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Ahzrael arrived in Vae'lon, mere feet away from the high-rise acropolis, and felt an immediate change. A sense of unbalance. A forbidden energy battling within their home. Their world was in distress as forceful winds raged in the skies and the ground beneath his feet violently trembled.

In the distance, booming sounds of waves smashing against the cliffside caught his attention. Focusing his hearing, he picked up on clamorous echoes of bodies being hurled around. It was similar to the sounds Nirus and Sirone made during their training, but this was far more intense, far more deliberate and violent.

With supreme speed, he turned into a shadowed light of himself and raced towards Terevii, the private sectors that were located far away from the mainland. The sectors were used as a place to seek solitude within Vae'lon, but not too far away from it all. Today, it served an alternate purpose.

Ahzrael passed through the white mists with ease. Vae'lon was scarce of trees, only massive walls of clouds separated each region it possessed.

Materializing into physical form, he stepped into an astonishing scene. A dark figure thrashed around, screeching and clawing at the Diuxals all about the area.

The Inusir.

Ahzrael absorbed the sight of his people: weapons raised, eyes glowing, one purpose. There was a small group of Diuxals, eleven, including Nirus and Sirone. With chaos building, it wouldn't be long before other Diuxals across the stars felt this unnatural occurrence.

Ahzrael caught sight of Nirus twirling and dodging blows with swift precision. Nirus reached behind him, gripping a massive sword that illuminated a bright blue as he drew it from the middle of his back. He vaulted, soaring high towards the sky, still drawing the sword. He watched him intently, the ferocity in Nirus's eyes was too apparent.

Nirus released the sword and lunged down towards the Inusir, who swerved away just in time but not fast enough. The blade ripped through its side, tearing at the dark cloth. A loud shriek escaped the Inusir's lips. It was not a shriek of pain, but anger. With a sharp turn, the Inusir backhanded Nirus, sending him flying.

Ahzrael tried to capture the Inusir's appearance, noticing large black wings in a blur. He attempted to see more but it was moving too fast even for someone with his power to focus. It teleported in and out, in and out. Vanishing then reappearing feet away. There was no time for observation, he needed to act.

Already having Oziren on his person, he pulled it out of its sheath. Power exuded from the blade, sensing a new target. A shining, golden light blazed from Ahzrael's eyes, taking over his entire cornea. He charged towards the Inusir, who whipped their head in his direction then rushed further away.

"Why do you aim to kill me?!" the Inusir bellowed, immediately halting Ahzrael in place. Its demanding, guttural tone sent shock waves through the ground, abruptly ending the battle.

Nirus's frantic, glowing eyes dulled, his chest heaving up and down. He was back on his feet, his brown hair disheveled. Unlike the others, there was still a murderous tint in his glare when he came to his feet.

Ahzrael squinted his eyes at the winged power standing feet away from him. The Inusir roughly flung its hood back and he could've sworn faint gasps bounced all around him.

It acquired the appearance of a humanoid being, far from its true form and near in height with the Diuxals. A piercing, white light glared from the Inusir's eyes, and long, striking, silver hair cascaded down the knees. Ahzrael swiftly observed this being, and he became aware it was not just an it, but possibly a...her.

The Inusir's body was still covered by her rich black cloak, except for her gloved hands and heeled boots. Beneath her intense white eyes, Ahzrael noticed parts of her deep amber shaded skin, completely illuminated by her blinding eyes. He thought he noticed daggers for teeth within a barely agape mouth. Before he could decipher this sight, her voice distracted him.

"WHY!" she demanded, in the same earth-shattering tone.

The Diuxals fell silent. Ahzrael took a cautious step forward, and a loud hiss escaped the Inusir's lips. Her eyes flared brighter as she turned her attention to him. Although she looked only to him, Ahzrael knew the Inusir's guard was on every single one of them, prepared to make a necessary move if need be.

He raised his hand, and the Inusir bared her teeth. "Stand down," he said, his eyes remaining on her. Reluctantly, they began to lower their arms, reducing the intensity of their internal power.

The Inusir's colossal wings were mostly folded behind her back, but they seemed tensed and ready to strike or take off at any moment.

"We are not trying to kill you," Ahzrael said. His voice was stern, never wavering.

Immediately, the Inusir's eyes flashed to his other hand still gripping the powerful Oziren. Making a reluctant decision, he lifted his dagger towards the sky, summoning a beam of light that captured Oziren, sending it back to the heavens. The Inusir traced her gaze back to his in a skeptical glare.

Ahzrael raised his hands forward, vigilantly taking another step. "We wish you no harm," he stated, forcing the words out of his throat. Every ounce of him craved to bring Oziren back and plunge it deep into the Inusir's soured heart. If she even had a heart. But that was not in his plan, so he forced himself to refrain.

The others said nothing, perhaps gritting their teeth or biting their tongues. The feeling of imbalance was far too great and their very nature was determined to set it right.

Ahzrael waited for her response, whether verbal or through gestures. To his surprise, he received an unexpected reply. Her wings began folding more inwards, diminishing in size until they were gone. They were completely buried, concealed somewhere deep within her back.

She rapidly glanced at all the tensed Diuxals until reverting to Ahzrael. Eyes still glowing an intense white, she stared him down, glaring into his entire being.

He was unsure if it was a challenge or if she was deciding what to do next. Without another thought, the light from her eyes expanded into a massive flash, then she was gone.

Dust particles scattered the air after the powerful being vanished from sight. Some gasped but Ahzrael remained quiet, concealing his frustration.

"Damn it all, we should've slain it when he had the chance!" Nirus shouted, charging towards the spot the Inusir vanished from.

"What happened?" Ahzrael demanded, eyes flaring.

"It attacked!" Sirone shouted. "We watched it as you wanted. It awoke and went into a frenzy! The damn thing needs to be exterminated!" Ahzrael prepared his retort but was halted by a familiar trail.

He turned his head to the west, towards the far side of their land. "The Inusir is still here," he said. He could feel the residue of her power lingering about.

Nirus breathed hard, turning to Ahzrael. "So, it's trapped then? Brother, we still have a chance. We've wasted enough time." Nirus probed, the light in his eyes even dimmer while he stared at Ahzrael.

A barely noticeable smirk marked Ahzrael's lips. If the Inusir was stuck within this world, then Oroya had done it. She had reformed the Inusir in a way that could convenience all of them, perhaps even the entire universe.

The Diuxals shared glances with Ahzrael, others sharing the same furious expression Nirus wore. The adrenaline still pumping through their souls.

"No. No one attempts to kill it." His words sparked a mutual bewilderment among the Diuxals. It was one thing to let the Inusir live when they found her paralyzed on the mountain. But to fight with the Inusir in their home and still allow the creature to keep its life was pure folly.

He noticed Sirone approaching him. Her usual honey-colored eyes were glowing a light yellow with a fuse of bafflement and frustration. Her hands firmly gripped two large silver curved blades.

"Wait for me at the alcazar. You all need to trust me." His shining cornea scanned every single one of them. His people, his family, until ending with Nirus. "Stand down, brother. There is much you need to learn," he looked at the rest of his family, "much all of you need to learn. And it starts with that Inusir."

He watched Nirus's expression soften, then build with an unmistakable inquisitiveness.

"We will speak, but not here. Head back to the alcazar and I will explain everything. But I must deal with the Inusir first." The Diuxals pondered for a moment until one by one their eyes began to dim, reverting to their normal, calmer state.

Sirone sighed. "If anything happens, you— "

"You'll be the first to hear my call."

With a final nod, Ahzrael turned into light and disappeared into the copious mist. He felt the trail of power from the Inusir and pursued it carefully. It was further confirmation that Oroya's splitting spell was a success. An Inusir never left a trace.

He was led out of the white clouds and towards a cliff. At the far top of the hill stood the Inusir with her back to him. She appeared to be overlooking the horizon that was filled with an endless shine of blues, lilac, and bright orange.

Ahzrael remained still, silent, keeping his distance. He observed her presence. The long, black cape draped down behind her. Her hair, that swayed near her knees, shined like pure, polished silver, shimmering as bright as a large star. A mere mortal would go blind at the sight.

"Come to take the kill for yourself, then?" she spoke harshly, still facing away from him. Her voice was not as brazen as before, but her tone was filled with warning.

He was not surprised that she sensed his presence. "There will be no killing," he responded.

They were a distance away, but he spoke in a normal tone, somehow knowing she'd be able to hear him.

"I am Ahzrael. May I ask what you call yourself?"

Silence.

He pressed his lips, understanding it may be too soon. So, he chose his next words carefully, but he needed to know just how strong Oroya's spell affected the Inusir. "Why did you attack my people?" he asked, firm.

A sinister growl escaped her throat. But she did not turn, only cocked her head to the side. "Have you ever awoken in an unknown place, surrounded by armored unknown beings with hatred in their eyes?" she inquired, low, malicious, as if she needed him to read into her every word. "I could sense the power in your... people. They desired my death."

Ahzrael understood. He understood the passion to drive her into the ground. He understood the passion to send her to a state of nothingness. He was fighting that very passion right now. And he was doing well, for the Inusir had not yet picked up on his true feelings. "They were unsure of what to expect when you awoke. I must apolo-"

"What is this place?" she asked, cutting him off. Her voice was sharp and swift. Her back still towards him.

He was stunned, almost too stunned to reply right away. The Inusir must have no knowledge of who she truly was, where she was, and the phenomenal power she possessed.

Does she even know of Diuxals? His next word would be the final test. He battled whether to give her a true name. Almost every supernatural being in the vast universe knew what Vae'lon was or an idea of it. The existence of their home was no secret, but only Diuxals knew the location and were permitted entry.

"Vae'lon," he said, holding a breath. He hoped he was not divulging too much. If the Inusirs caught wind of where their home was, it would be a battle on their paradise. "My home. And where is yours?"

She tilted her head for a moment, only to look away.

He took a dangerous chance. "This could be your home."

She snarled, swiveling her body around. Her eyes were like a viper's slits, prepared to attack. "I do not belong to this place," she spat through clenched teeth. He could see a faint silver light outlining her iris.

"Then where do you belong?" he asked, hoping to see if he'd receive a straight answer this time.

"Why am I here?" she demanded.

Ahzrael sighed internally. He had to play the patient game, the toughest game he'd ever play in his eternal life. But it was not in vain, and it felt safe to say, that her memory was certainly altered. Inusirs taunted their enemies, but they never played dumb.

"We found you," Ahzrael started, remaining firm in his stance. "You were dying, and we wanted to save you."

She chuckled. "Save me only to kill me when I wake?" she sneered, turning her head away, a peal of mocking laughter leaving her lips.

"They were being vigilant. They were never going to kill you."

He watched her eyes trail down his form, from his long wavy hair, down the bareness of his chest, all the way to his large boots. Her gaze moved, resting on his side where Oziren once was. "And you?" she asked. "What is your purpose with me?"

"My blade was not meant to threaten nor to cause real harm. You were never truly at risk. But my family can be a little on edge when inviting a stranger. Even I am susceptible to it." He chuckled a little, but the Inusir made no response. He studied her expression: weariness, confusion, distrust.

"As I said, I wish you no harm." He took a cautious step towards her.

He noticed her flinch a little when she watched him nearing, causing him to stop. He needed to gain her trust quickly, for who knew what possible hell could be after them now.

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