OMNISCIENT POV
The angel stands in awe for the most beautiful sight is before him. A smile comes to Rae's lips as he sees a watery-eyed Ilios walking towards him. Ilios breaks into a run and dashes into the arms of the chocolate-haired man. Rae's arms immediately wrap around his angel as he breathes in the sweet spring scent he has been craving.
"You're back!" Ilios cries with joy. "It's you! It's really you!"
"I'm here, I'm here," Rae assures as he cradles Ilios's neck.
"I've missed so much!" Ilios does not even try to stop the tears streaming down his cheeks as he is finally in the arms of his love.
The two are so immersed in each other that they do not even notice the small crowd gathered to watch the reunion. The four supporters on the sidelines stand with smiles as they observe the two angels. Devyn instinctively leans back into the demon behind him, longing to feel his presence as he watches the blonde-haired angel being held by Rae. Denzyl obliges Devyn's silent request by taking the human into his arms.
After a few minutes, Ilios eventually stands up straight and smiles into Rae's eyes before looking around. His eyes land on Kilo, and his smile fades as he recalls the news Rae relayed. Ilios solemnly walks over to Kilo and takes the young captain into a comforting embrace.
"We'll find him," Ilios comforts.
"I know. We are already coming up with a plan," Kilo responds as Ilios pulls away.
"Okay. Show me what you've got."
KILO'S POV
My chests pounds as a pain strikes my gut. Castyr! Are you okay?! I try to link the star, but all I feel is anger and fear. What is going on?
"Kilo? Are you alright?" Ilios' voice snaps me out of my head. I look up at him.
"I think something's wrong with Castyr. He's hurt."
"Can you reach him?"
I shake my head. "I just know he's angry and afraid."
Everyone looks at me with concern. I rest my hands on the table with the rescue plans.
"More angry, or more afraid?" Rae asks.
"More angry."
"That's good. That means they haven't broken him, yet." Ilios looks at Rae with sadness as the chocolate-haired man finishes.
"I don't think they are trying to break him. They need him for something else. I don't know what yet, but I feel like they need him healthy and at his full capacity."
"You're saying you think they're going to use him?" Devyn questions.
I nod.
"I never told him this, but Castyr is actually one of the most powerful stars we have had come from the showers," Ilios reveals. "That's probably why he was Hades' target."
"They want his power," Miren comments quietly.
"Castyr is literally a living bomb."
"I have, erm, heard stories from demons from Hades who come to collect on my planet." All eyes turn to the demon who spoke up. Denzyl looks around before continuing, "Apparently, Hades has been building some sort of device or machine. The king has tested it on a few of the captured angels, draining them of their energy and eventually killing them. The device then transfers the energy into a holding container. But every once in a while, the king will empty the energy into one of his demons."
"He's using his own people as storage?" Ilios asks in disgust.
Denzyl nods. "I'm sure he'll drain them completely when he needs the energy stored inside of them."
"And he's going to do the same to Castyr?" Devyn says.
"Yes, but he will most likely wait until the blood sun when both he and Castyr will become stronger."
"What do you mean? What is the blood sun?" Devyn questions.
"It's an event that only happens every ten thousand years," Rae begins. "During a blood sun, the essence of Hades grows stronger as the sun is veiled in the blood shed throughout the thousands of years between the occurrences. However, because the sun is a star, even though it has never morphed into its form as a being, all stars will draw power from the blood."
"Hades will be unstoppable," Miren states.
"Yes. That is why we need to rescue Castyr before the blood sun."
"When is the blood sun?" Devyn asks.
"In two weeks."
"I am not waiting half a month. I am getting Castyr out of there as soon as possible," I determine. My companions nod their heads in agreement.
"How is he? Any update?" Devyn inquires.
I shake my head. "I haven't heard anything, but his pain and fear are gone."
"That's good. At least he's not in pain."
I nod in agreement. The last thing I want is for Castyr to be scared, in pain, and alone. Which reminds me that Castyr is with the golden-eyed angel. Looking at the two experienced angels, I address the newly-reunited couple, "Have you heard of a silver-winged actaeon going missing?"
Ilios and Rae take a moment to sift through their memories from before I was even born. After a few seconds, Rae opens his mouth to speak. "There was one that disappeared hundreds of years ago. I didn't know him, but I think his name was...Orion."
Ilios nods in confirmation. "Yes. I had met him a few times when I was younger before he went missing. No one really knows what happened. He just disappeared one night and was never seen again."
"Heaven didn't look for him?"
"No. He bonded with a demon, so Heaven wasn't the most keen on finding him," Rae answers. The angel's eyes suddenly widen as the realization hits him. "Wait...so the angel who saved us is Orion? The Orion?"
I nod.
"And he has been in Hades all this time?"
"Yes," I confirm.
"Orion saved you? He's alive?" Ilios asks with wide eyes.
Rae smiles at his angel softly and nods before turning to me. "Why did you ask about the actaeon?"
"Castyr said he was with a silver-winged angel when we connected in our dreams."
"Castyr is with Orion?" Ilios says.
"It seems so."
"That's good. At least he is not alone," Rae sighs. I purse my lips in agreement. Both Rae and I know the struggle of prevailing through Hades alone.
"I think I know which demon Orion fell in love with," I begin. My five companions look at me with waiting faces. "Aklys. When I first confronted the demon general, he told me he needed Castyr to save someone he loved."
"And you think that someone is Orion?" Devyn questions.
"Yes."
"Why would he put Castyr with Orion?"
"If I am putting this together correctly, Orion transferred Rae out of Hades when Aklys took Castyr. That means Orion may have already received his punishment for rescuing an angel by the time Aklys arrived in Hades with Castyr. I think he left Castyr to heal Orion," I predict.
"Will Orion transfer Castyr out of Hades?" Devyn asks.
"I think he will if he is able."
"What if the king makes sure Orion can't?" Denzyl speaks up in a low voice.
"What do you mean?"
"What if the king hurts the actaeon, so he is not physically able to transfer anyone?"
"Then we will have to pray Aklys keeps Castyr safe until we get there."