Archangel 2099UG #5

If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth.

Psalms 137: 5-6

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I have always believed that when I died, something wonderful would occur; a bright light, a harp's song, a gentle holy voice... something! This always gave me comfort in the heat of battle, knowing that I would have my reward if I fell in the War Righteous. It is true that I have never been perfect, but it is good to know that with all the times in my life I have been wrong, that in this single belief I was right. I must be dead, for standing over my broken form is an angel... just like I had always envisioned.

It is all aglow, with wings of purest white. Its armor shines like the sun, its hair of purest black. It stands a tower against iniquity, a beacon that it is time to go home. I try to leave my mortal form, but cannot. I cry out, but I am not heard. This is not right!!! I fought for you!!!! Where is my reward?!?

I try to move and yet I lie still. I can only look on in anguish and frustration as my ears still ring from the explosive force of the angelic coming. As the dust begins to settle I see the young Jew, David now made Judas, that betrayed New Vatican to the ASKAR shock troops. (**See AA2099UG # 4 -- JCS) He rushes forward, clothes torn and bleeding from several places. He falls down before the angelic warrior and hides his face in the dirt. The holy visitor holds its shielded face in one of its hands and seems near collapse. It speaks but I can hear nothing over the ringing in my ears.
Then, slowly... ominously the rubble behind the angel begins to crest and fall away. As if in slow motion a figure arises, but the guardian over me seems oblivious. The creature rising is one of the ASKAR, a fully muscled creature but slim. It is nearly serpentine in its grace and I recognize the vile menace immediately as Barsis, one of the Elite guard of the despot Kavis.

When it becomes obvious that the angel would not react, I call out. How can he be so close and not even see me? I look around for my weapon, and feel a small bit of shame. You see... my name is Avangel, and I am the second in command of the Sisterhood of the Howling Commandments. I have trained hundreds of girls to be women, and every one of them would rather die than be caught without a weapon... and here I am with mine misplaced. It must have fallen away in the confusion. I spot it, my AIM 5000 plasma hand cannon, half buried in the rubble a few feet away... just out of reach. I try to stretch over to it, but my fingers only brush it barely. Barsis couches, ready to pounce upon our new visitor. I try to kick myself free of the rubble but I am pinned from the waist down.

Then several things happen at once. First, the rubble around me shifts and my hand finds the hand gun. Secondly, Barsis leaps at the back of the angel. Lastly, the angel begins to move with a speed I cannot even follow!

As always, my shot is true and it hits Barsis with the full force available to the weapon, and I curse, for his mutate power is forcefield generation. But as the serpentine creature lands upon the very spot where the angel stood, he finds the area oddly vacant. Barsis looks left and right to find his prey, but his eyes fall on me instead, lying there helpless. His face slits into a grin as he begins to move toward me.

I snarl, and as the ringing in my ears subside I hear my war cry. "SHOCK YOU!" I unleash on him again knowing it is fruitless, but if I had wanted sure victories I would never had taken up my current vocation. The energy beams lance out and are refracted by the shield of force around Barsis. He begins to charge for me as the weapon reserves run dry.

I fall back, waiting for the killing blow, but as my vision focuses upon the scene behind Barsis, from the shadows high above, I catch a glimpse of hope. For me, time seems to slow down as the shadows release a radiant form, wings furled back to allow the creature speed enough to intercept my assailant.

My eyes must have given my would-be savior away for Barsis spun and erected a shield. The sound of their collision is like a lightning strike as unstoppable force meets an impenetrable object. The ground around Golgotha shakes and the remainder of the rubble pinning me is sifted away. I soon deduce as I try to move that both of my legs are broken. I curse, then beg forgiveness. As the titans clash not three feet away from me, the Jewish soldier that betrayed New Vatican rushes to me and grabs me to pull me away.

"Get away from me!" I pull away. "I don't need the help of the likes of you."

He seems taken aback, as if wrestling with some inner demons, then finally he does speak. "Yes you do need my help, Sister. You are alone and wounded. Now be quiet and let me help." When next he grabs me I do not resist.

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(Moments Later)

The soldier manages to get us both to a nearby hiding place... a large hole in the wall, a makeshift cave. He tries to make me comfortable, but all I care about is seeing the battle just outside. Although it pains me I move to get a better view. What I see fills me with awe, the angel is a true warrior. I have fought my entire life and I am the best at what I do, but this warrior below is beyond my league. Every blow is perfectly timed and aimed, every shift in weight brings him closer to victory. Then as the battle grows heated, the combatants begin to speak.

"Thou canst win, villain! I don't know where I am, but your intentions are obviously evil. Stand down and I will grant thee mercy," begins the angel.

Barsis is no slouch in combat, and even though obviously outmatched, apparently the forcefield proves more than a deterrent to his opponent's blows. This makes him prideful, and we all know pride goes before a fall. "You should hhaaave sssstayed out of this ffffight, ssstranger. I ssserve one whhooo will feast on your bones. HHheee is greater than you."

Then the angel laughs as he begins an acrobatic/aerial attack combination. "Ha! I wast about to say that very thing!" The angel finally comes to ground behind Barsis and his right hand flares into light as it becomes a sword. Then without hesitation he swings the sword down. Although Barsis dodges he is caught by the tip of the blade! First blood to the angel! In all the years I have fought Barsis I never realized his force shield only covered half his body!

Barsis curses but the angel takes it in stride. "Ho, ho! Thou can be harmed after all, villain. Where are thy boasts now?"

I dare pull my eyes away from the battle to find the Jewish betrayer. My nose wrinkles in disgust but I speak anyway. "I need ammunition for my gun if I am going to help our angel out there. You can start your road to redemption by getting it for me. Even another weapon would do."

He stares at me hard. "I will do as you ask, but you would be wise to someday put your faith in something other than your guns."

I can't believe my ears! The coward is lecturing me on faith! How dare he? But before the venomous words could poor from my mouth he is gone. Shock! I hate this.

I turn back to the battle and I begin to see that Barsis is not as foolhardy as I had believed. While Barsis fought and wore down his foe, it gave the others a chance to recover. Even now, Barsis's partner, Hermisis, has recovered and is preparing to ambush from the shadows.

I scream a warning, but unarmed that is all I can do. My concern was unwarranted as the angelic creature easily dodges Barsis's distracting attack. Hermisis is a master of high speeds and his weapon studded armor has been the death of many of my charges. Hermisis chooses that moment to jet at the angelic warrior and I cringe as he becomes a blur... BUT he bounces off!!!! Amazingly at the last possible sub-instant the angel manifested a shield! Hermisis goes careening off into a nearby wall.

This has a profound impact on Barsis. Fear fills his eyes. No one has ever managed to fight the pair to a defensive position before. The angel has countered his partner and discovered the weakness in his power! I would have paid money to see this!!!! The angel begins to move toward Barsis as he stumbles backward to escape. Where is my weapon?

"STOP!"

I turn to see the source of the voice and my heart sinks... it is Kavis, despot of the Glass Wastes! I also see he holds a hostage... the Jew I sent to get me a weapon. I fear the coming battle... for Kavis's weapons are words. The angel, in all his glory turns to face this new foe and sees the boy as a hostage.

"I hast underestimated the pits of your evil. I assume thou art the One your minions claim is greater than I?"

Kavis smiles. He, more than any of his minions, seems nearly human. He has however, just enough variations to be a monster. He is tall, nearly 8 foot, towering over the angel by a good twelve inches. Also his skin is a deep crimson, and his eyes like fire. Atop his head is a long cascade of ebony hair, not unlike our angelic champion. His smile shows canines of a sickening yellow. "MY MINIONS SPEAK TRULY. ALTHOUGH I ADMIT IF I HAD KNOW NEW VATICAN HAD SO FORMIDABLE A DEFENDER I WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER PREPARED FOR YOU."

"Thou must release your hostage. I have won. You minions are no match for me and if the hostage dies then I will be warranted in bringing thy death."

" PERHAPS I SHALL RELEASE THE BOY, BUT FIRST I MUST BE ASSURED OF CERTAIN THINGS. I WISH TO NEGOTIATE."

"I shall not negotiate."

"NOT EVEN FOR THE SAFETY OF THIS BRAVE JEW HERE? "

The angel looks down. "I shall listen, but not yet agree."

"VERY SENSIBLE OF YOU. MOST MARVELS I BATTLE ARE MUCH MORE RASH IN THEIR ACTIONS. FIRST WE SHOULD KNOW WITH WHO WE NEGOTIATE. I AM KAVIS, FUTURE RULER OF THE WORLD, AND SOVEREIGN OF THE GLASS WASTES... AND YOU ARE....?"

The angel hesitates and shakes his head as if to clear it. "I... I don't remember."

Kavis's smile widens. "DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE?"

"No."

"THEN IT IS TRUE THAT YOU DO NOT YET KNOW IF WHO YOU FIGHT FOR IS JUST? I PROPOSE THIS... A TRUCE. I CLAIM HERE TODAY THAT THOSE YOU FIGHT FOR ARE EASILY AS EVIL AS I. I WILL RELEASE THIS YOUNG SOLDIER IF YOU PROMISE ME THAT YOU WILL NOT MOVE AGAINST ME OF MY MEN UNTIL YOU HAVE STUDIED THE SITUATION. WE WILL LEAVE NEW VATICAN DURING THE TRUCE. DO YOU PROMISE?"

"Only if thou leave immediately."

"DONE! BARSIS, HERMISIS! LET US GO!"

Barsis and Kavis begin to back out of the area as Hermisis jets by the young Jew, cutting him deeply with the armor. As the Jew falls I see the angel let out a guttural cry. "Lying reprobates! Thou shalt pay for that!"

The angel takes flight and brings his sword of light up to strike Hermisis and I can't turn away, but the blow never comes. The angel stops a couple of feet away and just lowers his weapon. He looks as confused as I.

"DO NOT FEEL BADLY, YOU ARE QUITE A WARRIOR BUT I AM YOUR INTELLECTUAL SUPERIOR. I HAVE A MUTANT POWER TO ENFORCE ANY PROMISE WILLINGLY MADE TO ME. YOU HAVE NOT DONE THE RESEARCH OF WHICH WE SPOKE. UNTIL THEN MY MEN AND I ARE SAFE. I HAVE RELEASED MY HOSTAGE BUT I DID NOT PROMISE HIS SAFETY... COUNT THIS A LESSON." And Kavis laughs as he leaves.

He stands there alone in the room with the Jew, laying in the dust moist with his own blood. His sword of light retracts to again become his hand. He kneels and observes the soldier, but even from this distance I can tell death is very near. He turns the boy over and gently caresses his face. As he does, his hand takes on a golden glow. He whispers something and the boy himself begins to mend, the bloody wound begins to close and even from this distance I can hear his intestines sucking back up into his abdomen. Soon his eyes are flickering open.

The angel helps him sit up. "Thou will recover."

The Soldier smiles and nods, "Thank you." Then he seems to remember something. "Noble servant of Jehovah, there is another here who needs your help. Her legs were crushed by rubble and I was supposed to get her a weapon to help you with. She is also a servant of Jehovah, although a misguided one. She is over there."

Imagine that... the little coward's first thought was of me! As the angel moves toward me I finally slip into unconsciousness.

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(Later)

I awaken in the infirmary of the Sisterhood. A medic of the cloth works over me and off to the right of her is the Jewish soldier who I saw before.

"Ah! You are finally awake, Sister Avangel," begins the medic Sister Theresa. "I personally think it is pure laziness that has gotten into you. Just trying to get out of chores for a day or two." She smiles.

I smile back. "Why am I here? I feel fine."

"You have been unconscious for over a day, Sister."

Over a day? Then it all comes back to me! "Where is the angel? Did I really see it?"

Sister Theresa smiles. " Indeed you did. He is with Mother Superior now."

"Mother Superior!?! Aw shock, I need to get going." I begin to toss off my blankets until Sister Theresa's restraining hand catches me.

"Before you run off half cocked, sister, this young man would like to see you. Oh and I will pray that you can overcome your obsessive use of expletives."

I turn to the Jew. "What of worth could you possibly have to say? You betrayed the city of your Forefathers."

A tear fills his eye as he hands me a crucifix on a chain... it belonged to Neboim... my sister, my real sister, recently killed by Kavis to save this man. (** AA2099UG # 4 -- JCS) Suddenly I can't hate him anymore, otherwise her death would be a tragedy. I begin to sob. He whispers to me, "She told me to tell you she loved you..." and before I can stop him... he runs out the door.

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(Later Still )

I run full sprint on legs that yesterday were splintered, a miracle to be sure, but my mind is not upon that as it should be, but on reaching the chambers of the Mother Superior before she makes the angel a pawn in her political games.

Mother Superior is the foremost representative of the church in New Vatican, and I am her second. She has long feared I would use my position to remove her from hers. Her paranoia has cost us much and I will not see a servant of our Lord tainted by her schemes.

I arrive and enter her chambers, for she prides herself on an open door policy. I see exactly what I expected... the Mother Superior talking quietly with the heavenly visitor. She turns as I enter and smiles that predatory smile.

"Ah! Sister Avangel! I am so glad you have arrived!"

Ugh! Praise the Lord and pass the Pepto Bismol!



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