My ebony wings snapped open behind me, unfurling several spans. They warmed under the sun and I shot off into the sky. I could have just flown, letting the breeze rush through my hair, letting it calm me. but time was a luxury I didn’t have. A crisis had arisen, and it was now time. It was time to gather the angels.

I barely slept that night. My thoughts completely revolved around Addie and how she was doing. I noticed that once Key noticed I sincerely had feelings for her, he had stopped the snide remarks about her and seemed to truly support me with this relationship. Today, he had gone off to visit Addie. But what surprised me, was the fact that he had volunteered to be with her until the battle started. I wouldn’t have expected it of him, but he dashed off to her room, and I had his promise that when it all began, he’d get her safely to my chambers. It was the safest place she could be, after all.

               I stood resolutely facing the rising sun on the rooftop of the castle. This little piece of heaven would soon be overshadowed in war and despair. I contemplated the pain and suffering that were about to take place here and I shuddered. Today people would die. Today, lives would be torn apart. And today, we would win this war. We had to win this war. If we didn’t, everything was lost. Everything.

               The waiting was the worst part. Waiting for what we all knew was coming, but not being able to do anything about it. I masked my frustration in front of my people; it would do no good for them to see their prince like this. The day waned until twilight was upon us. But it wasn’t much of a twilight because the storm that approached and that signaled the approach of our enemies was blocking the soft light and calming colors.

The sky rumbled their war cry. In response to their thunder, I increased the winds. They tore at the storm and the approaching troops like a destructive hurricane. I smiled as I watched their troops falter, but then push forward as it began to rain. The sky was now black with thunder clouds that lit up like jack-oh-lanterns when the lightning blazed a path through them.

They were invading my territory. They didn’t bring peace, but war and desolation. They brought despair and death. Fury clouded my vision. It was time to transform. I felt my vision clearing, becoming stronger and more perceptive as my eyes shrank to slits and the color in them changed into a silvery sheen. My ears tapered to a point in order to catch the smallest of sounds. My hair grew to my waist billowing around me, whipping strands around my face and into the furious night. I did not have fangs, but power coursed through my veins, through my being. I snapped my wings open and exposed them to the roiling wind around me.

Their numbers were many, but so were we. It was time. Jumping from the rooftops, I launched myself into the fierce, wild skies, leading the other angels who had followed my example and transformed. I knew we were an intimidating sight. I swooped through the air and hovered over my army. I scanned the scene before me and started issuing orders for certain angels to join certain ranks and help all the other demons that were spilled out below us.

We did not yell or challenge them. They did not taunt or bellow at us. For a moment, all was silent. And then a water demon stepped forward and locked eyes with mine. My eyes blazed with anger as I recognized the Water Demon Prince. He had come to ‘reclaim’ Addie. Fury engulfed me and I dove at him just as he jumped into the air to meet me. While we clashed, our armies descended upon each other. In a flash, I unsheathed the gleaming sword at my belt. The blade was straight and sharp. Just as fast, my opponent had unsheathed twin swords with sapphire-blue pommels. They could be used individually, or together. That was how the set worked. It was obvious he wouldn’t be using it one at a time. It was also quite apparent from the way he held his swords that he knew what he was doing. I would have to be extra cautious.

Our blades clashed clanging loudly but swallowed amidst the din from below.  Again and again. I took a swipe at him and he dodged under