Chapter Text
Chapter 1
Sera was looking over the young newborn angel she was cradling in a blanket close to her chest and grieved at the sight of the scars covering her entire body. Some looked like bite marks from a wild animal, some look like someone gutted her like a fish. Around her neck it looked like someone had torn off her head and reattached it with glue. There was a stab wound right in the middle of her neck. Sera knew without a doubt that those scars would hold some form of pain for the little one. Sera hoped that as she grew the scars would fade. Apart from that the little one had grey skin, her blue eyes, half shut as if she was fighting to stay awake. On her nose and her cheeks she had small white freckles that reminded Sera of the sky. She also had a head full of short periwinkle hair. She also had two small wings, covered in white baby down.
Joy the head of Heaven’s medical division examined the baby in Sera’s arms, her face set in a concerned frown. She was an angel that had short pink hair she kept in a bob cut, her skin was a pale white and covered in scars from the years she had spent in the Exorcists before she transferred to the medical division. “Do you have any idea why the little one is like this?” Sera asked her, worried about the angel she was cradling in her arms. “Why she has scars like that?”
Joy shook her head. “No sorry. There really shouldn’t be any scars on a newborn angel. Especially scars of that magnitude.” was Sera’s reply. An understandable one yes but one Sera wasn’t happy to hear. Joy didn’t seem to happy to give Sera that reply either. “I would recommend she come in for regular check ups, make sure things are going well for the little one.” The little one tried to grasp at Sera’s finger, her tiny fingers doing their best to grip on to Sera’s own. Sera couldn’t help the small coo she let out at the sight.
“I will.” Sera promised, accepting that she was basically now the little one’s caretaker. Honestly she didn’t mind it at all as she was the one to find her in the first place.
While this angel was all accounts a miracle, Sera still couldn’t help but worry about her. The young angel also needed a name. One that would suit her. “You need a name little one.” Sera said looking at the freckled face of the infant in her arms. “How about Emily?” she asked, wanting the little one to excel as an angel and as a person. Sera wanted her to be better than her.
The little one gave a small coo, almost as if she was agreeing with Sera’s suggestion.
“I think she likes it.” Joy chimed in, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips.
“In that case,” Sera said, “welcome to the world Emily. I pray that your life will be a kind one.”
. . . .
Sera had returned home, supplies and a baby Emily in hand. Emily had settled down into a gentle sleep, her soft breathes tickling Sera’s skin as the seraph held Emily close. She had placed the supplies in her room, ensuing they were in reach.
She had began to set up a small cot for Emily in her room taking care not to wake the baby, wanting to keep a close eye on Emily for the first few years. That and she didn’t really have a room set out for Emily, something she would have corrected as soon as possible. Just not now as the sun was setting, signalling the night approaching. The shadows began to cradle Heaven with its gentle embrace.
Soon enough Sera had finished what she had set out to do, a simple wooden cot, fit for a young angel like Emily. She laid Emily down, making sure to be as gentle as possible.
Emily let out a sleepy sounding mumble before settling down once more. Sera smiled at the sight. She leaned over and gave Emily a gentle kiss on her forehead. “Sleep well Emily.” She had barely had Emily for a few hours but she already loved the small angel sleeping in her room.
With that said, Sera began to ready herself for bed. She had a busy day tomorrow and she needed to get some sleep.
Once she had changed into her nightgown, a long silver one that reached the floor, she got into her bed, getting herself comfortable. Once she did so she switched off the side light, plunging her room into complete darkness. As Sera closed her eyes she could hear the chirping crickets and the soft snores of Emily, soon she drifted off to sleep.
. . . .
Sera woke up to a crying baby, making her leap from her bed in a near state of panic, turning on the light in the process trying to see what was going on. She could smell the stench of envy, the sin of coveting what others had, fill the air with the scent of rot and salt. She could see the shadows beneath Emily’s crib began to deepen and pool, trying to reach out to touch a crying Emily. Sera could hear faint whispers that she couldn’t make heads or tails of.
Not on her watch. She would never let Emily be hurt like this.
“Begone!” she ordered as she cast off her mortal appearance, her eyes opening all over her body. She began to glow, glow as bright as the sun.
The light filled the room, the shadow trying to clash against it to no avail. Whatever it was, it was no much to a Seraph like her, fading away like a nightmare in the morning.
But still Emily cried, her little body thrashing about. Frightened from the shadow.
Sera made her way over, all her eyes keeping watch in case the shadow tried anything. She picked up Emily, settling the young angel as Sera began to hum a lullaby she had heard some humans use for their young. “There there you’re safe now.” she said once Emily was fully calm. “I promise you this. As long as I’m here, I will keep you safe from all that seeks to harm you.”