AZRAVAEL: The Angel of Pain

IV

* IV *

Months passed smoothly. Azra was able to get close to Riley without conflict and he manage to have her get along with Ayean too. They have managed to create a harmonious circle of friends even just the three of them. Having the girls with him makes him feel at ease. The two were strong people that he encountered. It was something rare for him. The two were achievers in their departments while he is keeping himself in the shadow. Lowkey.Azra's been collecting the pains of the world without a problem, besides, he's used to it. What he values the most right now is his friendship with the girls which he saw as his sisters. He became their guardian angel unconsciously.

He was waiting outside of the coffee shop that they always go to for their studies. The three of them are studying together if they do have the time. Azra noticed the gray sky. The cold season is entering its phase, the rain might drop any moment soon and the girls have yet to arrive. He looked at his phone and a notification popped up from Riley saying that she was going to be late. He just replied that he understand and let Ayean know.A drop from the rain made him wary. There was no update from Ayean. He looked across the road to check and he saw her running, hurrying from the rain. Ayean waved at him while running, he smiled and waited. She arrived at the pedestrian waiting for the stop light so she can cross. Seconds have passed and Ayean's smile turns into something different. His confused eyes couldn't process what just happened. There was a gray glow around her and he knows what's the meaning of that glow. He swallowed hard.

Ayean felt the weakness in her knees when she started to feel the pain after the numbness. It was only seconds when someone faced her the moment that a bus passed by her and then she felt something flowing from her body. She tried to fight the weakness that she felt but the pain in her stomach is stronger than that. She checked her body where the part of her tummy hurts. The stain of blood is all over her shirt which made her feel the excruciating pain that she just realized. She has been stabbed. She looked from left and right to check the person who passed by her but there was none and the rain is starting the pour. The heavy and thick drop of rain. As they pour, her knees gave in. She saw the horror in Azra's face for the first time. She saw how his reaction changed into something that she have never seen before, his angelic face was showing emotions that she have never seen before. At that moment, she realized, it was something serious.

In a swift of time, not even a second, the stop light not hitting the go signal to cross the road, Azra was in front of her, catching her falling and bloody body before it hit the ground."Ayean!" her eyes were focused on her."A-Azra, you're fast." she wasn't sure if he teleported or what as her vision is not giving her a good advantage."How did this happen?!" He never saw what happened. He never saw what Ayean saw, because even the lady can't tell what exactly happened. It was fast just like the way he came to her. She shook her head giving him answers."I don't know either. But... you should take me to hospital." she can feel the deep wound inside her. It was vital."Cry. So you can ease the pain." Azra commanded. He called on his phone for an emergency after that he focused on Ayean. He doesn't know what to do to be exact. But the only thing that he can help her with is to have her cry to lessen the pain but she isn't crying."I- ... can't."

The rain became heavier, and some of the pedestrians are starting to notice the situation and called the response to help. But Azra's mind was focused on her. He holds the wound to stop it from emitting more blood but it's not helping."No Ayean, you have to.""I don't think I can... make it." Azra was disappointed on the part that he can't heal people. That he can't heal Ayean. He can't do anything when the rain and the crowd are starting to get heavy."Tell... R-Riley... I'm... fine." She was breathing hard."No..." he started to say enchantment in a whisper while he is trying to contain his emotions. "GABRIEL!" the moment he shouted his name, the time stopped and a pressure falling from the sky went down smoothly, there was no impact. And there was Gabriel, walking with his divine presence. "Save her.""We can't save humans if it's their time already." Gabriel looked at Ayean and then shifted to Azra."What do you mean-" Azra looked at her. "No.""It's part of the balance.""It is not! She was stabbed, I don't think that's part of the balance. I never saw it!" A dark mist came to view from their left side. It was heading toward their direction and a figure of a dark cloak appeared as if it is riding the dark mist. Other than the dark cloak, a huge scythe, and a large floating book, the thing has no appearance at all. Azra shook his head."NO! STAY AWAY!" He shouted. Gabriel was just watching as the Angel of Death approach them. Gabriel stares at the angel of death with sadness."This is, balance." the angel said."Don't please... I..." they heard the enchantment casting it to Ayean's body and a white mist evaporated from her body. Azra's eyes were staring at it as it travels inside the book.His heart was breaking, shattering like glasses falling from the sky. Ayean's soul was acquired. The angel turned back at them and slowly fade away. Gabriel snaps his fingers letting the time resume and the rain falls on the soulless body of Ayean."A-Azra?" Azra looked up to see who called him. It was Riley, panting. "Wh-what happened?" he didn't answer, he wasn't able to answer. Riley's tears stream down her face, Azra was automatically absorbing them seeing the memories of Ayean together with them.He noticed that he is also acquiring his own pain. The memories of them flash on his own memories like all of them happened yesterday. Her life was quick and he can't do anything about it.

After the burial of Ayean, Azra was drowning in pain. He never realized that she has become special to him, someone that he protects, someone that he wants to be safe, always. It came to him too late. He felt stupid as an angel."What are you thinking?" Riley asked."Nothing." he coldly said. Riley was worried about Azra so she always visit him in his apartment to bring food or cook for him. The woman is really gifted. She sat on his side facing him, and he was sitting on the couch beside the window staring at the sky, he knows that she was in the good hands of gods now but he can't stop wondering how is she doing."It's hard for all of us, especially you. You've been together since high school days. Memories are there, Ayean became special to me too." He can feel the sincerity in her voice. He can feel the pain that she's feeling of losing Ayean. He looked at her."Riley, do you believe in angels?" Riley pulled her head back because of the random question from Azra."Actually, I don't know," she said and started to think of distant memory that only she can see. "They might be existing and walking on the earth but what can they actually do? If it's gods will that things are happening... what can they do about it? They are just the god's kids and follow their orders." She said without remorse, plainly opinion with stand."That is actually making sense." He stared at her. Her opinion about it rings a bell about 'god's will'. Everything that is happening is gods will, even death. He's not sure about that."Do you believe that she became an angel?""I wish she was. She doesn't have to die if she was." He looked outside again where the rain pours endlessly since the day that Ayean died. It's been weeks."Your sadness is making the skies cry." He imagined the same, he couldn't cry anymore so the sky is doing the job for him. He just nodded. Riley touched him on his cheek making him look at her. "You'll be fine, I think Ayean wouldn't like that her friend is feeling down.""Thank you..." Riley moved closer to hug him on his chest. It doesn't surprise him, he felt her warm body touching his skin. He hugged her back and then lean on the arm of the couch, making it look like she was on top of him.Riley made a move to push up from his chest. She was caught by his golden eyes sparkling on a gloomy and cold day like this. She can't see through him like the first time that she saw him but there was no doubt that he can feel his sadness. She crawled a little bit to reach the level of his face, she's now on top of him. That made her swallow her own saliva."Your heart is pounding," Azra said. It was monotone but it sounded like a melody to her."Because I am alive?" still staring into his eyes. Undecided."It sounded different." Azra examined her face making her conscious. He touched her cheek, she felt the goosebumps from all over her body. She breathes heavily, making her system panic. She couldn't make a move, but she was still looking at him, feeling paralyzed, drowning. Azra put his hand on the back of her head then slowly pulled her closer to him, he reached for her lips. Riley felt the sudden electricity running through her body making her feel weak and numb but she liked the feeling.

The rain falls as they enjoy the cold weather together.

 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = >> NEXT >> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = >>

AYEAN DON'T KNOW DADDY'S GETTING HOT WITH RILEY ON COUCH DOING SOMETHING UNHOLY