OMNISCIENT POV
Rae holds Ilios tightly, their chests flushed together. The blonde is almost completely enveloped by the bigger, chocolate-haired angel. Rae rests his chin on the top of Ilios' head, so he can feel the blonde's steady breathing on his neck. The room is silent, each of the angels being completely filled by the other's presence. The quiet flapping of wings on the balcony can not be heard through the other's heartbeat.
Even the opening of the balcony door goes unnoticed as the demon slips into the moonlit room. After putting up his wings, the demon silently retrieves the slender dagger from his shoe. It takes only a few steps before the demon is leaning over the peaceful couple. The knife hovers over the chocolate-haired angel protecting the blonde. It is not until the demon is too close to fly away that those chocolate eyes snap open and the knife is knocked from the demon's hold.
In the next second, the door to the room is flung open, and the purple-eyed captain rushes in and grabs the demon by the throat. Even though Kilo knows that Aklys helped keep Castyr alive, he still has a grudge against him for taking his star away from him.
A grey-eyed demon enters after Kilo to help subdue the intruder. They are fighting the demon general, so both Ilios and Rae are quick to their feet. Rae joins the struggle while Ilios walks to the balcony and spread his wings. While Rae, Denzyl, and Kilo are struggling with the demon general, Ilios takes flight.
After a few moments, Denzyl and Rae have Aklys pinned down with Kilo pressing the demon's blade against his own throat.
"Castyr told you, didn't he?" Aklys smirks as he puts up his hands in surrender. Rae and Denzyl keep their hold on him. Kilo's dark purple eyes flare as his star's name leaves the demon general's lips.
"Don't worry. Castyr is just fine," Aklys says to calm his captor.
"Then why was he so traumatized that he could not even speak?!" Kilo questions sternly. Denzyl and Rae look at the captain in shock. Kilo has yet to tell them of his latest dream with Castyr.
Aklys' face genuinely turns to shock and confusion. "What? When I left, he was bleeding, but he could still talk. And Orion was going to heal him. What do you mean? What traumatized him?"
"I was hoping you could tell me that."
Aklys looks down and furrows his brows as he ponders. "Did he get transferred without my order?"
"You don't even know what is going on inside your own prison?" Rae taunts.
Aklys looks up at the angel with fury. "It is not my prison." Flames fill the general's eyes as he fights against what he is.
"But aren't you the demon general of Hades, the right-hand to Hades' king?" Denzyl inquires.
Aklys hangs his head, his jaw clenched. The demon nods slowly before adding, "I am...but only to save someone."
"Orion," Kilo voices the name of Aklys' weakness.
Aklys nods, his head still hung low.
"We can help save Orion," Rae says. Aklys instantly looks up at the angel. "But you have to help us save Castyr." Aklys instantly agrees. He will do anything to get Orion out of that hell.
Wings flapping on the balcony grab everyone's attention. They look to see Ilios landing with a young demon in his hold.
"General," the demon voices as he sees Aklys leaning against the wall between Rae and Denzyl.
Aklys looks at his lieutenant fondly. He is a good kid who just follows his orders. "I'll help you if you let him go back to Hades."
Kilo eyes Aklys cautiously.
"Brogan, go back to Hades and tell them I died. There were unforeseen enemies, and I was overcome."
The young demon looks at Aklys quizzically. Ilios takes that as his que to work his magic. With a wave of his hand in front of Brogan's eyes, memories of Aklys bloodied and dead from Ilios' blade are implanted into the young lieutenant's mind. His eyes widen and fill with tears as he sees Aklys leaning against the wall with closed eyes and a trail of blood oozing from his lips. Brogan begins to cry before Ilios renders him unconscious.
"I'll go drop him in a field somewhere," Ilios states. Rae moves to join him, but Ilios shakes his head. "I'll be fine. It's a short flight."
Rae reluctantly nods and gives a small smile, "Stay safe. Love you."
"Love you," Ilios smiles back before taking flight. The angel-angel couple has gotten into a routine to say the words every time they separate to make up for the fifty years they could not.
"Thank you for letting him live," Aklys thanks the remaining three.
"How do we know you are not double crossing us?" Rae questions.
"You don't," the demon answers truthfully. "But just know I would do anything to save Orion." The determination that fills Aklys' eyes is the same as that in Ithyos right before Kilo and Castyr fell to Earth.
"I believe you," Kilo says to Aklys. If Aklys has half the determination Kilo does, it will be enough for Kilo to trust him to do anything to save the one he loves. "Now, to business. Let's get them out of there." Kilo gives Rae and Denzyl the que to release their hold on the general.
"We have to do it quickly. The blood sun is in two days," Aklys addresses the three men standing in front of him.
"We are aware," Rae nods.
"But there is one problem," the demon adds. The two angels and Denzyl furrow their brows. They can not afford any more problems. "The king is going to drain Orion tomorrow since I did not return with Ilios. We have to do it now."