Lore of the Angels Ch. 14

Her last words were barely audible but Aria caught the hitch in her voice. This Snow Angel had a conscience and that was what severed the bond she had with the Ice Queen.

"You need to sail to the nearest port Chióni and let the Valkyries get to the safety of land. From there, you will join Julia's air force from the north to help with air strikes and evacuation."

"I will let Julia know," said Lucian, mounting his wings to prepare for flight.

Aria caught the flicker of lavender before he was off. Turning to Chióni, Aria gave her final instructions; wing muscles flexed in anticipation of the long flight to the African tip.

"Whatever you do Chióni, do not die."

***

When Zilarrezko arrived on Noor's SkyBridge, he could barely see with the intense darkness already shrouding the area. He was initially filled with panic at the thought that Yuki had already conquered Noor's land when he caught the faint luminous figure of the Light Archangel herself coming to greet him.

"What have you seen, Zilarrezko?" she asked, wasting no time with pleasantries.

"Aria has warned us to that Yuki is spreading ice this way and the resulting temperature dip will cause a major tsunami to engulf the entire west coast."

Noor held his gaze for a minute before covering her face with her palms.

"Ehren is providing us the cover we need to evacuate as many people as possible but..." she trailed off as she looked up and over the side of her bridge to the Earth Angels still clawing their way into the doors of her fortress.

Following the trail of her gaze, his eyes widened. Even in the mist of darkness, he could comprehend the nature of the Angels.

"I see," he said. "I'll get them out."

Noor simply nodded and disappeared into the darkness. Beside him, Marcus had his wings out, preparing to descend.

"Noor's lands are rich with minerals and metals," said Marcus, taking inventory of what he could feel beneath the earth's surface. "It'll take some time to extract what I can."

"Build me an impenetrable container Marcus. I'll round up the Earth Angels."

The two Metal Angels jumped off the skybridge at the same time, each focused on their task at hand.

Zillarezko smiled. The darkness surrounding them was causing immense chaos but Noor, being the clever Archangel that she was had ensured that only her skybridge support towers were lighted with tiny LED lights.

And like moths, the Earth Angels had gathered all around it – making his job so much easier.

***

The moment that Aria's feet touched the incredible mass of ice that Yuki had built, the Snow Queen felt the first tremors even from the comfort of her colossal ship.

"Stop all the troops!" she ordered, barely able to contain her excitement.

Thiswas what she was waiting for. "No interference," she warned, "Or I will make sure that you are buried so deep in ice that you will never breathe another second in your life."

Her remaining Ordinals simply looked away as Yuki stormed past them.

Meanwhile, Aria waited for her opponent on the newly formed continent of ice. Despite her dislike of the Snow Archangel, Aria had to admit that Yuki had a magnificent control and manipulation of her element. To build ice this solid and sturdy within a short period of time meant that Yuki was not going to be an easy opponent to beat.

And knowing Yuki, she also wasted no time greeting her playmate.

"Aria... you continue to surprise me!" whistled Yuki, walking closer to admire the newly formed Water Archangel. "Where are your wings? Come on, mount them!"

Aria remained still, just watching the Snow Queen circle her.

"You're no fun Aria," she scoffed at Aria's silence before raising her hand in an upsweep motion.

Aria felt her body instantly encapsulated within a block of ice, with only her face exposed to allow for breathing.

Not fazed by the attack, Aria merely blinked her eyes and the ice instantly melted; leaving her dry and warm.

Eyes widening in anger, Yuki screamed, "You dare to challenge me, the Queen of Ice?! I will rip you apart, I will..."

Whatever she wanted to say was drowned in the sound of ice cracking just beneath her feet – a hole appeared in the ice just a fraction of a second before she managed to jump in time to escape.

Yuki narrowed her eyes at Aria, clearly accepting the challenge.

The ice-land started to break and Aria took her chance. Both ice and water forced a wave aimed at Yuki. When she evaded, jets of icy water came shooting out from the freezing sea.

Some managed to strike the Ice Queen, chipping away at her snowy wings.

"Bitch!" she screamed as she re-casted her wings and aimed icy daggers at Aria. The speed at which Yuki was moving was too fast for a young Archangel like Aria – one of the sharp spokes managed to scrape at her abdomen.

Unflinching, Aria drew her sword. Archangel or not, Aria was still a Valkyrie at heart and the blade was a reminder or that.

Ice continued to hit metal as Aria blocked as many of Yuki's icy daggers, with the agility and precision following muscle memory that Gaia had imprinted on her. Despite that, Aria was still a split second slower than Yuki.

For each attack she failed to evade, Aria suffered – ice embedded in her skin deep, threatening to freeze her inside out – her heartbeat slowing down as though it was frozen.

To an observer, the two Archangels were practically invisible; moving at such speeds that only glimpses of ice and hair could be seen glittering in the background.

But Aria could feel her body slowing down; the ice creeping like spiderwebs under her skin.

She was too slow...

Too slow....

To escape the final shard of ice aimed for her forehead...

"Cardinal!!" the sharp command in her head shocked her reflexes into hyperdrive. The deathly ice pick melted just in time. From the corner of her eyes she could see Lucian trying to fly in to help her but Yuki had created an invisible bubble around the both of them that it was impenetrable.

"You need to find her weak point! Watch everything" Aria beamed her thoughts.

To an untrained eye, it would be impossible to keep track of the moving Archangels but Lucian was of the Light clan and there was nothing faster than the speed of light.

"She's left handed Aria but she's always using her right hand to attack to mislead you. Do not aim for her left side!"

Lucian was still flitting around the bubble, his eyes targeting Yuki's weak spot. He didn't think the Ice Queen had any.

And then he saw it.

"Aria, she has a tell – she bends one leg slightly just before she hits you!"

Realising what that meant, Aria saw her chance and took it. Before Yuki was able to launch her next attack, Aria feigned defeat, dropping down only to slide on her back, her focus – the soft spot just behind Yuki's bent knee.

She barely had time to think; her wrist simply moving with the precision of a trained warrior.

The hilt of her sword jammed deep into the tender flesh; the blade laced with the powdery poison of Illuna's gifted pearl.

Tendrils of purplish black crawled outwards from the point of contact, spreading like wildfire as it consumed the Ice Queen; her eyes bulging in shock at the intensity of the pain.

"You're dead Aria," she managed to croak as her fingers lifted for one last fighting effort. Ice stalagmites sprouted from every inch of the icy surface, ceaselessly following Aria's every evading move.

Though one leg was completely blackened and atrophied by the poison, Yuki was still moving with a murderous rage, as though determined to kill Aria before the poison itself consumed her body.

***

Above her, Lucian was focusing as much Light energy as he could to create a tear in the protective bubble that Yuki had formed. With her injury, the strength of the bubble had weakened considerably and Lucian knew that he had mere seconds to slip in without either of them noticing.

Aria would never allow his intervention otherwise – even when she was losing stamina and strength.

He couldn't blame her. The Archangel was not trained for combat. She may be planning something in that clever mind of hers but it was taking too long. Aria was sustaining immense damage but her body was unable to regenerate quick enough to sustain her for much longer.

Lucian was running out of time. His mind reached out to the consciousness that felt most natural to him.

Chióni, tell me where's the thinnest part of this damn bubble is!

On the other side of the continent, Chióni's eyes had gone completely white. The order had prickled against her skin but she had heard the urgency in his voice. Besides, if there was anyone who knew Yuki's combat skills best, it would be her.

The bubble structure moves each time Yuki moves.

A moving target. Damn it. This is impossible!

Is she injured?

Knee.

Hit her other knee. Hard. She'll grow weak overcompensating her injuries.

Up above, Lucian continued circling the protective bubble; growing more anxious with each passing breath.

Then he saw it.

Clasping his wings tight, Lucian nosedived until he had her lower torso at eye level; bow pulled tight. But at the speed that the two Archangels were moving, Lucian wasn't sure if he could pierce the bubbled dome and save his Cardinal in time.

He released the arrow.

***

Aria was doing her best. Every forward attack by Yuki was countered and evaded just as smoothly, just as precisely.

But she needed to be faster. Needed to be stronger.

"More... more... I need to be more..." she chanted under her breath, drawing as much energy as she could to muster her final attack.

She knew what she had to do.

Arms wrapped tight around her body, Aria allowed herself to sink through the ice until she was fully submerged beneath the freezing water.

She could hear Yuki's angry footsteps stomping overhead but the sudden silence and calm of being underwater rejuvenated her senses. Aria closed her eyes and allowed her body to slow down; becoming numb from the cold.

Time became irrelevant.

Her lungs stopped crying out for air. Her heartbeat softened.

Ripples of water ribboned around her legs, her arms, her torso – the current pulling her in every direction; stretching her.

She opened her eyes and took a deep breath.

***

Yuki was pissed. The poison was weakening her senses and she could no longer feel beneath the thick ice that she had created. Where the fuck was the weakling? How dare she run away from battle!

"Come out Aria! You're making this kill so much sweeter with these games of..."

Yuki fell palms down onto her icy floor.

The Light arrow had pierced into her back, rendering her completely paralyzed waist down.

"No no no..." The Ice Queen pulled out the arrow in disgust; her fists clenching it tight until it was completely frozen. Looking up she threw the arrow back at Lucian, aiming straight for his heart.

It pleased her when she saw the Light Angel free-falling like a rotten fruit from a tree.

"It's not that easy to kill me!"

Ignoring her pain, Yuki focused her energy reserves to freeze her wound and stop the bleeding. It was time to retreat.

Her Ordinals were by her side a second later but Yuki barely made it to the ship when the ground started to shake violently.

Yuki felt it before seeing the cracks in the ice. This time, her screams echoed past the Darkness to all the Angels huddled across the lands.

Propping herself up onto the side of her ship, she raised one hand and commanded the ice surrounding them to form a protective igloo around the ship.

Turning to Fleur, she grabbed the Snow Angel's throat and demanded that Noor be brought to her ship immediately. The extent of her injuries could only be treated by a Light Angel and Noor was her best bet.

***

Yuki's frozen arrow had scrapped past Lucian's collarbone, slicing off a decent amount of flesh with it. Feigning death, the Light Angel had fallen to the ground in hopes of deflecting more arrows.

There was no way he could launch into a full blown spar with Yuki. Even at her poisoned and injured state, she was still capable of killing him with just one thought if she wanted.

With a hand pressed on his wound, Lucian made his way to Noor's bridge, guided only by the flickering lights in the Darkness. Attempts to contact Aria had failed so the next logical move was to seek out Zilarrezko and Noor for further instructions.

However, the sight that greeted him at Noor's abode shocked him. Angels of all colours and shapes that he had never seen before were amassing under her bridge. They were worn out and shivering but the light that burned in their eyes was what worried him.

So much latent power within them and yet...

"Lucian!"

At the familiar call of his name, Lucian turned to see his former Archangel.

The Cardinal and Marcus were shepherding hundreds of the Angels into a giant metal container and by the looks of it; many of them had put up a tough fight. Marcus had sustained a few bruises and the Archangel was in full protective metal gear. Lucian didn't think anyone dared argued with his deathly wings of blades. They were currently curved forward like a rib cage, ready to slice anyone who dared to enter.

"What... what's going on here?"

"These are Earth Angels. Gaia got her wings back," said Marcus to the still puzzled Light Angel. Before he could explain more, Zilarrezko stepped forward.

"Where's Aria?"

"She's disappeared beneath water. I can't seem to contact her."

The Metal Archangel spread his wings out taut – the clash of metal swishing like knives rubbed together.

"Marcus, stay here. Lucian, we need to speak to Noor now."

Zilarrezko was silent as they made their way up to where Noor was standing watch at the top of her skybridge. It reassured him to see the Light Archangel still looking her best despite the complete Darkness surrounding them. It was unnatural for a Light Angel to be lucid in such deathly conditions and Lucian himself was starting to feel slightly claustrophobic.

Upon spotting him, the Archangel seemed to glow even brighter as she rushed towards him; her healing hands already reaching out to tend to his wound.

"Lucian!"

"Yuki is badly injured and she's encased herself in a snow globe. I can't tell what's her next move."

"And Aria?"

"She's blocking me out."

"So she's alive?" Zilarrezko placed a firm hand on Lucian's shoulder. "If she is, we must go to her immediately!"

Lucian looked from one Archangel to the other; the plea in his eyes evident to Noor.

"You are needed here Zilarrezko. I will go with Lucian. I think it is time to reset this balance." Her hand lifted to reveal a ball of fire held innocently in her palm. "A snow globe you said? Well, let's see how she'll hold this off then."

The two Light Angels began to mount their wings. Just before taking off, Noor turned to the Metal Archangel.

"Take care of my heart as I am taking care of yours."

And then she was gone, leaving Zilarrezko alone on top of the skybridge.

Everyone had their parts to play in this war. She was right. This land and its inhabitants were his responsibility now and he would see to it that they would be safe.

***

"Lucian, do you trust me?"

Violet eyes blinked in surprise at the question. "I don't think that is a question that needs answering Cardinal."

A sly smile curled on her face as they touched down at the start of Yuki's iceberg. "Give me an arrow."

Lucian's brows knitted with suspicion but he drew an arrow of pure light from his saddle and gave it to her.

After twirling the weapon a few times between her fingers, Noor seems satisfied with the arrow for she then pressed her hand gently along its length all the way up to the tip - and pricked a finger over the blade.

"Cardinal!" She gave him a lazy look, willing him to watch her hands instead.

A string of muted embers trickled out in place of blood and was absorbed effortlessly by the blade of his arrow. The embers glowed brighter and hotter but Noor didn't stop; her face serene despite the immense power that she was bequeathing to the Ordinal.

The final surge sent the entire arrow bursting into flames.

Then Darkness.

"Use this... should I not make it back in time," she whispered, pushing the cool arrow back into Lucian's hand.

Lucian didn't get a chance to protest for an unfamiliar rustle of wings interrupted them. Noor took one look in that direction and spread her wings out, blocking Lucian from sight.

"Go. That is an order. I will handle this. Aria will not be able to finish the job but you will."

With that, she gave him a light shove with the tip of her wings and folded her arms as she welcomed her unwanted guests.

"You're coming with us." The cold bland words were their choice of greeting.

Noor simply cocked her head to one side and looked at the two Ordinals, feigning ignorance. There was no denying that the Snow Angel belonged to Yuki but the fiery Ordinal beside her intrigued Noor. It was unfathomable for an Angel known for emotions and passions to be on the side of the Ice Queen.

"And if I say no?"

"Then we will kill you." The Fire Ordinal locked eyes with Noor in defiance.

The Light Archangel merely smiled in response and lowered her wing stance.

"Then try."

The two Ordinals simply looked at each other. Uncertainty and fear crossed their faces for a second before they launched their first attack.

Ice began forming at Noor's feet; the weight like concrete holding her down. Before she could free herself, Noor felt drops of liquid lava raining over her. The molten fire burnt holes in her dress and turned strands of her hair into ash.

"This is my favourite dress!" Noor slapped her hands together in outrage and a blast of warm light radiated outwards, knocking her two opponents off their feet. For a moment they seemed electrified; their bodies contorting in painful seizures.

When they finally managed to scramble to their feet, they realised that Noor was no longer held down but was flying above them with a protective halo hanging over her.

"That's enough!" she commanded when they tried to attack again. "I can kill both of you right now with no effort whatsoever... but, I understand that Yuki will not be pleased should you fail to bring her the help she needs."

Noor watched as they trembled before her, utter fear flashing across their faces. Noor knew that she had hit the spot. These Ordinals knew that if they didn't die at Noor's hands, then Yuki would see to it that they die by hers.

"Cardinal... please." This time it was the Snow Angel who spoke up. "The Queen is in great pain...I... she won't let any of us touch her."

"Then she will die. And you will have another Archangel."

Noor's nonchalant tone and her reluctance was the final straw for the Fire Ordinal.

"No, never!" The heat in her words was followed by a torrent of fire spinning ceaselessly around and around the Light Archangel. Noor singed slightly at the burn.

It was nothing she couldn't handle.

All of a sudden they were engulfed in complete darkness. It was as though someone had placed a windowless container over each of them.

"What the fuck are you doing?" The fierce, almost possessive tone got her smiling. Noor was completely unrepentant when it came to her Dark Angel.

"I'm playing a game."

"The hell you are. I'm getting you out of here."

Though she couldn't see him, she felt his fingers tracing the burns on her skin. It was unusual for him to have that many words or emotions in a sentence so she was going to milk him for a bit more.

"I'm going to Yuki's ship."

"Not happening."

"You can come with me if you want."

Noor could almost hear him debate with himself over the decision. To help him along, she pressed a tender kiss to his fingers on her skin.