The night settled into an uneasy calm as Kuri, Rin, Yukio, and Reiko gathered around the campfire after the exam. The lantern's glow had warded off some of the evening's chill, but a foreboding tension still hung in the air. Kuri felt it deeply, an instinctive sense of something waiting, lurking just out of sight.

"Rin," Kuri murmured, her wings tucked close as she looked over at him. "You did amazing tonight. I don't know what I'd have done if you hadn't shown up when you did."

Rin scratched the back of his neck, a slight blush creeping onto his cheeks. "It's nothing, really. I just—"

Before he could finish, a sudden gust of wind swept through the camp, and the crackling flames of the campfire flickered ominously. In an instant, the playful shadows turned sinister, coalescing into a dark figure—Amaimon, with his unsettling grin and malicious glint in his eyes.

"Well, well," he sneered, eyes fixed on Kuri. "I was hoping for a second round. This time, you won't get away so easily."

Kuri's wings flared instinctively, but before she could move, Amaimon lunged toward her. His grip was unyielding, his intent crystal clear. Kuri struggled, her strength barely a match for his as he whispered sinister threats in her ear.

"Let her go!" Rin's voice rang out, filled with a fury that matched the growing blue flames enveloping his body. His eyes blazed with an intensity that Kuri had never seen before.

Amaimon smirked, loosening his hold on Kuri just enough to shift his gaze to Rin. "Oh, little brother, do you think you can scare me with those flames?"

Rin roared, the blue flames around him surging higher, fueled by his anger. He rushed forward, his movements a blur as he closed the distance between them. The intensity of his flames grew, crackling and wild, as he fought to protect Kuri. Amaimon staggered back, momentarily surprised by the sheer force of Rin's power.

But Rin didn't stop. His flames flared hotter, wilder, until they seemed to take on a life of their own. His face twisted, nearly unrecognizable, as he was consumed by the demonic power surging through him. Kuri's heart dropped as she realized he was losing control, the flames threatening to consume him entirely.

Without hesitation, she stepped forward, reaching out to him. "Rin!" she called, but he didn't respond. His eyes were empty, his expression lost to the rage and power overtaking him.

Kuri took a shaky breath, then moved closer, wrapping her arms around him from behind. The searing heat of his flames licked at her, but she held on, pressing her cheek against his back. She leaned up, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek, her voice a soothing whisper. "Rin, it's enough."

At her words, a calm seemed to settle over him. The flames began to recede, dimming from their wild intensity until they extinguished completely. Rin's body went slack, and he collapsed, unconscious, into Kuri's arms.

Kuri knelt beside him, cradling him gently, relief flooding through her. But before she could fully process what had happened, she heard footsteps approaching. Turning, she saw Yukio, Reiko, and a handful of Order instructors rushing toward them, their expressions a mix of shock and fear.

The next thing she knew, they were back at the Vatican. Rin lay on a cot, unconscious, his face pale and his breathing shallow. Kuri knelt beside him, her hands clutching his as she watched the instructors whispering in worried tones, their eyes filled with suspicion and uncertainty.

"No," she pleaded, her voice breaking as she looked up at them. "Please, you can't…you don't understand. He's not a threat. He saved me. He would never harm anyone intentionally."

Her words trembled with desperation, a plea for mercy she could only hope they would heed. But the shadow of doubt lingered in the room, thick and ominous, as the instructors continued their quiet discussions.

Kuri tightened her grip on Rin's hand, her heart pounding with fear not for herself but for him. The darkness that had haunted her all night was now closing in around them both.

XXX

Rin lay on the cot, still groggy, his eyes half-open as the voices around him blurred and echoed in his mind. He could hear the Order instructors speaking, their words laced with suspicion and distrust, each one sharper than the last.

"This demon blood of his is dangerous. We can't risk allowing him to remain a part of the Order," one instructor said coldly.

Rin's heart sank, his gaze falling to the floor. The weight of their words pressed down on him, a reminder of the danger he could pose to those he cared about. He was about to close his eyes again, surrendering to the hopelessness creeping into him, when he felt a warm hand grasp his. Startled, he looked up to see Kuri standing between him and the instructors, her expression fierce.

"If you execute him, you will lose me as well," Kuri declared, her voice clear and unwavering. "I won't use my powers for the Order if you condemn him. Rin fought for me, saved me, and risked everything to protect those he loves."

Rin's eyes widened, disbelief and awe flooding him as he listened, his heart racing as she continued.

"I am an angel, yes, but that doesn't mean I will stand by while you treat him like some threat to be eliminated. He's more than his bloodline—he's a person, someone who has shown loyalty, courage, and kindness beyond what most could even comprehend."

One of the instructors scowled. "And what happens if he loses control again?"

Without hesitation, Kuri's voice rang out, strong and sure. "Then I'll be there to bring him back. I won't abandon him, no matter what. If you can't see that he deserves a chance, then perhaps it's not his blood that's the real problem—it's your lack of vision."

Rin's chest tightened, a surge of emotion he hadn't expected. He wanted to say something, to reach out, but the weight of her words silenced him, leaving him utterly captivated.

The instructors exchanged uneasy glances, Kuri's words cutting through their doubts. One by one, they retreated, murmuring among themselves as they left the room. The door closed, leaving Rin and Kuri alone.

Kuri's shoulders sagged slightly as she turned to him, her expression softening as she met his gaze. "Rin… I didn't know you were awake," she whispered, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.

Rin swallowed, his voice barely more than a whisper. "You… you'd really give up everything… for me?"

Without hesitation, she knelt beside him, her hand warm in his. "Yes, Rin. You're worth it to me. Always."