The Prophecy

Becoming Full

The human part of me had returned to the angel part. To my surprise, my wings were still the size they were when the two pieces of me were separate. They were larger than Maxx's and Michael's.

"Do either of you remember what happened last night? It's all kinda fuzzy." I asked them as we ate breakfast.

"Yup. You said you love me." Maxx grinned as he put his arm around me. "And you convinced Michael to let me help you fulfill the prophecy thing. Something about the Fallen having powers that Pure don't. Plus, if you're going to be infatuated with me, I might as well stick around so you won't miss me as much."

"I don't think infatuated is the right word here." I told him bluntly. "I admit that I think I love you, but I'm not infatuated with anyone. You're the one that's infatuated."

"How, exactly, do you think that you love someone?" Michael asked. "Either you do or you don't."

"I've never really felt any type of love for another, human or any type of angel, other than in a friend or family way. I don't know how it should feel. As a human, or half-human, it can be difficult to tell the difference between love and lust."

"Are you sure that you have any human part left in you? Last night, your wings were huge. Almost like those of an archangel." Michael looked sincere.

"Can you show them so we can see if they're back to normal?" Maxx moved his arm from my shoulder as I nodded.

I sprouted my pure white wings. Sure enough, they were still large. I could've hidden all three of us underneath them.

"They're definitely like an archangel's wings.  You're wings should not be that big with your human blood." Maxx gently touched the delicate, white feathers.

"Actually, it makes sense.  Kind of.  Her dad is an archangel. It's in her genes.  She has the wings of her father." Michael noted. "Stop touching her wings, idiot.  You might hurt her."

"Awe, Michael.  Are you jealous?" Maxx cooed.  "I hate to tell you this–actually, I quite enjoy it–but she's mine."

"I'm not jealous.  I'm just looking out for her!" Michael declared.  After looking at me for a moment, he held a horrified expression. "Athena. Look. At. Your. Hair."

I looked down at my waist-length hair to see it mostly white as opposed to half white and half black. "What the...?"

"What's going on? Any ideas, baby brother?" Maxx asked pointedly.

"She might be going full angel. The human parts of her may be diminishing. Although is may not seem to be that bad, it actually is. The human part of her is what makes her capable of completing this job." Michael explained somewhat calmly. "If that is the case, we don't have much time. We have to hurry."

"Let's get going then." I stood up quickly, allowing my wings to dissipate. "We have to save my people. My mother..."

As we walked briskly through the woods, Michael asked me about my vision the night before.

"It was just me and Maxx getting married, but there was something different about him. His eyes weren't red like they are now. Rather, they were blue.  I'm not sure why they were, but that's what I saw." I explained.

"Did you see his wings?" Michael asked me like he had an idea.

"No.  I didn't see his wings.  Just my dress, him in a tux, and his eyes that were slightly covered with his hair." 

"I might know about his eyes.  A Fallen can become pure again.  It's happened several times.  You're dad used to be one of the Fallen.  I think that you're vision may have been the future.  Maybe Maxx gets an opportunity to become pure again."

"Maxx! Please, if you get that chance, take it! If not for your brother, do it for me!" I begged.

"For you, I'd do anything. I would let the entire universe fade away into nothingness if it meant saving you."

"Maxx..." I looked at the ground to hide my reddening cheeks.

"Would you stop that?" Maxx demanded, looking away from me.

"Stop...what?" I searched his chiseled features for any clue about what he meant.

"Stop being so cute! I'm already straining myself to focus on the task at hand.  When you're all cute and stuff, you make it harder for me to restrain myself." His cheeks turned red.

"Hey Athena, is that your village?" Michael nudged my shoulder to show me what looked very much like my village.

"Looks like it." I smiled, glad to finally be home.  "Let's go home.  The elders are probably expecting us.  They all have foresight, so they should have seen us coming."

I took off in the direction of my home.  My mother was standing outside of the house I grew up in.

"Mother!" I called out to her.  She smiled and began coming towards me.

"My daughter.  My beautiful daughter." She hugged me tightly as the boys walked up behind me.  "And who are these two gentlemen?"

"Mother, this is Maxx. Remember? We were friends a while back."

"Maxx! Of course I remember.  How could I forget? How have you been?"

"I've been well, but I've missed the village.  I'm sorry to have left without any warning." Maxx spoke formally.

"You've grown so much since you were twelve!"

"I am an adult now.  I was only a child when I left.  I completely regret leaving." Maxx gestured to Michael.  "This is my brother, Michael.  Michael, this is Athena's mom."

"Nice to meet you.  Your husband always talks about how beautiful and kind you are."

"You've met Gabriel?" My mother exclaimed.  "I haven't seen him since Athena was a baby! How has he been?"

"He's well.  Gabriel has been helping Athena and I prepare for what awaits us."

"Mother, Dad told me that he wanted to come back to us, but he couldn't."

"Let's talk about that later.  The Elders have prepared a large festival for you today.  They had foresaw your coming!"

"See, what'd I tell you boys?" I elbowed them both in the ribs.