We Are The Archangels

Chapter V - Destiny

<>------<> Destiny <>------<>

Their expressions were priceless.

Leo, Frank and Piper’s face were pale. Their eyes-an assortment of colours-were wide with shadows of fear lurking behind a shield of responsibility.

Reyna and Annabeth appeared more angry than nervous. The two leaders stood poised in positions of defence and pride, their eyes cold and hard, concealing a fear that had to be concealed.

The last girl was the one who bothered me. With straight brown hair the colour of cinnamon and hazelnut eyes filled with curiosity and innocence, she looked more like a hunted princess; a girl in disguise, trying to escape from the evils of the mythological world.

They all wore tattered jeans and camp T-shirts. The combined camp shirts were the same purple as the original Camp Jupiter’s, with the words Camp Olympia-ingeniously named, probably by Annabeth herself-printed neatly over an emblem of a crossed pegasus and unicorn.

What an intimidating sight we must’ve been. Five heavily armed children of Chaos hidden under ebony cloaks that spiralled in bizarre patterns, enchanted silver armour glinting beautiful and bright in the luminosity of the midday sun. With our heads held high and wings shinning vibrantly, we must’ve seemed pretty threatening; beautifully dangerous, and dangerously beautiful.

Annabeth was the first to break the tense silence.

‘What on earth does that mean? What are Archangels?’

Midnight laughed without humour, ‘Aren’t you supposed to be the intelligent one, daughter of Athena? Surely you know.’

Annabeth stiffened, her jaw clenched tight, ‘Archangels were supposedly high ranking angels found in religions like Christianity and Judaism. They were not associated with Greece or Rome.’

Arrow clapped her hands rapidly in a mocking manner, ‘Oh, you were on a roll! But it’s good to see that even the great architect of Olympus can get things wrong.’

I held my breath to stifle the laugh building up inside me. Arrow always did have a flair for sarcasm.

Annabeth’s mouth opened and closed like a landed fish. Piper, Frank, Leo and the mystery girl glanced at their leader with growing apprehension. Reyna stepped forward and laid a hand on Annabeth’s shoulder.

‘Answer the question properly, fools. Who are you?’

The change in the atmosphere was instant. The wind picked up, lashing out and around the ignorant demigods. The earth itself rumbled and cracked violently. In the distance, I could hear a brutal whoosh as the lake crashed and swirled against the shore.

The glow of our wings spread to the rest of us until we shone bright in gold, silver, black, white and blue. A sense of tranquillity washed over me as I felt my feet leave the ground, leaving me hovering eerily in the air.

The demigods took a step back in surprise and fright.

‘We are the Archangels,’ I repeated, my voice disembodied and ghostly in the wind the whipped and swirled. ‘Leaders of the Sorrows, Children of Chaos, Protectors of the Galaxies, and Masters of the Elements.’

‘But-but who are you?’ Piper stuttered, looking stunned that she’d managed to say anything at all.

I fixed her with a cold gaze that made her take a step back.

‘I am Destiny, Mistress of Fate and Time.’

‘I am Midnight,’ my brother said, his hands spread, ‘Master of the Earth.’