Clack. Clack. Clack.

A lonely, hollow sound echoing down the empty hallway. Steady and persistent as breathing, it replayed in Delta's ears even as she slept.

Somebody had finally given poor Brook a cane, and, from that moment onward, she had to be practically forced into her room at night. Through the entire day she wandered the halls of the palace, desperate map to it out in her mind as quickly as possible. She insisted on being able to walk around on her own, so she practiced every day, exploring now unfamiliar palace.

But never alone.

She refused to go alone.

Yet she also refused to be guided, so Delta followed her at a distance, rarely stepping forward to help. Brook detested help.

"Um..."

Brook stood at a crossroads of four hallways, head turning about. She had already explored her options and was standing in the center, frowning. Delta's fingers twitched; she should help. She took a few hesitant steps forward and placed and a gentle hand on Brook's shoulder.

"No!" Brook whipped around, swinging at Delta with the cane.

Delta jumped back and avoided the blow. Brook, off-balance, stumbled forward, throwing her arms in front of her. Delta slid in and caught Brook, only staying close long enough to make sure Brook was stable. After, she stepped back, out of Brook's reach.

"Are you okay?" asked Delta, heart aching. This wasn't the first time, Brook's reponses to help were becoming more and more fierce each day. Brook apologized for every incident, but experiencing it over and over again was painful. In Delta's mind, it wasn't Brook dismissing help--it was Brook dismissing her. But could that be the case?

"F-fine." Brook righted herself and, with quick, brisk movements, pushed her hair out her her face. Even though the bandages still covered most of her face, her mouth was plenty expressive. It was pulled tight, edges curling downward. "I...I'm sorry, Delta.

"It's fine." To her horror, the words came out stiffly.

"I'm so sorry," repeated Brook, voice firmer.

Delta wrapped her arms around herself, stomach turning. "Brook," she murmured, "if you want someone else to--"

"No!" cried Brook. "Delta--it's not you. I swear. I'm just--" She fiddled with the cane, passing it from hand to hand. "It's kind of frustrating."

Delta stepped forward, not especially assured. "Don't worry. Be patient. You couldn't find your way through the palace before, so of course you're lost now."

Brook laughed softly. "Yes, I suppose that's true." A pause, then, "Could you help?"

A bit more at ease, Delta nodded, though the gesture was wasted. She placed her hands on Brook's shoulders and turned her in the right direction. "This way."

"Thank you." Brook frowneed determinedly and set off at an impressive pace and surprising confidence. Delta followed a few paces after, smiling slightly. At this pace, Brook could navigate the castle by herself. Between Delta and the guards, though, the chances of that were quite slim. And Brook quailed at the mere suggestion of going alone.

"Princess Brook!"

Both Delta and Brook flinched, whipping around to see who had called them. Delta dropped into a shallow bow.

"King Saros," she spoke loudly, for Brook to hear.

Saros strode down the hall, grinning. "I was looking for you two."

"You were?" asked Brook. "What for?"

"Well," said Saros, "the team that was sent to retrieve your brother finally returned. Falak is home safe."

Brook clapped her hands together. "He is? Wonderful!" Then, with a touch of apprehension, "How about Keir?"
"Safe as well."

Brook's sigh of relief could have been heard across the palace. "That's wonderful," she repeated. "May we seem them?"

Saros nodded. "That was the reason I was looking for you, actually. We're having a small meeting--and by we, I mean me and the heirs--to discuss the state of the royal family. And, of course, for you to visit with your siblings," he added with warmth.

"Let's go, then!"

Saros smiled. "Follow me." He set off down the hallway, past Brook, at a reasonable pace.

Silently thanking him, Delta nudged Brook in the right direction, and they followed Saros, clacking along.

They didn't walk far until they stopped in front of a door set under an arch that Delta recognized to be the entrance to Saros's study. This was were Alina had her lessons; Delta had spent much time waiting in front of the doors. It was rather strange to enter the doors; she'd never been inside the study.

It was a wide, spacious room; on the wall opposite the door was a glassless window, separated into smaller sections by pillars connected by arches. A large, square rug decorated the otherwise bland floor, and a large desk rested in the corner by the window. Bright sunlight streamed in, making the whole room glow.

Seated in the center of the room on a multitude of couches ringing a circular table were three people: Alina, Falak, and his guardian, Keir. They were engaged in a muted conversation, and the same stiffness that seized Alina when she talked with Brook was present.

Saros saved Alina from her discomfort. "Alina! Falak! Keir! Look who's here?"

Three heads swiveled toward him.

Brook staggered forward. "Falak!"

Delta darted forward and lead Brook to her brother, whom she embraced in a tight hug. Brook stepped back and beamed. "I missed you so much!"

"I--I missed you too!" Falak's usual idiotic smirk--that, apparently, hadn't changed about him--fell away as he saw her bandaged face.

"How are you doing? Where did they send you? Was it a nice place? What happened? How--"

"Too many questions!" Brook's usual cheer was all it took to put Falak at ease. "I'm going pretty good." Even though his smirk returned, a shadow passed over his face whenever his eyes drifted to her face. After a bit of hesitation, he said, "And you? How are you doing?"

"A lot better than I look," said Brook, grinning teasingly. "Don't you worry about me. Where's Keir?"

"Right here," said Keir from his spot to the right of Falak. His solemn expression parted to allow a small smile to shine through. "It's a pleasure to see you, Brook." With pale skin, white hair, and light gray eyes, he looked like a ghost.

"Isn't it?" Brook rocked on her feet, clearly too excited to stay still. "You have to tell me everything that happened while you were gone, okay? So--"

Falak seemed ready to oblige, but Keir cut in. "Maybe not now, Brook. After all, we have a meeting to attend to."

Brook deflated somewhat. "That's true. After this--ah, I can't wait!" She fell into the couch beside Falak. "It's been so long." She leaned the cane on the couch, then continued to talk.

Delta sat to Brook's left, careful not to disturb the cane. Facing forward, she was staring straight at Alina. Alina was sitting there quietly, eyeing the conversation with an odd frown. Her face was cast in melancholy, gazing at Falak and Keir, Brook and Delta. Alina's hand drifted to the cushion beside her, empty on both sides. Even though a few guards stood stone-faced behind her, that wasn't she missed, Delta realized.

Alina's eyes drifted shut. She bit her lip and leaned back, hands trembling slightly.

"Is Alina here too?" Brook's inquiry cut through the chatter.

Alina's eyes flew open. She sat back up and looked at Brook, whose head was tilted hopefully.

"I'm here," affirmed Alina, eyes glazed over with moisture.

"Are you doing well?" asked Brook. "Even though we're in the same palace again, it feels like we never talk."

The statement was innocent enough, but Alina recoiled like she'd just been punched. "Yes, I'm well."

"Wonderful." Brook paused, head turning back and forth. "Well...that's all of us, isn't it? Me, and Alina, Falak..." She trailed off, words hanging in the air; an unfinished sentence that would never be complete. Three left alive.

The air soured. Brook, with a touch of sadness, murmured, "Yes...that's all."

"Indeed," stated Saros. He marched in, apparently oblivious to the mood, and sat in an armchair in front of the them. "All of you are gathered here." He scanned them over and over, as if one of them might vanish in an instant.

His voice shattered the silence that had fallen over them. Alina nodded and said, "Shall we begin, then?"

"Yes." Despite his answer, Saros looked over them one more time, not speaking. After a few seconds he nodded and rose from his chair. "Let's begin."

Alina started. "I--"

An explosion rocked the study.

Several earshattering booms filled Delta's head as the floor burst from under them, sending the furniture flying and chunks of white stone rocking across the room. A scream tore through the chaos. Delta was thrown from her seat, shooting across the room and slamming into the wall.

Brook.

The single word, crisp and clear, gave Delta the strength she needed to stand. The world spun around her, a dizzying mess of dust and hazy light and shouts and screams. She stumbled forward, each step surer than the last.

"Brook!" she called, the word almost catching in her throat.

Voices punctured the low roaring in Delta's ears.

"Get backup!"

"It's an attack!"

"Protect Alina!"

Then another raw scream.

Delta instantly shot off toward the sound, stumbling over a crack-riddled floor littered with debris. That was Brook's voice.

Two figures emerged from the haze--Brook, on the ground, arms raised in front of her helplessly. An unfamiliar man loomed over her, dagger raised, ready to strike. Without thinking, Delta summoned a sphere of water at her fingertips, lobbing it at the man. It made solid contact, sending him flying away.

She knelt by Brook and grabbed her wrists.

"It's me, it's me," murmured Delta when Brook whimpered in fear. "I'll protect you. It's okay."

Trembling violently. Brook could barely nod. She let Delta drag her limp body up, stumbling after Delta toward the back wall. An overturned couch appeared from the gloom. Delta guided Brook behind the chair and instructed her to hide behind it.

"Don't move until I tell you it's safe, okay?"

Brook merely collapsed to the ground, murmuring incoherently.

Sure she wouldn't move, Delta loomed over the couch, eyes flitting about the haze for the slightest hint of movement. She finally let herself catch her breath, inhaling dust-ridden air in great gulps. The haze began to settle, letting blindingly bright sunlight stream in. It stunned Delta's dizzied mind.

"We're here to help!" A great crowd surged past her, throwing themselves into the dust.

Unable to process if they were friends or foes, Delta merely watched. The only thing she had to worry about was right behind her; a clear, bright focal point among the chaos. Protect Brook. That was her once goal. She focused her energy and drew up a wall of water among them, shielding them from the shouts and flashes and screeches from beyond the haze.

As the dust settled, a battlefield unfolded before Delta.

The entire back wall of the study had been blown apart, leaving a gaping hole overlooking the city. The floor was riddled with stones and cracks and debris, and dark-clothed attackers bled from the cracks. They met a slew of angels in combat at the center of the study, weapons glinting in the sunlight. All sorts of magic filled the air; surges of water, gusts of wind, hails of stone, and, more than anything else, plumes of fire. A few angels hovered in the air, pelting the attackers with a flurry of attacks. They darted through the air, dodging bursts of fire that seemed to be aimed at them.

One set of black wings stood out from the rest; was it Saros? Delta didn't have time to look--some of the attackers were running at her. She let out a scream and sent her wall of water flying at them, throwing all of them backwards. But they rose and rushed at her once again. While Delta charged up another burst, one of them drew a small dagger and lunged toward her.

The blade sliced through air, but a burst of fire shot from it. Delta hissed, yanking up her growing wall of water to block the attack. The fire was extinguished, but much of her water evaporated. Letting out a frustrated hiss, she shot forward, ready to take them down close-range. They weren't going to give her time to build up an attack.

The launched herself at the closest attacker, taking advantage of his surprise. She sent a whip of water under his feet, sending him slamming into the floor. She kicked him in the side, sending him tumbling away. She sent a shot of water racing at his head, then spun around to face the next.

The attacker was even burlier than the last; he'd easily overpower her without the element of surprise. He lunged forward with his dagger. Delta jumped back and to the side, dodging the attack and sending the attacker lurching, off-balance. She summoned an orb of water and slammed it into his back, smashing him into the floor.

Before she could move forward to finish him off, amber flashed in the corner of her eye. She only had time to raise a shallow barrier before fire washed over her, wincing as tongues of flame singed her skin.

Something sharp plunged into the back of her shoulder.

Delta let out a screech of pain and threw her arm back, elbowing the attacker. Pain speared through her arm at the movement. She pivoted and punched the woman that had stabbed her. The woman doubled over, staggering backward. Delta lunged forward and landed a solid kick to the woman's side, sending her crashing to the floor.

Before Delta had time to even check her wound, the man from before slammed into her, both of them plummeting to the ground. Delta screeched, the impact driving the dagger deeper into her shoulder. The man lifted the dagger, ready to stab. Delta seized the man's wrist, but he, far stronger, kept pushing, the dagger nearing her heart.

A wordless scream sounded to their left, and a concentrated beam of fire shot at them--no, at the attacker. His eyes widened and jaw dropped in an expression of unadulterated horror, and he threw himself off Delta in a hasty attempt to dodge the attack. The flames missed Delta by mere inches.

Delta sprung to her feet and scrambled backward, creating distance between her and the man. He was already rising to his feet; the two eyed each other, contemplating their next move. Delta took the chance to wrench the dagger from her back, wincing at pain shot through the wound. The woman who had stabbed her drifted through her mind, and she chanced a quick glance around, only to find her engaged in combat with Blaise.

Delta let a small smile creep across her face, then turned her attention back to her opponent. He was clutching his dagger in both hands, sparks of fire crackling up the blade. He was charging an attack, always eyeing Delta for any movement.

She shot a burst of water at him, extinguishing the blade. The man reeled back at the sudden attack, giving Delta to summon more water, building a larger and larger orb. Her opponent let out a roar and rushed forward, done with magic.

Delta shuffled backward, stalling--just a little longer, a little longer. He was closing distance fast, too fast, faster than Delta could retreat. The wall loomed up behind her; there was no place she could run. The man lunged forward with the dagger, aimed soundly at Delta's heart--and a wave of water smashed into him, sending him flying in the opposite direction. His head slammed into the floor, and he lay there, still.

Delta didn't take a single breath before she spun around, looking for Blaise. She spotted Blaise just in time to see her sending the woman fleeing with a fierce burst of fire. Blaise watched the woman go, let out a sigh of relief, and wiped her forehead. When her eyes met Delta's, they lit up.

She stepped forward to greet Delta, but Delta walked past, murmuring, "Don't get distracted in battle." She hurried back to the couch where Brook was hidden; she checked that Brook was still okay, then turned to face the battlefield.

Blaise had returned to combat, but she was noticeably lingering at the edges--preventing people from nearing Delta and Brook. Yet the attackers had noticed that something valuable was hidden in that corner, and more and more of them were converging on Blaise.

For her part, Blaise put up an admirable fight, wielding magical techniques Delta vividly recalled teaching her. But there were just too many, and she was faltering. Blaise, busy fighting with three in her front, failed to notice two more creeping up behind her, ready to strike a fatal blow.

Without a thought, Delta shot off, leaving Brook behind, and sent two darts of water speeding at the attacks. Both hit their mark, and one of the attackers fell. Closing the distance, Delta lunged forward, punching the second attacker in the face. He barely blinked at the attack, lunging it for a swift jab to Delta's stomach. She dodged left and swung a kick at him, but went too low and hit his leg, barely fazing him.

Stars danced in her vision as the man's fist slammed into her face, sending her toppling to the ground. He shot forward for the final blow--the dagger glinted for a moment in the bright sunlight streaming through the hole in the wall, then dropped down to pierce her heart.

Delta summoned a burst of water at her fingers and swung it at the man, blasting him and the dagger off course. She scrambled to her feet as he recovered from the attack, checking Blaise in the corner of her eye--from what she could see, Blaise had taken to the air.

The man was charging again, taking a vicious swing at her with the dagger. Delta sidestepped, but to was too small, too late, and the tip of the dagger sliced her arm. She let out a hiss as pain shot through the wound, scrambling farther back.

She couldn't overpower him in hand-to-hand combat. Perhaps Blaise had the right idea.

She summoned her wings, leapt into the air, and beat them frantically. Her injured shoulder burst with pain, and she faltered, dropping a treacherous foot.

The man took the chance and flailed the dagger at Delta's legs, managing to land several shallow cuts on her ankles before she regained height. A strange ferocity seemed to overtake him when he saw her wings, caught between wide-eyed shock and burning hatred. His mouth shifted from gaping in awe to a snarl and then back and forth again, finally settling on a deep, hateful scowl.

"You filthy angel!" he screeched, jumping up and down in a vain attempt to reach her. Delta hovered just above his reach, struggling to stay airborne long enough to recover some strength. After several moment the man seemed to finally remember the enchantment in the dagger, and sent a burst of fire whipping at her.

Delta furiously beat her wings, just dodging, close enough to the flames for them to warm her skin. Her shoulder screamed at the movement, and, with a final burst of pain, her left wing gave out and she plummeted.

Stomach dropping faster them she was, Delta flailed about in the air, managing to use her right wing to control the fall somewhat. She landed hard on her feet and dropped down, grimacing at the pain shooting through her ankles. She looked up just soon enough to see the man stabbing the dagger at her.

In a vain attempt to guard herself, she threw her arms up, crying out in pain as the dagger embedded itself in her forearm. The man yanked it about and stabbed again, this time aiming for her heart.

Bearings regained, Delta slid to the side. His attack hitting empty air, the man lurched forward, off balance. With some of her magical energy regained, she swept a wave of water under his feet, sending him slamming into the floor. Delta kicked his hard as hard as she could, and, then for good measure, kicked it again. She checked to make sure he wasn't moving, then returned to check on Brook.

She was still curled up behind the couch, visibly trembling. Her mouth was half-open in distraught terror, and she occasionally let out a pitiful whimper. Heart aching, Delta positioned herself in front of the couch once again.

Though it was difficult to make out amid the flames and water and light, the angels seemed to be gaining the upper hand. The battle was shifting toward the wall, the majority of bodies strewn across the floor were clothed in the enemy's black and silver garb, and, cementing the advantage, a cry tore through the din of battle.

"Retreat!"

In a great cascade of black and silver, the attackers flooded out the gaping hole in the wall, sparks of magic biting at their heels. Numerous cries rose up from within the angels, and many pursued the attackers out, determined to prevent any escapers.

Fueling the effort was a black-winged angel spurring the chase from the air. "Don't let them escape!"

Astin's voice. The soldiers let out another cry at the command and rushed out the building in hot pursuit, managing to stop a number of the attackers in their tracks. Astin himself, likely still worked up from the battle, also folded his wings and dove for the wall--then stopped.

As if there was some sort of invisible barrier between him and the outside, Astin stopped in his tracks at the hole in the wall, throwing out his wings and jerking to a stop. He dropped to the ground, and, in an instant, his wings vanished. There Astin stood, gazing at the pursuit but not participating, sword still gripped in his hand.

Delta hadn't really expected him to leave the palace, anyway. But observing Astin's actions were at the least of her priorities. She spun around and peered around the couch.

Perhaps hearing the movement, Brook lifted her head, which had been buried in her arms, and whispered, "Is it over?"

Her voice was so faint, unsteady, her appearance so small and weak that Delta thought she might shatter at the slightest touch. Nevertheless, she crouched down by Brook, murmuring low, comforting words, and slid a hand onto her shoulder.

They stayed like that for a while, until Brook's violent trembling subsided and her breathing steadied. Delta pulled her into a gentle embrace and breathed into her ear, "It's over. You're safe."