“It’s not my fault.” He spoke coldly, glaring at the woman who stood across from him.
“Who else could have done such a thing?” Lace murmured, turning her gaze away from the man with a frozen heart.
Lace and Howl had been arguing about something once more, and Omen and Aelem had been left by the sidelines to spectate unwillingly.
She had noticed, that when Lace spoke with Howl as if she were simply a normal woman, she did not hold the falsity of a constant smile before him. It was as if, in some simple manner, she acted herself completely.
So, to sate their heated hearts, Omen had dragged them out of the Monastery with a begrudged look upon his face, Aelem trailing not far behind them.
Walking through the streets of the veil, Omen had draped a warm cloak over her shoulders with a smile. It made not only her body feel warm, but her heart as well in some strange coupling.
“Why is the city of Velan coated in mist?” Aelem asked of Omen as they walked.
“I don’t know the answer to that question.” Omen spoke softly in response. “I’m sure it’s just the card that was handed to the land by whatever God chose to paint it. Just as the deserts to the west, and the snowplains to the north sit, within the cold center of the continent, we are painted in mist.”
“It’s nice, to think of it like that.” Aelem said in a hushed tone. “Your eyes are beautiful, in how they see the world…”
Suddenly, Aelem felt her cloak fall away from her body. Its carefully sewn edge had been caught upon the roughness of the building beside her, and had been torn away from her in an instant. She could feel her muscles tense, and then noticed a man standing across the street from her, his gentle eyes widening as he spotted the vermilion woman’s bared flesh.
“It’s a Leviathan!” The man shouted out suddenly.
One-hundred heads turned to meet the outcry, and two-hundred eyes widened upon seeing the blackened scales upon her skin gleam under the sun.
But too, she stood beside many Knights, and so the crowd cried out differently.
“Look, it’s the Paragons!” A woman cried out. “It’ll be all right!”
“Kill her!” Another shouted.
In unison, they all started to cry out for her death. Aelem’s body froze up in its entirety, and she fell to her knees before the anger-addled faces that grew red with rage. To them, she was not Aelem, nor was she a woman, nor human in the slightest. To them, she was simply detestable.
The Knights eyes widened as they faced the crowd, surrounded by hundreds of eyes that watched peerlessly upon them, waiting for blood to be spilled by their hands. It was the first time they had faced that same crowd, having known the person they were taunted to kill. It was the first time they had seen the Leviathan at the edge of their blades as human- rather, it was the first time they had chosen to do so.
Omen’s hand hovered at his blade, but as he did so, he hesitated. For a moment, he was wholly unsure of who his sword should have been pointed at.
Howl bit at his lip, a droplet of carnelian blood dripping down his chin as his shoulders shook with discomfort. He gripped tight at the leg of his pants, his knuckles growing white as he tried desperately to hold himself back.
Yet, his effort proved useless. He shot a glance towards Lace, and then took a step forward.Suddenly, a splash of red flew through the air, and in an instant, Aelem fell towards the ground in a motionless heap. Howl had drawn Omen’s sword from his side in an instant, ignoring the pale expression that crossed over the Butterfly Knight’s face as he swung it in Aelem’s direction. Puddles of vermilion pooled upon the cobblestone ground, and his sharp eyes looked towards the crowd who began to cheer in his wake.
“Take her body, and let’s go.” Howl spoke coldly.
So they turned their heels, and sprinted desperately back towards the Monastery of the Paragon.
As they ran, Lace turned towards Howl.
“Good job, dog.” She smiled softly.
His cheeks fell red against the hot sun, and he turned away from her to avoid her gentle gaze.
“It wasn’t just me…” He spoke bluntly, “Little mouse.”
Aelem opened her eyes softly, glancing up towards the cold man of silver, who carried her tight within his arms, as if was desperately afraid of dropping and harming her. Yet, despite his tight grip around her body, his hands were gentle and soft against her skin, as if too, he was scared of marking her flesh.
Although, Aelem’s gaze sunk as she immediately abandoned the idea of his kindness. He was definitely just scared that Omen would chastise him once more if he were to hurt her. She let out a sigh, and her eyes fell upon her cloak, which Howl had draped over her shoulders.
Her clothes had been soaked in bright red, blood that had been reaped from a wound in Howl’s arm. She had seen it before- how he could not only control the motions of his blood, but its properties. Thin strands of steel had been wrapped around her body, which had caused her to body to become limp and fall against the stone ground of the marketplace.
“You know, you could really warn me of your plans before you do something like that-“ Omen spoke suddenly, aggravation hanging at the edge of his tone, despite his still expression.
“It’s not our fault you can’t meet our coordination, Mr. Knight.” Lace winked as they ran through the streets of the city.
“Still…” Omen spoke softly, his eyes downturnt.
“I’m sorry, Omen.” Lace spoke remorsefully.
“We should have informed you.” Howl shook his head. “Sorry…”
Set on her feet, and freed from the steel strands, Aelem stood before the three Knights.
“I’m sorry for causing you all trouble.” She bowed her head. “I should have been more careful. I grew careless, after you showed me kindness, and… security…”
“It’s not your fault, that the world has been bent out of shape like this.” Omen shook his head in response. “For having taken part in its cruelty, we should be the ones trying to reverse all of its hatred anyway…”
“That’s the first stupid thing you’ve said today, I think.” Howl spoke coldly in turn.
Omen turned towards him with surprised eyes.
“It’s not that we’re going to try, he means.” Lace smiled. “We’re going to do it for certain.”
She walked up to Aelem, holding out her softened hand, which she took in turn.
“We’ll help you out, so that you may live a normal life.” Lace spoke happily. “So don’t let your heart be worried, and follow along with us with a smile on your face.”
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