Ignite: The Archangels Chronicles

The rain had successfully soaked Cameron to the bone, and plastered his unkept hair to his forehead. He hastily tried wiping the hair from his eyes as he frowned down at Azreal. 'Has she gone crazy?' Cameron thought to himself. As he observed Azreal in all her burning glory, Cameron couldn't help but be stunned. Her image searing into his mind. Azreals full lips set in a determined pout, her long lashes dripping with water, framing her glowing Amethyst eyes, and her tall immovable presence stubbornly dug into the mud. The lightning clashing behind her made Azreal appear as if she were burning star. She was the most beautiful and terrifying thing he had ever seen.

One moment she was literally ripping a mans heart from his c.h.e.s.t and the next she was most beautiful and regal looking women ever imagined. The contradictions were making his head hurt. He tried shaking it to clear out the treacherous thoughts.

Seeing Camerons eyes soften as he started shaking his head made Azreal feel ashamed of her actions, making her second guess herself. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the villagers starting to gather around her. Realizing she was the one causing the down pour Azreal closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The rain almost stopped, but left a light drizzle. Azreal let out a Huff of frustration at her magics stubbornness, willing the rain to completely vanish. Almost reluctantly the rain began to trickle to an end.

Nadie was the first to break the silence stepping across the mud in firm confident strides. "What happened here child? How did those rotten creatures find us?" Azreal didn't ask how the Death Dealers had sniffed them out during her.. questioning, so she replied "A battalion is on its way here. We have maybe a quarter of a league before they are upon us." Nervous cries broke out at Azreals words. But the fallen princess lifted her chin and turned to her people. "We are not mice laying in wait for mere scraps!" She exclaimed, frustrated "We are the descendants of angels! Why do you cower before them?" she boomed. Azreal could feel her rage climbing back into her c.h.e.s.t and wedging itself in her heart. She wanted her people to fight, not just lay there and let the Death Dealers break them further. "We are a strong people, a Gifted people! Use your magic and help me fight our enemies!" Azreal raged out, empowered by the furry in her peoples eyes. They too were sick of being stepped on, their lives ripped from there hands and dragged through the mud. "We are slaves no more!" Roared Azreal. "When the Death Dealers come we will be ready, and we will be waiting!"

Cheers of her people rang out. It didn't matter that only twenty or so could fight and use magic besides the broken warrior angel. Azreal's vengeance was determined to shatter this world. And the heavens quaked at Azreals power. Her wings thrown wide, the blackness almost radiating from the honed edge of her feathers. Her people drunk on the sight of their savior, their warrior Queen.

Azreal had never used her wings before. She could barely keep them corporeal for more than a few moments, but right now she felt as if she had never been without them. She flexed her wings elongated mass, their darkness emanated dense magical aura.

The first thing she needed to do was organize those who could fight and place them strategically throughout the dense canopy to ambush the Death Dealers. Azreal's graze met Cameron's as she gave him a fierce look and demanded that he find Nadie and find a safe place for the children, elderly, and the sick.

Without Azreals powers her people were sure to die. As if I'm response her angels blood thrummed in her ears as if eager for the fight. She looked down at her rough calloused hands and clenched them tightly and met each and every magic wielders eyes, and said "This is what we're going to do..."

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It was pitch black under the dense canopy of the Demora Thicket. The noises of the jungle at full volume as Azreal and her comrades crouched in their hiding spots high up in the trees, waiting for their prey. The bark was still moist from Azreals emotional downpour making their perches rather precarious and slippery. The animals and insects completely oblivious of the carnage about to unfold, buzzed and chirped, singing their songs and foraging for food. A lone jaguar roared its fury in the distance. Just then the battalion of soldiers were just visible in the furthest reaches of Azreals vision. She sent a subtle signal that would alert the well lit.

Aside from the magic welders waiting to ambush, The camp the Death Dealer soldiers were approaching was completely desolate. Checking each spot that should have a hidden wielder in it one last time, Azreal folded her wings in tight, and swung a few branches to the entrance of the jungle.

She could make out a thick sand cloud pushing up behind the riders as they savagely plowed the land. The Death Dealers knew the escaped slaves were here, but did they know Azreal, the supposedly dead heir to the ancient throne of Vanu, and the last living direct descendant of Archangels, was among them?

Azreal observed the Death Dealers, they weren't quiet about their approach, probably meaning to strike fear in our hearts. Instead they only further gave away their position. The Death Dealers we're confident, they were here to extinguish a nuisance. Azreal knew then, that the Death Dealers had no idea she was still alive, let alone amongst a bunch of broken escaped slaves. Azreals mouth turned up slightly on one side thinking of how the Death Dealers were playing right into her hands. 'Yes, come closer to me.' Her dark thoughts swirled in her mind, making her grip the slimy bark harden, her nails ripping chunks free in her anticipation.