Wingless (Working on Next Chapter)

Chapter 17: Banishment

"Tell me you didn't do it Silas. Just tell me you didn't do it." Ashlynn pleaded behind him. Silas turned around with and stood in a defensive stance. "What do you want me to say Ash? The truth? Or what you  would like to hear? I can't give you both." He said folding his arms tight across his chest. Ashlynn walked swiftly across the magically glowing floor and stopped in front of him.

"Silas...I.." Ashlynn stopped and looked at her feet with a sigh of defeat. "I want to hear your side of what happend. Not what anyone else says happend." She said quietly. Silas could tell she was hurting, but he didn't drop his defensiveness. "My side of what happend? So there's another side now?" He said not a question bitterness in his words.

"That's not what I.. the others.. they don't matter. None of them matter. Just tell me what happend." Ashlynn begged trying to keep Silas on the subject. Silas relented but avoided her eyes. He turned back to the balcony he stood at and leaned on the rail watching the shimmery air glisten. "I killed a demon, that's our job isn't it?" He muttered.

"So you DID save the human! Why Silas? You could have been seen! You know our laws why would you do such a thing? We're not supposed to interfere with humans, under ANY circumstances." Ashlynn scolded him. Silas whirled around and the look in his eyes made Ashlynn step back a step.

"Yes I saved a human girl. Yes I broke the law. A law that in my opinion has no reason to exist, and you know what? I don't regret it one bit. The girl's parents were both possessed. I found them trying to kill their own daughter. How was I supposed to stand by and let that happen? I couldn't, so I did something about it."

Ashlynn sighed and approached him again and lightly touched his arm. "Silas you can't choose which laws to break and which ones to follow. The Arch Council will punish you for this. They've already been alerted by our watchers. I came to warn you so you could have a chance to escape. You need to go now." She said with tears in her eyes.

Silas took one look at her and shook his head. "I'm not going anywhere Ash. This is my home. I'm not sacrificing it to those high minded arcane morons with no blasted idea what they're doing. We should be killing demons before they plague humanity. Not sitting idly by as they have a free for all on the Earth below!"

"Silas you shouldn't say such things.. if the Archangels heard what you were saying they'd say you wer-" A loud crash from the doors behind them cut Ashlynn off. Guards flooded into the room and their commander strode in with a grief stricken look on his face. In fact none of the guards looked pleased with their current actions. The commander stepped forward and opened a scroll.

"Silasil Aetherwing! You are hereby under arrest for the aiding of a human being and for risking exposure of the Aether Realm. You will be escorted to the Arch Council immediately to by heard in trial before being sentenced." The commander of the guard looked like he had just eaten a spoiled thing of fish. His gaze looked at Silas apologetically.

"I'm sorry boy.." He tried but Silas held up his hand. "No need for apologizing Commander. This was my choice. If you could give me but a moment I will come without any resistance. You have my word." He said with a respectful tone. The Commander seemed grateful for the chance to avoid bloodshed and nodded.

"You have one minute boy. That's all I can spare you. Say your goodbyes." He said with an uncomfortable grunt. Silas smiled sadly and nodded in return. "You have my gratitude Commander." He replied to him curtly. The guards left the room, leaving Ashlynn and him alone, Silas could hear the Commander bark orders at his men.

"Silas what are you doing?" Ashlynn asked desperately grabbing him again. Silas looked at her and smiled weakly. "Stalling for time. I needed to tell you something before they take me." He answered. Ashlynn could only blink silently as he leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Don't become one of them." Ashlynn didn't understand him though. "What do you mean by that?" She asked him, but he was already walking out the door.