The Tree
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Zeke remained suspended above the battlefield.
Alaura rested in his arms.
His golden eyes stared into nothing.
His wings stretched around her like a shield.
Then—
his aura began to retreat.
Slowly.
The crushing pressure disappeared.
The angels could breathe again.
The demons could move.
And the demons didn't hesitate.
They fled.
One after another, they disappeared into the darkness beyond the broken barrier.
Nobody chased them.
Nobody could.
Everyone was staring at Zeke.
His golden hair slowly returned to its normal color.
The terrifying glow in his eyes faded.
His body began descending.
Zeke fell.
His wings wrapped completely around Alaura before they reached the ground.
He landed on his knees.
Then he pulled her closer.
His wings completely surrounded them.
For a moment, there was nothing.
No screaming.
No weapons.
No thunder.
Only Zeke's quiet sobbing.
“Alaura...”
His voice cracked.
He looked down at her.
Her eyes were closed.
Her face was peaceful.
Far too peaceful.
“No.”
He shook his head.
“No, please.”
His fingers trembled as he brushed a strand of hair away from her face.
“You can't be gone.”
Behind him, footsteps approached.
Dane.
Rhael.
They stopped when they saw their son.
Rhael's hands flew to her mouth.
“Alaura...”
She broke.
She rushed forward and dropped beside Zeke.
“Oh, my child...”
She reached toward Alaura but stopped herself.
Tears streamed down her face.
Dane stood behind her.
The King who had commanded armies.
The angel who had fought through the demon invasion.
He couldn't speak.
His eyes were fixed on Alaura.
Then he looked at Zeke.
His son.
His wings were still wrapped around her.
Dane's expression crumbled.
He dropped to his knees.
Zeke looked toward him.
“Dad...”
Dane pulled him into his arms.
Zeke resisted for only a moment before breaking completely.
“I couldn't save her.”
Dane held him tighter.
“You tried.”
“I couldn't save her!”
Zeke's voice echoed through the ruined street.
“I had the power!”
His hands shook.
“I finally had it!”
He looked down at Alaura.
“And she still died.”
Rhael covered her mouth as another sob escaped.
Zeke lowered his head.
“I was too late.”
---
Castiel stood several feet away.
His shield was shattered.
His clothes were torn.
His body was covered in wounds.
But he didn't care.
He stared at Alaura.
“I tried.”
His voice was barely audible.
“I tried to protect her.”
Ariela stood beside him.
“You did.”
“I wasn't strong enough.”
Ariela shook her head.
“Neither were any of us.”
Kaz was crying openly.
He wiped his face with his sleeve.
“She was supposed to come home with us.”
His voice broke.
“She was supposed to be okay.”
Ariela pulled him closer.
Kaz buried his face against her shoulder.
Castiel looked down.
None of them spoke.
For the first time since the battle began...
the kingdom mourned.
---
But not everyone looked at Zeke with grief.
Some looked at him with fear.
Whispers began.
“Was that really the prince?”
“I couldn't even breathe.”
“His aura...”
“Those eyes.”
“He made everyone kneel.”
Zeke heard them.
Every word.
He looked around.
The fear was still there.
Even now.
Even while he was holding Alaura.
He lowered his head.
*They're afraid of me.*
He looked at his hands.
The same hands that had failed to save her.
The same hands that had awakened into something powerful enough to stop an entire war.
And still...
she was gone.
Zeke slowly stood.
Rhael looked at him.
“Zeke?”
He carefully lifted Alaura into his arms.
His wings folded around her.
“I need to take her somewhere.”
Dane stood.
“Where?”
Zeke didn't answer immediately.
Then he whispered,
“The tree.”
Rhael understood.
The tree where they had first met.
She stepped toward him.
“Zeke...”
He shook his head.
“I need to say goodbye.”
Dane looked at his son.
Then nodded.
“Go.”
---
The kingdom slowly disappeared behind him.
Zeke flew alone.
He didn't fly quickly.
He didn't care where the battle was.
He didn't care what anyone thought.
He simply carried Alaura.
Eventually, he reached the forest.
The trees were quiet.
The sounds of war became distant.
Then he saw it.
The tree.
The same tree.
The place where he had first met Alaura.
The place where everything had started.
Zeke descended.
He gently placed Alaura beneath the tree.
Then he sat beside her.
For a long time, he said nothing.
He just stared.
The leaves moved softly above them.
The world felt strangely peaceful.
Almost cruelly peaceful.
Zeke touched her hand.
“You remember this place?”
His voice cracked.
“I do.”
He smiled faintly through his tears.
“This is where I first met you.”
He looked down.
“You couldn't see me.”
A weak laugh escaped him.
“And somehow you still knew I was there.”
His smile disappeared.
“You were never afraid of me.”
A tear fell.
“Not even when everyone else was.”
He lowered his head.
“I wish I could go back.”
His shoulders shook.
“I wish I could've stayed powerless.”
He stared at his hands.
“I thought power would fix everything.”
He looked toward the sky.
“I thought if I finally became like everyone else...”
His voice broke.
“...I could finally protect the people I loved.”
Silence.
Zeke looked back at Alaura.
“But I couldn't protect you.”
He touched her hand again.
“You were right there.”
His voice became quieter.
“And I was too late.”
He clenched his fists.
“Why am I so useless?”
The words escaped him like a confession.
“I couldn't save you even when I had the power.”
He leaned forward.
His forehead rested against her hand.
“I'm sorry.”
His voice broke completely.
“I failed.”
He began crying again.
“I am so sorry I failed you.”
The wind moved through the leaves.
Zeke stayed there.
He talked to her.
About Kaz.
About Castiel.
About Ariela.
About his parents.
About everything that had happened.
About the places he wanted to show her.
About the conversations they would never have.
About all the things they had never gotten the chance to do.
Eventually, his voice became exhausted.
“I don't know what I'm supposed to do now.”
He looked at her.
“You always knew what to say.”
A tear rolled down his cheek.
“So tell me.”
Nothing.
Zeke closed his eyes.
“I miss you.”
Silence.
Then—
something strange happened.
A single leaf drifted down from the tree.
It landed beside Alaura.
Zeke opened his eyes.
He stared at it.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then he felt something.
Warm.
Very faint.
Almost imperceptible.
Zeke froze.
His eyes widened.
He looked around.
“Alaura?”
Nothing.
The warmth disappeared.
Zeke stared at the tree.
His expression tightened.
He didn't know what he had felt.
He didn't know whether it had been real.
But somewhere beneath the grief...
a tiny spark of uncertainty remained.
Because for the briefest moment...
the aura beside Alaura hadn't felt empty.
It had felt **familiar**.
Zeke stared at her for a long time.
Then the warmth was gone.
Leaving him alone beneath the tree with only the sound of the wind.
