Karina had rested long enough. She rose and began walking toward the village, her steps measured and calm. Passersby couldn't help but stare. Was she a victim of the forest fire? Who was she? Where was she going? Where had she come from? Questions buzzed silently in their minds—but Karina didn't slow. She kept walking, unaware of their curiosity.
A small clothing shop caught her eye. She glanced at herself—sweat-drenched, smelling of smoke, clothes torn and stained with blood. She looked a mess. Enough. She pushed open the door, determined to get a change of clothes, take a proper bath, and step out feeling human again.
Inside, whispers filled the air. Hmm… what is that smell? Who is she? The villagers muttered among themselves, glancing at her with curiosity and judgment. Karina ignored them entirely. She walked straight up to the shop attendant, her expression calm, unbothered by the murmurs around her.
"I want to buy clothes," she said.
The shopkeeper's gaze traveled from her head to toe—taking in her silk-white skin, her face streaked with ash, the tattered, messy state of her clothes. He blinked, then asked, "You said…?"
"I said I want to buy clothes," she repeated, her tone calm and unwavering.
He chuckled, shaking his head. "Ha ha ha… What sort of clothes are you looking for?"
"What kind of clothes do you have?" she asked, unbothered by his strange stare or the whispers flitting through the shop.
He gestured toward a dusty rack in the corner. "The cheapest ones are there," he said, his eyes lingering on her in a way that made her chest tighten.
Even in the old days, back on Earth, she remembered the luxurious stores she used to visit—far grander than this one. Yet she didn't blame anyone. She had come here on her own, and she would handle things on her own. Nobody had sent her, and nobody was responsible for her. She didn't want trouble.
"Do you even have money?" he sneered finally, as though savoring the insult.
Karina shook her head. "I don't."
Laughter rippled across the room. She thinks she's rich, look at her clothes! That perfume—real? Or fake? She looks like she's on her way to a parade.
"Do you even have money?" he sneered, as if trying to savor the insult.
"I don't," she replied calmly, hitting the nail on the head.
Ha ha ha! Laughter erupted around the room.
"Look at her," people whispered. "Look at the silk she's wearing. She looks like some kind of rich person, coming here like this—what does she think she's fooling?"
They kept talking, mocking her, oblivious to the fact that she had saved countless humans. Humans… really, Karina thought.
No matter how patient or powerful an angel you were, mockery like this could get under your skin. It affected her, yes—but years of experience had taught her restraint. She didn't overreact. She let it slide.
From her pocket, Karina produced a shimmering gem, its colors catching the attention of everyone in the shop. The attendant's eyes widened, his face burning with embarrassment as he examined it.
When he realized the gem was genuine, his shock was evident. He hurriedly apologized for his earlier rudeness, but Karina barely noticed. His sudden switch to a smile felt hollow, too quick, too forced.
The attendants converted the gem into money for her. She picked out some simple, casual clothes she needed, paying little attention to the fact that they slightly shortchanged her—she didn't know the exact value. It didn't matter; the gem was only a trivial item in her eyes.
After taking a bath and changing, she left the shop. All around her, the humans stared in confusion, uncertain how to react or what to say. Karina walked on, unaffected, as if she belonged entirely to another world.
From her pocket, Karina produced a shimmering gem, its colors catching the attention of everyone in the shop. The attendant's eyes widened, his face burning with embarrassment as he examined it.
When he realized the gem was genuine, his shock was evident. He hurriedly apologized for his earlier rudeness, but Karina barely noticed. His sudden switch to a smile felt hollow, too quick, too forced.
The attendants converted the gem into money for her. She picked out some simple, casual clothes she needed, paying little attention to the fact that they slightly shortchanged her—she didn't know the exact value. It didn't matter; the gem was only a trivial item in her eyes.
After taking a bath and changing, she left the shop. All around her, the humans stared in confusion, uncertain how to react or what to say. Karina walked on, unaffected, as if she belonged entirely to another world.
She walked through the city, marveling at how much Earth had changed since her last visit. Tall buildings now scraped the sky, and sleek cars zipped along the streets. Food stalls and new inventions popped up everywhere.
Every sight, every smell, made her eyes widen in delight. Pizza! Ice cream! Strange drinks she had never tasted! With each bite, she couldn't help but exclaim, "Yum! What is this? What is that?" Her excitement bubbled over, and for a moment, she forgot the very reason she had come to Earth—the demon who had forced her here.
She wandered from place to place, exchanging more gems for money, often giving more than was asked, completely unaware of the practicalities around her. Earth was still a mystery, and she was determined to explore every bit of it.
As she walked through the narrow street between two buildings, a dark aura caught her attention. Shadows twisted unnaturally on a balcony above, and the air felt heavy with malice. Demons were here. A soul had already been lost—they were feasting on a human.
I need to act fast, she thought, stepping into the alley. Four demons hunched over a man and a boy, tearing at them with brutal glee.
"What are you doing?" she called, cracking her knuckles.
The demons froze.
"I was having fun… but now you want me to fight?" one snarled, amusement in its voice.
"Who are you? Get her!" another shouted.
One of them trembled, staring at her in recognition. "That's Karina… the Lord of Radiance!"
Shock rippled through the others. The leader, larger and crueler, hissed, "So foolish…" More demons emerged from the shadows, surrounding her.
I'm in the human world. I can't be too flashy, she thought.
Her sword materialized in a shimmer of light. Wings? Not possible here—the alley was too narrow. She had to be precise, subtle, careful. Too much noise, too much destruction, and she wouldn't be able to restore the humans' memories afterward; she was still recovering from the exhaustion of her last battle.
With controlled fury, she struck. The demons fell under her sword with ease. They were strong, but not enough to challenge her fully. Two souls had already been lost—just in this small encounter. How many more? she wondered, scanning the alley and beyond. Demons were dangerous, and they didn't belong in this world.
Finally, the last demon collapsed, its scream fading into silence. Karina exhaled, shoulders slumping with exhaustion. She stepped out of the alley and looked at the humans around her. They moved in mechanical rhythm, stopping and starting as if controlled by some unseen force—green, yellow, red.
She frowned. She didn't understand it.
She noticed everyone crossing the highway, so she followed suit. But something caught her attention, and she stopped to look. Before she could react further, a vehicle slammed into her, sending her flying into the air.
Oh my gosh… what am I going to do? she thought.
She tried to steady herself, moving carefully since she couldn't fully open her wings, and slowly descended toward the ground. But her exhaustion was too great—the smallest effort drained her completely, and she collapsed, closing her eyes.
Then, a dark shadow loomed over her, moving too fast for her to comprehend.
Boom.