I went out, stumbling and staggering blindly ahead of me. 

At one point during my escape, I nearly tumbled into one of the angels in the corridor. If it weren't for his keen reflexes to avoid my disruption, I would've taken him down. 

I left him not a moment to react yet at the brisk pace I was going, I didn't have a moment to even acknowledge the angel's presence. 

Down the hall, only ceasing for a moment of uncertainty before turning right and going on. 

Trying to outrun the tightness in my throat, the brink of tears.

To the double doors, back to the safety and solitude of the courtroom. 

Oh, how very wrong I was. 

From the one swift swing of the door, I was met with dozens of eyes, angels. 

Someone proclaimed, arousing the attention of everyone else. 

"It's the demon!" 

"There he is!" 

"Hey, over here!" 

I reeled back in my tracks, driven to a grinding halt at the sight. They surrounded me from all sides quickly, no visible sign of escape. 

Clicks of cameras, clamoring voices, bustling commotion and activity.

"Is it true you know Princess Butterfly?"

 "Why are you here?" 

"-you and the Princess-" 

"-citizens of the Above are scared-"

"Are there any other demons amongst us?"

"Do you intend any harm-?"

"-the trial to come-"

My mouth hung open, unable to think. I discovered my only line of defense was to drop to my knees and somehow block them out. My wings came over me, blanketing me, acting as a shield against the opposing forces.

No!

No more questions!

Make it stop!

It was beginning to boil over inside of me now. The hot, seething blood in my veins, something unholy, something absolutely grotesque and it was swelling and fuming now. Something of an exerted bark or howl of fury wanted to rupture and burst. 

And I was about to unleash it for all to see. 

Yet, another voice broke through the relentless noise, causing the voices around me to hush momentarily. 

"Marco," The voice came from behind but I had no desire to look up. Besides, I already knew who it was that had come to retrieve me. 

Then, just as quickly as it abruptly ceased, the noise returned, louder and more assertive. 

"Your Majesty, a few questions-" 

"Your Majesty, over here!" 

"Why are you defending the demon?" 

"- Your Majesty-" 

"- about Noah's claims and allegations -" 

"Do you believe a demon can actually ascend?" 

"Your Majesty, do you have anything to publicly state?" 

To the many swarming questions, Comet did not answer. Under the pressure of the protruding microphones, flashing cameras, and aggressive scribbling onto clipboards, Comet stood tall, her feet planted in the ground. 

The brutality of it all didn't seem to faze her. To the public's eye, she was the Queen, a member of the council, a prime advocate for the justice system. If anyone knew how to stand their ground and remain resilient in the face of a threat, it was her.

Besides, she must've been used to all of the mass attention anyhow. She was the Queen, after all. 

As for me... I was crouched over, ducking for cover against the wave of reporters. 

"Marco," Comet began again, tugging at my shoulder once again, ushering me to rise up and follow. "Get up. It's time to go."

"No." I shook my head vigorously, burrowing it further into the safety of my barricade wings, closing them tighter around me. 

"Why?" I wanted to ask her. "Why are you still helping me?"

"Marco," She said again, more cold and demanding than the last.

This time, I lifted my head to meet her face and something of the sudden motion must've startled her because she stumbled back abruptly. Her face, rooting from a sort of frightening expression, then went hard and her eyebrows furrowed. 

She reached down and latched on, her grip forceful. She yanked me upward and then jerked me to the side, away from the strain of reporters. 

"We have to go. Right now." She was no longer asking now. There was no more debating. Her mind was made up and my resistance was futile. 

As we made our way out the doors of the courthouse, Comet flicked the cloak back over me and all I could do was accept her aid. 

Still, as she fixed out the wrinkles and imperfections in the cloak, I couldn't help but recoil under her touch. 

This was wrong - so utterly, tragically, horrifically wrong. 

And yet, here I was - hurting someone else only to benefit myself. 

"Stop! Stop it!" I ducked away and tried to run but Comet caught my wrist. 

"Marco." Her voice was a grave tone, one that was startling. "You need to get it under control. They mustn't see you like this."

Her authoritative ground, it was bewildering. I've never seen her like this before - eyebrows furrowed, mouth straightened, stare fixated and demanding. 

Her gaze fell downwards and my eyes followed. That's when I finally understood. 

A growing, festering smog, a darkness smoldering - hideous, black wisps forming at the tips of my fingertips and surging up my forearms. 

My breath stalled. I froze. I watched in sudden gaping shock. With my hands out in front of me, I witnessed the darkness continue to grow at a relentless pace, crawling up my arms. 

"Wha-what's going on? Comet, I-I can't-" My voice cracked and stuttered like a broken record. 

She must've heard it - the edge in my quivering voice because she pulled me closer, latching onto both of my shoulders. 

She hushed me immediately, though I wasn't even aware that I had reached an intrusive volume, one that seemed to echo outwards. Her eyes darted back and forth and I knew being out in the public eye meant that I had to be making a scene. 

"Comet, what - what's happening?" My voice came out in a whimpering croak. 

"Listen to me, Marco. Panic and fear will only make it worse."

Comet neared closer towards me, a wide array of emotions mixing in her face - an overall expression I could not easily read. 

Then her hands rose steadily to touch my forehead, her thumbs pressed firmly against my temples. She closed her eyes, bowing her head slightly, almost as if to concentrate. 

It was familiar, in a sense. I felt as if I had seen it before. 

No. I did see it before. 

Star had done the same to me, that night in the Underworld when I regained my memories. 

Just a simple magic trick was all that it was. 

Seemingly without another scrambled thought, it was as if my mind had been erased. A clearing, light mist of ease had taken upon me and just like that, it was all gone. 

Comet's soothing voice remained. 

"You mustn't succumb to your vices." 

It had a strange, otherworldly sensation to it. One that was funny and light, one of pins and needles, a drowsy, fuzzy kind of feeling.

It felt... prickly, a tickliness.

It was giddy and amusing and bliss all in one touch, a rush of ecstasy shivering up my spine.

And it all derived from her touch.

I found myself momentarily driven to a stunning silence, a peaceful bliss.

I suddenly felt as if I was floating, a lightness of my true weight. It was like I was levitating just slightly off the ground.

Almost like I was submerged in an ocean, devoid of all my senses.

I hadn't even noticed that I was falling forward until Comet had opened her arms and seized me.

"C'mon, dear. Stand up." She grunted, an effort to stabilize me back on my unsteady feet.

When I had finally adjusted myself back up, I turned my head upwards, towards the bare sky. Even the sun seemed to blind and daze. My hand came up to conceal its radiating light, squinting against it.

"Do you feel any better?"

The voice came from afar, a distant echo, but the source of it was not far at all.

Sounds, voices, shapes, colors - they all seemed to melt and bleed together.

Most of all, the black smog was gone, my hands free from any impurities.

I stared down at my hands, slowly turning them over and back in a dreamy-like daze.

"What... did you... do?" All I could manage was a lazy mumble.

"It was just a sedative spell - angelic magic to... ease the mind. It is only temporary."

I wasn't listening much, really. Instead, I reached up to tug at the hood over my head and over my face. I let out a long and breathy exhale, one of a dreamy state, that aroused Comet's suspicions.

"Marco? Are you alright?" She asked.

Despite her concern, I felt great - amazing, actually. I'd never felt so... weightless and light on my feet. My mind had never known such airiness and serenity.

I found a sort of humor in her question, a contrary question, considering my peaceful state. I couldn't resist a chortle eluding me.

"Do it again." I said, a queer smirk taking upon my face.

"Oh, dear." Comet began again, mumbling to herself. "I may have overdid it." Only then did she begin addressing me. "Come now. We mustn't dilly-dally."

I felt her hands clasp onto my shoulders, as if to usher me in another direction and I couldn't help but huff another laugh.

"Dilly-dally." I repeated, the words bringing a funny tie on my tongue.

"C'mon, Marco. Wake up." Her voice rang in next to my right ear though it still echoed as if in a tunnel.

"I'm... I'm awake..." I mumbled again, my voice trailing off. She walked me down the shallow steps of the courthouse and despite my claim, my feet collided, losing my grace. I would've tumbled if it weren't for Comet's sake.

"Careful." She urged, her arm wrapped across my chest as if to provide stability.

Judging by the distraction of the edges of my vision blurring and the faint presence of the world, I wasn't sure if I could even attempt to be careful. Even the single step in front of me seemed intimidatingly steep. 

From behind, a voice called, breaking through the subtle stillness.

“Your Majesty,” It was James, lingering in the doorway, nodding in Comet’s direction. I took a sparing glance behind me yet quickly turned away from him, my interest dying fast.

James, however, didn't even falter. His eyes were effortlessly avoidant of mine. It was almost as if he hadn't even given me a second thought since my outburst a few moments ago. 

How dare he have the nerve to just provoke and humiliate me like that- and now he was shunning me. I didn't deserve his concern. 

Fortunately for him, I was too intoxicated on magic to confront him, nor to even care much. 

"Uh… oh. Yes, of course." Comet said, turning her attention from me to James and back indecisively. She turned to me at last, only briefly, before leaving my side.

"Stay right here." She insisted. 

In the next second, she was heading towards James, leaping up into the air and soaring to reach the entrance of the courthouse. 

I pulled my cloak tighter around me, drooping my dizzying head to gaze down at my feet. 

For some time, I stood there, impatiently waiting for Comet's return, kicking mindlessly at the concrete steps. 

That was when I noticed - a shadow looming over the sun, blocking out the light of day. A draft of wind, blown in my direction. And when I spun around, there he was, a silhouette figure landing there beside me, his feathered wings furling behind him. 

The way he seemingly settled back down on the ground from flight was done with poise and sophistication. 

He proceeded to fold up his white dress shirt to his elbows, affixing the knot of his black tie, then securing his grey vest. 

Blonde bangs that hung down on the side of his face, glinting beetroot eyes, a sly smirk playing on his lips. 

Noah.