“What is this fool blathering about?” Pyre asked as he appeared by Palan’s side. “Your knowledge? Lots of good that did you. Who’s smarter between you and me? Your wealth? What good is wealth when you can’t access it? And what prestige do you even have that could be useful? Your soldiers are all captive, and the general public despises you.”

Palan noticed Pyre didn’t mention Akurel’s power, but he chose not to say anything. Akurel fell silent as his head drooped. Just when Palan thought the captive angel was done speaking, Akurel raised his head, focusing his gaze on Palan, and said, “Isn’t it still a better deal? You’re intelligent, I’m sure you understand. Access to all my mana is greater than the tiny bits you can collect from my subordinates. They’ll bring you less benefit. I’m willing to fully cooperate with any matter as long as you take care of my people.”

Pyre snorted. “You care for your people quite a lot,” he said and folded his arms across his chest. “But do you care for others, the people who suffer because of the actions you take? How many lizardman and goblin families have you destroyed? How many punishments amongst angels have you carried out? Because of you, how many wives have become widows? How many children have become orphans?”

Akurel’s brow furrowed. Scabs tore along his neck as he turned his head to face Pyre. “Have I offended you somehow?” he asked. “You seem to have an unnatural hatred towards me that stems from more than me being in the way of the rebel army.” Palan had noticed that Akurel was the only angel with chains embedded within his body. And he was the only angel who was given the bare minimum amount of healing to stay alive; otherwise, his wounds wouldn’t be festering and dripping blood constantly.

Pyre’s expression relaxed as a smile appeared on his face. “Don’t you know your own nickname?” he asked and raised an eyebrow. The dwarf standing beside him took a few steps back when she saw Pyre’s expression change. “The Crying Executioner.” Pyre kicked one of the orbs embedded in Akurel’s chest, causing him to gasp. “So cry for me.”

Akurel gnashed his teeth as the orb was twisted and shoved deeper into the bleeding hole in his chest. “Is that it? Did I execute someone close to you?” he asked as a waterfall of blood ran down his torso.

Pyre sneered. “You’re the capital’s dog,” he said. “Who else is willing to carry out their punishments? How is someone so callous and inhumane like you willing to trade your life for your subordinates’ care? I don’t believe it.” Pyre ripped the orb out of Akurel’s chest and lobbed it to the dwarf before looking at Palan. “How big of a price do you think you’ll have to pay if you accept his deal? What do you think the consequences will be to yourself if he dies?”

Palan’s expression hardened as he stared at Akurel. At first, he thought Pyre was just rejecting Akurel because he was trying to obtain more benefits. Now, Palan wasn’t so sure anymore. “You’re an executioner?” Palan asked.

“He’s not an executioner. He’s the executioner,” Pyre said and snorted. “Everyone sentenced to death has their punishments carried out by him alone, but I’m sure the capital’s found a replacement since his imprisonment.”

Akurel met Palan’s gaze. He understood the demon was asking for him to elaborate. A crease formed on his forehead as he exhaled through his nose. “It’s true,” he said. “I’m an archangel of altruism. No one should have to bear the burden of taking another life, but it has to be done by someone. I carry out the executions so no one else has to.” His gaze shifted onto Pyre. The old half-angel was stunned as if he just realized something. “Even angels of knowledge can have lapses in judgment when it comes to their feelings. I wonder who I took from you but that’s all. I’m convinced whoever it was deserved it. I won’t apologize for what I’ve done.”

“Bastard,” Pyre said as he rammed a metal spike through Akurel’s stomach. He heated it up with an orb of wrath, causing the smell of burning flesh to permeate the cage. “Fucking bastard,” Pyre said again as he twisted the metal. The torture was relatively harsh, but Palan could tell Pyre wasn’t into it. His actions were robotic, his mind preoccupied. The half-angel yanked the spike out and tossed it onto Akurel’s body, burning the angel’s skin further. Pyre glanced at Palan as he pulled a pipe and screaming plant out of his bag. “Don’t forget what I said.”

Palan didn’t say a word as Pyre took his leave, leaving behind puffs of smoke. The demon scratched his head and faced Justitia who shrugged. “It’s up to you,” she said. She wasn’t going to say anything that would put her right back into a cage.

Akurel coughed a few times as his head leaned back. “Can you take this thing off my body?” he asked. Palan didn’t make a move, causing Akurel to smile wryly. “And about my offer….”

“Convince me,” Palan said as he folded his arms and legs and leaned back, balancing on his red and purple tails like a kangaroo.

“We don’t have to sign a binding contract,” Akurel said. “I can give you everything I said before through a blood contract. If either of us goes back on our word, then we’ll die, but nothing will happen to you if I die. You must know what a blood contract is, right?”

“Can you give up your mana as a bargaining chip for that type of contract?” Palan asked and raised an eyebrow. Maybe he should’ve used a blood contract for all the previous deals, but then again, he didn’t want to die because a dwarf accidently ignored an ‘X’ and broke his part of the agreement. Hair loss was something he could afford as a punishment.

“Yes,” Akurel said. “Or it couldn’t hurt to try at least.”

Palan rubbed his chin. “My authority here isn’t that great yet,” he said. “I’ve only been here for less than a day—I wonder if I could convince Solra.” He reached over and retrieved a white orb from a dwarf, using it to heal Akurel. “I’ll be back.”