An Angel Loses Her Wings (SataiRolePlayingGuy x AirAllie14)

[AirAllie14]

As they got closer to the walls, Anahel used her power to become invisible only to Maxim. She watched as the guards approached and listened to Maxim. When she gave the signal, Anahel flew high into the sky and finally revealed herself. Her body and halo glowed bright for all to see from the soldiers to the guards, the walls and over them. “Thou has been judged!” She spoke and then extended her hands as beams of light shot out and struck down the guards of the walls.

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

Simple yet impressive and effective.  Maxim had to wonder how much more she was capable of, what fraction of her power that display was?  But he pushed back the awe.  Stuck to the plan.  The soldiers advancing on them had paused in confusion.  "I give the Vanorian army one chance.  Surrender now!  Lay down your weapons and armor now!  If you do, you will be spared allowed to leave my kingdom.  Continue to fight and this angel the gods sent to fight for me will strike you down!  In this war, the gods have placed her under my command!  She will kill any I ask her to!  And if you wish to keep fighting that is my command to her."  Even as royalty he felt unworthy to order an angel.  But that was what the gods decided, so in battle at least, he would command her.  There was sounds of confusion from within the walls.  The soldiers outside were equally confused, but the commander's pride got the better of him.  "Charge!  If we run we can get to him first.  Let's see who the gods truly favor!"  He called out, beginning to run before before he finished speaking.  Maxim's reflexively stood between him and the advancing Vanorians.  But Maxim just stood and waited calmly for Anahel to strike again.

[AirAllie14]

Anahel watched from the sky as Maxim gave the guards their choices. She hopped that things would be resolved right now and that they would do as Maxim said. She was an Angel, she would want to resolve things as peacefully as possible but if they tried to harm Maxim, she would have to act.

As they began to charge, Anahel sighed and flew down. She landed before the charging soldiers, standing between them and Maxim. “I had hoped you would pick the smart option… oh well…” she said and once again shot beams of light into the soldiers, striking down more and more of them, much more than she had before, eliminating about half of the charging force. The soldiers she struck fell to the floor, burns on their bodies and holes in them from where they were struck, all fatal hits.

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

There was quiet for a moment.  Maxim waited to see if anyone else would march out from the city.  When there was no sign of anything happening he stepped forward.  "We will retake the city.  See if there are any soldiers left inside that wish to fight."  The guards escorted him to the still open gate.  Swords drawn, in case any lingering soldier was hiding near the gates.  When they stepped inside it was quiet.  But there was still signs of the war, the initial fighting.  Many of the buildings showed signs of damage, of looting. No one came out for a time.  Eventually, perhaps unsurprisingly, it was a priest who came out.  "Prince Maxim, bless the gods!"  He ran forward and knelt before Maxim.  "To have seen an actual angel with my own eyes!  Our prayers were not wasted!  It is such an honor to see both of you!"

Maxim nodded.  "Rise, priest.  What is the condition of the city.  Are there any Vanorians left in the walls?"  The priest was uneasy.  "The ones who were not on the walls or foolish enough to charge you seem to have fled through the back gate...unfortunately the town is poor shape.  Most valuables stolen.  Nearly all of the women, the younger ones were taken away, prizes of war, forced brides at best, slaves at worst.  Any left in the walls were 'claimed' by the soldiers here and may feel unworthy of marriage or another man's love.  Many men were lost too in the invasion.  Though not as many.  It will be some time before it recovers."  Maxim had to consider his options.  Did he try to build an army from the left over men here or not?

[AirAllie14]

Anahel stayed back a moment, walking through the trail of bodies she had left. She frowned as she looked down at them. She didn’t like to kill. She didn’t want to kill, to take life. She knew of the terrible things these people had down yet, she still felt bad, perhaps that was just her nature. She was sent here to do a job however and she would see it through and do whatever Maxim intended.

As she approached where they were, she smiled a little and was happy to see the priest, another worshiper of God. She listened to the hardships that befell this village and frowned even more saying, “that is terrible…”

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

The priest could not help but kneel again upon hearing the angel speak.  "Bless you, holy one.  Thank you for saving the people who remained in this town.  The gods sent you to us for a purpose.  One must not enjoy punishment but at the same time it is crueler not to punish those those who deserve it."  He tried to show his gratitude while offering what he thought about her using her power in the way she did.  What Prince Maxim must have understood as well.  To love hurting and killing was evil, but sometimes you were left with no choice, and there was no evil to do it for such reasons.  "I will free as many of the women as I can find as I battle.  Though it makes me sick to think what they might be going through at this moment."  He turned to Anahel.  "You might be able to at least somewhat comfort the ones that are still in the city.  Save them from such thoughts.  It might mean more coming from you than me or the priest here."  She was a symbol of vengeance, of wrath, a weapon in his hands.  But she was also a sign of hope and healing, who could perhaps help some of the survivors.  "We should let any here who want to see you see you, see if they get any comfort from it."

[AirAllie14]

Anahel looked at the priest and understood his words. “Arise, there is no need to be so formal.” She too felt a great deal of pain as she thought about the woman all around who were hurt as well as the ones here. She then turned to Maxim and asked, “you wish for me to attempt to heal them?” She thought about this for a moment. Maybe this would give her some comfort. She knew it would be hard to listen to their stories but they needed her comfort and she wanted to help them. “Very well. Bring them to me.”

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

Maxim was not sure if Anahel could truly heal them.  Physically perhaps if they were hurt, the important thing though was to give them some comfort.  He turned to the priest.  "Tell them Holy Anahel, the angel here, will see any who wish to visit her in the temple.  At least for today.  I do not know how long we will remain here.  We do at least need to rest a bit and consider our next target."  The priest bowed "Yes, your highness."  He walked quickly away to spread the word.  "I hope at least they find some comfort in seeing you and possibly talking to you a little.  A messenger from the gods could at least convince them they had not been corrupted or did anything wrong."  He explained as he walked with her towards the temple.  It was a bigger temple than the one he had met her in.  Still slightly looted but not nearly as much as other buildings.  Seemed even the Vanorians did not want to go that far in intentionally provoking the gods.

[AirAllie14]

Anahel watched as the priest left. She then began to walk with Maxim to the temple and sighed, “yes… I hope so too… I would like to help as much as I can…” she looked around the temple and said, “hopefully this place can go back to the way how it used to be with your efforts and mine. The enemy is still out there, together I know we will be able to liberate this world.”

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

Liberate the world?  Just to regain his kingdom and bring vengeance on Vanoria would cover a great deal of territory.  It was an expansionist empire.  But to cover the whole world would be considerably more.  Maxim might have considered that rather ambitious, but perhaps it was just an angel’s nature to wish for such a thing.  “I do not look to rule the world.  Just to regain what is mine, and punish those who took it from me.  Are you asking to take up a higher mission?  To look for more?”  Was she speaking her personal opinion, or suggesting a higher mission for him from the gods.  It was probably worth talking about.  It would still be a little while before anyone else showed up.

[AirAllie14]

Anahel shook her head and floated over to an alter. “No… that’s not what I meant… what I mean is, these enemies… they are still out there… doing horrible things to other people in other kingdoms… taking over other places… we need to stop them. I believe together we can. I’m not asking you to try to take over the other kingdoms just, save them…”

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

Maxim nodded.  That was the more reasonable assumption and more or less what he planned.  Though he did not know what he would do with Vanoria once the war was over and Urbanus dealt with.  To attempt to rule it seemed a bit much, maybe he would look for an alternative ruler, if a reasonable one could be found.  Before he could he could say anything the sound of the doors opening could be heard.  The priest could be seen on the other side.  Next to him was a girl, probably early to mid teens.     She slowly walked forward as the priest remained where she was.  Maxim stepped to the side as she approached the angel, some awe in her eyes.

[AirAllie14]

Anahel continued to look around the temple before hearing the doors open. She too turned to the sound and saw the priest with the girl besides him. Anahel watched as she approached. She tried to make the girl feel as comfortable as possible. Once she was before her, Anahel smiled and extended her hands to the girl. Once she took them, Anahel would smile and say, “hello child. Please come, tell me what troubles you,” she spoke calm and softly and began to lead the woman off to a room to the side, away from the men, not wanting them to listen.

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

The girl looked at the angel.  Uncertain if she was also a girl but comforted by the similar appearance.  Tears began to run down her cheeks.  “…It hurt, felt so wrong.  When they invaded, they gathered up every girl they could find.  So many were taken away.  My mom, sister, friends. But that soldier, he dragged me off to an alley…bent me over and…I’ve done something evil.”  It did not matter to her she was forced to do it, it was wrong, she was never going to be pure.

[AirAllie14]

Anahel sat with the woman and listened to what had happened to her. She felt sorry for her and her family. She wanted nothing more than to find her family and make everything right but, who even knew if they were still alive. All she could do was comfort the girl before her. She leaned in and wrapped her arms around her saying, “it was not your fault. You are not at fault. You do not need to apologize. God will forgive you. He will look past this. You are safe now. No one will ever hurt you again. I promise.”

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

The girl felt a little better trusting she would not be judged, but it was hard to completely calm down.  “…What am I supposed to do, what if I have his baby?”  The soldier had forced himself on recently enough it was still too soon to be sure.  That was another fear on her mind, how she could support it, if she even could love it.  She had another question, one she felt comfortable asking with Anahel’s approach.  “…hey, are you a girl too?  Do angels have girls and boys?”

[AirAllie14]

Anahel frowned and placed a hand on the girl’s hand saying, “it is your job to care for your child… though, I can understand what you must be feeling… adoption is always an option, it is not a sin. God will not judge you for giving up your child, in fact, it will show that you want the best life for your child, one which you cannot provide.”

Anahel then looked at the woman and then looked down at her body. She shook her head and said, “no… angels do not have genders… we are neither male nor female. Anyone can be an Angel.” She got up and walked to a mirror and said, “though… I have always considered myself if I had to chose, more closely related to being a girl.”

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

”Anyone can be an angel?”  She asked in a bit of confusion.  “Do you mean you used to be something else?  That humans or others become angels?”  Anahel’s answer told her angels did not have children, but she was unsure now if angels were created by other beings becoming one or if they were just created by the gods.  “Did you choose to look like a girl?  Or have you always?”  A little uncertainty, whether an angel had control over their forms or if this one just always looked like that.  She was clearly happier, at least for a moment, just being able to have a conversation like this with an actual angel.

[AirAllie14]

Anahel looked at the woman and said, “while I do not remember much… I feel like I was once human like you… angels can be anyone… humans after they die or created by God himself… that is who we are.” She then smiled and said, “I have chosen to look like this my dear. I find this look matching me more.”

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

That was something that actually surprised Maxim, listening in the background.  The idea Anahel was anything other than what she was now surprised him.  If that was the case, who was she before and how did become what she was?  Did her body resemble the old her, or was she something else?

The girl was feeling more optimistic, just maybe she could someday be like the angel in front of her.  “What’s it like up there?  The priest talks about how wonderful it is, but never gives much detail.”  To hear what heaven was like, from someone that lived there, how could she miss the chance?

[AirAllie14]

Anahel could sense Maxim’s presence. She had wanted privacy with this girl but she didn’t do anything, allowing him to stay. “Your priest is correct. It is wonderful. It is beautiful. It is peaceful. I’m sorry, I cannot tell you more but what I can say is that you will be welcomed as long as you remain on a steady and good path.”

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

Maxim probably should have left the room but he had been a little curious and wanted to step in in case the girl got too upset and Anahel was unsure how to handle it as an angel compared to a human.  Though if what Anahel said was true, that she used to be human, maybe she was a little more prepared for that than he thought.  He was curious to who she used to be, but it sounded like even Anahel did not have a clear memory of it.  Though after she was done after she was done he might try to ask about what little she could remember.

The girl wished for more advice but stood up smiled and nodded.  "Thank you.  I will try to do my best."  She placed her hand on her stomach.  "For the child too, if there is one..."  She was going to leave, to give the next person some time with the angel.  But that led to one other question.  "Is an angel able to sense that sort of thing.  Do you already know or have to the power to figure out if I'm pregnant?"  She was scared of the answer, but it was perhaps better to get it now, if Anahel had power to figure it out.  Either naturally sensing it, or through magic.

[AirAllie14]

Anahel smiled at the woman, happy to have helped her. As she was about to leave however, Anahel looked at the woman as she asked one more question. Anahel looked down at her stomach and in fact she was able to sense if she had a child but, she wondered if telling her was really for the best or if she should let her discover it on her own. Either way, she couldn’t lie. 

She approached the woman and placed a hand on her shoulder and all she said was, “congratulations….”

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

The girl looked down.  Letting everything settle, the truth weighing down on her on her.  Then she took a deep breath and looked up.  "It's better I know now...I don't know what I'll do yet.  But it will have a home one way or anther."  Would she keep it, try to give it up for adoption?  She did not know yet.  She had months to figure out though.  It also depended on whether she found someone else to support her and if they cared about the child  and where it came from.  The smile was a little smaller but she had a determined look as she bowed, turned and left.  She would not just abandon it on the street or anything like that, that much was sure.  The child did not deserve to be punished for how it was created.

A moment later, another woman came in cold eyed, emotionally shattered.  But with maybe just a little hope, as she saw the angelic figure before her.  She stepped forward slowly, awe in her eyes.  She was probably upper 30s or early 40s in age, wearing a beat up dress.  "...I don't know if I can go on.  If anything is left for me here.  Those animals cut my husband down in front of me, made me watch.  The chained up my daughter, took her far away to be sold off, become someone's slave.  They would have the same to me, but they mocked me, saying I was too old...I will never see her again...the things they will do to her.  I can't do anything.  I have had to beg...and worse, just to survive."  She was desperate, looking for any reason to keep living.  To see an actual angel, she felt this was the only chance of that.

[AirAllie14]

Anahel’s face was emotionless though in the inside she felt extremely sad for this woman and what she had gone through. “What you have gone through… us horrible… but you must keep living. Yes, it may seem like there is nothing to live for… your husband was killed but you have to keep living for him… to honor his memory…” she then looked at what happened to the woman’s daughter, “your daughter…. If I’m being honest… I have no idea what to say… I don’t know if she is alright or if she is even alive… I want to tell you not to give up hope, that your daughter will be fine, that she will come back to you one day, but… I’m just not certain what has come of her… maybe it would be better… if you moved on… from both your husband and your daughter… keep their memories alive within yourself and always remember them. As for your housing situation… I’m sure Prince Maxim and the priest will be more than happy to find you a home…”