What had I done? I saw from the look in her eyes she would never forgive me. I let each punch land knowing she needed it, knowing I deserved it. Why didn't I tell her from the start? I stood in the middle of my burning home knowing that she would never trust anyone again.
"She's got quite the temper does she not?"
That voice oh no why now of all times I knew she had broken the seal but to find out her location so fast. Quickly I flew in front of Phoenix she may hate me now but I still loved her and knew she was not ready to fight him.
"Move Raziel."
She tried to push past me both our fires still burning.
"No Phoenix you are not ready."
Soneillon laughed as he stalked us like prey.
"Phoenix? Using pet names already are we? Well too bad since I've come to retrieve what is mine."
"She was never yours Soneillon!"
I yelled I will not let him hurt her again no matter what.
"I swear to god Raziel I will kill you both if you don't move!"
"There's that fire I love so much."
I scowled at him.
"A demon is not capable of love."
"True but Dantalis is, you broke his poor little heart Reece. Or is it Phoenix now? See Dantalis she never loved you already she wears his mark in place of your own."
Phoenix bared her fangs.
"It was never his mark you forced on me and it wasn't his mark I burned away. It was yours."
"You will be mine whether you want it or not and this pretty boy can not stop me."
"Watch me!"
I turned to Phoenix.
"Please put aside what your feelings are towards me and listen when I say you are not ready for this fight and I will not stand by a watch you die. Please if there is any love left in your heart for me fly. Fly as fast as you can I will hold him as long as it takes."
Something in her eyes softened.
"No! Raziel I will not leave you here!"
"You must! Now go fly to your father he will protect you."
"Oh how sweet willing to sacrifice yourself to save her."
Soneillon stepped closer.
"Go Phoenix now!"
She took one last look at Soneillon then kissed me with all the passion I thought was lost between us.
"Come back to me."
I pushed her away just as Soneillon barrelled into my side.
Our hands were forced apart as she took to the skies.
Soneillon turned.
"No! You will not escape me again!"
He made to fly after her but I grabbed his wing spinning him around forcing him to the ground.
"Now you deal with me demon!"
He kicked me in the stomach as he used his wings to get back on his feet sword in hand knees bent as he prepared to fight.
"She will not get far."
"I think you will find me harder to defeat then your average Angel Soneillon. You are not yet strong enough to take on an archangel."
"That's what you think, your love for her has made you weak just as it did Dantalis."
"Dantalis is a fool he should have found a way to be rid of you years ago."
"True if he had he probably would have succeeded but alas he did not so here we stand."
I circled him blades in hand watching for his tell. Everyone had one whether it was a twitch in the hand or I step in the foot it didn't matter I always found it. He moved with the grace of a feline precise cunning. Every move calculated.
"You think you can work me out?"
He laughed.
"I just wanna ask one question before we start."
"Stop stalling Soneillon and lets get this over with."
"Why rush are you that eager to die?"
What was he playing at I decided to see where he was going since it played into me giving Phoenix more time anyway.
"Ask your question."
He smiled.
"How did she ride?"
I bared my fangs.
"You foul beast you will never know."
He was trying to goad me into making a mistake, he forgot however that I was no fledgling.
I smiled as he dug his toe in just before he launched. That's it that's his tell, side stepping I deflected his blow counter attacking I swiped at his side. He used his wings to propel himself back.
"Kail tells me she tastes Devine did he lie?"
I smiled.
"Give it up Soneillon your words wont effect me."
He attacked again, now that I knew his tell it was easy to dodge his attack.
"Fair enough let's try a different tactic."
I watched his foot but it didn't happen, he knew what I was looking for and used his words as a distraction. Instead of attacking he shot a dark energy ball towards me.
Spinning it grazed my shoulder.
Pain seared on my arm rendering it useless.
I gritted my teeth against the pain as I dropped the blade in my left arm.
I still had my right hand but I couldn't let another one of those things hit me. Somehow he even penetrated my fire.
"Not so tough now are you."
I raised my remaining blade.
"I still have my right."
"Yes but you see that was no normal dark energy. It was filled with pure hatred it will spread til it eats away at your soul much like your angel fire. Soon there will be nothing left of you as the poison of hatred devours you."
I scowled he was right already I could feel it spreading. I needed to end this fast before it spread too much.
I used my fire as it took the shape of a tiger clawing it's way towards him. He fought with the flaming tiger, the longer the fight went on the more the poison spread weakening me and the tiger I had created, till finally it disappeared.
I fell to my knees panting the black poison spreading so close to my heart I could feel it dig its way through my body.
Soneillons blade rested at my throat.
"I'm disappointed I excepted more from an archangel."
"Then maybe four archangels is more to your liking."
Out of the corner of my eyes I saw Phoenix standing there with Gabriel, Raguel and Michael.
"Kill Raziel and we will end your life, let him go and I will let you go free."
Soneillon laughed stepping back with his hands in the air. knowing in his current state he could never take on all five of us plus Phoenix.
"But of corse no matter he will die soon enough anyway."
Phoenix ran to my side staring up at Soneillon.
"Til next time Little Phoenix, you can not hide behind the arch's forever."
"Screw you Soneillon next time I won't need to."
He laughed.
"The dreams of a fledgling how naive you still are the new names changed nothing."
Turning he left.
Everything forgotten Phoenix threw her arms around me.
"Raziel I came as fast as I could."
I wrapped my good arm around her avoiding touching her with the blackened one, glad that she was safe.
"I'm glad you listened to me for once."
She laughed.
"Don't push your luck I'm still mad at you."
I smiled until a wave of pain shot up my arm.
"Raziel!"
She looked to my now blackened arm.
"What the hell."
She went to touch it.
"No! Don't touch it it's pure hatred I don't know if it can spread to you too."
"Brother can you stand."
Michael bent down next to Phoenix she moved away from him clearly uncomfortable being close to him.
"Yes but I doubt I'll be able to fly it has already spread to my wings."
He looked behind him.
"Gabriel, Raguel carry him back selaphiel will know what to do."
"I'm going with them."
Michael grabbed her arm when she made to follow us as Gabriel threw my good arm over his shoulder.
"No Phoenix we can not risk you getting infected."
"I don't give a shit what you want Michael I'm going and you can't stop me."
I smiled, trust my Phoenix to stand up to the strongest archangel of us all.
"Michael let her go as long as she doesn't touch the poison she will be fine."
Raguel winked at Phoenix who smiled back briefly.
"Come on we need to get Raziel home."
Michael threw up his hands in defeat.
"Fine let's just get out of here already."
All of us took to the air as we headed straight for the city of angels.