The Angel of Death (18+)

Chapter 47: Just Be

"What do you mean, fly?" Peter asks me.

I shrug carelessly, flexing my wings out behind me as I watch his eyes process what it about to happen.

I watch as the fear is overtaking by curiosity and eagerness. I let the moral battle wage inside him until he finally, but reluctantly, nods his head and sighs heavily in surrender.

I huff a small laugh and place my satchel over my shoulders and place my hands out, waiting.

Peter looks from my hands to my face and back, perplexed at what I'm suggesting.

"Wait wait wait, you're carrying me?"

"Yep. Now let's go." Less of a request and more of a demand.

He shakes his head back and forth and mumbles under his breath as he walks over to me, "I'm going to get killed."

To further prod at him as he settles between my arms, I whisper to him, "Don't worry, I won't drop you. Or at least try."

As he lets his protests rise to his lips, I jump off and soar into the air.

His shouts of terror soon turn into silencing stares of awe as he stares down at the world from our view in the sky. I let him take it all in, enjoying the silence to allow myself to think.

First was what I was going to do with this boy. My first instinct is to drop him off at a place I feel safe enough along my way to my goal.

Next was to figure out the best way to lure Scarslayer out and to take my bait.

I continue flying on as I ponder my plan more.

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We drop down to a small town a small length away from the camp I made.

Peter's legs refuse to adapt to the ground for a quick moment, until they finally regain their stability as he looks around at where we are.

"Is it safe here?"

I don't know the exact answer to that, but from what I've seen it seems quiet enough not to be too dangerous, "You'll be fine here. Just stay out of trouble and don't attract attention to yourself."

I turn around and begin to walk off to leave again when he begins to speak again, my back still turned to him, "Thank you. You're a kind person."

A kind person.

I soar off without turning around, letting the words ring around in my head, resonating something deep within me.

As I fly, I let the nature around me occupy my focus as I think about nothing in particular. I let the scents of pine and distant fair traces of flowers trail up my nose.

I feel at peace as I become one with nature, nothing but a mindless person going about their day until something of importance come up.

I just... I just be.

—————————

It's been weeks, and I'm still looking for him.

I would think since our last encounters he'd have found me by now or I him.

But no.

I softly land on the only green patch of grass that isn't covered in the icy snow. The cold doesn't get to me anymore, it hasn't for a while.

My feet hit the ground and I inspect my white surroundings, the snow covers the branches of the tall trees with the sunlight bouncing off of the white.

It creates flares that annoy me. I only need to find something to fill my canteen up with water and maybe some fresh berries or a rabbit to eat.

I take a deep breath and close my eyes, honing my listening in to my surroundings for any sign of running water. I listen to the skitter of small rodents across the snow and the birds chirping to each other.

There.

Not too far off to the east I hear the rapid waters.

I stretch my wings behind me, flexing the muscles that connect them to my back releasing the ache from flying for so long. As I pass under the brush of the trees, I let my mind relax and contempt to just allow the nature surrounding me to just take me in.

I approach the bank of the fast-running water and bend down to fill up the canteen when something catches my attention in my peripheral. I look up and find a wild horse across the river drinking its fill too. It lifts its majestic head up, its black mane shadowing its eyes as it stares at me.

We stay like that for a silent moment, until the horse leans back down to resume satisfying its thirst. I slowly sit back, and just watch as the horse drinks, a peaceful and beautiful scene that I'm sure many don't come across.

The lithe body with muscles taut, ready to run at a moments notice. The pure black coat shining under the glare of the sun, tail switching back and forth to sway away the flies that bother it. Brought up to my feet by some unknown curiosity surging through my veins, the horse looks back up and our gazes lock on each other.

I slowly flex my wings, as the horse's ears perk up, but still not moving away. I gently lift off, air beating off the ground beneath me as I move my way across the river. Every muscle in the horse ready to run the moment it deems its no longer safe.

A soft thud under my feet as I land not more than 10 feet from the horse. I slowly stretch out my hand towards the horse and wait....

At first, it does nothing. And then it slowly begins to walk to me.

I watch carefully as it gets closer and closer until finally their nuzzle touches softly against my palm.

I take a tentative step forward and soothingly rubbing down her strong neck.

"Hello there," barely a sound made in the world.

A soft knicker and she relaxes under my hand, and I'm hit with a stupid thought of keeping her. I have wings, there would be no need for me to ride her.

A small smile placates itself on my face as I slowly back away, content to finally leave until I see that she is always walking with me. I chuckle and rub her nuzzle, "Stay."

It doesn't work.

I sigh in defeat and begin to walk towards the open path that I came from, the horse in tow with me. Only soft thuds the sound that I hear and as we clear the foliage I look again at the horse.

Pure black with courage.

A name I didn't think too long on, but one that seemed fitting,

Hades.

With a little more hope in my chest, I slide my leg over her back and grab her mane for makeshift reins and urge her forward.

I'm not done yet, not nearly.