Cliffhanger

The next morning the Alaskan sky blazed with the first rays of sunrise, casting an amber glow across the snowy landscape. Gabe knelt beside Ethan, shaking him urgently. "Ethan, wake up, wake up! We have to get moving!"

Ethan jolted awake, heart pounding. "What? What's wrong?"

"Time to get going. I found a shortcut, and there's something special I need to show you." Gabe's voice held a hint of excitement and mystery.

Groggily, Ethan stood, stretching cautiously as he felt his wings pressing awkwardly against his layers of clothing. He quickly relaxed, gathering his things and packing up the tent as Gabe extinguished the remains of the campfire.

After tending to nature's call, the pair set off along the snow-covered path, engaging in lighthearted chatter as they navigated the serene wilderness. About an hour into their journey, Gabe suddenly halted, his eyes fixed intently on the dense forest beside them. A faint trail, almost completely obscured by snow, was barely discernible among the trees."Come on, Ethan, this way!" Gabe called enthusiastically, darting quickly into the forest.

"Wait up!" Ethan shouted, stumbling after him through deep snow.

Soon, Ethan lost sight of Gabe but followed his footprints until he spotted him at the edge of a vast ravine. The chasm stretched before them, impossibly deep, making Ethan's stomach churn with unease.

"You're sweating, you should remove your jacket," Gabe instructed casually as he removed his own and hung it on a nearby branch. "If you don't, your sweat will freeze and you won't be able to warm up again."

"Oh…yeah…good idea," Ethan said as he reluctantly shed his jacket, worried about the wings concealed beneath his layers of flannel shirts. Gabe, now grinning mischievously, moved closer to the edge.

"Gabe, where exactly is this shortcut?" Ethan asked cautiously as he approached the edge, his legs trembling from a lifelong fear of heights.

Gabe's grin broadened, eyes sparkling with playful menace. "Right here, Ethan!" he shouted gleefully, shoving Ethan hard, sending him sprawling over the edge of the cliff.

Ethan's screams echoed through the ravine, terror consuming him as he plunged downward, the wind tearing past him. Instinctively, like holding his breath underwater, his wings burst forth, ripping through his shirts and sending them outward with a thunderous snap. His descent halted abruptly as he soared upward, watching his shirts fall to the rocky ground below, confusion and fear etched deeply into his face.

"Gabe!" Ethan roared in fury, but his anger swiftly morphed into panic as he witnessed Gabe shed his shirt and exuberantly leap from the edge, plummeting headfirst toward him.

"Catch me, Ethan!" Gabe called out mockingly, plummeting faster toward the rocky bottom.

Ethan twisted awkwardly, wings desperately straining to dive faster. "I can't reach you!" he yelled, voice thick with panic as Gabe passed him rapidly.

Ethan folded his wings tightly, diving dangerously fast, heart hammering against his ribs. The ground loomed closer, prompting him to flare his wings urgently to avoid collision. His breath caught painfully as he watched Gabe continue toward imminent death.

"No!" Ethan shouted, voice breaking with despair. "Halo, how do I save him?"

A detached voice echoed internally, cold and clear. "The subject has passed the point of no return."

But just before Gabe struck the ground, a tremendous crack erupted, echoing through the ravine. Ethan's heart skipped as luminous wings burst magnificently from Gabe's back, halting his fall and launching him gracefully skyward.

Gabe laughed exuberantly, effortlessly soaring through the air with elegant ease. Ethan landed roughly at the bottom, rolling painfully across the rocky ground, his minor injuries unnoticed and swiftly healing.

"You nearly killed me!" Ethan shouted angrily, storming toward Gabe, who landed gracefully nearby.

Gabe laughed, easily sidestepping Ethan's charge and swatting him playfully aside with one wing. "Consider it your initiation!" Gabe teased, eyes glimmering mischievously.

"Who are you really?" Ethan demanded breathlessly, suspicion dawning in his gaze.

Gabe's smile softened slightly, becoming more genuine. "Gabriel, you know… the Archangel. Though I prefer just 'Gabe.'"

Memories flooded Ethan—Bible stories read by his father, tales of angelic beings. Shock rippled through him. "You're… really the Archangel Gabriel?" he stammered in awe.

Gabe nodded warmly. "Indeed. You've been chosen for something greater, Ethan. The halo has called to you."

Still trembling, Ethan glanced down at his shirtless body. "You ruined my only shirts," he grumbled, annoyance creeping into his voice.

Gabe chuckled. "A small price for the adventure, don't you think? Besides, I have one you can borrow. Now, let's see how quickly you can master those things hanging from your back."

He leaped upward gracefully, urging Ethan to follow. Ethan hesitated, his eyes wide. "Just push up and flap, don't think too hard!" Gabe shouted down encouragingly.

Awkwardly, Ethan ascended, nearly colliding with the trees and hitting the rocky wall of the ravine. "Whoa! Left! Left! Other left!" Gabe teased, swooping gracefully beside him. "You're flying like a drunk seagull, Ethan!"

"Very funny!" Ethan retorted, wobbling erratically through the air. "How about some real advice?"

"Fine," Gabe chuckled. "Feel the wind. Tilt your wings slightly—subtly. Think graceful swan, not injured turkey."

Gradually, Ethan's flight became smoother, laughter mixing with his nervousness. "Better?" Ethan asked proudly.

"Marginally less hilarious," Gabe conceded playfully.

"Let's head back," Gabe suggested. "It's really cold."

Ethan carefully ascended, touching down softly beside Gabe at the top of the ravine. His heart still raced from the exhilaration of his first successful flight. The rocky surface felt solid and comforting beneath his feet. Suddenly, a gentle chime resonated within his mind, and a holographic projection flickered clearly into view, startling him slightly. Ethan's eyes widened in surprise as he read the notification:

System Notification: Assignment Complete – Learn to Fly

Reward Earned: 10 XP

User: Ethan Blade

Current Status: Human-Angel Hybrid

System Status: Training Mode

Current Mission: Shed Your Humanity

Ability Unlocked: Wing Retraction Ability

Total XP Earned: 10 of 100

Assignments Completed: 1 (Learn to Fly: 10 XP)

Excitement surged through Ethan, prompting him to turn swiftly toward Gabe, his voice brimming with enthusiasm. "Gabe, you won't believe this! Halo just gave me a reward—I can retract my wings now!"

Gabe stared at Ethan in confusion, brow furrowed. "Reward? What do you mean a reward? Ethan, what's this system you're talking about?"

Ethan grinned excitedly, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet. "It's like a game—Halo sets these missions or assignments. When I complete them, I earn points and unlock abilities. This one was learning to fly, and it gave me points. Now apparently I can retract my wings, which means no more worrying about accidentally tearing my shirts off! Or people seeing my wings!"

Gabe shook his head slowly, processing the strange information. "Points? Missions? Ethan, you're saying your powers are controlled by some kind of point system?"

Ethan nodded eagerly, his excitement undiminished. "Yeah, that's exactly it. Each completed mission unlocks new powers or abilities. I guess it's a way to gradually introduce me to being…well, whatever I am now."

Gabe let out a slow, amazed breath, shaking his head and chuckling softly to himself. "Leave it to my father to come up with something like this. Always so creative," he murmured, eyes lifted briefly skyward with a wry smile. "Even I never saw this one coming." Gabe handed Ethan a heavy flannel shirt from his bag, and they put their coats back on and set off as Gabe teased Ethan about his flying. "I don't know if you really deserve points for that flying."

"Apparently, it's not your decision," Ethan joked, playfully punching Gabe in the arm.

As the two walked side by side, Ethan was filled with excitement. He repeatedly shared his thoughts about being pushed off a cliff and the exhilarating sensation of flying for the first time. Their animated walk was punctuated by playful banter, with Gabe offering flying tips and Ethan regaling Gabe with stories about his dad and his life up to that point. They continued on their journey, the early sunset of the Alaskan winter already casting long shadows behind them.