(Story told from Billy's perspective)
I was ten years old when my parents were waiting for me in the kitchen when I got home from school. The look on their faces told me this would not be good.
"Hi, Mom and Dad," I tried to sound upbeat even though I could feel the tension in the room.
"Hello, son," my father greeted, but he sounded more serious than usual. "Mind telling me who that boy is that walks with you from school?"
I froze. I wasn't sure what to do or say because, as an angel, I wasn't allowed to lie to anyone, especially to my parents. "He's…uh… just a boy from school."
My mother threw her hands in frustration, shot a look at my father, and then back at me. "Just a boy from school? What if he is a demon child? Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? You know the rules, so why are you making friends?" she scolded, making it sound like I had committed a crime.
"He's not a demon child! "I blurted out. "His aura is too good and kind and…"
"Billy," my father cut me off. "You know that with the help of the witches, the demons now have emblems to hide their true form and powers. Right now, we cannot detect who is a demon and who is not, so making friends with anyone is dangerous for all of us. What if he knows who we are?"
"He doesn't! Dad, please, he can be my only friend. I promise I won't make any more friends. Just him"
"No!" my mother snapped. It was rare for me to see my mother so anxious. "You have not popped your wings out yet, so there is no way for you to escape if he is dangerous. You will end this friendship with this boy."
"No! I won't!" I tried to stand my ground even though I feared what my parents would do at my defiance. But the look they gave me made my heart beat faster. They, at first, were shocked that I would dare defy them, but their stunned faces turned dark.
"No?" my father asked, daring me to say 'no' again.
"No," I could only squeak out, swallowing hard.
"Well, if that's the case, I could only assume this child is demonic as he most likely influenced my son to defy us, which means we have to eliminate him," my father said calmly as he looked at my mother for confirmation, in which she nodded.
Panic took hold of me – the next thing I knew, I suddenly rushed over to my father and knelt in front of him and started pleading. "No, Dad, please, I beg you. Don't do this. I will end the friendship then. Please, just don't hurt him. He did nothing wrong, I swear. We have been friends for so long that I didn't want to lose my only friend, and nothing has happened to us so far, so I thought it was okay."
"Wait. How long have you known this boy?" my mother asked her face softening.
"Since I started elementary school," I muttered, tears streaming down my face. My answer made my mother turn to my father, who looked just as perplexed.
"That's three years, Raphael. Surely, if he were a demon child, wouldn't we have been attacked by now?" my mother asked, now doubting whether Bastian was a threat at all.
"Seraphina, we don't know for sure. I will have to speak to Gabriel about this," my father explained. "He won't like this at all, but if they have been friends for so long, maybe we can ask for some scouts to investigate like they do when angels choose human mates."
My tears stopped flowing as my hope flickered in my heart. "Dad, if the scouts find that Bastian is innocent, can I keep being friends with him?" I asked in the sweetest, innocent voice that I could muster. "You're friends with Gabriel. May-Maybe he would allow it?"
"Son, I don't want you to get your hopes up because I know Gabriel, and as an Archangel, he may just forbid it, but I will see what I can do," he replied.
I jumped up and hugged my father as tightly as possible, and with a chuckle, he held me in return, and I ran to my room excitedly. I knew I wasn't supposed to get my hopes up, but I couldn't help it.
Weeks went by, and I was permitted to hang out with Bastian as normal. Occasionally, I would spot the scouts watching us, ready to step in if Bastian attacked me, but he never did. Then, they would follow Bastian home to see what he did at home and who his parents were.
One day, I got home from school I found my parents in the kitchen but I stopped when I noticed there was someone with them.
"Hello, Billy," the stranger said in a calm soft and friendly tone.
I was just a child, but I could tell this was an angel and the power he wielded was overwhelming, to say the least. Of course, my father, being a Principality Angel, had a massive amount of energy and power. Still, compared to this stranger, it was like a flickering candle next to a raging wildfire.
"Hi, Sir," was the only appropriate response I could come up with.
He smiled warmly and walked towards me. "I am Gabriel. It is very nice to meet you."
My eyes went wide and I gulped as I looked from my father to my mother stunned, then back to Gabriel. It was like meeting a favourite celebrity that I never thought I'd see in real life.
"Er…likewise…Sir," I stuttered like a blabbering fool and Gabriel chuckled in response when he noticed how nervous I was and then turned to my parents.
"Cute kid you have here," he said as he crouched to my level. "Don't be nervous Billy. You can call me Gabriel. So, I hear you have a friend. Bastian is it?"
I could only nod as I was nervous as to why Gabriel was in my kitchen. I wondered what could be so important that he had to come and speak to me himself. To be honest, I started fearing that he would ban me from having a friend.
"Yes Sir…I mean Gabriel."
"I'm sure you have noticed my scouts wondering about and checking on you," he said and I nodded in response. "Well, after much deliberation, we have confirmed that there is no sign of demonic presence in his family line." I breathed a sigh of relief, which he noticed, and Gabriel but he wasn't done. "However, I am sure you know the rules about engaging with humans, don't you Billy."
My relief was short-lived when he said those words, to which I meekly nodded in response, not sure what to say.
"Well, the funny thing is, this child that we had been assessing…well…he has the most interesting aura. When my scouts told me about it, I had to check it out for myself and I must say, I didn't expect what I found." "It wasn't dark like we'd fear in someone touched by demonic influence. But it wasn't purely light either. It was something... in between. A balance, almost like a twilight—neither fully day nor night." Gabriel's eyes narrowed slightly as if recalling the moment.
He paused, clearly thinking through his words before continuing. "This child's aura radiates potential, Billy. It's like nothing I've ever seen before. It's raw, unrefined, but incredibly powerful, and it shifts—constantly adapting like it's tied to something more than just human limitations. I can't tell yet if this is a gift or a burden, but one thing is clear: he's no ordinary child."
My brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of Gabriel's words. "So... what does that mean?" I asked, his voice uncertain.
Gabriel paused, thinking carefully before speaking. "It means that this child might be more significant than we initially thought. His aura suggests that he could have a role to play in something bigger—something beyond our current understanding. But we don't know what that is yet."
I felt a knot tighten in my stomach. "So, are we supposed to just... watch him? Wait and see what happens?"
Gabriel nodded slowly. "Precisely. We keep our eyes on him. No interference, no guiding hand, unless absolutely necessary. We have to let whatever is meant to unfold, happen naturally. And Billy," Gabriel's voice softened, "I know you've grown attached to him, but remember—our role isn't to change human lives. It's to protect and observe."
My heart sank, but I nodded in reluctant understanding. "Yeah... I get it."
"That doesn't mean you can't be friends, though," Gabriel reassured me, his tone softer now.
My eyes lit up like bright stars, and I couldn't help the grin spreading across my face. "Wait, really?" I asked, wanting to confirm what he had just said. It felt too good to be true after all the rules I'd been taught.
Gabriel chuckled at my excitement. "Yes, really. But you have to be careful, Billy. There's still a balance to maintain."
I nodded eagerly, barely containing my joy. After that, I continued my friendship with Bastian. I made sure to keep Gabriel's warning in the back of my mind, but it was hard not to get attached. He wasn't like anyone else, and I couldn't help but feel like fate had brought us together.
My wings had grown out by the time I got to senior high, and my training was almost complete. Bastian and I made it on the football team, though I had to hold back a lot because of my speed and strength. Of course, my parents disapproved, but it was too late, so if they had pulled me out, people would have been suspicious.
Bastian then met the girl of his dreams – Anastasia. For him, it was love at first sight, and he did anything to be around her, even if they weren't dating yet; he was patient because he was convinced she was the one. At first, I thought he was ridiculous, and it was just a crush, but as they got close, it was hard not to notice how in love they were with each other, but they would never admit it. As an angel, I could feel their emotions, and it drove me crazy that they wouldn't just confess how they felt. I came close to giving myself away a few times, just wanting to shout at them to get over themselves and admit it. I could see the appeal - Anastasia was special—a kind, loving soul but with a lot of emotional turmoil, though she never talked about what was happening at home.
When they finally started dating, I was over the moon for them. They were almost inseparable, but then Bastian came to me, worried about a guy named Dylan. Something about Dylan didn't sit right with him, but he couldn't figure out what it was. He was terrified that Anastasia would leave him, so he ended up fighting with her to vent his fears. He even mentioned a few times that he wanted to marry her. He was deeply in love, and that scared him.
Then, the day before the accident, I was in my room studying for finals when Gabriel showed up, scaring the life out of me.
"Hello Billy," Gabriel greeted. But his usual gentle tone was gone, replaced with something darker, more serious.
"Hello sir…I mean Gabriel. This is a surprise…" I fumbled.
"I don't have much time so I need to inform you of some grave news," he said. I felt a lump in my throat as I couldn't imagine what he would have to tell me that required a direct meeting. "I'm sorry to tell you this, but I thought I would prepare you before it happens, but listen to me carefully-in no way are you to interfere. Your friend Bastian's life will end from an accident tomorrow."
My brain pretty much short-circuited. I just stared at him, feeling like my chest was about to collapse in on itself. "Wait… what? What are you saying?"
Gabriel's eyes locked on mine, no hesitation. "He's going to die soon, Billy. And I need you to bring him to the Celestial City."
I swear, it felt like the floor just dropped out from under me. "Wha—no. No, I can't just stand there and watch my best friend die and then… what, just… escort him? What if I never see him again? He's human, Gabriel! I'm an angel! We would never see each other again. This would destroy me! Aren't there other angels for that?"
Gabriel sighed, like he'd expected this reaction. "Who told you that humans and angels can't be together in the Celestial City? Look, the kid's special. The higher-ups have already approved him for angel status. He'll serve alongside us. And I chose you because you're close to him. You're the best one to help him let go of his human life and make the transition easier—for everyone."
"I don't know if I can—"
"Billy." His voice sharpened, his eyes narrowing as he slipped his hands into his pockets. "This isn't a request. I'm giving you a chance to grieve now, so that when the time comes, you'll be in the right mind-set to help him. When humans have unfinished business, it's harder for them to let go. Don't make this harder for him."
I didn't have a choice. Saying no to an archangel? Not an option. The consequences would be unimaginable. "Yes, Archangel Gabriel. I understand. I'll do it."
"Good. And remember, don't try to change his fate. He's meant to die tomorrow. If you interfere, he'll die some other way, and trust me—you don't want to face the consequences."
"I won't… Sir," I whispered, barely holding myself together.
Gabriel gave me one last look, then vanished in a soft, fading light.
Humans getting picked to become angels? Rare, but it happens. Only to the really extraordinary ones, though. I couldn't figure out what Gabriel saw in Bastian, but right then, all I could think about was how I was about to lose my best friend, my brother, in every way but blood. And there was nothing I could do. Nothing.
I've been trained my whole life to be strong, to be a warrior. But in that moment, as a tear slipped down my cheek, followed by another, and another, I realized… none of that training prepared me for this.
Losing him—it didn't seem fair.
Not at all.