Zachariel saw the devastation from afar as he flew with Gabriel in the cold, cruel wind. Kira’s village was in ruins, buildings shattered, scorched, some in flames. His ethereal eyes widened.

Oh no, he thought as he sped up his flying, please no. Let her be safe.

With precision, Zachariel flexed his wings and landed, skidding to a halt. He recovered, drew them to his back, and searched for Kira’s house. After turning a corner, he finally found it, mostly intact, minus the collapsed porch. He knocked it aside and kicked the door open.

“Kira? Ari? Anyone?”

Zachariel frantically searched the small home. It was untouched by whatever had devastated the village. The twin cots lined the wall. The burnt bread sat atop Kira’s stove, but still no sign of them. Fear burning within him, he flipped the cot over, and he stormed out into the cool night air, his eyes scanning the deserted street. A cry, a call for help, anything.

But now, it was just like Riverglade. Bodies lay strewn about, claw marks dragged across their clothes. Slamming his fist against a wall, Zachariel screamed.

Why does this keep happening?

Finally, he heard something. A groan, coming from a nearby oak tree Kira laid against, clutching her abdomen. He immediately sped over, Gabriel only a few feet behind him.

“Kira!” Zachariel knelt, assessing her from head to toe for injury. To his angst, he found a piece of demonic blade embedded in her side. As soon as he saw the wound, Zachariel tore a cloth from his tunic and pressed it against it, exchanging a knowing glance with Gabriel.

“Hey there, Zachariel.” Kira lifted her head and managed a feeble smile, though it threatened to fade along with the rest of her. Zachariel grit his teeth.

“Listen, Kira,” he said. “You’re going to be okay. We’re going to summon some healers.”

“They…escaped,” she rasped with a smile. “They’re alright.”

Zachariel sighed, half-relieved, but he still had to make sure his friend was okay.

“That’s good. Let’s just focus on—”

“—but the people…” Kira gestured to the bodies in her village. “I failed them.”

“Don’t worry about that right now, Kira,” Zachariel pleaded. “Focus on surviving.”

A tear fell down her scorched cheek. “I had no idea it would be this bad. I thought I could save them too, but…too much. So many.”

“You did your best. Honor them by staying alive!” Zachariel begged.

“You know, I…I had a little talk with your daughter. It seems she’s into boys now,” Kira continued, lightly chuckling, her eyes glazing over.

“Yeah, I noticed,” Zachariel said as he pressed his palm against her forehead. He could feel her spirit slipping away. He spoke quickly with Kira, trying to anchor her in the realm and keep her focused. “Okay, what did she say? Tell me, keep talking.”

Kira winced in pain, then opened her mouth to speak, but then closed her mouth and eyes, taking in a deep, broken breath.

“Stay with me!” Zachariel shook her, her eyes opened back up.

“She...said I was the best mom anyone could ask for. Can you believe that? You and me…we’re parents, Zachariel. We raised a beautiful girl.”

Zachariel stared as Kira squeezed his hand. He gripped it back.

“Do you remember when I first taught her violin?” she asked, her breaths becoming shallow. “How frustrated she got? And now look at her.”

Images of young Ariana immediately rushed to Zachariel’s mind. He pushed them out of his head for the moment and continued to put pressure on Kira’s wound. “I remember. We can have more times like that. All you have to do is just stay with me.”

“I wish I could.” Kira smiled at him. “I want…more time with you. With her. Us. Family.”

“We will. You just have to hold on.”

Kira grabbed his wrist as he went to feel her forehead again. “I love you, but you have to let me go. The Creator is calling me home.”

“But…”

“Thank you for being my friend.”

“Please Kira, no…” Zachariel begged.

“Goodbye.” Kira exhaled one last time and closed her eyes. Her body glowed until it became a large, white light. It dissipated, carried away by the wind until she faded for good.

Time seemed to stand still as Zachariel sat there, completely numb. A shrill scream erupted from his lungs, but even that wouldn’t do his loss justice. He was angry at the demons. He was angry at the Creator. Above all, he was angry at himself for not being fast enough.

After sitting in silence for a few minutes, he looked where Kira had just been, then back skyward. “Gabriel? Do you suppose Kira is with our Creator?”

“No one knows for sure,” he admitted. “But I believe so. There has never been an angel so pure, so good as her. Our Creator would never condemn someone like her to oblivion.”

“So you believe in the Final Realm?”

Gabriel nodded. “I do.”

Zachariel froze as tears fell from his face. He glanced down at the hand that had held hers only moments ago, wishing more than anything he could feel it again. He remembered the times they had together, as she helped him raise Ariana, from his struggles with diaper changing to teaching him patience in her toddler stage, when she had a knack for knocking things over.

All those years, with her at his side when he needed it

----------------------------------------

“Hey, Miss Kira!” then six-year-old Ariana said as she munched on her breakfast. “Do you want some cereal?”

Kira had just walked in the door, holding a large, wrapped package. She smiled and said, “No thank you, Ari. I brought you a present, though.” She grinned and held up the package.

Ariana jumped excitedly. “You got something for me?”

Kira handed the present to her, which the young girl hastily unwrapped. When it was done, in front of her was a hard leather case. Ariana turned it over in her hands, inspecting it. “It’s…a weird bag? Wait…” Her eyes widened. “There’s something in it!”

Kira covered her mouth as she giggled and made eye contact with Zachariel. After that, she leaned over and helped Ariana unlatch the case. Inside it lay a brown violin and bow. Her eyes widened as she latched onto the angel.

“Thank you so much, Kira! Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Ariana squealed in utter delight. Zachariel arched an eyebrow as he leaned to whisper in Kira’s ear.

“It seems fitting, doesn’t it?”

Kira turned to him. “What do you mean?”

“I mean.” He inhaled. “Like her, it’s a beautiful, but…er, tragic, instrument, no?”

“I’m gonna name it Ole Betsy!” the young Ariana declared as she brandished her new prize. “After my best friend!”

The two angels paused, then burst out in laughter. Ole Betsy was the name of an old cow just outside of the village that had taken a liking to her and thus became her “best friend”. Kira elbowed Zachariel.

“I think she’s gonna be just fine with that thing, Zachariel. You know I—”

Before she could finish, Ariana had pulled the violin and bow out and drawn the latter against the strings, producing a noise reminiscent of a bird screech. Kira and Zachariel both clasped their ears as the hiss came out.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Ariana slowly turned to Kira, a frown affixed to her puffy face. “I don’t think it works right.”

“Oh. I forgot to explain.” Kira bent down to Ariana’s height. “You see, it doesn’t work by itself. They don’t work unless they have someone like you and me operating it. Think of it as a tool; in the right hands, it can create wonders of sound.”

Ariana tilted her head. “What do you mean by that?”

Kira held out her hands. “May I see it, Ariana?”

Ariana obeyed. The angel brought the bow up to the violin, inhaled sharply, and pulled it across. The sound that came off was beautiful and heart-wrenching, and soon a flurry of other differently pitched sounds like it followed. When she finished, she held them back out for her to take back. Ariana was too busy jumping up and down, clapping with glee.

“That was amazing!” the young Ariana exclaimed. “I want to play like that one day!”

Kira smiled warmly. “And what would you say to having me teach you?”

Ariana’s eyes widened. She clamped her mouth shut and nodded excitedly, her blonde ponytail fluttering with her head.

“Good.” She beamed. “But you have to promise me something, that you’ll be attentive, persistent, and, above all, patient. It will take years to master Ole Betsy, but once you do, and I’m sure you will, I know that whatever you create with it will be as beautiful as that sweet little soul of yours is.”

Ariana took back the instrument, clutched it to her chest, and nodded. “I will, Kira.”

The memory jumped forward to Ariana’s teenage years. She had become a talented violinist, and yet he had also seen her frustration. Despite her near-perfect intonation and accuracy, both Zachariel and Kira saw she wasn’t satisfied with what she saw as the boring pieces written by musicians before.

“It just doesn’t feel right, like I’m retreading old ground instead of charting a new path,” the fifteen-year-old grumbled as she ate her cereal. A few sheets of music were scattered on the kitchen table, some stained with what he figured was her blood, sweat, and tears that came from her hard work. Either that, or the milk she kept spilling.

Kira examined the music from the opposite side of the kitchen table as Zachariel watched, coffee mug in hand. She sighed and rubbed her forehead. “Is classical just not your taste? I mean, you nailed that Paganini piece at the festival, and people loved it!”

“They didn’t love it.” Ariana wiped her mouth and pushed her bowl aside. “They clapped. That was it. No cheering, no nothing.”

“Okay.” Kira paused thoughtfully. “Maybe some contemporary? Zachariel brought a guitarist into the village the other day. Maybe he had something more modern?”

“No, that won’t work either.” Ariana frowned. “I don’t know. It feels like I should do something with my body while I play. I feel like a tree with my feet planted in one spot.”

“As far as I was taught, your feet are supposed to keep you from falling over.” Kira scratched her chin. “Maybe sway a bit more? That might scratch the itch.”

“Actually…” Ariana froze, her eyes wide. “I think I have an idea.”

Kira blinked. “What is it?”

Ariana didn’t answer. Instead, she ran back into her room and strapped Ole Betsy’s case to her back. She rounded the table and gave her a quick hug. “I’ll be back in a jiffy. I’m gonna see if my idea has any merit or not.”

“Oh.” Kira blinked. “I guess I’ll see you later?”

Zachariel nearly spilled his coffee as Ariana briskly hugged him and ran out the door. “Bye Dad! Bye Kira! Love you!”

“Well, then.” He took a sip from his mug. “I assume she’s off to practice?”

“You know her so well.” Kira smiled. “Oh, and by the way? Your tunic has a stain on it.”

Zachariel looked down. She was right. Some of his coffee had dripped down and spilled. He sighed as he placed the mug on the counter and dried it out with a nearby rag.

“I really wish that girl would just slow down sometimes.” He paused. “She’s growing up far too fast.”

Kira frowned. “I know. But she’s growing into a beautiful young woman. Even if she struggles to make friends.”

“I suppose I’m to blame for that one. Even after fifteen years, going out and about and mingling with the humans is…”

“…odd?”

Zachariel nodded.

“Oh, you’ll get used to it one day, even if you take another fifteen years,” she joked. “Besides, you adapted well to raising Ari, even if you are strict.”

He huffed. “I am not.”

Placing her hands on her hips, Kira arched her eyebrow. Zachariel sighed in defeat.

“Alright. Maybe I need to lighten up.”

Kira smirked. “Told you so.”

Zachariel chuckled and shook his head as Kira’s haughty expression morphed into her sweet, kind smile, one that had always bettered his days.

The memory changed once again, to the time when she had urgently summoned him to Leanoir forest. He tucked in his wings as he landed and tore through the brush until he found Kira, crouched behind a bush.

“What’s wrong? You said it was urgent.”

“Shh!” Kira silenced him, placing her soft hand over his lips and beckoning him to kneel with her. She directed his gaze forward, where about a hundred feet away, Ariana had stood with her violin at the ready. He arched an eyebrow.

“Why are we stalking my daughter, Kira?”

“Shush. Just listen.”

Zachariel turned his gaze back to Ariana. He watched as she inhaled sharply and drew her bow across the strings. A beautiful melody echoed throughout the forest.

“Sounds good,” he mused. “But why…?”

Finally, he saw it. His daughter began by swaying back and forth, getting comfortable with her movements, until she twisted briskly and leapt into the air without missing a note.

His jaw hung open as Kira smirked. As he continued to watch, he realized what she was trying to show him. Years and years of her training, and Ariana’s creativity, resulted in the beautiful sight before him.

“See?” Kira asked. “This is what she was trying to come up with for so long. She can dance and play at the same time!” She squealed excitedly, careful to keep her voice down.

Zachariel was at a loss for words. He couldn’t believe that this girl was the same one he had brought to New Eden all those years ago. His breaths became shallow, his heart swelled with pride.

Kira tugged on his tunic. “We did this, Zachariel. You raised her, and I trained her, and…” she began to tear up, fanning her face with her hands, “…I’m just so proud of her.”

Suddenly, Ariana stopped playing and spun. “Uh…hello? Anyone there?”

The two angels froze and exchanged glances. Slowly, they rose from behind the bush.

“Dad? Kira?” Ariana’s cheeks flushed. “You weren’t supposed to see that yet. It’s not ready.”

Kira didn’t seem to care. She ran forward and latched onto Ariana. “I’m so, so proud of you. That was so beautiful, you don’t even know.”

The embarrassment on Ariana’s face gave way to tears as she hugged her back. Kira quickly beckoned Zachariel to join, and soon the three embraced each other. His chest heaved as a tear fell down his aged cheek. This moment, he decided, was one he wanted to last forever. Just the three of them, together in the comfort of Leanoir forest.

A family.

----------------------------------------

Zachariel stared ahead blankly as the memories faded. Gabriel put his hand on his shoulder. “Are you still with me, brother?”

He grudgingly pulled himself out of it. “Yes. I’m still here, but…” he took in a deep breath, holding back tears, “…I just can’t believe she’s gone. It’s my fault.”

Gabriel gripped his shoulder even tighter. “It is not. Kira did what she had to do in order to defend her village and Ariana. She made the ultimate sacrifice that all of us will eventually have to make.” He frowned. “That aside, she’s been a wonderful mother to Ariana all these years. I am adamant that she didn’t regret a single moment of it.”

Zachariel looked at Gabriel and managed a half-smile. Not for his sake, but Kira’s. “I suppose so.”

“Good.” Gabriel removed his hand. “We need to go catch up to Ariana and Ben as soon as we can, before—”

Before he could finish, a loud crack had erupted, followed by a searing bolt of lightning that struck the ruins from the heavens. Out of it came a tall, armored angel with blue, glowing wings. From his head sprang slick, dirty blonde, neck-length hair, complete with a beard.

Gabriel bowed. “Archangel Michael.”

Michael walked forward, clasping his fellow Archangel’s shoulder. “Hello, brother. It’s been a long time.”

Gabriel nodded. “The same to you, Michael. Though I must say, I didn’t expect such…well, firepower.”

“I’m just as surprised as you are,” Micheal answered simply as he looked at Zachariel, who was still kneeling where Kira had passed on. “Are you alright, brother?”

Zachariel met his piercing, yet concerned, gaze. He rose. “I will be. Thank you, Archangel.” He bowed like Gabriel had done. “Though I would echo Gabriel’s sentiments. Is the situation so dire that the Creator would send you to help us?”

“You tell me. Being pulled away from the war on Earth isn’t exactly what I had in mind.” Michael grimaced. “He said it was of utmost importance that I assist you.”

“Right.” Zachariel inhaled as he briefed him. “About a week ago, my daughter had brought an amnesiac named Ben into our village. Now, Riverglade is ashes and ruin.”

Michael arched an eyebrow. “Was he a demon?”

“Not quite, but this boy is something else.” Gabriel hesitated. “He’s a Soraphim, brother. Apparently, they are not extinct. On top of that, a demon infected the poor boy. He’s a ticking time bomb.”

“You’ve confirmed this?”

Gabriel nodded. “There’s more than that, I’m afraid. Ben isn’t even the only one. It would seem our old friend Raziel survived the slaughter, after all.”

“Raziel?” Micheal scratched his neck. “And I assume he’s after Ben? Along with the demons?”

Both Gabriel and Zachariel nodded. Michael grimaced and spun, spreading his shimmering blue wings. “We need to go. Now.”

Zachariel and Gabriel followed suit, and soon the three angels took off into the air. The wind blew under his feathers, lifting him ever so higher.

“Can you transport to their location, Michael?” Gabriel asked.

Michael shook his head. “I don’t know where they are. Even if I knew, the areas in the north are heavily demon infested. It’s impossible, at this point.”

“Infested?” Zachariel asked. “How?”

“The demons have launched an attack on all the towns in New Eden, specifically in the north, near the mountains. Many creatures overwhelmed them: Wicked Giants, demons, all concentrated in one specific area.” He looked back at them as the icy wind blew by. “This means that they have likely built a fortress.”

A fortress, Zachariel thought. That would explain how so many demons attacked Kira’s village.

Another disturbing thought came to him, But how? How were they able to do it without any of the angels noticing?

“We need to gather more angels to find and destroy it. If we fail, then they will continue to infect New Eden. We’ll have no choice but to undergo a Mass Exodus.”

“You mean abandon the realm?” Zachariel asked.

Michael faced forward, avoiding his gaze. “If we have to.”

A chilly feeling filled Zachariel’s chest, though he was sure it wasn’t just the air. The mere thought of leaving behind the place he had called home for the last eighteen years filled him with dread.

Then again, he thought, Riverglade is already gone. Ari and I don’t even have a home anymore.

“If I may, brother…” Gabriel began as he flew next to Michael, “You didn’t seem surprised at the news of the Soraphim. Is there something you’re not telling us?”

“Indeed,” Michael began. “Ben and Raziel are not the only ones. There have been reports of them on Earth from several angels stationed there. Like you said, they are not extinct after all.”

“What do the demons want with Ben specifically?” Zachariel asked. “Why are they targeting him?”

Michael shook his head as he veered to avoid a mountain peak. “I’m not sure. Even more reason to find him first.” The Archangel gestured and sped up his flight.

Zachariel nodded and did the same. Wherever he was, they needed to find Ben. Fast.