Angel of Death (more to come hopefully)

   





Prologue





  Come on, Sakura, just one more mile. I thought to myself as I ran from one small town to my hometown. It was the middle of the night and the town had a curfew. I had to live in a town that was paranoid as hell. I chided myself as I got off the road. I was going to have to sneak into town like I always did. I quietly walked through the woods as I slowly made my way towards the town. The July air was hot and humid but my cross was cool on my skin. I stepped into a familiar clearing and raised my face to bask in the moonlight.

  My watch beeped and it read 1:53 am.

  “Shit,” I muttered as I began to run. They changed guard shifts at two and if I didn’t kick it into high gear now, I wasn’t going to make it.

  I dashed through the trees as fast as I could. I reached the end of the woods and saw my apartment building only two blocks away. I looked around before making a mad dash for home. I heard a vehicle start but I didn’t pause, didn’t think. The only thing that mattered was getting home without taking a detour at the county jail.

  The sound of the vehicle grew louder and the headlights were blinding as it barreled towards me. I didn’t stop running. Then I tripped and all I saw was the white light of the headlights.

  I hated remembering how I died. It’s been ten years but I still see it in my head as vividly as the night it happened. I shook my head to clear it as I stared at the sunset. The best view in town was on the roof of the large, old cathedral that I’d been living in for the past five years. The gothic architecture was accentuated by the blackened stone due to centuries of Industrial Revolution. Some Angels thought I was compensating for something. I just liked my space. It’s not as if I lived alone. Well, I did mostly, but Sarai stays when she’s transitioning from one place to another. I looked at the grounds that I’d had blessed by the local Catholic Priest. I’m Baptist but nobody can do a blessing like a priest can. He said it would keep out the spirits of the dead and the Demons. I don’t know about the dead but it works on the Demons.

  I leaned against a gargoyle as I sighed at the growing darkness. I could already see myself sitting up in bed, in the dark, unable to sleep. If the Demons don’t kill me, the exhaustion will. I was turning to go inside, when I saw a man enter the churchyard. I didn’t have to see his face to identify him. He reeked of arrogance and authority that I could sense from the rooftop. I spread my wings, black as night, and glided onto a pedestal where a statue once stood guard over a grave. It’d looked like Michael, the arrogant man, so I had it removed.

  “That was my favorite statue you know,” he said.

  “You’ll get over it, you have thousands more;” I pulled a candy cigarette box out of my pocket and pulled one out. “You already hover over me when you have the chance. I didn’t need you watching me at home,” I said as I looked at him and put the candy cigarette in my mouth. “What do you want?”

  “I have found your predecessor six times removed.”

  “He’s still alive?” For the second time in ten years, he had my full and complete attention.

  "Yes, he is alive. That is why I need you to rescue him."

  "Rescue him? Shouldn't he be old enough to 'poof' out?"

  Michael sighed, "Yes, but not only is he in a sort of coma, he has been down there for almost one thousand years. So much has changed that he needs a modern viewpoint of the world. He may not awaken but he will be completely aware of what's happening. He just 'awoke' which is how I found him. So when you find him all you will have to do is touch him, picture where you want to go and he will do the rest."

  "What 'woke' him up after all this time?"

  "I do not know. If you stick around after bringing him to me, maybe you will find out."

  "Alright, so where is he, and how do I get there?"

  "He is in the Seventh Circle of Hell. I think you know how to get there."

  I nodded, "Unfortunately, but that still doesn't tell me how to get there. The Circle's a pretty big place."

  "I do not know where exactly. More than likely he is in the center being displayed like a trophy."

  "What if I find him but can't get to him?"

  "The Circle is the Hell of Hell. They would not have spent much time strengthening the security anymore than necessary. So will you do it?"

  "Of course I will," a self-satisfied grin started to spread across his face so I added," but not for you." His smile faded. "I'm doing this for him. Nobody deserves to be sent to the Seventh Circle except for Satan. I wouldn't be able to live with that guilt on my shoulders. Is there anything else I need to know?"

  "No, but you had better hurry if I were you. I am not the only one who knows he is awake." I nodded.

    As he left, I took the candy cigarette and drew a circle around me on the pedestal. I pulled up the left sleeve of my leather trench coat before pulling out the newly sharpened dagger. I looked for a spot on my arm that was unscarred and gritted my teeth against the pain as the dagger dug into my skin. As I turned my arm over and let the blood drip onto the circle I whispered, "Seventh Circle," in Angel Speak. I willed myself to stand still as I was quickly pulled down into the circle.



Chapter One





  Just like every other time I traveled to The Circle, I appeared in front of the huge gates leading to it. The design was intricate with Celtic runes popping up here and there and to either side of the gate stood the Hell Hounds. Both were the size of a small horse with jaws that could open wide enough to swallow me whole. With three heads, they were miniatures of the supposedly mythical Cerberus who guarded the outermost gate of Hell.

  After five years of training, my first test was to beat all of the Hounds, including Cerberus, and gain access to all of the circles of Hell.

  So even though their growls were vicious enough to send the most battle-hardened Demon running, I only walked by giving a scary growl of my own.

  As soon as the gates opened, the intense heat immediately engulfed me. The gates closed silently behind me as I stepped inside. As always, I was greeted with the sight of a post-apocalyptic world. It was trapped in an eternal blood red sunset with empty shells of buildings and ancient monuments. As far as the eye could see there was a desolate wasteland; perfect for the warped and hideous souls of the purely evil, newly fallen Angels, and defeated Demons.

  As I stood there, I opened my mind, searching for something or someone who didn't belong here.

  Suddenly, my eyes flew open of their own accord and all I could focus on was the sun. Or what I'd always thought to be the sun. I'd always been drawn to it but never before like this. My wings materialized behind me, my feet moved forward, towards the sun. Not liking the lack of control, I decided that since my body wanted to be there, then there is where I would go. I leapt into the air and flapped my powerful, black wings.

  After flying what felt like a thousand miles, I paused in the air as I realized that the 'sun' was just an insanely bright light emanating from the top of a huge, crumbling skyscraper. I flew towards the light and I could see something in the middle of it. There were two columns adjacent to each other, but I couldn't quite make out what was between them. I had to assume that it was my predecessor.

  Suddenly, I crashed into an invisible wall and plummeted about one hundred stories down before I caught myself. "What the hell was that?" I muttered as I gently landed on the ground. I used my second sight and looked up. Above me was a huge glowing ball, the 'wall' I'd crashed into. I looked closer at the building and saw that the barrier only encased the outside of the building.

  I circumnavigated the base of the building, looking for a way in. The base was solid with no doors or windows but this changed a few stories up. I jumped up to the nearest window and just managed to grab the ledge before pulling myself up through the window. The building was completely silent and extremely eerie. I quickly looked for the stairwell, passing the elevators. I may be blonde, but I’m not stupid. I heard growling coming from the elevator and I knew it wouldn’t be long before the doors opened. I was searching for the stairs when I saw the sign indicating that the stairs were back by the elevators. I sighed, drew my gun, and unsheathed my long, wicked dagger. A somewhat odd combination for the time I currently resided in but it was one that worked. Although the Demons had an advantage this time, I only had my little .22 not my .45.

  I proceeded cautiously around the corners as I traveled the distance back to the elevator. I heard the growling again. I know I’m close. I peered around the corner and saw nothing, but the growling sounded like it was right in front of me.

  My whole body tensed. I tightened my grip on my gun and dagger, and I slowly looked up. Above me was the most grotesque, disgusting warped Demon I’d ever seen. It explained why the building was silent. I lowered my eyes, looking away from it as I took a deep breath.

Suddenly, as if it knew my intentions, the Demon launched itself backwards and landed in front of me. I shot at it before charging boldly at it with my dagger in front of me. It howled with pain but it didn’t slow down as it charged me and in a blink of an eye, it was behind me, claws out and ready to take a chunk out of my back. But I was faster. I turned and forced my dagger up underneath his jaw, the point suddenly appearing out of the top of its skull. The human-like eyes were shocked, then empty. The Demon was dead. Five years ago, I would have felt sorry for it. It was just protecting its territory. It was all it knew how to do anymore. But that was five years ago.

  I pulled out my dagger as the Demon fell to the ground, disintegrating into ash. I sheathed my dagger and holstered my gun as I walked through the door to the stairs.

  I ran up the stairs, eager to complete my mission and get the hell out of Dodge. I reached the rooftop door and pushed it open. The first thing I saw was a man chained to two Corinthian columns. It wasn’t as bright as I had believed it to be and I guessed the seemingly invisible barrier gave the illusion that the light had been coming from within, when it was really coming from the barrier itself.

  I walked towards the man and the columns. His jet-black hair covered his face and I saw a thick section had turned silver. It was obvious he was tall even though he was bent over, held up only by the old chains. As I inspected them, I gave one a small tug and it crumbled in my hands. The man started to fall forward but I managed to catch him, but I could barely support his weight, which became harder as the other chain disintegrated as well.

  I gently laid him down and paused to think about what to do next. I realized that this guy probably had no idea as to what was going on, where he was, and I wondered if he even knew he was being rescued. From what I could tell, he had been down here a long time. More than likely, he didn’t know whether I was friend or foe so he wasn’t just going to teleport himself and a complete stranger out.

  “Stupid, Michael. You should learn to think things through,” I said to myself. I sighed and looked down at the man. His hair still covered his face so I gently brushed it to the side, my fingertips lingering on the silver that was stark against the darkness of his hair. I looked at his face and my breath caught in my throat at the sight of him. He was handsome. I’d never seen anyone as good-looking as him. His slanted eyes and high cheekbones told me he was of Asian, perhaps maybe even of Japanese descent. I leaned forward to speak to him, to see, if even was awake, if I could convince that I was a friend and get him out of here. It was no wonder as to why Satan had imprisoned him here; this man could easily be more handsome than Lucifer, even in his prime.

  Suddenly, I heard footsteps behind me and I discreetly pulled my dagger from its sheathe. I slowly sat up straight, keeping my senses alert to the footsteps’ movement. Then I heard his voice. The only voice that could send shivers of fear down my back.

  “Hello, Sakura. Have you missed me?”

I kept my eyes on the man lying in front of me as I calmly replied, “Of course not, Balthazar. If I had remembered that I sent you here in the first place, I would have told Michael to find someone else to fetch this guy.” I was proud of myself for keeping my voice cool, but I still had to keep myself from panicking.

  “But you see, Sakura. I know you so well, that I knew you wouldn’t refuse to save someone trapped in the Circle. So I woke up Kyo, your predecessor. He wasn’t going to be useful at all, but you had to hurry and save him quickly so now he probably could get you out. But I’m not going to let that happen. You’re staying here with me, Sakura.”

  “Like hell I am. Don’t make me kill you again, Balthazar. I know how you are too. You’re vain. You would rather stay dead than come back ten times uglier, not that that’s even possible. You’re already uglier than sin.” I heard him growl and he started towards me but I quickly turned and slashed at him with my dagger. He jumped back and then used his power to cut off my breathing. My dagger fell from my hands as I reached up, my reflexes going into overdrive, they made me try to pull away the invisible hands. I gasped for breath and I glared as Balthazar’s ugly face began to blur.

  I regained control of my hands and I reached for my gun, but Balthazar was faster. He shoved me back and threw my gun away from us. I rolled onto my dagger and grabbed it, still struggling for breath; I felt my world start to turn black. I was too weak to move and I felt someone take the dagger from my hands and I feared it was Balthazar when suddenly, I could breathe again, and the sudden rush of oxygen made me dizzy. I rolled over onto my back and tried to sit up as I watched the very tall Balthazar have a hard time dodging the extremely fast attacks the man, who had been chained to two columns for a thousand years, was dealing. The man had cornered Balthazar and then began to talk to him.

  “Why are you here, Balthazar? Some Angel finally get lucky and knock you off?” Balthazar sneered and answered,

  “Yes. In fact, that little Angel behind you did it. Though you shouldn’t be surprised, Kyo. You know I was always easily distracted by beautiful things.” Kyo smirked and said,

  “Yeah, that’s you alright, and I’m not surprised, not at all. Nothing could surprise me anymore when it comes to you, Balthazar. Now get lost, before I get my chance to kill you. And we both know what will happen to you if I do, especially if I kill you here.”

  “But how are you going to get out of here, Kyo? You can’t get out if I kill your ticket home.”

Suddenly, I couldn’t breathe again, but this time I fought hard against the pressure. I concentrated on getting him out of my head, which is how he was suffocating me. There wasn’t going to be any bruises because right now, it was all in my head. I focused all the power within me and I lashed out against him.

  The spell was broken and I could breathe again and I heard Balthazar cry out in anger before I watched him vanish and reappear behind me. I rolled just escaping his deadly attack with his claws. Suddenly I was standing and I had the energy to fight back, my rage driving me. He leaped forward at me and I easily dodged him, turning and facing him again. I crouched low, ready to defend myself or kill him and out of the corner of my eye I saw Kyo do the same. Balthazar looked from me to Kyo and then back to me before letting out a scary hiss. Suddenly, he smiled and said,

  “Sorry to leave so soon, kiddies. But someone on the surface needs to have a chat with me, good-bye my darling, Sakura. I will be seeing you very, very soon.” With a cackle, he vanished again, but this time, he didn’t reappear.

  I stood there frozen. He did not just get out. Did he? It’s not possible, it’s impossible. The Circle is the Hell of Hell. How can he get out? I thought I was done with that bastard five years ago. I still didn’t get sleep, but now? I’ll never sleep again, not while I know that bastard is still out there.

  I collapsed to my knees, horrified that I still wasn’t safe. I was never going to be safe from him. Hell, I was safer inside The Circle. I watched as long legs walked towards me and I heard Kyo’s deep, soothing voice ask,

  “Are you okay?” I looked up and the first thing I saw was his amazing blue eyes. Both the black and the silver of his hair accentuated the blue. I couldn’t help but wonder if God saw that color and decided to make the sky. I was going to say that I wasn’t okay but all I could do was nod. I knew I was staring but I decided that if he ever commented on it later, I would blame it on the earlier dizziness.

  “Your name is Sakura, correct?” I nodded again and he continued, “Sakura, I need you to picture Michael’s office for me. I’m going to get us out of here, alright?”

  “Yes,” I replied. I stood, nodded when I had the picture in my head and he teleported us out.

  When we arrived at Michael’s office, I nearly fell because of the force of the teleportation. I’d side-along teleported before but I couldn’t help but assume that was so rough this time because it was the man’s first time. My eyes searched the office for Michael but he was nowhere to be seen. But when I looked at his enormous chair, I saw my best friend Natascha lounging and looking bored. She’d looked up when we teleported in and her eyes turned a dark violet with worry.

  “What happened? Are you all right, Sakura?”

    I only nodded before asking, “Where’s Michael?”

  “I was wondering that myself. I was sitting here waiting for him when you suddenly appeared. Where were you? You’re as pale as a ghost and you look exhausted. Did Michael send you on another mission without making sure you had rest first? You can’t let him push you around when you’re tired. Stick up for yourself,”

    I stopped her with a raised hand. “He didn’t push me around. He gave me the opportunity to decline and I didn’t take it. It’s my own fault. So don’t yell at him when he gets here. If he ever does.” I hoped that Natascha didn’t know I was lying. Normally I am a horrible liar, but Nat is getting married soon and she and Michael just made up from their last fight. I didn’t want her to start another one over me.

  As I’d finished my last sentence, I heard the door handle click and I watched as an average height man with brown hair and eyes walk in. He seemed surprised to see all of us there and then smiled when he saw Natascha.

  “Sakura, I see you have succeeded in your mission,” he looked at Kyo. “It is good to have you back, Kyo. If you would not mind waiting a little longer, I would like to get you settled and find you someone to introduce you to this “new” world.” His attention returned to me. “Sakura, I thank you for recovering Kyo. I have decided to give you a small vacation so that you can get the rest you sorely need.” I winced at his last sentence. Only I knew of the wrath that one statement could incur from Natascha.

  “You knew she needed rest and yet you still sent her on a mission? Where had you sent her, Michael?” Natascha’s words were saturated with anger and I was afraid to look at Michael and see the ignorance on his face.

  “I sent her to The Circle, why?” I felt sick as Natascha’s anger poured from every fiber of her being. Natascha seemed to be the only one who could get through my defenses. I’m severely empathetic, I literally feel everyone else’s emotions, when my shields are down, which they rarely are. But Natascha’s emotions are so pure and powerful, even my shields cannot keep her out. I needed to sit down but Kyo was still supporting me. I looked over at him and the confusion on his face would have been comical if I hadn’t felt so ill. He looked at me and as if he had read my mind, he led me to one of the chairs.

  “Natascha, please. You need to calm down.” I said weakly. The weakness in my voice only angered her more and all her anger came out at once.

  “How dare you send Sakura to The Circle when you knew she was weak,” Michael tried to interrupt but Natascha ignored his attempt. “Are you trying to kill my best friend? Do you even realize how much of a toll it takes on her just to get to The Circle? Damn it, Michael, how can you be so insensitive?”

  “Natascha, her life as an Angel of Death is a busy one and you know that, I needed her to rescue Kyo before someone else got to him. What would you have me do, Natascha?”

  “You could send help with her. Would it really have killed you to call up another Angel such as Sarai or Daniel or myself to help her? Would it have been so damn difficult…?”

  I couldn’t help but tune out the rest, my head was swimming with the sudden rush of anger and emotions. My guards had fallen and there was nothing I could do to put them back up. I felt Kyo’s very obvious confusion, Nat’s rage seemed to be ten thousand times stronger, and Michael was blessedly blank. I didn’t know what my emotions were anymore. I felt angry and confused and I begged to feel that merciful blankness that Michael held. I felt sick again and I felt the darkness closing in and for the first time in a long time, I welcomed it with open arms.

                                                           ***

  As I watched the fight between Michael and the woman he called Natascha get worse, I watched Sakura get sicker. All of a sudden, I saw her expression go blank and then she began to fall forward.

  “Sakura?” I called her name as I caught her. I didn’t think the others had heard me over Natascha’s yelling but she glanced over and saw what had happened.

  “Oh my gosh, Sakura!” She ran forward and gently pulled Sakura from my arms. She put her hand to her forehead and said, “She has a fever. Damn it, Michael. She’s sick. It’s nearly impossible for Angels to get sick and you pushed Sakura far enough to do so. Why do you do this? Why do you push her more than you had the others? Why are you doing this to her?” Her voice started to crack and I saw that she was crying. All of a sudden, she stood up and pulled a small rectangular object from her pocket and touched it before putting it to her ear. The she began to talk into it. “Daniel? Yeah, um, could you come and pick me up? Yeah, no I’m fine. I’m just tired. No I didn’t talk to him about it. Please just hurry, okay? I love you too.”

  She pushed a button on the object again and put it back in her pocket. Suddenly, a tall man with hair similar to Sakura’s appeared and went to Natascha. It was as if she was the only one he saw.

  “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” He asked. She looked at Sakura and then back to him and he followed her gaze. He was silent a moment as he returned his gaze to Natascha and studied her. “She’s going to be okay, Nat,” he said. “You know this happens once and a while but you also know she comes out okay, alright?” He went to her and wrapped his arms around her. “She going to be okay, I promise.” She returned his embrace before pulling away. As if she was never mad at Michael she asked,

  “Do you want me to take her home, Michael?”

  “Ah, no, I need to speak with Kyo and I will send him home with her when I am finished,” He saw her face and caught himself. “It will not take long at all, only a moment or two at the most.” Natascha’s face became blank and she nodded. They teleported away and I was left with Michael standing there looking somewhat forlorn and a woman asleep in my arms. I haven’t felt this confused since I had “woken” to find myself captured and unable to move or speak.

  “Michael, what’s going on?” He looked at me and then at Sakura.

  “What happened down there, Kyo? She was not this bad when I sent her to get you this evening.”

  “I’m not sure. I awoke to find her and Balthazar in an argument. He began to use his power to kill her and I couldn’t move at first but as soon as I could I chased him away. She got up and when he realized he was outnumbered he ran away. He said he had been ‘called’.” Michael’s eyes had darkened at the mention of Balthazar’s name. “He said that he was the one who woke me up so that he could lure her there. Why would he want her? He only goes after Angels of Death. He’s the reason I was there.” Michael was looking at Sakura and said,

  “I need you to stay with her, Kyo. I am not going to answer your questions for now. I am sure you will discover the answers on your own, but for now, stay with her. Keep her safe and do not let Balthazar anywhere near her. When she awakens, tell her to call me and I will give her both of your instructions. Come, I will take you to her home.”

  I was a little angry that he wouldn’t answer my questions, but when I looked down at Sakura, I knew that we didn’t have the time for him to answer them right now. I gently picked her up and I stood beside Michael. He put his hand on my shoulder and teleported us to what looked like a cemetery. I looked around and saw a huge black building that looked more like a prison than a house. I looked to the east and I saw the sun was rising and the light didn’t make the place look any better.

  Michael strode towards the door and pulled a small metallic object from his pocket. I heard a click and he turned the metal knob and opened the door. It was dark in the house but when Michael flicked something on the wall, the room was flooded from a mysterious light that came from a strange tiny sun on the ceiling. The room suddenly looked cheerier and I saw huge windows on most of the walls. The ceiling was extremely high and I suddenly felt as if I had entered a palace. But as I studied the fine details of the walls and some of the colorful painted windows, I remembered pictures and paintings of great churches where people went to worship God. The buildings were in the far west in a land called Europe so I had never seen them with my own eyes. And finally, I was seeing one of the many beautiful churches.

  “Are we in Europe?”

  “No, Kyo, we are in the land once known as the New World. For the last 200 or so years, it has been called America. The United States of America. A country once established where the church and government worked hand in hand. Now it is nearly empty of all morals and the Government has pushed God out of nearly everything.

  “This church was modeled after one of the many big cathedrals in Europe, though it has not been used as a church in quite some time. A new one was built and this one was left to crumble and die. Then Sakura found it about five years ago, I believe. She has had men working on it to restore it to its old glory and she made it her home. She is an avid artist so you may find some of her random scribbles on the walls. Now, gawk later. I will lead you to her room and I will show you to your room as well. Please don’t touch anything until Sakura awakens and teaches you how to use it.”

  We walked up the winding staircase and I was led to a bright yellow room with a wall of windows leading to a large balcony. I saw many little drawings and a few large ones on the walls. Some seemed silly while others looked serious. Some were painted, some were sketches, and others looked as if they were colored in by some dry writing object. In the middle of the room was a huge bed with white cloth hanging from the bedposts. Michael pulled back the blankets and I gently laid her down.

  I hadn’t had time to get a very good look at her, but now that everything was calm and quiet my eyes sought her face. She looked exhausted even in her sleep, and her golden hair was fanned beneath her. The one thing about her that had really stuck with me was her green eyes. The man that had taken Natascha with him had the same color eyes, but hers were so light and the darker ring around them was just captivating. Not even Natascha’s strange violet eyes had affected me as Sakura’s had. I had never seen anyone who looked like Sakura. I remember how the elders in my village had talked about the beauty of Angels and when I became one myself I was never startled by their beauty. There weren’t any ugly Angels, but none of the ever struck me as astonishingly beautiful, until now.

  I couldn’t take my eyes off her and then I remembered the surprise on her face when she saw me. I knew I had strange eyes but the way she looked at me wasn’t what I was used to. I had remembered looks of ridicule and laughter when I was growing up and even in my division of Angels, but never had I seen anyone look at me like I was looking at her. I shook my head and decided I had been seeing things. No one had looked at me like that and no one will.

  I was startled out of my thoughts when Michael coughed. I looked away from Sakura and tried not to look embarrassed. I was surprised, embarrassed? I’m 108 years old I shouldn’t be…I couldn’t finish that thought. I’m not 108 anymore. God knows how old I am now.

  “So, how long was I down there?”

  “I really do not think you want to know that, Kyo.”

  “Why not? Don’t I have the right to know? Don’t I have the right to know my own age?”

  “Well, yes but I do not think you would like the thoughts that will come with that information.”

  “Just tell me, Michael. I’ll deal with the ‘thoughts that will come with that information’.”

  “Fine. It will have been a thousand years yesterday.” A thousand years, a millennium. Most Angels don’t live to see their five hundredth birthday.

  “And all my friends?”

  “I do not know who were your friends, Kyo, except for Damian and Daemon and only Damian is alive still. Daemon died about five hundred years ago. I’m sorry, Kyo.” I wasn’t listening after that. He continued to talk and showed me to a room that had yet to be drawn in or even painted. It just had a bed and a wooden box with rectangular shaped. This room also had a wall of windows but no balcony. I looked out the window and saw fields of green and cherry blossom trees in the distance. It reminded me of home. My home that probably doesn’t exist anymore.

  I felt ill. It wasn’t physical, but emotional illness was just as bad if not worse. I walked to the bed and sat down. I thought about exploring for a fraction of a second before my grief reared its ugly head. I laid back and before the grief completely took over, I was engulfed in the dark of blissful rest.

                                                             ***

Chapter 2



 



I awoke and found myself to be blissfully blank. I wasn’t feeling anything. It was just the way I liked it. And for the first time in years, I had slept soundly and dreamlessly. Feeling a burst of energy from a good night’s sleep, I skipped downstairs to make some breakfast. As I put together my very healthy meal of Frosted Mini Wheats and a Coke, I saw a note on the fridge. It read,

  “Sakura, I do not know how much you remember from before you went to sleep, but I want you to know that I have temporarily assigned Kyo to be your partner. If you would please explain everything to him and teach him how to survive in this time period I would be very grateful. I put him the white room and please call me when you get this. I may have more instructions for you both. M.”

  I couldn’t remember most of the other night. Just that I’d been fighting with Balthazar and Kyo had saved me. Kyo. He was definitely a good enough fighter to be my partner. A small voice in the back of my head told me he was good looking enough as well, but I told that voice to “shush” before someone heard.

    Before pouring my milk, I decided to go and see if Kyo was awake and hungry. I know that Michael would want me to call him right now, and I probably should, but I decided not to. If I remember right, he could be the reason as to why I passed out.

  I quietly walked up the stairs to what I had named the White Room. Anytime I had the urge to paint it I couldn’t pick a color, or when I would go to draw in it, my mind was empty of ideas.

  Beside the door, I saw a pile of clothes with a little note on top with Kyo’s name on it. I could only assume that Michael had bought them. The door was open so I peeked before I entered. I saw Kyo standing beside the huge bay window, leaning against the wall as he looked out at the field.

  I picked up the clothes and pushed the door open silently. He turned as if he had heard me and when I looked at him, his eyes were dark and stormy. His grief was like a punch to the chest and I did my best to not show that he’d affected me.

  “I found these outside your door. I think Michael brought them for you.” I did my best to block his sorrow, but it was like a hurricane it was so strong.

  “Are you alright?” His deep voice helped to calm me and I nodded as his grief became bearable.

  “I’m fine, how about you?” his eyes were so dark they were almost cobalt. I watched him think over his answer and he said,

  “I’m not doing too well right now.”

  “Is something wrong?” He looked back out the window and seemed lost in thought. “Kyo?” He glanced back at me and said,

  “This field reminds me of my home. I lived in a village that grew into a large city called Edo. Have you heard of it?”

  “Yes, but it’s called Tokyo now. And I’m sorry to say that home probably doesn’t exist anymore. Is that why you’re upset?”

  “A little of it. Most of it is because almost all of my friends are gone. This world is so different I can’t imagine how I’ll begin to learn to live in it. I surprised at the powers and abilities that I now have that I didn’t have before. I don’t even know how I know your language. Until I saw you, I’d never heard it and yet there I was fighting Balthazar and speaking this foreign language. I don’t know anything and I hate it. The air doesn’t even smell the same anymore.” I’d realized that he was having a little rant when he added that random comment at the end and throughout it, he had paced the floor until he sat on his bed at the end. I quietly walked over and sat beside him.

  “I can’t imagine how hard this is for you. But I’m willing to help. I can teach you whatever you need or want to know. Such as, all Angels have the ability to speak any language they come into contact with, even gibberish,” I gave him a small smile but then I realized he didn’t get the joke. “Also, Angels gain the ability to teleport around their one-thousandth year of being an Angel. And if it makes you feel better, I’ve lived on this earth for a little over thirty years, and I still don’t understand everything that’s going on,” I stood and walked towards the window. “I don’t even know how to do my own job.”

  “What is your job?” Kyo asked.

  I looked back at him and said, “The same job that you have, I am also an Angel of Death.”

  He looked up at me, his eyes serious, “How is that even possible? There can only be one Angel of Death.”

  “That’s the thing. I’m not a full Angel of Death. I only have a fraction of the power that you probably possess. When you vanished, God decided that another Angel of Death was needed, so God made the next Angel, that was created, one. But when they were sent into battle with a Demon is when Michael realized that the “new” Angel of Death was weaker. That is also what led him to believe that somehow you were still alive. He’s spent the last millennium looking for you; I think that was the true job for us new Angels of Death. He’s had me looking for strange things and I’m constantly on rescue missions, maybe he was training me to find you.”