Part 1: Seraph




The little angel sat on her altar in the candlelit temple of ivory and marble. Her little wings held a silvery light, her lavender eyes sparkled, her golden curls shined. The childlike face was like porcelain. Like it would break at the slightest touch or whisper.

Bowed before her were four spirits. Her protectors, and guardians of the Earth. Each in their respective colors, representing their element of power. They had sworn to protect the Earth's life force, the creator, Princess Sophia.

Seraph, the Fire. Hair a fiery orange, burning red eyes, hidden under her hood. A blazing fire printed on her skirt. She was barefoot in the Temple of Sophia. The Fire had sworn to protect that which created her, and understood her temper. Sophia was the only one who could calm her.

Ariel, the Earth, stood proud before the one she served and protected. Blond hair cut very short in the style of a boy. Green eyes like emeralds. Her skirt was like the treetops. Full of green. Her hands folded behind her back, her head bowed slightly in respect.

Tharsis, the Water, with aqua eyes and mahogany hair, pulled back in a ponytail. She stood next in line, her skirt like a sea. Her bare feet on the stone floor. The Water respected her creator, and submitted to her. The Princess was everything.

Cherub, the Air, stood at the end of the row. Her blue hair curling to her waist, yellow eyes bright. A wind pattern on her skirt, her arms sleeveless. She smoothed a curl back from her forehead. She loved her princess. Would do anything to protect her, just like the other Spirits.

"Something evil is rising." Sophia's voice was soft and musical. It could make almost any soul feel calm and serene.

"What could it be?" Seraph asked softly, as if speaking too loud would crack the porcelain face of Sophia.

There was a long, deadly pause as the world stopped still. A dead, silence engulfed the temple. Then Sophia finally spoke in such disgust you would never know she had. "Abaddon."

Each angel face registered nothing. None of them knew this name... except one. Seraph's eyes became dark and she lowered her head to hide the rising anger.

Sophia knew this gesture all too well. "Seraph," she spoke soothingly. "Calm yourself. Don't let anger control you. It could cause more pain."

"I'm sorry, princess," Seraph whispered. "I won't let it happen again."

Ariel looked at the hurt Seraph, then to the princess Sophia. "Why does she feel such hate towards this Abaddon?"

Sophia opened her painted, porcelain lips to speak, but Seraph turned and stormed from the temple. Tharsis glanced at Sophia, then left to follow Seraph.

"She'll have to learn to control her anger."

Tharsis found Seraph sitting on the edge of the fountain of Aquarius. It was a stone woman holding a jug, and pouring the water contents into the pond below. Seraph sat with her back to Tharsis. She jumped when she felt the hand on her shoulder.

"He killed them..."

Tharsis looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"Abaddon... he killed my parents..." "Oh... I'm so sorry." Tharsis hugged her friend gently. "There you are." Ariel's voice came from behind them. Cherub was with her.

"Princess Sophia told us what happened," Cherub said softly.

"We've got to stop him before he kills someone else's family," Seraph half whispered as she stood.

"Oh, we'll get him alright." Ariel's fingers curled into fists.

Crack. Flash. Thunder roared in their ears. No, not thunder. Not quite. A bloody scream reached theirs ears. A scream from the Temple of Sophia. The ivory and marble temple.

"SOPHIA!"

"Sophia!"

Kody woke sweat drenched and tears in her eyes, hair in her face. She threw back her covers and stood, in her shorts and T-shirt. The digital clock by her bed said it was 4:15.

It was nights like these that made her want to break something. Nights when the haunting dreams returned, and the demons flashed through her mind once more. And it was nights like these that she usually did something she would later regret.

Kody stumbled out onto the balcony of her room. Later she would wonder why her mother even let her have this room. Right now, she stared at the moon with hatred.

"Why?" she whispered to herself. "Why do these dreams haunt me? I'm doing all I can to find Sophia before the enemy attacks, but they still won't leave me alone!"

Kody stormed into her room and picked up the porcelain angel on her dresser. Without thought or conscience, by pure impulse, she chucked the angel over the edge of the balcony. And heard it crash below.

She sank to her knees, leaning against the rail. The cool night air toyed with her fiery hair as her eyes drifted closed.

"Kody."

A young child, short blond hair, lavender eyes, gently shook her big sister's shoulder. The one sleeping on the balcony.

"Eh..?" Kody's light brown eyes fluttered open. "Huh?" She sat bolt upright. "What time is it?!"

"8:30." The girl, Katie's voice was sweet and innocent, but also very soft and musical with little emotion for a ten-year-old girl.

Kody pulled her stiff legs out from under herself and stood. "My god, I'm late for school!"

"No you're not. It's Saturday."

Kody looked at her little sister, then sank back down.

Katie tilted her head quizzically. "You don't look well."

Kody glared. "Get out."

Katie turned and quietly left without hesitation, not wanting to irritate her sister.

Kody glanced over the edge of the balcony at the porcelain pieces of the broken angel. "I'll find you, Sophia."

**My name is Kody Caldwell. I'm a 15 year old sophomore and a poet. It sounds corny, I know, but that's what I like to do. I wasn't always a supposedly normal teenage girl. I was born as the Spirit of Fire to protect the Princess Sophia. When we were attacked, Sophia sent herself and us to Earth. Now we have to find each other and the princess before the enemy attacks, or we might not stand a chance.**

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