“You can’t go!” His yell still echoed in his mind, angry, outraged; full of fear too. “Stay here!”

He had not listened. He needed to go, as soon as his wound had healed. His angel had tried to keep him from venturing, his amber eyes pleading, dreadful.

“Let me shield you for once! I can protect you this time!”

Though it was true Alexis could burden himself and keep the three hidden in the manor, it was not something they agreed in. When he returned that night with a bullet wound, his angel had been mortified. His rage had been drowned in distress.

“They’ll kill you out there!”

They wouldn’t. He would make sure of it.

Uriel let out a flaming breath, his body hidden above the road by the tall looming branches. Far from home, he could feel the hurting heartache, his lurking leading him east. But the pain caused by the distance from his angel was not the worst thing he felt.

Slowly, all ever carefully, he climbed down the tall tree. His violet eyes sharpened like the ones of a cat as he scanned the fields around him. His steps were silent, calculated.

I need to see.

He understood Alexis. He truly did, for he had great reasons to fear, wish nothing more than to keep them all hidden from any humans. As he healed from that shot, news had arrived to them; the worst news possible.

That fact pounded in his mind. It had been one of the reasons that had made him escape the manor in the middle of the night, against the insistence of his family. That day in the clearing was still fresh in his mind, and as well its implications.

Danger was slowly looming over the things he loved, and he could not stand still and do nothing. He needed a confirmation, more insight in their surroundings and its threats.

He had never considered humanity a threat. It had always been demons, angels, perhaps himself. Never would have he imagined her kind to be so malicious, as dangerous as them.

But that was all he could believe as he set eyes in the distance. He had not wanted to see it. But it was undeniable. As he stood by the road between their forest and the eastern human settlements, he could see smoke.

He ventured farther than he ever did. He crossed the ruins where the nomads used to settle to sell; often when he first met her, barely when she left. The fields had been marked by humans, their landmarks made of metal and wood placed at each bifurcation and road. It had scared the tribes off, due to constant human passing.

But forcing them to change their routes was not enough.

His shadow neared what he had seen in the dark. There was a lone caravan, torn and layered with arrows and bulletholes, but still usable. It was left forgotten aside in a field, by some trees; far ahead, from where it had rolled, the smell of fire and blood. It was really distant, but always recognizable.

As he loomed darkly, the figure who sat weakly by a tree opened its eyes. It let out a whisper, tiredly, not at all scared of his nearing steps.

“Ah, you…”

Uriel eyed the old devil, noting the cuts on his clothes and the ragged look on his fur. This demon was an old acquaintance, one of the nomads with whom he used to trade; his old pipe was now forgotten on the grass, his cat-like tail barely moving.

The two demons exchanged glances, both looking sideways at the cart. He was alone, and both knew why.

“Are you the only survivor?”

He did not need to ask what had happened. He already knew human soldiers had ambushed his tribe. The old devil let out a cough, still affected by the smoke from which he had fled, a few hours ago.

“No. They have not murdered all.” He cut some grass with his tired claws, glaring at the distance with hate. “But it does not really matter. They’ve caged them like animals. I don’t know where they are taking them, but we have never heard back from any they had managed to snatch before this…”

“They can’t possibly-“

“They can. They do.” Uriel shivered, for those eyes pierced him, warning. “If you have any kind of common sense, boy, you will take those two girls of yours and go to the northern country. Now, before they close the borders. Here we are just animals for them to tie or slaughter. Us or beastly demons, they see no difference.”

With that, there was silence. The old devil sighed and stared ahead, wondering what would be of the ones that still lived, under the chains of the officials who had rounded them up. The government had already been confiscating any hired demons from merchants that dared bring them from the northern regions.

Those actions had been frowned upon by the northern state; but not for the reasons one would believe. A declaration of war was just mere days away. The two countries did not argue the mistreatment of devils, but the thievery of assets. The north treated its commerce very seriously, while the south had grievances towards beings who roamed their domain. One by one, the tribes were being subjugated, forced into hiding or north. With firearms and bigger numbers, humans easily matched the demonic strength that had been a deterrent in the past.

In that knowledge… Uriel could do nothing but stare too, towards the smoke.

The affairs of nobles and bureaucrats had never been his forte. But right then, he wished he had more books that could tell him how to appeal for his home, his right to belong. He was not a person in their eyes, and soon they would receive visitors that would try to affirm his lack of humanity.

It was just a matter of time.

————

Time had been kind. Until now.

He had been expecting them. He always did. But this time he felt emotions that he could not define. Once, he thought he felt the rawest of animosities towards humans, impossible to surpass.

He was wrong. What he felt now could not be compared with those times, when he would eye them suspiciously or with apprehension. Loathing was the only thing he felt when he heard the sound of horses nearing.

What Uriel had seen was no secret. His demon confessed under his glare. Not that he had needed to force him to tell him. Both understood the seriousness of the matter. Both needed to discuss the situation, what lurked around their home.

And that was why he stood away from his garden, sword on his belt, just in case. He turned slightly to eye the road through the gates, cold sweat falling down his forehead. He was glad that the three were inside, away from sight.

I’m human. They can’t go through me.

A blatant lie. But it was not like he could be an angel or a devil. He lacked any possible characteristics. So a human he was, a legitimate inhabitant of this region. And as an inhabitant, he had a say over his property. Humans now loved their laws and rules as much as angels…

However, they twisted them to their whims, much more than his kind.

A group of ten had neared the gates, all clad in their armors. The uniforms had changed a bit since they had seen them for the first time. Their insignias represented the coalition of houses that now formed the regime.

He greeted them with the same dismissive anger as always. He saw no difference in their supposed authority.

“You lost?”

One of the men took out a document and eyed him with an eyebrow raised.

“We’ve come in search of the owner of this household.” The man glanced over the paper again, frowning at the names listed. “May we speak with… Lex… the second?”

“Ah, yes, my father. Not with us anymore. Try again.”

“Alyx Goda?”

“Nope, flew off. He found these parts too… constricting.”

The official stuttered and went through the list faster, because his superior eyed him with little patience left.

“Lexi, Al, Ali?” The blond shook his head, hiding well his amused smirk. “Alexios, Aleix, Ales-“

“Enough!” Alexis yawned while the highest-ranked human demanded, ending his charade. “Name, commoner, now.”

“Alexis.” He feigned remembrance, waving his hand sideways. “Ah, the first. Yes. Should appear in that document of yours, with my nice signature.”

Indeed, there it was. The document showcased the names of his lineage. All with the same signature…

“So you are the current owner of this manor?”

Alexis glared, knowing well what they meant.

“No. Look again in those registers of yours. Last time we followed your silly bureaucracy, we stated another name as the proprietor.”

“There are no more names.”

“There are. You just don’t want to spot them, do you?” Alexis leaned onto the gates, glancing over the document. There it was, three names scratched and marked. Long ago, the officials did indeed register them. And they were still on check. “Yes, there it is, just a little smudged: Uriel Drago, son of Ms. and Mr. Drago. Old family history, like mine.”

“No household is owned by devils.” The angel rolled his eyes, hearing their slandering tone. “Only humans can have a property under law.”

“Well, fine! Let’s just, for the sake of brevity, agree I am the owner, the lead, the patriarch, the main partaker of the business that this dear manor of mine contributes to these neighbouring-“

A loud slam, one of the men hit the gates to shut him up.

“Good, as the owner, you will keep quiet and listen. We are here under official orders.”

“More taxes? To build another bridge? A new outhouse for a duke and his flock of-”

“No.” He was not able to stall for time any longer. He snarled as they stated their intentions. “We come to impound some of your property, and you shall receive monetary compensation.”

“Look, my horses are no stallions. You won’t find much use for these old-“

“Your demons, fool. We’ve come to seize the devils that you own.”

Alexis leaned closer again. His amber eyes stared right into theirs. He then whispered carefully, very slowly.

“I don’t own any demons. There are no servants here, no mercenaries.”

“If so, you would not mind us taking a look, would you?” The men were very aware of how his hand was now resting on top of that golden blade. “After all, there should be no devils in these lands. It would be… unfortunate to find another den in our domain. No home welcomes such animals; all are in their rightful place: mines, cells, or six feet under.”

It was true that demons and humans never lived together. They were an oddity. Uriel had never followed the ways of the devils in the region, having been adopted by humans.

But an oddity was not a fault, nor a wrong.

“I really regret to have to tell you, but no. These gates are not opening. My home, my rules.”

“A simple blacksmith; you are under the rules of your sires, you lords. You can’t keep us out.”

“Try me.”

The soldiers flinched, for he had taken his sword out. It was not the fact that he could lash out with the weapon what worried them, but the fact he dared do so. They never heard any civilian speak to them in such a way.

And so, Alexis finally managed to tire the men who had constantly harassed them. They finally pushed aside their apprehension for the devils that lived here; they unsheathed their own swords, ready to use force if necessary. Their comrades had already spent years hunting down feral demons, and recently chased some tribes away. They were ready to chain what they believed to be helpless submissive devils, for they had to be for them to share a life with a human as stubborn as him.

“You may very well be arrested and prosecuted.” They offered, like if they were only speaking of coin. “We would like you to reconsider your place in our society and-“

“My place is here.” The soldiers had smirked at his taunt first, but then faltered. Because multiple things moved behind the blond. “And if you don’t fuck off right now, I swear I’ll make you.”

At least twenty figures stood from the ground. They had been resting on the patio, hidden behind crates, fences or bushes. Violet, blue and red glints, many armors began to step closer, spears in hand.

One of the soldiers gasped and raised a firearm, taking aim at the blond. But by the time he shot, one of those haunted things had stepped in between; the bullet and steam ricocheted against its chest. Both were unharmed, unfazed.

They were only ten. And they had not expected those things to move like that, for no one had ever been threatened by them in decades.

“A den indeed!” The highest official tried to shoot again, paling as the bullet only made one of the armors flinch. The gates were being opened, spears pointed. “Fall back!”

Alexis let out his breath at last. His shoulders slumped as the men jumped on their horses and hit the reigns. He lowered his sword as they fled through the road, casting hateful glances over their shoulders.

By the time they were gone, he had already let himself drop to his knees, mentally exhausted.

He had not wanted things to reach this point. But the universe never asked what he wanted.

“They’ll be back.” This was just a delay. He could only whisper as the four neared him from the doors, the armors not needed to shield from shots anymore. “They always come back, each time wanting more. I was able to give them the gold they wanted, but not this. They leave me no options, I can’t bargain with this. I can’t keep them away for much longer; can’t prevent them from sending a full squadron. Soon, they will-“

“Breathe.”

He felt their claws on his shoulders. A lynx sat too at his side, eyeing him with gratitude for his efforts. Ariel’s whisper was the first, but soon came the others, as sure, as supporting. Not as afraid as he was.

“They’re gone, for now.”

“We are fine. We did not need to wound them.”

“They won’t divide us, Alexis.” Uriel added, not needing flames in his eyes to show his conviction. “I will not allow it.”

The angel took a deep raspy breath, shaking while claws, fur and wings brushed him. His next whisper was pained, fearful.

“But… you are considering…”

The four demons looked sideways, remembering the words that had caused the angel to try to face the men, argue their intentions, which they had foreseen.

The dread was evident in his amber eyes. They could smell his fear; which they shared, but in a lesser extent, more sorrowful than anything.

Letting go would not be easy.