Lizzo couldn't stop to think about their failure. What a disgrace... stopped by a seal! No matter how strong, a seal always meant something others would make fun bout. Even when knowing better - or rather especially when knowing better. A seal was never an obstacle easy to get rid of. And still...

He shook his head to himself. "We will go back now. It's no use, we could never get through that barrier. Astan and Gabrielis surely did a good job when setting it up." There were a few muttered curses, but not more. After all, every single of them knew it was useless to oppose the leaders of the corporation.

The werewolf growled in frustration, but otherwise kept silent. "If our Master would act more..." Lizzo made him shut up with an angry snapping sound of his jaw. "It's okay now. Would you stop remembering me that we are most probably only his weakest servants?"

-*-*-*-

Somehow, Leor thought of the snuggly Felix as a little strange, but then again, it appealed quite a lot to him. After having given the human a Latte Macchiato, Leor took his time to give Felix a closer look. Not only his ass, but the rest of his body.

It was weird... even now, there was a lot of a cat about Felix. The human's legs weren't just thin, but also had something powerful around them. It showed that he wasn't a weak one, but rather someone not to be underestimated. Then, the human's torso was well-shaped and muscular, but not too much. And those arms that could embrace as well as pose a deadly hug...

Why is that all occuring to me just now? I know Felix for much longer already, so... "Hey, are you dreaming, Leor? You look a little funny." Felix had brought him back to reality within seconds. "Oh, erm, no, it's nothing. Sorry, I was just lost in thoughts."

Felix snickered at that, then became serious. "I'm sorry for everything, Leor. I didn't want to scare you or get you into trouble. It's..." What now? I have promised to not tell about the contract. And I have to stick to this promise, if I don't want to have a serious problem. Felix sighed and then smiled. "Well, anyways, sorry for everything."

The demon nodded, but he had seen that Felix had wanted to say something different. What are you hiding, Felix? Is there something you're ashamed of? "I accept your apology." Leor gave back, and they smiled at each other for a short time. Yet, both knew it wasn't the whole story already.

-*-*-*-

Even though the thunderstorm was still roaring around them, Felix felt tired and just wanted to sleep. Astan insisted on offering him the sofa in the demon's office as bed, which made Felix wonder a little. But as he was Astan's servant, he didn't think about it too long. Plus, sleep was already embracing him.

The demon gave him a long, thoughtful look, then turned to look out of the window. "What is your plan...?" Whoever his oponent was, and whatever his true target was, he wanted to end this before it could start properly. But Astan had the suspicion it already was too late to stop it.

Again, he glanced at Felix. Incredible how peaceful the human could sleep, despite having rested quite some hours before. Astan stepped close to the sofa, pulling the blanket up a little and wrapping it around Felix. He remained bowed close to the human's face, then pressed a soft kiss on Felix's forehead.

"He seems to be important to you." Gabrielis had come into the office, without Astan noticing so. Still, the demon didn't flinch as the angel had spoken so suddenly. "As you can witness." he merely replied, brushing some strands away from Felix's face.

"You know, Astan... you really should tell me. I still don't know who you are. There are too many powerful demons, and I had no chance to guess which of them lurks beneath this shell." Astan met Gabrielis's gaze, being all calm and focused. "I'm sorry, Gabrielis." By time, you will find out. But it won't be just now.

Gabrielis looked a little furious now. "Astan, I'm meaning it. Tell me who you are." The demon shook his head, his hand trailing along Felix's cheek. "I can't, Gabrielis. I can only tell you one thing." Several lightnings illuminated the office, the thunder being the only noise in the silence having fallen over the room. "And what is it that you can tell me?"

Astan put down his glasses, his eyes half-lidded and making him look like he was in trance. "This human here, Felix... he is the reincarnation of my child. A child having died before it was even born. I could capture the soul, however, and cast a spell around it before giving it to the rebirth circle."

Gabrielis was perfectly stunned now. "You... you mean, he really is your son?" Astan shook his head. "The soul is, but not more. It would make Felix my child in some way, sure, but certainly not fully." The demon smiled a little, though. "He has something of me in his personality. The stuborness, and the eternal will to fight."

-*-*-*-

There he was again. It was the dream from this afternoon, and like then, his eyes were covered with a blindfold. However, he could see a little bit, something flickering and bright. "You like candlelight?" the almost familiar voice purred close to his ear. Felix nodded, provoking a low chuckle. "Perfect."

He was pressed down on a soft underground, assuming he was sitting on a bed now. There were a few small noises he couldn't identify or even locate. "Tell me, Felix, how is it? With this strange contract, and your services under Astan. Sometimes even literally, I heard."

At this, Felix hissed angrily. "Oh, terribly sorry... I didn't want to offend you, my dear." Still, the human squirmed away from any touch. "Shove your excuses up your ass." the human declared with an acidic tone. "I have no nerve for morons like you."

The stranger seemed to be confused about Felix's change of mind. "Is something the matter, love?" The human felt a huge palm close around his ankle. "Let go off me. Now. I don't want to be here if I am not allowed to see anything. So if you would mind to take off this blindfold..."

A low hissing sound close to his ear made Felix flinch. "Don't you dare to command me about, human..." The voice had become icy and just as acidic as his tone before. "Should I be afraid now?" Felix gave back, having stayed all relaxed and unimpressed. "I somehow don't see a reason to."

-*-*-*-

Astan rested in his chair, Gabrielis opposite of him in another. "I won't back away from the question. Who are you, Astan?" The demon sighed in annoyance, rubbing his face. "I'm serious, Gabrielis, I can't tell you. It would create too much of a fuss now. And you know we can't risk more disturbances."

The angel glared at the demon, shaking his head. "Wrong answer, Astan." Why now, Gabrielis? Why do you want to know just now? You had that many oportunities already, but only now, you would try. Astan returned the glare most coldly. "Like I said, Gabriel. It's nothing to be talked about now."

The angel gasped as Astan's forced him to take on his true shape. Being called with one's real name by an equally strong or stronger being triggered the transformation, and with the right tone, it was inevitable for the called one. Just like now. "You will pay, demon...!"

Light was radiating from Gabriel's form, as wings stretched and almost touched the walls of the office. The suit was replaced by a richly ornamented golden armour, along with a sword and a shield. A magic circle on the ground indicated the light levitation magic keeping him away from the darkness-infused ground. "Astan..."

The demon smirked a little. "I'm very sorry, Gabriel. But you have to admit, you angels never were careful enough about a proper name for your human cover." The angel hissed a curse, still floating only a few inches above the ground, his wings not moving. "It was easy to find out, and even easier to force you over the edge - so to speak."

Gabriel was tempted to draw his blade, but he couldn't imagine Astan would have risked a transformation. "You are despicable, Astan." the angel huffed, finally settling down a little. "And careful. Felix just had had a nightmare again." Gabriel blinked, looking over at Felix who relaxed slowly. "How...?"

The demon sighed, picking up his glasses again and stepping to the window. "You may think I'm blind to the people around me, but I am not. Since some time, Felix's mind is being invaded by our mysterious enemy. I can't do anything against the invasion of Felix's dreams. But you can, Gabriel. You are what our enemy fears the most."

"You mean..." The angel thought he slowly understood. "He is one of your generation, I assume." Astan nodded, putting on his glasses again. "My name may be an anagram, but it is without meaning. I am something only a few can understand. My birth was a mystery, my parents unknown. Yet I have become one of the most powerful."

Gabriel nodded again, casting a glance at Felix. "And you claim he's your son, in some sense. Or at least the new vessle of this very soul." Astan closed his eyes, smiling to himself. "That's the reason why he reacts to my power. His soul may has been purified, but it's core has stayed the same. Durable, stubborn and capable of gathering power in times of need."

-*-*-*-

The dream had ended all of a sudden, but he hadn't woken up. Instead, the scene changed. Light embraced him, not an aggressive, bright one, but a most soft shimmer. Silver and gold seemed to flow around him, making Felix smile. He knew this dream too well already. It was his dream of a better life. Without demons, angels or anything supernatural.

Yet, he began to understand he wasn't too normal himself. He had become something extraordinary himself. The contract with Astan had been a trigger, not more. Felix remembered the forming more than well, but he wasn't mad at Astan. He was grateful, in some strange way.

It had been quite a while since he last had embraced the light in his dreams. For months, it had been darkness, and darkness alone. And now, this soft light... it soothened him, made him happy. He wasn't about to lose the last bit of humanity, something he treasured and wanted to keep. If he wasn't human any longer, he was nothing.

~End of Chapter 4~