Golden Dawn

|Chapter 26 ~ Unexpected Party Member|

I couldn't believe it. Angelus looked exactly the same as I had last seen him in Lîxîlîa. His mahogany armour looked eerily parallel to that of the burnt-down surroundings, red cape trailing behind him -  pure tyranny. One arm pulled an enormous wolf-like creature behind him, no signs of weariness in his advancement towards us.

My eyes burned too much, but I managed to make out the horrifying details of the monster's furred body. The creature was a nightmarish dark colour, its mane glowing with red light almost as if it was on fire.

And its sides... I gulped down the bile in my throat. Its sides consisted out of flame, sheer firestorms burning where the monster's insides should have been. The hound-like creature was at least twice the size of Angelus and looked slaughtered. Strange yellowish fluid oozed from a deep wound in the monster's neck, trailing all the way behind Angelus like a river.

Ferîan only smiled wider at the gruesome sight of Angelus, the Lesphares seeming to have almost turned time into slow motion. I wasn't able to determine who the real monster was. The gruesome hound with canines as large as my entire body or Angelus, crimson eyes glowing with a feral brightness.

Next to me, Christa and Lex were as silent as the grave. Even Jacob who did not usually look very shocked about anything, stared at Angelus with wide green eyes. The only one who broke the spectral silence was Ferîan. The Lepshares placed a hand on the dead hound's forehead when Angelus reached our party. An achingly calm motion.

"What a feat, Angelus. They certainly caused a lot of unnecessary trouble recently and I am glad you took the beast down." He told him, blue eyes inspecting the deep wound in the creature's neck. I couldn't act normal and only kept staring, eyes continuously burning from all the smoke.

"There are at least two more out there Ferîan. I may have killed their leader, but the pack will always retaliate." Angelus's alien voice fit perfectly to the horrid atmosphere around us, dark and powerful, filling the air with pure authority. His red eyes glowed in the dimness of the fog and I noticed with a start they were now directed at the four of us, inspecting and evaluating.

"It sometimes frightens me how correct I can be." He said to himself more than anyone else, eyes trained on us. Agreeing with the unclear statement, Ferîan nodded from next to the creature and followed Angelus's gaze.

"You were right again Defender. Is it however wise to take so many Aliums into southern territory? They could easily slow us down."

I couldn't take it anymore. Strength surged back into my limbs as I gathered all my power to stand up from the sooted ground. The motion felt so weak, I must have looked like a baby antelope first learning how to walk. The thought embarrassed me, but I spoke anyway.

"W-What are you going on about? What were you so sure of Angelus?" I asked, my mouth as dry as sandpaper. Christa and Lex looked up at me, their eyes wide with fright. Their mouths hung open and I suddenly remembered they didn't know Angelus and I were acquainted.

The latter turned the entirety of his gaze on my face - which also must have looked like hell itself.

"I knew you would bring your companions along. It is only human nature after all." He explained as I tried to control my shock.

"You mean you and Ferîan were aware of my plans from the beginning?" I asked, hardly believing anything he had just said. Angelus simply nodded, dark hair falling in front of one crimson eye.

"Humans are social creatures Artemisia. They are one of the few species who can organize themselves in large groups, thus I anticipated your decision to bring along these three as well as instructed Ferîan to pay it no mind."