by Katie Pottle
It was like watching a horror scene play out right in front of him, and he couldn’t look away. His eye’s followed Susan before a quick shove nearly toppled him.
“Eye’s off my girlfriend, runt!” Gregor instantly snapped back to his aggressive form and Cadin felt his body respond to the threat. His heart raced and his pupils dilated. Gregor took a step forward and his voice trembled. “Susan would never be caught dead with you,” Gregor spat as his eyes grew wild. “And your underwhelming squad of random Aura first years should not be allowed to lick the dirt from the bottom of my shoe, let alone compete. It sickens me that they changed the rules. But I’m sure I will be placated with crushing you and your pathetic excuse for a team into dust next year. Hey, you will make it that much more enjoyable for my team of true Warrior Angels to qualify.” Gregor took a step closer, and Cadin’s muscles tensed in response. “I guess I should be thanking you for making it that much easier for us.”
A crowd gathered, but he was beyond seeing or caring what happened outside of his red-tinted vision of Gregor smirking at him. Someone from the crowd put his hand on Gregor’s shaking shoulder, but Gregor threw him off and took a step closer.
Cadin couldn’t contain himself any longer. He shook and felt the air around him cling to his arms and legs. Gregor’s smile faltered, as thunder rolled across the cloud beneath their feet. Ice crystals prickled Cadin’s fingertips, as he stepped forward.
Before he finished his first step, Master Sanjen stepped between Cadin and his target. “Enough!”
A small bolt of electricity jumped between Master Sanjen's hand and Cadin's chest, jolting him back to reality. Cadin realized what he was about to do—enough to get him kicked out of Glade Commons for good, and instantly his muscles relaxed, his vision cleared and his ragged breathing evened.
"I think it best that you both return to your separate proceedings." Master Sanjen gave Cadin a hard, and slightly surprised look. Cadin nodded, feeling ashamed and walked back to his team.
"What happened that Gregor could be so mad at you?" Sun asked. Cadin was surprised that all his friends had completely missed the incident. At the time, it felt like the entire cloud was involved. Apparently, most of it had happened in his mind.
"Gregor and I got into an argument over whether second years should be allowed to compete next year."
"That's it?" Sun looked confused as she handed Gur over to Cadin.
"I think so. It all seems so stupid now, but he made me furious. Master Sanjen had to step between us." Cadin shook his head at his own loss of temper. He was downplaying what happened to his friends, and it still sounded ridiculous. "And he was totally two-faced in front of his girlfriend."
"Wait, is that girl who healed you Gregor's girlfriend?" Sun asked.
"That hot girl?" Lep added. Sun punched him for his effort. "Ouch! I was just asking."
Cadin nodded.
"Well, that might explain his overreaction to you. He probably felt threatened by you talking to her."
"That's stupid, I was just saying hi."
"Guys can be stupid," Sun said lightly. "Just don't let that stuff get to you otherwise you may not be allowed to participate in the Qualifiers next year."
"Yeah, that guy is not worth your time," Bart added.
"Thanks, guys. Let's forget about this and go register for the Calvarian Game Qualifiers!" Cadin smiled as he realized that no matter what Gregor thought, as a first-year student he was about to sign his name as having established eligibility for the Qualifiers. Now all he had to do was choose a Path.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Earth
Cadin didn’t get a chance to talk with Master Emilio on Badge Day. Master Emilio did however, leave an envelope with Instructor Kade. Cadin ripped into it and found two forms on official Town Hall letterhead. The first stated that one signature of release was needed from the Janitorial Department. Bruce’s messy writing indicated that he needed to stop by his office no later than Friday to complete the form.
The second letter made Cadin smile as he read the headline “Notice of Community Service Completion.” A small note was tucked behind the form and Cadin recognized Master Emilio’s beautiful calligraphy. Congratulations on your Badge Day success. I’m sorry to have left in a rush, but we will celebrate at our normal meeting time this week. As you can see, the paper pushers finally completed your official release of community service. Your apprenticeship for school credit remains intact for as long as you would like. —Sincerely, Master Emilio.
Cadin was on a high since Badge Day and happily pushed through the spring mist on his way to Town Hall. Instructor Kade gave him permission to leave school early so he would have time to swing by the Janitorial Department. What should only take a minute to sign a release form would likely take much longer, due to Bruce’s chatty nature.
The last time Cadin saw Bruce was months ago. Master Emilio had lectured Cadin on punctuality due to being fifteen minutes late after the scrawny janitor had made a “tracker interrupter” for him, claiming that it would stop both the Core and the Poppler aliens from getting a beat on him. He missed Bruce’s zany conspiracy theories and was happy he got to see him.
“Hello,” Cadin called as he knocked on the only grubby door in Town Hall. Then he remembered he needed to identify himself before Bruce would unlock the door. “It’s Cadin.”
“Right, hang on!” Bruce yelled. Cadin heard a bunch of rustling papers and a loud thump before Bruce starting on unlocking the many locks and peek from behind the crack. He nodded to Cadin and then released the final chain to allow the door to fully open.
“Added a few more locks?” Cadin asked. Bruce had a thing for locks—he even had one on his old beat up refrigerator in the corner.
“Never be too careful,” Bruce replied, same as always.
Cadin plopped down in the worn-down chair next to the desk as Gur raced down his arm to play with the new locks at the base of the door.
Bruce jumped at the quick movement, but recovered quickly and took his seat behind the messy desk.
“So, where’s this paper I need to sign?” Cadin asked as he stood up to peer at the top of a huge stack of folders that looked ready to topple.
“We need to talk first.” Bruce motioned for Cadin to sit back down, flexing his now shockingly large biceps.
Cadin sighed as he sat back down. “The workouts have been paying off,” he said with a wave towards Bruce’s arms.
“What? Oh, right. Yeah,” Bruce said, as his eyes twitched back and forth. He returned his gaze to Cadin. “A lot’s happened in the months since we worked together.”
Cadin had no idea where Bruce was going with this one. “I guess so.” Non-specific answers were usually the fastest way to allow Bruce to get to his convoluted points.
“You have a choice to make that will change your life.”
Cadin felt a smile creep up his face. He wondered if this was going to be another investment offer. The last one was for a cloud-gator farm that was projected to return three times his initial money by the end of the year.
“Did I ever tell you where I grew up?” Bruce asked. Cadin was taken back by the quick change in direction.
“Uh, no. I just thought you grew up on Glade.”
“I was born on Glade and then taken to be raised by my uncle on a fringe-land. It was hard work to mine the clouds for energy, water, necessities that most take for granted.”
“Why did you not stay here, where you have everything you need?” Cadin didn’t understand moving from an established cloud-land to a fringe-cloud.
“Not everything in the Calvarian System is as perfect as they would have you believe, Cadin. My uncle refused to live in a System where the Core has ultimate and flawed power. The Core has failed us in many ways and you now have a chance to right these wrongs. To help people.”
Cadin felt his body ring into panic mode. He glanced at Bruce and really took in his appearance. His left eye twitched as he stared back at Cadin. Bruce’s phys
ique had transformed from a scrawny janitor to a bulging threat. Even his Aura had changed. It was still white; however, dark purple specks danced within.
“Cadin, my uncle is a great man. He has taken in many that were refused help by the Core. You—we all have a chance to change all of that. My uncle would very much like to meet you and show you his vision for the new, United Cloud System.”
“And how does your uncle plan to unite the Cloud System?” Cadin asked in a voice that he hoped sounded interested. He wanted to keep Bruce talking long enough that he could figure a way to attract someone’s attention in Town Hall. Unfortunately, the Janitorial Department was tucked back out sight from the main hall, and Cadin knew that Bruce had worked hard to sound-proof his office.
“Isn’t it obvious? We need to stand up for equality. Remove the Core from power over angels and the guardianship of humans.” A strange smile spread across Bruce’s face.
“What do humans have to do with anything?” Cadin asked, perplexed.
“Nothing. That is the point. Humans are one example of many that the Core wastes a huge amount of angels, time, resources and even lives on. Resources that could be used for improving the lives of all angels—on cloud-lands and fringe-lands. There would be freedom.”
Cadin risked a quick glance at the door and was disappointed to see that several of the locks were latched.
“You are young, and the Core is all you have known, so you can be forgiven for your ignorance of the wider world. You don’t know the Truth, only the twisted version that they would have you believe. Have you never asked questions that have been brushed under the rug? Have you never wondered why certain time periods are skipped in history books?”
Bruce twitched and leaned forward. “I see in your face that the truth is dawning on you, but you still trust those who have raised you. That’s fair—even a noble quality. You have questions, and we don’t have time for all the answers here. In any case, I’m not the one to answer them. You need to meet my uncle. He has all the answers.”
“One more question?”
Bruce flexed his bulging shoulders before nodding
“What is your uncle’s name?”
“My uncle, Tiberius is the founder of the Tlalocs—ambassadors of freedom!” Bruce was starting to become manic, the purple flecks dancing quickly in his Aura. "Cadin, you must meet him and learn the truth behind the Core!"
“And then what?” Cadin asked, his voice shaking a bit. He tensed his muscles, ready to stand. He desperately hoped that Master Emilio would come looking for him.
“And then what, what?” Bruce asked, looking confused. He rose from his chair and slowly made his way around the desk
“What happens after I meet your uncle? Will he just let me go and return to Glade if that is what I choose?” Cadin let his thought slip out and instantly regretted it when he saw Bruce’s eye stop twitching as his brows furrowed.
"You will not choose the Core once you know the truth! But, yes—you will be free. Free to go, free to stay—free of the lies that have held you your entire life."
“But they will find us soon. We must leave now. I’m sorry, but in this you have no choice. You can’t begin to realize what is at stake."
“I’m not going anywhere with you!”
Cadin made a leap for the door and undid two locks before he heard a sickening thump as pain radiated through his head and everything went dark.
Cadin woke as he was unceremoniously dropped to the ground. He wanted to groan as the pain in his head pulsed, but he held back to evaluate his surroundings. He opened his eyes a crack and noticed that they were in a roughly carved out tunnel of dense cloud-land. Cadin heard a warning horn far off in the distance. A diversion? Cadin wondered. Either way, he doubted he could count on anyone finding him in time.
Bruce didn’t seem to notice that Cadin was awake as he pushed a large boulder to the side. Light streamed in through a layer of mist. Deciding to take a chance, he ignored his pounding headache as he tensed his muscles to jump up and run back through the dark tunnel. He made it two steps before he turned and saw Bruce lunge for him. Cadin dodged and switched directions, bolting for the newly opened exit.
“Stop!” Bruce growled as Cadin shot through the hole.
Cadin was surprised to see that the tunnel opened to edge of the cloud-land, and he turned to crawl up the side of Glade. He heard Bruce take flight below him, just as he pulled himself up on flat land. Bruce swooped toward him, but he ducked just out of his reach.
Cadin reached for the clouds but was tackled before he could connect. He heard a screech as Gur raced through the mist, hissing and scratching viciously at Bruce’s face. Bruce pulled Gur off, grunting in pain as Gur’s embedded claws raked his cheek and eye. Bruce threw Gur across the field where Cadin heard a thump.
“Gur!” Cadin started to shout, but Bruce quickly grabbed Cadin to his chest and folded one of his massive arms over his mouth.
"You must come!" Bruce whispered madly. Cadin struggled and almost got free before Bruce grabbed at the back of his neck. Cadin felt the chain of his medallion cut into his muscles before finally breaking free; chain, medallion and blood flew across Cadin's sightline. Red tinted his vision just as Bruce tightened his grip and pulled Cadin hard against his chest. Cadin felt his right shoulder crush and heard the sickening sound of tearing muscle. Bruce unfurled his wings and squatted to take off. Cadin kicked and punched before being inundated with crippling pain.
Lightning, Cadin thought as he tried to connect to the cloud. The ground shook with thunder as Bruce took to the sky, crushing Cadin to his chest. A streak of lightning burst through the cloud and to Cadin’s dismay, struck his own hand rather than fry his attacker. The lightning shook him for a second as his body absorbed the blow. Soon they were in the air flying away from the cloud-land of Glade, not a single patrol angel to be seen.
The wind rushed past Cadin's face as he wondered where they could be going. Blood dripped onto Cadin from Bruce’s gouged eye. He knew there was only one place that Bruce would take him now, and he had no desire to see Tiberius face to face. He knew if he did it would probably be the last face he saw. His mind raced with questions, but his gut told him to fight back. Cadin slowly wiggled one hand free and grabbed for Bruce’s little finger and jerked back hard. He felt a snap as Bruce roared in pain and loosened his grip, the blood from his neck and Bruce's eye made him slippery. Cadin focused and called forth his energy. He felt an unfamiliar edge that he thought was due to the lightning. An idea struck him, and he sent the lightning that he had absorbed across his body like a current. Bruce shook violently and Cadin thrashed fiercely until he was free—falling towards Earth. In his haste to get free, he hadn’t considered how he would escape in the open clouds.
He looked up once to see Bruce’s face covered in shock and fear as he hovered for a moment and then dove after Cadin. The clouds were thick and Cadin lost sight of the dark angel as he plummeted down.
Clouds! Cadin thought as he twisted his body to see what was below him. The next cloud he passed through he made a deliberate attempt to cloud-shift, solidifying the cloud and grabbing onto what he could with his good arm. It worked a little bit to slow him down, but he continued to fall. Cadin vision flashed red as he searched and saw only one cloud left between him and Earth.
This time, Cadin spread out his body and his cloud-shifting efforts. As he felt droplets surround him, he concentrated on weaving the fabric of the cloud together to catch and support his body like a net. And just like that, the falling sensation ceased and was replaced by wetness from the surrounding cloud.
I did it! Cadin thought as he pulled himself to the surface. He quickly retreated into the thin cloud as he saw Bruce’s speckled Aura shine through the clouds above him.
“Crap!” Cadin heard Bruce exclaim, followed by the sound of retreating wings. He hoped it looked like he had fallen into the ocean.
Cadin cautiously pulled himself up to the surface and cloud-shifted a nest that
he hoped would not let him fall through to Earth. He felt unsure if he should call for help. Bruce was most likely the closest angel as they were far below Glade and no patrol angel had seen what happened. The red subsided and Cadin felt mentally and physically exhausted as he peered down at the water below.
Cadin woke up and felt disoriented. He hadn’t meant to fall asleep but was brought sharply awake by the sounds of angels talking. He was about to shout out for help when he noticed their Auras and the dark specks that danced within them. He sank into his little cloud, hoping his Aura would not give him away.
“Bruce said he fell around here.”
“The kid’s a goner—we should just head back to the Fringe.”
“How do you know?”
“He doesn’t even have wings yet. He fell to Earth and probably died on impact. And even if he didn’t die, he can’t return to the cloud-lands once he has fallen—you know that. Only fully realized Guardians can travel to the Earth and freely return. Even being this close, I feel weaker. We must be close to the barrier. I don’t see any sign of him. Tiberius will be disappointed, but we have no reason to stay. Let’s get outta here.”
“Fine, but you get to break the bad news.”
Cadin stayed in his cold cloud until he was sure they were gone. He slowly pulled himself to the surface, shivering when he got to the top. He saw no signs of other angels the rest of the evening. With the last of his energy, he cloud-shifted as strong of a nest as he could muster and once again fell back into a restless sleep.
The next morning Cadin woke with a start from a terrible dream. Then he realized that he was about to fall through his cloud-nest and the events came screaming back to him. He pulled himself up and reached his hands into his dwindling cloud. It was a stratus cloud, and not at all what he was used to on Glade. It was relatively flat and not as dense as his cumulonimbus. He was discouraged with how difficult it was to pull everything he needed from it to make it feel solid underneath him.
