His eyes narrowed subtly, gleaming in the dim light of the sunrise. Sharp as knives, they fixated on the small figures that idled not too far off, gathered in apprehensive unease. His claw lowered slowly, his stance stirring visibly due to their sight.

Many figures roamed through; the camp was hectic yet afflicted by an ominous serenity. Civilians kept advancing and huddling towards the lines of soldiers, both sides suffering a constant exchange of unpleasant inquiries and paperwork.

While uncountable adults struggled to gain access past the strict cordon of the military, some human children sought the solace of each other’s company, hiding by some tents and crates. They kept trying to ignore the occasional yells, the arguments that only the oldest of them could begin to understand.

Only their kin stalled, for the children of devils did not need to see their bringers struggle to prove their trustfulness to the guardsmen. Their young eyes could not help but see every armed man as a lethargic foe, human or not.

Still, devils proved to be much more threatening in their minds, always. Even more so the ones who were robust enough to belong in the military. When they noticed a very tall shadow move away from the lines to head towards them, most could not avoid cowering.

Uriel refused to scowl upon the sight of their flinches and worried frowns. He neared calmly, slowly, trying to present his posture as harmless as possible. It was not an easy task. There were other demons who were much more animalistic than him, yet he was still beastly in the eyes of a common human.

No soldier yelled at him to go back into line while he parted from them; he stopped eyeing the crowds to seek suspicious figures, beckoned by what he felt instead. It did not take him long to stand in front of the children, at which point he kept still for a few seconds.

They did not say anything, but they did make themselves smaller by the crates and tent. The only teen in the group was fast to stand in between them and him, something that only made him smile sadly.

His sharp horns loomed darkly, and his eyes reflected the sunrise in a way that could inflict nightmares in an anxious mind. And so, he proceeded to crouch, to stand eye to eye with them. He kept his tail low too, moving his claws onto his legs as he called softly.

“You are tired, aren’t you?” Their gazes softened a little when he spoke kindly, even if the apprehension was still there. “You must have seen a lot of things while crossing these parts.”

By how the teen cringed, he knew right then that many of them had seen carnage. Even the youngest seemed to forget about his features while recalling the memory of their former homes.

Uriel sighed and reached back into a satchel he carried. Luckily, none of them jolted when he did so; maybe it was because he would not need a knife to harm them, or maybe because they knew that the federation was not hostile towards the exiles of the isthmus.

When his claw came out of the satchel, it did with something that sparked the interest of the youngest ones. He proceeded to hand the small figurine to a little girl, being careful of positioning his sharp nails in a way that she would not fear.

“Here. It’s an ox.” The child took it hesitantly, to then eye him nervously as he chuckled and tugged at one of his horns sheepishly. “Its horns are much more pretty than mine, huh?”

The teen relaxed visibly, noting how his tail swayed slowly, his expression hinting at how he was reminiscing about something which he felt longing for. Long gone were the times in which he would dote two children of his own.

Uriel opened his mouth, wishing to converse with the kids to ease their worried minds. He would have managed, as he was able to showcase a gentle kindness… Sadly, he was not allowed to. His violet eyes narrowed in a familiar way, seeing another figure near him and the children. He stood carefully and moved his claws behind his back, staying firm and calm while a few adult humans shielded the kids, yapping at him with aggressive distrust.

“Step off, devil.”

That word was spoken like an insult, yet he did not hint a tinge of resent for it. With a small nod, he addressed their glares and smiled, taking a step back as asked.

“Of course, my apologies.”

They completely ignored his politeness, whispering a few expletives while he walked away. One of them was quick to blame his kind for their forced exodus, something he could not deny, even if it was an indirect cause.

Once he reached the spot he had left, he sat on a crate and began to fumble with his horns and black hair, extremely weary of the world and its view of his existence. It did not help him any when a voice commented, with a charming but quite bothersome tone.

“You give them a claw and they spit on it. Humans.”

Uriel smiled again, looking sideways subtly to see Wilton there, writing casually on a paper all the names of the civilians he let pass through. Of course, most were devils on his list.

“How many claws have you lent humanity to assert that?”

“Enough.” Wilton sighed, not really hateful towards humans, but still very tired of their ways. “They want us to bow and bend, without so much of a thanks. We are battling the fools who are burning their lands, and yet, they set all the blame on us. It’s their own kind what is ravaging everything, not us!”

“People sometimes want a single target to blame.” Uriel tried to point out Wilton’s misguided hypocrisy, trying to look past that small quarrel they had by a fire. “You can’t condemn all for the actions of a few.”

“Perhaps. But those actions are still a factor that should be considered.” Wilton waved one of his long arms and placed a claw over his face. When he lowered it, he had summoned a mask made of smoke. “Anyone could be wearing veils. How can we see past such disguises and reveal hidden principles and intentions? If we are to trust, should we forget the possible risks?”

Those lean nails twirled, letting that mask fade into nothingness. Both demons were eloquent and truly appreciated the chance of a debate, even if they held opposing views.

“I see why the nobles enjoyed your performances. Your words hold weight and instill thought, even if grim.”

“Why, thank you. If I had not abandoned those avenues centuries ago, I would welcome you into the union. You seem to have a passion for the arts as well.”

“Ah, more than you know. Before I settled in this arid continent, I used to enjoy playing melodies with-“

He could not express his memories of a beautiful harp, which he used to play for the one he loved. It was not due to painful sorrow, but shocked surprise. Both demons jolted when a furious yell echoed, not too far off past the crowds.

“WILTON!” As Uriel blinked in alarm, a very furious Alexis rushed past anyone who stood in his way towards the mesmer. Wilton barely had time to register the speed in which the blond tackled him, one second pushing people aside, the next pinning him on the ground with a fist over his sharp eyes. “You son of a bitch! I’m going to break your disgusting twirly nails off!”

Uriel stood sharply, needing to process mentally that Alexis was finally back, and that he was punching Wilton repeatedly. Said demon was now snarling and blocking the hits with his long arms, which surprisingly did not muffle the pain much.

“Get off, you madman!” Alexis huffed in turn, because Wilton refused just to take the beating; his scaly crest puffed as he swung his head, headbutting and dazing him enough to push him off. “What the hell is your-?!”

Alexis did stumble back, but he bared his fists again and took a stance to shout.

“Don’t play dumb!” By now, a few other soldiers were staring at the two, pondering what had sparked the scuffle. Judging by how angrily the blond yelled, they quickly knew to not intervene much. “I saw your damn smokey manifestations in the chasms! You asshole, you wanted me to shoot and alert the others about an intruder to make a fool of me!”

Wilton forgot for a moment the odd strength with which he was hit, much more surprised by that accusation.

“You imbecile, my skills may be great, but I can’t possibly have summoned visions from so far off!”

Alexis tried to lunge again, sensing nothing but mocking disdain in the devil. Luckily, he snarled again, jolting on place when two strong claws held his arms back. His amber eyes narrowed, seeing Uriel there, scowling down at him.

“Let go, Uriel!”

“No, breathe.” He had rarely seen his angel this angry, even if anger was one of the emotions he most showed. It did not make sense, for he knew that the target of his resent had been idle. “Tell me what has-“

“I said it already!” Alexis pulled against his grip and actually managed to make Uriel huff and struggle to keep him still, enraged. The angel clenched his teeth and glared at the very baffled and annoyed devil, who simply eyed him down while rubbing a bruise. “He has invoked his damn illusions in those chasms! What he said by that fire was a threat!”

Wilton scoffed and did not doubt to step closer towards the blond, but not because Uriel was holding him back. His crest folded sharply as he leaned his head down at Alexis’, his long arms motioning at the distance mockingly.

“Unlike savages like you, I would never dare threaten a comrade in arms! What I said was a real fable relayed in these parts, one I’ve heard for ages, exchanged by many folks!” His white eyes narrowed, and his fanged smirk grew even more sardonic when he taunted, much to Uriel’s dislike. “I believe you simply fell prey to paranoia and fear, your own cowardice towards my words. Or perhaps… You couldn’t possibly be thinking you’ve seen a real spirit, do you?”

Alexis lost some of his bravery and hostility, yet it was not because he felt intimidated by the look Wilton was giving him. Two horrible thoughts settled in his mind, and he did not know which was worse. He deflated in Uriel’s grip; his next question was fearful.

“Y-you really did not summon a vision in those paths?”

“I feel both insulted and lauded… When I set those shadows on the crags for them to be shot at, I was not too far off! The gorges you were guarding stand miles away from this camp! Even if I could manage such feat, I was busy dealing with some paperwork! I need to focus to bring my shadows to life!” Wilton growled and stepped off, refusing to get to his level and punch him in retaliation. Not that Uriel would have let him; his violet eyes did not only watch Alexis’ moves. “I’ll pity your gullible mind this time and forget about your feeble assault; but be assured that if you brush me again, I’ll rip your fingers off to stop you from pointing them at people!”

There was nothing feeble about the punches Alexis threw, but Wilton was doing his best to hide that fact from all onlookers, his pride something he shielded at all costs. The crowd lost interest fast, because the quarrel was over; it helped that Uriel pierced anyone who kept looking with his gaze.

They were lucky; no officials saw what happened, too busy with the main flow of civilians. The demon pulled the angel away from sight, to stand in front of him behind a tall tent. He eyed him down with a very concerned scowl, because he was staring at the ground with a very frightened and pale expression. He tried to inquire after a few seconds, utterly confused.

“Alexis, what the hell has happened there? Why are you-?“

“I’ve fucked up.”

Their tent was not too far, and that was what the angel bolted off for. Uriel gasped as Alexis hurried away from him, without running, but still in an anxious and unnerved stride.

“Alexis!” He had been looking forward to his return from those chasms, and this was not the outcome he had in mind. “Hold up!”

The blond ignored him; his amber eyes were empty of emotion. By the time he caught up with him, he had already reached the tent and gone in. When Uriel stepped inside, Alexis had seated himself on a small crate and snatched a small bottle he had been saving.

The devil loomed over the angel, scared now as well, the eerie silence he was being given all too ominous. He knew that look, there in his amber eyes, but he could not understand why he was seeing it.

“What did you see there?”

It took Alexis a few seconds to answer. Another sip from the alcohol helped him numb his mind enough to ignore what truly haunted him.

“I saw a spy. And I… didn’t shoot.” He let out a raspy tired sigh, meeting those violet eyes at last. “I should’ve shot. I have let a damn spy get through, the very thing I was supposed to prevent there.”

Uriel knew there was more to it. That was why he sat too on the ground, to inquire while at the same eye level.

“You would have shot, no matter if that figure was an intruder or illusion.” There came the question, those violet eyes observant as always. “You didn’t want to shoot. What did you really see, Alexis?”

Whatever it was, it was haunting enough to make him stay silent until he got back to camp, his first instinct the one of urgent violence. Uriel smelled fear in him, then and now. Still, there came the denial.

“I saw a damn spy.” Uriel flinched, because Alexis stood and slammed the empty bottle down onto a nearby table, to then give him his back stubbornly. “I am a coward deep inside, he’s right; I was pondering his stupid words and overthinking! Whatever I saw, was only my own mind messing with me!”

“Alexis-“

He lashed verbally at his demon, hating to be discussing this.

“Ghosts do not exist!” He felt cornered, so he decided to go out for more drinks in a mindless manner. “Those malicious icy eyes I saw… they were not real.”

Uriel did not stop him. His claws lowered sadly at his sides, his mind regretting greatly not having gone to those gorges instead. Those angry steps faded between the noise of the crowds outside, which were too haunted by their own experiences to pay much mind to his unnerved march.

Both demon and angel recalled those old memories painfully, knowing they would never stop stalking them.

——————–

“Captain, I believe-“

“I believe you should keep your worthless thoughts to yourself, recruit.”

Novik shut his mouth, his white wings folding sharply as his superior glared back at him. He gave him the same disdain he displayed for the two corpses at their feet, no matter if they were of the same kin.

His squad examined the two dead angels with arrogance, judging them as weak. Not too far off, laid the corpses of the five human hunters that had taken them down. They killed them swiftly once they came across the sight, insulted by the act.

“If these two allowed themselves to be taken down by mere humans, they truly did not deserve to leap and fight in these lands like us. The rest of their squad must be as unworthy.” The captain pointed an arm at the distance, where some crooked woods stood. They had killed some devils that lived there in a small village, to hide unbothered. “We don’t need to seek them and join forces. Our objective requires reinforcements, not burdens.”

“But they may perish if we don’t locate the whereabouts of that squadron. We should not allow more low humans to slay-“

“I won’t allow one more word.” Novik flinched, one of the captain’s wings slapping him promptly. Much younger, he proceeded to look down and stand in wait, refusing to jolt while he was denounced. “The fact that I must welcome a weakling into my own unit is bothersome enough! We have trained for ages for this cause, while you have spent less than a century preparing for it! Show some respect and try to honor the fact that our superiors have let you be here now!”

“Yes, sir.”

All gave him their backs, following the lead of the captain, who proceeded to open his wings to set off forth. Without word, his comrades moved away, uncaring if he followed them or not. He always did diligently, yet he stalled now. He was relieved to see that they did not slow down in the air, unconcerned by his reluctance.

Once more, he neared the two dead angels, to eye them down with much more empathy, even if he was still critical of their failure. He noted the arrows that sunk on their backs past their wings, shots that they did not seem to have expected.

His blue eyes examined the hunters that had been dragging the corpses through the plains, surely hoping to sell the remains. He had nothing but loathing for them, and he did not doubt to snarl and feel satisfaction for the wounds his allies inflicted.

“You ungrateful parasites, we’re cleansing your lands, and yet you-“

He grew quiet, because his eyes caught something. His hand was fast to lay on the handle of his sword, even if what he saw was distant. With zealous caution, he eyed the figure that stood at some far cliffs, east.

Being so far, he could only see a small shadow. At first, he was sure that he was seeing yet another angel hunter. He was mistaken. His sharp eyesight allowed him to catch how two things that could only be wings moved.

That figure had been watching the plains where he stood, yet it moved away when he too noticed its presence. It flew and hid, in a manner that he had only seen angels display.

Novik stood there, his heart skipping a beat. He was sure that he had just seen a member of the squad those two angels belonged to. Due to it, he looked sharply towards the woods, doubting, knowing that his captain expected him to follow as commanded.

His wings trembled, opening a little… only to fold again, his anxious expression turning into a determined smirk, foolish yet devoted in his care. With one last glance at the corpses, he set off to look for that figure, denying that their life and aid could be worthless.