The Fate Of The Marked

Prologue

"He must be Thrown."

The angel that spoke stared down at the young boy sedated in the infirmary bed. The angel's name was Aabel. He looked timeless. Tall stature, massive white wings that fluttered in agitation, and betrayed his age. He had perfect features that showed none of the flaws that lay beneath the surface. The only sign of his anger were his fists. They were clenched into tight balls at his sides. Aabel sighed and closed his eyes as if the choice pained him.

It didn't.

The two angles behind him startled at the decision. It was a rare thing, after all, to be cast from the Otherworld, and it had only happened to a mere child once before. It was a cruel and torturous to strip someone of their abilities, and it was forbidden to do so without a trial. Aabel felt no remorse. His anger blinded him to the future of the child in front of him. He only saw a traitor. One that he raised.

"But, Aabel, surely he could not have done something that terrible." Said the only female angel present.

Aabel snapped around and glared at her. She coward back, bringing her much smaller wings up like a shield in front of her.

"Have you not yet learned to hold your tongue?" He asked with malice. "Or shall I have to teach you?"

She lowered her gaze. The other angel, young by standards, spoke softly.

"What of the trial?"

Aabel looked back at the boy so unaware of what fate awaited him. Unlike most of the others, he had black hair, dark as the night. Aabel knew that his eyes were the color of the stormy ocean, and had a personality to match. Quiet, and thoughtful, but strong willed with a mind of his own. He never thought he would have any serious trouble from the boy. He had to look away, as he faltered for a moment.

"He may come back in a years time if it is allowed by The Council," Aabel said, in a quick moment of mercy. "If he survives, that is, I will accept him back. If he dies, he dies a mortal."

The other angels nodded, not agreeing, but knowing they had no power to overrule.

"It must be done immediately," Aabel said in a tone that left no room for argument. "I will inform The Elders."

With that, he swept from the Infirmary, leaving the two angels behind to finish what must be done. Both were mournful as they dressed the sleeping boy in simple black clothes. Almost without words, they decided to disobey and leave the boy with his powers. They wished to cause no further pain to such an innocent being. It was bad enough as it was. Both pondered what the child could have done to deserve this.

The boy had not yet earned his wings if he was meant to have them, and so was spared the pain of being stripped of them. The other angel, Dominic, carried the boy to the portal's door. His counterpart, Zelphia, opened the door that separated the Otherworld from the earth, remembering how many died from the Fall. Zelphia grabbed Dominic's arm before he could let go.

"Wait." She said

She leaned down and touched the boy behind his left ear. Gently, she made a crescent shaped cut with her nail and took in a deep breath as the memories flooded her mind. She locked them away in the very depths of her being, fearful to look into them. The mark glowed red before fading into a scar.

"Zelphia," Warned Dominic, "If Aabel finds out you interfered-"

"He won't." She said. "I only want to give him a little help. It will be easier for him if he does not remember any of this. I will give the memories back when he returns. "

But she and Dominic both knew that the chances of him returning were slim. Once Aabel made up his mind, no one questioned him, no one defied him. She let go and stepped back. Zelphia pointed her palm at the open door and it began to glow a bright purple color. Dominic stepped forward again and closed his eyes. The boy lay still in his arms but was sure to be woken by the drop. They both knew that he was awake, trapped inside his unmovable body. They simply thought it better to pretend as if he couldn't hear them.

"I'm sorry." Dominic whispered.

Then, he let go.

The boy disappeared too quickly for Zelphia to see. Both stood and stared at the light until it turned green. The child was still alive, only now he was millions of miles away. They could not guarantee his safety, nor his life. The only thing they were capable of doing was to make sure he would be let back into the Otherworld in a years time. They shut the portal door, went back to their work, but did not forget.

The boy, on the other hand, was no longer conscious. No one who walked passed the alleyway saw him, though they all felt the ground shake. No one noticed the blue light that surrounded him for a moment, until it faded away, seemingly absorbing back into his body as if it were a part of him.

And so it began.