I hadn't posted on this blog in 4 years, so my return has been a long time coming...
Back in 2003, lightning struck and I penned my first original story...
It began with just sitting down one day and writing what would become this story's prologue. I imagined something fantastic, involving good vs. evil, magic, the elements, and reincarnation. And in the main story, my character Jonas would learn about this previous life and history repeats itself where he has to fulfill this destiny all over again.
What I'm about to attach started out as a 1-page prologue. I later expanded it into maybe 2-3 pages in a later draft. A year ago, I rewrote it longhand in a notebook. I typed it up on my laptop over the past month when I decided I'd make this the theme of my pumpkin this year.
I'll go into various revelations in a later past because lots of interesting changes happened as I was first writing it and even in the rewrites...
---
In the heavens, there lived a legion of angels.
This race of divine beings was created for one sole purpose: safeguarding
humanity. Invisible to mortal eyes, they were directed by their creator to lend
assistance where they were most needed.
Among them was a group of six endowed with the
greatest responsibility of all. They were each assigned an element of nature according
to their unique dispositions.
However,
for the final angel called to the grand altar, the large white room at the
center of the complex, his situation was different. His power would reveal
itself in time and that one day, it will become the most important. Jonaseriah
accepted this graciously without question. His love for humanity was the greatest
of any angel. The opportunity to be of extra help to them, whatever form it
took, he considered a great honor. While he waited for his time to come, he
looked just as forward to the destiny awaiting all angels: becoming human.
The same could not be said about Nightariel,
however. As the guardian of fire, he had witnessed the most destruction among
his brethren and came to one conclusion. Humanity was doomed to destroy itself
and he did not relish the notion of losing his impending mortal life to such
foolishness. When he decided something had to change, Jonaseriah felt a twinge
deep in his chest and he knew without further indication something bad was
about to happen that would impact them all.
While the other angels fulfilled their duties
as individuals, it was not uncommon for various members of this sextet to be
summoned to the same location. One day, the moment arose when five of the six
came together. A small desert town was receiving its first bout of rain in
several months and the resulting storm was quickly escalating to frightening
proportions.
All angels, by rule, could not set foot on
Earth. If they did, their wings would disintegrate and they would be unable to
return to the heavens. Because of this and the fact their work constituted a
heavier burden, each of the element guardians acted through the familiars they
created. These entities were also invisible to mortal eyes. Depending on the
century and beliefs in place, they changed form. During the current era, wind,
water and thunder acted through pegasuses and the destructive powers of fire
and lightning acted through dragons.
Nathaniel of Wind and Rebecca of Water took
charge straight away. They brought as much of their being to the site as they
deemed necessary to combat the long-term drought. But the system they created
grew so powerful, Evelyn was compelled to deliver multiple bolts of lightning. The
angels wielded their powers accordingly, but occasionally, they were compelled
by their creator to act against instinct. Naturally when this phenomenon
occurred, they were powerless to stop it.
Two more bolts struck the lone tree in the area
and the dried brush surrounding it. A large crack of thunder rumbled when the
golden pegasus reared and stomped its diamond-hard hooves on the ground. The
only inhabitants in the immediate area lived in a ramshackle house situated
under the tree. Its front door burst open and a family of six ran outside. They
froze in panic, unsure what to make of these unfamiliar conditions. Evelyn
delivered another bolt of lightning and to her horror, it struck and killed one
of them instantly. The subsequent rumble of thunder caused the tree, which was
rooted in weak soil to begin with, to topple over. Nightariel dealt the
finished blow, causing it to burst into flames. The winds generated by
Nathaniel’s Pegasus caused it to spread until it covered the entire plain. Rebecca’s
torrential downpour eventually distinguished everything within the hour,
leaving behind only ashes.
* * *
The grand altar’s interior resembled that of a
typical Christian church, but favored minimalism over ornate decoration. A line
of white marble pews ran on both sides of the aisle. At the front of the room
was a stage, mere inches above the main floor, with a podium at its center.
This space was for display only. The creator, by nature, was omnipresent and
did not physically manifest on the same plain as any of his creations. On the
rare occasions communication was given, it was always in his own unique way.
Although most angels only came to this room to
depart for missions, Jonaseriah preferred it to his dwelling while his comrades
were away. He would occupy the same pew at the front left corner of the room,
close his eyes, and silently pray for their safe return. These exchanges were
always one-sided, but it soothed his soul just the same.
He
also found it reassuring to be there to greet them upon their return—especially
on those days when not all went according to plan. At last, the large entry
doors creaked open. He rose to his feet and stood at the end of the aisle as
the others filed into the room.
Tristan, the guardian of Thunder, and Rebecca shared
sympathetic glances with him. Both nodded toward a dejected Evelyn, who was
leaning on Nathaniel for support. A few paces behind Tristan and Rebecca,
Nightariel looked back as well, but his eyes were void of any expression at
all. But while the other two retired to their living quarters, Nightariel hid
from sight in the right doorway to eavesdrop on the ensuing conversation.
The three remaining angels had a seat at the
front left corner of the room. Jonaseriah rubbed Evelyn’s arm a couple of times
before wrapping both of his around her. “I’m so sorry you had to go through
that.”
She choked back her tears. “I couldn’t stop
myself… this has happened before, but never so many people. Never children.”
Nathaniel leaned in to embrace her back. “We all have been compelled to act in
ways we don’t agree with. It’s unfortunate, but it’s part of what we do.” They
separated and sat solemnly for a moment.
Jonaseriah inhaled and averred with his hands
folded on his knees, “The loss of any life is painful. I always wish there was
some way I could help, but I can only trust in the will of our creator. There
is a reason for all that occurs, for good and for bad.”
Nathaniel leaned forward, his eyebrows crooked
as he asked, “Have you heard anything yet?”
Evelyn temporarily snapped out of her sorrow
and adjusted her attention to Jonaseriah as well. His passive stance was easy
enough for her to read. “You still haven’t been given a mission?”
He managed a hopeful smile, but gently shook
his head. This glaring fact was no secret, but it was rarely mentioned in his
presence. Jonaseriah understood everyone dealt with adversity in their own way
and they were only trying to spare his feelings. As unshakeable as his faith
was, sometimes this consideration had the opposite effect on him. So it gave
him a lump in his throat whenever Nathaniel took the time to ask. Words could
never hope to explain how grateful he was for the concern afforded to him.
All of the angels got along fairly well and
relished in each other’s company. Tristan and Rebecca existed on the same
wavelength in body and in mind despite the fact their powers weren’t often
required for the same missions—unless of course a thunderstorm was involved. It
was extremely rare for anyone to have a conversation with one without the other
being close by.
While Jonaseriah spent much of his time at the
grand altar during missions and afterwards, Nightariel was the exact opposite.
As soon as his missions were complete, he’d retire to his living quarters. For
this reason, they were a mystery to each other. Jonaseriah knew fire was a
difficult power to wield and he respected Nightariel’s ability. Yet they’d
shared so few interactions with one another, he had no way of knowing if the respect
was mutual or non-existent on the other side.
As for Nathaniel and Evelyn, Jonaseriah often
thought of them as his two closest friends. He could tell them almost anything.
Even if they had no advice for him, they were there to offer a sympathetic ear.
With more time passing in silence, it soon occurred to him that he had to share
his recent premonitions. It would be a difficult subject to broach, but the
burden of keeping them to himself had begun to weigh too much on his soul. He
also feared if he held onto them any longer, others would suffer the same
anguish Evelyn was currently experiencing.
Keeping his gaze to the empty podium, he
mentally asked for the strength to proceed. A soft warmth spread from the toes
to the tips of his wings; he took it as a good sign. “The nature of my power
remains a mystery, but since the beginning, I was promised that my destiny
would reveal itself at the right time. I have no immediate proof of this, but
intuition tells me it will be soon.”
“What makes you say that?” Nathaniel inquired.
“There’s an uneasiness I’ve been feeling for
weeks that I can’t seem to shake. Then today, there was something new.” He
lifted his shroud. Both leaned for a closer look and gasped. Just below his
heart, his skin was glowing a purplish-red. “I felt an impact deep inside and I
saw this glow radiate from my chest. It was a lot redder before. I think it
will go away eventually.” He let it drop and he straightened himself out.
After everything had time to sink in, Evelyn
ground her teeth and her hands clenched. Her voice cracked every other word. “So
you knew this was going to happen? Why didn’t you say anything?”
The warmth Jonaseriah gained through prayer
helped him maintain a sense of calm, but all he could do was state the facts as
he saw them. “It wouldn’t have made a
difference. You still had to go. The vegetation in that desert needed water.”
Fury raged through Evelyn’s entire body. The
shaking got to be so bad that she leapt to her feet. It was evident from the
distance in her eyes, no doubt reliving the recent horror, common sense wasn’t
going to reach her. “Six people are dead. Spare me your excuses.” With a quick
flip of her dark shoulder-length hair, she stormed off.
His borrowed strength now diminished, Jonaseriah
buried his face in his hands. “I should not have chosen this moment to show
candor. Those wounds are still fresh in her heart and will remain for quite
some time.”
Nathaniel patted his shoulder a couple of times
before letting it rest there. He felt just as defeated and helpless to assist
her. “I know you only wanted to help.”
The glowing faded away, freeing Jonaseriah to
breathe deeply again. “Unfortunately, she left before I could finish. That bad
feeling—more people will be involved. A lot more. We need to be prepared for
anything.”
The powers of the elements were unavailable to
the angels beyond their duties on Earth but certain aspects of these affinities
remained with them through the course of their day-to-day lives. Evelyn had
always been emotional and she sometimes had difficulty controlling her temper.
As he sat with Jonaseriah and heeded his words, Nathaniel felt the atmospheric
pressure in the room transform. His comrade spoke the truth and the gravity of
it was palpable.
Unsure at first how to proceed, the right words
eventually found him. “Do you want me to tell the others?”
“Not yet. But if you can, when the worst
becomes apparent, take the lead. I will join you when I possibly can.”
“I will.” They took hold of each other’s
forearms and had a moment of prayer for the fallen.
As Evelyn stomped down the corridor, a deep
voice reached out to her. “They cannot begin to understand.”
“Who’s there?” She spun around. Nightariel
stepped out of the shadows into the hallway. His slick smile didn’t reach his
cold eyes. “Nightariel,” she said with resignation. “I’m not really in the mood
for company right now.”
His cape floated mere inches above the floor as
he faced her directly. “Forgive my intrusion, Evelyn. I only waited here in
case you needed my help. This burden must be so difficult for you to handle on
your own. The others—they have not had to take a life as we have. Nothing
weighs on their conscious.”
“How can you know that?” She recoiled. So much
pain and uncertainty had been thrown at her so fast. She wasn’t ready for another
bombshell. “They receive different assignments than us. This is only the fifth
time the five of us had been summoned to the same scene.”
“Occasionally, I will go with the others.” He
shrugged, but maintained his pragmatic demeanor. “It’s rare, of course.”
“Then why is it harder for me than it is for
them? Am I weak?”
“No, Evelyn.” He reassured her with a firm hand
on her shoulder. “You are not weak. They do not see the results of their
actions as we do. Our approach is more direct.”
All of Evelyn’s reservations and insecurities
vanished in mere seconds. Her nerves, afire since she returned to the complex, were
finally able to cool down. Whether the reassurance she felt was the result of this
much needed conversation or Nightariel utilizing one of his abilities, it was
hard to be sure. She considered the similarities of their powers, particularly
their tendency towards destruction, and wondered why it never occurred to her
before. Her interactions with Nightariel had been few, but he appeared to be
reaching out as an ally. Other than the lives she took, the worst part of the
experience was the isolation and she never wanted to feel that way again.
After he dropped his hand, she asked about
something else pressing on her mind. “Have you had your power taken too? Were
you ever compelled to act against your wishes?”
“Frequently. But it is the will of our creator.” He flashed his eyebrows, dark humor
coloring his tone.
This didn’t register with Evelyn, but the
familiar phrase certainly did. “Jonaseriah said that too. How can he have so
much faith? We have been doing this for centuries and he has yet to see
battle.”
He could only shrug and offer another sardonic
remark. “Who knows? We were given power that suit us best. Perhaps his is
patience.”
“Well, what I do know—I am not doing that
again. I don’t want any more blood on my hands. But what can I do?”
After a long pause, Nightariel suggested, “I
may have an idea. I have a theory I have been working on for a while. If I am
going to test it out, I will need some help.”
She groaned and rolled her eyes. “Not you too!
Where were these hunches and ideas before…?” Frustrated, she knelt to the
ground and hugged her knees.
Nightariel came down to her level and braced
her shoulders. “No mortal will die by your hand again. You have my word. Meet
me here tomorrow. And we can figure it out together.”
* * *
When angels are summoned by their creator to
lend their assistance on Earth, they proceed to the grand altar where gateways
to their destinations materialize. But these portals are only open for a short
time before vanishing. Should additional aid be needed, the gates to the
heavens remained open as long as one angel was away on a mission. For the
angels possessing the elements, it was customary for all of them to enter the
grand altar together to see off the individuals chosen for missions.
The day following the storm in the desert,
Rebecca and Tristian, along with Nathaniel, were being summoned to remedy a
mudslide situation elsewhere. Nightariel and Evelyn stood on the opposite side
of the room, their eyes also on the right corridor archway. Moments later,
Nathaniel entered alone with a shrug.
“Is everything all right, Nathaniel?” Rebecca
came forward, taking his forearms in hers.
Tristan stood close behind, his hand on her
shoulder. “Yes, you’re usually the first one here. We were worried the portal
would close and you would have to catch up to us.”
“Actually,” Nightariel interceded, “the portals
remain open until all of the members of the party have gone through.”
“Right. Thank you, Nightariel,” Tristan nodded
to him. “Yesterday was so crazy. It’s easy to forget the most obvious things.”
“Wait,” Evelyn crossed the room, still staring
at the archway, “where is Jonaseriah? Isn’t he coming?”
Nathaniel replied, “He’s fine. He just has a
lot on his mind right now, that’s all.”
“Oh…” Her eyes dropped to her feet.
“It’s all right, Evelyn.” Rebecca smiled.
“Sometimes we all just need a little time on our own. I can’t imagine it’s easy
for him, joining us here and getting left out of the fight.”
“Come on,” Tristan urged her with the stroke of
her arm, “we need to go.” One after the other, they phased through the portal.
Nathaniel shared a sympathetic glance with Evelyn before departing as well.
After the gateway disappeared, Nightariel
called Evelyn out of her mental tangles. “This way.” She trailed a few feet
behind him as they went through the entrance and stopped just beyond the gates.
In the far distance to the west, three colored lights broke through the clouds:
white, gold and blue. Evelyn beamed towards her friends and folded her hands to
pray for their good fortune. Nightariel’s attention, meanwhile, was to the farthest
east where no halos were in sight.
“Follow me,” he said as he took off in the
direction of his gaze. Both of their familiars materialized once they entered
Earth’s atmosphere.
Evelyn flew in her typical zigzag pattern to
keep close behind. “Where are we going?”
“To a place no angel has ever been needed.”
A massive snow-capped mountain, crested by a
fine mist, peaked miles above the large village at its foundation. The surrounding
greenery was lush with an almost celestial glow. Evelyn’s mouth hung open as
she looked all around her. “It’s beautiful. Only the Garden of Eden surpasses
it.”
He regarded the region with equal disbelief,
not out of reverence, but bewilderment. “With so much discord in the world, it
has confounded me for centuries why no disaster has ever struck this place.”
Waves of dread shuddered through her, deflating
her buoyant mood instantly. Her mind flashed back to that final bolt of
lightning yesterday and all of the havoc it created. “Do you think it will? Are
we here to prevent an oncoming disaster?”
“To prevent further disaster everywhere.” He
faced her, raising an eyebrow. “Do you trust me?”
“Yes.” She answered with immense eagerness. She
wanted nothing more than a chance at redemption, an absolution from all of her
guilt.
“Then let’s save humanity together.” He took
her hands and a tremendous shock ran through her entire body. The most earth
shuttering scream followed.
For Nightariel, the surge of energy coursing
through him was invigorating beyond anything he could have imagined. Beams of
lightning and fire came together in his hand and transformed into a staff.
Admiring his new weapon, he aimed the orb at its tip toward the mountaintop and
blew it open. He let go of Evelyn and waved his arms over his head, willing
fire to erupt from the site of the explosion. The resulting debris engulfed the
denizens and village below.
Evelyn, now unconscious, plummeted toward
Earth. Her familiar followed close, but arrived too late to keep her from
reaching the ground. Nightariel and his familiar were side by side as they
landed. A lesser shock made him shudder to his knees. His wings caught fire,
quickly distinguishing, leaving behind a skeletal outline. “This suits me fine.
I never planned to go back.” He drew a sly eye upward.
“Traitor…” Evelyn coughed as she awoke. Try as
she might, she couldn’t rise off the ground. Her wings were still intact, but she
was pinned under the weight they gained from Earth’s gravity. Her familiar was
still as stone beside her, unable to move.
Nightariel observed his staff in wonder. The
orb, which glowed as red as Jupiter’s red spot, had an electrical field
encircling it. “I broke no promises. My staff caused this, not you.”
“What about saving humanity? You lied to me!”
“I am saving them—from themselves.” His devious
grin grew and his voice less sympathetic.
“What?” She stammered.
“It is inevitable. They war over the pettiest
things. In my work, I have seen nothing less than foolishness over and over
again. I will not be doomed to become like them. So I will create a new world
in my image. Free from war. And thanks to your power, I have another way to
ensure their destruction.” Weakly, she raised her hands toward him and reached
inside her soul. Except nothing came out, not even a spark. “This will ensure
you have no further responsibility for human life. You should be thanking me.”
“Never…” Her voice dropped below a whisper, her
strength quickly leaving her.
* * *
After yesterday’s confession caused Evelyn so
much distress, Jonaseriah thought giving her some space was the right thing to
do. Nathaniel tried his hardest to convince him otherwise before departing, but
ultimately left unsuccessful. As the hours ticked away, more regrets began to
set in.
Through his entire existence, there wasn’t a
single mission he hadn’t escorted his comrades to. Choosing isolation, despite
always being left on his own, somehow felt wrong. The creator was always with
him, but Jonaseriah felt closer to him in the grand altar. He loved to see the
grateful smiles on his friends’ faces when they found him waiting for them. And
even though his attempt to assuage Evelyn’s grief hadn’t gone as planned, being
readily available to offer encourage or condolences was a fulfilling role.
He’d just entered the great room when a
rippling pain brought him to his knees. He cradled his chest with his right
arm. A brilliant purple-red light blinded him through clenched eyelids. His
breath staggered as he struggled to remain conscious. Without any prompting, he
knew the cause.
“Jonaseriah!” Two voices called out to him
through his haze. He managed to open his eyes as Rebecca and Tristan helped him
onto the nearest pew.
Rebecca rubbed his back between the shoulder
blades where the wings emerged. Tristan implored, “What happened?”
His face had paled so much, his pale blue eyes
were almost glowing. “So many people crying out in terror. So much pain.
Nightariel—he has betrayed our cause.” Both faced each other, mirroring wary
gazes. The sharpest part of the pain had gone, but a numbness lingered in its
place. The colorful light subsided as well, but remained as a rotating spiral
spinning clockwise through his chest. “So this is my power? Feeling the pain of
others?”
“There is more.” A deep voice commanded.
Jonaseriah straightened himself in his seat, the numbness easier to bear. The
other two did as well. Jonaseriah took notice of their equally attentive stances,
astounded. The creator, when addressing his kin, did so through telepathy. This
was the first time multiple angels were addressed at once. “Pure heart is the
result of your love for humanity and all living beings. You feel their
suffering, yes, but you have the ability to heal and extinguish the darkness and
doubt in others.”
Nothing more was said and everyone relaxed
their positions. They regarded each other with wide eyes, knowing they’d shared
the most extraordinary experience. But the astonishment was short lived when
Jonaseriah remembered three angels
had left on a mission. “Where is Nathaniel?”
Rebecca explained, “When we were ascending just
now, he saw something unusual in the distance and instructed us to get you.”
“Did he say what he saw?”
Tristan took over. “He saw a red light burning
through the clouds. It was faint, but there was a yellow light as well.”
“Evelyn,” Jonaseriah gasped, leaping to his
feet.
“Are you strong enough?” Rebecca braced his
shoulder, her face riddled with concern.
“I am fine. Somehow, deep down, I knew
something of this magnitude was upon us. Nathaniel was privy to my theory and
offered to investigate on my behalf. I apologize I did not tell you as well.”
“There is nothing to forgive, Jonaseriah,”
Tristan reassured him, “we must lend our assistance however we can.”
Suddenly, a new portal appeared before them.
Unlike its predecessors, which presented a clear view of the predicament in
need of resolution, the image within was obscured with an eerie electrified
fog. The time for words had passed. One by one, the angels passed through and
it instantaneously vanished behind them.
* * *
The fire had extinguished, leaving no sign the
idyllic paradise ever existed. Where the majestic mountain once stood, a crater
equally as wide and deep had taken its place. The village was in ashes and its
population completely decimated.
Nightariel marveled at his work, consumed with spiteful
satisfaction. “I never realized the true beauty of nothingness until now.”
The combination of his casual demeanor and wry
humor set Nightariel apart from the other angels. There was an interesting
unpredictability about him that caught the others off guard one moment and by
the next, they felt at ease in his presence. Having witnessed his true colors
emerge, Evelyn could only wonder how much of his personality had been an act
and for how long. She only knew everything had changed and there was no going
back.
“You will never get away with this.” She gasped.
Numbness had seized her entire body, but through sheer force of will, her fight
for survival continued.
“Still here, are you?” He raised an eyebrow,
amusement peaking in his voice.
“Why not kill me? It was so easy with those
humans. What is stopping you from doing the same to me? I am of no further use
to you.”
“Perhaps you are right. After all, we are
destined to become human. Lightning should be equally as deadly to our kind.”
He turned his attention to her familiar. The large yellow dragon had yet to
move since his master crashed down to Earth. “Kill her,” Nightariel snapped his
fingers, anticipating immediate obedience. Instead, there was no response. “I
am your master now. Do as I say!” He spun his staff in defiance, its orb
engulfed in a blazing red fury.
“It is not so easy, Nightariel!” The wind
shifted, blowing in response to the new presence on the scene.
Nightariel flinched, caught off guard by the
intrusion. Once he turned his attention upward, however, he regained his
composure in an instant. With a smirk, he scoffed, “I should have known you
would be coming.”
Astride his familiar, Nathaniel dashed towards
the disturbance. Across what felt like the greatest distance he’d traversed in
his existence, he looked from the traitor to Evelyn and back again. His golden
eyes were liquid as despair and anger brewed inside him. The pure white Pegasus
neighed and snorted with just as much fervor as her master.
Once in range, Nathaniel dismounted. His
familiar neighed again with increasing agitation. “Patience, my friend.” He
stroked her neck to soothe her. “We’ll be dealing with him soon enough.” She
reluctantly agreed. Hovering a couple of yards away, Nathaniel circled back to
his initial point. “You may have stolen Evelyn’s power, but familiars are
eternally faithful to their creators.”
“Fortuitous
timing, Natheniel.” He retorted, “You are about to witness the creation of my
new world, free of selfish and foolish humanity.”
Nathaniel floated down until his feet were a
foot above the ground. He narrowed his eyes, repulsed by the insinuation. “The
only selfish one I see here is you, Nightariel.” His wings spread wide, forming
a protective shield between him and Evelyn. Alongside his familiar, they wafted
their wings in unison, the resulting gust knocking Nightariel off his feet. The
remnants of his wings opened best as they could, strong enough only to keep him
from falling backward.
“That will
take some getting used to,” Nightariel hissed as pain radiated from his
shoulder blades. But this was only a minor inconvenience. After dusting himself
off, he was back on the attack. “So be it.” He raised his staff over his head
with both hands, the electrified orb seething a burning red. Then, out of
nowhere, a thunderous neigh broke his concentration. The power from the staff
faded; Nightariel jammed it into the ground to stabilize himself as a tremor
shuddered under his feet. A second neigh joined thunder. Neither the incoming
angels rode their familiars as Nathaniel had, but it was clear from their
penetrating glares how livid they were about Nightariel’s betrayal. Despite the interruption, his confidence
didn’t waver. “Rebecca and Tristan, I knew it was only a matter of time. But as
usual, Jonaseriah…”
He was stopped short when Evelyn cried out,
“Look!”
Everyone in the vicinity obeyed and their jaws
dropped within seconds of each other. Their eyes were met with a brilliant
sunset. The cumulus clouds glowed red, pairing beautifully with the lavender
tint of the sky. Thousands of cherry blossoms floated precariously above their
heads, almost dancing in the light breeze. The fog that had blanketed the area since
the eruption slowly dissipated and the anger inside Nightariel boiled over.
Despite his efforts, one patch of land on the other side of the deceased
mountain, across the field from where they were all gathered, remained untouched.
The grass glowed as if it possessed its own halo. And the offending cherry tree
blossomed with equal brilliance. Standing in front of it was Jonaseriah.
Despite his feet being firmly planted on the
ground, his wings had suffered no damage at all. In fact, they spread more
brilliantly than any of the others had. More than anything else, this fact was
what infuriated Nightariel the most. Vocalizing an adequate response became
impossible, leaving him no alternative but to rethink his strategy in silence.
Even if given the opportunity, Jonaseriah
wouldn’t have known where to begin explaining these extraordinary
circumstances. He had crossed through the portal with Tristan and Rebecca, but
once they passed through, he knew in an instant how all of the pieces were
going to line up. After asking the others to join Nathaniel, he took off in the
opposite direction. Through the fog, a plot of land seemed to call out to him.
The rule that angels could not touch the ground was fresh in his mind after
witnessing what became of Nightariel and Evelyn. However, as he drew closer,
his gut told him he would be the one exception to that rule. The moment he
touched down, a single cherry tree sprouted out of the ashes. The ground
surrounding it purified as it went into full bloom. The creator spoke no clear
instructions to him, but in his heart, Jonaseriah knew everything was happening
exactly as it was destined to. It was now his responsibility to see it through
to the end.
Once the shock wore off, Rebecca and Tristan
nodded to each another. They crossed to the other side of the field, but flew
several feet above the ground with an abundance of caution. Their familiars,
meanwhile, flanked their comrade with renewed purpose and reverence. Nathaniel gave
his familiar the same instruction and it joined the others without hesitation.
Through gnashed teeth, Nightariel proclaimed,
“I see the line has been drawn. So, you were created just to defeat me? That is
your noble purpose?”
Jonaseriah shrugged, finding himself at a loss.
“I had hoped we could be reasonable, Nightariel, but it seems we are at an
impasse. What you have done to humanity is unforgivable. It has gone on far too
long now.”
“What?” Evelyn whispered. She mustered enough
strength to reach her familiar and used it as a crutch to climb to her feet.
Nathaniel turned to lend her further assistance, but she waved him away. “Don’t
worry about me. Go over and join the others.” He patted her shoulder and
obeyed, aligning himself with Rebecca and Tristan.
Facing her directly, Jonaseriah wanted nothing
more than to apologize to Evelyn and help her. But there were more pressing
matters he had to address first. He could only incline his head with a
sympathetic smile before resuming eye contact with the enemy. “Nightariel has
been acting on his own for a while now. Isn’t that right? I see your heart and
it is black as night. That is something that takes dedication. It does not
happen overnight.”
Sizing him up and doing his own calculations,
Nightariel jested, “But how will you fight me? I see no familiar, no weapon. You
have nothing!”
“How blind you have become…” He kept one eye on
Nightariel as he turned his attention to the three pegasuses behind him. They
huddled their heads together until their horns touched. With a brilliant
blinding glow, they came undone and fused together into a spiraling sword. Its
hilt was adorned with rubies and the sword itself existed in a spiral of three
colors: blue, white, and gold.
“Our powers are at your will, master.” The
three pegasuses bowed their front legs as a show of respect.
“I am intrigued,” Nightariel contemplated. “You
claim to be different than me. Yet you also take power from others to add to
your own.”
“You are wrong again. Your actions against
Evelyn were criminal. You deceived her into joining your cause. Then you
stripped her of her powers and used them against her wishes. In our case, we
are all on the same wavelength. We share a common goal and I will serve as the
channel to accomplish that goal.” He knelt down to touch the ground. With a
rumble, a strip of land arose from the ashes. It solidified into a bridge,
joining the two sides separated by the chasm. Vegetation spread as far across
as it could, but stopped short of reaching Nightariel. Dark wisps of smoke
extended from his feet, causing the new grass up to the midpoint of the bridge
to decay.
“There
is one thing I need clarified.” Nightariel shook his head, willing himself to
hold his temper until he can make sense of the situation. “How can they follow
you so blindly? An angel who never descended from the heavens? An angel who has
never seen battle? How are you any more trustworthy than I am?”
“What you say is true, but there is one point
missing in your assessment. I have been able for some time to see the
consciences of others. And I have been able to reach everyone’s apart from
yours. Angels, when they enter battle together, have the means of coordinating
their efforts by instinct. You have closed yourself off to everyone else, even
turned your back on our creator. That is why you have been free to act on your
own.” Finding himself at the end of his speech, it was now time to act. Jonaseriah
took his stance, brandishing his sword.
“Very well.” Nightariel nodded, just as eager
to begin. “If this goes badly, remember, you brought this on yourself. You all
had a seat in my new kingdom, but to use your words, we are at an impasse.” He
leveled his staff, waving his hand over the base. It transformed into a jagged
dagger with the ability to emit electricity.
Both combatants rushed forward. Jonaseriah received
a speed boost from his wings and their weapons met in the middle. They clashed
back and forth, testing each other’s strength. Nightariel stepped back into his
territory and Jonaseriah followed. When his feet touched the edge, an
unpleasant surge ran through him and his wings quickly propelled him backwards
until his feet rested on neutral ground. He called water to his aid to flood
the plain and the grass started to regrow. But lightning came through the
ground where Nightariel aimed his staff, undoing everything. Thunder, thanks to
a tremor sent by that familiar’s front hooves, shook lightning’s hold and
Jonaseriah tried wind to throw Nightariel off balance.
But it failed. He dug in his heels and
immediately began his counterstrike. “I am not so foolish to fall for that twice.”
He spun his staff in circles, steadily generating electricity and threw a bolt
at Jonaseriah.
He promptly crossed his arms over his chest.
His sword-wielding hand was on the outside, the weapon pointed to the sky to
redirect the attack. His wings spread open to help him cushion the blow and
maintain his balance. After the dust cleared, a bright purple-red light
enveloped him. The gems on the hilt were aglow, but the brightest light came
from his chest. Where his heart would be, a ruby shining in a kaleidoscope of
reds and purples was in its place.
Nightariel panted to catch his breath. “We are
at another impasse. Our creator was clever, assuring neither of us could wound
the other. Even the elements are unable to rival one another.”
During the pause in action, Jonaseriah turned
his attention to the crimson dragon at Nightariel’s flank. His master had yet
to give it any orders. It was curious. Had its power been properly utilized,
the struggle wouldn’t have been as even. He wasn’t sure if this oversight was a
result of Nightariel’s arrogance or he was simply blinded by anger because his
original plan hadn’t gone as smoothly as anticipated. Whatever the case was,
the dragon didn’t appear to mind being ignored. Perhaps, it too was just
waiting to be called into action.
“I never wanted this to be a fight.” Jonaseriah
relaxed his position, lowering his sword. “I understand your perspective.
Humanity has done its share of damage to this world and each other, but they
have done amazing things too. And as they advance as a species, they will bring
along more great change.”
“Yes, but also greater methods of destruction.
Nothing you say will change anything.” Like an agitated snake, Nightariel
lunged forward. His wings opened as wide as possible, accelerating his speed,
and he drove the jagged end of his staff into the ruby crystal, cleaving it
down the middle.
“Jonaseriah!” Nathaniel and their allies cried
out, the pegasuses all rearing and neighing in unison. He exhaled with a groan.
The wind had been knocked out of him and his mind raced to make sense of what
had just happened. All he could manage was to keep a firm grip on his sword.
“It ends now!” Nightariel sneered, triumphant.
But as he concentrated to muster lightning, nothing happened. “What?” Then he
felt a tug at his cape on the ground. He turned around and found Evelyn
clutching his ankles. A glint of yellow caught Jonaseriah’s eye; her familiar
was close behind. A smile crept across his face as he understood her plan.
“I am taking my power back!” She cried out as
she drew the current into her body and steadily transferred it back to her
familiar. Its mouth opened as a swirling ball of electricity grew bigger inside
it.
Now seeing an opening, Jonaseriah thrust his
blade into Nightariel’s heart. “Radial Saber Extradition!” Wincing with pain
from his wound, Jonaseriah poured all of his energy into his attack. The
resulting prism of light, in conjunction with Evelyn’s efforts, enveloped the
entire island and a tremendous explosion followed.
When the smoke cleared, every trace of
Nightariel was gone along with half of the ruby crystal in Jonaseriah’s chest.
He fell down to one knee and the others quickly surrounded him. “I am fine—just
tired.” He caught his breath and assessed the area. The darkness on
Nightariel’s side of the field had spread. Only the cherry tree remained
untouched. Addressing everyone around
him with individual glances, he was overcome with gratitude. “Thank you for
lending me your strength. I couldn’t have done this without your help.” Pegasuses,
dragon and angels all nodded, beaming with equal appreciation. Then he realized
someone else was missing and gasped, “Where is Nathaniel?”
Tristan and Rebecca braced each of his
shoulders to lend immediate reassurance. Rebecca answered his query. “Once he
saw that you survived the battle, he took off on his familiar to survey any
possible damage to the region. In case our assistance is needed elsewhere.”
“That’s good to hear. He’s
been an invaluable ally and friend.” He smiled and the others nodded in
agreement. “Wind is also the swiftest of the elements and time is of the
essence right now.”
Nathaniel returned a few moments later.
Compared to his countenance before the duel, he was more relaxed. The relief in
his eyes carried over to the others in a matter of seconds. “I checked the
entire archipelago. The other islands suffered no impact. Life is carrying on
as if nothing happened.”
“Good
work, Nathaniel. Now, I must get to my own work.” Jonaseriah tried to stand,
but he cringed and fell back down. His wings shielded him for protection as he
panted from his knees.
Nathaniel, seeing Rebecca and Tristan already
at his backside, meet with him face to face. “Tell us what you need done while
you rest. We can handle it.”
“Thank you. Wind and water need to restore the
weather pattern back to rain.” Following the signals of their masters, the
white and gray pegasuses disappeared into the clouds. The breeze picked up
speed and the beautiful colors in the sky gave way to various shades of gray.
“I want to help. What can I do?” Evelyn was
still relying on her familiar for support, but the color in her face continued
to improve. Between this and Nathaniel’s reconnaissance, the burden weighing on
Jonaseriah’s conscience had all but vanished. He felt so fortunate that Nightariel’s
action had brought no further harm to his friends and allies. This filled him
with enough strength to rise to one knee.
He replied, “Come together with thunder to
create a storm, but allow it to last only to the dawn.”
“Right away.” She nodded to her familiar, who
departed with the golden Pegasus to join the others. Nathaniel, Tristan and
Rebecca also left to carry out their assignments.
“Please,” Jonaseriah turned to Evelyn, “help me
to my feet.” She offered him a hand and lifted him up. As she wrapped his arm
around her shoulders, his power extended to her wings. Not only did they grow
lighter, but all of the damage that had been reversed. After the first rumble,
he added, “We’ll need some shade from the storm.”
“What if the lightning hits the tree?”
She began to panic, her heart rate quickening,
but he dismissed her concerns. “It won’t. The tree will be protected by a
barrier as long as I breathe.”
“Is it your familiar?” Finally getting the
chance to view it properly, she gasped at its radiance. The blossoms glowed in
every shade of pink imaginable and the rain only enhanced their beauty.
“I am not sure if that is the proper term, but I
had a vision of it when I entered Earth’s atmosphere and it came into being
soon after.”
As they made the slow walk through the rain,
the land began to renew, starting from where Jonaseriah’s feet touched the
ground. The two of them leaned against the trunk of the tree and stayed dry as
the raindrops fell around them. After another flash and rumble, Evelyn
observed, “That was a good idea. Partnering lightning and thunder. If there was
thunder, maybe it could save more lives from lightning strikes. Was it true
what you said earlier—about mankind doing more amazing things?”
“I have no doubt. They have already learned how
to harness fire, but may not be experts at managing it. If they did the same
with lightning, it could be a more stable source of light for their homes.”
“Wow. And I never thought lightning could be
anything but destructive.”
“All of the elements are capable of good and
bad. That much I’ve learned from talking with the others about their work. It’s
the same with humanity. Unfortunately, that was something Nightariel was never going
to understand. He only experienced them at their worst, so it would be
difficult for him to see them as anything else.”
She sighed, “I wish I had never believed him.
Then none of this would have happened.”
He rubbed her back. “We cannot change the past,
Evelyn. We can only learn from our mistakes to make the future a better place.”
Her mind started to spiral through all of the
what-ifs but the close proximity with Jonaseriah extinguished those doubts one
by one. This freed her mind to focus on the bigger picture. “You’re right. If
this was his plan all along, I’m sure he would have find some way to make it
happen. And I’m really glad you finally found your calling and were able to
join us.”
“That makes two of us. It’s unfortunate it had
to be under these circumstances, but no matter what my purpose was going to be,
I was ready to accept it.”
The thunderstorm subsided the following
morning. The surrounding land had been restored to its former glory. As the sun
rose, an iridescent rainbow streaked across the sky. One by one, the angels and
their familiars returned and he congratulated every one of them. “Well done,
everyone. Thank you.”
“There is no sign of darkness anywhere.”
Nathaniel said. “No trace of Nightariel.”
“What of his familiar?”
“That’s right,” Evelyn recollected, “I don’t recall
it even participating in the fight.”
Jonaseriah clarified with a shrug, “Nightariel never
called on its power and I found that very strange. Especially since it was the
only ally he had at his disposal.”
Nathaniel elaborated, “I saw it leave the area
just before the rain started coming down. Its expression was difficult to read,
but if its speed was any indication, it had a destination in mind far away from
here. Apparently what I told Nightariel still holds true: familiars are
eternally faithful to their masters.”
“You make a compelling point. I anticipate when
the dragon reappears, so will Nightariel and we must be prepared for whenever
that time comes.” Everyone nodded in agreement.
Jonaseriah stood up. He took a few steps away
from the tree when another wave of weakness washed over him. He groaned,
clutching his chest. His wings spread to provide stabilize as his knees
threatened to buckle. “Something’s wrong.” There wasn’t a hint of a question in
her voice. Deep down, Evelyn knew something had been wrong for a while. She rushed
to his side and braced his shoulder. The other angels exchanged nervous glances
with one another before turning their attention back to him.
Between labored breaths, he gasped, “My time is
nearing its end, I’m afraid. My heart, the love I have for humanity, it must
remain here where it can do a lot of good for this world. I only hope I have
enough purity of heart in my next life to counteract the darkness when
Nightariel returns.” He knelt down. His hands, along with the rest of his body,
shook as he placed them on the ground. As the ruby in his chest glowed and its vivid
light dispersed across the surface of the ground, tears welled up in the eyes
of his comrades. Once his noble duty was complete and the ruby vanished into
thin air, Jonaseriah lost consciousness for the last time. Nathaniel and Evelyn
reached to catch him before he fell. Rebecca and Tristan turned around and their
hearts sank as the tree and all of its blossoms faded from existence.
Suddenly, as if by magic, he rose into the air
and the others were summoned to join him. With heavy hearts, they conceded that
the age of the angels had reached its end. They formed a circle around his body,
grasping each other’s hands, and vowed to make their strength available to
Jonaseriah when it came time to duel Nightariel again. Some passed their
memories to their familiars and, generations from now, would act in their place
as his allies. The others would become human with no memory of their former
lives, but their paths were also destined to cross with Jonaseriah in the
distant future. As for the angel of pure heart, his extraordinary story was
just beginning.
