"Let me tell you a story."
There was something unsettling in his voice—low and urgent, like the calm before a storm. "A story of a world long gone, where the boundary between the heavens and the earth did not exist. Angels lived alongside mortal beings, and the archangels watched over peace and prosperity. Most of all, it was a time untouched by death. Under the guardianship of the angels, there was no violence. Time was merely a philosophical idea. Instead of aging and decay, the divine presence gifted the world immortality."
A deep sigh left him. Fingers moved to the sides of his head, rubbing slow circles as if to fight off a headache. The last few weeks had clearly worn him down."But we all know how fragile peace can be."
The tip of his tongue wetted his lips before he continued.
"One day, two young angels were born—the twin sons of Bariel: Auriel and Samael. Twins by blood, yet strangers in spirit. That's how my friend described them. Auriel, radiant and warm, carried the gentleness of their father. His laughter inspired hope and love wherever he went. But Samael... Samael was different. Quiet. Brooding. His presence unsettled the other children. Overshadowed by his brother, ignored by his father, and shunned by the people, a shadow grew in his heart—one that would change the world forever.
It happened on the day of their birth. Samael raised his hand against their father. A sin never before committed. A single act... that introduced death into the world."
He paused, letting the words sink in.
"Samael rebelled against the order of peace. He forged the first blades. He taught the world to kill. Horrified, the angels drew a line between heaven and earth. Never again would they risk their celestial peace for the bloodlust of mortals. And so they cast Samael down—exiled him from the heavens, leaving death behind with him.
Even Auriel, the angel of light and life, was feared by the archangels. If Samael's blood was cursed, could his twin truly remain untouched? The heavens banished them both. And thus, with the presence of the last two angels—one of life, one of death—a new cycle began. Mortals were born. Mortals died. And as long as the powers of the twins remained in balance, so too would the cycle continue. Their memories of the heavens were stripped away. Their powers faded. They became as mortal as the rest of us. And we, the people of this world, did what we do best: we forgot."
He took a sip from his crystal glass. The red wine left a shiny film on his lips. He calmly brushed back his hair, strands falling across his face. They glimmered in the candlelight—almost the same color as the wine on his lips. Violet.
"Until now." A deep breath filled his lungs.
"The time to remember has come. As you know… a young man appeared. Violent. Wild. He came out of nowhere. His sword brought death with a single cut. He claimed to be Samael himself—awakened from his long sleep, ready to conquer the world."
Tapping his wine-colored lips with his long fingers, he seemed almost lost in thought.
"As an angel, he said it was his right to rule over mortals. Those who followed him would be rewarded and share in a new world order. A world where death no longer ruled. A return to immortality."
He rolled his eyes with theatrical flair. In the flickering candlelight, the gesture looked eerie. Almost ghostly.
The person across from him stared in silence. He enjoyed the attention.
"It was the start of a new era," he said with a crooked smile. "The moment that man appeared was a reset—a new zero. The beginning of a world after the awakening.
Samael's cruelty and the fear he spread woke something in all of us. His followers—his dark army—brought a darkness this world had never known. The balance between light and shadow has been unstable ever since. And this war... it's become part of our daily lives. Fear and dread are things we all live with now."
His eyes flickered wildly for a moment. Then, with one long breath, he blew out the candles—leaving them both in complete darkness.