Owen Changes His Mind

14. Ayngel's Resolve 1/3

Author's Note: Welcome to the third and final part of the fic. We are nearing the endgame, beloved readers. 

Ayngel stomped through the clearing. She was looking for Krow. She didn't hate demons. Krow was her best friend. Just because she hadn't seen Krow in a few weeks didn't mean anything. It was a big clearing. Perhaps Krow had been content to just stay by itself for a while. Right?

"Krow!" Ayngel called, knocking on Krow's door. When it didn't answer, Ayngel went to find Graecie and Magic. They'd been staying close together ever since Magic carried Graecie back from the maze in a coma. They weren't home either. What was with everyone in the clearing? Was it just ignore Ayngel day!?

Ayngel saw Bek walking by. She grimaced, then turned to follow. "Bek! Where are you headed?" Ayngel called.

Bek turned to look over her shoulder, but kept walking. "Oh, Ayngel. I was just going to Soup's house." Bek paused while Ayngel caught up, turning and shifting from foot to foot. "If you want to come, we're- that is, Magic wanted to have a meeting about something. I don't know who all is going to be there."

Ayngel frowned at Bek for a moment before Bek turned and continued down the path. As Ayngel followed her, Ayngel reflected that Bek had changed a lot since they'd first arrived in the clearing together. Bek arrived and entered without asking. "Hey I heard there was a meeting," Ayngel called for both of them. "Can we come in?"

"Kyle, please!" Ayngel heard someone cry from inside.

"Ayngel, come in," Graecie called, making her way through a throng of people. "I'm glad you could make it. We were going to have a meeting anyway, but Kyle just came back from the Dark Maze, and-" Graecie broke off as someone- Acho?- sobbed loudly.

"Ayngel!" Krow came barrelling towards her like a red and black train. The two weren't normally huggers, but Ayngel slung an arm around Krow as Krow took her arm and continued its forward momentum. "Where have you been?"

"I could ask you the same question!" Ayngel blurted. "Did you know they put Owen in prison!? Owen, the leader who keeps people safe from the maze!"

Krow frowned. "Ayngel, Owen attacked Guts. Twice. Lucky I was there the second time to get him away from them." Ayngel blinked at it, her mouth slightly ajar. "You haven't been out at all, have you," Krow laughed.

Ayngel huffed, her hands on her hips. "Hey!" She protested, but she could feel her shoulders relaxing. Krow always knew what to say. Ayngel thought over the day's conversations. "So... everything I've been hearing about Owen hurting demons, that's all real?" Krow nodded. Ayngel gasped, covering half her face with both hands. "Oh, I've said something I regret," Ayngel cried softly.

"What did you say?" Krow asked, leading Ayngel to a quiet corner and sitting down.

"I told Apo I didn't believe them about Owen, and then I told them to stay out in the maze."

"Harsh," Krow said, sucking its teeth.

"You what!?" Red seemed to explode out of nowhere, leaning in close.

"Ah, loud! Get out of my face, Red," Ayngel shouted back at him, standing up from her perch. Surprisingly, Red turned and disappeared, his movements jerky and uncoordinated. "Ugh. What's his problem?" Ayngel asked rhetorically, sitting back down.

Ayngel and Krow watched Red find Magic and speak to her using big dramatic arm movements. Magic kept glancing towards Graecie, who was trying to comfort Acho while helping to get him out of Soup's way. Soup was trying to give Kyle a potion, direct Bekyamon for supplies, and sew up Kyle's arm at the same time.

"Rasbi," Krow called, motioning someone over from a different direction. Ayngel turned to look but didn't see anyone. Then Rasbi stood up and Ayngel realized she'd been looking directly at her. "Tell Ayngel what you remembered about Owen," Krow said by way of introduction, then motioned to a nearby perch.

Rasbi leaned against the wall, assessing Ayngel through slitted eyes. Ayngel raised her eyebrows. "That behind, huh? Are you sure, Krow?" Krow nodded and Rasbi took a deep breath, looking down. "Okay. I came into the maze for revenge. Owen killed- no, he murdered my sister in cold blood. Her only crime was being engaged to the human prince. Their marriage would have brought peace to so many demons and humans alike. We were at war, you see. I guess Owen just didn't want the war to end." Rasbi glanced at her claws, then side eyed Ayngel. "But I've decided that death is too easy for him. And I don't deserve to be a killer like he is."

Ayngel was fairly sure her eyes were bugging out. She turned to Krow. "Is this true!?"

Krow shrugged. "As close as I can guess, I'd say it's true. She has less reason to lie. Although all that stuff about it being too easy... I don't agree. Just kill the mother fucker already and be done with it."

Ayngel's brows came together in confusion. "Krow," she asked. "You think Owen deserves more than being in prison, he deserves to die? But what if Apo and Rasbi planned this together? No offense Rasbi," Ayngel apologized to Rasbi with a glance. Rasbi stiffened.

Krow leaned away from Ayngel. "What the fuck!?"

"I just have to ask, okay!?" Ayngel defended, hands fluttering.

"Owen said it to me himself, Ayngel. He bragged that he'd killed thousands of demons. As if that's anything to be proud of," Krow scoffed.

Ayngel gasped. "...thousands?" She repeated, her face going pale. Rasbi turned away, annoyed.

"-dont care that it's nighttime, it's just that she encouraged Apo not to come back, and where are they?" Red was shouting. Magic was trying to hold him back, but they'd both come back inside the house and she wasn't very effective at stopping him. Red found Ayngel and started in her direction. "You are a sick, sick individual, you know that?" Red got in Ayngel's face. "Kicking someone when they're down like that. If they die, it's your fault. And just so that you're aware," Red paused to take a breath, but Ayngel was too transfixed to interrupt. "Apo for some reason cares the most about Owen. The rest of us- Apo has saved Owen's life at least twice even though Owen has almost killed them at least that many times. And now they're out there in the maze at night because of you, because you said not to come back, you sick-"

Soup finally exploded from the other end of the house. "Could you please have your drama somewhere else!? I have a patient to tend to!"

Red glanced guiltily behind him at Kyle's inert form. He met Acho's empty stare from over Graecie's shoulder for a moment. "You're right. I'm sorry, Soup. Sorry, Acho." Red glared at Ayngel before walking out the door. Magic followed him.

"I have to get to the gates," Ayngel said once he was gone. "I want to fix this."

"Want some company?" Krow asked, grinning.

Ayngel nodded with a tiny grateful smile, then turned to Rasbi. "I'd welcome your company too, Rasbi. I'm sorry I doubted you."

Rasbi nodded, but her cool demeanor didn't thaw. Ayngel knew Rasbi was still angry. "I know a way out," Rasbi murmured, "but chances are that Red and Magic will still go through the same gate."

"That's a chance I'm willing to take," Ayngel said, standing. "Come on, let's get some supplies."

Author's Note: Enjoy the extra long scene. The next scene is shorter.