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Arknights Blackness AU - Chapter 3

Hey there!! I just finished one of the longest things I've ever written, chapter 3 of my most recent Arknights AU starring Jacksy and Exusiai!!

Surprisingly, Tumblr can actually hold 16k+ Words in a post! However, if you would like to read this chapter in the google document, the link is provided all the way down at the bottom. There is also a gore content warning partway through the chapter! If you don't want that part to spook you, you can read the google document with the part in question censored.

Thanks for reading!!

Her reflection was like a mirror, providing visions of a calmer world, where she didn’t have to run in fear forever.

But they were just visions, and far, far from reality.

It had been a day since they had left that town to rot, and only a night since they fought that Pythia. Worn from the walking, the pair of angels sat tucked under a carriage stop beside a wet, overgrown road. It was still in operation, obvious by the still flipped signs beside the terrace fencing. A light rain had blown in the night before, slicking the roads and creating a thick scent of wet leaves that rose into the cover above.

Jacksy was asleep, resting their head on Exusiai’s shoulder. Exusiai, in return, draped a damp wing around her partner as she gazed at the puddles beneath her feet. Birds chirped overhead and various insects crawled about the grass. Lizards and small rodents scampered across the road - or what was left of it - to pick up a morning meal.

Exusiai could take the moment to relax and reflect. She breathed in the moist air, then exhaled, and could think clearly. No more running. No more hiding. She didn’t have to fight right now. She could rest.

Jacksy sat beside her, quietly sleeping away, nigh motionless. Their wings curled around their body as they slept, keeping them warm in the slight chill of the air sweeping above the nearby mountains. Their halo hung low to their head and blinked, and they didn’t dare move in fear of losing this moment of comfort.

As Exusiai let out a quiet sigh, the birds before her scattered into the trees above. She raised her head and examined the scene, and noticed the pebbles on the path shake. She nudged Jacksy slightly, and when they didn’t respond, she nudged harder, to which they shook awake.

“The caravan is coming up now, Jacksy,” Exusiai explained. “You can sleep again on the way,”

Jacksy said nothing and rubbed their eyes as they stood to their feet. After waiting another moment, the sound of horse hooves and rolling carriage wheels broke the tranquility of the scene. And even later, the various splashes of browns and whites from the horses of the carriages came forward. The Sanktas watched as four carriages passed them, then the entire line stopped.

After a moment of silence, a young-looking Perro slipped out from the rear of the carriage and approached the two. On his back he carried an old spear, which Exusiai had noticed did not appear as if it had been used often. The Perro paused in front of the couple, bowed, and lifted the book in arms to his face.

“Good evening, you two!” He said with a bright smile. “Traveling with the caravan, I presume?”

“Yes, we are,” Exusiai responded quickly.

“To what stop will you be heading to? And what is the purpose of your trip?” The Perro continued. “I also need to know if you carry any weapons, and how many people will be traveling-”

“Whatever the furthest stop is from here,” Exusiai said sternly. “We’re trying to… Escape poor relations, you could say,”

“I see…” Said the Perro. “But I need to warn you, weapons are strictly- Wait a moment…”

The Perro paused for a moment and flipped through the pages of his book, before looking up at the two before him. His face lit up for a moment before he returned his attention to the duo.

“I apologize, but you two are Sanktas! Your patron weapons are still within our whitelist, so please carry on!” He said. “And we rarely see Sanktas around here, so… I’ll write you two in for free!!”

The two looked rather surprised.

“Anyway! Two folks, heading to Port Jacoby to avoid relations, on about three-days of a trip,” continued the Perro, “Hey, we have the same plan! Here, you can hop in this carriage with me!”

Exusiai glared at the young man, but did not detect any ill intent in his words. Exusiai motioned for Jacksy to follow, which they abided, and they hoisted themselves into the carriage before them. The young man rang the bell on the side of the carriage before hoisting himself up too and settling himself beside the two new arrivals.

“Oh, jeez, sorry, I’m nervous!” He said. “I’ve never gotten to see a Sankta in person, much less two,”

“We’re rather special to humanity, huh…?” Exusiai questioned. “I suppose it is in our creed to protect the common people of the world…”

“Oh, where are my manners!!” Stuttered the Perro, extending an arm. “I’m Blue, a part-time adventurer! I’m helping this caravan until I reach my stop at Port Jacoby too…”

“Nice to meet you!!” Jacksy beamed, accepting the handshake. “Why are you heading there…?”

“I have a friend who lives there, who needs my help with a few things,” Blue replied. “Port Jacoby is nice, anyway, so it’ll be a pleasant trip!”

Exusiai let Jacksy and Blue talk. She thought it would be a good idea for Jacksy to know somebody, so they could express themself more. She thought she got boring, too, and that it wouldn’t be terrible for Jacksy to get to know others. So Exusiai reclined, folded her wings across her body, and slowly drifted to sleep.

~ . . . ~

Exusiai couldn’t move her body. She couldn’t feel her legs. She couldn’t think.

It was terrible.

It came so quickly, nobody could’ve prepared. An all-consuming abyss, eating away at the Seraphit, crushing walls to dust, turning the gardens into wastelands, and mercilessly killing all who attempted to oppose it.

What was this?

She couldn’t stand there and think. She had to do something. Would she run? Would she try to fight and die like the rest? Or would she fly away and never look back?

She would make a choice, but…

Exusiai realized she was missing something, nay, someone.

Exusiai’s heart raced. Jacksy. Where was Jacksy!? The frantic angel launched herself into the blackened sky and dove towards the Seraphit, gawking in terror at the plague spreading across the walls like wildfire. She watched as a Sankta landed on a ledge to fight the darkness, only to get claimed in an instant. And to her disgusted terror, she watched the flesh melt off his bones and rot into the stone.

Exusiai frantically dove further, crashing into one of the remaining gardens beside her fellow angels. She looked up at them with terrified expressions, and they looked back with the same terror. Exusiai stammered in silence, trying to find the breath in her to finally speak.

“V-Velliv!!” Exusiai cried. “Wh-what’s happening!?”

“Lemuel, my child, stand to your feet!” Commanded the higher-up. “I don’t know myself but… We’ve fallen under siege by some ancient evil.”

“W-We can’t fight it off!!” Cried one soldier ahead. “It’s not reacting to Arts or gunfire, we- We have to-” “Silence your terror!!” Shouted Velliv. “We shall not back down to any evil!!”

“Velliv, Commander Oren is dead!!”

“Wh-what!?”

Velliv retracted slightly. She stifled back tears with a cough, then drew her sword.

“Lemuel, it is not safe here anymore!” Velliv cried. “Take your firearms and leave this place!!”

“N-no!!” Exusiai sobbed. “I won’t leave you, Velliv!!”

“Lemuel, my dear, listen to me…”

Exusiai looked at Velliv with tears flowing down her face. Velliv set a plated hand on her shoulder and looked her sternly in the eyes.

“Lemuel, you are my student. You are a guardian Sankta, not a warrior,” Velliv said. “You have nothing to gain fighting this evil, Lemuel. Please, run from this place, and get as far away as your wings can carry you!”

Exusiai stumbled backwards, then gazed up at the spreading infection. More Sankta fell from the sky, more Sankta perished and dropped, and she watched as the purging darkness crept further up the walls of the place she once called home. Tears streamed down her face as she staggered backwards.

And all of this fear made her forget one thing…

“No!! Velliv, I will not leave Jacksy behind!!”

“Lemuel…” Velliv muttered. “Find them, Lemuel. Find them, and run. And never return. You must promise me this,”

Exusiai nodded firmly, then crouched, and took off, leaving Velliv to watch the streak of red vanish into the sky.

Exusiai landed again, this time by a distant library. Swinging open the doors, she ran inside, down the nearest hallway, and cried out for Jacksy. Sankta ran past her, others hid in fear, but Exusiai wouldn’t leave until Jacksy was with her.

Exusiai smashed through another door, then looked out across the balcony to see the path of destruction that had been carved.

The town steads were leveled, the walls of the city were dissolved, corpses littered the fields, rotting away in seconds. She watched another Sankta struggle to escape the clutches of this darkness and witnessed again as their body corroded and rotted away in a moment’s notice. Exusiai couldn’t hold back the urge to scream in terror.

But she had to keep going. She had to keep looking. She had to keep fighting!

She bolted down another hallway, stifling sobs behind whimpers and sniffles, and kept going. Finally, slamming open another door, she spotted a frail cat-eared figure cowering in terror under a desk, two Sankta standing before them, guns aimed up at the room’s stained window. Something was out there.

Exusiai scrambled over to Jacksy, but a deafening scream from the sky outside staggered her and pushed her to her feet. The Sankta before her stumbled too, but steadied right in time to see a gigantic figure crashing through the window with no effort. The three armed angels looked up at what beast had threatened them.

A wyvern.

A wyvern made of bone, held together by rotten sinew and molding flesh. And there it stood, glaring at the motion before it. The two standing ready lost their composure in a moment’s notice, one dropping their gun to the floor. In desperation, one tried to run, but the wyvern slammed its weight inside and snapped a talon over their body. They let out a scream loud enough to wake the dead as the claws of the winged beast carved a gaping hole through their body. The other Sankta opened fire, only to get swiped by the claws on the end of the monster’s wings.

Jacksy couldn’t believe what they saw. The Sankta that had been swiped at stood to their feet, then stumbled, and fell. They stood again, just to watch their body turn pale, then a rotting green. They stumbled again, let out a scream of pain and terror, and watched as their flesh peeled off their arms. They cried out for help and reached forward towards Jacksy, only for them to retract in anguish and undeniable terror. After a moment, they fell silent into the arms of death, and black blood oozed from their corpse.

Exusiai tried her hardest to free the poor Sankta caught by the draconian beast in the room, but it was no use. The monster took off, retreated from the window it arrived from, and slammed all of its weight onto the poor angel in its clutches. With another ear-shattering screech, it took off into the sky, never to be seen again.

Exusiai scrambled to Jacksy’s side and pulled the unstable angel into her arms. Immediately, she ran, crashing through a window and using her wings to keep her falling slowed enough for a safe landing.

With no other thought in her mind, she set Jacksy down, grabbed their arm, and ran as fast as her legs could carry her.

And never did she dare to look back.

~ . . . ~

Exusiai awoke quietly from her nap, stretching her arms, and wings out before looking across the carriage. They were stopped, likely at an outpost, and Jacksy and Blue weren’t present. Exusiai sighed slightly, checked her holsters, and slipped from the carriage onto the dirt road beneath her feet.

The surroundings were rather quiet, still beaten from any sizable towns. A couple of cottages sat tucked away in the brush, and a small general store seemed to be the most grandiose structure in the vicinity. Blue and Jacksy sat by an old well, a book in both of their hands, talking and chatting away about the various wonders of the world they knew. Exusiai cracked a minor smile at the sight of the two getting along and hung around the carriages for a while.

A few of the other carriage men chatted amongst themselves, some tending to wheels or sewing the thatch roofs of the carriages together again. Some loaded the wagons, others tended to the horses, some read through legers and brochures. They occasionally looked up at the rare sight of a Sankta, then dismissed their glares as she squinted at them in return.

With Jacksy, Blue was educating the Feline on the maps of the surrounding valleys. He told them of the lakes and rivers they fed, the mountains and valleys, and the upcoming Grandiose, a city of pride and honor. He told them of its glorious golden gates and the walls tipped with bronze, the vastness of The Maw, a great river that flowed southeast, and about the beautiful Port Jacoby that sat at its mouth into the ocean. Contently, Jacksy listened, their eyes sparkling with a young and fascinated innocence.

Exusiai soon joined the pair by their spot, batting a silent salute to announce herself. Jacksy beamed up at her and pointed at the map in Blue’s hand.

“El, Blue’s told me so much about this place!!” They stammered with overflowing glee. “I never knew that these cities could sound so pretty…”

“They’ll wind up like the rest anyway,” Exusiai thought. “But I don’t want to spoil their thunder.”

“I’ve heard there was a bit of a delay further ahead, the river flooded in a storm recently and the bridge and riverbed paths are inoperable,” Blue explained. “The coachmen say there’s a spot for us to stay in Grandiose once we get there, so I can show you around!”

A silent chill of fear ran down Exusiai’s spine, ruffling the white feathers in her wings, though she did her best to hide it.

“Oh, that’s okay, really,” she said, attempting to hide her concern. “We’ll carry on, just on foot,”

“No, no! We’re here to serve you Sankta!” Blue insisted, not knowing the danger that lurked mere days behind them.

“N-No, really, we should-”

“El, c’mon!! We’re still a few days ahead, we need to try to relax, right…?” Jacksy pleaded, tugging slightly on Exusiai’s shoulder. “Let’s stay, just for a bit, please…? We just have to keep a lookout!”

Exusiai hesitated for a moment. She let out a somewhat irritated sigh and shook her head.

“Alright, but only for a day,” she said. “We have little time to hang around in a city, we have things to attend to,”

“Right, right, I understand you Sankta must be very busy sometimes,” Blue said with a nod. “But I assure you we can be quick! Our road teams are all rather skilled!”

Blue seemed to shake with pride as he spoke. Jacksy shared the enthusiasm, and Exusiai tried to follow suit with a mild grin on her lips. Exusiai still had a creeping fear, but she rubbed the thoughts out of her head, or at least tried to.

“Grandiose is about another hour down the road from here. We’ll stay the night, and most of the following day, and if the riverbank is clear by then, we can proceed that night,” Blue explained. “It’ll be another day or two before we reach Port Jacoby, though, so we’ll be with the caravan a while…”

“What kind of city is Grandiose?” Exusiai asked with a hint of fear - or perhaps a little anger - still lingering in her tone.

“‘A city of pride’, or more so arrogance,” Blue replied. “The nobles there are too caught up in the beauty and wealth of the city to care about anything else, and I fear it might’ve leached onto the townsfolk as well…”

Exusiai rolled her eyes and shook her head slightly.

“Unfortunately, the only other city nearby is Titula, and its trade roads have been out of commission for the past few months,” Jacksy butted in. “That’s what Blue said, at the very least!”

“They’re cautious of foreigners, too, so even if we could get there in a timely manner, there’s no guarantee they’ll take even one of us,” Blue groaned slightly. “Grandiose is our best bet! And the coachmen don’t want to change their plans,”

Exusiai let out another sigh. She disliked being so impatient, but when the plague was mere days behind them, she couldn’t help but be weary. Jacksy seemed to forget about their sorrows though, so she didn’t want to rain on their parade. She stopped asking questions and ceased her complaining, in fact, refusing to say anything beyond this point. She stepped off to the side as Blue and Jacksy resumed their conversation, and gazed up at the late afternoon sky, slowly fading to a hazy purple beyond the clouds.

~ . . . ~

Those golden steps were no longer of triumph and victory. They now sat scratched and bloodied to mark the beginning of an endless, sorrowful journey.

Hundreds of Sankta who had gathered by the outer walls sat crowded together, crying under the shelter of each other’s wings as they walked and walked, afraid of what would happen to them if they stopped.

Jacksy was tightly clinging to Exusiai, who could only offer a hand on their shoulder to reassure them they were safe. Deep down in their heart, however, they knew they were not truly safe. They wouldn’t be safe anymore. Never. Not again.

Some Sankta had lost their wings. Others bled from wounds they had sustained from their attempts at fighting, some even lacked an arm or a hand they had taken in desperation to avoid their death. Nobody knew what that darkness was, nor where it came from, nor why it came for them. They couldn’t understand what had happened to them, and perhaps, they never would.

Here they walked, along that ‘Road of Triumph’ that once carried them closer to the Seraphit to claim their weapons, now using it as a passage of safety to run from the place they called home. It was ironic.

“El… Where are we going…?” Jacksy asked, still clinging onto their beloved.

Exusiai’s breathing paused for a moment. She couldn’t come up with an answer and sighed, tightening her grip on Jacksy’s shoulder. Mentally scrambling for any way to quell their sorrow, she said whatever came to her mind first.

“Away.”

Jacksy didn’t understand. They looked up at her with more sorrow in their eyes than before and asked again.

“J-Jacksy, I don’t… I don’t know, okay…?” Exusiai muttered. “We’re just… Going away as far as we can…”

Jacksy still didn’t understand. Perhaps they were never meant to understand. Tears welled up in their eyes as Exusiai looked away and swallowed. She didn’t want them to lose hope, but she was slipping from the thought of a safe future too.

Exusiai would always go to her mentor, Velliv, in times of need. Yet Velliv had never returned, and Velliv had without a doubt been claimed by the plague. Exusiai tried her hardest to stifle back her tears, but it was a tough effort she couldn’t fulfill. A stray tear rolled down her cheek in silence.

“Velliv, she… She told me to keep you safe, no matter the cost, Jacksy,” Exusiai muttered. “I want you to know that, despite what happens, I won’t leave your side…”

Jacksy couldn’t find room in their heart to let Exusiai’s words quell their sorrows. They still held onto that fear, and they expected to hold on to it forever.

The sounds and images played back again and again in Jacksy’s head. The sounds of screaming, the sight of that awful wyvern, the feeling of that creeping darkness. Jacksy couldn’t scrub the thoughts out of their mind. Their halo quivered, the holysteel sparking and threatening to light under the weight of their stress.

Exusiai could do nothing. Not for herself, not for Jacksy, and certainly not a thing for her fellow Sankta.

So she kept quiet. Jacksy kept quiet. Everyone kept quiet.

And all they could do was walk forward and pray for salvation.

~ . . . ~

Grandiose, the city of pride and honor.

Yellowing whitestone walls braced with copper and brass were erected high into the sky from the ground below, containing the no-doubt honorific architecture within. Exusiai thought it rather foolish, to have walls so wide and tall that it would be impossible to see any impending dangers.

As the carriage bells rang, the caravan finally came to a stop just outside of the main gate. Blue slid from the carriage with his manifest, his two Sankta guests following close behind. Jacksy gazed up at the walls, seeming nearly endless, in a state of childlike wonder. Exusiai gazed at the walls too, but with a far lack of Jacksy’s amazement.

“Alright, we’re ready to go!” Blue said as he pivoted on a heel. “We’re expected to be back here around this time tomorrow, so let’s go enjoy Grandiose while we can!”

Blue laughed as he kicked his heels, turning and motioning for the two to follow him. Exusiai felt just a little better, seeing his peppy attitude, and even better once Jacksy enthusiastically ran after him. She had little difference of a choice other than to follow the pair.

Soon, the worn and trodden dirt turned to mossy stones and cobbles beneath their feet. Even the front gate was tall and lucrative, with silvers carved out in elegant shapes and patterns to be engraved into the stone walls. Jacksy’s amazement didn’t cease there, as the buildings dotted across the streets were just as lustrous, elegant, and amazing. An extensive structure sat along the furthermost wall, standing tall above everything else to truly show the grandeur of who may live inside of it, a king, to Jacksy’s assumptions.

“Welcome to Grandiose!” Blue chuckled. “Now! For a bit of information,”

Jacksy’s attention returned to Blue.

“The enormous building on the other side of town is the ‘palace’, where the ‘Grandmaster’ lives. He’s kinda like a king, if you wanna call him that,” Blue began. “That enormous tower over there is the library, and this here is the inn. If you get lost, look out for the bell posts, as they all have maps! And if you look over there…”

As Jacksy listened intently to Blue’s ranting, Exusiai couldn’t help but feel a little overwhelmed by the gazes she felt fall upon her and Jacksy. They weren’t the bewildered and amazed glances of those who had never seen a Sankta; they were instead rather rude gestures that reeked more of jealousy or resentment. She glared back at those she passed in the street, who looked away. Perhaps it was her twitchy hand resting on her holsters that made them reconsider their mocking gestures.

“Who let these winged bastards in here?” Exusiai heard a steelworker groan.

“Oh, great, do we have to take one of those arrogant birds in?” Moaned another common man. Exusiai glared fiercely at those who made the comments.

“...and if you’re looking for a fresh coat, there's a tailor down that street,” Blue continued on. “There’s a forest trail along the eastern gate, too, and we can go there once we rest up!”

Jacksy said nothing in return to Blue, but he could tell by the frantic beating of wings behind him that Jacksy was very fascinated. They had never seen a town like this before, so they were very interested in learning more.

As she overheard more comments and exchanged more glares, Exusiai sped forward and loomed right behind Jacksy. She tapped on Blue’s shoulder, abruptly breaking him from his non-stop talking for just a moment, so she, herself, could speak.

“I really don’t mean to interject, but I’m already beginning to feel as if we aren’t welcome here,” Exusiai groaned.

“O-oh, right… I forgot to tell you guys about that…” Blue whispered, rubbing the back of his head. “These guys are really arrogant, and they think so highly of themselves that they see Sankta as attention-seekers,”

“I was starting to like this place, too…” Jacksy whimpered.

“Don’t worry, stick with me and they won’t disturb you,” Blue suggested. “And if they get too close for comfort, just show them you’re better than them, and fly off! Easy as that!”

“But Jacksy can’t fly,” Exusiai interrupted.

“Eh…?”

“They never learned. They don’t have the wing strength to keep themself off the ground, either,”

“Oh, s-sorry for bringing it up…”

“No, it's okay!” Jacksy said. “It doesn’t bother me too much… I don’t do any of the fighting, anyway…”

Blue remained in a state of ‘mournful’ silence for just a moment before shaking his head.

“W-Well! We should probably go to the inn, grab some food and clock out,” Blue suggested. “We should rest up for tomorrow!”

Exusiai nodded. Jacksy remained partially still.

As Blue turned to walk to the inn, he turned his head and smiled.

“Go enjoy yourselves! I’ll book us a room, so let’s meet up in an hour!” He called. “Just don’t run off without me, okay?”

As the excited Perro skipped off, the two Sankta turned to each other. Jacksy had a subtle hint of resentment or perhaps fear, while Exusiai shared their concern.

“How long do we have…?” Jacksy asked quietly.

“Not long,” Exusiai responded. “The Blackness should be slowed down by the valleys and the caravan gave us more than enough distance for a while. As long as we can leave on the earliest convenience tomorrow, we’ll be able to get to the shore before it can catch up,”

“But what about the people here…?”

“Look at them, Jacksy. These men are equipped with not only finely crafted weapons but also blinding arrogance,” said Exusiai. “Even if we tried to warn them, they wouldn’t listen to the likes of us. They’d think they could simply defeat it in combat too,”

“So what you’re saying is…?”

“It’s for the best. Yes.”

“E-El!!”

“I’m sorry Jacksy, but we just… We can’t stop for every person, okay…?”

Jacksy sighed and felt their wings sag. They had already learned the truth, but they didn’t want to accept it. Exusiai was determined to keep going, and Jacksy knew the importance of the survival of the Sankta, but they felt as if leaving entire cities to die was wrong. Even Grandiose.

Exusiai let out a slightly discouraged sigh at Jacksy’s disappointment. She didn’t want them to lose hope. She never wanted them to lose hope. Yet, here she was, losing hope in herself.

As the pair began walking, Exusiai immediately noticed more mocking gazes fall upon her and her partner. She noticed a child by a shop looking on in amazement, only for an agitated parent to pull them inside and deliver a scornful glare towards Exusiai. The only people who didn’t look up in disgust were the guardsmen, but even they too held grudges against the angels.

Soon, the pair stopped before a storefront that, much like everything else in the city, was speckled with bright colors from the silken banners that hung before the door. Jacksy looked up at it in amazement, slowly stepping forward and daring to walk inside. Exusiai didn’t want to deny them any more joy, so she followed them inside.

As the angels pushed past the curtains that served as a doorway, their eyes fell upon the shopkeeper, an old Elafia man dressed in the typical luxury robe. He was speaking to a rather short Zalak, the kind with the fluffy tails, who was speaking so quickly that it was a shock to Exusiai that the old man could even comprehend a response. The Zalak was also rather expressive with her hand movements.

“Why thank you, Shaw, again, for your service,” said the old man in a gentle, although creaky, tone of voice. “This is the last time we will meet for a while, correct?”

“Yes! I am departing with the caravan for Port Jacoby tomorrow afternoon,” said the small courier. “I am grateful to have served Grandiose!”

As the Zalak turned to depart, she froze at the sight of the two Sankta by the doorway. Her shock caught the attention of the shopkeeper too, who looked unusually delightfully surprised at their presence. A tender smile flushed over his face.

“Oh, you’re a rare sight,” he said. “Welcome to my humble shop, my dear angels,”

Exusiai was rather surprised to see such a welcoming face. She returned the brief smile, then turned her attention to the little courier that stood before the shopkeeper.

“Good day, Sankta!” Shaw said with enthusiasm in her tone. “I will be out of your way soon, please be patient!”

The little Zalak spoke so quickly and hurriedly that Exusiai still couldn’t quite make out what she was saying. Whatever it was, the shopkeeper seemed to understand.

“Shaw, my dear, would you be kind enough to stock the storeroom while I welcome our sweetest guests?” Asked the old man. Shaw simply nodded and waddled past the rear curtains.

“I apologize for the wait,” said the old man. “That little Shaw… She’s a courier from the nearby area. Brings me all kinds of things to sell. She really is a treasure,”

“She’s charming,” Exusiai said.

“Anyway, my dear Sankta, what may I do for you today?”

Jacksy paced around the small store, the various items of high-standing craftsmanship piquing their interest. The shopkeeper chuckled at their curiosity.

“Oh, careful there, young one. Those are rather fragile magic catalysts,” laughed the shopkeeper. “My shop has many things, the odd, the ordinary, the strange and unique. Please, take your time,”

As Jacksy paced around the store in unending curiosity, Exusiai approached the shopkeeper, greeting him with a brief smile. She slouched against the wall as she spoke.

“Did that courier say she was leaving with the caravan?” She asked.

“Hm? Oh, yes, she did. She’s a rather busy sort,” responded the shopkeeper. “She’ll be leaving once the road ahead is cleared. Why do you ask?”

“We’re a part of the caravan too, just looking for some friendly faces, is all,”

“I see. Well, I certainly hope the road clears soon. We’re still waiting for the messengers to come from the port, I sure hope that awful plague isn’t close.”

At those words, Exusiai felt her heart stop for just a moment. That ‘plague’... The Blackness. That’s right, this city was soon to be a victim of the Blackness.

“You mean the Blackness…?” Exusiai mumbled.

“The Blackness? Is that what they call it?” Asked the old man. “Yes, that awful spreading darkness that corrodes the living,”

“Sir, I think you should come with us,”

“Why? Is it close?” “N-No, but…”

Exusiai remained silent for a moment.

“Forget I said anything,”

The old man bowed his head for a moment too. He blinked twice and cleared his mind, then hid his sorrows with a smile as he returned his attention to the curious little feline still prancing around the small store.

Exusiai pushed off the wall she was standing against and joined Jacksy’s pacing around. She began eyeing a small pouch with the sign of a halo marked across the leather. Curiously, she lifted the pouch and held it to the light.

“What’s this?” She asked.

“Ah, those are gilded silver bullets, relics from Sankta artisans!” Said the shopkeeper. “Shaw brought those in last month. I assume only angels like you would have use for them, so I’ve held onto them should one stop by,”

“Better than concentrated light. Kills a Pythia with a shot through the eyes. Swifter than feathered steel,” Exusiai muttered. “Cuts through water, maybe whitestone if you aim well. So I’ve heard,”

“All these rumors are correct, my angelic friend,”

“I’ll take them,”

The shopkeeper looked very impressed and clasped his hands together. Exusiai slipped a handful of gold coins on the counter, then replaced the space on her belt with the pouch of bullets.

It was obvious that Jacksy wasn’t intending on buying anything, with how long they had been skipping around the shop in silence. Exusiai simply watched with a smile.

Shaw soon emerged from the back of the store, still carrying with her the large backpack. She waddled past Exusiai, pivoted by the door, and saluted.

“I will see you sometime later, Mr. Talin!” She said, just as rapidly as before. “And you too, Sankta!”

The Zalak then strode past the curtains and down the road, off on her own adventure. The shopkeeper chuckled.

“Thank you for your patronage,” said the shopkeeper. “Please, my angelic friends, continue on your task with caution,”

“Thank you, sir,” Exusiai said. “C’mon, Jacksy, let’s not leave Blue waiting,”

~ . . . ~

The sky was lightly dusted with clouds that looked like cotton. Birds chirped overhead as woodland creatures scuttled across the ground in search of food. Spring was in full-swing, grass bright as emeralds and flowers blooming like it was a canvas. And there sat Exusiai in the middle of the meadow, watching her beloved skip about in blissful, child-like ignorance.

It was rare that she left home, and even rarer that she could take Jacksy with her. While she didn’t care for the freshness of the spring air as much as her peers would have, she still felt warm and comfortable in Jacksy’s presence. Watching them skip around the flowers and laugh as they tripped filled her with a nostalgic feeling of how she used to play alongside her sister. While those days may have been long gone, Exusiai had vowed never to forget them.

“El, El!!” Jacksy shouted as they ran around the angel. “Did you see that over there!? I think I saw a fairy!!”

“A fairy? Heh, you’ve got a wild imagination, Jacksy,” Exusiai chuckled.

“No, really!! I swear I saw one!! Can we go look?”

“I suppose. Just don’t run off like last time!!”

Jacksy’s wings fluttered excitedly and their tail swished in anticipation. The little Feline took off, skipping further through the flowers in search of the fairy they had claimed to have seen. Exusiai ran close behind them, carrying a smile on her face as she slowly neared Jacksy.

The Feline braked and hung low in the foliage, folding their wings across their torso to avoid making noise. Exusiai mimicked them, ensuring Jacksy was never out of arm’s reach. Jacksy slowly crept forward before planting themself flat on the ground. They poked their head forward, and sure enough, there they saw it.

A pair of small, shimmering fairies, flying in broad circles.

Immediately, Jacksy’s face lit up again. They spent a moment to get lost in thought, comparing these odd little creatures to themself and their beloved beside them. Exusiai looked over at their bright smile, chuckling softly. Her reaction was slightly too loud, however, and the fairies noticed their onlookers. The skittish creatures immediately ducked and took off under the petals of freshly bloomed daisies. Jacksy frowned as they stood up and dusted themself off.

“I wanted to watch them a bit longer…” Jacksy whined. “But I’m still happy to have seen them!!”

“You’re studying fairies, aren’t you?” Exusiai asked. “You told me all about them last week, it was cute.”

“Ehehe… W-Well, I’m studying dragonians, now!” Jacksy responded enthusiastically. “Wyverns, wyrms, even Pythia!!”

“Oooh, Pythia are always fun to scare my classmates with,”

“I heard they’re shapeshifters!! And they’re really nice in their human forms!!”

Exusiai laughed at Jacksy’s seemingly endless enthusiasm. She was happy for them to be so enthusiastic about something, even if she knew little about it herself. Jacksy had never had many people to talk to, as people were far too afraid to speak to a Feline in the Seraphit. Yet, here Exusiai stood, clasping Jacksy’s hand in her own, another palm resting on their cheek.

Jacksy felt safe. They felt loved. They felt comfortable.

And Exusiai was happy. She was content. She was amazed.

Hand in hand they walked, slowly wandering back to the Seraphit which loomed in the distance near to where they had settled. In this moment of calm, Jacksy thought to themself about the future. They knew no matter what happened, they would always be by Exusiai’s side.

Always.

~ . . . ~

Precipitated dew still lingered on the tips of the leaves, dripping to the stones below in an addictive quietness. The thick forests outside of Grandiose were much different than the arrogant bustle of city life. It was nice to take a moment among nature.

Blue led the angels on ahead, brushing foliage past him with an extended spear. The Perro seemed to bounce with each step he took, Jacksy following a very similar approach. Exusiai, however, was the only one among them who didn’t possess such thrill.

“These woods have been left untapped for years!” Blue announced. “Despite Grandiose’s lust for power and fame, they’re dedicated to keeping this place left untouched…”

“Do you know what creatures live out here?” Jacksy asked, teetering on their heels in curiosity.

“Nothing out of the ordinary, like fairies and sprites,” responded Blue joyfully. “Maybe the occasional nymph if you’re lucky!”

“Anything dangerous?” Exusiai asked with a hint of caution.

“Hmm… I think a couple of hunters said to be wary of Stags,” Blue replied again. “Big deer-like creatures with magical antlers!”

“Oh, oh, I’ve heard of those!!” Jacksy shouted out enthusiastically. “I heard they protect springs and sacred parts of the forest they live in!!”

“Oh? I’ve never heard about that before!!”

The two continued to ramble on and on about their studies, Blue giving a fact for Jacksy’s exuberant extension. Exusiai simply stood back and chuckled. She hadn’t seen Jacksy this excited since they were a kid. It was cute.

Yet, Exusiai could tell something was off. Her wings fluttered impatiently, her halo quivered and hung low, yet her eyes couldn’t trace anything suspicious. She shook her head and vowed to carry on, but kept a hand by her holster for good measure.

Sliding down a muddy hill, Blue raised his arms into the sky as he skipped ahead.

“And this, here, is the Great Green Oak!” He laughed, tail wagging fast. “Pretty nice, huh? I love spending time here!!”

“The Great Green Oak? Isn’t that a Treant?” Jacksy asked, cocking their head.

“Yep! But she has woken up in about a week. People come here to fight her all the time,” Blue continued. “They say she rewards anyone who can beat her in a test of combat prowess,”

“What does she give them?”

“Hah!! Beats me!!”

Blue stopped, pivoted on a heel, and held his spear forward triumphantly. He grinned, raised an eyebrow, and bowed.

“So why don’t we find out?”

Jacksy nodded in agreement, then stopped themself and stuttered, realizing what Blue was doing by clicking his spear against the rocks. As he turned his back again, the giant tree before the group quivered. The roots trembled, digging themselves out of the ground, and soon supporting the weight of two great wooden arms. A pair of deep green eyes opened, stared the group down, and focused on Blue, standing proudly before the magnificent beast of nature.

“Hello, oak!!” He said playfully. “We heard you like to fight people!!”

The Treant curiously looked at him, slowly lifting more of itself out of the ground. Its expression shifted, however, when Blue raised his spear into his hand and pointed it forward in a challenging stance.

“Blue, what the hell did you just do!?” Exusiai staggered, diving in front of Jacksy.

“Finding out what she gives to people to beat her in combat!!” He laughed.

Finally pulling the last few branches and roots from the ground, the Treant grumbled as the two angels and the dog formed up before it. It roared, signifying that the fight was on. Blue was raring to go.

Immediately, Exusiai unleashed two bullets from each pepperbox into the creature’s incoming hand. She kicked backwards, sending both herself and Jacksy tumbling into a patch of moss.

“Jacksy!!” Exusiai cried. “You know what to do!!”

Jacksy nodded, then hopped up a set of rocks to begin their strategizing.

“Treants; They’re slow, but strong and very observant!” They began. “They can trace magic and see through illusions, so there isn’t any hiding!”

While Jacksy was calling out information, Blue was busy distracting the beast, ducking and diving between attacks to return a spear against parched wood. He grunted each time his spear bounced back into his hand, yet never faltered from the fight.

Exusiai flew up, then dove past another strike, planting more rounds into the creature. Yet, no matter how hard she concentrated her shots, she made no progress.

“Treants are nature spirits- No, that isn’t useful!!” Jacksy cringed. “Use their bulky figures and slow speed to defeat them!!”

“How do I actually hurt this thing!?” Exusiai cried out, narrowly dodging another strike. “Nothing Blue or I can do will make a dent!!”

“U-Um- Right!! ‘A Treant’s skin is made of wood, sometimes thick enough to be resistant to the sharpest blades’,” Jacksy stuttered, frantically hopping in place. “The only way past it is to… Is to…”

Blue wasn’t able to keep his composure up much longer. Only a few seconds into the fight and he was being pushed to his limits. Jacksy had to do something and fast, else the three of them would be cleared.

“C’mon, Jacksy!! Concentrate!!” Blue shouted, deflecting another incoming root. “Ent skin… Roots… Thickness…”

“Weak points… Soft spots… Weaving…” Jacksy mumbled. “Th-that’s right!! A Treant’s skin is often woven together to remain strong!!”

“How do we get around it?” Blue called again.

“We have to find a spot where it unwinds - Apply enough pressure or leverage, and then the wood should unravel, leaving the weak flesh underneath!!”

Exusiai flew backwards and joined Jacksy’s side, Blue scrambling over just beneath them. Jacksy quickly looked over the growling beast, tracing each fold of ‘skin’ and the cracks of the wood. They were running out of time, and they never operated well under stress.

“‘Ent skin weaves from a central location for each part of the body,’ I think is what the books said,” Jacksy muttered. “And for the arms, it was… The shoulders!!”

“And for anywhere else?” Blue questioned.

“‘The crystals underneath their skin are located’... I can’t remember!!”

“‘The life-granting crystals of the ent are located underneath the lowermost leaves’, so the forehead!” Blue finished. “Exusiai, how close can you get?”

“As close as I need to,” replied the angel.

“Then I want you to get close and distract it! I’ll go for the shoulders,” Blue requested. “And Jacksy, you keep up what you’re doing!!”

“On it!!” The Feline responded.

Blue bolted forward, immediately clashing his spear against some roots. Boosting himself into the air, he landed in a small patch of moss behind the Treant’s arm. The monster was too distracted with swatting at the Sankta before it to notice the Perro slowly creeping up higher and higher.

“Look for the softer spot!” Jacksy cried. “Do you see anything El?”

“Not yet!!” Exusiai called back. “Wherever this spot is, it’s likely under those leaves, and I can’t dive in that close,”

Exusiai was doing a great job at distracting the creature, flying around just out of reach. As Exusiai avoided another incoming swing, Blue hoisted himself up the other arm. Holding on tight as it swung forward, he crawled forward along the appendage. Exusiai’s swift movements, Jacksy’s strategy and knowledge, and Blue’s combat skills were all coming together.

As the Treant lifted its arm up high, Blue nearly slipped, but caught himself and his spear just in time. Unfortunately, his yelp had drawn its attention, and it caught onto his strategy.

“Exusiai!! Take my spear!!” Blue cried. “Unravel it!!”

Exusiai braced herself in midair. The spear flew past her and into a tree behind her, which allowed her to safely retrieve it. Holstering her pepperboxes and yanking the spear from the wood, she flew backwards, then dove towards the monster's shoulder. She had to hasten. Tracing the folds of the monster’s wood, she soon found the spot where it all wove together.

“Leverage and pressure!!” Blue called out, still swung around by the giant’s might. “C’mon, Exusiai!!”

With no more thought, Exusiai plunged the spear into the opening. The Treant cried out in pain as she wrenched the polearm back and forth. Then, once it slipped, she set her foot on the handle and flew against it.

In less than a second, she stumbled forward, and the wood around the Treant’s arm completely unraveled, revealing soft, tan ‘flesh’ underneath. Blue and Jacksy let out their excited cheers.

Exusiai rolled once she hit the ground, passing Blue’s spear across the battlefield. Then, taking to the skies again, Exusiai unholstered her guns and began opening fire on the weakened monster. Painfully, the monster swung forward, almost succeeding in finally clapping the angel out of the sky.

“Blue, while it’s distracted!!” Exusiai cried out from the air. “I can’t keep this up for much longer!!”

Blue smiled triumphantly, running behind the mobile giant with a spear in his hand. With a powerful swing of his arm, the spear flew from his hand, right into the beast’s back. It yelped in pain, yet focused on Exusiai’s rhythmic shooting. Blue then jumped, grabbing hold of his spear, then boosting up to the other shoulder. Thinking fast, Blue realized his next target.

“Please be careful up there, Blue!!” Jacksy yelled out. “Go for the vines, while it's still occupied!!”

The Perro nodded, then shoved forward, throwing his weight into the air. Jacksy covered their eyes in anticipation. Yet, from the excited shouts of Blue, they could rest easy. Blue had landed his jump, grabbed hold of a stray vine, and swung up to the monster’s face. He tumbled through the leaves, quickly locating the folds of wood, then wedged the point of his spear into the softest spot. Tugging with all of his might, the monster howled in pain, stumbling backwards. One of Exusiai’s bullets nearly ricocheted into her, but she dodged just in time.

Blue tumbled from the monster’s branches, glimpsing the shining crystals now exposed from their thick wooden casing. Rolling to absorb the impact, Blue quickly moved out of harm’s way, then gazed up at the streak of red in the sky.

“Exusiai!! The crystals!!” He shouted. “You know what to do!!”

Silently, Exusiai bolted further into the sky. She angled her body just right; her halo igniting with rage and passion, her pepperboxes dripping with melting holysteel. With a steady eye and the perfect amount of height, she clicked the trigger.

And forward flew a blazing bullet of white-hot holysteel.

It hit the mark.

The Treant roared in agony as the bullet struck the crystals. It grew limp, stumbling back and forth before falling down into the mud once more. Silently, its roots settled back into the ground as its jaw hung open. The three stood motionless for a moment before Jacksy and Blue erupted into cheers. Exusiai softly descended and joined her allies by the beast’s silent body.

Then, the Treant’s eyes slowly crept open again. The monster exhaled, then sat itself up. Exusiai instinctively raised a pepperbox, but holstered it again when the ent smiled at her. The exposed wood bound itself together again as the light in the crystals grew bright once more. Blue retracted his spear, Jacksy slid down to join him, and Exusiai’s wings folded behind her back again.

“Great Oak, ma’am, um,” Blue stuttered. “I hope that our teamwork was what you were hoping to see,”

The Treant looked at Blue, smiled, and laughed. She nodded, to which Blue responded with a vigorous wag of his tail.

“Though, we should really thank Jacksy, for coming up with all the actual ideas!!” Blue laughed. Jacksy blushed and scratched the back of their head, chuckling.

The Treant let out another laugh before leaning forward. It reached into the thick patches of leaves on its head and plucked a singular leaf from the branches. It then gently reached forward and placed the shimmering leaf into Blue’s hands. He was glowing.

“Woah!! Jacksy- Jacksy- Look!!” Blue cheered. “Quick!! What can I do with a Treant leaf!?”

“U-Um, I can’t remember, exactly, but…” Jacksy stuttered nervously.

Without another word, Blue quickly shoved the leaf into Jacksy’s hands. He smiled at them, to which they smiled back, then placed the leaf in their hair.

“Since you were really the whole brains of this, I want you to have it,” Blue said warmly. “A gift to a friend!”

“Th-Thanks… I appreciate it, though, I didn’t really do anything…”

Jacksy nervously chuckled again, Blue and the ent before them laughing.

“I hate to spoil the mood, but I feel like we should probably get back to Grandiose,” Exusiai remarked. “We need a rest after that,”

“Right!” Blue exclaimed. “Goodbye, Great Oak!! I’ll visit you again when I have the time!!”

As the three turned to leave, the Treant settled and waved back. It dug its roots into the ground, finally resting as it had before, awaiting another challenger. The party of three skipped through the forest again, laughing and going on about the fight they had just overcome. Jacksy and Blue were proud of themselves.

Yet Exusiai still suspected that it was growing close.

~ . . . ~

The night was still young, still cold, and still so dark. It didn’t matter to the young Perro, though, as he had something to do. Someone to find. And he had a lead, after so many years.

He had lost track of time since then. The day he woke to nothing beside him but a crumpled letter written in ink. A letter telling him to never follow her. A letter that told him to never leave the safety of that town.

Why?

That’s what he asked himself every passing day.

When?

He wondered when she would return.

Yet, those questions lay unanswered. Every morning was no different, waking up alone, no hands to hold him, no syrup-sweet voice to greet him. He tried to wait, yet nothing ever came of that.

Until, one day, a letter arrived at his doorstep. Wrapped in a royal seal and tied with woven rope, he expected nothing less of grand news. With his hope fading, he jolted in anticipation. Was it finally time? Would he finally learn where she had gone, after all these years?

The Perro hastily tore open the letter, unfolding the parchment inside and staring at the fine print. It was a letter addressed to him, but the handwriting was not of his beloved. Nevertheless, he sat and read.

“Blue,” it began. “I understand how distraught you have been over the past few months. It must feel very troubling to lose someone you care about so suddenly.”

He frowned reading the letter, his tail sagging.

“I am pleased to bring good news, however,” it continued. Blue perked up in an instant. “While I do not know exactly where Mulberry has gone, I believe I may have an idea. I know someone who may be able to help,”

His interest peaked. He continued reading hastily, skimming over each line until an important name showed up.

“I am no use to you so far away, however. I would like you to come to Port Jacoby to meet with me, old friend.” The letter continued. “There is a caravan leaving from Hawthorne at the end of the month. Please do not miss your chance. I will await your arrival patiently,”

“Signed, Jordi Fontanarossa.”

This was his chance.

This was his only chance.

She was still out there, and he had a chance to finally reunite with her. He wouldn’t ever reject the thought.

He folded the letter, stuffed it in his pocket, and ran to collect his things. His spear, maps, food, money, anything he deemed necessary. With his things packed, he turned his head to the old cabin of his and readied himself to depart.

As he walked to the edges of the village, however, he heard a voice call to him.

“Blue, dear, where are you going?”

He paused, then turned.

“Miss Lovelace, I…” Blue stuttered. “I know somebody who thinks they know where Mulberry is…”

The elderly woman’s expression softened from concern to a tender smile.

“I hope you understand, Miss Lovelace. I don’t want this chance to go to waste,”

“I understand, dear,” the woman mumbled. “But please, do be careful. That dreadful plague is out there, and I would hate for you to hurt yourself looking for your dear Mulberry,”

Blue nodded firmly.

“I will be careful. For everyone’s sake.”

Blue turned his back again, pausing at the woman’s voice once more.

“Where are you going anyway, dear?” She asked.

“Port Jacoby,” Blue responded. “Jordi says there's a caravan leaving Hawthorne this week heading to the coast. It’s the only opportunity I have,”

“Hawthorne is still a few days of a walk away,” said Miss Lovelace, frowning. “Not to mention the creatures in the woods…”

“Please, Miss Lovelace, I’ll be fine,” Blue answered with a smile. “I’ve got a weapon and the skill to use it,”

The woman’s expression sagged as Blue turned away again. Yet, she wasn’t too sad. This is what Blue wanted. This is what Blue needed. She said nothing more and silently watched Blue’s figure disappear into the chilly night alone.

Blue held onto what hope he had left, skimming over the letter again and again. His heart raced, his soul quivered, his hands shook with anticipation. He would finally be reunited with his beloved, after years of mourning their separation.

Though, beyond the whistle of the wind, he could hear the quiet whistle of a woman, the tender beating of wings just beyond that melody. He didn’t identify either, nobody in his village had wings.

Shrugging past the strange phenomenon, he kept walking down the barren dirt road. Yet, the whistles grew louder, the beating stronger, and soon after passing a clearing in the trees, he saw a woman, resting in the thick branches of a tree. She sat hunched over, cleaning the weapon in her hands, her black wings flapping behind her. She seemed content, until she stopped her haunting melody, ceased the movement of her hands, and slowly turned to Blue.

“Hm? Oh, hello, Perro,” said the angel smugly. “What has you out so late at night, I wonder?”

A Sankta.

Blue was having a conversation with a Sankta.

His voice trembled as he tried to speak to this holy entity. His tone was meek and frail, but he finally spoke to such a beautiful creature.

“U-Um, I’m trying to leave for Hawthorne,” he said. “I’m looking for someone,”

“Looking for someone? Why, isn’t that vague…”

The angel holstered the weapon in her hands and slid from the branch, landing on her feet and fluttering her feathers. She turned to the Perro, grinning warmly, slowly approaching him.

“It seems we aren’t too different, you and I,” she said. “But I wonder again, why is it you’re running for Hawthorne of all places? For what reason do you search?”

“I- Um- I’m looking for- Her name is Mulberry-”

“Oh, so it’s a significant other you’re looking for?~” Mocked the angel. “I imagine you’ll hunt this world until you can find her again, no?”

“Y-Yes, I will! It’s been years, and I finally have a lead, I just need to-”

“Shh, it isn’t my duty to know why,”

The Sankta chuckled under her breath. She stepped backwards, launching herself into the air, the blue streak of her hair fading into the moonlit sky. Blue looked frantically into the sky, but was shocked to find the blue-haired angel suddenly behind him.

“But I can see it now, young Perro,” she said. “You feel as if you are under-prepared to take on this journey alone,”

Blue seemed confused. He had a spear, knowledge, courage! Yet, as he thought deeper, he felt the insecurity grow.

“Hmm… Right there, I can feel the rough, burning spot inside of you,” the Sankta muttered. “Perhaps you need some help? The Blackness is brutal, you know,”

As the angel spoke its name, her jet-black feathers seemed to shine in the moonlight. Blue felt fear shoot through him like lightning, but an exhale kept him cool from its scorching heat.

“I- Um- I… I might need some help,” Blue finally admitted. “But how can you help me…? I don’t mean to underestimate you, but-”

“I’m ecstatic that you asked that,” said the angel. “I can offer you a deal. A compromise. A bit of you, for a bit of me,”

“But I’m of no use to a Sankta!!”

“Remember how I said I’m in search of someone too? Perhaps, if you help me find what I’m looking for, I’ll help you find what you’re looking for,”

Blue thought silently for a moment. He was asking for help from a Sankta, who was asking for help from him. Never in his dreams did he think he would ever speak with a Sankta, much less see one in person.

Blue nodded.

“I want your help,” he said firmly. “P-Please, I’m worried that I won’t find her…”

“Very well,” said the Sankta. “I will grant you a part of my power, but…”

Blue cocked his head at the sudden pause.

“...but?” He muttered. “A-And what kind of power…?”

“...in exchange for power that could save you from certain death, I require you to be my eyes for a while,” said the angel, nodding in agreement with herself. “Oh, I won’t do anything to your body- I’ll just see with you,”

It sounded strange, but it seemed to be a fair trade. It wasn’t anything too extreme. Blue saw nothing wrong with this!

“But! I will warn you, dog,” the Sankta said abruptly. “I cannot guarantee that this power of mine will not come at some other, unforeseen cost. Saving someone from certain death, no matter how close it may be, may upset the one in the mask,”

“M-Mask…?” Blue stuttered. “Then I’m not sure-”

“Please!~ Just be careful, my friend, and it won’t happen to you,” jeered the Sankta. “So… Do we have an accord?”

The angel offered forth a hand, wings shimmering in the light from the moon. Blue hesitated, but slowly reached forward, clasping the angel’s hand into his own. The Sankta shook his hand firmly, a sense of dread rushing through Blue’s soul. Her blue eyes illuminated her face as she grinned widely.

“Then we have an agreement, my friend,” said the Sankta. “One day, I will save your life, in exchange for your vision. But be wary,”

Blue intently stared into the angel’s eyes. That dread grew ever so slightly, but dissipated as the angel split away. Her smile engraved itself into Blue’s mind, haunting, cursing him.

“It has been a pleasure,” said the Sankta. “But remember, my friend,”

“Beware the power of the Lock and Key.”

The Sankta laughed smugly and launched herself into the sky, her jet-black wings vanishing into the night sky. Blue stepped back, taking some rushed breaths, then sighing. He felt no different, had she really done something to him? He would have to wait and learn in time.

Blue shook his head, turned, and resumed his walk through the dark.

But that angel watched. Fluttering in the sky, just out of sight, she grinned, laughed, and whistled again.

“Oh, Samael, you’ve done well…” She chuckled. “Now, where did Lemuel ever run off to…?”

~ . . . ~

Blue’s eyes scanned over that letter again and again. He sighed, folded the letter, and slipped it into his pocket. He smiled to himself.

Soon, he thought. Soon… We’ll be together again…

Jacksy and Exusiai sat on the back of the carriage, looking out at the surrounding forest. The dusky sky illuminated the trees in a soft orange light, a comforting sight after all the fear Jacksy and Exusiai had endured. It was nice for the two of them to relax.

Blue looked over, noticing Jacksy resting on Exusiai’s shoulder, her arm draped over them. He smiled again at the sight, scooting closer to join the two of them.

“Man, only a day left in our journey…” Blue said, breaking the silence. “We’ve only been together for two days, but it feels like it’s been forever…”

“Nobody said we have to say bye yet!” Jacksy beamed. “Let us stay with you!”

“I would love to keep you two in my company, but-” Blue responded solemnly. “I have much more important matters to attend to!! I’m looking for someone there, someone who has some information I need…”

The angels cocked their heads in curiosity.

“Could we be of any help?” Exusiai asked.

“Ah, sorry, I don’t think so,” Blue said. “I’m trying to find someone, someone dear to me. One of my old pals at Port Jacoby has some information I gotta know, so I suppose you could say I’m on a little adventure of my own,”

Jacksy smiled at Blue softly.

“Well, I hope you can find this person you’re looking for!!” They beamed.

“And I hope you two- Um, what were you two doing again?” Blue asked.

The two angels looked at each other, their eyes filled with sorrow and worry.

“We said we were trying to ‘escape relations’ when we met you,” Exusiai began. “But I suppose we should tell you the truth,”

Blue looked curious, but also a little betrayed. He thought the Sankta could never tell a lie, but it seems that myth was exactly that - a myth.

“We weren’t trying to escape someone,” muttered Jacksy, quietly. “We were trying to escape… It…”

“The Blackness.” Exusiai filled in.

“You mean…” Blue stuttered. “That… That plague, right…?”

Exusiai nodded.

“The reason we Sankta are so spread out is because of the Blackness… It destroyed the place we called home and scattered us,” Exusiai said sadly. “And ever since, Jacksy and I have been on the run. It’s a cowardly method, I know, and… I’m ashamed,”

“N-No, don’t be, it’s okay to run…” Blue responded, raising his hand slightly.

“No, it isn’t!” Exusiai shouted in retaliation. “We’re Sankta, ‘protectors of humanity’, running away from an all-consuming infection. Every single town we’ve stopped in… Within days, they’ve been consumed…”

“That’s why we’re here, Blue,” Jacksy commented. “We wanted to get as far away as possible, for any chance of settling down somewhere, even if just for a while…”

Blue was disheartened. He thought Jacksy was such a carefree person, a Sankta with no sorrows. He thought Exusiai was protective of them against the dangers of this world. But they called themselves cowards, and they were burdened by the weight of the strongest evil in the world on their shoulders.

“I-I’m so sorry…” Blue uttered under his breath. “I had no idea…”

“Please don’t run off!!” Jacksy begged on the verge of tears. “W-We aren’t dangerous, I promise…!!”

“Why would I run away from you…? You two are the closest friends I’ve had in years… I’ve appreciated every moment I’ve spent with you…”

Jacksy sniffled back their tears and Exusiai’s expression softened at Blue’s kind words. Exusiai sighed, then turned her head away.

“We’ve lost so much. I’ve lost teachers, friends, fellow warriors,” Exusiai reminisced. “And I can’t do anything about it. The Blackness is not human - It has no emotion, no fear, it cannot be reasoned with or defeated in battle. Against it, humanity - Sankta - is nothing.”

The silence weighed on them all. Their shoulders hung beneath their sadness and their hearts grew slow with their mutual grief. It pained them all. Yet, Blue had more sympathy for the holy entities he had befriended now more than ever. They had struggled so much, yet the world thought them carefree and perfect.

“Ever since we left the Seraphit for good, neither of us have seen another Sankta,” Exusiai commented. “We sit up high hoping our halos may link, but…”

“A-Actually, if I may interject…” Blue interrupted. “I have seen one Sankta before I met you two…”

“Oh?”

“She had blue hair, black wings… She was a little unsettling at first, but…”

Exusiai froze for a moment, then turned to Jacksy, who shared the same concerned glare. They knew exactly who Blue had met. This wasn’t good.

“And she made a deal with me, to help her find someone dear to her too, in exchange for help in my search,”

“Blue- Do you know that angel’s name?” Exusiai stammered.

“I never thought to ask, but-” Blue stuttered back. “She said something about a key, I think… But I haven’t seen her again since…”

“El, do you think…” Jacksy whispered. “Is Mostima…?”

“No- I saw Samael die with my own eyes, there’s no way she-” Exusiai angrily groaned. “...This is too much to process all at once. I need some time alone…”

Exusiai lifted her wings and moved to the opposite side of the carriage, shrouding herself in her feathers, growing silent and unresponsive. Jacksy frowned, Blue did too.

Blue felt worse. These Sankta not only battled with death, but lost so much. It hurt more knowing he had met with another Sankta who shared these struggles, much less one that these two had known. He himself remained silent. He didn’t wish to interject more.

From the silent void of their sorrow, however, came a thundering clamor. The caravan jolted to a halt, knocking Exusiai out of her silent state. The bells before the carriage rang, Blue quickly slipping off the back of the wagon to see what the noise was all about. Jacksy and Exusiai awaited in curiosity.

Blue soon returned, sighing with a mix of anger, confusion, and disappointment.

“There’s trouble ahead - Someone sabotaged the road ahead,” Blue explained. “Trees down, a wagon completely fell apart. Not some natural stuff, this was the doing of somebody else,”

“Great.” Exusiai groaned. “As if we haven’t wasted enough time already.”

“I’m going to scout the area out, see if there are any nearby cities we can get help from,” continued Blue. “I’ll be back in just a moment, please don’t go anywhere,”

The Perro grabbed his spear from the wagon then hurried down the road with a steady jog. There was yelling further down, to which Exusiai determined the source was the angered merchants who had been delayed further.

“I’m going to go help them, stay here,” Exusiai said, slipping from the wagon. “And I mean it. Please. Stay.”

Jacksy frowned. Now they sat in their sorrowful silence alone.

They took the moment to think. To think about Blue, about Exusiai, themself. To think about the places, the people, their fates and battles against the Blackness. They knew it was following them, and nobody understood just how fatal the presence of these angels were. They seemed to be holy omens, but they were truly harbingers of death.

~ . . . ~

Blue felt at home in the wilderness.

Be it from the isolation of his hometown or his lengthy wandering through the woods to Hawthorne, he always had a bottled-up love for the forest. He enjoyed the quietness, the colors, the peace. He acted as if he knew every bird and every rodent that passed him, and never dared to raise his spear against the curious elk who he spotted feeding by streams. The light of the setting sun was soothing.

Blue tossed a rope up to a branch on the face of a hill, secured the knot, and hoisted himself up. He threw his weight onto the flat ground above and continued forward, checking the map each time he needed to ensure he was on the right path. It wasn’t his first time scouting out an area. It was a useful skill to have.

He hiked forward, hopping up more rocks and climbing more inclines, soon reaching the forested sides of the cliff. He shoved past more vegetation, cutting through a bush that stabbed and snagged his clothes, then adjusted to the light pouring in from the valley before him. It was a beautiful sight, but he wasn’t here to take in the view. His eyes drifted across the horizon, scanning for the sight of walls, smoke, roads or trails. He looked and looked, then turned his head and looked some more. Spotting nothing still, he turned again, and there he saw it. Not a town, nor a wall or a winding wagon trail…

But an all-consuming darkness sweeping across the hills.

The Blackness was here.

And it was close.

Fear shot through his heart. Blue felt the strength to move slip from his mouth. His hands shook, his fingers twitching and heart beating loudly. Finally, he found the strength to move again and took off, stumbling down the rocks and hills he had scaled before, giving no care to where he stepped. He had to get back to the caravan; he had to warn them. He had to warn those angels.

Exusiai had been stationed at the head of the caravan, using her strength to move aside the debris covering the road. She sweat through her clothes, the heat from the withering day not helping matters. Her attention was drawn away from the heavy lifting, however, by panicked screams and shouts from behind the caravan.

Jacksy, who was scribbling notes in their journal, peacefully locked in the world of their own, felt their halo falter. They jolted upright, then heard the shouts too, and stepped out of the wagon to see what was wrong.

The men and women inside their wagons stepped forward. The merchants and arguing workers ceased their squabbles to look. The children among their parents, confused why everything had stopped, the horsemen, everyone turned their attention to the road further back.

And there was Blue, running and heaving his way forward, screaming in terror.

Fearing for the worst, Exusiai immediately dropped the load she was carrying and leapt forth, her wings carrying her forward until she slid against the dirt. She ran to Blue, the Perro tiredly falling into her arms and relying on her for strength. He heaved and sputtered, barely able to catch his breath before he spoke his warning.

“Th-The plague- The-” Blue stuttered. “Bl-Black- It’s-”

Exusiai understood his pleas perfectly. She stepped back without a word, the Perro nearly falling over. She extended her wings and shoved herself into the sky. Once she was well over the trees, she looked across the horizon.

Blue did not cry wolf. He told no lie.

The Blackness was here.

Exusiai’s eyes widened in horror. She launched herself towards the ground, crashing into a cloud of dust. The members of the caravan looked on in terror. Surely it meant no good if a Sankta, a fearless hero of mankind, were panicking.

“Angel, what is it!?” Cried a mother, clasping the palms of her children.

“Should we be worried?” Said another man along the road.

“Sankta- Tell us! What is it!?” Asked a merchant mid-squabble.

Exusiai coughed, caught her breath, turned her head up, and spoke.

“The Blackness is here for us.”

Those words sent panic through the people. They held onto their loved ones, retreated into their carriages, some ran into the woods alone. Those foolish enough to carry the courage took arms and readied themselves.

“What do we do- What do we do!?” Sobbed a horseman.

“We fight it, that’s what!!” Shouted a foolish merchant to rose a maul in protest.

“No- No, listen to me!!” Exusiai cried with fear visible in her words. “You cannot fight the darkness- We can’t do anything but run!”

“We’re stuck on the road, what do you want us to do!?” Cried more in protest.

The words were all too loud, the demands too high, Exusiai couldn’t think right. She stepped back, her halo frosting over in fear. She stifled stressed tears, then instinctively reached for a pepperbox. She loaded a shot into the air, hushing the scene, if even for just a moment.

“There is still time,” Exusiai explained. “If everyone works together to clear the road, then we can still reach safety before it gets here,”

The people talked amongst themselves, some scared, some still foolishly brave.

“Well!? Get to work!!” Shouted a coachman.

As the people staggered forward in desperation, Exusiai ran to the carriage Jacksy was beside, Blue now with them. She immediately pulled Jacksy into her embrace, kissed their head, then let go.

“Jacksy, I want you to stay right here, okay!?” Exusiai shouted.

“I can’t just stay and do nothing!! I have to help!!” Jacksy stammered in protest, stomping their foot. “Let me try to-”

“No, Jacksy! Please, I don’t want you to get hurt! Stay here, please don’t leave the wagon, okay? I’ll handle this,”

Exusiai turned her back and sprinted forward again, leaving Blue and Jacksy by the carriage. The two shared a look of despair.

“I’m going to get back out there and scout out an alternate path,” Blue demanded himself. “If we can’t clear the road, the best we can do is find another way around!”

“Blue, w-wait, you don’t know the Blackness like I do!!” Jacksy cried, reaching their hand forward. Their words fell on deaf ears as Blue was already far down the road.

Jacksy looked back at Exusiai and the crowd of innocent people, then back at Blue’s shadow vanishing into the woods. Exusiai’s words replayed in their mind, but their concern took over and pulled them away. Jacksy ran. Not away. They ran towards the Blackness.

Blue’s heart raced as he heaved forward. He had to check the surrounding area to see if there was any hope for another way out. So many people would die if he didn’t. He had to try, for his own sake.

Jacksy used the flutter of their wings to propel them forward. They didn’t want to let Blue challenge the Blackness alone; he had never been there to experience it. Jacksy had to stop him - or at least warn him that what he was doing was in vain.

Jacksy was right behind Blue, calling his name and begging him to listen. Blue’s fear, or perhaps his determination, were too loud. Jacksy’s words never reached him.

Jacksy reached forward and tried to stop him, but he was just out of reach. Blue’s mindless sprint was frantic. So frantic to the point he wasn’t paying attention to where each step landed. He ran and ran, ignoring the road’s degrading state. He went on, Jacksy close behind, until he made one bad step.

Blue’s foot caught an uneven dip in the road. Immediately, he tumbled forward, then sideways, and out of sight into the darkening woods. Jacksy yelled out for him as he vanished into the leaves, but couldn’t stop their body now. Jacksy jumped for Blue, pushing through the foliage to catch him. They grabbed hold of his arms as soon as they could, then using their wings, pushed up as hard as they could, helplessly fluttering. The combination of their lack of flight and the weight of Blue underneath them only slowed their descent slightly. Jacksy and Blue tumbled to the ground, both of them requiring a moment to understand what had just happened.

“B-Blue, are you okay!?” Jacksy shouted, their mind still spinning.

“J-Jacksy you… You flew…” Blue stuttered in bewilderment. “You saved my life, you… You flew, Jacksy!!”

Blue cheered for the Sankta, who still sat in the cold grass with tears streaming down their face.

“Jacksy, I thought I was going to… But you jumped after me and…” Blue continued to cheer. “You grabbed me, and with your wings, you flew, just like they said the Sankta could!!”

Jacksy felt a bit of anger well up inside of them as the Perro skipped around in the dark. It wasn’t long before they sat up and let that anger out with volume.

“I didn’t fly, Blue!!” They shouted, immediately ceasing Blue’s happy skipping. “I didn’t fly, I fluttered- You nearly got yourself killed!! It was all you!!”

It took Blue a moment to come to.

“You ran off, even though I told you not to! And then you weren’t listening to me or paying attention, and now we’re both stuck down here!!” Jacksy screamed, their feathers ruffling in frustration. “I told you not to run…”

Blue suddenly felt that sorrow form inside of his heart again. He realized that, maybe, Jacksy was right. Maybe he grew too cocky, too determined in repairing a relationship he never truly broke.

But that wasn’t the biggest concern. Not now. They were lost in a dark valley; The Blackness bearing down on them from any angle. They heard the screeches of Blackbeasts overhead, the rumble of the spreading plague, the smell of rotting flesh permeated the air. Blue drew his spear and held it forward, his back to Jacksy’s wings.

“You said you knew The Blackness, right…?” Blue asked.

“I-I just know how dangerous it is!! Not how the monsters work!!” Jacksy cried. “W-We can’t fight the Blackness- I don’t know about Blackbeasts!!”

“But we can try, right? No shame in that!”

The screams and screeches grew louder until they felt surrounded. Reflective eyes glared at them from the spaces between the rocks and trees. Jacksy and Blue were locked in the middle of the beast’s den, and the only way out was to fight.

The decaying face of a Harpy moved into the dim light first, the taloned beast circling in the trees. Blue locked eyes with the monster as it crept down the hill towards him. It then dove forward, wings extended and talons forward.

“Harpies; They always go for the head!” Blue cried out. “Duck underneath and strike them from below!!”

Blue ducked underneath the ‘Harpy’, then turned and struck with his spear. Sure enough, the attack missed and Blue struck the monster down.

“A Harpy will always be a Harpy, whether or not it’s rotten,” Blue noted. “What do you know about these things?”

“Blackbeasts are often rotten creatures or manifestations from the Blackness itself, rotted away from their living forms, but reanimated,” Jacksy explained. “Even a single touch can be fatal, so make sure you dodge everything!!”

Two more Blackbeasts appeared, the winged pseudo-dragons screeching at their desired prey. Blue stared up at them and grinned.

“Pseudo-dragons; If they attack in pairs, they attack together. Dodge one, they’ll collide, and they’ll be easy pickings!”

The dragons then attacked, diving forward towards Jacksy. They did as Blue said, dodging backwards, and sure enough, the dragons collided. Blue skipped and skewered them both before raising his spear again.

“Blackbeasts seem to have a primary leader in their groups,” Jacksy continued. “They’re big, scary, strong, but I don’t know anything else!!”

“We’re keeping ourselves alive, at least. Keep holding out!” Blue cheered. “There’s more of them!”

Two Harpies stalked the group again, a young Pythia joining them. The Pythia was unique, its eyes had all rotted out. Blue cocked his head, but soon ducked to avoid losing it to a harpy, to which he struck back.

“A blind Pythia!?” Blue gawked.

“K-Kill it, quick!!” Jacksy staggered. “They’re never good signs!!”

“Trying!!”

Blue stumbled trying to line up a good shot with his spear, but an overhead Harpy complicated matters. He killed the flying disturbance, but the serpentine had already slipped into the perfect position. Jacksy looked on in terror as the creature’s skeletal jaws opened wide and let out an ear-splitting screech.

Jacksy understood this call.

The leader was being alerted.

The Pythia slipped into the shadows as Blue barely lined up his shot. Jacksy stuttered mindlessly and stumbled back as the Blackbeasts collectively retreated into every direction. Blue smiled triumphantly, thinking he had won, but the intense breeze and heavy beating of wings quickly made his expression shift.

There sat the largest beast Blue had ever seen in-person. A colossal, half-rotten dragonian beast with four pairs of wings descending into the cover. It screeched at the pair in the valley, sending their minds numb. It then glared at the Sankta who stumbled around in pain. It knew them.

Jacksy locked eyes with the demon. In that instant, the memories rushed back. The memories of them quivering in the study, a weapon just out of reach. The memory of a dragon bursting through the window, shredding a colleague to pieces and splattering another against the wall. It was only thanks to Exusiai’s shooting that they got away.

And Exusiai wasn’t here.

“Jacksy!! Jacksy, come on!!” Blue cried in vain. Jacksy was petrified.

“W-Wyverns- Th-They-” Jacksy stuttered. “Pick out prey and… Never let go…”

“Jacksy, you know what that means!” Blue called out.

“H-Huh!?”

“Run for it!!”

Blue slammed his weight against Jacksy and the monster dove forth. Narrowly dodging the strike, the two rolled upright and watched as the creature crushed the rocks it had grabbed effortlessly. It perched on the rocky cliff face and screeched again, furiously beating its wings to throw off the pair it stalked. The gust was too strong for Blue and launched his weapon out of his hand. He swore, then rubbed the dust from his eyes.

“Jacksy, focus!!” Blue begged. “What part of these things is the softest, do you think?”

“R-Reasonably, it would be the wings…” Jacksy responded with tears in their eyes. “B-ut that second set of wings, it… It’s armor… Nothing gets through it…”

“If we can’t bring it down, we have to get dirty with it in the sky,” Blue replied with enthusiasm in his voice. “How long can you distract it!?”

“Not long…!! But I… I can try…”

“Then run!!”

Jacksy took Blue’s advice and ran, their wings barely keeping them out of the Wyvern’s reach. The beast tried to slam its talons down, beat its wings, and snap at the Sankta, but they were slightly too far. Jacksy’s distraction worked, as Blue retrieved his spear and readied himself.

“Curious…” Blue said to himself. “It can’t shield its wings if it's chasing…”

“B-Blue, do something!!” Jacksy sobbed.

“Run towards me!!”

Jacksy had no time to yell back in retaliation, so they slid, nearly fell over, and ran towards Blue. It took a moment to aim, but once it was steady enough, Blue threw his spear at the Wyvern as it lunged forward to attack Jacksy. Just when he thought the armor had split open, it closed and deflected the spear. The beast stood upright, wings unfolded to mock the Perro, and ‘laughed’.

“Wyverns only change priority if they’re upset!” Blue exclaimed to himself. “Jacksy, my spear!!”

Jacksy stood from their near-miss dive and dismissed themself to the side. Now, Blue was running around the small outcrop, dodging and ducking between attacks. He wasn’t nearly as agile, however, and struggled to keep up.

Jacksy had to rely on hope to keep moving forward. They ran for the yellow-marked spear on the ground, scooping it up in their hands. They turned, realizing that Blue was standing in the open without the imposing figure of the Wyvern looming behind him. They smiled, then held up his spear in triumph.

“B-Blue, look! Your spear!!” They called. “Quick, come grab it before-”

As Jacksy tried to speak, the ground suddenly shifted from under them. The gust of wind behind them knocked them to their feet and launched the spear out of their hand again. Jacksy frantically turned, realizing what had happened. The Wyvern had flown behind them. It ‘laughed’ again at Jacksy’s shoddy landing, then raised its mouth for a slam down on them.

Blue ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He couldn’t let Jacksy die. He couldn’t let this demon kill them!! And if it were to kill anyone, it would be him for getting them into this mess!!

Blue ran forward with all the strength he had left and jumped forward, feeling the unforgiving jaws of death grow closer and closer. Jacksy’s eyes widened. Blue lunged forward into the monster’s jaws, Jacksy being forced to watch as this horrible monster clamped down on the person they had grown so fond of.

And then,

The loud, ear-shattering sound of a black magic burst.

Jacksy’s eyes shot open at the sound. They felt their frail body get launched, then immediately looked across the valley to see what had happened. Blue had lunged in front of them and had released black magic. A hapless scout had mastered black magic - it was something of a legend! The burst was powerful, completely obliterating the Wyvern’s jaw, dripping toxic, black blood onto the rocks below. Blue, who sat only a few feet before it looked up, still shaken from the burst of magic he unknowingly used.

He paused. Blue realized what this was.

It was that ‘life-saving’ power that Sankta had granted him.

Blue staggered backwards, running to grab his spear and help Jacksy to their feet.

“B-Blue, what was that!?” Jacksy gawked with pain in their tone.

“Th-That Sankta I made that deal with- That had't've been the power she promised me!!” explained Blue, frantically. “And it messed that thing up!!”

The two looked on in morbid curiosity as blood poured from the gap where the Wyvern’s mouth once stood. It glared at the two before it in anguish, before beating its wings in pride. The blood dripped into a shape, then formed around the dragonian’s snout and formed the shape of a jaw. The jaw reformed as if nothing had been done. It was impossible - all that effort for nothing!!

“Jacksy!! R-Run!!” Blue cried, standing with his spear forward. “Get out of here, go find Exusiai, and get out of here!!”

“What about you!?” Jacksy sobbed. “I’m not leaving you here!!”

“This thing is focused on me - and it will stay that way,” Blue said sternly. “If you don’t run, it will come after you. This is your only chance!!”

The Wyvern snarled impatiently, raising its wings to beat the wind against Blue once more. Blue looked at Jacksy with a terrified expression.

“Continue to Port Jacoby, find my friend Lumen, and tell him you’re looking for ‘M’, okay!?” Blue demanded. “Go!! Get out of here!!”

Jacksy hesitated. They didn’t want to leave Blue here to fight a dragon on his own!! All he had was a spear!! But they understood what would happen if they didn’t run. His sacrifice would’ve been for nothing, this dragon would terrorize more people, Blue’s beloved would never know of what happened here…

Jacksy staggered backwards, their wings tripping them up as the wind from the flapping wings of the Wyvern caught their feathers. Jacksy stumbled backwards, then felt the weight on the monster lunge forward. The only sound they could make out aside from their own heartbeat were the panicked screams of Blue.

Jacksy looked up - it was just as they feared. Blue was caught under the talons of the Wyvern, struggling to get free. Worse yet, his spear was out of reach, and the Wyvern was snarling proudly. It took to the air, Jacksy screaming out in anguish as it lifted the struggling Blue into the air. Unexpectedly, it immediately turned back down, diving towards Jacksy. As it landed, it pivoted with a free talon and slammed its tail into the frail Sankta. They felt their weight get effortlessly flung across the valley, their body slamming against the stone cliff. The monster laughed again, then lifted another talon. Blue struggled for a moment before the monster did another unexpected action.

The monster threw Blue forward, completely out of its range, then roared once more. It turned, flicking its tail mockingly, then completely took off into the air, the beating of its wings fading into the icy evening wind.

Blue lifted his battered body off the ground, slowly limping over to Jacksy who was just barely able to think without falling unconscious. They propped themself up as much as they could, returning Blue’s faint, battered smile.

“H-Ha! See, we… We shooed off a Wyvern!! A Wyvern, can you… Believe that…!?” Blue staggered. “I think… We make a good team… Don’t you think…?”

“We- We aren’t safe yet…” Jacksy stuttered, trying to lift their body up. “The Blackness, it… It’s still close…”

“Y-You’re right, but first… Um…” Blue commented. “Maybe I should do something… About this…”

Blue turned his body and held out his arm to Jacksy. At first, they noticed little in the fading light of the outcrop, but once they noticed, their eyes widened. They were blinded by tears, their heart raced. Blue stared at them curiously, too blinded by his bruised condition to feel afraid.

Along Blue’s left arm was a gash, now black and festering, no doubt given to him by the Wyvern he thought he had triumphed over.

The Wyvern didn’t grow tired of fighting.

It was mocking Jacksy.

“B-Blue, you’re-” Jacksy stammered with utmost terror in their voice. “No- N-No, No!! B-Blue!!”

“Jacksy…? What’s wrong…?” Blue asked, tilting his head.

Right as Blue began to speak, it happened.

First, the flesh around the wound. Then his hand and his shoulder. By now, Blue had noticed. He noticed the rapid discoloration, the softening of his skin, the pain and agony, the rot and corrosion.

Blue was blackening.

Blue was dying.

And Jacksy could do nothing but watch in terror.

“Ja-Jacksy, what’s happening!?” Blue stuttered. “J-Jacksy!!!”

Jacksy was too terrified to even speak. They couldn’t cover their eyes, they could respond, they couldn’t move.

[Author’s Note: The following text is rather graphic!! If you would like to skip this part, you can do so in the document all the way at the bottom!]

Then Blue’s chest burned. Then his neck, the other shoulder. The skin on his left arm was a rotten green, and then it started to peel, melting off the bone, the horrendous rot of corpses filling the air. Blue screamed, he cried, called, shouted, all to nobody who could hear him. The skin on his arms melted, falling to the grass below in black heaps. He stumbled, fell to his knees and reached forward. Jacksy could do nothing but watch.

“J-Jacksy!! P-please, what’s ha-happening!?” Blue screamed. The pain was too immense. He couldn’t move anymore. He was dying. He was fading away.

He was succumbing to that all-consuming darkness.

His left arm was gone - his chest soon meeting the same fate. His face was next, exposing the blood and the bone beneath, and soon his agonized screams fell silent.

It was too much; it was too fast. Jacksy couldn’t move, and tears streamed down their face and wetted their cloak. They sobbed silently, forced to observe the decaying corpse of the person they once called a friend. Jacksy was heartbroken. Their soul had shattered. They wanted to open their eyes and wake up from this horrible dream, but that salvation never arrived.

Frantic footsteps tore through the silence like blades. The gentle fluttering of wings did not warn of an incoming Blackbeast or the Wyvern returning to finish what it had started, but it was instead the light of Exusiai running through the woods. Her halo rang as she approached the glade, sliding down the hills and soon noticing the quivering, cold and terrified body of Jacksy. She ran up to them, calling their name again and again, then pausing as she spotted the rotten victim in front of them.

Exusiai’s wings sagged. She stepped back and held back her tears, then looked up at the sobbing, petrified Jacksy. She couldn’t stay and mourn the dead, she had to grab Jacksy and leave. Exusiai hoisted the small Feline into her arms, took one last look at what remained of Blue, and took off into the air as fast as her wings could carry her.

~ . . . ~

Their body ached so much. Their wings stung and their head throbbed. They awoke slowly, their senses gradually returning to them. There was a muffled yet tender voice that spoke to them close, but they couldn’t make it out yet.

Two hands reached forward, then a face came into view. It was Exusiai, her tender eyes looking into their own to soothe them. Jacksy hurt too much to move, but they felt safe knowing she was with them.

They slowly sat up, their wings unfolding painfully. Their eyes wandered their surroundings - that same wagon as before. They couldn’t tell why, but it felt slightly more barren, slightly less vibrant. Slightly more lonely…

Then they realized why.

Jacksy’s senses sprung to life as they jolted forward, sobbing into Exusiai’s shoulder, crying out a single name in hopeless anguish.

‘Blue.’

Blue… Where was he?

He wasn’t with them anymore.

Blue was somewhere else.

Somewhere… Where he would be safe…

“Jacksy- Jacksy please…” Exusiai whispered. “Please calm down…”

It took Exusiai some more soft words and tender embraces to finally cease the Feline’s sobs. Exusiai propped them up, still keeping hands close to their own.

“B-Blue, he… He’s not-” Jacksy cried. “He… He…!!”

“I know… I saw what happened…” Exusiai solemnly whispered. “I’m so sorry…”

After months of running, months of fear, months of loneliness, Jacksy had finally met someone they could’ve trusted. But this world hated them, so of course, they thought, it was never meant to last.

Jacksy stood up and slowly paced to the other side of the wagon, angrily swaying their tail to ensure Exusiai didn’t grow close.

“I don’t want to do this anymore,” Jacksy cried, their face hot with despair. “I don’t want to keep running!!”

“What are we supposed to do instead…?” Exusiai muttered back. “Jacksy, what are we supposed to do…? I’m tasked with protecting you, all we can do is run!”

“No! We can’t keep running, El!!” Jacksy responded angrily. “We’re Sankta, ‘protectors of humanity’, and we can’t even keep a single person safe!!”

Exusiai retracted slightly, both from shock and anger.

“We’re meant to be fearless, El, but what have we done? Run from town to town, dragging an unstoppable plague with us wherever we go!?” Screamed Jacksy. “I’m tired of running away!! I want to actually do something about this!!”

“Like what!? Pray so hard it magically vanishes!?” Exusiai yelled back. “Jacksy, there isn’t anything we can do!! This is a worldwide threat that not even the strongest force on Earth stands a chance against. What can a pair of Sankta do!?”

“I don’t know, okay!? I don’t know anymore!! I feel like I can’t think for myself anymore without you getting all angry!!”

The two stared at each other, Jacksy fuming with anger, and Exusiai retracted by tears and sorrow. They had never fought like this before.

“I don’t want to sit around and wait for it to catch up… I want to make a difference, El… I want to be brave for once…” Jacksy continued. “I don’t want all of those deaths to go in vain… I don’t want Blue’s death to go in vain…”

“Jacksy…”

“Please, El… I… I need time alone…” Jacksy mumbled sorrowfully. “I’ll think of something… Please, just… Don’t disturb me, okay…?”

Jacksy turned away, sitting down and folding their wings over their body. Exusiai stared at them for a moment, her cheeks wet with tears. She reached forward, but retracted her hand, choosing to give Jacksy the time alone that they desired. She turned away too, looking out at the moonlit road behind them. Exusiai knew they couldn’t run forever, and they knew Jacksy’s heart had broken. She wanted to honor their wish, to do something against the Blackness, but she couldn’t think of anything.

Exusiai felt bad - for Jacksy, for Blue, for those who had died thanks to her reckless fleeing. She didn’t want to keep running either; she wanted to lift her guns and fight, but she knew that her guns alone could not fend off the darkness.

Exusiai’s eyes drifted over the cliffs beside her. Her eyes widened, a smile bending across her face. There it was, a magnificent port town with colorful rooftops and banners, ships moored, docking, departing. She was amazed at just how beautiful it truly was. After these tiring days of fighting, of running, she was finally back in safety, for as long as it could last.

Exusiai turned to Jacksy, still sobbing in the blanket of their own wings. Her smile turned to a frown. She felt worse now, Blue never got to see this place for himself. He never got to meet with his beloved again. It broke her own heart to think now.

Exusiai stood, ruffling her feathers and setting a hand on her belt. She sighed, then turned her head to the broken and battered Feline behind her.

“If you want to stop running, then I guess I want to stop running too,” Exusiai said, breaking the silence. “And we have to start somewhere, right?”

Jacksy lowered their wings and turned to look at Exusiai, a faint glimmer of hope sparkling in their tear-filled eyes.

“We’re here at last, Jacksy. Port Jacoby,” she commented. “If I were to be the judge, I would say it’s the best place to find someone to help us,”

Jacksy remained silent. Exusiai smiled at them, turned her body, and offered a hand forward.

“We have to try,” she said. “And it’s the effort that counts,”

Jacksy reached forward, carefully clasping Exusiai’s hand in their own. She lifted Jacksy to their feet and hugged them, Jacksy appreciating the angel’s warmth.

“So let’s find someone who can help us… Let’s take a stand… And let’s kick some nightmare plague’s ass!!” Exusiai cheered. Jacksy chuckled as they stepped back.

“Thank you, El…” Jacksy murmured. “I want you to know that… I’ll be by your side… Forever, okay…?”

“Forever and always, right?” Exusiai chuckled.

“Forever and always…”

The angels grew closer, now sitting on the back of the carriage, gazing up at the sky. Somewhere out there was a glimmer of hope. Somewhere out there was salvation. And somewhere out there, there was the strength to keep fighting, to carry on. Jacksy smiled at the sky, the bright stars overhead smiling back.

And for the first time in a while, Jacksy felt brave.

---

Thanks for the read!! This chapter was a ton of fun to write, even if it drained me. Stay on the lookout for more chapters in the future!!

If you would like to read the chapter in the google doc, you can do so here;

Her reflection was like a mirror, providing visions of a calmer world, where she didn’t have to run in fear forever. But they were just vis

Thanks again for the support!!

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