A figure slumped, with a labored intake of air.

Alexis laid himself tiredly against a rock, and then allowed himself a moment of rest. He tried to steady his breathing, having flied for…

I have no fucking clue of how much time I’ve flown.

The angel let out his breath in exasperated huffs, his whole body felt sore. It had not been easy to land; even sitting had been difficult. He really did not want to push his luck. He really did not want to stop running. He had no idea if they would follow the trail he had made, if they had fallen for it.

But my wings are so tired…

He hoped they had gone north or east. He hoped he could take a break.

Maybe just a little rest.

His body relaxed somewhat, subtly. His mind slowly let go of the fact he kept remembering, every second: the fact that she was a relentless hunter. He had felt her eyes on him all this time. He had felt watched, every second, no matter if he had gained distance. He had not seen them again, but he still feared.

Alexis closed his eyes and tried to stop thinking. He tried to stop fearing. He only focused on breathing, on resting after such an exhausting flight.

Now that he did not focus on what could roam behind him… Now that he was not panicking on what could fall onto him…

Am I hearing… waves?

His mind slowly blackened, not even as an angel able to take such strain. His head leaned a little onto a side, and the frown he had all this time finally faded. Still, his expression looked sorrowful.

He was able to fall into a slight slumber; his wings dropped at his sides… and he was unable to see or notice that he should run. Lykaios and Ayako were not far. And little did he know… that he had not much distance left to flee to and save himself.

Lykaios was jumping from rock to rock. The uneven terrain would make it hard to chase, but not for him. His claws where slamming sure onto the ledges of the rocks, without letting her fall from his back.

Ayako frowned when he stopped on top of a high slope, when his fur shivered suddenly.

“What is it?”

“He is here, somewhere between these fissures.”

Their voices were barely a whisper. They exchanged a look, because they knew what Alexis didn’t. He had flown west, directly for the coast.

Ayako snarled and took out her crossbow; she glared at every space between the coastal rocks.

“If he flies away over the sea…” He would not reach the end of it. The angel would eventually tire, and fall. He would drown. “I could really give use to those wings, Lykaios.”

Alexis didn’t seem to know that a vast ocean was ahead. He was doomed to die either way, by her hand or not. She couldn’t let those feathers go to waste.

Lykaios nodded slowly and moved one of his tails carefully. He helped her get down his back, silently. She was not tired, because he had carried her all the way. She could run now, run and chase him herself. The hunt would soon end.

They had to prevent Alexis from flying along the edge of the coast. Both hunters spoke with signs. Ayako pointed her hand to her right, while a tail waved ahead and then left. They needed to corner him.

She jumped off the rocks and hid between them, she went ahead alone. Lykaios raised his head and ears, because he could hear faint breathing.

The demon’s fangs began to sharpen even more; his claws had to be more careful to not scratch the ground. He moved and sneaked carefully, he lowered his tails to not be seen from afar. His figure shivered while he neared and walked around rocks. The angel was hidden between some, somewhere.

His red eyes seemed to glint more red, more blood like, because he finally spotted him. Alexis was there, lying inside a fissure, with his back against the rocks.

Lykaios leaned down onto his front paws, ready to pounce onto the unsuspecting angel. He doubted for a second… But he soon fell into his own instincts, because he had not seen a trace of doubt in those blue eyes all this time. Ayako’s voice only had determination, to end him. He had attacked Uriel.

Ayako did not care for Alexis anymore. So he did not care either.

Even if he had managed to fall asleep, Alexis was still alert. He opened his eyes and jolted when he heard a small rustle. Lykaios cursed, because his claws had made noise, just as he was looking down at Alexis from above. Reacting, he pounced and outstretched his claws, intending to kill. But Alexis bolted out of harm’s way again, out of his reach.

“Ah!”

Time slowed down. Lykaios landed onto the spot where he had been resting, while Alexis backed away with his wings up. His amber eyes met red ones; he heard the deep growl, which made him wake up fully in the air.

They had found him.

Alexis pushed his wings down. He jumped back and took flight hastily, evading by inches the tails that tried to grab him. Lykaios was unable to stop him before he flew.

With the sudden adrenaline and shock, he did not think or reason, he did not try to explain himself to the demon. He made no effort to try to argue his actions. He had attacked Uriel, and no one seemed to want to listen. Not even Lykaios.

The fact pounded deep in his mind as he flied further away. He was panting, but he dared to look back. He saw Lykaios down there, below and behind him, chasing relentlessly.

I can get out of this one. I only have to keep flying. Nothing can harm me if-

He let out a loud yelp, because a bolt almost cut his face. It would have hit him, were not for his wings, which always reacted fast. They always helped him evade any danger in reflex; they had reduced his speed before that arrow could pierce his neck.

He glared down. He knew that Ayako was there somewhere, hiding behind the rocks below, because he heard another click, how she charged another bolt on her crossbow.

Scratch that, not even in the air I’m safe.

He kept going, hoping to leave them behind once more thanks to his speed. But as he flew for some minutes, fast… He could begin to see past the rocky terrain. And he saw what was ahead.

“N-no.”

He trembled when he saw the waves strike tall rocks, the sharp coast line, that sudden drop onto the sea. He could not see any shores past the endless dark blue, not even with his inhuman sight.

His path was ending. Yet that did not mean he surrendered. Alexis put his weight on his left side; he leaned sideways and lowered his left wing, to help himself turn towards that direction. He made a sharp turn, south, to follow the shoreline.

I… I just have to follow the coastline. I can-

His plans were denied. Lykaios jumped high into the air and his jaws almost closed around one of Alexis’ legs. The angel trashed in the air and flapped backwards, in a panic. He did not know Lykaios could jump so high, and clearly, he was not happy that he had to find it out this way.

The demon snorted as he landed again on the ground after the leap. Alexis was now more scared and anxious. He had recoiled, he had changed direction. He did not dare to fly over Lykaios, deadly afraid of him jumping and taking him down.

He was forced to fly towards the water.

Alexis halted over the sharp drop. He looked down, to the deadly rocks and waves, which crawled up against the tall shoreline. He then looked up, to the unending blue, to the nothingness. His wings trembled and puffed, his tears fell, his whole mind filled with fear.

I can’t go on; I can’t keep flying for much longer. I would fall. I would sink. I would-

Ayako knew he would doubt.

Alexis gasped and heaved. He felt something latch onto his back strongly; a painful and faint crack came from his left wing. He only had a second to look over his shoulder… and see the wooden bolt that had pierced it. A long rope was attached to it. The rope was heavy, and it tangled around both his limbs, pressuring them enough to hurt. After his shocked glance, he fell; gravity pulled him down. He was unable to move his wings; he was unable to keep flying. Ayako glared with content at his figure, as he plummeted down forward from above. He fell down the sky onto the ground, without being able to land. Luckily, he did not fall into the water, and the height was not lethal. She lowered her crossbow… and then ran to catch her prey.

Alexis let out a raspy whimper; his whole body was in pain. The hit had been fierce, not graceful at all. His wings twitched and jolted under the heavy rope she had shot. He moved his hands a little to try to free them, but he did not have enough time to recover from the hit and flee. He stopped moving when a claw stepped next to his face. His eyes unfocused, not needing to look up to know Lykaios was right there, looming.

I will die.

The same fear he felt when he saw them for the first time returned, mixed with uncertainty. The feeling was slightly different this time; it hurt more to have known them. At least then, they were strangers when they cornered him. A deep disbelief settled in his mind and heart; he was not able to believe truly what had had happened and why. He had been alright just a few days ago.

I had only wanted…

The angel felt even more lost when he heard her steps. He leaned weakly his upper half to look at his right. And he wished he had not. She was holding her dagger again.

Alexis finally tried to move, to stand, untangle himself, run, anything. He could not see any doubt in her eyes; he could only see rage and hate. He tried to crawl away, but as soon as he made a move to push himself onto his feet… A claw slammed itself onto his head and pushed him forcefully down onto the ground.

“Umph-f!”

He was pinned under the heavy weight. So he could only wince and show dismay when Lykaios lowered his jaws, to growl right at his face. He felt his strong breath, and saw his bloody eyes, full of cold calculation. He had lost his fear for the demon, and now it returned at full force. The huge lynx gave him a very serious warning.

“Don’t move.”

Alexis would have obeyed. He would have. But he could not avoid flinching and trembling when he felt how a dagger slashed the ropes away and freed his wings. Ayako was now knelling at his side. Her expression was thoughtful and cold. He felt a shiver run down his back, when she grabbed his left wing suddenly and outstretched it forcefully. He saw her near the dagger towards his wing.

No…

“No!”

Ayako snarled angrily, because Alexis tried to free himself from under Lykaios’ grip. He began to struggle; he kept jolting and swatting with his wings strongly, forcing her to lean back. He tried to push off the claws with his hands, unable to stand with their weight.

“Hold him down!”

Ayako did not even have to say it.

Alexis let out a cry, because Lykaios tangled his long tails around him, and began to pressure him with them, like snakes. He pulled at his arms and legs, and pressured his right wing. He could not move anymore, he could only jolt weakly from time to time; a futile resistance. He could not fight Lykaios off. The demon was naturally stronger.

“A-hrgh…” He slumped down, and her hand was fast to grab his wing again. “N- no!”

They wanted to cut his wings.

He screamed, seeing he was really trapped, that they were not showing any doubt, that they would not let him go.

“Please don’t, stop! D-don’t cut them! I did not mean it, I swear! I won’t attack him! I will go away, I won’t wound him again! Listen, plea-!”

Ayako gave an angry and quick nod to Lykaios. She did not want to hear any excuses. The angel’s pleas were silenced. The claw holding his head moved away, to let another tail take its place. He had been breathing too fast, and now he could not take air with his mouth, because a tail pressured onto it. He huffed and grimaced when he felt the dagger brush the back of his shirt; Ayako cut right where there were holes to let his wings out. He tensed, because he felt his shoulder blades be exposed to the cold air. He kept twisting to free himself, in vain.

Lykaios’ eyes narrowed, seeing her doubt, for just a moment. Her icy eyes were fixed on amber ones, with inquisition. Alexis was shaking his head at her, he was looking up at her with tiredness and sorrow, unable to speak, unable to explain that he had not meant to hurt Uriel. He had almost killed him, he knew; but he…

I am sorry.

He lost all hope, because he saw her grip her weapon tighter. She clutched his feathers harshly, she pulled at the wing and exposed were it connected with his body. She had no care for how he winced.

“You are a good liar…” She spat the next words with anger, remembering the blood on Uriel, how hurt he had been. He was almost murdered. “You won’t be able to lie again, angel.”

She had done this before.

Alexis felt a sudden stab. His eyes opened more, because a strong flow of pain shot all through him, from his wing. He bent a little in Lykaios’ hold, when the dagger made a clean cut. A cut that made him tremble and writhe in pain.

And that was only the beginning. Ayako pressured the edge of the dagger, until it reached the fragile bone of his wing, below the feathers. His loud scream was muffled under a tail’s fur.

“Mh-mphff!”

Not even Lykaios could quiet his next cry when a strong crack echoed. He trembled and twisted, with an unfocused pained gaze. He felt a last rip, fast and fierce. Then, his wing gave a last weak reflex twitch, under her grip. He let himself slump, unable to feel anything else but sickening warmth on his left shoulder. He could not see the blood that poured from his wound.

He couldn’t feel his wing.

He lied on the ground, quietly. His chest was moving fast with every pained huff he gave, while he cried in silence. Ayako let the wing drop down to the ground, limp. The feathers seemed to lose some of their golden color, but they still shined, taken away from a living angel. She had cut it off in less than a minute; she was always fast. As much as she hated him, she tried to be.

But there was still another one…

Ayako stopped for a moment, to glance at his face. She saw how his tears were falling from his amber eyes, which looked empty. And for that reason, her hand halted for a second, with doubt. She had seen angels shed tears of pain, and indeed, this angel was crying those, in agony. But his eyes were half closed; he was looking at her without actually doing so. He had a deep look of sorrow and resignation on his face; his tears were more of emotional pain than physical. She had never seen an angel cry like that.

She would have stopped and pondered. But she could only think of Uriel. She could only remember his pained words.

“He’s devious. He knows no spells. He… His weapons are words and faked weakness. If you show him doubt or mercy… he will…”

No angel had ever shown care or emotion. They only cared for the deaths of their enemies, no matter the cost or the means. He was trying to make her let go, with faked sorrow. But it was sure that he only felt sorry for himself.

The blond shivered when he felt the cold edge again, how it gently lied over his skin; this time, on his right wing. He could only tremble as he felt it slash his flesh again, with another precise stab. He did not bother to scream; his faint exclamations were almost silent this time. He could not speak. He could not even cry. It was too much for him to react or care.

He jolted one last time, in reflex, because the bone of the wing was broken. He closed his eyes with the most agonized expression, and then contained a scream when he felt a last slash and pull. The dagger moved away after. He felt only pain where there had been soft feathers. He still could not register that he had just lost them. His mind was foggy due to the pain and the ache in his heart.

Lykaios had not shown doubt or emotion, he had held a calm expression through all this. He never allowed himself to care for others. He was a lone demon, who had only felt for one human. Little did he care for angels.

Meanwhile, Ayako let out a trembling sigh and tried to keep her gaze focused and determined. She raised slowly the dagger, again. Alexis braced himself as much as he could, because the silence did not hide from him what would come. He knew the dagger would lower a third time, one last time. He waited for it. He wanted it to happen. He wanted it to be over.

But the dagger just kept looming over him.

Lykaios’ claws twitched, his red eyes opened with shock. Ayako was trembling. Her hand was jolting, the dagger could almost fall from it, if not for the painful looking hold she had on it. What made the demon fear, were the sudden tears that fell from her eyes. Her eyes glinted, faintly, with an unnatural violet tone. The lynx’s voice was a mere whisper, full of disbelief and recognition.

“…Ayako?”

The hunter was not aware of her own tears, or of the broken memories twisting inside her mind. But she was aware that something was wrong… something. She felt no satisfaction by avenging Uriel.

This feels…

Lykaios’ eyes narrowed. Ayako pushed herself away with a silent gasp and held her head with a grimace.

“I- I-” She stared at the ground, where the blood and tears were mixing. “I- I- don’t-”

She growled and closed her eyes, trying to think between the noise of the waves colliding, the pained breaths, and the sudden pounding in her head.

Lykaios’ cold heart filled with anger when sparks glinted again in her eyes. He understood what afflicted her. He gave a silent growl when she shook her head; her blue eyes opened again, full of firmness… and trust for Uriel’s words. It was the only thing she could understand. There were too many parts missing in her mind. She could not remember the only angel that had a good heart.

She glared down at the blond, and then slowly sheathed away her dagger.

“I- I don’t want to dirty my hands by taking his life. He does not deserve to be ended by a clean stab. Uriel had it worse…” She bolted sharply, grabbed the wings, threw them over her shoulder… and began to leave, but not before whispering one last thing. “…All yours.”

She could not do it. And she did not know why. Her blue eyes gave one last glance at the angel, and she almost looked hurt. But then she walked away. Lykaios stayed put while Ayako left slowly through the uneven and rocky coastal terrain, towards the hills. She said nothing.

Alexis had heard her.

Lykaios glanced down, at his claws, at the angel who was still on the ground. Alexis had his eyes closed, he was not struggling. However, now he was trembling even more: his shoulders were shaking with the sobs that escaped him; his eyebrows were down in a broken expression, his teeth were clenched to try to ignore his pain. He did not try to stand when he felt the tails and claws let go of him. He did not have the strength or will to do so. The demon felt pity when he heard him lament quietly.

“I- I did not mean… I-it… I did n-not…”

It did not matter now. There was nothing that could be done.

Alexis opened his eyes, full of anguish, shame and fear. He glanced up sideways weakly, at the demon that was looking down at him with coldness. He expected death… So he could only lie frozen when Lykaios looked away and spoke calmly. The demon made a question and an affirmation at once.

“You almost killed him nonetheless. Did you not?”

The angel at his feet curled on himself, without denying it. He buried his face onto his arms, unable to cover himself with his wings anymore. Lykaios pondered, because he saw the angel wait; he was just waiting for him to bite or claw at him.

He did neither of those things.

“Ngh-” Alexis felt how a tail curled around him, how it laid its end on top of his wounds. “Aaahh!”

He screamed loudly, when a horrible burning flowed over his skin. Those long black tails seemed to glow red. The lynx’s eyes held no emotion while he burned and cauterized his wounds; he did not stop, not even if he heard him suffer.

The tails let go of him eventually. Alexis gasped for air as he hit the ground, as he crumbled down with a thud. The fur had felt as blazing as molten iron. Lykaios glanced down carefully at the scars on his back. The wounds had been burnt and sealed, the bleeding had stopped.

Alexis’ tears fell down freely; he did not react to anything. Lykaios gave him his back, and then looked back at him over his long black mane. He whispered with a bitter tone.

“Consider this… my thanks for that one time. But don’t push your luck, I will not doubt to take measures if I see you again. Escape Uriel, hide far away… and you may live.”

He began to walk away, as two trembling hands moved and laid themselves onto those scars. The cries reached his sensible ears.

He wouldn’t kill Alexis. He had meant something to Ayako once. She still cared, even if she did not know it. Uriel had used her to achieve his own goals. He had erased her memory of Alexis, to force her to hunt him down, to get payback for his failed murder. She would have not done this, she wouldn’t. Both had hurt her; their foolish actions at each other’s life had torn her inside out. He had no sympathy for either of them.

He followed her steps, he let the angel be.

Gone…

His fingers brushed the scars on his back fearfully. He brushed the burnt skin with his shaky hands. He whimpered quietly when he turned onto a side. He did not dare open his eyes while he took deep breaths, which hurt in his throat.

My… My wings…

His hands clenched around his shoulders, his muscles tensed in a kneejerk move… But no feathers brushed his chest or frame. He could not move them, nor feel them. They were not there.

“A-aya…”

He let out a desperate angry cry, hurt and battered. He screamed for the horrible ache that pounded in his heart and mind. What just had happened was sinking in; he was finally registering his loss. He huffed multiple times, as he brushed his head against the ground in impotence. His scream faded into sobs. It was a lament that no one would hear.

Maybe…

He stopped moving; he let himself slump on the rocks. He did not want to even try to stand.

Maybe I just have to… wait.

He cried in silence while he looked up at the sky. He had a million thoughts in his head. His darkened eyes stared without focus, as he pondered the darkest and clearest thought he had.

They may have spared him. But Uriel would not. He knew he would stop at nothing. He knew for sure.

Why would Uriel halt his hand, after making her do this?

Maybe it was for the better. He had not been strong enough. He had been weak. He had betrayed his own words. The wings that had moved to kill… were gone.

It feels so…

Angels needed their wings.

Alexis hugged himself and tried to ignore the darkness that had fallen around him. He ignored the cold; he did not care about the moonlight over him. He could only wait. He hoped his demon would find him already and end this hell.

I’ve been tied to this fate since the very beginning, right?

He did not care anymore. He could not care.

The blood was dripping down between the uneven rocks. A small trail was coursing through, to fall and drip down the shoreline, into the waters far below.

Blood…

Two wings twitched.

It’s just… a waste.

He closed his red eyes, he controlled himself anxiously.

Need to wait. Not yet. Uriel still needs to claim the kill. Need to wait for him to be dead. Blood is pouring; the angel is weak, dead soon. Just wait. Right there, at reach. Taking so long…

His red eyes shot open and glinted in the dark. He could not ignore the scent of blood anymore. He could not wait any longer, not when his prey was wounded. The smell made his veins burn, his fangs sharpen, and his whole body shiver. He could not ignore it. Not even if he had the patience to wait before, not even if he had controlled himself to let everything fall into place. He had waited to not be blamed for the carnage, but he could not take it anymore. His pupils dilated, and a sick smile grew on his jaws. He let out a deep and feral whisper in the shadows of the night.

“Just…” His black wings rose in a dash. “A bite.”

It had been too much.