It was the day before his fifteenth birthday, his mind raced and ecstasy flooded in at hope of receiving a powerful Edict from the Primordial Light.
His many thoughts of newfound power were disrupted by a pounding at his door and a stern familiar voice following it.
Opening his door he was met with a familiar beautiful half covered face peering down at him.
"No reading today, you're coming with me. We'll train until you can't walk anymore."
"What? We're also done with training though right?"
"Yes, meaning you should put all your efforts into these last sessions."
Ratella reluctantly gave into the woman's words following her to the training room which had become his second home after his room.
"I'm going to teach you two key things about angelic warfare. How to use your wings as a weapon and how to fight effectively when covering your eyes." stated Luna, taking her position slightly in front of Ratella. "Watch my every move."
Luna's four wings attached to her back grew in size until reaching at least double her normal wingspan. The pair fixed onto her head, not moving an inch.
The ends of her wings twisted, tightening and compressing, shrinking their overall size into sharp bladed ends perfect for thrusting and piercing a foe unsuspectingly.
Luna's wings at an alarming swift pace slashed at Ratella's throat, he barely avoided being beheaded, drawing divinity from a small scratch underneath his chin.
"What are you trying to kill or what?" shouted Ratella, his fear growing at the thought of fighting his mentor seriously in a one on one.
"I had faith you'd be able to dodge it." said Luna, smiling slightly at the boy's growing skills throughout their training.
Causing Ratella's cheeks to blush at the sight of the beautiful woman's bewitching smile.
"Did you catch everything I did?"
"I saw it but I didn't really understand it."
"Right, I'll explain it then. First, manipulate the divinity coursing in your veins to your wings, allocating a majority of it to ensure the effect is success." "
"Second, visualise the shape in your mind shaping and morphing your wings into the perfect blade."
"Third, concentrate all your power into slashing or piercing. This will allow for the speed to be heightened making it almost impossible to react to. The perfect tool for assassination and the weapon to ensure a clean death."
"Is assassination and death what lies in my future?"
"Is that what you want?"
"I'm conflicted but I wouldn't be opposed to killing the vermin that lurk in Kathoros."
"Unfornutely, I can't promise you'll be doing anything productive. I am not the one who gives orders to the Seraphim, the Primordial Light handles all those matters."
"You'll meet with him tomorrow whether he discusses your future with you is unknown but I wouldn't get your hopes up. He works in mysterious ways."
"If he didn't make me, wouldn't he just dispose of me?" asked Ratella, the mood turning somber. This was one of his growing concerns regarding the Primordial Light.
"No, he wouldn't do that. That I can promise."
"Okay, If you say so." said Ratella, his fears and anxiety diminished but not completely, a wariness still hanging in his gut.
"Come on, try and model your wings into the perfect weapons."
Ratella did as she said.
Spreading his wings outwards, double his normal wingspan, the lilac feathers fluttering to the floor.
His extensive training had helped him grasp the abilities of Divinity and its effects upon the body once utilized effectively.
Sensing its movements and redirecting its course to the target area could grant an angel a considerable increase in their abilities and overall power.
Locating the golden liquid dancing through his veins, he allocated fifty percent of its power to his wings leaving the rest to strengthen his body.
Visualising the desired shape in his head, sharpening and narrowing the tips of his wings. They began to morph into a replica of the vision floating in his mind.
"Good, they look perfect for thrusting at someone's heart. Try thrusting them at a great speed."
Ratella took a steady stance planting his feet in a way that wouldn't allow for any extra movement to arise.
He took the pointed tips of his wings placing them together outwards in front of him with all his might, he thrust the feathered blades striking at a lightning fast pace barely able to be recognized as an attack by the eye.
"Wow, I'm not sure I could completely dodge that."
"Don't be modest, you're the strongest warrior I've ever met."
"You've only met one warrior."
"Doesn't diminish your power."
Luna's cheeks blushed scarlet at his compliment, turning her head away from his prying eyes, clearly flustered for whatever reason.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, cover your eyes with your wings. Let's start the second part of the lesson since you have mastered my little trick."
Ratella did as she said but this didn't dampen his desire to continue their conservation. Blinded but not muted.
"You made that up yourself?"
"Yes, the Wing Slash as I call it is my own creation. Only a few people know of it and less can perform it effectively so count yourself lucky."
"Mine will be called the Wing Piercer and I already count myself very lucky being taught by such a fine master."
Luna's cheeks once again flushed scarlet, completely losing her composure.
Ratella enjoyed watching his usually stern master lose all sense after a measly compliment.
Although her reactions to his words confused the boy never had she acted so immature before.
"Mhm, perhaps because I don't usually compliment her. How odd." thought Ratella, trying to decipher Luna.
"Right, enough talking and start listening to me." shouted Luna growing annoyed at her own behaviour. "The lack of sight causes the brain to focus upon the other four, amplifying their power. Wings act as a barrier from any outside elements, air, sound and light." lectured Luna, counting the elements upon her fingers, their condition unfit for a warrior of her caliber.
"Try covering your sense of smell as well, it will enhance your hearing as you channel divinity into your eardrums."
Ratella changed the course of divinity from his wings to his ears blocking his senses as he did this.
Luna circled the boy quietening her footsteps to a mere whisper but their sound rang out in the boy's ear signalling their exact position.
Although blind he could effectively see through his hearing, his ability wasn't as refined as Luna's but with extensive training he would be able to keep up with the woman.
Excalibur hummed in his hands, its melody heightened considerably. A sweet calming tune drifted down towards his eardrum bouncing around slightly before disappearing.
He could sense every change in the sound waves surrounding the area, a slight ripple would cause the melody to change and a low hideous screeching sound to assault his ears.
His listening was disrupted by louder screeching sounds coming from his sword, not the broken waves in the air this time.
Heavy footsteps could be heard impacting the floor getting ready to charge at a moment's notice.
Ratella assumed a guard position awaiting the woman's inevitable attack, he knew his master too well then to drop his guard.
"Left!" thought Ratella twisting his body towards the increase in sound, pulling his blade to his front slashing preemptively meeting the woman's single rapier.
Acting quickly, he filled the gaps in his defense with his wings, harding them much like how he sharpened their ends earlier.
Feathers turning into the same texture as stone and adopting its characteristics, a rippling wave pattern flowing through its exterior.
A metallic object impacted with the wings, a soft sense of pain arising from the site but the injury wasn't life threatening.
Without his wings acting as barriers, he imagined he would most likely be cleaved in two.
Taking the opportunity, Ratella counterattacked but met only air, losing his balance slightly.
"You can uncover your eyes now," said Luna calmly, clapping softly.
She had distanced herself from the boy without a single notion of her movement, her wings shivering slightly.
Her beautiful gaze locked onto the boy looking both amused and proud.
Although covered, Ratella could sense her eyes were twinkling at him, the smile plastered upon her face being a dead giveaway.
"Quite impressive you were able to notice when I would attack and that trick with the wings was amazing." exclaimed Luna looking truly thrilled.
She and Zafikel were much alike, always wanting to learn about new tricks and knowledge. The only difference being their subjects, one specializing in war and the other in books.
"I take credit for the wings but not for knowing when you'd attack." said Ratella, speaking plainly with his master.
Luna's head tilted in confusion, a habit Ratella had noticed after the few years together.
"Don't be modest, I don't see how else."
"Exacblir emitted a deafening screeching sound leading my focus to where you were attacking from."
"Really? Seems you've gained a great understanding and sense of trust with your blade allowing it to aid you in combat in more ways than one now."
"I didn't know that was possible."
"Its uncommon to develop a bond this quickly, usually taking centuries for an angel to develop a bond with their weapon but it's not unheard of." stated Luna, sheathing her rapiers. "Exacblir was a blade meant to pick its owner so this is only natural for its character. You are its first true owner after all as I forced it to bond with King Arthur many millennia ago."
Ratella inspected the sword in his hands running his finger over the blade, the chill produced seeping into his nerves.
"Do you have a bond with your weapons?"
"Yes, I am bonded to my rapiers and lance. You should really try to strengthen the connection with the lance I gave you."
"But I've been practicing with it everyday although my skill isn't as honed with my lance than my sword. It's nothing to scoff at in my opinion.
"You are right, your skill is impressive but it can always improve."
"Okay, I'll try harder in the future."
Luna nodded, walking off towards the exit of the room.
"Come on, this is your last training session, let's go celebrate."
"Okay, Coming!" shouted Ratella running after the woman following her down towards an empty balcony over the two warring nations.