-- Title -- Faith No More

-- Author -- Crimson Masked Reaper

==--//

Taking blades from bodies

Swiping them across your clothes

Awaiting it is an almost infinite death wish

For when you sleep

Your faith is then sealed

With just one fated kiss

By the Forbidden

==

-- Chapter -- One

-- Title -- Underneath

==---//

He walked with a confident stride and his baby blue eyes were shaded with dark. His hair was platinum, almost white and his skin was fair. Not too dark or too light and it held an almost luminating aura. He was called Angel because his wings were the only thing which made him seem higher than human. Yet, he was Forbidden. No one bothered Angel because it was a sin to be near him and a sin to even look upon him. He was almost feminin in walk and his voice was soft, almost barely audible. His voice carried an almost sincere secret which could not be told by his watchful baby blue orbs and he knew what he was. He knew he could kill with just one glance and once his lips touched that of a human, she would be his forever. Humans were rare in this world called Everdail and once in a while, a Forbidden would find his/herself a human to call his own. It wasn't a slave, but a companion in their culture and Angel seemed to be the only one not intent on the hunt for a companion. He seemed shy and distant, which made other Forbiddens uneasy around him. His body was toned well and most other male Forbiddens would drool over Angel whenever they caught a glimpse of the platinum haired boy standing on his balcony with the traditional robe, which only came around the men's waist and was worn like a skirt. It was lined with black and a sheath was at his left and right hip. Two blue blades, called Arbitros and Galtis, attatched at the waist proved the power of a Forbidden. Angel was one of the best, and he knew this to be true. Yet, he yearned for something more. Something he could never reach with all his power and might. Sanctuary within himself.

==-

Angel exited the large palace of Letross and stretched his pearly white wings. He closed his eyes and raised his arms into the air. "Today is a good day, isn't it Angel?" Bale, his attendent, said with a smile.

Angel shrugged and gazed up at the crimson sky. "The sky bleeds almost every day, faithful Bale, when is it not a good day?" He questioned.

"Bleeding skies, bah, you speak of nonsense young Angel! The sky is perfect the way it is!"

Bale laughed and Angel looked at him. "How is normal for a sky to bleed, Bale?"

"The sky does not bleed, Angel, it is only in your imagination."

Angel glanced back at the sky and it was blue. He raised his eyebrows. "So it is...so it is, Bale," he murmered and shrugged," Well now is the time I say good day and good bye."

He spread his wings and leaped off the ground. Bale smiled and folded his arms across his chest. "Interesting...a bleeding sky. That boy...pah, such an imagination!" He exclaimed and entered the Letross.

Angel closed his eyes and spread his arms out to feel the air wash over him. He had loved the skies ever since he was a child and it carried over to adulthood. Angel was at home in the skies and he knew no one could beat him at flying.

He opened his eyes and stopped abruptly. A portal laid right there in front of him and he peered at it closely. "Where do you think it leads?" A voice asked from above.

Angel glanced up and a gloved hand came over his face. "Ah! Get your hand off of me!" Angel growled.

He was pulled and an intense heat grew in his body. The hand released his face and Angel couldn't see anything but darkness.

"Open your eyes...."

Angel opened his eyes and a young girl was stooped over him, her emerald eyes worried. He gasped and tried to move, but his right shoulder throbbed with pain. "What happened?! Who are you? Where am I?!" Angel babbled.

"Slow down, mister. You seem to have fallen from that tree there and I stumbled on you when I was rushing home," she replied.

Angel looked at the girl and suddenly he couldn't feel his wings. He glanced at his back and his eyes widened. "My wings!"

"Wings?"

Angel jumped to his feet and toppled over against the tree. He breathed hard as he groped his shoulder and he winced. The girl stepped towards him. "Do you need an ambulance?" She asked.

"A what?"

"You seem to have amnesia...what's your name?"

"I'm Angel....now be gone with you before you're hurt."

The young girl nodded slightly and walked away. Angel dropped down and closed his eyes tight. "Where am I?" He murmered.

"You're in the human world, Angel...the Forbidden One," a sly voice replied.

Angel opened his eyes and a cat stood before him. The cat was at least four feet tall and wore a hat, plus black gloves. His eyes were purple and his fur was gray. "How...how do you-"Angel looked at the gloves more closely," YOU! You were the one who grabbed my face!" He snapped.

"Oh, yes. Sorry about that, young sir. I had no other choice."

Angel clenched his fists. "I'll have no other choice but to-"

"Sire, just listen to me for one moment before pounding me to an unidentifiable pulp!" The cat in the hat exclaimed as he waved his hands hurriedly.

Angel unclenched his fists and placed his hand on his throbbing shoulder again. The cat in the hat smiled broadly to reveal sharp canines. "I have a message to you from the great beyond! Doesn't that sound interesting?"

"No," Angel muttered.

"No no, don't get me wrong, sire. This is going to be fun, both on your part and mine. The message is from he who cannot be named, he would like you to do something for him."

Angel frowned. "That would be? Look, I don't do errands for some bloody man I don't know and I'd rather not if it risks my origin being found out. I see no reason for me to be here on this...humanized planet when I could be back in the skies where I belong."

The cat in the hat removed his hat and shook his head. "Angel, this message will bind you to a human forever. Yet, he who cannot be named knows that you don't believe in the original tradition of taking a human. So we've set you up with something grand. My name is Kreole and I will help you out whenever you need help. Your wings have been removed only for now and once this mission is over, you will go back home and have your lovely wings back."

Angel winced at the pain again and he glared at Kreole. "Why does my shoulder hurt so much?" He asked.

"Oh, that. It's because we put a tattoo on your shoulder of wings and then you landed on it, so it'll hurt for a few hours. Your arm is not broken, so no worries about broken appendages and ligements."

"Why do I have a tattoo?"

"So we can identify you amongst all these humans in this world. Now I must say good day and good bye to you, Angel!"

Kreole jumped into the air and rolled into a purple ball. He exploded into dust and Angel walked over to a bench, where he sat down and closed his eyes tightly. "What the hell am I doing here?" He muttered to himself.

He looked around the place he had fallen, trees and underbrush lined trails of stone. People walked around in pairs and a few sketched in books or tapped their fingers on little boxes which Angel didn't recognize. Angel rotated his arm and yawned loudly. He spotted someone and he froze in the end of his yawn. A young woman with long silver hair which flowed like a water current walked through the trees and her jade green eyes were slanted, which made her look cat-like but without ears. Her face was milky white and she dressed in lovely robes, which looked like chinese komodos but didn't have the silk. Her feet were bare and seemed to hover above the ground. Angel closed his mouth and jumped to his feet. "Beautiful creatures to have made such a rose in the midst of weeds," he breathed.

The young woman looked over at him and suddenly her eyes widened. She dropped down on the ground and turned away. She ran through the trees and Angel sprinted after her. "Wait! Miss, please wait!" He called.

He exploded through a large bush and stopped in the middle of a clearing. The young woman had vanished and Angel felt instantly lonely. "That woman....she wasn't at all a human."

"Why have you followed?" A voice questioned.

Angel whirled around and three men plus the young woman stood there. The men had silver hair and their eyes matched, but their faces were different. The man on the far left had tan skin, the man in the middle was lighter and the man on the far right was ghostly pale which clashed with his hair. Angel frowned. "You're not human are you? If not, then we are on the same level."

"Same level? As a Forbidden? I think not! You, why are you in the earthian realm and you'd better answer wisely or we will have to eradicate you from this spot," the left one snapped.

"I do not know why I am here, all I know is that a man who cannot be named sent me a cat called Kreole. He only told me to stay on Earth and find a human which is bound to me," Angel replied and folded his arms across his chest.

"Sija, I believe this Forbidden," the young woman whispered.

Angel looked at the young woman and the men blocked his view. "She speaks of nonsense, now be off with you. Pathetic excuse for a faulty angel! Forbiddens should never dance on human soil or they will be put to death by the human's protectors," the far right one said.

"Who are you anyways? In all my years above I never read about you in the books," Angel said.

"We're through talking, now leave," the middle one snapped.

"I have not the wings to fly, can't you see that?"

"Are you calling us blind?"

"No no! All I'm saying-"

"You're calling us deaf now, aren't you, you stupid Forbidden!" The three growled.

Angel's jaw dropped. "I didn't say such a thing, if you'd only listen to what I have to say you'd understand me!"

"Stop this at once," the young woman said as she pushed through the guards.

"We don't know what he could do, Saphyre, he could try to kill us with his Forbidden magik!" The three muttered in unison.

"He doesn't have his wings, so he's as harmless as a human being."

Saphyre turned to Angel and placed her hands into her sleeves. "I am sorry for their rude behavior. Yet, it is a surprise to see one of the Forbiddens on Earth when they are most likely found up above the clouds. I believe your story and I think I can place you up their once again."

Angel stepped forward and all four placed their hands up in front of them. He stopped and raised his eyebrows. "You said I am harmless, miss, so why can't I take a better look at all of you?" He inquired.

"You are still a threat to us. Forbidden angels are not to be trusted," the left man said.

"Be quiet, Jeramiah. You three can go back, I'll deal with him," Saphyre said.

"Mistre-"

"Go!" Saphyre ordered.

The three men frowned and faded into the shadows. Angel looked at Saphyre and smiled. "You'll help me?"

"Yes, I want you off this planet as soon as possible so we won't have any problems with security," she replied.

"You are a beautiful rose amongst all of these thorns, how can you be one of them and not an angel?" Angel asked.

Saphyre frowned. "Trying to seduce me will not work because our people are immune to your tactics."

"I'm not trying to seduce you, fair lady. I do not believe in a Forbidden's life and tradition."

Angel stepped forward and Saphyre stepped back. "Be still! If you do not keep your distance I will be forced to harm you!"

"Then harm me, if that means I can be closer to such a beautiful jewel."

Saphyre blinked and breathed deeply. "I'm giving you your wings and then you can be on your way," she said.

"Come with me then, you are bored here...I can see it in your eyes."

"I beg your pardon?!"

Angel snatched her hands and Saphyre's eyes widened. Her heart drummed rapidly against her ribcage as he gazed into her eyes and she into his. Angel smiled faintly. "I am not trying to seduce you or lie. I've dreamed of women like you and I never knew that I would eventually meet one. All my life I have dreamed of a moment like this where I could steal the first kiss."

"Forbiddens...when they kiss another being that being is bound to them! Now, let go of my hands and I will give you your wings."

"When I recieve my wings, would that mean I'd have to go back?"

"Yes, you cannot be on earth with wings."

Angel leaned forward and Saphyre's breath caught in her throat. "I'd rather be without my wings then go back to dreaming of a woman like you," he whispered.

Saphyre pulled her hands away and backed up. "Wings to a Forbidden from beyond!" She exclaimed.

Angel winced and his wings exploded from his back. He dropped to his knees and looked up at Saphyre. "Saphyre! Even when you do not feel this way for me, I will feel it for you until the end of time! I will not dream of anything but you and I will not stay up in the clouds!" He yelled.

Light thundered down from above and hit Angel. He closed his eyes tight and a few tears floated up as his body rose into the air. Saphyre groped a pendent she wore and closed her eyes. Angel vanished and Saphyre opened her eyes. "That Forbidden......he was sincere," she whispered and vanished into the shadows.

-----

Bale frowned and tapped his foot. "Wake up, kid," he said.

Angel curled into a cresent. "I'm awake...but I'd rather not be if it means not dreaming of Saphyre," he said.

"Saphyre?!"

Angel sighed and stood up. "Yes, Saphyre."

Bale shook his head. "You just had an encounter with the daughter of the high order on earth! She's next in line to uphold the throne to keep the humans safe from us, you should have killed her!"

"Kill her? Why kill her when she had done nothing wrong?"

Angel walked past Bale and leaned against a pillar of the large palace. "She's a beautiful jem amongst those stones, Bale. You should have seen her."

"I would have killed her! Haven't you read of her in the books?" Bale growled.

"No, the books never said anything of her."

"Well, they talked about her people! The Mystics...they protect the humans from us Forbiddens. They are Angels......while we are devils in angel clothing. They gave up their right to the skies and now we rule them! Yet, they protect the humans that we need and soon...really soon..we will attack."

"No! You can't do that to Saphyre! She..she is pure and wholesome....I think I have fallen in love with her."

"Love, what do Forbidden's know of love rather than blood?"

Bale snorted and exited the palace. Angel sighed and rested his forehead against the pillar. "This Forbidden knows because he has nothing else," he whispered to himself.

He pushed off the pillar and exited the room.

====

to be continued...