Chapter 10: Sastiel

It was now in the afternoon on the city of Warenthal. Kevra and Okolu stepped out of the palace and towards its gates on thier way to the shipping bay.

The day suddenly grew dark as if a large cloud blocked the sun, the buildings in the distance slowly gets covered in shadow. Kevra slowly looked up, and saw not a cloud, but a large ship hovering in the sky.

Her face went pale, eyes wide, mouth open.

"No! What are they doing here!"

"Who?" Okolu asked, looking up with a calm expression on his face.

Kevra dropped her bag.

"The seraphims!" She shouted out, before taking a step back. 

Okolu narrowed his eyes. "I remember you telling me about them." He looked at her.

"You okay?"

The ship slowly descends towards the palace.

"I-I don't know," she said, clasping her hands into fists.

"We have to warn Ruth."

Kevra and Okolu turned and walked their way back to the gates before hearing a loud collision behind them, a cloud of smoke and dust engulfed them both. From the center of the bright light, the silhouette of a crouched figure was seen. It stood up, followed by a pair of outstretched feathered wings.

The smoke and light subsided and revealed a woman. Her eight wings were black, and glittered like the night sky. Her sapphire skin captured the sun's light, her irises glowing bright orange, white hair radiating white flames.

Gritting her teeth, Kevra stood in front of Okolu.

"It's one of them."

Blinking her eyes, head tilted.

"You... Ingen," her gaze shifted to Okolu.

"Artificial."

"What do you want?" Kevra said, feeling sweat on her forehead.

Narrowing her eyes, the seraphim stepped towards her. Every step echoed her power.

"I am Sastiel. I need a word with your leader: Empress Ruth. Step aside."

"You..." Kevra whispered under her breath.

"You think you can take this planet too?"

The seraphim stopped, and turned to them both, her eyes locked on Kevra, eyes burning bright.

"How would you know anything what I want?"

Taking a breath, Kevra composed herself.

"Let's just say I have history with your kind."

"Oh?" Sastiel turned her body to face them.

"I heard rumours about that. Ingens worked for us a century ago."

The seraphim then smiled.

"You must be one of them," she said with a chuckle and hummed.

"I thought I sensed large energy brewing within you."

She looked at Okolu.

"This artificial being seems to share the same energy makeup as you." She turned her gaze to Kevra once more.

"You should not have done what you did."

"What do you mean?" Kevra demanded.

"Placing universal energy into an artificial was a mistake of you to do. It needs to be destroyed."

Kevra widened her eyes before stepping in front of Okolu.

"You'll have to go through me! He's not an it!"

Raising her head.

"I see how it is."

In that moment, Sastiel grabbed Kevra by the throat and lefted her up. Just then, Okolu's fist connected with Sastiel's face. After a moment, she turned her face to him, fist still against her cheek, eyes filled with anger.

She tossed Kevra away, tumbling to the ground, until she rolled on her feet, and in that moment in time, Sastiel, with the palm of her hand knocked Kevra through the gates and the wall behind, causing a large cloud of dust.

Raising her hand, Sastiel wiped the her cheek before turning to Kevra.

"It protected you," she said, her wings waved in a dance like manner.

"Not surprising. It will turn against you, sooner or later."

Transparent blue flames began to flow around Kevra's body, fists clinching as she stood up, wind began to flow around her.

"I told you!" She shouted before the flames surged faster, and her irises ignited.

"He's not an it!"

Sastiel narrowed her eyes, chin raised.

"Be that as it may," she said.

"Your artificial being will turn on you. It is only a matter of time."

Transparent white flames begun to flow around her body, along with her wings. The ground beneath her feet begun to vibrate, the small grains around her feet levitated as they rotated in different directions.

"I suppose I'll need to beat that realisation in you. Whether you like it or not." She narrowed her eyes as her irises glowed brighter.