Darkness Approaches

Watching Over You

For thousands of years, Guardian Angels have been looking after humanity.
Protecting them. Keeping them safe from harm.
However, it is said that once that angel sacrifices themselves to save the designated assignment, they lose their status as a holy being, and in extreme situations, even sacrifice their existence, in order to spare the subject.
It is up to the individual to regain that Angel, if they are deemed worthy, by showing their faith, or with good deeds.
But to counter the light, a dark side was created by a dark angel.
Whilst the Gods created heaven and the light, Hades convinced them to create the darkness.

Hades created an army of dark angels to pursue and eliminate a certain and specific type of humans.
The chosen.
People with the ability to develop special skills in order to defend and protect the masses.
Nowadays, they are known as heroes. In reality, they are humans with the potential to ascend to Guardian status.

Hades, of course, despises this and so hunts down the chosen.

---

- After all this wait, there is still no sign of the D-day. "Vago affirmed."
Being forced to move from place to place.
While the demons search for the chosen; they hide away.
- Guardians keeping the chosen safe.

They know the chosen are out there... and they also know we are protecting them.
- Of course, they know. It's their business to know.

The dark forces have been hunting down the chosen since the beginning of hunanity.
Occasionally, they find one of the chosen and try to kill them.
The only thing keeping them safe are their Guardian Angels.
But sometimes Guardian Angels fail to protect their human chosen.
They refuse the sacrifice and thus fail their assignment in order to maintain their holy status.
However, those who refuse the sacrifice, half the time descend to the darkness after being trialled by the Gods of Olympus.
The ones that do succeed, lose their wings, shall they accept the sacrifice; therefore becoming just an average human. Sometimes, they even sacrifice their own lives in order to save the chosen.
That's what must have happened to Uriel!?

- Just aswell they're going about it the wrong way.
While they seek ways to find the chosen, they are completely clueless about how to get the seals.
- The seals must not be found. They must not be broken.
- Relax Vago. There isn't a demon for miles. Besides, they can't get up here.
" Demons can fly too, you know?
(...) or climb for that matter. (...)
Donovan, do you think Gabriel even cares anymore? He hasn't visited Earth in almost a century.

- Gabriel will never stop caring. He, more than anyone, never lost hope for humanity; he loves them too much.
- So why does he allow bad things to happen? We should be doing better.
- Vago, The Dark Forces are powerful. We can barely contain them or keep them under control. Besides, humans need to learn to fend for them selves.

Without a reply-Vago walked into the edge of the mountain, above the clouds, looking down to humanity.
Vago ponders, then turns his head around to look at Donovan and asked him that if they have to do the ultimate sacrifice in order to save humanity, he will do it.
Donovan hesitates to answer but instead insists that it will never come to that.
As long as they keep watching over the chosen, they will be powerful enough to fend for themselves and win the war against darkness.
Vago had his doubts about humanity pureness of heart.
- Humans are sinful, Donovan, I fear they won't survive a Demon attack. (...) They are too susceptible to bad influence.
- They've just lost their way, Vago. They lost the way of God.
- ... and I'm guessing that it is up to us to remind them?
- That's all we can do; humans are of free will, and they shall not be dictated.
- ... and yet they tempt each other all the time by their own doing.
- Vago, they need to feel the darkness in order to turn to us and rekindle their fate.

A third angel flies down onto the mountain terrace, so gracefully that the multi-coloured meadow flowers in the summer breeze looked just mere eye candy.
- Let the beauty of the world penetrate your soul.
Humans are a disgraceful race. You're getting sloppy... Donovan!
- Uriel. You shouldn't be here.
What do we owe the gracefulness of your presence?

Vago interrupted. - You have turned to the darkside... Judas!
Begone, you vile creature.
- Ah! The hunter and the hunted.
Uriel replied, completely ignoring Vago.
- But which one are you... brother?
- That is the question. Your time is running out, and by the looks of what's down there, it doesn't seem to be getting any better.
- As long as the seals....
- The seals, the seals... (...) They already have chosen the vessel.
The girl is more powerful than you think.
So, what are you saying?
- You are going to lose this war... Donovan!
- Gabriel will have heard of this.
- Gabriel!? You barely won the last war. Gabriel has lost the favour of the Gods... because he made a forbidden alliance with the djinns, only because he didn't want to sacrifice himself... so, as I said, one way or another, you will lose this war.
- Uriel...
- The girl is growing too powerful... I'm afraid there's nothing I can do.

As Uriel spread his wings to fly away, Vago asked him.
- Why did you come here?
Uriel didn't answer, but instead, he took off and then stopped to a glide to remind them both that their time was running out.
- You used to be one of us for God's sake... Damn you, Uriel.
- He's gone, Vago. Save your strength.
- So, what now?
- We need to summon Gabriel and the other guardians.
We have to send for the chosen before it's too late.
- and then?
Then we get them ready to fight.
- and then?
- (...) Hope and pray Vago... Hope and pray.

Meanwhile, Rioko came home from school.
She was a petite girl with pitch black hair and a gothic style to match.
She came into the house looking down.
Her mother went to greet her and asked her what was going on.
She explained that the other kids at school bullied her again and made fun of her style, but she said that that's how she felt comfortable.
Her mother gave her a hug and told her not to worry.
The angels were looking down on her and would protect her.
"They're watching over you,"
They looked at each other, and Rioko smiled.
She ran up the stairs to her bedroom and picked up her brown teddy bear.
She gave it a hug and then held on of its paws, as she always did; and sat in the window sill looking out the window, in hope to see an angel.

Later on, when she went to bed, she hugged her teddy bear and whispered to it.
"Mommy's right about the angels, but she doesn't know they are dark angels."
She placed the teddy by her cheek and slept.