"Shit! Yo..." her exclamation was abruptly cut off as Raphael slammed his boot violently onto the angel's face. "Listen..." he spat, still standing atop Mara's visage. "You are.." Raphael continued menacingly, punctuating each word with a heel dig of the sole. "Very...noisy!" Luxuriating in his loathsome power, Raphael concluded with an especially resounding stomp.

Celeste and the other angels were filled with utter shock and disbelief at what had transpired, their minds struggling to comprehend how a human could have committed such a heinous act. They felt tongues of horror licking around their hearts as they contemplated the sinister truth before them.

"Hear me now," Raphael declared, glaring back at Celeste and back again at the angels. "As long as I draw breath, she shall be held in chains by me and me alone. It matters not if thou art angel or demon or god; I shall forgo my very life before I allow any harm to come to her. She is mine, and mine alone!!!"

"How dare you lowly mortals presume to speak thus!" bellowed one of the angels aligned alongside Raphael.

"If you dare..." The weight of his two deadly daggers pressed against Mara's chest, and Raphael slowly drove the blades home. Again and again, he thrust the steel into the angel's heart, reveling in the angel's pain as Mara gasped for breath.

"Ra..Raphael what the..." Celeste's voice died in her throat as she watched Raphael turn towards her, the steel of his daggers still stabbing Mara, again and again. His face bore a look of dark intent that sent shivers down Celeste's spine.

A strange light began to coalesce around Mara, growing ever brighter until it engulfed the angel's entire being. As the light began to fade, Mara became a shower of golden sparks that danced and whirled in the wind until it disappeared.

Having finished his work, Raphael slowly rose to his feet and ran a long tongue over the blade of one of his daggers.

"So that is how you shall meet your end," Raphael said menacingly, his words heavy with finality. "How do you intend to proceed, oh honorable angels?"

"You heathen!" one of the angels bellowed, hurtling towards Raphael accompanied by scores of others. An explosion of wings and holy fury surrounded Raphael as they pummeled him mercilessly.

Celeste was stunned into silence, her mouth agape as she watched the scene unfolding before her. The ten angels that had surrounded Raphael moments earlier suddenly dropped from the sky like stones, and a brilliant golden light began to emanate from Raphael's body. She could hardly believe what she was seeing; it was as if he were being bathed in some sort of celestial glory. He seemed almost supernatural now, the light encircling him in an ethereal embrace.

Celeste felt a chill run through her body, her horror growing with each quivering breath as she beheld the scene before her.

After the task was completed, Raphael slowly turned to face Celeste. His gaze locked onto hers, and he finally reached out a hand in her direction.

"Let's get out of here, Celeste," Raphael said, extending his hand toward her. She hesitantly reached out and grasped it tightly, her hands shaking as the cold night breeze caressed their skin. She felt the warmth of his touch seep into her like a comforting blanket on a frigid wintry night, and tranquility from beyond washed over her. This gesture had forged something between them--an understanding that surpassed any words ever uttered.

"Can you walk?" he asked quietly, his voice carrying with it a quiet sense of sincerity and concern. Celeste nodded slowly in response, her voice quavering as she spoke. "I...I can." Her voice quavered, yet it carried an undeniable strength that forced even the fear to take a step back.

Raphael smiled at Celeste, something Raphael rarely did.

"Looks like the problem is solved, we can get out of this forest in peace," said Raphael.

"Yes," Celeste replied.

"You're crying? Angels can cry?" said Raphael, surprised to see Celeste's tears welling up in her eyes.

Raphael settled upon the grass, his weight causing it to bend in submission beneath him. The valley was silent, its rolling grasslands and stony outcroppings blanketed by an encroaching fog. Beyond the mist, he could hear the distant howling of wolves and other nocturnal creatures proclaiming their presence in the night.

Raphael listened to Celeste's cries gradually becoming more subdued, replaced by soft sobs. Not sure what to do, he finally approached Celeste who was sitting there with her knees drawn close to her chest. He noticed that her hands shook as she clasped them tightly around the fabric of her shirt, and the tears streaming down her cheeks glimmered in the faint light of the moon above them. He could hear his trembling breath in his ears as he advanced, but it felt like a step into the unknown.

"What brings these tears to your eyes, Celeste?" Raphael questioned, his voice heavy with concern.

Celeste, her voice muffled by the tears that streaked down her face, softly replied "It's nothing, I'm just crying for my brothers who just died." Then Raphael raised his hand and with one finger he gently lifted Celeste's chin until their faces met. They were so close their breathing was present in the air around them, and it seemed to thicken as Celeste's heart began to race with anticipation.

"I'm not sure of the exact nature of your bond," Raphael said, his words heavy with sorrow. "But I apologize, nevertheless."

*****