Stigma of The Black Heavens I

The following day, Zariel stood before his class of second years with a contentful expression. Aurelia nearly thought he was smiling through her murky eyes.

"I hope you all had a wonderful summer," he said, though his voice was anything but sincere. It was cool as he surveyed his class, marking the old faces of children whose features seemed to have matured these past three months and a single new face that made him lift a brow.

A shadowborn.

Even on Iluthath, or within the Realm of Darkness, Noctem, Shadowborns were a rare sight. Capable of reproducing asexually, Shadowborns typically only had females amidst their ranks. Those who are born males, however, usually die from birth or of natural causes, never being able to conceive, whether through parthenogenesis or mating. 

'Two Shadowborns in less than five years. Males at that,' the silver devil thought. Was it perhaps luck, or was there some other reason?