“Having seen that, I think it was pretty worth it,” replied Imorean, shaking his head.
“I'm flattered. But you're not here to flatter me. You're here to properly adjust to your wings. You’re here to train.”
“What do I have to do?”
“Flare them for me. I want to see how large your wingspan is.”
Imorean did as Gabriel asked and stood still as the angel walked around him.
“Seems as though you have a six-foot span or so. Not bad at all. You’ve got room to grow. The first thing I want you to do is practice lifting off the ground. That's the hardest part about flying.”
Imorean offered his new coach a half smile. “I thought it would be the heights.”“Perhaps that will be your biggest problem, but I already have a remedy for that. We'll cross that bridge later. For now, just work on lifting off the ground.”
“All right,” nodded Imorean, flaring his wings in preparation to make his first ascent. A moment before he beat downward, he hesitated.
“Gabriel?”
“What's up?”
“How do I get back down? Kind of important.”
“Just allow gravity to pull you back down. I will warn you, you'll land heavily, but all angels land badly at some point or another. It'll be good to get you used to it now as opposed to surprising you later.”
“Right,” replied Imorean, taking a deep breath. He swallowed hard, then beat his wings down. He yelped when he felt his feet leave the ground, taken aback by the power in his own wings. They worked! They really worked! On reflex, he folded them and landed on the ground. A painful shock ran from his feet up to his hips and Imorean groaned, resisting the urge to bend over.
“Nicely done. Try again, but do your best to exercise a bit more control as you descend this time around.”
“How did you land so lightly?” asked Imorean, shaking out his feet and flaring his wings again.
“Imorean, I have flown for millennia. I have rather a lot of practice under my belt.”
“You’re telling me,” replied Imorean, shaking his head. He didn’t know how he could have forgotten. “Again?”
“Again,” nodded Gabriel.
Imorean gathered his strength and swept his wings downward once more. This time, he wasn't quite as surprised by the sensation of his feet leaving the ground and left his wings outstretched. The large wings helped him to float more gracefully back to the ground. Once he was back on solid ground he looked at Gabriel for approval. The Archangel was smiling.
“My brother was wrong about you.”
“What do you mean?”
“He said he wasn’t sure if you had any potential in the air, but you do. You're taking to this like a fish to water. The fear of heights is your only handicap.”
“Thank you,” replied Imorean, smiling, buoyed up by Gabriel's praise.
“Again, Imorean. But this time, I want to see if you can get your body into the horizontal position. When you start flying properly, it is the position you will use most often unless you're hovering.”
“Okay,” nodded Imorean. He hoped he would be able to do it.
“If you need more time in the air to try and get the position, just beat your wings a few more times. They’ll take you higher if you do, but that’s fine. Try not to worry about it.”
“All right,” replied Imorean, flexing his wings a few times. The new muscles in them were already starting to grow sore.
He beat his wings down and rose up off the ground. Immediately, he felt his body start to descend back toward the grass, so he beat his wings a second time. He rose slightly higher in the sky, but it wasn't enough for him to feel unnerved. Not yet. Imorean drew a deep breath as he wobbled slightly and adjusted his body. When he was parallel to the ground, a strange thrill washed over him like a wave. All of a sudden, everything felt right. He felt as though he was supposed to be doing this. A shiver ran over his body as he righted himself and sank gently back to the ground.
“Are you all right?” asked Gabriel, furrowing his brow.
“Yeah,” replied Imorean, nodding. He was surprised to find that he was breathless.
“Why do you ask?”
“No reason. How do you feel?”
“The muscles are already a bit sore. I don't understand why, though. I've spent much longer than this in the simulator before.”
“Ah, because you're just hovering in there. The simulator is doing all the work for you. Here, you're building muscles, you're actually using your wings. This is real flying. I think this is enough for today, though. Come back tomorrow and we'll see if we can get you flying properly for a little bit.”
“All right,” nodded Imorean, feeling fulfilled for the first time in a long while. He couldn't wait to tell Roxy, Mandy, Toddy, and Colton about this.
“If I were you, Imorean, I'd go and get some breakfast. Flying always makes you hungry. Classes are starting soon. Don't forget about the assembly in the gym this afternoon.”
“I won't. Thank you.”
“You're very welcome, Imorean,” said Gabriel, nodding at him.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Well, well, well. You look happy about something,” said Roxy as Imorean walked into the dining hall that same morning. He smiled and laughed as he sat down next to her. He tried to take no notice of Bethany sitting in her regular spot next to Toddy.
“Good news?” she asked. Toddy and Colton looked at Imorean expectantly.
“Gabriel's teaching me to fly.”
“Imorean,” said Bethany, shaking her head. Her tone was disdainful. “We're all being taught to fly, not to mention it’s impossible that Gabriel is teaching you. I was in the gym this morning and you and Gabriel were not there.”
“He's not teaching me in the simulator,” replied Imorean, his tone sharper than he had intended. “He's teaching me on the ground.”
“Okay,” shrugged Bethany, rolling her eyes.
Imorean resisted the urge to glare at her as the blonde girl got up and crossed the dining hall, to sit down at Baxter and Ryan’s table. His stomach dropped to his boots as Bethany sat down next to Ryan and slipped her hand into his.
“How did it go?” asked Colton, flashing a small smile and looking up from his book for a moment.
“Very well,” replied Imorean, glad of Colton’s distraction. “I got airborne for a few seconds.”
“Nice,” nodded Mandy. “Are you doing better there than you did in the simulator?”
Imorean smiled. “Much. I feel way more at home.”
“Well good,” said Roxy. “I'm glad. But will you still be practicing with everyone else?”
“I don't think so,” replied Imorean. “I think I'm getting solo lessons.”
Imorean sighed softly and glanced out of the cafeteria's windows as Roxy nodded. Amid everything that had happened, the addition of the wings, Michael’s continued hatred of him and even Bethany leaving him, he was finally starting to feel content with the wings. He only hoped that he would adjust to everything else.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The white-haired teenager's feelings of contentment were washed away the moment he, Roxy, Colton, Mandy and Toddy entered the gym that afternoon. The center of the room was roped off into a large square and there were large racks holding a vast array of swords, spears, daggers and knives. A shiver crept across Imorean's skin as he looked around and he reminded himself that this was the reason they were here. They were here to learn how to be soldiers. Pawns in a game. He raised his gaze beyond the weapon racks and caught sight of Gabriel, Michael and Raphael standing close to one of the corners of the gym. Michael seemed to be talking.
Imorean shook his head. He was certain that he and the rest of the students gathered here would find out what was going on soon enough. Gabriel turned to the students a moment later. Imorean watched as Gabriel glanced over them. Was the Archangel taking a head count? Gabriel turned back to Michael and the three Archangels quickly made their way to the crowd of students.
“Good afternoon,” said Michael, stepping over the ropes that fenced off the center of the gym. “Welcome to the sword picking assembly. You have already begun taking your flying lessons, so it is only natural that we now move you forward into combat. In order to do this, we will pair you with a weapon of your own. Now, as many of you know from Dr. Haroel's class about angels, mortal weapons and the use of projectiles are effectively useless against demons. The only things that will work to kill them are these.”
Michael raised his arm and gestured to the racks of weapons.
“Sir,” said a small voice beside Imorean.
The white-haired teenager was shocked to see Colton stepping forward.
“Yes? Mr. Jones, is it not?”
“Yes, sir,” replied Colton, pushing to the front of the crowd. “Why won't manmade weapons work? Why only these?”
“Excellent question,” nodded Michael, taking one of the swords off the racks.
Imorean swallowed hard. It was by no means the biggest sword available, but it still seemed a monstrous weapon, almost exactly the same length as Michael's torso and having a grip long enough for Michael to place both hands on. The edges were razor sharp and glinted dangerously under the gym's lights. Michael touched one finger to the tip and the blade sang softly as he slid his finger away. He then gave it an experimental swing. Imorean raised his brows as the blade hissed through the air, a strange, pearly ripple following behind it.
“These are the only effective weapons against demons because they are infused with not only the light of heaven itself, but also the divinity of the Heavenly Host. These blades must be forged behind the Pearly Gates within heaven. They are the only weapons impregnated with enough power to destroy a demon.”
Colton nodded and shrank back into the crowd. Imorean shuffled over slightly to make room for him. He couldn't help but notice how scared the small boy looked. Michael continued.
“Now, these weapons come in many different sizes and shapes. Today, group by group, you will come forward and claim your own.”
Gabriel stepped over the ropes to join his older brother.
“Remember, do not choose the biggest, beefiest sword. Choose the one that will serve you best. When you find one that will work properly for you, you will know,” said the smaller Archangel.
“Raptors first,” said Michael, replacing the sword on its rack and stepping back.
Imorean and Toddy frowned at one another as Baxter, Bethany and Ryan rushed into the roped off square and made a beeline for the sword Michael had been holding.
“These blades are extraordinarily resilient,” said Gabriel, leaning on one of the racks.
“They will never chip, crack or snap,” followed Michael, folding his arms. “The only time they will ever snap is if the angel it belongs to is killed or mortally wounded. If an angel is killed, their sword will typically shatter upon their death.”
“What if the angel loses their sword?” asked Imorean, making his way into the line to claim a sword. He felt strange doing this. Unnatural.
“An angel cannot lose their sword,” said Michael, scowling. “It will return itself to the angel.”
“How?” asked Toddy. Imorean was grateful his friend seemed just as confused and as curious as he did.
“It is a safeguard that the metalsmiths of these swords infused into the weapons. If dropped or lost, in battle for example, they behave like boomerangs and return themselves to their owners,” replied Gabriel, beating Michael to the answer.
“Mr. Howard,” said Michael, raising his gaze. “That sword does not fit you. Please find a different one.”
Imorean's attention was diverted as he looked back at the sword rack. Ryan was still holding onto the one Michael had handled. He scowled at Michael's order to replace it, but after a moment of hesitation he obeyed the Archangel.
“Can angels be killed by angel swords?” asked Bethany. Imorean looked up. She was a few paces in front of him.
Michael and Gabriel looked at one another before Gabriel replied.
“Yes, Bethany. They can. When Lucifer fell, he not only took some of the Heavenly Host with him, he killed some of us as well. Luckily, he is the only fallen angel that has managed to keep his weapon. Demons have, however, made crude imitations of these swords.”
“Angels tend not to kill angels, Miss Voran,” said Michael, quirking a small smile at her.
Imorean rolled his eyes. He had speculated for a while that Bethany was Michael's favorite. After all, she took to everything he taught them so easily and naturally. It was almost as though she wasn't human. Imorean shook his head. He had a suspicion that Bethany was really a reptile. Something cold-blooded.
“What have you got your eyes on?” asked Toddy.
“I'm not sure. Something pretty light, I guess. We're going to have to fly with these things after all. God, that felt so weird to say.”
“Yeah, same.”
“I don't feel right doing this,” said Colton from his position just next to Toddy. Only the raptors were allowed to claim their swords right now, so Imorean knew Colton had stepped out of line to talk to them. Gabriel's and Raphael's classes would come in a few moments.
“I know, Colton. I feel the same way,” replied Imorean. “It's not something we've exactly been asked to do before.”
“The idea that soon we might have to go out and kill … demons. That – that scares me a bit.” Colton’s voice was small and Imorean heard much more than just a hint of fear in it.
“It's weird,” said Toddy.
“Yeah, it is,” sighed Imorean.
“Frayneson,” called Michael. “You may have all day, but we do not.”
Imorean looked up at Michael. The Archangel's face had morphed back into its scornful glare.
“Yes, sir. Sorry, sir.”
Imorean scanned the racks holding the swords. He repressed a small shudder. Each sword was as sharp as a razor blade and a thousand times as strong. He reached out for a slim, rapier styled sword, but the moment his fingers touched it he shook his head. That wasn't right. He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to feel, but he didn’t feel right about that particular sword. From the corners of his eyes he saw Gabriel elbow Michael in the ribs. Imorean wasn't entirely sure, but he thought he saw the sides of Michael's mouth twitch upward in some semblance of a smile. No doubt there was a certain amount of scorn behind the expression. Imorean ignored both of them. He had to find a sword. His eyes came to rest on the sword Michael had been handling. There was something about the weapon that drew him. Tentatively, Imorean reached out and rested his hand on the leather of the grip. A small shock of static electricity ran through him and all of a sudden, Imorean knew. His blood sang. This was the sword he was supposed to have. Imorean lifted it off the rack and gripped the handle with both hands. It was as though the weapon had been made for him.
The white-haired teenager made his way to the edge of the roped off square and Gabriel beamed upon seeing his choice.
“I think this is it,” said Imorean when he had reached the two Archangels.
“Good choice,” nodded Gabriel.
“Indeed,” agreed Michael.
“Go to Raphael. He'll inventory it for you. We'll engrave your name on it and give it back to you next semester,” said Gabriel.
“Yes, sir,” nodded Imorean, stepping over the ropes and making his way across the gym. He noticed Ryan's jealous glare as he did so. Imorean brushed it off and exhaled heavily. He couldn't help but feel oddly relieved that Gabriel had said they wouldn't be getting the swords back until later.
“A two-handed longsword, huh?” said Raphael when Imorean reached him.
“I suppose so, sir,” said Imorean, passing the weapon to the doctor angel.
“This will serve you very well. Go and rejoin your friends now.”
Imorean passed the sword to Raphael, who hung it on a rack behind him. The afternoon slowly wore on and Imorean was free to watch his friends and other classmates choose their own swords. Tod
dy chose a handsome saber, Roxy and Mandy both picked slim rapiers with guarded handles and Colton selected one of the only swords small enough for him to handle. It was a tiny small-sword, less than half the length of Imorean's.
When all of the students had chosen their swords, they retreated back to the area where they had been standing before.
“Right,” said Michael, stepping forward. “Classes will resume this afternoon. Songbirds, you have the simulator tonight. Seabirds, you and the raptor class have the night off. I would make the most of it.”
Imorean nodded along with the rest of the students. Even though he was no longer training directly with the other raptors, he was grateful for the break.
“If I were you, raptors, I would brush up on everything you have been taught in Dr. Haroel's class about demons and prepare for our campus run tomorrow morning.”
And with Michael's words, Imorean's sense of relief and relaxation evaporated. He and the rest of the raptors may have a night off in terms of physical training, but the academic portion of their new education still had to be tended to.
“Come on, man,” said Toddy, shaking Imorean's shoulder. “Let's start hitting the books. If we get done early, maybe we can get back and see how Roxy and Colton do during their flight this evening, yeah? And who knows, maybe we’ll eventually get to watch Mandy fly.”
“Yeah, sounds like a plan,” replied Imorean, nodding. As he turned, he frowned slightly. He felt as though he was being stalked. Was someone watching him? Was there another Hellhound seeking him? Imorean rolled his shoulders, shedding the feeling. He fell into step next to Toddy, moving toward the gym doors. He resisted the urge to curl his lip as Bethany joined up with them. No wonder he had felt stalked.
“So, you got the sword Michael handled. Who would’ve thought,” she said, a jealous bite in her voice.
“Yeah,” shrugged Imorean. He glanced at Toddy, who frowned. Imorean resisted the urge to grimace. The tension was palpable.
“Toddy,” said Bethany. “Could I have a private word with Imorean?”
“Sure. I’ll see you later, Imorean.”
Imorean frowned as his friend retreated. How dare he leave him alone with Bethany. “Thanks, Toddy. I’ll see you later.”
Angels Soaring (Angels Rising Book 2) Page 11