Obsidian's Reign ¹

∷ Chapter 27 ∷

THE NIGHT WAS dark and unappealing, quiet with a heavy silence that felt like cotton stuffed in one's ear. For lack of a better word, the night was strange and discordant. It was not the kind of night one spends outside and yet, that was not the case for the individual scrambling through the grass and overgrown roots to achieve his purpose.

Grunting, he brushed a stray insect that had landed on the sleeve of his jacket, attempting to recall how the area had been left, though he was certain it hadn't been this unkempt.

Still, he persevered until he reached the desired clearing, whereupon a frown disrupted his otherwise neutral expression.

"Impossible," he murmured as he crouched to trace the charred remains of the portal.

He was never good when it came to creating portals, even then, he was certain this particular one would last a while before disintegrating. Unfortunately, he was wrong. The portal was no longer of any use to him. That much was definite from the way it remained dull despite sensing the presence of a non-human entity.

Portals were finicky and annoying, difficult to create in perfection yet too dangerous not to. The slightest alteration could transport the user miles away from the intended destination. Or worse, send them to a completely different location.

He stood motionless as he weighed his options amidst the night sky. His thoughts were halted, however, when he caught a whiff of the intruding demon from the light touch of the wind.

"Running into a bit of a problem there, angel?" the demon asked in a mocking tone as he materialised a few feet away.

"Was it you who drained my portal of its power?" the angel responded.

The demon approached with caution in his steps, only to stop when he recognised the scent that greeted him.

"You were with Clara at the café," he said, face screwing up in immediate disgust.

"You recognise me?" the angel asked, surprised that such an intrusion might offer hope of salvaging the sticky situation he'd found himself in.

"I recognise your scent."

"What is your name?" the angel asked.

"It's none of your concern what they call me," he said, frowning.

"An alias, then."

"The one who requests a name should offer his own first," the demon said, his eyes narrowed in a glare of contempt.

"You may call me Icarus, the name I have permitted your friend, Clara, to call me by," he said.

The demon clicked his tongue in distaste but said nonetheless, "James."

"Very well," Icarus mused, making a gesture with his hand to indicate a deviation from the current topic. "Was it you who interfered with my portal, James?"

"Destroying an unmarked portal created by an angel is only a logical thing to do, wouldn't you agree?"

Icarus kept his gaze steady on the demon, unable to refute his claims. After all, entrances to the Underworld were sparse as it is and the appearance of one seemingly out of nowhere was bound to raise suspicions. With the portal rendered useless and the sudden involvement of the watchful Elite member, Icarus decided it was about time he made his escape.

"I no longer have business here," he said to the demon. "Thank you for your brief cooperation."

He was about to step into the light portal that had been summoned for him when he was stopped.

"Did we ruin your plans?" James asked, a hint of a smile evident in his voice.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," came the confident response.