It started as a beam, spreading over my eyes at great intensity. It burned. I remember the sound of my teeth gritting like rocks as I stared directly at it. There was nowhere else to look. "Levickamon... Can you hear me?" There was a voice in the white void, and it said a name I instinctively knew was mine. "I am Azazel, your Chaperon. Can you see me?" The light slowly faded, revealing a form I would come to know for the rest of my life. I must say, I was surprised. Azazel's heavy vocals did not match his skinny physique and friendly smile. Behind his ears were two tiny wings, coloured cloud pink. I must have stared at them too long because he hid them bashfully. Azazel was not the only mystery I had awoken to. There was a whole chamber of contraptions and capsules. I sat up while he fiddled with buttons and screens on the left side of the room. There I was, clueless and dumb. "Where am I?" "You will learn all you need to. Just sit tight and let me log your details into the system.
The ceremony was short-lived. No one said anything, but I was escorted to a waiting area, and the others dispersed. The Archangels pooled into Marmaroth's office, raising their voices in a heated debate. Azazel was there too. He was queried about his work- whether he made a mistake while extracting me from the heavenly crates. I was not supposed to hear that, yet their voices invaded my head. "This has never happened before." One elder said. "In our line of work, one has to bear in mind; that there is a first time for everything." Another responded. "Not this! This is sending an ignorant babe to the battlefield." The third was rather screechy. "It is not our place to question that." They went on and on. "Be still, all of you!" That voice, I knew it well. It was Marmaroth's. "I see why this new development has us in a frenzy, but we do not make the rules. Our purpose is to lead the angels to their destiny, so that balance will be maintained. If Heaven has a different role for A
Cora. She was a minute old when we met. Born a quarter after midnight; white skin, 118 ounces. She looked weird. But I soon figured that it was normal when they put her in the nursery with other babies. I stood closer to the viewing glass, peering at her in awe. That human was my purpose. There were other Guardians behind me, agitated. It was something about me, hogging the view.The nurses took over feeding for the first few hours. I saw the other angels following their babies around, so I did the same. "Watch it!" I worsened my case by stepping on a few toes. Unlike the others, Cora was quiet. She wouldn't open her mouth to take the bottle or show distress. The nurse shimmied her with care. "Don't be picky little Miss. You'll have your mother's milk in the morning," said the nurse. Her name was Elizabeth- her Guardian said she was good. Soon, morning arrived. A big bright bulb hung in the sky outside. The heat was mild, but I saw why people likened it to the Creater's face. It w
Madon reserved his comments. It was only a few minutes, yet his pupil seemed done for. At least Levickamon was smart enough to block with his arms when the foul creature aimed for his face. That would have been hard to heal overnight. "This is your second lesson." Madon crossed his legs and enjoyed the show. "Second? What was the first?" Levi was trapped. "Were you not paying attention when I talked about Patience?" Madon said. "This situation does not call for patience, Madon. Help, please." Levi did not have much to sustain the blows. The hag was on top of him, chanting in other tongues. "Oh-oh, better hurry, kid. Our fallen friend here is not just a lower-class demon, after all. She wants your heavenly fire." "What!" Levi was aghast. An angel's core is forged out of heavenly flames. In human terms, his heart was a fireball that could empower a fallen. Things were not looking up for Levi at all. On the other hand, Janet had not snapped out of the trance. "Cora will perish i
"Welcome home!" Janet was not expecting that wholesome cheer. There were about thirty people in her living room with balloons and confetti, celebrating her return home from the hospital. "There's our little angel." Again with those false claims! It was the two women who visited Janet at the hospital. I later learned their names; Kate and Lucy. They belonged to Janet's side of the family. Kate took Cora off Janet's hands, passing her around like an offering. I did not like that, so I got her to cry. Then there was Leah, Janet's sister. Now that is a creature I could call an angel among men. She had an older Guardian by her side, passed on to her by her great-grandmother. Surprisingly, that exists. Madon suggested that Leah may have been reincarnated or was an answered prayer. Leah was our saving grace, not just on that fateful day. She insisted that Cora was tired and took her to the nursery. The way Leah put the baby to sleep melted my fears. I was grateful she chose to help J
There was another thunder blast but no lightning. "That was close. I didn't know this was a lightning-prone zone." Janet closed all curtains and covered every glass or mirror in the living area. "Me neither. The antenna must have drawn in it or something," Leah said. "You think so?" Janet giggled. She put the bassinet in front of the sofa and got cosy herself. Leah dished out lunch, settling beside her sister. "Could be so." She handed Janet a plate. They watched a movie, not letting the natural commotion outside force them to sleep. Meanwhile... It was heated outside. I took cover after the third blast. Madon carelessly took a swing at Elijah, sending a string of lightning with it. The latter did not budge, waiting for the blow till it was an inch close. But there was no fatal crash. The cell-like beam seeped into Elijah's weapon as it met with the blade at the last breath. White sparks glazed the edges as the Archangel hovered forward. "Stealing energy from my strikes.
Azazel shrunk to the size I knew. He wasn't pleased. It showed on his 'angelic' face. "Hey, Azazel, you're here!" Madon scratched his head, beating out a nervous laugh as Azazel lent him a hand. Elijah chose to look away, dead silent, when he was reminded of how his actions could influence me negatively. I must confess I had never seen that side of my Chaperon. I always pictured Azazel as one without a voice. He rarely spoke much back in Arioch. "If Esme had not swallowed that bolt, you two would have single-handedly ended Levi's calling, along with his soul! Not to talk of the great suffering you would have caused this community. Shame on you...both of you!" Azazel did not sugarcoat it. The cape that saved my soul floated around. As I stared at its hollow parts, a crystal-like figure filled in the space. In a matter of seconds, another celestial was peering at me. The cape folded around her body, hiding her true form and leaving behind a face patterned like a mosaic painting. It
The cobbled streets were empty, lit dimly by makeshift streetlights put up by the locals. A cold wind swept through, carrying leaves from the nearby cemetery. It rustled through benches and cars, making a whistling sound on the tarred road.Trailing behind this spectral breeze was a demon, standing upright on two feet- a hideous imitation of a man. Its eyes were like sandpaper, and its skin bore the scars of some otherworldly fire. The streetlights flickered in a feeble protest as it passed, a couple of them exploding in a burst of sparks when the creature stopped in the middle of the road.It surveyed the row of houses in what seemed to be a peaceful neighbourhood, locking its gaze on a window with the lights on. It approached the chosen household, emitting an ominous hum that resonated through the air.The hum had a rusty sound to it, like an old song. Stomping onto the porch, its bony fingers extended towards the lock, seamlessly slipping through and turning it with a mysterious gr
There was no escaping the demon’s clutches- not on his own. And Levi’s lack of remembrance seemed to fuel the rage. “When you get there, tell them Flarion sent you there. You'll be an honorary guest in waiting. They will enjoy tormenting you,” said the demon as he pounded Levi to the ground. ‘Do angels truly die? Do they have a place to go after death?’ These questions hammered at Levi's naive heart. They were valid concerns, given the belief that angels had no souls. That their end meant vanishing into thin air-forever. At least demons were said to return to hell after annihilation, cursed to eternal damnation. Levi knew he wouldn’t make it. ‘Cora.’ That name mysteriously surfaced in his thoughts. Amid the chaotic racket, Levi tuned his ears, straining to catch a familiar heartbeat. And he found it, echoing steadily. That baby girl was probably hungry again. “I have to get to her”. Levi barely recognized the fragile hope he was clinging to as his skull emitted a crackli
"We cannot attack a human on a whim. One who looks like a nine-year-old at that," Azazel pointed out as the group glanced suspiciously at the child strolling down the road."Yeah, but what kid that age goes out on their own in the middle of the night? That's got to be ominous," Madon said."All this talk is useless. Wait here, I'll check it out." Elijah reverted to his human form. He levitated around and made it in front of the boy. The others observed as he approached. The boy stopped, hands hanging closely beside him, eyes darting up front."Young man, are you lost?" Elijah started with a warm tone. "It's not safe to be out at night. Where are your parents?" He bent forward, curving his lips slightly.But the boy was stiff, his eyes barely twitching.Elijah's smile only grew wider. "So it is true, there is a soul-eating demon around. I'm Elijah, by the way. What might your name be-"*Slash!*The others shuddered, their senses tingling at the sudden development. Just a stone's throw
A thick mist began to slither through the narrow streets of Weidweg, cloaking the town in an otherworldly haze. The air shimmered with an eerie, lavender glow.Azazel remained calm, his eyes narrowing with an electrifying glare as the mist thickened around him. This energy he sensed was no ordinary one. If they could present themselves in such a ghoulish way, then they had to be bad.From the heart of the fog emerged a silhouette. This form was ever-shifting, a legion of shadows and whispers making it impossible to discern their true nature. The fog clung to it, surging with every step they took."Show yourself," Azazel commanded."And if I don't?" The velvety voice of a woman resounded. "You act as if I intrude on your property when you are overstepping my domain.""Who are you?" Azazel asked."If you do not know who I am, perhaps a kiss from my butterflies will teach you." Before that statement was complete, bright fire freckles shot into the sky. They were nothing simple specks tha
The cobbled streets were empty, lit dimly by makeshift streetlights put up by the locals. A cold wind swept through, carrying leaves from the nearby cemetery. It rustled through benches and cars, making a whistling sound on the tarred road.Trailing behind this spectral breeze was a demon, standing upright on two feet- a hideous imitation of a man. Its eyes were like sandpaper, and its skin bore the scars of some otherworldly fire. The streetlights flickered in a feeble protest as it passed, a couple of them exploding in a burst of sparks when the creature stopped in the middle of the road.It surveyed the row of houses in what seemed to be a peaceful neighbourhood, locking its gaze on a window with the lights on. It approached the chosen household, emitting an ominous hum that resonated through the air.The hum had a rusty sound to it, like an old song. Stomping onto the porch, its bony fingers extended towards the lock, seamlessly slipping through and turning it with a mysterious gr
Azazel shrunk to the size I knew. He wasn't pleased. It showed on his 'angelic' face. "Hey, Azazel, you're here!" Madon scratched his head, beating out a nervous laugh as Azazel lent him a hand. Elijah chose to look away, dead silent, when he was reminded of how his actions could influence me negatively. I must confess I had never seen that side of my Chaperon. I always pictured Azazel as one without a voice. He rarely spoke much back in Arioch. "If Esme had not swallowed that bolt, you two would have single-handedly ended Levi's calling, along with his soul! Not to talk of the great suffering you would have caused this community. Shame on you...both of you!" Azazel did not sugarcoat it. The cape that saved my soul floated around. As I stared at its hollow parts, a crystal-like figure filled in the space. In a matter of seconds, another celestial was peering at me. The cape folded around her body, hiding her true form and leaving behind a face patterned like a mosaic painting. It
There was another thunder blast but no lightning. "That was close. I didn't know this was a lightning-prone zone." Janet closed all curtains and covered every glass or mirror in the living area. "Me neither. The antenna must have drawn in it or something," Leah said. "You think so?" Janet giggled. She put the bassinet in front of the sofa and got cosy herself. Leah dished out lunch, settling beside her sister. "Could be so." She handed Janet a plate. They watched a movie, not letting the natural commotion outside force them to sleep. Meanwhile... It was heated outside. I took cover after the third blast. Madon carelessly took a swing at Elijah, sending a string of lightning with it. The latter did not budge, waiting for the blow till it was an inch close. But there was no fatal crash. The cell-like beam seeped into Elijah's weapon as it met with the blade at the last breath. White sparks glazed the edges as the Archangel hovered forward. "Stealing energy from my strikes.
"Welcome home!" Janet was not expecting that wholesome cheer. There were about thirty people in her living room with balloons and confetti, celebrating her return home from the hospital. "There's our little angel." Again with those false claims! It was the two women who visited Janet at the hospital. I later learned their names; Kate and Lucy. They belonged to Janet's side of the family. Kate took Cora off Janet's hands, passing her around like an offering. I did not like that, so I got her to cry. Then there was Leah, Janet's sister. Now that is a creature I could call an angel among men. She had an older Guardian by her side, passed on to her by her great-grandmother. Surprisingly, that exists. Madon suggested that Leah may have been reincarnated or was an answered prayer. Leah was our saving grace, not just on that fateful day. She insisted that Cora was tired and took her to the nursery. The way Leah put the baby to sleep melted my fears. I was grateful she chose to help J
Madon reserved his comments. It was only a few minutes, yet his pupil seemed done for. At least Levickamon was smart enough to block with his arms when the foul creature aimed for his face. That would have been hard to heal overnight. "This is your second lesson." Madon crossed his legs and enjoyed the show. "Second? What was the first?" Levi was trapped. "Were you not paying attention when I talked about Patience?" Madon said. "This situation does not call for patience, Madon. Help, please." Levi did not have much to sustain the blows. The hag was on top of him, chanting in other tongues. "Oh-oh, better hurry, kid. Our fallen friend here is not just a lower-class demon, after all. She wants your heavenly fire." "What!" Levi was aghast. An angel's core is forged out of heavenly flames. In human terms, his heart was a fireball that could empower a fallen. Things were not looking up for Levi at all. On the other hand, Janet had not snapped out of the trance. "Cora will perish i
Cora. She was a minute old when we met. Born a quarter after midnight; white skin, 118 ounces. She looked weird. But I soon figured that it was normal when they put her in the nursery with other babies. I stood closer to the viewing glass, peering at her in awe. That human was my purpose. There were other Guardians behind me, agitated. It was something about me, hogging the view.The nurses took over feeding for the first few hours. I saw the other angels following their babies around, so I did the same. "Watch it!" I worsened my case by stepping on a few toes. Unlike the others, Cora was quiet. She wouldn't open her mouth to take the bottle or show distress. The nurse shimmied her with care. "Don't be picky little Miss. You'll have your mother's milk in the morning," said the nurse. Her name was Elizabeth- her Guardian said she was good. Soon, morning arrived. A big bright bulb hung in the sky outside. The heat was mild, but I saw why people likened it to the Creater's face. It w