The Noru 7: Rage Of Angels

by Lola StVil

  “I remember that. Your dad tried to cheer you up, but it didn’t work,” Aaden replies.

  “No, it didn’t. I was seven, so that hurt and disappointment came in the form of rudeness and anger. When my mom got home later, I shouted at her that she didn’t love me and that I wanted a different mom. It destroyed her at the time.

  “She looked me in the eye and said, ‘Carrot, I love you. I love you more than anything else in this world. And I am so sorry I could not be there for you today. But the truth is there will be days when you cannot be both a good mother and a leader. There will be days when you will have to choose between your duty and your family. Saving humanity is my duty. And sometimes it means breaking my children’s hearts.’”

  “What did you say to her?” he asks.

  “Nothing. I stopped talking to her for a whole week because I didn’t get it then. She said that I would understand one day. And now I do. I understand that today. Because as much as I love Summit, as much as I want to see her little face, and as much as I want to hold her in my arms, I know I can’t allow humanity to suffer. There are millions of children out there, millions of moms who don’t have anyone to stand between them and total annihilation. They have to come first,” I reply, trying to steady my voice.

  “I know, but, Pry, she’s here. Summit is real. We have a kid. She’s ours. How can we let her die? I know it’s wrong to let millions get killed, but I can’t lose another little girl. I don’t know how to get past that. Not again,” he pleads.

  “Aaden, I will not make this decision without you. If you want me to give up the team, I will. If you want me to leave the battle to you, I will. But you have to know that there are humans out there who have no one. And everyone we know who was killed, dead in service to humanity, including your mom—if we let this happen…it was all for nothing.”

  “Pry, I can’t. I can’t say it’s okay to take away our daughter’s chance at life. I can’t say it’s okay to kill her. Please don’t ask me to do that,” he begs.

  “You don’t have to say it. You just take my hand and I’ll do what we have to do,” I whisper. Aaden’s hands are at his sides, unable to move and connect with mine. He cannot bring himself to do what has to be done.

  “Listen, there is a five percent chance that Summit will be strong enough to summon Alexi. She’s your child and mine. That means she’s powerful. And that five percent may be all she needs. But if I don’t fight, there is a one hundred percent chance that everything ends. Summit might not live. But if we do nothing about Malakaro, humanity will certainly not live.”

  “You think she can survive with a five percent chance?” he says, sounding pained and overwhelmed.

  “I think if any kid can, it’s her. We have to have a little faith, okay? Have faith in our little girl.”

  “Pry…losing Sparks was so hard. It was so…”

  “I know, I know. But Summit is the First Torian. She’s the child of a First Noru. And she’s Rage’s granddaughter. Not to mention being the offspring of the second most powerful angel in the world. We need to stop acting like this is the end for Summit. She is from a long line of pigheaded and strong women. She will make it. She will beat the odds. We have to believe that,” I push.

  “Omnis could take her away from me…he has never given me anything,” he says pensively.

  “Aaden, Omnis has given you more than he has anyone. He gave you a great father. He gave you a team that would die for you and a wife who would quickly give her soul to be beside you. He gave you Sparks, and even though that time was short, it changed you. It made you a better angel.

  “And I know it’s hard to see it sometimes, but he gave you the Center. Your time there made you strong. It let you see just how powerful you really are. You were in that hell for a whole year and you didn’t give in. You didn’t give up, so let’s not do that now. She has a five percent chance. That’s all she needs. Don’t give up on our baby,” I implore.

  “She is from a long line of stubborn women. And if anyone can do the impossible, it would have to be your kid…but what if she needs more time? What if she’s almost strong enough to call Alexi and then we shut everything down by doing the procedure?” he says.

  “We will give Summit as much time as we can. You and the team will face Apex, and I will stay here in case Alexi comes. If Alexi doesn’t come by the time the team is done with Apex, I will get the procedure done,” I explain.

  “Summit might already have Alexi in the air right now, headed our way, right?” he asks hopefully.

  “Right,” I reply as we look up at the night sky. Had this been a book or a movie, the Alexi would come right here and now. But this is real life, so there is nothing in the sky. All we can do is buy Summit an hour or so. Then we will have to reduce her chances and hope for the best.

  “There’s nothing up there,” Aaden says, sounding gutted.

  “Not yet, but there will be. Summit will bring Alexi to us. Have faith in her. In us,” I reply as I hold out my hand. He takes it, signaling that he’s okay with the decision we made together.

  Sweetheart, please come to us. We love you so much already. Daddy wants to meet you, and your mom, she’s aching to have you in her arms. Summit, come home…

  When we come back into the room, the team is still there. I can’t be angry with them; I know they are just worried about us. We tell the Healer what we have decided. She’s glad that we agree to the procedure, but she’s unhappy with us waiting until the team comes back with the ashes.

  “You will keep growing weaker,” the Healer stresses.

  “I know, but while we can’t give Summit all the time she needs, we are certainly going to give her whatever time we have. So the team will go get the ashes and I will stay behind and hope that Summit can bring Alexi to us. And if she can’t do that by the time the team comes back, we will do the operation and get my strength back,” I reply.

  “Is this what you two have decided?” the Healer asks.

  “Yes, we are both in agreement,” Aaden says.

  “Okay, I’ll get the mixtures ready,” the Healer says as she walks out of the room.

  “I’m so sorry, guys,” Swoop says.

  “Yeah, we are too. But Summit is a fighter. We have to have a little faith,” Aaden says as he looks over at me.

  “Well, we’re gonna take off and be back as soon as we can,” East says.

  “Hopefully Julian will have Apex’s location by the time we are done collecting the weapons,” Swoop says.

  “Diana, I need you to find Bex. I know he’s in the middle of a battle, but I think we’re going to need him for the mission to find Apex. Can you go get him?” Aaden asks.

  “Yeah, sure,” Diana says, taken aback by Aaden’s willingness to involve the Kon.

  “Also, Dylan, can you stay with my wife?” Aaden asks.

  “Ah…yeah, okay,” Dylan replies, looking slightly disappointed.

  “I feel better knowing she’s being looked after by someone capable,” Aaden says, trying to appeal to the angel’s ego. It works. Dylan smiles and sits beside me on the bed. Swoop gives him a kiss and thanks him as she flies out the window. Everyone on the team takes off except Aaden; I know he’s having difficulty leaving me.

  “I’ll be back as soon as we get the ashes,” he promises as he tucks me back into bed.

  “Please be careful,” I reply.

  “I will. Look, I know it’s hard for you to sit back and watch yet another mission take place without you, but I promise I will take care of the team. You lie here and rest. Take care of our daughter.”

  “Deal,” I reply.

  “I know you will be watching everything. Just don’t get too excited,” Aaden warns.

  “I got it, Mom,” I tease.

  “Dylan, watch her,” Aaden says, then kisses my forehead and flies away. Dylan helps me prep the device while we wait for it to turn on.

  “I’m sorry you’re stuck here with me,” I tell him as he mounts the device onto the rail of
the bed.

  “It’s okay. I think Swoop is happy that I’m not coming,” Dylan replies.

  “She wants you to be safe.”

  “I get that. But if being in battle is the only way I get to be around her…”

  “You really love her, don’t you?” I ask.

  “Yeah, but I don’t know if that’s enough,” he admits.

  “So what is it with you two? Why is she putting up such a big fight?” I wonder.

  “She won’t admit it, but I think it’s because of Raven, her alter ego. She thinks that she doesn’t deserve to be happy because she has an evil side. She thinks she should be punished for hurting so many innocent people.”

  “That’s crazy. Swoop couldn’t help herself. It wasn’t on purpose,” I reply.

  “I tried to tell her that, but it didn’t work. She thinks she should be punished, not rewarded with a relationship.”

  “Did you tell her she was wrong?” I ask.

  “I did. I said, ‘Swoop, believe me, I’m no prize,’” he jokes. He makes me smile. That is not an easy thing to do right now. So I thank him.

  “It’s my pleasure. I’ve always wondered what it would feel like to be part of a team. And now I know it’s pretty nice. Now, I only have two other things on my bucket list,” he says.

  “What’s a ‘bucket list’?” I ask.

  “Something humans do. They write a list of things they want to do before they die,” he says.

  “Wow, that doesn’t sound ominous at all,” I tease, trying to keep my mind off Alexi.

  “It’s a little nuts, but I kind of like it,” Dylan says.

  “So what else is on your list?” I ask.

  “Get Swoop to marry me. And see an Echo up close and personal.”

  “What’s an Echo?” I ask.

  “It’s a—never mind. I’m talking too much. Swoop always jokes that I’m like Google’s annoying cousin,” he jokes.

  “No, please. Keep talking. The team is still in flight and the device is not up yet, so I can’t see what they’re doing. And if I lie here and look out the window, waiting for Alexi without a distraction, I’ll go mad. Please, go on,” I plead.

  “Um…okay. An Echo is a being that is chosen by Omnis to replace another powerful being. So let’s say Time is destined to be replaced someday. If there is a being strong enough to harbor multiple powers and someone who has a strong character, Omnis chooses them and allows them to be the replacement.”

  “So an Echo is a being that will take over for another powerful being?” I ask.

  “Yes.”

  “But how do you know when an Echo is born?” I ask.

  “The Alexi is a different color than it normally would be. As you know, Alexi are silver. But if it’s carrying a Sib that’s slated to become an Echo, the Alexi’s color will change.”

  “Wait, I’ve heard about colorful Alexi before, but I thought that was just a story, a legend. Are you saying it’s real?” I ask.

  “Oh yes, Echos are real. They are just…very rare. Like never happened before ever kind of rare. I read about it an obscure journal I found years ago,” Dylan admits.

  “So it could just as easily be a lie,” I reply gently.

  “Okay, maybe—but it’s not. I just believe that somewhere out there is an Echo. A perfectly powerful being slated to take the place of Time, Fate, or whoever. I just have faith that such a thing exists.”

  “Fair enough. What color is the Alexi once it makes contact with an Echo?” I wonder.

  “The color of Alexi depends on who the Echo is here to replace. Let’s say Fate is dying and Omnis picked a being to replace him. The Alexi would turn sapphire in color. If the Sib were going to replace Time, it would be ruby colored. And if it was supposed to replace Death, it would then be onyx.”

  “So that’s your dream? To see a colorful Alexi?” I ask.

  “It’s not just that. An Echo is rarer than the Hale-Bopp comet. That’s a comet that’s like a thousand times brighter than Halley’s comet. It’s absolutely perfect. Anyway, the comet is nothing compared to an Echo. And Echo is a being that is handpicked by Omnis to replace someone powerful. Could you imagine being handpicked? Think about it, you are just sitting here and suddenly a red Alexi comes to you,” he says.

  “Honestly, right now I’d settle for just the common everyday silver Alexi. That would be enough of a miracle for me,” I admit sadly.

  “Oh, right. Sorry. I’ll go get more blankets. You look cold,” he says as he hustles out of the room. He’s embarrassed that he went on and on like he did. I smile to myself as I watch him leave. We have to get Swoop to give him a chance. Dylan is so sweet—awkward, but sweet.

  I look out the window, as if Alexi had scheduled an appointment with me. There’s nothing in the air. I tap my fingers on the bed restlessly. I then rake my hands through my hair and sigh loudly. I look at the sky again. Nothing.

  C’mon, Alexi! Where the hell are you?

  (MATURE CONTENT AHEAD. YOUNGER READERS CAN SKIP TO THE NEXT CHAPTER WITHOUT MISSING ANY PLOT POINTS.)

  Just when I think I’m about to lose it, the Eagle Eye device comes on. It’s feeding from Diana’s tracker. It shows me a clear picture of her in a small town in China, talking to her army of Paras. She asks for Bex and they tell her he’s in one of the small hotels along the street. They ask her if there is anything they can do for her. She thanks them for doing a great job driving out the demons that were overrunning the town. She warns them to be vigilant, as the fight is far from over.

  She walks towards the quaint hotel and enters. The property is painted light yellow with white trim. There are large vases of fading roses throughout the hotel; the front lobby has shabby but charming furniture that gives the place an old “faded romance” vibe. Diana calls out to Bex but doesn’t get a reply. So she heads up to the third floor, where the Omari said he’d be. She enters the only room with the light on and finds Bex wet and naked, fresh from his shower.

  Her eyes are wide with surprise and she turns her head away, embarrassed. She quickly explains that I sent her and updates him. She does this all while looking at the floor. I never took Diana for the type to be rattled by naked flesh. In fact, everything I know about her says she is the opposite. Yet here she is bowing her head like she’s never laid eyes on a naked angel before.

  “Is Pryor okay?” he asks.

  “Yup, she is just waiting on Alexi,” Diana says.

  “Good. Are you going to avert your eyes the whole time?” he asks.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know—I mean—I should go,” she mumbles as Bex grabs a towel and places it around his waist.

  “Or you could stay…” he says as he walks over to her and closes the door.

  She stares at his wet, bare chest and seems to be mesmerized by it. She shakes herself out of the trance by clearing her throat and making herself look into Bex’s eyes instead. That doesn’t help. Bex has eyes that pull you in and make you want to stay there. He looks at her with a serious, intense gaze.

  “I shouldn’t be here,” she says mostly to herself.

  “What if I want you here?” he says in a gravelly voice.

  “Bex, I don’t want a one-night stand—not with you,” she confesses.

  “What do you want?”

  “You’re going to laugh at me, but…I want a ‘movie’ kind of love,” she says, looking away.

  He smiles and slowly nods.

  “What? It’s stupid, right? I mean girls like me generally get one-night stand offers only,” she says.

  “I know all about one-night stands. I’ve had a few of them lately. And when I think about you, I don’t want you to be in that category,” he says.

  “You think about me?” she asks, taken aback.

  “When we’re in battle, I always look around to see where you are in relation to where I am. Just in case you need me. But you never need me.”

  “Oh…”

  “When I think about you, I can’t help but be impressed. Yo
u’re fearless, resourceful, and given everything you’ve been through…you amaze me,” he says softly.

  “Thank you,” she mumbles, unable to hide from his ardent stare.

  “You’ve been on my mind, but in the past I fought against it.”

  “And now?” she asks.

  “Now, I have another reason to dislike Silver—he saw you naked.”

  “Silver never loved me, at least not like he loved her. We spent a hundred nights together, entangled in the most scandalous ways. But nothing Silver and I did alone in a bedroom could compare to the simple act of him holding Pryor’s hand.”

  “Do you wish he was here instead of me?” Bex asks.

  She walks over to the double glass doors that lead out to the balcony. I can tell she wants to go outside. The rain hasn’t let up; in fact, it’s pouring even more than before. Diana looks at her reflection in the glass door and sees Bex standing behind her.

  “Diana, do you wish Silver was here instead of me?” he asks again.

  “No, I don’t wish that. But I am afraid,” Diana confesses.

  “What are you afraid of?” he asks.

  “Falling for a guy who wants my friend and not me—again.”

  “That’s not what’s happening right now,” he assures her.

  “Then what’s happening?” she asks.

  Bex takes a small vial of Tam and gives it to Diana. She drinks it, never taking her eyes off him.

  “The guy who was too stupid, too dense, and too blind to see you is finally coming to his senses. And all he wants to do is make love to you—if you let him,” he says.

  She addresses his reflection on the glass door but doesn’t turn to face him. “Bex?” she calls out softly.

  “Yes?”

  “Don’t hurt me,” she says. It isn’t a warning; it is a plea. I didn’t realize just how much she loves him. I don’t think she did either, at least not until this moment. Diana is a powerful, resourceful, and dangerous demon. But right now, she’s just a girl who’s seriously in fear of getting her heart broken.

  Bex leans into her and whispers a promise in her ear. “My love won’t ever hurt.”