Fallen

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

When I left the vault, my new horse in tow, my head was spinning. After all this time, I finally knew who I was- but my fate was not what I had expected. More memories came back to me now, memories reminding me why the other children had been more frightened of me than I had thought. Images of picking up an insect, and with a flash of light watching it wither away into death. Playing in the grass, and looking down to realize that my feet left dead patches wherever I stood. Even on Earth, once, when I touched a cat, killing the creature instantly. Or, if I got emotional, stomping my foot and killing everything within a ten-foot radius.

Even after this was over, I could never be normal. There would always be the shadow looming over me, the thought that if I lost control, I could kill someone in an instant. I had hoped that finding my fate would make it easier to fit into Heaven, but instead it made everything much more difficult, if not impossible.

The Secretary saw me, and pity overwhelmed his features. "Oh, child, I am so sorry. If I could give you a different fate, I could. But God gave you this life for a reason, and I know that you will be perfect for the job." I winced. I didn't want to be perfect at murder! All I wanted was to have my childhood back, a normal childhood without black wings, and falling, and fear, and being alone. He saw my face, and tried to backtrack. "I didn't mean-"

"No, it's okay. I know what you meant." I whispered.

Looking around, I realized that outside the window waited Barrattiel, Leo nowhere to be seen. The Angel of War. This concept still failed to register. He had always seemed so calm and happy and- not at all war-like. But, then again, what did I know about war? Nothing. Not for long, whispered my demon. I ignored her.

"Hello." He said with a soft smile, if smiles can be soft. "So, you know now? About you being-"

"Yes."

He nodded. "And you know that I'm-"

"Yes."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

I hesitated, before pursing my lips. "Yes."

He nodded in agreement and motioned for me to sit on the ground next to him. "I know that in the vault, you found a horse and a letter. I found the same in my vault, as well as the other two. I also know that the letter, while wonderful, does not explain everyone else's powers and the reasons why they are who they are. After a bit of research, I learned a few things, and I think you should know them."

I glared at him a little resentfully. "Like what?"

He cleared his throat. "Well, for starters, tell me your powers."

I scowled, and crossed my arms. "I can kill things, sometimes, if I touch them, especially if I lose control. That's it. I'm a crazy murderer. Nothing more."

"Wrong." He said.

"What?" I could not believe what I had just heard. Of course I was a murderer! My powers were the definition of murderer!

"I said, no. You are not a murderer. You can only kill things- with souls, at least, insects and plants can die simply if you touch them- whose time is up. For example, those demons in the Madhouse that you killed? You put them out of their misery. That cat down on Earth? It was old, and dying of cancer. Your death was quick and painless. Much better than the months of agony it would have had to face before its owners finally decided to put it down. You see?"

I shook my head. "No," I said. "I don't."

"You're not a murderer! You are mercy! You help those suffering, in pain, those who want their existence to finally be over. And besides- their souls live on. Except for the demons, obviously, but they were tired of their insanity anyway." He added at the end, thoughtfully.