Brothers.

16

"We found Joshua."
Gabe's smile faded from his mouth.

They were celebrating his crowning in the whole of In Tutum. Tables stood through the streets and food were carried around by waiters and waitresses. Gabe sat with some of the angels in front of the Gateway at the head table. Everything was going well. He was king now, his uncle defeated and away from In Tutum and Gabe was surrounded with people he loved. For once he could forget about reality and just be, but even that was short-lived.

Gabe looked up at the soldier next to him. His green eyes shone inside the darkness of his helmet. He beckoned the man closer to him and whispered, "Repeat that again, Lucius."

"Uhm, yes my king, I said that our trackers have found Joshua and he is on earth."

"Okay, thank you. When did you-"

"King Gabriel! Is everything okay? If it's serious give it to me, you deserve to feast after your magnificent feat!" Bill laughed as he swallowed wine from his goblet. A small red line trickled down his chin.

Gabe ignored him and said to the soldier, "Never mind, I'll come with you now and you can tell me everything."

Gabe pushed himself away from the table and stood up. Most eyes were turned on him now. It wasn't a surprise, because it was unnatural for a king to leave his own coronation party.

Bill also rose to his feet.
"My king, did I offend you somehow?"

"No, Bill, I just received crucial information and must go." He addressed the people assembled in front of him, "Thank you for everything. Enjoy the rest of the night, but I must sadly leave you now. Thank you!"

He unfurled his wings ( now ridden of the clips) and flew into the sky with the soldier next to him.

They landed in front of the palace and immediately entered. Gabe almost ran down the corridors, turning left and right without hesitation. He passed no soldiers except those in paintings and flaming torches along the walls.

He ran down four flights of stairs and came upon the trackers of In Tutum, the only beings who weren't allowed to go to the coronation.

The four angels jumped to their feet when he entered, but Gabe waved them off. Formalities were the least of his problems now.

The angels didn't sit down again, but remained at attention.
"King Gabriel, I assume," Darius said. His green eyes shimmered with joy.

Gabe studied his freckled face and his ash brown hair. He had a clear, truthful face someone upon whom Gabe could rely.

"Uhm, yes. Darius, inform me on Josh's whereabouts."

The man turned to the young soldier next to Gabe, his brow furrowed in annoyance. Darius scolded, "Didn't I tell you not to disturb the king while he is celebrating? Your instructions were clear, wait until the party is over and then inform King Gabriel!"

He walked forward and banged with his fist on the soldier's helmet, it couldn't have hurt and yet the man winched, "I am sorry, Darius, but I reckoned that the information was important enough to be told right away."

"You defie-"

"No, he is right, Darius. I did tell you to bring new news at my attention at once no matter what I am doing. So this man did nothing wrong, he did what I told him to do."

Darius's eye twitched, but he submitted under Gabe's gaze. He walked over to a massive table with the four worlds carved into it. In Tutum at the top, then Obscurum, Earth and lastly the Otherworld. Each one seemed to swirl on the table top and when Darius touched Earth it enlarged until it was the only world visible, the other three gone.

Golden and grey dots covered the map in random places to Gabe, but Darius clearly knew what he was looking at. He frowned down at the map and turned to Gabe.

"Okay, sir, before I show you were he is, I need you to understand this... Uhm, how can I put it?" Darius swallowed and looked Gabe dead in the eye, "We cannot determine Joshua's exact position."

"Excuse me, will you please explain to me how the best trackers are failing to pinpoint my br- Joshua?" Gabe inquired sternly.

"I do not know, my lord. It is as if he is everywhere and nowhere at once. His magicalfootprint changes location every few minutes and we don't know how he does it. No angel has ever had the ability to do that..."

Gabe sighed, "He's no angel, Darius."

But Darius didn't even hear him.

Darius studied the map again, a deep crease scarring his forehead. He scratched the back of his left ear, leaned in towards the map and stayed in that position, his eyes following the quickly disappearing and reappearing dots.

"You're damn right, he's no angel, my lord. I've never seen this before," he said in distraught. Darius turned on Gabe, his eyes a maelstrom of emotions, but disappointment clear.

"Darius, would you please tell me what I think you mean, because I cannot phantom that my idea must be true."

"Josh is lost to us," Darius confirmed his fears.

Gabe closed his eyes. His heart sank from his chest, slid down his pants and tumbled on the floor.

But he couldn't give up now. Gabe ran his hand over his face and said, "No matter, I will go to earth tomorrow and search for him anyway."

"On your own, without us?"

Bill and Christina stood in the doorway, their hands on their hips. Bill walked forward, shoved Darius aside and studied the map. He spoke, "Gabe, you were going to leave without us, why?"

Gabe clenched his fists. "You needn't have to babysit me all the time. Do you think I want someone to be with me when I have to take Josh's life?"

Bill looked up from the map, red-faced. "Yes, you will. How will you capture him and win him in combat?" His fists were clenching and releasing his coat as Bill spoke. "Josh is one of the best swordsmen ever and who knows what other powers he has hidden from us and, Gabe, have you considered that Josh might have met maligan on earth? Will you be able to fight all of them off alone?"

Bill turned back to the map and gripped the table tightly. He spoke in a voice that left no room for opposition, "You don't have a choice. You are my king and it is my duty to protect you."

He was clearly offended by Gabe's behaviour. But Gabe was far more shocked by his. He was completely caught off guard and found himself at a loss for words. Gabe looked around in the room, at the soldier standing against the wall, Darius staring at his feet on the ground clearly affected by the awkward air and at Christina, who stood looking at him with her arms crossed. Gabe really had no other choice.

He felt a blush creep across his cheeks and he cleared his throat, "Well...then..I-I guess I'll meet you at the gateway before dawn. Uhm...don't tell anyone. I will inform the council."

Gabe stood there for an embarrassing second and then left with quick, nervous strides.