The world had changed. That was obvious. So many had fussed and fretted over the end of the world but none of them ever expected for things to change as they had. How the world had changed? It wasn?t like God had not planned on a loop hole if it came to this. His loop hole was a mystery, a deeply buried secret so coveted that even the Vatican had uncertainties of exactly what this loophole was? and it was likely they never would.



So the world had ended? well maybe ended was a poor choice of words. The world? had changed. Yes changed. The Gates had opened and the Glory and the Darkness had all clashed to declare a final decree of dominance. The Morning Star had started his finest tantrum and what a tantrum it was. Some said the Father had given up and given in. Maybe that was why Lucifer won. Or maybe he was just tired. It didn?t matter in the end? In the end Lucifer was no more than a whispered fable and the Father was silent. The demons rose to claim their freedom. Never again would they be kept below.



And those glorious beautiful creatures, those creatures of Light and Truth, they were locked away? never to be seen from again. A Light snuffed out? the Glory diminished. At least that was what most said... Still?. Still the demons feared that one day all of this would change and that God?s Loophole would be revealed like a grand door slamming open, Pandora?s Box rediscovered as something pure, glorious, and bright? if only to be discovered.



The Demons had a story? a nightmare really they told their offspring? of a creature that would hold the Light in the palm of their hands, and God?s chosen Champion of Darkness who would bring the shattered bone?A story where the pair would awaken the world to something new and take back what belonged to them. Then again, all of it was really just a fairy tale right?



Shadows and Lights danced around her as Ink?s eyes flickered behind her closed lids. She didn?t dare open her eyes for fear of what ruin she might find. The sound of broken bones splitting and shattering around her made her curl further into herself. Ivy?s body ached as she tried to place if it was her own bones being shattered or if it was that of the demons. Were the demons fighting amongst themselves? That seemed something typical of the lesser demons. It wasn?t the nature of Valer?s gang. Words didn?t make sense to her as she tried to piece them together, to comprehend again. Ivy was a librarian, a creature of research, she should know these things. Words. Common words bound in curses and shattered bones.



It was a sound she wouldn?t ever be able to forget. Ivy?s eyes peeled open so she could look from the frame of her lashes, fingers twitching into awakening. It was reassuring to know that her body was still put together if not bruised and burned. Burned? she winced as her eyes snapped open with the realization. An audible gasp as she sat up suddenly despite the chaos around her. All of it was happening again. She whimpered softly as she rubbed her hands against the concrete, vainly trying to erase or smudge the scorch mark burned there. The design was obvious. Obvious and forbidden.



The distinct marking of wings. Tagged upon the concrete and forged in fire. Ivy shook her head as she felt the panic attack ensue, the whispered ?no no no? choking her breath and getting caught in her throat as she looked around wildly. It couldn?t be happening again. Ivy tried to scream but the sound was silenced as the light engulfed her, blazing out of her as a protective halo of light that slammed into one of the demons. The impact sent the demon flying. The image of it was briefly marked as beautiful to Ivy? it reminded her of shooting stars.



Stars. With a strangled sob her eyes shot upward to the sky, searching for those pivotal points of light as the tears streamed down her face. The light immediately was snuffed out as it usually happened when she calmed. Fingers curling around the agonizing burns on the flesh of her palms as it all went dark and calm around her. Even when she kept her eyes fixed to the stars it was still as if Ivy was aware of all around her. The struggling demons and the Warrior there amongst them. Tendrils of ember and shadows seemed to linger around him, drawing her gaze from stars and to the one that had come to her defense.



It was instinctive for her to try to rise even as she watched the demons prepare for their departure. Vaguely she thought she heard Valer remark that they would hear of this. A tilt of head sent the strands of gold to shield her expression as she awkwardly pushed her glasses back up the bridge of her nose. Trembling she watched it all happen around her like a voyeur rather than one so involved in it all. The Warrior and the contradiction of light and shadow that clung to him? as much a part of him as the light and ink was of her? as much as she hated to admit it. As if he knew, he looked her way and she gasped, stumbling back. Ivy landed soundly on the broken body of one of the demons that had not been so lucky and stared up at the one as he approached her. There was something so primal and raw about him, he the Hunter and she the Hunted? a savage gleam almost wild flickered in his eyes as the light of the moon caught and lingered there within the depths.



She should have been frightened, and deep down maybe she was? but still?another emotion surfaced that blanketed her as much in relief as safety. Familiarity? but how could that be? a shake of head as a whispered verse of the Bible seemed to toy with her senses to the point she didn?t know if she was hearing things or if the Warrior had spoken.