Hunted Or Hunting?

I ran through the streets avoiding the passers-by with a swift dodge or an occasional leap into the air to get over them.

My persuers followed their pretence of stealth lost but the busy streets hindered my ability to count their numbers. Escape was easy, I could just fly away faster than they could follow but then they would keep looking and that was problematic for Lazuris.

This problem needed to be squashed like a bug and I had no problems being the boot.

Pulling up my 7 orbs as I ran I refreshed my knowledge on my powers:

Healing: Spend mana to repair living tissue, the cost is halfed if your healing yourself but doubled for every meter away your target is.

Judge: Angel born trait. Find out intentions and wants of people affected by showing you a dreamlike vision. Can only judge one at a time and will subject the weilder to experience the targets fantasy for a short time. You will still be in full control of voice and body during the duration. You will not experience anything sexual or tortures unless they are pure enough to be your fated.

Fated: You have found your fated focus on this orb to know where target (Lazuris) is at any time.

Leviathan marked: So long as your leviathan is alive you will receive their blessings.

Mana skin: Reinforce your skin with mana to ward off both physical and magical attacks and increase your strength.

Light touched: Natural resistance against dark based attacks, also gives angels wings a slight glow whenever dark magic is near.

Truthseeker: You can tell if someone is lying if your looking directly at them. Please note if someone believes they are telling the truth even if it's a lie you won't be able to tell.

Not a bad collection of abilities but since seeing both Lazuris and Lilith fight I've noticed I lack ranged attacks without a weapon and don't possess any stealth abilities to get close. Also {Fated} kinda makes me seem like a stalker.

Diving down a alleyway I made it to the slums area of the city, the perfect place for people to disappear.

Truth be told this is not a place for an angel to be going as someone looking for a quick buck could ambush me for my feathers or worse my body. But most angels don't know how to fight like I do.

Behind me 5 shadows followed me into the ally.

Only 5? They must be good or have a lot of faith in themselves.

Grabbing a drunken man who stumbled across my path, his pants halfway down his legs. I launched him at my persuers to buy some time before rounding a corner and entering a building that had seen better days.

Hiding was next to impossible with my wings pure white colour and I didn't doubt their ability to track me but fighting 5 at once without knowing what they can do is still problematic.

Crouching behind the door I waited thanking whoever lived here that there were no windows.

Bearley 30 seconds passed before the door opened and a figure in jet black stepped in a hood and cloth covering his face but leaving his eyes open. Not letting his friends follow I slammed the door shut feeling a bit of resistance as someone was thrown to the ground on the other side.

Closing the distance I slammed a fist into the figures balls hoping that he was male. A loud whine said I was right.

As his hands went low to protect his groin I grabbed his head with my left hand punching his throat with my right delivering enough strength to shatter 3 layers of steel armour. Needless to say the results were expected, his throat collapsed in on itself followed by his spine.

Not about to give him a chance to heal in anyway I twisted bringing his head to the ground increasing my strength with mana skin. Cracking like an egg the floor was covered in brain matter and blood just as the door opened and another hooded figure looked in.

"Shit Liam."

Leaping from my crouching position I hit the new figure at an angle slamming him into the side of the door and wall. A satisfying crunch echoed as the entire left side of his ribcage collapsed stabbing his lung and hopefully his heart.

Before I could make sure I killed him a crescent blue light struck my side.

"Fuck." Letting out a curse I reinforced my wings using them as a shield as I started to heal.

The wound wasn't deep just enough to draw blood but a lingering blue light pulsed from the wound. I cursed again as more attacks hit my wings not doing any damage since I was reinforcing them.

Lingering wound: Stops healing for a short time after a wound is inflicted.

Dam dasterds actually had a counter for me. The ability wasn't new to me and if you used enough mana you could negate it and heal the person but that required a lot of it and I didn't let mine fully recover after last night with Lazuris.

Keeping my left wing up to block I broke the door beside me off its hinges.

Waiting a few seconds to make sure my whole body was reinforced I pulled my wings back behind me locking eyes with another hooded figure that was summoning the crescents. He faulted when his attack hit my face without making me flinch. Using the opportunity I threw the door like a frisbee basking in the surprised look in his eyes before the top half of his torso plaster itself into the wall behind him leave the bottom to drop slowly as if trying to figure out where it's other part went.

A sharp pain made me wince as I felt my wound tear a little more from the way I threw the door increasing the flow of blood escaping my body.

"Dammit." I growled the wound still not healing even though he was dead.

Lingering wound used mana as you made the attack instead of draining it over time, this was better for the user and more annoying for the affected as killing the caster didn't get rid of the mana that was already used keeping the affect active. Breaking the spell required letting it time out as normally this would last 10 minutes but I could bypass it with a lot of mana that I couldn't spare at the moment.

"Your one tough chick I'll give you that any chance you'll just give up and make this easy for me?" Sitting on the roof of the building I'd just hid in the fourth hooded figure casually asked his face in full view.

"Not afraid I know what you look like now?" I remarked back putting a slight bit more distance between us slightly hesitant why he was so sure of himself dispite the 3 corpses around me but happy to throw taunts and let my mana regenerate.

"Hahaha no not at all, because I'm going to gouge out your eyes so you can't escape but enough talk I'm not going to let you regenerate." Hitting the ground he dashed towards me like a bullet. Thank Lazuris I still had my body reinforced as his first punch collided with my arms I'd bought up to defend but even with the added strength I was still pushed into the wall behind me. Not giving me a chance to recover he followed raining punch after punch into my stomach opening my wound further.

Leaving himself open I put as much force and mana as I could into a reverse uppercut, connecting with his head hoping to kill him quickly.

The ground beneath us cracked and shattered like I'd missed him entirely but the hooded figure still stood without injury.

My surprise was evident at how unharmed he was after I hit him with enough force to break a city wall and in that one moment I dropped my guard.

Sending one last punch into my stomach I collapsed unable to keep my mana skin active.

"Not bad little angel but your out of your league on the ground. Birds like you should stay in the air."

Winded and bleeding my mind still struggling with what just happened he threw me over his shoulder and began walking back to the castle.

"I expected the leviathan to be better at hiding or at least have strong wives but you were pretty weak. Although you did kill 3 of my men in less than a minute." His ramblings continued as he carried me.

How did he survive that?

The question echoing itself to me.

With no mana left and the wound in my side draining blood my chances of winning were none existent unless I could beat him without magic. But the very ground broke under him yet he

was unscathed.

Wait the ground?

I had one chance to make this work and I prayed my gamble was correct.

Twisting slightly in his arm I kicked off the wall beside us opening my wings and flapping as hard as I could gaining just enough momentum to get into the sky.

Pulling the hooded figure up into the air his calm aura disappeared.

"What are you doing you worthless Bird?"

"Protecting my mate little ant."

Latching on to me in fear he had no earth as I grabbed his head and twisted till I heard it snap.

Instantly his body went limp and dropped to the ground. My guess was he was an earth mage sending all my kinetic energy from attacks straight into the ground effectively making him immune to damage so long as he was touching it as well as using it to boost his strength, this made him weak if you could get him away from the ground like I just did.

Taking a breath I started examining the area for the last attacker.

I found him sprinting away properly with the orders to get back up if they couldn't handle me.

Tuning into a dive he brealy had time to breathe before I collided into his back breaking my wing in the process as I used him as a serf board against the pavement.

"Fuck me!" I cursed getting up from the pile of mush that use to be a human while holding my broken wing.

I needed to heal and soon, my wing could stay broken but I'm still bleeding and not slowly but with no mana to do it myself I needed help. Getting back to Lazuris would be an option but on the off chance I'm still being followed I can't risk his safety.

"Not going to die here." I mumbled to myself covering my wound as best I could with the some of my dress and applying pressure in an attempt to slow the flow of blood.

Still in the slums none of the spectators bothered to do anything about the murder they just witnessed although a few stood by waiting for me to leave.

I knew a few of my feathers had fallen out and I didn't have the strength to pick them all up, maybe this would help their situation but most likely they'll cause more infighting over who has them.

Starting my treck back through the town I headed to the only place I could find safety without endangering Lazuris.

---

Ding ding.

"We're closed sorry."

Dragging my broken wing along the ground and still trailing a little bit of blood I entered a familiar store.

"Hey Maple."

Mapel was a childhood friend and a little help from my feathers had given her the leg up she needed to start her clothes business, I didn't have anywhere else to go.

The Nekos eyes bulged.

"Shit Aria what happened?"

Pulling a mana potion from underneath the clerk desk she jumped the desk and all but shoved it down my throat.

"Fuck Aria what the hell did this to you?"

A coughing fit overtook me as I tried to swallow all of it but the effects from the potion immediately took effect. Mana seeped back into my body releaving the dull ack in my head.

Taking a second to brace myself I started to heal the cut in my side breaking the lingering wounds effects and replacing the missing blood. Next was my wing, grabbing if off the ground I pulled it up till it was roughly where it should be.

Now healing was soppose to releave pain this is not the case if you want to repair broken bone and twisted tendons. I like to think I'm tough or can at least take a few hits but dam did I scream.

"Aaaaaah!"

Bones bent themselves back into place with sickening crunches enough that Mapel had to take a step away. Numbness fadded from my wing the feeling of the limb returned.

"Dam what a mess."

"Being a leviathans mate seems like a lot of work." Mapel smirked holding out another mana potion.

I flinched.

"How do you...?"

A feminine figure exited the shadows from a corner of the store. Beauty, elegance and the thought that she could kill you with her pinky radiated from her body as she sauntered over two tenticles trailing from her back.

"Tatana." I mumbled as for the first time in my life I felt true fear.

"In the flesh Miss Aria." Her voice floated on the wind almost like wind elementals carried it like a blessing.

"W-what a-are y-you." my voice betrayed me with a squeek as the leviathan caressed my cheek. My body froze, my mind blank. Was this where I die after all I've done?

One of her tenticle mouths ripped my dress open leaving me in just my bra and underwear before touching Lazurises mark on my belly. The other one touched my neck causing the slave collar to become visible.

"Hmmmm though so." Releasing me she motioned to Mapel.

"Mapel do you mind finding her some new clothes?"

"Not at all." The Neko ran out back to grab some stuff.

Turning back to me Tatana continued.

"Now you are both mate and slave to my son correct?"

"Y-yes." My voice broke again.

"Hmmmm you don't need to be afraid child I won't hurt you." Tatana pulled me into her chest and started stroking my hair.

"I am your mother in law after all."

I could only nod, my arms and wings as close to my body as possible an act angels used to be submissive.

"Aria answer me this, did my son force you to become his?"

Reaction made me shove Tatana back and puff my wings out.

"Of course not! He is pure and my fated! I begged to be his from the start and I wear this collar so I can't hurt him!"

The leviathan in front of me smiled.

Shit did I just shove Tatana? My small moment of defence disappeared and I threw myself onto the ground.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Tatana just giggled.

"You are a charming wea thing. Again don't panic I'm a friend." Pulling me back onto my feet with her tenticles Maple returned with a dress made for me and a crate.

"Here you go Aria, and this is your order from the other day hope you and Lazuris like it, Liliths is also in there."

Helping me into the new dress I marveled at how much it matched my wings. When I looked at Maple to deny something this expensive the Neko just pointed at Tatana.

"Already paid for girl. Now I've never seen someones mum so supportive before so go knock him dead or you know serve your master." She winked giving the crate a pat.

I blushed avoiding her eye contact.

Both Maple and Tatana laughed.

"Now child return to him I will make sure your not followed." The air itself chilled with Tatanas words and I sent a small prayer to anyone she found. Picking up the crate I said my thanks as I headed for the exit. Just before I reached it I turned back to Maple.

"Umm Maple is there any chance you could make a few more of these outfits?"

"Sure thing, same as before?"

"No ummm one for a human, one for a centaur and one for a mermaid."

Maples mouth dropped open.

Tatana raised an eyebrow.

"Sure I can do that just might take a while you know, centaurs ain't exactly easy to make stuff for and mermaids need special material or it just rips."

Tatanas placed a hand on the Nekos shoulder.

"Don't worry about materials I'll handle that. As for why you want them?"

"Just trying to keep an open mind about my family." I'd already decided that if they could prove themselves I'd allow them to join, not that proving themselves was going to be easy but if all else fails they might be nice company.

Dodging the scaraly questioning gaze Tatana was shooting my way I ran out the door jumping into the sky and headed back to my mate and Lilith.

Today was a crazy day.