Wings & Horns

Chapter Five

"What is your problem, exactly?" Leo asked, as he stared at the large shelf of books, extending to the heavens – metaphorically – and beyond. The Records were located in one of the towering shelves of the Elysian Library. Any book that comes into being, is shelved into the library. "Knowledge is power, and power is good." Leo could still remember the trainer's lessons, even after the millennium it had been since he'd finished training.

It was a load of bull.

The masked woman waved a hand in the air, before turning towards him. "None at all. But with the amount of sneaking around you do, and the fact that you're sneaking around our data, I saw an opportunity and took it. Now, you work with us." Leo nodded, his lips pursed. It wasn't like he had much of a choice at this point. Either ally with the Angels, or face Oblivion. The choice was simple. The fact that was annoying him, however was that he still knew basically nothing about why.

"Cut the crap. You get a Demon to kidnap me? That's no opportunity. Why am I, a petty Fallen staring upon the whimsical, fabled Records anyways?" Leo couldn't keep the weariness out of his voice. "Because, you, Azulus, are good at this job you've taken up, and we might actually need you. Satisfied?" Leo suppressed a shudder. This was someone who had been on the Council from before...

Someone who had known him before.

"How. Do. You. Know. My. Name?" He asked tersely. The lady's mask smiled at him, silent. Leo stared her down, a feat that was a bit pointless, since her mask allowed her to stare him down without fail. "Are you done with your temper tantrum?" She spoke evenly. He grumbled under his breath, but looked at the Records' bookcase inquisitively. "Then I'll tell you why you're here. One of the Records...is missing."

He stared at her. A prized scroll of data, stocked in the maximum security of the Elysian Library, missing?

She must be joking.

"Do you take me for a fool?" Leo scoffed. "I'm not a dunce, Mrs. ...?" she smiled her elusive mask smile. "Mademoiselle Lillette, is what you can call me, thank you very much." Leo forced himself to smile. "To answer your oh-so-tactful question, Malvent, that is the precise reason that we need you. This Scroll is important, and the fact that the thief managed to successfully take it, well it points to an enemy of Elysium, and the murderer."

Before Leo could re-state the same thing again, Lillette handed him a plain, brown, paper file. Leo took it, and she gripped his hand. "Don't open it here. It's not safe." She muttered under her breath. Her touch reminded Leo of someone yet again, obviously someone important...but he couldn't pinpoint who. It bothered him.

"Alright." Leo nodded curtly. "Now...can you noble and naïve creatures let me go?" She cocked her head to the side. "That will be arranged, no worries." She snapped her fingers, and Leo was no longer on Elysium, the place of horribly wonderful memories.

He was home.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A snowflake, frosty and fragile, rested on her fingertip. Although it was only autumn, Mynth couldn't help but find the cold her aura drew to be comforting.

As she gazed over the city, startling skyscrapers and run-down ramps, streets and alleys and curbs and edges, her own troubles seemed far away. The snowflake dissipated as her breath reached it. Mynth was sitting on the ledge of the Reginald Tower's roof, recovering from her fight with the Fallen Angel. Although he still had done wrong, and deserved his fate, she had to admit he was powerful. Not powerful enough to beat her, but powerful.

As she idly mused, she knew her big mistake had been underestimating him. She'd gone in with her heart, not her head, and that had never turned out well for her.