Edna, The Kind Keeper

“On the first moon of winter, you will be assigned to the task of guarding the Sealing of Chaos,” said a humanoid figure with white bird wings on their back and a bright light surrounding their body, “Until then, enjoy your time in the lower realms, Edna.”

Dressed in a white attire, a young woman with a pure gaze looks up at the humanoid figure. Their race was called Angel or Seraph. Edna raises up and gives them a bow, “As you command, Lord Zuri.”

Zuri nods at her. She turns around and leaves. At the entrance of the building, another angel awaits for her. This angel’s name was Gwen. Edna sees him and smiles. He smiles back at her. They walk side by side as they leave the mansion-like building behind. As they walked, Gwen asked her a question, “So, are they really going to assign you as the next guardian?”

Edna nods, “Yes.”

Gwen stops walking, causing Edna to stop and turn around. She tilts her head, “Gwen?”

“Why didn’t you refuse?” Gwen asked with a concern yet upset expression.

She smiles at him, “I was the best choice.”

“That’s not an answer, Edna,” said Gwen, “Why didn’t you refuse them? There’s another beside you that can become the next guardian. Like Lord Kai, Lord Jupiter, or even Lord Horps! You’re not the only one who has powerful magical power!”

Edna walks up to Gwen and pat him on the shoulder, “But they all have a task to do, and I alone have none.”

“You’re a Keeper for the Lower Realm!” said Gwen.

“That’s only a role,” said Edna, “Which anyone can do.”

“But…!”

Edna shakes her head, “Say no more, Gwen. What’s done is done.”

Gwen tightened his fist deeply upset. When he heard that his friend, Edna was assigned as the next Guardian for the Sealing of Chaos, that only meant one thing. The former guardian had passed away. Becoming the Guardian of the Sealing of Chaos is a huge honor but at the same time it was a death sentence. In order to keep the Sealing of Chaos at bay, the guardian must constantly supply it with their magic power. Only those with an enormous amount of magical power are assigned as the Guardian.

“But you’ll die…” Gwen whispered in a sad voice.

Edna hugs Gwen and pat his back, “But I’ll be able to keep everyone… Keep you safe.”

Gwen hugged her back and cried on her shoulder. She continues to pat his back to comfort him. Yes, becoming the Guardian was a death sentence. Even she was dejected when she heard that she was going to become the next guardian. However, if she thinks about how many lives she would save, it made her feel better. Plus, seeing her good friend Gwen be upset for her sake made her feel happy and lucky. 

Edna pulls away with a smile, “I got permission to head down to the Lower Realms, shall we go check them out?”

Gwen sniffled with a nod. Edna gave out a heartful giggle and walked side by side with her friend. She gazes up at the sky as she looks forward to going to the Lower Realm. Just how long has it been since she last went there, Edna could not recall. As they approached closer to the Gate, Edna and Gwen were suddenly halted by the guards. Gwen glares at them, “What’s the meaning of this?”

The guard bows to Gwen and Edna, “Apologies, Lord Gwen is allowed to use the Gate as Lady Edna is not allowed to use the Gate without the proper authority.”

Gwen glares at the guards, “Proper authority…? How the hell set that kind of bullsh*t?”

“I did,” said a voice behind them.

Gwen and Edna knew who that voice belonged to. Edna turns around and bows to the person behind them. Gwen held in his anger as he did the same. 

“Greeting, Lady Esme.”

She was a woman in her late twenty with a smile as bright as the sun. She greets them back, “Rise Lord Gwen, Lady Edna.”

“What do you mean by this proper authority?” Gwen asked as politely as he could while holding in his anger.

The angel beside Esme felt offended at his disrespectful tones, “Insolent! How dare you speak like that to Lady Esme!”

“Now, now, Katia. Lord Gwen was just upset for his friend,” said Esme, “And he has every right to be so.”

“If you say, Lady Esme,” Katia took a step back but continued to glare at Gwen who ignored her.

“As you already know, Lady Edna is the next Guardian for the Sealing of Chaos. So I took precautions to make sure nothing happens to her,” said Esme.

“By restricting her?” Gwen was doubtful of her words, “Lord Zuri allowed her to descend to the Lower Realm until it is her time to become the Guardian, and what you’re doing is going against what Lord Zuri has commanded.”

Katia was about to leash out at Gwen again, but Esma held her back. Her smile did not break even after that much disrespect Gwen was showing her. Instead, it made her smile even brighter.

“Lord Zuri did not allow Lady Edna to leave the Upper Realm due to her coming duty, until I convinced him,” said Esme.

“Convinced him?”

Esme nods, “Indeed. As long as Lady Edna is accompanied by an Archangel or of higher statues, Lady Edna is allowed to go to the Lower Realms as much as she desires until such times come.”

Gwen doubted her. There was no way Esme was helping Edna without a hidden agenda. He looks at her with great suspiciousness. His eyes narrow with extreme wariness, “What are you scheming…?”

Esme chuckles at him, “You’ve mistaken me, Lord Gwen. I’m not scheming anything. It’s just, if we were to lose another angel with such enormous magical power, then all five realms will be in great danger.”

Her words did not comfort him. Throughout the years of knowing her, Esme always did things not from the kindness of her heart. She always did things for others as long as there was something she was benefiting from. Edna grabs Gwen’s shirt. He glances back and sees Edna shaking her head at him. Gwen was still skeptical about Esme, but there's no point in debating it with her at the moment. Each minute was precious for Edna before she became the Guardian. Talking to Esme to sound out her intention was just a waste of time.

“Fine,” said Gwen, “I'll leave you alone for now, but if Edna comes into harm in any way, you’re not getting away scot free.”

Esme smiles at him, “Understood.”

Gwen brushes her off and walks away with Edna beside him. She gave Esme a quick bow and leaves. As Esme watches them leave, Katia walks up beside her.

“Lady Esme, why did you allow that insolent man talk to you that way?” Katia asked, “If you just gave me the order, I would have taken him out.”

“You take out Lord Gwen?”

Katia nods. Esme gave out a small chuckle, “Not possible.”

“He’s just a lowly soldier angel,” said Katia, “I don’t believe he can beat me.”

“You’re just a High Angel who doesn’t have as much experience in fighting as him,” said Esme, “If he wasn’t so stubborn about promotion, he would have been an Archangel by now.”

Katia looks at Esme in disbelief. When she met him, she didn’t sense any strong magical power coming from him as she felt from Edna and Esme. If anything, he felt weaker than Edna. Esme turns to Katia with a smile, “Don’t be fooled by appearances, Katia. If you keep that up, you’ll never be able to beat Lord Gwen.”

Katia couldn’t believe it, but had no choice but to agree. She swallowed her pride and kept her glare at the direction Gwen left with Edna. Gwen and Edna headed over to an Archangel place. The Archangel, Raguel. Gwen knocks on the door to let Raguel know that there are guests over. They waited for a bit, but there was no answer. Gwen narrows his eyes at the door, “Is that idiot still asleep?”

“He did stay up for a week,” said Edna.

“What was he doing? Going through cases or playing games?”

“Uhh…” Edna couldn’t tell Gwen that Raguel was playing games for the last week as a stress reliever.

Edna didn’t need to tell him. Gwen already knew. Gwen grumbles at the door madly and gives a loud smacking noise to wake him up. Edna panics at his action, “G-gwen…! I-it’s alright. We can always go ask the others.”

“The other Archangels are still down in the Lower Realm dealing with other problems,” said Gwen, “Why else do you think Esme made it so that only Archangels or higher could accompany you to the lower realms? She knew that the only Archangel left in the Upper Realm was Raguel, who barely left his place unless absolutely necessary. She never had the intention to let you go down in the first place.”

Gwen smacks on the door even harder, “Get up you damn lazy angel! What kind of Justice Angel are you if you sleep the whole day! Get up!”

After a few more smacks, Gwen finally stopped. Seconds later, the door knob shook viciously before the door opened with an eerie sound. Gwen crosses his arms together as he sees a zombie-like angel leaning against the door. It was Raguel. His once beautiful lemon color hair was now murky like mustard. Even his eyes had bagges around them.

“I swear, if it was anyone else but you who did that, I would have taken them out,” said Raguel as he glares at Gwen, “What the hell do you want?”

“Need you to accompany Edna to the Lower Realms,” said Gwen cutting to the chase.

“...What? Why?” Raguel can’t believe he was woken up for something so stupid, “You can just take her yourself.”

“I’d love to, but now I can’t,” Gwen said, “Edna is becoming the next Guardian, and they won’t allow her to go to the Lower Realm without an Archangel or higher to accompany her.”

“Then she can just stay here,” said Raguel with a yawn, “I’m not so free that I can go with her.”

“You’re not even doing anything,” Gwen was starting to get irritated at him.

“I’m resting…” said Raguel with a tired gaze, “And that is doing something.”

“Resting after playing games instead of finishing up your cases is doing nothing.”

Lighting struck between them as the air around them became intense. Raguel glares at Gwen but glances at Edna. He gave out a sigh and turned around with the door still open.

“Fine… Give me a few minutes,” said Raguel with a lazy voice.

“Alright,” said Gwen.

After waiting for a few minutes, Raguel came out fully dressed and prepped. No one would have thought that he was the creepy looking zombie earlier. He had his hair pulled back, revealing his beautiful baby blue eyes and neon stud piercing on each side of his ears.

“You owe me one, Gwen,” said Raguel.

“Yeah, yeah,” said Gwen as he enters Raguel’s house, “I’ll get started on your cases.”

Raguel smiles, happy to know that Gwen knew what he wanted to be done. He turns and looks at Edna who bows to him shyly. He smiles at her and pat her head, “I guess this is a date.”

“No it’s not!” Gwen yelled out from the house.

Raguel and Edna chuckles and leaves. They walk towards the Gate. The guards allowed Edna to leave this time since she was with an Archangel. The light surrounds their body, transporting them to the lower realms. They were taken to the Middle Realm first. Raguel and Edna flaps out their wings and soar through the sky.

“You didn’t refuse the position?” Raguel asked out of the blue.

“Hmm?”

“The position as the Guardian,” said Raguel.

“Oh, no.”

“Why?”

Edna just smiles without saying anything. Raguel glances at her, “It’s fine to refuse, you know. Even we, the Archangels would have a difficult time keeping the Sealing of Chaos at bay. For a Keeper Angel such as yourself to be chosen is just absurd.”

“...If it wasn’t me, then Gwen would have had the duty,” said Edna.

Raguel looks at her, “Gwen…? Is that what Lord Zuri told you?”

“...No,” said Edna, “He didn’t need to.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Before Edna could answer him, a sudden shock wave came rushing towards them. Raguel and Edna are caught off guard as they spiral across the sky. Raguel’s large wing balanced him as he expanded out, stopping him from springing out any further. It took Edna a few moments to regain her balance. They both look towards the direction the shock wave comes from.

“Why would a sudden shock wave come from the Catfolk kingdom?” Edna asked.

Immediately after asking that question, the air around them suddenly became thick with miasma. Raguel was a powerful angel who had lived for a very long time, so he was adjusted to the sudden air change, but Edna who was still considered a newborn angel couldn’t adapt to the sudden change and fell down from the sky, choking in pain.

“Edna…!” Ragual flies down after her.

The closer they were towards the ground, the thicker the miasma became. Ragual stretches his arm as far as he could as he flies towards Edna. He was about to grab her arm just before she landed on the hard ground. In that instant, Raguel surrounds them in a bright light barrier to cushion them from the fall. Raguel gently laid Edna against a tree. She tried to catch her breath. Due to the light barrier around them, it was slowly cleaning the air around them. Soon, Edna was feeling better with each passing second.

“What is this?” Edna asked, “What is going on here?”

Raquel recognizes this miasma. Even if thousands or million years have gone by, there’s no way he would mistake it as something else. It was the Sealing of Chaos, however, just how was the seal coming undone? Even if the former Guardian had passed away, it would at least take six month before it starts to act up. A Guardian’s life force is something to be recon with. 

The ground beneath them started to crumble away. Raguel and Edna use their wings to hold themself up. Edna hears someone’s cry from a distance. She turns around and flies out of the barrier.

“Edna…!” Raguel follows after her.

Edna flew past trees as fast as she could even ignoring the branches that cut her face and scar her arm. She flew so fast, even Raguel had a hard time catching up to her. Edna’s eyes widen, “There they are…!”

Edna swoops down in between the large cracks of the land. She reaches out her hand and grabs the person who was about to fall to their death.

“I got you!” Edna said to reassure them.

Just as she was about to pull them both up, the miasma in the air quickly surrounds Edna. It was like it had a mind of its own. It chokes the air out of Edna and the person she saved.

“Ugh…!”

Edna’s wings weaken, unable to hold her and the person up. They fall back into the crack leading to the hot molten core. Raguel flew as fast as he could to reach them, “Edna!”

To Be Continue

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