Ezme panted as she sat on her knees on the battlefield, covered in blood from head to toe. The battle had taken its toll on all of them, be they mortal or angel. 

Won’t be much longer now. Just need to catch my breath for a minute.

Two of her siblings - that she knew about - had lost their mortal bodies during the year long battle. Fortunately they had managed to recover their souls before they were taken by the demons and taken back to the silver city to recuperate and create new bodies.

Both of them had overexerted themselves. As Alarice had taught her, Ezme had held back enough not to get caught outnumbered and tired. 

Following those teachings was hard - the hardest thing Ezme had ever experienced. Several times she had to turn a blind eye to mortals being overrun, simply because she needed a breather. 

But every time she did, Ezme felt hurt. Far more hurt than she had from any injury she had received in any battle. And it didn’t become easier.

Ezme looked up as she heard the demons trample a group of mortal soldiers in the distance. Even if she wanted to it would be too late to save them now.

Ezme closed her tear filled eyes and took another deep breath.

Focus. We’re only buying time. Our victory lies in keeping the demons back long enough, not killing them here today.

Ezme stood up and gripped her halberd when she heard a familiar, cheerful voice in her mind.

[Juuhuu, Fluffles! How’s it going?] (Amara)

A small smile emerged on Ezme’s face. Had she been in the silver city, she would have retorted and said that Amara shouldn’t call her Fluffles. But now Ezme was only relieved to hear the friendly voice in the middle of the dark present. 

It wasn’t enough to cure Ezme’s grief, nor make her feel at peace in the middle of the conflict, but it gave Ezme hope. Without the occasional telepathic conversation with Amara, Ezme’s will to fight would have broken long ago. Ezme has seen morale dropping amongst her siblings, getting chipped away little by little as fresh demons came endlessly at them.

[It’s...going okay.] (Ezme)

[Wow. You sound even more tired this time. Do you ever get a break?] (Amara)

[I just took one. Was about to head back into it.] (Ezme)

[No! Take a longer break! Wearing yourself out is only going to harm you!] (Amara)

Ezme smiled as she looked down on the burnt ground under her feet. Amara’s words were the same as Alarice’s, yet they were also different. 

It wasn’t that Alarice wasn’t concerned for Ezme’s well being, for she was - in her own way. 

[Still there?] (Amara)

[Yes. Sorry.] (Ezme)

[See? You’re spacing out. You need to rest longer.] (Amara)

You only say that because you’re not here, seeing what I’m seeing. The moment we’re done I’m going back in there.

[I’ll try.] (Ezme)

[Good! Hey, when will you get back?] (Amara)

Ezme smiled wryly. Amara had asked that question every time. Ezme had already lost count how many times she had heard it, and had begun to guess at what time in the conversation Amara would ask.

[I think we’re wrapping it up soon.] (Ezme)

[Awesome! When you get back, I’ll treat you to some tea! I got a really good one from my last haul.] (Amara)

Ezme exhaled in amusement. Amara really wasn’t holding back on stealing things anymore. 

Guess we’re a little more alike now. 

[Sounds good.] (Ezme)

[It’s a date! Then I’ll see you later, Fluffles!] (Amara)

Ezme flinched.

[Date? I didn’t-] (Ezme)

[Sorry, connection’s breaking up! Take care of yourself, okay? Don’t let the Bitch walk all over you! Bye!] (Amara)

Ezme snorted as she felt the telepathic connection cut off. I’ll deal with that later.

Spreading her wings and leaping up, Ezme took off into the air. She scoured the battlefield with her gaze and noticed one of her siblings dealing with more demons than he could handle.

Pulling back her wings Ezme dove towards the ground and gripped her halberd tighter.

She channeled her divine power into the halberd and strengthened her body.

Blade Extension!

Ezme broke her dive and flew quickly, level to the ground. Swinging her halberd as she flew by her brother, Ezme decapitated two demons. Immediately after she extended her wings and banked hard to get back to her brother.

Her bank brought her twenty meters above the skirmish, and she angled her wings to let gravity make her fall. She knew her body strengthening would be enough from this height. 

As she fell she targeted a demon and pierced its head with her halberd just before her feet slammed into the ground. Immediately she held her hand out towards a group of demons.

Blast of Holy Fire!

The dull sound of an explosion occurred as a ball of white fire quickly expanded and enveloped three of the demons. Ezme kept channeling her divine power to maintain the holy fire on the demons that had begun writhing and screeching in agony. 

Two left.

Pulling out her halberd from the demon’s head, she gripped it with both hands as the two remaining demons from the group had changed targets from her brother to her.

Dodge first, slash second. Turn around and deal with the first.

The first demon approached quickly. Ezme stepped to the side and ducked as the demon went past her.

Blade Extension!

Standing back up she brought her halberd in an upward swing towards the second demon, slashing it halfway through the torso.

Seeing that none of the demons affected by Holy Fire were alive anymore, she cancelled the flow of divine power while turning around.

But Ezme was too slow.

The last demon was already in the air after leaping towards her. Ezme held up the shaft of the halberd to hold it off from reaching her, as she had no time to swing it.

As the demon slammed against her, the momentum made her fall down on her back. The demon was trying to break Ezme’s stance and clawed at her armor.

Shit! Holy Fire! 

Ezme’s halberd instantly erupted into white flames, that spread onto the demon’s arms and chest. The demon screeched and instantly recoiled in agony while reflexively attempting to put out the fire, but ended up spreading it instead.

As Ezme pushed herself off the ground she heard the dampened sound of steel cutting flesh. Looking at the demon Ezme saw that it had been decapitated, and the body was toppling over.

Ezme cancelled her Holy Fire and looked to her brother, who was panting after finishing his own part of the skirmish and helping her.

“Thanks.” Ezme said.

“I’m the one who should be grateful.” The angel smiled while panting. “Got into a bit of a pickle.”

“It happens. Just remember to be careful.” Ezme replied. 

“I will. You’re the one that’s been taught personally by sister Alarice, right?” Her brother asked.

“Well, she tries to.” Ezme said dejectedly.

“What do you mean? You’ve done great. I’ve seen you - you always seem to be on the border of collapsing, yet after looking away only for a moment, I see you back in the fray with new vigour. Where do you find your strength?” The angel smiled.

Probably Amara. But I can’t say that.

“...I’m not sure.” Ezme eventually responded.

“Shame. If there was a way to learn how to keep going, I’d like to know. So tell me if you figure it out.” Her brother said with a smile.

“You got it.” Ezme replied with a faint smile.

The angel took a deep breath and sighed. “Well then, let’s get back to-” He began but was interrupted.

[We’re ready. Everyone, fall back to the north.] (Alarice)

Ezme and her brother looked at each other and nodded. They both spread their wings and took off, flying to the north. Everywhere on the battlefield, other angels were doing the same. Before long there was a swarm of angels flying together. They saw an angel in the distance, slowly flapping her bright wings as she watched their approach.

They all gathered around her and looked to the south. The remaining mortals were quickly being overrun as they had retreated. 

“The defensive line is complete. We’ll be withdrawing from this world.” Alarice said. Even though she didn’t raise her voice, every single angel was paying attention, regardless of their exhaustion.

“So what do we do now?” One of the angels asked.

“We wait for Sophelia to give us a window.” Alarice explained. 

They watched the demons slowly make their advance in the distance while fighting the groups of mortals. Suddenly the figure of an angel, brighter than the sun, crossed though the air above the battlefield. It only took a few seconds for the figure to emerge from one side of the horizon and disappear beyond the other.

A moment later, the entire battlefield was wrapped in white flames that stretched hundreds of meters to the sky.

Sophelia.

A shiver ran along Ezme’s spine as she watched the flames slowly die down, leaving only a black wasteland behind. 

“Now we have the window we need. We’re departing.” Alarice’s cold voice broke the silence.

Next, Ezme heard the phrase she had hoped never to be voiced - the command she knew would eventually come, yet couldn’t stop dreading.

“Reap the souls.” (Alarice)