“That was way too close guys,” Phoebe indignantly stated the obvious as she made her way home with a very subdued Demetrius and Ella. There had been very little conversation between the three friends since they had reached Arles village and stopped running. It had taken them a while to get their breath back, but even when they had recovered no-one seemed to have anything to say.
“You do realise that there could be three dead bodies – us, in case you’re in any doubt! – lying up in that abbey right now! I told you – I told you – that we shouldn’t go in, that we ought to wait to hear from Cosain, but oh no, Demetrius and Ella know best!”
“Okay Phoebe,” said Demetrius quietly. “We get the picture. Yes, going in alone was dumb. Yes, we probably should have waited. But we’re sorry, okay? Besides…” Demetrius considered trying to justify his actions by pointing out that now they knew exactly where Schnither and his cronies were hiding out, but the stern expression on Phoebe’s face made him reconsider, and instead he left his sentence hanging unfinished in mid air.
Phoebe bit her bottom lip painfully hard, partly because she was annoyed with her friends and partly because she was annoyed with herself for getting so angry with them. She felt herself relax a little, and at once felt somewhat foolish for scolding her best friends, but when she recalled how close they had come to disaster she could feel her indignation rising again within her, and worked hard to contain it – this was definitely a time for solidarity, not childish arguments!
“Okay,” she muttered. “I’m sorry too. But one thing is very obvious – Darken Abbey is not just an old abandoned building. It clearly has great significance in this… uh, adventure that we’re caught up in. If Schnither has stationed his demon army there, then we can assume that it must be vital to their dirty deeds.”
“You are correct in your assertions, Phoebe.”
The disembodied voice startled the three teenagers who spun round in unison to find Cosain and Ernan following along just a few paces behind them. The mighty warriors had appeared from out of nowhere, and other than their imposing size, were once again more ‘ordinary’ looking than Phoebe had become accustomed to. Their powerful wings were not visible, and even in the midst of all that had just happened, Phoebe was curious about why the mighty winds were sometimes evident, and sometimes not. Given the situation, she decided that asking about that now would not be prudent.
“Cosain! Ernan!” gasped Phoebe. “I didn’t hear you! How long have you been behind us? I… uh, that is, we… uh…”
She was entirely stuck for words now in the presence of these formidable warriors, and felt like a naughty child about to be chastised for her bold behaviour. Demetrius stood next to Phoebe with his head dropped forward – apparently, he too expected a telling off from his Heavenly wards. Phoebe glanced at Ella, wondering whether or not she could see the angels – she had just assumed that Ella would be able to since Cosain had said she would be integral to what would follow, but realised that she had no firm basis for this assumption. Ella was standing with her jaw slack and her eyes stretched wide open, although she was apparently oblivious to the blank expression etched across her face. Apparently, she could see Cosain and Ernan very clearly, thank you very much. Had the situation not been so grave, Phoebe would have laughed out loud at her friend’s stupefied expression, but as it was she deemed it best to contain her amusement. Phoebe realised that while Ella had heard numerous stories of Cosain and the Heavenly Host, she had never actually met them in the flesh, and she pounced on this topic of conversation to break the awkward silence that had descended on the eclectic little group.
“Uh, Ella,” Phoebe was awkward, unsure, but desperate to steer the conversation away from what had just happened in Darken Abbey. “This is Cosain, the Captain of the Host of Heaven, and this is Ernan.” She gestured towards the tall, distinctive looking warriors, who smiled their greeting at Ella. Phoebe stuck her elbow in her friend’s ribs in an effort to bring her round, and the jolt did the trick as Ella blinked and snapped her mouth shut, suddenly aware that she had been gawping.
“Hello,” Ella said, her voice hushed and unsure. “It’s… uh, nice to finally meet you… both.” It sounded infinitely more like a question that a greeting.
“And you, Ella,” said Cosain. “I am sure that Phoebe has filled you in on recent events, although no doubt you still have many questions.”
“You could say that, yes,” admitted Ella, who was wondering whether she might in fact be dreaming. “Although – and I’m sorry if I’m being bold – but, well, don’t you guys have wings?”
Phoebe looked at her friend in astonishment. Did Ella really just ask that question? Phoebe was caught up somewhere between amusement and amazement that Ella would be so forthright, but was also secretly glad that she had asked the question which Phoebe herself had not wanted to broach.
For a moment, the gravity of the situation seemed to be forgotten, as Cosain’s face crumpled into laughter at Ella’s temerity. Never before had he encountered a human audacious enough to ask an angel about his wings, let alone on their first meeting.
“Well,” said Cosain, still bemused by Ella’s forthrightness. “Since you ask… Yes, all we angels have wings. But they’re not always visible. They are not in perpetual use, therefore we stow them until the need for them arises.”
“Oh, I see,” said Ella, nodding her head as if the answer she had just received from this towering ethereal being was the most straightforward thing she had ever heard.
“You see,” Cosain continued with his explanation. “Often times, we walk among your race. But we need to go unnoticed. It wouldn’t be the simplest of tasks to go unnoticed if these were on display for all of humanity to see…”
Cosain’s extensive wings suddenly materialised, and the Heavenly Captain unfurled them to their impressive full span.
“Whoa,” murmured Ella. This was obviously more like what she had been expecting.
“It is entirely possible that you have met some of us before,” said Cosain, now addressing all three of the teenagers. “That little old lady you helped across the busy road when nobody else seemed to notice her? An angel in disguise. The homeless guy you bought a coffee for? One of us. You see, there are no insignificant acts. Even the things you think menial, if done with a kind heart and pure intentions, are noted in the Celestial City – they are noted by the Atoner Himself.”
Phoebe, Demetrius and Ella had fallen silent, each mulling over what they had just heard, and wondering whether the little private encounters they had each had on so many occasions in the past might just have been interactions with the Heavenly host.
Momentarily, it occurred to Phoebe that while all this discussion about angels and wings was well and good, there were pressing matters to be discussed, and she brought the current musings to an abrupt end with a simple question.
“Where are the others, Cosain?” asked Phoebe, keen to get down to the matter at hand. The diverse group of angels and mortals had started to move forward again, and Cosain responded to Phoebe’s question as they walked.
“They are making plans in the Celestial City. Neam and Cahir are nearby, they have been keeping an eye on you three the last few days – and I imagine that today you are especially glad that they were?” Cosain raised a knowing eyebrow as he looked from Phoebe to Demetrius to Ella and back again. Phoebe was feeling like a scolded child again, but she knew that they deserved to be chastised; their actions could have had serious and irrevocable consequences, not only for them but for whatever task they were involved with.
“Yes, we are. Very glad,” Phoebe admitted. “We only intended to have a look around the abbey, really. We never meant to go inside. But – oh my – what we found there! Cosain, what’s going on? Why is Darken Abbey so very important to the evil army?”
Cosain and Ernan stopped walking again, and looked at each other as if deciding exactly what Phoebe and her friends needed to know.
“Stop a while,” Cosain’s words sounded more like a command than a suggestion, and Phoebe, Demetrius and Ella did not dare question his instruction as the group came to an abrupt halt. The teenagers descended a gentle grassy incline and hopped up on to a stone wall next to the stream where the angels had previously gathered with Phoebe and Demetrius just a few days ago.
“It is time.” Cosain considered his words before continuing. “It is time that you knew exactly what it is you have been chosen to do. You have proved yourselves trustworthy and brave, and I know that your hearts are inclined towards the Atoner and His plans. Your lives thus far have lead to this moment – there have been no coincidences, no chance meetings, everything has happened for a reason. We – you – are on the cusp of the greatest mission you could imagine. Phoebe, your parents have been planning and dreaming about establishing an organisation that will bring justice and hope where there has been despair and unfairness. But any plans for unity and peace are contrary to the Enemy’s plans for destruction and division, and he will do all in his power to thwart the Atoner’s arrangements. It is no coincidence that Abaddon has despatched Schnither and his troops to Darken Abbey, for it is here that your parents will establish CJM.”
“CJM?” Ella’s head was so full of facts and happenings and information that she could not recall what the letters stood for.
“The Celtic Justice Mission,” Ernan answered Ella’s question, and she nodded her understanding, still too bewildered by the fact that she was talking to an angel to think of any response that might make her sound mature and intelligent.
With the teenagers perched expectantly on the stonewall, Phoebe had a feeling that utter concentration would be required for Cosain’s account of Darken Abbey’s history, and she did her best to get comfortable as the Captain of the Host began to relay his incredible tale.