To live is to breath anew, after all the turmoils of life have taken their pound of flesh.

Melrose Khalil Faith.

Necmi held him close, his body flush against his in their most primal and natural state, they breathed as one, as their bodies themselves glowed a dim light, something angelic about them, it was pouring outside, the storm had hit a little after dark, but it didn't matter since they hadn't planned on leaving Mel's dorm anyway, as Mel comfortable in his sleep, peacefully held by his boyfriend stirred, lightning flashed in the sky outside, golden streaks of hauntingly gorgeous bolts of pure electricity, one would expect that the thunder that followed would shake the school but nothing happened, except in Mel's mind where thunder drummed, it drummed so louldy that he jolted awake, Necmi's hold over his body couldn't keep him down, it was too powerful a call to ignore. "Love, what's wrong?" Necmi questioned as he woke up too, he held Mel close to him  rubbing his back for comfort and it worked only for a moment.

"Something is wrong, can you feel it?" Mel questioned his lover but Necmi shook his head in refusal, his features tinted with worry over Mel. "Oh." That's the only thing Mel could utter as his whole being was being tugged by the unknown force. "You should go, whatever it is." Necmi finally spoke, but Mel didn't want to leave him alone, he might've been okay now, back to his normal self after a few days of pampering, therapy and heavy carnal interludes with Mel, as the therapist called their sexual escapades every time they were free, he couldn't just go, he never wanted to leave Necmi alone but whatever was calling out to him, was important. "I'll be okay baby." Necmi assured as he kissed the side of Mel's head, Mel nodded knowing he had to go, Necmi would be okay, it was just his insecurity over him that plagued his mind, he was fine, he was okay.

So Mel got off the bed, grabbed the nearest clothes he could find which was Necmi's sweater that came down to his knees like a dress and made his way out, once in the hallway Mel held out his hand and a portal opened  he walked past its threshold and was taken to a sight that caused dread to rake his whole being. "Anhukat sacrificio meldat nokriat alt—" It was a teen, wearing the school's official uniform, he was kneeling in a circle of salt and ash, a bowl of blood and other pieces burning in a red flame around him, somehow the rain wasn't pouring down on him since he was in the middle of the burnt forest, caused by the demon he and his bonded had killed, Mel concluded it was his power shielding him. "Vihnketa rhotusi akma—." He continued as the sky rumbled, the very air around the boy and Mel sizzled and groaned with power. "Stop!" Mel yelled over the pounding of the storm.

The boy's haunted eyes snapped to Mel who stood in the middle of the ruin untouched by the ash or the rain. "Why?!" The boy argued, his eyes a bright red, his face cracking at the corruption of dark mana invading his body. "You don't know what you're doing, you don't know what you're calling out to, what you're bringing back, whatever was promised, its a lie!" Mel explained as he tried to get closer to the boy, if he didn't stop now, he'd die and they would have a mess on their hands,  he wasn't keen on handling one after the past few days. "Stop, stay away!" The boy hissed, his red glowing eyes flickering, then he waved his hand, a red slash of energy came for Mel, destroying everything in its path like decay and explosion, Mel held out his hand and obsidian tendrils shot out of his hand, tangled themselves over the energy and destroyed it with ease.

The boy had turned into a mumbling mess, as his ritual had reached its peak, a black void of warping energy grew out of thin air just beyond the circle of salt and ash. "Anna!" He cried out in delight but Mel could see what was clawing it's way out of the void, a demon of chaos, with one hand past the void a chill spread all over the school, the sky darkened, the rain changed, —a deep blood red settling in, though it still poured down in heavy sheets, Mel knew he had to stop the boy from committing this atrocity before the others got there because they surely had felt what Mel could feel from the being forcing himself out of the void. "Stop, you need to break the bind, that is not Anna." Mel argued hoping he could get through, if he intervened he could hurt the boy. "Look at it, do you think thats your beloved?!" Mel yelled in frustration, the boy looked to the figure halfway through and horror struck his face.

"Anna, that's not—ah!" He screamed as the void grew bigger with him as a vessel ready to receive whatever horror he had summoned. "I'm sorry." Melrose whispered toward the boy who was in agonizing pain, there was nothing he could do except intervene and hoped he'd live. "Go back to your prison." Mel ordered, his voice having taken a stronger tone, amplified by the power he was invoking, his right hand turned golden, waving it, he pushed the demon back into the void, but it was still trying to come through, like fists on a wooden door, the banging echoed all around them, in the very air it was happening. Mel's left hand turned obsidian with a shimmer akin to stars in the sky, tendrils of the same color shot out and wove themselves over the void, closing it shut and reinforcing the power that kept it shut. He turned over to the boy who now lay on the ground, a mess of red hair, ash, rain, tears and snot, Mel held out both his hands and the circle began turning to black ash until it was washed away by the rain, the red flame and bowl had destroyed themselves in the process as Mel knelt over the boy.

"It's okay, sweetheart, sshhh, it's alright." Mel comforted the boy, the best he could do for him. "I'm so sorry for whatever had you doing this." Mel whispered after wails had become soft cries and then sniffles. "My sister, Anna, they said it would bring her back, if I did it right." The boy confessed after a while of silence, it confused and perplexed Mel what he meant by they. "Whose they?" Mel asked softly, hoping not to trigger an emotional breakdown. "The voices, I kept hearing voices, they told me to perform the ritual, it would bring my sister back." He explained as everything was revealed in Mel's eyes, demons had a way of preying on weak minds, whether human, hunter or angel, they exploited weakness and if you fell they would devour you whole, that's what had happened with this particular angel, his loss and grief over his sister had caused him to fall prey to a demon whose power was chaos and death incarnate, he wouldn't escaped if Mel hadn't intervened when he did, that's why he had been pulled toward this boy, to stop him.

"I'm sorry, I truly am, but that ritual, it was never to bring back your sister, a demon preyed on your mind, offered you your deepest desire, inturn used you to summon it, —into this realm, you would be it's anchor, it's vessel." Mel explained to the pale boy whose face was marred with patterned cuts caused by corruption. "Angels can't fall prey to demonic tricks." The boy argued, his eyes held anger and disbelief, but Mel knew why, knew the reason why the angel boy would argue like this. "They very much can, listen — listen to me—." Mel paused waiting for the boy to say his name. "Joshua." He supplied and Melrose nodded with a smile. "Joshua, angels, hunters, humans, we all feel grief, feel pain and loss, demons hone in on that feeling, that heartbreaking loss, and the greater it is, the easier it is for them to corrupt your mind, angels have grown arrogant, grown comfortable over their victory with the demons they've forgotten the kind of power demons have and could amass." Mel explained as he took Joshua's hand, turned it toward him so that he could see the black blood bleeding from it, and the blood rain that was now being washed away, Mel knew it was hard to believe but it was true, those not part of the great houses were shielded from the horrors of demons, what catastrophes they could create.

"I didn't — I didn't know I just wanted her back." Joshua whisper argued, his voice broken by the realization of what he had done. "If I'd known, I would have never—." He broke down and Mel caught him in his embrace. "It's alright Joshua, you didn't know." He reassured the boy as his power broke through and began healing the angel, slowly piecing together his flesh and burning away the corruption, destroying it until his grace was cleansed and pure. "You're going to be okay Joshua, I'm so sorry about your sister, it will be hard to let her go but remembering her will keep you going, knowing she loved you and that whatever comes your way, she'll be watching over you." Mel exclaimed the only comfort he could impart on the angel, getting over loss was never easy especially when the person was your entire world and you were willing to die for them to live. "Thank you." Joshua stated, his breathe slowly coming to ease. "It's alright." Mel assured as he smiled at the boy, the rain was now subsiding as they stood up. "I can still feel the voices, just beyond the surface." Joshua whimpered holding Mel's hand, and Mel knew, even though the summoning hadn't been succeful, a stand of the demon's essence had touched Joshua, and not even he could burn it away, only help Joshua block it out.

"I can help but —." Mel couldn't get to explaining as wings flapped in the sky above him, several angels coming down to where they were. "Joshua Hart." Kean spoke first addressing the boy who cowered behind Mel, he could feel the burning anger coming from the angels that surrounded them. "Not now Kean." Mel asserted as he looked at the arch angel, the two stared at each, and Mel was sure Kean was questioning why he was standing up for the boy, two more angels descended next to Mel, they stood with him silently as they faced the others. "You know what he's done, and you protect him." Damian hissed looking at Mel and his friends, his vicious eyes turned to glare at Joshua who whimpered even more. "He's just a child who didn't know better, its not his fault." He argued looking at Damian who scoffed but remained silent. Mel wondered why Selena hadn't come, she would've been the first one to want to burn Joshua at the stake. "I know what he's done, I was here when it happened, and I'm telling you, it wasn't his fault, his mind was vulnerable, now it is not, he only needs a bit of healing and he'll be fine." Mel explained but the others didn't seem to have the same kind of sympathy he had.

"The Clair Haven strictly banned demon summoning, human, hunter or angel, that law he knew, so why did he continue, you cannot keep him away from facing his punishment Mel, and if you do get in our way, we'll push past you aswell, sympathy or not, students have died in the school already because of demons, and he was stupid enough to actually try and summon one here, what would've happened if you hadn't intervened, more would've died, we can't ignore his actions." Another angel argued, Mel was unfamiliar with him but how he stuck close to Kean was something to note. "I am well aware of what happened, and you have no right to remind me of those deaths when I'm the one who took up the mantle of making sure their familes knew, that they had everything they would need to get past their grief, Joshua fell prey because of his grief, can you not feel his pain." Mel argued, his control over his power waning.

"We understand, but the boy still disobeyed the law, and we cannot let him walk away, so I suggest you give him over to us and go back to your boyfriend." The angel by Kean's side stated with more force showing he wouldn't back down, when he and a few others walked toward Mel, Rizzavi held out his hand and a green spear appeared in his hand trained at the aggressor, Hamish held a rapier, aimed for Kean instead. "I would think of your next actions, very carefully, because I hate condescending idiots." Melrose replied as his eyes glowed and swirled with different colours, who would dare move forward now, taking on one ascended angel was hard enough, how about three. Kean held the angel who had been speaking up more than all of them. "We'll let the headmaster sort this out." He stated and Mel nodded toward Kean who breathed a sigh of relief.

Kean Serrati.

"Are you alright kid?" Kean watched Hamish draw away the blade aimed at him and ask the foolish boy a sympathetic question, there was still apprehension in the air as the other angels that had come with him were flying back to their dorms. "That boy should be punished." Damian hissed before he took off into the air with the others, Kean knew he was right, Joshua had to be punished but could he really bring himself to do it, Joshua belonged to house Gabriel, his house and he had failed to protect him, now someone else had taken the boy under his wing and was going to be trusted in his stead, that wasn't something he wanted but what could he do, he had failed on multiple accounts, only when Mel had threatened to fight them, had they relented in punishing Joshua, how was he going to deal with this situation now.

"Take care of him." He heard Melrose instruct Hamish  who took the boy into his arms and soon took off into the night sky. "Will you be alright?" Rizzavi questioned Mel, a worry set on his face, he had never seen such devotion, what would have an angel as powerful as Rizzavi worry over Mel like that, the boy wasn't a normal hunter, or angel, that was abundantly clear when he and his friends killed the demon, he was still nowhere near knowing what Mel was or who he was, but seeing the power in his eyes, he wasn't someone ordinary that's for sure. "Go, I'll be okay." He heard Mel assure the angel Rizzavi before he nodded and took off into the sky, Mel sighed, he was alone with him and his next hand, Craig, the one who dared challenge Mel. "I will advise you once, never speak to me with such insolence child." Mel asserted his eyes dead set on Craig who was next to him, that gaze, the harsh and malicious intent that pooled down his body when he looked at Mel was indescribable, —what of Craig, if he felt like that. Mel turned to walk away, his form disappearing in the darkness of the burnt forest.

"What was tha-t —it felt." Craig mumbled, his words a faded stutter, that's when Kean knew, they had gotten off easy with Mel, there was something dangerous hidden in all the layers of his beauty, something that should never be provoked. "You were warned, take  that to heart, I'm sure the headmaster will opt to keep Joshua here, he's still fairly new and Annalise was his whole world, I understand why he would do this." Kean muttered facing Craig whose face contorted into a frown. "You were ready to expel him from the school, banish him from house Gabriel." Craig argued as they flew back to their dorm, and indeed Kean had been ready to do those things if Mel hadn't interfered, now his thoughts were going haywire, he was confused, Mel had set off a reaction in him that he couldn't understand, what he could understand, was that he had been going about things wrongly from the very beginning. "I was indeed ready to do that, but Mel, something about what he said struck me, and if I was so ready to cast out one of my own, what did that make me, am I truly worthy to lead house Gabriel if I couldn't find the sympathy to look beyond Joshua's fault and find reasons as to why he did what he did." Kean explained, thoughts churning in his head that caused him to really reflect on how he would lead, someone like Mel was both powerful and humble, a combination not a lot of angels in Harwin academy had, but it didn't change him, rather he was changing them, he indeed needed to think, because he knew, the road he was headed would lead to disaster.

the next day - the burnt forest.

"These are heavy." Haden groaned as he came over to where Abe was, he and the council, along with their group of friends, infact most of the school, were replanting the forest, after they had cleared out the rot in the soil that early morning. "Why did Necmi ask us to do this again?" Denali whined as she wiped her muddied hands on the grey gardening apron she wore. "He did say that you were open to refusing." Rizzavi joked as he came up behind Abe and placed a kiss on the back of his neck making him jump. "Hey!" He protested as he turned around with angry eyes only for them to soften when he saw it was Rizzavi with a wide grin. "Someone's jumpy." Rizzavi teased again only to get a smack on the bicep from Abe. "You snuck up on me." He argued as he closed the gap and the two began a heavy makeout session. Necmi cleared his throat loudly and the two untangled from each other right then both with swollen lips.

"The more work you put in, the earlier we finish, the more time you get to do that." He addressed the pair who nodded and scrambled to get to work, Necmi was wearing one piece overalls his upperbody being showcased in all its built, glorious sweatiness, muscles that had you staring so much you'd envision yourself just touching them. "That's why I couldn't say no, look at him, he's—" Denali woildeve melted into a puddle just by looking at the arch angel, Haden laughed discreetly but he too was stealing glances at the man, he was just heavenly, and he was also starting to question his own sexuality by looking at him. "I know right." Selena whispered next to Denali, the two giggled before turning to look away when Necmi walked by to his boyfriend. "We're almost finished, the forest should grown back nicely." Mel explained as he got up from his knelt position with a smile, even when he stood on his tippy toes he couldn't lean up enough to kiss Necmi henceforth he brought heels to a replanted forest just for that purpose. Necmi didn't mind, he eagerly kissed his boyfriend. "So what did uncle Harry say about Joshua?" Necmi asked as the two of them walked toward Laurie who was rolling in the mud with Angelo, oh that was going to be hard to wash out of his hair.

"No expulsion, one of the higher tiered angels offered to tutor and take him on as a ward to make sure he was alright, I also forged a bracelet for him, it will surpress any influence the demon might have over him if he were to get depressed again, so he should be fine." Mel explained as Necmi scooped him up into his arms, Mel naturally wrapped his legs around the larger angel's waist and kissed him. "I'm proud of you." Nuno muttered as he kissed Mel again. "Thank you, your grace." Mel teased as Angelo's squeals got to their ears. "What in the name of the Goddess are you doing?" Mel asked horrified when he was set down next to Laurie who was making mud pies. "What do you think?" She replied with a mischievous smile. "No, Laurie—no!" Mel shrieked but it was too late she threw the mud at him with a maniacal laugh. "Oh you're on!" Mel let loose a belly laugh war cry as they began their mud fight. Mud hit Necmi's back, when he turned back to see who threw it, it was Abe and Haden, he quickly picked up his own mud projectiles and soon enough the students were all throwing mud at each, laughter and joy filling the air, so this is what it meant to find joy even in the darkest of times. And in that rare instance, Selena saw her father in Melrose.

+++

Now let's get some drama on.

Saint Jay.