25 The Softhearted Angel

"Watch out! Take cover!" Dave shouted.

Those were the last words that Jeruzen heard before the attack hit the ground.

At a great pace, he run towards Hatysa. He covers over her and activates the teleportation crystal. Unfortunately, he was caught by the raining flames before they were completely teleported somewhere outside of Nethilor.

It was a forest, somewhere in the south boundary of the Nethilor. The place were so quiet and was remotely untouched by humans. The trees were healthy, shrubs and different kinds of vegetation flourish within the area. There are also various kinds herbivorous animals that lived within the forest.

Hatysa woke up and puzzled to see the unconscious body of Jeruzen beside her. She noticed severe burns on his back which he got from the raining flame hurled by the Ember Flare.

No idea of what was going on, she decided to fly back to Nethilor leaving Jeruzen's unconscious body lying on the grass. She fly past across Norpine — the southern city of Nethilor, to get to Metropolis. When she arrived there, a horrific scene welcomed her. The whole plaza was burnt and in that instant, she knew exactly what had happened.

She could see the king and the fire-bending elite knights, Ember Flare who are responsible for the massive damage caused in the area. She could not imagine herself being toasted within those scorching flames.

'The king is indeed evil.' She thought. 'I never thought that he would pull such action without even thinking that some of his people will be killed by his own hands.'

And at last, she come into conclusion that Jeruzen might have saved her life from certain death.

She flew away and return to where she left Jeruzen. After she left, that's when Mizuki burst his way out of the underground dungeon.

When she got back, she looked for any herbs that she may found in the area and tried to cure the burns on Jeruzen's back. Afterwards, she sat on one of the branches of the tallest tree in the area and watch Nethilor from afar while waiting Jeruzen to wake up.

Dark smokes rises at the heart of Nethilor were visible from where she's sitting. She covered herself with her large cozy wings to snuggle herself with deep thoughts.

'How low have I sunk? That I have to level myself with some puny sinful humans. Am I in the wrong path? Am I a failure of my own kind? I only want to show them that I am divine as well, thinking that I have the power to change the greedy hearts of human. It was easier said. Forgive me, Father.' A series of words come across her mind.

The sun was already setting when Jeruzen finally woke up. Hatysa fly down from the top of the tree to accompany the young man below. She closed her wings gently as she landed gracefully on the ground.

"Why did you save me?" She asked him.

"You still have time to change." He immediately replies. "I don't know what's your reason for joining the Orion but that doesn't fit your personality."

"That's the problem, my own kind does not see me as divine as they are." She said. "The reason why I joined the Orion is to change the empire from the inside. And maybe one day, my own kind well acknowledge me that I am divine as well."

"Changing the empire from inside does not make you divine." He said. "You should have return to where you came from and focus yourself on that place. Look for something that might change the perspective of your own kind about you."

Hatysa did not respond and just sit down beside him. Jeruzen noticed something odd about Hatysa's wings.

"I heard alphs have six wings, how come you only have two?" He asked her.

Her face becomes gloomy all of a sudden. "It was already like that when I was born. Having six wings is the symbol of divinity and purity of an alph. If you have lesser wings that means you are not as divine as the others. Back in my hometown, only my parents and my teacher see the worth in me, that I am too is as divine as they are."

"Then the others are not that sacred as well, they should be pure with their thoughts and their hearts. After all this years, I thought alphs were divine being." Jeruzen interrupted her.

"I was okay with who I am back then. My parents were enough to console me. Until then, an incident happened and everyone put their blame on me. That is why run away and tried to prove them that I am as sacred as them. But I guess I was just being selfish to myself."

"Come with me, and I'll show you what your heart desires." Jeruzen invited her.

Hatysa did not quite accepted his offer but asked him where is the whereabouts of the others.

"Where do you go home?" She asked.

"If you will not come with me then I am certainly not gonna tell you?" He said.

"You're doubting me after I healed your burns." She said.

"Well, I got this for saving you. If I haven't get you out of there maybe I'm perfectly unscathed right now." He said, that silence the woman. "Hey, it's not that I am blaming you. I'm sorry. I am glad that you're safe."

"Thank you!" She replied in a low voice.

"Mt. Brimlet." Jeruzen said that leaves a question on Hatysa's mind. "I mean, our hideout was at Mt. Brimlet right now." He clarifies.

Hatysa just nodded and noticed the feather on Jeruzen's pocket.

"Why do you have my feather?" She asked him.

"Nothing. I just thought I needed to bring a souvenir back home. An alph's feather would be perfect." He smiled.

"May I?" Hatysa asked if she could borrow the feather for a moment.

Jeruzen handed her the feather.

The two stand up and get their selves ready to travel to Mt. Brimlet. Jeruzen was about to activate the teleportation crystal when something pierce behind his neck. It was the feather Hatysa borrowed from him.

"I'm sorry!" Those were the last words he heard from Hatysa and latter fall unconscious.

Without any knowledge how to open the portal using the teleportation crystal, Hatysa decided to travel to Mt. Brimlet by flying. He lift Jeruzen from the ground and tries to carry him through the coldness of the night.

She travelled from Nethilor to Mt. Brimlet which were several miles away. It took her almost two hours before she arrived there with the fastest speed she could handle.

"I come here at peace." She greeted Balthazar who were standing at the door of the inn.

She held in her hand the unconscious body of Jeruzen and secretly slip the feather in his pocket she borrowed a while ago. She handed him to Balthazar and latter flies away without informing them.

'We will meet again someday, human. And when that happens, I'll surrender myself to you.' The only idea that comes out of her mind as she flew away from Mt. Brimlet.