This chapter tells the past of my character Zenith, when he was still the Archangel Eosphiel. It is a side story, so it doesn't really fit into the natural flow of other chapters. If we actually publish this as a book, this chapter should probably appear very late in the book, instead of right after chapter 47.
Side Story 5
Eosphiel
My name is Eosphiel, the Morning Star. I am an Archangel, an elite enforcer of Light. My peers always say that I am a genius for having reached the Archangel status at the incredibly young age of 40. I was never as proud and egotistical as most Angels, but I suppose they're right. Only twenty percent of all Angels ever develop into Archangels, and they rarely gain their increased wing size until the age of 100. Apparently, I am "the strongest Archangel of my generation", and for that they made me the leader of a squadron of six Archangels, all child prodigies like me. I never liked being a leader, mind you. Especially not the leader of a team of warriors dedicated to killing.
I do not like killing. Especially if the killing is for completely trivial reasons, such as the victim belonging to a different element. There has been a bitter war between the elements of Light and Darkness for over a thousand years, and in my opinion it is completely and utterly pointless. According to traditional Angelic ideals, the element of Darkness is the epitome of evil: it corrupts, it taints, and it brings misery to all but itself. Dark Elementals are branded as Demons, and they are to be annihilated on sight. Light seeks the salvation of all things, and it believes that its own "purity" and "kindness" is the only path to this salvation. Light and its Elementals, the Angels, have frequently tried to expand their territories, for the "greater good", and have always been directly or indirectly stopped by Darkness; that must be why Light persecutes Darkness with such vehement hatred. What zealots they are, my fellow Angels; they are too blinded by their own Light to realize that Darkness is, and has always been, attempting to maintain balance among the elements.
Of course, I am rather fond of my little squad. We aren't all particular close to each other, but they're all powerful and intelligent Angels of my own caliber. Lyriel, the somewhat lofty and snobbish "white princess", is my best friend, rival and second-in-command; we quarrelled often, but I'm glad that she shared my distaste of the overzealous Light ideals. Timael, the hotblooded fighter, is quicker to communicate with his fists, swords, or spells than with words; I always thought that he would fit in better as a Fire Elemental. Xerziel, the team's plucky comic relief, idolizes me and all other powerful Archangels; it can be flattering, but when it really counts I suspect his loyalty goes not to me but to those oligarchs in the Cherubim Council. Asteriel is the mysterious one, cold, distant, and hardly ever saying a word; I honestly cannot tell what is going on in her head. The last one is Ophanael, a devout and radical believer of the inherent purity and superiority of Light. I mentioned him last because I honestly cannot stand him; he thinks he's better than everyone else simply because he is related to Seraphiel, our Supreme Leader. He once demanded loudly for the title of the squad leader and "most talented Archangel", and hasn't quite given up despite me defeating him in at least three duels. Being the pompous bastard he is, me and Lyriel actually teamed up against him more than we bickered with each other; but orders are orders, and I have to try to work with him.
Now, back to the present. At the moment, I am leading my squadron through the Realm of Darkness in a reconnaissance mission. We could probably fight in the frontline if we wanted, but I hate killing and avoided it whenever possible. We're travelling through one of the most dangerous locations in the Dark Realm, a valley in which the very air leeches the life energy out of you. We have combined our Angelic auras into a collective shield, a solid sphere of white light that prevents the vampiric energies of Darkness from seeping in.
"A few hours and we haven't found anything," said Lyriel. "We should return. This place is dangerous."
"So what? I'd love to see some action!" Timael grinned savagely. "We have been wandering around in this dump for hours, and I thought it would be more exciting than this!"
"This is a recon mission," I reminded the battle maniac. "We should avoid combat if possible. Lyriel is right; we should return."
"What's the matter, Morning Star? Are you
scared?" Ophanael sneered in a mocking voice.
"If he is scared, why is he in the front?" Lyriel shot back. "And more importantly, why are
you in the middle, protected by the rest of us?"
"Shut up, princess!" Ophanael snapped. Before I could stop him, Ophanael shot an incredibly bright flare of light straight into the sky, which then exploded into millions of white sparks. "Better to draw out all the monsters so I can kill them and prove my superiority to all of you!"
I cursed. Ophanael's little stunt probably just woke up more than half of the monsters in this valley.
And of course, we immediately heard hisses and snarls around us. Several Minor Vampires, vicious little bloodsucking bat-like creatures, slammed against our shield and screeched in pain. Worm-like Devourers dug themselves out of the ground, trying to reach us and drain our energy; good thing we stayed aloft the entire time. We began to frantically launch bolts of white energy at the creatures wanting to eat our bodies and souls.
Suddenly, we heard a different sound, a sound more malicious and more frightening than all of the Vampires and Devourers put together. A pair of predatory, blood-red eyes appeared in front of us, and we could vaguely see a colossal black serpentine shape coiled in the darkness.
Heaven forbids, it's an Obsidian Dragon. At that moment I truly wanted to punch Ophanael in the face for waking that thing up.
"See what you did?!" Xerziel said in a panicked voice. "You should've just done what Eosphiel told you!"
"...we can take it down," said Asteriel, succinct as ever. The tip of her wand already began to glow, ready to unleash a devastating spell.
I considered my choices, and cursed. "We cannot afford to do so," I said, my expression becoming grim. "If we are to defeat the dragon, we must utilize our full strengths. Doing so will more than likely reveal our presence to enemy troops, if there are any. We cannot afford to take the risk."
Timael was about to protest, but Lyriel cut him off. "Can't we simply escape then?" She asked.
"Not many had outrun an Obsidian Dragon before," I said urgently. The dragon suddenly lunged forward like a viper, its vicious jaws biting into our shield and nearly shattering it. Then a blast of dark energy gushed out from its mouth. Our barrier dissipated into white sparks. We were all blown back by the force of the attack, and I immediately felt the draining effects of the environment around me. I cursed again.
I made a split-second decision. "You guys run! I'll distract it!" I shouted to my comrades. My Angelic wings spread to their full span. I unsheathed my sword, Morning Glory, and emitted from my body a brilliant burst of light almost twice as bright as the one made by Ophanael moments ago. I flew above the dragon's head and slashed downwards, releasing a wave of crescent-shaped energy. I put all my strength into the attack, cutting a deep and painful wound in the dragon's right eye. It roared in agony. I soared past the dragon, hoping that it would chase the one who wounded it. It did.
I flew further and further away from my teammates, with an enraged black dragon on my tail. What happened next was all a blur. I made sure that my teammates were completely out of sight and magical detection, then I fought the dragon like I never fought before. I unleashed vastly destructive spells reserved only for the direst of situations. They were flashy, of course, and more than likely to attract the attention of enemy troops, but at least they would only discover a lone Archangel instead of an entire squadron. The Obsidian Dragon was about the most powerful opponent I had ever faced, its scales incredibly resistant to damage and its breath bringing ruin to all. I flew close to the dragon's gargantuan head, plunging my sword straight into its brain. But in its dying breaths the dragon violently twisted around and clamped its jaws over my left wing, tearing it off with such force that I almost blacked out instantly. I fell to the ground, convulsing as pure, unadulterated agony coursed through my veins.
No... I don't want to die like this...
It was no use. I had lost a wing, and there was no way I could possibly return to the Light Realm until it grew back in a few months. But I did not have a few months. Despair began to claim me, as I felt my life energy being leeched from me by the air itself.
...
I was awakened by the feeling of life energy flowing into me. It more than counteracted the draining effects of the environment, strengthening my body and helping it heal. I couldn't feel my left wing, and it took me a few seconds to remember that my wing had been bitten off by an Obsidian Dragon. Strange, it didn't even hurt anymore.
I realized that I was lying in a soft bed, covered by silken sheets. Someone was holding my right hand; I would guess that the hand belonged to a female, because it was too smooth and delicate to be otherwise. I opened my eyes...
...and saw the most beautiful girl I had ever seen in my life.
Okay, don't get me wrong. I was usually not nervous at all around women. Some of the female Angels that I knew, such as Lyriel and Asteriel, were quite attractive, but I had always been able to talk to them with the calmness and confidence I naturally possessed. But something about this young woman I was looking at simply made my brain lock up and turn into mush.
She had long, silky, midnight-black hair that flowed past her shoulders like a dark waterfall. It framed her face, and contrasted beautifully with her lovely pale skin. Her face... I could not assign any descriptive words to it other than "perfect". And her eyes... Dear Heavens, those eyes, pitch-black yet as pure as a clear lake shrouded in moonlight, seemed to look straight into my heart.
"Er... Um..." I did not know what to say. I was vaguely aware that my face must be blushing as red as the sunset.
"Are you feeling all right?" She asked gently, her voice full of concern. Her voice was more beautiful and melodious than any of the Angels in the Choir of Light. "Does the wound still hurt?"
"Uh... I... It... No," I stammered. I wanted to slap myself for blubbering like an idiot. Then I realized that it must be her who was holding my hand, and nearly fainted again.
Abruptly, she tightened her grip when I tried to instinctively jerk my hand away. "Don't break the physical contact," she said. "Otherwise I can't prevent the environment from leeching your energy."
My brain struggled to understand her words while I struggled to sit up. As I was doing so, I had a good look at this unbelievably gorgeous girl who saved my life. She was wearing an elegant black dress, one that didn't hide enough of her feminine curves. Her body was just as perfect as her face; she was quite well-endowed, and had the lithe form of a dancer. I shook my head, trying to expel some of my inappropriate thoughts but failing.
"So... Uh..." I tried to start a conversation. My attempt was unsuccessful. I probably would have done much better if I didn't have the most beautiful girl in the world holding my hand.
"What's your name?" She asked.
I let out a sigh of relief. "Eosphiel," I said. At least I still remembered my own name. "Uh, call me Eos if you think the name is too long." Gah, that wasn't funny. I wanted to kick myself.
"It's all right," she smiled. My heart skipped a beat. "My name is Selene. Nice to meet you, Eos, though you didn't really have a choice in that matter, did you?" Her eyes twinkled. That image would be etched into my mind until the day I die.
"No, I suppose not," I tried to laugh. It came out sort of like a squeak. "Thanks for saving me, by the way," I said to try to save face.
"You're welcome," she smiled again. Then her expression turned into a mixture of sorrow and concern. "You're a Light Elemental, aren't you? It must have been very painful to lose your wing... What happened?"
I winced. It had been very, very painful indeed. "My... comrade... did something quite stupid, and woke up an Obsidian Dragon. I led it away so that my friends could escape. I killed the dragon, but it still chewed off my wing."
"You fought and killed an
Obsidian Dragon?" Selene's eyes widened. I could see shock, amazement, fear, and admiration in those lovely twin orbs of pure black. "You must be a really strong Light elite..." Then her expression softened. "It must be horrible, losing your wing and half of your power along with it..."
"No, no, you're getting it mixed up," I said. Then I mentally punched myself for speaking to her in a condescending tone. "Air Elementals lose their powers when they lose their wings. For us Light Elementals, or Angels as we call ourselves, losing wings only inhibits us from flying. Our wings actually grow back... in a few months..." My head slumped, and I let out a sigh. Then I raised my head abruptly again. "Are you a Dark Elemental?" I asked carefully.
"Dark Nymph, actually," she said with a smile.
A Nymph? I suppose that explained her supernatural beauty. We had a Light Nymph in Heaven named Lumiel, and she was indeed the second most beautiful creature I had seen. But that still didn't explain why my face burned and my heart beat at twice its normal speed when I first saw Selene. Anyways...
I looked into Selene's eyes with my piercing blue gaze. "I am Light, and you are Darkness. We are supposed to be enemies. Why did you save me?" I winced at my tone, and cursed myself for distrusting a sweet and gentle soul like Selene.
"I..." She lowered her head, but did not let go of my hand. "You just lay there... battered... unconscious... helpless... dying... I had to..."
My eyes widened, and something inside me melted. She saved me because she saw me unconscious and dying. She did not care if our races were mortal enemies of each other. It was an act of pure kindness, simple as that. With that act alone, she was purer than any Angel could ever claim to be.
"I'm sorry... for doubting you..." I put my other hand on top of hers. "Don't worry, I'm not like the rest of my kind. I resent their radical beliefs, and I think this war is completely pointless. If I have the choice, I will never hurt another Dark Elemental without cause." I tried to say this in a reassuring manner, but was not sure if I succeeded.
"I had a feeling that you were different," she said with a smile that was about a hundred times more reassuring than I was. "So what will happen to you now? How long will it take for your wing to grow back? A few months?"
"Yeah..." I sighed again. "And I cannot return to the Light Realm until then, because I cannot fly there with one wing..."
"Why don't you stay here until your wing grows back?" She beamed at me. "It's rather lonely in this place, and I would love some company."
I nearly passed out when I heard that. Staying with the most beautiful girl in the entire realms for a few months? I actually felt like thanking Ophanael for his little stunt. "Uh.. S-Sure..." I stuttered, my heart pounding like a drum in my ears.
"And just so you know, to make sure the draining effects of the environment here doesn't suck you dry, we have to remain in constant physical contact with each other, at all times. Including when we're sleeping." She winked at me. "Don't worry, the bed is large enough."
I passed out again.
...
Time passed by very quickly with Selene; she was an absolutely delightful person to be around with. We talked often, about Angelic ideals and Darkness philosophies. I told her how much I hated the overzealous views of Light, and she told me about how Darkness always attempted to preserve balance. I learned more about Darkness from Selene than I ever did from my teachers in the Light Realm.
We also talked about our pasts. I spoke to her about my childhood, the adventures I had with my Archangel comrades, the revulsion I had when I was forced to kill, and much more. I poured my heart out to her, and in return she told me nearly everything about herself. Her mother was a Dark Nymph just like her, and her father was one of the master assassins in the army of Darkness. They were killed in battle by Angels, and before their deaths they instructed Selene to hide in this valley where no Angel other than my squad ever dared to enter. When I heard about the fate of her parents, I never hated myself more for being an Angel. But unbelievably, Selene held no hatred or any form of malign intent toward my kind; she knew that the ultimate intent of Light was to save everyone in the realms from suffering. It was unfortunate that the Light and Dark ideologies clashed, and she wanted nothing more than the happiness and well-being of both of our races. Heavens bless her heart, but she was so pure and full of kindness that it put my entire Angelic race to shame.
We grew closer with each passing day. I trusted her with my life, even more so than I trusted my best friend Lyriel. Selene reciprocated that trust fully, and there were absolutely no secrets kept between us... well, almost. The only thing I did not tell her was that I was falling in love with her. She was beautiful, in both body and heart, and I couldn't help but feel drawn to her like a bee to a flower. The constant physical contact we maintained didn't help either. In my every waking moment I could feel the soft, smooth skin of her hands, and the constant stream of warm life energy pouring into me to keep me alive and functioning. Even when we were sleeping (with our clothes on, of course), her hands were either holding mine or around my neck; I could not fathom how she was able to channel her energy into me even when unconscious. Almost every night, with Selene's head resting firmly against my shoulder and a blissful little smile on her sleeping face, I had the urge to kiss her and tell her how much I loved her. But I couldn't, because the Angels would never allow us to be together.
My left wing was growing back, slowly but steadily. Sometimes, when we were out exploring the valley together, I would scoop her up by the waist and start flapping my wings. More often than not, I could only lift us up for half a meter before we collapsed back onto the group, lying in a heap and laughing like nothing else mattered. It was slow, but my wing was growing back nevertheless.
But I didn't want it to grow back. If it did, that means I could go back to Heaven again, and leave this place. I didn't want to leave this place. I didn't want to leave Selene.
At the end of my second month with Selene, my wing had almost grown back to its original size. I could lift both of us up and fly for half an hour before I got tired and had to land. In just a few more days, my wing would return to normal. And then I would have to leave.
I almost felt like waking up another Obsidian Dragon and have it bite off my other wing.
After a night of flying practice, food gathering, exploration, talking, and generally feeling very happy (there were no "days" in the Dark Realm), we decided to go to bed. As usual, Selene rested her head against my shoulder, her face touching my neck and transmitting that almost-perpetual stream of life energy into my body. She looked so beautiful lying there, that I could no longer hold back my feelings.
Even after living with her for two months, I still could not find the courage to tell Selene that I loved her. And since actions spoke louder than words...
I cupped her lovely, heart-shaped face in my hands, and looked into the two pools of liquid darkness that were her eyes. She was so breathtakingly beautiful that I almost cried. Then, closing my eyes, I moved my face closer to hers...
...and kissed her on the lips.
Selene's eyes widened, but she did not pull back or even resist. After the initial moment of shock, she simply melted into me, kissing me back with such love and passion that I could no longer think straight. Our tongues entwined, our breathing became heavier, and one thing led to another...
...
We lay in bed together, arms tightly around each other. I could feel the warmth of her breath, her skin, and the life energy that was flowing into me from her entire body. I never felt this happy in my entire life, yet there was a sadness in my heart that threatened to tear it apart. I really, really didn't want to leave Selene.
"I love you..." I whispered softly into her ear.
"I love you, too..." She whispered back.
For hours, we simply held tightly onto each other and silently enjoyed each other's presence. If only we could stay like this forever...
Selene broke the silence and looked at me with tears in her eyes. My heart ached. I did not like seeing her tears; her smiles were so much better. "What's wrong, Selene?" I asked her gently.
"I know this is selfish, Eos... But..." She barely suppressed a sob. "I really don't want you to go..." Then she broke down and buried her head in my arms, her body shaking with sorrow.
At that moment, I wanted to do nothing other than hold her tightly and tell her that everything will be all right. But everything wasn't all right... If the Angels saw us together, they would destroy Selene without a second thought, and banish me forever...
I gritted my teeth. The Angels! It was always the Angels! I didn't ask to be born as one of them, and I didn't ask to participate in this pointless war! Damn the Angels and their idiotic beliefs!
"Selene... Don't cry anymore. I'll stay with you."
Selene stopped crying and became perfectly still. "Are you sure?" She asked after a long moment of pause.
I looked into her eyes. "Yes," I answered with absolute finality. "I am sick of Light's ideals, and I am sick of this war. I would rather stay here and spend my life with you, Selene."
For a moment Selene didn't say anything. Then she pulled me into a deep and passionate kiss. The world melted away once again...
...
Carrying Selene in my arms, I soared higher and higher toward the Light Realm. My wing had grown back fully, and I could now fly for hours without fatigue.
"Are you sure about this?" I asked Selene.
"Yes," she said firmly, looking into my eyes. "I feel selfish for making you stay, and I want you to at least go there one last time and say goodbye. Besides," she smiled, "I want to see your hometown."
"All right, if you say so..." But I couldn't help but to have an ominous feeling in my chest. If we were discovered in the heart of Light... I shuddered.
As we flew higher, I felt the vampiric energies of Darkness around us gradually receding. I no longer needed the physical contact with Selene, but I wouldn't mind maintaining it for a little while longer. Or for the rest of my life.
The environment grew brighter. I could feel the power of Light in the air, a power that now seemed both familiar and alien to me. I looked up and saw a gargantuan white sphere, floating unsupported in the sky and radiating a light so bright that it stung even my eyes. That was the floating city of Heaven, the capital of Light and the place where I spent my life before meeting Selene.
"It's beautiful..." Selene whispered. "But... It hurts..."
"Hm?" I turned my head toward the Dark Nymph in my arms. Her dark brows were slightly furrowed, and I could see pain etched in her lovely face. "What's wrong, Selene?" I was beginning to become worried.
"It's the Light..."
Of course. Selene was a creature of Darkness. Her race was naturally adapted so that their bodies automatically absorbed energies from the surroundings when food was scarce. That was probably why she didn't drain herself dry when she constantly poured her life energy into me nonstop for two months. Here, her body must be automatically absorbing the Light elemental energy around her. And Light was as harmful to Darkness creatures as salt was to a slug.
I did not like seeing Selene in pain. When she suffered, I suffered along with her. "Do you want to go back?" I suggested to her. I almost wanted to heal her with my Light magic, but I knew that it would only hurt her more.
"No... Take me closer," she insisted. I saw the determination in her eyes, and obliged.
I flew even higher. I knew quite a few secret routes, and snuck past the guards. I absolutely did
not want to be caught or seen.
We arrived at one of Heaven's back gates. From there, we could see the clouds, towers, and spires inside the massive spherical energy barrier surrounding the city. It was a beautiful and resplendent sight indeed, but I've seen it too many times to feel impressed anymore.
I looked at the city in which I spent my life in. I closed my eyes, and silently whispered farewell to Lyriel, to my team, to my fellow Angels, and to the Light Realm itself.
"Ugh..." I heard a soft, barely audible whimper of pain. I abruptly opened my eyes, and saw Selene gritting her teeth, trying her hardest not to cry out.
I could not stand this anymore. Selene was in pain, and it was all because of me. I at least deserved to share the pain she was having. "Selene," I looked into her eyes. "Inject me with your essence of Darkness."
"What?" Her eyes widened, astonished. "But that will..."
"I know. That will turn me into a Dark Elemental like you. If I cannot shield you from pain, I want to at least share it."
"A-Are you sure?" She asked. I could see fear in her eyes.
"Yes," I replied. "When we leave here, I will no longer be an Angel. I want to be with you, Selene. Please make me just like you."
"All right, if you say so..." She agreed with uncertainty in her voice.
She opened her mouth, and I could see a pair of canine-like fangs. I did not flinch when she bit into the skin on my neck... but I certainly did wince when liquid cold fire started to pour into my veins. I barely suppressed a scream. Dear Heavens, it hurt almost as much as having my wing ripped off. I could feel my body changing, forsaking Light for Darkness. As the liquid darkness circulated through my body, black marks began to appear on my skin...
Suddenly, I felt several presences approaching. I opened my eyes in alarm, and tore Selene away from my neck. "Damn it!" I swore. "Selene, we have to go!"
I flapped my wings and dived down, ignoring the agony that was coursing through my entire body. I hoped that we could escape to the Dark Realm before we were spotted by the approaching Angels. But I was too late. I heard a piercing alarm ringing through the air, and a second later I painfully slammed into an energy barrier made of solid light. I cursed again.
"DO NOT THINK YOU CAN ESCAPE, FOUL DEMON OF DARKNESS!" A thunderous voice boomed. I looked up, and saw a radiant four-winged figure towering over me, about a dozen or so Archangels behind his back. Damn it. The leading figure figure was one of the twelve Cherubim in existence, one of the oligarchs that ruled Light with absolute power. The Cherub had bright golden eyes and long blond hair; he was clad in white-gold armor, and four Angelic wings instead of two flapped on his back. He was Raziel, one of the least tolerant members in the Cherubim Council. He was extremely powerful and had centuries of experience; in my currently debilitated state there was no way in Heaven I could defeat an opponent like Raziel, not to mention the Archangels behind him.
"Eos?! Is that you?!" I heard an astonished voice blurt out. I looked past Raziel, and saw Lyriel's soft blond hair and turquoise eyes. She had a stupefied expression on her face, staring at me and Selene in my arms. I saw my other teammates too. Timael and Xerziel looked bewildered; Asteriel was just as unreadable as ever; and Ophanael's face was a mixture of shock and pure disgust.
"So, Eosphiel, you have betrayed us," Raziel glared at me with contempt. "With that attitude of yours, I should have known."
"Please tell us this isn't real..." said Xerziel. He looked though he could not believe his eyes. "Why, Eos?! We thought you were dead! All this time... You were consorting with a creature of Darkness?!"
"You tainted yourself with Darkness," Ophanael spat. "I would execute you with my own hands, you worm."
I was painfully aware that none of them addressed Selene or even attempted to acknowledge her existence. To them, Selene was already a pile of smoldering dust. "If you want to kill her, you will have to go through me," I said through clenched teeth. I put Selene down and stood protectively in front of her; I didn't know if I should be glad that there was a barrier of solid light to stand on.
"Restrain him, and execute the Demoness," ordered Raziel. His voice was cold, emotionless.
Ophanael grinned savagely. I prepared to defend Selene and myself, but the pain in my body was too much for me. Ophanael swept me aside with a single strike, and then with sadistic glee he thrust a spear of light straight through Selene's stomach. Selene screamed in agony, and it tore my heart apart.
"SELENE!" I shouted. I tried to go to her, but two Archangels quickly restrained me. I screamed, I writhed, I kicked, but the pain in my body was preventing me from breaking free from their iron grasps.
"Lyriel, Timael, Xerziel, Asteriel, and Ophanael, combine your powers and erase the Demoness's soul from existence," Raziel ordered with steel in his voice. "Eosphiel was previously a member of your team, thus it should be the five of you who should pass judgment on him."
"B-But..." Lyriel tried to protest. Her body was shaking as she looked at me in panic.
"
Do it," Raziel commanded with such absolute authority that it made Lyriel instantly stiffen. She looked at me and whispered something, but I did not hear. My attention was focused entirely on Selene. She was kneeling, hands clutching the wound on her stomach, her eyes full of terror, helplessness, and despair. I struggled some more and tried to scream again, but the pair of Archangels holding me tightened their grip and clamped a hand over my mouth. I could only watch in horror as my former teammates began to gather power in their hands.
My former comrades raised their arms, and the power they gathered began to coalesce into a sigil of Light the size of an average Elemental. The light it exuded was harsh, blinding, and it made my innards tear itself apart. Before I could scream, before I could even blink, my former friends turned their devastating spell upon Selene.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl.
Selene turned to look into my eyes.
I love you, she whispered soundlessly. I wanted to scream that I love her too, but I could not make a sound.
Then the glowing sigil of destruction made contact with Selene.
I couldn't describe what happened next. As far as I knew, my entire world had just been shattered to pieces. I could not think. I could not feel. A part of me just... died.
Then it was over. Selene was no more. In the spot where she used to be, there was not even a mote of dust left behind.
My body didn't hurt anymore. I was no longer capable of feeling pain.
Raziel shot a sidelong glance at me, then turned his head and began to fly away. "Banish him to the Dark Realm," he said. "Whether he lives or dies, it is inconsequential. He is no longer Eosphiel, no longer one of Light."
My captors released me, and I collapsed. Ophanael walked toward me. He looked at me as though I was a piece of trash, then picked me up by the neck. "If you like the Dark Realm so much, why don't you just stay there and rot?" He spat in my face. But I didn't feel it. I barely even heard his words.
The energy barrier under us disappeared. With one last contemptuous glare, Ophanael let go of my neck, allowing me to fall into the bottomless chasm of Darkness below. I could have propelled myself up with my wings, but I did not bother. I just let myself fall...
I used to be at the zenith, but now I was falling to the nadir.
...
Holy sh!t, this is like the longest chapter ever.
