1. Wingless Angel

Lilith's POV

"It's such a bright day! Time to wake up, princess!"

I groaned tiredly as the blinds were thrown apart and the piercing rays of starlight pushed me out of my beautiful slumber.

"The days are always bright, Merinda." I said as a matter-of-fact. I got up from my queen-size bed just as Merinda started to take off my sleepwear, which consisted of a white transparent gown. It was very transparent and laid bare my essential parts which was why only females saw me in it. It was against the laws of Celestial for an unmarked female to be seen exposed by a male counterpart.

"Be more optimistic, princess...you have been summoned for training at midday." Merinda said, her flattened wings raised slightly in excitement as she lead me to the tub for a bath. Angel wings pulsed with the emotions of their owner; they only flew when you will them to. If one was excited or sad, they acted in accordance.

I paused to look at my naked self in the mirror.

I was undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and most desirable females in the whole of Celestial with my round face, rosy lips and white porcelain skin. My ample breasts and bosom were well shaped and attracted the most beautiful of angels - both male and female. I was stared at all over the realm with envy because of my ethereal beauty but still...I did not take pride in myself because I lacked the most important element that made me who I was - my wings.

A wingless angel in Celestial was unheard of. My lack of wings made it impossible for me to master the act of elemental magic - the major gateway to being queen of Celestial. Our wings pulsed with our emotions but they were also the center of our ability to perform magic. Without my wings, I was just as ordinary as the humans on Earth.

"Okay..." I told her unenthusiastically, and slowly turned away from the mirror to watch as the tub got filled up with clear, heavenly water.

She took my box of scented flowers from the dresser and after a second of deliberation, went for the Jasmine scent. She started to spray them into the tub.

I sighed in satisfaction as I entered into the water, its warmth melted away all my worries and for a little while, I was whom I wanted to be. My fantasy was broken when Merinda speaks again.

"But you already slept close to midday so we have to hurry up and get you on a start meal." She said.

Leave it to Merinda to drag one out of fantasy back to reality.

"You should have told me the bad news first...I do not even get to enjoy the water." I told her unhappily.

Merinda chuckled at my unhappy face and wrapped a cloth around me as I came out of the tub with water dripping off my skin.

"You'll be fine, princess." She told me as she dressed me up for training.

The ring was a huge court used for training, and was exclusively for royals. All the guards and Templars of the royal house were trained here and as usual, the clash of swords and whooshing of magic could be heard from a mile away. I took a deep breathe and entered the ring. As usual, the whole court went silent.

And in harmony, they all shouted, "May the light continue to shine on you, princess!!"

"And also on you!" I declared in a bold voice.

Then they all went back to training like nothing happened while I proceeded to portal to the crown's ring.

The Crown's ring was the training court exclusively for high placed royals like princes and princesses. One could only portal here from the main ring.

Coming out of the portal, I found myself looking directly at my mage.

"You are late." He pointed out with a scowl on his face.

I looked to his assistant, Oros, for help but he raised his two hands with a smirk, signalling that 'I am on my own'.

"Um... sorry?"

"You cannot keep slacking, princess. You know there is too much at stake."

"I know..." I replied sadly.

"As the next queen, you need to learn to take responsibilities serious. Being the leader of Celestial is a huge responsibility."

I nodded again, my head bowed as I was being scolded.

My mage turned and walked towards the center of the ring, I followed him slowly. His wings took form and his entire body glowed as he connected with the Everlight.

I did the same - I tried to connect with the Everlight.

"Release yourself...follow the sound of my voice." He spoke.

I tried to release myself and willed my wings to take form but as usual, I was pulled into the same vision.

**I was standing in front of a bright white light,

So bright that my eyes hurt from its glory,

I knew I needed to reach out to this light,

Its beauty and pureness called to me like a mother to a child,

I fought to move my hands,

"Reach! Reach!"

But that same darkness...

That same suffocating darkness pulled me away from it,

I screamed in frustration and fought to get back to the light,

But it wins and I am sucked into a pool of night...**

I gasped in frustration, tears gathering in my eyes as I was once again, unable to get my wings to form. I saw the hidden look of disappointment in my mage's eyes and it felt once again like I had been stabbed through the heart with a knife.

"Princess..." Oros started but before he could say anymore, I portaled to my safe zone - the garden of Eden.

The soothing calmness of the garden quickly eased my troubled heart. The garden of Eden was a sacred place only a selected few had access to and they included I and the queen. It was a place for us to commune with the Everlight, a place for us to bathe ourselves in her pureness and mercy.

At the center of the garden was the orb of sanctification. With it, we prayed to the Everlight and communed with her.

Dropping beside the orb, a rogue tear fell from my eye.

"Everlight, I need to get this right...why am I not getting it right?! What is wrong with me?!" I yelled out in frustration. My voice echoed through the garden and all I was met with as usual, was silence.

I started to sob when I felt the energy of a portal opening. I quickly wiped my tears as my mother materialized beside me.

She sat quietly and turned to look at me with softness in her eyes. Her crown sat beautifully on her head and the crystalline necklace that was passed down from generation to generation, beautified her delicate neck. The resemblance grew everyday - it was obvious all my beauty was from her.

"Saviour told me you ran out of training...again."

I didn't answer.

"He keeps saying you're running from responsibility." She continued.

"But I know you're not, Lilith. You don't just know how to fight even when not given the right weapons."

"How do I fight when my weapons are blunt and lack spirit, mother? It is impossible to win this battle without the right weapons...it is unheard of!" I looked at her in frustration.

She took my hand in hers, "Your weapons may lack spirit but do you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Even if the body doesn't will, the spirit wills and will always be willing. It's all about who you are inside, my dear Lilith and I know you're not someone who runs from responsibilities. You are someone who fights even without the right weapons."

"What are you saying, mother?" I asked tiredly.

"Lilith, nothing and no one is going to stop you from becoming Celeste...even without your wings, this I promise you."