The next morning Hide found himself in the warm embrace of Loukas who held him close to his body.

What time it was again?

He groggily shifted a bit to turn to Loukas and of course, he was awake, twirling a lock of Hide's fluffy white hair around his finger. Although it was somewhat disappointing that the blow job did not proceed to anything else, Hide did not mind that much. It's been years since he was just cuddling in bed with someone.

How long...

4 years?

Maybe even 5?

Damn it this just makes him feel like some old guy...

"What time is it?" Hide yawned as his tail lazily swished against Loukas' stomach.

Loukas nuzzled into Hide's neck, "Does it matter?"

Hide scoffed, "Well yes. Do you honestly think you can just spend 24/7 feeling me up?"

Hide felt Loukas hold around his waist tighten bring him closer.

"Yes..."

After... a lot of convincing. A warm bath and neat clothing followed. Hide was honestly surprised by the size of the bathtub, even though he had somewhat expected the bathroom to be luxurious, the bathtub was honestly a small pool.

It also allowed him to get a little peek at his boyfriend's body. The scars on his legs and deep old gashes on his wrists never disappeared. As Hide decided to tease and hop on his back while they bathed, he saw some meat like spots that littered the young man's back, most likely where the tentacles grew. Loukas sighed at the goat beast-kin's touch as he leaned into it.

Loukas was eventually dressed in that fancy as hell silk suit. That hugged his body in all the right areas. Aside from his eyes, which were hidden by the shades he bought, he looked mostly human or as human as he did beforehand.

That sexy posh look on the man however was less out of the desire to freshen up and more to keep up appearances to some visitors coming in for some trade deal or something. Hide did not know how these rich types operate.

Hide wondered how such a spacey as hell guy managed to act like he knew his stuff. Loukas knowing his shit kind of made some sense. He probably got to watch a lot of these boring-ass meetings time and time again. It would be very off if none of it stuck. The unbelievable part was him being able to speak with confidence around those guys.

But he'll have to deal with that on his own.

His lover's eyes looked tired that morning, his voice, although it was never what Hide would call the peak of joy beforehand, was a lot more monotoned, as they got him ready.

Hide knew Loukas would probably be out with those guys for a long while. It hurts to see him like that.

Hide does not blame him.

There was not much to love within this world, anyway.

However, before Loukas set off to that meeting. He gave Hide a smile and showed how he felt with one simple gesture.

His mother gave him that dumb necklace around his neck. Something the young man seemed to cherish with all his heart. Never taking it off, even while showering.

That morning, after he came to that breakfast table, and as per usual gave Hide and Carole those well-done meals.

Loukas’ cheeks lit up when his eyes landed Hide, and Hide loved to give a good tease, licked his lips reminding the taller man of his best skills he so generously displayed yesterday.

His face went blushed slightly as he let out a more relaxed smile. Carole looked at two with mild confusion.

“Something I missed?”

Hide wondered whether he should tease it even further. Maybe cover it in innuendo, like “Nah, Loulou just needed assistance, one of his heads needed a bit more of my attention.” Or even more corny, “Nah yesterday sucked. So I made it suck even more.”

Despite being a hyper carnivorous being that is stupidly strong, and powerful, he was still ever so shy about these things. Loukas cheeks red, he said, “N-no, nothing. Just… We were talking about some things earlier..”

Hide gave a glance at Carole whose flat expression as per usual did not show her emotional state or thoughts. However, that minor quirk of her brow and subtle lip twitch pretty much spells, “I'm not buying it, he blew you or something.”

It kinda annoyed him how well he knows her at this point.

Loukas, trying to change the subject in a more serious tone said, “About our next course of action…"

Now with both of their attention, they listen carefully to his next set of words which were, " Our next course of actions would be............... nothing.”

His gaze sharpened on the two.

His words caused the two to glance at each other with confusion about its implications.

Nothing?

What was that supposed to mean?

They have the police talking about how quiet Asbjorn has gotten. From his research, people were growing suspicious of such a high volume of important people going missing and already staff getting all chatty of serving a cannibalistic prince.

Nothing? Now in the hell were they-

“How are we supposed to sit back and do nothing? We are going to jail! Tell me cus I don’t have ultra powers,” Hide pointed out.

One of Loukas’ tendrils wrapped around the bleating goat man’s waist and lifted him from his seat. For many people before him, this would be the start of a long painful last few minutes of life but for Hide, Loukas winced as he did this, showing some conflicting emotions.

Did...

Oh, he maybe was considering eating him...

He shook his head and said, “No… I mean what I’m gonna do next... Which is nothing... No one is going to take you to jail or hurt you... Not with me around”

He took off that necklace and turned to that fire raging in the fireplace; it was more for aesthetic purposes rather than to keep the place warm with functioning and modern internal heaters.

Without another word, the man threw the necklace with a force into the raging flames much to his two companions' surprise and shock. The inferno licked at what a once prized and treasured possession. It charred the tooth part pitch-black and melted the small bit of gold.

Loukas released Hide from his grip as Hide gawked at the scene. Loukas finally turned to the two with the world's biggest smile, showing all his sharp teeth. It looked so... Unnatural on the man, and despite his smile, those eyes said something else.

“I want to let go,” He walked up to Hide, cupped his hand under the goat man's chin and said, “I would make sure nothing happens to us… even once it's all found out…... Do you honestly think anyone can truly hurt me anymore? The machine of the Ventis will continue without my interference. I don’t care anymore.”

Hide heart fluttered even as Loukas unconsciously licked his lips, indicating more… unsettling thoughts may have been running through his mind.

His heart pounded in his chest.

Hide does not have a survival instinct to find his partner's desire to eat him unsexy or unwanted.

Loukas wanted him and Hide was just happy to find someone who did.

That evening the annoying girl came back to the manor with those long sleeve sweaters and old beanie.

If Hide had to admit she was attractive, he would say she had some sexy curves and a nice pair of big bouncy breasts. Too bad she was too annoying.

“Okay this has to be the biggest break for you guys, I seriously had no clue that weirdo guy was-” She started

“Hot as fuck?” Hide said back to Lucky as the confused girl clung onto Carole’s arm as they made their way through that labyrinth of a basement.

It was a bonus that Loukas gave him a map earlier of the place. To Hide’s surprise he felt somewhat guilty for going behind his back right now.

“Unstable, hungry, looking at you as if you are a literal snack…” Carole in all her great wisdom quipped back.

“Hey! the guy doesn’t see me as a literal snack!” Hide's ears flatten against his head in annoyance.

“He was just a while ago drooling over you,” Carole did not even turn to look at him.

Lucky gave a nervous snicker, “Damn I sure missed a lot. Life and secret things and conspiracies smack in the face with the revelations and stuff.”

“Yeah, like your girlfriend being a bitch.” Hide had to say this. If Carole was going to say Loukas was going to eat him up, he might as well address so hard facts.

Black-winged angel of death bitch.

She had no right to be all 'partner gonna kill you.'

Cus...

He could not bring himself to say it was not true.

Carole narrowed her eyes at him while Lucky's eyes widened. “W-wait she’s not my girlfriend shorty.”

“I'm the ideal male height, don't be jealous," Hide stuck his tongue, "Plus Isn't she a shortie too?"

"A nicer... A different kind shortie,"Lucky chuckled, “Well, we had a near kiss but Puppy was all-”

“We’re here,” the buzz kill girl-wonder said interrupting their riveting conversation. Now she faced them as they stopped at the entrance of a large metallic door. In another time he would wave his arm in the air and hoot, "hell yeah," but right now, with this drastic change in atmosphere, he had other things to focus on.

The three stood in front of that door.

Pipes upon pipes connected to each other as the door bloated outwards, seemingly under some pressure from the inside. No one was around for a room of such great importance the stairs leading to it was quiet and empty. As if it was a useless room, not one that contained the very thing that makes Ildens… Ildens.

Maybe Loukas ate the ones who guard it or Maybe the guards saw no point to guard anymore with the heir and the cycle no longer mattered.

“So, Carly… Are you going to kill us all?” Lucky a newcomer to it all broke the silence and kicked at the dirt. She was in a conspiracy theorist's wet dream. Their crackpot theory on how their world is under some grand plan, with a world-ending evil conspiracy was correct. She held a wry smile and tried to keep a sense of lightheartedness about all this.

Carole, of course, kept her eyes on the door. She at first did not seem to acknowledge the girl prodding at her ribs and Lucky’s smile grew smaller and smaller.

Damn… cold-hearted bitch…

“Yes…” She finally said.

Lucky expression was unreadable as her lips twisted trying to process what she had confirmed to her.

Hide tilted his head at her response, “Oh, now that’s lovely. Are you going to stab us all with a dagger, set another arson incident or a good old-fashioned poisoning for sentimental reasons?”

Carole, much to his and Lucky’s surprise, lifted the hem of her shirt pulling it up revealing the slightly bruised skin on her lower back and some old faded scars.

“Holy fuck! Carly, I never asked for you to strip!” Hide had no interest. Why is the less hot girl taking her shirt off and not the hotter one?

Is he cursed?

Oh well.

She passed a hazy glare at him, and turned around, “I have nothing for a pervert like you to enjoy, anyway.”

True, but Lucky’s face was bright red as the event fixed her eyes on the angel girl.

… She was wrong about who was getting something out of this...

Once she pulled her shirt to her neck, the little insignificant bruise revealed itself to be the starting point of a more grisly sight... Her wings.

A sickly sweet scent assaulted his nose, it was moist and churned his stomach once he caught the scent in his nose. Lucky herself whose expression went from ogling to extreme concern as they got a good look at her newly acquired wings.

The boils clustered around the base, and yellow pus leaked from a few of them around the base black feathered wings. Exposed patches of red flesh infected with necrosis surrounded these boils. The skin that surrounded these appendages were heavily bruised in black and blue. The fact these wings seemed to be outright rotting on the girl and she was not in any obvious pain from the rot. Can she even feel that?

Hide could hardly believe it.

Lucky gagged, and dry heaved at the sight. Hide does not blame her.

“Fucking hell! Carly, are you some zombie and shit?!”

“Puppy berry! A Zombie? Did you get bit? How-How did that-”

Carole rolled her eyes and pulled back down her shirt covering the mess of flesh on her back, “For once… you two are not that off…… I have two options. Slowly rot away as or...” She sighed and seemed to be more talking to herself, "Complete something..."

Lucky bite her lip taking this in.

Damn who knew Carly was some undead zombie death angel.

Not a revelation he would have expected.

But why she was looking at him with... Sadness?

“So, What are you completing Carly Warly?” regardless of the jovial tone he needed to know. He had to know where they all stand in this mess.

Carole’s purple ringed eyes closed and said flatly, “Well he isn't much of a human anymore plus due to… that... Also, I doubt we would worry about future heirs from his bloodline... I guess so I'm mostly complete.”

"Okaaay, whatever you," He chimed.

She did not answer his question, she was holding something away from them, the full truth.

Her eyes opened and were incredibly sharp, "Without an heir, machine and smog there is no Ildens if that answers your question.”

No, not really.

She folds her arms with a face of calm acceptance, “I am fine with my purpose, anyway. Nothing much."

Lucky finally after much thought looked Carole dead in the eye and said, “That is so…. weird… Cool yet weird.”

Freaks….

Carole, slightly surprised by the girl’s swift acceptance, her previous stoic expression morphed in astonishment.

“What...”

Lucky held her gloved hands sweetly. “I mean, it sucks with the whole dying thing, but it's cool you found your purpose. I mean it always upset you at not being an actual angel no matter how much I kept saying no you are one. So... Yeah, if this makes you happy. Thou I have no clue what you are talking about.”

Carole's cheeks went mildly flushed from the excited girl’s praise and bubbling joy. Hide looked on at the scene, leaning against the door.

“Kiss her you fool.”

Lucky gave him a wide grin, while Carole’s admittedly cute glow reverted to her usual cold annoyance.

“Shut it..”

“Maybe I will Fluffy,” Lucky gave him a teasing glance as Carole looked away, pretending she did not hear that.

“Watch the names busty bitch. I just want to see beyond this door so stop the low budget rom-com and see what this machine is all about already.”

Despite the bubbly girl’s using this as an encouragement to say and do more and the angel grit her teeth.

The three finally, opened the door.

Heavy smoke filled the room, blinding the three as they attempted to enter.

Once they could see what was beyond the smog.

Within the Ventis…

A tumour…

The Cancer of Ildens.

Heavy metal machine, upon a fleshy growth. Orange fluid seeped out of every gapping, gasping pore as they pumped along with the machine. The mechanism hummed as the countless tubes, likely carrying that red smog, shuddered and shook.

This mass of machine mixed with flesh had a door barely on held on its hinges as it hung limply, rusted over beyond repair.

The three stared at the thing, not one could bring themselves to move a muscle to enter. There was something wrong

Hide from his stubbornness forced his body near the door even as Lucky watched him in shook.

He peeked into the crevice of the door and saw a tunnel that seemed to have no end in sight, even though the machine was only the size of a medium-size incinerator.

His head hurt...

His vision blurred the more he stared into the door…

………... Fuck………..

Blood dripped from his nose, staining his shirt….

His head hurt….

He wanted to be inside…………………………………….

The next thing he knew he was outside the room near the stairway, dragged out by the shoulders.

He had always known he would end up surrounded by chicks at every point of his life.

Carole looked at him as if he was a test with an answer she didn’t understand.

“Whoa..” was all he could say….

That machine… That thing… That abomination…

“Hide, don’t bleed out on us. The smoke shouldn't be this toxic,” Lucky was freaking out.

That concern felt so far…………….

He had to be in there again…

He had to see how this works.

He had to fix that machine

Of flesh, metal and bone………..

Hide smiled at nothing in particular.

What a beautiful piece of equipment.