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How long had it been, since they had walked these halls? Since they had travelled in a manner so... pedestrian. Dust floated up as their heels clicked against the cold marble beneath them, as they strode past the silent doors to rooms devoid of life. How long had it been, since there had been another voice here, to break the endless echoing silence? They didn't let their features shift, their face remaining cold and still as they strode. Didn't let the discord that burned inside of them effect the perfect order of their perfect world. They strode out into the courtyard, past the towering statues that held their likeness, deftly avoiding the clear puddles that had collected upon the smooth stone floor. How long had they been there? How long had it been, since rain had last fallen? Had it truly been so long since the sky above had been anything but this endless cloud, reflecting endless white below?
They spared a glance down, into that smooth stone, and they only saw their own rippling reflection staring back up at them, eyes set with a grim, cold determination. Indeed, they shouldn't forget their purpose. The reason that they had done all of this. Others mattered little, and love mattered less. All they needed was power. That was what they had told themself, so long ago. And that had to be true. The alternative was... They shook their head, clearing the thought from their mind. Only then did they notice the fainted drops of golden liquid in the puddle beneath them, swirling and defusing into it in chaotic, controlled patterns. They unclenched the fist they hadn't realised they'd formed, and with the briefest hint of magic they mended the injury. But the golden drops still persisted, curling and flowing into the rest of the puddle. They paused, for just a moment, kneeling to gently run their finger through the water, disturbing the pattern and watching as it flowed out once more. Perhaps this was what their world was missing. Perhaps perfect order needed some chaos.
After all, even light needs a shadow.
With that, they stood, a smile curling upon their once mask-like face, a menacing spark appearing in their eyes. Yes, some chaos would do this place nicely. After all, what was the point of all of this beauty and grace, if no one was there to appreciate it? To appreciate them? Perhaps others - lessers - were needed. None could stand as they did, but perhaps... Perhaps some followers were in order. They could take inspiration from those ancient carvings of their old world. What had they been called again? Angels? Beings of holy power, who saved you from the demons, and the dark, and the things that went bump in the night?
They had always scoffed at the idea. After all, no angels had decended to save their old world, no matter how many desperate prayers the devout had cried out. But perhaps... Perhaps they should fashion some angels. Beings who carried out their divine will, vessels for them to act upon the world through. Beings who served them, who followed their every whim. Yes, they would do very nicely...
They didn't know how long it had been, when they finally emerged once again, but the puddle had disappeared. The clouds had faded some as well, revealing a pure white sky above them, radiating pure light - their light - across their world. They plucked out some of this light, and folded it within their hands, bending it to their will. From it, they fashioned a creature. Made in the image of their long forgotten world, but with six wings saddled upon their back. A burden, that they may always remember their place, that they may always remember by who's grace it was that they could be free. That they may always know that they were never truly free. When their body was finished, they placed fashioned a halo of light, and placed it upon their head, that they may always live within the light, that they may always see. That they may never forget who protects them from the dark.
When this first one was finished, they stepped back, to admire their work. To create life was no easy feat, they had attempted it in the past - but never when they had wielded this much power. They looked upon their first angel, skin like pure marble, carved to perfection. Her every essence was perfect. Her hair was a soft gray, a pale shadow cast by their own devine light. A perfect shadow.
She gazed up at her creator, wonder in her pale blue eyes, and Elux spoke.
"You are the one who shall liberate all from fear, all from darkness. You are the first of my angels, the first of your kind. You are the one who shall spread word of me far and wide, that all may know, and all may serve. You, my darling, are my Lightbringer. My Sol."
The angel simply nodded as her God reached out, gently stroking her cheek, before they turned on their heel and stepped away. "Now, go. Explore this world. Learn it, memorise it. This is my home - our home, and you must know and appreciate every aspect of it. Go forth, explore, and witness divine perfection.
The angel simply nodded once again, bowing to her God before turning to leave.
For a time, the God was content, with just them and Sol. They had taken to going by Elux - after all, their angel needed some way to address them, didn't she? Simply hearing "my grace" or "your holiness" all the time, whilst amusing at first, soon grew dull. As did simply spending all their time with just one angel. A blind worshipper, who followed their every whim, who obeyed without question. Who acted perfectly, just as they had intended. And yet, they found themself growing bored. Their Sol would obey every order without question, push herself beyond her limits for them, and yet... It simply became dull. Mundane. Predictable. And, as they grew bored, so too they grew curious. Perhaps if they changed how the angel was formed, perhaps if they inflicted some imperfections upon her personality, she would become more interesting.
And so it came to pass that Elux plucked a single strand of Sol's hair, and began fashioning their next creation. Another angel, to be the sister to their Sol. This one had lighter hair, a pure white, not dissimilar to their own - though it lacked their two-toned to compliment their own gold. She knelt the moment she was finished, but she did not keep quiet as her sister had. She stared up at them, with that same wonder in her eyes, though this time they were a deep crimson - a similar shade to what their blood had once been, before they had ascended. This angel didn't keep silent, however, and instead spoke, her tone curious.
"Who am I?"
"You, my darling, are an inversion. A parallel to your sister, the Lightbringer. You are the reverse, the inversion of that which radiates out. Your purpose is not to spread our world, to drive back the darkness, but to challenge it. To find the imperfections that the light blinds others to, and to challenge them. To correct them. You, my darling, are my Reficul. And you are going to help me to change the world."
The angel nodded, before rising from the ground, unfurling her wings and stretching them behind herself. Elux took a moment more to examine and admire their creation - her form was once again pure perfection, as if carved from marble itself, except for one flaw. Her eyes. Those deep crimsion eyes, ever inquisitive, ever learning. A stark break from their former perfection, and yet one they found themself enjoying more and more as they gazed upon it. Yes, she would do nicely. Very nicely indeed...
It was only a short time later that they began to inflict some changes upon Sol as well - though only minor adjustments were needed, in truth. Just a sprinkling of flaws within her, to help ensure that she could never approach their pefection. And, of course, to make her more interesting. They inflicted upon her a sense of love for her sister, which was, naturally, mirrored in kind. The two were quick to bond, and Elux set about creating more angels. After all, why would they stop at two?
Before long, their world was teaming with life. Their corridors no longer dusty, echoing now the footfall of their angels, their pious voices and subtle disputes. None came as close to perfection as Sol or Reficul, of course - they had learned from that mistake long ago. Within each angel, they inflicted a flaw - one might be too loud, another too clumsy, and yet another forgetful. They found that this diversity helped to ensure they were entertaining, whilst they all held one thing in common. Undying reverence for their God.
Well, almost all of them, at least. Reficul, their second angel, their head angel, lacked that trait. She was perfect in every other way, but she could not truly see their perfect world. She would find flaws to be remedeed, find issues to fix. It was rather quite entertaining, in truth, to watch the seraph be among so many of her kind, and yet suffer alone. Perhaps they had put too much of themself into her. Or perhaps they had not put enough. Regardless, she was entertaining, and helped to break what would have otherwise been a perfect, boring idealization of their world. Of them.
They had long since learned that lesson as well. Too much perfection became dull. All light needs a shadow, needs a darkness.
After all, if there was nothing to fear, why would people pray?