An Angel Story

I was running from something I couldn't understand. I guess a demon-like being had been following close on my heels. It made me sick and terrified. Why on earth would a demon try to attack me? I didn't even know if a demon really existed a few minutes ago. And now I was running from it, desperately searching for ways to escape. It came really close to me at one point, but somehow, I managed to save myself.

A guy jumped in holding a dagger and killed the demon in an instant. After so much running, I was exhausted. My whole life had turned upside down. I think I fell unconscious in his arms. When I woke up, I found myself in my room.

How the hell did I come here? It was like I was running from a demon a few minutes ago. And now I was in my room like nothing happened. Perhaps, I just saw a dream. The following day, I woke up, made coffee and toast, and got ready to go to office. My previous day's memory was a blur, like somebody tried to wipe out my memory but seriously failed at it.

I was returning from my office when I felt someone following me. When I looked back, nobody was there. It must have been my imagination. Thinking so, I headed towards my home. Upon reaching home, I was shocked to see the whole place in havoc. Things were scattered here and there. I thought of calling the cops, but first I did a little self-introspection to check if something was missing. I searched but found nothing. Everything was there. But I called the cops anyway. They came and started investigating but found no clues. After their thorough investigation, they left. As soon as they left, a guy came in. It was the same guy who saved me from the demon the previous day.

“You are the same guy who fought the demon yesterday,” I said. “It means I wasn't dreaming. What are you doing here?”

“I came here to help you,” he said. “I thought a little help will do.”

“Who are you?”

“It doesn't matter. You need my help in cleaning this mess up or not?”

“Oh, I could definitely use some help.”

He helped me clean up the mess and kept everything in its place. He did it quickly as if he knew where each thing would go.

“I don't understand who would break into my house anyway,” I muttered.

“Looks like somebody was searching for something,” he said.

“How would you know?”

“By looking at the things I could tell. I had been given orders to keep an eye on you. I couldn't possibly be at two places at once.”

“So, you are the one who was following me.”

“Yes.”

“What does the demon want from me?” I asked. “Why did it attack me?”

“Probably, you have something that the demon wants. I think it's not safe for you here anymore. You should come with me.”

He drove me in his car and took me to a cabin inside the woods. Once we were inside the cabin, he opened the trapdoor and ushered me to get in. I descended the stairs and went down. Suddenly, it shot downwards like an elevator. We reached a floor where an entire Academy was holed up. He told me that they were all half human and half angel, called Nephilim. I had only read about them in stories and books. But seeing them in front of my eyes was a different experience altogether.

I explored the Academy a little with him. He showed me the training session arena. Some were training with their swords and some with bows and arrows. It felt as if I didn't belong there.

“I am a human,” I said. “Wouldn't that be a problem here?”

“No, not at all. The head of the Academy has entrusted me for your protection. You are safe here. Besides your parents knew about us.”

“Wait, what? My parents, they knew about you. About an entirely different world?”

“Yes, they had some connections with our superior. Now if you don't mind, a meeting has been arranged between you and our principal.”

I met their principal in her cabin. Yes, she was a woman. She welcomed me to her Academy.

“It's a pleasure to see you here at last,” she said. “I have something for you. Let me get it.”

“The pleasure is all mine,” I replied with courtesy.

She brought a box and gave me. In that box, there was a letter from my mother. It read, ‘Dear Martha, I hope you are doing fine. There is a secret that I have hidden from you, and I think the time has come to reveal that secret. When you were born, you were in a really critical condition. You almost died. Listening to my urgent pleas, an angel blessed you and gave you your life back. Yes, my sweetheart, you are blessed by an angel. The angel gave us a precious little magical box for you. I have hidden it in the fairy world. Only you can bring it. Therefore, my child, you have to go to the fairy world to retrieve what's yours. It's really precious. Evil creatures and demons are after it and want it badly. So, I hid it in the fairy world where it could be safe with the fairy queen.

Love you,

My darling angel.’

My eyes welled up reading that letter, and hot tears flowed down my cheeks. It was a letter from my mother. Oh, I forgot to mention my parents died when I was little. The head of the Academy hugged me and offered her condolences.

“Now you must be aware of the fact that why you needed our protection,” she said.

“Yes, my mother has written in the letter that I have to go to the fairy world,” I said. “And I have no idea where it is.”

“There is a portal that can take you to the fairy world,” she said politely. “Don't worry. Ethan will take you.”

Ethan was the same guy who saved me from the demon and brought me to the Academy. We prepared to leave for the fairy world. A portal in a park would take us to the fairy world. We went there. I saw a fountain in the middle of the park. Ethan just stood in front of the fountain and said something like, “We want to meet your queen.” The water started swirling. Then we stood on the fountain wall and jumped into the water.

We landed in the fairy world. It was beautiful. Two fairy guards came and took us to the Queen.

“I have been waiting for you,” the Queen said.

“My mother's letter sent me here,” I said. “Apparently you have something that's rightfully mine.”

“Yes, your mother gave us the box for safekeeping,” she said. “Now the time has come for you to take it. But first, have lunch with us.”

We sat around a table and the fairies served us food. We ate to our fill. Then the Queen took us to a tree. There was a symbol of palm etched into the trunk.

“Put your palm on the symbol,” the Queen said to me.

I did as the Queen said. I put my palm on the symbol and it opened like a door. There was a small box kept in the middle. I picked it up and closed the door. Then I opened the box and found a pendant inside.

“It is a pendant with angelic properties,” the Queen said with caution. “It will give its bearer immense power and immortality. Therefore, a lot of evil creatures are after it.”

I kept the pendant inside the box, and then we took our leave. A portal brought us back to our world, and we found ourselves in that park. Demons were there to greet us. Ethan fought them off with the help of another Nephilim. Ethan was severely hurt in the fight. But we ran and reached the Academy while the other Nephilim fought the demons.

At the Academy, a ritual was organized wherein I wore the necklace. Immediately, there was a surge of powers inside me. Now, I was invincible. This was a gift from the angel, more like a responsibility which I needed to keep safe from evil entities. Everyone was kind of impressed by me. There was another ritual in which Ethan was officially made my protector. The tradition bonded us. Now, he would automatically sense if any danger comes to me. We were now bonded partners. He taught me how to fight. Our training session began. I practiced every day, worked on my fighting skills, and learned how to use magic.

While training with Ethan, we came really close to each other. I started having feelings for him. He reciprocated my feelings— days passed by without any significant happening.

“Should we go out?” He asked. “What do you think?”

“Like a date,” I replied. “Oh my God! You are asking me out! But don't you think it will be dangerous.”

“It might be. But I will be with you. And you have your powers with you. You can make us disappear for some time.”

It was true, of course. I could make us disappear through my powers. So, I did make us disappear. We held each other's hand and walked down the street, invisible. When we reached the restaurant, I made us visible again. We went in and reserved a table for two. Ethan ordered food for us. We ate heartily and talked for hours. He then brought roses for me. After that, we danced for a while. Ultimately, my date night went well without any danger creeping up. He took me to the terrace where we kissed. We returned to the Academy after our lavish and successful date night.

“Where were you two?” The head of the Academy inquired. “I heard you left the premises and went out.”

“Umm, we... uhh…” I stammered.

“Yeah, we went out for some time but nothing happened,” Ethan managed to answer. “We are fine.”

“But you were given strict orders not to leave the Academy at any cost,” the head said.

“I am sorry,” I said. “But we needed a night out. And now I have to go out in the field and fight demons. I can’t stay locked in this Academy for long,” I added.

“You are right. But you went out without any protection,” the head said.

“Ethan was with me,” I said. “And I used my powers to remain hidden. We took the necessary precautions.”

“Okay, as you say,” the head said.

I was learning about my powers, and there was still a lot to learn. We went on field projects where we fought demons, and with my powers and fighting skills, it was a lot easier. I helped them as much as I could in killing and capturing the evils.

The Queen of the demons was getting ready for a battle under our nose. Apparently, some trainer amongst us was giving information to the Queen, and she was waiting for the right moment to attack.

One day she managed to break our wards and enter our academy. She killed everyone who came on her way. The Nephilim fought the demons brought by the Queen valiantly and dauntlessly. I fought the demons too. But the Queen had only come for me to take my necklace by defeating me. She kept Ethan as a hostage and ordered me to give the necklace to her. She was going to kill Ethan when I stopped her.

“Stop it! You can take what you want but upon my death,” I shouted.

“As you wish,” she replied.

She did some magic on me and put me to sleep. She trapped me inside my mind, and I had to find a way to get out or die. Ethan was trying to wake me up, and I could hear his voice, but I could not move or say anything. One by one, I started seeing my memories from when I was a kid and then when I was a teenager and then when I was a young adult. My memories were divided into three parts. I was falling deeper and deeper into the dark crevice of my mind. I wondered who would pull me out of this chasm. I encountered nightmares that scared the shit out of me. Ethan was there too. Each and every moment with him was cheerful. Then I was scared of losing him also.

Demons and horrific nightmares chased me. I was trapped with no way out. I shouted for help. Then, I saw real Ethan coming towards me. We were bonded; therefore, he managed to enter my mind. He pulled me out, and we both ran towards the opening where white light was emanating. He brought me back. I realized my powers after coming back. I decided to fight the Queen once and for all. Ethan and I both fought with the Queen. Her powers were immense. But when I held Ethan’s hand and shot out a ball of fire from my hand, it directly hit the Queen. She lost her balance and fell. At that time, I took my sword and finished her. The Queen vaporized into thin air.

Now, we could live freely without any worries. Ethan and I hugged each other. It would take time for everything to go back to normal at the Academy as we lost so many souls who died fighting the demons and at the hand of the Queen. A funeral was arranged for the deceased Nephilim heroes. And Ethan and I were together for life.