The air inside the chamber twisted—electric, sharp, wrong.
The cracked crystal on the machine pulsed like a beating heart, faster, faster. Sparks jumped from gear to gear, magic arcs licking the stone floor. A high-pitched whine filled the room, rising in pitch until it became unbearable.
Wizard screams
"You fool! Do you know what you've done?!"
Angel turned to Elendil, eyes flaring with concern.
Angel: "Get Neptur. Get out. Now!"
Elendil: "I'm not leaving without—"
But Angel stepped forward, placing a hand on the machine. His fingers glowed faint gold as he focused. The unstable device groaned, shaking under the pressure of conflicting energies.
The red-eyed man stumbled back, his smug expression now twisted in fear.
Man: "It's breaking the seals! This magic wasn't made to be touched by his kind!"
Neptur groaned, slowly waking up as Elendil rushed to his side.
Neptur: "What the hell is happening—Did someone cast 'explode everything' in here?"
Elendil: Shaking Neptur "Up. Now. This place is gonna blow."
The magic surge intensified—an invisible pulse knocked over bookshelves and shattered potion jars, spilling glowing liquid across the stone floor.
Angel gritted his teeth, still holding the machine.
A strange pull gripped his chest—like something inside him was being called out, lured by the machine's energy.
Voices whispered in his head.
Ancient ones.
Familiar ones.
Voices echoing:
"He is not ready..."
"He has forgotten..."
"Restore the memory. Complete the vessel..."
Angel growled and shook his head.
Angel: "No. I'm not—I'm not that anymore..."
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Across the room, Elendil dragged Neptur upright.
Suddenly, the light flared.
A golden ring of runes ignited beneath Angel's feet, swirling upward around his body. The air bent. The walls pulsed. The tower groaned like it was alive.
And in that light... Elendil saw something. Just for a second.
Not Angel.
But a figure of light—tall, crowned in flame, wings like shattered starlight—and it looked directly at him.
And then it was gone.
Elendil: Whispering "...What... was that?"
Angel collapsed to one knee, breathing hard. The glow around the machine fizzled, flickered, then died.
Silence fell.
The Wizard, still on the floor, stared in disbelief.
Wizard: "You... you broke the link. That was divine energy—years of work—"
He reached for a crystal, trembling.
Angel stood slowly, shaking. He looked down at his hands—still faintly glowing.
Angel: quietly "I'm not your god." He stepped forward. Hesays it coldly "And I'm not your weapon either."
With one swift motion, he grabbed the Wizard by the collar and shoved him back against the wall.
Angel: "You ever come near me or them again—I'll remind you what a god really looks like."
The Wizard gasped, nodding quickly.
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Minutes later, the three emerged from the tower of Obscurath, smoke still rising behind them. The forest breeze hit their faces like a splash of cold water.
Neptur rubbed his wrists, still shaken.
Neptur: "Well. That escalated faster than my last exorcism job."
Angel didn't speak. He just kept walking.
Elendil followed close behind, his eyes on Angel—not with fear, but wonder. He hesitated, then asked softly:
Elendil: "Angel... what did I see back there? That light. That... wasn't just power."
Angel didn't look at him.
Angel:"You weren't supposed to see that."
Elendil: "But I did. And it felt... familiar."
That made Angel stop. He turned, studying Elendil for a long moment. Something unspoken passed between them—an ancient thread tugged faintly between two souls.
Angel: softly "Maybe it wasn't the first time."
The town came into view just as the sun kissed the edge of the horizon, turning the sky into a bruised blend of crimson and fading gold.
The trio trudged past the cracked gatepost of Arvendale, a small town nestled between forest and river. Normally, it buzzed with chatter, smoke curling from chimneys and children playing in the dusk. But now, every step they took felt heavy—like their bodies remembered things their hearts weren't ready to face.
Neptur: "By the spirits..."He exhaled deeply and stumbled onto a bench near the old well. "I need a week. A real bed. A drink. Maybe ten. No more towers."
Elendil didn't say anything. He sat down beside Neptur, eyes vacant, replaying the image in his mind—the radiant figure he saw inside the tower. The thing that looked like Angel… and yet, didn't.
Angel stood, quiet as stone, just a few steps behind.
The wind stirred his long coat. He gazed at the town's flickering lanterns, but his thoughts were far away. The glow in his hands had faded, but something still buzzed beneath his skin—something unsealed.
Elendil: "You okay?" Says it softly
Angel didn't answer at first.
Then he sat beside them, resting his arms on his knees.
Angel: quiet "I don't feel like myself anymore. That place… it stirred something I've kept buried for a long time."
Neptur gave a dry chuckle.
Neptur: "Yeah? Well, if you start glowing and floating again, give us a head start next time."
Angel tried to smile. It didn't quite reach his eyes.
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They eventually made their way to the Broken Antler Inn, a weathered but welcoming place near the town square. The old barkeep, Marda, didn't ask questions—she just saw their faces, gave a quiet nod, and set up a warm stew and three mugs of cider.
The dining room was mostly empty. The candlelight flickered softly.
Elendil:"Back there… you said I wasn't supposed to see that light. That it wasn't the first time."He leaned in slightly."What did you mean?"
Angel: "It doesn't matter." Stared into his mug
Elendil: Firm "It does to me."
Angel's eyes finally met his. There was no anger there—just sadness.
Angel:
"In another life… you and I walked the stars together. You wouldn't remember. Your soul chose to forget. Mine didn't."
Elendil's breath caught.
Elendil: "You're saying… we've known each other before?"
Angel gave a slow, tired nod.
Angel: "Lifetimes ago."
Neptur blinked, suddenly looking between the two.
Neptur: "Okay—no more tea from strangers. Ever again."
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That night, as they settled into the inn's creaky guest rooms, the wind outside whispered through the shutters. Elendil lay awake, staring at the ceiling.
His thoughts burned with questions:
Was Angel really a god?
Why did he, Elendil, see that light?
And why did it feel like… home?
Somewhere below, Angel stood in the alley beside the inn, staring up at the stars, his hands buried in his pockets.
He whispered into the wind, more to himself than anyone:
Angel: "I didn't want you to remember. Because remembering means losing yourself."A pause."And I can't lose you again."
TO BE CONTINUED…