CHAPTER FIVE – THE AWAKENING

With its broken walls whispering stories of the past, the deserted chapel moaned under the weight of time . He leaned against the altar, his breathing slow but heavy, his body aching for rest. His vein continued to quiver from the vial

Selene had given him, which lessened his discomfort but left behind an eerie warmth he couldn't recognize 

With her arms folded and her gaze darting to the thick woodland beyond, Selene strode close to the doorway. Something was coming; she could sense it in her bones. It felt like the world itself was holding its breath because the night air was too calm and the silence was too heavy and cold.

"They're close," she whispered, half to herself.

With fatigue etched on his face, Asrael raised his head. "They won't give up until I'm removed."

Selene paused, glancing at him. "Then we don't let them."

His lips curved into a faint smirk. "You sound sure of that."

She wasn't. But something deep inside her kept giving her another answer.

A distant snap of a branch made her breath sharply. Asrael was on his feet in an instant, wincing as he drew his blade. The dim candlelight barely illuminated the chapel's interior, but outside, the night swallowed everything whole.

And then the shadows moved.

A sharp gust of wind slammed against the wooden doors, sending dust and leaves spiraling inside. The temperature plummeted, a charged energy crackling in the air.

A voice, smooth and merciless, echoed from the darkness.

"Asrael."

The doors burst open.

A celestial warrior stepped through the threshold, his armor shimmering with divine energy. Behind him, two others followed, their gazes locked onto Asrael with cold determination.

Selene's breath hitched. They were magnificent and terrible all at once, their presence radiating raw, holy power. The tallest one, his golden eyes burning with unwavering purpose, stepped forward.

"You cannot run forever. Stand down, and your suffering will be brief."

Asrael lifted his sword, stance firm despite his wounds. "Not interested."

The warrior's expression didn't change. "Then you will fall."

The first strike came like a flash of lightning—too fast for the eye to follow. Asrael barely deflected the blow, his body screaming in protest. Sparks flew as celestial steel clashed, the force of the impact sending him stumbling back.

The second warrior moved to flank him, blade arcing toward his exposed side. Asrael twisted, dodging, but pain flared in his ribs, slowing him just enough—

A third figure lunged.

Selene barely had time to think. She moved purely on instinct, her body acting before her mind could catch up. She stepped between Asrael and the incoming warrior, raising her hands as if to shield him—

And the world shattered.

A force erupted from within her, unseen but undeniable. The air rippled, bending and twisting around her as if reality itself recoiled. The celestial warrior's blade stopped inches from her chest, suspended in midair by an invisible barrier.

A deep, resonant hum filled the chapel, vibrating through the walls, the ground—through Selene herself.

The warrior's eyes widened in shock. "Impossible."

Selene stood there frozen, staring at her outstretched hands, breath shallow. A strange, pulsing purple glow flickered around her fingers, fading in and out like a dying ember.

Asrael, panting, took a step toward her. "Selene…?"

She barely heard him. Something inside her shifted, memories she couldn't quite grasp surfacing in fragments. A feeling of familiarity, of knowing, yet complete and utter confusion.

One of the warriors regained his composure. "Fall back! We were not informed of this!"

The silver-eyed leader clenched his jaw, studying Selene, his gaze dark with calculation. "No. This changes nothing. She is an anomaly, nothing more."

He raised his sword. "Kill them both."

Selene barely had time to react before Asrael grabbed her wrist, yanking her toward the back of the chapel. "Move!"

The walls trembled as the celestial warriors advanced, their energy radiating pure destruction. The wooden beams cracked, dust raining from the ceiling. A blinding flash of divine light erupted behind them as they bolted through a hidden passage, the old stone corridor swallowing them in darkness.

Asrael didn't stop, dragging Selene as they ran. His pulse pounded in his ears, but his grip on her remained firm.

Finally, they emerged into the cold night air, the towering trees offering a momentary reprieve.

Asrael turned to her, eyes searching. "What the hell was that?"

Selene swallowed hard, shaking her head. "I don't know. I—" She stopped, gripping her arms as if trying to contain whatever had just surged through her. "I didn't mean to do that."

Asrael exhaled, rubbing a hand over his face. "Whatever it was, it bought us time. But they won't stop coming."

Selene forced herself to meet his gaze. "Then we need answers."

His expression hardened. "And I think I know where to start."

She nodded, though uncertainty curled in her chest. Whatever had awakened inside her… it wasn't done yet.

And that terrified her more than anything.