Raden sat on the porch step looking up at the crystal clear night sky. His wings stretched out behind him as he rested on his elbows. The night was quiet except for the low murmurs that came from the mountain. Most of the townsfolk turned in early too afraid of what would lurk in the showed of night. Raden however thrived in this element. Tonight though... tonight he couldn't enjoy the view. Guilt began to eat him slowly like a fungus as soon as he turned from Azrael. He couldn't bring himself to face her again. Not after what occurred hours earlier.

A shooting star raced across the sky and Raden let out a sigh. "What am I going to do?"

The mountain softly rumbled in reply.

Raden rolled his eyes and sat up. "Blasted Gods." The whispers swirled around Raden rather angrily and Raden shook his head. "No. No, you don't get to be angry at me you worthless spirits."

Again the mountain rumbled in response. As if it was indeed talking.

"You want your precious sacrifice then take me. Not Azrael." Raden stood and pointed towards the mountain.

He's gone mad! The small voice in Raden's mind retorted. He shook the thought.

The whispers grew louder until that was all Raden could hear but he didn't move. He didn't flinch. They were angry. Yelling horrible things in a forgotten language but even the language barrier couldn't hide the feelings that came with the insults and curses. "You won't touch her," Raden said darkly. A shadow fell over his face.

Silence flooded the town. Raden stood perfectly still waiting for an attack to come. Nothing. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a figure. He turned and it was gone. Raden huffed and turned to go back inside but there it was again. He shifted his gaze ever so slightly. it disappeared.

"I'm not playing your stupid games," Raden said as he reached for the door. A hand stopped him from turning the handle. Raden slowly turned his head to his right. A shadow figure stood in front of him silent. Its hand is as black as coal. Raden dared to move but when he did the figure simply watched. "Are you the spirit Azrael spoke of?"

The figure bowed its hooded head and stood straight again. Raden reached for his belt where a hidden dagger hung, but he felt a cold wind against his hand. A warning.

He moved his hand away from the weapon. "You speak?"

A whisper came from the hidden face of the figure. Raden instantly recognized the language as that of the Nameless.

His eyes widened only slightly. "I'm not going to let you near her." His heartbeat was like drums in his ears. "I'll kill you before you can."

"Protect." Its voice was harsh and raspy as if this was the first time it spoke in years.

"Protect? Protect who? Protect from what?"

The figure pointed a bony finger toward the mountain. "Beyond the mountain."

"I keep her safe beyond this God's forsaken place. I swore to protect her from any harm and I don't need the help of a benevolent entity to do that." Raden spat. The whispers joined them again. Though silent as if they were spectators of a slaughter. Raden tightened his wings close to him. "We leave this place and you stay to guard your precious creation. If not... then I'll become the idiot who tried killing a God."

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Raden turned and made his way back to the house. He looked over his shoulder and saw the figure watching him. Raden rolled his eyes and slammed the door.

As the door shut behind him, Raden felt himself fall apart. What if he couldn't protect Azrael? He slumped to the floor in exhaustion. He rubbed his face roughly.

"Get a grip on yourself. We can't let them win," Raden whispered to himself. He laid his head against the wall and closed his eyes. Azrael's muffled cries echoed through the otherwise quiet house. Raden turned his head to look towards the darkened doorway of the bedroom as he listened.

He lifted himself off the floor and made his way to the bedroom. As he entered, Raden saw the outline of Azrael in bed. The thin blanket barely covered her. He saw her shoulders shake not from the chill in the air, but from crying. Without a word, Raden slid an arm under the backs of her knees and another behind her upper back. He lifted her as if she was weightless and sat on the edge of the bed while he held her.

Azrael opened her eyes. Her lashes stuck together from the tears. "Leave me alone," she said into his chest. She felt him tighten his grip holding her firm so she wouldn't fall. Fresh tears started to fall and she ordered, "Let me go Raden." He didn't. Azrael bawled her fist. "Let me go." She hit his chest. "Let me go." Another hit. Her vision was blurry as tears ran down her face. She pushed away with no progress. So she hit him again and again and again. Each time harder than the last. "Leave me be Raden."

"No."

Azrael shook her head and pushed away again. This time a cry left her lips. "Let me go, Raden! Let me go!"

"You can hit me and punch me and slap me all you want, but I will not let you go." Raden's eyes were shut tightly. He was fighting back his tears.

Azrael felt power rush through her veins. She placed both hands on Raden's chest and shoved hard. His grip loosened and she tumbled to the floor. Azrael couldn't see his face but knew he had been surprised by what she did. "I said to leave me be Raden. I don't want you around right now."

Raden sat silently on the bed. He noticed a figure standing in the corner of the room but didn't make a move. He sighed, "I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"I'm not," Azrael choked out. "You keep dictating what we do or where we go. All of it in the name of protecting me. Never once did you stop and ask me what I thought the next move should be."

"Azrael you have no clue what they are capable of," Raden shot back. He saw a faint outline of her move around in front of him. "I'm just trying..."

"Trying to be a good soldier and protect his mission."

Raden stopped. "Is that what you think this is?"

She shook her head and held her arm in a self-hug. "I don't know. One minute you show me this kind wonderful person and the next minute... the next minute is this soldier who's shut off from the world." Raden watched the figure from before hold a hand up as if to warn him not to speak. Azrael continued, "I wanted to believe that you were more than a mission. That you saw me more than a weapon needing to be hidden away."

The figure dropped its hand. Raden stood and carefully walked over to Azrael. He hesitated in touching her face but brushed a thumb across her cheek. "I'm still learning how to be less of a soldier. Please be patient with me."

"What if I've run out of patience?"

Raden's breath caught in his throat. Was she already giving up on him? "Azrael, please don't do this. Don't give up on me."

She let out a shaky breath. "I don't want to give up on you, but I'm losing the energy to fight."

"We'll figure this out. I'll figure this out. Because I don't want to lose you Azrael. You mean so much to me, you have no idea." Raden felt her slipping away and he was going to be damned if she got away.

Azrael felt her legs start to shake. Raden snaked an arm around her waist and she grabbed the front of his shirt. She was exhausted and Raden knew this. He picked her up with ease and she didn't protest and took her to the bed.

As he laid her down, he saw the figure move to sit on the end of the bed watching over her. Raden silently nodded and the figure bowed its head again. He bend down and placed a kiss on her forehead and whispered, "We're going to make sure you find your way through this."