Anastasia

The next morning Marco and I flew again to Raphael's HQ. But instead of seeing the magnificent tree and its large branches reaching the skies, we met with a tree entirely made of metal. Marco whistled surprised as he made a vertical drop into the air, trying to find a good landing point.

"And to think that nothing would surprise me these days," Marco murmured close to my ear, sending shivers to my back.

We had spent the first morning hours in a passionate dancing of kisses and touches, our lovemaking desperate like a thirsty man in the desert. I still wondered if we could have moments like these but I sealed the box deep into my mind, trying to concentrate to today.

Arsenia and Leonard called us from above and Marco flew up to meet them. They told us that Meli and Moli had requested for my presence and quickly they flew back, towards the direction the first troops were gathering. I looked at Marco; his expression was grim.

"Let's go. They'll be at the common room with the others."

When we entered the room, Kachina, Haimei and Persea hovered to my side, speaking in low voices. "Shiro... he wants to see you."

"Me? Why?"

Kachina shrugged. "I am not sure Otekah."

This was not good. I squeezed Marco's hand and he offered me a soft thought. He called Rath and Tomo and the men together exited the room, leaving me, Christin, Kyoko and the ghosts behind. Feith and Murasaki were already arranging the Angels and the Grim Reapers together.

"In here." Kyoko showed me the room and I followed her, leaving the others behind.

The room was small with no windows and the faint light from the small floating orbs was giving an eerie feeling to the room. Meli and Moli were looking at a bed, their heads tilting down in concentration. I could feel their aura pulsing all around the room. When Kyoko closed the door behind us, they looked up and slowly they stepped back, binging their wings closer to their back, just to make more room.

Shiro was covered with a white blanket and I could smell the foul scent of burnt flesh. His usually long black hair was now short while the cloth on his face, which was letting only his eyes showing, was black. His breathing was ragged and his hands were twitching from time to time.

"Shiro."

His eyes opened at the sound of my voice. His eyes were deep purple, having lost the brightness I knew they held. He looked at my right, where Kyoko stood, and left a pain moan. I took the wet cloth from Kyoko's hand, ready to wipe his forehead, but he denied my touch.

"Ie." No, and I turned to Kyoko and the Protectors. "Leave us alone, please."

Without a word, they left and the door closed behind me. I brought the chair from the corner of the room closer to Shiro and sat down, fixing gently the pillow on his head.

"Tell me Shiro. Why did you ask for me?"

He tried to breathe and when his voice was heard, the words slurred slowly. "I knew of the power you held... I had felt it the first day. But... this...you...now, this is the real you."

"The real...me?"

"Hai, this power will bring back the light, but darkness must die first."

He spasmed fiercely and I rose to my feet, trying to hold him down. "Shiro!"

He spoke rapidly in both Japanese and in the dialect of the Tengu. His eyes started to glow purple and his breathing became frantic.

"The darkness must die and the tears must fall.

The wings will shine and the Master shall crawl.

Listen to the song of the light,

And bring forth the stars of the night."

"Shiro stop! I don't understand you!" I almost cried and as soon as the last word was spoken, the crow Demon calmed down. He looked up at me and slowly his left hand rose and...pulled his face covering.

I was jaw-dropped surprised. He was...really handsome, with pale skin, high cheekbones and thin lips, which were even paler. Shiro tried to smile and his eyes beame glassy. "A crow reveals his face only when he dies. And the witness will bear a secret forever." His tears started to fall, purple and shiny like liquid amethyst.

I held his bandaged hand, trying to keep my own tears from falling. "Tell me Shiro."

"I love Kyoko. I loved her from the day I saw her fight." He rasped trying to remain still as his breathing became erratic again.

"Sayonara, Anastasia Peters-san. May my words come true."

His last breath was soft, like a bird's fluttering wings.

The amethyst tears stopped falling and the pale eyelids closed.

Shiro, the Crow Demon, was no more.

I didn't know how long I had sat on that chair, with Shiro's hand still in mine, until the soft knocking from the door was heard. In a last gesture, I gently caressed the locks of Shiro's black hair, pulled up his face covering, and got up. I didn't cry, but I wept inside, both from Shiro's last words and his secret. I would keep it close to my heart, till my last breath.

When I got out from the room, almost everyone had gathered together. Murasaki sobbed in Feith's arms, since she had a bond with the crow as her familiar, while Kyoko and Tomo prayed silently. Rath and Christin stood together with Meli and Moli and Arsenia with Leonard held hands, with their hoods up in a gesture of mourning.

Ana. Marco spoke softly.

I waved at him. He came closer and touched my cheek; I knew I wasn't crying.

"We will arrange his pyre." The Angels spoke softly and entered the room.

Haimei and Persea looked in the direction the Angels went. "It's a bad omen." The samurai muttered and flew outside the room through the ceiling. Kachina, Marco, and I went outside and the cool wind hit my face. I hadn't realized how suffocated I was feeling.

"Otekah, do you need anything?"

Did I? I had seen so much death in such a short time. But Shiro's dying words were a hard, heavy stone to my chest. Marco spoke softly beside me, sensing my feelings but I didn't want to share. I feared that if I spoke the rhymes Shiro had told, something unavoidable would be set to stone. But I had to be a part of the troops. I had to see Machias with my own eyes. I could do at least that for my parents, Auge, everyone who had died under the name of his false justice.

"No Kachina, I am good." I pulled Marco and he followed me quietly as I strolled towards a clear opening suitable for flying.

"Marco," I stopped at the edge of the opening, looking at the morning sky, "take me with you at the Fourth Division."

"You know damn well my thoughts for that." He said behind me.

"I know, it goes like this: 'You are a fool thinking that I am taking you to the most sadistic creature, which apparently likes torturing his own kind! Even L would be more merciful.'"

Marco laughed as I turned around. "At least you put it in kind words."

I smiled at him, cupping his face, as I stood on my tiptoes. "I need to be there. And if you'll not carry me, I'll ask Mursaki or-"

He grabbed me suddenly from my waist hauling me up. "I promised that I will fly you. And damn well I am going to do that."

-----------------------

Marco

Nothing made my blood stir more than the echoes of an incoming battle. And what a battle that would be. Looking down at the edge of the clearing Ana, I, and the rest of our friends were standing, I still couldn't believe what had finally brought Angels and Grim Reapers together. The alliance may well have been formed under the emergency of blasting our asses to the universe but at least there was hope, if faint.

I looked down at Ana. Her blond hair was tied back into a short bun, making her skin almost glow. The Gladiators had made armor for her and she had squealed like a kid on Christmas. Silver chest plates and tight brown leather trousers completed Ana's appearance when she made her way near me ten minutes ago. Haimei and Tomo had also repaired the sword which now lays tied on her waist.

"I think there's no need for more words people!" Murasaki shouted behind us and we turned to see her.

A black kimono with a purple sash on her waist was threatening enough; she was mourning for Shiro. Feith walked beside her, with his own armor an evidence of his newly gained power. The jerk looked really good.

"Murasaki, it's not still time for bloodshed. The Angels need to prepare too." Rath spoke behind her as he got to the opening, followed be Arsenia and Leonard.

"Christin?" Ana asked him.

"She is together with Tomo and Kyoko." His voice softened, revealing his tenderness for her. Ana had told me about them, and it was damn well about time for Rath to end the dry spell.

Not that I was the one to judge.

"We have secured the rest of the Angels and injured. The shields could last even the magnitude of ten atomic bombs."

"I don't think that atomic bombs equal with angelic power Persea."

The ghost looked at Ana surprised. "They don't?"

"Someone smack him for me!" I cried to the others and they laughed.

But this was forced. We could all feel the anticipation of the battle, the roaring energy of our weapons. We stood together, I, Ana, the ghosts, Murasaki and Feith, Rath, Arsenia and Leonard, waiting for the signal from the army of Angels and Grim Reapers. When the war horns sounded, Feith and Murasaki flew above us, heading to the direction of the gathered troops. I pulled my black cape and covered Ana's shoulders.

She looked at me puzzled. "For protection." I mumbled as I fixed the buttons close to her neck. Her skin was warm as my fingertips touched her. Ana moved closer to me, her fore head almost touching my chest. "Will I be able to fly with the cape too?" Ana asked me with longing. I could tell how hard it was for her never to touch the skies again.

"I don't know. Let us try." And I pulled her from the armpits.

The cape overflowed behind her like a veil moving softly agaist the wind and soon Ana's feet weren't touching the ground. She gasped and hovered for a moment in front of me before landing again. "That was good!" she exclaimed, holding my hand tightly.

"We'll have your back." Rath spoke and I clapsed his arm. Leonard nodded and Arsenia winked at Ana. It was good to know that we had good friends.

"Thank you." Ana said and turned towards the flying pair.

Marco, what happened to Ivan?

Perseus and Haimei fought him. It seems that the deal he had with L became void.

How so?

One of the terms was you; Ivan would get to have you, after my death and Machias's. Ivan didn't kill me and he didn't get you when L took Auge's powers.

So he what? Exploded to nothing?

No, something worse. I shuddered with the next words I had to say. Ivan fell to Nether Realm. He'll become Gedo's pet from what I can tell.

Good. And that was all. Ana didn't waver, didn't utter another word for the creature which had lmost destroyed us. Her eyes were cold and I could sense a bitter feeling of conclusion.

We both wanted to kill Ivan, annihilate, obliterate and every other single word that existed to the dictionary for the term 'destroy'. Now, with Machias left only in the picture, I wondered if the irdy would have the balls to kil him. The sounds of thrumpets made all of us look at the sky. While it was morning, the sky was not blue, but a strange color of coral.

A blood-soaked sky; even the Creation knew that blood was going to be spilled.

"Let's go!" Leonard shouted and we took off from our position.

We flew down, letting the wind currents take us closer to the open Portal, which would lead straight towards the HQ of the Fourth Division. Wings, blades and scythes echoed as the roars of the war cries sounded behind us, like an orchestra of the skies. Murasaki and Feith flew at the front the rest of us following from behind. Ana's hand was clasping mine tightly but her eyes were trained towards the Portal.

When we finally reached it, the round gate made of silver from Heaven's clouds, I let the squeezing feeling overtake my body as we passed through. But I didn't dare to close my eyes. The last time I had Ana's song guiding me; now I was guiding her.

The sky appeared again as also the Skyscrapers of the Fourth Division. From all the Four, this one seemed to be the most empty, most cold of them all.

Just like it's Lord.

"We need to get to the tallest one!" Feith shouted to us.

"Is that where Machias is?" I screamed above the endless void.

Feith nodded and turned towards the HQ again.

"We will cover you!" the ghosts shouted and Ana drew her sword.

"Let's go! We can't waste any more time!" her voice was strong.

I grabbed her by the waist and with a vertical drop we angled our direction towards the HQ. These skyscrapers looked like the ones on the Cloud Fortress; big, majestic even but ominous and emotionless. Persea, Haimei and Kachina were flanking us with their auras, while their own weapons were drawn too.

Suddenly, something screeched. It appeared to come from one of the skyscrapers.

"Okay, Haimei, please tell me that this wasn't your stomach," Perseus spoke and the samurai scowled.

The sound became stronger and we glance towards the skyscrapers. The sun made the steel shine, like molten gold but for a reason it was melting. The towers melted like cheese and began taking a different form. Necks, scales and at the top heads, hundreds of heads surrounded the one skyscraper that was left standing. Like a Hydra the heads looked like the ones of dragons, a mutant type of one at least. Their eyes were gray, a sarcastic joke to the eyes of the Inspectors.

And when their heads turned towards us, they opened their mouths showing rows and rows of shiny, steel teeth.

The monsters screamed.

"Oh shit," Ana mumbled.

------------------------

Anastasia

Marco flew straight into the crazy heads that had formed from buildings! Machias was definitely mad! The Angels and Grim Reapers behind us took positions ready to fight and give us time until we could find a way into the centre, and remaining, skyscraper. The strange dragon heads became wider, bigger as we flew and I tried not to gasp as Marco made a dangerous turn, flight straight between the first two heads.

"Marco!" I screamed with the sped he was flying with. Behind us, I could hear the shouts and screams as the army of wings and coats was trying to defeat the monsters.

Marco in the last moment changed the angle, flying close to the steel of the tower, while at the same time, trying to dodge the mouths and the steel teeth of the heads behind us. Haimei was swearing in Japanese while Kachina was casting spells, using the wind as her aid.

I didn't want Marco to lose his concentration and as the wind was literally tearing my skin with the speed we were flying, I shut my mouth nd thoughts, clutching tightly the fabric of his shirt.

When we had almost reached the top of the tower, an explosion made us fall back. Marco screamed; his wings were on fire! "No!" I shouted and my hands tried to touch the black wings trying to stop the fire. My wristbands glowed purple and the glow spread towards the burning wings healing them in an instant.

"What the?"

"I don't know! Keep going!"

Μarco didn't need to be told twice, he leapt towards the tower again but this time he drew the scythe. "Hold on tight! We are going to bomb this!"

And with a slicing move the black blade tore the steel, opening a gap wide enough for us to fly in. The heads behind us were too focused with the flying Angels and Grim Reapers to notice us, getting in. As we stepped into the tower, the steel reformed behind us, trapping the five of us in.

Marco put me down and I turned to check his wings once more. Except for some burnt feathers, the wings had healed. I exhaled relieved and touched my head on the left one.

"Ana how did you do that?" Marco asked me surprised.

I showed him my wristbands; the glow had subsided, but it was still there. Despite my lost powers, something was still inside me. Shiro's words hit me.

"The darkness must die and the tears must fall.

The wings will shine and the Master shall crawl.

Listen to the song of the light,

And bring forth the stars of the night."

I shivered. A bad foreboding and a chill climbed from my spine and I looked at Marco. He kissed my wrists and held my hand, while he held the scythe with the other.

"Let's go."

The corridor opened into spiraling stairs. The ghosts flew first checking the perimeter and quickly Marco tugged me close and took off. Rows after rows of staris passed below us, until we reached a pair of silver doors. On their surfaces the Four Divisions were portayed, each one below the other, from the First until the Fourth. I could distinguish the differences between the HQs, from the glowing palace of Uriel's to the skyscrapers of Machias's.

"I don't suppose thαt we should knock right?" Perseus muttered and Kachina rolled her eyes.

"No we just make ourselves feel at home," Marco said drily and pushed open the doors.

We could have walked right into a trap, or maybe one of Machias's squads could ambush us. But as the wide room with the glassy dome above appeared empty, we formed a circle, carefully entering Machias's study. The room was quite big with a crystal study at the far edge across us and marble walls which looked shiny and well polished.

As I walked closer to the wall, I noticed a silver substance stretching, moving and coiling on the wall's surface. It looked like watercolors which were moving endlessly. Kachina and Haimei looked at it too.

"What's that?"

"I don't know Haimei, but I am not placing my hand on it."

"Guys, you need to see this." Perseus called us from the other side of the room.

Marco walked closer to the spot the ghost was standing and we followed him. When we looked at the wall we both went rigid still. The sillouete of a woman was staring back at us; her body was formed with the same silver liquid and she was dressed into something that looked like a knee-length dress.

She looked like a human but her face was too familiar to resemble one.

"Auge?" Marco lifted his hand ready to touch the wall.

Auge's form moved her head lifting her hand in a gesture of 'no-touching'. Marco's fingers fisted into a solid black-gloved fist just before letting his hand fall to his side, defeated. I looked at Auge and she turned to me. She smiled, her face made of shiny silver and she lifted her right arm showing us the desk.

"You want us to go there?"

She nodded.

I walked towards the desk with Marco on my tow, while the ghosts flew above us. The crystal desk had rows and rows of angelic writing on its surface, which was glowing one after another.

"It must be a sequence for the creepy heads outside," Marco commented passing his palm above the surface, sensing them.

"Do you know how to stop it?"

"No."

"All these centuries and you don't know about angelic machines, Marco?" Perseus mocked.

"Hey, human bombs are far more interesting than angelic ones!"

"Oh please! We all know you'll have to cut the blue cable." Haimei said really sure of himself.

I held back a grin and Marco scowled. "Then my friend you'll be all ready dead."

"Why?"

Kachina touched his arm. "It's the red one."

Haimei shrank back, ashamed and Perseus laughed.

I turned back at the study. The letters were known to me at the time I had Auge's powers but now they felt like alien. Marco had also a hard time trying to understand them, lines marking his eyebrows. Auge's silver form was silently watching us from the wall.

"Don't you know how to stop it?"

She nodded 'no'.

"Do you know where Machias is?"

Auge's eyes widened, fear evident on her lovely features. I walked closer to the wall. "Hey, it's alright." Auge leaned, as if she was trying to come closer to my side too. "How did you end up here? I thought you left us when we escaped Nether Realm."

"Because this is not Auge." A stern voice echoed into the room.

My blood chill and a growl escaped Marco's lips. I turned around as the ghosts flanked around me, weapons raised. With long grey wings, almost three feet long each and the body of a fifty years old man, Machias's eyes glowed grey from power, a power that had left me standing still holding my breath.

It was fear. Machias was invoking fear wherever he went. He looked older than the other three Lords. While Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel looked around their mid-twenties, Machias had an aura that showed wisdom and age; infinite age, old as time itself. Truly it seemed to be horrible. Marco slowly edged closer to me, his scythe raised and ready.

"Ah, the Fallen." Machias looked at Marco with blank eyes, devoid of emotion. And then he turned to me. His grey eyes were cold, just like Feith's used to be. "And the child of no origin."

Anger bloomed in my chest and I exhaled my holding breath. "And whose fault do you think that was?"

Machias tilted his head as if wondering what I had just asked him. "Just a miscalculation."

"Just a miscalculation?!" I almost screamed and Marco grabbed my hand.

Machias looked up at the glassy dome. "I never expected my plans not to go at the route I had created," he looked then at Marco, "I guess you are harder to kill than I had thought."

"I am taking that as a compliment," Marco spoke through greeted teeth and pulled me behind him, even if I squirmed against him. "I am not going to let you go now Machias. This is far more than simple revenge anymore."

The Angel smiled. "Then come, Demon."

"No!" I shouted as Marco pushed me back, before charging against Machias. Marco's cape curled around my body, creating a kind of shield while he lifted his scythe, slashing Machias. He, instead lifted his hand cathing the black blade between his palms, and by making a full turn, Machias threw Marco to the wall.

He quickly got up, leaving behind him a hole, the silver liquid rushing to repair it at once. I turned to Auge. "Help him!"

She nodded 'no'.

"Why?"

She pointed at me.

"I don't have any powers anymore!"

"Otekah, watch out!"

The ghosts fell above me, throwing me at the other side. My back hit the hard floor and pain exploded from my head down to my toes. I turned to my good side and tried to get up. Through hazy vision, I saw that the spot I was standing had turned to rumble and Marco was sparring wildly with a sword Machias held on his hands.

Marco's wounds on his arms, through his torn clothes, and on his face had already healed. Machias didn't even have a scratch.

"Persea?"

The ghost appeared near me, but he was quite transparent. "I am sorry but the impact took us out. Kachina and Haimei are being assisted by Kyoko's shinki; they will return soon."

I tried to draw my sword but pain was throbbing from my left wrist; maybe it was twisted. I pulled it with my right and silently thanked Murasaki for teaching me two handed combat.

Perseus had also drawn his own sword with the silver round shield on his right arm.

"You are kidding me right?" I shouted as I noticed that his shield was carrying a very delicate row of scenes.

They were from Illiad.

"I really feel like Achilles right now!"

"A ghostly Achilles, that is!"

The sound of clashing blades and broken glass made us look up. Marco and Machias had broken the dome with their attacks. Marco's left wing was pierced by a thick piece of glass. Panic surged through me. "Marco!"

He fell and Machis followed, ready to stab him. I screamed as I raised my sword and by using the blade I flew towards Machias shoving him wildly, towards the wall, and stabbing to the hilt the sword on his chest. Machias roared as I fell back to the floor and rushed to Marco pulling the glass shard from his wing.

Marco swore and I hauled him up, trying to support his weight. "Fuck! It hurts like hell." He grunted as the ealing process tried to mend the torn flesh and feathers.

We looked at Machias. He was laughing. "This is ridiculous. A katana embed with the spirits of ghosts and a mutant being too unholy to exist. These tricks," and slowly he pulled himself out from my sword's hold, his wound healing rapidly "won't work on me!"

I took a step back holding Marco who was still trying to heal. The scythe flew towards our side and glowed; the black smoke which appeared spread around us and Marco's arm tightened around my waist as his demonic mist covered us.

Hold on. His thought was soft.

And then we flew. Away from Machias's study and the wall where Auge, or a double of her, was trapped; and Machias was following us. But the black mist around my arms, feet and body seemed to work as a distraction, hiding me from the Angel. But it wasn't working. The Lord Inspector was following us. We flew away from the horrific skyscraper and I glimpsed fallen bodies of Angels and Grim Reapers.

Few were still flying but the heads had retreated. I chocked back my tears, afraid of my friends, but Machias's attacks from our behind muffled my rising sobs. Marco made a dive and we flew into the clouds trying to find a hiding spot. But despite our flying Machias always caught up with us and soon we had returned back towards the skyscraper.

"It's useless! I will have you bleeding on my floor and the Lords will become my power!" Machias shouted, his voice rining to the skies like a roar.

Marco's breathing was becoming ragged and sweat had appeared on his forehead. He was struggling, despite his injuries. Perseus had managed to follow us, his shield repeling Mahias's attacks. But soon the ghost dimmed and disappeared. He didn't have anymore power in order to maintain himself.

"Ana, I don't know if I can fly anymore."

"Head back Marco. And send a message to Murasaki. We need Feith."

Suddenly I was falling. Too stunned to scream I could only hear Marco roaring above me. I lifted my arms in a futile attempt to find something, anything to hold on. Machias's grey eyes, ancient like time, stared down at me with such hatred that I felt numb. I couldn't fight, I couldn't defend myself. I felt bare. But still, I found the strength to punch him, breaking his nose and then kick his groin.

I was glad the trick still worked.

Machias's grip loosened and soon I was falling again, the endless blue of the sky passing with speed, my ears ringing from pressure. Strong arms caught me and a rush of violet and purple covered my vision. "Hang on!" Murasaki yelled and we flew up.

Feith was fighting with Machias while Marco was held by Rath, Arsenia and Leonard. Soon I felt cold marble on my skin and looked around. "Why are we back here?"

"Because Leito said that only in here the gate to the Garden can open." She looked down at me and touched my cheek. "Machias is draining your power and through your bond, Marco's too."

"Feith needs help." I rasped.

Murasaki nodded. "I will go now. Marco is there." She pointed to a place close to the wall, where Marco was sitting with Arsenia and Leonard by his side. She flew back to the sky and with shaky feet, I walked to Marco's side.

He opened his arms, welcoming me. I hugged him tightly willing more power into him, wishing for strength. A hue of golden light appeared on my wristbands and from my locked around his neck arms, the light spread on his body.

"Anastasia, how can you do that?"

"I think...this is my own power."

Marco chuckled. "Cool. I knew you had in you, love."

The earthquake shook us. Leonard and Arsenia swore and lifted their scythes, casting a shield around us. Marco looked at the wall and I followed his eyes. Auge was looking down at us with a smile on her face. "I know what you are now," Marco said and gently he touched the surface. Auge's hand followed Marco's palm as he traced patterns around the silver liquid of the wall. "He put you in here just to mock your power, didn't he?"

A sad nod. 

"Marco?"

"What you can see Ana, this is what has left from Auge's wings. Even cut Angel's wings can hold power. And also they are a gourmet back in Hell."

"Can't we free her?"

"Only under certain circumstances but I think Machias used the Old Arts in order to trap them here."

Another earthquake. And suddenly it was sound.

And explosion.

Marco screamed at me.

I looked up. The sky was so bright but still, it held a sickening red color.

"Ana!"

I tried to get up, just in time to see the destroyed room, the broken walls and the silver liquid pooling on my left.

"ANA!"

I turned around. Arsenia and Leonard were lying motionless under the marble. I crawled to their side, trying to help them.

"NO!"

I looked up. Marco stood before me, his arms and wings outstretched, looking down at me. Shock registered on his face and I lost my breath as black blood appeared on his mouth.

"Marco?" I lifted my arms trying to hold him. And then I noticed it. The blade was soaking black from his blood, the tip inches away from my face. Someone laughed behind Marco. He broke the blade pulling it from his chest.

Machias was bloody, his arms and feet scarred while Feith and Murasaki behind him, still looked at us with shock. Marco summoned one last black dagger and threw it straight at Machias's head, before falling down.

I caught him just in time, lying his head slowly on the floor. "No." I pressed my hands on the wound, applying pressure. "No, no, no."

Marco's hand touched my cheek his fingertips, grazing my lips. "Too weak to heal...that bastard."

"No, Marco, you'll be fine! I will heal you. I will-"

"Shhh..." he drawled the word.

I kissed him with all the fierceness and love I had in me, pouring everything I had in the tiny bit of power probably I possessed.

"I love you, Ana."

"I love you too." I looked at the strong jaw and mismatched eyes, the black short hair, and the lips which had offered my reassurance and pleasure.

A trail of red appeared on Marco's eyes. Tears. "Marco, don't cry. It will be fine. It will soon be over."

He nodded. And smirked at me. His hand fell from my face and his eyes continued staring at me.

But they were vacant.

There was no light in the red and black irises.

"Marco?" I nudged him.

He didn't move.

"Marco?"

He.

"No."

Was.

"No!"

Gone.

"NO!"

I opened my mouth.

And screamed.