Ethereal [discontinued]

十三

<Notes> buckle up folks, this chapter's a doozy :> it contains a couple dark themes so read with caution.

———

My name is Azazel.

I was raised as a test subject.

The humans took me in when I fell from Elysium. I don't remember what reason, but I remember the pain I felt as my wings were burned from the descent.

They offered a place to call home, promising to take care of me... little did I know, I was nothing but a Guinea pig for their cruel experiments.

Everyday they would stick needles in me, often putting me in a state of delirium. Even to this day I can sometimes feel the ghostly prick of the needles.

Why were they experimenting on a fallen angel? Well, to put it simply; they wanted to achieved godhood and rebel against the divine.

Oh how foolish they were, greedy souls wanting to know more about the unknown... why can't they just be satisfied with their mortal lives? Why cause such calamity?

Because of such foolishness, they started a war— and ended the world.

Azreal... she was my only kin, I don't know where or what happened after I fell, and I wondered if she too was exiled.

We were inseparable, keeping watch of the mortal and spirit realm. Together we kept balance.

For years the humans locked me up in some kind of asylum, not once did I get to feel a ray of sunlight during those times. But, when the war broke out, I managed to escape and met him.

Chenxing, a celestial byakko. He was the first person to show me kindness, who had a heart to save me.

That was also the time I met Lumine and Aether, they were still pretty young, maybe only two centuries old. Chenxing was their original guardian, or parent.

They taught me empathy, to be kind. Back when I was still a lab rat, I only knew how to survive and take lives. But now I was given a new purpose; to enjoy life and protect my new family.

It was peaceful the first few centuries. We left the old world to burn as the humans there received divine punishment, after all, they caused the calamity, what's the point in helping them fix the mess they made?

We hopped from world to world, experienced new things, met all sorts of people both good and bad. For the first time ever, I felt solace.

...

"Azazeeeell!" Aether jumped onto my back, laughing in victory when he managed to caught me off guard.

"Ah! You sneaky little rascal!" I said playfully, twirling him around in my arms.

"Aether, no fair! It's my turn to have the lifty lift with them!" Lumine cried, running over to us and patting my leg.

"Don't worry, little one, I can lift both of you!" With my free arm, I hoisted Lumine along with her brother.

The twins laughed as I spun them around in the air, then I hear a chuckle from behind me.