An Angel's Ascent

by Christina Worrell

“They know,” Aries shared.

  “Well, we have a crew going to the island with Cross and Arch to make plans. They have to get a cargo ship to bring in machinery and supplies. We’ve set up a date to start on things but since this is Kali's deal we thought that Angel should be the one to draw up blue prints. We also spoke with our account manager. He is putting everything we have into a single account, cutting off bills, selling anything of value and more or less making us gypsies.”

  “I spoke with my family, and the cabin is yours. The keys are with the caretaker who’s expecting you. He’s stocking it as well for two weeks for Angel,” Thorn told Aries and me.

  “Good everything is moving along,” Aries said.

  “I’m still confused,” Michael said.

  “Question is will you come with us when we move there?” I asked him.

  “Well, I guess, but what about my parents? They won't come.”

  “I’ll send them a free vacation right before all this happens. Tell them I married Aries, he owned an island; we are making a resort and need your help. Tell them after you have been gone a month or so that you want them to come see what you've been working on and give them time to think it over. A lot of people are going to get this version of the truth. Ravens sister and fiancée, or whoever will be asked to work at the resort as a nurse and repairman.” Michael seemed to calm down when I told him this. I’d been thinking it might be best. So I needed to make blueprints.

  “So, now what?” Switch asked.

  “We make more plans. I want it to look like a resort, built around the castle monastery that’s already there. It needs to work with the temperatures and climate there so plenty of windows. Find out if there happens to be any natural hot springs and work with them to make showers, hot water. We won't have room for homes, so maybe a hotel. We could make the monastery into a hotel, using the caves underneath for storage and stuff. We have to remember the women and children, though. And make sure there’s a big enough church. I don’t think we want any religious symbols, having multi cultures there possibly. People can be fanatical about those things.”

  “That sounds great Angel. We’ll need a cafeteria and library.”

  “Build that into the hotel. Make the cafeteria like a restaurant, but keep in mind that it should be efficient,” I said. I grabbed pen and paper and jotted the ideas down.

  Everyone was waiting on me before they threw out more ideas.

  “No vehicles. We will need the gas for generators. Like we said before we will use solar panels and natural resources. No pools, we can make the ocean work to our advantage there. One way or another if we have to make our own beach, what’s a resort without a beach, right? What else?”

  Aries, Switch, Thorn and I had been throwing out those ideas.

  “With that many people we will need field’s, right? And people in charge of those. For all of this, we’ll need someone to hire the right people. People with children, as long as we don’t go over our limit right?” Raven asked.

  “Yep and I know who that should be, you and Michael. He can help in other places as well, but I know you two are smart and can make this work. You’re a natural leader Raven. I think after everyone is hired you and Michael can run the hotel. Your job could be to make sure things get done, and people have beds. We want people comfortable. I also want a room for training self-defense to everyone on the island. Which reminds me, I need to make a call to my sensei, I want him to come with us and train people,” I told the others.

  “Thorn and I’ll stay here with Michael and Raven and come up with floor plans. I can draw so I’ll do this, I want people to go over them and tell me what changes need done,” Switch said.

  “I’m going to call him now,” I said.

  It was seven and twilight. I knew he’d just be getting home from his weekend classes.

  “Hello Angel.”

  “Sensei?” I asked, stupefied he’d known it was me.

  “I’ve been expecting this call. I will cut to the chase, as you Americans say. I’m immortal Angel. I’ve known this was coming and sensed your part in this. Did you ever wonder why I pushed you over the all the others. Someone had to train you, yes?”

  “I guess. So you know why I called?” I asked, reeling from this new surprise.

  “You mean the end of the world? That you will save us? That’s about all I know. You’ll have to explain the rest when I get there. I need two days to tie up some things here. Where can I meet you?” he asked. His accent was chilling. He was obvious half Chinese and half something else. Not quite American but something like Indian or Italian.

  “Aries, where will we be in two days?” I asked. He came up beside me and held out his hand.

  I handed it over without a question.

  “Hello Angel’s Sensei. This is Aries, lead singer of the Undead Ones.”

  “Hi Aries, call me Sen. Everyone does.”

  “Alright, well Angels um, having technical difficulties. She needs to be somewhere she won't hurt anyone. We have some cabins. If I give you directions can you find it?”

  “Yes.”

  I wandered over to Switch.

  My Sensei is coming to the cabin with us. I was going to ask if you wanted to come with us.”

  “Sure, I may be in town a lot dealing with the guys, but I can drop in each night. With Aries, your Sensei, and you there. I think all will be good.”

  “He’s an immortal, as well. He didn’t say what kind but that he was.”

  “He's a shape shifter. Not a werewolf, but he can change into one if he chose. I can sense what he is,” Aries told us.

  “Really? How come I never noticed?”

  “He’s old, older than I, so he could’ve blocked you. If there’s a shape shifter who can become a dragon, the first were, he’d be the one. He might be thousands of years old. If I remember correctly, the reason there were rumors of dragons and such was because of the shape shifters. Any mythical creature can be traced back to one I’m sure. The Old Ones went to sleep before the birth of Christ and awakened hundreds of years ago. That’s how they lived so long. Deep in caves I’d imagine. They were awakened by earthquakes, volcanoes, and recent curious humans.”

  Aries explained a brief history of shape shifters to us. Raven and Michael sat close together and just listened. They looked kind of scared but seemed to be handling it.

  Around ten, I ordered more pizza and fed Raven and Michael. He could eat a whole pizza alone. I sensed a long night so I had my energy drink.

  Sometime around one in the morning, Raven and Michael decided to leave. Michael took her home. The event that was to take place in the not so distant future was bringing them together. I watched them leave then sat back on the couch. I definitely wanted Michael to learn some self-defense.

  Switch had made some rough sketches of things, buildings resembling huts but modern that would take up about an acre. Trade would be our way, along with gift giving. Anyone lazy or too problematic would be thrown off the island, literally. There would be plenty of jobs, enough so that you could choose.

  Switch showed me some ideas, and I went with most, or we found ways to improve them. I kept asking silly and random questions such as... how do we dispose of waste, and where will we find things like extra pillows?

  In the end, we decided any extra room underneath the castle would be used to store dishes, pillows and blankets, clothes, cleaning supplies, personal grooming supplies, cans of dry goods, furniture, teaching equipment, and as much history as we could afford to keep. Of course, someday we’d run out, but hopefully by then we will have figured out how to make our own or will have wandered onto the mainland to re-supply.

  Many things would be lost. We’d have to revert to pre-electric and machine days, without endangering the world again. Eventually we’d need to branch out in the years to come and see what survived the apocalypse.

  “Boats!” Switch cried.

  “We need tons of row boats and sail boats, nothing requiring gas or batteries. Whe
n we decide to go back to the rest of the world we’ll need boats, and what trees are on the island should stay there, untouched. So if we buy large sailboats and anchor them, or find a way to keep them from being torn apart, then not only will we have transportation but extra homes and storage. We should try to find the biggest ones and people who can sail them. I think Arch can; he used to be a pirate. Laugh but it’s true.

  “Madness has experience so maybe Arch can help him. Thorn take these lists of people we have written and try to find those best-suited. Relatives or friends of people we know. You should go and talk to Frank tomorrow and see who all he knows. Werewolves tend to hang in packs. If he knows useful people, then we could add them to the list.”

  Switch was a smart man. If I wasn’t attracted to Aries, then I could see myself liking him. He wasn’t my type, but very close. Thoughts ran through my head that described him, Goth, smart, strong, thoughtful, immortal. I laughed to myself and then felt guilty. I wasn’t fantasizing really. Just thinking if I had a good friend I’d introduce them. Then I thought of Bella. A little ditzy, but one of the guys might like her. She was cool, and her sister was a dentist, or going to college anyways. Still a doctor, though. I’d have to send them invitations. I made a list of my own and included a few witches. I’d have invited them all, but if my utopia failed then the ones I tried to save would be lost. I chose the two I knew had kids, and three with men who had useful trades. One had worked on a boat and came home once a month.

  Then my thoughts trailed to my store. I wanted lots of books, millions. All of the dictionaries, encyclopedias, my personal collection and historic, memorable ones like Edgar Allen Poe, for example. Well I have favorites too of course. I made a list of particular books I wanted, especially medical books for humans and animals.

  “Oh! We need some kind of huge freezer, something that doesn’t require electricity. How do we do that?” I asked.

  “Well, we’d have to probably do something underground. Luckily we are close enough to the north to benefit from cooler temperatures. I’m sure I can find out the best way to make something.” Thorn said.

  It was near three and I was tired. I had made lists, and lists of lists. The guys each had a job tomorrow and would be busy. I’d be packing soon and heading north to the cabin. I wasn’t exactly sure where it was. I planned to let Aries drive if he wanted.

  “We’ll have to have a place for the kids to play, but we’ll need a nursery definitely. Most mothers would work, but some would have to stay with the babies. Kali will stay with me mostly. She may not play well with others.”

  Switch said he’d make a school with rooms. It’d be tiny, but it would more or less be the orphanage and could hold a nursery. He had ideas for a natural man-made playground, as well. He’d make a stone enclosure high enough the wild ones couldn’t escape.

  “Some of the older girls could help with the babies.”

  We finished up with the ideas and called it a night. Thorn and Switch left before the sun peeked out. Aries and I found the bed.

  “Do you think this is a good idea Angel?”

  He was holding me again, and I knew what he meant. As attracted to him as I was, I was dog-tired for some strange reason.

  “We need more time of course, I know, but I don’t think I can sleep in here alone. Can we just try really hard not to let it go that far?” I asked yawning.

  “I think so. Goodnight love,” Aries whispered to me.

  Several hours later I woke to knocking on my door.

  I found my pants and noticed Aries was awake.

  “Do you ever sleep?” I asked.

  “Not really. I don’t need to, so I watch you sleep.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  By the time I got to the door, I realized whoever stood on the other side was extremely upset, and it was either Raven or Michael, the only ones with keys and passwords to the alarm.

  Raven stood in the doorway, tears on her face.

  “I need to talk to you.”

  I opened the door, and followed her to the kitchen where Aries had a drink for me and was asking Raven if she needed anything.

  I wasn’t very touchy feely but she was in definite need of a hug, and I didn’t want Aries doing it. I held her while she cried the worst of it out.

  “I had a biblical proportion sized nightmare. It really hit me about all of this. I almost told my sister and at the last second told them you were getting married. She seems to think I was upset because you might be moving away.”

  “The idea is planted then of course, so it should be believable when we ask her.”

  “She's pregnant. I think we should tell her very soon.” Raven replied quietly.

  “If we have to kidnap her I’ll get her there Raven,” I told her.

  Huge tears rolled down her face. Aries found a washcloth and wet it with warm water.

  When Raven was a little more, herself, I felt I needed to share.

  “I’m scared too. If Kali wasn't inside me telling me this was the only way, and this hunk here physically supporting me then I’d break down screaming and crying, completely insane.”

  “I'm sorry about that. I mean the end of the world is coming, and I get a free ride while all these innocent people die. I have very vivid dreams, almost like visions. People were burning, drowning, and being attacked by these monsters, demons.”

  “I’m afraid all that may be true.” Aries said slowly, receiving shocked looks from both of us.

  “When the apocalypse hits and alternate realms open the world will flood with supernatural beings from different dimensions, all hell is actually going to break loose. We may be surviving, but without us, hundreds would die. We’re saving the human population from extinction. For the next hundred years, the earth will be healing,” Aries told us.

  I’d already heard this, but it made me shiver with fear still. Apocalypses were never good.

  Raven asked what would happen to the store now.

  “I'm going to have a going out of business sale. I’m making you my partner and while I’m seeing to all of this I need you to close this store. All my books and witches supplies are going with us. I want all the medieval stuff sold and this building. My home...” it was my turn to cry. Aries held me while Raven patted my arm and nodded.

  After I took my turn crying, I hugged Raven one more time.

  “Be here tomorrow morning by seven. We’re going to the bank and my lawyer. I have to get you legally able to handle things here. I’m calling him today so he can have all the paperwork ready for us to sign. Story will be the same as we are telling everyone else. I'm getting married and moving to Aries’ home island near Greece, where we’re building a resort. Let your sister know that when this store is finished you’re moving with us. Run the idea by her then about her moving, as well. That I need them, and the move is worth it. I’ll take her with what schooling she has, or will wait for a few months.”

  Raven said okay and left.

  I was glad she was coming. I’d need her when all hell officially broke loose. One more fighter would always help. I was coming to think of her as more than just a sister witch and fellow fighter. It would hurt if she didn’t survive the upcoming apocalypse. Hell, to be honest it just might kill me.

  I walked around my home, thinking of how I obtained these things and how much I’d have to let go.

  “I need to start packing,” I told him, clearly not wanting to.

  “Let’s go talk to Frank first. The sooner he hears this, the better, we need all the help we can get right now.”

  “You’re probably right. He should still be there.”

  I got dressed and followed him out the door, setting the alarm once more.

  It was chilly outside. It would be chillier the further north we went. I thought about all the world would lose. Ancient artifacts, symbolic items around the world, and all the technology we’d obtained so far. There would be no futuristic technology like the movies portrayed. It reminded me of a certain movie, one whe
re intelligent robots took over and annihilated humans. That would not happen; it was evil still, just another form.

  Ten minutes later we were at the club.

  “We need to see Frank.”

  “Go sit in his office, I’ll let him know you’re here. He’ll be with you shortly. He’s a little busy, but it shouldn’t take long at all,” Casey informed us both.

  Aries and I got comfortable. There was a black leather couch that we occupied. I looked around his office noting the different items he had bought from me, pointing them out to Aries.

  Frank walked in five minutes later. He didn’t look happy or surprised, which confused me.

  “I know why you’re both here. Why do you think I wanted you two to have some privacy?” he put some paperwork on his desk and sat behind it. He waited for our answer.

  Was I the only one who didn’t know about this?

  “Okay...” Aries said knowing Frank the werewolf had more to say.

  What’s up with everyone being one step ahead of me, especially the ones I knew! Every time I turned around I was the last to know. I fidgeted nervously in my seat.

  “So I know that you also know I’m a werewolf, and I'm guessing you need my help. Is that close?” he asked us peering over a book he held in his hands.

  “Close enough. What is it that you know about Angel here?” Aries asked.

  “Well, my pack and I are only aware that the descendant of one of the goddesses will be born in our time. I met Angel not solely for business purposes, but because I had an idea she might have been the one. I’d heard of the messengers when I was a pup and knew that going into this business would bring me closer to it all. Anyway, when I saw the way you two stared at one another I realized all those stories that got me where I am today were, in fact, true. And when Angel here blew her top back in my VIP room I realized the time was close. The world will end in what a year? Less?” he asked looking us each in the eye.

  Ah, I thought that’s why he wasn’t as pissed as I thought he should have been. He was well informed. I wanted a refund on this life if it got any worse.