Several days had passed since Lilith had taken refuge in Exafanos' old hut, hidden deep within the silent forest. Though things felt awkward at first, she gradually began to adapt to her new life. There was a strange sense of peace here—one she had never known in her existence as a member of a nearly extinct race.
Each morning, she rose earlier than Exafanos, starting her day with light chores: sweeping the yard, cleaning the creaky wooden floor of the house, and sometimes trimming the wild grass that grew untamed around their home. She did all this with a smile—not out of obligation, but because she wanted to.
This simple life brought her solace. There were no power struggles, no divine intrigues or schemes, no bloodshed or wars. Only the songs of birds at dawn, the breeze brushing against the leaves—and the presence of Exafanos, a being even more silent than the forest itself.
Lilith had grown familiar with Exafanos. She spoke to him every day—of her past, of her people's fading legacy, of the skies she could no longer reach due to the betrayal of the other angels. She even shared her old dreams: to be a guiding light for mankind, a bridge between the divine and the mortal.
But all of it was one-sided. Exafanos only listened. His eyes were empty, his demeanor cold, and his voice rarely heard—unless it was something important. Yet, to Lilith, his silence never bothered her. If anything, in that silence… she felt truly heard. Perhaps, Exafanos was the only one who had ever truly listened.
The totem on her back always activated whenever they stepped outside. It sealed her wings, hiding her identity as a being of both light and darkness—a half-angel unrecognized by both Heaven and Hell.
---
Today, Lilith and Exafanos visited the market—a weekly gathering at the foot of the mountains where villagers from surrounding areas sold produce, handmade goods, and daily necessities. The air was thick with the scent of spices and freshly baked bread, mingled with laughter and the cries of vendors.
Lilith brought a few vegetables from their tiny garden. She sold them cheaply—not for profit, but because she cherished the interaction. The humans were kind, simple, and… honest in their happiness.
"Here, take a bit more, ma'am. It's alright," Lilith smiled at an old woman.
She played with the children, helped other vendors lift their goods, and even tasted a sweet roll fresh from a clay oven.
And Exafanos? He sat quietly at a corner teahouse, eyes fixed on Lilith. No expression. No words. Yet it was clear—he was watching. Maybe… in that silence, a feeling was blooming that he himself had yet to understand.
---
Then, the sky changed.
From a clear blue, it turned blinding white, as if the sun had descended too close. The wind stopped. The market fell silent. All eyes turned upward.
Golden feathers floated from the heavens, dancing like leaves in springtime. And then… she appeared.
A figure too perfect to be called human. Her face glowed; her body radiated divinity. She wore a white robe threaded with golden light. Her eyes were hidden beneath a glowing veil, impossible to look at directly.
People immediately dropped to their knees. They cried. They trembled.
The goddess hovered in mid-air and began to chant a prayer in an ancient tongue, incomprehensible yet strangely understood by all. A divine hypnosis. A spiritual suggestion. Her words bypassed the mind and pierced the soul, forcing every person to confront their sins.
Tears flowed. Regret gripped hearts. They felt unworthy, sinful… desperate for forgiveness.
---
Exafanos remained still. His eyes locked on the goddess—not with awe, nor with hate. He knew exactly what was happening. This was no miracle… but an ancient technique. A method long used by divine entities to gain power through human worship.
"She's going to form a church," he thought. "And from it, she'll draw strength from their prayers and hopes."
He recognized the pattern. And as long as it didn't disturb the balance of the world, he wouldn't interfere.
But… Lilith felt otherwise.
She stood tall, eyes fixed on the sky.
"This is… manipulation," she muttered.
To Lilith, freedom was everything. She could not let humans be spiritually enslaved by a being who merely sought power through devotion. She felt disgusted. Insulted.
So...
---
The totem on her back shattered.
Two vast wings burst free—one black as a moonless night, the other radiant like the morning sun. Heaven and Hell's aura merged around her. In her hand, a sword appeared: silver-hilted, with twin blades—one of darkness, one of light.
The marketplace trembled. Even those under the goddess's spell began to stir, drawn to the divine clash unfolding before them.
The goddess hesitated.
"Who are you…?" she asked.
Lilith didn't reply. She struck.
And the battle began.
Lightning tore through the sky. The wind howled. Light clashed with shadow. The earth cracked. Buildings shook.
The goddess fought back, but faltered. She had never seen a being like Lilith—not even among the lower divine realms. A myth… a forgotten legend of balance between light and dark. A race thought to have gone extinct eons ago.
Now… she was facing one.
---
Below, Exafanos watched. No words. No motion.
Just will.
His ultimate power—Absolute Erasure—activated. But not to destroy… to manipulate.
The energy around both Lilith and the goddess vanished, swallowed into nothingness. Their power—gone. Divine and dark auras—erased. Now, they were mere mortals.
Their bodies plummeted—but Exafanos bent gravity itself, slowing their fall like feathers in the breeze.
Casually, he stepped forward and looked up at the two.
In a flash, space folded.
With one step, he brought them both back to his hut in the woods.
In his right hand, Lilith—weak and breathless.
In his left, the confused goddess.
Once they arrived, he erased every trace of the battle.
The sky returned to normal.
The market bustled again.
People smiled and continued shopping… as if nothing had happened.
All memory of the event… vanished.
Only two beings remembered: Lilith, and the goddess.
---
To Be Continued...