...thump

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Thump...

Tck..

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Thump!

Ka~

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Thump!!

Crack, crack!

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Thump!!!

Thump!!!

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BOOM!!!

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Fragments of glass exploded in all directions as inaudible wails of horror seeped into this realm of intertwined majesty and desolation.

Namely a paradox due to the lack of glass in this blindingly white space.

Only multi-colored chains, coiled around a creature suspended at its center, took away the serenity disturbed by the strange event — formation of a massive pitch-black crack in the "sky" of the very space.

The creature, radiating endless majesty, yet shielding a hint of something ominous within its depths, raised its crystal-clear radiant eyes, long hair obstructing parts of their vision.

In those soulless multi-colored orbs, seemingly hiding a sea of stars within—uncertainty, relief, wrath, disdain, and emptiness intertwined… only to be superseded by a single emotion.

Curiosity.

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The colossal crack—the source of shattered fragments—kept on expanding further and further, in sync with a pair of black pupils surrounded by myriad colorful starry spots—or rather, even stars themselves.

As the crack expanded, so did the creature's pupils, now already deeply focused on that dark crack which seemed like a light at the end of the tunnel.

Yet there was no light coming from that crack, nor was the bright-white space anything like a tunnel—paradoxically, however, it still felt that way.

Eagerly staring at the newfound hope in the form of a black crack, the creature's hair, now already hanging from the sides of her cheeks, no longer obstructed her vision, allowing this Angelic creature to observe the collapse of this space in full glory.

And then, after what seemed like an eternity, yet also like an instant—it happened…

Boooom!

Fwooo~~

Along with another, final explosion, strong suction began eating away at the endless white space. With each passing second gradually turning it darker and darker, until the only remaining light were colorful chains binding the angelic creature, and a dazzlingly-bright light coming from where the crack initially formed.

As the white light subsided from the shape of a four-point star in the sky, the surrounding space now became a familiar one - an endless starry sky. In the place of the star, a human silhouette stood unmoving.

Amidst the celestial tranquility, an intense emotion formed, serving as a bridge between the two opposing living beings - a chained angel and a newcomer who brought about hope.

That newcomer simply couldn't move his vibrant green eyes away from a breathtakingly beautiful female bound by chains of multiple colors, each of them biting hard into her skin and every inch of her body—even her ten wings—and finally coalescing in her chest, as if to bind her heart for eternity.

The two kept staring at each other as this newcomer, the harbinger of destruction and hope, started drifting toward the angelic creature slowly but steadily.

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Angelic eyes full of nothing but curiosity watched on as their savior came closer and closer, pain echoing through her entire being as each heartbeat shook the chains which dug even deeper.

Her wings now shaking, and with them the stars in the surrounding starlit skies, as if all the stars were part of her.

When the newcomer saw that, his heart couldn't help but skip a beat!

?: "What—??"

Obviously, he couldn't speak in the space, the vacuum would never allow it—yet his voice still echoed out, tugging at the angel's heartstrings and bringing about another bout of pain.

But despite the searing pain spreading everywhere, feelings of hope and relief overpowered them all, her curiosity growing stronger and stronger.

???: "Come…", a heart-shaking voice echoed out vibrating the stars and shaking the very space.

?: "…"

???: "Be not afraid, come!"

?: "Rather than afraid, I'm… uh — kind of curious?"

As if ignoring his remark, the angel repeated again, with a fainter voice than before.

???: "…come"

Not being able to suppress the sudden urge, the guy now floating within arm's reach in front of the creature couldn't help but blurt out.

?: "Asura"

???: "…?"

Looking at her curious eyes, he added:

?: "My name - Asura"

Clang~~!

Asura himself didn't know why he said his name, unprompted and all — but he felt like he had to do, something urged him to do it.

Surprised by the sound of chains rattling, he flinched a little and observed newly-unfolding events in amazement.

The chains binding the creature were being eroded by a certain kind of energy, simultaneously emanating terrorizing suppression, but also something divine and untouchable—indomitable.

Their multicolored glow slowly dimmed, eroded by a black void filled with shining stars, as if a sea of stars was being infused inside them and destroying them from within.

Not long after, a transparent broken halo began forming above the angel's head as her aura of serenity and omnipotence slowly shifted to a boundless aura of destruction, which could infuse terror into everyone who it washed over—everyone except the wide-eyed man in front of her.

Not that he knew about that fact yet.

As the chains fully reached saturation by eroding darkness—they instantly tightened even more, tearing apart everything in their way.

???: "Aagghhh!!"

Surprised by the angel's sudden scream, Asura rushed forward, reaching for the chains.

Angel's eyes widened, as she mustered her last amount of power, drawing out a cough of blood as she shouted with a barely audible voice.

???: "Don't!!"

But it was already too late.

Asura's hand firmly grasped one of the chains—surprisingly the same color as his eyes, most likely instinctive choice.

With a firm grip and a strong tug of his hand, the chain dislodged from the angel's heart and like a snake suddenly wrapped around his arm, instantly shooting towards his heart.

???: "Noo~!!!"

As the angel's eyes witnessed the scene—her eyes, together with the surrounding space suddenly overflowed with emotions of sadness, regret, desolation, and wrath before coming to a sudden halt and tranquility again.

The surprise in the angel's eyes now fully matured into shock, as she stared wide-eyed at the scene unfolding before her—an unthinkable scene she could never imagine, let alone expect to witness.

The chain that was binding her for so, so, so long, and the one taking away her freedom and bringing ghastly pain for countless eons, eternities even—was now nowhere to be found anymore, only a simple semi-translucent green crystal filled with black stars floated suspended above Asura's palm as dark fragments drifted away in the space.

???: "Impossible… wha— what happened? How?!"

Hearing her surprise, Asura himself didn't know what to do but scratch his cheek in confusion.

Meanwhile, the green crystal flew from his hand on its own and embedded itself into the faint shadow of a crown above an angel's head.

Asura: "I don't know either… what was supposed to happen?"

???: "…"

Even the angel didn't know how to answer—after all, she didn't know a lot about those chains either apart from the fact that they represented her whole world for so long. But the last thing she expected was to see them shatter like toys as their essence condensed into a crystal.

She felt her heart wanting to skip a beat, yet couldn't as the remaining chains almost strangled it to the point of collapse.

Seeing her silence, Asura didn't press on, instead pulling other chains out one by one, making the angel's complexion better and her presence stronger with each crystal that got added to the crown, unsure if it was due to chains being removed or crystals being added—maybe even both?

Angel's complexion relaxed as her eyes filled with understanding gradually, as if comprehending something.