by S. J. West
A young woman walked out of one of the buildings with a wooden bucket in her hands. She made her way to the well in the center of the village and drew up some water from it. I found myself intrigued by her. She was beautiful and looked strong yet fragile at the same time. I immediately felt a strange desire to keep her safe from harm.
“Why are you showing me all of this?” I asked, unable to take my eyes off the woman until she returned to her home.
“I was curious to know if you notice anything missing here.”
“Missing?” I asked, unsure what it was he wanted me to see. Everything was new to me. I wasn’t sure I would notice anything even if it were out of place.
“If you could do one thing to make this village safer for the humans here, more fortified,” God said, “what would it be?”
I studied the area carefully from where I stood. I turned and looked at it from all angles. The answer came to my mind almost instantly.
“I would build a tall wall to keep out any enemies or predators,” I answered.
When I looked over at God, I could see his approval of my response by the twinkle in his eyes.
“When the war is over,” God said, peering at the village, “I plan to send a group of angels down here to live among the humans and help them advance a little faster. I had planned to do it earlier but Lucifer interrupted my preparations. I’ve had a few members of my Vanguard come down here to observe the way humans live their everyday lives. They’ve been watching them for quite some time now to learn their ways so they can eventually integrate themselves into human society. I believe you might benefit from such an experience, Aiden.”
“You want me to come down here to study how they live?” I asked.
“After the war is over, yes, I would like that very much. When the time is right, I would like you to consider becoming a part of the Watchers. I see great things for you, my son. I believe helping the humans reach their full potential will also help you reach your own. I don’t expect you to give me an answer right now. I only ask that you think about it and give me your answer once the war is won.”
I knew what God was asking me to do was a great honor, but all I could think about was the war and what needed to be accomplished in Heaven first.
“I will consider it,” I promised.
“And that’s all I ask of you.”
I looked around the village one last time because I wasn’t sure how long it would be until I saw it again.
“I need to get back to Andel,” I told God, feeling a sense of guilt settle over my soul for not being at my post.
“I understand. Go back, Aiden. I know you will perform your duties well. All I would ask is that you remember my earlier words to you.”
I nodded. “I will. I promise.”
“Then I will see you again soon,” God said before phasing back to Heaven.
As I took one more look around the village, I felt certain I would see it again one day. However, I also knew it wouldn’t be anytime soon. There was a war to win first, and I felt as though God had just given me one more incentive to end it quickly.
CHAPTER FIVE
When I phased back to the Guf, Andel was still working on the new soul he was creating.
“Will it be another War Angel or a human?” I asked, watching him manipulate the glowing orb of energy in his hands with the utmost care.
“We’re all making War Angel souls now,” Andel told me, studying the orb as if he was having trouble deciding something about it.
“What’s wrong?” I asked. “Is there a problem with it?”
Andel sighed, sounding slightly frustrated. “Not exactly. I’m just not sure how aggressive I should make him.”
“Are you worried about it because you think you made a mistake when you designed my soul?”
Andel looked at me sharply.
“Don’t ever say that to me again, Aiden,” Andel said almost angrily. Andel’s nature didn’t really allow him to become angry, but it was the closest I ever saw him get to that emotion. “Nothing about you is a mistake. You came out just the way I wanted you to. Do you understand?”
Andel waited until I nodded my head before returning his attention back to the soul he was working on.
He looked lost in his own thoughts, but eventually said, “Each soul is unique. Every time we draw energy from the Well of Souls it’s never the same. Every individual has their own strengths and weaknesses. All we can do is help shape how those characteristics will be best used to give them a well-rounded spirit. However, they also need to retain their free will, which can be a little tricky to work around sometimes. Our father demands it in both his angels and humans.”
“Do you think it would be better if we didn’t have free will?” I asked. “If Lucifer didn’t have it, he wouldn’t have been able to instigate a revolt.”
“But our father doesn’t want any of us to just follow Him blindly. He wants us to follow Him because we trust His judgment. Eventually, I think Lucifer will see how wrong he’s been and come to regret what he’s done.”
“Did you know him well?”
“As well as most,” Andel said. His gaze travelled to where the Guardian named Seraphina was working. “Not as well as others.”
“I haven’t seen him yet.”
“And I hope you never do,” Andel grunted. “Lucifer isn’t the angel he used to be. He was always a bit egocentric, but this war has blown his sense of self-worth up to monstrous proportions. He believes himself equal to God in many ways.”
“But he’s not God.”
“Exactly,” Andel replied, winking at me as if he was a teacher praising his student for getting an answer right. “Lucifer just needs to remember that small fact. He may have been the first angel to be created, but he is certainly not the God Almighty. He’s just an angel, like the rest of us.”
“Andel,” I said wondering if I should ask him my next question, “can I see the Well of Souls?”
Andel smiled at me as though he were pleased by my request.
“Of course you can,” he said, “follow me.”
Andel took me to the center of the room and looked at me.
“The Well of Souls can only be seen by us Guardians,” he explained to me. “It helps protect it from intruders, but if you stand near it and touch a Guardian,” Andel said holding out his hand to me, “you are allowed to see it.”
I took hold of Andel’s hand. When I did, a large pillar of golden light, with small shimmering white lights floating within it, suddenly appeared in front of us.
“It’s beautiful,” I said gazing at it in wonder and feeling the warmth emanating from the Well of Souls.
“It really is,” Andel agreed.
“How do you draw a soul out?”
“Souls usually let you know when they’re ready to be born,” Andel told me. He looked at the Well of Souls and pointed to one of the shimmering white lights. “Do you see that one?”
“Yes,” I said, noticing how it seemed just a little brighter than the ones surrounding it.
“It’s brighter because it’s ready to be taken out. Aiden, see if you can reach in and coax it out.”
“Am I supposed to be able to do that?” I asked, surprised by his suggestion.
“Once the war is over, you will need to find your place among us. If you can gain the trust of souls, it’s very possible you could become a Guardian one day. I was chosen to be a Guardian because of my wisdom, strength, and willingness to protect at any cost. You have those same qualities inside you. It’s very possible you could become a Guardian one day, but there’s really only one way to find out.”
Andel tilted his head toward the Well of Souls, urging me to see if I could draw the soul out.
“What exactly should I do?” I asked him.
“Place your hand inside the Well and see if the soul will come to you. There’s no way to pull a soul out forcefully. It has to come willingly to your hand on its own.”
I admit. I felt a little n
ervous as I slid my hand into the Well. It felt a lot like sticking your hand into a warm waterfall. The energy inside the well was constantly moving, not so much in one direction but in all directions simultaneously. I placed my hand underneath the bright, little soul waiting to see if it would land on my hand of its own free will. The soul bobbed up and down and I felt like it was judging my trustworthiness. After a while, I flew slightly higher and remained there. I drew my hand out and sighed.
“I don’t think I’m meant to be a Guardian,” I told Andel.
“It was worth a try,” Andel told me. “We’ll figure out what you’re supposed to do when the time comes.”
Andel slipped his hand into the Well of Souls, and the soul I had tried to coax out instantly chose to land on his open palm.
“Let’s see what kind of War Angel we can make out of this one,” Andel told me, letting go of my hand, which made the Well of Souls disappear from my sight.
We stood at Andel’s workstation for a very long time while he studied the new soul. As I watched him work, I couldn’t help but notice that Andel’s soul looked even dimmer than it did when he awoke me.
“You should get some rest,” I suggested. “You look tired.”
Andel shook his head. “There’s no time for rest. Every moment is precious now. It could mean the difference between life and death for an angel.”
“But you’re just as important as everyone else,” I argued. “You need to rest.”
“You should listen to Aiden,” a soft and loving voice said.
Both Andel and I looked up to see Seraphina walking towards us.
Seraphina was unique among the other Guardians in the Guf. Her soul glowed just a little bit brighter and the peace she emanated was unlike anyone else I’ve ever met in Heaven or on Earth.
“You’re no good to anyone if you wear yourself out,” Seraphina told Andel. “Please, go home and relax for a while, if for nothing more than my peace of mind.”
Andel sighed as if in defeat. “You know there is nothing you could ask of me that I wouldn’t do for you, Seraphina.”
“Then I beg you to go home and restore your energy. Aiden needs to see his new home too. I’m sure he would like to know where he’s supposed to live.”
“I completely forgot about that,” Andel said looking over at me with a guilty expression.
“I’m supposed to live with you?” I asked.
Andel shrugged. “At least until the war is over. Then you can have your own place if you want, or you can continue to stay with me. It will be entirely your choice.”
Andel placed one of his hands on my shoulder.
“I’ll take a break,” he told Seraphina. “But not a long one.”
“I don’t want to see you back here until you’re fully rested, Andel,” Seraphina said, sounding just as authoritative as Michael or Chayyliel. “And if I see you here before that time, I will send you straight back home. Is that understood?”
Andel bowed his head to her, “Yes. I understand.”
Andel squeezed my shoulder and phased us to his home.
As I’ve mentioned before, things in Heaven where angels live aren’t like they are here on Earth. However, to put Andel’s home in terms of an earthly one so you can visualize it, I would liken it to a small, cozy cottage built on a cliff by the sea. I instantly felt at ease there, knowing it was a place of sanctuary where I could let my guard down.
The instant we phased into Andel’s home I heard singing for the first time.
“Where is that sound coming from?” I asked, feeling as though the weight of the day was being lifted from my shoulders by the notes of the song.
“The Heavenly Host is singing,” Andel answered, closing his eyes and sighing contentedly. “They always sing after a battle to help those of us who still follow God.”
“Can the rebellion angels hear them sing?”
“No. They’re cut off from such things because their souls are no longer connected to the rest of us.”
“Why do they sing?”
Andel opened his eyes and looked at me. “Isn’t it obvious?”
“Yes,” I admitted, “but how is their singing making me feel better?”
“Music can have many diverse effects on a soul. The way a song is played or sung reverberates within everyone differently. Sometimes it can make you sad, and sometimes it can help restore you, like this one is now. Close your eyes and just let the music soothe your soul, Aiden.”
I did as Andel suggested. I shut my eyes and let the music work its healing magic.
At one point, I found myself wanting to join in the song and began to sing along with the choir of angels.
“Oh dear,” I heard Andel say distraughtly, making me open my eyes to look at him.
“Is something wrong?” I asked, immediately scanning the area around us to make sure no danger was present.
When I looked back at Andel, I saw pity on his face for me.
“I’m so sorry,” he said, as if he was apologizing for something he did to me.
“Sorry for what exactly?” I asked, completely confused by his odd behavior.
“I uh…well, there just isn’t any other way to say this but honestly. Your singing is atrocious. I blame myself, of course. I just now realized I neglected to give you any sort of aptitude for music. I was so worried about making you a great fighter that music completely slipped my mind… until I just heard you sing.”
I stared at Andel for a moment. I found his flustered expression…funny. I began to laugh. He soon added his own laughter to mine.
“Well, at least I didn’t forget to give you a sense of humor,” he said.
“No,” I agreed still chuckling, “you didn’t.”
“Thank goodness for that small miracle,” Andel said in relief.
“Why?” I asked, finding his statement a curious one to make.
“There are many moments in life that will make you mad, sad, or both,” Andel said. “Sometimes the best cure for those occasions is laughter. Having a sense of humor about things can often protect your sanity.”
“Do you give humans a sense of humor?”
“Of course,” Andel said, as if I should have already assumed it. “Why do you ask?”
“God wants me to join a group of angels he plans to send down to Earth after the war. I suppose that might be an option for me since I’m obviously not supposed to be a Guardian or join the Heavenly Host.”
“He wants you to be a Watcher?” Andel asked, his eyes widening with surprise. “That’s an immense honor, Aiden! He must think you have great potential. As far as I know, he has only chosen members of his Vanguard to be a part of the Watchers. I had no idea he planned to send some of the War Angels as well. I wonder if he’s told Mason yet.”
“Why? Is he going too?”
“God asked him to be their leader on Earth. So, yes, he’s going. I know Brand was asked, but I’m not sure who else has been selected.”
“I told God I would think about it.”
“Well, if you want my advice, I would suggest that you go. I would love to go on an adventure like that! Think of all the things you might learn and see. It will be a great opportunity to help the humans advance beyond where they are now. There is so much you could teach them, Aiden.”
“I guess I need to make sure I stay away from anything music related down there…”
Andel laughed. “Indeed! For the love of all that is holy, please don’t try to sing to them.”
“Sing for who?” A new voice queried, one I had never heard before.
I saw Andel’s smile slip from his face as he looked at the interloper to our conversation over my shoulder. I turned to see who it was for myself.
I instantly knew he was a rebellion angel because of his darkened soul, and I knew he wasn’t just an ordinary angel because of the radiance of power that surrounded him.
“What are you doing here, Lucifer?” Andel asked apprehensively.
As I studied Lucifer for the
first time, I could better understand why a third of the angels in Heaven decided to pledge their allegiance to him. There was an aura surrounding him that made you want to be near him. It was similar to Michael’s but different in some way. It’s hard for me to explain really. Nevertheless, in that moment, I also knew he was my enemy and a threat to Andel. I immediately called my weapon into my hands.
Lucifer looked at my weapon and smiled as if pleased.
“Nifty little trinket you have there,” he said, obviously not seeing the staff as much of a threat.
I twisted its center and drew out its hidden blades.
Lucifer’s smile grew even wider. “You know, you really shouldn’t unsheathe a weapon unless you plan on using it.”
“I have every intention of using it if you make me,” I replied. “You’re not welcome in this home.”
“And here I was just coming to welcome you into the fold,” Lucifer said in disappointment. “What is it that they’re calling you? War Angels? Maybe you can answer a question for me. Just how many of you are there?”
“Even if I knew, I wouldn’t tell you,” I said.
Lucifer shrugged as if my unwillingness to answer was no big deal. “Fair enough. I don’t really need to know anyway. I just came to see one of you for myself. I heard you were the most vicious one who has been made so far and thought I should test to see just how good you are…or aren’t.”
Lucifer called his own weapon to his hand, a large black glowing sword. It pulsated with darkness fueled by the power within his own soul.
“If I kill you, that will put an end to the war, right?” I asked, feeling arrogant in my ability to defeat Lucifer and seeing this as an opportunity to put an end to everyone’s misery.
“Aiden,” Andel said, placing a hand on my shoulder. “You can’t fight him. He’s an Archangel.”
At the time, I didn’t understand what difference that made, but I quickly learned.
It was only because of my quick reflexes that I blocked Lucifer’s first swing with my blades. I think I was fortunate that Lucifer didn’t want to kill me quickly.
