Luna Library

Morning 3 of the Moonlight Festival

I hate him.

I hate him so much...

I HATE LIBERTY BELLE.

It felt like I was being torn apart from the inside out, every cell SCREAMING in pain, as Liberty's annoying casual voice reassured me, "It should only be a few more moments." But it was never just a few more moments!

Imagine getting a tattoo... on your eyeballs. That was the level of sensitivity searing across my entire body. Also I think I might have been given a tattoo on my eyeballs! Each magic molecule within me was being torn away, replaced by the celestial energy Liberty was forcing into me.

"Since I'm giving your body an overhaul, any special requests?" he asked, far too smugly. "Maybe some... enhanced assets?"

I couldn't even scream. My body was frozen in twisted agony. "AHCHHCHCHCHCHCHCHCHHHHHHHHH!" was the closest thing to a sound I managed to make.

"Yeah... maybe I should've asked this in advance," he murmured. "Eh, no worries. Your body will take the shape of your soul anyway. So, uh... hope you're happy with how your soul looks."

I clawed at my throat, gasping for air as a wave of dark thoughts crashed over me. Imagining revenge was the only sweet thing keeping me sane. My body wanted to reject the magic, twisting itself, fighting to escape the pain, ready to transform into something monstrous. If it weren't for my dream of finding Heaven City, I might have given in...

But I couldn't.

I had to endure this. I had to find out where that insufferable woman hid that final page! And, Liberty, I vow that I will never forget this torture!

After what felt like hours, the torture finally faded, and my body and soul fell into a tense, uneasy balance. Burn marks pulsed across my skin, symbols of holy magic imprinted on every inch. I felt my newly charged cells vibrating with a power I could barely control. This wasn't just my magic anymore—it was celestial magic, pure and holy...

Liberty's voice cut through my daze. "Just remember, Shiori," he said, his tone low and edged with warning. "Power has a price. You're strong now, but don't mistake that strength for invincibility. You may be a demi-angel, but you're still human."

My body still felt sore everywhere, "Aren't angels supposed to be immortal?"

He chuckled. "I think it depends... If you were to run out of celestial magic in a fight, then I'm pretty sure your body would fail to heal."

"Good to know... Anything else?"

Liberty pulls out a billboard, listed with two bullet points.

• You are ̷d̷e̷a̷d̷ an angel

• I am a god

"Here's a list to remind you of a few things," he said, scribbling more, "Be on the lookout for other angels."

The Laws of All Angels:

It is said that that all angels are bound by a set of rules that make them unique.

 1. Angels cannot lie

 2. Cannot say any swear words

 3. Their Eyes glow in the dark

I frowned, not fully understanding. "Why should I watch out for other angels? Aren't we all supposed to be the good guys?"

Liberty raised an eyebrow, looking at me like I was hopelessly naive. "Do all humans work together just because they're on the same side?"

He had a point. I looked over the remaining rules:

 4. Each angel has a celestial medium known as a Halo.

 5. If a Halo is destroyed, the angel will die instantly.

 6. If the god dies, all angels serving them will lose their abilities.

 7. White hair often indicates an angel that is tied to a Goddess.

"Hmm..."

"What's wrong?" Liberty asked, sounding amused.

"The beastman who attacked Korra had white fur," I murmured, piecing it together slowly.

Liberty's gaze sharpened, his expression darkening. "Then... perhaps the rumors are true," he muttered, almost to himself. "The Goddess has been sending her own angels. Dangerous ones."

I blinked, the pieces not quite fitting. "But... why would a goddess want Korra dead?"

Liberty's face turned grim. "I don't know, but that's your mission! Go forth, my new angel. Find your Halo, uncover the mysteries, and—save the princess!"

"Your daughter is not a princess."

"I beg to differ. She's an angel~! That's deity humor, by the way."

"Jokes aside, I'll go find my Halo—or whatever you call it—and kick some booty!"

Liberty raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Looks like the rules are working."

"Wait—'◼◼◼◼' is a swear word? Wait... ◼◼◼◼... It's so weird it's like I can't say it at all."

He shrugged. "You'll get used to it."

"Damn it..."

Liberty raised a finger. "Wait, 'damn' is definitely a swear word. How'd you—"

"No, it isn't."

"You can't be serious," he scoffed. "You consider ass a swear but not damn?"

"Damn if I know"

"Sheesh, this generation..." He sighed, shaking his head.

"Well, I'm going to go wake up now! I wonder what other rules I can break~"

"Make sure to stay safe! And tell Korra to write me a letter!"

I looked at the bird-man who'd just given—and taken—everything from me. He was my god now... or something like that. But for all his theatrics, his jokes, and that annoyingly smug grin, I had to admit: It felt like I had a new sense of purpose... I felt like I was no longer stuck.

"Korra," I whispered to the empty air, "wait for me. I'll save you."