Spencer Chase was sitting in the large white study waiting for her master. She pulled one of the books sitting in front of her towards her. It read “The Most Powerful Possessions”. Spencer had already read it, devoured it, and loved it. This helped her truly understand how a demon’s mind worked. It showed the way they could influence a human’s mind and take over the body.
Before Spencer could dwell on it her master, Daveigh, came into the study and sat next to her.
“Good evening, my child,” she said to Spencer. Daveigh was the embodiment of perfection. She had soft, peachy skin, and long blonde hair. She wore a white gown with her wings tucked firmly in.
“You’re late master.” Spencer looked down at her own figure. She was slim, wearing tight, white, stretchy pants, with a loose white shirt. She had curly blonde hair that went to her shoulders.
“The council wanted to meet with us before our training.” She was nervous as she spoke. “It ran late.”
“Alright,” Spencer said, frowning. This was unlike the Council. “So what are we studying today?”
“Actually,” Daveigh said, standing up, “I would like you to repeat the mission you and your fellow Halves have been charged with.”
“Alright,” Spencer repeated. “In the year of 1993 the Angelic Council sensed an increase of demonic behavior on Terra. A year later they came to the solution of the Halves. We are half-angel, half human, our purpose is to rid Terra of the demonic uprisings and bring it back to balance. We have spent 16 years in Heaven, alone, with no other friendship but that of our masters. We have been studying demonic behavior and human behavior. Once on Terra, we are to take up our positions, one of us in each country. I am assigned to Northern America. Once in our positions we are to blend in, thanks to the help of our human accomplice, who is to be named only once we reach our position. As we blend in we take out the demonic behavior. Which means explaining the rules to the ones who will listen or pushing the demon out of the shell it inhabits which will leave nothing but death. Once we have rid Terra of this imbalance we will gain our wings in place of our tattoo. This will earn our passage back into Heaven.”
“Do you know exactly which day you were created?” Daveigh asked softly. “And are to leave us here?”
“No,” Spencer was confused. It was strictly against the Code that their angel masters tell them this. “It is not of the Code.”
“I know,“ Daveigh sighed. She looked worried, and sad. “That is because the Code only lets you know the day of.”
Spencer sat silently, still confused, but suddenly she understood. “The Ordeal is tonight.” It wasn’t a question.
“Yes,” she answered, tears glistening in her soft brown eyes, odd to Spencer. She had never seen her master cry, or be allowed to. “You are to go back to your quarters and sleep until 7:13 sharp. Then you need to meet in the Council’s Chambers at 7:31. Do you understand?”
“Of course, master,” Spencer said, standing and bowing. “Thank you for guiding me.”
“Always,” Daveigh said, bowing, too. “Good day, my child. Live high.”
“Wings sigh, master.” Spencer left the study and walked down the white hall to her quarters. She had these quarters all to herself due to the Angelic’s Council not wanting the Halves to meet. This caused the sixteen years of Spencer’s training to be boring, and lonely. She grew up with only her master, her books, and the observatory. But they could only be in there when another Master and Half were not.
Spencer’s quarters were large, with a white quilted four-poster bed, a tall white bookcase, desk, and dresser. The room also had a view of the gardens and of the lake. Spencer poured herself a glass of water and sat down on her bed, thinking that she would never be able to sleep with the Ordeal seven hours away. But Daveigh was specific, so Spencer drank the water and lay down. She knew that there were only seven Halves, but to not pass the ordeal would be traumatic. Even going through it would be difficult. The council would send her to train with another Half for two years if she failed. As all the worrying thoughts soared through Spencer’s head she felt oddly exhausted. She rolled over and quickly fell asleep.
In her dreams she was running with a faceless, sexless, unknown person. It was crowed, and hard for them to hang onto where each other was. Spencer could sense them being chased, chased by a darkness, by a demonic being. Spencer’s heart was pounding, she didn’t know why she was running; she had to fight.
“Go ahead,” she yelled to her faceless partner. “I’ve got the back.” Her partner raced on.
She turned toward the demon. As it approached her she saw its face and was stunned. It was Ezekiel, one of the Angelic Council.
“Ezekiel?” she asked, although she could obviously tell that it was him except for the darkness she was sensing.
“Yes, of course,” he answered.
Spencer’s eyes were telling her this was him, but her senses were screaming that it wasn’t. As she looked at him, her eyes and mind realized her senses were correct. “No,” she said smiling.
From inside her boot she fell asleep with, she unsheathed a sword. In one quick, easy movement it slid through his chest, without him even trying to fight.
Oddly, almost like a video game, Ezekiel’s body evaporated. As Spencer looked around she saw the other masters appearing, but she did not sense a demonic side of them. They looked at her as the crowded area evaporated as well. It was only she and the masters, and the faceless partner.
Smiling slightly, Gabriel, another Council master spoke. “Well, is here,” he said before the whole area disappeared.
Gasping Spencer sat up in bed looking at her clock. She saw it was 7:13 exactly. She got up from her bed and pulled off her clothes. In the mirror she saw her wings, at least the tattoo. They sparkled silver in the light, the sign to take the mission.
“Oh,” she whispered. She slipped on another set of clothes and reloaded her weaponry. She looked at the clock and saw 7:29. She quickly left the room, sighing as she closed the door.
***
In the foyer of the Angelic Court, Spencer stopped. She looked at her watch as it changed to 7:31. She pulled open the door and saw the other Halves enter from the other doors. The seven Council members were seated at the head of the hall. The Masters stood by each door through which their Half had entered.
Gabriel stood up and cleared his throat. “Halves and their masters please come forward.” When all of them stood in front, eyes up, hands behind their backs, Gabriel spoke again. “Children, I see you all have managed to pass your ordeal. Or, if you did not notice, the Dream Sleep. The most important part of being a Half or any type of assassin is being able to put away the look of a familiar face. To be able to kill a friend’s shell that houses unorthodox evil. That is the true test.” He sat down with his robes swirling around him.
Then Ezekiel stood up, pushing his dark hair back. “When I call your master and your name, come forward to receive your full mission.
“Master Stephen and Apprentice Damian McCoy.” Ezekiel called forth the bulky master and his well-shaped apprentice. When they reached the middle of the court Spencer noticed Damian’s legs wobbling. “Damian McCoy you are assigned to the North and South Poles of Terra. By hunting these demons and creatures of the dark you will earn your wings of the Heavens. You will team up with your partner at your permanent destination. Your master will be able to assist you on your 3rd Sabbath day each month. Do you accept your mission?”
“I accept,” despite his nervous appearance, Damian’s voice was steady.
Ezekiel nodded once as Damian walked back over to his door, his master guiding him.
This went on, as Spencer waited desperately for her own turn. The pale Emmery came up for Australia, then as dark as he was light, Krystyna for Africa, then Alexander for Asia, and Romeo for Europe. Two left, Spencer realized, herself and South America. Tara, with her Master Garfield guiding her, came up to the council and accepted her mission of the Poles.
“Master Daveigh and Apprentice Spencer Chase.” She walked forward apprehensively, having the speech repeated multiple times, she knew it by heart. Except ---
“Spencer Chase, you are assigned to one of the most difficult regions to take, North America. That, and Europe. You and Romeo were the quickest to react. With that you take a more responsible task. By hunting these demons and creatures of the dark you will earn your wings of the Heavens. You will team up with your partner at your permanent destination. Your master will be able to assist you on your 3rd Sabbath day each month. Do you accept your mission?
Calmly taking a breath, Spencer accepted. “I accept,” she said. Daveigh led her back to her door.
Then Virgil stood up. “This is it,” he said, his pale hair covering his eyes. It didn’t matter anyways; Virgil was blind. “Congratulations Halves, and good luck. I hope to see you again someday.”
Together the Council stood. “Live high,” they spoke as one.
The Masters and Apprentices responded, bowing with their right arm over their heads in salute. “Wings sigh.”
-S.
“Take your broken wings and learn to sigh (My Soft and Deep, The Matches).”
