Angel's Virtue

The Wish For Peace

This guy looked dangerous. I choked from his grasp on my throat and struggled with his question ringing in my head. I shifted and scratched his arm and he let go.
"You'll regret that," he said pulling out a black covered book.
This was no ordinary dark spell caster in the woods when I saw that book. Dark magic books are rare and can only be controlled by very few who have strong minds.
He sent out dark spikes towards me. I shifted and leaped upward avoiding the attack. I looked down and didn't realize that his attack was to set up another. He reached from under his cloak and pulled out a thin double edged sword made from dark steel. He casted a black gas and by the time I landed the gas surrounded me and I have no sense of where he is. I heard magic casted and I moved quickly to the side and charged forward. The black figure had the same idea and charged forward, sword in hand. I landed and jumped upward. I shifted back to my human form and stomped on his back. He collapsed. I quickly made a run for it but the strange person appeared before me. It seems the gas allows him to play tricks. Right when he was about to attack, a bright light glowed from the distance and the gas faded and the black coated man suffered. I charged forward to bite him, but he read me like a book and stepped away and vanished.
"Drat," I said.
"At least you're safe," I looked to the side to see Flecin and Syf.
"Yes, thanks. But, this isn't over," I said looking out over in the distance where the battle is taking place. There seems to be more than just two forces.

~~~

"These guys are really starting to piss me off," Xane said running to the next target.
"Just keep fighting," Kika said shooting another angel down.
We are all getting a little tired and more frustrated over the numbers. It was practically a war zone, everyone fighting, buildings burning and people killed.
"Guys! It's 'Them!' They are here too!" Fang warned.
"What would they be doing here?" I wondered.
"They seem to be fighting against the forces as well," Kika stated looking out at the distance.
"They're still an enemy," Xane said, "high chance they will fight us too."
"I don't doubt that," Void said.
"For now, we focus on protecting this place," I said.

~~~

There are so many of them. I don't think I've ever seen this many shadows and angels in this area. They mostly stay away from a community of knight trainees and where many people are armed with at least a blade.
I ran around town trying my best to help people run as I tried my best to fight off the enemies.
I saw a little girl cornered by a shadow. I rushed in and stabbed the shadow in the back.
"Hurry, run! Follow everyone to safety!" The little girl nodded and quickly ran off.
"Don't expect yourself to save everyone," a group of shadows approached.
"Even if I could, I would gladly sacrifice myself for the sake of the people," I responded pulling out my axe. The shadows all came after me at once. I swung my axe from beneath and caught one off guard and split one in two. I quickly pulled my blades in time to block another swing. I pivoted myself around the shadow that struck and blocked the attacks from the other shadow. I managed to stab him but I got hit in the back by the other shadow. A large blast of fire swallowed the shadow. It was Syf.
"Please be more careful, sister," he said.
"We have to save these people!" I said.
"Then, we'll do that, but not by ourselves. Together."
"Right," I thought.

~~~

Everyone is doing so much. I can barely keep going. Me and my staff can only do so much. I stayed with Rade and the others, trying to aid them. Syf had to run and find his sister. I hope he's okay.
"Flecin!" Rade shouted.
I turned and a large axe swung. It just barely hit me, but he came with another swung. I attempted a block, but my staff broke in two. Rade ran quickly and stabbed the angel turning him into light.
"Are you okay, Flecin?" He asked.
"Yes. . . That was close. . ." I breathed.
"We seem to doing well. Their numbers are going down, we have to keep going, however. I'll try to protect you."
"Okay!"

~~~

Everything seems to be going well. We are certainly turning tides. I spun my spear around and mowed past multiple angels and shadows. I'm definitely getting used to it. Guardian helped notify anyone nearby where I am blind, even temporarily possessing me to protect me.
"There's something. . . coming," Guardian sensed.
"What is it?" I asked slaying the last angel around our area.
"Someone strong. The shadows have stopped, but the angels. . . they have someone strong."
After saying that a loud crash erupted and an armored angel appeared. She must have fallen from the sky. She had interesting armor and glowed white. A mask covered her face. She was large in general, at least twice the size as Rade. She had a long sword and massive shield as if she wasn't armored enough. And she can still fly. This wasn't an angel. It was a Valkyrie.
She flew as fast as an arrow shot from a bow towards me. I avoided her strike with her sword. I attempted a stab but she blocked it and swung again. I moved back but the sword was so stretched that it hit my shoulder. She didn't stop there.
"Void!" Guardian shouted. He took control of my body and avoided another strike. Guardian moved my body like a puppet and avoided many swift strikes. Eventually the Valkyrie used her shield and caught both of us off guard and my body flew.

I could barely move and yet the Valkyrie continued to attack relentlessly. Rade swooped in and used his sword to rival the Valkyrie. Though Rade was smaller and probably weaker he pushed his strength into his sword against the Valkyrie's. I can't move at all. I can only watch.
"Rade. . . though the two of you are different races against one another, he still protects you with his life."
"I. . . I don't understand why. . . " I croaked.
"Well. . . didn't you do that for him before?"
I remember. Even though I didn't know him. I knew he was good. I did the same thing before.
"Yes. . . I. . . remember now," I said. I pushed myself off from the ground. I slipped but eventually got up from unknown source of strength.
Rade was about to lose it. I stood from a distance and breathed. Then threw my spear.
Rade was disarmed and right before the Valkyrie struck, she was stabbed by my spear. She collapsed and turned into light.

"We. . . did it. . ." I panted holding my injured shoulder.
"No, you did, Void. I didn't do much but protect you. You landed the kill." Guardian said.
I smiled, "but you still helped me, Naid Raug."
"Heh."

~~~

The Valkyrie was so fast none of us could catch up. When we finally caught up I was happy to see both Rade and Void safe. Everybody gathered and we all thanked one another for our efforts. Kika helped patch up Void's injuries while everyone else talked to one another.
"Without all of you, this town would be erased from the map," Lily said.
"Don't mention it. This stuff always happens, don't they?" Xane said.
"True, but it's great to see everyone being able to help one another. No matter what," Lily said.
Lan came up to me. "Are you okay?"
I glared at him, but then softened my expression to a smile. "Yes, are you?"
He flashed his white teeth when he smiled, "only a flesh wound."
"Th-Thanks again. . . for. . . back then. . ." I whispered.
"Hey. Don't mention it. I only wanted you to get away. But I guess it worked out for both of us!" Lan said.
"Thanks, Lan," I said reaching for a handshake.
"No problem Fle-"
I felt something pass through me. I gasped and collapsed.
"cin. . . Flecin?"

~~~

"Flecin!" Lan shouted.
We all rushed over and saw Flecin on the floor. We looked up and saw a figure in the tall grass. Fang and Kika fired their shots at it while Xane ran towards it. The figure faded and our best guess was that it was Them.

Flecin coughed and she was shot with no ordinary mass produced firearm. This really damaged her badly.
"I'm not. . . going to make it. . ." Flecin coughed.
"No Flecin. . . Dammit! I didn't want this to happen!" Lan pleaded.
"Don't worry, Lan. . . I forgive you. . ."
I knelt down to her and Flecin smiled.
"Rade. . . When you first met me. . . I was scared, but now I am happy to have met you. I just. . . I just wish that. . . that. . . that I can see the world at peace. . . for once. . ."
"We will accomplish that, Flecin. . . I promise." I said.
"I. . . I know you will. . ." Flecin smiled.
Syf knelt down next to her and his eyes were already tearing up.
"Syf. . . I never got to tell you because I was scared, but. . . I love you, Syf."
"I. . . love you too," Syf cried.
"I'm sorry. . . this had to happen. . ."
"Don't blame this on yourself!" Syf sobbed.
"Everyone. . ." Flecin breathed, "Thank you. . ."
She closed her eyes and her breathing stopped.

I've had many friends die in war. I thought I would always stay with them until we won, but this not a fairy tale. So many die that I lost count. This has been a long time since I've cried for someone's death.

"Come. . . Let's take her back home." I said wiping my tears.
Nobody said anything, but agreed silently.