Airborne Wings

Chapter sixteen- Ember

Ember stretched and looked around himself. Still in a cage, huh? He sat up and noticed how light it was inside the cage. He peeked out of the bars of his cage and saw an open window. All the light he saw was all natural. No light switches and no light bulbs. It's so sunny today... He remembered once more how happy he was with Hera. I really need to find the Fire Den... They can help me make things right. Maybe I can ask Ava-er- Aveen.

A door opened with a creak and Aveen stepped in with a platter of food. Speak of the devil! "Good morning, sir..." She said as she slowly walked up to his cage, "did you sleep well last night? I made sure it was extra dark so you could sleep better."

Ember nodded and thanked her. "I have a question for you...!" Ember said.

"Go on, I have time." She urged him to continue.

"Well, all of the other people have...well, really abnormal voices, and whenever they're happy, it seems to melt away... But you and the Queen, Queen Shadow, don't seem to have deep voices at all... Does this sound familiar to you in any way?" Ember asked.

Aveen's body froze up, "Aye. But we can't discuss it here. I'll be right back. Don't try anythin' funny while I'm gone, got it, mate?" She ran off with Ember's food. Heyyyyy nowwwww, Ember said to himself. His stomach lurched and spun itself in a knot out of hunger. He hadn't eaten in about a day and a few hours. He knew it was nothing compared to what other Phoenixes and people had to deal with, but it was still horrible enough to make him whine like a baby for food, not caring if he was begging to a complete stranger. And when he was so close to having food, what happened? Ember asked the wrong question and she went running along with breakfast. Or, rather, Brunner. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

"Ava, it's not like you to run around so excitedly for another Merrow... especially one like him... Could this be the bud of life...?" Chestnut wondered as he entered the room.

"Shut yer trap!" Aveen smacked his cheek.

Chestnut's face darkened, "Is that how you're supposed to talk to me? Perhaps I should show you how to behave right here and now!" He growled.

Aveen's body froze again, and the blood in her face drained, "n-no, anything but that, please, don't!"

"Well if I don't, you'll just end up doing who knows what! You know I can't allow that, don't you? Devil of The Chosen: Bael/Activate Magic: Call!" Aveen looked up at Chestnut's face with terror. "I don't mind a bit of blood, Bael," As Ember watched this unfold, a human with bird wings and a broken halo appeared. A chosen Angevil! An Angevil was a banished devil who was banished from both Heaven and Hell. That meant that she was a protector of the Lost. Ember didn't believe that Grace's story that her mother had made up would end up being true. Her eyes were golden, like a hawk, surrounded by red corruption. Corruption in the story Grace had told him explained that each time an Angevil was banished or failed to save the world, or help, their bodies would grow more and more corrupt until there was nothing left except the feathers off of their wings. Now that Ember thought about it, wouldn't the voice in his head be considered an Angevil as well? ...That would mean that she was trying to help Ember save the world.

"Master. You called?" That voice...... That's... a lot like the voice that keeps talking to me.... Could she really be...?

"I did. Teach these two a lesson for me, would you? Well... Keep the Phen out of it... But if you must, I would love a little blood..."

Bael looked at Aveen with a look that looked like she wanted to kill Aveen a million times over. But if Ember could get the timing right, he could save her. He could get her out of the way and distract Bael and then Aveen could escape. But that meant that Ember would die... And that might not be a good thing at all. If only, if only, Bael were on their side.