The choices we make, are the things that forge us, they are the decisive factors that help shape not only how a person acts toward the world, but how the world sees them in return as well.

Perhaps it was irony perhaps that Esperia who had ascended to the role of a Demon Queen had been influencing her followers to develop a more virtuous nature. Certainly, demons were destructive beings by nature, but it seemed her influence made them more inclined to turn that nature toward a greater purpose, one she saw as a justified one.

She wanted to turn demonkind from a force that existed only to plague and corrupt Earthland, into a proper species. One that could possibly even coexist among the other races in Earthland.

So to hear that the divine protectors of the Lucent, the followers of Illumin who her family had served for countless generations had deemed her a threat that should be eliminated without a second thought? It was enough to cloud her mind with anger.

And even then, as her anger and rage were overflowing not a sign of it was visible on her expression or her mannerisms after that initial outburst. One might wonder if she had taken Alisa's lessons about being a 'classy' Lewdling to heart, or if rather than controlling her anger, she was expressing it through these lecherous actions?

Even as the Seraphim were corrupted by her very actions she did nothing to stop it, nor did she feel anything about it. Even as she drained the very essence of their soul from their bodies, she simply felt the delight that came from the sensations of draining someone.

The first Seraphim to fall was the first one to die, having indulged too much in the pleasures and sins Esperia had provided her, the last drops of her soul had left her being and her body became a soulless husk, just a beautiful puppet if anything else.

WC: 328
Total WC: 328/1500

It was only when she arrived at the final Seraphim, whose name was seemingly Aseria, that her thirst for vengeance was satisfied. Perhaps it was because she had discovered through her powers that the young angel had tried to convince the others to spare her, that there had been a way to save her or turn her back to the path the Lucent deemed right, that Esperia didn't want to see this one suffering the same fate her sisters did.

It seemed that there was something about her power that corrupted the denizen of the Lucent. How she wasn't certain, perhaps it was something about her influence that tainted their Grace? Whatever the case might had been, her desire to not see this Seraphim suffer the same end as her sisters seemingly allowed her a greater control over her draining power, to the point that it seemed only the taint of her corruption spread. But during these moments where she indulged in these sinful experiences she learned some valuable things.

First, and perhaps most important was the knowledge that even among the denizen of the Lucent there was a hierarchy, one followed much more tightly than in the abyss. Something like backstabbing or defying a superior was unheard of among them.

WC: 213
Total WC: 541/1500

But equally curious was the fact that the higher one went in the hierarchy, the more mysterious the identity of the person became. Some had not even once in their life been allowed an audience with the Archangels, or these of the equivalent standing in the Lucent.

And even more curious was that this particular mission was given from higher up. Who it had been was a question Aseria genuinely couldn't answer. She had never seen or heard the individual who gave the order, and due to the nature of the Lucent none of her sisters had seen reason to question or ask about the matter either. They were told Esperia was a threat now she had become a demon, and that the only way to preserve the Order and future of the Lucent was by eliminating her.

Such an idea was ridiculous. She had never cared for the Lucent, or considered it something she had to deal with. So why did one of the upper brass of the Lucent want her dead? Was it simply because of her ties to Bael? No, there must had been something else at play. Some sort of reason they had given this order.

WC: 201
Total WC: 742/1500

However, even as she used this opportunity to extract information from Aseria, she felt the Seraphim was different from her sisters. There had been genuine concern in her decision to question the actions of the Lucent. This had clearly been contrading to the behavior of her sisters who showed neither remorse or even concern about the fact they were about to try to kill her. However, as she continued to delve further into the matter she learned something of great interest to her: Not all Seraphim were born in the Lucent. While it was true that a lot of them were created from some sort of device or entity called the Arc, it seemed that among their ranks were some who were looked at with disgust and distrust. Some who had become Seraphim through different methods: By ascending as a mortal.

It was this detail that made Aseria different from her sisters. She was a human who had ascended into the role of a Seraphim after living a selfless life as a Nephilim in service of the Lucent. But even after all her effort Aseria was always looked down upon by her superiors in the Lucent.

It reminded her a little of how some countries in Earthland looked down upon Demi-humans. But still... It didn't explain why one would go to such great length to question the authority of their superior. To ask whether their cause was just or not. And so Esperia decided to ask the questions whose answers would finally lead her to the outcome she had in mind.

Aseria had once been a knight in service of the church. However, during her life she experienced one event that she regretted immensely. A dear friend of her was once wrongly put on trial, the scapegoat of a corrupt noble who had tried to cover up his crimes. Of course, she tried to protest, but her boss told her to remain silent for her own sake.

It was an event she could never forget. To not question justice, to not be able to fully believe in the justness of a cause was the reason she had left knighthood and went to serve the Seraphim instead. But there... even there it felt like more of the same happened.

She had tried to question the decision of the Lucent about her extermination, tried to see if there was no path to redemption, but it seemed that the story had unfolded entirely different than she had expected.

WC: 417
Total WC: 1159/1500

Perhaps the Lucent had been wrong all along. Just like the demon had said. "Calling me Demon is a bit cold~ Call me Esperia please~" Esperia's gentle voice snapped the Seraphim out of her daze as she looked at her side. Her wings had turned a pitch black color. She had fallen from grace, just like her sisters, but unlike them she was still alive? Seeing the confusion on her expression Esperia smiled sympathetically. "It must be hard for you to accept that only you were deemed innocent among your sisters. The only one who did not blindly follow a faith that would force you to unwillingly turn your blade onto someone for the wrong reason."

Aseria looked back at Esperia, asking hesitatingly. "Then you never meant to invade the Lucent?" To which Esperia merely chuckled. "Of course I never had such intentions. I tried to reform demon society to make them less of a threat to Earthland, so that there could be a day they could coexist. Of course such a day is still far away~"

Aseria shook her head firmly in response. "But the gateway-" The Demon Queen nodded her head firmly in response. "Is meant to lead me back to Earthland, where these dear to me await my return."

She... was lied to? All this time Esperia had not been a threat at all? She was merely a demon who wanted to return back home to her origins as a mortal? Anger started to boil up within the Seraphim, but she suddenly felt a hand gently rest on her cheek. "Don't look at me so~ A smile suits you much better." The Seraphim's eyes widened for a moment, after which she lowered her gaze, she felt ashamed. Ashamed of how readily she had followed the Lucent's orders.

Perhaps she had put her faith in the wrong people? Still, when she heard about Esperia's words earlier there was not a shred of deception in them, making it sound like she really was trying to do something outragous like turn demons onto the right path. Was such a thing even possible? She couldn't help but wonder, but at the same time she had seen just how much power this demon- Esperia had at her disposal. How could she possibly not feel fascinated about the idea of seeing if she could truly accomplish that goal?

WC: 401
Total WC: +1500/1500