“Good, your form is improving.” Leo circled Missouri as she attempted to incapacitate him. She spun around quickly and her fist almost connected with his face.  Her breathing laboured while he sounded as if he’d been sitting comfortably all day. “And so is your confidence, that’s the secret to an unparalleled warrior.” He blocked her raised leg by grabbing hold of her ankle before it connected with his face and twisted, she did a back flip and landed crouched on her feet.

There was no way Missouri would be as fast as Leo, or any of the angels; she should just include all the inhabitants of world on that list while she was at it. However Leo slowed his movements to match a human’s; he was an excellent teacher! And within a week she learned the basic. She still had loads to learn on actual fighting.

“We can stop now.” Leo placed his hand on her shoulder and Missouri sighed in relief, they’d been at it for hours and she was exhausted! She enjoyed the training and invested all of herself into it mostly because at the end of each day she was too tired to think of HIM. Her mind and her heart rested from the pain but it all peace evaded her in sleep, she would dream of him over and over. It was her curse yet her blessing; it was the only time she was gifted with seeing him, other than that she hadn’t laid eyes on him since he ignored her in Leo’s presence; a little over a week.

Missouri dropped herself onto the floor, “I am pretty sure that demons are infinitely stronger than I am, my chances would be rather low.” She mused.

“That is why we still need to work on your fire power; but demons may have the strength but you should know that intellect is far more powerful. You don’t need to out power your attacker just need to outsmart them.” Leo hinted at her, eyes boring into her ensuring she understood what he said. This Leo was so different from the one she knew, and it was the only time she saw him this serious; during training.

“I understand. That fire power thing; I don’t know why it’s not happening.” She apologised and Leo smiled. “Forget about that now. Just relax, you deserve it.”

Hadriel was finally appeased, for one entire week, Arc was nowhere to be found, he exploded countless times when Muriel and Satael would come to him empty handed and imply that the demon was well hidden. Well hidden his wings! He didn’t tolerate it! And now he finally felt some peace at the demons capture. He would gain the information he was seeking; he needed to, it would answer some of his questions.

Hadriel entered the room in the same fashion he had with the last demon, he dismissed Muriel and glared smilingly at the demon who occupied the room, he looked as if he was going to escape; but Hadriel knew otherwise. He picked up a blade and eyed it admirably, “This is going to give me immense joy.” He commented and attempted to carve the answers he required out of Arc.

Missouri laid on the floor of the training in silence, she couldn’t find it in her to make conversation and she was grateful to Leo for not commenting on her curious conduct.

Leo couldn’t bear to witness such self-confinement as the one Missouri was undoubtedly trapping herself within. “Hey.” He called out in attempt to gain her attention. She averted her gaze to please him.

“Do you want to see something riveting?” He probed, his summon laced with an air of agreeable invitation.

“Am I going to be fond of this?” Missouri couldn’t help but ask, she already didn’t know much about their world, but the things she knew were the things of nightmares.

“It will provide some sort of pleasure, I imagine.” He responded while endeavouring to shroud his laughter at Missouri’s hesitance.

She considered him and Leo saw that she was curious, he strode over to where she lay and extended his hand to her. She took it cautiously and allowed him to set her on her feet. He caught her gaze and stared meaningfully into her eyes, “Look carefully.” His eyes full of a secretive delight.

Missouri felt the chill before she noticed the pale pink walls that would easily be considered white on first appearance, shimmered and glowed as an offset of blue swished and swirled against them. It instantly reminded her of the sky, a blue that illustrated the promises of imminent revealed mysteries.

Her eyes then fell on Leo’s shadowed face only to realise that the brilliance of colour that blanketed the room came from him. Protruding from somewhere behind him, his wings elevated, Missouri walked behind to adore this fine specimen, his wings were huge but it’s the colour that struck her. They were blue, the blue she saw riddling the walls, the most mesmerising feature; its transpiracy. She could see the detail that rendered it wings but she saw through it, not all the way through yet it wasn’t to be described as opaque, the only way she could find to depict it was, “Ice?”

“It’s frosty and blue.” She commented on the cold it emitted and the colour to the entertained Leo. “Is it fragile?” It looked so beautiful and to Missouri beauty was frail, except for the angels whose beauty possessed strength and cruelty. “Not even in the slightest. Angel wings are indestructible, but they have their weaknesses and the pain usually hones in on backs.”

“What kind of weaknesses?” Missouri asked, truly intrigued, her previous sadness forgotten.

“Well mine is fire. Not a simple flame or anything thing your kind will be accustomed to, but a thousand times hotter.” He informed.

“Yours? All of you have different weaknesses for the same wings?” Missouri didn’t understand that logic, but this was not a rational topic.

Leo laughed, “We all have different wings and different weaknesses.” He clarified, and Missouri recalled the night she found out they existed, she saw Muriel’s dark, sharp like wings. But then she could have sworn that she them all with black wings.

“But I have seen all you with black wings before.” Her brows cascaded in lines. Leo shook his head agreeing with her and this perplexed her even more.

“We all have black wings that we use regularly, just like the form of our gargoyle wings; it’s the same. We also, each one of us, has another set of wings, you can call it our special power. Warrior angels do not possess any abilities; it’s all in the wings. Only the warrior angels have these. Muriel has dark silver wings, which are very sharp. Satael has the bright gold wings that can blind demons and I am pretty sure humans to. Hadriel on the other hand has the rarest form of wings; it’s only been accounted twice in our history and that is the fire wings. And if you have noticed, which I am sure you have; his eyes are orange, it hints at the colour of his wings, that way it seems to glow every time he’s angry. I guess you can think of it as clothing, we have one for casual encounters where as we have another for special occasions.”

Missouri took it all in, it was so fascinating. She hadn’t the words; all she could do was continue to stare at Leo’s wings in awe. Her level of enthrallment was bordering in insanity since she hadn’t realised that she began shivering from the coldness he emitted. She was faintly aware of Leo’s voice somewhere on the other side of her reality until he shook her slightly and informed her of her change in temperature, leading her back to her room.

Playing the scene of Leo’s wings over and over in her mind made her wonder at the irony of it all. Leo was genial and earnest. And all things simply warm, yet his ‘special’ wings were cold and harsh. It was an invigorating contrast for the angel she had grown to consider a close companion.

Hadriel opened the door wide enough for Muriel to peek inside; all she saw was a bloody lifeless mess. His art bordered less on interrogation and more on mutilation. She saw that he was reflexively rubbing his knuckles, she saw the bruises and even ripped flesh and her insides numbed; she’d always thought him cruel despite her attraction to him but she didn’t realise just how cruel he really was.

“Get rid of the body, I am going out for a while.” His voice boomed and Muriel cringed at the unemotional angel in fright. This was the reason he was the most feared angel in heaven and hell.

On his way out, Hadriel encountered Satael, “Where are you going?” He asked as Hadriel continued to walk by, he turned in the opposite direction as Hadriel passed him. “I am going to see a friend.” Hadriel replied darkly.

“I’ll come with you!” Satael called after Hadriel who was almost at the roof. “No need.” He called over his shoulder and he was gone.

It was already dark out and Hadriel just felt like the days go almost as fast as they arrive, but this past week has been achingly slow. He hadn’t Missouri for the duration and he felt defeated as if he was working on borrowed energy because he really didn’t know where the motivation to keep standing came from; maybe it was her. The thought made him laugh bitterly, she was the reason for his drained sensation and yet she was the reason he tried to ignore it.

Hadriel pushed walked into the least populated bar in the city. His nostrils infected with the sour smell of steal beer. It may not be the most inhabited bar but there were hundreds of people here.  Most sitting around tables, others took to the corners with their partners, the dullness of appearance and colour of the bar disclosed them and concealed them respectively. And then there were those who sat at the bar, he prayed to find who he came her for; knowing fully well that prays were never answered.

He scanned the bar; loads of humans drinking their lives out, may it be for closure, to relieve pain or to just forget, yet they still blame their problems on a non-existent force while they alone possess the control for change. How can they all believe in a God when this is their obviously degrading state, a species so involved in poison of sex, drugs and violence? Yet they choose to think of their existence one grand plan from a creator who will save them all.

Hadriel shook his head, isn’t it obvious? If there was such a being this world would not be as it is; spinning out of control where the so called voices of God are teaching humans that religion is the only way they can account for their existence. If there was a God and if he cared, then suffering would cease, but without such a power the influence of the Kings of Hell are widespread. This world belonged to no God, it was to broken for the belief to fuse into the mind of sensible men yet they all trust in something as thin and frail as glass.

“Can I get you something?” Hadriel was broken out of his spell by the obvious purr by dark haired woman, who stood at eye level, her eyes inviting something but Hadriel hadn’t the time nor the stomach to be in her presence.

“No.” He replied and walked closer into the bar, his eyes glowed in the darkness. His sight was better in gloom and he instantly saw the being he searched for, sitting alone at the bar’s counter.

“You are a very hard being to track down.” Hadriel declared as he took a seat next to him.

He gazed upon Hadriel in surprise, not fear and this constructed a sort of budding respect on Hadriel’s side.

“I wasn’t aware I was being sought.” He responded amiably.

“Well now you do.” Hadriel smiled. “I need to speak to you urgently.”

“I can see that. Might I suggest you coming back when I am not being watched?” The figure spoke as if what he said of on no importance to him.

“I thought they were friends of yours.” Hadriel replied. “Not in the least, meet me tomorrow.” He slid out of his chair, “Time and place are on the paper.” He looked at Hadriel and he noticed a wedge of paper lying underneath the being’s empty and clearly unused glass.

“You knew I was coming.” It wasn’t a question and the figure smiled down at Hadriel. “Why do you think I came back here after I knew I would be followed?” He began to walk away, and Hadriel bent in head in admiration. “Do you require assistance?”

 He smiled, one that told of complete faith in his abilities. “Where is the fun in that?” and he left. Hadriel knew that a fight was about to break out between the entity and his followers but apparently he could handle them effortlessly. He removed the paper from its resting place and unraveled it, passed a memorising gaze and destroyed it.

 Missouri was beyond fatigued, yet she couldn’t find the strength to sleep, her mind reeled and she ached for some scenery, she made her way outside and to her balcony; she called it that because she was the only one who used it. Not once has she seen the angels come here so she kept coming whenever she wanted to focus on something other than him, which didn’t work because she always ended up thinking about him.

She placed the palms of her hand on the banister revelling in the extra darkness the spot offered, she closed her eyes and allowed the cold air to repair her soul.

“You shouldn’t be here. Have you any idea of the time?” A voice as sharp as a thousand razors broke through the comforting cold and transformed it into something harsher. She spun around instantly and almost slammed into HIM! She was inches away from him and all the promises she made to herself saying that she didn’t care or that she wouldn’t shed another tear fell away.

She hadn’t known she was holding her breath until he raised an eyebrow at her and she tried to speak, “I-I am sorry. I just needed some...air. I-I’ll leave.” Looked past Hadriel and was beginning to walk away, she it was late, almost midnight but she thought no one came here.

Hadriel didn’t know the reason for his sudden appearance to this unfrequented balcony, his rational half screamed at him to walk away once he’d noticed Missouri but instead he found his feet moving in the wrong direction, against the counselling of his mind. But he planned to renew the hate she felt for him.

Missouri felt warmth gripping her shoulder in a soft plea. She looked down at the hand and gulped, she couldn’t find it in her to look at him, as her breathing increased in an attempt to hold back the tears, she felt his gaze on her and knew he was looking down at her, and she felt his breath on her hair.

Hadriel didn’t know why he caught her hand, it wasn’t his plan but he couldn’t let her go just yet, he hadn’t seen her in a week and now he wondered how he stayed sane all that time.

Missouri couldn’t think she could feel her eyes welling up and she breathed even harder to steady them, he finally pulled her in front of him, she still didn’t dare look. She didn’t want to see the hatred there; she swallowed over the lump in her throat. “Hey.” His voice unexpectedly soft as he pulled her face up to his with his thumb and index finger.

“I’m sorry.” Missouri looked up, her eyes searching his.

The words left his mouth before he could dismiss it, and realised that he didn’t want her to hate him, didn’t want her to hurt, didn’t want himself to either not when the one thing that was hurting him was himself.

Missouri didn’t respond and he peered desperately into his eyes, “I lied about my feeling for you.”

She observed him, the tears coming full force, “Why?” Her voice cracked and Hadriel wanted nothing but to hold her, and that’s what he did.

He pulled her against him and slammed his lips on hers in an endless plea. One of his hands encircled her waist while the other snaked at the back of her nape and grabbed a fist full of her hair, jerking her head backwards causing her to up to him, a gasp escaped her lips but she kissed him back, her lips soft and innocent beneath his. Missouri laced her arms around Hadriel’s muscular neck, her hands reaching up to his hair. He continued to pull her closer to him despite the fact that their lower bodies were already intimately pressed against each other. His hand dug into her waist.

They both pulled away from the kiss, breathing past labored, Hadriel cupped Missouri face with the hand he hand in her hair and kept their foreheads leaning against each other’s.

“I thought it would be easier if we didn’t explore what we had, I am so sorry.” Hadriel spoke. Missouri saw a speck of blood trickling down Hadriel’s hand and pulled his it down from her face with her hand to examine it. Hadriel kept his gaze on while she did this. Missouri ran her fingers over the battered and bruised knuckles and she wanted to slap him for it; she didn’t care if it was necessary or not. She brought the hand up to her lips and pressed it gently in a healing kiss.