He took a step back.
"I am Marlon, if you must know. Dark ambassador to Satan." He bowed and sneered.
"But you’re a human."
"Yes, I’m glad you noticed, I do prefer my human form. I can lure more people into joining us that way. Besides, I was born a human, why not stay that way? I had the choice. Sadly, though, your little boy toy won’t have that luxury!"
"What did you do with him?!" She thrashes about until she realizes it is futile. "You are disgusting." She yells. "You are a sinful disgusting thing that has no right to call himself human!" She tried violently to kick him, but soon the ropes had wrapped around her legs.
"I see you have spunk. I like that, I like that." He nodded and laughed. "Lets see how you like this…"
"Freedom Fireball furnace!" Fire raced down the ropes and abruptly stopped at Carleigh’s armor. She began to fall.
"What?! This can’t be! I thought we had you!" Marlon looked up to a nearby ledge. A tall, strong-faced man in armor that looks like Jesi’s smirks. He is mildly tan with Light brown hair and Gray eyes. Carleigh landed on her feet and helped Jesi up.
"In the name of our holy savior, Jesus Christ, I will keep the flame of his sacred heart bright!" The man called. "I am Soldier fire!"
"Hey! He has the same name as me!" Jesi said.
"Whatever." Carleigh replied, walking over to where her Kento stick lay. "At least he’s here." She whispered, slowly bending and picking it up.
"I won’t let you take away my victory!" Marlon shouted, but began to disappear, "We will meet again.." and he was gone. Carleigh looked at him and raised an eyebrow.
"Why do villains always say that when they get their butts kicked and run away like little weenies?" Jesi wondered aloud. Earth shrugged.
"Hey, you!" Carleigh shouted up to soldier fire. "We haven’t properly introduced ourselves yet!" The man studied them for a moment, then jumped down, and landed beside them a few seconds later.
"Hi. I’m Soldier fire." He said in a strong, deep voice. Carleigh swallowed.
"Warrior earth. Pleasure to meet you." She whimpered, a knot forming in her throat.
"And this beautiful girl would be..?" He bent over and kissed Jesi’s armored hand, she blushed.
"Warrior fire." She whispered, he smiled.
"Nice meeting you." he returned. ‘Glad I got such a lovely partner. Farewell." then he was gone through the doors and into the darkness.
"That was almost rude." Carleigh muttered. Jesi looked over at Glenn’s body. She closed her eyes as tears began to blur her vision but fought them back, and when she opened her eyes, they were clear.
"Where will we put him?" She asked softly.
"The only place that deserves him." Carleigh answered softly, lifting him easily, not minding the blood that spilled over her uniform. Jesi felt she might be sick.
"Where is that?" She asked, Carleigh only looked at her. She carried Glenn all the way back to the praise room and set him on a table. Then motioned for Jesi to stand beside the stage. Jesi did so and Carleigh joined her, large maroon-brown streaks glistening on her suit. She turned to the stage and concentrated.
"I call upon the angel’s power, open the earth to me, create a safe place for my great friend. In the name of the earth.." She murmurs, suddenly, the stage splits open and rocks jut out, revealing a large, deep crevice in the ground below. "Thank you." She whispers, lifting Glenn, she places him gently in the ground. "Finish the prayer you started earlier Jesi."
"What?"
"Just do it!" Carleigh said irritably, Jesi made a face at her.
"Fine. Where was I? Oh, yeah...
"And please grant him a safe trip to your home, almighty father, take care of him and let him watch over us. Amen." She said, bowing her head and clasping her hands.
"Please let his power be with us. He was a wonderful person, comfort us as we will miss him more than we can imagine in the days to come. Let me always remember him as the wonderful mentor he was, Amen." Carleigh finished. The ground slowly closed, the stage slowly went back into place. The whole room looked as if nothing had happened. But Carleigh knew all to well that something had.
Carleigh stood outside the jewelry store at the mall. Jesi waited impatiently beside her, fidgeting as her friend pondered. The man inside had offered Carleigh a cool $400.00 for the medallion, and Carleigh did not know what to say.
"If it wasn’t for this stupid thing, Glenn would still be alive..." She said softly, fingering the heavy trinket.
"But he would have died anyway. It’s better this way, he died for a noble cause in God’s house, it’s the way he would have wanted it." Jesi replied. Carleigh sighed.
"If it wasn’t for this medallion, Magic would never have been taken.." She murmured, Jesi rolled her eyes.
"If it wasn’t for that medallion, you never would have even met him." Carleigh looked up and held Jesi’s stare for a long while.
"I guess you’re right, Jesi." She said finally. She put a hand over her eyes, took a deep breath, and took it down. "I just can’t help thinking...thinking...that something horrible has happened..." She struggled to hold back tears. Jesi put a comforting arm around Carleigh’s shoulders.
"It’s okay." She soothed. "We’ll get him back."
"Okay." Carleigh whispered. Jesi nodded.
"All right." She half smiled. "Hey! Lets go get some lunch! You love food even more than him!" She said brightly, Carleigh smiled and jabbed her in the ribs.
"At least I eat food." She replied.
"That’s the spirit! Let’s go!" Jesi grabbed her hand and sped to the food court, where she sat Carleigh down at a four person table. Carleigh’s mouth dropped open as she stared at something across the room.
"Jessi..isn’t that, isn’t that..." Carleigh stuttered, pointing to a man talking to a little girl.
"Marlon!" Jesi gasped, putting a hand over her mouth. "But how?!"
"That son of a..." Carleigh trailed off as Jesi glared at her. She cleared her throat and started over. "He’s here on business!"
"But where are his..uh..clients? Why would he be here?" Jesi asked, then slowly backed away from the table as she stared around the room. " The demons…they…they could be anyone.." She murmured.
"Yeah..." Carleigh agreed thoughtfully.
"Hurry! Lets run!" Jesi cried suddenly, grabbing Carleigh’s arm and preparing to bolt. Carleigh fought free of her grasp.
"Hey! We’re supposed to fight evil!"
"I’m going’!" Jesi turned to run, but shrieked as a strong hand grabbed her from behind. The man forced her into her seat and took the chair next to her. Once Jesi regained composure, she immediately recognized the man. "Soldier fi-" She was cut off as the man clamped a hand over her mouth.
"Uriel." He whispered.
"What?" She mumbled from beneath his fingers.
"My name! My name is Uriel!" He whispered harshly, she nodded and he let her go.
"How did you find us?" Carleigh inquired, surprised at his sudden appearance.
"I followed you." He said simply. Carleigh was opening her mouth to ask another question when the lights abruptly died and the entire mall was plunged into utter black. "Here we go.." Carleigh muttered.
"Fire soldier power!" Uriel cried. suddenly the seat across from Carleigh flared up, bursting into red-hot flame. When the fire died down, Soldier fire sat where Uriel had been.
"Ow man!!!" Jesi yelped. "You singed my hair!"
"Great, now not only does everybody know our identities, but you just gave away our position to the enemy." Carleigh snapped.
"Fire warrior power!" Jesi cried, transforming as well.
"Oh, so I guess now you want me to morph too? Is it my turn?" Carleigh asked sarcastically.
"That’s the plan." Soldier fire said. Carleigh rolled her eyes.
"Earth element power!" She shouted, changing into warrior earth. "There, ya happy?"
"Yup. Thanks!" Soldier fire gave her a thumbs up and smiled. She sat back and rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. There was no sign of anyone noticing their morphing, in fact, since the lights had gone out, there was no sign of a single soul’s presence, not even a solitary whimper of fear. Carleigh furrowed her brow and glanced around. Only black, a thick, swirling mass of it in the space where there had once been a Limited Too.
"Hey, where are all the people?" Jesi whispered. Suddenly, the lights flickered, then sputtered back to life. Uriel gasped.
"That’s not the question we should be asking, Jesi, the question is, where are we?" Carleigh stood, the chair scraping roughly across the floor as she pushed it back. There were in a big room, with 2 doors on each of it’s four sides. It was like the center of a maze set inside a huge warehouse without any windows. Jesi’s eyes widened in fear and Uriel reached over to clasp her hand as they stared. Carleigh had spotted what looked to be a flickering T.V. She bent in front of it, putting her face very close to the image and placing her hands on either side of the screen.
"Sh-h-h, Jesi, it’s all right.." Uriel soothed, pulling her closer. She only nodded. He felt her whole body shake like a leaf in the wind.
"Hello!!" Carleigh suddenly shouted. "I know you’re in there, come out and show your ugly face if you have the balls!!" She yelled at the blinking console. "Come on!"
"What the..." Uriel whispered. "Is she completely insane?" Suddenly, though, the screen blared to life, and Carleigh sat back, satisfied. Uriel led Jesi over to Carleigh and looked at the television. The console buzzed with static for a moment, then clicked on. In bold, red print, a message was displayed;
Have fun in the maze of Hell!
"Dammit!" Carleigh screamed. "What the hell is this shit?!"
"Hey, STOP cursing., I don’t want to have to make you." Uriel commanded. Carleigh drew slowly to her full height and glared at him.
"Oh will you? C’mon, bring it." She challenged. The held each other’s stare for a long time, until Uriel finally turned his face away. "That’s what I thought." Carleigh said, the resumed her vigil of the screen. "Crap." She murmured. Then busted her fist through the glass pane. "There, I solved that."
"Way to go." Uriel muttered. She glared at him and then smiled sweetly.
"Look, I know how much you love Jesi, but could you stop the cuddling…it’s kinda makin’ me wanna puke." She chirruped. He held up his fist and she jumped. "Okay, Okay, pushy bastard, I see how it is. Well, I guess I’ll go find Magic on my own if it suits you." She began to walk towards one of the doors, but Uriel grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her.
"Look, I know you care for the guy but you only knew him for ten minutes, and besides, getting yourself killed won’t do any of us any good! So stop having such an attitude, OKAY?!" He shouted at her. She was silent for a moment, her bottom lip trembling.
"Well how about this, you stop yelling and making me feel ALONE and I will! And it doesn’t matter how long I knew the guy! Love only takes a second to happen! Look at you and Jesi for god’s sake!" She screamed back, beginning to cry. "LET GO OF ME!" He growled and let go, sending her flying back as she pulled. She fell on the floor.
"Carleigh…" Jesi murmured.
"Save it." She snapped. She stood and stalked away from them, her high-heels clattering over the linoleum. She stopped at a door. There was a big, red button on it where the handle should have been. She pushed it and the door slid open.
"Cool!" She said, stepping inside. The door closed instantly behind her, and disappeared.
"Damn!" Uriel shouted, racing over to the seamless wall, there was no sign of the entryway even being there.
"Uriel.." Jesi said softly, her voice shaky.
"Sorry I-"He stopped short when he turned around. The room was flooded with demons, they did not even get a shot off before they were fought to the ground, and dragged away by the evil creatures.
"Jesi?" Carleigh says, hearing the scuffle. She turned to go back, knowing in her heart what must have happened. She gasps as she finds only another long hall of doors where the one she had come in through had been. "Shit!" she shouts, running down one hall, turning, and then running back up it. "Shit shit shit shit. Oh, shitty shit shit, what the hell am I supposed to do now? Awww man I wish I was back in bed!" She wailed, punching her fist through one of the doors. She yelped and jumped back as something shocked her. Tiny bolts of electricity began to surround the door and a buzzing, crackling noise filled her ears. Carleigh blinked as the door flickered, then disappeared. It had been a hologram, a projection! Behind it was a control box with a hole where she had punched it was, and little bolts of electricity crawling all over it. Slowly but surely all the other doors faded, revealing similar boxes, only without holes. "Oh shit!" She shouted happily. "Oh Shit! Oh shit! Oh shit! THANK YOU OH LORD!" She danced a happy dance around in a circle, then stopped when she noticed there was one door left, the real door. She cheered and ran over to it. "Wooooohooo!" She shouted, she grabbed the handle and tried to pry it open. It wouldn’t budge. "Awwwww! C’mon! Come On! You…stupid…door!" She shouted, with a last cry of protest, the door banged open, revealing a long, dark corridor. Without a thought of danger crossing her mind, she hurried on, running off into the darkness. She ran, past burning torches surrounded by cobwebs, all the while seeing Uriel, Jesi, and Magic’s faces in her head and heart, her lungs burning, her body aching from exhaustion, she finally collapsed on the floor, to tired to move. She didn’t know if it had been years or seconds, but she knew she could not keep going now, in the darkness, without a light to give her hope. She began to weep, crying with burning, stinging tears that felt like sand in her eyes. She saw so many things dancing on the insides of her eyelids, so many words rushed through her mind, then time seemed to stop as a phrase she had often turned to screeched to a halt in her head.
‘Blind faith, just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it isn’t there.’
She stopped crying and wiped her face. She looked around. She couldn’t see God, and yet she found hope. Even if she couldn’t see the door, she knew it must be there, because God would not let her run forever. She pushed herself up and took a step foreword. Carleigh knew in her heart that this trial was nothing compared to what she was about to face, she ran on. She ran until time passed through meaning, then slipped away from it, she ran until she had all but forgotten who she was. The only thing filling her mind was the fact that her friends were in trouble, and if she had to, she would give her own life to preserve theirs.
When Jesi awoke, she was in some sort of cage, like the kind they use at the circus. She rubbed her head and looked around. They were in a large, warehouse type room with candles all around, a pipe organ took up one of the four huge walls, and someone pounded away on it, playing a melody that made her skin crawl. She tried to stand, but realized that she was shackled to the back of the cage, limiting her movements.
"All right, God’s…….eternal…." She pointed her fingers at the bars as the fire began to grow at her fingertips. "FLAME!" She shouted, balls of fire raced towards the bars, but as soon as they hit one, they bounced off, sending the ball flying back to Jesi. She ducked. It bounced off the walls of the cage. "Aaaiii!" Jesi screamed. The fire ball hit her in the side and she crumpled to the floor.
"Ah…so she woke up…for…a little while…" Marlon appeared outside the cage, staring in at the unmoving girl. Then he burst out laughing, the sound echoing throughout the candlelit chamber, bouncing, like fire, off the walls.
"Nice organ."
"What the?" Marlon whirled as someone began to play on the organ, a fast, energizing song. There she sat in all her glory, her back to him, Warrior Earth. She stopped playing and turned around to look at him.
"Now, I’m a nice person so I’ll give you two choices. Gimme back my friends, or get your ass kicked and then give them back to me."
"Oh, what are you going to do, earth child, stab me?" He mocked. She considered this.
"Uhmmmmm…yeah!" She pulled out her katana and jumped up. "High….angel’s….Imp-" she stopped short as a light began to flicker then solidify in Marlon’s arms. Marlon grinned and held it up like a shield. In his arms, unconscious, was Soldier magic.
"I’ve already seen that trick." Marlon scoffed. "It’s my turn. Dark brainwash, now!" As she watched, Magic’s eyes opened, and glowed a deep scarlet red. She took a step back. "Capture her and bring her to me…..I don’t really care whether or not she’s alive, as long as she’s in more than one piece." Marlon ordered, and disappeared in a shimmer of air. Magic pounced on her, straddling her and pinning her wrists to the floor. The crazy look on his face both frightened and wounded her. Where was her knight in shining armor? On top of her, trying to destroy her.
"Surrender!" He shouted madly. She turned her face away and saw the cages, two limp heaps on the floor of each-her friends. Tears welled up in Carleigh’s eyes. She let the katana roll from her hand. She was too stricken with grief to fight.
"Please…don’t do this.." She murmured. "Please…STOP!" She shut her eyes and kicked him off of her, she rolled away and picked up her katana, jumping to her feet. Carleigh shook her head. "I won’t fight you." She said. "Ever. No matter what."
"All the easier for me!" He shouted, and charged her, she sidestepped and he skidded to a halt. Carleigh felt hot tears fall from her eyes and onto the floor, she shook her head once more.
"I am not your enemy.." She whispered. He grinned.
"You keep telling yourself that." He leapt at her and this time managed to slash at her stomach, cutting a hole in the armor. Blood seeped through and she began to cry hysterically.
"No no no..please don’t make me." She fell to her knees and sobbed into her hands. "I can’t do this..I’m so sorry but…I can’t hurt him…"
"Surrender!" He shouted again, she looked upward, her red, tear-streaked face showing a hint of recognition.
"Do you remember me? Do you remember Jesus? Why are you so scared? Ask for it and he’ll forgive you." She said softly. Magic took a step back, stunned for a moment, his eyes swirled back to violet, but then he closed them and shook his head, he re-opened them and they were the color of blood. She swallowed and nodded, standing, still crying.
"This is your last chance." Marlon appeared above her, sitting atop the pipe organ’s pipes. "Surrender yourself and I’ll set them free." She looked at him, then up farther, as if she was looking through the concrete wall. Marlon disappeared.
"Is that what you want me to do? Is that your wish?" She asked the ceiling, she seemed to get an answer for she stood resolutely and set her face, stony and emotionless. She pointed her Katana at Magic.
"Just what I’ve been waiting for, a little… action !" He cackled. She let go of the katana and it clattered to the floor. His face went straight, surprise emanating from every feature.
"I give up." She said softly, moving her hand to her side and lowering the lids over her eyes slowly. "But only….but only if you set Magic and the others free! You hear me Marlon?! You can have me..but not them!" She yelled, she looked back at Magic. Marlon appeared in a shimmer of air behind him. He placed a hand on his shoulder and magic stiffened, then fell in a heap to the floor.
"Done." He said darkly, she straightened in fear as he walked towards her. He reached out so his hand was inches from her chest, then a katana - her katana, materialized in his hand. She knew what was coming and was not afraid. She would give anything for Jesus, who himself had in turn sacrificed himself for his love. She shut her eyes slowly and submissively. She marveled at the irony of being destroyed by her own katana-a weapon she herself had once used for good. She felt one final tear roll down her cheek as she thought of her oblivious parents, all of her comrades. ‘Goodbye.’ She thought, hoping they felt it in their hearts, an unspoken farewell. ‘I’ll never be far.’
He thrust it foreword.
"…Magic I..forgive you…" She gasped slightly as her knees buckled. She fell to them and grabbed the hilt of the weapon protruding like a grotesque coat hook from her chest. She felt blood run down her back and realized the katana had gone all the way through her. Crying out in agony, she slumped foreword and was still.
"Ashes to ashes…" Marlon muttered. He laughed evilly and turned from her. "And dust to dust." He rose slowly into the air and disappeared in a bright shimmer of light. Magic opened his eyes to see Earth hunched over in a pool of blood, he forced himself up and hurried over to her, but, kneeling by her side he realized he was too late to save her. He leaned back onto his heels and put a hand to his face.
"What have I done?" He asked himself. "What have I done?" He noticed the cages and stood, walking over to them. He noticed they weren’t locked and easily slid open. Jesi and Uriel stepped out and looked around.
"Where is…Carleigh?!" Jesi shrilled, she rushed over to her friend and rolled her over onto her back. Carleigh’s eyes were closed as if in sleep, her head to one side. She shook her. "Carleigh? Carleigh?! CARLEIGH? Oh God please…please open your eyes..oh Carleigh…" Jesi covered her mouth with one hand as she began to sob. She felt a warm touch on her shoulder and embraced Uriel, who had come to sit beside her. She buried her face in his chest and cried.
"John 3:16…says that..God…so loved the world..he gave his only begotten son…so that we shall never perish…but have eternal life….Eternal…life…." A woman’s voice echoed across the room. Everyone looked up, but there was nothing. Jesi looked back at her friend and gave a small shriek, Carleigh was standing! Uriel followed her gaze and gasped. Magic’s eyes widened and he slowly stood. She still had her eyes closed. She opened her arms and moved them slowly in an arc so they were over her head, as if holding something up to heaven, and large, white, feathery wings sprouted from her shoulder blades, looming up over her about thirty feet towards the ceiling. The katana in her chest vaporized and the wound healed instantly, gone without a trace. Carleigh’s uniform changed as well, the golden medallion glowed, as did her suit, and it changed into a long, silk white dress. The green and blue in her hair vanished, back to it’s normal spiced-tea color, as did the makeup on her face. She began to glow with a silvery, ethereal radiance, like moonlight emanating from the center of her body-actually-from the medallion. She opened her eyes and a few golden sparkles flew from them, spiraling around her head and then merging to become a halo. Her hands slowly, as if underwater, moved down to her sides. She furled her wings close to her body and shut her eyes. Her guardian, the angel that had given her her power, suddenly appeared in a golden glow facing her, he was an angel once again, his purpose fulfilled. He placed a hand on her shoulder and she opened her eyes. No words needed to be spoken between the beings, the message was communicated with feelings. Carleigh smiled and took a step foreword towards the three. Magic’s eyes got wider. Jesi and Uriel clasped each other’s hands tightly as they rose to their feet, not blinking. The other angel turned and watched from behind, love and kindness as visible on him as the golden glow around his body.
"Fear not." She assured, her voice a rumble of thunder in the sky and the breath of a sleeping baby in your arms at the same time. Her hair and mouth moved slower than her voice, like she was underwater, her hair rippled around her face and her skirt pooled around her feet as she curtsied, her wings opening and once more reaching up towards the ceiling. " For I am an angel of God."
"Carleigh?" Uriel murmured. He shook his head in disbelief.
"I am Carleigh." The girl angel said. "I am her spirit."
"Please, I want the old Carleigh back....." Jesi took a reluctant step foreword and reached out a hand in a pleading gesture. "Please?"
"I will return." The angel said comfortingly, she also reached out a hand and took Jesi’s. Jesi felt the strangest sensation of warmth and love in the caress, it was gentle as a breeze but the silver glow of the angel seemed to carry over into Warrior Fire. Her suit slowly turned into a red dress, a long silk one like the angel’s and her own features were restored to normal. The silver glow carried up to her shoulders and became reddish wings, hers only about only about five feet wide, coming from her shoulders. The angel smiled. Jesi was astonished.
"Am..am I an A-angel?" She stammered. The angel shook her head.
"You are still a physical being. You are..in essence…. now a direct servant of God’s will…his soldier." Her voice washed over them all and healed them, soothed them and calmed them. The angel behind her also smiled. She reached out a hand towards Uriel and the silver light engulfed him as well, his armor turned into a tight red tank-type shirt and baggy pants. His own wings unfurled at five feet, a reddish shade to the feathers. He was equally surprised but grinned.
"Hey, it beats a Toga." The angel’s eyes glowed with delight as she reached a hand out towards Magic.
"It is your turn, Magic." She coaxed, her voice gentle and warm. He took a few reluctant steps foreword and knelt in front of her. The girl angel was mildly surprised, but she bowed her head as she felt the male angels smile at her back. "Rise." She said gently. He did so.
"My name is Oz." He murmured. Her eyes sparkled with happiness and she nodded.
"I know…my name is Carleigh." She held out her arms in a beseeching gesture and he stepped into them, unafraid, she embraced him tightly, wrapping her wings around him. A light brighter than ten suns glowed around the feathery cocoon of the two, brighter and brighter until any normal person would have had to look away. The male angel blinked slowly and gracefully. Jesi and Uriel grabbed each other’s hands, able to look upon such grace and beauty now and understand it. The light continued to glow brighter, and then all of a sudden there was a bright flash, and a shock went through the ground. There was a slight revving noise, like a rewinding videotape slowing. In a large shining bubble where the cocoon had been was Oz, in a purple suit with purple wings like Uriel’s. He held cradled in his arms Carleigh, no longer an angel, but a human. She was wearing a light green gown with white wings. Jesi smiled happily and tears of joy welled up in her eyes. She bounced up and down a bit and Uriel grinned. Carleigh looked to be in a contented sleep, nestled against Oz. Her wings were still about thirty feet long, but they were folded and pressed against her back. Magic had his eyes on her serene face. The angel behind them stood and passed a hand over the shell, it faded slowly then completely disappeared. The angel bowed and he vanished as well. Carleigh opened her eyes and blinked. Oz smiled. She smiled back.