Angel quickly got his bearings in the chaotic mess of the nosediving plane. It was in a tailspin, the loss of a wing throwing it into a dangerous whirl. Amidst the frenzy, Kobeni was still strapped into her seat, fighting against the violent shaking.
Denji was out cold, held up by Kishibe who was doing his best to stabilize the free-falling plane. Angel's focus shifted to Kobeni. Floating over, he matched the pace of their descent, staying steady like a stabilizer. He gripped the seatbelt holding her, giving it a good squeeze and causing it to snap free.
Despite the wild ride of g-forces and turbulence, Kobeni somehow stayed awake. Angel looked out of a window next to her, seeing the telltale glow of a fire. The situation was dire, and they needed to act quickly to ensure they made it out in one piece.
"10 years," the Angel murmured, conjuring a sword from thin air. With a swift motion, he stabbed the sword into the ceiling of the plummeting plane, creating a makeshift hole. He reached for Kobeni, who was still disoriented from the chaos of the crash.
Kobeni felt a firm smack on her cheek, jolting her back to awareness. "Oi!" Angel called, urgency in his voice. "We have to get out of here."
She clung to Angel as he extended his wings, ready to make their escape. They floated towards the cockpit, witnessing the aftermath of the crash. Denji was badly injured, his body burnt and torn. Kishibe, seemingly unharmed, held Denji's severed upper body, carrying him like a book.
Kishibe swiftly maneuvered, leaping from wall to wall within the plane. He threw two travel backpacks into the air, signaling Angel to grab them. Kishibe clung to Angel's leg, a firm grip telling him it was time to escape this doomed aircraft.
Amidst the chaos and the deafening explosion, Angel swiftly exited through the hole into the cold, dark night sky. He struggled to see through the darkness, surrounded by a thick forest. Suddenly, a flaming wing from the plane narrowly missed him, jolting him into action.
He made a sharp turn to the left, avoiding the blazing wreckage. However, this abrupt maneuver threw them off balance, and he felt his wings scrape against a sharp tree branch, cutting deeply into one wing. Despite the pain, he fought to keep Kobeni secure on his back.
Finally, they plummeted to the forest floor, the impact jarring and sending Angel into unconsciousness. The darkness of the forest now engulfed them
Angel sat on the sunlit sandy beach, legs drawn close to his chest. His attire deviated from the typical public safety uniform, opting for simple black shorts, a relic from his village. He had frequented dreams of the small island where he spent many years, memories intermingled with visions of the one who had once cherished him. But this dream was different. Instead of the eerie, haunting faces from his past, it was just him and the tranquil beach.
To his left, the sand shifted, and he turned his head. There was Kobeni, wearing a full black dress, a white sunhat which reminded Angel of a flower obscuring her face. "Just what are you?" Kobeni inquired, her usual stutters and fearful countenance absent. Angel remained silent, fixated on the rhythmic waves.
"Ange—"
"I heard you," he responded audibly, inhaling and exhaling deliberately. "I've dreamt of my past before, but I've never dreamt of this beach. If this is a glimpse of my former life, I want to soak it in a bit longer."
Kobeni tilted her hat upward, her eyes, orange and blue, surveying the vast ocean. "I think you can stay for a little longer," she softly encouraged, rising to her feet and studying Angel for a moment.
"It's said that life is a one-sided relationship," Kobeni spoke, Angel listened gazing up at her. "You might live your life constantly seeking out the lure of death, and you will never find it." The wind on the beach began to pick up, carrying the words into the air. "Those who love life are worth everything, but those who acknowledge a love for both are the ones who will meet me like a lover. Yet those who live their lives despising life will never know the true value of either. How could I love someone who does not understand how important they are to me or be someone I want to be with?"
Angel looked at Kobeni, his eyes narrowing, a mixture of confusion and frustration. He sighed, "That doesn't make any sense to me." Kobeni began walking into the sea, the waves embracing her. Angel looked down at his hands, clenching them into fists until his palms bore the red imprints of his nails. "The only thing I can do with these hands is cause more death. I shouldn't even be alive." he put his right hands palm to the spot just above his heart and he felt a great sadness that his heart didn't beat yet still he lived on
Kobeni, now in the water, waved her hand gently above it. Angel heard someone sit to his right, his deadpan and emotionless demeanor cracking for a moment. Tears flowed from his eyes, and he felt a pain in his throat as his vocal cords tightened. His emotions overtook him, and the warm hands of the one who loved him grabbed either side of his face and placed a tender kiss on his forehead. he could not remember her face but he remembered the warmth of her presence and the bright blue eyes he so often dreamed of.
Kobeni's form transitioned to a pale hue, gradually melding into the sea. "Thank you for helping her," her fading voice echoed in the wind.
In the dark alpine forest, Kishibe ignited a cigarette, his gaze fixed on Angel. The young devil hunter's bloodied and torn body emitted a faint glow, and soon, the boy's chest began to rise and fall with life, a serene smile adorning his face. Kishibe gently picked up the boy, being careful not to disturb his rest or touch his skin, and placed a warm blanket over him before setting out to start a campfire.