On a blistering August evening in a town nestled in towering trees next to a crystal clear lake, two drenched figures emerged on the shore. Chains rattled behind one, blood behind the other, and wings dragged behind both.
Azriel coughed, wiping blood off his cheek with his free hand, keeping his other arm secure around Akieva's waist. He felt a sticky, warm drip of blood trickle down his abdomen. He huffed, struggling as Akieva began to feel heavier each passing second.
A few steps later, he collapsed on his knees. Akieva crumpled down on his side next to him, wings pulled in close and stiff. Bruises covered his arms around the cuff of the remaining shackles and his left eye was black and swollen. He looked terrible, though Azriel knew he himself wasn't in the best condition either. Tenderly, he lowered himself down on his side. The sand was softer than anything he'd laid on in a long time. It reminded him of gentler days.
His eyelids felt like weights and he struggled to keep them open: Akieva was hurt, and so was he. He had to stay awake. But the longer he resisted, the harder it became to keep them open. A few seconds later, and he gave into the nothingness.
On a cool August night in a town nestled in towering trees next to a dark, unforgiving lake, two brothers lay injured and alseep next to the lapping shore. A form appeared nearby, the moonlight illuminating the horned shadow of a person. The rough figure of a man lumbered towards the two boys laying in the sand. When he arrived next to them, he stood and observed the beaten pair that lay in front of his scuffed boots. Both had large, dark wings, one with distinguishable pinion spots where the feathers were thin and dull, the other with a large gash beginning on the side of his rib down to his hip. Neither had sufficent clothes on.
Grunting, he crouched down and gently reached for the nearest boy's forearm. As he had suspected, an elaborate symbol of loops and swerves was printed on his wrist. He checked the other boy's arm to find a matching one. Brothers, he thought.
"Well, supposen't I can't just leave you two here..." He mumbled in a low tone. A quick glance around, though he knew no one else was lurking around, he hunkered down even lower and secured the first boy's arm around his shoulder. A moment later, he had the second one around him too.
Slowly, he made his way down the shore and into the swallowing darkness of the lumbering trees.
VOUS LISEZ
Collateral Damage of the Soul
FantasyAkeiva woke in a cold sweat. He was lying on his stomach, no longer on the rough sand of a beach, but on something soft and warm. A blanket. Blinking, then noticing his left eye was swollen shut, he struggled to sit up. His vison was blurry, and he...
