The Angel Reapers

Prologue

Safrina hurriedly picked up her phone and called a number. For the last 4 years she hadn't called on this number and she had no idea if the person was going to entertain her request. Suddenly a voice spoke from the other side

"Hello. Who is this?"

Safrina shut her eyes and tried to control her pounding heart. She couldn't believe that even unknowingly this person had picked up her phone call. Then again maybe the person had no idea it was her on the other side of the call and maybe that was the reason the person had picked up the call. It did nothing to calm her racing heart.

"Who is this? Please answer or I am going to hang up."

"No no no no. Don't hang up! It's me Safrina."

The voice on the other side of the line paused for a bit before responding angrily "You have some nerve, calling me like that after dropping off the grid for 4 years. Am I to assume that you have graced me with the sound of your voice because you are in trouble?"

Safrina shut her eyes to prevent the tears from falling. The truth was that she deserved those words. After all she was the one who had bailed on her loved ones and friends. They hadn't been the ones to cut all ties with her. Oh no that had been all her.

"Listen to me. I need to talk to you. I have decided to come clean with you about everything but I can't do it on a phone call. I need to meet you. There is a lot that you need to know and a lot more that I need to tell you. Will you meet me tomorrow morning at 9 am at Le Café Noir ? I promise I will make it worth your while. " Safrina promised

"Saffy, whatever is bothering you, you can tell me now. I'll protect you, I promise you don't need to wait for tomorrow, this line is secure. I haven't heard your voice for the past 4 years and don't you think I deserve to know why my friend simply ghosted me like this? Or is this asking for too much?" The person on the other side had become emotional now.

Safrina was crying now. No matter what she did, the tears couldn't be held back. The sound of her old nickname and the words of her best friend were well...... But she had to stay strong, she couldn't take a risk right now, just a few hours before her victory. She had been a clear-eyed operator until now and one simple mistake could cost the world everything. She couldn't be the doom of the world she loved so much. No, she couldn't take the risk.

"Tomorrow, not now. I promise I'll tell you everything from the start to the end but not now." Then suddenly remembering something she said "Oh and if I don't make it to the meeting tomorrow then I am dead and please don't come looking for me."

"What? What do you-" But Safrina quickly kept the phone down and clutched the table tightly. Just one more night. One more night she had to evade the hunters and then the Empire would collapse. She would make sure of it.

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In a house mear a mountain stronghold a woman was sitting at the dining table. There was a phone nearby and a stunned silence reigned. She hadn't heard this particular voice for over 4 years and she had missed this. She had missed her best friend. She suddenly got up and walked to the far end of the room. There was a photo hung up on the wall there. A photo of her and her best friend.

"I don't know what's bothering you Saffy but I promise I'll do everything in my power to make it right. I was powerless to help you all those years back but now.." She clutched the photo with all her strength "But now I won't let anyone come between us."

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Safrina nursed a hot, strong coffee as she sat on the sofa. The phone call had gone a lot better than she had expected. If everything went as decided then by tomorrow she would be a free woman. She wouldn't have to be scared of the Empire tomorrow. Tomorrow would bring a new dawn in her life. Yet she couldn't help but think what life would be like from tomorrow. Would she still be the girl who aced her tests just because she wanted to prove that she was better than everyone or would become someone new? There were so many possible directions her new life could go in, but there would always be one aspect of her identity that she would always retain. The aspect of being -. Suddenly she heard footsteps coming towards her making her smile. This person thought that they were so sneaky but they had no idea that Safrina had caught them. Suddenly she stilled. She realised that the footsteps coming towards her were deeper than what she was used to hearing. Now on her guard, she quickly went towards the window and looked outside. Shit! The hunters had found her. She realised that she did not have much time left. She quickly went into a room and packed a small bag full of papers, journals and documents, full of her research on the Empire. This was her only chance on convincing everyone that she was right. Without these papers, she was doomed. Packing her bags, she hurried into the adjacent room and opened the door. There on the bed was her most prized possession. She picked it up and cast a last look over the room. It held a lot of memories. But memories weren't important, survival was. She picked up her bag and using the cover of the night, fled.