My ears heard the sound of whispers and giggling from a very close distance. Sitting up in bed, I registered the voices as Link and Justin, and their laughter was coming from below my bed.

  I let out a sigh and got up and knelt so my head was facing under my bed, my long hair dropping to the floor to reveal my covered eyes.

  Eton: What are you two doing?

  Justin: We wanted to scare you when you woke up.

  Eton: Well, next time try to be a little quieter. Now why don’t you two come out, and I can work on cooking you breakfast?

  I then heard the two crawl from under my bed, and I walked over to my wardrobe and put on my clothes. I put on some jeans, and I put on a thobe, and I tied a band around the waist. I would then brush my silver and green hair a bit before walking out with Justin and Link to the kitchen.

  Link: Eton How can you walk around so well if you can’t see?

  I would let out a sigh; this was their 66th time asking that question this month, and every time I answered with:

  Eton: Because I have good ears.

  Upon arriving in the kitchen, the two walked to the table, and I let out a sigh and said

  Eton: So what are you naughty children hungry for?

  Justin: pancakes!!!

  Link: an Egg Sandwich

  Eton: Ok, that’s manageable, I believe.

  Walking over to the fridge, I grab the eggs and mayo, and I reach up and grab the pancake mix and begin to cook. As I’m cooking, I hear Justin say, “Drat".

  Under his breath, that tells me Justin must have tried moving the pancake mix to trip me up.

  Either way, I began cooking; meanwhile, Celestine was just waking up. I listened as he got dressed, did a stretch, and then made his way out to us.

  Celestine: Oh, the kids are up.

  Eton: Yes, they are, and ever so mischievous.

  Celestine: Oh, what did they try this time?

  Eton: Care to share, boys?

  Justin & Link: nothing!!

  I assume a red blush filled their cheeks as they said that either way I had prepared their food and came over to them with two trays and handed their food to them.

  Link: Wow, this is amazing.

  Justin: Yeah, and it smells so good.

  Celestine: Then you both should hurry and eat before it gets cold.

  Eton: Right!

  Celestine then made his way to the door; he opened it but didn’t go through; instead, he said

  Celestine: By the way, boys, Amoi will be taking you both to school; he should be preparing your clothes soon.

  Eton: He’s getting up right now.

  Justin: Ok, we’re going to be playing kickball today.

  Link: And I have a test today too.

  Celestine then made his way out the door. I assume he was smiling with pride as he normally does. I chose to take a seat at the table with the kids. We talked for a bit, but then I heard something strange.

  It was a melody and not the normal melody I would hear on Earth. This was an angelic symphony, and judging by its high tones, this was a very high-ranking angel. I stood up and made my way outside to get a better ear for the symphony, and it was coming from the east. For the first time in a long time, I spread my four wings and flew to the east.

  The closer I got, the more familiar I became with the symphony, and then it hit me: this symphony belonged to the one and only observer of the Earth Realm, and soon I was in his presence. Sraosha, the Observer of Humanity

  Even with my eyes covered, I could still see him.

  He had long green hair with neon yellow highlights. He had two sets of ears, both of them like mine but more elf-like. His skin was the color of turquoise, and he was dressed in a simple white buttoned-up shirt with dark red pants. His wings were majestic, similar to a butterfly mixed with a bird. He turned to me and waved, saying

  Sraosha: Hey there, little runaway, it’s been a while.

  Eton: What are you doing here?

  Sraosha: I’m on holiday.

  Eton: Excuse me?

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  Sraosha: Ah, you wouldn’t know, would you? Well, since you and your friends freed yourselves. From heaven’s grasp, some big changes have been happening up there.

  Eton: such as?

  Sraosha: Well, for one, I’m on holiday for the first time since my creation, so what does that tell you?

  Eton: Point taken, but I feel you have a deeper motive for being here.

  Sraosha: Ever so clever, I see. Typical of a Whisperer now, then, I guess you could say the Maestro isn’t quite over Celestine. Leaving heaven to spend the rest of his days with a bunch of nobodies

  Eton: So you knew.

  Sraosha: I am one of the oldest angels in Heaven. I’m not unaware of the hypocrisy the Maestro indulges in, as I’m sure the entire Whisper Division is also keen on.

  Eton: So why are you here, Sraosha?

  Sraosha: Why spy on you and your little family? Of course, I normally would observe you all from on high, but I’m curious about this life you all lead; hence, I came down, and frankly, I see the appeal. I have acquired a taste for pasta, mainly Alfredo.

  I would chuckle hearing that and then say

  Eton: Well, if you’d like, you could come back with me to our farm and get the full experience.

  Sraosha: Hmm, I might take you up on that.

  Sraosha and I soon flew back to the farm, and Celestine and Amoi were worried, but I was able to tell them that Sraosha is not an enemy. Celestine was cautious, and Amoi was the same, but I managed to convince them to show Sraosha around.

  Sraosha was impressed by our work on the farm and our produce. We then made him our special treat, pancakes with our signature honey, and let’s just say he was hooked.

  Celestine: So if I’ve got this right, the Maestro is a hypocrite who frequents the earthly plane often to fulfill his carnal and trivial desires.

  Sraosha: That’s the gist of it. He even procreated with a few humans down here, creating generations of Nephilim.

  Amoi: Nephilim, you mean there are actual demi-beings running around on the earthly plane?

  Sraosha: Yes, Nephilim, the children of humans and angels, the very creatures the first great flood was used to cleanse the world of, are still here.

  Eton: Then why haven’t I heard them? Nephilim are demi-beings, right? I should be able to hear their symphony from miles away due to how discordant and chaotic it would be booming.

  Sraosha: That is partly due to a recently new division that was created about 600 years ago. They are the Suppression Sect; their sole priority is suppressing the power and memories of the Children of the Maestro.

  Celestine: Why the memories?

  Amoi: When Nephilim are born, they have a great understanding of all four worlds, and they can comprehend everything around them. They are dangerous, which is what led to the first Great Flood.

  Eton: With this in mind, the Maestro’s cleansing might have been an elaborate cover-up to hide his hypocrisy. Nephilim can’t swim after all; in fact, water wounds them.

  Celestine: I see.

  Sraosha: Well then, now you all know, but honestly, I think I’ll extend my vacation for a bit longer.

  Amoi: What do you mean?

  Sraosha: It means I prefer it better down here than in that toxic sunshine-bathed nut house, but sadly, due to the chains, I don’t have that luxury, so can you three help me out?

  I smiled and grabbed the Tome of Light, and I used the spell that had freed us on Sraosha, and like before, his chains were dissolved, and he smiled as he began to stretch.

  Sraosha: I thank you all for this. I’m sure that word of my unbinding will quickly reach the Maestro’s ears, and he will be furious. My one warning to all of you is to be careful. The Maestro has taken all this incredibly poorly, and even his officials are starting to fear him.

  Sraosha would then take his leave.

  I could hear it from Celestine and Amoi’s symphony; they were worried, as was I.

  The next few days went by smoothly. Link and Justin were doing well in school. Link’s grades were soaring while Justin was doing well in sporting events, and the two brothers helped each other with fields they were struggling in.

  We would receive letters from Sraosha, who was working to become a philanthropist and a popular one at that.

  But one morning I shot straight up out of bed and called out to Celestine and Amoi and told them something was coming. We went outside and saw four automatons. These were standard issue. Soldiers of Heaven, they resembled faceless mannequins. They were garbed in white and golden robes, their wings made from radiant light.

  Eton: Amoi, get in the house and protect the kids. Celestine and I can handle this.

  Upon hearing my statement, I assume both Celestine and Amoi looked to me confused. They were several individuals who believed that Whisperer Angels can’t fight, but we can; we just don’t need to. Amoi still did as I said.

  I then summoned my Ventus Bible; I then sensed Celestine. Create constructs made from light, and soon the fight began.

  The automatons soon got into formation and were preparing to use their Seraphim Drives.

  I heard everything, and I took a breath and cast the spell Stagnant Twister.

  Soon all four automatons were hit by a large twister of dark green air; the four soon fell to the ground on their knees as they attempted to purge themselves of my corruption.

  Stagnant Twister inflicts plague status on enemies; it can devastate humans, but on higher beings, it more so acts like a stunning poison.

  Celestine: Wow, Eton. I didn’t think you could do something like that.

  Eton: less gloating, more smashing, dingus.

  I then took a breath and heard Celestine send his Light Disks constructs flying towards the automatons. The disks slashed and gashed at them, leaving huge marks, and then boomeranged back over for a second round.

  The automatons quickly purified themselves, and soon their joints began to click and grind. Raising their arms, they activated the spell Holy Arrow, and four of them came at us. It’s a weak attack, nothing we can’t handle.

  I went first again and opened my Ventus Bible and flipped through the pages and ran my finger across a certain spell, reciting it.

  The spell I was casting is called Myriad of Emerald Lances.

  In seconds, fifteen green lances made from wind formed above my head, and they soon flew towards the automatons. Some of my lances were destroyed, but the surviving eleven arrows hit the automatons, piercing them and destroying two of them.

  Eton: There we go.

  Upon being destroyed, the two automatons soon faded into golden light.

  Celestine chuckled and soon began to charge up power, and this time he created a javelin light construct and sent it flying towards one of the automatons, and it instantly faded into golden light.

  The Final Automaton simply retreated back to Heaven, warping away in a pillar of light.

  Celestine: That was close. Were those Alpha Automatons?

  Eton: To be more specific, they are Alpha version one automatons. Judging by their holy arrow attack, they were the lowest-ranking automatons.

  Celestine: The Maestro must really be going insane if he’s willing to dispatch Angelic weaponry like that.

  Eton: It also shows that he still doesn’t want to hurt you; if you think about it, he could have simply dispatched five Omega version 6 automatons on us, so he still might be holding onto hope that you will come back to him.

  Celestine: Exactly, but what about you? I had no idea you could fight.

  Eton: A lot of Angels make that assumption about Whisperers, but we are very experienced with Aeromancy.

  Celestine: Interesting, and here I thought I would be the sole protector of our family.

  Eton: Well, you thought wrong. I know for a fact that Amoi has some combat experience.

  Celestine: Really? Amoi can fight.

  Eton: Not much, but he has his uses.

  We both made our way back inside the moment we closed the door; Justin and Link soon came up to us excited.

  Justin: Wow, you guys were so cool.

  Link: Yeah, we didn’t know you both had superpowers!!!

  Both Celestine and I were shocked they actually saw all that.

  Celestine: Wait a minute, you both saw us back there?

  Justin and Link both nodded; they even stated that they had never stopped seeing our true form for a long time now. Amoi came out and stated that he tried keeping them away from the window but failed a bit. The three of us then decided that it might be best to tell them the truth about ourselves.

  The three of us then led Justin and Link to the living room, and we sat them down and explained the truth that we were angels, why we left heaven, and we skimmed the details about our fight with the automatons.

  Link and Justin were actually pretty accepting of everything; that’s one thing we can thank modern fiction for. The two then asked if we could teach them how to fight.

  The three of us then looked to each other confused, but we told them that we would need to think about it.

  We then proceeded with our day as usual; we made sure to tell the boys to keep the events of today a secret when the boys went off to school. The three of us had a long discussion. Now that the boys know about angels and automatons, they could be in danger. The Maestro could indeed target them as a way to get at Celestine and us.

  We ended up talking for a long time, but we ultimately decided that teaching them how to fight would be best. We consulted the Tome of Light, and there was a chapter dedicated to bestowing humans with angelic power. The chapter even describes a group of priests who were given angelic power and acted as the Maestro’s enforcers on earth. They were known as the Excalibur Order.

  They used special weapons known as slim swords, and they were like rapiers, but the hilt resembled that of a cross.

  We each took a breath and decided that we would prepare Justin and Link for what was to come; it would be better than losing them after all.