A Very Unmerry Birthday (Round Three)

OoC: This first post is going to be quite long.

BiC: A very dramatic silence ensued. Pop. Her stylish glasses made a slight clack on the reflective desk, which now appeared even cleaner than before, even if the odds were astronomical. Will didn’t really try to pay attention to every little detail, but anything would work to keep her eyes from burning into him. “Well done, Mr. Brabosi.”

Will squeezed his eyes shut; gripping the sides of the chair with his white knuckles as he grit his pearly white teeth. He didn’t dare look now. Oh, he knew there was no escape for him. “I tried.” His cracked voice managed to croak, keeping his stature to the best of his ability. No use in sobbing. That only served to shatter his father’s image.

“You tried.” The voice sent a shiver through him, as stern and cold as a statue. No feeling of mercy, love, or kindness lingered behind. “You sank the ship, Mr. Brabosi. It’s at the bottom of the ocean. You single-handedly drowned the finest cruise craft in the world. On top of all this, dozens upon dozens of people are dead, and the one you claimed is responsible for this act left no trace behind. This leaves us to naturally and correctly conclude he never existed in the first place.”

“I told you already.” Will piqued up in a very small child-like voice.

“Sure, he escaped on the back of a blue whale. You expect us to believe that, Mr. Brabosi? Really, show some backbone like your father.”

Will lolled his head back, nearly tipping the chair in exertion. “You’re kidding. You don’t believe me. After the fiftieth time I tell you! I’m incapable of lying! Don’t you understand that? You injected me with truth serum for Christ’s sake!” He covered his mouth quickly, fingers muffling the gasp. To use such slander in this place would be considered the greatest insult imaginable.

She annoyingly tapped a few fingers upon the top of the smooth desk’s surface, wrenching open a large file drawer with an ear-splitting screech. “I’d be careful how much you’re willing to test my patience, Mr. Brabosi. I took the liberty of talking to your father personally.” Will’s heart froze for a split-second. “Yes, I spoke to him face-to-face. He agreed to what must be done.” She disgustingly rolled her eyes. “A second chance.”

“A second chance?” Will repeated, completely off-guard. “What do you mean?”

“Remember, time no longer turns below on earth. Valentine’s day is still among the humans. Therefore, you’re still in paying hours, Cupid. You have one more chance, bestowed to you alone under the good graces of your father. Don’t let him down.”

After a few moments of despondent emotion, Will lifted his head proudly, straining to keep a straight face. “What’s the mission this time?”

The woman pursed her lips, flaunting her position as higher than Will. “This time I’m giving you an easier flurry of things. You need to pay a flirty visit a Valentine’s party. It’s solidly built upon ground, inside a building. No chance of conflict whatsoever.” Will nodded slowly, contemplating what she told him. “Very well. I’ll agree. Give me directions and I’m gone.” Not like I have much choice…

Once outside in the stark blank hall, overwhelmingly glad to escape from the clutches of the harpy’s eyes, Will smiled gratefully. He immediately scanned the map to his next job thoughtfully, and then spotted a nearby payphone. After a little internal debating, Will decided to give an old friend a call. He intermediately punched several numbers, hearing the ringing affirm he had dialed and was about to speak to her once more after so many years. Finally, the ringing stopped as the line picked up.

“Hello?” Her soft, pleasurable voice still sent shivers through his spine. He determined without a doubt not to make the conversation last long, eliminating any chance for prolonged suffering deep in his soul. “Hello?” Again she repeated it, and Will spoke up.

“Selene?”

He didn’t even go as far to say who he was. She automatically knew. “…Will?”

“Hey… How are things down there on earth?” A wonderful way to start the small talk conversation.

“… Why… They’re fine. Where are you? Why on earth are you contacting me?”

“I’ve missed you, Selene.” Bloody brilliant excuse, Will. Sure you’ve missed her, but why? You haven’t seen her in years, you’d think you’d be over the loss by now. “But we’ll talk more when I can meet you in person. For now, I really need directions.”

“Directions? To where?” Her voice crackled as if breaking up. Will completely understood. After all, the distance gap between his location and earth did not span easily.

“Radcliff Avenue, two three four eight.” He rattled off the location of the mission.

“And how do you expect me to know exactly where that is, Will? This is earth. It’s larger than angels are taught. Fortunately for you, I know exactly where that is. But why would you go there?” She wondered why on earth her past lover would visit an orphanage randomly.

“It’s part of my job, Selene. Just tell me. Afterwards, I’ll give you a visit.” For a few meager moments, Will listened to her charming tone explain exactly where he needed to go. “Thank you, Selene… Goodbye.” He hung up, not waiting for her dismissal. He hated the very notion of her sad tone. He took off from the office, viciously pumping his wingspan as he bent the wind currents with his shifting feathers. It did not take long for Will to arrive at his intended destination. Once he entered the building, he paused, all hope wiped from his face in a single moment. “You’ve got to be kidding.”

Shrill squeals of joy filled the air. Rapid running sounds followed as multiple short blurs shot past the angel. Before Will could question further, he felt a tugging upon his robe.

“Mister! Are you the clown?” A fragile brunette girl asked, her hair done in pigtails and a pretty heart-patterned dress flowing behind her. Upon her curly locks nestled a sparkly crown, drenched in glitter. “It’s the clown!” Before Will could answer, he found a stampede of shrieking children swarming him. He had a mind to fly, but several of the chubby hands already yanked his feathers.

“OW!” Will yelped, spreading his wings in a futile attempt to cause them to back off.

“Yay!” The children cheered, clapping their sticky fingers together. “I want a balloon animal!” One cried, bursting into tears as he tugged Will’s shorts.

Many thoughts echoed through Will’s mind. How can they see me? Why are there children here? What’s the racket about? What should I do? … Why me? First of all, Will thought desperately about why he could be seen. Then it occurred to him. It had nothing to do with love. It all had to do with pure hearts. Not love or hate. That’s why the girl on the ship could see him after he shot her with the arrow. She had a pure heart. Children naturally contained pure hearts, so that meant they could all see him. He had better play it smooth. “Hey, hey, hold on now!” Will shot into the sky, careful not to hit the ceiling of the building. He hovered about six feet above the ground, just high enough to make positive their grasping paws couldn’t reach him.

“What’s going on here?” He asked, eyeing the multitude of fifteen or more young hearts. It was then he noticed the decorations about the room. Not only did they speak of Valentine’s Day, but also with the same number, six, in several places. “Six?” Will repeated. Further investigations led him to spot a rather large cake, topped in rainbow frosting, half eaten on a nearby table. Among this lay a couple of empty gallons of ice cream, the remains dripping from the scattered containers. Candy packages tossed themselves among the room, some with sugar remaining. It’s a birthday party… And a Valentine’s party? Of course. I should have known father would send me here. He’s humiliating me. And they’ve already eaten enough sugar to cause them to throw up. Remain calm, Will. “So who here is the birthday boy?” He asked as he floated downwards.

“Ahem!” The same girl that first spoke to him stepped forward, arms crossed and a stern expression upon her puckered lips.

“Oh, birthday girl! Did I say birthday boy? My fault!” If I fail again, I’ll become human! And never remember anything! I can sense that I won’t be given another chance, just the mind wipe. I can’t let that happen! I know! I’ve just got to keep this girl happy! “Who wanted a balloon animal?” He fidgeted inside a bag containing the long balloons as the boy that pined for one earlier beamed. He picked up the rubbery flat material and eyed it. As a child, he watched an entertainer make one before, but he knew of no alternative than to create one himself. Despite the fact Will knew nothing whatsoever about making balloon animals, he was determined to do his best. He faced the little boy, and blew up the long shape, handing it to him after tying the end off. “There.”

“What is it?” The boy asked quietly, on the verge of tears if a sure answer did not produce itself.

The angel thought rapidly. “It’s a worm. Sorry, kids, but I’m not the clown.” The crowd of young ones began to whimper threateningly, leaving Will puzzled. Where were the adults? Suddenly, the door opened, and Will’s eyes settled on the first thing he saw... Vibrant, wavy green hair. “There’s the clown. Go get him!” Just then, a rather curious child took one of Will's arrows from the back of his quiver, and threw it with no apparent reason towards the person entering, although it would have no love effect if it didn't hit the person in the rear. If the weapon hit a person anywhere else, it should simply... Hurt. A lot.

OoC: Well... it's not as long as I had hoped because my friend is here for the weekend and I'll have no time to write. So here ya go!
BiC:

“Ugh… what time is it?” Vane mumbled as he creaked his eyes open. His left arm involuntarily flew up and collided with the iron back-support on the bench in which he lay upon. He winced, but soon relaxed himself. His head tilted to the right and he looked despairingly at a family several yards away from him; it was a father and his two sons. It reminded him so much of how things were before Rein Aeria had been born. A tear stroked his cheek gently before falling to the dewy grass below. “The Heavens are cruel to me…” the Savior muttered under his breath as he sat himself up.

The family from before was now leaving; the look Vane gave them was almost mournful. He caught eyes with the father, but only an instant. He knew that they couldn’t comprehend his pain. At this point he felt that nobody could.

I can.

The wind blew hard for a moment, the leaves of the surrounding trees brushing into each other as miniscule particles flew everywhere. This world was a hollow sanctum for Vane; a sanctuary to protect him from the putrescence within him. He knew only what his mind denied, and he knew not what his mind confirmed. The bright cumulus clouds above assured him that it had not rained the night before…and he already knew why the ground was soaked,

Stop crying.

An astringent pain cut through his consciousness and the Silronian found himself staggering around erratically. A haze fell over his vision and a chilling claw gripped his heart. His breathing quickened, but no thoughts came from his tortured soul. Only one word; the one and only word that held any significance to him anymore: ‘why’?

I know.

He couldn’t take it anymore, and with an agonizing howl the Savior flung his face down onto the cold steel of the bench in front of him. The ground rumbled for several hundred yards around, and he fell off his own feet as a crater formed directly underneath him. Subconsciously he had been waiting until there was nobody around to harm, but he never thought about reprieving himself of the pain. The trickling blood running down the right side of his face tickled. His eyes were closed, but three convex lumps under his eyelid revealed that small fibers of metal had lodged themselves in his eye. He attempted to walk out of the depression he had created, but he simply slipped and fell in the mushy silt.

Stop living like this.

“I can’t take this anymore!” He shouted, finally. “Leave me alone!” His anger and misery spewed forth from his mouth in a deafening roar. He knelt down and sunk his knees into the mush below and began pounding his fists into the mud, one after another. Shockwaves in the ground sent entire patches of grass and dirt flying high into the air, showering down upon the area that was, a moment ago, a recreational park.

Look at what you’ve become, you imbecile.

“It’s all your fault…” Vane sobbed. He was on all fours now, wailing like an infant.

You’re an unweaned child, and that’s all you are! It’s shameful for me to exist within such a pathetic wretch.

“I’m not asking you to stay. All you ever do is tell me how you’re my only friend, yet you sit here and insult me simultaneously!”

It’s true. I’m your only friend for that very reason. If you weren’t such an impudent ass to me all the time you would most likely be worth knowing.

Vane swore under his breath. He didn’t have time to lie there arguing with his conscience. He gradually pushed himself up until he was once again on two legs. He immediately felt a deep sense of regret as he realized that he had destroyed the entire park. “The bastard is right… What have I become?” His bleeding eye twitched as two minuscule chunks of steel wrenched free from the flesh on the inside of his eyelid.

“…How could my life possibly get any worse?” He sobbed disconsolately.

The arrow moved at the green haired man, who merely watched it closely as it seemed to move in slow motion, drawing closer and closer, but not touching the fencer yet. His eyes were free of any thoughts that could be considered malevolent, but instead, he was only thinking about what could occur shortly. As the arrow continued its movement, the fencer had to take some time to suppose what had happened before he arrived, putting all the pieces of the puzzle together.

The Aura Master didn't know why he was here, and nor did it matter why he was here, all that mattered was he was here. No matter how much Zorlo thought about it, the more what was happening began to make sense, but why the fencer had come all the way to this strange town; or why he had chosen to enter this house... well that didn't really matter, he was here, and the events were unfolding in front of him.

The arrow continued to travel, slowly inching towards the green haired man as his eyes scanned the room and its inhabitants, taking in what had happened before and as the green haired man entered the room. First were the children, who very obviously in this house for a birthday party of the small girl that was the one who had grown by one year this day. The fencer hadn't the faintest of this, and had not brought a gift, although he was sure he could produce something to tide over the young woman for a little while, but first, he had to deal with the arrow coming at him, but that would be its own spectacle.

The rest of the children were here for only one reason, that the Aura Master was certain of. They were here to party, and eat large quantities of sweets and other high sugar foods. This meant that not only were they bound to have lots of energy, but they were bound to also wear out after such large amounts of sugar passed through their systems, so putting these children to sleep wouldn't take much more then an amazing show. Something so awesome, they couldn't help but cheer with every bit of the energy their little bodies had.

All that left in this room out of the ordinary was the winged man that hovered slightly in the air who had called Zorlo the clown. This man seemed to be a relatively desperate angel, trying to pass his job to the fencer, but the green haired man didn't care, he'd give these kinds a show, and they'd never forget it. It all started as the arrow was nearly upon him. Showtime.

The green haired man smiled and lifted up his right hand, a light green flame covering his hand as he flicked the arrow, causing it to spin upwards. As the arrow spun, the fencer placed himself below it and smiled, no longer watching the projectile. With a quick burst of movement, the Aura Master grabbed the arrow and began to spin it between his fingers at a very high speed in his right hand, and then he passed the arrow off to his left, spinning it even faster in this hand, and then throwing it back into the air.

The arrow came down and fell slowly towards the fencer's head, apparently about to come directly down upon the fencer's head and kill him, but the green haired man stepped back, swiping his hand past the arrow, and the arrow split in half, followed by the fencer grabbing both of the halves and spinning them very quickly, putting them to the ultimate test as he slammed the two halves together, arrow head to tail.

A bright flash of light emitted and silver powder rained down towards the ground, surrounded by the emerald green aura of the fencer, who smiled widely as he flashes his aura, making the silver dust appear almost like a sparkling group of emeralds, causing the children's eyes to glow even brighter then the light that came off the fencer or the silver dust created from the arrow.

The children all clapped, their energy burning off at levels that would make a person's head spin. They all jumped and clapped and did powerful things that quickly made them start to fall asleep in troves. All that stood after a few minutes of watching was the birthday girl who rubbed her eyes, she was very sleepy as well now. She walked towards the "clown" and smiled up at him.

"Do I get a present, mr. clown?" she asked, giving him a kind smile that made the fencer's heart melt. How could he say no? Reaching into a pocket of his jacket, he pulled out a red angel feather and handed it to the girl.

"That is a very special feather. One of the few of its kind. Hold onto it, and don't tell anyone where you got it. It is your special treasure," the fencer stated, smiling as he watched the little girl head over to a nearby cushion and fell to sleep. After the little girl was safely asleep, holding the Aura Master's present to her, the green haired man looked at the blond angel and said, "Okay, now that I've saved your butt, you can get out of here. I'm going to head home now," the youth stated, heading out of the door.

Along with the children’s high-pitched squeals, Will silently breathed, eyeing the spectacular performance before him. Why would the man do this? He seemed to make it appear so natural, so easy. He must have great experience with children to work so naturally. The mad sugar rush Will encountered a few moments earlier ended extremely fast, almost as if it were planned. This meant something easier for Will. He could now target the children much easier; they were nothing but sitting ducks. Therefore, his job completed itself sooner, and he returned to heaven.

He surveyed the young petite miss speaking to the green-haired man. She immediately soothed his irritable headache he developed over this whole ordeal. Children had the tendency to do that with Will. Then, his eyes locked on the gift she received. What? A red feather? Where did he get that? It’s much too big to be from a robin or cardinal. That is the size of… My wings. But how can that be? It’s impossible, improbable, and completely outrageous! But that’s the only explanation!

Due to his wandering thoughts, Will completely missed the fencer’s absence for a few moments. He followed swiftly, catching him just as he exited the front door. He panted, making sure to keep hovering a few feet above the fencer’s head.

The green-haired man blinked a few times, crossing his arms across his chest. “What’s up, Gabriel?”

Will narrowed his eyes, irked that the man did not seem disturbed by the sight of Will’s huge wingspan. “Very funny. I’ll have you know that I’m an angel.”

“So? I know one.” The man replied, keeping completely calm, his arms still crossed as stoic as before.

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. That red feather you gave the girl in there. Where on earth did you come into possession of such a treasured thing?” Will demanded more than asked, eyes sparkling.

After a moment of stunned silence, the man replied. “It’s a feather from my beloved’s wings. Why do you ask?”

“Would you reveal to me her name?” His heart threatened to escape from his ribcage, each torturous beat deafening to his mind. If what he suspected truly turned out to be true, he could finally see her again. Maybe their love could also rekindle, and even if not, just to look upon her untouched beauty…

“Selene.” Now he seemed rather suspicious, his tone quieter and curious. “Do you know her?”

Will merely floated there for a few moments. Wait… Him? This is who Selene chose? Impossible. What about us? I told her I would come… I suppose she couldn’t wait… Why, Selene? “No. Thought I did, but I guess not.” Will blinked back multiple tears, choked up. “If you’ll excuse me, I have some children to shoot.” He did not realize what he had said.

Now this statement caught the fencer’s attention, to put it bluntly. Before the angel waited for a response, Will turned and re-entered, pulling back the bow for a clear shot of the little birthday girl. This must have sparked an unprotected anger in his newly met acquaintance, for Will felt something tightly grab his ankle, swinging him violently out the front door. He released the arrow in mid-air and collided into the dirt, sliding roughly across the rocks and twigs until he came to a stop about twenty-five feet away from the original birthday party house. The children that awakened due to the cry of surprise spread about the windows, watching the spectacle with interest. He spread his wings, now bristling in anger. “What did you do that for?” He shouted, brushing his numerous scratches. Wearing nothing but a pair of shorts had its disadvantages as well as perks.

“You won’t harm any of the little ones!”

“You idiot!” Will exclaimed, growling as he attempted to keep his temper under lock and key. “I’m not going to kill them! I’m shooting them because I’m cupid! And you did nothing short of nearly ruining my chances of remaining an angel! You’ve done nothing to save my butt; you’re only hurting my job and my soul!”

“Cupid.” The man stated, raising an eyebrow. “You must think I know nothing to believe that. You must be a sad excuse to have to work with children to remain an angel.”

“Mind your own business and go back to your little spoiled whore!” Will clapped a hand over his mouth, unwillingly saying something before his mind could catch up with his tongue. Damn my big mouth! Did I just curse my own greatest treasure? How? But why would you do that to me, Selene, why? You know I would come for you, I told you I would! His thoughts were cut off by sensation in the back of his mind. Will could not explain how he knew what he should do; only that he knew he had to roll to the right. He did so, missing the fencer’s sword by inches as it impaled the moist ground. Will took flight, watching the opponent from above. “Slow down! I really didn’t mean to say that! I love Selene! I would never!”

“Come down here so I can kill you, cur! No one insults my beloved like that and lives to tell about it! Come and take your punishment!”

So much for my work today… That’s the least of my problems. Will thought as he shook his head. “If you want to talk about this like an adult instead of an uncontrolled child, let me know.” He glimpsed something sparkling below, a sort of golden energy. He knew instinctively this did not mean he won. He took flight, urging himself on with a pressured need. He glanced behind him, eyes searching desperately for any sign of the infuriated man. Why did I say that? It wasn’t me! I would never say that about Selene! She’s so good, kind, and gentle! Nothing like that! He spotted what looked like a desolate place, away from the activity of the city, just beyond some abandoned buildings, a good place to hide.

Will half-wondered what on earth the buildings had been used for, obviously empty, albeit several sheets of glass still covered the windows. He paused high above the ground, making sure he found no threats nearby before slowly descending. Then he turned to see a figure standing in the middle of the undeveloped land, littered among pieces of metal and crumbled grass. Puddles of unsanitary water from broken rusty pipes steadily dripped, forming murky puddles of ashen cold in their wake. The silence made things unbearable, driving Will with a sense of unknowing that prickled his spine. Will found no clues to indicate that the land only recently became so empty, previously an enjoyable playground.

“Hey, sir! Excuse me!” He certainly did not mean to interrupt the unknown person, but Will knew help would be greatly appreciated, even by someone he didn’t recall as a friend and ally. “I know that I have no idea who you are, but if you see a green-haired person, please, for God’s sake, don’t let him kill me! I’ve done nothing wrong! Really!” Will’s eye twitched with a sense of paranoia. The man could be anywhere, hunting him to the brink of obsession even now. “He won’t even allow me to apologize!” No audible reply came, at least not as quickly as Will secretly wished. If I don’t hurry up and cause at least some love, I’ll be in huge trouble. I know that my superior is watching me, even now. I must do something. That is, after taking care of this psychotic fiend.

Zorlo took a deep breath as the angel escaped, relaxing, not allowing himself to get as angry as he had in the past. I can't allow myself to be too consumed by rage. I just hate it when people insult Selene's honor, and she understands that, but I have to learn to control my temper better. Well, I'm better for now, but I can't let him get to me. Selene is an exile, although she never told me why, but why is this angel so distraught over this revelation I've given him? the green haired man asked himself as the little girl walked up behind him, pulling on his pant leg.

"Mister," she said sweetly, causing the Aura Master to turn to face her. "Are you going to be leaving?" she asked, sounding very saddened.

"Yes, I must go, I must learn why that angel has said such mean things to me. Please, return home and go to bed," the fencer asked of the little girl, who merely nodded, holding the red feather tightly and heading back into her house. Now the fencer had to catch up to the angel, but that would take time. How much, the green haired man didn't know, but he knew that he could catch this man before nightfall.

He moved, quickly running through the forest, intent on finding this divine creature so that he could obtain knowledge as to why the winged creature would say such cruel and inhumane things. It wasn't like this angel could have known Selene... could he have? The fencer came to a screeching stop as he had a sudden epiphany: This man knew Selene, and the two had some relation that Zorlo couldn't fully understand at this moment. He wouldn't know if it was a relationship, or merely friendship. The green haired man couldn't comprehend why the man had lied to the fencer, especially since this was a friend of the blonde haired angel that the winged creature had just insulted.

But... why? Why would he speak such utter nonsense about Selene if he knows her? Could it be something I said? Nothing could have incurred that kind of insult unless... Oh dear... Zorlo thought silently, his eyes closing. He loves her, and he... still does, the fencer said as he opened his eyes, revealing red irises.

Well, even if Zorlo won't do anything about this, I will, Crimson stated to himself, taking full control of the green haired man's body, transforming the coloration from green to red. His crimson locks of hair flowed freely, almost like blood being scattered through the air. His eyes were two pools of fury, red like the color of pride in this case. His clothing reflected the shading of Zorlo's, only red instead of the blood demon's chosen color, green.

The red demon quickly flexed his fingers, cracking them as his newly grown, half an inch long nails stretched out. He smiled, revealing his razor sharp fangs beneath within his mouth. Crimson wouldn't have emerged if he didn't sense that this angel would be a threat to him. This divine creature would threaten the woman that Zorlo loved, but also the creature that Crimson found himself watching over. This angel had to die, and had to die quickly, and obviously the green haired man couldn't do that.

The blood demon shifted his foot back, beginning to run quickly towards where the angel had fled to, not intent on being stopped by anything, especially not terrain, which always proved to be annoying to the red demon's travels, when he had his chance to move freely about. Trees, brushes and other shrubbery got in the former fencer's way, and the demon created claws of energy, ripping through the plants with ease and slowly pushing the aura warrior towards his destination, he could feel it in his gut.

The blood demon emerged from within the forest and landed in front of Will and another strange warrior that the angel seemed to be pleading to. Crimson ignored the other man and looked at Will, flexing his aura claws. "Ready to die, little angel?" the aura warrior asked.

"Who are you?!" the angel asked, looking at the blood demon, but didn't seem to notice that this creature was really Zorlo.

"Don't worry about it, all you need to know is it is time for you to die," the remnant of Umi Oni's blood spoke, materializing a dagger and throwing it at the divine warrior.

The third man didn't simply stand their and let the demon kill the angel, pulling his gun and blowing away the aura warrior's dagger. "I'm sorry, but I can't simply let you kill this man without just cause," the third warrior stated, looking at Crimson who flexed his hand again, creating a scimitar and grasping it tightly in his hand.

"Okay, then I guess I'll need destroy you as well," the blood demon spoke, smiling, revealing his long, sharp teeth. "Shall we begin?" the demon asked, spinning his blade in his hand.

OoC: Okay, I thought using Crimson would be best for this battle because Zorlo and Vane are both very benevolent character, so I figured that Vane would talk Zorlo out of revenge, so I've added a little twist.

“Thank you so much!” Will huffed. His arms were up in front of his body to defend himself.

Vane gave an exasperated sigh. His bleeding eye twitched fiercely and a stream of gore spewed out onto the ground. He winced, but no audible sound came from his lips. Time stopped, as all the thoughts in his head seemed to project directly in front of his eyes. Images of Rein Aeria and Nirayen Cyruss just snapped one nerve after another, until his mind was no longer connected to his body. His hand shot forth at an incredible velocity and Crimson’s face became entangled in his knuckles. The demon flew nearly thirty yards away and slammed into a pole of what remained of the jungle gym. Neither of the others had seen him move, but he was now standing directly in front of where Crimson previously stood.

“Whoa,” Will exclaimed, his eyes focused on the mysterious warrior. “How did you do that?”

Vane let out a scant chuckle, but, other than that, he disregarded Will’s question.

Crimson shook his head to make the dizziness fade before quickly standing up again. His eyes were filled with fury; his attacker would surely suffer. He bit his lip in vexation. “You sure have some nerve to stand up against me, human!” The demon’s growls fell upon deaf ears, though, as Vane heard not a sound. Enraged, Crimson lunged forward and unleashed one of his demon claws on the Savior, who just barely sidestepped to avoid the attack. The Savior retaliated fiercely and the two opponents quickly became locked in high-speed, close-range combat. Will, standing behind the conflict, knocked an arrow and pointed his bow at the ‘ruckus ball’ before him. Unsure of whom he would hit with them both moving at the speed they were fighting at, he didn’t release the projectile quite yet.

Unable to think clearly, Vane failed to counter Crimson’s movements correctly, and he was taking a hard beating from the demon. Crimson’s red aura made it even harder for him to focus, and the loss of blood was not an asset to him. The Savior, now irritated at the struggle, launched himself up into the cloudy firmament above. His foot landed softly on a cloud, and, due to his solspherous radiation, he did not fall through the intangible fluff. He extended his index fingers and directed each one about a half inch from his impassive countenance. The now visible purple energy of his solspherous radiated from his body and filled the environs around him with searing energy that burnt away the cloud beneath him. Far quicker than usual, a red beam of solspherous projected from his hand and took the shape of a katana sword. His other hand was pointing directly at his stoic opponent down below.

Unimpressed, Crimson kicked his feet off of the ground and struck out vehemently with numerous whips of vermillion energy. Vane retaliated, generating a barrier of solspherous that easily deflected the opposing scourges. Undeterred by his failure, the fencer spun around in midair and shot to Vane’s rear. The Silronian could not react, and the sensation of chilling steel instantaneously summoned the life back into his eyes.

Will saw his chance. His fingers let loose the shaft of his arrow nimbly and dexterously. The arrow flew true, just as the angel’s skill exposed that it would. Unfortunately, the fencer did not remain behind the Silronian, and to Will’s horror, the arrow just barely skimmed his right arm.

Crimson’s attention immediately switched from the falling Silronian to the divine being below. Potent flames burned intensely around the figure as he shot like a bullet into the ground directly in front of the cupid. Will saw nothing, and only felt an excruciating sensation that echoed throughout every dendrite in his body. A billow of dust and soot discharged from the crevasse caused by the demon’s powerful attack, spanning the entire expanse in which the warriors fought upon. Unbeknownst to him, the cerise warrior was not the only one standing.

“You bastard,” Vane coughed from behind the demon. Blood drizzled out of the gaping hole in his chest, but the wound was quickly closing as the Silronian’s purple solspherous sped up the cell division.

“You’re quite an interesting one. What are you called, warrior?” Crimson questioned. He was quite interested in his opponent.

Before he could answer, the Savior felt his legs give way, and the ground rushed up to meet his face. He struggled to keep his eyes open, but the fatigue was too much for him to endure any further. The sounds of his opponent laughing at him were barely audible, but he was able to hear them nonetheless.

Get up, you write-off! I’m not going to perish because of your weakness!

“…I hate you,” was the warrior’s only response before the darkness overwhelmed his awareness. As reality melted away, his biggest fear was of what would happen to the angel that he had fought alongside. “Damn it…”

Will now definitely hovered particularly higher then before, mentally cursing himself a multitude of times before looking down at the collapsed man. He suddenly felt a somewhat bittersweet realization hit him with a full impact in the chest, nearly knocking the wind out of him although he surely knew it was illogical to a human. This man, the one lying helpless and unconscious there in the dirt, stirred a sense of need within the struggling angel. An almost improbable maternal instinct inside Will boiled up, and the angel swooped down in front of the fallen figure, spreading his arms while glowering at the opposition.

He knew now, without a doubt, he would not be able to defeat this revolting crimson foe. His entire range and patterns of attack were limited; he no longer recalled enough anger and rebellion from his years in the army. In the past, perhaps ten or so years back, Will may have been able to stand a chance against this man. Of course, right now, Will did not find himself in a favorable position. If he dared to willingly go against the guidelines given to him by his assignment of cupid, no future hope presented itself. He knew the end result before it would be given. He clenched a fist until his knuckles whitened visibly, facial expressions reflecting a righteous justice yet to be delivered. He only assured himself of one thing. He would help the ones who helped him.

The figure came without a hint of any warning at Will, a pure reflection of a demon’s hatred. So it had come to this. Demon versus angel. How quaint. The stench of his raw energy forced Will to gag. He narrowed his icy gaze, his shimmering eyes focusing on what skills he knew he still contained. His open left hand flew up, meeting Crimson’s before it could connect with the angel’s pure face. The razor claws of the demonic foe slid through Will’s skin, blood drizzling down the milky white palm. Will’s hand trembled and twitched in instinct, but his face showed no recognition of any obvious pain.

“Do you feel it?” The raspy, evil whisper of Crimson reached Will’s ears, causing the heavenly being to shut his eyes. “This bastard gave up everything for you? Hah, pathetic fool. I think I’ll kill him just for the fun of it. You’re no guardian at all.” Will caught a very slight glance of the shimmering scimitar in his peripheral vision, but he did not register it completely until it began its descend. Those words cut deeper into the angel than any other deadly wound the demon could have inflicted towards Will. His thoughts drifted back to Amy temporarily, twisting his lungs until he could not draw in air. A brimming anger filled Will, it searched and slithered its way from his head to his toes, making him lift a few inches off the bare ground before it finished.

“Wings of Love!” Will cared not what happened to him now. He flung himself over the body of the man that assisted him earlier, sheltering the limp body in his cocoon of pure ebony feathers. He ignored the numerous guidelines of him not using his magic, becoming visible, or any other work obstacle that may get in his way. He determined in the deepest recesses of his soul he would protect this man that attempted to protect him. The weapon struck Will. A reverberating clang sounded, almost as if the sharpened ridge hit metal instead of soft flesh. The demon attempted to steady his hand as the weapon sent shockwaves through his muscle-lined arm. Acting on impulse, Will spread both of his appendages, making Crimson shoot back at least ten or so feet. He tumbled, kicking up a thick layer of choking dust with such chaotic movements.

Will lifted Vane into his arms, heaving as he pulled the man into the air. He clutched the body close, wings repeatedly struggling to gain enough air with a few powerful flaps to stay above the demon’s reach. He could hear Crimson shouting insults below, and knew he could not stay awake for long. He leaned in towards Vane’s ear, pausing a bit before the lobe. “Juliette’s Tragedy.” His voice whispered, echoing the breeze of the wind. A burning, torturous pain shot through his body now, making him feel choked and wrenched, unable to fight. He took on all the pain, the hurt nearly making him cry out loud. “Please… Wake up.” Will begged the man. After no response, Will took off a little ways, allowing the figure to gently collapse on the top of the building beside the ruined park.

He pulled back a bright pink arrow, aiming for the demon’s head below. Focus… Aim… Release. The head of the thin weapon spun rapidly towards the target, but surprisingly, the demonic figure sensed the presence, bending back so that the arrow did not impact him, but bounced off a nearby metal piece of equipment, returning to stick itself right in the man’s rear end. I’m never taking this job again. Will thought as he watched the man stand up. He had landed face down in a mud puddle, the grease still dripping from his chin. He gasped now, examining his face in the reflection. Uh oh… What was it that she warned me against? Reflection. Damn it! Ah, well. So I’ll lose my memory. At least I’ll rid the world of this crafty trickster. “And I thought it wouldn’t have any result.” Will murmured as a hidden insult, well-crafted and sunken away.

“You… you disgraced my face!” Crimson roared in an absolute fury, overwhelmed with an unnatural need to boost his vanity now that he had fallen in love with himself. “You’ll pay for this!”

Will felt a presence make itself known beside him, and turned to see Vane, now awakened, standing beside the angel. Slowly and angrily, Will drew his silvery blade from its resting place near the quiver on his back, the clean glassy metal showing off its sheen. “Rose of Sharon.” Will stated to no one in particular, examining the trailing vine that led to the blooming rose at the hilt. Boy, I’m glad you are here… they tried to force me to leave you behind, but I’m sure glad I didn’t! He once more tilted his head slightly to examine his partner. “Glad to see you’re awake. Let’s take his demon down.”