"And here we were thinking our visits to the market were smart and unpredictable," she said sourly, crossing her arms over her chest. Alexandra did not like this new, cold Carlie; that wasn't the friend she remembered.
"After this long, you can't still hate me for what I did. It was an impossible choice, one I have to answer for in the mirror every day," Alex explained in a pleading and hopeful tone. She had to listen, she just had to.
"Yes, I can. You killed people, Alex. You allowed an entire world of people to die, innocent people that were totally oblivious to what was going on or to the fact that their lives were wrapped up in some punishment against a dark angel, who mind you, was in love with you. Now, I don't even know if you could have felt such a thing back for him," Carlie seethed. "Tanner's family is gone. Nick's family is gone. The only woman who was ever kind enough to make sure I had what I needed is gone, and you chose for it to happen. You chose not to fight because some blonde angel gave you the goo-goo eyes and offered you glory. And look at you, I don't see you even getting any. I don't even see him here with you, so you got nothing for it."
"Firstly, those promises were for a later time when I was able to earn the right to be one of them. One of the things I had to do first was learn what my power was, and now I have. I thought you should all know. I thought we could all talk and move on. I don't know what we can do from this point, but I am ready to find out," Alex said, setting her face in a stoic look.
"Well, I don't want to find out with you. I don't want to find anything out with you because it is clearly all going to be a disappointment."
"We were friends once," Alex begged in a final plea as Carlie began to walk away. Carlie spun around slowly, and for the first time, Alex could see the tears in her friend’s eyes. She must have been dealing with a lot since they got there, and Alex had missed all of it. "I want to help. I want a chance to redeem myself and to be with you all. You came and found me for a reason."
"I just don't know how I can trust you," Carlie cried out through the blanket of tears. "But I want to." Alex went up to her and slung her arms around her in a tight hug. The friends were reunited, and Alex felt like a piece of her was returned.
Carlie began to wipe at her eyes. "C’mon, the others will want to see you. They have been staying away for my sake," she said before grabbing Alex's hand and leading her down a stretch of homes up on a hill to their left just by the market. They went all the way down to the end of the row before Carlie began to climb a flight of stairs to a unique second floor entrance and knocked.
Alex wrung her hands nervously of the thought as to who might answer the door, and she didn't know if it would be someone more or less forgiving than Carlie. Carlie may have said she was the main problem, but some of the others were better at hiding their emotions away.
It was Nick, though that came to the door. "Is Gabe around?" Carlie asked, walking in and leaving Alex to linger in the doorway.
"Aren’t you coming in?" Nick asked, looking at her strangely. She shrugged and came inside, Nick clearly not fazed by her one way or the other. "So, I guess the two of you finally kissed and made up?" Carlie instantly swung a hand out to whack him on the shoulder for his comment, a snide grin still on his face from how proud he was at his innuendo. Alex just rolled her eyes right along with Carlie. He hasn't changed one bit. "Welcome back," he said with a nod before going into the tiny kitchen up there. A flight of stairs was in the corner, leading down to the pseudo separate apartment below.
"So, the two of you live here together?" Alex asked curiously as Carlie beckoned her to the top of the stairs.
Carlie shook her head in response. "No. I live downstairs with Tanner, and Nick and Gabe have a little bachelor pad up here. But I think Gabe is downstairs with Tanner right now. Let's go see them."
This would be the more difficult reunion. Nick and Gabe didn't care, didn't blame her for her choice, but she knew Tanner must. He had been the one to lose the most in the destruction of their world, even herself included in that equation. She'd lost her parents but had no siblings, especially no younger ones she had cared for most of her life. She regretted his loss the most.
As they came to the bottom of the stairs, the mood instantly changed as they broke out in embarrassed laughter having caught Tanner and Gabe right in the middle of a passionate lip lock, their tongues delving for treasure in each other's mouths.
"Well, I guess their relationship has really bloomed," Alex commented as she came to find a place to sit among them, Nick coming down from upstairs with a soda in his hand. "I would have thought though that you and Nick would be like that by now," she added, and couldn't help but smile at Carlie’s blush, as she looked over at Nick while he wasn't paying attention.
"No. I mean, I like him, I really do, but we just haven't had that defining moment yet. And that's okay. I am okay with him not being ready and being more cautious." Alex nodded, knowing she should be more like that too, though she doubted she would ever be able to claim such willpower when it came to the three angels vying for her attentions and affections.
"Sorry you had to see that, Alex, but it is good to see you back with us," Gabe offered as a greeting to her. They all seemed to be gathering around to hear what she had to say. Alex was suddenly nervous at sharing her news as all eyes were on her, as if she might give some kind of grand speech.
"I am glad to be back. I missed being with you all, even if my actions made you believe I felt differently about all of you. The only thing I want to say about the past is that it happened, I have been numb and disheveled and alone since then, and it has not been easy. The decision was not made with ease or lightly, and I still don't know if it was the right thing, but I want to redeem myself for what I did and move on if you will all allow it."
"I think Tanner appreciates that," Gabe spoke up, rubbing Tanner on his leg, and Tanner nodded. Wow, they must have been really serious to be speaking for each other. She was glad they had found each other in all of this.
"I am still hurt, Alex, but I don't think you set out to hurt anyone, and I want you back," Carlie said and everyone seemed to agree with that sentiment. "So, Alex, tell everyone what you were telling me."
"I know what my power is now," she said matter of factly, causing a gasp to go around the room. "I have been training with someone that helped me figure it out, and I think I am up to par with it. I also think it is important that all of you make sure you start using your powers again and getting proficient with them. I don't think our part in everything is over. Whether we end up fighting for or against the Revenant, we have to be ready."
Gabe was shooting daggers at her with his eyes but was smart enough to hold his tongue. It was clear where his loyalty still lay, and it didn't bother her. She still didn't think there was anything bad about the Revenant or Emuriel at all, but that didn't mean they wouldn't have to fight them to choose something else more important to align with.
"So, what's your power, then?"" Nick asked, and Carlie nudged him. "What? We all want her to get to the point here, don't we?":
Alex chuckled at his comment and nodded. "Yes, you're right. I can teleport." She could tell they were all in shock, trying to come up with the right words to say in response to that, but she knew it wasn't something they had expected. Sure, all of their powers had been with their mind, and even in some ways Carlie’s power was similar, but there was something utterly fantastic and unusual about being able to travel at will, just like the angels could do, or at least some of them could.
"I thought only angels could do that," Gabe spoke up, eyeballing her with new interest. "Perhaps that is why Emuriel has taken such an interest in you and mentioned joining their ranks to you. You just might have that potential after all.".
Chapter 20
It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. it cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell. ~Buddha
"OH, look, the gang's all back together." Oryx's voice
rang out in the small lower floor apartment as he appeared out of nowhere. Two of the company jumped, but Alex didn't, now used to his random appearances. "I see she has told you what I have taught her."
"Wait...you have been letting the angel of death teach you?" Carlie asked, looking confused. She was the first to ever see him, to ever get a chance to judge him, so Alex could understand her hesitation.
"Yes, he has been the only one willing to tell me anything, so I don't think it makes a difference as long as I am learning," Alex said to the rest of them confidently. This was not something she was backing down on. Training with Oryx hurt no one and affected nothing negatively. Not yet anyway, and she looked him up down as she thought that she better not live to regret thinking that way.
"As long as you have learned your lesson about blindly trusting and falling in love with them," Gabe huffed, and Alex felt a strange tingling in her stomach at them mention of a possibility of feelings for Oryx. She hated that she couldn't control those feelings inside her, but her body was determined that she was going to feel that way whether she liked it or not. It didn't mean she had to act on it, though.
"If you would all like, I offer you the same help I have to her. If you would like to perfect your powers, I am happy to help."
“How would you know how to help us?" Carlie asked him, daring to openly doubt, and it made Alex smile to have her back and acting a little more like herself than the last time they had seen each other.
"Don't tell me none of you have figured it out yet. Must I spell it out for all of you?" he asked them, sounding exasperated. Even Alex shook her head with the lack of knowledge she had on the subject. This was all news to her as well.
Oryx rolled his eyes and leaned on his sword as he often did. "All your powers are something that is modeled after us, derived from us directly even. All of your powers are that of the angels. Some are better at certain powers than others, but every angel contains the potential to do the things all of you can do."
Alex went wide eyed at that, not knowing how to process it. Why were they granted such things? She had so many questions and meant to ask every single one for the sake of them all, but just then, another angel materialized right there in the living room, one that generally had the courtesy to knock. Things were about to get incredibly awkward.
"What are you doing here, Oryx? This world is not even inhabited yet, and you are here as a pest? There is nothing for you here. You are meant to be doing your job, a job that was meant to be a punishment to you. Be gone before I make it harsher!" Emuriel yelled, his finger pointing at Oryx in rage.
Oryx disappeared quickly, clearly not wanting to get in trouble with the leader of the Revenant, and Alex looked at Emuriel, unsure where they would go from there. Hopefully, he wouldn't think too much of it.
"Has he been here before?" Emuriel asked, his voice much too loud for all their ears as they flinched in pain and fear. Alex had always known he must be fierce when he was angered, when he was defied. He was a light angel after all, and a leader at that. He would need to be that way at times, but she never imagined it being sent in her direction.
"No," she answered for them all, and they all shook her head, going along with her lie. She was grateful that they still felt loyal enough to her to do that. She didn't know what would happen to Oryx or herself if Emuriel found out what had actually been going on. Now that she knew angels had all the powers they did combined, she certainly hoped Emuriel was not good at reading minds.
"Alright," he said more calmly. "I am sorry he has bothered you. I hope I caught him before too long. He is a bit of a rogue every once in a while." Alex agreed with a nod of her head but nothing more. She would not encourage a punishment of the only angel she felt was doing her any good, at that time.
"I am glad to see you all have settled in here alright despite the fact it is very lonely. I hope to have a permanent placement for you, very soon," Emuriel said with a smile, bowing towards them a little before turning to Alex. "May I request some time alone with you, Alexandra? I have not been able to see you in some time."
He had that right, and she didn't know why, but it didn't feel the same anymore as she took his hand and let him lead her away, out the door and onto the empty streets. They began to walk together, and he asked about how she had been. Both were making small talk, even discussing what else needed to be done to that world before it could be inhabited by anyone. It was fascinating but not the kind of conversation she was used to with him. She wanted so badly to turn it around, but she couldn't seem to make herself say anything of true meaning or content, either.
They stopped at a park bench that didn't used to be there, not when she first came to the place. It all looked bigger as she looked around. It seemed the creation of the world was coming along; right along with the rebuilding of her own inner self, and it was fitting somehow.
She leaned back and looked up at the clouds passing by, beginning to point out the shapes she could make out in the them, until she felt a hand brush her cheek, bring her attention to Emuriel. Apparently, he’d moved some and was sitting so close now.
"I have missed you," he admitted, looking so vulnerable. It was enough to crush Alex's heart as she thought of the fact it felt so awkward. Something just wasn't the same anymore, though his feel good vibes ran through her and kept her calm about it, like always.
"You are very sweet, Emuirel. Anyone should be lucky to have you in their life." It was such a cop out, and she wanted to cringe. He took it completely as encouragement, placing his lips over hers.
"Soon, we'll be together. I can feel it."
Chapter 21
The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power.
~Unknown
THE moment that Emuriel was gone, Alex excused herself to go back to her home, letting them know where she lived so they could come and visit her. She was glad not to be alone now, but she didn't know that she could give up her solace. She couldn't help but think her role in everything was separated from theirs. Not better or more, though perhaps harder.
As she passed her house she kept going, instinct leading her back to the dunes where she had spent so much time since arriving. It was where she had found herself again and found a new strength within her, and she would not forsake it. She was only slightly taken aback by the fact that Oryx was waiting for her as if he knew she would be there; that Emuriel would be gone.
"Did I get you in trouble?" he asked, laying on one side, across the sand.
What a sight. He had his right knee pulled up to hold his arm lazily while the other sat under his chin to hold his head up. His eyes looked at her through hooded lids, and she sensed a change in his mood.
"No, we all told him you had never been here before, and he let it go," Alex told him, sitting down with her legs crossed in front of him.
"Oh, I don't think he ever lets things go so easily, Alexandra," Oryx commented bitterly as she reached out to trace the pattern of the tattoo on his chest. It was one similar to the first one she had ever seen, but also somehow different. It covered more of his body. "Be careful. Wouldn't want Mr. purity to think we were an item and come smite me before it's time to go," he said with an eye roll.
Alex just ignored him until she had traced the whole tattoo. "Those are what tells your name and punishment, right?" she asked, confirming something she had already been told. She needed to cling to the fact that there had been some truth before she ended up with the Revenant. Surely, it could not have all been a lie.
"Yes, that is what it's all about, but I am afraid it is hard to explain in your language. You know enough. About that anyway." He seemed to relax in her presence and let go their pseudo argument from before, about Emuriel.
"So, what is it I do not know enough about?" Alex questioned, daring him to tell her everything, to give her a reason to feel like she had the power to let it all go and start over. Should she let all these dark angels and light angels go, so she could just be Alexandra? Should she be just a
person with the powers of an angel.
"Your powers," he said, his finger allowed to trace along the edge of her pinkie and up her arm without her protesting. She didn't know why she was allowing it to happen, but it somehow felt more natural, at the moment, than her exchange with Emuriel. "and what happened to the dark angels; and what has been done to you."
"What do you mean, what has been done to me?" Alex asked her head snapping up in concern.
"No need to worry about that now. Because of what is wrong, you would not believe me just yet if I explained. That is a truth for another day, and I wish I could explain everything about the dark angels, but I admit humbly that it's the one subject I know little on as that part of my memory has been erased. The Revenant don't exactly speak freely about those things either. All I have are fragments that make no sense. If anyone can put them together, I believe it to be you."
Alex didn't like the way he was saying things in finality, opening up in a way that made it feel like one of them would be dying.
"Neither of us are dying today." As he said it, his lips did not move. Instead, he was speaking into her mind, and he had somehow heard her thoughts.
"Tanner can do that, too," Alex mentioned.
"Yes, I am aware of that, though he lacks in skill and training. If he ever changes his mind about wanting me to teach him, I will be around."
"Where will I be?" Alex asked curiously.
"I am afraid I think I know where you will be once I tell you what I mean to tell you; exploring your new powers."
Alexandra waited, amazed at the fact that there could still be even more yet. "What is it? What haven’t I discovered.?"
"You do not just have the power to travel in space, but also to travel in time."
Alex's heart skipped a beat, and a ringing in her ears began to fill the entire space of her skull. This meant so many things she couldn't even fathom, but one idea kept hitting her like a ton of bricks.
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