Chapter 5: Angel

Written by: Tyler Stafford

Of course, I'm stuck with babysitting.
        At least he's cute, I thought to myself. Wait, no, not now, stop that brain.
    "You and Silus, you've met before?" Ian asked me as we walked down the halls of HPA to the Schools training grounds.
        "Yeah," I said quietly.
    "How?"
        I sighed and looked at the ground. "He killed my family."
        "Oh."
    After that it was silent until we came to the training grounds, a giant room filled with sparring dummies that had sharp teeth and red eyes, and a full array of weapons we might use on missions. A few years back, some kids thought that the training grounds were depressing, being under ground with cold brick walls. They decided to spruce the place up by painting the walls to look like a wide meadow, and the ceiling to look as if it were a bright summer day. The results, however, were a gross blue running down to a puddle of brown-ish sticks, and a bright, wobbly sun surrounded by clouds that looked like marshmallows. Nobody bothered to paint over it.
         I quickly spotted Chris and Lexi, and beckoned them over to me.
        Lexi looked at Ian and smiled. "Nice to see you're awake and mobile." She stated, holding a hand out to Ian, who took it. "My names Lexi Young." She pointed at Chris. "And this is Chris Collins."
        Chris grunted in response and turned to me. "What's up?"
        "Jack wants us to go to Ian's house, make sure everything's in order, and let his sister know what's happening," I explained, turning the weapons table. I looked around until I found a four inch collapsible staff and pocketed it. "You guys up for it?"
        "Wait," Ian interrupted before Chris could open his mouth to agree or disagree. "Why would you need a weapon?"
    "It can get pretty dangerous up there," Lexi explained as she picked up a tiny, three centimeter long dagger. "Especially when you're a demon hunter. Our magick draws in some pretty nasty creatures, you can never be too careful."
        "Magic?" Ian asked, inspecting the table, fingers brushing against a tiny bow.
        "Yup, magick, with a 'k,'"I said, picking the bow up and putting it in his hand. "All demon hunters are skilled in the magical arts, as well the arts of fighting."
        "A good demon hunter should be able to bend the six elements to his will as well as wield a sword," Chris said, picking up a foot- long axe. 
        "What's the difference between magic and magick with a 'k'?" Ian iquired, his finger brushing across the little button on the bow as he examined it.
    "Well, magic is what the demons use," I said, leading the group to the ladder that leads to the Academy's exit. "It's evil, kinda like black magic. They call upon dark forces in order to use them."
        "And magick, with a 'k', is what we use," Lexi continued as hand Ian my bag and climb the ladder. "We call upon the six elements to assist us when we need it."
        I reached the top of the ladder, and pushed aside the manhole cover that separates us from the rest of the world. I pull myself through, out onto the street, and lean down to help Ian up.
        "Wait a minute," says Ian as I help Lexi and Chris. "We're already here, this is my house."
        "Yup," I say, shoving the cover back into place and watching it disappear. "The Academy also has certain magickal properties. The Entrances and exits are magicked to appear where we need to be."
        "It's a huge help if we're over run with demons," said Lexi. "We just wish for an entrance, and "Poof!" there one is."
        I nod. "Alright, we ready?" After confirmations from everybody, I lead the group onward.
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    "Something's not right," Ian said quietly as we walked to the front door. "My sister's car is here, she should be at work..."
        "Hm," I say, pulling out staff and pressing it into full form. "Ian, stay behind us. If anything happens, run, and get back to the Academy."
    Ian nods and stands behind Chris. I take a deep breath and push open the front door. I put a finger to my lips and we walk inside quietly. Inside, the house was a mess. The living looked as if someone decided to redecorate by throwing everything into a random spot. I turned to check on Ian, who was falling behind, looking around with wide eyes full of fear. I walked over and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, and gestured for him to keep going. We walked past the kitchen and through the hallway, looking in at bedrooms and the bathroom, each of which were in no better shape than the living room. After searching through out the entire house, we went back to the living room.
        "Nobodies here," I said to Ian, who was occupying himself by tidying up. "Does this house have a basement, or an attic someone might be hiding in?"
        Ian stopped what he was doing and thought for a minute. "No," he said. "But, there's a shed out back, my sister always told me that if anybody had come into the house while she was at work, to hide in there."
        I collapsed my staff, nodded, and turned to Chris and Lexi. "You two stay in here with Ian, I'm going to  check out the shed."
        The both of them nodded, and I went out the door and walked around the house into the backyard. Ian's mother was right to tell them to hide in the shed. It was almost completely camouflaged, to the point where nobody would be able to find it unless they were really looking for it. I stood in front of the small shed's door, and knocked.
        "Ms. Stewart?" I called. I heard something moving around inside, but no answer. "Ms. Stewart, this is Angel, a friend of Ian's. Could you open the door? I'm here to help."
        There was more movement inside, and then the sound of a lock clicking, and the door swung open. A woman with the same brown hair and blue eyes as Ian popped her head out, looking around before settling her eyes on me.
        "Are they gone?" She asked, fear making her voice high.
        "Yes, Ms. Stewart, they're gone, you can come out now," I said calm, hoping to reassure her. "Ian's in the house, he's safe with my friends."
        "Oh, thank goodness!" She practically shouted from relief. She swung the shed door open and ran past me into the house, calling her brother's name.