Protect and Follow
By: MusketeerAdventure
Summary: Events come to a head in Vega. Michael and Gabriel clash as Noma, Pete and the citizens of Vega show unwavering faith in the chosen one.
Chapter 27: The Beginning Part Four
Noma startled to awareness – dazed and confused; as if awakening from a distant mystifying dream, and found she stood precariously alone in the street. With no clear memory of why she stood here, tendrils of unease filled her gut. A sense of gentle fluttering, and shifting air at her back had her gasping in anticipation.
When she turned to see; to reach for the wave of feathery down – nothing was there. Staring down at her empty hands she swallowed hard, and felt her heart break just a little. The disappointment; the void was great….but she knew deep down that she could live with it; that she must live with it.
Spinning around to take in her surroundings, she immediately noticed the silence; the black sky void of billowing flames and worried that while she stood here in a stupor, wishing for the unattainable, the war had been lost.
Her mind fell on Alex. Where was he? Was he okay?
Shaking free from her inertia, and sense of foreboding, Noma gathered her wits and took off running. The urgency to find Alex, to protect him pushed past the remnants of a dream which whispered to her of betrayal. That sung to her – the promise of flight; and cooed with menace to make her way east with the chosen one.
Once again she had been set upon by the messenger of evil – who deftly played on her weaknesses and vulnerabilities. "Not this time!" she sobbed into the stillness, swiping tears from her face as she raced from street to street. She remembered her recent, near fatal encounter with the darkness. How she would have died happily; killed without malice if it meant she could fly again.
Alex had saved her then; brought her back from the edge of despair, and he would save her now.
Noma set a quick pace, and murmured to herself in time with her pounding feet, "I will not betray him. I will not betray him. Not again. Not again." Terrible memories washed over her; drowning; suffocating her beneath unforgivable things she had done over two decades ago – unforgivable things she would never speak of aloud.
Rounding a corner, she found herself merging with other stray citizens from the fighting, streaming their way from the nooks and crannies of Vega – moving toward the Luxor. Following suit she blended in and let herself be pulled along with the crowd.
Some acknowledged her with a nod, and shrugged at her silent question of "What is going on?"
In the night sky – a sonic boom of displaced air rocked the earth and tilted everyone sideways; people bumping against shoulders; careening into walls; some stumbling to the ground. Every eye searched the heavens to see the Archangels, Michael and Gabriel meet in midair; swords drawn – engaging in a solitary battle with no heed to those below.
As steel met steel - lightening emanated then streaked, crackled and sizzled between them. Their swords generated such energy, that it lit the sky; blew up wind; dust and debris; causing those watching from the ground to cover their eyes or turn away. Such a display had Noma shivering – frightened for all here if Michael were to fall by Gabriel's hand.
And then, there ahead, waving people below into the underground parking garage was Pete.
Noma sighed with relief; the battle above all but forgotten. Here was Pete – a beacon of light, waving everyone forward, down into safety. Apologizing, pushing people aside, she rushed to face him, and for the first time in hours felt a flame of hope erupt in her chest.
Michael above – Alex nearby; it would all work out – it just had to.
"Pete", she yelled; grabbed his shoulders and gave a quick embrace. Pulling back, she looked into those eyes and for the briefest of moments saw her dorky; innocent; brave Pete staring back at her. But then she looked him over and he morphed into a tired, weary soldier – covered in blood; his weapon of choice hanging loosely from his belt loop.
"Noma" he answered, "Am I glad to see you!" and hugged her back; his body sagging minutely into hers. She sensed a weight lift from his shoulders and asked anxiously, "Alex?"
"He's okay; waiting for us below. Go to him Noma. He has a plan."
Frowning, she sought to determine details from his cryptic choice of words and his demeanor.
"No", he shook his head. "You have to hear it from him", and pushed her away to follow the growing throng of people filing into the underground garage.
Alex gazed out over the now hundreds, if not at least a thousand Vega citizens kneeling and standing about on the cold concrete of the garage floor – warily waiting for him to speak. He could feel the markings shift on his skin, beneath his jacket – so removed it for all to see.
An echoing murmur of incredulity filled the darkened space, and those who stood; took a knee – reverently witnessing the markings of God move as if by magic across Alex's body. Here before them stood the chosen one – the miracle of God's gift they all prayed to since the beginning of the extermination wars; the one who would deliver them from the Archangels; and the scourge of the eight balls. Here was the child born, to save them all.
Noma appeared to his left; her eyes shining with love and awe. Reaching out to hold her hand, he kissed it and squeezed tight. "I was worried", he sighed; then brushed his lips gently with hers. For a moment, it was as if they were alone; and so placed his head in the crook of her neck – and felt the pulse of life. She held him close, and he could feel her fingers card lightly through his hair; soft, hushed words warm in his ear; and breathed in her essence imparting to her his plan; praying that she would understand – not try and talk him out of it…then the moment was gone.
Pete appeared to his right. "I've left someone at the entrance to lead more people down", and nodded succinctly; ready to receive instructions. Alexis' plan a weight between them, hurriedly explained to him earlier. A plan he had attempted to counter with no success. So he had let it go; knew from experience - there was no talking Alex out of something his mind was set on.
The mighty clanging of steel – felt as thunder – boomed out above them in the open street. "Michael and Gabriel engage each other as we speak." Noma shared; and the crowd looked up as if they could see through the concrete.
Over the thunderous noise and crackle of energy, Alex raised his voice to address the citizens. "Please everyone...listen!" And he searched their faces until every eye was upon him; and all that could be heard were harsh breathing; stray coughs and soft moans of pain.
Now that he had everyone's attention; he stood at his full height and pointed forcibly at his chest. "I'm nothing special", he began quietly. "Just an ordinary man"; and paused to think on how he was raised – how Michael saw to him; made sure he ate, was clothed and when of age trained him up so that he could join the Angel Corp – taught him about life; how to be good person.
Studying his arms carefully, he cleared his throat and continued. "These markings were a gift to me; passed on from my father; who received them from Michael who retained them from God. These markings were given as a road-map to help lead the way; to bring about peace on this earth."
"But I need your help." he pleaded. "I believe that this is the hour."
Gesturing above and then out toward the garage opening which led to the street, he forged ahead, "Michael has given us an opening. He distracts Gabriel at risk to his own life; a life that has always been dedicated to Vega and her people."
"If you can trust me, follow me out of there; then I know we will take back our homes; our way of life. If not – if it's not to be, then we will burn this city to the ground and leave nothing for Gabriel to lord over."
Above ground the volatile storm of thunder and lightning created by Michael and Gabriel's continuous battle raged on with such force the ground shook; causing dust and bits of concrete to fall like white powder.
"We have all sacrificed much. Will you do this?" he beseeched. "Will you stand with me?"
Searching each face, he hoped against hope that his plan would work. Hoped that no more life would be loss – that he understood what the winding twisting markings meant. As they shifted; moved; and swirled about his torso; arms and hands – he knew this was the only way to save them all – man; eight ball and angel alike.
Surely this is what God was trying to tell him; what Michael had tried to impart all these years. This was the moment. But if this didn't work – if it wasn't what he thought…. what then?
Noma left her feet, knelt on bended knee by his side and answered his summons, "yes", and bowed her head praying that this was the answer. Pete did the same and with the hundreds of Vega citizens in unison answered, "yes".
With gratitude, Alex paused…moved forward and called out to each and every one, "Then follow me!"
Thank you for reading. Please let me know what you think by leaving a review! I am determined to complete this piece! So thank you to all of you who have decided to read and stick with it! And as I write this; I'm realizing, just how much I miss this show!