Conscience

The explosion’s light illuminated the higher dimension, creating a sense of uncertainty about whether anyone survived. Vita’s eyes were blinded by the intense light. She couldn't detect any movement through the smoke of the blast. Slowly, she returned to the hospital, back to guard her spirit owner.

However, far below, there was a cape flying that shielded something beneath it. From within, a single red ruby eye gleamed, watching Vita’s position from the shadows.

“She’s back at the hospital, Senior,” Azrael whispered, his gaze fixed on the figure beside him—Sariel. His breathing was labored, and his body was covered in wounds.

In the last seconds before the explosion, Azrael had managed to save Sariel by flying at incredible speed, pulling him to a nearby building. To remain undetected, he hid them both under his cape.

Sariel, struggling to breathe under the cape, wheezed, “Why… why did I have to get stuck with you?”

Azrael looked down. “We need to hide for now, Senior.”

“We’re here to complete a mission, not cower under some cape!” Sariel snapped as he pushed the fabric off and glared in the direction of the hospital.

“I’ll finish her off. I’ll show her who I really am.” Sariel’s voice was laced with fury as he readied his spear again.

Azrael's heart clenched with unease. He glanced back at the hospital, his worry growing. “Wait, Senior! What if… what if she overpowers you again?”

Even though it sounded like Azrael was concerned for Sariel’s safety, it felt like there was more to his hesitation. Sariel shot him a scathing look. “Do you even know who I am, rookie?”

Thrusting his spear forward, Sariel’s expression darkened as he focused on the hospital. “I have more experience than you could ever imagine. Now, I’m going all out.”

A brilliant white light radiated from Sariel’s spear, illuminating the entire area, turning the night into day in that dimension. Azrael watched in awe, though a deep fear grew within him. Sariel's actions had attracted Vita’s attention once more.

“From east to west, where the sun rises and sets, we create the day for humans to work and the night for them to rest. Now… rest in peace. SUN EATER!”

Sariel shaped the light into a small, dense ball, resembling a miniature sun. It shot toward Vita at the speed of light, absorbing all surrounding light as it traveled. Confused, Vita struggled to see the source of the light as it passed through her.

It created a magnificent beam of light that shot through the night sky, surrounded by a cascade of falling stardust. The attack hit Vita’s belly, and she screamed in agony. Azrael panicked, unable to see what was happening inside the building.

Her scream echoed across the otherwise silent dimension, until it finally ceased when the light faded. Sariel confidently swung his spear. “Looks like the job is done. What a waste of time.”

Azrael swallowed hard, a deep sadness overcoming him. He had lost the opportunity he most desired—to save Vita, despite his mission to kill her.

“I’ll check it out,” Sariel announced, flying toward the hospital. Azrael followed behind, but his heart wasn’t in it.

As they neared the hospital, Azrael finally saw a reflection in one of the building’s windows. He squinted, feeling something was off. The reflection showed the doctor still fighting to deliver the baby. The mother, too, was fighting for her life.

Azrael’s eyes widened in realization. “SENIOR! WATCH OUT!”

He tried to warn Sariel, but it was too late. Sariel, already at the window, looked back in confusion—just as an explosion sent him flying into a nearby building.

It was the same blast Vita had unleashed earlier. Azrael rushed toward her, his eyes wide with panic. Vita hovered outside the hospital, clutching her belly. “So that’s why Sariel couldn’t kill her,” Azrael thought. “He targeted her belly... but she’s the Vita of a pregnant woman. It’s a mother’s instinct to protect her unborn child.”

However, Vita was breathing heavily, clearly wounded by Sariel’s attack. Her anger flared, and she prepared her claws. Meanwhile, Sariel, damaged but furious, emerged from the rubble. “I’m going to kill that spirit.”

The two charged at each other, attacking before either could blink. Sariel focused the light in his spear, ensuring Vita could see him clearly. He thrust the spear relentlessly, and Vita barely managed to dodge the onslaught.

Vita countered with a series of rapid spins, swiping her claws at Sariel. But Sariel dodged and deflected her attacks. “Don’t get cocky just because you managed to hit me!” he sneered as he dodged her strikes.

With a guttural roar, Vita opened her mouth wide, revealing her fangs. This time, she didn’t just use her hand claws—her feet claws joined the fray.

“You think that’ll be enough? Pathetic.” Sariel spun his spear, sweeping his entire body in a spinning motion. He managed to sever one of her feet.

Azrael watched the intense battle, his heart pounding. The clash was ferocious, but it was clear Sariel had the upper hand. He was, after all, a seasoned angel.

“I’ve figured out how your vision works,” Sariel said, twirling his spear. “For the Almighty, who created a thousand stars in the sky… STARDUST!”

He spun his spear faster, causing stardust to rain down between them.

The Vita looked around frantically, blinded by the intense light swirling around her. She couldn't find Sariel in the haze of illumination. Sariel smirked, his voice filled with malice. “Now, you’re blind.”

Raising his spear, Sariel dispersed the light in a perfect circle around him, creating an umbrella of radiance that seemed to replace the stars in the night sky. “So, I can’t aim for the belly, huh?” His smirk vanished, replaced by an angry snarl. “TAKE THIS!”

The edge of the light umbrella formed star-like points, encircling him like the stars on the European Union flag. Azrael gasped in panic, sensing the scale of Sariel's upcoming attack. “For the Almighty, who lights the world… THOUSAND STARS!”

The stars surrounding Sariel shot downward in a cascade, descending on Vita with terrifying speed. She barely had time to react before the attack struck, hitting her arms, legs, and everything but her belly. The barrage of stars damaged her severely, leaving her paralyzed on the ground, groaning in pain.

“Pathetic,” Sariel spat, approaching her with disdain. “This is what happens when you defy the natural order. what a nonsense!” He grinned, lowering his spear to end her life.

Azrael, trembling, followed behind slowly. His hands shook, and his heart raced as he wrestled with the moral dilemma. He knew the angelic order demanded the extermination of all Vita, but something gnawed at him, urging him to act. His gaze flickered back to the hospital window.

Inside, he saw the pregnant woman weakening, her husband sobbing in desperation. “Come on, honey! You can do it!”

Azrael’s resolve wavered. He tried to shut out the pity, tried to let go of the struggle within him. But then, the mother’s voice broke through the haze.

“Please… protect my child… for me…”

Azrael’s eyes widened in shock. His hand instinctively clenched around the handle of his scythe. He had made up his mind.

Not far from him, Sariel prepared to deliver the final blow. “Now, go to the afterlife.”

Just as the tip of his spear was about to pierce Vita’s heart, something flashed in front of him at the speed of light. The sharp edge of his spear met resistance—blocked by the blade of Azrael’s scythe. Sariel stared in disbelief, his expression shifting from confusion to rage. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING? YOU DARE DEFY ORDERS?”

Azrael’s ruby eyes blazed as he stood his ground, scythe held tightly in defense of Vita. “She can’t die yet, Senior.”

“Huh? What nonsense is this?” Sariel’s brow furrowed in confusion.

“She still has a responsibility in this world. She can’t die yet,” Azrael’s voice was steady, resolute.

To Azrael, every life held value. Whether angel or human, every being had a role in the universe. And in his eyes, Vita’s role was not yet finished. Sariel, hearing this, began to laugh—slowly at first, then uncontrollably.

Sariel’s laughter rang out, filling the night sky. “HAHAHA! That’s your reason?” He clutched his stomach, laughing so hard he nearly doubled over.

Azrael, watching him, felt a mixture of confusion and disappointment, though he couldn’t tell if it was directed at Sariel or himself. He gulped, his shame weighing heavily. Sariel stopped laughing abruptly, his sharp gaze cutting through the air. “You piss me off, kid!”

Without warning, Sariel raised his spear again. Light exploded from it, blazing a path directly toward Azrael. Caught off guard, Azrael’s panic surged as he fumbled to defend himself. “For all protectors… please shield me from this force… DIRE—AAAKH!”

He couldn’t deflect the attack in time, and the blast grazed his shoulder. The pain shot through him, and he pressed his hand against the wound, gritting his teeth. Sariel retracted his spear, sneering. “Looks like I’ll need to discipline you myself, just as Captain Michael ordered.”

Sariel darted forward, closing the distance in an instant. Azrael, still trying to process everything, swung his scythe to block the incoming attacks, but he held back, refusing to strike back. “You know, kid, newbies like you always think you know everything,” Sariel jeered. “But you know nothing.”

Azrael struggled to fend off Sariel’s relentless strikes, breathing heavily. “Senior… If I’m wrong, then explain it to me. I want to know the truth!”

Sariel scoffed, raising his spear once more. “The truth? The truth is, we follow orders. That’s it.” The spearhead glowed as Sariel prepared to unleash another devastating light attack.

Azrael gritted his teeth, panic bubbling up inside him. Sariel smirked. “You’re weaker than that Vita.”

As the attack launched, Azrael’s inner power surged. He released a burst of light, illuminating the night. “For all-seeing and all-knowing… show me who I truly am. MURA!”

In an instant, dozens of reflections of Azrael appeared, surrounding Sariel from all sides.

Sariel’s eyes darted between them, his spear lashing out wildly at the illusions. “Which one of you is real, huh, kid?” he growled, launching attack after attack at the false images.

“You can’t see the real me, right, Senior?” Azrael’s voice echoed through the sky, disorienting Sariel even more.

Sariel spun around, scanning the reflections, growing more agitated.

Azrael’s voice was calm, resonating from all directions. “I don’t even know who I am.”

The reflections swarmed Sariel, closing in on him. His attacks hit nothing but illusions. As he frantically searched for the real Azrael, a sudden presence appeared behind him.

“You’re right, Senior. I can’t hesitate anymore. I have to be decisive,” Azrael said softly. His voice was calm but firm. “You’re strong, aren’t you, Senior? You won’t cry from a few hits, right?”

Before Sariel could react, Azrael struck. With a single swift motion, he sent Sariel crashing into a nearby building. The force of the impact left Sariel stunned, his mind spinning. When he finally came to, he stared at Azrael, confusion clouding his eyes.

“What…? If you attack me, that means you’re rejecting the order…”

Azrael lifted his scythe, his resolve solidified. “Reject? Is that what you call it? Fine, then. I reject it—for what I believe in.”

Sariel, still reeling from the blow, stared at Azrael in disbelief. His voice wavered. “How… How can you betray an order? The first rule of angels is that we can’t betray the order.”

He studied Azrael, his expression shifting from anger to shock. “Are you not an angel? Who… who are you?”