Scarlet Angels.
They know your name
Crystal stared at the air just above Hailey’s head, lost in memories. “She was a rebellious little angel, but the fastest thing you’ve ever seen, in the air and on the ground. Her name was Azzure, and she was smarter than half the teachers here. Of course, she knew it, and it’s why she graduated early. Haven’t seen her since.”
Hailey was more than surprised. “I beat the record that Azzure set?!” She is joking. No-one’s beaten Azzure, not in years. Hailey was disappointed, with herself and with her High Commander. “You know, I had a feeling you were lying. Come on, Azzure? I couldn’t have beaten her record.” Hailey looked down as she exited the room.
“Thanks a lot, High Commander.” She muttered as she crossed to the path that led to the forest. She shook out her wings and took to the air, rising fast. The forest loomed below her. She looked down, wondering why the Commander had lied to her. Was it supposed to be part of my punishment? Everyone knows about Azzure; the stories say everything. Hailey suddenly wondered how much of it was true. She knew that Azzure was the most amazing female angel to have ever been to the Academy, but had she really scaled the 200 footer, set the fastest ever female speed record for it, then passed the graduates test? Along with beating the High Commander at the Race of the Archangels?
Probably. More than likely, yes.
Hailey laughed. What now? She asked herself. I don’t know if it’s smart to go back… Maybe I can be even more like Azzure and go renegade… never be seen again… At least by people I used to know… She was more annoyed that she had to give everything up she knew and start again than anything else.
Hailey flew for hours, thinking about her future. She debated going back, and getting her stuff, but came to the same conclusion: would she be able to leave again? Would they find her? She smiled when she came to the idea that if she spread her wings over her face, she could get away with it. They were dark enough, pretty much black in the darkness. Hailey hesitated, then pivoted in midair and sped back to the Academy.
It took a while, but thankfully it was still dark when Hailey arrived back at the school. She grinned when she saw it. But the grin quickly turned to a look of horror as she realised that the school was burning. Huge pillars of smoke rose from the mess hall, and the teachers quarters as well. Hailey plummeted like a stone, trying to figure out what was going on. There was only one thought going through her mind, repeating itself like a broken record. The Academy is under fire. Under attack… Attack… She couldn’t think, and if she fell any more she wouldn’t do much else.
She pulled herself out of the dive, levelling off and trying to dodge the smoke. “Hailey? Is that you?” A panicked voice called out. Hailey didn’t know whose.
”Hailey!” It was her Sergeant, Liam, and some of the students. “Hailey, you get here this instant!” He ordered. Hailey flew backwards and away from him slightly, landing on a hill. “That is an order, Rookie!” He yelled.
“I can tell, Liam!” She yelled back. She used an air current to float down to where he was standing.
“We were worried about you, Rookie.” He commented gruffly. Hailey grinned. She and the Quadrant Sergeant had become friends, despite her mischievous nature and his tendency to yell a lot.
“That’s never good. What’s happening here?” She asked in a low voice.
“We are under attack. They have most of the school in their possession, and the High Commander held hostage at the Grad Hall. The students are safe, as far as I know.”
Hailey thought very fast. “I’m gonna rescue the High Commander.” She smiled her most mischievous smile as Liam protested.
“Oh, no you’re not. “ He went to grab her arm, but she was too fast, dancing back out of his reach. His gold wings shook in anger.
“Yup, I am. See ya later - if I make it!” She laughed crazily as she took to the air.
What the hell am I doing? She asked herself as she flew towards the Grad Hall. Right, now that I’m committed to this… There are only two exits to the Hall… The doors… And they will have both of those guarded well… Maybe I can pose as one of them? She chuckled. She had to find one first.
She heard two sentries above her, leering at the thought of all the loot they would find. “He wants this place pretty much undamaged… but he said that if we find the one with the jade wings, we had to bring her to him… unharmed.” The other laughed. The last word, or rather the way it was said, made her want to shudder. Then, thinking about what he had actually said – ‘the one with the jade wings’ – she did shudder.
They meant her.
Hailey was more than surprised. “I beat the record that Azzure set?!” She is joking. No-one’s beaten Azzure, not in years. Hailey was disappointed, with herself and with her High Commander. “You know, I had a feeling you were lying. Come on, Azzure? I couldn’t have beaten her record.” Hailey looked down as she exited the room.
“Thanks a lot, High Commander.” She muttered as she crossed to the path that led to the forest. She shook out her wings and took to the air, rising fast. The forest loomed below her. She looked down, wondering why the Commander had lied to her. Was it supposed to be part of my punishment? Everyone knows about Azzure; the stories say everything. Hailey suddenly wondered how much of it was true. She knew that Azzure was the most amazing female angel to have ever been to the Academy, but had she really scaled the 200 footer, set the fastest ever female speed record for it, then passed the graduates test? Along with beating the High Commander at the Race of the Archangels?
Probably. More than likely, yes.
Hailey laughed. What now? She asked herself. I don’t know if it’s smart to go back… Maybe I can be even more like Azzure and go renegade… never be seen again… At least by people I used to know… She was more annoyed that she had to give everything up she knew and start again than anything else.
Hailey flew for hours, thinking about her future. She debated going back, and getting her stuff, but came to the same conclusion: would she be able to leave again? Would they find her? She smiled when she came to the idea that if she spread her wings over her face, she could get away with it. They were dark enough, pretty much black in the darkness. Hailey hesitated, then pivoted in midair and sped back to the Academy.
It took a while, but thankfully it was still dark when Hailey arrived back at the school. She grinned when she saw it. But the grin quickly turned to a look of horror as she realised that the school was burning. Huge pillars of smoke rose from the mess hall, and the teachers quarters as well. Hailey plummeted like a stone, trying to figure out what was going on. There was only one thought going through her mind, repeating itself like a broken record. The Academy is under fire. Under attack… Attack… She couldn’t think, and if she fell any more she wouldn’t do much else.
She pulled herself out of the dive, levelling off and trying to dodge the smoke. “Hailey? Is that you?” A panicked voice called out. Hailey didn’t know whose.
”Hailey!” It was her Sergeant, Liam, and some of the students. “Hailey, you get here this instant!” He ordered. Hailey flew backwards and away from him slightly, landing on a hill. “That is an order, Rookie!” He yelled.
“I can tell, Liam!” She yelled back. She used an air current to float down to where he was standing.
“We were worried about you, Rookie.” He commented gruffly. Hailey grinned. She and the Quadrant Sergeant had become friends, despite her mischievous nature and his tendency to yell a lot.
“That’s never good. What’s happening here?” She asked in a low voice.
“We are under attack. They have most of the school in their possession, and the High Commander held hostage at the Grad Hall. The students are safe, as far as I know.”
Hailey thought very fast. “I’m gonna rescue the High Commander.” She smiled her most mischievous smile as Liam protested.
“Oh, no you’re not. “ He went to grab her arm, but she was too fast, dancing back out of his reach. His gold wings shook in anger.
“Yup, I am. See ya later - if I make it!” She laughed crazily as she took to the air.
What the hell am I doing? She asked herself as she flew towards the Grad Hall. Right, now that I’m committed to this… There are only two exits to the Hall… The doors… And they will have both of those guarded well… Maybe I can pose as one of them? She chuckled. She had to find one first.
She heard two sentries above her, leering at the thought of all the loot they would find. “He wants this place pretty much undamaged… but he said that if we find the one with the jade wings, we had to bring her to him… unharmed.” The other laughed. The last word, or rather the way it was said, made her want to shudder. Then, thinking about what he had actually said – ‘the one with the jade wings’ – she did shudder.
They meant her.