Archangel? More Like Archenemy! (ON HOLD)

Chapter 1: Well, Shit

It was dark that evening, unusually dark, with the sky clear and devoid of its usual splattering of stars.

Marley had just gotten out of a grueling three-hour swim practice. The only thing she wanted more than her bed and sleep was arranging the murder of their team captain, Davis.

Three of the five streetlights illuminating the quarter-mile walk from the Athletics Building to the parking lot were out, and the other two were flickering at odd intervals.

Marley sighed. If she was gonna get mugged, tonight was the night.

The moment her sneakers touched the asphalt of the road back to campus, she banged her knee brace with her fist, the thing squeaking in protest. "Go to hell," Marley grumbled at the black support system.

"Been there, done that, Munchkin," a deep voice scoffed behind her. Marley straightened up, started, and her had immediately went to her knife holster.

Don't expose yourself.

Marley listened to her uncle's voice inside her head, and slowly removed her hand from her hip. She did a 360-degree scan of her environment, making sure she wasn't being followed. The only other living organism capable of movement was a squirrel stuffing its face with cheese fries it found on the ground. The rodent was so bloated, Marley wasn't even sure if it was capable of movement.

She slowed her breathing to calm her heartbeat, and started walking again.

"What happened? Cat got your tongue?" the same deep voice sneered. This time, the voice came from her right, and Marley swore that the temperature dropped twenty degrees. Goosebumps instantly sprang up on her arms, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up on end.

The other two streetlamps went out.

A cloud drifted over the moon.

Marley was enveloped in darkness.

A soft chuckle came from her left, and Marley froze in place.

"My, my. It is so delightful, toying with your dull, mortal senses. I'm quite enjoying myself," the masculine voice snickered. "Well? Say something, Munchkin."

Marley breathed out, not realizing that she had been holding her breath the entire time the voice was speaking. She's definitely heard that voice before.

Suddenly, a streetlamp flickered on, illuminating a figure standing under the quivering light. The figure was tall, muscled, clutching a curved, sword-like scepter, and was hooded, clad in a pitch black cloak.

Marley sighed in relief. It was just some stupid kid pulling some stupid prank on her.

"Look, nice costume and all that, but I'm really not in the mood. I have tests to study for and papers to edit. Go prank someone else." Marley put her hands on her hips, with one finger trailing up and down the ivory handle of her knife.

The hooded figure ticked its head to the side, as if pondering what to say. "You think this is a joke?"

Marley nodded slowly. She couldn't see the hooded figure's face. It was as if someone had put a black wall over it, but Marley could still somehow feel that the figure was raising an eyebrow at her.

"Am I not scaring you? Aren't people supposed to piss their pants at this kind of thing?" the figure asked in a somewhat confused tone. It passed its scepter between its gloved hands, making the gem embedded between two curved blades to glow a crimson red.

"Not really. I mean, yeah, sure, I was a bit freaked out when it was pitch black and you did that thingy with your voice, but now it's just wasting my time." Marley started walking down the path again. "Look dude, I'm assuming you're in college too. So you know what I'm going through. I really need to get back. Nice chatting with you."