The Guardian

Prologue

Gabriel

I was walking around the woods. The snow covered the streets during this winter morning. Trees were covered in snow. The birds stopped their singing as I watched a little girl being born in a little cottage in the middle of the woods. I was amazed by this, but something wasn't right. After the baby came out of her mother's stomach I could only hear one heartbeat. The baby was awake for sure, for pretty much the entire city heard it crying. Her mother however, made no movement. This is not how I imagined this day to turn out. I was not going to allow this child to become an orphan.

I walked through the wooden wall without breaking it. The child stopped its cries once she saw me. I looked down at her, staring at me with those blue, angelic eyes, laying in her dead mother's arms. I picked her up and held her in my arms. I carefully removed the umbilical cord and watched her fall asleep in my arms. I noticed that the tiny hairs on her head appeared to be red.

"Red. Your name is Red." I said.

"I will protect you with my life. I promise that no harm will ever come to you."

A light was shining around us and it felt like a fire around us, as if it were a blanket wrapping us in its warmth. I took the baby to the nearest house, which was in the city, after I put it in a basket, and rang the doorbell. A woman opened the door and approached the little girl. She picked up the paper on which I wrote:

"My name is Red. I'm looking for a family who is willing to take care of me. Please help me."

The woman picked her up and carried her inside. I watched from a far as she wrapped Red in a blanket.

"You're safe now Red, you're safe." I said.

"I'm sure she is." Said an Angel named Jael as he stood behind me.

"Jael? What are you doing here? I told the Order that I no longer want to be part of this war." I said.

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice now. If you don't join us, you'll be putting that baby in danger."

"No one is touching Red. Not you nor The League of Angels." I said.

"Then you will forever be an outcast. Heaven and Hell will have no place for you. You will be hunted down by both Angels and Demons and that child us only going to be your downfall."

"And I shall remain an outcast. I will protect that child with my life."

"You are a fool to put yourself in this kind of position, Gabriel." Jael tried attacking me, but I grabbed him and pinned him on the ground.

"You do not want to fight me Jael. You know what I'm capable of. Leave now!" I warned.

"Fool. You have no idea what you're up against." He said and he got up and left.

After Jael left, I went into the room where the woman carried Red into. The child was lying on a bed whilst the woman continued making dinner. I walked over to Red and let her grab my index finger.

"It's okay. You're safe. I won't let them hurt you."

That moment I felt something strange... I may have just found this child, but now she had become a part of my life. I was responsible for her. I have to make sure that she's kept safe. I looked down at the little angel and caught her smiling at me.