Astral Odyssey: Dying Ember

World 4.21: Vanora

Even though Vlad reacted fast and tried to dodge, he still got hit and suffered some deep wounds on his body. His suit was also ruined. Vlad stayed among the treetop and looked down at Michael with a calmness like he had not just gotten wounded. Michael very slowly and painfully pushed himself up off the ground using the sword still stuck in it. He looked up back at Vlad but his eyes seemed glazed over like he was only half conscious.

"Humph. You're still not dead. You must be one of the stronger angels if you're not already the strongest. Let's see how you survive this!" Many copies of Vlad was created again and they bore down on Michael at the same time. 

Michael saw the incoming attack and squeezed the handle of his sword. The same rugged light streaks shot up from the ground again and consumed the copies of Vlad, disintegrating them into nothing. Not only did Vlad looked unaffected, he even grinned. He repeated his move and sent copies of himself down. The same happened but, this time, Vlad was immediately following behind his copies. 

Watching this from a third person point of view, even a person as skeptical as Vanora could tell that Michael would not survive this. He did not even seem conscious enough to react to the fact that the real Vlad had been hiding behind his copies and is about to deal the finishing blow. She could not help but cry out urgently, "Derek!"

Vlad felt his heart jump and he missed his strike. His fist brushed against Michael's cheek, resulting in an abrasion, then hitting the ground beside Michael instead. He gritted his teeth in frustration as he wondered about the identity of the person that could get his dear Vanora to call out his name. What he would give for her to call out for him instead. 

Was there someone else hitting her up while I was occupied? He glared at where he left Vanora waiting and realised that there was no one else but her. In fact, she was looking straight at him. He was momentarily struck dumb.

"Are you done? I want to go now. We're wasting time." Vanora spoke much more calmly now.

Vlad finally remembered that he told her a fake name and that he was 'Derek' now. With this, he realised that there had to be a day when he has to come clean about his real identity, especially if he wanted to hear her sweet voice saying his real name. He hid his troubled feelings behind a smile as he pranced over to her obediently and gleefully. 

If only Vlad knew that his worries were for naught as it would be solved in a way he least expected.

As the pair walked away, Michael stared at the red-haired woman with a complicated gaze. His life would have been ended there and then if not for her. Not only was her behaviour odd, her initial reaction to him was odd too. Vlad's immediate hostile behaviour that rared to pick a fight with an angel was the norm. Not the way she looked calm and uninterested. Who is she...? Why is she with the demon lord? Why does he look like this? He looked very different the last time I saw him. What's going on?

He had been suppressing the curse that was still active in the surroundings. Now that he had the time to, he softly and slowly said the prayers to dispel the curse. Black smoke seeped out of the ground and destroyed trees. Michael placed his palm against the ground to restore the place back to how it was before the battle then slowly pushed himself up with his sword.

He walked aimlessly, trying to find a place where he could hide from the war and recover. Stumbling at every step he took, he had to use his sword that was kept in its scabbard as a walking stick. After walking for what seemed like an eternity, he chanced upon another angel. He heaved a sigh of relief as his vision began to blur and he felt his consciousness beginning to slip away again. Sounds of someone throwing a tantrum filled his ears. There was no one else but the angel there, so it could only be the angel acting that uncouthly. Another oddity... He thought as he passed out and collapsed onto the ground.