A Familiar Face

Rafaela, an angel from the Celestial Palace, the symbol of purity and healing throught the ages, from the war on the Abyss, til now she has been searching for someone, how save him, how to reach into his heart but still to no avail. She, along with Kaja and Uranus formed the Celestial Guard, but long ago they had one more member, Argus. Argus was the most powerful member, a master swordsman and dangerous angel, he was corrupted by the Abyss long ago twisting his mind and stealing his soul with offers of power and imortality. When Argus succumbed to this power, Rafaela was heartbroken, she did everything she could to save him but he became a mindless killer.

"Another day passes and you still havent left my mind... Argus." Whispered Rafaela looking at an old picture of the group.

"Rafaela, we haved recieved orders from the Maker, he wishes us to investigate Nost Gal" Said Kaja from behind

"It should have been me..."

"What? Rafaela? What is the matter?"

"It should have been me who took that sword, Argus would still be here if it werent for my ignorance!" she screams as tears trickle down her face, "I could have done something, I could have-"

"You could have died, Argus had the strongest will among us, and he was corrupted, had you reached for the sword, you could have died."

"..." Rafaela stared quietly at the ground "He is still in there, I know he is"

"I know Rafaela, when he grabbed the sword, he began to corrupt, but before he was fully taken over, he stabbed himself in the chest with the sword creating that wound, and because of that wound we can hurt him, he had the will left to realize his mistake and create a way for him to be defeated"

"Kaja, I don't... I WON'T kill him"

"You know its what he would have wanted, defeated by his former lov-"

*CRASH* *RUMBLE*

"Uranus! Report!" Kaja screamed into his communicator

"We have been breached, there is significant damage done to the Palace, damage sustained... 47%"

"Rafaela, we have to move, we need to go to Nost Gal"

The pair get up and fly outside and find Uranus waiting for them, they group up and leave for Nost Gal

"Uranus, what hit us?" Kaja asked

"Beams of shadow energy, origin... unknown"

"Alice must be on our trail, we must tread carefully, first, we start camp in Nost Gal"

The three land in a snowy area and identified it to be Nost Gal, while setting up camp, they identified a turtle-ship approaching from the horizon

"The human heroes approach, they too have noticed the disturbance..." Kaja says

"Uranus, help keep an eye out for intruders"

"Order...Acknowledge" Uranus says firmly

The three finish camp and Rafaela falls asleep, Rafaela suddenly opens her eyes and sees a bloody battlefield, corpses of demons and angels, she found herself in the middle of the Abyssal War

"Rafaela! Are you ok? You seem shaken! Get behind me!"

She looked up to the familiar voice, it was Argus, High-Angel Commnder Argus

"Argus... h-how did you...?"

"Kaja! Rafaela is dazed, take her back to safety" Argus commanded

Kaja swooped in and picked her up, despite her squirming she couldnt move or escape his grasp, she was brought to her friend Gabriel

"Rafaela? Are you ok? Let me heal you"

Gabriel begins to heal Rafaela, but Rafaela felt no different, instead she felt sick knowing what happens on this day, she quickly rushed out and saw Argus facing the Ruler of the Abyss, she chraged at them at full speed but could not get closer, a nightmare to Rafaela

"Mighty warrior, you have the capacity to inflict great conflict, join my ranks and you will be granted power beyond all measure" the Ruler spoke

"You must take me for a fool, I shall never give in!" Argus responded proudly

"At least consider my offer and this gift" the Ruler levitated a sword and planted it in front of Argus

"Tell me demon, what is this you place at my feet?"

"The Sword of Power, it shall grant you unimaginable power and invincibility, the power to vanquish conflict... forever"

Her words made Argus pause, Argus approached the blade and said,

"The power to destroy, the power to subjugate, the power to become invincible!"

"Yes, yes, YES! All that, all you have to do is pick up the sword"

"All this power... DONT MEAN SHIT TO ME!" Argus howls loudly

"The power to save, the power to protect, the power to guard those who we love and hold dear, that is the meaning of erradicating evil! By protecting what we love! Demon, my creator granted me the power to see the future, that is why I am always victorious, and the Abyss can not be defeated until I pull out this sword and seal all the Abyssal power within it, the future where everyone has their happily-ever-after wont exist until I do what must be done, become a nightstalker, a monster! May the Maker save what is left of my soul and my comrades forgive me for what I am about to do!"

"No! You can not do this! I offer you power and this is how you repay me?!" The Ruler screamed

Argus places his hands around the handle of the sword, "Rafaela, I'm sorry and... I love you..."

Rafeala screams for Argus to stop and try get his attention but its as if her voice is gone, Argus successfully pulls out the blade and impales himself with it,

"This is to make sure the monster that I have become can be destroyed one day"

Dark energy swirl around him and Argus tranformed into a dark being, his wing blacken and stretch wide

"Immortality or Death!"

Rafaela wakes up and sees she is still in the tent with Kaja outside asleep while tending the campfire and Uranus keeping watch but went into sleep-mode, and she saw him, Argus looking back at her

"The sword seeks power... and the truth..."

Before Rafaela could say anything, Argus flies off into the depths of the blizzard, Rafaela couldnt chase but only stare as the sun slowly rises.