The Battle of Euangelion: Atonement

Chapter 2: Departed

Angelo charged at their supplies, determined to prove Mateo wrong. The artifact can't be missing. Bags and crates were flying in all directions, and the whole courtyard was soon covered with random, bagless tools and goods.

"No!" Angelo punched the wall with such force that a deep round hole was left in his fist's wake.

"I'll get Seraphus and Lucas," Mateo started jogging toward the South-Western tower's staircase. Phoebus walked over to Angelo and considered his words before opening his mouth to speak. "What happens now?" he finally resolved to ask.

Angelo sat on the ground with his back against the wall. He removed his helmet before roughly wiping his face with his hand and running his fingers through his hair.

"I don't know," he said.

Though Phoebus didn't expect anything specific, he was surprised at the Rider General's response. He waited a moment and then spoke again, "Alexis could still be in the woods. I'm going to look for her," his eyes met with Angelo's swinging in his direction, "but it wouldn't hurt to have by my side."

Angelo huffed. And to Phoebus' repressed delight, he slowly got to his feet without objection. A muffled commotion caused them to whip their heads toward the South-Western tower.

"Get out of my way Lucas!" Mateo demanded.

"Not until you've backed up so we can talk calmly," Lucas protested.

"Where's Seraphus?" he tried to shoulder him, "Seraphus!" he bellowed over Lucas' shoulder.

"What's going on?" Angelo's voice curled up from a few steps below.

"He won't let me through!"

"Angelo, can the three of us just have a word first?"

"Why only the three of us? Where's Seraphus?"

"Mateo," Angelo ordered.

Mateo scowled at Lucas before turning and proceeded to stomp down the staircase, brushing past Angelo.

"I don't want his last memory to be what I just saw," Lucas said in a whisper.

"He's gone?"

Lucas dipped his head.

"How?"

"Fire. He managed to shield Dominic from it, but his body is burnt through."

Angelo contorted a look of disdain at the thought of Diabolus' disfigured beasts. The two Riders climbed up the remaining steps so Angelo could see for himself. When they reached the top they found Aurelia and Rufus sitting beside a sobbing Dominic. They were all shivering now that the sun had set and the high levels of rushing adrenaline slowly began to subside.

Seraphus' charred corpse was still bundled in the center of the tower. Angelo carefully scanned his body, forcing himself to take in the full extent of the burns. "He was a loyal soldier and deserved better," he said after a moment of silence. "If Mateo wants to see his body, he has a right to." Angelo glanced in Lucas' direction. "Wrap him up after. We'll have a proper Euangelion burial upon our return."

"Your leg!" Aurelia broke the silence when she noticed the pool of blood growing around Rufus.

"Yeah, that devilish bird got me good. But I'll be fine," he examined his wound after pulling up his pant leg. It was severe, he could begin to feel it too.

"You're losing a lot of blood Rufus, we need to close that up." Aurelia got to her feet.

"Yes. And you all need to cover yourselves from the cold," Angelo instructed.