Angels

2-Josh-

It took me a second to fully register what had just happened. The wooden contraption just blew up without a reason. What was weirdest was not the fact that there was now a smoking hole in the wall, was that Dad didn't react like I thought he would. Usually when something blows up, he's surprised, and then get's mad. The only thing that seemed to surprise him in this situation were the flames.
"Joshua, Stella, and Luna! Get in the kitchen right now!" Dad growled, storming down the hall. When we were sure he was out of earshot, we spoke.
"Holy chicken wings he's ticked off." Luna drew a shaky breath.
"Are we going over there?" Stella was tapping her index finger on her knee nervously.
"Either way he's going to kill us. And did he just use magic?" The two girls looked at me expectantly.
"Wha-? Do you think I knew about this? Honestly, ask questions later, if we don't get in the kitchen fast he's going to implode." I stood up, stuffed my camera into my hoodie, and cautiously exited the back of the jade statue. Stella and Luna followed suit.
When we reached our location, Dad was standing there, arms crossed, and a very disapproving expression.
"I was going to wait until you packed your things and said your goodbyes, but now I see that is unnecessary. You're both leaving now."
As I stood in front of my two friends, I had expected many things to come out of his mouth, but that was not one.
"Dad, whatever wrath you have planned for them, don't bother. That stunt was my idea."
"Actually it was mine!" Luna piped up cheerily.
"You're not helping your situation," I hissed.
"Can't believe I'm saying this, but my son is right, Miss Ender." Dad smiled cruelly.
"I am also right when I say you have some magic power thing?"
"Hm, I thought I sensed your presence," he pursed his lips, not fully answering my question.
"Yes or no," I asked, this time a bit more sternly. Dad scoffed, and flicked his wrists like he did before. That simple movement had sent me crashing into the wall. Pain coursed through my body, my head felt like it was floating aimlessly in space. Then I saw Stella shout something, but I couldn't hear her. My hearing had vanished, and my vision was starting to have the same fate. My eyes drooped, and something warm trickled out of my mouth. One arm started to go numb, and now I realized that I had actually gone through the wall, and my face was pressed against the insulation fluff.
Something forced me out and I landed on the floor. I still had enough of my eyesight to see that my Dad was speaking.
"That should've killed him."
Suddenly my pain receded and my senses were brought back, it was gut wrenching.
"Josh!" Stella slid down next to me, Luna followed. "Are you okay?"  Waving her off, I sat up much easier than I thought possible, and then stood up to face my dad.
"Did you just try to kill me!?"
He pointed a shaky finger at me. "That should've killed you..."
"Why are you even doing this?! I'm your son!" I flinched when he waved his hand quickly. This time I didn't go crashing into the wall. Instead, the fireplace behind him swirled into the same purple magic I'd seen earlier.
"I'm sorry, but you two need to leave now." This time he addressed Stella and Luna. It was then that I knew that this was no longer about the cuckoo clock. The two girls looked startled as they were swept forward by an invisible force.
"No!" I cried out, grabbing their hands and digging my feet into the hardwood floor. "Dad st-" I faltered, because now big, black feathered wings had unfolded from his back.
"If I am correct, today is you girls' eighteenth birthday, oui? Trust me, everything will be explained sooner or later."
"How can we trust you when you're dangling us over some extremely fancy shmancy fireplace?" Luna grunted, struggling to keep hold of my hand.
"Well I'm not going to kill you, if that's what you mean. That's your job, after all." With a sweep of his fingers, Stella, Luna, and I were forced away from each other. I skidded across the floor, wincing as the polished wood slid against my exposed arms.
The girls screamed, and Luna was the first to be swept into the hearth. Stella took hold of the metal grate, but she wasn't going to last long. I got up, shoved my dad out of the way and grabbed Stella's hand.
"Josh!" Her eyes were full of tears.
"I'll find you!" My voice cracked, "I'll find you and Luna! I promi-" SNAP! The grate whacked her in the face, and she let go of my hand, falling into the unknown.
~~~~~
    "What. Did. You. Do!?" I yelled, now facing my winged father.
    "They have come of age! It is time for them to claim their birthright!" He snapped.
    "What does that even mean? Was this your goal from the beginning? To care for them, watch them grow up, and send them off into an abyss?"
    "Actually, that is quite right."
    "Okay, then, WHY DO YOU HAVE WINGS!?"
    He sighed heavily. "That one should be pretty self explanatory. I, am an Angel. Dark Angel, if you please. And as I have just discovered, a part of you harnesses some power as well. When I threw you into the wall, it would have killed anyone that was human."
    "I will never be like you."
    "Give it a few years; goodbye for now, my son." And with that he poofed away. I stood there, flabbergasted at the events that had just took place. Then, shaking my head and blinking profusely, I snapped back into reality. Everything looked like it was everyday, except for maybe the giant hole in the wall. It surprised me that Archellis had not heard the ruckus and came to see what had happened. Or maybe he was in on this angel thing too.
    I decided to go find the elderly butler, hoping he could enlighten me a little bit. And after a few minutes of searching, I found him in the laundry room, casually carrying out his duties. It always surprised me how clean it was in here, the white marble floor sparkled, as if no dirt could ever become of it. The pastel blue walls supported shelves of detergents imported from various countries, and a window was open, letting in the bright morning sun. Yet, despite the friendly sunlight, a slight chill carried in the soft breeze.
    "I assume Master Bleu has taken the Ender girls?" Archellis huffed, not turning away from his work. Somehow I knew that he knew the plan, and I hoped that he could explain a little better than my father had.
    "Y-yes," I stuttered, suddenly nervous to approach the man. It was likely that he was a Dark Angel too, so I kept my distance.
    "Well then it shouldn't surprise you as much as it did before." As he said that, his own pair of raven black wings unfurled. Like he had just stated, it really didn't surprise me that much, just weirded me out a bit. "I am Archellis Stormm, servant to the High Councilman, Spencer Bleu, your father, of the Dark Angel Realm, where one of my granddaughters acts as Queen for now."
    "For now?"
    "Your friend, Miss Luna Ender, is to take her place when she earns back her wings, becoming the true Queen of the Dark Angels."
    "What about Stella and Luna's parents? Shouldn't they be ruling?"
    "The two royals were banished to the Prisons of Heaven long ago. My granddaughter, Sadie Stormm, is merely the puppet of the Dark King until his daughter becomes old enough to take over his rule. Her step sister, Natalie Nature, rules the Light Angels until Stella does the same."
    "But, why are they imprisoned? They're the King and Queen, what crime could they have committed that was so bad?"
    "The two girls were born. At the time, the two royals were both pure of heart, and wished for their heir to be the same. Originally, only one child was supposed to exist, but there was never going to be one. There cannot be one child of the Angels, so the child split in two, creating a paradox of good and evil. The Angels committed mutiny against their leaders because of that, causing a war that is still going on today. Two groups were formed, the Dark Angels, who followed their corrupt King. And the Light Angels, who followed their righteous Queen. Until the girls turned eighteen, they were to be watched over by your father. Sadly, as we all know, there can only be one heir to the overall throne. So the war continues on, until Stella and Luna earn their wings back, and are trained in the ways of the Angel Realm they rule. Then, there will be a fight to the death, and the champion will become the Queen of all Angels."
    I cupped a hand over my mouth and took in a shaky breath. What I had just heard, I knew it would be imprinted in my memory forever.
    "They're going to kill each other..." I whispered to myself.
    "Correct." Archellis looked upset by this. "Shame, they're nice girls."
    There was a pause, in which the two of us did not move or speak. We were wasting precious time, Stella and Luna could be in a whole different galaxy by now.
    "You have to help me find them." I broke the silence, standing up a little straighter. The elderly butler nodded.
    "I can tell you where they are, but alas, I cannot go with you. I am too old to break into Light Angel Castle alone, and if your father were to catch me aiding you into the Dark Angel Castle, well," Archellis made a slicing motion over his neck.
    "But you can still tell me where Stella and Luna are?"
    "Yes, follow me."
    I did as he asked and trailed behind him as we exited the laundry room and into the hallway. As we walked, I glanced at the framed photos on the walls. Most of them were pictures of my older relatives, but something was different. I had never noticed the large feathered wings on each person before. As if Archellis could sense my thoughts, he spoke.
    "When Master Bleu agreed to take the Ender girls in, he cast a spell over the house to make the angelic artifacts and pictures seem normal. That includes," he stopped at a door, "his study." The door swung open, and my jaw dropped. Inside, white spheres floated around, stopping every so often to release puffs of purple smoke, which transformed into magical wisps. The wisps themselves conjoined and flew into a silver feather stationed on the center of a mahogany desk.
    "What does all of this do?"
"These," Archellis snatched one of the spheres from the air. "Are Perles. They radiate dark magic into this feather, which, when summoned, will act as a portal."
"Nice. I think."
"Yes, it is very helpful at times."
"So can it take me to where Luna is?"
"Luna?"
"The Realm she's supposed to rule literally has the word 'Dark' in it. They're probably more of a threat to her than the Light Angels with Stella, no offense."
"Oh, no offense taken, in fact, you're right. My granddaughter told me she plans to brainwash Luna against her sister. So, you better be going."
"Okay, so where is the Dark Angel Realm? In another universe or something?"
Archellis smirked and waved his hand over the object.
"Dark Angel Castle, Kiel, Germany." As he said this, the silver feather glowed a deep violet color.
What surprised me wasn't the fact that Archellis just performed some weird voodoo spell, it was that Luna was in Germany. The orphanage was in New York City. Then again, all the shady things seem to happen in New York. But if there were Angels in Europe, were there some in America? What about the other countries? Focus Josh, I thought to myself.
"Pick up the feather, and you'll be on your way. Oh, and if you see Sadie, tell her that her grandfather says hi." Archellis smiled.
"I will, and one day, I'll bring her back to you."
"Thank you, I will eagerly await that day."
    "Goodbye, Archellis."
    "Goodbye, Master Joshua."
    I gave him a nod of acknowledgement and grabbed hold of the feather.