Grounded ~Book Four of Winged~

Azrael

Etheriel

"Hello." I stare at the Angel leaning against a tree ten feet from us. His red eyes slide over us and he stops on Malachai for a little longer than the rest of us. He blinks for the first time since he showed up. "She's doing good; although, the way she was wondering around in the rain, she might get ill." I narrow my eyes at him and he tilts his head and smirks, "I guess I know where Zerachiel went after he disappeared."

"How did you get to that island?" I question sharply.

"Secrets." He winks and then looks at Malachai again. "How was Barzakh?"

"Azrael... What do you want?" Dominic says harshly, worried that he somehow found where Trinity was before even talking to us.

"What do I want? You reached out to me. What do you want?" He leans away from the tree and takes a step forward, still lingering in the shadows of the trees.

"Who have you sided with?" I say carefully and he looks at me, examining me.

"I'm playing both sides." He responds and smiles. He would be helping both sides. "So... Who are you with? The Demons trying to wipe out the Angel race or the Angels trying to get back to Heaven?" He tilts his head the other way and steps out of the shadows.

"We are trying to keep the War from happening." I reply and a confused look appears on his face and then he smiles.

"Why? It's been boring for centuries and then suddenly a girl makes things interesting again! First with the battle to keep the Angels from falling and now this all out War all over the world between the races. It's exciting!" He licks his lips.

"If a war breaks out, there will be mass Human casualties. Over half the Human population will be wiped out." He blinks and looks at Dominic, not seeing the point. "You're an Angel; you're suppose to help protect the Humans." I look at Dominic surprised to be hearing him of all people say this. Azrael stares for a second and then looks over at Malachai slowly.

"I'll help you guys, if, Malachai, you kill ten Humans and let me have their souls." My eyes widen and I look over at Malachai. He is standing stiffly staring at Azrael. He starts shaking his head.

"I can't. I can't do that." He replies and Azrael smirks, tilting his head.

"Oh well, I'm sure you can fix all this on your own, but who knows what things I'll tell each side.." His eyes scan over all of us and then he disappears.

"He is crazy." Dominic scoffs and turns around, looking around the area.

"So much for that... What are we going to do now?" I start walking toward the rental car.

"The original plan; get Nathan from Hell and protect Trinity from the Demon side and the Angel side." Dominic slams the passenger side door and I start the car.

"Azrael knows where Trinity and Zerachiel are. He could tell both sides just to make them all converge there and fight. The safest island in the world is no longer safe if he tells them. Sammael wants her to get Eli back somehow, the Demons want to help with that and will kill her just for fun, and the Angels are mad that they were expelled from Heaven and will kill her for revenge or figure out a way to get back to Heaven using her, if possible." I tightly grip the steering wheel and try to think of something. I come up with nothing and hit the steering wheel out of anger. Dominic looks over at me.

"I'm going down to Hell to look for Nathan. I'll be back later." He is gone immediately after he says this and Malachai and I are left in the car.

"I'm sorry." Malachai says and I look in the rear view mirror at him.

"Why?" I question.

"Azrael wouldn't help you because I refused to kill those people." He responds and I turn around and look at him.

"You don't need to apologize there was no way we could have you kill innocent people."

Trinity

"How did this happen?" Zerach asks and presses a cloth to the cut on my leg that keeps bleeding.

"I slipped on the rocks down the shore and one cut me." He nods slowly and pulls the cloth away, examining the cut closely. It's not bleeding badly, but it keeps slowly bleeding.

"Don't go in those rocks. It's dangerous. The waves grow and will knock you down into the sharp rocks and it will cut you up or worse. When the rocks are wet, they are extremely slippery and the rocks are not super stable, they shift." I nod and he presses the cloth to the cut again and I wince slightly.

"What were you doing out on that rock? And why did you disappear after I called out to you?" Zerach narrows his eyes slightly while staring at the cut on my leg.

"What are you talking about? I was in the trees collecting fruit. I came back home and you weren't there so I went and looked for you." He responds and finally looks up at me while holding the cloth against my leg firmly. We stare at each other in silence for a couple of long seconds.

"Are there any other people on this island?" I question and Zerach pulls the cloth away slightly, checking to see if the cut is still bleeding at the same rate.

"No, just us. If anyone were to even set a foot on this island, I would know. In a way, I am connected to this island." I nod slowly and watch as he begins to wrap my leg tightly to help keep pressure on the cut to help with the bleeding. "Need me to kiss it better?" He teases jokingly and I laugh. "So you should just rest and keep from putting too much weight on that leg so the cut can heal and doesn't get aggravated and start to bleed more." I nod and lay down on the couch as Zerach stands up and takes the bloody piece of cloth to the sink to rinse out. I stare up at the slanted roof and end up falling asleep to the sound of the sink running and the rain pelting the roof.


I wake slightly to the feeling of moving and open my eyes barely to see fabric. My hand is lightly gripping the fabric and I look around slightly to see that I am being carried by Zerach. I fell asleep. He leans down slightly and sets me down in my bed. His eyes meet mine and he gives a friendly smile. I let go of his shirt and he pulls the thin, surprisingly cool, blanket up to my chin. I scoot over until my back touches the wall and Zerach hesitantly looks at the spot I made for him before slowly laying down beside me. I sleepily curl up beside him and fall back asleep in seconds.

Malachai

I stare at the dim light that is coming in from behind the curtain of the hotel room window. It flickers slightly and I listen to the silence in the room. In the other bed Etheriel lays asleep and Dominic is still in Hell, searching for Nathan. We needed Azrael's help. If I was any other Angel, normal, not an Angel of Death broken out of Barzakh, I could kill those people easily without any consequences or breaking and going insane. I sit up silently and look over at Etheriel. Through the dim light, I watch his chest rise and then fall a couple seconds later. I count his slow breaths before quietly getting to my feet. I walk soundlessly towards the door, watching Etheriel out of the corner of my eye and keeping my ears alert. I open the door and stop it at the point before I remember from earlier where it squeaks. I slip out and shut the door behind me. I walk quickly across the parking lot.


I did this to help them. I did this to protect Trinity. This was necessary. We needed Azrael to help us. This was the only way. Azrael wanted this and we need him. It's okay. Everything's fine. Just keep calm. It was just a few people. This will help stop the war from happening. This was so Trinity would be safe. Trinity helped me so it was my turn to help her. This was all necessary. I had to do this. It's okay. It's all going to be okay.

"I only asked for ten people." I turn and look at Azrael, leaning against the bar. His eyes sweep over all the bodies. I tightly grip my angel blade in my hand and feel the warm sticky blood all over the handle and my hands. Azrael looks at the people, their souls. "There's a few missing." He comments and examines me. My hands tremble and I drop my angel blade, letting it clank loudly against the ground.

"Guess I'm helping you guys now."