Page 19 of Saints & Sinners

I glanced at the other Ascendants. Some stood straighter, eyes gleaming with determination. Others shifted nervously, their hands fidgeting at their sides.

Azrael’s gaze swept over us, pausing briefly on me. “This competition is rooted in Celestia’s history. It was first established to honor the angels who fought to restore balance to the realms. Those who prove themselves will earn not just glory but the Council’s favor. And this time…” He let the words linger for a moment, his sharp green eyes narrowing. “The stakes are higher. One among you may be granted early ascension.”

A collective gasp ran through the crowd, but it was I who felt the strange twist in my chest. Unwillingly, my eyes went to Grace. She was the smallest in the crowd, and her uniform barely fitted her.

“As per usual, only five from each sector will be chosen to participate. Meaning, from here on out, each and every one of you will not only be training for a spot in the competition, but you will be competing for the one thing you all desire.” His gaze was like ice, cutting through the bravado of most Ascendants standing here. “You have less than four months to win your spot.” He stood still and glanced at everyone who was closest to him. Some Ascendants were already casting side glances at eachother, calculating their odds. “Your training starts now.”

With that, he walked off the pit, and everyone immediately began rushing to get their weapons and training in gear.

I glanced at Silas, who was shaking his head, his usual grin replaced with something more serious. “This is just going to cause more rifts between Ascendants, you know that, right?”

“Maybe I’ll be the one who wins it this time,” Brandon snickered, and I just nodded, my mind elsewhere. I didn’t need them all telling me how this would go down. The Ascendants at the academy were already competitive, but things were about to get worse now that the stakes were higher.

“Cain! Williams!” Azrael barked, his voice slicing through the other Ascendants already sparring. “Pair off in the middle and use your powers. No holding back.”

I shot a look over at Matias, who rolled his shoulders and grinned. My fists clenched, knowing that Azrael chose him on purpose. Matias was an arrogant prick who got on my nerves a hundred times a day. He had decent combat ability, but he lacked the brains for control.

Shrugging off my jacket, I passed it off to Silas and made my way past Grace. She was still next to Lucas, her eyes wide as she stared at everything new around her. After this, I hoped she would realize the Warriors Sector wasn’t for her.

I stepped into the center of the training grounds, my gaze narrowing on Matias as he mirrored my movements with that cocky grin still plastered on his face.

Someone threw me a weapon, and I caught it with my right hand. My lips tugged when I saw it was the blade of an archangel—a dagger crafted from Celestial steel that blinded anyone with the right skill applied.

“Sure, you want to do this today, Cain?” Matias called out, his grin widening as the other Ascendants around us stilled. “I would hate for the new girl to see the top student get knockedflat on his ass.”

My fists clenched tighter, and he laughed when I didn’t respond.

Azrael’s voice rang out from the side, clear and commanding. “Begin.”

Matias didn’t hesitate. He charged forward with twin daggers, his muscles tensing as he activated his enhanced strength. The ground beneath him cracked as he closed the distance between us in a blur. His first strike came in fast, but I was faster as I sidestepped the blow. Without wasting time, I felt the rippling power of enhanced strength rushing to my fingertips as I swung my leg up and landed a solid kick to his ribs. He grunted, staggering back. He clenched his fists, and I saw the familiar glow of power—a shimmering aura that radiated from his skin, amplifying his strength even further. It was predictable. Matias fought with brute force, relying too much on raw power. That was always his mistake.

He lunged again, summoning more force as he aimed the twin blades toward my torso. I knew better than to take it head-on. Instead, I used the momentum of his charge to my advantage and grabbed hold of his arm. I twisted, throwing him off balance and sending him crashing to the ground.

The impact shook the muddied pit, but Matias was back on his feet in seconds; a flash of irritation crossed his eyes. “Not bad.” He wiped the mud off his mouth and spat out blood onto the ground. “But you’re still lacking, Cain.” His blades cleaved through the air with terrifying speed, and I dodged, feeling the force of the weapons whistle past my ear before I countered each strike with one of my own. The archangel’s blade connected with his, and the clashes sent sparks flying.

We traded blows, each strike heavier than the last. Matias’s strength made him a powerhouse, but with every swing, he grew sloppier. I stayed calm, my blade a blur of light as I parried anddodged.

Behind me, I could feel Azrael’s eyes on us. He wanted to see us push ourselves to the brink, and I was fine with delivering that to him.

Matias’s frustration cracked through his composure. He lunged, and I sidestepped easily, waiting for the exact moment he’d overcommit. As I raised my hand, the archangel blade ignited in a bright light, causing Matias to wince and slip onto the ground. He was blinking furiously, trying to get his sight to catch up, but I didn’t wait as I charged toward him, aiming the blade at his exposed side.

But just as my blade was about to connect, Matias’s powers absorbed the impact, the Warrior powers rippling out in a protective barrier. He grinned, thinking he had me, until I twisted the blade mid-strike, redirecting the energy into a sharp upward arc. The energy pulsed outward as Matias fell back, his eyes wide with shock as the shield dissipated. He hadn’t expected me to use his own energy against him.

“Still think you’ve got some fight left in you?” I muttered, stepping forward and pressing the blade against his neck. The light from the archangel blade flared as Matias’s chest heaved and his hands raised in reluctant surrender.

“Enough,” Azrael’s voice sliced through the air, and with it, a shadow of his wings flared out, engulfing the space. They weren’t solid, nor were they ever fully tangible. Instead, Azrael’s wings—among other Celestials—flickered in and out of existence at will.

Azrael’s gaze shifted. “Good control, Cain.” His sharp eyes moved to Matias. “Williams, work on your restraint. Power is nothing without control.”

Matias’s jaw clenched as the feeling of satisfaction surged through me.

“Everyone else,” Azrael called out. “Back to training.”

As I turned to leave, my eyes caught Grace’s. She was stillwatching, but I could see a flicker of doubt in her eyes. Maybe now she’d understand.

I walked towards her, my shoulder brushing against hers before I leaned and whispered against her ear, “You heard him. Get back to training.”

Chapter Eleven

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