Guardian, Chapters 1-5

Guardian Chapter 5

"WE HAVE TO DO something," Raphael pounded his fist on the marble table. The council watched as the horde swarmed toward the house. "We have to help them."

"There is nothing we can do Raphael," Raguel stood, "Her guardians must protect her. Trust that Michael trained them adequately enough to do so."

Uriel stood and turned his back to the council.

"Michael, you testified that Sarae is the best and strongest among your army?" Gabriel asked.

Michael stared forward, watched as the horde of flying demons filled the sky. They were attacking. More were coming. His heart raced in his chest.

"Michael?" Gabriel repeated. A slight nod was his only answer.

"Do you doubt your warriors, Michael?" Ramiel's question was spoken softly, but still cut like a two edged sword.

He turned; his scarlet eyes scanned the room, meeting the gaze of all but one member of the council. "I have no doubts. They will be ready."

Uriel's back straightened. At last his bronze eyes met Michael's gaze. He watched as the scene unfolded.

Demons emerged on the house in the middle of the woods. Sarae's cerulean wings stretched wide. Her iron sword sliced through hundreds of demons – still more charged her. Christopher's black wings spread as he flew through the sky, incinerating countless demons. Still, they came at him. Ahreyal held onto his back as he dove, ascended, spun.

Christopher and Sarae tossed her back and forth through the sky like a rag doll. It seemed as if they would be victorious. Then, reality struck. A sphere-headed demon slammed into Christopher's side. One blow was all it took to wound Christopher.

The council watched as he and Ahreyal fell toward the earth. The sound of her scream slid through Michael and tightened around his heart like a vise grip.

"Chris!" Sarae screamed. Her cerulean blue eyes watched as the gargoyle's body flipped and spun.

"Chris?" Phanuel said, "She screamed for Christopher, not Ahreyal?"

Heaven and Earth stood still. Michael stepped forward. "Sarae," he whispered.

Sarae vanished and reappeared, wrapped Ahreyal in her arms. She flashed Ahreyal to the ground, somewhere in the woods. Seconds later, Sarae appeared again with Christopher in her arms. She laid him on the ground beside her. Flipped him onto his side and checked his wound. He whimpered when she touched it. The sounds coming from his throat almost made him sound like a wounded puppy, not a large, massive beast.

That was the moment Michael realized he wasn't breathing. His feet moved again. Scarlet eyes scanned the skies. A gawk was coming straight for them. His claws extended. His mouth opened; fanged teeth visible. He was aiming for Ahreyal.

Christopher was wounded. Sarae was distracted. "Ahreyal," he whispered, "look up."

She whipped her head around, but never turned toward the sky.

"Look up Ahreyal," he whispered again.

She looked toward the sky. Her head whipped around again; eyes landed on Sarae's shield. She ran toward it.

"What is she doing?" Raguel stood, "Run!"

* * * * *

Something was coming toward them. Ahreyal didn't know how, but she could feel it. The demons disappeared as soon as she was off Christopher's back. But there was an eerie feeling in the air. Malice. Aggression. Something.

Sarae was looking at Christopher's wound and attempting to comfort him. Her sword was gone. Her shield was on the ground.

Ahreyal couldn't see the creature, but she felt it. She knew how close it was. She knew they had little time. She ran to Sarae, lifted the shield above her head. The creature landed hard. A blinding white light came from the shield. Sarae threw herself over Christopher's body. The creature screamed.

Ahreyal's arm swung out the way Sarae's had. A sword appeared in her hand. She removed the shield and thrust the sword upward. Another creature screamed, then others. A blaze of fire came from Ahreyal's sword and shot into the air, slicing every creature in its path. Flying demons attempted to swirl away from the blaze. Some flew in the opposite direction. Others hovered watching the flame.

A wave of power surged through her hand. Instinctively, she knew to swing her hand to be rid of the sword. It wasn't effective enough to get rid of the demons in the air. Both her hands came together. She could feel heat in her palms. She watched as flames formed. Somehow, she knew the fire was coming from within her. It gathered in the center of her palms; came with the force of a freight train and formed a sphere. Raising her arms, she sent it out, to the sky, toward the demons. They screamed; caught in a fiery whirlwind none of them could escape.

When the sky cleared, she was still kneeling beside Sarae and Christopher, motionless, staring at her own shaky hands. I did that – me – created fire in the palms of my hands. Pulled a sword from nowhere that shot fire into the sky. Used a shield to prevent a demon from attacking us. I did that. How? She turned and looked at Sarae and Christopher.

They were staring at her. Christopher's eyes were weak, but he looked just as amazed as Sarae.

"I...I-" but the words escaped her. She couldn't think of a question, an explanation. Nothing.

"Ohhhh," Chris moaned, shifting back to his human form. There was a large gash in his side.

"Oh my God!" Ahreyal breathed, "I'm so sorry, Chris. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I distracted you."

"Stop it!" Sarae shook Ahreyal gently, "You can't do that. You can't focus on what happened. You have to heal him."

"Me?!" What the fuck did she just say?

She took Ahreyal's hand and placed it over the open wound. "Ahreyal, you've tapped into your angelic abilities. Don't stop now. You can do this." She placed her hand over Ahreyal's. "Don't think about it; just know that healing power flows through you. Tell him to be healed."

"What? I can't."

"Yes, you can," Sarae demanded, "Your mother was a healer. You can heal too. You have to believe that you can," Sarae pressed harder on Ahreyal's hand. "Believe in the power that flows through you."

Christopher coughed. Blood spat out of his mouth.

Ahreyal snatched her hand away. "Sarae, he needs a hospital."

"A hospital can't help him." Ahreyal could hear the panic is Sarae's voice. If I fail, she'll lose him.

Sarae squeezed Ahreyal's hand. "Listen. There is no room for doubt. Doubt is the gateway to failure. You are his doctor. You are his guardian. Heal him. The power is inside of you. Feel it. Know it." She looked Ahreyal eye-to-eye. "I believe in you." She placed Ahreyal's hand on Christopher's wound again, "Tell him to be healed."

She looked at Christopher. He was in pain. He was vomiting blood. His green eyes were weak and sickly. He was her friend. Sarae said, only she could save him. Sarae was never wrong. Right at that moment, Ahreyal believed. "Chris," She placed her free hand on hisforehead. Her other hand pressed harderagainst his wound. She closed her eyes,bowed her head, "Be healed." She feltanother surge of power flow through her. It came from everywhere inside her and flowed through her hands. Her body felt warm. Christopher closed his eyes. A beautiful gold light illuminated hisbody. The blood was gone. The wound sealed. He was healed.