"I'm sure the reason you fought so hard was because you were protecting your people," Avel continued, his gaze sweeping across the room filled with other magnificent beings. "For that, you deserve recognition, but I doubt that's the reason you fight." Avel paused, letting his words hang in the air, knowing the weight they carried. "Join me, and together we can protect both our people. I've seen the darkness that threatens us, the demon lurking beyond the veil of our reality," he declared, his tone resolute. "But I refuse to let it consume us. I refuse to let our people suffer. With your strength and mine combined, we can stand against this threat. We can give our people hope."
His hand remained, a silent invitation to join him in his quest. "Join me, Zuriel, you have a much grander fight awaiting you. One where we can bring our people back from the brink of despair. Together, we can ensure that their glory endures for generations to come."
As Uriel and Remiel watched in awe, the great being Zuriel took the prince's hand, his essence beginning to refract and shimmer in a display of unearthly splendour. Colours shifted and sifted within their singular bodies, like the static of a forgotten memory, and other hues unknown to Avel danced in a mesmerizing display. The great being's essence burst into fantastical fragments, like shards of crystal light, swirling and spiralling as the heavens themselves seemed to rumble in acknowledgment.
Slowly, the swirling energy began to converge towards Avel, each fragment pulsating with raw power. The essence entered him in a torrential flood, burning as it slid down his throat and penetrated through every orifice of his face. Avel screamed in agony as the energy rushed into him, his ears, eyes, nose, and mouth filled with the overwhelming force of creation. Myriads of lifeforms seemed to awaken within him, their presence both euphoric and threatening to plummet him into madness. It was a feeling no mortal should ever experience – a pure concentration of divine power that threatened to consume him whole.
But Avel's fear, though present, felt tempered by something he could not place. Where once he would have been frightened out of his mind, now he found himself embracing the sensation, losing himself in the intoxicating rush of power. Yet, even as he revelled in the overwhelming energy coursing through his veins, a nagging doubt gnawed at the edges of his consciousness.
What price would he pay for such power?
What darkness lurked within the depths of his newfound connection to such a force?
As the energy continued to surge within him, Avel's irises, once dark violet, lightened to a shade akin to violet crystals, shimmering with an otherworldly luminescence. He chuckled, a sound that echoed with the resonance of power, falling to the ground from exhaustion as the potent shroud of pure essence enveloped him. Light and power sifted around him, his very presence radiating with a palpable aura of divinity.
"Father?" Uriel questioned, his voice filled with uncertainty as he beheld the transformation taking place before them.
"I feel them," Avel simply stated, his voice resonating with a newfound authority as he gazed upon the myriads of great beings that covered the heavens. "I feel them all."
With a weary chuckle, he surrendered to the overwhelming exhaustion that washed over him, his body trembling with the weight of his newfound power. And as he lay there, bathed in the glow of divine essence, he knew that his journey was only just beginning.
As Avel walked, the rhythmic tapping of his sceptre echoed through the ethereal expanse, each strike against the ground resounding with the weight of his newfound power. With each step, he felt the twinge of an electrical sensation coursing through his body, an endless flow of euphoric energy that surged ceaselessly within him. It was a feeling he had once been able to control, but now it seemed to have a mind of its own, refusing to be subdued.
With every passing moment, Avel's mind reached deeper into the depths of longing, a primal desire to unleash the surge of power that beckoned him, promising a euphoric high that connected him to the very fabric of the universe itself. The sensation was intoxicating, addictive, and with each step, he felt himself drawn further into its irresistible embrace.
As Avel walked, Uriel, Zuriel, and Remiel followed behind him, their majestic forms towering over him like ancient titans of legend. Around them, the dominions filled the heavens, their presence awe-inspiring and vast in their grandeur. Each step Avel took seemed to reverberate through the celestial realm, sending ripples of energy cascading through the fabric of reality. As he gazed out upon the horizon, his senses were permeated by the swirling colours and shifting energies that danced before him. His eyes burned and strained with a strange sensation, as if they had been opened to a realm of existence he had never known before. He stood transfixed, dumbfounded by the sheer magnitude of the sights unfolding before him.
The dominions vibrated with a high frequency, their voices resonating like angelic hymns that permeated the heavens. Their tongues spoke in a language that Avel could not understand, yet the power of their words seemed to resonate deep within his soul. It was as though they were weaving a tapestry of energy, settling the power within him and aligning his very essence with the forces of creation.
As he continued to walk, he felt a sense of peace wash over him, a serenity that transcended the chaos of the world below. In this moment, he was one with the universe, connected to everything and everyone of the great beings around him.
At the edge of the visage, where reality blurred and energies converged in a symphony of chaos, Avel stood in awe as matter and energy collided and merged as one. The air grew sweeter and thinner, adding to the growing maddening and euphoric sensations that pulsed within him. Within time, before him stretched a shimmering golden tear weaved into space, a portal to realms beyond. From this crack flowed heat and light, bathing the surrounding space in a golden haze.
Within the emerging realm, fantastical shapes danced and shifted, born from the raw energies that thrived in this ethereal plane. And amidst it all hovered a great being, its form gentle and serene, with wings of emerald green and a glowing aura of light. As Avel approached, the magnificence of the being became more evident, its presence unsettling yet strangely comforting.
He stared up at the being, his eyes ablaze with power as he commanded it to awaken and it did. With a graceful descent, the being floated down to meet him. Its features observant and filled with much confusion.
"What is your name?" Avel asked, his voice resonating with authority. The being regarded Avel with a sense of curiosity, its gaze shifting to the multitude of others that followed in the wake of the young prince. "I am Raphael," it replied, its voice soft and melodic.
The prince continued to speak to Raphael, asking if it remembered where it came from or if it held any memories of its past.
"My memories seem to be scattered, disjointed fragments of a time long past," Raphael began, his voice carrying an ethereal quality. "I recall a great conflict, a war that consumed our race before we were enveloped in a death-like slumber."
"What war?" Avel inquired, his curiosity piqued.
Raphael struggled to find an answer, his gaze drifting to Avel's sceptre. Recognition flickered in his eyes as he spoke, "I see you found my sceptre." Avel glanced down at the sceptre, then back to Raphael, offering it back to the being. But Raphael shook his head. "You may keep it," he said, his tone gentle yet firm.
As Avel considered Raphael's words, he noticed the bruises from his previous fight. With a gesture, Raphael summoned forth his essence, a warm and filling presence that enveloped Avel in its healing embrace. The bruises faded away, replaced by a sense of peace and tranquillity.
"Thank you," Avel murmured, his voice filled with gratitude. Raphael smiled, his aura radiating with kindness. "My pleasure. It is the least I can do."
Avel stretched his limbs, feeling the rejuvenating effects of Raphael's healing energy coursing through his body. As he savoured the newfound vitality, a thought struck him, and he turned to the serene being hovering nearby.
"Must be frustrating not remembering anything yourselves," he remarked, his voice tinged with curiosity as he observed Raphael's tranquil demeanour.
Raphael regarded him with a gentle gaze, acknowledging the truth in Avel's words. "I remember," the being replied, his tone carrying a weight of centuries-old memories. "But they are fragments, scattered and disjointed, the remnants of a fractured mind."
"I can heal my mind and restore my memories in place."
Avel's interest was piqued, his curiosity driving him to delve deeper into Raphael's revelations. "Is that so?" he inquired, genuine concern lacing his words.
Raphael nodded, a serene smile playing on his lips. "Indeed, it is within my power to heal myself and reclaim the memories lost to time," he explained, his voice resonating with quiet confidence. The crown prince marvelled at the magnitude of Raphael's abilities, his mind racing with questions about the being's past and the secrets hidden within his fragmented memories. "How long will it take?" he asked, eager to understand the extent of Raphael's undertaking.
The being's response was calm and assured. "Not long," Raphael assured him, his words carrying a sense of certainty that belied the complexity of the task at hand. "In this realm, the aether flows freely, aiding in the restoration process."
Remiel descended from the heavens, joining the conversation with a curious gaze. "Can you extend your healing to us as well?" he inquired, his voice filled with hope.
Raphael nodded in affirmation, his gaze encompassing them all. "Yes," he replied, his voice carrying the weight of ages. "But you must be patient and allow the aether to work."
Avel watched in awe as Raphael lifted his staff, the power within it pulsating with ancient energy. With a resolute strike, the great beings surrounding them fell into a trance-like state, their essence merging with the vibrant energies of the realm.
But even as Avel marvelled at the spectacle before him, a sudden crack echoed through the air, shattering the tranquillity of the moment. His senses sharpened, his instincts alert to the possibility of danger lurking nearby.
"Did you hear that?" he questioned Raphael, his voice tinged with concern as he scanned their surroundings for any sign of disturbance. But the being remained deep in contemplation, his focus consumed by the task at hand.
Undeterred, Avel armed himself with his crystal blade, steeling himself for whatever lay ahead. With each step, he moved closer to the source of the disturbance, his determination unwavering as he embarked further into the unknown.