Chapter Thirty-One – Home in Ashes
The Takahashi house was no longer safe. Hunters stormed through the neighborhood, interrogating families.
Keiko clutched Daichi's arm as Riku whispered, terrified:
"Uncle… are we gonna die?"
Daichi, usually proud and unshakable, had no answer. His martial arts could not stop arrows tipped with holy steel.
Meanwhile at school, Aiko's best friends Sayuri, Mei, and Kenta were questioned by men in black coats.
"Where is the transfer student? Where does he hide?"
Sayuri tried to laugh it off—"What, Zael-kun? He's probably at karaoke!"—but when one hunter's hand lingered too close to her throat, her smile faltered.
They realized the truth. This wasn't rumor anymore. This was war, and their lives were currency.
Chapter Thirty-Two – The Demon Warlord's Past
That night in the shrine, Aiko pressed him:
"Zael… tell me everything. No lies."
His silence stretched long enough for shadows to crawl. Then he touched the blade sunk into the earth. The steel pulsed with faint red veins of blood magic.
And the world shifted.
Aiko was dragged into his memory.
She saw a battlefield: mountains of corpses, rivers of fire. Soldiers screamed his name in terror—"Zael! Kuro no Maō!" (Black Demon King!)
She saw him young, proud, wings blotting out the moon as his double-bladed sword cut through armies. Blood rained like summer storm.
But then she saw betrayal. A woman cloaked in white, a human priestess, stood before him. Zael's gaze softened, almost tender… and then her blade pierced his chest.
Back in the shrine, Zael's hand trembled.
"I loved her once. She swore she loved me. But to her, I was always just the monster."
Aiko's heart clenched. For the first time she saw his pain wasn't only rage—it was loneliness spanning centuries.
Chapter Thirty-Three – Hunters in the City
The hunters grew bold.
They didn't hide anymore. Posters appeared online and on poles: "Wanted: The Demon in Human Skin." Photos of Zael's shadow during battles went viral.
The city's mood shifted—fear and hysteria. Citizens whispered. Some locked their doors. Others cheered the hunters.
One night, Aiko's parents were dragged from their home, accused of harboring the demon. Keiko screamed, Daichi fought like a tiger, but both were overpowered.
When Aiko found out, she nearly collapsed.
"They took them… they'll kill them if I don't—Zael, what do I do?"
Zael's jaw tightened.
"They want me. They'll use anyone close to you as bait."
Aiko: "Then let me come. I won't let them take my family!"
Zael: "You'll only get killed."
Aiko: "So teach me. If I can't fight beside you, then what's the point of being by your side?"
Chapter Thirty-Four – Blood Oaths
Zael hesitated. His world was blades and shadows; hers was light and music. To drag her further was a sin.
But her eyes burned with stubborn fire.
He gave her a dagger, black steel etched with runes.
"This is forged from demon bone. It will bite deeper than human blades. But once you hold it, your hands will never be clean again."
Aiko accepted, trembling but resolute.
"Then let my hands be stained if it means saving them."
Zael almost smiled—a smile twisted with pride and regret.
"You are braver than most kings I've slain."
Chapter Thirty-Five – Shadows Converge
Hunters prepared their final trap. A grand exorcism ritual was staged in an abandoned stadium, its walls painted with talismans. At its center, Aiko's parents knelt in chains.
Zael watched from the rafters, eyes glowing red.
The hunters called out:
"Come forth, Warlord of Shadows! Tonight the world sees your corpse burn!"
But Zael wasn't the only one answering.
From the far side of the stadium, the ground cracked. Other demons emerged—his rivals, drawn by the promise of blood. Their laughter echoed:
"Finally, Zael shows himself."
"Let us see if the Black Warlord still bleeds."
Aiko, clutching her dagger, whispered in terror and awe:
"Zael… it's all of them. They've come for you."
Zael's wings unfurled, vast as a storm. His double-bladed sword ignited with bloodlight.
"Then let them learn the difference… between demons who pretend to be kings, and the one true Demon King."
And he leapt into the massacre.
Chapter Thirty-Six – Arena of Blood
The stadium reeked of incense and fear. Chains rattled as Keiko cried out, voice hoarse:
"Aiko! Stay away! Don't come here!"
But Aiko was already hiding in the shadows, dagger clutched in her trembling hands. Beside her, Zael crouched like a panther, wings folded, sword humming with crimson veins of bloodlight.
The hunters chanted, talismans glowing. The floor cracked open with a burning sigil—meant to cage a demon king.
Zael's lip curled. "Pathetic."
He dropped into the arena. In the same breath, the hunters unleashed arrows of silver light. Zael's blade spun in a deadly circle—every arrow shattered, raining sparks.
Then the demons appeared. Horns, fangs, twisted flesh. A chorus of roars shook the walls.
One sneered: "We've waited centuries for this, Warlord."
Zael's wings erupted wide, casting shadows over the entire stadium.
"Then die disappointed."
Chapter Thirty-Seven – Friends in the Fire
While the crowd of hunters and demons clashed, a smaller group slipped behind the scenes.
Sayuri, Mei, and Kenta had followed Aiko, desperate to help. But they were caught by a squad of hunters.
"You kids shouldn't meddle," one growled, raising his blade.
Kenta stepped forward, fists balled. "She's our friend. Touch her, and I'll—"
The hunter laughed. "You? Against us?"
The sword fell—only for a dagger to flash. Aiko burst from hiding, slashing the hunter's arm. He hissed, the wound blackening from the demon-bone blade.
Aiko's hands shook, but she stood tall.
"She's not alone. She'll never be alone."
Sayuri's eyes widened. "Ai-chan…"
Zael landed beside her in the chaos, wings cloaked around her for a heartbeat. His voice was sharp but proud:
"You chose blood tonight. So stay alive long enough to regret it."
Chapter Thirty-Eight – Unleashing the Demon King
The rival demons lunged as one. Zael met them head-on, his double-bladed sword singing death.
One swing cleaved three torsos. Another spin split the earth itself. His claws raked across skulls, his tail crushed ribcages. Every beat of his wings was a hurricane.
The hunters stared in horror. This wasn't a boy. This wasn't a rumor.
This was the Demon King.
But as he fought, talismans glowed brighter. Chains of light shot from the sigil, latching to his arms, his wings. He snarled, blood dripping.
A priest raised his staff, chanting:
"Bind the Warlord, seal him beneath the earth!"
Aiko screamed, running toward him. Hunters tried to block her, but Sayuri and Kenta grabbed metal pipes from the wreckage, swinging wildly. Mei threw rocks, shrieking curses.
For once, her friends fought with her, against all odds.
Chapter Thirty-Nine – Aiko's First Blood
One hunter broke through, grabbing Aiko by the hair, blade pressed to her throat.
"Drop the weapon, girl. Or watch your blood spill."
Her breath came ragged. She thought of her parents, still chained. Thought of Zael, shackled by light. Thought of the priestess in his past—how betrayal had killed him once already.
Not this time.
She drove the dagger backward into the hunter's gut. He gasped, eyes wide, before crumpling.
Her hands shook violently, hot blood dripping down her wrist. She had killed.
Zael's gaze locked on her through the chains. He said nothing, but the fire in his eyes burned hotter—rage and something like pride.
Chapter Forty – Wings Over the World
The stadium descended into madness.
Hunters and demons alike slaughtered one another. Citizens outside gathered, some filming on their phones, others screaming in terror. The whole city now knew: the monster was real.
With a roar that cracked the rafters, Zael shattered the glowing chains. His wings burst free, blotting out every light in the stadium.
Shadows rippled across Tokyo, across rooftops, alleys, neon signs. Even the air felt heavier, colder.
Hunters faltered. Demons hesitated.
Aiko stumbled forward, face streaked with tears, voice trembling but strong:
"Zael… please. Don't let the monster they fear be the only part of you they see."
His blade gleamed crimson. His eyes glowed like twin suns of hell.
But then he looked at her. At the girl who had chosen blood for him, who stood despite fear, who called him not Warlord but by his human name.
And for the first time in centuries, the Demon King's hand shook.
Chapter Forty-One – The Morning After Blood
Tokyo woke to sirens.
Every screen—television, phone, billboard—was filled with shaky footage of the stadium. People screamed as crimson wings blotted out the neon skyline, as hunters fell, as demons tore men apart.
The headlines scrolled:
「悪魔王が東京に現れた!」
(The Demon King has appeared in Tokyo!)
Aiko sat on the floor of an abandoned train station, her hands still stained with blood. Sayuri held her tightly, whispering over and over, "It's okay, Ai-chan… it's okay."
But it wasn't. The copper taste of death lingered on her tongue. She had killed. And somewhere deep inside, a part of her whispered that she would kill again if it meant keeping him safe.
Zael leaned against a shattered pillar, wings folded, sword dripping. His eyes glowed faintly, but his voice was calm.
"They'll come for you now. Hunters. Priests. The government. Maybe even your own kind."
Aiko looked up at him, voice raw.
"Then… what do I do?"
Zael's fangs gleamed in a crooked smile.
"You run. With me."
Chapter Forty-Two – Wanted
By afternoon, the city was crawling with police, soldiers, and hunters from across the country. Roadblocks sealed off highways. Helicopters hovered over rooftops. Loudspeakers blared warnings:
「市民の皆様,外出を控えてください.悪魔の脅威が確認されています.」
(Citizens, please stay indoors. A demonic threat has been confirmed.)
On the news, a stern-faced officer announced:
"The girl in the footage is considered compromised. Anyone with information on Aiko Tanaka must report immediately."
Aiko's stomach dropped.
"They're… hunting me too."
Sayuri squeezed her hand. "Of course they are! You were with him!"
Mei groaned, dramatic as always. "We're literally in a horror anime. I didn't sign up for this."
Kenta grinned despite the fear. "Speak for yourself. I'm ready to throw hands with the government."
Zael chuckled darkly. "Mortals amusing themselves in the face of doom. I almost missed this."
Chapter Forty-Three – Shadows in the Subway
They moved underground, through abandoned subway tunnels. Water dripped from broken pipes, rats skittered across tracks, and every step echoed.
Aiko stumbled once, nearly falling, and Zael caught her effortlessly. His claws scraped the wall but his grip on her arm was gentle.
"Clumsy little human," he teased.
She shot him a glare. "Not all of us have demon reflexes."
He leaned close, his lips near her ear. "You'll learn. One day, you'll keep up with me."
Her cheeks burned. She shoved him away lightly. "Y-you're so full of yourself."
Sayuri muttered to Mei, "They're literally flirting in the apocalypse."
Mei sighed. "Figures. End of the world, and she still gets the hot guy."
Chapter Forty-Four – Between the Monster and the Man
That night, they camped in an abandoned maintenance room. Zael sharpened his sword while Aiko tried to wash blood from her uniform. The stains wouldn't come out.
She whispered: "Zael… back there, when I killed that hunter…"
He didn't look up. "Do you regret it?"
Her silence was heavy.
Finally, she shook her head. "No. And that scares me."
Zael's blade stopped mid-stroke. Slowly, he rose and crossed to her. His claws tilted her chin up. His crimson eyes burned, but his voice was low, almost tender.
"Good. Fear means you haven't lost yourself. Regret is a chain. Break it, or it will break you."
Her heart thudded painfully. She wanted to look away, but couldn't.
"Zael… are you a monster?" she asked.
He smirked faintly.
"Always. But maybe… not only."
Chapter Forty-Five – The Demon's Kiss
The air in the room was heavy. Their friends slept nearby, exhausted, but for Aiko and Zael the world had shrunk to a single heartbeat.
She whispered, trembling:
"Then… what else are you?"
His wings unfolded slightly, black feathers brushing the walls. His hand cupped her cheek. For once, his claws retracted.
"A fool," he murmured, "for wanting something I should never touch."
Her breath caught. And before fear could speak, she rose on her toes, pressing her lips to his.
It was fire and shadow and hunger. His kiss was rough, dangerous—but beneath it was restraint, like a predator holding back from devouring.
When they broke apart, her eyes shone with tears.
"Then be a fool with me."
Zael laughed softly, an ancient sound, older than the city, older than war.
"As you wish, little star."
Chapter Forty-Six – Fireflies in the Dark
The tunnels stretched endlessly, damp and cold. Yet that night felt strangely warm.
Aiko lay awake, hearing Zael's slow breathing. His wings were folded but still too large for the cramped space, so they curved around him like a dark cocoon.
She whispered, half-teasing:
"You look like a bat when you sleep."
One crimson eye cracked open. "Bats are efficient hunters. Shall I demonstrate?"
She flushed. "T-that's not what I meant!"
Sayuri rolled over with a groan. "Oh my god, can you two flirt later? Some of us need sleep before we die tomorrow."
Mei muttered from under her jacket, "Death by embarrassment feels more likely."
Even Zael chuckled, deep and quiet. For a moment, they weren't fugitives—they were just kids, hiding in the dark, laughing despite the world hunting them.
Chapter Forty-Seven – Family on the Line
Two days later, Aiko's phone buzzed. Somehow, through all the chaos, a signal reached the underground. The name made her chest ache: Mother.
She answered in a whisper.
"...Mama?"
Her mother's voice cracked with relief.
"Aiko! Where are you? The police came—your face is everywhere! They said you're with the demon—"
"Mama, listen! He's not—" Aiko's voice shook. "He saved me. More than once. Please… believe me."
Silence. Then a soft sob.
"My daughter… I don't know what to believe anymore. Just come home."
Zael stood nearby, silent. His expression unreadable. But when Aiko hung up, he spoke low:
"They'll never see me as anything but a monster. If you return, they'll take you from me."
Aiko clenched her fists.
"Then I'll never return without you."
Zael looked away, wings tightening. Foolish little star, he thought. You don't understand the price of that vow.
Chapter Forty-Eight – Hunters' Evolution
Above ground, the hunters evolved.
Gone were the simple swords and talismans. Now armored trucks rolled through the streets. Holy barriers glowed on bridges and intersections. Monks chanted sutras amplified by loudspeakers, forcing shadows to scatter.
And in the command tent, Captain Hayato snarled:
"If the Demon King wants war, we'll give him one. Deploy the Black Seraphs."
Rows of experimental soldiers knelt, their bodies tattooed with cursed seals, their eyes glowing faintly. Half-human, half-something else. Weapons forged in forbidden rites.
The city wasn't just preparing for war. It was becoming war.
Chapter Forty-Nine – The Rival Stirs
Far below, in a cavern drenched with molten stone, another presence awoke.
A demon older than Zael, once chained beneath the earth, stirred at the scent of chaos.
"So… the Warlord breaks his silence."
It rose from the pit, wings like serrated obsidian, voice dripping venom. This was Ravnos, the Betrayer, the one Zael had struck down centuries ago.
Now free, he gathered lesser demons, his laughter shaking the cavern walls.
"Let humans and hunters bleed. Let the city burn. I will tear the crown from Zael's head and wear it myself."
Chapter Fifty – Between Love and War
Back in the tunnels, Aiko sat beside Zael as he sharpened his twin-bladed sword.
She watched the sparks fly, then whispered:
"Zael… do you ever wish you weren't what you are?"
He paused. For once, no smile, no mask. Only truth.
"Yes. Every day. But if I weren't, I would never have met you."
Her heart clenched. Tears welled. Before she could answer, a tremor shook the earth.
Zael stiffened. His wings flared wide.
"He's awake," he growled.
Aiko blinked. "Who—?"
Zael rose, eyes burning with ancient fury.
"Ravnos. My brother. My enemy. The true monster your kind should fear."
And for the first time, Aiko saw fear flicker in the Demon King's eyes.
📖 Chapter Fifty-One – The Necklace
Zael rarely wore jewelry. But when Aiko nervously pressed a small velvet box into his hand, he opened it in silence.
Inside lay a silver chain with a crystal shard pendant. A faint glow shimmered within, like captured moonlight.
"It's… nothing special," she mumbled, cheeks red. "Just something to remember me by, if—"
Zael cut her off by clasping it around his neck. Against his bare chest, exposed by his sleeveless overall, the shard gleamed like fire against darkness.
"I will never take it off," he said simply.
Sayuri wolf-whistled from behind them. "Damn, Aiko, you've officially collared him."
Aiko smacked her with a notebook, mortified.
Zael just smirked. "Collared? I don't mind."
Chapter Fifty-Two – Shadows of the Net
Hunters grew desperate. Knowing Zael could not be slain by weapons alone, they turned to strategy far crueller—bait.
One rainy night, as Aiko walked home with her parents, vans screeched across the street. Masked hunters poured out, dragging them into the dark. Her scream echoed down the alley, cut short by a gag.
In his lair miles away, Zael doubled over. His claws sank into stone as white-hot agony tore through his chest. Her pain—her fear—stabbed into his mind like poisoned spears.
"Aiko." His voice shook the cavern. His guards recoiled as shadows writhed like serpents. "They dare touch her?"
Chapter Fifty-Three – The Bond of Pain
In the hunters' prison, Aiko was bound with her parents. They whispered to her, trembling.
"Why are they doing this?" her mother asked.
Aiko bit her lip. She couldn't speak. She couldn't admit the truth—that she was the only reason.
Above, Captain Hayato prepared the ritual circle. "The Demon King feels every wound she takes. Cut her, and he will crawl to us on his knees."
When the blade sliced across Aiko's arm, Zael screamed miles away, blood dripping from his claws. His eyes went black with rage.
"Summon my sword," he growled. "Summon the fire. I will reduce their city to ash."
Chapter Fifty-Four – The Feast of Rage
That night, Zael lost control.
His guards whispered of his weakness—his obsession with a human girl. He silenced them with a roar, then slaughtered them in a storm of claws and wings.
The cavern filled with blood. He tore flesh with his fangs, devouring them as though he could consume his own fury.
When silence fell, only the drip of blood remained.
And then—a gasp.
Zael turned. His human adoptive parents—those who had raised him as a boy, never knowing what he truly was—stood frozen in the doorway.
His fangs dripped. His wings burned like melting fire. His eyes glowed with infernal light.
Chapter Fifty-Five – The Smile
For a moment, no one breathed. His mother dropped the basket of food she carried; apples rolled across the bloodied floor.
Zael rose slowly, his chest bare, necklace gleaming, body slick with gore. His lips curled into a smile—a smile both grateful and terrifying.
"落ち着いてください…" (Ochitsuite kudasai… Please, calm yourselves…)
His voice was almost gentle.
"あなたたちが私を育ててくれたことを感謝しています."
(Anata-tachi ga watashi o sodate te kureta koto o kansha shiteimasu.)
"I am grateful… for the care you gave me. For raising me."
The smile widened into something darker. His eyes softened, but the crimson glow never left.
"でも,今は本当の私を見てしまった."
(Demo, ima wa hontō no watashi o mite shimatta.)
"But now… you have seen the real me."
His parents trembled, unsure whether the boy they raised still existed inside the monster before them.
Chapter Fifty-Six – The House That Raised a Monster
The basket hit the stone with a hollow thud. Apples rolled through blood, bumping against severed fingers and the heel of a boot. Zael's adoptive mother, Reina, covered her mouth. His adoptive father, Shinji, took a step forward, then two back, as if the distance might rearrange reality into something that made sense.
Zael stood in the ruin of his private hall, chest bare beneath the open overall jacket, the silver necklace Aiko had given him shivering against his skin. The pendant pulsed like a frightened heart.
He smiled. It was small, delicate, almost tender—until it reached his eyes and froze into winter.
"Ochitsuite kudasai. (落ち着いてください.Please, calm yourselves.)"
"Z-Zael, what have you… what are you?" Reina whispered.
He took one careful step, boots scraping through gore. Fire ran like molten resin along the edges of his wings, dripping and smoking where it hissed against stone.
"Anata-tachi ga watashi o sodatete kureta koto… hontō ni kansha shiteimasu. (あなたたちが私を育ててくれたこと…本当に感謝しています. I am truly grateful you raised me.)"
Shinji's jaw worked. "We found you in winter. A baby in a crate behind our shop. You cried like… like any child."
Zael's lips twitched. A memory stole across his face—warm bowls of miso, a wool blanket, clumsy hands tying his school tie. He blinked it away. "I was a child. And a king. Both can be true."
Reina took another step, eyes glistening. "Then… come home with us. Wash your—" She glanced down, paled. "Wash and we can… we can talk."
Zael tilted his head. "Iie. (いいえ.No.) I cannot pretend anymore." His gaze sharpened, turning toward the far wall—toward a pain that wasn't his and felt more vital than breath. He flinched, claws curling. "They have her."
"Her?" Shinji asked.
Zael's wings stretched, filling the hall with shadow. "Aiko. When she hurts, I burn." He touched the necklace; the crystal answered in a thready beat. "I will bring her back or end the city trying."
Reina reached out on instinct. "Zael—at least wear a shirt!"
He actually huffed a broken laugh. "Kaa-san… (Mother…) some wars require an open chest."
Shinji swayed. "Open… what?"
"Fashion," Zael said dryly, then glanced once more at them—so quickly they almost missed the softness that passed like a cloud across crimson suns. "Lock the doors. Don't follow. Ikinaide. (行かないで.Don't go.)"
He leapt. The shockwave rattled picture frames down the hall—photos of a boy in a too-large uniform, a birthday cake with crooked candles, a mother and father who had loved him without knowing who they loved.
Reina clutched Shinji's sleeve. "He said thank you," she whispered.
Shinji stared at the blood. "He said it… like a goodbye."
Chapter Fifty-Seven – In the Trap of Gentle Voices
Aiko woke to the reek of incense and damp rope. Talismans ringed the shrine beams, their ink black as crows' tongues. Her parents knelt to either side, wrists raw, eyes wild. Hunters in muted armor moved like a single shadow, all steel and discipline.
Captain Hayato crouched in front of Aiko, voice warm enough to be cruel. "Do you know what I admire about you?" he asked. "You have good taste in monsters."
Aiko glared. "You call yourself hunters, but you steal families in the dark. Dasai. (ダサい.Lame.)"
He smiled. "Such spirit. It will help you speak clearly when you call him."
He produced a nail—black, humming, carved in spirals that made Aiko's eyes water. A chain trailed from it to a seal painted on the floor.
"This is a kuro-kugi—a black nail. Drive it into the heart of a demon, and his power leaks away like water. Drive it into the heart of a king—and the sea runs dry."
Her mother sobbed. "Please… let my daughter go. We'll do anything."
Hayato's smile never reached his eyes. "Your daughter will. She's going to help us save the world."
He sliced Aiko's arm with a clean, practised motion. Pain flared, bright as lightning. Somewhere far away, the night howled.
Aiko forced a breath. "He'll know that wasn't an accident," she said, voice steady despite the tremor. "He knows the shape of my clumsiness."
Hayato stood. "Then he'll hurry."
Chapter Fifty-Eight – Drip Fire, Open Chest
The city bristled like a wounded animal. Barricades glowed with sacred geometry. Choppers slashed the sky with searchlights. Somewhere beneath the roar of engines, Tokyo prayed.
Zael landed on the skeleton of an unfinished tower, gaze sweeping, nostrils flaring. The necklace vibrated against skin and bone. His clothes smelled faintly of smoke, leather, and the bite of rain: open-chested overall jacket strapped at the ribs, dark trousers, scarred boots. The pendant chimed once, a single silver heartbeat given shape.
"Mikata o atsume. (味方を集め.Gather our allies.)" His command rode the wind. Shadows peeled from alley walls—strays and soft-eyed monsters who had prospered under his quiet rule. Not all demons wanted chaos. Some wanted rent control and sweet buns and a king who asked only for obedience, not blood.
A small, horned courier bowed, wings shivering. "Sire, the hunters sealed the Eastern Shrine."
Zael's wings unfurled. Fire bled from the feathers, dripping in long orange threads that vanished before they hit steel. He closed his eyes. Aiko's fear pulsed in the dark like a lighthouse.
"Iku. (行く.We go.)"
The courier hesitated. "Ravnos is awake."
"Good," Zael said. "I need something to break."
The courier swallowed. "And the humans?"
Zael's mouth curved. "If they draw blades, I will take their hands. If they run, I will let them live. I am not the butcher they remember." A breath. The fire on his wings intensified. "Unless they touch her."
He leapt. The fire followed.
Chapter Fifty-Nine – The False Oath
They brought Aiko to the center of the circle when the bells tolled midnight. Her wrists shook as Hayato pressed the black nail into her palm. He wrapped her fingers in his gloved hand, guiding the point toward an empty patch of stone—the place where Zael would kneel.
Her father, Daichi, snarled. "Cowards! Fight the demon yourselves!"
Hayato's eyes flicked to him, bored. "I am. Through his heart."
Aiko leaned close to her parents, voice barely breath. "When he comes, keep your eyes closed."
"Why?" Keiko asked.
"So you can remember him the way I do," Aiko said, and tried to smile like a girl who wasn't holding a weapon meant to unmake the only thing that felt like truth.
The seal thundered. Wind detonated inward, rattling the rafters. Feathers of black fire whirled like a storm of embers—and Zael stepped through the smoke.
He did not roar. He did not posture. He simply looked at Aiko.
For a heartbeat, the world shrank to the line of his mouth, the tired set of his shoulders, the way the pendant lay against a chest mapped by scars. He took one step and sank to one knee within the circle, wings mantled low, sword reversed and laid across both palms.
"Watashi wa koko ni iru. (私はここにいる.I am here.)"
Hayato's men surged forward. Chains of light snapped tight around Zael's wrists and wings, hissing where they touched his skin.
"Now," Hayato whispered, pressing Aiko's hand. "Drive it home."
Aiko met Zael's eyes. The pain between them hummed—hers, his, shared. She mouthed: "Gomen ne." (ごめんね.I'm sorry.)
Zael's smile was the softest thing she had ever seen him wear. "Shinjiteiru." (信じている.I trust you.)
She moved fast. The nail flashed—not into Zael's chest, but into the knot of sigils at the edge of the circle. Ink screamed. Light blew outward like shattered glass. The backlash hurled Hayato across the floor.
Zael tore one wing free, fire dropping from the feathers in fat, furious tears. "Clever girl," he said, and broke the first chain.