Astaroth opened his eyes and found himself in a white room. Where am I? A soft male laugh sounded behind him. Reflexively, he turned around and looked into two blue eyes. In front of him stood a young man with short black hair and facial features very similar to Belial. Is that...? A finger rested on his lips.
Please forgive me, Tsuka. Then he felt soft lips on his, at the same time he felt magic being sucked out of his body. His legs threatened to give way, but he was just holding himself upright.
You have to protect me, hide me. Tsuka, save me.
Astaroth didn't know what to say. He sank to his knees and propped himself up. The young man broke away from him and walked past him. Astaroth saw him go to Aleks, who suddenly stood next to him. He also saw Belial and Zack, but neither said anything or moved. What's going on?
Aleks had watched the whole thing and now the young man came up to him. Who are you? Why are we here? These thoughts haunted his mind, but he could not utter them.
I'm sorry, but it has to be. He is coming, and you need all your strength to face him. Come back to me again.
Aleks opened his eyes. Then the young man looked at Belial and Zack.
Save my Na. These words echoed in their heads. Then they had to watch as the young man's hand began to glow.
He collected the magic he had taken from Astaroth and concentrated it in his hand. With the other, he took Aleks' seal out of the body, so that the last level of the seal rotated in front of his navel. Without hesitation, he thrust the luminous hand into the seal and unleashed the magic in one fell swoop.
Aleks gasped as the seal burst into a thousand sparks. The white world disappeared, and they returned to reality.
Lyric saw a jolt go through Aleks' body. His seal appeared in front of his body and began to vibrate. Then it lit up and shattered. The glow in his eyes and those of the others disappeared.
Aleks convulsed and fell to his knees screaming. The ground began to vibrate, but it wasn't just Aleks. This strong resonance was superimposed on another – one that was rapidly approaching. What? Silver wings sprouted from Aleks' back and at that moment they knew that the prophecy had come true.
"When time unfolds its silver wings, the blind blade becomes clear and emerges to bathe everything in an emerald green light."
Shin hissed and pulled away from Aleks' body. A deep growl escaped from his mouth.
The air became heavy and was bathed in a green light. A few seconds later, a creature landed on the ground a few meters away in front of them and shook the surrounding area. Astaroth reacted instinctively, grabbing Sai and fleeing into the house, creating a protective aura around themselves and disguising their presence.
Belial had run to Aleks and pulled him reassuringly into his arms. Panting, his mate looked down at the ground, trying to control the pressure and magic that threatened to overwhelm him. Slowly, he lifted his eyes and saw a male being rise, wearing a white robe, short white hair and emerald green shining eyes. Silver wings protruded from its back, as Aleks now had. Frightened, he opened his eyes, because he knew who was standing in front of him.
"Hello Aleksander," came a pure, powerful voice.
Father.
Belial looked at the man and it was unmistakable that he was Aleks' father. Even though the resemblance to his mother was clearer, Aleks had inherited some of his traits. Everyone knew at that moment who was standing in front of them and no one dared to say a word.
"I finally found you," Aleks' father said, coming closer.
"What are you doing here, Raphael?" Belial asked in a cold voice. He looked at him with a cold look.
"Who allowed you to speak to me?" The voice of the archangel sounded and the pressure in the air rose.
In the next moment, Aleks threw up his arm and fended off his father's sword, which had been aimed at his mate. Ciel vibrated in his hand, but it held firm. With ice-blue eyes, he looked into his father's eyes and grumbled, "Don't you dare to hurt my heart, or you'll regret it."
Surprised, Raphael withdrew and looked at his son. He didn't expect such a reaction. "I came to take you with me," he said calmly, watching his son's reaction.
"Then you can return, because I won't come with you," he replied.
He heard the sound of truth in his voice and was more than surprised. "Don't talk nonsense, Aleksander," he said, but Aleks shook his head. He wouldn't come with him. Then I will take him with me against his will, but before that he would get rid of the troublemaker.
Lucan had stood protectively in front of his pregnant mate and Lyric had also taken up his fighting position, lying in wait should the situation worsen. The presence of the archangel was overwhelming.
"Shin, protect Zack and his child," Aleks ordered the Byakko demon, who reluctantly obeyed and ran to the two.
"Don't be stupid," Raphael warned Aleks, but his gaze remained unchanged. A stubborn child, just like his mother. Then he would test his son a bit.
Aleks saw his father raise the sword and attack.
Belial pulled him aside and intercepted the blow with Elyrion.
Aleks fell to the ground and saw his demon immediately follow up. The two dealt a few blows, at a breathtaking speed. Belial was the best swordsman Aleks knew, but he clearly saw that he was at a disadvantage against his father. He's a monster. Shortly thereafter, Raphael's sword pierced Belial's shoulder, who hissed.
Belial changed hands, but he knew the angel was better. He unleashed a bolt of lightning, but the archangel repelled it with a wave of his hand. Then crescents of light flew through the air, which Raphael fended off with his sword, and a glowing fist crashed against his flat side of the sword, the magic of which exploded, forcing the angel to retreat.
Aleks stood in front of Belial and cut his forearm. Then he pressed the bleeding wound on Belial's shoulder and sent his healing powers into his mate. The wound closed and Belial was able to move his arm again. Aleks hadn't let his father out of his sight for a second. Raphael was impressed by the skills that the young angel had already mastered.
"I admit you've impressed me, but you're still young. You don't know the true power of your abilities, you can't use them to the fullest," Raphael said. He raised his hand and it covered itself with the same lines of light as Aleks'. He then made a swiping motion and Aleks and Belial were torn from the ground by a blast wave and thrown backwards, landing a few meters away.
Aleks hissed in pain because he had sprained a wing. All previous attempts to take them in had failed and he didn't know why. When he looked up, he saw a silver sword attacking Belial again, but was repelled by two Karambit. Raphael was unfazed by the attempt and hurled Lyric away with the same blast wave.
Belial pulled himself together and braced himself against the next attack.
The archangel let his sword whiz down, but froze in the movement. His movement trembled, and his head turned haltingly to Aleks, who held out one hand.
"I won't let you hurt him," Aleks gasped, forcing time to obey him with all his might. Blood ran from his nose, but he wouldn't give in.
Belial disarmed Raphael and attacked, but the archangel pulled himself out of his torpor and backed away. He looked at Aleks with glowing eyes. "Time to end this farce," he said in a cold voice. His palm began to glow again, and a small ball appeared in the palm of his hand.
No.
His father fired them at his mate.
Belial braced himself, but the bullet was intercepted by a body. No, not again. "Aleksander!"
The bullet pierced Aleks' chest and was absorbed. The impact hurt, then a fire shot through his veins, a pain that blew any fuses on him. He didn't stand a chance. A second later, magic shot out of Aleks' body. His wings and limbs cramped and bent into unhealthy positions, and everyone heard the crashing and breaking of numerous bones. Aleks fell forward unconscious, blood dripping from numerous wounds where his skin had been torn open.
Raphael was frozen. How could he get into the firing line so quickly? That is not possible. This is contrary to the laws of time. Without hesitation, he got down on his knees before his son and let his healing magic flow into him. A green light traveled over his body and brought him from the threshold of death. A black blade hit the barrier he had created.
"Take your hands off my mate," cried the demon, whose inner demon had taken control. That's when he saw the mark on Aleks' chest. He made a bond with the demon? Now his reactions made sense, but it wouldn't stop him from taking him with him. Aleks didn't belong here. Raphael put his arms around his son and lifted him up. Then he concentrated his magic among himself until it reached the critical threshold.
Belial broke through the barrier, but it was too late. Raphael pushed off the ground and shot up at incredible speed. Belial followed him, but was too slow. A great portal of light appeared above them and the archangel darted through it with Aleks in his arms. This closed and Belial had no way to follow them. An angry cry tore the sky apart.
Enraged, Belial landed on the ground. Lucan and Zack had taken care of Lyric, who wiped the blood from his mouth. Raphael had broken three ribs and his left arm. Belial tried to calm down, but his inner demon rebelled. We need to calm down, for Aleksander. Slowly, his demon relented.
Only a prince of Hell would have had a chance against an archangel. He had fought a losing battle. Hell Lord. Where was Astaroth? His eyes scanned the surroundings and saw him coming out of the house, his son in his arms. He had a hard, impenetrable expression on his face.
"Why didn't you prevent it?" Zack shouted, running towards the prince of Hell, beside himself. But it wasn't Lucan who stopped him. Belial's monotonous voice rang out after he wrapped an arm around Aleks' brother to stop him from attacking Astaroth. "Zackory, he protected Sai. There was nothing he could do. Astaroth did the right thing and hid Sai."
Zack knew Belial was right, but reason wasn't what controlled his body right now. Enraged, he tore himself away. Damn, I'm so useless. "Shit!" he yelled.
"Nyiam, please calm down. Please, for the sake of our child," Lucan said, pulling him into his arms against his will. Tears ran down his cheek.
"It had to happen," Nix' voice rang out, and everyone looked at the oracle that had stepped out of a portal.
Now Belial's patience also broke. He grabbed Nix by the collar and pulled him forward, coming after him completely. "What are you trying to say? You knew about it?" he grumbled, but Nix remained calm.
"Yes."
Excuse me?
"Let him go, Belial," a serious voice rang out, and his hand was grabbed.
Belial knew that he was threatening Lyric's mate and that he reacted instinctively. "Aleks is in heaven. It was the only way to get the third key," Nix said calmly.
A silence spread. "Will he come back?" Belial asked in a cold voice.
"I don't know," Nix said.
Those were not the words he had wanted to hear. Cautiously, he let go of the oracle. "Pray he'll come back, or—" he broke off, for there was no need to continue. Everyone already knew the answer. Silently, Belial went to Astaroth to take Sai. Then he went into the house, needing distance.
Nix supported his mate, who was swaying. "Let's go home, there's nothing we can do right now," he told Lyric worriedly. Reluctantly, he nodded and the two disappeared.
Lucan and Zack did the same, leaving only Astaroth. He touched his throat for the first time in a thousand years, a gesture of vulnerability. That's when he felt that the amulet – the key to empathy – had disappeared. This was now around Sai's neck.