Angel's Virtue

Friend

I tried my best to follow the cheerful humming elf as I carefully walked around places where my body might become scratched.
"I never thought a commander among the Angels became my friend!" Flecin smiled skipping over a tree root.
Friend. I thought. Angels never had friends with anyone else than other Angels. Maybe I'm the first! Who knows. . .
"Rade?" Flecin questioned turning in my direction to see me holding on my bandaged arm and walking in a stiffly manner looking down. "Are you okay?" The young elf asked.
"I'm fine," I responded putting on a fake smile to hide my pain.
"Let's rest here and camp for the night!" Flecin said, "plus, those wounds need replacing anyway!"

A fire was made and I bloody hoped that an Angel wouldn't bother coming down and make everything worse, but the night was still with the sounds of bugs making music in the night. Flecin started unraveling my bandages and my wound became exposed instead of blood (from mortals), light poured out as if it were in liquid form.
"It's strange to see this," Flecin said.
"Angels are made of light," I explained, "and our body maybe made from existing mortals from above."
"Why? The mortal humans thought Angels were above!" Flecin said knowing when I meant, 'mortals' I only meant humans.
"Well. . . that's a good point!" I chuckled.
"That should be good!" Flecin said finishing some wound tendings and started wrapping my arm.
"Are all elves this nice?" I asked and wondered to myself.
"Most of them, yes," Flecin said, "but some may be a little grump towards Angels, especially you."
"I understand," I replied, "after you get home, I'll be off and. . . who knows what I'll do."
Flecin frowned a bit and said, "maybe you should ask the elder elf!"
"Elder elf?" I repeated.
"He knows a lot of things, and is really wise. Maybe you should see him once we get there!"
"Sure, got nothing else better to do," I replied.
Flecin fed herself some berries. I sat there resting looking at the stars.
"Aren't you hungry?" The elf asked.
"No, I'm fine. I don't want to be a burden on your supplies, you've already helped my wound," I explained giving her a smile to assure her.
"O-okay," she said.
After that thoughts took over me as I fell asleep.

Way back before I even knew myself, Angels, maybe even Shadows came to be with no previous memory of their past selves. all I could remember was that I was at an armory with plenty of others and the last weapon that was there was a lone scythe. I took it since it was just like me and after that a swarm of Shadows came. After mustering all my strength and courage I was ranked. And since then, I've been improving up until I became a commander. Now I find the truth of Angels, well, the most of it. And I plan to stop it.

I woke up yawning and shaking my head as my eyes ached a little from the uncomfortable outdoors of how I slept. My stomach growled a little and my bones ached a little as well as my wounds. I tried to ignore that as I stood unevenly.
"You're awake!" A familiar voice said. Or right, the young elf.
"Morning," I yawned.
"You must be hungry," the elf said as she offered a bowl of warm smelling fruits. It actually smelled quite appealing, even for sore eyes from the night. Yet. . .
"No thanks," I said.
"Why?" The elf questioned, "do you not trust me?"
"No, it's not that. It's just, you're too nice," I said.
"Honesty is the best policy!" The elf said sitting straight. She lifted the bowl up to my face and said, "please, at least have this bowl, I still have a whole pot of this!"
"Fine," I sighed as the elf smiled in pleasure.
I drank a little and I tried to not make my eyes widen, but they failed me by how the soup tasted. It's better than the fruit baskets they offer from the clouds.
"It's good right?" The elf said elbowing me gently.
"It is," I said giving in, smiling.
"Ha! Mother's soup is always the best!" Flecin cheered.
I didn't realize until it did. I drank the whole pot. But the elf was actually overjoyed. We packed our things and continued going.

"We should be almost there!" Flecin said as we went uphill as I brushed past multiple tree branches. "We're here!" Flecin jumped from the top of the hill. I climbed a little longer and she was right. I looked down on a village as I can see the dots of elves living here. Flecin ran down and I followed.

Flecin was right. Not all elves were technically nice as her. Some gave frustrated looks. They scowled and they also  feared. The young elves even threw rocks. Not that it hurt except when they aimed for my injuries. Other than that, I can't blame them. We did terrible things to them. As Flecin went off to find the elder elf I waited for a while and before I knew an elf was shot.

I stood alerted as I held my scythe and looked around. The elves thought it was me at first, then saw me look around frustrated as a swarm of Angels rained down towards me.
"You come back here!" An Angel growled threatening me. They want me back. Not that I would help them again, but maybe they will force and use something.
"No," I replied, eyes sharp, leering.
The one behind me shot a bullet. I couldn't escape that fast and the sound rang out as the elves ran for shelter. I attempted to fly out before they could attack. They shot me as I flew and I fell hard.
"I thought you were a commander," the Angel mocked. I shifted my scythe to a sword as in the process of stabbing I slashed another Angel to light.
They threw an axe and I dodged as I changed to a scythe and flew towards him. I heard a click and I used the Angel and pulled it behind me as a shot rang out. I slit the throat of my shield and I bursted through the light and changed my weapon again and stabbed the shooter.

I rolled my neck, cracking as now every part of my body aches. It'd be nice to find a place to soak. That tends to help me oddly, physically and emotionally.
"Rade!" The little elf called running towards me, "are you okay?!"
"I'm fine. . . are the elves okay?" I asked.
"They're fine!" She said.
"Good," I replied tiredly.
"So you're the Angel, thank you!"
I turned to see an elf who stood straight. He was almost my height and he held a thick cane. His robes draped along the ground and his skin slightly wrinkled.
"The elder I presume?" I asked.
"Yes, yes. . . please come in!" He said leading me to his home.
Elves' homes are either made in trees or made themselves by wood. In this case here, it was a large old tree. I was sitting on a chair trying to take on the pain as Flecin used more bandages. Why can't she use her staff? I guess there's always limitations.
"Rade, that's your name, correct?" The elder asked.
"Yes," I replied as Flecin finished bandaging me up.
The older elf poured tea in a wooden cup and handed it to me as I carefully placed it in my hands in thanks.
"Thank you for helping my elves, even though they were hurting you earlier," the elder said.
"No, it's fine. I truly understand the Angel's intentions. I escaped and Flecin helped as well," I said as the young elf straightened her back and suppressed a smile.
"Sounds like you've got some weight ahead of you, don't you now?"
"Yes," I replied, "I don't really have any sort of direction."
"Then maybe I lead you somewhere, depending on your choice," the old elf said, "there is a temple up north atop the mountains somewhere. It might take a while to get there but the temple has another village where you can make your stay. It's the nicest place to prepare and think where you need to head next."
"I've got nowhere else to go," I replied, "so why not?!"
"Very well, you might make some friends along the way. Every elf here understands your aimless pursuit, but I know, it will end well."
"Doubt it," I said truthfully, "but there's always hope," I smiled.
The elf smiled back as he stood.
"I'll get some food," the elder said.
"No! Please, I'm quite alright!" I said.
"No, I insist!" The elder said, "plus, you should stay here for a while as your wounds are healing."
He had a point there. After the few seconds of silence he already headed out to get something to relieve of my hunger.
And they said Angels don't suffer.