The snowy white feathers - to the distinct red tips, and the oh so violent presence that exuded off of the Nephilim… was all too recognizable. Unlike last time around, Hexlith was now the one disturbing the scene, and in not nearly as chaotic of fashion as the warrior before him. He didn’t dare move now that he was so close to the Angelic being, instead? He spoke in his family's tongue. A long since broken form of Draconic, passed down through stories, and whimsical tales of his family, who were said to have tamed, raised, and fought with the very beasts long, long ago… in the age of magic.
“Dout altiuiri re lerovupe-”
In response? Hexlith once more… found himself face to face with a blade which far surpassed the size of his beak. He gulped as he calmly raised his hands, he wasn’t quite frightened as before, nor as exhausted. So despite his docile surrender, his eyes didn’t show the same kind of fear they had prior. The wings of the Magkin unfurled from his back to reveal themselves, in an attempt to show her that he had translated her words - if she could not his. Hexlith, had remarked the same back to her: “Your wings are beautiful.” He’d met Nephilim in his grueling 19 years of existence, and in fact… there weren’t many species he hadn't met in that time, especially with his occupation! Yet none were quite as much of an outlier… as the one who stood before him now. She was strong, deceptively so, since her physique didn’t appear overly muscular, or bulky. So it was at least clear to him that she was of a higher lineage, likely spawned by a ranked angel fromst the golden gates - separate from any Esgrailian one. It was just a guess. This in turn, had forced him to choose his words carefully, and he may… have just failed at doing so; Given the blade that rested in front of his right eye. Or so he thought, as the blade lowered much like the before, this time? followed by two firm steps towards Hexlith.
“Draconic huh? And you understand Celestial? Odd~”
Much like many other Nephilim, her voice altered when she spoke common-graile, it held a sort of wispy accent to it, one which possessed a similar vibration to her angelic tone. It took a few seconds for Hexlith to adjust his awestruck visage, before pondering what she had said in neigh complete, and utter disbelief… as if she wasn’t the closest living form of mortal- to a god! Let alone one that held such aggressive features, with a glaring level of strength that far surpassed what she should logically possess. Her existence was… magical to say the least. Before he got too deep in thought, she took a step closer, mere centimeters from his beak. Which caused him to blurt those very thoughts aloud.
“I’m the odd one huh?” He cackled “Says the red feathered Nephilim!”
In realization that he had spoken, and not thought the words, Hexlith braced with an instinctual wince, trying to play it cool enough to not look like a total fucking coward - in the face of someone so much stronger. Yet… She merely smiled, her scarlet eyes stared deep into his blue orbs, as her right brow raised slightly. Taking his eyes off her for a moment, to inspect the area a bit from where he stood, Hexlith couldn’t help but frown at the lack of eggs. His gaze narrowed as he glanced back over to her; a subtle path of realization taking root in the mind of the Magkin.
“What’s really odd… is that you knew I was trying to save it; You’re even standing here before me in its nest, where the chase had started, not ended. What’s your angle here?”
Tilting his head to the side in inquiry, Hexlith started to get a grip on what kind of situation he may have found himself in. The pieces of the puzzle shifted into place one after the other, and he smiled with a sudden lack of fear. Which left the Nephilim staring into a similarly cocky visage, that she herself offered the Magkin; This didn’t dilute her own smile however, in fact it only made it perk up, as Hexlith began to pick up on her pattern. Before speaking though, she lifted her blade up and onto her armor straps with a keen look, which locked onto the Magkin’s. Her right foot moved back a decent degree to give him some space, before responding.
“The Cockatrice wanted you dead, yet not once did you fight back... Your determination to help remained steadfast despite the danger” She paused, taking her gaze off of him to look around at the nest, her fiery eyes softening ever so slightly. “I’m fond of the mindset; As foolishly heroic as it is.”
Hexlith remained silent for… quite a deal of time. He didn't quite know how to react, let alone respond, which left him mum, as the coming breeze overtook their ears. A smooth whistle resonated throughout the jungle while the branches shifted in flowing unison, until finally, the breeze picked up, and passed over him a bit harsher- which caused his feathers to flicker and fold…
“You wanted me to find you..? But… uh- wh-”
“-I’m being hunted.”
As soon as he heard the word, his eyes went wide, pupils expanding, as they traced the surrounding area. “Hunted? This woman, who carries a blade bigger than me, slayed a Cockatrice in one swing, and even saved me from an early grave… came to me for help?” He thought in disbelief, unknowing of how exactly to tell her he wasn’t the guy for the job. Sure Hexlith danced with death on a constant basis, as not only a hobby, but a self appointed career… Yet he was no combatant! No warrior. Let alone someone that could even hope to protect a Nephilim as strong as she, from what dangers may possibly be hunting her.
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“So what exactly do you expe-”
“-I do not wish for you to fight for me.” She once more cut him off, clearly making a habit of it.
Sighing, as she inspected his person, she looked over the satchel bag, vials attached, and last but not least? The falx, which swayed heavily at his side. After she came to a quick assessment, she set her gaze on the Magkin’s. “My existence itself is a cardinal sin, an abomination better off dead, than left to rot in such a family’s ranks. Doomed to die by my own blood.”
Hexlith met her gaze with a knowing one, his beak lifted while he thought over exactly what he’d be getting himself into, if he agreed. It was one thing to protect an endangered animal from the elements, and predators he’d already studied; But to protect someone so strong from their own family? Not only did that sound impossible as far as his capabilities went, but also seemed very much like a familial matter. Who was he to interfere? Then- yet again… when didn’t he? He always went out of his own way to insert himself into the lives of the beasts he looked, and still looks over to this day, what was the difference here? Because she’s a person?
“Okay… wh- who’s your family? And why the hell would they want you dead?”
“The Thas-.”
“-Oh fuck.” That’s really all she had to say for Hexlith to understand, as he somewhat jolted in place, cutting the Nephilim off this time.
Eyes wide as he took a step closer, he began to look her over like a damn wonder of the world. Awestruck by the Red entity born from one of the most prestigious angelic families out there, the Magkin found himself getting a little too comfortable next to the woman. Her arm lifted the blade up off of her shoulder strap as warning. Which sort of straightened Hexlith out, his gloomy blue eyes inspected the massive slab of iron she wielded, before returning to her crimson gaze.
“Do you know what created the scarlet pigment in your hair, and feathers?”
“My body is marked red as well, they look like tattoos.” She remarked.
“So… Do you know why?”
“Why they look like tattoos?”
“... What about the red aura?” He tried again.
“I have an aura? Does that mean magic has returned to the lands of Es-”
“-Stop avoiding the damn question! Otherwise I cannot help you.”
By this point, Hexlith had started to get impatient; Namely because he thought protecting a more conscious being may prove easier, considering the possibility for genuine teamwork. But this? This pushed him a bit over the edge; And he’d fallen off a fair few of those in this conversation already, especially when it came to the clan of notoriously strong Nephilim. A family which he knew all too well the practices of, via the conduit of his sister, and merely existing in the same space they ravage. Regardless, he didn’t move, simply crossing his arms in anticipation for a real answer. Which she inevitably gave;
“...... An affair. I am not true-blooded.”
She stated, placing her blade back down onto her shoulder, as she moved it to hide her expression. Her head turned left, to avert her gaze from Hexlith, toward the edge of the destroyed nest they stood upon. Leaving the Magkin… once more awestruck, as he looked into the finely polished slab of iron, staring at his blue eyes reflected back at him as they began to glow in the coming darkness. To think he met two entirely different sides of the same family in one evening, and considering the injuries the two he met later in the night had sported… he was starting to wonder if she was the cause. Hell, having insight on that didn’t make anything better, this was the Thasclea family they were talking about. A clan in which had been recognized as “The Closest to Heaven” in large part due to their leader, who’s one of the oldest living entities in all the lands. So with a low sigh, a small smirk, and a nod to himself, he took a step towards, and past the Nephilim.
“Hope you know how to run…”
His right wing flicked back, to tap the much larger angelic ones, indicating it was time for them to depart. Which went ignored for only a moment, before she followed; Her head hung low as she did, ruminating once more, much like the many, many times prior… about her worth. A worth that Hexlith saw far before even getting the chance to speak with her, which- gave her butterflies. Not from a necessarily romantic stance, but from being treated as a person, rather than a monster. Meanwhile, Hexlith had already stopped thinking about the trivial Q&A’s, instead- plotting a strategy to ‘Set her free.’ Everywhere he turned though, led to conflict… something he wanted more than anything to avoid, especially against an entire clan of Nephilim such as the Thasclea- of all familia. He had to make a decision, and fast, as knowing them? They were already on the hunt, and Hexlith? hadn’t hidden any of his tracks to get here.
Time… to be prey.