Aekhem

VIII

There was no consolation for Dregnar, he couldn't stop crying next to his dead wife's body, holding her, trying to bring her back to life. Lacjner touched his shoulder, there was nothing else he could do, it was too late. She had died long before they were able to reach them.

"We must go to the Celestial and tell them what has developed here" he said to his friend.

"We will leave the children with my wife. We must leave now" The seriousness in Lacjner's contrary to his jovial and playful voice, made Dregnar accept his reality. He saw how Aekhem was looking at him not knowing what to do. He picked him up in his arms and hugged him strongly against his chest and said:

"I have to leave; you must stay and take care of your brothers and their mother. I need you to become in what you really are, I need you to be my son, you must forget about your human form and do what you must. Aekhem, this is the moment"

Aekhem's face changed to a unexplainable pain to him, he looked at his father. His body was hurting him and started to shine all over. The intense light surrounded them. Dregnar was able to see his son on the floor twisting in pain, screaming. He tried to take him in his arms again but he was looking at his body change, transforming in size and shape together with the light.

Lacjner was away finishing the wounded Angels mercilessly. Their bodies vanishing in the air but their ashes falling to the ground because of the heavy rain.

His attention was directed to the hill where Dregnar was. There was still two Angels to finish but thought his friend needed his help.

When he arrived he was just as confused as Dregnar was. Aekhem was transforming himself in a big winged being right in front of them. When he stopped growing and changing he was obviously taller than the both of them. He stood up trembling like a newborn calf. There he was, a big beautiful blond and long haired Angel right before them. A divine light surrounding him just like theirs, his steel blue piercing eyes looking at them.

"What have you done to me father?" he said in confusion with a deep strong voice.

"Aekhem, is it you?" Dregnar said as surprised and confused as him.

The beautiful and perfect and naked body of the Angel had them in awe and petrified. He looked like the other Angels. The women just saw how a little boy was now an Angel. Just like the other two but with blond hair. The intense light surrounding him started to dim down.

Lacjner didn't know what to do. He started to walk clumsily towards the bodies that were left, found the biggest one and removed his armor.

"You won't be needing this where you are going brother" he said and then took his sword and in pain put it on the agonizing Angel's chest and thrust it forward. This war not to leave wounded or live enemies, especially Tusuer's demented followers.

"For dust you are and to dust you shall return" he prayed quietly.

There was another soldier laying down next to the one that just became dust and ashes in the wind, he knew that talking was not going to do him any good, he closed his eyes. Lacjner put the tip of his sword on his chest and with tears in his eyes pushed it through. "For dust you are and to dust you shall return" he said again.

He wiped his tears off after he saw how the body became dust and ashes in the rainy wind.

He came back to Aekhem and Dregnar and just handed the armor. Aekhem grabbed it and start it to put it on without asking how he was supposed to wear it.

Dregnar watched him in awe and pride.

Aekhem extended his wings and flew where the bodies where before and grabbed a sword which was about to disappear but when he grabbed the handle from the vanishing sword the the dust became solid again and formed part of the sword once again.

He looked at it and put it in its holster around his waist.

He flew back towards his father and Lacjner, watching them watching him.

"Ask not father as I don't know myself. You did something, you said something, I know I am an Angel but also human, I'm only a five year old human but as an Angel I'm ageless, timeless and with all of your knowledge and our brother's as well. This I know, as an Angel I come from the same place you come from, as I human being, my soul, my spirit is the Angel himself. I am the soul from my human side" he looked at Lacjner and said to him "Lacjner, sorrow fills me for Bechner's death and for all of those who have perished in this battle and you are right, we have to go the Celestial to free our brothers but we cannot do it alone, we need more ... we need them" and he turned towards the children. He walked up to them and touched their forehead with both hands. The children looked at each other not understanding what was happening or what was supposed to happen. They didn't understand why their mother was there covered with blood, all they did was to start screaming Aekhem's name and went their way to look for him.

"I can see their spirit, it's in there but the Angel in them will not come out as mine did" Aekhem said "somehow, I imagine I'm the only one that can do it ... I don't know why" he said with sadness in his voice "I don't understand"

"We have to go to the Celestial, speak to our brothers about Tusuer's treachery, get an army and stop him" he said.

Dregnar and Lacjner just watched him still in astonishment. Aekhem just moved his head side to side. He extended his wings and flew straight up. A white and golden light followed him. He flew faster than any other Angel they knew.

Lacjner and Dregnar looked at each other knowing exactly what to do what was about to happen if they didn't move.

Dregnar followed Aekhem's and Lacjner flew east. Threelights crossed the grayed sky, two heading up and one heading east.[_dx.�J�.W�T