Every single whisper was followed by a question. And after every question, came his shameful confessions. His hands were tied, by an invisible chain that he himself imposed. He kept himself there for hours, unable to escape what he had evaded for years.

He was confronting the worst of nightmares; he did not feel strong while they looked at him with pure hurt.

It had not been easy to shatter their childhood memories. They had believed for so long that the three had met in a certain way… and it was only half the truth.

There was no simple misfortune in their past. Alexis had not been found by a demon after fleeing from him early in their story. He had not understood Alexis’ lack of malice after his loss. And Ayako had not met them while they struggled with their wounds.

No. They had taken full part in their fall. They were as liable as the beast that had plotted against their lives.

Aurora knew of how they had grown fonder, but she had not known that they had done so after falling apart first. Ariel knew them to have been compassionate, not murderous and harmful after being open minded.

“You did not decide to protect him after he was wounded.” Aurora’s vacant eyes were fixed on his darkened ones. Neither was moving a muscle, even if their stances hinted aggravation and ire. “You wanted him to die; even after all you had shared before. You were close before all that happened.”

Uriel’s hands fidgeted subtly, while his concealed nails drew more blood out of his palms. All devils could sense it, and the two girls were no different. He did not show physical pain in his voice, but emotional.

“We spent much time together. We promised we would never fulfill the roles we were assigned by our upbringings. Yet I still…” Uriel chuckled, letting his head hang even lower. “I let my pain and fear cloud my senses. I let Alexis wound me, almost lethally.”

Ariel needed to know. She needed to fight the notion that she had been lied to, that it had not been an external menace what made them so secretive and spiteful. She wanted to believe her father was only burdening himself with all the shame, as always. She did not want to think he was really guilty of hurting them.

“That demon-” She corrected herself, shaking her head and stepping closer to him with a small quivering breath. “That monster; you always have said that it was the one at fault. But you just told us that Alexis crept behind you, that he was the first to attack. There is no way he-”

“He wounded me and made me fall down into a hole full of sharp edges and stones.” He cut her denial short with that single sentence. Both girls recoiled, because he stood solemnly and darkly. Slowly, he gripped his shirt, and then pulled up to reveal his wounds. Not even Angus dared to scoff the red scars that hid there. He spoke with no doubt under their unnerved stares, using a tone that was full of melancholy. “I heard him behind me; while I searched for the sword that he lost when I chased him into those ravines. As I looked over an edge, I felt a slash, and a push that only an inhuman limb could be capable of. The air was not something I could grasp to escape what was below. My skin and sides were punctured and clawed by the uneven high terrain, while my full weight met the hard needle filled ground. The dispersed rubble welcomed me in between the cracks, letting my blood fill them, erasing all evidence that I had not been part of its form. The hit left me breathless, the cuts voiceless. And above, I could only see the shadow of the one who I thought to be my killer. Vision foggy, I stared as he loomed, seeking to meet my unbelieving eyes. Soon, I saw him move downwards, towards me. And with what strength I had left, I stood, and ran. I did not know then that his actions were not his own. I never felt the presence that had him on strings. I was too overwhelmed by the smell of my own blood.”

Ariel had heard it already, a cold unnatural grip.

“And you ran to her.” She wished to cry and weep, but kept talking instead. “An angel hunter.”

Uriel nodded silently, and that made Aurora look away and pace her way towards the opposite side of the room in contained frustration. He kept talking, knowing they would struggle to come to terms with it.

“You may think that I only wanted to use her to kill him, as I was unable to fight then. However, even if I did want him dead, I did not wish to use her as a shield. I can promise you, that when I saw Alexis loom over me that night, I feared for her too. I was scared of dying, but by the hands of a traitor. If he had been capable of lying and stabbing me in the back… I could only imagine what he could do to her while I hid from any further attacks. I wanted her to know, before he could reach her instead. She had to know what he had done.”

Uriel flinched, because Aurora looked back with a sharp turn of head, which she followed with a very harsh reminder.

“And she saw right through it, didn’t she?” He was not able to hide the grimace that escaped him. Aurora hugged herself with her wings as she looked to the ground, too disappointed to maintain her glare. “She knew he could have not done that for real.”

“She knew better. Yes.” Ariel wanted to say something, anything. But she let Uriel keep digging himself deeper, into a place where she would never be able to see him with the same light. “That is why I am the one who must be held accountable. Ariel, Aurora; I am nothing more than a weak coward. I am not the strong man you have always been proud to talk of. Weak is the only thing I am. That night, I crept over her like a monster, and I made her forget. I forced her to let go of every single moment they shared, of every thought she had about their bond. Only my presence was left in her mind, and like she had always done before, she did not doubt to kill in order to shield what she loved. She believed in a selfish bastard; one who realized the pointlessness of her sacrifices all too late, one who then decided to exchange her devotion for an innocent broken life. We all got hurt. But while I felt the force of a fall that left me close to death, and his flesh got ripped, she got her own mind shattered. She paid the price of my mistakes, twice. And Alexis has had to suffer the agony of silence until this very day, for me. The hatred you’ve seen in me is not for demons, but for myself.”

Ariel put a claw on her head, struggling to distinguish what was wrong from what was worse.

“You hurt her. But if you had not, she would have found out she cut two wings off for nothing. No, not only that… that she had ripped HIS for nothing.” Her mother had no clue. They had been blissfully unaware too. Until now. “If she knew this…”

He finished for her.

“I don’t know what she would do, Ariel.”

Ariel and Uriel stopped looking at each other, because Aurora whispered to herself in the dark.

“I don’t know what to do about it either.”

She did not know what use there was to knowing truth, even if she had wanted it desperately.

She thought that there would be some use from chasing them to Feiren. She believed she was in the right when confronting Alexis about his stupid wish of change. And she had wanted to think that Uriel’s confession would bring clarity and peace to her breaking worldview.

This did nothing more than cloud her mind and twist her heart. There was no trace of the facts that she had grounded herself on. If beliefs were physical, she would be plummeting into an unending abyss below her in this instant.

But she was not falling. She was standing on a small room, where she could not even unfold her trembling wings. She could feel Angus eye her, like if she were about to scream and slump to her knees under all the pressure.

But she did neither. She was eerily quiet, distant.

Uriel wanted nothing more than to hold them closer, like he had always done in the past blissful years. But he knew they were gone, and that reaching for them could do no good.

“You can’t imagine how sorry I am, girls. Every day, every night, I both wanted to tell you all this, and at the same time not. He never asked me to; because he knew as well as me that sometimes the truth is too painful. Sometimes, I offered him the chance to forget, but he always refused and chose to keep enduring the painful knowledge of what happened.”

There was a hint of a possible threat there, in his last words. The two noticed it. And he could see exactly what they thought of it. They would never let him get closer to seize their minds, no matter how much this truth could hurt.

In another time, he could have considered taking action in this very moment. He could have chosen to steal his confession. But he was different now. He would never take the choice from others.

Ariel made Uriel flinch, when she suddenly edged closer and grasped his hand in hers. It was not a comforting move, but an inquiring one. She was examining his claw, all ever thoughtful.

“Is this why you were so reluctant of teaching us some spells?”

Her eyes still loved, but there was judgment in them.

“Perhaps, Ariel.” He lamented, questioning his every single action. “I can’t distinguish between my guilt and love anymore.”

It was all intertwined in his mind, in a web of lies and hopes.

Ariel had managed to hold her ground before, but she could not keep the sorrow at bay now. Slowly, she let Uriel’s hand fall from hers, and then she stepped away like Aurora did, in order to turn her back to the rest. She had to contain her inner debate, keep it silent.

Angus stood his ground in the background, even though he wanted to move. He wished nothing more than to step towards the girls, and offer one a shoulder to cry on, and the other a wing to muffle a scream.

But he could not.

He only neared Uriel, knowing that he could say nothing to muffle their anguish. He had to act coldly, for all of them to leave this moment less scarred.

“Even though I still think you hold most of the blame…” Uriel did not expect the next words; much less when Angus had him cornered and could have said many other things. “I got to tell you that I blame this fucking world more than your guts. If these laws did not exist, neither of you three would have felt the need to hurt each other.”

Uriel saw the honesty in Angus’ eyes. Even though he still felt horrible and the girls’ sorrow kept him down, he was grateful for the words on which he could hold on.

“Angus, I-”

Uriel huffed, because Angus stopped him with a small punch on his chest. The angel warned him with a frown, not entirely hateful, but serious.

“I said I still blame you the most.” Uriel looked away, reminded he was on thin ice. “The conversation is over for now. But do not think I won’t have another talk with you. With you and Alexis. We have to focus. We have to keep acting according to plan.”

The girls’ eyes gained some clarity with those words. As soon as his name was said, they remembered why they stood in this world, in that small room.

And that remembrance brought them even more turmoil, for they had a plan, multiple tasks that required them to cooperate.

They had planned to help their mother. Yet the though made them feel cornered.

“I don’t want to go back to the forest. Not now.”

“How can I look at her? How can I hide this?”

It was eating them inside out, and it would do so for a long while.

They had wanted to be told the truth so badly… and now they wanted to keep it away, just like Uriel.

The demon let out a long trembling sigh, knowing well they had planned to seek refuge with Ayako. Their mother was fulfilling a key part in their small plot to free Alexis, and it would not be easy to excuse the lack of help from both her two daughters.

Angus knew going back to their hideout was a terrible idea.

“You won’t be able to keep your mouths shut, even if you want to. Something will slip.” All looked at him. He answered their lost glances with painful honesty. “And, if you somehow manage to keep quiet, I know you will not hide it well on your faces. That vixen will spot your worries fast. We all know that.”

Ariel was the first to protest, not one to stay still without taking action.

“And what do you suggest we do?” She opened her arms and motioned around her, keeping her tail still. “It’s not like I can roam the citadel like my sister. I can’t just stay here doing nothing.”

Aurora hid her wings, ashamed again of her appearance.

Angus tilted his head slowly, pondering. He was cooler headed right now, and Uriel was all too shaken to think with clarity.

“No, you can’t stay here being lazy, girl.” Ariel snarled and looked sideways, feeling trapped and doomed to that forest. Until he reworded himself. “You are going to stay here with me, but I’m going to make you work your tail off.”

Ariel and Aurora blinked, surprised by the offer. The one who reacted more strongly was Uriel, who was still apprehensive about Aurora heading into the courtroom.

“But she can’t be seen in daylight. What could she ever do locked away in this small forge?”

“That, I will decide, boy.” Uriel took a step back, because Angus pointed at him, and then at the window. “You are going to leave, me and the girls, alone. I have a use for both of them, but none for you. Go back to the forest and help her, before the sun rises.”

Like a looming sword, small trickles of light reflected over Angus’ wings and Uriel’s horns. The window hinted the wake of the sun, which was slowly killing all the shadows outside.

The demon wanted to object. His chest pounded both with the spell that tied him to his angel and the ache of what he had been forced to let out. He wished nothing more than to stay, tell them how much they meant to him, how much he regretted letting everyone down.

However, he could not say any of that. He glanced at Ariel and Aurora, and his eyes realized they could not even look at him. With their heads turned away, they showed him how torn they felt.

They did not only wish to evade their mother for now, but him as well.

That knowledge crept into Uriel’s mind slowly. And much like how they had not wanted to believe his confession, he struggled to accept their evasion.

In the end, like Ayako and Alexis in the past, he had no choice but to surrender his own choice.

Angus watched silently as the demon moved. No words were said as he advanced towards the door. Even though his presence had been undeniable in the room, he escaped it silently, like a shadow. Outside, the devil crept away with calculated moves, which hid well his less composed emotions. He disappeared with the receding darkness, untouched by the advancing light.

The girls did look up with conflicted glances. But by the time they searched for his figure outside, he was no longer there. The light glinted over the towers and white fortresses, unwelcoming to his return or their chase.

For they wanted to chase, even if they could not bring themselves to do so right now. Part of them felt hurt and angry for what he had done to Alexis and Ayako, but deep inside they understood. They knew Uriel had been hurt too, that he had to make a choice. They knew that they had been close for years after their clash, and that they had come into the world due to that imperfect yet unbreakable bond. But that same bond was something they cherished, something that they did not wish to see tarnished by past wounds or secrets. They only felt hurt by the hidden anguish in their love.

Only Angus’ words grounded them in reality.

“Do remember one thing.” They closed their eyes with a grimace, trying hard to fight their newfound anger. “The three of them do try to do their best. Even if they fail.”

They knew. But it was not easy to mix with what they felt right now.

————————-

He had not felt this good in decades.

A smile escaped him, something that unnerved the servant in the room. He normally left tasks like writing a journal to his personal scribes; but today, he had to write this himself. With care, he traced once more the date, displayed in runes. He eyed the words time and time again, almost unbelieving that the day was finally going to arrive. The day in which he could say Alexis was dead.

Many years ago, he had assumed he had been torn apart by a demon. How disappointed and shocked he was to discover he was still kicking around, messing not only with their laws, but with his pride.

He shook his head and stood tall; because those would soon be worries of the past. And he was going to be the one to make sure of it, once and for all.

The sword hanged again where it belonged: on his chamber’s wall. It would only be taken down from it one more time.

“Tomorrow night.” The servant flinched when his master eyed him without turning, commanding without needing to address him. “It must be returned to its rightful place, and it shall be as shiny and polished as ever. I do not want a single trace of red on it.”

Some feet away, the servant bowed and answered calmly, even though he knew that the task would be heavily scrutinized.

“Yes, master.”

And as the angel finished his meek promise, he kept working in the shadow of the mighty soldier.

Einar did not smile as he fixed his gaze on the weapon, but the eagerness and pride could not be denied in his eyes.

While his soldiers and servants worked endlessly in the adjacent rooms, he stood there in his main chamber, counting every second. He wished nothing more than to be able to force the sun down at will, to reach the day he waited for. The wait was unbearable.

Alas, the sun was not under his command, no matter how much power he had in the land.

There was only one more thing he had no control over. Something that had angered him almost as much as his unwanted son. Something that he struggled to find a way in which to get rid of.

Like served on a silver platter, the opportunity presented itself right in front of him. One of his soldiers called into the room, needing his attention.

“Sir, there is a servant who requires your overseeing.”

With no trace of annoyance, he refused a meeting, not one to give council when immersed in his own affairs.

“Not now. It’s surely just another one of the nobles’ messengers. I have no time for their inquiries today. Tell the servant to leave the document with all the-”

“It’s his scribe, sir.”

Einar’s disposition changed instantly. While his wings had been folded to show his dislike, now they opened to show his interest. His eyes opened fully, previously narrowed.

Normally, he would tell his guards or the nearest servant to fetch any visitor. But not this one.

The soldier stepped aside quickly before Einar could walk through him. His master knew exactly what he had meant, because it had been something that had kept him awake at night.

He did not know why Angus had sent his scribe, but it was something that he would carefully analyze.

There, past many halls and chambers, she waited. He eyed her, small under the huge banners that decorated his vestibule. Like the high angel he was, he was the one to impose his presence towards her.

Strangely, even though all low angels quivered near his advances, she stood still like a statue, as focused as him. He stood over her, piercing her whole figure with his cold stare. She did not return his intense look. It was something that he did not reprimand, for all servants should keep their head low and hidden under their hoods. Not even her wings flinched when he questioned her presence.

“He dares send his lowly messenger into my home.”

The scribe did not nod or argue. She only said a simple fact, in a tone that was controlled and poised.

“No other way to accomplish his wish.” Einar tilted his head subtly, when she procured a letter from her white satchel. “All communication with the prisoner is prohibited. Unless it is through your permission.”

A small closed letter.

He knew what that was. A goodbye. Private. Reluctant words from a desperate man. There was only one way in which Angus would resort to send this to him. The day was near, and no one could access that jail, by the high priest’s command.

The scribe did not hold on tightly to the letter as he took it eagerly. Even though he did not rip it open in front of her, it was obvious he did not intend to deliver it to the intended receiver. He spoke while he kept it close between his wings, and it did not take half a sentence for it to disappear into his robes.

“Of course. I will make sure that the prisoner receives the message. You did well.”

Servants like her tended to be cast away as soon as they accomplished their task. So she made sure to speak before he could banish her.

“I have not only come for that.” He did not intend to banish her just yet, but he let her think otherwise. “He requests to be given the same right as the nobles. He requires the document to access a higher stand.”

Of course he would request entrance to the palace, to view the execution from a higher point of view. There was no way he would not demand it, given who would be kneeling above.

Einar did not wish to let Angus have that. He wanted him to watch from the lowest point, like the rest of scum. However, he knew that he had to comply, because Angus had made a formal request like the rest of nobles.

Unless…

“And so, he sends his messenger to take it. If he wishes to have a view so much, he should have come for it himself.” He shrugged after a few seconds, feigning understanding. “But then again, what can we expect from a poor blacksmith in the lowest of districts? He is lazy and obsessed with the art of brewing. He probably can’t even bother to pay his only loyal servant.”

The scribe did not show a single trace of hurt, but she did defend her master.

“He does allow me what I need.”

Einar scoffed silently while turning his back to her. Even the soldiers around them smirked when he boasted his superiority to the scribe.

“Simple wage for bread, and with luck, hay for a bed. Not enough to buy ink, not even to save for a brighter future under higher rule.” He glanced at her with no emotion, but the luring offer was all clear on his expression. “A young scribe like you deserves better. Even if you were of the lowest of lineages, no one should serve a man like him. How degrading it had to be to meet him in that tavern; him being the only angel to drink so much mead. Instead of savoring the taste of the invigorating craft in small doses like the rest, he drowns himself in it. No, that is not how an offer of servitude should be given… You should be given more.”

His tone was not really admiring, but manipulative. He could not see her eyes, only her fleeting wings. He had nothing but disdain for angels who did not have the resources to nurture their feathers with the best of tonics, ones who could not adorn them with jewels if needed. Her type and outlook was of the disordered kind, and it was obvious that a low scribe like her could only keep her wings from bristling with tight bands and careful combing.

But he needed her. He needed her gone from Angus’ side.

“What would you say, to a life of inspiring discipline? A servitude that does not bring shame, but literacy and greatness.” He raised an arm, and then placed it on his chest. He got to the point. “Be my scribe, and stop being his. In this very instant.”

No chance for Angus to receive the document if he had no messenger. No laws forbid nobility of taking the workforce from the ones below them. In this world, loyalty was dictated by hierarchy. And the law, by the ones who wrote it.

She did seem to react to his offer. She had been still as stone before, but she leaned subtly when she heard his last words. No angel would ever refuse a chance like that. He was offering her a life that few could reach, in a silver platter.

He couldn’t care less for her or her future. But if he had to take a low angel under his wing to bring him down, he would. This scribe had been the only one to meet with Angus the day of the arson. She was the only witness that could speak against any accusation.

Once he was done with the execution, he would make sure to have his way. By any means possible. He would take one step at a time: isolation, forgery of evidence, and… a second trial.

He only needed her out of his way, or on his side. He waited for her answer, eagerly. He counted every second. He watched every soft thoughtful breath she took.

He almost thought that she would refuse, as it was already unbelievable that she chose to serve Angus in the first place. But in the end, she answered. She did so slowly, with a soft and careful half bow, which made her wings unfold behind her. Her tone was reluctant, even if decided.

“I’ll be the one to write your doings.” She added after a few seconds, which he believed to be respectful. “…Sir.”

Each word was carefully said, cold as him.

He smiled plainly, not realizing that there was no gratitude in her shadowed eyes. There was no admiration, no submission in her reticent stance. There was nothing but a fiery will, which crept from the depths of those hidden blue gleams.

They were not the ones being manipulated. It was him.

—————————-

Rarely anyone would be summoned in the nights.

If he was called into the courtroom once more, it was for a matter that was meant to be shared in privacy. It had to be urgent and of most importance.

Philander was an angel of high rank, but even one like him would be expected to be watched while in the presence of the high priest. He was surprised to find that the guards halted behind him, with no intention of joining them in the chamber. Only one stayed close, and only to shut the huge doors after he stepped in.

Alone. No one else was allowed to enter. And there he was, seated like always on his throne, caressing his long staff with a warm smile.

“Come further, Philander.”

It was an honor to be called by name by an elder, because they usually referred to their subjects as children. But Philander did not know what to make of it.

Calmly, yet warily, he neared the shadow of the thrones. He should have no reason to be here, because the trial had ended long ago. He dared question, not without a small bow.

“You wished to see me, highness?”

“Indeed.” The priest leaned a little to look at him, with his chin on his hand. “Why do you doubt to step closer?”

Philander looked around once more. He admitted rather bluntly.

“There are no guards. I am in your presence without vigilance.”

“The prisoner is locked away, under heavy guard. No one can enter through those doors, and I affirm that no one hides in the shadows.” He laughed a little, deciding to point what Philander really meant. “But perhaps, you believe I should see you as a threat?”

Philander kneeled and shook his head hastily, offended by the mere idea.

“No, highness. That is not what I meant. I merely respect our traditions, our customs. You are far too imperative for our city to leave at risk, no matter how small or unthinkable.” His red wings outstretched on the ground at his sides, to display how devoted he was. “My life has always been dedicated to our ways. I would never think of betraying them. You are the symbol of our existence, and I would rather die than allow any threats near you.”

Philander blinked, confused by the laugh that echoed. He looked up, and again, he felt strange under the familiarity he was being given by the priest.

“That is what I like about you. Determined, loyal and focused. You know exactly what it takes to keep oneself and others at peace.” The priest leaned back on the throne, and then mused to himself for a while. “Ancient, wise and experienced.”

“Highness…” Philander stood at last. He dared look him in the eye with more seriousness, keeping a firm stance. “I do not understand. Please, reveal the reason of your call. The trial has ended, and so my duty in the holy palace. I have many matters which to attend.”

“The more one grows, the more burdens befall on his wings. You know that truth.” Philander tensed when the priest moved next. He descended slowly from his throne, but in a more tired way than in the trial. He leaned onto his staff while he made his way towards Philander. And when he was close enough, he placed a hand on his shoulder. “We both have lived for a long time. We both have seen terrible ages. But I, I grow far too tired of this burden. I have always been the one to keep the past at bay. Only I could face the task of directing our people with the needed discipline. Until now.”

Philander did not like where this was going.

“The rest of elders have seen the age of bloodshed.”

“But they have not struggled through it, Philander.” He waved his staff around, mimicking how he had wielded a sword once. “They have not battled! They have not seen those beasts in close range as they came to existence! They have always been reclusive in their temples, preaching the way others have paved! They are priests, not warriors. And the old holy warriors, they have fallen long ago, torn by the ones they chose to hunt. The wise lack might, and the strong lack knowledge.”

Philander took a step back. Before the priest said it, he already knew what he was going to offer.

“You praise an angel who does not deserve it, priest. I do not hold these traits, not enough to warrant that honor.”

“And who else could receive it, hmm? Tell me, who could take my place and lead them? It can take centuries until I find a more worthy soul. Perhaps eons.”

Philander was firm, set in his choice.

“Not me, sir.”

The old angel insisted, pointing out a fact that could not be denied.

“Your task is fulfilled. You did a great service. Greater than expected of you. You may rest from your duties in that world, to serve greater ones in the one where you belong.”

“I may have fulfilled a task. But my crusade is not over, highness.” Philander disappointed the priest when he affirmed, when he rejected all chance of becoming the next high elder. “I must go back. I must cleanse that world.”

Philander felt hurt, when a man he admired rejected the idea of battling for a land that was once theirs.

“That place has no hope. The sacred orb is growing silent, shining less and less through the years. Fewer of us are called to kill devils. Our god has given up on its second creation. The invading force has grown too large. Only the chosen must hunt, when fate dictates so.”

Those words, they clashed with everything he believed. As much loyalty as he had, he would not share that sentiment. The priest lost his soft smile when Philander turned away, intending on leaving.

“God may have given up, but I have not. I still remember the years in which I served, in a world that had no fear instilled by devils. It was an age of peace. In those times, none of my brothers and sisters had to die or suffer.” He gave his ultimatum, and with it, he was ready to leave. “I am sorry.”

The priest stayed quiet for a few seconds. But then he smiled again, admiring a worldview that was not common these days. He warned Philander.

“You will be alone. No one surrenders their life without being chosen anymore.”

“I know.” He admitted, not without sorrow. “I have been alone for a long time, and I am ready to be so once more.”

The priest did not like to be rejected. But like when he walked away from Alexis, he knew when to admit that he had no possible way of imposing his will.

“Very well. Go. Enjoy your time. He will be brought down soon, when the sun rises.” He pointed at the moon outside, indicating the countdown. “Admire your accomplishment before you part.”

Philander shook his head again, and then began to walk for the door. He corrected the priest, not without a respectful tone.

“I will not attend the execution.” The priest blinked, surprised to find there was an angel that did not look forward to it. “I only strive to end true evil. Watching will not bring me any joy or favor. Time can be used in better ways.”

He resented Alexis. But he did not hate him.

Like Reut, he had been manipulated and corrupted. And that was a belief he kept while he walked away, from the greatest opportunity an angel could aspire to reach.

His focused march out of the courtroom confused the guards that stood outside. But he was not stopped.

The sound of his steps echoed through the palace; from the core, to the lower chambers. It mixed with the eerie silence, until it could not be distinguished in the depths that were kept in darkness.

He had rejected an opportunity above… while another one had been taken below.

Silent as death, the feather fell towards the stone cold ground, antagonizing gravity in its descent. As it collided, a breath of relief echoed.

At last, he was able to move away from the cold wall, from the oppressive shackles. He did so carefully, to not make a single sound. He eyed his sore wrists while he crept towards the door. Slowly, heart pounding, he laid his head against it, hoping to pick any possible sound from the outer hall.

The soldier was still there. As always.

Alexis leaned back, grimace all ever present. He took two steps away from the door, and then stared at it blankly, intently.

Even though he had managed to snatch a feather from the priest who brought him his last supper, it would not help him with the door. It could open it, but it would not shield him from the soldiers outside. The shackles were only the first step. He had to make a huge pilgrimage to reach safety.

A pilgrimage that he wished to accomplish, but that he would most surely give up in.

Surrender… That is what I always do.

The prisoner slumped desperately against the door, mouth opened for a scream that gave no sound. His fists clenched painfully over his head, while he let it rest onto the oppressive barrier.

“Any devil spawned, now or in the future, I shall slay.”

He had to get out. He had to get out of this cell. He had to leave this cruel and delusional world. He had to protect them.

“I can’t die here.”

The notion had hit him like thunder. It had kept him awake through the last hours he had left. He could not rest while knowing that his demise would not shield them. His death would not have a meaning.

Those bastards would kill him, and it would be for nothing.

Honestly, he was really stupid for hoping they would be satisfied. He realized now that there would never be an end to the slaughter. It had always been, and it would always be. He was just another number.

Alexis growled to himself and looked up sharply. Like a caged animal, he began to pace, side to side. The door was the only thing he could see for a while. However, his fiery glare did nothing against it. He kept trying to craft a way of action in his rushed thoughts, to plot a course that included opening the door with the feather he got. But every possible scenario ended with him battered on the ground or bloody and adorned with many arrows.

I’m just… fucked.

Again, he turned to look away from the locked door. His eyes moved wildly, seeking anything that could help in the empty cell. Which he would have to abandon soon, permanently.

The cell was below ground level. At the ceiling there was a small hole that let air creep in from the outer palace pavilion. But it was as small as his hand. He had already tried to move the stones of the walls, in the times when he was allowed to move and eat. There were no secret passages.

His shoulders fell, and his expression became even more defeated and anxious. The seconds were flying by. They were loud, constant. They made his breathing grow erratic and uncontrollable.

Time had been given to him in big sums before, but now it felt sparse and precious. Soon, he would have none left. That door would open, and if they saw him unshackled, his death would be worse.

All ever slowly, he turned to look again at the shackles. Open, tempting, offering him the choice of surrender, once more. He had resignation and easiness at hand, no struggle or unneeded further punishment.

Without thought, he took a step towards the chains. But as quickly as he did so, he stopped himself.

He stole that feather. He had unchained himself. He wanted to get out.

Knowing this, he lashed out against himself, throwing his hands onto his head. Many flashes of his most precious memories assaulted his conscience. Too many things, which he did not want to remember now. But they were things that he could not let go of. There was no way he could surrender his bond and love. Nothing could make the memory of their laughter be silent. He had spent so many years with them, being slowly chained to their lives. And now that he did not wish to be untied, he would be torn apart from it all.

It was maddening.

Outside, the guard moved after hours of being still. His eyes ventured sideways, narrowed. A loud furious yell had echoed from the cell, accompanied with the strong clash of chains.

He would have taken a look inside, but the comment of one of the other guards made him reconsider.

“The anguish of a dead man.”

The angels did not nod or change expressions. They stayed put, allowing the prisoner some quiet and freedom of emotion in his last moments.

Little did they know that he had more freedom than what should be allowed or spared.

Alexis huffed, blinded by his impotent outrage. He punched the wall again, baring his teeth while he glared at the broken chains.

He did not feel better.

Eventually, he realized his mistake. His eyes cleared of fiery anger and opened with recognition. Fixed downwards, they filled with horror, realizing that the shackles would not be able to close again.

He had broken them in his outburst.

“…” He brushed his hair back, eyes wide. “Fuck.”

Worse still, time was finally over. He had spent all night battling with the feather and shackles. The moon was hiding away, parting to let the sun reign. And with it, death.

He could hear his voice outside.

“Let me through.”

The dungeon had multiple barred gates that needed to be open to reach the cells. One by one, they were being opened, and his steps were not stopping. Like seconds, it was something he began to count.

He was already dead. So he chose to at least try.

He shot forward, to the only possible thing that could give him some time and advantage. There was a barred opening on the ground, small and narrow, designed to let water out if rain got into the cell. It would barely let his torso fit, but he could not care about claustrophobia now. If he could manage to break the three thick metallic bars, he could crawl in there and be unreachable for a while. He maybe would get caught later, but he could not give a damn. His flight or fight instinct was blaring in his mind.

Outside, Einar had halted in front of the guard. He had opened his mouth to command him to open the cell. But then, Alexis kicked on the bars.

Instantly, those cold eyes shot open with rueful surprise. The guard flinched, as shocked to hear a sound that should have not echoed from within the cell.

Alexis growled and stomped downwards again, with another furious kick, which did do some damage. As the door slammed open, he threw a third hit, which made the blockage shake.

But it did not break.

Panting, he shot a quick panicked glance at the door. And there he was. Clad in full black armor, the executioner was leering, furious that he was free.

When Einar shot towards him in a flash, he had to choose. Dodge, or try once more.

He chose the former, as he knew he would not be able to break the bars, too strong to bend.

Sidestepping, he shook off the hand that gripped his shoulder. Einar’s black gauntlet hurt him, but he pushed it out of reach. Both managed to get a glimpse of the other’s eyes, as Alexis escaped the hit, and as Einar lost his balance.

The mighty warrior had lunged so fiercely, that Alexis only had to use his drive and weight to take the upper ground. When Einar stumbled slightly, one of his heavy boots stepped onto the bars. And there it got stuck, only for a second.

Einar’s surprise was clear. In that quick instant, both felt time slow. For once, Alexis had the chance to attack him, to send him to the ground. He would only have to raise an arm, and strike over his head.

He did raise a trembling fist… but he stopped there.

The guards had entered the cell, for all that had happened in just a couple of seconds. But by the time they showed any hints of joining Einar, it was already over.

Einar’s cold eyes were calculative and intent. He stood tall over the prisoner, gauntlet still raised and clenched at his side. Alexis whimpered on the ground, trying to hold himself up after the hasty hit.

No smile grew on Einar’s lips when his son looked up. Even though one of his eyes was now black and bloody.

“You should have taken the chance.”

Alexis sighed and hanged his head low, knowing that Einar was not referring to him escaping. Sending him down would have not helped him any with the guards.

He admitted, shaking his head with a defeated grin.

“I couldn’t…”

He was not able to throw the punch. And not only because it would have no point. He did not want to kick him down. Though he could have done it. Those times in which he had been beaten were still fresh in his mind. Pain was something he knew well, and he did not wish to give it to others.

Much less him. He would never get to his level. He would never pay him with the same horrible lashing and hurting. No hits would mend all that he endured.

To his surprise, Einar did something unusual.

Alexis was vulnerable, an easy target. But Einar only crouched and stared at him, and the guards kept still and watched. He managed to pant and breathe for a while before his tormentor said anything.

“This is what you always do, nothing. You can’t do anything. You do not face the chances you are given. Once, you were stolen the chance to fight for your own survival. But from since then on, you have chosen to not fight for anything. You couldn’t duel with the other novices. You couldn’t learn the rites and chants. You could not hunt your demon. And now, you can’t hold any kind of valor. You do not hold a single trace of courage upon your demise. You keep trying to dodge your fate.”

The guards took a step back, because Einar did something harsher. With no rage on his face, he grabbed Alexis’ collar and pulled him up to his feet. Instead of holding him to throw another punch, he let him stand on his own. He then taunted him again, opening both his arms and wings.

“Come on, take the last chance you will be offered.”

There was no hate in Einar’s dare. Just plain narcissism. His expression was calculative and unemotional, prideful and egotistical.

Einar waited. And waited. But the only thing that Alexis did was grasp his own arm and look away with a sad grimace.

As expected, he did nothing. So he let his arms and wings fall down slowly.

Alexis did one thing. Lament.

“It is always about chances with you.” Einar did not understand the concept behind unconditional love, so he could not understand or feel offended by Alexis’ next accusation. “I wish it was different. I wish I did not have to prove a single thing to you. Things could have been different, if you only had given a fuck about me. You have always been so distant, so selfish. You skewed my brain so much that I could have ended up like you. If not for Angus, I would have not learnt to care. I would have treated her like shit.”

Alexis took a deep breath… and then glared right through him.

“You have always been shit, Einar.” All that did not face him. But what he said next did. “I don’t know what she saw in you.”

That did it.

If one thing Einar loved, even if in his own way, it was her.

Alexis did not flinch when Einar unsheathed their sword slowly. With no change of tone, he reminded him plainly of what day it was.

“It’s time to move.”

The guards fidgeted, knowing that something was amiss.

“Sir.” Einar did not even look sideways at them, all ever calm and focused on Alexis. “The elders will not approve of his scar.”

Alexis scowled while Einar retorted, not concerned at all by the evidence.

“They do not need to approve.” He pointed with a monotone tone, immersed in his cold act. “Eyes that do not see…”

And a heart that stops beating.

With a snap of his fingers, his henchman moved. Against the better judgment of the other guards, he procured a blindfold with haste. Einar did not show a trace of emotion while Alexis was apprehended, held down and submitted, in order to tie the veil around his eyes.

No matter how he struggled, he ended up blinded and chained, unable to resist their hold.

“Now…” Einar tilted his head and pointed out the door, seeing glimmers of light reflect on the sword. “Let’s not keep the audience waiting.”

The blindfold was black, like his robes. And dark is all he saw.

He began to sweat, to breathe rapidly. His steps did not have any rhythm, because he was being pushed and pulled, led erratically through the dungeon. He snarled and struggled to move on his own accord, but his arms were kept behind him, tied up. No matter how he tried, he could not get the veil off without his hands.

Even the chance of seeing the light for the last time was taken away from him. He reached the upper corridors; soon he was out of the dungeon, but he could not admire and behold the daylight that came through the arcs.

After what felt like hours, his forceful march was slowed down. Once he reached the holy halls, they stopped handling him so harshly. Again, Einar wished to be seen as honorable, so no soldiers there saw his hypocrisy. They pretended to lead him in a more merciful lenient way, even though they still sneaked a very tight grip on his shoulders.

Alexis moved his head while he picked on the sounds around him.

The sounds of heavy armors moving. The echo of the murmurs, the nobility that waited outside. The steps of the scribes, who ran about to gather stones on which to carve what was going to happen.

Einar’s voice commanding his own scribe.

“Here you are.” He could not mistake the sound of a guard shoving a stone onto a young scribe’s arms, for it to be carved. “You will stand by, and you shall write every sight you see, in all its glory.”

Of course, the scribe only seemed to comply, like a silent and insentient tool. Like all of them.

That moment of repose lasted shortly.

Again, he was directed forward. This time, he was made to ascend long and tiresome stairs, which did not help him ease his fear.

Though he was minutes away from nonexistence, he had a long time to rummage through his scared mind. Like if he was trying to catch burning pages in the wind, he panicked on the inside, sorting through too many thoughts to handle.

There was the concept of death, which he had always found terrifying. Then there was the way in which it was happening, in front of too many judging eyes. Not to be forgotten, all that he could not say. His life had always been a broken road, one which he had not expected to end this abruptly.

He had always thought that his life would end because of an expected foe or threat. Perhaps his demon, long ago. Maybe a predator, wishing for his blood. With luck, an accident caused by his own missteps. Not his own people, his own home.

It was… only a journey. He had only wanted answers.

That fact was what conquered his mind. It overwhelmed all the different toned voices and screams inside. And there was only an eerie silence left, as he basked in what he expected to be his last remorseful thought. Their smiles, as they walked through unknown roads, hoping for good things to come.

And in that inner silence, he found refuge from the sound of the gate he had to cross to reach the end.

The sunlight shined on him, but he felt no better with its warmth. Two hands guided him forward, two steps. And that was all he needed to advance to be displayed before the whole citadel.

He could not see it, but he could sense it. Curiosity and wonder, hatred and resent, all around him. Near the high point where he stood, waited the ones who most wished to see him bite the dust, seated in parallel platforms. On the lowest point, stood the ones who wondered how horrible his acts were. They were the ones who had only heard what the priests had announced, while he ascended to his killing ground.

But all those emotions he sensed did not compare to one that neared him next. Overwhelming and stronger, it erased all his recognition of the rest. The executioner marched onto the atrium, followed by only one other angel. All the soldiers retreated back through the gate, leaving him to be the only one to oversee his captivity.

Alexis closed his eyes tightly and braced himself, hearing his steps approach. A priest was speaking loudly from somewhere, dictating, but he could only focus on his killer.

This time, no words were needed to bring him down. Not even hits. When that gauntlet rested on his shoulder and pressured down, he offered no resistance. He went down to his knees, and made no move to turn while he stood behind him.

While he awaited the end in painful silence, the angels basked in their own lethargy.

The priests took their time to tell the populace below why he was condemned. The nobility exchanged nasty and unmindful whispers. The soldiers watched from every spot that surrounded the palace, with unbreakable intent. And the crowd below just watched. As always, they could only watch the whims of the higher angels, who dictated their daily duties.

Even younglings were gathered to watch, for it was dictated this would be part of their history. Not even the farmers could go back to their fields, expected to pay respect to the killing of a vile soul. Only the young priests who lived in reclusion were excused from this, and only if they prayed compulsively while he was brought to death.

In between all those withdrawn angels, only one did know of his real life.

He crept slowly through the crowd, his eyes never leaving the three figures above. His expression was merely a scowl while he waited for the moment to come.

The moment was not only overseen by living beings. Right above the atrium, many eyes stared coldly. Two huge rows of statues loomed over the kneeling prisoner and the executioner, watching everything unfold. The angels of the past observed like they had always done, while their weapons loomed over the devils that had been carved in dark stone. Their figures were unmovable, kneeling or crouching, awaiting death from above.

Just like him.

All eyes were set on him. A despicable sinner, who deserved nothing more than death for his unwilling defiance.

And at last, the humiliation and painful wait ended. The priests grew silent, and everyone held their breaths. But only to bring forth the final blow.

He shivered. The sound of the unsheathing sword made him move his head up, in a move that would have been meant as a last glance for the sun.

But again, they used supposed mercy to taunt him. The blindfold did not offer any comfort. It did not ease his pounding heart. The sight of the weapon would not be worse than its absence.

And he… he let it happen. He hung his head low, as he had been told.

All happened quickly, like he had prayed for.

Einar raised the sword in a precise stance. In a blinding fast motion, it was brought down. The air between its sharp edge and the back of his neck was slashed. The sound of rushing air was deafening, and numbing.

He waited for the pain. A second that felt eternal made him dread the feel of blood pouring, of flesh parting.

The scream that echoed was loud. But it was not his.

Under the blindfold, he opened his eyes with the most confused of emotions. He was blind to what had prevented his head from being cut clean off.

In the same instant in which the loud hit echoed and he yelled, Einar stumbled back. His eyes went wide, with pure shock. He watched in disbelief as his sword was sent to the ground, by an object that had shot fiercely onto it, with deadly precision.

The arrow had broken, colliding with such force that it managed to send the blade a few feet away. The drive of the slash had even caused sparks to fly off with the hit.

In that instant, all grew silent. All was motionless. Einar stared at the two weapons, which should have never come to touch one another. From nowhere, his grand moment was stolen. The arrow flew inches away from the neck he had meant to pierce, but it prevented any blood from pouring.

The sword slid fast on the white slabs. And Einar would come to regret fixing his gaze on it.

When he looked up again, it was to look towards the sound of a fast dash. Before he could comprehend what was happening, it was already on him. The scribe he had chosen to record the moment, just to spite Angus, had lunged. Onto him.

Frozen, motionless in a shocked reaction, he gazed on her features. What was once a meek and silent scribe was now a wild raging foe. Her pounce was fast, calculated. Her once gloved hands were no more. In that slowed moment, sharp nails were piercing their way out of the concealing cloth. Her claws were raised, one of them reaching towards him. Her wings were different; they had changed in the second she chose to attack, right when the arrow made contact. Those bands that had kept them tight had broken, pulled by the motion she made to open them wide. Like a second pair of claws, they were like limbs, sharp and ruffled like sets of knives. In the air, mid jump, her robes were pushed back by the wind or her clawing. Free from her self applied restraints, she raised her head proudly, eyes glinting under her fleeting hood.

She was inches away from him. And then, he recognized her rage, her fury. And he had seen those things before, from many devils. But this did not look like a devil to him.

He quivered. He trembled. He feared and cowered. He saw her face, her hurt and furious expression; a judgment that he could not look away from. Her eyes did not shine with the love he remembered, but with hatred and inquisition.

And then, he had to come to terms with reality, with the fact that she was gone. He had to realize that this was not his lover coming back to haunt him and punish him. It was something worse.

A demon. One who looked like Aurora had once, and held as much hatred as she would if she saw what he had done.

Aurora growled loudly, letting the hood fall down behind her while she swung one arm upwards. Her blue eyes gleamed with raw hatred as she clawed through Einar’s face. The man she refused to call grandfather screamed and stumbled backwards, while she clenched her nails when they parted from his skin.

The instant died, and she did not have to meet those horrible cold eyes again.

No time was wasted. With focused precision, she turned sharply. She did not need the dagger that she had been given to carve the stone. She had thrown all that to the ground when she lunged.

Alexis cried out softly when he felt something sharp slash inches away from his face. He panted and fought against the blurriness that invaded his vision. Heart beating impossibly fast, he struggled to realize that the blindfold had been ripped off.

Again, time seemed to gift him an eternity when he looked up slowly.

There, he saw two blue eyes looking over him. Even if she wore an anxious dreadful scowl, there was no way of missing the deep caring fear she was displaying.

“Aurora…?”

He could only whisper that.

If he had died, he would understand the sight. But he had not. He was breathing. He still felt the pain of Einar’s hit in the cell. He could not be in hell either, not when he was seeing her.

Like a game of tumbling cards, her pounce was not the last step in the chaos they had planned. Alexis had no time to assimilate what was happening. Many more facts would need to be taken in. By him, and his captors.

For example, the deafening explosion that echoed in the distance. Even if far in the horizon, it was loud and huge. It made everyone scream and tumble when the shockwave rushed through the citadel. Even if he was still kneeling, he felt himself tremble after the raging fire ascended and clawed the sky. A mix of red and black mist twisted over the whole city in seconds, from the lowest of districts, building up in a small forgotten forge for hours.

Even if it was based in natural chemicals, available resources, and only a slight spark of magic, it had raised and taken a form that could inspire fear into the soldiers who saw it. The smoke extended like claws, towering and darkening what had been a sunny dawn.

While the crowd screamed and panicked, the scattered soldiers tried to gather their senses. Einar was the first to stand upright.

With a deep mad grimace, he pierced both blonds with the most hateful glare he had ever shown. He slammed a boot forward and yelled in fury, startling them both when he readied himself to shoot for the sword he dropped.

Aurora gasped and flinched, seeing that she had not clawed hard enough to blind him. Einar’s face was bloody, but not enough for him to not jump sideways and get close enough to the weapon.

His gauntlet descended to it. His fingertips brushed its handle… And there they were crushed. Another loud scream escaped him, but this time it that was less dignified.

Alexis was in shock. Like a deer in headlights, he watched mouth agape while Uriel twisted his foot over Einar’s hand. His demon had descended like lightning from the row of statues, finally surrendering his act between them. He had looked no different from the crouching stones, too many to count or look over. But as he stood now before them with his shoulders broadened, he looked much more majestic than the angelic depictions above; no golden weapons were held more virtuously than the trident in his right claw. Like Aurora, he waited his turn, knowing that they needed to unarm Einar from a distance.

Far below, hidden in a pile of hay piled on a cart, a hunter made her crossbow click with another bolt. She took aim again, holding her breath to have the needed precision. She ignored the low angels that fled through the small alley where she hid, choosing to keep an eye on the moves of any soldier that stood too close for comfort.

She did not need to shoot yet. The soldiers on the towers above her were still hearing ringing because of the explosion. Only Einar could be a threat. But that bastard did not have many chances anyway.

Uriel’s eyes narrowed very disapprovingly. Instead of crawling away after managing to free his hand, Einar decided to stand and attack.

Something that did not go well for him.

Aurora did not need to make a single move to acknowledge Einar’s next intended hit against Uriel. The angel moved with experience, yet those punches he threw did not make Uriel flinch.

Einar paled when Uriel huffed and brushed off every single hit he received on his chest. His last punch was stopped, sharply. Those violet eyes glinted with eagerness while his claw tightened around his gauntlet, which was bent everywhere at this point. The demon leaned elegantly over him, enjoying his realization and impotence.

“Try again, I dare you.”

Alexis cringed. There was no way those words would not trigger the easy to anger angel.

And he was right. Einar’s face turned red, his fury overwriting every sense of shock and confusion for their sudden appearance. Every trace of reason flew out far away.

Another try, another swing of his free fist. That was stopped as well, this time with the trident. Uriel twirled it upwards and halted the punch; he made sure to use the two bony points of the spear to trap that hand in a painful angle.

Uriel smirked, glad to have gotten the best of Einar. In that short while, he enjoyed toying with him, something he had only dreamt about, for years. His nervous and confused grimace was something that he would try to engrave in his memory.

Before anyone could blink, Uriel took his chance.

Alexis eyes were wide, overwhelmed by all that happened in seconds. Not only he was alive, but he was experiencing something he had not thought possible. He saw Einar fly.

No, not fly. Panic in the air like a flightless bird. Uriel had gone into motion swiftly. Before anyone could even think, his demon had grabbed Einar by the neck. And in milliseconds, he had hauled him sideways over the edge of the atrium.

Now, an angel knew how to fly… but Einar had no chance to do so, not with the force with which he was flung off. There was a very heavy thud, and some startled yelps from the nobles below. The mighty warrior did not have time to evade or take a good stance in the air before he collided with a lower balcony.

Thud after thud, those wings flapped wildly, until they could not hear their long descent from the atrium. Uriel did not even look down over the edge as he dusted off his claws.

“Fuck off.”

He normally would have second thoughts about swearing in front of Aurora. But this had felt too good to not express it like that. Cursing that man, when Alexis could not, was something he relished.

But again, he remembered that with that angel gone, he had to focus.

In those fast seconds, Alexis managed to grip himself slightly on reality. Some tears built up in his amber eyes. But they were not ones of joy or relief.

He was scared.

“Wh-” He struggled to speak, he had a noose in his throat. “Why are you here?”

They had gotten rid of Einar, for now. But it was only a matter of time until the guards would come get them. He could hear the soldiers yell, try to gather some sense and focus.

They should not be there. All around them were killing machines that would put their heads on a pike without thinking twice. And they had dared to anger them. It was undeniable that the explosion was their doing.

All the puzzle pieces clicked into place. And they created a picture he did not admire.

He did not want them here. But again, that was not his choice, but theirs.

He huffed when Uriel literally pulled him to his feet. They wobbled a little, but his demon gave him some balance while he grabbed his chains tightly. While he ushered him, he ripped his chains in half with Zelophehad’s weapon, which cut them like silk.

“You are an idiot if you think we would leave you for dead!”

Alexis questioned if he had any sanity left.

“YOU are the idiots! You-” With his hands free, he took a second to step back and stare at them wide eyed. The shock and disbelief made his voice slightly go off tune. “You’ll be dead too, because you-!”

“Shut up.” Alexis flinched when Uriel dashed, in order to stop a sudden attack. He and Aurora frowned, watching as he crushed the arrow he caught with a claw. The demon quickly snatched his sword and shoved it into Aurora’s hands, commanding with dangerous seriousness. “Hold it.”

She just nodded. Alexis looked back and forth, not getting why Uriel suddenly gave him a stare down, or why his daughter dashed away towards the edge without second thoughts.

“Wait, what-”

They were not here to answer his questions.

Uriel had no reward for how he handled Alexis next. He had worse things to worry about. His angel did yelp and panic, flailing in his arm while he jumped off the atrium. With Alexis screaming his lungs off, he was careful of where he landed every jump towards the far ground.

Some nobles ran for their lives into the palace when he used their balcony as the last pivot. Close to the ground, a soldier had managed to see through the smoke. The angel readied a lance and pointed upwards to meet their descent, no matter how unexpected his foe was.

The poor guy kissed the ground, because Uriel lessened the final landing by falling on him. The lance clanked nearby, completely forgotten.

Above, two blue eyes narrowed. Past the growing thick smoke, she saw the perfect landing spot. The plaza was being emptied, much more now that Uriel stood in it. A small crowd scattered below her, and she did not have to worry about stepping onto any wings.

Alexis was put on his own feet unceremoniously. Before he could open his mouth or react to what happened, he was handed his sword, rather hurriedly.

“Here!”

He did react, when Aurora seemed to ready herself for takeoff after returning his weapon to him. With a shake of head, his eyes gained some clarity. He called behind her, finally comprehending the horror that was unfolding in front of him.

“Aurora, wait!”

She did halt. But only for a second. Conflicted, she met her father’s eyes, basking in their fear and shock. She wanted to say many things.

But she had no time to say anything more than the next words.

“We’re going home.”

Alexis tried to grab her. He took a few steps forward and reached up with an arm. But again, she had taken off. He lost sight of her through the smoke. Her wings shot her fast into the streets, of which she had learnt the layout in these horrible days.

She left, but she had not abandoned him. Far from it.

Alexis felt a gentle grip, one that begged him to come to his senses. He turned, and saw Uriel there, tugging at his sleeve for him to follow.

“I’m here.”

Those two words had many more hidden in them. They offered safety and protection. They meant survival and closeness. But most important, it was a question.

He wanted him to trust him.

Alexis’ heart skipped a beat. For once, he did feel a pain similar to what Uriel felt when far away, when he would be afflicted by the spell that tied them.

He did not want him here… And at the same time it was all he could think of. It was something that made him feel terror, and at the same time the warmest of closures.

He did not answer with words.

Uriel tensed, because he heard a loud war cry and a dash behind him. He was ready to turn and fight, trident in hand… but he was not the one to do so first.

Alexis shot past him, sword up. Before he could react, his angel had taken care of the threat.

There was no blood. After a very swift swing of sword, he had unarmed the angel who had run to them with his weapon high. If it could have been called a weapon.

That angel was no soldier. A simple farmer had seen a demon, their worst enemy, in their land. And like many others, he was bound to react with no self-preservation, because of many years of indoctrination. The weapon he chose was what he had at hand in the moment, a simple small crop scythe.

Uriel was surprised to see Alexis disarm and shove the other angel, enough to send him to the ground. There he stayed in shock, unable to do much against a sword and a supposed monster. The presence of a demon helped make clear how pointless it was to stand. Something that Alexis was thankful off, as he did not enjoy the clash.

With no pause, Alexis looked back sharply. Uriel had plotted to be the one to guide him, but to his surprise, it was Alexis who pointed the way, raising his sword towards a nearby alley past the plaza.

“Over here!”

Both demon and angel exchanged a quick glance. They did not need time to have a long silent debate. With that, they reached an agreement.

Then, they dashed into the chaos around them. They ran through the alley, and it did not take longer than a minute for some soldiers to trace their steps.

While they darted away, a group of angels gathered to look into the horizon. A captain stood frozen, horrified by the sight of fire crawling up in the distance. It was building up in the lower artisan district. Some houses were close enough to it to be soon swarmed by flames.

One of his men rushed to his side, begging for orders while he doubted.

“Sir, we must chase the devils! They went-”

“Go attend that fire right now.”

“S-sir?”

The captain turned. With a deep conflicted scowl, he gave an order he could regret.

“I said, go tend to the flames! Now!”

“But the devils-”

“The devils are being chased already! Nothing is going to put off those flames if we all join a wild blind hunt!”

The soldier saluted and finally gave up, deciding to obey a command that was doubtful and emotional.

“Yes, sir!”

The captain watched as his men rushed towards the hellfire, one at a time. He made a subtle move to join their march… but then two hands gripped his arm and he was stopped.

Snarling, short of breath, his general had emerged from the smoke, dragging his battered silver wings behind him. With a furious mad glare, he pierced him, and then questioned his order.

“What do you think you are doing?”

“Sir, there’s a fire.” The captain pointed to the distance, sweating as he remembered how close his children lived. “The people need our assistance. We need to-”

“Catch those three right now!” Einar’s growls were fueled by raging madness. His eyes showed raw hate under his dried blood. “Call them all back!”

The captain looked him up and down. Sweating, he stood there, silent. So Einar yelled again, not one to stand defiance.

“Call them! It is an order!”

The captain had to choose. And he chose something that Einar would make him pay for. The angel of silver wings yelled at him when he shot into a sprint towards the fire.

“How dare you disobey me in such urgent moments?!”

Urgent indeed. The angel rushed away, eyes fixed on the tower that crowned a humble temple. His heart pounded as he disregarded all the effort he had put into his growth in the army. All in favor of helping ones who were not facing the supposed demonic threat.

That fire was something that was not malicious in nature. It was a desperate measure. Near the fields, a girl eyed the hellfire she had triggered. She panted while she ran through the plain, heading straight for the distant water. She did not stop when she noticed a flying figure emerge from between the smoke, at the edge of the citadel.

It was not a threat, but one who she needed to be with to set things in motion. Those fair wings batted fiercely and wildly, to go as fast as possible. Aurora had set her eyes on Ariel, and tried her best to reach her.

While the two girls gave up fighting in favor of the plan, their fathers struggled their way through on foot.

It was good he had his sword back. He needed it.

Though it was not making him win any fights, it was helping him keep his head on his shoulders. Again, he stopped a slam of mace that had been directed to his face. Pale and sweaty from anxiousness, he tried to push off the soldier that had managed to keep a very good pace behind him. He was in a fight he could only prolong, while his demon handled two other soldiers at once by blocking with the long trident.

“I need a hand here!”

“Mine are busy!”

Uriel threw a soldier over his shoulder, which warranted one wing to crack. Alexis jumped backwards to prevent the mace from breaking his foot. They began to bicker, adrenaline allowing them to let out their frustrations.

“Whose idea was to come here anyway?!”

“The better question is, who did not think of it?!”

“I swear to god, if we get out of this, I’m going to-”

Alexis shut up, because the angel attacking him reacted with pain, suddenly. He tumbled downwards while he stared, one of his legs wounded. His amber eyes fixed on the arrow that had sunk through the armor.

He recognized those bolts.

“You are going to do what, Alex?”

There she was. The hunter had lurked out of the shadows, crossbow up in her hands. Her steps were precise and direct, while she slid into the street with her weapon still aimed.

He did not react with joy or relief when he saw her, but with tiredness and sadness.

“You too. Of course! Fucking everyone is here!” He scorned her for their suicidal choices, questioning their common sense. “Now, Lykaios will jump off from somewhere, and he will maul that guy off of Uriel’s back!”

“Not quite.” Alexis gave her a very numb stare, while she admitted after a fast dash past him. “You angels have killed all wild animals in here until they went extinct. Hard to hide him!”

Lykaios was too big to make his way through the high grounds like Ariel and Uriel. And his small form was too puny for him to climb and creep where needed.

It was a good thing Alexis had liked to tell tales to Ariel. They knew what this world could look like. They found a better use for the demon, one that could prevent a faster retaliation after their escape.

“One sec. He is not here, but-” While she rushed to reach Uriel, Alexis paled, remembering one more thing. He demanded, shaking with nervousness. “Where’s Ariel?!”

“Safer than you are!” Ayako shot the angel who troubled Uriel, at point blank. Uriel took the chance when his enemy reached for his bleeding wing. In a second, he joined the others on the ground, unconscious. After he was done, he looked at her with a warm thankful smile, which she answered with her own. “Thanks for fetching him unscathed.”

“Your shot missed him, which helped.” Uriel dusted off his clothes and began to jog to take some drive forward. “Come on!”

Ayako shot a glance at Alexis, nodding for him to run as well. He did so, but she did notice his deep frown.

It was not for the yells and steps they could hear behind them. She contained an apprehensive breath when he ran to her side and kept her pace. She avoided meeting his eyes when he spoke to her in between his running huffs.

“Aya. You shot at-”

She shook her head hard, trying to evade what she thought a resentful reprimand.

“I know. I know! I could have missed and hurt you! Sorry, okay? I did not like plan B! Leave your rants for later, please!”

If she had missed the shot and did not manage to unarm Einar completely, Aurora would have chosen to leap instead. Something that she had not endorsed, as she was not a fighter. As well, they needed the explosion for Uriel to dash, to ensure fewer angels could know he was now by Alexis’ side.

She regretted having to risk her bolt cutting him. She did. And she accepted his anger.

But it was not anger what he felt.

“That’s not what I meant!” She blinked and looked sideways while she ran. Even though his eyes were focused on very turn they took, she could see that he wanted nothing more than to meet hers and give her a sincere look. “I am not…”

Alexis rarely admitted what he felt to her. And to hear him say the next word made her heart beat more rapidly.

“Thanks, Aya.”

There was conflict in his thoughts. But he really meant his gratitude. He would have accepted a cut as well, if it meant breathing still.

Her eyes opened more, with warmth. Instead of saying anything or stopping his run with a hug, she chose to express her care in another way.

Alexis cringed when he heard a loud yelp and a thud. He did not need to peek back to know that she had shot an angel right on a wing.

Clawing and cutting could be brushed off with more ease, but a bolt always got stuck inside, through the membrane and flesh. And every move that would follow would make the limb burn. And it was not easy to pull off an arrow either.

Honestly, he wondered why priests and captains did not warn the novices of the dangers of archery. But then again, archery was an art preferred by humans, and angels were too arrogant to mention publicly anything related to their insurgency.

Right now, her bolts were what kept them safe. Apart from the smoke, which prevented any angel above from spotting them in the low streets.

He could not feel bad for any angel Uriel punched or that Ayako pierced, because they were all actively trying to get them.

The soldiers kept flying in the sky, over the cloud of blackness and red. But their inhuman eyes could not pierce it. Some did try to soar through it. Without success. Most would cough and lose sight, due to the nasty things that Angus had added to the mix. And then they would have an undignified landing somewhere in between the tall towers.

The mighty army they always talked about was a chaotic mess. The officials were shouting contradictory orders all around. One would yell for them to gather near the palace to protect it, only for another to yell for backup because he confused a statue above with a real devil.

Two old eyes watched it all unfold from a glassy window. He stood there, staring blankly and without comment. But one thing hinted his anger and judgment. His fingers clenched around his staff, like if he wanted to strangle it.

Not far, in a lonely chamber in the palace, an angel watched too out of a window. His eyes were vacant, much more terrified than angry. And that angel, instead of letting everything unfold without action, dashed out his door. His eyes cleared of remorse, which was replaced with intent. His red wings folded, unneeded when his feet gave him all the speed he needed. He gripped his shield from its mount, and proceeded to wield it tightly at his side.

Sparks glinted as he reached the gates leading to the outer chaos.

All angels thought that the escaped prisoner and demons were trying to cause more harm to their grand civilization, but in reality they just wanted to get the fuck out of it.

The three rushed through a very narrow alley. They lifted their arms at their sides as they hopped past two walls that brushed their chests and backs. They sighed with relief when some angels ran without seeing the alley.

Uriel was the last to pull out the backstreet, not without growling and freeing his bigger frame. While Ayako and Alexis stared forward, he shot a glare at the two twin temples that adorned the edge of the citadel.

The wingless angel took a very deep troubled breath. The plains were right in front of him; huge fields that adorned the space between the sea and the city. Long and without trees, it was something he once soared through, long, long ago. He almost could see his golden wings open up there.

He had to come to terms that he would have to run through today.

Ayako was the first to start to run. Uriel was next. Alexis doubted. He stared forwards, with a lost gaze. Ahead, there was nothing but the sea, a big mass of water that they could not traverse. The forest could hide them for a while, but not for long.

It was a dead end. And yet, they were running for it.

His mind began to whisper horrible what ifs again. His inner voice offered him doubt, fear. And he could have surrendered to it.

But he did not today. Letting out a small growl, he reprimanded himself.

If they were here, it was not to commit senseless suicide. And if they had chosen to die fighting with him, he would not stand around letting it happen.

He took drive and chased behind them. And as soon as they revealed their presence in open space, their cover was out.

Two soldiers flew high above at the edge of the citadel. Their eyes narrowed and pierced them. The three heard them shout the alarm, which started the butterfly effect. Many wings turned in their direction, one by one, towards the plains.

The smoke was only painting the sky here, but not covering it. Uriel could smell through the gunpowder dust and chemicals. The unmistakable smell of angels assaulted his senses. He did not like it.

The three leaned their heads while they ran uphill. They cringed, seeing the three first soldiers to keep them on their toes. Two of them neared in unison, circling in the air in a synchronized fighting stance. Two twin swords, which they twirled near each other while they descended onto them.

The attack was fast and brutal.

The three cringed again, but not because those swords hurt them. Alexis smiled at first, but then faltered when he recognized that his uncle had slammed himself against the two. They had fallen to the ground, helmets and armor bent.

Hammer in hand, Angus yelled at them to keep running, while he delayed his moves to deal with the third soldier.

“Keep moving you idiots!”

Alexis called, alarmed by seeing him defy the law for him. It was something that would warrant another execution.

“Angus! Please-!”

“Make him shut up!”

Angus did not want to listen to Alexis. He wanted him out, gone through the plains and the land. He would hammer some sense into him if needed.

Alexis did try to stay behind with Angus. Luckily, Ayako and Uriel yanked him away against his will.

The older angel glared at the soldier, who was still processing his betrayal. The doubt and shock lasted shortly. The soldier lifted his lance and proceeded to charge. And Angus answered with his own pounce, with a much more frustrated and fed up war cry.

Far in the distance, on an eerie motionless shore, two figures waited. Crouching on the ground, their sharp blue eyes would not leave the horizon. Their hearts kept beating with raw dread, fearful of not seeing what they hoped for.

They were afraid that their efforts would lead to mournful horror… until they saw movement at the top of a hill.

Ariel and Aurora stopped hiding on the tall grass. They jumped on their feet, uncaring of the droplets of water that they sprayed on themselves. Even if they had been dying to see their figures dash towards them, they looked away.

With one quick shared glance, they shot into the shore. They slammed their feet through the surface, and grounded them on the sand. Their claws slammed onto something, which they had kept hidden at the edge of the forest until today.

They both yelled angrily while they pushed the small raft. Big enough to let the five of them on it, but narrow enough for it to be feeble and fragile against any added weight.

By the time they were reached, they managed to make it go afloat past the shore. They both had grabbed a rudimentary oar and had hoped onto it. As much as they wished to greet them in a more heartfelt way, they only managed to yell and call with panic.

“Get on!”

“Faster!”

Alexis slowed his dash as he reached the water. He looked at Aurora and Ariel, who could not bring themselves to smile for his arrival with him still in danger.

He questioned how long they had been roaming this dangerous world. He wanted to know why they would risk themselves to get him out. Why did they even consider it.

He was not this important. He was not deserving of this.

If they could hear his thoughts, they would lash at him verbally. But they could not hear them.

Alexis had to disregard all disapproval for the situation, because otherwise he would end up with many holes in his body.

He jolted to a side with a silent gasp, his eyes widening as an angelic arrow sunk near his feet. Ayako twirled back and shot, answering the angel who had soared nearby with a bow in hand. She missed because the angel retreated some distance, weary of the flames that Uriel wielded on his claws.

Flight was faster than running, always. Now, there was a troop of angels fluttering about not too far from the water. Like a murder of crows, they were trying to make their way to them. However, it was not easy when another thing was in their way.

Alexis had gone on the raft after they had beckoned him to. But he was not looking towards the horizon, neither at the sharp end of the sea that led to the second edge of the abyss. His heart was still, unable to beat evenly while he observed every dash and hit.

His uncle now wore many cuts and hits on his armor. Yet he was unmovable. Not a single one of the angels circling him was managing to send him to the ground. Instead, he was the one who was piling foes below him. His hammer moved brutally and desperately, uncontrolled and furious. He would only give ground in the air if he thought they had taken distance, or if he knew he could surrender some space to evade a hit.

The elders would make him pay for that. Now he knew that Angus had not started that arson. But his actions had been much worse.

“Keep your head low.”

He fucking knew.

He did take him for a fool. He was really lying to him, keeping something hidden.

Alexis clenched his teeth and fists. Angry frustrated tears build up in his eyes, as he contemplated a fight he could not help in. He cursed his uncle, and at the same time wished nothing more than to pull him into a tight embrace. But he was out of reach, acting as a wall that could not be breached.

“You… fucking…”

Ariel sneaked a side glance as he cursed. She was familiar with the word, as she had caught Alexis saying it many times when he thought to be alone. But this was the first time that he consciously chose to say it with no regards. She did not judge him, and neither did Aurora. They couldn’t care less for a simple word. Much less when it helped him display how much turmoil he felt. He closed his amber eyes as he let himself sit tiredly on the raft, unable to help it move any faster.

Uriel had stolen Aurora’s oar, and he was cooperating with the other strongest member of their insurgence to row faster. Even if Ariel was younger, her demonic blood warranted her more strength than Ayako could have. Besides, her mother was not sitting idle like Alexis was. Any angel that decided to fly around Angus regretted it. All would gasp and recoil when bolts soared near them. All would tuck their wings and flap backwards with dread, fearful of being hit and dropping into the deep water below. All knew what lurked in it. And none wanted any of it.

The group panted, each doing their part to reach the edge, the end of the sea. Ariel and Aurora grinned with high hopes when they managed to row closer. Uriel huffed more strongly, his eyes flaming while they pierced their objective.

There it was, almost at reach: the edge of the sea. The waters never had any waves. They were still, unmovable. They coexisted peacefully with the abyss, both depths never tangled. A wall of stone kept the sea prisoner. It was a sharp drop, which made the abyss a long unnatural ravine that would never welcome any water.

All their hearts felt the adrenaline, the hope of reaching safety. Even Alexis felt how his defeated thoughts lessened, as he sneaked a look to the blackness ahead. The portal to their own world was so close… and yet so far.

Ayako was the only one to sense something dash above them. Something that had flown over the sea straight from the citadel. Something that moved too fast for her to take aim in time. And for it, she would come to regret not having watched their blind spots.

All screamed when a ball of fire descended onto them. All yelled in pain as the flames licked their skin.

Ariel’s eyes exchanged shock for concern in an instant. She was the first to leave past her instinct to swat at the fire and cover herself in vain. With a quick look, she noted the burns that all got. The red marks would be worse in a second… and in that second, she moved her claws with a deep desperate grimace.

All tried to recoil and avoid the burns, even after Ariel twisted and tamed the fire into her own blue one. No matter if she avoided third degree burns for all, the damage was done.

The fire, their sudden movement… it made the logs where they stood crack. The ropes that held them together snapped. Before it could collapse and give in, all their eyes filled with recognition and realization.

Above, an angel smiled with a cruel grin. His hand still blazed; even if he was watching his targets crumble in between the shards of a messy raft. He enjoyed seeing the human fall backwards into the water, further from the rest. He liked how the big demon sunk deeper through the cracks and then struggled to surface under the logs, his violet eyes seeming to fill with dread as he lost sight of a trident in the waters. A demon he had not seen before clawed around trying to grip herself onto something, while the only one who could fly flapped in a panic over her.

Most important…

Alexis breathed in, finally emerging out of the water. He looked around wide eyed, seeing that they were still alive, even though they were squirming and struggling to get a hold of themselves.

He would have dashed in the water to swim towards them. But he had worse concerns he had to address. He paled. He shivered. And it was not because the water was cold.

If he could have, he would have cowered backwards. But in water, he could do nothing more than lean back and jolt in vain.

Slowly, he returned the freezing piercing look he was being given. Einar lowered himself in the air to loom over him. He let his fugitive see how he was twirling his fingers, with raging flames tangled on them.

“So, you took the chance, backstabbing worm.”

Alexis gulped. Einar looked horrible. His usually perfect wings were a mess that flapped erratically. His face was red, and not because he was raging, but because of the blood that painted it. His grey eyes had narrowed and sharpened with the most intense of glares, in a way that could not be healthy. And he still wore his black armor, even though it was surely pressuring his body underneath, with how many dents it had.

Any other would have given up the chase by now. Not him. Einar would not stop until he stopped breathing. In one way or another.

Alexis raised his arms out of the water and braced himself with his eyes closed, knowing he could go nowhere when Einar rose his flaming hand again. He waited to be licked by harsher flames, which would make the water surely boil. But a loud yell stopped that from happening.

“Hey!”

Einar blinked and turned. Just in time to spot the hammer that soared and landed in between his eyes.

Angus huffed, panting while Einar plummeted down. Alexis yelped and dodged his body, soaked by the loud and big splash. Like dead weight, those silver wings dragged the angel down, deeper into the water.

Einar took some seconds to react to the hit. Out of it, he sunk motionless for a few seconds. His heavy armor did not help any. And while he sunk with a vacant blank expression, the blood on him dispersed. Like a red string, it trailed with the clear yet dark depths. Mixing and tainting the purity around him.

While his foes regrouped above and further away, he regained his conscience. He realized that he had sunk, and worse, far from his objectives. He growled, uncaring for the air that escaped him. He tried to move his wings to swim, and when he realized that they were weighing him down, he lashed against them. He decided to quit his armor hastily, and when he was done, he slammed his hands onto his wings. He gripped them very tightly, bending them painfully against himself. With that forceful and painful choice, he finally could begin to kick himself upwards with swings of leg.

He pierced the surface with his mad glare… not realizing that he was not alone in the endless depths. Even if water would lessen any sounds, he did hear something. Something that made him slow down, and let go of his fiery determination. Very slowly, he looked down, towards the sound of twisting water, the sound of something creeping in the darkness. And then, his eyes finally showed an emotion he never allowed himself to display. Raw fear, undignified weakness.

Two bloody red glints were staring at him. Right into his soul, too close for comfort. A huge long creature had swum from the depths to look at him, without hurry or haste. Those two eyes looked so similar to the ones he had seen die in his glorious days. Demonic, yet also so natural and primal in their world. The sea housed the only creatures they had not managed to slay in their beginning as a race. Like the huge animals that had once lived in the forest, this thing had characteristics that could inspire nightmares into any mighty warrior. He could only fix his scared lost gaze on those huge shark-like maws, even though behind them were more worrisome things. Like an eel, it could reach with its snake-like body and drown him slowly. Perhaps, instead of swallowing him whole, it would use its multiple sharp translucent fins to cut him in half. Or maybe, it would use its whale like weight to crush him, sending him deeper with a hard kick from its tucked reptile legs.

The beast knew how rare it was for an angel to thread in its domain. It had not had the chance to taste the blood that sometimes beckoned it to the surface, never. It could only fix its ancient gaze on the angel, in a trance. But that admiration soon ended, and let forth something that made his blood turn ice cold. Its sharp red eyes opened wide. Its sudden bestiality turned its majestic elegance into a dangerous predatorial display.

Einar let out an unheard scream underwater, while five figures swam above, unknowing of the added menace.

In the silent end of the sea, no sound had echoed for ages. That changed when four hands slammed onto the stony edge, followed by four tired gasps. Aurora urged them to climb onto the wall, helping Ariel step onto it.

“Almost there!”

Alexis, Ariel, Ayako and Uriel panted while they let themselves lean on the thin stony ground. All of them looked back to the floating shards of the raft. And then, upwards. All shivered when they realized that while they swam for safety, they had not paid mind to the things that happened behind them.

Alexis’ face contorted, horrified to see what kind of fight Angus was in. With so much time passed, too many angels had gathered. Angus was surrounded by more soldiers. And still, he had managed to hold some kind of resistance against it all.

However, this was nothing like the times in which he fought to peek into the abyss while Alexis was gone. Every angel wanted their blood, their death, not simple submission. Even the most unskilled and untrained soldier had gotten into arms, believing their land to need their help. Too many to count.

Uriel and Ayako looked at the abyss at hand, while Alexis looked back. However, all did see what was bound to happen before they could dash for safety. So close, so inviting; the blackness was right there, twisting unnaturally, hiding the place they called home. And yet they felt so reluctant to take their last step towards it.

Alexis screamed when Angus was not able to block a hit that came from behind him.

“No!”

Angus would have wanted Alexis to disregard him and run for the abyss, but his nephew rejected his wish to sacrifice himself for his sake. Not even a millisecond passed in between him falling towards the water and Alexis diving back into it.

“Alex!”

They called, alarmed to see him go back. But he would not listen.

With a deep growl, Uriel shook his shoulders and jumped in behind him, before things could get any worse. If he could, he would have gripped a trident tightly once more, but it had sunk into angelic waters, far from his reach. He wanted to be the only one to go back to fetch the two angels, even though he knew he could not prevent any others from being as careless.

Ayako would have jumped too… if not for one thing.

Uriel stopped sharply in the water. His eyes opened when he heard her scream. A shadow loomed on him, when wings soared over his head, past him. In a slowed moment, he sent a shocked glance back. Just in time to spot the arrow that had sunk into her leg. She had been standing at the edge, close to the abyss. His fangs showed in his grimace. He yelled while Ayako tumbled back, dropping her half raised crossbow.

“Ayako!”

Ariel was the only one close enough to try to hold her mother when she fell backwards. The young demon gripped her tightly and tumbled with her, only managing one look towards her father before they fell into the abyss. Uriel met her young eyes then. And saw pure care and fear for his life, her thoughts growing desperate and full of terror. In a second, he saw both of them fall into the abyss, where he lost sight of them due to him being in the water.

“Ariel!”

No answer. He knew them to be lost when Aurora looked into the darkness, trembling and half stunned. Too far from her mother and sister, she was not able to grab them before they fell. Her blue eyes saw the blackness tangle around them in just a second, like a swarm of dark snakes. Their presence was still hinted in its depths, but it was something that she could not reach for. Not without leaving as well.

She hyperventilated. While she trembled, Uriel made the choice to keep swimming back, unable to do nothing more than cry silently. The sight of the arrow sinking into her leg was burned into his mind. The impotent look Ariel gave him made him shiver.

He needed to get them all out of here. Something that was not easy when many angels were now circling them like vultures.

He snarled when a fireball collided near him onto the water. The angel who cast it gasped when he raised an arm out and replied with his own. He extinguished any that followed before they could touch him, which the angels found troublesome.

He had to sink himself when multiple arrows were sent his way. His eyes moved in the endless blue, counting every single one of them as they slowed their sharp flight near his body.

Inside the blue, he saw. Uriel bit his lip painfully, worried sick by something that should not be there. Like a shark, that something was inching towards the two figures that floated ahead.

Angus coughed loudly, having swallowed some water. He blinked and opened his eyes after being pulled out from below. Alexis had dived deeper, and without wings, he had easily caught him. Now he did not wear any armor, because Alexis had ripped it away underwater, to prevent him from sinking.

“I got you.”

Even if Alexis was showing him the most caring and relieved of looks, Angus opened his mouth to tell him off. He tried, but in the end he did not manage to curse him. And not because he did not want to.

Alexis huffed when Angus used his wings to push him and part slightly from each other. An arrow pierced the water where they had been floating, which was followed by many others that missed them by inches. If the archers were missing, it was because there was a very angry demon who had surfaced and was throwing wild fireballs into the air. It made the angels think twice about getting any lower to take better aim.

“Move dammit!”

Uriel called, knowing he could not shield them for long. Angus shoved Alexis again, and then began to swim towards the edge towards the demon.

“Do not tell me what to do, ugly excuse of a cat!”

“And yet I swim faster!”

Alexis was faster than his uncle, which allowed him to yell at them both while he swam beside them.

“Would you please just stop arguing for a fucking moment?!” He growled tiredly and unlatched his sword from his belt, in order to shield his face from an arrow. “We’re going to die for some fucking bickering at this rate!”

It was not him who stopped their bickering. It was something far more imperative and undeniable. Something that could kill them in a worse way than some arrows.

The three went wide eyed when they felt a change of current under their bodies. Even the angels above paled when they noticed a shadow shoot upwards.

The beast had stopped circling and thinking, to leap at them instead.

In a second, its ascension was completed. The monster breached the waters, closing its maws onto the surface. The soldiers in the air scattered wildly, because it’s huge body rose higher than what should be possible. It soared in the air for three seconds to try to snatch some flying angels… and then slammed back brutally into the sea.

When it emerged, it missed its bite. It only managed to create a huge wave that sent the three in different directions, but luckily not back.

After the rush, they managed to pull their bodies upright. They took deep breaths or coughed, pinpointing how far had they ended up from the edge.

Alexis feared that the sea creature would come back for them. But he did not fear for long. Some idiotic soldiers had the bright idea of shooting it. And that had angered it. No angel was circling them anymore, because in the distance, it kept on breaching in attempts of catching the flying beings that dared scratch its fins.

He looked ahead sharply. He saw that Aurora was still flying, that she was intending to get to them. She had recoiled from the beast, but she had still looked out for them in the water. Now that she knew where they floated after being pushed by the waves, she wanted to soar to them.

“Don’t!”

Aurora jolted and slowed down sharply, seeing her father yell at her with alarm. He began to point hurriedly, in a panic.

“Follow them!” He did not want her near a sea creature that could be tempted to breach to her. “Get into the abyss!”

He was still far. Even if she could not do much to help them if she got to them, she could not bring herself to jump without them.

“Not without you!”

“I’ll be fine!” She spotted the doubt in his tone. His attempt at sounding convincing was not very good. However, his eyes showed true hope, for her to listen. “Just jump! I will get there soon!”

She had come all the way to this world to see him reach safety. And now she was being told to stay away, again.

She would have stayed put, if not for what he said next.

“I promise!”

Like her father, her mind was always full of doubtful whispers and doubts. It always led her to impulsive actions that never led her to the closure she wanted.

This time, instead of listening to the whispers… she listened to him.

With a sharp and remorseful turn, she faced the abyss. And after sending them one last dreading glance… she dived into the blackness.

Alexis let out a deep sigh of relief. He thanked her for listening, even though she could have refused after all the lies and silence he gave her.

It took them some time to make their way back to the edge. They had gotten rid of their pursuers behind them, but by the time the three pulled out of the water, there were more assailants.

The abyss had two edges, two ends. One surrounded by a dark sea, the other by long plains. And there, at the other side, they saw it. As they stood upright after a long tiresome struggle, they stared blankly at the multiple squads that neared from the other side of the world.

Alexis did not miss who was leading the squads. His eyes narrowed with familiar adversity, fixing on the figure that wielded a golden shield. His march was calm, even if direct.

They were still far.

The abyss he had visited for years was once more before him. As he gave it a quick glance, there were flashes of what he had learnt to be his true home.

It was over.

He quickly put his hands on Angus and Uriel, telling them to jump.

“Let’s go.”

Uriel did not offer resistance, ready to leap into the blackness when he would. However… Alexis was surprised to find that Angus tensed under his touch.

It was not a good sign.

His uncle smiled, like if nothing was wrong.

“Yes. You two first.”

He knew that tone. Uriel eyed them both nervously, sensing that Alexis had tensed too. His angel treaded the waters, metaphorically, with a tone that hinted suspicion and worry.

“Angus, jump.”

Angus kept smiling, even when Alexis stepped back from him with an unbelieving frown. He was unnerved by his silence. He realized what Angus was doing.

“An-”

The hammer moved.

In a flash, Uriel found himself struck fiercely. It was a hit strong enough to send him tumbling backwards, harmful enough for him to misstep. And he was not the only target. Years of training had made Angus a good strategist.

Alexis had been standing behind Uriel.

Like he had wanted Aurora to do, he was made to dive into the abyss. Though in a much more forceful way.

Alexis screamed loudly under Uriel’s weight, both flailing as they tried to stop their fall.

“Angus!”

His uncle dismissed his anguished yell with a simple wave, which hurt him more.

That simple motion was a goodbye.

His amber eyes tried to focus on him, but soon were defeated by the blackness that tangled around them.

He had fallen before. It was not something he had wished to experience again. Yet there he was, falling, into a hole that did not seem to have an end.

The darkness seemed to be alive. He saw how Uriel squirmed when the darkness tied itself around their bodies, like living ropes. Yet, when his demon tried to fight it with clawing, it moved and parted like fog. Uriel showed horror on his face, for both of them were growing blind, covered in the mist between them.

There was no gravity there. And Uriel did not understand that fact. He was trying to flail, pull himself upright.

Alexis knew it was a lost fight. A sad frown grew on his face, as he saw what had happened to him years ago. Those violet eyes were trembling, as sleepiness assaulted Uriel.

“W-what is… happening?”

The angel felt it too. Yet he was not going to fall asleep so soon this time.

Uriel could barely react by the time Alexis managed a better stance in the void. He got a grip on Uriel’s arm, and struggled to say a few words while they felt the beating pulse of the abyss.

“Stay awake.”

Just a little longer.

His amber eyes moved, slowly. Like if he swam through the thickest of venoms, he tried to dart deeper into the void. There was no sense of direction, no wind. Yet they were under a pressure that could only be felt in the deepest of seas. The darkness was rushing past them, making their senses believe they were in an endless fall.

The fogginess was too much to bear. The demon succumbed to it, little by little. Alexis gasped tiredly, realizing that Uriel had gone limp. He almost lost his grip on his arm, as the mist pulled at him strongly.

He whimpered and held tight, desperate to keep him close.

He knew, god he knew that if he let go, Uriel would not fall where he would. If he fell asleep, he would lose grip, and allow a being that was not chosen to be sent anywhere in their world. It was the spell what had made him fall near Uriel that night.

Alexis felt his breaths draw longer, but less efficient. Like if he was drowning, he kept trying to reach what he most needed.

But it was not air what he needed. It was them.

Slowly, his hand neared their faint silhouettes. Hidden in the dark, he parted the black ropes that swarmed them. All ever tired, he brushed their figures, desperate to get a hold of them.

Ayako had long fallen asleep. But the one who held her in a tight embrace had not. Alexis was surprised to see one blue eye tremble and open slightly, when he managed to brush her claw. Ariel’s eye shed a small tear, as she realized who Alexis held, her father.

That was all that her mind needed to surrender. While Ayako had surrendered due to pain, Ariel did so because of relief.

The angel almost gave up then as well, as he held the three as close as he could.

However, he could not do so yet. One more. There was one more.

His eyes caught a glimpse. A small bronze glint, in between all that black. And as faint as it had been, he lost sight of it when it faded. He closed his eyes, unwillingly.

He could feel Ayako, Uriel and Ariel. He was holding them close, he could feel their heartbeats. But he could not feel hers yet.

With what little will he had left, he reached.

His fingers brushed hers… and then all faded.