Modern Divinity

8. Mael

Days turned to weeks with autumn releasing its whimsical grip on the countryside and giving way to winter. The scenery had gone from enchanting to bleak, bare trees lining every street and a sky that seemed to stay perpetually gray. Still cold, still feeling lost, and now alone – Celestine spent most of her time indoors reading and waiting for any word from home.

One particularly gloomy morning, she flipped her phone screen on and browsed through her texts. A couple had come in from Mael, but she made a point to ignore them. Her colleagues were gossiping in the group chat about whatever the newest fad up there was. However, she was more interested in the ongoing conversation with her superior.

Everything is fine here, all activity has ceased. Am I done?

Soon, very bz up here rn.

Because of all the weapons that were stolen?

The what? Nothing like that has happened. Just bzier bc a guardian angle went rogue. Been a hassle tryin 2 find them. Kind of in a lockdown sit8tion.

Got it. Just please don't leave me down here.

Nobody is leaving u newhere. accept that ur duty comes with unpleasant things sometimes. Ur over a thousand years old, time 2 grow up.

"Says the guy who texts like someone from the eighteenth century who just learned what a phone is," she muttered to herself, letting the device fall back down on the table.

Another uneventful day passed with her starting to wonder if she should pick up a human hobby to keep her mind occupied. But every time she told herself to get up, she lost her motivation as soon as she walked past her coat rack. The items from both men still hung there, lingering like a cloud of poison, a reminder of how foolish she was to trust them.

That evening she was laying on the couch, her head upside-down on the arm rest as she watched the living room TV. Though she generally preferred books, she wanted something mindless to distract her from her thoughts.

Her phone pinged from a short distance away and she debated ignoring it. Curiosity won out and she saw a text notification from her superior. Her heart skipped a beat at the thought of finally getting the signal she had been waiting for, but she fell back into her dismayed stupor as she read through the message.

Loca8ted the rouge angel I mentioned the other day. He is xtremly close 2 ur location so we need u to go keep him distracted until I arrive.

Okay. What do I do if he tries to attack me?

U have my permission 2 fight back. If he dies, o well. It's just 1 guardian angel, that's like 2 ranks below u, ull b fine.

Okay.

Hey cheer up. Me comin down for this means u can hitch a ride back up w me.

Really?

Ya if im openin the gates n makin the trip neway, may as well bring u with me.

Relief flooded over her like a summer storm rolling over a meadow. She clutched her phone to her chest and closed her eyes, visualizing the halcyon fields she was at last able to return to. The memory of her home had become so distant, it was like a fading portrait. Her time spent on Earth had irreparably changed her perspective, and she felt oddly tainted because of it.

As she made the journey to the designated location by air, she mulled over the idea of fighting a fellow angel. It didn't sit right with her, but she also didn't usually deal with rebels or nonbelievers. She knew it was probably something her superior dealt with all the time, so while it wasn't common to her, maybe it was an issue for the elite. Still, though. The thought of drawing her weapon against another divine being made her shudder. Maybe they could be reasoned with, instead?