↞[Ken]↠
I don't remember when I drifted into the clutches of sleep. Quick footsteps approaching us made me open my eyes in haste, and the weariness slipped off my body when I heard a feminine voice shout, "Lukas!"
My heart thrummed. Not enough time had passed; it only felt long. I was still covered in Luke's wings, and I did not want to leave my sanctuary. Not ready to face whatever was coming, I didn't make any move and neither did Luke.
I focused on the uneven footsteps getting closer. Closer. There were multiple people. When they finally reached us, I heard the girl's voice clearer, "Luka—oh, my God." She sounded terrified; I knew she saw his wings, and it was over for us.
Then someone else blew a low whistle. "Oh, shit, are we interrupting a private moment here?"
"Shut up, Morgan!" the girl from before shouted.
I made a wild guess that they were the people fighting for us down there. That's why Luke didn't care to give a reaction. Also, the fact that they did not attack us at first sight. What I did not know was if they were like Luke, which would mean more angels.
Yet, Luke made no movement, but his heart had calmed down, and his breaths were slow. I turned to face his neck and nuzzled it very lightly. "Luke, we have to get up," I let my words roll off his skin.
He hummed in agreement, and the small response lifted the heaviness off my chest. He is okay.
Cool breeze cloaked over my body the moment his wings unwrapped. The sudden loss of contact heightened my craving for them. How was something so soft and warm equivalent to a bloodthirsty knife? The storm in his eyes had died down, and he seemed calm as he smiled ever so faintly.
"Are you okay?" I whispered to him.
"I should be asking you that." His fingertips touched my cheek, just under my wound. He was so gentle that I barely felt it. I wanted him to stay and to feel his touch longer. But he stood up and turned to face the people who had called out to us.
I was right. Like Luke, they were also angels, but their wings were nothing like his. Maybe I saw through the film of pure prejudice (I totally did), but his gold-coated feathers seemed like they had trapped actual rays of sunshine.
The girl with long raven hair had something comparable to flames molded into feathers. They burned-in shades of red and violet around her.
The one next to her had a shorter black assortment of feathers. They were a lot closer to Luke's but nothing compared to his size and radiance.
When his back turned to me, I saw the full plumage covering his back. They shot out through his shoulder blades and descended till his hips. All the feathers looked like they were dipped in liquid gold, making me wonder if they were heavy carrying around.
"Where the hell were you?" Luke questioned them. He sounded angry, but it wasn't as bad as before. It was nothing like before, which relieved my heart. I preferred his warm, smiling self.
"It turned out that they were more than prepared for us," the girl with fire-like feathers replied. "And you don't get to be angry. You weren't supposed to be here. We asked you to stay back for a reason."
"It wasn't good enough. You hadn't even reached him." By him, he meant me.
The angel spared me a glance, and I noticed how her eyes were completely black unlike Luke, only his irises had changed color.
She scoffed. "They had blocked this area. This whole mission was fruitless. The head of Polaris, Merriam Delacroix, managed to escape."
"Well, I wouldn't say it was entirely useless," the angel with black wings said, kneeling beside Richard's body. He laid in a pool of his blood with his face down. "Richard J Morrison, wasn't he the head of their researches?"
The fire-winged girl seemed even more bewildered than before. "You killed him?" she asked Luke.
The other angel answered before Luke. "No, the human tied to the pole one-shot him. Dude, this is sick! You legit spilled his guts out."
That was too strange to hear from the mouths of God's messengers. But then again, this whole situation made no sense. My boyfriend turned out to be an angel. Great day.
"How—"
Luke interrupted her. "I don't remember what happened. We can talk about this later, Laura." Luke gazed around suspiciously. "I want to get away from this fucking ship."
While my focus was on Luke, the black-winged angel had stepped too close to me. She—or he, their visage seemed too ambiguous, and it wasn't fair to assume without knowing. They were sitting in front of me, curiously studying my face. I suddenly became too aware of my wound.
"Did you see what happened?"
"Um." I didn't know how to reply. When I looked up, all their gazes were at me. I think Luke wanted to know, too because he didn't hint otherwise.
"I, uh, Luke stabbed him."
"No shit."
"Morgan..." The other angel, Laura, warned.
"Sorry."
"With his wings?" It sounded more of a question when I said it out loud. "I don't know 'how.' They seem very soft."
To that, Morgan's jaw dropped, and I thought I said something very wrong. In haste, I looked at the others. Luke was unaffected, but Laura had a similar reaction.
"You crystallized your wings? How?" she asked Luke, almost shouted at him.
"I just told you, I don't remember anything." Luke was talking really calmly. Maybe he had a better sense of what was happening than the rest of us. Or he is just not interested. Both of us had a shit time. For a change, I didn't want to be tied to this pole a second longer.
"Are we really going to ignore the big fat giraffe here?" Morgan said, but their gaze remained on me.
"Elephant, Morgan. The idiom is 'elephant,'" Laura corrected.
"Whatever! This human can see and feel Luke's wings."
I was taken aback. Was I not supposed to be able to see his wings?
"So what? Luke unfurled in front of him, and we can think about this later. Where the fuck is Raphael?"
Anger flickered in Morgan's expression, and they ignored Laura. "Can you see our wings?"
I licked my dried lips. "I-uh." I looked at Luke for help, but he wasn't paying attention to me. His eyes were locked on Richard's lifeless body.
"Holy fuck, Laura!" Morgan shouted, making me wince. My hesitation was enough for Morgan to interpret the silence. "He can see all of us in true form."
"I-I don't get it. Should I not see?" My unease was evolving into panic soon enough. What does this mean for me?
Laura looked at me for a continued moment, and I tensed up further. What were they going to do to me?
"What exactly do you see?" She asked me calmly, but I could sense her uncertainty.
"Come on, dude, spit it out. We won't hurt you."
That was the last thing I wanted to hear. I felt the pressure rising in me to shrink away from their gazes.
"Stop it," Luke spoke, and I couldn't have been more grateful. He had stepped away from Richard and was making his way to me. I don't know why, but a knot tied in my throat. I have no reason to be scared of Luke.
He pivoted around me, and I felt him raising my arms. Everything below my wrist was a little numb. I had kept them in the same position for too long. I heard a click, then another, and my hands were free. Luke dropped the cuffs with a clatter.
I moved my hands in front of me and tried moving my fingers. They were shaking a lot, and the tingling sensation was almost painful. I think they were cramping.
"Ken," Luke said softly and lifted me with both his arms. I was trying to get used to my broken ankle, so I quickly shifted my weight to my left leg and stood up.
I glanced back at the other two angels, but they had their backs turned to us. Another taller guy stood in front of them. He had white wings, and each feather was tipped with sky blue.
I shifted my attention to Luke after I felt normal while standing with unbound hands. He flashed me a convincing smile, but they didn't reach his eyes. I still reveled in the brief moment. I had missed that smile.
I smiled back, and his hands traveled down my arms and lightly grasped my wrists. I sucked in air. The skin around my wrists was raw and blistered. It stung when he touched me.
He propped my arms and placed them on his shoulders. I immediately wrapped them around his neck, and he circled his own around my waist. I had craved to hold him so badly. I think he knew it, and it was the first thing he did after untying me. A tightness hugged my chest, and I felt like crying.
Luke stepped even closer, and there was nothing between us except our clothes. When he spoke, warm breath fanned my cheek, "Let's go home, Ken." He leaned closer, and my eyes instantly focused on his slightly parted lips, enticing and pulling me closer to him.
I was dying to feel those temping red lips on mine, to taste him. It felt like eons had passed since I had him on me like this.
He didn't kiss me.
Luke went right past where I was aiming and pressed his cheek against the side of my head. He held me securely, but yet gently like I'd break if he pressed too tight. I hugged him back and closed my eyes. He stayed still and let me relish the moment all to myself.
He hummed a little when my hand brushed on his wings. I wondered how he felt when I did that, though the noise he made sounded pleasant.
When my body finally started relaxing from his touch, I felt my consciousness dwindling. Nausea slowly crept to me, and lightness made my head spin.
Luke probably felt it because he moved his arm slowly up my spine.
And I knew I was already home.
↞[Luke]↠
Evening's blue slipped through the misty windows of the cabin and countered with the dull candle flame.
Ken's chest delicately rose and fell with every silent breath. I was sitting on the far end of the cot, twiddling the hem of his sweater between my fingers.
Ken passed out in my arms right before Raphael set the ship on fire, forcing us to act quickly. Laura brought up the idea to cross dimensions with Ken. We were incredulous because of the effects this realm had on humans, but Laura raised the point that maybe Ken wasn't entirely human — he could see our true-forms.
After treading hell, I was unwilling to risk his life, but Laura convinced me that we'd leave if his body reacted badly. I had no choice, but so far, nothing terrible had happened to him. He rested in peace, and I never left his side.
A blanket sheathed his lower half after I folded his jeans enough to give Morgan access to his fracture. When we saw the compound fracture, even Morgan — the most foolhardy amongst us — grimaced from the sight.
I learned that all half-angels can regenerate their wounds (only small cuts and lacerations) — quite a slow process, but only a few can heal others in pain. Morgan was in that narrow percentage. Maybe this is what Polaris had been after.
Sliding the blanket up, revealed a thick white plaster masking over the injury. The flesh around it had already recolored and resembled the rest of Ken's leg. Morgan was, beyond doubt, talented.
Morgan had also stitched up Ken's cheek wound. Unfortunately, the asshole had deeply punctured Ken's tissues. I was thankful that we got away with stitches, and there was no sensory loss.
Under the wound, his cheek felt warm and a little damp. At least he doesn't have a fever. My fingertips traced more of his skin. All of this is my fault. Ken should've never ended up there.
"Luke," a weak voice called out, making my breath hitch.
"Ken!" I tried not to scream and panic him, but I was failing. Fear rose to my chest like fumes in the air. "How are you feeling? Is there any pain?" I grasped his palm. His wrists still had a faint circle around them. "Can you breathe?"
He coughed a little. Then coughed a bit more, bringing me back to my senses. I grabbed the metal glass filled with water and brought it close to his lips, trying not to spill it because my hands were shaking. I propped his head enough for him to take a few sips.
He licked his lips and looked into my eyes. I waited for him to tell me that he was okay, so I silently stared back at his hazel eyes.
"Did my glasses make it?"
Our eye contact broke when a laugh threatened on my face. Of course, this is the first thing Ken asks.
"They're on the stand beside you. Maybe a few scratches, otherwise they're fine."
"Oh, thank God." He smiled a little, and I knew he was trying to lighten my mood. After everything that he went through, he was still concerned about me.
He tried to prop himself up, making me push him down gently. "Don't. You're recovering."
He nodded and rested his head back on the pillow. He didn't answer me. "Ken," I said and bent towards his lying figure, "how are you feeling?"
"Dizzy and kinda disoriented. How long was I out?"
"A few hours." The closer I got, the stronger the vanilla wafted around him. As if my senses had enhanced, I could almost taste it on my tongue. I had missed his scent. "Morgan fixed your wounds. You should be able to walk again."
Instinctively, he brought his hand to his cheek, and his fingertips glided over the bandage, but he didn't comment. "Where are your wings?"
"They go away when I don't need them."
"Oh." That 'oh' was disheartened, and it managed to churn my mind. It sounded like he clung to a hope I wouldn't understand.
As I dug deeper into the depth of those words, he spoke again, "When did you find out?"
I knew what that open-ended question alluded towards. "I went to your house, but you weren't there. I knew something was wrong, so I was going to the cops." He was listening to me intently.
Recalling the moment only sparked up memories I'd rather forget. The entire time without Ken, I felt like I was chained to the ground. Free but helpless.
"Laura and Raphael found me first. And that's how I found out."
"That you're an angel."
"Half-angel. I have angel blood or something like that."
He looked away.
"It feels like a fever dream, I know." I tucked a strand of his dark hair behind his ear.
He chuckled softly. "Then I don't wanna wake up, or want you to wake up."
Laura's footsteps clicked against the wooden floor. Of course, she hadn't cared to knock. She had continued to prod me about the details of my turning. I had managed to delay it until Ken woke up. Now that he was awake, there was no getting away from her.
"Luke, we have to talk." She stressed. I knew I had reached her limit when she got my name right on the first try.
I leaned closer to Ken. My lips lightly touched his cheek. "Rest more." He shivered a little when I rose up and grabbed my wrist.
"Can I join?"
I wanted to deny, but Laura spoke before me, "Yeah, you can fill the blank spaces."
I opened my mouth to interject.
"I'll be fine, Luke." He extended his hand to me. Reluctantly, I pulled him up. He wasn't limping, which was a good sign.
The sun was already missing in the dark skies. They had set up a fire right outside the cabin. Its warm embers brightened the small space around us. It almost looked cozy.
We had made a pit stop while walking through the forest. Safe to say, Ken needed time to heal, and we all needed a break. I had been carrying Ken in my arms since we entered Celestial City.
"Um. You said only a few hours passed, but it's already dark! And where are we? I don't recognize these woods."
Laura took the initiative to reply. "We're not on Earth. This is a different dimension — Celestial City. Time's kinda weird here. It's probably noon on Earth."
Ken looked surprised, but not too much. "It looks so same." His reaction was much diluted than mine. Morgan's healing might've acted like a drug. I wish I had been a little high when I found out the truth.
Ken settled on the ground opposite to Morgan, who was busy poking the fire with a stick. They did not care less. Laura sat beside Morgan and looked at me with a glimmer of hope.
"Where's Raphael?" I asked. He was here when we set up the fire.
"He went to inform the council about today," Laura said too calmly.
"There's a fucking council?"
Morgan snorted. "A bunch of old hags who know the law apparently. They sit on their asses and do nothing."
This was the first time I agreed with Morgan's sentiment.
"If you can't not grateful, at least be respectful, Morgan. This place would be in ashes we didn't have them." Laura said, the last sentence directed at me. Like I give a shit.
Morgan said something weird, and Laura countered it with how much she despised taking care of a bunch of children. I hadn't realized it till now, but Laura sounded much older than us.
Strange because she didn't look so old. She'd easily pass as someone in their early twenties.
I felt too restless to settle down, so I was standing beside Ken. He had been silently uprooting the grass in front of him.
"Let's get to the point," Laura said, finally. "Tell me everything you can recall after you unfurled."
I didn't feel like answering. I didn't want to remember the events.
"Luke, this is important. I know this is a sensitive topic for you, and I would never force you to relive something painful. But this one time, you have to help us."
I exhaled the breath I had been holding. "I was angry. So angry that I felt my skin burning." I paused, and Laura nodded to encourage me.
"I don't know what happened, but I remember seeing Richard. His hands—" I clenched my teeth, unwilling to say anything more. It'll be easier to skip that part. "I wanted to kill him at that moment. That very fucking second, I saw myself tearing his throat out.
"My whole body was burning. Then it reached a crescendo, and I found a strange peace surrounding me. But everything inside was in a turmoil.
"I saw red, and then it faded then an overwhelming blue. When I came to my senses, Ken was in my arms." His focus was already on me. He smiled softly. "Or my wings. It didn't feel any different."
"It's a part of you. You're not supposed to feel weird about it." Laura had balanced her chin in her palm and looked detached from the conversation. "This doesn't tell us why Polaris went after you," Laura muttered, almost to herself.
Polaris knew about Nephilims — that part was crystal clear. They could've gone after anyone, and it would've been easier than scheming a kidnapping and torturing me until I unfurled.
"Um," Ken spoke for the first time, and everyone's attention went towards him.
"Oooh, the human speaks!"
"Morgan. Don't," Laura warned, making Morgan raise their hands defensively.
"Richard said some things." Ken seemed hesitant.
"What did he say?" Laura frowned and looked at him.
It was my turn to listen silently.
"He called Luke S-class, and said he wanted the blood of the first angel." Ken bit his lip and then continued. "But Luke told me you're half-angels?"
"We are. There are no angels here, Ken," Laura told. She stood up and dusted her palms. The flames soared high from the wind. "The first angel fell from the sky millions of years ago. He was the Divine's favorite, as the story goes. He wanted to go beyond the boundaries of their dimension — to explore.
"It's believed that Earth corrupted his mind, and he fell into a delirium. His rampacious greed to rule over Earth brought about his undoing. His lust for power made him want more and more until he decided to go against the divines. He created an army — his own children. Children of angels and humans.
"When the divines found out what he had done, they were enraged against the tyranny. Whispers about the creation of Nephilim — half human, half angel — spread around like wildfire. Some got their minds tainted with the same greed, and like the first one, they fell.
"That was the embark of The Holy War. There was bloodshed, but the divines had the upper hand. One by one, most of the angels, and their children were slain. They made sure to leave the First One for the very end. When they finally killed him, they made sure his first child — the first Nephilim — saw it happen."
The brazen display of cruelty wasn't too hard to take in. History has rarely been kind. There was no beauty behind that story, only unfair carnage.
Ken seemed uncomfortable before addressing his question, "Was the first Nephilim spared?"
Without looking at Ken, Laura said, "Yeah, the first Nephilim and many others. From the ashes of the Holy War, the first generation of Nephilim was formed. They were the purest descendants, right next to the angels. They formed a system for us to strive when our creator swore never to look back.
"No angel ever fell after that. The divines had silenced, left us alone to trudge unguided." Laura scoff-laughed. "I know, not the happiest start of a species. But here we are!" There was mockery laced in her voice as she raised her arms in a kind of well, what can you do manner.
The story only made me feel unwelcome in the world even more than before. I looked over the group once. Morgan was lost in their thoughts, and Ken's mouth was slightly agape.
"Anyway, the point. Niphilims have diversity. We're not all the same."
That wasn't hard to grasp. Even in our small group, none of us had similar looking wings. Not just the colors, even the shapes differed.
"But the deal with you..."
Anticipation sizzled around me. At a glance, I saw how everyone was quiet, waiting for Laura to break the news.
"You're descendant of the Sun angel. That's why your wings are golden. So far, there haven't been any Sun descendants. Richard must've mistaken you for that reason. Some texts in the human world talk about angels with gold wings and the powers they possess" Laura looked annoyed. "It's bullshit. The real question is how in heavens did Richard know about you? You hadn't even unfurled before this!"
The crackling fire impeded the silence encasing us. Laura was quiet and stood a little apart from the group. It was still hard to grasp my mind around it, but I didn't have many options.
Out of nowhere, Ken spoke, "He said something else."
Laura turned to him and stepped closer. "What?"
"I-I can't tell exactly. I didn't get it."
"Still... try."
I waited, anxiously for him to continue. His hesitation was scaring me. I wasn't sure if I wanted to hear this one.
"Something like 'Luke will be the genie of macabre.'"
Morgan perked up. "What? Like the Djinn in Aladdin kinda genie? The fuck?"
"I don't remember what the exact thing was!"
Ken looked tensed as he furrowed his eyebrows deep in thought. I sat down next to him and took his palm in my hands. "Don't push yourself," I said.
He smiled and shook his head. "Don't worry about me. I'm better."
I knew he was lying. He had been through the worst. This was the second time Ken got hurt because of me, and the second time he brushed it away like it was nothing. I absolutely didn't deserve him.
"Genesis." Laura's voice brought me back.
"Richard called you the genesis of macabre."
"What does that mean?" I asked her, and honestly, it didn't sound pleasant.
"I don't know." Laura looked at me with a frown. "But there's no sunny side to this."
⋆✧ *⋆* ✧ * ⋆* ✧ * ⋆* ✧
How much lore is too much lore? I hope this wasn't confusing!
This chapter was so cheesy! I think the boys deserve a break after everything they went through. Sooo... It's just going to get cheesier :D (sorry)