Angels Born of Hell and Fire

[Chapter Fourteen]

I sat curled with my knees to my chest in one of the overstuffed chair in the library. To my right Savannah sat in an identical one, a slim novel perched in her hands. I watched as Jasper skimmed through a giant ancient book, her right hand occasionally scratching out notes onto a notebook. Silence had been the primary condition for a few hours now. I preferred it that way.
I had been released from my prison two days ago, and I had spent the majority of that time here, in the library with Jasper and the other Guard members. The doctor apparently had said I needed some time to recover before I was allowed to return to my daily training. I was glad for this. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to be seen by other people. As it was, I was content with this small group of people, because these people knew, they understood. They wouldn’t think it odd when I flinched at every loud noise, they wouldn’t judge me if I sat coiled up as tightly as I could. They didn’t force me to talk unless I wanted to, I didn’t even have to pretend to laugh or smile, because they knew.

All during this time I hadn’t seen Adam, a fact I was relieved beyond all measure for. I didn’t think I could handle a meeting with my supposed ‘father’ at the moment. The man messed with the inside of my head enough as it was, and I was just now starting to trust my own thoughts again. Going anywhere near Adam right now would just send me spiraling back down into that black pit of despair. I was barely tittering on the edge, at any moment I could trip and fall right back down again, and be lost to my own darkness.

A soft knock sounded and Taylor walked in, dressed in the maid uniform and pushing a small cart of food. Savannah had convinced Marie to take Taylor into the maid household, something that took a lot of effort I hear, as all the housekeepers where born into their profession. Savannah had told me the housekeepers all live in a separate building than the mansion, where they keep any children to be raised by the elderly women who were too frail to continue their duty. I was just thankful that Taylor hadn’t been sent back to that… place.

I shivered, tightening my arms around my legs as Taylor set a tray of food next to me. She smiled, an action that made her youthful face glow. I was glad she was doing well. The injuries to her back hadn’t been serious thankfully, so she was able to move around without causing herself too much pain. I found myself unusually attached to the younger girl, probably because she had been there when… it happened. She had seen me at my most terrifying and still could smile at me like I was human. It was because of this I think that Jasper also had accepted her. I knew Jasper didn’t trust easily.

“You make sure to eat all of it alright?” Taylor said sternly, the soft drawl in her voice apparent.

“Yes ma’am,” I bobbed my head and dutifully moved myself into a position to eat.
Taylor looked over at Savannah.

“Make sure she actually eats and doesn’t just push it around her plate,”

Again I got the distinct feeling of being a child, Taylor and Savannah somehow becoming my caretakers. I frowned to see Savannah smile, her dark eyes crinkled in amusement.

“I will, don’t worry. You’ll eat won’t you General?”

Her tone darkened by the end and I knew that she would probably pin me down and shove the food down my throat if I refused. At her table I heard Jasper choke out a laugh.

“I will I will,” I grumbled sourly, taking a bite of my macaroni. I earned approving smiles on all sides.

With a parting wave Taylor left the room, saying she’ll be back later for our dishes. At the door she told Peter and Gabriel, who were on what Jasper affectionately called “door duty”, that they could also go on in and eat. My eyes followed them as they both chose a seat at Jasper’s table. Catching my gaze Peter quickly looked away, shame in his eyes. He hadn’t spoken to me, acting like a guilty dog who knew it was going to be punished. Honestly, I didn’t harbor ill feelings towards the blonde boy. Indeed I agree with his decision to not have Jasper share in my punishment. I preferred it that way. Jasper, of course, didn’t share in my testament but that was alright.

I managed to eat about half of the food given to me before my stomach refused to allow another bite. You would think that after not eating for two weeks I would be scarfing down everything I could get my hands on, but I simply wasn’t hungry. I didn’t remember the last time I really wanted food. I peeked up at Savannah, resisting the temptation to ask if I had eaten enough to pass. I really was such a baby.

“Peter,” my voice strained to carry across the distance, not used to being used again. He looked over at me in surprise.

“Do you want the rest?” I knew, after being stuck in the library for two days and all of us always eating our meals together, that Peter always ate all of his serving and occasionally stole a few bites from a protesting Gabriel. As it was, he had already finished eating and was just sitting, taking the opportunity to talk softly with Jasper.

When he hesitated I rolled my eyes.

“Its not like I poisoned it, you’re still hungry right? If you don’t want it then do you want it Gabriel?” Teenage boys were always hungry right? The small boy looked up hopefully but glanced over at Peter as if afraid to show that he actually wanted the left overs.

“Peter can have it,” Gabriel said shoving his last piece of pasta in his mouth.

I nodded, looking back at the still hesitating Peter.

“So?” I had offered it to Peter as a sort of peace offering, a way to express that I didn’t hate him, despite the numerous acts he’s done against me. I knew him and Jasper had this sort of… thing, going so it wouldn’t be fair if I hated him. If she had managed to find a sort of happiness amongst all this wickedness then I would support it. Both of us didn’t need to be buried in self-loathing.

“Thanks,” Peter said finally, taking the offered plate. Jasper smiled over at me, knowing the cause behind my actions.

"General," Savannah spoke, drawing my attention away from the glittering love birds. “Do you want me to tell you a story?”

I frowned, finding this odd of her. These were typically comforting words, but the tone she used was hard, as if this question held a lot of meaning.

“What sort of story?”

“The story of why we’re here.”

All eyes in the room turned to her.

“What?” this from Jasper, her brow furrowed.

“Adam hasn’t ever told you why exactly you’re here right?” Savannah crossed her arms over her chest.

“Savannah, do you think its really our place to say?” Peter frowned at his adopted sister.
She rolled her eyes at him. “Shut up Peter, it’s dumb to not tell them, I mean they’re stuck here and I think they’ve begun to realize that now.”

Jasper and I exchanged a glance. We had. Both of us were unwilling to try again; the price being too high for us to stand. We had realized that running away wasn’t going to be possible anyways. Adam wouldn’t ever allow it. I was beginning to realize the extent of Adam’s power, and it terrified me.

Seeing our faces Savannah nodded, “Right, then they deserve to know.”

“He hasn’t told us we could tell them,” this from Gabriel.

“He hasn’t said we couldn’t either,” Savannah shot back, silencing him. She glared defiantly at the two boys, daring them to stop her next words.

“Right, so let me tell you the story Marie told me when we were children, about the history of why Adam was created,

A long time ago, when angels still walked amongst men, God still loved his creations above all else and often shone his light upon their lives. The angels, seeing how much their creator loved humans, would come down to earth to learn more about them so they too could love them as God did. However, the more time they spent out of the divine light, the closer to humans they became. As time passed they soon found they could no longer return to their home. Their bodies lost the golden glow of heaven, and they became trapped, doomed to age and die in a human body. Many of these angels, stranded as they were, became depressed, crying out for God to let them return home. God wept for his children’s sadness but there was nothing to be done now, their bodies had become human and could no longer enter the gates of heaven. Only their souls, once freed from their earthly confines, could finally return to their home.

So the angel’s lived amongst humans as if part of them. They still retained many of their angelic powers however, using them to bring good and light to the earth. For quite some time the earth was happy. Generations passed, and the decedents of the angels still had the blood running through their veins. These children were faster, stronger, more gifted than a normal human. A small few, whose angelic blood was strong within, even had certain powers. They could cast electricity from their hands; bend light to shield them from danger. Nowhere near as powerful as their forefathers yet far more extraordinary than any human should ever be.

The humans became scared. They mistook these powers as work of witchcraft and not the divine power it really came from, for they had forgotten their history, of the time angels had come to live on earth. They began hunting those with any suspicious talent, often seeing what was not there. Many of the descendants perished; innocent of any crime. God became enraged, disgusted by the brutal monstrous actions taken against the innocent. It was then, after seeing the dark secrets that could live inside a human soul that God created Abbadon, the Angel of Destruction. He sent his angel down, filled with all his rage and revulsion for what humans had become. Abbadon had one mission, to punish the humans for their brutality against the innocent. However, built a he was, and filled with God’s wrath, Abbadon became twisted, darker than any of his kind.

This time, remembering what had happened to the others, God made sure that Abbadon could never become human, no matter how long he walked on the earth. God told him, that once he had completed his mission, he would be welcomed back into Heaven. Until then, he would never be allowed to return.

For thousands of years Abbadon walked the earth, his mind turning darker and more twisted with every passing year. He plotted his destruction of the human race. For he didn’t simply want to punish them, he wanted to destroy them, so filled with rage was he. Finally, he devised a plan. One angel alone could not wreck the mayhem and devastation required for this mission, so he decided to use the Decedents. Those born with angel blood who were so much stronger and fit than the average human. He would gather them up and hone their skills until a vast army was born, one strong enough to completely eradicate the humans. But first, he needed someone to lead them. Not he, no he was the master mind; he needed someone for the army to follow, to put their trust in. Just some random person wouldn’t do, it had to be someone close to him, someone who could share his power. That’s when an evil thought struck him. In an army built of the children of angels, who better to lead than a child of an angel. But not just one, he needed two, two children of his own lineage, who would share his hate and disgust of the human race, one to lead the army, and one to rule.

So thus Abbadon set his plan into motion, gathering up the Decedents, making sure they did not contaminate the blood line while he prepared for his vengeance.”

The stillness of the air was only deterred by the sounds of our breathing. Jasper and I were staring at Savannah like she had sprouted horns, and Gabriel and Peter seemed to be lost in thought.

“It’s been a long time since someone told that story…” Gabriel finally whispered, breaking through the dam of my thoughts.

“So Adam… you’re saying he’s…” I couldn’t seem to get the words out.

“He’s Abbadon,” Jasper managed to say it for me.

Savannah nodded.

“So he’s…. he’s… an angel?” My voice had crept up about five octaves. I couldn’t believe it, angels were supposed to be bright, and good and… not Adam!

“So are you,” Peter suddenly said, “both of you are his daughters.”

Jasper and I gaped at him, our mouths hanging open.

“You’re crazy,”

“He’s not our real father,”

Jasper and I spoke at the same time.

“Wait,” Jasper put her hand up as if to stop the flood of information, “So does that mean you guys, and all the people here… are the decedents?”

All three of their heads bobbed at the same time.

“But you look completely normal,” she said bluntly.

Peter grinned crookedly at her.

“You think so? We are mostly human, but I wouldn’t say we’re normal.”

“We have our talents,” Savannah said, seeming amused. She tipped her head in Gabriel’s direction, “Some more extreme than others.”

The boy blushed straight to his hairline as we all turned to look at him.

“What?” I asked, too overwhelmed to realize I was talking like normal again.

Gabriel peaked over at me, ducking his head.

“I’ll show you some time…”

Jasper and I blinked at him in unison, both of our brains franticly trying to make sense of what we had just been told. Well, my own brain was frantic, Jasper’s mind seemed to have a larger capacity for information than mine.

“Overall, we run faster, longer, can lift more, comprehend more, and hit harder than normal people,” Peter said smugly. “Depending on your bloodline it changes in degree.”

“I told you didn’t I, that none of us belonged out in that world,” Savannah’s eyes were on me, “This is the only place for people like us.”

I looked around at the three faces I had become so familiar with. These people, who I thought were so different than I, who I thought could never understand the strange darkness that lay hidden in my soul, turned out to be able to understand perfectly, because they felt it too.
I smiled genuinely for the first time since before our failed escape plan.

“So tell me, what can you do.”

[End: Chapter Fourteen]