Chapter 5: First Hero
Eva's jaw dropped, as she stared speechless at Azazel, who was beaming proudly.
"Pregnant!?" Edo bellowed, his expression crumpling into an incomprehensible mess in his rage.
"W-wait a minute, calm down." Azazel backpedaled instinctively when he saw the extent of Edo's anger, "This is a gift. A good thing. She bears the child of a star! With the Book of War, just imagine how your power will grow!" Azazel made grand hand gestures like a stage performer as he attempted to persuade Edo.
"So... you're telling me," Edo glared ferociously at the apparently oblivious Azazel, "you impregnated my wife, WITHOUT her KNOWLEDGE no less! And you want me to be happy?" Edo began stalking towards the light encompassing Azazel.
"N-! Well, I-I can see how you might be upset, but... now wait a minute!" Azazel tried to defend his honor, but Edo had ignored him completely, and was now smashing his fists against the light, causing them to bleed. The light which had so easily allowed Eva to slip in actually repelled Edo's fist. "We won't get anywhere this way," Azazel sighed, and directly vanished.
Edo, having his target disappear mid-swing, toppled himself over with his forceful haymaker. "Azazel!" He screamed out in frustration.
...
"How ungrateful." Azazel appeared suddenly in the space just above Vinetum, his blue radiance flaring up as a few explosive reactions occurred on the star surface. After a deep exhalation, he calmed down. "So what if I got your wife pregnant? She's pregnant with a weapon in human form. How about some appreciation," Azazel pouted. He glared down at the surface of the planet roiling with thick, dark thunderclouds.
"Azazel," suddenly a voice tinged with power and authority rang out, shaking Azazel's form.
"Commander." Azazel started, before snapping to attention, "what are your orders?"
"Relax Azazel, I only just received my Archetype. Just call me Raguel like usual." Raguel, Archetype of Peace and Justice, who had finished his Supernova and been working as the supervising commander of the constellations of Vinetum since, descended onto Azazel's location. He no longer wore the outer appearance of a star, the silhouette within becoming his whole being, but red and white flame could be seen roiling behind his pupils, As six golden wings of flame stretched forth from his shoulders.
"I just wanted to commend you, I had noticed too late the threat of the Demon King against those two. But Armaros just told me you stepped in. Thank you."
Azazel's blue fringe took on a slightly red hue as he mumbled out, "It was nothing." He was still a bit miffed at how Edo has treated him, though Eva seemed sensible enough. However, this compliment came from someone he greatly respected. He couldn't help but be a little pleased.
"Oh knock it off. Modesty doesn't suit you." Raguel laughed. "Anyway, there's one last thing. Lord Triac requested your Book of War. He says he needs to make some notes. Apparently he's preparing something big." Raguel casually held out his hand, expecting a quick exchange before brief farewells. They got along well enough, but Azazel was, ultimately, still a Blue level subordinate. He, an Archetype, didn't have much cause to exchange long words with such a young star.
Azazel froze, his heart gripped in even more turbulent emotions. "Uh, about that..."
"What? Don't tell me you've lost it." Raguel cracked. He smiled like he was joking, but his eyes were serious.
"That- is exactly the case." Azazel slumped his shoulders as he stared at the ground, not daring to meet Raguel's gaze lest he be caught in his lie.
"Where?" Raguel intoned sharply. Losing the Book of War would be devastating.
"I dropped it... somewhere on the surface of Vinetum, I think." Azazel's voice trembled nervously.
Raguel sighed, and placed his head in all six of his wings, hands clenched in fists at his sides "Please tell me there's nothing else I need to know. Nothing else you screwed up."
Azazel raised his head, a sharp light in his eyes, as he said in monotone, "There's nothing else."
Raguel nodded, accepting yet another lie as truth. "Alright. I had better report this to our Lord. Stay here, and... don't lose anything else." He took off at light speed, the space around them bending strenuously at the massive power left in his wake.
"Bloody Archetypes..." Azazel grumbled. 'Still, these archetypes are easy to fool.' Azazel couldn't help but marvel at the success of his deception. He quickly shook his head, as if trying to cast off these thoughts. He had a feeling a specific unenviable someone once had similar notions.
"I have one choice left. I have to double down. If I pull this off, no matter what else occurred, I'll be rewarded." Azazel's expression hardened and his gaze became steel. His life and status as a star was at stake.
"Armaros! I know you're watching. This should be your plan too, am I right?" Azazel called out into the darkness. After what felt like an eternity to Azazel he finally heard a reply.
"Why, I haven't the slightest idea what you mean." the smooth voice rang out, and another blue star rose up out of the darkness, the silhouette within taking on an odd shape. It too was humanoid, and even bore four shadowy wings on its back, a mark of pride for him as the sole winged blue star. However, instead of extending his wings out as if to fly, he bends them, and walks on them, using them in conjunction with his other four limbs to crawl about like a spider.
"Don't think I don't know. You've already got half your feet in the enemy's camp. I can easily read your heart. You wouldn't have stood out for me otherwise" Azazel glared coldly at the star before him. Though he needed him now, he loathed this soon-to-be traitor.
Armaros chuckled in a high pitch, "So, are you planning to join him too then?" He grinned with wide eyes in anticipation of Azazel's answer.
"Eat shit. I have no such intention. I want to strengthen the humans, to stand against the Demon King. You want variety and entertainment, and, well... you're not in his camp yet. What harm is it to help them a little bit on your way out?"
A sly gleam crept into Armaros eyes. This Azazel, did he really think he wasn't destined to fall? After today, he would never again be called 'star.' "Agreed." Armaros quickly spoke, "Shall we make a pact then?"
Azazel grew wary at these words. A pact? That was dangerous, on two counts. He would be forced under penalty of exile to fulfill his obligations under the terms of a pact, this was non-negotiable. The core of a pact. Secondly, if he made a pact with Armaros on the verge of his betrayal it would reflect poorly on himself. However, after considering, Azazel realized he truly had no choice. He would be exiled anyway if his transgression was outed, and if Triac came personally that would surely happen. He had to stake his all on this plan.
"I had already determined to go all in on this plan. Let's make a pact then."
Azazel and Armaros gripped each other's forearm, as the blue star bodies merged into one, and a ring of red, yellow, and blue flame twisted around the pair. A pact was not an agreement of words, that could be twisted, omitted, or otherwise exploited. It was a meeting of souls, and each would be beholden to the obligations made clear in the exchange of hearts and minds.
After a moment, the two separated, Azazel looking particularly exhausted. The time spent mixing about with Armaros's soul was an unpleasant experience he'd sooner forget, but would never be able to. 'The Demon King truly has his claws in deep. Am I in over my head?' Azazel thought, far too late.
...
The moon shone its crescent of silver light on the peak of a palace tower, poking its high head above the dark clouds that had become a staple of Vinetum. Below stood the city-state Ischuros, a bustling city within circular walls, separated into six districts, The merchant's plaza, The royal lands belonging solely to the king, Three residential districts separated by class, and the slave quarters. In the palace lived the king, and 5 miles south of that, in a shabby inn, slept Edo and Eva.
In her dreams Eva was walking through a thick fog, and beneath her feet the ground was soft and unsteady, like walking on the ocean. She could only see her own hands, stretched before her.
"Eva," A voice from the fog whispered, sending shivers down her spine. "Fear not, I mean you no harm. I have a message."
"A message?" Eva asked, accepting the strange situation, as she was dreaming after all.
"Yes. I am the divine messenger Armaros. My Lord has great plans for the child you bear, the one Azazel gave you."
"Plans? What plans?" Eva asked in a weary voice. She suddenly felt tired, and started to yawn.
"He will be a great hero."
Eva shot up, waking from her dream. Her heart pounded, and her head ached. What was that dream, again? A message? Suddenly all the fog cleared from her freshly opened eyes, as they obtained a sharp gleam.
'My child, a great hero.' Eva smiled as she lovingly gazed at her belly.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone