This Isn't About Reya

Chapter Twenty-One

He felt it at the northeastern border of the forest, like a pinprick of some odd color at the very edge of his all-encompassing consciousness, which saw the world black and white. In that instant, Azrael forgot Reya; all he knew was the disturbance prodding at his domain.

It was a tiny mind by comparison, and Azrael was not particularly worried about whether or not he could kill it. No, what concerned him was the fact that it was there. His presence deterred animals, and synthetics did not exist as colors in his conscious eye - they were black and white, as he was.

That meant one of two things: either a human had stumbled into his woods, or something else - that was undeterred by the heavy, rumbling hum of Azrael's aura - was knowingly intruding upon his territory.

While he would not mind dispatching humans, the second prospect concerned Azrael.

His sharp eyes - which, despite being technically human, were far keener than any mortal's - pryed at the shadows of the trees, searching for the intruder. Nothing stirred; it was still too far away.

"Azrael?" Reya's voice broke through his concentration.

He spun his body around to look her in the eyes. They were worried. "Don't be afraid," he reassured her, offering a weak smile.

"What is it?" Reya asked. She was not smiling. Worry etched lines across her face.

"I'm not sure," Azrael admitted. "But I will be able to deal with it."

"How?" Reya asked.

Azrael noticed a change in her inflection, and he studied the girl. Her eyebrows seemed to narrow ever so slightly, and they quivered a bit. Was that suspicion?

"However I need to," he said simply, turning back towards the woods. He felt it moving through the woods, coming closer to the clearing. Its colorful essence grew brighter and brighter in his mind's eye, but his physical eyes still failed to detect it.

"Azrael, tell me!" Reya cried.

Azrael glanced at her, the folds of his black cloak billowing in response to his anticipation. "Whatever I need to do to protect you, I shall do," he said coolly. Her presence was distracting to him; a familiar color, but bright enough that its light seemed to seep into the rest of his vision. He needed to focus.

He needed her to leave.

But if he sent her home through the woods, the creature, be it human or not, could intercept her. Azrael could follow her to protect her... but what if it didn't chase after them? What if it found its way into the clearing, and Azrael was not there to protect his secret?

If it were human, it could spell the end of his mission.

Even if it were not human, contamination could be disastrous.

They need to be growing quicker, he thought, gritting his teeth at the inconvenience. What would Gabriel say if he failed?

Breathing out a rumbling sigh, Azrael realized what he would have to do.

"Reya," he commanded, his voice like steel. "I need you to listen closely and do exactly as I say, or everything will fail."

His authority took her aback, he could tell. Nonetheless, she made a small noise of understanding that could have been a "yes".

"Stay directly behind me, close to me. Keep your concentration on the woods at my back. You're going to be the eyes in the back of my head."

Azrael saw her nod out of the corner of his eye, and she moved behind him.