• Cirrennia walked down the stone paved street bare foot, wearing a light, pastel blue, strapless dolly dress that reached just below her knees. As the wind blew through her long, wavy blonde hair, her feet raced towards the temple of worship in search of an answer to one of her many questions that came with adolescence.

    ‘I have to see him with my own two eyes…if he’s real, than someone has to have seen him once at least.’ The anxious teenager said in her mind as she finally reached the marble sculpted temple at the edge of town. The extraordinary building was built at the edge of a glorious cliff over looking the ocean; various trees and flowers growing around the marble stoned building; grape vines running up the sides of it, making it look like something old, but beautiful with the way the wild roses climbed with the vines all the way to the top of the monument, different shades of blue, green and pink highlighting the extreme white contour of the building itself.

    ‘If the elders won’t… or can’t tell me who he actually is, then I’ll just find out for myself.’ Cirrennia told herself as she reached the enormous doors that led to the inside of the worshiping temple. The young angel pushed them open, exposing many white benches in rows, all facing toward a fifty foot tall, stained glass window that looked over the ocean with its array of colors.
    Cirrennia made her way inside the temple, feeling the warm rush of air surrounding her as the doors shut with a soft slam, leaving the haunting echo throughout the church. The ringing in her ears made her heart race, pulse speed up, and blood course through her veins, in end, making her cheeks flush against her pale skin.

    “Hello?” She asked in almost a whisper, but the vibrations from her voice bounced off every wall of the temple and came back to her, making shivers go up and down the angel’s spine. There was no answer, just a very faint rustling sound in the distance. Cirrennia’s bare feet made a silent ‘pitter-patter’ as she walked towards the extremely low noise she heard. “…Is anyone in here? I’d like to speak to someone if I may?” There was no answer, but the noise had stopped like it had just disappeared into thin air. This made the young angel sigh as she plopped herself lightly onto the front bench, looking out the great stained glass window.

    The different array of colors made the crashing waves look like splashing rainbows colliding with each other. Cirrennia was soon lost in this amazing picture, and didn’t notice when someone left the temple. She did notice, though, when the large, dark oak doors slammed shut as they did before, sending that familiar warm breeze throughout the temple of worship.
    Her head flew towards the door, her blonde hair blowing slightly in the artificial breeze. The angel’s hands clenched in her lap as she bit her bottom lip. ‘…I missed my chance.’ She thought as she got up from the bench, looking at the marble floor with its swirls of white and silver as she made her way to the podium.

    *


    The clouds above had a slight pink sheen highlighting the baby blue sky and the fiery color of the suns rays. Cirrennia was sitting on a red oak bench right leg over the left, bouncing impatiently. ‘I was so close. Why am I so forsaken as to not have the blessing of laying eyes upon my own Father?’ Her arms were crossed across her chest as she let out a sigh. A weeping willow was shading her porcelain skin, giving her leopard like spots where the shadow from the leaves bounced off her. ‘Why won’t he let anyone lay eyes on him? We are his children after all.’ Cirrennia let out a groan and raised herself to her feet. Smoothing the non existent wrinkles in her dress. ‘I’m not giving up just yet. One day, I will see him!’ Her mind was set as she planned her next approach. The blonde angel walked down the stone paved park, circling around the large, lustrous fountain that was set right in the middle of the tamed forest. She sat on the edge of the water spewing sculpture and put her feet in the cool, clean substance that it so chose to spew, some of it splashing up onto her calves from the cement angel’s vase.

    ‘How do I even know it was him who left the church in such a hurry? I have no proof to assume so…’ Cirrennia shut her eyes and took in all of her surroundings by sense. The water smelt clean and fresh and the air had a slight hint of lavender. Around her she could hear faint rustling noises off in the thick forest where children were playing. She opened her eyes again and looked down at her feet in the water. Even though they were still, the reflection the water was giving off made them look as if they were moving against each other. ‘But if it was not him… why would someone sneak away so discretely if there was no suspicion to be had?’ She removed her feet from the pooling water and stood up once more, walking towards a glorious cliff.

    The wind had died down and a rainbow was forming around the bright sun; Cirrennia reached the edge of the cliff and looked off into the distance. From her point of view you could see a never ending scene of beautiful oceans and blue skies. As she looked off to the distance, the angel was contemplating her next move. ‘I am certain who I heard leave the temple was him… it had to be…but why would he be so afraid just to show his face to one of his children?’ The questions never stopped, whenever she got remotely close, it would just add to her confusion.

    Days rolled by and Cirrennia still had no luck upon her search of her Father. She went back to the temple countless times and nobody was in their but her elders. It was yet another beautiful day with a cloudless sky and warm breeze. She sat on a fallen tree log deep in the forest, nearly on the brink of giving up. ‘This is useless…If I haven’t found him yet… then I can probably bet upon me never finding him…’ Cirrennia looked to the sky but her view was soon taken from her by a hand. A gasp escaped her lips as the hand covered her eyes. “Come with me, child.” It was a deep voice that had a certain rasp to it that signified old age.

    The young angel’s heart was racing, ‘Could this be him…?’ she pondered in her head as the hand led her somewhere unknown due to her temporary blindness. “Sit.” The voice demanded, sending Cirrennia into a hard wooden chair. For a second she couldn’t see anything from the extreme exposure of her eyes… but her vision soon cleared. Her lips parted in a silent gasp as her eyes took in the sight of her Father. He was a tall man with a masculine build, beautiful brown eyes and matching hair that flowed over his shoulders in oceanic waves. “Why have you been searching for me for the past year?” The godly man demanded, crossing his arms over his bulging chest. Cirrennia could feel her face growing hot as she tried to search for an answer. “I only wished to lay eyes upon my Father… Father.” She bowed her head in honor to him, only to be scoffed at. “Why is this, Cirrennia? Have you lost faith in my existence?” “Not at all, Father… I just…” Cirrennia tried looking at him, but it was hard… so many questions were flowing into her it was unreal. “Just what? Just for amusement?” His rage seemed to kindle with every passing moment of her silence. “N-no Father…” She finally conjured up the courage to look upon his beautiful face; he seemed so young for a man of his old age. “… I only wanted to see you, to maybe understand your being…” Cirrennia hoped that her Father would understand her words.

    His lips curved into a slight smile, “I see.” He uncrossed his arms and took her chin into one of his hands. “…Do you have absolute faith in me, Cirrennia?”
    “Y-yes, Father.” Her voice was shaky and her shimmering pink eyes were glossy with moisture. “Well, sadly the same cannot be said from me to you.” The Father said with his eyebrows narrowing ever so slightly. The adolescent angel’s mouth fell agape as she comprehended his words. “Therefore, you shall prove yourself to me… What are you in school for?” Cirrennia still looked at him, wondering how that could be relevant to him not having faith in her being. “Guardianship, Father.” He nodded his head in approval, “a strong role, indeed.” He let go of her chin and turned his back to her, the white robe he wore somehow still accenting every muscle in his back. “I have a task for you, young Cirrennia.”

    *


    God gave Cirrennia a very… intricate test that she had no other option but to ace. ‘Save the man from a life of eternal darkness… Darkness means damnation or hell… So I must save a man from a life time of hell?’ She didn’t quite understand her task just yet; her hair swung back and forth as she did on the old swing that was hooked against a beautiful oak tree. As usual, the day was bright and cloudless. In her world, there was no such thing as darkness or… as mortals called it, night. ‘If I must save him from said darkness then I have need to find him first.’ At that thought, the angel jumped off of the swing and started off to the temple once more.

    In the worshipping temple, Cirrennia planted herself right in front of the stained glass window; it was said it was the window to the mortal world. Her feet were tucked under her bottom and her hands clasped together and head bowed in prayer. ‘Dear Lord, God almighty… Grant me the strength to leave my physical body and enter into the realm of mortality.’ She said this prayer in her mind, and then repeated it out loud, feeling herself let go with every word spoken. A glow shown on her chest as she opened her eyes and looked at the window… It was gone! ‘Where’d it go…?’ The window had disappeared and the waves somehow crashed into the temple and fell upon Cirrennia.

    *


    She found herself in a castle chamber room; a beautiful four poster bed with blood red sheets and fluffy cloud like pillows. Cirrennia looked around the room, taking in all of her surroundings to possibly become familiar. She went to move closer to a vanity but then felt a restriction, something pulling back on her.

    Cirrennia gasped for air as she flung back against the podium in the worshipping temple. “W-where was I?” She asked, more to herself than anyone… though it did not matter for no one was in the temple. The angel looked around to see if her surroundings had changed from the norm. Her eyes scanned the temple thoroughly; the white benches, matching podium, various glass windows and at last, the stained glass portal. Her breath slowed and she let out a sigh, holding her chest; her body was trembling, every muscle tensing and releasing in some odd and unknown rhythm.

    Her bare feet once again raced against the paved road to where she had seen her Father. “Father? Father!” She called out into the thick forest, but there was no answer. Her shoulders shrugged downwards as she stopped her race. “… Why are you not here when I greatly need your guidance?” As she said this, a hand touched her shoulder causing her to jump from already shot nerves. “And you wonder why it is I need you to prove yourself to me, Cirrennia.” You could hear the sarcasm behind his godly voice.

    Cirrennia turned around and looked at him, “I… I could not stay in the mortal realm, Father.” A blue bird flew past them, singing a beautiful song to a yellow one in front of itself. God nodded with a slight smirk, “You are not ready for such a task, Cirrennia.” She opened her mouth to protest, but she was just silenced by a finger pressed against her blush pink lips. “… But this is the only way you are to prove yourself honorable enough for the sight of my being.” He looked at her intently with his chocolate brown eyes, “try again.” With that, he was gone… he had just… vanished. Cirrennia was left there in the forest just stunned out of her young mind, not knowing what to do. What was to happen to her if she were to fail this glorious task?

    *


    “Dear Lord, God almighty… Grant me the strength to leave my physical body and enter into the realm of mortality.” She opened her eyes to the same room, though this time there was someone in it… a woman. She had beautiful brown flowing hair that cascaded down her back in ringlets. She wore a deep emerald green gown with jewels aplenty dressed upon it. …save a man from eternal darkness…Her Father’s words echoed in her mind as her pink eyes scanned the woman. ‘She is not who I am searching.’ Cirrennia thought of moving, but thought it a bad idea… But after ten minutes of just staying in the corner of the room she dared a step. With her eyes closed, she still felt connected; one eye opened as she saw the woman looking at herself in the mirror, fixing her already perfect hair. Cirrennia dared another step… and another, and another. She was soon in the middle of the room and walking to the vanity next to the woman. In the reflection she was not seen, ‘The sacred prayer worked… I have no physical body…’

    With her new being, she had no need to open doors, but that did not stop her from trying. Cirrennia went to grasp the door knob in her hands, but it just slid past them. ‘I cannot grasp things…?’ In her world, she was still a small child in her elders’ eyes, barely three years of training, she had never heard of such things as these. She took a breath and shut her eyes, feeling the wood enter her being and then leave her. Her eyes opened to a long hall with many paintings hung upon the wine colored wall.

    The angel was becoming comfortable with her new being as she gracefully glided down the hall and down one more. Cirrennia ended up in a dinning room with a large dark oak table with numerous chairs surrounding it. She slowly walked past it, never seeing something so large and glorious for the simple task of eating; but she was soon interrupted by male voices.

    “…But I do not love her, Father!” One voice protested, heals clacking on the marble floor. “It matters not if you love her or not, Dmitri, marriage is not the word of love.” Cirrennia moved to where the voices were coming from, but before she could take two strides the two men entered into her point of vision.

    Both men had ebony colored hair and depthless black eyes. One of the two men was taller than the other by only a few inches, but the other seemed to stand taller even so.

    “Is that what Mother means to you, Father? You married her only for her wealth? If that be the truth, then what does that make me to you, the bank?” Cirrennia could feel his pain and hatred for this man… Though there were tinges of love for him as well, this only seemed angered him further.

    “You are my heir, Dmitri, and I will see to it you have a fitting wife for this estate.” Cirrennia came close to the younger of the two and held her hand above his chest, looking at it intently. He was wearing a black vest against his matching shirt and a silver pocket watch with the chain hanging against his torso. The man took a step forward, forcing her into him. Something churned inside of her, and she soon felt herself fading away. ‘No…’

    Cirrennia opened her eyes to the ceiling of the temple once more, her chest heaving and heart pounding against her ribs. “That was him… I know it…” She stood up and went home for supper and a good days rest… she would try once more first thing tomorrow.

    *


    “Dear Lord, God almighty…Grant me the strength to leave my physical body and enter into the realm of mortality.”

    Thick forest surrounded the younger mans body against a tree; around her was trees as far as the eye could see. She ventured closer to the strange man and knelt before him, he seemed not to move with dreariness. Cirrennia went to put a hand on him, but remembered what had happened last time they had collided and withdrew her hand to her side. He was still breathing, sending out a terrible stench to her nostrils. He had been drinking something putrid and dangerously strong. ‘Alcohol…’ She had only read about it in her schoolings, but she never would have imagined the horrid smell it gave off.

    His vest was askew and hair a mess, his body limp and completely supported by the oak tree. His eyes finally fluttered open, a heavy glaze sheathing them from the real world. The man tried standing, but stumbled; grasping the tree for support and took in a deep breath. “Where am I?” He questioned, looking around. Cirrennia was now conscious of where she was standing and felt her spiritual face blush. If she had her physical body, he would have seen her for sure.

    A few moments passed before his swaying had ceased and he was able to walk. ‘How much did he swallow of that putrid poison?’ she asked herself while following him through the forest. Cirrennia nearly forgot why she was there, and when she finally remembered, a wave of fright swept across her. This… Dmitri mortal was a very strange man indeed… but then again, maybe that was because she had never encountered a mortal before.

    “Father… you are a damned fool for thinking I would bow down to you and take that wenches hand in marriage.” He made a disgusting sound with his vocal cords and then laughed slightly. “I wonder what she is doing at this very moment… Probably in her wedding dress, already at the alter… assuming I am a tad late.” He gave another laugh, who was this man… and why did he have such a terrible taste of marriage? But I do not love her, Father! Cirrennia covered her mouth at her remembrance… his father was trying to get him to wed a woman he did not love. ‘But… why would someone do such a thing against God?’ She asked herself, absentmindedly following Dmitri through the forest to a clearing.

    There was a small fountain of turtle doves forming the shape of a heart; Dmitri sat himself upon the ledge of it, and Cirrennia followed his lead, looking at him with her full concentration.

    “Does she honestly believe I would love a woman such as herself?” He questioned, putting his head in his hands. He let out a long sigh, “’tis not her fault, Dmitri…” Cirrennia looked at him, watching his every move… he was a strange mortal for talking to himself.

    Suddenly, in the thick of the forest, there formed a beautiful woman in a red gown. Dmitri seemed not to notice her, but Cirrennia certainly did. Something about her did not seem correct; everything she passed by or stepped on seemed to lose just a little bit of its life. A shiver crept up Cirrennia’s spine and caused her shoulders to shutter.

    “’Tis too beautiful a night to be so melancholy, my lord.” Her hairs were the color of blood and her eyes shown like the blue moon on a winters’ night. Dmitri’s ebony eyes slowly scanned up her dress to her face, his face expressionless.

    “Who are you, girl?” A laugh escaped the enchanting woman’s red lips, echoing throughout the deep forest… Cirrennia was standing in between the two, but she somehow felt as if this wasn’t going to be enough. The shrill laugh seemed to pierce through her very soul.

    Dmitri didn’t seem to be amused and just glared at the putrid woman. “I said, who are you, girl!” He now demanded an answer. The woman only smirked and leaned over, passing though Cirrennia. The angels eyes shut as she moved out of the way quickly, feeling her inner self burn slightly. ‘To what is that woman?’

    “I am the woman of your very worst nightmares.” She said with a smirk playing at the edges of her mouth. Dmitri only scoffed at her comment, “Really, and you would know of my nightmares how?” He questioned her, no longer gracing her with his gaze. “I know everything… Dmitri…” The drunken man rose to his feet, forcing the woman to straighten, but she did not take a stride back, making it so their chests touched.

    Cirrennia’s chest started to burn, as if that horrific woman were touching her chest instead of the mortal mans’. “How do you know my name…?” His guard seemed to be lowering and his eyes became more hazy then before. “I know more than just your name…” Her fore finger dragged against his chest and up to his neck, making his eyes close and a sigh escape his slightly cracked lips. ‘Ahh…ow…’ The pain was nearly umbearable… Her and this man were connected, there was no doubt about that. Her hand went to her own neck, feeling the woman’s fingers grazing it.

    “I know how…” She leaned closer to Dmitri, whispering in his ear. “… your father betrothed you to a beautiful woman… a very wealthy… beautiful woman.” She bit at his ear slightly, drawing a small amount of blood, sending another sigh out of Dmitri’s mouth. “And how you fail to love her.” Cirrennia managed to push the pain aside and press herself between them again; it stopped the woman for a second, sending a puzzled look on her face, but not until she concentrated again, making the pain come ten fold onto Cirrennia.

    “’tis true…” Dmitri finally said, opening his eyes to the beautiful woman. “I fail greatly to love her… I do not wish to marry fo—“ The woman blocked his words with her slender finger. “Do not speak, love… I know of all and do not wish to hear of it…”

    “Then what do you wish to do?” Dmitri asked, now looking at her… longingly. The woman in red looked at him with a very sensual smirk on her face, her canines showing completely now. ‘Vampire…’ Cirrennia now realized what her task was… Save a man from eternal darkness. She let out a gasp, ‘My task… was to stop this man, Dmitri from turning into a walker of the moonlit night…’ She pushed again, but something was blocking her way… ‘No… not now… I…’ The last thing her spirit saw was the putrid woman biting down onto Dmitri’s neck.

    *


    Cirrennia dared not open her eyes to the now very familiar sight of the temples ceiling; she wished not to have the painted angels mock her in her failure. ‘I failed… I failed my only chance of changing my Father’s choice of heart…What is to become of me?’ She finally opened her eyes, her normally bright eyes now a dim pink color as she slowly stood up. Cirrennia slumped, just looking at the dark oak doors to the outside world from the temple. ‘Does he already know I have failed him? Or does he wish me to tell him so…?’ She was soon answered by the doors slamming open.

    “Cirrennia…” His voice was soft, but the tone was rough and disappointed.
    “Yes… Father.” She did not wish to look upon his grace, he was too worthy for her unholy eyes, she now knew this for certain.
    “You have failed me… Not only me, but your duties as a Guardian as well.” He reached the podium in what seemed like just a second. Cirrennia could only nod, her hair falling off of her shoulders and around her pale face.
    “Look at me!” He commanded, his voice raising, making that ring in her ears like all other noises that happened in the worshipping temple. The angel took a breath and looked at him, a tear falling from her eye.
    “You do realize this failure shall not go unpunished… This task should have never been failed.” God looked at the stained glass and then shifted his glance back to Cirrennia; she only nodded, “I know, Father… I am greatly sorry.” She looked away once more. “I will take any punishment you shall grant me with and more.” He crossed his arms and nodded, “You will…” he agreed. A few steps were made back to the door, making the young angel look up in question. “… I am not to be punished now?” God looked over his shoulder and smiled slightly, “You are to be cast from heaven and walk among the world of darkness and light.” Cirrennia looked behind her at the stained glass window, but once again, it was not there. “No…” she whispered, a familiar breeze hitting her from the door being shut. She looked back at the exit, but soon enough she was caught at the foot by a crashing wave and was swept into the realm of mortality.