Ark of the Light

Three: Angel of Earth and Nature

Zoey bit back a series of curses as the basement window slipped from her fingers and crashed on her fingertips. Despite being mid-May, the recent rain made the Oregon weather cold, sticking to the surface of everything before seeping in. Closing her eyes, she willed the brush around her to pull a little closer and grow a little taller to hide her movements. She turned her attention back to the window, yanking it upward in one quick motion.

"You in?"

"Yes, Jovanna, I got the window open," Zoey snapped, standing up and placing her hands on her hips. She ignored the ache in her knees from crouching in favor of glaring at her twin. "Care to explain to me again why we're breaking into the high school?"

Jovanna ran a hand through his soft brown hair, which so readily contrasted her own. As fraternal twins, their appearance differed just as much as their personality. Zoey's naturally blond hair and fair freckled skin looked pallor when she stood next to Jovanna, whose olive skin held almost a golden hue which only brought out the delicate changes in his hazel eyes. He was laid back in all the ways she was tense. He was the punk rock to her preppy jock. Yet, they both held the same intensity in their gaze, sharp, angular features sculpting their faces.

Jovanna inhaled, managing to look more exasperated than his sister. "We're not going to get in trouble. We already got our diploma, what are they gonna do?"

"I don't know," Zoey gritted her teeth, "arrest us for breaking and entering? In case you forgot, we're eighteen, that's gonna go on our permanent record."

Jovanna rolled his eyes. "We'll go in together."

"That doesn't answer my question." Zoey shift her weight. Her calf brushed against the window, causing it to snap shut again. Groaning, Zoey stared down at the window and her already broken nails.

Jovanna stepped through the brush, kneeling down to the window, grasping the sides, and beginning to re-work it open. "I told you, something weird is going on with Mr. Jensen. I'm just getting a bad vibe."

"Right, with your new dirt senses?" Zoey scoffed. While both of them had been honing their powers since they first appeared in junior high, Jovanna was just discovering some of the more nuanced uses of his power. Through the earth, he could sense other's mana, but his accuracy was still shit.

"It's called terrakinesis. And you can't say anything about it, plant girl." Jovanna grunted.

"Real original," Zoey knelt down by his side and helped pull. The window snapped open. Jovanna smiled at her, sliding into the basement level classroom. Zoey followed after him, easily accepting his hand to steady herself.

The classroom was dark, except for stray light coming in from the window. The walls and whiteboard were empty for the summer.

"And we're supposed to find something in here to prove what about these bad vibes?" Zoey scanned the mostly empty room. Jovanna began pulling out drawers and opening cupboards. When Jovanna didn't reply, Zoey sighed and began searching with him. For the most part, the cupboards were empty. Zoey moved over to the teacher's desk at the front of the room. It looked to be cleared out. Odd, she hadn't thought Mr. Jensen was leaving considering he only had a few more years before he reached retirement.

"Damn, I'm not finding anything," Jovanna said under his breath.

Zoey frowned. "Can we go now?"

Jovanna opened his mouth, but was cut off by footsteps in the hall. Zoey me his gaze. In the silence, they held a whole conversation, counting the steps as they neared the door. Without a word, they both raced to the tall, upright cupboard. While it was cramped, they both managed to crouch inside. Jovanna watched through the crack in the door. The classroom door swung open, lights flickering on, as Mr. Jensen opened. He sat down at his desk. He pulled out a small, obsidian disk. In his hand he held a small piece of metal, a razor.

"What is going on," Zoey whispered, unable to see from where she crouched. Jovanna shoved a hand over her mouth. Zoey bit back her grumbling, content to glare at her brother while they were in the middle of a class 3 felony.

Mr. Jensen pricked his finger, allowing his blood to fall on the disk. From his mouth, a cloud of black smoke arose. The teacher's body dropped to the floor, tumbling out of the chair. The black smoke congealed, taking a humanoid form. It hissed in an ancient language. The disk began to glow.

"My queen," it spoke into the disk, "I have not been able to locate the source of the magic you have sensed."

"You fool, the prophecy is at work," a voice rattled from the disk, "If we do not stop what that witchling put into motion, my reign will be at risk."

"Yes, my queen. These angels will be found."

"Yes, they will, lest you pay the price." The glow faded from around the disk, ending the conversation. The shadowed figure coiled, returning to smoke and re-entering the teacher's withered body. Mr. Jensen rose to his feet, motions subtly too swift for a man well within his sixties. He pocketed the disk, turned off the light, and left the room.

As the door clicked shut, Jovanna and Zoey burst from the cupboard.

"Shit," Jovanna gasped.

"Blah, you put your grimy hand on my mouth, that was so gross!" Zoey cried.

"Never mind that," Jovanna turned to his sister, grasping her arm, "Did you hear what he said, did you see that? It was some, some sort of shadow creature. They were using some kind of blood magic. Shit, Zoe's, we've got to do something."

"Do what exactly? This doesn't concern us."

Jovanna stepped back, flabbergasted. "You don't think this concerns us? Really? Angels and prophecies and magic doesn't concern the two kids in this school who have super powers?"

"And what?" Zoey snapped, "What, we leave our parents and our siblings to go on some quest? This isn't one of you're dumb D and D games."

Jovanna prepared to shout back, but was cut off by the window slamming shut. In from the window drifted a sealed envelope. Zoey reached for it first. Their names were on the back. She opened it.

Jovanna and Zoey Armstrong,

Do not be afraid. The time has come for you to know the truth of your being, the quest you must embark upon. The Prophecy of the All-Seeing Eye foretold your coming. Seven Angles of the Earth shall join in the ashes, forming the Ring and the Key to ending a princess of darkness, a Shadow of a Queen. These seven shall be the Ark of the Light, for it is their duty to protect the Light. As the Angels of Earth and Nature, it is your duty to the Ark to serve against the darkness. If the Shadow Queen and her army prevails, surely you will face demise. Enclosed is the location of your haven. You must act with haste to prevent that which you fear most.

Fellow Angel,

M.

Jovanna read along over her shoulder. "We have to go, Zoey."

"What about our family?" Zoey bit the inside of her cheek.

"This is how we protect them," Jovanna said, "We go home tonight. Tell them we got a summer job where ever this is, and we stop this Shadow Queen. You didn't see what I saw, Zoey. This is more than either of us."

Zoey gulped, weighing the options. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to steady herself. She opened her eyes, meeting her brother gaze. "Then, let's go."