Chapter 4: The Birth of the Apostles

On the date of 27.09.2000, starting from the nation of Solara, the entire world plunged into terror.

A middle-aged woman was walking home from the night market, holding a few bags of fruit and vegetables in one hand and her young daughter's hand in the other. Suddenly, a black portal appeared before them. As the woman stared at it in shock, a thin, elongated leg stepped out. Then came the rest of the figure—tall, dark-skinned, red-eyed, with a gaunt frame, an enormous head, and grotesquely large teeth. A monster.

Within the woman was a faint glimmer of light energy—barely perceptible, but present. The monster bared its sharp teeth in a wicked grin and reached toward her. The woman froze in place, paralyzed by fear. She couldn't scream, couldn't move. All she could do was clutch her daughter's hand, trembling.

The monster stepped closer and grabbed her with a single hand. Its arm was thin, but its hand was massive. It lifted her into the air and brought her toward its gaping mouth. Still, the woman hadn't let go of her daughter's hand. The child rose with her. With a single bite, the creature devoured half the woman's torso. The girl fell to the ground, still gripping her mother's severed hand. Blood from the woman's mangled body sprayed down like a crimson rain, soaking the child.

The creature finished what was left of the woman, then turned its blood-smeared gaze toward the girl. She screamed and ran, clutching the lifeless hand.

Witnesses panicked and scattered. About fifteen more monsters emerged from the portal. Humanity was hopeless. Their weapons were useless; bullets passed straight through the creatures. The monsters continued devouring every human in sight. In terror, people fled to shelters and homes, praying to God—because there was nothing else left to do.

Meanwhile, in the skies above, five angels observed the chaos below. The surge of belief from the mortals stirred something within them.

Lumiel spoke in a sorrowful tone:

"If only they hadn't lost faith in us, we wouldn't have been forced to take this path."

Dominarel cried out in fury:

"These insects who caused the death of our God deserve the most excruciating deaths imaginable."

Chronariel looked around and asked:

"On such an important day... where is Azazel?"

Virethiel replied with a dismissive tone:

"Where Azazel is doesn't matter right now. What matters is finding the apostles."

The Angels Choose Their Apostles

Lumiel witnessed a car crash in the city. A woman was desperately trying to save a child trapped inside the overturned vehicle. At that moment, a glowing yellow panel appeared before her:

"I will grant you power to save this child—on one condition. Do you accept?"

Without hesitation, the woman replied:

"If I can save people, I'll accept any condition—even if it means selling my soul to the devil."

Lumiel smiled gently:

"You won't need to sell your soul. What's your name?"

The woman looked at the panel and answered:

"Anya."

Lumiel bestowed the light energy upon Anya.

Dominarel focused on a family fleeing from a monster. A mother, father, and child were running toward a half-finished building. As they climbed the stairs, the monster was close behind. Sensing doom, the man pushed his wife and child toward the beast.

The woman looked at him, stunned and tearful, just as the creature grabbed her and devoured her. With her final breath, she looked to her son and shouted:

"Run!"

The boy, crying, fled back down the stairs. The monster, rather than following him, turned and ascended to the rooftop.

Dominarel watched with a smirk. The man had reached the roof—there was nowhere else to go. Suddenly, a glowing panel appeared before him:

"Your will to live impressed me, human. I will grant you power to defeat this monster—on one condition."

The man looked around in panic:

"As long as I survive, I don't care what the condition is. I accept!"

Dominarel asked:

"What is your name?"

The man shouted:

"Viktor!"

Dominarel granted him the light energy.

Chronariel found a man praying inside an overturned car. He sent him a message:

"Would you like to be so strong that you'll never need to fear again?"

The man rubbed his eyes and looked at the panel:

"Is this real? Who are you?"

Chronariel replied:

"I am an angel who will help you, under one condition."

The man answered without hesitation:

"If I'll never be afraid again, I'll accept whatever it is."

Chronariel asked:

"What is your name?"

The man replied:

"Leo."

Chronariel granted Leo the light energy.

Virethiel watched as a man wept, powerless, while his younger brother was devoured by a monster. A yellow panel appeared before him:

"You want revenge, don't you? I can give you the power to take it—on one condition."

The man responded with determination:

"As long as I can get revenge, I don't care what your condition is."

Virethiel asked:

"What is your name?"

The man replied:

"Julian."

Virethiel granted him the light energy.

Saphiriel, like the others, searched for an apostle. Before descending, he used his foresight and saw a vision: his destined apostle would be atop the tallest skyscraper.

When he arrived, he found a young man in a suit observing the chaos through binoculars.

A panel appeared before the man:

"Would you make a pact with me?"

The man raised an eyebrow:

"What kind of pact?"

Saphiriel answered through the panel:

"I will grant you the power to defeat monsters, to gain fame and fortune. In return, you will spread the faith of my God."

The man smirked:

"So... there really is a god. And he needs help spreading his faith? Interesting. But if he created this world, how come portals are opening without his knowledge? What a coincidence…"

Saphiriel was stunned. The man had deduced almost everything from just a few hints.

Saphiriel asked again:

"Do you accept the pact?"

The man laughed:

"Sounds fun. I accept."

Saphiriel asked once more:

"What is your name?"

The man grinned:

"Orion."

Saphiriel granted Orion the light energy.

And at that very moment… Azazel was still nowhere to be seen.