HEROES BEHIND SHADOWS

Sometimes.. villains are actually heroes behind shadows.

Sometimes, they are angels in a demon's disguise.
 I. Ouma Azelus: Blessed With A Curse

I

"You know the feeling of watching a movie..
..even though you know how it's going to end?"
the blurred face of that man I once knew flashed inside my head.
He was smiling.. and yet it felt like it was half-meant.

I had only just realized that until now.

His hair was as dark as a raven's. He had long bangs..
He had gentle looking eyes.. despite its unusual color of crimson.
Whenever he smiled, it felt like the world was in slow motion.

The memories of the past replayed in the color of sepia.
I could hardly remember his face anymore.

I don't remember.

My name is Titania. I was born in the midst of a cold war between
my country of Ulvynix and the country of Shinigami. Yes, their
country was named after "god of death". They spoke a different
language from us.. and the source of the dispute between the
two countries remain unknown.

I was still young that time..
..when my mother and father, the rulers of our country,
decided to personally visit the land of the god of death.
I was just a young princess.
I didn't know anything about political wars.

I knew nothing.
I couldn't do anything.

I face the mirror now.. while I'm replaying the past.
My silver hair had grown long when it used to be blond before.
They believed we were a family of witches.
I stared back at myself, looking at my own eyes that resembled
the color of the ocean. It was as blue as its water.

During our time in the Shinigami country,
I met a boy.. whose eyes were the color of blood.
It was a bright and fierce crimson. He seemed a bit older than me
and taller than me, too. His hair was pitch black.

"Who are you?" I asked with my eyes wide open, his appearance
that seemed foreign to me triggered my curiosity, I wanted to know
who he was. My hair was still a lively color of yellow, like the sun
back then. I wore a pink dress, typical for a little princess.

I found him behind the garden of the castle.
The country of Shinigami allowed our royal family to stay in their castle.
And apparently, it was only the two of us. The afternoon sun kisses my white
skin.. while the boy remained under the shade.. yet his eyes seemed to glow
even in the darkest places. I thought he was inhumane.

Without answering me yet, the mysterious boy smiled.

He wore simple clothes, long sleeves and shorts that seemed a bit dirty.
In my country, I've never seen anyone wear clothes tainted with even the
tiniest bit of dirt. Seeing his appearance and his outfit made me feel a little
bit more curious than ever.

The boy spoke.. but in a language that I didn't know.
They said the Shinigami language is called "Japanese".
I was unable to understand what he said so I just stared at him in silence.

"I will talk to you once I perfect my English" ...was what that boy actually
told me back then. I seem to perfectly remember it.

Right after saying that, the boy ran away and since I was wearing such
difficult clothes, I found it hard to catch up to him. He vanished into
the corner and left without a trace. I was left by myself, asking,
who was that boy?

After that, I went back inside the castle.
I then asked my personal servant to sit with me and teach me
the Japanese language until dinner and before going to bed.

My father and the ruler of the Shinigami country
overheard me and my servants' conversation. Apparently,
that made the Shinigami Ruler smile and it made me happy.

I spent all night long studying their language.
It was hard. It was difficult.

But then again..

A few days later..

I saw the same boy again, in the same place, at the same time.

"You again! Who are you?" I exclaimed and then pointed a finger
at him. I started feeling suspicious towards him and he still wore
the same kind of clothes.. different yet tad bit dirty.

The mysterious boy stared at me with his mystic eyes.
Yes, they seemed mystical to me. Like a jewel of the color ruby.

Unlike before..

The boy stepped out of the shade and at the same time,
the summer breeze brought the wind to us and the wind
playfully caressed our hair and my dress.

He smiled like before, a smile so bright, it didn't seem to
fit his dark hair and blood red eyes. "I'm Azelus" finally,
I heard his voice. He was young back then, it sounded
bright and energetic.

"Azelus.. what are you doing here all the time? Do you
live in this castle?" As a child, I was always curious about
unusual things. Just like his unusual presence. Thus, I asked
him more questions. Even though I sounded like I was prying..
..Azelus' face seemed calm and gentle.

He nodded. "Yeah!" Cheerfully, he answered.

"Then, are you a prince?!" I felt like he was. I believed he was.

He wasn't just a fairy boy in the garden.
I knew he was something special.

There was a long pause again before Azelus answered my question.

..And when he did, "I was supposed to be. But our family gave up
royalty. We're not suited to be kings" Azelus answered and his
English sounded perfect and fluent that it felt like I was beaten..
and even though he smiled, it seemed bitter.

My eyes widened. I was younger than him, but I understood
what he said. I started to think.. maybe something happened.

..But I didn't have the courage to ask. I didn't want to ask.

"You are the princess, aren't you?" This time, it was his turn
to ask. Azelus asked me after walking up to me, he was a bit
taller than me. It wasn't so obvious until he stood right in
front of me.

"I am.. the princess of the Ulvynix kingdom." I felt a little
bit shy to see him stand too close. No other kid in my country,
even the sons of the aristocrats stood this close to me and
thus I didn't look at him straight when I spoke. "My name
is Titania" since he was smiling all this time.. I decided
to do the same thing and smiled at him too.

"Titania, huh? Pretty name. Just like you are." Azelus started
to compliment me and I blushed. I wasn't used to be called
'pretty'. Even though everyone in our country calls me beautiful
or pretty.. I only believed that they say those things just because
I was the princess. But never did they compliment me in a genuine
way just like what Azelus did.

"Your name doesn't sound common in this country" I didn't know
how to react exactly, even though I wanted to say thanks, different
sets of words came out of my mouth instead.

Azelus laughed softly. "Yeah. Well, we are a family of unusual
people after all." He answered as he looked up to the sky.

"Unusual people?" I tilted my head as I had no clue of what
he had just said. "Why are you always in this garden if you
no longer live in the castle?" I decided to ask him the question

I've been wanting to know from the very start.

"I water the flowers secretly. The gardener knows me and lets
me do the job for her." Azelus answered, I wasn't sure if he
was being honest, but I see no lies in his eyes. It was as if..
..he had a radiant aura all over him. His appearance seems
dark.. yet, he carries a powerful bright persona."Sneaking in
 already ruins my clothes. Hahaha"

"J-Just to water the flowers.. you sneak in the castle?"
I was also relieved that he can perfectly understand me.
That way, we can finally communicate. But then at the same time..
I wondered.. did he study our language just to communicate with us?

Azelus looked back at me with a calm smile.

"This was my mother's garden. She had passed away.
Her body was incinerated by the fire and in the end,
our family just decided to burn her body to ashes
and bury it along with a seed of roses.
The flowerbed.. her deathbed.."
His eyes showed pain. His smile was half-meant.

To the young me in the past, I didn't see through that.
But now as I remember it.. I realized how hurt he was
when he talked about it. How his smile was actually to
hide his pain and to stop himself from crying.

After meeting Azelus, I befriended him.

We became close friends in just a short amount of time.
We always met in the garden. Azelus told me that the
current ruler of their country will get mad if he sees
him, so I kept our meeting a secret.

But it didn't stay as a secret for far too long..

And by the evening...

I awakened to the smell of smoke.. the smell of fire.
Quickly, I get out of the bed and ran over to the window.
Outside I saw flames slowly scattering behind the garden.

I wasn't sure why..

But without thinking..

My feet began to run on its own.. and my heartbeat rushed.
I could barely breathe, I cannot catch my breath, but I kept running.
And when I've arrived, my parents were there, watching the flames unfold.
Along with the Shinigami country's ruler, who was holding the torch.

In my memories, his face was blurred.

But he seemed like a kind man who'd never do such thing.
..but I guess, appearances don't really match personalities sometimes.

Just as how I looked brave and daring when in reality,
I was a shy and obnoxious type of girl.

The guards grabbed hold of me as they stop me from running
towards the garden. "Stop it! Let me go! Mother! Father!
Order them to release me!"

My mother who was bewitchly beautiful looked at me
with a pitiful expression, she seemed saddened.

"This is their country." my mother said.

"Settle down, child. It's just a garden." My father said.

Even though he didn't mean to hurt me.. it caused me
to feel even more sad. Water gathered in the corners
of my eyes and I don't know why.

On the other end of the fire..

I finally caught glimpse of him.

I saw him, who made me treasure this garden as much as he does.
As much as his mother did.

He stood there with an empty expression.
His mouth hanging a bit open.

But then his usual smiling face finally showed something different..
..the face of anger. His eyes seemed to burn fiercely with the flames
that danced right before him..

"Azelus.." All I could do was whisper his name, the name of my friend.

"I water the flowers secretly"
"This was my mother's garden. She had passed away.
Her body was incinerated by the fire and in the end,
our family just decided to burn her body to ashes
and bury it along with a seed of roses.
The flowerbed.. her deathbed.."

His words echoed inside my head.
His happy and content face flashed inside my head.
I remember how Azelus was happy just watering the flowers.

But now all I could see was his pained, angered and crying face.

"Azelus, boy. You shouldn't get close to the princess.
You're the son of a dangerous man.. from a dangerous
bloodline." The ruler of the Shinigami country spoke in their
language.. but meeting Azelus encouraged me to learn more
about the Japanese language.. so I understood what the
ruler said. "I didn't care about you sneaking in here..
but for you to come in contact with the Ulvynix princess
is a bad move. That's why I had to do this."

It hurt me to hear those words.
It was painful to be able to understand what they meant.
And all we could do was stand by and do nothing.
Watch as the boy who grew close to me suffer in pain.

Azelus, for the last time, smiled in a bitter way.

A smile filled with pain and sadness.
A smile that hid away his desire to kill.
A smile that stopped his tears from falling.

"Titania, it's not your fault."
Azelus spoke.. his voice sounded shaky but more serious
than his usual tone of voice. "One day we will meet again."

Those were his last words.. and only to me alone.
Azelus did not look at anyone else.
Not even at the man who burned that precious garden.
He only looked at me.

And in the end.. he turned his back and walked away.
All I could do was scream and cry. I was hopeless.

I was pathetic.

And somehow, the heavens sympathized with me in this tragic night.
Even though Azelus did not cry... the rain that fell from the grey sky
that stopped the flames seemed like his tears that were begging to
fall down like rain.

"Don't worry Azelus, your mother in heaven
is the one who will cry for you if you can't let it out."
I whispered as if I was trying to talk to him through the rain.
I remained outside, drenched in the rain.

And even though I was still unaware of the political war,
with that incident, I became aware of the critical possibilities
in a country. That tragic things always come sometimes.

..and it's nearly impossible to stop it.

as my reminiscing ends..

I open my eyes and showed a determined expression.
"I'm going to stop it."

end of Titania's pov

II

Fourtheen years later.. after that incident..
I am now 22 years old. My name is Ouma Azelus.
I've grown taller than I used to be fourtheen years ago.
Stronger than I used to be, mentally and physically.

I am currently studying in a university.
I shifted one course after another.
I just wanted to waste my time.

But fate wanted to play with me.

The Spring season is here.
and I was on my way to my university.
Calmly walking without a care in the world. I only cared for one thing.
I didn't even care if a car would hit me every time I cross the road.
It didn't bother me. It never crossed my mind.

..but now it did.

A car that seemed luxurious and expensive accidentally hit me
and I flew over to the other side of the road due to the impact.

It was my fault for not looking. My fault for not caring.
But I was abnormally fine. Even though I bled..
Even though I feel dizzy.. even though I was in pain..
..I felt like I wasn't going to die from it.

"Oh my god!" A foreign voice.. a foreign language.. and
a foreigner lady came out from the car rushing to my side.

She seemed to be extremely shocked and worried.
My dizziness gave me a blurred vision.
But I could tell the color of her hair..
..it was white as snow and glittered under the sun.
I could not see her face clearly.

"Oh no what the f*ck did I just do?! My first day in this
country and first day in school.. I'll take you to the hospital,
wait, no! Moving you should be a bad idea.. oh I should just
call an ambulance I-I mean a-after all you seem to be okay
and not dying and it was an accident so I'm not going to
go to jail because of t-this r-right..?!?" Her voice sounded
like she was in extreme panic and didn't really know what to do.

I could not see her face clearly, but I knew she was panicking.
I feel a few broken bones.. but I don't feel weak.
I don't feel like dying. I still have a goal.

To achieve my goal, I must disregard my very own life.
and without knowing, I completely lost my consciousness
and her voice echoed continuously inside my head.
..when I came to..

I finally saw her face.

The face of the woman who crashed her car against me.
Her skin seemed really soft and flawless, I wanted to touch her.
Her eyes resembled the deep blue ocean. When she looks at
me with those eyes, I feel like drifting away into heaven.

The lady seemed to be extremely worried,
but at the same time, she seemed younger than me.

"Are you okay?!" Her voice sounded like she's been eager
to ask me for a long time.

"I'm okay. I just need to rest a bit for my bones to heal."
Coldly, I answered her. I had no interest in any other thing.

I wanted to fight. That was all I could ever think about.

She sighs out of relief. Her foreign existence seemed
intriguing at first sight. That white hair.. seemed like a witch's.
A beautiful one to be honest.

And when my vision finally became completely clear..
I stared at her.. from head to foot. I stared with a blank expression
and she also stared back at me and then all of a sudden,

I started to feel nostalgic and I didn't know why.

I don't know that girl. But she did look like the Ulvynix' queen.
..and that's when I realized.

"Azelus?!"

"Titania?!"
We both exclaimed each others' names at the same time.

And a few minutes later, we stared at each other for a long time.
As if we could not believe what just happened.

That we met after 14 years.
Just as I predicted.
Just as I said..

We will meet again.

"Oh my god, it is you!" Titania, the young princess that I befriended
is back in my country.. and she was the one who hit me with her car.

She seemed extremely blissful and excited.
But I wasn't excited because of our reunion.
I was excited because of the possibilities she can bring.

"Yes, it's me. I've missed you Titania" I faked my smile as I spoke.

I was happy to see her.
But it triggered that painful memory.
But to me now, we are just strangers with memories.

Titania stood there for a few seconds. Her hair had turned white
despite her young age just like her mother and it has grown longer.
She is tall too, I thought she was the perfect figure of a grown woman.
I felt a little bit attracted to her but I didn't let that attraction get to me.
"(He smiles differently now..)" Titania looked away from me and showed
me a sad smile as she replies, "I missed you too."

"Why are you back in my country?" I decided to ask her. I was curious.

Titania walked up closer to my bed and sat on it, she then placed her
hand on top of my head, patting me and ruffling my hair gently. I felt
confused, why did she do that? And moreover, with such a sweet smile?

"I'll tell you about it as soon as you get out of the hospital" Titania's voice
sounded warm and loving.. as if she was truly happy to see me. "I didn't
expect it to be you. To think our first meeting will be like this. I'm glad
it didn't hurt you badly.. I wanted to.. tell you a lot of things" Titania
looks away from me as she removed her hand and with those words,
I found the answer to my question.

She came back for me.

I decided to break it to her.

"Titania." I called her out coldly . "You thought.. we were just kids back
then who knew nothing. But you're wrong. I wasn't just a kid. I knew
everything. Our friendship was real. But now we're just strangers again."

I said with an empty expression on my face.
I believe those words were enough to break her.
Enough to shatter her. But she didn't break like I expected.

She put on a strong act and a brave face.
Even though she seemed like she wanted to cry for a second,
she stopped herself from doing so and looked at me with a forced smile.
Even though it was forced, she still managed to put up a smile.

Titania was calm. She was ready to hear it.

"I see. I thought so. Well then I guess.." She stands up and leaves the
room. But she comes in right back. It confused me and made me feel
a bit annoyed. She stood in front of me and offered her hand.

"Hello, my name is Titania." with a bright smile, she introduced herself.
I thought it was stupid. If it was just a joke, it wasn't funny.

It annoyed the hell out of me. She was goddamn annoying.
But for some reason, I could not stand her doing it.
I could not stand being angry.
Moreover, angry at her.

I felt defeated and sighed.
So I just decided to shake her hand.
"I'm Azelus." I went along with her idea.
It made her smile grow even wider.

I guess that makes me stupid too.

As time passed.. Titania came by everyday to take care of me.
She brought different kinds of foods and fruits every time.
She was like my nurse. I didn't even need that kind of care.
I didn't want that much attention. I want to focus on my goal.

"You don't have to do this. I'm fine." I told her without
hesitating, without caring if it will hurt her feelings.

"Azelus" Titania calls my name and I looked at her,
eye to eye. "You were my childhood love. Although
those were just childish feelings.. I feel madly attached
to you. That night.. it made me think of a lot of things.
Things that could happen in every country.
All the possibilities.
Now I am 20 years old, I am old and matured.
I now a lot of things now. What happened to you that
night, made me realize my goal in life. It was to prevent
disastrous things from happening again. I want to keep
my country in peace.. and fix yours as well. That's why
I'm here to study your culture.. live it.. and everything,
I'll feel it. The people's pain, I will share it. I will fight
those tragedies. I will save this country. I don't want
my country fighting yours. I am here to make peace."
Titania suddenly talked about her true feelings, her
intention, her goals. It made me realize I was wrong about her.

Titania grew up to be a strong woman.
She had a specific goal in mind.
That goal was identical to mine.

"Peace..?" I repeated the word and she looked at me with a
serious face. "You're right. This country and your country is
still at war. But I will be where my family stands. If it comes to
the point that we must face, will you take down your very
own 'childhood love'?" I looked straight into her eyes.

The white hospital room was starting to make me feel sick.
The smell of the air condition.. I wanted to get out badly.

Her return made me realize it was time to make a move.

"I will." Titania gazes at me with her eyes. It feels like as if
the ocean itself is looking at me. She sounded determined.
I guess that incident with me really did trigger her inner soul.

You finally act just like the way you look.
Brave and beautiful.

end of Azelus' pov

III

Titania's pov

Soon enough, Azelus finally made it out of the hospital.
We attended school together. We were in every single class together.
Azelus confronted me and asked me why I was. I honestly told him the
truth, I researched about him and intentionally followed him.

Aside from my goal, I truly did want to see him again.

The cherry blossoms bloom with a fluffy pink..

It relaxes me whenever I look at them.

His sudden change of attitude was expected.

I didn't feel too surprised. But he was still warm enough to
welcome me back to his life. He didn't push me away.
He doesn't do anything other than act coldly.

But it didn't bother me.

The important thing is that I am with Azelus.
I hid my status as a princess and he was the only one
who knows. Of course. He is the only one I know in this country too.

Today, I am waiting for him at the side of the school.

During vacant hours, we play chess together.
Sometimes I win but most of the time, he does.

"How can you win all the time..?" I puff my cheeks and crossed my
arms with a frustrated look on my face. I just can't understand how
he can be so intelligent, tricky and clever.

Azelus lets out a mocking smile but I was already used to it.
Instead of taking it that way, I believed it was just a proud smile.
Not a mocking one. "You know the feeling of watching a movie..
..even though you know how it's going to end?" He then smiled
differently. I felt like it was different. His words referred to our
endless game of chess. I always know that he's going to win

in the end, but I still challenge him anyway.

"I don't mind if you want to blame me for what happened.
Your connection with me was what made this country's
ruler burn down that garden" I looked down on the chess board
as I spoke in a low tone of voice. My long silver hair was tied up
in a ponytail. I changed the topic without knowing it.

"Forget about it." Azelus answered me quickly. It sounded like
he didn't want to talk about it and thus I dropped the topic.

"Azelus? What are your plans..?" Curious enough, I asked him.
I was always curious about him. Azelus seemed like the kind of
guy who wouldn't talk about something unless you asked him.

Whether he was still warm or cold, he remained that way.
Azelus locked his eyes on mine, despite acting so cold
his eyes still looked so gentle and it made me realize.

He wasn't cold. He was just sad. Azelus was lonely and sad.
"I will work with you with your goal. That's all."

His answer surprised me. "W-What? Are you serious?"

"If you think it's a joke, then it's fine. I will do it by myself."
Azelus looked away, his arms crossed.

"No!!! I'd love that! Please!!!" I couldn't hold back my smile.

"Then stop asking." He looked on the ground.. his bangs has
grown longer.. and his hair is still black as a crow's. When he
said those words.. I caught glimpse of a half-smile from his face.

Just like before.. that summer afternoon..

The wind playfully passed through us and our hair danced
along with it. The cherry blossom petals fly towards our
way. I felt like I was in a movie. I felt like the world moved
in slow motion. Azelus still has that radiant aura.

His eyes that were like jewels are still the same.

Although it was tainted with a bit of coldness and sadness.
I wanted to understand Azelus.
To know him is the first step to understanding this country.

He is completely different now, more than before.
I met him as a kid, but now he is a grown, matured man.
He is still taller than me.. but I realized how good looking
he came to be. I did remember when he said their family
WAS a royal one. He has the blood of a prince.

I continued to spend blissful days with him.

We study together, do homework together.
He lets me make lunch for him and bring him food.

Azelus also showed me his fighting skills.
I immediately thought it was top class.
He was fast.. strong.. and clever.

He taught me how to use a sword.
He taught me how to use a gun.

In my country, as a woman, as a princess,
I was never exposed to such a thing.
I only managed to come here after begging my parents
to grant this request as my birthday wish.
I know I'm under surveillance though.
But I didn't care. I wasn't doing anything wrong.

"If you want to save a country,
you must know how to save yourself first.
We may come to war any time, any moment.
There is a 1% chance that you can die every single day.
Your life is not guaranteed. That's why you have to learn this."
Azelus speaks in a serious tone of voice while standing right next
to me, his free arm placed around my shoulder and his hand gently
touching the pistol that I have in my hands, he was guiding me on
the right way to hold it, the perfect technique to aim. I could feel
him breathe, I could hear it and it made me blush.

I feel my heart start to beat slowly but heavily.
I thought I was just nervous.
But I realized.. maybe because he was too close to me.
Just like when he first stood so close to me when we were just kids.

"Where did you learn how to fight? You're already professional"
out of curiosity once again, I decided to ask Azelus.
"It's traditional in my family. It has to be part of our life.
We learn it ever since youth." Azelus explained himself.

"T-That's cool. I wish I was a boy. Then maybe I would have been
trained to fight ever since I was a kid too." I felt amazed that my
eyes widened in surprise, I told him my thoughts.

"Even girls in our family. There are no exception.
In this country, it's normal for a girl to know how to fight, honestly."
Azelus was starting to talk even more compared before.

It made me feel happy.

"Wow really? That's a big difference in my country.
I love your country" I smiled at him as I felt happy that moment.

"I wonder about that" Azelus spoke in a low tone of voice that
I could barely hear what he had just said.

And it left me hanging, it left me wondering.

It gave me an uncomfortable feeling.
I could only stare at him that moment.

A few days later..

Azelus' pov

I received a text message from Titania.
It was Saturday evening.. and she told me to come as soon as possible.
I didn't want to make the effort. But it seemed important.

I waited for her in the usual place where we always met.

Underneath the cherry blossom tree where I always beat her in chess.

"Not here yet?" I raised a brow as I keep my hands in my pockets.

She finally arrived a few minutes later. I stood up as soon as I saw her
running towards my direction, she stopped, there was a wide gap
between the two of us. We were left staring at each other.

But I knew.

I saw.

Her precious ocean blue eyes seemed teary.
No matter how strong she has become, a tragedy will challenge her strength
Now her eyes showed me they were filled with sadness and pain.

"Aze!" Titania also developed a habit of calling me just 'Aze'.
It annoyed me at first but I became used to it.

"What's wrong?" I asked but I know for sure I didn't sound concerned at all.
What an asshole am I. "Titania?" so I decided to call her by her name.

..little did I know, something as simple as that will trigger her tears
and they will fall down continuously after that. My brows furrowed
closer as I didn't know what to do when she ran towards me with
that kind of face she was wearing.

It was the same as that day when my mother's garden was burned down.

She cried the same way. She shared my pain that day.

I feel so frustrated and I didn't know what to do.
Titania held me tight and buried her crying face on my chest.

My jacket became soaked with her tears, but it didn't matter now.
She bursts out crying. She was loud. She was screaming.
In the end, I began to hold her back and gently stroke her hair
that was messed up as she ran. I didn't know what kind of face
to make. So I ended up showing no expressions.

I held her and let her cry on me for as long as she liked.
Without knowing why, without asking why.

end of Azelus' pov

IV

Titania's pov

I cried my heart out. Especially when he began to hold me.
I loved to feel his warmth. I enjoyed his arms wrapped around
me. But it was only for that moment.. it didn't last that long.

I had to stop crying. Otherwise, I think I might annoy him.

I talked about it. I showed him the news that he missed.

"The Queen and King of the Ulvynix Kingdom has fallen
to the hands of an unnamed and unidentified army!
The young prince who was the heir of the throne was
reportedly missing and the only princess who is old
enough to take over the throne was said to be studying
abroad in secrecy. What will happen to their kingdom
now that it is kingless?!"

Even though I expected Azelus to maintain his cold emotionless
face like usual, he showed a hint of anger and irritation.

"Go." Azelus suddenly broke the silence.

"Huh?"

"Go back to your country. It needs you now." Azelus looked me
in the eye, his crimson eyes seems to pierce through me and I
felt like crying again. I knew he will push me away someday.

"Stop crying. You're going to be the new queen. A queen
must not cry so easily. Stop wasting your time on me."
Azelus did not look away from me at all. He was serious.

He meant those words.
And it made sense.

It made so much sense.

I was so mesmerized by our time together..
..that I lost track of what's truly important at the moment.

I was foolish.

end of Titania's pov

Titania went back to her country and took over the crown.
Even though she wasn't fully prepared.
She investigated everything..

A year passed and the case hasn't been solved yet.

But she has found a lead to where her younger brother could
possibly be. ..back right where she left.

Personally, Titania went back to Azelus' country and had a
meeting with the country's ruler, Hiroko. After all the years,
Hiroko has grown old but still maintained a youthful aura.

Titania shows the evidence, the proof that there is a possibility

that her brother was kidnapped and taken to Hiroko's country.
Hiroko smiled at her, but it was full of lies and malice.

"My country's police men will gladly accompany you in your
search. You have my word that the public will grab no hold
of this information that your search may execute in peace."
Hiroko's reply was smooth and didn't seem suspicious at all.

Still, Titania harbored hidden suspicions against Hiroko the ruler.

Titania and her selected few trusted men went on to search
for clues and other leads and they were successful about it.

After a few months of searching, they finally found an absolute

lead. Thus, Titania made her decision and commanded her troops.
To do all they can in order to rescue the prince's life.
They broke in an underground facility hidden in the heart of
forest.. silently and undetected. The path they took was suspiciously
unguarded and quiet that they were starting to feel nervous.

..and when they came to an already opened door..

They all looked at each other and signaled one another to be ready.

After counting down..

Titania's troop entered the room all at once and when they spotted
a man wearing a military uniform, they immediately pointed their
gun at him and when Titania stepped in, she saw her little brother
sleeping with his eyes blindfolded. Her eyes widened and she
immediately tries to rush by his side, but the masked man in
military uniform was quick enough to rush to the prince's
side and held him then pointed a gun at the defenseless prince.

"Prince Titus!"

"My brother!!!" Titania cries out. "You fiend!" With an enraged
expression, Titania glared at the man wearing a gas mask.
"Let my brother go! Or else.."

"Or else what..?" the gas mask made the man's voice
sound a little unclear. The masked culprit took off the
mask and his hair fell back down..

Titania gasped as the culprit revealed his face.
Just as everyone else expected. "Azelus..?"

She lost all of her strength. She dropped on her knees.
It felt like the world had just betrayed her.
The only thing she could do was say his name,
whisper his name, like a prayer.
A prayer hoping, wishing that it wasn't him.
That it was just a dream.

But it wasn't.

Azelus showed an evil smile. One that suited his dark appearance
perfectly. Still, he had that radiant aura that seems to draw people
in. "Are you stupid, Titania? You're the girl who ruined my plan.
I wanted to get close to you so I can use you against Hiroko."
His voice sounded different than usual.

Titania's eyes widened and she began screaming as she
desperately covered her ears, "NO!! NOOO!! NO!!!! NO!!!!!!"
continuously, she screamed, 'No!'

Her men and Hiroko's men didn't know what to do as the
culprit had a hostage by his hands.

"Your parents were the one who told Hiroko to burn my
mother's garden. Did you know that? The gardener told
me." Azelus showed a mad smile. A psychotic one.

Yet, Titania still wanted to believe he was just lying,
that he was just faking the truth and acting.

"Guess what, Titania? We do have the same goal.
To eliminate each other, I am what you want to
stop from the very beginning." Azelus began to laugh
scornfully.

"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!!!" Titania cries out loud.

"Seriously? Even though I'm pointing a gun at your
little brother right now? How foolish can you be?"
Azelus raised a brow at her. "Well, I won't hurt him
in one condition. Let me leave him where I want him
so I can escape. If any of you tries to follow me, the prince
dies. Got that?" Carefully, Azelus drags the little prince
who started crying, still pointing the gun at him.

"What?! How can we trust you!?" Hiroko's men angrily
asked and pointed the gun back at Azelus.

"Ah, ah~ you don't want me to blow up his head right?
Throw those guns away" Azelus demanded.

"Azelus!!!!" Titania looks at him angrily with teary eyes.

"Crybaby Titania.. oh Titania." Azelus continues to laugh
at her, mocking her.
"THROW THOSE GUNS AWAY RIGHT NOW." Azelus demanded
and the army men had no choice but to follow his request.
"Ah, yes, good dog." Azelus slowly moves away with the child.
"After this, I will be publicly known as your nemesis.
Azelus of the Ouma Family. Remember my name."
Azelus said his last words and ran away with the young prince.

Titania was still shocked by the revelation.
She remained on the ground but she stopped crying.

"After exactly 3 minutes, go outside and find Titus"
Titania recovered from her breakdown and forced herself
to give out orders as she must in order to save her brother.

But.. they found no signs of the young prince.

Azelus lied to them and deceived them.

His action of betrayal, his false promise of leaving the
prince behind to have time for his escape..
made Titania believe that he was serious.

"Lady Titania, the boy was reportedly an Ouma.
He is the heir of the clan and if Hiroko dies or after his
term, the Ouma will definitely surge right back to royalty.
They must have planned this from the very beginning."
Titania's men reported to her after doing a severe investigation
on Azelus and his background.

After all, the only research Titania did on him was about where
he studied and where he was. She barely remembered his
last name.. that was the most important part of his personal life.
Thinking deeply about Azelus.. she remembered his words
from a few years ago.

"Then, are you a prince?!" Titania asked.
"I was supposed to be. But our family gave up
royalty. We're not suited to be kings"
"Yeah. Well, we are a family of unusual people after all."

"What's wrong with their family?" Titania asked her men.

"Well they were believed to be a family of superhumans.
Not in a fantasy way. It's real. In the past, they believed
an ancestor did an experiment on their blood and accelerated
their regeneration, they heal wounds faster than normal.
Their movement speed can exceed an average man's speed.
Their physical strength are naturally at high peaks and no
one knows what it's like when it's fully used. They are
a fearsome clan and developed an unusual thirsts for
violence and bloodlust. No one knows what triggers them,
but they just randomly act like mad and insane dogs when
time comes. That's why they were deemed out of their
royalty. Hiroko was the one who persuaded them.
Even so, there are still a lot of people who follow their
ways and will definitely want them back next term.
The boy you met, Ouma Azelus is the one who will
take over Hiroko's place." Her agent reported.

"That sounds terrifying.. but is that the only reason
why he would go to this extent? Do you think Azelus
planned all of this from the very beginning? He did say
that we were going to meet again someday and it happened."
Titania looked at her agent with a serious face.

"Titania, it's not your fault."
"One day we'll meet again."

"We don't know for sure, ma'am. Intel about the said family
and its members are very limited. They aren't high profile."

"The dispute between our country and his..
It was because of Hiroko's selfish acts wasn't it?
The documents that my parents left are proof.
Now that Azelus has gone and done it..
..war is inevitable" Titania locks her hands together.

"Yes, madam. We must be ready. In terms of warfare, we have
the right materials. But we don't know about our enemy. If
we must wage war, it must be on their land, not on ours.
And for that to happen, we must be the first to strike.
If not, they will infiltrate our country at once." Her agent says.

"I understand. In order to clear this dispute and rescue my brother,
I have to take down Hiroko and the Ouma family, especially Azelus."
Titania shut her eyes. It was too painful for her to admit it. More painful
to say it. She didn't want to accept and believe it. But it was the truth
before her eyes.

V

As soon as Titania understood the situation, they immediately
went back to their country without informing the Shinigami
ruler, Hiroko about what they have in mind.

Immediately, Titania prepared her country for war.

But then..

a sudden attack occurs somewhere in her country.
The media showed images of Azelus, wearing the same gas mask,
holding a bomb detonator with a message saying,

"If you want your brother back"

Titania slammed her hands against the table and immediately
prepared herself to rush to that particular place.
The entire place were wrecked and ravaged
and it seemed that Azelus only had few men.

But luckily, no one has died so far.

"AZELUS!" With rage, Titania called out to Azelus as soon as
she reached the building where he was.

"I like that better. Instead of calling me 'Aze'. Yes, hate me.
It will make you better. Trust me" Azelus removed his gas
mask and let out a playful smirk.

"Why are you doing this?! Do you hate me that much?!"
Titania asked without thinking.

"Yeah" Azelus' quick reply made Titania fall silent.

"..you'll even risk my brother's life.. your life..
your men's lives..? We have the same enemy.
Hiroko is our enemy." Titania tries to talk with him.

"YOU STILL DON'T GET IT DO YOU?" Azelus, for the first time,
raised his voice at her. He looked enraged and he held out
the detonator. "Look now, Titania. I'm kind enough to
give you a chance to save him. I'm setting up Hiroko
with this attack leaving tracks of his army behind.
I hired his men in this assault you see. An Ouma
gets everything they want. So now shut up and
do as I say. If you solve this puzzle the bomb will
not go off and don't worry, I'll keep my promise this
time. If you try to come near him, I will immediately
kill him off. You must solve it under 30 minutes."
Azelus gave her a smile of madness.

"You're insane!" Titania wanted to hurt him, she
wanted to punch him back to his old self, the old
Azelus that she knew. But she couldn't.

"Timer.. starts.. NOW." Azelus walks away and
goes into his hiding place. Titania immediately
began trying to arrange the puzzles as fast as she
can, but panicking will only lead her to nowhere.

Azelus' voice echoes throughout the room with
a speaker, "I'm watching.. Titania.." his voice sounded
daring. "Think of this as our usual game of chess.."
he laughed softly.

"(I will kill you Azelus!!!)" Titania feels an incredible
amount of unwanted hatred surge up inside herself.

Azelus had prince Titus locked up in another room guarded
by people he hired from Hiroko's army. He leaks a video of
them wearing Hiroko's army uniform to the internet.

"It has been confirmed that the country of Shinigami

are the ones responsible for our departed king and queen's
deaths and our young prince's abduction"

"Hiroko's MY enemy.." Azelus whispers to himself.

On the other hand.. Titania's troops had a hacker with them
and hacked the surveillance camera without Azelus noticing.
They managed to make it seem like no one was intruding the
room where the young prince was locked up and hidden.
It took minutes for them to hack the system but it was easier
since the system was in their country's style of scripting.

Azelus was calmly watching Titania try to solve the puzzle.

The time left was 5 minutes.

"We don't have much time.." Titania mutters to herself
and it was low enough for Azelus to not hear or notice.
She had a device in her ear that allowed her to reach
contact with her troops. They told her which direction
should she face that is in the blind spot of the surveillance
cameras. "Got it" Titania replied to their reports.

"Ready team.."

"The mastermind will notice soon enough.
Hurry." The hacker messages them.

The rescue team broke through the room where the prince
was hidden and immediately brought down the guards.
Quickly they disassembled the bomb attached to the child's
backpack and took it away.

"We have prince Titus"

As Titania received their report, she's still nervous as that
Azelus might notice. There's only 1 minute left and she still
hasn't solved the puzzle.

"What now Titania? You should be saying your goodbyes
to your brother now instead of trying to hopelessly solve
that puzzle." Azelus spoke through the speakers.

"The prince is out and safe with the team!!!"

"Yes!!" Titania cheered. "I'll be saying my goodbyes to YOU,
Azelus." She looked directly at the camera.

Azelus realized what she meant and glanced at the camera
where it was monitoring the prince's room. It was released
from being hacked temporarily and showed the room where
the guards lie unconscious and the prince gone.

He smiled but he was angry.

"...Well done. I must admit I didn't expect that.
I thought you were still the same old you.
Who thinks she can do everything on her own.
I must admit I lost this round.. you're player white now.
But this game of chess isn't over." Azelus' last words to her
before escaping for himself.

"After him!" Titania immediately ordered them and the
team rushed to try and catch Azelus. She still looks at
the camera, thinking deeply. "I will catch you, Azelus."

VI

However, their team failed to capture Azelus.
He had also gone back to his country to prepare for war.
Titania's army is fully prepared to march into Azelus' country
to take down Hiroko and the Ouma, especially Azelus.

when the day of the war came..

the winter sky darkened..

Numerous war tanks rolled over the snow and pointed towards
the castle. "President Hiroko, surrender yourselves to us!
Your malicious acts proved that you are the mastermind
behind my parents' death. But the abduction was of a
different matter, but still from the same roots, your
own countrymen." Titania spoke through a speaker
and her speech was broadcasted all over.

Hiroko ordered the police deparments to focus evacuating
people rather than trying to interrupt the march of the
Ulvynix's army or else it will immediately start the war
without proper negotiations at first.

All of a sudden.. their very own war tanks started attacking
their other tanks and Ouma Azelus announced his appearance.

"What now Titania? I've infiltrated your army without you
knowing. That's terribly sad" Azelus mocks her and Titania
herself finally broke down and chases after Azelus who runs
away.

Titania's men attempts to back her up but instead..

Azelus' own people held them back and kept them entertained.

Azelus ran inside the same old castle and strangely enough,
all the guards were already taken down. Titania felt a strange
feeling of deja vu.. like it happened before.

She recalled..

"When we first found Titus.. the path was already cleared too.."
Titania mutters to herself, she was distracted and Azelus jumped
down on her.

Titania felt the incredible amount of strength he had as she
fell down and he lands on top of her. He points a gun at Titania.

"You hate me this much.. Azelus?" Titania looks at him directly
in the eye.

"If you want to save a country,
you must know how to save yourself first."

"Yes" Azelus smiled devilishly.

"You're not the Azelus that I knew" Titania frowned.

"Yes." Azelus answers her questions quickly.

"You're really.. my enemy.." Titania forces herself to say it.

"Yes" Azelus nodded. "Goodbye, Titania." Azelus says as he
leans in to her face, it all happened too fast..

..and it was too late when she realized that Azelus has stolen
her first kiss. He kissed her for a long time.. gently.. sweetly..
and then slowly.. it becomes rough, but it only excited her.
It drained away her strength.. and her will to fight against him.

"A-Azelus--" Titania tries to interrupt him, but he kept kissing
her that she couldn't try to finish a single word. "Aze--" she
was cut off whenever she tried..

He finally stopped but she still had her eyes closed.

..and finally, when she opened her eyes and saw him..

..pointing the gun to himself and about to pull the trigger..

Titania quickly pushed him back down and forcefully took
the gun away from him. "AZELUS?!"

Without saying anything, Azelus runs away.
Titania runs after him.

"WAIT!!!" Confused, unsure, uncertain.. Titania did not know
what to feel at all. Yet, she continues to chase him.

Despite the loud noise outside..
All she could hear is Azelus' voice echoing throughout
her mind.

And in the throne room.. she passed by Hiroko's body.
He was already dead even before her army reached
his castle.

But she shook off her thoughts and continued to run
after Azelus.

"AZELUS!!!!" She screams out his name as loud as she can..

..and finally, she found him by the balcony that can be
seen from outside the castle. The people were whispering
about the boy standing by the balcony.

"Azelus!" She called him out.

"Give it up Titania." Azelus told her without looking at her.

"I knew it.. it was all just a lie! Wasn't it?!" Titania yells at him.

"I was just messing with you" Azelus snickers.

Titania approached him and slapped his face.

"How could you?!" she cries.

Azelus stares at her crying face. "It was planned right from
the beginning. The very day I met you. I knew tragedy will
come and I will meet you again." he said without any
change in his cold expression.

"Huh?! Planned?! With that age of 7?! Why!?" Titania
punches him down and grabbed him by his collar. "WHY!?"

"I just felt it." Azelus looks into her eyes. "That we were
destined to be heroes and villains." Azelus says.

"What are you talking about.. Azelus..?" She couldn't
help but cry while listening to him.

"It was true your family was the one who told Hiroko to burn
the garden. They didn't want me to be involved with you.
Your family were pushing Hiroko to the edge too and that
began the cold war. It wasn't Hiroko who started it.
Even so, he was still my family's enemy. He was honestly
prepared to drop a bomb that will erase your country completely
anytime he wishes. He was behind the death of your parents
and the abduction of your brother. But Hiroko was also the
one behind my mother's death. How did I know?" Azelus smiled
sarastically. "My family has close ties with assassins and spies.
Of course it's easy to know. An Ouma gets everything he wants.."
He laughs bitterly. Titania's tears continue to fall. "I rescued your
brother. But you caught me off guard. But then again, I thought
it was the perfect timing. I want someone to come kill me seriously.
Someone that means a lot to me. That someone is you.
I don't want to die by Hiroko's hands or anyone.
I want my death to be granted by you, Titania." Azelus looks away.

"Why?! If you could only just told me everything, the truth, from
the very beginning, you wouldn't have to act the villain! You
wouldn't have had to hurt my feelings, you wouldn't have had
to go through all this! We couldn't taken down Hiroko together.
You can rule this country after he's gone. Then we can make
peace. That's a better ending isn't it?!" Titania looks at him with
a saddened and pained face. Her tears won't stop.

"Titania.. my family is blessed with a curse.
Sooner or later I will lose myself too and become a mad monster.
Just like my mother.. my father.. everyone. It's inevitable.
I killed Hiroko and I'm starting to feel the madness rise within.
There will always be someone who will come after me for
my family's sins. And now I am the public enemy.
The public itself will execute me.
Titania, I don't want death from anyone.
I want to die by the hands of the woman I love."
Azelus gently caresses her cheek and wipes away her tears.
"A queen must not cry so easily." he reminded her his words
that he told her back then.

"If you love me.. then.. why put me through this..?"
Titania believed him, but she couldn't accept it.

"With or without me, it will happen to your family.
I'd rather stain my hands and kill your enemies for you.
Your precious ocean blue eyes, I want them to sparkle without guilt.
And don't blame yourself after I'm gone. It is my wish.
 I did all of this for you to hate me. I didn't want you to love me.
Before I destroy myself, I want you to destroy me."
Azelus holds her hand and then hands over another gun to her.
"Kill me." Azelus told her with a warm, content smile that he
had in the past.

Titania was speechless.

She didn't want to face the truth as well.

A lot of Oumas commit suicide in fear of their own capabilities.
Many other Oumas killed unintentionally and they regretted it their whole lives.

The people outside stopped their on going war as they took notice
of what's happening in the balcony.

"Isn't that the terrorist leader? The next head of the cursed Ouma clan?"
"Yes..!! And the queen of Ulvynix!! Did she catch him?!"
"The terrorist is the one who started it all, probably!"
"If he dies this war should end"
"Hiroko the president needs to be replaced too!!!"
"A guilt possessed agent from Hiroko confessed that Hiroko's forces
have an extremely powerful bomb ready to be dropped in Ulvynix
country anytime he wishes. Which means this war is just a distraction"

"I guess you don't want to end up like your other relatives..
Either suicide or live a life of darkness.. is there really no other way..?"
She looks at him with a bitter smile.

"If there was, I wouldn't have to ask you to do this.
I wouldn't go through all this trouble." Azelus looks back at her.

"..if there is the best present, that would be if you kill me with love.
I love you, Titania." Azelus tells her.

"I love you too, Aze. I love you, Azelus!"
Titania cries out as she hugs him.

"Goodbye." Azelus said the same time she pulled the trigger.

When shot by the heart at point blank rage..

it is impossible to survive, even for an Ouma.
The sound of the gunshot silenced everyone.

Titania stood and held Azelus' body in her arms.
Showing that the 'mastermind' has fallen.

Her army cheered and the others fell speechless.
The war stopped now that Hiroko's dark secrets were exposed.
Titania, on behalf of her parents, apologized for their wrong doings
and promises to keep close ties with the incoming new ruler of
the country where she met Azelus. Even though she is in pain,
she knew Azelus is now happy. Truly happy.. with his mother in heaven.

VII

Titania's pov

Even though Azelus told me that he didn't want me to live with guilt..
being branded as the hero.. and you being remembered as the villain..
always makes my heart ache.

It is true when they say villains are just another victim.
Or some villains are actually heroes in diguise.
Or some devils are actually angels in disguise.

Sometimes, sacrifices are meant to be made.

Selfish wishes are meant to be granted.

Just like how he wished to be killed by my hands.

But I don't regret it that much now.

Seeing the happy and content smile on his face the moment before
he faded away.. before I lost him forever..
it reminded me of the same smile he always wore whenever he
came to the garden to secretly water the flowers.
It makes me feel warm and happy every time I think about it.

I guess I didn't make the wrong choice. Azelus truly wanted that.
My brother Titus looks for him once in a while.
I thought he was just brainwashed.

But in the end.. when the guards whom Azelus hired
admitted it themselves.. saying, "Our boss Azelus told us not
to hurt the child and be gentle with him. He said we should be
nice to the kid. He even ordered us to escape with the kid if
the timer runs out. The reason for doing that, he just
wanted an excuse to safely return him to you.
When you first found the child and boss Azelus was there,
he was about to be captured by Hiroko's squad army and
he was forced to leave without keeping his word"

When Azelus attacked that place where he said he was
going to bomb the place along with my brother,
he never really hurted nor killed anyone.

He just broke some properties.

His men during the war didn't kill anybody as well.

They only did their best to hold my army back.
His hands only became stained by Hiroko's blood.

Even so, Azelus went through a lot of sacrifices.
Our time together, our friendship, my trust, my
feelings, his public safety and a lot of things.

In the end, he sacrificed himself.

For me to not stain my hands, he killed Hiroko before I could.
Azelus did change when he grew up.. but his kindness that he
had when he was still a cheerful child still remained.

And even though he was cursed,
he still called it a blessing.

The memories of the past replayed in full colors.
I could perfectly remember his face now..

I will never forget.

"You know the feeling of watching a movie..
..even though you know how it's going to end?"
I heard his voice inside my head, asking me the same thing
he asked before.

Now, I will continue to live my life..
..even if I know how it's going to end..
..I will live it to the fullest.

Goodbye, Ouma Azelus.

End

I. Ouma Azelus: Blessed With A Curse

Read as "A-zi-lose'. Heroes Behind Shadows contains one shots featuring different main characters and different stories with the same ending. Just like the intro says..

You know the feeling of watching a movie even though you know how it's going to end?
You would still watch it anyways.

Look forward for more Heroes Behind Shadows.

©HBS brought to you by SheIsAHellishAngel
alternate name GRIMOIRELLE

- Ouma Azelus is not a direct relative of Ouma Achlys. |July 26, 2016|