Author's Note: Final chapter... whew...

Exodus stood, his ears pricked. "Someone's coming-they smell human!" he exclaimed. Eton looked at him.
"Maybe it's Gus?" he suggested, but Exodus shook his head.
"No, it's too small. And it's not Gus's scent. But... there's only one... and they're afraid. They're not hostile. Almost like... another exile?" he sounded confused. Arian looked up at him, asking a silent question. Exodus shrugged. "I think we're safe. This one smells like he's been with Raz."
The boy rushed into the forest, looking around cautiously. He removed his armor, revealing brown hair and clear blue eyes. He looked scared as he scanned the group. "U-um... I... R-Raz sent me. I... I refused to fight." he murmured. Zephyr stood, walking over to him.
"I can see why... you are merely a child," he said gently. Angelo didn't move or look up, but the boy heard his question.
"Lucifer... is he alright?" Angelo asked. The boy nodded shyly.
"When I left, everyone was alive and unharmed... except for one of our warriors. A boy with red hair killed him.. He... he stabbed him in the head!" he said, and Angelo looked up sharply.
"They angered Lucifer...? Dangerous, indeed. What did they do...?" he asked. The boy shifted his feet.
"Um... they said something about a mute friend doing jobs for them. And his eyes turned red. He yelled something about an angel, then just... I don't know, he just ran up and put a knife right through his head." the boy said. Angelo nodded, but everyone was looking at him.
"Angelo, what-" Eton began, and Angelo sighed.
"In the city... I was a servant to an alcoholic. He was violent, but only if I didn't do what he said. So I always did what he said. There were times, however, when I didn't do a satisfactory job... and he'd become enraged. One night, he told me I was a servant of evil, far too beautiful to be commonplace among humans." he paused, swallowing. "I was sent to a prison, where I met Lucifer. They threatened to kill Luci if I didn't do certain chores... he was my life in that prison cell, and I wasn't ready to have them take my life away."
Everyone was silent, then Arian spoke up. "...You never told us that, Angelo..." he said softly. Angelo nodded faintly.
"...It doesn't change who I am, nor does it change what has transpired here among us. It merely changes what you know." he said, gentle and calm as always.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Natau threw his sword to the ground, holding his chest in pain. Blood seeped through his fingers, spilling down his front. The human leader laughed at him, kicking him hard in the stomach. The demon gasped, falling.
"For all your strength, you're nothing to us." the human said, looking around at the tired non-humans. Gus was tired as well, collapsed on the ground. "I know where you sent my son. And I'll go there now, to finish him off." he said, spitting on Natau, who writhed with the pain.
The army marched away, headed for the forest. Natau looked at his friends, his eyes glazing over. "We tried... we tried... those of you can... don't... let them... hurt... Zephyr...." he whispered, closing his eyes.
"Natau? Natau!" Raz and Aaron exclaimed, shaking the cat-demon's shoulder. Natau didn't move. He was dead.
"Come on, Raz... we can't give up." Aaron said, rubbing Raz's shoulders. "We have to go... remember, we have to save Arian and the others."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"They're coming!" Exodus yelled, leaping to his feet. His eyes were wide with terror. "They're coming, the humans are coming! And... no, no! I smell Natau's blood-he's dead!" he cried. Zephyr's eyes widened, and he held his head in his hands.
"No, no... not... not my Natau..." he sobbed. Camrin looked shaken.

"B-but... Natau was... Natau was so strong!" he exclaimed weakly. Just then, the human army exploded into the forest. Arian jerked to his feet, jarring Jon awake. Arian pulled the other man to his feet.
"Jon, come on-we have to run!" he exclaimed, shaking his sleepy friend. Jon was wide awake then, pushing Arian.
"Then what are you standing there for-go!" he yelled. Arian shook his head.
"Not without you or Camrin. Cammie!" he exclaimed, pulling Camrin away from a near-decapitation. The boy was crying hard, terrified. Arian held him close for a few moments. "Camrin, go deeper into the forest. Hide. Hide... Gods, hide." he whispered, then kissed the boy's forehead. Camrin tore through the forest, dodging branches and brush. He found a small cave, and ducked in. None of the attacking humans would be small enough to fit in the entrance, but Camrin was. He sat, quietly sobbing, waiting for Arian to come for him.
The battle was intense. Blood, metal, screams, fallen bodies... Aaron and Raz arrived just in time to save Zephyr from a pair of humans. The dove-demon's hair fell around his face wildly, his wings sent powerful gusts of wind at his attackers. Gus knocked several men to the ground in order to save Eton, who was fighting fairly well himself. Lucifer, who was in a strange craze, slashed throats of those who stepped close to Angelo at all. Angelo tried to escape, but the battle had reached a fever pitch-he couldn't. Arian kicked and punched with all his might, brawling with several young attackers. Jon took care of the ones he could-not many. They overpowered him soon enough.
"Please, what more do you want?" Angelo said, finally falling to his knees before the leader of the humans. "We've fought, we've won-but you killed the one we saw as a leader. Why do you insist on this? Why do you wish to kill all of us-we did nothing!" he cried. The leader studied him, then looked at the fallen humans all around him. He was the last one standing.
"...You fight well... honorably well. My son..." he looked to his son, who stood a few feet away. "...tell me. Why did you choose to stand with them? What made you do it?" he asked.
"...Father... I can't explain it. They're no different from us. Listen to Angelo speak. He tells you that they don't want to fight... but what you don't see... is that many of those here are humans. Arian, Eton, Camrin, Gus, Jon, and Angelo are human. But they're friends to those we exiled for our 'right' reasons!" he exclaimed. The leader nodded, bowing his head.
"...I see. All of you, come back to the city. You must see a doctor, you must be healed. Then... you must be accepted. And I will gladly be the one to announce your arrival." he said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Arian!" Jon exclaimed. They were in the city, surrounded by people who refused to accept them. "They... they're going to kill us, Arian!" he said, and Arian nodded.
"They want to." he said, pulling Jon closer, as well as sleeping Camrin, who looked dirty from his time in the small hole. Jon was injured badly. A cut along the side of his head, as well as a stab wound in the stomach, both poured blood. His eyes were wide, the pupils dilated. Arian let Jon rest his head against him. "...They want to... but they can't." he whispered.
Jon shuddered. He'd taken these injuries to save Arian. Both attacks had been aimed at Arian. Jon wasn't about to let his best friend fall... his eyelids fluttered as Arian stroked his hair. His best friend... his closest friend... he leaned his head further over, his face tucked against Arian's neck. He could hear every beat of Arian's heart. His own seemed so weak against it.
"Ari... don't let me die... alone..." he begged. His friend swallowed hard and nodded.
"I won't... I promise. Just stay here with me... close your eyes, Jon... just... just sleep." he said softly, wrapping his other arm around his friend. He pulled him closer. All this... because everyone thought they were different. Because everyone thought that difference was bad... Arian closed his eyes, swearing silently. Jon was dying because everyone thought difference was something wrong! He inhaled the scent of Jon's hair. So sweet... and so close to seeping away. For what? What was it all for? Jon hadn't done anything wrong to anyone. Arian touched the wound in Jon's stomach, bringing back blood. Jon hadn't done anything to anyone. Ever!
Jon slept peacefully in Arian's arms, feeling secure for the first time in what seemed to be forever. And time seemed to stretch on... he opened his eyes slowly.
"So many differences... and yet we're all the same.... Ari... being away from everyone else made me realize that... the people here, in this city.... are the real exiles... exiled from the truth..." he said. Arian nodded, tears running down his cheeks. Jon caught one on his lip. "Ari...?" he asked softly. Arian nodded. Jon smiled as he drifted away.
"I loved you, Arian... my dear friend. I've always loved you." he whispered softly. Arian smiled, even through his tears.
"...I'll never forget you, Jon. Never."

THE END

LeFox 2004
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