Barely An Angel (Completed)

19~ Call Upon the Enemy

"H-how?" I breathed. "A-and who...," I trailed off, pointing to the boy that remained on the ground a short distance away.

"It's a long story, but I want to tell it all to you, if you'll listen," he answered, pulling me into a hug. Unsure of how to react, I let my arms hang at my sides. Sighing in defeat, the man who claimed to be my father released me from his embrace and looked me right in the eye. His eyes...are silver...

"How do...how do I know...you're telling the truth?" I stammered. "How d-do I know you're really my father?" I didn't know what my dad would even look like; after I was born, the Chancellors ordered him back to Heaven. My mom didn't have any pictures of him, either. I had nothing to go off of. What I did know is that the eyes of angels are, in fact, silver. Mine are golden because I inherited a mixture of my mom's naturally red eyes and my father's silver eyes.

"My dear Ramonalta, it's me," he whispered, his voice overcome with emotion. My jaw dropped at his use of my full name.

"Dad!" I cried, jumping towards him and crushing him in a hug, tears filling my eyes. But they're happy tears, for once. He hugged me back as tightly as he could manage, before we pulled away to look at each other's faces. "I don't understand, how did you...I thought you were stuck in Heaven," I breathed.

"Yes, well...you see...I snuck out, to better protect you and your mother. Those Fangs, they're up to something, and it's not going to be pretty. I don't want you being any closer to getting in the middle of it than you already are."

"What kind of angel sneaks out of Heaven?" I snorted.

He narrowed his eyes at me. "The kind that missed his family so much, he would do anything to see them again. Even if that means temporarily possessing unsuspecting civilians," he said, turning to look at the boy my age, who still laid on the ground motionless about five feet away.

I exhaled sharply. "Is that...is that the real Demitri?" My dad nodded in confirmation. "But how...is he so young? And why did you have to possess him? Is he okay? He hasn't even moved."

He sighed. "Well, you see, in order for an angel to walk the earth, they would have to find a resident host within, say, an hour upon their arrival. Otherwise, our essence would essentially waste away to nothingness. If one is successful in finding a host, however, they would have to stay in that body until their own mind and body would be able to adjust to being here. Earth and Heaven are two completely different realms, you see."

I nodded, doing my best to follow along. "And? What about Demitri and how he's suddenly...young?" I asked.

"I'm getting there," Veren assured me. "He was my host, and he was the first person I saw upon my arrival. I kind of...panicked, I guess," he laughed at his own expense. "I did my best to land in a spot as close to you as possible, but my radar - so to speak - is a little off. I landed in an alleyway, where Demitri simply happened to be standing. And you know the rest of that story. The reason he looked so much older when I had possessed," he cringed at that word, "him, was because a host's body adjusts to the age of the angel's soul occupying it, to the best of its ability anyways. And he'll be alright, but now his body has to acclimate to being back to normal, hence his lack of movement."

I passed my father, taking a few steps closer to Demitri's seemingly lifeless form, kneeling down to better see what he now looked like. "So, how did you know things about him? Like his friend, Haze? And how he waited in the alley to save other blackeyes from the Fantom Fangs' trap?" I asked over my shoulder, before returning my gaze to Demitri's chiseled features.

"An angel can access their host's memory banks if they so choose, to either avert suspicion of the host's loved ones, or to simply gain a better understanding of who they are. I only accessed what I needed to, of course. Angels aren't supposed to be earth-hopping, as we call it in Heaven, but it's known that if you do, it just wouldn't be right to scour through every memory. I found what I needed by accessing only what Demitri keeps at the forefront of his mind. There is a clear distinction between the forefront and the Deep End, as I've so nicknamed it. No one should have access to a host's Deep End but the host themselves."

Just then, Demitri stirred, groaning in pain. "Uh...are you sure he's going to be okay?" I asked frantically.

My father waved it off. "He will be alright, my dear Ramonalta. No need to worry."

I stood to my full height, turning around to look at him. "Why come now? Why reveal yourself now? I don't understand. This is almost too much to take in. Does Mom even know?"

He inhaled sharply. "Yes, your mother knows. She's known ever since I got here. I went to her immediately. I didn't want to tell you, and I urged her not to say anything, because I wanted to meet you, my precious daughter, on my own terms. I understand the timing is not the best, but now you know and that's what matters. I've been planning to come to earth for a while now, but was prompted so abruptly when I saw everything that was going on, with Hamiel and Demeille, that whole situation. I've been watching over you, Ramonalta. I've always watched over you, I hope you know that. I love you, my sweet daughter." He pulled me into another hug, and I hugged back with all my might.

"I love you too, Dad."

"Hate to break up this family moment," a voice sounded from behind us, gravelly with distress. "But could someone tell me why I'm just laying on the ground in an alley?"

My eyes widened. "Demitri doesn't remember anything?"

"No, no, he should, it's just going to take a few more minutes for everything to come back to him," he assured me, rushing to Demitri's side and offering him a hand. He grabbed it roughly, nearly pulling my father down to the ground with him as he stood up.

"Wait, wait, you're that dude who said he needed help that other day," Demitri surmised. "Wow. That is not what I thought you meant," he chuckled. It sounded just like it did when I first met him, only now it lacked the heartiness that it had gained with age. A moment of silence passed, everyone trying to figure out what to say. Veren was the first to speak.

"I've gathered that you dislike the Fantom Fangs, is that correct?" My father asked Demitri.

He scoffed. "What kind of question is that? Of course I dislike them. I hate them. They've ruined my life, and the lives of countless others like me. Including Haze. Why do you ask? You gonna help me take them down?"

Veren nodded. "But we can't do it alone. We need to call upon their enemy."

Demitri and I traded glances knowingly, and in unison we said the answer out loud: "The Chancellors."

~

What are your thoughts on the Demitri/Veren situation? Crazy right?? Don't worry, I'll have the next chapter up at some point today, so it won't be too long of a wait :) Till then,

-R.J. ♡