[Story] Angel Story - March 25, Chapter 8

[James StarRunner]

Whoa... Almost missed some comments here. XD

I'm glad the story drew you in so much that you had to finish it Lysander. It makes me feel like I may soon be ready to try and publish my work. I was actually talking to a former teacher of mine who has published many things and he agreed to help me publish some things of my own. I doubt Angel Story could be published due to all the legal rights, being in the DMFA world and all and having special appearances from characters other than my own. Perhaps I could still work something out... If not, I have other ideas to get published. Hope you keep reading as I update!

[James StarRunner]

Chapter 9

"Grace..."

Grace looked at a bloodied Zechariah at the entrance of the temple, wings ripped off, leaning against the door frame for support. He stumbled onto a knee, blood pooling below him. Zechariah could only point towards the back of the temple.

"Zechariah! What could you possibly be looking for in that state? You need to be healed!" Grace cried.

"Grace..."

An angelic polar bear walked up behind Zechariah, holding the baby squirrel Grace took in.

"Fiorn! James! What are you..."

"It's over Grace." said James. Suddenly he grew into an adult and pulled out a banana sword, stabbing into Zech's back and through his chest.

"No!!"

"And Fiorn doesn't love you anymore." said James as he took the sword out of Zechariah's body, letting the bloody raccoon fall to the floor. The standing Fiorn faded away as the dieing Zechariah now turned into a dieing Fiorn."

"Grace, are you awake?"

"No, I don't believe it!" Grace cried.

"Grace! Calm down! It's just a dream!" Grace felt nauseated. Her body started to ache and her vision was whiting out. She looked up from her bed at a couple familiar faces staring at her.

"Fiorn! He's dieing! He's..." Grace sat up suddenly, her vision blurry. She didn't know where she was. Grace had a painful coughing fit and threw up on the floor.

"Someone get a mop!" Dr. Wilde yelled. It took a few moments for Grace to realize that she was in the hospital.

"Sister Hopebringer, you'll be alright." said a voice on her side.

"Sister Miller?" Grace said weakly as she looked at the beaver with the Bluemoon priestess robes. She realised that Sister Miller was also holding her hand. "Where's Fiorn?" Her thoughts were still blurry, unable to recognize what reality was just yet.

"Sister Hopebringer... Fiorn... your husband has been dead for years. "

"It was a dream... a dream..." Grace muttered as she lay back down, tears in her eyes. "What happened to Zechariah?"

"I was afraid that was him... The hunters brought his body back for a reward. He's dead."

"Zech... Who brought me back?" Grace moaned.

"Another team of hunters..." Dr. Wilde answered. "One of them claims to have seen the last bits of the fight."

Grace recalled the massacre silently in her head a few moments. "Zech... He was looking for something in the temple ruins."

"He was? Did he say what he was looking for?" asked the Sister.

Grace shook her head. Something else stood out too. Zech had said that they weren't the hunters he was expecting. Who else would be after him? Was he the one that informed the public about the initial attack?

"How long have I been out?" Grace asked.

"About 36 hours." said Dr. Wilde. "We've had Sister Miller heal your life threatening injuries, but we also needed her to spread the healing out to many other patients, so I had one of the other doctors bandage you up as well. The debris really tore you up. Your lung had been punctured and the trapped air was putting pressure on your other organs. You're lucky you got such fast treatment, but we're going to monitor you for a couple of days before we release you. Captain Law will be by later tonight to debrief you. But for now you should get some rest and try to drink down some soup to keep your strength up. Sister Miller, you can stay for awhile if you want, I have to finish my rounds."

"Ok doctor." The sister put a cool cloth over Grace's forehead. "I'll wake you when the Captain comes. Try to rest in the meantime." Grace offered no resistance as her eyes closed once again, falling asleep instantly.

---

Grace had a dreamless sleep for a couple of hours before Sister Miller woke her up. Dr. Wilde was gone, replaced by the wolverine captain she had seen earlier. It seemed that dinner had come since she was sleeping too as there was also a bowl of broth by her bed.

"So I hear you ran into trouble." Captain Law said simply.

"Please give her a moment to come to." said Sister Miller.

"It's ok... I'm fine." said Grace.

"I heard the story from both your group and the ones who brought you in. I just need to hear it from you now. " The captain readied her clipboard with pen in hand, ready to write her report.

"We came across an angel I recognised, Zechariah GoldenChild, a long time resident of Brightstone and merchant in the area."

"Go on..."

Grace related what had happened, telling the captain how the hunters barbarically bludgeoned and tore up Zechariah's body and how they had pushed her down into the debris and knocked her unconscious. Sister Miller shuddered at the story. It seemed like she hadn't heard all the details till now.

"That's everything?"

"Yes, the last thing I knew after that, I was here in the hospital."

"Well, your story matches that of your rescuers and the injuries the angel received. It's unfortunate that he didn't go into the angel camp as instructed of all resident angels." Captain Law said emotionlessly. Grace clenched her jaw. How could this captain be so cold? "Well, I was thinking the other story the hunters gave were a little fishy, so I think yours and your rescuers check out. After you get a clean bill of health, you will get your check and be released from service.

"Released from service? Why?"

"You may have been in the right, but we don't need angel supporters complicating things in the field."