Seraphine - JJBA

The Empress

Seraphine exited her hidden temple, and noticed how much the outside area had changed.

The ancient stone homes of the villagers, weathered by time, were now swallowed by the relentless embrace of nature, with lush greenery reclaiming their once-tamed surroundings.

Not a soul could be glimpsed in the peaceful solitude that now reigned over the deserted village.

She folded her wings behind her back so they wouldn't get in her way as she walked through the jungle-like area that surrounded her resting place.

The feathers of her wings tickled her bare back slightly, and the breeze made her unclothed body cold. She didn't mind however, it never bothered her. She knew she would need something to wear soon.

Following a strenuous trek spanning two to three days, her weary eyes finally beheld a vast expanse by the shimmering ocean.

This bustling waterfront area teemed with an array of boats, lively markets, and an assortment of tightly-knit buildings. In the distance, human figures bustled about, their activities visible from her vantage point.

She cautiously concealed herself behind a towering tree, her gaze fixed upon a shop's sign that stood prominently before her.

".... It..aly."
She mumbled.

A small dog noticed her presence and quickly approached, barking and growling. She looked at the dog, unimpressed, and blinked a few times.

"Puppy," she murmured softly.

The dog's noisy barking drew the ire of a nearby man, who began to shout in frustration. Amid his shouts, she rapidly picked up the nuances of the human language.

"Oi! Dog, shut it," the man yelled. His eyes went from the dog to Seraphine who had moved from behind the tree and towards the man.

His eyes bulged in alarm. "Y-You shameless woman! Where are your clothes!?"

He looks behind her, noticing her wings and almost fainting. Seraphine shrugs, covering her body with her wings. "Of course, clothing. Where can I get clothing?"

The man stares at her before running away, screaming. "W-Witch!" The dog stayed behind, who had stopped barking and stared at her.

She ignored the canine, and went out to search for anything she could wear. Though the dog was following her from behind watching her ever move.

When no one was looking, she broke the window of an antique store and stole a white ruffled gown from the display and slipped it on. The back was low enough so that her wings could still move freely, and she didn't need to make holes for the wings.

She had noticed that people were staring at her wings, so she snagged some fabric and made it into a cloak so she could hide her wings while near the humans.

As she kept walking down the street, she had noticed a few things. For one, she was in a place called Italy. She saw that humans were thriving as well. Here in Rome, there were humans called "tourist" walking around just to see Italy which amused her.

There, she recognized a familiar building. The colosseum was one of the places where gladiators had fought for entertainment. She had seen her fair share of gladiator fights and mock naval battles here before she had fell asleep.

What had drawn her to this place was the familiar smell of a freshly awakened ancient pillar. She followed the scent underground, which led to an entrance of a cave.

She heard a few screams, and smelled fresh blood admitting from the dark cave. Seraphine felt the blood stick to her bare feet as she trudged through the cave.

"Lord Kars, I sense another life form."

Her head perked up at the familiar name. Kars was the pillar man who had killed the rest of his species, leaving only his co-inspirer and two children alive. Meaning that the last ancient pillars were in this cave, and she had just found them freshly awakened by mere coincidence.

The flash of light appeared, and the torches on the walls were now lit. To her surprise Seraphine only saw three of the four remaining pillars.

"Girl, show yourself. Remove your cloak."

Just as she was about to pull her hood down, one of the pillars, presumably Kar's, had put his arm in front of the other pillar that spoke. "No, Wamuu. Do you not sense that?"

Wamuu's eyes furrowed. "Is she a vampire?"

The remaining pillar man sniffed the air, and got closer to Seraphine smelling her. "No, she is... One of us."

Kars nodded. "You are correct, Esidisi. But I thought I had slaughtered all the others of our species, much less that there was a woman remaining alongside us."

Seraphine put her cloak down, scowling at Kars. "Do not compare me to a pillar. I am anything but it."

Laughing, Esidisi smirks. "Are you ashamed you are one of us?"

She shakes her head. "I am not ashamed of anything, because I am not one of you. Do you not recognize me?"

She drops her cloak and spreads her wings out completely. The sight of her wings makes Kars fall on his knees, bowing his head down. The other two men's eyes widen at their leader on his knees for a random woman.

Wamuu is the first to speak up. "Lord Kars, who is this woman?"

Kars lifts his head, shaking. "Bow, both of you! This woman is the goddess Seraphine!"

They both reluctantly bow down, though Wamuu has never heard of the woman before them.

"All of you, stand up and quit bowing."

Kars gets up, putting his hand on his chest.

"My lady, I am glad to see you have returned. Now Wamuu," Kars starts,

"You were but a child when she vanished, so you've never truly known her. This woman doesn't belong to our species, although she's often mistaken for one. She possesses an absolute immunity to the sun, a trait I've been tirelessly pursuing. Seraphine initiated the groundbreaking research on creating a flawless pillar, capable of reaching the sun. You see, she's a being of supreme excellence, a celestial emissary among us. She is our empress."

Wamuu shakes his head in disbelief. "Lord Kars, nothing is superior than a pillar. So how...?"

"I do not know where she came from, though I know one thing. She is truly a goddess. You must respect her as much as you respect me."

Seraphine watches the interaction with the two. Kars looks back at the goddess. "I am sorry for mistaking you as a pillar, my grace."

"You are forgiven. Now, I must be off."

"My lady, where are you going?" He asks. "You just got here. Will you not help me become the ultimate life form?"

She shakes her head. "You are correct. I'm afraid I cannot aid you."

"But, my divine empress, I..."

"My word is final. May I wish you luck."

And with that, she walks out of the cave leaving the Pillars in awe.