• Light...

    That is the word that describes where I live. Light. People don’t believe in Heaven. Some people do but most doesn't. Living in Heaven has its perks but of course, nobody would believe me. Who would believe that a normal teenage looking girl is actually an Angel? No one. Not unless you are crazy.
    Here in Heaven, there are so many expectations. So many rules. Maybe that's why I kept breaking them. I closed my eyes for a minute. The light coming from the Tower of Knowledge can be tiring sometimes... "Ellspeth! Ellspeth! Where art thou!" Khalil yelled even though we all know that nobody is supposed to yell in the place of the Lord. I opened my eyes and saw him stumble as he run towards me with a letter on his hand.

    "Ellspeth, why art thou staying in such a despicable place? You know that the Seraph doesn't like it when Trainee Angels stray beyond the confines of the Fountain." He looked around nervously. "You know that the rule is for our safety too. You never know when the Lord of the Flies will suddenly appear and eat you!" He started to look a bit fearful that I laughed.

    He huffed embarrassingly. I still laughed and grabbed a pillar so I won't fall. "Oh Khalil... I can't believe you still believe in those fairy tales that the Elders tell the young Angels. Besides, why art thou here? You usually don't fetch me unless it is time for the evening prayers." I looked at him and smiled.
    Khalil is one of my oldest friends. He is a Half-Angel yet he was allowed to train like a full Angel. His father is unknown. Probably a human. I remembered how I met him. It was also the day I met Tryndyx and Xenoheart...


    "ELLSPETH!!!" Seraph Abrahim's voice boomed in the Archery field. I closed my eyes the moment I could felt every Angel Trainee's eyes staring at me. "Trainee Angel Ellspeth! Go up here in front of everyone and explain thy actions!" His voiced echoed around the room. I opened my eyes and looked to my right. Sure enough, my twin sister Aurora looked at me with a blank face. I gulped. My twin sister and I are complete opposites. While I was the one being called careless, idiot and a disappointment, she is the apple of every Elder's eye. My twin is a genius. She is very elegant, beautiful, and the perfect image of what an Angel should be. In a way I was jealous but of course, that's my sister. I can never stay jealous or angry at her.

    Aurora looked away from me as if she is ashamed. I looked away too and started my walk of shame to where Seraph Abrahim is. He gave me a strict look and pointed at his buttocks. There, a single arrow I shot is embedded. "Can you explain why you shot the arrow to my buttocks?" He asked angrily. Several of my co-Angel Trainee laughed but is instantly silenced when Seraph glared at them. He turned his anger back at me.

    "Explain this immediately! Or else you will be staying in the Dark Star cottage tonight." The moment he said that, everyone who heard gasped. My eyes widened in horror. Nobody heard about a Trainee Angel going to the Dark Star cottage. It is a kind of prison reserved only for the worst Angels who broke the rules.

    I looked down at the floor trying not to cry. Don't cry, Don't cry, Don't cry. Come on Ell! You can do this! I heard my co-Trainee whisper about me being the worst kind of Angel. "The elders told me that there is no stupid Angel. I can't believe how wrong they are. You can't even fire an arrow straight! You have the worst grade of all! I would hazard a guess that if there is a stupid Angel! YOU are a living proof!" I heard Seraph Abrahim say. I bit my lip. I shan't cry. I shan't cry. I shan't cry.
    Too late. A few tears escaped dripping onto the floor as I hung my head in shame. "Who is the living proof?" I heard a man ask followed by the spluttering of Seraph Abrahim. I peeked out of my curtain of blonde hair. Still keeping my face hidden.

    "Head Angel Tryndyx! I-I was just telling our dear Trainee to behave like a proper Angel." Seraph Abrahim stuttered. The Head Angel, whom I haven't seen before, looked at him calmly. "It sounded like you are berating her, Abrahim." The Head Angel said. Even his voice sounded very calm and soothing. Seraph Abrahim turned red with embarrassment as the Head Angel walked towards me. I wiped my tears as he neared me. "What art thou talking about Abrahim? What I see is a very beautiful and very clever young Angel who has a lot of potentials! I don't see why you started making a ruckus about it." The Head Angel smiled at Seraph Abrahim who in turn, walked away. The Head Angel shook his head before turning to look at me.

    "What is thy name, dear Angel?" He asked and before I could open my mouth to answer, he wiped away the tears that I missed. I blushed. "My name is Angel Trainee Ellspeth of the 7th wing." I said proudly. The Head Angel smiled at me. "Angel Ellspeth, you shouldn't be so down. No matter how bad everything is. Always remember that everyone have a goodness in their hearts. If you need someone to talk to, I will always be here." He smiled at me and I smiled back.

    He started walking away, patting the heads of my other co-Angel Trainees who started to coo at him. I do admit that Head Angel Tryndyx looks really good especially with his amethyst eyes and platinum blonde hair. As I watch him walk away, I didn't notice that the others are already pointing at me and gossiping.

    I looked at them and they suddenly become silent. "Ellspeth, am I right?" I heard a guy call my name. I turned around and saw myself face to face with a handsome guy with a pair of light purple eyes and black hair. "Umm... Yes? That is my name. Why art thou asking?" I said warily while taking a step back. No guy Angel has ever talked to me. It was usually my twin sister that they talked to. Not me. Nope. Never. I stood there paralyzed as the most talked about guy Angel in Heaven stared at me. "My name is Xenoheart. Nice to meet you." He smiled and offered his hand. I glanced warily at his hand but didn't shake it. I turned to look back at him questioningly. Xenoheart dropped his hand and scratched his head nervously.

    "I warned thee not to scare her off, Xenoheart." I looked to his left and saw that he has a companion. The currently most gossiped about Half-Angel is standing right in front of me. Wow. I gulped as Xenoheart looked irritated for a sec before whispering back to the Half-Angel. "Stop thy vexing and just let me handle it, okay?" Xenoheart turned back to me and smiled again. "This is my friend Khalil." The guy himself raised his hand in greeting. I nodded to him politely in acknowledgement. What is happening to Heaven?

    "Umm... Hello." I said again not knowing if they are just pulling my leg or what. Xenoheart looked straight at me in the eyes. "We just wanted to hang out. I've wanted to ask you out ever since the start of the training but every time I try to find you, you disappear." Xenoheart blushes and looked away nervously. I blushed too and didn't speak. Khalil scratched his head and bewilderment before shrugging and exclaiming. “Anyway, now that introductions are done, let's go hang out at the Human Realm!" He said happily and my eyes widened. "Is that even allowed?" The both of them looked at each other and laughed.

    That started our friendship. Well for me and Khalil. Xenoheart and I have a very different kind of relationship...

    Khalil suddenly straightened as he remembered what he was going to tell me. "Right! Ellspeth, Head Angel Tryndyx is looking for you. He wanted you to go to his office as fast as you can." I looked at him before smiling and said. "And you said that I'm the one easily distracted." He smiled back sheepishly as I walked away. "Watch out for the Demons! They might eat you!" I yelled and laughed before running towards Tryndyx's office

    I knocked once before barging in. "You broke the lock." Tryndyx said the moment I entered. He sat behind his office table, reading reports as I turned to stare at the damage I did to the lock. I closed the door softly and walked towards his table where he signs papers. "But there is no lock." He sighed and put down the papers he was reading. He stood up and walked to look out the window.

    "My point exactly."

    "Huh?" I looked at his back questioningly as he sighed yet again and turned to look at me. "Ellspeth, it's time I tell you about your Gift."

    I looked at him warily. "My gift?" I asked slowly. He sat down right in front of me. “Yes. Your Gift.” I was getting confused by the second. “What gift? Is it Christmas already?” I asked and I saw him briefly smile before he returned his serious expression. “Ellspeth, your Gift is not something material. See that lock?” He pointed to the door and I squinted at it. “But there’s no lock.” He gave me a pointed look. “Exactly.” He repeated. I still didn’t understand and it must’ve shown in my face because he explained. “There is a magical lock there a few moments ago before you entered. The moment you touched the door, all the magic in the lock got drained and it disappeared.” He explained slowly. I stared at him. I looked at him as if he just grew a horn on the middle of his forehead.
    “Ellspeth. Listen to me. This is serious. You are the only one in the history of the entire Angelhood with the Gift. It was stated in the prophecy that an Angel born of the Gift of the Void is the one who’ll eventually reunite the Underworld, the Mortals and the Heavenly Realm. The Elders thought that the prophecy was not going to happen. I almost believed that too.” He took my hand and smiled. “Until you came along and seemingly make things disappear unconsciously.” He said and I blushed. I didn’t believe a word that he is saying. Nope. Not at all. But something in Tryndyx’s eyes tells me that what he speaks of is only the truth and nothing more.
    I took my hand from his and stood up to look out the window just as he did a moment ago. “So if what you are saying is true, then what do you propose I do?” I asked him still looking out at the window. A lot of the young Angels are playing out there. Giggling and having a great time. I suddenly felt a pang of loneliness. My childhood so far is never that fun for they always compare me to my twin. Still, I am young. I am still a child in the eyes of the other Angels even though I am already sixteen thousand years of age.
    I heard the crackling of papers as he took out something underneath and suddenly felt his hand brush away my hair. “W-what?” I started to turn but he whispered. “Don’t look. Stare at the view outside.” I did as I was told and felt him wrap something around my neck. “Done.” He said while I turned around. I fiddled with the necklace he gave me. “What is this for? It’s against all Trainee Angel’s protocol to wear an Angel’s stone until they are of age.”
    He gave a chuckle which is rare for the Head Angel for he always smiles not laugh. “You do remember that I’m the one who writes all the rules right?” He said as he chuckled and crinkled his eyes to show me that he thinks what I said is very funny. Of course I blushed and puffed my cheeks in a way that Tryndyx reached out and pinched it. “Little Angel, you are still young… You have a lot to learn. For now all you can do is to wait. For the prophecy stated that “once the Angel gifted with the Void has realized her power. Heaven shall fall under the eyes of the many and the Angel will start her journey while the others will fall and cower.”
    I absorbed what he said then I blurted out. “That prophecy is worse than the Seraph’s singing. It doesn’t even rhyme.” He chuckled as I looked at the necklace he gave me. It is a necklace made of wood. The design is black flames which puzzled me. Tryndyx took my hand and made me stand in front of a mirror while he stood behind me and laid his hands on either side of my shoulder. “Look at you. I am sure that you will blossom into a beautiful young Angel.” He smiled at me and I looked down in embarrassment. “By the way, that Angel stone is mine.” He said. I gasped and turned to look at him. “What? Then you should have it back!” I started to untie the necklace from my neck because an Angel’s Holy Stone is like their life. It is their life. The Angel stone will tell if the owner is in danger or not. Only the Angels who are married give away their Angel stone, usually to their wife or husband during the wars.
    He stopped my hand and shook his head. “Little Angel, I trust you whole-heartedly. Soon you will have to go out to the world beyond the Heavenly Realm and I wanted to assure you that I will always be here to await your return.” He smiled again and I felt my eyes p***k as tears started to well up. “Soon you will have an Angel stone of your own. For now, I just want you to have something of mine that’ll remind you that you’re not alone.” I smiled at him. “Thank you.”
    I was making my way out when he said. “Be careful of betrayal my dear Angel, especially from your dear Xenoheart.” I gave him a puzzled look before walking out of his office. I wonder what that is about?
    I yawned. I have been reading the Trainee Angel book for ages and I still don’t get why they bothered to put this all in writing. It all sounds unnecessary. A hand suddenly cupped my eyes so that I can’t see. “Guess who?” A voice that made my heart beat faster asked me. I smiled before pulling his hand away from my face. “Xenoheart! What art thou doing here? I thought that you have a duty back at the Mortal Realm?” I stood up to look at him.
    “Nah. I sneaked out. I needed to see you badly.” He suddenly hugged which caught me off-guard. I blushed as he kissed my cheek. “Lovely Angel.” He muttered then he froze. I moved away from him as he glared at Tryndyx’s Angel stone. “Who gave you that Angel Stone?” He asked darkly. I shifted my eyes and look away. “Answer me! Who?” He grabbed my arm forcefully which made me suddenly took in a sharp breath.
    I struggled. “Let go of the young Angel, Xenoheart or else you’ll be banished.” Tryndyx said as he entered the library. Xenoheart suddenly let go of me and walked away. I felt badly for what happened and started to follow him if it were not for Tryndyx who is blocking my way. “Let him go, little Angel.”
    I sat down, troubled. Tryndyx smiled at me as he started to pick up the Trainee Angel Manual. “You’re still reading?” He flipped through the pages and then stopped. “A demon does not have a heart, that’s why they can’t love.” I looked away from him as he closed the book. “Do you believe that saying? That a demon does not have a heart at all?”
    I shook my head and kept looking away from him. “I believe that everyone has a heart. Even if he is a demon.” I shut my mouth, not wanting to say more. “Ellspeth, do you know anything about your heritage?” He asked while I shook my head.
    “Ahh… I don’t think it is time to tell you yet. Maybe… Some other time.” He said and I finally made myself look at him. He gave me one of his fond smiles before walking out. What does he mean by that? Does that mean he knows?
    I stood up and picked up my book. Something red fell on the floor and I picked it up. It was a single rose petal. A rose petal means Good bye in Angel’s tradition. “Why?” I asked myself as I walked out of the library and towards my usual spot at the border. I hummed a few lines and the wind started to pick up. At least my wind is still with me.
    I froze as I felt a very dark and menacing aura coming from up ahead. I ran towards it and saw Xenoheart with his back to me. I slowed down as he laughed. “So you now have that b*****d as your Guardian, huh?” Xenoheart turned to me or what I thought of as Xenoheart. The one standing in front of me is nothing but a shell. I felt repulsed by the want of power he is letting out. “W-What is going on Xenoheart?” I asked him as I took a few steps back.
    He smiled at me. Shadow is forming around him and my eyes widened in shock. “I only want your Gift. That is why I chose to get nearer to you. Now be a good little Angel and submit to me.” He pointed the darkness to me as I started to run away. The force of the darkness hit me, pushing me off my feet. I rolled on the ground to stand up. I looked around, no Angel is around.
    Xenoheart laughed. “The Angels are all busy with the chaos I made.” He stalked towards me as I acted by impulse. I felt like I was not me as I ran towards him at full force. Xenoheart looked surprised at first then he laughed. I jumped and whispered a spell into my mind so that the water in the air froze and materialize into a sword that I swung towards Xenoheart. He dodged it easily and touched my sword which made it evaporate. “What?” I looked at my hand with surprise then I snapped out of it.
    ….Resvigae…..
    ….Straestrunae….
    ….Klaghir……
    I clutched my head. Voices. So many voices filled my mind. I wanted to scream out in pain and scream I did. I could faintly hear Xenoheart laugh as the voices in my head rose. I felt him grab my hair and saw him laughing to my face but all I could hear are the voices repeating the same words over and over again.
    ….Resvigae….
    ….Straestrunae…..
    ….Klaghir…..
    ….Alhiand……
    ….Vraelda….
    ….Diaspora…..
    ….Diaspora…..
    I felt tears run down my face as my mouth involuntarily moved by itself. Saying the words the voices said. Over and over again. “Resvigae…Straestrunae….Klaghir….” I whispered. Xenoheart frowned at me as he took out a large sword from its sheath. “Are you casting a spell, little Angel?” He chuckled as he put the sword to my neck. “No spell can save you. Now die!” He started to stab open my heart. I could feel the skin on my chest gave way but I still kept on saying the words.
    “Alhiand…Vraelda….Dias…pora…!” I can’t take the pain anymore. My life orb is rushing out of my heart. Xenoheart is pooling it at the palm of his hand while he looked on with greed. The light seems to be brighter everywhere. My mouth said a single word before everything around me went light for a second. “Diaspora…” I fell unconscious.
    I suddenly gasped awake and saw Tryndyx staring down at me. His face is so full of worry. “You almost died, Ellspeth.” He said calmly. I quickly touched the place where I hold my life orb and felt nothing but the material of my Angel clothing. “X-Xenoheart! He-!” I started to say but Tryndyx shook his head. “I know. You fought with him in the astral planes. I found you unconscious inside the library.”
    My mind flashed to the red petal. “So that red petal…?” Tryndyx nodded grimly. I quickly snapped out of my shock and ask another important question. “So where is he now? I didn’t kill him…” I stared at Tryndyx’s solemn face. “Right?” I asked more firmly. He smiled sadly at me.
    “Ellspeth, you casted a forbidden spell during thy fight. I have no idea where you learnt it from but it made Xenoheart fall into a half-dead state. He is currently locked away at the Tower of Eternal Sleep.” There was a moment of silence between us before the ground shaking suddenly took place.
    “What?” I looked around as the items around me shook. “What is happening? Why is the ground shaking? How long was I unconscious?” I asked as I tried to get up. Dizziness immediately assaulted my mind while Tryndyx sang the Song of Healing. I closed my eyes as he sang. Tryndyx finished and started humming a very melancholy yet beautiful song. I opened my eyes as I started to feel light and very safe. “What is that melody?” I asked him. He stopped humming and smiled sadly. “It is an incomplete song, my dear Ellspeth. I made it yet I can’t seem to find the perfect words to fit for this song.”
    He got up from the side of the bed and helped me up. “You have been asleep for three weeks. The Demons started assaulting the Guardians at the north gate the moment you fell unconscious in the library.” My mind flashed to the conversation me and Xenoheart had. The Angels are all busy with the chaos I made.
    “He orchestrated the war…” I whispered. I shook my head. Not wanting to believe that everything is happening so fast. Tryndyx sighed and looked away before saying. “You need to get out of here. Go to the Mortal Realm where you can be safe.”
    I stared at him, aghast. “What? Why? I should be fighting with thee! Not casted away into the Mortal Realm.” I started to walk away but I didn’t reach the door because my legs suddenly felt like jelly. Tryndyx caught me as I fell. He sighed again as if he is trying not to yell. “Angel, my main objective is to keep you safe and away from those Demons whom wish you harm. Here.” He took my hand and put a stone as big as my palm. I clenched my hand around it and felt the weight of it. It turned it over and saw that besides its golden color, it has a marking in the middle of it. The marking looked like a rune of some sort but for now, my mind is too blurred to process it.
    “What is it?” I asked as he gave me another stone. This one is just plain blue with no markings at all. He smiled sadly and released me. “It’s a Gift from your Father. He wishes you well and says that as His favorite daughter, you could bear the responsibility of creating peace where none exists.” Tryndyx stepped nearer to me as another tremor gripped the ground. “I had the pleasure of serving you, Milady.” He kissed my forehead and stepped back, smiling wistfully. “Now, go. Elder Michael is waiting for you at the top of the Tower of Babel.” He snapped and disappeared in a wisp of white feathers. I looked down at the two items I have in my hands and sighed before running out.
    Smoke. A lot of it. That is the first thing I noticed the moment I went out of the underground infirmary. I coughed and tried to see where I’m going. I dove to the left just in time to evade the bloodied remains of an Angel which was headed to my head. I hid behind the remains of the fountain and concentrated on summoning my weapon.
    An arm-length sword which is decorated with silver leaves and feathers materialized onto my hand as I cautiously looked around the boulder for the Demon. What I saw made me gasp silently. A young man my age is cleaning his sword on his cloak as he looked around for more Angels to kill. My gasp quickly brought his attention to my direction because he threw his sword towards me. I quickly hid again with a squeak as the metal of the blade connected with the Fountain’s pillar.
    I heard him approach and tried my best to remember any of my training. Okay. Just keep calm. Oh dear merciful Lord! He’s going to kill me! NO. NO. I said CALM. I mentally berated myself until I heard the Demon stop right beside me, halting everything I’m thinking. I slowly looked up at him as he glared at down at me. “Angels are so pathetic.” He said flatly before retrieving his sword which is embedded on fountain pillar. I stood up and smiled at him.
    “Hi! I’m Ellspeth!” He turned to glare at me but he received a handful of Morpheus’ powder on his face. I finished blowing the sleeping powder and watched him as he fell down and fell fast asleep. I smiled and poked his sleeping face. “See you later, Mr. Grumpy!” I smiled and quickly skipped away.
    “Hold the fort! We must not let them get to the Tower!” I heard an Angel shout. I was climbing the stair that connects the Heavenly Realm to the Tower of Babel. “Hurry up, dear Angel. We don’t have much time.” Elder Michael said rather impatiently. I ran to his side and looked at him for what to do. “Show me the stones and step back. I must not be bothered by anything as I recited the Hymn of the Ancients.” He walked slowly towards the single altar at the end of the stairway. I glanced at him before watching the progress of the war.
    From where I’m standing, I could see almost all of Heaven. That’s why seeing the Stone Guardian being attacked made me take a double-take. The Stone Guardian received a pinpointed spell which made pink crystallized power appear all over its wings and destroy it. Another tremor gripped the ground as the Stone Guardian let out a silent yell.
    I heard somebody smirk, snapping me out of my apparent shock. “I told you being here is safer. You wouldn’t want to be there, don’t you?” I glanced down and saw a Demon. His hair is green of the darkest hue that I almost thought that it was black and eyes as gold as the morning light. He chuckled at my expression and waved his hand back and forth. “Ah well, Angels have to die someday so why not now? After all, everyone dies in the end.” He gave me a dark smile as walked away. Do I know him? I looked at his back with confusion before becoming alert when another Demon took his place. This Demon wore a stoic expression as he took out a large blade. He charged towards Elder Michael and panic took place inside me. No.
    A foreign voice inside my head exclaimed as my body moved on auto-pilot and blocked off the Demon’s attack. I got thrown and I flipped in the air to glare at the Demon. I broke the ultimate rule of the Trainee Angel code by spreading out my wings to halt my descent. Elder Michael is still singing all through out what is happening. An Angel Trainee must not let out her wings unless he/she already graduated in the Academy… The rule repeated itself in my head but I ignored it.
    I tightened my hold on my blade and quickly casted out my magic, creating another identical blade so now, I held two weapons. I charged towards the Demon with fervor that is unknown to even myself. I surprised myself when I actually landed a hit which made him take a step back. Somebody chuckled and I glanced again to the direction of the laughing Demon. Behind his shadow is my sister. Aurora. She somehow changed and I cannot point out the difference but I’m sure that’s her. She wore the same light aura that connects me to my sister. I moved to call out to her but I was quickly occupied by the incoming Demon. He continued lashing out, every attack made me take a step back because of the force.
    I prayed fervently to my dearest Father and hoped that Elder Michael finished his Hymn. I was about to give up when the singing stopped and piercing light enveloped me. The impact threw the Demon away from me as the light from the skies took hold of my body. I felt weightless as I left the Heavenly Realm and entered the Mortal Realm.