"Last one."

Serene dipped her paw in the river to rid herself of the excess tiger blood. Her and her scouts weren't the only ones tailing the mysterious angel. Menos had sent some as well. Even at 'peace', she would have quietly eliminated them, but now she didn't just kill them. She savored rippling their putrid faces off their heads.

It did little to calm the madness that swarmed in her heart. No matter what anyone said, it was her fault. She was in charge of security and she knew Seventh was at the top of their watch list, he had been since he took charge of the Menos. There was no excuse for her to have let her guard down. None. Gathering or not, she was in charge of so many lives and now she was at fault for so many deaths.

So many deaths.

She tried to still herself before she lost control of her emotions. Guilt still ravished her body, but she couldn't afford to break down. Especially not here and not now.

Around her were her most trusted scouts and spies. Bar the few that would never again walk among them. These were the ones that should have been standing guard after the Gathering, but she had foolishly stationed them around the other colonies. She'd likely die still regretting that decision, but there was one positive that came of it.

They had spotted an angel, a very powerful one at that. One that could control the skies. It had attacked the Menos’ colony for some reason and then flew off up the river. They didn't know what this angel's motives or goals were, but that last time an angel wandered into the jungle it had caused a massive war.

Serena wasn't completely sure if this was the best path, but if they could get this angel to start another, maybe they could level the field once more. If most of the colonies are weakened, their own weakness wouldn't make them an easy target. As things stand now, they were dangerously close to being wiped out completely. They desperately needed to do something, even if it was to start a war.

"Hold! What in Aegeus' name is that?"

Their party of eight had discreetly hidden the tiger bodies and continued along the path laid out for them by the advanced scout. Serene had sent groups of two to observe each of the colonies. While one of the two she sent to the tigers came back to give their report, the other followed the angel and marked their path.

The path was straightforward and mostly involved just following the river upstream, but as they continued to do so they came up to a stretch of land more thoroughly destroyed than anything they’d ever seen. It was as if the void had taken a chunk out of the jungle. In an almost perfect fifty meter circle, blackness was all that remained. It was barren of anything else. Neither towering tree nor sprouting weed stood within the circle, only the darkened and flatten remains of what was once soil.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Except for one spot. One tiny patch of vegetation remained at the center of all the destruction.

It was an inexplicable scene. Serene could smell the after effects of fire, which made her think of the Menos or Aithos, but fire was not so precise. Certainly both colonies had Blesseds capable of similar devastation, but neither had anyone who could be so... complete. There wasn't even ash left.

“Do any of you have a guess as to what could cause this?"

Most said no, the others shook their heads.

Not all of them could speak the tongue. There were only a select few who knew it instinctively like Serene. The rest had to be taught. For some, it came easier than others, but they would all learn it eventually. Thankfully, Aegeus was merciful. Even for those who could not speak it themselves yet, they could still understand it when it was spoken to them.

"No matter then. Can we assume this is the angel's doing?"

"I say yes. The damage seems fresh and it would be a great coincidence for something else of such power to have passed through at the same time."

The rest nodded their heads in agreement. Normally, she wouldn't feel the need to ask about such an obvious thing. Which other being could cause such a scene? The answer was clear, but it's that sort of arrogance that put them in this situation in the first place. She wouldn't make that mistake again.

"I agree. Caleb, draw a picture for our records. I know, I know. Just try your best."

He took out a thick piece of parchment and used his claw to attempt to depict the scene in front of them. As he did so, Selene’s second noted the site on their map. While they waited for him to finish, Selene’s thoughts drifted.

The further they had travelled along the path, the more she felt they were on the wrong one. Not literally, they followed the advanced scout's trail perfectly, but as a colony. The angel almost assuredly headed to the camp of humans.

While she had a greater distaste for humans than most, that was not what concerned her. The angels lived with the humans, she would expect it to seek to return to them. It was the specific camp it chose. Those humans were even fouler than the rest of their race. If the angel was one with them, then the nature of a conflict with them could be very, very different from what they sought.

Caleb soon finished and they continued their trek. Selene couldn’t rid herself of her doubts, but she had little faith in any step she took at the moment. This was the course they’d all decided upon. Even if she felt doom looming, she would not stray unless given a clear sign.

The dark clouds above weren’t helping though.