...thump
.
.
.
.
.
Thump...
Tck..
.
.
.
.
Thump!
Ka~
.
.
.
Thump!!
Crack, crack!
.
.
Thump!!!
Thump!!!
.
BOOM!!!
.
.
.
.
.
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orbs, seemingly hiding a sea of stars within—uncertainty, relief, wrath, disdain, and emptiness intertwined… only to be superseded by a single emotion.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.
.
.
.
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.
.
.
.
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 reaction.
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.
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.
???: "The Shattered Crown… I see..."
Asura: "?"
Seeing his curious eyes as he continued plucking the chains one by one, the angel bit her lip hard, a drop of golden blood seeping out and bringing along the sweet taste on her tongue, but also taking away all her remaining vitality and strength.
As Asura pulled the last chain out, it directly coalesced into the tenth crystal on the crown bound by a dark ring filled with multicolored stars. It had now turned into a Dark Crown, each of the crystals forming a four-point star, connected by the ring.
With nothing left to support the angel, she fell forward powerlessly into Asura's embrace, crown floating high above her as if to not hit him.
A simple smile crawled onto her face. A smile full of kindness and something more - something she had never felt before and didn't know what it represented, nor why she felt it now.
"Perhaps all this solitude? Could that be the reason... Well, not that it matters now.", the angel thought.
Her head now completely clear, devoid of any regrets, resentment, or surprises, now hosted a single, foreign thought—one so powerful, it tugged at her now-free heart stronger than those chains ever could, but this time from within.
Mustering every ounce of her strength to raise her head, she looked deeply into Asura's eyes, her own overflowing with affection and an emotion foreign to her, yet so warm and serene—an emotion she was never supposed to feel according to <them>.
Looking at the green pearls filled with nothing but curiosity, she smiled even brighter and sharply raised her head, catching Asura by surprise as their lips connected.
Asura: "???"
He was completely caught off-guard but didn't resist.
No sane man would resist an advance from such a beautiful angel.
Asura felt something searing hot sliding down his throat—a drop of golden blood that he couldn't see, but could feel as it shook his whole being from the core.
An overflowing sense of freedom filled his very soul — as if he had transcended from the mortal laws into something much, much higher. It felt as if he was becoming one with the world.
As it all happened, the angel pulled her head back and gazed affectionately at the man holding her and all the changes going on with his appearance.
She knew full well what it meant and it made her countenance overflow with feelings of joy and accomplishment, but she knew it was all foreign to him, and enjoyed watching him face the unknown.
Looking at him, perplexed and almost frightened, she couldn't help but giggle with a sweet sound that could simply melt the hearts of whoever heard it. Even the stars in the background lit up as if echoing her laughter.
???: "I didn't expect something could shake even your calmness. But I'm glad it did, fufu~~"
Apart from blinking and looking at the ungodly beauty in front of him, there was nothing else Asura could do. The warmth and affection she radiated was something new for him, something he never felt before, of course he would be surprised — who wouldn't?
The angel closed her eyes as her smile widened and simply laid back into Asura's embrace, her head resting on Asura's chest as her ten wings wrapped around them, forming a cocoon.
???: "Asura… thank you! Thank you!", she barely squeezed out in between the gasps.
He could feel how heavy those words were, how much it meant to her—and although he didn't know a shred about her story, he knew it was no time to ask now.
But at the same time, the angel in his arms began feeling lighter and lighter, pulling him back into reality from the previous melancholy.
Asura: "Wh--what's happening?!"
Her figure started turning illusory just like how the crown was initially as she pushed herself back with her arms just enough to be able to see him clearly.
???: "I know you have many questions... and I will answer them… but not *cough*, not—now—I have something more important to tell you..."
As the angel said that, Asura could feel the space around them twisting violently and a sinking feeling, but he couldn't see anything as the cocoon of wings obstructed his view.
???: "All you should know is, wherever you are is wherever I am."
Asura: "…"
???: "I'm sure you feel a strange bond between us now, it's formed on the level of the soul—it transcends the fate itself, so worry not. You will be able to ask me anything you want, for eternity."
???: *Cough! Cough!!*
???: "We're now traveling from your world to the world where I come from. I believe you will be pleasantly surprised when you see it…"
As she spoke, she raised her index finger and placed it on Asura's lips.
???: "And that… was my gift to you."
Asura wanted to say something but was ultimately stopped by the angel shaking her head slowly, evidently still having something important to say.
???: "We will see each other in a bit, bear with me for now."
The feeling of soaring through the space—which Asura realized by now from the angel's words—now completely disappeared, and then her wings gradually unfurled.
What greeted Asura's eyes was a world completely different to his own, yet one remarkably similar.
Skies full of stars, surrounded by glowing planets, various unknown natural phenomena resembling Nebulae, and a sublimating feeling that seeped through his pores, as if wanting to merge with him and be a part of his being.
The angel pushed herself away from Asura and stood a few steps away from him. Closing her eyes, she brought her hands in front of her chest as the crown above her head floated down, resting at a short distance above her head.
Seeing a 10-winged angel with a colorful crown that he held in his arms just a while ago, Asura couldn't help but awaken from the sublimating feeling he was absorbed in until then, and calmly looked at the events unfolding before him.
What he witnessed couldn't be put in words—only by seeing it one would be able to grasp the insanity behind the event.
At that very moment, the darkness in the crown began shining, as if it was not darkness at all, and then rapidly fell on the angel.
As if whole world was resonating with the angel's being, her whole existence effectively reversed in an instant—originating from the darkness in the crown she gradually turned into what resembled a fallen angel, but it didn't take away her beauty, in fact it might've even turned her more beautiful.
Asura felt a hint of danger which instantly disappeared, but what he didn't know is that this feeling disappeared only for him—whoever else dared look at this angel would feel their very soul stir and raise an existential dread deep within them.
Suddenly, a heavenly voice reverberated inside his mind, as another paradox ensued—a blindingly-bright black light rushed towards his eyes before everything turned blank.
In the final moments, what he heard last echoed in his mind and took away his consciousness with it. Those words, he would soon come to remember for eternity.
"Tenri—my name is Tenri, The Ruler of Chaos."