Return of the Angels
The meeting ended and Celine sat alone in the empty room, just looking blankly at the table although her mind was in a wondering turmoil. She unconsciously played with her fingers, her mind absent to what her body was doing. The angels and the humans had gone to intermingle with each other, grasp each other's existence and get use to it as quickly as possible; otherwise fighting beside each other was not going to work. This was one of the things that Celine had first ordered to happen, although she was far from being ready to lead a whole army of angels.
Her mind came back to her when she heard someone sit beside her. She dared not take a look, but her curiosity won the race. She looked over to the tall male that sat there with his cloak covering his entire appearance. He was a secretive man, her father. She glanced around to the shadows in the corners of the room. There were no fallen there, so he must obviously think it safe to speak with her alone, even though she was still angry at him for abandoning her. She looked back at him and he hadn't seemed to have moved a muscle.
She turned to look back at the table dismissively. "What do you want from me?" she asks as she closes her eyes before she opens them.
"For you to tell me what's on your mind," he replies turning to face her.
She looked at him; only to see his eyes glowing from underneath that hood. They were the same dark sapphire blue eyes as hers. But his were slightly different. With others his eyes were a cold dark ocean that granted no warmth but death. But when he looks at her, the ocean in his eyes warms so much that it could boil people alive. But how much of him could she possible resemble?
The only thing to come to her mind when she's near or even looks at her father was the same question all the time. The same one that pains her aching heart! Why did he abandon her and never come back?
"You know what's on my mind," she says so quietly he barely caught her words.
He smoothed her white blonde hair behind her ear and ran his thumb over her jaw. "I'm sorry; had it been safe I would have come to collect you. But it wasn't and I couldn't risk your life so selfishly. That's why I had Herald come in a disguised form to protect you."
She closed her eyes and finally allowed those long waiting tears loose from their holds. "You have no idea how much I needed you," she says and he brings her off her seat and pulls her into his lap, embracing her into a consoling warmth as she cried against him. He smoothed her hair, allowed her to let it off her chest, allowed his daughter to show her soft side so she could cry it all out. He could feel it from within her. She had been in two minds about her parents, especially when she needed them the most. She had thought them long dead and when he turns up all of a sudden, there was no doubt of her anger towards him.
She needed this release right here in the warm embracing arms of her father.
He closed his eyes as he rested his head on hers. "I'm so sorry… I should have come; I should have been here…"
"It only matters that you're here now…" she muffled against his chest.
"It will take time for you to feel forgiveness towards me," he lifted her snivelling body away to gaze into her eyes and he wiped the tears away with his thumbs. "I just hope that someday you can find it."
She nodded; he smiled and placed a kiss on her forehead.
"We're a happy family now, right?" a male said surprising the pair of them.
"Apollyon!" Azrael scolded, gently setting his daughter on her feet and standing up to face his older brother.
"What?" he said as innocently as he could.
Celine moved towards him and kicked him hard in the shin. She watched as he picked up his leg, held it as he danced on the one keeping him upright. He was saying 'ow' repeatedly and Azrael chuckled. Soon he stopped and bent down to rub his sore shin. Celine towered him and when he looked up at her, she placed a kiss on his forehead and moved back with a smile. Azrael had his arms crossed and had raised an eyebrow, smirking, as he watched his daughter return to his side. Apollyon stood up, putting a little bit of pressure on his injured leg.
"You were too tall," she said answering the unasked question. Azrael laughs.
"Was there need to display the violence?" Apollyon asks, seeming to be more like a whine.
"Yup, you're supposed to be a badass, uncle, and imagining you not displaying a bit of violence makes me wonder if you've been switched with a female in your body."
"How'd you know I'm supposed to be this 'badass'?"
"Aren't you the angel that guards hell and kicks Lucifer's ass back in it if he escapes?" he nodded. "Therefore you're supposed to be a badass angel."
"What's Michael supposed to be then?" he asked quite eager to hear her opinion on him.
"Not such a badass since he supplies the Creator with what he needs and not what he wants. Although he is too much of a lapdog," she said in disgust.
Apollyon laughs. "I'd say that definitely sums up Michael."
"What are you talking about?" she asks him and he looks at her. "You were his lapdog once too, you know." Azrael pointed and laughed at his brother. "So were you, father, so really none of you angels can laugh about another since all of you played lapdog at least once."
"Can I ask a question, O mighty leader?" Apollyon asks. She raised an eyebrow at him and nodded. "Is the family back together now?" she smacked her forehead at the stupidity of his question. Azrael had obviously done the same thing but he was chuckling underneath his dark hood, a hand on his forehead as if he had smacked his own as well.
"My family is a bunch of idiots," she said walking to the door. "No wonder they're getting annihilated…" she opened it and walked out just as Apollyon shouted something at her.
"What do you mean by that?" he ran after her until Azrael called out and stopped him at the door. "What little brother?"
He shook his head at him. "Give her some time alone, she still needs it."
"I don't see how you can be such a good father when you won't show her what you look like." He said with a frown.
"In due time, Apollyon, in due time." He said, patting him on the back and then walking out the room.
XxX
Celine walked straight outside, going past security and into the desert sand. She stayed near the base, but out of cameras or anyone's sight. She looked around the scenery, checking for anyone and found it empty except the sand being her company. She looked at the sky, a clear one with no clouds and only the blazing sun that not even made sweat cover her forehead in a sheen. She lifted an arm over her head so she could look at the sun without it blinding her. It was such a lovely sun. Did her planet once share this sun or was it a different sun that had warmed them?
She shifted her attention to the sand and sat down, not even feeling the scorching hotness against her exposed legs. She took off her shoes and placed them aside. She crossed her legs in a lotus style and rested her hands on her knees. She breathed in and closed her eyes, first focusing on a more perfect and steady rhythm for her to breath. It naturally came to her and she shifted out of focusing on it and then went within herself, seeking and searching for the real her that was still manifesting from its dormant cage. The real her, the one she had to get used to now more than ever because not only were her friends in danger but so were her discovered family.
XxX
Herald watched from a distance, leaning against the side of the base no longer in his human form. When Celine had issued the order for no more disguises for the angels, he had shifted out of his human disguise and exposed himself for who he truly is. Golden blonde hair slightly tinged with orange crowned his head like a halo. His radiant white wings protruded from his back and rested easily against it since he had gotten used to tucking them very close to his body to perform the disguise perfectly. His blue eyes focused intently on Celine who sat calmly on the sand. Of course everyone was completely baffled when they discovered he too was an angel.
"Herald," he turned his head to look at Azrael who walked over to him. "How does she fair?" he asks slipping to his side and gazed at his daughter. He contrasted Herald who was a brilliant being of light and he was one of the darkness.
"She seeks calmness," Herald responds. "Think she's trying to sort out her problems?" he asks him.
"I don't think that's the case anymore," Azrael states with a hidden smile. "She seeks herself," he turns and places a hand on Herald's shoulder. "Continue to keep an eye on her, Herald. She may have her family now, but she still will seek you out as well."
Herald nods as he still watches Celine. "I'll notify you if anything happens." Azrael nodded and walked away.
His falling footsteps soon vanished from his hearing and he was left in silence once more. Gradually, Celine was encased in a brilliant glow that soon brightened so much that Herald had to cover his eyes so he could adjust to the sudden brightness. As he let his arm fall to his side, he watched as she slowly lifted a few feet off of the ground. Her white blonde hair looked pure white and it fluttered around her, almost around her shoulder blades as if there were wings coming out of her back.
"It's amazing how much power she has even though she's wingless." A male stated coming to his side.
"And you are?" Herald asks wearily.
"Michael," the male responds. "One of the main fifteen sent to aid our leader in the oncoming battle."
"Herald, I'm the one that was ordered by Azrael to protect his daughter." He confirms knowing it was expected of him.
"How long have you known about her?"
"Since I was first sent to protect her, a good many years ago, she was around three when I arrived here."
"Fourteen years…" Michael stated. "Is that how long you known she was his daughter?"
"Yes, that was when Azrael gave me the order and he trusted me enough to know the secret."
"Are you a fallen?"
"No…"
"Good, because you most certainly don't have that aura of a fallen," Michael turned to face him. "So why do you obey Azrael?"
"He saved my life," he said turning his head to look at him. "I've found out why he saved me fourteen years ago…"
"He wanted you to protect his daughter…" Herald nodded even though it wasn't a question. "And now…?"
"I still will do as he orders," he replies stubbornly, knowing what Michael was trying to say. "And I will continue to protect Celine as long as I live."
"Won't be for very long," he said turning to look at Celine.
"Excuse me?" Herald says turning his whole body to face him.
Michael grinned, not a reassuring grin, but a whole out malevolent one. "I said it won't be for very long," he said and plunged a sword through him. Herald stood still in shock. He looked down at where the blade had entered him and then he looked up at Michael. "I told you it wasn't for very long." He yanked out the sword mercilessly and watched as he dropped to the ground, choking on his blood that now slowly came out of his mouth.
"Herald!" a female screamed and he turned to face Celine, who tackled him to the ground and started punching him in the face.
He could see the rage in her eyes and he grabbed her wrists and knocked her onto her back and trapped her underneath him. She struggled against him, anger burning through her. Michael grinned evilly down at her, a sickening grin that made her flinch and look away. He turned his head to look at Herald who was watching them as he slowly died. Michael got off of her and dragged her to her feet, keeping good hold of both of her wrists. He continued to pick her up, lifting her off the ground so she had nothing to stand on. She kicked out with her feet, trying to hit him but he had long arms and her legs were too short.
"You're coming with me," he said and grinned.
"C-Celine…" Herald choked on his blood and rolled onto his stomach, trying to get up.
"Why don't you just lie still and die already? You pathetic angel," he said and kicked Herald over so he lied back on his back.
"Leave him alone!" she snapped at him and he turned to look at her.
"Aw, you care for your protector," he then laughed. "He'll die soon, slowly and torturously knowing that something bad is going to happen to you. Wow, what a horrible way to go," he said grinning still. "See ya, Herald, the one who failed to protect the almighty Azrael's daughter. Do tell him how much you failed; I'm sure his wrath is going to kill you in the end."
Herald watched as he just vanished before his eyes, taking Celine with him.
"Celine…" he muttered, tears spilled from his eyes and he closed them.