Azrael walked through the gloomy kingdom of Sombrafel when a familiar presence caught his attention. His heart stopped for a moment as he recognized it: Nevaeh. She was there because the king believed she had trained.
She had been sent to the kingdom to infiltrate, forced by forces she could not control, but Azrael immediately knew she had no ill intentions. With firm steps, he approached her and called out her name.
Azrael: "Hey, Nevaeh… if you're not a knight… why did those bastards send you? I know you have no bad intentions, but as I told you before, we cannot be together, understand? You need to leave this kingdom. I know you were forced to come."
Nevaeh looked at him, surprised, tears welling up in her eyes, but a small spark of joy lit up her face.
Nevaeh: "Azrael...? Is it really you? I've missed you so much!" she said, her voice filled with emotion.
From his throne, the King of Sombrafel watched the scene through his magical sphere. Seeing that Azrael did not eliminate the intruder, his fury exploded. In an instant, he appeared before them, his presence darkening the atmosphere even more.
King of Sombrafel: "Azrael! Do you dare disobey me? What did I tell you about intruders? Do I have to do the work of a filthy knight like you?"
Azrael lowered his head, unable to meet the king's gaze.
Azrael: "No... my lord. I'm sorry..."
But Nevaeh, knowing the danger she was in, raised her voice in his defense.
Nevaeh: "Hey, don't talk to Azrael like that—!"
She couldn't finish her sentence. The king, without hesitation, struck her with ruthless brutality. Blow after blow, Nevaeh collapsed to the ground, her body trembling as blood stained her clothes.
Azrael: "No! My lord, please stop!"
But the king ignored his pleas, unloading all his fury on her. From the world of the arcane gods, the immortal beings watched closely. Nevaeh, due to her innocence, was loved by them, and the scene sparked their concern.
Azrael's desperation unleashed something within him. His power, contained for so long, exploded in a torrent of magical energy. The earth trembled, and an oppressive pressure enveloped the kingdom. Even the five domains felt the impact of his fury, and the Supreme Creator watched with interest.
The king, not understanding the magnitude of the power he had awakened, let out a mocking laugh.
King of Sombrafel: "Really? For a useless mage and enemy of our kingdom? Have you lost your mind, knight?"
But when he tried to erase Azrael's existence, he realized his mistake. None of his powers worked. Not reality manipulation, nor narrative distortion, nor the laws of the universe could bend Azrael. Wrapped in an aura of pure destruction, Azrael walked slowly toward him, each step more terrifying than the last.
Azrael (whispering as he took the king by the neck): "It was me... I was the one who killed your dear sister."
Years ago, Azrael had killed the king's sister, an act he kept secret. Now, he revealed the truth, overwhelmed by his fury and contempt.
At that moment, a ray of light pierced the sky. The sixth knight of the Crescent Suns descended like a comet, his impact shaking the ground. Furious upon seeing Nevaeh wounded, he began eliminating the soldiers of Sombrafel without mercy while searching for her.
Meanwhile, Azrael continued to unleash his fury on the king.
Azrael: "I'm tired of obeying a king inferior to me! Do you think I'll tolerate being under someone like you? Do you know how annoying it is to hear your orders?"
His fists slammed against the king's body again and again, ignoring his cries of pain. No force in the kingdom could stop him. Just as Azrael was about to deliver the final blow, a weak voice stopped him.
Nevaeh: "Stop! Please, Azrael! Look at me... It's me, Nevaeh..."
Azrael hesitated. The anger and power that consumed him began to dissipate.
Azrael: "N-Nevaeh...?"
With her voice, Nevaeh had done the impossible: she brought Azrael back under control.
Azrael truly loved his kingdom but not the system it followed. Azrael stood, watching as the sixth Crescent Sun knight tore through the ranks of Sombrafel's knights. Though he used no magic, his sword was enough to eliminate thousands in seconds. Soldiers fell, some defeated, others dead, as the knight's speed and skill illuminated the battlefield.
Azrael clenched his fists. Although he despised the system that ruled Sombrafel, the kingdom was still his home, and those were his people. He took a step forward, but Nevaeh stopped him, grabbing his arm.
Nevaeh: "Hey, Azrael, please... don't fight anymore." Her voice, filled with sadness, echoed in Azrael's heart.
Azrael looked at her, his expression serious but with a glimmer of tenderness in his eyes.
Azrael: "Those are my people. Stay here... I won't kill him, just this once."
With an explosion of energy, Azrael rose to the skies. In the blink of an eye, he launched himself at the ground, crashing between the Crescent Sun knight and the soldiers of Sombrafel. The earth shook beneath the impact.
The knight, with a cigarette between his lips, understood that he was facing no ordinary opponent. He calmly extinguished the cigarette and drew his sword.
Azrael watched coldly. The knight, without wasting time, sent rays of light toward him, but Azrael dodged them with astonishing ease. In an almost imperceptible movement, he appeared behind the Crescent Sun knight and, with a series of swift and devastating strikes, knocked him to the ground.
For the first time, the knight felt fear. Though he was one of the most powerful in Aethoria, he knew Azrael was in an entirely different league.
Nevaeh: "Azrael, stop now!" she cried from a distance, tears in her eyes.
Azrael stopped, slowly turning toward her.
Azrael: "Do you see? —he said to the knight—. I'll stop for her. But don't think I'll forgive you for what you did to my people."
The knight, furious at the implied insult, took his sword and transformed it into pure light.
Crescent Sun 6: "I'd rather die than surrender to a being like you!" he exclaimed, outraged.
In a blinding flash, he pierced Azrael's chest with his sword. Azrael, surprised by the attack, began to laugh, the sword of light still embedded in his torso. He slowly rose, his expression changing into a mixture of anger and determination.
With one hand, he broke the sword of light in two.
Azrael: "That... was a good try. But there's something you should know. I'm not a dark being, though I belong to this kingdom. My parents were dark, yes, but I... I am different. They used to speak of a power that would turn me into something beyond the darkness. I never believed it, until they imposed the spell on me."
The knight stood frozen, unable to comprehend what he was seeing.
Azrael: "I'm afraid I'm the only one in this kingdom who doesn't die from your Aethoria rays. So... get out of my way."
The knight, aware of the vast difference in power between them, decided to retreat. But before doing so, he picked up Nevaeh, ready to take her to the kingdom of Aethoria.
Nevaeh: "Wait! Azrael has to come with us."
Azrael shook his head, his face serious.
Azrael: "I can't go, Nevaeh. Everyone in your kingdom hates me, and this... this is my place."
Nevaeh: "But what will happen to you? You hit your king!"
Azrael let out a slight smile, full of confidence.
Azrael: "Don't worry. He'll leave this kingdom because I'll kick him out myself. I'm the only one who's defeated a king so easily."
Nevaeh tried to protest, but Azrael turned around, walking away slowly. With a broken heart, Nevaeh allowed the Crescent Sun knight to take her to the kingdom of Aethoria.
From a distance, Azrael watched them disappear into the horizon. He knew their fates were intertwined, but he also understood that his duty was in Sombrafel.
Azrael (softly): "Goodbye, Nevaeh."