identity safe from humans."
"Then why tell me?"
"So I can leave, fool."
"You are an angel?"
Fallen smirked. "Let's just say, I was a Superior Archangel. There had to be change."
"Was? Change?"
"I'm a Fallen Angel, priest, banished from Heaven and Hell, for the rest of my eternal life. As for the change, I needed freedom. The laws and rules of Heaven were choking me. And just like Heaven, Hell has laws there as well."
"What crime did you commit that was so evil?" Charles asked. "I am under the belief that the Father forgives all sins."
"He does, but the Council of Angels does not." Fallen smirked. "You could say I was not their favorite Angel at the time. They can hold grudges, but only for Heaven born, not Earth born. Earth born have it a bit more flexible."
"Are you avoiding my question?" Charles asked.
"What question?" Fallen glanced at him.
"What crime did you commit that was so evil as to have you banished from the Eternal Kingdom?" Charles demanded.
Fallen smirked. "That answer, priest, you will have to force out of me."