As we left Cupid's Cove, I had no idea where to go next. I felt so confused but still had so many questions about what I had just learned. Everything was starting to become more known to me: flying, knowing about Cupids, and even making friends with a Heaven Pup.
Casper, the dog, seemed restless and eager to do something as we made our way back to Angel's Cove. Above Bridget and me, Rory and Seth were playfully tumbling in the sky. The short angel appeared to be back to her usual self, a relaxed expression on her face as if she hadn't just lost her voice moments earlier. I had some questions I wanted to ask her about what had happened, but I also wanted to spend time with Casper.
"Hey, Bridget?"
The angel looked over to me when I called her, "yes?"
"Do you know where we could go to maybe let Casper fly around and have a bit of fun?"
Bridget looked down at Casper, seeing him run around with needy movements. She nodded, looking back up at the two angels roughly play-fighting in the air. "Hey! I'm gonna take Vienna somewhere. Let's meet up back at Angels Cove?"
"Sure, sure! Be quick, and don't get her lost now, Bridget!" Rory called down, falling over when Seth jumped them from behind.
Bridget rolled her eyes, turning back to me and gesturing for me to follow. I complied, glancing back at the fighting angels while Casper's presence brushed against my legs. "So, where are we going?"
"Oh, right!" Bridget laughed, suddenly remembering that I was by her side. "We're going to the wolves field, where the pups are free to spread their wings." She laughed at my expression of confusion. Before I could ask, Bridget already answered, "the wolves are away from the pups since they are a bit more aggressive when it comes to playing. They are used for training and protecting angels when danger is near, so you will only see them if you become part of the Warrior Angel's group."
"The what?" Now, I'm even more confused.
Bridget just shook her head, "I'll explain when we get there."
We walked through a clearing surrounded by dense trees. It felt like we were in a forest filled with large oak trees—they were truly enormous. The sunlight filtered through the thick canopy above, and the leaves seemed to flicker down at us from the dense foliage.
I let out a sigh, feeling the breeze hit me and the soft, moist grass between my feet. It felt alive. The forest was covered with both nature and breathtaking beauty. Large branches tangled around in the air, some fallen logs on the ground that we had to fly over, mushrooms and moss growing on every surface.
"It is beautiful, huh?" Bridget noticed my look of awe, letting out a chuckle.
It was, I'll give her that. I did want to ask her about Orwell. Right now would seem like the best moment since our surroundings were silent. "I mean, that cupid back there was more beautiful, huh? What was his name…"
"Orwell…" Bridget sighed out, a faint smile on her lips.
"Right," I looked aside, trying to think of what to say next. Luckily, it seemed like Bridget knew where I was getting with this.
"You want to know? I'm guessing Seth already told you, but yes, I do like Orwell..." The angel suddenly sighed and slowed her movements. I noticed a change in her expression; she looked much more saddened. "But I don't have the courage to say anything about it. Even if I did, Cupids are not able to feel love as deeply as angels do. If he liked me, it would take a lot of work for him to actually develop feelings for me."
Bridget looked back up at me, her eyes slightly red. "I mean, look at me.. I am nothing…"
"What?" I paused and gently pulled her hand back to stop her as well. "What are you talking about? Bridget, you are perfect just as you are. That's beautiful. If you really like that cupid, you should give it your all to win his heart." I pulled her into a hug, resting my head on her shoulder to draw her closer. "Anyone who doesn't love you back isn't worth your time."
She gave a little laugh, sniffing before wiping back her tears. We stayed like that for a while until she pulled away. She softly sniffled, "you're very kind, Vienna. I just wish I had your confidence to actually say something."
"You haven't told him?"
Bridget had a guilty smile. "No.. I haven't said anything about this to him. Every time I see him, I get all flustered and forget my voice." She sighed, the smile vanishing from her lips. "How can I get him to fall for me when he doesn't even know that I like him? I'm hopeless."
"No, you're not. You have got to build up that courage and tell him! Tell him something, anything. Then you could go from there, but for now, just work on telling him something." I rested my hand on her shoulder. "I believe in you."
The small angel's smile returned. Her face warmed at my encouraging words, as did her body language. "You're right, thank you, Vienna. You're a good friend."
I smiled back, feeling a slight thudding inside my head. It was in the back of my mind, smashing only inches away from my brain. I ignored it, pushing away a distant thought.
We ended up in a clearing, with Bridget leading the way while I took in the surroundings. It was a vast open space, almost like a giant bowl. The ground was covered with grass and a few scattered rocks, but overall, it was flat. Surrounding us were tall and imposing oak trees, creating a sense of enclosure that felt almost like a cage. Despite this, I felt a sense of comfort upon entering the clearing. The sun shined brightly above, casting a warm and welcoming glow.
Not only was that welcoming, but the beings were as well. I stopped in my tracks, eyes growing wide. There were wolves here, large ones with equally large wings. They flew around with ease in the large clearing. Some were laying down, others ran around while nipping at each other. Even from being far away, they looked so big.
They flew around without bearings, dipping into the sky before falling right back down. Not only did I see the wolves; but some angels were there as well. They looked different from the rest. The main difference was what they were wearing. They had armor on. It was bright, heavy-looking silver, and it directed the sun back into my eyes when I looked for too long.
Both the women and men in armor looked similar, resembling knights ready for battle. The plates covering their chests, legs, and arms were made of the same reflective silver material, giving them a strong and powerful appearance. Their movements were striking, especially with the added presence of their wings. The only contrasting colors in their attire came from the clothing hanging between their legs and a few who wore capes on their backs. These garments were a bright, crystal blue, reminiscent of the sky.
The weapons in their hands left me speechless. Swords with long, steady blades hung gracefully from the grips where the angels touched them. Their shiny white surfaces gleamed with a piercing glare that even the sun could not match. Jewels in various colors—red, blue, green—adorned the swords, leading to the small steel wings attached at their bases. Each blade was divided into two parts by slits in the middle. They were as long as an angel's legs and appeared as light as a feather. Beautiful like the sky, these swords were both dangerous and exquisite. The crystals were somewhat transparent, with shimmers of golden light dancing around the tips of the blades.
Everywhere, the sword glinted back in the direction of the sun. Its blinding white light made my heart flutter. The swords looked powerful in the angels' hands...
I was pulled out of my thoughts by Bridget, who was now by my side. Her hand on my back made me look at her. "Let's let Capser run around. I'll explain everything to you then."
The smaller angel led me to a tall tree so we could have some shade from the sun. It was a nice, shady place, and it allowed us to keep an eye on Casper, who began to jump up with his wings spread. I watched him lift himself from the ground, going up into the air. It was kind of nerve-racking to see the big dog fly. He seemed calm, and it was somewhat easy for him to do so—a lot easier than it was for me.
I did notice, however, how he stayed away from the wolves. The larger canines lay under a tall tree near the other side of the field opposite us. They lay on top of one another, lazily licking their lips while ignoring the dog in the field.
"Where do you want to start?" Bridget's voice forced me out of my thoughts.
I turned over to her, then to the group of angels that were sparing. "Uhm.. them. The uh.. they uh are-"
"-Warrior Angels?"
"Yes, them," I nodded to her; she raised an eyebrow, forcing me to explain more. "I mean, how did they come to be? Can you just explain what they are and what they do?"
Bridget chuckled softly, brushing her bangs away from her face. She explained, "they are basically just angels like us. We can volunteer to be part of their group to help protect Wonderland from the beings of the Underworld or other dangers." She gestured toward the group. "They have to undergo extensive training, which includes learning how to wield the Branchies sword and the Branchies shield. They also need to train their wings to make sharper turns and execute higher jumps or leaps."
I nodded, having another question in mind. "The Branchies? What's that?"
"It's the sword they wield, a weapon capable of banishing the Hell Beings back to the Underworld. They don't harm us here; only the Hellish beings." The angel sighed before continuing, "these swords are gifts from the Goddesses, or rather, from one goddess in particular."
"Who?"
"The Warrior Goddess." She closed her eyes, a chill going through her body as she tensed up. I could tell that she got a little scared mentioning her. It made me more curious, but I did have an answer for myself.
I know the Gate Goddess, Janus. So there must be more goddesses that hold certain roles. The Warrior Goddess is one of them. It seems to me that the goddess made the weapons to fight; her title makes me believe that she made the Warrior Angel group.
"I see your train of thought," Bridget giggled, pointing at me. "You seem to connect things quickly. Why are you asking all these questions?"
"Well, I just want to make sure-"
"Have faith in yourself, Vienna. Just like you told me," she bumped my shoulder with her own, making me smile.
"Using that against me, huh?"
Bridget only responded with a giggle. Leaning back against the oak tree, she rested her eyes. Well, she answered the question about the Warrior Angels, and now that leaves me alone with my own thoughts and questions. I can piece them together, try to use my brain to connect the things that make sense, and then I can go back and forth between them.
I saw another goddess the day I passed out. She must have been a representation of something.
If Janus represents protection and guidance, but she is also the Gate Goddess... What does 'gate' have to do with protection or guidance? I am missing something, but I don't know what it is.
I focused my attention on the Warrior Angels, observing them closely as they took their positions. One tall angel caught my eye; a glimpse of long blonde hair peeked out from beneath their helmet, but I couldn't see their face. They wore a large blue cape draped over their back, standing resolutely with a sword in one hand and a shield in the other.
The shield was of the same style. It had a cross on it, a picture of angel wings on the front in bright iron, and stones of various colors. It looked heavy. The outside of the shield was thick, but from the corner of my eye, I could see it was thin on the inside.
Although I couldn't see the angel's face, I could see their expression from the posture they held. Three other Warrior Angels circled them, holding the Branchie swords at the ready. Unlike the blonde angel, they didn't wear capes. Was it because that blonde one was a leader? Chief? They seemed to know what they were doing, waiting patiently for the other to start their attack.
I found myself hunched over, watching in anticipation.
It was suddenly quiet. The movements of the others stilled for a moment—but only for a moment. The reactions were quick. As soon as the first angel pounced on the blonde one, their sword up high and shield ready, they blocked it off. Another angel came from their other side.
The blonde kept their eyes fixed on the first attacker, swinging their sword behind them to block the incoming strike. Meanwhile, the third angel rushed forward, aiming to exploit the opening in the blonde's defense. The angel deftly turned their head to face the new threat, and their wings unfurled dramatically, causing the second angel to leap back in surprise. With their sword at the ready, the blonde swiftly cut away the third angel while simultaneously pushing their shield forward, sending the first angel tumbling backward.
They were back to square one, but this time they didn't hesitate. All three of them launched at the blonde all at once. The blond knelt slightly before springing up into the sky, using their large wings to harness the wind, while looking down to ensure the other angels were following.
The blonde warrior wielded the Branchie up high, throwing it down at an oncoming angel. They blocked it with their armored arm, getting hit in the process. As they fell, another angel came in tow. They clashed their swords with the blondes, locking them in a tight duel.
They flew around, feathers falling from their bouncy movements that almost seemed to echo in the sky. I found myself leaning forward, never taking my eyes off the blonde angel.
The last angel came up, going for the blonde's wings. They caught it, ducking from the blade before it could hammer them. Dropping back to the ground, they blocked another sword attack; using the Branchie clutched in their other hand, the large angel managed to steer the two into the ground. The other angels landed, wobbling slightly before running back to their opponent.
I could almost see the smirk on the blonde's masked face. The blonde rushed forward, winding their wings back to showcase their feathers before lifting into the sky. The Branchie was gripped tightly in their hands as they brought it down on the angel approaching from below. The blow was too powerful for the angel to block, causing them to be hit and knocked over in the process. This time, they stayed down, kneeling on the grass.
But the blonde wasn't done; they had two more to finish. One of the angels came up into the sky with them, wielding the sword that clashed with the blondes. They fought against the sun, twirling into the air with wings angled to the sky. The second angel came up, going for the blonde's wings once again!
The cape swished, causing the blonde to almost vanish from sight. I squinted my eyes and caught a glimpse of someone who appeared behind the second angel. They had flipped around, using the cape to conceal their figure. The blonde knocked the other angel down; they rolled onto the grass and remained there.
The last angel hesitated slightly, seeing the blonde turn their head in their direction. Finally, they bolted for the cape-wearing warrior.
Their wings swished around. The blonde came up fast, lightning speed. The other angel couldn't keep up with the speed, falling down to the ground. They steadied their feet, looking up for the other angel. The latter came in fast, keeping the angel on their knees. The Branchie pressed into the angel with a powerful force.
It was only a matter of time before the sword slipped from their grasp and fell to the ground. The angel looked up sharply, feeling the tip of the Branchie pressing against the delicate skin under their neck, where the armor gave no protection.
With her hands raised, the blonde nodded and pulled the Branchie away from the other angels' necks. The air suddenly felt thin as they lifted the other angel up to their side. The blonde towered over the group while the other angels walked over to join them.
They laughed, patting one another's backs, as their helmets began to be removed. I wanted to see, but my head started to pound. It was loud, smashing bits and pieces into my head. I winced, cringing onto myself as a memory surfaced.
No! No!
I yelled to myself, doing what Janus had told me, to ignore it. It doesn't mean anything to me anymore; I won't let this pain overtake me..!
A warm hand rested on my shoulder; it was Bridget, looking at me with concern on her face. "Hey, how about we head back?"
I wasn't sure if I nodded or not, but she helped lift me up and called for Casper, who quickly bounced back over to us. They guided me on either side, leading me away from the tree and back to where we had come from. I took a glance back and met the gaze of the blonde Warrior Angel.
This time, they had removed their helmet. I could see their piercing blue eyes and strong, prominent features. Long lashes framed their bright, jewel-like gaze. It was a woman, towering over the other angels, half of whom were men.
The blonde's skin was bright white, complemented by pale red cheeks and rosy lips. The only notable feature was a small but noticeable scar across their lip, which resembled a mark. This scar hinted at a faint concern reflected in their eyes, while their mouth was set in a straight line.
She was making that face while looking at me…
If I wasn't in pain, I would be blushing right now. However, I did feel my face burn slightly when leaving her gaze.