The angel's wings stretched out on either side of Axel as the force from the machine kept them spread open. Axel marveled at Ilios' glimmering, white wings. They're beautiful. But, his attention was quickly pulled from the wings and to the entrance into the grand hall where the machine was located. Axel's eyes widened when he saw Castyr running into the throne room. The star was covered in claw marks that bled all over his body. They were evidence of the many fights the star had endured to reach the throne room.

Castyr appeared relatively the same as he did in current times. He was slightly younger than when Axel had met him in Dexys, and his eyes were a night-sky blue instead of pitch black. This Castyr was who the star was before becoming a fallen star.

Orion and Aklys were also in the throne room. Orion, who was injured, lay in Aklys' arms as Castyr hastily scanned the great hall. Running footsteps sound from behind Castyr indicating he was followed to the throne room by numerous demons. The star's eyes filled with fear and rage when he saw the white-winged angel trapped beneath the dome, and Castyr's hand flowed a hot white as he charged the king of Hades.

Vitrius' surprised expression at seeing the star was replaced with a smirk as he easily evaded the star's blast of light. Castyr and Vitrius became so engulfed in fighting each other that they did not notice the two angels who jumped from the stone trusses holding up the ceiling. But Axel saw them. It was Kilo and Rae.

The moment the two angels touched down, they engaged in combat with the numerous demons that rushed through the door that Castyr had just arrived through. After gently setting Orion on the ground, Aklys joined Rae and Kilo in fighting the demons and focused on keeping the horde of demons from swarming the star as Castyr fought Vitrius.

"Get Ilios out of there!" It was Kilo who ordered Rae to leave the bloody frenzy and rescue the angel trapped beneath the glowing dome. Rae was quick to leave Kilo's side and immediately raced to the machine's control panel. Since he had been able to observe Vitrius using the machine while he and Kilo were still in hiding, Rae was easily able to decipher the code and free Ilios from the dome. The moment the dome vaporized, Rae rushed onto the platform and caught the angel in his arms.

"Rae," Axel voiced as he clung to the blue-eyed angel. His body had become limp from the constant sucking of his energy, so he did not protest when Rae lifted him into his arms and carried him to where Orion was recovering.

"Are you okay?" Rae asked as he gently set Axel on the ground. Axel was quick to reassure Rae with a nod before saying, "Save Castyr...please." Axel was worried for the star who was still fighting Vitrius one-on-one.

"Of course." Rae pecked Axel on the head before standing and rejoining the fight. Axel felt his strength quickly returning, but it was not yet enough to join the fight; the machine had done a great deal of work on his energy core. So, Axel was forced to watch as the king of Hades shouted out, "Surrender if you value his life!"

Both Orion and Axel quickly looked in the direction of the king to see Castyr being held in Vitrius' clutches. Kilo immediately lowered his sword when he saw his star in danger, and Rae and Aklys were quick to follow suit.

"Good, good," Vitrius chuckled as he led the star by the throat toward the middle of the throne room, his sword threatening to penetrate Castyr's skin with the slightest move of resistance. "Take their swords." With one command from the king, Aklys and the angels' weapons were confiscated, and the warriors were rallied and forced to their knees.

The king kept his sword on Castyr's throat as the star watched the party be brought together and surrounded at sword-point. Four demons gathered Axel and Orion and brashly delivered them to where the others were already subdued. Vitrius smiled evilly as he walked around the captured party and gloated, "The universe must be with me for gifting me such an abundance of power. Heaven shall be mine."

"Let them go," Castyr glared at Vitrius as he commanded the king to release his allies. "I am the one you want so badly," the star added. "I will do anything. Just let them go."

"Now, why would I do that?" Vitrius scoffed at the star's proposal. It was true that Castyr was the one Vitrius was after. The star had nearly an infinite source of energy. He wished to harvest that and use it to conquer the Heavens. However, Vitrius was not keen on taking Castyr up on his offer. "Why would I give up these healthy men who are flowing with energy?" Vitrius returned as he gestured to those in Castyr's party.

Castyr gritted his teeth when he realized the king was too ambitious. There would be no agreements.

Gesturing to the star, Vitrius ordered, "Put him in the dome."

"Castyr!" Kilo called out for his star as he watched Castyr be dragged into the energy-sucking machine. Kilo earned several strikes as he struggled against his captors in an attempt to reach his star.

Axel's heart raced with worry as he watched the machine begin sucking at the star's life force. Oh no, Castyr is going to die if I don't do something.  The hangel immediately began looking around the hall for a way to save the star as a cry sounded through the hall. The cry was from Kilo. The guardian angel was fighting to reach his star and was being beaten ruthlessly by the demons who tried to subdue him.

A fire sparked deep within Castyr as he watched his angel fight to reach him. It was a fire he had not felt in a long while. It was a fire of despair and rage as he was helpless and watched Kilo be in pain. It was a fire with the drive to protect, to save. So, he let the fire burn through his throat until it covered his entire being. The star released a cry as he unleashed a blast of light, shattering the dome, and freeing himself from its deadly entrapment.

Chaos broke out in the throne room the moment the dome shattered, and Rae and Kilo wasted no time in joining their comrades in combat once more. While Rae and the others fought the horde of demons, Axel hastily scanned the hall. He quickly found the king of Hades just as Vitrius created a poisonous smoke of darkness to lace his black blade. Following Vitrius' trajectory as the demon raised his sword, Axel's eyes widened when he realized the king's target was Castyr.

Oh god. Castyr! Using whatever strength he had, Axel forced himself to his feet as Vitrius prepared to throw his black blade. Without a second thought, Axel ran toward the star who was unaware of the danger flying toward him as he emerged from the shattered dome. I have to make it!

Protecting Castyr was the only thing that was on Axel's mind as he raced through the chaos that filled the great hall. A bittersweet smile tugged on Axel's lips as he felt a surge of emotions. He was sad at the thought of having to leave Rae, but he knew he must protect Castyr. Ilios was entirely duty-driven, and he was aware that if Castyr died, the Heavens would fall into Vitrius' clutches. But more than that, Ilios had loved Castyr like a younger brother and son. He had trained the star and fought with him in many a battle.

Tears touched Axel's eyes as he felt the full force of his past life's emotions toward the star. Oh, Ilios. You loved him so.

The crazy part was that although Axel did not own the depth of emotions that Ilios had for the star, he would do no differently. Should this situation be replicated in the battle at Dexys, Axel would do exactly what Ilios, what he, had done five hundred years ago. So, he continued to run until he reached the star. He did not stop until his arms were wrapped around Castyr, protecting him fully from the black blade that came flying toward Axel's back.

The force of Axel embracing Castyr brought both of them to the ground. Castyr gasped when he saw the white-winged angel's silver eyes gazing down at him softly. A trail of bright, red blood oozed from Axel's mouth as he hovered over the star, and his fingers were covered in the thick, hot liquid as he clutched the black blade that protruded from his chest, stopping it from piercing the precious star beneath him.

"I-Ilios," Castyr gasped quietly. He could not believe his eyes. Did he cause Ilios to take a blade that was destined for him?

Castyr's big, dark eyes that gazed up at Axel with shock, sadness, and guilt caused Axel to quickly assure the star he was alright. "I'm okay. I'll be alright." Axel did his best to comfort the young star while hiding the pain that pierced through his body. Castyr reached up and tried to stop the blood that was leaving the wound, but Axel ripped the star's hand away before he could touch the laced blade.

Axel's eyes closed, and he grunted in pain as his head swooned from the poison that seeped into every crevice of his body. Rae immediately rushed over and caught Axel as he fell over. "Ilios!" Rae gently held Axel as the white-winged fought to stay conscious. Axel's veins turned black as the poison quickly crept through his body.

Rae reached for the sword in an attempt to pull it from the white-winged, but Axel was quick to stop him. "Don't! Don't touch it," he warned fervently. He could not let Rae be harmed by the blade. Now, as he gazed up into Rae's tear-filled eyes, the nightmare that had haunted Axel made sense. The black blade was from Vitrius, and the silhouette that tried to help him every time was Rae. He had been reliving this moment every night. And each time, he was focused on keeping Rae from touching the blade.

But, even though he did not want Rae to touch the blade, he still wanted it out of him, so he begged Rae to carefully pull it out from the hilt. "Pull it out...please. I don't want to die with this monstrosity in me. Please, Rae."

Tears filled Rae's eyes as he grasped the hilt of the black blade. Axel gritted his teeth as the blade was pulled from his chest. "Ilios! Stay with me," Rae begged as Axel's eyes closed once the sword had been extracted. "Open your eyes! Please!" Rae pleaded as he held the white-winged in his arms.

"Rae..." Axel's eyes fought to stay open, so he could look at the blue-eyed angel. Reaching up, Axel wiped a tear from Rae's cheek. "You have to stay alive..." Axel began as a clot of black blood clogged his throat. After a few coughs, Axel was able to spit out the clot. "Promise me..."

"Ilios, you have to stay with me." Rae cried as his tears fell on his love.

"Please, Rae." Although Axel knew this was a memory, the emotions and pain he felt were real. And he needed to know that Rae would make it through to meet him again even if it was in another life.

Once Rae nodded slowly, Axel reached out for the star. Castyr instantly took Axel's outstretched hand as fresh tears stained his cheeks. "Stay strong, Castyr," Axel bid. "It's been an honor."

Castyr became inconsolable as Axel gave his hand a small squeeze before turning back to Rae. He was very quickly dying. He could feel his life force seeping from his body. Ilios' time was coming. Axel managed a small smile as he gazed into Rae's blue eyes one last time before Ilios' soul passed into the universe and began the journey to Angel's Landing where he would wait until the time came to be reborn.