Chapter 13

The Hellion in Horsa

Travels grew harder over time. And as they'd been experiencing all along, the hellions were getting tougher and meaner. And since the frequency of them was growing quite numerous, Mikleo was eventually forced to shed his comforting ice shield and just be hot along with everyone else. His clothes dried in mere minutes, and soon he was as miserable as before. But he needed it for movement in battle, as Edna had said.

A few more hours passed, and the sun began to descend toward the blood red horizon. The sky above became a bright yellow-orange as they walked over the last crest of the last hill and spotted Horsa. The abandoned village appeared several decades old, maybe even a hundred years. The houses roofs were caved in and some of the walls had fallen. There was certainly no trace of any life left there other than what naturally lived in the desert. The place looked desolate and sad. And for the shepherd and his group, because they were all connected through their powers and through Lailah's oath, they all sensed the hugely powerful malevolence before them.

"That's definitely the source of malevolence in this area," Lailah said. "If we can purify the hellion living here, we should be able to free this area, including Lowgrin of all this negativity. The town and its people will surely prosper if we take care of this."

Everyone stared down at the village, several seconds passing in silence.

"It may be powerful, but it's just a hellion like any other," Mikleo said seemingly more to himself than to the group. "It doesn't have a domain like Heldalf."

More silence followed. But the silence seemed thick. And Lailah's turquoise eyes seemed to hold a deep worry in them as she glanced Mikleo's way.

Sorey understood what was troubling his boyfriend. He knew all too well. And he knew that in times like these, he needed to be gentle with him. As such, he shuffled over and placed a hand softly on his shoulder.

"You're exactly right," Sorey agreed, doing his best to look positive, despite the incredibly powerful malevolence he felt emanating from the desecrated city nearby. "It's just a hellion. And we're much stronger than we were before." Sorey's expression was earnest and full of conviction. "We can do this," and he flashed Mikleo a smile, then towards the rest of the group. "Right, Zaveid?" He knew the wind seraph would back him up on this.

"Yeah!" Zaveid immediately responded, barking almost like a dog. "I'm pumped! Let's take care of this devil!"

There really wasn't anything more to say or do, and so the group headed down toward the village. Stepping inside, through what used to be a wall, they found the malevolence frighteningly thicker than they imagined it would be. It pounded in on them on all sides, and the air turned a purplish hue as it had when Heldalf had been near, and it was also the same hue as what it had been in Mikleo's nightmares. Against his will, he found his heart had started to pound in his chest.

Waving a hand in front of him, he called fourth his staff and the other's brought up their own weapons of choice. Whatever the hellion was, it was near. But simply seeing that he was able to bring his staff out brought Mikleo a little comfort. He couldn't even do that much around Heldalf.

"Everyone keep your eyes peeled," Lailah instructed. They moved through the village, carefully and slowly, looking in all directions for their enemy, and as they did, the air grew thicker and thicker. It became so oppressive that it was somewhat hard to breathe. Mikleo's hands broke out into a sweat. His breathing had increased and as a result he found his mouth dry. He licked his lips, then tried yet again to steady his suddenly jumbled nerves.

Its fine, he told himself. Those were all just dreams. And it's just like everyone said…Heldalf's trying to use me to hurt Sorey. He wants me to be afraid, he wants me to mess up in battle. I'm the healer. If I can't perform, everyone could be in danger, or get hurt, or even die. That's why…that's why he's been doing this to me…

Mikleo swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat.

So I can't be afraid. I can't let some stupid nightmares affect me. I have to be as brilliant as always.

He nodded firmly to himself, his face becoming more determined. But as soon as he started getting his confidence back up, the group turned the corner around one of the abandoned houses and came face to face with the hellion they sought.

The hellion was large and frightening. As tall as eight feet, its top half appearing as a woman, its bottom half was made up of tentacles with the heads of snakes on the ends of them. She was thick and full, her skin a dark, shimmering purple with scales flaking off in patches. Her hair was a rope of snake bodies, writhing and churning in on themselves, and from between her blood red lips poked a pair of sharp white fangs.

Slowly, she turned to face them, and when she did, a pair of soul piercing red eyes twisted toward them. Spotting the group, she let out a horrific noise that sounded to be a cross between a scream and a hiss. A few of the team members jumped.

The creature, after screaming, reared up on its tentacles, becoming far taller than it appeared before. Then, turning to face Sorey, it let out another hiss, this time followed by a dark, dooming pulse of bad energy.

The energy wave rocked through the group, and immediately, everyone knew what it was.

"This is a domain!" Lailah cried. And just like that, all of the things Mikleo had told himself were forsaken. His heart felt like it exploded from within his chest as terror pierced him. And completely forgetting everything else, he immediately ran to the shepherd's side.

"Sorey!" he cried. But he wasn't even going to bother waiting for a response; he reached out to grab his boyfriend's shoulder. But when he did, he was completely horrified to see his hand pass right through him as it had back on the battle field in Glaivend Basin.

Panic pierced him of the likes he'd never experienced before. His breathing hitched, and when it came back, it started to rush in and out of him faster than he could control it. His chest tightened, quickly and powerfully. It was like being squeezed to death by a boa constrictor. His hands and feet became as cold as ice. But worst of all was the fear. He was filled with so much dread and so much terror and it had happened so quickly that he hardly knew how to handle it. He'd never been so afraid of something before in all of his life.

"No! No! Sorey! Sorey!" he shrieked. Frantic, he raised both hands, trying desperately to grab onto his boyfriend, but both of his palms passed through the shepherd as if he were nothing.

"No! Stop! Stop this! It isn't real! This is a dream!" He was completely losing it, and the other seraphim saw it.

"Zaveid, he's panicking!" Lailah cried. "Go grab him before he hurts himself and try to calm him down. In the meantime, Edna and I will try and break through the domain and help Sorey!"

Zaveid, having his orders, and seeing Lailah was right, quickly ran over to the frightened water seraph as Edna and Lailah ran forward, weapons ready to help fight. Approaching Mikleo from behind, Zaveid, reached out his arms and grabbed onto Mikleo very easily, wrapping him up in a bear hug. But of course, as soon as Mikleo was restrained and Zaveid tried to pull him back and away from Sorey, he started to struggle and thrash in the wind seraph's arms.

"Let go of me!" he cried. "I have to get to Sorey! He thinks he's all alone! He can't fight without us! What if he gets hurt? I can't heal him! I can't help him! I can't do anything!"

He was on the verge of tears, or perhaps a nervous breakdown. But Zaveid held on tight, never letting him go.

"Mikleo, calm down!" he shouted over his hysteria. "This isn't like Heldalf, and it isn't like one of your nightmares! Can't you sense it? This hellion's domain is weak! Way weaker than anything we have to worry about. We can all break through it together with our power. But you have to get a hold of yourself first!"

And just like that: Mikleo and the others were gone. Sorey had not been expecting the malevolence to be so thick and oppressive, nor had he been prepared for the domain the Medusa-type hellion projected.

He started to panic. His breath caught in his chest, and the shepherd found himself temporarily frozen in fear.

But then...he remembered how Mikleo had said he'd been there the whole time in the basin. How he'd been trying to get back to him...and he remembered how part of Mikleo's fear was Sorey being scared that they were disconnected. That Sorey would need him, and Mikleo not be able to help.

Sorey knew...he'd have to be strong, and believe in the power of his team mates. If they were truly there, then surely they could break through this.

The she-creature may indeed have a domain, but it was a fraction as powerful as Heldalf's. And Sorey felt like the seraphs would be able to power their way through it.

He forced on a brave face. "Mikleo, Lailah, everyone...I know you're still there!" he cried out. "It'll be okay! I...I can't see you but I know you guys can get through this!" Sorey brandished his sword, giving it a twirl at the hideously deformed hellion before him. "We'll be okay! She's not Heldalf!"

Maybe his words would embolden his team, and moreover, his love. For Sorey knew that Mikleo was scared, even if he couldn't see or hear him at the moment.

Zaveid and Mikleo both stopped in their struggles when Sorey spoke. And Zaveid, still holding onto Mikleo, smiled at the shepherd's words.

"You hear that Mikleo?" he asked. "You hear how much faith and trust he has in us? This isn't like before; he knows we're here this time. And he knows we can defeat this she-demon. He's not afraid."

Mikleo stared at Sorey's back as he brandished his sword and stood tall, ready to face the hellion before them even though he couldn't see or hear any of his friends. And as he stared at him, he couldn't help but to be filled with awe. Zaveid, in seeing the look on the water seraph's face, smiled all the wider.

"You can still support him Mikleo, domain or not. Why don't you show him the same faith and trust he just showed you? You can still use your artes in a domain this weak, can't you?"

And Mikleo only needed a second more to recover. Sorey's words, and Zaveid's too, filled him, and he knew they were right. Quickly, he righted himself, and as he stood up tall, Zaveid released him from his grip.

"Of course I can," Mikleo responded. Lifting a hand, he dusted off his shoulders, fixing himself. Then he took his staff back up in both hands. "And you're right, this isn't Heldalf. Our team's way too strong to fall prey to a hellion like this. Sorey knows we're with him. We can fight and win, even if he can't see us or hear us. We can see and hear him. We'll break through the domain, but until then, we'll fight on faith alone."

"That's the Mikky we know! Welcome back!" Reaching out, Zaveid slapped Mikleo on his shoulder. "Now, let's do this!"

Nodding, Mikleo ran back over to Sorey's side, taking up and offensive stance.

"Yes!" Looking to the others, he quickly called out, "Everyone listen for any orders from Sorey! He's going to believe we're doing as he says regardless of what he can or can't see! In the meantime, I'll protect and heal everyone while you guys take the front lines!"

"Aye aye captain Mikky!"

And with that, Zaveid ran forward to meet Lailah and Edna who were already confronting the hellion. And although the domain severely weakened all the seraphs on the team, they were indeed still able to use their artes as Zaveid had claimed. And so, for Sorey, it was quite a sight to see. For him it appeared as if fire, earth and wind were being conjured out of thin air, and these elements were attacking the monster of their own accord.

Mikleo, knowing Sorey would be looking for his water, just as reassurance, turned to his human counterpart. And then, smiling to himself, Mikleo knew exactly how to let the shepherd know he was beside him. He may not be able to talk to him, or touch him, but his artes were working just fine. And so…

Waving a hand, Mikleo created a single bubble. Gently, he sent it forward until it kissed the tip of Sorey's nose. Once it touched him, it popped, and Mikleo knew his message had been received.

"I'm with you," Mikleo said confidently, his amethyst eyes shining. "And we can do anything so long as we're together. Let's help the others and purify this hellion! Let's make the world a place where humans and seraphim can live side by side!"

His words must have gotten through to his team, because the next thing the shepherd knew, the elements were moving all around him, and from the looks of things, they were giving the she-demon quite a difficult time. Sorey was astounded to see how the earth rose up, seemingly all on its own accord. And the fire swirling and the wind raging was just as impressive to witness as it slammed into the hellion, cutting and burning her asunder.

For just a second, he wondered if this was how all the normal humans had seen things back at the Battle of the Basin before Heldalf had ever appeared. Sorey had simply walked forwards while his team mates commanded the elements all around them in their attempt to stop the battle. He remembered how everyone had stared in awe and wonder...and fear as he'd made his way forward. Unlike those humans, though, Sorey wasn't afraid. Not of this. Not of them.

As he watched his teammates fight, Sorey realized he didn't see a certain element being flung about, one that he very much wanted to see. And just as that thought popped into his mind, a single lone bubble floated towards his nose, and gently popped upon contact.

Sorey knew where that had come from.

His heart surged with emotion. He couldn't hear the emboldened words Mikleo just spoke, but he felt his presence right next to him. He believed in his team's and his love's power, just as much as they were believing in him. Together they would face this hellion. She couldn't possibly stand in their way.

With a triumphant smile, Sorey twirled his sword once more, and ran into battle alongside his team.

"We can do this! We can do anything as long as we're together. Let's smite this evil!" And he swiftly began attacking the hellion, giving the tentacled creature hell, even as his team mates responded in kind.

Mikleo rushed in alongside his shepherd, and with the addition of the two, the team was complete. With everyone together, they stared to gain the upper hand. The hellion let out a terrible shriek as one of Edna's rock spires impaled one of her tentacles. Lashing out, she whipped poor Lailah across her chest, sending her flying backward.

"Lailah!" Zaveid had cried, but he didn't have the time to go to her. One of the many snake heads the creature had came barreling toward him, and so, hands full, he couldn't see if she was alright. But out of the corner of his eye, he saw a blue glow and knew Mikleo was attending to her.

"Oh holy fountain…" Came the start of his healing spell. And even from across the battlefield he tended to her while also defending Sorey. In only a few seconds, Lailah was back on her feet.

"I'm fine!" she cried, then rushed back into battle.

Wind, like blades, cut through one of the snake's heads, eliminating that tentacle all together, and Sorey's sword did the same on the other side of the beast. Edna was holding her own well, but Mikleo saw Zaveid misstep. The hellion seeing it too, lashed out one of her clawed arms to gouge him, but before she had a chance, ice shards flew in from the side, sliding the extended arm before it could reach its victim. The hellion shrieked.

"Thanks Mikky!"

"Keep your head in the game!"

But with Mikleo's attention diverted, he missed the snake that was heading his own way. It slithered around his ankle, grabbing him and pulling him down to the ground. He fell with an ungraceful 'thwack.' The snake head, close enough to strike, struck out to bite, but that was when it was suddenly enveloped in flame. It hissed horrifically as it burned. Scrambling back to his feet, Mikleo called out, "Thanks Lailah!"

The battle went on, but it was a bit of a struggle. Unable to perform at their best because of the domain suppressing them, none of the seraph's could perform their more powerful spells, and Sorey was unable to armatize with any of them. Still, they did what they could and were very slowly making ground. At a steady pace they began to win.

Up from on top one of the red rock cliffs surrounding the abandoned village, a bystander was watching the battle unfold. Appearing as a small, pale girl with dark purple hair, no human would have guessed she was thousands of years old. But the team below her had already met her once before and would have known better had they been aware of her presence. They knew how dangerous Symonne was.

She let off a 'tsk' as she saw the team begin to succeed.

"It looks like the seed we tried to implant in the water seraph didn't take root," she said, although no one stood beside her. "He's broken through the fear we embedded in him, although I'm not sure how. Perhaps he's stronger than he looks."

"Fear is but one tool at our disposal," came a deep, frightening, male voice from within Symonne. "And not everyone is susceptible to it. This was only but one path to the shepherd's downfall. We will simply try another."

Symonne watched the battle unfold beneath her.

"What are your next set of orders? What shall I do to them? Should we pick another team member? Maybe one of them is weaker than the water seraph."

"No," the deep voice responded immediately. "As I've already explained to you before, it's of utmost importance that we corrupt the shepherd and turn him into a hellion. Only in this way can we cover the world in malevolence. And the shepherd is unnervingly strong in spirit. Breaking him physically will not work. He'd sooner die than turn. And he doesn't care so much for himself as for others. And not so much for the others…as for his seraphim lover. And so it must be the water seraph."

Symonne frowned. And even as Heldalf spoke to her, she saw how the team responded to one another in battle before her. They were strong when working as a unit. And Mikleo seemed to pull his seed of fear up by the roots after only a few words from Sorey.

"They feed off of one another," she observed. "How are we going to break through that?"

"That is the very thing that will be their downfall," Heldalf growled. "The shepherd believes love is a strength, but in truth it is perhaps his only weakness. If we can bring enough harm and pain to the one he loves, he will crumble."

"Yes but how?" Symonne demanded with irritation.

"Patience," Heldalf said calmly. "As I said before, we have more than just fear at our disposal. Come, return to me for now and I'll command you anew."

Symonne let off another 'tsk,' a frown cutting deeply across her young face. Then turning away from the shepherd and his crew, she lifted a hand and tore a hole of darkness into the air before her. Then, stepping into it, she vanished.

Below the cliff where she had stood, the team continued to fight against the hellion. All four elements shining and bursting forth, they came together with Sorey's blade. But it was still a rough battle. Several team members were injured, and Mikleo'd been unable to keep up with every wound. As such, no one got healed unless the injury was severe. At the moment, he fought with his staff raised as a snake head lunged forward. He caught it in its teeth as the serpent chewed ravenously on the metal pole. A gash on his head from earlier let a thin ribbon of red trail down his white skin from underneath the tips of his turquoise hair.

"We need to break through this domain if we're to finish this!" He called to his teammates. "Lailah! How do we do that?"

"We need a large burst of holy energy!" She yelled while throwing flames in the Medusa's face. "Perhaps if we all concentrated together! But I don't know how we'd have enough time for that!"

The hellion lunged forward, and Lailah shrunk back with a cry as she was almost buried beneath its girth. But just in the nick of time, a rock wall shot up before her, protecting her as the beast crashed her head into it.

"You're welcome," Edna said monotonously. The hellion went to rise back up, but as it did, it suddenly thrashed back letting out a terrible scream. Looking back and behind it, the team saw Sorey plunging his sword into her back. He'd had a great opening and had taken it. But of course, this put him amongst almost all of her tentacles and very close to their enemy's body.

Twisting around, the hellion lashed out with her claws. There was a terrible slashing sound, and Mikleo watched in horror as Sorey's body went flying through the air. He'd been thrown back a great distance, three terrible and deep bloody claw marks across his chest. He landed on the ground with a sickening thud.

"Sorey!" Mikleo cried. He wanted to go to him, more than anything. He wanted to kneel at his side and heal him. But he was on the opposite side of the monster, and getting to Sorey at the moment seemed impossible. The others were all closer. And even in only the split second he had to decide it, Mikleo knew what he had to do. As the hellion started to slither toward his love, he let out one of the fastest and weakest spells he had, just to get her attention.

"Twin Flow!" he called. Then, shooting her with water, directly in her back wound, she let out a terrible hiss. Then of course, she turned back around to face him.

"Everyone! Gather around Sorey and concentrate on breaking the domain! I'll do my best to do the same from here while I'm the distraction! If she's focused on me, you should have time enough to do it!"

"Mikleo…" Lailah had started to argue, but she saw that there was no time. Mikleo had already attacked the creature and the creature was already headed toward him and ignoring the others.

"Hurry!"

Listening to their companion, the other three seraphim gathered around Sorey as he struggled to sit back up. Facing outward toward the hellion, they all concentrated their energies. Each seraph glowed their respective color as they called fourth their power. And across the abandoned village, they could all see Mikleo doing the same. Even as the monster slithered toward him, he closed his eyes and concentrated on his holy power, glowing a brilliant blue.

"He's going to get killed!" Zaveid cried.

"No, he won't," Lailah said as she watched him. And even without him having said so, she thought she understood his plan. "All we have to do is break through the domain. Once we do…Sorey will call for him."

Bleary eyed and his head ringing, Sorey struggled to sit up from where he'd fallen. The three slashes across his chest stung painfully, and he didn't need to take a look at his body to know they were deep. Even trying to stand back up hurt tremendously, and Sorey had to grit his teeth in order to even force himself to sit up. And all the movement of him doing so, caused blood to gush out of his wounds and seep through his navy blue undershirt.

And then, just a moment later, the hellion started clambering towards him. He'd been so sure he was about to face a horrific attack...but that's when a very familiar spell whipped out of nowhere, distracting the hellion, forcing her to turn the other way. Sorey didn't need to see Mikleo to know he was trying to protect him. He was always trying to protect him.

The shepherd waited for some further retaliation from the rest of the team, expecting their attacks to continue, but no one else seemed to be harming the hellion. In fact, there were several seconds when no seraphic artes were being cast at all. Sorey wasn't sure what was going on...but the she-creature was slithering straight towards the area where the Twin Flow attack had come from.

She's going to attack Mikleo! Why isn't he attacking? Why aren't the others...

But his fear was for naught, for that was precisely when his seraphic team mates broke through the domain. There was a brilliant ring across the area, like a bell being struck, and instantly Sorey felt a surge of his usual holy power return to him. His resonance flowed back from out of his center, and the air around them cleared. The purple hue of it banished, everything became as colorful as the sunset around them. And it was in that moment that he was finally able to see his team mates standing all around him…all except Mikleo.

Fear striking him, Sorey, turned his head just in time to see his love far across the battle field. He stood fierce and strong, his shoulder's back and his chin held high as he stared the hellion right in her ferocious eyes. He had been glowing a brilliant blue, shining against the darkness as the beast loomed impossibly tall over him, but that glow faded as the domain was broken and his spell was cast. And then, there was only a second to spare before the creature lunged forth in order to deliver the killing blow to the water seraph before her.

Sorey's eyes locked on Mikleo, and with a loud, crystal-clear voice, he called out his true name.

"Luzrov Rulay!"

Mikleo hadn't been afraid, not even for a second. For he'd known Sorey would call for him as soon as the domain was broken. And he did. And as soon as his true name was beckoned, Mikleo felt himself be lifted from his place. The hellion crashed into the earth where he'd just been, but as a spirit, he soared as quick as lightning toward his love and into him. They fused, combining as one and Sorey's body became his own. Sharing, they transformed, and in an instant the armatization was over.

Sorey's wounds were healed and so were Mikleo's. They stood up together on one pair of legs. And rising to their full height, they both took just a second to feel the power that coursed through their veins. As always, it was an incredible rush to be as one. Mikleo and Sorey both felt the true potential that both of their energies combined gave them. With both water and lightning flowing through them, and with two helpings of holy magic, it was easy to feel exhilarated.

But there was something even more exhilarating that both young men cherished during armatization, and that was the closeness they had with one another. It was only in this form, and this form alone that they shared one heart, beating in one chest, and one mind, where they could hear one another's thoughts with no barriers between them. It was as close as two people could ever be, with exception perhaps…of physical intimacy.

Sorey, came Mikleo's voice in their shared mind. I never doubted for a second. I knew you'd call for me. I'm so glad you're ok. I was worried…

The instant they connected Sorey felt a thousand times better, and it wasn't just because his physical wounds had healed, thanks to the healing properties that came with armatization. He was connected with his love now, and it made his soul feel...powerful and whole. More complete than ever before. And more than that, he felt connected with Mikleo in a way he doubted most people could possibly ever understand.

He didn't have to worry about Mikleo anymore, or the rest of the team, for that matter. If they were together like this, then that hellion stood no chance. Not against them.

Sorry to make you worry, Sorey responded in like. I'm okay now. And I was worried about you, too. But I knew we'd make it. You guys pushed through the domain! And Mikleo, sharing his emotions as well as their mind, would be able to feel how proud and also, how relieved Sorey was at how they'd managed to do such a thing.

And...I'll always call for you. Always. And it was a good thing the others couldn't hear their own private mental conversation, because Sorey was pretty sure that was a tone of voice he only wanted Mikleo to hear.

A swelling of emotion filled Mikleo's chest, and of course, this meant it filled Sorey's too. And knowing Sorey could feel everything he could only made it all the better. There was never anything between them, even when they weren't sharing a body. And when they were…Sorey could feel how much Mikleo truly loved him without him ever having to say a word.

It had been some time since they had to armatize against an enemy, and so Mikleo wondered if Sorey was shocked by the strength and magnitude in which his feelings for him had blossomed. But knowing they didn't have time to dwell on such things or talk about them, since there was a hellion before them, Mikleo quickly called Sorey's attention front and center.

The tentacled beast woman was rising from where she'd fallen, her back bleeding profusely from where Sorey had stabbed her, and her scaled body bruised from the seraphs other attacks. She was already beaten and weak, her domain broken. And so, it was easy to see that she was no longer much of a threat.

"One, clean, powerful shot to the head should finish her," Sorey and Mikleo both said, their voices sharing the same set of lungs and vocal chords. And in agreement, as they were in most things, they lifted their arms, calling forth the water bow that Mikleo had claimed in the water temple not so very long ago, although it seemed as if a lifetime had passed since then.

The weapon materialized in their hands, and an arrow along with it. Right away they felt their power surge through their arms as they fit the arrow into the bow string. The hellion, hissing spitting, and looking generally ferocious as she realized she was about to lose the battle, faced the group. As she did, it was Mikleo that took control, lifting the bow and aiming the arrow tip. Accustomed to working together in the same body, neither had to speak to the other as it was simply understood that Mikleo was the one to aim, and Sorey chose when to fire.

And so, they didn't flinch or blink when the hellion let out a ear piercing shriek, then suddenly lunged forward in a last ditch effort. She neared, coming ever closer, but all the same Sorey waited. He waited until he felt the surge of water based magic that he always felt from Mikleo when it was time. And it was only then, when he felt that flow of water artes enter the arrow that he released his own power and let the arrow fly.

It sailed forward, straight and true, and with a sickening THUNK it sunk itself into the hellion's forehead, the arrow tip embedding itself right between her eyes. There was a burst of water artes combined with electricity as it hit, and the hellion didn't stand a chance as the power coursed through her body. With one final shriek, she collapsed to the ground, falling still.

For just a second, everyone was motionless and silent as they kept their eyes on the body. Most of them were hoping that like with most hellions, it would transform into a human woman, indicating that she had successfully been purified and saved. But all of them knew the truth of the matter in their hearts already. This particular hellion…couldn't be rescued.

The hellion had been old, perhaps hundreds of years. Her grotesque amount of power was a testament to that. And she had the same sense about her as the abandoned village. Whatever had happened to the village was perhaps the reason she'd turned into a hellion in the first place. And if the team had to guess, it would have made sense if the woman had turned into a hellion the same day her village had been attacked and destroyed.

They were only kept waiting a second longer, and then the body suddenly let off a 'poof' and disintegrated into ash. Lailah turned her head away, letting off a small 'tsk' as her eyes fell downcast. Zaveid, crossing his arms over his chest, looked off and to the side, his lips stiff. But Edna, true to her nature, was the one to speak the truth,

"She was consumed by too much hatred. We probably couldn't have saved her even if we got here decades ago."

Mikleo immediately felt the sadness and regret in Sorey's heart. And although Sorey's kindness and true caring for others was a quality he loved about him, it was also the biggest reason Mikleo worried about him. He was afraid that Sorey's big, fragile, heart would one day be wounded.

It wasn't your fault, Mikleo immediately said to him in private. It's like Edna said, there was nothing we could have done. Please don't burden yourself…

But it was hard not to feel sorrowful for what happened. While he didn't blame himself for this - he knew the woman's malevolence would've been brewing for decades beforehand - he still felt like this was such a horrible way for someone to leave their world.

More than that, Sorey felt flabbergasted when he thought about how much hatred and despair a person's heart must hold for them to get to this point.

What could have happened to her to turn her into a hellion in the first place? What event in her life had summoned so much rage and sadness that her soul had given up on the chance of purification or redemption? The historian in him wanted to know. He wanted to know what made people like this beyond help.

Mikleo would've felt his troubles, and he would've been able to understand his thoughts. Sorey didn't mind. He hid nothing from the seraph.

I just...I don't understand, Mikleo, he said privately, eyes downcast. I know that I've been sheltered back in Elysia, and I know there are a lot of things I don't comprehend about this world. I know, he continued. But...this is just sad. Maybe it's a good thing I don't understand how she became like this.

And indeed it was, for Sorey was the shepherd. The more pure and light-hearted he was, the better. The world was counting on him to remain as steadfast and as uncomplicated as he could get. And he knew dwelling on these thoughts didn't serve much of a purpose, either. What was done was done. No one could reverse time and change what had happened here, or to the woman before she'd changed. Sorey knew that.

He took a deep breath and tried to put it behind him, even though that was hard. Sorey always had a hard time when someone couldn't be purified.

I don't understand either, and I'm sheltered too, Mikleo replied, doing his best to let his love know he wasn't alone. And I don't think it has anything to do with you being a simple person. I just don't think that light can understand dark, in the same way dark cannot understand light. Heldalf doesn't understand us and our actions at all. He said so himself at Glaivend Basin.

He hoped he was bringing Sorey some comfort.

And Sorey, he continued. Just because you're simple and good doesn't mean you're not complicated. You have deep thoughts and emotions. You think long and hard about others and the world around you. I know firsthand how much of you there actually is behind that silly smile of yours. So don't sell yourself short.

With them talking to one another privately, it left the other three seraphs in silence. Lailah at first looked concerned, worry overtaking her that Sorey might be falling into grief. But as soon as she went to take a step forward, Zaveid held out a hand to stop her.

"Don't wear such a worried expression," he said. "The two love-birds are just chatting each other up." Turning he faced the armatized pair. "Aren't you? Wanting to keep things private? Maybe a little steamy in there? It's rude not to let the rest of us hear."

"Uggh!" Mikleo's revulsion was so powerful that a groan escaped their shared lips even though Sorey's reaction wasn't nearly as severe. "Zaveid!"

The wind seraph laughed outright, his white teeth flashing.

Mikleo's words were both comforting and sweet. Sorey needed to hear that. Sometimes Sorey struggled with his feelings, but as always, his water seraph companion knew exactly what to say to ease his worries.

And just when the Shepherd started feeling more like himself, Zaveid had to go and say something like that. If Mikleo hadn't been the one to protest, Sorey would've.

"That's definitely not what we were talking about," Sorey said, arching an eyebrow at the wind seraph. He did his best to resist saying anything more.

We should probably de-armatize, though, he admitted, knowing they couldn't stay like this forever. Thanks, Mikleo. You really do always know what to say. And I needed it. The seraph would feel the warmth in his statement, he knew that for sure.

Mikleo did feel the affection. And for just a second, he stayed to bask in it. But then, he knew Sorey was right and that they should de-armatize. With a bit of a sigh, he and Sorey agreed, and let each other go. There was a brief 'whoosh' and then Mikleo reappeared at Sorey's side, both he and the shepherd fully healed from their ordeals. He couldn't help but to feel at least a little lonely though. He always did when initially separating from Sorey. To take his mind off of it, he faced the others.

"A job well done," Mikleo said to everyone in the group. "With the purification complete, Lowgrin and the surrounding desert area should be freed from malevolence, yes Lailah?"

Lailah took a moment to consider the question, and also use her powers to search the surrounding area for any lingering malevolence. But she was pleased not to find any.

"Yes," she agreed. "The malevolence has lifted. All we'll have to do now is find a seraph to bless this area."

"We'll do that in the morning of course," Edna interrupted. "I'm tired. And we still have to trek all the way back across the desert in order to get back to the inn."

The others agreed. Although the sun had just set, it would take them several hours to return. And after such a harrowing battle, they were already tired even without the extra traveling they needed to do. And so, after making sure everyone was ready to go, they started off.