I feel something on my shoulder and I’m pulled back into my consciousness.

“What brings you here?” asked Gloom, looming over me.

I closed the book and stood in front of Tumble. “I won’t go down without a fight.”

I aimed my hands and focused my energy.

“I’m not here to kill you. I hate killing. I haven’t killed since I was initiated. I’m not like the other RiftRippers. Flowers make me smile.” Gloom’s body contorted into a crescent shape.

“Then why are you here?”

“I asked first,” said Gloom, pointing at me with several hands.

“I’m here because I was rescued. I’m going to find my sister while helping the heroes.”

Gloom sunk into himself as he laughed. “These aren’t heroes. They are rebels. They fled from their villages. They are deserters, like me.”

“They want to help the other heroes. They’re good guys.”

“Things aren’t so black and white. Even so, there’s no need to give me those fearsome eyes. I’m the Mortal Militia’s personal RiftRipper. Have been for years.”

“But you were going to kill Poppy’s heroes.”

“Nope. I use threats to deal with my problems. RiftRippers are terrifying creatures. There’s no need for us to kill unless we are transporting. My threats are so fearsome that my targets end up killing themselves.” His body twisted and the stars in his eyes turned red. “I’ve said too much. You know my secret. I’ll have to cut it out of your mind.” Blades came out from under his cloak and gently poked my head.

I have to fight or I’m gonna die.

Gloom collapsed into a puddle. He then reformed behind Tumble, encasing her inside himself in a cage of blades. “You choose how you want to end yourself.”

How is everything falling apart? What should I do?

Tumble poked the knives playfully and silently giggled.

“That’s enough games.” Dios Gigante stepped up to Gloom.

“But look at her terror! It’s adorable!” exclaimed Gloom before collapsing into a puddle.

“Your games have cost us the lives of several troops,” said Dios, glaring at the puddle.

“Yes, but you need me soooooo you have to stomach it. I just hate seeing people fight. It would be so much better if they just turned their swords on themselves.” Gloom impaled his body with multiple swords and let out a wretched scream that soon turned into laughter.

“Your flowers are getting thirsty. Best water them,” said Dios.

Gloom nodded repeatedly and then slid off the rooftop.

“Are you alright?” asked Dios, patting my cheeks.

I was cuddling Tumble and crying. “You saved me.” I gave him a warm smile.

“Gloom was just playing around. He wouldn’t harm an angel. If a RiftRipper destroys an angel, their mind becomes even more twisted. He values his individuality. He can’t harm you.”

“Okay. Still…thanks,” I said softly.

“Hey. I want you to stay here when we go on the next mission.”

“Why?”

“It’s dangerous and you’re no soldier. We can bring the wounded back to you and your little sister.”

“I’m a hero too. If I don’t give it my all, then I’ll regret it forever.”

“We leave soon after the meeting. At least consider it.”

“Your little sister is going to be just fine. You’ll see,” I said with a smile.

“Yep. I guarantee it! Hey, you know Braven, right?”

I nodded.

“He’s so happy all the time. What’s his secret?” asked Dios.

Braven is always acting happy so he can keep his friend’s safe.

“He, uh, he trained himself to be happy.”

“I’m going to head off to the meeting. I hope you’ll consider staying behind.”

“Oh, I’ll go with you,” I said with a smile.

He shook his head. “Sorry. Heroes only. Some of the heroes have had bad experiences with the angels. They don’t trust them. It would only cause problems.”

“But what they don’t realize is you can just read about it in your journal.”

“Hey, I respect my hero’s privacy,” I said with a shaky smile.

Tumble rolled her eyes.

“Keep your little sister safe. She’s run off before. Thankfully our RiftRipper found her and sent her back. She’s extremely powerful but she doesn’t take failure well.”

So she was the angel before me that was at Dark and Broody. I’ve been following her little footsteps after all.

Racheal didn’t come back to get me for the meeting. It’s not like she said she would, but it put me in a sour mood.

I opened Racheal’s diary but Tumble closed it.

“Why should we be left out if we’re going to be fighting with them?” I asked.

Tumble picked up an apple and tossed it. She then sliced it in half with an air sickle.

“Luchador Espada is your hero?” I asked.

Tumble nodded with a big smile.

I plopped her onto my lap and tickled her. “Have you two kissed?”

Tumble grabbed her cheeks and wiggled her body in joy. She then pats my head.

“Oh, so he gives you head pats.”

Tumble nods and places my hand to her chest. It’s racing.

Awww. My little sister’s first hero crush.

Tumble and I practiced our powers while the heroes had their meeting. We came up with some cool combo moves that we could use in the next fight.

Tumble jumped into my arms and nuzzled my face.

I looked down to see stars in a black puddle.

“Hello,” said Gloom, waving at us from below.

“What do you want?” I asked, pulling her close to me.

“It’s time to get going. Are you suited up?”

I looked down. I was in the uniform I wore back when I was an angel at Sunny Village.

It feels so long ago.

Gloom tore open his chest, revealing a portal.

I looked down at Tumble.

She shrugged and then hopped in.

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I followed her into the unknown.

Mist, smoke and the clashing of metal greeted us upon arrival.

I raised my hand to fire sound waves, but nothing came out.

Oh no. We practiced too much. I need energy.

Tumble sliced the hand off an incoming attacker by waving her hand.

Racheal blasted another enemy away. “They knew we were coming. Someone told them we were coming.”

Someone betrayed the militia? But why?

Braven fired mist from his hand and then took down the confused enemy. “Avoid killing! They’re heroes like we are!”

I went to Rachie and stood on my tippytoes. “Kiss me.”

“Now really isn’t the time,” said Racheal, throwing invisible sound grenades at the incoming heroes. “What are Dark and Broody heroes doing here?”

“Please kiss me! It’s so I can help!” I exclaimed.

“Okay.” Racheal lifted me up by my booty and pulled me into a kiss.

I slurped up her saliva and my wings sprouted.

Racheal pulled away with flushed cheeks and heavy breaths. She then moved in for another kiss.

While we made out I could see Luchador Espada pick up my little sister.

He put her on his shoulders and the two of them fired wind sickles at the enemy soldiers.

“Where is Gloom? We need to evacuate now!” he yelled, setting Tumble down to heal his comrade.

Racheal’s eyes were swirling with ecstasy. An arrow hit her from behind but she kept kissing me.

Oh no. I intoxicated her. Gotta keep her safe.

I tore out the spear and spit on her wound while I blasted incoming enemies.

“What did you do to her?” Braven tore me out from Racheal’s arms. He smacked her cheeks. “Snap out of it!”

“Already getting into trouble?” Poppy was with five heroes, all armed with crossbows. “I taught you better. Split up. Take her down.”

Poppy’s main hero blanketed the area in darkness.

I used my sound powers to locate the heroes and then fired sound shots their way, but most of them missed.

Something suddenly slammed into me and pinned me to the ground.

“What are you even doing here?” asked Poppy, digging her talons into my arms.

“We’re here to free the prisoners.”

Poppy shook her head. “You’re an idiot. It’s impossible to win against them. All you’ve done is put your hero in danger again. You’re really a terrible angel.”

The four heroes made a circle around me.

“I’m sorry, my student. But more and more of my heroes, my boyfriends are leaving to join this pointless rebellion. The only way to save them is to destroy their hope. You and Lamby have gotta die,” said Poppy, her face heavy with dread despite her smile. “Dark Passion, I order you to end her life.”

Poppy’s main hero lowered his hood. His pale as death face had piercings above his eyebrows. His eyes were a gentle blue as he raised his sword.

He was suddenly sliced by his fellow hero.

“Richard! What the hell are you doing?” yelled Poppy, rushing to Dark Passion’s side and healing him.

Richard’s eyes were blank. “Protect the angel,” he said in a daze before striking another hero.

He’s the one I brought back from the dead. The one who was killed by Betrayer. But he’s not protecting me because he’s thankful. He’s been possessed. Is it my fault?

With the darkness seeping back into Dark Passion, I was able to get clear shots on the other heroes.

A group in the back raised their crossbows. Richard stood in the path and was pierced in my place. “Protect,” he said in a daze.

“You’re going to get yourself killed!” I flew into him and knocked him to the ground, having him dodge the next volley.

Blood wasn’t the only thing coming out from his wounds. Water coated in blue energy was gushing out of him.

It’s the energy. My aura must have messed with his mind.

I wasn’t paying attention.

An arrow shot me from the back.

Poppy then landed on me. “Beg me to kill you, please. It will make it so much easier. All you’ve brought is misfortune to others. Give up your life and I’ll make sure your little sister is safe.”

Richard tore out the arrow in my back and pierced it into Poppy’s chest. He attacked her repeatedly.

Poppy’s claws dug into his chest. “You love me! Why are you helping her! Is it because I’m a boy? Am I too weak to keep you safe?” She cried as her claws dug in deeper.

Richard’s eyes went hollow.

I spit on my wounds to heal them and fired precise sound bullets at the incoming enemies as I stood back on my feet.

Poppy kicked the corpse off her. “Stand back, boyfriends! I’m going to end her myself. I have to take responsibility.” She glared daggers at me through her teary eyes. “I never should have saved your life.”

Richard’s body stood back up as if being pulled by an invisible puppeteer.

“Why won’t you just die?” yelled Poppy, flinging a dagger at Richard’s head.

It’s not my energy…it’s Momma’s. Momma is protecting me.

I ran off.

Richard is already dead. But my Rachie is alive. I have to find her and escape from this place.

When I was running through the battle-field, I saw Tumble and Luchador Espada. Tumble fired a sickle that I imbued with sound. The ear-shattering noise took down a line of enemies.

I looked up at Luchador Espada.

“I’ll keep her safe. I promise,” he said, warmth emanating beneath his mask.

Tumble gave him a head pat, filtering her power through him.

“Rebellion’s Espada!” he yelled, forming a wind sword and slicing through an enemy CatBoy.

Oh no. They’re here too!

I ran off. My sister became smaller and smaller in my vision until I turned the corner.

Dios Gigante was four times his size and was smashing building. “Where are you?”

I looked up at him, took a deep breath and shouted. “We gotta go! They were waiting for us!”

“I know! That’s not important right now.”

“Have you seen Racheal?”

“You really should have stayed behind.” Dios reached down and grabbed me. “Here! You want her? Is that want you want! Come on out, old fool!”

What is he doing?

The demolished building formed into a tower as an old wood primordial climbed up the rubble. The tower tilted to Dios Gigante.

“What do you want?” The old man was clenching a wooden staff. He had a green leafy beard and was most wrinkled of all the wood primordials.

“I want my sister!”

“What? You’ll have to speak up. I don’t have my glasses.”

“You’re blind!”

“Yes. And I don’t want to go deaf either. Now calm down and speak clearly.”

“I brought them all here. Now fulfill your part of the bargain. Hand me my sister!”

No. He was the one who sold us out. But he’s the leader. And he was so nice.

My head was getting dizzy. I shook myself to my senses.

I have to find Rachie before it’s too late.

I aimed at Dios’ eye and fired a blast.

Dios’ eye was unaffected.

“Sorry, boy. We’re a poor village. We can’t afford to feed the prisoners,” said the old man.

“You let my little sister starve?”

“Never. Someone came to pick her up and we decided it was best to part ways. Women are a very dangerous commodity to hold onto.”

“Where is she?”

“Who knows? Last I saw her, she was being taken away by a CatBoy. Maybe ask one of the generals.”

“You lied to me! You said you’d let her go if I turned them in. I made the Militia to weed out the exiles. I brought them to you.”

“How could you do that!?” I yelled, biting into his massive fingers.

“I had to do it for my sister!” yelled Dios.

I killed that hero for Rachie. But it was different. I had to make a choice. Dios didn’t have to choose someone to die. He decided to betray his people all along.

The old man smiled with his wrinkles. “Family is such an incredible motivator. Tell you what, become our hero again and I will create a squad just for tracking your sister down.”

“I’m never doing anything for you again!” Dios released me and barraged the tower with his massive fists.

I was caught by a shadow just before hitting the ground.

“Welcome to my village, little angel,” said the RiftRipper known as Assailant.

The Old Man pushed aside the massive fists by releasing a spatial distortion with his hand. “We have no need for a hero who abandons his people for selfish reasons. Chop him to pieces. Save the heart so we can pass on his powers.”

“As you command.” Assailant’s tendril extended and set me on top of building. He then rushed into battle against the massive traitor.

He ran up Dios’ arm, slicing it up in the process.

The giant slammed his arm into a building, but the assassin sunk into his shadow to dodge. He then hopped up the rubble and sent a tendril into the giant’s throat.

“With a target this large, I think I can avoid unneeded casualties. Misery Clad.” Assailant’s entire body unfolded into spinning blades as he zoomed toward the giant’s neck.

A white shadow rode up the giant’s belly and to his throat.

It thrust a single blade into a portal. The blade came out of multiple portals around Assailant, parrying his attack.

The shadow took form.

Betrayer.

“Finally! I found you!” yelled Assailant, getting sliced while sending multiple bladed tendrils into the portals.

A single bladed tendril came out from the portal in front of Betrayer. He sliced it with ease, cutting off all of Assailant’s tendrils in the process. “Did you come after me as a request or is this personal?”

“Die!” yelled Assailant, slamming into Betrayer after pulling a metal spear from the vortex in his chest.

“Ah, so it’s personal. Your hatred is misdirected.” Betrayer pulled Assailant into a gruesome hug with the tendrils coming out of his body. “I gave you everything.”

“Then why do I have nothing?” Tears poured out from Assailant’s entire body. His back elongated and shifted into a saw before it pierced Dios’ throat.

“Dios has nothing to lose. For the first time he is fit to lead the rebellion. I won’t let you kill him,” said Betrayer, struggling to pull out his tendrils.

Assailant’s cloak had hooked them in, keeping the tendrils locked in place.

Once the saw had sliced off the head, it went into a frenzy, chopping the giant to pieces.

He’s dead. Just like that.

Betrayer sunk into his shadow and navigated through the fleshy chunks. His body expanded before devouring the heart of the hero. He then went into his own vortex and vanished.

The old man blasted a sever of Dios’ falling flesh with a powerful barrier. He appeared before Assailant and spoke with him but I couldn’t hear from where I was.

Chances are Tumble’s hero is in danger! He probably didn’t even know about the ambush. But what if he did? What if she’s in danger too!

I climbed down the building.

The old man appeared in front of me. “Little angel, on behalf of the Village of the Doomed, I express my deepest apologies for what you witnessed.”

Am I going to die?

“Your eyes should remain as pure as your spirit,” said the old man with a smile.

His aura weighed down upon me. I couldn’t move.

“If you spare the heroes, I’ll stay with your village. I’ll be your angel,” I said in tears.

“Maintaining peace is no small feat. The sacrifices I’ve made to protect this village keep piling up.” Tears gushed from the old man’s vacant eyes like waterfalls. “We all have a role to play. And those who don’t follow their roles…they don’t last.”

A rebel hero tossed a torch on the old man, setting him on fire.

Another rebel picked me up. “We’re evacuating the area.”

“But Racheal is still in there,” I said in tears.

I tried to summon up my string or her book.

Nothing.

I was too weak and sad.

The heroes carried me out of the village and to the clearing.

“Gloom is going to meet us here as soon as he can,” said one of the rebels.

Someone in the back screamed.

Assailant had found us.

I tried to shoot out energy at him but I was out of power. The old man must have sapped it from me.

I didn’t run. I just watched as they died. Every…single one. The last body gushed blood on my face.

Warm.

Assailant, now red from those he killed, lifted me up. “No worries, little angel. I’ll keep you safe. The wise elder has assigned me to watch over you.” He wiped the blood off my cheek, accidentally cutting my cheek a little. “You can stay with me. Think of me like your papa.”

I never had a papa.

I gripped onto him and cried.