The Game's Extra:Azhrael's Odyssey

Her words struck like lightning, jolting Xavian out of his swirling despair and rage. His eyes widened as clarity pierced through his mind like a blade, the haze of emotion lifting enough for him to see what he had missed.

He looked closer, and the subtle signs became clear—his brother's trembling pupils, the barely noticeable twitch of his fingers, and the unnatural stiffness in his posture. Arian was not himself.

"Arian..." Xavian's voice softened, tinged with both guilt and fury, but before he could say more, another voice cut through the heavy air like a dagger.

It came from the woman standing beside his brother, her presence exuding dark energy. Her long, jet-black hair cascaded down her back like a shadow, blending seamlessly with the gloom around her. Her piercing black eyes gleamed with malice, locking onto Xavian and his wife.

"Oh, so even in this pitiful state, the great Celestial Witch manages to see the truth," the dark-haired woman sneered, her voice laced with venomous mockery.

'Our Lord was right, it seems' she mused, her black eyes glinting with malicious satisfaction. 'If we allow even a single one of them to ascend to divinity, they will become untouchable. Even now, at their weakest, they are dangerous'.

Her gaze drifted to Xavian, and a cruel smile tugged at her lips. "How amusing. Tell me, Xavian, what good does knowing the truth bring you now, when you've already lost everything?"

Her mocking laughter rang out, a sinister melody that seemed to taunt the very air around them. "It's too late for you. Surely, you see that by now."

"Enough of this," the other man growled, his patience wearing thin. "We can't give the witch any more time. Who knows what tricks she might still have up her sleeve? Let's end this now—her, the child, all of them."

Xavian's jaw clenched as frustration and rage bubbled within him. He clicked his tongue, realizing their enemies had uncovered their final gambit. His mind raced for options, but the noose around them tightened with every passing second.

Haa

From beside him came a soft, steady sigh, a sound so gentle it momentarily cut through the chaos in his mind.

He turned to look at his wife, his heart aching at the sight of her. Despite having endured the ordeal of childbirth mere hours ago, despite the pallor of her skin and the fragility of her body, she stood tall and unwavering.

Her azure eyes shone with an inner strength that defied her weakened state, and when she spoke.

It wasn't the voice of someone cowering in fear in the face of death. No, her voice was calm and gentle, unwavering in its serenity.

She stepped closer to him, her movements slow but deliberate, her pale hand reaching up to caress his cheek. Her touch was tender, yet it carried the weight of a lifetime of love and trust.

Her azure eyes locked onto his, glimmering with unspoken emotions. There was no fear, no regret—only an infinite well of love and pride as she spoke, her voice soft but steady, each word carrying her heart.

"Well, it seems this is the end, huh? Though I'm glad it's with you—the most beautiful thing that ever happened in my lonely life. There's no one else I'd rather face the end with," she said with a gentle smile, a smile so radiant that it seemed to dispel even the suffocating darkness surrounding them.

At her side, a cluster of starlight shimmered into existence, swirling with vibrant colors that danced like the cosmos itself. It served as a camouflaging veil, concealing a cradle within.

Inside lay a small child—a boy with snow-white hair as pure as his father's and oceanic azure eyes that mirrored the depth of his mother's gaze and shone with intelligence.

Xavian and his wife turned their eyes to the boy, their hearts heavy with an overwhelming mix of emotions.

Great love and unyielding care filled their gazes as they looked at their precious diamond, their miracle in the midst of chaos.

But intertwined with that love was a profound sadness, a silent sorrow knowing this would be the last time they would see him.

Regret lingered in their expressions—the regret of not being able to raise him, to guide him, to be there for his first steps or hear his first words.

And above all, there was worry, a gnawing fear for the cruel and unforgiving world that awaited their son, who would soon be left to face it alone.

Yet, even in that moment of despair, they silently vowed that no matter what, they would do everything in their final moments to ensure their child had a chance to survive, to live, to thrive.

The eyes of the assailants widened in shock and trepidation as they caught sight of the child. Even in his cradle, the aura surrounding him was extraordinary—an unshakable presence that seemed to ripple through the very fabric of existence.

This was no ordinary child. His mere existence had already shaken the balance of the world. Born with the potential to surpass the limits of god's.

His presence was a threat to the world's powerhouses, the beings revered as gods in their own right. The raw, untapped energy emanating from the newborn sent a chill through even the most confident of the enemies standing before Xavian and his wife.

One of the assailants, a tall, dark-robed figure, muttered under his breath, his voice trembling despite his efforts to appear composed. "This child… his mere existence could tip the balance of the world. No wonder the higher-ups want him eliminated before he matures."

The black-haired woman sneered, masking the unease that flickered in her own heart. "Such potential… yet he's but a fragile newborn. It won't take much to snuff out this spark before it becomes a wildfire."

Xavian's grip on his sword tightened, his eyes burning with unrelenting determination. His wife's hand, still resting on his cheek, offered a comforting warmth that seemed to reignite his resolve.

Together, they stood as an unbreakable shield for their son—a beacon of defiance in the face of insurmountable odds.

"If you think we'll let you lay a single hand on him," Xavian growled, his voice a low, threatening rumble, "then you've gravely underestimated what we're willing to do for our son."