Author's Note: Long chapter at 4.1k words, enjoy!

This was the first time in her life coming across such a perilous situation, and her mind had completely blanked out.

Hana could only watch the black orb descending onto her, and she imagined herself being wiped from existence in an instant. Her whole being would be consumed by black magic, and she would feel the excruciating pain of the black magic seeping into her skin and bones, overwhelming the light magic within her. 

She opened her mouth to scream, but she was frightened beyond comparison, not a sound could be heard from her. 

The tendrils of the black orb grazed at her arm, leaving a searing pain that she felt gnawing within her flesh. She emitted a choked cry, looking down and seeing the sleeves of her white robe being shredded into pieces, its light magic protection not doing anything. Meanwhile, the part of her arm where the tendrils grazed past had blackened, a black mist drifting out from the wound. 

All of a sudden, large pillars of intricate patterns and covered in symbols made of light magic shot up from the ground, its size causing the ground to tremble. The impact was large enough to strike the beast away, forcibly closing its mouth.

Just then, a handsome ash blonde-haired man walked up from behind, his stark white wings and golden armour glowing. His grey eyes were narrowed at the beast, his demeanour unlike his cheery self. 

Another person landed right beside Hana at that moment, and Hana had no strength in her legs to support herself any further. She collapsed to the ground, clutching at her arm that was slashed with dark magic. 

“Are you alright, Hana?” Xue questioned, glancing down at her before he looked at K’xug. “How is she?” 

K’xug tried to support Hana up, but Hana was only focused on the beast. Finally, the scream that she had been holding within her released. 

The beast was provoked by the knockback from Xue, opening its mouth yet again. The orb remained in its mouth, and he was planning to shoot it at any moment. 

Xue glared at the beast, turning into a streak of light again as he slipped past the pillars, appearing right before the beast. He gave it a harsh kick under its chin, and the beast stumbled, the orb disappearing once again as it shook its head to regain its balance. 

“K’xug, get them all out of here!” 

“Okay!” K’xug hollered back, crouching down and helping Hana up. “Come on, Hana.” 

Hana was in a complete daze, and she felt a piercing pain on her arm, wincing as she squeezed her eyes close. Fortunately, this time, she stood up with K’xug’s help. 

The remaining angels did not wait for K’xug’s cue to escape, all of them carrying themselves out of the area as quickly as they could. Even the cowardly male angel that used Hana as his meat shield was out of the area as swift as the wind, extending their wings and flying away. 

“No matter, we have less interruptions now,” the demon riding the beast snickered sinisterly. “I will have your head, Supreme God.” 

Xue paid no heed to the demon’s words, only hovering in the air with his stark white wings. His spear disappeared in an instant, floating above his head and Xue exhaled deeply, stretching his arms. 

Almost immediately, the spears multiplied and the demon watched as a thousand spears made out of light magic were all directed at him. The only spear that wasn’t covered in light magic was Xue’s original spear above his head. 

Xue threw down the spears at the beast, a thousand of them raining down. The demon barked at the beast to get rid of them, and the beast shot out the powerful dark orb it held within its mouth. 

The spears and the dark orb collided, creating a shockwave that cut through the clouds. The force of both the light and dark magic were equally matched, and the dark orb disappeared, just like the spears. 

“Alright, since we got rid of your annoying orb,” Xue smirked, waving his arms and a thousand spears made out of light magic appeared again. “Let’s try that again.” 

The demon gulped nervously. 

It’s...it’s no wonder he is deemed as one of the strongest fighters in the heavenly realm.

He doesn’t seem the least bit exhausted. 

The beast growled menacingly at Xue, hunching its back as it bared its teeth. 

Xue rained down the spears on them once again, but this time, instead of aiming it directly around them, he rained it around them, forming a circle. The light magic from the thousands of spears combined, forming a barrier made of light magic.  

It trapped the beast and the demon inside the barrier, and the beast swiped at the barrier, only for its paw to be knocked off as it experienced a burning pain. 

It snarled, licking pitifully at its paw. 

Xue flew gracefully with his angelic wings, landing on top of the barrier as he sat on it cross-legged, keeping his wings. He twirled around with the spear in his hands, using his hand to support his face as he grinned. 

The beast struck against the barrier again, and Xue felt it trembling, making him wince as his smile dropped.

“As expected, the barrier wouldn’t hold up forever…” Xue sighed, tapping the pointed part of his spear against the barrier as he observed the two struggling inside. “At this rate, I might just have to beat them up--and that will only create more discord among the angels and demons.”

Xue sighed again, ruffling his hair. 

“Being the ruler of a realm is not fun.”  

“We share the same sentiment,” a familiar voice said to his left, his cobalt-blue long hair reaching his waist. “...how rare.”

“Demon lord!” 

Veau was hovering in the air with his spiky, black wings, his crimson eyes holding a hint of amusement within them. 

“Great, you are finally here,” Xue grumbled out, glancing at Veau. “Take care of this mess your people created.” 

***

Halfway through escaping, Hana could not support herself anymore and her wings disappeared. K’xug hurried to catch her, carrying her in his arms as they exited the place. At the last few steps of the stairs leading up to the altar, K’xug kept his wings as he touched the last few steps, walking down with Hana in his arms. 

K’xug could feel Hana shivering violently in his arms, clutching at her arm that was laced with dark magic, and her eyes closed in pain...but K’xug knew she was still trying to recover from her fear as well. 

Placing Hana gently down on the ground, he noticed the judgemental stares the red-haired angel received from the angels, who escaped from the apparent danger at the altars. However, Hana’s eyes were still closed, hence, she was oblivious to them and K’xug decided to pay them no heed. 

“Hana?” 

Hana inhaled shakily, her eyelashes fluttering as if she was cautious about opening them. 

“I am going to put you down now.” 

Hana did not say a word, only looking at K’xug as he slowly placed her down, his fingers grazing against the grass.

“Ah…” Hana winced out, feeling a jolt of pain shooting up her injured arm and she lifted her hand, looking at her ghastly wound on her arm. “I…” 

K’xug tilted his head at her, giving her a questioning look. 

Hana looked up K’xug, her irises trembling. “I could have died there...right?” 

K’xug smiled helplessly, sighing as he lifted his hand, hesitating before he patted her head. “But you are alive now, aren’t you? I told you, I will always protect you.”

Hana had no words, only lowering her eyes as she sniffled, her shivering hadn’t died down yet. 

“You should heal yourself. You should know I am unable to heal something like that, since I am a half breed.” 

“Mh-mhmm…” 

Hana raised her hand towards her injured arm, her hand still shaking violently. She inhaled shakily, tears pricking at her eyes and an orb of light magic eventually appeared around her hand, covering her wound. 

“I will go help Xue now, you should stay here, Hana.” 

“...okay.” 

“You...are you going to be fine?” 

Hana lifted her head up, giving K’xug a half-hearted smile. This time, she could not smile as brightly anymore. 

“Yes,” Hana nodded, despite the fear still overwhelming her. “You should go and help Xue…”

K’xug hesitated, straightening himself before walking away. At that moment, Hana overheard the angels whispering about her when K’xug was out of range. 

“That’s Hana Katae, isn’t it?” 

“Look at her acting all meek and scared, I bet she purposely got herself injured.”

“It may look like she was pushed, but I bet she jumped into the way to gain their attention.” 

“Right? It’s just to lure the attention from the Supreme God and his trusted assistant.” 

“I bet she is seducing them both behind the scenes.” 

“She only acts innocent and fakes her tears.” 

“Detestable.” 

“I can’t believe she is an angel like us, she doesn’t deserve to be one.” 

“She should have died right then and there.” 

Normally, Hana would be able to push these negative comments about her away. It was a daily occurrence, and it would not affect her positive state. However, after experiencing near-death and how she may have faked it…and some even wishing for her death...

There was no one in the world who could shake it off in her frightened and vulnerable state. 

K’xug who started to walk away felt a powerful presence up the stairs, leading up to the altars past the clouds. He furrowed his eyebrows, recognising the aura to be Veau. 

That weird devil is finally here--

Someone grabbed on to the sleeves of his robes, and K’xug turned back, looking at the culprit that did so. 

It was Hana, tears brimming in her eyes. 

“K’xug…” 

“Wh-what’s wrong?” K’xug questioned. 

He was shocked to see Hana in a worse state, and in fact, she had never once cried in front of him or Xue before. 

This was her very first time. 

“...please...please stay.” 

K’xug paused, his mind drifting to Xue fighting the beast. 

Since Veau is there with Xue now, they wouldn’t need any help.

He gazed at Hana, whose head was ducked down. Seeing her in this state, K’xug felt something stabbing him in the heart before squeezing him, making it hard for him to breathe comfortably. 

“Don’t go,” Hana tried to prevent her tears from flowing out, shaking her head. “I can’t stand being here, but if you are here with me, I...I will be fine.” 

K’xug wanted to open his mouth to say something, and it was then he noticed the hostile and scornful looks Hana was receiving from the majority of the angels. 

“Don’t...don’t go, K’xug,” Hana lowered her voice even more, as if afraid to voice out her thoughts. “Don’t leave me all alone here--” 

All of a sudden, K’xug pulled her down to sit on the ground, cutting Hana’s words off as she gasped. Without waiting for her to recover, K’xug removed the outer layer of his robes and threw it over her head. 

Her view of the world was covered by the robe, and all she could see was a tinge of white accompanied by the natural scent from K’xug. It was difficult to describe how he exactly smelt, but Hana definitely could describe the feelings it gave her at this moment. 

A warm, comfy feeling. 

It was as if she was being protected by it. 

The dissonant voices and scathing remarks from the angels were soon drowned out, and Hana felt as if they did not exist anymore. 

After all, she could not see them, why did it matter? 

Just then, she felt something laying against her back and she blinked rapidly, stray tears slipping out from her blue eyes. 

It was another person’s back, laying against her. 

In an instant, Hana knew it was K’xug. 

They sat in the middle of the area, the grassland surrounding them. K’xug did not care about the curious and surprised stares from the angels, his eyes closed as he leaned his head back as well, knocking against Hana’s head slightly. 

“Hana, do you want to hear a story?” 

“Wh-what?” 

“Don’t turn your head, just listen. You don’t need to do anything.” 

K’xug stated, scratching his head awkwardly. 

I’m sorry, this...this is the only way I know how to comfort you, Hana. 

Hana was confused at this situation, but her shivering had quelled down. 

“A story? But you don’t really talk much--” 

“It is a story about two friends, these two friends were outcasts and they fit in nowhere. In this entire world, the only two people who accepted them were themselves.” 

K’xug cut Hana off, starting his story and Hana was shocked to hear him speaking a long sentence. 

“Just the two of them together, they found no need to fit in anywhere and they would do everything together. That includes dressing up like an old angel.”

Hana burst out into a confused laugh. 

“What? But why?” 

“These two friends have always been poor, and disliked by many. At the same time, they have seen many things, and since people in the markets like listening to old angels telling stories. These two friends decided to do the same to earn money. One of them would be the face and body the other would be the legs.” 

“Did they wear beards like those old angels too?!” 

“Definitely.” 

“Ehh? How did they get them?” 

“Well you see,” K’xug answered with a smile in his voice. “They sneaked up behind a white heavenly tiger and shaved part of its fur off.” 

“Those scary tigers?! How did they do it?” 

“With a shear from...somewhere.”

“What happened then?” 

“They ran, and one of them almost had their butt bitten off by the tiger.” 

Hana laughed. “I am sure it is so angry!” 

“Indeed, the two friends even laughed at how weird the tiger looked with a part of its fur gone.” 

“Eh...but their fur would grow back, right?” 

“It does take a while.” 

“What next then? What happens after the friends have their fake beard?”

“Well, we went to the market dressed up in…”

K’xug continued on with his story, and Hana continued giggling. Soon enough, the bright smile was back on her face. 

The two sat there, their warmth on their back constantly reminding that the other party was still there beside them, and the slight vibrations they could feel from the other party as they laughed. 

K’xug could not recall a day he had talked as much.

Hana could not recall a day she had laughed so much, until her stomach and throat hurt. 

Nothing could step between these two people, who were wearing a constant smile on their face. 

Hana was sure, if this half-breed, copper-brown haired angel had not been with her that day, she would not be able to recover from such a traumatic experience. 

In fact, without K’xug, Hana could not imagine how different her life would have been. If Xue was the friend that she didn’t deserve, K’xug was the friend she always needed in her life. 

...though, considering him as a friend at this point was...strange. 

It fit but somehow, it did not fit as well. 

***

The gorgeous red-haired woman gradually awakened from her serene memory of the past, and somehow, there was something indecipherable in her blue eyes and it was something that the past Hana would show. 

Hana felt a warmth around her hand, and she turned to look, her eyes widening as she noticed a copper-brown haired man lying his head beside her, their hands entwined. His eyes were closed, his eyelashes were long, and Hana could not help but admire it for a moment. 

Hana shifted so that she laid on her side, lifting her other free hand and hovering it in front of K’xug, covering his face. A few seconds later, she moved it aside. 

K’xug was still there, sleeping peacefully.

“...K’xug.” 

Hana smiled softly to herself, calling out his name, as soft as a whisper. 

“K’xug.”

This time, she pronounced his name letter by letter. 

“K’xug…” 

Now, she called his name with a slight giggle. 

The copper-brown haired man suddenly opened his eyes, and Hana stiffened, stopping mid-laughter. She stared back at his different-coloured eyes with her wide eyes, and K’xug continued gazing at her. 

All of a sudden, K’xug flashed her a small, charming smile. 

Hana felt her heart skipping a beat, and her breath hitched.

The next second, he went back to sleep. 

Hana exhaled sharply, wanting to press her hand to heart, until she realised her hand was still entwined with K’xug. 

“Hehe,” Hana giggled quietly to herself. “K’xug.” 

She beamed, snuggled just a tad bit closer to the man, closing her eyes. 

“All this time, thank you for being by my side.” 

Just like that, the two laid there with their eyes closed, their foreheads almost touching with their entwined hands. It was a picturesque scene, one an innocent beauty while the other a scarred handsome man. 

...but together, they seemed to fit like a missing puzzle piece. 

***

“You are finally here, rascal.” 

Veau smiled lazily. “You did not give me a choice, old geezer.” 

The old geezer also known as the strong hermit that sheltered himself in the heavenly mountain, stroked at his greyish-white bread, the wrinkles were evident on his face. He let out a chuckle, nodding, his long white hair following to his movement. 

The two of them were at a familiar clearing, one that Veau had stepped into not too long ago and accompanied by his half-brother, Zeau. 

“If I did not do this, you would not visit the place as long as you lived, won’t you? Veau?” 

“What if I told you I came to this place with Zeau just two weeks ago?” Veau raised his eyebrows. 

“Oh? You did?” Valoel chuckled again, raising his eyebrows as well. “But did you make it past this point?” 

Valoel gestured to the clearing ahead of them. 

“The little rascal I know would have backed out, the moment he tried to take a step in.” 

Veau’s face twitched, finding it hard to maintain his lazy smile. It was obvious how Valoel had guessed correctly. 

The old geezer caught on to that minute movement, nodding to himself. “I am right, aren’t I?” 

That day, after reaching this point with Zeau. Veau only stopped and stared at the clearing for a moment, before teleporting away without a word. 

“Valoel, stop wasting our time. You know what I am here for, aren’t you?” 

“Hmmm,” Valoel stroked his beard, contemplating. “There are many guesses in mind--” 

“Hana Katae, that day, I told you to seal her angelic powers,” Veau stated bluntly, his smile dropping. “I did not tell you to help in unlocking the seal on her too.” 

“I did not unlock the seal on her,” Valoel smiled, still stroking his beard. “I simply weakened it, and if her prayers were strong enough, the seal would be broken by her. It was an effort of her own.” 

Veau sighed, showing a rare moment of frustration as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He squeezed his eyes close, and there was a suspicious glint in Valoel’s eyes. 

All of a sudden, Veau felt a change in the air and his surroundings began to change. He opened his eyes, snapping his head up.

“Light magic illusion…” 

Veau forgot that other than him, this old geezer here was more powerful than any being in this world...if