Aria X - Duty

Iome felt more than she heard the low thrumming that passed through her body like a wave, leaving her feeling slightly disoriented and her skin covered in goosebumps. The blast wave that followed close behind it tumbled her through the air until she smacked into the side of a wrecked bus and feel to the ground, unconscious. She lay there oblivious to the sounds of mayhem that filled the air, bestial screams of pain and anger. Then silence.

As Pixie’s eyes gradually opened and consciousness returned, there was an ache in her head that throbbed more than a simple blow to the head should. Slowly she stood, leaning against the flat tire of the demolished and rusted bus. Rubbing her sore head, she wandered through the debris to a more open spot. Out of reflex her tiny wings flittered, but she felt too disoriented to try flying. Once she was out in a clear area, her eyes turned to where she thought that Aria had gone down.

The Angels were gone, there was no trace of them around. Mystified, Pixie stumbled her way back. She wasn’t used to walking so far, and with her tiny legs progress was slow. Sometimes she would have to stop as a wave of nausea ran through her and she’d fall to her knees, retching uncontrollably. Her diminutive height prevented her from seeing through all the piles of debris but she was too afraid to try flying in case she was spotted by the angels. Just because she couldn’t see them didn’t mean they weren’t nearby. There was no way she could fly high enough to avoid them, rare as it was for them to fly.

The wind changed, bringing a cloying scent of roasted flesh with it. It overpowered her senses, turning her delicate stomach upside down again. Fighting the nausea off, she soldiered on. Finally she was close enough to peer around the mangled hood of an unknown car at the body of her long time friend. Aria lay face down on the ground, her body a bloody mess of cuts and gashes. One of her arms lay at an impossible angle, obviously shattered. Her legs were spread wide, making it hard for Pixie not to see her ripped cunt still dripping the thick semen of the angels into a puddle on the tarmac.

Repulsed by the responsive tickle between her legs, Iome looked away and found herself looking at the bottom half of an Angel laying on the ground a few yards away. By instinct she shrank back, though it was obvious he was no threat with half his body missing. She took a closer look around the area and found many more parts of Angels strewn about grotesquely. Something dire had happened here, but she had no idea what it was. It made no sense, what could do so much damage to these powerful beasts?

Her head had cleared enough that she felt she could fly again. She tested her wings, gliding low over the ground as she kept her eyes open for danger. The usual bubble and spark of her personalty was completely gone as she set down beside her broken friend. “Aria?” she said softly into her sightless eyes. “Aria, can you hear me?” Sobbing, she took a strand of Aria’s hair in her hand, brushing it against her cheek. She remembered the years they had spent wandering the land together, it seemed impossible that she was gone. With her mind lost in sorrow Iome didn’t hear the footsteps approach from behind her. The heavy footfalls came with military precision, but the sound was muffled as if it were passing through muddy air.

Pixie screamed as the glowing  green creature leaned over her, it’s arm reaching for Aria’s broken body. She stumbled back, falling on her ass with a frightened squeak as it’s gaze turned to her. Somehow the air around the creature shimmered and made it hard to look at. Her eyes squinted as she tried to make out the details of the face, but the closer she looked the less clear it became. It obviously didn’t consider her a threat, ignoring her and turning back to Aria. It was too much for Pixie to take, the horror of the day and loss of her friend and protector drove her over the edge of reason.

She flew up and landed on Aria, right by it’s hand. “Fuck OFF!” She screamed as loudly as she could. “Leave her alone!”

The creature considered her a moment, then pulled the arm away. It reached down and pressed something on it’s side that Iome couldn’t see. Slowly the glow faded away, and at the same time the throbbing in her head began to subside. As it melted away the shape of a man was revealed. A stern faced man with a short cropped beard and a bald head crisscrossed with scars. One of the scars extended across his eye socket and down to his cheek, giving him a grim look. His clothing was simple but obviously made for durability. With her rage spent, Pixie stood staring back at him uncomfortably.

“Your friend is dead.” He said simply, his voice deep and coarse. “She should not be left here, it will attract predators.”
Pixie nodded numbly. “I can’t bury her, I’m too small”
His eyes softened as he looked down at her. “I’m sorry for your friend, little one. I arrived to late to change her fate. This nest of Angels was new, I did not know they were here.”
“Who are you?” Iome looked up at him, her eyes hopeful.
He gave a sharp laugh. “I am nobody, and we had best be on our way. More will come and they will want revenge. Move aside, I need to do something.”

Obediently Pixie flitted off of Aria. The nameless man laid Aria on her back, arranging her in a more natural pose. He unclipped a strangely shaped device from his belt and laid it on her stomach. Carefully he pressed the buttons in the center and stepped back as the same glow that had shrouded her earlier now enveloped Aria’s broken body. The nauseating thrumming was back in Pixie’s head, her vision swimming a bit as she moved further back from the strange indefinite glow.

“Oh, you should keep back a bit Pixie, it will give you a nasty headache if you are too close.” He said as Aria floated up in the air in front of him, bobbing slowly at his waist height. Using a rope from his pack he fashioned a leash that he attached to her feet, giving himself a few feet of lead so he wouldn’t have to be so close to her.
“What is it?” She asked, her curiosity overcoming her fear of the strange device.
“Hmm, I can’t say too much little one, after all, you are one of them” The emphasis on ‘them’ sent a chill through Iome. “Let me just say it is armor, and leave it at that.” He noticed her stiffen at his words, realizing what he had said. “I mean you no harm, I just know you can be compelled. I have learned this lesson well.” His fingers unconsciously traced the scar across his eye as Iome nodded in understanding. After all, it was truth.

He reached out his hand, offering it to Pixie. Hesitantly, she climbed aboard and he deposited her on his shoulder. Obviously this mysterious man knew something about Pixies as well as many other things. Her mind was swirling far too much to make sense of anything as they set off into the woods, finally completing the crossing that only a few hours earlier in a beautiful day had seemed like such a simple thing. He moved efficiently, no wasted energy. Sitting on his shoulder she could feel the strength of his six foot frame. So many questions in her mind, ones that she knew he could not answer. Why would such a man be here, in this remote place, alone?

When they reached a grove of trees, he stopped and set Iome down near Aria’s glowing coffin.
“Stay here girl, I need to fetch something.” He disappeared quietly into the dense growth of trees. Pixie was caught between her desire to cower under Aria and the pain in her head if she got closer. She did not have to wait long, he soon returned with an old sack thrown over his shoulder. “Dinner.” He said simply. “I was doing the rounds of my traps when I came across your friend.” He took back up the lead for Aria and Pixie flitted up to his shoulder, surprised at how quickly she felt safe with this stranger.

He seemed to take a random path through the woods, Pixie was soon very lost. At one point they walked in a stream for a time. What a sight we are, thought Pixie. Eventually they wended their way to the base of a short cliff that stood about forty feet high. The ground around the cliff face had been cleared, and Pixie could make out what looked like a small opening about half way up. He stepped into the clearing and stopped. After a quick scan of the area, he gave a low whistle. Soon three huge dogs appeared, though they looked more like feral wolves than dogs. Big and lean, they loped towards him, sitting obediently before their master.

“Security.” He said with a slight grin. Waving the dogs forward, he followed behind them to the base of the cliff. Pixie could now see the handholds that were cleverly and discreetly carved into the rock. Obviously he had been here for some time unless he had found or taken over someone else’s place.

“Stay here, please.” He laid her on the bare ground and admonished his dogs to stay away from Pixie. She watched him deftly climb up to the cave opening, then disappear inside with his sack of fresh meat. The dogs didn’t seem to be of a mind to listen to their master’s last order so she thrummed her wings and rose up out of their reach, finding herself a nice perch on an outcropping of rock. Minutes floated by and Iome spent them gazing out into the forest grappling with the enormity of her day. Finally he re-appeared, scrambling down to the ground. She watched him go by, unable to help herself wondering how big his cock was. He didn’t seem like the type that would show her if she asked either. Sighing to herself she flitted down and landed on his shoulder.

He nodded to her as she landed, his mind focused on this last solemn task for the day. “There is a place close by we can bury her safely.” Without another word he set off, trailing Aria behind them. They circled the base of the hill, then began to follow a path upwards. Eventually they crossed the tree line, up to where it was only rock and the occasional shrub. The faint path let them through a long crevasse that opened up into a small almost circular plateau that couldn’t have been more than thirty feet in diameter. Near the center were two crude tombstones. Pixies sharp eyes could make out the names on them: Anna on one, Bobby on the other.

“Who are..” He shushed her with a shake of his head. Iome closed her mouth and watched him as he towed Aria to the center of the space. Gingerly he reached into the blurred space of the armor and deactivated it. Pixie flew closer as the device settled to the ground and began to melt away. Aria’s peaceful form was gradually revealed, as Iome floated over her she felt almost as if her friend was only sleeping and she had just to call her name to wake her up. He knelt over her, reaching out to take back his armor device from where it lay on her flat muscled stomach.

Aria’s hand grasped his wrist as her eyes snapped open, unfocused for a moment before settling on the shocked man’s face.

“YOU!” she shrieked as her other hand shot out to wrap itself around his throat…