Orpheus' POV:

I urged Ithrendal to follow Obsidian through the clouds. Seeing the black dragon hurt and alone caused Aurora to invade my mind. I love her so much, I know that she doesn't feel the same way about me, at least not in a romantic way but that doesn't change the way that I feel about her. I honestly don't know what I would do if something were to happen to her.

I watched the small wisps of clouds carefully as we flew, occasionally reaching out to touch them as we sped through the mist. I hadn't slept in two days and it was finally taking a toll on my body, my eyelids felt like weights and my head spun painfully, reminding me that I couldn't function on such low energy.

I ran a hand through my messy hair and let out a small yawn before I leant down over Ithrendal's neck with one arm each side.

"Follow Obsidian" I whispered, causing Ithrendal to turn his head towards me slightly. "Oh, and catch me if I fall" I added with a small laugh.

He let out a small purr before he returned his attention to the long stretch of sky ahead of us. I let out a small chuckle before I rested my head on his neck. As soon as I closed my eyes sleep immediately washed over me, plunging me into a distant memory.

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"Orpheus!" called my eldest brother.

I let a small giggle escape my lips, causing me to immediately cover my mouth. I backed up further into the green leaves until my back was pressed up against the hard patterned trunk of the tree that I was crouched in an effort to hide from him.

A few moments of anticipating silence went by before a twig snapped somewhere below me.

"Gotcha!" he exclaimed, pulling me out of the tree.

I looked up at how his magnificent pearly white wings glimmered against the enhancing blue sky and burst into laughter.

"Armaros... put me down" I fake whined through my laughter as he sored through the light air.

He swiftly lowered me down to the ground and watched in great amusement as I stumbled around a couple of paces.

"You're so bad at this game little brother" he laughed, his wings spread out impressively behind him.

"Hey! I'm not that little" I said in annoyance "I'm 13 now" I finished proudly in a matter of fact tone.

"I suppose your not that little any more" he replied, looking over my face as if he was trying to take notes of every small detail.

"Do you really have to go?" I asked, picking up on the change of atmosphere.

"Yes, it's a great honour to attend Angel Academy" he answered, reaching forward to ruffle my hair.

"Can I go with you?" I asked curiously, wondering why he had to go alone.

"Not yet, but as soon as you are sixteen you can come and join me," he said offering a smile.

A small smile tugged at my lips at the sight of my brother's happy face.

"Don't worry brother, you won't be alone up there for too long, I'll be able to come and keep you company next year" announced the voice of my other older brother Orfeo.

He walked through the trees with my twin Adelia by his side and stared at Armaros with a big grin on his face.

"Theo!" I greeted, running to give him a bear hug.

He chuckled softly and pushed me off him gently.

"Please be safe brother," he said turning to face Armaros.

Orfeo and Armaros had always been close, they did everything together so when Armaros got called to attend the academy Theo immediately spiralled into panic, overthinking the whole situation by fearing for his older brothers safety, but as Armaros said, it was an honour to attend the Academy so he couldn't exactly turn down the offer.

"I will" replied Armaros with a small nod.

I watched gloomily as Armaros stepped towards Theo and embraced him into a brotherly hug.

"Make sure that you look after them when I'm gone," said Armaros authoritatively.

"I will" replied Theo as a small tear rolled down his face.

"I was actually talking to Adelia" he grinned winking at our little sister.

Her previously blank expression was replaced with a big smile as Theo began to laugh in amusement. Adelia and I both looked at each other before we ran towards our brothers and joined their hug.

"I love you big brother," she said quietly.

"I love you too" he replied, tightening his hold on all of us.

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I woke with a sudden jolt, my older brothers words still ringing in my mind. That was the last time that all of my siblings had been together, I missed those days greatly, everything was so simple back then.

"We're almost there!" Exclaimed Kate, who was flying behind Axel.

"Everybody stop!" bellowed Asher, taking me by surprise as he sped ahead of everyone.

He spun his dragon around to face us and waited until he had gained all of our attention. I watched in curiosity as he looked at us all with a look that I had never seen him wear before now... vulnerability.

"Asher!" I called, gaining his eye contact "what's wrong?" I asked cluelessly.

"I...I...ugh" he stuttered nervously.

He dropped our eye contact and looked down for a second before bringing his eyes back up.

"There is something that I need to tell you all" he announced clearly, causing an uncomfortable feeling to settle in my stomach.

I listened in disbelief as he told us everything... including how he was the traitor, Lucifer being alive and Aurora's father, and even the fact that Sebastian was somehow innocent in of this and turned out to be Shade's father.

At first, I felt angry, angry that he had betrayed our trust, but then I realised how hard it must have been for him. I know what it is like to lose family, I had recently lost Orfeo to the darkness and a couple of years ago, I would have done anything to get him back.

"I'm sorry" he finished, directly looking towards me.

A large rumble of chatter broke out as everyone debated over what they should do with Asher for his treachery. I looked towards Andrea and the Elysium guard who seemed far from happy at his revelation, they had already lost Elizebeth so there was no way that they were going to allow another traitor to escape their grasps... not without a fight.

"Everyone listen" I bellowed, flying next to Asher.

"The most important thing right now is taking down Lucifer" I started, causing the crowd to fall silent "Yes, Asher has been keeping his treachery from us this whole time, and I am most certainly not defending his choices or actions but he has just given us new information that prevents us from going into this fight blind!" I exclaimed, watching closely to see if I was winning them over "I know that his actions should have broken our trust off completely but I do not think that we should let them... Yes, he made a mistake... yes, he was in the wrong... but he is still one of us, and I for one will not abandon our friendship without giving him a chance to prove himself!" I finished, causing the crowd to let out a chorus of cheers.

Asher gave me a big smile and nodded curtly in my direction, I returned the nod and looked over to the Elysium guard, they weren't as convinced as the others but they also nodded in my direction, showing me that they were going to trust me on this one.

"Lucifer will be in the throne room" informed Asher, calming the army back down. "there is an entrance fit for dragons east of the castle, it will be heavily guarded but I believe that we can push through, but although the room is huge, it's not big enough to bring all of our dragons into it" he explained.

"So, half of the army will stay outside the room and take care of Lucifer's flight demons" I added, trying my best to think strategically.

"Remember, we still want to have the element of surprise, so we all have to be quick and clean," said Verity as she flew Nadia towards us.

"Let's go" I shouted, turning Ithrenal around.

We flew silently until the castle came into view, I followed behind Asher and hand signalled the rest of the army to divide and follow us so we could surround any demons that were guarding the entrance.

I soon noticed that we were flying towards a large opening in the ground that opened into an even larger tunnel, I followed Asher inside, taking half of the army with me as the other half took their positions outside the entrance.

I looked curiously around the tunnel and noticed that it was riddled with all sorts of diamonds, rubies and sapphires. They glimmered beautifully and reflected small beams of coloured light around the area making it hard to believe that the tunnel led to such evil.

Asher turned his body to face me and drew his sword to signal that demons lay ahead. I drew my own and leant low over Ithrendals neck, urging him to catch up with Asher.

This was it... this was the end.

Adira was just an ordinary girl,

She had ordinary friends, ordinary looks and went to an ordinary school.

But everything changed when he came to town.

I guess she always knew that she wasn't entirely normal.

Maybe it was because she could manipulate the light,

or maybe it was because she could make flowers bloom before her.

Somehow she had managed to keep her gifts hidden from everyone,

but now that they have come to claim her she must learn to control her gifts,

or be forced to take a road of inevitable death.