Author's Note

Remember that time I warned you guys about maybe putting that porn tag on this story... yeeeaaah, this time I'm upgrading the "viewer discretion is advised," to

VIEWER DISCRETION IS REQUIRED!!!!

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The next day, after Shell had been taken by Dr. Seer, Ayis and the others went to see her friend, Ronzul. She took them downtown, where they found a tunnel in an alleyway, which Ayis explained lead to Ronzul's home. The tunnel was masterfully made, and had seemingly no flaws in the stonework.

“This ain't creepy at all…” Marisa muttered sarcastically.

“No kidding…” Alexandria agreed.

“Alexandria, I'm scared…” Shanghai said, clutching tightly to Alexandria's shoulder.

“I'm scared too…” Daiyousei added, clinging to Marisa.

“Oh hush, Ronzul's a really nice guy. He just likes his privacy is all,” Ayis said as they arrived at a stone door, carvings of a stone and chisel on it. Ayis knocked on the door. “Hey, Ronzul, you in there?”

The door slid open to reveal a stocky, stout dwarf with a black beard and slight mullet, the beard braided thrice over. He looked up at Ayis, and the group noted he had tattoos on his arms, both of some strange form of runes.

“Ayis? What're ya doin' 'ere, lass?” he looked to the others. “And who are they? Friends?”

“It's a long story, but yeah, they're friends,” Ayis explained. Ronzul stroked his beard before shrugging.

“Well, git in 'ere, then. Jus' don't touch tha' soil samples,” Ronzul said, stepping aside to let them in. Ayis entered, the door just tall enough for her. Daiyousei stepped inside too, having no trouble due to being the exact same height as Ayis. Alexandria and Marisa looked at each other, both being taller than the doorway. Marisa shrugged and ducked inside. After a moment, Alexandria also ducked in. Starlight, hanging in the back and having stayed silent for most of the trip entered behind Alexandria.

Inside was a room made of concrete, though not a kind of concrete Starlight, Alexandria, Marisa or Dayousei were used to. For one, it was a much darker gray, and two, it had a much smoother feel to it. The concrete walls were decorated with intricate carvings and murals, and on a table in the middle of the room was a collective pile of soil samples, all of semi-differing shades of brown, with flags in them.

There were two other doorways on the left and right sides of the room, and straight in front of the group was a large number of stone shelves with glass jars of more soil samples. Ronzul walked over to the left doorway.

“This way, lassies,” he instructed, descending yet another staircase. Alexandria, Marisa, Daiyousei and Starlight were a bit hesitant, though Ayis followed without question. Alexandria looked at the other three standing with her before descending the staircase.

“Ugh, this just keeps gettin' creepier and creepier…” Marisa muttered as she entered the doorway and followed Alexandria down the stairs. Daiyousei continued to cling silently to Marisa's arm, shaking a little as she glanced around at the dark and gloomy concrete that comprised all the floors, walls, ceilings and even the stairs of the staircase. Starlight pulled her cloak tighter to her and felt Cataclysm shift on her back, the Nil Dragon reassuring her as she followed.

Ayis kept her wings close to her as they descended the stairs, and while they did, the smell of fire and the feeling of intense heat started to make them all sweat profusely. They arrived in a room with smelters pouring some kind of silvery metal into kilns, which had cement in them already. Ronzul walked past them and towards the door on the other side of the room, walking down a small aisle between the two channels of which the mixed minerals were flowing beneath and to some other room, behind another wall.

“Don' mind tha' Mixers, jus' try ta' stay in tha' aisle,” Ronzul instructed. “Don' want ya gittin' yer feet burned beyond repair.”

“Yeah…” Alexandria answered quietly as she cautiously walked down the aisle, eyeing the molten substance. “I doubt touching molten metal and rock feels all that pleasant…” Marisa carefully walked down the aisle behind Alexandria in silence. The aisle was too small for Daiyousei and Marisa to walk side by side, so Daiyousei had to let go of Marisa's arm. Instead of walking, Daiyousei used her wings to hover just above the floor of the aisle and crossed quickly, grabbing Marisa's arm again as soon as she was across. Starlight looked from one side to the other as she made her way across, still holding her cloak tight as her horn began to glow, followed soon after by the rest of her body and the outline of Cat on her back.

They descended another set of stairs, and arrived at what could be called a living room. There were polished black and white tiles with a loveseat sitting by a fireplace, most likely a gas one. The floor in front of the fireplace had a unique and slightly unsettling rug, made of the hide of some unknown beast. It appeared to be gray and fuzzy, yet there were craggy parts as well. There was a number of family portraits on a shelf above the fireplace, although they were of Ronzul and a few different ponies instead of more people like him.

There were also more loveseats around the back of the homey looking room, and a couch next to the one nearest the fire. On the far wall was an armor stand with very well decorated armor on it and a greatshield hung up next to the stand, as well as a very unsettling looking mace in a display case on the other side of the stand.

Ronzul gestured to the couch. “Have a seat, tell ol' Ronny whatcha need,” Ronzul said, sitting down on the loveseat nearest the fire. Alexandria took a seat on the couch, eyeing the odd rug in front of it. Marisa remained standing, and Daiyousei continued to cling to her, giving the mace a scared look. Starlight found a shadowed corner of the room and went to stand there only to shift as Cataclysm jumped from her back. The demon beelined for the fireplace as he came into view and jumped in amongst the flames, curling up happily.

“No, Cat, get back here,” Starlight said worriedly, taking a step forward. “I'm so sorry Mister Ronzul….” Ronzul simply laughed.

“It's fine, lass. Ah don' mind the lil'un sleepin' in the fire. Long as 'e's comfortable,” Ronzul assured. He turned to Ayis. “So, what trouble didya git inta' this time? Didn' see ya for months!” Ayis rubbed her arm nervously, looking to the others.

“About that…” Alexandria started. “A couple months back, Ayis happened to get herself, uh… 'Angel-napped' by a large-scale crime organization called the Circle of the Hightower. Just a couple days ago, Starlight, a few others who aren't here right now and I went to one of the Circle's complexes to complete an unrelated objective. While there, we discovered Ayis there and we busted her out.”

Ronzul closed his eyes as he stroked his beard, deep in thought. A tense silence filled the room, none of the girls sure what to say as Ronzul thought to himself. Finally, he opened his brown eyes once more.

“Yew have a kid in ya, dontcha?” he asked out of nowhere. Ayis sputtered for a moment and flailed a little, more than a little surprised. He sighed. “Figured.” He stood up, walking over to the armor stand. He stopped in front of it. “So, those lil' kucknas really want to start a war…” He growled, lashing out at the wall with a fist, instantly cracking it and making a dent. “...Then war it is.”

“Please, calm down Ronzul,” Alexandria said. “We can worry about declaring war on the Circle soon enough, but first we need to talk to you about the real reason we're here: we need to build a base of operations to stay in, and Ayis told us you're the guy to ask.”

Ronzul stood there, fist in the wall, for a good minute just seething with rage. Finally, he removed his fist, leaving behind the dent, and walked over to the fireplace, casually placing his hand inside and petting Cataclysm.

“Yew'll git one and more,” he said simply. Ayis' eyes widened.

“Ronzul, you don’t mean-” she began.

“Ah do, lass. Yer gittin' the Imperial Bundle. Fortress an' all. Ah'll cover half o' tha' expenses,” he turned to face the group. “Long as y'all tell me tha' next time yew go ta' fight those bastards, yer gittin’ all Ah can give.”

Ayis got a little teary eyed, and couldn't help but rush over and hug the dwarf. He simply smiled and rubbed her back as she cried into him.

Alexandria smiled. “If you're offering to fight alongside us, we'd be more than happy to have you, Ronzul,” she said. “And thank you for your offer. We'll need everything we can get our hands on if it'll help us take down the Circle.”

“Anythin' for the lil' Feather,” Ronzul said with a smile as he patted Ayis’ back.

“I'm only 36 years behind you!” she said with a laugh.

“Still a young'un to me, lass,” Ronzul said good naturedly as Ayis stood up and smiled down at the dwarf. “Now, let's talk about tha' specifications. Yew'll be gittin' ma' patented Supreme Dozer, which Ah'm thinkin' Ah'll put at tha' top o' tha' fort. But first, where do ya plan ta' build?”

“Heh, as it happens, we were in a pretty big and abandoned construction site just the other day,” Marisa answered. “It was real flat and everythin'. Seemed perfect for buildin' a base.”

“Where exactly was this?” Ronzul queried.

“It was near the shopping district,” Starlight answered, stepping up. “Northwest of Rarity's Canterlot Boutique.”

“Really? That ol' place?” Ronzul queried. At her nod, he hummed in thought. “Ah'd hafta' git some legal permissions, but ya got a real good spot there, lass.”

“Hah!” Marisa laughed. “Well, lucky me, huh?” Alexandria rolled her eyes.

“If you need time to get everything sorted out, then that's fine,” she said. “We'll need to relay the news to the others anyway. We'll let you work out all the legal details, and then we'll meet with you at the site with the rest of us.”

Ronzul nodded. “Understood, lass,” he said as they all moved to leave the room. When Alexandria passed by him, he stopped her with his arm. “Oi, keep an eye on li'l Feathers, will ya? She's like ma' own daughter.” Alexandria laughed a little.

“Don't worry, Ronzul,” she answered. “I don't plan on letting my girlfriend die.”

“Good, now, git goin'. Ah have to go polish ma' gear and git in touch with tha' legal boys,” Ronzul said, making a shooing motion.

“We're goin', we're goin'...” Marisa said as they were shooed back out into the tunnel outside Ronzul's front door. “Yeesh…” she added after Ronzul had gone off ahead of them to go do what he needed to do.

“Don' go touchin' ma' soil while I'm gone! Tha' Minotaur Ambassador wants tha' best 'e can git for 'is new fort!” Ronzul called as he climbed the stairs.

“I don't think we'd have any reason to touch 'em anyway!” Marisa called back.

“Alright, we should probably get going to Dr. Seer's so we can get Arela and Hikan,” Alexandria said. “They'll want to hear about this, I'm sure.”

“I know Hikan would,” Starlight said, stepping out the door with Cataclysm cradled in her arms. The little demon had not woken up and Starlight was softly stroking the feathers of his head with a worried look. “I'd… also like to know how Shell is doing.”

“Yeah, same,” Ayis agreed as they all walked up the steps.

Once at the clinic, Alexandria was the first to step inside. “Hello Ms. Touch,” she said to the receptionist behind the reception window.

The mare looked up from some paper work. “Oh,” she said in surprise before giving a small, tense smile. “It's nice to see you again. How can I help you?”

“We're here to grab Arela and Hikan,” Marisa said before anyone else could answer.

“We were also hoping to maybe see how Shell is doing…” Daiyousei added.

“Ah, you're here for the bug,” Gentle Touch said tersely. “The doctor is finishing up taking care of your… friend.”

Alexandria glared at the mare. “That's right, she's our friend. And I'll have you know that she's one of the nicest people I've known. In addition to that, it's the clinic's job to aid people when they're hurt, isn't it? I don't think you should be letting racial prejudice get in the way of your job.”

The mare looked up at the Yokai and returned her glare, starting to get out of her seat. “Look here, missy-”

“Gentle,” the low, dark growl made the mare jump a bit as the door swung quietly shut behind Dr. Truth Seer. “Sit back down.” The mare gulped and sat back down quickly, the doctor's gaze following her. Once she was seated, Dr. Seer looked up at the group and his scowl turned into a gentle smile. “Unfortunately, I can only let two of you back with the others, though that shouldn't be a problem. Your friend pulled through the night just fine and should be able to return home with you all.”

“That's great news,” Alexandria answered with a sigh. “And it's fine if not all of us can go back there to see Shell. As long as we can talk with Arela and Hikan.”

“I'll be sure to send one of them out,” the zebra said with his kind smile. “If two of you would please meet me at the waiting room door, I'll bring you right back.” With that, he turned and left through the same door he had entered the clerk's booth from. Before the door had even closed behind the stallion, Starlight was rushing to get to the waiting room doors. Alexandria went to follow her, but she stopped when she felt a tug on her dress. She turned to look behind her.

“U-Um…” Daiyousei stuttered, glancing away a little as she clasped her hands behind her back. “I-I'm really worried about Shell too… I was really hoping I could see her…”

Alexandria was silent for a few moments. Then her mouth turned up into a soft smile. “Alright Daiyousei,” she said. “I'll let you go see Shell.” Daiyousei looked up at Alexandria.

“Really…?” she asked. “You're okay with that?” Alexandria nodded. “Thank you!” Daiyousei said, a big, bright smile on her face as she gave Alexandria a quick hug before rushing to join Starlight by the waiting room doors. The door creaked open and Dr. Seer walked out of the way, letting Hikan step out of the door. He had bags under his eyes and his hair looked a mess.

“Hey, guys…” he greeted before letting out a long yawn. “Mm, sorry….”

“Triyte's Orbs, you alright there?” Ayis asked with concern.

“Hm?” Hikan hummed, looking to the fallen angel. “Oh, yeah. Just didn't get a lotta sleep last night, that's all.”

“You look like a vitelin for crying out loud!” Ayis cried.

Hikan blinked for a second before shrugging. “I'm going to assume that's a compliment,” he murmured before jerking his head back the way he came. “You guys better get going. Arela can catch you up once you get back there.”

Starlight looked worriedly at the man before she simply nodded and walked forward. She stopped only momentarily to give him a quick hug before disappearing into the depths of the clinic. Daiyousei followed Starlight silently, but glanced at Hikan with a worried look as she passed him. The man flashed her a tired smile and a thumbs up before Dr. Seer led them down the hall, the door to the waiting room swinging closed.

At the far back of the clinic, Truth took a right turn and led them down to a room. In the center was a full on medical bed, Shell being its current occupant while the futon had been pulled out into a bed, pillow and a blanket sitting on top of it.

Arela was standing right by the edge of Shell's bed, looking worse for wear than even Hikan did. Her wings had lost the luster and sheen to them, and her brown hair was frayed and looked oily. Her eyes were puffy and red, and she was staring straight at Shell's wound. She didn't seem to notice them.

Starlight stopped for a second, looking the angel over with a worried look before walking over to her side and stopping. “…The doctor said she's going to be fine…” she said quietly. Arela simply nodded. If she was affected by Starlight's presence, she didn't make any notion of it.

Starlight looked at her for a long moment before putting a hand on the angel's shoulder, and, a moment after that, wrapped her in a hug. This whole time, Daiyousei had been silently looking at Arela with a great deal of worry in her eyes.

Arela couldn't help but cry into Starlight's shoulder, body being wracked with sobs. Starlight rubbed her back, letting her cry as she held back her own tears. “She's going to be okay, Arela…” she said again, her voice tighter. After a moment, she started to hum a little tune. Something her mother used to sing to her and her sister when they were ill….

Arela cried harder for a little while, but slowly calmed, and, to Starlight's light surprise, passed out in her arms. It would seem her lack of sleep caught up with her.

“Ah…!” Daiyousei said in surprise, quickly running over to Starlight and Arela. “I-Is she okay?”

Starlight gave a soft smile as she held Arela and slowly and gently levitated her onto the futon, pulling the blanket over her. “She's just tired,” the unicorn answered quietly, gently brushing the angel's hair out.

“O-Oh…” Daiyousei said, though she still eyed Arela with worry.

After a few moments, Starlight got up from Arela's side and instead made her way over to Shell's, but an indent stayed on the couch as Cataclysm came into view, asleep next to the angel. The Changeling was sleeping soundly with bandages wrapped around her crown, a small barely visible stain a little ways over her right eye. Daiyousei turned to look down at Shell.

“I'm really glad Shell will be getting better soon…” she said. “I was really, really worried…”

Starlight nodded. “Yeah, me, too…” she said quietly, tears forming in her eyes before she squeezed them shut and grimaced. “How could we let something like this happen?”

“It wasn't our fault…” Daiyousei said. “That spirit lady was the one that hit Shell… And she did it too quickly… None of us could do anything about it… But I do wish I could have stopped her…”

Starlight was quiet as she let her tears fall down for several minutes before she opened her eyes. “...I'm going to make sure that never happens again,” she said quietly, her hands gripping the railing of the medical bed until her knuckles turned white.

“I… I agree,” Daiyousei said. “No matter how many times I have to sacrifice myself, no matter how much it hurts… I won't let this happen to anyone anymore.”

Starlight nodded her head and dried her tears before straightening up. “No matter the cost,” she said. “This won't ever happen again.”

Shell did eventually wake up, surprised by her new mane and went home with them. She spent the next month recovering in Gaelle's apartment alongside the others. But, nearer the end of the month, Ronzul found them and took them back to the construction site… only, it wasn't exactly an empty lot anymore….

The once empty lot was now a full on fortress, albeit not as big as the Castle in the upper district, but still bigger than what Hikan had seen. Arela and Ayis had seen forts of this like as well, but even they were a little blown away by the sight. Alexandria, Marisa and Daiyousei had never seen anything quite like it, and were speechless at the breathtaking sight of the building.

The walls and ramparts were lined with steel spikes, a few ballistae on each wall. The walls themselves were made of bricks of dark, almost charcoal color brick and mortar, and it was all masterfully done.

At the top was a small tower with what Hikan and Alexandria figured was a mortar, the large, quadruple-barreled hunk of metal standing proud as it's orange paint gave it a golden glow. At the entrance to the fort were banners with a symbol Hikan had specified he wanted. The black silhouette of a wolf head snarled towards the ground, it's yellow eye burning with the red cross pupil, the shape resembling something of a sword.

There were a number of smaller towers along the walls where archers could set up, and the fort had more than a few arrowslits all along the walls.

“It's…” Shanghai began before trailing off, unable to find any good words to describe the fort. Alexandria, Marisa and Daiyousei continued to remain silent, still stunned speechless.

“It's amazing,” Hikan finished, a bright grin on his face before he looks down to the Dwarf. “Thank you for this Ronzul. We really appreciate this.” Ronzul grunted.

“Long as ya give those Circle bastards what for, Ah don' care what Ah have ta' do. Jus' remember ta' pay tha' bill later, aye?” Ronzul said, looking up at his work. “Oh, and be mindful o' tha' walls inside. There're secret passages for ya.”

Starlight looked down from her gazing with a surprised look. “Um… maybe you should give us a tour…” she said, giving a nervous chuckle. Ronzul chuckled.

“Ah figured yew'd say that, lass,” Ronzul said as he began walking towards the doorway. As he walked, he called back. “Oh, and ma' pal in tha' Royal Guard said she was gunna send some o' her boys yer way.”

Hikan pauses for a moment at that and looks at the dwarf. “No offense, Ronzul,” he starts. “But are you sure that's a good idea? What we're doing here isn't exactly legal by any means. Not only that, but I can almost guarantee that some of the Circle's members will be nobles from the royal court.”

“Weren't ma' call, lad,” Ronzul replied, stopping at the doorway. “Was ol' Huey's idea. Crazy bat's been tryin' ta' find and stop these Circle clowns 'long as Ah've been 'ere.”

Hikan was quiet for a moment before he looked to the doors. “So long as none of us end up in handcuffs,” he muttered.

“Huey'll worry 'bout that. Now, let's git this show on tha' road, eh?” Ronzul said, walking through the doorway. Hikan nodded his head and followed after him, Starlight and Shell going behind him. After a moment longer of staring up at the building's outside, Alexandria, Marisa and Daiyousei also followed after them.

Ayis was close behind as Ronzul, much to the group's surprise, pushed the fifteen foot tall - and likely reinforced - iron doors open all by himself. He turned to their shocked visages and chuckled.

“What? Ne'er seen a dwarf push a door?” he asked.

“Well, I mean…” Alexandria started. “That's not it. It's just that I've never seen someone so small push something large and heavy with so much ease.”

Hikan laughed at this. “Seriously?” He asked, looking back at her. “You guys really are going to have to work on your physical strength if that's the ca-” A quick thud cut him off as Starlight chopped him in the back of the head. “...Ow… What was that for?”

“Be nice,” the unicorn answered. “They've all seen combat and know what we're up against… but they haven't seen the other things we've seen. The things on the flip side of the coin….”

Hikan was quiet for a moment before he let out a sigh and looked at the group. “She's right and I apologize,” he said. “But at the same time, we're not stepping into a game. Whatever or whoever the Circle is, expect feats of strength like that to become a norm. Not only that, but we'll have to be even stronger than that. Do you guys understand?”

“Got it,” Ayis said with a nod.

“Understood, my love,” Arela confirmed.

“I'll do whatever needs to be done,” Alexandria stated with conviction.

“Amen,” Marisa agreed.

“I may not be a very good fighter, but I'll do what I can to help,” Daiyousei said.

Hikan nodded before turning back to Ronzul. “Sorry for the interruption,” he apologized with a little bow. “Please, continue.” Ronzul nodded, guiding the three around the fort. He showed them the barracks where the, as he put it, 'Blind Guards', would be staying, the kitchens, the mess hall/dining room, the ramparts, and much more, like the bunker. In time, he showed them the rooms they would be staying in, along with the private bathhouse. Then, he brought them to the main tower where the mortar was, and explained how it worked, including how to make the special ammunition for it.

“And that 'bout sums it up,” Ronzul stated, looking back at the group as he turned from the mortar.

“You really went all out, didn't you Mister Ronzul,” Shell breathed, still looking around in awe. Ronzul grinned.

“Yer damned right, lass! Ah'd do anythin' fer Feathers 'ere,” Ronzul said, patting Ayis' side. Ayis smiled at this and gave the dwarf a brief hug. When she released him, she looked to her friends.

“So, who wants some Fallen cuisine?” she asked.

The base completed and the new Night Raid finally moved into their new home, time marched on. Hikan began to organize training regimens for them all, wanting to make sure they could all overcome their weaknesses before any real danger hit them. It was on one night while he was finishing up the last of the routines that the sound of someone pounding on the front door reverberated through the base.

“Hm?” Hikan looked up tiredly from the paperwork laid out before him as the loud banging seemed to pierce into his sleep-deprived head. “Now who could that be?”

“Sir! Somepony is here to see you! She has a young Hippogriff with her!” came the feminine voice of his personal guard, Little Locket.

“A…?” Hikan questioned before his eyes widened. “Thank you for reporting, Locket.” He got up from his seat and quickly ran to the front door. Locket nodded as he ran past her and out the door. The man stopped in front of the door before pulling it open.

Outside, in the cold and rain, Gaelle stood with an umbrella over herself and Garrick. The griffoness looked up from the ground, her eyes red. She'd been crying…. “Gaelle?” The assassin questioned before coming to stand beside her and usher them both inside. “What are you two doing out at this time of night? And in the rain, no less.”

Gaelle remained quiet as she and her son were led inside and Hikan closed the great door behind them. When he turned back to look at them, the griffon almost broke down into tears once more. “They found us, Hikan,” she said quietly, drawing a look of surprise from the hunter. “They… burned down the apartment we were staying in. Luckily, we weren't home… but when I saw the flames and smoke, I… I….” The griffoness' body shuddered and her voice broke as tears flowed down her face.

Hikan watched her for a moment before wrapping her in a hug. “It's okay…” he said quietly. “It's all going to be okay….”

The griffon sniffed and looked up at him. “How can you be so sure of that?” She asked, her voice tight.

Hikan looked up into Gaelle's eyes with a gentle smile. “Because I'm inviting you to stay here with us,” he said simply.

The griffon stared up at him in shock. “You… there's no way you could-”

“Of course I can,” he said. “After what you did for us, of course you can stay here. No charge and indefinitely.”

Gaelle stared up at him for a long time before her eyes teared up once more. “Thank you…” she breathed, holding him tight once more. “Thank you so much.”

Hikan smiled as he hugged her back. “It's no problem…” he said quietly. “No problem at all… not for our friends.”

And so, the Bludedges joined the Night Raid base, finally free of the nightmares that had plagued them for many, many long years. But, for a long time after that, everything went on normally. It wasn't until many months later that the group was given their next big shock….

“VYLASIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!!!!” screamed Ayis as she was on a bed, trying to push her baby out. Alexandria was next to Ayis, holding her hand.

“Just hang in there Ayis,” Alexandria said. “It shouldn't be too much longer.”

“Just keep breathing, Miss Filya,” Dr. Seer said over the sound of screaming. “You're almost through the worst of it.”

“Vilas kan til ghu!” Ayis roared at him in her native language before screaming again as she pushed.

“Just a little bit more Miss Filya,” the doctor said calmly. “Miss Kijin, if you would please help to keep her calm.”

“Come on Ayis,” Alexandria said. “The doctor unfortunately can't just do that. It'll just take longer and hurt longer unless you just grit your teeth, push and get this over with.”

“AAAAAAHHH!” Ayis screamed louder, until finally, the sounds of a newborn crying filled the room.

Dr. Seer let out a breath as the crying continued. He reached over to a table next to him and after little bit more shuffling, he stood up holding Ayis' new baby girl.

The little girl had pale skin, black wings with two-toned black and red feathers that faded into the other color across the length of each feather, a small horn on her forehead that was black with a red tip, the colors also forming a gradient in the middle like her feathers, and purple hair like her mother, but with black fringes.

She opened her eyes to show them all the heterochromatic orbs of green and blue that she had. Ayis panted, but smiled as she held her arms out to receive her child. The zebra gave a little smile as Nurse Red Cross handed him a blanket with which to swaddle the baby. With that done, he stepped over to Ayis and gently held her out. “Congratulations, Miss Filya,” he said gently. “You're officially a mother.”

Ayis took the child and looked down at her with a tired but warm smile, brushing the hair from the little girl's face. She held her close to her chest as she panted a little more.

“Yis…” she said softly. “Yis Vyala…” she said, nuzzling the child a little. Alexandria smiled.

“'Night's Splendor',” she said. “A beautiful name for such a beautiful baby.”

“Mother would have liked it,” Ayis said softly, giving her child a kiss. The child was asleep in her arms, but cuddled her head into Ayis' bosom at the action. Ayis looked up at Alexandria.

“Want to hold her, babe?” she asked. Alexandria looked down at the baby.

“I do want to,” she started. “But she looks really comfortable right now. I can always wait until later.”

Ayis smiled and shrugged, nuzzling her child more. “Suit yourself,” she said.

A new member of the family certainly did wonders to brighten up the mood, everyone pitching in whenever Ayis would let them. For two months after the birth of little Yis, things were pretty quiet, or at least as quiet as it could be with a team of assassins hunting down an evil organization. However, the turn of the third month gave the team something new to look forward to….

Alexandria was taking a moment to relax between training sessions when Marisa came up to her.

“Heya Alex,” Marisa greeted. “Got somethin' to ask you.”

Alexandria looked up at Marisa and noticed that she was carrying a doll. The doll looked exactly like Shanghai with a few differences. Notably, the irises of the eyes were red, and the hair reached all the way down to the doll's thighs, as opposed to Shanghai's shoulder-length hair. Finally, the doll had been made with its mouth turned down in a frown. “…What is it Marisa?” Alexandria asked, not sure what to think of the doll.

“Well, a while back I thought it'd be cool if I could get a Fairy for myself, so I ordered one of Alice's dolls for delivery,” Marisa answered. “It finally got here today, but last week I remembered that it's not that easy to make a Fairy outta it. It was too late to cancel the order, so I thought I'd ask you if you knew what I should do with it.”

Alexandria was silent for a while, thinking of what to do with the doll… And also of how exasperating Marisa was being. “Just give it to me,” Alexandria finally said. “I'll figure something out.”

“Cool,” Marisa said, handing the doll to Alexandria. “Thanks Alex.” With that, Marisa left.

Alexandria spent another ten minutes thinking of what to do with the doll. Finally, she had an idea. She got up and went looking for Ayis. She found the Fallen Angel in her room with Yis, playing with the child and cooing at her. Alexandria smiled at the scene.

“Sorry to interrupt,” she said to Ayis. “But I just wanted to speak with you for a quick moment.” Ayis turned to Alexandria, cradling Yis in her arms.

“What's up, babe?” she asked, curious. Alexandria walked in, doll in hand.

“Well, I got this from a certain magician who acted before she thought,” Alexandria started, holding up the doll. “I don't feel the need to have another doll - Shanghai is plenty enough for me - so I thought to give it to you as a gift.” Ayis looked at the doll and hummed in thought.

“It would be nice to have a Squirt of my own…” she mused. After a short while of thinking, she smiled and nodded. “Alright, I'll take it. Thanks, babe.” Ayis took the doll from Alexandria.

“No problem,” Alexandria said with a smile. “Though it's still just a doll for now. But giving it a name will help you grow more attached to it. So, why don't you do that now?”

Ayis hummed in thought as she kept it out of Yis' reach. “Hmm… Nyilla.”

“'Peace'?” Alexandria said. “That's not a bad name. I hope that Nyilla does eventually become your very own 'Squirt'.” Ayis smiled and nodded.

“Yeah, same here. Can you imagine the pranks we could do together? It'd be priceless!” Ayis said with a mischievous grin.

“Hah, you sound just like a Fairy yourself, getting so excited over pranks,” Alexandria said in good humor. Ayis giggled before Yis started to cry.

“Well, looks like my kid's hungry,” Ayis said, making to move her shirt so her child could latch onto her breast. Alexandria checked the clock.

“Aaaaand, I'm about to be late to my next training session,” she said before going to leave the room. “Remind me later to thank Marisa.”

“Will do. See ya later, babe!” Ayis called as Yis started to suckle on her mother's breast. Ayis smiled down at her child as she looked to the doll in her off hand. “This should be fun.”

Everything seemed to calm down after that and many long months passed. The Night Raid members trained and continued to dig into the Circle, though couldn't get very much farther than simple drug busts and other minor crimes. The team's time at the base slowly approached the one year mark before the next big event rushed to meet them. Only this time… it wasn't anywhere near as positive as the previous encounters….

Hikan slammed his fist into the concrete block once more, making the block shudder as he paused and took several breaths to relax his muscles. He straightened up and let the sweat drip off of him as he turned and grabbed his towel, quickly wiping his face and arms down before wrapping it around his shoulders and picked up his water bottle. He popped the cap off the bottle and lifted it to his lips.

“HIKAN!!!” Starlight's scream ripped through the base, making the assassin jump and pour the contents of the bottle over himself. He stopped and looked towards the living areas and listened to make sure his tired mind wasn't playing tricks on him.

“HIKAN HELP!!!” The second scream was more than enough for the man to dart towards the rooms, slamming the door open to the unicorn's room.

“Star!? What's going-” The man stopped as he saw Starlight sitting in the corner, cradling Cataclysm's head in her lap.

The mare looked up at him, tears streaming down her face. “He… He won't wake up…” she said quietly, her voice tight before she looked down at her familiar, stroking his feathery mane gently as sobs wracked her body. Arela came in the room and noted Starlight's tear filled visage and Cataclysm's still form, and gained a concerned look.

“What is wrong? Did something happen to your familiar?” she asked.

“I-I don't know…” Starlight said quietly. “He's been sleeping more and more, but he always wakes up when I come in…. But… But he won't wake up….”

Arela frowned, walking over to check the small dragon's pulse.The pulse was there… if only barely. The demon's chest didn't even move up and down as he took breath.

“This… Is bad. We need to do something!” Arela said, turning to her Devoted.

“But what?” Hikan said, stepping forward, a sad frown on his face. “We don't know any veterinarians, let alone anyone that knows anything about Nil Dragons.”

“Yukkuri shiteitte ne,” came Marisa's voice from the doorway. She was leaning against the frame. “Take it easy. If there's nothin' you can do about it, then there's no use worryin'. I'm sure everythin'll work itself out fine.”

“How on earth could you possibly be so sure of that?” Hikan questioned, turning to her with frustration in his voice.

“To be perfectly honest, she can't,” Hikan took a step back at the new voice even as Starlight's ears swiveled a bit and she looked up and around. “Excuse me.” A finger tapped Marisa's shoulder. Marisa turned around.

Behind her was a silver-haired man with deep purple eyes wearing a black trenchcoat. A constant half-smile lay on his face even as the hilt of his broadsword gleamed over his shoulder.

“Who're you supposed to be?” Marisa asked Soldier.

“A friend,” the Displacer said with a twinkle in his eye. “May I enter?”

“Ah, right, sorry,” Marisa said, entering the room and stepping out of the man's way.

“Thank you,” he said before stepping in, Starlight giving him a confused look.

“Soldier? What are you-”

“Doing here?” The man finished, stopping just short of her and kneeling down to rub his hand over Cat's mane as well. “I heard from a little bird that you were worried and came to lay your fears to rest.”

“Milord?” Arela queried. “Did milord send you?”

Soldier shook his head. “Not this time, I'm afraid,” he answered before straightening up. “But the reason for my visit is no less important.”

“And what is that purpose?” Hikan asked, his voice suspicious.

“Simply put, delivering a few things,” Soldier said, throwing a smirk at the assassin. “Think of me as an overqualified mailman.”

“And what exactly are you here to deliver?” Marisa asked, her tone curious as opposed to suspicious.

“I'm glad you asked, Marisa,” Soldier answered with a little grin. “Mostly information, but with that information, a few gifts.” With that he reached to the inside of his coat and pulled out a small, blue crystal on a black leather cord, and a much larger dark red crystal.

“What-” Starlight began before she was yanked out of the way. Soldier moved in a blur and before anyone could stop him, plunged the dark red crystal into Cataclysm's side with a sickening squelch.

“Whoa, what in Hakugyokurou are you doing!?” Marisa exclaimed as she rushed forward. Arela moved to stop him as well.

“What in Lleiya are you doing?!” she cried.

Soldier straightened up. “No need to worry,” he said before he found a blade at his throat.

“You have three seconds to convince me not to cut your fucking head off,” Hikan growled.

Soldier looked over his shoulder with an amused look as the crystal began to spread out and cover the Nil Dragon's body. “The crystal is cut from the original, a large column of gemstone from which this species of demon was first born. It is the only thing that allows them to metamorphose into their adult phase.”

Hikan’s confused look was more than enough for Soldier to chuckle.

“Something going on here, guys?” came the voice of Ayis as she walked in with Yis in her arms. She then noted the new arrival and how Hikan had his blade at Soldier's throat. “I'm guessing this is an intruder?” Ayis asked, eyes narrowing as she held Yis closer for protection.

“He's apparently tryin' to help,” Marisa said. “Or at least, that's what he claims. It's kinda hard to believe him after he shoved a large crystal into Cat's side.”

“Believe me or not,” Soldier said, bringing his finger up and pushing away the blade of Hikan's knife before turning around. “It is for his own good, but in order for it to do any good…” he paused and stepped towards Starlight before holding up the other crystal. “You'll need to wear this.” Hikan took a protective step back towards the unicorn before the necklace was enveloped in Starlight's aura and floated over to her.

The mare took it in her hand and looked between it and Soldier, to which the man nodded. Starlight looked back down at the crystal, took a breath, and slipped the cord over her head. The moment the gem made contact with her chest, her eyes flared up bright red and she collapsed. “What the hell!?” Hikan yelled, catching her before turning a snarl on the Displaced. “Arela! Marisa!”

Arela immediately summoned her halberd and pointed it at Soldier, a scowl on her face. Soldier felt the octagonal face of Marisa's device press into his back at the same time.

“Jumpie bunch, aren't you?” Soldier said nonchalantly as Starlight began to stir.

“Wha… What happened?” The unicorn asked, putting a hand to her head.

“What did you do?” Marisa asked him in a flat tone, not moving an inch.

“I simply completed the mental link that should have formed between them at Cataclysm's birth,” Soldier answered without falter. “Now, she can keep tabs on his mental state as he grows. She can hear his thoughts, know his dreams. And, someday, he'll know hers as well.”

“I dunno…” Marisa said, slowly lowering her device. “Sounds like a load'a hooey to me.”

Starlight was quiet for a moment, staring up at the man before looking towards the crystalline cocoon that now covered her familiar. “He's… not lying....” She said quietly. “I can feel… something… like the edge of a word….”

Soldier smiled a bit at that. “It will grow to be more than that, I assure you,” he said before clapping his hands together. “NOW! For the other reasons I came here.” He opened his trench coat once more and reached inside. Arela sent her halberd back to her pocket dimension, but kept a close eye on Soldier. Marisa kept her device in hand as she watched to see what Soldier pulled out of his coat.

The Displacer withdrew his hand and pulled out a black coin. It was about an inch in diameter, one side having the imprint of a wolf's head with intricate engravings and the other having the image of an owl, wings spread wide and talons outstretched. “This is for you,” he said, flipping the coin to Hikan, the assassin catching it with cupped hands.

The younger man stared at it for a long moment before he looked up with a confused look. “What is this?” He asked.

“That,” Soldier answered as he took his sword belt off his shoulders and swung the scabbard into his other hand. “Is your Token. You'll have to ask Alexandria about that later. Would you hold this for me please?” The question was directed at Marisa as he pulled his sword free and held the hilt of it out to her. Marisa grabbed the hilt of the sword and almost immediately began inspecting the weapon in obvious intrigue.

“Try not to drop her,” the man said as he overturned the sheath in his hand and started shaking it. “She's rather sensitive about that sort of thing.” As if to accentuate his point, the blade glowed an esthetic gold color, a serpentine hiss sounding from it. Marisa jumped, and the others present expected her to drop the weapon in surprise. On the contrary, however, her grip on the weapon tightened, Soldier's point having gotten through.

“A hissin' sword…” Marisa said. “That's a new one for me…”

“She does a little more than hiss, I can tell you that,” Soldier said with a chuckle putting his hand inside the scabbard. “…Ah! Here it is!” He pulled his hand out of the sheath and with it came a long, slender box. It appeared to be made of polished red wood, with a handle and a pair of silver clasps holding it closed. “I took the liberty of snatching this as it made its way to this world. You all might find it useful someday.” He held the case out and Hikan took it.

“What's in it?” He asked curiously, his eye scanning over the case.

“A Teigu,” Soldier said shortly, causing Hikan to pause. “Specifically, L'Arc Qui Ne Faut.”

“That's an odd name,” Marisa said, looking at the box. “What is it, and what's it do?”

“I imagine it's like my love's weapon, but as a bow?” Arela surmised.

“A bow, huh?” Marisa said, a twinkle in her eye. “Though… I'm not sure what it'd do to be honest.”

“L’Arc is the bow that doesn't miss,” Hikan began to explain. “Even the worst bowman in the world could pick it up and hit their target, so long as they knew their name.”

“Really now?” Marisa asked, handing the sword back to Soldier and swiping the box from Hikan, catching the man by surprise. “Well, ain't that nifty?”

“I wouldn't,” Soldier warned, putting his sword back into its sheath and throwing it over his shoulder. “Teigu are known for their pickiness in choosing a partner.”

“Well, we won't know if I can use it unless I try, right?” Marisa countered as she undid the clasps and opened the lid. Inside was a bow with flat, curving arms and a strange ring around the grip, and what appeared to be a normal quiver, though the quiver was rather small in order to fit in the slim box, only capable of holding about ten arrows at most. Marisa picked up the bow while slinging the quiver - which already had five arrows in it - over her shoulder. She then drew an arrow from the quiver and nocked it.

“Alright, let's see how well this works,” Marisa said, drawing the bowstring. “Shanghai!” she announced loud and clear… Though she then just stood there for several seconds, not letting go of the drawn string.

“....Marisa…?” Starlight asked after several more moments. “Are you okay…?”

Marisa hesitated a little longer before gently letting the bowstring go loose. “Gah, my everythin' hurts all of a sudden…” she muttered, wincing. “What in Hakugyokurou is this all about…?”

“I did warn you,” Soldier replied, gently taking the bow from her. “Being rejected by a Teigu can be very painful… and sometimes lethal.”

“Well I ain't dead… Nor do I plan on dyin' anytime soon…” Marisa answered, wincing again as Soldier took the quiver off her shoulder. “But damn, does this hurt… I think I'd better be off to the infirmary, make sure I get properly looked at…” Marisa then left, clearly in a great deal of pain.

“And that, my love, is why I do not wish for a Teigu,” Arela told Hikan.

Hikan shrugged. “They're not for everybody,” he said simply. “I've seen people who were just as powerful without a Teigu as those who had them.” Arela turned to Soldier once more.

“So, is there anything else you came here for?” she queried.

Soldier seemed to think for a moment before something flashed in his eyes and he frowned a bit. “...Do any of you know any Displaced named Sam, Chris, or Amelia?” He asked, a somber tone in his voice. Arela shook her head.

“I know of only the few milord kept eyes on, like Herobrine, Alonne, Kalt, and a few others,” Arela answered before shivering. “The first of which is not my favorite.”

Soldier frowned a bit. “Would Alexandria know about them?” He questioned. “What I have to say is very important, but I'm running out of time.”

Hikan and Starlight shared a look before turning back to the Displacer. “Of course we can,” the assassin said. “What is it that's so important?”

The man was quiet for a moment before he sighed. “I've… made a mistake,” he said quietly. “I Displaced someone I shouldn't have, and now many worlds are suffering for it. But I fear it could get worse. There is another Displacer whose sole goal is to destroy the lives of those he thinks have wronged him. I fear he set his eyes on my mistake… and the three I mentioned will be in grave danger.” Arela looked to her Devoted, worry etched on her face.

“...What can we do to stop it?” she asked.

“Yeah, I'd rather my kid doesn't get thrown into this crap, especially at her age,” Ayis concurred.

“I doubt any of you would get directly involved,” Soldier assured. “I simply need you to pass on the message.” Arela looked to her Devoted once more.

Hikan shared her look for a moment before he sighed and looked to the Displacer, nodding his head. “We'll pass it on,” he said. “One way or another.”

Soldier smiled a bit, the desperation leaking away from his eyes. “Thank you,” he said before turning towards the door. “I should be off now.”

“Thank you for what you've done,” Arela said politely, watching him go.

“Anytime,” the man said, giving them a smile before he stepped out the door. “Stay safe. All of you….”

“We will,” Ayis affirmed. With that, Soldier left, and the group was somewhat more at ease. Ayis looked around at her friends. “So… Anyone wanna help me find more outfits for little Yis here?”

With their fears laid to rest, time continued on its march and soon, two years had flown by since they had begun their crusade against the Circle. Frustratingly, they hadn't made as much progress as Hikan would have liked, but the day wasn't a day for fighting or death. Instead, it was a time of celebration….

Today was the day of Ayis and Alexandria's wedding. Or, as Ayis called it, 'Devotion Ceremony'. It was late in the evening, and the moon was a bright, blood red, the perfect time and only time that the wedding could take place.

Alexandria was wearing a beautifully pristine, white, sleeveless gown with a large, puffed out skirt that had many frilled layers. Her hair was glossy and brushed, a white rose in it off to the side. Needless to say, she was quite stunning as she stood in the atrium, waiting for Ayis. Floating just behind her shoulder was Shanghai, wearing an identical - if much smaller - dress. Alexandria gazed around at the numerous empty chairs, only a few of them filled with her friends in Night Raid. Alice and Medicine had also come to attend. Alice had been overjoyed to see that her best friend was okay. According to her, Patchouli had also wanted to attend, but couldn't make it due to her asthma acting up.

Alexandria had been told by her lover that the rest of the seats were for her ancestors, though Ayis had never explained how they would possibly attend, instead focusing more on the decorations. This brought a smile to Alexandria's face as she remembered seeing her love get fired up over something as girly as a wedding, and thus her attention to the decorations.

A number of banners with Ayis' family crest on them hung from the walls, the crest itself being of a black rose dripping with blood on one side and the other dripping black liquid. Ayis had gone through many arguments with those who made the banners about getting it done right. The rest of the atrium was decorated with black streamers and ribbons, and there were even an assortment of black roses along the corners of the room. An organ player patiently sat to the side, his massive organ at the ready. Numerous other musicians with various other instruments were also standing at the ready.

“I can tell you're excited to see what Ayis looks like in a wedding dress,” Shanghai said to Alexandria with a smile and a slight giggle. Alexandria blushed a little at that comment.

“Y-Yeah, I'll admit I'm curious…” Alexandria answered.

“This should be interesting,” Arela whispered to Hikan, head on his shoulder.

“It really should,” Hikan answered just as quietly, a smile on his face as he rested his hand on hers.

“Just wait until ours,” she said with a smile.

Hikan's smile widened and he squeezed her hand gently before planting a kiss on her forehead. “Can't wait,” he said softly. Then, the doors to the atrium flew open, and out walked Ayis, wearing a black and red wedding dress with black frills and dark red trim. A black veil covered her face and sparkled with small gemstones, courtesy of Rarity. Her ears had two red roses tucked behind them, and the dress accentuated her figure quite well, her large, raven black wings tucked behind her as her bridal train, covered in more roses, slid along the floor behind her.

Alexandria was silenced, her face awestruck. “Wow, that dress is beautiful…” Alice murmured, staring at the dress with wide eyes.

“I must admit she's got a good taste in colour,” Medicine agreed, referring to the fact that her own clothes were also red and black.

Starlight stared at the dress with a happy smile on her face, her hand going to the jewel that had embedded itself into the center of her chest. She didn't say anything, but the look on her face showed just how happy she was for her friends. Arela smiled widely at Ayis, who quietly walked up to her lover and stood beside her. She then smiled at Alexandria, and turned back to the altar, which had a small basin with a prong in the middle.

Ayis quickly pricked her finger on it, letting the blood flow down and into the basin, before beginning a chant.

“Oh Hallowed fathers, brothers, mothers, and sisters… Denizens of Triyte's holy kingdom of gentle light… Come to see your child begin a life anew with her partner…” she chanted, and the lights dimmed until all that was visible was thanks to the light of the blood moon. After that, a number of winged, transparent forms appeared in the room, each one smiling at Ayis. Two in particular walked up to her and smiled.

“My little vintala…” the female said softly, gently stroking Ayis cheek.

“Hey mom. Glad you could make it,” Ayis replied back just as softly.

“You've done us proud, sweetie,” a tall, bulky man said with a smile. He turned to Alexandria, smiled at her and winked, then turned to the woman. “Come, my dear. We shouldn't cause too much of a scene. This is a Devotion Ceremony, after all.” The woman nodded and the two took their seats, many of the others doing the same. An elderly looking man walked up to the podium, and began the procession.

“We are gathered here today, under Our Lord's holiest of nights, to bring these two lovely women together in matrimony. We are here, for a Devotion Ceremony,” the man spoke, voice like rolling gravel. Ayis reached over and grasped Alexandria's hand, squeezing affectionately. “Should any of you wish to object to this hallowed proceeding…” the man's ghostly eyes glowed red for a split second. “Then damned to the Wastes you shall be.” His eyes returned to normal. “Now, let us begin. Ayis Filya VII, do you take this woman to be your Devoted? Do you vow to protect her from all harm, to help her through life, to hold her and care for her, until Triyte takes you both into his sweet embrace?” Ayis nodded firmly.

“I do,” she said with conviction. The man turned to Alexandria.

“Alexandria Kijin, do you take this woman to be your Devoted? Do you vow to protect her from all harm, to help her through life, to hold her and care for her, until Triyte takes you both into his sweet embrace?” he asked. Alexandria nodded without hesitation.

“Of course,” she answered. The man smiled.

“Then commence your vows. As is tradition, the proposed shall do so first,” he gestured for Alexandria to speak. Alexandria turned to Ayis and cleared her throat.

“Ayis,” she began. “I promise that I will love and protect you, help you up if you feel down, to care for you when you're sick, and to stand by your side for all my life and beyond.” Ayis wiped a few tears from her eyes, and cleared her own throat as the man turned to her.

“Alex, you are my moon, my vyala, my everything. I promise that I will always be there for you. That I will always be a shoulder for you to cry on, that I will always be there with you, like a blessed shadow. I promise to hold you and love you like a dragon does it's treasure,” Ayis said, taking Alexandria's other hand and staring into her eyes. “This, I vow.” As Ayis was finishing her vows, Shanghai came around and wiped at some of the tears from Alexandria's cheek. Shanghai had a few joyful tears of her own running down her face.

“Then, by the power invested in me, I declare you both Devoted. Present your tokens of love,” the man said. Ayis plucked a feather from her wing, whilst Alexandria presented a lock of her hair. Ayis placed her feather to Alexandria's lips, then removed it and kissed Alexandria on those very lips. She withdrew, smiling widely as tears of joy ran down her own face. Alexandria then took the lock of hair and pressed it to Ayis' lips before removing it and returning her kiss, tears streaming from her eyes the whole time. “And thus, by the holy decree of Our Lord so long ago, is this Devotion Ceremony now finished! Devotees, feel free to mingle with everyone now!”

Alice was the first to reach the two of them. “Congratulations Alex!” she said. To those who paid attention, she was trying to hold back the tears of joy in her eyes. “I'm so happy for you!”

“Yeah, congrats,” Marisa said simply with a large smile.

“Indeed,” Shell said, making her way over. “It's nice to see you both express your love for each other openly like this after these last few years.” Ayis grinned, wrapping an arm around Alexandria's waist.

“Damn straight!” she concurred. Arela walked over, Hikan with her, as she smiled broadly at the new couple.

“It's great seeing that you two finally made it official,” Arela said.

“It definitely took long enough,” Hikan joked.

“Oh shut up,” Medicine said, taking it a bit too seriously. “They couldn't do something like this until Alex turned eighteen anyway.”

“I see you've made some good friends, sis,” came a male voice from behind the group. Ayis quickly turned to find a transparent, ghostly man with a broad grin and wild, untamed long hair and what must have been some form of officer's getup.

“Arn!” she cried, rushing over and, to the group's surprise, hugging him. The man laughed, patting her back.

“Calm down, sis. Jeez, you're gonna embarrass us both,” he joked. Ayis released him, then turned to the group.

“Guys, this is my older brother, Arn Filya II,” she introduced. The man waved.

“Heya,” he greeted.

“Hello Arn,” Alexandria said. “You have a wonderful sister.”

“Don't I know it,” he said, ruffling his sister's hair. “She saved my skin more than once back during the Cataclysm. Of course, I died in the end, but hey, I'm here now, yeah?” He told them, smiling. “Did she ever tell you guys about the time when she tried to eat a-” Ayis elbowed him in the gut, blushing madly.

“Don't tell them that!” she said quickly. Arn just laughed as he recovered from the blow to his gut.

“Now you've gotten me curious,” Alexandria said with a grin. “Maybe you could tell me about it later?”

“You'd have to perform a ritual, buuut-” Arn began, starting to stand back before Ayis stomped on his foot with her high heels.

“No! Absolutely not!” she said, blushing more. Arn just laughed the pain off.

“Still as fiery as ever, sis,” he chuckled.

“Um, anyway, congratulations!” Daiyousei said, trying to divert the conversation from the subject of whatever Ayis once tried to eat.

“Yeah,” Ayis said, before grabbing Alexandria by the waist again. “I can't wait for tonight~.” She purred, squeezing Alexandria's rear. Alexandria blushed but smiled.

“Neither can I,” she answered.

The Devotion of Ayis and Alexandria was one of the best moments the Night Raid group shared together. The bonding of two souls was one that warmed their base, turning it from being the simple headquarters of a group of assassins into a home they each cherished. And over time, the little mix matched family grew….

Ayis was playing with her daughter, Yis, in her room, throwing up unwanted trash that had been left around the fort, while her daughter changed them into stuffed toys in mid-air with her magic, clapping and giggling all the while.

“Amazing that such a simple activity can bring so much joy,” a voice suddenly said from behind Ayis. The voice sounded very much like Shanghai's, if only a little deeper… And maybe a little more passive-aggressive.

Ayis looked around in surprise, turning to find that the doll Alexandria had gifted her, Nyilla, was standing behind her, arms crossed and brow furrowed slightly, watching the angel play with her baby.

“Well I'll be damned. You're awake and alive now, huh, Shrimp?” Ayis said, picking Yis up and cradling her in her arms.

“That's Nyilla to you,” the now Fairy retorted, puffing out her cheeks as she frowned. “You gave me that name. The least you could do is use it.” Ayis blinked at this.

“Well, alright then, Nyilla,” Ayis said. “Can I ask how long you've been watching?”

“About a few minutes or so, not too long,” Nyilla answered.

“Huh,” Ayis said simply. She then noticed how Yis was reaching for the doll, and smiled. “Why don't you come over here? Yis seems to like you.”

“Oh, I'd love to,” Nyilla answered in a sarcastic tone. “Except that you're all the way up there.”

“You can't fly like Squirt?” Ayis asked, a little surprised at this.

“If I could fly, why in the Wastes would I be standing on the floor like this?” Nyilla shot back. Ayis blinked again, before giggling a little.

“Oh by Triyte, it's so adorable hearing you attempt to swear at your size,” she said, hiding her giggles behind a fist. Ayis noticed as Nyilla blushed.

“I-I am not adorable!” she stuttered. Ayis giggled uproariously, and Yis joined in.

“Oh Gods, oh Gods… You,” Ayis devolved into a fit of laughter. Nyilla blushed even more.

“V-Valas!” she shouted in embarrassment. Ayis laughed harder. After another moment, just as Nyilla was about to say something else, Alexandria came into the room.

“What's going on?” she asked. “What's so funny?”

“Can you please just make this zil stop laughing at me!?” Nyilla shouted. That stopped Ayis' laughter dead.

“…Did you just swear in front of my kid?” she asked in a low voice. “Using a word even I rarely use? Because if you just called me what I think you did…” Ayis began. Nyilla was silent for several moments.

“…Yeah,” Nyilla answered. “Yeah I did. What are you going to do about it?”

“Oh, I'm not going to do a thing…” Ayis said as she slowly placed Yis down, who spread her wings. “My kid, is.” Then, before Nyilla knew it, her head was in the child's mouth. To Alexandria and Ayis' surprise however, Nyilla didn't struggle. Not even in the least. She simply let the baby have her way with her. Ayis watched this with a frown as Yis continued to slobber all over Nyilla. After a good minute, she sighed and picked Yis up, pulling Nyilla out of the child's mouth. “Look, I don't want to make an enemy of you, but I would like it if you keep the swearing to a minimum around my kid. Capiche?”

“…Fine,” Nyilla said.

“Um…” Alexandria started awkwardly. “Con… gratulations on your Fairy…?”

“Yeah, I guess,” Ayis said, her child gurgling up at her. Ayis looked to her Devoted. “You wanna hold her? She doesn't see you all that often with how much training you do.”

“Alright, sure,” Alexandria answered.

The family grew evermore, even as the present day caught up with them. Gaelle and Garrick still made their home with them, the young ones grew, Cataclysm still slept, Nyilla was integrated into the home, and the bonds amongst them became stronger. Even now, those bonds were being reinforced….

Arela and Hikan's Devotion Ceremony was almost larger than Ayis and Alexandria's, if it weren't for the fact that they did not have as many guests as the previous Ceremony did. There were golden water fountains lining the walls of the atrium, something that Hikan had to pay many expenses for, gold and white streamers and ribbons, and sunflowers in pots placed between each row of seats whilst the fountains were placed between the pots.

Like Ayis, Arela's family crest hung up on golden banners, a white flame with a golden blade inside. The flame itself had been given much detail, really making the banners stand out.

Hikan was currently waiting for his bride at the altar, where Ronzul was, taking the place of Priest in place of another High Angel. Hikan was wearing pitch black slacks with a matching jacket, an amber tie sitting over his slate silver shirt, his wings held tight to his back as his tail mirrored the butterflies in his stomach. Then, the double doors opened, and the harp player began to play as Arela walked down the aisle, her white and gold dressing shocking all present as it looked like it was a complete piece of art.

The flowing, intricate golden patterns of flames, swords, and fleur de lis' were expertly woven with gold thread into the dress. Her head was adorned with a golden circlet made up of small golden leaves, and the train looking like golden fire with how the light caught it just right. She held a bouquet of morning glories in her hands, and she stopped at Hikan, blushing madly with a smile as she looked up to her love.

Hikan returned the smile, albeit a bit nervously. “Are you ready?” He asked quietly, joy springing through his voice. She nodded, turning to Ronzul.

“Well, let's start the proceedin's, then, aye?” he said, opening his tome. “First, ten moments o' silence, for tha' fallen brothers and sisters that once made up tha' Biore family.” Arela immediately closed her eyes, clutching her bouquet tightly. Alexandria, Marisa and Daiyousei all complied as they looked to the floor, Marisa going so far as to remove her hat in respect. Hikan bowed his head and closed his eyes as Starlight also closed hers. Shell looked to and fro for a moment before she followed the example of those around her.

A solid ten minutes of silence followed, and when they all opened their eyes, Hikan looked to Arela to see that she was fighting back tears and losing. Ronzul noticed this as well.

“Do ya need a bit, lass?” he asked. She shook her head, wiping her tears.

“N-No, I'll be fine,” she said reassuringly. Ronzul looked at her for a good second before nodding.

“Right then,” he said, turning back to the tome. “Before we continue, are there any objections ta' this Ceremony?” Ronzul asked. At the silence that ensued, he smiled. “Good. Now, Hikan Kanshi, do ya take this 'ere lass ta' be yers? Ta' hold 'er and love 'er, ta' keep 'er safe from all harm, e'en beyond yer death, should it be ta' pass? Ta' nurse 'er back to health should she fall ill, 'till Triyte takes yer souls ta' Eyther?”

“I do,” Hikan answered without pause, his voice unwavering. Ronzul smiled, turning to Arela.

“Arela Biore, do ya take this lad ta' be yers? Ta' hold and love, ta' keep safe from all harm, e'en beyond death, should it be ta' pass? Ta' nurse 'im back to health should 'e fall ill, 'till Triyte takes yer souls ta' Eyther?” Ronzul asked the Angel. Arela nodded firmly.

“Yes, I do,” she said resolutely.

“Then commence yer Vows,” Ronzul told them.

Hikan looked towards the dwarf for a moment before he took a deep breath, looking back to the angel he loved. “The day I met you,” he began. “Was the day I got my wings. That morning, I woke up not knowing what to look forward to. Just like the rest of my days in this world, I woke up dead to what was to come, so grounded that the only things I felt were anger… and numbness. …And then we danced. We danced to a song that I still remember in the hall of a god, beneath the stony gaze of a deity… and for the first time, I felt happy again. That day, it wasn't my wings that allowed me to soar. It was you…. And so, from this day into the rest of eternity, I vow to stay by your side. To protect, to love, and to care, for the rest of my days… and beyond.”

Arela cried tears of joy as she heard those words, and took his hands in hers. “Throughout all my years, I was told to find a suitable husband. One who would sweep me off my feet without a second thought, one who did so selflessly. I was told by my grandmother that the day I met that man, I would know true bliss.” She looked up to her love. “Even after all I knew was in ruins, and my body was violated, you appeared in my life. The handsome, dashing rogue of my wildest dreams, come to steal me in the broad light of day. I swear to always love you, to care for you as you have me and more, and to protect your honor and spirit for as long as I am allowed to live.” Arela was crying throughout all of this.

“That…” Ronzul drew all attention back to him as he sniffled and pulled out a handkerchief, blowing his nose into it. “That was beautiful, yew two.” He shook his head. “A-Anyway, present yer tokens of love.” Arela gladly did so, taking one of her feathers like she had all that time ago, and placing it against Hikan's lips. Then, she removed it and kissed him swiftly but passionately. Hikan smiled gently as the kiss ended before he brought up the lock of his hair, a swirl of honey blonde and chocolate brown. He put the lock tenderly against her lips before pulling it back and returning the kiss with all the love he could muster before pulling back. Shortly after this there was a shout from outside.

“Everybody come outside!” came Shanghai's voice. “There's a surprise for all of you!”

“Trust us!” Nyilla's voice added. “You won't want to miss this!” Alexandria turned to Ayis with a knowing smile as the two got up and left. Marisa got up as well.

“Now, what's this all about?” she asked as she stepped outside as well. Daiyousei followed her, a look of curiosity on her face. Gaelle nudged her son gently and the two got up from their seats, making their way outside as Starlight and Shell followed them out. Arela looked to her official Devoted, grabbed his hand, and led him out, Ronzul following closely behind.

Once outside, they found Shanghai and Nyilla. Nyilla, being flightless, was riding piggyback on Shanghai. Meanwhile, Shanghai was holding one of Die Leaguer's Orbs, the Explosion Orb, while the Ice Orb and Flame Orb both floated near her.

“Hee hee, are you ready Nyilla?” Shanghai asked with a smile.

“Go for it, just like we practiced,” Nyilla answered.

With that, Shanghai then tossed the Explosion Orb upwards, and Nyilla caught it, passing it back to Shanghai. Meanwhile, the Flame Orb lunged at Nyilla before bouncing off her. Shanghai then threw the Explosion Orb up again, Nyilla catching it and passing it back, followed by the Ice Orb striking Nyilla. This pattern repeated several more times before Shanghai stopped. Everyone present noted that none of the Orbs were going off even though all three should have gone off upon contacting Nyilla.

“Heh,” Nyilla chuckled. “Prepare to be amazed.” With that, she then raised her hands above her head. Suddenly, a large fireball shot from her hands, shooting high up into the air before exploding beautifully in midair. Then, an iceball shot up and shattered, the shards of ice in the air catching the sunlight and sparkling brilliantly. Nyilla then continued to fire off more of the fireballs and iceballs in varying combinations and frequencies, putting on a beautiful fireworks display. Soon enough, the makeshift fireworks stopped.

“Looks like I'm all out,” Nyilla commented, lowering her arms. “We hope you enjoyed that. A lot of work and a lot of practice,” she looked at Shanghai pointedly who blushed a little in embarrassment and looked away. “…Went into making that possible.”

“Wow…” Arela breathed, leaning against Hikan. She smiled up at the two dolls. “Thanks, you two.”

“You're welcome!” Shanghai said cheerfully.

“That was really somethin',” Marisa said.

“It was amazing…!” Daiyousei said, her eyes shining in awe.

Hikan smiled up at the Fairies before turning the smile to his Devoted. “The perfect way to kick off a new beginning, don't you think?” He asked softly, wrapping an arm around her before kissing the top of her head and holding her close. Arela nodded, nuzzling into her love's embrace.

“That was downright beautiful, yew two,” Ronzul applauded, drawing everyone's attention. “But Ah think we should git on with tha' event, aye? Specifically, tha' dance,” Ronzul reminded.

Hikan nodded his head before starting to lead Arela back inside. The others joined them as they arrived in a small makeshift ballroom. The man smiled a bit before looking to his Devoted. “Almost like the day we met, isn't it?” She nodded, smiling up at him.

“I think we both know the right music for this, too,” Arela told him.

The hunter's smile widened a bit. “I think we do,” he replied before his four will-o'-wisps formed in the air and each floated to a different corner before music began to play. The entire group danced for what must have been hours, Hikan and Arela too lost in one another's eyes to notice anything but themselves as they danced beautifully.

When the dancing was over and the party ended, Hikan led Arela to their room, opening the door for her. Arela walked in and turned around, a confused look on her face.

The hunter entered the room and closed the door before he turned and noticed his Devoted's look. “…What?” He questioned before rubbing a hand on the corner of his mouth. “Do I still have cake on my face?”

“No, no, just… Why did you bring me here?” she asked, curious and confused.

Hikan shared her confused look. “This is our room,” he said raising an eyebrow. “Why…?”

“Oh… I thought you-” she shook her head, blushing madly. “N-N-Nevermind.”

Hikan was quiet for a moment before the realization hit him. “O-oh,” he said quietly before he stepped forward and put his hands gently on her arms. “After everything you… i-it just never crossed my mind…”

“W-Well… To be honest… I've been, w-w-wanting to raise a child…” Arela admitted. She looked away with a mad blush. “Or two…”

Hikan was quiet for a moment, letting his hands go down her arms so he could take her hands. “…Why didn't you say something sooner?” he asked quietly, looking into her eyes. “You know I'd do anything for you….”

“W-Well, I've just… I've been scared of having something in me again…” Arela admitted, glancing at her feet.

Hikan was silent once more before slowly and gently using the knuckle of his finger to lift her gaze to meet his. He looked into her eyes for a moment before he let out a breath, closed his own eyes and touched his forehead to hers. “…Do you trust me?” He asked quietly. She nodded.

“Yes…” she said honestly. Hikan opened his eyes at that, once more looking into her eyes before kissing her gently.

She returned the kiss hesitantly, but slowly got more into it. The hunter deepened the kiss at a slow pace, slowly bringing his hand to the middle of her back. Her wings twitched a bit at this as she raised her hands to his chest, clutching his shirt. Hikan held the kiss for a few more moments before he parted his lips from hers, if only just barely. Arela was panting lightly at this, looking into his eyes with a blush dusting her cheeks.

“…Are you ready?” He asked simply, a bit of worry still edging his voice.

“Yeah…” She said, nodding her head as she gazed into his eyes.

Hikan watched her for a moment before he nodded and kissed her once more, pouring more passion into the kiss than before. Arela moaned a little, wings twitching more as she let him deepen the kiss. The man's hands slowly came down to rest on her hips, resting there for a moment as the kiss continued. She withdrew from him, looking into his eyes with need, yet hesitance.

“U-U-Um… Could you… T-T-Touch my wings?” she asked. Hikan smiled gently before nodding ever so slightly.

“Anything for you,” he answered, his hand coming up to rub the base of her wing. The effect was immediate, as she moaned at his touch, her wing twitching a little while she squirmed. Hikan smiled a bit before the hand resting on her hip reached towards her rear as his other hand traced the edge of her wing.

Arela clutched his shirt more tightly, moaning louder. Hikan squeezed her rear as he slowly ran his hand down the feathers of her wing. Arela bit her lip, looking up at her Devoted as she squirmed under his caresses. Hikan met her eyes and let his reservations leave him as he hugged her to him, kissing her with every bit of pent up physical emotion that had built up during the two years of their relationship, one hand massaging her rear as the other worked at the base of her wings.

Arela moaned more at this, and surprised him by slowly trailing a hand to his crotch. At his look, she simply smiled timidly.

“You've been waiting a long time, r-r-right…?” she queried. Hikan felt his body shudder a bit at her touch before he nodded.

“Yes,” he answered truthfully.

“W-Well…” she started to undo his zipper. When she had, she blushed as she saw his member's outline through his underwear.

Hikan felt his face warm up a bit. “Um… maybe this… maybe this wasn't the best idea...:” He muttered. Arela shook her head rapidly.

“N-No, it's fine!” she assured him. She glanced down at his twin members, outlined by his boxers as the two large phalluses pressed against the fabric. “I-I-I'm actually a little… c-c-c-curious…”

Hikan was quiet for a long while. “I… um…” he said awkwardly before clearing his throat. “I think Dorkifu has been affecting me more and more as things go by….”

“O-Oh…” Arela said, making an 'o' with her mouth. She glanced back down to his two members, then slowly grabbed the hem of his boxers. “Well, let's not w-waste time…”

Hikan was quiet for a moment before he nodded. “As long as you're still sure….” He said. Arela pulled them down to reveal a pair of cocks that didn't look like they belonged on a man. The bases started thicker than the shaft, but the changes didn't stop there. Around the reproductive organs spread black scales that disappeared under his shirt and boxers. Arela blushed a deeper shade of crimson, and slowly reached a hand to each cock, closing her hands around them.

Hikan felt his entire body shake and shudder as he felt her contact, forcing out a heavy breath from the depths of his lungs. “Ohhhhh…. Okay…” He murmured quietly, bowing his head a little.

“They're so warm…” Arela noted, squeezing them a little as she felt them up, slowly stroking them. The assassin shivered again and he took a breath.

“S-Sensitive, t-too…” he muttered before he reigned in enough motor skills to start massaging the base of her wings once more. Arela moaned a little at this, stroking him faster before noting he was leaking pre. With a blush, she hesitantly licked it up, her warm tongue lapping at the tips of his members as she did until she retracted her appendage.

Hikan gasped and groaned as waves of pleasure shot through him, his hands once again coming to a stop. Arela looked up to see his blushing face, and managed a giggle.

“Seems you liked that,” she noted, looking down to his members. Hikan took a few breaths as his penises twitched in response.

“Yeah… yeah that was…” he started to say, only to have to focus on taking in more air.

Arela giggled, making him gasp again as she trailed licks up the length of one of his cocks, doing the same with the other. Hikan's wings flared out and his tail waved as he suddenly swayed, his extra appendages helping him to keep his balance as his Devoted worked on his members. She started to suckle on the tip of one of them while her other hand stroked the remaining one swiftly. The hunter put a hand to her shoulder, further steadying himself as he felt pressure begin to build up inside his twin penises.

“Arie, I-” He started, only to gasp for breath as his body shuddered, one of his wings flapping frantically to keep him on his feet. Arela looked up at him, then suddenly shoved half of his cock down her throat while her hands went to his other phallus and balls. Hikan moaned as he felt his cocks unleash shots of cum, half into the angel's throat and the other half onto her chest.

Arela swallowed what got in her throat before letting her mouth off of his cock with a wet pop. She hummed before looking up at him.

“It doesn't taste too bad,” she noted, looking down at her cum covered dress. “I'll have to get this cleaned, though…”

“S-sorry,” the man apologized, his wings flapping periodically to keep him up straight. After a moment, he was confident enough to look down at her and give a little smile. “But I do believe it's time to return the favor.” Arela blushed, but nodded, walking over to the bed and laying down on it on her back. Hikan waited until she was comfortable before coming over to the bed, slowly striping out of his suit as he did so, leaving a trail of clothing behind him and revealing that the black scales traveled up to his pectoral muscles and down half of his upper leg, softer orange scales plating his stomach.

Arela blushed as she took in his toned physique and scarred form, squirming a little on the bed. “Y-You look handsome…” she complimented.

Hikan's smile grew a bit at this before he leaned over her and put his hands to either side of her. “Not nearly as beautiful as you are,” he answered matter-of-factly before planting a gentle kiss on her lips.

Arela blushed more at this, wings wrapping around him instinctively. Hikan pressed deeper into the kiss as he felt his Devoted's wings press in on him, bringing one hand to her hip and sliding it up her side to the edge of her dress. Arela moaned into the kiss as he did this. The man worked his fingers under the dress and started to pull it down, slowly revealing the bra hidden underneath.

Arela's B cup breasts were one piece of clothing away from being bare, and Hikan couldn't help but stare at the long scar that trailed up her body, as well as her breasts. The man ran his fingers over her stomach and up to her bra. Arela watched as he did this, running her own hands over his abs. The man began to massage the angel's breast through her bra. She moaned loudly at this. The hunter smiled gently before kissing her gently once more, seperating as he slid her dress the rest of the way off, tossing it to the side. He slowly began to plant kisses down her neck, her collar, and her chest. He paused at her breasts, kissing softly on the exposed flesh of one as his hand worked to remove the bra, all the while his other hand gently ran over her lower body to and massage over the angel's slit.

Arela gasped at this, her wings twitching erratically as she clutched the bed sheets. Hikan felt his Devoted's bra come loose, slowly peeling it off and moving it out of the way much like he had her dress. With her breasts fully exposed, the man once again kissed the soft flesh, his lips meeting her skin around her sensitive nipple, his hand massaging her other breast, his finger occasionally running over her nipple.

“My love…!” Arela moaned, legs squirming under him. Hikan hummed as his kissing met her areola, his hand beginning to slip underneath her panties. Arela bit her lip from the waves of pleasure that ran over her body, panting at her love's ministrations. Hikan lifted his lips from his lover's breast, his warm breath tickling her nipple as he used his hands to massage her other breast and slide down her panties. He kissed her nipple once more as he slipped the undergarments off and discarded them the same as he had done her dress and bra before he once again began to trail kisses down the angel's body, going over her stomach, waist and hovering over her slit.

He smiled as he saw how wet she was, and she looked down at him with a deep blush as she reached her hands towards his head and pulled him to her needy slit. Hikan let out a little grin before he surrendered to his Devoted's wishes. He licked at her juices, lapping them up fervently as his hands ran up and massaged her sides. Arela moaned loudly, gripping his head firmly as she pressed him further into her lower lips. The man continued to lick at her womanhood before pressing his lips forward, tongue snaking into her.

“Oh gods…” Arela gasped, feeling her climax incoming. Hikan hummed, deep and reverberating as his tongue tasted her insides, bringing one hand down to play with her clitoris as his other came up to massage her breast once more, fingering, rubbing around and tickling her nipple. Arela let out a scream of pleasure as she came hard, her juices overflowing in the man's mouth.

Hikan withdrew his tongue from his lover's lower lips, lapping up as much of the juices as he could before planting a gentle kiss over her clit before coming to hover over her once more, his twin cocks rubbing against her womanhood. Arela panted as she rubbed back, looking up at him with need. The man looked down into her eyes, his question dying in his throat as he kissed her briefly and lovingly. She looked down at his twin cocks with some hesitance, but seemed to make up her mind when she looked up at him and nodded.

The man nodded shortly in return before he gyrated his hips, one of his cocks pressing against her entrance before pushing its way inside, the ridges on the underside of his other penis rubbing against her clitoris. Arela moaned at his entry and the feeling of his other warm cock on her clit, and as the man pushed inside, he could feel that the inside of her was scarred as well. Thankfully, she didn't appear to be in pain. Hikan frowned a bit sadly, his hand coming to cup her face gently and bring her gaze to his before he kissed her gently.

Arela prodded his mouth with her tongue at this, requesting entry. The man opened his mouth and their tongues danced with one another as the man began to move his members, slowly starting to pull out of her before pushing back in. Arela moaned into the kiss, wrapping her arms and then wings around him tightly, her legs coming around to lock him in place. Hikan wrapped his arms under her back and shoulders as he felt his own wings come up to meet hers, scales beginning to vibrate gently against her feathers. The man arched his back a little as he continued to move his hips back and forth, sliding in and out faster and faster with each gyration, the ridges under his penises rubbing against her insides and clit.

Arela bit back a moan as she withdrew her mouth from Hikan's, holding him tighter to her as she looked up at him with a blush and the fire of need in her eyes. The man needed no other signal as he pulled his cock almost all the way out before pushing back in slowly, the tip of his second cock joining the other inside as they pushed her open.

Arela moaned louder than she had before, Hikan gritting his teeth at the tightness that his twin cocks now felt. Nevertheless, he pushed forward until his cocks sat hilted inside of her, the man giving a moment of pause to let the angel's insides grow accustomed to the twin girths. As they waited, Hikan panted and looked into her eyes.

Arela met his gaze with eyes full of lust and love. “Please… Give me a child,” she pleaded. The man nodded and kissed her as he withdrew his twin rods and stuffed them back in. He repeated this, each thrust growing faster as he pounded into her, arms holding her tight. Arela moaned, yelped, and moaned again and again as her lover pounded her like an animal. “My love…! My love…!” she cried in ecstasy.

Hikan could only grunt in response as he grit his teeth together and continued to hammer into her again and again, reaching deeper as his cocks throbbed and began to bulge as pressure built up once more in his shafts. Soon he felt the tips of his rods touch another entrance deep inside her. He couldn't help but smile as she gasped in pleasure, and he grit his teeth once more as he felt that wave of pleasure travel through him at her shudder. He felt his body respond and hips buck forward harder and faster, the tips of his cocks spreading open her cervix. He lifted his gaze as the pounding continued. “Arie, I'm gonna…” he tried to warn before grunting as he thrust hard into her. His lips suddenly met her neck, kissing and sucking at the sensitive flesh as he gently pressed his teeth into the surrounding area.

“I-I-Inside! Do it inside! I want your child!” Arela told him through her gasps and moans. Hikan felt a rumble roll through his throat as he sucked at the love-bite, his thrusts still growing stronger as the tips of his shafts entered her uterus over and over. Suddenly, his arms tightened around her and he pulled his cocks almost all the way out before slamming them back in as deep and hard as he could. His dicks throbbed violently as they shot rope after rope of cum inside of her, quickly filling the angel's uterus with his double load. Arela moaned loudly, gripping him tightly to herself as she screamed in ecstasy, her walls clamping down on his cocks and milking them for all they were worth. Hikan groaned and slowly pulled off of the love mark he had made, thrusting his hips a few more times to shoot out several more waves of his seed.

Finally, he pulled out, his seed leaking a little onto the bedsheets. “That was… amazing…” Arela panted. Hikan panted as his wings slumped. He tilted to the side and fell onto the bed beside his lover, wrapping his arms around her as he held her close.

“Definitely… worth the wait,” he agreed through heavy breaths. Arela wrapped her arms around her lover as well, nuzzling into him.

“Yeah…” she agreed, smiling happily.

Finally, feelings of love had been completely cemented and the two were bonded, body and soul. Night Raid only grew stronger with this, the family of assassins only forming greater ties to one another as their strength grew and their hunt for the Circle continued. However, it wouldn't be for another month or so before the group was given the breakthrough they needed….