Ethereal

Chapter 32

"Emilia! Are you out here?" We jumped away from each other at the voice, startled. "Emilia?"

"It's... it's Claire, one of the angels." I said quickly, "She'll have come to check on me..."

Andrew nodded, slowly backing away from me. "Then I should go. I'll see you soon."

He was gone faster than a heartbeat, disappearing into the trees, less than a haze of gold in the distance.

"Emilia! There you are!" Claire burst through the trees, she seemed anxious, twiddling her thumbs together. "I was worried for a moment there... when I didn't find you in the house."

"Right sorry, I just felt like going for a walk." I explained, hoping that she couldn't tell I was lying.

Flustered, she placed her hand behind my back and pushed me forwards, back the way she had come. "You shouldn't be out here, in the open. You need to return to Heaven immediately."

"What?" I stopped walking, "Why?"

She looked around herself, as though checking we weren't' being watched. "Gladius domini deus... the sword of god. It's gone missing."

"Missing?" I echoed, confused.

"Someone has taken it, we don't know who. All we know is that it is no longer in Heaven, that means it must be on Earth." She explained quickly, ushering me forwards again.

"Have Searchers been sent out after it?" I queried, I understood that the sword was probably very important in Heaven, but it's not like anyone was going to use it to hurt humans, they had plenty of other weapons to use for that.

"Only the very best of them. All other angels are being called back to Heaven immediately." She continued to push me along. "It isn't safe on Earth anymore, the Fallen now possess a weapon capable of killing angels."

"Well, maybe I can help look for it?" I offered, thinking that I could perhaps talk to Andrew about it.

"Absolutely not! You must stay out of trouble." She shook her head, seemingly appalled. "I will allow you to say your goodbye's here on Earth, make your excuses, and then return to Heaven for a while, where you will be safe."

"How long will I have to stay there for?" I asked, frowning.

"Only a short while... a few months, perhaps?" She said.

"Months?" I was shocked. "I can't leave my mother alone for months!"

"I'm afraid you don't have much of a choice. If you haven't returned to Heaven within twelve hours I will be returning for you." She sighed, turning to face me. "Please be careful, Emilia. I shall go now."

"Wait... Claire." I paused. "Can... can the sword kill me?"

She didn't speak for a few moments. "I don't know. I suspect that it can."

After that, Claire left, and I headed to the sports shop – if I was going to be leaving for months, I was going to have to quit my job. It hurt me to do so, but I had a bit of money saved up for my mother to use, at least enough for her to get by until she got a job herself.

"Emilia!" Jackson greeted, as I walked through the doors. "You're early for your shift, aren't you?"

I shook my head. "Jackson, I'm really sorry, but I have to quit."

His eyes widened in surprise, "You want to quit? Are you sure about that Emilia...? I know you need the money."

I nodded. "I'm... going to go stay with my great aunt for a little while. I don't know how long I'll be gone for. Hopefully only a few months."

He shook his head slowly. "Well... alright. But you know that I can't guarantee you your job back when you return, right?"

I nodded again, "I know."

"You're quitting?" Charlie called out, coming out from behind the till. Jackson backed off, heading into the backroom.

"I have to." I replied, turning to leave.

"Wait!" He rushed around me so that he could face me. "Where are you going? I'm... I'm just worried about you."

I sighed. "Charlie... I have to leave. It's... it's not safe for me to stay."

He stared at me for a moment, seeming dazed. "But... You'll be safe wherever it is you're going, right?"

"Yes." I nodded. "It's the safest place I could be right now."

He nodded slowly, and moved out of the way, allowing me to leave.

"Bye, Charlie." I said as I walked past. He didn't reply, though I could feel his eyes on me as I left the store.

I was almost glad that I didn't have many friends here, it meant that I had less goodbyes to make. I wanted to say goodbye to Andrew too, though I had no idea how to find him, and it wasn't like he had a phone that I could call.

So that meant that the only goodbye I had left was with my mother – easily the worst goodbye to make.

"Mum?" I called out, opening the front door of the house – I had spent the walk over trying to decide how to tell her, I had decided that I'd try to keep it short and sweet. This was not goodbye forever.

"Emilia." She greeted, walking out of her bedroom. "How are you?"

"I'm... I have to tell you something." She frowned at my words, and seated herself on the sofa, gesturing for me to sit beside her.

"What is it?" She asked, looking worried.

"Something has happened... I don't want to bore you with the details but... it isn't safe anymore for any angels to be on Earth at the moment."

Her eyes widened. "Not safe?"

"There's a weapon, now on Earth, one that can kill angels. They want us all to return to Heaven, it's the only safe place now."

"You have to go back? For how long?" She asked.

"A few months, maybe." I sighed. "I don't want to leave you, but I don't think I have much of a choice."

She nodded, understanding. Placing her hands across mine, she gave them a tight squeeze. "You must do whatever it takes to be safe."

And then she hugged me, as tight as she could. I hugged her back much more carefully, not wanting to hurt her. It was strange, my eyes were stinging like I should be crying, but there were no tears falling from them.

I would miss her, but I had to do what would keep me safe.

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