Return of the Legion

Ava's POV
The Destroyer, Prophet, Mystic, Ari, Juliet and myself convene on the top level of the cavern, after placing everyone in their rooms. The Prophet decided to place them all as far away from The Deviant and my sister as humanly possible. He said it was for everyone's benefit, which confused me.

"Mystic, set up a barrier at every entrance. We can't risk anyone or anything slipping through," The Prophet orders, "Juliet, I'm leaving you in charge of the main entrance. Scream if you see something. Mystic, you'll take the rear. Ari, Destroyer and Ava, you're with me. If any of you hear Ivy screaming, don't be alarmed. She'll be getting her wings fairly soon and as we all know, that hurts like hell."

They all solemnly nod, with the exception of Juliet and myself. Juliet seems to understand better than I do, but she clearly has never been through it.

We split up and I follow The Prophet up a long hallway. At the end, I can see a large opening on one side and the cavern on the other. He leans against the opening, looking down at the desert below, silently motioning me to start with my questions.

"What happened that put my sister in that state tonight?" I softly demand, sitting next to him, looking at the white, sandy desert.

His brow furrows slightly as he whispers, "Honestly, I don't know. It seemed to be everything coming together in a perfect storm of sorts."

"What do you mean?" I press, looking up at him with curiosity.

"Meaning the fight you two had, the diversion techniques we had to use, watching our home burn, learning she's, likely, the reason William's returned and her powers finally revealing themselves, during the mission," he lists off, "Not to mention, the death she saw today. You...You allowed F.E.A.R. to condition and desensitize you, but she couldn't. That's why she was so accepting of what The Destroyer told her when we were locked up. Why she was willing to risk everything to save us. Why she was so open minded about the stories your father told you guys when you were kids, and when she got to see it for herself...well, there's no going back from there."

He pauses, before he reaches into his vest pocket and pulls out a silver chain. He looks at it, before he says, "She loves you, more than you'll ever know. When we found her crying on the steps of the Church...She tried to hide it at first, but it's hard to hide your thoughts from someone who can read them, even when they don't necessarily mean to...She made this for you and told me to tell you that she'll always be your sister and would always protect you, care about you and be there for you, even if you hated her. Hold out your wrist."

I swallow the lump of emotion that's formed in my throat, before holding out my arm to him. He gently wraps the silver bracelet around my wrist and clasps it. When I examine it closer, I see a bow and arrow, our initials and a beautiful cross with a heart cut into the center and gorgeous wings surrounding it.

Fighting back my tears, I slowly realize what Ivy was trying to tell me. She wasn't leaving me to become like them. She was trying to become like them to be able to better protect me. So long as I'm her bow, she will always be my arrow, my protector. She's my sister, my twin, my better half. The one person in this world who will always understand me, even when I struggle to understand her or myself.

"I can't..." I whisper to myself, my eyes closing tightly, "But why can't I?"

"Why can't you what?" The Destroyer asks from beside me.

"You say you can't, but you can, you do. You've known for a long time that she was what you fondly refer to as your protector," The Prophet softly says, "What you fail to understand is she's more than that. She's the protector of all of us. That's the job of The Priestess, just like the job of The Rebel is to become a martyr, when she sacrifices herself for the sake of The Priestess in the final battle. That's the part I'm trying to stop, though. I don't see a need for you to die in the same senseless way Eve did."

"It wasn't senseless. Eve died fighting for what she believed in and protecting the ones she loved," I argue, anger flaring inside my chest at his cold words.

His icey, dead eyes snap to meet mine as he demands, "You think I don't know that?"

"Andy, that's not what she's saying," The Destroyer gently chides, wrapping a precautionary arm around my shoulders.

"Prophet, I'm just...I'm sorry. I know that sounded harsh, but if that's how I'm meant to die, then I would be honored," I explain, my gaze falling, in a show of submission and respect, "For years I've hidden behind my sister's strength and courage, because I was always so afraid of everything. I would honored to die protecting her, the way she's protected me for so long."

When I look up at him again, The Prophet's icey gaze softens at my words, his jaw falling slack in shock. His jaw then clenches shut again as he shakes his head, to clear it, as an array of reactions cross his mature features. When his eyes finally meet mine again and he speaks, his voice is raw with emotion.

"I won't let that happen. You're just as much my granddaughter as Ivy is. You're just as much as part of me...a part of Eve...I won't fail again," he chokes out, desperation and worry apparent in his vow.

"Prophet," Ari whispers, resting a comforting hand on his shoulder, "You and I both know Eve wouldn't want you to do this to yourself. You know she is probably watching you right now and is screaming at me to knock some sense into that thick skull of yours."

He chuckles lightly, patting her hand and replies, "That I wouldn't doubt."

"Umm...not to pry, but...why?" I slowly inquire, confused as to why grandma would want aunt Ari to 'knock some sense' into The Prophet.

"You're grandmother was a rare find. A lover and a fighter, all in one, with a pretty, black bow on top," The Prophet softly explains, gazing into the distance, a fondness in his eyes unlike anything I've ever seen before, "She knew exactly what to do - what to say - to get my ass in gear."

"She was definitely one of a kind, though I see a lot of her in you and your sister," Ari adds, with a soft smile, "Hell, if I'm being honest, I thought I'd seen a ghost when your sister walked into the war room tonight."

"Jinxx tried to tell you," The Prophet murmurs, "We all thought the same thing when we saw her in that fucking prison."

Suddenly my attention shifts to the sound of distant, agonized screaming, that makes me jump. I look back towards the source and wonder what's going on. Is that Ivy?

"Funny, I didn't hear any bells," Ari comments, smirking at the void behind us.

"Bells?" I ask, looking towards The Destroyer for clarification.

He passes me an adorable smile as he explains, "An old human saying, from a movie. 'Everytime a bell rings and angel gets it's wings'."

The Prophet chuckles, shaking his head, before removing his vest and taking off in the direction of my sister's screams. A little warning would have been nice. Maybe I wanted to check on her too.

"No, you wouldn't," The Destroyer replies to my unspoken quip, patting my back gently, "Besides, if all goes well, you'll know exactly what she's dealing with right now."

"Thank God it only last so long," Ari adds, "And thank God fallen angels have the ability to heal pretty much instantly, otherwise the aftermath of the change would be excruciating."

"Ari," The Destroyer says, a warning in his voice and eyes.

"What? The kid deserves to know what she's getting herself into," Ari playfully argues, with a nonchalant shrug, "Unless you'd rather she think the worst and be too afraid to go through with it."

She and The Destroyer continue their argument through eye contact and facial expressions. Ari seems to be challenging him, while he's giving her a clear warning to keep her mouth shut as he pulls me closer to him.

I jump as a piercing scream can be heard and a few moments pass before The Prophet returns. He lands with the utmost ease and grace before returning to his spot and says in a reassuring manner, "She'll be fine. Maybe a little sore, but back to her old self in no time."

"You mean her new self," Ari counters, playfully smirking at him and lightly nudging him with her elbow.

"Yeah," he replies, with a deep eye roll, "Ash is going to take her to the hot springs to wash up. Ari, do you mind changing out their sheets for me? I wouldn't be surprised if there's blood all over them."

"As long as it's not from him popping her cherry," She retorts, before removing her long, sleeveless trench coat and revealing her gorgeous aqua-tipped, black wings and flying off.

"Whoa..." I murmur, staring after her in awe, then asking, "Why are her wings different?"

"Because she's different," The Destroyer remarks with a small snort.

"Because she was only half, until her binding. Ivy's wings will be similar to hers, and yours will be too, when you're ready," The Prophet explains, "The colors refer to her now-dormant human side. It's one of the tricks in determining a full-blood fallen angel, from those who are half and bound to another fallen angel."

"Does everyone know what you guys are?" I inquire, looking up at them.

"Most do. The new ones will learn in time," The Prophet replies, turning his attention back to the desert below, "It's late and you're still human. I suggest you get some rest."

"Alright, but one more question," I whisper, looking down to the desert, "What does being human have to do with resting?"

The Destroyer and Prophet laugh at my question, before The Destroyer says, "Fallen angels can go a lot longer without sleep than humans. Now say your goodnight's and let's get you in bed."

I nod, before standing up and saying goodnight and thanking The Prophet. He smiles down at me, opening his arms to me, and so I hug him. He wraps his arms around me and whispers, "Goodnight, Ava. Tomorrow will be better. I promise."

I nod again, allowing myself to enjoy the comfort his hug brings me, before pulling away and letting The Destroyer lead me to his room.

Once inside, he lights a candle, then closes the doorway, using a thin sheet of stone. He takes my hand, leading me to the bed, then covers us up and blows out the candle once we're situated.

Wrapping his arms around me, I ease into him and gently fall asleep.

Notes