Wing's of Desire

At the beginning of time, angels co-existed with humans in a city called Socrates although they lived separately. The Angels lived in the" city of lights" while the humans lived in the " dunes". They lived peacefully socializing during events that brought the two worlds together. The exterior of these Angels was human-like, and they were endowed with a special blend of human traits and superhuman powers.

Soaring through the skies with magnificent wings, invisible to the human eye yet glorious to those who can perceive their true form. The city was created so that the divine intertwines with the mortal. The supreme being rules over both worlds; an extraterrestrial figure dwelling in the "iron city".The Angels are divided into three hierarchies: the warriors who are the highest in rank, mighty men of valor distinguished by their wings, height, and strength. Among them was Ethan Oswald, a charming mystic whose presence exuded power; he had the aura of a miniature god. His striking face was framed by his long dark hair that flowed down his shoulders. His eyes gleamed with a playful charm, glistening green orbs surrounded by silvery rings. His sharp, chiseled jawline and broad shoulders appeared to have been sculpted by an artist's hand, and his full, pouty lips suggested a playful charm. But what made him unique were his wings. His wings were dark charcoal, magnificently large, and powerful, designed to dance through the skies and catch the wild currents of the wind.

He rose higher with every strong blow, moving gracefully and powerfully over great distances. In addition to being a sight to behold, Ethan Oswald was a magnificent example of the adage "To whom much is given, much is expected." He was the strongest, most courageous, and most powerful warrior because of his extraordinary strength, he also had the speed of a lightning bolt and was well respected and admired among his peers. He wasn't a man of words but a charismatic leader worthy of emulation. He trained harder than anyone else, always willing to make sacrifices to protect his teammates and community; his watchword was, "There is no room for weakness. "He never showed emotion; he had perfected this facade ever since the tragic incident occurred, him losing his fiance, but no one dares to bring it up, mainly because he never speaks of her. He's won several battles and duels and is nicknamed the "Dragon Slayer". His position as the leader of the warriors cannot be disputed. It also doesn't hurt that he's the most sought-after bachelor. He never really pays attention to the women around

him even though they flock around him like flies; he just always seems aloof and uninterested, except for Valerie DeLaville ( a protégée betrothed to his brother), who got to see the playful and jovial side, he treated her as a younger sister oblivious to her feelings and desire for him which she was careful to mask in front of her fiancee and other angels. The second hierarchy is the emeritus. These are the angels who are distinguished by their high intellectual ability. They have a very high 1Q to solve complex problems and create a solution. They may not look as intimidating as the warriors, but they make up for it with their mastery of different walks of life; they have expertise in science, philosophy, and architecture and have great talent in music/performance(opera, ballet), art, fashion design, painting, sculpting, etc. Elixir Oswald, the younger brother to Ethan, would be considered a nerd; his ability to create and draw designs and plan buildings and spaces was nothing short of genius. He was gifted with great imagination and created the most luxurious and artistic buildings. His works were popular and sought after among the Angels, but he only designed one building yearly. He lived in a penthouse that he designed, shaped like an aquarium made out of glass, and gave the illusion of living under the sea with white sand and a beautiful entryway made with the rarest white seashells to the envy of other angels.

He's also blessed with good looks; he stands tall with beautiful brown eyes, dark hair, a charming smile, and a sharp jawline identical to his brothers, and his wings are a wonderful blend of muted browns speckled with white. He has a bubbly personality and is always eager to socialize and have fun; he's nicknamed the life of the party because he's always the first at the party and the last to leave.

The last on the hierarchy are the protégés heirs of the twenty-four elders(an elite rank amongst the angels). They are considered among the Angels as the nepotism of the rank. They are known for their beauty and throwing the most extravagant parties; they are not the strongest, most talented, or most knowledgeable and are often considered vain and spoiled. Valerie De Laville, a protégée, is betrothed to Elixir Oswald. She was a charming beauty with white-blonde wavy hair that flowed perfectly down her back, neatly tucked behind her ears to showcase her gold jewelry. She had piercings in her septum and nostrils, which emphasized the straight, narrow bridge of her nose with a slightly upturned tip. Any creature could be stopped in its tracks by her smoldering light green eyes. She was a sight to behold as her wings, a gorgeous combination of white and grey, spread out magnificently.

However, behind her beauty lay a deep-seated darkness. Valerie's heart was filled with anger and outrage over her betrothal to Elixir, even though she fancied him. Her genuine desire was to marry a warrior, not just any warrior-she yearned for Ethan; Valerie had harbored an obsessive crush on Ethan since childhood. The news of her engagement to Elixir was a shock, especially considering all she had done to eliminate her competition.

With her wedding only three months away, Valerie couldn't believe her carefully laid plans had failed. She began plotting ways to ruin this arrangement, Ethan was the one she needed to marry. A smirk crept across her face as a brilliant plan formed in her mind."Whatever Valerie wants, Valerie gets" she murmured to herself as she adjusted her robe in the Full-length mirror in her bedroom.

Rose's Story

Rose was awake at the first ring of her alarm, a sensation so unlike her usual mornings. She was the type to linger in bed way past her alarm. For weeks, she'd been having vivid dreams, leaving her restless and on edge. The dream was always the same: she stood in a shadowy, empty room, the air thick with a tense energy. Suddenly, a fierce wind ripped through, tearing the roof away as if it were made of paper, and in an exhilarating rush, the wind lifted her skyward. It was a surreal experience that she couldn't quite grasp, but it had gripped her imagination all week long, and today, she had to confide in her mother, Sarah. Hiding secrets was not her style, especially not from the one person she trusted the most. After losing her grandparents in a car accident when she was ten years old, she moved in with her mother, Sarah, who suffered from depression, making her unable to care for her daughter for most of her childhood. Although their connection was rocky at first, they figured it out and were now best friends.

As she tossed and turned in her bed, thoughts swirled through her mind-not just about the dream, but also about her place in the world. Why was it that she felt so out of sync with her peers? The whispers and giggles echoed in her head, reminding her of the moments she spent nibbling on her lunch in the bathroom when she heard Nikita and Olivia gossiping about how she was unlike anyone in her family and speculating about how no one knew who her father was. Sure, she resembled her mother with her striking long blonde hair, but those icy blue eyes were a puzzle-an enigma that set her apart from everyone else. No one in her family shared her startling eye color, which deepened her curiosity about the father she'd never known. All she had managed to extract from her mother after relentless questioning was a fragmented story: he had gone to war and never returned.

As she got out of bed to get ready for school, she felt a slight tinge of panic. Falling out with her best friend Liam, on top of everything else going on in her life, was pushing her over the edge. What was he thinking, asking her to be his girlfriend? She loved him deeply as a friend, but taking their relationship any further just felt silly. She could never picture them together. It hurt to see him in so much pain, but she couldn't bring herself to lie to him.

With a sigh, she walked into the bathroom to brush her teeth. Once she was done getting ready, she strolled to the kitchen to make breakfast-toast and some eggs-which she ate hurriedly before sprinting to catch the bus, nearly missing it by mere seconds.

As she got on the bus, she saw Liam look away, sitting at the back with a stoic expression on his face, which somehow made him more handsome. He was tall, with beautiful light brown eyes and a nice smile that could make any girl get butterflies. She wasn't going to try to sit next to him today; every time she did, he changed his seat. Sitting by the door, her mind drifted to the event that had led to this mess. She had just finished a class and was hurrying to the next when she received a text from Liam asking to meet in the school garden.

When she arrived at the garden, she saw him holding a bouquet of roses. It had become a running joke between them for him to give her a rose on her birthday. Her mother once shared the story behind her name: when she was born, her lips were as red as a rose. Liam embraced this story, which led to their tradition of him bringing her a rose each year on her birthday.

As she approached him, she noticed he was smiling nervously, which was unusual for him; he was usually confident and charismatic. She wondered why he was holding a bouquet of roses, especially since her 18th birthday was still three months away. As she approached him, she asked, "What's going on here?" He knelt and presented her with the bouquet. A hint of panic began to rise within her, and that's when she noticed a group of juniors nearby, holding a cardboard sign that boldly read, "WILL YOU BE MY GIRLFRIEND?" Her mouth went dry as she stared at the cardboard in shock before turning to look at Liam, who was still on his knees, smiling at her. She couldn't believe what was going on. From the look on his face to the junior staring at her expectantly, she wanted the ground to open up and swallow her. Dazed and unsure, she could see his mouth moving but couldn't quite grasp what he was saying. In a state of panic, she sprinted out of the garden, running to the bathroom on the third floor, not stopping once to catch her breath. Locking the door behind her, she rushed to the sink to throw up. How could he do something like this? After cleaning herself up, she splashed cold water on her face and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment as she burst into tears.

The loud horn of the bus jolted her back to reality. She sighed and got off the bus, knowing that everyone at school was angry with her for turning him down-especially his jock friends. This prodded her to eat lunch in the bathroom. He had been her childhood friend, and they had been best friends since they were in diapers. She understood boy/girl friendships could be tricky, she just never thought this would happen to them. They weren't supposed to be part of the statistics; they were cooler than that. She groaned as she walked to her class. The classes passed in a blur as she packed up her books to go home.

Suddenly, Liam walked in, causing her heart to drop. He hadn't made eye contact with her in almost two weeks, and it felt like he was approaching her. She tried not to get her hopes up, unsure of what to expect. Pausing, she managed a polite smile, and he returned it before dragging her out of the classroom, away from the glares and whispers of their classmates.

He led her to the empty science lab. As he stood with his back to her, she spoke first. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. You know I would never do anything intentionally to hurt you." He turned to face her and said, "It's fine. I just need more time to get over it. But for now, let's just say hi when we run into each other in the halls; it's getting pretty awkward."

With that, he grabbed the door to leave. But turning around swiftly, she took his hand and pulled him into a tight hug, murmuring, "I miss you terribly." He hugged her back before gently pulling away. "I'll tell my friends not to bother you anymore. It's honestly very childish of them," he said with a smile. "So you can stop eating in the bathroom stalls."

After he walked away, she realized it had taken him almost two weeks to talk to her. Fear crept in as she thought the friendship might never be the same. She missed their playful banter and how he always managed to make her feel better. She knew he also missed her grilled cheese sandwiches, and she decided she would wake up early to make him one tomorrow. She might as well put her sleepless night to good use-might even bake him a cake. Who knows? She giggled to herself as the thought of the vivid dream crept to the back of her mind. She needs to speak to her mother urgently.

"Oh my gosh, Valerie, you're going to be the most stunning bride!" her friends squealed enthusiastically.

Standing on the platform in the private dressing room of "Clementine Bridals", Valerie finally experienced the moment she had long awaited. She gazed at her wedding dress, the chill of the air-conditioning nipping at her arms and sending goosebumps across her skin. Despite that, she feigns excitement , at least that's the feeling she was supposed to feel being a bride, and all that gibberish she pretended to care about.

She beamed at her friends through the full-length mirror. They sat on a luxurious cream sofa, their laughter filling the room. A bouquet of vibrant red roses lay elegantly on the glass table in front of them as they savored their champagne flutes.

If only they knew her true style she sighed. Valerie would never be caught dead in a lacy, off-the-shoulder, beaded gown with an exaggerated A-line. And don't even get her started on the itchiness of lace against her skin. But that was the nature of superficial friendships and extravagant weddings. She grinned, finding the charade surprisingly easy. After all, she had spent her whole life perfecting the art of fake smiles and playing the role of the perfect, innocent girl.

It would all be worth it when she finally married Ethan. For now, she was playing the role of the happy bride who couldn't wait to marry his brother.

Valerie flashed a playful wink at the attendant behind the sheer white curtain. "I don't ever want to take this dress off! It's gorgeous!"

The middle-aged woman beamed. "It's going to be your big day soon! You'll get to wear it all day long!"

"Let's get this off me and have it delivered to my house right away!" Valerie exclaimed, her friends Alexandria and Kate bursting into excited laughter.

"We're so thrilled for you! Marrying Elixir sounds like a dream come true! It's going to be the biggest wedding of the season-you're so lucky, girl!" Kate gushed, her eyes sparkling with joy.

To most people, marrying Elixir might sound like a dream, but to Valerie, it was a nightmare. The wedding was fast approaching, and she needed to figure something out quickly. In the meantime, she kept her other plans in motion. A sinister smile formed on her lips as she toasted with her friends.

Elixir busied himself with a project, sketching an aquarium design for one of his clients. He was so engrossed in his work that he didn't notice his phone buzzing incessantly with missed calls from his friends.

It was a Friday night, and by their standards, it was criminal for him not to be at a party. But with his wedding around the corner, Elixir felt the need to slow down on partying and drinking.

Thinking about his fiancée, he couldn't help but smile. Valerie was beautiful, sexy, and fun to be around, even though they could never seem to connect on a deeper level. He hoped marriage would bring them closer.

Out of nowhere, an electric jolt shot through his body, from his brain to his toes, leaving him numb. The glass cup in his hand shattered, and he collapsed to the ground, convulsing uncontrollably.

---

Waking up disoriented and aching, Elixir struggled to understand how he had ended up in his bedroom. As he tried to piece things together, the door cracked open, and his brother Ethan stepped in.

"Hey, bro. How are you feeling?" Ethan asked, concern evident in his voice.

A wave of embarrassment washed over Elixir. This was the second time in two weeks he had experienced such an episode, and he was starting to worry. He didn't want to be a burden, but now that Ethan had seen him in this state, he knew he had to open up.

Sitting down across from him, Ethan tried his best to mask his worry. "What's going on? Can you tell me why I found you shaking on the floor?"

Elixir sighed, replying honestly. "I don't even understand it myself. I've had two seizures in the past two weeks."

Ethan shook his head slowly, concern deepening in his eyes. "We need to run a brain scan to find out what's happening. We'll figure this out together."

He handed Elixir a glass of water, his voice steady and reassuring. Elixir took a sip, grateful for the support, before settling back down to rest.

---

The next day, the brothers were the first to arrive at the specialist's office. Ethan hated being there, but he would do anything for Elixir. Sitting in the empty lobby while his brother underwent tests, Ethan tried to distract himself by studying the abstract paintings on the walls.He felt an overwhelming need to rush out and never come back but he sat there rooted on his seat. He has avoided at the hospital for five years and now that he was here the memories he had long buried came flooding back with a vengeance.

He stared at the white tiles, muttering under his breath, "I'd do anything to change the past." The sting of unshed tears burned his eyes. It had been five years since that fateful day, yet the pain felt as raw as ever.

"Suzy," he suddenly whispered in shock, raising his head.

She stood before him, smiling, her brown eyes piercing his soul. She wore a flowing white dress cinched at the waist with a gold belt, her light brown wings flecked with gold spread gracefully across the room.

Ethan reached out to touch her, but as he did, the vision faded, leaving him alone once more.

A tap on his shoulder jolted him back to reality.

"Mr. Ethan, come with me let's discuss the results of the tests"the doctor said softly.

*********

Inside the doctor's office, sparsely decorated with a mahogany table and a pair of wooden chairs, Ethan's heart sank as he noticed the somber expression on the specialist's face.

"What's wrong with my brother?" he asked, his voice sharp with impatience.

The doctor sighed. "That's just it. We can't figure it out. There are signs of brain trauma caused by seizures, but we don't know what's triggering them. Everything else appears normal."

Ethan's frustration boiled over. "What do you mean you don't know what's wrong with him? This is the most advanced hospital in the city!"

The doctor remained calm. "Let's monitor him for a few days. Hopefully, we can gather more information and reach an accurate conclusion."