Ariel Rising

by A. J. Sparber

  “And this vile word was?”

  “Zeus.”

  I sit there, staring and pondering, wanting to laugh, but somehow holding it in.

  “And the rest,” he continues, “is…mythology.”

  The damn bursts and my laughter comes out in a roar that begins with a very unladylike snort. And I can’t stop.

  “Having fun?”

  “Y-yes,” I sputter.

  “Ari…”

  “Sorry,” I say, as I slowly regain my composure. “That’s the funniest story I’ve ever heard. And I did learn something.”

  Davin gives me a look that has ‘this ought to be good’ written all over it. “And what did you learn?”

  “Oh, well…that I should never utter the word ‘Zeus’ in mixed company?”

  Davin just shakes his head and smiles.

  “Got any more funny stories?”

  “Not today. I would hate to see you hurt yourself laughing.”

  I figure I should stop while I’m ahead, so I change the subject. “Well, you did put me in a very good mood and I’m ready to start training. Shall we go?”

  “I am ready, but perhaps you should fix your face. Your makeup has…well, you look like a raccoon.” His lips curl into an adorable smile, and he adds, “A very cute one.”

  Chapter 14

  “Good morning, Sania,” I say to Thalia’s personal assistant.

  “Good morning, Ariel,” she replies, in perfect English. “It is good to see you. I hear your training has gone very well.”

  “Thank you. It’s been an interesting eight weeks,” I say with a smile. “Is she ready for me?”

  “Yes…”

  The door slides open, with a hiss, and Thalia stands there, beaming. “Ari, come in, please.” She motions for me to enter her office.

  I walk inside and wait for her. The door closes and I turn. She is smiling. She looks happy.

  “Sit, please,” she says, motioning to the small conference table in the corner of her office.

  She sits across from me and points to a tray. “There is fresh coffee.”

  I pour myself a cup. Thalia’s office is comfortable, but unpretentious. The walls are covered with colorful abstract prints, and the virtual window makes me feel as if we’re at the seashore. It’s serene and peaceful. Like Thalia.

  “You’ve made extraordinary strides, Ari. I am very proud of you.”

  “Thanks. I’ve had extraordinary teachers.”

  “Considering the circumstances, it is quite remarkable. It’s been nearly one million years since an angel has been trained. None of us has ever done this before.”

  “There’s no manual, is there?”

  She laughs. “No, I’m afraid not.”

  “So, is this my official debriefing?”

  “In a sense. But it’s also a meeting between friends.”

  “I’m glad we’re friends. It’s made everything a lot easier to bear.”

  She smiles. “Tal and Seto tell me that you are faster than any Warrior they know. And Davin tells me you are nearly as strong as he is.”

  “So, I’m a freak, huh?”

  “Hardly. I’ve awarded you official status.”

  “You mean I’m a Warrior? Officially?”

  “No. Your genetic makeup is hard to define. I’ve classified you as Serafeím.”

  “Are you still analyzing my DNA?”

  “I have an entire team devoted to it.”

  “Have they discovered anything? Anything at all?”

  “Based on your DNA, you are more than Warrior, more than Serafeím. Much more.”

  I wrinkle my brow. “How much more?”

  “The word that comes to mind is godlike.”

  I take in a deep breath and hold it for a beat. “Excuse me?”

  “Your ability to generate a defensive shield is off the charts. My best engineers have done some advanced modeling. It seems that you are virtually indestructible, and I do not think this is a genetic anomaly. I believe your existence has a deeper meaning.”

  Existentially Ari. That’s me. Maybe I need a team of philosophers to work alongside Thalia’s engineers.

  “Can your models be wrong?”

  “That would be highly unlikely. Your body contains many times the number of amplification clusters found in a typical Warrior or Serafeím. The strength of your shield would be nearly impossible to penetrate.”

  “Am I more powerful than the Prostáti?”

  “We do not have a profile on record. They are rather hard to pin down,” she says with a wry smile.

  “You’re scaring me, Thalia. What does this mean?”

  “It could mean that the prophecy Galen mentioned is right. At least partially.”

  “I could be the most powerful angel ever born?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you have no idea why?”

  “I can only speculate.”

  “Then go ahead, Thalia. Speculate…”

  She smiles, and I have a feeling that I’m about to hear something truly bizarre.

  “You are neither a freak nor an accident. You are purposefully designed—the most perfect being I have ever encountered. But what purpose can you possibly have? Why do you exist?”

  “Well, I’ve been trying to figure that out since I discovered I’m an angel.”

  “When Olympus faced its darkest hour, Paradise sent the Warriors…”

  “So you think something is going to happen, and I’m the solution?”

  “I do.”

  “You think Earth is in danger. Don’t you?”

  She nods. “The Zon have been getting rather bold. I think a crisis is imminent. And I think you are destined to play a major role in stopping them. Paradise has erred. Humans should never have been left to fend for themselves.”

  “You think I’m supposed to save mankind?”

  “I think it’s quite possible you are.”

  “Geez. Like I needed more pressure?”

  “You asked me to speculate.”

  “Yeah. I did.”

  “And you shouldn’t worry. If Paradise sent you, then you will be capable of handling the situation.” She pauses and smiles. “You don’t understand how truly powerful you are. But you will.”

  “I’ve heard that before.” I shake my head and sigh. “More training?”

  “There is little left that we can teach you beyond offensive energy projection.”

  “I’m not familiar with the term, but it sounds a little frightening.”

  “A few angels have the ability to direct a concentrated beam of energy along a controlled path. As a weapon.”

  “Oh, right. Davin mentioned something about that to me before I started training.”

  “Ah, so you know that he is truly a Greek god?” she asks with a wide grin.

  “Yes,” I say with an involuntary giggle.

  “He is extremely skilled in that area. He will be teaching you.”

  I smile. Of course. “I guess I should have known.”

  Thalia smiles back. “How are you and he getting along?”

  “Um, very well. We are…”

  “A couple?”

  A choking sound escapes my throat.

  “It’s pretty obvious, Ari.”

  I’m suddenly worried. “Are we breaking any rules?”

  “Heavens, no. In fact, I have not seen Davin so happy in…eons.”

  “You don’t think I’m too young for him?”

  “Of course not. Once an angel awakens, age is irrelevant. For all intents and purposes, we are all the same age.”

  I let out a sigh of relief.

  “Ari, you are the best thing to ever happen to him.”

  “You really think so?”

  “I’ve known him for a few years.” She gives me a wink. “May I ask you a personal question?”

  “You want to know how I feel about him. Don’t you?”

  “If you are willing to confide in me. Yes, I would like to know.”

  “W
e’ve become good friends. I care about him. A lot.”

  “Are you in love with him?”

  Oh, man. She’s as bad as Ella.

  “I’m not going to think about it until my life settles down. There’s too much going on right now.”

  “I understand,” she says.

  She tries to suppress a smile, but fails miserably. She thinks I love him. Do I?

  “Have you discussed this with Davin?”

  “No.”

  “But you know how he feels about me?”

  “I have my suspicions.”

  “Would you care to share them with me?”

  “He cares deeply for you, Ari. He is like my brother. I know him so well…”

  She seems worried. Is she concerned I might hurt him?

  “You think he loves me?”

  “I cannot answer for him.”

  “No, you can’t. It was unfair of me to ask.”

  “Telling, perhaps. But not unfair,” she says with a little smile. She looks bemused.

  I smile back. We played each other perfectly. And we both know it. Davin and I love each other. But are we in love with each other? Am I ready to be in love? Life just keeps getting more and more interesting.

  “Oh, before I forget…we’ve scheduled a mock battle for Monday.”

  “Who with?” I ask.

  “Three Warriors. We want to see how you do against multiple opponents.”

  Great.

  “How do you think I’ll do?”

  “I don’t think you’ll break a sweat.”

  “Against three Warriors? Did you tell them to go easy on me?”

  “Of course not,” she says with a grin. “Their orders are to hold nothing back.”

  Great. I wonder how long it would take to heal from a broken neck.

  Thank heaven for free medical care.

  The practice arena is the size of a football field. A domed ceiling looms a hundred feet overhead. It’s an antiseptic version of the Pantheon.

  We wear body armor and head gear, which is connected to a computer network. The system is programmed to determine the lethality of each strike. Thalia, ever the impish rogue, has synchronized the computer to a Pac-Man soundtrack. When a killing blow is struck, the Pac-Man dies sound effect plays. It’s really cute.

  I face off against three imposing Warriors. One of them is no taller than me—but he’s nearly as wide as he is tall. The second one is built like Davin—a little over six feet tall and very muscular. The third one makes my breath catch. He’s at least six and a half feet tall and seriously ripped. Thalia calls them Shrek, Thor, and the Ripper. I know she’s kidding, but it doesn’t matter. They look seriously dangerous.

  I know from my lessons with Davin that real combat, against multiple opponents, bears little resemblance to staged movie fights. Your opponents don’t wait in line. If you’re outnumbered, you have to carefully calculate each offensive move to ensure that a strike against one will not leave you vulnerable to another. Superhuman speed helps a lot.

  The Pac-Man theme begins and I know we are ready to rumble. Davin, Thalia, and Tal stand off to the side—each looking a bit apprehensive. Davin’s deep voice booms over the music, “Ready, positions, fight!”

  Shrek and Thor run off in opposite directions—Shrek to my left and Thor to my right. They are setting up a flanking maneuver. The Ripper charges me head on—snarling, huffing, and moving like a wild animal. The Essence surges inside me. My movements are automatic and lightning-quick. Just before the Ripper reaches me, I somersault over him. As he turns to face me, I land a wicked roundhouse kick to the side of his neck. My foot meets no resistance. It’s as if his energy shield is made of paper. He grunts and stumbles backwards, landing on his butt. Out of the game. Pac-Man dead.

  I turn my attention to Thor and Shrek, who are closing in from either side—planning to pancake me. I wait until the last second—until it’s too late for them to change direction or stop—then dart toward the far wall. When they reach the spot where they expect me to be, they collide like rutting bucks, and the force of their collision sends them sprawling.

  I hit the wall at full speed, race thirty feet up, kick off hard, and launch myself up and out. Landing twenty feet in front of Thor, I charge straight at him—letting Shrek, who is moving in from my right, believe that I don’t notice him. As Thor prepares to engage me, I spin quickly to the right—just as Shrek arrives. He curses and tries to stop, but it’s too late. I find his throat with a vicious straight left hand. He’s history. Pac-Man dead.

  I continue my spin toward Thor. As I punch, he jumps, but he’s too late. He should have kept his feet on the ground because, instead of getting hit in the face, he takes my best shot, south of the border.

  “Sorry,” I say, remorsefully. He tries to answer, but whatever he says is unintelligible.

  “Game over,” Davin calls out, invoking the Warrior version of the mercy rule.

  Everyone is shouting and clapping, as if the home team has won the Super Bowl. Shrek and the Ripper pull off their head coverings and pat me on the back. The Ripper is actually kind of cute, on a gigantic scale. Shrek looks like a teddy bear. I avert my eyes from Thor, feeling embarrassed about where I hit him. I guess he’s gotten his wind back because he grins and says, “Well done.” I smile and give him a little wave.

  I turn toward Davin. “So how’d I do, boss?”

  “You are the sexiest killer I’ve ever seen,” he says, as he grasps my waist and lifts me off the ground.

  Before he can put me down, I wrap my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. “I’m a killa kisser, too,” I say, as I playfully nibble on his bottom lip.

  “Get a room!” Tal says.

  Like Davin, Tal is a Warrior Master. His Norse features are dominated by longish blonde hair and startling blue eyes. He’s a little taller than Davin, but less muscular. He’s the greyhound of our little circle.

  “Ya wanna?” I ask Davin, as I shoot him a devilish grin. I imagine what it would be like to share a room with him, and my cheeks get really hot.

  “And what would you do if I said yes?” His eyes are shimmering and I’m ready to melt.

  “Um, I guess I’d make you marry me first,” I say, trying to sound nonchalant.

  “I should have seen that coming,” he says with an exaggerated pout.

  “Alright, children, you can go and get cleaned up now. It’s beginning to smell a bit musty in here,” Thalia says.

  I unlatch myself from Davin, and we walk toward the Warrior lounge. “How do you think I’d do in a fight with a Zon?”

  “Physically, no Zon would stand a chance against you. But until you’ve had a real fight, it’s hard to say how you would react emotionally.”

  “Care to elaborate?”

  “You’re very lethal, Ari.” He stops and turns to face me before continuing. “Training is not the same as a real battle—a battle to the death. Are you ready to kill for real? Could you look a snarling Zon in the eye and destroy him without hesitation?”

  When he puts it that way, I don’t know. Why does my life have to be so damn complicated? Can I really kill someone?

  “I don’t know, Davin. I really don’t know. Ya gonna kick me off the team?” I give him a half-hearted smile.

  “You have a lifetime membership.” He squeezes my arm gently as we enter the lounge area.

  The training center doesn’t have locker rooms or communal showers. Instead, there is a large anteroom with a refreshment area, a lounge, sitting areas, and individual changing rooms equipped with high-tech showers.

  I take a quick shower, change into jeans and a tee, and walk out to the lounge. Davin is standing in the corner, smiling at me. “Hey, you look refreshed,” I say.

  “I like those jeans.”

  “Thank you, Davin.”

  He motions to a sofa. “Come and sit with me.”

  I sit next to him and place my head on his shoulder. “I’m not feeling all that great right now, Davin.” T
he past two months have been a whirlwind, and I don’t know where the winds will carry me next. “I really like happy endings. Is there one in the cards for me?” My voice catches, and I feel a tear trickle down my cheek.

  He gently takes my face in his hands, and whispers in my ear. “The happiest endings are never-endings.”

  Does he mean us? Does he want us to be never-ending? I want to tell him that I’m his. That I’ll be his forever. I open my mouth, but I can’t say it. I want to slap myself, but then I’ll look as foolish as I feel.

  “Ari, are you alright?”

  “I’m better,” I say.

  “Are you sure?”

  No. I am not sure at all. “There’s a lot going on in my life in case you hadn’t noticed. I’ll be fine. I just get a little overwhelmed sometimes.”

  “Given the events of the past two months, I think you are more than entitled to feel a little overwhelmed. And I know for a fact that you have earned the highest respect of every Warrior who’s met you. I don’t think you know how extraordinary you are, Ari.”

  As a human girl, I am kind of extraordinary. As an angel, I’m just a baby—and I’m craving respect. Desperately. “Have I earned your respect, Davin?”

  “You earned my respect the first day I met you.”

  “That really means a lot to me. Being a part of your team means a lot to me, too.”

  “I know it does. How about a latte before I take you home?”

  “That sounds delicious.”

  We walk over to the café and place our orders. I smile as I remember the first cup of coffee I ever had. It was just three years ago. Mom had taken me with her to a medical conference in California. It was the farthest from home I’d ever been.

  Now look how far I’ve come.