At first, she had struggled to see past the shadows, past the infinite number of carcasses in the dark woods. But she soon set her eyes onto the distance, the tall stones looming over the grand hidden valley, something she could have only dreamed of nearing. She hesitated to step close to the gigantic body at its feet, dead at the magnificent entrance. Her curious eyes fixed on its wounds, its open sorrowful maws, which had kept them from this place once. She froze there for a minute, even though the men and women from the village were marching loudly into the uncharted fortress. The ashes cracked under her feet, alone in her thoughts, curious as ever, unaware of every single person around her. Everyone was examining every corner, every room, and every burned trinket.

Yet, she reached for other things.

Her hands brushed a book, a little ashen, licked by a fire that had been long dead. The last thing her curious eyes set on, were the depictions of intricate machinery, ones she would never understand. A complex system, designed long ago by angels, never used in human or angelic society. It showed knowledge; knowledge deemed forbidden.

And she was the first human to grasp it, even if incomplete. No one was guarding the fortress they had deemed unreachable. All around her, uncountable books given by angels.

While she admired her findings and her presence in the angelic library, another chased blindly. Axe still in hand, he was not paying mind to the few men that still followed his fast pace.

“Everard!” The strong woman was panting, struggling to run behind him. “We’re not going to catch it!”

Maybe the others wouldn’t, but he sure would.

Everard huffed and growled, running towards the cliffs with unending determination. He could swear he could still hear it, the sound of big claws in the distance. This time it came from below, not from afar. He slowed near the edge of the cliffs, to glare down at the waves.

The men finally had time to breathe. One of them insisted, trying to reason.

“E-everard, I told you. We… we lost it in the fields. It’s not here.”

Surely, it was a hard terrain. A big drop. There was no way that beast could have made that jump, not even with demonic strength.

“No.” All sighed, because Everard pointed down, sternly. “That thing climbed down! It is sneaky! It’s surely down there, on the shallow water and sand!”

All eyed him, for a long minute.

Everard was not pleased when the last of them lost patience. They turned tiredly, lowering their weapons.

“We’re going to that fortress. You keep chasing if you want to.”

“I’m not chasing shadows and delusions, idiot.”

He yelled at them, waving his axe.

“It is not a delusion! I don’t even know the meaning of that word, you hear me?!”

He let out a long grumble, shaking his fist angrily. He stood there crestfallen and angry, left alone.

He snapped out of his tantrum, because he heard something.

“…Here.”

He dashed to look back to the drop.

Nothing, only the sand, waves and rocks. He eyed the shadows below him, swearing something had moved down there.

He kept looking, hesitant to chase after nothing.

It called again. It was a voice that had mockery and arrogance in it, a trace of bestiality.

“Over here, stupid human.”

That did it.

With his teeth clenched, he gripped his axe closer. In a haze, he began to descend down the cliff, standing on every rock that would not break under his big feet. He did not care that he slipped multiple times and got bruises, the humidity did not face him. He kept going down; he reached for the caverns he could now see inside the walls.

“Where are you?!”

It took a few seconds to answer. When it did, the sound made the water at his feet quiver.

“…Closer.” The next whisper echoed, never revealing its true location. “Deeper, fool.”

Everard did not think twice. Against every trace of common sense, he followed the echo, where others would have not dared. He got his legs wet while he pushed against the water, in order to go into a secluded tunnel.

Two red eyes watched calmly as the brute ventured into the cavern that contained the old chamber. A smile grew between sharp fangs when the yell of the man echoed loudly from the inside.

“What the heck is this thing?!”

Lykaios leaned against the tall rocks from where he watched the water, thoughtfully. His claws scratched nervously the ground, reflecting his anxiousness. His ears twitched with every noise the brute made, the sound of his steps becoming wary.

“I’m not following you in there, demon!” The steps grew faster, hesitant. “And I’m not letting any of you get back into my land through this thing!”

How he reached that conclusion, Lykaios did not know.

Everard dashed out of the tunnel. He glared at the entrance, contemplating it for a minute. His eyes narrowed at the shadows inside, the glimmer of the energy he had seen. He growled, and then lifted his axe above his head. He began to hit, again and again. In a matter of minutes, cracks formed on the wall. In time, a rumble echoed, as he carved the stone into shards. He jumped away with a yelp, because the cave gave in, crumbling down and splashing the water all over.

He closed the cavern, with sheer stubbornness.

“Let’s see you dig your way out of there.” He sighed, casting a few angry glances back to the rubble. “I’ll be back… Gotta make sure there are no more of you in that bundle of ugly towers.”

Victorious, Everard began to walk around the cliff, to head for the fortress.

Lykaios hopped down the rocks, finally alone. The humans would surely return here, once the brute explained his feats to the rest. It was his chance to examine the blockage.

Not that he needed to. What happened to the portal did not matter to him. It had no use to him; it would be of no use to go past it. All that mattered was that it became inaccessible.

He eyed the broken stone, the heaviness of the rubble. The light that had flowed from the depths was gone; nothing pushed out in between the cracks. He wished he could be like that light, unseen and unreachable.

But he could not. His form was inadequate, alarming, impossible to disguise under the eyes of those creatures. Angels had killed every single animal in their own world.

And if they knew this portal still existed… perhaps they would dive to do so in this one.

“I hope it is enough deterrence.”

Alexis did not come to this world through that cavern. So they were better off without it.

They would need much more than luck to come back alive.

—————

 

Barren streets, not even a single bird or mouse.

The only things that moved in the night were the angels that had conquered this small world, who had rendered the ecosystem into a stagnant void. Barely a few species of animals inhabited the citadel, all cast apart in the farming districts.

Her eyes were fixed on a cow, which was locked away in a small open barn. A bucket was laid forgotten at its feet, kicked down hours ago by the bored animal.

Her hands fidgeted on the fence. The animal, much like her, had been once an outsider in this world. It was only here because angels had deemed their existence useful, long ago. They were easy to bring and contain in their own world.

She was fixated on the animal, remembering the stories her father would tell her in the nights. Animals always took the attention of her bright sharp eyes, ever since a rabbit cuddled near her small feet for the first time, under the focused watch of her father. As well, she had always admired the stags and deer in the wild, when she hunted with her mother. This animal showed no love or freedom, none of the things she saw and admired when near her parents.

While remembering those distant moments, she did not notice the two shadows that loomed onto her from above.

“Aurora.”

She reacted silently. Her wings batted down strongly at her sides as she turned sharply. Her eyes sharpened at first with alarm, but then with realization. Her bright pupils adjusted to the darkness, noticing then the slight breathing motion of two supposed statues.

“You’re here…”

Uriel’s eyes narrowed above, as he crouched on the edge of the balcony. His voice was full of inquiry, of urgency.

“Do you know now?”

Aurora pushed herself away from the fence, forgetting entirely about the animal that had caught her attention while she waited. She revealed her face to them, smiling tiredly as she put down her hood.

“I do. I think I do.”

They ignored the fidgeting of her claws, not wishing to become anxious themselves.

“Good.” The demon was serious, dangerously so. “We don’t need any more risk than necessary.”

Ariel frowned. Her father sneaked past the statues near her, climbing slyly towards the core of the citadel. He had allowed Aurora to venture in disguise, in order to analyze most of the outer streets. They needed a safe route to the heart of this hellhole.

“Keep that hood up, walk in the most secluded of ways. And…” He glanced back to his daughter, with the same trust and care he would give Ayako. “Follow closely my moves, Ariel. Do not lose my trail, and stay still as I do.”

Uriel considered sending Ariel away back to the forest, but ultimately chose not to. Aurora looked up to Ariel from below and gave her a sympathetic stare. The winged demon began to move, her body language nervous and anxious, yet trusting in her sister’s presence. And that was all that Ariel needed to forget her own doubts. Uriel watched as Ariel moved ahead with determination, going where needed like a feline, even venturing slightly past him to keep close to Aurora.

He sighed silently, glaring hatefully at the distance. The starry night sky was clouded, which allowed them to walk in shadows, concealed from the figures that stood in the towers above.

Still dressed in her stolen robes, Aurora looked like an angel that belonged in the night. She kept walking. She only hesitated once, when she heard a nightly priest who was making a few rounds outside. She leaned on a wall in the alley where she stood, to peek. The priest was reaching for the flames of a street lamp, which had grown weak in the cold night.

She only moved out of the alley when the angel walked away hurriedly, anxious to finish his rounds.

Uriel frowned deeply, because Aurora diverted her steps away from the secluded shadows, directly revealed in the light of the street. She was not partially hidden anymore, and they were deeper into the citadel. That meant there were more eyes watching.

“Where are you-”

He was silenced by Ariel, who moved a hand near his mouth.

“Shh.”

He gave his daughter a worried scolding glare, but kept his voice quiet. He soon understood her warning when he picked on one scent. He shivered, because he finally realized that angels had a good vision too. Above, stood one tall tower… and in its balcony, a figure. It was looking at the street Aurora stood on, fixated on her figure. The angel had been aware of her presence for a long while, even when she was hiding in the alley.

The angel would have suspected her moves, if she had not made them less suspicious.

Ariel pointed at her, showing Uriel what she was pretending to do.

“The lights have caretakers.”

“But-” He leaned and pointed at her with a nail, stating the obvious flaw. “She does not know any magic to fuel them.”

“They don’t need to know that.”

Indeed, as she pretended to examine the lamp, the shadowed guard above them diverted his intense focus away from her. Her wings looked no different from above, and her gloves and hood hid all her incriminating features.

It was Ariel and Uriel who had a more real risk, because they were unable to change their appearance like she did. They only had the statues and heights to use in their advantage. They could not follow her steps through the street.

“Come on.” Ariel pulled at his hand, compelling him to jump down one ledge. Aurora was advancing at a rather firm pace, even when she would stop from time to time to fake. “We have to move faster; she is worried sick. I am too.”

And am I not…?

He felt the same horrible fear that Aurora kept inside; even more, he had to accept the fact that he had to rely on her, allow them both to near danger. All in order to have a better chance, even if perhaps still small. He had to be wary of the worst possible outcome, while still doing his best to reach him. Danger could fall on all of them, without difference.

This place disgusted him. It repulsed him. He wished nothing more than to be as feral as they said, and rip it apart in order to save him.

And yet…

His expression twisted into a sad grimace as he advanced in the dark, his eyes noting how the girls admired their surroundings. Their eyes held no hate, only apprehension. Even though they knew well this was dangerous, they could still not grasp the true maliciousness and evil of this world, the abhorrence these creatures held. They were unable to see the true monstrosity of the actions committed by those winged beings. They did not want to truly believe that an execution would take place, not in his own world. They believed that his kind could hold good, even if hidden.

He knew better than them. And it was simply… unfair.

That was what he thought while he crawled through the dark. And in his thoughts, he would never admit his two-facedness.

Countless times he had shown his unending distrust for other demons. Ariel had seen him roam the woods many times, in search of devils that could lurk in the dark. Aurora had heard him whisper in worry, share fears that Alexis would try to diminish. All their life, they had only seen his adoration towards an angel. He instilled weariness on the girls, for all demons. He taught them to trust Alexis without question, the only one he thought they would encounter in their lives. They saw Ayako’s killing of angels in a bad light, even though they tried to understand.

The two were predisposed to trust these beings, unable to condemn angels completely, not after all their unintended sway.

Uriel knew this deep inside. He knew. But it was too hard to admit. And he still did not wish to do it. He averted his eyes, not wanting to notice how Ariel peeked at the edges to glance at the houses, which had small lights that would shine in silent bedrooms. He did not want to acknowledge the curious glances of Aurora, who would raise her gaze to the towers, to look familiarly at those shadowed wings.

It was not the time to think, but to act. He had no time for regrets now.

Aurora led them through the most secluded of streets. The huge amalgamation of temples and walls had given them barricades that concealed them better. The houses became more complex, more elegant. Runes were engraved everywhere, on every ledge and stone. They had reached the core, at last.

There was just one last obstacle to surpass.

“He has to be somewhere in that huge palace. I just know it.” Aurora said those words while grasping her amulet, strongly and anxiously. She warned next, her eyes fixed on the long plaza that separated them from their objective. “Ariel, there are no roofs, walls, or edges that you can walk on to cross it.”

Ariel stared at the huge space that surrounded the big building. It was a long oval-shaped street, paved with the prettiest of white stones.

“And the towers loom… I feel those eyes on my neck.”

Uriel ignored the girls’ comments. His tail waved anxiously behind him as he observed from the balcony above the two. His sharp eyes analyzed every corner and path.

They were not alone in the streets. And he was quick to let them know it. After noticing Uriel’s subtle tense move, Ariel gasped and climbed more to hide between statues, away from her sister. As well, Aurora feigned adoration for some engraved scripture on a wall near her. Five well-armored guards marched through the dark plaza, swords and maces in hand. They never parted eyes from the vicinity of the holy building. Their steps were heavy; they did not stop their march to question Aurora. But they still made her shiver with piercing glances, which she saw past their golden helmets.

Those angels had one single task: keep everyone from nearing that place.

While Ariel and Aurora cursed with a word they had promised to never let out, Uriel pondered. He let out a long silent growl, knowing well what had to be done.

“If we can just reach its walls…”

Like every temple, there were many decorations and spaces that would allow them to lean out of sight, on its walls. This place was bigger, grander than any fortification humanity had created. In its grounds there would be many places where to hide, where to sneak in. Pillars, beacons, towers… nothing was missing. They just had to reach it.

He was able to dash, move like a shadow in the night, crawl fast like a panther through the plaza. But only he could. Only he had chased to kill; only he had been feral in the past. He had his life on the line once; he had felt true adrenaline through his veins. But them… they knew only how to hunt and move towards easy prey. They knew nothing of true demonic strength.

“Ariel…” Her eyes narrowed with worry when he whispered with his head bowed. She had learnt to recognize her father’s sorrow. “Stay here.”

“Ah…” Ariel laid a claw on her chest, with a deep frown. “Must I?”

“Yes.” He begged her with a glance, and it was enough to compel her. “Stay here, and watch. I am not letting you be spotted. Aurora can fly and use the darkness of the night sky, so I’ll let her get across the plaza. I might need her eyes.”

Ariel nodded sadly, offering some help, even if small.

“I’ll try to warn you if they look over where you are.”

“If they do spot me, stay put. If there is trouble, I’ll send Aurora to you, and you will guide her back to the forest.” He glared at the angels, clenching his teeth. “I would face them.”

“He won’t have to, Ariel.” Aurora reassured; she did with one of her nervous smiles, her wings shivering. “If they hear us, I’ll take their attention and invent some excuse for being there.”

“Neither of you will do any of that. Besides…” Uriel cringed, eyeing the blonde with a tired grin. “You are as bad at lying as him. They’ll know you are up to no good, and then they will find out what you are.”

His words were not the same playful scolding that he would give them in their home, when they would stay awake in the nights. This time their punishment would not be a silent knowing smile and a simple pat on the head. The implication he was giving them with his stare was direct and solemn.

They had to be unseen. No alternatives.

The girls took a breath and then nodded, small drops of sweat falling down their foreheads. Ariel’s tail was moving wildly, while Aurora’s feathers were loosening from their combed state.

Uriel decided there was no time to doubt; and so he moved first, looking away from the two, sharply.

His shadow moved downwards, descending down from where he had crouched, like a stream of water. His claws latched strongly yet soundlessly, helping him support his weight upside down, his eyes never closed.

He stood still on the ground for two seconds, his tail kept still for the first time. He was still out of sight. When the guards turned a corner around the palace… he dashed.

In his fours, he pounced multiple meters at a time, cutting the distance in seconds.

There were not one, but two groups of angels patrolling the outside of the building. But by the time those guards set foot in the plaza again, he was not there anymore. His shadow now lurked at the steps of the huge structure, where he was quick to ascend onto the ledges, his violet eyes glaring at the angels while he moved subtly.

Perched there, he looked like he belonged in the view. At the centre of the palace, on its front wall, was a big balcony; it was crowned by two ledges, where two rows of big sculptures stood. In the tallest ledge, rested statues of former mighty angels, which held golden axes. Below, a line of demons, all fallen in submission and misery. It was a beautiful depiction of murder, which made it all the more gruesome. All those stony eyes were fixed on the space of the terrace, where it was sure that many high priests had spoken to the crowds, with their holy books in hand.

The sisters were still on the other side of the plaza, separated from him. Ariel was the one to break the tense silence between them while squishing Aurora’s hand lovingly.

“You have to fly very high, hear me?”

“And you keep your horns down.”

The oldest snickered a little, obliging the other by crouching a little too much, almost lying against the wall behind her.

Their smiles dropped though. It was not easy for them to keep joking. Ariel gave her a pat on the back, which did not fail to make her wings flap.

“Come on, go.”

Aurora gave her one last look. Then she secured her hood and opened her wings.

Ariel glanced upwards anxiously, biting her lip as Aurora ascended towards the black sky. Her blue eyes traced every tower; her senses screamed about all the angels she could feel around them.

Luckily, not a single angelic eye spotted her fair wings as they took her above those towers. The young horned devil let out a very long sigh of relief, and then let herself stop clawing at the ledge where she sat.

Uriel only needed to control his nervous breathing for a minute. Slowly, her wings took her to the same balcony after a long and calculated soar. She would have perched herself on her own, but Uriel grabbed her arm and yanked her closer. She did not protest, given that a second after a guard looked up from below. His pull made her get out of sight just in time.

In the silence, he looked at her and pointed at her amulet.

She took it off. It pulsed in her gloved hand, almost seeming to want to crawl out of it with every beat. Its amber glows flowed directly into the huge palace.

She signed some words to him, words that Uriel struggled to put together.

“He’s here.”

Uriel knew little of the sign language that Ayako had taught them, but he only needed to know some words.

“The bracelet…” He let go of his own wrist, frowning as he remembered that the other one was broken at the steps of the portal. “Won’t be on him.”

He nodded downwards, to a dark spot. Between the walls of the temple was a cramped alley, the only breathing room for some barred openings, at ground level. Those holes looked like the only view that would come into a jail.

She sent a doubtful glance to her necklace. It did not pulse towards those cell windows, but upwards into the temple. However, her urgency made her obey Uriel. She herself wanted to make sure before chasing the pulse.

Uriel was surprised of the speed with which she moved there. He was not surprised to see her land and reach for those openings after kneeling strongly. By the time he caught up to her, she had already moved near four of them, every time trying to squish herself through the bars to peek inside. She was calling, loud enough to be more than a whisper.

“…Dad?” It was the fifth time she called into the dark cells, yet no answered from their void. “A-are you there?”

Uriel exhaled. He shook his head with a grimace, only whispering when he was sure they were truly alone and unseen between those walls.

“Not here. No trace of his smell in those cells.” He snarled, never hiding his disgust. “Only the smell of other angels.”

Her eyes watered a little, for she could not smell him either. All angels smelled very similar to her, all but him.

The words of angels echoed in her mind, haunting, taunting her.

“No other place to keep it but in the depths of the holy palace.”

Deep. Unseen and locked away. Unreachable.

“I-I…” Uriel glanced at her when she spoke, stopping himself from nudging some metal bars. “I have to find him, Uriel.”

He was sympathetic to her impotence, kind in his doubt.

“I’ll try to open this up. Maybe he’s chained up near these cells. Wait till I-”

“No, don’t open them.” He flinched, because she stood sharply. She yanked at her necklace, breaking the string when she took it off forcefully. Her body language hinted her desperation. “Those bars will make noise if you break them. And he is not in there. You know we would have smelled him.”

She outstretched her amulet, to let Uriel see exactly what he already knew. The pulse was not directed at those cells. They were empty. It was obvious that angels would not be so foolish to imprison him there.

“We can’t smell him, and we would if he was near.” She glared upwards, slowly. “He is…”

Uriel glanced upwards. He frowned. The windows above looked all too elegant to be ones of a prison. Those higher floors surely belonged to soldiers and high ranked priests. Alexis would not be there.

“We are not looking in those rooms. We will only come across guards, surely.” He looked back, not without doubting painfully. “We… we should go back. Maybe they don’t have him in this palace, but in some garrison o-.”

His words made her more anxious.

“We can’t go back now. I’m sure of what I’ve heard, Uriel. They have him here; everyone says so.”

“We can’t rely on angels’ words, Aurora. They are not to be trusted.”

“Yet you trust him.”

Uriel was unable to fight against those words. She had sent him a faint glare, to remind him that he could get a little heated in his assertions. She had not sensed malice while near those young angels.

He still tried to stand his ground, even though the pulse in his heart was becoming faint. He knew Alexis had to be there, somewhere, but he didn’t want to venture blindly. He did not want those angels to see her.

“These angels are different.” He turned with resignation, refusing to keep looking somewhere where they could die. “We will only find his second bracelet in there. So let’s go back.”

“But-”

“I said, we are going back. I will come back alone; now I know the way.” He could hear the hurt in her breathing. He was hurt too, by just saying these impotent words. “Do not make me drag you.”

He had gotten a little emotional. His tone had grown tired and harsh. He was frustrated, angry with everything.

He expected her to obey. Instead, he heard her make a subtle move away from him.

“Aurora.” He turned slowly. His eyes opened worriedly, noting how her wings opened subtly. He regretted his harsh tone instantly. “Aurora, don’t-”

Uriel’s breath came out in a fearful gasp. His body tensed, yet he stood there in place. His claw twitched, like the very same night he had pounced on Alexis for the first time. However, not even a fast jump would allow him to catch her leg in the air. She had gone up; she was dashing towards the upper galleries, fast.

While he tried to chase his way there, she let herself land against an elegant window. Her eyes had sharpened even if they held tears, uncaring for the dark cells below. Her claw was tight around her amulet. The pulse was very strong now.

She would not go back. She would not wait another day without finding a path to him. She would not risk it.

She could sense it. His scent was in there, faint yet present.

Her body leaned a little closer to the glass; her wings closed while her feet kept her balanced on the rail.

It was a small but pretty room. The furniture was meant for important guests, judging by the golden trinkets and candles. None were lighted, which gave the room an eerie ambience. She could still see the only thing that contrasted the elegance: a desk filled with many documents, handwritten and neatly piled.

Between that, something glinted.

Her breathing slowed. Her body froze.

Slowly, her claw pushed on the glass that separated her from the room. She fixed her gaze on the bracelet, between many papers and empty ink flasks. Her amulet pulsed strongly for it. It pulled inside her claw towards the room; the flow was as bright as ever.

That token was there, right there. Yet…

She found herself opening the window. It was easy, for it was not locked. It creaked a little, something that should have concerned her, but didn’t. Her left foot touched the floor slowly; her feathers brushed the frame of the window as they dragged through behind her.

Where are you?

Her voiceless words were not heard by the one she wanted to hear them. Her hands gripped the bracelet tightly, while her head bowed with a small sob. Her whole body trembled, her mind full of anxious thoughts. She had reached the end of the trail, and he was not there. He was not wearing his second bracelet.

Of course it would not be so easy… She should have not expected them to lock him in a simple room. She should have known better, she should have known that she would have to roam blindly inside this pretty dungeon.

She took a small breath and then looked up. She brushed away the tears she had let out, knowing she had to move.

He has to be in this building, but-

Her posture became more wary and tense, because she heard something. Her wings opened behind her in a defensive stance. Footsteps echoed nearby, behind the only door of the room. She smelled it.

Outside, a figure halted.

He turned the handle of the door, and then let himself in slowly. His eyes narrowed more as they inspected his room carefully.

He did not recall leaving the window open.

Without hurry, but with intent, he neared it. He loomed in front of it while he took a look into the night. He stood there for a while, his gaze unreadable and thoughtful. He was alone in the room, yet his body language hinted he did not feel alone. His red wings were now at his sides instead of behind him, like two tall shields.

After a moment, his hand reached for the window. He closed it, never looking away from the outside.

He turned around to face his desk, not knowing that two figures were indeed hiding on the railings outside. By the time he laid eyes on his desk, they had dashed away. But he did realize that there had been an intrusion.

“This trinket…”

It had not been so near the edge of the desk. And certainly, his papers had not been this scattered. Some documents looked to have been moved, with a breeze. Perhaps… a dash, a sudden movement.

Philander remained calm. He did not show a trace of urgency as he walked out of his room. He did not seem to be worried. But he was not stupid.

In the dark, a demon glared furiously, containing his angry voice in a hiss.

“Are you out of your mind?”

Aurora cowered under Uriel’s fierce stare down. She did not try to excuse herself.

“I know, Uriel. I… I’m sorry. ” She did not say any excuses, but still tried to reason. “I found this.”

Uriel blinked at the paper she took out from her sleeves. His anger began to fade when he recognized what it was. A schedule.

“Let me see that.”

He snatched it out of her hands, his fury all gone. It was replaced by pure curiosity. The document was not written with old languages, but with their own, concise and purposed for an easy and direct read. The angel who had written it was not one to lose time in worthless effort, the meaningless process of complex runes.

While Uriel read, she fidgeted against the wall and let out a long sigh. Her disappointment was immeasurable, her morale was thinning. By the time Uriel stopped reading, she had put her amulet away, hidden from her eyes in one of her pockets.

“His cell is right under the courtroom. This place… it is not only high, but deep. Too deep. Of course we could not sense him.” His claws trembled as he let himself lean against the wall as well. “Too many guards. We can’t get there.”

She knew. That document stated the times in which soldiers exchanged positions and the moments in which Alexis was let out to attend the trial. There were too many patrols listed, too many angelic names, deployed in every corner and chamber of this maze. It would be impossible to get in and far into it, not without a deadly fight, a swarm of soldiers through every hall.

They knew where he was, but couldn’t reach him. It was an impenetrable fortress, one in which Alexis was never allowed to roam in excess.

“The only place he will be allowed to near, close enough to the outside…”

He casted a dubious glance behind him. The big tribune loomed over the plaza, big enough to be…

The time of that last appointment was not yet listed, but the purpose was set. It would be the only time he would be let out to the exterior, and the last.

“He will be killed on that balcony, in front of everyone.”

“Don’t. Don’t say that.” He looked at her. Her expression was one of anger, of denial. “He is not going to die. We will get him out.”

“We… we will, Aurora.”

The question was how.

How will I manage to get through countless angels?

Had Uriel known that the angel he saw at the window was the one who took Alexis away, he probably would have lunged in without second thoughts. His violet eyes had never seen Philander before. Only moments ago he sent him a wary side glance, while he hid in the dark. He had felt a shiver while he kept Aurora out of sight, while those sly angelic eyes traced the ledges where they crouched.

He thought they had not drawn the attention of angels. But he would soon realize he was wrong. His body jerked when a loud voice echoed in the not so far distance.

“You three, with me.”

Aurora stepped behind Uriel with her hands clasped together, not even him managing to hide his newfound worry. The first voice was commanding, surely one of a high ranked angel. The ones that echoed next were of angels of the patrol they saw, all now alert thanks to the approach of a superior.

“Captain?”

They heard the angels salute, their feet slamming on the stone. They had broken their formation to listen, to obey the commands that followed.

“An individual may have broken the curfew established by the elders.” The tone grew harsh, direct. “The lead advocate has voiced the possibility of an intrusion. Something that if true…”

There was fear now in the answer given by the guards.

“If there is indeed an intrusion, it shall be dealt with at once, sir.”

“Better be. You three, scout the east perimeter. You, inform the third patrol. The rest will-”

Uriel stopped listening right there. Aurora yelped silently, because he yanked on her arm and began to run. He pulled at her downwards, jumping down into the dark alley below them. She did not miss how a figure was now soaring near the ledges where they had been seconds ago, looking into the dark galleries near Philander’s window.

He pushed her gently against some crates, where he crouched to avoid the eyes above them. The angels were not on ground anymore, but in the air, alert.

Aurora’s fearful eyes paid close attention to Uriel’s careful signs. He talked wordlessly, using his hands to point sideways and above, around the corner. His finger trembled, even though he was trying to show confidence for her sake.

They had to reach the balcony, the biggest one. The tribune where many statues stood. If not, they would be found. Their only chance was to hide until they lowered their guard; the plaza was now crowded.

Aurora did not know it, but Uriel had been debating sneaking into the palace alone, this very night. He would have lied to them, sending them away with the pretense of listening into the angels, assuring he would not commit any risky action. She had foiled that senseless plan unintentionally. It was not possible anymore; he knew well that the inside of the temple would be even more dangerous in these moments.

“This way.”

He pulled at her, bowing his head with a resentful grimace. His heart did not beat only with adrenaline, but with grief.

If the girls or Ayako had known of his previous thoughts, they would not have been pleased. Alexis would have not approved either.

An ominous tension surrounded them, one that did not match the usual solace a temple would provide. The two demons had not felt welcomed before, but now they felt truly threatened.

They were looking for them. They could hear the sound of wings while they moved carefully. The whispers of the angels were malicious. Aurora could feel those eyes near her, inches away from both, with intent she had not sensed before.

They were scarier now. She could not avoid holding her breath. Uriel tucked her back against the statues, both of them now hidden in the tribune.

An angel had landed in the big balcony, two meters below them. Too close. If that angel had the same senses as demons, he would notice them then.

The angel paced warily and scanned the dark. He could not smell. He could not pinpoint his instinct. Yet it was obvious he had felt their presence.

He could hear. And he could still see.

Just two meters. Close enough to pick on the scared breaths of a young demon. Close enough to notice the trembling of two wings, which were not made of stone.

The soldier did halt, did tense. Ever so slowly, he stopped peeking down from the railing of the balcony. With one calculated step, he turned to glare at the rows of statues behind him. Then, he stepped closer to inspect them, ever so slowly, wondering if he had imagined seeing something behind a pillar.

He did not see Uriel yet, nor how he had gotten hold of Aurora. He was now keeping a claw over her mouth, while his tail tangled around her wings anxiously, to keep them from shivering too much. She had closed her eyes in fear and shame, leaving him to stare frozen at the approaching angel.

They would have been seen. The angel had opened his mouth, to invoke a small flame on his fingertips. He would have lighted the dark, and he would have raised the sword in his hand. Uriel would have leapt, true to his word. He would have faced the angel to shield her.

But he did not see them.

“Fire!” The soldier gasped and turned away from them, hearing the yells of other guards. “A fire has risen!”

Uriel did not breathe out because his lungs hurt, but because he leaned back in surprise. Much like the angel, he stopped himself from moving, taken aback by the cries and alarms.

Aurora opened her eyes when he let go of her. She saw the angel leap away, fly towards the surrounding buildings.

Uriel was faster in determining why.

“Ariel.”

His voice was full of dread. He stood up, gaze fixed on the smoke that rose from a nearby warehouse. He could see the shadows of angels soaring towards it, attracted by the sudden arson.

On the other side of the plaza, a demon cowered behind some crates. She panted, slamming herself on the wall while footsteps echoed past the alley where she hid. She peeked slowly out, towards the corner where she had summoned embers a minute ago.

The magical blue embers had turned into real red flames in seconds. And soon they had turned into a big ravenous fire, which had engulfed most of the warehouse. There were a lot of flammable resources there, which she had neared in an impulse. She had been watching on the rooftop of the building. She had caught a glimpse of Uriel hiding in the balcony. And she had seen the angel lurk closer to them.

She acted, and she did not regret doing it. Not even now, as she moved carefully to not be spotted herself.

She kept her body close to the wall. She flinched every time the shadow of an angel flickered near or above her. The voices were louder now, every soldier had gathered by the fire.

“Cast some ice!”

Ariel frowned, because she saw and heard the panic of the angels. The captain glared at his soldiers, who stood with troubled and worried grimaces.

“Cursed be your ignorance! Not a single one of you holds the knowledge of ice?!” The captain yelled angrily while getting to work himself, the only one to at least know some wind spells. “Summon a priest! Wake them all up if necessary! When the elders hear of this, you will be all designated to the outer districts for the rest of your lives!”

Two guards ran towards a nearby temple, while the rest hurried to the nearest well. The fire was now at bay thanks to the winds raised by the captain, but it was not put out. It would take time until it would be under control. She had more room to get away.

But that did not mean she was out of trouble yet.

She did not have it easy, getting to the roofs was hard. Every angel was now circling the warehouse by foot or from above, making routes from the wells to its base. She had to crawl multiple times towards doorsteps to get out of view. She struggled to spot a ledge that would be suitable for climbing, for her to get away in shadows.

When she found one at the right moment and time, she did not think twice. She huffed and jumped onto some barrels, using her feet and arms to make a big jump upwards. She almost missed the edge of the roof, and worse, the tiles almost came loose under her fingers.

She contained her scared yelp and pushed herself up, only looking down to make sure her tail was out of sight. Once she regained her balance, she scrambled further away from the edge, seeking the refuge of the outer roofs and tops. She moved from ledge to ledge, more slowly than she had done before.

After some minutes, she looked back without stopping, turning her body towards the voices. A deeper voice had seemed to join, much more commanding and angry.

“How has this fire risen near the palace?” Even the captain had grown quiet. “Who let it spark ablaze?”

Ariel backed away slowly through the roof where she stood, gulping as the soldiers admitted and theorized.

“We did not allow this to happen, highness. Someone invoked this. We believe this was arson, perhaps brought by the same intruder who tried to-”

“Intruder?” All soldiers flinched, she was sure. “Your ancestors would cry out in shame if they knew of your incompetence. Resolve this, before dawn.”

The soldiers knew they had to find the culprit. Or else.

Ariel did not see the shadow looming behind her. She did not see the hand reaching for her. By the time she sensed the presence, she felt its touch.

The only thing that contained her scream was a hand, which pressured against her mouth. As she tried to yank herself away from the strong hold, she found herself held back. The only thing that kept her from summoning flames to free herself was Aurora.

Her sister dashed in front of her, hands up in a hushing manner. Uriel finally let her go, when she realized his hold was one of caution. She met their eyes and saw that there was both care and disapproval. It was Uriel who stepped closer to her, with a grimace.

“What have you done?”

Ariel coughed and shook her head, somewhat disbelieving herself.

“Save your lives, maybe?” She scolded Uriel, who glared back at her without anger. “You were about to throw yourself at that guy!”

“What choice did I have? Wait for him to spot us and yell for the others? You have called them all near you! You could have gotten yourself killed.”

“We all could get us killed at any moment. You made that clear before coming. I had to do something, because you would have thrown all our chances away.”

He crossed his arms with a huff, unable to meet her eyes. His tone was tired, defiant and scolding.

“It was not me who drew their attention. It was-” He stopped himself, noticing what tone he had used. His eyes opened a little, softly, because Aurora had averted her gaze with his words. He tried to correct himself. “It was…”

He did not have time to do so.

“It was me.”

Uriel did not dispute her. With a deep frown, he looked to a side, unable to not sigh tiredly. Ariel was the one who looked at Aurora, with an expression that hinted her disapproval.

Aurora bit her lip and finally met her sister’s eyes. She spoke with gratitude, even though it was hard to do so because of her guilt.

“Thank you for getting us out of that pinch. I… I never think things twice.”

Ariel leaned her head and stepped closer. Aurora mistook her worry for scorn.

“What did you do?”

“Well…” Uriel interrupted Ariel. He took out the document and displayed it to her with a sad smile, while looking sideways. “She managed to snatch some information. She was bold, and I thank her for it.”

Ariel grabbed the paper out of his hand, strongly. Her eyes opened both with hope and horror. She looked back at Aurora, who shied under her words.

“This says exactly where he is!”

“B-but we can’t get to him. Not there. Just look at all the patrols that-”

She stopped. The three of them grew dead quiet when a yell called not too far.

“Over here! I heard something!”

They shouldn’t be chatting so carelessly on this roof. They were not out of trouble yet.

“Move.”

That word was enough. He did not need more to make the girls follow him.

They ran. But before they knew it, they had lost their path back to safety.

“Fuck.”

In any other moment, the girls would have scolded him, for saying a word that gave Alexis many troubles for saying it in the past. If they had heard it more often, maybe they would have said it themselves.

“I hate those stupid wings.” Ariel cringed awkwardly, because Aurora shot her a look. “Their wings…”

The three of them stepped back from the edge of the roof. They had stopped themselves from jumping to the nearest one in their route back to the woods. The angels had soared on top of the surrounding buildings; they were scouting the areas where an angel would perch. Both the streets and tops were not viable.

They were so close. They were already at the outer district. So close, yet so far.

While the girls looked at all the figures walking in the dark, Uriel glanced towards the street below them. Fewer angels walked, and that path was less guarded. For now.

Aurora yelped when Uriel opened her wings rather hurriedly. He also shoved the document into her hands, while he commanded.

“Go. The skies are dark. You can fool their flying scouts if you fly very high and straight up from here.”

“Wha-? Wait, I-”

“Take this to Ayako, and tell her she has to work faster.”

“But-”

Ariel understood and joined Uriel in his choice. He showed guilt in his expression, for only being able to send Aurora away. She was the only one who could flee, and she would not blame Uriel for it.

“Just go, we’ll be fine. We will hide somewhere.”

“Y-you have nowhere safe to-”

“I’ll keep her safe, Aurora. That, I promise.” Ariel noted how he showed no trace of doubt for that last part. He proceeded to nudge Aurora harder, to make her jump. “I am not going to say it again. Jump and fly to your mother. We will get there soon and-”

“I can’t just go, Uriel!”

He had to step back, because she closed her wings. Even though she had yelled angrily, she had done so in a whisper. Both Ariel and Uriel flinched, because Aurora stood her ground with angry tears in her eyes.

“I’m not going without you. It is my fault they are looking for you, and I will not leave until you are out of this place. I rather stay and try to fool them.” She straightened her pose, warning. “Do not keep me away, please. I will soar back down if you force me to jump.”

Uriel contained a deep growl. He buried it inside him and pulled at his horns strongly, turning to not pierce her with a glare.

“Stubborn! Why must you be like…?!” There was no sense in blaming Ayako or Alexis for her thick-headedness. He had to get Ariel safe either way, so he would stop himself from battling a lost cause. “Fine.”

He panted and began to glance around him again, panicked to find a solution.

Maybe, we could hide on this rooftop… until…

No. He discarded that option as soon as he saw the angels light some beacons on the walls of the towers. Slowly, they were casting light from above, onto every roof. They would eventually be revealed in the light.

Perhaps, we could make a run for it.

A stupid idea. He realized it was when a shadow flew high above them at fast speed. It left him perplexed and defeated where he stood, all previous intent dead. They would be chased and caught.

He thought there was nothing he could do. But he spotted something.

“…!” The girls looked at him in confusion, when he called them closer with a wave of arm. “Jump down.”

Aurora peeked down and saw that a guard walked away in the street below. The way was free, but it led nowhere. It was a simple small street, with only three humble houses, barely any signs of usefulness.

“We can go nowhere from there, and two guards are at the end of-”

“Just jump!”

When he jumped down, they found themselves doing it too. With a small gulp, Aurora let herself drop with her wings open, following him near an old doorstep.

Ariel frowned and stared at them both in disapproval. She did not see the strategy in getting into a place that had more light and visibility. Not until she saw Uriel near the door of a very old and small workshop.

He grabbed the iron handle. Only a small yank was needed to get it open, due to the fact it was very old. When he peeked in and looked back, she knew the building was empty.

Uriel was the last to enter, preferring to usher them in first. When the guards returned to look into the street, the door was closed again.

The room was bigger than though, but still not all that spacious. He hissed when his leg collided with a big anvil, which he had not spotted in time in his hurry. While he hopped twice in slight pain, Ariel admired the room.

A smithy; an old one, but full of tools, scraps and trinkets. Many dusty armors decorated the walls, some broken swords rested on shelves. It was messy, but certainly full of experienced crafts.

“Whew… and I though his forge was chaotic.”

Ariel stopped herself from touching an armor, because Uriel grabbed her hand.

“Don’t touch anything.” He snarled at the crafts, showing disdain for every rune on them. “We don’t know how much demonic blood is on them.”

Aurora sniffed the air. She proceeded to sneeze three times because of it.

“T-there’s no blood… j-just… d-dust!” She rubbed her nose with a sleeve, letting out a small growl. “Too much dust.”

“It’s coal.” Ariel pointed at the big smelter in the corner, full of embers that provided the only light in the room. “It’s everywhere.”

“Whatever.” He hushed them both, uncaring of their curiosity. “Do not make yourselves too comfortable. We will only stay here until I stop smelling those angels outside. Then, we will bolt.”

The girls relaxed slightly, comforted by the emptiness and silence of the forge.

“I think we are safe here.”

“Yes… this is a workshop. No one will come until morning. Only Alexis is crazy enough to work in the nights.”

Ariel’s joking tone died quickly. The three of them tensed and blinked, because they heard steps outside. They got closer and closer every second. Even if dragged and slow, they were directed towards the door. And then, the smell intensified. Right at the doorstep, the smell of coal, oil, alcohol and… angelic scent.

Even if demons felt a strange fondness for such a scent, this one was not good. At all. That smell, it was strong and pungent. Whoever stood behind the door was a very dangerous man. They did not know how they knew with just the smell, but they knew. The anger could be sensed through it.

While Uriel stared at the door like a deer caught in blinding light, Ariel looked all around her. Aurora pointed at the second door in the room, which probably led to a living room, judging by the smell of a chimney. But she did not follow her sister’s anxious suggestion. There would be no use in hiding in a room that would be checked as well. The handle had been grabbed, and she did not know if they would have time to analyze the other room in search of a hiding spot.

She made her mind. There was a closet in the forge.

Uriel gasped when he felt a yank on his sleeve. He blinked at Ariel, who had grabbed him and Aurora, to pull them towards the closet.

“What-”

Before he could finish, his daughter shoved them both into it and then jumped in herself. She proceeded to close the doors tight, leaving them in darkness. Uriel felt the two squirm against him, trying to adjust to the small cramped space.

In the end, he ended up in a strange position in it. His neck was angled downwards so his horns wouldn’t scratch the top. He was crouching with his legs put to a side, while his arms were up to make space for the girls. One of Aurora’s wings was on his face. He could feel Ariel’s tail hitting his left hand.

It did not matter. That discomfort was nothing compared to what lurked in his mind.

The three of them listened closely. They heard the door open and close. They heard the steps drag towards the center of the room. They were normal steps at first, relaxed. But when the angel neared the anvil, they became tense.

Uriel had knocked it over.

He cursed nervously in his mind, his expression one of pure regret. The girls sent him an anxious glance, which hinted how screwed they thought to be.

The angel knew someone had gotten in.

“Now, who is the bastard who messed with MY stuff?!” A chair was knocked over, angrily. “I swear, if you are sent by that son of a wench whose name rhymes with imbecile, you are in for a good one! Have you made that stupid fire to frame me?! Can’t a man enjoy some drinks without someone messing with his home?! Get here so I can smash your head in with my hammer!”

The angel seemed to fidget for a moment. The demons cowered a little more as the yells echoed.

“Where’s that silly thing?!” He seemed to find it, judging by the satisfied yell he let out. “Now, where are you?!”

Even with slurred words, the tone was scary.

One step.

The smell of coal was more evident.

Two steps.

They could tell that a lot of alcohol stained his clothes.

Three steps.

They could hear the hand clenching around a weapon.

Four steps. There were no more steps.

Uriel breathed in, cringing as the mighty flow of smells invaded his nose. The girls covered their mouths, the scent of alcohol all too much to handle. It was inches away, an invasion to their sharp senses.

All were frozen. Not even when a streak of light grew did they move. The doors of the closet opened, very slowly. The light loomed onto them like the edge of a sword, becoming bigger with each second.

The girls stared wide-eyed, at an angel who held a hammer over them.

One would think that Uriel showed bravery in front of a dangerous being. But it was not the case. Not this time.

He was shivering, more than any other time in his life. His eyes were wider than theirs. He had slumped slightly in the closet. His body would not respond, but his mind screamed uncountable things. He had never been this scared of an angel. Of nothing, really.

The girls were scared of the hammer, which was over them. He was scared of the man himself, weapons or not.

He was staring at the furious eyes of the man he most feared.