Draiks and Angels: Rescued

21 - Intersect

Michael hovered over Cona, unsure what to do. She still wasn't awake, even after the fight and that conversation with the human who knew things he shouldn't. He glanced up and thought he saw something through the iron bars. It was dark and hard to see, so he stood up to try and get a better view. It was two flying people, with black wings. Draiks! They were too close for him to pick up Cona and fly away. He was slow while carrying her and picking her up took extra time. Were they allies? Enemies?

The two Draiks landed on the roof facing Michael. One, a female with light brown hair, halter top, jeans, and as skinny as a rail, landed on the main roof only a few yards away from him. The other, a female with a tank top, khaki shorts, and dark hair, landed on the small structure that housed the door to the stairs below. With the iron fence to his left, the skinny Draik in front, and the Draik on the door's roof to his right, he was surrounded on three sides.

"Isn't that Cona?!" The dark-haired Draik cried.

"What did you do to her?!" the skinny Draik accused.

"I didn't-" Michael started.

"Get away from her!" the skinny Draik came at him, waving her arm in a sweeping gesture.

She was not much of a threat, weighing hardly anything and carrying no weapon, so Michael didn't move.

"I'm not-"

"Who do you think you are?!" she cried, hands on hips, only a few feet away from him, now.

That stung Michael. If he weren't the Archangel, Cona wouldn't have gotten hurt. If he hadn't hung around her, she wouldn't be laying on the roof unconscious.

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Alex parked his bike and headed for the bell tower, that he could see looming over the other buildings. He started jogging, and as the base of the building came in view, he could see a man sitting on the steps, watching the sky. The man heard Alex running up and looked at him, confused.

Alex ran past him, calling, "Are you Daniel?"

Daniel jumped up to follow Alex into the building, "Yes. Who are you?"

"My name is Alex," he got into the elevator and held it open for Daniel. "I'm a friend of Mara's."

"Human? Really?" Daniel entered the elevator.

"Well, really I'm a friend of Khloe's and an acquaintance of Mara's."

"Who's Khloe?"

"Khloe is another Draik. Didn't you get the story? Khloe and Mara helped Cona rescue the Angel, Sera. I helped too."

"Oh, yes, I did hear about that. I gather Mara called you about the Angel on the roof?"

"Yes. They are flying over, but I had to ride. I don't want to miss anything!"

They exited the elevator and rushed up the cursed stairs yet again.

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Michael couldn't get a word in edgewise against the two Draik women. But he was not feeling as threatened by them when he could see they were not fighters and not armed. Apparently, they knew Cona, which was interesting. He still kept himself between them and her, though.

The door to the roof opened and Michael felt his heart skip a beat. More people?! He was quickly being outnumbered, and even if they were women like the Draiks, given enough of them, they could defeat him because he wouldn't be able to fight back properly against them. The Draiks turned to see who had arrived, and he took a couple steps backward until he was standing over Cona. He drew his sword and brandished it defensively in both hands.

"Khloe?" Alex asked, looking around the roof for her.

"Here, Alex," Khloe called then turned back to the Angel and froze.

Alex and Daniel rounded the corner of the structure supporting the roof door and stopped dead in their tracks.

"Cona!" Daniel exclaimed, "What did you do?!"

"I. Didn't. Do. It." Michael grit out, not for the first time.

Daniel looked at the Angel who had just rescued him from being assaulted, realizing that Cona must have been on the roof that whole time. He was this desperate to protect her and still he left her to rescue a human he didn't know.

"Then what happened?" he asked calmly.

Michael heard the change in tone. This was the human he had just rescued. It would make sense that the man knew Cona, with all the other things he somehow knew. Michael looked at the other people on the roof. He didn't know how much they knew, but if they were the ones Cona had rescued Sera with...

"The Shadows attacked us."

There was silence as Khloe, Mara, and Alex remembered their encounter with the black beings. Daniel was also silent, but unsurprised.

Finally, Mara asked, "Us?"

Michael looked at her, confused.

"Meaning you are with her?"

Michael blushed, "We are working together, yes."

Daniel asked, "Looking for the ring pieces?"

How does he know these things?! Michael nodded.

"I am the one who sent her on that quest. So, whatever has happened to her is partially my fault. May I see her?"

Michael wasn't sure he really trusted these people. But Cona was still not awake and he didn't know what else to do. He stood there, unsure, and Daniel walked toward him slowly. Daniel reached out and laid a hand on Michael's blade, pushing ever so slightly downward. Michael lowered his blade with the pressure until he released one hand and let it fall to his side. Then Daniel gently put his hand on Michael's left arm and moved him off of Cona. Michael stepped aside and turned to watch Daniel.

Daniel got to his knees next to where Cona lay and checked her pulse. Felt fine. He put his ear to her chest and listened to her breathing. Shallow, but steady. He looked and saw a bruise was forming around her neck. The Shadows had tried to strangle her. He felt his own pulse increase. That was strange. He could be as uncaring and calm as a cucumber when he is about to be thrown off a roof or beaten to a pulp, but this got his blood boiling. He didn't know how to handle that.

Mara jumped down from above the door to stand on Michael's left. She surreptitiously looked him over as he was absorbed in what Daniel was doing. He was pretty cute. Then she noticed a cut in his pant leg.

"Were- were you at the bridge north of the city about three weeks ago?" Mara asked him.

"Three weeks is a long time to be remembering. I... go lots of places."

She pointed to the cut in his pants, "Did you get cut on the leg rescuing someone who was thrown in the river?"

Michael's eyes widened and he raised an eyebrow, "I did. That was you?"

Mara nodded, "I never got to say thank you."

Michael shrugged, "Glad to help."

Saving people was apparently something this Angel did a lot, Daniel smirked to himself.

"How did you keep those men from throwing me back in the river after you fished me out?"

"I had to fight them."

"You fought humans with a sword?"

"Ah, no, I didn't have my sword with me at the time."

Daniel interrupted, "This sounds like an interesting story. Cona seems fine and probably just needs time. Why don't you regale us while we wait?"

Michael frowned, but backed up until he was leaning against the wall to the covering of the roof door.

"I had escaped the Aerie..."