Contrast

It was an early autumn morning like any other. The sky was covered with a barrier of gray clouds that blocked the sun and you could feel the cold wind penetrating your clothes. The trees were starting to wither and their leaves were falling thus creating a yellow and brown carpet all over town. The school year had begun and the classrooms were full of children – annoyed by the fact that their summer holyday has ended and they have to study and listen to the boring lectures of their teachers. At the high school of St. Peter the picture was no different – the classrooms were full, the yard was empty due to the cold weather and the students were playing inside the gym which was separated from the main building, the observatory on top of the school was silent – if only they could see what really was up there… Suddenly the sun tore through the sky bringing a little light to the grim scene that had spilled over town. An unnaturally bright beam was focused on the school, heating it up and nearly blinding everyone around. A moment later an object began to descend from the opening in the clouds. It wasn't falling; rather it was slowly sliding on the sunlight. As it came nearer it began to take shape from a dot in the distance to something humanlike. Everyone gazed in amazement, with their jaws down, as it landed in the courtyard. A creature never seen before, depicted only in the Bible stood in front of them. Armored in silver plate, decorated with golden ornaments like crosses, stars and other religious symbols of divinity, a long silver sword with a golden cross-shaped handle was strapped around its waist and above its head hovered in mid air a golden halo covered in thorns. It spread its glorious wings wide – they were at least two and a half meters in length, covered with snow white feathers and a small amount of black ones contrasting the others. An angel, as it was drawn on the various scenes in churches and on icons was standing in front of the students who had come out to se the unbelievable sight. Some thought that he was here to bring them God's word or give them a blessing of some kind, others were afraid either because they did not understand what was happening or because they expected something bad to occur. Only a few recognized what he really was from what they had read and seen in some painting in churches – he was not a normal angel but an archangel – a soldier of God. His divine brethren called him Adriel. With pitch-black shoulder-long hair, eyes as blue as the sky and a face so perfect it outmatched that of the most beautiful of men. He was e lieutenant in Heaven's army. An army created to battle Hell's demons. The endless war for the control of the mortal world had been waged since the creation of the world and each side had lost so many warriors that new recruits were needed to fuel the war effort. A few moments passed in total silence, which was broken by, the angel who drew out his sword, landed its edge on the ground and kneeled before it. A shriek sound pierced everyone's ears. Adriel's angelic voice was nearly deafening for humans as he whispered a pray that nobody could understand…: "He who keeps watch of all living things,aid me as I harvest the inncent souls of these mortals so they too may become your servants" He became silent and remained as he was. The student's ears were still buzzing from the shriek sound. In a sudden his blade lit up in briliant white flames. The people around him stepped back in fear. Only a little girl dared approach him to satisfy her innocent curiosity. She stood infront of Adriel with his reflection in her moist ,blue eyes. The girl reached to touch his hand which was clutching the flaming sword. The archangel grasped the girl with one hand,shrouded her out of sight with his wings and a faint scream followed. When he lifted his wings,they were soaked with blood from the inside and the girl lay at his feet lifeless. Everyone's emotions turned into pure panic and the horrid feeling of approaching death spilled into their hearts. The appocalyptic angel starded hovering

above the school,diving to grab his next victim one by one,driving his blade trought them till the school's campus got flooded with blood. A few hunded metres from the ongoing slaughter,on the hightest point of the city stood a dark ,old building of gothical architecture,decorated with statues of strange creatures along it's sides.overviewing the whole district. The screams of people could still be heard at this distance. A stone fell from the building due to no visible reason - maybe time was beggining to take it's share. A few more shattered on the pavement below. On top of the brown structure ,at each of the four corners of it's roof stood a statue. One differred from the rest as it was taller and more finely crafted. It resembled a human but it's head was like that of a wolf ,it had huge dragon-like wings and each and every muscle of its limbs was lined out. His fingers ended in huge steel talons. The crafted creature stood kneeling on the edge of the roof overlooking the school of St.Peter. One of the stone blocks supporting the statue fell. Another fallowed almost crushing a passing pedestrian, A few people had gathered at the far side of the street to see what's going on - probably not knowing of the massacre that was taking place a kilometer away. A moment before the statue could fall,probably with the whole section of the roof it bursted to life ,shattering the stone layer covering and preserving the creature inside and pouring down a rain of thin scales of stone. In a blink it lifted off creating a huge amount of pressure with a single stroke of its immence wings tearing part if the roof down on the street in the process. The winged beast landed heavily in the school's playground,attracting Adriel's attention. The archangel pushed his blade trough his last victim and turned to face the supernatural creature that had been awoken by the killing: "Be gone ,wretched human spawn!" - the windows of the nearby buildings trembled as he spoke. And that he really was - a creature twisted,morphed,crafted by sorcerers long dead ,with the only purpose of protecting mankind from such intusions by creatures from other plains of existence. With no free will,no feelings,no blood coursing through its veins but only ancient energy channelled by his black pulsing heart , the guardian stood silent. Its dark body still looked as it was made of stone though it moved and twisted as normal skin. It gazed with its cold eyes untouched by the words of the murderous angel - it could not leave this killing continue as it existed for the only purpose to prevent it. The guardian stayed still as a spider waiting for it's pray to come nearer. The windows shiverred again: "You disgusting freak will perish along with your creators" The moment he spoke those words Adriel rushed towards the beast and pierced its chest,cutting and burning it at the same time. With a single strike he slew his enemy and headed towards a group of children who were trapped in one of the corners of the playground like little sheep. The guardian twitched in dying spasm. Adriel approached the children and as he lifted his sword its flames grew brighter stronger. He swung it towards the defenceless kids to release their souls so they may ascend to heaven. A quarter of a second before the impact ,the beast jumped infront of the children ,covering them with its wings and taking the Adriel's blows one by one till both its wings fell on the ground and broke into a thousand stone pieces. Having no sense of pain,only feeling his life spilling away the beast turned and slashed trough the angels armor with its steel claws ,tearing it asunder and wounding him. From the powerful swing Adriel flew back and fell in the center of the courtyard. The archangel stood up and whispered something to himself. In a flash the clouds disappeared and the city was illuminated by the sun. The beased backed up in the shadows of the school - the sunlight was deadly to it when it unless it was covered by his stone shell which he broke up while waking up from his millenium slumber. Adriel smiled slyly knowing that the beast will not approach him if he stays in the sun. The guardian watched him coldly,standing on all four limbs and ready to respond to any attack. But

the angel did not approach him,rather than that he extinguished the flames of his sword and pointed it's side to the sun. The polished blade reflected the sunlight toward the beast that hid in the shadows burning it. As the sun illuminated the beast's skin it turned to rock. Having lost its flexibility the now stone skin crubled on the ground. The guardian was defenceless ,having no choice but to withstand the sun untill it turned him to rubble. But if he would be destroyed there will be no one to stop the archangel's carnage. With pieces of stone falling from his chest and limbs it threw itself uppon Adriel,still standing in the lit up courtyard, driving his own blade trough the openning in his armour and piercing his heart. The guardian stood motionless over the angel - none of them moved. A blinding flash of light - the angel was gone. With nothing but air left under the guardian it fell on the ground and shatterred into a million stone shards... A dream written down by Peycho Kostadinov (Group 2 Subgroup D)