Chapter Six
The doors swung inward just as the sun woke fully from its slumber, illuminating everything around us with the fresh, clean light of morning. Ember and I still had our wings out, but we didn’t need them as we were pulled through the portal. A weightless sensation had taken over our bodies, lifting and carrying us with ease. If I had been anywhere else, I would have tried to resist the mysterious force that drew me forward, but there was no fighting this, and no need to. Tremendous peace descended over me as the door closed behind us, cutting off any sense of evil from Earth.
On the other side, we were no longer in the woods but in a massive city. Buildings of gleaming gold stood on either side of us, surrounded by grassy emerald lawns and shimmering sidewalks. Even the streets glowed as carriages drawn by pure white Pegasuses passed by. Angels were everywhere, their wings open and casually displayed as they walked or flew between buildings. The sky over the city was a pale azure, and the numerous clouds that dotted it only served to enhance and reflect the sunlight. Combined with the lustrous gilded structures, it gave everything the impression of constant dawn.
“Wow,” I said, unsure of what other words might truly describe this place. I had imagined what High Command might look like so many times in my life. My mother had tried to describe it to me when I was just a little girl, but even having been there she could barely find the words. “It isn’t just that everything is made of shining, precious material,” she had said all those years ago as she had tucked me into bed. “It’s that it all reflects the love and magic of God.” I could see now that she was right.
Ember touched my arm, and when I looked at her she was looking down. Her outfit, formerly jeans and a fitted t-shirt, had been morphed into something altogether different. She now wore a white, sleeveless tunic and matching pants that looked as comfortable as pajama bottoms, topped off with brown leather sandals. She looked just as mythical and magical as everything else here. “You look beautiful,” I breathed.
“So do you,” she replied.
I looked down at myself to find the same clothing on my body. The material was thin and light, barely perceptible against my skin. The sleeveless style showed off the muscles of my arms, providing freedom of movement. Even the sandals, which were not my preferred type of footwear by any means, were incredibly comfortable.
We were on a long and narrow path that led a short way into the city and to a golden gate. There were no sidewalks or other paths that branched from it, and so we could only go forward. Now that we were inside the portal, we could once again use our wings.
“What do you think?” Ember whispered as we headed toward the gate.
“I don’t even know what to say.” As beautiful as I thought Earth had been, it was dim and faded compared to this majestic city.
“We’re at High Command for less than a minute, and the first miracle has already been performed,” she joked.
We had reached the gate. An Angel stood in front of it, her blonde hair gathered at the crown of her head in several rope braids. She held her hands clasped in front of her, and the look on her face was kind and patient.
“Greetings,” she said in a melodic voice. “My name is Avalon, and I am here to welcome you to High Command.”
I bowed deeply, and Ember followed suit. “I’m Rumor Allister, and this is Ember Thayne.”
Avalon laughed, a tinkling sound like wind chimes. “Oh, I know exactly who you are! If you’ll come with me, I’ll give you a quick tour on the way to your rooms. Later, you’ll be summoned when Michael is ready for you.”
I choked on air as Avalon pushed the gate open and led us further down the glowing path.
“Did I hear that right?” I whispered to Ember.
“Uh huh.” She nodded with wide eyes, which only got wider as we examined our surroundings. We could see even more of the city now that we were through the gate, and we realized there were not just Angels here. Cherubs frolicked on the grass, their stubby wings flapping as they laughed and played. An Angel herded a small flock of unicorns toward a glassy pond to drink. In the distance, a massive Ziz stretched its gilded wings as it sent a warbling call into the sky. Said to the be the king of the phoenixes, I couldn’t imagine what he might be like if he went through the same fire cycle as the birds I was familiar with.
“But surely, it’s not the Michael, right? I mean, why would we get to meet him on our first day here?” It was hard to imagine that even an invitation to the Legion of Angels would merit such a thing. Michael was an Archangel so important that even amongst the Angels, he was almost mythical.
“I don’t know.” Ember looked just as overwhelmed as I felt. “I guess it could be him. I mean, we’re certainly in the right place.”
“The building on your right is the armory, where all weapons are forged and stored until it is time for their use.” Avalon gestured at a massive structure that glinted silver in the steady sunlight. Two male Angels, well-muscled and dressed in armor, came out of its doors carrying long blades at their sides. I longed for weapons such as those, but I could see by the dazzle in Ember’s eyes that she was more interested in the men. I nudged her with my elbow.
“The building on the left is one of the many arenas where your training will take place,” Avalon said, continuing her tour of our new world. “You’ll be assigned later to specific training teams, each one with its own arena.”
The need for battle surged within me as I surveyed the large, round building. It resembled the Coliseum of ancient Rome, with tall, open windows and curving stone walls. I couldn’t wait for the training to begin. As we moved on, I could see that there were numerous other buildings just like the arena Avalon had pointed out.
“Here is where you’ll be staying.” Our guide stopped at the doors of a tall building made of heavy silver stones that resembled a castle in a fairytale. “You can choose any rooms you like that haven’t already been taken. Please, make yourselves comfortable while you wait to be summoned for the opening ceremony. And call me if you need anything at all.” She tapped her temple and smiled, indicating that we should communicate telepathically with her. Then, she turned back toward the gate where we had found her.
“This is incredible.” I stepped inside the doorway of the building where we would be staying, eager to see what the interior of a High Command building was like. The front hall was massive, with a vaulted ceiling that soared up into the sky. A long table that ran down the center of the room was laden with every kind of food imaginable. Fruits and vegetables in every shape and color draped over the sides of golden bowls, each one of them perfect and pristine. I saw loaves of bread, stacks of buns, and plates of sweets, all flawlessly formed. I wasn’t even hungry, but the mere sight of it all made my stomach grumble.
Ember had gone ahead of me and was standing at the bottom of a massive staircase, its banister intricately carved. “Let’s go! I want to see what our rooms will be like!”
We made our way up the stairwell and quickly found many unoccupied rooms. No expense or luxury had been spared here, either. The beds were oversized, with soft, fluffy comforters and silky canopies. The carpet underneath our sandaled feet was lush, and every room had a wide window that looked out over the rest of the heavenly city.
“It certainly looks like they want us to be well rested while we’re here,” Ember commented as she ran her hand down the satin casing of a pillow.
I grinned. “Our training is going to be killer.”
Excitement pulsed through my body, and I knew that my friend felt the same way. There was so much of this world to be seen, and we wanted to soak it all in. Immediately.
Racing back down the stairs and out the door, we wound our way down the curving pathways to discover gardens heavy with fruit, numerous buildings of all shapes and sizes whose functions we could only guess about, and finally a large plaza filled with ornate fountains and beautiful statues of Cherubs.
Ember sat down and trailed her fingertips in the water. “I should thank you.”
“For what?” I sat down next to her and touched the water as well. It was the perfect temperature. If I was anywhere else, I would have stripped off my sandals and put my feet right in it.
“For fighting by my side for so many years. I never would have made it here without you.” Her blue eyes were sincere as she spoke, and it filled my heart with joy.
I tried to wave off the flattery. “Oh, that’s not true. I’m sure the Legion would have called you regardless who you fought alongside, Em. You’re a fierce warrior.”
She shook her head. “No. You’re different from others. You don’t just destroy evil creatures because it’s your job. You do it with passion because of your love for mankind. That makes a huge difference, and it’s always inspired me.”
We were interrupted by the fluttering of tiny wings in front of my face. A tiny bird landed on my hand, its creamy feathers shimmering with iridescence. It cocked its head and blinked an eye at me. “Oh, well, hello,” I said. I had always liked talking to the animals on Earth, even if they couldn’t talk back.
“Hello!” the bird responded, ruffling its wing feathers in pleasure. “Welcome!” It launched itself back into the air, pushing down on my hand with only the slightest force to gain momentum. It swooped off over the fountains and returned a moment later to deposit a tiny flower in my lap. “For you!” it chirped. The bird took to flight once again and disappeared.
“Well, that was impressive,” came a voice over my shoulder.
I turned to see two other Angels walking toward us. They wore the same outfits that Ember and I did, and the dazzled look in their eyes suggested that they were new here as well. Both with hair as dark as pitch and bright blue eyes, I knew they had to be sisters.
“Does stuff like that happen all the time?” asked the same one who had spoken a moment ago as she gestured at the flower that now rested on my knees. Her hair was cut into a jaw-length bob that flattered her round face.
“Beats me.” I picked up the flower, which was only the size of my fingertip, and tucked it at the top of my ear. The smell was remarkable, a mix of honey and wildflowers and fresh air. “But I like it.”
“I’m Mia.” She stepped forward to shake my hand, and then gestured at her sister. “This is Isabella.” Isabella had long hair that hung in a straight curtain around her head and down to her waist. She bobbed her head to acknowledge me, but she said nothing. I shook Mia’s hand.
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Rumor, and this is my friend Ember.”
“Oh, we know who you are!” Mia exclaimed, raising a hand to her mouth to stifle a laugh. “You’re very well known.”
As flattering as it was, it was beginning to be a little disconcerting that everyone seemed to know me when I didn’t know them. “How?”
Ember slapped me playfully on the shoulder. “How could anyone not know you? Your kill record? Your parents? You aren’t exactly a secret.”
Mia bobbed her head in agreement, the tips of her hair scraping along her jawline. “Isabella and I kept telling ourselves that if we could get even half as many slayings as you had, then we had a chance of being called to the Legion. We couldn’t keep up with you, but it sure seemed to have helped!” Her smile was perfect, with tiny pink lips that matched her snub of a nose. She looked more pixie than Angel.
I didn’t know what to say to that, so I changed the subject. “I can’t wait to get started on our training.”
“Grueling, from what our parents told us,” Mia volunteered. “It’ll be practically non-stop for a while. But the Legion has a lot to teach us, and from what I understand, our missions will be much more difficult than the slayings we did on Earth.” Her mouth twisted as she contemplated this.
“But the powers,” Isabella whispered, her cyan eyes dancing.
“I’m sorry, what?” I had been so surprised to hear her speak that I hadn’t quite caught what she’d said.
“The powers,” her sister answered for her. “We were told that once we’ve completed the first levels of training, we’ll be given additional powers.” Mia’s face was radiant as she imagined what was to come. “I don’t know if it will be weapons or new abilities, but I can’t wait. I only hope I’m good enough to deserve something like that.”
I had only known her for a moment, but I immediately felt a kindship with this girl. I touched Mia’s shoulder gently. “I’m sure you’ll be great. I don’t think Michael makes mistakes about these things.”
My assurances to her were assurances to myself as well. I was confident of my skills on Earth, but it was altogether different to be here.
“Rumor’s right,” Ember said, “I know this isn’t going to be easy, but I wouldn’t give it up for anything.”
Suddenly, a telepathic blast sent all of us into a stunned silence, and somehow, I knew instantly that we were being summoned.
The nervous expression on the faces of my companions confirmed that they too felt it.
The summoning had come from Michael himself.