Angels Falling

by Harriet Carlton

  “You are singularly unhelpful.” Imorean shook his head. “What do I do for her?”

  “A basic rundown of everything. The day is yours to use as you wish.”

  “Aren’t you going to monitor me?” chuckled Imorean.

  “I will be in and out, though be aware, you will probably not see me.”

  “Astral plane?”

  “But of course. You did not think this was simply an assessment of Kadia, did you? Every spare moment between now and when you leave for Mexico will be a teaching opportunity, so be on your toes.”

  Imorean sighed and rolled his eyes. “How could I have been so naïve?”

  Chapter 27

  Felsenmeer’s underground gymnasium felt cold even during summer. Imorean shivered as he turned on the bright overhead lights with one hand. With the other, he rested four swords against the wall. Three were wooden training swords, the fourth, his own metal sword. He frowned. He would rather not have Michael hurl his own sword at him again. For the first time, he wished he was a touch more like Michael. Being able to summon things out of thin air would be convenient and it would have saved him the cold trip to the supply closet in the bowels of Felsenmeer. Imorean beat that thought away and exhaled. He was surprised he couldn’t see his breath in the air. He wished he had put a sweatshirt on. Instead, he wore only a long-sleeved shirt, fatigues and boots. He looked around and put the cold from his mind.

  Great metal hoops hung from the ceiling. A small smile crept onto Imorean’s face. He had flown through those hoops himself during the spring semester. Part of a training exercise. Today, though, he didn’t want to use them. He wanted to take Kadia outside later and let her have a look around Felsenmeer. He would be better able to assess her in the air if he was there with her, anyway. He looked down at his wrist to check the time. A line of skin paler than the rest of his arm reminded him that he was no longer wearing a watch. He turned and looked at the wall clock. Nearly ten o’clock. Where was Kadia? They were scheduled to begin at ten, not after. He made a noise of disgust. Now that really did sound like Michael. He picked up one of the wooden swords and weighed it in his hands. It was much lighter than his own real one. He rested it back against the wall. Colton would spar with Kadia first. While Colton recovered, he would spar Kadia himself. He frowned. He wondered if they should have a free-for-all sparring match. It might be worth it. The time might come when he, Kadia and Colton would have to face multiple opponents.

  The door opened and Imorean was blasted with a rush of cool air.

  “Wow, this place is way bigger than I imagined,” said Kadia, entering the gym and looking around in awe. “Colton tells me this school is the place for the elite squad?”

  “That’s right,” nodded Imorean, settling the wooden sword back against the wall as Kadia walked inside, Colton following just steps behind her. The door bounced against the jamb once, then closed. Imorean glared at it. Perhaps the pressure had caught it.

  “Okay,” Kadia said, folding her arms. “Before you plunge me into training, what’s all this elite squad business? Why are you so concerned about training? You promised me answers and I want them.”

  “Right,” sighed Imorean. Where did he begin? “Felsenmeer is the site of elite training for select hybrids. Last semester we trained here to fight Vortigern.”

  “Seriously?” asked Kadia. “I thought that was just a rumor.”

  Imorean shrugged. “Yeah. Felsenmeer is more than academics. It’s pretty much a training camp. We get accelerated training here. Swordsmanship, orienteering, scouting trips. You name it, we do it.”

  “You guys were in that battle last semester, weren’t you? That one over Iceland where Chief Archangel Michael was nearly killed.”

  “Yeah,” replied Imorean, thrown by her use of Michael’s title.

  Colton interrupted. “Well, Imorean was. We stayed pretty well away from it.”

  “I had no idea,” said Kadia, her voice barely above a whisper.

  “It’s part of what we do here,” said Imorean. He tried to keep his voice as soft and gentle as possible.

  “I’ve heard rumors about what goes on here, but Chief Archangel Michael didn’t tell me anything directly.”

  Imorean stifled a groan. “Yeah. That’s his style. You’ll get used to it. Kadia, you were brought here because you’re the best candidate out of all the schools we have right now. You’ve been added to the elite squad and we’re planning on giving you all the training you need to stay alive. I’m sure if you don’t want to be here, Michael would let you go home.”

  Kadia gasped, sparrow wings shivering. “You’re on a first name basis with him?”

  A small laugh rippled in Imorean’s chest. “Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”

  “It’s just … he’s the Chief Archangel.”

  “It’s something he doesn’t let us forget,” replied Imorean. “What do you think?”

  Kadia started. “About being here, you being on a first name basis with Chief Archangel Michael or the fact that you’ve been in combat?”

  “You being here,” said Imorean.

  Colton stood up straighter. “We need an answer, Kadia. We’re short on people already. We need to know if you want in with us.”

  “The once in an eternity opportunity to get close to the Archangels – a marvel in and of itself,” murmured Kadia, a note of wonder in her tone.

  Imorean lowered his voice. “They’re really not all that brilliant.”

  Colton frowned at him.

  Kadia plunged on, oblivious. “Training and fighting demons with an elite squad of angel hybrids? A chance of danger and excitement?”

  “An overwhelming chance of death,” muttered Imorean. Colton elbowed him.

  “What else can I say but yes?” finished Kadia with an excited grin. “When do we start?”

  “Right now,” replied Imorean. He turned away and picked up the two training swords. Admittedly, he had left out the fact that two of the squad were already dead and a third was missing in action, but maybe it was information that Kadia didn’t need to know yet. He swallowed. It was an omission even Michael would be proud of. He shook his head, ushering the thought away. Being like Michael wasn’t the goal.

  “Okay,” said Imorean. “We’re going to start by assessing how you handle a sword. I want you to spar Colton.”

  “Not you?” asked Kadia, taking a wooden sword.

  Imorean balked for a moment. He glanced at Colton then back at Kadia. Kadia had only referred to the elite squad as angel hybrids. She had talked about Michael by his title, not his name, whereas Imorean had always called him by his first name. He looked back at Colton.

  “Does she know?”

  Colton laughed and shook his head.

  “Know what?” asked Kadia. “What am I missing?”

  “Imorean is an Archangel hybrid,” replied Colton. “Sorry, I was sort of saving that for a grand reveal whenever he did something mystical and Archangel-y.”

  “Archangel hybrid?” gasped Kadia. “I didn’t know there were any.”

  “He’s the only one in existence,” said Colton.

  Imorean frowned, feeling uncomfortable. Was that a note of pride in Colton’s voice? He had just recently warmed up to his Archangel nature. Wasn’t it a little early for people to feel proud about it?

  “Who was your maker?” she asked. “You know, the angel who gave you their divine nature?”

  Imorean hesitated. Kadia was staring at him like he was going to spontaneously combust. Given his power, he just might. “Michael.”

  “You’re kidding,” she said with a grin. “This is so cool.”

  “Want to trade?” scoffed Imorean. There was a flash of humor, then something thumped him on the back of the head. Hard. “Ow!”

  He spun, wondering if Colton had decided to berate him. Empty air.

  “He does this sometimes,” said Colton, his bright eyes on Kadia.

  Imorean turned back to them and shrugged off the experience. “Start whe
never you’re ready.”

  A smile worked its way across Imorean’s lips as Colton raced in first, faking an attack to Kadia’s right. There was a flicker of movement to Colton’s right and only fractions of a heartbeat later, Colton was there – exactly where the flicker had been. Imorean inclined his head as Kadia blocked ineffectively and Colton scored their sparring match’s first hit.

  “Ouch!” she yelped, jumping backward. She moved to rub her side and Colton rapped her knuckles. Imorean hissed as he heard wood knock on bone.

  “We’re still fighting, Kadia,” grinned Colton.

  Imorean resisted the urge to laugh. Colton was enjoying himself. Kadia jutted out her chin in determination and charged in. Imorean folded his arms. It was a reckless attack. She missed Colton by miles. Another flicker of movement, a tiny click that made Imorean shake his head. Colton appeared again where the flash of movement had been.

  “Well done,” chuckled Michael’s voice.

  Imorean raised his chin. “Kadia’s behind the curve.”

  “I meant you.”

  “Really?” asked Imorean. He tried to keep his face blank.

  “You are seeing Colton’s movements. You are predicting where he will be. Congratulations. Your senses are extended perfectly. Try it on the astral plane.”

  Imorean’s mouth twitched down. “Don’t make me do that. It’ll freak them out.”

  Distinctly, Imorean heard a derisive snort. He didn’t have time to dwell on it. Wood clacked hard on wood. Kadia parried one of Colton’s attacks. She bore his sword backward, forcing Colton to break his offense. Imorean grinned, but Colton didn’t let her have a breath of victory. He ducked, rushing under a weak attack, and dragged the dull point of his wooden sword through the feathers of one of Kadia’s wings. Imorean took a step forward to call a halt to their spar, but green flashed in front of his vision.

  “Astral plane. Watch them there. See why the astral plane is useful in battle.”

  “Fine, fine.” Imorean looked at them. “Take a breather. Go for round two in a minute or so.”

  “How am I doing?” asked Kadia, making her way to him.

  “Pretty good,” replied Imorean. It was a lie. She wasn’t doing well, but that was by comparison to the other members of the squad. She was probably one of the best sparring partners at Upper Morvine. Michael wouldn’t have chosen her otherwise.

  “Aren’t I supposed to be sparring you now?” she asked.

  “Not yet. There’s something else I want to see. Go back to it.”

  “Come on, Kadia,” grinned Colton, spinning his sword.

  A tremble crossed Imorean’s skin. Vortigern had done that on the mountaintop. That very same movement. Emotion that wasn’t his own pressed on him from his right. Safe, was what it seemed to say. He swallowed his fear. He wasn’t in danger here.

  “Ready when you are,” returned Kadia.

  Imorean flared and refolded his wings. Neither of them had noticed his nervousness. Good. He didn’t want to spook them any more than he was about to. Not even Colton had seen him on the astral plane. Brown eyes slid closed and Imorean tucked his chin to his chest, one leg resting on the wall to prop him up. He took a breath. In his mind’s eye, he could picture the gym. To his left, he could hear Colton and Kadia swatting each other with their swords. He triangulated the sound and imagined their actions. Basic sword maneuvers. All Kadia knew. Imorean pushed and slipped outside his body. Closed eyes and flared wings remained pinned against the wall, an empty husk.

  “Hello,” said Michael.

  Imorean turned. Michael stood next to him, a line of green thread arcing up through the ceiling and into the main building above.

  “Hey,” replied Imorean. “How long have you been watching?”

  “Since Kadia and Colton arrived. I told you this morning that I would be in and out throughout the day. This is easier.”

  Imorean glanced back at Kadia and Colton, glad they hadn’t noticed his inattentive form yet. They were far too busy sparring. “What am I looking for?”

  A flinch jerked Imorean’s body as Michael put one hand on his shoulder and used the other to guide his chin so that he was staring directly at the pair.

  “You know Colton best. Focus hard on him. Watch and predict where he will go.”

  Imorean riveted his eyes to Colton, at the same time, trying not to ignore Kadia. In slow motion, Kadia swung. Colton jerked back. Imorean’s eyes opened wide and his jaw dropped as he saw a faded outline of Colton leaping backward, landing a few feet out of range. Physical Colton mirrored the motion, skidding on the gym floor as he landed.

  “What was that?” asked Imorean, turning back to Michael.

  Astral Michael backed away a pace. “His will, or his intention, if you prefer. Incredible, is it not?”

  “It’s fantastic!” Imorean hesitated. “But how does this help me on the battlefield?”

  “I will show you later in your stay. Perhaps after you return from Mexico …” Michael’s voice trailed away, his green eyes on physical Imorean. Astral Imorean turned to face his shell. His own eyes were open, blazing with white, heatless fire, staring directly at Kadia and Colton.

  Kadia screamed.

  Chapter 28

  “Ah,” grunted Michael.

  “I told you this would happen. You got me into this mess, you better get me out,” snapped Imorean, walking back into his body.

  It was a chilling sensation to feel his own skin ripple around him like a casing, but Imorean tried to push the feeling away. He blinked a few times. Hard. White receded from his vision quicker than it had at Huntfish Falls, and he thought he settled into himself with more ease.

  “Sorry about that,” said Imorean, with what he hoped was a winning smile. Kadia’s sword clattered to the ground. Where was Michael? Imorean resisted the urge to turn and look for him.

  Colton stepped forward, his face ashen and bright eyes nervous behind his glasses. “What was that?”

  A rush of feathers stirred the gym. In a whirlwind of green, Michael appeared. Imorean breathed a sigh of relief.

  “I apologize,” said Michael, brushing off his jacket. “Imorean was running a routine astral plane projection experiment on my orders. Nothing to worry about.”

  “A – astral plane?” stammered Kadia.

  “Indeed,” replied Michael, his voice slow and steady. “Archangels possess more abilities than a normal angel. Imorean, in spite of being a hybrid, is the same.”

  “Sorry if I scared you,” shrugged Imorean.

  “You only nearly gave us heart attacks,” breathed Colton. “But I think we’ll get over it. I didn’t know you could do that, Imorean.”

  “It’s not something I’m very good at yet,” replied Imorean.

  “Palmer,” said Michael, cutting the conversation off. “How are you feeling?”

  “High on adrenaline right now,” Kadia replied, picking up her wooden sword. “I’m still a little shaken about seeing Imorean like that.”

  Michael scoffed. “To see an Archangel in an astral state should not come as a surprise to you, Miss Palmer. Things will not go well for you if you are so easily shaken.”

  Kadia looked crestfallen.

  “Michael, that’s not fair,” sighed Imorean. “She hasn’t been here twelve hours.”

  “Time does not excuse –”

  Imorean cut Michael off. “Ignore him, Kadia. Spar with me. You like Colton too much to hurt him.”

  “How could you tell?” asked Kadia, a smile starting to come back to her face.

  “You were softening your blows. Colton’s tough. He can take anything you can dish out. This time you and I can spar on the ground and in the air.”

  “You’re really sure you want me to spar with you?” asked Kadia. She sounded worried.

  Something about her tone sparked annoyance in Imorean. “This is an assessment, Kadia. I need to know where you are in your training relative to the rest of us.”

  “But you’re all way ahead of me,�
�� argued Kadia.

  “Yes.” Imorean folded his arms and pushed down his rising temper. “But in battle, you will be faced with a range of opponents. They might be able to fight far better than you or they may fight much worse. You have to be ready for anything.”

  “Okay,” replied Kadia, her voice small.

  Imorean hesitated for a second, wondering if he’d gone too far. He shook his head and picked up one of the wooden swords next to the wall. He was suddenly overcome with guilt. Being close to his squad members was what got them killed. The more distant he was this time, the less incentive Vortigern would have to kill them. He gritted his teeth as a green wave of sympathy broke over the back of his head. He rounded on Michael.

  “Don’t you have anything more important to do than sift around in my head?”

  The already quiet gym filled with an odd tension. Imorean stood his ground. Michael’s eyes narrowed and the sense of sympathy vanished.

  “I will need to see you after this training session,” snapped Michael, vanishing with a rush of green feathers.

  Imorean took a deep breath and shook out his wings – they had drawn right up to his back with stress. “You ready, Kadia?”

  She nodded, her eyes still nervous. Imorean weighed the wooden sword in his hand and gave it a few experimental swings. It didn’t slice through the air or hiss like his metal one did. It felt clumsier in his hand, but for training, it would do. Again, he paused. He felt too much like Michael. It was as though they were becoming one and the same.

  A flash of movement caught his attention. He sidestepped, keeping his balance light. Kadia’s sword swept through the air, just inches away from his midriff. Imorean grinned and levelled his sword at her. Kadia raced in, haphazard and clumsy, aiming for his head. A flick of his wrist brought his own sword upright, blocking Kadia’s offense. Imorean spread his wings and leaped out of the way. He wanted to see how Kadia did in the air. The sound of feathers spreading let him know she was on his tail. Imorean tucked his wings up and spun hard. Kadia should have been visible. But … she was nowhere in sight. A dull point jabbed him in the back. Imorean turned, a grin on his face.