I was led back to the same chambers as before, with the same door that sounded like an old iron door that had not been opened for quite some time. Once back in the chamber, I took my spot at the podium again but decided not to take a knee as the Arch-brothers seemed to like the defiance and judging how well it worked in the past for me, I figured I would do what it takes to stand out and not be part of the daily suicide squads. This time was different, though, as something felt off.
"Thadeus, you are hereby under judgment as a potential inductee to the Royal Holy Order of Holy Knights. We have given you several tasks since your first introduction to the Kingdom. You have survived all of them and proven yourself worthy to those in the High Order. We are the Knights of Holy Order and have some questions for you." One of the Knights stood mightily before me, with an aura hard to forget. Floating behind his head was half a sun that radiated with his energy. This specific one was the leader of the group. I looked at him, and he motioned for me to kneel. I decided I'd attempt to push my luck.
"What if I chose not to? At this point, I have proven myself worthy not to have to kneel but to have others kneel to me. I have brought down several demons infecting the lands and killing our lesser soldiers." I replied, possibly a little too cocky. The others looked at me, then back at this leader that towered over us all. He smiled at me and said, "I love this. But you will knee."
He then held his hand up to the sky in a manner that looked like he was about to slap me. Instead, he did something that surprised me, something I never knew was possible. "OBEY! KNEEL YOUNG ONE!" he shouted. A blast of air came from his hand, and I found myself on my knees with my head facing the ground. I could not move my body as it just went stiff. He let out a laugh. "I do enjoy your defiance, and had you been lower scum, you would have been executed. Luckily, Gabriel wants you and has ordered us not to harm you." He spoke with confidence in his words. I was still trying to resist this, but eventually realized any attempt to get out of it was futile.
"Please forgive me for my arrogance, Master Knight. I am glad to be kneeling to a brother such as yourself." Why am I saying this? I hate everything about this. The room was silent for what felt like hours. Just deafening silence, with the occasional sound of metallic ticking sounds on the floor, from the Knights tapping their sword sheaths on the stone floor.
"Well then, let's carry on. Thadeus, you are hereby accused of possessing a forbidden magical device not meant for those not part of the Order. Remember that human colony you assisted in rescuing that child from the green demon monster? They reported seeing you coming out of the barn a few times, and upon further…" he started to hesitate with his words, making me wonder what they did to those people. "investigation, it was determined that you possibly stole a regen box. After searching through your quarters, we found a magical ball, but it was determined that it wasn't anything important or that you stole anything." He sounded disappointed, as if he had hoped to have something on me.
The interesting thing about the Holy Kingdom was that they disliked those who succeeded in doing the dirty work. They have plenty of solid fighters but remain in the Kingdom until they've used up a certain number of pawns before actually doing anything themselves. As briefly mentioned earlier, there are what are called tiers. Four tiers to be exact, and they each have their own sectors of the Kingdom, rights, and accessibility to equipment. Typically, Tier 1 has no rights, first pick at decaying armor, shared living quarters, and inferior quality of life conditions.
Tier 2 got you a bit more. Typically, you had to survive at least five missions while successfully completing the assigned task. Your pick of equipment is still basic, and the armor isn't that great, but at least it's kept in maintained condition, and you also get more of a personal quarters with an assistant hand-picked to you. That assistant was typically a Human or another Angel who had failed on a mission but was still somehow useful.
Then, Tier 3 is Angel's wet dream. At Tier 3, you get to live very luxuriously without having to worry about being sent on some suicide mission or other benign task beneath you. If you are lucky, you'll be recognized by the Arch's and your life will change forever by getting assigned to one of them. Typically, the ones that got assigned to an Arch would receive a lot of benefits. More spacious quarters, access to magical items similar to the enchanted ball I obtained a while ago, and the ability to train in new skills/powers, among other things.
Tier 4… not much was known to me about this at the time, but looking back at it, it was a cursed position. Reserved for the most powerful of the Kingdom, at a or near a god-level of power. They oversaw the Kingdoms daily operations, set new laws into place, and ensured all the Arch's relayed orders to those beneath them to assign to others. They would also set up defenses to ensure safety on planets or areas controlled by the Kingdom and its vast empire. It is possible to advance beyond Tier 4, but one must train for ages to reach that power.
"What does this mean for me?" I asked, wondering what was about to happen to me. I still couldn't see anything as I was under this weird shout that I couldn't resist. I wonder if I can learn this eventually. After a moment of silence, a different voice responded, "Let him stand; his defiance has kept him alive thus far, and we should not treat property of the Holy Order like this. Let him stand." The heaviness over my body dissipated and I was able to move again. My entire body felt like I just had thousands of pounds on my back, and then suddenly, it was gone. I slowly stood up, still looking at the ground.
"Come forward to the Holy Guard, Thadeus, and take your oath to the Holy Kingdom. To the Knights. To the Holy Empire and all that it holds close to its ranks." Gabriel shouted at me. I looked up; the Knights in front of me had all stepped aside and given me a salute with their arms across their chest, and their hands balled into fists. It was a sign of respect, acceptance, and, most of all... a sign that things would get better for me.
I slowly stepped past the Knights to the podium where I had stood briefly just days ago. Gabriel and the others were at their podiums, watching the whole time and quietly just staring. "Gabriel, do you wish to take this one, or may I?" one of them asked. "No, Michael, I'll take this one. He'll fit perfectly under me and my command. He was already part of my lower scum team and managed to fight two powerful adversaries and several scouting missions. I have further plans for him and have taken claim of him." He responded, sounding sure of his decision.
"Very well. By the Order of the Royal Arch Angels and the power entrusted upon us by God, you are officially a recruit to the Royal Knights.Thadeus, please follow Gabriel to your new quarters; he will show you around. As a Royal Knight recruit, you are expected to do whatever is asked of you by your new Master Angel or others who serve under Gabriel. You will be given a week to further prove yourself to your fellow Master-level brothers so that you can stick around. If you fail to do your duties as your new rank, you will lose all you gained and be back at square one. Let's hope you don't fail nor lose the trust we've entrusted you with." One of the others stated. These two never once stated their names, nor did Gabriel or Michael ever talk to them. I stood there still, wondering if this was the life I wanted. I heard one of them clear their throat and knew I had to respond.
I bowed. "Thank you, Master Angels, for gracing me with your generosity. I shall do what it takes to please the Master Angel, who has personally selected me and allowed me to be part of the Holy Order of Knights. I promise to fulfill my oath and do what it takes." I replied, trying to sound as serious as I could. I looked back at them. Gabriel had a huge grin on his face as if he had something already planned.
"Very well, come with me, young one, and we shall get acquainted with your new quarters, roles within the Kingdom, armor, and weapon, and find some teachers who can train you in key areas. Follow me." He stated, walking towards a side door I hadn't noticed before. I nodded and started walking his way when he suddenly reached out and grabbed my hand. He looked down at me, still grinning, and led me through the door. Once outside that chamber, he asked a strange question" "You'll do whatever it takes not to get sent back down to the bottom of the chain?"
I looked at him, confused. "Well, yes, I did pledge myself to you," I said, confused about what he had in mind.
"Good. I will show you to your quarters, and then tomorrow, I shall have your assistant show you around. However, watching you, I know you will not use them as we intended you to use your assistant. But it is okay because only you and I know your little secret." The tone of his voice concerned me. Did he know I allowed my previous servant to slack off and mostly nap all day? If that was the case, why was he so quiet about what was happening?
While holding onto my hand, he practically dragged me to my new home. On the outside, it looked cozy. It was twelve feet in length and about eighteen feet high. There is plenty of space for a single being such as myself. Inside, though, it was a different story. Somehow, the home was bigger on the inside. On the outside, it was the size of a mobile home, but on the inside, it was the size of a medium-sized mansion. Next to the door was a weapons rack for what appeared to be three swords, a bow, and possibly a shield. There was a single bookshelf with books ranging from famous Angels in History to advanced swordsman techniques. The bed itself was a full-sized bed with actual materials and looked like it could comfortably fit at least two full-sized angels.
The kitchen area, which food wasn't that huge of priority to a species that doesn't need to eat, was small. A little ice box in the ground to help keep perishable foods cool, and a small shelf where you could store dry goods. There was also a chair, but nothing about it stood out. While I was looking around, there was a knock at the door. I stood there frozen for a second, as I was not expecting anyone to come visit me tonight. Who could be at my door?
I slowly opened the door. "Hello?
"Hello, sir, I am your assistant. I no longer have a name; I lost my rights to that. I am just simply Three-Zero-Three. You may call me Zero, Slave or, Three, or whatever it is Master Angel wishes to call me. I will be here for you night and day." This Angel looked pretty emaciated, had chains cuffs around his wrists and ankles, and wore what appeared to be sacks around his feet. I had expected this to be different when I was told I'd be given a personal assistant. They've already admitted to being a slave. I looked at them, figuring out where to start or what exactly I wanted.
After a few moments of silence, I asked: "Don't you have an actual name? I wish to call you by your real name. You may be a slave to others, but to me, you're someone who can keep me company. Why don't you sit on the bed?" Zero looked at me and attempted to muster up a smile before just giving up and maintaining their dead-on-the-inside facial expression.
"Thank you, Master Angel, but I will not disgrace you like that. I am here to serve you, no matter what it is. I've been told that you hold special relationships with your assistants, and while I cannot say I approve, I will present myself to you if you request it." I stood up quickly after hearing that last part. I found it difficult to respond, and I could tell that Zero was also confused by his reaction to my reaction. "Do you not wish to partake in those relations with me, sir? It's fine if you do, it really is."
I let out a heavy sigh. "No… you don't have to worry about that, Zero. I am not into my assistants like that. I am more about doing my own errands and retrieving my own things. I'd let my previous assistant sit down and relax, and we'd discuss things. That is about it. I have no intention of having sexual relations with you." I calmly stated, in hopes that he would potentially relax.
"Oh, I see. So, while I am under you, Master Angel, it is expected that I shall not have to be a sex slave on top of my normal duties and that while I'm performing under you, I may lay about? Is that what you are saying?" Zero looked around the quarters, acting like I had freed him from his shackles. He looked at me again, waiting for an answer.
"Correct Zero. While you are here, you may relax a little, but you may be expected at some points to play the part of my assistant and retrieve items for me. I know we both may get in trouble if you get caught, but feel free to read some of these books here, as I'm sure there are at least a few books in there that could help you out." I pointed at the shelf, hoping he would pick up a book and read something. Instead, he looked around the rooms before eventually pointing to a spot on the ground.
I let him pick where he wanted to sleep. Typically, they would sleep outside like house pets. I did not know how I was so different from the others or why, but I didn't truly believe in the laws imposed on us. They did not seem… fair.
A few days had passed since Zero showed up, and we agreed to send him on meaningless tasks here and there to make it seem like I was utilizing him properly. Tasks include:
* Sending him to the Armory to sharpen one of my blades.
* Getting my shield polished.
* Other tasks I could have easily done myself.
I spent these days mostly reading about fighting with two swords, as I did not care for shields. Sure, it provided extra armor, but my new armor covered most of my body and was made from a more robust but lighter material.
"Hey, Zero, it is getting late, and it's been a few days since I was brought here. Is this normal?" I asked from my bed, looking over the book I was reading. I was starting to wonder if I had been forgotten about. I was starting to get concerned.
"Oh right, Thadeus, I forgot to tell you. While I was at the Blacksmith today, Gabriel himself was there. He informed me to make you aware that he will be here sometime tomorrow to give you a promotion. He didn't tell me any further details, but you must be special if he's going to promote you since you've been given no orders nearly all week."
It is strange that I've managed to go almost a whole week, not receiving an order a single time, but will be having Gabriel, of all people, show up and promote me. Am I that great? He wants to promote me already. Why though? What is the difference between me and the others? "Thank you, Zero; we should probably sleep then. It sounds like we will have a busy day tomorrow." I said as I sat on my bed. "Good night, Zero. Thank you for your work." Zero was already passed out, curled up in a ball in one of the corners he chose to set up and makeshift bed in.
That night, I found it difficult to sleep. I had so many questions I couldn't stop thinking about. Did I do something without realizing it? Was Gabriel that impressed by me? These were among many other questions looming through my mind. I didn't expect anything to happen, and everything happened quickly.
At this point, it had been a year since I woke up in this strange place, surrounded by others, being sent on missions with little to no expectation of returning. Interacting with varied species of all sorts. It had been a remarkably interesting year for me. The memory of floating out in space, barely alive, and hearing that voice seemed as though it was just possibly a distant dream.
The morning eventually came, and I had barely slept from being far too anxious, knowing that Gabriel would show up at my door at any moment. I was nervous, and the air was different that day. Something felt off, but I figured I was experiencing a case of jitters. I stood anxiously at the window, waiting for his arrival. Wonder what I possibly did to catch his attention. Just as the sun hit midday, I noticed a glimmer in the distance. Is that Gabriel and his entourage? As they got closer, several marching soldiers grew louder until they stopped before me.
"Attention, Thadeus. Gabriel is here and wishes to speak to you. We trust there will not be any issues," the lead soldier said. I nodded, indicating that there would be no issues from me. "Very good. Master Gabriel, he's all yours."
Gabriel, surprisingly underdressed for this, came to the front and thanked the soldier. "All of you may leave, I have business to attend to with my underling here. I'll find my own way back," he said while waving them off. The feeling in the air grew stronger as this wasn't normal. Even though Gabriel was a powerful being, the Archs always had guards with them in the lower areas of the Kingdom. It was just protocol. Something is off with this.
"May I come in, or do you wish to do business out here?" He asked. I looked at him briefly before turning around to open the door, bowed, and motioned for him to enter. He put his hand on my chest and lifted me to his height, suggesting I might not need to bow. I followed him in, closing the door behind me. "You there, Slave, take your leave. You're free to do whatever but cannot stay here, so get lost." He barked at Zero.
"My mistake, Master, I will go." Zero said quickly. He gathered up his bed and left. "Thank you, Master Angels, I shall take my leave now." He left quickly, not wanting to make Gabriel a second time. With Zero gone, things started to feel off. I was wondering if maybe he was going to kill me, and he could tell I was uncomfortable.
"So, let's get down to business. Remember how you pledged to me that you'd do whatever it takes to move on?" He said as he sat down on my bed. I needed to find out where he was going with this. "Sir? I did make that pledge, yes." I replied.
He tapped on the bed in a way that suggested he wanted me to sit on the bed. I thought about it for a second. "Come now. Sit down, let's get straight to it." He said in a soft tone. "I'd rather not send you on a mission where you have a high probability of dying, as I have plans for you. So I thought about other ways that I could promote you." I wasn't sure what he was talking about, but he was talking to me normally. He grabbed my shoulder gently and looked into my eyes. His eyes were very yellow, and he appeared to have light circles around his eyes that most don't get to see since we're not supposed to ever be this close normally to the Arch's.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
"What… what are you talking about?" I asked, confused about what was happening or where he was getting. He looked behind us at the bed. I was starting to wonder if maybe he thought I was a female and had hoped I would sleep with him. That couldn't be it, though. Females in this society were not allowed to fight or do much of anything and were picked by males as their mates for life, whether they liked it or not. The Kingdom viewed females as lesser beings, so they were placed aside for the archs.
"Look, Thadeus, we both know you had a relationship with your previous servant. You have not expressed any interest in a mate when it was your given right after your successful completion of the tasks you were assigned. I figured instead of sending you off fighting, I could have my way with you." He said in a relatively calm tone. Which, to me, was very alarming. I had no interest in a mate, as I wanted to focus on other things. My lack of knowledge and interest in obtaining a mate of my own and allowing my previous assistant to slack off resulted in others assuming I was gay. They were allowed in the Kingdom because that meant straight Angels could get an extra mate.
I slowly stood up and calmly stated, "Lord Gabriel, I will do whatever mission you assign me. I am not like that, and whatever you assign me to do, I will get it done—"He placed his hand over my mouth. "Shhh, shhh. This is your mission now." He looked me in the eyes again, and I could see he had made up his mind.
"I refuse to be your toy for this promotion. I would rather go back to the slums of the Kingdom than allow myself to be your one-time sex toy. You cannot, and will not, make me do this. I'll return my equipment and everything and return to peon work." I stated. My heart was pounding; I was scared. This is what I had sensed about today, this is why the air felt so heavy to me. I knew something terrible would happen but didn't realize it was this bad.
"I love your defiance. The defiance from others excites me to no end. It doesn't matter what you want, though." He said with a smile. He stood up. "You know that you won't be able to run, right?" he raised his hand in the air. "Get on the bed." He shouted. I looked at him and shook my head. He grabbed me by the neck with his free hand and had a look of fire in his eyes. I thought maybe since I had rejected his advances on me, he was going to kill me.
Instead, he threw me face first on the bed and did a quiet-shout. "OBEY! ASSUME THE POSITION." Next thing I know, I'm stuck on all fours with my butt up in the air. I couldn't move; I couldn't even talk. I felt him grab at my ass while hearing him laugh. "I told you… I always get my way, and you don't have a choice. Your defiance towards me did this, and for you to become my trusted assistant, you have to be shown that you're my bitch. Not the other way around."
I tried to resist further but eventually accepted that I could not move. I heard Gabriel let out a laugh. "What's the matter? I thought you didn't want to do this. You are presenting yourself to me for someone who doesn't want to do this. Well, I guess I should get started," he said teasingly.
While I couldn't move, I could still feel all over. I felt the heat from my hands spreading my cheeks, touching me in an area that I never expected to be touched. I heard his armor being unbuckled, then a sudden soft crashing sound on the floor from his armor. "Don't worry, I'll try to be gentle. I wouldn't want to hurt my special little servant. You should look at this as your initiation into the Order. You wouldn't want to go out on a mission anyways."
After being frozen in place, with Gabriel going to town on my rear end, for what felt like hours, he started to moan, indicating he was getting close to ejaculating. Shortly afterward, I felt a warm liquid, followed by him laughing. "Ahahaha, thank you for that. I suggest you get yourself cleaned up, and I will have you retrieved tomorrow, and we will continue with the promotion." He leaned down, picked up his armor, and as the door closed, I was finally unfrozen. I fell face-first into my bed. I lay there for a few minutes, unsure what to do, trying to process what had just happened.
At that moment, I had a fiery hatred for the Archs, especially Gabriel. I had decided to eventually get up, having his juices drip out of me slowly as I walked around my home, trying to figure out how to manage this. I had a little tub with fresh running water hooked up to it, but I was so distraught that I could not process it clearly. I heard my door open again and looked at the door. Stood in the doorway was Zero. He glanced at me, but I chose not to make eye contact.
"Master Angel… I saw the entire thing… I had a bad feeling and watched through the window. My service to you isn't over until tomorrow. Come on, let's get you in the bath. I'll clean up the mess while you bathe." Zero said in a reaffirming voice.
"S…sure, okay, thanks… Zero…” I replied, with shame easily detectable in my voice. I walked over to the tub and started the water. The water was cold, but after what just happened, that was the least of my worries until I stuck my foot in. "Ah, damnit. This water is freezing." I said, briefly snapping back to reality. Zero came over and adjusted the water, ensuring that it became a more comfortable temperature. He looked at me with a smile and assured me I'd be okay. Despite being told to get lost and figure out a new assignment, he remained by my side for the rest of that day. I tried my luck at the bath again; it was a perfect temperature. I stepped in and sat down. Zero came over and placed some leaves into the tub. "These will help with any pain and will help you relax. Please take as long as you need. I'll change your bedding out as well. I've cleaned up the floor. It was a pleasure serving you, my lord." The tone Zero had was that of a concerned friend. Something that I hadn't had the chance to experience yet. I looked at Zero, "Thank you again."
Despite all this, I still decided to go through with my promotion within the Order the next day. While I vowed to myself I wouldn't loudly be defiant anymore, I knew that one day, I'd get my revenge on him. I am not sure how I would, but I would. Zero left shortly after I laid down in my bed. Will I ever see him again?
The next morning, there was a knock at my door before the sun was even up. I thought I had been dreaming until I heard my door open. "Thadeus, C'mon, let us go. This is something that starts right at sunrise." A voice in the dark said. I had barely sat up when I felt my armor thrown into my lap. "Comon, get suited up. The longer we wait here, the quicker the sun will come up." He barked at me.
I quickly put on my armor and groggily followed the man. On the way out, I grabbed one of my swords and attached it to my hip. "Ready?" he asked. "Yes, sir, let's go," I replied. We walked around for quite a while in the dark. Somehow, the person who retrieved me appeared to know exactly where to go. "Careful, we're walking upstairs here in a second."
I started shuffling my feet to determine where the stairs were. As I continued to shuffle my feet, I felt a stone step. The moment I stepped on that step, torches all along the stairs lit up one by one. Once they all lit up, I realized where I was. This was the way to the chambers of the Holy Order of the Arch Angels. But it was different. This time, it was decorated with fancy flowers, symbols, and other items that suggested something special was about to happen.
At the very top of the stairs, the doors were already open, and the Archs were standing around, appearing to be issuing out commands to others. Some others like me were there that looked a little rough. It looks as though they had survived their missions, but barely. One of them has missing patches of feathers, with stitches over wounds. Another one was missing an eye, and he had a significant scar on his face. Another one was missing an arm. Then there was me… untouched for the most part.
"Ah, welcome initiates! Come on in, find a seat at the appropriate table." A guard had shouted at us. We looked at each other briefly before walking in together. To our right were four tables, each with a sign with our names over it, indicating where we should sit. To my surprise, I was the only one at Gabriel's table. I took a seat, and a servant came over and poured me a glass of Angelic Wine and a plate full of what looked like various meats, berries, and other foods. The servant looked at me to ask if I'd like anything else. I thanked the man for what he had brought and informed him that this was fine. He nodded and left after being called over to the soldier's table.
Some time passed before the sun came up, and it was announced that the doors would close as it was time to start the process. Michael took to the podium and began to speak in a deep voice that everyone could hear.
"Hello, everyone; we welcome you to the Holy Order promotional event. During the last few years, except for one of you, you have all done exceptional work for your Lords and for God of the Holy Kingdom. Thanks to you, our Kingdom and the places we protect are safe. You have fought everything from Elves to Dragons who had encroached on our borders, threatening to take our lands. Many died in the process, but you guys… you guys survived. You're the best of our next generation of young soldiers." He paused for a moment, looking around the room.
"These fine soldiers in front of you have also been in your shoes at one point. They fought bravely for their Kingdom, for our Holy Lord, and for the Master Lord Angels who stand at my side. First of all, let's talk about one that performed exceptionally well. So well that he caught Gabriel's eyes." He looked over at Gabriel. "It's been years since Gabriel last took in anyone, and the one called Thadeus will be the newest apprentice to this fine Soldier of God. His apprentice is very lucky and has survived two powerful beasts. He managed to bring one of them back as proof and a piece of another as proof. He had been sent on multiple missions to scope out Demonic entities, Humans, Elven scum, and even Dragon caves to ensure that the beloved Holy Empire was not touched by those who were considered to be tainted. To our surprise, he kept coming back and provided valuable information. While I would've loved to have taken him in under my wing… Gabriel has expressed clear interest in him instead." He paused for a moment and pointed at Gabriel. "This master-level Angel always gets what he wants, am I right?" he joked.
The entire room was filled with laughter. Gabriel raised his hand in the air, a signal that it was time to quiet down. "Ahem. While I'd like to say you're all worthy. None of you, except for the one I chose, are all that worthy. The rest of you looked like you'd been chewed up by an orc multiple times and spat out. You're not useful to me like that one is." He pointed at me and continued with his speech. I tried to make eye contact with him but failed as I kept thinking back to last night and how… well… you were there already. I could feel him staring at me while he was talking about whatever bullshit he was talking about, probably hoping I'd stand up and try to be defiant. No, thank you. I'll continue to sit here snacking on this plate of food and take small sips of my drink instead.
Eventually, I heard my Name called along with "Come up here to receive your new orders." I stood up and walked slowly up to the podiums. Gabriel walked around his podium, to which I kneeled. "Ah, perfect," he said. He turned around and grabbed something from behind the podium. I chose not to look up until told to do so.
"Everyone!" he shouted. "As of right now, Thadeus is now part of Lord Gabriel's Special Forces. You will address this man as if he was myself. For his bravery out in the field and his attitude towards others, he shall be my Captain, and I expect those who follow his orders to follow his orders as if they were mine. He is an extraordinary one to me, and he shall be my right-hand in all matters."
Everyone started to clap. He told me to rise, which I did. He placed his hands on my shoulders, leaned into my ear, and whispered, "I knew that little extra training last night would help you." Then unclipped my leather armor from my shoulders. He handed me my new armor. It was very light in weight and had Gabriel's emblem on it and a Sun with a crown over the sun. On the back, It clearly showed that I was part of his forces and his Captain. On the right shoulder was a hand print, which indicated I was essentially his right hand. After I put it on, he returned my sword since it was attached to my old armor. He handed me a helm, which I put on. This was no ordinary helm, though; it was worn mainly by the Lord Arch's or higher. This is really happening, and all it cost was being raped for who knows how long while also under an "Obey" spell. What a terrible trade.
After that, he told me to follow him as the rest of the meeting was pointless for us as we had other things to attend to. We walked through one of the side exits, and as he was sure we were out of range of eavesdroppers, he stopped and looked at me. "You should be happy about last night, as I know you cheated during those missions. I know that the object you possess allows you to resurrect shortly after death. You can fool others, but you cannot fool me." He said, looking very serious.
"Your defiance is a curse, yet a blessing at the same time. Had you not defied us a few times and just done what was expected of you, you'd still be going on those missions where survival would be impossible. That's how I knew you had to be using one of those. Remember those others with you in that room? They had done three years of service before reaching this point, where you have done only one. But look at how they look, then take a look at you. Clear night and day difference. Now, you'll serve as my right hand and be an obedient little bitch to me, or I'll destroy that ball of yours." he said in a demanding tone.
I looked at him, and I must've given him a strange look as he chuckled. "Understood, Master Angel, I will not disobey you and carry out your orders and your will on others to my greatest ability," I said while kneeling.
"Perfect. I've already had all your belongings moved into a Tier 4 section of the Kingdom, as I figured you'd be this way. Under the others, you would have been Tier 3, but because of your exceptional generosity last night, what you have done in the past year, and because you're my Right hand, you are far greater than those beneath you, and I do hope you'll continue to prove your worth." He paused for a moment before speaking again. "I have a task for you to do soon once I get things secured." He said, surely.
"Understood, my lord, I thank you for your generosity and all you have done for me. I will serve you well." I responded, slightly cringing while still looking at the floor. I saw his feet walk away from me before one of his servants tapped my shoulders. I looked up and realized it was a female servant this time around.
"Come with me, Master Angel, and we shall get you to your quarters," she said softly. I must've stood up too fast as she appeared startled.
"Sorry, did I scare you?" I asked.
"No… it's just that…" she paused briefly before finally finishing. "It's just that… you don't feel like you're a monster." She leaned in close to my ear and started to whisper. "It's just that normally he picks really terrible people to be close to him, and well, you see… you feel kind…" She stepped back as a Guard approached. "Captain, is this servant bothering you? I'll have her punished right away."
I shook my head and told him she was telling me about my new quarters and what I could expect after living in the lower part of the Kingdom for a while. The guard, happy with my answer, walked away.
"Thank you, Master Angel… that's what I meant. Others would've told him I was bothering you and would have me punished. Come on, let's get to your quarters." She grabbed my hand briefly before letting go of it, blushing. "I'm… I'm sorry… follow me, please."
This servant was beautiful. She had white feathers with a blue hue. Her voice was soft, and her eyes were blue. She wore a long gown with the symbol of "Gabriel" on the shoulders, possibly indicating that she was his property. She led me down a long row of giant homes compared to my previous quarters, and I was starting to imagine just how much room would be on the inside.
We finally stopped. The outside was white, with a gold trim around the house and the windows. The door looked like it was custom-made. It looked amazing on the outside. The servant turned to me. "Master Angel, sir. This is your new home. I cannot go in with you, as Gabriel would have both my head and yours since I am not yours to command. My main Order was to show you here." She explained. I looked at her, and before I could thank her, she looked down at the ground. "Uhh…"
"Yes?" I asked.
She leaned in close.
"Do you think you will ever rebel against him? I heard about what he did to you. He talked about it with Master Arch Michael over dinner last night while drunk." She whispered.
"Sorry, but that isn't something I-"I was carefully looking for my next words. "Look… I know I wear the symbol of Gabriel, too, but I am not loyal to him. If the time ever comes where I can overthrow him, then I shall. But until then, I will do as he asks. We all have our duties. I will forget about this talk, though, and we shall pretend like this never happened." I stated pretty firmly.
She nodded and ran off. I turned my attention back to the door. This is my new home.
Upon opening the door, I noticed that it was very spacious inside. So spacious, that I could stretch and not touch the ceiling. By the front door, there was a metal weapons rack large enough to hold various weapons. There was an area by the window where a desk sat with a bag and a note. The note read:
"Master Angel Thadeus,
This bag is for you. It's an ethereal portal bag. You can store hundreds of objects in here. It is a specialized sword made just for you. Based on your experiences, your record, and what we have heard about you, we have given you a Katana. Also, your former servant informed us that you closely studied advanced two-handing fighting with swords, so we gave you two additional short swords as a 'Welcome to your new home' present. You will be assigned a male servant at Gabriel's request. Something about how he wants you to remain abstinent, to faithfully carry out his will.
Best of luck to you.
-J"
I turned the note over to see if anything was on the back. Surprisingly, it was the layout of the home. I was standing in the "sun" room. The hallway would take me to three doors. One door led to a large, spacious room with a large bed. Another to a washroom with a very large tub, probably big enough for at least four people. Then the last one was a library. I was interested in what books were in the library, so I went there first. Upon opening the door, I was in awe at the sight before me. Bookshelves stretched from the floor to the ceiling, and a large research table with a codex of what books were there. I noticed a button on the floor near the table, and we all know what you do when you see a strange button in your home. I pressed the button.
It opened to a cellar. I looked at the paper again, thinking maybe I missed seeing this. It did not show the cellar. I slowly went down the steps, and several large wooden kegs were down there. I grabbed a cup from an empty shelf and got a delicious gold-looking liquid. Sipping the drink, it turned out to be some Alcoholic beverage.
I went back upstairs, closed the door, and sat at the desk, looking through the codex sorter, hoping to find books on further advancing my swordsman skills. While looking through the list, something caught my eye: "Energy-based healing, resurrection, and light of the darkness techniques, 1." I looked to see where this was on the shelf but got distracted by my door opening and closing. I put the codex on the table and went to see who had entered.
I peeked into the hallway and saw a figure sitting with their legs underneath them. I slowly walked over to who I assumed was possibly my servant. "My lord, I am here to serve. I was informed that I am your servant, and although I am technically not assigned to you until tomorrow, I'd like to introduce myself." He said while staring at the floor. Shortly after, he raised his head up and made eye contact with me. "I've talked with Zero. Is it true that you will not run me into the ground or make me do everything for you? Are you the same one he spoke about?" he whispered.
I looked at him, unsure what to do, but knew I should probably answer him.
"Yes, that is correct. I will send you on occasional small errands to avoid suspicion that you're useless. Sharpen my swords, get my armor polished. You know… simple tasks. I personally dislike the idea of having a servant."
He looked at me, nodded, and wandered around before moving the desk over and placing his bedroll down.
I looked outside, wondering how late it was by now. The day had been long, and I had been woken up early after a terrible night. The sun appeared to possibly be setting soon, but I didn't know what tasks I would have tomorrow or where my duties would take place.
"Hey, uhh… what can I call you?" I asked the servant.
"You may call me Nine"
"Just Nine?" I replied.
He nodded, then asked, "Do you need anything before I sleep, my lord?" I sat there momentarily, wondering if I needed anything from him. Mostly just wanted to sleep and try to move from the crazy events of the last couple of days. Something I knew for sure, though, was that I would get my revenge one day for what Gabriel did. But until then, I will play it cool, do what is asked of me, build my power, and bide my time.