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Lore of the Angels Ch. 01

By: Alecrire



Hi all. This is my first attempt at writing but I hope to get some comments and feedback as to how I can improve. I really love paranormal fantasies and nonhuman stories and after reading so much great work here, I've decided to give my own ideas a place on paper. So here it is. Hope you like it!

***

Aria was a Valkyrie –specifically an Ayn; trained in the art of stealth, disguise and intelligence. In other words, she's a spy. There were other denominations of Valkyries of course –most notably the Warriors, the Hunters and the Trackers but Aria didn't choose to be an Ayn. She was born one. 

And a born Ayn was rare –so rare that only the richest of clients could afford her services. The ability to cloak oneself with Illusion was only available to the Archangels but the born Ayns also possessed this and it was what made them highly sought after, especially in times of war... like now. 

Though she owed no loyalty to anyone, Aria took her job seriously. She had been hired by Iluna, the Archangel of South America, to enter the enemy lands up north and gain information about their next attack movements. It should be an easy task, except that Iluna had requested Aria to spy specifically on the reigning Archangel –Zilarrezko; otherwise known as the Archangel of Death. Aria had never seen Zilarrezko in person but the stories that were told of his power always sent fear in her people. Fear was the reason why Archangels were up there together with the Ordinal angels while the Valkyries and the Humans lay at the bottom of the hierarchy. 

Lores of the Angels had been told repeatedly to her as a child, so much so that she could recite them right now, even as she lay crouched on the roof of the Obelisque –the highest tower in New York that housed the Archangel and his Ordinals. 

At the beginning of time, the first creation had been Darkness and then there was Light. Fire was created to sustain light in the dark and Water was made to put it out. Finally, Earth was made and with it, Metal embedded deep within its soils. 

Out of these were born winged creatures; each bearing a feature of their birth elements –some called them angels, others were called nymphs but only one was called Man and he was born out of Earth. 

However, only the strongest of these creations were named Cardinals; better known as Archangels and they divided up the lands amongst themselves, often fighting for more territory and more power. 

After centuries of fighting, Earth conceded and five kingdoms were carved out and they were: Iluna of South America, Zilarrezko of North America, Yukiko of Asia, Noor of Africa and Cyrus of Europe. 

A wry smile hit the curve of her lips as she recalled the Lore. Just because they were Cardinals did not mean they were invincible. Her undetected presence, just a few feet from the Archangel himself proved her point. She had been listening to him all night; hidden in the shadows, cloaked in the safety of her Illusion and quiet as a mouse. She didn't even shiver when rain began to soak her body even though the chills seeped right through to the bone. 

The Archangel had meetings with his Ordinals for precisely three hours each day starting at midnight. Thus for three days, Aria had crouched on the roof of the Obelisque, putting into memory every single detail that transpired within the walls of the Archangel's office. 

***

"Have you news for me Aria Ayn?" 

Aria got down to her knees before the Archangel Iluna and whispered, "Yes Cardinal."

"Rise and tell me."

Aria got to her feet and lifted her eyes to look at the exquisite creation before her. Iluna was born into Darkness –the oldest and most secretive clans –but not necessarily the most powerful. However, she was the most powerful Dark angel and deserving of her status as Cardinal or Archangel. 

One look at her and no one would doubt it. Her wings were in a color that could only be described as cloudless night skies with its blanket of stars. Looking at them, one would feel eternally lost within its chasm. 

There had never been words invented to describe the intense beauty of an Archangel for it affects all living creatures differently. Men –both Valkyrie and Human alike would praise her for her seductive allure; her intoxicating scent that pulls at their very loins and make them beg to be pleasured. Oh, Aria had seen that before and she had no doubt that Archangel Iluna ate men for breakfast –literally or not. 

But to her, Iluna sent chills down her body; not from the cold but from the promise of eternal darkness that would rob one of all his or her senses leaving them with nothing but a strange vacuum of pitch black eternity. 

"Archangel Zilarrezko had commanded his Valkyrie troops to station themselves along the border. He has the Snow Queen's Valkyries at his disposal as well Cardinal."

"What! That's just absurd! Why that bitch Yuki! How dare she ally with him!" exploded Iluna, her pretty face scrunched up in anger. "And these Valkyries... what denominations are they?"

Aria had to smile. That was not what Iluna wanted to know. She wanted to know if Zilarrezko had any Ayn Valkyries. 

"There are only five of us in the world at this moment Cardinal and none of the others are on this continent."

"How sure are you of this?"

"They are my brothers and sisters, Cardinal. I am sure."

Iluna relaxed slightly at the confidence in Aria's voice but spread her starlit black wings nonetheless to its full height in an open display of her prowess. Aria understood the silent warning –there was no point lying to an Archangel. 

"Very well Aria Ayn... your next task is slightly harder but I will not accept no as an answer."

Aria kept silent and bowed her head. 

"I have made the necessary fund transfer into your account. Consider it an advance payment."

Aria continued keeping quiet... simply waiting for Iluna to speak again. 

"I would like you to seduce Archangel Zilarrezko and learn all his secrets."

What! Aria's brain was screaming in shock. She raised her eyes to stare at Iluna but the Archangel ignored her and was instead fashioning a weapon of sorts from the pools of Darkness surrounding her. 

"Cardinal Iluna... I don't think that's a..."

"I have said that I will not accept 'no' as an answer."

"Wouldn't any of the other angels be a more suitable candidate for this task Cardinal? It is almost impossible for a Valkyrie to seduce an Archangel."

"You will do it," she said forcefully as she handed over a black pearl necklace to Aria. "Use this when he is at his most vulnerable. It will help to incapacitate him."

"Will it kill him?"

"Of course not. Only an Archangel can kill another Archangel."

Aria took the necklace but did not put it around her neck. 

"You have given me valuable intelligence Aria... but I need more. I need to know Zilarrezko's weaknesses and the only way to learn that is to be within his most trusted circle. I want to know his relationship with Yuki –is she his weakness? Or perhaps he is hers?" 

Aria wanted to retort As he is yours? but disciplined herself not to betray any emotion or thought. 

"I will give it my all, Cardinal."

Iluna came closer to Aria; their nose almost touching each other. "I want you to exhaust every single option that you have. I don't care how you do it. During this time, you will not report to me and don't come back until you've incapacitate him with my Pearl."

Aria was about to nod when Iluna added in a soft whisper, "If you fail, I will come for your head myself is that clear?"

Aria nodded, stepped back to give a bow and strode out of the Archangel's hall. 

***

Hours later, in her small hotel room, Aria began to peel the skintight material off her body. In fact she wouldn't even call it a material for it was exactly like a second skin –its color and texture changes according to who was looking at her. She could be wearing a dress or a suit or a string bikini but most importantly, she would appear to be whatever it was that kept the onlooker at ease –which was doubly important when you're an Ayn. She didn't really need it to maintain Illusion but neither could she live without it. 

Standing naked, she examined herself in front of the mirror. Her body was lithe and toned as a Valkyrie's body should be with breasts that were perfectly shaped to balance her figure. Not many have seen her actually naked but if they did, they'd notice the slight golden tan in her skin, inherited from her Persian ancestors. As for her hair, on the first look, it appeared to be completely black but as you sift through it, you'd find strands of blue that complemented the pupils in her eyes. Yes, that's right. Her pupils were blue surrounded by irises that were pure black. 

The winged helmets and the muscular Amazonian bodies that most people associate with Valkyries were in fact only applicable to the Warrior denomination. The winged helmet was part of their uniform that showed their subservience to the Angels. 

But Aria was subservient to no one and if she was going to sell herself to the North American Archangel, then she'd better have an excellent escape plan. 

Lying naked on the bed, she reached out for her laptop and started opening up the various files labeled 'Silverbells' –well, she had to name him something right? Even an encrypted file would receive double glances if she labeled it outright with his name on it. Besides, Zilarrezko means Silver in her native language and bells were just a reminder of the Archangel's clan type –Metal. 

Even after days of spying on the Archangel, Aria never had a chance to actually see him up close. She had heard that where other angel wings were soft and touchable, his were tough knife like points that would kill the instant he stretched them out. 

And still, Archangel Iluna asked her to seduce him. 

Now... the question was how?

***

He'd been waiting for her to come for the past week and had been slightly irritated and disappointed when he discovered she was not in her usual hiding place –oh he knew she was there alright. He had pretended to give false instructions out loud to his Ordinals, all the while keeping his true instructions, silent and inside their heads. 

He'd added that little bit about Yuki just to piss Iluna off –of course he knew it was she who sent the spy. It just annoyed him that he had been too patient; amusing himself with the falsities instead of breaking through the wall and snapping the little spy's head. 

Zilarrezko knew it was a woman or at least his senses told him it was a woman but what type of woman was the question begging to be answered. His first instinct told him it was a Valkyrie but considering the height of the Obelisque, he was willing to accept that it could have been an Angel too. Those Dark Angels were pretty sneaky and in the cloak of the night, practically invisible too. 

After millennia of existence, nothing much amuses or fascinates him anymore until the last week when he sensed her watching him. It intrigued him as to why he couldn't see her and that was enough to drive him crazy because an Archangel lived to know everything. 

Where is his mystery woman and when is she coming to see him again? 

Maybe he'll be nice –play with her a little before slicing her apart, limb by limb. How exciting.

Zilarrezko moved away from his window; silvery wings stretched tautly behind him. Perhaps she would come when he's sleeping, he thought, curving his lips up in a sexy grin. Very well then... he will wait for her. 

***

Aria was certain that her plan was stupid but it was the only way to ensure that he takes her in straight away. There would be only two outcome of this plan –one was to be a prisoner and the other was death. Aria prayed for the first. Prisons were just walls; escape was possible and inevitable. 

So when she landed on the rooftop of Obelisque, Aria was simply waiting to get caught. 

She wore nothing but her second skin and wondered what the Archangel would see when he finally caught her. Would he see an Angel? Or a Valkyrie? Or perhaps even a Human? Whatever it was, Aria patiently waited to find out; her finger absently fingering the black pearl tucked neatly between her breasts, beneath her outer covering. 

She was still fingering it when razor sharp blades covered her vision in a blink of an eye. She knew they were blades for they made that unmistakable sound of metal clashing against each other but it was nothing compared to the hard surface that slammed itself against her back. Aria tried not to think about that. 

"Did you come here to die?" 

Aria almost screamed 'yes' but her training forced her to short-circuit his suggestion. 

"Impressive," he commented; his voice strong yet silky against her ears. It was a trick, she knew. He was going to push all her buttons to see which one yielded the most results. "You must be a Valkyrie... or a very strong Angel that slipped my notice." 

Aria was surprised. He couldn't decide what she was and if her Illusion was still working –that meant that he was probably seeing her as a winged creature... or maybe not. He could just see her naked if he wanted to. 

"So what are you?" Again with that silky voice... and then a strong hand wrapped itself around her throat. "Answer me or I will rip your vocal chords off." His words were gentle but the threat wasn't. 

"Va...val..." she stammered –not out of fear but due to the force of his grip around her neck. Only when he released it a fraction was she able to blurt out, "Valkyrie."

The moment those words were out of her mouth, she felt herself being lifted into the air; strong hands holding her by her waist for a minute –then the next she was free falling through the air. 

"Oh my god! Oh my god!" she started screaming as her vertical descent took on a higher velocity. She was going to die. 

***

He watched her falling towards her death –if she was stupid enough not to open her wings that is. Zilarrezko was sure that she was lying. A spy never tells the truth. Or was she?

She was going to crash straight into midnight traffic on Times Square. Idiot! There was no way he was going to let her die on his watch so soon. That was definitely going to escalate the war. Besides she might prove useful... after all, she is the enemy. 

With a sigh of resignation, the Archangel swooped down from his mid air position and grabbed her just inches before her face smashed into an oncoming taxi. 

"Valkyrie!" he barked at her when they returned to his rooftop but Aria had already passed out. 

He considered laying her on his bed but then decided not to. Instead he dumped her on the cold hard floor of his rooftop and simply waited for her to regain her consciousness. 

It didn't take long... and boy was she pissed. 

"You son of a bitch! Why'd you do that for!" she screamed at him. Zilarrezko was sure that she had forgotten who she was speaking to. Her lack of self restraint should have angered him but instead he found her amusing. 

"It's my personal lie detector."

"Why you..." she yelled and came charging towards him; a blade in her hand. Where the hell did she get... 

"Valkyrie... are you trying to kill me with my own feather?" he laughed watching the blade she held in her hand turn into a soft grey down. "Surely you are not so stupid." 

"Urgh!" she spat angrily then crossed her arms around her chest. "Do what you want with me. Kill me if you want to. I can't stand you."

The Archangel found his interest sparking to a new level. What an intriguing woman. 

"What is your name Valkyrie?" Aria was about to answer (lie) when his lips pressed close to her ear to whisper, "If you lie to me, I won't promise to catch you when you fall this time."

Asshole! She screamed silently. "Aria," she replied defiantly before turning to look him straight in the eye. "And you?"

The Archangel's eyes widened in genuine surprise then he laughed. "I would have enjoyed killing you over and over tonight if only you had been an immortal. But alas, you amuse me too much even as a mortal."

She narrowed her eyes at him but didn't say anything. Aria knew that she had stepped the line back there with her unnecessary taunt. If she didn't know herself better, she would have said she was trying to flirt with the Archangel. For god sake! Flirting and seducing were two very different things!

And now he was moving closer to her; a hand cupping her chin forcefully. "You will call me 'Master'."

This time, it was she who widened her eyes in protest. Before she could verbalize her resistance, he was gone and in his place were two large, indestructible-looking metal cuffs –one clamped around her neck and the other to her right ankle. There were no chains but Aria was sure that just because she can't see them doesn't mean they weren't there. 

***

Aria did not remember how long she slept but when she woke up, she was aware of someone watching her –except that it wasn't the Archangel. Opening her eyes slowly, she came face to face with the most beautiful lavender lashes she had ever seen. Instinctively she reached out to touch it. 

"Tut tut! No touching." 

She blinked her eyes to open them fully and saw the flirtatious smile of a lavender winged angel; his face bare inches from hers. Had he been watching her the whole time?

"Pervert," she hissed out. 

"Unfortunately that's not my name," he smiled as he lightly touched her cheek with a finger. "My name is Lucian and I will be your guardian for your... uh duration of service to the Cardinal." 

Aria noted the smug look and amusement in his tone. 

"Lucian of Samosata," she murmured under her breath. 

"Oh yes, the very same!" he giggled –yes, giggled but in that flirty, sexy kinda way. "The satirist and rhetorician at your service."

Aria tried not to roll her eyes. So; the Archangel sent her a clown to keep his prisoner entertained. How droll. 

"Come Aria, don't be so glum. Play with me," he said gleefully, pulling her up to her feet. 

"I'm not your toy!" she retorted, pulling her hand away. "I am chained up. I do not need a guardian angel," she said, emphasizing the last two words with disdain. 

"Okay, let's have sex then."

That caught her attention. For a moment she wanted to call his bluff but there was something in his eye that told her he meant what he said. 

"Lay one finger on me... and I will rip off every single feather –even the ones hidden from sight."

Lucian laughed and flapped his pretty wings at her. "Ouch. Play nice Valkyrie."

"Where is he?" she demanded. "Is he going to leave me chained here forever?"

Lucian shrugged. "Would you rather be chained in the dungeon?" At her sharp gasp, he smiled, "Thought not. Well then, play with me!" 

It was then that she realized how young Lucian possibly was. In angel-years, the few hundred year olds were still children and judging from Lucian's playful demeanor, he was still an adolescent –one with a powerfully built body and sex-me-up eyes. The feathers should have been the first sign. Older angels have much darker tones and Lucian reminded her of Barbie and the Pegasus. 

"Okay, I'll play with you," she said in resignation. "But no cheating... and no sex." 

His lavender lashes fluttered rapidly in lieu of a reply. She was taking that as a yes. 

"What are we going to play then?"

"Dodge lightning?" he suggested innocently. 

"But it's not even raining..." 

She regretted even saying that for it just occurred to her that she was going to be dodging his lightning bolts. Why oh why hadn't she thought this through? Purple –one of the colors of the rainbow –a refraction of Light...

"Lucian!" she screamed as one of his bolts hit her ankle. 


Lore of the Angels Ch. 01



"You're supposed to dodge them Aria!" he shouted playfully. 

"Damn you! I said no cheating!" Aria was hopping all over the place. She was a trained spy for god sake not a warrior! Warrior Valkyries have been known to slay angels when need be but the only ability she had was Illusion and there was no way she's about to reveal that on the first day of her capture!

"Lucian..." a loud thundering voice interrupted their play time –Thank god!

Lucian stopped and tried to hide his guilty face behind innocent lavender lashes. "Yes?"

"I told you to watch her... not kill her." 

Aria had already collapsed on the floor in exhaustion. It wasn't like she didn't recognize the voice. 

"You can go now. I need to talk to the prisoner."

Aria turned to see Lucian spread his wings to take flight; jumping off the rooftop into the endless skies. 

"I didn't need a baby sitter! He almost tried to kill me!" said Aria through gritted teeth. 

Zilarrezko smiled, tilting her chin up firmly. "No one can kill you but me."

"Then why haven't you?" she challenged. Oh boy she was asking for it. 

"Trust me... I want to. But right now I have questions."

"I have no answers."

Aria felt the cuff around her neck tighten considerably as though it were his hands choking her. 

"What does Iluna want from me?" 

No answer. 

"Valkyrie, I will ask only once." 

"I do not betray those I work for."

The strong hold on her neck relaxed. 

"Thousands will die in this senseless territorial war Aria... majority of whom will be Valkyries and Humans. Do you wish their blood to be in your name?"

Bastard! Trying to use guilt on me! "I hold no allegiance to them. This is not my war." 

"Then why are you here?" 

"Because you caught me." 

The serious look on his face was immediately replaced by surprise and amusement. "Oh?" he queried, holding her gaze.

Aria tried not to get distracted by the Archangel before her. Didn't she say before that he was the Archangel of Death? That was clearly a mistake. A more apt title would be Archangel of Death by Sex. 

And Zilarrezko was the very epitome of that –one night on his bed and you'll never wake up ever again. The Angel had blades of hard metal as wings for crying out loud! He'd rip you to shreds even as he gave you the fucking of a lifetime –that she was sure. 

At the moment, they were trying to outstare each other and Aria knew she was going to lose. It was impossible to stare at the Archangel's silver eyes and not feel like he's fucking your mind and your body with every passing second. 

They were standing at least ten feet apart and she could feel his hard cock sliding inside of her; stretching her to accommodate his girth. Oh god! Aria was on her hands and knees now; every muscle trembling but she kept her eyes fixated on his. She'd outstare him even if he made her...

"Oh fuck!" she screamed as the sensations ripped through her body. They're unreal. Get a grip Aria! Her mind kept screaming at her but she felt powerless...

"Stop it..." she managed to spat out even as her body writhed on the ground. Aria hated him; hated every inch of his glorious body... hate, hate, hate! "Stop raping me you bastard!" she finally screamed; pushing him out of her mind. 

The Archangel stared at the woman on the floor with curiosity and intrigue. "I have been accused of many things Valkyrie... but rape is never one of them. Did you not enjoy that?"

"No!" she spat, curling her legs up and inching away from him. "I have nothing to say to you, Cardinal," she said mockingly. "So if you have no use for me, then please kill me or let me go."

His lips curved into a handsome smile as he moved closer towards her; wings spread out at full height to showcase the strong muscular arch of his wing joint all the way to the last titanium glazed feathered tip. 

This was it –he was going to kill her. 

But instead... 

"I have yet to use you Valkyrie," he whispered in a voice that dripped lethal sexual energy. A gentle touch at her neck and both cuffs chaining her were gone. Aria didn't even dare to breathe. She knew what he was going to do to her –maybe –but she hope he would be quick about it... 

Or maybe not. 

He was cupping her face in his hands with a tenderness she had not experienced before; his face so close that his silvery lashes were brushing against her own. Instinctively, she tilted her head and met the firm seductive flesh of the Archangel's lips. 

Aria's heart was pounding in her head. She was kissing an Archangel! If she was on death sentence, then this was perhaps the best way to die. His lips felt so soft, unlike the cold metal hardness that she was expecting and as his tongue tangled with hers; Aria felt shivers of desire running down her spine. 

"Cardinal..." she whispered breathlessly when he finally pulled away. "I do not want you..."

"Mmm," was his reply for his lips were trailing wet kisses down her neck, dipping down to her collar bone. "But I want you..."

Those four words alone were making her wet between the thighs. Ignoring them, she tried to push him away but he was too strong for her. She could feel his hands groping for her breasts even through her second skin; squeezing them as he licked the side of her neck. It was all she could think of as his wings enclosed both of them in an embrace even as her body molded willingly against his. 

Zilarrezko had always worn some sort of armor but now, he was completely naked; pressing her body directly onto hard, solid muscle; making sure she knew exactly what he was planning to do to her. 

"Take this off Valkyrie..." he whispered; as his fingers tried to find an opening on the back of her second skin. 

Impossible! How could he know that she was wearing an Illusion? 

"Take what off?" she asked innocently. 

"Take this... thing off right now before I slice it from your body," he growled, biting her earlobe. "Don't make me cut you on purpose Valkyrie..."

Aria wasn't sure what to make of that. "Turn around," she told him. "I... I don't want you to see..."

Her words brought laughter bubbling in his throat but he let her go, much to her surprise. "Being prudent now are you? You are practically naked and yet you're holding on to your pride?"

It was then that Aria knew she could not take off her second skin. It wasn't the skin that he was referring to when he said "Take it off" but the imaginary clothing that she was wearing. He had an image of her in his head that was translating to what he was seeing of her at the moment. By taking off her second skin, she would indirectly reveal the secret of who she really was. 

Her finger dipped slightly beneath the second skin to finger the pearl, considering whether this was the best time to use it. Here he was, promising unimaginable pleasures and she had to deny it to both of them...

"I'm sorry Cardinal..." she whispered; inching back towards the edge of the roof. 

"What?" His face bore a look of confusion, just a second before she back flipped off the roof into the abyss below. 

***



Lore of the Angels Ch. 02



Hi all! So here's the continuation of the previous chapter and I'm grateful for the kind encouragement and comments you've given me so far. Hopefully this chapter proves to be equally entertaining!

***

The moment she flipped, Aria hiked her Illusion to its maximum; rendering her invisible. At the last second, she made sure her fingers caught the edge of the roof top before climbing down slowly to the nearest window sill.

She heard the rustle of the Archangel's wings and dared herself to twist her neck to catch a final glimpse of him as he dipped into the endless depths beneath her. Aria knew that he would call her bluff within minutes so she'd better hurry.

It was a good thing that she was familiar with the building's structure since she had to climb it for three consecutive days to gain information on the Archangel's battle strategies; otherwise, she would be caught in no time.

Balancing herself on one of the balcony railings, Aria moved stealthily, keeping close to the walls and trying not to look down. It wasn't that she had a fear of heights or was prone to vertigo but the blinking lights below reminded her of her almost fall towards death just yesterday.

Her lips moved into a thin line of disapproval at the memory. If she were to die today, what possible information could she deliver to Iluna? Well... she could tell her of the beautiful Light Angel she'd met. Iluna had banished most of the Light Angels from her territory --not surprising seeing that the Darkness and Light clans had been fighting for centuries to ascertain who was the strongest. The Angels of Darkness believed that because they were created first, they ought to be the true rulers of the world but the Light Angels would always argue that when there was Light, Darkness ceased to exist. That made them weak and vulnerable to destruction.

However, Aria knew that her place was not to advice the Archangel on how to rule her kingdom. The information might prove useful to her or it might not but one thing for certain; Zilarrezko had a bond with Lucian that was almost paternalistic. Aria knew that while angel children were possible, they were extremely rare. However, seeing that Lucian was of a different birth clan from Zilarrezko, Aria knew that she would eventually have to dig further to understand their relationship.

For now, she needed to get some food and get proper clothes. She had no doubt that the Archangel was going to find her. Since she wasn't going to leave his territory anytime soon, she did not want to be caught wearing a suit that could enhance Illusion. Aria had no idea how Zilarrezko saw her but she prayed to God that it wasn't much different from how she really looked like: blue-black hair, golden tanned skin and sharp, inhuman eyes that whispered of the deep blue sea.

***

He was furious. It took him slightly more than a minute to realize that she would never jump off the building. She had found a loophole in his building structure and that's how she got to the rooftop in the first place! Even with twenty-four hour security, what was being watched were the inside of the building, not the outside.

Returning to his roof top, Zilarrezko suited up in his usual armor once more. It was much more resilient than the flimsy clothes that would tear each time he spread his wings. The other clans always thought that Metal were the most physically strong but they often forget that apart from that, the Metallic Angels could not rely on arcane powers that the other clans seem to have. Metal, as was Earth, was physical and grounded, stable and meant to be resilient.

Gaia, the Cardinal of Earth had been the most resilient of all because she had accepted that wings were not the true measure of power... and she was right. When the Archangel of Earth conceded all her lands to be divided into five kingdoms, she was not being weak but being smart --a trait that Zilarrezko respected and revered. The Earth Angels, also known as Humans or Man had multiplied into a vast army that covered literally every inch of the world as we know it. They may be mortals but should Gaia decide to have a mutiny in the near future and reclaim all her lands; there would be millions of Humans that would rise up against the few hundred Angels ruling them.

However, Gaia did not interfere in the Archangel's wars and dispute. She'd let them sacrifice the Humans in their territorial wars simply because she knew the actual supply of Man will not be depleted. That meant that Zilarrezko had no way of being Allies with her. If they were, he'd have Humans on the South American lands turning against their Archangel Iluna.

Which brings him back to the issue at hand: he needed to find that Valkyrie and find out exactly what Iluna wants from him. Was Aria there to infiltrate his armies and turn them against him? Or was she up to something more sinister?

By the time he turned around, his four Ordinal Angels were bowed before him; waiting for instructions.

"Lucian, Anthony, Marcus, Julia, I want you to find my Valkyrie prisoner. She is still within our territory and would be looking for a place to sleep. Lucian, send a mental image of her to the rest."

Lucian nodded and a minute later, the four Ordinals left his rooftop.

***

Aria had been fingering a soft muslin dress on display when she felt the presence of an Ordinal Angel in her midst. After being trained as a Valkyrie for years, Aria could differentiate the auras of the angels that walked the earth. The Archangels were the most powerful; with a glow around them that announced their presence even before you get a chance to see them. The Ordinals on the other hand, always shone various shades of red --not of anger but of loyalty... of blood. The most loyal were the brightest of red and from the faint metallic scent of this Ordinal, Aria had no doubt that she belonged to Zilarrezko.

Aria was unsure if she was of the Snow-Water or Light clan for while her wings and hair were pure white, her skin was the complete opposite; ebony shade that reminded her of Africa. The Archangel Noor of Africa had the same coloring didn't she? And Noor was of the Light clan.

Aria was about to find out for the Ordinal came close towards her; pure white eyes with powdery lashes staring into her own blue-black abyss. Aria had to steady her breath so as not to give away anything.

"What are you?" she asked softly. "An Angel?"

"No..."

"You have eyes the color of something I've forgotten." The Ordinal's voice was whispery and soft. "Like the deep sea... where Light cannot reach," she said absently before gliding away. The Ordinal moved like a ghost; her feet barely touching the floor as though she was floating but she was not flapping her wings to keep her airborne.

For a moment, Aria couldn't believe that the Ordinal had simply walked away from her. Exactly how did the Archangel describe her to them? Surely they were out hunting for her, which was going to take them forever because they were not looking for the right person.

She had already taken off her second skin; keeping it in a bank safe-box together with her other personal belongings under a fictitious name. Be it war time or not, the banks still continued running and some prized themselves for their ability to retain anonymous accounts for their clients --especially one who paid for the box in cash upfront in figures that dipped into the sixth digits.

Returning to the changing room, Aria hung the muslin dress on the hook and changed out of the plain t-shirt and shorts she had grabbed earlier. If she was planning on seducing the Archangel, then she'd better do it right --even if he threatened to kill her the moment they laid eyes on each other.

Aria suspected that no one ever left the Archangel in the middle of a passionate embrace, until now.

***

"What do you mean you couldn't find her? Lucian! Did you give them the correct description of her?"

"Yes Cardinal I did!" Soft lavender lashes fluttered in defiance. "Aria has soft blonde hair and hazel eyes with milky white skin. I had almost believed her to be a human until you said otherwise."

Zilarrezko snapped his eyes open and closed the gap between him and the young angel.

"What color was her hair again?"

"Blonde Cardinal..."

Zilarrezko narrowed his eyes at Lucian. "Aria has dark brown hair and green eyes... with the Spanish tilt in her voice.Show me your image of her," he ordered; eyes turning wide at the difference in how they've perceived her appearance. It was... impossible.

"Her facial structure is still the same even though her hair and eye color changed. I want you to find her again. This time, look for the features not the outer appearance. See her body size? It remains the same in both our images... so that's a starting point."

"Yes Cardinal," they replied in unison and flew off.

When they were gone, Zilarrezko looked out to the open skies and sighed. He was fascinated by the Valkyrie and even more so now that he'd learn about her ability. He would have said it was Illusion but even he could not influence the perception of others' to that extent.

Now he must really find her. She is Illuna's weapon and he desperately needed to know how to convert this weapon into his own.

***

Aria watched patiently as four Ordinal Angels descended from the Obelisque to begin their search; each taking a quadrant of the Archangel's territory. Even from a hundred floors below, Aria had taken note of the coloring of each of his Ordinals; keeping the information at the back of her mind so she could avoid them in the future.

Apart from the two Light Angels, there were two more. One bore the distinct crimson of the Fire clan while the other was pure bronze that shimmered as it reflected light. As stunning as they were, she knew that they were not Ordinals for their beauty but for their power. Even Lucian, the young and playful angel was a cover for his true lethal capabilities.

But that was nothing compared to Zilarrezko. He was an Archangel not because of his kindness and mercy but because of his iron fists --literally. And yet... those iron fists were the same ones that had touched her and the same ones that's going to wrap themselves around her throat when he sees her.

Aria couldn't help but smile. The Archangel may intend to kill her --over and over as he says --but he couldn't deny the fact that she was going to be a useful tool for him. Aria wasn't going to betray sides but she was prepared to feed him insignificant details; enough to whet his appetite and allow her to extract some of his secrets.

"So many secrets..." she whispered to herself as she stepped, for the first time, through the main entrance of the Obelisque. Her gladiator sandals padded soundlessly over the polished marble flooring of the grand lobby. When she reached the elevators, an Angel spread his black wings politely to stop her from moving any further.

"My name is Gerard, how may I assist you?" he asked with a kind smile.

"I would like to take the lift to the penthouse." His smile vanished instantly.

"Do you have an appointment with the Cardinal, Miss?"

"No. But he's expecting me," she replied, deliberately ignoring his request for her name.

"I will need to confirm this Miss," he apologized. "Would you give me your name please? The Cardinal is very busy and does not take guests unannounced."

"Yes, I am aware of that," she said dryly. "Very well then. I will wait here for him."

"Your name, Miss... please?"

Aria flashed him a sweet smile. "Tell the Archangel that Aria is here."

From the relieved look on his face, Aria was sure that Gerard had no idea who was standing in front of him. Either that or he was calling for security instead of connecting the call to the Archangel's office.

Gerard was taking his time by the looks of it --stalling or perhaps he didn't think Aria was important enough to disturb the Archangel --so Aria decided to take a walk, maybe find the building's cafeteria and grab a bite. She doubted that Zilarrezko was going to feed her well when she's in chains once again.

On that thought, she decided to enjoy her last decadence. God knows when the next time will be. Taking the menu from the server, she sat down in one of the plush chairs and placed her order.

In fact, it was only when she was halfway through her glass of wine that she sensed his presence.

"Took you longer than I expected." He was nowhere near her but she knew he could catch every single word. She continued sipping her wine even as she felt him towering directly behind her; wings arched intimidatingly. Aria wasn't surprised when the manager himself came to offer his service to the Cardinal. It was probably not a usual occurrence for the Archangel to walk within his own building. Angels flew everywhere don't they?

"Give me another glass of what she's having. That would be all Aman."

The manger scuttled off as Zilarrezko took a seat opposite her.

"Where did you go?" His question was delivered gently but Aria caught the faint traces of fury beneath his calm.

"You told me to take it off so I did... and got new ones."

He flicked his gaze down to the toga dress that she was wearing before lifting his eyes to look directly into hers. "What exactly are you Valkyrie?"

"I am what you see, nothing more nothing less Cardinal," she replied, taking a sip of her wine.

"You will have answers for me Valkyrie... but not now. Right now, we are just two people having a glass of wine." His candor surprised her but she made no show of it and instead nodded her head in acknowledgement of his suggestion.

As he took a sip from his glass, he nodded in appreciation. "Ah... Sauvignon Blanc. You have good taste Valkyrie."

"Thank you," she replied. "Good wine tastes better in good company."

Zilarrezko arched an eyebrow at her but didn't say anything. In fact, they didn't say a word to each other for the next ten minutes; simply sipping at their wine and staring at each other. Verbalized words didn't carry much weight when the unspoken words they fired at each other were enough to set the place ablaze.

He wouldn't be saying, "I'm going to break every single bone in your body to get my answers Aria."

And she wouldn't be saying, "Violence won't give you answers."

He would retort --eyes flashing gold in anger --"There is no pleasure without pain, Valkyrie."

She would blink once and not say, "It might be painful for you to pleasure me too much Cardinal."

His eyebrows arched at the challenge in her suggestion but this time, he spoke out loud, "We will continue our conversation in my office." Pushing his chair back, he strode out; not waiting for her to follow. Aria was about to place bills on the table when Aman the manager rushed out and forbade her to do so.

"No, please Madam! Just go. The Cardinal waits for no one!"

Ignoring Aman, she placed enough money to pay for two bottles of Sauvignon Blanc before walking out to the elevator landing once more. The café deserved the extra tip for putting up with the Archangel's presence.

By the time she left the café, Zilarrezko was no where to be found. However, this time, when she started towards the elevator, no one stopped her.

To her surprise, the Archangel was waiting for her inside the empty elevator. When the doors closed, he whispered in a husky low voice, "This lift services only my floor. No one rides it except me."

"Then I am flattered Cardinal," said Aria; her back still facing him. She looked up and saw that indeed, the elevator only showed '1' then '100'.

"I should kill you Valkyrie," he confessed quite suddenly. "But you fascinate me with your daring replies and clever retorts. Has no one taught you not to speak that way to your betters?"

Aria lowered her eyelids and turned to face him. "I only learn from those who teach me well."

"Then your teachers have failed you," he replied; his voice turning icy. "Would you like me to teach you your manners Valkyrie?"

She raised her gaze slowly, in a deliberate attempt to ensure he was watching her eyes. Aria was tall but the Archangel was taller by a head and she knew that when she was taking too long to look at him, his gaze would fall inevitably on her lips.

"Aria..." he warned. She was already looking at his eyes but his gaze rested on her lips --which she had parted slightly as an invitation.

"Yes?" she whispered innocently. Then inching closer, "Yes Archangel, would you teach me?"

His gaze flicked up immediately to capture hers; a second before she found herself slammed against the elevator wall with the Archangel's lips locked over hers. His strong hands cradled her head firmly even as he slanted his lips brutally against hers; taking, giving and demanding more and more.

"I'm not letting you escape again Valkyrie," he whispered in ragged breathes as he pulled his lips away just for a second before claiming hers once more in the most primal and possessive manner. He was crushing his body deliberately against her --a warning. Not only was she trapped; there was no escape this time from the erection pressing intimately against her stomach.

***

Aria couldn't breathe. She thought she was ready for him --seducing any male should be the same --oh but was she so wrong... so, so wrong. She was neither prepared for the sudden rush of adrenaline to her body nor was she prepared for the overwhelming urge to get on her knees and beg him to fuck her.

The only thoughts in her head told her that she needed to be filled by him. She was so empty... so needy. There was nothing else in the world but their bodies; flesh wrapping with flesh; the tangles of satin sheets against pure hard muscles. His scent, his touch, his sweat glistening against her own...

He is the most magnificent... "And I am yours," she heard herself say.

What did I say?

"Tell me Aria... tell me what you want me to do," he whispered against her ear.

"I want you to fu..." I wanted him to what??

"Aria..." that sex dripped voice again. Only now his lips were moving down to her exposed breasts (since when?), tongue rasping over and over the sensitive bud; teeth scraping naughtily over the golden flesh.

"More..." she heard herself beg. "No more teasing!" Aria felt her hands pulling his head closer; demanding his lips to torture her nipple. That's what she wanted... needed. Damn that bastard feels so good. Wait... what am I doing?

"Angel..." Again with the begging. His lips were playing with her other nipple now while his fingers had somehow found a way deep inside her most secret place.

"Why are you so wet Aria?" he teased, rubbing his finger tenderly on the outer lips of her pussy. Aria felt her body grinding desperately --a plea to make him fuck her with his fingers but he wouldn't give in to her. "Why are you so wet Aria?"

Yeah, why are you so wet Aria? How the hell do I turn off this slut switch? Damn Damn Damn!

She heard herself moan. That's it.

***

Zilarrezko was having a good time playing with his Valkyrie --yes, his Valkyrie now. She thought she could seduce him did she? Now who's seducing who?

However, seducing a mortal had never been more frustrating and gratifying than seducing Aria. She was actually resisting him and it made him all the more determined to break her will. When was the last time he had to put an effort in having sex?

Never.

Women --mortals and immortals alike were helpless against his powers. They'd spread their legs for him, beg for his cock and let him do basically whatever he pleased with them. But at the end of the day, Zilarrezko gained no satisfaction from it...

Until now. Perhaps his Valkyrie was right when she said it'd be painful for him to pleasure her too much... perhaps it would. He'd been hard since the moment he trapped her between his arms and yet she hasn't yielded. How frustrating!




Lore of the Angels Ch. 02



"Aria..." he prodded her mind. "Why are you so wet Aria?" Yes, she was leaking all over his fingers and he hasn't even entered her yet. Maybe she needed a little more encouragement...

Lifting her legs, he spread them open and held her in place; her back on the wall as the only support. Even through the sheer material of her panty, he could scent her arousal; hot, needy and hungry just like him. He drew his lips closer to his prize, pushing the material aside to take just one lick...

"Archangel..." he heard her say. Ignoring her, he gave another lick... and another... and another. He wanted her.

"Zilar..."

That caught his attention. Pulling away from her, he looked up into her strange blue-black eyes. He was about to reprimand her for shortening his name when she slapped his face. Immediately he let go of her legs and let it drop to the floor.

"How dare you!" he boomed.

"How dare you!" she yelled as she brushed her dress back into its original state. "I told you not to rape me!"

"I wasn't hurting you!" he snapped. "And you were begging for it!"

"Only because you made me beg for it!" she snapped back. "You rape me each time you force yourself into my head! Each time you make me do things I have no choice in!"

Aria felt a cold metal hand --no, it was a cuff --tighten itself around her neck. "You offered yourself first."

"But you didn't ask if I wanted whatever comes next." Her words sounded weary and resigned. "Forget it."

Zilarrezko slammed his hand over the stop button and allowed the elevator to continue its ascent. This Valkyrie was the most frustrating creature he'd ever met! Did she expect him to ask her permission for what she was clearly offering to him?

Obviously she had forgotten who he was.

When the doors opened, he grabbed her roughly by her arm and dragged her into his office. Then he threw her to the ground and Aria found both, instead of just one, of her ankles bound by his metal cuffs.

By the time she looked up; he was gone.

***

Aria hadn't seen the Archangel for close to two days now and while he'd always send someone with trays of food for her, Aria barely ate them. It wasn't a protest, she told herself. It was just so he'd come and make her eat it. She was going to learn nothing if he doesn't even bother to come and interrogate her.

The only thing she had learnt from their brief interlude was that he took offence at having his name shortened. Was Zilar an intimate name he reserved for someone? For Iluna perhaps? Aria wasn't sure if they had been lovers although when two Archangels lived literally next to each other, it was understandable that they would become friends, then lovers.

Iluna might not say it but Aria had seen it in the Archangel's eyes --she wanted Zilarrezko.

A sudden flash of red behind her snapped her out from her thoughts.

"Good morning Valkyrie."

Aria looked up at him. It was one of the Ordinals --the Fire one. There was no playfulness about him; no lavender tinted lashes or soft feathery wings. In its place were wings that did not even look solid enough for flying for they were simply flames that seemed to be eternally burning. Unlike Lucian, this angel appeared much older and bore a permanently bored expression on his face. One touch would be all it'd take to get singed.

"My name is Anthony," he announced.

Aria would have mistaken him for a robot if not for those wings. He bore no emotion and definitely no interest in his task. It was as if the Archangel had sent him to babysit her --which he probably did --and the Ordinal resented it.

"Get up," he ordered, pulling at an invisible chain on the floor. Aria knew it was invisible because when he began to pull, she felt her body following.

"Where... where are you taking me?"

He didn't reply but continued yanking the chains. Aria remained silent as they walked out of the office and down a long and quiet corridor. It suddenly dawned on her that perhaps he was going to bring her to some torture chamber! Apparently, she had been so sure of her worth that she'd thought the Archangel himself would interrogate her; not his second in command.

"Are you going to hurt me?"

He grunted and turned to look at her. Aria tried not to look away from the burning core of his irises. Just looking at him made her want to dive in the deep sea and hide. Yanking her chain once more, he opened a door on his left and dragged her in.

Aria fell with an "Oomph" as he dropped the chains on the ground. From the feel of it, it must have been something really heavy because she heard a distinctive "clang" of metal hitting hard granite. But when she moved her ankles, she felt nothing holding them down.

"You will sleep here and eat your meals," he told her in that same bored tone just before slamming the door in her face.

Aria's mouth hung open at his brash treatment. What did he mean sleep here?

Turning around, Aria noticed that there was a small bed, a table and a cupboard. Apart from that, there were no decorations or anything. Even the walls were a dull grey. However, when she pulled the curtains a side, Aria almost fell to the floor in amazement.

It was full length glass windows that made it look like there was nothing separating her from the city's skyline.

"Sneaky bastard." He knew just looking down would remind her of the time he threw her off the building!

Sighing to herself, Aria settled herself on the bed; relief tingling down her body at the promise of a soft mattress to sleep on instead of the cold hard floor. Those two days sleeping in his office had made her ache all over and while she craved for a warm shower and fresh clothes, Aria craved sleep more.

It didn't take her long to fall into a deep slumber.

***

He watched her sleep --Sometimes from outside her window and sometimes inside her room while under the cloak of Illusion.

It was nearing three days now since he last spoke to her and while he could have let Anthony grill answers out of her, Zilarrezko had to admit that whatever answers she would give were meant for his ears only.

But for now... he will let her rest.

Sneaking out, he closed the door gently and gave a nod to Lucian who had relieved Anthony from guard duty a few hours ago.

"I will brief you on a separate occasion Lucian. For now, the Valkyrie is your only concern."

"Yes Cardinal," he replied, bowing slightly as Zilarrezko made his leave.

Amongst his four Ordinals, Lucian was the youngest and less... severe in his treatment of mortals. He hasn't yet reached the age where immortality made an angel look at a mortal with nothingness in his or her eyes. It was a known fact that mortals die and emotions for a mortal only brought pain to an angel.

But Lucian has not learned that yet. His love for life and everything exciting would put Aria at ease --enough for when it was time to interrogate her.

For now, Zilarrezko needed to speak of war strategies with his other Ordinals.

Stepping into his office, he made a mental scan to ensure that there were no other spies lurking around. Satisfied that there were none, he locked the door behind him with a flick of his wrist and settled down in the chair in front of his Ordinals.

"Marcus, what have you learnt?"

Marcus, a Metallic Angel like himself, had been sent to spy on the enemy's advancement. It was risky sending an angel to recce enemy territory but unlike Iluna, Zilarrezko did not trust Valkyries. They were hired guns and not bound by loyalty. They would so swiftly turn the tide if offered more money.

"Iluna has been courting Cyrus of Europe in hopes that he would forge an alliance with her in this war."

"She still thinks that we have Yuki's Valkyries at our disposal I see..."

"Yes Cardinal... It could escalate into a massive war if you are attacked from more than one front. Perhaps we should seek a real alliance with the Snow-Water Cardinal," suggested Julia.

Zilarrezko leaned slightly in his chair and contemplated his options. "Yuki and Cyrus have shared borders for centuries and if they haven't once had a dispute, I doubt they'd both enter our fights and break that record."

"Cardinal Cyrus will not yield." This comment was said by Anthony --the man of few words.

"He might if I had called for help," said Zilarrezko wryly. "He is misogynistic that way."

His three Ordinals nodded then Julia spoke, "As instructed, I have readied the air-force troops. They have all been mobilized and simply waiting for activation."

Zilarrezko nodded. Angels may have been present since the beginning of time but that doesn't mean that they do not keep up with technology. The air-force troops were made up both Humans and Angels; one as cover for the other. He believed that if he was going to sacrifice Man, he'd made sure that at least they had a fighting chance of survival --by giving them wings of Metal that they could control with their hands. In other words, he had ordered for specially constructed aircrafts that used his own metal feathers at the core of their alloy.

"What of the Valkyrie?" asked Anthony. "Do you plan to use her?"

"Aria is a type of Valkyrie that I have never seen before and it worries me that Iluna might have developed an ability to infuse her own powers into her Valkyrie warriors."

"I have heard no such thing Cardinal," insisted Marcus.

"There will always be things that slip one's notice Marcus," said Zilarrezko patiently. "And the Archangel of Darkness has the ability to obscure one's sight when it serves her purposes."

Marcus lowered his gaze then whispered. "This war is unnecessary Cardinal... You're the only one who can stop it and you know why."

The other Ordinals stared at Marcus for his daring words then turned to Zilarrezko, half expecting him to cut off Marcus's head in fury but the Archangel simply sat in place, tapping his fingers together.

"I will not be her lover," he said simply. "And if she thinks sacrificing lives will get her what she wants then she is clearly not worthy of me."

"You have faith that we will win Cardinal?"

"Yes... because I will unclip her wings even before we can start the war."

The Ordinals looked at each other; fear transpiring between them. To clip an Archangel would lead to severe consequences. While the Cardinals would still remain immortal, those of the Ordinal classes and lower would be reduced to wingless, mortal beings... just like the Humans.

When Gaia allowed her wings to be unclipped, it sent cries of pain throughout the world as one by one the Earth angels lost their ability to fly and gained the ability to die. But those were stories in the Lore that mothers never read to their children. The Dark Ages of the Angels were not bedtime stories --even for angels.

Would Archangel Zilarrezko really be that cruel to annihilate another clan just like that?

One would never know.

***



Lore of the Angels Ch. 03



Okay I'm on a roll! Must be all the fantastic comments coz I finished writing this chapter in a day! I'm glad the story's well received and I hope this chapter promises to be as entertaining and exciting as the previous ones. Thank you for reading and don't forget to rate and comment!

****

Aria sat at the edge of her bed, simply staring out from her full length glass window. The sun was slowly rising beyond the darkened sky and Aria waited eagerly to greet it.

As the streaks of crimson stretched across the purplish blue sky, Aria got ready for the morning flight --the time when Angels flew off from their balconies into the beautiful sky --as the mark of a new day. That was the romantic reason of course. Truth was, the Angels were just off to go to work. Yes, they, like everybody else have jobs to go to and had problems as well. Even with the war approaching, the Archangel has commanded that lives continue to be run as usual. War, according to him, was not fought by civilians and as such their lives should be spared.

She was staring too much into the open space that she almost didn't hear the tap on her door. Feeling hopeful, Aria turned and waited for it to open.

In the glow of the morning sun, the Archangel himself looked like one of its shining ray.

"Come," was all he said.

Aria hesitated for a moment. She was fully aware of how dirty and sweaty she was. Not to mention smelly from four days of not bathing.

"Trust me; I have no intention of touching you so don't look so guilty."

Aria's mouth fell open at his words. He was doing so well with the monosyllabic welcome earlier. Anything beyond that was a mean to insult, seduce and manipulate his way into her head... like now.

"Where are we going?" she asked stiffly as she walked behind him.

He didn't reply her but continued walking; his wings tucked neatly behind him. For a moment Aria was sure that the metallic sheen on his wings were gone and were instead replaced by a soft down in the palest grey.

Her eyes were definitely making things up. Maybe she had too much sleep.

"Watch your step," he told her as he descended down a narrow flight of stairs. Aria had no idea where he was taking her but if they were leaving the 100th floor, it could only mean that he was bringing her away from his private level.

Maybe they had to take a lift on the 99th floor to get to the dungeons in the basement? The thought of stinky grimy pits made her want to gag. However she continued to follow him in silence.

"In here," he ushered, opening a door at the end of the corridor for her. Aria frowned as she moved closer. She did not see any elevators along the corridor at all. Could this floor still be out of bounds for the common angels and humans?

"What's in..." she trailed off. Whatever she wanted to say died on her lips the instant she saw the Olympic sized swimming pool. Water! Clean! Then her eyes moved to the windows and she felt her heart skip a beat.

The entire pool area was surrounded by full length glass that allowed a panoramic view of the city skyline. Aria could still see angels flying about as the sun continued to rise in the sky.

"Don't worry," he told her. "You can see out but no one can see in."

Aria dared herself to look at him. "Am I... I mean... Are you asking me to take a bath, Cardinal?"

"If you'd like to."

His reply startled her. He was giving her a choice?

"Yes I would... please."

He nodded and moved over to a control panel beside the door and pressed a few buttons. A moment later, Aria saw the pool bubble and froth; sweet fragrance floating in the air.

"Oh god... it's an Archangel-sized Jacuzzi..." she moaned. Turning around, she caught him staring at her. "Umm, I'm going to strip now," she announced.

"What? You want me to turn away? It's not like I haven't seen your private parts..."

The rebuff was already at the edge of her tongue but Aria valued her chance to bathe more than her desire to snap at him. Turning away from him, she began to undo the strap of the toga and unzipped the side of the dress before pulling it off over her head. Since the dress already had a built in bra, she was only left clad in her panties. Sliding the material down, Aria looked at the offensive heap of soiled material for one last time before jumping into the water.

She continued to ignore the fact that the Archangel was watching her every move and began to scrub ferociously at her skin, hoping to get every inch of grime and dirt off. Then she moved to her hair.

"Here," he said, offering her a bottle of what looked like shampoo.

"Thank you," she blinked the water away as she accepted his offering. Bringing the foam to lather, she began to work it through her strands; massaging her scalp and feeling her stress slipping away slowly.

"I can wash your back for you if you'd like..." his voice sounded raspy. Aria submerged herself in the water and came out a moment later with her hair free of the soap bubbles.

She cocked her head to the side and frowned at him. "Why are you being nice to me?"

He returned her frown. "Because I do not like to be accused of raping my woman."

"I am not your woman."

"But you are my prisoner. Mine."

Aria did not like that possessive tone in his voice. Did he forget that she's the enemy here?

"If you're trying to be nice to win my favor, it's not going to work."

This time the Archangel didn't reply but simply smiled. Making sure that her eyes were still on him, Zilarrezko untied the drawstring of his pants and let the soft cotton slide away. Sleep was the only time when he'd let himself wear human clothing. Otherwise, he preferred his armor.

He heard the soft intake of her breath as he walked naked towards her but her next question caught him by surprise.

"Why aren't your wings hard like blades?"

"Oh?" He spread his wings out as he stepped into the pool. Indeed his feathered wings were slowly getting wet as it soaked up the water. "I'd like to wake up without having multiple cuts on myself... or my lover," he told her, putting emphasis on the last word.

On impulse, she reached out to touch his wings only to have her hands caught in his.

"I'm sorry!" Had she been so enchanted by him that she'd forgotten that Angels don't like to have their wings touched?

"Don't be," he whispered, unclenching his hold on her hand such that they were palm to palm. Aria didn't know why but that gesture felt extremely intimate. It made her want to lean her head on his chest and trace every single curve of his muscles with her finger. Yet, she kept her distance and remained in place.

"I've missed you," he admitted, drawing her close in his embrace. Tilting her chin up, Aria briefly saw the rare genuine smile on his face before his lips pressed over hers and remained still.

She'd thought he'd kiss her breathless by now but instead he was behaving very strangely as though he was waiting for her to make a move...

Good god... he is waiting for her! Had the Archangel learnt a lesson from their previous interlude? Aria moved her lips experimentally against his; parting them slightly to search for his tongue. He let out a sound like a sexy purr as he deepened their kiss, igniting a fire deep within her belly that could only be described as pure lust.

When she finally pulled away, Aria dared herself to look up into his eyes and saw that instead of its usual silver, it reflected molten gold. As he raised his knuckles to caress her cheek, Aria felt a strange tug inside of her that had nothing to do with sexual heat.

She could tolerate the stubborn, rude and heartless Archangel but this? This kind, gentle... even thoughtful man was just the kind of man that she would fall...

No! Her brain screamed. He was just pretending to be kind because he wanted something from her.

"What do you want from me Cardinal?" she asked, trying to steel herself against him. But those molten gold eyes didn't cease to reflect lust.

"I would like to want you Aria... but would you let me?"

The honesty of his answer stopped whatever rebuttal she was prepared to throw at him. Would she? Would she let the Archangel want her?

Aria couldn't believe it when she said, "Yes." This time she couldn't blame it on him because he had not intruded into her mind to make that decision for her. This was her own decision... and she would have to pay the price for it... later.

He was opening his arms for her --for her --and it was all she could think of as she entered into his embrace. If Siren was a man, he'd look like Zilarrezko, she thought. Never has Death looked so seductive.

"Aria," he kept whispering her name as he brushed kisses down her neck. Tilting her head back, he pressed his lips at the centre of her throat and moved down towards the 'v' of her chest. A soft sigh escaped her lips as his hands moved to mold around both her breasts.

"Sweet, sweet Aria... la miamusicadolce," he murmured against her skin.

"Mmm..." was all she could say for he chose that moment to close his lips over her right nipple and suck it hard.

"Like my favourite Gianni Schicchi..."

"I don't like you saying another man's name when we're like this," she teased. Of course she knew it was the name of an opera but she'd tease him again just to see the scandalous look that flashed across his face right that moment.

"I do not take men to my chambers!" he protested. He was standing up right now and towering over her like a sulky child.

"Oh, don't be so childish," she laughed, slapping his chest playfully. "I was only teasing. You do laugh at jokes don't you?"

He arched an eyebrow at her and grabbed her right wrist. "Does this feel like a joke to you?" he asked, curling her fingers around his swollen cock under water. Apparently the Archangel takes his masculinity seriously and while it flattered her to be the object of his sexual desire, it intimidated her at the same time. Her fingers could not fully close around his cock and as she stroked down its hard length, she couldn't help but wonder if she would be able to accommodate such an impressive phallus.

The effect of her fingers stroking his cock had brought back the molten gold in his eyes and Aria was sure that if her desire had a color, it would reflect gold too. She moved closer and brought her lips to his --as a peace offering --to which he accepted readily.

The Archangel may be a stubborn and pompous but he was an excellent kisser. A product of centuries of experience no doubt.

"I want you now Aria," he whispered against her lips. After his twice interrupted attempts, Zilarrezko was dying to nail his Valkyrie down. "Wrap your legs around me," he instructed and waited for her to comply.

Then he turned with her clinging on to him and rested her back to the wall at the edge of the pool. His hand snaked down between her thighs to test for her wetness and Aria saw the satisfied smile cross his face a moment later.

"Ready?" he asked. Aria wasn't sure if she was but she nodded. He held her body still as he moved his hips forward slightly; only the first few inches were embedded inside of her but it was enough to make her tilt her head back and moan.

He covered her mouth to take in her screams the moment he plunged his entire length inside of her. The pleasure rocking through her body was simply out of this world. Aria hadn't known that sex could be this... earth shattering. Her body was trembling as the first wave of her orgasm rocked her. She must have been really horny to have cum at the first thrust like that.

When she recovered from her orgasm, she found that he was keeping still inside of her; his eyes simply watching her face. Impatient for more, she moved her hips as though demanding for him to fuck her more.

"Archangel..." she pleaded.

"Yes Valkyrie?" he whispered; his voice like silky sex over her skin.

"Move your hips." Her words sounded more demanding that she intended them to be.

"And what?" he teased, pulling his cock out inch by delicious inch. The friction of his action caused her nerve endings to go on overdrive. Then suddenly he was completely out of her.

"No!" she shrieked when she felt him slipping his hand away from her body.

"You haven't answered the question Aria..." He was rubbing his cock up and down her wet pussy lips; teasing her to madness.

What's the question again?

"Why has Iluna sent you to me?"

When did he ask that?!

Aria's eyes snapped open then fluttered slightly as she felt the head of his cock enter her before pulling out again. Hissing at him she tried to move her hips but his hand held them in place.

"Tell me."

"No!"

"Then no cock for you."

"Fuck you!" she screamed and tried to get out of his grip.

"I promise I will my Valkyrie... but first you have to answer my question."

Narrowing her eyes at him, she grumbled, "You know why I'm here. I'm a spy sent to learn your battle strategies." He seemed pleased with her answer somewhat for he toyed with a nipple, pinching it hard.

"How did you manage to create Illusion?"

"What's your proof of that?"

"How can you appear different to me and Lucian at the same time?"

"Have I appeared different to both of you these few days?"

He gave her a serious look. She was right of course, he had checked and all his Ordinals had given him the same answer --black hair with occasional blue strands, golden tanned skin and blue-black eyes.

"Fine. Then tell me, did Iluna give you some of her Illusion ability perhaps? Or that of another angel's?"

This time she frowned and slapped his chest. "No!"

He could tell she was telling the truth.

"Good girl," he whispered then rubbed his cock at the entrance of her pussy again. "Now beg for it."

"What!"

"You heard me. Tell your Master what you want from him."

Aria didn't want to but the heat from his cock was searing her and she craved for the feeling of being filled completely. Zilarrezko was truly the most magnificent of all lovers.

"Please Archangel..."

"Please what?" he teased, nipping at her earlobe. "Tell me..."

"Fuck me!" she finally rasped out; a second before she screamed in ecstasy for he did as she asked, thrusting his hips in one move to fill her pussy completely with every inch of his cock. Then he did again and again, pulling nearly all the way before burying himself deep inside of her; his hard cock spearing her pussy, stretching her apart to accommodate his girth.

When she started thrashing through another orgasm, he smiled in satisfaction as he flapped his wings to carry them both out of the water. Laying her on the ceramic tiles, he loomed over her until she opened her eyes once more.

"Good?" he asked. She turned her head away defiantly as a reply. "That's a bad bad girl. I've made you cum twice now Valkyrie..."

"Keeping count now Archangel?" she sneered; seconds before he flipped her around on her hands and knees. The slight scrape on her knee hurt but she didn't get to move in time for he was already straddling her; pushing her body down until her face touched the cool floor.

Then he slipped his cock into her in a swift merciless stroke.

She screamed at the intensity of the sensations. From this position, he felt even bigger than before and he had complete control over the movements. Bunching her hair in his fist, he pulled it slightly back even as he fucked her harder.

"What's my name Valkyrie?" he demanded as he ground hard into her. Aria wanted to say it but her brain was taken over by a sensory ecstasy. She was going to cum again...

"Say it!" The command was clear; pulling her out of her daze just enough for her to scream his name.

He shouted out her name the same time she did as pure liquid desire coursed through their bodies in a culmination of their combined pleasure.

***

In the following days, their routine consisted of him interrogating her endlessly before fucking her into oblivion then parting with heated spats of hate. They were almost always at each other's throats that the Ordinals had learnt to stay out of Zilarrezko's way each time he returned from spending time with Aria.

Like today.

He was fuming as he sat across the table from all his four Ordinals. On other days, Anthony usually took the crown as to being the hottest but today, his Archangel came close to beating him.

"Every question that I ask her brings me yet to another wall!" he said sourly. The three male Ordinals looked expectantly at Julia.

"What!" she hissed at them. Just because she was the only female Angel, they'd expect her to understand? "Well, Cardinal..." she said out loud, testing the water. When Zilarrezko did not scowl at her; she continued, "Could it be that Archangel Iluna has sent the Valkyrie to do exactly this to you?"

That caught his interest. "You mean... make me feel miserable and distracted?"

"Feelings are dangerous Cardinal," warned Anthony in a low voice.

Zilarrezko looked from one Ordinal to the other then wiped his hand over his face. How could he be so stupid! Aria was weakening him; making him feel and making him more mortal.

He knew what had to be done...

Pushing the inevitable to the back of his head, Zilarrezko returned his attention to his Ordinals and the attack strategy at hand.

"Okay lay out to me what has been done so far."

"Most of our Valkyrie troops are already stationed along the Panama borders but the strip of land is much too small to counter the enemy troops already lined along the entire border of Columbia," said Marcus.

"So, to make up for that, I've stationed the aircrafts on the Dominican Republic and Haitian coasts."

"Good, that's good," said Zilarrezko. "Iluna's going to expect Yuki's Valkyries from the surrounding Caribbean Sea. That'll mean that her attack weapons of choice would be pointing downwards instead of up."

"We did encounter a bit of problem though," said Anthony, looking at Lucian to continue explaining.

"Yes," said Lucian, the playful tilt in his voice gone. "Archangel Iluna has shrouded the entire stretch of coasts lining from Venezuela, Columbia and Ecuador in Darkness."

Zilarrezko sat up upon hearing this news. "That's going to impair the troops' vision."

"I'm working on something to hopefully allow them to see through the fog. But I can't promise it'll be ready in time Cardinal," said Julia.

"As of now, we can't do anything but I've already gathered a battalion of our best Light and Fire Angels to station alongside the Valkyries in Panama," said Lucian.

"How many?" asked Zilarrezko.

"Current strength of two hundred. But I'm afraid it might not be enough Cardinal... It takes at least five to six hundred Dark Angels at every one time to maintain the density of that kind of Dark fog. Considering that they rotate every few hours, there could easily be a thousand of them."

Zilarrezko was quite shocked at this recent finding. Could Iluna be that determined to proceed with this war? The thousand used for war was almost half the population of Dark Angels in the world at the forefront to death.

He sat in silence for a few more moments; contemplating if he should call upon Noor the Archangel of Light to assist them. It made more sense to seek help from Africa seeing that it is geographically closer to Iluna's territory.

Looking up at Julia and Lucian, he made up his mind. "I will draft you an official letter and you will deliver it to Noor of Africa and seek her help in lending us her Angels. I'm sending you both mainly because you are of the same clan but also because Noor is attracted to charm and beauty... as are most Light Angels."

Lucian fluttered his lashes flirtatiously at Julia who rolled her eyes at him. Only when Anthony deliberately cleared his throat did Lucian stop and grinned instead.




Lore of the Angels Ch. 03



"Alright children, play nice now," said Zilarrezko to the three of them. Getting up, he gave a polite nod as a dismissal. "We will meet again in two days. I would like an update by then."

"Yes Cardinal," they answered in unison.

***

When he came into her room later that night, Aria was pretending to sleep. She was in no mood for another session of sex and spite. The Archangel made her miserable.

"I know you're awake," he said into the darkened room.

"Go away."

"Technically, I can't. This is my home Aria."

She sat up in annoyance at the truth of the statement. "I don't want to have sex. I'm tired."

"Okay." He sat at the edge of her bed and looked straight at her; his silver eyes shining bright even in the dark. Then she saw something flicker in his eyes before they softened. "I'm going to let you go Aria..."

"What?" she asked in shock. "But... you know I will return to South America..."

"If you so wish," he replied. There was something in his voice that sounded almost... sad. They simply stared at each other for a very long time in silence. He didn't move from his position but Aria could feel his gentle hands stroking her cheeks --or maybe she imagined that.

She probably did because he got up a second later to walk over and lean by the window.

"Iluna's building an army. She's shrouded the entire area that borders my territory in Darkness."

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked; suspicious.

"Because you already know this."

Well, he had a point but Aria felt that he was trying to open up to her and tell her more.

"Are you afraid?" she asked carefully, watching him turn to look her in the eye. The moonlight against his face took her breath away. No, she decided, he was definitely not afraid.

"She is willing to sacrifice more innocent lives than me... so does that make me afraid?" he asked.

"But you know how to end this war... don't you?"

The question hung between them; a gulf pushing them far from each other. They both knew the answer but refused to acknowledge it.

"At the foot of your bed lie a few trinkets I bought in preparation for my plans tomorrow."

She gave him a puzzling look. "What's tomorrow?"

He ignored her question. "Be ready by sunrise and I will see you in my office."

Then he left.

The moment he was gone, Aria scrambled to the foot of her bed and peered down to see an Armani shopping bag resting on the floor. Just what in the world had he bought...

"Oh!" she let out a gasp as she pulled out a dress made out of the softest chiffon and silk. She couldn't quite tell the color in the dark but she had a feeling that it would be blue to complement her eyes and hair.

Folding the dress carefully, she put it back inside the shopping bag and hopped back to sleep.

What in the world did he have in mind for her tomorrow?

***

Just slightly before dawn, Aria took the bag and sneaked out of her room. Ever since their first sexathon in the pool, Zilarrezko had stopped putting a guard outside her door and instead gave her freedom to roam the top two floors of his building.

She was still a prisoner of course. The metal cuffs around her neck and ankles were always there whenever he was not around. As sadistic as it sounds, Aria didn't actually want to escape --not yet. Therefore, she found it strange that he was suddenly allowing her to go free.

The week she had spent with him had been enough for her to learn about him. When you're born to spy, you tend to pick up more things than others usually do.

Sighing to herself, she took out the dress from the bag and hung it on the hook in the bathroom beside the pool. She wouldn't really call it a bathroom for it was so spacious and luxurious; with a bathtub that could probably fit five people instead of one.

Wings are tricky business, she concluded. How many years does it take a baby angel to learn not to knock things over by accident? Or was it instinctive like how you won't swing your hands out when you walk?

Aria was still thinking over such trivial questions as she stepped out of the shower. Taking one of the towels from the rack, she dried herself and took a closer look in the mirror. Did this body really entice the Archangel so much? And this face... this sharp angular face? Did he really kiss it and call it beautiful?

"Yeah right," she told herself as she shimmied into a pair of dark blue panty. Apparently the Archangel also went lingerie shopping for her. "Don't get to chummy girl. He probably got someone to get these for me."

Although... Aria could see that effort had been put into picking out everything in the exact shade of blue as her pupils. Only Zilarrezko had been close enough to see the actual color of her eyes.

Blushing stupidly, she took the dress off the hook and slipped the gorgeous fabric over her body. She had no idea how he knew her exact size but Aria was sure that the Archangel made it his business to know every single thing that happens in his lands.

Smoothing her hands down the dress, Aria twirled once in front of the mirror. The halter neck dress flared beautifully and ended slightly above her knee. The color, the cut, the fabric --the perfect combination that made her feel flirty and girlish at the same time. That was not a common occurrence.

Picking up a brush lying on the vanity top, she began to comb her hair; smoothing out the tangles to reveal long, straight and sleek black hair glittered with blue strands. Peeking into the shopping bag, Aria was surprised to see that he even bought a complete set of make up for her --not that she minded but wasn't he going overboard with the spending?

Aria dolled herself in the best way she could and made her way to his office. The sun was just about to rise when she entered through the door.

He didn't say anything when she stepped inside but looked at her up and down then he frowned.

"Not those sandals. Come here," he said, moving to his desk. "Since I didn't touch your feet much, I wasn't quite sure of your size..."

He actually had an apologetic look on his face as he laid five boxes of the same shoes, only in different sizes, in front of her.

Aria couldn't help it --she laughed.

"It's a size nine," she told him and slipped into a pair of suede heels. They were soft and comfortable. "Aren't you going a little overboard Archangel?" she asked; worry crossed all over her face.

"I'm not done yet," he said, ignoring the look she gave him. "Close your eyes," he instructed.

She didn't protest this time and a second later, felt the cuff around her neck and ankles gone. In its place lay something soft against the skin of her chest.

"Okay you can open your eyes now."

Instinctively, she touched her neck and felt a metallic chain. It was a necklace weighed down by a pendant that was...

A single metallic feather.

She held it up and gasped when it reflected various shades of precious metals right before her eyes. The gift was so beautiful that she wanted to hide and cry.

She could not! She must not! There is no room to allow for feelings!

"Aria, we shall go now," he said, offering a hand to her... which she took.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"Hush."

***

"Okay, you can open your eyes now."

Aria tried not to grumble. That was the second time he told her to close her eyes that morning. Ayns don't like having their eyes closed. It made them susceptible to being attacked and the sight that greeted her was akin to being stabbed straight to her heart.

"Niagara Falls..." she whispered.

"Yes," he replied, standing slightly closer behind her. "But you're not there yet."

"Wait... are you going to?"

"Yes," he grinned. It was too late to stop him now for he had scooped her up in his arms. The last time he did this, he had thrown her off the tallest building in New York. The Archangel might have creative ways to kill his enemies and throwing them into the Falls sure is one way.

Aria quickly wound her arms around his neck and held on for dear life. She'd always imagine what it was like to fly but now that she was actually in the air, she didn't like it --or maybe it was just because he was carrying her.

"We'll start from the source up at Lake Ontario and fly down along the border to the Falls itself."

"Then you're going to drop me?"

He managed to steal a kiss from her before saying, "Yes."

When she struggled against him, the Archangel tightened his hold on her and forced her to look down.

"What do you feel when you look at the water flowing?" he asked.

She closed her eyes and took in the scent of the cool fresh water before replying him. "I can hear the rush, the excitement... as though they're fishes swimming towards an end goal."

Zilarrezko smiled at her reply and flew lower until they were a few inches above the water.

"I thought you said you're going to drop me at the Falls?" she asked sarcastically. He bit her ear playfully in response.

"You can skim the water with your feet too you know," he told her. Looking down, she saw that the tip of his bare feet (magic metal shoes gone) cutting through the water.

"But the shoe will get wet."

"It'll dry."

Aria dipped an experimental foot down then yelped in surprise at the cool sensation. It was kind of like playing water ski except that you're being moved from above not in front.

"That was fun!"

"See..."

For the first time, they laughed together; his deep silky-sex voice intermingling with her throaty feminine ones.

When they realized this, both stopped immediately and looked away. The awkward moment left them in silence right until they reached the Falls itself. Aria could see the might of the crashing water a few feet beneath them.

Then she felt the sudden rush of wind as they both fell from the sky straight into the thundering Falls. She grabbed at him in fear --not for herself --for wings could easily be crushed under the weight of the rushing water. He must have sensed her distress for he held her tight and a moment later, she heard the sharp sound of blades cutting through water as the Archangel soared playfully along the Falls, soaking them both to the skin.

Aria was screaming then laughing then screaming again as he alternated between dipping low and swerving high with his powerful wings. It was only when her feet touched solid ground did she stop laughing/screaming --except that they weren't really on ground.

He landed them directly on a piece of jutting rock on top of the Falls. One wrong move and they could both fall into the deep abyss.

"You live dangerously Archangel," she told him.

"When you live a long life, danger is secondary."

He shouldn't have said that, she thought. It only reminded her that someday she would die... and he would live on forever.

"Archangel..." she whispered, cradling his face in her hands. "I will always remember this... thank you." She felt the single tear escape her eye as she kissed him. As he returned her kiss, his wings closed around them, forming a shield around their embrace.

Pulling away from the kiss, Zilarrezko looked deep into her eyes and felt lost in the whirlpool of blue surrounded by black. Taking her hand, he kissed her knuckles tenderly and whispered. "You've changed something inside of me Aria..."

She didn't know what to say to that and even if she did, she didn't get the chance to say it. He had already lifted her up and landed them on the New York side of the Falls.

"Thank you for allowing me to do this Aria."

"I'll always remember it."

He gave her a sad smile just before he sent a gust of wind in her direction. Aria didn't feel the cold but instead her clothes began to feel dry and her skin felt warmer.

"You're free now Valkyrie... you can go."

He didn't look at her when he said it and instead spread his wings to catch the breeze in his ascent.

***



Lore of the Angels Ch. 04



Hi all! This is an edited version, with the help of a very brilliant Jason Moore. Hopefully I am now saved from the various language felonies!

***

He missed her --

The stubborn tilt of her chin, the whirlpools in her eyes and of course... the insane mortal sin of lust that his body simply couldn't get enough of.

Archangel Zilarrezko thought that by letting her go he would feel less. She had become a liability; learning his secrets, making him weak... It was the right thing to release her. Killing her would not change a thing except make those feelings even more pronounced.

Zilarrezko slammed his fist into the nearest wall in frustration. She was gone! Gone! So why was he still feeling this much... if not more?

He had a war to stop and all he could think about is her. Would Iluna now kill her precious Valkyrie if she knew she was his weakness?

Yes, she would.

It shouldn't matter to him. The Valkyrie was mortal and would die eventually. Whether she died yesterday, today or tomorrow, it will not lessen this thing he felt for her. No, he should not care about her. He'd learnt what he needed to know from her and she was now of no use to him.

He is Zilarrezko --the Archangel of Death, Cardinal of the Metal clan; the youngest of all the clans and yet the most versatile and resistant element. He didn't need her.

In the Lore, it was said that the first four elements --Darkness, Light, Fire and Water --were made in binary opposition of each other. But that proved to be a mistake for the clans would always fight amongst themselves, wanting to prove who was stronger than the other.

So Earth and Metal were created as complements; Earth as the womb in which Metals --in its raw state or in various forms; oxides, sulphides and chlorides --could be found. Earth's relationship with Metals was symbiotic for unlike the other elements, Man could work with Metals; fashioning them into tools that helped them hunt for food and protected them from danger.

Darkness scared Man, Light confused him and for a period of time, the sun had been worshipped. Fire burnt him and Water drowned him but Metal had always been safe; hidden and protected by it. In return, Earth provided the comforts in which Metals like mercury could stabilize and stay hidden until it needed to be used.

These were the stories from the Lore that his mother would tell him when he was young. The elements needed each other she'd say; Yin and Yang. She'd always told him that attachment isn't weakness. Hadn't she always said that it doesn't make you weak just because you needed someone?

Zilarrezko smiled at that memory but his mother hadn't lived past the Dark Ages of the Angels. She hadn't seen the fall of Gaia and the reduction of the Earth Angels to mortals... so she had to be wrong.

Needing someone makes you weak.

***

Iluna stared at the Ayn Valkyrie before her; enraptured with the stories that she was telling. Had it really been only nine days since she last saw Aria? This Ayn was truly worth the hired price.

"So he keeps two Light Ordinals, one Fire and one Metal you say? How intriguing..." In truth, Iluna thought that was distasteful. Had Zilarrezko no loyalty to his own clan? He should have put all his own clan Angels in his Ordinal cadre --like she did.

"And have you learnt about his... relationship with that Yuki?" she asked; her tone going slightly crisp.

"Archangel Zilarrezko has made no mention of the Snow Queen in my presence Cardinal but from what I have gathered, he sees her territory as being too far away geographically to provide much needed aid."

"Oh!" she gasped excitedly. "Does that mean he has no need for her help? Or did she refuse him?"

Aria wasn't sure. "He knows you are courting Archangel Cyrus of Europe."

Iluna's eyes fell flat.

"And from a militarily strategic point, he might have withdrawn his request for help in hopes you would too."

"Rubbish! Why would I do that? I want to win this war don't I?"

"Cardinal... if I may so speak freely?"

"Speak."

"Even if you annihilate his entire army and eradicate the civilians, there is a chance that the Archangel may still refuse to surrender..." to you, she wanted to add but stopped herself short.

"How can he not? Would he rather I unclip his wings then and kill him? He is not stupid Aria Ayn," she replied casually. "And he's too softhearted to let too many civilians die."

Yes, thought Aria, he is. While Iluna's territory had been under martial law since the preparations for war, Zilarrezko had allowed his ruled to continue with their daily lives, promising to shield them from the worst of the war.

"Have you found his weakness Aria?"

Aria looked up into the dark pools of Iluna's eyes and nodded.

"I have taken care of it Cardinal. She has been disposed of." It was true. The Aria who experienced Niagara Falls with Zilarrezko had been buried deep within her psyche and would no longer exist.

The Archangel leaned back in surprise and then laughed; the sound thundering through her hall.

"A mortal? Oh god this is too much for me!" she was hysterical with amusement now. "This is just too good. And here I thought he had fallen for that frigid Yuki." Iluna clapped her hand and grinned flirtatiously. "And how is he? Did you incapacitate him as I've told you to?"

"The pearl is still with me Cardinal. The loss of his mortal will crush him more than the pearl. He will be disoriented and will mourn her loss for a few days at least..." she paused, trying to stop the bile from rising in her throat. "It will give you the upper hand during the first attack."

Iluna was overjoyed. "Will you fight along us Aria Ayn?"

Aria didn't reply her but simply cast her eyes down.

"Ah... payment for a separate assignment I suppose? Well... you have provided me immense joy my dear Ayn and as such I will double my payment to have your services in this war."

"Ayns are never conscripted for actual war Cardinal... We are not equipped with the necessary skills and abilities to survive it."

The Archangel frowned; her pretty brows knitting together. "Triple my last payment."

Aria almost wept. The last payment for seducing Zilarrezko had dipped into the eight digits... now triple of that?

"It is not the money Cardinal... I do not wish to die."

"How can you die when you cannot be seen Ayn? Your ability of Illusion is most extraordinary. Can you extend that to those surrounding you?"

Aria snapped her eyes up at the Archangel. So... she knew.

"Yes but it will drain me."

"I will help you then. You will be by my side at all times and I will protect you. Help me cover the first row of the attacking troops. That is all I am asking."

"Cardinal..." she protested.

"Do it Aria or I will ask one of the other four Ayns... maybe your brother?" A dangerous smile curved at her lips.

That was playing dirty!

"No! Spare my siblings... they are still young."

"Well?" Iluna gave Aria no other choice.

"Very well. I accept your offer but I require no payment for this last assignment... and it will be my last Cardinal."

"It's a deal."

***

The surprise attack was planned to be launched at dusk in two days time. Iluna wanted the extra cover of night as insurance for the blanket of Darkness she had shrouded over her border. Aria had not approved of it but she was just a lowly Valkyrie with not much say. The information she had given Iluna was meant to give her an upper hand; not an unfair first strike.

The Lore is not just a book of myths and bedtime stories. It also contains passages regarding the just rules of war, the courting rituals and the selection of Cardinals among Angels. But the main message is clear --there has to be honor even in conflict.

However, Aria did not expect many to still abide by the Lore. The two days of grace will give her enough time to return home and make arrangements. If the Archangel had threatened to reach out to her siblings, then Aria will have to make sure that they remain hidden during the war.

The sand dunes Illusion surrounding their current home allowed Aria and her siblings ample cover from those looking to destroy them. With a wave of her hand, part of the dune cracked to reveal a door.

"Kissa, Angelo...it's me, Aria," she called out to the eldest two of her younger siblings. When she heard no reply, a wave of panic smacked through her body. Not making another sound, she hid amongst the shadows; her body crouched low as she made her way up the staircase into the bedrooms.

Kissa's room was empty.

Betraying nothing, Aria continued to creep past her own room and peeked into the next room. Relief was evident on her face when she saw the youngest twins --Leiha and Troy --asleep in each other's arms.

Now where in the world were the other two?

Tiptoeing, she made her way to the final room down the hall and pushed open the door lightly with a jab of her toe.

Angelo and Kissa were fighting over the controls to the Xbox.

"Ehem." Aria cleared her throat and the two young adults stopped to look at her. Surprise and joy flashed in their eyes. "Kaifa halukum?" she asked them, using the language of their current home land. It was a simple, "How are you?" but it was a test to see if they had been practicing their mastery of the different languages.

"Ana bekhair! You're back!" Kissa jumped onto her sister and hugged her tight. "Please say you're not leaving again Ahizpa. I'm tired of cooking."

"Yes Arreba... I'm begging you. Kissa's cooking sucks!"

She couldn't help but laugh at their antics. This was home and no matter what language they had to learn, Basque was still the language that they were most comfortable slipping into. They had been addressing her as such since they were little.

Aria beamed at both of them; one complete opposite of the other. Angelo, four years younger than her was more man than boy. He had golden curls with hints of aquamarine while Kissa a year younger than him, had hair that was of the darkest blue, it looked almost black in the dark. But their eyes --all shone like whirlpools of blue amidst a black ocean.

"Let's go downstairs and I'll make you something to eat while we talk."

The two younglings looked at each other; worry flashing in their eyes. They knew that "talk" meant something big and serious. Following their sister, they made their way down to the kitchen where they watched her whip up a dish for the three of them.

"Angelo," said Aria as she sat down at the table. "Your Illusion is very well done."

He fluttered his golden-blue lashes at the praise. "Thank you. Kissa helps me sometimes when I'm tired."

Kissa grinned when mentioned and dug into her food.

"Well, we are going to need it for our trip."

"Where are we going?"

"Back to our home lands... but just for a while."

"Back to Bayonne?" asked Kissa, feeling excited. Aria nodded.

"But why Arreba..." Angelo was pouting. "I like it here."

"We'll come back after the war. I'm afraid that the Archangel Iluna knows our exact location now so we have to move."

Her two siblings' eyes widened at the news. "Is she... going to hurt us?"

"She might... but for now she just wants to use us for our Illusion."

The three of them kept quiet. Valkyries who've turned 21 were expected to render their services; mostly on a conscripted basis but Angelo and Kissa have one and two years more respectively. As such, if Iluna used them in war while they're underage, their deaths will not be compensated as they are not part of the Valkyrie Cartel yet.

"But Archangel Noor will never let Iluna set foot on her lands right?" asked Kissa.

"Yes... but I've been hearing that Noor might provide assistance to Zilarrezko. It's whispered in the streets all the way here."

Angelo understood his sister. "You want us to go to neutral territory... but how sure are you that Archangel Cyrus will not join the war?"

"If he does then we have to move again."

"Okay..." said Angelo sadly. "I hope this war doesn't drag on too long."

"I hope so too sweetie. I hope so too..."

***

Within the next twenty-four hours, Aria had managed to transport all four of her younger siblings to her safe house in Bayonne, France and ensured that their Illusion was strong enough to hide not just the house but the entire plot of land from sight. If anyone looked their way, all they would see is the coast and open sea.

The land had been expensive but Aria had bought it because of its superb location. That was perhaps the only good thing about being a hired spy --the money. Aria had safe houses in almost every part of the world and she intended to use them whenever she sensed danger approaching her family.

Now that they were all safely hidden, Aria could travel back to Colombia in preparation for the surprise attack at dusk. She intended to get some rest so she'd have to make it across the Atlantic Ocean in the next few hours. It wasn't difficult seeing that she could fly over in no time.

Who needs wings when she can pilot her own jet? The training was courtesy of the Cartel of course, amongst other things. They also regulated the average rate for hiring Valkyries and provided various legal services when needed.

The Valkyries aren't Human so they do not fall under the protection of Gaia, the Earth Cardinal. The Lore states that after the Dark Ages when Archangel Gaia lost her wings, there were some angels who willingly chose to accompany their loved ones into mortality. These angels gave up their wings willingly and called themselves Valkyries because they straddled life between that of mortals and immortals. They were stronger and lived longer because their own clan Archangels still ruled the world but without their wings, they could be killed or eventually die after a hundred years or so.

How much of that was true? No one knows.

But it should not matter because Aria could not die yet. Angelo might be nearing twenty-one years old but she is still the eldest and responsible for all of them. She needed to return home from this war alive...

***

Staying alive was the foremost important thing on Aria's mind as she slipped on her Valkyrie armor for the first time in her life. Ayns usually do not wear armor as they do not fight in battles but Valkyries, regardless of their denomination, must always enter the battlefield dressed as a Warrior.

Over her second skin she wore a lightweight brigandine body suit before slipping into her thigh high leather boots. The armored breast plate and arm braces came next followed by the greave to protect her shins and knees. Finally, she slid on her gorget; a steel collar around her neck.

The weight of the material reminded her of his metal cuffs...

"There's nothing to remember," she reminded herself as she took her gauntlets and claymore and walked out of her dressing room. She told herself there was nothing to remember, defying the cool metal hanging between her breasts to contradict her.

Iluna was already waiting for her at the entrance of her fort. The Archangel was stunning, even in her own armor; two daggers tucked at the sheath of her arm braces. Aria was sure that those daggers wouldn't be needed for death would not daringly court its own mistress.

"Ready?" she asked. Aria nodded. "Stay with me at all times is that clear?" she instructed. "If you get separated from me, don't hesitate to use the pearl I gave you... it should obliterate everyone within arms reach... the archangel exempted of course."

Aria hoped it would not come to that but she nodded nonetheless. The pearl was placed safely in a compartment in her arm brace.

Following behind the Archangel, Aria cleared her mind to help refocus her energies for the grand Illusion later. It was going to be difficult to totally cover the first line of the troops seeing that they were going to be very far from where she would be standing.

As they stepped out closer to the borders, Aria saw the sun slowly descending beyond the horizon; its rays were faint as they were under the intense fog of Darkness.

"Can you see the enemy troops from here?" asked Iluna, pointing across the Darién Gap where Aria could see tiny flickering lights of Zilarrezko's camps amidst the foliage. "Those aren't lights," she commented. "Those are Light Angels, glowing in the dark. It's just a scare tactic."

"Cardinal, the Gap is impossible for the mortals to cross... how are we going to..."

"Watch," said Iluna cutting her off mid sentence. Aria didn't know exactly what to look out for. Iluna was looking up in the sky, her hands outstretched as though moving a chunk of the Dark shroud down to form a bridge linking the two lands together.

Aria managed a gasp at the display of immense power wielded by the Archangel. Those shrouds of Darkness had been held up by the other Dark Angels and were essentially porous vapors but she had somehow crystallized that vapor over the swamp to create a battlefield that she could easily remove --to drown her sacrificial pawns and the enemies whenever she wanted to.

"Aria, when I lift my hand, you will cast your Illusion net over yourself then over the first line of troops. I will join you in a moment as soon as I reshuffle the shroud above us."

"Yes Cardinal," said Aria weakly. The thought of lives being put on the line made her sick to her stomach but this was what a Valkyrie was trained to do. So when Iluna lifted her hand, Aria focused her strength on the infantry; cloaking the first row of them with Illusion, rendering them invisible.

She could hear orders being shouted to march forward but what charged forth were not just the land troops but a phalanx of Dark Angels as well; hordes of Darkness in their palms, ready to blind the defending armies. Aria saw that at the very lead was an Ordinal; his Dark shape almost translucent against the night sky.

Then it happened. Aria could feel Iluna's strength supporting her from behind; covering not just the troops but also the Dark Angels. For a moment, Aria faltered at the thought of so many of Zilarrezko's warriors dying because they were caught off guard...

But she was wrong.

At that very moment, a sharp blast of Light speared right through the invading army and hit one of the Dark Angels straight in his forehead. He fell bleeding; no longer under the cover of Illusion.

"Don't lose focus Aria... They are coming," whispered Iluna from behind her.

The Light Angels were shooting arrows of Light into their territory non-stop such that the Dark shroud above them started to thin. Most of the Dark Angels had left their positions to charge forward and no longer kept the Darkness at its peak strength.

***

Lucian had felt rather than seen the presence of Archangel Iluna hovering beyond the Gap. Above them, the cloud of Darkness was thickening and he knew that she was planning for a surprise attack.

"Archers!" The playful tilt in his voice was gone; replaced by the hard, impassionate command of an army general at the forefront of battle.

A line of Light and Fire archers got into formation behind him, their bows pointing upwards and at the ready. Lucian knew that they would be shooting blindly for the Dark fog was growing more intense by the minute.

Then he sensed it --the slight chill emanating from a Dark Ordinal... and he was fast approaching them!

"Now!"

A flurry of arrows was released, spearing through the Dark cloud like a shower of meteorites. Lucian ordered the assault to continue as he radioed Julia for air cover. They had been caught off guard with this surprise attack so he needed to buy them all more time before Julia's reinforcements arrived.

From the corner of his eye, he caught movement --the enemies had crossed the Gap!




Lore of the Angels Ch. 04



"Damn it!" he shouted. The cloud of Darkness may be thinning but something unseen was attacking his archers. Lucian moved forward; abandoning his bow in favor of his broadsword. He moved swiftly forward, eyes picking out tiny details invisible to everyone else, bound as they were to the visible spectrum of light

The invisible army advancing would have made short work of any archer. But Lucian was no mere archer, he was a Light Ordinal and he could see.

And what he saw made him retreat.

"Marcus, now!"

Lucian barely made it to his line of archers when he felt the wind of a blade slicing inches away from his cheek. He ducked but was too slow to avoid a dagger aimed for his throat...

"Lucian!" Marcus's sword had completely sliced off the attacking Valkyrie's hands, taking him by surprise. Before he had a chance to recover, Lucian thrust the hilt of his sword into the Valkyrie's gut; slicing him in half.

He didn't waste time getting on his feet. Marcus had already sent the first Valkyrie troops to the forefront but too many of them were getting slain by the unseen warriors.

But not for long.

Lucian had spotted Julia. Her aerial cover would give them time to recover. He raised his hand, energy surged up along his arm and burst from his palm as a flash of light, cutting through the oppressive cloud of darkness. And even when most of the light had dissipated, the once invisible enemies were now faintly florescent under the ultraviolet glow he maintained. The situation wasn't good, but at least they had a fighting chance

***

Something was happening.

Iluna's second set of Valkyrie troops were advancing while the first one retreated to count their casualties and replenish ammo. Not all of them wielded swords; some were skilled sharpshooters too and had taken out a few of the enemy Valkyries and Angels themselves.

Then all of a sudden, a violent explosion was set off a few feet behind Aria, scattering the reserve Valkyrie troops.

"Air strike!" Aria heard one of the Ordinals shouting and almost immediately, Angels of various clans flew into the sky to take out the airborne threat. However, they had been caught unprepared, thinking that they were safe under the cover of Darkness and the next explosion proved that weakness.

It was a concentrated missile loaded with Light and Fire issued from a fighter-bomber. The explosion created a gaping hole in the sky and all of a sudden enemy Angels flew in straight into the Colombian lands; rampaging through Iluna's armies.

Valkyries and Angels kept dropping around her. It was then that Aria realized that Iluna was no longer standing behind her. She panicked for a moment but then saw that the Archangel herself had advanced; hands full of Dark orbs. On the opposite side, Zilarrezko approached her; his wings looking like individual swords rather than feathers --menacing and promising instant death.

For a moment, everyone stopped fighting for a showdown between two Archangels was just too rare a sight to miss. The two Archangels swirled around each other in mid-air... waiting for the other to make the first move.

***

"Iluna," his greeting was a mere whisper beneath his face armor.

"Zilarrezko," she returned the greeting. They were still circling around each other, neither one letting up first. "We can end this now... all you need to do is bow," she told him.

"You broke the code of war Iluna and that is unforgivable." They hadn't even begun to make negotiations and she had made the first strike.

Iluna simply laughed and raised her hands high. "Play fair and lose the war? I don't think so." Then she struck --Dark orbs aimed straight at his heart. He managed to evade it but the orb grazed his armor, creating a crater in the middle of his chest plate.

He gave a loud battle cry as he charged towards her; every blade of his wings aimed to shred her into ribbons. It was as if every one of them had a life of their own, slicing the air so fast that they simply vanished into a blur.

Iluna managed to deflect most of the hits but there were just too many and soon Zilarrezko had carved away bits of wings and flesh from her. Still, she was relentless and returned his attacks with poisoned darts shot out from the tip of her wings. They came in torrents and overwhelmed him; corroding away his metal armor much faster than he could regenerate them.

From below, the Archangels looked like flashes of lightning as they charged at each other. The sound of Zilarrezko's wings-swords moving at unspeakable speeds sounded like torrential rain pounding endlessly on concrete floor. Then suddenly, Iluna cast a Dark cloud over him and the sounds stopped.

"No!" screamed Aria. The battle on the ground had resumed but Aria ran forward nonetheless; just in time to see Iluna grab Zilarrezko --one hand on each wing. She was going to break his wings apart! Her poisonous Darkness was slowly eating away at the Metal she touched.

Aria could see that her poison was also creeping into his skin even as the top two wing blades were completely corroded by her hands.

"No!" screamed Aria again and this time she unsheathed the claymore strapped to her back and threw it straight between the two Archangels; slicing the air with a hiss.

***

He heard her... his Valkyrie's voice. She was screaming and then an instant later he felt the impact of a blade slicing through the air right in front of his eyes. It broke apart the Dark cloud for an instant and gave him the chance to retreat a step.

Zilarrezko managed to look down for a minute but he couldn't see his Valkyrie. Didn't he hear her voice? He tried to search for her but from the corner of his eye, he saw Iluna charging towards him, a long Dark spear aimed for his wing arch.

He evaded but his mind was distracted. He kept looking down and saw that a Light arrow had been shot from his side, aiming for one of the Dark Angels but it hit something...

No; someone.

"No!" he heard himself scream as her cloak of Illusion faded to reveal a mortally wounded Aria lying on the grass. He was halfway in his descent when Iluna smashed her spear directly against his face; sending him reeling through the air.

A part of Zilarrezko burned; not from the pain of Iluna's poison but from the thought of his Aria dying while he was in battle with another Archangel. He couldn't stop looking down at her forlorn face with its sad smile and bleeding body. It was then he realized the truth.

Archangel Zilarrezko couldn't live without his Valkyrie.

"Fight me!" screamed Iluna from above him. "Or have you surrendered Zilarrezko?"

"Never!" he yelled back at her and charged with all his might and power. He had to end this --Now.

The tip of his hands fashioned themselves into long pikes and he moved; faster than light to spear both pikes straight into Iluna's arms and crashed them both to the ground. Her spear disappeared the moment she lost control of her own hand.

Lying helpless beneath him, her wings flapped madly like a butterfly immobilized on its back; arms unable to wield any darkness.

"Stop this war now Iluna," he ordered; teeth snarling at her. When she tried to resist, he drove the pike deeper into her flesh and twisted his arms. "Or I'll unclip you now."

For the first time, fear flashed across the Dark Archangel's face but Zilarrezko knew that it was fear of the loss of her powers and not fear for the gained mortality of her clan.

"You wouldn't!" she hissed.

Zilarrezko's eyes turned completely silver and she knew then that he could be merciless when he wanted to. He spread his wings out in full display of his prowess; the remaining un-corroded blades pointing directly at her with the full intent of reducing her to pieces.

"Please..." Fear had translated to tears as she begged him but his wings were already spearing hers down to the ground. All he needed was to move each blade-wing and she will cease to exist.

"Archangel..." The soft voice of Aria called out to him, trying to snap him out of his hypnotic murderous state. "Spare her..."

"Stay out of this Aria!" screamed Iluna, tears streaking her cheeks.

"Look... look around you," Aria whispered for it was getting harder to talk while she was bleeding out. "The Angels... are bowing."

It was true. Every Dark Angel was on his or her knee, hands flat on the ground in prostration. They knew what the unclipping of their Archangel would mean for them and they were truly at his mercy now. Even the other Angels felt pity and fear for them.

Zilar... My Archangel... please...

Her last words were a mere breath but Zilarrezko heard it in his head for her turned his head to look for her and felt her life draining away from her body.

Aria... No!

She was smiling as she closed her eyes and Zilarrezko knew right then that Iluna's death would not change a thing.

"ARGH!!!" was his anguished cry as he ripped out one of her wings and shattered them into pieces with his own bare hands.

Then he got to his feet and glared at everyone around him.

"Return to your respective lands. This war is over!" The Archangel's voice echoed through the wind and rustled the trees.

Iluna's troops knew that they had lost and the Dark Angels, at the mercy of the Metal Archangel, carried their own fallen Archangel and retreated back to their Colombian borders; grateful that he had not ripped out both her wings.

When they finally left, Zilarrezko walked over to Aria and removed the arrow piercing her body. Picking her up gently, he turned to his Ordinals and gave his last instructions --

"Take home our wounded, bury the dead and return Iluna's fallen soldiers to her own land."

The Ordinals bowed low at their Archangel's commands and waited until he had flown off into the night sky before daring to stand up.

***

He flew the entire distance of more than two thousand miles on partially corroded wings. Yet the pain was nothing compared to the burning ache deep inside him.

For the first time, he laid her broken body on his bed, ignoring the blood staining his satin sheets.

"Aria," he whispered, caressing her hair gently but she lay motionless. Zilarrezko had never felt so helpless in his life before and for once, he wished he was born out of the first four elements. The physicality of Metal gave him no healing ability over others and all he could do was to lie beside her and look at the face of his beautiful dying Valkyrie.

"I can help you."

At the sound of the voice, he sat up immediately and spread a protective wing over Aria.

"It is me, Noor." The Archangel of Light came out from the shadows; her wings glowing like fireflies in the dark.

"She's already dying Noor. There is nothing anyone can do."

Noor ignored him and continued to walk towards the bed. "I heard that it was one of my Light Angel's arrows that pierced her," she said, moving a gentle hand over Aria's stomach. "Let me try and take away the poison..."

Zilarrezko moved to allow Noor space to sit on the bed but all he could do after that was just stand and watch her healing hands spread across Aria's gaping wound.

"You should do something about those wounds too Zilarrezko." Noor's voice was light and airy but the tone beneath that was serious. "Iluna's poisons will corrode your Metal permanently if you do not tend to it soon."

"I want to stay here with her," he announced defiantly but Noor would have none of it. Next to Darkness, Light clans were the oldest and Noor had been the sole Cardinal since the Dark Ages until now; she is wise as she is kind.

"Ehren, my Dark Ordinal will look at you."

"No. I am fine."

With her hands still on Aria, Noor turned lazily to him; her white eyes burning with Light.

"Ehren is here," was all she said before turning her attention back to Aria.

Zilarrezko scowled when the Dark Angel appeared from nowhere in front of him.

"If you please, Cardinal," he said; the German accent thick in his voice. Zilarrezko gave him a once over as though to ascertain if he was safe. Unlike other Dark Angels he had met, Ehren had wings of marbled onyx set against pearly white skin; the color combination almost an exact opposite of Noor.

"I trust him Zilarrezko... as you trust me with your angel."

Zilarrezko didn't say anything as a response and instead stuck his wings out for Ehren to inspect. The Dark Angel was indeed gifted for his palms were barely touching the Metal but flecks of poison danced off and disappeared into the dark.

While he let Ehren remove the Dark poison, Zilarrezko watched Noor. She seemed to be nearly done with Aria and he could see that the bleeding had already stopped. When she finally removed her hand, Zilarrezko waited to hear her assessment.

"I've taken out most of the Light poison but now it's up to her own body whether to heal or not. Her heartbeat may be strong but the arrow pierced right through to her back, missing her spinal chord by an inch so that's not so good news. "

"There's a but."

Noor smiled. "Very good Zilarrezko..." she praised. "Valkyries are much stronger but still mortal nonetheless. You will have to give her the best mortal medicine possible but what happens after that is any man's guess."

He nodded even as he reached out for the communicator panel at the side of his bed. He relayed the instruction to the main lobby to contact the General Hospital to ready a space for his injured Valkyrie. It would take him less than ten minutes to reach the hospital and in his current state of mind; he might not be as forgiving if there were any screw ups.

"You know something else," he said, turning to Noor.

"Perhaps," said the wise angel as she got to her feet slowly. Zilarrezko watched as she glided towards him to say, "We will talk once we've brought her to the hospital. Ehren will carry her."

Zilarrezko looked like he was about to protest when Noor spoke again. "You're still healing... you might drop her while in flight. But that's not the worst thing. Even if either of us are able to catch her, the force of that gravitational pull might injure her even more."

His lips moved to a grim line. "I'll be watching you close," he snarled at Ehren. "Touch her more than necessary and you're dead."

Ehren bowed low then moved to the bed to gently carry Aria in his arms. In a blink of an eye, he was already out of the room and airborne. Zilarrezko winced as he stretched out his wing to prepare for the flight.

"I will forgive you today for speaking to him like that," whispered Noor as she too spread her glowing white wings out. "But the next time, I will not be so kind."

She gave out a soft huff as she caught the oncoming breeze under her wings and flew off.

***

The hospital staff were all awestruck at the presence of not one but two Archangels and their respective Ordinals. Never had a hospital been graced with such a crowd.

It was for this reason alone that Aria was assigned to the care of the various head of departments. At the moment, the Head of Surgery himself was working on repairing as much of her tissue damage and stitching up her wounds.

The wait was killing them all.

Zilarrezko kept pacing up and down, refusing to sit or eat. It was only when Lucian came in with Aria's things did he stop moving.

"The doctors had a hard time undressing her," he said with confusion. "I thought you'd like to hold her things for her until she's come to."

At the sight of his metal feather resting on the pile of leather and armor, the Archangel felt his throat choking with emotions. She had worn his gift... and kept it.

"Leave me," he whispered at first but when nobody moved, he raised his eyes and barked at them to get the hell out of the waiting room. All of them left except for Noor and Ehren but Zilarrezko had no strength left to shout. Ehren may have taken away the poison under his Metal but the Archangel had not given himself a chance to rest and recuperate. Even angels need rest.

"Let us talk," said Noor kindly as she sat down beside him. "It will help you relax. Tell me about this Valkyrie."

"There's nothing to say."

"Males always say that but they're dying to explode on the inside," she said, casting her eyes up towards the other angel in the room. "Tell me then, what are Valkyries?"

He frowned. Was she asking him about stories from the Lore?

"What has this got to do with anything?"

"Humor me," she said.

"Fine," he said in a resigned voice. "They're... well, they were Angels who willingly had their wings clipped so that they could live with the mortals they loved."

"Yes."

Zilarrezko frowned. "I don't understand... are you asking me to clip my wings for her?"

This time, Noor's face broke into a genuine laugh for she was surprised. "You must love her if you're willing to do that." Eyes twinkling, she continued, "Yes, that's an option for you but not a smart one. Marcus has not even crossed to a pre-Cardinal stage yet."

"She's dying Noor... what difference will it make even if I turn mortal?"

Noor shook her head in amusement then reached out to link hands with Ehren.

"Love does that to us sometimes," she said as she looked into Ehren's eyes. Then turning to Zilarrezko, she smiled. "Valkyries were once immortals. They were Angels. Who do you think unclipped their wings for them?"

Understanding registered on his face even as he tried to hide the warm blush underneath it.

"Their Archangel."

"Yes. So go find her Archangel."

Zilarrezko stilled at her words. He had never heard of an Archangel capable of restoring an Angel's wings. He himself had never done it.

But Aria is too young to have been one of the first angels who requested to be turned mortal so she had to be born to at least one parent who used to be an angel... but which clan?

"Yuki..." he whispered the answer. Logic told him that those blue whirlpools for eyes and strands of blue hair meant she was of the Water clan but why hadn't he seen a Water Angel with that coloring ever since he could remember? Water had always been represented by Snow... or was it? "Noor... before I was born, what did the Water Angels look like?"

His question brought a smile to her lips. "You know how they look like." Her head angled slightly to Aria's body.

Her answer didn't cheer him up. He may not know the real reason why Water Angels now were all Snow but he finally understood the reason how Aria could have wielded Illusion so effortlessly. Hadn't he just seen her coming out from under its cloak not too long ago?

Looking up at Noor and Ehren, Zilarrezko felt the truth sinking deep inside his heart.

"Yuki will never restore Aria's wings," he whispered moving closer to caress her cheek. "Because Aria is a Cardinal."

***



Lore of the Angels Ch. 05



Once again, this is an edited version. Credits go to Jason Moore for helping me make the chapter more pleasurable for all.

***

Noor was smiling. "You are so sure that she belongs to Yuki. Have you considered that she could be mine?"

Zilarrezko arched an eyebrow in interest. Yes, he had forgotten that blue is one of the colors of visible light. However, his instincts were never wrong. Aria is of the Water clan.

"When I look into her eyes, I see whirlpools, not Light."

"Julia tells me that Aria's eyes reminded her of the deepest part of the ocean... where light doesn't reach. I must say that such eyes do incur fear to those who look too deep in them."

"I do not feel fear when I see them," said Zilarrezko.

"Ah, in a mortal maybe but you said she is of Cardinal status."

He sighed. It was then that he realized how talking had relaxed him. Noor, in her wise and tricky ways managed to calm him down to think things rationally. So yes, how did he know Aria is of Cardinal status?

"She has an Archangel's ability of Illusion but it goes beyond just the cloak of invisibility."

Noor nodded. "Yes, Illusion can adapt and evolve... but surely she is too young to achieve such an advanced ability?"

"Has yours evolved?" Zilarrezko knew that out of all the Cardinals alive today, Noor is the oldest. Even Gaia is several centuries younger.

"Ah Zilarrezko... do you think I would share such intimate knowledge with you?" she asked.

Zilarrezko caught her eye and nodded. "My apologies. It will not happen again."

Noor started to rise and linked hands with Ehren. "We should probably make our way home now. When your Aria wakes up, it would be nice if you'd bring her to visit my lands some day."

"We'll see," said Zilarrezko. It was then the question struck him. "Noor, I have one last question. Can I, as an Archangel, restore Aria's wings for her?"

Once more, Noor was surprised. "Zilarrezko, you've asked me many intriguing questions tonight but the short answer to that is yes."

"Ah but there's a catch."

"Naturally," she said with a smile. "There can only be one Cardinal in every clan my dear. If you give Aria your wings then Yuki will declare war on her almost immediately to retain her Water Cardinal status."

"Wait... did you say give Aria my wings? Does that mean my Metal clans get reduced to mortals?"

Noor shook her head. "That can only happen when another Archangel slices off your wings. In this case, you are not her clan's Archangel. If you wish to restore her immortality, you have to give up yours."

Zilarrezko was stunned but he managed to reply, "I will consider it then Noor. I wish you a safe journey home... and my sincerest gratitude for everything..."

"Be well Zilarrezko... heal those wounds and we shall meet again."

***

The Ordinals were taking turns to keep Zilarrezko company in the Intensive Care Unit. It seems that Aria had survived the surgery but is still recovering. A few times, Zilarrezko had entered the ICU and was shocked at the sight of his beautiful Valkyrie bloated and scarred. But he didn't shy away from her and had sat by her side, holding her hand as he told her stories about his childhood. He wasn't sure if she could hear him but he didn't want her to feel alone in the quiet room.

It had been three days since her surgery but Aria still needed a ventilator to regulate her breathing. Meanwhile, Zilarrezko had already healed; his Metal wings glowing healthily under the light.

"Cardinal, please forgive me... but we have to change her dressings," said a nurse from the doorway.

Zilarrezko gave her a nod of acknowledgement and stepped out of the ICU. Marcus was standing guard outside it today.

"Cardinal," he greeted. "How is she?"

"Still the same," he sighed. "Marcus, we need to talk."

The Ordinal followed his Archangel in silence as they took the elevator up to the rooftop garden, which was empty at the moment.

"Give me your hand." Wordlessly, Marcus extended his palm to his Archangel.

Zilarrezko examined the bronzed skin of his Ordinal very carefully. "Turn it Metal," he ordered. Marcus complied. The soft bronzed skin turned into a hard armor of coppery-gold.

"Another," he ordered and Marcus complied once more. This time, the armor turned cinnabar. The Archangel was clearly impressed. "You've learnt to mix your Metals with Earth?"

"Yes Cardinal."

"I'm impressed."

Marcus lowered his head humbly at the praise. "I hope to achieve your mastery of the noble Metals some day Cardinal."

"I am sure you will. How far out are you from reaching pre-Cardinal?"

For the first time, Marcus looked up at his Archangel and frowned. "I don't understand the question Cardinal."

"You understand the question perfectly well Marcus. Just tell me the answer."

Marcus looked down once more. "Not too far..." he whispered. "I could only know for certain only if..."

"We duel," said Zilarrezko finishing Marcus's sentence.

"Please Cardinal, it is not my wish to challenge you at all!" Marcus looked horrified.

"I do not doubt that Marcus... but I am just preparing myself for the time to come."

Fear was now plastered all over his face. "What... what are you saying Cardinal?"

Zilarrezko turned his attention away from Marcus and stared out into the night sky. "Someday, you will achieve Cardinal status..."

"I would never usurp your position Cardinal! I am most loyal to you and have no desire for territory or power.

Zilarrezko frowned and looked back at his Ordinal. "Are you actually afraid that I'm going to kill you now Marcus?"

The Ordinal's head remained bowed before he whispered, "Forgive me Cardinal. My life is yours to use as your wish."

Letting out a soft sigh, Zilarrezko relaxed his stature and removed the sheen of platinum coating his wings. When he stretched them out, his feathers were simply a soft grey down; humble and unthreatening.

Marcus's eyes widened at his Archangel's purposeful display of weakness.

"At the base, we are just this," he pointed to himself. "Not as indestructible as we try to make others think. It is important that you remember that Marcus."

"Yes Cardinal."

The feathers began to coat itself with the Metal sheen once more and Zilarrezko closed his wings tight behind his back. Marcus, it seemed, was not ready to take on his responsibility as an Archangel. Trading his wings for Aria's immortality seems like a distant option at the moment. It would take Marcus at least a few decades to reach pre-Cardinal. To force a succession on him would invite challenges in a heartbeat.

In fact, Iluna herself would take great pleasure in slicing his wings off within seconds of his Archangelship and reduce the Metal clan to mortal beings.

Aria would hate him if he did that.

"Come Marcus. You have my heart to guard."

The Ordinal looked relieved; the taut lines around his eyes relaxing. Yes, guarding what belonged to the Cardinal was his life's mission and he would do anything for him. Zilarrezko had taken him in after the death of his parents; raised him, groomed him and trained him to be the Ordinal that he was now. Even sacrificing his life for his Cardinal would not be enough to repay back the kindness he had given to him.

So Marcus kept watch outside the ICU as his Cardinal went back inside to tend to the mortal that has captured his heart.

***

Zilarrezko was rubbing her fingers gently. It was now almost a week since she's been in the ICU and still she hasn't come out from her coma. Julia had said that her body must be in complete shutdown in order for any amount of healing to happen. It is the same for Angels, she had said; except that their healing shutdown takes mere hours. It is Julia's turn today to accompany Zilarrezko. The hospital had become used to seeing their Archangel and his Ordinals by now but once in a while, the mortals would come to take a peek at them but were smart enough to only come when it was Lucian's or Julia's turn.

Lucian would clown around with the mortals regardless of gender but it was different for Julia. It was the men who'd usually come to look and she'd feel shy each time one of them gave her a smile. Despite the combined fleets Julia commanded and her vaunted Ordinal status, she was still unused to actual male attention for her affection. Lucian didn't count. He was always seeking attention for everyone's affection.

At that moment, the Archangel opened the door and her string of admirers immediately hid. However, they did not escape his notice for a wry smile tugged at his lips.

"Julia, would you come in for a minute?"

When he closed the door, he crossed his arms and frowned at her. "Before I set you out on your task, I have something to say."

"Yes Cardinal?"

"If you have no desire for those mortals stalking you then you'd better make a move on Anthony soon because he is completely taken by you. I don't want to be responsible for burnt bodies down the hallway."

"Cardinal!" her face burst out in scandalous horror. Zilarrezko couldn't help but laugh. Surely she couldn't be that blind to the Fire Angel's feelings!

"Now for your assignment. I need you to get my Lore of Angels in my office. Get all the volumes and pass it to Anthony when he comes in for the next shift."

She gave him a suspicious look but did not say anything. Instead she bowed and stepped out of the room.

It was many hours later when Anthony came to the ICU carrying a large bag. Whenever it was his turn to keep guard, the ICU ward was almost always empty. The nurses would scurry away and the patients would stay in their rooms.

Zilarrezko couldn't blame them. Anthony stares were the type you could feel through walls.

"Here are the volumes you requested Cardinal," he said as he entered the room. "Julia added some of her own in there because she says yours is incomplete."

"I see."

The two Angels stared at each other.

"Say it." It was an order.

"Cardinal..." It was a groan. Anthony was a man of few words indeed.

"You see this woman here?" said the Archangel. "Do you know what it's like to not know if she's going to wake up, if she's ever going to say the words that I want to hear? It is the not knowing that keeps me here all the time."

"It is your right to know everything."

Zilarrezko turned to his Ordinal. Fearsome and lethal as he may be, Anthony showed no passion at all for anything --well except for Julia that is. Even that he keeps guarded deep inside him. The Fire Angels were often described as blazing furies or over-passionate lovers and aptly as well for that is what they truly are. Haven't the romance languages all flourished within the Archangel of Fire's territory? And Anthony could speak every one of them. Surely he would know how to court a lady.   "You should tell her before it's too late. That's all I'm saying." Then he waved for Anthony to leave them.

Picking up the bag, Zilarrezko rummaged for the first volume of the Lore. This volume was extremely old, leather-bound and hand written --not in ink but using the element native to the scribe. Thus, if he or she was a Fire Angel, the volume would look like words have been scorched onto the paper; its edges smoldering. A similar style would occur amongst the Light scribes except that they had a habit of lasering right through the paper such that in order to read you either had to put the page up against the light or place a black cloth behind the page to read the words.

However, this first volume was written by his mother and she had dripped liquid Metal onto the page, creating embossed ridges of words on the papyrus. Zilarrezko traced his finger over them, remembering his mother's lovely smiles and songs.

He flipped through the volume looking for a description of the Water Angels but instead found a chapter on the Ice Age:

Fire and Light swept across the planet, leaving only destruction in its wake. Jealousy and arrogance transcend the bonds of friendship....

Did they not know that they are but one and the same? Fire gives off heat and light while Light in it's purest form --the Sun --can burn when its rays get too intense.

So Water was created to keep a tight reign on these two elements. Perhaps it was punishment or a lesson for the three elements but when Water was created, it was allowed to spread across the entire globe; flooding every nook and cranny until it crowded out Darkness, Light and Fire completely.

That kept peace on the planet for a while as all the elements were kept in balance. Yin and Yang. Only in this peace was Earth and Metal created to occupy a central location called Pangea.

The first four creations were excited for these new elements and waited to see what Earth and Metal could do. However the two elements were still young and did not know anything. So, for the first time since the first creations, the first four elements worked together to nourish Pangea.

Water helped to regulate the weather and temperature and provided support for the burgeoning life that was starting to bloom on Earth. Light provided warmth during the day and Fire continued during the night where Darkness reigned to provide comfort of sleep and rest.

The Pangean Peace as this period is often called was not to last. Unknown to the other elements, Fire had plans to dominate the rest. Deep within the Earth's crust, Fire bided its time, pouring itself into everything it touched. Earth melted and became lava, imbued with Fire's fury. Still the Fire grew, shattering the supercontinent of Pangea into smaller chunks, that it might snatch a portion for its own selfish ends.

Metals began to melt under the intense heat of Fire and begged Earth to help stop it but there was nothing that Earth could do for Fire was melting even the most inner rocks that held Earth together. So Earth, in desperation asked the other three elements for help but only Water answered

It rained on parts where Fire had devastated by volcanic eruptions and lowered the temperatures on other parts to keep volcanoes dormant. But most importantly, Water learned to evolve parts of itself to become Ice; a snub to Fire for it was a show that Water could create its own territory without the need for Earth. Pure Ice could cover an entire expanse of Water to create land.

Then the first true war started. Fire moved the tectonic plates beneath Earth and caused earthquakes and various craters and valleys. In retaliation, Water would cause tsunamis and hail storms to pour endlessly.

But things were to get even brutal when Light and Darkness finally joined in. Light allied with Water to create frightening thunderstorms and electrified the oceans. Then Darkness allied with Fire, shocking Water with the moon's ability to manipulate its tide and ocean currents.

Water would not be insulted and froze the entire body of ocean and rivers and lakes; sending the world into complete coldness. The world as we know then had entered the Ice Age.

The Ice Age lasted for close to a hundred thousand years and in this time, some of the Water Angels begun to evolve. Their blue-tipped wings gave way to completely white ones and their eyes no longer reflected the depths of the oceans but were hard shards of ice. These were the supreme Angels of the time but at least there were no more fighting.

Pangea was no longer the same for it was slowly breaking into continents, even under the watchful hold of Ice. The Ice Age may have been a period of frigid peace but it was nothing compared to the wars to come --a time that would throw the entire world into the Dark Ages.

Zilarrezko closed the volume. That would be all for now for his Valkyrie had started to stir.

***

"Aria?" he called out to her, caressing her hands gently with his fingers. "I'm here... can you hear me?"

She made a faint sound like a murmur then slowly moved her fingers. "Water..." she croaked.

"Water? You want water?" he asked, slowly getting to his feet. "Okay I'll get it for you. I'll be right back."

He didn't leave her of course but relayed the message to Anthony who fetched not just water --or ice cubes rather --but also the attending doctor.

"You were supposed to call me the moment she wakes up Cardinal," chided the attending.

"She just stirred less than two minutes ago!"

The doctor simply pursed her lips and began her methodical checks. She flashed her penlight and instructed Aria to follow it --to which she did successfully.

"Water..." she croaked again; her eyes going shut.

"Anthony, where's the damn water?"

"No... no water yet. She's still on the IV drip so she's hydrated. Use the ice on her lips. It'll help."

Zilarrezko wasted no time in taking the ice cubes from Anthony. "Will she be fully recovered now?" he asked.

"Her vitals are stable for now but she needs to be able to be conscious for more than ten minutes for me to be conclusive of anything."

"Thank you," said Anthony, trying to get the doctor out of harm's way. The Archangel's eyes had gone liquid silver and from experience, that meant that he was annoyed.

But the moment he turned to look at Aria, the silver vanished and in its place were soft grey eyes that greeted her.

"The doctor says you can't have water yet... so it's just this for now," he said apologetically as he rubbed the ice cube over her dried, pale lips.

"Water..."

"Yes Aria, I am trying to do my best here..." he pressed the ice cubes between her lips hoping it'd melt fast enough. Then turning his head he said, "Anthony would you mind?" Some heat to melt the ice would be good.

"You heard what the doctor said..."

"Are you defying me?"

"We do not know mortal medicine Cardinal."

Zilarrezko narrowed his eyes at his Ordinal then turned back to face Aria --except that her eyes were wide open and a violent maelstrom was brewing in them.

"Anthony... call the doctor now!"

Aria was seizing; a mortal condition that the Angels had never seen before. For the first time, Zilarrezko and Anthony actually stepped back in fear as a medical team started to administer drugs and stabilize her once more.

"What did you do?" asked the doctor accusingly.

"I gave her the ice cubes like you said!"

"Did you try to choke her with it?"

"What!"

At that moment, Anthony quickly ushered the doctor away. There was enough chaos in the room as it is.

"She's fine now Cardinal. Your anger might frighten her." Anthony tried to appease his Archangel.

Immediately Zilarrezko relaxed --but not completely. He began to pace the floor in front of the bed, lost in his thoughts, murmuring to himself. Anthony did not interfere until the Archangel had stopped pacing to look at him with steely cold eyes.   "I will send Lucian in a while. Stay with her at all times do you understand? I will be back in as soon as I can."

Anthony didn't have time to ask what his Cardinal was up to for the Archangel had already left the room. Not long after that, Lucian came in carrying obnoxiously colorful helium balloons.

"What?" was his first response to Anthony's stare. "Trust me; Aria likes to touch pretty things when she opens her eyes. I'd offer myself but I know you'll singe me."

Anthony didn't say anything and instead got up to resume his position outside the room, leaving Lucian to his antics.

***

The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was a rainbow... or at least it looked like one. Blinking her eyelids a few times, Aria managed to open her eyes wider and saw that it was actually balloons --lots and lots of balloons --in every imaginable color.

"Where am I..." she tried to say but there was something obstructing her windpipe. Cringing, her hands absently began to pull at the tubes at her nostrils.




Lore of the Angels Ch. 05



"Aria don't!" exclaimed Lucian but it was too late for she had already pulled the tube free from her throat; glucose leaking all over her hospital gown. "Oh dear..." he said before running to the door to get the doctors.

Aria was annoyed. There were so many people suddenly touching and prodding her. Just where the hell is she? Where's her Archangel? Oh god... did she say her? Wait... why was she even alive?

She began to struggle against all the strange people trying to hold her down and almost punched out one of them.

"Aria... you have to try and stay calm. These are doctors. They're trying to help you."

Mmm... she recognized that voice. Ah yes. Her pretty lavender lashes... so soft and pretty and...

"Okay, she's sedated," said one of the nurses and they left the room.

Lucian crept nearer the bed and looked down at his Archangel's Valkyrie. "You're a bad girl Aria."

"Pretty..." she giggled, reaching out to touch his lashes --only this time, he allowed her to.

"Lucian!" hissed Anthony from the door.

"Don't worry I'll be a good boy," he said ignoring Anthony's warning. When Anthony closed the door, he stuck his tongue out. "He's such a party pooper."

Aria managed another giggle...

"Want to see magic?"

Aria murmured something unintelligible.

"I'll translate that as yes," he said and conjured up a streak of Light from his right finger tips. "Watch," he said; slowly raising his left hand to comb through the beam, splitting the rays out into various hues of the rainbow.

Aria murmured, turning her head slightly to nuzzle against his wings. "Pretty rainbows... pretty..."

Then she fell asleep once more; her head comfortably resting on his wing.

The Light Angel did not move and instead held her in place, letting her sleep just a while longer.

***

Meanwhile, down in South America...

"Cardinal, I have searched amongst the dead bodies... but the Ayn is missing."

"What do you mean missing!" she roared, throwing her handheld mirror in the direction of her Ordinal.

"Forgive me Cardinal..." he was on his knees now; ghostly smoke for wings folded neatly behind him. "I will find her again."

Iluna got to her feet and spread her starlit wings out in a pure display of power and dominance. It had taken her almost a week for her other wing to grow back. "Did you see her at all during the battle Yuen?"

The Ordinal kept his gaze low, afraid to look into his Cardinal's eyes and get sucked into its black hole vortex. "Yes," he whispered.

"How!" she roared in shock. Pure Dark waves erupted from every inch of her body.

"She was shot... by a Light arrow."

"Then she should be dead by now! I want her body now!"

"Yes Cardinal. Your wish is my command."

Then the Ordinal Yuen disappeared like a puff of smoke.

***

The trip across the Pacific Ocean was excruciatingly long and strenuous but Zilarrezko pushed his wings to its limit; allowing his party of three only a few minutes of reprieve on the islands of Hawaii and then Marshall before endeavoring on towards Japan itself.

The Land of the Rising Sun had never been more beautiful than that exact moment as the sun crept up beyond the horizon to bask the East in its warmth and light.

"It was still noon when we left home," groaned Julia. "Did we really the entire night Cardinal?"

"No Julia. It is just about dusk back home... but here, it is a new day." He motioned for his two Ordinals --Julia and Marcus --to follow behind him. "A new day... for new alliances."

The three of them flew across to the bridge that linked the main city to the Snow Palace. The fortress itself was made of pure carved ice, surrounded by snow covered rooftops shaped in a dragon motif. If Zilarrezko preferred height, then Archangel Yuki of Asia preferred breadth and space. Her palace covered the expanse of land from the foot of Mount Eboshi to the coast lining the Sea of Japan.

"Impressive," said Marcus as the three Angels waited at the main entrance of the Palace.

"Be on your guard at all times," warned Zilarrezko as the thick iced door opened to reveal a blooming garden with pebbled floors leading towards the grand courtyard. Sakura blossoms littered all over the pale snow... like blood spilling with fragrant sadness.

A Snow-Water Angel greeted them at the end of the courtyard. From her stature and icy-cold gaze, Zilarrezko knew this was Yuki's Ordinal. Beside him, Marcus almost skipped a step at the sight of her. Zilarrezko couldn't blame him.

The Snow-Water Ordinal looked almost luminescent against the white backdrop; her skin of a pearly essence that seemed to blend as one with the strands of long white feathers cascading down from a choker around her neck. And her wings --were magnificent carved ice that looked like it belonged to a sculpture rather than an angel.

"Welcome, my name is Chióni" she whispered, bowing slightly --a movement that caused the feathers to part seductively to reveal white skin. "The Snow Queen awaits you."

Zilarrezko gave her a polite nod and followed as she led them past the carved doors of the Queen's court. He had always been fascinated by Yuki's insistence on being called 'Queen' rather than 'Cardinal' as the rest of the Archangels.

The first thing that struck him was her face --powdery white lashes against the palest of blue eyes, high cheekbones that were void of any color and finally lips that were glossed in a shimmer of snow flakes itself. However, that was nothing compared to her wings. They were constantly snowing even as they took shape of wings that looked incapable of flight.

Archangel Yuki rose slowly to her feet; her own feathered dress twinkling in the sunlight. Upon closer look, Zilarrezko noticed that off every white feather hung a crystallized tear drop "Thank you for welcoming us into your magnificent palace." Zilarrezko gave a humble bow and was greeted with a soft but feminine laughter as Yuki came closer towards him.

"This was rather unexpected Zilarrezko but my court is always honored to have such handsome Angels in our midst."

Zilarrezko prayed that Marcus wasn't blushing when she said that for it was a known fact that the female Archangels could reduce even the strongest of Ordinals to his knees begging for sexual release if she wanted to.

"I apologize Yuki but it is a matter of life and death. I have little time to waste."

The Snow Queen lifted her eyelashes and gazed into his own silver eyes as though ascertaining the truth of his words. "Very well then, we shall speak in my private office," she finally whispered.

She led them towards an adjoining room that served as her office which looked big enough to hold a private banquet. As the three of them entered, Zilarrezko noted that apart from Chióni, two more Ordinals had joined them. Either there were no male Angels that deserved the rank of Ordinal or Yuki only trusted female Angels by her side.

"You've met Chióni," said Yuki in that soft feminine voice again. "This is Seraphina and this is Fleur." The two Ordinals bowed their head gently out of respect. Zilarrezko had expected both to be of the Snow-Water clan but Seraphina was clearly a Fire Angel.

"Shall we sit?" he said, spreading his palm out to the conference table.

"Tell me what bothers you Zilarrezko."

"Yuki, I mean you no disrespect but I have a Valkyrie that I wish to turn immortal."

Yuki's powdery eyebrows arched in surprise then understanding flashed across her eyes. "Ah... she is one of mine."

"Yes."

"I do not see her."

Zilarrezko was surprised that Yuki was even considering restoring a Valkyrie to an Angelic form... or maybe she's just testing him.

"She is currently in hospital and still under critical condition... and I was hoping you would come home with us to restore her wings."

A shrill laugh filled the private office. "These wings are not meant for flying." She didn't mean that literally he understood. Yuki would travel nowhere unless it benefited her in some way.

"She might not make it here even if we charter a plane Yuki..."

"Then she will die." A statement delivered without emotion.

"Yes."

His reply caused her to smile as she leaned back in her chair. She looked back and forth between Marcus and Zilarrezko before speaking. "You could give her your immortality..." she trailed off as she stood up to walk over towards Marcus. "A pity," she whispered silkily in his ears. "So young... and tender..." Pale fingers traced the bronze arch of Marcus's wings.

"Yuki," warned Zilarrezko and she immediately lifted her fingers. He knew what she was doing of course. Marcus may be presenting a poker face but his insides were quivering and both Archangels could sense that. They both knew that Marcus was not ready to take over Zilarrezko's position. It was a taunt --she could easily break Marcus now as she would easily break him should Zilarrezko give up his immortality.

"You're far too serious." Even as she said that, Yuki made a deliberate show of her prowess by spreading her wings out --covering her guests in a thin coat of powdered snow. "I'll make a deal with you then Zilarrezko..."

He raised her eyes slowly to meet hers.

She smiled. "Give him to me and I will grant your Valkyrie her wings."

Marcus gave a sharp gasp and would have jumped to his feet if Julia and Zilarrezko hadn't held him down. His eyes were pleading as he turned to look at his Archangel but Zilarrezko's eyes remained an impassive silver as he kept his gaze on Yuki.

Zilarrezko knew that Yuki was playing with them. She might not even know how to restore a Valkyrie's wings and was simply trying to push Zilarrezko to see his weakness. Marcus was simply a pawn in her transaction --one she would immediately annihilate --for she wanted to know how much this mortal meant to the Metal Cardinal. Furthermore, kill off the heir to the Metal clan and all of North America would be up for grabs by the other Archangels.

"Consider your negotiation well Yuki for once we make a deal there is no turning back," said Zilarrezko stoically. Then silently in his mind, he reached out to Marcus. Trust me Marcus. Betray no emotions for whatever I say next. The Ordinal squirmed slightly then went completely passive.

"So you're willing to trade an Ordinal for a mortal!" she was clapping her hands in glee. "Oh Zilarrezko! You make a woman's heart flutter with excitement!"

"What are the consequences should you go back against your words?" he asked carefully, watching her twinkling eyes.

"I have every right to my words."

"Not to another Archangel."

Her eyes narrowed; the pale blue hardening slightly. "And you?"

"I am willing to have my wings sliced off."

The pale blue glowed brightly. "I am beyond... oh! You are what wet dreams are made of Zilarrezko!" she laughed flirtatiously. "Very well then. I will make the same promise."

"Consider it carefully Yuki... If you lie about knowing how to restore a Valkyrie's wings; I will not hesitate for even an instant."

Yuki actually pouted; her lips pursed out in disapproval.

"Marcus, go and stand beside the Snow Queen." Zilarrezko's voice was hard as steel. For a second, he thought Marcus would break down but the Ordinal's loyalty proved to be unwavering for he moved silently to stand beside Yuki.

Distracted slightly at the thought of her new toy, Yuki scattered snow on all the Angels present in the room. She was about to touch Marcus when Zilarrezko's voice interrupted her.

"There is no backing out of this Yuki. If you touch him, your wings are at my mercy." Just to prove his point, he stood up and spread his own wings; every blade of feather fashioned into death-point swords.

For a moment, Yuki's gaze faltered but then she straightened her back and pressed a soft kiss against Marcus's neck.

It was done. The deal was sealed.

***



Lore of the Angels Ch. 06



Here are the Japanese, Italian and Basque translations for this chapter.

Minasan konnichiwa --Hello everyone

Konbanwa, youkoso --Good evening; welcome.

Non posso vivere senza voi -- I cannot live without you

Joan behar dut -- I have to go

Once again, credit goes to Jason Moore for his brilliant and exceptional editing skills.

***

Zilarrezko carefully inspected the wings of his two Ordinals, making sure they were in peak condition for the long flight home. It would just be the three of them; Yuki had declined the effort in favor of a private jet. Zilarrezko hadn't expected her to accept his invitation and ruin the rare moment to connect with his Ordinals anyway.

"Cardinal," said Julia, finally breaking the silence. "How could you do this to him?"

"Don't you speak for me Julia," warned Marcus. "My life is for my Cardinal to use as he pleases."

Julia was about to protest when her Archangel raised his wing.

"We will talk in flight," was all he said before he leapt into the open sky heading for home.

The moment they had passed the Japanese border, Zilarrezko began to speak, "It isn't Marcus that Yuki wants."

"What!" both Ordinals exclaimed. Then Marcus said, "But Cardinal! She asked for me specifically."

"But her eyes betray her. She keeps no male Angel close to her for a reason Marcus. You are simply a pawn to goad me." His eyes flickered with amusement. "Yuki never passes up on a beautiful female."

Julia didn't seem to think it was funny though.

"Cardinal! But you easily pawned Marcus out to Yuki even when you knew she's just going to kill him? I don't understand..."

"In her eyes, she sees Marcus as being more valuable to me than you are. He is after all the next in line for Archangelship."

She gave him a sideward glance. Julia understood the logic but it still disturbed her how easily her Archangel had given up Marcus for the mortal.

"Julia, I can feel your annoyance radiating towards me," said Zilarrezko casually; the threat beneath the voice was loud and clear. The moment she stopped glowering, he continued, "Don't let such anger mar your beauty Ordinal."

"I apologize for my moment of weakness Cardinal... but perhaps you could put me at ease by explaining why you'd risk Marcus's life so easily?"

Zilarrezko replied by cupping his wings close to his sides accelerating toward the Marshall Islands. A second later, his Ordinals followed suit.

He allowed them to stretch their muscles for a few minutes before speaking, "I am wary of Yuki's easy submission to help. She made no question about Aria at all --not even to ask her age or her condition. All she was concerned about was to see how much of a sacrifice I would make for Aria."

"Marcus is a big sacrifice."

"Not the biggest. I promised her my wings didn't I?"

Julia pursed her lips, her white lashes fluttering angrily against her ebony skin. "Aria would swipe at you if she knew what you did."

Her reply made him laugh. "A typical female response to male stupidity"

"I said no such thing Cardinal!" she protested.

Her Archangel smiled before turning serious once more. "I am building a trap for Yuki and she knows it. Only that she thinks it's all a game."

The two Ordinals looked at him; confusion in their eyes.

"But I promise you Marcus that by the end of today, she will return you to me."

***

Zilarrezko and his two Ordinals reached New York several hours ahead of Yuki. Marcus and Julia remained at the Obelisque to welcome her while he returned to the hospital to tend to Aria.

When he approached the door, Anthony spread his wings to bar his way.

Zilarrezko cocked an eyebrow. "How are you Cardinal?" Anthony's voice was cheery. The other eyebrow crept up. "Fine?"

"It's just that... you might not like what you see" a smirk gave him away.

"Is Lucian in there?"

"Yes Cardinal. I was unable to control him."

"He knows what he's doing."

Anthony moved slightly to allow his Cardinal to pass.

The door opened, revealing a flood of light that quickly ceased.

"Uh oh. We've been caught red handed Aria," said Lucian playfully.

Zilarrezko gave the room a once over, noting the balloons, baskets of flowers and splashes of paint all over the wall. Aria was still lying down but her eyes were open and staring straight at him. "Has Lucian kept you entertained?" he asked gently but she continued to stare at him.

"She... doesn't speak much," said Lucian. She sleeps on my wings and pulls my feathers in her sleep. She's having bad dreams Cardinal.

Zilarrezko noted the lavender feathers on the floor and nodded. "Lucian, you may leave her now," he ordered; his eyes followed him across the room and out the door.

"Aria..." he whispered, moving closer to the side of her bed. "Do you know who I am?"

She didn't say anything and instead moved her gaze towards the door but Zilarrezko had caught the fear in her eyes. He frightened her... and she was looking for Lucian --for comfort from an angel other than him.

"Do you want Lucian to come back?" he asked quietly, his voice betraying nothing. Watching her face carefully, he noticed the fear in her eyes lessening.

It broke his heart.

"Aria..." he whispered her name desperately. He just wanted her to look at him but instead she closed her eyes and shut them tight. "Aria, it is me... Zilarrezko," he said sadly as he picked up her frail hand and kissed her knuckles.

Then it happened.

His Valkyrie began to cloak herself in Illusion; the hand he held disappearing from sight and touch until she was no longer detectable by any of his senses.

"Aria! Please... I'll... I'll call Lucian now... see?" he said pointing to the door that was opening to reveal the lavender winged Angel. "It's Lucian see? He's here. Don't be scared."

"Cardinal?" Lucian's face was shell shocked. His Archangel was talking to someone but he could see no one on the bed. In fact Aria was no longer in the room.

Then suddenly a piercing scream broke the silence of the ICU; shattering the frosted glass window of the room and disconnecting the electrical flow to the monitors.

"Cardinal! Where is she?"

"I don't know... I can't..." he stammered. He couldn't do anything... he didn't know what to do, his brain had frozen.

"Aria... it's me Lucian... want to see something magical?" Lucian was frightened but his voice remained soft and soothing. "See?" he raised his right hand to emit a stream of Light and then with his other hand he scattered the beam. However, this time instead of a rainbow, he doused the whole room in pale UV light.

Then he saw her.

"Aria..." Lucian knelt beside her and took her carefully in his arms. "Shh..." he rocked her silently back and forth even as his eyes looked across the room at his Archangel.

There were no words to describe his Archangel at that moment. Even cast in the UV light, Lucian could see that there were no blade wings or silvery eyes. He saw not an all powerful immortal, but a man whose eyes glowed with mortal longing.

Then the Archangel turned away and walked out of the door.

The screams stopped.

"Aria, why did you do that my sweet?" Lucian carefully lifted her and returned her to the bed. With a flick of his hand, the UV light disappeared and Aria slowly materialized; her body huddled in a fetal position.

"Lucian... what happened?" asked Anthony. Behind him were a group of doctors and nurses but the Archangel was nowhere to be seen.

"I don't know... but I'm afraid to leave her now. Could you find him please?"

Anthony gave a curt nod and left, allowing the doctors and nurses to rush in to take a look at Aria.

She lay still and quiet as they tried their best to hook up the monitors once more but she had cut off the electricity supply as well.

"Here," offered Lucian giving a power surge to the cables. That was all he could do for now.

***

Anthony found his Archangel on the rooftop gazing out into the open skies.

"Archangel Yuki has already landed at the Obelisque. She should be here soon."

Anthony gave a perplexed look. "Why? Why is she coming here?"

"I wanted her to return Aria's wings."

The Ordinal remained quiet at this revelation. He had seen what had happened just moments ago and something about the incident made him worry.

"She should not come here Cardinal... at least not now..."

"Just... give me a minute Anthony." Zilarrezko took in a deep breath and flew up straight --like an arrow piercing through the layers of atmosphere.

Anthony looked up and waited patiently until his Archangel came back down a few minutes later; his feathers covered by Metal once more.

"Come, our guests are already here."

"Yes Cardinal." Anthony followed his Archangel to the edge of the rooftop where he could see a group of Angels flying nearer towards them.

The Snow Queen and her harem of Ordinals were stunningly beautiful but neither of them caught his attention. His eyes were only meant for one Angel and she currently had an annoyed look on her face.

The moment Yuki landed on the roof, she broke into a feminine sing-song greeting, "Minasan konnichiwa..."

Zilarrezko decided to play along. Yuki could be unpredictable at times and he needed her to feel at ease --so to speak -- so he replied, "Konbanwa, youkoso." He extended a hand for her and was about to usher her away when she stopped in front of Anthony and Marcus.

Giving an appreciative study of the two Ordinals, she whispered, "I still prefer to sink my teeth in tender young flesh."

"Indeed," said Zilarrezko, gesturing for her to follow him.

The two Archangels were right at the front, followed by Marcus and the Snow Queen's Ordinals. While they descended, Anthony pulled Julia away.

"What are you doing?" she hissed.

"Something is wrong with Aria."

Julia's face turned serious. "Tell me."

"She seemed to not recognize the Cardinal and she did something..." Anthony bit his lips slightly. "Like... Illusion but it can't possibly be. She's just a mortal."

Julia's eyes widened. Now she understood what Zilarrezko was about to do.

"Hurry Anthony. We have to get down there before someone gets killed."

***

By the time they got back to the ICU floor, Marcus was trying to piece the frosted glass window together. It was an amazing feat considering that glass is only partially made of silicon which in itself is not a pure metal. Considering that, Marcus was faring very well. The same could not be said for Lucian. He looked worried and Julia couldn't blame him.

She was shocked to see Aria cuddled against his feathers and was almost expecting her Cardinal to kill him for daring to touch his Valkyrie. However her Cardinal at that moment was not even interested in looking at the both of them. He was in deep conversation with Yuki.

"I don't understand Zilarrezko. You are so willing to wager your wings and give up your Ordinal to turn this... Valkyrie back to an Angel? But why? She is not yours!"

Zilarrezko's fists had clenched slightly but he did not take her bait and instead replied, "Can you do it or not?"

"Move," she ordered to Lucian but the Light Angel simply stayed in place. "I said move Ordinal."

"I cannot let go of her or she will wake up," he insisted and looked up to Zilarrezko for help but received none.

"Go now pretty boy... I will not be kind enough to repeat."

Julia heard Anthony draw in a sharp breath as Lucian carefully released his hold on Aria, tugging lightly at his feathers that she was clutching. Her hold must have been very strong for he had to sacrifice a few of his feathers again to completely move away from her.

Aria must have sensed him gone for she began to stir. Lucian immediately tried to come closer but Yuki's Ordinals blocked him.

"So this is the Valkyrie... such tanned skin..." her voice seemed to echo some disapproval. "Are you sure she is mine Zilarrezko?" Yuki was now touching Aria's hair and frowning when she saw the blue strands. "Ah... her eyes should tell me the truth," she said, moving her fingers intending to open Aria's eyelids.

But something grabbed her wrists, causing the Archangel to jump back a step.

Aria was still lying down but her hands were clamped over Yuki's wrists; her eyes wide open to reflect typhoons.

Yuki's own eyes widened in shock. "Impossible!"

"Aria! Don't!" Lucian tried to stop her but he was too late for she was shattering the newly rebuilt glass window but this time not with her scream but with a powerful storm that came from nowhere; crashing against the brick walls, shattering them down.

No one had been prepared for the sudden unexplainable display of power.

"Stop her!" screamed Yuki to Zilarrezko but he remained motionless; his eyes keeping a close watch on Aria.

Only when Lucian tried to move forward did he shout over the din, "No. Stay in your place. Yuki I want you to watch her!"

The storm didn't last long but when it died, Aria was no longer visible on the bed.

"Where... where is she?" shrieked Yuki; her face drenched with water --and anger.

"Lucian..." Zilarrezko looked at him.

Lucian too was all wet; the pale lavender turning slightly dark from the water. Raising his hand, he began to spread the UV light once more across the room --or what was left of it --and everyone started to look around for Aria.

But it was Zilarrezko who found her for she had curled herself around his legs. He hadn't felt it at first because her Illusion rendered her completely undiscoverable by the five senses. This time when he reached down to touch her, she did not scream.

He lifted her up and rested her frail body against his chest as he looked directly into Yuki's eyes.

"How dare you..." spat Yuki angrily. "I will not be manipulated like this!"

For the first time since he had seen Yuki, she was no longer bathed in white. Her eyes held deep blue swirls similar to that of Aria's and her snowy wings were simply white with blue tips.

"You gave me your word to restore her wings Yuki," said Zilarrezko in a steel cold voice. His arms held Aria close to his body, her head resting against his neck.

"You left out the part about her being a Cardinal, Zilarrezko!"

An icicle materialised, slicing through the air. Anthony extended a hand, and it melted, inches from his Archangel's head.

"You had no interest in asking me anything Yuki. You wanted to play games... so I did."

Yuki was intensely riled up by now for she was freezing up the entire room; enclosing all the Angels in an ice cube.

"You can have your Ordinal back! I'd never play with boys anyway."

"Your word should have been your honor Yuki... you waged your wings to help me restore hers."

Her eyes flit up to his face a second before Zilarrezko felt a cold ice ring forming around his neck. This time she was much too fast for Anthony but Zilarrezko broke her ice the instant his neck armored itself.

"We could fight to death now --you and me," said Yuki, baring her teeth at him. "Or... I could just kill her."

Zilarrezko saw the intention in her eyes even before she said it for his wings had turned to pure steel to shield both Aria and himself against the Snow Queen's onslaught. The Ordinals were already on their guard; ready to attack each other at their Cardinal's order.

The two Cardinal in questioned were facing each other; eyes focused and lethal. However it was Yuki who stood down first.

"Zilarrezko... if you must enforce the terms of our promise, then this will mean war."

Zilarrezko did not say anything. He knew he had to make a decision now. Could he afford another war so soon simply because he couldn't see his mortal Valkyrie die?

"I will take back my Ordinal and take it that we never made any deal in the first place."

The response was unexpected for Yuki had thought he'd choose war but clearly she had overestimated him. An Archangel with no desire for more power and territory was undeserving of such a Cardinal status. He made her sick to her stomach.

Saying not another word, Yuki broke the ice surrounding them and glided away with her Ordinals behind her.

For a moment, no one moved; their minds still in shock over the sudden turn of events.

***

The rebuilding of the ICU had been left in the hands of Marcus and Anthony; sponsored by the Archangel himself. Aria had been moved back to the Obelisque to be cared for by Zilarrezko's personal doctors. The hospital had been too frightened to house her for fear that she would invite more angelic devastation. Zilarrezko had not been pleased but he had no qualms about it. At least now, she would still be close to him even while he was in his office.

At the moment, Aria was sleeping in his bed. She had just been given her medication and had been told to rest. Zilarrezko took the opportunity to catch up on his own work but first, he had some dressing down to do.

The lavender winged Angel was sitting on his desk, swinging his feet innocently when he stepped into the office. He jumped off immediately but not before flashing a guilty smile on that adorable face of his. Zilarrezko had a soft spot for Lucian and Marcus but knew this had to be done.

"Lucian," he said sternly, pointing to the chair. "Sit."

"Yes Cardinal."

"I give you a lot more freedom than the others --even Marcus."

"Yes Cardinal..." the angel hung his head down guiltily.

"But Aria is not Lorraine so do not be mistaken."

Lucian bit his lower lip; gnawing at it like a child who disliked being reprimanded.

"Lucian..." Zilarrezko was trying to be stern but just looking at the young angel's antics made him want to smile. He was about to say something when Lucian looked up.

"I mean her no harm Cardinal... but you made her frightened. Everyone frightens her except me. She pulls at my feathers in her sleep Cardinal... Can you imagine the dreams she must be having?" Zilarrezko kept quiet, allowing Lucian to continue. "Lorraine was about her age too when she died. Her wings were barely formed but I remembered what a sparkling blue it was."

Yes, Zilarrezko remembered that day very well. Lucian had sat on the bed the whole day holding his dead sister in his arms. He wouldn't let anyone near them until Zilarrezko himself had pulled the two younglings apart.

It had taken him nearly a week to coax the frail little angel to speak again. Lucian was only twenty years old then --truly an infant in angel years --but he had the most agile body that Zilarrezko had seen. Each time he tried to feed him or bathe him, Lucian would zip off and hide; moving so fast that all he could see was a streak of light.

It seemed that Zilarrezko had a penchant for picking up strays. He had found Lucian and Lorraine huddled in a corner of a dumpster along the historical Combat Zone in Boston many years ago. At first he thought they were human children for they were so malnourished and broken that their wings had been stunted and could be hidden under baggy clothing.

Then he saw Lucian's eyes and knew.

"You cannot replace Lorraine with someone else Lucian. Someday Aria too will die and you will truly hate mortals for what they have no control over."

"Is there nothing we can do?"

"For now... but I will find something."

The lavender angel looked down and shuffled his feet. "I know she is yours Cardinal... but I will lay my life down to protect her."

Zilarrezko arched an eyebrow at his words. "Even from me?"

Those lavender lashes fluttered slightly. Gulping down the rising bile in his throat, Lucian looked up straight into his Archangel's eyes and said, "Yes. If... if you ever hurt her."

For a moment, the air sizzled between them. Neither looked away or blinked.

Then...

Zilarrezko's face broke into a small smile; then a chuckle... and finally he burst out into thundering laughter, tears gathering in his eyes.




Lore of the Angels Ch. 06



"She is not even an Angel and already she's taking away my Ordinals," he sighed, wiping away a tear. A second later, the amusement was gone from his eyes and his voice turned serious when he asked, "Do not put yourself in a position where you'd have to choose your loyalties Lucian... but for now, I will let it be.

Lucian bowed low. He understood the great concession that had been conferred onto him. At a wave of the Archangel's hand, Lucian left the office.

***

Zilarrezko watched his youngest Ordinal slip out the door. He sighed, all those people who thought the bond he shared with his Ordinals was unidirectional, when in truth, it was a relationship built on love. He was willing to sacrifice his life for them, just as much as the reverse was true. He'd raised them, fed them, clothed them and now they were his only family. Wistfully, he considered the very real possibility of another addition to his rag tag family.

"Maybe," he shrugged to himself. "Won't be fun to play nice though."

"Won't be fun to what?"

At the sound of the voice, he snapped his gaze up and saw her leaning, albeit weakly, against his alabaster door frame. Although his room was built directly behind his office, he knew that even the short walk would tire her.

"Aria... what are you doing up?" Quickly getting to his feet, he moved gracefully to scoop her into his arms.

Even in her weak state she had a rebellious look in her eyes.

"Guess you're back," he murmured.

She scowled at him. Apparently she couldn't remember anything that happened since the Battle at Darién Gap --which was a pity of course. Zilarrezko wanted to be acknowledged for the hours he spent by her side. Maybe she won't give him gratitude but kisses would suffice too...

"You have that golden look in your eyes again," she whispered accusingly. "I don't think I'm up for that."

"Who says it's for you?" he pinched her cheeks playfully as he laid her down on his bed.

"I don't see anyone else here."

"Jealous?" Zilarrezko was laughing but he watched her face carefully. Aria may not want to admit it but the slight inflections in her eyes betrayed the words that were coming out of her mouth.

"Ne-ver," she grunted each syllable and covered herself with his blanket. Safely hidden beneath the satin, she fingered the single feathered pendant around her neck. It was so nice of him to put it back on after the surgery. Did he stay by her side in isolation ward too?

"He won't sink so low," she whispered to herself, cuddling tight. It was then she remembered her second skin! Pushing back the covers, she quickly scanned the room for him.

"Archangel!"

"Missed me already?" he asked; turning his head to look at her.

"Where is my armor and... clothes?" she asked carefully, not wanting to let him guess how important it was that she knew the answer.

"I had Lucian keep in a bag safely for you. I only took the necklace." He eyed her curiously. "It's there by the side of the table. Why? Do you not like what you're wearing now?"

Aria looked down at the cotton dress that she was wearing --or perhaps it was a really big shirt that stopped mid thigh --and crinkled her nose.

"No silk?" she was just pulling his leg of course, wanting to distract him from the topic in question.

It worked.

His curious eyes relaxed as he gave her one of his sex-dipped smiles. "It would be such a waste to shred at silk but I'd cut away at cotton... in a snap." At the last word, he flared his wings out to show her the sharp ends of his blade-feathers.

"Show off."

He was still giving her the same smile when he sat down at the edge of the bed. Aria would have described it as large but that would be doing the bed injustice. In a room that was just slightly smaller than a football field (not exaggerating), the bed occupying the central position took a sixth of the entire available space. He could have an angel-orgy on it if he wanted --which she disapproved of, naturally.

"What are you thinking about?" His voice was like soft caresses on her skin.

"This bed," she replied curtly.

She may not be saying the words out loud but he knew what she was implying. Tilting her chin up, he moved his face closer until they were a bare inch apart. "I never let anyone on my bed but me."

The touch of his lips on hers was brief like a whisper and then he pulled away as though afraid to hurt her. Touching her lips with her fingers, Aria wondered for the first time if those golden eyes of him had reflected lust or...

"Not in this life Ayn," she chided herself. She may be in his bed but it could be that he wanted her within his sight at all times. He kidnapped her off a battlefield for a reason. If he had feelings for her --which Aria was certain he did not --then he would have looked for her way before the attack that evening.

Sighing to herself, Aria glanced over at the bag and knew she had to leave... but not tonight. She will give herself just one night in this fantasy world and tomorrow she will have to return home to her siblings. The Archangel told her that she had been in coma for almost a week and in that week; she hadn't called or checked in on the children... They must be worried for her.

"You shouldn't worry so much Valkyrie," he whispered as he caressed her cheeks gently. "The doctors said you're recovering much faster than expected. I guess that shut down you had worked some miracles huh?"

That was another thing Aria worried about. How was it that she could not remember a single thing that had happened? Surely she must have been aware if someone was beside her or at least when the doctors were prodding her around?

"Archangel..." she whispered, leaning closer to him. Just this one night.

He nuzzled her hair; taking in the soft scent of sea in the strands. "Yes?"

"Who called you Zilar?"

Zilarrezko immediately stopped moving and pulled apart to look her straight in her eye. "What is it to you?" he asked in a voice that was completely void of emotion.

The sharpness in his response almost made her flinch but Aria was not going to back down --not tonight --so she climbed up to sit on top of his thighs and wrapped her arms around his neck to whisper, "Because I'll kill her for putting such sadness in your eyes."

He wasn't expecting that from her and for a moment, the Archangel saw himself as a mere century old Angel, crying over the body of his dead mother.

"I'm afraid she's already dead Aria but... thank you," he whispered back as he felt her soft kiss at his neck. "... for offering."

Zilarrezko wanted to be angry at her but her soft seductive kisses were moving down his neck to the ridge of his collar bone, distracting him. What he should do was to tuck her back in bed, safely under the blankets but what he wanted to do with her --to her --was the complete opposite.

"You're still dressed..." she whimpered; her fingers desperately trying to pry away his metal armor but Zilarrezko wouldn't give in so easily. When she realized that there was no way to get him naked, she did the most logical thing --she got naked herself.

"You're killing me Valkyrie..." he groaned as she pressed her soft naked body against his cold hard armor. It wouldn't have mattered so much if he wasn't the Archangel of Metal for he could feel every single thing that touched the metal plates. He could tell that her nipples were hardening just from the contact with the cold and it made him itch to suck them into his mouth.

"Stop trying to fight me," she whispered silkily, rubbing more of that lithe body against him. Zilarrezko moaned. He wasn't trying to fight her. He was just trying to keep her alive. If he unleashed the pent up lust that was truly raging inside, he might hurt or even kill her. The Archangel did not like playing nice and she should know have known that by now. So why did she insist on playing with fire?

"Aria... I don't think we should... oh god..." She was kissing down his wing arch --the most sensitive part of an Angel's wings --and she was doing it so well...

"Didn't you say you don't like to cut yourself in bed? So lose the Metal..." she coaxed.

Still he was adamant. "I don't want to hurt you Aria... you're still recovering."

The desire in her eyes dimmed a little and finally she pulled away. "I need you tonight... just to forget the pain... just one night with me Zilarrezko..."

That did it. She pulled out the trump card on him. Sad puppy eyes does serious damage to his sense of control, he chided himself. "Tell me if I'm hurting you understand? Stop me if you feel any pain or anything..."

She covered his lips with her fingers. "Lose the Metal..."

He did as she instructed, revealing every ridge of muscle and every inch of skin for her viewing pleasure. The dark oceans in her eyes swirled in anticipation at the sight of her prize.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" he asked, slightly amused. Here he was, at the mercy of his mortal and they both knew it.

She replied by leaning her entire body weight forward until his back was firmly on the bed; wings stretched out over the mattress. "Just for tonight..." she murmured, trailing wet kisses down the exposed hardness of his chest. Aria had seen his bare chest countless of times and had even marveled at the sight of them looming over her during their previous tryst... but never had she taken the time to savor every delectable inch of that lovely torso until now.

She traced the ridges of muscle on his abdomen, kissing each sexy curve before moving her lips lower and lower...

His cock was standing at attention; possibly in anticipation of what she was going to do to bring him pleasure. She kissed the tip gently, licking down the entire shaft; coating it with her saliva before slowly taking his entire length into her mouth.

She heard him draw his breath and hold --almost as if he didn't dare breathe --as she serviced his cock with lustful attention; methodically moving her lips up and down the shaft. Aria tried to get as much of the thick cock into her mouth; shivers running down her back at the thought of having it deep inside her very soon.

But Aria did not want to rush anything. She wanted to enjoy the taste of him, the feel of his body against hers and experience pleasure together with her Archangel --yes, he was hers now... for tonight at least.

She pressed one last kiss onto the tip of his cock and slid her body seductively against his own body; soft flesh rubbing against hard muscle. Her Archangel was breathing again but his eyes were pure molten gold when she looked into them. He wanted her.

She caught his lower lips between her teeth and bit it gently before moving down his neck to place soft bites on the tender flesh of his throat.

"Marking me already Valkyrie?" he whispered; hands moving up her slender waist to toy with her full breasts.

Her response was to slap his naughty hands away. "No touching..."

"Okay... for the next five minutes," he groaned as he closed his eyes to give her freedom to do whatever she wanted. It was the greatest surrender of all --to trust his Valkyrie like this. Did she know he was willing to put his life --and heart --in her hands?

Okay and maybe his cock too...

Archangel Zilarrezko was willing to be officially condemned to a life of blissful monogamy --right after he persuaded Aria to join him. Right now, he didn't feel like being persuasive for she was fisting his cock with her warm fingers; tightening her grip over the shaft as she took the first few inches back inside her mouth.

Good god... that glorious mouth! He wanted desperately to grab her head and shove his cock in and out of those pouty lips but Zilarrezko prided himself with his sense of control.

Five minutes... and then it would be his turn.

Lying back, he kept his eyes closed, trying not to think of her wet tongue, those kissable lips and... what's that? Soft, flesh squeezing his cock from all sides --oh her breasts!

"Five minutes's up," he moaned, slowly opening his eyes to see her watching him; making sure he was watching her breasts moving up and down his hard cock.

"Want me to stop?" she purred. Zilarrezko looked into her lustful eyes and knew then that he would give her anything she wanted if she asked.

"I don't want to be selfish..." he managed to wheeze out. "I want to touch..."

She lowered her eyelids very slowly and rolled herself to his right side; curling up against his body and soft wings. Zilarrezko took that as a concession and rolled himself right on top of her; one wing still pinned under her body.

When he brought his lips to hers, they both let out a sigh of relief. Her palms cupped his cheeks lovingly as their lips danced with each other.

He maintained the kiss even as he spread her thighs open; two fingers dipping below to check her wetness. Her pussy was moist but not wet enough for him. Aria moaned when she felt his finger over her sensitive clit, rubbing in slow lazy circles; occasionally thrusting two fingers into her pussy just to tease her.

"No more teasing!" she cried out; voice raspy and tortured. "Now Archangel..."

"As you wish," he whispered, guiding his cock to the entrance of her pussy and pushed; one inch at a time into the tight furnace that he was beginning to love so much. "Aria..." he murmured her name, trying his best to ignore the urgent demands of her hips. He didn't want to hurt her and was trying hard to be as gentle as possible; to fuck her in slow, deep strokes instead of the usual fury that characterized their mating

"More..." she pleaded; nails dug into the flesh of his shoulders, legs wrapped demandingly around his waist.

"Be patient my Valkyrie," he replied, looking deep into her eyes as he plunged his entire length inside her. When she screamed his name, he did it again.

"You're not hurting me... I want it harder!"

A sly smile curved at his lips. "Do it yourself then," he said; eyes twinkling with mischief as he rolled onto his back to position her right on top of him. "Take it as hard as you want."

He meant it for her comfort --for her to gauge her own level of tolerance --but he never expected her to go wild; her hips grounding down hard as she took his entire length without complaint. Up and down she clenched her pussy muscles over his cock; her tits bouncing with every movement.

The Archangel had never seen a more erotic sight in his life. Never had he allowed any woman to be on top like this and no other woman would ever get this chance. There will only be Aria.

He groaned as he felt her clenching tightly around him; her body trembling as the first wave of her climax claimed her. When she started moving again, Zilarrezko knew he was close. She had teased him the entire night and even now --with her sexy hips grinding and her hands fondling her own breasts --it was just too much.

"Aria..." he moaned, holding her hips firmly as he met her downward thrust with an upward one of his own. The resulting impact made them both cry out as pleasure raced through their bodies. He held on to her tightly, plunging his cock in and out of her tightening pussy. She was close too.

Giving a final thrust, he shouted her name as he came --hot spurts deep inside of her even as her own pussy convulsed around his cock, milking every drop of cum until the last sensations died down.

***

Aria hadn't expected him to stay with her in bed. It completely went against their previous routine.

Something had changed.

But it wasn't unpleasant especially when he had one arm draped possessively over her waist, pulling her closer in his embrace. His eyes were still looking at her but she caught him stifling a yawn and knew that he was fighting off sleep to keep her company.

She gazed at his handsome face and wondered for a moment if she could really leave him in the morning. The war was over. Iluna no longer needed her services and she needed to be somewhere else other than here... in his arms... right?

"Stop thinking and sleep..." He gave her butt a gentle slap. Her rebuttal was already at the tip of her tongue but seeing how tired he looked, she decided to feign sleep. There was something in the way he looked at her and held her that suggested he wouldn't sleep until she did.

And she needed him to sleep.

Relaxing against his body, Aria lost herself to the sound of his heartbeat; the rhythm slowing down to a steady pulse. She could hear the shallow but peaceful sounds of his breathing and knew that her Archangel was slowly falling into deep slumber.

Zilarrezko was mumbling; sweet murmurs against her hair that sounded unintelligible but she managed to catch one.

"Non posso vivere senza voi," he murmured; one word at a time, each word sending a chill down her spine. Aria had been trained to speak many different languages --a useful tool as a spy --so she understood the meaning of those words and wished that he hadn't said them. It made it even more difficult for her to pull away from him.

He didn't stir when she got off his bed. Hoping to

but she kept her eyes on him as she took her second skin and began to dress herself.

The soft, almost translucent material clung against her body comfortably. No one apart from the born Ayns had this and it was for a reason too. The secret of how to create it had been guarded by her parents and all of her kind since the beginning of their time.

The born Ayns had the innate ability to reach Cardinal status but this needed to be hidden from their Archangels for fear of persecution. They attributed their ability to project Illusion to the second skin --a partial truth --for it could render its wearer invisible but only for the shortest period of time.

However, there have been times when an Ayn's secret was discovered and they were often hunted down and killed... as her parents had been. They were only Valkyries. How could they possibly threaten an Archangel? It wasn't as if being Cardinal mortals meant that they'd grow wings or something right?

An emotional wave threatened to drown her right that moment. Her parents had been the last centurion Ayn to live before they were killed, leaving her at the tender age of fifteen to care for two teenagers and newborn twins. From then on, Aria was always on the run; hiding her siblings from sight, not wanting to get too close to anyone... until now.

The only relationship she had allowed herself into were the contractual ones with clients. Usually, they didn't even have to see each other for the transaction.

Not that Aria would call this thing she had with Zilarrezko a relationship... in fact she wasn't even sure what to call it. No mortal would be stupid to fall in love with an angel... much less an Archangel for there would never be an eternity of love for either of them --and that was the undeniable truth.

So for now...

"Joan behar dut," she whispered, pressing one last kiss on his brow before disappearing into the darkness of the night.

***



Lore of the Angels Ch. 07



I'm extremely thankful to my editor, Jason Moore for his invaluable input –without which I wouldn't be a better writer. And thank you to my readers, for those who've commented and sent me feedback. I really appreciate them. 

***

Aria had successfully made her way down to the main lobby and was already out of the building when she felt a pat on her shoulder. 

Impossible! She was under Illusion; invisible! 

She was about to turn around when she was suddenly plunged into complete darkness as though a blanket had been thrown over her eyes. 

Aria might not be able to see but she could still hear and vaguely feel strong hands around her waist, carrying her –first on foot, and then on... 

Wings!

The flapping of strong powerful wings –not Metal –but something softer; wisps of silk in the air. Someone was carrying her and since her experience with flying had not always been pleasant; she kept completely still, afraid that her captor would dump her from a height if she so much as sneezed. 

They flew in silence; the only sounds their slow breathing and her pounding heartbeat. She was pressed closed to his chest and yet all she could hear or feel was an endless void beneath the cool and smooth skin of her captor. 

At least she knew it was a male angel –or she hoped it was. Not that she had anything against female angels but being pressed to another female's chest was not her desired mode of flight –especially one that seemed to take hours with no actual destination in sight. 

It made matters worst that she couldn't tell which direction they were flying in for the Angel was straddling layers of atmosphere that was constantly cold and devoid of much oxygen. That much she could tell because she was having difficulty breathing –as though the Angel hovered between life and death –any higher, and she would suffocate. 

It was official. Aria hated Angel flight. 

All she wanted was to return home and that thought alone made her want to scream and jump off her captor's arms.

Not a good idea. 

He seemed to sense her intentions for he gripped her even tighter, cloaking her in an even darker cloak of blindness –if that was even possible. 

Aria was about to lose track of time when she finally felt him begin to descend... at a very controlled speed until he landed on a firm, flat surface. 

"Where are we?" she asked, now that they were on land. Struggling against his grip she tried to escape but her captor's hands held her firmly for a few more seconds before he threw her down on the ground. Aria could smell the earth around her and feel the grainy soil beneath her palm. Where the hell was she?

"You will stay here until the Cardinal arrives." So he speaks! But the question begging to be answered...which Cardinal was he referring to? 

Aria faintly heard him leaving but the Darkness was still obscuring her vision. Aria crawled to what she sensed was the corner of her... room? Cell? Torture chamber? Curling her knees up to her chest, she began to rock herself back and forth, hoping to calm herself down –for what it was worth. 

***

"What's this?" asked Iluna when her Ordinal walked in carrying a roll of parchment. 

"It's a letter Cardinal. A messenger Angel sent it not too long ago from Archangel Yuki." 

Iluna did not say anything; her eyes wandering over the ghostly shape of her second in command. Andhera, a Dark Angel of pre-Cardinal level, had always been an excellent substitute for Iluna whenever she wished to have a body double. 

Though Andhera's wings were stripes of black and white; her body and facial structure bore striking resemblance to Iluna herself; such that many have mistaken one for the other. 

"Read it to me," said Iluna. That was what a body double was for right? Yuki was known to send poison in her letters, turning her enemies' blood into ice and essentially killing them from within. If anyone had to die, it shouldn't be Iluna. 

"Yes Cardinal." Andhera began to read out the words on the parchment. 

Iluna listened as she thought about how old-fashioned Yuki was; sending scrolls like this. What? Has Japan no internet? 

"The Snow-Water Archangel of Asia extends her greetings to the lovely and fair Queen of Darkness, in hopes that she is willing to accept this offer of friendship and alliance. Terrible times are approaching –your northern threat should be annihilated as soon as possible. Let the world shudder once more at the might and strength of history's most fearsome Ice and Dark ages." Andhera paused to look up at her Cardinal. 

Iluna was laughing and clapping her hands in glee. "Oh! What has brought that bitch to such desperation? Did Zilarrezko turn her down as well? Surely she didn't think she was ever good enough for him?" 

"Shall I continue Cardinal?" 

"Yes, yes please do. Ice and Dark ages? Please!"

Andhera nodded and continued to read, "It has come to my attention that the Archangel of North America is harboring a Cardinal leveled Water-Angel. My suspicions are that he plans to use her to annihilate both our clans and take our lands. We must not let this happen!"

Iluna raised her hand to stop Andhera from reading. "Did... did she say her? Who is this Water Angel?!" Iluna was on her feet; pacing about as she muttered curses. "Water Angels... Water Angels! There are no more Water Angels in this world! No... that Yuki is up to something... She's lying. She's lying isn't she Andhera?!" 

Andhera raised her eyes humbly to meet Iluna's own gaze but did not say anything. It was not her place to tell her Cardinal what is true and what is not. 

"Read on!" Iluna was hysterical now as she continued her pacing. 

"If you accept this alliance, I urge you to prepare your troops and attack at the next full moon when your strength is doubled. I will send reinforcements south from Antarctica into Chile and Argentina to be at your disposal. My own troops will invade from Alaska and move south to the heart of Zilarrezko's territory. Do not take my warning lightly Iluna. If you are not with me, you are against me."

Andhera folded the parchment gently and looked up to her Cardinal.

"What! Is that it?" screamed Iluna. "Does she think me her toy?" 

Andhera lowered herself to her knees. "If I may so speak Cardinal."

Iluna grunted in response. 

"Asia is too big a land for us to go against successfully, Cardinal. After Archangel Cyrus, our territory is the smallest. If Archangel Yuki promises us a share of the North American territories, I advise you to accept her offer."

"But I hate her!"

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend Cardinal."

"She is no friend of mine Andhera and don't mistaken her gentleness for weakness. I'm telling you that she has more up her sleeve than she's willing to say right now. I have no doubt that she wouldn't hesitate to cut off my wings the instant I turn my back to her. Is that what you want?"

Andhera bowed low. "Then I shall take your place during this war."

This time Iluna laughed; hysteria echoing through her halls. "You may be enough to fool the Humans... but Yuki is a Cardinal. She can scent your deception from far and you won't last a second in her presence."

Turning to her other Ordinals, Iluna demanded, "What do the rest of you have to say?"

The other two Dark Ordinals got to their knees before speaking. "There are no more Water Angels in this world Cardinal. She may be using this as a trick to lure us into battle."

The other Ordinal concurred, "She might be planning to weaken us before turning against us when our defenses are down."

"Yes... you're right," said Iluna, suddenly enlightened. "That bitch! I'm going to slice her wings off myself when I see her!"

"What about the Water Angel Cardinal?" asked Andhera, interrupting her delight. "I do not think that Archangel Yuki is willing to fight Zilarrezko if she is not truly threatened."

Iluna slapped her Ordinal with a burst of Dark energy. "There are no Water Angels!"

That wasn't the reason and they both knew it. Andhera had made the mistake of addressing the Metal Archangel by name –a sin in Iluna's court –and thus the slap. 

"Yes there is Cardinal. Forgive me for being late." This was said by Yuen; his wings arched out in wisps of smoke. "I have retrieved your Valkyrie for you."

"Oh good news at last!" said Iluna with a loud sigh. "Finally, something I can sink my hands into."

Yuen glided forward with the intention of stopping his Cardinal. "I'm afraid you mustn't do that Cardinal."

"How dare you! She is mine! I want to know why Zilarrezko took her from me!"

"She is the Water Angel Cardinal..."

"She is what?" Iluna's eyes widened for a moment. Then she laughed; clutching her stomach in pure comic relief. "Aria is a Valkyrie. She has no wings!"

"Archangel Zilarrezko flew to Japan for an audience with the Snow Queen. He wished her to restore the Valkyrie's wings Cardinal. I learnt this from the hospital staff who were there when the Valkyrie was nursed to health."

"How did you know where to find her?"

"I shadowed the Archangel's Ordinals. My instincts told me that if Aria was missing, it must be because the enemy had taken her."

Not a sound followed his last words. Iluna settled herself in her seat, speechless for the first time. The betrayal was simply too much for her. 

Her Ordinals only dared to exchange looks but no words transpired between them. They were simply waiting...

"Leave me!" she finally screamed; Darkness swirling around her, threatening to drown the entire hall in its poison. 

That was their cue. Andhera walked out followed by the other two, leaving Yuen alone in the hall. If anyone could soothe her, it was him.

"Iluna..." The Dark fumes thinned to reveal the ghostly figure of Yuen standing right in front of her. When she refused to calm down, he knelt before her and placed his palms over hers to stop the flow of Darkness out from her hands. "Stop this."

"I can't..." she uttered in a small voice. 

"You can work this to your favor Iluna... don't make this about you."

Her eyes snapped up. "This is about me! How can you say that?"

"This is about us! About our clan! The Snow Queen wants Aria but now you have her. You can dictate the terms of this alliance. Do you understand?" 

Yuen's words were like a sharp slap to her face. The Cardinal got to her knees and wept. "I just wanted him to want me... is that so hard?" The tears staining her cheeks fell like drops of ink out of the corner of her eyes. 

Yuen let go of her hands and stepped back. As an Ordinal, he knew he had already crossed an invisible line. He wouldn't do it again. 

Breaking apart the remnants of her Dark cloud, he bowed and whispered, "It is always hard when you can't have what you want." Then straightening his back he spoke out louder, "But you have what two great Cardinals want. Use that to your advantage." 

Then he disappeared in a puff of smoke. 

***

When Aria finally opened her eyes, she could see once more as though the blanket around her eyes had been lifted. Slowly blinking her eyes to adjust to the light, Aria noticed that she was in some sort of stable. There was straw and soil but no walls –unless you considered endless depths of darkness as walls. 

It looked as though she could walk right into the void but Aria knew it wouldn't be that simple. She experimentally raised her hand, watching as it disappeared into the shadows but screamed out in pain as frost covered her fingers. The sensation burned right through her skin and seemed to numb her entire nervous system. 

"I see you're awake."

Aria turned her head to see Archangel Iluna emerging from the darkness. She should have known. 

"Was it absolutely necessary to kidnap me like this?" Aria tried not to chatter despite the freezing cold.

Iluna circled her, watching Aria like a vulture looking at carrion. "Has being with Zilarrezko made you forgotten your manners Valkyrie?"

The Archangel was simply looking at her but Aria felt the icy tendrils of fear and doom crawling up her back. It was as if Iluna herself was trailing her long bony fingers over Aria's skin.

Aria looked straight at the Archangel in front of her wondering for the first time if she was really facing death. Sure, she courted death for a living –seducing Zilarrezko was the epitome of that –but never had she felt such intense dread that Iluna was casting over her; draining every ounce of happiness out of her soul... 

"It seems you are a very precious item right now". Aria snapped out of her daze. "Archangels are going to war for you."

"What?" Shock was written all over her face. "I... I don't understand."

"Don't play dumb with me Aria!"

Aria stared blankly at the Archangel. Just what in the world was she talking about? What war?

"I've told you that that was the last time Cardinal. I will not offer my services any longer."

Iluna picked Aria up by grabbing fistful of her blue-black hair. "If I needed services, I have four more to pick from don't I? Maybe I'll play with the eldest... what's his name? Right, Angelo. Such a pretty name for a pretty boy..."

Aria was suddenly overcome by an irrational fear that she kicked Iluna's shins causing the Archangel to let go of her. 

"You bitch!" screamed Iluna. "I can kill you right now and no one will know! No one will care! You hear me?"

"Leave my siblings alone! What do you want from me?" Aria's scream bordered on hysteria. No one is going to touch her babies. No one!

"Give me Zilarrezko."

"He doesn't want you!" she spat angrily. 

"And he wants you?" Iluna laughed. "Do not think for a minute that those... mortal pleasures mean anything Aria Ayn. "Did you expect to be the first mortal he's been with? Please. You're not the first and definitely not the last. What have you got to offer him? Nothing."

Aria kept her eyes on Iluna, not wanting to say anything or betray her emotions. Iluna was right of course but it still hurts to have the truth slapped on her face. 

"Someday you're going to die Aria. Don't forget that. But that's not the worst part. You're going to beg to die before that. No Archangel is going to touch you or... want you when you're old and crinkled. He wouldn't even look at you. Heck! Even you won't look at you!" 

Oh god that hurt... 

Iluna was really taking away every hint of joy that Aria was holding on to... even if they were just illusions. 

"Do you love him Cardinal?" she whispered sadly. 

"Love? Does an Archangel know what love is? There is only lust, desire and power Aria. Love... is an unstable emotion."

"You love him."

"Shut up!" 

"If you love him then why are you forcing him to do something he doesn't want? Why do you even want to be with someone who will never love you back?" 

"I don't care! Give him to me Aria!"

Aria hung her head down sadly. "He is not mine to give away Cardinal... I do not own him."

Iluna's hands clamped brutally over Aria's throat, scalding the flesh with Dark poison. "I want you to tell him that. Tell him that he is not yours. He understands possession... no wait, we understand possession. So you will tell him Aria... or I will hunt those pretty little angels of yours... I know they've left their home in Egypt...where are they now? Oh yes... France."

Aria clutched the soil between her palms and squeezed it tight into a fist. How dare she! How dare she use her siblings in this stupid emotional war! 

"Please... please just leave my siblings alone. This has nothing to do with them! I will stay here and do your bidding..."

"Maybe I should just kill you..." She pursed her lips to ponder. "No, that would make me the evil one. You need to be the one to break his heart." 

Aria wanted to scream but Iluna's hand was wrapped mercilessly around her throat, choking her. She could feel the Cardinal's fingers tracing the line of her jaw and down her collar bone, leaving burns in its trail. 

"A pity I'd have to scar you," she laughed, clearly enjoying maiming what belonged to Zilarrezko. "Don't think he'd even want... what's this?" she demanded, pulling at the feathered pendent. "Did he give this to you?" 

Aria tried to answer but Iluna had tightened her grip; cutting off her air supply. Her eyes –complete orbs of black –stared down threateningly into hers. "This is now mine!" 

Aria felt the necklace being forcefully tugged from her neck before she was pushed away, lying limp on the ground; chest heaving as her lungs took in the much needed oxygen. 

Daring herself to look up, Aria saw Iluna examining the exquisite feather –the necklace now fastened around her own neck. As though sensing Aria's gaze, Iluna turned to flash those haunting eyes at her. 

"Now, you can rot here for eternity."

Then she was gone. 

Aria was crying now. There was no need to pretend or hide her emotions anymore for every bit of her soul was pouring out through her eyes –her fear for her siblings' lives, the loss of her precious necklace... and the heartbreak at knowing he would never ever know how she felt about him because she was going to die alone in this impossible prison with no way for escape. 

No one was coming for her. 

Laying her head against the ground, Aria cried until she exhausted herself enough to fall asleep; fists still grabbing the soil beneath her. 

***

The moment he opened his eyes, he knew that she was gone. The bed felt cold and there was no imprint of her body on the mattress. That could only mean that she hadn't been sleeping on it for the past few hours 

With a sad sigh, Zilarrezko sat up, stretching his wings open to welcome the morning breeze. It was slightly after dawn but the breeze felt extra chilly that morning. Taking a fresh towel, he wrapped it around his waist and walked out towards the balcony. "Did you have to leave so soon?" he whispered; looking up at the ominous rain clouds, feeling the sharp slap of the wind in his face. The last time this happened, she had returned to him the very next day but this time... 

She had nothing to tie her down to New York. 

That brought a scowl on his face. It just occurred to him that she might have a family of her own –someone to love... someone who loves her...

He was just an assignment she had to complete. 

"Damn it!" He needed to punch something... or someone. Wondering if Anthony would be up for a sparring session, he headed back into the room to leave his Ordinal a message. In his current mood, Zilarrezko didn't feel like holding back his strength and Anthony was the only one who could take his punches –and most importantly, land one on him.

As he walked towards the room, he couldn't help but notice that her armor was laid nicely on top of the bag. If she was gone, surely she would have taken her belongings with her right? 

The scowl was immediately replaced by worry. Did she leave on her own free will or did someone snatch her from right under his nose? Was that even possible? 

Actually... it was. Zilarrezko had exhausted himself staying by Aria's side for an entire week at the hospital and then flying across the Pacific Ocean and right back again. Even Angels needed rest and he'd probably slept less than forty-eight hours in those seven days. 

It must have completely knocked him out after their love making the previous night. 

Even then, he would have heard her struggling or screaming at the very least. Zilarrezko didn't think he'd be that oblivious. He was an Archangel after all. 

What if she meant to come back? 

Zilarrezko felt a glimmer of hope but he didn't want to take his chance –not when it came to the most frustrating woman he had ever met... and cared for.

To hell with the husband or lover –she had no right to leave him without saying a word! 

Storming to his office, his only thought was to get his Ordinals down right that instant to find her and bring her safely back to him. Not caring that it was almost six in the morning, he had given them a mere ten minutes to get to his office. 




Lore of the Angels Ch. 07



Once he disconnected the call on the communicator panel, he took off the towel and armored the lower half of his body. He disconnected the call with more force than necessary, almost snapping the switch of the communicator panel. He through his towel into a corner, as if it had personally offended him and armored himself.

"You're in hell load of trouble Valkyrie. What am I? A pity fuck?" Vaguely, he realized it wasn't becoming of him to be raging at thin air, but it didn't seem important enough to devote attention to.

He was in such a foul mood that he almost barked at his personal line when it rang. Zilarrezko never had private calls that weren't filtered by his secretary. What if it was Aria? Worry and curiosity made him pick up the receiver. 

"Zilarrezko," greeted the gentle voice of Noor on the other line. "I waited as long as I could. I know it's slightly past dawn, but this is important."

"What's wrong Noor?" He tried to keep his voice calm, not wanting her to hear his disappointment. 

"Yuki's navy has already passed the Indian continent and are reaching the Cape. My intelligence tells me that she will be refueling here and continuing across the Atlantic Ocean."

Zilarrezko kept quiet. Yuki had not even declared war yet but was already sending her fleet? Was she planning to station her troops surrounding his territory and force him to concede? 

"What did you do Zilarrezko?"

"I went to see her at her palace and asked her to return my Valkyrie's wings. She refused, naturally."

"You know she would..." 

"I had to try Noor," and he told her everything that happened since his trip to the heated argument they had in the ICU. 

"I am willing to offer my assistance again but I suggest you ask Cyrus for help too. Even with the two of us, Yuki's troops are massive and can overwhelm us both."

"I will Noor. I thank you for your help... I am truly grateful for it."

Noor was silent for a few seconds but then she finally whispered, "It is what your mother would have wanted."

Then the line disconnected. 

Zilarrezko put down the phone and walked back to his room, thinking about Noor's parting words. What exactly would his mother have wanted? To ally with Noor? To defeat Yuki?

He didn't get much time to ponder over the issue for his Ordinals were already knocking on his office door. All, with the exception of Lucian, were somber and looked worried. 

"It seems that I'm always ordering you to find my Valkyrie." 

"Did she run away again, Cardinal?" asked Lucian, immediately turning serious. Zilarrezko turned his head gently to his Ordinal.

"The fact that she's not here is cause for worry enough."

"Cardinal, if she had left this building on her own free will... then you shouldn't bring her back. She'll just run away again!" Lucian was adamant; his response shocking the other Ordinals in the room. 

"Lucian!" hissed Julia, pulling his arm as a warning. Still, Lucian did not stand down even when his Archangel towered directly over him. His wings remained tucked behind his back, but a chill swept through the room.

"Lucian..." His voice was soft but his eyes were pure steel. "I have warned you not to put yourself in this position haven't I?"

Lucian stared up defiantly; his own eyes glowing bright in anger. "She is not a toy to be leashed!"

At that moment, everyone knew that Lucian had finally crossed the line. 

A sharp slap. 

Zilarrezko blinked. Lucian's face was turned away but he saw the glowing imprint of Julia's slap on his cheek. 

"Forgive me Cardinal for I haven't trained him better," she said through clenched teeth. "We will find her for you. I promise. She is not in the best shape to be running off at the moment."

"Take him with you."

"Yes Cardinal."

"As for the two of you, I have another task for you."

That was a signal for Julia and Lucian to leave. Zilarrezko saw her grabbing Lucian's wrist before pulling him out towards the balcony. 

"You really shouldn't let him get away so easily Cardinal..." Anthony's voice was a crisp disapproval. As the oldest and most senior Ordinal, he considered it his duty to discipline the others.

"Julia will take care of that," he reassured them. They didn't need to know about the conversation he had with Lucian. "We will take flight to Paris in an hour. I want to reach Cyrus's fort before dusk."

The two Ordinals exchanged looks but it was Anthony who spoke, "Forgive me for asking Cardinal..."

Zilarrezko raised his hand. "Yuki's fleet is planning to head this way. She has already passed the Indian subcontinent."

"I see... You are hoping for an alliance with Cyrus?" 

Zilarrezko's lips thinned to a grim line. "I know he doesn't yield easy... that's why you're coming with me." A silent agreement passed between the Cardinal and his second in command. He might be grooming Marcus to take his place someday but there was no question that the two senior Ordinals –Anthony, followed by Julia –were his right and left hand. Anthony in particular, was more than just an Ordinal to him and Zilarrezko trusted and valued his input beyond purely administrative matters. 

For a moment, when the Cardinal smiled, Anthony only saw a young Angel behind those silvery eyes –the same one he had raised and trained. Zilarrezko was asking him for something more and he understood. 

***

Seeing that he only had an hour before their flight, Zilarrezko decided to make do with a shower instead of a bath. He wasn't pleased about making the journey for what he truly wanted was to search for his Valkyrie. Instead, he could only send two of his Ordinals to look for her. 

"What the hell is wrong with me?" he slammed his fist against the bathroom wall.

He should be focusing on the impending war and all he could think about was Aria; along with the cascade of emotions he hadn't experienced since... his mother – 

What was it again that Noor said about his mother? Right –that this was what she would have wanted. 

Zilarrezko didn't think so. She wouldn't want to see him like this... 

Apart from his mother, Zilarrezko never allowed himself to love anyone... until Aria. The truth of that admission made him go completely still under the pouring water. 

"Oh god..." he moaned. This was exactly what he was avoiding his whole life. Love was irrational; it was unquantifiable and unstable... and it hurt. "It hurts mother..." he whispered. 

As more water soaked his wings and skin, Zilarrezko closed his eyes and tried to recall his mother's lovely golden eyes. She was always smiling; her eyes twinkling each time she looked at him. 

Sona had been the Archangel before him; the first Cardinal of the Metal clan and her powers were legendary. She had control not just over Metals but over the magnetic poles as well. Even Zilarrezko hadn't been able to achieve such mastery of his element. 

To have such an ability was beyond comprehension. His mother had single-handedly reversed the North and South poles of the world, –bringing an end to the Ice Age. 

But at a price. 

Zilarrezko had remembered... he was clutching the hem of her dress one minute and the next he was flying through the air with her towards the endless mass of ice of the North Pole. Releasing her hold on both poles had caused a wave of rebound to hit her –the accumulating energies threatening to implode and obliterate her mind. 

But he had seen her smile even as she struggled to hold on to her last vestige of consciousness; pressing a single feather into his palm – 

A symbol of her love for him...

***

The flight across the Atlantic was not as exhausting as the previous trip across the Pacific Ocean but it was much more challenging due to the turbulent sea conditions. Flying against the strong Atlantic winds was slowed them down and it was already dusk when they reached France.

However, the party of three wasn't allowed to land and had to circle the capital waiting for the green light from the air control tower. The delay saw the Archangel fuming and Anthony trying to placate him.

Unlike Japan, France had a strict protocol for Angel flight and landing –they needed a permit to land in a specific zone and at a specific time. Archangel Cyrus was just paranoid that way although Anthony couldn't blame him. He may be cordial with his neighbors but Cyrus was aware that his lands were the smallest. As such, security had always been at the forefront of his rule. 

These precautions were something that his Archangel would not understand. Being much older than Zilarrezko, Anthony had lived during the Ice Age and witnessed the humiliation brought down upon his own clan. 

At the onset of the Ice Age, Yuki's forces had obliterated most of the Fire clan; reducing their population to slightly more than a dozen and banishing them to a small island located in the Mediterranean Sea. If that wasn't enough, they were abandoned by the Dark clan whom were their allies prior to the Ice Age. It was a sharp reminder that alliances don't always constitute friendship. 

That was the reason why Anthony was here. Cyrus might not believe in friendship ... but he'd understand family. 

One should hope. 

Cyrus had been an Ordinal just like him then but when their Cardinal had died, it was Cyrus who took on the Archangelship. Their clan had been so small that the other Archangels had considered them too insignificant to be bothered with and allowed an Ordinal to reign as Archangel for the time being. 

It was only after Cyrus reached his Cardinal status centuries later that Anthony left Europe to serve under Archangel Sona of the Metal clan. It wasn't a choice. 

She had visited their slowly growing population to warn them not to encroach onto her territory for what is now Europe was then part of the landmass connected to North America. The two Cardinals had a long and exhausting private discussion for Cyrus was an excellent negotiator. He managed to gain Sona's permission to be the Regent over parts of Europe; administrating Portugal, Spain and France in her absence. But that would soon change. 

When she came out of the meeting room, she was surprised to see a fire Ordinal playing with her son so comfortably that she requested to have him under her service. The two Cardinals renegotiated and Cyrus readily agreed to a trade –in return for his permanent authority on the previously agreed territories. 

Anthony hadn't expected Cyrus to pawn out his own brother but he did... and that was how he came to be an Ordinal serving the Metal Archangel. 

He had resented it at first but soon came to accept and enjoy his duties. In fact, his only actual responsibility was keeping an eye out for Zilarrezko who, despite his youth, was already reaching pre-Cardinal. He was his training partner, his mentor and now, Anthony would guard Zilarrezko not just as an Ordinal but as a friend. 

And as his friend right now, he needed to keep his Archangel calm before their audience with Cyrus. 

***

Archangel Cyrus's fort was impressive. The compound itself was carved directly into the granite and limestone of a mountain at elevations beyond the reach of Valkyrie or Human. It was further protected by treacherous canyons and mountains such that the only way in was by flight. 

At such a height and away from the city lights; the last leg of the journey had to be done in darkness. Cyrus had built his fort to purposely tire his guests and enemies, setting them on such a dangerous path that most would turn around and give up. 

And most would –especially when they had to walk through a low ceilinged path within a mountain cave to get to the gates of the fort. It was pitch dark and the ceiling was littered with stalactites. One wrong move and they could be speared to death. 

"It shouldn't be very far out," said Anthony calmly. He was literally a walking torch at the moment, lighting up the otherwise dark pathway for the three of them. 

"Perhaps I should consider such trouble for my guests," said Zilarrezko dryly. He had a feeling that he was being watched but he was too annoyed at the moment to give in to his paranoia. Besides, he knew that his two Ordinals were trying to cheer him up and he tried his best to relax. Marcus actually got him to smile. 

"Cardinal... Should I be mentally prepared for... umm... you know?" he said with an embarrassed look on his face. "I know I'm not as pretty as Julia but I'm still prettier than Anthony right now."

The Fire Angel turned sharply to snarl at him. 

Zilarrezko tried to hide his amusement. "Archangel Cyrus loves women..." At the relief in Marcus eyes, he continued, "Although... he has a tendency to gravitate towards serious and quiet males." He flicked his gaze to Anthony then laughed. "Well, Marcus, don't worry... I won't pawn you again. Cyrus is a hardcore negotiator. I might actually lose you and I can't."

Marcus was about to reply when Zillarezko went completely still. "Quiet..."

Anthony and Marcus stopped to look at him. 

There's someone following us...

Anthony's fire extinguished immediately. 

Cloaked in complete darkness, the three angels gathered back to back and kept their senses on high alert. Zilarrezko could faintly feel footsteps on the ground only because of the calcium compounds in the soil but he knew that Marcus could sense them even better. His Ordinal had an interesting gift of manipulating half metals –sand, limestone, cinnabar and even salt to some extent –and right now they were in a limestone cave.

Zilarrezko trusted his Ordinal's instincts. 

The intruder has stopped. 

Marcus was crouching down. The intruder is tall... I can feel hair brushing slightly at a stalactite. 

Zilarrezko couldn't help but sense the same prickling awareness of another Cardinal in his midst. He had felt it earlier but dismissed it because the intensity was not consistent. It was as if the intruder could not control his or her Illusion...

"Aria..." he whispered. She must still be weak if her control is not perfect. "Anthony... light."

Light from the Ordinal fell on their immediate surroundings. Marcus, where is she? 

Marcus pointed. 

A silent instruction passed between Cardinal and Ordinals –then they moved. The limestone floor, infused with Marcus's power liquefied and flowed up around Aria's ankles, before solidifying again. Zilarrezko's only regret was that neither of his Light Ordinals was here. Only they could see through an Illusion. 

"Aria?" he whispered slowly. Yes, he had thought it was her but he wasn't quite sure. He had caught a faint glimmer of gold where her head should be and while Aria had black hair, neither of the other Archangels had blonde hair either. 

He narrowed his eyes and grabbed the intruder by what he thought was the neck. "Who are you?"

No response. 

Anthony moved forward; a blazing palm rose threateningly. He didn't even need to say his intent for the Illusion immediately thinned. 

Zilarrezko stared into the face of a handsome young boy on the brink of adulthood –golden tanned skin, golden hair with strands of aquamarine and eyes... swirls of black around blue. 

"Who are you?" he asked but this time in a much gentler voice, relaxing his hold around the boy's neck. He looked hesitant so Zilarrezko let him go. "I won't hurt you... yet."

Those eyes blinked back in defiance but then he spoke up, "My name is Angelo... and I have come to see Archangel Cyrus."

Zilarezzko was impressed. The boy had spine and also stamina if he actually managed to get this far on foot for he was clearly no Angel. He might be brave but Cyrus will chew and spit him out in a minute. Cyrus held no audience for those he ruled. For a mortal to make it past all this natural defenses was clearly inviting death. 

Zilarrezko bent down slightly; hands resting on his knees. "Are you a Valkyrie... like Aria?"

Again the boy's eyes lit up in defiance –a trait that seemed to run in the family –but Zilarrezko saw beyond that. The boy's eyes spoke of loss, death and hardship... 

His penchant for orphans kicked in. It was his weakness he knew but this boy... had the makings for a good and loyal Ordinal if only he was an Angel. 

"Why are you looking at me like that?" 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. It's just that your eyes reminded me so much of Aria."

Those whirlpool eyes hardened. "How do you know her?" Such a demanding question from a small boy. Clearly he wasn't aware of who he was speaking to. 

Tipping Angelo's chin, Zilarrezko looked straight into his eyes. "Who are you to my Aria?"

Those whirlpool eyes widened in anger. "She's not yours!" 

Zilarrezko raised his eyebrows at the spirited response and stepped backwards. This boy was clearly too young to be her lover –but those eyes...

Her brother. 

He spread his wings out; every blade flickering with reflections of fire. It was an attempt to intimidate but also to make a point in his introduction.

"I am Archangel Zilarrezko of North America... and I am pleased to meet you, Angelo, brother of Aria."

Angelo's eyes widened in shock at the knowledge that he was in the presence of an Archangel but Zilarrezko still caught the slight look of defiance in them. Apparently his status was not enough to subdue the boy. 

"Have you taken her prisoner? Are you the one?" Angelo stared directly at the Archangel; a smug expression on his face. "Aria doesn't like you very much."

Zilarrezko vaguely heard his Ordinals trying to stifle a laugh. They would pay for it later. 

"Why don't we talk about this later," he offered. "I have a meeting with Archangel Cyrus and I would be honored if you'd like to join my party."

The defiance immediately subsided to be replaced with something... 

Pride. 

It was the pride of a young man being given his first important task. "Yes."

Zilarrezko smiled and motioned for Marcus to release his ankles. "But you mustn't say a word until we leave. Not a word. Whatever you have to say to him will be for my ears only. Can you do that?"

Angelo gave him a fierce, determined look. "Yes Cardinal."

***



Lore of the Angels Ch. 08



Once again, credit goes to Jason Moore for editing this piece. This is my favorite chapter so far and I hope you'll enjoy it! 

***

Angelo was the perfect little soldier. He moved when the Cardinal moved and spoke only when spoken to. He might be smaller than the three Angels but he did not skulk or hide behind them. Instead he carried himself with chin held high and senses on alert as the four of them entered the gates of Cyrus's fort.

"Archangel Zilarrezko, we are honored to have you with us," greeted a stunning Fire Ordinal. "My name is Brenna. Please come with me." Her sharp brown eyes lingered over Anthony before they returned to Zilarrezko. 

Anthony didn't miss the silent invitation in her eyes. Maybe if he was younger –like Marcus –he would have fallen for it. In fact, Marcus and Angelo who behind him were exchanging looks and he knew why. The Fire Ordinal moved with such seduction; velvet hugging tight over swaying hips. Brenna might look subdued for a Fire Angel but Anthony knew that heat simmered beneath her façade. Those smooth magenta feathered wings would burst into flames when need be. 

"Here we are," she finally said, bowing slightly as she ushered the Archangel in. When it was Anthony's turn, she spread her wings out to block the door. "The mortal boy... has no business here." Her eyes stayed focus on Anthony's. 

"He is with us."

"Archangel Cyrus does not entertain mortals."

Anthony kept his gaze on Brenna even as he spoke, "Marcus, leave the boy with me. Go inside." 

A wing closed to allow Marcus to pass. A few seconds later, Zilarrezko himself came to settle the problem. 

"Let them in," he ordered. 

"I can't do that Cardinal. It is against the rules of the court."

"Then you should be reminded Brenna... that this court would not even exist without my mother." The words were delivered slowly but the reprimand was a sharp slap on her face. 

Both wings retreated shut and she allowed them to pass. This time, Zilarrezko made sure the boy was walking directly behind him. 

Cyrus was at the end of the hall, sitting on what looked like a throne. His red hair gleamed against the fiery arch of his wings; a small smile on his lips. 

"Zilarrezko."

The two Archangels exchanged curt nods of acknowledgement. Then Cyrus turned to Anthony. 

"Brother."

"Cyrus," replied Anthony. 

The smile on Cyrus's face widened slightly. "Well now, have a seat please. I'm sure the journey here has been exhausting."

"I am sure you know why I'm here Cyrus," said Zilarrezko ignoring his comment. 

Cyrus gave a lazy shrug. "Perhaps I do but why is he here?" 

"He is mine."

He laid a hand on Angelo's hand as a warning –both to the boy to remain still and to Cyrus so as not to touch him. 

"If you insist. I do not wish to be distracted by the matter at hand."

"Indeed."

"Alas! My answer is no."

Zilarrezko stood up in protest. Was this how he planned to repay his mother's kindness? Towards the end of the Ice Age, she had conceded more and more European territory to Cyrus –allowing the Fire clan to establish themselves in the world once more. Archangel Sona did not believe in subjugating anybody. The Fire Angels deserved to live without fear or humiliation, she said. 

His mother was wrong, obviously. 

"Before you argue, let me present my defense," said Cyrus calmly. Zilarrezko narrowed his eyes but sat down once again. "As you know, Yuki's territory spreads all across Russia, right to the borders of Finland and Ukraine. Even Noor has the entire Middle East as a buffer –a region that is almost as big as my territory. Do you really expect me to put myself at the risk of an eastern attack?"

"And do you think she would spare you just because you choose to be a neutral party right now?" 

"Of course not. Yuki does not think that way."

"And how does she think?"

Cyrus smiled at the mocking in Zilarrezko's voice. "You see, Yuki is very different from Iluna. If you had asked for my help then as you had asked Noor, I would have readily agreed. But Yuki... she has a mind and a heart as cold as her namesake. The moment she wins over your territory and your wings, she will consider herself indestructible. She will then want more."

Zilarrezko frowned. "So you're just waiting for me to die before you surrender?"

"Yes."

Anthony had to physically restrain his Archangel; sustaining deep cuts in the process for Zilarrezko had bared his sharp blade wings in anger. 

"Please Zilarrezko, you are hurting him." His expression was one of smugness.

"I am not listening to another word from you!" he spat angrily. 

"Your mother never said that to me," said Cyrus slyly. 

"And you walked all over her. You mistook her kindness for weakness."

"Likewise in this situation. Surrendering only at the end is not a weakness Zilarrezko. It is the best protection I can give my people."

Zilarrezko was still standing but his wings were snapped shut. "I'm listening."

"My territory would be insignificant to her global conquest by then. Surrendering it freely would ensure no one is killed unnecessarily. A war requires sacrifices –something that I cannot afford. My Fire clan is the smallest and I do not keep a strong Valkyrie army. My region is one that produces culture; mortal pleasures if you'd like –music, wine, literature..."

The Metal Archangel knew Cyrus would not bend. When he remained silent, Cyrus continued, "I'm really sorry Zilarrezko... if there is anything else that I could provide for you, I would... but not war."

"I see."

The room fell into a hush as the Cardinals stared at each other. No one dared to say a word much less breathe.

Finally, Cyrus blinked and looked away; his gaze resting on his brother.

"Do you understand Anthony?" 

Anthony did not say anything, simply crossing his arms to show disapproval.

"Come on... surely you have something to say?" 

Anthony looked over at his Cardinal who nodded his permission to speak. 

"Cyrus... You are not one to be unselfish. You feel certain that Zilarrezko will not lose and end up eliminating Yuki as a threat. In other words, you need not participate but reap the rewards."

Cyrus clapped his hands once and tilted back his head to laugh. "Oh how I've missed your dry sense of humor brother. I have been waiting for you to return home for so long."

Anthony's face was expressionless. "This is not my home Cyrus. If it was, I'd fight to keep its freedom."

Cyrus sighed and shook his head. "Ah... always the gloomy one. Well then my dear guests, I hope you would spend the night here before your flight tomorrow. It's the least I can do."

***

Cyrus, as it turned out, only provided them three rooms. Anthony had volunteered to share his room either with Marcus or Angelo but his Cardinal had taken the child in himself. 

"You're expecting female company and Marcus is too young to be left responsible with a child." 

Anthony wanted to protest but Zilarrezko had already closed the door gently in his face. He knew exactly whom his Cardinal was referring to and was dreading his encounter with her. 

Brenna was already leaning against his room door, waiting for him. 

"You shouldn't be here."

"Why?"

Anthony gave her an apologetic look. "I can't give you what you want."

She pouted –soft plump lips that would have sent a younger Angel to his knees. 

He tried to open his door but her hand gripped his arm firmly. "I've waited for you for centuries... but you never came home."

Anthony turned to look at Brenna kindly. "I've already built my home with someone else. Good night Brenna."

This time, she let him go –too shocked and disappointed to protest –and Anthony quickly locked the door behind him before sitting on the bed. He had no idea how or why he had uttered that last sentence but now that he had... 

"I'll talk to her tomorrow," he groaned before falling backwards onto the soft bed, thinking of the soft white wings of his ebony skinned Light Angel back home. 

***

Meanwhile, Zilarrezko was sitting on the sofa watching the boy battle with the remote control to the television. He had instructed the boy to relax before bedtime; their discussion could take place the next day after a good rest. As such, he had expected Angelo to take a bath or perhaps lie down but the boy immediately switched on the boxed appliance.

Though he kept up with technology, Zilarrezko never took a liking to moving people on screen... but he was born in a time when humans still drew on cave walls so he should be forgiven. 

"What's that?" he asked curiously. Two overly muscled men were trying to wring each other's neck. That didn't look much like fighting at all. 

Angelo looked at him with disbelief. "You mean you don't know?" 

Zilarrezko blinked and straightened his back in silent protest. "Surely it is unbefitting for a Cardinal to watch such... mortal affairs."

Angelo made a face and turned back to the television set. Zilarrezko allowed himself to watch as John something tried to trash a Vince somebody with a chair –or was it a ladder? 

He couldn't help but grunt in disapproval. 

"You don't like it?" asked Angelo somewhat miffed. "He's the coolest wrestler ever! Come on Cardinal... see? John Cena's totally winning the bragging rights for this one!"

Zilarrezko got to his feet and walked over to the front of the television –wings spread out and hands crossed over his chest. 

"That's enough television for you. Now off to bed." He switched if off only to receive a groan in response. This was like dragging Lucian away from theatres and silent films all over again. "Look, if you want to learn how to fight, then watching that... whatever that is will not help you. If you want, I will teach you myself."

The groans stopped immediately. "Like really, really you're going to teach me?" 

"Yes, but another time. Get yourself washed up now."

Angelo moved without a moment of hesitation. It was then that Zilarrezko knew he made the right choice not to bunk the boy in with Marcus. God knows those two would spend the entire night watching television instead of sleeping. 

From the corner of his eye, he saw a blonde head peeking out from the bathroom. 

"Yes?" 

"Are you really going to teach me?"

He couldn't help smiling. "Yes. Now are you done in there?" Angelo nodded and stepped out; the aquamarine strands looking almost navy against his wet blonde hair. 

"Do all your siblings have blue strands in their hair?" 

Angelo stilled, glancing at the Archangel with fear in his eyes. "You... you know about us?"

"No I do not. I've only met Aria and you. It was just a logical assumption."

Angelo made a face. He didn't like the fact that he wasn't old enough to join the Valkyrie Cartel for Aria refused to make a second skin for him until he turned twenty-one. That meant everyone could see his true form and he hated it when everyone called him a pretty boy. Angelo was not pretty! 

"Archangel... can we have that talk now?" he said, surprising Zilarrezko. 

"It is getting late. I do have a long flight home tomorrow."

Angelo moved to the bed and sat down sadly. "You lied then."

It wasn't so much the accusation but the utter disappointment in his face that made Zilarrezko move to sit beside him. "How have I lied?"

"You said you were going to teach me... but you're going home and I know North America is not in Europe."

Understanding registered on his face. "Ah, I see. Well, I could bring you back to New York with me if you'd like."

A flash of excitement –then he slumped his shoulders. "I can't..."

"Why not?" 

Angelo looked up at him; the truth at the tip of his tongue but he chose silence. Archangel Zilarrezko seemed kind but Aria had always warned him never to trust those in power. He should listen to his sister right? 

"You don't have to tell me the reason," said Zilarrezko gently. "Why don't you tell me instead about this meeting you wanted to have with Archangel Cyrus?"

"Oh... that." He looked down at his hands. "I wanted to ask him to make me a Valkyrie..."

Zilarrezko frowned. "Aren't you already one?"

"I'm a born... I mean I cannot be called a Valkyrie until I turn twenty-one."

"How old are you now?"

"Twenty."

"And why is it you wish to be inducted earlier than the starting age?"

Angelo brought his legs close to his chest; chin resting on his knees. "I wanted to find Aria... but I don't have any... money or resources. Being a Valkyrie gives me access to those things." He paused and looked up at Zilarrezko. "She's never been missing for this long and I'm... scared."

Any other Archangel would have taken that admission as weakness but not Zilarrezko –especially not one from a child. Standing up, he gestured for Angelo to get on his feet as well.

"Throw me your best punch." It was a command. Angelo's eyes widened –first in surprise then excitement. 

He gave his best shot... and landed on his ass within a blink of an eye. "Oww..."

"Again."

They did it three more times and Angelo found himself kissing the floor every time. 

"Get up." Zilarrezko watch the boy pulling himself to his feet. There was no humiliation or even fear in his eyes –just pure desire to learn. "Now, the first thing you need to remember is that a punch is not worth anything if your stance is wrong."

Angelo looked at his feet. 

"Stay low, grounded and centered." Zilarrezko demonstrated. "Good, now punch."

This time it took slightly more than a few seconds before Angelo was thrown on the floor. 

"Hey! That was great!" 

Zilarrezko burst out laughing. The boy had spirit. "You have much to learn. Now watch me." 

The Archangel demonstrated a series of punches and kicks to which Angelo tried his best to mimic perfectly. 

"Tell me about yourself," said Zilarrezko as he watched the boy move. 

"There's nothing much to know..."

"Well, besides wrestling, what else do you like?"

"Xbox? But I don't think you know that either right?"

Zilarrezko grinned. "What else?"

"Well... I don't get to do many things," he said sadly. Aria had told them to stay home so the only time outside had to be under the cloak of Illusion –which was not fun. "I have... three younger siblings to take care of..."

Something tugged at the Archangel's heart. "Are they safe?" 

"For now... but I cannot leave them long. I have to return home tomorrow too."

"How... young are they?"

Angelo stopped his kicking and stood still. Aria might not like the Archangel but he did and Angelo was old enough to make his own decisions. "Kissa is one year younger than me then there are the twins, Troy and Leiha. They're nine."

"Will you bring me to them?" 

"I can't Cardinal..."

Zilarrezko didn't want to push the boy but he didn't think it was safe for four minors to be left alone to fend for themselves. 

"I'll take all of you home with me."

"You can't do that!" Angelo protested. "Aria will be worried if she comes home to an empty house!"

"Angelo," he said gently. "I need you to trust me... I will never hurt you or your siblings."

Angelo bit his lower lips. "Are you going to imprison us like my sister?"

Zilarrezko arched an eyebrow. Exactly what ills had she been saying about him? 

"Let's put it this way. I'll give you three entire floors of my home to play around in. You can ask for anything you want and do whatever you like as long as you remain inside at all times. Is that better?"

Angelo pouted. "That's still a prison."

"You're a tough negotiator," he teased. "Well okay. Ten floors and you get to play with Angels. I know just the perfect friend for you."

The prospects of being in contact with others made him widen his eyes. 

"Then you'll teach me how to fight?" 

Zilarrezko smiled. "Yes. But for now... it's time for bed." 

"Archangel?"

"Yes?"

"Do you know where my sister is? Is she at your house too?"

Zilarrezko pulled the blanket to cover the boy's chest and smiled. "I'm sorry Angelo but I don't know where she is right now. But I'll find her so don't you worry okay?"

"Okay..." he yawned. "Good night..."

Zilarrezko kept watch until the boy had fallen asleep before moving to the sofa, intending to catch a few hours of sleep himself. 

However, thoughts of Aria kept him awake. It had been more than eighteen hours since he set Julia and Lucian on a hunt for his Valkyrie and still there was no news. Knowing Julia, she would push Lucian and herself to complete the task with little rest until they'd covered the entire North American territory.

He should be there with them looking for her... and yet being this close to someone she loved made him feel like she was really here with him. 

At least there was no jealous husband or lover to worry about. Zilarrezko didn't think he could survive the heartbreak of watching her be happy with someone else –not that he was sure she would be happy with him... 

But she left him!

His gaze flickered over to Angelo's sleeping form. Yes, she had left him to return home to the children but why couldn't she have said something before leaving? Was she afraid he'd say no?

Zilarrezko rolled his eyes. Even he knew he was going to say no. 

He let out a low groan of frustration. He had been a perfect Archangel before she waltzed into his life! Now he was a total wreck – Sending his Ordinals in all directions looking for a single woman while at least two Archangels mobilized against him, and he had essentially begged one of them to restore her wings. Oh, and she'd stopped him from neutralizing the other one, when he had her completely and utterly defeated. 

She was his Achilles' heel and he was sure that the other Archangels would be aware of this by now. 

With a sigh, he placed his hand under his head and stared up at the ceiling. Being the youngest element in existence, the Metal clan had the least number of Angels reaching even Ordinal levels, much less Cardinals. At the moment, Marcus was the only Ordinal. Zilarrezko knew that his clan would be easily wiped out should anything happen to either or them. Yuki might not extend the same mercy to his clan as she had to Cyrus and his Fire clan. 

He needed to be focused; not consumed with emotions that were clearly too much for him to handle... and yet...

Archangel Sona had loved him... and she was the greatest Cardinal in history. 

Closing his eyes, he tried to picture her golden eyes... but all he saw were those haunting depths of black and blue. 

"Aria, wherever you are... I hope you know that I miss you," he whispered to the empty room. 

Maybe, he thought... just maybe an, Archangel could love.

***

Zilarrezko was thinking of Aria that morning as the four of them made their way out of Cyrus's fort to Bayonne in the south of France. He knew Lucian and Julia were looking for her but deep inside he was hoping that she had really just made her way home where she was safely with her family. 

But something gnawed at his gut telling him otherwise –which was why he felt it was necessary to move the children. 

"Let me see how you cloak yourself in Illusion," he said, the moment they emerged from the dark cave linking the fort to the outside world. 

"It's not very good yet," replied Angelo but Zilarrezko had caught the hint of pride in his voice. He watched as the boy began to fade –but not completely. Flickers of gold and blue would peek out now and then which meant that while Angelo had the potential to reach Cardinal, he wasn't there yet. 

"Marcus, are you seeing this?" 

Marcus nodded at his Archangel. The ability to wield Illusion was reserved for Cardinals only, although the pre-Cardinals were allowed to practice and experiment with their own strength. 

"Okay Angelo, you will fly with me." The boy looked horrified. "Sorry, but you only have the three of us and I'm the only one who can completely cover you in Illusion."




Lore of the Angels Ch. 08



"Okay..." he sounded resigned. "But don't tell anyone I did this. Promise?"

The three Angels tried to hide their laughter as they took off from the mountain trails into the air. The journey took them less than an hour and what they saw –or did not see rather –surprised them all. 

"You live at the bottom of the sea?" asked Zilarrezko, puzzled. 

"Oh no! It's covered by Illusion you see?" said Angelo, moving a hand to gently part the 'curtain' to let them all in. 

"Wait... is one of your siblings inside the house maintaining this Illusion?" Zilarrezko couldn't believe that minors could be so strong!

"Well... Aria's the one who puts the cloak on for twenty-four hours. Kissa and I just maintain it."

"Cardinal..." whispered Anthony. Zilarrezko caught his eye and was equally loss for words. No one can maintain an Illusion over such a big place like this from a distance –much less across an ocean! It was simply amazing!

Without saying another word, the party of four made their way to the front door. Angelo knocked and waited for someone to open it since he had told Kissa to lock the door the moment he left home. 

When the door swung open, a tall and slender young girl greeted them with a nag, "Oh my god Angelo! How long does it take... oh!" 

Her eyes –the same black around blue pupils –widened in shock. 

Then she slammed the door shut. 

"Wow. What a welcome," said Angelo. "Kissa! It's me Angelo. These are my... umm, friends. It's okay."

The three Angels exchanged worried looks. 

"I'm really sorry about that," said Angelo. "Kissa doesn't usually meet guys... or angels for that matter. I think she finds you hot." His grin was directed at Marcus. 

"And I'm not?" teased Zilarrezko. 

"Uh... you and Anthony are too old and scary." 

Zilarrezko turned to Anthony who was scowling. "Hear that? You're old."

Anthony rolled his eyes. 

"Kissa?" Angelo knocked the door again but no reply. Turning to the Angels, he gave them a soulful look. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't be. Here, let me." Zilarrezko moved forward and touched the metal doorknob gently. "Kissa, I hope you're not behind the door because I'm going to open it now." 

The doorknob turned effortlessly; the wooden door swinging open to reveal Kissa holding a broomstick to defend herself.

"I'm not here to hurt you Kissa," said Zilarrezko gently. "My name is Zilarrezko and this is Anthony and Marcus."

"Oh stop it Kissa!" Angelo tugged the broomstick away from her hand. "Come in and have a seat. I'll go make some tea," he said disappearing down the corridor; leaving the three Angels in the company of a very flustered teenager. 

"You're... you're... an angel!" she squeaked. 

"Ah well yes I am," he said with a kind smile. "Actually I am an Archangel and these two are my Ordinals."

She ran away with her hands covering her face. 

"Did I say something wrong?" asked Zilarrezko. 

"I think she didn't hear a thing you said Cardinal," said Marcus in amusement. "She was totally enraptured."

"I had no intention of doing that... these children must be living such sheltered lives if she has never seen another male aside from her siblings." Zilarrezko paused. He had caught someone peeking at them from behind a wall. 

He saw the strands of platinum blonde and aquamarine glimmering in the light. 

"Umm hello there... you must be Leiha right?"

Soft giggles came from behind the wall. Then another boy peeked at them. This one had dark brown hair with similar blue strands cut in a bowl shape. 

A moment later, the twins emerged to walk up to their guests. The boy spoke first. 

"Hello." He cocked his head to the left and studied the three tall Angels in front of him as though assessing them. Troy knew who they were –and he was a little scared –but he didn't want to leave Leiha alone with them. She, on the other hand was already fearlessly moving closer towards their guests.

Then looking up shyly, she introduced them. "I'm Leiha and this is Troy. We're twins. Umm... want to see my toys?" She wasn't really expecting an answer for she was already tugging at the Archangel's wings. 

She led them into the living room where Zilarrezko was sure a storm had just passed through. Toys and cushion were strewn everywhere and blankets were made into makeshift tents.

It was then that Kissa came out from hiding to tell them that their tea was ready in the kitchen. 

"I suppose Aria hasn't gotten back yet?" asked Zilarrezko when they finally sat down in the kitchen. 

"I think something's wrong. I just know it. She calls us at least once a week and always tells us when she'll be home," said Angelo. 

"She didn't call at all since two days ago?" asked Zilarrezko. That was when she left the Obelisque. Kissa and Angelo shook their heads. 

His forehead began to crease with worry. It shouldn't have taken her more than a day to travel from New York to Paris so that she should be home by now. Unless...

Turning to Anthony, Zilarrezko instructed him to call Julia to bring a jet over. He had to seriously consider the possibility that she had been taken captive which mean that he needed to take the children away now. His instincts told him that they were being hunted down and he didn't want to take the chance. 

"Kissa, Angelo... I need you both to help me pack whatever clothes and necessities for the four of you. I'm worried that you're in danger and I can't let you stay here all alone."

"But Aria might come home!" protested Kissa. "And... she said never to trust Archangels."

Removing the platinum sheen on his wings, Zilarrezko hoped the dull grey of his feathers would make him less intimidating. "Would you still trust me if I'm not an Archangel?" he asked gently. 

Kissa bit her lip and looked to Angelo for support. 

Zilarrezko leaned back in his chair. "I will leave now if you ask me to." 

"No!" Leiha came out from nowhere and climbed on to his lap. "Please don't go... we don't have anyone to play with."

"Leiha!" Kissa hissed. 

"I don't want to hide here anymore. I want Aria..." Troy was climbing up the other thigh.

"I've promised Angelo that the four of you can have free reign in my home. I'll even let you play with Angels. I know someone who would love to keep all of you company."

For the briefest moment, Kissa's gaze shifted to Marcus before returning to Zilarrezko; a blush evident on her cheeks. 

"Marcus will spend time with all of you too..." 

Zilarrezko caught his eye before he could protest. 

"Kissa, go and pack clothes for the twins okay?" urged Angelo. His sister looked like she was about to protest but then Marcus volunteered to help and she went mum; running off to the bedrooms. 

"Cardinal..." Anthony interrupted. "It's Julia. She says it's important."

Putting down the twins, Zilarrezko took the phone from Anthony. "Yes Julia."

"Cardinal...Lucian and I just got back but there is a very old lady inside your office right now and she will not leave no matter what I say. She won't give me her name or tell me why she's here."

"What does she look like?"

"Very old... but mortal. I can't actually tell where she's from because her accent is indistinguishable. But her hair's all white, her eyes brownish grey and she's carrying a strange staff."

"Did she ask for me specifically?"

"Yes."

"Tell her I will be there late at night. Let her have a seat first."

"But..."

"I know her."

Julia was silent –possibly in shock –but then she mumbled her acknowledgement and waited for Zilarrezko to disconnect the call. 

Turning to his two Ordinals, he tried to smile. "At least Lucian's back. Now they'll have a babysitter."

***

The moment they landed in New York, Zilarrezko left the children in Anthony and Marcus's care while he went to get updates from Lucian and Julia. 

"Did you find her?" he asked the moment he saw them.

"We checked the entire territory Cardinal –even using ultraviolet but nothing. I checked for any transactions made under her name and couldn't find anything either.

"But we did find something," said Lucian. "She had a private jet cloaked under Illusion, hidden in the mountainous region upstate."

"She didn't go home..." whispered Zilarrezko. "Someone's taken her."

The two Ordinals looked worried. "What should we do now?" asked Julia. 

"Let me speak to my guest first. Both of you can head down to where Anthony and Marcus are. Lucian, I want you to take the children to the spare rooms and settle them in. Julia, let the other two know that I want to see them in an hour."

"Yes Cardinal."

When Lucian and Julia had left, Zilarrezko made his way up to his office. Opening the door, he heard a soft, crackled voice greeting him.

"You have made this old woman wait long Zilarrezko..."

Zilarrezko bowed low as an apology before looking up at the face of an immortal woman trapped within a mortal body. She was frail with wrinkled skin and her hair was completely white, fastened in one long braid. But it was her eyes that called to him –earthy brown with a ring of silver around the irises. 

"Gaia."

"Sit down."

He complied, sitting beside her on his long sofa; eyes cast down. Gaia was just slightly older than his mother and the two women had been close friends until her death. Zilarrezko had still managed to see her then but once the Dark Ages began, Gaia became illusive –even more so when she lost her wings. No one knew where she lived or how to find her until she was actually right in front of you. 

"Your Ayn is very afraid..." she whispered, cupping his cheek gently in her palm. 

"My... Ayn?" Zilarrezko had never heard of that word before. 

"Yes... she keeps crying; soaking the soil beneath her." Gaia's voice became softer. "Such strange tears I tell myself... brackish." 

Zilarrezko remained patient.

"She's looking for you..."

"Who Gaia?" 

"The Ayn..."

"I don't understand... who is the Ayn?"

Gaia took her hand away from his cheek. "I do not know."

"What? Gaia... if this person is in trouble, how can I help her?" 

"She's deep beneath the Andes Mountain... cold and dark... sometimes her screams reverberates on the ground... but no one hears her."

Zilarrezko took her palm and gently asked, "Gaia... who is this girl?"

"You know her... I do not."

"Okay... what is an Ayn?"

Gaia shook her head. "Ice... ice is moving. Yuki is moving across earth... I can feel her coming." She closed her eyes and frowned. "More... more coming south from here... east from here... It's so cold...and dark..."

"It's okay, I'm here..." he tried to soothe her; wrapping a wing around her as though sending the chills away. 

"You have to find her Zilarrezko..." she whispered. 

"The Ayn?" 

"Yes..."

"Andes Mountain right?"

Gaia nodded. Zilarrezko patted her hand gently. "Why have you come here Gaia? And how are you getting home?"

A warm smile. "I am home wherever my feet touch ground."

"But you never take part in the Archangel's war Gaia... why now?"

"That girl... she reminds me of me. A cardinal with a mortal heart... her tears are never for herself. Such love..."

Zilarrezko's heart ached at her words. Moving his wing, he went down on his knees in front of her and clasped her hands in his. "Gaia... I want you to stay here at least until I'm back. You do not look well."

"I will not die from mortal diseases... ahh... but this body is not meant to sustain such an immortal life..."

"Ask my Angels for anything you need. But wait for me until I'm back."

Gaia didn't reply but swayed slightly in her seat. 

"Gaia... If you can't do this for me, then will you do it for my mother?"

She patted his head and smiled. "Okay..."

***

Julia, Anthony and Marcus were under the cloak of their Archangel's Illusion for Zilarrezko was sure that an uninvited entry into South America would spark an immediate war.

That was not their only problem. The Andes Mountains covered the entire west coast from Venezuela to Chile –a stretch of more than four thousand miles!

However, Zilarrezko decided to start from central Andes –at the border of Peru and Chile for he knew that slightly east of the mountains was Iluna's palace. If she were to hide a prisoner as valuable as Aria, she wouldn't want the prison to be too away from her reach. 

"There's a lot of copper beneath the soil," said Zilarrezko the moment they landed. 

"Yes... the area's also rich in saltpeter. I can't believe how valuable Archangel Iluna's lands are," said Marcus referring to the metal salts embedded in the ground.

Zilarrezko smiled at the comment. "She doesn't see it that way Marcus but now's not the time to think about that. Can you feel if there is an abnormal construct or something beneath the ground?"

Marcus touched the ground and tried to focus. True, there were a lot of metals but no prison cell... 

"I don't feel any manmade cell or anything Cardinal..."

"No, Iluna won't use a cage to hold Aria... it has to be walled by Darkness."

"We need to go inside Cardinal," said Julia. "Only then can I find it. 

***

It took them the entire afternoon walking inside caves and flying over the peaks but finally, Julia had sensed an excessive amount of Darkness welled up in the highest peak of the mountain range. At such an altitude, not only was it freezing cold but there were also no pathways. As such they had to remain in mid-air while Anthony tried to create an entrance for them. It took a lot of Fire but he finally managed to melt enough rocks to create a small opening for them to squeeze through.

It was a cavernous aerie of sorts and devoid of any light or warmth. Zilarrezko's heartbeat quickened with fear that he hadn't reached Aria in time. Such conditions might induce hypothermia and he knew she wasn't wearing anything much. 

Seeing that Anthony was exhausted, Julia provided light; her entire body glowing like a light bulb as they walked further into the cave. 

"There..." she pointed. Light Angels were extremely sensitive to Darkness and vice versa so it wasn't difficult for her to sense Iluna's cell. "I can try to raze it down..." She turned to look at Anthony.

"I can do it," reassured Anthony, going ablaze to take over as Julia focused her Light to slice open part of the Dark wall. 

There was not a single soul guarding the prison cell. Iluna must have been confident that no one would ever find Aria and by the looks of it, she had left the Valkyrie to die in her cage of Darkness. 

"Damn it's so thick!" Julia grumbled in annoyance. "Cardinal, I can't cut it. But I can create a temporary hole for you to get her out. Two minutes maximum."

Zilarrezko nodded as the Dark cell parted slightly and he dashed in.

He saw her –huddled on the straw, arms wrapped around herself to keep warm –and his heart broke. He slowly lifted her into his arms; her head resting on his shoulder. 

"Aria..." he whispered. She looked so pale and her pulse was weak –probably hadn't had anything to eat or drink for the past two days. He pressed a gentle kiss on her lips and saw her eyes slowly opening to look at him. 

Those whirlpools of black and blue gazed at him before closing again. 

"Let's go home."

***



Lore of the Angels Ch. 09



Credit goes to my editor Jason Moore for his invaluable help with editing and guiding me around the technical details in this chapter.

I had to work hard to perfect this chapter so my apologies for the delay. It's also slightly longer so that's an extra treat! Thank you to those who've commented and sent feedback to encourage me. I really appreciate it.

***

Zilarrezko would have ripped out Iluna's throat right that moment except his Valkyrie --no, Gaia called her an Ayn --was nestled comfortably in his arms and he wanted to get her home as quickly as he could.

Pressed against his body, her temperature slowly increased; the chills dissipating as she took in his warmth. She would have warmed up much faster in Anthony's arms --which thankfully were still intact because the Ordinal had not dared to make the suggestion.

She was starting to look alive, color slowly returning to her pale blue lips and cheeks. Although she took up most of his attention; the moving troops on the South American grounds did not escape his notice. It wasn't so much the mobilized forces that worried him but the trail of frost that accompanied them. Zilarrezko turned slightly to look at Marcus, making sure the Ordinal understood his silent instruction.

Marcus descended to the ground under the watchful gaze of his Archangel. Even though Marcus was still cloaked under his Illusion, Zilarrezko waited until he had successfully blended into the shadows. Only then did he lift his cover over his Ordinal and resumed flying.

Gaia had said Ice was moving across Earth but he hadn't thought she meant that literally because she had the tendency to be metaphorical at times. He was expecting a single naval assault from the East, not a second attack from below. Given the rate her Ice was spreading, it was clear Illuna was getting the worse deal. The two Archangels might have come to some sort of alliance but there was no question that Yuki Also saw it as an opportunity to garner more lands.

It made him wonder if she was also planning to attack from the West --across the Bering Straits. That would leave his territory completely surrounded. Zilarrezko was still thinking about the problem when they finally landed on the rooftop of the Obelisque. His two senior Ordinals were already at attention; waiting for his instructions. They too had seen the massive number of troops and blankets of Ice and knew that they had to begin preparations for an impending attack.

Turning to them, he let out a thoughtful sigh. "Iluna's going to expect another air strike so we don't have that element of surprise anymore... but with the encroaching Ice, it might be necessary to fire from above rather than across the Gap."

"Our Archers can be mobilized," said Anthony.

"Yes but the Light Angels will be needed on the ground. They are most effective against Iluna's own Dark troops. Plus Yuki's fleet will be coming from the east so we will need to reserve some of our air troops to combat their naval onslaught." The Archangel turned to Julia.

"Yes Cardinal," she replied.

"As for you, coordinate with Noor's second in command, Ehren, as to how many Valkyries and Angels she's prepared to assist us. We also have to expect a western attack from Alaska so some of the land troops have to be diverted there. If possible, I want those fleets taken out before they pass the Cape. We cannot afford to be spread too thin on all fronts."

"But Cardinal... that would mean we're initiating the war, not Yuki," said Anthony.

"You saw the blanket of ice spreading northwards didn't you? If we don't have the first strike, then we might not get a chance to strike at all."

The two Ordinals nodded although their eyes flashed with worry.

"We'll take this one step at a time. Marcus will return with more news for us so in the meantime; this is the best that we can do."

"Yes Cardinal," they replied in unison as Zilarrezko walked away.

It was only when their Archangel had disappeared behind the French doors did Julia speak.

"We're going to be overwhelmed. You know that right?"

"Yes."

Julia looked out into the darkening sky and sighed. "We're still recovering from the damages of the last war. It's only been a week since we've started manufacturing the various replacement parts and our current focus is restoring the E-3 Sentry. Without proper airborne warning and control, everything else is irrelevant."

Anthony moved beside her; his eyes watching the setting sun reflecting light on her wings.

"I take it that the meeting with Archangel Cyrus did not yield the intended result?"

"No."

Julia pursed her lips at his curt response. "Will you be flying to Cairo to meet Ehren?"

"Yes."

She cast a sideward glance at him. Must he always be so frustrating to talk to? Flipping her white hair back, she turned to say her parting words.

"I guess we should get on with our duties then. The faster we... Anthony!" His name was a muffled cry for his lips were suddenly crushed possessively over hers. This was a kiss from an Angel who knew what he wanted and had no qualms taking it.

In fact, his hands were already cradling her head; angling it up just the way he wanted it, and eliciting soft moans in her throat just the way he liked it. Julia dared herself to look into his eyes and saw the flames in his irises burning straight into hers --branding her as his own.

Hot... he was so hot...

Julia blinked and pulled back; aware that they were both blazing in their own element.

Lips still swollen, she looked up at him, knowing that if her skin was any fairer, he would probably see the ridiculous blush on her cheeks. When she moved away, he didn't stop her but Julia could see the embers still flickering in his eyes.

"I should go..." she whispered, not daring to say more. Spreading her wings, she leapt off the ledge of the roof and disappeared into the dusk.

***

Aria was lying on something soft --no, not hay but silk... lots of it and she was so warm and comfortable. Hearing whispers, she tried to open her eyes. Aria recognized those voices...

Her eyelids lifted slowly and she smiled at the sight of Leiha looking deep into her eyes. Aria must still be dreaming. She'd dream of the children all the time... and sometimes of him too --her Archangel.

"Want a sandwich?" asked her dream Leiha.

"Okay," she giggled, taking the very realistic looking bread into her mouth.

Flavor exploded her senses and she sat up in surprise.

Still chewing, she lifted her hand to touch Leiha's cheeks. "Oh my goodness!" Then she looked around and her eyes widened at the sight of her other siblings.

"She's awake!" screamed a very excited Leiha.

"Leiha get off the bed right now!" That was Kissa... the real one. Beside her stood Troy and Angelo and...

"Archangel..."

"You should finish that sandwich. I'll get more food for you," she heard him say as he moved to her bedside.

This was too surreal.

"Eat," he urged a soft command. Under the watchful gaze of her siblings, Aria obeyed. In fact she didn't think her brain could come up with any response at the moment because she was too stunned at the sight of those she loved.

She hadn't expected to live to see them.

This was real... which meant that she could slap away the hand examining her throat...

He ignored her feeble attempts and instead turned to call out to someone. The Dark burn was spreading where Iluna had choked her.

"Lucian, come here. See what you can do about this."

Aria smiled at the sight of her sugarplum Angel as he sat by her side.

"Don't move," he said sweetly, placing a palm over her throat. "I just hope this won't scar. You're too pretty to have one."

"She is isn't she?" Leiha was climbing on Lucian's lap to take a closer look. "Can you teach me to do that?" she asked eagerly, pointing to Lucian's hands.

"I'm afraid not little one. How about when you're older?"

"But I'm nine years old!" she protested. "Aria says I'm big enough to eat on my own... right Ahizpa?"

Aria could only murmur a response for her throat felt like it was burning.

"You'll grow faster if you stop eating that candy," teased Lucian.

"Really?" Leiha's eyes widened as she looked at the candy bar in her hand and then at the Archangel. Apparently she considered him the one with all the correct answers.

"Uh... yes," said Zilarrezko, picking her up and away from Lucian's concentration. "It also makes your teeth rotten."

"But yours isn't."

"Well... I don't eat candy."

Leiha grimaced.

"I'll take her," offered Kissa. "She gets quite hyper on sugar."

Zilarrezko smiled at the comment and passed the child to her sister. Turning to Lucian, he asked, "Can you remove it?"

"Just a bit more... there you go. Good as new," he said, smiling at Aria. Getting up, he turned to the children and said, "I'll be back. So keep your sister entertained and make sure she eats. She'll need it."

The two Angels walked out of the bedroom into the Archangel's office.

"I don't think Illuna was actually trying to poison her. Otherwise, we'd need a Dark Angel to reverse the process," said Lucian the moment they were alone.

"Thank you." Zilarrezko sat at the edge of his desk and studied the Ordinal before him. "Lucian... I thought about asking you to prepare the archers for the upcoming war but I think there is something more important for you to guard here."

The tone in his Archangel's voice made Lucian keep his gaze down. "I've disappointed you."

"The Cardinal is disappointed... but the Angel who raised you isn't. Look at me."

Lucian met the Cardinal's gaze.

"You will guard Aria and the children with your life do you understand me?"

Lucian's lavender lashes fluttered slightly. He knew what his Archangel was about to say...

"Lucian, from this moment on, Aria is your Cardinal and you will take orders only from her. If I or any other Angel try to hurt her, it is your duty to kill us. I expect nothing less from you."

"Cardinal!" Lucian was on his knees. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't be," said Zilarrezko gently. "You're an exceptional Ordinal and you will serve her well."

Lucian didn't answer him. To be suddenly severed from the bond with his Archangel hurt deeply.

"Lucian..." The Light Angel looked up at him. "This is a request, not a command. But could you get the children away for a few hours? I would like to spend some time with your Cardinal."

Lucian got up slowly and gave his final bow to Zilarrezko before he walked out.

***

When Zilarrezko walked into his bedroom a few minutes later, he saw that Aria was out of the bed and taking off... whatever it was that she was wearing.

"Trying to run away again?" he asked, leaning against the door frame.

"Not when you've kidnapped my family to use as leverage."

"I did no such thing!"

"So you say." Her eyes were narrowed and gleaming with challenge.

He didn't respond immediately but covered the distance between them in three steps; his body towering in front of hers. Leaning forward, he moved his lips to her ear.

"You," he murmured; lethal whispers sending shivers down her spine, "will not be so stubborn with me."

Aria stepped back, one eyebrow arched in defiance. "Or else?"

"Or else..." a gentle nip on her earlobe. "No cock for you."

Her nipples hardened at his words, betraying the protest she had in her eyes. "Oh really..."

"Of course." He pulled away; amusement dancing across his face. "Did you eat enough?"

Aria was taken a back at the sudden change of topic but she played along. "More than enough actually."

"Good. You'll need the energy for later."

She refused to ask him what was later. Instead, she continued peeling off her second skin and folded it neatly on a table. She knew he was watching her but she tried her best to ignore him.

"Where are you going?" he asked when she started to walk away. "You're naked."

"I would like a bath your Archangeliness."

He followed her into the bathroom and watched with interest as she went about preparing a bubble bath. This tub was much smaller compared to the one beside the swimming pool but he was sure it could accommodate both them; her on top of him.

He continued watching as she slipped into the warm water; relief and pleasure evident on her face. Her cheeks had regained its natural hint of red and she looked well rested and... happy.

Her eyes were still closed when she spoke, "Are you going to stand there and watch me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I want to," he replied, watching a dimple forming at the side of her cheek as she smiled. "Can I ask a question?"

She was still smiling with her eyes closed when she murmured a yes.

"What's an Ayn?"

Aria didn't seemed as disturbed by the question as he thought she would be. Instead, she calmly replied, "It's one of the denominations of a Valkyrie."

"How come I've never heard of it?"

The dimple became more pronounced as though she was trying not to laugh. "Perhaps you haven't been reading your history books." When he didn't reply, she peeked open an eye and saw his annoyed face. Laughing, she leaned her head against the wall, eyes still closed and continued, "You have no use for Valkyries apart from the Warriors -- and even that you try to limit. I don't suppose you even know how many different denominations we have."

"Valkyries... are mortal," he said slowly. "As much as I can, I try not to involve them in immortal problems."

"You just don't trust them."

This time, he was the one who laughed. "Naturally. I have one in my bath tub right now and I can't even trust her to be alone."

"You just want to see me naked," she laughed.

He grunted as a response but didn't say anything else; simply watching her, then examining the layout of the bathroom.

"I'll probably have an additional sink installed and extend that closet to have yours built in soon. I don't think you'd like using my things all the time."

Aria who had her eyes closed in relaxation suddenly sat up in alarm. "What are you talking about?"

"It's not that I mind you using my things..."

Aria narrowed her eyes and hooked her finger in a come hither signal. When he was close enough, she cupped his chin and whispered. "What are you talking about?"

He smiled --those luscious lips curling invitingly. "I want to see you naked more often... So, stay here... with me."

She took her hand away immediately; flicking her gaze away. "You know this thing... this us; is not possible."

Zilarrezko didn't say anything and instead sat at the edge of the tub; one hand grabbing her jaw to force her to look at him. His eyes moved across her face like a searing torch, lingering over her lips before roaming further down to the curves hidden by the bubbles...

His hand jerked slightly and he snapped his eyes back to look at hers.

"Where's my necklace?" he demanded. He couldn't believe that he hadn't noticed it earlier. When Aria looked away, he knew.

"How could you..." There was no anger to his question which made it even worst. She would argue with him over it if he had sworn or cursed at her. But this... pain in his voice, in his eyes...

"I'm sorry," she whispered; her hand trying to hold his but he pulled away and walked out, leaving her alone in the bath tub.

For a moment, she simply stayed where she was. He had no idea what she'd gone through in that dark prison! She was holding on to her life as every hour passed by --and she knew she was going to die all alone in there with no one to hear her or even know she was alive.

He wasn't the one who had been threatened... he wasn't the one whose siblings' lives were on the line!

Aria curled her knees close to her chest and brought her head down as she wept.

***

Zilarrezko couldn't believe Aria had given his mother's precious feather to Iluna! How could she? Didn't she know how much he valued that feather? Didn't she understand that she was more than just a lover, a fling in his history? She had been the only one he'd given that feather to!

"Don't come near me." His voice was razor sharp; punctuated by the snap of his wings spreading out with lethal blades.

Aria tried not to let him see that she was intimidated. Instead she moved quietly towards him to gently press her naked, wet flesh on his back; arms clasping around his waist. He stilled, knowing that he could cut her with the slightest wing movement.

He wanted to remain angry at her but she was so lovingly --and nakedly --pressed on his bare back; face nuzzling against his sensitive wing arch.

"You play dirty Valkyrie," he said in a low warning tone. "Don't think I won't cut you."

She called his bluff straight away. "I dare you."

He crossed his arms over his chest in frustration as he was forced to remove the metal sheen over his feathers. He would rather kill himself than hurt her... although he was certain that someday her stubbornness would be the death of him.

If only.

He knew what she had said in the bathroom was true. This thing they had with each other was not possible... or at least according to the mortal laws of growing old and dying together.

Sighing to himself, he dropped his hands to close over hers. "Aria... I would make myself mortal for you if I could."

Her hands gripped him tighter. "Don't..."

"Don't what? Don't be a mortal for you?"

"Yes..." she whispered, letting him go slowly. She was looking down on the floor when he turned to face her. "I know sorry is not enough..."

"We'll get it back." Tilting her chin up, he pressed his lips over hers; parting them slowly as he drew her deeper... just enough to let her know he was hers.

Then he pulled away.

Aria blinked, expecting more but her Archangel simply stood looking down at her quietly. He was waiting for her; waiting for her permission. Moving forward, she wound one arm around his neck. "Thank you," she whispered, using the other hand to stroke his cheek lovingly. "And for bringing my siblings here... you don't know how much that means to me."

"Not for saving your life?" he asked; one eyebrow arched.

"Well, that too," she whispered shyly.

"I guess we're even then." He smiled; both hands on her waist pulling her hard against him --skin to skin as his armor melted away.

She stopped stroking him. "What?"

"You for giving away my feather and me for kidnapping your siblings."

"I thought you said you didn't kidnap them!" she hissed, slapping at his chest.

"No, I protested when you said I was using them as leverage. That's not the same thing."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Do you always have a rebuttal at hand?"

"Always," he replied, nipping her lower lip playfully. "But I keep the best ones for you."

She didn't manage to say anything for his lips were already claiming hers --no soft gentle kisses this time but an audacious demand that made her shiver with anticipation. He pushed her back against the wall; a knee sliding in between her thighs, her hands pushed over her own head. Aria briefly felt something locking over her wrists and immediately frowned.

"Just for a while..." he murmured against her lips; hands fisting the black-blue hair as he rubbed his own naked body against hers. She gasped when she felt his erection pressing against her hip as he started kissing down her jaw line. "What are you thinking about?"

"I can't think right now," she managed to whisper for he chose that moment to begin kissing the column of her neck to the sensitive spot just behind her ear.

"Really?" she heard him tease; his tongue licking at her ear. "Not thinking of this?" He rubbed his cock against her hip, thick and hard.

"No..." she murmured defiantly. Aria refused to be overwhelmed by the sheer sensuality of this Angel --with his broad shoulders blocking everything in her direct line of sight, tempting her to spread her palms over that wide expanse of chest...




Lore of the Angels Ch. 09



Except that her wrists were bound over her head.

Frustration bubbled in her throat as his lips moved lower; kissing each mark he made after he bit her on her neck, her chest, her breasts...

He was purposely avoiding her nipples, choosing to kiss around it before moving south to kiss down her abdomen, to the triangle of soft black and blue hair...

Then he pulled away to examine the exquisite creature before him.

"Zilarrezko... why are you stopping?" Aria was rubbing her thighs together, feeling the wetness of anticipation between them. "You can't just..."

His reply was to grin devilishly --and the next thing she knew her thighs were spread apart; ankles locked by cold metal cuffs that seemed to hold her in place. Great. Now she couldn't move her hands or legs.

That was her last thought for her mind was simply a puddle of sensations as his tongue began licking the wetness on her inner thigh; driving her crazy as he kept avoiding her most erogenous zones.

"Touch me... please..." yes, she was begging now. Aria didn't think she could take much more teasing.

He bit the tender flesh of her inner thigh in response. She screamed, from the shock and the sheer frustration. His mouth hovered, less than an inch from her pussy, yet it might as well have been a mile. Nefariously, he kept licking, up and down and on either side. Everywhere but the source of her wetness.

"Zilarrezko..." a desperate plea.

"Yes Aria?" he blew gently against her. Her body shuddered and a moan made her forget whatever she had been about to say.

"Oh god..." she moaned. "You... will pay for this..." Her teeth were clenched; a feminine growl in her throat.

"And how? You're the one cuffed in such a vulnerable position." He gave her a wicked smile as he stood up, bringing his face closer until they were nose to nose. "And I could tease you over and over... and not slide this cock you want so much inside of you."

"Let go of me and we'll see how long you can last without your cock in... oh god..." she moaned at the sudden invasion of two thick fingers inside her pussy. All she could think about then was squeezing her muscles around the delicious...

"No!" she yelped when he took his fingers out to bring them to his lips; licking off her pussy juice, swirling his tongue over the tip of his fingers.

It made her think of that same naughty tongue all over her hard clit. A beautiful kind of torture. But one she'd endure, so long as he made her come.

"Yes Aria? You were saying something?"

"I want to come..."

He smiled as he covered her mouth with his; fingers moving down between her thighs to tap teasingly at her pussy lips. She squirmed impatiently, wanting those fingers inside her right that instant.

"Whose pussy is this?" he demanded as his fingers dipped slightly into her slippery folds.

"Yours!" Aria's words a mere breath as she felt him slide in his fingers completely; the contact causing her to shudder with relief.

"And who am I?" His eyes were pure golden as they held her gaze; fingers moving in and out in slow lazy motions.

"Mine," was her unexpected reply. It pleased him though for he began to move his fingers faster, feeling her muscles clenching --a sign that she was close to coming. He brought his other hand down and rubbed her clit with his thumb --the contact bringing her over the edge as she screamed her release.

He watched her eyelashes fluttering rapidly, head tilted back as her first orgasm of the night rocked her entire body, leaving her gasping.

When he was sure the orgasm had subsided, he pulled his fingers out and smiled at the amount of lubricant she had produced. She was more than ready for him.

"Good?" he asked when her eyes --sated and lazy --opened fully to look at him. Her reply was a purr in her throat. "What have we learnt today?"

She was still hazy but she managed a snide response. "Your fingers aren't as good as your cock?"

Her reply made him still for a second then he broke out into laughter. Calming himself down, he shook his head at her. "Obviously my Valkyrie; you haven't learnt anything." Snapping his fingers, the metal cuffs disappeared and Aria fell to her knees for her thighs were still too shaky to hold her up.

Scooping her up, he gently laid her on the bed before curling up beside her; silver-gold eyes staring into black-blue ones. "Promise me you won't leave my bed again."

"That's a big promise."

"Aria..." A warning tone.

She pursed her lips. "Did you think that one orgasm would make me submissive?"

The silver in his eyes disappeared completely as he rolled on top of her. "How many do you want? Five? Ten? I could make you come non-stop you know."

"Such arrogance."

"Such stubbornness."

They narrowed their eyes at each other... simply waiting. Predator and prey. Circling.

She snapped first.

Hands fisted in each other's hair; wild, untamed passion riding them both as their lips sought to claim; heated bodies intending to brand. He was relentless as he angled her head to deepen the kiss; tongues tangled in hungered desperation.

Their breaths came out as jagged gasps when they finally pulled away.

"Again," she whispered, drawing his head down for another searing kiss. He didn't need an invitation --he was drunk on her scent, her taste...

"Aria..." he moaned against her lips as he felt her hand reaching below to stroke him. That one touch alone was enough to shatter his control. He was planning to pleasure her all night but those soft fingers... "Stop..." a breathy utterance.

She only smiled against his lips.

Hand wrapping around his cock, she continued to stroke him --hard and fast then painfully slow --alternating the rhythm until he was sure he was going to come all over her hands.

"Enough," his teeth were gritting as he forced the command out. Grabbing both her hands, he moved it above her head and held them together by the wrist. Looking down, he growled, "Be good or I'm locking them again."

Her eyes stared back rebelliously. "What about my ankles?"

"That too if you don't..." his last words died in his throat as he felt her locking those very ankles around his waist; her liquid heat pressing temptingly against his abdomen.

"I want you inside... now." She grounded her wet pussy against him just to make her point.

Clenching his teeth, he reached down and positioned his cock directly at her slick entrance. She started to move her hips impatiently but he held her still; eyes locked on hers.

"This," he growled as he sheathed his cock inside her. "Is mine..." He leaned forward; his breath hot against her neck. "And what is mine must never be given away." He punctuated each word with a deep thrust inside her.

They moaned in unison on the last thrust.

Aria could feel her own orgasm approaching and groaned when she willed herself to push at his chest. Looking up at him, she whispered, "Or else?"

A sly smile curved on his lips as he pulled his cock inch by slow inch out of her.

"No!" she gasped; fingers desperately reaching between them to clasp around the thick male organ.

"So possessive Ayn?" he whispered, arching an eyebrow at her. She replied by squeezing his cock hard.

"No one else..." she demanded, giving him a final squeeze before letting go. "Or I'll drown them."

"That's my girl," he teased, "Now for you reward..." His cock, already slick with her lubricant, slid in effortlessly. Pushing her thighs back, he leaned his weight forward, allowing her calves to rest on his shoulders.

Aria was in ecstasy beneath him for he felt much so much bigger and imposing in this position. She could feel him thrusting in deeper; every stroke eliciting a moan from her.

"Good?"

"More!" she screamed. Naturally, he obliged, fucking her with deep, hard strokes. He could feel her muscles tightening around him but he didn't stop even as the first wave of her orgasm rocked through her.

She barely recovered when she felt him moving inside her once more. Her protests were ignored as he continued pounding into her, stretching her tight... so tight...

She exploded; body arching upwards as pleasure consumed her entire body.

Aria was sure that her legs were jelly as they lay flat on the bed; her Archangel still looming above her.

"Oh no you don't," she said warningly; her voice barely audible. "Give me a minute... I'm too sensitive right now." He grinned, pressing a kiss on each nipple before flipping onto his back to curl up beside her.

He moved a gentle hand to caress her cheek; golden eyes turning back to silver.

"Don't leave me again," he whispered.

She leaned into the curve of his hand, pressing a kiss on his palm. "I won't."

No words needed to be said after that as he pulled her closer; her head leaning against his chest as his arms wound protectively around her body.

He'd give her a minute...

Maybe.

***

Meanwhile, Lucian was enjoying himself with the children --especially the twins.

After dinner, he had taken them to the garden on the ninetieth floor where there was enough space for them to run around. Lucian particularly liked this floor, with its great expanse of carpet grass, dotted with various exotic plants. It was so different from the rigidity and formality of the Obelisque.

He'd probably bring them here again the next day when it was sunny, although it was beautiful in the night as well; the only light from the glittering stars above. It was so different from the rest of New York, which Lucian had always hated. It was just too damn bright.

"Do you think Aria will be okay?" asked Angelo, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"She's with the Archangel... she will be," he reassured him. The two older children were sprawled on their backs beside him, staring at the open skies. Lucian hadn't allowed himself to lie down for he was keeping an eye on the twins who were playing with each other not too far away.

"Does he like her?" asked Kissa. "He looks at her funny."

"Duh. It's the same look you give that other Ordinal," said Angelo.

"Shut up!"

"Okay now that's enough," warned Lucian although his smile betrayed him. Kissa sat up immediately to peer desperately into his eyes.

"You will not say a word," she said, waving a finger in front of him.

Lucian wondered if she was old enough to be educated on the art of female subtlety. The only female influence she might get --if the children were going to stay permanently --was from Julia and Aria, both of whom were not subtle at all.

"Men like a little surprise sweetie," he replied, patting the grass beside him. She scooted closer, her face in complete attention. Lucian let out a soft breath. Guess he was going to teach her after all.

"First of all, men don't listen much."

Her eyes widened and then she threw an accusing glance at her brother. He made a face at her.

"But... I didn't even say anything!" she told him.

"Exactly," said Lucian; eyes gleaming playfully. "They observe the things you do --how your eyes move, the graceful tilt of your head... stuff like that."

"Oh." Then she frowned. "How do you know all this?"

"Years of observation. Trust me, less is more." He winked at her. "You should start by trying to breathe whenever he's in the room."

Kissa gasped; staring at him, horrified.

"Now that," he said, pointing to her facial expression. "Is a no-no."

She closed her mouth immediately and narrowed her eyes to give him a cool, hard look.

"Ah, better ma chérie." He gripped her chin playfully.

When she finally smiled, he let go of her and stood up. "Okay children, time for bed. We'll explore more tomorrow okay?"

Troy came closer and looked up at him gingerly. "Can we kiss Aria goodnight?"

Squatting down so that they were looking eye to eye, Lucian shook his head. "Not tonight. She's going to be real tired and needs lots of sleep. How about a good morning kiss?" he offered instead.

"Aria always tucks us in when she's home."

"I'll tuck you in tonight okay?"

Troy didn't look too happy but he nodded nonetheless. As Lucian stood up once more, he tugged at his lavender wings.

"Will the Archangel tuck her in then? Sometimes we tuck her in when she's tired."

This time, the Angel picked the child up and whispered, "Yes, he will."

"Okay," said Troy, appeased. He yawned and rested his head on Lucian's shoulder.

***

Anthony was tired but he made the flight across the Atlantic Ocean nonetheless; stopping only to rest on the Canary Islands before continuing east towards Cairo.

After five hours of flight, Anthony was exhausted but he took the time to appreciate the aerial view of Cairo --a mixture of the ancient and modern. Flanking the Nile, it looked like any other city --with its skyscrapers, brightly lit complexes and bustling traffic --but Anthony had been around when the humble beginning of Human civilization had been born on her shores.

The end of the Ice Age had brought much rain to parts of the Sahara and the Earth Angels had still roamed the lands then for the Sahara wasn't just an extensive desert. It was lush with greenery; fuelled by the melting ice sheets. Gaia had said it was a parting gift of life from Archangel Sona... and to some extent, Anthony knew it was true.

But the calm had not lasted long. When Yuki's Ice had gravitated towards the opposing ends of the world, she began to confine herself to her palace, unwilling to see anyone. The Dark Angels who had been loyal to Yuki's conquests were suddenly left to rule as they please; snatching up the remaining unclaimed land and taking over all the territories that Yuki had once ruled.

Iluna had only been a pre-Cardinal then but her clan listened to her and as they spread, they tried to kill as many Cardinals in their path as possible, with the other Archangels as their final target.

Yuki had been left out naturally. Iluna didn't want to alert the Snow Queen of her mutiny... yet. Besides, the Snow-Water Cardinal had locked herself in with her Ordinals --a stupid move --for Iluna could easily wipe them out... after she had taken reign over the world.

The first to be taken out had been the Metal Ordinals. With Archangel Sona dead, Iluna had assumed that one of the Ordinals would take her place.

It was a massacre.

Anthony closed his eyes as though he was trying not to remember the brutality of it... nor the sight of a young Angel lying amidst the mangled bodies...

He had thought the child was dead... but somehow Iluna had spared him --Zilarrezko, not more than a century old then had lain quietly beside his mother's Ordinals; not crying, not angry... not anything.

The child was numbed.

But that wasn't the worst of it. If the Ice Age had been unbearable; the Dark Ages were simply devastating. Crops failed and the weather became erratic for Yuki had lost all interest in the world; refusing to regulate the seasons, the rain, the sea levels...

And on top of that --all the deaths...

Gaia had escaped it --barely --if you considered mortality as escaping death. It was simply a prolonging of death. Rumor has it that while Gaia's body had been reduced to a mortal's, her life was still that of an immortal. And now that he had seen her, he knew it was true.

It was perhaps a blessing that Cyrus was still an Ordinal Archangel then and Iluna hadn't bothered with him. Confined to an island, the Fire clan was of no threat to Iluna. With Earth, Metal, Fire and Water out of the game, Light was the only clan left.

Africa --Noor's stronghold.

The life long antagonism between Light and Dark finally came to a climax.

Anthony would never forget the death and destruction Illuna brought to the rolling green plains of Africa. It was the sheer amount of Light that dried up the Northern Saharan regions; turning it into a desert battlefield where extreme cold and Darkness reigned at night and unbearable heat and Light ruled during the day.

Iluna had underestimated Noor. She had thought her victory over Gaia was a sign of her invincibility but she had forgotten that Noor was centuries older and stronger than Gaia and as a Cardinal Archangel; much more experienced and powerful than Iluna who was still a pre-Cardinal.

The Dark Ages ended with Iluna banished across the Atlantic Ocean; a Light Ordinal left on the North American territory to keep Iluna in check.

That was how Julia came to be in Zilarrezko's service.

It was perhaps an irony that Noor would keep a Dark Angel as an Ordinal, close by her side --an exception --for no other Dark Angels were allowed to serve outside Iluna's court; as decreed by Noor during Iluna's terms of surrender.

It could have been a political move but Noor had personally requested for Ehren. Anthony wondered what the Light Cardinal found fascinating about Dark Ordinal's sombre disposition...

Perhaps she, like the other Light Angels were attracted to those that were complete opposites of them. They wanted contrast from their bright, beautiful, exotic... white wings against the smoothest dark chocolate...

"Snap out of it!"

Anthony slapped a hand down his face in an attempt to wipe her image out of his head --a feat --considering that the Archangel welcoming him on her Sky Bridge home had the exact same coloring as Julia.

"Anthony," the gentle, airy voice of Noor greeted him.

Anthony had considered it an honor to be welcomed by the Archangel herself --especially from one that he respected.

"Archangel, I have inconvenienced you." It was an apology and question both disguised in a statement.

"Perhaps..." she smiled; her wings like a flickering light bulb under the pre-dawn darkness. "Or maybe I just like to greet the morning sun."

She moved past him --in that same graceful way as Julia --slightly elevated as though she was gliding through the air. Anthony followed her, watching the way her head angled to the left, where the sun would soon rise from.

Noor's home was as unique and magnificent as the other Archangels'. The Sky Bridge as it was called was built directly over the Nile River; resting on the rooftops of the two tallest buildings in Cairo, one at each side of the bank. Made completely out of glass, it appeared almost invisible --at least when Noor allowed it to be.

What we see --as Lucian and Julia have taught him --is simply what we perceive from light absorbed, reflected, or refracted off surfaces of objects. And the Archangel of Light was the best when it came to creating visions --real or otherwise.

The Sky Bridge would sometimes look like a rainbow or a stormy cloud, depending on her mood.

At that moment, she seemed upset. It wasn't just her wings that were flickering but the entire Sky Bridge looked like a blanket of twinkling stars. Beautiful to those below but painfully annoying to be standing right on top of it.

"I know you're tired," she said softly.

"Yes."

She turned very slowly to face him; white eyelashes lifting slowly to reveal colorless irises. "Would you like to rest?"

"No."

Noor gave him an amused smile. "You would get along well with Ehren. He is waiting for you." She angled her head slightly and Anthony knew then that the Dark Angel had been standing behind him all along.

A discomforting thought.

Anthony had met Ehren before but now that they were actually going to talk...

This meeting might actually be short.

***

Ehren had silently led Anthony into a small and darkened office --clearly his. To even call it a room was inaccurate.

It was just... a space.

"I have come to see how much assistance you're offering."

"Yes," said the Dark Ordinal, passing a black file --from nowhere --to Anthony.

Grateful for the lack of need to talk, Anthony opened the file to see a detailed report of currently mobilized air, sea and land troops and transportations as well as those on standby and those on reserves.




Lore of the Angels Ch. 09



Noor had thrice the military force of North America and half of it was Angels.

"Are you authorizing... all of these?" asked Anthony in surprise.

"Second page."

Anthony's lips thinned into a grim line as he saw that while all the land troops were mobilized, the air forces were limited to just one squadron and there were no naval forces even on standby for them.

"This is... not enough."

Ehren shook his head. "Our air assets have been severely depleted in the last battle."

Anthony kept silent. Even though Julia's own aircraft and Angels were hit, most of the damages were suffered by Noor's troops. Still, it was very generous of Noor to provide a dozen fighter jets --a seemingly small number but extremely lethal. On pylons --external storage structures --beneath each wing, the jets were equipped to carry a mixed load of laser and GPS-guided ordnance. . Noor's ability to manipulate Light also meant that the planes were constantly under stealth mode as they reflect radio waves. But Anthony wasn't sure if it was enough...

"Do you have any intel on Yuki's navy?"

Another file appeared and Ehren passed it to Anthony.

The Fire Ordinal examined the data gathered by Noor's reconnaissance team and what he saw made his gut wrench in fear.

It wasn't just the size of the fleet --a number he was sure paralleled that of Noor's air, land and sea forces combined --but the fact that not all those ships were battle cruisers that worried him.

"Do you know what this is?" asked Anthony, pointing to a particular cluster on the recon photographs.

Ehren moved closer; squinting. "Yes."

Tapping his finger on a few smaller ships, "This is a Carrier Battle Group," he pointed to the largest ship in the center of the formation. "Those smaller ships are just the escorts."

The Dark Ordinal nodded. "That's why we're providing you with our elite air squadron."

Anthony continued to study the sheet of data. "Let me see your full naval task force."

Ehren looked around then reached out for something; pulling out a white folder, he passed it to Anthony.

"Noor believes in aerial superiority," he said almost apologetically. Anthony couldn't blame him. Light Angels avoided small enclosed spaces as much as possible and the confines of a submarine or a warship would stifle them.

Flipping through the folder, Anthony noted that Noor's fleet focused mainly on coastal defense with limited projection capabilities. Apart from its fifteen major surface combatants --cruisers and destroyers -- and two hundred fast attack craft --such as guided missile warships --the fleet had no submarine force or aircraft carriers and relied on its large shore-based air wing for striking power.

In other words, Noor's navy was not fully equipped to survive in deep water.

Anthony knew that the recon photographs would not show submarines --he had no doubt that Yuki, as a Snow-Water Cardinal could manipulate currents; bypassing the sonar detectors or at least fooling it by carrying different densities to deflect sonar waves. She might not successfully sink all of Noor's fleet but could inflict substantial damage. "I'll authorize our own navy to make its way here."

"You are bringing war to our lands?" The question had no intonation.

"Our combined fleet can meet her halfway across the Atlantic Ocean. I will not allow those ships to reach our lands."

"You have those?" Ehren pointed to the aircraft carriers.

"Yes...our carrier air wing can carry up to seventy aircraft and should be here within six days. Archangel Zilarrezko wishes to cripple Yuki's fleet before they can reach North America --stopping them if possible."

"We will need to discuss this with Noor..." For the first time that morning, Ehren's voice actually faltered.

"Yes. Now?"

"Let her enjoy the morning sun first."

Anthony knew that the sun rose early in Cairo, sometimes before five and it was already closing to six in the morning.

"I don't see any sun."

"It's not my room."

Anthony looked at the Dark Ordinal warily. "Perhaps we should step out and meet her."

For a moment, he was sure that he hadn't walked out the door for the darkness surrounding them hadn't lessened. It was still dark --not because the sun hadn't risen...

"She's upset," whispered Ehren.

"Storm clouds?"

"Sometimes there's lighting and thunder."

"That's angry."

"It's not the same?" Ehren's face was full of shock --or was that fear in his eyes?

"Err..." Anthony wasn't sure either. "Will she be able to discuss the situation?"

The emotion in Ehren's eyes faded immediately. "Yes she will. She's a good Archangel."

"Alright, we should go then." Anthony was already walking when he noticed that Ehren had stayed rooted in his spot. "You're not coming?"

"It's better if you go alone."

"Why?" Anthony swore the Dark Ordinal was blushing.

"She might not be too... rational if I am around."

Anthony knew it wasn't his place to nose around the domestic issues of other Archangels but he needed the Archangel to be focused when he discussed such important matters.

"You made her angry."

At first Ehren looked hesitant to admit it but then he nodded --very slowly. "She asked me a question and I said no."

Anthony frowned. Noor wasn't the kind to be petty. That must have been a really important question.

"You disobeyed your Cardinal's direct order?"

"No!"

Anthony didn't think so either. "You can either tell me or not. It doesn't matter."

Ehren stared at Anthony silently for one, long hard minute. "She asked if I love her."

Now it was Anthony's turn to stare. This was what made the Light Cardinal upset? "And you said no."

"Yes."

Even Anthony knew that was a grave mistake to make. "Did you mean it?"

The solemn face turned angry. "She walked out after I said no."

Anthony arched an eyebrow. This Ordinal avoided personal questions like the plague.

"If you don't mean it, you should tell her... maybe after my meeting." Anthony forced a smile.

***

Noor was still at the welcome courtyard of her Sky Bridge when Anthony came to look for her.

"I take it the meeting went well?"

"We have some things to discuss Cardinal."

She turned, surprise etched on her face. "Ehren hasn't been helpful?"

"He has been exceptional but there are certain things that only you can decide upon."

Noor nodded and gestured to some chairs and tables at the edge of the courtyard. "We shall talk then."

When they've seated, she looked at Anthony and sighed. "This is a second time that Zilarrezko's sent his Ordinal in his place."

"He means no disrespect Cardinal..."

"I know. You've raised him better." Noor watched him lower his gaze at her praise. "What is it that you wish to speak to me about?

"Cardinal, Zilarrezko would like to stop Yuki's troops before they can pass the Cape."

If she was surprised, she didn't show it. Instead Noor leaned back in her seat and flicked her wrists.

The stormy exterior of the Sky Bridge faded; bathing the entire space with the warming rays of the morning sun.

"Let's not add gloom to the news," she smiled. "Has Zilarrezko considered that I might say no?"

The both knew the answer to that. Instead, Anthony raised his eyes to look at her. "Alone, he wouldn't just be overwhelmed... his entire clan could be wiped out."

"What does Ehren think of your suggestion?"

Anthony blinked. "This is Archangel Zilarrezko's wishes, Cardinal."

Noor let out a soft laugh; her eyes twinkling perceptively. "Ehren wouldn't disobey a Cardinal's wishes... but you suggested something didn't you? He wouldn't send you to me otherwise."

"My apologies Cardinal... It's just that Zilarrezko is extremely occupied at the moment and has authorized me to make any necessary plans. After reviewing the reconnaissance data, I realize that Yuki isn't just transporting her naval task force but possible half --if not all of her air forces. It is pertinent that we also consider a maritime alliance."

"Impossible! My Angels did not see any incoming flights... oh! They're on the ships?"

"Yes."

Noor's flawless face was marred by a slight frown as she began thinking. After a few minutes of silence, she got to her feet and angled her head up.

Anthony mimicked her movement and wasn't surprised to see an Angel descending towards the courtyard. What surprised him was that this Light Ordinal had wings that could rival Lucian's. It was hard to describe its exact color for it was iridescent; reflecting different hues depending on which angle you were looking at.

As the Ordinal landed, Anthony couldn't help but stare. Next to Noor, the Light Angel looked like a rainbow.

"Anthony, this is Vlinder. He is in charge of all my fleet. Let me know how you plan to stop Yuki's naval advances." When Anthony nodded, she continued, "But I have to cut my land support by half. If you wish to fight so close to my territory, then you have to let me defend it."

"I understand."

Noor's smile was reflected in her eyes; the creases at the corners showing that she was genuine pleased.

"Stay as long as you need. Vlinder will show you to your room if you wish to rest. I'm afraid I have to leave you now Anthony... Ehren is looking for me."

Anthony was about to leave when he caught sight of the Dark Ordinal at the door. It seemed that he was looking for her too but there was no tenderness in his eyes but something else.

Worry.

"Cardinal... Archangel Yuki is here..."

***



Lore of the Angels Ch. 10



Once again, thank you to my wonderful editor, Jason Moore for his time and effort in polishing this chapter. Hope everyone's enjoying the story so far!

***

"Bring her in," said Noor calmly. Then turning to Anthony, "You don't have to stay."

"No, I will." Anthony's voice was hard and determined. If Yuki was going to threaten Noor for helping Zilarrezko, then he needed to be there to defend her.

"Stay close to my Ordinals."

As soon as she turned away, Anthony caught sight of two more Angels descending into the courtyard. One of them looked like a Fire Angel with crimson wings while the other reminded him of the long lost Earth Angels.

However, the neon-like green wings were a clear sign that she was a Light Angel.

"I'm Midori and this is Amarela. You must be Anthony."

Anthony was too distracted to properly introduce himself for Ehren had returned with Yuki and one of her Ordinals, Seraphina.

"Hello Light Angel."

"Yuki." Noor was looking serene and composed but everyone knew that Yuki had just insulted the Light Cardinal by referring to her as a mere Angel. "What can I do for you?"

Yuki sighed; a finger tracing the tip of Noor's wings. "I've always found these so pretty..."

The tension in the room jumped a notch.

"Please," she laughed. "I am not here to pick a fight... well at least not with you."

Noor didn't say anything; her eyes simply watching the Snow-Water Cardinal move from one Ordinal to another.

"Well Noor, you know why I'm here," she said, suddenly turning on her heel.

"Perhaps... but humor me." The Snow-Water Cardinal glared at Noor. She didn't like her plans belittled.

"My ships are reaching the Cape to refuel." Yuki flicked her eyes to Anthony. "Grant me a safe passage."

"It is very... gracious of you to ask my permission directly," replied Noor, smiling sweetly. "I thought you preferred poisonous letters."

Yuki shrugged.

"Ehren, please escort the Snow Queen out. She has said what she came here to say."

The Dark Ordinal had barely taken a step before Yuki hurled out a storm of icicles. They evaporated before they hit anyone, but the small act had served its purpose.

Of all her ordinals, Noor had only physically shielded Ehren, even though he was one of the furthest from Yuki.

"So the rumors are true!" she said gleefully. Then pouting, she looked at Ehren and shook her head. "It's a pity..."

"Oh? Don't you want to know why?" teased Yuki. "You wouldn't want to lose him now would you?"

Noor didn't bat an eyelid; her inaction serving to incense Yuki further. "If he collapses in the middle of battle, don't say I didn't warn you..." Yuki circled the Dark Ordinal and peered at his face. "Not my type. Didn't know you went for the whole... morbid look. Doesn't matter. You won't be able to tell the difference when he's dead anyway."

Noor finally took the bite. "What do you want Yuki?"

"What's it worth to you?"

"My Ordinal is willing to die for what is right."

Yuki cocked her head in surprise. "Oh really? Then you should say your goodbyes soon then." Another pout as she made the pretense of walking towards the door. She was truly disappointed when Noor didn't stop her. "You're no fun! Ask me! Come on Noor..."

"I don't play games with children."

Yuki's eyes widened in fury. However this time, it wasn't icicles that were aimed at Noor but a jet of flame that shot out from Seraphina's wings.

The Light Ordinals were caught off guard for they expected to melt Ice. But not a single flicker touched their Cardinal for Anthony had absorbed it from across the room.

Yuki was taken by surprise and took a step back; genuine shock on her face as she looked at him. "Have you changed your loyalties?"

Anthony didn't answer her.

"You should leave now Yuki," said Noor gently. "Like you said, you're not here to pick a fight."

The gentle reprimand made Yuki snap her attention away from Anthony. "I wish to conduct a trade."

When Noor kept quiet, Yuki became annoyed. "I know you're helping Zilarrezko so I'll make this worth your while."

"My loyalties cannot be bought Yuki."

"Oh... I'm not buying anything," she flashed a wicked smile. "Retreat your aid and... I'll spare his immortality." She angled her head towards Ehren.

Her words confirmed Anthony's hunch. Ever since he saw her Snow troops advancing north in Iluna's lands, he knew Yuki was planning to unclip her in the end.

If Yuki thought that Noor would succumb to the threat, she had clearly underestimated the Light Cardinal.

"Ehren will show you out," she said simply; a serene smile on her face.

Yuki was clearly stunned. "You... you're not negotiating?"

Noor didn't even bother to reply.

As the two Cardinals exited at opposite ends of the Sky Bridge, the sky began to darken and Anthony felt the first pinpricks of sparks masquerading as rain droplets.

***

When he woke up the next morning, Zilarrezko couldn't help but smile at the feel of his beautiful Valkyrie snuggled against his body. They had fallen asleep in each other's arms last night; both caving in to their exhaustion.

Even in sleep, Aria looked exquisite. He never had the chance to really look at her as he did right that moment. Apparently her eyelashes were the same black with strands of blue just like her hair --waist length, thick and luxurious --spread out on his silky sheets.

His eyes travelled down the entire length of her body, noting the smooth golden skin that he had begun to love. Just looking at her made him want to lick every inch...

"Stop that," she whispered, slowly stirring to stretch out and look at him. Those sex-sated, sleepy eyes were a sight he didn't mind waking up to every morning.

"Good morning." He smiled, pressing his lips to hers. Her response was a soft purr; her body rubbing against his, sensuously like a cat marking its territory.

Grinning, he slapped her butt playfully. "You'd better stop that unless you don't intend to get out of bed the whole day."

The blue in her eyes shone slightly as though challenging him.

Zilarrezko was such a sucker for those eyes.

"Wrap your legs around me," he told her. She didn't hesitate a second --which was perfect because he took the opportunity to get out of bed, with her clinging onto him.

"No fair." But she was already leaning her head on his shoulder, enjoying the feel of being carried like that to the bathroom. She was still holding on to him when he let her down gently to her feet.

"Shower first..."

"Then sex?"

"Maybe, if you're good."

She pressed a kiss to his chest before turning on the shower tap. "Are you joining me?"

"In a while."

Then he walked out of the bathroom.

Alone, Aria went under the pouring water, feeling the heat soothing the soreness between her thighs. She was already soaked; hair plastered to her back when he came back and stepped into the shower with her.

"Work?"

"Yes," he replied, nuzzling the back of her neck. "I have an important guest to meet over breakfast..." His hands moved forward to play with her nipples, rolling them between his fingers. "And I want you to be there."

"Okay..."

Her easy response made him stop his movements. "You're awfully cooperative this morning."

"Yes," she whispered, placing her own hands on top of his; urging them to continue moving. She even lathered soap on her body, purring at the feel of his hands roaming over slippery skin.

"You are terrible," he said, as he felt the soft curves of her behind rubbing enticingly against his already hard cock.

"So are you," she whispered, turning around to soap his upper body. "You didn't get to come last night."

He arched an eyebrow at her. "You're counting?"

"Naturally. It's three --zero at the moment darling. You'd better catch up."

That was invitation enough.

Pushing her back against the wall, he lifted one of her legs over his arm and drove his entire length in, making her scream.

"Hurt?"

She shook her head, curling the other leg around his waist. "You're so hard..."

"I wake up with an erection... in case you didn't notice."

"I did," she flashed him a wicked smile. "Why do you think I'm so wet? It's the anticipation darling."

Zilarrezko decided that he liked that term of endearment. Just to show his appreciation, he began to move his hips; pounding her against the wall under the torrent of water. Her body was arched towards him; fingernails digging into his shoulders as her pussy walls clenched tight around his cock.

"Come for me," he whispered into her ear. "Just the way I like it..." He moved his hips faster, knowing the increased stimulation would push her...

Aria screamed his name.

Her body quivered against him as her pleasure coursed through her body. He waited for the shudders to end before letting her feet down.

"Turn around and lean against the wall," he instructed, grabbing her ass even before she could do as she was told. Spreading her legs apart, he moved closer and stroked his cock between her ass cheeks.

"Angel..." An impatient plea.

"You want this cock?" he murmured; moving his hand to rub the engorged tip of his cock against her parted nether lips.

"Don't tease... please..." she whimpered, pushing her hips backwards, spearing herself on his cock. Zilarrezko allowed her free reign for the next few strokes; her body moving in such a wantonly manner as she fucked herself on his cock.

Aria was bent at the waist, hands braced against the wall as she offered more of herself to him. The sight of his cock disappearing into her tight pussy was enough to bring about that familiar tightness in his balls. It was time.

He gripped her slender waist and began moving his hips; sawing his cock in and out of her wet and willing pussy --slowly at first then much faster and harder; slamming into her again and again.

She was just so hot and tight, convulsing around his cock...

A guttural roar marked his orgasm; his hips slapping hard against hers as she met him thrust for thrust, driving them both into a pleasure-filled oblivion.

***

It was almost nine o'clock when Zilarrezko and Aria made their way down to have breakfast.

"You look very different in clothes," said Aria as her eyes took in the sight of him clad in jeans and a long sleeved shirt.

"I would say the same for you." He pointed to her own assemble of jeans and t-shirt. "Half the time you're either naked or wearing that... thing. I should really ban you from wearing it."

"Why?" she asked in surprise. He shouldn't be able to see her second skin for what it truly was!

"Baby, it clings to your every --and I mean every curve. And if my Ordinals hadn't kept their eyes straight, they'd be blind by now."

The Archangel stopped walking to look at her curiously. "We are going to talk about that later. I want to have a closer look at the material. Never have I heard of a cloth that can create Illusion!"

Aria smiled, not wanting to say anything more about the issue. Instead, she asked, "How many floors exactly are out of bounds to the public?"

"The top ten floors of the building," he replied; a hand moving around her waist. "I've allowed the children to roam these floors as they like."

"That's very generous of you..."

"I try," he said, as they stepped into the garden on the ninetieth floor. "It seems they are already here."

"Oh!" Aria was too stunned to say anything else for the sight that welcomed her was simply breathtaking. It wasn't just the fresh blooms or the spread on the breakfast table but the fact that her siblings were welcoming her with smiles that made everything seemed much more perfect.

As she came closer to the table, she saw Lucian getting up from his seat. He must have been taking care of the children since their arrival. Aria reminded herself to thank him for it later. Maybe she should get him something.

"I hope you had a good rest, Cardinal," he said, in his usual cheery voice. Aria was sure that he meant that for Zilarrezko but Lucian seemed to be addressing her.

It was odd.

When Zilarrezko said nothing, Aria knew something was wrong but she played along. "Good morning Lucian. Have the children been good?"

Lucian didn't get a chance to answer for the twins were already chiming in; regaling their eldest sister with every single detail of their journey from home to New York and everything they had done since then till that morning.

Zilarrezko had watched as she patiently listened to the twins; nodding now and then even as she buttered toast and poured milk --not for herself but for every one of her siblings first. She had barely bitten into her own toast when Leiha asked for more jam and Angelo asked her to pass the half-boiled eggs. Still, she did everything calmly; never once raising her voice but smiling instead as she gave in to each and every one of her siblings' whims.

His heart ached just watching her for she reminded him so much of his mother --those gentle smiles and laughing eyes; patience in every gesture even when he was stubborn and refused to eat...

"Zilarrezko?"

He looked up into the beautiful golden --no-- these were black swirls around blue... the eyes of his... his what?

"You should eat." She patted his thigh gently as she pushed a plate of toast in front of him. "Lucian, you too. It must have been exhausting to keep an eye on my siblings."

Lucian flashed her a wide smile; lavender eyes reflecting his playfulness. Aria figured that he was probably enjoying himself too much to feel exhausted. However, she shouldn't be imposing on him like this. Lucian had other things to do.

"Lucian, why are you the only one here? Where are the other Ordinals?"

"Oh... I don't..." He looked over at Zilarrezko. "I mean, my duty is here with you and your siblings."

"Do you want my Ordinals here Aria?" asked Zilarrezko, saving Lucian from needing to answer anymore questions.

"No, that is not necessary. It's just that you really shouldn't take him away from his duties."

"Trust me, I'm not. Actually, only Marcus is around. He should be arriving with our guest in a while."

Aria looked like she was about to protest but Leiha chose that moment to spill juice all over her dress. Kissa was already on her feet to tend to her sister when Lucian stepped in her way.

"Let me. Come Leiha. We'll get you changed." He lifted her off her chair and walked her to the elevator. Kissa was still standing when the lift door opened to Marcus with the elderly Gaia by his side. She sat down immediately and looked away.

That small gesture did not go unnoticed by Aria but she had to let it go for her attention was focused solely on the wizened old woman who chose to sit on the opposite side of the table, directly in front of her.

Aria had never seen a much stranger creature. Though the woman's body clearly showed signs of old age, her eyes reflected someone much younger, sharper and definitely more alive than the decrepit host of her body. And those eyes --were of the earthiest brown with two silver rings; one inside the other circling...

Aria frowned. Her pupils were a crescent shaped!

"I'm really sorry," she apologized as she got up. It had been incredibly rude of her to stare at their guest. "Would you like some tea?"

The old lady smiled as Aria poured her a cup. It was only when she sat down did Zilarrezko introduce them to each other.

"This is the Ayn you asked me to save. Her name is Aria and these are her siblings --Angelo, Kissa, Troy and the other girl you saw earlier is Leiha." Then turning to Aria, "And Aria, this is Gaia."

Aria was so stunned that she couldn't string words to even say hello to their guest.

"I'm pleased to meet you, Cardinal," said Gaia instead; amusement flashing in those strange eyes.

Aria flashed her a meek smile for she was certain that her brain was currently a mush. Surely this Cardinal had not just addressed her as Cardinal? What was wrong with everyone today? Aria swore that Lucian had addressed her the same way earlier.

She vaguely heard Troy --who was too young to know any better --saying hello to Gaia although Kissa and Angelo were equally stunned as her.

Gaia was an enigma --a figure of the Lores; a legend who was thought to be dead...

A nudge from Zilarrezko had her jerking out of her daze.

"I can't apologize enough Cardinal... I'm just too..."

"Surprised?" asked Gaia.

"Ah... I think that's putting it mildly. I'm truly honored to be in your presence."

Gaia waved a wrinkled hand. "Oh please. I'm just an old woman. Would you help me crack this egg, child?" The question was directed to Angelo who was sitting beside her. He obliged her request and was passing her the bowl when she grabbed at his hands.

Angelo sent a fearful look at his sister.

"Such strong hands for a young boy..." she brought his palm to her nose and sniffed. "Same... same brackishness... Give me your hand girl," she demanded from Kissa.

Eyes widening, Kissa thrust her palm out.

"Ah... sweet innocence," said Gaia gleefully. "Ah... but you're much harder to bend... to change..." She shook her head. "Only the most dense and stable bodies for you..."

The siblings looked perplexed at Gaia's words but Zilarrezko understood her. Gaia had previously described Aria as brackish --a mixture of salt and fresh water --and now again for Angelo. But Kissa, as her personality showed, was more reserved but stable like that of the ocean depths.

Releasing Kissa's hands, Gaia returned her attention to her eggs. She was eccentric that way.

Meanwhile, Troy was tugging at Aria's sleeve and Zilarrezko couldn't help but smile. The little boy, though scared was always putting up a brave front. He too wanted to know what Gaia had to say about him but Zilarrezko had a feeling that Gaia was only interested in the eldest three who were clearly at pre-Cardinal and Cardinal levels.

But why?

"Gaia, will you be staying here another day?" he asked.

"I do not need such height when I cannot fly," was her reply.

Zilarrezko was about to reply when Aria spoke up. "If you have nowhere to stay, I'm sure you can stay here. Right?" she turned to him; eyes daring him to challenge her. Zilarrezko wondered since when had his home become hers... or maybe it was part of the mortal-love package.

"Aria... Ayn," Gaia looked up. "Do you not feel the ice spreading?"

"I..." Aria wasn't sure. When she was imprisoned, she had always felt an ever increasing coldness approaching but she had attributed that to the place she was caged in. Was that what Gaia was talking about?

"I will stay," she said suddenly, reaching across the table to touch Aria's hand. "Because I like what you are." Before Aria could say anything, Gaia turned her hand such that they were palm to palm. "Water Cardinal."

***

Everyone at the table froze; their eyes looking expectantly at Aria, waiting for her to speak.

"I don't..." she stammered, turning to Zilarrezko for help.

He patted her thigh and angled his head lazily towards Gaia. "She has no idea what you're talking about."

The Earth Cardinal pulled her hand away and made a face. "She is what she is."

"But we're not Angels!" Heads turned towards Kissa's sudden outburst. "We're just... mortals."

"Mortals who can perform Illusion?" Zilarrezko challenged.

"We're just born that way," she said meekly; cheeks gone red.

The Archangel's eyes softened. She was looking at him, as though expecting him to chew and spit her out. "We are also born this way. By the time we reach adolescence, Angels know whether they have the makings of a Cardinal or not. But angel births are so rare and few... and those who make it to Cardinals? Even fewer." He paused, looking at each and every one of the siblings. "Which is why your family is very... special. Five potential Cardinals in one family? Fascinating."




Lore of the Angels Ch. 10



"I still don't understand..." said Kissa.

Aria looked across at her sister and sighed. "Only Cardinals can wield Illusion Kissa..."

"But we're still mortals Ahizpa..."

"Would you like your wings then?" interrupted Gaia. Kissa, Troy and Angelo exchanged looks but Aria shook her head warningly.

"It is not that easy Gaia and you know it," said Zilarrezko.

"My ancestors willingly chose to be mortals for a reason..." Aria was adamant. "And I don't think the reverse is possible."

Everyone fell silent. The three younger children listened eagerly --to be an Angel! What a dream! But the three Cardinals were much more serious as they looked at each other.

Then Zilarrezko moved his hand to caress Aria's cheek gently. "Won't you be immortal for me, Aria?"

Aria heard her sister gasp and all she wanted to do then was burry her face somewhere. To ask for immortality was an affirmation of something bigger than just --whatever exactly they had going on at the moment. It was like the mortal concept of asking her to marry him.

"Say yes Ahizpa!" Aria looked up to see Kissa nodding her head encouragingly. Even her two brothers were looking excited. Those traitors... they just wanted to have wings!

At that moment, Lucian returned with a very energetic Leiha holding his hand. At the sight of Gaia, she hid behind Lucian and peeked out at their strange guest.

"Ah... now that Lucian's here...Perhaps, we should have this conversation somewhere else," said Aria uncomfortably. "Just the three of us." She heard her siblings groan unhappily but Aria would have none of it. "Lucian, Marcus... I'm sorry to trouble you like this but could you keep an eye on them for a while? Will that be alright Archangel?"

She didn't look like she was asking permission --again --but Zilarrezko said yes. He'd forgive her this time. Besides, there were also things he needed to discuss with Gaia that shouldn't be heard by minors.

"Let's go to my office," he said, ushering both female Cardinals towards the elevator.

***

"Alright, tell me what's going on," said Aria the moment they stepped into his office. Her eyes were focused solely on him; forehead scrunched in a frown.

When he came closer to touch her, Aria scowled at him. Zilarrezko raised an eyebrow --did he say something wrong?

"Why are you angry at him, Aria?" said Gaia absently; her eyes looking straight ahead into the open skies.

"It's just..." Aria knew she was simply redirecting her anger towards Zilarrezko. It was the elderly Cardinal that frustrated her. "You shouldn't promise things that you know are impossible. Those children are going to expect wings to sprout from their backs and what am I supposed to tell them?"

"Tell them you'll get their wings for them," replied Gaia. "Zilarrezko knows how."

"Gaia..." it was a warning voice. "I've already tried... and the results are not good." When Aria gave him a questioning look, Zilarrezko knew there was no hiding the truth from her any longer. "Yuki's already sending troops and preparing for war with me."

"The Ice..." whispered Gaia. "She plans to start an Ice Age again..."

There was something in Gaia's voice that made Aria stop scowling. Instead, she took a seat beside the elderly Cardinal.

"Cardinal... I don't mean any disrespect... but how does this have anything to do with me and my siblings? You called me a Water Cardinal... but I am just a mortal."

Gaia raised her hand to take a lock of Aria's hair and rubbed it between her fingers. "Valkyries were Angels... you know that right?" Aria nodded slowly; unsure where Gaia was heading. "Angels of every element... except Earth of course."

"And... you think I was born into the Water clan --or at least my ancestors were."

Gaia blinked those exotic silver ringed eyes at her. "I do not think Aria. I know..."

"But how? Even Valkyries can't tell what elements they were before... and I don't even look anything like the Snow-Water clan..." Gaia simply smiled at her.

"Once, a long time ago, Yuki looked like you... or closer to that little sister of yours..."

"Leiha?"

"Yes, the tiny one. Such pretty blue strands in her hair too..." Gaia looked away; her eyes turning glossy with memory. "She was the only one who offered to be my friend; to help when the Fire clan started to destroy parts of Earth... Surely you know the story?"

"Yes I do..."

"Yuki was... no, is still a very smart Angel... she learned to evolve; to be a stronger element than what she was born into. She became obsessed with being pure... being apart from the other elements. She hated that the water bodies were filled with salts. But we are not created that way --we live in symbiosis." Gaia paused to look at Aria. "What is Ice, Aria?"

"Pure water... frozen," she whispered, understanding the drift.

"Yes... to be the purest form of her own element --something no other clan can be. What is Light without Darkness? You cannot measure one without referring to the other. And Fire --just another expression of Light. But Ice... ah, exists on its own --a landmass that could even challenge mine."

"Is that why... all the Water Angels are of the Snow variety?"

"Not by choice mostly... Yuki --my dear, dear friend --wanted only the purest of Angels to carry her clan name. Those who are unable to evolve were killed... but some chose to be mortals... Yuki saw that simply as postponing death but she forgot..." Gaia was laughing; shaking her head. "Mortals reproduce much faster... much often. Locked in her snow palace, she is ignorant of such... mundane events."

"But... why is she declaring war on you? What have you done?" Aria turned to Zilarrezko; eyes filled with worry.

"I tried to get your wings for you."

Such a simple answer... but Aria knew the severity of his actions. It was bad enough that Aria was a despised variety of the Snow-Water clan... but a Cardinal level?

"You... shouldn't have," she said sadly. Getting up, Aria gave a small bow to the two Cardinals and walked towards the door. "I'm really sorry..."

"Where are you going?" He wasn't going to let her go --not again.

"I'm not going to let innocents die when it is me she wants."

"No!" Zilarrezko took her by the wrist; twirling her around to face him. "You are not leaving!"

Her eyes reflected storms as she looked up at him. "You are not going to war for me!"

Swirls of black and blue stared angrily into eyes --of the deepest copper red.

"Let go of me!"

"No!"

She slapped him.

Startled, Zilarrezko let go of her wrist and watched as she slammed the door behind her.

"Let her be... She's not leaving," said Gaia. "Sit down."

Zilarrezko wanted to go after her --he was furious --but Gaia was right. Aria wouldn't leave --at least not yet.

"It'll take her a few hours to convince the children." Gaia's eyes twinkled with amusement. "By then, we'll have finished our talk."

Still annoyed, Zilarrezko moved towards her and sat down. "I don't really understand women," he said, narrowing his eyes at her.

"That's what makes them more mysterious," she laughed. "Your mother would have enjoyed watching the two of you."

The Metal Archangel stilled... then looked away. "I might not be so stupid if she was here."

"Stupid to love a mortal? Angels have been doing that for centuries, Zilarrezko... why do you think we have Valkyries in the first place?"

"I can't Gaia... I cannot be a mortal for her --especially not now. And she..." The Archangel let out a groan of frustration.

"Immortality... is a very long time," she whispered as she looked away. "Sometimes, even I crave for death."

"Don't say that..." he turned to her sharply. "Death is forever..."

"Perhaps... But I have already died a long time ago, Zilarrezko..."she sighed. "A little after your mother died... and then a little more each day since Iluna unclipped my wings... Now this body? It is already dying... but I am not. One day I will just be an immortal rotting flesh..."

"Gaia..." Zilarrezko was heartbroken to hear her words. "You should stay here... I don't want you to be out there, weathering yourself..."

Gaia shook her head. "You're too kind... just like your mother. But like I said, I am staying here because I like that Ayn of yours... and I wouldn't let Yuki begin a new Ice Age when your mother had sacrificed her life to end the last one."

"How do you plan to stop this?"

"You know how..." Gaia's voice was soft and tired. "All those troops... Ice on land, ships in water... they will listen to their Archangel --regardless of who it is."

Zilarrezko stood up in shock. "Aria's just a mortal! You seriously can't expect her to challenge millennia old Cardinal! She will die!"

"You know how the change of power happens right? This is necessary."

"Gaia! This is not a battle between two Cardinal Angels... Do you truly expect me to put her out there to die? I can't watch another woman I love die in front of me!"

"You would rather go to war, risk many more lives --both Angels and mortals --just so she can live? You are an Archangel, Zilarrezko... Do not forget that. Your duty is to those you rule."

Zilarrezko pressed his fingertips onto his temples as though fighting back a headache. "I wish sometimes... just sometimes that I'm not who I am."

"I know..." whispered Gaia. "Sometimes I wish that too..." The elderly Cardinal sighed slowly before turning to Zilarrezko, "I have a proposition for you..."

Zilarrezko looked up, unsure if he liked the tone of her voice. "I'll hear it."

"Would you be willing to be mortal for your Ayn?"

"Marcus is not ready for that."

"The young Metal Ordinal? Yes... yes he's not." She looked away with a pensive look on her face. "I'll watch over him for you."

Zilarrezko had to frown now. "I don't understand."

"I will lend you all of my Earth Angels on Asia, Africa and Americas... in exchange," Gaia was almost whispering now. "For your wings."

***

Zilarrezko was staring at Gaia; speechless.

She was offering him an opportunity to turn the tide of the war and also a chance to live --and die --with Aria.

"It's not your land that I want," she said lazily. "These lands are already mine to begin with. All you Archangels are simply... administrating it for me."

The Metal Cardinal was still too shocked to speak.

"Think about it Zilarrezko. Do you know how many Earth Angels there would be under my command the second you give me your wings? Billions."

That caught his attention.

"Gaia! They'd be like babies learning to use their wings for the first time! You can't expect me to allow you to pawn them out like that!"

"Oh please. The moment Yuki sees the Earth Angels, that's deterrent enough. She wouldn't waste fire power to take them all out."

"But some will still be sacrificed!"

"So?" she shrugged. "Many more will be grateful to be immortals."

Zilarrezko gave her a disgusted look. He wasn't sure if it was because of her deteriorating body that was making her mind demented or if she was truly that heartless.

"Gaia... if this isn't war time I would seriously consider that offer. Wings... are not a pretty accessory for an immortal. It's like gaining a new limb after decades of never once stretching those muscles."

"If you do this, then there is no need for Aria to challenge Yuki for sole Cardinal status. Either Noor or I can take her out..." When he narrowed his eyes at her she sighed, "No, I will not unclip her..."

"Noor will do it." There was finality to his voice. Zilarrezko didn't trust Gaia as much as he trusted Noor.

"So you're giving me your wings?"

"How?"

"Are you sure?"

"I'm asking you how you do it. I'm not saying yes yet."

Gaia pouted. "Spread your wings out."

Zilarrezko didn't do as told and instead went over to his communicator panel to instruct Marcus to come up to his office.

"Okay then what?"

Gaia gave him a sly smile. "Afraid I'll unclip you now?" At his stoic expression, she laughed. "There is a feather at the very edge of your wing arch --it behaves like the embryonic stem cells. Once you take it out, the embryo, or in this case your wings will die."

"How do you know which is the right one?" Zilarrezko was frowning. "Even I haven't seen the back of my wing arch."

Gaia smiled once more and leaned back in her seat. "Your Ordinal is here."

At that moment, a knock came on the door and Marcus stepped in. "Cardinals..."

Zilarrezko wasted no time relaying Gaia's plans to him.

"You can't be serious Cardinal!" Marcus looked like he was about to be sick. "I'm too... I mean, I'm not ready for this."

"You shouldn't think just for yourself..." said Gaia. "By the time you even reach pre-Cardinal, Aria will be dead."

Zilarrezko did not appreciate the candor.

"But... your Earth Angels... they're going to be like babies. I... I don't mean disrespect Cardinal but we can't expect them to be entering combat when they're stumbling around..."

She shrugged. "It's up to you. Discuss and decide." Gaia slowly got up and started to walk carefully towards the door; her body slightly bent with age.

When she closed the door behind her, the Archangel took a seat and let out a long sigh.

"I'm sorry Marcus."

The Metal Ordinal widened his eyes. "You have done nothing wrong Cardinal."

Zilarrezko looked up into the copper eyes of his Ordinal. "I'm asking a lot from you."

"No... you will not give her your wings!"

The Archangel smiled at his Ordinal. "In the future, if you ever meet a mortal that you feel attracted to; either kill her or stay far away from her at all cost."

"What are you saying Cardinal..."

Zilarrezko actually found it amusing despite the seriousness of the situation. "Because by the time you get to this stage I'm in, there's no chance for either of that. You'd rather kill yourself than hurt her."

"But I'm not ready to be an Archangel... I'm not strong enough or brave enough... I like following orders and I'm..."

"Marcus..." Zilarrezko's voice was gentle. "I became an Archangel when I was slightly younger than you. Of course then I had no choice because my mother was dead. But the only difference between us is that you still have me to give you advice. Gaia will stay here as regent but you are still the Metal Archangel and you still have rights over our clan."

Marcus looked down sadly. "You're my Archangel...and will always be."

"Tell me what you've learnt from your recon in Iluna's land."

Marcus looked up in surprise at the change of topic and stammered as he answered, "I... there's a lot of... snow. I mean, the southern parts of her territory have been completely frozen. There's also a permanent Ice bridge linking Antarctica to Argentina. There are Yuki's troops stationed there as well."

Zilarrezko nodded. He could hear Marcus slowly regaining his composure and confidence. "Iluna's own military?"

"At the moment, they've all advanced north. She hasn't engaged any naval forces yet but her Fighter Wings have been mobilized. However, I get the feeling that Archangel Iluna isn't putting much effort into her attack. She's not sending any Dark Angels in her infantry."

"You mean they're all Valkyries?"

"Yes and neither of her Ordinals are with the troops either."

Now this was news. Zilarrezko was certain that Iluna was up to something. By the looks of it, she had knowingly allowed Yuki's troops to advance into her lands without retaliation --a sign of distrustful alliance.

"She's planning to run and hide..."whispered Zilarrezko before looking up at Marcus. "She's coming here..."

Marcus frowned. "But why? She's willingly abandoning her land?"

"No... she knows that Yuki is going to slice her wings off..." Before Marcus could reply, Zilarrezko stood up and spread his wings out; every metal blade loosing its sheen.

"Marcus, look at my wing arch and see if there is anything special there."

The Ordinal hesitated but something caught his eye. Moving closer, Marcus saw something shiny embedded in the scapula blade. "There is something... shiny."

"What does it look like?"

"I can't... I mean it's embedded between your feathers..."

Zilarrezko understood his Ordinal's concern. "Yes, you have my permission."

A few seconds later, he felt Marcus's cool fingers on his wing blade and sensed the slight ruffling of his feathers. "What is it?"

"It's like... a broken shard of metal... I don't know exactly how to describe it but the edge looks like a quill and it's not attached to any of your ligaments... but it's facing out. I could pull it..."

"No!"

Marcus moved his hand away immediately as his Archangel turned to face him.

"Will you let me see yours?"

The Ordinal turned without protest; the bronze sheen removed to display pale brown feathers. There was something sad in his Archangel's voice that made him comply wordlessly. "Do I have the same thing?"

The Archangel was silent but Marcus could feel his fingers resting on something at his shoulder blade.

"Cardinal?"

"Yes Marcus... yes, you have it too... we all have it."

"Do you know what it is?"

Zilarrezko moved his hand away and waited for his Ordinal to face him.

"That is how we give up our wings for a mortal."

"By pulling that quill out?"

"Yes... I think it's an inverted feather that's embedded deep within the muscle. It retains the exact color of your metal form even when you've let your guard down."

"Cardinal..." There was a warning tone in Marcus's voice but Zilarrezko ignored him.

"Marcus... find Aria and Gaia for me. I want her to watch." The Archangel had made up his mind.

"No."

"Marcus..." The Archangel sounded resigned. "This is my last instruction for you... you should carry it out."

"No. ..." His wings spread open to show perfect blades of bronzed metal tipped with brown diamonds --sharp enough to even cut through metal. "If you insist then you will have to fight me."

***



Lore of the Angels Ch. 11



Once again, thank you to my editor Jason Moore for his help with this chapter. I've certainly learnt much from his guidance and advice. For my readers, thank you so much for all the comments and emails. I can't tell you how much it means to me! Enjoy this next installment! 

***

Zilarrezko remained in place; wings still in their natural grey condition. He made no attempt to block Marcus's advances –effortless jabs urging him to retaliate.

"Archangel..." he pleaded. "You're leaving yourself wide open."

"You're not giving me your best shot Marcus." 

Marcus hesitated for a fraction of a second but then he moved; aiming his primary feather blades at his Cardinal's chest. 

The tips were barely an inch from the Archangel when Marcus felt an excruciating burning sensation on his wing. 

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?" 

Marcus turned at the sound of Anthony's voice –the voice of reason. Instead of fear, his face showed pure relief at the sight of his senior Ordinal. Anthony however was looking murderous. His hands –flaming hot –gripped around Marcus's neck; the heat melting the Metal armor. 

Then he flung him aside. 

"Zilarrezko?" The concern in his voice went beyond just the loyalty of an Ordinal to his Cardinal. 

"I'm fine Anthony... don't attack Marcus anymore. He's simply doing what I asked him."

The embers in his eyes dimmed slightly as he turned to Marcus. "Get Julia now."

Anthony's eyes were no longer orbs of fire but Marcus could still feel the intensity of his stare burning through his armor. He left the room without protest.

"Now tell me what's going on." 

Zilarrezko raised an eyebrow questioningly. The Ordinal hardly raised his voice and yet he was being uncharacteristically demanding. It wasn't like Anthony to lose control over his temper like this; every inch of him flaring an intense crimson.

"I'm sorry that you're angry at me..." he placated, using a tone that he hadn't used since he was a child. "Marcus and I found an inverted feather embedded in our wing arch..." 

Zilarrezko recapitulated the scene with Gaia and Marcus. Despite the calm explanation, every sentenced seemed to fuel Anthony's anger even more for the crimson was turning propane-torch blue –a temperature so hot that Zilarrezko felt like a roast over a bonfire.

"Anthony!" 

The sudden feminine shriek extinguished the flame immediately. 

"Move away from him!" Anthony stepped back until Julia was satisfied with his distance from Zilarrezko. "Marcus, stay here and wait for us to get back." 

With her hand clamped over his wrist, she ushered him out. If the contact had burnt her palm, she made no show of it –or she was too angry to notice. 

Away from the prying eyes and ears of the Metal Angels, Julia crossed her arms around her chest and looked at Anthony questioningly. 

"I've had a long day Julia... I haven't had sleep or rest and I've flown across the Atlantic twice in twenty four hours."

"It doesn't excuse you from almost frying your Cardinal."

"He was being irrational!"

"And you weren't?"

Anthony looked like he was about to argue with her but the unleashing of that much firepower had depleted his energies. "He wants to give his wings to Gaia in exchange for her Earth Angels from the three main continents."

Julia kept quiet as she thought it through. "And Marcus agreed to become Archangel?"

"He tried to fight Zilarrezko."

Julia gave a resigned smile as she looked up into the tired eyes of the Fire Ordinal. "They're both much younger than us... so you should keep your temper in check." It was a gentle reminder but her words soothed the anger within him. "Come, we should probably have that meeting now that we've both calmed down."

***

The moment they stepped into the office, Julia noticed the colorful addition to their meeting. 

"Vlinder." Her words were a bare whisper. The fact that Anthony had brought along Noor's Light Ordinal meant that the situation was getting serious.

That was why Zilarrezko was at full attention; wings coated once more in its usual platinum. The defeated look in his eyes were gone; replaced with serious focus on Anthony and Vlinder.

The iridescent-winged Ordinal managed a smile at his former cadre –the unspoken not lost on Anthony. 

"As I was telling the Cardinal, we've already mobilized our land-based air wing and air-defense artillery. Archangel Noor has sanctioned the use of our naval resources and I'm here to see how I can assist," said Vlinder, passing the Archangel a folder with the general composition of their fleet. 

Anthony nodded; his voice crisp as he concurred, "We will need to deploy our fleet to Cape Verde in order for Ehren's air squadron to embark aboard our aircraft carriers. He's providing us with a dozen fighter jets to complement our naval air force." Turning to Julia, his tone softened a notch, "How many squadrons are ready to be mobilized?"

"Our carrier air wing has not been touched from the last war so we have four squadrons of strike fighters including the surveillance and aerial refueling squadron. They're all capable of air-to-air and air-to-surface combat."

"What's our undersea attack force's position?" asked the Archangel.

Anthony passed a folder to Zilarrezko. "At the moment, Archangel Noor has limited intel on the number of enemy submarines. But with Yuki's current strike group, I am estimating at least fifty nuclear-powered fast attack submarines. We have as many submarines; fifteen of which are equipped with nuclear-guided missiles."

Zilarrezko nodded his approval and turned to Vlinder, "Keep your naval task force to protect the mainland. Noor is generous enough to let us engage so close to her territory."

"I will relay the message, Cardinal. We do not know for sure if she plans to attack our lands but we are prepared. Even without an air strike, her surface combatants are equipped to attack at a distance."

"Then it's best we take out all of her fire power. We must remember that the sea is her playground and we are playing a game according to her rules." 

"Yes Cardinal."

"Julia, can you take Vlinder out to the main naval base? Start loading all the necessary supplies and let me know the earliest possible time for embarkation." The Archangel was addressing her but his eyes were focused on Anthony.

Julia was confused. She wasn't supposed to be in charge of the maritime task force and her knowledge of the naval warfare was limited. 

"I'll relieve you in a few hours Julia... just familiarize Vlinder with the chain of command," said Anthony. 

When the Light Angels left, Anthony crossed his arms over his chest and sent the two Metal Angels in front of him, an owlish glare from beneath a heavy, low-hanging brow. 

The atmosphere in the room changed dramatically. It was akin to being called to the principal's office for misbehavior. 

"I am going ahead with my decision." There was defiance in every syllable. 

Anthony's expression remained unchanged. 

"The Earth Angel uprising would cause a momentary panic for her."

A grunt of disapproval.

Marcus was getting nervous. He knew he had to say something to dissipate the tension between them. "Cardinal... isn't there any other way?" 

The reply was a stare of pure molten iron –liquid heat like that of erupting lava. 

Between his Archangel's menace and the rising temperature of the room, Marcus felt excruciatingly stifled in his armor. It was like a nuclear stalemate... 

Until Anthony blinked –a sign of concession not defeat. 

"Talk to Aria first." 

"She's going to say no.

"She deserves to know."

The Archangel narrowed his eyes stubbornly. "Marcus, leave us." His hesitation earned him another heated glare. "Now."

Zilarrezko waited until his Ordinal had left the office before speaking. "You do not speak to me like that. I am your Cardinal."

"Right this moment, you are not my Cardinal and I am not your Ordinal. I am the Angel who raised you and you will not make any life changing decision without consulting me!"

"I am not a child anymore Anthony. You do not have rights to decide how I should live my life... or the remainder of it." 

The two Angels stared at each other; fists clenched tight ready to throw a punch. 

"I am not Marcus, Zilarrezko... and I will not hesitate to land a blow."

Zilarrezko was fuming. He'd never expected this from Anthony! 

They charged.

Thin scalpels criss-crossing aimed to shatter Anthony's wings but the Fire Ordinal was expecting that. The solid lines of his feathers blurred into flames melting the outer surfaces of Zilarrezko's blades even as it desperately sliced through the blaze. 

Giving a loud roar, the Archangel turned; his wings spinning like a wood cutter as he aimed for flesh this time. 

If Anthony hadn't been quicker, he would have been sliced in half –as was the fate of the mahogany desk. 

"I am giving my wings to Gaia and there is nothing you can do to stop me." Zilarrezko wasn't pulling back his attacks; his mind focused solely on landing a blow. 

But the older Angel understood the source of that rage –wrongfully directed at him –nonetheless he allowed it to fester; using himself as a worthy opponent to channel the fury.

He evaded most attacks; landing some of his own but with careful, calculated embers that meant only to singe and not liquefy. In contrast, Zilarrezko did not hold back. The already melted edges of his wing blades were slapped mercilessly onto Anthony –the searing liquid forming a solid cast over skin –but the Ordinal didn't wince even once. 

Instead, he enclosed himself within a fire whirl, with the intention of stopping Zilarrezko's onslaught. The firestorm was already splintering the glass windows and melting the grill frames supporting the doors. It would be suicidal for Zilarrezko to even try and enter the furnace. 

But he did. 

Anthony doused the flames a second too late –Zilarrezko was dripping in molten Metal even as his hand clamped around Anthony's throat. He only needed to squeeze and the Angel's wind passages would have ruptured. 

But he didn't. 

***

Anthony refused to let Marcus tend to him despite the multiple Metal wounds he sustained. He might be immortal but he could still bleed and Zilarrezko had every intention of paring him up. Anthony had cuts that were almost close to his bone. 

Not particularly attractive. 

Especially not in the company of Light Angels. 

"Oh my god... Anthony!" Julia left her position at one of the control panels and rushed over to help him through the door. It had been excruciatingly painful to fly down to their naval base but he'd forced himself to ignore the pain. 

"I'm here and I'm fine," he said stiffly, waving away the Angels and Valkyries who tried to offer him help. He must have looked really torn up if his subordinates still dared to come close despite his chilling stare.

However, Julia wasn't a subordinate and the harsh warning had no effect on her. Instead, she was barking orders at paramedics and Metal Angels for assistance. She had seen the wounds and knew that majority of them needed stitching. 

"No arguments," she warned as she forced him into a conference room of the command centre. 

Anthony didn't make a single sound even as the Metal Angels did their best to take away Zilarrezko's damage. They were gentle but Anthony felt like they were prying melted Metal off with a crowbar. He didn't even want to look at the exposed flesh. It was hard enough trying not to shout and curse in agony. 

Then there were the paramedics –stitching him up without anesthesia, as per his request, and dabbing this and that all over his body until Julia was satisfied. 

"I look like King Tut."

"You're better looking." She moved forward and turned his face sideways to study the slowly healing wounds. "Well, give or take a few thousand years..."

Anthony chose to ignore her joke. "What is the estimated time of disembarkation?"

She was still examining his wounds when she replied, "Supplies are being loaded as we speak and the commanders have been briefed regarding the joint mission with Ehren's squadron at Cape Verde. We hope to set off by twenty hundred hours if possible, subject to the Archangel's approval."

"Can you command this fleet Julia?" 

His question startled her. "I thought you came here to relieve me?"

"Yes I did. But there's going to be a change of power soon and Marcus is too inexperienced to hold the mainland on his own."

"The Cardinal's going with his decision?"

"Yes... after he tells Aria."

"She's going to say no, obviously."

"That'd buy us more time. The longer Zilarrezko stays as Archangel, the more stable our command system will be. Right now, there are only three Ordinals in service and if Marcus is forced into..."

"Wait... did you say three? What happened to Lucian?"

"His loyalties are to another Cardinal now..." 

Julia groaned. "I don't know whom I should be angrier with –the Archangel for letting Lucian go at such a critical time or Lucian for choosing this moment to change his allegiance."

"That doesn't matter Julia. You haven't answered my question."

The Light Ordinal crossed her arms and gave him an annoyed look. "You know I hate enclosed spaces. I'd feel trapped and claustrophobic..." When he remained silent, she let out a sigh. "Fine, yes I can command the fleet."

"I think you'd be a better choice to work with Noor's Ordinals. You have a certain... charm that Light Angels are attracted to." 

She quirked an eyebrow. Was that sarcasm she heard? 

"You owe me one for this."

Anthony blinked back in surprise. Ordinals were not allowed to keep score when it came to their duties. 

"When this is all over, I want you to take me out."

Anthony went completely still; brows furrowed in confusion. "I don't think I could do that..." He shook his head and stammered, "I mean... have you thought this through?"

"Of course I have! Are you saying that kiss meant nothing? You don't just kiss a woman and then go all business only with her!"

Now Anthony was really baffled. "That doesn't warrant a death wish!"

Julia frowned at his ridiculous reply and then she began to laugh. She should have expected this from him. "Seriously Anthony... when was the last time you went on a date?"

"Err..."

"Right. A very long time."

He gave her a rebellious look. "It wasn't that long ago!"

"When?"

"During the Exposition Universelle?" he gave her a meek smile. Surely 1889 wasn't that far back was it?

Julia didn't stop laughing. "Forget the twenty-first century; have you even gone out on a date in the twentieth century?" 

He growled at her. 

"I rest my case. Have a good rest," she planted a kiss on his cheek and left the conference room.

***

Zilarrezko practically ran to the shower; the cold water pouring over his blackened wings with soothing relief. Damn that Anthony! Did he have to singe him to such chafing points? 

It would take at least a day to recast the Metal blades on his wings –which meant that he'd have to stay in his vulnerable feathered form for the next few hours. Zilarrezko didn't like that one bit. 

Especially not when he intended to persuade –okay, intimidate –Aria into letting him attain mortality for her. She should understand what a big sacrifice it was... and not argue with him about it. 

Since he had a feeling she wouldn't be returning to his chambers willingly tonight; he'd have to find her. That meant putting on decent clothing since he was sure she'd be with the children. It wasn't usual for him to have young children crawling all over him and skin contact was still something he wasn't used to –not in the affectionate kind of way the children, especially Leiha, had for him. 

But they would provide the distraction he needed to get Aria to agree to his plans. 

He tried looking for her but only found the children in the small library he had on the ninety-eighth floor. Lucian must have brought them there. However neither the Light Angel nor Aria was anywhere in sight.

That was the first question on his mind, except that the twins had spotted him. Abandoning her book, Leiha came running; followed by the wary, but curious Troy. 

"Hello!" she chimed, looking up at him. "Why aren't your feathers shiny today?" 

"Oh, I had an accident..." he stopped. Just how do you explain these things to kids? 

"You mean like a car crash?" she was on tip toe, trying to examine his wings. "You don't look so good. I watch them on TV all the time and they go Boom! And everything explodes and there's blood and then you've got to call the ambulance. Did you call an ambulance?"

"Err... it's not that type of accident Leiha," he replied, stepping away slightly. He had no doubt that she'd launch herself at him and his burns would sting even more. "Where's Aria?"

The cheery face turned sour. "She says to tell you that she's not talking to you like ever!" 

"That's bad."

"Uh huh," she nodded and turned to Troy who moved his head in agreement. "You'd better pray she don't send you to your room."

From far the other two siblings giggled. Angelo got up from his cross legged position and walked towards the Archangel. Picking up his sister, he angled his head towards an empty sofa. "She's over there," he whispered. "And trust me; you do not want to get sent to your room by my sister when she's angry."

"I'll take that under advisement."

Zilarrezko walked over to the empty sofa and sat on the one next to it. He was about to say something when he noticed the children watching him expectantly. 

"I know why you're angry..." he said, ignoring the quartet. They were probably curious to know what he wanted to say to their sister. "But I have something important I need to talk to you about..." It wasn't surprising that she remained silent so he continued, "We shouldn't talk here in front of the children." 

The children were still watching him so he kept quiet, waiting for Aria to cast her Illusion aside or say something. Zilarrezko was not one to have much patience but he was trying his best when it came to her. 

So they sat in silence for a whole minute until the library door opened. Lucian's laughter was the first thing he heard before the lavender Angel walked in – 

With his Cardinal right behind him; a smile on her face. 

Zilarrezko squinted his eyes at the children who were overcome with laughter; holding their stomachs from the force of their giggles. 

"What is so funny... oh!" The smile vanished and was immediately replaced by a suspicious look. "Can I help you with something?"

He didn't like that tone in her voice at all. Forgetting that Lucian was no longer under his service, he turned to the Light Angel. "Stay here!" Then he moved forward, intending to grab Aria's wrist when Lucian spread his wings out to shield her. 

Zilarrezko didn't bother to waste words. 

"It's okay Lucian," said Aria, coming into view. She had felt the first pin pricks of tension and knew she had to intervene. Her hand smoothed over Lucian's wing tips as a gentle warning. "Just keep an eye on the children. I'll be back." 

The lavender wings snapped shut. 

"No shouting until we're outside," she warned sotto voce as they exited the library. 

***

Their strained truce didn't last long. 

They barely made it out of the elevator on his private floor when he lifted and threw her over his shoulder. The sudden contact was like sandpaper over his burnt skin. 

But he had to endure it as he deliberately avoided entering via his office –ground zero at the moment –and took a longer route to get to his room. Trying not to wince, he settled her gently on the bed. 

Aria immediately scrambled to a sitting position; arms crossed over her chest and chin tilted up in an arrogant stance. Zilarrezko knew then that he was way too deep into her if he still thought she looked adorable and sexy when angry. 




Lore of the Angels Ch. 11



He needed a peace offering. 

Looking around, he found a metal clothes hanger and passed it to her. She arched her eyebrow questioningly but gave a gasp when the metal began to twist and bend into what looked like...

"A flower?" At least it looked like one to her. It clearly had a stalk but instead of petals, the tip branched into many smaller stalks with a small plate-like ends. 

"I tried my best." He smiled when he saw the anger on her face clearly replaced by fascination.

"What is it?"

"It's a dandelion." At her unreadable expression, he inquired cautiously, "Still angry?"

"Why dandelion?"

"You don't answer questions with questions."

"Okay, then I'm still angry." But she continued to study the flower. 

"Do you like it?" 

"That depends..." she wanted to remain angry but couldn't help smiling. "I get the hint –I'm like an annoying weed that gets blown away and disappear."

He combed his fingers through his hair; at a loss of what to respond to that. He'd thought she'd understood the significance of the flower –so overlooked yet so valuable as nature's own remedy and barometer. Maybe he should have just stuck with roses. 

"You confuse me Aria... half the time; I don't even know what I'm doing around you."

The brutal honesty of his words surprised her. 

Tucking the flower behind her ear, she walked towards him and looked up into his striking silver eyes. He expected her to say something but instead her fingers started playing with his shirt buttons.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to tend to your wounds," she replied, easing the shirt off his body and down his wings. "I saw the redness down your back when you tossed me over your shoulder." 

"I'll be fine... it's just a burn," he insisted but she had already turned him around to study the extent of his injuries. Zilarrezko knew that his back bore the brunt of Anthony's final attack; scorched by the Metal melting directly onto his skin. 

He might have healed all the self-inflicted Metal injuries but he knew the burns were still there, charring his image into imperfection. "Stop staring."

Her reply was to gently kiss the tender muscle joining his wing arch to his shoulder blade and down his back; her lips, a cold relief over his skin. To his surprise, he felt the burns gradually soothed; her expert manipulation of moisture and temperature as a natural balm for his wounds. 

Zilarrezko had never met a mortal Cardinal before but if she was already of this caliber as a mortal... "You'd be an extraordinary Archangel, Aria," he concluded. 

"I don't want to be one. I'm happy with being what I am and who I am," she reminded him. 

"But I'm not happy." He turned; angling her head up to face him. "Be it another hundred years or a millennia, I want to spend it with you." He placed a finger on her lips when she started to argue. "If you wish to stay a mortal, then I will be a mortal for you and grow old together."

He lowered his head; lips claiming the spot his finger was holding. The kiss was slow and soft, almost like a gentle plea for her to accept his sacrifice. 

Aria wanted to protest; to tell him it wasn't the right thing for an Archangel to do... but a tiny part of her wanted selfishly to consent. She knew it was impossible for her to spend an immortal life with him... so if this was the only way then... 

"Okay..." she whispered, pulling away from the kiss to rest her cheek against his. Aria had no idea how he was going to achieve mortality; a discussion to have after the war. She knew that the crusade against Yuki was inevitable... but this –was something to look forward to after the casualties. The thought of deaths brought a hitch to her breathing but Aria refused to think about that now. 

"Thank you," he whispered back as he held her; feet moving to a slow serenade in their heads. She had accepted him and that was enough. Everything else –especially the truth –would be secondary. 

This was a moment to savor. 

***

She had healed him a little more by the end of the hour but it would still take him a few more hours to fully recover –an immortal advantage he was going to miss.

After she left to meet her siblings for dinner, Zilarrezko called Julia for updates. 

"What's the status Julia?"

"The ships are ready to disembark in a few hours. We've already loaded the necessary cargo; aircrafts are in perfect working condition and all the commanders have been briefed."

"Good. Estimated time of arrival?"

"About five days, Cardinal."

Zilarrezko nodded to himself and then asked, "How's Anthony?"

Julia clearly wasn't expecting that question. "He'll live."

"Did you see to it that he received medical attention?"

"Of course Cardinal," she paused. "You should too."

"I'll be fine Julia."

"Then you shouldn't worry too much about him." He could almost see her smiling when she said that. "I'll keep you posted Cardinal."

"I'll see you in five days."

Zilarrezko didn't need to ask if she was taking over Anthony's position for he already knew she would. His Fire Ordinal might have one mean punch but he was also extremely loyal. Anthony was the kind of Angel who would think ten, twenty steps ahead before making any move and Zilarrezko was confident his Ordinal already had a working plan to ensure a smooth transition of power from himself to Marcus. 

A knock on the door jerked him back to the present. He spied Aria walking in carrying a tray. 

"Dinner," she announced, placing the serving by his bedside table. "But first... did a hurricane pass by your office?"

"What's that?" he peered –not at the food –but at the long cardboard box next to the plate. She narrowed her eyes at his obvious avoidance. 

"That is your bandage." 

He cringed. "I heal faster than mortals do... and seriously, that's aluminum foil, not bandages."

"It's a trick I learnt when dealing with burns. Besides, I think your body would take in the metalloid better than any other remedy." 

He snorted and took the plate of pasta while she tended to him. Of course, he could have told her that his armor could be modified to aluminum but having her fuss over him was more appealing. 

It was... homely.

"Where do you want to live when the war is over Aria?" 

"That depends."

"On what?" 

"Whether you mind sharing the house with the little rascals. Angelo might move out when he comes of age but the other three are still minors."

"No privacy?" He made a face. "That'd mean you've got to be quiet. No screaming in bed."

"I'm not the only one who screams." She watched him grin mischievously. "Well, that's one thing and the other is that the twins like to bunk in with me when there's a thunderstorm."

"Great."

"Which reminds me... my bed isn't as big as yours so... you might need to sleep on the couch when that happens." 

Zilarrezko almost choked on his food. "You've got to be serious..."

"Well, having second thoughts about being mortal now?"

He scowled at her and continued attacking the meatballs on his plate with his fork. 

"I don't think you'd be the same without your wings though." Aria gently traced her finger over his feathers, moving up towards the sensitive ridge of his wing arch. "You know I only want you because you're an Archangel..."

"Oh really?" Zilarrezko kept his voice calm; not wanting to let her know much her touch excited him. "You have such high standards. I doubt any mortal man could satisfy you now."

"I'm sure you can prove me wrong," she teased, placing the last of the foil over his arm. "There you go. A good night's sleep should restore you to your peak tomorrow morning."

"I have to sleep with this thing on?" His eyes widened; looking down at the foil with distaste.

"Of course." Her eyes were twinkling as she laughed. 

"Will you sleep with me tonight if I say I'm scared of thunderstorms too?"

"I'll think about it," she said with a wink as she walked towards the door. "I'll check on you after I've tucked the children in."

***

She was gone for almost an hour and despite his chagrin at being wrapped in foil, Zilarrezko found her little mortal trick working. The burns were not stinging anymore and when he took a peek beneath the wrap, he saw that scabs were already layering over the wounded areas. 

Perhaps she was right after all; a good nights rest would restore him to full health. With a sigh, he began to pace his room, thinking about the life ahead of him. 

Healing would not be as quick, his body would age and he'd fall ill and eventually there's death. Mortal lives seemed too short for him... It was like living on borrowed time, simply waiting for death to claim them. 

One day he might wake up and find that Aria wouldn't open her eyes anymore. 

But he wasn't going to regret his decision. 

"Welcome back," he greeted her as she came in through the connecting door from his office. "Let me guess... someone needed an extra bedtime story?" 

She tried to suppress her giggle. "Well, it was more like them telling me one." The look on her face told him that she'd found out about his soliloquy in the library earlier. "But... I've told them to apologize to you first thing tomorrow morning."

"I think I've lost my mean streak."

"Indeed," she humored him, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. "Now, it's time for bed." He made a sulky face but Aria wasn't going to fall for it. "No, you cannot take it off until tomorrow morning or else..."

"Or else?"

Her eyes raked him from head to toe; eyebrows hunched in disapproval. "Don't push it Archangel."

"Is that a threat?" Arrogance in every word as he pulled her close; breasts crushed against his chest. Aria was suddenly awash with visions of his tongue licking those very curves –the image and sensations so vivid that she almost moaned. 

Her breaths came in hitches as she narrowed her eyes at him. "You know the rules Zilarrezko..." Yet, her mind seemed to welcome the mental foreplay, willing her body to arch just a little closer to satisfy the tactile stimulation. 

"Should I stop?" he teased, distracting her even further by physically pulling the hem of her shirt up to reveal lean abdominal muscles. Just north lay his prized mountains and he made sure her mind captured every single detail of what he intended to do with them –from kissing the sensitive underside of her breasts to sucking and biting on those...

His lips curved when she urged his hands to move higher. 

Lace and satin padding greeted his fingers as he explored her fullness, plumped up by the wicked contraption. Impatient to see what he felt, Zilarrezko pulled her shirt up and over her head, tossing it carelessly to the floor. 

The sight made him whistle. He couldn't help it –his eyes had zeroed in on its target like a bee to a flower –one that was enticingly beautiful and smelled as sweet as the color of her skin. He wanted to tear the offending material off but found the sight of her honey skin encased in blood red equally erotic. 

"Take off your jeans," he commanded, wanting to see her standing completely naked except for the strips of lace. 

She complied; eyes focused on him watching her fingers undoing the sole button, unzipping the metal teeth and shimmying the denim past her hips –the act bringing his attention to her jiggling breasts once more. 

The momentary distraction allowed her to step out of her jeans to pose albeit shyly in front of her Archangel. 

His eyes had turned shimmery, lusty gold as they feasted on every inch; the idea of licking her up made him wet his lips in anticipation. 

Except...

"All this is getting you is frustration," she reminded him. "You're still hurt."

"A little pain is pleasurable," he insisted, closing the gap between them. Aria wanted to be stern in her discipline but the awareness of her skin pressed perilously close to his bare chest...

"What happened to the foil?" She shifted her gaze up quizzically. 

"Did you forget whom you came to seduce?" he whispered, lowering his head to capture an earlobe between his teeth. She whimpered at the teasing contact; resting her palm on his chest to steady herself. Oh, she remembered who he was –and she knew how dangerously sexy he could be –it was like waking up to the most savage lion in the jungle and rather than taking your life, it licks you and purrs. 

As he was now. 

A low, flirty sound in his throat reserved just for her. It made her want to stroke and pet the virile creature before her, enticing him to make those throaty pleas for her pleasure. She wanted to kiss and lick down the sexy column on his throat, to taste the salt on his skin, feel the pulse of his desire, and brush her fingers along the rigid length of his...

"Aria!" His sudden shout jerked her from her thoughts. "Did you just..."

"Did I what?" Her fingernails toyed with his nipples absently, eliciting a low growl from him. Taking one hand away, he brought it down between their bodies to wrap her fingers around his painfully hard cock. "Thought of doing this?" 

He let go of her hands, shutting his eyes to the feel of her stroking him, the secret intimacy of their connection pushed to the back of his mind. 

All he wanted to think about was the pleasure she was offering him –her hand clenched tight around his engorged length, jerking up and down to an irregular rhythm that was driving him crazy. When his hips started to thrust into the vice of her fist, he forced himself to stop.

She wanted to –what was that again? –yes, stroke and pet him so he was going to oblige her; his moans as an aphrodisiac to her ears. 

But even an Archangel had his limits. 

"Aria... bed..." 

"Come," she whispered; hands still holding onto his cock as she led the way to the bed. Lying down, she motioned for him to rest on top of her –a deliberate move to help his back avoid contact with the sheets. 

Bracing his weight on his elbows and knees, Zilarrezko positioned himself above her. The feel of his cock rubbing against her soaked lace panties was excruciatingly torturous but he wasn't going to take them off yet. She was lying beneath him like a forbidden fruit waiting to be devoured. 

"So beautiful..." He pressed a kiss to the centre of her chest. "Makes me want to take a bite." And he did; teeth closing over the delicate flesh just above the lace-lined rim. Aria moaned, arching her breasts closer to the source of her torment; an offering to sate both their appetites. 

What she really wanted to do was beg him to tear her panties and drive himself deep inside her. She wanted to wrap her legs around his waist and demand that he take her over and over into the realms of sexual bliss –one that she was becoming so accustomed to. Just the thought of his thickness invading her slippery folds made her moan in anticipation. 

"Aria... you're killing me," words forced out through clenched teeth. Zilarrezko had felt every sensation that she had unconsciously pushed into his mind and his cock throbbed at the need to concede to those very thoughts. 

So much for taking it slow. 

"I'll buy you another one," he whispered apologetically as his hand reached between them to rip the lace aside. Her gasp of surprise turned to moans at the sensation of being drilled by two fingers. Aria was ashamed at the ease in which he slid them inside of her –it was evidence that her body lusted for him even when her mouth said otherwise. 

And that body was now rocking with need; bucking against those fingers, wishing it was his cock...

"If that is what you want..." The fingers were gone but before she could protest, he sheathed his entire length inside; hands pushing her thighs back to rest on his shoulders, giving him more access to her aching hot pussy. 

"Zilarrezko!" Her needy cry was the only encouragement he needed to move faster; sinking as deep as he could inside her silky heat then pulling all the way out and doing it again. He could feel her clenching tight around his cock, making the drive in and out painfully delicious. All the more reasons to accelerate the pace.

Her screams were ambrosia to his ears. He watched as her hands fisted the satin sheets; anchoring herself down for his onslaught even as she squeezed her pussy muscles to the first of her many orgasms. 

She had barely recovered when he dropped her legs to the bed and leaned forward; hips moving in slow erotic circles. 

"No I can't..." she tried to stop him; palms pressed against his chest –futile attempts. The second his curls rubbed against her sensitive clit, Aria saw stars. She could still feel him grinding into her through her second orgasm; the double stimulation sending her into another world in her mind. 

Zilarrezko stilled himself inside her, aware that a few more lust-guided thrusts might push her into another orgasm; his own not far behind. But fuck she was so tight! His balls were already starting to tighten. He needed to finish. 

"Aria, look at me baby..." 

Pleasure-sated eyes opened slowly; a calm blue surrounded by black –but not for long. As soon as his hips began moving again, the stillness faded.

He began to drive in and out of her, crushing his weight on top of her to deepen every downward stroke. She was clenching her pussy around him; a heated glove snapped tight around his cock. The sensation was too much. Tilting his head back, he grunted as the first shocks of his release claimed him; his body jerking violently as he emptied himself inside her. 

Their heavy breathing was the only sound he could hear, their mingling scents all he could smell and her pearl smooth skin was all he could feel. 

Then he opened his eyes and his universe centered on her. 

Looking down at her this way made his heart thunder in his ears; the beat erratic and unpredictable. 

Just like their future together. 

***

He must have been staring at her for she reached up to stroke his cheek gently. "Darling? Is it the pain?"

That was probably the third time she had addressed him that way but Zilarrezko found it endearing. He knew that most of the burns on his arms and legs have healed but he could still feel the rawness of the injury on his back. Nothing to worry about. 

Shaking his head, he lowered his face to touch her nose with his; eyes boring into each others. 

"I love you."

Aria gasped, lashes casting a shadow on her apple cheeks as she lowered her gaze. 

"You don't have to say anything," he assured her. "I just wanted you to know." 

He drowned her response by sealing his lips over hers.

***

When the first beam of sunlight pierced through the bedroom window, Aria grimaced at its invading glare. She huddled closer to the sexy male body next to hers; legs tangled like ivy, anchoring her to his heat, his scent, his love...

Yes, he said he loved her... and she had stupidly remained silent. 

What was she to say? "I love you too?" That was just too mechanical; a response to a stimulus. It had no depth to the truth of what she felt for him. 

He was exactly like that ray of sunshine –an annoying reminder of reality, no longer shielded by the peace of night and yet in that sliver of warmth, he was also her comfort, her passion... her life. 

A life that was so painfully mortal, she wished she could offer more –thousands of years more just to wake up and experience eternity with him. 

"Now that, is love..." she murmured, lips imprinting on his forehead. Easing herself slowly, Aria got off the bed to inspect his back. 

To her surprise, not a single scratch marred his skin. Perfect. 

Sitting at the edge of the bed, she turned to look at the sleeping Angel; her heart skipping a beat at the reminder that he was sacrificing immortality for her. 

"Zilarrezko..." 

His eyelids parted slightly like curtains hiding silver irises. 

"Good morning," she smiled, moving her head forward to meet his kiss. 




Lore of the Angels Ch. 11



"Morning sex?" Eyes wide open were staring at her expectantly. If he was a dog, his tail would probably be wagging right now. 

"Darling, doesn't your hunger ever wane?"

"For you it doesn't." 

She shook her head, laughing at his antics. "I promised the girls that I'd help them dress today."

Zilarrezko got up slowly into a sitting position. "What's so special about today?"

"Lucian's going to bring them to meet the other Angels and Humans in the building." She paused at his suspicious stare. "I'm not letting them out of the Obelisque. It's too dangerous. But I thought it'd be good for the children to have more interaction."

"Okay, I permit it." Then grinning, "Will you come back to bed after that?" 

"Archangel!" She pinched his arm and got to her feet immediately. "I'm going to shower now," she said, pausing only to make sure he was still in bed. "Do not follow me. Understand?"

He watched her turn; sashaying those same hips he had grabbed last night as he thrust deep inside...

"What the hell." He flung the blanket away and walked towards the sound of running water. 

***

Aria waved for one last time as the lift doors closed in front of her siblings' faces. Satisfied that they were going to be kept entertained, she waited for the next elevator to take her to Zilarrezko. Between him and the children, caring for them was a full time job.

"You're still confining them you know," said a voice, startling her. Aria waited until the speaker came out of the shadows. 

"Oh, it's you." Aria paused as the wizened Earth Cardinal hobbled over to her. "Gaia... I'm really sorry about the other day. I was..."

"Angry? Upset? Well, when you're as old as I am, you really don't bother with such trivial things. I take it that you're not chasing after Yuki anymore?"

Aria hung her head in shame. She was choosing to stay because of Zilarrezko's promise to spend a mortal life with her after the war. It was selfish of her to expect him to take out the threat but Aria knew it was suicidal to face a millennia old Archangel all by herself. 

"It is safest here for me and my siblings..."

Gaia tapped her walking stick on the ground disapprovingly. "You're still caging them Aria Ayn... this building with its many floors are nothing but layers of concrete meant to trap and imprison."

Gaia didn't give her a chance to reply for she continued, "How long do you intend to keep them trapped here? Even with Yuki gone, one of her Ordinals would simply take over and the threat will be constant. But you can change that Aria..."

"But how Gaia? I am a mortal and I am not even adept at combat. That is not my designation."

The crescent shaped eyes blinked rapidly. "I will help you."

"Why?" Aria stepped back in surprise. Was Gaia really that adamant on getting her killed? She couldn't possibly think that she could survive even a minute in Yuki's presence?

The Earth Cardinal shrugged. "Because I like you and I like the little ones. As an Archangel, you aren't just giving them wings you know... but freedom." She pressed the elevator button. "Come," she invited when the door open. "Let us talk where the air is fresh."

As expected, she brought them to the garden –a place where Gaia felt most comfortable in. Wobbling a little, she got to her knees and began to ruffle the grass beneath her palm. It was as if she was greeting them in her own secret way; affirming her special bond with her element. 

"Gaia? What did you mean when you said I could give them freedom?" 

"You'd have more Ordinals –each to protect one sibling if you wish but even better, as Angels, they can learn to protect themselves. No longer restricted by mortality, you can trust the older two to roam on their own. I don't think you see how stifled they really are Aria."

"Why are you doing this Gaia? Telling me all these things to tempt me into immortality? It's not a game you know. I cannot defeat Yuki!" 

Instead of being angry, the elder Cardinal held out her palm. "Watch." 

From the centre of the wrinkly folds, a seed sprouted; the germination process accelerated like a time lapse. Aria expected it to grow into a flower but when she came closer, it was just a blade of grass. 

"You are still in control of your element even if you're a mortal Aria..." Gaia smiled as she handed the green tuff to her. "But you need help. Weave this into that material you always wear and it will protect you."

Aria didn't think a blade of grass was enough to prepare her for an epic battle. "Err... how?"

Her ignorance amused Gaia. "That is not just any grass. It's an amalgamation of every species of grass from every region of the world. Now, that's the strength of about ten thousand and no matter where you land, you'll always be home." 

Aria looked down at the gift. While it might not exactly be a powerful weapon, she was honored to have it. Archangels don't just fashion a part of themselves and their elements as a gift for mortals.

"Thank you Gaia..."

The Earth Cardinal smiled. "You're not disappointed?"

"Well, I don't really know how this will help me beat Yuki but it is still special."

"Yes it is... you see, grass has always been overlooked but it forms the basis of so much life on this planet. Grass plains can be found everywhere –except Antarctica of course –but they're the toughest. They can withstand being burnt, frozen, drowned or trampled because they are constantly growing; regenerating from below even when they're damaged on the surface."

Aria widened her eyes and looked down at the blade lying on her palm. 

"It will help thwart the Ice attacks." 

"I don't know what to say..." Aria really didn't. Gaia's small action was forcing her to accept the kamikaze mission. 

"You shouldn't be afraid Aria. You aren't fighting this alone. Another Archangel has fashioned you something too. I can sense it."

The pearl! Aria almost forgot about it. What had Iluna said? Yes, the Dark pearl would not take out an Archangel but could certainly incapacitate one. 

"What is it?" 

"Iluna gave me a pearl for my first assignment."

The knowledge startled Gaia for she began to shake her head and stepped back. "What was it for?"

A contract for Valkyrie assignments was confidential. There was no way she was telling Gaia. The Cardinal should have known that but when she shook her head, Gaia's expression hardened.

"Iluna was the one who unclipped my wings... I had thought the gift was from Zilarrezko. Are you carrying out her assignment now Aria?" The question was asked without an ounce of kindness and Aria could feel something painfully twining around her calves. 

"No! It was to protect me from Zilarrezko. He was my first assignment."

The sharp tendrils immediately released her. "Then he? Did he give you anything? Something that was a part of him?"

Aria frowned. She wasn't sure if the metal feather was a part of him. It shone gold, silver and bronze all at once and Zilarrezko was not an Angel of that coloring. But it was still a gift. 

"Yes he did."

"Wonderful!" exclaimed Gaia. "Perhaps I could entice the other two Archangels to lend you some of their strengths. We shall leave immediately!"

"What! I need some time to think this through. At least say goodbye..." Aria didn't need to add the part where it might be her last one. 

"There is not much time to lose Aria. We must hurry..."

Aria laid a gentle hand on the elderly Cardinal's shoulder. "Gaia... what happens after this? Even if I managed to miraculously defeat Yuki... what am I to do with all her land? I do not know anything about being an Angel, much less an Archangel."

"Is that all?"

Aria sighed. The Earth Cardinal could read her too well. "What good is being an Archangel if I have to reside miles away from the one I love? He's willing to be mortal for me –isn't that enough?"

Gaia's eyes suddenly sparkled with interest. "Oh really? I didn't know that."

Aria smiled; the whirlpools in her eyes reflecting the turmoil in her heart. 

"You could always stay here," suggested Gaia. "If you're an immortal by then, you have a choice to remain so and you'll be together."

"I can't just abandon the Archangel's duties like that!"

Gaia's lips curved. "I can rule it for you."

"You can do that?"

"Of course! When the clan's own Cardinal is not ready to take up the role, any Ordinal within his or her service may step up as Regent. I may not have wings yet... but I am still an immortal."

Aria wanted to expound on the 'yet' but Gaia was already walking away. "I am tired Aria. Make your decision by the end of the day."

Before she could say anything, the Earth Cardinal was gone, almost as though she blended right into the foliage. Left alone to her thoughts, Aria began weighing her options. 

It wasn't a difficult decision.

Zilarrezko had done so much for her –rescuing her from Iluna's prison, giving refuge to her family, loving her... he was even willing to give up his immortality for her. 

She should at least spare him from that. 

***



Lore of the Angels Ch. 12



First of all, I want to apologize for the long hiatus. I'm really sorry for making all of you wait but I thank you for your support and patience.

As always, credit goes to my editor, Jason Moore for his invaluable help. I will upload a final edited version of this chapter at a later date but for now, I hope you enjoy!

***

Aria lingered silently in front of the elevator. Part of her wanted to rush downstairs to hug her siblings and let them know about her decision but the other part wanted to crawl back into the arms of her Archangel and cower in fright.

Aria had already made up her mind. She just needed more... time.

Gaia had made it seem so easy to take out the Snow Queen but Aria knew it was more than that. During the first year in the Cartel, Valkyries of all denominations were constantly reminded of their place: below the ranks of even the lowliest Angels. It was a daily mantra drilled into them to enforce obedience, loyalty and detachment from seeking anything more than monetary gain from their client Angels.

Immortality --was the root of all evil. Where wealth had the means to satisfy temporary hunger, the search for immortality was Man's folly; a mortal's quest since the day they lost it. The fountain of youth, the elixir of life and a great deal of other myths were created --legends amongst the mortals to sustain them through the first few centuries after the Fall of Gaia.

Such knowledge was perhaps best kept from the mortals; the closely guarded secrets of the Archangels, so vital it was defended by all angels.

Anarchy would ensue if the mortals knew that slaying and taking the wings of Angel could give them immortality. A feat that was easier said than done. How does one even kill an immortal?

Aria had a blade of grass and a ball of rock and well... herself. She could wield a sword but she doubted that a sword was going to be enough to take down an Archangel. What had the Lore said about Archangels? It wasn't exactly a 'How to kill an Archangel for Dummies' but it was a start.

If Zilarrezko had a copy --which she was sure he did --it would be in the library so that was where she went.

She wasn't procrastinating she told herself. She was researching. Never mind if she had to pore over all six volumes of the Lore to find her answers. There was still time.

Her only surprise was that this particular set was written in embossed Metal. Aria had never seen such a copy before and as she traced each bump on the page, she couldn't help but feel that they had been carefully written. The clean, cursive strokes showed excellent penmanship --a mark of a true scribe.

Though the content of the Lores were the same, every book had its own secret for the reader to unlock. It was an exercise of discovery; to find out which element it was composed of and how to reveal the contents on the seemingly blank parchments.

She had remembered her mother sprinkling salt all over their personal copy; revealing tiny watermarks that faded much too quickly. It was to train an absorbent mind, her mother had said; laughing as she watched her daughter dump the entire bowl of salt on the next page, hoping to keep the words visible long enough for her to read and remember.

Pushing the memories to the back of her mind, she began to look through the first volume, hoping to find something specific about the Archangels. There was still much that she didn't know about them --how were they chosen? How did they know if they have reached Cardinal status and how could an Archangel die?

Aria was about to close the particular volume she was holding when she spotted the heading: The First Archangels.

They were born six sisters in all but blood

Of rivaled beauty, power and pride.

Stella's midnight moonshine of quiet calm

Was greeted by Noor's gentle light breaking dawn,

'Till the noontide sun called forth Calida,

Her warm embrace buoyed Yukiko to play

Amidst the azured skies and roaring waves.

On sands with printless foot, watched Gaia;

Her steady, nurturing gaze over all

Quarries where Sona held fort over the mines.

The six reigned as Matriachs of Angels,

To, ensure eternal peace and concord.

They were the first Cardinal Archangels;

Each born to be the compass of their clans,

To make sacrifices and tough choices;

The pillars of strength in uncertain times.

But they were not perfect.

Like the four directions, an Archangel's

Position measures in relation to

Her Cardinals, Ordinals and Angels.

Acceptance of one's weakness is one's strength.

For amongst them, are those who See beyond

The Limits and understand the balance

Of an Elemental Equilibrium.

Aria frowned. Why did the Lore always speak in such riddles? The subjectivity of the sentences left so much to individual interpretations.

Closing the book, Aria leaned back and sighed. But something nagged at her. What did the Lore mean by limits? And how were they measured? Yuki, with her focus on purity --isolating that aspect within their element was certainly not 'Seeing' according to the Lore.

Contrary to Yuki's beliefs, the oceans were not under her absolute control. The sun constantly warmed the surface currents, its Light illuminating the upper shelves of the sea while Darkness reigned in its abyss. Closer to the Earth's core was the bubbling amalgamation of Fire and Metal --in the form of molten iron-- the source of gravity.

And yet for a Cardinal whose element covered three quarters of the world; sustaining countless lives and ecosystems --all she cared about was death.

And death --a mortal's nemesis --was applicable to immortals too.

Aria frowned and re-read the last two sentences on the page, trying to confirm her hunch. Immortals shouldn't be plagued by death and yet they could die as long as they were trapped within their limits. Then would the reverse be true? Could mortals who saw beyond these limits --whatever they might be --escape death?

Aria wasn't sure. The Lores were after all written during the reign of immortals, back when Gaia had her wings...

"Gaia! Oh my god!" she gasped. Gaia knew what those limits were! She had been mortal for millennia and still hadn't died.

Intending to resume reading later, Aria got up from her seat to search for Gaia. The Cardinal had given her a blade of grass for a reason. She knew something!

Not intending to waste time, Aria tried searching for Gaia on the guest floor but the Cardinal was nowhere to be found. Disappointed, Aria took the elevator to the first floor, hoping to find her there.

Instead, she spotted Lucian and her siblings. It wasn't difficult to spot the lavender winged Angel but it was the sight of her siblings laughing that made her stop to observe from afar. How long has it been since they had been in the company of other people? And when was the last time she saw the twins playing with other children or Angelo interacting with his peers?

Not since their parents died...

Then there was Kissa...experiencing her first crush --a wonderful time in a girl's life --and Aria wasn't going to take that away from her...

Her siblings were safe here.

"Cardinal?" Lucian had seen her. Aria tried to back away but he was faster. "Is there something wrong?"

"Lucian, you don't have to call me Cardinal... I'm just Aria."

Lucian's lips thinned into a straight line. "We need to talk. I... well; I think we'd better go to my floor. The children will be fine."

Aria hesitated, looking worriedly at her siblings.

"Angelo's been training with me. Trust me; that boy has a solid kick. But as always, I am prepared. I've given each of them a communicator bracelet. All they need is to press this distress button and I'll know."

Aria wanted to remind him that he was Zilarrezko's Ordinal and not hers but his initiative at adding an extra protection for her siblings made her shut her mouth --at least until they reached the elevator.

"Why are we going to your residence? Not afraid of getting your wings ripped off?"

"I like to live dangerously," he said with a wink. Aria managed to snort in amusement. Lucian's residence was on the ninety-fourth floor and as expected, it was a splash --of every color imaginable.

"You like? You could move in here you know instead of staying in the boring penthouse," he teased.

Aria tried to remain solemn but she couldn't help but smile. "You are such a flirt. Now out with the truth."

"So that's a no?" He made an exaggerated action of clutching his chest where his heart was.

"Lucian..."

He flashed her one last grin. "Okay, serious time." Getting to his knees, the Light Angel looked up; lavender irises devoid of playfulness. "Archangel Zilarrezko has relinquished his bond with me... I am no longer his Ordinal..."

Aria's response was to widen her eyes --shock and anger welling in those pools of black and blue. "This is a crucial time! He can't just... I'll go talk to him!"

"No! I mean... no, please wait." Aria narrowed her eyes at him. "I am now yours... your Ordinal... or at least I want to be."

"Oh Lucian..." Aria got down on her knees in front of him. "Don't do this... you're a gifted Angel. You should be with someone worthy of your services. I'm just a..."

"Cardinal," he interrupted. "I am loyal only to you and will do everything in my power to protect you and your siblings."

"Lucian... Is this what you really want? Or did he force this on you? Do you understand that I'm a mortal? I'm not even an Angel! I have no need for this hierarchy..."

"May I... speak freely?"

"Since when have you been restrained?" she arched an eyebrow at him. "Okay, speak."

His lips curled flirtatiously. "You may not notice it but your siblings have been your Ordinals ever since you became a Cardinal --which I'm not sure when. Think about it --an Ordinal cannot go against his Cardinal's direct orders and your siblings have stayed in their home regardless of what they feel because of this bond you have with them."

"Oh really? Then why did Angelo leave the house when I told him not to?"

"Ah, he's a pre-Cardinal isn't he? And I think Kissa is close to that too. So he bends the rules a little. It happens. I mean look at Marcus..." Lucian paused to roll his eyes. "Well let's not go there. He's much too goody to ever disobey his Cardinal."

Ignoring his chuckle, Aria frowned. "Wait... this Ordinal bond thing is not to the Archangel but to the Cardinal? That's... well I mean that's asking for mutiny."

"Well, you can say that. Except that not all Cardinals are Archangels --if they ever survive under the reign of the current one that is. Archangel Iluna and Yuki are known to slaughter their brethren Cardinals... although Archangel Iluna is more lenient in that she allows her pre-Cardinals to live."

"Oh god..." Aria covered her mouth with her hands. Yuki wasn't just coming to kill her but possible annihilate her entire family --the last descendents of the Water Angels...

"Cardinal?" Lucian looked up with worried eyes. "You shouldn't be afraid. I'm here... and Archangel Zilarrezko is too. He loves you, you know."

Aria's eyes flashed completely blue for a second before a warm blush crept up her cheek. Getting to her feet quickly, Aria looked down --trying to appear fearsome --and gave her first instructions. "Very well Lucian my Light Ordinal. Here are the rules. Firstly, I want you to be with my brothers and sisters at all times. They mean the world to me. I need to know that they will be safe."

"I understand Cardinal... but I would feel better if you'd let me protect you too. That is my duty."

"I thought you can't disobey me?"

"I didn't say I can't question you did I?"

Aria rolled her eyes. "Archangel Yuki's going to want to kill us all... and I can't keep an eye on the four of them at the same time."

"Oh..." Lucian wiggled his eyebrows at her. "You should have a time table with him you know so he won't keep you in bed all the time."

"Lucian!" Her effort to stare him down failed because he was grinning like an excited child. "Now second rule... I'm quite ambivalent on this one..."

"Am I too pretty for you? Some Cardinals don't like that."

Aria had to laugh. Lucian was just too adorable. "Well, you are a pretty Angel... but you'll darken with age won't you?"

He made a face at her; sticking his tongue out. His reaction should have made her laugh but instead Aria felt sad. "I probably won't get to see you when that happens... Valkyries don't live past a hundred fifty..."

"I'm sorry... We tried you know..."

"Tried what?"

"To get you your wings. Archangel Zilarrezko flew to Japan to ask Yuki for you."

"Yes, I know. It didn't turn out well."

"Actually... she came here to take a look at you."

"Wait... are you saying that Archangel Yuki actually came here to help me?"

"I wouldn't say she came to help...She likes to play games and she saw you as Archangel Zilarrezko's weakness and planned to exploit it. I think she would have given you wings eventually but something changed her mind..."

Aria sighed. "She has a low opinion of the Water variety, Lucian. She only allows Snow Angels in her clan... and I am not one of them."

"You created a storm inside the ICU... and you weren't even conscious of it. That speaks of an amazing amount of latent power."

Aria was stunned. "Are you sure?" Zilarrezko had said nothing about this incident! But then again... it shouldn't matter. She had been adamant about remaining a mortal then hadn't she?

"I wouldn't lie to you Cardinal."

Aria beamed at him. "You know Lucian... this thing we have is actually quite good. I mean, apart from the senseless flirting and teasing. I think we could actually be friends." She smiled, gesturing him to get to his feet. "And you know what else?"  

"Enlighten me."

"As pretty as those lavender lashes and wings are, I know you're a real warrior beneath the façade and so I trust you with my life..."

"As I trust you with mine."

"And Lucian?"

"Yes?"

"Can you please just call me Aria?"

"No."

Aria shook her head in amusement. All she needed to do now was to convince Zilarrezko to come to a compromise. But first, she needed to check something in the Lore... What kind of power does a Water Angel wield?

Aria continued to muse until her thoughts were interrupted by violent knocks on Lucian's front door.

***

Meanwhile, Zilarrezko was standing at the side entrance of his office with arms akimbo . Aria was right --it did look like a hurricane passed right through it. The mahogany desk definitely needed replacing, as well as the drapes, lamps, sofa...

"Hell," he muttered, kicking at some debris on the floor. He could still fix the metal window frames at least but what was the point when the window panes were still shattered? Unlike Marcus, he couldn't manipulate glass. In fact, Zilarrezko had a feeling that his Ordinal had a Human parent --which would explain his uncanny ability to combine Metal and Earth so easily. Marcus hardly spoke of them but Zilarrezko got the impression that the people who raised him found his ability repulsive.

But Zilarrezko hadn't. Instead he had raised Marcus to accept his unique gift. He was still thinking of the younger Angel as he walked over to his communication panel; grateful that it was spared from the destruction.

"Marcus, my office. Five minutes."

"Cardinal, we have a problem."

His first thoughts were of Aria and the children. "Is anyone hurt?"

"No but Archangel Iluna is here... and so are all her Ordinals."

Zilarrezko was about to tell him to bring her to his office when he changed his mind. One look at the state of his office and Iluna would know it was a domestic fight. And he had no doubt that she would use any form of weakness against him. He had no idea what she wanted but he wasn't going to be a rude host and invite her to his messy office.

"Bring her up to the library. I'll call Anthony."

"I suggest you inform Lucian too Cardinal."

"I'll see you Marcus." Then he disconnected the call and dialed for Anthony.

"Anthony, "Iluna is here. Tell Lucian."

"I'm on it." There was no need for explanation. Zilarrezko had faith in his former Ordinal. The Light Angel would no doubt be hurrying the children and Aria to a safe place; away from the prying eyes of Iluna and her consorts. Iluna must not know that Aria was no longer in her prison.

That didn't mean he was going to be civil. The Dark Angel had dared to injure his Aria and for that alone she didn't deserve to live.

Thankful that his injuries were fully healed, Zilarrezko donned his usual Metal armor and flexed his razor sharp wing blades; each feather flawlessly coated with platinum. Then he made his way to the library.

***

Meanwhile, Aria was exchanging glances with Lucian as the knocks got more persistent. Lucian grinned cheekily as he moved to open it. "I think I'm in trouble."

When the door swung open, Aria was expecting an enraged Archangel demanding to know why she was in the intimate zone of another. However the sight that greeted them surprised her for Anthony was poised in an intimidating fashion --with his fiery wings spread open --and yet his expression was worried and distracted. It was unlike him to express emotions so vividly.

"Lucian, get your Cardinal and her siblings to safety at once." As though expecting a protest from the Light Angel, he sent him a steely stare. "Iluna's here."

The playfulness on Lucian's face was erased instantly and his hand reached out to clasp Aria's wrist, tugging slightly to signal her to follow him. But Aria had other plans.

Pulling her hand away, she jogged after Anthony who was already walking in the opposite direction. Her intent was clear --but Lucian would have none of it.

"Cardinal! You must stay with me!"

"No Lucian. I have to go."

"Cardinal..."

At the warning sound in his voice, Aria raised her head to meet Lucian's gaze.

"I command you to stay with my siblings, Ordinal. Right now."

She could tell that he was miffed that she was pulling rank on him for his lips were set in a grim line as he stormed away. That wasn't how Aria imagined her first command as a Cardinal would be like but she tucked the discomfort away.

From that moment on, Aria knew that she had finally accepted her authority as a Cardinal and she knew that more difficult decisions lay ahead of her --particularly the ones that concern wings and immortality.

***

"How lovely of you to finally join us Zilarrezko," chirped Iluna. She was clearly happy to be in his presence despite their unpleasant parting previously.

"What do you want?" His tone was crisp, not caring if it insulted her.

"You break my heart Zilarrezko," she pretended to pout. "Perhaps we could talk... in private?"

"No."

"Not even if it's about your precious Aria?"

The hair at the back of his nape stood up as a warning but he chose to ignore it. Turning to Marcus and the Dark Ordinals he ordered them to wait outside. He intended to give Iluna ten minutes and nothing more.

Once they were alone, Zilarrezko closed his wings around himself --a warning for her to stay in her spot.

"Zilarrezko..." A plea accompanied by the fluttering of long lashes.

"You have ten minutes. What about Aria?"

"She doesn't love you. I do."

His hands closed around her throat so fast, Iluna wasn't able to step aside in time. "I should have killed you when I had the chance."

She appeared unaffected by his threat. "Your inability to do so flatters me Zilarrezko... but perhaps..." Her fingers dipped to the chain between her breasts. "This should be evident enough."




Lore of the Angels Ch. 12



He attempted to snatch it from her hand but Iluna clamped her fingers shut. "Kiss me and I'll give it to you."

Zilarrezko was too stunned to respond; flinging her aside with disgust. "Get the hell out of my territory Iluna. The next time I see you, be prepared to die." He was already walking towards the door when he felt her grab his hand.

"What have I done wrong Zilarrezko?"

He pulled his hand away roughly as he stepped back. "You killed my mother's Ordinals!"

"But I spared you!"

"Your mistake."

Her lips were still pursed as she tilted her chin arrogantly, "Don't you want to know how I got this?"

Zilarrezko chose not to give her any satisfaction by keeping his expression blank. Instead, his eyes were like a hawk's focused on its prey. He wasn't interested in how she got it but why it had taken her so long to come here and return it.

His nonchalance irked her for she began shrieking. "She gave it! That stupid mortal! How dare you give something this precious to her?"

Again, he remained stoic; simply watching her outbursts.

"You're stupid Zilarrezko if you think a mere mortal could truly love you! They want nothing but your immortality for themselves and they'll lie and cheat to get your trust!" Coming closer, she waved the feather in front of him. "See this? This is proof that she is still working for me. She was so willing to trade this for... a better life," she sneered.

Iluna thought she delivered the speech well for Zilarrezko was finally showing his anger. His eyes had narrowed to slits; the silver in them swirling with hatred and fury. It didn't take much to realize that his rage was directed at her.

***

Raising his hand, he felt the first tug of resistance at the centre of his palm. A snap --and his mother's Metal feather was stuck to his hand; the blade refusing to detach.

But the Metal Archangel didn't seem to notice. His anger wanted to be fed with more --

Iluna screamed; the pitch slicing through the air, shaking the chandeliers above. At first neither of them realized what was happening, even as she desperately tried to blanket herself in Darkness; a shield against his lethal magnetic force. Iluna was sprawled on the floor, breath caught in her throat, eyes bulging at the sight of silvery beads popping up on her skin.

Her air supply was running low --he was forcing the iron in her blood to divorce itself from the red cells...

"Please!" she gasped.

"The truth!" he roared before releasing his hold on her. "Or I swear I'll kill you this time Iluna."

Iluna's chest was heaving as she resurfaced from the murderous hold Zilarrezko had on her. His eyes had turned molten silver, the heat and light almost blinding to look at. She had no doubt that he would execute his threat and she had not come all the way to New York to get killed.

Still, it infuriated her to know that he had feelings for that pathetic mortal Aria. Iluna clenched her fists to stop herself from spitting out in disgust. "I took it! Satisfied? She's in the Andes Mountains!" When he said nothing, she smirked. "If you get there fast enough, she should still be alive."

His expression hardened. If Iluna thought he was grateful for the information, she was wrong.

"Get the fuck out of my sight," his voice was raspy; as though the words were forced out from a choked throat. When Iluna didn't move from her position, his eyes turned mercurious --the light silver darkening into heavy orbs of liquid Metal; his wings unfolded into razor blades, ready for murder.

Iluna understood the intention on his face. She had given up all her cards in hopes that one of them was the trump but the plan didn't work. It was then she started to panic; all attempts to flirt gone."I can't leave! Please! I have nowhere to go... she... she's chased me out of my own land! That bitch!"

He knew who she was referring to of course. He had seen the Ice spreading, almost uncontrollably but Yuki was supposed to be with her fleet, en route to North America...

"You're lying." His eyes reflected pools of molten steel.

***

The small argument with Lucian had allowed Anthony to slip away from her sight. She was sure that he was heading towards wherever Zilarrezko was but at that moment she was simply lost and alone in an empty passageway with a dead end.

Iluna's presence at the Obelisque could not be considered good news. When Iluna wanted something, she would manipulate and hurt anyone who dared to get in her way.

Aria knew that Zilarrezko could defend himself but she was still worried for him. The sudden wave of unease and nausea that overwhelmed her was a cue that something was wrong. She was starting to hear so many voices inside her head --most of them screaming but then it faded to the sobs of a child before ending abruptly.

She didn't know how but Aria instinctively knew her Archangel was in trouble. Her feet began to move faster; steps becoming trots and eventually she was running...

"Aria Ayn."

Aria wouldn't have stopped if it wasn't for the formal way she was being called. There were only two people so far who've addressed her as such and it didn't take long for her to recognize the voice.

"Gaia," she whispered as she looked around to find the source of the sound. Aria knew that just because she couldn't see the elderly woman doesn't mean she wasn't there. The Earth Cardinal had mastered the ability to cloak herself in Illusion for centuries; evading capture or death.

"Gaia..." This time her voice sounded slightly impatient --her priority was to look for Zilarrezko, not stop to play games with the Cardinal. However the knowledge that Gaia would only appear as and when she liked made her pause. There might not be another chance to talk to her.

Squinting her eyes, Aria focused her gaze at the end of the corridor where a figure was slowly materializing.

"Gaia, we need to talk but right now, something's wrong with my Archangel." Not wanting to waste more time, Aria started walking as she spoke; relieved when she heard soft footsteps trailing behind her.

"You've been looking for me the whole day." She sounded so matter-of-factly that Aria turned her head and frowned. Did Gaia avoid her on purpose?

"Yes I did but we'll get to that later. Iluna's here right now and she means trouble."

The footsteps died instantly and Aria felt cool fingers gripping hard on her shoulder.

"Where?" The question like a croak chilling down her spine.

"I don't -- "

She never managed to complete her sentence for Gaia was pulling her along so fast that the paintings along the corridor appeared as a kaleidoscopic blur. Aria was almost convinced that they were flying, except that the Earth Cardinal had no wings.

Before she could ask where they were going, she felt herself flung slightly forward as Gaia made an abrupt stop.

"Why are we..." her voice trailed off at the sight of Marcus was guarding the library door with --

Dark Ordinals.

She had recognized them instantly, having gone to battle and extending her own Illusion over their forms. If they were here, that meant that Zilarrezko was probably inside the room with Iluna! Fear caused goose bumps to appear on her arms. Why was Marcus simply standing outside?

Aria tried to take a step forward to confront him but Gaia held her back; her cold fingers wrapped tightly around her wrist.

"I have to go in. Something is wrong!"

"Wait."

Aria would have protested if not for the murderous tone in Gaia's voice. The Earth Cardinal's fingers were already imprinting themselves on her hand; the crescents in her eyes glowing slightly with concentration.

"They're just... talking."

Aria had no idea how Gaia would know that but she was too worried to care. Shaking herself out of Gaia's grip, she started marching forward towards the library doors, until she came face to face with the Ordinals.

"Cardinal! You can't be here!" hissed Marcus at the sight of her. Already the Dark Ordinals had gone silent, staring at her in disbelief.

When she managed to push past Marcus, Aria was stopped by the wispy winged Dark Angel --the same one that kidnapped her.

"The Metal Angel may be too weak to stop you but you have to get through all of us if you wish to enter." His wings of smoke fanned out determinedly. Behind him, the other Dark Ordinals were in a similar stance; all prepared to protect their Archangel.

***

"I'm not lying!" Iluna was on the verge of hysteria. "You have to let us stay here... please."

"Pathetic!" he spat. Iluna was an Archangel and instead of staying to protect her own lands and people, she had chosen to run away. For that alone, he should unclip her wings off; dethroning her from her Archangel position.

Iluna must have read the intentions in his eyes for she immediately stiffened; starlit wings wrapped around her in self-defense. Her gaze held his desperately, "Please Zilarrezko... I will do anything!"

"There is nothing that I want from you."

His words hurt.

"And you want her? That weak mortal? What does she have that I do not? And you think Sona would approve?

His movement registered like lightning on her senses but Iluna wasn't fast enough to stop his solid grip around her neck. She took every blast of energy --magnetic wave and all -- but forced her feet to stay rooted on the ground even as she started to feel the punch right through her heart stopping its beat for a millisecond.

Meanwhile outside, Andhera was suddenly falling to her knees; the others following suit, one after another. It was as if their joint lifelines were being tugged and like dominoes they fell, unable to resist the pushing force.

"Open the door!" Aria cried to Marcus. Ordinals didn't just fall; weakened unless something happened to their Archangel...

Aria tried to push forward but an invisible barrier prevented her from taking more than five steps into the library and one look at the scene before her and she knew why.

Zilarrezko was beyond control.

His eyes were devoid of any irises; pure liquid Metal swirling dangerously. His hands burned into the tender flesh of Iluna's neck. He seemed to exude some kind of impenetrable shield separating them.

Aria tried to scream; to shake him out of his trance-like state but he was impervious to any distraction.

"Do something!" she cried desperately. With the other Dark Ordinals weakened, Marcus was the only one left. She could see the flicker of fear masked by the awe on his face but knew the Ordinal would do anything for his Archangel.

However, the moment Marcus came closer, in an attempt to cut through the shield; he got inevitably sucked through to the other side. But his intrusion provided a disturbance to Zilarrezko's concentration for the Archangel released Iluna, letting her body fall flat to the ground.

"Archangel!"

Aria turned at the sharp cry of one Dark Ordinal. He was dragging himself across the floor, using his hands to prop his body upright.

Another male Ordinal moved forward with Aria close behind him. When he crouched beside Iluna's fallen figure, Aria moved quickly to Zilarrezko's side. Bringing him to a fierce hug, she tried to assess the extent of his injuries. Physically he looked unharmed but the expression on his face looked... off.

"Who am I?" she asked, cupping his face between her palms.

"Mine," he croaked but Aria saw the fire dimming in his eyes; his gaze trailing slowly to the other Archangel lying not too far away. "She's not going to make it..." Zilarrezko was on his feet; one hand resting on a nearby shelf for support. Angling his face to Marcus, he managed to whisper, "Carry her to the sofa. Check her pulse."

He had only placed one foot in front of the other when he was immediately surrounded by the Dark Ordinals.

"Don't you dare touch her!" it was a cold order from the female Dark Ordinal.

"Andhera..." The quiet warning caused the black-white striped Ordinal to raise her gaze from her Iluna's body to Zilarrezko.

"What did you do to her!" she seethed; the alternating white and black blurring into a morbid shade of grey.

"Don't speak to my Cardinal like that!" A bronze glazed wing blade aimed threateningly at her throat.

Before Andhera could retaliate, she was interrupted by soft, solemn whispers. "This was what she wanted."

It was the Ordinal Yuen who had spoken; his gentle voice acting like a balm to her fury as he knelt down beside Iluna's body.

When Andhera looked down at her Cardinal, she saw that indeed, Iluna was smiling as though she concurred with what Yuen said. But her eyes were only for Zilarrezko. Her voice was hoarse as she called out to him but the Archangel had heard.

"Take..." She paused as a spasm hit her body. Guilt soared through Zilarrezko's heart for he knew her organs were slowly failing. But the Dark Cardinal was not done. With a final smile, she whispered, "Quill..."

Then she was gone.

For a moment, no one dared to breathe; all too stunned at how easily the Dark Archangel had chosen Death. But then Yuen turned; the gentleness all gone. His eyes were the color of charcoal as he sent a blast of Dark smoke in Zilarrezko's direction.

Marcus deflected it; taking some damage in his Cardinal's place. But alone, he was no match against the five Dark Angels who were now attacking them endlessly with lethal fumes and clouds of Darkness.

Marcus was sordidly overwhelmed when a massive brick wall formed in front of him and Zilarrezko; shielding them from the worst of the attack. Zilarrezko, still weak turned to see Gaia standing by the library door.

It was as if she had materialized from nowhere; eyes focused only on one spot in the room --Iluna.

"Her feather is pure poison. One touch and you'll die." Gaia's words were toneless; betraying no emotion as she hobbled towards Iluna. The Dark Ordinals, clearly stunned to see her still alive kept their distance, simply watching as the elderly Cardinal knelt down beside their Archangel's body.

"So you chose Death? As expected from you Iluna..." She raised her eyes, scanning the room until her gaze landed on Andhera. "I am simply taking back what is rightfully mine. You will grow into yours."

Not caring if the Dark pre-Cardinal understood her cryptic words, Gaia raised her hand slightly and brought them down in the shape of a 'V'. The movement translated into a perfect wedged incision on Iluna's scapula --the bone connecting her wings to her shoulder blades.

The Dark Ordinals had stepped forward; clearly outraged at Gaia's disrespect but one look for those strange crescent eyes made them pause mid-step. Her outer façade did nothing to hide the depth of power in those eyes --the silver rings amidst the brown glowing warningly.

Ignoring them, Gaia extracted the cut portion of Iluna's wing --balancing it mid-air instead of touching it directly. The dislodged segment was beginning to bubble and froth, spouting sizzling liquids that burned the carpeted floor. But Gaia's face bore no panic. She looked calm as she waited for the acids to do their worst; indifferent to the fate of the fine fibers beneath her.

"Ah... there you are," she whispered finally when a single black feather dotted with starlight emerged from the Dark pools.

"Gaia..." the warning in Zilarrezko's voice was unmistakable, forcing the Earth Cardinal to stop and turn to face him. Nothing was verbalized but their silent conversation was strained enough to make the Ordinals on guard.

Zilarrezko knew what she was about to do; they had an agreement but Gaia didn't seem perturbed at his concern. Iluna took her wings --this was justice.

With her back turned, Gaia picked up the Dark Angel's feather. Cupping the delicate quill in her hands, she pressed it to the middle of her chest; aligning it with her sternum.

The ritual caused the room to descend into a hush as all the Angels stared, spellbound at Gaia's transformation.

The first visible change was the tightening of her dry wrinkled skin to a smooth earthy brown, dusted with golden flakes. Long chestnut hair fell past her straightened back and the raggedy scraps she was wearing disintegrated; replaced by intricate pleats of moss and saffron threads.

But it was the return of her wings that caused everyone to stop breathing for a moment to stare in awe. Instead of soft down, each feather had the look and texture of coconut leaves; long blades of greenish yellow, forming together into a fan that could overshadow a peacock.

Wings stretched out taught, Gaia opened her eyes and aimed them at Zilarrezko. For a split second, the two Cardinals looked like they were trying to stare each other out; personal thoughts forced into the other's mind.

What of her?!

I don't need you now Zilarrezko.

Gaia glided towards Zilarrezko with a ballet quality in her movements. Every step was calculated and controlled like a determined roller blade player after millennia of hiatus. Smiling, she moved her index finger up and down, forcing his palm to open on its own accord; revealing the Metal feather he had been clutching.

She needn't say anything for he read the intentions in her eyes. He narrowed his own to try and fight her but Gaia was strong --thousand times stronger now in her immortal form. Zilarrezko managed to clench his fist in retaliation but Gaia had been quicker. The feather was snatched the moment he flexed his muscles.

There was no triumph on her face; an empty canvass that now turned to face Aria who had been stunned into silence throughout the whole event. The instant their eyes met, Aria began to slide away from Zilarrezko's wings that had been protecting her all the while.

"No!" His cry was futile for Aria had already gotten up; linking her own hand with Gaia's, shrouding them both in the Earth Archangel's Illusion.

The library fell into deathly silence... but the screams of Humanity had only begun.



Lore of the Angels Ch. 13



Hi all! I apologize in advance for this chapter is self-edited so do pardon the mistakes. One last chapter follows this one and that would wrap up the series. Enjoy the chapter! I'd think this one is very intense and has answers to some of the questions some of you have. I had a lot of fun writing it so I hope you enjoy reading it!

***

With Sona's feather in her left fist and Aria's wrist gripped tightly with her right hand, Gaia made her way down the long corridors, aware that the Metal Cardinal was trying his best to keep up with her. In her immortal state, Gaia's senses were heightened and she could feel every vibration like a prick on her skin. Zilarrezko might not have been able to see her but she had no doubt that he could sense her as acutely as she could him. 

Distracted by the chasing footsteps, Gaia almost collided with Lucian if she hadn't sensed his worried and much lighter steps coming from her right. For a second, it annoyed her that she hadn't sensed him but now that she had, Gaia couldn't help but smile at the Light Ordinal's signature stance –half afloat with his toes barely touching the ground. 

Gaia allowed their paths to cross just because she could. 

"Lucian."

The Light Angel turned; his wings no longer feathery soft but blinding neon. He was angry. 

"What has your Cardinal ordered of you?" demanded Gaia. 

The neon glowed brighter –if that was even possible –and a second later, it was gone. In its place was the lavender Angel, wings tucked neatly behind his back with a grim expression on his face. He recognized the Earth Cardinal, in all her restored glory, and if he was surprised at her appearance, he made no show of it. 

"The children." Such a stoic expression from a beautiful face. 

Gaia softened slightly. "Guard them Light Angel. Your Cardinal will be safe." 

Without waiting for a response, she spread her wings and took her first flight in millennia; flexing the long-forgotten muscles and rekindling the memories of effortless gliding and soaring. The rush of the air tickling her feathers was like a welcoming glove, beckoning her to loll a little longer...but now was not the time. Gaia had a Water Archangel to train.

A Light Angel might have found her easily but Gaia was an Earth Archangel. She recognized every vibration made by each living organism that roamed her lands and Aria's bore the scent and resonance of a turbulent storm –a dormant one.

An aerial view of New York allowed her a glimpse at what her actions had done: the city streets were littered with confused Humans –no, Earth Angels now. They had the most beautiful wings –some of green hues, some of brown while others were of the milky limestones or bespeckled granites. Ah, she would summon them all later.

For now, she would allow the situation to be chaotic. The other Angels were trying to pacify their once mortal friends while some of the younger Earth Angels tried desperately to take their first leap into the sky. 

Ignoring the anarchy, Gaia tried to appreciate the bigger picture. Oh how long has it been since she saw another of her brethren? How much she had yearned for the bond between herself and her clan Cardinals and Ordinals? 

They would seek each other out eventually –no doubt. Gaia tried not to feel the giddy rush of anticipation. 

That would have to wait. 

Holding tight to the mortal in her clasp, she descended with as much control and grace as she could muster; feet gently resting on the soft banks of a river. 

"Aria." Just one word but her voice acted like a switch stirring the mortal out of her unconsciousness. "Water Cardinal. It is time."

***

Meanwhile, the Obelisque was in a state of chaos and Anthony had about enough of crowd control. The sudden rush of Earth Angels had caught him by surprise and had taken most part of the afternoon trying to calm the situation. 

That, coupled with the knowledge that he left Marcus alone to guard Zilarrezko against Iluna and her Ordinals, was enough to make him lose his temper –again. 

It also didn't help that he kept hearing Julia's cries of distress in his head. He was sure he was imagining it but something in the tone of her voice made him itch to call the command centre and check on the fleet's position. Anthony would have resented the term caveman but he was about to enter barbaric mode if someone didn't come and relieve him soon.

Growling, he turned and caught sight of Angelo, with his aquamarine-gold flecks, walking towards him; matured adult eyes staring out from a boyish face. The Ayn already had the markings of a pre-Cardinal, even in his mortal state and Anthony knew it would be a matter of years before he'd molt into the kind of man that women lusted for. 

"Why are you here?" Pre-Cardinal or not, this boy was still a minor. "Why is Lucian not with you?"

"I would like to help." Angelo's face was set in a determined expression; his chin tilted stubbornly. 

Anthony didn't even bother to disagree. He simply grabbed the young man by the arm and started towards the elevator. Now was not the time for arguing. 

The feel of solid muscle surprised him but he was impressed nonetheless. So, Lucian had been training the boy. Good. 

Or maybe not. 

Angelo was resisting him –a feat, considering his mortal strength. "I have to do something! I cannot just sit around Anthony... please!" 

Anthony narrowed his eyes, in an attempt to give him the look but the sudden swirls in Angelo's eyes caught him off guard. The clear, aquamarine-ness of his eyes were like a barreling wave that surfers ride on the Hawaiian beaches –so... tranquil yet powerful. 

"Just help the other Angels hold the lobby. No one is allowed up the elevators without my clearance. Understood?"

"Yes Ordinal." 

When Anthony left, Angelo stayed rooted in his position; hands flexing to release his tight fist. He was grateful that the Senior Ordinal had not questioned him more for he was not in control of his own temper at the moment. 

Lucian had calmly returned to their guest rooms not too long ago, trying his best to explain the situation regarding his arreba, all the while standing there doing nothing! His sister had just left their fucking safe house on a suicide mission and that Light Angel was just relating the information to them like CNN? 

Angelo had demanded the Ordinal tend to his sister or he would –and damn right he would if only there wasn't a mob of Angels surrounding the building. Lucian had no hold on him –he wasn't his superior so if he wanted to boss around the others fine, but not him. 

He'll fucking hold the lobby as Anthony had instructed. 

Because that was all he could do right now. Damn it!

***

Anthony was hurrying towards the library. He could sense great amounts of power simply radiating from the entire floor. Most of them were Zilarrezko's own signature but underneath it was a mess of confused auras and unresolved hierarchies. In fact there was one particular trace –very faint but Anthony knew someone powerful had been on the library floor not too long ago. The subtle hints of pine and earth gnawed at him. Ignoring the scents, he quickened his step towards his Archangel.

He didn't need to walk far. 

Leaning against Marcus was his Archangel; his wings in their vulnerable natural grey. 

"Zilarrezko." He hefted one arm around his shoulder, trying to get the Cardinal to his feet. He wasn't going to leave him here with the enemy. 

"I'm fine," came the stubborn reply. "I just... where's Aria?" 

Marcus gave Anthony a pained look and the Fire Ordinal knew that a new problem had just been added to his basket. Great. 

Instead of answering, Anthony tugged on his Cardinal's hand, forcing him to walk out of the room. Turning to Marcus, he ordered, "Bring him to the children's floor. And stay there with them."

"No..." Another stubborn reply. "Anthony, go to the library and speak to Andhera. I just need... a moment." 

A crease formed on Anthony's forehead at the strange order coming from his Cardinal. Surely Zilarrezko meant for him to speak to Iluna but in the state that he was in, Anthony assumed that his Cardinal had made a mistake. 

Giving a curt nod, Anthony took his leave and started towards the library. He was aware that his Archangel had knowingly sent him alone into a nest of Dark Angels and somehow had a hunch that he would know what to do once he was in their company. 

But first, he needed to sort out which was Andhera –a task that wasn't difficult. It wasn't just that she was the only female but because the others had formed a protective barrier around her. 

His confusion at the change of hierarchy was cleared the moment he saw Iluna's head cradled on top of Andhera's lap. The legendary starlit wings were nowhere to be seen. 

"Archangel Andhera," said Anthony cautiously but with as much respect as he could muster. After all, these were the enemies. But as an Ordinal, he knew his place, especially in the company of a higher ranking Angel. 

The pre-Cardinal Andhera was looking at him with wide eyes and trembling lips. He couldn't blame her. Iluna's limp body with absent wings was message enough. The Darkness clan had a new Archangel but she was not ready to take the reign. 

***

"Water Cardinal, it is time," repeated Gaia gently. Her magnificent wings curled forward to wrap around Aria's body. "I have something for you... something that belongs to you."

Irises of black surrounding navy pupils stared unblinking at the Earth Archangel. Gaia simply smiled. She knew those eyes were simply reflecting the calm before the storm for what awaits the Water Cardinal could possibly push her mind and body into an irreversible chasm. 

Unfolding her palm, Gaia showed Aria the tri-colored feather. 

"No!" Aria pushed her hand away, causing the feather to fall onto the grass.

A mistake. 

Aria found her arms gripped painfully tight by the Earth Angel before a palm struck her hard across her cheek.

"You will not disrespect a gift from an Archangel!" 

Aria's eyes widened; her pupils disappearing completely, swallowed by the black and blue chaos in her eyes –such latent power simmering beneath the surface. But Gaia seemed unaffected. She picked up the feather with the intention of forcing Aria to hold it when she noticed that the Water Cardinal was gone. 

"Aria Ayn," she called out to the seemingly empty space before her. The Water Cardinal's Illusion was superb –not a single sound, smell nor sight of her was evident but Gaia had sensed the pounding of Aria's heart through the solid ground and air particles between them. 

Folding her arms across her chest, Gaia whispered nonchalantly, "You wanted to know what the Limits are... what my Limits are."

The air cracked immediately like it was whipped by a leash as Aria materialized in front of the Earth Cardinal. The Water Cardinal was literally a walking storm –her hair billowing upwards; the black and blue strands twirling reflections of the chaos in her eyes. 

A look –pride or perhaps it was surprise –warmed up the Earth Cardinal's face. Instead of giving Aria any answers, she merely tilted her head back and laughed. "I know you know what I want you to do," she said, offering the feather once more to Aria. 

The Water Cardinal narrowed her eyes at the Archangel. For all the knowledge and power that she possessed, Gaia had been human for far too long not to harbor hatred towards the very immortality that she sought for millennia. There had to be a reason why she'd chosen to exercise those Limits –whatever they were- to keep her alive until now. 

And Aria had been an Ayn long enough to know that the winged creatures only saw her kind as servants to do their bidding. This was no different. The promise of immortality, of status and power of an Archangel was just another way of doubling the price for an assignment. 

From a distance, Aria could still make out the seamless weave of gold, silver and bronze from the feather; the possession of the first Metal Archangel Sona –another powerful Archangel whose powers were beyond her comprehension or emulation. And even she had faced death. What made Gaia think that she wouldn't face the same fate?

"Tell me how you've escaped death all this while Gaia." Aria made no show to cover her tone of command. If Gaia thought herself as more powerful, then Aria simply had to remind her indirectly that if she was that powerful, she wouldn't still be standing here, wanting something from her. 

And Gaia wanted something –except that Aria couldn't figure out what yet. 

"You will understand once you take the feather," was her terse reply.

Aria wanted to protest but something punched through to her mind, almost as if Gaia was forcing the thought into her mind – You will not disrespect a gift from an Archangel.

A gift –

Not from Gaia or Sona but from Zilarrezko. He had given it to her. It was his gift, his way of sharing his immortal life with her. How could she not have seen it when it was right in front of her all along? 

And yet he never forced her, never even told her what that feather was capable of. Instead he took her family in and was about to sacrifice his wings and go to war for her, so that she could choose to keep her mortality. So that she could choose. 

To stop the flow threatening to reveal itself, Aria closed her eyes tight as she took the feather from Gaia's outstretched palm and pressed it to the middle of her chest. 

"Thank you for this gift." Yet her words never made it past her lips.

The bout of nausea hit her first; her olfactory going amok as it bombarded her with scent after scent of salt, mud, rain, snow and what the hell... clouds? Each odor was met with vivid taste and tactile stimulation that allowed her to know what she was feeling even before she could see it. 

Clouds –soft, whispery water droplets suspended in mid-air; bland to her tongue but her nose reveled in it. It smelled like morning dew and sex –lots and lots of it. The indecent pleasure flowed through her body, rumbling at her abdomen like a washing machine on full load before concentrating on two sensitive lumps on her back. 

It felt like losing one's virginity –the pleasure pain of the penetration –except that she could feel something pushing past her bones, her skin... 

She sensed it before she saw it –her wings. The instinct to stretch was like an infant learning to clench his fist for the first time. Aria was still feeling the full blown assault of heightened senses; aware that she could fall on her face if she wasn't careful. But her attention was drawn to the feathers her body had somehow produced: the sheer height and beauty of midnight –no, of seabed-darkness, with every feather edge tipped in glowing blue paint. 

The exhilaration made her sick; a need to throw up violently caused her to fall on her knees, hands pressed on the ground. She needed something... so... parched. 

The light vibrations beneath her palm irked her but the sudden rush of underground water seeping through her fingertips was a welcomed respite –not just for her but for the tiny hydrogen-oxide molecules as well. It was like they were waiting for each other; the need to commune so great in both of them that she could feel the excitement of the liquid nourishing her, lifting her back on her feet...

Her magnificent wings were gone. 

But in it's place was –Aria had no idea how to describe it –but it was as if time had slowed down to the precise moment just as a water droplet starts to dip and splash to form a ripple; the pearlescent nature, capturing and reflecting Light so perfectly. 

It was then she understood what she had become. 

Aria, no longer of the Ayn, was now an Immortal Water Cardinal. 

***

Miles away, cruising past South Africa; the Snow-Water Ordinal Chióni felt the first tremors that had nothing to do with the sea turbulences. 

All around her, the other Snow-Water Angels were blanking out and Chióni's first instinct was to head to the command centre to ascertain Yuki's welfare. But the Senior Ordinal barely made five steps when she collapsed on the floor; a searing knife-like cut parting her insides, like her spinal cord was ripped out off her body –severing her Ordinal bond with Yuki. 

Chióni managed to utter one last cry of warning before she was taken over by the comforting depth of darkness. 

Deep below the water, in her submarine, Yuki was furious. Her Angels were dropping down one by one like they were infected by some unknown disease and her chain of command was now broken –in more than one way. 

She was still strong enough to resist the resonance caused by the redistribution of power and loyalty within the clan. Yuki knew the cause and she hated it with a venomous fervor. 

To hell with it. 

She wanted to blow up something now!

Recalibrating the fleet's destination, she changed their course westwards –towards Noor. Yuki wasn't going to be picky this time. She was going out for the kill and if happened to be the Light Archangel then too bad. 

Maybe then this... Aria would surrender. 

Bitch. 

***

Across the Atlantic, another Archangel was also making his way into Noor's territory. Archangel Cyrus, accompanied by his youngest Ordinal, Brenna, made the journey in less than an hour. Zilarrezko might think him a bastard for not wanting to join the war effort but Cyrus wasn't simply standing back to watch. 

Things had changed. Earth Angels were sprouting from every region of his territory, demanding answers, wanting protection. Cyrus didn't have a choice. To his East was Yuki's territory and he knew she would rather crush him under her feet than listen to him. To the West was Zilarrezko and Iluna –second generation Archangels like himself. They wouldn't be able to answer the questions he had and seeing that Gaia herself was missing, Cyrus could only turn southwards to Noor –the oldest surviving Matriarch. 

As he flew into Noor's territory, Cyrus could see for himself the chaos that was also plaguing the Light Archangel. Valkyries and Light Angels were trying to pacify the newly turned immortals but the sheer numbers of Earth Angels were overwhelming the peace-keeping force. 

Cyrus titled his smoldering wings slightly to prepare for descend on the Skybridge. The usually quiet and deserted courtyard was now guarded by various Light Angels –who were no doubt trying to stop any Earth Angels who managed to fly up into the open space. It was just a precaution for most of them were crowded at the two ground level points of the building.

It was anarchy. Flocks of green, brown and clay surrounded the two ends of the Skybridge, demanding entrance. It was only a matter of time before they learnt to control the foundations of the building in the soil and topple it down. 

They were running out of time. Flapping his wings in a controlled manner, Archangel Cyrus landed on the Skybridge courtyard. 

"Cardinal! We... we weren't expecting you!" said a flustered Light Angel who was running to greet him. Cyrus noted the rank of the Angel tattooed on her arm. She was a guard. 

"I do not need license to be here. Bring me to the Light Cardinal."

The guard Angel tried to stop him, blabbering about the crowd control and amount of stress that Noor was facing but Cyrus kept on walking with Brenna behind him. Noor might be busy but unlike the other Archangels, she was the only one who preferred to greet her guests personally. 

He could already sense her presence. 

"Cyrus."

He gave a curt nod in acknowledgement of Noor's welcome. "Lovely as always."

Slightly shorter than him, Noor raised her gaze to meet his. She wasn't saying anything but Cyrus could already feel her reaching for the answers she needed. Such was the affinity between the Light and Fire clans that one could take on the form of the other. 




Lore of the Angels Ch. 13



"To what do I owe this pleasure?" her voice was gentle even as she asked the question. They both knew that she already knew the answers but was voicing it out for formality sake. 

"To engage you in mutual cooperation."

Her lips did not move but her smile caused creases at the corners of her eyes. "You have five minutes, Cyrus."

"I do not know how to handle the Earth Angel uprisings. Yes, I admit it. I do not have enough Valkyrie troops to maintain a sense of order especially on this large a scale. I will join this war effort if you would lend me a helping hand."

"What can you do Cyrus? You wouldn't have turned down Zilarrezko's request otherwise."

The insult in her soft spoken words didn't go unnoticed but Cyrus decided to swallow his pride. His territory was at stake. 

Holding out his hand, he focused as much energy as he could to the centre of his palm, allowing the power to accumulate and spin into a burning ball. It spun faster and faster gaining more mass and heat before it slowed down to rotate in mid air like a mini-sun held in the Fire Cardinal's hand –a perpetual flame that could be harnessed repeatedly. 

With his other hand, he reached for hers; spreading his fingers apart until they were palm to palm. Then he turned hers to face upwards before bringing the revolving mass of fire into her control. 

"For you." 

The Light Cardinal was clearly flattered at the gift; her white lashes fluttering before she looked up. "It's... magnificent Cyrus. Calida's Fire." 

"Yes, and I know you can manipulate it as well." Noor didn't look too surprised at this revelation. "You were the one who taught her how to harness both Light and Fire."

"Can you?" 

Cyrus knew he shouldn't tell the Light Archangel the truth but he did. "No, I have not Seen."

Noor gave him a small smile as she flicked her wrist to shroud Calida's Fire under Illusion. Cyrus was always the quiet one but she understood his fears as much as she comprehended her own. The only thing the young Fire Archangel didn't know was that Gaia had returned. Noor had felt the change a few hours ago –an unbalance in the equilibrium –and she knew. And now there was another –a strong yet tentative shift in the power symmetry. Noor was still trying to figure it out when she caught sight of her neon green Ordinal descending to the Skybridge.

"Midori..." The name was a bare whisper for she had read the worry etched on the Light Angel's face and knew they were under attack. "Get Ehren." 

Turning to Cyrus, her brows knitted. The Fire Archangel had sensed the bombing too for his body was angled towards the south where no doubt, Yuki's arsenal was attacking at full force. 

"I'll help," he said without any prompt, releasing his wings from the tight lock on his back to begin his ascent. He was already in mid-air by the time Noor fully stretched her wings. Just before leaping off the Skybridge, she felt the warm assurance of Ehren's voice in her mind. 

The airforce wing is sending reinforcements. 

Noor knew that the sudden change in Yuki's attack meant that she wasn't planning on heading to North America anymore. The war was going to be fought here –in the blistering heat of the African continent. 

Yuki shouldn't have been so stupid. 

***

"Get up." There was no ounce of gentleness in the crisp command. Gaia's wings were outstretched to its full magnificence; her crescent shaped irises boring down on Aria as if to dare the new Angel to defy her. 

But Aria's wings were like two stone sculptures dragging her down, making it hard for her to do anything more than lift her head up to look at the Earth Archangel. She was expecting anger but Gaia's face was set in a grim expression that was a cross between impatience and triumph. 

"I said get up." 

Clenching her teeth, Aria forced her defeat out, "I can't, damn it!"

"Get up!" This time, Gaia stamped a foot on the ground; the vibrations causing Aria's body to jerk right up. It was almost as if the soil beneath her was trying to support her, being the crutches to help her stand and find her balance. 

Even as her body was starting to adjust to its new weight, Aria's senses were still sharp enough to sense Gaia coming straight at her with every intention of maiming. But there was no challenging the speed or skill of a Cardinal who has lived for centuries as a wingless immortal. 

At the next blink, Aria found herself flipped on her back; the soft soil supporting her were now hardened bricks clamping her wrist and ankles, leaving her immobile. For a moment, Aria was certain that Gaia had allowed her to be an Angel simply to kill her –but for what? There was nothing to be gained from her death. 

"Oh, I could kill you if I wanted to," said Gaia nonchalantly; giving a dramatic pause, as though contemplating the thought. Then with a shrug, she traced a warm finger along Aria's jaw, watching intently as fear began to creep into the Water Angel's eyes. With a smile of satisfaction, she cupped Aria's chin roughly with one hand while the other cradled her head, bringing their foreheads to touch each others'. 

There was no time to make sense of Gaia's actions for the only thing Aria could think of at that precise moment was the intense explosion inside her head; the heat of the contact searing her mind, like a lethal drug injected into her system. 

She wanted to scream, to open her eyes and run but there was no escape –not this time. 

Smoke. She could smell the thick clouds of burning ashes, feel the fire licking up the side of her arms and there were screams. Voices begging, shouting, demanding, pleading –the cacophony simply too much for her mind to process but then...

Her arms moved –swung a sword to be precise. The blade of the metal effortlessly cutting through the cloud of smoke, clearing her path and her vision... to a monstrosity that couldn't possibly be happening right that moment. 

Wings; angel wings were scattered carelessly all around her even as Aria took in the cries of women, men and children. Some mourned over the loss of their loved ones, some over the loss of their immortality but no one, not a single soul was laughing. 

Something moved to her right. Aria didn't know why but she felt herself smiling; her mind overwhelmed with the pleasure of knowing that whoever tailing her would be dead in a second... 

And yes. Oh, the sound of his last breath, that moment when skin and bones crash musically to the ground; the warmth of blood spreading against the reddish soil and the tang of iron so fresh in the air. 

Aria reveled in it. The beauty of death. 

But surely not! To find pleasure in the ending of another life? No, this wasn't like her! 

Aria forced herself to close her eyes, trying to shake herself up from this bizarre dream-like state. She was sure this wasn't real yet everything she had sensed, had felt were too concrete to simply be a figment of her imagination... or is it?

Taking in a deep breath, she tried to calm herself, aware that the temperature around her had cooled significantly. The air no longer tinged with blood-soaked soil or burning flesh but something fragrant... and familiar. 

Something that reminded her of home. 

"Come on, stop wasting time! I know you're just faking it!" This was followed by a feminine laughter. Opening her eyes slowly, Aria came face to face with the most exquisite Metal Angel she had ever seen. It wasn't so much the gold-glazed feathers that cued Aria but the way the Angel simply radiated with a warmth glow, as though gold dust was swept along every inch of her exposed flesh. Blonde strands framed her face but Aria was sure the tips were dipped in gold as well for it glittered in the sunshine. 

But it was all a façade. Something in her mind warned her that this Metal Angel was about to land a deathly blow, despite her unthreatening posture. She wasn't even holding her sword properly but allowed it to rest lazily on the ground as though it was much too heavy for her petite body.

It was then that Aria sensed her body reacting instinctively; two broadswords forming a cross directly above her head, blocking the Metal Angel's single downward thrust. From the corner of her eyes, Aria saw the glittering of metal spokes exactly where she had been lying down a second ago. 

This wasn't just any normal battle. Death doesn't seem to be a concern for her opponent. 

From that moment on, Aria allowed the hum in her body to dictate her movements –survival the only thing on her mind. With the agile grace of a seasoned warrior, Aria's attacks were no longer conscious movements but a practiced performance; a second nature to her. Except that they weren't hers. 

Neither were these green-tipped wings keeping her balanced, nor the ability to shake the ground effortlessly. The realization caused Aria to pause momentarily; relaxing the pressure of her sword against the Metal Angel's neck. 

"This isn't me," she whispered, forcing herself to step back, to shake herself out of this semi-dream state. It had to be unreal. It had to be. She didn't know why it took her so long to realize who she was battling with, seeing how that very same Angel had indirectly restored her wings. 

"No, those are my memories." That voice – 

Aria tried to say something but all of a sudden she felt choked; her throat clamping itself shut and cutting off her air supply. Aria felt herself clawing desperately at the invisible hands around her neck but the pressure only seemed to increase. 

She must not die! Not after everything that she had gone through. If she could survive Iluna's cage of Darkness, she could survive this one test. And she didn't need to hear it to know that the Earth Archangel wanted to test her limits and see how far she could go. 

But Aria wasn't in the mood for games. Knowing that struggling would only make Gaia push her further, she forced herself to keep absolutely still; perking her senses to be so in tune with her body that she could sense every feathered tip, every last nerve ending. It was like her mind went diving within itself, behaving like an antibody hunting down an antigen. 

"Don't fight me Aria. It's for your own good." Gaia's words were the exact catalyst fueling her determination. The Water Angel thought of nothing but flushing the intruder out of her system; her whole being consumed with a need like rushing rapids to cleanse herself right that instance. 

Her efforts weren't in vain this time. 

From deep within the ground gushed out water, like geysers shooting upwards and then raining down on both the angels in what seemed like an endless downpour. There was nothing more invigorating to Aria than that moment when the water slapped her senses to sharp knife points; the violent whirlpools in her eyes reflecting an unleashing of her latent powers. 

If Gaia was impressed, she made no show of it. Her face remained stoic, arms crossed tight over her chest. Her wings however were no longer fanned out in a show of aggressive dominance but locked tight behind her in a acceptance that she was in the presence of an equal. 

"What did you do to me Gaia?" demanded Aria. She was no long stumbling clumsily or under any hallucinations this time for she stood straight; her back arched and carrying her wings proudly. 

Gaia's response was to raise her right hand lightly, making sure that Aria watched how she manipulated a clump of soil next to her to shape itself into a hardened rock. Then she raised her gaze and settled it on the Water Angel. 

"Move it."

The command caused Aria to step back in confusion. Surely Gaia was aware that she was an Angel of the Water element. Were her wings not evidence enough? 

"Move it, Aria." 

"You know I cannot do this! Why are you doing this to me?" Aria gritted her teeth in anger even as she directed her attention to the ball of rock to her left. There was no way in hell that she could move something that had no traces of water in it. It wasn't even mud or clay...

Then it hit her. If she could not move the rock per se, then she would move the ground beneath the rock with as much effort as she could. Hadn't she drenched the earth with rain just seconds ago? 

It felt so natural to her to seek the drops of sustenance beneath the sandy surface; drawing them out at will to do her bidding. She could feel the droplets pooling beneath the rock, sense its cold and hard surface as though she was touching it. 

And still it wasn't enough to move it by even an inch.

"You're not doing it right Aria. Try again." With a swipe of her hand, Gaia caused the water to evaporate right in front of Aria, as though she had complete control over the element. The sight shocked the new Angel. 

"How... how is that possible?"

"Try again."

Gnawing on her lips, Aria tried to control her temper. Gaia, by some unexplainable way, had taken away all the water that she had so painstakingly tried to collect under the rock. Now, the soil was dry and unmalleable. What was she to do? 

Turning her head slowly, Aria tried not to look too defeated. "Please teach me how Gaia." 

Drawing her brow to a knit, the Earth Archangel gave Aria a long, hard look before shaking her head angrily. "I did not just give you millennia worth of memories for you to be that stupid and lazy to cherish and look through them." She took a step forward, her hand holding a spoke fashioned from the soil. 

Aria didn't have the time to give any reply for Gaia was already hurling one spoke after another in her direction; each one sharp and solid enough to pierce through her body. She had no idea how she could move that fast or that precise for it was like muscle memory of someone who has practiced evasive techniques for centuries. 

The knowledge that Gaia had willingly shared her battle and life experiences with her caused a momentary panic to course through her body. To be bounded so intimately with another Angel like that... surely there'd be repercussions? 

Whatever she wanted to think next was interrupted by an unexpected attack from below; a stalagmite aimed to severe her in half if she hadn't been fast and alert enough to escape. 

"Are you trying to kill me?!" 

"Oh, you wouldn't die so easy. Now move that rock or I swear I will break you so much that you'd take centuries to wake up."

It wasn't so much the fear for her life that made Aria lift her hand to do as she was told but the fear that her death would hurt her siblings... and Zilarrezko. They've all lost the people whom they love to this insane rivalry. Aria couldn't bear to add another name to their list of the dead. 

So this time, she accepted the fact that whether or not she could actually move the rock, Aria had to try. Gaia might not be the best teacher in the world but she was probably the only one who could help her survive the battle with Archangel Yuki. She was her best bet. 

Focusing solely on the rock, Aria blocked out everything around her until her mind placed the rock and herself within a vacuum; allowing her to scrutinize her subject from all angles. 

Yet something gnawed inside her. Her instincts or perhaps it was Gaia's, she could never be sure now, warned her that isolation was not the key. She was highlighting their differences... making it seemed like they were two completely different parts of Nature. 

What is a rock? It could be magma cooled over centuries or mineral ores or even hardened clay and mud. Rocks don't exist on their own, nor does the earth beneath her feet... They were all part of an ecosystem that needed each other; allowing one form to exist in the other.

Taking a grand view of the things around her, Aria could now hear the whistling of the wind in her ears, feel the particles of moisture in the air, sense the invisible process of evaporation drying up the very soil she was stepping on. 

There was still water all around –infinite even, now that she could finally see –and they were spellbound to her. Aria smiled at the knowledge of how Gaia had seemingly made water disappear into thin air. The Earth Archangel had masterfully harnessed the heat energy baking the soil beneath their feet to accelerate evaporation. It wasn't that she had an extraordinary ability to manipulate Water or Fire; Gaia simply saw beyond the limits of her element. 

And now, so could she. 

This time, instead of collecting water droplets beneath the rock, Aria allowed the ground water to comb effortlessly through the soil beneath the rock, enabling the two elements to worth together to roll the rock forward. 

A clap and then another. "Well done Water Cardinal. It seems you are ready."

Aria's defenses went up. Did she mean ready for more tests and practice? 

"Don't need to look so suspicious Cardinal," said Gaia nonchalantly. "Fly east and you will find Zilarrezko's fleet en route to Africa."

Aria wanted to protest, to say that she hadn't even used her wings for flight. How would she even make it a few feet over the ocean? 

Gaia must have noticed her worry for the Archangel came closer, cupping Aria's cheek gently. "You are who you are." Then she was gone. 

Aria knew what awaited her. To her east was not just Zilarrezko's fleet to help her make the rest of the journey to Africa. To her east, was where she would have to face an Archangel much older and powerful than Gaia and hope to come out alive. She didn't need anyone to tell her, to know that her immortality had caused a shift in the power balance amongst the Snow-Water clan. She could feel the tremors in the air bringing news of Yuki's anger; her rage directed towards the innocents. 

Taking a deep breath, Aria stretched her wings, readying herself for her virgin flight. If there had ever been an Angel so created, it would be she: immortality from the feather of a Metal Archangel, battle experience and muscle memory of an Earth Archangel and a pearl from a Dark Archangel toxic enough to take out any opponent. Fingering the blade of grass still lodged in the pleats of her dress, Aria knew she was finally ready. 

***



Lore of the Angels Ch. 14



Hi everyone! Finally, I've managed to churn out this last chapter! Believe it or not, I wrote it all in two days. The inspiration just kept on flowing so let's hope it stays that way! And to thank all of you for your endless support and encouragement, I've started writing the sequel and the first chapter should be out very soon. 

Chapter 14 

"Archangel Andhera," repeated Anthony; his face expressionless and just a tad unsympathetic. It wasn't that he didn't understand her loss –but centuries of living had made him numb and immune to the emotions tied to grieving. 

Perhaps it was for that reason that one of the Dark Ordinals stepped forward; his wings of black smoke fanning backwards as though shielding his Archangel from Anthony's insensitivity. 

"Yuen," acknowledged the Fire Ordinal; his eyes fixated on the former's onyx orbs as though anticipating an attack. 

Yuen, however, made no move from his position in front of Andhera. "What does your Archangel want of us?" he asked humbly although he too had the same guarded look in his eyes. 

Ignoring him, Anthony turned his gaze towards the entrance of the library. It annoyed him that he sensed his Archangel a split second slower than usual.The chaotic situation downstairs with the Earth Angels was occupying the top of his mind, followed by his worry for Julia and their reinforcement fleet. But at the back of his mind, Anthony couldn't help but feel that something far worst had happened. 

He was right. 

The look on Marcus's face was telling enough.

"Angels," greeted Zilarrezko; his tone, flat and unflinching. "Andhera, Yuki has changed her plans and is attacking Africa as we speak." 

Andhera blinked once then looked at her other Dark Ordinals; her grey irises darkening into pure graphite. "That wasn't part of the plan." 

"It is now. I need you to return to South America and push back her approaching troops. We cannot be attacking on too many fronts."

Turning to Yuen, Andhera's voice trembled a little as she spoke, "Take the rest and return home. I want you to mobilize our troops and let me know the situation." 

"And you..." a pause. "Archangel?" 

She blinked once more at the title. "I will fly to Africa." 

For a moment, everyone just stared at her. 

"But you hate Light Angels. This isn't your war Andhera. I need you to be where you are needed if you ever want your clan to survive," said Zilarrezko coldly. 

"Ehren is my brother," she said simply. 

Zilarrezko chose not to argue and instead turned to Anthony. 

"Tell Julia to push at full speed. I want the fleet's estimated time of arrival by the end of the hour." A pause. "Stay here Anthony. Protect the land in my steed." 

Anthony was silent but his eyes were full of protest; a gesture not dismissed by his Archangel. 

"Marcus, Andhera," was all he said before making his way out of the library. Zilarrezko had one more stop to make before they took flight and this was the most important. 

"Lucian," he greeted as the Light Angel opened the door of the children's residence. Without waiting a beat, the Archangel continued, "I need you to find your Cardinal. Your bond with her would make it easier for you to find her. The children will be safe here." 

Lucian gave a small nod. He knew that the Metal Archangel had already too many things on his mind. There was no need to tell him how much the bond he had with Aria had strengthened concretely over the past hour. He could sense the eternal quality of the bond; something that only an Archangel could have administered. 

As he watched the Metal Archangel from the back, Lucian wondered just how soon will he and the rest of the world find out about the awaken Water Archangel. 

*** 

Yuki was reacting in blind rage. She had begun to instruct all her air battalions manned by Valkyries to begin razing down the borders. Knowing that Noor had a weak navy, she told the air forces to strike them all down. It was a suicidal mission, she knew, but Yuki didn't care. She would rather lose a few aircrafts intercepted by Noor's superb air fleet than have to deal with the pathetic resistance of the Light Archangel's navy. 

Halting her ships just within shooting range, Yuki looked up into the cloudless bright sky and gave a smile. Noor might be able to manipulate the light intensities but she was the ultimate power house controlling the weather. If she wanted to bring the temperature around the equator to below zero, that was her prerogative. 

Simply because she could.

The faint sounds of missiles and explosion didn't bother her one bit as she focused her energies solely on cooling the entire region – a feat, considering the extreme heat and light intensities surrounding the equator. 

But Yuki was not born yesterday. She had millennia worth of practice to sharpen her abilities. Her lips tugged smugly as she saw the first sheet of thin ice slowly spreading across the sea water. 

Everything around her was starting to slow down, almost as though the decrease in temperature was slowing down time in its midst. Her breath came out in a silent puff of smoke as the shivering cold started to solidify the water beneath her more and more.

Since this was war, Yuki wanted to make sure that she made it her turf. With a faint smile, she leapt off the bow of her commanding ship and landed demurely onto the thick block of ice connecting her fleet to the mainland. 

This close to the ice, Yuki could control it even more; making sure to keep the temperature so low that the Light Angels would freeze. 

Laughing at her own ingenuity, Yuki summoned for Chióni.

The Ordinal was by her side a second slower than usual but Yuki dismissed it. Hadn't all the angels stupidly blanked out not too long ago for no reason? 

"Cardinal," said Chióni softly. 

"I need you to bring half the fleet over to the West side of the coast. I can sense a massive fleet approaching this way." 

"You wish for me to intercept this fleet?" 

Yuki turned to the Snow Angel with a satisfied smile. "Oh no Chióni... I want you to destroy the entire West Coast and then intercept the fleet." 

For the first time, Chióni hesistated – something she had never done before. 

"Chióni."

As though blinking away her sudden daze, Chióni lowered her gaze and turned to do as instructed. She will take half the fleet but she will not destroy the coast and kill the innocent. If Yuki sought her out afterwards to punish her, then so be it. 

*** 

"She's sending a blizzard our way," pointed Cyrus. "That's just too sudden a temperature change for the Angels and Valkyries to be able to adjust!" 

Noor gave a soft sigh and took a quick look down. At least the temperature had caused the Earth Angels to cease attacking the building. Instead, all were shivering, trying to keep warm with their new wings and coverings. 

"They're the most versatile. They'll adapt," said Noor gently, as though to reassure herself. "Earth is everywhere – even in the coldest and hottest parts of this planet." 

"What's your plan now?" asked Cyrus. "We can use Calida's Fire to reverse the temperature dip." 

"No. Not yet. Yuki must not know that we even have this power. It will only increase her mercilessness." Cyrus was about to protest when he saw the faint smile on her face. Before he could speak, she had already turned in anticipation of Ehren's presence in the room. 

Something unspoken transpired between the Cardinal and her Ordinal, ending with Ehren nodding and leaving the room. 

"I've asked Ehren to shroud the entire south of the city with his thickest blanket of Darkness. Her air forces will be forced to at least evacuate." 

"Doesn't stop them from shooting blindly," said Cyrus dryly. 

"I know. That's why you're going with Ehren. I need you to redirect all fire power from destroying anything." 

Cyrus raised an eyebrow at her suggestion. Surely she didn't think he was that omnipotent? 

"And you?" 

"I have guests to attend to," she said simply, lifting her gaze slightly to the sky. 

*** 

Aria didn't need to fly far to find Zilarrezko's fleet. The vibrations on the seawater caused by the fricative motion of steel against the tidal current hummed in her veins. 

Still cloaked in Illusion, she landed soundlessly on the deck of the commanding ship. From where she was, she could see Julia pacing back and forth with a receiver pressed close to her ears. Aria knew that whatever transpired in the conversation, it had to be bad news. 

Turning to face the ocean, Aria took a deep breath and tried to understand the movements in the salty breeze and turbulent waves. Something had changed, causing the undercurrents to become conflicting; cold currents clashing with the warmer ones, almost in a reversal that was culminating into what Aria feared could only be a whirlpool tsunami. 

Moving this fleet towards the centre of that chaos would be like leading a lamb directly into a lion's den. Even before Yuki's own destroyers could get them, they'd all be swallowed by the waves. 

She needed help. 

Lucian... 

Aria didn't know why or how it would be possible to contact her Ordinal from such a distance, but she just knew she could. 

Archangel? 

Yes. There was no denying that now. 

Where are you? 

On board Julia's ship. They're bound towards Africa but I fear that they wouldn't make it there. 

I'm coming. 

Yes.

Looking forward, Aria took in another deep breath. There was a specific region just south of Africa that had been completely frozen – something not logically possible considering that the equator received the highest intensity of sunlight and heat. 

But knowing Yuki, the otherwise impossible feat had been done. Her deliberate manipulation of temperature was causing the heat to be redistributed to the peripheral areas, warming the sea temperature at an alarming rate. 

She needed to stop Zilarrezko's fleet from moving further. In less than an hour, the entire Atlantic ocean would cannibalise and consume everything in its path. 

Aria had no intentions of revealing herself but the situation demanded that she did. Julia may not take orders from her, but neither could she disobey an Archangel without reasons either. 

Walking back to the control room, Aria knocked gently on the door and waited for it to open. The sharp contrast of pearlescent white hair against ebony skin greeted her. 

"Julia." 

The Light Ordinal took a step back in utter shock and disbelief. 

"How... what...I don't understand. What are you doing here Ar... Cardinal?" 

"You must stop this fleet from progressing further Julia."

"I can't Cardinal. Noor needs reinforcements. As it is, Yuki has obliterated her entire navy and most of her air forces are malfunctioning because of the blizzard." 

"She's frozen the lands as well?" asked Aria in surprise. 

"Yes Cardinal." 

"Then you must re-route. I fear that her temperature manipulations are too severe for me to recalibrate on my own. Within the hour, the south Atlantic ocean will not be a safe place for anybody." When Julia looked blankly at her, Aria gave a long sigh. "She's creating a massive whirlpool. A tsunami to wipe out the entire African continent." 

When Julia gave a loud shriek of horror, the other Angels in the same command centre immediately shut down all their operating systems and began a frenzied rush to instruct the other ships to do the same. 

"What now, Archangel?" said Julia, her voice trembling slightly as she raised her eyes to look at Aria. 

"We're expecting company," she replied instead; her eyes turning to the landing deck where three Angels had just landed. Aria didn't need to look clearly to know who was amongst them. 

The broad, handsome face of her Metal Archangel appeared at the door a moment later. 

"Just what in the world made you stop..." he trailed off mid- sentence as his eyes rested on Aria; her wings of suspended water droplets trailing behind her. He couldn't even begin to describe his awe at actually seeing a Water Angel, much less an Archangel.

Just hours ago, he had contemplated the idea of losing his wings for her and now she was standing, as an immortal in front of him, as though nothing had ever happened. 

"Zilarrezko..." 

The Metal Archangel blinked once and took a step back. Instead of responding to her, he turned to face Julia with a solemn expression on his face. 

"Why have you stopped Julia?" 

The Light Ordinal relayed to him the information that Aria had told her earlier. He made no effort to look at Aria to even confirm what Julia had said. If Zilarrezko was doubtful, he made no show of it. 

"We will fly to Noor to warn her then," he replied. "Julia, I need you to be on standby to activate the air fleet at my command. We have no other choice but to deploy air strike." 

Zilarrezko didn't wait for anyone to respond for he turned his back and strode out of the room with Marcus. 

Aria was still staring at his back when she felt cold fingers touching her arm. 

"Cardinal." The melodious voice of Andhera shook her out of her thoughts. "Are you coming with us?" 

Black and blue eyes looked straight into the onyx depths of the Dark Archangel's.

"Ehren is spreading a blanket of Darkness over the southern regions of Africa. We must evacuate everyone before the flood takes over in the darkness." 

"Chaos," whispered Aria. 

Andhera nodded. The two Archangels looked at each other, as though an instant understanding had just transpired. These were two women, forced into a role they were never ready for and like two lost ships; they found solace in each other –as strangers or as enemies. 

A faint smile tugged at the corners of Aria's lips. "Let's take flight." 

*** 

Zilarrezko already had a head start on the flight towards Africa, leaving Andhera and Aria to catch up with him. 

Down below as they flew across the Atlantic, Aria could not help but sense the rapid swirling of water dying to explode and spill across the land constraining them. Despite being a Cardinal Archangel, she felt helpless as there was no way she would have been powerful enough to reverse the mess that Yuki had started. 

Gaia may have given her muscle memories and she might have been able to manipulate water within the other elements but nothing this massive. 

To control a whirlpool wasn't just about controlling the water or the metal salts within them; it was also controlling the temperature above and beneath the water surface. Aria didn't think she could do it all on her first try.

And even if she could – she was bound to make a mistake and instead of saving lives, she might actually cause the death of innocents. 

"Aria..." whispered Andhera. "Look." 

Just north of the forming whirlpools was a massive block of mist just settling itself west of the Sierra-Leone coast. Considering the temperature of the region, mists that heavy and massive was not possible. 

Frowning, Aria tried to squint to see through the water particles. Something was tugging at her and she couldn't understand why. It was as though whatever hidden beneath the mist was calling out to her. 

"Andhera... why don't you continue towards your destination? I'll check this out and catch up with you." 

The Dark Archangel was shaking her head; partly out of fear and concern. "No, Aria... it might be dangerous! We can't afford to lose our allies now!"

"No... no I think it's okay... Don't worry. This is my element remember? Even if I was engulfed by the ocean, I won't be killed by it. Trust me, Archangel." 

Andhera looked doubtful but she didn't protest this time. Aria was right. What could possibly threaten the Archangel ruling the oceans? 

"If you do not reach us by sunset, I will come back to look for you," she said decidedly. 

Aria nodded; wings tightened slightly to allow her descent. It was as if she was expected to be there but she didn't know for what. 

The water molecules parted effortlessly as though she was slicing right through the mist. It was still rather thick that she couldn't see what was underneath but she had sensed two very intense power sources gnawing at her. 

Making sure that she was fully covered by Illusion, Aria descended as quickly and as quietly as she could; feet silently touching the metal tip of a ship. 

And what she saw stunned her. 

A massive fleet of destroyers and battlecruisers spread in formation in front of her; fully deployed but simply laying low as though waiting for orders –orders which were currently being held back due to a stalemate happening on board the commanding ship: Between a Snow Ordinal and a Light Ordinal. 

There was something odd about the standoff from Aria's point of view. The two looked as though they weren't sure whether to kill or hug each other and the confusion was creating static tension between them; something that even she could feel from a distance. She now understood why Lucian had not been on Julia's ship as he had originally told her. 

Something important was happening on this ship.

Lucian held his arrow taut between his bow, the tip glowing with energy. On the opposite end, the Snow Ordinal held a harpoon of pure ice, aimed directly at his throat. 

"Get off my fucking ship," she threatened even as her voice remained impassive, laced with ice. 

Lucian made no move; his eyes glowing ember in anticipation of an attack. 

Aria did not know who the Snow Ordinal was but the warning bells in her head told her that she needed to intervene before she lost either of them. There was a knowing within her that these two Ordinals would be important to her in the future. 

Still under the guise of Illusion, she stepped between them; their weapons precariously close to touching her skin. As soon as she dropped her façade, she used her physical self as a waterfall partition to separate the two. 

"Cardinal!" hissed Lucian as he withdrew his weapon immediately. He would have reached out to pull her to his side except that she was pure liquid, non-concrete to the touch. 

Turning to face the Snow Ordinal, Aria simply raised a finger to her iced-harpoon and allowed it to evaporate into the misty air around them. 

For a moment, no one dared to move; eyes all on Aria. 

Then it happened. Something snapped into place. 

The entire ship manned by Snow Angels got on their knees, with the Snow Ordinal in the lead, their wings no longer taking any form of ice but bared to the palest white down as a mark of their acquiescence to her as their Archangel. 

Keeping his confusion and awe to himself, Lucian held his weapon close even as he stood beside Aria who was now standing in her true form. The Snow angels may be in a surrender stance but he would not take the chance, especially when Aria was offering her hand to the frostbitten Ordinal to help her to her feet. 

The animosity did not go unnoticed. 

"Tell me your name Angel," said Aria as the Snow Ordinal took her offered hand. 

The iced venom in her eyes died as she shifted her gaze from Lucian to Aria. 

"My name is Chióni." A hesitant pause. "It appears as though my allegiance is now to you, Archangel... Aria."

Beside her, Lucian was murderous. 

"You have got to be kidding. You're the enemy. Nothing you say has any worth to me. For all you know, this is all a charade!"

"Lucian," came the gentle warning. "I know you feel it deep inside you too well to know that is not true," said Aria. Turning her attention to Chióni, Aria asked her to brief them as to Yuki's plans. 

There was no hesitance in her voice this time as Chióni brought Aria and Lucian through the details of Yuki's attack strategy. 

"She plans to completely annihilate this side of the continent," said Chióni, aware that Aria was looking completely calm despite the seriousness of the situation. "I'm afraid she has no thoughts of sparing any of us at all."




Lore of the Angels Ch. 14



Her last words were barely audible but Aria caught the hitch in her voice. This Snow Angel had a conscience and that was what severed the bond she had with the Ice Queen. 

"You need to sail to the nearest port Chióni and let the Valkyries get to the safety of land. From there, you will join Julia's air force from the north to help with air strikes and evacuation."

"I will let Julia know," said Lucian, mounting his wings to prepare for flight. 

Aria caught the flicker of lavender before he was off. Turning to Chióni, Aria gave her final instructions; wing muscles flexed in anticipation of the long flight to the African tip. 

"Whatever you do Chióni, do not die." 

***

When Zilarrezko arrived on Noor's SkyBridge, he could barely see with the intense darkness already shrouding the area. He was initially filled with panic at the thought that Yuki had already conquered Noor's land when he caught the faint luminous figure of the Light Archangel herself coming to greet him. 

"What have you seen, Zilarrezko?" she asked, wasting no time with pleasantries. 

"Aria has warned us to that Yuki is spreading ice this way and the resulting temperature dip will cause a major tsunami to engulf the entire west coast."

Noor held his gaze for a minute before covering her face with her palms.

"Ehren is providing us the cover we need to evacuate as many people as possible but..." she trailed off as she looked up and over the side of her bridge to the Earth Angels still clawing their way into the doors of her fortress. 

Following the trail of her gaze, his eyes widened. Even in the mist of darkness, he could comprehend the nature of the Angels. 

"I see," he said. "I'll get them out." 

Noor simply nodded and disappeared into the darkness. Beside him, Marcus had his wings out, preparing to descend. 

"Noor's lands are rich with minerals and metals," said Marcus, taking inventory of what he could feel beneath the earth's surface. "It'll take some time to extract what I can."

"Build me an impenetrable container Marcus. I'll round up the Earth Angels."

The two Metal Angels jumped off the skybridge at the same time, each focused on their task at hand. 

Zillarezko smiled. The darkness surrounding them was causing immense chaos but Noor, being the clever Archangel that she was had ensured that only her skybridge support towers were lighted with tiny LED lights. 

And like moths, the Earth Angels had gathered all around it – making his job so much easier. 

***

The moment that Aria's feet touched the incredible mass of ice that Yuki had built, the Snow Queen felt the first tremors even from the comfort of her colossal ship. 

"Stop all the troops!" she ordered, barely able to contain her excitement. 

This was what she was waiting for. "No interference," she warned, "Or I will make sure that you are buried so deep in ice that you will never breathe another second in your life." 

Her remaining Ordinals simply looked away as Yuki stormed past them. 

Meanwhile, Aria waited for her opponent on the newly formed continent of ice. Despite her dislike of the Snow Archangel, Aria had to admit that Yuki had a magnificent control and manipulation of her element. To build ice this solid and sturdy within a short period of time meant that Yuki was not going to be an easy opponent to beat. 

And knowing Yuki, she also wasted no time greeting her playmate.

"Aria... you continue to surprise me!" whistled Yuki, walking closer to admire the newly formed Water Archangel. "Where are your wings? Come on, mount them!"

Aria remained still, just watching the Snow Queen circle her. 

"You're no fun Aria," she scoffed at Aria's silence before raising her hand in an upsweep motion. 

Aria felt her body instantly encapsulated within a block of ice, with only her face exposed to allow for breathing. 

Not fazed by the attack, Aria merely blinked her eyes and the ice instantly melted; leaving her dry and warm. 

Eyes widening in anger, Yuki screamed, "You dare to challenge me, the Queen of Ice?! I will rip you apart, I will..."

Whatever she wanted to say was drowned in the sound of ice cracking just beneath her feet – a hole appeared in the ice just a fraction of a second before she managed to jump in time to escape. 

Yuki narrowed her eyes at Aria, clearly accepting the challenge. 

The ice-land started to break and Aria took her chance. Both ice and water forced a wave aimed at Yuki. When she evaded, jets of icy water came shooting out from the freezing sea. 

Some managed to strike the Ice Queen, chipping away at her snowy wings. 

"Bitch!" she screamed as she re-casted her wings and aimed icy daggers at Aria. The speed at which Yuki was moving was too fast for a young Archangel like Aria – one of the sharp spokes managed to scrape at her abdomen. 

Unflinching, Aria drew her sword. Archangel or not, Aria was still a Valkyrie at heart and the blade was a reminder or that. 

Ice continued to hit metal as Aria blocked as many of Yuki's icy daggers, with the agility and precision following muscle memory that Gaia had imprinted on her. Despite that, Aria was still a split second slower than Yuki. 

For each attack she failed to evade, Aria suffered – ice embedded in her skin deep, threatening to freeze her inside out – her heartbeat slowing down as though it was frozen. 

To an observer, the two Archangels were practically invisible; moving at such speeds that only glimpses of ice and hair could be seen glittering in the background. 

But Aria could feel her body slowing down; the ice creeping like spiderwebs under her skin. 

She was too slow... 

Too slow....

To escape the final shard of ice aimed for her forehead...

"Cardinal!!" the sharp command in her head shocked her reflexes into hyperdrive. The deathly ice pick melted just in time. From the corner of her eyes she could see Lucian trying to fly in to help her but Yuki had created an invisible bubble around the both of them that it was impenetrable. 

"You need to find her weak point! Watch everything" Aria beamed her thoughts. 

To an untrained eye, it would be impossible to keep track of the moving Archangels but Lucian was of the Light clan and there was nothing faster than the speed of light. 

"She's left handed Aria but she's always using her right hand to attack to mislead you. Do not aim for her left side!" 

Lucian was still flitting around the bubble, his eyes targeting Yuki's weak spot. He didn't think the Ice Queen had any. 

And then he saw it. 

"Aria, she has a tell – she bends one leg slightly just before she hits you!"

Realising what that meant, Aria saw her chance and took it. Before Yuki was able to launch her next attack, Aria feigned defeat, dropping down only to slide on her back, her focus – the soft spot just behind Yuki's bent knee. 

She barely had time to think; her wrist simply moving with the precision of a trained warrior. 

The hilt of her sword jammed deep into the tender flesh; the blade laced with the powdery poison of Illuna's gifted pearl. 

Tendrils of purplish black crawled outwards from the point of contact, spreading like wildfire as it consumed the Ice Queen; her eyes bulging in shock at the intensity of the pain. 

"You're dead Aria," she managed to croak as her fingers lifted for one last fighting effort. Ice stalagmites sprouted from every inch of the icy surface, ceaselessly following Aria's every evading move. 

Though one leg was completely blackened and atrophied by the poison, Yuki was still moving with a murderous rage, as though determined to kill Aria before the poison itself consumed her body. 

***

Above her, Lucian was focusing as much Light energy as he could to create a tear in the protective bubble that Yuki had formed. With her injury, the strength of the bubble had weakened considerably and Lucian knew that he had mere seconds to slip in without either of them noticing. 

Aria would never allow his intervention otherwise – even when she was losing stamina and strength. 

He couldn't blame her. The Archangel was not trained for combat. She may be planning something in that clever mind of hers but it was taking too long. Aria was sustaining immense damage but her body was unable to regenerate quick enough to sustain her for much longer. 

Lucian was running out of time. His mind reached out to the consciousness that felt most natural to him. 

Chióni, tell me where's the thinnest part of this damn bubble is!

On the other side of the continent, Chióni's eyes had gone completely white. The order had prickled against her skin but she had heard the urgency in his voice. Besides, if there was anyone who knew Yuki's combat skills best, it would be her.

The bubble structure moves each time Yuki moves. 

A moving target. Damn it. This is impossible!

Is she injured? 

Knee.

Hit her other knee. Hard. She'll grow weak overcompensating her injuries.

Up above, Lucian continued circling the protective bubble; growing more anxious with each passing breath. 

Then he saw it.

Clasping his wings tight, Lucian nosedived until he had her lower torso at eye level; bow pulled tight. But at the speed that the two Archangels were moving, Lucian wasn't sure if he could pierce the bubbled dome and save his Cardinal in time. 

He released the arrow. 

***

Aria was doing her best. Every forward attack by Yuki was countered and evaded just as smoothly, just as precisely. 

But she needed to be faster. Needed to be stronger. 

"More... more... I need to be more..." she chanted under her breath, drawing as much energy as she could to muster her final attack. 

She knew what she had to do. 

Arms wrapped tight around her body, Aria allowed herself to sink through the ice until she was fully submerged beneath the freezing water. 

She could hear Yuki's angry footsteps stomping overhead but the sudden silence and calm of being underwater rejuvenated her senses. Aria closed her eyes and allowed her body to slow down; becoming numb from the cold. 

Time became irrelevant. 

Her lungs stopped crying out for air. Her heartbeat softened. 

Ripples of water ribboned around her legs, her arms, her torso – the current pulling her in every direction; stretching her.

She opened her eyes and took a deep breath. 

***

Yuki was pissed. The poison was weakening her senses and she could no longer feel beneath the thick ice that she had created. Where the fuck was the weakling? How dare she run away from battle!

"Come out Aria! You're making this kill so much sweeter with these games of..."

Yuki fell palms down onto her icy floor. 

The Light arrow had pierced into her back, rendering her completely paralyzed waist down. 

"No no no..." The Ice Queen pulled out the arrow in disgust; her fists clenching it tight until it was completely frozen. Looking up she threw the arrow back at Lucian, aiming straight for his heart. 

It pleased her when she saw the Light Angel free-falling like a rotten fruit from a tree.

"It's not that easy to kill me!" 

Ignoring her pain, Yuki focused her energy reserves to freeze her wound and stop the bleeding. It was time to retreat. 

Her Ordinals were by her side a second later but Yuki barely made it to the ship when the ground started to shake violently. 

Yuki felt it before seeing the cracks in the ice. This time, her screams echoed past the Darkness to all the Angels huddled across the lands. 

Propping herself up onto the side of her ship, she raised one hand and commanded the ice surrounding them to form a protective igloo around the ship. 

Turning to Fleur, she grabbed the Snow Angel's throat and demanded that Noor be brought to her ship immediately. The extent of her injuries could only be treated by a Light Angel and Noor was her best bet. 

***

Yuki's frozen arrow had scrapped past Lucian's collarbone, slicing off a decent amount of flesh with it. Feigning death, the Light Angel had fallen to the ground in hopes of deflecting more arrows. 

There was no way he could launch into a full blown spar with Yuki. Even at her poisoned and injured state, she was still capable of killing him with just one thought if she wanted. 

With a hand pressed on his wound, Lucian made his way to Noor's bridge, guided only by the flickering lights in the Darkness. Attempts to contact Aria had failed so the next logical move was to seek out Zilarrezko and Noor for further instructions. 

However, the sight that greeted him at Noor's abode shocked him. Angels of all colours and shapes that he had never seen before were amassing under her bridge. They were worn out and shivering but the light that burned in their eyes was what worried him. 

So much latent power within them and yet...

"Lucian!" 

At the familiar call of his name, Lucian turned to see his former Archangel. 

The Cardinal and Marcus were shepherding hundreds of the Angels into a giant metal container and by the looks of it; many of them had put up a tough fight. Marcus had sustained a few bruises and the Archangel was in full protective metal gear. Lucian didn't think anyone dared argued with his deathly wings of blades. They were currently curved forward like a rib cage, ready to slice anyone who dared to enter. 

"What... what's going on here?"

"These are Earth Angels. Gaia got her wings back," said Marcus to the still puzzled Light Angel. Before he could explain more, Zilarrezko stepped forward.

"Where's Aria?"

"She's disappeared beneath water. I can't seem to contact her."

The Metal Archangel spread his wings out taut – the clash of metal swishing like knives rubbed together.

"Marcus, stay here. Lucian, we need to speak to Noor now."

Zilarrezko was silent as they made their way up to where Noor was standing watch at the top of her skybridge. It reassured him to see the Light Archangel still looking her best despite the complete Darkness surrounding them. It was unnatural for a Light Angel to be lucid in such deathly conditions and Lucian himself was starting to feel slightly claustrophobic. 

Upon spotting him, the Archangel seemed to glow even brighter as she rushed towards him; her healing hands already reaching out to tend to his wound. 

"Lucian!" 

"Yuki is badly injured and she's encased herself in a snow globe. I can't tell what's her next move."

"And Aria?"

"She's blocking me out."

"So she's alive?" Zilarrezko placed a firm hand on Lucian's shoulder. "If she is, we must go to her immediately!"

Lucian looked from one Archangel to the other; the plea in his eyes evident to Noor. 

"You are needed here Zilarrezko. I will go with Lucian. I think it is time to reset this balance." Her hand lifted to reveal a ball of fire held innocently in her palm. "A snow globe you said? Well, let's see how she'll hold this off then."

The two Light Angels began to mount their wings. Just before taking off, Noor turned to the Metal Archangel.

"Take care of my heart as I am taking care of yours." 

And then she was gone, leaving Zilarrezko alone on top of the skybridge. 

Everyone had their parts to play in this war. She was right. This land and its inhabitants were his responsibility now and he would see to it that they would be safe.

***


"Lucian, do you trust me?" 

Violet eyes blinked in surprise at the question. "I don't think that is a question that needs answering Cardinal."

A sly smile curled on her face as they touched down at the start of Yuki's iceberg. "Give me an arrow."

Lucian's brows knitted with suspicion but he drew an arrow of pure light from his saddle and gave it to her. 

After twirling the weapon a few times between her fingers, Noor seems satisfied with the arrow for she then pressed her hand gently along its length all the way up to the tip - and pricked a finger over the blade.

"Cardinal!" She gave him a lazy look, willing him to watch her hands instead. 

A string of muted embers trickled out in place of blood and was absorbed effortlessly by the blade of his arrow. The embers glowed brighter and hotter but Noor didn't stop; her face serene despite the immense power that she was bequeathing to the Ordinal. 

The final surge sent the entire arrow bursting into flames. 

Then Darkness. 

"Use this... should I not make it back in time," she whispered, pushing the cool arrow back into Lucian's hand. 

Lucian didn't get a chance to protest for an unfamiliar rustle of wings interrupted them. Noor took one look in that direction and spread her wings out, blocking Lucian from sight. 

"Go. That is an order. I will handle this. Aria will not be able to finish the job but you will." 

With that, she gave him a light shove with the tip of her wings and folded her arms as she welcomed her unwanted guests. 

"You're coming with us." The cold bland words were their choice of greeting.

Noor simply cocked her head to one side and looked at the two Ordinals, feigning ignorance. There was no denying that the Snow Angel belonged to Yuki but the fiery Ordinal beside her intrigued Noor. It was unfathomable for an Angel known for emotions and passions to be on the side of the Ice Queen. 

"And if I say no?"

"Then we will kill you." The Fire Ordinal locked eyes with Noor in defiance. 

The Light Archangel merely smiled in response and lowered her wing stance.

"Then try."

The two Ordinals simply looked at each other. Uncertainty and fear crossed their faces for a second before they launched their first attack. 

Ice began forming at Noor's feet; the weight like concrete holding her down. Before she could free herself, Noor felt drops of liquid lava raining over her. The molten fire burnt holes in her dress and turned strands of her hair into ash. 

"This is my favourite dress!" Noor slapped her hands together in outrage and a blast of warm light radiated outwards, knocking her two opponents off their feet. For a moment they seemed electrified; their bodies contorting in painful seizures. 

When they finally managed to scramble to their feet, they realised that Noor was no longer held down but was flying above them with a protective halo hanging over her. 

"That's enough!" she commanded when they tried to attack again. "I can kill both of you right now with no effort whatsoever... but, I understand that Yuki will not be pleased should you fail to bring her the help she needs."

Noor watched as they trembled before her, utter fear flashing across their faces. Noor knew that she had hit the spot. These Ordinals knew that if they didn't die at Noor's hands, then Yuki would see to it that they die by hers. 

"Cardinal... please." This time it was the Snow Angel who spoke up. "The Queen is in great pain...I... she won't let any of us touch her."

"Then she will die. And you will have another Archangel." 

Noor's nonchalant tone and her reluctance was the final straw for the Fire Ordinal. 

"No, never!" The heat in her words was followed by a torrent of fire spinning ceaselessly around and around the Light Archangel. Noor singed slightly at the burn. 

It was nothing she couldn't handle. 

All of a sudden they were engulfed in complete darkness. It was as though someone had placed a windowless container over each of them. 

"What the fuck are you doing?" The fierce, almost possessive tone got her smiling. Noor was completely unrepentant when it came to her Dark Angel.

"I'm playing a game."

"The hell you are. I'm getting you out of here."

Though she couldn't see him, she felt his fingers tracing the burns on her skin. It was unusual for him to have that many words or emotions in a sentence so she was going to milk him for a bit more. 

"I'm going to Yuki's ship."

"Not happening."

"You can come with me if you want."

Noor could almost hear him debate with himself over the decision. To help him along, she pressed a tender kiss to his fingers on her skin. 




Lore of the Angels Ch. 14



"Fine."

"Wonderful! Now release me and we shall be civil."

Noor blinked her eyes a few times to readjust her sight and smiled when she was able to see him once again. 

"We'll leave them here," said Ehren grumpily. "And you, stick close to me."

"Naturally."

Entering the snowy dome had not been easy. Noor had to forcefully melt an entrance for herself – the hole simply resealing the moment she and Ehren were inside. 

It was not surprising to be greeted by harpoons the moment they landed on the ship's deck. 

"I was invited here," Noor said coolly as she brushed aside their puny weapons. Striding across the wooden floors, she headed straight to the deck house. 

The sight that greeted her was not what she expected. 

Yuki had frozen her entire bottom half of her body, concealing it in ice. Blood trailed everywhere and the smell... putrid and of rotten flesh.

"Finally." That one word left her breathless for she motioned Noor closer. With her lips inches away from her ears, Yuki whispered, "You've won."

"This is not a game Yuki." She moved her palm across Yuki's frozen limbs, the heat causing a pool of water to form beneath their feet.

Yuki made no move. She remained emotionless as Noor continued taking apart her cocoon of ice. It had been a temporary solution anyway. There was no stopping the venom from spreading now. 

"I will make a deal with you Yuki... because we are sisters. I can remove just one poison – Light or Darkness. You choose. But what happens from then on, that is up to you." 

Noor stood over Yuki; sadness creeping into her heart. As the last two remaining Matriarchs of Angels, Noor had a duty to save her. It was their promise; the six of them to always take care of each other when the world first came to be. 

But the world was now a different place and they were no longer the fresh eyed Archangels they were then. 

"Choose."

Yuki propped herself up, using only the strength of her wings to hold her body upright with her back facing her guests. The dusted snowy feathers slowly lost their shimmer, revealing a pale almost translucent white-winged Angel with pure silver strands of hair trailing down her back.

"You know what to do Noor. I don't want to die."

The Light Archangel stepped forward, her delicate fingers reaching out to end the misery and immortality of the last of her sisters. 

***

That's it, that's the last of them." Marcus slumped his back against the metal container in exhaustion. 

"We're not done. Now we need to transport them Northwards where they will be safe."

Marcus didn't dare to ask how. It was going to take immense focus and strength to airlift the hundred tonned metal and they didn't have much time left. 

Stretching out his wings, Marcus prepared for the strenuous flight. 

"No, that's not necessary. We will push them and the earth will help us along." Not wasting more time, Zilarrezko placed his hands at the side of the metal container and allowed it to glide along the ground. 

At first it looked like a snail crawling aimlessly but then it started to pick up the pace and was soon cruising effortlessly as though it was pulled by something...

Marcus bowed his head in awe. From this distance, Zilarrezko was still able to manipulate the magnetic poles – as his mother had before – and simply guided the metal containers northwards as they naturally would.

As they moved faster, the containers lifted higher off the ground allowing them to move without the constraint of trees and buildings. The blanket of Darkness that was misted over the continent started to wear thin and they soon found themselves at the borders of Europe. 

There was no need for words at the moment. Zilarrezko left the Earth Angels in Marcus's charge and flew back into the battle zone.

***

Archangel Aria... 

Lucian hated water and there was no way he was going to dive in the freezing ocean to look for her. For one, his feathers would be rumpled and he'd look like a wet duck.

"Fuck it." Securing his bow and arrows, Lucian took a deep breath and let out a silent curse as the ice cold water enveloped his body. 

It stung when he opened his eyes. 

But what he saw made him clamber to the surface for a breath and to give a long swearing howl. 

Aria was unconscious; in a coma-like state like the one that she had been in the hospital once before. However, it was the sight of her distorted body that terrified him. 

Instead of legs, her lower limbs had split and elongated to what he could only describe as tentacles or enlarged trunks that seemed to go on and on into the gloomy depths. And in place of wings, the feathers had melted to form long translucent jelly-like tendrils that glowed and sizzled with electric currents. 

Coming closer, he saw that the sides of her neck and jawline had folds mimicking gills – an adaptation for her underwater form. Her face was peaceful, as though her mind was contented being in its comfort zone but Lucian had to wake her up. Yuki must not be given more time to heal or the war will be over. 

Cardinal, you need to wake up. 

The Water Archangel stirred slightly as though annoyed but she remained in slumber. Each time he came closer, a tentacle would lazily swing in front of her, like batting a fly. Lucian had no choice. He had to leave her for his body too was slowly shutting down from the freezing water and holding his breath was starting to get harder with every passing second. 

Surfacing, Lucian took a big gulp of air and opened his eyes –

To the face of the Metal Archangel starting straight down at him. 

"She's in there?" Zilarrezko didn't dare to ask the next question for it hurt.

"No, she's still alive. She's just... sleeping."

Perplexed, Zilarrezko stood to his full length, wings wrapped tight around him creating a cocoon of metal. Before Lucian could stop him, Zilarrezko had dived into the frigid depths. 

Through the thin mesh of his metallic protection, what he saw got his jaw dropping. Aria was beautiful as she was frightening and Zilarrezko had no doubt that this was her true form. A Water Angel was not made for land. In her element, Aria could rule the seas and lived thousands of years undetected should she wish to. 

Inching closer, Zilarrezko extended his arms to hold her. He noted the tendrils threatening to whip him out of the water but was grateful that they allowed him safe passage. 

Aria. His thumb rubbed her cheek gently as he brought his lips closer to hers. Please wake up... please don't let me spend eternity without you. I will only live for you. 

As their lips connected, he felt jolts of electricity coursing through his body; the jelly-like tendrils gripping his body so tightly that all Illusions of Metal disappeared. Zilarrezko was stripped to his bare feathers and flesh; whips of current slashing his naked body. 

Aria...

He had to breathe... his heart beat was growing weaker and weaker...

A rush of oxygen; filling his lungs, jerking him back to reality. 

Eyes of pure steel snapped open to stare into clear crystal blue eyes that seemed to glow underwater. 

"Thank you." Aria blinked her eyes profusely willing them to readjust to the sudden luminosity above water. 

"Yuki is back on her ship," said Zilarrezko in between coughs. His body was covered once more in its metallic sheen but he could still feel the chill to his bones. 

"Stay here. I have some unfinished business that I need to do," she whispered, dropping him a kiss. Turning to her Light Ordinal, Aria smiled. "Come Lucian. It seems you have something that will help."

Swimming towards the floating ball of ice, Aria considered her options. An attack from above would be anticipated but an attack from the hull of the ship...

Now that, Yuki would appreciate. 

"Lucian, I am going to destroy this ship from the inside out but I won't be able to see Yuki when she falls overboard. I will try to save as many lives as I can." She paused, looking hard into the violet eyes of her beloved Ordinal. 

He understood. 

"I'll take care of it."

***

Diving back into the water felt like a lover's embrace to her senses. The silence allowed her to think and the gentle currents tugged at her in warm welcome. 

Flipping on her back, Aria playfully glided her way to the bottom of the ship where the keel of the ship was exposed for her pleasure. Ripping out this basic bottom structure of the ship would cause the ship to collapse in on itself. 

Tentacles, each the size of a redwood tree trunk floated gently to her bidding before wrapping itself tight around the base of the ship.

The sound of the hull being ripped apart echoed like deafening cracks of thunder. Her powerful tentacles crushed the wood and metal effortlessly, tearing a gaping hole in the vessel. As water gushed inwards, Aria followed; splitting the ship further in two until each half floated by her side, protected from the freezing water by Yuki's outer shell of ice.

Not for long. 

Ignoring the screams of the ships' inhabitants, Aria brought herself up to the surface of the ocean before crashing back down on the floating remnants; her tentacles like whips slashing down on the flimsy flotsam. 

Snow Angels found themselves fluttering like handicapped butterflies as the freezing waves threatened to claim their lives. 

There were so many of them. 

Out of their element, the Snow Angels could no longer stay in their Ice form; their wing feathers soaked and the chill creeping into their bones. Aria could feel their feet kicking fruitlessly in attempts to stay afloat but the water was too cold. 

It would not be long before their muscles start to become numb and their heart stops beating. 

Lucian...

***

Lucian watched in awe amidst the destruction. The ship was now reduced to debris floating across the southern ocean but Yuki was nowhere to be found. 

Looking up in the sky, he noticed the shroud of Darkness slowly dissipating but the clouds had turned into a treacherous grey promising storms and hurricanes. 

The winds were starting to be so strong that he had to dig his feet into the sand. 

Lucian...Get out of here! It's getting too dangerous! 

Rain and hail was starting to fall, blurring his vision. He had to find Yuki. She was controlling the weather somehow but from where?

Mounting his wings defiantly, Lucian ignored the sharp stings of ice raining from the sky and flew as low as he could, skimming the surface of the water. 

Floating faces stared at him as he passed by, their bodies subject to the turbulent waves that was starting to swirl. But Lucian was adamant.

Beneath him, pockets of water were starting to form whirlpools, claiming the offerings of shipwrecked Angels. The winds slapped at his face and pushed against his wings; cold and angry at having a persistent intruder. 

There! He saw her. That had to be her. White wings lifting off from the sinking mast, up into the clouds...

Lucian closed his eyes and drew his final arrow. It was now or never. 

Aiming high for the sky, he opened his eyes and released the arrow amidst the biggest mass of rumbling clouds. 

Short bursts of fire exploded in the sky like fireworks – the intensity of the light so strong that Lucian instinctively folded his wings to shield himself from getting blind. 

But not before catching a glimpse of pure white wings exploding into thousands of pieces – 

Falling from the sky, the incoming waves lapped hungrily, swallowing him whole along with half the coastline. The ocean was cannibalising everything in its path. 

Lucian was no longer conscious. The force of the whirlpools sucking him inwards was too strong for him to resist and his lungs were slowly being filled with water.

Darkness and silence claimed him.

While his body had gone limp, his mind was semi-conscious. Aware of the gentle hand lifting him out of the ocean; warm fingers pressed against his chest, expunging the excess water.

"Lucian..." 

When he came to, all that he could see was powdery snow falling from the sky and the familiar eyes of his Archangel. The whirlpools no longer in her irises but instead they reflected calm and crystal clear blue. 

Lucian watched as the snow turned to droplets of water; Calida's spiralling ball of fire dancing across the sky, warming up the continent in its wake. 

Taking in a deep breath, he revelled in the rays of sunshine warming his face. 

Beautiful.

It seemed like the war was over.

***

Noor's skybridge of Light was partially destroyed but it became the central point for all surviving Angels to gather, seeking solace and refuge. 

"Aria!" The Metal Archangel was down to his most basic grey feathers; all show of power cast aside for the moment as he scooped her into his arms. "You break my heart."

She murmured reassuringly into his neck, her wings wrapped gently around him possessively. 

All around her, former Snow Angels huddled together, unsettled by their new glossy feathers and watery features. The episode underwater had stripped them off their bond with Yuki and brought out the true forms in each of them. While not all had survived, those that did understood that their reawakening was only due to the new Archangel at the helm of their clan. 

***

Epilogue

Construction of her underwater cove began the month after the catastrophe that Angels were referring to as 'The Awakening'. 

The world began to witness the existence of Angels that so many had thought to be extinct. Water Angels, in their varying liquid form had begun sprouting out everywhere on the continents. But the most startling revelation was the Earth Angels. 

Needing guidance and tutelage, the Earth Angels had congregated up north, in the remote mountains of Ural in Russia where Gaia was rumoured to have built her fortress. 

Aria, however had chosen to create her empire in the middle of the Pacific, surrounded by tiny inhibited islands west of the deepest trench of the world's ocean. In the meantime, she had gathered a small following of Water Angels on the nearby Mariana islands where she and her siblings were taking refuge. 

Their residence was a simple cozy two-level house that overlooked the ocean; the sandy beach just at the edge of their garden.

"It sure is difficult keeping my armour on display in this weather." Zilarrezko had been down to his basic grey feathers ever since they landed on the island, in attempts to keep cool. It hadn't been easy.

"I love it!" Lucian pranced about on the sand, his wings almost invisible as they had taken on the form of glowing violet light. The twins were beside themselves with excitement as they somersaulted and cartwheeled alongside the Light Ordinal, screaming their lungs out. 

"It's much cooler in the water," said Aria with a gentle smile as her eyes wandered away towards the ocean. "But in the meantime, this is the best place for former Snow Angels to readapt to various water temperatures."

Cupping her face in his palms, Zilarrezko bent forward to press a kiss on her lips. 

"It's going to be difficult to say goodbye." 

"To both of you..." she whispered, resting her head on his chest. "Do you really have to take him away?"

"I do." Another kiss. "You have Lucian now and look... Angelo follows Marcus around like a loyal puppy."

It was undeniable. Though he was her brother, Angelo displayed no connection to Aria beyond their blood. He was bold and had a curiosity to see the world that as a sister and as an Archangel, she couldn't deny him. 

"I can stay here longer if you need me. I know it's not easy building everything from scratch. You'll need Ordinals and you're going to have to train..."

"I'll be fine. I have Chióni and Lucian. We'll begin somewhere. And if all else fails, there's always the Lore."

Aria placed her hand gingerly on the only copy written by a Water scribe. It had been Yuki's, the original that she had buried deep within her palace. It was still a solid block of ice at the moment but Aria was determined to break the lock and open it soon. 

Centuries of Water Angel history was guarded in that book and to rebuild that empire, you always need to go back to the basics – who, what, when, why and how.

Aria smiled. This was it. 

She was now the Water Archangel and they would all learn together what that entails. But for now, Aria was contented being in Zilarrezko's arms and having this new family of Angels and Archangels to call her own. 

***