Lady Zoe handed Àskériàn the Star Crystal. As soon as his hands touched the glowing object, a bright light flashed, encompassing him.

The crystal fell to the floor of the lab with a clacking sound which echoed throughout the chamber as the crystal settled and Àskériàn was gone. "What the heck just happened!?" Zoe screamed. "Where is he!?"

Renfred dipped low and picked the crystal up off the floor between two black gloved hands. "He is in here."

At first, everything was dark. A deep voice full of command filled Àskériàn's ears. "Little Ardent, you have been chosen to go to the realm of Gaia. You will be given a group of people to watch over and protect. This is your duty as an Arch Angel."

"Yes papa." A familiar voice replied, though it had a younger ring to it, more innocent. Softer.

"You have been given three wishes, dear child, use them wisely and remember your charge. Your identity as a Celestial being will be hidden from the humans. Do not reveal thyself under any circumstances. If you should do this, you know the consequences, do not loosen the seal. Do you understand?" The deep voice charged.

"Yes papa, I understand." The familiar voice replied again.

As the darkness faded, Àskériàn found himself in the middle of a large village.

Victorian style-brick buildings of different sizes sprouted around him from the ground. White-washed concrete walkways ran parallel to red-cobbled streets. Black-Iron light posts dotted the walkways with lanterns hanging from their arches. White roses were hung from the posts, obviously seeming out of place.

The sound of bells rang out in the distance, catching Àskériàn with its melancholy chime. He followed the sweet sound to a magnificent church. A large bell sat high in a white tower that overlooked russet steeples, its golden color gleamed off the sunlight. The building itself was made of brick and sat with an a-frame.

A gathering of people stood outside the church’s entrance. In the open doors stood a human version of Lady Ardent, dressed in a white gown and veil. A bouquet of white roses and pink cherry blossoms, tucked in one hand. In the other hand was the hand of another, King Alexander. He recognized him from the picture he saw before. It was pretty obvious what this was; her wedding day.

Suddenly time froze. He watched the sun and moon dance in the sky as one replaced the other. Stars flared and faded. Crops grew, children grew before his very eyes. Seasons changed and then time began to flow once more.

Then, he heard it, the thunder of a dragon's roar as it shook the village. A roar that he was all too familiar with. People began running from the buildings, screaming frantically. Mothers clutched their children, men reached out to help those that had fallen. The human version of Ardent called out to them, giving orders of evacuation.

She spun around to face the dragon as it landed on the russet church steeple, the tower bell clanged with the impact. The dragon’s dark green scales gleamed in the sunlight while large black eyes with red serpentine slits in the center peered down at Ardent. Massive green talons scraped against the red shingles, sending a few crumbling to the ground below.

She drew her sword; it was the same one she had always had. The metalic slice cut through the air. King Alexander came to her side, his sword drawn as well.

"Don't do this, you can't fight that thing!" He pleaded with his ice blue eyes.

"No, but we can." She replied with determination. "I have to protect this village. It's my duty! You are the King and I your wife."

The sound of footsteps grabbed Àskériàn's attention. A woman dressed in white fight ware with brown leather pauldrons and a brown leather sash joined them. Her skin was a soft tawny color, her hair black and her eyes were a mixture of the two colors.

"Ellie, The people?" Ardent asked.

"The others are taking them to the hall." The woman, Ellie, replied.

"Let us help you!" A man with tanned skin demanded as he too came to their aide. He was bare chested. A gray cape clamped at his left shoulder by a red emblem with a bear on it, the emblem of Alexhand. Red pants covered his lower half, a golden rope tied around his waist, bringing out the golden color of his boots. His hair was black and so were his eyes. A long sword drawn for battle.

"You're supposed to be helping the people to safety Jae." Ardent commanded.

Jae snorted, "And miss out on the fun?"

A boy clad in a midnight blue robe with golden linings flanked to the right. "Sark!" Ardent hissed. He smiled; determination set in his obsidian eyes. His onyx hair gleamed in the light.

"Get back!" She yelled, not wanting her friends to get hurt.

"You shouldn't fight it. You're best skilled in medicine, let us carry this battle." Another man stepped forward. His body covered in layers of brown leather entwined in gold.

"Mikra... you all need to go with the others, let me handle this." The panic rising in her voice.

Instead of obeying, they formed a protective formation around her.

A boy stumbled from out of the church and fell to the ground. "NEVIX!" Jae yelled. "Get away from there!"

Nevix gave Jae a hazel glare. More tiles fell from the rooftop and plummeted down, hitting Nevix on the head, coating his dark hair with dust. He froze as the dragon puffed out a gust of smoke and ash. It drifted around Nevix's assassin outfit, causing him to almost disappear as it blended with the gray material. Red and gold glinted off the sunlight that battered its way through the haze. His pale skin casting glimpses of itself.

Ellie lifted her broadsword; it glowed a violent green. With a loud battle cry, she sent an emerald gust of magic towards Nevix, taking the dragon's foul-smelling fog with it.

"Nev, go keep the people safe." Ellie ordered.

"Guard them and don't let anyone out of the keep till the dragon is gone." Jae added.

The boy nodded, getting to his feet, his golden boots clicking off the ground. Then he made a mad dash for the hall, which sat behind them in the distance.

The golden roof was a stark contrast to the brick building, but the hall was the largest building in the village. It looked like a Victorian manor which resembled a small castle. The people would be hidden away in the bunker underneath.

Nevix disappeared inside the mahogany doors. It was easy to understand where Ardent's love of the wood came from. No doubt Nevix was probably barricading the entrance.

The dragon gave another loud roar. Àskériàn snapped his attention from the hall to the beast clinging to the steeple. Anger surged through him. He recognized the dragon. Etah. The same beast that had cursed him. The source of the angel's pain was the same source of his. The same regret as his, if only his people had caught the shift in time.

He watched as the battle unfolded between them. Taking Moria from its pummel he readied himself as Etah lunged at them. The dragon breathed a breath of fire, separating Ardent from the group as it walled her off, encompassing her in violent heat.

It flew in the bright sky, sending a gust of wind that knocked the others down.

"Noooooo!" Ardent screamed from behind the wall of flame.

The warriors struggled to their feet. Àskériàn waited, recognizing Etah's movements. The dragon turned around and charged in once more, diving toward the group.

He used his sword, but it went through. Confusion set in. He hadn't made contact, but rather the dragon passed through him. He stumbled backwards in shock.

Etah swooped in with another fiery breath. "Effgium!" Ardent's voice rang out. Her body glowed with a bright light. A flash and Àskériàn found himself in the void of the Celestial Realm. He turned to see the bright golden light of the portal behind them. Ardent's voice commanded again "Domum!"

Another flash of light and the group was over the courtyard to the castle. Ardent hovered, her true form took over as white wings sprouted from her back and appeared at her ankles and flat against her head. White feline ears popped out. She struggled and lowered her friends to the stone bed of the courtyard below them. And then losing consciousness, she fell, landing with a thud. Standing around her, were her confused friends.