The Angel's Plight

The moment I walked into the cave I called home, I was bombarded with questions and small hands groping mine for comfort. The small children of the group looked up at me worriedly, each trying to hold on to a piece of my clothing or body for comfort that I was alive and well. The older members were the ones doing the questioning.

“Nora, where on earth were you? We were all worried!” The leader of the group pushed through the crowd, all the while questioning me. He settled in front of me, the children who were groping my hands fled to their parents in case I got scolded.

“I went on patrol, Jackson. I was assigned today. Since the moon was covered, I lost track of time,” I replied, looking up at the beefy man before me. He sighed at my response, looking in my eyes, searching for the truth. I didn’t want to tell them about my run in with
Azreal, nobody knew that he had helped me before and nobody was going to find out that he had helped me this time.

Putting his hands on my shoulders, he pulled me into a rough hug. I considered this man my surrogate father. In our group, I think everyone did. He was powerful, both in heart and physically. I looked up to him and respected him unconditionally. I wrapped my arms around his middle, returning the hug and enjoying the comfort it brought.

Releasing me, he turned to the rest of the compound and commanded everyone to go to bed except that nights patrols. “Eleanor, you go to bed too, we’ll need help with the children’s education tomorrow and you’re the best suited to assist.” He gave me a gentle push towards the corridor that held my room. “I’m glad you’re safe little one.”

I turned to him and smiled before walking to my section of our cave. Each person had a small room-like area, covered with a cloth door. Some, like me, had built wooden doors, but most kept the cloth. We were allowed to furnish however we liked, as long as we could get the furnishings. My room was simple, just a small bed and a box containing all my clothing and personal possessions.

The only decorated thing I owned was a locked chest, in which I had the feather that Azreal dropped all those years ago. Nobody knew it was there, not even Azreal, he hadn’t seen me take it, but for some reason, having it there brought me comfort.

I changed into loose pajamas and crawled onto my cot, completely exhausted. The moment my head hit the pillow, I was out.

“Miss Norie! Miss Norie! Get up!” I groaned in response and rolled over. The owner of the voice was persistent however, and proceeded to jump on my bed, sit on me and start to bounce. “Come on Miss Norie, we have to learn today!” The voice kept talking about learning and lessons, drawing out the vowels in the most annoying manner.

I opened my eyes and rolled over once more, pinning my little assailant to the bed. I smiled when I realized it was Ezekiel. “You want Miss Norie up?” I asked with a grin. He nodded eagerly. I grinned again, and proceeded to tickle the boy. He laughed until tears were dripping down his face. Smiling softly, I ended my assault, sitting up next to the recovering boy.

“You get to teach us today Miss Norie,” he said enthusiastically, bouncing up and giving me a side hug. “I gotta go wake the others for breakfast, but I wanted to wake you first. I’ll see you soon Miss Norie!” He bounced, quite literally, out of my room, leaving me there laughing at his silly antics.

I had somewhat adopted the boy when I rescued him from a Purifier five years prior, when he was only 4. Since then, he had clung to my side. I considered him like a son to me, and guarded him with my life. He was the same exact age that I was when my family was killed now, so I felt even more inclined to guard his well being.

Stretching, I leaned over to light the lantern beside my bed, bringing a soft light to the cave. I yawned and rolled off the bed, landing ungracefully next to it. I groaned and stood up, walking over to the box that held my belongings.

Since I was teaching today, I chose comfortable clothing, just jeans and a jacket. I had my blades strapped to my back under my jacket as usual, along with various others attached to me in places. Wandering out of my room and into the showers, I got ready for the day.

“Nora, thank you so much for volunteering to help teach today,” Alana, the group’s teacher, said nudging my arm as I sat next to her in the section we used as a cafeteria. “I’m not so good with the history and math portions, so I always need help.”

I laughed and patted her arm, “Not a problem, those are what I always loved in school. I’m happy to help. Besides, I don’t see the kids enough since I’m always out on missions!” I beamed at the children trudging through the cafeteria, breakfast trays in hand. “Whaddya say we get something to eat?”

She nodded and we rose to join the line for food. The food we received here was never fantastic, but it was better than nothing, and for that I was grateful. I grabbed a tray and got the usual meal, Alana followed suit. We chatted about things as we walked back to our table. She gasped and grabbed my arm before we arrived there.

“There he is, oh my. He’s just so dashing,” she gushed in a whisper, nodding her head to a handsome man sitting right next to our destination. “I don’t know if I could sit near him, I’ll be too flustered.”

“Lan, don’t worry,” I said, adjusting my tray so I could pat down a fly away gold strand of hair for her. “You’ll be fine. Come on, talk to him. You’re beautiful and funny. Smart too! He’d be foolish not to want to talk t you.” Smiling I dragged her back to the table, placing her right next to the man who I now realized was Jacksons son Hunter.

I nudged Alana, who had been shocked into silence while greeting Hunter with a nod. “Hey Lan,” he said in a deep voice. “How have you been?”

“Oh! I’ve been fine, just teaching you know? Been having troubles with some of the kids, that’s why I’m having Nora help today,” Alana rambled nervously. She always rambled when she got flustered; it made me wonder how she was such a great teacher sometimes.

As the two talked, I sat in silence, glancing to check on my friend every few minutes. They would be cute together, I decided. Alana was beautiful with her golden hair, brown eyes, and fit body. Her personality outshined her physical attributes with how loving she was. Hunter was a smaller version of Jackson, with floppy black hair and piercing green eyes. I smiled inwardly as the two blushed every time the other spoke.

“Miss Norie, Miss Alana, it’s time for lessons,” Ezekiel wandered over, informing us. I glanced around the room, it was empty except for the children, Hunter, Alana, and I

“Okay Zeke. Let me get the books, and I’ll meet you over at the table,” I said, poking Alana to get her attention. Ezekiel bounded back towards the children’s table while Alana and
Hunter looked at me shock at how fast time flew by apparent in their features.

Hunter mumbled a hurried goodbye as he rushed out, as did Alana as she moved to the children’s table. I got up, clearing all three of our dishes, and grabbed the textbooks from in a box near the door. We had salvaged them years ago, when the Immortals had decided our literature was inferior to theirs and burned our books. Now we used them to educate our young ones. They were anything but inferior.

Carrying the pile over, I dumped them on the table. “Kay kiddos, we’ll be learning a lot today,” I said while passing out calculus books to each child. “Alana wants us to finish off these last few chapters on integrals and derivatives. Think we can?” Each child nodded, opening the book to the appropriate section. Our kids were very smart for their ages. They were the type that would work for hours on end until they finished.

As our lessons ended that evening I went to check the schedule for tonight. I had patrol duty again, Alana had dishes. I gave her a quick hug goodbye and kissed the still studying
Ezekiel on the head, and rushed to get ready for patrol. I didn’t think I was supposed to have duty, but Jackson made the schedules and he must have wanted me out in the fields for some reason.

Putting on fighting gear and moving my blades to the right place was all I really had to do. I grabbed a small snack and a water and made my way to the entrance of the cave.

“Jackson,” I shouted at the entrance of our cave, “I’m heading out.” I heard a whistled response, the signal that he had heard, and I took off into the woods.

It had snowed since the night before when I had been out. The ground was covered with the beautiful white powder and I had to fight the childlike urge to make a snow angel.
Trudging through the snow and the darkness of night, I made me way to a high rock above our cave. This was the true watch point.

From this rock I could see everything in the surrounding area, even through the night time darkness. The rock was hidden from those looking as well, meaning I was safe as could be in this spot. The only way I could be spotted was by the air, and for some reason, the Immortals refused to fly above the woods.

I started to hum as I laid out a blanket for myself to sit on. I pushed it to the back of the rock, where another rock met it at a perpendicular angle, blocking the biting wind. I settled down, still humming softly to myself, and wishing I had my feather to comfort me.

I grumbled to myself realizing that I still had about six hours sitting in the cold. My watch session was usually longer than the others because I never complained about it like they did. Overall, I was a very quiet person, preferring to stick to myself. I wasn’t like that before the Immortals came.

Into the third hour of my watch, I heard rustling above me. I glanced up, but saw nothing in the cloudy sky. Shrugging, I topped look, figuring it was just a bird. I heard another rustle in the sky after a few minutes of silence and grew suspicious.

Rising to my feet, in a crouching position with my back to the rock, I quietly pulled my blades from their sheaths. I glanced up at the sky, preparing myself for the worst. I saw a flash of white and my body tensed up, readying itself for action. A single feather dropped at my feet.
A pure white, downy soft feather, that looked quite familiar. I looked down at it, puzzled as to why the Immortal I now knew as above me would allow their feather to drop. Most of them seemed possessive over their feathers.

Looking down was my mistake, I heard a few wing beats then the Immortal was upon me. I saw flashes of white in the darkness, but nothing else. I struggled, slashing out with my blades trying to slice my way to freedom as the creature wrapped its arms around my middle and started to lift off.

“Calm yourself Eleanor. Panicking isn’t good for your heart,” a voice purred in my ear as we flew over the woods. I tensed, recognizing the voice and began to struggle even more and my captor flew me further into the woods, landing in a clearing.

I spun free the moment my feet hit the ground, turning and preparing to attack. However, nothing could prepare me for what I saw.