The Morningstar Brigade

Chapter 26

XXVI

URIEL

Day Four. Nine Days Remain.

Main Courtyard, Morningstar Keep

Uriel, Kat, Isaac, Daken and Jonathan stood opposite Vigilant in the gentle, rolling grass of the Morningstar Keep courtyard. A warm breeze swept through the small, green oasis, this verdant patch sitting at the heart of a bastion of rock and polished stone. Within the intricately networked passageways that composed the interior of Morningstar Keep, Shepherds often walked paths that were illuminated only by the amber glow of Vita lights. The few balconies that looked out over the valleys below were, in happier times, crowded with those warriors that craved an escape from the damp, musky rooms within their citadel. The courtyard was unlike any other space on the complex, its garden bursting with lush colors of reds, blues and greens. The strange, near-miraculous plants of Eden were put on full display in this unshackled chamber, standing as a stark contrast to the imperial bronzes, whites and silvers of the stenly crafted innerworkings. There was no ceiling, ornately painted or otherwise, to obscure the divine extravagance of the Eden sky with monuments to human glory. Instead, the raw grandeur of this azure palette was dotted with the cottony white of the clouds. There was, of course, no sun in the sky, but the light that inexplicably streamed in transcendant rays from above called to something deep within those below. It served as a reminder of a home that they had never known and filled them with a hope they might yet reach it.

"So, Uriel," Isaac whispered to his adjacent companion as Vigilant quickly conferred with another Shepherd, "Jonathan said that you were with Vigilant this morning. Find out anything? Blow anything up?"

"Yeah," Uriel said nonchalantly, "basically, I draw energy, Dawn, through my Breath from another spiritual realm and use it to wield the very powers of creation in order to battle evil." He tapped his chin, pretending as though he could hardly even remember what had occurred. "Oh, and I stuck my arm through a young version of my dad's chest because, apparently, I can also use Dawn to create physical manifestations of memories from objects with powerful feelings attached to them."

"Cool, cool," Isaac replied, attempting to downplay the insanity of what he just heard. "Yeah, I did some pretty wild stuff this morning myself."

Kat's nose wrinkled as she listened in on this conversation. "Isaac, this morning you announced to the entire cafeteria that you were going to 'change the world with your daring' and then balanced three bagels on your head while doing jumping jacks. When no one was impressed, you tried to balance four and failed, miserably."

"Yeah, well, have you ever seen anyone else do that?" Isaac pursued.

"No."

Isaac shrugged. "Boom. World changed. You're welcome."

"Uriel can wield supernatural powers, you juggled grain products," Kat reminded Isaac. "Uriel, I'm glad you got some answers."

"Thanks," Uriel said with an appreciative nod. He patted Isaac on the back. "Your bagel thing sounded pretty cool, too," he comforted him.

"Warriors," Vigilant called out, her choral tone resounding around the pure white pillars supporting the rotunda. "We are gathered here today engaged in a battle for the very soul of Eden. Across our border cities, Shepherds, Fishers and Apostles alike are battling the Nephilim hordes commanded by Faust while Eli, faithful servant of the Brigade, is held captive." As she spoke, Vigilant began to stride back and forth, her arms crossed behind her back in the gait of a general besieged. "It is taking every resource that we have been given to merely keep this offensive at a standstill. You are the best opportunity that we have at breaking this advance." Vigilant moved to the center of the courtyard, knelt down, and left a small trail of sparks in the shape of an X. "Faust has given us an ultimatum. Uriel is to match him in battle in six days' time, or he will destroy the Gates that separate the refuge of Eden from an Earth fallen to and filled with Nephilim beyond our ability to combat." This commander, with the fires that brushed across her skin blazing brightly, looked at Daken, then Jonathan, then Isaac, then Kat. "It is our duty to ensure that Uriel reaches this enemy and our responsibility to equip him to defeat this evil."