124. Countdown begins
The moment the call ended, Marcelline didn't move for several seconds.
But something inside her shifted—
the storm finally settled.
The guilt quieted.
The rage cooled.
The overbearing heaviness melted away like frost under sunlight.
She exhaled slowly.
The sharp, deadly aura surrounding her faded, replaced by her true essence—
calm, divine, dangerously collected.
Leo watched her closely.
And then…
he smirked.
A slow, knowing, wicked smirk.
"There she is," he murmured.
Marcelline raised one brow. "Who?"
"My Elli," Leo said confidently. "The devilish angel who thinks before destroying. Not the emotional wildcat from earlier."
She rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged her lips.
Then Leo asked, tone playful:
"Wanna go for a run?"
Marcelline's smile sharpened into a smirk—dark, elegant, radiant.
Her aura shifted—
Feathers of light flickered around her shoulders.
A faint shadow halo glowed behind her head.
Her eyes shimmered like a fallen star.
"Absolutely," she answered, voice dipped in excitement.
---
That Night — Under the Moon
The forest near the mountain glowed silver under the full moon.
Leo shifted first—
His beast form stretching tall and powerful, fur shimmering like molten gold mixed with shadow.
His claws dug into the earth, ready to sprint.
Marcelline followed—
not fully transforming, but releasing her devilish angel form.
Her wings appeared—feathered with shimmering white and edged with demonic black-gold tips.
Her eyes glowed like molten silver.
Her feet barely touched the ground, floating with impossible grace.
Leo howled.
Marcelline smirked.
Then—
They ran.
Through the dense forest.
Across the river stones.
Up the cliffs.
Down the slopes.
Leo's thunderous leaps shook the ground.
Marcelline's flight skimmed the treetops, leaving trails of light.
They raced, teased, joked, fought small creatures, knocked down trees for fun, and even splashed each other in the midnight lake.
For the first time in weeks, Marcelline laughed—a real one.
Leo barked in excitement, tail swishing like a happy beast.
Hours passed.
And when their energy finally dimmed, they climbed the mountain cliff and sat side by side.
Marcelline hugged her knees, wings folding behind her.
Leo sat in his half-human form now, messy hair, breathing lightly.
Before them—
the dawn slowly painted the sky with gentle blushes of peach, pink, and gold.
The air was crisp.
Birds slowly began to sing.
The wind whispered through the leaves.
Leo glanced at her.
"You okay now?" he asked softly.
Marcelline smiled—calm, serene, powerful.
"For the first time in a while… yes."
Leo nodded, looking satisfied.
"You know," he joked, nudging her shoulder, "you run like you're trying to kill the wind."
"And you run like a dog chasing its tail," she shot back.
Leo gasped dramatically. "How dare you—"
Marcelline chuckled.
The sunrise reflected in her eyes, and she whispered,
"This… was good. I needed this."
Leo leaned back on his palms.
"We'll fix everything, Elli. One step at a time. And we'll kill that thing—properly."
She nodded, gaze steady and fearless.
"Yes. But this time…
we do it my way."
Leo smirked again.
"Oh? The devilish angel way?"
Marcelline's smile turned sharp and beautiful.
"The only way worth doing."
As the sun rose fully, washing them in warmth, both siblings sat in peaceful silence—calm before the storm.
But Marcelline was back.
Stronger. Sharper. Balanced.
And the entity?
Its countdown had begun.
---