How could it all end up like this?

What sequence of events could have led her into this mess?

To make matters worse, she had to wake up that morning with a painful headache that pounded against her skull. A pain that only the mercy of aspirin dampened. But her nausea and dry mouth could only go away with time, and she had work that morning.

So while she felt awful and her thoughts against her will ran wild in her mind, Carole had to pretend to go about her day as if she was not on the verge of vomiting.

Pretending nothing had happened, she was okay, and nothing at all was wrong. That she was not about to enter some church of these people's weirdo cult nor had recently spoken with Loukas whilst intoxicated.

Now that she thought about it, she wanted answers.

Religion gave her expectations on how angels are to be brave, powerful, helpful, keep the world turning and a better place.

But... that was not her.

Her own body was in chronic pain, her wings useless and not a single ability to her name. Being taken away from her moms at age 13 to get trained by some in private by a man who knew even less and now as the last angel to be born in decades for Ildens…

she had nothing to show for it.

Maybe she wanted something else in this world to explain to her what she was supposed to do.

Averlive gave her nothing but guilt and shame for something she could not control. Every time people figure out she was an angel, their eyes lit up only to later be crushed by disappointment.

Why is it some creepy cult that might have some answers?

The whole thing feels so… familiar...like the name of someone from her memories, but she never could quite put her finger on it.

“Miss, I have a question!” the ever-inquisitive Erna raised his hand. Carole flinched at the sudden noise and the regret for her last night bing set firmly in.

Carole normally enjoyed Erna’s questions about the work she set him up with. The focus and ambitions were his strengths. But right now she was this close to throwing up on her desk and any sudden sound made the feeling worse.

She tried not to display that as she slowly got up and went up to him and looked down at his work.

“You’re doing fine, you just need to solve for x right now.”

The boy gave her a sharp nod as his little brother rolled his eyes at the obedient display.

“Okay, is there anything extra I can do?” Erna's eyes sparkled as he asked.

Carole despite herself chuckled, “At this rate, you would do some graduate-level work, I can’t help you with that.”

Erna gave a proud smile, “I would look forward to it Miss,”

“Okay, I’m done, can I leave now?” Erna said, setting his worksheet aside.

Carole would at one point have told him to stay, but right now she just wanted to rest until later that night and get over the hangover in peace. Either way, Erna was doing his work right now and was putting in an effort, so there was not much harm in ending class early for today.

“Alright... Class dismissed,” she said waving towards the door, Enok was, of course, the first to bounce out the door, with Holgar dragging feet following, Erna, however, stayed behind. As usual, he wanted extra time with her learning about the subject in greater detail.

“I see,” he said as she finished explaining the calculus concept.

“Anything else? Finding the limits is rather simple once you figure it out.”

Erna nodded but his gaze moved to her cane that leaned against her desk, “Um… can I ask a personal question, Miss?... Did you always have a cane?”

Carole had a feeling she would eventually get asked about that fact or at least something about her obvious disability thus she replied, “No, not always,” Looked towards the door as Erna shifted uncomfortably most likely realizing how invasive his initial question was, as she did not continue to go in deph about her confirmation.

“I plan to start university entrance exam work with you.” Caroleshuffled the paper to put back into the desk, “I can see some good things out of you, we'll start on Thursday.”

The teen’s face grew a slight blush at her compliment, “Ahem, well thank you, Miss, I’m glad you do.”

Poor boy must not be used to compliments, Carole got up and as Erna politely picked up her bag and handed it to her. She gave him a thank you and exited the class to eventually the bathroom.

In that bathroom she threw up the remaining contents of her stomach.

The rest of her day, instead of her working on the syllabus and work for the next day, was her nursing the hangover trying to piece together why she even drank that much.

Other than the reason being there was free leftover alcohol from a staff party and she wanted anything to take her mind off her deal.

Eventually, the headache dulled, her stomach settled and by evening she felt her usual self. Chronic pain in her back and leg and the sadly familiar dull rotting in her chest aside.

Just another day at this point.

She sighed, took her cane and walked towards her door, taking out her phone with that map to the church Loukas sent to her along with a key, in case they locked it. He went the extra mile in marking a quick shortcut to it and told her to say that she was just interested in the family’s religion. It was a more open secret at this point among staff, anyway.

Why did no one tell her about it then?

Most likely because of her more or less refusing to interact with any other staff... other than Hide.

Ironically.

As she turned a corner and as if the universe was reading her mind standing in his shorts, coat and that dumb smile on his lips showing his teeth was Hide himself. Carole let out a groan of annoyance at his sudden appearance.

Hide hearing her groan. pulled those lips into the exaggeration of a pout and whined, “Okay, I guess not even you want to see little old me. Do you groan whenever you see poor orphans?”

Carole resisted the ever hard urge to roll her eyes and asked, “What do you want?”

Hide hopped over to her shoving directly in her face, a the screen of his laptop. To her confusion, she pressed a button and what appeared in the fancy animated font were the words.

“Thanks and Sorry about the blackmail.”

That was… unexpected.

“Don’t take it the wrong way. I don’t regret doing it, I just dislike the way I had to go about it, you know,” the short man said, reminding her who she was dealing with at the moment.

“Hmm, if I was, to be honest, if I was in your position I guess I wouldn’t aim for the moral high ground myself,” She said, “I’m not exactly that upset about it.”

Carole despite herself did not particularly dislike Hildmire, despite how easy it was to do so. Well...not in the way the other staff seems to. He was at times... bearable.

She was in a... similar position and to get out her methods in doing so… gave her no right to be all self-righteous about this, anyway.

“Aw Carly loves me,” he chimed, breaking her thoughts.

Tolerance was her feelings towards him, and he has been really testing it. She understood why so many wished to wipe the smugness off his face at the very moment.

“Keep telling yourself that,” She said, “Anyway, I'm busy, goodbye... Hide”

As she turned away Hide swooped in front of her breaking out his dumb smile, “Soo, you’re actually going to church, atheist heathen?”

Carole pinched the bridge of her nose, “Yes, I’ve decided I have found god and want to repent for my sins. Anyway, are you just gonna stand there?”

Hide tilted his head to a side in faux ignorance, “You can’t find god on your own you know. You need to have at least someone as pure and innocent as me.”

That glint in his eyes told her all she needed to know. He wanted to follow her. To make sure she tries nothing funny.

Cheeky guy…

“Fine, whatever, just keep quiet..,” she finally said with a grumble as he moved out of her way.

Of Course, it seemed Hide was incapable of that request because after 5 minutes of silence on their way to the church he began letting out another gripe.

“I’m sooooo booooerd,” he whined.

Despite being in her best interest to ignore him and keep walking, she replied, “Too bad.”

Although she was not looking at him, she could feel the man pouting behind her. The two passed several servants and workers, many ignored them, not giving the two so much as a glance, whilst a few turned to their direction with a pronounced frown and glare. Showing Hide might have said or done something to them before, as innocent as he tried to act about the whole thing.

As Loukas stated, the area and path to this room was more or less empty around this time, just a locked door opened by either himself or someone of authority.

The door was made of old-fashion heavy wood and metal. The metallic pieces were sculpted into various small effigies of most likely Orbis and servants, which was, from what she remembered, the standard for most churches. Alongside these were strange symbols of some dog-like creature, similar to the statues around the manor.

Strange, but not too unusual, compared this sect name.

But as she stood in front of this large towering door, she felt a growing headache and a burning feeling in her chest.

She had no idea what was drawing her to this, but whatever it was, she could not bring herself to turn away. To turn back, even as the now fading voice in her head is telling her to do so, was not an option. Her wings, her eyes, all gave away her inhuman nature, and something about this church, the ventis, the smoke, drew her to it. As if she may finally get an answer.

Why did she have no powers?

Why did her wings never heal and are so useless?

Why did she have to have a body so broken that it was a literal pain to move it?

Why no one here seems to know what miracle an angel of Ildens was to perform?

… Not even her creep of a teacher knew...

“So are we going inside this church to pray or something?” Hide’s voice drew her back to where they were.

She replied, “I don’t know... I’m just gonna look around.”

Hide shrugged his shoulders as she unlocked the door, “You know if it hurts that much to move you could put on a brace on your leg and back or something,” he said.

Carole swiftly turned to him and grit her teeth, “I’m already wearing a brace... anything else useless you have to say?”

Hide seemed to flinch at her harsh reply, his ears flopped down and as the door unlocked. She then heard him say, “Once I get out of here. I can make better ones than that crappy shit on you. Once I get the material.”

Carole, taken aback by that offer and stopped at the front door. She was not hallucinating, right? No snarky comeback remark? No, 'just a joke' follow up?

“I'm fine, no need for that."

Hide pressed his hand against the door opening it up, “Suit yourself then, old lady."

“Says the man nearing his 30s.”

Hide flashed her a sharp glare whilst she could not help but feel a smirk tug at her lips.

“Bitch Queen of Bitchtania.”

“Says the King himself.”

The door opened up to what initially seemed to be a normal church. Stained glass windows, a couple of pews and alters. It has been a while since she last stepped into a church before. Although this chruch had the obvious signs of more money put into it, with the silky, well-cushioned seats and heavily decorated pews that glistened with jewels and gold.

She heard Hide let out a low whistle as they examined the place.

“Dang Loulou’s people know how to make a place of worship seem classy. Rich assholes....”

“Loulou?” Carole asked in confusion.

Realizing what he just said, he shook his head, “Loui, duh. Carly keep up with the program already.”

“… I pity him if that’s what you call him… unironically.”

“Carly Warly, Sweet Candy.”

“Can it...”

As Hide snickers behind her, she continues her exploration until she comes to the front of the pew where the feeling in her chest was at its most intense. She winced as she clutched her chest, staring at the stained glass.

Maybe Loukas was right about this cult being not that much different from the dominant religion. For a church of flesh and blood, the church was rather devoid of those themes. More the church of canines.

Symbolic flesh and blood, perhaps?

However something was... off…

She was at the altar staring at the stained glass window.

She… just knew something was…

“Your eyes actually glow?!” that familiar voice said before she touched the glass and the image of their god pulled back with a groan.

Her eyes widened in shock as she stumbled backwards, landing on her posterior. She would have normally shouted with pain, but the imagery that appeared before her made all sensation from outside herself non-existent.

Even the shouting of… someone.

Before her eyes stood a pair..of fiery red wings… bloody at the base as if ripped off something..fresh...new..and… her…

They were her’s.

They were her’s

Ripped from her back.

She remembered....everything...

She remembered, before her time with Lucky, before her private study, before her adoption by her loving moms, before that fateful day, when she woke in a hospital at 8 and got asked her name.

That... That was maybe why she remembers her parents oh so well, unlike other angels and how they forget theirs.

They weren't her true first guardians... They were not the first people to take her in.

Her guardians and what happened to her wings.

Born to help and assist humans.

But in a cold dark room, those adults, disgusting adults... disgusting humans.

Grew from her back the colour of a male, exposed… They knew they could never get another angel.

She was the first success in this project and for the production of more thus they cut those wings off.

Without care, a firm grip on the appendage. Ever so slowly, ever so carefully, the muscles pulled taut until the victim screamed to stop. Finally on muscle ripped. Vessels burst and spilt blood and lymph. Finally bone pulled out of its socket with a crack and tear. They kept going. Until the small bits of flesh and meat holding those wings to the poor child's back were torn.

They then turned to their sermon with what was hers's to showcase their unnatural thievery to all. To a church filled with disgusting humans. The pain was unbearable, maddening, and she had accepted it all.

She was not an angel.

There was the sound of that cruel laugh, a laugh that made her sick. The laugh strengthened to a delirious burst.

As if this person found this event the funniest joke in the world. A snicker and a giggle growing into that laugh. Who was laughing?

“What's so funny?”

Carole immediately covered her mouth, now fully aware of what she had been doing, and turned to see Hildmire standing right behind her. He despite his smile had an unreadable tone in his voice as he asked.

“First of you should laugh more often, though I would pick a less conspicuous time and place if I were you,” trying to lighten the mood. He was leaning forward towards her with his hands in the pockets of his shorts. He clearly has no idea of the concept of personal space.

:.. How long were you standing-no not important..,” She slowly got up to her feet using her cane, she felt numb. “My wings…”

“Eh, what about them?”

She got to her feet and turned to him and said without a single inflexion or tone change, “They ripped them off, the people here... they were.... my first guardians... and they ripped them off.”

If that was why she could remember her adopted moms when she was supposed to forget.

Hide ears flicked as she explained herself and he finally replied, “So, this crappy city finally got an angel and they took away her wings. Is that what I’m getting?”

“Yes..it is…”

Although... was that it? Like this is all some cult ritual born out of insanity but, is that all?

That feeling... something was still missing.

Hide gave a wide yawn, “So you just have more of a reason to take out of these creeps, nothing more nothing less”

“I’m not some bloodthirsty arbiter of vengeance, Hide.”

Hide was already holding her hand, leading her away from the altar, “So? I doubt you will suddenly feel bad if we take one of them out, permanently,” He smiled at her, “would you?”

Carole was already out in the halls and said, “we’ll meet up on another day, by then I would have spread the rumours already via casual mentions, you would have planted the false evidence.”

She turned, and the two left the church. When they reached the main lobby to go their separate ways, Hide said, “We shouldn’t hang around so much. Might make someone think we’re some friends or something.”

“I highly doubt anyone would mistake us as friends.”

“But we’re friends Carly-Warly”

Carole rolled her eyes, “Whatever you say, Hide, whatever you say.”

She took up her cane and walked away, and as if he needed to have the last word in on the conversation he called back, “Nice evil laugh, hope you can save it for when I get out of here.”

With that being their last casual conversation, until that fateful night. Her weeks comprised meetings with Mr Rosmous about the boys’ progress so far, occasionally mentioning seeing the aunt in odd areas and at odd times at night. Though she was, of course, dismissed as paranoid, she was well aware of the seed of doubt she planted in his head and as time went on, as tiring as it was all from all small talk, the seeds sprouted into full doubt.

These people are a lot friendlier when she dismisses her relationship with Hide as not knowing the guy until now and wants nothing to do with him. An apology she had to give to some also help matters....as much as she wished to bite off her tongue for it.

The conversations were... difficult. Her act and script as an ordinary social person drained her... but to take down that monster who tore her wings and made the rest of her life a mess…

It would be worth it.

She had patience.