A pair of arms wrapped around Cecil, catching her smoothly. The man glided through the air, the soldiers scattered to avoid Zasiok from landing on them.

"Thank you, Zasiok," Cecil breathed out and Zasiok set her down gently.

Cecil winced, rubbing at her sore back and Zasiok regarded her with a concerned frown.

"I'm alright, just a little sore."

Someone rushed at them, not giving them a break, and Zasiok subdued them instantly.

Cecil eventually realised Zasiok had left his parents to save her, and she panicked. "Wait, Zasiok, what about your parents?!"

"My master is with them, no one will hurt them when my master is there." He answered and Cecil sighed in relief.

"Oh, thank god."

Zasiok stared at Cecil, his lips curving faintly.

When he saw Hana and Cecil stepping in, an inexplicable feeling rose up within him, especially when Cecil helped to free him.

They...didn't need to do it at all. They had no obligations.

His rage was taking over him, when he picked up Hana's voice crying out for Cecil. That was when he saw her, helpless in the air, and his rage simmered, his mind instantly fixated on saving her.

"I should be thanking you instead, along with Hana."

Cecil patted the dirt off her clothes, and Zasiok fended off a few more attackers with ease.

"Don't thank us just yet, we are still in danger," Cecil sighed, gesturing towards the crazed king. "He clearly wants your blood, very desperately."

"Kill them, just kill them all! Don't let a single one of them go!"

Zasiok scoffed at the king, who had a crazed look in his eyes while hiding behind his guards. His immaculate appearance was no longer there.

What a bastard.

Zasiok then ducked from a fireball, finding a javelin on the ground and flinging it back at his attackers. Cecil quickly joined the fight, and the two of them stood back to back, advancing as the number of soldiers confronting them dwindled.

"We need to find Hana and Xue." Cecil stated.

Zasiok hummed in agreement, before he paused. "Who the hell is Xue?"

Cecil remembered they never had a proper introduction with one another. The way he spoke resembled Xue, and it amused Cecil.

"You'll know soon enough."

She conjured up a wall one side to block the incoming attacks. She proceeded to force the wall to push their pursuers away.

"...Cecil, I know what you risked to help me, and I...can't thank you enough for that. Both Hana and you."

Her composure faltered, her haughty mein replaced by a troubled frown. Cecil didn't feel comfortable, accepting his words just like that.

"I...hesitated, Zasiok," Cecil admitted, guilty. "I was unwillingly to help, but after Hana made the first move, it made me realise my mistake of hesitating."

Zasiok was astonished.

Why does she feel guilty?

It wasn't her duty to aid him, not in the slightest bit. She didn't even owe him any favour.

He even used her as a hostage!

Zasiok didn't know how to respond.

Cecil spotted Xue and Hana in the crowd, and she lit up. It was better if they were all together, so that they could find a safe way out.

"...why are you even guilty--"

"Zasiok, I see them!"

Without thinking, Cecil grabbed Zasiok's hand, wanting to drag him along, cutting his words off. A soldier dashed at them, and she avoided their punch. Cecil unconsciously pushed Zasiok behind her, acting as a shield. She executed a spinning kick right after, her movements deft, and the soldier grunted, falling to the ground.

Cecil spun around, facing Zasiok. A bright, satisfied smile made its way to her face.

Zasiok was stunned by her actions and her smile.

"Let's go!" Cecil exclaimed, leading the way as she pulled Zasiok along.

Zasiok recalled her earlier actions, glancing at their entwined hands. He couldn't find any words to speak, a stuffy feeling rising up within his chest.

This woman clearly helped me, knowing I committed treason. Both Hana and her, involved themselves with me, needlessly, and yet...

And yet, she can still smile so brilliantly at me. And protect me in such a manner...

The solemn mask Zasiok had always worn disappeared, his violet eyes quivering.

No one protected me like this before.

***

Hana squeezed her eyes close, not wanting to witness the bloody scene. She shivered, their horrified screams and yelps burrowing into her mind.

Another scream.

Her trembling petite hands struggled to shut her ears.

A muffled scream.

Her eyes remained tightly shut, shaking her head. Even with her ears covered, she could still hear them so clearly.

I'm scared.

This isn't the gentle Xue I know.

This isn't the Xue I know, at all.

The Xue I know...the Xue that I really know...

At that moment, Hana heard a whistling noise, reverberating through her entire mind, making her frown. It continued on, growing louder, but it was rather comforting, soothing the anxiety within Hana.

The battlefield gradually grew quiet as she focused on that whistling noise.

Everything...is gone.

She realised her surroundings was completely silent, and Hana lifted her eyes open, the environment was completely different. She was still in the same cowering position, and she slowly moved her hands away from her ears.

She seemed to be on a walkway, made of ornate stone with railings, and stairs that led up to tall buildings up ahead that resembled a temple. The area was surrounded by lush greenery, and the soothing sound of water running could be heard.

The skies were not the usual blue that one was used to seeing. It was a mixture of colours, ranging from orange to purple, and the fluffy, white clouds extended across the sky.

"Are you alright?"

A familiar, silvery voice.

Hana turned, her eyes assessing the stranger who offered a hand to her.

"Don't worry, you are safe now."

She recognised the stranger easily, it was none other than Xue...however, at the same time, it wasn't him.

His ash blonde hair was straight and long, cascading down his shoulders.

He was gazing down gently at her, his grey eyes gentle, a grin plastered across his lips. On his back, there were a pair of angelic wings spreading out, glowing in a brilliant white. He donned an golden armour that shimmered with specks of blue, its design was intricate.

He looked magnificent.

She accepted his help, and Hana came to a sudden realisation.

That armour only belonged to the descendants of the supreme god.

"My lord--ah!"

A jolt of pain shot up her legs when she wanted to bow, and she glanced down, seeing an ugly gash on her leg.

"You are a strange angel, aren't you? The archives are off limits, you should know that."

"I...I know, I was...too distracted."

"The guardian beasts don't take too kindly to trespassers."

Hana ducked her head down, her gorgeous red hair hiding her face.

"I apologise, my lord."

Xue patted her head, and Hana was shocked, lifting her head up as she gazed at Xue.

"As long as you are fine," Xue continued smiling at her. "I'm glad that I was passing by, it would be bad if anything happened."

He proceeded to crouch down, placing his spear down, hovering his hand over the wound on her leg. Hana gasped, glancing around frantically as she felt herself heating up.

"My lord! You do not need to do this! I am a lowly subject, not befitting of your grace--"

"Stop spouting rubbish," Xue chided, producing small orbs of light from his hand that drifted over to the wound. "There is no difference between you and me, and I'm just simply helping a fellow angel in need."

"No, my lord! You cannot allow yourself to lower to my--"

"Call me Xue, there is no need to address me like that."

She felt a soothing warmth around her leg, and she glanced down, noticing how her wound was healing at a rapid rate. Hana was flustered at this point, not knowing what to say or do.

"Alright, that should do it."

"My lord--"

"Xue."

"Xue...I...there wasn't any need to...heal my injury. I am not a person of importance, and I am the one at fault here. I'm sorry..."

Xue let out a short laugh, standing up, meeting her eye to eye.

"Why are you so afraid?"

Hana recoiled back, surprised.

"I...I..."

"Well then, from this moment onwards, you are my friend." Xue extended his hand out. "Nice to meet you, fellow angel. I'm Xue, and you are...?"

Hana managed a small smile, shaking his hand cautiously.

"Nice to me-meet you, Xue. I'm Hana, Hana Katae."

The man shook her hand, his grip firm, adorning a beatific smile. His angelic wings on his back fluttering gracefully as he was bathed in a warm light.

"There's no need to be afraid anymore, Hana."

At that moment, a tortured scream echoed within her mind and she gasped awake.

"Hana."

Hana blinked, facing the same man, but his kind and amiable demeanor was gone, his face void of any smile.

"Are you alright?"

She wanted to nod her head, only to be interrupted by an enraged roar and thunderous footsteps.

"You bastard! You killed my friend, how dare you--"

Xue disappeared from Hana's side, appearing beside the soldier as he struck the javelin away. Xue proceeded to slice his neck, blood spurting out and some of it splattered onto the side of Xue's face.

The soldier collapsed to the ground lifelessly, and Hana flinched as she watched this happen before her very eyes. She gradually noticed the bloody, gruesome scene in front of her, the four soldiers that Xue murdered in cold blood.

Hana inhaled shakily, looking at Xue who made his way back to her, wiping the blood from his face.

He stared at the blood on his hand, a trace of smirk on his thin lips.

Xue...

Suddenly, Hana found it hard to breathe, and she frowned, surprised to find her vision blurry. Something wet slid down her cheeks, and she reached her hand up, touching her grimy face.

I...am...crying? Why?

Xue saw her tears and his expression hardened, immediately rushing to Hana's side.

The metallic smell of blood overwhelmed Hana, even though it wasn't particularly strong. She glanced at the motionless bodies on the floor around her, and Hana felt herself swaying, clutching at her head. Her eyes closed by itself, and she collapsed to the ground.

***

《 start 》

So it's you, you are the one who changed Xue...

Did I change him for the better?

For the worse!

How fortunate.

You--why...why would you do this?

I ask myself the same question everyday.

I abhor you!

Like how you abhor the current Xue?

Wh-what?

Anyone can see that, Hana. But I can help you, I can help you forget.

Forget? I don't want to forget about Xue!

I can help you forget the current him, so that you only remember his good sides.

...re-really?

All you have to do is take my hand.

Veau offered, grinning like a devil, though everyone knew he was actually one.

Everyone except Hana.

Hana was the last trap for Xue. The last trap that will drag him down to oblivion, forever.

-- Path to the Supreme God

《 stop 》