Chapter 5

"Why won't this damn blood come off?"
Under a small cascade, Axel was trying to wash off the blood from his body and wings. Teeth clenching, he was brushing his skin harder and harder. After a while, his body was clean, but his wings would forever remain stained with the blood of his comrades.
Resigned, he fell on his knees, head into his hands.Why did this happen? This was supposed to be the most glorious day for him, he trained all his life for this moment when he will serve the Heaven Empire.
He wanted to protect the innocent, to demolish the evil kingdoms and he believed in the fair judgment of his guardian, Azeria, yet today, everything turned upside down for him.
Sobbing uncontrollably, he smashed the rocks in front of him. What was he supposed to do now? Every empire will desire his death presumably, especially the guardian.
Azeria ... His breath intensified at the thought of her, sitting all mighty in her throne room, issuing orders and controlling everyone as a puppet as she desires. It wasn't fair and somehow it didn't feel too different than the way the Hell Empire conducted their business.
"My, my... how the mighty have fallen." a mocking rang through the woods.
It was a voice Axel could recognize in an instant, but he couldn't pinpoint its location.
"What do you want now demoness?" shouted Axel enraged and scouting carefully the trees and hills.
"Don't worry, I'm not here to harm you, I'm just an observer from here on." chuckled Eryna.
"Why don' you come to discuss face to face, observer?" responded the young angel.
"I could think of so many more fun things we could do, face to face." purred the succubus.
Disgust and fury made Axel's skin crawl as he spread his wings, preparing to fly.
"I wouldn't do such a careless thing, the skies are crowded with Azeria's soldiers looking for you." remarked Eryna.
He knew she was right, they would all be alerted by his location and at this point he didn't knew the limit of his powers.
"Are you here just to mock me, or you actually have something to say?" asked Axel, as he sat on a rock.
"It just so happens that both of us share the same interest now, the see that damn seraphim dead, so I thought that an alliance would be in order." said Eryna, as if nothing happened before.
"An alliance? With you? I would rather bathe in a lava river, considering you are the reason why Azeria desires my death now." growled angry the angel.
The demoness sighed, as if her point was so obvious and couldn't understand why he was so stubborn now "My dear angel, my plan was for you to die from that bite, however you took the place of the hybrid now. From there on, I didn't interfere with anything. If the crazy guardian wants to kill you, that's her decision alone."
Somehow it made sense everything she said, but Axel still couldn't bring himself to trust her completely.
"And what will your master say about an alliance with a creature such as myself?"
The question remained without an answer for a couple of moments.
"Let's just say that while he doesn't necessary agree with my methods, the result of it will benefit all of us." terminated the conversation Eryna as she disappeared in a smoke cloud visible above the cascade.
Axel looked up for a couple of seconds, then down at the earth beneath him. He didn't want to participate in a plan with the empire he despised the most, however he wished to see those who betrayed him, fall.