Chapter 3: Meeting Elysia

Staring down at the churning water below, Damon stood on the brink of a barren rock, the wind tearing through his black coat. The unceasing waves smashed on sharp rocks, reflecting the chaos in his own heart. Seraphine, the voice of the system, resounded in his head, icy and uncompromising.

"Your next mission is to rescue Adalyn village from the fallen angel."

Damon gave the order sneer. Preserve? Why would I act in such way?

"If you don't comply, you will be punished," Seraphine said in a tone that was both dispassionate and definitive. The agonizing anguish Damon had felt the last time he'd rebelled against the system flashed across his thoughts. The pain had been excruciating even as a Demon King, a reminder that this cursed system possessed authority over him, something he detested with all of his soul.

Curious, Damon mumbled, "I'll play along, but only because I want to see this fallen angel for myself." There has to be more to this narrative if the system desired for him to face this angel.

The air surrounding him shimmered at the touch of his fingers, and he disappeared from the edge of the cliff, only to resurface on the edge of Adalyn hamlet. The tiny community was in ruins as a result of a recent conflict. The smell of burning wood and blood permeated the air as smoke billowed from the burned ruins of houses. Damon's eyes furrowed as he looked around, trying to find the culprit.

A silver flare captured his sight. A figure with big, frayed wings hung high above, silhouetted against the fading sky. Her eyes latched onto his, burning with a combination of grief and wrath, as her hair, a cascade of white-gold, flew in the breeze.

The angel that fell.

With his boots crunching on the scattered rubble, Damon moved ahead. With a mix of humor and challenge, he said, "So you're the one causing all this chaos." Not too awful. I had anticipated something even more sublime.

The angel approached him with a perfect landing, descending softly and folding her wings behind her. When Damon got a close-up look, he could see the subtle scars that marred her otherwise ethereal beauty—fatigue etched on her pale face. She was paradoxical—an angel possessing a warrior's aura, exhausted and war-weary.

With a low, menacing voice, she snarled, "I don't need your judgment, demon." "That is enough, heavens, for me to handle."

The bitterness in her tone interested Damon, and he tilted his head. "Determination? You're not here on a holy mission, then? How unfortunate. I had hoped for some sports action.

"Sport," Anger blazed in the angel's eyes. Is that your interpretation of this? A game? Heaven and hell are after me since I was cast down for disobeying the gods' decree. My sole goal is to survive.

Damon's smile dimmed somewhat as he noticed the anguish lurking underneath her rage. An abandoned angel who was deceived and banished and struggled to exist in a world that considered her to be an adversary. Though he swiftly shoved the notion aside, something in her narrative struck a chord with him.

"And now, what are your plans?" With a sarcastic tone, Damon asked, but his curiosity was real. "Keep going on your rampage until nothing's left."

For a brief while, Elysia's gaze softened before becoming hard once more. "I'll take necessary action. I shall follow this route to the very end, even if I didn't select it.

She was obviously determined, and Damon found himself surprised by her tenacity. Admiration did not, however, erase the reality that she posed a threat to him as well as to the town and the system.

Summoning a black sword from the shadows, Damon remarked, "Well then, let's see how far you can walk before you fall."

Flaring her wings, Elysia pulled a silver sword from the air, its blade glowing faintly with a holy light. "Demon, I do not intend to fall again. Be ready to fight if that is your desire.

Just as they were about to collide, an energy burst into the space between them. Before either could attack, a golden shield materialized to keep them apart. As Seraphine's voice echoed in his head, Damon muttered curses beneath his breath.

"Target engagement is prohibited. The goal is to preserve the community rather than completely demolish it.

Damon tightened his hold on his blade and scowled at the barrier. You are always meddling, don't you? Now, what would you advise me to do? Request that she kindly cease?"

"You have to unite with the fallen angel to complete the mission," Seraphine gave the order in her ever-cold, uncompromising voice.

Damon's frown widened, but he understood that rebelling would only make things worse. He dropped his hand, allowing the black blade to fade. "So, an alliance," he unwillingly mumbled.

Still vigilant, Elysia observed him with caution. "What is this deceitfulness?"

"No deceit," Damon shot out, his voice full of annoyance. It appears that I must collaborate with you, at least in the short term. There's a system in place, and I would prefer not to face the repercussions of not following it.

Elysia's look changed from one of mistrust to one of comprehension. "A system, I see. You are therefore tied, just as I am.

In a hushed voice, Damon acknowledged that he was bound. However, unbroken. I'm not going to pretend to play a hero. You may work with me, but don't expect me to become someone I'm not.

Elysia regarded him, her gaze softening slightly. "Demon, I don't ask for anything from you. But be aware that no one, not even a system, will be able to govern me.

"Well," Damon laughed ominously in response. "So, yes, we agree on something."

Once their uneasy partnership was established, they both realized that building trust would be difficult as they set out to salvage what was left of the community. But as they battled alongside one another, an odd understanding started to grow. Through Damon's icy façade, Elysia's keen eyes detected flickers of loneliness and suffering that reflected her own. And something about her presence started to chip, even if Damon resisted tearing down the cold barriers he had erected around his heart.

However, Damon remained a villain because evil people never change. As he strolled alongside the fallen angel, their destinies now entwined in ways neither could have predicted, he assured himself as much.