Return of the Angels
A day and many hours had passed since that incident down in the dungeon. Celine couldn't quite grasp what to make of it, apart from that it had nearly torn out her own heart. A few people had tried to approach her, tried to talk to her, but she ignored them when they all had come knocking on her door. Fiona was worried and she had been frequently visiting to make sure that she was fine. The organoids were amazing, bringing her secret dinners and reporting back to her and what they hear. She was unsure if the others knew of her connection to all organoids, but she has been able to understand them because of her race.
The alarm clock split the silence and Mai shifted from her position and towered the alarm clock with annoyance. She turned her back to it, and watched as she swung her tail and smashed it down the middle. That would be the fifth one in two days! Mai really hated those things. Maybe it was because of the obnoxious noise. Or it could be the fact that it scares her and she gets revenge on the things for it. Nodding her head with a puff of air from her nostrils, she settled herself back on the ground, all curled up in a golden organoid ball.
Celine was lying on her bed, pillow clutched to her chest and her arms and legs were wrapped around it. She was in her own ball of silence, heartache and confusion. She had been awake for hours, resisting sleep for so long that she was sure to be cranky. Her deep eyes were glazed over with an emotion unable to be placed, but it wasn't exactly anger or confusion which seemed to be her primary emotions lately. She had changed out of her battle suit and into grey short shorts and a black sleeveless tank top. The fight had been broken out of her.
Someone knocked on the door and Celine closed her eyes to ignore it. It would only be Fiona, once again trying to get inside to talk to her.
"Celine…" the worry in the girl's voice made her heart sink even more and she felt tears prick at her eyes.
How could she have been doubted like that? From Van, no less! She would have thought that it would either be Kristen or Thomas, Karl's brother. But no, it had to be one of her close companions! This was why in the imperial army she got close to no one. She reframed from making contact and she avoided all sorts of relationships. Although she was unable to ignore Storm's relationship, she had ignored all others. She had made a great deal of enemies out of it as well. It was no wonder her death was whispered amongst those she was supposed to fight with.
"Please talk to me…"
Three years of avoiding any of her friends. Three years of being believed she was dead. It now seems that it should have come true. She shouldn't have lived to survive just for this! She may be an angel, one of the more powerful ones, but that doesn't mean that she cannot grieve. She can feel emotions like any other human; she can do anything humans can do and more! She's sensitive in more ways than one. She knew what she shouldn't have done. She shouldn't have come back to her friends. She should have stayed anonymous and fought in the darkness of humanity. She wouldn't even ask for their help in the first place.
"If you're not going to open the door…" Isn't that blooming obvious by now? "Then at least hear me out." She heard Fiona take in a deep breath as she eased her racing heart. "Van didn't mean any of those things that he said. He hasn't quite gotten used to finding out that both angels and demons exist, and that you're an angel and you're trying to save the planet."
How did she know that she was trying to save the planet?
"Will you please let me in so I can talk to you?" All that greeted the blonde on the other side of the door was silence. "Well, if you ever want to talk, just come and fine me."
Her footfalls stalked away from the room and Celine buried her face in the pillow. How was she supposed to speak about her problems to a human being that didn't even know how it feels to be an angel? So many can say that speaking about problems helps, but sometimes it can make matters worse and she didn't want that. Better to bottle it up and remain silent. If there was a person she could trust in this whole damn place with a hundred percent certainty, it was the organoids and Herald. Other than that, she couldn't place so much trust in others. Not even her own former team!
"Celine, we need to talk…" the voice was from inside of the room and she lifted her head to see Herald standing there, looking out of the window.
"I don't want to talk." She replies, her voice muffled by the pillow that blocked her mouth and nose.
"Are you going to risk dwelling in this very room whilst they approach ever closer?" he asks, turning towards her to lean himself against the wall.
He was different looking now, appearing to her as his true form. His pair of wings protruded from his back and glowed in the darkness radiantly. His hair was a complete golden blonde, slightly tinged with orange, but instead of grey eyes, they were blue. He no longer looked like an old man; instead he appeared youthful, around his mid-twenties at best. But he was ancient, bypassing fifteen hundred years. He wore armour over his muscled body. Shining silver armour that shone in the darkness and a sword's handle pointing out from his back between his wings.
She looked away from him to spare herself from answering the question.
"It is my job to protect a Seraph from death, not a human girl."
She sat up and pushed the pillow away from her. "But I am just a girl!" she argued.
"That may be true, but you have our race to save. We are dependent on you because we have no choice. Our lives are in the balance, Celine; if you don't protect us then we can't protect all the worlds from annihilation."
She looked away. "Am I not to be spared from carrying such a heavy burden?"
"You do not carry it alone." He sat on her bed beside her, a hand resting on her shoulder in comfort. "I carry this burden with you, and I'm sure that I think they're risking in sending a few more to help." He saw doubt in her eyes. "One angel alone cannot take on this burden to save all the worlds. You need companions and I'm sure they understand this."
"If they did send some, will they even arrive on time to help in the battle?" she asks.
"Even if they didn't, there wouldn't be a war to fight if you give up and lose hope." He stood up and turned towards her like a military soldier. "Now then, enough of this, I think it's time to get down to business." She gazed up at him, wondering what he was up to. "It's time that we finally got down to training you."
She blinked her eyes in surprise. "Really…?"
"On one condition!" he said. "You make amends with Van, sort out this nonsense and get back to yourself. You have friends out there that are worried for you, care for you and they most certainly don't want to lose you. Just make amends with him and when you're fully up and ready, you can help others with their problems. And if you have any…" he smiled, "I'm sure you know who to go to."
She nodded, a small smile breaking out on her face.
"Now then… I probably should get back to that meeting I came out of." He gave her a look as if he was expecting trouble from his actions. A light surrounded around him and then she was suddenly yanked in under darkness. But she could make him out, and in his disguised human form. He winked at her and left through the door. A second later he poked his head around the door. "Remember what I said… If you don't make amends, then we can't start on training." He gave a big smile and then left.
She heard his footfalls moving away from the room and she smiled to herself. Her arm was nudged and she turned to face Mai, Terror and Shadow. There was that look in Shadow's eyes that when he glanced over at Mai, he narrowed them. So that's what she felt when Herald first entered unannounced. It was Shadow being protective and ready to attack him. But Mai must have intervened because he was looking at the gold organoid really pissed at her. She touched Shadow's snout and eased his anger.
"It's alright, Shadow, Herald is no threat to us."
What are you going to do? Mai's voice came out as a growl.
"What I've been doing from the very beginning."
Are you up for it? It came from Terror and his yellow eyes had becoming a gleaming shine since he had been with her. They were as golden as Mai's body, but his body was as emerald as her eyes.
She nodded at him. "I'm up for it. That was stupid of me, creating an episode like that. I really don't know what came over me."
All your troubles in one! Mai answered.
And Raven…? What's going to be done about him? She looked over at Shadow. His blue eyes had dimmed by mentioning his master's name.
"I'll save him, Shadow, if it's the last thing I do."
One problem at a time, Shadow! Mai growled at him.
You'd worry about your master if she was possessed. He growled back.
She can't ever be possessed. Mai proudly stated.
I said if. IF! Shadow argued.
Now I believe that we organoids can love after all. Terror stated and they both glared at him.
Celine covered her mouth and hid her silent laughter.
Come on, just look at the pair of you. Only couples fight!
That's not the case when Celine kicked your master's ass to Hell. Mai growled.
He wasn't exactly… my master. I was taken away from mine. Terror responded with a hint of sadness.
"Okay, another thing to add to my to-do-list. Save the world, get Raven back and find Terror's master. Do you think I have to write this down?" Celine said with a troubled look.
The organoids looked at her as if she'd gone crazy.
"What?" they continued to stare. "You know I've not grown two heads and I've definitely not gone crazy… yet."
What's with the yet? Mai asked.
"When this is all over, don't you think you'd be crazy?"
If you don't become crazy before that… Terror added.
Raven will be crazy after that possession. Mai spoke out.
Why the hell was he possessed anyway? Shadow growled irritably.
"Because he possesses the same needs as the one who possessed him." Celine replied.
He has the same needs as a demon! Mai said in a singsong voice and looked at Shadow, expecting him to sprout horns and a tail. Wait he already has a tail. Where are his horns…?
"Shadow is not a demon, Mai."
Could have fooled me! She said and stepped back to avoid Shadow's tackle. Is that all you got? She said wagging her butt to piss the black organoid off and it worked. He charged after her and she ran around the room, jumped over the bed and ran around the room again to jump over the bed again… and it went on and on.
You sure you didn't insert a child's brain into their cores? Terror asked her as they watched from the sidelines.
"I didn't create Shadow, only Mai, and I'm not sure if she just… copied it from somewhere."
Suddenly Shadow landed his tackle and the pair of them fell back and with a loud crash, they fell to the floor. And then there was a smash.
"Hey!" Celine shouted and got up to inspect the damage.
Celine's flower vase was lying on the floor in pieces. She towered the organoids, a stern look on her face with her hands on her hips.
"And what do you expect to do about this?"