FALLEN ANGEL: MARRIED TO THE DEMON KING
Chapter 72: VERY MANY YEARS AGO (SIDE STORY 5)

Chapter 72: VERY MANY YEARS AGO (SIDE STORY 5) <VARZIEL’S POV>

"The monsters in the snow?" Varziel’s eyes widened. His hands paused mid-bite. These were the monsters that had been chasing him and his father. If they were here, did that mean that they had gotten to his father? Did that mean that his father might very well be dead?

Did that mean that he was now truly alone?

Arella nodded at his words, her expression serious. She was nibbling on the cookie and looked like a chipmunk. "Not far from here, at least. That is why Cassie and I are here. He needs to deal with them, and I tagged along to learn. Although if mother finds out, he is going to be scolded. Hehe." She giggled as if the thought of her brother getting scolded by their mother was what she lived for.

"But he might get hurt." Varziel muttered, his appetite now fully lost, "Those things might be dangerous."

Arella looked up at Varziel, with crumbs of the biscuit dusting her chin. "Do not worry. Cassie is super strong, much stronger than many angels I know."

Despite her reassurance, Varziel could not help but feel a cold shiver of fear run down his spine. The memory of the glowing eyes and sharp teeth flashed through his mind. He could still hear his father’s voice in his mind, urging him to run and carrying him when Varziel’s feet were too tired to work. Tears pooled in Varziel’s eyes, and he curled into himself as he blinked them away.

Arella immediately noticed his unease, so she reached out and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Hey," her voice was gentle. "You are safe with us, okay? I will not let anything happen to you. That I promise." She rummaged around her pocket and dug out a small water pouch.

"Here, have some water. I am sure you are a bit thirsty." Varziel did not see the need to inform her that he had stood outside of the shelter for five minutes a day to take snow in his mouth so that he could drink and fill his stomach.

She pushed the water pouch into his hand and helped him open the cap as she continued to chatter on. Varziel looked at it warily. He was a demon; he knew that water from angels was not good for them. It could even kill a demon who was too weak. "Those monsters are nasty things. Big ugly and mean from what I have heard the humans say. They have been attacking travelers and villages. Cassie insisted on coming out here, but I can tell you for sure that he snuck out without informing father. He is good at taking care of things like that, but I heard father tell him not to step out of his bounds. Castiel does not like to listen though."

"And... he is out there alone?" Varziel’s voice was tinged with worry.

"Of course not," Arella shrugged. "We could not leave just like that, so we came with two of the other angels who were in the area." Arella took back the water pouch, took a long swig, then returned it to him. "You seriously need to drink some. I promise it’s not holy water. I do not have the best control over it yet, and so I only packed some normal human water."

"So there are other angels with you?" Varziel was not sure the other angels would be as weak to Arella as her older brother was. They may decide to kill him even though Castiel was on his side.

"It is easier like that to hunt demons in groups of three. Although Cassie likes it better to fight alone. He dislikes it when people slow him down." She pushed the water to Varziel’s mouth, and despite his worry that it would kill him, he took a long swig.

The water was somewhat sweet, but it did not kill him, so it was obviously not holy water. He took another swig of it.

He was not so sure that the angels could kill the demons on their own. These were the same demons that had been hunting him and his father for a very long time, and all they could do was run. His gaze drifted to the door, and a sinking feeling settled in his chest. However, before he could voice his doubts, a sudden noise interrupted his thoughts—a low guttural growl that seemed to reverberate through the broken down walls.

Arella froze, and her cheerful expression hardened in an instant. She stood up, "Stay here." Her voice dropped to a whisper. She snapped the fingers on both her hands twice, and after a low hum that matched that of her brother’s a few minutes earlier, a staff materialized in her hands.

It was large, much larger than Arella, who stood at only half the height of the staff. The gold and silver colors of the staff intertwined around each other, and faintly glowing runes were etched over the staff. At the top of it hung a crystal orb that glowed with a light blue color.

Although it looked terribly heavy, Arella handled it like a pro as she spun it in her arms. Then, the tip of it fell to the floor with a loud thud. She sheepishly looked back at Varziel, giving him a small, bashful smile. "Oopsie. I did not mean to do that. Hehehe."

Varziel’s heart pounded in his chest as another growl echoed, louder this time. The door shuddered as if something massive had brushed against it. It was obvious that whatever was outside had heard Arella’s staff, for it growled outside the door and pushed at the door experimentally, trying to see if it would open.

The creatures were smart; they had always been smart.

"What is that?" Arella asked, her voice barely audible. She planted the base of the staff tightly on the ground. She stood in front of Varziel, keeping her eyes firmly planted on the door, as if also scared of whatever was on the other side. "Do not move; I will take care of it."

Her frame seemed to grow larger as she squared her shoulders, her expression focused.

A deafening crash shattered the tension as the door splintered inward, causing snow and wind to howl into the shelter. A hulking creature loomed in the doorway, its eyes glowing an eerie blue color. It’s fur was matted, and its jagged claws gleamed like shards of eyes. It was here, the Shadow Hounds belonging to the Demon King.

Varziel froze, his breath catching in his throat.

"Stay back!" Arella shouted, as she took a small step forward. She raised her staff; the staff hummed gently with energy, and the runes glowed brighter, responding to her command. With a flick of her wrist, the crystal orb at the top of the staff flared, casting a blinding blue light that illuminated the shelter. The Shadow Hound snarled, recoiling slightly, but it did not retreat. Its glowing eyes locked on Arella, filled with obvious malice.

"Come at me then," she muttered under her breath, gripping the staff tightly. "Let’s see what you’ve got, you beast."

The creature lunged, its massive claws aiming for her head. Arella sidestepped, her movements fluid. She swung her staff, and as it glowed a light blue, water swirled around them and headed for the creature. It formed a ball that sent the beast staggering backwards. It’s fur sizzled at the point of contact, but it did not deter the beast, as it lunged for Arella again, snapping its jaws.

Arella leaped back, "Hehe. Too slow," she taunted, her voice steady as she jabbed the end of her staff into the ground, and a ripple of water surged forward, turning into a sharp point just before it slammed into the hound’s chest. The beast was thrown back, crashing into the broken remnants of the doorway.

The hound rose once more, snarling, its eyes blazing brighter. It was obviously angry now, as it gave a loud howl before charging again. "Are you just going to watch?" Arella called over her shoulder, a teasing lilt in her voice as she adjusted the grip on her staff, poising her body for the next attack, "A little encouragement would be so nice!"

Varziel blinked, startled back into reality by her words. He had been watching her, in awe at how she was actually fighting neck in neck with the shadow hound. "You... you are amazing," he stammered, unable to look away from her.

Arella grinned, though her focus remained on the shadow hound. "I am amazing, right? But, flattery later, El. Right now, I am kind of busy fighting here."

.

S/T:

Echo: I promise that is not me! I have no idea who that is! How dare they attack my master? Let me at them! Let me at them!

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