Never Let Go [Hiatus]

Part I, Chapter 4- Light & Dark

Both Theliel and Rainer took a calculated step backward. They didn't really know how to react just yet. Suddenly, as though just sensing the arrival of the two, the dark angel looked up from his meal and took an immediate interest in them.

Darkness seeped from him, smokes of black wisping around his body like a protective cloak. His powerful wings beat twice, sending waves of invisible force across the hall. Theliel's vision blurred with tears. Despite his transformation, she could still see Aphaleon within. His facial features and body physique had remained, painfully reminding her who he originally was. Then, deciding that the waiting game was over, the dark angel advanced. Theliel stood unmoving as her brother turned on her, too distressed to react.

'Theliel!' Rainer shouted for his sister's attention as he instinctively countered the darkling's sword of black mist with his shield. Quickly, he summoned his holy sword and fought back, confident with his fine swordsmanship. The two angels engaged in a fierce battle of the swords, their clashes ringing in the air.

Interesting. Time to up the game. The dark angel smirked and shot rapid bolts of purple lighting at his new target, eager to see the proud angel stumble. Yet Rainer simply deflected his attacks with lightning of his own, not a trace of surprise or strain in him. Afterall, he was the Angel Of Elements. Did Aphaleon forget who he was fighting with? The dark angel frowned and sighed, disappointed with the dullness of their fight. His attention turned to the other angel who was still hopelessly transfixed. I'll go for you next.

He sped towards Rainer, feigned attack and dodged his counter-move easily, smoothly flying past the surprised angel as he accelerated towards Theliel.

DIE!!! He raised his sword, ready to slice across her neck when he got near enough.

'Aphaleon! It's me, Theliel! Theliel!' she screamed at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. She refused to defend nor attack in her naive belief that her brother would react to her voice.

'THELIEL!' Rainer sped towards her, putting all his will into reaching her in time. How can she be so stupid!

The dark angel reached her first, but as he brought his sword down, he jerked back, dropping his weapon as if stung by it.

'Urgh! Theli---What am I--AAAHHH!!' The darkling stumbled backward, clutching his head. But it only happened for a split moment before his dark form took over, his eyes now more ablazed than before, the black wisps growing in volume. He snarled and was about to advance towards Theliel when Rainer crashed into him, driving two swords through the thick of his wings and pinning him to a wall behind. Aphaleon screamed in agony.

'Rainer! Rainer, stop! Don't hurt him!' Theliel pleaded.

She saw. Just now, as Aphaleon was about to deliver the death blow. She saw, just for that one moment, a flicker of recognition in his eyes and the confused, sad expression he wore.

Rainer did not heed his sister's pleas and summoned his scythe. No.. No.. The scythe.. Are you planning to exorcise your own brother?! Rainer brought the scythe down with all his might but yelped in pain as it was roughly deflected out of his grasp. Theliel. He turned to see his sister in a golden hue, her wings outstretched and her face determined.

She had erected an invisible shield around Aphaleon. Sis... Rainer had mixed feelings of confusion, hurt and empathy. The golden hue meant that she was unleashing her full power. She rarely does that. She didn't even use it when her life was at stake earlier.

'Don't. Hurt. Him.' Theliel warned.

Meanwhile, the dark angel took this chance to strike. Tearing himself painfully from the swords that trapped him, he lunged forward with a cry, slicing Rainer across his open torso and impaling Theliel through her chest. Both angels fell to the ground, blood rapidly pooling around their bodies and slithering along the smooth marble floor.

'Theliel...' Rainer turned and saw his sister lying motionless on the ground, her golden hue gone.

The dark being stumbled around, groaning and coughing up blood. The pain was excruciating. The pain of tearing his wings off his shoulder blades. Damn it. Wings were most sensitive to pain. He looked over to his shoulder and saw the remains- one wing totally gone from the seams and another hanging limply on his left. Hastily, the one-winged angel made his escape as Rainer reached for Theo's crystal and threw it with his last strength.

The moment the rest of the family reached the scene, they gasped in horror at the violence and bloodshed. The Promised Garden was in a mess-fallen pillars, abandoned weapons, pools of blood and worst of all, Theliel and Rainer lying unconscious on the ground. Their attention turned to the detached wing still pinned to the wall, its feathers soft and silky yet black as night. They knew, at once, what had became of their brother.