After traveling through the forest for a couple of days, Palan made it to the wall dividing the borderland and third sector. Cleo’s mouth fell open as she stared up at the towering red structure. The wall was made out of the same material as Anidun’s dagger. Its surface was smooth and reflective, leaving no purchase for climbing. “How do you even make something like this?” she asked and tapped the wall. “This makes a full circle?”Raea nodded. “Unless you can fly, you won’t be able to go over,” she said. She squinted her eyes and shielded them with her hand as she looked up. “And even if you could, there are patrols up there too.”“This is pretty impressive,” Palan said and raised an eyebrow. The wall was slanted towards him, the top hanging overhead. “Are all the walls for the sectors like this?”“The ones closer to the capital are taller,” Raea said. “This is the shortest one. I think it’s twenty feet tall?” She cupped her hands over her mouth and yelled, “Anyone up there?” A few mo
“So Ishim is really intending on rebelling?” Michael asked as he rubbed his chin. His eyebrows were slightly creased as he made eye contact with Raea. “And everything you say is true? There are no embellishments or hyperbole?”“Yes. I swear that everything I just told you occurred exactly as it happened,” Raea said and nodded, turning her head towards Palan as if seeking his confirmation. The demon seemed relaxed, standing next to the couch with his right hand dangling loosely by his dagger, but Cleo knew that the muscles in his calves and hamstrings had been tensed ever since Michael stepped into the room. Palan chose to stay silent as he stared at Michael, ignoring Raea’s gaze.Likewise, Michael didn’t even seem to acknowledge Palan’s existence, keeping his line of sight on Raea at all times. He asked her, “Do you have any proof of Ishim’s collaboration with Anidun? Just the word of a single angel is not enough to proclaim him guilty, even if your old man thinks it is.”“I am an ang
Palan groaned as his eyes focused on the white ceiling in his vision. He sat up, wincing as the flesh on his torso burned in protest. “So you finally woke up,” a voice said. Palan turned his head and saw Uzziel sitting on a chair in front of the door to the room. He saw Raea sleeping on a bed in the corner of his vision. “I was under the impression you were a sloth.” The angel gestured towards the floor beside his bed. Tara was sleeping on her side, hugging Cleo to her stomach.Palan made eye contact with the orange lizardman. Her beady black eyes were watery as she stared up at him, lips quivering. “Help,” she said, struggling to move her arms that were pinned to her side.Palan ignored Cleo and focused his gaze on Uzziel. “Who are you?” he asked. He frowned as his hands sifted through his bedsheets, looking for his dagger and pouch.“I put your belongings in the drawer next to you,” Uzziel said as he raised an eyebrow at Palan’s actions. “My name is Uzziel. I am a colonel serving un
Uzziel frowned as he crossed his legs and leaned back into his chair, staring at the approaching demon. He tapped his chin and tilted his head. “That magic,” he said. Before the words even escaped from his lips, Palan had already stuck his fingers in his ears. “He’s a pride demon?” Uzziel turned his head to look at Raea. Her body was collapsed forward on the bed, unmoving. He clicked his tongue and faced Palan again. He shouted, “Halt!” Cleo’s body stiffened and fell over.Palan took his fingers out of his ears. Blood trickled from them as he continued to walk forward, the wood splintering beneath his feet. Laughter echoed through the room as Tara sat on the foot of Raea’s bed, watching Palan approach her contractor. “He punctured his own ear drums,” she said and smiled. “What are you going to do now, Uzzy?”Uzziel narrowed his eyes as he climbed off the chair and picked up a sword that was resting beside him against the wall. “Why are you acting like this doesn’t concern you?” he sho
Palan’s eyes shifted to glance around the room. After confirming his surroundings, he sat up stretched his arms. His right hand felt slightly stiff, but he couldn’t complain. The last time he lost his arm to a lion as a child, it took two months to regrow. He was lying in the same bed—that was somehow repaired—as before, but Raea’s bed on the other side of the room was empty. “Why are you hiding under my bed?” Palan asked out loud.“Shut up and listen,” Tara’s voice said from below him.Muffled voices entered his ears from beyond the door.“Out of respect for your brother, I will not be reporting this to General Michael.”“Thank you.”“You should seriously consider replacing your demon, however. Any action he performs is directly reflected on you. If he kills a civilian, then the responsibility falls on you, the owner. You understand that, right?”“I understand.”“The look you are giving me tells me you aren’t going to listen.” There was a pause followed by an exhale. “Honestly, how d
“What do you want to know first?” Tara asked as she tilted her head, her hair falling back over her pointed ears.“My powers,” Palan said.“You honestly have no clue, huh?” Tara said and smiled as she uncrossed her feet and lay on her side. “You practically cut your own arm off earlier.”“If I had a clue, I wouldn’t be asking,” Palan said and narrowed his eyes.Tara yawned and rotated her ankle. “A pride demon’s power is the control of gravity. Do you know what gravity is?” Tara asked and smiled. She giggled as Palan scowled at her. “It’s basically the force that pulls you down. Right now, it seems like you can only control the gravity of yourself and the things you touch. That’s perfectly normal. As you grow stronger, you’ll be able to influence things that are further away. Eventually, you’ll be able to control the gravity of people directly, as long as they’re weaker than you.” She smiled. “Just like how I can manipulate your body like a ragdoll.”“So basically, I can make things h
Raea frowned as she sat on her bed with her chest glowing blue, staring at Palan who was meditating across from her. By the door, Uzziel was standing guard with a lance and kiteshield, glaring at Palan. Even though Raea had assured him that nothing would happen, he wanted to be ready. Tara was sleeping on Palan’s bed, occasionally letting out soft snores while holding onto the depressed-looking Cleo.“Palan,” Raea mumbled and furrowed her brow. Palan raised his head and stared at her. She brought her hand to her mouth and shook her head. “It’s nothing.” She lowered her hand and clutched the hem of her robes as she brought her knees to her chest. Her face hardened as she recalled the trip she just took with Uzziel.After lecturing her, the colonel had brought her to the checkpoint’s lodgings for the army. The demons had been segregated from the angels, and their living conditions were noticeably worse than the angels. Their food consisted of the raw and unpleasant parts of the animals
After an uneventful dinner, Raea returned to her room with Cleo and Palan, feeling slightly disturbed by the stares she had received. Palan immediately went to his bed and began to meditate, causing Raea to feel a sense of weakness as her chest glowed blue. “Palan,” Raea said and bit her lip.“What?”“Are you also a … a lust demon?” Raea asked, her voice barely audible.Palan didn’t respond.“Palan?”“I’m not answering stupid questions,” Palan said and snorted.Raea’s eyes widened. “So you are!?”“How did you even come to that conclusion?” Palan asked and furrowed his brow. “I’m not.”“But … you and Tara,” Raea said and scratched her head. “Weren’t you two going to … you know?”Palan’s eyes narrowed as he ground his teeth together. “The only thing I want to do to Tara is kill her,” he said. His bed collapsed underneath his body as he accidentally channeled his power. Cleo let out a squeal as she was flattened against the mattress. She had been tracing the translucent wings on Palan’s