Slowly, ever so slowly, she laid it down.

Godric stared at her armor, before them on the desk. Ayako’s gaze was also fixed on it, with an unreadable sorrowful look in her eyes. The symbol of their guild was visible on it, able to be seen in the dim light of the room.

There was only one question.

“Are you really sure?”

If she said yes, there would be no going back. There were rarely any second chances.

Even then, she said it.

“I am.”

Godric nodded slowly. Before her eyes, they held the shoulder plate of the armor… and then ripped the leather where the symbol was. She watched that part be thrown away, in pieces. The armor was ripped now, and it would not be easy to fix. This action was mandatory, to ensure no one could pose as a hunter. The symbol was not easy to replicate, much less onto an armor like this, made with such detail. Only hunters could wear it.

She would not be one from now on.

Her mentor laid back with their hands clasped together, assessing the moment. Sitting on their chair, they looked at her, standing there in the room.

“You may keep your weapons, as I kept my own bow.” She nodded, feeling slight relief. Her daggers had been with her a long time. “You may still come back and associate with the guild, you can still act on their behalf, but you aren’t part of the hunting division anymore. Expect harsh penalties if you’re caught partaking in any kind of kill. Non hunters should not near angels, in any way.”

A small sad but amused smile grew on her face, but Godric did not notice.

“Don’t worry; I won’t near any dangerous angels.” She looked up, giving Godric a tired glance. “You don’t need to be so formal. The guild will only know this thanks to a silly document.”

Godric nodded, and then stood up. They folded her armor with care, fondly.

“I find it appropriate to use these formal parting words, considering how resourceful you’ve been. I appreciate all the help you’ve given. I have to admit that I dislike this, even if I saw it coming. You’ve lost your sway to hunt, Ayako.”

“Do you resent me for leaving this path?”

“No.” Godric smiled, speaking calmly. “I would be a hypocrite if I scorned you. It is sad to see such a good hunter leave the guild, we don’t have many as skillful and good as you. But I believe it is how it’s supposed to be. Your wellbeing is more important. If stopping hunting will help you, so be it.”

She leaned her head, frowning. She had already explained her reasons, but she had her concerns with her mentor.

“Doesn’t it bother you that I may use my teachings near this village? We underlings are supposed to leave the region we serve, once we leave our mentors. You haven’t tried to point that out while I explained.”

Godric raised an eyebrow, almost laughing.

“It would bother me, if I thought you would fail. If there’s another place nearby that can aid the wounded and sick, I will be glad, even if it means less people coming here. I don’t need the money; I have enough with what the townsfolk give me. Cecilia doesn’t get paid much anyway, not until she takes higher responsibilities.” They pointed at her, warning. “A mentor always wishes their pupils to be greater; you better do your best in that old inn.”

She smiled warmly. While bowing down before them, she promised surely.

“I will.” Before leaving, she looked straight into their eye, and said the next words with affection. “Thank you, Godric.”

Godric answered back, with their own kind words.

“No, thank you for choosing me as your mentor, Ayako. Many believed my grand days to be over, yet you thought I was still able to teach. I’ve always felt your talent was greater than any other older hunters. Not only you can shine hunting, remember that. Take care out there, you will be missed.”

Ayako left the room, knowing Godric would say no more. They watched her walk out of the building, never to come back as an assistant or hunter.

She could try to hide it, but she obviously resented all the kills she had taken part in. There was something in her eyes, different from others who had retired. Instead of broken, she seemed to mourn. There was no tiredness like in others, it was shame.

Another of their pupils left, leaving them to ponder their actions.

———————–

 

He did not expect a knock at these hours.

His tail stopped swaying; he heard well the steps outside, even if he was in his room down below. The noise had not been easy to pinpoint, given that it was raining.

He sat up on his bed, slowly. He had not been asleep. While looking at the warm fire of his chimney, he moved the book off his lap reluctantly. He wondered who could be knocking at the doors. Travelers did not tend to arrive so late in the night. It happened very rarely.

Whoever was out there, they had not thought well of their plans. Even more, they surely had been caught under the rain.

He sighed, leaving his room to head for the entrance.

“Better let them in, before they wake up anyone else.”

Crossing a corridor, he took a candle from a nearby shelf. He walked calmly towards the doors, shining his way out the basement. Holding the light in one hand, he moved his free one in a simple wave. In a second, he was not only seeing through his own eyes, but the ones of a puppet.

The armor trembled and soon stood upright. Like it did for any other guests, it reached for the door at its right. Slowly, it opened, to let whoever stood outside come in.

It took him a few seconds to recognize the figure. Clad in a hooded coat, the woman had been waiting patiently at the steps, uncaring of the droplets that fell on top of her. She had not tried to open the doors after knocking, one of the facts that had confused him. The lamps at the patio were not lighted; it was a dark rainy night. She had been standing there, like if she dreaded coming in.

He understood less her reluctance when she advanced, while pulling down her hood. He finally recognized Ayako, walking in slowly, with a sad frown on her face.

She halted at the center of the hall, and there she waited. She did not even take off her wet coat, like if she believed she would have to leave. She waited for him to come to her with a serene stance.

Uriel looked at her, with his own eyes. He slowly walked up to her, not understanding her unsure glance. Her icy eyes were looking at him sideways; she looked like if she wanted to say something, but she doubted.

“Ayako, you know you can come in without knocking.”

He couldn’t help calling her out on it. The main doors were always open; any door would open for her here.

She sighed, brushing tiredly her soaked hair. Looking at the ground, she answered under his worried stare.

“I know, Uriel.” She looked up to him with a nervous smile, noticing how close he was now. “Coming here so late in the night was an urge.”

Uriel wasn’t paying much mind to her words. He was now looking her all over, frowning at her soaked clothes. While reaching for her, he spoke with a concerned tone.

“Look at you. What made you think it was a good idea to travel under the rain? You are going to get sick.” He grabbed her hand and turned, to pull her towards the living room. “Come, let me light a fire and-”

“That can wait. I have to ask some things first, Uriel.”

He looked back at her with a puzzled glance. He did not understand. Her behavior tonight was not something he was used to. It really worried him.

“What’s wrong?”

His eyes were fixed on her again, this time a little fearful. He was still holding her hand, but he was letting her stay put, like her stance hinted. He did not like to see her frown, at all. It was making him dread whatever she would say.

“Nothing’s wrong.” He did not truly believe that. Yet still listened and gave her time to explain. “I just need to sort my own thoughts, and carefully assess something.”

He nodded. Slowly, he lowered himself a little, in order to look at her more gently. While looking at her eyes, he smiled, trying to sound as reassuring as possible.

“Whatever is troubling you, you can tell me.” He motioned at the hallway nearby, hoping to sound supporting. “Wouldn’t you rather come in to do so?”

“No, I’d rather not. Maybe I will leave through the doors. Uriel, I feel unsure of what I’m doing.” He gave her a confused stare, while she brushed his claws softly, pondering. “I made a harsh choice yesterday. It left me with two possibilities. I will accept either of them.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m saying-” She shook her head, rewording herself. “No, I’m asking. It doesn’t depend on me. It depends on you, on what you feel about it. I already know what I want, but I don’t think it’s alright to keep on walking into places where I’m not called.”

She was carrying a heavier backpack than usual. She pulled at it nervously before continuing.

“I am not a hunter anymore. I have left the guild.”

Uriel was taken aback. His tail dropped, as his claws did.

“You did what?”

He wasn’t exactly an advocate of angel hunters, but he knew how dedicated she was to that vocation. She was the only hunter he would ever respect. Ayako did not seem to be bothered by what she just said, in fact, she seemed proud.

“I had to. Not because I was forced. It just did not feel right anymore.” She was looking sideways towards a corridor, towards a certain room. “It is not right.”

Uriel followed her trail of thought. He knew. Whatever she did, he was supportive. Never again would he question her beliefs, not after mistaking trust for ignorance. It had only brought them pain.

“Still, we don’t think you…” He gave her a serious look, while grasping her shoulders. “Look, you’re not guilty of anything, hear me? If you did this because of what happened here, know that you didn’t have to.”

She laid a hand on top of his, shaking her head. The reaction Alexis had that day was only a catalyst, she always knew deep inside that it was wrong.

“That’s not what I want to discuss now. It’s something I don’t regret, something I wanted to do. What I’m here to talk about, is what I’m going to do next. If I’m not a hunter, I can only be two things, which I was before: a wanderer… or a healer.”

“Wanderer?” His eyes glinted with worry, at the implication of that word. “Do you mean you consider leaving? To another region?”

He tensed when she nodded and answered.

“Yes.” She pointed outside, firmly. “Before killing angels, that’s what I was. A roaming mercenary, running errands anywhere I could to earn some coins. Skillful enough to do anything, master of nothing. I went where I found people in need, scavenging any resource I could. I’ve always acted on impulse, Uriel. Joining the guild was an urge, like what I’m doing tonight. Today, I have another choice, a new possibility, which brings me here.”

Uriel looked down, away from her eyes. He was crestfallen, his heart was beating anxiously. The bag she was carrying was big, surely full of some of her belongings. It was obvious to him that she wouldn’t need to go back to her cabin.

“Don’t make me wait then.” He laughed nervously, while glancing at her sadly. “If you are trying to tell me you want to go far away, I’d prefer you’d just say it already.”

It would really hurt, to see her leave after having her so close. It would break him to have her presence denied once again; a sick joke.

Ayako frowned, seeing how restless he was getting. She quickly nudged his claw with her hand, taking his attention again.

“I said I have a choice. I would rather stay, than leave.” She tried to get it over with, something not easy. She was not usually nervous, but while saying the next words, she was. “Look, Uriel. I’ve never been a woman who settles down. I’ve always gone from place to place, trying to do my best. I rarely stay close to anybody, even if I act all friendly sometimes. That village is only one of the many places where I have tried to stay, another stone on the road I follow. I’m kind of a loner, I always have an urge to follow my instincts. But that does not mean I can’t warm up to people. It’s not frequent, but it can happen. In fact… I may have warmed up to you two. I… can’t keep on hunting, not only because no more angels will fall here, but because I can’t bring myself to do it. That leads me no choice but to leave that village, to begin again once more. I see the possibility of traveling again… yet, I, for the first time, want to stay. I want to stay here, Uriel. But I don’t know if I should. You’ve been a peculiar surprise in my life.”

The anxiety he was feeling lessened. With a soft tone, he asked, tangling his tail around her arm.

“What’s stopping you from staying?” He saw her glance sideways in doubt, and that was the moment when he let everything out. “Do you truly think that I would not want you here? Don’t you know already what I think? Do you really believe I wouldn’t welcome you with open arms? Why wouldn’t I want to make my home yours?”

She had worn a frown, but looking now at his hopeful eyes, she couldn’t avoid laughing silently. His timid demeanor was always entrancing to her.

“Are you just going to let a stranger try to steal your heart so easily?”

He gave her a look. Laughing silently as well, he retorted with a sad grin.

“Oh, what makes you think it wasn’t given already?”

She blinked, surprised by his confident remark. She then smiled slyly at him, warmly. She wasn’t the one to be surprised for long; before he could react, she had thrown her arms around his neck and had pulled him down.

It was a very soft kiss, yet he was frozen in her grip nonetheless. She quickly let him stand back, and was not surprised to see him cling to her hand. He couldn’t stop looking at her.

From a nearby corridor, a blond spied. Leaning unseen against a wall, he watched her pull playfully towards the living room. Both disappeared into the manor, not to leave again without the other.

He laughed under his breath, shaking his head with a content smile.

“There we go…”

Sometimes, he didn’t mind feeling more than other angels. He couldn’t deny he enjoyed it in moments like this.

He was hopeful as well.