Fight or Flight?

Chapter 2 of Against the Fall

CHAPTER TWO

FIGHT OR FLIGHT

“So an angel, huh?” Scott pulled himself off the ground. 

“It would appear so.” Pris looked at Scott with a fear in her eyes. 

“You didn’t know?” He asked, stepping closer to her. She shook her head as he walked around her in a circle looking at her wings. The golden glow had subsided and now they had been folded behind her back they were simple white feathers. 

“I’ve never heard about anything like this before.” Scott said reaching her front once more, she had grown taller and stood now more than a foot taller than the man. 

“There is something about you, your body it is different to other people isn’t it?” She said reaching her hand out, her fingers danced around in the space just above Scott’s shoulder. Through her new eyes she could see the wave of silver surrounding him. 

“Different? I suppose I am.” 

“I have seen it before, the silver, on a man.” Her eyes were far away as she tried to recall the lost memory. 

“What was his name?” Scott tilted his head slightly to get a better look in her eyes. 

“Seth, son of Adam, brother Able and Cain.” 

Scott stepped closer to her again catching her eyes. 

“Yes, I am Venator, the last of us in fact.” 

“The last?” 

He nodded. 

“You’re sad?” She leaned her head to the side, blinking a few times she wasn’t sure how she knew it but the feeling was pouring out of him. 

“Okay listen, I realise you’ve just had some sort of life epiphany but you don’t get to go all…all knowing. Okay, Now I’m glad you got that scratching to stop by taking in whatever it was that you did but now you need to go!” 

“Grace, it was my grace. I must have lost it.” Her eyes were growing distant again and she turned back towards the middle of the clearing. 

“Scott, Venator, I don’t understand.” 

“Don’t understand what?” 

“This, I have all these memories inside my head now but why am I here? How did I end up being human?” 

“I don’t kn-” She cut him off.

“Wait, why are you here? Why did you come?” 

“The scratching sound I told you-” 

“But it was calling to me, my grace was calling to me how could you have heard it? Scratching or not you should not have been able to hear it.” 

“I suppose it is because I am a Venator.” 

“No, it must be something more, humans, Venators, nothing should be able to hear an Angel’s grace unless…” 

“Unless what?” Scott’s eyes darted around the clearing then back to her. 

“Unless when he was made, no it can’t be. Do you hear that?” She had stopped and had head pointed upwards looking into the sky above her. 

Scott followed her eye line and he could see nothing but the moon, but as he watched the sky above him began to change. The clouds that had once been sparse now joined together and swirled with each other. Beneath his feet the earth was moving, shaking and a faint rumble reached his ears. 

“What the hell is happening? What did you do?” 

“I….I don’t know.” Pris was backing up, moving her body closer and closer to Scott’s, “I think perhaps we should not be here.” She whispered over her shoulder to him. Once more her eyes darted up to the sky as three large streaks of gold shot from the clouds. They came down faster than she had ever seen anything move yet the slowness of their landing was simple and before them stood three men. They were as tall as she and their wings glowed. Pris spread her own shielding Scott from their view. They looked more ready to go into an Egyptian battle field than to walk in a forest.

“Hello, sister.” 

“Ramiel.” Her voice came out forced. 

“You remember?” Ramiel moved forward, and Pris’s breath hitched in her chest, “It is time for you to come home and face the charges set against you.” Ramiel’s voice echoed inside Scott’s head like bells in a cathedral. 

“Charges?” 

“Yes, sister when they told me what you had done, siding with Lucifer,” He dropped his eyes in disappointment, “I barely believed it, but the fall, you fell willingly. I wept for you betrayal.” 

“Ramiel I can’t…no it can’t be…” 

The angel squinted his eyes at her. 

“You don’t remember?” 

“This is a ruse, General, we should just take her back!” One of the other angels called from behind Ramiel.  He raised one hand silencing the other one. 

“We searched everywhere for you, we tore the planet apart, flooded it with our ranks all looking for you. We had thought that you had simply fallen but sending yourself forward through time. Priscilla that more than proves your guilt.” 

“I don’t feel guilty of anything. But I will not go with you.” 

“I wanted this to be easy, Priscilla, for you to come with us without a fuss. I am sorry but if you do not come willingly we will take you by force.” 

She shook her head and took a step backwards feeling Scott still behind her, hidden by her wings. 

“You cannot run from us Priscilla.” 

“You’re the head of the army, of Gods army?” Pris asked. 

“I am now. I never wanted to be. I would have followed you for eternity you know that. We all had our places in heaven but Lucifer changed everything!” She could see the sadness in his eyes mirrored in the break of his voice. 

“Lucifer. The humans have a book, the bible it says that Lucifer was banished from Heaven, that he created Hell.” It was more like she was telling herself than talking to anyone else in the clearing, “Michael. No I will not go to him.” 

“Please sister if you come with us willingly your punishment may not be so bad. He may lessen it.” 

“I would not count on it, it’s been more than two millennia since her fall. Michael will not be pleased with her.” The third Angel announced with a laugh in his tone.   

“Both of you stop!” Ramiel had turned his back to Pris and scolded his soldiers. Pris took the opportunity to speak to Scott. 

“You should run, Venator. Do not let them see you, you have no business here now.” 

“Oh I don’t think so sweetheart.” 

“You’re an idiot.” 

“I have been told that.” Scott grinned showing his white teeth and winking. 

She turned back the other Angels as their own eyes trained back on her. 

“Well, Priscilla it is time. Will you come with us?” Ramiel asked, there was a hint of hope in his words. 

She shook her head. “I can’t!” 

Ramiel’s face changed, hardened his eyes glazing over with gold and his wings spreading wide behind him. “You give us no choice then sister.” 

Behind him the other two spread their own wings, there was a golden glow with hints of black feathers shining through. Pris felt like her strength and resolve would flitter away at any second as she looked at them. In that moment she felt Scott’s body brush past her wing and blast shot from his shotgun hitting one of the Angels square in the chest and sending him flying backwards. 

“Bullets can’t kill Angels!” Pris shouted. 

“Venator!” Ramiel bellowed. 

Scott grabbed her hand, “Run!” She followed him without a question her wings hitting against the trees as they went. Behind her she could hear the tramping of Ramiel as her perused her. Then the flap of wings the break of branches as he and the other two flew into the air. She dropped his hand. 

“Keep going I’ll hold them off.” Flapping her own wings she broke out of the trees and spun round to face her brothers. Ramiel turned to one of them. 

“Take the Venator, if he has been harbouring her, he must be punished for it!” 

“No!” Pris felt anger bubble up inside her and she threw her arm up towards the Angel, a blast of gold shot from her fingertips hitting his wing and sent him tumbling through the threes. 

“You were the greatest of us Priscilla, but we are stronger now!” Ramiel called out to her. 

“I did nothing wrong but I will not let you take me or hurt him!” 

Ramiel looked to the other Angel who nodded and turned away flying down beneath the threes. He threw up his own arms towards Pris and shot out his own light. Pris countered Ramiel’s attack by firing light from her own hands once more. Ramiel lowered his arm out beside him and around it Ivory markings slid form his skin and twirled around forearm forming a shape. He grabbed the handle of the shape and turned it in his hand. The weapon fitted onto his arm perfectly, the bone carved out for him. Pris felt her blood run cold at the sight of it and she knew that only that one weapon could hurt her. 

“Ramiel please you have to listen to m-” A sudden pain seared through her head and she closed her eyes, both hands reaching up to cup her face. Her wings faltered and she started to fall as scenes flashed in front of her. Two brothers fighting, arguing and she is watching from behind a wall. Then she sees Ramiel again as he approaches her. Her wings are doing nothing and slowly the force of gravity is beginning to pull her down. The pain was too much to fight. The memories flooding her mind to heavy. A pair of arms wrapped around her and her eyes shot open. 

“Ramiel, please”! She clutched onto his clothing, her head flopping down onto him. 

“You have to come back with us Priscilla. Michael has to-”

“NO!” She shoved him back trying to regain her own balance in the air.  

“I trusted him and he….no I won’t go back!” With all the force she could muster Pris let out a shout that was accompanied by blast of gold from her body, it surrounded her before pushing Ramiel away from her. She didn’t stop but instead continued to shoot the gold at him. Each hit pushed him farther away and took strength from him. Ramiel attempted to fight back sending his own blasts at her, but Prise was able to dodge or deflect them with her own. 

“Priscilla you are only making this worse for yourself!” Ramiel pleaded with her. 

“No! I’ll make you all see the truth.” 

“What truth? We know what you did!” 

“The truth about Michael! What he did to me and to Lucifer!” With the last word she shot our one more blast and this one hit Ramiel in the face sending him hurtling to the ground. Pris turned in a circle looking down, her eyes could now see through the trees and she saw Scott. He was holding his gun up and shot at the Angel. It had no effect on him and he was flapping his wings furiously. Pris thanked anyone who was listening for the cover of the trees keeping the Angel from reaching Scott. Swooping down she folded her wings in behind her and slipped down between the branches, landing in front of Scott with a thud. 

“Okay owe, need to work on that.” She laughed as she stood up again. Spinning round she shot out a blast at the angel and sent him back into the trees. She turned again and grabbed hold of Scott.

“Oh no, I don’t think so!” He said trying to get away from her but it was no use she already had him and was lifting them both up. They broke out into the sky and she unfurled her wings once more flapping them quickly behind her. 

“What are you doing?” 

“Getting us out now be quiet, you might want to hold your breath for this.” Scott turned his head to look forward and closed his mouth. The wind whipped around him as they flew through the sky. Then he felt it, like fingers sifting through his minds. His eyes looked up to Pris and she gave him a sympathetic look before changing her direction. He knew what she had found inside his head and he had heard of how the Angels could read minds of humans but he had never believed it.

Looking away from her he watched as England was speeding below him, she twisted and turned manoeuvring around the tall buildings and open spaces. Eventually he saw his own city with her sifting through his mind she turned her body and brought them both down to the field, dropping him down a few feet from the ground as her own landing was little bumpy and she rolled over the grass. They looked at each other for a moment and Scott really took in her body, how she was taller now but nothing looked out of proportion. Red hair fell down around her shoulders in perfect straightness and the swooping fringe fell over her left eye. Bright blue eyes blinked at him and he nodded. 

“Okay come on then. Home.” He turned on his heel and strode across the field, chest still heaving as he tried to catch his breath, until they hit a road. It was barely a road at all in Pris’ opinion, more of a dirt track. 

“So the other Angel, he looked at lot like you.” Scott asked me, his eyes darting towards me sideways. 

“I don’t really know why the other two they did not, look like me.”                              

“Hardly. What was his name? Ramiel?” 

“Yes. I knew it, almost instantly.” 

“This is place has been in my family for over two hundred years, it should be fairly comfy for you.” He tried to laugh though his voice was still strained. Pris widened her eyes when she saw the building, it was tall and wide and had hundreds of windows. A thought popped into her head about how they could possible keep them all clean. Though Scott drew her back to his attention when he pointed out the door. The iron frame held the carved wood in place and her eyes darted over it trying to take in every carving. 

“Codex is inside, she’ll be waiting for us.” 

“Codex?” 

“Yeah she’s my….my friend.”  

Scott led her inside, it was dark as the curtains were pulled over the windows and no lights were on. Pris was glad that her knew found Angel powers gave her almost perfect eyesight in the dark and she followed his movements. She was sure he didn’t any light to find his way, seeming to know the place better than his own self. Pris turned her head in all directions looking at the different things that decorated the halls. 

“Artefacts the Venator have picked up over the years. This was the headquarters for the blood line before… well it’s just me know. Me and Codex at least.” 

“She is not Venator?” 

He shook his head and turned towards a dark wooden door.  Clicking it open he stepped through it allowing Pris to step in after him before shutting the door again. Pris looked around at all the computer equipment. It was like a hub of technology in there and right in the middle sat a girl. Her electric blue hair was pulled up to back of her head, one side patterned with corn rows and the other half flat against her scalp. The ends splayed out in a circle almost crowning her. A large pair of headphones with a microphone attached adorned her head and her skin shone like melted chocolate in the computer lights. She turned her head round to glance at Scott when he entered and the returned to one of the four screens, her fingers typing furiously over the keyboard. Pris had never seen the programme running, far too many green words scrawling across the page for her to comprehend. The girl stopped her typing quite suddenly and turned her head back again. She lifted the headphones off and stood up. 

“Who’s your friend Scott?” She couldn’t help but stare at the white wings behind Pris and the shapes of the golden swirls on her skin. Outwardly Pris could see the smile on her face, but behind it she saw every one of the girl’s fears and sadness. 

“This Pris, she is an Angel of sorts.” Scott stated matter of factly as he moved over to scan one of the screens. 

“An Angel?” She scoffed, clearly not impressed. 

“Yes.” Pris nodded holding out her hand to the girl. 

“Codex.” The girl said shaking Pris’s hand excitedly. 

“How did you come to be here?” Pris asked, she marvelled for a moment at the way her own speech had changed, something about the Grace was giving her much better diction and grammar.  

“Oh well that’s a pretty sad story really…” Codex cut herself short and shot her eyes over to Scott in a questioning glance.  He nodded his head towards her. A smile that didn’t account for happiness pulled at her lips and went just as quickly. 

“Short version? I was a kid and my parents they kinda got all tangled up with demons you know and they came for them. The Demons. Killed them, think they would have killed me two if Scott hadn’t swooped in when he did. He saved me and I had nowhere else to go and I’m pretty good with computers, unlike this relic” She threw her thumb over her shoulder towards the Venator, “So I guess I just stayed.” 

All three were quiet, Codex dropped her eyes to her feet, bit down on her lower lip and rubbed a hand up the opposite forearm as if trying to hide something. 

“Found anything Codex?” Scott asked basically ignoring everything that had been said and changing the subject.  

“Yeah… and also, no.” Codex plopped back down in the big computer chair and started typing on the screen again. 

“There is all this rumbling like the demons are getting ready for something gathering in lots of different places, but I can’t work out what they want or who is coming.”  Pictures and newspaper reports were springing up on the screen along with weather reports and videos of people talking far too quickly. 

Pris drew closer to the screens her eyes flashing over the pictures till she started blinking all too fast for Scott’s liking. 

“It’s him, it has to be.” 

“Who?” Codex and Scott asked in unison. 

“My brother, what Ramiel said in the woods,” She looked over to Scott, “I need to speak to Lucifer, he will know.” 

“Lucifer? As in the king of hell? The one who-“ 

“No, you don’t understand, Michael he…Oh I can’t remember but there is a secret!” Pris stepped away from them sitting down on a wooden chair on the far side of the room. Scott walked over to her and knelt down just in front of her. 

“Okay we’ll find him.” 

Author's Note

will not make sense unless you have read chapter one

Reviews

[Inject Positivity]

Im really enjoying reading this book so far, i mean it is really worth the time to read....I would again compliment you for your brief description in chapters.....After reading the first chapter i do have the vision of your writing technique and its just keeping me interested in your work....Looking forward to read the next next next.....next chapters.....Full ratings....

[amberelisabethbagley]

Aww thank you so much I'm glad you are enjoying it. The next part should be up soon