Nightfall descended slowly, cloaking the world in a deep, profound silence.
A gentle breeze drifted through the old trees, standing tall like timeless sentinels. A thin mist crept across the forest floor, adding a mystical touch to the woods long untouched by human presence. Amidst the wilderness stood a modest wooden cabin, nearly invisible from afar. It had only one source of light: a small campfire flickering warmly in front of its door.
In front of the fire sat a young man, seemingly ordinary to anyone's eyes. Yet behind his calm expression hid a void that words could never truly describe.
He was Exafanos—an anomaly unbound by any concept. He was the embodiment of vanishing itself, a being beyond existence and nonexistence.
That night, Exafanos gazed at the starry sky. His eyes reflected the light of stars millions of kilometers away. He studied the constellations like an astronomer searching for something—perhaps hope, perhaps memories, or maybe just an escape from the hollow emptiness that never left him.
But the serenity of the night was suddenly shattered by a streak of light dancing across the sky. A meteor shot through the heavens, tearing across space and time in a brilliant flash. Exafanos remained seated, though his eyes followed the meteor's trail intently.
It crashed not far from his cabin. The ground shook with a deep rumble, leaves rustled violently. Exafanos rose slowly, sensing something unusual. This was no ordinary space rock—there was something else. Something alien, yet strangely familiar to his instincts.
He walked calmly, unhurried, passing through bushes and trees toward the crash site. But instead of a crater or a smoldering chunk of metal, he found something entirely unexpected—a fallen angel.
A woman, her body wounded and broken. Her wings—one white, one black—were fused in a harmony that seemed almost painful. Her eyes briefly opened, meeting Exafanos's with a blurred gaze, as if trying to remember his face before consciousness slipped away. Then her body collapsed, gently, like a dry leaf drifting from a branch.
Without hesitation, Exafanos lifted her. His face betrayed no emotion, but his touch was gentle. He carried her back to his cabin, laying her down in the small room where he usually slept.
There, he tended to her wounds. But unlike usual, he did not erase the injuries from existence or concept. This time, he healed them the normal way—allowing the pain and the memory to linger. As if… he wanted her to remember the suffering.
Afterward, he brewed some warm tea and placed it by the bedside. Then he returned to his wooden chair in the living room, staring up at the ceiling as the sounds of the night deepened.
"It's been a long time since I've seen an angel," he murmured softly.
Memories rose to the surface. Angels with black and white wings were not unfamiliar to him. Long ago, he had met one—an incredibly powerful being, second only to Gordos, the Creator of the multiverse. That angel had vanished long ago, or perhaps had chosen to disappear. The world had no place for angels of both light and shadow.
For in truth, the race of angels was split in two.
White angels—residing in the Eternal Heaven, and black angels—banished to the Depths of Hell.
This divide had sparked a long, painful conflict. And hybrids like this woman? They were an abomination. Forbidden beings unwelcomed by both heaven and hell.
Morning came. The sun slowly pierced through the lingering fog. Exafanos rose from his chair and began his routine. He fertilized his watermelon plants, watered the crops, and plucked the weeds in his garden.
Inside the cabin, the angel awoke. Her body was still weak, but no longer in pain. She groaned softly, noticing the cup of tea beside her. With trembling hands, she sipped it slowly. The warmth flowed down her throat, granting her just enough strength to rise from bed.
She stepped out of the room and found herself in an unfamiliar cabin.
Yet the atmosphere… felt peaceful.
Her eyes found the man—tending his garden quietly. She approached him, light on her feet yet alert.
"You're awake," Exafanos said without turning.
The angel nodded. "Why… did you help me?"
Exafanos glanced up at the sky and answered simply, "No reason. I just followed my will."
She fell silent. His answer was honest, but perplexing. She studied him carefully. There was no divine energy, no aura of power… as if he were just a regular man.
But her wounds… she remembered them clearly. Severe, almost fatal. Now they were gone. No natural healing could do that.
He couldn't be underestimated.
"I'm… Lilith," she said softly. "A forsaken angel. Rejected by both heaven and hell."
Exafanos nodded slowly, pouring tea into her cup. "I know."
Lilith looked surprised. "You know?"
"I've met one like you. Once."
Lilith's eyes filled with curiosity, but Exafanos didn't elaborate. He simply remained silent, listening as Lilith slowly opened her heart.
"I was being hunted… by both white and black angels. They don't want me to exist. My family helped me escape… but I don't know what happened to them. Maybe… they're already—"
Tears welled up, sliding down her cheeks, but she quickly wiped them away. Exafanos remained still, a silent listener. In the quiet, Lilith found a momentary refuge.
"I have nowhere else to go… May I stay here? I can help with your garden, or keep the cabin clean…"
Exafanos had wanted to refuse.
His cabin was a sanctuary of silence, where meaning and emotion had long ceased to matter.
But seeing the sincerity in Lilith's eyes, he finally gave a small nod.
"There's another room. It's a storage space. Clean it if you want."
Lilith smiled for the first time. "Thank you…"
She quickly set to work, cleaning the room. Her hands moved swiftly, despite her fatigue. Once it was tidy, she cooked a meal for Exafanos. The aroma filled the cabin, bringing a new warmth to the small home.
That evening, they sat on the porch. The sky turned orange, and the wind rustled the leaves gently. Exafanos sipped his tea slowly, while Lilith gazed at the view in silence.
"Thank you…" she whispered again.
Exafanos only looked at the horizon.
He said nothing.
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To be continued...