My Fallen Angel

I was in the back of the crowd, silent as I watched him perform. He had always had a beautiful voice, and in his human life it was extraordinary. It was also why he had been chosen.
To my ears, I could still hear the angelic ring to it, and others of our kind could as well. It was why so many were drawn here tonight, pretending to be human and enjoying themselves.
They knew the lead singer was angel, and some may even recognize him; the others might think he was a child of an angel and mortal tryst.
It didn't help that Ashlandil was one of the musical instrument players.
He had fallen so long ago for the mortal pleasures it was hard for me to even remember him an angel, but even from here I could sense his presence.
He was old, fallen, and powerful.
I watched as they finished their show, and sighed. I had been in this world two days and everything hurt. The lights and the colors burned, and everything was so warm and so cold, and the smells.
Ugh, the smells.
Why would anyone want to stay in this world?
I cast my eyes forward, watching as the band traveled off stage, and slowly the crowd started to disperse.
I glanced over, spying different angels as they left, all of them looking at me. They knew me, just as I knew them, and I could tell they were shocked at seeing me.
This was awful.
I looked forward, seeing the large curtain move as the humans shuffled behind it. I had to go now, while I had a chance.
Or All of this would be for nothing.
I strode forward, skirting around the last stragglers and around to the backstage where the band members were greeting their fans. The security men were no issue to me, and I stepped around them easily.
Look at him.
I froze, still hovering in the shadows, watching as he interacted with his fans. They were drawn to him and his charm and his laughter, his beauty.
Just like I was.
I tore my eyes from him, and swallowed. I needed to do this now before it was too late.
I stepped forward, and felt a harsh pain clamp around my arm. I looked up in surprise, and then frowned.
"Why are you here?" Ashlandil hissed at me.
"Get your disgusting hand off of me," I hissed back at him, pulling out of his grip. "I'm not here for you."
He scowled, and stepped in front of me, blocking my sight of Andiel. "He's not going back yet, Kenali."
I cut my eyes up at him. "He has too."
"No, he doesn't. Get out of here! His bidding means nothing in this world and you know it!"
I glared at him. "I am not here under His bidding. If Andiel doesn't leave his mortal self, he'll be stuck here as one of you!"
"Don't you mean us?" Ashlandil snapped at me, and I winced. "It does not matter so long as he is not corrupted. His mission here is almost finished, he doesn't have to be here anymore. He can be saved."
"There's nothing wrong with him here." he rolled his red eyes at me. "Andys a good mortal."
"He fraternizes before marriage, he claims there is no God, he lies ---." I started listing them off. "Sins! He must be helped." "And you can't help in your ethereal form? Why come here and bother the rest of us with your snootiness, Kenali? Did He not put you here in your mortal form for something?"
I looked away. "I told you, this has nothing to do with Him." Ashlandil narrowed his eyes, but they widened as realization swept through him. "You Fell for him, didn't you?"
"Don't say it in that tone," I muttered. "He is in danger, the demon after him is dragging his soul down and ---."
"Ashley, dude, c'mon!" one of his band mates called, and he glanced back, his face sweeping back into mortal form as he looked at them.
"In a minute!" he called. His red eyes appeared the instant he looked at me again. "What is going on, Kenali? What had frightened you so much that you decided coming here would be a good idea? Without His permission?"
I brought my eyes up to his worriedly. "Seraphine. She has taken a special interest in him due to his mission to save so many lives with his music. She wants to drive him down into unhappiness. I've been watching for months now and --- and I had to do something, Ashlandil. I couldn't sit by anymore and do nothing!"
Wetness welled in my eyes, and I dabbed at them hastily. He looked like he wanted to glare at me, but his eyes held more worry and sympathy then anything.
"Ashley? What the fuck? Come on!"
Ashlandil glanced behind him in consternation. "Kenali, if he sees you ---."
"He won't know me. His memory of before is completely wiped." I shook my head. "He won't recognize me at all, you know that."
"Then how do you expect to help him?"
I looked at him uncertainly. "I don't know."
"Ash, man, who are you talking too?" We both looked as the one we spoke of strode over to us, and Ashlandil gave me a nervous glance as he took a step back, letting me step forward from the shadows.
Andiels steps faltered as he looked at me, his painted eyes widening in surprise as he recognized me, just unsure where from. He finally came to a stop in front of me, unable to take his eyes off me.
"Do I... Know you from somewhere?" he asked finally, his hand rising like he was going to touch me. I took a step back, and shook my head.
"No," I said after a moment, "we've never met." Ashlandil sent me a pointed look, and I ignored him.
"Are you sure?" Andiel tilted his head, trying to place me.
Up close it was almost painful to look at him and not blurt out everything. I wanted him to remember me and remember everything and become himself, not this twisted mortal version. I wanted him to be the angel I knew.
"Andy, we should get going," Ashlandil suddenly spoke. "We gotta get back to the bus."
"Yeah, okay," he still couldn't look away from me, but I wasn't sure if it was because I was new and my angelic glow still clung to me, or if he knew me, and didn't want to leave me.
I'd like to think the latter.
"What's your name?" he suddenly asked, ignoring Ashlandil as he started to pull on his arm.
I hesitated.
"Kenna," Ashlandil answered for me. "She's an old friend of mine, and she has other places she needs to be. So let's go." "Do you wanna come with us?" Andiel suddenly blurted out. "I mean, to the bus? You could tour with us."
"What?" Ashlandil squawked in horror. "Man, no, wait ---." "Sure," my eyes hadn't left... Andys. "Sounds like fun."
Andiel, no, Andy, grinned at me.
If I was to reside in this human world for any length of time I had left here, I needed to st least blend in. Which meant calling everyone by their human names.
Even, I glanced at Ashlandils annoyed face, him.

Notes