Wings

Chapter 48

Chapter 48- The Axe and The Tree

When I awoke, it was in a slow hazy fog. I could hear shouts, the sound of a wall falling over and the screams of people. I could smell the gunpowder and the metallic scent of blood. My body was heavy and I knew my father was holding me by the way my body was encased like he used to hold me when I was little. His arms were wrapped around me and my head was drooped. I couldn't open my eyes or move my body from exhaustion.  I could taste the dryness of my lips.

In a blur my fathers voice cried out, my ears ringing from the closeness of it. The sound of a blade pulling from his body sliced through the air and still I couldn't regain my strength. My body did not obey as I begged my limbs to work and my eyes to open. 

My father fell to his knees and it was then I was able to half open my eyes when I slid from his arms and he fell to the side. My eyes were wide from what I witnessed. I was laying on the other side of the broken wall that was in front of Simons room. 

Soft grass and hard pieces of the concrete wall dug into me. 

A small gasp left me as I looked up and found Simone his blade dripping in my fathers blood. I looked to the man who raised me and found lifeless eyes. 

I felt a sob leave me and I mustered all the strength I could too grab onto my fathers hand. His pulse was faint. "I'm sorry." I whispered. Simone's eyes were crazed as he grabbed ahold of my hair and yanked my body up. There was a full blown war in occurrence. I hissed at the pain of him holding my hair.

I watched as Ashered pulled his blade from a guard, spinning the blade around he held it up ready to strike Nova as she came for him. "No." I cried.

Ashered, caught off guard looked to me, his blade lowered. By my act of stupidity Nova tackled Ashered to the ground. Ashered stumbled and she twisted his arm behind her back. He quickly kneed her in the stomach and she puffed out air as he took back his arm and grabbed the wicked woman in a chokehold.

I swayed as Simone placed his arm around my stomach, holding my tired body upwards. I knew Ashered was confused why I had stopped him from killing her but before I had a chance to let him know Simone began "negotiating." Nova was merely a fool that had been captured by the devil and even a fool didn't deserve to die because of him.

"Give me the damn wings or I will slice her pretty neck open. And this time she will stay dead." He said waggling his blade in front of my face. 

Ashered tensed and unsheathed his dagger. "Do that and I'll kill Nova."

Nova's eyes were frightened as she looked at Simone.  "He would never do that." She said but you could hear the uncertainty in her tone. 

"Just leave." I said turning to Ashered and I knew he could see the saddened defeat on my face as I tried not to look at my fathers corpse. Ashered ignored me as Simone spoke.

"I don't give a fuck about that slut, kill her it will save me the effort later."

Nova's jaw dropped and I watched as her dark eyes found mine and in them realization shone. 

"You would let someone who loyally stayed by your side die because of your selfishness." Ashered asked flabbergasted.

Simone shrugged and grabbed my hair again, making me look into his hateful dark blue pits. 

"Give me the wings. I could find far worse things than death for Hope if you want to take more of my time."

The vein in Ashered's neck became more prominent as his face turned to stone and he let go of Nova. 

Nova stood there shocked for a moment before Ashered looked away from her, his face blank. "Go, before I change my mind." He snapped and I watched as Nova gave Simone one more final look before bolting into the compound that Simone called his own. 

"This place was abandoned, you did a brilliant job shielding this place from us with all of the warding's and protection spells." Ashered complimented dryly taking a daring step forward.  

"Stop stalling, take off your shirt."

Ashered continued walking forward and I could feel the annoyance in Simones grip as he dug the blade into my flesh, nicking it. I winced at the sting but it was nothing compared to how badly my body ached at the moment. 

"Now." Simone boomed. 

Ashered began to open his mouth but when he looked back at the field that was laid before us and saw all of the dead piling up he closed his eyes, took a deep breath and peeled off his shirt.  

"Ashered, don't." I pleaded but he ignored my words not even meeting my gaze. I struggled against Simone but he only pulled me back into his chest, a low growl emitting from his chest that sent shivers down my spine. I could feel tears burn my eyes as I looked at his beautiful wings, black as midnight, the strength of an army beneath them. 

Simone  called some of his soldiers over as the fight stopped and both parties watched in shock and disgust.  Both parties to engulfed in what was happening next to reenter into fighting, two fo the most powerful men were having a showdown and Simone had brought Ashered to his knees. Two of Simons men grabbed ahold of Ashered and forced him to his knees. His hair draped into his eyes I could see how hard this was for him. "Melvin, take her." Simone snapped and suddenly cold hands were keeping me held up. I turned and was shocked to find the boy who I had turned looking at me. His skin was paler and by his grip on my body I knew he was changed. "I'm sorry." I gasped softly and Melvin didn't look at me. He was much taller than me not sitting on a floor. His red hair was prominent in the last bit of the sunlight before dusk approached. 

"Please, let me go to him."  I whispered. "You changed me." he said in an uncertain tone. "There is no one here like me, not even you and now I'm alone and a monster."

I glanced anxiously at Simone as he cleaned his blade with a cloth, making it shine for what he was to do next. 

"There are people at the castle that I live with Ashered at." I hesitated at the words lived realizing that the castle and the people that were fighting moments ago were as much his as they were mine. "They are like you. They can help you adapt. I will personally get you the help you need. You won't be alone."

My words were cut off as a piercing cry filled the air and I cried out at Simone. "Stop." I screamed watching as the blood rolled down Ashered's back. Simons eyes were dark. He looked at me and I realized that he was taking his time. He was taking off Ashered's wings like you would cut wood with an axe from a thick bodied tree, not with one swift movement but with multiple, powerful, painstaking blows.