If Nile had thought it strange that demons fought one another, it was even stranger to see an entire legion standing guard around Manor Saffron.

“What the Divine did that girl do?” asked the angel.

Ah yes, Nile reminded himself with a flex of his fingers. There was an angel here as well, injured from Valeria’s power that destroyed nearly half the Coterie, and one who actually expecting him, failed apprentice who couldn’t even keep a chastity vow, to have answers.

“Your guess is as good as ours,” said Ferdinand, to Nile’s relief.

Nile couldn’t take staring at the wall of demons any longer. It was as if they didn’t need to eat or sleep. They stood silent as statues, and as far as he was concerned, they were going to stay that way.

It didn’t surprise him when Ferdinand and the angel followed him down the halls. He was starving. He wasn’t a magical statue that could live off of malice.

When they reached the courtyard, he approached one of the many trees that had born fruit overnight. He took a fistful of plump, black berries and shoved them into his mouth. He closed his eyes and sighed when the sweet nourishment burst in his mouth.

“We need to think of a plan,” Ferdinand said. “The Coterie is going to be expecting their own to return to them. If they don’t, their rage will fall on us full force.”

Nile took another fistful of berries, but stared at them, sad that he couldn’t share this bounty with the people of Leocivat. They’d known only dried meat and nuts for far too long. Flowering fruit trees couldn’t survive in the onyx infested soil anymore. At least, not until Valeria had come into his life. “We wait for Valeria to return. Then we’ll take on a portion of the peoples of Leocivat. This Manor is meant to house hundreds. It’ll be enough for what remains of the Coterie to take in their walls.”

He turned, only to find Ferdinand starting at him with wide eyes. “You believe that girl is coming back?” Ferdinand asked with disbelief. He scoffed as his blonde brows raised. “She’s gone, boy. She left us.”

Nile opened his mouth to defend her, but it was the angel called Anark who spoke first. “She could have taken the power with her. She used me to defeat these members of the Coterie, but she didn’t take that Light for herself, even though she could have.” He flared his wings and straightened. “She wanted to protect this place. I believe the boy to speak the truth.” He looked up, and without warning he shoved his wings down and launched into the air.

Nile covered his face as dust kicked up in a violent gust. When he looked up again, he found the angel carefully hovering until he reached the invisible field that encased Manor Saffron. It had kept demons out, but what he hadn’t expected was that it could keep angels in.

Anark tested a few spots, knocking his fist against the invisible walls that shimmered with gold. Then when he’d twisted west, he froze, his wings faltering and jerking him to the side. He corrected himself and then slowly descended to the ground.

“We have a problem,” he said.

Ferdinand leaned on his staff. “And, pray tell, what problem is that? We’re trapped here? We’re surrounded by demons?”

Anark frowned, but the motion barely marred his marble face. “The opposing force of demons have awakened an ancient power, and it is building an onyx tower that will reach Celestia if remained unchecked.”

Nile and his master stared with incomprehension at the angel until he added, “The city of angels.”

Ferdinand huffed a laugh. “Oh, well that doesn’t sound like a problem at all. The demons are finally going after someone their own size.”

Anark growled and flared his wings. “You don’t understand, old man. The angels haven’t abandoned this world. They are slumbering until we can recoup our numbers enough to take on the demon forces. It takes time to rebuild the numbers lost from the Fall.”

Ferdinand’s jaw slammed shut.

Nile stumbled, his bounty of berries falling to the ground. “All this time, angels have had a plan? Why didn’t you tell us?” He dared another step closer to the angel. Even though the air hummed with his immortal, ancient power, Nile wasn’t entirely human either. He was a creature of kindred Light, and his voice deserved to be heard. “Humanity has been fighting against extinction for so long. It isn’t just demons that brought us down, but the hopelessness.” He’s always held out hope that this world could be saved. No one else seemed to believe it. “Without hope, humanity is already lost.”

Anark frowned. “There was no other way. To return here has already started a premature we can’t win.” His gaze turned somber as he looked up into the sky. “Mehmet is awake, and that means I need to get back to the angel city and wake our own forces that are in slumber, or he will kill them all.”

Nile growled, but Ferdinand gripped his shoulder. “You know that girl better than anyone. What do you think she’s doing out there?”

A hundred thoughts flew through Nile’s mind, but he knew what Valeria was doing. She was ensuring this world had a future, no matter the cost.

There was only one way he could reach her. She had to know what was at stake. She had to know the truth. “I’ll reach her,” he promised, and turned towards Manor Saffron halls.

There was only one force that could reach Valeria, and it was the Light that bound them together.