Rendil couldn't sleep the whole night; he welcomed dawn, staring at it from his balcony. When his Lumion alerted him it was time, he let out a deep sigh. Orders were orders.

  Just as the captain had told them, so it happened. Early in the morning, everyone set out for the Northeastern Gate. After crossing the large courtyard, they suddenly found themselves in a beautiful world: beaches, lagoons, a crystal-clear sea, and a gentle breeze. Rendil finally understood why Elion didn’t like the Eighth Gate but loved the Second. The captains approached the lieutenants. “We have another long march ahead; we’ll be guarding the Fortress of the Golden Sunset.”

  The entire group under High Captain Vesaria set out. After ten days, they arrived at their destination; it was already afternoon. The fortress stood on the cliff’s edge, all sandstone and so tall that the banners up top were only specks in the wind. At the summit, a massive Branch of Light arched and flowed into a pool atop the tower. Elegant white terraces jutted from the sides. The whole complex was protected by a semicircular wall that reached the cliff edges on both sides. This structure, too, gave an impression of being impregnable.

  At the top, they were welcomed by a high angel and his captains. Two branches were now housed in the fortress. Everyone calmly went to their new quarters. Rendil got a room with a beautiful view. Once he settled in, he walked along the terrace he had admired from below. As he continued, he had to stop and stare; the name was once again completely fitting: he witnessed the most beautiful sunset of his life. For a moment, he leaned on the snow-white stone railing and reflected on the beauty. The sound of the waves and the smell of salt reminded him of the times he had gone on vacation with his family to see the sea. After a while, he drew a deep breath and went to the barracks.

  Several months passed; time blurred, and everyone got used to the routine of guarding this paradise and calling it home. Years went by like flowing water. Patrols. Training. Fighting. Watching sunsets that never changed. In the evening, the squads dispersed to their rooms. Rendil remained seated at the table, feet up on the bench. Empty plates were already dispersing, reuniting with the Light as fine, golden?bluish sand. Elion walked by, whistling and carrying a Hnefatafl board. “Come on, let’s play!”

  “I’m not in the mood,” Rendil replied, lowering his gaze.

  Elion sat down next to him. “What’s gotten into you?”

  Rendil sighed. “Today I’ve officially been here more than forty years. I’ve been here longer than I lived in the world,” he said quietly.

  Elion exhaled. “I went through that too. Believe me, it’ll pass soon. Come on, play with me. Shutting yourself off won’t help.”

  Rendil shook his head. “I really don’t feel like it. And what could actually help me? In such a long time, nothing has changed! We’re not even a step closer to taking any of the Gates. Don’t you get it? I could spend entire millennia here; I just want to know my family is all right!”

  In frustration, he waved his hand and the glass at his side shattered on the floor.

  “I’m giving it my all,” he added tiredly, burying his face between his knees.

  When he lifted it, he felt a strong slap on his cheek.

  “What was that for?” he cried out in surprise.

  Elion looked at him sternly. “If you feel like you’re fighting weakly, fight harder! And if that’s not enough, give even more, but no despair! That’s not the you I know!”

  Rendil was about to hit him back, but Elion just stood still, hands braced on the table, ready to take a blow from his brother.

  Rendil lowered his hand and walked away, his steps echoing as he pushed the barracks door wide and stepped out into the open. He climbed the sandstone stairs to his room in angry strides, each step calming him a little.

  He sat on the terrace of his room and watched the waves wash the shore below. The moon reflected on the night sea and gave the scenery a silvery glow. He thought about all the time he’d spent in the living world: about Sara’s face, the children as they grew, all the hardship he had endured to earn his position, about her career, the illnesses, his family, and friends he was forgetting more and more as the years went by. The longer he dwelt on these thoughts, the more he began to lose himself again in the darkness of his soul.

  Then he remembered the slap, snapped out of it, and thought of his first shower and what he had promised himself when he came here: that he wouldn’t give up. He clenched his fists and went back to the barracks, where Elion was setting up the game pieces.

  “Still trying to beat yourself?” he teased.

  “You know, I reacted a bit impulsively earlier... Sorry!”

  “No, I’m the one who should apologize,” Rendil said, shaking his head. “The years got to me. Thank you for waking me up, brother. Let’s have another beer, what do you say?”

  “Pah! Even three!” Elion shouted happily. In a moment, he was carrying three cold beers in each hand and sat down across from him.

  Over the next five years, Rendil became a master lieutenant, known throughout the captain’s unit and in the branch of the commander. He was walking through the fortress courtyard when Radion landed in front of him.

  “Everyone to the main courtyard, quickly!”

  He ran over and stood before the assembled group. Vesaria and her captains were already at the front.

  “Six hours from here, a squad reports suspicious enemy activity. I’ll lead the expedition myself and take three units with me. We leave immediately!”

  They went out again through the upper doors of the fortress. They passed along many beaches. The sandy and rocky terrain was beautiful, and the sun beat down on them. Even though their bodies never needed to relieve themselves of food or water, hot sweat still ran down their skin.

  When they arrived at the place, it was already evening.

  They stood on the beach. Ahead, a cliff towered, its ridge angling down to the right until it came level with the sand. A few hundred paces along the shore would set them onto a natural stairway to the summit.

  “Are we going to walk around up there?”

  “Guard this position,” Vesaria ordered. “It could be a trap. We captains will scout the top from above.”

  The silver armor gleamed under the moonlight, and the salty air lingered. Only the clatter of metal and the low hum of the sea broke the silence.

  All four leaders took off. For a while, they circled over the hill. Then, suddenly, there was a sound like a cannon shot, flashes of Light, and silence. After a moment, they saw Synaa flying away, holding a wounded Arion by one arm; he was missing a wing. From the air, her scream carried clearly over the beach.

  “Leviathan!”

  They saw neither Vesaria nor Radion anywhere. Suddenly, barking rose from the hill. Lorian, with his squads and Arion’s unit dropped into line at the base of the cliff where it met the beach, forming a barrier as Elion’s and Rendil’s squads moved to join them. Then Rendil shouted, “No! Everyone back to the fortress, now!”

  Elion grabbed him by the shoulder, with two of Synaa’s other lieutenants standing by. “What are you doing?”

  “I'm saving our squads and one unit. If you heard Synaa right, there's a lord up there who got them. I don't like it, but let's save what we can. Lorian's platoon and Arion's entire unit are already dead. This battle will likely cost us five lieutenants.”

  “Five?”

  “Yes, I’m going up,” he said, pointing to the cliff.

  “You want to go up there? I’m going with you!”

  “No; someone has to lead them back to the fortress!” He turned and sprinted the other way. In the dark, he turned off his halo and Lumion; only the soft thud of his footsteps and his quick, steady breathing marked his passage across the sand.

  I hope I’ll be able to save them. Save them? How am I going to save them from a lord? Okay, stop panicking. First get up there, then decide what you can do.

  He heard the fighting die down off to the side. Grimly, he closed his eyes and prepared to jump onto the rock when someone grabbed his shoulder.

  It was Elion. “Six lieutenants!” he corrected him.

  “And the others?” Rendil demanded, anger flaring. Elion raised his palm to stop him.

  “Three lieutenants are leading the retreat with our squads. They'll be fine. But there's no time; come on up!” he said sharply, then sprang onto the rock ahead.

  Rendil exhaled through his teeth and started climbing. It was a long, hard ascent, but as they neared the top, they heard a voice: hissing and very deep. It was like the rumble of the sea.

  “Grrmmmph, grrmmmph, grrmmmph... I haven’t had captains in a long time... correction, high captain, or better yet, commander? My apologies!”

  “Just finish it, demon, and stop dragging it out,” the captured Vesaria shot back.

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  “Ooo, your wish is my command!”

  He drew a barbed trident with a reversed prong and drove it into Radion.

  “You’re right, I don’t need this one. You’ll do!”

  Then he tossed him into his mouth and began to chomp. Everyone could hear the crunching of bones inside his maw. A sour, blood?thick stench rolled out with every chew, and a stream of blood ran from the corner of his muzzle.

  “You cursed slime!” Vesaria screamed.

  “Oh, let’s not rouse our own anger or fall prey to self-flattery!” The demon's rumbling laughter rolled across the cliff.

  They hid behind a nearby rock, from where they could see a monstrous being resembling an enormous serpent. It had long whiskers on its chin and a hideous face lined with many rows of long, sharp teeth. The creature strongly resembled a deep-sea anglerfish, though it lacked the signature lamp on its forehead. Its entire body was covered in slime, and thin forelimbs with four long claws extended from its trunk. In one claw, it gripped a trident, while six octopus-like tentacles hung from its sides.

  Arrogantly, the beast turned and slithered into the darkness. Vesaria, exhausted and missing half of each wing, had no strength left to escape.

  “Now,” Rendil whispered.

  With Elion at his side, he rushed to the commander’s aid. Together, they gently lifted Vesaria and carried her toward the cliff’s edge. They were nearly there when a guttural voice echoed behind them:

  “Well, well, what do we have here? Lieutenants? Grrmmmph, grrmmmph, grrmmmph... Haven’t digested those in a long time!”

  He loomed within a few paces, his shadow swallowing their Light.

  “You were once human, but you chose to keep defending the Silver City instead of ascending to the High Heavens! You could have been with all your loved ones long ago.I’ve always wondered: what motivates you? Is it your desire to kill? If so, then as murderers, you truly belong in the hottest hells!” he roared, then paused as Rendil’s startled expression caught his attention.

  “Ooooo...” He stabbed his weapon into the ground and began to clap.

  “What do I see here? So you didn’t know? You could have been with all your loved ones long ago! They lied to you? That’s not like the heavens at all,” he taunted maliciously.

  “Shut up,” Vesaria gasped.

  “Oh, come on, hush.” He backhanded her to the ground. “I want to know what you think! Come on, they should have told you! Take revenge! They lied to you, betrayed you! You can punish liars!”

  “Shut up!” Rendil roared. “It’s as the commander said. Nothing you say will affect me.” His sword glowed brightly. You’re just a corrupted, hideous fish spouting nonsense.”

  “Oooh, compliments...” the demon sighed. “If your conviction is so strong, let’s end this empty conversation.”

  Suddenly, one of his tentacles shot out. Rendil took a defensive stance and blocked the attack, Light sparking as the tentacle forced him toward the brink of the cliff.

  After a grueling clinch, his heel slid; the ledge vanished under him, and he began to plunge from the ledge to the sound of the demon’s booming laughter. As he tumbled down the sheer drop, he closed his eyes, memories flickering before him. Fragments of memory swirled in his head: his children’s faces, Sara’s smile, old promises. The image of his close ones in his mind began to blur... Everything was slipping away, dissolving into darkness.

  Not like this.

  Not now.

  For them. For everyone who believes in me.

  I won’t let it end here.

  Suddenly, a sharp, unexpected pain shot through his back. The flesh ripped and Light exploded outward. His body tensed on its own, and the wind whipped his face.

  I didn’t hit the ground?

  When he opened his eyes, the sea was right below him, but it seemed to be moving toward him.

  Wait! It’s not moving; I am! I’m flying!

  He flapped his wings clumsily to gain lift. From a distance, he saw Leviathan slowly crawling away from the commander and Elion, still rambling through his monologue. He landed quietly near them. He caught only the end of the ominous sentence:

  “... maybe when he falls from the Tree, he won’t hate you... Grrmmmph, grrmmmph, grrmmmph...”

  But then Leviathan suddenly shouted, “What?” By then, Rendil was already holding both of them by the hands and gliding with them off the cliff.

  We won’t make it; they’ll shoot us down!

  He didn’t have time to look back; both were heavy, and for his first flight, he had to use all his strength to get them to safety. He expected an attack at any moment, but nothing hit them. He flew for a long time, very low. Completely exhausted, he landed in front of the fortress doors; by then, the sun had already set. His knees buckled and they all went down in a crash, a huge clatter of armor echoing off the stone. His wings ached in every joint.

  Synaa with the captains and another commander immediately took Vesaria and carried her to the top of the Keep. They were left alone for a moment with Elion, who jumped around excitedly, grabbing his head and shouting:

  “Well, would you look at that!” he exclaimed, pointing at Rendil’s wings.

  But Rendil was silent. “Aaaah,” he continued more calmly, “you know about that moving on... I wanted to tell you.”

  Rendil stopped him with his hand and looked at the stars. He took a deep breath and exhaled.

  “I remember when you wanted to tell me, and I know what I told you... I respect your decision and I’m not angry! And I know you did it with the best intentions. But we’ll talk about it another time; right now we have a demon lord to kill.”

  He flew up to the captains in the Main Tower. They ran to him and started asking questions:

  “You saved her! And you have wings?! How did you manage that?”

  The other commander spoke up. “And what about Radion?”

  He just lowered his head.

  “I see. I understand,” he said. “Vesaria is in good hands, but she needs time to heal from such wounds.”

  Rendil took the initiative. “Someone must go for the archangels immediately!”

  The whole room fell silent. “Leviathan is there; we can’t handle him here. We mustn’t waste time; we have no other option.”

  The commander assured him that he had already dispatched one of the captains to send a message via the Branch of Light.

  After a few hours, the doors of the Keep flew open, a crash of wood and steel echoing off the stone walls. Ariel entered the room with her royal guard. Her presence was different this time; anger hung in the air as their strength and majesty took over the room. She saw her disfigured comrade, approached her, and took her hand.

  “Where is he?!” she asked sharply.

  “At the very edge of the world, by the cliffs, it’s not far. I’ll take you there,” Synaa replied.

  “Take me with you,” Vesaria said, standing up.

  “As brave as that is, you need to heal. And the fortress must not be left unguarded; at least one whole Branch needs to stay here. And I have unfinished business there,” Ariel said firmly, already preparing to leave.

  “Wait, you mustn’t go!” Rendil shouted.

  “What are you saying?” Ariel asked in surprise. It was clear she didn’t know whether to be angry or taken aback.

  “It doesn’t make sense; they let us escape. He’s very confident.” He paused, then said, “We need more archangels.”

  “But why? I can tell you I can handle Leviathan just fine,” Ariel said, now angry, standing in the doorway.

  “Yes, you can take him on, but I think it’s a trap. They want a lone archangel to fly in.”

  “The longer we wait, the more demons will get through, and our fight will only get harder. They might even go for one of the fortresses. Michael and Uriel have been called, but they’ll need at least an hour to make it here,” Ariel said, her voice tight.

  “Just please listen to me; it’s a trap, I know it! I have an idea. Follow me,” Rendil protested.

  He went down to the barracks, to the Light, where the remaining squads were waiting.

  “Can you make me an exact copy of archangel wings?” Rendil asked.

  A petal peeled off from the Light and turned into beautiful wings. No matter how hard he tried, though, he couldn’t put them on in a way that would let him use his own. Ariel watched him with amusement.

  Then Mona stepped closer and volunteered.

  “I guess it’s up to me,” she smiled.

  “No... we can’t sacrifice you!”

  “Sacrifice? You’re coming with me! I have to get there somehow!”

  At that moment, everyone understood his plan.

  “We’ll go while it’s still nighttime,” he said, “so we’ll be seen as little as possible when landing.”

  The flight was different this time. Rendil carried a passenger for the third time, and only now did he start to take in his surroundings. Darkness surrounded them, visibility nearly gone. He barely had time to gauge his own form. He landed on a path that wound diagonally up to the top of the cliff. They walked quietly when they heard a deep “grrmmmph, grrmmmph...” and Leviathan burst out of the woods at them.

  “Who are you, archangel? And all alone?”

  He grabbed her with a tentacle, then roared in surprise. “What?” The wings he seized crumbled like toothpicks. Instantly, the whistle of an arrow cut the air. Mona fell with the tentacle to the ground; Rendil quickly caught her and flew off with her in the opposite direction.

  “The element of surprise is on your side, I admit, but you’re still ours! legions, now!”

  From the dense palm forest at the very edge of the cliff, six legions crashed out, their heavy steps trampling the sandy ground like harbingers of doom. Sand leapt with every impact, and the air seemed to tremble with their advance.

  Among them emerged a dark figure cloaked in a black robe, his presence radiating cold and unease. At his side walked the silhouette of a woman with outstretched bat wings, her gaze as sharp as a blade and her eyes shining with dark power. Behind them appeared Azazel, the demon Rendil would never forget.

  His studies paid off. He recognized the woman immediately: Abaddon. The robed man must be Aamon. They came out of the woods toward Ariel. Behind them, in the darkness, two more massive winged figures suddenly lit up as Michael and Uriel joined the hunt. Gradually, other halos of high angels who formed their royal guard lit up around the area.

  The legions and Leviathan roared and charged without hesitation at everyone they spotted. The area was surrounded. The man and woman spun on their heels and jumped into a huge rift nearby. The enraged Goat followed them with a roar.

  The battle was incredible, something Rendil could not have imagined. Michael led the attack, walking across the ground like a majestic tank in his glorious armor, radiating holy Light. When two legions leaped at him, his blade ignited. With a single swing, he destroyed them both. Two more fell instantly to his high angels, who dropped from the sky and pierced them on impact.

  Uriel fought Leviathan with a flaming longsword while Ariel's arrows supported him from behind. When Leviathan wasn't looking, Michael jumped on his back and plunged his flaming sword into the beast. The hideous body glowed, and holy fire shot from its eyes. It was like watching a cleansing; they literally swept the place clean. The hellhounds and barons, used for the ambush from below, scattered but were cut off by Ariel's guard, Synaa, and the fortress captains.

  The other two legions had their way to the chasm cut off by Uriel’s guard. They tried to resist, but in vain, one after the other, they fell. When there was no trace left of the charging demons, everyone turned to the huge hole. A clear red light burned in its depths, and a heavy reek of sulfur drifted up, laced with a faint, distant wailing like pain carried on the wind. Far below, the remaining hordes were already in retreat, hurling themselves back into the abyss to save their hollow shells. Michael plunged his sword into the ground and sealed it in a second. Rendil and Mona just watched this unbelievable spectacle.

  When it was over, they landed and made room for two more. Rendil and Mona clumsily flew down and closed the circle. Ariel began:

  “I admit, being here alone, it could have turned out a bit differently,” she said, glancing at the strategist who had somehow ended up there.

  “So this is the lieutenant we keep hearing about?” Uriel sized him up. “Correction, captain! Truly surprising.”

  Rendil looked at him. He reminded him of Raphael, but his face was thinner and his skin had a finer, caramel hue. The archangels no longer fazed him, since he’d seen them several times, but their armor and weapons were still a new sight to behold. They didn’t seem so tall to him anymore, since he noticed that Mona had shrunk quite a bit, which mainly had to do with his own transformation.

  Michael spoke to him: “The Heavens thank you for today. May your Light shine true!”

  “And may yours shine as well,” he replied promptly.

  The angels immediately flew away without another word. Ariel, however, came up to him and whispered, “Help them; make sure they return safely. Meet me at the Main Tower at two in the morning!” And in the blink of an eye, she flew off after her brothers.

  He flew down with Mona from the cliff to the other captains. Without another word, they turned and headed back to the safety of the fortress.

  Synaa reported to Vesaria that everyone was alive and the enemies had been neutralized with minimal losses.

  “That’s really good, since we’ll be without one unit and four squads for the first two months. We’ll also be without a captain,” Vesaria noted.

  “Yes, we’ll miss Radion, but we won’t be without a captain,” Synaa said, and her gaze rested on Rendil, as if silently entrusting him with new responsibility.

  Rendil thought for a moment, then with a smirk mixing humility and uncertainty, remarked, “Those are big shoes to fill... but I'll give it my best.”

  “Now you are dismissed. Your friends are in the barracks, don’t keep them waiting,” Vesaria said.

  ? Next Update: Tuesday ? Thursday ? Saturday at 18:00 CET ?