In the eye of the storm

DATE | Mid June
TIME | Afternoon
WEATHER | Its starting to rain
PLACE | The second heavenly gate, a open space with with a forest cirkling around, where in the world isn't really sure.

ATTIRE | outfit


It had been almost two and half months since she had been resurrected. In that time, she had used almost everyday training to get her strength back. Studying to understand her new responsibilities and trying to get a new understanding to what that meant for her and her family on earth. It had been hard as it hadn’t been the welcoming back where it had been with open arms and tears of joy. Normally she had been met with skepticism, anger and hurt rather than a joyful miracle as she had first thought it would be. Even her best friend, her first true love had looked at her with such hurt and pain that it in the end had been hard for her even being near him. It was clear that something had broken that day as she had walked her first steps. She had felt it in her heart and seen it in his eyes. Nothing would be the same after that.

Furthermore, meeting Ash again feeling his lips towards hers and feel; nothing other than pain and frustration of him wanting something from her that she wasn’t sure that she would ever be able to give him. She suddenly understood what Remy had felt with her affection towards him. Finally, being able letting go of all those decades of unrequited love. Which had made her feel free, free to pursue something else, something real and something that would make her so much more than what she had been before her death. In that sense, she finally saw her resurrection as a gift rather than a burden, that brought nothing but pain and suffering.

So, she had used her days figuring out how to become a whole identity. Instead of fighting the old soul of Zadkiel and Eden’, and finally becoming a new angel entirely. Something she could be proud to be no matter what would happen from this day forward. She had traveled to the Grand Canyon, watched how the water had made its way through the valley. She had visited a church in America, South Carolina after a mass shooting had happened, giving the families of the dead strength to forgive and move on. Then she had eaten dinner with her kids, seen Talia again that had been there so much for the kids after Cecilia had called her. Cecilia, the woman that had taken care of her kids even at it wasn’t her responsibility after their father had made the choice of just leaving them behind. Then she had taken a few shifts at the hospital trying to keep her promise to Ash, even as she knew it couldn’t work forever. One day she had to pull away and become what she was destined for, an Archangel of freedom.
Then whenever she had time to spare, which she had made sure she would have every two days. She had visited Malachi, healing him a little every time and sitting with him for an hour or two. Hoping that it would bring them a little closer to a full recovery soon.

But this day, had been very different than others. She had been sitting in the archives as Hadraniel came in. “Zedekiel” his dark voice caught her attention and she slowly lifted her head towards the Gatekeeper, why was he off his post? “We are having problems with demons at the second gate, I need you to come this instance” if it wasn’t for the urgency in Hadraniel’s, she would have questioned his motives of coming to her. She wasn’t one of the fighting Archangels, her powers were to heal not protect. However, she recalled that Michael wasn’t here right now, she wasn’t sure what his mission had been this particular day, but if Hadraniel came to her, it meant that she was the only one that hadn’t something pressing to do. Besides Hadraniel had to have remembered the time as Eden had been a part of the heavenly host. After the loss of Uriel and finding him again without his memories the responsibility had been piling up, and those that could take extra assignments was expected to. “I’ll be there soon.” Hadraniel nodded and disappeared just as fast as he had been there. She stood up and teleported to her room to put on her armor and pulled her sword out. She looked at it. Memories of her death crashed down on her, the feeling of how the demon had taken ahold of her wing and carved it of her body. A slight tremble made her hand shake. She had to force herself to take a deep breath. This wasn’t the time to let memories overwhelmed her, but to protect heaven and its inhabitants.



She had no idea how long this fight had been going on, her golden wings were covered in blood as well as her face. What had looked like a few mere demons had turned into a bloodbath. She was tired, and even as every movement she made was a graceful as a dancer it was clear that she wasn’t going to be able to hold this stance for much longer. “Phanuel get Michael!” she screamed and pushed him back just as a blade was about to cut him. The Angel stood there looking at how Eden separated the demons head from its body, “Now Phanuel!” she screamed again looking into his eyes before pushing him back once more, which finally making the angel turn around and ran before setting off flying away before he disappeared.

Phanuel covered in blood ran through the halls of heaven hoping that the Archangle Zedekiel had send him to find was back. Finally finding the person that Zedekiel had asked him to find. “St Michael” he said with a hoarse voice looking like a wild animal not sure if it was out of harm’s way or not “Its Zedekiel, the threat at the second heavenly gate was more eminent than Hadraniel had thought, she needs you” he breathed and put his hand against his wound by his abdomen.

The first thing on today's agenda had been one he’d awaited in months. A meeting with multiple higher-ranking angels and officers. One of which had taken up most of the day. It’d been the deadline for them to present the plan he’d requested regarding a new addition to his army. The development seeming paramount these days with the demons increasing corruption and infestation of the world. And it was their job to protect mankind from that. Their proposed plan had been disappointing, to say the least, so after much deliberation, they’d agreed upon a list of adjustments and he’d finally disbanded the meeting. Expecting them to have the new changes incorporated before the next meeting. Entering the grounds outside, the gold of his armor shone brightly in the light of heaven. He was wearing a Greek-inspired outfit; a white tunic that stopped mid-thigh with short sleeves, pteruges, a golden breastplate with two wings formed from the center of his chest and upwards around his shoulders, as well as golden armor around his shins and feet.
He’d only barely reached his office when a blood-covered angel ran up to him, clearly in a frantic state. Michael was immediately alerted, fearing the news he'd come to bring, and as he explained the situation, he clenched his jaw. It wasn’t the first time they’d had demon disturbances near the gates, and if anything, it just proved the need for more recruits. “All right. I’ll go,” he assured him before lowering his eyes to the wound to his abdomen. “Just stay here and get healed.” He placed a hand on his shoulder as he returned his eyes to him. He then passed him and summoned one of his swords before teleporting to the second heavenly gate.

Once he arrived, he was met with a bloody scene, caused by the prolonged fight that had taken place there. And he didn't hesitate to join in, piercing a nearby demon in his back and through his heart. While pulling the sword out, he kicked another demon that had approached him so forcefully that he hit one of the trees in the distance. He kept fighting like this until he reached Eden’s side, his priority being to alleviate the pressure the demons were putting her under. After all, it was far from everyone who had been blessed with regenerative stamina as he had. “Get down!” he yelled, placing a hand on her shoulder to make sure she avoided the bolt of fire cursing through the air. He then reached out his palm to let a bolt of electricity hit the fire-caster, upkeeping it until the demon fell unconscious to the ground. “Cover my back,” he instructed as his gaze turned to the demons in front of him. That way, they’d be able to protect each other from attacks until the situation had improved.

It was like everything went in slow-motion as she felt his aura, her head whipping back watching him kick demon so forcefully that it flew away from him crushing against a tree. The limb body falling to the ground. She only managed to look forward as a demon ran towards her thrashing out a blade that nearly cut her. If it hadn’t been for her newfound powers, that made her capable of bending her body just so the swing of the sharp blade was gliding inches over her body. She would have received an almost fatal wound herself. She needed to stay focused, or it would cost her dearly.

Raising up again with the same grace and agile as she had bend out of the way from the demons’ attack. She exclaimed a warrior scream as she swung her sword cutting of the demon’s hand and as the woman screamed in agony Eden pierced her weapon through the demon’s body before kicking the limp body of it.

The feeling of everything was going to be okay. Rushed through her as soon as she felt his hand on her shoulder. Without even questioning his words she moved her body just so, as the bolt of fire zoomed past them. Inches from burning her face. A soft smirk formed on her lips as she found his eyes for a mere second before he shot lightning right back at the demon that had caused the fire magic in the first place. A soft laugh left her lips “Just like old times” she joked and did just as he had told her, moved around so her back was facing his. Unholy beings circling around the most powerful auras on the battlefield at this moment. This wasn’t like old times, she had never fought this close with Michael before, always being other assignments that Remiel had put her on. But this was no different from any other battle she had been in. She remembered the battle in Poland, a horrible fight between the Germans and the starving citizens Warsaw as World War 2 had started with operation Fall Weiss.

They hadn’t gotten her then, and they weren’t about to get her now!

Her eyes started to glow as her powers started to radiate from within her. The golden wings that spread out glinting in the last of the afternoon’s sun before grey clouds hid it away in the sky and drops of water started drizzling around them. She parried a demon that tried to hit her and lifted her hand and saw how her divine powers that flowed within her made the unholy being scream in agony as its eyes melted and sunk to the ground. Dead. She then turned her powers towards the still fighting angels around her. Filled them all with the virtue of hope. They needed to know that they could do this, and with the aura from Michael already helping with the feeling, that they would be able to over come this battle. It seemed like new energy and vigor filled them, as they started to fight back with greater power than before.

It just seemed as everything would go their way as her head snapped around. The cock of the gun was pulled back and as a flash of fire showed she raised her sword and deflected the first shot that was meant for Michael. She wasn’t fast enough with the other and felt how it pierced through her armor. She stumbled back a step keeping the pain under control, there wasn’t any time for this right now. Instead, she rolled towards a fallen angels’ sword, picked it up and threw it against the demon that had brought a bloody gun. The sword pierced through its heart, and it feel down, dead. She wasn’t about to die again, not when she had gotten a second change of life.

You wouldn’t think it was like old times for her. She looked as strong and agile as ever. He hadn’t noticed a single mistake in her technique nor any severe injuries. But he could also tell that she’d been going at it for a long time, and most of the angels looked to be under immense pressure, so he was happy that she'd decided to call upon him. A spark of a smile appeared in his eyes at her comment until they turned to focus on a demon charging at them. He readied his sword and with a swift movement, the demon was disarmed. The next he was lying flat on the ground with a sword through his heart. Holy light emanated from the sword as a sign of its divine power. Like most of his weapons, it was created specifically to hurt the dark and unholy. The light then spread like a circle from the ground to remove the shadow magic that had infested the earth and trapped a few angelic soldiers. He drew his sword back as he looked around at the remaining people, seeing how his aura reinforced bravery and strength to the angels and mixed in with Eden’s aura, they fought with newfound vigor. “Did you see if any of them retreated to another location? And do you know who their commander is?” he asked in a moment where no demons charged at them, albeit he kept his gaze focused on the enemies on his side while they stood back-to-back. Trusting completely in her competence to cover him as he did her.  

Michael turned his head at the sound of a shot, only to see Eden parry it with her sword before it could reach him. But in this distracted moment, he was whipped back by someone’s telekinesis, hitting the ground meters from Eden. And when he raised himself to his elbows, he saw that Eden had been hit by a second bullet. But it didn't stop her from fighting as she picked up another’s sword and murdered the attacker. By that time, he’d gotten back on his feet to fight the being with the telekinesis before they could aim another attack at anyone. Once the person fell to the ground he ran back to Eden, his gaze staying with her except for the occasional glances to their surroundings. They’d taken down most of the demons, but it wasn’t to say how many more were hiding or had decided to flee through the forest. “Are you okay?” he asked, glancing at the gunshot wound before his eyes met hers. Trying to sense the state she was in. He knew that she wasn’t okay, but all he needed to know was whether she was okay to continue fighting. Otherwise, he’d need to bring her to safety before she’d suffer another injury.

There was a brief time for breathing while she looked around taking in the scene, watching how angels around her thought courageously taken down demons one after another. For a time, she just stood there, a hand pressed towards the gunshot wound, not that she felt much pain at this very moment. It had to have been a clean shot, in and out. Nothing major hit in the process. Or maybe it was the adrenalin talking at this point. She wasn’t quite sure. Her focus returned as Michael came rushing to her side. A soft smile formed on her lips as she gently nodded when he asked her if she was okay. “Lucky nothing major has been hit” she said quite confidently. She knew that she would be putting people at risk if she wasn’t honest with how her wound was looking. It was wonderful how a shift had happened inside of her since last time they had met, even as she had only gotten to share some of her worries with the archangel standing before her. It was almost like Zadkiel, had taken over her mind and body making sure to show her just how to take the rains in all of this. Combining the old with the new.

“I can push through this” she then told him and placed a bloody hand on Michael’s shoulder before turning her attention towards the battlefield, some of the demons were starting to retreat. “And as to answer your first question, I think if we follow the retreating demons, we will find the last of them” she took in a deep breath while letting her tongue graze over her bottom lip.
She closed her eyes and started feeling the people around them, the auras of the other fighting angels, it was like everything just quieted down for a second making her able to refocus her energy in finding out where they should go. “Yes, they are retreating in a larger quantity further into the forest” a small laugh left her as she let her warm brown eyes glide over his facial expression. “I’ll be fine!” she shouted as her wings made a strong pull that send her up in the sky and started flying in the direction she had pointed out. She dived down grabbing a spear and with a sideways roll she sent it off flying penetrating a demon that was running into the forest. Once more she flew upwards and flew as nothing could distract her towards the last of the demons. No one was to leave this fight alive.