Chapter 28

Hey everybody, wow, you guys really liked the last chapter. Anyhow, only 2 more chapters after this one! I have thirty planned, but I usually don't stick to my plans. Well, I promised I would finish this before July, and I have a lot of spare time on my hands. Ten dollars here I come! Oh and guess what, I love my best-friend Miranda. She's amazingly awesome and I wuv her. Btw, you have been hacked….. by Miranda….

R&R?

Max

War never sleeps, and neither does the soldiers. We had guards and scouts stationed everywhere, taking two hours of shifts each, rotating shifts irregularly, making sure that no one can find a hole in our system. I could tell this was unnatural for most of the angels, being on Kalnyem Plains, being on Earth in general. It didn't hurt them to be on earth, but it hurt the demons. The running water from the multiple rivers snaking across the plains limited their movements, trapping them in a narrow triangle of land. They were slowly moving back, and we had all the advantages now: the advantage of terrain, of numbers, and of power. We had the archangels fighting alongside us and that gave the lesser angels and the Roman Army hope. It gave me hope. And it also gave me the burden of responsibility.

It killed me to see the angels and the humans in the infirmary every day, each with more wounds than the next. The stain of blood on white sheets and bandages, the stink of sickness, the cries of pain all hurt me as much as them. The healing angels were getting tired; I could see the weariness in their faces.

The Flock was making themselves useful. Iggy and Gazzy were my generals, and they covered tactics with the rest of my generals. Angel served as intelligence and Nudge helped out in the infirmary. Even though Nudge's ever-constant speech could make any angel, demon, or human's ears bleed, she had a gift of healing. I saw Dylan a couple times while I checked up on the sick or wounded. He was bent over a patient, his eyes closed in concentration, his song resonating through the room. Some part of me was grateful, but I was still a little wary of him after what Lucifer had said about him. But I really shouldn't let Lucifer's comments get to me.

And Fang? He avoided me, I don't know why. The last time I saw him, was when he said he loved me. When he said that he would protect me, that it was his job to protect me. Where is he? Why did he leave? Some part of me called out for him, but I'm a leader now, and he's just one angel I have to worry about. I have so many other people I need to take care of. But why did he tell me he loved me and then leave?

I think that despite the fact that I'm the indestructible Maximum Ride, I need him.

I miss him.

Fang

It was in the pitch black of midnight that I left the camp. It was easy enough to hide in the night unless I was caught by a Seeing Angel. Those angels can sense anyone. That's why they were usually posted as scouts.

I felt completely useless back at camp. Max was being her usual commanding self, taking the part of the Chief Commander of Heaven's Army, the rest of the Flock was being useful, and everyone had a part to play except me. I saw how those people suffered out on the battlefield, humans and angels alike. Max goes out to fight every day. What if she comes back, broken and bleeding like the rest of them?

I had no part to play. I wasn't useful in any way except fighting. But I couldn't even fight, considering how I couldn't fly properly because of this stupid injury. I hated being weak, I hated sitting back and watching Max fight and put herself in danger, and I couldn't do anything to protect her. I hated it all.

"Nicholas, is it?"

I whirl around, "Who are you?"

A grey-haired, grey-eyed angel stepped from the shadows and into a pool of light from a torch, "I'm Ibar, a river angel."

"What do you want?"

"Rude, are we?" Ibar smirks, reminding me a lot of me, "I want to help you."

"Why should I trust you?"

"You shouldn't," Ibar laughs, and turns into a dark-winged demon.

I snarl and slid into a defensive stance, "Demon," I spat, "How did you get here?"

He smiles and I throw myself into him, reaching down into my boot to retrieve a dagger. He becomes mist just as I bring the blade down towards him. Ibar appears behind me.

"Max will suffer," Ibar says.

I throw the dagger into him and he doesn't disappear this time. It pierces straight into his chest. I've killed demons before, but it was nothing like this. Something seems to float away from him, like dust off of a statue. His smirk disappears. The dark mask he wears slides off. It is an angel that stands before me.

"What did you do?" A little scared scout from 12 stands before me, her pale green eyes are accusing.

I know how I must look. I was bent over a dead angel with a dagger in his chest. I straightened to face her. She runs from me.

Max

"Ma'am, the demons' forces on the front lines have backed down," a messenger reported.

"The attacks from the east were quelled as well," another scout stated.

And all of a sudden, everyone was before me, giving me great news. The forces from east or south have retreated, that the demons might be giving up. It takes me a few seconds to comprehend everything.

"Wait, what?" I ask after the onslaught of news stops.

The Flock looks at me and smile, Ari stands by my side. They all nod.

"We've won," Iggy says.

Thank you all for your support, and I am aware that my friend left a message up there. She told me to leave it or else. Yikes! Kidding, she's super supportive of me too so I kinda left it.

ILOVEMEERKATS-Thanks, that was super flattering. Believe it or not, I've never been in love, so I guess I must be improvising pretty well Max and Fang's relationship. Well, I am sorta in love but it's kinda unrequited. Sucks, right? He's like Fang actually, tall, dark, silent. And I think he thinks I'm crazy because I'm super out-going at school… Come to think of it, I don't know much about war either. Do I do a good enough job of covering it up? I have a morbid sense of humor, thanks to my family...

Anon13- Yep, he didn't die… I couldn't stand it if he did.

HaleyBopperz- It's not a story without Fang, right? Haha…

Arocksprpl2- Yep, I love Faxness too don't worry.

RockerBabe414- Thanks, the last couple weeks were hectic. I'm glad everyone is so happy Fang didn't die.

wish2love4life- Thanks for the support! My dad took French as a major in college, but I'm taking Spanish courses at my school. He thinks it's a conflict of interest… But French is an awesome language to learn.

Is anyone here against Fang being alive? Just curious… I won't bite your head off if you do… Well, thanks everyone for reading and reviewing. Lots of love, ಧನ್ಯವಾದಗಳು (Kannada)