Azure Chains

[AzuresSky]

Hello! This is a little project I have decided to post on here. Just a little work in progress writing project that I have been thinking about for a while. Feel free to post your own feedback if you wish in between my own posts adding onto the story c: I will put up the first part at some point tomorrow as it is nearly 1:00 in the morning where I live, and I am so tired.

[AzuresSky]

Introduction:

All I hear around me is muffled breathing. It echoes all around in a deafening cacophony until my head starts pounding. Yet, as an undeterminable amount of time passes, the noises get clearer until I realize that it isn't breathing at all. They are screams of pure anguish. Various voices scream out, and I couldn't make out an actual word if I tried.
Then I open my eyes and experiece pure terror. Twisted towers made of a bright ivory are laid all around me and reach into the sky. The clouds above are dyed and unreal shade of ebony. However, none of this even registers in my mind as I gaze at what is ON the demonic towers. Many writhing human bodies cover each tower, all screaming loudly. Every person is bound to the towers by huge chains that eerily glow a very light blue.
I reach my hand out towards one of the towers and start to advance towards it. As I get closer, the screams just get louder and threaten to bring me to my knees. I keep walking until I reach the closest one and gaze upwards. My eyes meet one of the people bound to the tower, and I shiver. They are covered head to toe in what seems to be a very tight leather. I see their mouth move beneath their cover as a scream pierces the heavy air around. This finallly brings me to my knees as I buckle over in pain. I stare down at the rough ground as my vision slowly fades to black.
"Hey, dad!" The voice of my daughter, Rose, seems to snap me back to reality. "Are you okay? You were staring at the floor for an awfully long time."
"Yeah, I'm fine," I say as confidently as I can. "I think I just needed to take a break from looking at your face."
We both laugh heartily, but I am still so shaken up. That daydream or whatever it really was really had an impact on me. Once Rose leaves for school, I know that I am going to need more than a moment to just sit and think.


(Hm, even when I put spaces in order to simulate a "Tab" for each new paragraph, it doesn't seem to work when I actually post it. I'm going to need to find a way to fix that and make it easier to read. But this is the introduction to Azure Chains c: )

[AzuresSky]

Chapter 1: Awakening

Selray Kaze. This is the name that I have known from birth. All I've ever known about the parents who left me in the streets is that they must have been from Japan to give me such a surname. Growing up alone in such a busy city in the United States was hard, but many people looked after me through my early and teenage years. I had many people who would look after me, and they all called me Selray. Even now I still don't know how people even learned of my name when my parents had left me, but I liked it.

Whenever my daughter Rose asks why she has no grandparents, I just say that they aren't around anymore. I try my best to be a great father for her. It may be an attempt to make peace with my lack of true parents growing up, but I still love her. She is a girl who deserves nothing but the best, especially with her mother not around anymore. She is usually pretty cheery, and I am so thankful for that.

"Well, Rose, you should start getting ready for school," I say, ushering her out the door.

"Dad, I'm in high school now. I don't need you telling me to go out," She says, with her usual slight sarcasm.

"Okay. But be safe, okay? Even a sixteen-year-old needs to watch out."

With that, Rose leaves the house and walks towards the school. I let out a sigh and slump into my chair. Just what the hell was that daydream? I know that people can have some strange dreams, but this felt so real. It was like I could truly hear those horrifying screams. The strangest part is that it was out of nowhere. Just before, I was just sipping coffee as Rose went to get ready for school.

I hear a knock at my door and snap out of it. When I answer it, I see my only friend, Seth, standing in front of me. He is a very muscular and tall man. He towers over my average and skinny figure. His bald head is such a stark contrast to my long brown hair, and we look like complete opposites when we stand next to other.

"Selray, is the lilttle one gone?" His deep voice booms through my small house.

"Yes, come on in. I was just having a drink of coffee if you want some."

We both sit in my living room and watch the television mindlessly. Seth was left in this town at a young age, a story similar to mine. People around us have always said that he is from Egypt, but noone knows for sure. His slightly dark skin certainly looks the part, that is for sure. We have known each other for many years now and are closer than brothers. He is the only permenant family I ever knew when I was younger.

"Are you ready to go to work today? You look a little pale," Seth's chisled face shows slight concern.

"I just didn't sleep well last night. Besides, today is a huge day at Seraph, so I couldn't possibly miss it." I flash a slight smile to ease his worries.

"You got that right, man. Today is the day that Seraph becomes an actual company. As co-founders, we NEED to be there. Do you think this will finally save some lives?"

"Yeah...I really do." I think my frayed nerves show themselves in my voice, but Seth seems to igore it.

We get up and walk out the door to my house. I lock the door and look up at the sky. Dark clouds cover the morning sun, and I shiver in the slight cold. As soon as I finish, we go into Seth's car and drive towards the Seraph building, my mind still fousing on the terror I felt as I gazed up at the black clouds in the daydream I had.

[AzuresSky]

Chapter 2: Seraphs

Angel City. Such a strange name for a city that, for the most part, is filled with people who should be considered the exact opposite of angels. Yet even I cannot deny that it is a very nice view when driving through downtown. Although most of the population is not desirable, the architecture and sheer scale of most biuildings has been a treat for the eyes ever since I was a child. I sometimes go on leisure rides just to admire the beautiful town at night when I have the chance.

We are soon within view of the building of our company of employment, Seraph. It is such a grand building that I cannot help but just stare in awe. The idea that we have made it this far amazes me. Never once did I think that this day would come. The other co-founders were just people that Seth and I enjoyed bouncing ideas off of and shared our goals and drive. Now all of our dreams were soon to come true.

"We are here, man. Are you neverous?" Seth asks as he pulls the key out of the ignition.

"No, I'm just...excited. I never though this day would come, you know?"

Seth chuckles to himself as he opens the door. I do the same, and we walk up the steps that lead to the enterance. As soon as we enter the building, we are greeted cheerfully by the other co-founders. Everyone seems to be in such great spirits today, myself included.

Astrid is a woman with dark red hair, and she is always full of energy. She is by far the most cheerful of our group and the kindest. Her stories, of which she has many, are always so realistic and lasting. Her signature big smile is plastered on her pretty face.

Carmella is Astrid's polar opposite in many ways. Her hair is a dark purple that she swears is natural, but noone believes her. She rarely talks, but her few outbursts are full of such passion and intelligence. She also seems to have a new boyfriend around her each time we meet.

Finally, even more mysterious than Carmella, is Morte. A bald and tall old man who has never talked about his past in the time that I have known him. Yet he is the one who gathered most of the money to construct this building and spread word of our views throughout the city. Even though I don't know much about him, none of this would be possible without him, that's for damn sure.

"The two men of honor have finall arrived!" Astrid shouts, making everyone wince.

"Now, now, tone it town a bit, dear." Morte says in his usual confident and slow tone. "Let's all head to the conference room. There is a bit we need to discuss today."

We all walk through the empty halls to a huge room that could easily sit twenty people. When we all take our seats, it feels so vaccant. Morte sits in the middle of the room and clears his throat in preperation to give a long speech. My heart pounds in my chest as I wonder what he will say.

"Now, first of all, you must all know that the date of Seraph's instatement has been moved to tomorrow."

"What? Why? I was so set on it being today." Carmella pouts and her voice is filled with genuine sadness.

"Don't worry, it is only one day. I just felt it more appropriate to take a day to get accustomed to this building and truly prepare for tomorrow." Morte has a smile on his face that really doesn't suit him. It looks kind of mischeavious.

"Fine with me. I want a relaxed first day anyway," Seth says as he laughs a bit.

"But open your ears, young ones. As you all must know, Seraph was created with the intention to finally clean up this horrid city. It is no secret that most residents of Angel City are in fact devils. We all have experiences in our past that have etched that truth into our very hearts. We have been meeting for a few years, but this is the day where we can truly start taking action. After a very lengthy construction project, our company is just a day away from getting its start at long last. Our first act, which starts tomorrow morning, will be a simple one. We must intervene in the public school and get nicer equipment."

Morte talks for a while, lining up our schedule for the next month or so. The tasks are all quite small, but they are just stepping stones to gain recognition and support around the city. I'm so happy that I smile the whole time. I have been wanting this day to come for many years now.

"Hey, I am so sorry, but I have business to attend to very soon," Astrid's face is red in embarrassment, but Morte just smiles and nods.

"That is fine, dear. I have talked your ears off enough for the day anyway. We shall meet back here very early in the morning. Enjoy your final night before Seraph is finally a reality."

"I can't wait! Though, for now, I have a man who needs my attention." Carmella purrs, a slight smile on her lips.

They all say their goodbyes and rush out the door, leaving Seth and I behind. All three of them have always been very quick to leave when it suited them, but I have never minded. Especially not on a day like this. I have forgotten about my unnerving daydream and focus solely on the future that I will help pave.

"Honestly, today was kind of a letdown. I wanted to start today, and everything we are going to be doing is so trivial." Seth sighs and stretches his arms.

"Hey now, it will lead to our true progress, I know it." I am slightly hurt that Seth feels the way he does, but he has always been fairly carefree. I try to not let it bother me. "We should go pick up Rose, though. I wonder if she will be excited about this at her age."

"I doubt it. She is focusing on her school and what guys she wants to date. She won't care about the actions of a couple old men like us." We both laugh and exit the building, hopes high.

[dovahkiinswarden]

Amazing job far, my love. Remember to not push yourself, and write at your own leisure.

[AzuresSky]

Chapter 3: A Tender Fall

Rose is sitting at the other end of the table, eating cheerfully. Ever since I picked her up from school, she has been in such a good mood. Her smile always makes the worries of my life melt away as if they don't matter at all. It makes me feel like I have actually done good in this life of mine. And I was about to do so much more with Seraph starting up. Life sure feels great right now.

'Hey, dad?" Rose asks, tearing her eyes from her plate.

"Yeah, Rose?" I furrow my brow. Her expression seems serious.

"What good do you think Seraph will do?"

Her question leaves me breathless. Her voice is cold and distant, her face devoid of any emotion. I decide to just chuckle and brush it off.

"Well, it will help make this city better!" I grin, but I immediately frown when she replies.

"Make this city better? What good comes out of cleaning up schools and trying to keep delinquents in check? Nothing. You won't make a single impact in this massive world. You might as well give up, Selray."

Rose never uses my first name. I audibly gasp, and her expression changes to that of surprise.

"I'm...sorry, dad. I dunno what came over me. Long day at school." She looks down, seemingly sad.

"It's fine. I love you, ya stupid kid." We both smile and forget what she just said. I could still feel the sting of her words, though. "Hey, do you want to look through your mom's photo album?"

She nods her head and walks over to the couch in the living room. Ever since her mom passed away, we have looked through the album she made in the time from Rose's birth until her death. It always filled the house with a melancholy air when we do, but it is a bittersweet feeling. Strangely, we bond through that worn-out album. It means the world to both of us.

I go up to the spare room and grab the album. We are both soon flipping through it, laughing at the awkward baby photos Vox took. Before long, the mood shifted, and I could feel the sting of hot tears welling up. I feel a finger wipe away at my cheek and look over at Rose. Tears fall down her face in a stream as she wipes the single tear I shed. Such a kindhearted girl, exactly like her mother.

"Hey now, come here." I hug her tightly. Oh, how many times have I held her as she cried since she went through the worst loss of her lilfe?

"Sorry, dad. I just...miss her."

"I know, Rose. I miss her, too."

We both eventually regain our composure, and I put the album back up. As I lay it down, I stare at it. Just for a second, I wish that there was some way to bring her back. I clench a fist and push that desire down into my very soul. There is no way to bring her back, and I have to accept that.

As soon as I get back, we both just sit down and watch the TV together. We rarely talk. Not because of lingering sadness, moreso just exhaustion. The day seemed to go by in a flash but I am still so tired. I pat Rose on the head and get up to stretch.

"I would never admit this to anyone at Seraph, but you are the reason I am so motivated to make a difference in this town, Rose." She looks up at me but doesn't utter a word. I continue. "Ever since Vox...left, I have been so scared that you would lose hope in this world. That you wouldn't be able to see a shred of light. I never had a great childhood, so I have always tried my absolute best to give you the best. Yet I have always felt that it was never enough. That I needed to do more in order to make life for you bright. Meaningful. So I strove to make people band together and make this town better...for everyone, but it is YOU that I have always wanted it to help most. I hope I have done my job well, at least up until now."

Rose doesn't say anything. She stares deep into my eyes for just a faint second before she buries her head in my chest, smiling and sobbing.

"Of course you have. You're the best dad I could ever have. I mean it." Her voice trails off as we hear a noise outside. I rush over to the window and gaze upon a startling scene.

Up above, the clouds are dyed ebony. Bright red balls of light fall from above the clouds, soon dying the sky a bright red instead of the black of the clouds. Before long, I hear shouts and feel the ground beneath my feet rumbling violently. I nearly fall over and turn to Rose.

The same cold expressionless face she had before meets my eyes, and I start to walk towards her. I reach and hand out towards her, both to steady myself and to comfort her. She quickly bats my hand away and appears right in front of me in a flash. I feel a strong gust of wind as she punches my stomach hard. I topple over in pain and cough up blood onto the still rumbling floor.

"Rose, what..?" I am pulled by the collar of my shirt up off the ground immediately.

"Selray, you must now Fall. By His orders, ALL must Fall. May you never remember the details of your specific sin."

Before I can even think of how to reply to her cryptic words, I feel something hot piece my chest. I am tossed aside onto the floor. My vision starts to fade, and I struggle to get one last look at my daughter. She is looking down at me, her face stoic with a bloody knife in her hand. She pulls the knife upwards in preperation for another stab to my chest, and I close my eyes. Then everlasting darkness takes over.

[AzuresSky]

Chapter 4: A Rash Misanthrope

Darkness overtakes every single sense I can experience. I can't feel anything around. In fact, it feels as if I can't even move at all. I try, but I feel nothing. Time passes, and light slowly comes back. I struggle to my feet, but my eyes are still closed. I sway slightly for a while until my eyes finally open.

A vast wasteland of rubble expands all around me. I see parts of buildings and other various material things that I can't discern. Only when my feet get pricked by a sharp piece of glass do I realize that I am wearing next to nothing. A chill air blows, and I shiver. A sense of dread slowly washes over me as I look around for any indication of where I should go but find nothing that could guide me. I then hear rustling behind me.

"Why hello, young lady." The source of the voice is a tall old man dressed in a very nice black suit. HIs voice is very calm. "You must be so cold. Come with me, and I shall give you some proper clothing.

"Wh...who are you?" My voice shakes as much as my body does.

"I'm Morte. Though my name doesn't really matter. Just follow me for now, young lady."

With that, he starts walking, not even waiting for a response from me. I pause momentarily but decide to just follow him. I mean, there is nothing else I really can do. As I walk, I notice that Morte kicks aside anything that could hurt my feet, making a nice path to follow. I want to thank him, but I'm kind of wary. He seems fairly nice, but there is a certain air about him that sets my nerves on edge. I just follow silently.

"An ugly sight, isn't it?" The old man asks, not looking back.

"All this rubble and trash? Yeah, it is. But what is it?" I hurry up a bit so that he can hear my voice.

"Oh, you truly don't know? Well, all shall be clear soon enough. We need to meet up with the people who live close to here."

I try to look past the horizon to see anything that would indicate that anyone lives even close to here, but I see nothing. We walk for what feels like an hour before I see a tiny cloud of smoke by the setting sun. But with that, Morte stops abruptly.

"That smoke ins't a good sign, young lady." He finally turns around, and I get a good look at his face. His face looks weathered by age, but he still has very handsome features that draw attention away from the wrinkles and scars. Though, right now, I am focused on the frown that he wears. "Here, girl, put these on."

Morte throws me a set of clothes that I clumily catch. I hold back the questions I have and start putting the clothes on over my nightgown. Long black boots cover half of the brown pants that cover my legs. The shirt he gave me is jet black and feels like it has a small metal plate on the chest, and it is very uncomfortable. After I have everything on, I notice that there are large curved knives attached to the thighs of my pants.

"Those are from your father. You might want to pull them out right about now."

Before I can think of what to say, I feel a strong gust of wind blow over me. I see Morte holding a giant weapon in both of his hands. It has a huge curved blade and is dyed blood red. Just looking at it makes my heart sink. He rushes forward and slices with grace I have never seen before. I try to see what he slashed at but see nothing. I take a few steps forward, then I hear a roar that brings me to my knees. I hold my hands over my ears and slowly get back up.

Then I see it. Right in front of Morte is a monster that towers over everything within sight. How did I not see this thing earlier? Its fur is a dark purple and seems to glow ever so slightly. It walks on four legs, and each foot has large black claws that dig into the ground with each thundering step it takes. White breath clouds pour out of its fanged mouth while it unleashes low growls. Morte walks towards it, his weapon in hand.

"What the fuck is that?!" I scream, keeping my distance.

"I call them Misanthropes, young lady. Though most people call them something different. They should be feared by normal people. But you aren't normal, are you?"

His words baffle me. I stand there as the Misanthrope makes its way closer to where Morte is standing. I still can't stop looking at his weapon. Its long black handle and large red blade seem to suck me in, and I have to force myself to look away. As soon as I do, I notice that there are tears running down my face. I wipe them away and gaze at the monster ahead. Large and menacing, it glares down at both of us. I experience terror like I never have before, and it only seems to get more frightening the more I look at it. It then lifts one leg in order to get the first strike, and everything seems to happen at once after that.

(This is where this story really STARTs for me. I feel this chapter is much stronget than the ones previous, and the story can only get better from here. Starting stories is difficult, but I'm finally getting a feel for this one.)

[AzuresSky]

Chapter 5: First Taste of War

Everything blurs together in a flash of black claws and purple fur. I can't process what happens in that moment, and all I see is the giant monster where Morte was. I hear a sickening crunch, and the monster then turns its attention towards me. My heart stops. I hesitate for a second as it slowly walks in my direction. I snap out of it and start running as fast as I can.

My black boots provide me with much better control on my movement and speed, but I can still sense the hulking beast catching up to me. I go over my option in my head as I run. Although it terrifies me, my best option is to confront the creature and at least go down with a fight. I stop and turn around, pulling the knives that are strapped to my thighs our from their small scabbards. The monsters stops as soon as I turn, maybe sensing my resolve and respecting it. I am the prey in this situation, but I can still turn this around.

The knives feel so good in my hands. Both the blades and the handles curve at angles that fit perfectly which gives me a strange boost of courage. The grips are covered in wound black and red silk. I find myself entranced by their beauty and forgetting the dangerous monster staring me in the face. Its roar brings me back to reality, but I still feel strangely calm. The monster suddenly swipes its huge arm in my direction, claws slicing the air with extreme force. I gently jump into the air over its paw with one hand touching it before I lightly touch the ground.

How the hell did I do that? I ask myself this right before it takes another swipe at me and I repeat the same action. Adrenaline rushes through my whole body, and I feel so powerful. I strike with my dagger and pierce the beast in its side, and black blood sprays out as I pull the blade away. It roars in anger and turns toward me. The volume of its roars don't even phase me. I flash a cocky smile and lunge forward, right where its jugular should be if it has one.

I shove the blade forward with all my strength and scream. I feel it pierce the Misanthrope's flesh and plunge it in deeper. I waste no time and slice upwards, wanting to cause as much damage as I can. Suddenly my blade stops and black blood sprays all over me. I close my eyes and try as hard I can to pull my dagger out, but it is stuck against a bone. When I feel the blood spray stop, I look up at the monster.

It stares down at me. Defiant. Unphased. Triumphant. It rears up one of its legs and swings it towards me as hard as it can. I instinctly put the other dagger out, the flat of the blade facing the incoming threat. As its paw hits the blade, the force shakes my whole body to the core. It hurts more than I could ever describe. Yet I look over, and I stopped the blow. I falter for just a second as I think about how that is even possible, but then I take advantage of the unexpected blocking to pull my blade out from its neck and swing up at its face with both of my blades.

I jump up high and reach one of its eyes with my left dagger and fall back to the ground gracefully. The beast reels back in pain and loses its balance. With that, I get a huge rush of excitement and sprint toward the injured monster. My arms slash in an uncontrolable flurry, slicing its front legs to ribbons. I jump onto on of its bloodied legs and kick off of it in order to reach its head.

I land on the top of its head and pull both daggers up into the air. I plunge both downward into the skull of the monster with all the strength I can muster. Again, the force of my own blow seems to shake my entire being and I let out a gutteral cry of both pain and victory. I feel both blades bury deep inside the monster and hit something that must be vital. Within ten seconds, the beast topples over, making me lose balance and fall off. I stand tall and walk over to the other side of it. I see Morte's fallen body in the distance and start walking in that direction, gripping my knives tightly and drenched in the black blood of my first ever kill.

*****

Morte was unconscious for quite a while. He had taken a pretty nasty blow to the head, but he seemed to be relatively fine when I checked him over. I sat next to him in silence and thought about what I had just done. I killed a living being. A monster, sure, but living nonetheless. Why had I become so excited and powerful as I drew my knives to slay it? I kept thinking until I saw him sit up and rub his forehead.

"Why, young lady...You are covered in black blood. Did you..?" He looks to the side and sees the dead carcass of the Misanthrope. "I see. Did those daggers serve you well?"

I nod absentmindedly and recount what happened very slowly. He takes it all very well, not questioning a single detail. He sits for a few minutes before standing up suddenly.

"You seem as if you don't understand anything, young lady. Perhaps I should just explain things first." He extends an arm and helps me up to my feet. "It has probably been about five years since the last thing you remember. What IS the last thing you remember before waking?"

"Being with my dad in my house..." My voice trails off. I need an explaination.

"So I appear to be correct. First of all, on that night, something major happened that nearly destroyed this planet completely. Every angel in Heaven fell to earth with disasterous force." He stops there, possibly expecting some sort of reaction, but I just stare at him. I can't think of what to say, and he continues. "I know that very idea is strange, but it is the truth. That is why everything around is rubble. The planet was ravaged, killing most people and animals in the process. Very few people exist now. And you already know that monsters called Misanthropes roam these desolate plains."

"So...Where is my dad? Do you know? Assuming what you said is true, he must be alive if I am. We were right next to each other." I try to sound as calm and understanding as possible, just to get as much information as I can.

"Before that, may I ask you something?" Morte says, his face not showing a tinge of emotion. "Do you believe in God?"

"Uhm...Like, am I religious? No, not really." I respond, puzzled.

"Hah. How ironic. Well, regardless, if you assume that my story is true, then can you agree that angels are the bad guys in this scenario?"

"I suppose so. Assuming your crazy story is true."

"Okay, young lady. So, angels are the bad guys in this play that is life. Angels killed billions of people." He pauses ever so slightly before saying his next sentence. "You are an angel, Rose."

Him stating my name takes me aback. That shock soon turns into fear as the giant crimson weapon he held earlier appears in his hands from nowhere. He quickly swings it toward me and stabs my leg. I shout in pain as a strange sensation washes over me. My back burns in pain, and I topple over. After a few minutes of blinding pain, I shoot up. Huge wings shoot out from my back, ripping my shirt as they do. Pitch black and beautiful, they extend around me as I pant and sweat from the pain and stare blankly at the ground.

[AzuresSky]

Chapter 6: A Corrosion of Self

Nothing made sense. As soon as I saw those alien wings curl themselves around me, I must have slipped into a daze. When I awoke, Morte was still standing in front of me. My leg still throbbed in pain, and those damn ebony wings were still there. Taunting my very sense of reality. I suddenly have very natural control of them and move each wing individually. Morte's voice brings me out of my trance.

"I'm sure this must be a shock. You see, angels usually sprout their wings for the first time when in life-threatening peril. Your body must have sensed how malevolent my intentions were and sprouted them in response." He violently rips his weapon out from my leg as he finishes his sentence. I cry out in anguish.

"You bastard!" My voice turns to poison. I feel so powerful right now that my previous wariness washes away. I can take this old man no matter what he wants to do. "Maybe your story is true, but that doesn't change the fact that you are a prick."

"Very abrasive words for a woman who is very obviously confused. Now, about your father..." I focus on him intently as he speaks. "Remember how I said that the angels did the killing? Well, you are an angel as you can clearly see now. Let that truth sink in for a while and you may see what I am suggesting."

No. He must be suggesting that I am the one who killed my father, but that couldn't be true. Yet as soon as that thought crosses my mind, an image of me standing over him flashes in my mind. He lies there motionless, and I am covered in blood. I shake my head vigorously and confront the man spinning these lies.

"Where do you get off saying such nonsense? Do you even have any proof that my dad is dead, let alone that I am the one who did it?" He just stands there as I talk, his face not changing emotion at all. "That is what I thought. Why the hell did you even appear before me when I woke up in the first place?"

"Ah. That is simple, young lady." A smile spreads across his wrinkled face. He then suddenly disappears. I hear his voice directly behind me. "I wanted to do this."

A sharp pain on my back brings me to my knees. I hear several loud cracks as more waves of pain echo through my entire being. I see my wings fall down to my sides, limp and lifeless. With that, I get naseous and fall to the ground. The last thing I see before my vision turns black is Morte walking away from me, twirling the weapon that terrifies me more than even the pain I feel in this moment.

*****

I awake later in the blanket of night, much in the same way I awoke earlier. I rub my leg and lightly touch the wings that hang at my sides. Fighting back the urge to cry, I just walk forward. There is no way to tell which way to go, so I just go forward. I walk for just a small amount of time before I feel a raindrop hit my face. Before long, it is pouring down rain.

I run to a building that looks fairly stable and go inside. All I see is darkness, but the more I will myself to see, the brighter it gets. I'm scared to think if my eyes adjusted normally or if there is something more supernatural at hand here. I push that thought deep down and walk around the stone halls. Dust covers every object I can see, and it stinks of decay no matter where I go. I finally decide to take a seat in one of the chairs in a huge room.

Time passes at an agonizing pace. I do nothing but stare at the door in front of me and rub my sore leg. That changes when I hear a glass bottle break from right outside. Lightning flashes brightly through the window, and I am suddenly on edge. I listen closely but hear nothing else. I get up and slowly walk out of the room into the enterance of the demolished building.

I see it right in front of me, feasting on the corpse of a human long gone. Its eyes shine a bright red and pierce the darkness, looking right at me as it scoops up blood and drinks thirstilly. I tense up and draw my blades quickly. With that action, the humanoid monster leaps in my direction with extreme speed, and I brace myself for another fight.