They had moved him inside what was left of a half-destroyed shelter — walls cracked, roof barely holding, moonlight pouring through the broken beams.
Keuirseu lay on an old mattress someone dragged in, wrapped in blankets Destiny refused to let anyone else touch. His breathing was still shallow, each inhale trembling like his ribs didn't remember how to work.
Destiny sat beside him, knees pulled up, one wing draped protectively over his body like a shield.
He blinked slowly, heavy eyes struggling to stay open.
"Are… you still here?" he whispered.
Destiny smiled softly.
She brushed a strand of hair from his forehead.
"Where else would I be?" she murmured.
"I don't… want to fall asleep," he whispered, voice breaking. "What if I wake up and he's—he's back? What if he takes me again?"
Destiny shook her head, leaning down so their foreheads touched.
"He can't," she whispered. "Not after what you did. You tore him out with your own strength. You saved yourself."
His eyes filled.
"…I'm not strong."
"You're stronger than any angel I know," she said.
He swallowed hard, overwhelmed.
Destiny lay down beside him carefully, avoiding the burns on his chest. She rested her hand over his heart, feeling its uneven rhythm in her palm.
"Listen," she whispered. "Your heartbeat is yours. Not his. As long as it beats, you're here with me."
Keuirseu blinked up at her.
"You're… not leaving?"
Destiny reached and took his hand.
"I'm staying. Even if you fall asleep. Even if it takes all night."
His lashes fluttered.
"…Promise?"
She squeezed his fingers gently.
"I promise."
The room grew quiet.
Outside, wind whistled through broken boards. Distant crashes from battles echoed far away. But in this small, fragile room, there was peace.
Keuirseu's breathing slowed.
Destiny hummed — a soft angelic melody from her childhood, the kind sung to calm newborns. A soothing thread of light shimmered around her hand and wrapped around his heart like a warm blanket.
His eyes finally closed.
He whispered one last thing before sleep took him completely:
"Destiny… thank you… for seeing me."
A single tear rolled down her cheek.
"I always have," she whispered.
She adjusted her wing, wrapping him fully in warmth and light, guarding him like she would guard her own life.
And Keuirseu, for the first time in a long time, slept peacefully — protected, safe, and finally free.
The wind along the New Zealand coast was sharp and cold.
The waves crashed against black volcanic rock, sending mist into the air.
Blood Reaper sat at the very edge of the cliff, knees pulled up, staring at the ocean like it was speaking a language only she could hear.
Her fingers dug into the earth as if grounding herself.
Dyren sat beside her, hand woven tightly through hers, thumb brushing her knuckles.
He looked pleased.
Possessive.
Smug.
The spider boy and Constant landed behind them, exhausted from the chase.
The spider tilted his head.
"She's… conflicted," he whispered.
Constant took a breath.
He walked forward.
Blood Reaper didn't turn, but she felt him.
Dyren did turn — eyes narrowing.
"Even on the run, we can't find peace," Dyren muttered.
Constant ignored him completely.
He sat on the other side of Blood Reaper, leaving just a few inches between them.
The ocean roared below.
He spoke softly.
"You remind me of the ocean."
Blood Reaper's eyes flicked toward him — surprised.
Constant continued.
"When you look calm… you're not.
There's storms under the surface.
Depths no one sees.
And if someone isn't careful…" he swallowed, "they drown."
Dyren rolled his eyes loudly.
"I see a tidal wave when I look at her. I like tidal waves. They destroy things."
Constant threw him a glare but looked back at her.
He lifted his hand slowly — letting her see he wouldn't touch unless she allowed it.
"What do you see… when you look at me?" he asked.
Blood Reaper finally turned her head.
Her eyes traveled to his soft blue ones — the ones that always looked at her like she mattered.
Then down to his mouth — gentle, warm, the kind that whispered comfort.
She opened her mouth—
But Dyren leaned in, interrupting.
"Or me," he purred.
Blood Reaper turned, staring into Dyren's hazel eyes — wild, dangerous, full of electric heat.
The kind of eyes that said he would choose her over the entire universe… or destroy the world with her.
Caught between them both.
Her breath hitched.
Her heart — which was never supposed to feel — pounded painfully.
She hated it.
She stood up in one furious motion.
"I do not love," she snapped, voice sharp. "Blood Reaper was not created for that."
Constant stood too.
"Maybe you weren't created for it," he said gently, "but you're feeling it."
Dyren rose with a wicked smile.
"And she feels it with me."
Blood Reaper's fists clenched, nails digging into her palms.
The ocean wind howled around them as if reacting to her emotions.
"I do not love," she repeated, but her voice shook.
The spider boy stepped forward, staring up at her with ancient eyes despite his young form.
"Then why did you run?" he asked quietly.
Blood Reaper froze.
Dyren's smile vanished.
Constant watched her chest rise and fall — too fast, too human.
The spider boy finished:
"Because love scares you."
Blood Reaper turned her face away, jaw trembled, tears threatening her eyes — and she hated that more than anything.
For a moment…
She looked like she might break.
The ocean roared.
Blood Reaper trembled.
Constant stood to her left — breath held, heart breaking.
Dyren on her right — eyes blazing with possession and hunger and something deeper.
The spider boy backed up slowly.
Something was wrong.
Something inside her snapped.
A faint trembling started in the air around her.
Then—
CRACK—!!!
The clouds split open overhead.
Blood Reaper's wings burst out — not black, not gold…
but ripping flames trailing behind her like exploding meteors.
Her hair whipped violently around her face, eyes turning pure abyss.
The entire coastline shook.
Dyren stepped forward, gripping her arms tight.
"Look at me," he whispered, voice rough.
"Look at me, Blood Reaper—"
She jerked her head toward him, eyes glowing like collapsing stars.
Dyren pressed his forehead to hers.
"I love you," he breathed.
"I have never loved anyone. Ever. And I never will again."
Constant flinched as if stabbed.
Dyren went on, voice breaking:
"You are my soul's fire. My storm. My reason.
If you asked—I would destroy Heaven for you."
Blood Reaper gasped — emotion slamming into her harder than any battle.
Constant stepped closer, voice raw.
"Blood Reaper… listen to me," he begged.
"You don't have to be what they made you.
You can choose."
Her power surged higher — the sky turning pitch black.
The ground cracked.
Wind blasted outward, knocking Constant back.
The cliff wall split behind Dyren.
And the demon army sensed her power.
They rose from cracks in the earth beneath the waves —
thousands of them —
crawling up the rocks, wings snapping open, eyes glowing red.
They bowed instantly — as one.
Blood Reaper gasped, clutching her head.
"No—no—NO—!"
She staggered back, trembling.
Dyren stepped closer.
"It's okay… let it out. Let ALL of it out."
Constant shook his head violently.
"Don't listen to him—he WANTS this!"
She screamed.
BOOOOOM—!!!
A shockwave blasted the entire cliffside apart.
Demons were thrown into the sea.
Birds screamed and fled.
Lightning struck the earth itself.
Blood Reaper collapsed to her knees, powers spiraling out of control.
The spider boy covered his ears.
Dyren knelt with her, gripping her shoulders fiercely.
"LOVE ME," he shouted over the roar.
"I choose you! I always will!"
Constant's chest shattered with pain — visibly breaking him.
"Blood Reaper—please—" his voice cracked, "don't choose darkness because you're hurt. Choose what YOU want."
She sobbed — actually sobbed — in confusion and pain.
The demon army drew closer—
Until a portal tore open across the world.