Chapter 12

Wings

"Regular Talking"
:Telepathic:
Flashback

"Sometimes you have to be apart from people you love,
but that doesn't make you love them any less.
Sometimes you love them more."

-The Last Song

The promised few days had turned into a week and Celiane was becoming more and more anxious with Apollonius' continued absence.

Scorpius had been watching her from the shadows that entire week watching and waiting for her to give up on the Shadow Angel that he had gradually begun to despise.

He knew that Celiane would come to him and beg him to help her go to Atlandia and find out what was preventing Apollonius from returning. However, he was bound and determined to not give in and show her the way to the Shadow Angel City.

The only reason he would return to that place would be for the entire annihilation of the race of angels that plagued human kind.

Scorpius was currently in the gardens below Celiane's window. He could see her sitting in a chair by the window side staring out onto the horizon. Most likely there was an untouched tray of food resting on a small table at her side.

He sighed, she hadn't touched any food since the day before and this was most likely about when she would try to find him.

He glanced back up at the window to discover that Celiane was gone and most likely looking for him.

Pattering feet approached him from the direction of the garden door that led back into the castle.

"My Lord Scorpius," the servant said with a bow.

Scorpius gave a small nod for him to say what he must without turning to face him.

"The Lady Celiane wishes to see you," he reported.

Scorpius nodded, "Where is she?"

"Your study, My Lord."

"Thank you," Scorpius dismissed and turned to the castle.

He walked with a brisk walk down the paths his thoughts occupied only by how he would subdue Celiane's stubborn and sometimes impulsive nature. If he was going to have any chance at convincing her that all was well, then now would be the only time before she did something reckless.

"Scorpius!"

"I see you were in such a hurry you couldn't wait for me to get to the study," he teased.

Celiane narrowed her eyes at him.

"You know damn well why I'm anxious!"

Scorpius raised his hands, sensing the danger in taking the teasing too far with her right now.

"I'm sorry, Celiane," he apologized. "I meant no offense."

Celiane's glare didn't let up even as she started to speak. "He hasn't come back and he promised he would 2 days ago. I'm worried that something has happened. That Toma or Johannes or someone has prevented him from returning. We need to go after him, Scorpius. He's our friend and an important ally in this war."

"Celiane…" Scorpius looked down pretending to hesitate. "I'm not sure that he is going to come back. I've had a feeling that he only came to spy on us. I think….I think he was just messing around with our emotions and has now shown his true colors. The next time we see him it may be that he will be with the enemy once more."

He looked back up and felt his head whip to the side with a smack. He looked back an astonished look adorning his face and Celiane's back moving away from him.

"Celi…Celiane!" he recovered his wits and raced after her. "Celiane! Think about this for a moment! Apollonius is gone! He is one of them! He's a Shadow Angel!"

Celiane's retreating figure halted. Scorpius stopped just out of arms reach anticipating the rage she was going to rain down upon him.

"I am going, Scorpius," she snarled, "Whether you like it or not."

She continued down the hall and he didn't follow. There was no reason. He had made the mistake of pushing her too far too quickly and not being tactful about it. These were the consequences which he would have to deal with and try to work around.

Celiane strode into her room slamming the door behind her and latching the lock. She slipped out of her dress and pulled on the tight fitting leather armor that she had always worn when going into battle.

A tear slid down her cheek as she reached over and grabbed her sword. She held the sword in her hand and gazed down at it.

It was the same sword that Apollonius had taught her swordplay with and given to her as a gift. It was now to be the same sword that she would use to fight her way into Atlandia and find out what had become of her beloved.

Clipping the sheath to her back and grabbed her spear from the side of the door. She strode out with murderous look in her eyes, daring anyone to stand in her way as she made it to the staging grounds. She strode up to the stand where the keys for the vehicles were kept and pulled one off. She briefly glanced at the number on the tag clipped to the key. She went straight to the vehicle it was keyed to. She placed the spear in the back seat and slid into the driver's seat.

She slipped the key into the ignition and started the jeep before one of the soldiers on duty noticed what she was doing and started shouting at her to get out of the vehicle. She ignores him and revs the engine once before pulling her foot off the brake. The vehicle's tires squealed in protest as it struggled to get a grip on the ground before moving away and thoroughly drowning out the soldier's protesting shouts.

The shouts were joined by others, but it was far too late as she was already headed out of the gates and towards the open area outside the city walls visible just beyond the opening of the tunnel she was in.

"My Lord Scorpius," the soldiers all saluted.

"What happened?" Scorpius asked.

The soldier closest stepped forward and responded. "The Lady Celiane has taken one of the jeeps, Sir. Should we follow her?"

Scorpius stared after Celiane. "Gather as many men as you can and we will follow her. Maybe we can still stop her before she gets herself killed."

The soldier saluted with a sharp "Yes, Sir."

After several hours of driving the jeep over rugged terrain and navigating towards Atlandia via memory she had finally reached the coliseum ruins where Scorpius found her and Apollonius sparring. A couple hours of jogging from there and she had made it to Atlandia without being seen.

Being inside the city was very risky. Because the Shadow Angels' have the ability to sense those who are near which makes it extremely difficult to go about unnoticed, especially if the one sneaking around happens to be human.

Celiane looked around a corner hoping that the path towards Apollonius' chambers would be clear.

It was, and she took her chance and lightly jogged down the hall remaining as quiet as possible. She reached the door and quietly turned the handle. She peered inside her eyes flicking through the room noting that it looked no different than it had the day she had left.

"Apollonius?" she called into the room quietly. She waited for an answer but received nothing. Backing out and closing the door silently behind her she moved back down the hall towards the next place, which would be a much more risky venture than she had originally planned for.

She proceeded to navigate the winding corridors until she arrived in the last hallway leading to the doors into the room she believed she needed to be.

Celiane steadily creeped forward berating herself for every small sound she could hear herself make.

:Well well well, it appears that Apollonius' little pet is attached to her master: a voice mocked her.

She spun around to find a purple insect-like Shadow Angel hovering behind her.

"Moroha," she gasped.

:I'd be happy to return you to your master, Wingless One:

The Shadow Angel moved toward her threateningly. She flipped the spear over in her hand and held it at the ready to launch at him.

Moroha on the other hand had another idea. He disappeared from sight to appear directly behind her. With a strong grip on her wrist he squeezed until her hand muscles involuntarily released the spear within her grip and it clattered to the floor with a gasp issuing from her mouth. His other hand reached forward to unsheathe her sword and held it just beyond her reach.

:Come Wingless One. Apollonius awaits:

Moroha twisted her right arm behind her back and roughly yanked her around to face the door once more. He pushed her forward keeping a firm grip on her arm. He opened the door and pushed her through releasing the grip he had on her. He closed the door before pulling her back up and pushing her forward once more. Celiane caught herself that time and managed to only stumble forward.

She walked forward not attempting to resist since she knew that he was taking her to where she needed to be, just not armed like she had originally planned.

She could hear the voices of the Shadow Angels ahead, but not what they were saying. Those speaking were only speaking to those within the vicinity and nowhere beyond, so she could only get a small sliver of murmurs.

When they rounded the bend she stopped at the sight before her. Moroha, impatient as ever, shoved her forward without warning and she fell to the ground where she lay sprawled as she felt the point of a blade in the small of her back warning her not to stand.

She looked up at what she had seen before and was just as appalled.

Her beloved Apollonius was pinned to the stone behind him. His wings spread just behind his arms and both had two throwing stars each pinned neatly through, holding him in place. She heard a small yip nearby and saw Pollon hovering next to Shilha's brother. She turned her gaze back to Apollonius and realized that he was shocked to see her there and looked almost completely downtrodden by that very fact.

Something wet traveled down her cheek. With a start she realized that she was crying and quietly tried to contain them in order to not show weakness in front of the Shadow Angel's. Instead she tried to catch Apollonius' gaze and give him all the support she possibly could.

:Shall I kill the Wingless One?: Moroha asked the others.

Toma glanced down at her with disgust on his face, then back to Apollonius.

:Apollonius, if I spare the wingless one,: Apollonius finally looked up hearing Toma's words and despairing at the futility :will you return to me?: Toma asked sadly.

Apollonius gasped, worry etched onto his face and he strained wordlessly against the weapons holding him in place.

Toma waited for an answer, while silently observing Apollonius' reaction.

:Well?: he asked again quietly.

Apollonius grimaced and refused to answer. He already knew the options before him even before Toma had spoken.

"I won't beg for my life from a Shadow Angel!" Celiane shouted defiantly from where she lay, determined to fight, but unable to rise from the ground where she lay at the Shadow Angel Moroha's mercy.

The bug-like angels gaze swept back down to her.

:You filthy Wingless One. How dare you speak when you are not told to!:

He pulled back his arm not holding the blade at her back and slices forward with the intention to kill her.

Apollonius opened his mouth in a wordless cry as he pulled himself free from the throwing stars holding his arms and wings in place. The only sound to be heard through the chamber is the tearing of flesh as he ripped himself free of his wings. He rushes forward to block the strike with his right forearm bearing only a grimace of pain.

Toma stares in shocked horror at the beautiful white wings left upon the statue with blood dripping from where the joints once were. The stunned angel turns his gaze to Apollonius.

Now, with the knowledge that Apollonius would never return to him, did he fuel himself with anger and hate.

In his outrage, Toma cried out with anguish and flung his sword around.

:You love her that much?!: he demanded to know as he swung his blade at Apollonius.

Apollonius pushed Moroha's hand from his arm and caught Tomas blade between his hands. He flung it aside. Apollonius crouched over Celiane protectively glaring at the Shadow Angels all around them.

No one moved for several minutes for shock of seeing a Shadow Angel willingly give up his wings.

:You will not hurt her, Toma: Apollonius stated warningly.

Toma backed away shaking his head in disbelief.

The Shadow Angel turned his gaze upon Celiane. :YOU! This is all your fault!:

Toma charged forward once more only to be stopped when Apollonius stood in his way blocking Celiane from sight.

"Apollonius," Celiane whispered. She had risen, from where she had been lying, into a crouch.

Apollonius stood in place waiting for Toma to back off.

:Toma, please. I do not wish to fight with you: Apollonius pleaded.

Toma glared past Apollonius at Celiane.

:I will not allow her to steal you from me!:

Toma lunged past Apollonius his gaze intent upon. The ringing of steel clashing upon steel halted him in his tracks.

They all turned to look down the path; the ringing and clashing coming closer and closer.

"Celiane! Apollonius!" Scorpius shouted over the fray coming closer to the gathered group.

He was intercepted by a Shadow Angel and pushed away. Apollonius reached around and pulled Celiane into his arms.

He flew away from Toma and the other Shadow Angels. He flew to just above Scorpius who glanced up at them for a moment before waving at them to get out of Atlandia.

Apollonius flew out toward where Scorpius and his father's men were pouring in from. He flew towards a large group of soldiers standing at the ready to aid those inside should the need arise. He landed next to the group and gently placed Celiane on her feet.

Celiane immediately shouted at the group to get a medic over to him. The soldiers shifted nervously uncertain of what to do. They could tell Apollonius was a Shadow Angel; however he didn't have the customary wings.

Celiane glared at the soldiers who had only shifted nervously in response to her demand. She rolled her eyes before turning to the nearest soldier.

"You," she pointed at him and ordered, "Go get a medic. If you don't feel you can do that, then at least bring me fresh bandages."

The soldier nodded and ran off.

Celiane turned back to Apollonius and wrapped her arms around him to give a gentle hug.

:Celiane, why did you come?:

"You took too long to come back, so I decided to come to you myself and find out why," she said with a sad smile which quickly turned into a grimace. "I'm sorry it turned out like this."

Apollonius placed his hand under her chin and raised it to look into her eyes.

:I do not blame you, Celiane: Apollonius smiled :Your concern is very much appreciated:

Celiane smiled once more in return and gently wrapped her arms around him comforting herself with his presence.

Author's Note: Sorry about the lateness everyone! I'm in college which doesn't allow for very much time to write. However I have managed to squeeze out another chapter for you all. Hope you enjoyed it and please review