Epilog Season 1

Azur opened his eyes slowly. He felt numb as if coming out of hibernation. He raised his head to look around and recognised the palace's resting room. The sun's rays pierced through the light curtains of the windows, which floated in the light morning breeze and caressed the Pegasus' black skin. 

Slowly, he sat up. His activity alerted the nurse who was stationed to watch over the occupants who were still asleep. He approached the Pegasus and asked him how he was feeling. The latter replied that he was fine, even if he felt a little muddy. The nurse looked at a few measurement screens before jotting down a few words on his translucent tablet. Then he told Azure to take his time getting up before leaving the room to fetch a doctor. 

Azure wanted to stand up on his feet but he felt the pain in his left flank. He sat still for a moment. The sting of pain had jolted him out of his torpor, and now his eyes were wide open and all his senses alert. 

He turned his head to see where the pain was coming from and saw a huge bandage wrapped around his stomach where Zorkiel had wounded him. Gingerly, he rolled over on his hands and knees before trying to lift himself up. With a groan, he managed to stand up without reopening his wound. 

He huffed for a moment, exhausted by the effort it had taken. He frowned. This was no simple injury. It had reached his natural energy circuit and caused internal damage, he could feel it. As he regained his senses, he heard the door to the room open and a doctor followed by the nurse he had seen a few minutes earlier entered the large room. 

-I see you've woken up," said the doctor with a reassuring smile. 

Azur said nothing and let himself be examined without flinching. After a complete analysis of his state of health, the doctor noted something on the tablet held by the nurse when he woke up before turning to his patient. 

-You've slept for five days, and your body has recovered well. The wound is deep but clean. All your energy channels have been repaired and the wound sutured. If you follow your rehabilitation correctly, you should be fully recovered in a month at the most. In the meantime, you're on restricted rest until further notice."

Azur thanked him, assuring him that he would follow his recommendations. The doctor wished him a speedy recovery and turned to leave the room as he greeted the Emperor who had just entered. The door closed, leaving Aroslan and Azur alone in the large room. 

-How are you feeling?" asked the angel, who stopped at the level of the pegasus. 

Azure sighed. 

-Not too bad," he replied with a weak smile. "It could have been a lot worse..."

The Emperor returned his smile and laid a hand on the animal's shoulder with his usual gentleness. The gesture revived the Pegasus, who still had the sensations of their escapade fresh in his mind. It was as if he had just woken up after a fight to the death from which he had just escaped. 

-How are the others?" he asked the angel. 

His smile faded slightly, and without speaking, he headed for the next bed. The Pegasus followed him, limping, and opened his eyes wide when he saw his protégé lying on the bed, his eyes closed. He looked like he was sleeping peacefully after a long day. He hadn't been hurt, but his mind had taken a blow from Niyari's possession. 

With a heavy heart, the Pegasus gently placed his muzzle on the Prince's cheek. The prince did not move. His friend looked at him for a moment, hoping he would wake up, but the angel remained motionless. 

-He's fine, he just needs time to repair his mind. Niyari's intervention has had a major impact on his state of health. But according to the internal examiners, there is no physical, energetic or mental damage. His mind has simply been propelled into an unfamiliar dimension, and this has disturbed him. He has to re-establish what is reality and what is not. We don't know how long it'll take, but the medical examiners reckon a maximum of two months," explained the Emperor. 

Gently, he took his son's hand between his own and stroked it gently with his thumb. The Pegasus closed his eyes for a moment, fighting the growing guilt he felt. 

-It's not your fault, Azure," the angel interrupted him before he could say anything. "Niris wanted to do this mission and I wasn't careful enough. I was naive to think that Zorkiel had disappeared for good..."

He left his sentence hanging, himself visibly affected by his son's condition and the news that their return had brought. The Pegasus glanced around to look for the rest of their comrades. Seeing him do so, the Emperor gave him news of the others. 

-Meica and Inja are fine, they've returned without any major damage. The little slave girl you brought back is also in good health. She's being looked after by the special services for children to help her integrate."

The Pegasus nodded, relieved. At least the others were all right. He turned his complicated gaze back to the angel, who was sleeping peacefully. He didn't know how he was going to face her and whether he would be able to tell her that he had left Seiran behind to save his own skin. Seeing the intense reflection in the horse's eyes, the Emperor drew his attention by placing a hand on his shoulder. 

-Let's find somewhere more comfortable to talk," he suggested with a benevolent smile. 

The pegasus nodded, and the Emperor activated his built-in teleportation. He had developed a rapid means of moving anywhere in the palace using sophisticated interdimensional portal technology. By leaving marks all over the palace, he carries with him an infinite miniature portal that allows him to travel to these rooms at any time and as many times as he likes. 

They landed in the summer hall of the emperor's flats. The spring breeze was rushing through the open windows, which looked out onto a small, well-kept interior garden. The Pegasus clambered over to a basin of water and took a few sips before moving over to an enormous footstool spread out on the floor, on which he slumped. 

The palace had been designed to accommodate Pegasus, which made it very comfortable for the equids and they didn't need to reduce their size. Something Azur appreciated enormously. He lay down as best he could, his front legs tucked under his chest and his back legs stretched out to keep his flank flat. 

The emperor took a cup, filled it with a golden yellow liquid, and sat down on a divan opposite the quadruped. Shortly afterwards, an angel brought a bowl filled with the same liquid to the Pegasus so that he could drink while lying down. Azur thanked him and took a sip. The tangy liquid warmed him as it slid down his throat. 

They stayed like that for a few moments, saying nothing. Azur and Aroslan had known each other for a long time. Having woken up a decade before Niris was born, Azure had become close to the future emperor when he saw him frequenting Lefferina. He knew a lot about the little prince, but also about the history of this world. 

-I know this isn't what you want to hear, but I'm sorry for what happened to your son," the Pegasus finally broke the silence. "I too played down the danger and seeing Zorkiel return..." 

He took a deep breath before continuing. 

-I think we were all naive to think that he had really disappeared. If Lou's spirit could be kept alive through technology and the advancement of our knowledge of natural energy, then we should have suspected that the same was true of Zorkiel." 

The Emperor took another sip from his cup before placing it on the table. 

-The circumstances of Lou's death are different from those of Zorkiel. Lou voluntarily ended his life by agreeing to keep his spirit alive through devices such as the bracelet of Niris. Zorkiel, on the other hand, was killed by Lou. Or so we thought. Apparently, he wasn't completely dead, and he managed to extract his spirit from his body and come back to life somewhere."

He turned his ocean-blue gaze on the Pegasus, who was ruminating on the different emotions he was feeling at the same time. His confusion was affecting him too, even though he was used to keeping his emotions to himself. 

-When we took the decision to implant the Niyari fragments in Niris, it was to prepare ourselves for such an eventuality. It was a risky gamble, but it paid off. Lou's blood runs in his veins after all, he's his descendant."

He stood up and walked over to a plant, which he began to rearrange as he continued talking.

-Niyari will not allow herself to be manipulated by Zorkiel. she will fight him with all her might. She's a difficult ally to deal with, but not an insignificant one. And by giving the bracelet containing a portion of the spirit of the last master of blades to Niris, I think we've succeeded in the challenge of giving her all the weapons she needs to face this monster back from the dead."

Azure looked away, a twinge of pain in his heart. 

-We may have saved Niris, but Seiran is still in the clutches of Zorkiel. I wasn't able to save him..."

The Emperor turned to the Pegasus, his gaze suddenly dark. He seemed to be thinking, uneasy. 

-Aroslan? What's the matter, Aroslan? Have we heard from Seiran? Is he all right?" enquired the Pegasus, who began to worry when he saw the angel's attitude. 

Unable to answer, he pressed his dematerialised chip to project the organisation's intergalactic news channel. A screen appeared before the equine's eyes and he watched a video with a mind-boggling number of views playing before his eyes. 

"The Ornikarn government issued a press release at the end of Prince Seiran's coronation ceremony, which went off without a hitch. The announcement of the regent's withdrawal due to illness and the temporary replacement by her Chamberlain has shaken the intergalactic leaders, who are wondering and worried about the state of health of the Crown Prince's mother, even though she has shown no signs of weakness up until now. 

However, the sudden announcement was tempered by the long-awaited news of the engagement of Prince Seiran Mesh-Azme Ralaar and Princess Yousmaïl Namar of the planet Amadeus. This joyous event is being celebrated throughout the intergalaxy as the opening of a new era of power for demons and vampires. Changes on the interglactic scene are to be expected.

Unfortunately, relations between Egea and Ornikarn are not at their warmest following the complaint lodged by the council with the intergalactic court concerning the slaves found in Yerpena during the rescue operation carried out a few days ago. Around a hundred angels were found on the spot, including a child who helped establish the link between the slaves and the demon government. Since then, a number of investigations have been launched across the intergalaxy to free the slaves and track down the slavers. They could uncover the existence of a secret organisation of aristocrats from all over the intergalaxy, led by the demons. 

Emperor Aroslan of Egea is demanding immediate cooperation from the demons and treatment "commensurate with the acts committed over the years" against the slavers. He hinted at the possibility of diplomatic intervention should the demons persist in their error. The emperor's words and tone have shaken many leaders, who fear the possibility of intervention under the organisation's leadership. Alliances are being forged all over the intergalaxy, reshuffling the diplomatic deck and raising the big question of how many allies the angels have, and their notorious military might is causing fear.

However, there are calls for intergalactic leaders to abandon the use of natural energy altogether in order to ensure peace in the intergalaxy. In particular, they are calling on the Emperor of the Angels to set an example by sealing his power himself. The debate is heated and the parties are at loggerheads, and the calm established by the organisation since its creation is in danger of being shaken. Is our world preparing for a fifth intergalactic war, more deadly than all the others?" 

When the video faded before his eyes, Azure was seething. 

-What's all this bullshit? How long has Meohle been unwell? She was fine when we saw her in Yerpena!" 

The pegasus was starting to get agitated and the emperor approached to try and calm him down and prevent him from getting up again. 

-Seiran's getting married? To that slutty vampire? And these ignorant morons dare to ask you to seal yourself up when you've saved their asses more than once?" the Pegasus struggled against the force of Aroslan's hands, which pressed him against the cushion, sending out waves of calming energy. 

-You're not going to let that happen, are you?" he shouted virulently. 

-Calm down, Azur! You're going to reopen your wound" the angel told him firmly. 

-Aroslan! Answer me! You're not going to let all this happen without doing anything, are you? You've got to intervene, you've got to get Seiran out of there! 

-And what do you want me to do?" replied the angel, who was getting angry for the first time in a long time. "My son is still in a coma, we've started legal proceedings against the demons which could well end in intergalactic war and Zorkiel has taken over Ornikarn! Apart from arriving and starting a fifth intergalactic war by putting the intergalaxy to fire and blood to go and get back the rightful heir to the demon throne, what do you want me to do?" 

For the first time since he met him, Azur saw the despair in the angel's eyes. It was then that he realised that the calm he was displaying was only a facade and that he was seething inside at least as much as he was, if not more. He bit his lip, aware of the mistake he had just made. Aroslan was an emperor and a father. Reconciling the two was a heavy task for a single father. He had made the mistake he had promised himself he would never make and he blamed himself terribly. 

-I can't do anything Azur, I'd love to, but there's absolutely nothing I can do that won't make the situation even more complicated and dangerous! I have a people to protect, not just a son."

The Pegasus felt his heart clench. The ancestor of Niris and Lefferina before him had also been faced with the hard choice of sacrificing her life and that of her family to save peace in the intergalaxy. Seeing Aroslan suffer the same heartbreak caused him a pain he could not bear. 

-Forgive me Aroslan, I was blinded by pain for a moment," he said, resting his head on the angel's shoulder in comfort. 

The angel bent down and rested his head against the animal's neck. They stayed there for a moment, overcome by a flood of emotion that neither of them could control. Then Aroslan sat up, wiping his eyes. He gave the Pegasus a shaky smile. 

-We thought being adults would be easier, but in the end, we're no more capable than when we considered ourselves immature," he said in a lighter tone. 

The Pegasus laughed lightly, relaxing in turn. It was so true. He remembered when he'd travelled the intergalaxy with Lou to respond to requests, how free they'd felt, and how capable of anything! They had dreams of grandeur and faith in the future. Faith in humanity. All that had disappeared the day Lou and Zorkiel had faced each other in a fight to the death. Lou had been put to death by public opinion after that for breaking the masters' rules. 

Her disappearance had brought the hoped-for calm, but the pain of those close to her had not been extinguished and the resentment of such an act had left indelible traces in the history of the intergalaxy. Not content with the disappearance of his friend, the Pegasus had decided to plunge himself into a yesteryear rest from which he would only awaken when Lou's enemies reappeared. He wanted to take revenge on them for what they had done to the woman he had accompanied and whose dreams of peace he shared. The one he believed to have the power to bring about a definitive peace in the intergalaxy. 

But the circle he thought had been broken with Zorkiel's death had just been repeated with his descendants. The more time passed, the more he felt hatred taking over from all the other feelings he had remembered from his life with the last master of blades. Something he had rediscovered by accompanying Aroslan and Lefferina on their own journey. 

He took a deep breath, then slowly sat up, helped by Aroslan. 

-You thought you could change things, but the further you go in life, the more you realise that you've taken on a task that was beyond you," he finished. 

The angel smiled gratefully. He appreciated seeing his burden shared by someone who really understood him. 

-Seiran is in no danger, Zorkiel needs him to govern Ornikarn, he will do nothing. I'll try to find out about Meohle's condition for myself, and I'll send spies to Yerpena to monitor the situation," continued the angel, who was gradually coming to her senses. 

-There's something you need to investigate too," alerted the Pegasus, who went over to the window to get some air and recover from his emotions. "When we joined Inja in the palace, we passed Mischien's suite. There was a strange smell coming from it so we went to have a look, and Mishcien was no longer in his flats. His living room was devastated and two of his elite guards were dead on the floor. But it wasn't just their sand that was spilled, Mischien's was mixed in with theirs."

The angel looked at him with interest. This was the first he'd heard of it. 

-Mischien hasn't been heard from since the end of the ceremony, all he's done is cut off all diplomatic and trade relations with the demon allies, but that's something I recommended he do," the emperor analysed, tapping his chin. "Are you sure it was his blood?" 

-Absolutely certain! The Esethians have a very particular blood that I'll be able to recognise from the rest! 

-It has to be! Zorkiel is after them, that's for sure! He wants to revive Niyari, even in physical form. If he gets his hands on more fragments than Niris has, it will be very dangerous! We have to get ahead of him so that we can recover at least as many as he does, otherwise, we'll never be able to beat him! 

In any case, there was no point in arguing, he had made up his mind. Seeing his determined gaze locked on hers, the Emperor sighed and gave up. 

-I'll go with Meica and Inja. The three of us can take on Zorkiel's henchmen," continued Azure, who was already setting up his expedition. 

-What will Niris say when he wakes up and sees that all his friends have left him behind on an extremely dangerous mission?" the emperor asked in desperation. 

-You'll be there to support him. Niris is a strong man, and I know he'll get through this. You're his pillar, and if you're by his side he'll be able to overcome anything. That's why you must never give in to their pressure! Your son and your people need you, it's bullshit that sealing you off will bring peace to the intergalaxy. Look at what happened with Lou: do you find intergalaxy more at peace?" 

The angel watched him without answering. He was tormented by what the Pegasus had just told him. Azure approached him, reducing the distance between them and backing up his words with his piercing gaze. 

-They'll do anything to diminish the angels by using any pretext to get you to seal yourself off forever, but we know that all they want to do is diminish your power to assuage their own. It's all a load of rubbish wrapped up in the wrapping paper of good intentions. Never give in to their demands to satisfy your desire for peace. You and I both know that's not how it works. For there to be peace, all the parties involved must agree to lose power and let go of their desires."

The angel closed his eyes and took a deep breath. 

-Very well, you're right. I won't even consider the question."

-You promise to stay with Niris and protect him, whatever happens?" insisted the Pegasus. 

The angel hesitated for a moment before replying. 

-Yes, I promise," he said finally. 

-Right, then. I'm going to see the auscultators and ask them to speed up my healing process. I have to leave in three weeks at the latest." 

The Pegasus limped towards the exit. The angel shook his head at him but didn't try to stop him. It was pointless anyway. Pegasus was the most stubborn being he knew. 

-Take care Azur, my son needs you too," he said by way of greeting. 

---

Somewhere in the intergalaxy, right after the fight between Meolhe and Zorkiel

She staggered to her feet and headed for her bathroom. In a drawer, she took some disinfectant and bandages. Leaning against the washbasin, she took a deep breath and ran the disinfectant over the open wound. She bit down on her lip to hold back a howl of pain. Unable to inflict any more pain on herself, she dropped the empty bottle and it rolled to the floor. 

Large beads of sweat rolled down her forehead. With a clumsy movement, she grabbed the rolls of bandages and applied them as best she could. By dint of hard work, she managed to apply a bandage that held. 

When she had finished, she slid down the wall onto the floor, panting. She was exhausted. The action had only lasted a second, but it had drained all her energy. When she had felt the unalterable zone being put in place, she had immediately left the angel's observation and gone to the regent. But she had arrived too late and could only watch the battle, hidden behind a pillar outside the dimension. Thanks to the characteristics of her species, which meant that she had no natural energy channels within her, it was much easier for her to camouflage her presence. 

It was at the height of despair that she saw Seiran's mother lose to the monster who served as her chamberlain. Seeing his confidence in her victory, she thought she might have a chance, once the dimension was lifted, to save the regent. If she used her supersonic speed and her teleportation abilities, she had a small but real chance of saving the regent. She had staked her life on it. Fortunately, she had only lost an arm. 

Now the demoness was plunged into a sleep from which she had no idea how to wake her. This strange cylinder was a technology with which she was unfamiliar. It would take time and energy to undo what the chamberlain had done, but she would do it. She would save Meohle, even if it cost her her life. That was the vow she had made when she decided to serve her. She would honour her no matter what.