Awakening

Man in white robes sat down along with me and continued his explanation to my previous question, i listened to each of his word patiently and carefully trying to not miss any information that could slip. His little speech continued couple of minutes more, explaining to me that there is no good and bad, just neutral. If you make a mistake you get punished and if you don't well you don't get punished, totally different than what story books taught us in the mortal plane. 

Listening to him explaining angel hierarchy i learned that it's quite simple and easy to remember since there are only three floors of angelic hierarchy. At the bottom there are simple angels, simple angels by his words appeared multiple times to chosen people trough history which led to fairy tales and stories about angels. Second above angels are Archangels and there's only ten of them in total, they are considered as leader of angels bellow them and most powerful of their race. And lastly at the top is mysterious light or so called All Father, God in other words who rules all of them together and is most powerful being on their realm and further.

Hearing name God made me question this mysterious angel, i was confused since my take of God is very different than those of angels.

"He is God of ours and this plane, creator of all is above my understanding since my God told me that creator of all is very complex being to understand and that i cannot fathom the knowledge about it."

Hearing this i gasped in shock, sudden rush of information hurt my brain and made my head pulse couple of times until i calmed down, i looked above at relaxed angel smiling and noticed that his face still didn't form proper shape.

"Oh and what's up with your face?"

I asked a question trying to sound nice as possible but with no avail, angel didn't seem to mind as he smiled and just continued looking at me calmly.

"You don't have enough power to be able to see my face, no mortal can comprehend Archangelic face."

Hearing word Archangelic made me jump from sudden reveal, whole time i though i was speaking with simple angel who had time to spare but now that didn't seem to be case as i was speaking with one of ten Archangels. I wanted to ask for his name but before i could mutter a word, he stopped me and said.

"My name is Uriel."

His name ringed bell in my head and memories of grandpa telling me a story while flying in airship made me go back years ago when i was still a kid. There was one story which mentioned Uriel name as Archangel who helped Emil kill a powerful demon who was close to taking his life. Remembering this i looked back at now Uriel and inspected him once again, couple of minutes went and i relaxed again preparing my brain for more information.

Many questions were on my mind, i was doubting if i should ask Uriel about what is Aether exactly since Aether and Ether are pretty much the same name only Aether containing word A. 

"Uriel can i ask you what are Aether Crystals exactly and what is Aether?"

He shook his head off little bit in a sad motion and told me.

"Sorry Sparrow but i cannot reveal you that information for your own safety and mine since i have to follow a law which strictly forbids me of revealing any information like that."

Little disappointed but i didn't mind since law is a law and he must respect it or otherwise punishment will get it to him. Thinking about another question to ask i remembered Zorya and her forest like realm which i visited not too long ago, she did mention Etheric Realm.

"Oh Uriel do you know Zorya and her forest realm?"

He seemed little bit surprised but quickly hid it, it seemed like he never expected of me to know Zorya or other Etheric Realms. Crossing his arms and looking straight into me he answered in his usual calm voice.

"I do know her but i never expected you to visit her, yes she is a God of that realm from where spirits and magic connected with nature comes from. Nature down in mortal realm is a pretty small when compared to her realm."

Hearing her name again i was happy and relieved that Uriel seems to like her, not wanting to ask any further about her i could see my body glowing light yellow color and blinking periodically. Knowing what this means i stood up and offered a handshake to Uriel. Looking at me with a smile he get on his feet and returned handshake back to me, sensation of his Angelic hand was weird and warm in the same time. His skin felt soft like comfy pillow but strong and hard in the same time, never would i thought of becoming a friend with Archangel.

"One more thing before you leave Sparrow."

Uriel grabbed me by the shoulders holding me tightly, his strength was above Athena's and Ferdal unlike anything i've seen. Sensing his strength i felt like he could lift thunderbird with his two arms and throw it like a ball.

"You are born without magic am i right?"

Question about magic surprised me but i nodded up and down, confirming Uriel's guess i shamefully nodded my head expecting him to be disappointed.

"No you are not, in fact you have it but never awakened it."

My eyes widened in Uriel's claims, i for sure am sure that i lack magic since i tried awakening it my entire life without success. Skilled mages and teachers on academy tried teaching me and training me to awaken my magic but none of them helped as i failed combat tests for being too powerless against opponents with magic. Even though i lacked magic everyone treated me nicely, before when academy lived up to it's name.

"Your meaning of meeting me here is probably to awaken your magic, Sparrow you are one of five people who awakened Aether magic trough existence of this world. I Uriel one of ten Archangels hereby release chains inside your spirit and release your magic from being chained."

Storming voice of serious Uriel echoed trough open realm as i felt like my body turned light, like feather and my body released black smoke. Watching black smoke leaving my body from stomach i sensed sudden change inside me, like something i lost long long ago came back to me even though i never had magic to begin with.

"You need to find how to use it yourself since each Aether user had different methods of using it, it was only up to me to release chains that kept Aether locked."

Uriel patted my shoulders and turned me around, holding me by the shoulders he advised me to not look behind since my spirit is slowly leaving Etheric plane and my resistances to it are becoming weaker. Still in shock unable to form proper emotion or response, Uriel said behind.

"Good luck on your travels Sparrow."

And with that i closed my eyes and felt familiar warm feeling engulfing me.

Waking up God knowns how many time later i opened my eyes and with all surprise, my body was healed and my mind was clear. Looking above previous burning of the house stopped and only smoke and ashes could be seen when looking at it. Corpse of my fallen aviator Brandy was now a skeleton which made me question how long i've been in sleep, looking around it was day and Sun shined bright even though it was relatively cold outside. 

Cold wind breeze brushed on my face and my hands started glowing blue sky color, blinking repeatedly every two seconds. Thinking this was probably Aether magic i unsheathed my sword and grabbed it with my glowing hands, now holding a sword my hands blinked the moment they and sword touched and sky blue glowing seemed to transfer itself to sword, making it glow and blink just like my hands before. 

Wanting to try it out i moved my hands and aimed to swing it until i stopped my movements, remembering that elves may still be here i quickly unsheathed it and glowing passed to my hands. Looking around i couldn't notice nor hear anyone inside dead town, bodies and corpses of my squadron were burned and only ashes remained of them, thinking what should i do next i decided to return to our previous hideout.

Turning back towards city entrance i moved, but before i could leave the city a scary feeling of being watched pulsed trough me and made me shiver, turning around i saw Ferdal standing behind me, fully pissed off at me surviving his trick. Not knowing where did he got from i grabbed my sword and glowing returned back to it, Ferdal looking at this seemed confused.

"Aren't you magicless?"

He asked and got angrier, me getting confidence boost from Uriel as well my Aether magic, i formed small smug smile on my face which seemed to cause Ferdal to move back a little.

"I was, also how the hell did you get here?"

His veins popped on his head from anger and frustration, he shortly explained me that elves ditched him before they escorted him and were close to killing him but he escaped using his water magic to form protection bubble, managing to wound elven officer in the process and kill some of the soldiers before running away.

"You are bigger coward than i though you were."

The second i finished my sentence i could see small water bullet coming at me in slow motion, like time itself slowed down. But even if time slowed down i could move freely as before, seeing incoming spell i dodged it and time suddenly returned to normal. 

"How the hell did you dodge, bastard?!!"

I smiled at my powerup i never expected to get, if this was one ability of Aether magic, i couldn't imagine what other abilities are. Primary concern for now should be how to get out of this situation alive and well, then after that i should focus on how to actually activate my magic willingly.

Breaking my thoughts Ferdal formed water bubble around him and grabbed his sword, clenching his teeth at me he rushed and dashed towards me, aiming to severe my head off. Time slowed down but not as fast like before and i managed to dodge, unfortunately Ferdal's sword cut me a little on my cheek causing it to start bleeding. 

"Looks like i have to wear you down until i can cut you properly heh."

Sadistic smile formed on his face as he pointed at me with his glancing sword on the sunlight, couple of dashes came again and i managed to dodge them all without getting any cuts like first time. Looking for a way to close the distance between me and him i asked him a question.

"Tell me if Athena doesn't want me dead, why do you then?"

Question seemed to push him back a bit and he lowered his guard for a second before returning me an answer.

"I had a deal with elves, but those suckers despise us humans so much that they cannot seem to respect any deal."

Given chance i squeezed my body, presumably my feet and focused my mind on moving fast, i imagined myself in the head how i dash at Ferdal and my feets started to glow sky blue color, just like sword in my hands. Time slowed down for a little amount as i dashed at surprised Ferdal who lowered his guard before, in one second i was ten meters from him and in the next i was only a meter from him, aiming my sword at his neck.

Before my sword could touch his neck it got blocked by his sword and he punched me in the stomach, causing me to pull back. Cursing at my overconfidence i remembered fight classes and fight with Athena, and most important rule is to never get overconfident as it may result in death. 

"I will torture you for that you worthless bastard."

Seeing him lost in his anger and madness i felt warm sensation and my mind cleared, forming a stance i pointed my sword who now glowed even stronger and shinier than before. I readied myself for one final attack on Ferdal, aiming to kill him and get my revenge. Seeing my stance he readied himself too, casting a water to surround him forming an armor. 

My mind being clear helped me realize how open to attack Ferdal currently is since he doesn't think straight. Squeezing my feet and tightening my grip on sword, i dashed like a bolt towards Ferdal. Time was moving slower as i could see Ferdal dashing too but being much slower than before, closing our distances i murmured.

"I win."

I got half of meter in front of him, moving fast to the right side i swung my sword towards his neck, my glowing sword starting to power up and vibrating in my hands. As my sword touched his neck it cut trough it like trough butter, finishing cutting trough his neck my sword flashed so bright that it blinded me for a fraction of second and sent huge wind like wave towards house in front of me.

"BOOM!"

Loud explosion hit the house as my magic powered sword sent strange wind like wave towards it, ignoring sudden explosion i got behind Ferdal and looked back at him. He stood there unmoving, without any word coming out from his spiteful mouth, next second a head of his dropped and made blunt sound as it hit the ground. Feeling proud and happy for killing such man and taking my revenge i smiled and spat on his fallen head who rolled down. 

Turning around i saw house damaged and noticed that magic only activated after sword finished it's trajectory which means that that move was probably some kind of ranged sword attack aimed to cut down from afar. Happily laughing at my new found strength i searched Ferdal's body and found transmission crystal inside his jacket, grabbing it i decided to move towards old hideout camp and seek assistance there.