The Azra-El Series Ch. 18.2

Kaya hid in the trees and used alternating runners to send messages, using Aahna's signals to respond in kind. It took her only the first fifteen minutes to decode Aahna's hand gestures.

Even until the last five minutes of the match, both teams seemed to be evenly matched. However, a teammate's misinterpretation of Aahna's message cost her the game. The teammate went right instead of left and left a gap in their team's defensive circle, which allowed Kaya to make a mad rush up the hill. Aahna reacted quickly, but Kaya's team got her flag a few seconds before Afriel managed to grab Kaya's flag.

The teachers were so impressed by their performance that they awarded full scores to both teams.

Aahna ended up having so much fun in the game that she wasn't even mad at losing to Kaya. She congratulated her opponent and then merrily proceeded to tell her that she should not have too many expectations for ranking first in that quarter's finals, because she had been studying the entire quarter like it was the final's week. Kaya simply asked her what the difference was.

Blaze realized on that day that no matter how much of a genius he was, he was never going to out-study those two nerds.

On the same day that they finished their finals, Blaze received some good news. For some strange reason, as soon as the demons saw the angels amassing an army to lay siege on the captured strongholds, they retreated without a fight. The angels had been so baffled that they didn't even bother to give chase.

Blaze could only be glad that Rebecca didn't have to fight.

So, the end of finals was even more jubilant that day. The students met up with all their teachers to say thank you and farewell. Blaze went to meet his combat training instructor, Yulia, after speaking with his first-year teachers. Yulia taught the fourth year, and she had been very insightful and helpful in Blaze's improvement over the year.

When he met her, Yulia placed her hands on his shoulders and told him with conviction that she had full confidence in his abilities. She wanted to see him win the tournament.

In response, Blaze gave her a hug as she awkwardly patted on his head. Yulia had always been a little socially inept with her students. So, Blaze stood tiptoe and planted a peck on her cheek before quickly pulling away and flying off to his dorm, leaving a visibly flustered teacher.

Elyssa spent a little while in his dorm before going back to spend time with her own classmates. Her parting with Blaze was only going to be a short one, as Jie Er and Blaze were going to meet her at Cali before they journeyed together to D'Warka.

In the one year that the students had spent at Tir, they had grown quite fond of their academy, and made bonds that would last a lifetime. Though they were celebrating, the idea of leaving Tir the next day brought a great sense of foreboding, longing, and nostalgia.

The matron and their caretakers joined them in their merrymaking in the dorm, as the sixty angels simply talked to each other while eating delicious snacks.

By midnight they were all in beds, so they could rise early to catch their carriages. Blaze, however, sneaked off to Seshat's cottage to give her a farewell gift

Early the next morning, Seshat walked Blaze out of her home. Her stiff feather had grown a little over the quarter and it was now showing signs of sprouting more.

"Teach," Blaze said as they stood outside facing each other. "Thank you! For everything. You are the best teacher I've ever had. Your lessons gave me much more than a simple reiteration of past events. I actually learnt History, and I loved every minute of it. I want to keep learning from you, so please don't ever leave Tir. At least not until I finish my education."

Seshat's big brown eyes teared at his words. She wiped them before she spoke. "Thank you, Blaze. You've been a wonderful student. Inquisitive and willing to learn. I will be glad to teach you as long as you are willing, and I have something to teach."

Blaze stepped forward and wrapped her in a mighty hug. "Bye teach, visit me if you ever drop by Varan. Everyone there knows where I live."

He felt Seshat's nod over his head. "I will. Now, go. I am sure you have others to say goodbye to," she said, patting his back.

Blaze gave her a warm squeeze, brushed her stiff feather, and took off as she watched from her garden.

He then headed over to the stables.

Claudis was in charge of bringing Sky to D'Warka. Fiora and Alice were also going to be there at the tournament to represent Tir. So, he didn't have to bid farewell to any of them.

However, there was a Pegasus who Blaze was convinced was going to miss him when he was gone.

He let Sky out of his coop before entering the stables, finding Badava dozing in her stall. When he woke her up, the cantankerous Pegasus snorted at him for bothering her so early, and quickly turned away, swatting her tail at him.

However, Blaze wasn't done. He picked up a horse brush and began brushing the Pegasus. Even a cranky Pegasus could never say no to good rub. Badava was soon wide awake and nibbling on Blaze's ponytail.

"You better enjoy this luxury, you dumb horse," he told her affectionately. "It maybe another nine years before you get another."

After brushing her mane and feathers into a pristine condition, he saddled her up and brought her out. Then, along with Sky, the three of them flew around the campus with Blaze on Badava's back.

Starting from the school's entrance, Blaze retraced his steps, remembering the first day he had stepped foot on the campus and walked through its winding paved roads.

The first time he met Fiora, Alice, and Siofra at the Registrar's.

He had felt annoyed at being put together with classmates he considered children, but now he was friends with the said children. His classmates were unlike teens from Earth.

He remembered standing up for Siofra and punching Priscilla. That day, he had gained a title that he did not consider himself worthy of, but he had nonetheless grown used to carrying the name. However, not once had he referred to himself as the Righteous Fury.

Classes, his kind and gentle teachers, and training. Seshat, Yulia, and Circadia, too.

Making mistakes and learning lessons. Badava...

Meeting the Xian Princess. Pranks. Getting on Fiora's nerves and being spanked. And no, there are no ghosts! There can't be...

And finally, the memorable Flyball games.

Though there had been a couple of downers in the year, it had nonetheless been a joyful one. Blaze had fallen in love with the academy.

Students who spotted Blaze soar over their heads loudly cheered for him, wishing him the best of luck in the tournament.

Suddenly, Blaze felt a little lost. What was he going to do after the tournament? It would be nine more years before he would come back to school. He was happy he would have Jie Er and Rebecca, but what was he going to do? Maybe meet up with Elyssa and train? Travel the world? The latter was a pipe dream, as he was now too well-known and not yet strong enough to travel alone and take care of himself.

He sighed and pushed his thoughts away. He would have enough time to think about it after the tournament. He flew throughout the campus, making sure to avoid the Agrasen Palace, before he went back to the stable. Claudis and Gyrill were waiting for him.

He quickly got off his Pegasus and offered her an apple, before hugging her neck as she chewed on the fruit.

"I am glad to see that you've bonded with Badava, and that you're emotional about leaving her," Claudis said to him humorously, "but Tonya is coming, and she will probably be flying Badava."

Sky, as the unofficial prize of the USMAT, was scheduled to be transported to D'Warka the following week. The Heavenly Union had arranged a platoon to ensure his safety over the journey. Claudis and Tonya would travel with the Quetzal to take care of it. The reality was that Sky was being handed over to the HU, and the only way for Blaze to get him back now was to win the tournament. The weight of the responsibility once again settled upon him a little as this realization dawned upon him.

Finally, Blaze went back to his dorm. After a quick breakfast, he went to his room to give it a last look to ensure he had not left anything behind. His room looked a little empty without all his mess. Taking a deep breath, he turned around and walked down to join his classmates waiting in the common room. They all thanked the matron and the staff for their hospitality before marching to their carriages.

Once they reached the rows of carriages waiting for them outside the dorm, Blaze bid farewell to each of his classmates before huddling together with Aahna, Bi, Rachel, and Kida. This time, none of the students were staying behind on campus, and were only leaving their hearts.

"You punks are coming to watch me, right?" he asked, wrapping his arms around Rachel's and Aahna's shoulders.

"Yep. Mom's already arranged for our travel and boarding," Aahna replied. "We all have permissions from our mothers as well. We will see you at D'Warka soon."

"That's great! Showing off to the world won't feel the same without my main minions by my side," he said, before spotting Afriel speaking with her Malakim friends at a nearby carriage.

"Oi! Big SIS!" he called her, as he had promised during the Flyball match. For the past week, he had been quite a source of embarrassment to the poor Malakim, as he took every chance to loudly proclaim her as his one and only Big Sis. "It may be a while before we see each other again, but you better not forget that you like me now."

Afriel gave him a sheepish nod. The Flyball final had forged a bond of camaraderie that threatened to overcome their ideological differences.

Soon, Blaze and his friends solemnly bade their goodbyes, with promises to meet again in nine years.

Nine years is a long time for humans, but it was more like a year or two for the angels. Academy was almost akin to going to a summer camp and parting with those friends until the next year.

oOoOo

Don't miss the adventures of the Capricious Dragon at the end.

Request to Readers: So, I've thought a bit about angel 'anatomy'. But it's been a long time since I took Biology, and I realized that there is no harm in taking help. If there are biologists amongst my readers or even people with an interest in the subject that want to help me create a 'realistic' fantasy biology for the angels, I would be glad to receive your help. It may not have an immediate affect on the story, but you never know... Others can feel free to post any ideas you might have in the comments. (Angel wings are energy based so they don't exactly need the bone structure/weight of a bird to fly.)

Author's Note: Vida's Lullaby is completely my own composition. Now, you know why I don't write songs :P. I do have a tune in mind for it, but I can't make you hear it through my words, can I?

Hope this chapter was a good resolution to Jie Er's healing, Blaze's incident with Badava, and the Flyball games. The finale shall grand! :).

Question to readers:

What do you think of Blaze?

Give your answers in the poll that will appear in the comments, or feel free to type a more elaborate answer in the comments. :)

I have received a couple of comments saying that Blaze is an immature asshole. I never intended him to be that. At least in my mind, he isn't. Maybe my writing portrays him otherwise.

My intention was to make him a cheeky little bugger who gets into trouble cause he can. He never intends harm to anyone. Is he impulsive and emotional at times? Sure. But, that is human. That's what makes characters interesting.

So, here is the question.

PS: One character trait that he does have is that success makes him a little big-headed (The Badava incident, Getting his classmates drunk and so on...) That may change as he experiences real challenges.

Q&A

Q. What do angels call History?

A. Angelstory 😐

Q. What's a Superman Punch?

A. Superman Punch is a real punch from Muay Thai, used quite a bit these days in UFC. It looks exactly like what it's supposed to mean, but I think the angels would be more suited for it, no?

Q. If Siofra is as strong as Blaze at 30 (yeah, she turned 30 over the year), why is she not considered as big a genius as some of the others?

A. As I mentioned in an earlier chapter, Pixies are stronger than angels when they are younger. Pixies hatch with wings, while angels take anywhere between 20-40 years to grow wings that can allow them to fly. This gives a huge advantage to the pixies. Moreover, I think the Pixies are only just beginning to find out that Siofra is talented. Even her own mother doesn't understand her strength. But the tournament will change that.

Q. How is Asherah Eoiwagn still a diplomat with her attitude.

A. We have only seen her be mean towards Blaze. The pixies have been discriminated against for more than 600 years. Maybe that's why she is reacting in that way towards an angel who is getting close to her daughter OR maybe there is something more to the whole thing. We will know more about the Pixies and their role in Azra-El in later chapters.

Q. Why doesn't Blaze just announce how old he really is? Will the Malakim be able to keep Sky away from an angel with such potential?

A. That's a risky move. As Anastasia said it before, it's really dangerous for Blaze to reveal his true potential before he can truly protect himself. Currently, he is just another extremely talented kid. If the Grey Ones of the Malakim think he poses them real danger, do you think they would hesitate to assassinate him? What about the demons?

Q. Angels eat eggs?! (anonymous)

A. Why not? People eat mammals. Where do mammals come from? Why should the angels care about eating a chicken or its egg? Mammals develop from embryos -- an egg is also an embryo. I don't see why someone can kill and eat an animal with a developed brain, while is hesitant to eat an embryo (except for the fact that it may taste bad.)

Also, angel eggs are formed from energy feathers -- Why should they relate to a chicken's egg, except for the fact that they have similar shapes? To angels, they are nothing alike.

The angel society is also very diverse. I never said all angels eat eggs or meat.

Finally, why should the angels have a similar cultural inhibition as the humans. What we consider edible is vastly different among humans. (Pigs, Cows, Monkeys, Dogs, Horses ...) All of them are eaten by humans, but to some cultures they are abhorrent. Even cannibalism was a thing amongst some tribes of the past.

PS: I am a vegetarian by choice, so I am pretty much disgusted with eating all meat. Maybe not fish... but they do stink. (Wait, a vegetarian Dragon? How is that possible? I eat stars -- they are not even organic. I guess I am a 'sol-itarian' 😐)

Q. Angels and Crime? (Dxp)

A. I hope I haven't given the impression that the angels can do no crime nor lie. The angels on the average are more 'good' than humans, but they still retain will and choice. That is why you have the tainted, the misguided, and the Grey ones.

Siofra is a pixie. The pixies are known to be more mischievous than angels. I'd put Siofra's action of forging her mother's signature more on the naughty side than a real crime. She just wanted her freedom - maybe my view is skewed. Also, her relationship with her mother is not good. This has been established through the chapters. So, she doesn't believe she is doing something bad by going against her 'prejudiced' mother's wishes. Did she trick Fiora, Blaze, and Blaze's aunts -- yes, she did, but in her eyes, it's more of a 'white lie'. I am not going to make a judgement of my own on her actions, but the world of Azra-El might...

Now, how do angels become tainted?

Actions and emotions build up over time to corrupt their wings. The exact reason for the taint is debated among angel philosophers. I have given a glimpse of it in one of Blaze's conversations with Elyssa. The taint may be due to something as simple as guilt or maybe it's the World Energy 'judging'.

Example: Let's say you've grown up in a society that demonizes 'sex'. The mere thought of doing the deed is sinful. So, anytime you feel a little horny, you feel guilty. The act of actually doing it, even worse. Slowly, over time this can corrupt your thoughts, make you hate yourself and hate the world... Gaah! I am the Joker and I wanna hurt people, sorta thing.

However, if you are of the opinion that sex is nothing but harmless pleasure (if done safely and in moderation), then being horny is the same as craving for that big slice of chocolate cake or something else that you like. It won't affect your mind negatively.

So, what happens if there is a sociopathic/psychopathic angel who feels no guilt over her actions? That remains to be seen (In the first place, can there be a psycho angel?) Maybe the psycho angel won't be corrupted or maybe there is something else. I am not going to tell you -- I will show you and you can make your own interpretation. That's the point.

Coming to the demons in the future... Don't expect everything to be black and white, or dark and light. Demons are sentient beings as well. As demons, they will be more controlled by their impulses, but they do have dreams, wishes, things they care about, and their own impulses. Don't jump to conclusions until you've fully experienced them.

Hope that answers some questions? Its possible I've missed something.

Adventures of Capricious Dragon (continued from chapter 15)

CapDragon: Ahem. Since Phil's gone on a vacation, Betty is going to be writing this part.

Betty: You punted him out of orbit...

CD: Er... Well, it's his own fault for revolving around my tail when I was sleeping.

Betty: You were the one that put him there! You said your 'glorious' tail needed some warmth.

CD: You want to take a vacay too, Betty?

Betty: ...

CD: Don't worry, he will be fine. What can happen to a star? I don't think I hit him hard enough to send him out of the galaxy. He will just take a big revolution and come back by himself. I am sure he loves the chance to go around the galaxy!

Betty: But, what if he collides with another star, or worse, a black hole?

CD: The space is a vast empty place, Betty. It's very unlikely for him to hit something big enough to hurt him... probably. Anyway, start writing... The readers are getting bored.

*Betty begins writing*

Once upon a time, a mean, little dragon killed and evaporated his first l-

CD: Never mind! Betty sucks at writing too. I am taking over. Man, a dragon can't get good help these days. Even sentient stars suck.

*Dragon takes over*

After the big, benevolent, and awesamazing dragon ascended his first love into a higher realm, he cooled himself down and further condensed his form to around four feet high and eight feet long.

Then, he took a nap.

The sun began to set by the time he was rudely awakened from his royal slumber by a little twig prodding against his magnificent maw.

A little, golden haired girl stood in front of him with wide, curious eyes. He was going to gobble up the pesky, offending creature, but his magnanimity made him pause.