Once again, thank you to my editor Jason Moore for his help with this chapter. I've certainly learnt much from his guidance and advice. For my readers, thank you so much for all the comments and emails. I can't tell you how much it means to me! Enjoy this next installment!
***
Zilarrezko remained in place; wings still in their natural grey condition. He made no attempt to block Marcus's advances –effortless jabs urging him to retaliate.
"Archangel..." he pleaded. "You're leaving yourself wide open."
"You're not giving me your best shot Marcus."
Marcus hesitated for a fraction of a second but then he moved; aiming his primary feather blades at his Cardinal's chest.
The tips were barely an inch from the Archangel when Marcus felt an excruciating burning sensation on his wing.
"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?"
Marcus turned at the sound of Anthony's voice –the voice of reason. Instead of fear, his face showed pure relief at the sight of his senior Ordinal. Anthony however was looking murderous. His hands –flaming hot –gripped around Marcus's neck; the heat melting the Metal armor.
Then he flung him aside.
"Zilarrezko?" The concern in his voice went beyond just the loyalty of an Ordinal to his Cardinal.
"I'm fine Anthony... don't attack Marcus anymore. He's simply doing what I asked him."
The embers in his eyes dimmed slightly as he turned to Marcus. "Get Julia now."
Anthony's eyes were no longer orbs of fire but Marcus could still feel the intensity of his stare burning through his armor. He left the room without protest.
"Now tell me what's going on."
Zilarrezko raised an eyebrow questioningly. The Ordinal hardly raised his voice and yet he was being uncharacteristically demanding. It wasn't like Anthony to lose control over his temper like this; every inch of him flaring an intense crimson.
"I'm sorry that you're angry at me..." he placated, using a tone that he hadn't used since he was a child. "Marcus and I found an inverted feather embedded in our wing arch..."
Zilarrezko recapitulated the scene with Gaia and Marcus. Despite the calm explanation, every sentenced seemed to fuel Anthony's anger even more for the crimson was turning propane-torch blue –a temperature so hot that Zilarrezko felt like a roast over a bonfire.
"Anthony!"
The sudden feminine shriek extinguished the flame immediately.
"Move away from him!" Anthony stepped back until Julia was satisfied with his distance from Zilarrezko. "Marcus, stay here and wait for us to get back."
With her hand clamped over his wrist, she ushered him out. If the contact had burnt her palm, she made no show of it –or she was too angry to notice.
Away from the prying eyes and ears of the Metal Angels, Julia crossed her arms around her chest and looked at Anthony questioningly.
"I've had a long day Julia... I haven't had sleep or rest and I've flown across the Atlantic twice in twenty four hours."
"It doesn't excuse you from almost frying your Cardinal."
"He was being irrational!"
"And you weren't?"
Anthony looked like he was about to argue with her but the unleashing of that much firepower had depleted his energies. "He wants to give his wings to Gaia in exchange for her Earth Angels from the three main continents."
Julia kept quiet as she thought it through. "And Marcus agreed to become Archangel?"
"He tried to fight Zilarrezko."
Julia gave a resigned smile as she looked up into the tired eyes of the Fire Ordinal. "They're both much younger than us... so you should keep your temper in check." It was a gentle reminder but her words soothed the anger within him. "Come, we should probably have that meeting now that we've both calmed down."
***
The moment they stepped into the office, Julia noticed the colorful addition to their meeting.
"Vlinder." Her words were a bare whisper. The fact that Anthony had brought along Noor's Light Ordinal meant that the situation was getting serious.
That was why Zilarrezko was at full attention; wings coated once more in its usual platinum. The defeated look in his eyes were gone; replaced with serious focus on Anthony and Vlinder.
The iridescent-winged Ordinal managed a smile at his former cadre –the unspoken not lost on Anthony.
"As I was telling the Cardinal, we've already mobilized our land-based air wing and air-defense artillery. Archangel Noor has sanctioned the use of our naval resources and I'm here to see how I can assist," said Vlinder, passing the Archangel a folder with the general composition of their fleet.
Anthony nodded; his voice crisp as he concurred, "We will need to deploy our fleet to Cape Verde in order for Ehren's air squadron to embark aboard our aircraft carriers. He's providing us with a dozen fighter jets to complement our naval air force." Turning to Julia, his tone softened a notch, "How many squadrons are ready to be mobilized?"
"Our carrier air wing has not been touched from the last war so we have four squadrons of strike fighters including the surveillance and aerial refueling squadron. They're all capable of air-to-air and air-to-surface combat."
"What's our undersea attack force's position?" asked the Archangel.
Anthony passed a folder to Zilarrezko. "At the moment, Archangel Noor has limited intel on the number of enemy submarines. But with Yuki's current strike group, I am estimating at least fifty nuclear-powered fast attack submarines. We have as many submarines; fifteen of which are equipped with nuclear-guided missiles."
Zilarrezko nodded his approval and turned to Vlinder, "Keep your naval task force to protect the mainland. Noor is generous enough to let us engage so close to her territory."
"I will relay the message, Cardinal. We do not know for sure if she plans to attack our lands but we are prepared. Even without an air strike, her surface combatants are equipped to attack at a distance."
"Then it's best we take out all of her fire power. We must remember that the sea is her playground and we are playing a game according to her rules."
"Yes Cardinal."
"Julia, can you take Vlinder out to the main naval base? Start loading all the necessary supplies and let me know the earliest possible time for embarkation." The Archangel was addressing her but his eyes were focused on Anthony.
Julia was confused. She wasn't supposed to be in charge of the maritime task force and her knowledge of the naval warfare was limited.
"I'll relieve you in a few hours Julia... just familiarize Vlinder with the chain of command," said Anthony.
When the Light Angels left, Anthony crossed his arms over his chest and sent the two Metal Angels in front of him, an owlish glare from beneath a heavy, low-hanging brow.
The atmosphere in the room changed dramatically. It was akin to being called to the principal's office for misbehavior.
"I am going ahead with my decision." There was defiance in every syllable.
Anthony's expression remained unchanged.
"The Earth Angel uprising would cause a momentary panic for her."
A grunt of disapproval.
Marcus was getting nervous. He knew he had to say something to dissipate the tension between them. "Cardinal... isn't there any other way?"
The reply was a stare of pure molten iron –liquid heat like that of erupting lava.
Between his Archangel's menace and the rising temperature of the room, Marcus felt excruciatingly stifled in his armor. It was like a nuclear stalemate...
Until Anthony blinked –a sign of concession not defeat.
"Talk to Aria first."
"She's going to say no.
"She deserves to know."
The Archangel narrowed his eyes stubbornly. "Marcus, leave us." His hesitation earned him another heated glare. "Now."
Zilarrezko waited until his Ordinal had left the office before speaking. "You do not speak to me like that. I am your Cardinal."
"Right this moment, you are not my Cardinal and I am not your Ordinal. I am the Angel who raised you and you will not make any life changing decision without consulting me!"
"I am not a child anymore Anthony. You do not have rights to decide how I should live my life... or the remainder of it."
The two Angels stared at each other; fists clenched tight ready to throw a punch.
"I am not Marcus, Zilarrezko... and I will not hesitate to land a blow."
Zilarrezko was fuming. He'd never expected this from Anthony!
They charged.
Thin scalpels criss-crossing aimed to shatter Anthony's wings but the Fire Ordinal was expecting that. The solid lines of his feathers blurred into flames melting the outer surfaces of Zilarrezko's blades even as it desperately sliced through the blaze.
Giving a loud roar, the Archangel turned; his wings spinning like a wood cutter as he aimed for flesh this time.
If Anthony hadn't been quicker, he would have been sliced in half –as was the fate of the mahogany desk.
"I am giving my wings to Gaia and there is nothing you can do to stop me." Zilarrezko wasn't pulling back his attacks; his mind focused solely on landing a blow.
But the older Angel understood the source of that rage –wrongfully directed at him –nonetheless he allowed it to fester; using himself as a worthy opponent to channel the fury.
He evaded most attacks; landing some of his own but with careful, calculated embers that meant only to singe and not liquefy. In contrast, Zilarrezko did not hold back. The already melted edges of his wing blades were slapped mercilessly onto Anthony –the searing liquid forming a solid cast over skin –but the Ordinal didn't wince even once.
Instead, he enclosed himself within a fire whirl, with the intention of stopping Zilarrezko's onslaught. The firestorm was already splintering the glass windows and melting the grill frames supporting the doors. It would be suicidal for Zilarrezko to even try and enter the furnace.
But he did.
Anthony doused the flames a second too late –Zilarrezko was dripping in molten Metal even as his hand clamped around Anthony's throat. He only needed to squeeze and the Angel's wind passages would have ruptured.
But he didn't.
