Guarding Grace

Chapter Thirty-One

              Grace walked through the doorway into the alley that they had not long exited. She looked around, everything looked the same. She smiled, she was back to her normal. She walked along the alley to the opening, pausing at the opening to take in her surroundings. The housing developments were darkened, no light shined from the windows. She looked around, finding the large clock she saw that it was 3:46, near time for inspection. She decided that she needed to get back to Dark Annie's before inspection came. If she was caught on the streets, she could be arrested for violating a directive.
               She walked along the narrow streets, darting in and out of alleyways as she made her way back to the apartment she had called home for nearly 6 months. As she turned down the alley that would lead her to the entrance, she stopped. The large Garon stood waiting at the steps, she sighed and kenw that he was there for her. Perhaps to force her back with the others, she squared her shoulders. He rmind was already made up, she would not be returning to the others and whatever war they intended to wage. She walked slowly to the steps, hidden in the shadows. She stopped a few feet away, hearing Dark Annie's voice from inside the doorway. "You chose to leave with her, you are no longer welcome here."
               Grace shifted in the shadows, not wanting to disturb the two as they spoke. Curiosity paralyzing her in her spot. Garon looked to the door frame, "I came only with a warning. He is not pleased with you. You failed to keep her with you, you failed to bring her talents to light. He will be taking his vengeance on you." Grace put her hand over her mouth to stop the gasp that had tried to escape. Annie came into her vision on the top step. Hands on her hips, "You do not serve him. Why do you care?"
               Garon shrugged his massive shoulders, "Serving him or not serving him. Caring for you or not caring for you. You do not deserve the fate he has planned for you. He will give you over to Gabriel." Grace watched as Annie's face contorted from anger to fear to a conniving smile, "You do still care for your old mother then?" She reached out to touch his face, recoiling with a hiss when he turned his head away.
               "Your pact with Lucifer created me, but I do not have to continue on that path. She has taken me in and showed me that regardless of parentage, we choose our own destiny." His eyes shifted to the shadows where Grace stood, "There are those of us who will fight to make this world and the other worlds better. I refuse to live in the shadows and darkness anymore." He turned from Annie and walked down the alley, never pausing as he passed Grace; though his eyes sought hers in the darkness.
               Grace did not move as she watched Annie walk back inside, closing the door with a loud thud. Grace let out the breath she had been holding, quietly she crept from her spot among the shadows. She looked at the door to the home she had once knew, sighing she turned around and walked down the alley. She did not know where she would go, but she knew that she could not turn to Dark Annie for safety and comfort.
               Grace continued walking along the alleys, directionless and allowing her feet to take her anywhere. Lost in her thoughts and memories. Her grandmother and her stories.
               The Creator of All is a powerful god, he created the angels and the demons. Pitting them against one another, laying down laws that forbade love between the groups. But when something is forbidden, it becomes that much more inticing. To prevent blasphemous relations, He created Man. He allowed the angels and demons dominion over man. Soon children were born who were the offspring of the unions of the divine and the mortal; they were called Nephilim. Many died at birth, many were killed. But there were a few who were secreted away, their destinies intertwined with not only the world of mist, but the worlds of shadow and light. These Nephilim will, one day, overthrow the Creator of All; they will create a better world, one where love is not forbidden.
               Grace sighed, she had thought it was a fairytale. She didn't believe in angels and demons, she thought her grandmother was telling stories, yarns spun on the spot for her enjoyment. Grace hugged herself as she continued to walk, never looking where she was going; deep in her memories.
               There was a great war. The angels, though not all, rebelled against the Creator of All. Wanting to be free to make their own choices in who they love. Meredith, the goddess of love, sided with those angels. She gave them weapons of silver and moonlight, the angels of the Creator were given weapons of gold and sunlight. A great clash in the world of light, many angels lost their lives to those weapons. Soon, those that had rebelled were thrown into the world of shadows; their bodies twisting and becoming monstrous. Losing their heavenly divinity, but gaining a different divinity- a hellish one. They found their power had been taken, but there was a different power that now ran through their veins. A power of smoke and shadow.
               Grace stopped and looked up, she had come to her old dwelling. The home she had shared with her grandmother. She tried to open the door, remembering that she had locked it that fateful day 6 months ago. She reached up to find the key that she had kept above the door. Her fingers touching it, she unlocked the door and walked in. Everything looked the same as she had left it. She sighed as she sat down in her grandmother's threadbare rocker. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep, her heart aching for her grandmother.