Moonbound and Undying

Chapter 5: The Pull of the Eternal and the Undying

The night had become their sanctuary.

For the past few weeks, Michael had returned to the village under the cover of darkness, seeking Amaris in the grove that had become their meeting place. Though their meetings had begun cautiously, each visit had left them lingering just a little longer, speaking just a little more freely. And with every encounter, the connection between them grew stronger—an unspoken bond that neither of them could ignore.

Amaris stood at the edge of the clearing, her hand resting lightly on the rough bark of the ancient oak that marked the boundary of her village. The moon hung low in the sky, casting a pale silver light over the forest, illuminating the path she knew Michael would soon take. Her heart beat a little faster in anticipation, though she couldn't explain why.

She had always been the protector, the one who stood guard over her people, keeping the dangers of the night at bay. But with Michael, it was different. He was not a danger—at least, not in the way she had been taught to fear. His presence was powerful, yes, but it brought with it a sense of peace, of calm. He made her feel... seen, in a way no one else ever had.

And yet, there was tension beneath the surface. A tension that grew stronger with every meeting, as though they were walking a fine line between what was allowed and what was forbidden.

The sound of wings in the distance broke the stillness, and Amaris turned just in time to see Michael step into the clearing. His wings, so luminous under the moonlight, folded gracefully behind him as he approached, his gaze locking onto hers with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine.

"Amaris," he greeted, his voice low, filled with a warmth she had come to expect from him. There was something about the way he said her name like it was both a prayer and a promise.

"You're late," she teased, though her tone was light. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she stepped away from the tree, moving closer to him. "I was beginning to think you wouldn't come."

Michael chuckled softly, the sound like music in the quiet night. "I would never keep you waiting by choice," he replied, his gaze never leaving hers. "There are... duties that still demand my attention. But I couldn't stay away."

Amaris' smile faltered slightly, though she quickly hid it. She knew that Michael's life was not his own, that he was bound by responsibilities far beyond her understanding. He was an archangel, after all—a guardian of Heaven itself. And yet, here he was, standing before her as if she were the only thing that mattered at this moment.

She gestured for him to sit by the small fire she had built at the center of the clearing, the flames flickering softly in the cool breeze. "You've been watching us for so long," she said as they settled down, the warmth of the fire casting shadows across their faces. "But you never interfered. Why?"

Michael hesitated, his eyes drifting to the flames. "We were not meant to interfere," he said quietly. "Not after... everything that happened."

"The war," Amaris guessed, her brow furrowing. She had sensed that something had occurred long before her time, something that had driven the angels to withdraw. But Michael had never spoken of it in detail.

Michael nodded slowly, his gaze distant. "It was not just a war, Amaris. It was a reckoning. The angels who once walked among your kind—who loved your kind—they broke the balance of the world. The Nephilim, born of that love, became too powerful, too dangerous. We had no choice but to intervene, to restore the balance."

Amaris listened in silence, her heart heavy with the weight of his words. She could hear the sorrow in his voice, the regret that lingered even after all these centuries. It was a burden he had carried alone for so long, and now, for the first time, he was sharing it with her.