Filaments of dust swept into the dark, sparking remains of the wreckage that used to be the A&D Research center.  They swirled into the middle of the central room, just below the hole in the ceiling, and slowly took on the form of a humanoid man.  Orange hued bangs teased his brown eyes, almost hiding the myriad of stars dancing in the depths, while he looked out over the wreckage.  With a press of his full lips that only served to accentuate his slightly sharp nose, he shook his head and sighed in obvious disappointment.

                “Such messy children,” he chided in a deep, resonating voice.  Yes, he was amused by the encounter the demons had with the angels, but if they were going to do keep their presence relatively unknown, they were going to have to clean up better than this.  He clucked his tongue and raised his arms out, fluttering the dark gauze like coat he was wearing against his torso.  Bloody bodies in armor and white coats and nearly destroyed equipment filled the expanse of his vision, but that would hardly be enough to keep the humans from putting the pieces together.

                Taking a small breath, he reached outward and let his senses flow into and through the building, feeling for all the power built into the structure.  He smiled upon noticing the first demon ship they’d found on the planet, contained safely within one of the locked rooms, and ghosted over the newest angel pod and downed demon ship that had crashed through.  Easily, he tapped into their dormant power cores and began tying them into the power streams of the research center.  Leaving too many scraps behind would give them too many questions, after all.  Best that they wonder from afar at what might have been, and blame each other for the loss of so much potential.

                His fingers moved fluidly, as if he was composing a grand symphony, though he easily pushed away the sounds of crackling fire and popping electricity near him.  Already, he could hear the beautiful sound of orchestrated destruction like a song in his mind, and he smiled as he finally came back to himself.  “It looks like Lambda Myu isn’t doing a very good job of keeping these beings in check lately.  Guess I’ll have to lend a hand,” he smirked, laughing low under his breath.

                He snapped his fingers and, in the blink of an eye, became dust filaments once more.  In a swirling cloud of moving particles, he soared up and through the hole in the ceiling as he felt power coil in the surrounding area.  Up and up he flew, taking note of the two demons nearby recovering enough to become aware of the changing situation; the three cloaked ships hovering nearby as they observed everything unfolding; and the invisible angel ship en route to presumably pick up the belabored, fleeing angels.

                Choosing his next target, the dust promptly settled on the largest, cloaked demon ship, covering the surface like a fine layer of sand, and then watched the building explosion as if it was happening in slow motion.  Beams of light speared through holes in the crumbling structures, heralding the flames to come.  A low rumbling sound erupted from the breaking apart and shifting of everything at once.  And then the roar of hungry flames as they escaped the confines of metal and stone, hungrily devouring everything within its path.

                Smaller explosions went off, one at a time but in quick sequences, further adding to the growing conflagration until it became one, giant, expanding release of burning energy.  The heat washed over him from afar and he basked in the beauty of the destruction as it blossomed into the sky, lighting up the night like a tiny exploding star.  ‘Beautiful.’

                Nervous about the light and the explosion itself, the three ships moved away in turn, content to stay within the safety of the darkness.  Below, a weakened Jaejoong and Hakyeon struggled to withstand the heat and power of the explosion behind hastily raised partial shields.  And the angels tumbled erratically through the air as the wave of invisible power and heat caught up to them.

                That should take care of things for the moment.  Amusement tinged the transforming dust’s thoughts as he realized he was not unnoticed.  At least L wasn’t completely oblivious…

                A few moments later, when the ships had pulled back far enough to not be seen and the demons and angels were additionally retreating as best they could, a new stream of dust floated in from over the water.  It sparkled in the pale, evening light and coalesced into a humanoid figure upon the shores of the island.  Dark brown eyes filled with a sea of stars looked upon the remains of the research center with a slight frown.

                Myungsoo sighed and scratched at the back of his black hair as he quickly made sense of what he was seeing.  The center was destroyed in such a way that could not have been completely coincidental and he was well aware of the angels and demons still in or recently having left the area.  Tapping his chin with his index finger, he nodded in confirmation.  “Another Discoverer has come to play,” he hummed, eyes narrowed at the thought.  Most of their kind knew he had been stationed on this planet, so it could have been any other one, to be fair.

                But…

                Most Discoverers were discovering the rest of the known universe, leaving only a handful behind to act as caretakers, guides, and observers to the rest of the discovered systems.  Despite the possibilities, he had a sneaking suspicion he knew who it was.  Especially since the last time he’d meddled enough to cause a mess of this kind, though here with far less severe consequences, had been right around the Great Feud.

                “We will see if it is you, Alphamega.  And should that be the case, you should hope Alpha Prime is lenient with you again,” Myungsoo murmured, brow furrowing as he turned to peer after the circling angel ship.  His head tilted to the side and he blinked in mild surprise.  “He has his wings back.”  The thoughtful frown returned as he looked up into the night sky.  “Why did you allow this, Beta One Alpha Four?” he wondered aloud, unsure of all the actors in play at the moment.

                His thoughts were pulled back to Earth when his phone went off in his pocket.  Of course.  Kyuhyun would be losing his mind right about now, and Seunghyun would likely be putting on a good front but worrying about the possible implications of this ‘accident.’  Alphamega (or whoever the Discoverer was) did not give them enough credit for their suspicion if he thought this alone would quell their questions.

                “Foolish,” he scoffed, rolling his eyes as he answered his phone to begin attempting damage control from ‘home.’

                They were flying heavy in a bruised and tired ship with four people already, and Victoria was staying low to try and avoid attracting attention while she trailed after the angel and demon pair she’d noticed earlier.  Getting the two into the vessel while dealing with that weird explosion had been bad enough – the opening was only a couple feet wide anyway, and Gunwoo was unconscious when they were trying to get him in – but now they were running in the open without knowing where the demons were with no plan in mind.

                To make matters worse, the earth creature was actively panicking about Gunwoo having wings and being unconscious, while Changmin refused to let him go with a strange look in his eyes.  The demons they had fought had been temporarily lost, but she would not count them as dead or taken care of yet.  Nor did she know what resources they had at their disposal.  Was she the only sane one left who thought this was all just a little crazier than it should have been?

                Unfortunately, the high pitched, worried tone of her first passenger was really starting to grate on her nerves, his valid questions about injuries, lack of clothes, and the reappearance of apparently previously missing wings be damned.  “Quiet!” she finally snapped, looking over her shoulder with a glare that could cut steel.

                To his credit, the earth creature flinched and stopped speaking for a moment, but didn’t back down or wilt like many a trainee angel had.  When the shock wore off enough, he finally seemed to recover enough of his senses to resume speaking.  “How can I be calm?!  Have you seen him?!”

                Victoria’s eye twitched as she glanced between the three before settling back on her passenger.  “You will be silent or I will silence you.”  To her relief and his own benefit, he didn’t seem to question the threat as he slowly wilted into the chair, shrinking in upon himself.  “Changmin!” she snapped, startling the other angel who apparently thought he’d been overlooked.  He might have been Forsaken but she knew good and well who he was and what he used to be.

                “Yes?” he asked hesitantly, still holding to the Heir a little too possessively.  “Ma’am,” he added belatedly when she gave him a sidelong look that spoke volumes.

                “Get up here,” she called, putting the ship on autopilot as she stood up and waved him over.  He looked at her in utter confusion before she narrowed her eyes at him again and explained, “You’re going to fly for a moment.”

                “But-”

                “He can look after him,” she pointed at her passenger and then at the Heir, “while you help me get them,” she finished by pointing at Changmin, then herself, and then gesturing towards the outside where two more creatures flew.  “Artificial or not, the one’s still an angel and you know as well as I that they’ll both probably die if they try to fly over the water.  Either from exhaustion or drowning when the weight of their wings pulls them under.”

                Changmin frowned and looked away, focusing on the Heir with a worried look.  Then he glanced at the other man with a suspicious glare.  “Who’s he?”

                Victoria was going to answer but her passenger beat her to it.  “I’m Kim Kibum and I’m his best friend and roommate so do what she says so I can take care of him!  You… angel!” he gestured frantically with his hands as if he could shoo the other man away.

                Both look at Kibum in shocked surprise, though Victoria had a hard time keeping a smile from her lips.  A guard like him, even a former one, was probably not used to such a response.  “Now Changmin,” she reminded in a low warning.

                With a heavy sigh, Changmin swallowed and nodded slowly, handing off Gunwoo with care when Kibum hurried to take his place.  Once more, it was obvious that they were at least somewhat close by the way he immediately started fussing over him, but Victoria turned her attention away as she watched the taller angel approach.  “Are you sure?” he wondered with a hand resting on the pilot chair.

                “I wouldn’t ask you if I wasn’t,” she replied without batting an eye.  “Don’t make me regret it,” she warned, gesturing towards the chair before she immediately retreated to the rear so she could open the top hatch to climb out herself.  “Take care of them and if the demons show up, you go underwater.  Got it?” she ordered, one hand on the ladder leading up.

                Changmin’s mouth fell slightly open as if he was going to object, but then he looked at Kibum and Gunwoo again.  “I understand.”  Pursing his lips, he took a breath and slipped into the pilot seat awkwardly, the model and size not one he was used to.  “Taking over controls,” he informed them before there was the tiniest of jolts as autopilot was disengaged.

                Content that the ship was in relatively capable hands, Victoria nodded to herself, wrapped invisibility around her person, and pushed open the hatch to step outside.  Wind whipped at her hair, pulling strands free from the braid almost immediately, and it ruffled her feathers as she moved to clear the opening.  Keeping them tightly pinned to her back so she could shut the hatch, she opened them to let the wind yank her into the air, hissing against the strain before it evened out as she glided into a more normal speed.  Her nerves were jumpy and her eyes never stayed still as she scanned the darkness for any sign of demons.  It was almost as if she could feel them nearby and that worried her more than almost anything else.

                But she could also feel the angel at hand as well, traveling with the demon of all things, and he at least needed her help.  Tilting her wings so she could glide down lower to where they were, a few meters above the surface of the water and just ahead, she angled closer to the angel, not sure where the demon stood.  Obviously, they were on good terms, else they wouldn’t be together, but that didn’t help her any…

                By the looks of it, they were already struggling, wings flapping tiredly as they fought to regain the lost altitude when they tried to glide to rest themselves.  Foolish younglings.  Why would they even attempt such a flight if they didn’t know their limits yet?  “Hey!” she called out, knowing they heard her when she saw both heads swivel to try and find the voice.  Their reaction of drawing closer, hands reaching instinctively for something that wasn’t there, told her they weren’t average earth creatures either.  “Here,” she called, steeling herself as she dropped her invisibility.

                Both men flinched and then the angel one dropped back a touch, almost defensive in his positioning in front of the demon man, and called out, “Identify yourself!”

                Victoria frowned in confusion.  That was a strange opening line for someone to make, unless they perhaps thought she was somewhat familiar?  “I am simply an angel like yourself,” she answered, still keeping an active eye out for the other demons.

                “What do you want with us?” he asked warily, suspicion evident in his voice.

                “To help you, as one angel to another,” she replied instantly.  “In your condition, you won’t be able to make it to land.”

                They slowed and stalled in the air as they both turned to appraise her, weariness evident in their figures but there was a stubbornness that surrounded them just as much.  “What about you?” he called out, pointing at her.

                “I have a ship nearby,” she responded, glancing curiously at the demon who seemed to be trying to follow something else.  At the very least, he appeared distracted.

                “You’re lying,” he countered defensively, a frown creasing his brow.

                “What does your divination tell you?” she asked, tapping her forehead.

                “My what?” he blurted, obviously confused.

                Had they not figured that out yet?  “One of your-” she started to say before the demon’s eyes rolled to the back of his head as he pointed directly behind her.

                “Ship!” he gasped, wings going limp just as he started to fall from the sky.

                “Taekwoon!” the angel gasped, diving after him in a panic.

                And Victoria inhaled sharply as she spun around in place, throwing up her protection and summoning her celestial sword and armor at the same time.  The sound of something thudding into metal below her made her glance down to see the angel and demon sitting on what appeared to be air, but she could tell it was her ship and her wings bristled further as divination told her something was there but it lacked the threat of immediate danger.  She shivered with a core of fear pooling in her belly as the darkness in front of her roiled and peeled away to reveal a dark, menacing ship.  “Demon,” she hissed between clenched teeth, maintaining her position so that a shot from the cannon wouldn’t hit both her and those she was trying to protect.

                “Fancy meeting a Royal angel all the way out here,” an unfamiliar voice spoke over the external coms on the ship.

                “I could say the same of you, demon,” she responded in kind, taking a small breath to ready herself.

                “Those are big words for someone who is overpowered and outnumbered,” the masculine voice laughed in amused delight as two more ripples in the dark revealed themselves to be smaller skimmers that probably attached to the one she was facing.

                Three against one – she would not ask the ship to help – were not good odds at all.  “What are your intentions on this planet?” she demanded icily, glancing between the ships as she felt more than saw the two below getting into the still invisible vessel.  Not that it would hide them from the demons entirely, but it was better than being completely out in the open.

                “Other than teasing a Royal who’s obviously lost and completely out of her element?” he teased in utter delight.  Another laugh followed his question and she frowned, unsure why it was funny.  “Don’t worry, little angel,” he practically cooed in response.  Victoria wasn’t sure how she should feel about that.  “We’re not here for you.  Or that sorry lot of angels in your rather sad little ship below you,” he promised, the truth of his knowledge of the situation threatening enough.

                “Then why are you here?” the angel inquired hesitantly, not entirely trusting of their intentions.

                “Oh, you needn’t worry about that,” he chuckled, some sort of signal being sent that made the other two ships drop out of sight again.  Immediately, Victoria was on guard again, looking around as if that would somehow make them obvious.  “We know the Nonaggression Pact is still in place.  And you and yours are far more trouble than you’d be worth to try and do anything with anyway,” he scoffed, beginning to hover away from her.  “Though,” he added as the shadows started to flicker around his ship preemptively.  “You may want to make sure they can’t see you.”

                Victoria didn’t dare take her eyes off the demon ship until she physically had to, if only because it literally disappeared into the shadows once more, but then she had to acknowledge that there was something coming from the other direction.  “Star shards,” she muttered, seeing the lights of some sort of flying earth machine heading their way.  With one final glance behind her to make sure the demons at least appeared to be gone, Victoria dropped down.  “Changmin!  I’m coming back,” she announced, letting out a silent sigh of relief when her feet touched down on the wing of her ship.

                She didn’t hear a response and she didn’t expect one, but the hatch did open for her so she could clamber in without having to open it herself.  Then she had to contend with five more people, plus herself, in a cockpit that was generally designed for two.  The newest angel and his demon friend were sequestered on the left side of the ship with the former watching her warily.  The right side of her ship held Gunwoo and Kibum, the latter of whom was staring at the newest two with varying degrees of concern and awe.  And Changmin was definitely not looking at her.

                “What now?” he asked, glancing down and looking at the floor instead of focusing on her.

                The Royal thought about reprimanding him for not using honorifics again but in light of what she’d just faced and what they had all rather unexpectedly survived, she let it go.  “Anywhere we can hide for the night,” she responded, content to slide into the passenger seat as the battle high wore off and weariness settled in even further.

                “I’ll see what I can find,” he promised quietly, his tone peculiarly flat.

                “Good,” she hummed, glancing at her other four charges.  “We can figure everything out from there,” she sighed, rubbing at her face with both hands, wishing she could just fall asleep.  But until she knew more of the facts, that just wasn’t going to happen.