Disturbing Developments

Anael smiled down at his daughter as she walked back and forth across the room. She was only a day old, and she was already walking. He had forgotten how fast she grew, due to her mixed blood. At one day, she already had the comprehension of an 18-month-old. She could also say a few words, like "Mama," "Daddy," and yes and no. She could differentiate colors, and even understand basic speech. She was proving to be incredibly intelligent.

However, something was bothering Anael.

Something about An was...off. She was quiet, reserved, and seemed more conservative about her feelings. Also, Anael didn't know if this was real or a trick of the light, but...her eyes also seemed to have changed colors since the night before. He tried to cast these thoughts aside, as they may be just her way of coping with the pain of childbirth, and the realization of the responsibility that had been laden upon her.

Still...he was worried.

I stood up from the bed and picked up little Emily. I looked outside the window of our room and thought to myself sadly, 'I wish it didn't have to be like this.' I just don't know what else to do. If I tell Anael he'll try to stop me which normally I'd be more than happy about but if he does stop me then my father will kill me.' I stayed quiet simply holding Emily and looking out across the campus.

Finally, Anael couldn't take it anymore.

"An...is something wrong?" He said tentatively, standing up and sitting next to her. "I understand if it's personal, but I want you to know you can tell me anything, ok?" He was trying to be as gentle as possible. He never wanted to do anything that made her uncomfortable or uneasy. And she definitely was displaying both of those qualities.

But...he hated not being able to do anything to help.

He thought for sure she would've understood that by now, they didn't have any secrets between each other. They were engaged to be married, and were already raising a child together. They shared a bond unlike any other, separated between worlds, but connected by love. He just wanted to help her.

He hoped she would understand.

Tears appeared in my eyes as I heard Anael. I said to him, "That's the thing... I can't tell you otherwise I won't be able to go through what I have to do." Despite having Anael here I felt like the world was darker than ever. I really was my father's personal toy to control and there seemed to be nothing I could do about it. I felt awful. I was going to become the number one person most wanted by the gods and it was all just so I could stay alive.

As soon as tears suddenly appeared in An's darker eyes, he swept her up in a warm embrace, holding her tightly in his arms. Emily stopped laughing and sat solemnly in her mother's arms, almost as if sensing her mother's pain and fear. "An...I don't understand..." Anael said, breaking away, but still clutching her tightly, as if she would float away if he let go.

"What can't you tell me? Is this...about your father?"

He had his suspicions, but until An told him the full story, he would never know. As the true god of the Underworld, her father, Lucifer, would no doubt seek any way possible to use his daughter for his own selfish, personal needs. And ever since Anael had seen An's darker, more menacing eyes, he could sense hostility deep within her. Those eyes...

...they were the empty eyes of a puppet.

I looked at him and said, "Yes, but if I tell you, you have to promise you won't try to stop me. My life depends on this. If I fail he can take away my immortality and I will shrivel up and die." I looked down ready to explain everything as soon as he gave his word.

Anael's stomach tightened. His suspicions had been confirmed.

But...he hesitated.

When it came to An's father, there really weren't any limitations to his cruelty. Depending on what his duty was for An, Anael would have no choice but to try and stop her. He loved her. Endlessly. However, he knew that if he told her this, she would never tell him what it is he was forcing her to do, and he would never have that chance to show her that he cared, and that he would do anything for her.

"I promise." Had he just...lied?

He didn't know...but he would try and help her however he could if it meant keeping her alive.

I looked at him and said, "Fades appeared to me in a dream and told me that he wanted me to steal both, Poseidon's trident and Zeus's Lightning Bolt and bring them to him. He said that if I failed at doing this he would not only take away my position as future Queen of the Underworld but he would kill me. So now you know why I have to do this. Please don't try to stop me." I looked at him hoping he would understand me.

Anael was completely silent throughout An's entire revelation. His mind was blank. He just kept repeating the same phrase over and over again in his mind, like an endless recording on a broken record. And as much as he tried to silence such a heavy thought, it refused to quiet itself, and bore into him like a nail.

If I failed at doing this, he would kill me.

Anael calmly got up and began packing a bag. His mind was set. "Emily can stay in the nursery for a few days, and I'll leave a note for the headmaster explaining where we've gone." He pulled off his shirt and spread his wings, stretching them wide. It felt good to release them, but he took no pleasure in where he was about to go with them.

"So let's go." Anael said firmly. "Let's get the damned artifacts."

I looked at him as I too took off my clothing and changed into my succubus form. I said to him, "You're actually going to help me steal from your Father? You do know your Father is also sometimes known as Zeus right?" I couldn't believe he would actually help me in this way. I suppose this was what he truly felt for me.

Anael stretched out his body, knowing what kind of damage he could do to himself during flight if he wasn't prepared first. "Anyone who is afraid of him calls him that. I call him Father. He is who he is." Even as they were about to depart on a perilous journey to the realm of the gods, Anael couldn't help but cast a lingering stare over An's perfect body. He couldn't believe such a ferocious heart lie beating away behind that body.

He met her dark eyes with his own, which had always been black as night. "And for you...I'd do anything."

Emily appeared to have realized that her parents were about to leave her and began crying immediately, reaching out for her father to take her up in his arms. The sight brought fresh tears into Anael's own eyes as he realized he wouldn't be able to see his newborn child during a time when she needed him the most. Lucifer certainly was cruel. "I'm so sorry, Emily...we'll be back as soon as we can, sweetheart, ok?" This seemed to calm her, although she fluttered her black wings sadly.

With her approval, Anael directed his gaze back at his love. "...ready?"

I nodded and took Anael's hand saying, "Together, we can do this. Together, we'll both survive." With that I opened the window to the nursery and got onto the window sill. I flapped my leathery wings and it actually felt good to be about to use them again. I grinned and jumped off of the window sill. I flapped my wings and floated in the air waiting for Anael to join me. I was ready to go to the place where only the holy people were meant to go. It would probably burn me like fire but it was necessary if I was to survive any longer.

Anael clung to the windowsill tightly for a moment, wishing everything could just return to normal.

He wished that An's father would show mercy, and allow her to live a peaceful existence. He wished that the ring that sat neatly upon An's finger meant that their marriage had been completed, and that they were blissfully named husband and wife. He wished they could move out of the Academy to someplace secluded and quiet, where they could raise Emily and forget about their morbid pasts.

However...he knew this could never be.

They were from completely different worlds. He, an Angel. She, a Demon. They were destined for so many more hardships than a basic mortal existence. Their lives would never be easy, or simple, or quiet. They were made to be dismal, rigorous, and sacrificial, clinging not to the brief, fleeting emotions felt on the human world, such as happiness, humility, and love.

And with that thought, he released his childish ambitions, and took flight with An into the unknown.

We flew upward towards the heavens. Mere mortals wouldn't be able to reach heaven by flying but since we were not humans it was possible for us. I flew upward as fast as I could. All of a sudden I got an intense burning sensation and I looked at where I felt it. I opened my eyes wide and said, "Anael! My wing's on fire. I don't know if I can make it all the way to the top." I hoped he wouldn't have to go on without me but I didn't know. All I knew was that my wings felt like they were being torn off at the place where they connected to my back.

Anael was rising towards the heavens with increasing speed, his mind completely focused on his flying. If he lost his focus for even a moment, his momentum would turn against him and sending him crashing back down towards the Earth. However, the smell of burning flesh pricked his nose, and he found with horror that An's wing was on fire from the holy atmosphere conflicting with her demonic blood. He immediately scooped her up and carried her as he flew.

She definitely made it more difficult to fly, but not impossible.

"You're not getting rid of me that easily," He smiled as he lifted the both of them up, the veins in his wings bulging and stretching to beyond their capacity. He didn't know how much longer he could suspend the both of them, but soon, he didn't need to anymore.

They were transfixed in transcendent light, and a glass floor supported their weight.

They had arrived.

I stood there with my wings ablaze. They would not burn away but they would still hurt a lot. I looked at Anael with half of my strength that I had had when we had set out. The holy aura of this place was weakening me by the second. I said to him, "If I do end up dying here, take care of Emily for me please." I then ran behind a pillar so that we could hide. I said to Anael,"Do you know of any secret passageways or anything that could get us his lightning bolt and get away before he notices?"

Anael kissed An deeply before saying confidently, "You're not dying here. I just...need a moment to think."

It had been over 500 years since he had been here last, but he remembered this place like the back of his hand. He knew every secret passageway, every shortcut, every nook and cranny there was to find. In fact, he made it his duty to locate and remember them all, as that was how he and his brothers amused themselves. And suddenly, it came to him.

It wouldn't be easy...but it was all they had.

"My father is an adulterer." He said, staring off into space. "When he is not sitting upon his throne, he is often off in one of the goddesses' chambers. Which means that we will have a small window of opportunity as soon as he leaves. But...it's not that simple." Anael made a small circle with his hand to indicate the size of the object they were seeking. "We need a Keystone. All the gods have one. It opens the portal between the chambers. It'll take us right into Zeus's palace."

Now...where to find one... "...we'll have to steal one from a god or goddess." Anael finished grimly.

I thought weakly knowing that in order for our plan to work we'd have to move fast. My energy was leaving faster by the second and we were still outside. I then rememberedsomething. I felt around my body and like magic a keystone appeared in my hands. I looked at anael and said, "I guess my father isn't evil enough to leave me with no way of completing his task." I looked at Anael holding the keystone out for him and said, "Will this do?"

Anael blinked in disbelief when An held out the keystone for him. There it was, just waiting to be used, literally appearing out of thin air. Anael had always thought that An's father could be capable of nothing but evil, but now, he couldn't help but think that there was some good in everyone. Even if their mission in and of itself was evil, at least he had provided them with at least some assistance in the matter.

"This...is perfect," Anael breathed lightly, taking An in his arms. "Try not to scream, love..."

Anael grasped the stone tightly, whispering a small prayer and focusing fiercely on their target destination: Zeus's Chamber. Using the keystone had always sounded easier than the actual task. One's mind must be completely pure and sharp, with nothing else corrupting it or clouding it, save where its holder wanted to go. With a clouded mind, the user might be taken to an entirely different location...or worse.

However, with a small rush of wind and light, they stood at the steps of Zeus's Chamber.

I looked at Zeus' throne and saw that it was empty. I saw the lightning bolt just sitting next to the throne leaning against it. I ran up to it and took hold of it. It shrunk down to be able to be held in my hands. I then said to Anael, "Okay I've got it. Let's get out of here before I get any weaker." I ran back to Anael and took hold of his shoulder with my right hand, stopping my feet from moving. I then placed my left hand on his other shoulder and kissed him lightly. I then said, "When this is all over, we can be a normal family. I promise."

Anael leaned down and kissed An quietly, trying not to think too hard about the matter.

One more artifact to collect, and they could be a family again. They could raise Emily in peace, with no disturbances from god or man. But...would they truly ever be free? Who was to say that this wouldn't just happen again - the two of them becoming errand-boys for the gods, ever at their ceaseless commands, with no time for rest? But, as said before, Anael tried to repress such thoughts as hard as he could.

"I hope you're right, An..." He said as he grasped the keystone and spread his wings, invisioning the outer gate clearly in his mind.

"...I hope you're right."

We appeared at the outer gate and I began to fly down. Well more like fall down from the heavens. My energy was nearly all exhausted and I was losing consciousness. I was picking up speed as I fell downward. Hopefully Anael would catch me. There was no telling where I would land if he didn't and also there was no telling how it would affect me if I were to plummet to Earth at the speeds I was going.

Anael noticed with horror that An no longer had the strength to fly on her own, as the holy atmosphere was severely damaging her demonic body. He darted to her side and scooped her up, the veins in his arms bulging as his own strength was beginning to give out. His wings extended to their full size, and he attempted to glide back to Earth safely.

However, he knew that this would not be the case.

The draft from falling so quickly was devastating on Anael, but he only held onto An's limp body all the tighter. He clenched his teeth shut in pain as the two of them approached Earth at an incredible speed. The sooner they returned to Earth's atmosphere, the sooner An would be out of danger. He couldn't say the same for himself, but he wouldn't be responsible for hurting An any more.

As we reached Earth's atmosphere I began feeling my strength return to me. I regained consciousness as we fell and tried to fly by myself. At the very last second I moved forward flapping my wings as fast as I could and I landed on my side and skid. It didn't hurt as much as it would have if I had plummeted all the way down to the Earth and I stood up dusting myself off. I was scraped up a little bit but other than that I was fine. I ran over to Anael and said, "Love, are you okay? Thank you so much for protecting me."

Anael's eyes fluttered as he drifted in and out of conscious.

He knew that he was in pain for a split second, and he couldn't feel his legs, but soon, all sensations of pain faded into a soft warmth cascading throughout his body. He could hear An saying something, but she sounded so far away...he couldn't make out exactly what she had told him, but her voice was enough to keep him at ease. She was safe...he smiled to himself, using whatever strength he had left.

"Angela...I love..." Anael's sentence was cut off as he lost consciousness.