untitled: Utterly Radiant

 

 

Death snapped out of his chair with a suddenness that had Rei jumping, eyes wide. The immortal went sweeping out of the room, calling for Exodus and everyone that was able bodied. "It’s happened. " He rumbled darkly as Exodus reported to them, Faust and Doll a minute behind him. Durga had already been in the room and she listened silently, ready if there was need for her.

 

"What the hell is going on?" Stannis demanded as he stood as well, having been talking briefly with Death about the war. Yet here he was suddenly jumping out in the middle of his advice as if something had bit him. The look on Death's usually calm face was also so severe that it was frightening. Stannis couldn't imagine what was going on. Jinevae just stood at the table, having been pouring tea and setting out cookies innocently when Death so suddenly jumped up.

 

"Adonis is what is up, my lord." Death snarled, and waved his hand. "Ceata is in trouble and so are we." The look on his face grew more grave then it had been before, eyes flashing as he strode about the room, looking as if he wished to rush away now to save the injured and fallen shadowshifter.  "He's broken completely free. Rowan is gone."

 

There was the sound of Jinevae's tea pot smashing on the floor as he stood there a moment and then took off. Stannis caught him at the door. "Jinevae, don't do anything ras-!" he started, but was quickly smacked away as Jinevae went bolting down the corridor bellowing for Roaden. The Valen was soon to appear, very surprised when Jinevae grabbed him by the shoulders, hoisted him over his shoulder, and kept running.

 

"WHAT THE HELL, JINEVAE?!?!" Roaden cried, going for a ride on the other's broad shoulders as Jinevae took a running leap and then jumped from the third story out a window. He landed with a ground-shattering KA-THUD! before continuing to run towards the other side of the castle through a series of courtyards as the quickest route to the portal to Tenshihana.

 

"......do anything rash...." Stannis grunted, holding his face where a bruise was already forming.

 

Death shook his head, sweeping away. "Gather some men, Stannis, we're going to have to get involved." Death growled softly, Exodus bellowing orders himself, the castle bursting into life before their very eyes. What else could they do? Simply allow that bastard to do as he pleased?

 

It would be a little late for that. He had already done a considerable amount and the moments they wasted gathering everyone would be to their folly. Jinevae, in the mean time, had made it through the portal and was one of the first of the outsiders to see the chaos. Though the portal had turned up all the way across town, one could see the great black cloud and the fire raining from above as the screams were heard echoing everywhere. The power present was immense...Death could be impressed, as to exude so much strength while still in an ungodly form was almost impossible. "Dear God..." Roaden breathed at his shoulder before he felt a large wing joint hit him in the stomach and heard the ripping of clothing. Looking down, he could see the massive Jin wings that stretched almost seven feet on either side. "Oh...Oh, no....JINEEEVVVAAAAEEEeeee ~ !!!" Roaden cried too late as he was hoisted into the air with a few flaps of those gigantic wings.

 

Absinthe was drug out of bed by Aysel, the little male sobbing. "Wake up! Wake up, hurry!" he wailed, making Absinthe blink in surprise until he felt it. Oh gods he felt it. Absinthe went still, shivering. However, he was not allowed to sit still long, forced to dress by Aysel and then shoved out the door. He was dragged out and forced to help, though Death would not let him leave the castle, not with Adonis on the loose.  Exodus was the first one of their group through the portal, everyone else busily making ready.

 

What he saw on the other side reminded him of the worst of the genocide, when the world was consumed with war on all sides. The black inky cloud rose high in the heavens and the air felt dry and painful. Exodus nearly choked on the power emanating from one section of the Angelic city, so he had a hard time locating Ceata's aura in all this mess. Simply put, it was impossible to find him. He would have to go looking on foot.

 

Coughing softly into his sleeve, the shadowshifter shoved his way through the crowds, looking desperately for his grandchild. Why Ceata was here of all places confused him, but knowing the young man, he must have come here help somehow. But for what?

 

Exodus couldn't even imagine what for and simply pressed forward against the throngs of people, but he was making little to no progress. Not to mention he couldn't find anything in this haze of confusion. Tenshihana was already vast - a mile long in almost every direction. How could Exodus hope to find him in this? However, he happened to look up at the moment and see, passing over him very swiftly, Jinevae carrying a yelping Roaden. Jinevae was weaving  everywhere to avoid the falling flames, having quite a bit of grace for one so big. 

 

Exodus smirked. That would certainly help. "Jinevae!" He roared, chasing after the other male, literally jumping over people at times to catch up. If he could either follow them, or even catch a ride, he would have a much easier time! He hoped Ceata was fine, the though that he might be hurt frightened him greatly.

 

Jinevae wasn't listening though as he concentrated intently upon saving the man he considered his dearest friend and kindest master. Exodus finally growled, shifting to the top of a building so that he might hop from roof to roof to possibly get to the other. Of course, he had to dodge a great deal of fire and every manner of falling debris to try and keep up. 

 

He got singed a few times, cursing loudly as he ran across the roofs, leaping to the next before skittering swiftly over the next. It was dangerous, but he was agile and had done this in far more dangerous situations then this. Growling, the shadowshifter slowly caught up. If he timed it just right.....

 

Jinevae suddenly took a nose dive for some strange reason as he felt Roaden get twice as heavy. "Gah!" he cried, having to force his wings to flap harder in order to keep above the buildings, not to mention dodging the flames. "What in blazes was that?!" Jinevae gasps, dodging fire as he swoops and then levels himself.

 

"I think we have a hitchhiker....Hello, Exodus," Roaden sighs as he holds on for dear life. "If you'd slow down, Jinevae, I could use my own wings!"

 

Exodus grinned at Roaden deviously, shifting to make the weight less of a drag on the big Jin angel. "Sorry boys, needed a lift." He drawled lazily, looking around at the milling crowds, searching for any sign of Ceata down there in that mass of people.

 

"What the hell? Damn it...just pause a minute Jinevae, I need to get off this. I'll use my own damn wings..." Roaden says as he knows that Jinevae is getting perilously close to the ground. As they speed over the streets at a rather slow pace - Jins have to use a lot of muscles to keep in flight and are thus quite slow - they can see the hoards of soldiers beginning to form a line for the people to get back against. What they fight is the most astonishing thing, for the dead seem to have risen in their mangled forms as twisted masses of flesh that attack anything and everyone. it reminds Exodus of Donovan's powers.

 

This makes him shiver all the more, clutching at Jinevae with a low, frightened growl. He watches, shifting uncomfortably as he searches for any sign of Ceata, just one. He had yet to see him, wondering if maybe he was too late to save his only grandchild.

 

"My God..." Roaden breathes as he stares down at the carnage below them as his country men try to fend off the unholy beasts made of their own fellow Angels. Roaden knows what he has to do. "Jinevae, I'm going to spread my wings...thing you can keep us steady?"

 

Jinevae looked a bit worriedly back at the other, though concentrated more on avoiding the flames. "I think so...just watch the wind currents...I'll go topplin' into a building if you aren't careful."

 

"I know, I got it..."Roaden says as he  concentrates on the flow of air around them, waiting until a particularly calm stretched before spreading out his wings. They are sizably smaller than Jinevae's, but, then again, Roaden is sizably smaller in general. The group toddles for a bit and Exodus has to hold on tight before Roaden lets go and lets the air currents lift under his great white feathers. He is then in the air beside them, moving at a much greater speed. "I'm going to help them...You go on and find Ceata! If I see anyone else, I'll be sure to send them your way!"

 

Exodus waved at him and then repositioned himself, leaning on Jinevae in a way that made it easier for him to move and easier for Exodus to scan the ground. He grumbled darkly, eyes flicking back and forth, looking for a splash of white. Shadowshifters have amazing eyes, much like a hawks at times, and Exodus was using that to his full advantage. The gore did nothing more than agitate him, since he was so used to blood and death. However, the more he did not see Ceata among the mass of the living, the more he worried that some of that gore he'd seen WAS Ceata. "Gods, where the fuck is he?" Exodus whined.

 

"I don't know...but we're coming up on the Maestar Quarter now..." Jinevae says as he flies over the lake, seeing there the beasts as they rush over the bridge. Soldiers meet them and even mages come to try and stop their onslaught. Some fall victim while others repel the creatures with great force. "If only most of our mages weren't away at war..." Jinevae says as he dodges more fire, almost getting singed. "D-damn it...!! It's getting too hard to fly here!"

 

Exodus growled. "Want me to make a shield?" He asked, leaning closer to murmur it into Jinevae's ear, for the beating of his massive wings made it hard for him to be heard. They would have to do aground soon, even with a shield. The fire raining down was just too much to handle.

 

"I...I can still hold out..." Jinevae says, wanting to get to his master as fast as possible. Still, there is magic flying everywhere. Not just from above, but from below too. As the Maestars battle, flocks of Cherubs aiding them like out of some nightmarish plague, there is stray magic going everywhere and soon they are caught in the whirlwind of it. Jinevae is slammed into a building, but manages to latch on to avoid falling into a sea of those rippling monsters. 

 

Exodus shrieks loudly, reminding one of a banshee with how shrilly he cries out. Ruffled, hair sticking up cattishly, he growled and shifts his weight from Jinevae to the wall, digging claws deeply into it. Shifting about, he gets to the top and hauls his companion up and away from the edge, shaking off the feeling the magic lashing gave the both of them. "Crap.... with this chaos every damn where, how are we going to find anyone!?"

 

"I...I don't know...but...ow..." Jinevae says, looking to his singed wing as it slowly is reforming. It's back to new in a few seconds, but he's absolutely exhausted. The cloud grows larger even as they sit there, Exodus frowning as he doesn't know what to do from here. Meanwhile, the others have finally arrived through the portal to find the chaos that Exodus also met. It looks as though the apocalypse has struck and the world has plummeted into darkness. Angels come rushing on either side of them, fleeing the city as the gates to the eight-hundred foot walls are opened for them in order for everyone to stream out. It seems the citadel has been overrun by monstrous demons, leaving men, women, and children to flee for their lives.

 

Death slipped through first, long hair streaming in the whipping winds, blinding him a moment before he dragged it back and twisted the mass out of his face. The scene before him was terrifying, a shiver of fear ripping up his body. "Proceed with caution." He rumbled back at those with him, motions for them to move forward. They had a situation to deal with.

 

Still, the presence of Death only seemed to intensify things. Shadows licked from where they grew in alleys and walls and became great hulking creatures with long arms and gaping mouths full of glass. They stared with golden eyes and swung their arms like clubs. The Angelic army that had remained in Tenshihana was having a hard time dealing with them. The captain of the guard had been severely injured and Roaden, being the only one not cowering, took his place. "GET THE CANNONS! HURRY! REBUILD THAT LINE! MEN WHO CAN STILL WIELD A WEAPON TO THE FRONT! HOLD THEM BACK!!" he cried over the clangor, trying to direct the terrified guardsmen to fight these unholy creatures.

 

Death angels were already streaming in, moving swiftly and viciously toward the source of all the fear. Death commanded them well, marching after the swift moving troops that hurried before them. He glanced around, growling softly as he searched for the source. An inkling of it came to him, an uncomfortable shiver shaking his body. Yes, Adonis was that way...

 

"What the hell? Death Angels..." an injured soldier murmured as he saw a group of no more than fifty heading their way. That was all that Death could reasonably bring with him. After all, his goal was not to save Tenshihana...it was to get Ceata out. Though the Angels were indeed in a perilous situation, bringing any more Death Angels than was needed to rescue those trapped here would be folly. They would start a battle and then more innocent lives would be lost.

 

"They're Death Angels...."

 

"Death Angels?!"

 

The murmuring continued all the way to the front line where Roaden was desperately trying to protect the first gate into the Commons, which led into the Manor Quarter and all the Quarters beyond that, as well as the Tenshihana palace. There were creatures streaming over the walls and Death Angels took a fighting Angel at each shoulder to help push them back. When Roaden turned, he saw Death there and looked so relieved. "HOLD the line!! HOLLLLDDD!!" he cries, seeing how the added forces help to push the creatures back enough for them to seal it. A massive shield has already been erected in the Tenshihana quarter - no doubt the work of priests. It can be seen in the distance deflecting fire, though it no doubt does not help with these rippling beasts. They appear to pass through everything - like pure heat. 

 

Death soon reaches the lines, glancing down upon Roaden as his angels struggle to hold them. "Current situation?" He demanded, glancing about sharply. Just sight alone did not tell him how desperate the situation was, he needed as much information as he could get while Exodus ranged out looking for Ceata, Faust and Doll ranging out in the other direction.

 

"I don't know...where Ceata is. Jinevae took Exodus out to look for him...they headed towards the cloud. We've been fighting these creatures for only a little while...the city is overrun, My Lord," Roaden replies, a soldier growling as he breaks the line.

 

"What the hell?! You're the enemy?! Why have you come here, God, if it's one of your own Demon kind causing this!" The lieutenant growled as he stepped out of line, pushing Roaden aside. 

 

Other Angels seemed to realize this and almost stopped pushing against the shield, a few even lowering their swords, only to bring them back up immediately when the creatures pressed hard against the wall they had made. 

 

Death nearly slapped the man, though instead, lowered the intensity of dark eyes upon him. A wry smile touched his lips and he growled lowly. "I am no more enemy than your men, young man." he hissed, "Now shut up and defend your lines if you wish to live." He snapped his attention upon the creatures, watching them, looking for weaknesses that the angels might not think of or see.

 

"No, you're just here to take back your comrade, aren't you? What about my PEOPLE?!" the man insisted, glaring at Death so openly and with such arrogance - an affliction of most Angels. "We don't need your help! Go back to hell where you came from!!" he growls, Death grasping him by the collar and holding him firmly. The boy's eyes get large and the God's gaze swirls with anger. He's not stupid enough to use any of his powers here, for fear of catching Adonis' attention, but he does give the boy quite a scare with the fierce nature of his gaze. 

 

"For one, I do not live in hell, you bloody idiot." Death growled low and angrily, "And for second, there is nothing I can do currently! So shut up and get back to protecting your people!" He snarled and shoved him back, glowering at him till he timidly went back to what he was supposed to be doing. It was not as if it pleased Death to see all the gore and the dying. It was not within his grounds to help more than he was right now.

 

"My Lord...look," Roaden gasped softly, distracting Death for a moment from his anger. He turned and looked to where Roaden was pointing with a trembling finger. The heavens had opened in a single swirling spire of light cast down from heaven. It was a swirling living mass of fire and from it black spirits - the kind like what had been trying so desperately to escape Death's realm a while ago - appeared in force. This Adonis...he had opened the gates of the spirit realm and out poured all the creatures Death had been ordered to suppress. 

 

The immortal cursed loudly. There was nothing left for it, normal angels could not handle spirits of this kind, not without massive damage and no few deaths. Still cursing, Death ordered one of the younger death angels to return and bring Rei and the higher Reaper angels back with him. "Damnit, this is not good." Death rumbled, standing close to Roaden, ready to protect him even at the cost of being found.  Exodus and his sons could handle themselves, but those that were not of his household needed him.

Meanwhile, Ceata had pulled himself and Farryn into a nearby vacant home - its occupants already fled. He shut the door with his boot and lay there, panting hard as he could feel all the pain shooting up his back. He writhed in absolute agony, holding the unconscious Farryn against him to try and stave off this feeling. The brand was bubbling and twitching, giving off so much agonizing pain. Ceata could hear the sounds of those creatures sniffing around. They were lingering in the area, leaving the others to rush forward and attack...standing. like sentries. What was going on?

 

Whatever it was, it boded no good. Shivering, Ceata hid his face into the curve of Farryn's neck, teeth chattering from all his shudders and twitching. Scratching of heavy claws, the tic-tic of them as those creatures moved around outside the house was all a foreboding background noise to Ceata's agony. The brand... it ached so badly.

 

However, it was not as bad as the ache of realizing that Urius was out there somewhere. He was probably in pain, but Ceata could not feel the other's presence. Ever since they stopped having sex, he had lost his contacts with the male and now was searching blindly for his aura...anything....anything to know he was alive. Surely, even in his weakened state, Urius would not fall victim to these creatures, right? Ceata was not so certain, feeling his shadows curl around him in an attempt to calm him. He was terrified...terrified for himself, for Farryn, for Urius, and for everyone.

 

Unbeknownst to him, Exodus and Jinevae were flying over as the firestorm died down closer to the center of the black cloud. Exodus had a shield around them that permitted them to continue onward, but it was at such a sluggish pace. Spirits tried to cling to them as they went and soon Jinevae really did have to land again. It was one small step from the Maestar Quarter to the half-collapsed Valen Tower. Jinevae rested here as the rippling creatures on the ground howled in anger at not being able to get up that high - all the while black spirits whizzing by at an alarming rate. "T-this...this is madness..."

 

Exodus panted, shaking his head. "Fucking hell, more than madness, Jinevae." he growled softly, standing straight slowly, hand sliding through his wild hair as he looked around with jaw clenched in agitation. They were very close now to the center of all this, and yet still no sign of Ceata and in this current welling of power, finding him was nearly impossible.

 

Ceata noted something was different outside of the little house, hearing the creatures snarling in frustration. With what strength he had, he tried to get up and look out a window, his vision blurring from the pain. Still, he clung to the window there and saw the small figures at the top of one of the partially-destroyed towers. it didn't take him long to realize who it was, his shadows almost dancing with happiness.

 

"G-grandma!" He shrieked, waving an arm up at them, desperately hoping he could get their attention. Suddenly more agony ripped through him and he shrieked with pain, nearly crumpling to the ground again save for one arm  gripping urgently at the window ledge, keeping him up just barely.

 

"...Do you think we should keep looking?" Jinevae asked as he stood there and looked down at the ground, terrified by all the creatures seen circling around the tower through the black smoke. However, Exodus quickly shot out a hand to silence him. He heard something...something he thought sounded like Ceata. 

 

The scream of pain caused him to skitter over to investigate. He frowned, leaning over the edge with his eyes narrowed. "Did you hear that Jinevae?" he asked hoarsely, peering down, looking intently. A flash of white distracted him, the motion of a hand it seemed. "Down there, look. Does that look like a hand to you?" Exodus demanded of his companion, waving him urgently over to look as well.

 

"A hand?" Jinevae asked, squinting and looking down to where Exodus pointed. He didn't seen anything at first until he saw a flash of something as though someone were trying to crawl out a window. He gasped. "It's Ceata!!"

 

Exodus gave a hiss of relief, glancing to Jinevae. "I'll go down and grab him, ok? Unless you wanna come and help?" He asked, shifting restlessly. There were a large number of those beasts wandering around down there, it made Exodus nervous.

 

"I don't know what use I can be...but I will help...um...but I don't have a weapon." Jinevae looked around as though he might find a weapon laying somewhere. Exodus simply used one of his shadows to materialize an axe and put it in Jinevae's hand. The other then helped him down with the spread of his wings. The creatures were waiting, trying to snap at any opportunity to strike, but Exodus sent his shadows ahead of him like a plume of blackness to make them scatter.

 

The shadows fell like ink, splattering and flowing into the area, ripping into the creatures with teeth like razors and hulking bodies shoving them out of the way violently. Exodus took his chance, hurrying to the window. "Ceata?!" he cried, looking in and finding his grandchild huddle, in obvious pain just beneath the window. Further in, Farryn lay unconscious with shadows swirling restlessly about his body.

 

"Dear God, Farryn!" Jinevae cried, picking him up and then looking desperately to Exodus. "I...I can't carry you all. I don't have that kind of strength..." Jinevae says as he looks to Farryn and then to Ceata and Exodus. The poor youth is clinging to Exodus in pain, the other trying to soothe him and not knowing how. Outside, the shadows try to fend off the creatures with all the force they have, but it won't last long with so many of them there.

 

"Take Farryn up, I'll shift." Exodus rumbled, coddling the shuddering, pain racked body against his own as Ceata clung white knuckled to the dark clothing of his grandmother. Jinevae needed to get Farryn out of here, Exodus could not hold the beasts off with his shadows for long.

 

"A-alright..." Jinevae says, picking Farryn up as he looks nervously towards the door. he can see through the open threshold the Shadows fighting valiantly. There isn't much time. Thus, he is the first to go out and takes a running leap into the air, carrying the limp Farryn in his arms as he flies off back the way they came.

 

Exodus slunk out next, moving swiftly. He would have to find a good shadow for shifting, it was dangerous to do so and if he couldn't, climbing was the only option and that would be difficult with Ceata so limp against him.

 

 The creatures swirl angrily outside, having gathered now in a vast number at hearing the death cries of their comrades. Such a number is gathered that Exodus isn't sure he can spare a Shadow without getting himself killed, holding to Ceata. He has one shot at this...if he draws all of his shadows to himself instantly, he'll have at least a minute before the creatures are upon him. At least that will be better than being surrounded and overwhelmed. Already, he can hear beasts clawing at the rooftops to get behind him as spirits swirl angrily up above. 

 

Taking a shaky breath, he drew them all in swiftly, the shadows snapping back to him so swiftly he nearly toppled, but they came from all sides and kept him standing. He had to be fast, had to shift now before they attacked and distracted him from his goal.

 

He could feel the rippling heat, the gnashing jaws, so close to him that he shut his eyes tightly and shifted to the first place he could think of. He ended up on the other side of the defensive line, standing before the portal with the twitching Ceata in his arms.

 

Panting, heart thundering in his chest, Exodus wiped a bead of sweat off his forehead in relief. Get Ceata out and then take things from there. Ceata groaned, shaking his head, struggling to get from Exodus' arms. "Urius.... Urius..." he cried.

 

"Ceata! You're alright!" Jingarther gasped, having just appeared with about one hundred of his father's men to help back up the lines. They had pushed the creatures back with the help of the Death Angels, but it was only so far as the center street of the Commons. There was quite a lot more ground to cover, but at least the Vale had not yet been overrun. People were quickly fleeing to that area, there being guards already stationed to assist them.

 

Exodus grimaced. "He's alive, though I doubt he's alright." He uttered, hauling the struggling younger male, wincing as Ceata howled in pain and crumbled weakly in his arms. "Is the portal open? I got to get him out of here."

 

"Yeah...Your Lord Death is by the portal now, directing troops where they need to go. We can't bring the whole army through there, though. Already, Death is going against the Gods by assisting this much, especially after he declared neutrality," Christian, the pissy little cutie in the priest uniform, says as he stands there. He's taking a break from casting charms into the mess of creatures appearing from the center of Tenshihana as well as healing those that have been injured or giving last rites to those too far gone.

 

"Death trumps the other gods in this currently, they allowed it to get too far." Exodus replied as he swung Ceata up and over his shoulder, even as the young male sobbed angrily and clawed at his back. "I don't have any idea where this'll go, but for now we got to get our people out of here."

 

"But what about Urius?!" Falcon cried, appearing from the front lines covered in blood. He has his swords out and his armor on, no doubt having pressed into the lines and slain many enemies. "What do you mean to do about my uncle?!"

 

"What can I do about your uncle, Falcon!?" Exodus demanded harshly, glowering at him in anger and guilt. "I can't simply waltz in there and save him, not when we're against a damn god-creature!"

 

"Well, you can't just LEAVE him! Think of Ceata!!" Falcon cried, glaring at Exodus as he wasn't about to have his uncle dead just because everyone was too afraid to go after him. 

 

"Think up something and maybe we will!" Exodus snarled, only to have his hair tugged viciously by Ceata. "Put me down!" The young male screamed, eyes blazing and expression a twisted mask of anger.

 

"C-ceata...!" Jingarther says, seeing the other growling at him with his eyes showing such viciousness. Even Christian seems to quirk a brow as he watches the boy being placed down against the ground, having to lean on Exodus for balance.

 

"Ceata...you feel the same way I do, don't you..." Falcon says, his blue eyes gleaming. "We need to get to the center of that thing. While you were out there, did you see any way in?"

 

Trembling, Ceata licked his lips, thinking hard through the pain. "I... I think I did..." He answered hoarsely, shuddering as he had to slip to the ground and rest. His lower back throbbed, but not nearly as badly as before.

 

"Then direct us to it!" Falcon says, ready to go out himself if he needs to. Of course, he would only do so if Eos permitted it. The two were tied, after all. If one of them died, the other would be unable to recover. 

 

Ceata staggered back up to his feet. "G-gimme a moment." He hissed, arching his spine, face contorted in agony. Anyone watching him rightfully flinched and had to glance away. Once he had steeled himself enough, he nodded wearily.  "Ask your lover, Falcon..." He uttered weakly.

 

Falcon nodded and turned, hurrying off to go and find Eos in the crowd of soldiers. He would help Ceata in any way he could, knowing that it would be saving his uncle. However, Ceata would not be let back there alone. Already, Exodus was asking help from Lazarus to talk some sense into him. Faust and Doll were the same, mortified that he wanted to return. 

 

Ceata, was not hearing any of it. He waved them off, growling loudly. "I'll go with him...." Someone said from nearby and they looked up to see Absinthe, slightly wide eyed. He had snuck out, for Death had told no one to keep him out of the mayhem.

 

"You're not going," came the cold words that bit like the chill of winter. Stannis appeared from the front line, covered in blood like his son. He had returned to get fresh soldiers before heading back, seeing his son talking feverishly with Eos to try and convince the youth to let him find his uncle. Stannis wasn't about to let Falcon or Absinthe go out into that danger. For all he cared, Urius could die...As it was, he was holding a monster far worse than this. "None are going. It's suicide...Not to mention Absinthe can't resist Adonis' powers and Ceata is too weak to walk. Who do you imagine will protect you? And if Death hears of this - which he most certainly will - I believe he will agree with me."

 

Ceata flashed an angry snarl at him, stumbling back a bit as more pain shot up his spine. No, he could not leave Urius here to die! But what could he do? He was damaged and those here could easily enough force him to stay.

 

"My Lord!! My Lord!!" a Starc came running from the battle line, his eyes wide with shock. Stannis turned with the rest of the group, seeing the young man stopping before him and panting. "M-My Lord...T-the Palace...T-the Tenshihana Palace -!"

 

"What is it? Speak up!" Stannis orders sharply, but he is answered when a resounding thundering explosion is heard. All those who are not focused on just struggling for their lives look up and see the beautiful symbol of Tenshihana - the white and gold gleaming towers that stretch far into the heavens - slowly beginning to fall. "G-God..."

 

All of a sudden there is a great dust cloud that covers over the sky and the black swirling mass of fire spreads in a gigantic flash of light. Far enough away, Jinevae is thrown off course by the force of the explosion as the shockwave levels everything around the center of it.

 

"No -!!!" he cries, hitting hard against a building and then blacking out. Ceata gives a scream of desperation just as the dust and debris hits their small group. The Tenshihana Angels use their shield powers to protect the line as best they can, casting their holy spells even as the debris presses into the golden shields and push them back. Death looks to the debris that soon fills the air, obstructing any view they might have. 

 

Collapsing to his knees, Ceata clutched at the nearest person, blindly wailing. Since he could not feel his lover, there was no way to know whether he was alive or dead, not yet at least. Absinthe glanced down at Ceata, the pale male gripping him in his desperation and felt a surge of guilt.

 

What he had wanted all along had come true, hadn't it? Urius must be dead...and it wasn't him who killed him. Holding to Ceata, he felt the other's shuddering sobs even as the shockwave continued to rip through the city, collapsing buildings closes to the center and causing the streets to crack and sink. Absinthe couldn't help but feel he had helped cause this.....and, in that moment, he was free of his love for Adonis for just that bitter minute when he realized what a monster he had been worshipping.

 

And it ached, ached so deep at his failure and foolishness. How could he hold such a monster in such a high regard? He had been so cruel to his family by worshipping that beast. His hand closed around Ceata's, giving the elder male the comfort he so desperately needed. But what of Adonis? Where was that bastard now and what... what were they to do?

 

There was an eerie silence as the dust began to settle. There were still the screams and the sobs of terrified people, but the beasts seemed to have dissipated with the debris. The air was choked with all of this black smoke and the rolling heavens mirrored the tumultuous city now shaken to is very foundations. A crack of thunder hit and rain began slowly to fall as the sky turned from black to a hateful gray. Ceata's sobbing was soon all that could be heard in the silence as the soldiers stared. The dust settled faster with the addition of rain, revealing a city with empty streets, bodies littered everywhere...and a quiet swirling blackness that stank of death.

 

Still sobbing, Ceata glanced up, looking with red rimmed eyes upon the devastation with a numb expression on his pale face. What had happened left him aching and depressed, sorrow twisting inside and eating him from the inside out viciously. Everyone was silent, staring and waiting for something, anything to happen and break the sudden eerie silence. Death was tense, hair slicked to his face from the rain pouring down upon them from the heavens. Waiting, just waiting. Frozen.

 

Jinevae gasped, pushing himself up from the rubble where he had been sheltered. Without it, he probably would have been crushed by all the falling buildings. Farryn in his arms, groaning in pain, Jinevae crawled out of the dark hole where he had fallen. His strength helped him by holding up one of the sides of a massive wall to keep the others from pushing in on him, but he's exhausted now. Pulling Farryn up, he looks around with the rain streaking his face at the quiet. It feels just like it did back then, that miserable raining day..."Hello?! Is anyone alive?!" he calls out, pain aching up and down his sides. "Hello?!" No one answers...

 

With what strength he has left, Jinevae pulls Farryn over his shoulder. The other makes a moan of agony at his broken bones that are slowly healing back together. The destruction makes Jinevae sick. His heart twists in pain when he passes the bodies of those that weren't able to escape in time. There are so many...People who just died on their doorsteps, ripped to pieces by those creatures. Others were trampled on in the crowds, the fear still plastered to their pale silent figures. Jinevae shivers as the cold rain persists. However, he hears the sound of clopping hooves just down the road. His head turns quickly, eyes wide and ready for a fight. However, it is only a lone horse...Urius' horse. "B-Bastian?" he gasps lightly, hurrying over to the animal who seems to have been running this far out in fear. Some animals run wild in the streets in other places, but this animal is hard to mistake. The strange crescent star on his chest means he is the horse that Urius rides.

 

Jinevae goes over quickly, seeing then that the beast teeters in a sickened manner. Jinevae stops just before the animal, his face contorted with confusion before the creature - quite literally - falls apart right in front of him. Legs give out and crumple into bloody sticks and the body collapses from within itself, the head just rolling off like lumpy clay. Jinevae cries out and jumps back, staring down at the creature in shocked horror. He then looks up towards the way the creature came from....and then to Farryn on his shoulder.

 

"...I'm sorry, Farryn..." Jinevae says softly, going to the safe spot from before and placing Farryn down gently, taking off his cloak and covering over the other's shoulders. Making sure Farryn is comfortable, he then turns and runs in the direction where the horse came from, disappearing into the mist.

 

Shifting on his knees, Ceata looked with despair toward where last he had seen Urius heading, his heart feeling weak and heavy. Absinthe was the only thing keeping him from toppling, from slamming his fists over and over against the ground in his despair. Death growled softly, looking to Stannis with a strained expression. "What now, my lord?" He husked, voice thick and expression tense.

 

"I..." he starts, only to see Roaden suddenly vaulting over the defensive wall they had created. "Lord Roaden! Get back here!" he cries out, seeing the man stop a moment on the street where bodies are littered all around him. Roaden gives him a defiant and cold look.

 

"You may hate your brother, Stannis...but I do not. Urius is our Second...now that Rowan is gone, he is all we have for command. I mean to get him back," Roaden says with a firm voice. "Anyone that wants to come with me, this is your chance!"

 

There are few volunteers. Many of the soldiers would much rather leave this to the stronger warriors, knowing that they are terrified by what they have just experienced. They are confused as to what Roaden is talking about, many still believing that Rowan is the kind and beautiful man that could never chance like this - a man who is their savior, not a monster. It's quite obvious that's not the case to anyone that is close to him, but many are still in denial. 

 

 Ceata heaved himself up and was off before anyone could grab him, though Absinthe made a late one, crying out as his nephew ran off, limping slightly as he jogged after the others. Before Absinthe could take after him, he was stopped by Death, the immortal glowering down at him.

 

"Damn it!" Stannis cursed as he saw his son rushing off to help, but stopped him as well with a firm hand. "You are not leaving here...Let the fools run to what could be their death, but I will not lose my son because of my brother's own idiocy," Stannis commanded firmly, Falcon wrenching away.

 

"Do you care so little for your family?!"

 

"It is because I care for my family that I do not let you go...Urius would never want anyone to go after him and die needlessly, anyway...You, Eos! Stay as well. If you die, my son will not forgive himself." Stannis' orders boom over the silence, holding the young ones from going forth. He then turns to look at Death with gleaming blue eyes. "We have to be cautious, sir."

 

"I realize this." Death replied darkly, shifting as he watched the white dot of Ceata as the young man ran. The thought of blood was on his mind, killing the beast that had caused so much destruction. Death could no more hold back Ceata than he could control the fates. Death glanced down wearily upon Stannis. "Your plans, my lord?" He whispered.

 

"I'm staying here with my people...there are citizens in the Vale that need our help. Tenshihana and its future must be secured...It is what you plan, My Lord, that is more to my interest," Stannis replies as he looks up at Death with his blue eyes. Death is quite surprised at the change of color in Stannis' gaze. That normally steel-colored stare is now a bright and brilliant blue. He hopes he's not dealing with another Sorrow here. "I suggest you go and help Ceata....You, Exodus, and the others. I will see to it that the younger warriors are sent back. If you would kindly let your Death Angels stay to help secure the area, I would be most obliged." Ah, that is the stoic Starc general for you. 

 

"Of course." The immortal replied. All he had need of where his shadowshifters, Rei could aid Stannis well enough in his place. The immortal bellowed for his warriors, the few of them quickly coming to his side. Even Lazarus, so newly given birth was at his side and prepared to kill for his beloved master and creator. "We move now, this must be stopped." Death rumbled, before he too, parted through the lines and made his way swiftly towards the source of all this chaos and death.

 

The Angels let him go, watching as he and a procession that followed after him hurried along the broken cobblestones towards the ruined center of the citadel. The Maestar bridge had long since collapsed, causing quite a divide as the lake was now pooling in the cracked sunken center of House Maestar and in the beautiful Academy that Ceata had only seen a little while before. How weak Ceata felt. He was having a hard time and soon Roaden had to hold him up. It wasn't long before they were caught up to, having only made it as far as the edge of the Maestar Lake.

 

"My Lord Death!" Roaden said in surprise when he caught sight of the God.

 

Death smiled slightly upon him, eyes softening a little as he set his pace with the other male's. "Yes, I am not going to leave you to your doom." he uttered softly, shadowshifters ranging alongside them, their shadows whipping about, making it easier for them to progress by creating bridges out of their own forms. "We've got to rescue our Urius, yes?"

 

"Yes..." Roaden says with a warm smile, glad that Death cares so sincerely about rescuing their friend. Even though Roaden still feels a bitter sorrow at the loss of Rowan, his eyes still having un-dried tears threatening to spill, the help is greatly appreciated. Thus, the group set out over the plane of destruction, hoping to find their comrades. Ceata could not feel better, leaning against one of his fathers as his back begins to hurt more and more the closer they get towards Adonis. Even Absinthe can feel it, yet his is a swirling and overwhelming desire to fall to his knees and writhe. The pain mixes with pleasure of the deepest kind and the desire to be subjugated as hard and as viciously as possible.

 

It agitates him, making him fall a bit behind. Death took him merely to keep an eye on the young male, for he was the only one of the group able to keep any sort of harness on Absinthe and his powers. The progression is slow, at least it is for Ceata, mind fogged with pain and face set in a grim, determined mask. The young male will not stop, leaning against Doll as they hurry him along. Family all joined together to help, though not all are as faithful to family as they had used to be. Death merely wishes to end this and all the horrors that have gone with it.

 

This is only the beginning. As they get closer, it's clear to see the various signs of a great power scattering buildings to the wind. They are barely out of the Maestar Quarter when they find Farryn leaning up against a wall at the main road, Jinevae's green and silver cloak draped over his person. Roaden is the first to run to him. "Farryn!!" he cries, seeing there his friend unconscious and in pain. Farryn's eyes flutter when the other shakes him, he finding consciousness somehow as he looks up to see Roaden's blue eyes full of worry.

 

"...am I dead...?" are the first words he asks, in so much pain. 

 

 Ceata gave a gasp of relief, looking about for Jinevae. Where was the man? He had been with Farryn last he had seen the huge male. But now... there was not a sign of the large angel. "Farryn... where did Jinevae go?" He asked softly, making Absinthe stiffen and look wide eyed in shock. Jinevae was somewhere in this mess!?

 

"Jinevae...? I don't know...All I remember is trying to save you from being hit by rubble...Gah...I think I broke something..." he hisses, laying there and looking up at the other with pain. He gives a bitter smirk though. "Looks like things are really fucked up...What happened?"

 

It's then that the group hears Exodus swear as he walks over to the dead horse that literally collapsed under itself. It's steaming and emitting an inky black smoke that rolls up into the air. Its flesh is deteriorating incredibly fast. 

 

All turn to look curiously at it and there is a dull, cold shiver of fear that ripples through all of them. Ceata's throat clenches, eyes watering as he gazes upon the steed he had last seen his lover riding. "W-we gotta hurry... something bad is happening." Ceata urged, stumbled up again with a groan.

 

Exodus was still cursing loudly and he glanced to them with a heavy frown on his dark lips. "This is some fucked up shit, my lord Death.... we better watch our asses or we're not getting out of this."

 

"You guys go on ahead..." Farryn says as he tries to pull himself up. He has handed off Jinevae's cloak to Absinthe by now, the other clutching it hard as he looks down at the fabric that Jinevae had been wearing that day. Oh, God...if he lost him to this mess he really would despair. Already, his heart was breaking from Adonis' betrayal...if he lost another mate, it could very well kill him. "I'm too messed up to follow...Ughn..."

 

"Don't even talk like that. We have to take you with us!" Roaden says, trying to sit the other up so he's not in pain. 

 

"He needs to be sent back." Lazarus replied softly, kneeling down by the injured man, his dark eyes grave as he checked the angel over and found many a broken bone. "He needs to be taken care of, shall I take him back my lord?" Lazarus asked softly, glancing to Death. The immortal frowned, not so sure if he should even allow one of them to go back and leave him one less man.

 

"Look...I'll be fine...my body is slow to heal but, uhn...I should be okay if you guys come back to get me. Besides...yah gotta hurry and find Urius...I think...he ran after Adonis...Ah..." he sits himself up, in absolute agony from the various broken joints and bones and fractures. He'll be hurting for at least a week, but he's not as bad off as some.

 

Death nodded sharply. Lazarus left him with at least one shadow to guard over him, but they had to move on. Waiting much longer was damn foolish. It only allowed Adonis more time to kill Urius... and more time for Sorrow to reappear. Ceata shuddered, hissing softly as Absinthe tried to get a hold on himself. Jinevae would be fine... he had to be fine!

 

In fact, it wasn't too long before he was discovered. They turned the corner down a street in the beginning of the Valen quarter, finding Jinevae there as he used his tremendous strength to move boulders and free some people who had been trapped in a house. The survivors funneled out, Jinevae, trying to remove the wall. His muscles rippled, sweat glistened on his body, and his eyes turned a gleaming glowing silver before he threw the wall to the other end of the street, it skidding to a stop dangerously close to Death and there party. There were heard the cries of little children. "I...I'm comin'! Don't give up now!" Jinevae grunted, grabbing another huge boulder and flinging it. "Damn...!" His shoulder dislocated and he had to stop, popping it back into place without so much as flinching. His blood was boiling, the adrenaline flowing, so he didn't even feel anything as his body compensated for the strain.

 

Absinthe scrambled over the boulder when it came to a stop, eyes wide, face beaming in relief as he rushed to Jinevae and instead of grabbing him as he wanted, started tearing into the boulders with him, struggling to help his lover save the children. All thoughts of his own needs were scrambled and forgotten for now as relief at seeing Jinevae alive fueled him. "Oh god, I thought you were dead!" He panted, glancing up.

 

"A-Absinthe-sama?!" Jinevae gasps, turning then with a huge boulder in his hands - this one about the size of a small car. "E...Everyone! You're okay!" Jinevae almost forgets himself and the boulder slips a little, but he catches it and carefully puts it down. He then hears the children crying out for him and turns back, helping Absinthe pull away the rest of the rubble and look down a hole to see a few children huddled in what used to be a cellar. Their worried mother waits with the rest of the survivors,-

her nervous tearful face watching helplessly as Jinevae tries to get them out. "Damn...yah got any rope, love?" he asks Absinthe, panting from all the strain. His hands and knuckles are bleeding from having picked up such tremendous boulders. He literally tore a house apart to get to the people.

 

"I can get them." He uttered, sadly with out rope. But while he has no rope, shadows will work perfectly fine. Carefully he crafts them into a long, rippling length, tying one end off against a boulder before tossing the other end down to the people huddled. "Grab it, it'll wrap about you and haul you up, ok?" He called down, voice strained.

 

The children nodded, the older ones helping the little ones out first. It's a bit of a lengthy process, but each child is retrieved as they get close and end up safely in Jinevae's arms. He sets them down, they running to their mothers or...if there are no mothers, they run to whoever will take them. At last it is done and Jinevae sits back on a boulder, his muscles trembling from all the work he did. "..D-damn...ah...this ain't the first of 'em...People all over here are trapped....What're we gonna do?"

 

"Someone needs to tell the soldiers." Death rumbled, carefully picking his way over, the other shadowshifters rooting about a little, checking for any signs of collapse in the area. "The way back is not so bad, but it grows worse the closer we get to the source, I believe they can take a message back, correct?" He asked hopefully.

 

"Yes, but it will be slow," Roaden says as he has been tending to the people, telling them the way back to safety. It's hard to believe Jinevae saved all of them. An entire half of a building has been ripped apart in his mad dash to help. Jinevae now sits against a boulder, looking utterly spent as his head bobs and his eyes slowly lose their sheen. Absinthe tries to comfort him with Shadows, doting on his beloved Jin who smiles up at him so adoringly.

 

"F-fer a moment...I thought I wasn't going to see you ever again....I'm so happy, Absinthe-s-sama....I thought I wouldn't get to tell you...how much I love you...before the end," Jinevae pants as he looks up into the other's beautiful face. 

 

Absinthe flushed darkly and nuzzled Jinevae, uttering soft little utterances of love and affection, near to tears. How bad he felt, that though his words were true, there was still only one person who owned him completely, even be it through cruelty and dominance.  Shakily, the shadowshifter kissed and caressed his face, licking his lips nervously. "I know... I love you too." He uttered hoarsely. "But I must... I must go with them and help."

 

"...I wish I could lend you my strength...b-but I'm spent..." Jinevae says with much regret, his eyes gleaming as he looked up at Absinthe with such genuine love. If only Absinthe could be owned by this man...His heart would never know a painful moment. "Love...please...be careful, o-okay? I may not be a Shadowshifter...but....but I know, deep in my heart, that I really couldn't live without you." 

 

The words rocked Absinthe to the core. Never had anyone spoken such words to him and meant them. There was no denying them when Jinevae spoke them, for the Jin was so sweet and good in heart. Shivering, he leaned in and kissed Jinevae hard, desperately. He did not know if he would die today and if he did, he demanded that he at least have the memory of one last kiss with this man he'd come to love so much.

 

Jinevae kissed back breathlessly, overwhelmed at first by the other's sincere response to his words. He wraps his arms around Absinthe and pulls him close, feeling something like sadness tugging at the corners of his heart. All along, Jinevae has known Absinthe has been distracted, held firmly in Adonis' hand...However, he is changing. In that kiss, Jinevae tastes a new and stronger man who, in some ways, no longer needs him. When Jinevae breaks away, he finds himself smiling though his throat clenches in both sorrow and happiness. Absinthe is breaking free and, though it will mean the man he loves may change, Jinevae will never forget him just as he is right now - utterly radiant. "I'll be waiting."

 

Absinthe managed a smile and a little caress through the big man's beautiful curly hair before he was up and joining the others, Death already making his way toward their destination, grimly clenching his jaw. Absinthe gave one last look back and waved, before they disappeared behind a toppled building.