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~ Mondlicht, Germany
Planet Earth ~

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A flashy red Toyota Camry Solara drove down the same road where Demian's blue BMW once drove prior to his discovery of the glass building in Wachstyen Forest.

The driver's phone rang the moment he parked in the parking lot. He stepped out of the car as he answered the call from an irangel leader on planet Iredescent.

Demian's voice was somber, driven forward and skipping pleasantries. "Hello, Matson Blades. Unfortunately, this is a business call. We've got an urgent situation, and I need you to be our inside man. I will arrive on planet Earth in two days' time. In the meantime, I suggest you look around and see what's going on in the world."

The Creator of Irangels hung up, leaving the Human Ally to wonder what he meant.

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~ Mirror Castle
Planet Iredescent ~

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Demian tucked the comect inside his black leather jacket, walking out of Mirror Castle as he did so. He could hear the thoughts of all the inhabitants of Mirror Castle, the different voices in his mind enough to drive him mad at times. Usually he tuned them out, out of respect for privacy.

It was clear he needed to leave, at least on a temporary excursion.

Just seeing Valerie walk with Civic on the far side of the castle brought a cold twist to his heart, a secret desire yet withholding. He knew what most thought, that Demian and Valerie were meant to be together. Perhaps we are, Demian thought, wondering why he persisted in feeling what he felt for Valerie, even without the influence of the darkness. Not a day went by when he didn't think of her.

Though Demian kept distance, Valerie knew they would eventually see each other again. Though the two remained friends, she could see the hungry look in his eyes whenever he looked at her. The way he softly beckoned her to him through telepathy, the yearnful stance whenever he stood near her, it was evident he still loved her and wanted to be with her.

Valerie knew the connection was what kept drawing them together, that and the fact they both felt they were destined for each other. Valerie dared not unveil her innermost thoughts: that she still loved Demian, even though her heart was with Civic.

Needing to escape the tension, Demian went to meet with Raistin. It had been somewhat difficult to get to a meeting with him, since Raistin had become Valerie's mentor, spending much time teaching her everything he felt she needed to know. Valerie was a dedicated student, an avid learner of everything he taught her.

Upon hearing Japanese rock music from around the corner, Demian knew he was nearing Raistin. He opened the door, seeing the Phoenix already relaxed in a chair, humming while listening to Granrodeo music playing on his iPod. He twirled a pen in his hand, a black notebook placed neatly on the desk.

The chair spun around at Demian's presence. Raistin hit pause, remaining seated as he said, "Hey, Demian. You requested to speak with me?"

Demian sat in a chair across from Raistin. He let out a deep breath he had been holding, ready to commit to what he had in mind. "It is time I see Wachstyen Forest again. Time for me to return to planet Earth."

The pen dropped from Raistin's hand. "What?!"

And so, Demian explained his intention.

Driven by the need to escape the darkness haunting him, Demian proposed setting out teams to planet Earth, each with a separate assignment. One team would destroy wing shops; another would deal directly with Gemini. There would be a backup team in case things went south, a team that would also be keeping tabs on the elite gems they recently learned about.

"Who will be placed in these three teams?" Raistin asked, wanting to know Demian's opinion before he finalized things with his approval or disapproval.

And so, Demian confirmed.

"Team Wing Shop Destroyers will be Desmond, Cloridy, Tiae, Syren, and Luciu. Team Gemini Confronters will be me, Tal, Zvizda, Inlivido, Amanda, and Civic. Backup Team will be Cole, Kirrie, Orion, Anders, Elivra."

Raistin pondered thoughfully before he rose from his seat, pushing the chair in. He smoothed back his longish black hair and placed the pen atop the notebook.

"Include myself in Team Wing Shop Destroyers. Let's get the irangels together and make this an 'all systems go' and get ahead of this rodeo," Raistin decided, approving Demian's proposition.

After further discussion, the irangels learned that a party will event in Edinburgh, Scotland, to commemorate Gemini's accomplishments. The party event will occur in a week. That meant the irangels, Iredescents, and Phoenix would need to head out the next day.

Hence why Demian called Matson, letting him know of his return to planet Earth.

Upon the impending return, tasks were allocated to the irangels and Iredescents.

Viraj delegated the important task of producing angst on planet Haerreop. Kier updated the Phoenix on information regarding Iredescent trafficking and the primary objective to end Gemini's corruptive practices. Demian wanted most of the irangels to remain on Iredescent, so he planned only a select few to come with him.

However, Nuede insisted on coming, willing to share her interplanetary knowledge with the irangels. Liqorina was also adamant, so Demian allowed Nuede to join the Backup Team, placing Liqorina with him in Team Gemini Confronters.

The rest of the irangels were to remain on planet Iredescent, safe in their homes and away from strife.

The following morning saw the departure of three ships: Demian's ship Mirror Blade, Raistin's ship the Phoenix, and the irangels' ship the Irangel Cruise.

Mirror Blade was the epitome of sleek and magnificent. Entirely matte black with shimmery dark green underlay, built with Mijishian tech, the ship was constructed by Tal and Zvizda, who were delighted to go on its maiden voyage for the first time.

Tal showed Demian how the windows adjusted to either entirely black or mirror face, though they could see the outside view either way. "Each ship reflects the person it belongs to. I wanted this ship to reflect the mirror look and shattered glass design on your wings."

"You did exceptionally well," said Demian, impressed by Tal's work. "You're a master ship builder."

Tal smiled, knowing Demian would treasure the ship and take exceptionally good care of it.

Hugs were freely given, as were an abundance of tea and coffee. With the abundance came another allocation as Demian spoke to the irangels prior to the sendoff.

"Cydtin, you'll be in charge. Valerie will be the only irangel leader to remain on Iredescent. I know you don't want the position, but I would like for you to be a temporary irangel leader in my place, at least until I return to Iredescent. Valerie will need help managing things on Iredescent, and with Raistin's absence, she'll need that help more than ever."

Cydtin looked towards Valerie, who regarded him with appreciation. He glanced at Civic, who nodded slowly, placing his trust in Cydtin. Cole gave him an encouraging look, supporting Demian's decision to entrust Cydtin as a temporary irangel leader.

Tal grasped Cydtin's shoulder. "Have fun managing things, awesome temporary irangel leader. I do mean it, have fun. Don't stress over anything. The Iredescents and irangels got your back if you need anything."

"Thanks, I appreciate it," Cydtin said gratefully.

The Iredescents and irangels hugged one more time before going on separate ships or staying behind.

"I just hope they all make it back safe," Cydtin murmured, feeling uneasy for some reason.

"They will," Ariel assured him. "I'm sure of it."

But Cydtin was worried. After the ships departed, Cydtin went to get a cup of coffee to distract himself from his thoughts. He added extra espresso, wanting to drown his worries away. But they surfaced like the specks of cinnamon in his coffee, refusing to go away, no matter how hard he tried to ignore.

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~ Wachstyen Forest, Germany
Planet Earth ~

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The four irangels sat across from each other, Demian and Inlivido facing Civic and Amanda. There was a basket of fruit, chocolate raspberry caramel brownies, and a platter of sandwiches on the table. Though there were no windows, sparkles scattered throughout the dining area, reflecting the holographic glitter embedded within the walls and applicances.

"Several months on Iredescent, and I don't think I'll ever get used to how sparkly everything is," said Inlivido, looking at his sandwich with care. "Even the food is sparkly!"

"Earth seems drab after seeing Iredescent's finery," Amanda commented, sipping on fruit punch.

BLAM! WHOOSH!

Everything shook inside the ship, propelling Civic to telekinetically hold everything together. The irangels looked to Demian, who simply finished the chocolate brownie dessert and wiped his mouth with a napkin before saying casually, "Relax, Tal is just not a great pilot."

Despite Demian's fearless assurance, the irangels sensed the somberness that caused Demian to rise and walk towards the ship entrance door. He pressed a button on the wall that opened the ship entrance door, aware they were about to land on planet Earth.

A cool, crisp forest scent, spiced with autumn leaves and apples, created a wonderful, nostalgic scent that brought memories to mind. Demian materialized his wings and flew downward, landing on Earth soil.

It is exactly like I remember, Demian thought as he began walking in Wachstyen Forest. Each crunch of leaves underneath his steady footsteps released caches of memories, of the first time he walked in Wachstyen Forest.

Once again, autumn appeared in glorious splendor. The pine, beech, and oak scents infused with the beauty of sunlight peeking through the trees, all wrapped up in an amazing scent that Demian relished, taking slow deep breaths to enjoy it longer.

The crunch of leaves underneath footsteps stopped upon sight of the glass building. Swarthed in reverent silence, the glass building was as beautiful and magnificent as ever. It was made with impressive mirror-like Iredescent technology that made it look invisible, effectively camouflaging it in the forest, just like the Iredescent ship that landed nearby.

There were guards posted, both human and Iredescent. They greeted the irangels, excited for their arrival. Few people were allowed in, and even so, there was always a guard with them. Irangels and Iredescents were exempt, however. Especially if they were with an irangel leader like Demian.

Demian slowly walked inside the glass building. Every memory came alive in Demian's mind's eye as he stepped in every room, every hallway, every corridor, the familiarity filling him with nostalgia.

The nostalgia was hit upon the pleasant, lingering scent of coffee. Demian smiled when he saw Cydtin's stash of coffee scented candles in his office, knowing the guards sometimes lit them up. He lit the candles and continued down memory lane.

Demian's heart tore when he saw the graves of the irangels that died. Though he hadn't had the chance to personally know the irangels Cydtin created, the irangels that died in the fight at Aerospace Station Nieznane, it affected him greatly because he had seen the memories from the irangels that witnessed the deaths and the depth of pain they carried.

The thought of having to bury another dead irangel racked Demian's mind with worry and distress. The fear of another irangel's death made him uneasy, so Demian sought assurance in knowing the Black Rose would keep everyone safe. The Black Rose would shield every irangel on the planet, though it required much energy and concentration to do so. Valerie would only draw upon Demian's energy in case of emergency, and there was no need for emergency yet. Demian hoped there wouldn't be an emergency at all.

Amanda's inquisitive voice broke through the veil of worry that cloaked Demian's thoughts. "This is where Tori turned herself and the original irangels into irangels."

"Yes, that's true," Demian said quietly. "It's also where I turned seventeen people into irangels."

Inlivido touched a holographic button that showed a video made possible via advanced holographic imaging technology and through Demian sharing memories from Tori and Cole. Demian was unable to access Nate's memories because Nate's body was already reduced to charred remains, but he was able to copy/paste Tori's memories into his mind by simply touching her dead body before she was buried.

Demian remembered the moment crystal clear, the moment the new creator touched the original creator. Had things not turned out the way they did, had Tori's death never happened, Demian was sure he might've been caught up with her like Justin and Nate were.

He was intrigued, fascinated, and oddly attracted to her vision, her intellect, her beauty, the sheer fact that because of Tori, his life changed forever, resulting in a butterfly effect of other lives changed forever. Though Demian never had the chance to see her when she was alive, Tori was his greatest inspiration. He admired her determination and her success in fulfilling her dreams. If she hadn't gone darkside....

As he looked in the transformation room, deep in his thoughts, his hand touching an empty cylinder, Demian sensed somebody approaching and saw Civic's shoes step in his line of vision.

"So this is the room where you turned us," Civic stated, as cautious and wary as ever. He motioned towards a tall hanger-like device standing to the side of the cylinder. "What's this?"

"The rozdivalka. It's a hover circle contraption that holds the newly turned irangel upright so I can dress the irangel. It's Tori's invention, created sometime after she turned Cole and the others."

"This is how you put clothes on us? After we turned?"

"Yes," Demian confirmed.

Amanda's eyebrows rose at the confirmation. "So that means you saw everyone naked."

Civic tossed an uncomfortable glance at Demian, curious to see how he would answer Amanda's allegation.

Demian looked Amanda in the eyes, directly confronting her allegation. "Cole put a blanket around every irangel, leaving me with the task of dressing them. I looked away when putting on undergarments, out of respect for each irangel."

"Bet it was hard to keep your eyes off Valerie when you turned her," Amanda couldn't resist saying, making Civic's eyes narrow and Demian's eyes widen.

Before any of the men could respond, Amanda playfully nudged Demian's shoulder. "Relax, Dem. I know you're not a pervert. I'll leave you guys to sort out whatever is going on. I'm not getting caught in any love square drama."

"I wish it was easy to avoid," Demian murmured, hurriedly leaving the room. His quick steps turned into a run as Demian left the glass building with Civic at his heels, exclaiming, "Hey!"

Demian's wings snapped open, nearly blinding Civic with its shining mirror array. He took flight the moment his comect rang, alerting him of an incoming call.

It was Matson.

"Hey, Demian. I just arrived at Wachstyen Forest. Are you here yet?"

"Look up in the sky," Demian advised, hanging up as he began scouring the location for Matson. He heard Civic flying a few distances away, his wings flapping uncertainly as he unsuccessfully tried to look for Demian.

Feeling playful and mischievous, having come up with a surefire way to break the tension, Demian built momentum to a super fast speed before he tucked his wings in and cannonballed towards Civic, slamming into him at full force.

And so, Demian learned that if unable to avoid an unpleaseant issue, directly confront the issue, not with unpleasantness, but with pleasant fun and cheerfulness.

Russian expletives, Native American exclaimations, wing feathers, scruffles, and the scent of peppermint followed the two irangel men as they tumbled down from the sky, landing in a forest clearing covered in beautiful autumn foliage.

Matson and Amanda heard a crash from far away and looked in time to see Demian and Civic.

"What in the world....?" Matson murmured in confusion, while Amanda grinned impishly, liking the way Demian chose to handle the unpleasantness with Civic.

Demian's peppermint scented black leather jacket hung from a tree branch. Civic's stylish brown jacket lay atop fallen leaves. Pine needles and foliage clung to the men like ashes from a fire. Amanda wordlessly handed them a lint roller, her grin widening when the men realized they would have to share it.

"Demian? What happened?" Matson asked in bewilderment, speaking in Russian.

Demian smiled, handing Civic the lint roller after using it first. "Just some fun brotherly bonding with my irangel brother," Demian said casually, going over to hug Matson in hello. "Good to see you, Matson. I'm tasking you with providing Earth updates. Have you learned the reason for my unexpected return?"

Amanda noticed that Demian moved quickly into business, not giving room for Civic to expand on the unpleasantness. She thought it strange for him to be friends with his ex's ex, but she supposed Matson was an exception, since he helped the irangels during the fight at the Aerospace Station Nieznane, proving himself as an ally. Therefore, Demian saw Matson as an ally, earning him the nickname 'the Human Ally' because he remained human, not wishing to turn himself into an irangel.

Matson's face darkened. "Yes, I've noticed many people around the world turning into irangels, but I presumed that it wasn't under your approval."

"It certainly wasn't," Demian confirmed grimly. "Those people should be called Geminangels, not irangels, because they turned from Gemini's wing shops. Another creator didn't just show up and started creating irangels. What you saw was the result of horrendous murder of innocents. A businessman named Gemini Ruadan is the one responsible for Iredescent trafficking. Gemini doesn't use cloned blood to turn people; he uses freshly murdered Iredescent blood."

Matson's hazel eyes widened in shock. For a long moment, he was unable to say a word, absolutely stunned. The silence dissipated when he spoke at last, his voice a quiet murmur. "I had no idea. I thought it was just some big corporation that stole your materials and equipment."

Civic intervened. "The big corporation is disguised as a perfume factory called Gemini Industries. And no, they do not sell Blue Diamond cookware, as the gem logo suggests."

"Gemini is nothing but a human vampire that kills innocents for profit," Demian said, his voice laced in venom. "That's why we came down to put a stake through Gemini and end his evil corporation practices."

"Are you actually going to stake him?" Amanda asked curiously, thinking, Demian is full of surprises today.

And yet, Civic was also full of surprises, surprising Amanda when he agreed with Demian. "Why not? He is totally deserving of a death penalty for killing hundreds of innocents. Gemini's wing shop customers are unaware they are accomplices of murder and anyone that participates in wing shops supports his evil corporation practices."

"Cole is here," Demian said abruptly, ending the conversation. He waited until the ship hovered above Wachsteyn Forest before he approached the Backup Team.

After hugs and greetings, Cole took a walk down memory lane, located inside the glass building amid a beautiful autumn forest.

A memory of listening to music with Justin, of feeling a brotherly friendship with him, up until Justin's death and when Demian became his new irangel brother. A memory that felt like knives driven into his heart, since Justin was the irangel that Cole was closest to, prior to meeting Demian.

A memory of Keith singing in the shower and annoying the irangels with his off-key singing, of a repeated urge to shut him up and his awful rap music. Though Cole thought Keith was often annoying, he was another irangel brother. Another memory, drenched in penitent sorrow.

A memory of Camdren holding the revived roadkill, a raccoon successfully brought to life. A moment before Camdren no longer became the caring person he just started to become prior to the secret irangel experimentation. The traces of caring tenderness that disappeared upon the mountain of torture Tori put him through.

A memory of Tori lifting a tea kettle from the stove and telling Elisa, "You need to drink this tea everyday. I don't want you to become pregnant." Elisa was put off by Tori's bossiness, but she accepted the tea, which was Iredescent birth control. But Cole saw the bossiness as tender care that Tori had bestowed upon the irangels she created.

A memory of throwing snowballs at the mountains with Eamon, of having a good bro time with him before he became a horrible person who coldly killed an innocent woman. The memories felt like snowballs that slammed into his chest with heavy ice, nearly taking his breath from the painful hit.

A memory of Millian enjoying photography with the irangels, traipsing through the snow-covered field with his camera, taking pictures both ground and aerial view. Those pictures were forever imprinted in Cole's mind. He looked at them so many times that he remembered every detail.

A memory of Velo showing off his merman form in the swimming pool, the scales on his fin shimmering like iridescent jewels. The first merman irangel, the beauty that perished under a glimmer of cruelty.

Cole's hands clenched into fists at the memory of Tori's secret irangel experiementation, how it severely altered the irangels physically, psychologically, and emotionally, resulting in the massacre led by Demian and his knife. Cole often wondered what would've happened had Demian chose not to kill the original irangels, but he made sure not to think such thoughts around Demian.

Cole put out the candles before he walked out of the glass building, needing fresh air. Covered in the lingering scent of coffee, Cole froze in startlement when he saw a blonde human woman talking with Demian. A blonde woman who looked similar to Tori.

Upon the onslaught of Cole's alarmed thoughts, Demian telepathically informed him, This is Tori's mother, Nadja Nichok. She knows the circumstances of her daughter's death. I suppose we'll have to see how she responds to meeting her daughter's creation.

Me, the last remaining original irangel. Cole drew a breath and let it out, slowly walking forward.

Nadja's conduct was cordial, though her eyes showed interest in meeting the irangels, particularly one Tori had created. Cole was surprised to see so much of Tori in Nadja.

Though Tori looked very much like her mother, she had her father's curiosity and drive. Nadja was blonde, had light brown eyes, a slim figure, and was pleasing in physical appearance. She dressed sharply in a black pencil skirt and blazer, looking like an older version of Tori, had she made it to her forties.

Nadja stood with Demian, looking at the grave her daughter was buried in. The grave was marked with crushed glass and a nameplate with Tori's name and picture, just like the other irangel graves.

"Tori was always reaching for something beyond her grasp," Nadja was saying. "She didn't just think outside the box; she looked beyond its dimension. Even as a child, Tori was very driven and motivated. Her father inspired her to pursue science and astronomy. The Aerospace Station Nieznane was Tori's favorite place. Arthur would sneak her on the roof of the aerospace station and take her to see spaceships. Her heart was always up there with the stars."

The crunch of leaves underneath sneakered shoes caused Nadja to slowly turn around, though Demian was already aware of Cole's presence.

"I'm sorry for her death," Cole said, choosing his words carefully. He looked at Nadja as though he was a child awaiting punishment at the principal's office.

Nadja regarded Cole, her eyes full of understanding, as though she was seeing the pain her daughter had inflicted on him. "I'm sorry for her actions."

Though Nadja was horrified by the shocking reveal of Tori's secret irangel experimentation, she was glad to see some good had come out of evil doing. The creation of irangels was of most significance to the world and its impact.

Demian keenly felt Nadja's heartbreak as she mourned the loss of her daughter. He replayed Tori's memories to Nadja, including those of Cole's. Nadja was assured to know her daughter ended up among the stars after all, believing she went to heaven after accepting redemption in the final moment of her death.

Nadja recognized Cole from the memories Demian shared with her. Despite knowing the identities of the men that killed Tori, Nadja held no grudge nor ill will towards Cole, understanding he was a victim of Tori, believing he would've eventually died, had things not happened the way they did.

Nadja surprised Cole when she gently placed a hand on his shoulder, as though she was a mother reassuring a son. "I am sorry for what she did, Cole, but I am glad to see much good came from her creation. May you continue to bring good to the world, to both planet Earth and planet Iredescent."

"I will," Cole promised.

And so, past sorrow corresponded with present reflection to create an emboldened future, as the irangels and humans conspired to right the wrongs and bring justice upon evil corruption.

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Music:

"The Forest"
by Red

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(It's not Matson's Toyota Camry Solara, but it was the inspiration ✨)