The Empire of Night and Nightmares

XV

Ciaran

There is something so powerful in the thoughts one can have.

Positive thoughts can be so strong, and yet they find themselves buried deep within the negativity. The negativity feeds off itself. It grows and grows until it takes over completely. Controlling everything it can come across. Your words, your actions, your memories; they become slaves to these thoughts that have begun to burrow themselves into your soul. You believe them as though no other truth can compare.

How do you break free?

Ciaran was still trying to figure that out.

The years he spent in Aitháli did not wear away at Ciaran's memories. He still remembers every angel by name, rank, and role. He recognized Ariel the second he saw him. Immediately, Ciaran confirmed what he had been suspecting since he first felt Mireya's hand.

Ariel was no mere guardian angel. His strength went far beyond it. It was why Mireya's touch burned him as much as it did. It was why he managed to stay undetected for so long.

The two conversed in Tongues. A very displeasing conversation, it was.

"The rest of those angels could not deceive me and so you send the human you are meant to protect to do it instead?" Ciaran tuts and steps closer to the angel that stood a few feet away.

"What would have happened if you had sent her to me, and I had snapped her neck just moments after?" Ciaran taunted him. He enjoyed the thought of being able to get inside his head.

Ciaran came just a moment away from doing exactly that. He clearly remembered the way her soft hands tried to claw away at his, the way her eyes watered, and how her lips gasped for the air he was taking away.

One more squeeze and he could've ended her the same way he obliterated the demon's heart the evening before.

"I think we both know you would not have done that at all." Ciaran hated the way Ariel spoke, or rather, he hated the words he spoke. "Why kill Mireya when you could have let the demon do it for you?"

Ciaran threw the first punch, but it was immediately blocked by Ariel's arm. The impact left the ground shaking. The castle was old, but it wouldn't crumble unless Ciaran wanted it to.

"You wanted her here, no? You saved her from the demon, gave her a place to stay..."

Punch.

"If you really wanted her to suffer you would not have given her food. You would not have let her roam free. You could have kept her prisoner the same way you do with the other souls trapped here."

Punch.

"You could not have killed her if you tried." Ariel swerved around Ciaran's punches. "You were too enamored with her."

The more Ariel spoke, the more annoyed Ciaran got. He wanted nothing more than to rip away at his air of superiority.

"If you really cared for Mireya, you would have saved her in the nightmare." Ciaran grunted as he dodged a jab from Ariel.

"If you really loved her, you would have put an end to all of this-"

Ariel staggered back a few steps. A cool wave of satisfaction crashed over Ciaran when his fist finally connected with Ariel's face. He watched as the blindfold fell from his face, revealing the discontent behind a pair of hazel eyes.

Ciaran noticed the familiar signs of an angel dawning their battle armor, but he didn't move. Ariel revealed the extravagance that was his wings; wings that Ciaran once owned.