LUCIS

Deep azure eyes glinted in the starlight.  A cool breeze ruffled pale blond hair that shadowed curved cheekbones framing the soft, cambered mouth that had just fallen open.

"It's her," the young man breathed.

"Are you sure, Lucis?" drawled a voice from behind the fair-haired man. Lucis turned to the one who spoke. This man was slightly shorter than the blond, his lithe arms were crossed tightly over his chest, as the wind blew his raven black curtain of hair out of his face, revealing intense, unmistakable violet eyes. The shadow man glared at Lucis with those daunting irises, which burned and flickered like low-lit embers. The bravest of men would have cowered at such an unnatural stare, but Lucis remained unmoved giving the darker one a small reassuring smile.

"I'm positive. Just look at her, Del." Lucis gestured toward the two young girls below who walked in the lamp lit streets of New York City.

The two young women were each a different height and size. The smaller, more elfin one talked animatedly to the other, her short dark blond hair swinging around her. The quieter, taller one that rose like a willow laughed occasionally at her slighter friend's comments, her long chocolate brown tresses ending in soft, gentle curls.

Lucis watched Del patiently as he waited for his response. Del glared at the two girls for several moments. Lucis was not completely clear on why. There was no mistaking that they had found her. After long tireless nights of searching, they had found her. Finally Del turned back to Lucis. "How much time do we have?"

Lucis turned his attention back to the two girls. His heart skipped a beat as he gazed at the young brunette. He inhaled deeply before replying. "A little more than an hour."

Del shook his head. "Of course," he grumbled. "How in the world are we supposed to get to her? How do we get her away from blondey?"

As if the girl heard him, she slowed her speed, and looked around suspiciously. Lucis now looked at the petite one as well. The girl was almost offensively small, childlike, and wiry for a sixteen-year-old. She had pointed, impish features that just screamed trouble-maker. Her gray eyes held fire that even Lucis could see from this distance. He blinked. "We'll just have to lead her away."

"Easier said than done," muttered Del. "You're way too optimistic if you think we can pull this off without getting caught."

Lucis chuckled softly. "I thought you'd have figured that out by now. It's my job to be the optimistic one."

Del shook his head. "Well you had better have some sort of plan."

"Don't you know me at all?" Lucis turned around to where a duffle bag lay. He pulled out two large hooded sweat shirts, one black, the other white, matching the two of them.

Del's eyes narrowed, beginning to follow where Lucis was going. "You mean we're going in?"

Lucis nodded and tossed the black jacket to him. Del caught it without looking, just continued to stare at Lucis. "That's a bit of a risk, don't you think?"

"Well it was a risk just coming here." Lucis replied. Then he tilted his head to the side. "And since when did it matter to you if it was a risk?"

Del shrugged. "Personally I just don't want to cover these up." Having said this he stretched out two colossal black-feathered wings. They extended out behind him like late afternoon shadows. "And I have a feeling you don't really want to cover anything either." He gestured to Lucis's own wings, which seemed to glow like an angel's, as pure and white as fresh snow.

It was Lucis's turn to shrug. "Well, do you have a better idea?"

Del glanced back at the girls who were turning the corner. "We could wait until she comes out."

Lucis shook his head. "No, that wouldn't work. She would come out with her friend, and if we wait it may be too late." Lucis paused then more to himself he said softly, "We found her just in the nick of time." Lucis stared at the now empty street, the brash sound of music emanating from the building the girls had entered. Lucis waited for Del to argue, but when there was no reply he turned back to him.

"Are you ready for this?" Del's usual cold indifferent attitude was gone and was replaced with something gentler.

Lucis felt a shivering warmth pass through his body. He turned away quickly and pulled the sweatshirt over his head. He retracted his wings into his back. Del was right, it was its own fair share of uncomfortable, but the gaze that Del now bore into him was even more so. Lucis finally said. "This is for the Anahalians, our people, nothing more."

Del said nothing, but when he turned away, Lucis heard an obviously annoyed scoff.

"What?" Lucis said a little reproachfully. "I'm being serious."

Del whirled back to him. "Then keep it that way. We are not making this personal."

Lucis shook his head and he could almost feel his heart give a painful tug. "Of course not."

Del watched him a moment longer before pulling on his jacket. "Good," he said with finality.

EVABELLE

Evabelle gazed at the young man. His sapphire eyes glimmered above her, and his radiant smile was kind and full, lighting up his entire face. Wavy golden hair flashed as the sun rays bounced off of it like a shined coin. Pure white wings beat softly in the summer sky, lifting the man higher and higher. Evabelle longed to reach out and touch one of those delicate feathers that adorned those wings. She was sure that they would be as soft and warm as the swaying dandelions surrounding her.

Normally, a flying youth is cause for alarm, but for Evabelle, watching the boy's graceful movements only brought peace. The young man swooped high and low, giving a joyful laugh as he did so. Evabelle had always dreamed she could fly. She longed to be up there with him, with her own set of wings. Evabelle could imagine it; the two of them circling each other, their wings brushing the other's, gazing into one another's eyes; his blue to her brown.

Evabelle shook her head and fell back into the calm meadow, placing her hands behind her head. Her mother had always told her she was a hopeless romantic. It was the truth and Evabelle knew it was just that. Hopeless.

The angel man seemed so free. Soaring through the air was just so natural to him, and for that moment, Evabelle felt as though it was natural for her too. She could almost feel herself ascending higher.

However the sound of footsteps met Evabelle's ears and her floating mind fell back to earth. Slowly she turned her head, and her eyes fell upon a pair of black boots. Gradually moving her gaze upward, she saw a pair of dark jeans, a black t-shirt covered with a leather jacket clothing another young man. Evabelle could not see much of this dark intruder's pale face for his long black hair shadowed most of it, but beneath it all she could make out the glints of his eyes. She was surprised by their unusual color, but said nothing as he stepped closer.

Evabelle was not afraid, instead she felt safe. She felt she knew why the dark man had come. He was there to protect her. But from what? What was here that Evabelle needed protecting from? She slowly sat up and stared at this dark knight in wonder. His eyes moved upward to watch the flying boy just as she had. He seems so sad. Evabelle thought, as he gazed up at the winged figure. Did he wish he could fly too?

Evabelle opened her mouth to ask who he was, but gasped in surprise as the mysterious man carefully released his own set of wings. They were jet black, and instead of giving off their own glow, like the angel's above them, they seemed to swallow up the light around them, making them appear like two deep black holes. Evabelle gaped in astonishment, but the boy lowered his gaze to her, and once again she felt calm, as if this was how it was supposed to be. Oddly enough, two attractive winged men did not trouble her.

A cry from above snapped the shadowed man's attention back upward and Evabelle followed his gaze. The handsome angel boy was no longer swooping and laughing, instead he hovered in place, glaring. A shock wave passed through her as she stared into his eyes. The once carefree blue was now a stormy swirl of black and hate.

A sudden rush blew her hair into her face. Brushing it aside, she saw that the dark knight had flown up to meet the fair angel. He appeared to be trying to reason with him, pleading with him, but the blond man wouldn't listen. Instead the blue eyed wonder yelled and screeched in reply.

Evabelle tried to decipher what he was saying, but it was no use. The man's words made no sense to her. It sounded like screaming and howling. Evabelle strained her ears to understand the dark knight instead. His voice, barely audible, under the angel's cries, sounded like a gentle song, a soothing, loving, mournful melody. Evabelle's eyes widened and her heart pounded as she was suddenly drawn to this wondrous stranger.

Suddenly, the fair angel swooped forward and tackled the dark one. Evabelle gasped. "No!" She jumped to her feet. "Stop it!"

Either the boys didn't hear, or they paid her no mind. Evabelle watched in horror as the two angels attacked one another. The dark one reeled away from the lighter man. He flapped his wings, keeping himself aloft, but the golden man obviously didn't plan on him getting way so easily. The angel sped forward and struck again, bringing his fist around. The dark one barely got his arm up to block it, but then he quickly got the other up as the angel's left fist came from the other side. Again and again the blond man brought back his arms and swung them at the darker youth's head, who was just managing to block each strike. It was apparent that he was struggling. The black winged man kept flying back away from the other, and every chance he had he gasped his plea. The angel ignored and pressed on in his attacks, each one becoming harder and more vicious until finally the darker one was too slow and a blow to his face sent him spinning.

Evabelle gasped, clapping her hands over her mouth as she watched him whirl around in the air and lose several feet in altitude. The dark knight shook his head, and even from the great distance, she saw the blood from his nose that was obviously broken. It didn't stop him. He flapped his wings and returned to the other, who lunged at him once more.

Evabelle turned away feeling an unexplainable anger. She just couldn't understand it. How could someone so kind and good do something like this? Evabelle scrunched her eyes in confusion. How was she supposed to know if he was really kind or good? She didn't know him. Did she?

When Evabelle looked back up, her eyes widened. The angel was no longer throwing punches. He now had his hands clamped around the dark knight's neck. The boy struggled and fluttered his wings, as helpless as a bird under a cat's claws.

Evabelle started screaming again. She begged the angel to stop. And for just a moment he seemed to hear her. He took his eyes from his prey and glanced down at her. The black eyes widened, and the dark boy took his chance, bringing his arms around and brought them down hard on the other's The angel screeched and released the knight, who flew back taking harsh shallow breaths. It was the perfect moment for the angel to strike again, but he didn't. Instead the golden haired man kept his gaze on Evabelle, as if hypnotized. Then the angel threw back his head, and to Evabelle's shock, laughed. It was not the sound he had made minutes before. This laugh was a cold cruel sound that grated on her ears, and made her want to run as far as she could from this man.

The angel's head snapped back up and he leered at Evabelle, not a speck of white in those soulless eyes.

Evabelle swallowed hard, a nasty feeling bubbling in the pit of her stomach.

The snowy wings angled towards her and the man began to dive. But he didn't get far.

The dark knight was back. His lithe arms wrapped around the angel from behind, who yowled in frustration. The white wings did their best to knock the boy from his back, but the boy kept his tight hold. The angel brought his arms around and his elbow managed to slam it into the dark knight's ear. The youth cried out, loosening his grip enough for the angel to escape, who kept his sights on the terrified girl below.

Evabelle's knight darted around, putting himself between her and the violent angel, who snarled and attacked the boy again.

The angel grabbed the other boy's arm and shoulder and pulled. The dark knight yelled as the arm was dislocated. They began to fall lower to the earth as the angel pounded the knight, just so he could get to the useless wingless girl.

Evabelle clenched her fists and bit her lip harder than she meant, tasting her blood. She had to stop this!

A loud clap of thunder made her jump. Her head snapped up and she watched rolling gray waves of clouds destroy the peaceful blue that had been there only seconds ago. Evabelle tried to call out, but the wind sucked her words away. Lightning flashed, the wind roared, and the thunder boomed, and yet the two fought on. It was only when it began to rain that the dark knight gestured with his good arm at the storm filled sky.

The rain pounded the earth relentlessly. It's wrong! Evabelle realized. It was black and revoltingly thick like tar. All Evabelle knew was that she did not want it to touch her skin. She spiraled backwards; impossibly managing to dodge the falling poison. Up above, however, the angels were not so lucky. The shadowed one cried out in pain as the droplets splattered onto his skin, but the pure white one paid the rain no attention and continued to attack.

Evabelle ducked under a tree, her heart thumping painfully. She gasped at what the rain was doing to the two boys. They mutated, their beautiful features melting as they turned into hideous monsters. Their skin darkened and hardened. Each of their spines stretched and arched. Black and white feathers fluttered down, as they shed away into harsher more angular wings.

The fair angel didn't mind the transformation, but instead used it. He reached back his now elongated clawed hand and plunged it down, piercing completely through the dark knight.

Evabelle's mind froze as she watched the black-winged man go limp. She felt utterly numb from shock. For several moments she could not move, nor breathe.

Despite the horrific scene above her, Evabelle could not tear her gaze away. She followed their spiraled descent to the earth. Finally, she covered her face, unable to watch them crash into the ground. But she was unable to block out the sickening thud when they slammed into the muddy field.

Evabelle peaked through her fingers. The two boys had landed just feet from her. She watched as the monster, which had once been the blond boy, rise to his knees. He had landed on top of the darker one. His breath was ragged as he gazed at what he had done. He shook his head as though trying to clear it. Then the sound he made shocked her. It sounded as though he were crying.

"No," he sobbed. "No!" Slowly he turned his face upward and their gazes met. His eyes were no longer swimming in darkness, but they had returned to their striking blue. The rest of his body had turned into an awful beast, yet his eyes remained more angelic. But Evabelle could no longer think of him as an angel. After what she just witnessed, she could only see a monster. This creature had killed the gentle knight. Murdered him.

The thing reached his hand out to her. Evabelle recoiled from the demon.

"Please," he croaked, "Help me."