The huge library was an archaic design masterpiece, a mind-blowingly expansive chamber of mystery and eternal beauty.
A vaulted ceiling loomed above the expansive space, designed beautifully with starry constellations and intricate gildings that shimmered, as if they hid the very secrets of the heavens. Endless rows of towering shelves of ancient wood carved like curling vines of silver filigree.
The air had the faint scent of parchment, ink, and the deep, timeless musk of aged wood. Soft, golden light spilled from hovering crystalline orbs that cast gentle shadows across the polished marble floor.
Azrael Li stepped inside the library, his boots muffled against the flat stone, moving with deliberate awareness. His emerald-green eyes shone dimly in an ethereal glow that cut through the half-light, as they slowly scanned the endless rows of ancient books and scrolls. He passed a spiral staircase that climbed to an upper balcony. Detailed carvings of gods and mortals appeared to come to life as he walked past.
He stepped slowly, his dark robes sweeping the floor as he searched.
The other demons scattered around the library fell silent, their chatter dwindling down to whispers as they spotted him. Some of them had never had the privilege to lay eyes on him, the infamous demon god of love who rarely left his private chambers, except when he was going to the human world.
Others lowered their heads in submission, wings folding tightly against their backs as he passed by.
Azrael Li ignored them all. His focus unwavering as he trailed his fingers along the spines of the books and scrolls, the weight of his task weighing down on him immensely.
He wasn't here to browse or dawdle, but to locate one scroll — a single scroll that could explain everything.
At last, his eyes found it:
A purple scroll tightly bound with a belt of green crystals. It sat apart from the other books in the library, glowing faintly, as if it were calling to him. His footsteps slowed and he felt his jaw tighten just a bit as he reached for it.
When his fingers brushed against the crystal clasp, he felt a faint hum of power pulse up his arm; but Azrael didn't flinch.
His sharp eyes glinted coldly, as he carefully unclapsed the belt–click.
As he began to read, the scroll unfolded before him,
"Humans and love demons can be fated…"
His face remained stoic as he read on, there was no hint of what he was feeling, while underneath his heart raced frantically with every word he read.
"The rules command that demons and humans can be fated, but if they're not in love by the next love festival, they're going to be separated for yet another year.
"The human might not recall her time with the love demon, but the memories of his mate will follow the demon until they cross paths again."
Azrael Li gripped the edge of the scroll tighter, his knuckles pale. His breathing was steady, but a faint gold hue whirled in his green eyes, revealing his rising irritation.
Love festival? That was now known as Valentine's Day.
This shouldn't apply to him. He was not just any old demon constrained by mortal whims.
He was a god. The god of love. He made the rules, set destinies, and ensured balance in the realm of love. But when his eyes moved on to the next section, a cold knot of discomfort twisted in his chest.
"…If the demon god of love himself is fated to a human, he has… until the next Love festival to win her heart, or else be doomed with the curse to spend the next century living only with memories of his fated one without ever being able to claim her.
Azrael Li took a deep breath, trying to rein in his emotions, but a light tremor flowed through his body. Golden flecks danced in his jade eyes, glowing brighter with every heartbeat until they glimmered like molten sunshine. His stoic mask did not slip, but underneath the calm exterior raged a whirlpool of emotions — fury, disbelief, something he could not name.
Power radiated from him, stirring violently as his control kept snapping.
The lanterns in the library flamed, producing strange, undulating shapes on the walls of the library.
Then, suddenly, his wings revealed themselves, spreading from his back in all their magnificent majesty.
While the wings of other love demons looked soft and white, Azrael Li's pair was a huge jet black wing, shining with an ethereal radiance that turned into shadows and absorbed all light around it.
They towered above his head, terrifying and beautiful for their sheer size, radiating both awe and darkness. As his presence expanded in the library, the space became suffocating.
Azrael Li remained frozen, wings rippling slightly as his inner agitation fought for dominance.
But underneath his anger, tucked in the farthest nooks of his heart, was an emotion he hadn't felt since in all his life.
Fear.
His fists clenched at his sides as he fought to suppress the growing fear in his mind. He was a god, not just a mere demon. He was above the " rules."
He couldn't afford to fail… to lose her before he even had her—he would never allow that to happen.
He returned the scroll to the shelf, and without a word, he walked away, striding out of the library with his wings trailing powerfully behind him.
When he stepped into the main hall, all of the demons in sight froze. Conversations halted, scrolls and books were dropped mid-sentence, and every eye turned to him. Gasps spread through the room as they registered his full form.
The massive dark wings, the flecks of glowing gold in his eyes, the aura of unrestrained raw power that made the air hum.
They murmured to one another, stunned, and others shrank back, wide-eyed. Many had only heard of Azrael Li's true form, of the terrifying magnificence that made him the demon god of love that was feared and respected by other gods. And here they were, faced with him, feeling the weight of his power.
They recoiled from his path, bowing their heads and averting their gaze. Whispers increased in the room immediately he exited.
"He's in his full form…"
"Have you ever seen wings like his?"
"They say when he's like this, his power is unmatched, that is why he's feared by other gods…"
Azrael kept his eyes glued straight ahead, tuning their words out as he walked to the Fate Room. The halls felt tighter, his oppressive aura swallowing everything around him.
He paused when he got to the hall of fate and the doors flew wide open with a loud bang as he entered.
Tang Chen was already in the room, hunched over at a desk stacked with glowing threads and parchment.
The young demon suddenly froze, he blinked when he turned and saw Azrael Li in this form.
Azrael Li's eyes were locked onto his, unwavering and frigid. His face was a mask of calm devoid of any emotion, but his golden eyes blazed with a fire that sent Tang Chen's pulse racing.
Who on earth or heavens had pissed off this raging god?
"M— my lord?" he stuttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
Azrael Li's emerald eyes glared at him, the golden flecks in his eyes blazing further as his expression went from icy cold to freezing.
"The girl I saved today," he said, his deep voice rolling through the room like a low growl.
Tang Chen gulped audibly, his wings twitching anxiously.
"Y-yes?"
"Bring me her details."
Tang Chen nodded quickly, almost tripping over himself as he started searching for the information. He didn't dare hesitate, not when Azrael Li's entire demeanor screamed rage.
Without waiting for another reply, Azrael Li spun on his heel and stalked out of the room, his enormous wings brushing against the doorframe as he passed.
His fists were clenched at his sides and his nails dug into his palms while he struggled to keep the storm within him contained.
As the god of love, he had dealt with his fair share of challenges, but this — this was something else.
For the first time in his immortal existence, Azrael Li recognized a fate he couldn't escape.
And it terrified him.