Golden wings

Chapter 2 - Trapped

Three angels stood around a pedestal, silently, focusing intently on it, never looking or moving away. There was a shining orb on top of it; it was crystal clear, it's light reflecting onto their cold expressions.

The palace room was huge, yet it was dead silent; many angels waited below, while the three oracles awaited the vision that the orb would show. All watched, with longing.

Angels always waited for guidance. They always did; they waited for indications of how should they serve, an entity they didn't know. They held not much more knowledge than humans, about what controlled truly the world. They could only wait, obey the visions the orb gave, much more ancient than their own existence. They hoped to serve enough, one day, and ascend more powerful. They wanted knowledge... Get to know their silent creator.

The orb always told what had to be done. For centuries, it had always shown glimpses, of demons. Today, the three oracles saw the orb shine again. Their eyes filled with disgust, because they saw yet another one of those horrible creatures which tainted the earth. It was reflected in the holy orb, in all its fierceness. A demon, whose kind roamed the earth, among the humans they swore to protect.

The three angels nodded, calmly. They averted their gazes from the orb and the tall demon it showed, not considering its sharp horns, which went backwards and up. Its short black hair almost hid its flaming violet eyes, in the pitch black center of the sphere.

They took the orb in their hands, and then they raised it carefully, to make it loom over the balcony, above all the angels below, for them to see. All of them were warriors, trained for years. They were ready to slay the life of any demon, and so, cleanse the world.

The orb always showed what it deemed to be the best choice. It always shined; it honored the one who had more chances of destroying the creature, to purify a little more the earth. It always chose the best between them, to serve their common cause.

But this time...

The oracles blinked, they exchanged worried glances. A few minutes passed by, but no glow came out of the sphere; it did not do so for any in the temple. None of the soldiers were chosen. None of the angels present here.

While the oracles whispered between them, to try to understand, the warriors were taken by confusion. The armored angels below began to whisper, dreadful; some were offended. They could not avoid it, because they were the most able to achieve the task of slaying a demon. All their life was dedicated for this moment. They had more chances against that beast, but the orb did not shine as it always did.

They could only dread, ask themselves.

Was the orb failing? Was their unknown lord ignoring them? Were they deemed unworthy of helping?

Before a commotion could rise, a figure stood up from its shadowed high throne. The murmurs quickly fell silent; all saw the high priest stand up. He was the oldest of them all, and wisest. They did not dare speak when he rose a hand, to ask for silence and attention.

The elder let out a short laugh, as always sure of himself and his beliefs. His expression was calm and cheerful, and his voice was soft, even if it rumbled in the huge room.

"The orb is never wrong, it never shows flaw. We are not the only angels around."

The soldiers snarled and whispered again, some even dared to curse. All understood well, too well. They did not take kindly the trail of thought.

In the citadel, more angels lived. Lesser ones.

Could a simple worker, a simple angel... Be chosen? Could they achieve this end? Who could be stronger than them, the toughest and most trained? Who could be wiser than the ones who knew how to kill, and had the skill to fend off demons?