we had was unmistakable... unbreakable. Smiling to myself, I took Jophiel's hand and hopped out of bed, making him stand with me and twirl me. It was an overwhelming feeling of finally knowing we were all okay. Then, I heard a familiar voice.
My dancing stopped and my ears opened, hearing the familiar voice talk quietly down the stairs and I shot Jophiel a questioning look. He made no effort to hide it from me and it told me Nikita hadn't said a word about what happened...if it actually happened. "There is another angel downstairs. He has come to aid us in waking to our full potential," he said shrugging. Looking toward my door, I tugged at him and he followed willingly down the stairs. Upon entering the kitchen, the conversation between the stranger and Nikita ceased and the stranger rose.
As he walked toward me, I took in his gray hair and green eyes, his old appearance and the cane he used to get to me. "Uriel, my name is Gazardiel. It is nice to meet the real you," he said with an awkward chuckle. Grinding my teeth, I bowed my head in greeting. "I'm not sorry for what I did," I said with my head still bowed.
"You do not have to be. It is who you are."
Ignoring him, I went over to the table and sat next to Nikita who pulled me close. Rubbing my temples, I sat looking down at the table even as Jophiel greeted Gazardiel, introducing himself. "You are the other archangel," Gazardiel stated. "It is nice to meet you as well." Jophiel was instantly next to me and the newly named stranger sat across from us. We sat in silence, knowing Gazardiel wanted to talk about something. "Go on," Nikita urged him. He cleared his throat and stood again, using his cane to move around and I couldn’t help but feel bad. Sure, he was an angel and could handle it, but he was still an elder and doing what I did could be considered unacceptable.
"Each time you wake, it is a new beginning... another journey for you to endure. But after studying the times you woke before, we have noticed that each time you begin another life, the tasks get harder. Darkness has spread across the world and portals to Oblivion have been opening. Corruption is spreading and we fear we are on the verge of Armageddon."
The word chimed like a bell and as if it was a memory, I knew what that meant. The world was ending, but not in the way the humans were thinking of. No, it was entirely different, and it would destroy all worlds... not just theirs. Looking up through the hair that shrouded my face, I dreaded his next words. "There will be no more attending school as you will not have to blend in with human society. You will up your training and we will help you find the others. Alone, you are stronger than ordinary angels. Together, you are an unbeatable force," he continued.
"The darkness is spreading along the coast, so be prepared to face the demons you may have heard or read about. Your nightmares are nothing compared to the real thing you will be facing. You cannot hesitate and you must work together to achieve your destinies. Though the darkness has done nothing to start Armageddon, we watch carefully. One step over the line and we will be on the brink of war. We cannot let it happen."
My body began to shudder. This wasn't just about Jophiel and me anymore. If Armageddon were to happen, the humans would be wiped out and the battle between Light and Dark could destroy our worlds, too. Jophiel took a hold of my hand and squeezed, attempting to reassure me, but I wasn't sure what would put me at ease anymore. Our eyes remained on Gazardiel, even as our hearts sank to the pits of our stomach hearing the words he spoke. "The archangels were completed and taken in, given powers not like ours. You are the only ones who can stop it all from happening. You must; our worlds depend on you."
Chapter Thirteen
According to Nikita, my energy coma had me asleep for the whole weekend and when I woke for Monday morning, I wished I had another day to sleep in. I found myself
John Gibler
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