Stone Tears(Book one)-The Love of Isis.-

Chapter Three

Chapter III
…Tension in the Ranks…

An archangel of short stature overheard the events within the ceremony held in granting the rank of Paladin to the courageous Matthias for his valor and survival of the challenge held with the all powerful Damien. He ran through the green fields of training archangel soldiers and sprinted through the emerald woods of the beautiful kingdom of Heaven to find his leader, Saint Alexander, in the middle of a duel with another male officer who challenged him to the death.
Two large groups of soldiers stood at the opposing sides of the large grove the duel was being held in secret within. The group of soldiers behind Alexander were heavily armoured and grasped lances in their hands, the butts of their weapons stood against the ground firmly. The soldiers stood next to their own unicorn stallions that shined in the bright light that shown through the roof of the woods. One Stallion stood alone though, the one that belonged to Alexander. It was a well groomed pegasus with polished armour about its whole body.
The group of soldiers behind the challenging Saint all wore only the required armour and swords holstered on their sides, they calmly watched as their leader drew out his blade and swung it about gracefully, awaiting his opponent’s signal that he was ready.
“Sir,” the short soldier began, “I have news that you may find interesting.”
“Not right now, I’m busy.” Alexander said absent mindedly. Alexander was a commander of a fleet of archangel dragoons and had a medium build that matched that of Matthias’. He stood at about five foot seven and had gray-blue fur all about his body. He wore no helmet when he was not in a campaign, and it still applied right at that moment, unlike his adversary that seemed to feel he needed every article of armour to defeat him. This may have been because of the intimidating effect Alexander’s personality always gave off. He had a habit of belittling everyone else about him to display himself as one of higher stature then all the others. This caused Matthias and him to clash with each other every time they were in the same area, or even in view of each other.
Alexander unfolded his wings off of his shoulders and let them rest against his back, allowing his arms room to move. Not taking the fight completely serious, he chose a throwing lance as his weapon for this duel. He threw his shield off his left arm, unsheathing his entire bulky forearm that lay underneath it. He then spun his lance around like a propeller about his whole body in a blur of speed as the air cried out in long whistles. Ready to fight he couched it in his hand and left arm pit with an abrupt stop.
The opposing archangel widened his eyes at the unbelievable display of skill and grace, and charged at Alexander with a loud cry. He began slashing at his opponent with much haste, giving Alexander little time to react. But Alexander’s timing to the archangel’s surprise was absolutely perfect. Alexander dodged every attack he threw at him, nothing was touching him, and the challenging archangel was getting tired.
Alexander, seeing the perfect time for his attack smiled and made a fast lunge towards the exhausted archangel, the archangel ducked under the swift attack and readied himself to stab into Alexander’s mid section. Alexander thought too soon for him though, and the challenging archangel’s face was met with Alexander’s knee, picking him up off the ground and making him fly into a large tree behind him.
The archangel struggled onto his feet and felt moisture behind his head, he touched the source of the moisture with his hand and looked at it, his hand was stained in his own blood. He viewed the tree behind him to see a small river of his own fluids flowing down into the ground from the middle of the tree. His eyes went wide and in a fit of panic, he charged at the ready Alexander.
Alexander only met his eyes with a sneer and he stepped to the side and slashed the tip of his lance lightly against the helmet, it flew off and fell into the ground. Alexander turned about again to see the naked face of his opponent, it was filled with fear, and Alexander loved it.
The panicked archangel let out a loud cry, unsheathed a small sword, and threw it straight at Alexander’s face with fine precision.
Alexander, seeing this as an opportunity for a fast victory tilted his head, blade barely missing him. And just as it flew by he spun around in the direction the weapon flew and caught it with his right hand, stopping his twirl while facing the opposing archangel and launching it straight into the challenger’s throat, all in one fluid motion. The archangel fell dead, and his body lay in a growing pool of his own blood, the small sword stuck into the ground with the name and rank of the soldier inscripted upon its hilt.
Alexander, not having a drip of blood on himself, tossed his still clean lance to one of his subordinates, and dismissed the fallen Saint’s escort. His wings folded back upon his shoulders, and he walked over to the soldier whose news seemed valuable enough for his ears. “What is it?” He faced the short soldier calmly.
“Sir, Matthias has just been placed into the rank of Paladin, he’s been given the position you wanted.” The soldier looked down upon the corpse and looked back up to Alexander’s eyes nervously.
Alexander’s gums then puffed out too big for his mouth to contain, unsheathing large white fangs. “No!” His fists tightened, “That BASTARD!” He swung his right fist into the nearest tree, shattering and splintering the torso on impact.
“He survived his officer’s challenge against Damien and his army and was said to have displayed much valiance and heroism in the process.” The soldier only fanned the heat of Alexander’s rage.
“I worked so hard and fought battle after battle so I may earn that rank, and he just has to survive one to get it? We’ll see about that!” In a fit of rage he signaled his troops to board their stallions as he hopped upon his own. He let out a small yell and all of them took off, a gust of wind hitting the grounded archangel behind them.

“Release!” A row of arrows shot from the line of archangel archers into the targets attached to tall wooden posts Matthias stood by. He was drilling his troops in target practice and had enough faith in their aim to stand right in the field of fire. “Again!” Another volley shot off and struck all the targets in unison. He heard the loud gallop of horses coming from his right and he signaled a seize fire with the wave of his hand.
Alexander and a dozen of his troops all slowed their gallop as they approached Matthias. Alexander hopped off his stallion and marched straight into the face of Matthias angrily.
“I assume you know of my promotion Alexander?” Matthias said with little emotion.
“It was no promotion, it was but a gift. I believe you must EARN a promotion last time I checked.” Alexander said in an arrogant voice.
“The council’s reason for promoting me is of no business to you, now leave.” Matthias was about to signal his troops to do another volley.
“No, it is my business. I earned my rank with ruthless fighting, your being promoted was simple pity, nothing more.” Alexander was trying to play with Matthias’ patience.
It worked; Matthias turned about and drew out his sword, “Do not assault my honor Alexander, you have no place to do so.” Matthias gritted his teeth angrily.
Alexander drew out his sword and the sapphire blade leapt out the hilt at the same time as Matthias’. “Oh but I do, you are an insult to this army, and you feed off the death of others, I will relieve you of your life right now!”
A high-pitched whistle came from their side and a short sword stuck right into the tall poll between them. “That is enough!” An aged voice shouted.
They both turned to see Gabriel, his wings folded about both his arms, “Matthias, you begin your campaign tomorrow, you should be resting right now.” He looked into his eyes through his face mask. “And Alexander, you know very well a soldier can only fight one duel in a day, you’re already at your limit.”
Alexander glanced at Gabriel and back into the eyes of Matthias, “I think I will have to go over my limit today.”
Gabriel shifted his right wing a little to the side to show his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, “I don’t think you will, now leave.”
Alexander widened his eyes at the aged archangel and sheathed his sword, storming off towards his troops and departing with them.
Gabriel shifted his wing back over his right arm and looked at Matthias, “Shouldn’t you be drilling your troops?” He hopped onto his gold-brazen pegasus and rode off in the direction of the far-away castle.
Matthias narrowed his eyes at the departing archangel, sheathed his sword to his side and faced his troops again. “Ready, launch another one on my mark. Aim, fire!”

Gabriel dropped off his stallion and stormed into the castle halls, moving quickly through the many corridors within the huge structure.
A short archangel with a dark robe covering his body started a fast gallop to catch up with his commander, a scroll in his hand.
“Sir, the council has called a meeting.”
“I know. I have a bone to pick with them.” Gabriel huffed angrily.
“Sir Gabriel, I also have a scroll for you from the front lines, it’s about their losses.”
Gabriel snatched the scroll from his hard-breathing subordinate and tossed it into the flaming urn beside him. “I don’t care.”
“Sir, that was a wedding invitation I just got. This was your message.” He handed the scroll hooked to his side to his commander.
Gabriel’s eyes rolled into the back of his head “THANK YOU, now leave!”
The short archangel turned about and sped off.
Gabriel opened up the scroll vertically, ‘Deaths, deaths, and wow, more deaths. This is not news; these demons have almost got us in a deadlock, again.’
He tossed this one into another fire urn.
The frustrated General slammed the doors open with little effort, and approached the rest of the council who were all sitting behind a semi-circle table. He took his own seat and waited.
“You seem angry Gabriel, what’s wrong?” Sir Reign asked, puzzled.
“Why did we promote that creature, he is still mentally unstable, it’s entirely to soon for him to go to battle.” Gabriel glared into Reign’s eyes.
Xion faced him, “That’s exactly what you’ve been saying for the past three years, and we gave him enough leave. It is now time for him to go back onto the battlefield.”
“He is not talking about that, he talking about giving him such a high rank so early.” Sir Kane sat back in his large throne.
“Why such a sudden change, you’re sending him directly into the main developing attack force the demons have right in front of their lines. It’s suicide, we’ll lose our upper hand in this war for sure!” Gabriel slammed his hands against his section of the long table. “What were you all thinking?”
Xion suddenly rose from his seat and shouted, “We know exactly what we are doing!”
“We know much about Matthias that you do not Gabriel.” Sir Kane smiled subtly into Gabriel’s eyes. “Have faith.”


"...There is no good, there is no evil, there is only life..."-Paladin-