Page 25 of Wings of Strife
Archangel Remiel is the epitome of hope. Thanks to his ability to glimpse the future, he’s highly intuitive, but it also means he keeps himself more secluded than the others. If you’re ever lucky enough to meet him, you’ll find he carries a book with him at all times. This is where he draws the visions that come to him. I asked if he’d show mea page but he shyly refused, explaining that the visions he sketches are too sensitive to share, and that if anyone but him got hold of that book it would be a catastrophe.
I would love to see his sketches, if only to witness his talent. They would have to be good enough to clearly depict what he sees, which makes me think his ability to draw must be a sight to behold. But it’s not like I’ll ever meet them. You won’t catch me racing for the chance to win a meet and greet with our great rulers, and given how much shit the other students have caused me lately, I don’t even know how much longer I’ll be allowed to stay here. Shit. I need the Archangel Auriel to come ignite a little faith in me right now.
The article moves on to the Archangel I know the least about. Shubael.
Archangel Shubael is known as the ruler of treasures. He sorts through the items received during the Feast and helps disperse them to angels in need. Thanks to the nature of our offerings, Shubael can determine who made what offering, and even which Archangel it was submitted to, which helps them decide as a group who might be a suitable candidate for commissioner or other high-ranking titles. Earning his favor can be beneficial.
I read the last line again, wondering if maybe my parents made a mistake in choosing Auriel. Had we and all the other Fallen given our offerings to Shubael, would we still be in this mess?I ponder on that thought for a moment before Castiel clears his throat.
“You should all have had a chance to read through the article, but if you haven’t, I encourage you to finish it after class. For now, I want to hear your thoughts. What did you think?”
The quiet girl who sits at the front of the class raises her hand. “It sucked me in. Even though I already knew some of what they wrote, it still felt new and exciting.”
Castiel smiles, nodding in agreement. A long-haired guy in the third row speaks, his voice low but audible enough to be heard from where I sit next to Theo. “I wonder if Archangel Auriel can purge our school of a certain parasite who can’t seem to take a hint.”
Theo looks like he wants to jump up and pummel the guy, but Castiel silences the entire class when he points to the door and says one word. “Out.”
“W-what?” the boy asks, incredulously. “But why? I’m only saying what we’re all thinking.”
“I was clear about my stance on bullying from the beginning, and I will not tolerate your baseless comments in my classroom. You’re dismissed. If you want a passing grade, I expect you to fix your attitude before coming back.”
The rest of us are silent as he packs up his belongings, shoving them into his bag while his whole body trembles. More than once, he looks back toward me, glaring daggers in my direction, and I don’t miss a few grumbles from the other students around him, either. Oh boy.
When he’s gone, Castiel claps his hands. “Now, where were we? Right. The author was able to discover something captivating about all four of these beings that make them stand out from the rest. Do you know why that is?”
“Because they’re the Archangels?” a guy from the second row asks, his manbun looking far nicer than anything I’ve ever been able to manage with my own hair.
“Good guess, but no. It’s because every one of us has something that makes us unique, and that isn’t a bad thing. Each of us has a talent or quirk that makes us different and sets us apart from others. It’s what this report focuses on, as well as the others we’ll go over in class, and it’s what will determine your final grade.”
The girl from earlier raises her hand again, her voice trembling a little when she says, “We have to write about ourselves?”
“Not this year, though that will come. For now, I want you to pick an angel from history. It can be anyone except for a parental figure. Then, you’ll need to research them and write an article that focuses on who they are and what distinguishes them from all others. You have two weeks to select your angel and email it to me, along with your reasons for picking them. Choose wisely.”
12
Over the last few days, we’ve gotten into a steady routine of classes, working on wards and runes for the cave, and training. At least, most of us have. Ezekiel has made himself scarce lately, except to work with Dina directly. It’s clear he’s avoiding us, though this time I understand why.
The worst thing happened. He caught us. Walked right into what should have been a safe space for him and found the three of us fucking like wild rabbits. Oddly enough, he hasn’t said shit about it to anyone. He didn’t throw us out immediately and ban us from returning. He just left.
Shit. I need to talk to him soon.
We haven’t let his absence stop our progress. Without him there to impart his guild-trained combat on us, I’ve taken the opportunity to get started on dagger training with Hayliel. She’sbeen pretty sad with Zeke’s cold shoulder behavior returning, but learning how to wield knives has definitely helped keep her mind off it. It helps that she’s taken to it like a pro, too.
Gagiel and the others have joined in a few times, which proved to be an excellent distraction for Hayliel to keep her mind off things. It’s nice to see them growing stronger, more confident. Knowing they’re learning to protect themselves makes her happy. It gives her a sense of purpose, something she desperately needs right now.
Today, finally, is the day we’ve been working our asses off for. Our little slice of cave paradise is fully warded and ready for us to use.
“Ugh, I’m definitely not interested in feeling that every time we come here,” Dina says with a shudder.
I nod, letting the need to flee diminish as I stand inside the cave.
Thanks to Zeke’s knowledge and my research, Dina was able to ward the area near the entrance to create a strong urgency to flee for anyone passing by. It’s not perfect by any means, but it’s the best we could find to keep others away.
At first glance, the space looks just like any dingy old cave, and that’s exactly what we want angels to see. Zeke had found a special rune that would mask the contents of the cave in the unlikely event someone other than us stumbled inside. It wasn’t foolproof, not if someone was eager to discover our secrets, but once again, it’s the best we could do in a pinch.
Unfortunately, we haven’t figured out how to personalize the runes so that they don’t apply to us. I know there’s a way. I just can’t find a book that details thehow. It’s like the Archangels removed all traces of pertinent information when they had Silver City’s books redone. Still, the discomfort and initial confusion were worth the private place for us to meet.
Now that we know it’s safe, we can start making the inside a little more cozy and a lot lessevil lair.
