Mortal Exchange

Walking Free

Santana looked at the now steadily breathing human girl on the pavement. "Go home. I won't let him hurt you," she nodded in Sebastian's direction.

"Thank you, Angel of Life!" The girl shrilly squeaked, before running in the general direction of her home.

"How are you so certain I won't kill her right now?" Sebastian stood his ground, his stance offensive to the smaller angel with the dark brown hair. Her brownish golden eyes met his.

"You would have to go through me, first."

"Who says I have a problem with that?"

Santana cocked her head to one side. "I see the curiosity in your stormy grey eyes, oh, fallen one. I see that they were once filled with life, and now that you have seen a taste of my skills, you wish to fill them once again with that life and happiness." Sebastian squinted his eyes, startled that the seemingly younger angel could read him so well. He could quite easily deduct the reasons God chose this life giver to be a new Arch Angel. Perhaps she was even Sebastian's long awaited replacement.

"Very well, Santana. But will you help me rediscover life, if I will most likely have to take yours?"

"God does not make Arch Angels of cowards. His Angels do not shy from a challenge, and always help others."

"Is that a yes?"

"His Angels follow his command, or risk being cast to the side, and eternally condemned to Hell. You and I both know this, Sebastian. I do not know what you did, but it must have been a traitorous or another heinous act for God to have taken away your position as an Arch Angel."

"If you help me regain my freedom to return home, to Heaven, I will tell you all I have done and show you what being a true leader can cause. Repercussions of initiative in God's service aren't all that you would expect."

"How am I supposed to help you?" Santana placed one arm on her hip.

"Stop me from killing. I am going to start living amongst humans, meant to kill teenagers in a high school when they commit certain unholy acts. These are my orders, from Satan himself. I do not desire this, but if you can stop me, maybe encourage me and motivate me to say no over time to these often unnecessary killings, I may be able to slip back into God's good graces. Or else, I will forever be stuck in the Devil's command, until I one day become worse than him and kill senselessly, mercilessly."

"Are you asking me to live amongst humans and protect these teenagers?"

"Yes. Before you became an arch Angel, you were purely a guardian, and continue those duties even now, correct?"

"That is true."

"Then God will let you do this. It is within your realm." Sebastian looked so certain.

"When do you start living amongst these adolescents?" Santana bore a look of deep thought.

"Tomorrow."

"I will see you tomorrow. At that building, with the red bricks?"

"Yes. You have much to learn about living amongst the humans, Santana."

"Indeed."