Follow Order

Azrael's eyes widened as the Vita prepared a massive attack aimed directly at him. He quickly grabbed Sariel's clothes. “We need to get out of here, Senior.”

Azrael pulled Sariel with all his strength, but Sariel pushed his hand away. “You don’t give me orders. Only God can do that!” Sariel spat, his eyes blazing with anger.

“Senior—” Before Azrael could finish, the attack launched from the Vita, exploding toward them.

Azrael was thrown to the side by the force of the blast. “Damn it…” he muttered as his body collided with a giant rock. Angel can go trought building, but not earth soil.

“That was a huge attack…” Azrael brushed the dust off his coat. “Oh no…” He quickly turned his attention to the town, which was now surrounded by smoke and sand from the explosion.

“SENIOR!” Azrael shouted in desperation, scanning the area for any sign of life. The Vita was still hovering, confused, unsure if it had truly killed them.

Suddenly, a figure leapt from the cloud of dust, body scarred but standing tall. His coat fluttered as he emerged from the smoke. “I'M HERE TO FULFILL MY ORDER!” Sariel’s hand trembled as he attempted to pull his spear.

Azrael, seeing Sariel’s condition, panicked. “SENIOR! Your body can't take this anymore—”

“SHUT UP, KID!” Sariel glared at him with hatred. “I’m not a traitor like you.”

Sariel turned back to the Vita, his face contorted in pain as wrinkles deepened across his forehead. “I’ll finish this… I have to…”

But the Vita, sensing the threat, acted faster than Sariel could move. A brilliant blast of light surged from her mouth, aimed directly at him. “SENIOR!” Azrael shouted, his voice filled with terror.

Sariel, who had been so determined, suddenly felt a wave of doubt wash over him. For the first time in his life, he realized he couldn’t win. In that fleeting moment, his thoughts wandered back to a girl he had met years ago, and the promise he had made.

Flashback:

Angels can marry and have children. This is how new members of the Sharaq are born, continuing the sacred duties of angels. Since angels are not eternal—only God is—they need perfect beings to carry on their work. These angels must be flawless, without defects.

For this reason, angelic marriages can only be arranged by the headquarters, under God's direct order. Since angels lack lust, they are incapable of choosing their own partners. Only the strongest angels are permitted to marry, to ensure that future generations are equally strong.

“What a ridiculous concept. We don’t even need it,” a young Sariel sighed as he looked down while walking toward the Archangel headquarters with Raphael, the Archangel vice-captain.

“I reject it as well, but we still need new angels. We fight devils every day, and Heaven needs its army,” Raphael replied, carrying his ever-present trumpet.

“The Council says I’m talented. Does that mean I’ll have to marry someday too?” Sariel asked, looking curiously at Raphael.

“Only God decides that, my child. PEEEEP!” Raphael blew his trumpet. “Only God.”

“But is there any benefit to marriage?” Sariel persisted, still curious.

“Since only high-ranking angels are allowed to marry, it brings honor to both sides. Their status among other angels rises significantly.”

“So it’s just social climbing? What nonsense. I don’t want to get married if I don’t have to,” Sariel said, staring straight ahead.

“That’s up to you, kid. No one can tell you what to think,” Raphael said, patting his shoulder. “Well, I’ve got to meet with Captain Michael now.”

They parted ways in the grand hall of the Archangel headquarters. As Sariel lingered in thought, he noticed a female angel walking nearby, her wings made of water, but oddly, the water had a murky, brownish hue. It was clear she was a Cherubim.

She looked lost in the vast hall. Sariel raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "What’s with those muddy wings?"

Sariel shrugged, uninterested, and continued walking past the Cherubim. However, when the girl spotted him, she quickly stepped forward. "Wait! I’m looking for the Archangel administrator. I need to deliver a new order to Captain Michael."

Sariel glanced at her with disinterest. "That’s not my job. Every angel has their own tasks."

"But you can help me!" she insisted, still blocking his path, much to Sariel's annoyance.

"I can't. Each angel has their own role, and only God can assign those roles. I don’t work outside of my duty," Sariel replied, trying to move past her again.

"But isn’t it an angel's task to help others?" the girl challenged.

That simple statement caught Sariel off guard. He paused, turning to face her again. "Well… you’re not wrong."

The Cherubim smiled warmly, clutching the files in her hands. "Then, will you help me? As part of your duty as an angel?"

Sariel fully turned towards her and smiled. "Well then, I suppose I should fulfill my duty."

With that, Sariel led the Cherubim to the Archangel administrator. "My name is Lina. And you, Mr. Archangel?"

"Don’t call me that. I have my own name and duty. Call me Sariel," he replied, smiling as they chatted along the way. For the first time, Sariel felt a sense of satisfaction in finding someone who understood his logic.

*

Sariel and Lina quickly grew close, often spending time together when neither had work. They laughed, shared stories, and found joy in each other’s company. But there were still things Sariel didn’t fully understand about Lina.

"Lina," Sariel called, hoping to catch her attention. "Why are your wings like that? I mean, they’re not bad, but they’re different."

Lina glanced at her wings. "I don’t know. I was born this way. You know the Sharaq never discover who their parents are, right? Same as you."

"Yes, but there must be a reason," Sariel said, staring intently at her wings, trying to understand them.

"You really like specifics, don’t you?" Lina teased. "It’s just God’s plan. What more can I say?"

Sariel pouted. "That’s cheating—just jumping straight to ‘God’s plan’ like that."

Lina giggled. "You can’t argue with it, can you?"

"But… were you ever bullied because of your wings?" Sariel asked, his voice softer now.

Lina’s smile faded. "It’s always been like that. God made each angel different to instill competition, to make us stronger. This universe depends on us, you know?"

"I know…" Sariel sighed, feeling helpless. But then, a thought crossed his mind. "Hey, Lina… what do you think about angel marriages?"

Lina’s eyebrows furrowed. "You mean, to create new angels? What about it?"

"Maybe if you got married, people wouldn’t look down on you anymore," Sariel suggested, his excitement evident.

Lina looked even more confused before giggling softly. "Only high-ranking angels can marry. There’s no way any high angel would choose me."

"But I will," Sariel declared firmly, his eyes reflecting an unwavering determination. Lina was taken aback.

"What… what do you mean?" she asked, uncertainty creeping into her voice.

"If I become a high-ranking angel, I'll choose you to marry. Your status will rise among the angels," Sariel moved closer, his words filled with sincerity.

Lina’s initial surprise softened into a smile. "You know, humans call this a proposal."

"A proposal?" Sariel blinked, clearly puzzled. "I don’t know about that."

Lina’s smile faded into a serious expression. "Then why do you want to marry me?" Her heart raced as she awaited his answer.

"I… I just want to help you. What other reason would there be?" Sariel studied Lina's face, his innocent confusion shining through.

"Oh, is that all?" Lina backed away, her gaze falling to the floor. Her face flushed with embarrassment at her own assumption. "I thought it was love."

"Love?" Sariel tilted his head. "I don’t understand that, but I want to help you. Isn’t that my duty as an angel?" He smiled warmly, trying to reassure her.

"Well, you're right." Lina’s face softened, and her bright smile returned. "Thank you. I’m really glad we met in that hall."

"I’ll work hard to become a high angel. Everyone says I have talent. Wait for me, okay?" Sariel grinned with determination, excited by the challenge ahead. On that cloud island, a promise was made between two angels—one destined to be shattered.

*

The explosion burned bright before his eyes. Sariel’s memories replayed like a fast-forwarded film, each moment slipping away. His body no longer responded. He sighed, knowing this might be the last time.

Staring up at the night sky, he whispered softly, "Darkness isn't so bad… that light is just too bright." A faint smile touched his bloodied lips.

Azrael, moving at light speed, tried to reach him, but Sariel had drifted too far. He no longer looked for a savior. Around him, the dust from the blast glowed in shades of bright brown.

"I never noticed… how beautiful brown is," Sariel murmured, thinking of someone dear. "Sorry, Lina, I couldn’t keep our promise."

Her face was the last clear memory in his fading mind. "I’ve visited the human world countless times, and I learned what they call love. They say love is when your responsibility isn’t just for yourself but for someone else."

Sariel exhaled one last time, gazing at the stars with a soft, peaceful smile. "Sorry I didn’t realize it sooner… I love you."

The blast finally consumed him. His body disintegrated into stardust, fading into the night sky. Azrael, witnessing this, couldn’t hold back his tears. "SENIOR!" he screamed in despair.

The last light of Sariel’s existence faded, leaving behind a quiet, disbelieving night. The young angel’s sobs filled the silence. "It’s my fault…" he cried, his voice breaking through the stillness.

What would come next? Only God knew.