Wings that Guard Me

Chapter 25 Raphael

It's so much fun to watch her squirm at my constant teasing. But I've decided that after months of verbal torment I'm finally going to just confront her. We are all three lingering after school on this Friday, it's still freezing outside, at least by human standards. Tony is about to leave for basketball practice, leaving Seraph alone with me.

Once the human is out of the way I walk up behind Seraph, "I know what you are Angel." I see her tense at our sudden closeness and though I can't see her face I know that she is affected by my words. Slowly I turn her to face me and smirk.

"And I think you know what I am."

She stares at me, not flinching. "You don't have to pretend anymore, I know." Slowly she nods. "Good, glad we have an understanding. Now, no more games, agreed?" Again she nods. "I assume you have some questions. I'm not saying I'll answer, but I'm letting you ask. Why don't we find a more private setting?" We find an empty classroom and I get us inside.

I turn around after closing and locking the door, putting up a shield so no one will disturb us. "Why haven't you tried to kill me yet?" I'm startled by her sudden demand. Then I see it. Her spirit, her attitude, hell, even her name. She's the guardian I was sent to eliminate. I inwardly kick myself for not noticing sooner. How could I be so blind? Was this game of cat and mouse so amusing to me that I could overlook the obvious? Apparently so.

"Maybe I have, Angel. What would you say to that? Maybe I have. Don't you remember?" My inward hate is turned to smug satisfaction as I watch the realization play across her face before she can stop it.

"You! It's you!" She finally speaks.

"Last time I checked." My comments seem to irritate her. Did she think I wasn't taking this seriously? Is that why she's irritated?

"But why haven't you killed me yet?" Sure, now she's going to be direct and impassive. I was having fun.

"I thought I had. How's your chest? Still sore?" I watch as her expression shows her realization, then confusion. I guess I could understand a little confusion, but I don't understand why she would be very confused.

"If you thought I was dead then why were you following me after?"

I have a split second to stop my shock from showing. "I wasn't. I didn't know who you were until recently and then I didn't know you survived. If you didn't notice, I'm kind of a really good shot." What does she mean following her? I checked, there's no one else assigned to this job, and there's no one else in the area.

"You weren't following me." I doubt she's asking me again, but I shake my head anyway. "That still doesn't answer the question of why you haven't done anything since you've known what I am."

I laugh, like really truly laugh. Even that sounds slightly scary coming from me. "You think I want to go back? You think I want to end this game between us? You're not just my target, you're my challenge. This is the most fun I've had in almost a hundred years."

"You think is fun? Our people are at war. And you think that's a game?" She's so outraged at even the thought. Oh how young she must be. She doesn't even know.

"There is no war. Yes we are fighting but there is no war. And even if there was I wouldn't be fighting in it, for either side. I'm not throwing away what life I have just because someone was insulted and wants everyone to fight. I barely have something worth calling a life as it is. You must be young if you still believe in this 'war' story they keep teaching you. The only war you people have is with each other. You're too busy fighting each other or sitting on your thrones to be fighting a war against us. That's why the Fallen are winning, if there's still a war. This isn't a war, it's a competition, it's sport." I huff a laugh, "You Righteous and your stories, your history, your rules, it all stands for nothing. You spend half of your lives learning to be perfect even though you're slaves to your own nature. And then you complain about it! You make me sick! I'm disgusted by my own kind, but that's nothing compared to how I feel about yours."

"What do you mean there's no war? All these guardians killed, all that pain and suffering. Does it stand for nothing?" I watch her temper flare as she tries to justify the lies she's been fed since birth.

I smirk and release a breathy laugh. "Of course it doesn't. The war ended over a thousand years ago. Over several thousand years ago. It was replaced by this never ending competition. And what happens when that does end? Nothing! Neither side will have anything left to do! So does anybody win? Of course not! But we convince ourselves that we won and the other side does the same. It's the stupidest thing in history. And you can take my word on that, seriously. I've been through many a human war, hell, who do you think started some of them?!

"In all honesty this competition for souls is a joke by itself. Both sides are so consumed by their own politics and regulations that nothing really gets accomplished. But so far the leading side is the Fallen, because we are driven by survival and not lies like you."

She seems to notice something and squints at me. "You say that like you're not one of them. But you clearly are. So why deny your nature, evil one?" Oh she's got spirit, I'll give her that.

I grin and roll my eyes. "I'm beyond them."

"You mean above them? You're really not. There's only two sides, the right side and your side. And you're not on the right side." She tries to emphasize her point by pointing between us and shaking her head. She's so naive about reality, she can't even see what truth is staring her in the face!

"I meant what I said. Now and before. I meant what I said and I said what I meant. Aren't you lot supposed to be geniuses? I guess you can figure it out then." I didn't come here to talk philosophy or have an argument about which side is right. I told the truth, whether she chooses to believe it or not is up to her. I turn my back to her so I'm facing the door. "Nice talk. We should do this again sometime, once you've seen the truth in my words. Nothing you say will change my mind because I know better than anyone on either side has a right to know. You decide for yourself, Angel." I don't let her respond. Instead I open the door and leave, letting it slam shut behind me. I do take away the shield on the room so I give her ten minutes max before a teacher or staff finds her in a locked classroom alone.