Angelraised

We reached the s.p.a.ce with the raised stage and the thrones before running to the heavy curtains and hiding ourselves within them.

"Presenting his majesty, Archangel Michael, and his queen, Graceline!" Called a member of the guard before the room silenced. As soon as I sensed my father"s drowning power enter the room, deafening applause echoed in the room.

"Thank you," he started as he reached his throne of dark stone and flames. Angel and I"s had been removed the night before in preparation of this ceremony where the Archangel father would bless each compet.i.tor with a gift and weapon. "Now, tonight is one in which we celebrate each of the four remaining compet.i.tors as they prepare for tomorrow"s battle to the death in which the two remaining victors will wed my daughters. Please give a warm welcome to the four princes, Zayn of archangel Raziel"s court, Agustin of archangel Gabriel"s court," a dramatic pause was added then as the room was so loud at the sound of the names of two of their golden boys, "Kai of archangel Zadkiel, and Week of Asladon." The room was silent as Week"s name was announced and I felt a pang of hurt, but it wasn"t mine.

"Tomorrow is the grand ceremony to which only two of you will survive. Prince Zayn, for you I give you the gift of strength to overwhelm your opponents. Your weapon will be the holy axe," I watched as each boy took something handed to them as Zayn opened his package. The axe glowed like a sunset.

"Prince Agustin, for you I give you the gift of prediction to predict the moves of your opponents, you will fight with an enchanted bow," Agustin pulled out the boy and I noticed the pink hue of it. The arrows were made to withstand flame meaning that bow would set them aflame.

"Prince Kai, for you I gift you the give of endurance to out move your opponent. Your weapon will be a sword," his sword reminded me of mine, but his was thicker and flimsier, reminding me of a raw hot dog.

"And finally, Prince Week, for you I give you the gift of courage to make daring and risky moves. Your weapon will be twin daggers," Week pulled out a set of barely glowing daggers and I almost growled. They were enchanted to come back to the wielder and we weaker than normal. They were singling out Kai and Week easily as to get them killed. For some reason, even after all that Week did to me, it p.i.s.sed me off to no end.

I looked up from the part of the ground I had trained my eyes on to see Week staring at me. My eyes widened as he held up a single finger to his lips and smirked over at me before going back to listening to the address of my father. With his final wishes of good luck, the boys all scattered throughout the room and my father sat on his throne.

Ange whistled for my attention and I gave her a single nod. We moved silently to the back of the flaming throne. We sat still for a second before running around the throne, drawing our swords, and pointing them at our father. His sapphire eyes widened at the sight of our betrayal.

"Angelina, Rosalina, what is the meaning of this?" He demanded and for once, I saw fear in his eyes. The room around us erupted in gasps of disbelief as they noticed our duo with swords pressed against the throat of one of the most powerful archangels.

"My father, your Archangel Michael, is responsible for falsely imprisoning me, stealing me from my home," I paused to turn and address the rest of the room, "sealing half of me away, and taking away all memories of my life before this." Collective gasps sounded from all the guests but the archangels themselves, who were poising themselves to attack us.

"My father, your Archangel Michael, is responsible for sealing away half of me, hiding me from my twin sister, imprisoning me in this castle, and rumors and allegations of my murder," Angel said as she gripped my hand. I looked to the boys, both of them had eyes that were widened significantly, but Week recovered first and nodded at me.

Lizzie ran in with Levi and Liam beside her, both of which seemed frightened at her fear.

"You wish to keep tyrants on your thrones who block your skies of light and who are tainted by darkness," I said, slashing my sword along the string of his long white fur cloak and it fell to the ground in a heap.

"We are not fully angel children, we are half-bloods," Angel said and she slashed a hole in our father"s sleeve. The silence of the room was deafening as we dropped our glamours for the final time in our lives inside this wretched kingdom. Screams overpowered the room as the archangels ran to calm the impending chaos. I felt a sharp pain blooming in my side and I gasped for a breath as my sword went clattering to the ground next to my father. I searched for Angel and found her in the same position as me. Michael laughed as I noticed the emptiness of the room. All of the archangels, the citizens, and the archangel children were gone. All that were left were my friends from home.

"Dear daughters," he started as he lifted each of our swords into his hands. Mom was looking in horror at us, fear lacing her face. "You were supposed to stay how I molded you," a kick landed on my side before he teleported to Angel"s side and gave her the same. I coughed and caught something warm in my hands. I looked and saw the red, sticky substance coating my hands. "Now, I have no use for the two of you. You have outlived your purpose," he grabbed me by my hair and tossed me to Angel"s side. I landed and she pulled me into her. "Now, your friends get to say goodbye to their precious girls."

"Rose! Angel!" I heard echoing. Each tried to run for us but was met with a barrier blocking their way.

"Good night, my princesses. Sleep tight, for I"ll make sure you won"t wake up," he said as he raised each of our swords in his hands, aiming to swing. I closed my eyes in preparation for a blow that didn"t come. I felt more blood coating me as I opened my eyes.

"Mommy..." I said as I looked at her. She had deep cuts on either half of her, but her eyes were glowing.

"Graceline," Michael said, the swords clattering to the floor as he dropped to his knees. I took that moment and grabbed my sword and stabbed it through his heart. Silence fell.

"Goodnight, father. Sleep tight, for this is the final moment of your life," I pulled the sword out and he fell into a heap on the ground and the barrier fell around us. I pulled my mom onto my lap and she raised a hand and cupped my cheek, her other already on Angel"s cheek. "Mommy," I sobbed.

"I"m okay, Rose. It"ll be okay, Angel. Don"t cry," she cooed and I watched her eyes slowly slide closed. Her hands dropped limp at her sides and I screamed.

"No! I just got you back! Don"t leave!" I cried and felt the strong magic pulse out of me. Everyone in the room flew into the walls but me as I sat in the center of the wave.

I felt someone grab me and I recognized the smell almost immediately. "Rose, you"re okay. I"m here," Week said and I felt the magic calm down again. Everything in my body became heavy then and I let myself slowly slip into darkness.