Cyra's eyes widened in disbelief as she asked Lloyd, "Wait, that's why Zelthur was exiled?" Her voice echoed through the vast training hall, where shadows danced across the walls.
Lloyd nodded solemnly, his expression serious. "Yes. Zelthur wasn't exiled just for talking to Devils. He was experimenting — trying to merge Angelic and Infernal energy into something new. Dangerous, unpredictable, and absolutely forbidden by Heaven."
Cyra blinked. "He tried to combine both?"
"Exactly," Lloyd replied. "He believed it could create a higher form of power — one that transcended the rules of both Heaven and Hell. But Queen Zoya didn’t see it that way. To them, he crossed a sacred line. So, exile."
Cyra moved forward, her movements fluid as she began to stretch. "I can't believe it. I thought Angels would be more... tolerant of those who go against their laws."
Lloyd shrugged, his almost red wings rustling softly. "Not when it threatens their perfect balance. Heaven clings to its purity, even if it means shutting down anything that challenges their ideals."
She tilted her head playfully. "Sooo..."
Lloyd narrowed his eyes with a small smirk. "Just say it."
"Fine!" Cyra giggled. "How do you feel about me finally embracing my Angel side?"
Lloyd chuckled, amused. "I was going to ask you that." He leaned slightly closer. "Are you ready to embrace it?"
Cyra furrowed her eyebrows, thoughtful for a second. "Ehh? I mean, I'm still trying to wrap my head around it."
Lloyd smiled. "I know it's a lot. But I'm here for you, si—"
"I FEEL GREAT!" Cyra suddenly shouted, her voice bouncing through the vast hall.
Lloyd laughed, unable to hold it in. "I'm glad to hear that, Cy—"
"I'M GONNA BECOME EVEN COOLER THAN YOU!!" she yelled again, pumping her little fists into the air.
Lloyd raised a brow. "We'll see about tha—"
"AND THEN, I'LL SURPASS FATHER!!"
Lloyd’s grin twitched. "That’s not going to be easy. You’ve got a long wa—"
"AND NO ONE WILL STAND IN MY WA-"
"STOP INTERRUPTING ME!!" Lloyd finally snapped, though even his annoyance sounded more exasperated than angry.
Cyra grinned innocently, blinking her big heterochromatic eyes. "Okay, okay! Last one, I swear."
Lloyd made a noise close to a sigh.
"For now."
Lloyd swore he was so close to being done with this girl he called his sister. As he opened his mouth to argue back, a voice suddenly echoed through the hall, making him snap his head toward the sound. Cyra heard it too and instinctively mirrored his reaction. The voice came from the other entrance.
From the dimly lit corridor on the far side of the training hall, a familiar tone rang out. "This is the hall where you'll be training her."
The siblings exchanged a glance — they knew that voice instantly.
An unfamiliar voice followed with a calm, "Alright," before asking, "Where is Her Highness?"
"She's right there," the first voice answered plainly.
Two figures emerged from the shadows. It was King Zarius, and behind him stood a stranger — an Angel, or rather, something close.
Lloyd and Cyra immediately teleported to their father, bowing respectfully. Then they both turned and gave the newcomer a polite nod.
King Zarius gestured towards the stranger. "This is Zelthur."
Zelthur stood tall — his dark skin marked with intricate, gold-yellow lines along his cheeks, though they no longer shimmered as brightly as those of his brethren. His wings, once brilliant gold, had dimmed to a muted, almost tarnished shade — the edges a soft greyish white rather than pure. What remained of his halo hovered faintly above his head — a thin ring of dull light, barely holding its glow.
Despite the faded radiance, his presence still carried weight; his golden eyes retained their sharp gleam, filled with wisdom and unsettling intensity. His white robe with golden trim, though pristine, lacked the vibrant, almost divine glow of an untainted Angel. The gold belt at his waist seemed heavier somehow, as if burdened by his exile, and his soft white boots blended quietly into the dark marble beneath him.
Though stripped of Heaven’s full favor, his aura still pulsed with undeniable power — proof that while his purity may have dulled, his strength remained intact.
King Zarius turned to Lloyd. “Have you already told Cyra about him?”
Lloyd gave a firm nod. “Yes, Father.”
“Good.” King Zarius’s tone remained serious, his sharp gaze lingering on his daughter for a moment longer.
Then he addressed Cyra directly. “Your lessons will commence immediately.”
Without hesitation, Cyra nodded and followed Zelthur toward the center of the hall. In the middle stood a large circular platform — a slab of smooth, polished stone that pulsed faintly with energy, etched with glowing runes that shifted slowly like living veins beneath the surface. The gentle hum of power filled the air.
King Zarius and Lloyd made their way to a raised dais off to the side — a perfect vantage point overlooking the platform. As they settled into their seats, both their gazes fixed on Cyra, watching as Zelthur silently prepared her for what was to come.
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Cyra glanced up at Zelthur, her voice smaller than she intended. “What are we going to start with?”
Zelthur’s golden eyes, now slightly dimmed with a faint halo barely flickering above his head, locked onto hers. Even with his diminished radiance, his presence was overwhelming — a strange mixture of grace and heaviness.
“We will begin with healing,” he said, voice calm yet commanding.
Cyra swallowed hard and nodded, forcing herself to stand tall. 'You can do this', she told herself.
Without breaking eye contact, Zelthur asked, “Since you’ve awakened your Angelic side, how much have you been able to heal?”
He stood over her, his tall, dark figure casting a long shadow across the glowing platform. The faint sheen of golden markings along his cheeks caught the light, though even they seemed muted compared to what a pure Angel would bear.
Cyra licked her lips nervously. “I-I’ve healed myself many times.”
Zelthur’s brow lifted ever so slightly, unimpressed. “That is your body’s natural instinct. Have you healed anyone else?”
She quickly added, “I’ve healed my brother a few times too.”
A small nod from Zelthur, his gaze never softening. “That’s a start. But healing others drains far more energy than mending your own wounds.”
His voice deepened slightly as he continued, “We will test your stamina — how long you can sustain your energy while healing — and your pain tolerance.”
Cyra’s stomach tightened. “Umm... okay.”
Zelthur’s faint smile didn’t help. “Prepare yourself, Princess. This will not be gentle.”
Cyra dropped into a fighting stance, her small frame tense but determined. Across from her, Zelthur stood motionless — unreadable, almost statuesque.
Without hesitation, Cyra teleported behind him, launching a swift kick aimed at his side.
But he was faster.
His hand shot out, catching her leg in a crushing grip. Pain flared instantly, forcing a wince from her lips as bruises bloomed beneath his fingers. The bruising barely lasted a second before her body instinctively began healing.
Zelthur’s eyes flicked down to her leg, observing. Then he struck — his fist arcing toward her arm. Cyra barely managed to intercept it, but even catching the blow sent a sharp crack through her bones.
She gritted her teeth, feeling the fracture snap back into place with an uncomfortable jolt. The sharp sting of her body stitching itself back together was a distraction she couldn’t afford.
'Focus... focus...' she thought, teleporting above him in a flash of white light. She brought her elbow down hard on his head.
He didn’t flinch.
Before she could react, his hand shot up, grabbed her by the head, and with terrifying force, slammed her into the glowing platform. The sound of her skull striking the hard surface echoed through the hall.
“AACK!” Cyra cried out, clutching her bleeding head as crimson streaked her snow-white hair.
Lloyd's fists clenched from the sidelines, a low growl rumbling in his throat, but King Zarius remained perfectly still, his gaze cold and calculating.
Before Cyra could recover, Zelthur seized her right arm and, without hesitation, snapped it backward. A sharp crack filled the room as white-hot pain seared through her entire body.
“If you wish to master healing,” Zelthur said, his tone eerily calm, “you must learn to separate pain from panic. Focus on your wounds — not your fear. You cannot afford weakness.”
'This is the worst pain I’ve ever felt', Cyra thought, tears blurring her vision as they streaked down her cheeks.
“Focus,” Zelthur repeated, voice low but firm.
Cyra squeezed her eyes shut, forcing herself to breathe through the agony. A soft, golden light began to radiate from her body. Her torn flesh slowly knit itself together; broken bones reformed piece by piece under the glow. She could feel her energy draining — each second of healing pulling more strength from her core.
But she held on.
The bleeding stopped. Her arm straightened. The pain dulled into a steady throb.
When she finally opened her eyes, Zelthur stood before her, arms folded, watching.
After a few tense seconds, Cyra raised a hand to her head, her fingers running through blood-matted strands of white hair. No pain. The wound was completely closed.
Slowly, she straightened herself, steady on her feet. Across from her, Zelthur watched, his half-faded golden halo flickering faintly above his head, his dim wings shifting as if in silent judgment.
He spoke, voice calm but sharp. “You did well. The wounds I gave you were minor compared to what you may one day face — but for your first true test of healing, you handled it... adequately.”
Cyra’s heterochromatic eyes widened at his words. Her body still pulsed faintly with the lingering ache.
“What you’ve experienced here,” Zelthur continued, “is only a taste of true suffering. Healing is not simply mending flesh; it is a battle between your strength and your limits. If you wish to master it, you must push far beyond this.”
His lips curled into a small, unsettling smirk, the dim glow of his faded halo casting faint, flickering shadows across his dark features. The sight made Cyra’s core tense involuntarily.
“I... I understand, sir,” she replied, voice steady despite the exhaustion in her limbs.
Without another word, Zelthur turned and made his way toward King Zarius, who had risen from the viewing platform. Zelthur stopped before him, bowed respectfully, and then strode toward the exit. His wings — still unmistakably angelic, but far from pure — drifted behind him as he disappeared into the dim hallway.
King Zarius turned to Cyra, his gaze steady. “That was a very enlightening first lesson, Cyra. Follow his instructions. Zelthur’s methods may be harsh, but they will forge strength in you. Listen well.”
Cyra nodded firmly, her resolve clear.
King Zarius gave a single approving nod before exiting, leaving only the two siblings alone in the vast hall.
Cyra turned to Lloyd and tried to flash a grin, though her still-flushed face and weary body made it a poor attempt.
"Hey Lloyd—" Cyra began, but before she could finish, she was scooped into a tight embrace. Lloyd pulled her close, his small frame surprisingly firm despite looking like a child.
"Are you alright?" Lloyd asked, his voice laced with concern as he carefully scanned her, checking every part of her for any lingering wounds.
Cyra chuckled softly, trying to ease his worry. "I’m fine. You saw me heal, didn’t you?"
"I did," Lloyd admitted, his gaze serious, "but you were still hurt far more than you should’ve been."
Cyra smiled gently and hugged him back. "I promise you, I’m fine. I’ll always be fine. This is how I get stronger. Injuries like that? Soon, they won’t even matter."
Lloyd’s expression twisted with frustration. "You’re still too young for this! You’re only 255, Cyra! There are Angels far older than you who’ve never gone through this kind of training!"
"Almost 256," Cyra corrected with a grin.
"That doesn’t change anything!" Lloyd protested. "You shouldn’t be taking risks like this. Just because Father allows it doesn’t mean you have to push yourself so far."
"I know that!" Cyra shot back, her own frustration rising to meet his. "But I want this, Lloyd. I want to master my power, and Father believes I can. I still have a long way to go, but I’ll make it."
Lloyd hesitated, his anger slowly draining into reluctant acceptance. "...You’re right," he finally admitted. "But at least let me help. If you’re going to train like this, I want to make sure you don’t get too reckless."
Cyra smiled again, her eyes glowing with gratitude. "Of course you can help. I’d be happy to have you with me."
Lloyd’s lips curved into a smile, and he hugged her tightly once again. "And look on the bright side!" Cyra suddenly said, her grin mischievous.
Lloyd’s smile faltered ever so slightly as he let her go. He already sensed where this was going. "What bright side?" he asked warily, narrowing his eyes.
"I’m already much cooler than you!!" Cyra declared with a proud grin, her laughter ringing through the hall.
Lloyd deadpanned. "You cannot be serious." His expression mirrored King Zarius’s usual stone-cold look, a perfect imitation.
Cyra waved him off playfully. "Anyway, I’m going to go practice my healing some more," she announced, about to teleport away.
Lloyd stopped her with a sharp question, "What exactly do you mean by that?"
She blinked at him, feigning innocence. "Uhh... that I’m going to practice healing some more?"
In a flash, Lloyd teleported in front of her, blocking her path. The red-horned Devil crossed his arms, staring down at her. "Are you planning to hurt yourself?"
Cyra shrunk back a little, eyes wide. "N-no," she stammered.
Lloyd narrowed his eyes further. "You’re a terrible liar. I’ve never heard of a Devil being such a terrible liar."
"Technically," Cyra shot back, folding her arms with a playful glare, "I’m only half Devil."
Lloyd rolled his eyes. "All the more reason I should keep an extra close eye on you. I’ll stay with you — and only minor injuries allowed."
Cyra muttered under her breath, "Only when you’re watching."
"What was that?"
"Nothing!"
»»———————- ♔ ———————-««
Cyra: "Zelthur, how bad was my performance on a scale of 1 to 10?"
Zelthur: "Yes."
Cyra: "… That’s not a number."
Zelthur: "Neither was your form."
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[A/N]: The flashback continues! I really enjoyed writing this chapter :)
Thanks for reading! ^^
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