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This blog is dedicated to a story I am composing. I hope you enjoy it as much as I am making it. The idea came to me late in the night, and my friend wanted it to be about her.

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X(Title) = Under Construction
(Title) = Finished, Ready to be Read

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A Prologue

"How many?" A man with blind eyes - though he could see perfectly now - stared out onto the horizon. The sun was beginning to conceal itself past the mountains in the distance.

Another one joined him. He wore a bright green shirt and had his long hair in braids down his back. "How many of?"

"How many did we kill, Tracy. I want to know how many we murdered."

Tracy gasped. "It was not murder, Greg. We have always had the intention of more peaceful measures - but they did not agree. You should know better than to sulk over a few bad things that we have done."

"Sooner or later those bad things get worse." Greg faced Tracy with a hardened look. "It went so far to corrupt thirteen of our own brethren to turn on us. The ones tasked to defend the door; the ones who willingly murdered their allies. What did it get them? Nothing. All they did was traumatize Ryan. He lived a life full of hardships greater than any of us. This pushed him over." Greg dropped his head.

"Why are you blaming yourself for someone's problem" He placed a hand on his shoulder. "We're free of the tyranny of Daniel. We lost many of our friends on both sides. We no longer have the very firstborn to lead us in the future. But we have you now, Greg," Tracy smiled. "Why do you have to beat yourself up over our past?"

Greg buried his face in his hands. "Because I know what's going to happen next. And I don't know what to do about the devastation humanity is about to experience. That is why I want to know: how many did we kill?"

Tracy paused. "Fifty-three of the Heart Angels were slain. Thirty-one Soul Angels never came back."

Greg inhaled deeply. He let out an explosive sigh. "It is worse than I imagined. Do you know what happens when a Soul Angel dies?"

"I'm afraid I don't. I'm not as old as you. I have only witnessed death at the City of Guardians. And when Peter passed."

"Ignore Peter for now. When a Soul Angel dies, they are just temporarily subdued. When this time period ends, however, life is returned to them." Tracy's eyes brightened up.

"Then why isn't Peter back here with us-"

"I said ignore Peter!" Greg shouted. "I take it you don't know what happens when a Heart Angel dies." Tracy shook his head. Greg sighed loudly. He returned his gaze to the sun as its last tendrils of light disappeared. The wind picked up around them. The friends remained silent as dusk crawled on.

---

Taylor shifted in her computer chair slightly as she pressed keys furiously on the laptop before her. She tapped her fingers on the hardwood desk as she examined the screen. "What are you looking at?" A voice whispered in her ear.

She jumped in her seat, letting out a yelp. Taylor fell sideways out of her chair, closing her eyes reflexively. She didn't hit the floor, though. Cautiously, she opened up her eyes to stare at a familiar face. She grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry," Michael said, folding his wings against his back. He helped her back into her seat. Taylor smiled wider. "Why are you so happy today? I'm usually the one grinning madly." He smiled.

"I finished the Twilight series today!" She giggled. "It's so romantic. Hehe, I'm such a girl over these things. Falling in love with that perfect boy, having a life full of adventure and excitement, then finally getting married and living happily ever after." She sighed with pleasure. "A girl can dream."

Michael laughed nervously. "Yeah, that stuff sure is... girly. So what are you looking at?" Taylor spun her chair to face the computer. Michael peered closely at the screen.

"Just looking at some Twilight quotes. I'm trying to find my favorites." She scrolled the page down, searching endlessly.

"Wait, scroll up for a second." Taylor did so. Michael stuck out a finger and pointed at a sentence. "What's the book about anyway? This seems a bit far-fetched, right?"

Taylor gasped. "You don't know what it's about!? Twilight is amazing! It has love and action and romance and vampires and everything!" She giggled again.

Michael laughed. "I thought Vampires kicked the crap out of Werewolves and drank human blood? How can there possibly be romance in such a story?" Taylor scoffed.

"Why don't you go read the book? I'm sure that you can pick it up at a store later today - oh, uhm, sorry..." She trailed off into silence, realizing her mistake.

Michael broke the silence with laughter. "It's alright. Let me try and guess your favorite quote." He stared at the computer's screen for a few seconds. He pointed at a sentence. "This one?"

Taylor read it to herself. "I totally love that one!"

"The dude's a vampire, right? I see the humor in that quote. 'You are my life now.' It's making fun of how he's dead." He laughed shortly.

"No it's not! It's totally romantic. Edward is dead and that sentence means he totally loves Bella. Like, he has no life, but now he has life cause she's there. You see?" Michael rested his chin on his hand.

"Not really. But it's kind of awkward that it relates to me." He laughed loudly. On the inside though, he ached. At least in that story the girl loves him back...

"I'll tell you about it sometime. So how was your day?" She shut her laptop off. Michael raised an eyebrow at her.

"You stopped being a fan-girl over Twilight to talk to me personally? Thanks." He smirked. "Well, I tried picking flowers for you. But then I realized that flying with flowers would freak everyone out since they could only see the flowers." Taylor giggled that same sweet laugh. Her cheeks tinted slightly to red - she blushed.

I guess this will have to do. Michael smiled.

Chapter 1: Renovations

The City of Guardians was deathly silent.

A small platform was erected in the center of the city. A small set of stairs was placed in front of it. A lone figure, standing on the stage, slowly raised his head. "There is a reason why I have assembled you all here today," the man said as he removed his white theater mask. He is Surno.

The entire audience surrounding the center kept their mouths shut. Whispers and idle chat were nonexistent. Surno let out an explosive sigh. "There has been a slaughtering of both our kinds. Nay, I should not refer to us as 'kinds' - instead, I shall call us one name. Angel. That is what we are, right? After the events of two weeks ago to this day, I believe we should abandon that title. We are not divine beings. We were. We are nothing but murderers with wings now." People began to shift around, uneasy with his words and his obvious change in character.

"Normally, you know me as a man of few words. I have changed. Just as we all should. The firstborn, Peter and Daniel, are gone. We have lost Peter's insight, strength, and spirit. We have lost Daniel's wisdom, ingenuity, and will. Albeit misguided, Daniel should still be remembered by us. We should remember him as the person he used to be - not the tyrant he had become. As for Peter, we must understand one thing. I speak to you words he has said unto me. 'Not all Soul Angels are reborn.' We must accept the fate that has fallen on our beloved friend."

Surno held out his hand, palm facing upward. A rose appeared in a shimmering cascade of silver. Its petals were as black as his wings. "This petals represent the innocent appearance of Daniel. The thorns are the strength of Peter. The stem is the unity between both. Let this analogy stretch out to us. We must cooperate if we are to keep our task." His voice was shaky. He let a few minutes pass as he recollected his breath. He twirled the rose slowly in between his index finger and his thumb. "Michael, please step forward."

The young angel pushed his way through the crowd until they finally parted a small pathway for him. He walked up to the pedestal with a confused expression on his face. Surno smiled down at him. He definitely has changed, Michael thought to himself.

Surno handed down the rose to him. Michael took it gingerly. "You were the one Peter predicted. You were the one to bring us together - nay, you are the one. You deserve this symbol of the firstborn." Somewhere in the audience, Tracy began to clap. The entire crowd caught on and soon the City of Guardians echoed with applause and cheering. Michael, still bewildered, stared blankly at Surno.

Surno slipped his theater mask back on. Michael could have sworn he saw a tear roll down his cheek before the white facade blocked his view.

---

Michael inspected the rose closely. The petals seemed to glisten whenever light shone on it, as if dew hung off of each petal. Michael sat on the platform, ignoring the bustling activity happening all over the city. Tracy approached him, followed closely by Greg. "What do we do now?" Michael asked without looking away from the rose. he mocked.

Greg shrugged. "All we have now is the City of Guardians. Everyone is catching up on lost time, seeing old friends, and mourning. In a day or two we will begin repairing the damage here." He stared down at the rose in Michael's hand. "If I recall correctly, that rose is alive and well as long as it is safe. Those without the power to predict disasters relied upon the rose to hint off any upcoming tragedy."

"Enjoy it now, Michael. It's about to wither soon." Tracy and Greg exchanged glances.

"Why? What's wrong?" Michael questioned. Tracy sat down next to Michael. His eyes looked for anyone within earshot.

"This might be confusing, so stay with me," Tracy said softly. "As Greg said to me awhile back, Soul Angels are reborn in an allotted time frame from their death. It is usually, from what I've been told, a week and a half after." Michael's eyes brightened up. He still remained silent, patiently waiting for an appropriate time to ask his questions.

Greg snickered. "He doesn't interrupt me after every sentence like you did, Tracy,"

Tracy kicked him in the shin playfully. "In a few days, our fallen brethren will be back here with us. Although this is a bit of good news for us, the bad news always ensues." He sighed heavily. "It is totally different when a Heart Angel passes on. There are similarities, though. For instance, the Heart Angel will be reborn. The time frame is the same as a Soul Angel's. What they are reborn as is the difference." The trio fell silent for a few moments.

"Are they reborn as a Soul Angel?" Michael asked.

Greg turned to face him. "I'm afraid not. I believe it is best to end this conversation - we don't want to remind everyone who knows what's going to happen at this moment. They all deserve some time to relax." Tracy nodded. Greg walked away with Tracy following after. Michael put his questions to rest as he became engrossed in examining the rose.

Chapter 1: Renovations (Pt.2)

Michael approached the door leading out of the City of Guardians. He caught sight of Tracy chatting amiably with a female Heart Angel. The pair saw Michael - Tracy beckoned him over. Michael obliged, smiling as he drew near.

"Michael, I want you to meet my friend here. Her name is Sarah." She blushed. The girl had straight, blond hair that covered the small of her back. She was adorned with a dress straight out of the 1950's - a white and red polka dotted full shirt dress. She wore shoes from the present day; a pair of white, red bow-tied flats. She seemed to be around seventeen. "I'm going to have to ask you to spend a little time with her." Tracy chuckled.

Michael grinned sheepishly. "I was, uh, on my way to see Taylor," he said.

Sarah and Tracy exchanged glances. They burst out into laughter. "If you thought I was trying to 'hook you up,' as the teens say, you are mistaken. Sarah is an expert in the manipulation of energy - the energy that flows through every being of our kind. You will need to learn a few tricks from her when... or, rather, 'if' trouble comes." Sarah said.

"It won't take long hun," She giggled. "As long as you can keep up. Shall we?" She held her hand out to Michael, palm facing down. Michael seized her hand gently and brought it up to his lips, kissing her hand. Sarah laughed. "I was just going to lead the way, sweetie."

"Oh." Michael blushed. Tracy chuckled, then waved the two goodbye as he walked towards the inner confines of the city. Sarah took Michael's hand and began to walk away from the door. The two passed by the small, original buildings that inhabited the outer areas of the City of Guardians. They were small and gave a homely feeling. The pair broke free of the row of homes, stumbling onto an open space. No one was around and the area was massive.

"This should work well. Alright, hun. I want you to stand right here." She released her grip and took a spot a few yards away from Michael, facing him. "Okay darlin'; hit me."

Michael hesitated. "Wait, what? I thought you were going to teach me about... other stuff," he said.

Sarah smiled. "You're a bit slow, hun. Hit me!" Michael sighed. He curled his hand into a fist and spread his wings. Michael rushed forward, closing the distance, then lashed out with his fist.

Michael connected with the blow - but he didn't hit her. His fist glanced right off of the air around her. Michael took a few steps back, breathing heavily. "How...?"

"Simple, hun. The raw power in the very core of our beings is what protected me from your attack." She spun a strand of her on her finger. "All of us angels have this in common. We can all exploit the power - which I like to call 'honey'. The reason why I call it that, sweetie, isn't complex. If you can harvest it right, then the results are sweet. If you can't get past the queen and her bees, then you'll only end up hurting yourself." She giggled.

"I see," Michael muttered. "How long did it take to master your skills?"

"I would not call myself a master yet, darlin'. That's so cute - I thank you for the compliment." She curtsied. "I am but a simple instructor. My methods are, as the elder angels say, one of the best. It won't take long for one of your caliber to surpass me. Now... where to begin?" She closed her eyes and hummed. Michael waited patiently. A few minutes passed. She giggled and clapped to herself.

"Uh, Sarah? I don't want to rush you, but I really want to go see my friend. Will this take any longe-" Before he could finish his sentence, he felt a mighty blow hit the side of his face. He fell to the ground and wheezed.

"Here is lesson one, pumpkin. Attacks! The manipulation of your energy in its most simplest form. Of course, I will have to teach you how to control your honey first, right? Alright then - lesson zero!" Michael groaned. "Don't ache over my instructing, hun. I'm the best around!"

"That's what I'm afraid of," Michael mumbled. An invisible force picked him up off of the ground, suspending him in air momentarily before slamming him down.

"Lesson zero. Control." She knelt down next to him. "Tell me, pumpkin; what do you care most about?"

Michael blushed. "Who do I care most about? Well, uh, I, uhm," Sarah flicked him on the nose.

"I said 'what do you care most about,' sweetie. Don't tell me you've fallen for me!""Back to the question, though. What do you care most about? Strength, happiness, your well-being? The list is endless. The choice isn't, though." Michael sat up.

"Well, I am not sure at the moment. When I first became an angel, I couldn't think of anything more than life. All I wanted was to experience life once more, to live it and cherish every moment. When I realized I had some semblance of a destiny - to bring peace - I couldn't think of anything but helping. Helping others, or even just having the option to help others. But now, well... the choice is tough. I believe what I value most, right now at this very moment, is strength. I need strength to live. I need strength to help. Everything links back to how strong I am; how can I stop what's to come if I can't raise a fist to it? How can I stop what's to come if I can't stand up to it?" He sighed. "Strength. It all breaks down to that."

Sarah nodded slowly. "You should know, hun, that strength won't be enough to stop everything. Having faith in raw strength will wear out sometime. In time you will understand what you should care about the most, pumpkin." She placed her hand on his leg. "Now, answer me another question. Who do you care about the most? Yourself, a friend, me?" She giggled.

Michael laughed weakly. "That is a little personal. I'm not feeling up to answer that question." Sarah dug her nails into Michael's leg. He winced. "Alright, alright! To be completely honest, I am deeply devoted to a friend. I don't know what I'd do without her, really," Michael said nervously.

"That's so sweet," Sarah ran a hand through Michael's scruffy hair. "You value strength. You love your friend. Now tell me this; which one would you give up to keep the other?" Michael gulped.

"That... that is just nerve wracking," he hissed. "I'll need a few minutes to think on that." Sarah nodded. She kept playing with Michael's hair - Michael didn't seem to mind. He was lost in thought. The two sat there for awhile, neither of them speaking.

"You have lovely hair," Sarah whispered. Michael came back to reality and faced her.

"I would give up my strength, Sarah. I saw all consequences of that action, though. I would lose the strength to sustain my life. I would lose all of my power to protect and defend. I care that much for her. Do you get it? It means I would give up every fiber of my body for her. If she was gone - then I would be too. It is better that one is lost instead of both, right?" Sarah withdrew her hand from his head. They remained silent.

"B-beautiful," she whispered. "This other angel is truly blessed to have such a caring boyfriend." She smiled. Michael blushed.

"She's an angel, alright," he said weakly. "Can we skip the relationship updates and complete the lesson?"

Sarah began playing with Michael's hair again. "I just isolated what you focus on the most. I felt the traces of your emotions flare at every mention of your friend and your ambition. This is your drive; this feeling you exhaust at the mere thought of her name opens up your energy." She closed her eyes and pressed her hand against his forehead. "From what I can tell, you have already learned to harness your power. It was when you brought an end to Daniel's existence." She pressed against his forehead harder. "Your thoughts went out to your girl, didn't they? You probably didn't notice, but when you kept thinking about her, every blow you inflicted was even more powerful than the last. The barrage of punches that killed Daniel were enhanced by your energy. Make no mistake that Daniel was weakened at the time - but keep in mind that he was the most powerful of us all aside from Peter, hun."

"So I already completed the lesson?" Michael said. "Great, thanks! I'll be back tomorrow for the rest of the training, okay? Thanks oh so very much, Sarah - I owe you a ton! I'll be here early in the morning for some serious kick ass training. See ya tomorrow!" Before she could speak, Michael was already flying toward the doorway. She laughed quietly to herself and smiled.

"Don't worry, hun. Taylor will realize what she's missing out on soon enough," Sarah curtsied before him. She giggled. She opened her eyes and smiled at him.

Chapter 1: Renovations (Pt.3)

Michael dropped down to the ground beneath the doorway leading to the secret city. Its faint outline shimmered in the pale moonlight. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the rose granted unto him by Surno.

"Is that from your secret admirer?" A bleary voice said.

Michael spun around, pivoting on his heel. He locked his fists tight and crouched slightly. I know that voice! he thought to himself. "So Greg was right," he muttered under his breath.

A woman in a slim, black dress stepped out from behind the corner of a building. She wore onyx, six-inch heels and had her hair in a bun with strands loose. She smiled cynically. "Do you miss me, Michael?" Lily said coyly.

Michael eased up - just a little. "I didn't miss you, you bitch," he spat.

"Still a little touchy are we?" She walked with a slithering gait to Michael. She ran her hand down the side of his face. "Look, I'm sorry I got you to kill yourself, but it was either that or let Surno-" Michael stepped forward and hugged her tight.

"Thanks," he muttered. "Thank you for... everything," he whispered.

Lily returned the gesture. "You're pretty sadistic if you're thanking me for your death." Michael lifted his head to look at her.

"I have a semblance of a life now; I have a purpose! I have a way to do good instead of burdening others with my emotionless facade. I have a way to, well, show Taylor how much I love her." He pressed his head against her. "I'm supposed to hate you. You led so many to their deaths. You brought so many who didn't deserve it to this damned existence."

"Someone had to do it," she said. "Without them, how could humanity survive when its writers of fate where in constant turmoil? How could the small band of Soul Angels keep the race alive? We needed more of us. Peter chose the ones he knew would bring us to peace." She held him closer. A tear escaped her as her voice grew hoarse. "I didn't want to do it, Michael. Any Soul Angel you see today, aside from Surno and I, didn't deserve it. They should have lived a full life. I didn't want to do it." Lily held him closer.

Michael glanced down at the rose still in his hand. He broke away from Lily gently, then held her hand. "If it means anything, I want you to know that you didn't deserve your death either. I don't care what you did in your life; I just know that you didn't deserve it." He placed the rose in her hand.

Lily grasped it carefully. She leaned forward and planted a kiss on Michael's forehead. "Thank you," she breathed.

Michael blushed. "Did killing Daniel make me more attractive, or something? Every girl has been smooching and fondling me," he complained. "Not that I, uhm, dislike it or anything." He laughed. "Are you going back to the City?"

Lily laughed with him. "I think I'll go find the other Soul Angels who died in the battle. Say, where is Peter?" Michael coughed. His gaze dropped to the ground.

"Somewhere. I hope you don't mind Lily, but I want to see if the girl magnet I got from killing Daniel works on others." He chuckled weakly. Lily nodded understandingly, then winked at him.

"Say hi to Taylor for me," she ordered as she kissed him on the forehead again. Michael grumbled, wiping his forehead. He jumped into the sky and shot off into the distance with his wings flapping. A lonely Soul Angel watched him disappear into the horizon with a smile on her face.

---

He smashed his head against the wall. He brought it back with black blood dripping from the wound, then proceeded to ram his fists into the barrier. His hands did nothing to the wall, though they were dripping with his blood as he drew them away. He fell onto the cold ground as he lost his balance - his left eye twitched.

"H-how could they?" his words rang hollow in his small room. "Th-they were friends t-too! They k-killed Leon and Thomas and Bart and... yeah..."

The Soul Angel stood up and yelled at the top of his lungs. "You murdered your friends! You hurt them!" His voice echoed in the chamber. "Come out you bastards, face your friends and realize what you've done!" He fell on his bottom again. The Soul Angel scrambled on the ground, crawling to the nearest corner and cowering over himself.

"Aaron and Tristan and Logan did it," he mumbled. "So did Ezekiel. They hurt their friends." He lifted his head and blinked profusely. A realization had dawned within him. He saw the blood running down his hand and glanced at the wall briefly.

He leaped to it and dipped a finger in his blood, then wrote a letter on the wall. He smiled and laughed to himself. "I know why they did it. They are trying to send m-me a message, right? Yes! I kn-knew it! So that's B for Bart, A for Aaron, T for Thomas and..." He wrote the word BATTLE on the wall. Before the word he kept the extra 'L'. He stepped back for a moment and thought over the recent events.

"I'll f-find out why they did it. I'll do it! I can do it. Can I do it? Yes!" Ryan slammed his hand into the wall and brought forth more blood. He dipped a finger into the small puddle in his palm and wrote on the wall, mumbling to himself all the while with his broken mind.

Chapter 1: Renovations (Pt.4)

They had brought this upon him.

The black winged angels had destroyed him. He felt a deep burning where his heart had been. Of course, he had lost it hundreds of years ago. A brief memory of him walking hand in hand with one of the black winged angels flashed in his mind. A name struck out to him: Peter. With thoughts scattered, the broken being opened his eyes from the darkness.

His vision was blurry. In fact, everything he saw had a soft glow to it. He stood and sat straight up, opposite a river. His gaze wandered into the reflective surface of the water - when it did, he stood up, shocked.

Another name flashed before his mind: Daniel. The name called out to him, as if it belonged to his being. It was most likely his. Daniel stared down at his hideous appearance, and silently winced. He stared at dark, maroon eyes that gleamed with power. The dim moonlight revealed him further. He had no skin; instead, a dark purplish substance floated eerily off of his body in splotches. He swung his arm forward and the substance flew off, splattering the water like an ink blot. It dissolved into the air. His entire being consisted of this energy.

Daniel felt it brimming within him. What purpose could he possibly have, if he were a monster? Memories began to flood into his mind. Memories of pain and sorrow blinded him. They provoked what traces of emotions he had, filling his thoughts with revenge. A false sense of justice was born in him - a justice that called out to kill. Names came in droves: Michael, Tracy, Sarah, Greg, Surno. He fell to his knees and tried to scream out in anguish to stop the pain. No sound echoed from him. Daniel stared into the water again and saw that his face was featureless save his eyes.

His body was pure energy. He still retained wings, however, upon further inspection. They were morphed into bat wings though, and still held the eerie incandescent glow of the energy that made him. They made me this. They brought this upon me he thought. A seething hatred brewed in him. His maroon eyes flared up and steam hissed out of the corners of his eyes, disappearing in the night air. His message and mission was clear to him, now. Revenge.

---

Taylor rolled over in her bed. She buried her face into a pillow and groaned. Slumber was difficult to obtain tonight. She sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes, sighing. A gentle tapping came from her window and she squeaked abruptly, bringing her blanket around herself.

"Mind if I come in?" A soft voice asked.

Taylor smiled. "You don't have to knock, Michael." His ghastly figure phased through Taylor's bedroom wall, stopping before her. His outline was aglow in the moonlight that crept in through the window.

"Sorry. You might have been changing, or on the phone, or like, changing, or..." Taylor giggled. Michael smiled sheepishly.

"It's almost one in the morning, Michael." She laid back down in her bed and watched him at an angle.

Michael sat on her bed. "I apologize for waking you then. Since you're awake, and I'm awake, we could, uh, have a chat?" Taylor yawned.

"Who says 'have a chat' anymore?" She sat up wearily. "Because you asked so nicely, I guess we could talk for awhile." Michael smiled giddily.

"Oh joy!" he said happily. "Perhaps we could talk about your day, then?" Taylor yawned and closed her eyes.

"We always talk about my day," she said sleepily. "How was your day?" Michael scratched his head.

He laughed weakly. "To be honest, I didn't think my day was that eventful, actually. Where can I start? Well, Surno gave me a rose." He paused and thought over the rest of the events.

Taylor giggled. "Isn't Surno a guy?"

"What? Oh! Not like that! I mean, he's a good friend, and he's a, uhm," Taylor laughed at his babbling. He took a deep breath. "Anyway, I was stopped by Tracy before I could leave the city. He then introduced me to a lady named Sarah. I spent a good amount of time with her." Taylor stifled a laugh, but couldn't help but smile. Michael saw the look on her face then yelped. "No no! Not like that! Jeez, you make my day sound so... perverted."

Taylor shrugged. "Not my fault that you keep walking into it," she said.

Michael sighed. "I'll keep going. When I left the city, I ran into a familiar lady - Lily. I think you've seen her before; she was the therapist. Uh, Miss Lim. Does that ring a bell? I gave her the rose from Surno, then rushed over to meet you. That was my day." Taylor opened her droopy eyes.

"Miss Lim? I saw her after your accident. Wait, how could that be? I couldn't see any angels until Peter died," she said curiously.

Michael hummed. "Hmm. Is it possible that Lily has those kind of powers? I know for a fact that she is allowed to persuade humans to their deaths to become an angel. But those are for the humans chosen by Peter. Unless," he trailed off. Michael faced her with sad eyes. "Unless you were one of the humans Peter wanted to become a Soul Angel."

Taylor and Michael stared at each other for awhile. After the minutes had passed, Taylor broke her silent gaze first. "I... I'm getting tired." She laid back down and rested her head against her pillow. Michael stood up and stared out of the window.

"I'm getting tired too," he mumbled to himself. Michael stole a glance at Taylor - she had fallen asleep. Her breathing was slow and peaceful. "I'm getting tired of this shit." He sighed heavily.

Chapter 1: Renovations (Pt.5)

A group of Soul Angels stood atop an old office building. Most of them sat and talked quietly, gathering their wits about them and reviewing on the most recent events. These Soul Angels were summoned by Lily and a few volunteers. They were the ones slain in the battle at the City of Guardians.

Lily stepped onto a generator affixed to the roof. "Everyone! It is about dawn. We shall wait here until the next opening our beloved city presents to us. Our friends are already fixing up the place. Now, if I could just have your attention for a little bit longer, then I can inform you that..." Her voice trailed off. The entire audience fell silent. Some stood up, and others took the initiative to arm themselves. Nothing but the wind could be heard.

A few blocks away from them an explosion erupted. The angels all turned in unison to witness a strange, purple energy being sent off in all directions. It evaporated after it crossed a few feet. "What the fuck was that!?" an angel said with a panicky voice. To their right, a bit farther out, another explosion erupted.

The same instance began to multiply. All over the city these explosions went off, growing louder and stronger with each passing one. The Soul Angels covered their ears. Lily, however, stood silently and counted each thunderous boom. "Shit! Shit!" another angel mumbled. "Is this a missile assault from a foreign country?"

Lily chuckled nervously. "Far worse. I've only been told of this happening once - and not in this large of a number."

The chain of explosions ceased. Lily took in account of the city. A faint, dark purple mist started to float into the air. Lights began to turn on in most of the buildings and houses. Some humans walked out of their doors to examine the commotion. "They heard that too?" a female angel said, concerned. "Is this something we should be worried about?"

Lily hung her head. "It can't be happening - and there's fifty-three of them!" She took a deep breath, then lifted her head. "Everyone, stay calm. This is something we cannot control. We need... We need a hero." She stared up into the morning sun.

"I hope to hell that hero appears soon."

---

Taylor rolled over in bed, screaming. Loud sounds echoed throughout her entire household. She gripped a pillow, clutching it to her shaking body. Michael, still at the window, covered his ears and shut his eyes to the noise. "Dear Lord! What's happening?" he said through clenched teeth.

Taylor yelped as the explosions began to increase in pace. "I don't know! I thought the big bad angel would know! Oh my God, does anyone know!" She whimpered helplessly. Michael groaned.

"Stay calm," he commanded. "I'm pretty sure that whatever it is, we should be completely safe." The loud sounds came to an end, and a crippling silence ensued. Michael eased up, and Taylor released her pillow. She laughed weakly, then smiled at Michael.

"It could have been fireworks-" she paused mid-sentence. Taylor let out a bloodcurdling scream as a dark, purple massed being phased through the window and tackled Michael. The two were sent hurtling out of the house from the force of the blow, passing through five rooms on their way out.

The pair rolled out onto the street. Michael clenched his fists and struck his assailant, sending him flying. The angel jumped to his feet and stood before the mysterious enemy. The being was made of some semi-solid energy that floated off in globules. It glided across the street towards him, fluid and deadly. Michael crossed his arms before him to block an attack. The attacker practically melted into the ground.

Surprised, Michael let down his guard. The second he did so, the mass of energy that made up his foe popped up before him. The being struck him with his own fist, spewing forth blood from Michael's injured face. The angel dropped to one knee, then recalled his lesson with Sarah.

"Your thoughts went out to your girl, didn't they? You probably didn't notice, but when you kept thinking about her, every blow you inflicted was even more powerful than the last."

A brief image of Taylor smiling at him when they were in the meadow flashed before his eyes. Michael jumped up with astounding force, attacking with a vicious uppercut. The presence of his power enforced his blow, sending his enemy hurtling up into the sky. The being dissipated into a purple mist. "Yeah! Take that, your bastard!" Michael shouted. He spoke too soon. The being rematerialized then dropped on top of Michael, knocking the wind out of him.

The being croaked - a sound similar to laughing - at Michael. Before retaliating, Michael took a closer look at his enemy. It had yellow eyes, a deep contrast to its purple body. It had bat wings. The remnants of clothes hung from its core loosely. It even had hair. Most unique of all, it had claws instead of fingers. Michael hesitated, too busy admiring their differences, allowing his foe to cut him up.

The being swiped in rapid succession with its claws, digging deep into Michael's flesh. Each wound brought forth black blood that spewed over the angel's clothes. Michael reached out to choke his enemy but soon succumbed to his injuries. He struggled to keep consciousness under the relentless barrage of blows. Michael dropped his head facing Taylor's home. His body began to numb under the loss of blood. In the corner of his eye he saw Taylor and her father open their front door. The brunette haired girl let loose another scream. Being a protective dad, her father held her close. He stared straight at Michael. "Michael? Is that you, Michael?" Mr. Robins called out. The strange mist must have given him sight to see Michael.

"Yeah," he croaked. "It's... me." Michael closed his eyes. His enemy disappeared into the purple mist that hung in the air, satisfied with hurting him. Taylor and her father rushed over to the injured angel.

"Michael!? What's happened to you? How did you end up this way?" Mr. Robins questioned. "Michael?" he said as he gently shook the wounded angel. Taylor burst into tears, sobbing loudly.

"I died, Mr. Robins," Michael said weakly. He opened his eyes and laughed. "It's funny, though. Why? I'm about to die again." He laughed until he lost consciousness.

Taylor laid her hand on Michael's chest. In her other hand she took his. "M-Michael? We need you. Daddy! We need him so badly right now. We need you, Michael." She sobbed. "I need you, Michael. Are you there?" Mr. Robins held his daughter in his arms, patting her head softly.

Chapter 2: Disappointment

"Ryan? Are you there, dude?" A long, shaggy haired Soul Angel knocked on the isolated building where Ryan resided. He wore a one piece black robe with a V-neck collar. Sandals sat under his feet. "I'm just checking if you're okay, man. You're okay, right? I'm sorry I forgot to check on ya yesterday." His name was Justin. He opened the door slowly.

"Dude." Ryan lay in a fetal position in the center of his room. The wall opposite the doorway was posted with black blood. Ryan shook violently. Justin knelt down beside him, shaking him gently. "Why did you do this? You're gonna kill yourself, man!" Justin stared at the wall again.

There were scribbles scattered all over the wall. However, in the center of the wall, read two phrases, with one crossed out.

'MICHAEL'S FINAL BATTLE'

'ONE DAY LEFT'

Ryan grabbed Justin's arm. "Michael... Michael! You, you were supposed to be here yesterday. R-right? What's... what's wrong with you! Michael is gone now..."

Justin gulped. "Greg's gonna flip when he knows about this. Come on, let's go tell him." Justin flung Ryan's arm over the back of his neck, then helped him up. The two walked towards the center of the City of Guardians.

Chapter 2: Disappointment (Pt.2)

The streets of the city were crowded. It was not your normal daily commute; there was a crisis going down. Families and friends alike huddled close together under the purple mist with cell phones glued to the side of their heads, talking wildly. Calls were sent out to the authorities and to the local news station. Uniformed policemen gathered the citizens into tight knit groups near homes where generous men and women handed out snacks and blankets. Reporters with cameramen following them strolled down the packed sidewalks, interviewing any person who looked like they knew something.

Lily and the forsaken group of Soul Angels hid on the rooftops. The energy in the air made them tangible; they could feel, and smell once again. An angel brimming with excitement licked a discarded can on one of the rooftops to test her newly acquired senses. She quickly tossed the dirty aluminum container away, twisting her face in disgust. The others followed suit, touching anything around them and inhaling faint scents. Lily sat by herself on a different building with her head buried in her hands. She peered over the edge of the rooftop. A little girl with black hair in pig tails looked up at her. A small teddy bear with a bow was pressed tight in her hands. The small girl waved at Lily. The angel couldn't help but smile.

"I'd hate to see her become one of us," she muttered bleakly to herself. "We're going to have to reveal ourselves to them sooner or later, though." A sigh escaped her lips. Lily waved back. The little girl smiled.

An outburst of noise came from one of the supervised groups. Lily examined the scene, and noticed a pair of black wings. A bloodied boy was being carried by a man, and beside the two walked a familiar brown haired girl. Taylor and her father looked like they were calling out for help. Michael lay limp in the man's arms. A policeman was blocking their way to the 'safe zone' that was being set up. There was a white tent with a red plus sign painted on the side of it. Taylor and her father were headed there.

Lily took flight. The rushing of wind beneath her wings brought attention to her. People shrieked in fear for the unknown being descending into the street. Two policemen rushed her with batons - they whacked away wildly, making not a single scratch or bruise on Lily. She pushed them down easily. "Hold on a moment, please!" she shouted. Everyone fell silent.

"Kill that thing!" A crotchety old man shouted from the crowd. The group began to murmur. Lily laughed.

"I'm the one of the only things that can help you right now. Listen up!" They fell silent again. "Let those two into this little outpost. The boy they're holding is an angel - and so am I. There are others like us, so don't fear; we're here to help you. We've always helped you." Lily walked casually to Taylor. The policeman who confronted them stepped away reluctantly.

"Miss Lim," Taylor whispered.

"The name is Lily." The angel brushed her hand against Michael's face. It was deathly cold. Mr. Robins laid him out on the ground so that Lily could observe him better. The news reporters inched in closely, talking softly into the cameras that were recording the incident. Lily gently removed strands of his sweater and t-shirt from his cuts. The wounds were deep; black blood oozed out of them with every little touch. Lily worked carefully, slightly wincing as she pulled out strips of cloth. She could feel the pain somewhat, or at least imagined how much agony it would cause. Taylor buried her head in her father's chest to restrain her sobs.

For what seemed like an hour, the entire ensemble was deathly silent. Even the reporters had stopped whispering about the event. The other Soul Angels had joined them, watching from a distance and setting a protective perimeter around the human groups. Three Syphies buzzed around Michael. A nurse handed Lily a bucket of water and a washcloth. Lily dunked the cloth in the water and squeezed it a little, draining some water out. She pressed it on Michael's forehead.

"I dun wanna angel to die," a little boy said. His mother hugged him. "Angel helps us. He on the cwismus twee too! Angel no die. Right mum?" The boy stared with sparkling eyes at his mother.

She choked up. "He won't die, Tommy. I promise."

The answer wasn't good enough. "Whut if he does die, mum? Does he go to heaben like us? Angels is in heaben, mum. Where does he go?" His mother couldn't answer. Silence found its place amongst the gathering once more. Only the sound of the incessant buzzing produced by the Syphies could be heard.

The Syphies departed from Michael's body. They floated to Lily and squeaked in alternating tones. Lily nodded at certain points in the conversation.

Taylor pulled her head away from her father. "What are they saying? Is he going to be alright!?" Her voice was panicky. She had never felt such fear before - for herself and Michael. Lily cleared her throat. She opened her mouth to speak, but was speechless.

"Well?" Taylor prodded.

"I dun wanna angel to die, mum!" "Is that boy alright?" "I think it's over. Game over man!" "There's no way we're going to survive with these things if they can't even take care of themselves." "Who is that kid?" The crowd was bustling with anxiety. Lily cleared her throat once more, and the gathering quieted.

She shook her head grimly.

Interlude

Consciousness had graced Michael with its presence. He awoke to find himself in a familiar place. The grass bent underneath his weight as he sat up slowly. The angel brushed his hand on the grass. Michael was in the meadow. The sky above him was devoid of the eerie purple mist. He lay back down and took a deep breath.

Memories of what had happened before his blackout seeped into his mind. A sigh escaped his lips. "I guess this is the end. The real end."

He heard grass crunch under heavy footfalls. "No. It is not. Arise, Peacemaker. Fulfill your destiny."

Michael stood up as quickly as he could, recognizing the friendly voice. It had a hint of mischief in its tone that mingled with authority. Michael was speechless as he examined the man before him.

Peter chuckled. "Welcome, Michael. This is not the place for you. You must go back immediately." Peter marched up to him and set his hand on his shoulder. "How did you get here?" He pinched his cheek, then touched his hand.

"I remember being killed, Peter. Is this where we go when we die?" Peter mumbled something to himself. "What was that?" Michael asked.

Peter stepped back and sighed. "You are not dead, Michael. Well, not in the way that I am." He chuckled again. "You are stronger than I thought. Whoever attacked you did a great deal of damage - but not enough. You are still hanging by a thread! We have to get you back there, now. If all went as I predicted, then the city is in turmoil right now."

Michael tensed. "You knew something like this would happen? Why didn't you tell anyone!?" Peter sighed.

"This is no time for questions, child. Keep your wits about you now and do not lose your temper. Now tell me what attacked you."

Michael calmed down. "A being made of dark purple energy hurt me." Peter nodded.

"That thing that assaulted you was a reborn Heart Angel, Michael. In that form, Daniel and I labeled them as Markers. When the first Heart Angel was slain by accident, he came back to us as one of those beings you described." Peter shut his eyes tight, struggling to bring back memories. "The first Marker gave us a message. He told us this:

'A time will come when humanity will end and the angels will be destroyed. A single word will echo throughout the desolate world left behind: Marker.

This is their time, Michael. That is why I am sending you back. Away with you!" Peter slapped Michael across the face.

Nothing happened, and Michael winced. "What was that for!?" Peter whispered quietly to himself.

"Oh, my apologies! Wrong hand." He slapped Michael with the opposite hand. Michael wavered - his vision began to darken. "Marker! Stop the Markers! You're our only hope!" Michael fell unconscious as he struck the ground.

Chapter 3: Rejuvenated

Eyes full of both fear and awe stared up at the purple mist. A loud, rumbling sound started to increase in volume. A bloodcurdling roar split the ears of many as it echoed from above. The purple mist brightened for a brief moment before streams of energy blasted down into the city. Explosions erupted all across the sky.

One beam of energy shot into the middle of the group near Michael's body. Dust and debris shot up as the impact shattered the street. Men and women threw out their hands to protect themselves and their children. The energy dissipated into the air - in the middle of the crater caused by the crash was a bat winged, dark purple being with yellow eyes. It emanated a hissing sound, then pointed to Lily.

The Syphies buzzing around panicked and began to chirp. Lily immediately flung herself at the monster, bringing it down to the ground. She stomped on its head, piercing through the semi-solid substance it was made of. The creature immediately melted into the street then morphed into its regular form behind her.

"Soul Angels!" Lily shouted as she dodged vicious swipes from her attacker. "Protect the humans!" A cheer rose up from the angels. They drew whatever weapons they had and took to the skies.

It was a miraculous sight. The angels bunched together in one single spot - after a few seconds, they plummeted down at breakneck speed. The angels split as soon as they were thirty feet from the ground, spreading out to take out the numerous enemies. Purple figures jumped to meet the black winged angels, ready to spill blood. Policemen corralled the humans into a nearby warehouse. They barricaded the doors except one. A man in uniform beckoned to one remaining girl. "Get inside before those things get ya!"

Taylor twisted her head to meet the man's call. "No." She stooped down and picked up Michael's limp body. Taylor proceeded to run down the street towards a building in the shape of a cross.

Lily fell down with the purple beast on top of her. They landed on the rough sidewalk near the Compass building. The monster cut into Lily's arm while she was down. Taylor stopped, hesitant of what to do. "Just get him inside!" Lily commanded. Taylor obliged, then rushed past the bloody brawl. Once inside the building, the girl ran straight to the center of the building and laid down Michael's limp body before the grandfather clock.

The ancient clock rung with a booming, hollow sound. It took a minute before it struck again. The brass pendulum inside its glass case swung slowly. Taylor saw Peter's ghastly form in the reflection of the glass briefly. Peter was smiling.

Michael sat up with beads of sweat rolling down the side of his face. Taylor knelt down and hugged him closely, giggling with pleasure. "It worked! I can't believe it worked!"

"I'm glad it did," he replied. "I'm really glad it did."

---

Four Soul Angels were in a small office room.

Greg slammed his fist on a table set before him. Papers were scattered on the desk which jumped slightly as his hand struck. "Your incompetence has caused too many a blunder, Justin! This is the last straw!" he breathed heavily.

Justin's face was wrinkled in fear like a school boy who's being reprimanded by his mother. "I'm sorry!" his voice was a drawn out whine.

Tracy laughed. "Do you want some cheese with your whine?" Greg shot him a stern look. He quieted instantly.

Greg pinched the bridge of his nose then sighed. "Bring Ryan back to his room. Tie him up this time; I'm very reluctant to treat my friend like this, but the time calls for it. If he is hurting himself, then I'm in pain as well. Get out of my sight, Justin. I don't want to see you back here on bad terms."

The Soul Angel nodded with relief crossing his face. Justin helped Ryan walk out of the room. "M-Michael... I can feel something about h-him now," he mumbled to himself.

Tracy shut the office door behind them as they left. He leaned against it. "They're already here, Greg."

"I know," Greg said with a heavy heart. "We're stuck in this place until the next moonlit night. I can't imagine what's going on out there."

Tracy smiled. "Michael left just before the door to our city closed. We also have the Soul Angels who were killed."

Greg's eyes lit up. "When a Soul Angel dies, the essence of their soul is carried with the wind. If we were lucky, then every one of those angels' essence was blown out onto Earth when the City of Guardians shook from the battle." He rubbed his hands together. "We have a chance now. Those angels were the elite - even the traitors. There's no more sides now, except for Humans and Markers. We've got to prepare for war, Tracy."

Tracy nodded in acknowledgment. "Doing so won't take long, Greg. Armor and weapons can be ready in an instant. As for morale? I hope you can still give a good speech, Greggie." Tracy opened the door he was leaning on and left the office.

Chapter 3: Rejuvenated (Pt.2)

Taylor buried her face in Michael's luscious wings, memorizing the amazing pleasure she felt knowing he was okay. There really was no other reason for her to feel this way - in reality, she was just glad that someone was there to take a shot for her. I'm safe now, she thought to herself. I'm safe with him around. But why did I feel so empty without him?

Michael fidgeted in her grasp. She looked at his face. Michael wore an expression of fear mingled with exhaustion. He was sweating profusely. "If there is a God, then he would have let me die. Instead, I have to face this hell on earth," he mumbled to himself. Taylor's eyes widened with horror.

"Don't say that!" she whined. Taylor bent down and kissed him on the cheek, realizing that her protection was breaking. She held the gesture longer than she meant to, drawing back after about thirty seconds. I... I have to make him strong again. Even if it means pretending to like him. But why couldn't I pull myself away from him? She sighed as the thoughts fogged her mind. "Michael," she whispered into his ear.

He faced her, the expression of fear changed into a mild shock from the kiss. "Y-yes?" he asked weakly.

"I love you," she said. Taylor held back the urge to throw up and choked back tears. She looked away from him. It hurts to lie, she thought to herself. "Save me," Taylor whispered.

Michael closed his eyes. He breathed deeply. "I heard the lie in your voice, Tay. I'll save you nonetheless." Michael stood up and flexed his wings.

Taylor buried her face in her hands, mumbling her apologies. "I'm so so sorry, Michael. I just wanted someone to protect me so much, I'm so sorry, I'm so, so so, sorry," she kept babbling.

Michael walked out of the Compass building without another word. The grandfather clock rang loudly once more. Taylor's self control fell away, and a tear rolled down her cheek.

---

Michael caught sight of Lily. A Marker was just about to cut three elongated claws across her throat. He burst out into a mad dash and tackled the Marker, rolling into a bloody brawl out on the street. Lily recovered slightly, holding a bleeding wound at her side. "Michael?" she said weakly. "Is that really you?" There was both belief and disbelief riddled in her voice.

Michael held the Marker by his throat, harnessing his energy to seize his enemy from melting away. Lily took the opportunity to help - she summoned from her own energy a tendril sharp as a blade and cut the Marker up to pieces. The creature moaned in agony as its remains evaporated into the sky above. Lily limped over to Michael. "Michael?" she said, concern in her tone. Lily reached out a tentative hand to him.

Michael turned away, then shot off into the sky. Silent and sullen, he picked out his next target. A Marker stood over a little girl holding a small object in her tiny arms. He dropped down like a boulder, ripping away the Marker before it could hurt the human. The small child fled to safety while Michael ripped the Marker to shreds using his power.

Rage was building up inside of him. The invisible energy shared amongst all angels seemed to be endless within his being. Even more purple beings were born from the sky, descending to the area where Michael stood. He was in the middle of a street beside a warehouse, bustling with humans. They watched in both shock and awe as more of the hostile creatures swarmed Michael. The angel hung his head laughing maniacally.

"I heard the lie in your voice," he said heavily. A few Markers lunged at him - he reacted to each one by tearing them to pieces. He moved groggily, drunk with power and passion. His movements were unsteady and very unlike him. Michael held a deathly look in his eyes as he staggered towards another Marker. "I heard the lie in your voice," he repeated. Again, he tore another Marker up.

Some of the Markers fled back up into the sky. Michael laughed as he saw a Marker fall on itself trying to escape him. "I heard the lie in your voice. You're all sinners," he added as he caught a Marker by the leg before proceeding to destroy it. "You deserve to die. I heard the lie in your voice." In truth, he was not talking about Taylor. He could never be so malicious against her.

The last of the Markers fled from him. Three still stayed - the deadliest of them all. One was larger than a building. A second twitched every second or so, as if its speed was not under control. The last stood with a silent air about it, glaring at Michael with yellow eyes.

"I'll save you nonetheless," Michael whispered to himself. I lied to her about that. I'm a sinner. I deserve to die. I can't save her if I can't even save myself.

Michael threw himself at the Markers, already prepared to die.

Chapter 3: Rejuvenated (Pt.3)

"Damn it!" Lily spat. She was in shock at the last three Markers. "They shouldn't be this powerful. Heather!" Lily turned around and glanced at the battered group of Soul Angels. They had regrouped once Michael had taken out most of the Markers that had attacked. From a quick look, Lily noticed that three or four angels were missing.

"Yes, chief?" Heather, a small and shy preteen girl, replied. Her wings tightened as she felt the attention of others gaze upon her.

"Could there be anything affecting the growth and power of those three Markers?"

Heather walked to her side and peered over at the enhanced Markers. She mumbled to herself quietly. "There's either a lead Marker, one who has an impressive amount of energy, who can spread his power around, or they're feeding off of Michael's own energy. A third possibility - the most likely - is that the defeated Markers did not actually disappear. They all joined together into those three dangerous monsters." Heather coughed weakly as if to clear her throat.

Lily sighed. She held the wound at her side still, waiting her turn for the Syphies' treatment who were busy at work on another injured Soul Angel. "Is anyone fit for a second round of combat?" she asked. Her eyes weren't filled with expectation as she stared at the others.

For a few minutes, no one moved. Only the buzz of the Syphies echoed betwixt them. An angel stepped up to Lily with a determined look on his face. "I'll go," he said quietly. His right wing was cut in half. Blood still dripped from the wound. His face was scratched and bruised. The clothes on his frail body were torn in some places. He had spiky brown hair that formed into a fauxhawk.

Lily frowned. "You don't look fit for combat," she said. "What's your name?" Lily asked.

The angel's eyebrows perked up. "Andrew, ma'am," he answered proudly.

"Andrew," Lily repeated to remember the name. "Andrew. Promise me that you'll come back," she commanded. Andrew nodded his head then jumped from the rooftop, spreading his wings as he fell. His figure became only a speck as he flew to Michael. Lily brought a hand to her face to hide a tear.

Heater coughed meekly. "Uhm, Miss? Why are you crying?" she asked.

Lily inhaled deeply. She shuddered. "I made him kill himself to become one of us." Her voice was but a whisper.

"Miss," Heather replied lightly. "You told me to kill myself too, remember? It's not that big of a deal." Lily's eyes widened with shock. "You had to do what you had to do, right?" Heather's meek voice quieted.

Lily turned away from her, staring down at the final fight. I'm just as bad as those Markers, she thought grimly.

---

Michael threw himself at the Markers, already prepared to die.

"Michael!" cried a voice from above. Michael turned to look, snapping out of his suicidal trance. An angel with spiky hair was flying towards him. "Think fast!" the angel yelled as he flung a sword at Michael.

Michael caught the weapon deftly, swinging it a few times to gain a feel for it. The angel dropped down next to him. "What's your name?" Michael asked, never once letting the Markers out of his sight.

"Andrew," the angel replied. A spear materialized in his hands as he stepped into a battle stance. "So, which one do ya want?"

Michael laughed. Determination started to fill within him - there was hope. "I'll take the big one." The 'normal' Marker of the trio laughed throatily, then disappeared. Michael released a sigh of relief. "I guess that evens out the odds, huh?"

The largest Marker stamped its feet and screamed loudly. "What's wrong, ya Big Baby?" Andrew mocked. "Feeling scared?" Michael leaped into the sky, hurtling towards the 'Big Baby.' He landed on the top of the Marker's head, thrusting his sword over and over into it. Big Baby let loose a cry and stumbled about, losing its balance. It fell down into the middle of the street, sending rocks and rubble across the area.

Andrew held his ground, eyes darting everywhere. The air around him was buzzing as the speedy Marker raced around him, waiting for an opening. It broke from its run and lunged out at Andrew - the angel stepped out of the way of its clawed reach then stabbed out with his spear, catching the Marker in its arm. It shrieked then returned to its run, increasing in speed.

Michael flew back up to the sky as Big Baby rumbled. The huge monster propped itself up on one elbow, swiping its other arm at Michael. He dodged the massive limb then sliced as the arm passed. "Andrew!" Michael called out to his ally. "Take to the sky for now!"

Andrew dodged another attack, then obeyed. He flew up next to Michael, breathing heavily. "What's the plan?"

Michael observed the two Markers for a few seconds. A smile formed on his face. "Think you can outrun the one you're fighting right now?"

---

Surno stood before the closed doorway of the City of Guardians. Every Heart Angel and Soul Angel within their safe haven was armed to the teeth. Everyone was silent as Greg walked up to Surno with a scowl on his face.

"I don't want to have to rebuild a new City, Surno," Greg whined. "Try not to create too much damage." Surno stared at him for a second, then nodded.

Surno raised a hand to the crowd. Three Soul Angels, holding glowing cubes with strange markings on them, ran up to him at his command. They placed these objects near the doorway and stepped back cautiously. Surno clenched his fist - a mystical, blue fire burned from his hand.

He turned his head to the side slightly. "Give them hell," he ordered. He cocked his arm back then threw the fire at the doorway.

Chapter 3: Rejuvenated (Pt.4)

Andrew burst into a sprint, rushing down the broken street. He ran as fast as he could - the speedy Marker was on his tail. Andrew passed under Big Baby, drawing its attention. The bigger Marker lifted its fist and brought it down, missing Andrew barely. Instead, the blow caused debris to fly up and hit the speedy Marker.

Michael appeared just as the Marker sprawled onto the ground. "Now!" he screamed at Andrew. The Soul Angel nodded; he knelt down then closed his eyes. The air around him crackled, then a huge barbed javelin appeared in his hands. He struggled under its weight.

Michael flew down and grappled the smaller Marker, holding it in his arms. He then positioned himself in front of the bigger one, dashing to the left and to the right to avoid its swings. Michael called out to Andrew again. "Do it! Now!" Andrew hesitated. The Marker in Michael's arms squirmed.

"Damnit," Michael's voice was straining."This is the only way! Do it now!" Andrew inhaled deeply, then flung the javelin with all his might. The wind whistled as it flew, true as an arrow, aimed at Michael. Andrew flipped himself over as his hold on the projectile was lost. He only caught a glimpse of the destruction he had caused; the javelin pierced through both Michael and the Markers.

Michael couldn't scream as the javelin tore a hole through his midsection. The Marker in his arms immediately disappeared from the enormous amount of pain. Michael's body flew with the javelin as it burst through the larger Marker's body. Michael kept going, limp from exhaustion, and watched as the purple remains of the Marker deteriorated.

The javelin exploded into a shower of splinters and metal high in the sky. Andrew, who sat on the ground breathing heavily, traced the explosion with his eyes for a sign of Michael. He couldn't find him; it was either too dark, or - he wish that this thought hadn't crossed his mind - Michael was gone.

---

Another explosion thundered in the sky. A hole was torn open in the blanket of black laced with stars. Surno stood at the edge, backed up by hundreds of Soul and Heart Angels. They flooded out into the city, spreading out into the designated areas they were assigned. Humans came out of hiding, aware that the danger was over. Had they won? No one knew. Surno descended onto a street below, finding a Soul Angel with a fauxhawk.

He offered him a hand. "You?" It was a question for his name.

The Soul Angel hesitated. "Andrew." He grabbed Surno's hand and got up to his feet.

Surno waved a hand at the wreckage of the city. "What?"

Andrew thought over his gesture for a moment, then realized what it was asking. "Markers started to appear from the sky. The purple mist hanging over the city caused it." He lowered his head for a moment. "I have a question for you, now, if you don't mind."

Surno nodded.

Andrew stared at him silently. He then grabbed him by his shirt collar and lifted him off the ground, an expression of fury crossing his face. "Why didn't you get here earlier!? Where the hell were you guys? If you had just acted a bit quicker, he'd be here right now!" Andrew tightened his grip. "Shit... Answer me!" he demanded.

Surno twisted Andrew's wrist, forcing the angel to release him. He brushed off his arms, then straightened his mask. "Sorry," he simply said. "Who?"

Andrew still breathed heavily. "Who? Michael, that's who. Michael. Yeah! He's fuckin' dead. Again. He wanted it this way - he told me that this was the only way. Yeah." Sarcasm and anger were mixed in his voice. He pointed at Surno. "The fuck were you guys doing up there? Couldn't you at least hear the battle going on down here? This is exactly why I sided with the Heart Angels in our little 'Independence Day.' This is exactly why I fought against my own brothers."

Surno stiffened. Andrew noticed, then smiled wickedly.

"That's right, buddy. I was one of the traitors. Wait, a traitor? Hell no. I fought against my own friends because it was right." Andrew walked menacingly towards Surno. Surno was quivering with either enmity or self control. Andrew laughed. "At least I bucked up to it and realized how wrong we were. Following Peter was the worst decision I have ever made." Andrew laughed in Surno's face.

Surno reached slowly for his mask. He tore off the theater disguise, ripping the straps. He stared at Andrew with blood red eyes. They shifted colors into a sapphire blue, then emerald green. "This... No time for this. Keep the humans safe we shall." Surno began to walk away.

Andrew spat on the spot he was just at. "We'll settle this afterward." Andrew caught up to Surno, then paced beside him. A time like this called for appearances; the humans they passed by looked up to them with hope in their eyes. A glimmer sparkled within their looks - it almost broke Andrew's heart.

If he had one.

---

Greg landed in his assigned perimeter, scouting the area quickly. He spotted the Compass building; he dropped in front of the doorway to check it out. He heard soft sobbing. Greg summoned forth a two sided, gold battle-axe from thin air and rested it on his shoulder.

"Hello?" he called. He entered cautiously, gripping the handle of the axe tighter. "You're safe now. Can you hear me?"

Greg found a girl with brunette hair slumped against a grandfather clock. The old clock chimed once loudly as he neared her. "Are you all right?" he asked. He knelt before the girl. She seemed familiar.

Taylor looked up with puffy red eyes. "Is he alright?"

Greg instantly recognized her. "Ah, Taylor! I had almost forgotten you. Whom are you asking about?"

Taylor looked past Greg, not meeting his gaze. "Is he alright? Is Michael alright?" she probed. Her voice started to sound panicky, but sorrow was the most prominent.

Greg forced his weapon to disappear. It faded from sight. He picked up Taylor gently, then walked out of the Compass. "Is he alright?" Taylor asked again. Her voice was softer now, almost calm.

The angel continued towards the center of the city. An image of a small figure being launched into the night sky by a large projectile, then exploding into bits, flashed before his mind.

"He's alright, Taylor," he said. "You believe me, right?"

Taylor nodded. She laid her head on Greg's chest as she closed her eyes. "If you say he's alright, then he's okay. Please take me to him," she said. "I want to say something..."

Greg tried to force the gruesome image from his mind. "I wish to say something, too." He laughed weakly. "I really do." Greg felt a tear escape through the corner of his eye.

Chapter 4: Slumber

Buildings, both collapsed and torn asunder, were nothing but grim decorations. Their broken appearance mirrored that of the humans who scattered into the protection of the angels. Families, groups of friends, and lone survivors slowly left the places they hid in. For a moment in time, every denizen of the city was reduced to a quivering child in fear of an unknown monster.

With the combined efforts of the Soul Angels and the Heart Angels, the humans were escorted and gathered in front of the city hall. This was the largest space where they could be accommodated since the majority of the town was in ruins. A small girl with a teddy bear cradled in her arms wobbled around on shaky legs. Her eyes were wide with terror but laced with a calm trust in her surroundings. Tracy, spotting the lone child, broke from his conversation with another angel and flew towards her. The girl buried her face in the small teddy bear as soon as she caught sight of Tracy. She trembled even more.

Tracy knelt down before her. "Hey," he said. His voice was calm and gentle. The girl took a peek at him, then covered her eyes again. "It's okay. Are you trying to find your mommy?"

The girl started to shake less. She revealed her face now - a tear ran down the side of her face. She sniffled. Tracy frowned.

"I'll help you!" he said enthusiastically. He grinned widely, then patted her on the cheek. The girl smiled. "Let's find your mommy." Tracy held out his hand to the girl. She grabbed it with her tiny fingers and giggled.

"Me... Karen," she said proudly. "Karen." Tracy lifted her carefully and placed her on his shoulder.

"Alright then, Karen. Let's find your mommy." Tracy held her defensively, afraid that she might fall. The girl rested easily on his broad shoulder, though. "I'll help you find your mommy, Karen. When we do, help me find someone else, okay?" Karen stared blankly at him.

" 'Kay," she said. "Who... who is?" she stuttered, trying to piece together her question.

Tracy chuckled lightly. "His name is Michael. Maybe with you, we can find him - right?" He poked her lightly in the stomach. Karen let out a burst of laughter. Tracy looked up to the sky. He let a sigh escape him.

"It's a long way down when your hopes are high as mountains," he whispered.

Karen just stared blankly at him.

---

Surno and Andrew marched side by side. Andrew smiled maniacally, holding himself back from throwing a sucker punch at his companion. Surno held a steely gaze that melted anything it landed on. They arrived at the city hall in a few minutes. Angels flying in the sky were shouting out to each other, sending out orders and messages where they needed to be. Andrew snorted at them.

"I guess we're back to 'harmony,' eh? I always expected Peter to fail, to be honest." Andrew hid a cynical smile. Surno closed his right fist, which was still holding his mask. It cracked into a thousand pieces. Andrew laughed. "Does that mean I can't have my own opinion?" he mocked.

Surno shut his eyes. "No." His hand was still quivering with pent up anger.

Andrew nodded. "I won't bother ya anymore - for now. Go and play the big bad leader, Surno; seems like this lot needs one." Andrew stopped walking and crossed his arms, looking the other way.

Surno stopped also. He cast a glance at Andrew. "You deserve this one." Andrew turned, then found a clenched fist cracking him in the middle of his face. The punch knocked him out instantly, and he crumpled onto the ground. A nearby human male winced. Surno cracked his knuckles and smiled smugly.

A Heart Angel landed next to Surno, folding in her wings as she did so. Her eyes glanced at Andrew's unconscious body then to Surno's bloody hand. "Here's the report on casualties, sir," she said, shrugging the shock off. "It's pretty bad." She handed him a folded piece of paper.

Surno looked at her for a second. He grunted, then ripped the paper into shreds. The Heart Angel lowered her head.


"Sir, I'm sorry for, uhm," Surno stared at her morbidly with blue eyes. She shifted uneasily. "May I be excused?"

"You asked?" Surno questioned. He shut his eyes then nodded. "You should know, though." Broken pieces of his ceramic theater mask sifted through his clenched fingers. "I never take reports." Surno opened his eyes, revealing a red hue now. He avoided eye contact with her.

"Leave," he commanded. She bowed hastily, then flew up into the sky.

Surno sighed. The same human male who stood by gazed at him with awestruck eyes. Surno returned the stare.

"You're such a badass," the human said. Surno felt an odd sensation overwhelm him; he broke out into laughter, losing his self control.

---

Greg filed into an empty street. His eyes darted everywhere. He spotted a Soul Angel. "Hey! Come here for a second!" he called out to the female angel.

She turned around. "Is that you, sweet Greggie?" she said. Greg strained his eyes to make out who it was. Lily.

Lily flew towards him. She stopped a few feet before him, then landed into a sitting position. Greg spotted a deep wound at her side that still bled. He also saw multiple cuts on her face and to her legs. Lily tilted her head to the side. "Are you staring, Greggie?" Greg blushed reluctantly.

"No!" he cried. "I was observing your, err, the status of your health and I, well, wanted to assess that you were oka-" Lily cut him off.

"So you were staring, hmm?" she teased. Her thin lips formed into a smile. "You've gone from a determined warrior down to some pre-pubescent kid who can't control his hormones!" Lily laughed uncontrollably.

Greg sighed. Taylor stirred in his arms. "Keep your voice down," he said. "You saw what happened earlier, right?" Greg walked over to Lily, then sat down with Taylor still in his arms. She dropped back into a deep sleep.

Lily placed a hand on Taylor's head. "Yes, I saw. Did this girl catch sight of it too?" Greg shook his head.

"I'm glad that she didn't. I can't even fathom the suffering she'd be in," he whispered. Lily held back a laugh.

"You're becoming quite the man, Greggie. Just look at you!" Lily said softly. Greg looked at her quizzically. "I heard from others that you assumed Peter's role, right? Just for a little bit. You also took over the majority of the duties in the City of Guardians - right?" Lily smiled through the blood on her face. "And now you've gone soft over this poor girl here." Lily sighed; however, the sigh sounded pleased more than sad.

Greg hummed. "Hmm. I don't quite see what you are trying to say, Lily." he placed his hand over Lily's hand on Taylor's head. "I caught the gist of it, though - but you're wrong, Lily." He stared at her with empty eyes. Lily brightened up at his touch and felt weak in her chest at the same time. "I only worry for Taylor because, well... because..."

He trailed off into silence. Lily turned away, smiling to herself. "Because it's the right thing to do?" she said for him.

Greg nodded. "Have you seen Taylor's father?" he asked. As if on cue, Mr. Robins came running down the street. He let out a sigh of relief as soon as he saw Taylor. Mr. Robins ran up to Greg, smiling with all of his heart.

"Thanks for watching over her, sir. Can you do me one more favor?" he asked as Greg handed Taylor over. She still didn't stir.

Greg's eyebrows perked up. "What's that?"

Mr. Robins held Taylor tentatively. He covered one of her ears with his hand. "Please keep it a secret from Taylor." Mr. Robins left without another word.

Greg closed his eyes. Lily grabbed his hand softly, then squeezed it. Greg returned the gesture.

"So, what do we say to everyone?" Lily asked. "We can't just lie about him. It's-"

"-not the right thing to do," Greg said, finishing her sentence. "I know, I know. We shouldn't say anything about Michael. End of story."

Lily and Greg stood there on the outskirts of the city, side by side, hand in hand, knowing who the other was for once in their lifetime.

Chapter 4: Slumber (Pt.2)

Surno jumped up and landed on top of the City Hall. He stared down at the gathering below him. "Humans!" he cried out. They gazed up to him in awe.

The angels flying around came to a stop. They looked to Surno and remembered their previous orders. Slowly, each angel flew back into the City of Guardians one by one, waving their goodbyes to the humans. Surno crossed his arms once they had all left. The hole in the sky slowly disappeared.

"I want all of you to return to your homes," Surno ordered. "Each and every one of you must fall asleep. Once you have entered your slumber, you will find the town restored." A buzz of whispers started up in the crowd.

Surno sighed. "There are many questions of who and what we are. There are many answers as well." The crowd quieted. "However, you won't be receiving any knowledge of that matter. By morning you will forget what happened here and who we are. I will hear no complaints - and there shall be no spreading of this information, either." Surno stared down with angry eyes that burned a fiery red.

"Do you understand? If you do, please head home. If you don't, you're welcome to take it up with me." At this moment, Surno clenched his right hand. The blue flame exploded from it and ran up and down the length of his arm, never burning or harming his body.

The crowd assembled before him broke apart. The humans scattered, being careful to stay quiet, and walked towards their homes. Surno forced his flame to disperse; moreover, a sigh escaped his lips.

He watched the laggards as they left. Surno pulled a black stone from his pocket. It was an onyx color and glimmered in the pale moonlight. He crushed it with his hand - the stone exploded into a shower of black remnants that floated lazily in the air. Surno breathed in the air around him, then disappeared.

---

Michael awoke.

His vision was blurry. He felt himself hovering. A cool fluid ran against his body. Michael forced his eyes wide and found himself staring through a translucent, green liquid.

A breathing apparatus attached to his mouth kept him from talking. He flailed around in the green fluid for a bit. A sharp, searing pain shot up across the right side of his body. He looked down at himself and ceased all movement.

I'm surprised that I'm alive, but this... this is amazing, he thought to himself.

The left side of his abdomen was missing. There was an empty space from below his armpit down to his waist. A thin section of the right side of his abdomen still remained; however, the exposed flesh was blackened and jagged at the edges. It connected him to his lower body, which wasn't much. His left leg hung by a strand of loose flesh. The other leg was missing.

Michael emitted a groaning sound. It echoed in his small tank of fluid. Michael smashed his right hand on the glass in anger and fear.

"Careful, young one!" a voice called out. "We don't want you to kill yourself, now do we?" Michael stopped banging the tank.

A figure stepped towards him. His gait was erratic but measured, as if he was both unsure and certain of his actions. He was bald on the top of his head. Wrinkles lay under his eyes and on his scalp. A pair of goggles with blue lens hid his eyes. "I want a test subject who is alive, my dear boy!"

Michael stiffened. The man smirked casually at his reaction. "Ah! Afraid of me, boy? Hahaha!" His voice was shrill and menacing. "Perhaps you'd like to be free, yes? Think about that, though." He pressed the sides of his white lab coat idly.

"If I drain out your tank, you would lose more blood and eventually, die. Also, you can't go anywhere - you are missing a leg and your wings." Michael reached behind him; his hand found purchase on a stump that sprouted out of his back. He felt dry blood.

"Moreover, my dear boy, I feel that we should spend a little time together. I can keep you alive! How does that sound?" Michael shut his eyes and restrained himself. The scientist smiled. "I can probably heal you, too."

Michael's eyes opened up. He looked to him with longing hope. "Would you like to speak, my boy? I do wonder how your voice sounds." The scientist pulled a device from his pocket. He pressed a button, and the green fluid began to drain. Michael flailed about in fear.

"Now, now! Hold still, boy - there we go." He pressed a button again and the fluid stopped draining. Michael's head was out of the water and he removed his mask. He breathed deeply.

"Who are you?" Michael asked calmly. He had to comply with this man - otherwise, he would be dead.

"Me? Ah, yes! I have a name - let's see, I think I wrote it down somewhere." He scratched the top of his head while he wandered around the room. Tables with papers in disarray littered the area. Bright, white lamps illuminated the place. The man came back with a look of satisfaction on his face.

"I am Professor Keagan Salotinni!" he exclaimed. "The Self-proclaimed Great Mind of our Generation! The Self-proclaimed Genius of the Galaxy!" He let loose a maniacal laugh.

Salotinni pressed up against the glass of Michael's tank. "And who are you, angel boy? Does a being such as yourself have a title as well?"

Michael smiled sheepishly. "Uh, my name is just Michael. Those are nice titles, I guess."

"Really?" Salotinni asked. He pressed a button on the controller he still held. An electric charge ran down the inside of the tank, shocking Michael. He let out a scream of anguish. Salotinni released the button and the electricity stopped. "Flattery will get you nowhere, boy," Salotinni said with a hiss.

Michael breathed heavily. "Just what do you plan to do to me?" he cried.

"I have much in store for you, boy. First, of course, I would like to patch you up - I have my faith in you that you will not escape. If you do, I can always just kill her." Salotinni flipped a switch on a nearby wall. A curtain on the opposite side of the room drew back, revealing another tank.

A small girl floated in the green fluid. She was unconscious and had a mask attached to her face. She opened her eyes - they widened in awe once she saw Michael. Salotinni smiled devilishly. "Her name is Maddison and she's been so lonely." He cackled insanely as he sent an electrical shock down her tube. The girl screamed in pain.

"Damnit - what the hell is wrong with you? Why are you torturing another human?" Michael said with a panicked tone.

Salotinni swiveled his attention to him. "A human? You have that all wrong, my boy. She's an angel just like you!" Salotinni stopped the electrical flow to her tank. The girl hunched over once the pain had ended. Salotinni slammed his hand onto Michael's tank and stared menacingly.

"She's too weak and can't handle the experiments I've tried! Honestly - you would expect an angel to be tougher, no? I guess the white-winged ones can't keep themselves together!" Salotinni smiled. "But now that I've captured a black-winged angel, I suppose I can complete my hypotheses. First... we've got to patch you up, right, my boy?" Salotinni walked over to a table on the far side of the room.

"Since you've got me, then let her go," Michael commanded. "Even you said she was useless. At least free her - I'll be happy to cooperate with your experiments once you do so."

Salotinni slammed his fist onto the table and laughed maniacally. "You honestly think I'm a good man? Don't try to be the bloody hero all the time, boy - you'll only end up worse." He shuffled through papers and devices on the table, and finally found what he was looking for.

He lifted the device and flipped a switch on it. A hole opened in the ceiling next to Michael. A cage descended from the opening. A curtain blocked its contents.

Salotinni squealed in joy. "I have my chance to do this! Finally - after all these wasted days, I can finally do this!" The cage took its time to descend.

"Wait - I have one question before you perform an experiment," Michael said.

"And what is that, my boy?"

"How... how can you see me?"

Salotinni burst out into laughter. His fits of hysteria lasted for a few minutes. He wiped his mouth free of drool. "I captured a being on a faraway day in another time. Oh how uncivilized we were back then!" he smiled as he reminisced. "This being then hid in my body to escape its pursuers - oh, and I found out that day what angels truly were as well!"

"What do you mean?"

Salotinni rubbed his forehead. "Those angels called that being a Marker or some sort. Who knows? They didn't kill me just because I was a human! I pretended not to see them, my boy - just to keep them from ever suspecting me." He laughed weakly.

"The days, the months, the years and then centuries flew by in one vicious cycle of monotonous work. Laborers and assistants under me were born and then dead. Being immortal is quite annoying sometimes - am I right?"

Michael stiffened. Salotinni laughed some more.

"I dedicated my life to studying your kind, Michael. I studied the Heart Angels, the Soul Angels, the Markers and your true forms. I know the ins and outs, every trick and every skill, and even how you came to be, my boy. Have I answered your question?"

Michael sighed. "More than I expected, but yes, you have answered it."

"Good!" Salotinni hissed. The cage hit the floor silently. Salotinni pulled down a lever, and the curtain masking it drew back.

A Marker was being held in glowing chains. They emitted a blue color. The Marker saw Michael and suddenly went berserk, trying to rip himself out of his restraints. Salotinni pressed another button on the device in his hand.

"Now, Michael - experience the ultimate form of angels! Witness the power of gods before you!" Michael's tank lit up with a blue light. The cage mimicked the action. The Marker and Michael exchanged glances - for a split second, Michael saw fear.

A blinding pain shot up through the entirety of Michael's body; he passed out within seconds.

Chapter 5: Schoolwork

A curtain fell over the cage and Michael's tank. The sounds of screaming and anguish had ended.

Salotinni eased back into a leather chair. It creaked under his weight. He held a vial of a glutinous purple liquid; he proceeded to pour it into a cup of water.

"My dear girl - why don't you let me hear that wondrous voice of yours?" he said aloud. The Heart Angel he was referring to did not react at all.

Salotinni smiled. "Are you worried about the boy? Haha - you simply amuse me. You're just as 'righteous' as that child. Worrying about others will only get you killed, Macie!" Salotinni laughed uncontrollably.

Macie fidgeted in her tank. Salotinni saw her out of the corner of his eye then pressed a button on his desk. A portion of the liquid in Macie's tank drained out, and she removed her mask.

"Please!" Macie cried out. Her voice was gentle and weak. She pressed her hands against her chest, crumpling her blouse. "I thought you had finished your experiments with me - why would you need another victim?"

Salotinni rose gracefully from his chair, sweeping his arms out wide. He smiled devilishly at her. "Poor, sweet Macie. Fusing you with a Marker was a complete failure." He picked up the cup of water that he had poured the strange substance into. Salotinni shook it gently; the purple mass fanned out in slow motion then pooled to the bottom of the cup.

"This cup is you. The traits of a Marker are slow to start with you and are awakened only through extreme stress or physical pain. As for Michael, he will be different." Salotinni grabbed another vial of purple liquid. He poured it into a different cup of water - the liquid mixed with the water.

"This is Michael. As you can see, I have completely infused him with a Marker! Genius, no? He will hold every single trait of a Marker - together, they will make the most destructive being that has ever existed!" Salotinni threw the cups at Macie's tank. The fluids spilled out onto the ground as the cups bounced.

Salotinni drew back the curtain with one stroke of his hand. His face brightened with delight. "Finally... I have done it!" he whispered.

The tank had cracked on its right side. The cage bars on the left side were broken. Between the two containers, Michael lay among broken shards of glass and metal. His wings had regenerated along with the other missing parts of his body. Michael rose to one knee, wiping green fluid from his face. He opened his eyes and stared angrily at Salotinni. They were purple.

Salotinni offered a hand. "P-perfect! Obey me, angel! Become my weapon of humanity's end!" Salotinni started to laugh again.

Michael lunged forward with his right hand clenched in a fist. It twisted and bent into a purple claw that cut through Salotinni's chest. The professor kept laughing as his wound instantly disappeared.

"Ungrateful aren't we?" Salotinni hissed. [b]"You have been stripped of the one thing that could kill me - the energy that lies within an angel! Man nor Marker can cut me down.[b]" Salotinni kicked Michael in his stomach. He fell to the floor with a grunt.

"Why are you doing this!?" Michael spat. "Why do you want to end humanity?"

Salotinni sat down in his chair again. "My boy, I'm surprised! Are you blind to those you protect?" Salotinni twirled his finger in the air. "Humanity needs to be eliminated. Have you taken a glance at history? How many times have angels had to save humans from destroying themselves entirely?" Salotinni smiled, knowing he had proven his point.

Michael jumped up and flung his clawed hand at Salotinni again. Salotinni stuck out his leg, striking Michael square in the chest. He slumped to the floor. "Humanity deserves a chance at life," Michael said through anguished coughing.

"It has lived long enough. Time for some euthanasia!" Salotinni cackled maniacally.

Macie's tank exploded into a shower of glass. Her wings had grown back and the right side of her face was covered with an ink blot of purple. She flung herself at Salotinni, holding him down as they struggled to gain an advantage.

Michael stood up weakly. He held his hand out, palm facing Salotinni. He shut his eyes and strained to summon his energy. "Havin' some issues, emo-kid?" a voice said in his head. Michael ignored it and kept on drawing on his power.

"You won't get anywhere with that lack of power, emo-kid! Want dear ol' me to lend a hand?" The voice kept saying. "I want out of this body as soon as possible, so I have to keep ya alive. Switch control with me!"

Wait, what? Michael replied. What do you mean by control!? Michael felt his body go numb. He watched through blank eyes as his body was consumed by the appearance of a Marker. Everything matched what a Marker looked like except for his eyes. They were white.

"Hah!" the same voice that was in Michael's head yelled out. It was a higher pitch, but a sound like feedback on a microphone accompanied it. "Apparently, Michael can't do shit on his own!"

Salotinni gasped. "Mickey took control!? How is that possible? No Marker should have survived that experiment!"

"I forgot that you had given me that name - thanks for the reminder!" Mickey's hands glowed a white color. "I forgot that you had a thing for names with 'M,' Salty. Are you ready to die?" Mickey said threateningly.

Salotinni threw Macie off with a swipe of his arm. Mickey caught her deftly, then dropped her. He aimed his hands at Salotinni and let loose a blinding burst of energy. Salotinni laughed as it barreled towards him.

"I told you already that only the energy of an angel can-"

Salotinni was completely vaporized by the bolt of energy.

---

The morning sun crept up over the town. Its tendrils of light were pale. Rays of sunshine peered through windows and licked the streets. Normal, daily life stirred, and it was just another ordinary day in the city.

Taylor rolled out of bed. She got to her feet and trudged wearily to the bathroom. She hit the light switch as she entered, shutting her eyes to the light. Taylor turned on the faucet and splashed water in her face. She opened her eyes at its touch.

It took a few seconds to react to what she saw in the mirror. She tried to let out a scream, but a hand covered her mouth. "No no, don't scream! I'm sorry for startling you!" the attacker said.

Taylor stopped wriggling under his grasp. She removed his hand and smiled. "I thought you'd be here later on in the day, Lucas!" she exclaimed. She turned around and hugged him tightly.

"It's one in the afternoon," he said. Taylor blushed.

"Oh my god, really? I can't believe I slept for so long!" She giggled. "Give me a few hours to get ready, then we'll head over to the park."

Lucas groaned. "Hours? Seriously?" he twisted his face in disgust.

"Yeah! Just come back for me later, okay?" she pushed him out of the bathroom and slammed the door behind him. Lucas sighed.


"Is she ready to head to the park?" a childish voice said. Lucas turned around at the sound.

He shrugged. "Sorry dude. Couldn't get her ta meet you in the park like you asked. Why are you hiding from her, anyway? If what you've told me is true, then she wouldn't refuse meeting you, Michael." Lucas slumped against the wall next to the bathroom door. The sound of running water came from it.

Michael phased through the wall opposite Lucas. Macie followed closely behind him, clinging to his wing. She hid at the sight of Lucas. "She's been ignoring me lately. It's odd, though."

"What is?" Lucas asked.

"Since when could you see me?" Michael inquired. He patted Macie on the head gently. She relaxed at the gesture.

Lucas shrugged again. "I've always seen you, man. And all those other spirits too."

Michael crossed his arms. "Well - please get Taylor to the park. For my sake, please. Please..." he said. His voice grew weak. Lucas nodded at him. Michael turned to leave. Moisture built up under his eyes then spilled over in tears.

"Wait, dude." Lucas said.

"What is it?"

Lucas pointed at his face. "Stop crying over dumb stuff like this, you pansy."

Michael laughed weakly. He phased through the wall he came through with Macie trailing close behind.