Chapter 3: Shattered Angel

            “David are you sure about this?” Amanda asked as she buttoned his sleeveless shirt.
            “Amanda I went over this. There are Demons in those mountains, and that mage knows something about it. I’m sure of it.” he swung his standard issue, sky blue scarf over his shoulder. “I can’t let those things run around here.
            “Warrior to the end.” She mumbled handing him the glowing blue crystal that marked him as a warrior of their kind, “Just be careful okay? You’re are at a disadvantage because of what hap-”
            “I know.” he snapped, “Just let me do this, I’m fine.”
            “Alright, good luck David.”
            David raised his hand, the other grabbing the sword that had left him flightless over five years ago. The night that Neros had escaped, he had sworn to kill every Demon, every single one, until he could kill the one that had slaughtered his friends and destroyed his wings. He’s left his position as a guard and become a rouge warrior, a mercenary.

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             “So how far do you live from here?” Cris asked.
            “Just up the mountains. It’s not that hard to find.” Zane had given up on trying to sit still and was lying down while Rachel continued to rub the medicine on his back. “But don’t go looking okay; you won’t be welcomed by the rest of my clan.”
            “Why not?”
            “You aren’t a Raizic.” Rachel interrupted. “Why would they welcome someone from a race that might kill them?”
            “I wouldn’t do that!”
            “We know that, but they don’t.”
            “And there’s no way they’d believe an Omega like me.”
            “Omega?”
            “You sure are full of questions Fox.” Zane turned away and buried his head into the pillow.
            Oh crap what did I say now?
            “Done. Cris I can get what you need now. Come with me.” Rachel grabbed his arm and yanked him out of the room. “What are you doing?!”
            “I just asked a question.”
            “You don’t understand. It’s not your fault.” She had her eyes closed and seamed to be talking to herself more than him. “Listen Cris, an omega is a very bad thing. It’s the lowest social level for a Raizic. It means that the rest of his clan can beat on him at anytime they want without punishment.”
            “WHAT!? How could- that’s not- that’s not right!”
            “I know. But it’s better to hurt someone that’s useless than someone that protects you right?”
            “No!”
            “Look at it this way then. Omegas are considered useless because they’re either too weak to or just can’t do anything else. Zane’s too trusting, and he hates fighting. He can’t hunt very well and he kills practically every plant he touches; he’s just, not fit to live in these times.” She sank into the chair hidden behind her desk.
            “I still don’t understand. How could they do that to their own kind?”
            “Their society is different then yours and mine. It is hard to understand.”
            “I guess.”
            “Give me that list.” she yanked the crinkled over folded paper from his hand. “Go watch Zane. I’m not sure if my medicine will work with how many broken bones he had.”
            “Um, okay.” The room was quiet. Zane hadn’t moved at all since Rachel had drug him out. “Zane?” he kept his voice quiet, he didn’t want to bother his new friend, “I’m sorry about tha- ... Oh that’s not fair.” Zane had fallen asleep. The paste that had been on his back and sides was no longer visible, but his skin was glowing slightly. “Uh, Rachel? Is it supposed to-”
            “Yes”
            “Oh, okay.” He plopped down on the chair that Rachel had been sitting at not long ago. He really needs to eat more. Cris let his eyes travel to the sleeping man. He’s kinda cute though. Gah! Bad Cris, bad no more of that! He shook his head violently against his thoughts. I really need to stop getting attracted to guys that aren’t my kind. He’s probably strait anyways. Cris sighed.
            “Hehehe.” The chuckle interrupted Cris’s thoughts.
            “Oh, uh, you’re awake.” Cris blushed, causing Zane to chuckle again.
            “You’re kind of loud.”
            “Sorry.” he mumbled, face redder than his firey hair.
            “Don’t be, I’m a light sleeper anyway. What were you thinking about?”
            “W-what?” Shit! He saw me and he’s asking and CRAP!!
            “You were making funny faces, and you shook your head like you had a spider on it.”
            “Eh he, well-”
            “Damn it!” Rachel yelled from the other room.
            “What is it?” Cris poked his head through the doorway only to be pushed back in.
            “An Angel. He came here a couple days ago looking for Raizic. He didn’t believe me when I told him I didn’t know anything about Zane’s clan so he’s back.”
            “There’s an Angel here, now?” Zane had shot to his feet and grabbed his shirt almost too fast for Cris to see.
            “Not yet but he’s close. I can smell him on the wind. If you hurry you two should be able to get out of here in time.”
            “Both of us? Why dose he have to run?”
            “That stone around his neck is a Raizic Spell Stone.”
            “You could tell?” “You’re wearing it?” the two said at the same time.
            “Come on you have to move it!” Rachel yelled and shoved them to the side door. It opened to the outside, near the cliff face. “Go that way; it’s the fastest way to get into the forest without him seeing you.” She pointed out a path that led along the cliff then into the woods.
            Rachel watched as the boys dashed into the trees just as the Angel emerged from the woods in the front of her home.
            “Mage!” He called out to her.
            “I’m over here angel.” She growled, “What do you want now? I already told you all I know about your little demon hunt.”
            Rachel found herself staring down the blade of his sword in seconds, “Don’t lie to me dragon!”
            “You don’t take very good care of your blade.” she laughed, examining the stained steel.
            The wingless warrior growled at her, “You don’t even have a weapon.”
            “Really now?” she chuckled, “Lesson one; never trust your eyes with a mage.”   She held her hand out and a swirl of flames sprouted to form a long staff; then curling around the tips in both directions, creating her double blade- double edge scythe. “A fool trusts his eyes, a warrior, his heart.”
            “What? I don’t what to hear any more of your nonsense!” He charged with his blade parallel to the earth.
            “Here we go!” she dogged the reckless strike and sent a blast of fire back into his face. David slid under the blast and swiped his sword at her face. “Too slow,” She flapped her wings and sent herself soaring over his head; swinging to remove it. Phantom pains chose this moment to remind David that his own wings where useless. He dropped to the ground, barely avoiding a second swipe of the deadly weapon. Vines snaked up from the ground to tether him to the spot. He slashed thorough them as he scrambled out of the way of a spick of ice aimed at his head. She controls Fire, Earth, and Ice?! A mage that could control two elements fluently was a rarity, but three was nearly unheard of.
            “Surprised?” David flicked his head to the voice behind him. But that’s not- she’s in front of me! Sure enough when he looked Rachel was in front of him and behind him.
            “A doppelganger?” he gasped in surprise.
            “You’re catching on.” The only people that had ever been able to funnel spells through doppelgangers where the warriors of ancient legends. Nobody was that powerful.
            “It can’t be....” he trailed away, staring as the mimic spell dissipated into shadows.
            “It just was. Now will you leave me alone?” She growled at the stunned angel. David just nodded in aw of the Dragon/Wolf’s power. 

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