Arrows & Angels (Enlighten Series Book 0)

by Kristin D. Van Risseghem

  The people flocked to the river to witness the brother of the leader using his fishing rod to defile the water. He turned it red. The fish died and the river smelled of death. The people then had no drinkable or usable water. The first plague had come.

  The Pharaoh’s magicians replicated the plague, claiming that high and low tides occurred monthly when the water resembled blood. They claimed the Egyptian god Khnum, the guardian of the Nile; Hapi the spirit of the Nile; and Osiris, the god of the underworld were insulted by this false plague.

  The Pharaoh refused to listen to the leader’s demands to release the Israelites.

  Even after plagues of frogs, gnats, and flies spread across the land, the Pharaoh would not let the people leave.

  I watched the little girl who I came to know as Rahabi, rally her kinsmen.

  Livestock died, a plague of hail pounded the land, and then locusts covered the skies.

  The Pharaoh still would not back down.

  Then the plague of darkness fell.

  Rahabi became the beacon of light; hope for the people.

  I believed the lack of sun or moon for days would force the Pharaoh to change his mind, but it didn’t. The devil had taken hold of Pharaoh’s mind. I felt his evil spread across the land. I didn’t realize that the devil controlling the Pharaoh was the original fallen angel, Sammael.

  “I have a new plan,” the Pharaoh’s top adviser announced. “This that will ensure your subjects to return to their work.”

  “Speak, and let me hear,” the Pharaoh said.

  “Your people must be overcome by grief for their own family members.” The advisor waved his hand across the pharaoh’s face. He didn’t blink for a long time. Then I watched as darkness swept through his body. “Kill all the females under the age of five.”

  This was a ploy for Sammael to stop the girl from the prophecy living to eighteen. We would have to be diligent and aware of our surroundings, now that I knew Sammael was involved. The Archangels had locked him in a blessed cage when they defeated him centuries ago, so someone else must be doing his bidding. That or else he was so powerful he could manipulate people from his prison.

  One night while the land was still bathed in darkness, a guard entered the Rahabi’s hut and swung his sword across her neck. Though I admired her, I couldn’t stop her death. In my heart, I knew she wasn’t the girl in the prophecy, we were not to intervene in any girls’ life, unless there was a sliver of a chance she was the one whom we searched for. Still, her death weighed heavily on my mind and heart.

  During the time spent watching her bake bread with her mom daily and following her to the river to wash clothes I had created a connection with her. I remembered the lone curl she constantly fiddled with because it wouldn’t lay in the same direction as the others, and how her right eye had more tan speckles than the left.

  I didn’t know if I could continue to guard humans only to sit hopelessly by and watch them die at the hands of this evil spreading across the Earth. I was created to protect humans. That was why I was a Guardian angel and not a Choir angel.

  As the people grieved and the girl’s family mourned, it became clear I couldn’t stand by and do nothing while evil continued to drain the good from these humans. I was unable to step in and save the humans from death, but I was able to do something. These humans must continue to fight for their freedom and stand against their oppressor.

  Then the tenth plague was upon us.

  Through the leader of the people, God declared the death of firstborns to people and cattle. He assigned a Guardian angel to each Israelite’s family that would be spared. I stood in the company of a family as God’s wrath swept the area. The door of each hut was marked with lamb’s blood and an invisible angel’s mark.

  The next day, a deep grief encompassed the Pharaoh as his son was killed. He then finally allowed the people to leave.

  It had taken ten brutal plagues from God to win the battle against the devil who whispered into Pharaoh’s ear.

  From that day forward, I remained resilient and watchful. Sammael had proven he would do unspeakable things to turn people against God. I now understood the depths of both their actions. The devil would stop at nothing to destroy the child who would prevent his release from prison to halt Armageddon.

  That first child’s death made me rethink my task. I thought I knew what I’d gotten myself into when I raised my hand. My assignment to watch, listen, and protect was far harder than I could ever imagined. The girl’s death changed me somehow and hardened my heart. I didn’t want to do this anymore and that was what took me back to Heaven.

  When I arrived in Heaven there were no other angels around. I was thankful for the solitude. Then the hushed melody from the choir of angels soothed my mind. I hovered for a long time, soaking in the warmth and letting it feed my soul.

  I was home.

  I wasn’t sure how much time had passed. Did I even want to know? Probably not. I didn’t want to be around anyone. I didn’t want to speak to any other angels. Whatever they had to say, wouldn’t change my mind, and it wouldn’t bring the girl back. I had never attempted to search for her soul. I had contemplated it many times, but always I thought better of it. I wanted her soul to remain at peace.

  My lieutenants checked in with me a few times after I arrived back in Heaven, but that didn’t provide me with the amount of time that was passing on Earth. The only way I’d know was to return there. And I wasn’t about to do that.

  As time passed I grew restless. The time came when I had finally mustered the courage to seek out Michael. I didn’t have to look far.

  “Am I disturbing you?” a voice asked. “If you’d rather remain alone, I understand.”

  I whirled to confirm who had spoken and saw no one, but knew who belonged to that voice.

  “No, Michael. I would welcome any advice you can give.”

  He appeared next to me, his wings invisible.

  He patted my shoulder. “My first experience with evil and death still haunts me. It pained me to strike against my own brethren in the Battle of the Fallen, so I know exactly what you’re going through. I’m pleased to see you again. It’s been a while.”

  “I couldn’t remain on Earth any longer. I had to leave” I hung my head low so Michael wouldn’t see my eyes. “I’m not sure I’m cut out for this mission.”

  “And it’s because you feel that way, I know you are. If what you saw hadn’t affected you, I’d be worried. You’re a gentle soul, Kieran, and one of the finest Guardian angels.”

  “My heart can’t take feeling the human’s pain and knowing I can’t do anything about it. I’m powerless to halt the spread of evil, and unable to prevent Sammael from harming the humans.”

  “While that is true, I’m only hearing negative thoughts from you. You must focus on what you can do, which is to be there for the humans. They are a resilient species. Most have good intentions and their hearts are in the right place. It’s those who flounder and become lost that we must help and steer them from the path that leads to darkness.”

  I took a deep breath. “Will you tell me about the Battle of the Fallen? If it’s too painful to share . . . I’m sorry. That’s private. I should never have asked—”

  “Nonsense. You can ask me anything. I am your mentor. If I don’t share my experiences, you won’t learn from my mistakes.”

  Michael placed an arm around my shoulders and we started walking down a path through of clouds. “After Earth was created, most angels were happy with their existence. A few were not; they wanted more. So He created the humans. The angels who felt that they needed a different path took the responsibility to watch over the newly created man. The angels were intrigued by this species who lived such short lives, when we live forever. But soon He took more notice of his new children and a few angels grew to hate them. It was a new emotion, as our hearts had only ever been filled with pureness. Luciel—”

  “The Seraph angel?” I asked.

  “Yes. Luciel led
the charge against Him and all the peaceful angels. As head Archangel for the Council, I was charged with stopping the rebellion. But Luciel was strong and convincing. He had swayed many angels to stand by his side and fight with him. It pained me to order the strike against him as we were inseparable for many eons. He was the closest I had to what humans call a best friend.”

  “Aren’t all angels supposed to be our best friends?”

  “Some have a greater pull. It’s hard to explain if you’ve never felt it. It’s like we were a part of each other. I would have laid down my existence for Luciel.”

  I nodded, even though I didn’t understand. No other angel in Heaven shared that bond with me.

  “The sides were drawn, and we needed to take up arms. Luciel was contaminating Heaven with ugly thoughts. He wanted the humans gone and was about to take all of his followers to annihilate them. I had just finished gathering my team when I learned of his plan. We met on the battlefield in the skies.”

  Michael stopped, looked around and then sat on a cloud in the shape of a bench.

  “We don’t talk much about the Battle of the Fallen because not many of us who witnessed it are left,” he continued. “And those who did, don’t want to be plagued with those harsh memories.”

  I wiped a tear from my eye. The way Michael had told the story—my own imagination filled in the gaps. My soul ached for the angels on both sides. Many angels’ souls were snuffed out of existence. And that should never happen.

  “How did you stop Luciel?” I asked.

  “Before I answer that, let me back up a bit. The battle was not going to plan. Our side thought we could reason with Luciel, but he had different ideas. He struck first, killing angels. That’s when we realized that not only did he truly believe in what he told his followers, but that he would do anything to get what he wanted. Even kill his own brethren.

  “I called all the Archangels to battle. For a time, we were winning and halted their descent to Earth. But then Luciel did something unexpected. Until that point, he had stayed clear of me and only fought other angels. He confronted me. We came face to face and were equally matched.”

  “You say that like he’s still alive.”

  “He is. Very much so. You know him as Sammael. He took that name when we locked him in the cage and proclaimed his revenge.”

  “How did he get there?”

  “I drew my sword against him and we fought. We parried for a long time. Neither of us able to gain the upper hand. I was unaware what else was going on during the battle as my mind was focused solely on him. I was oblivious to the fact the Seraph angels had joined in the battle until I felt the presence of Grace, the lead Seraph angel. She assisted me. She used her Seraph Sword to strike Luciel’s wing. He screamed, and was clearly in unimaginable pain which made him falter. I had no idea their swords could do that kind of damage. The Seraph angels don’t come out often, so we don’t know much about their powers. The other Seraph angels descended around him, pointing their swords at his throat. His followers stopped fighting when they saw he had been captured. More Archangels surrounded him. They each plucked a feather from Luciel’s black wings, leaving him with only a single white one remaining. Grace molded the black feathers into the holy metal of Luciel’s own sword, and infused it with Angel Light.”

  “So Luciel, I mean Sammael, doesn’t have wings?”

  “Yes and no. When the Angel Light took hold of Luciel, it created a sphere-like prison made of himself. Because the Light came from Grace herself, he was unable to escape. The Archangels banished him to a realm lower than Earth to carry out his sentence, which I took him to. Luciel used the ‘el’ from his name and created the name for his new residence: Hell.

  “But there is always a loophole to everything. He couldn’t stay locked forever. Eventually he could be let out. With that lone feather, he would regenerate his wings over time, but not enough to allow him to escape. And that is where the prophecy is foretold.

  Glory!

  Babe born.

  First and last.

  Heaven and unto Earth.

  Receives the highest in jubilation.

  Enlightens will unite, they shall band.

  Triumph be if darkness is driven back.

  Help found who love, the world will stand.

  “Hope, Kieran, is a wonderful emotion. For your next charge, you should walk in their shoes to understand this,” Michael said. “Hope is a valuable thing. For some, it’s all they have. It’s all we had before, during, and after the Battle, and we continue to carry that hope with us.”

  I nodded.

  “Become an Ordinary. Lose the wings. You’ll still retain all of your angelic powers. You can manipulate your appearance if you choose, but you’ll will need a believable back story when you appear to her. I’ll leave you to determine that. I’m sure you can come up with the rest.”

  Then Michael disappeared, leaving me to my solitude once again.

  “I’ll always be here to guide you. Remember that, Kieran.” Michael’s voice echoed in my mind.

  I pondered what he had said. It was true that I had been dwelling on the negative when I should have been concentrating on ways to help the Ordinaries.

  Resolved, I departed Heaven to search for my next charge.

  Sixteen Hundred Sixty-Six: Spring

  London, England

  “Kieran, you need to come to London.” The voice of one of my Lieutenants, Harper, rang through my mind.

  “What’s happening?” I responded.

  “It’s better if you see for yourself.”

  Horses, carts, and houses lined the many cobblestoned streets. I remained behind a small cottage and watched the humans go about their business. Listening to unrecognizable words, I took note of what they wore, then imagined myself in something similar and exchanged my light blue, gauzy gown for a simple tan smock and brown cloak, as well as little brown slippers. My wings disappeared and I made myself visible, but kept my twenty-something appearance, as I walked among them.

  “Harper, where are you?”

  “We’re in a warehouse at the edge of town.”

  After I arrived, we watched two females enter the building. Five male Ordinaries stood inside. I immediately made myself invisible.

  “We’ve been following the short female who just entered.”

  I inspected the humans standing inside the building. They were not humans though; they were demons. Their glowing red eyes were the first things to give them away. Then I looked deeper and it became obvious what they were. Under their pale human-like skin, their mangled bodies were red skinned and oozed black pus. I’d never seen anything like them. Their souls, marked in black, still pumped blood, the telltale sign that they were once human.

  “I don’t understand, Harper.”

  “Just wait, Kieran. You’ll see.”

  In the next moment, the smaller of the two females sprinted straight into a group of three demons. She caught one by surprise and slashed his chest in half. I watched, stunned. The other two demons scrambled into a defensive stance as her muscular arms and legs whirled, connecting with their stomachs, heads, and backs. She was amazing to watch. And something about her made me pause. She wasn’t really an Ordinary; she was something else.

  “They call her Jessa,” Harper said.

  Her tall companion twisted her hand and she sent both her demons flying backwards against the wall. Their bodies crumpled to the floor. A few seconds later, one rose to his feet and shook his head. He charged at her.

  An energized shimmer filled the air. Green light swirled around her. I knew immediately she wasn’t an Ordinary, either.

  But something else was happening.

  A wind vortex then slammed into the standing demon. His body crashed alongside a support beam, and I heard an undeniable crack from his back.

  The other demon howled and ran at her, slashing a knife in the air. She redirected the wind and blew his weapon from his hands, rendering him useless, then somehow she threw
a couple of handfuls of pebbles at his feet. He slid, lost his balance, and fell backward, cracking his skull on the stone floor. Like his friend, he would not get up again.

  “That was awesome!” Jessa, the shorter female exclaimed. “If I’d known you could do all that, I wouldn’t have had you do the Mind Walk.”

  “What is she talking about?” I asked.

  “The little one can read minds,” Harper said.

  Jessa bent over the demon with the broken back and sliced smoothly through his jugular. “He doesn’t need to be in pain,” she explained to her friend. “Father says to end the DKs quickly.”

  “DKs?” I questioned.

  “Demon Knights.”

  “What’s the other one’s name?”

  “Sidelle.”

  What a unique name. I tested her name on my lips: Sidelle.

  Jessa then grinned and said over her shoulder to Sidelle, “I think you’re going to be our new favorite weapon.”

  I watched an incredible smile spread across Sidelle’s face. It warmed my heart. I tossed around ideas as to what those two females could be. Neither was human, but they looked like it. Then again, I could pass for an Ordinary. Maybe they had some sort of power.

  They weren’t angels, though.

  “Boss?” Nishan asked. “Now you know why we called you here.”

  “Yes. Show yourself, please,” I instructed them.

  Both materialized in gauzy robes, but kept their wings hidden.

  “I’m sure you have many questions,” Harper said. “We did too when we first came to the city.” He looked at his partner. “We had no idea . . . about . . .”

  “About what?”

  “Werewolves and fairies,” Nishan said. “London is protected by a wolf pack. They fight the demons and keep the Ordinaries safe, for the most part. But then a new girl started hanging around.” He looked around, probably to make sure we were still alone, then said, “She’s a Summer Fairy.”