Chapter 13~~~ Memories
Lucia's POV
The 'clack' 'clack' 'clack', of wooden swords being swung together with force filled the white large room, echoing of the walls in the endless tumult of sound. The two young boys thought relentlessly, as if their lives depended on it as their attentive audience watched on entrance.
The taller of the two, a well-built, brown haired angel with only two years left with the children before he would finally take place in the army; easily blocked the swings from the eleven-year-old he faced.
Flicking the black locks from his eyes with a twist of his head the younger continued allowing the taller boy to think he had an upper hand; weakening his swings and just barely a blocking attack. Then as the blonde with a smirk on his face, went in for the final blow; putting all his weight behind the swing to knock his opponent of balance, the dark-haired boy knew it was time.
The force of the blow would have thrown him to the ground if it hit him, but with an unwavering certainty he knew where it would land and dodged it before it even came close, spun slightly so he was besides his opponent and launched his own attack while the blond was still recovering from his failed attempt.
The blow to the side would not have done too much damage or help at all if not for the shock of its force which slowed any attempt at defense and allowed another blow to be landed, this one hitting the sword arm causing his hand to relax enough for the next hit to send the wooden sword flying from his grasp. Before the blonde could even think about going after it the young black-haired boy had the tip of his wooden sword against the older boys' throat.
"Dead."
Anger marred the defeated boys face, but before another battled ensued, one of the lower-class angels who cared for the children; a young wingless, rushed into the room calling the black-haired boy after her.
"Razakiel, there is an Archangel here to see you. Quickly now." She told him as she gripped his arm and towed him from the room. In their wake a curious murmur rose up amongst the numerous children left behind; while angels often visited the center to see their children, Razakiel had never received a visitor and now an archangel was here to see him?
~ ~ ~
"Razakiel." The voice was as beautiful as it was commanding; the combination had him starring up at the archangel in awe. Just looking at the man in front of him, Razakiel new who stood before him; the bright blue eyes that pierced into his soul, the pure white hair floating all the way down his shoulders and Raz knew there were white wings to match it. It was Lucifer himself.
"Sir." The boy murmured, as he attempts to take in every detail of the angel before of him.
"It has been brought to my attention that you are the best fighter amongst the children currently residing in the center; that you may become the best fighter in your generation. It has always been in my interest to find the most promising young warriors and assist in their training so that one day they may choose to join the ranks under my command." Lucifer told the 11-year-old boy.
Before he could even to question the sudden and overwhelming information, the man continued.
"I will have commander Valeel trial and train you for the next month, if you pass her testing we will talk some more." Without another word Lucifer took off, leaving Razakiel to ponder the new information as he slowly made his way to the building, he calls home.
~ ~ ~
"Razzie," a soft voice called to him, almost coming from the shadow themselves, until his eyes focused and caught the edges of his mother's figure hidden within the shadows of her forest border.
"Gabby." He smiled at the tall blonde angel as he hurried towards her, not hesitating to wrap his arms around her as soon as she was within reach. His joy disappeared within moments though as a feeling of foreboding washed over him.
"What's wrong? You're hurt." He stated, with absolute certainty moving his hand to the left side of her abdomen and placing his hand over her wound in her side invisible through the thick material of her coat.
"No. No, Razzie. No." she murmured, eyes frantic as they skipped across the shadows twisting amongst the surrounding trees, waiting for her worst fears to be brought to life. As the seconds ticked passed and no one came out of the darkness to take her son from her, she dropped to her knees and pulled him into her arms. "Never do that again Razzie." She whispered, voice a desperate plea. "You're a shield remember; you can't be a healer too. Dear father what am I going to do?"
~ ~ ~
He hid in the shadows as his mother told him to, watching as the taller, male figure approached her.
"Please, brother. Please help me. If Lucifer finds out…if he knows then" her voice break into fearful sobs even as Mikheal pulled her into his arms.
"Tell me what happened sister." He asked soothingly, questions written in his eyes.
"Its Razakiel he has multiple…multiple talents." Razakiel could hear the fear in his mother's voice as she spoke, the urge to run to her and comfort her was almost too much to resist, but her previous command left him standing in the shadows though it didn't stop him from creeping closer.
"He. What?" Mikheal growled pushing himself away from Gabby, "That only happens in half breeds, Gabriael. Tell me you didn't!"
"I…You don't understand! Please just help him. He can help us, I know he can, but Lucifer is already interested in him, if he finds out what he is…. Please Kale help us."
~ ~ ~
How was pulled from the shadows and to his mother without warning. Mikheal, starred down at him, a combination of fear, anger and hope radiating from him. Without thought Razakiel concentrated on the hope, steadily wiping away the negative emotions away. Then Mikheal looked back at Gabriael and nodded once.
"Okay, you're right it is worth the risk if he can gain Lucifer's trust and Ahreal can pick up any information that he discovers along the way. It may actually work." A relieved smile lit Gabby's face at words and Mikheal turned his focus back on Raz, "does Lucifer about any of your talents yet?"
"He knows I'm a shield…. And that I'm a reader." Mikheal gazed at Gabby with a question his eyes.
"There have been occasions in the past where angels have had two talents instead of one and he is the son of an Archangel, as long as Lucifer doesn't find out more, he may not question it."
"And Ahreal already knows what he is?"
"Yes" with a single nod he closed his eyes and moments later the slight, red headed angel appeared before him.
"Sir, how can I help, general?"
"You are aware of what this child is and I assume you already know what I need to know, Seer." Ahreal barely glanced at young Razakiel before moving her attention back to Mikheal.
"Lucifer will find out what he is," a grasp escaped Gabriael at the words and she moved herself between her son and her brother, but Ahreal barely glanced at them before continuing, "but not for many years and not before we discover many details Lucifer is hiding." Mikheal gave another nod, eyes moving before the three figures before him, before he finally spoke.
"And you are happy to play your role in this, despite what could happen if Lucifer discover us before he commits the crime, we all know he will?"
"Of course, General. I appreciate the opportunity to play such an important role in saving our people." Ahreal replied without hesitation.
"I'm going to put a block in your mind, to stop anyone else from discovering what you are, okay?" Mikheal finally asked and Razakiel nodded before he closed his eyes and simply waited. "It may hurt a bit but I'll be fast as possible."
The pain was intense; it felt like he was being torn into pieces as they locked up his abilities behind a wall how wouldn't even know was there unless they choose to take it down.
~ ~ ~
The silver moon in the sky cast barely enough light for the two figures to be seen from any more than a few meters away. The darkness seemed almost too willing to hide them within its depths.
After a moment it's as if their very existence was imagined. Then the smaller figure spoke up quietly and the illusion of visibility was shattered.
"Are you sure this is a good idea Gabriael? What if he figures it out?" the young boy no more than 13 ask, looking questioningly up to the young woman besides him.
'He won't figure it out; I've set a block in your mind to hide all this memory as soon as he arrives, and Mikheal left your shielding and reading abilities when he blocked your talents. So, he won't be able to see what you know more than I can." The words stopped Razakiel from asking anymore questions.
He would be a spy for his mother and Mikheal against Lucifer. He would be a spy but they were removing his memories like they had taken his abilities so he wouldn't even know it.
**********
I force my eyes open after the onslaught of memories, gasping for breath as if just breaching the surface after being held under for too long. Glancing around my eyes land on Zak's figure tossing and turning in his sleep and I know all too clearly what is unsettling him.
"Zak," I murmur, placing my hands gently on his shoulders intending to shake him awake. When his eyes flicker open and latch onto mine as soon as his name leaves my lips. His breathing even more ragged than mine a moment ago, he flicks his eyes around the cavern, confusion written across his face, before he focuses on my face once again. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I just, I think I have my memories back as well. They're… I mean, I didn't…I didn't even know. They made me… I was a…" The confusion and hurt in his tone have me reaching out to him before I can stop myself and his hand wraps itself around mine.
"I know Zak," I whisper back squeezing his hand slightly so his eyes would slip back to my own, "I saw, you somehow showed me your dreams or maybe I saw them myself, I don't know but I saw. I'm sorry." A slight smile tug at his lips as I finish and I almost sigh in relief.
"Its fine, Luc, I think I'm actually glad I didn't find all this out on my own, actually." Without any further warning he jumps to his feet, smile still tugging at his lips, and pulls me after him leading me back to the central cavern where the others still sit, silent, around John's motionless figure.
Zak's stride falters at the sight and he comes to a halt only a few steps into the cavern. Knowing he still blames himself for the loss of a man he considered family I step up beside him, tighten my grip and continue moving forward, hoping he trust me enough to follow. My arms stretch as far back as it can go before, he finally follows after me, his steps losing their hesitancy with each stride.