“Alex!”
He waved a hand at her and she fell silent.
“Don’t hide her, Alexander, I want to fight the pair of you,” Gabriel shouted as he began his long, slow walk towards them.
Alex raised his blade, tightening his grip. “Tough,” the angel said defiantly, despite his complaining wing. “No cheap tricks,” he shouted, nodding towards his wounds, “we settle this honourably.”
Gabriel smiled but continued his slow walk. “Like the time you distracted me and she planted a sword in my back? Remember that?”
Fresh pain washed through Alexander and he shivered. “You left me with no other option. You were mad.” Still are.
Gabriel’s smile widened. He threw out his hand, firing a bolt of blue lightning.
Alex moved too slowly and the blast hit him square on - sending him flying backwards. He felled Hayley. She screamed in agony as his weight crushed her. Alex lurched upright onto his feet - his eyes swirling with blue storms. The angel loosed his own bolt of electricity. Gabriel caught it on his blade, using the metal as a lightning rod. Dropping his sword, Alex flung another which caught Gabriel square in the chest. There was an explosion of white light and the fallen angel went flying backwards.
Before Alex could make another move, Hayley ducked under his wing and reaching up yanked both the blades free. The angel cried out, and his wing swept back in pain. But there was no time to curse his lover - he kept his eyes firmly on Gabriel the whole time. Holding out his hand, Alex’s fallen blade returned to his grasp. Seeing Gabriel launch himself into the air and at them in a high pounce, Hayley ducked back behind her guardian just as Alex loosed another bolt.
Gabriel vanished before it reached him. He reappeared behind Alex, swinging his blade in a horizontal arc. Hayley turned, catching it on the edge of her blade. She pushed his away and Gabriel swung again. Hayley blocked again and ducked - just as Alex threw a bolt of lightning. Gabriel vanished again and the shot caught the ground, causing it to explode in a shower of debris. He re-emerged three feet behind Alex and swung again. But his sword froze midflight. Gabriel trembled against an invisible force that repelled him. Alex spun on his heels and delivered a jaw-breaking punch to his brother’s face. The blow was enough to send the black feathered angel staggering. Alex made a lazy swing to his right and Gabriel raised his blade to parry it. At the last moment Alex pulled back and threw another bolt of lightning - which sent Gabriel flying backwards once again. As he staggered to his feet - he screamed. Trembling violently, the fallen archangel gazed at his chest - to find a bloodied shuriken embedded in it. Hayley slid off Alex’s back, having climbed up to hurl the weapon.
Gritting his teeth, Gabriel ripped it from his chest, taking shreds of his black shirt and pink flesh with it. Blood poured black from the ghastly wound, but it did not seem to ail him. Casting the blade aside, he grinned at Alex.
The guardian raised his sword.
“Alex, there’s another one,” Hayley said, clocking Gabriel’s clone further down the alley.
Alex did not dare remove his eyes from the first. “Keep watching him.”
“Can you copy yourself just now?” Hayley asked, lifting her sword.
“No.”
“Shit.”
Alex flexed his wings slightly - his left now fully healed. “We’ve got this,” he said as both fallen angels began to advance on them.
The one heading for Hayley suddenly faltered. His eyes grew wide and frightened as the colour drained from his features. Hayley stared at him curiously, keeping her blade up. A drowning gurgle passed from his lips and he exploded in a cloud of black ash.
The one facing Alex hissed and vanished. “Hayley?” Alex asked, not daring to turn away for fear of a trap.
“He just…turned to ash…”
“He’s gone,” called a familiar voice. Alex turned and raised his gaze to see Michael. The archangel landed before Hayley on enormous wings.
“Are you all right?” Alex asked, turning to him.
Michael nodded. “I am fine and you two?” he asked, looking to Hayley.
She gave a meek nod, as did Alex.
“I am sorry it took me so long to get here but you were right, he has grown much stronger. It was difficult fighting his aura with my own. He had enclosed the entire town,” Michael said, between short breaths.
Hayley shot him a puzzled look but said nothing. Wiping the sweat and gore from her face she looked at Alex.
“John and Christopher?” the guardian asked, making no attempt to conceal his fear.
“They’re safe. They managed to get out of town just after Gabriel started making it rain fire. Christopher teleported before Gabriel blocked the nether.”
Alex nodded. He turned to Hayley and held an arm out to her. The Glaswegian came to his side, quietly accepting a cuddle.
Chapter Nine
Michael carefully held the shuriken up to the light to get a better look at its design. Even in the glow of the ruddy sunset no light caught its edge. It was as black as tar and its surface was smooth and flawless. “It is definitely made from tridrodrite,” he said.
Alex drew closer, gazing curiously at the deadly device. “The same as our swords, how is that possible? No one has access to that metal but our blacksmiths.” He looked at Michael. “It’s been a long time since I was home, have they started making these?”
“No,” Michael replied, replacing the weapon on the badly gashed wooden table they had managed to salvage from the rubble. They had returned to what was left of the archangel’s tower half an hour before to see what they could find that had survived. There had not been much.
“I know it is not my place to ask but…”
“Did Gabriel tell me anything?” Michael said.
“Yeah.”
“Not much but I did find out who let him out of his cell. It was Mark.”
Alex nodded as he looked over the strange black blades lay before him. “It makes sense.”
“It seems Mark was always on Gabriel’s side since the day he fell.”
“He did well keeping that to himself.”
“Indeed,” Michael said, looking surprised. “But that’s what Gabriel claimed anyway.”
“He was an archangel once. It makes sense that some old friends of his will always defend him regardless of what happens.”
“And they were close once, many years ago. I know that as a fact.”
Michael looked at the ruins that sprawled out all around them. “You have to excuse me, I must prepare,” Michael said.
Alex gave a respectful bow. Spreading his wings, Michael launched himself into the crimson sky. John came to stand by Alex. “Where is he going?”
Alex did not take his eyes from the dwindling angel. “You’ll see.” He held his hand out and said, “Hayley.” Without word she slipped her hand into his and he drew her close.
Christopher glanced skyward for a moment as he approached John. “I know you will not be keen on this,” he said, getting the youth’s attention, “but if you wish to stay here you will need to let me protect you with my wings.”
John gave him a dirty look. “I don’t think so.”
“Then we will have to watch from the hillside,” Christopher said, reaching for John’s hand.
He pulled away. “Don’t touch me!”
“John,” Alex said, getting his attention. “Unless you want to be crushed in a hurricane of stone and brick then let Christopher take you away.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Christopher grabbed him by the shoulder and they vanished with the wind.
Hayley looked at Alex. “He’s going to be pissed off.”
“Let him be,” Alex said, releasing her for a second. Turning to the table, he lifted the two shuriken, being careful to wrap them in the scrap of wheaten cloth that lay beneath. Securing them to his sword belt, he turned back to Hayley, arms wide. She squeezed herself against him and Alex’s wings wrapped about them, forming a cocoon. Her closeness made the
angel’s pulse race. He could feel hers quickening in unison. Leaning down, the two exchanged a long, lingering kiss. Hayley pulled away when her soul sparked, causing her to gasp. Alex steadied her. “It’s ok, kindred, it’s ok,” he whispered.
Hayley pressed her head against his chest, drawing deep breaths. “This is starting to drive me crazy. I can’t get close to you without feeling like my chest or head are about to explode.”
Alex squeezed her more. “I know,” he whispered. “But don’t get upset over something you cannot control.”
“Alex…”
“Shh, close your eyes, Michael’s just about to start. I’ll let you see everything through mine.”
Hayley did as she was told. A few moments later the darkness cleared, giving way to Alex’s vision over the field of rubble and half destroyed buildings. The experience made her feel a little queasy and a little odd, especially seeing the top of her own head and Alex’s wings. But all that was forgotten as soon as the stones around them began to move.
Small ones began to skitter past them, before the larger ones started to roll by. They all headed the same direction, only ever veering course to avoid Alex. Then the wind picked up, whipping up a howling dust cloud of stone and debris. The funnel chased the blue sky higher and higher until it blocked it out all together. Alex sensed Hayley’s fear. It’s all right, Michael won’t hurt us. Alex turned his gaze skyward, catching a glimpse of the speck on high that was the archangel. He then turned his gaze toward where the tower stood and felt Hayley’s wonder as the old stones began to stack themselves in a conical fashion. Alex swept his gaze around smiling, drinking in the sight of the street and market place reassembling itself. Each was rebuilt in time with its neighbours, their simultaneous construction only breaking once the smaller homes and shops were finished. Shards of broken glass sparkled as they raced by, fitting themselves into the empty window frames. The cracks that separated them vanished like a million spindly white spider legs fleeing across their surfaces. The tower was the last structure to be completed. Alex and Hayley watched as the mortar refilled the cracks between the stones, line after grey line racing its way to the top as the slates realigned the sloping roof. Once the final slate had been placed the wind stopped and the dust fell like rain.
Alex covered Hayley’s head then with his own and shut his eyes. After a few moments he parted his wings, dislodging clouds of beige dust. Hayley coughed, bringing a hand to her mouth. “Come here,” Alex said, patting her on the back. Smiling he rubbed her hair, knocking more dust off. “Sorry, I forgot it sometimes gets a little messy.”
Hayley coughed again, this time spitting up a mouthful of dirt. “You could have warned me.” She did not notice Michael land on silent wings beside her. When she did finally notice him, she jumped. “Please don’t do that,” she said, taking a deep breath to steady her racing heart.
“My apologies, I thought you had seen me.”
Hayley turned on her heels, taking in the scene around her. She wiped the dust from her face as she spun, forgetting her dry, scratchy throat. “That was amazing,” she said. “Everything looks the same.”
Michael smiled. “That’s because it is the same, my child.”
“Can you do that?” Hayley asked, turning to Alex. He shook his head.
“I will send for the townsfolk then we will talk about how to proceed from here,” Michael said, turning away. He took a few steps then disappeared.
Hayley looked at Alex, who gestured towards the door of the tower.
******
The white raven shrieked from its perch on Michael’s shoulder as he entered the study. Ruffling its feathers, it flapped angrily. “Easy,” the archangel said gently and the bird seemed to settle.
“What’s its problem?” John asked, twisting in his seat to see the bird as Michael walked behind him to his desk.
“He is skittish after all the commotion, that is all,” Michael said. He held his arm out. The raven shuffled down his sleeve a few steps before flapping the final length to its newly remade perch. It squawked and shook its head from side to side. Shuffling its wings one more time, it turned its beady black eyes on John.
Michael took his seat. Christopher sat on a stool beside him, while John sat in an old, worn red leather recliner opposite him. Hayley and Alex sat in the same chair as they had done earlier in the day. The archangel looked around the assembled party. “I do not know where Gabriel has gone. He fled across the realms when I finally managed to best him.” There was sadness in his eyes. “You were right to fear him, Alexander, Christopher. His powers are indeed returning to him and at a frightening rate.”
“There is no way Chris and I can fight him on our own now,” Alex said. “I don’t feel safe taking Hayley and John home while he remains on the loose.”
“I agree, you are far safer staying here.”
“Are you kidding me?” John snapped. “We barely escaped when he blew this place up! Why would we be any safer staying here now?” he asked, his colour rising.
“Mike’s beaten him twice today alone, I think he’s right,” Hayley argued.
“Pfft. Hardly! This place was blown to bits!” John shouted, waving his hand around the room. He fell back into his seat, folding his arms. “Next time we won’t be so lucky.”
“Where would you suggest we go then?” Christopher asked quietly.
“I don’t want to go anywhere! I just want to go home!”
“John, please,” Christopher said softly, shaking his head, “it is not safe for…”
“I don’t care!” John shouted, jumping to his feet. “Why can’t you just take me home?”
“You fear for your mother but she is safe,” Michael said, rising to his feet. “I have spoken to Andrew. He watches over her.”
“Oh fuck off! How can you talk to him? That’s impossible!” John shook his head. “I wish you bloody lot would start making sense!” He turned to Hayley and Alex. “Alex, please, I just want to see my mum,” he pleaded, with large, tear-rimmed eyes.
The angel stared at him for a long moment. He shook his head. “I’m sorry…”
“For fuck sake!” he cursed, stomping for the door, tears forgotten. The raven shrieked and flapped its wings but John ignored it. He slammed the door behind him, setting the bird to shrieking even louder.
Christopher hurried to his feet. “I am sorry, I will fetch him.”
“Watch over him but be discreet, he has seen much horror these past few days and needs time to come to terms with circumstances.”
“I will,” The blond-haired angel said with a hasty bow. He hurried out the door.
Once he was gone, Hayley and Alex looked at one another but said nothing.
******
Night had fallen over Longtown. The streets were still busy, however, which was expected given the traumatic events of the day. Many sat outside homes and bars in large groups, supping on food and chatting about the day’s events. Occasionally from his high perch on the tower roof Michael could hear laughter, but it was always few and far between. It pained his heart. He gazed out at the constellations that glittered above the horizon of the dark sea beyond the harbour. Michael drew a deep breath of the cold night air and sighed. Crossing his legs, he shut his eyes in preparation to meditate. The sound of feet on the tiles made him open them again. He looked round to see Alex folding his wings shut, Hayley in his arms.
“We’re sorry to bother you so late, Michael,” Alex apologised, releasing his human counterpart.
Michael smiled, his flawless features catching in the eerie glow of the moonlight. “It is quite all right.” He gestured for them to sit alongside him.
Alex nodded his appreciation. “Hayley wanted to speak to you.”
Michael laughed. “Come to quiz me again, have we young one?”
“Pretty much,” Hayley said bluntly, a little more than she intended to. She sat down. “No one gets to speak to angels while they’re alive so I thought I may as well take the opportunity.”
“You’ve been with Alex for years,” Michael said, nodding to the guardian.
“Yeah, well, he can be about as clear as a puddle of mud sometimes.” Alex frowned but said nothing.
Michael smiled. “And what makes you believe my answers will be any clearer? Forgive me but you are only human, there are many things I could tell you which you would never begin to comprehend.”
“Maybe not now but one day.” She pointed to the side of her head. “It’s all in here somewhere.”
Michael nodded. “This is true but I do not wish to waste your time with things you will either not understand at this moment or things you already know but have locked away somewhere.”
Hayley shrugged. “No harm in asking, right?”
Michael smiled again. “Ask your question then, little one, you amuse me.”
Hayley bit her lip for a moment and gazed out at the stars. “What’s my name? My real name?”
“Hayley…” Alex sighed, shaking his head at her.
“It’s quite all right, Alexander, she is entitled to an answer,” he said with a wave of the hand. He looked back to Hayley. “Alas, I am afraid I do not have one as you were never named.”
“How could I live for a thousand years and not have a name?”
“That is because you were not given one. We are named by our Creator usually after we are carved but he never bestowed one on you. However, after you left us, it transpired He had decided not to name you until you returned.”
Hayley stared at him. “What are you saying? He knew I would volunteer to leave?”
“You should not be surprised,” the archangel said, but not unkindly.
“What about Gabriel then? All the things he’s done? Did he see that?”
A sad look crossed his face. “Unfortunately not,” he said, gazing into the night sky. After a moment his gaze returned to Hayley. “You know Gabriel ruined the Creator’s plans when he went to Earth, when he attacked Glasgow. All of that was never meant to happen, thus all the events since then were never meant to happen. You are not meant to be sitting on this roof at this moment speaking to me, we were never meant to meet again until you had shed your human vessel.”