Feathers and Shadows

Chapter 17

I barely dodged it in time.

"What the hell, dude!" I screamed at him.

"My point exactly, Hell has no place here!" He said swinging again. I jumped back, ten feet. I didn't have time to see how I did that because he covered the distance really fast and went to stab me, in the stomach for the second time in.....how long ago was it when the Angel put his hand in me? I braced for the pain, God, please don't let me die here. I thought as the blade sang towards my midsection, and pierced something not me.

I look up to see Dylan with the blade sticking out of his back, centimeters away from me.

"Why?" I said as the blade slid out and he collapsed. Dylan hit the ground with a thud and didn't get back up.

Xander stared at his sons body in disbelief and turned towards me, rage filling his eyes.

"YOU MADE ME KILL MY SON!!" he screamed raising his sword again. As he went to bring it down cutting me across the chest, the blade flew from his grasp.

"That's enough, Xander." A voice said sternly from behind him. Xander turned to look at the figure who had another sword and a gun pointing to him.

"Dylan....he's.." Xander collapsed into sobs.

"Dylan is what?" Said a blessedly familiar voice. Dylan strode out from behind the guy with the gun holding his middle, and spanning ten wings.

"Holy shit!" I said when I saw them. "What?" Everyone else said at once.

"Dylan you have ten! And will someone explain to me what the fuck's going on!" I yelled.

The man with the gun laughed,"Ok lets all go inside shall we?" He said putting his weapons away and turned towards the wall.

"Finley! Open up!" He shouted at it.

"Yes, sir!" A voice said over the top, and the gates swung open silently.

"Now, let's all go to my table. Who's hungry?" The man said guiding the group inside. We entered into the most beautiful town I've ever seen. It was like straight out of a fantasy book, the market had all sorts of food, and there was a tavern on the other side of the town square from the market named The Saving Grace. People were at shops, bustling about, bargaining over things and food, some people were even buying weapons, that were glowing red.

"Why do the weapons glow that color?" I asked.

"Because red is the true opposite of white." The man with the gun said.

"Why isn't black?" I said.

His face turned dark, "We don't use the color black here, only the wings of the Risen are black, and they are not permitted to be out within city limits."

"Why, and who are the Risen?"

He chuckled, "My my, you're just full of questions aren't you?" I looked down, embarrassed.

"It's alright, I don't mind," he continued,"there is a presence more powerful then God or The Devil, his name is not uttered here but the humans recognize him as The Man in Grey." It took me a minute to realize what he meant.

"Oh," I said after a bit. "You mean Death?" He stopped in his tracks, making me run into him.

"Do. Not. Say. The. Name." He said sharply giving me a look that terrified me. I backed up and hung my head.

"I'm sorry." I said quietly. He started walking again.

"You are forgiven, but please refrain from saying the Archdemon of Demise's name. Here we refer to him as what I just said, or The Grey. Do I make myself clear? Heaven has different rules then Earth, here names have power. Lots of power. Like your name, for instance, do you wonder why Xander tried to kill you?"

I nodded.

"It is because of your heritage."

"My heritage? What do you mean?"

We had reached a path to the citadel above the town, and entered the doors. Inside was magnificent, I felt like I walked into a dream, and then realized that nothing in here was in my taste, too much white and gold. This place needed a little black.

"Here sit." He motioned us to a table near the center of the room. We all sat down and he clapped his hands. Out of the walls hidden doors opened and people, no demons emerged and started handing out plates filled with food of all types. I was hungry enough for anything edible, so a feast like this almost made me cry.

"Now, where was I?" The man with the gun said.

"Your name." Tayli said.

"Ahh, I beg your pardon, I am known around here as Michael. Do not feel like you need to address me with any formality, on the contrary, your roughness amuses me."

Tayli snorted. "Really? Michael? How do we know that you are?" He smiled and stood up.

"Allow me to show you." Out of his back sprung twelve wings of bright white, but along the tops of each wing was a streak of red. Tayli looked stunned,"Ok, I'm convinced. "

Michael sat back down.

"Why do you have a red streak?" I asked him.

"So everyone knows that I am with God." He said.

"Oh, I could've guessed that."

He smirked and said,"So can you guess why you have hybrid wings?"

I recoiled, then remembered he was there when they were out.

"No, I can't." I said taking a bite out of a delicious hamburger, and chewed slowly.

"Well, I think someone here might have an answer." He said.

"Who?" All of us asked.

"Me." A voice said from behind us all. We turned around to another really hot guy in casual clothing, very unlike the Templar style armor Michael was wearing.

"Who are you?" Tayli asked

He fanned his wings, twelve of alternating black and white.

"I am Gabriel, the Archangel of Protection and Knowledge, and Michael, who I'm sure has neglected to tell you, is the Archangel of War and Righteousness. Only the pure angels were allowed into heaven. Three of us in total. Along with the Risen, who have redeemed themselves in the eyes of God. Now, Miss HellNorth, if you would please accompany me, you will learn about who you are."