He neared unceremoniously.

There was only a slight look of apprehension when he brushed one of her wings with a claw. His nails brushed the feathers, which were now dry. She shied under his stare, like if she had dreaded this moment.

“It’s time to go.”

No more waiting. He had allowed them some time, even though her wings had dried an hour ago. Now, he picked up one of their bags with his mouth and lifted it up for Aurora to take. Before her claws could reach for it, however, Ariel walked by and snatched it for herself.

“Give it to me, I can carry it.”

Aurora shot her another disapproving glare, seeing her carry everything, including the bag with the armour. Her sister was punishing herself in stubborn ways.

“Ariel, my legs and arms are not broken!”

Ariel ignored her; she was already walking ahead, south. Jumping over some trails of water, she was making way, back home. Lykaios spoke to Aurora, shaking his head sadly.

“Let her burden herself, she wants to silence her thoughts.”

As stubborn as her father. It was a senseless act, one that did not help at all, but that she wanted to assign herself to not think.

Aurora batted her wings down; her claw clasped what rested under her shirt. She stood there, looking back at the valley, at the rivers and mountains, wishing she could keep going. But Lykaios pulled at her gently. She began to follow him, eased forward by his big claw, now around her. She stopped looking at the dam ahead, at the bridge over them, knowing she could not reach the rest of her family. Her wings fluttered sadly, like if they wished to rise, but dared not.

Both she and her sister still did not know what their family was doing. They did not know why they left, what could be so dangerous for them to leave them behind. They both shared a sense of dread, a sense of urgency and protection… they felt zealous of their loved ones. Something called to them; their family was supposed to be together when in need. That was what they had taught them, what they had always done.

But here they were, retreating, leaving behind the paths that led to them. One did so out of dread, the other out of sympathy. Both felt impotence. Lykaios still refused to tell them a word of what took them away from them.

It was not fair, it made no sense. All these years, they had been close; they had only refused to tell them one thing, one which they reserved for when they would be able to understand it. Even if they waited to tell them about the hate between angels and demons, they still told them. They couldn’t imagine what could be worse than that for them to hide it. It had to be something dangerous, something related to demons, what had most torn them.

Why else would they be so adamant on us not following?

They wouldn’t know. Aurora kept looking at those red eyes, but the big demon kept walking ahead without acknowledging her stare. There was sadness there, empathy, but he was still silent; he wouldn’t hint them of why they left. He would take them back home, and they could very well never know the true reason of this senseless journey.

He may never tell me.

Slowly, they walked down away from the rivers. They kept close to the feet of the eastern mountain, near the cliffs. The path that led to the hanging bridge was still near, but every step took them further away.

We were so close…

Ariel was the one leading; her eyes were narrowed and fixed on the end of the valley. In her mind, she could still see her sister drowning, fangs showing in her open mouth, eyes hazed, while her fair hair and wings floated upwards without gravity. It was something that haunted her, that invoked the words she had heard since she was very young.

“No matter what, always keep her safe, Ariel. Keep a sharp eye, like in a hunt.”

“You are the oldest; show her what you’ve learnt in these books. Be wise, be strong.”

“Always be cautious and responsible, not like me, okay?”

The burden was there on her shoulders. She had been careless. In her life, she had always tried to be useful, she always assigned herself tasks in the manor to impress them; but they always told her that the only thing they wanted of her was to care for Aurora. The only thing they truly expected of her, she had risked.

This should have been simple. I should have managed.

She felt cursed, unlucky. In their path they had faced bandits, angry humans and unwelcoming barriers; things that they did not deserve, not even as demons.

Angered, she kicked a nearby rock and sent it into the water; with its size, it rolled into the river strongly, sinking deep. She jolted then, because as soon as it dropped, a rumble echoed. It was a crackle, a tremor. She stared at the shore, unable to see the bottom and the rock. Slowly, she looked back, and then saw that not only she had been startled. Aurora had jolted too; her wings had puffed as she hugged herself. Lykaios was still, ears up. His voice echoed, in a worried whisper.

“That… that was not caused by your kick.”

Ariel did not feel relief. Aurora began to pace back, eyeing the woods of the valley.

“Could it have been an animal? Or even…?”

It had been like a roar, distant, strong. It had echoed faintly, from the heights. So Lykaios shook his head, his eyes glaring suspiciously around them.

“No, this could not be an animal or a devil. It sounded more like-” He blinked, because Aurora bolted away from him. “Hey, where are you going?!”

She ignored him. She ran to a tree and laid her claws on it, jumping next. Her wings batted strongly, allowing her legs to lift and her feet to slam on its trunk. Her nails sunk into the wood as her wings acted like arms, resting against the branches to aid her. Swiftly, she climbed like a cat, eyes sharpening. Ariel looked up and saw her there, standing on a tall branch.

“What do you see?!”

Aurora did not feel vertigo here. Her feet were firm, the tree did not shake with her weight, and its roots sunk deep in the earth. Her claws had a sure grip on the branches while her eyes looked into the distance. Like in many hunts with her mother, she scouted, this time without her bow.

“…”

Silent, she stood frozen there, incapable of voicing what she noticed in the far distance. Ariel climbed too. Once there, she looked at her, confused.

“What are you-?” Aurora moved Ariel’s face, slowly. Both sisters were pale now, staring at the cause of their dread. “Oh no.”

Aurora was the first to climb down. Her wings were trembling, puffed, shaky. While she descended in a fearful hurry, Ariel stood there looking at it. Their demonic eyes could not mistake what a human would dismiss. The cracks, they were huge. A long stream of cracks coursed through one side of the dam, extending with each second that passed by. The rumbles echoed faintly at first, but with each minute, they grew in intensity. Water was beginning to break through the shattered stone, and it would only be a matter of time before it would give in.

“Ariel, get down! We have to move!”

Lykaios called, with obvious panic in his voice. He was standing on a small hill near the cliffs, as he had seen as much as them. She got down quickly, but when she did, the most deafening of sounds echoed.

The valley seemed to be struck by thunder, by a quake; the three had to crouch slightly to not stumble. Lykaios looked at the dam, eyes wide. It had given in, freeing a huge wave of water, which now coursed down like crawling fire. Huge debris rolled down, sunk at the feet of the dam or dragged strongly by the current. The rivers in the distance below the bridge were now unseen, filled to the brim. The whole valley would soon be struck by that huge wave; the lake at the other side of the dam was immense.

Lykaios stood there, mind running wild, frozen while he contemplated their impending doom. He only reacted when the girls passed him, already on the move.

“We have to run!”

Aurora had bolted, running for it. She had turned south, intending on trying to outspeed the flood. However, it would be suicide for them to try to head back through the valley. Luckily, Ariel knew it would be a death trap.

“Don’t!” Lykaios frowned with thought, seeing Ariel pull Aurora back, commanding. “We won’t be fast enough!”

Ariel snarled and looked down at the ground. The rivers here were already growing in size, hinting the waters that were sliding fast towards them. The wave had closed in and had sunken most of the woods in the distance. It left nothing but an abyss of blue in its path. The dam was now a strong waterfall, unending.

So she looked at the cliffs near them, at the bridge at the end of the path. The water ahead was brushing the sides of the mountain, but it was only doing slight damage to it.

“Lykaios, we have to go back to the path!”

The lynx snarled, glaring back north. There, close to where Aurora almost drowned, there was the path. The flood had not reached it yet, but they would not be there in time.

“No, the rush will meet us first; we won’t reach it!”

Ariel and Aurora snarled, trembling. Ariel tried again, to bargain, to reason; they couldn’t just resign to drown.

“But we have to-!”

Lykaios bolted. Before she could finish, the big demon had moved. He pushed them both towards a nearby cliff at their side, easing them forward with his head.

“No time, climb there!” He panted with fear, his feet already sunk in water. “I said, climb!”

The girls obeyed. They sprinted towards the side of the mountain and faced the rocky ledges. With no path there, they resorted to listen to their most primal instincts. Ariel was the first to latch onto the cliffs, jumping ledge to ledge, not without trouble. The cliffs were tall and uneven, not easy to move on. The water was now rising below them, but Aurora had only managed to rise above it slightly. She was being outpaced, and her dread was all too clear in her eyes. The water was going up; logs and trees were being pushed in the rush. Lykaios growled noticing those trembling incompliant wings; he jumped down from above and grabbed Aurora with his mouth. He then hauled her up strongly at Ariel’s side, at the ledge above him.

“Keep going!”

He smiled for a second, seeing them both move up, little by little. Ariel helped as Aurora battled her obvious fear, fighting against the heaviness of her limbs. His relief did not last long, however. The earth shook. He yelped, almost falling down; a lot of rocks dropped down from the mountain, its base eroded strongly. The cliffs trembled, his claws slipped slightly. By jumping down to help Aurora, he had given up a lot of ground.

His red eyes widened, because the ledge he stood on gave in. Ariel and Aurora looked down when they heard the rumble. They both gasped and screamed, seeing him slip in a slowed moment.

“Lykaios!”

He managed to sink his nails on the muddy stone, but not for long. What had been the firm base of a tall mountain was now a feeble muddy bundle of rocks. He was sliding down, falling slowly. The water was now brushing him, strongly. Flinching with every rush, he roared, refusing to let go. He tried to leap up multiple times, but with no avail.

“We have to help him!”

Ariel snarled and leaned, intending to descend. But Lykaios stopped her, with a commanding roar, a desperate yell.

“Do not!” He yelled at Ariel, firmly, even though his voice was being silenced by the water and the distance. “Go up! Run past the dam! The cliffs might give in!”

Aurora had descended one ledge as Ariel froze. She was trying to crawl down, to rocks that would easily crumble under her feet. She lowered her wings painfully, outstretching them in a weird angle.

“No! Lykaios, leap and grab onto my wings! Jump!” His eyes narrowed below, disgusted by the thought. With their length, it would be easy for his nails to reach and sink in, latch on. She begged, crying. “I know you can jump here! Grab on them!”

Those wings were long. They were a safety rope he could reach, cling onto them.

And he would rip them if he did.

Ariel heard Aurora cry out in alarm, with a horrified yell. Lykaios had let go of the rocks and let the water push him away, willfully. They both saw him sink into the flood, unseen in the fierce rush of water, which doubled its height in seconds.

“No! No, no!” Aurora tried to move down, crying angrily. “You stupid, old, stubborn…! You could have-!”

She stopped. Something pulled her up, strongly. She panted, tears running down; Ariel was glaring at her, crying too, but more solemn.

“Aurora, he might be fine…!” There was intense doubt, but she had to say it. There was nothing else she could say. “We have to move up! We have to reach that bridge!”

Both looked down. The water was rising, the cliffs were giving in. Rubble was building up around them. They feared for Lykaios, but knew they would be dead demons if they did not move.

Slowly, they climbed their way up to the peaks. They found a path, which was now damaged. The ground was caved in, revealing great falls and slides. No one had walked here in ages; as well, the snow had rolled down with the tremors. They almost fell down multiple times: when the snow gave in, or when the tremors grew stronger. Each time, they would look with wide eyes at the flood below, at the rapids, the horrible rush. The wind here was strong, fierce; the water below made it howl while it brushed the altitude.

Both paled, seeing the hanging bridge ahead. It had two parts. The first connected two peaks on the eastern mountain, it loomed at the side of the valley; the second, however, was much more dangerous looking, and longer. It began at the last peak and hanged over the valley, to end past a side of the dam, the one that had not crumbled. The second part of the bridge was creaking and twisting, both with the wind and the tremors below it. The water was down there, coursing so strongly that it looked like fire trying to lick above.

Ariel looked back, and saw that Aurora was shaking, holding her wings tightly. She was still walking, but more slowly.

“We have to go through.”

Aurora wished now she could fly, that she could move over all this. There was no firmness on that bridge, it hanged loosely. She looked back, and knew that she couldn’t go back either. The path they took was breaking in; the geography was suffering a sudden fierce change. From here, they had a huge view of the landscape. The valley was a set of bigger rivers now, which flowed south, past the valley. In the horizon, she could discern the walls of Feiren, now not surrounded by green hills, but a marsh. The city would not flood past those strong walls, but it would still have to adapt to the broken dam. If they went back, it would be through a swamp, which once had been a grassy plain.

She looked at Ariel with a broken expression, one of confusion and anger.

“Why do these things happen?”

Ariel had no answer. It truly felt like if something had cursed them, like if something wanted them dead.

But she did not know what.

“Sometimes bad things don’t have a reason…” She outstretched her claw, beckoning her. “The question is: will we do nothing about it?”

Aurora doubted, eyeing the bridge. There was clear uncertainty… until she looked up to Ariel’s eyes. She was really sorry for everything that happened, but she knew she had to lead her forward. It was not for persistence, or for their ideals, but for survival. The path back was broken, and water reigned below. Only what lied ahead could be safe ground.

Aurora breathed in, and then shook her head to push away her fearful instincts. She held her hand, looking ahead to signal she would follow. Ariel sighed, and then faced the bridge too, to begin to step on the first peak.

Slowly, they set foot on the first steps of the bridge. Ariel brushed the planks, doubtful. It really looked like it was ancient. With her foot on it, the wood creaked, the huge thick ropes at the sides let out what sounded like groans. She stayed still for a minute, wary of the sway.

Only after a while did she advance, and she had to pull at Aurora. Her wings slammed onto the ropes as she winced with dread. Before she could look down at the cliffs below, Ariel warned.

“Don’t look down.” Ariel smiled back at her nervously, trying to be supportive. “Imagine it’s the sway of a branch. This howling is just the wind through the leaves. You are scouting the distance, hunting…”

Aurora closed her eyes, biting her lip with a fang. Her wings slid down from the ropes, to shiver at her sides, providing the only other balance apart from Ariel’s claw. Multiple feathers dropped, be it with the wind or with her strain. Their bronze-like shine glinted in the air below them, while their figures advanced in the sky.

“Almost there.”

Aurora opened her eyes. Her feet stepped onto rocks at last, on snow. She panted, looking down at the great peak where they stood. She crouched for a moment, hugging her torso. Ariel felt sorrow when her sister winced and hid slightly under her wings, after a glance at what was ahead.

“I- I don’t think I can do this.”

I will freeze again. By her.

Ariel glared at the bridge. A section of it was damaged, right in the middle; some planks were missing. The sway here was stronger; the end of it was slightly loose. The ropes were fixed on the side of the dam with a few stony posts. Below, the end of the valley, the feet of the dam; they would loom over the huge waterfall, over the most destructed area.

“You have to.” Ariel looked around them. This peak was small, too windy and tall for them to stay on. “No one will come for us here.”

Aurora blinked at those words. She looked at the abyss below, tearing up again. Peeking from in between her wings, she remembered how Lykaios fell, how he sunk into the flow of water.

“You’re right.” She looked up slowly, with a haunted gaze. “…We have to find him. We’re the only ones who can.”

And the only way to do it was to walk over this flood and move around these mountains. They could not go down there, not with those huge rivers stabbing into the earth, leaving only small islands of mud.

Aurora stood slowly, pushing her trembling body upwards with her claws. She hugged her wings and nodded firmly to Ariel, not without gulping. Her sister assured, always smiling for her sake.

“I’ll go first, okay?” She prayed that if one dropped, it was her this time. “It will be fine. You won’t fall, I promise.”

Slowly, Ariel turned to face the first steps. Her tail extended behind her, to act as leverage. She had to move her arms at her sides when she set foot on it, because it really swayed. She dared to lay her claws on one rope, even though they looked like they would snap.

It did not break. She stood tall. Both smiled, nervously, but with a sense of hope. Neither saw something crawl, tangled around the ropes. Ariel advanced, unknowing that something had sunk into the rope, something of dark wooden skin. She walked past it, incapable of seeing it while it rested dead still; its needle like nails kept together the only strings that held up the rope.

Aurora saw Ariel walk safely and almost tried to follow, with a sense of trust, of shyness. But the oldest called, warning.

“Wait! Let me walk all the way!” She motioned, wary. “It could come loose with both our weights!”

The thing that crept on the ropes felt anger. It shivered with frustration, with tiredness. Many attempts, all failed. It began to claw, forgetting about her initial plan. If she had to resort to only making one fall, she would. She would trap the other at the peaks… she could do with one death, for now.

Ariel had turned again to face the end of the bridge. She smiled, seeing it there, ahead. She moved one foot, slowly, carefully. And even then, her care and wariness did nothing to prevent the worst from happening. Behind her, a very loud snap echoed. She stumbled; she had to hold onto the rope at her left. With wide eyes, crouching, she looked at her right. The rope was ripped; it was falling down, to hang below the bridge. Soon, the whole thing began to tilt, downwards.

“Ariel!”

She looked back. Aurora was stepping closer, still on the rocks. She had tried to reach, even if far. But that did nothing to prevent gravity from commanding. Ariel stood, she tried to run for it, but it was in vain. She gasped silently, her claw halted midair; her feet stopped feeling the planks below her. The rush of air met her. As she clawed the air, she heard the last rope snap, the bridge give in. She leaned in the air, trying hard to grab anything; the bridge, the supports… anything. She brushed the ropes, but they had snapped with such force that they had broken into mere strings.

The thing fell too. If it could smile, it did with a sickening hiss, which was unheard in the rush of gravity. Its body opened into two, into a needled maw, which shivered with satisfaction. It let itself fall with every single part of the bridge, knowing that the horned devil was falling too. It did not struggle as it admired its work; the rocks that peeked up from in between the flood would pierce her flesh, while it would sink to live another day. It let itself fall, seeing her do as well… until something else rushed down.

Something glinted in the air. A shadow rushed down, a shadow that sent glimmers of bronze in the sky. Blinded by the sun above, it saw two huge feathered limbs dash in the air, lean and bat instinctively. That shadow lunged, it dived; the figure that had been falling was tackled, strongly. Both young devils collided, diverted in their fall.

It screeched, it twisted. It saw those wings struggle; it saw claws grip the one she intended to kill… But it saw no more when it sunk into a hellish flow of water. It felt the rocks and logs strike its deformed form, what would have killed the other.

Both sisters turned and twisted in the air. The wings had moved swiftly, but now they did wildly. Ariel panted and winced, her fangs showed in a pained scream. Nails scratched, wings hit her. She had no sense of what was up or down, because they were not flying, but falling. Aurora was gripping her, she had slowed down her fall, but she could not hold her up in the air. She weighed more, causing them to drop down, unable to keep an even flight. Aurora had tackled her to save her, but they were still tumbling.

When they landed, they did not do so gracefully. As the ground was inches away, those two wings reacted, giving an intense flap and turn. It managed to soften the blow; even if they found themselves parted in the air. Ariel tumbled onto some rocks, Aurora’s claws losing hold of her body. While she groaned and held herself in soreness, Aurora tried to regain balance. In the air, she twisted, staring wide-eyed at the water, at the air, at everything. Arms down, legs slightly lifted, she did not react while Ariel huffed and crouched.

After the blur, Ariel looked around, dazed. It took her a moment, but soon realized she was not dead, as Aurora had dropped her in the only space that was slightly safe. She was on a rock, the only one flat enough. It was surrounded everywhere by water. If she were to step slightly to a side, the rush would take her away. She looked up, and had trouble spotting the bridge above. Only some parts of it remained, and they hanged loose. Looking away, she glanced at the shadow that loomed over her. Two long shadows, that kept moving erratically in the air. Her blue eyes were full of wonder; she stared in awe at Aurora, who was frozen above. Her sister wore a haunted expression on her face.

“You flew…” Ariel coughed and smiled, disbelieving. “You’re flying?!”

Aurora shook her head, looking at her trembling limbs. In that very instant of self-realization, her limbs stopped moving on their own. And then she landed with a huff, extremely tired. The first thing she did on the ground was move her wings away like if they were something foreign, something alien. She did not dare move her claws near them while she cowered on the rock.

“T-they… they have moved on their own.”

Ariel grabbed her shoulders and crouched at her side, expression one of pure wonder.

“No they haven’t! You dived; you dropped down to grab me! You have stopped our fall!”

Aurora sat there, trying to steady her breaths.

All this time, she was sure she would never fly. Alexis had once confessed to her while crying, that angels learned to fly in a very young age, an age that she had passed long ago. He had been sure that she would not learn if she dived, if she ever tried to. He had been guilty, solemn, and apologetic; he had always blamed his lack of will, his lack of sternness. He had not had the hearth to push her from such heights.

She did not know if he was wrong. She wondered if she would have fallen if pushed. She moved, but not for herself. She moved, desperately, for another reason. It was another kind of instinct.

“I can fly…” She slowly stood, still shaken. Ariel shielded her face with a claw, because Aurora opened her wings again. The move was blinding, because light reflected on her shiny wings. Her voice was tired, but thoughtful. “I…”

She wondered if Alexis had ever flown like this, if his moves had ever had a mind of their own.

She was staring at her own body, silently. Before Ariel could overcome her own disbelief, Aurora moved. The dashing of her big wings was doubtful and sudden, but it managed to help her rise. She dared not force her limbs; she kept herself slightly over the rock for a moment. Once she was sure she could manage their moves, she began to look frantically around her, while stumbling in the air. She eyed the ropes that clung to some rocks nearby, the remnants of the bridge. Ariel blinked, because Aurora lunged for them, snatching them out of the water without soaking her wings. She came back with a few clumsy flaps, and then she lowered a rope for her sister to grab.

“Ariel, hold on to this.”

Ariel questioned her, eyeing the rope warily.

“Why? I can’t tie it anywhere, too much water near us!”

They had to yell, because the flow of water was fast and fierce. Aurora begged, concerned.

“You can’t stay there! You don’t have to tie it, just hold it! I have to take you somewhere safe, until this rush subsides!” The water could not flow forever, or so she hoped. “I can’t carry you well with my hands, you weight too much! And I still struggle with my wings! Hold onto the rope, I’ll drag you towards that bigger patch of earth there! You’ll get wet, but the current won’t drag you under!”

Ariel doubted… but not for long. Huffing, she sunk her nails onto the rope, and gave a strong pull for good measure. Aurora saw that it would not give in, and so, she pulled. Flying as high as possible while holding onto it, she dragged Ariel through the water, which only reached her waist with her aid. She struggled a lot to fly against the flow, because Ariel was being pulled strongly. Ariel tried to help while in the water; she stepped and pushed herself against any rocks or logs in the way, to take drive. It took them a while, but they managed to reach that patch of earth. It was in the middle of the valley, closer to the western side. It had many trees, their strong roots the only thing that had prevented water from going through.

Aurora fell down, Ariel crawled onto shore. Both panted, exhausted. They sat there, staring at the flood, fearful that it would rise to them. It didn’t, the water had subsided a little. The dam had been completely broken, water fell less strongly now.

Ariel let herself drop backwards, while Aurora stood again. She wore a deep frown as her eyes scouted the ruins around them. When she spoke again, she did faintly, but with a trace of urgency.

“Wait here, please.”

Ariel dared laugh, staring at the sky.

“Not like I can do anything else!”

Aurora smiled warmly, relieved that Ariel was trying to stay calm. Her sister did not protest when she took flight, this time a little more easily.

She rose upwards, as much as possible with her inexperience. She did tremble above, but not only with doubt and apprehension. She shivered, because the water was still dangerous, and not only for her.

“Okay, Aurora… Okay. You can do this.” She took a deep breath, trying to ease her vertigo. “You have wings. You are a winged being. You are made for this, these wings have their own mind, and they keep batting down. Alexis surely was a great flier… surely. Okay, maybe just imagine those books Uriel showed you, yes, the ones with aerial depictions of angels.”

She smacked her face lightly, reminding herself why she had flied so high. She pulled out all her determination, remembering that Lykaios had been dragged into the water. Her sharp eyes scanned the valley, intently. She spotted a figure far below, one that was struggling, hidden slightly under a log that was pinned against some rocks in the water.

“Lykaios!”

She could not see well the figure stuck there, but she was sure it had to be him. She smiled, seeing movement, the clear signs of life. The figure was struggling, fighting to get free. It was only when she descended more and when the figure peeked out that she realized it was not him.

Heart sinking, she stopped sharply in the air, right above it. She saw Chao there, lower half pinned under a heavy tree, broken and dragged. He had been caught by surprise by the flood, by the rubble. His eyes blinked when he saw her shadow over him; he looked up, clearly hazed by the hit.

“You!” He began to wriggle down there, trying to claw at his boundaries. “You can fly! Please, give Chao a hand! I’m trapped!”

The water was hitting his head, preventing much more words from leaving his big mouth. She doubted for a second, looking around her. It was not Lykaios, she felt urgency… but still, she felt she could not leave. Somehow, past all the hatred she had for her own kind, she still felt empathy. Her anger and resent were drowned under the mere memory of Uriel and Ariel, who shared such blood.

Chao finally could take a deep breath when Aurora landed on a rock and pulled at the log. She did not manage to lift it up much, but it left an inch of space. An inch was all he needed; his body slipped under, twisting and bending. His tail whipped the log and he sank away from it.

Aurora feared he had been dragged away, until he emerged strongly some feet away.

“Thanks, young devil!” He smiled at her, while eyeing her slyly. “I have a debt with you. And Chao always remembers.”

Aurora looked at him, still wary. She did not like being called devil. And yet, now she could not feel the disgust she had sworn she would feel near any other.

“If you’re really thankful…” She pleaded, dreadful. “If you see a big cat around here, call!”

She jumped away from him, batting her wings down. She flew away, still inelegantly, not wanting to waste time with a demon that was not Lykaios. Chao frowned, knowing what cat she referred to. He did not tell her about the small quarrel he had with him, noting her worry. He sunk into the water, careful of the ruins that dragged in it.

Aurora kept flying for a long while, until exhaustion.

—————–

 

His scream echoed loudly in the long corridor.

The demon had lunged fast, fiercely. The three points of that trident were pointed straight for him, while those claws gripped it angrily. Those eyes were glaring in the dark, piercing him hatefully.

However, the demon did not impale him. What had looked like a monster halted sharply; blinking, he slammed his armored feet down, to stop his lunge. His expression stopped being feral, turning into a shocked one, full of surprise. He moved the trident upwards; he halted his attack in the last split second. He had a deep toned voice, one that startled Alexis when he spoke up, right in front of him.

“You’re not Phil.”

The voice was humane even if strong, not monster like, nothing like Philander had described. It did not rumble in the corridor, it did not invoke the darkest of fears. The tone was surprised, baffled.

That split moment of shock was soon gone. The demon shook his head and growled, showing his fangs in a deep hateful scowl. Gone was the familiar humanity on that face, it was replaced by a deep spite.

Alexis yelped and ducked, because the trident swung towards his head. Moving his own sword, he countered the demon, who was now attacking fiercely with calculated fast thrusts. He began to swing his old longsword for his life, not without beginning to listen to the doubtful whispers in his mind.

The demon had halted. The devil had looked doubtful in that moment, a moment in which all bloodlust was gone. In that second, he had a clear view of him, right in front of him. The trident had lowered in those reluctant claws, which looked much like the ones of Uriel. As well, he saw his face better; a human like face, of slightly darker color than Uriel’s. The traits were so similar, that only his red eyes, long tied hair and short beard made him different. Those wings were almost angelic, if it were not for their hairy like structure, only a little more feathered than Aurora’s. His body was very tall and buff, but not monstrous and vile.

While swinging his sword, he eyed what hanged from below those black wings. He winced, seeing a twitchy mass of feathers, of bones, ripped, which peeked from holes on his robes. It was a second set of wings, smaller, malformed and torn, rotten and ashen.

The demon growled at him, making him stop looking at his features.

“Stop looking at them, angel!” Alexis sidestepped and gasped, barely moving back enough to dodge another swing of trident. “I will not allow you to mock my body with your prideful eyes! Not when you aren’t as high anymore!”

Alexis blinked, quickly catching his insult. That he had no wings meant nothing. He kept swinging his sword, both circling and stepping sideways.

“If I have wings or not makes no difference!”

The devil smiled, showing his sharp fangs in a cocky smile, in the dark.

“Oh, that’s right… It makes no difference.” He raised his trident high, ready to impale him from above. “I would recognize this sickening scent anywhere! You’re still as disgusting as all others, inhuman! You better say your prayers!”

Alexis cowered a little, pierced by that resentful grin and glare. He stared at the trident while he hit a wall, noting its curved bony points, each at the side of a long metallic spear. He had nowhere to dodge, not when the demon was as tall as Uriel, as strong. Those wings were blocking his way, outstretched, showing the unending line of black feathers, a void in which to lose ones’ sight.

He had no way out, and that trident was about to be let down… so he resorted to something he usually did not enjoy.

Zelophehad flinched, strongly. He took a step back with fear and shock glinting in his red eyes. The golden glimmer that sparked out of Alexis’ sword made him falter; it reflected on his disbelieving expression, in a moment of doubt. And Alexis took advantage of it. After having swiped his sword like a torch, he swung it upwards. Zelophehad gasped when his claws lost their grip on his trident, which no one had managed to steal from him, ever. Thousands of adversaries had fallen under it, and yet, this puny angel had pushed it away from his hands.

At the same time… it was not any angel.

Zelophehad knew danger when he saw it. He tried to retrieve his trident off the ground, but Alexis got in the way with a quick sidestep.

“Leave it.”

Alexis was ready to use force if needed. He felt relief when Zelophehad obliged. The demon took a few steps back, claws bared at his sides. While both stared at each other, Alexis kicked the trident away, behind him. Zelophehad growled, angered.

“I don’t know how you know that spell, but it was a dirty trick…” He demanded from a few feet away, eyeing the sword carefully. “Let me grab my weapon, there’s no fairness in this fight!”

Alexis frowned and shook his head, pointing his sword at him. Zelophehad retreated more while he neared, speaking seriously.

“Oh no, this is not a fight.” Zelophehad swore he saw murderous intent in those amber eyes as the angel neared. “Not anymore.”

The demon hit a wall; snarling, he looked away from it and outstretched his open claws, ready to defend himself. He was the one cornered now in pitch black, faced by an angel that could summon death in a second.

Alexis was staring at him, warily. The angel yelled, angrily and tiredly.

“Lower those claws!”

“And what good will that do?” The devil grinned bitterly, daring to taunt. “I’d rather die fighting. You will only-”

“I said, lower them, dammit!”

Zelophehad was surprised by his choice of words and raised an eyebrow. Angels rarely voiced harsh words. This angel looked angry, tired, not as composed as others would be. He slowly lowered his bared claws, letting them stay still. He shook his wings strongly at his sides, to show pride. He was surprised to see the angel flinch back for a second, startled by the strong flap of wings.

Alexis kept pointing at him, huffing, not really knowing what to do now. It was the demon who spoke next, inquisitive and prideful, even if he was the one menaced with a sword.

“He has sent you, hasn’t he? He does not dare to face me himself…”

Alexis rose an eyebrow too, confused.

“He? Philander? No… I have spoken with him, but I am here for my own reasons.” He felt strange, because the devil glared at him fiercely. He commanded, wanting him away. “Move, turn to face the corridor there. I want to check this library, and I don’t want you to step in between.”

Alexis stepped back, startled, because Zelophehad growled and stepped away from the wall, closer to him. The anger was clear as water; the murderous look in his eyes was there again.

“I’m not letting you burn this place, angel.”

Alexis backed away. He had to shake his sword again like a torch, letting it light up to prevent him of clawing at him. The demon backed away again, growling with one eye closed, blinded by the flames that glinted for a second.

“Do not take a single step closer, I mean it.” Alexis panted, feeling the tiredness that the spell brought. He clarified, trying to ease the anger of the demon and answer his new found question. “I don’t want to burn this place. I want to find some books, I want to read them, not destroy them. Why would I-?”

“Do not play with me, you trickster.” Zelophehad swung a claw, demanding in anger. “I know what your kind would do to this place. I won’t let you toy with my mind; I won’t let you get compliance out of me. You cold bastard, just slay me already and end this meaningless wait.”

Alexis stared at him, sword still in hand. Zelophehad waited, and waited, for him to end him. So Alexis moved his free hand, trying to reason, trying to explain.

“Look, demon, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I don’t want any part in it.” Zelophehad’s eyes widened, because he saw something he had never seen or heard. Alexis stepped away, sword still in hand, but lowered. “I just want to browse in this place, okay? I have no reason to kill you, as long as you leave me be. I don’t want to have to fight you. Step aside, and don’t try anything behind my back.”

Zelophehad shook his head. Alexis retreated and lifted his sword a little again, seeing him near slowly. The demon spoke, disbelieving, confused.

“No, it is you who should stop joking, angel. It is not something your kind is familiar with.” He stopped, eyeing Alexis down. He was pointing at him with the sword, and he knew he was doing so out of wariness. “But maybe… you truly aren’t joking.”

Alexis growled and tried to warn him again; something in which he failed to sound firm.

“Step back.” Zelophehad crossed his arms and wings, staring him down with an eyebrow raised. “I said step back.”

“Or what? Will you slay me? Aren’t angels supposed to end any devil they come across swiftly? Hasn’t Philander told you who I am?” He leaned down a little, grinning. Alexis gulped and faltered when Zelophehad whispered, looking at him with dark wonder. “Tell me, what ripped you wings off? Was it a demon like me?”

He saw something glint in those amber eyes, apart from hurt. Besides that, in that moment he knew the angel was harmless, a rarity. Alexis threatened him, but Zelophehad did not feel endangered, at all.

“It was a demon, yeah.” Alexis glared, stepping closer darkly. Against every warning in his mind, he laid the sword near Zelophehad’s neck, which made the demon smile and lean slightly away. “A horrible devil, one who left me horrible scars and nightmares. However, I have not spared my own demon for nothing. I have seen that not all demons are the same, some are good-hearted. The question is… what are you?”

He had in mind what Philander had told him. It was there, Zelophehad looked like a dark lord, capable of many things behind that smile. At the same time, he could not push away the humanity in those red eyes. He could see and feel the sorrow, the emotion; this demon was not pure evil.

Zelophehad seemed calmer now. He had been hateful and resentful, but an air of interest had taken him. Lowering his claws again, he reasoned, trying to seem honest.

“As long as you are not like all other angels, I won’t be what you tell of us.” Alexis frowned at the cryptic sentence, but soon understood it. “I won’t ask you to sheath your sword, but I ask you to lower it. I am not going to let you roam freely in the temple.”

“For you to wait for a chance to claw at me?”

“No, angel. I just want to be sure you don’t destroy this place; it is what Philander would want, and what I fear he has commanded you.” He saw the doubt in his amber eyes. “I see you feel confused for my words, I don’t blame you…What has that bastard told you?”

“Many things.” Alexis lowered his sword, still suspicious of the demon. “For one, that you have brought the deaths of many, not only angels.”

“That is true.” Those words made Alexis shiver, for there was not a trace of doubt in them. However, Zelophehad offered, with a tone of wisdom. “But there are many things he has not told you, I can assure you.”

“Like what?”

Zelophehad laughed bitterly, eyeing the only one who had entered this place in ages. He whispered, and Alexis did not feel any trace of lie in his words.

“I am not threatening this place; he is. I am guarding it, from his intent on destroying it. All the wisdom you seek, he wants to burn down to the ground. I am the safe keeper of your culture here, not him. His truth is his own, not everyone’s.”

Alexis felt void, confused. He could slay this demon right now and silence the screams that echoed in his mind. Part of him did not want to lose the trust he felt for the only angel he had seen in years… but while looking at those ancient red eyes, he found himself listening.

“I am the origin of this bloodshed, the beginning and catalyst… but not the one who truly started it.”