Aiden's Story (A Watcher Novel)

by S. J. West

  Brand and Mason came to stand by us. Michael turned to them and said, “Take your men and join Malcolm.”

  They bowed their heads to Michael and phased up to the rest of the Vanguard in the stadium to give them their instructions. Within a matter of seconds, they were gone.

  “Bring your troops in but keep them behind the Vanguard for as long as you can,” Michael told Chayyliel. “The more of this battle they witness the more they will understand what is expected of them.”

  “Understood,” Chayyliel said, bowing his head to Michael.

  Michael phased leaving the coliseum to only us War Angels.

  “Are you ready for a real fight?” Chayyliel said to me in a low voice.

  “It’s what I was made for,” I responded, trying to keep in mind the advice Michael had just given me about controlling my temper and not letting it control me in battle.

  I knew I still had a lot to learn, but the prospect of a true fight to the death set my soul on fire with anticipation.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Phasing in Heaven is similar to phasing on Earth. You can’t travel somewhere you haven’t been to before unless you follow someone else’s phase trail. Chayyliel phased to the battle first, and we all followed him. When we got there, the fighting was well underway. It wasn’t hard to tell the difference between the Vanguard and the rebellion angels. The souls of those who followed Lucifer were black as night while the souls fighting on God’s behalf were as bright as the sun.

  Chayyliel held up a fisted hand over his head, signaling that we were only allowed to stand and watch. He had already explained that we weren’t permitted to join the combat until he gave the order. I don’t think any of us liked being made to observe from the sidelines. We wanted to be in the middle of the fray and perform the task we were created to accomplish. However, in hindsight, I can now see the wisdom in making us observe how the Vanguard fought.

  They attacked in small groups of two or three so that their backs were always protected. If you tried to fight on your own, you were quickly descended upon by the enemy. That point was made clear as I watched one Vanguard die, leaving his partner vulnerable to attack from behind. Two rebellion angels saw the opening and dove in to take advantage of it. Chayyliel must have seen it too because he quickly phased in to block the strikes of the rebellion angels which would have surely killed the Vanguard left unprotected.

  None of us knew exactly what to do next, but since we no longer had someone preventing us from joining the fight, we charged into battle. The rebellion angels didn’t know what hit them. We were quick, vicious and determined to prove our worth. I don’t think any of us wanted to disappoint God and cause him to regret his decision to create us. In a way, our self-worth was directly connected to winning the war. If we couldn’t complete our mission, what was the point of our existence?

  Somehow, Dumah and I teamed up during the fight. We were a lethal combination together and made quick work of those who would oppose us.

  I wish I could tell you that I felt remorseful for killing all those angels, but I didn’t. I felt absolutely nothing at the time except a sense of accomplishment. To me, they were just the enemy, and the sooner they were all dead the better. Now, knowing what I do, I feel a great deal of sorrow over their deaths, but I still don’t feel any regret about what I had to do. There was no other option except death for those who rebelled. We couldn’t simply turn a blind eye and allow Lucifer and his followers to win. The war we fought in Heaven wasn’t only for us. It was also for humanity. We all knew Lucifer would attack Earth next if he won in Heaven. He was completely out of control and needed to be put down quickly before he infected others with his hatred.

  In Heaven, in order for one angel to truly kill another, you have to destroy their soul. There is a realm of Heaven for those angels who have died outside of it to reside in, like the ones who have died here on Earth, but the angels who perished during the war in Heaven were lost forever. The energy that made up their bodies and souls was dispersed back into the universe to be used to create something else. Even Heaven has to follow the laws of physics to a certain extent.

  Our weapons were able to pierce the souls of the angels we fought against, dooming them to nonexistence. That’s one reason the war was so hard to fight for the Vanguard. They were exacting a true death sentence on those who had been their friends, their family for eons.

  That first foray into battle didn’t last very long. The rebellion angels soon began phasing away, and I think all of the War Angels felt a sense of disappointment that it ended so quickly. It felt like we had just started fighting, feeding our hunger for battle for only a short time. All it did was whet our appetites for more.

  As I looked around, I saw one fight that was still raging. One rebellion angel continued to fight Brand even after the others had left. The Vanguard present stood and watched, none of them attempting to interfere. Not that I thought any of us should intervene, but it seemed strange to stand silently by as this solitary fight occurred in front of us. It was like watching a dance of sorts between good and evil. I could tell from watching them that this wasn’t a random pairing of combatants. This was no ordinary fight. The aggressiveness displayed by both of them made it obvious it was a fight that had been a long time coming, and neither Brand nor the other angel would give up until there was a clear victor. The fight between them raged on longer than the actual battle had. Yet, we were all captivated by its fierce intensity. Neither of them attempted to use phasing during the fight. This was a head-to-head contest, which gave the impression of being extremely personal.

  “I don’t know why he keeps trying,” Desmond said, coming to stand beside me as we all observed the duel from a distance.

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  “Brand’s fighting his best friend…or, I guess I should say, his best friend before the war began,” Desmond told me. “Every other time they’ve stayed away from each other on the battlefield. But, I’ve seen Brand try to talk him into coming back to us. Maybe he finally understands what a lost cause that is now. I think Brand’s finally decided the only way to break Lucifer’s hold over Will is death.”

  Yes, the angel your father was fighting is someone you’ve met before. He was one of your mother’s best friends while he was alive here on Earth, and now, in death, he’s meant to protect our descendants. Thinking back to that fight, I never could have imagined your brother’s namesake would have such a close tie with my future.

  I’m not sure if fatigue from the fight finally set in or if your father’s intense determination won out, but Will eventually made a mistake, which allowed your father an opening.

  As the tip of Brand’s blade pierced through Will’s body, hovering barely an inch away from his darkened soul, Brand begged, “Don’t make me do this. Don’t make me kill you.”

  “If you want to stop me,” Will countered viciously, “then you’ll have to kill me! I would rather be dead than have to listen to you begging me to change my ways every time we meet on the battlefield. Why can’t you admit that you’re on the wrong side of this war?”

  “And why are you so sure you’re on the right side of it?”

  “Open your eyes, Brand! Look at what the humans really are. They don’t belong on Earth or in Heaven. They will destroy what God has created because they’re greedy and selfish. All they do is think about what they need…what they want! They’re like a plague bent on destruction, and they have to be stopped!” Will ranted.

  Brand shook his head at Will, and I could tell by the look of despair on his face that he knew Will was too far gone to listen to reason.

  “You sound as insane as Lucifer,” Brand whispered more to himself than to Will, as if realization was finally sinking in.

  “You know what I’m saying is true!” Will countered, filled with his own righteous indignation. “The humans will be the end of us all!”

  “I don’t believe that,” Brand said, lowering his sword from Will’s soul to hang by hi
s side. “I think we’re well on our way to doing that ourselves without their help.”

  “There’s still time for you to join us, Brand,” Will insisted, appearing to be just as determined as your father to win him to his side of the fight. “You have to know when Lucifer wins he won’t let any of you live. He’ll kill you to make sure you can’t rise up against him.”

  “I feel sorry for you,” Brand said to Will, shaking his head in pity. “Lucifer has filled your mind with things that will never come to pass. Our side will win this war, and when we do, God will pass judgment on you for choosing to fight against Him. When He does that, I fear you will lose Heaven forever.”

  “The Heaven we knew is already lost,” Will replied in disgust. “It was destroyed the moment the first human soul was created. Why can’t you see that?”

  “Go,” Brand said in a quiet, controlled tone. “And know that the next time we fight, it will be to the death.”

  Will looked almost startled by Brand’s words but quickly recovered.

  “So be it,” he retorted in anger.

  Will phased away, and your father silently stared at his phase trail for a while before phasing to his own destination.

  “I hope they never meet in battle again,” Desmond said to me, sounding despondent about such an occurrence.

  I turned to look at him and asked, “Why?”

  “Because I think killing Will would end up destroying Brand too.”

  “I think Brand’s stronger than you give him credit for,” a new voice chimed in.

  Desmond looked at the angel standing on his other side.

  “I’m surprised to hear that from you, Malcolm,” Desmond said. “I thought you and Brand didn’t like each other very much.”

  “We don’t, but that doesn’t mean I don’t respect him. He has his faults, but who among us doesn’t? Well, except for maybe me of course,” Malcolm said with a roguish grin.

  Malcolm looked over at me.

  “So, what did you think about your first fight?” He asked me.

  “It ended too soon,” I said truthfully.

  Malcolm narrowed his eyes on me as if he found my statement a curious thing to say, but he didn’t have a chance to say anything else.

  “Vanguard!” Michael called out as he flew over our heads. “Go back to your designated posts and await further instructions. Keep your guard up for any more attacks from Lucifer’s forces. Today’s skirmish was small in comparison to what I fear we will have to face soon. Lucifer seems to be testing our tactics and resolve to keep the realm of human souls protected. We will have to wait and see what his next move will be. For now, we must stay vigilant in our fight against him and hope that our new brethren, the War Angels, can help us bring a swift end to this conflict. After today, Lucifer knows they exist. We’ll have to wait to see what he plans to do next. Chayyliel will give his War Angels their orders. The rest of you know where you are most needed.”

  Michael and the majority of the Vanguard phased away to their pre-designated posts. A small battalion of them stayed behind to keep watch.

  We all naturally gathered around Chayyliel to await our next orders.

  “Those of you who were made by your Guardian to be their personal protector need to phase back to the Guf and guard it. The rest of you should stay here and help protect the realm of human souls. As soon as Lucifer makes his next move, you will all be notified. Now go, and perform the jobs you were made for.”

  “I’ll see you later, brother,” Desmond said, shaking my hand. “I have to stay here and protect the veil, but I’ll come see you in the Guf later. I’ll be one of the Vanguard in charge of your sparring sessions. Maybe we can teach each other some things.”

  “I look forward to that,” I told him, truly meaning it.

  When I phased back to the Guf, Andel was busy making another soul, but he stopped what he was doing to welcome me back.

  “How did things go with the others?” He asked, giving me his full attention.

  I told him what happened in the arena, not leaving out any detail. He looked concerned when I told him about losing my temper, and relieved that I didn’t actually kill Brand and Mason.

  “Perhaps I made you a bit too aggressive,” he said, more to himself than to me as he turned to consider the new soul he was creating. “I thought it would give you an advantage, but it might prove to be a detriment instead.”

  “Well, this is a war,” I said. “Shouldn’t we get angry about it?”

  “Yes, of course,” Andel replied. “But like Michael said, it could cause you to lose control of yourself and neglect your duty to protect your friends in battle.”

  “I don’t really see them as my friends,” I told him honestly.

  “In time, I hope you will,” Andel replied looking back at me. “I gave you the capacity to form bonds with others, but you have to willingly open yourself up to them first.”

  “I only care what happens to you.”

  “But your existence will be very lonely if you keep yourself isolated from the others, Aiden. Life is only worth living because of the bonds we form with those around us. If you never allow yourself to care and be cared for by someone else, what is the point of your existence? You have the potential to love very deeply, Aiden. I should know. I designed you.”

  “Andel,” a new voice said, interrupting our conversation.

  When I looked over Andel’s shoulder, I saw God for the very first time. He was someone who needed no introduction.

  Andel turned around to face God. “Father, what brings you here? Is there a problem?”

  “I came to view your handiwork,” God replied looking at me. “I heard he was able to defeat all of the other War Angels in practice today.”

  “Yes, he was,” Andel said proudly, glancing at me over his shoulder. “Aiden has exceeded my expectations.”

  “I was wondering if I could borrow him for a little while,” God said. “There’s something I would like him to see.”

  “Of course, Father.”

  “Is that all right with you, Aiden?” God asked.

  I nodded, not quite certain why God would be choosing me to go with him. There were a lot of other War Angels in the Guf visiting their own Guardians. Why was he singling me out? At the time, I wasn’t completely sure it was a good thing.

  God held his hand out to me. I hesitated for only a second before placing my hand into His.

  I didn’t know where He wanted to take me, but I certainly never would have guessed our destination.

  The sun shone brightly in a clear blue sky. The sound of the wind rustling through the wheat surrounding us was strangely comforting to me. Off in the distance, I could see a river and a grove of date trees.

  “Where are we?” I asked God as I let go of His hand to run my fingers over the tops of the heads of wheat, feeling their prickly surface.

  “This is Earth,” God told me. “I thought you might be curious to know where and how the humans live.”

  “Why is it that Lucifer hates the humans so much?”

  “He’s under the misguided impression that I love them more than I do him,” God sighed sadly.

  I looked over at God to watch His expression before I asked, “Do you?”

  “No,” He said with a shake of His head to emphasize His answer. “I love you all equally.”

  “Then why did you ask Lucifer to bow down to them if you knew he hated them so much?”

  “Lucifer thinks himself above humanity. By asking him to spend time here to help them, I hoped he would come to understand why I love them just as much as I love him. Unfortunately, Lucifer decided to rebel against my request instead and started the war.”

  “We will end it for you,” I promised God.

  “I know you will, Aiden. I have complete faith in you and the other War Angels. However, there is a small request I would ask of you.”

  “What is it?”

  “There are some members of my Vanguard who are leery of you after your displ
ay of temper earlier in the arena. A few of them have come to me with their concerns about you and the other War Angels. They think I’ve made an error in judgment in asking the Guardians to create you. I would like you to prove them wrong. Show them that you and your brothers aren’t a mistake.”

  “I regret the way I acted against Brand and Mason, but I learned a great deal from it,” I told Him. “The others need to realize that we’re new to all of this…to everything. It will take some time for us to find our place. We are not mistakes, and we won’t let you down.”

  “Good,” God said, smiling tenderly at me. “I think you needed to hear yourself say that. I have the utmost faith in you and the other War Angels, Aiden. Don’t ever doubt that.”

  And from that moment on, I never did.

  With that cleared up, I continued to look around me and noticed a small village not far in the distance.

  “Are those small structures what they live in?” I asked, nodding towards the settlement.

  “Yes. Would you like to see them?”

  “Won’t we scare the humans?”

  “No, my son. They are unable to see us in our present forms. We can walk among them unnoticed.”

  “Then, yes. I would like to see them.”

  God gently took hold of my arm and phased us down to the middle of the village.

  It wasn’t very large or impressive. Overall, it was only composed of about twenty buildings constructed out of sun-dried mud bricks. Most of them appeared to be only one or two room dwellings. I watched as a group of men with sickles began walking towards the wheat field we just departed from. A group of children was playing a game of chase in the center of town, and it was the first time I ever heard laughter.

  “Humans divide themselves up into families,” God told me, noticing my curiosity about the children. “A man and a woman can come together to produce offspring. It takes years for their children to learn enough to become self-sufficient, and during that time, a strong bond develops, which makes the family stronger. Humanity has the capacity for greatness, but they are a lot like children at this stage of their evolution. They will need some gentle guidance to reach their full potential.”