An Angel's Wings.

Ch. 33 Never Slow Down.

Jessica led me out to a field and I looked around. The ground was grassy, and we were no where near any civilization, turning I looked at her. "What's going to happen?" She smiled pleasantly, "I'm going to run you through drills." It sounded simple, she left out the part where I ran until I threw up or had to do workouts until I collapsed. She was determined to say the least, she made me do each drill until my clumsiness couldn't get in the way and I could execute it flawlessly, she made me do everything from jumping jacks to back flips, unrelentlessly. And the pattern of my days morphed into this. Instead of alternating trainers it was one-on-ones with Jessica. Then I'd do school assignments on a laptop, then eat, review info from the Archives, then repeat.

Today we walked out, and I felt ready. I executed the usual drills with precision I never thought I was capable of. Back flips weren't even an option before any of this happened, because hell I couldn't even walk in a straight line. Guess Jessica was just a good teacher.

"Okay, I've have you doing drills with those wooden swords and that burlap sack, but I got something for you." Jessica stated, stopping me from proceeding with the usual workout. "What do you have?" I asked warily, knowing it was something that would probably kill me inside and inevitably leave me with bruises. She grinned, and revealed two gleaming swords that had been wrapped in tarp. "Catch." She stated as she threw one at me, I nearly fumbled and accidentally grabbed the blade, but I managed to reach the hilt. Jessica smirked, placing one arm behind her back, I mirrored her stance, "En garde." She stated jokingly.

Let's just say by the end of it, I was sure my arms and legs were going to fall off and I actually would be a useless lump.

"Okay, you can rest." She stated finally, it was sun down and I just straight up collapsed onto the ground. The gear made me sweaty, and I felt my whole body throbbing like a giant heartbeat. "Can I die now please?" I asked, Jessica laughed, "Nope, sorry, you know, we have prophecy to deal with." Before the conversation could continue a familiar voice interjected, "Why does she look like a breathing corpse?"

It was Angel.

"I am a breathing corpse." Was my response, Jessica explained the situation and Angel laughed, collapsing next to me. "So you didn't accidentally hold the blade and fight with the hilt?" He teased, I rolled my eyes, "I'll fight you." I snapped, hearing Jessica's retreating footsteps. "Really?" He asked, I shrugged. "Eh." Angel let out a breath of laughter, and sighed. "Instead of fighting, why don't we make hot chocolate?"

I shot upright at the mention of hot chocolate, making Angel laugh, ignoring the throbbing in my body, I got up, and we went back into the building.

Turns out the Archive was hidden but it was like it's own little island. No one but Demons, Halflings, or Angels knew about it.

Angel and I laughed and talked that night, and when I laid down in my room, I just shifted around until one in the morning. Sleep eluded me like a rabbit running from a fox, my fingers twitched like they wanted to move. Everyone paired up for the rooms, Raven with Angel, me with Jessica, and she was sound asleep. Staring at the swords wrapped up in tarp, I shrugged.

"If I can't sleep I might as well."

Getting up silently, I braided my hair, sliding into my gear, I put the sword in a sheathe slung around my waist. Jessica turned but was still asleep. Exiting the door, I was in the curved hallway. The center of the Archive where the hotel was. It was arranged like a colosseum of sorts, the buildings all connecting in a giant circle, everything else (like shopping centers) were in the center of the buildings, underground were the actual Archives, outside was just extra land. Letting out a breath, I made my way down the hall. Every since Jessica started training me, my steps have become more fluid and light, as if any second I could just be airborne.

Brushing smalls strands of loose hair behind my ear I made my way to the training ground. The milky moonlight illuminated it, and I pulled out the sword, the moonlight reflected off of it. Odd power coursed through me and I started drilling myself. For some reason weariness didn't greet me, the more I practiced the more awake I got until finally there was nothing left of the practice doll except hay and strips of burlap, I still wasn't tired. Sheathing the sword, my whole body tensed like it knew something I didn't and I caught a glimpse of something eerily familiar.

A white rose petal.

Turning I saw E, he was dressed in a suit like usual but his tie was undone, even then he still looked oddly angelic and regal. "Practicing I see." He stated, my hands wavered, he could probably best me in a duel. He smirked as if he knew my thoughts, "Jessica is a great girl, but she can't make you reach your full potential." Defensiveness swelled in my chest, she could, she was a great trainer. "You can?" I snapped, he smiled. "Thought you'd never ask." Extending his hand, with the flick of his wrist, a deadly looking sword that was a pure ivory white appeared in his hand. His gaze flicked up to meet mine, "Charge at me." He stated, and I did.

At first it looked like he wasn't going to move, but seconds before my blade could cut him, his deflected it with such strength my blade shattered. Frozen in surprise, he shrugged. "She still has you on a training blade, cute. You need the real thing." His gaze fixated on the broken blade, and it rose into the air, glowing. Staring in awe, I watched it transform in a gleaming blade, it was black, obsidian black with golden lines streaking through it like veins. It floated into my grip and the hilt fitting perfectly. "Every Halfling has their own handcrafted blade of their own design, except you're unique, this blade was made long before you were born, and continually cultivates itself to suit your needs." He explained, I lifted it and swung a little, it was perfect.

"Get in stance," He ordered, I did, and this time he charged, except somehow I knew what to do. Everything in my mind snapped into place at once and I deflected his blade seconds before it could hit me. We made eye contact and it was on. He faked left and expertly sliced. Jumping back, I ducked, kicking out, he dogded, launching upwards, I flipped over him, deflecting his blade while doing so, and hit his wrist with my hilt. He effortlessly switched hands, and I lashed my leg out, using the protective steel as his sword went to cut my leg. It clanged off harmlessly, and E seemed impressed with my armor. Using the kick as a distraction, I lashed my blade out, hitting him with the flat of it, not the actual sharpened end. The damage still lasted, his blade fell from his hand and I sent a flying kick to his jaw, he stumbled back, and I picked up his sword, and pressed my blade to his chest.

Panting, he stared at me knowingly, but I was bewildered, "How did I just do that?" I asked, he smiled. "Maybe your powers have been suppressed by normalcy your whole life, but that doesn't mean they weren't there. You'll be the master of all weapons, the conqueror of demons can't be a one trick pony. It takes centuries for people to master bow and arrow, or a blade, for you, it takes minutes. Jessica didn't know this, she thought she could train you like anyone else, but you, no, your body, your subconscious knows everything there is to know, you're stronger than all of your team combined Twelve. If you trained as slow as them, you'd be twice as weak." E explained, and I tossed him his sword.

"Why are you here?" I asked, he shrugged, his sword vanishing as if it were never there. "I wanted to tell you that your mother is in good hands. Despite how little you trust me, I thought you'd want to know." Sheathing my blade I looked at him. "Did you let me win?" I asked, he smiled. "Maybe I took it a little easy on you, but just know that Angel and I have fought before, when you went missing. I took it easy on him, and he barely lasted four minutes before I had him down, and he is a powerful Halfling. I've had the centuries to study the blade. What you did was impossible for most except for my own kind. Be proud Twelve, and heed my words. Don't let Jessica slow you down."

At that he vanished in a flurry of petals.

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Sorry about the late update! I had writer's block. Also I'm planning on keeping the same update schedule over Christmas break, but if I change it I'll let you guys know!
                    - Rosethorn