My Soul card is a Reaper-Chapter 948: Time Variant Azrael’s past (part-2)

The scroll unfurled with a crackle of soul energy. The ground lit up beneath Azrael’s feet as the elder muttered, "Begin awakening."

A torrent of light wrapped around Azrael’s tiny frame. The other children held their breath as arcs of energy crawled up his arms like living electricity.

Then—

BOOM

A burst of black lightning exploded upward, slamming into the ceiling and cracking it. A dark orb hovered behind Azrael, with intense lightning sparks dancing all over it.

The elder staggered back, eyes wide, voice trembling. "Celestial grade...! This is... A celestial-grade Arcana spirit?"

As Gasps filled the hall, the elder murmured under his breath. "I must inform the clan immediately."

Azrael didn’t understand any of the commotion. He simply stared at the black orb hovering behind him—feeling it hum like it recognized him, like it was alive.

The scene twisted again, to a week later.

Now the sky was bleeding water.

Rain thrashed the streets.

Barbara was seen sprinting through a back alley with ragged breath. On her back was an unconscious Azrael with his arms dangling limply over her shoulders.

Behind her—

Multiple shadows charged, blades in hand.

Six assassins in masks attacked her.

Barbara spun mid-run, drawing a dagger and slashing the first assassin across the throat, lightning-fast.

One down.

Another leapt from the side— she ducked, rolled, and stabbed upward through his ribs. She killed him in one strike once again.

Two down.

A third came swinging wildly. Barbara caught his wrist, twisted hard until the bone snapped, then kicked him into the wall.

Three down.

The fourth and fifth attacked together. She met them head-on—one clean throat cut, one stabbed under the jaw.

The last assassin hesitated, stepping back as Barbara approached with blood dripping from her blade.

She yanked off his mask, grabbed him by the collar, and slammed him into the wall.

Breathing heavily, eyes burning with fury, she growled: "Listen carefully... You go back and tell your elders— Tell the Death Clan to stay away from Azrael."

The assassin shivered under her glare.

"Azrael is my nephew," she hissed. "And he is under my protection. As long as I’m alive... I won’t let you bastards touch him."

The man nodded frantically.

Barbara shoved him away and vanished into the rain, carrying Azrael into the night.

Lightning cracked overhead.

A few years later;

Firecrackers boomed outside a five-star hotel, painting the winter sky with red sparks. Inside, warmth and laughter filled the banquet hall.

Twelve-year-old Azrael sat on a cushion between two teenage girls—Val’s cousins—who had decided he was their entertainment for the night. Val was Barbara’s husband.

One pinched his cheek. "You’re so cute, Azzy~ Look how red his face is!"

Another ruffled his hair. "When you grow up, don’t forget us, okay?"

Azrael stammered, blushing furiously. "C-Cut it out..."

Barbara laughed uproariously from across the table, holding her baby Rafal in her arms. Val rolled his eyes while pouring wine for his father.

Then—

A ripple tore across the room.

A circular tear in reality opened beside the dining table, swirling like a dark whirlpool. Shadows stepped out— familiar masked assassins of the Night clan, more than twenty of them, each radiating killing intent.

Every adult in the room sprang to their feet.

"Not again..." Barbara murmured, face paling.

The leader stepped forward, voice distorted under the mask. "Greetings, Lady Crescent. Orders from the Clan."

The room froze at the presence of a Supreme rank.

Barbara frowned deeply, "Who are you?"

Slowly, the leader raised her hand and pulled off her mask in response— A young woman with long indigo hair and cold violet eyes.

Barbara’s jaw tightened. "Avia Night."

Avia smiled politely, as if they were old classmates meeting by chance. "Hello, Barbara. It’s been a while. Unfortunately, I’m here on official business. So listen carefully."

Her gaze swept the room and landed on Azrael.

"The Monarch has ordered you to hand over the boy. There is no negotiation this time."

The entire room stiffened.

She shifted her stare toward Val.

"And you—Val Kessler. You possess a treasure dangerous enough to destabilize the world if unsealed. The clan demanded it twice so far. And you have yet to give up its possession. This is your last warning. Give up the treasure, or your entire family will be executed."

Val slammed his fist into the table, shattering it. "You think I’d let you thieves take it from me?!"

At the same time, Barbara blurred— She appeared beside Azrael in a single flash, shielding him with her entire body.

"Avia," she growled, "If you take even one more step, I don’t care if we were once friends—

I will kill you."

Avia’s smile didn’t budge. "A shame. I was hoping you’d be reasonable."

Val’s aura erupted right then, lightning coursing through his veins.

Around him, half a dozen Arcana Masters from the banquet—uncles, cousins, family friends—summoned their Arcana Spirits at once.

A massive flame bear.

A steel wolf.

Two serpents made of wind.

A golden raven.

A pair of stone golems.

Many Arcana spirits erupted to attack the Assassins in defiance.

Energy crackled in the banquet hall.

Azrael stood frozen behind Barbara, clutching baby Rafal’s blanket.

Val snapped: "Everyone—prepare for battle!"

And the living room exploded into chaos.

Half an hour later;

The spacious banquet hall of warm lights and family chatter... was now a graveyard.

Bodies lay everywhere—Val’s relatives, his parents, the two teenage girls, family friends—

Every single person who had raised a hand to protect Azrael now lay dead, their Arcana Spirits dissipated into nothing.

Only Barbara remained standing—blood-soaked, trembling, her breathing ragged. Her face was bruised, a gash over her eyebrow leaking onto her cheek. She held a glowing orb in her palm—a scarlet sphere pulsing like a heart. As for Azzy, he seemed to be trapped in some kind of energy chains. he couldn’t even bring out his Arcana spirit at the moment.

Across from her stood Avia, completely unharmed, uniform spotless, mask off, gaze ice-cold.

Carrying a baby in her hand, Avia extended her hand. "Barbara... enough. Hand over the boy. Hand over the treasure. If you surrender now, I’ll take you back as a prisoner. Because of our history, I’ll personally beg the Monarch to spare your life. You can also still be with the boy as his teacher at the clan and freely live in the clan. Accept the reality, Barbara..."

Barbara’s lips curled back in a snarl, eyes bloodshot with grief. "You... killed my entire family... my husband... my in laws... everyone..." Her voice cracked as she roared. "You monsters didn’t even spare innocent elders and now imprisoning my baby. How dare you speak of mercy now?"

She clutched the orb close to her chest. "You will never... NEVER... ever touch my nephew or have this power... One day, he will return and take revenge... One day, Azrael will destroy every single one of you..."

Avia’s expression didn’t shift, but her voice sharpened. "Barbara, don’t be stupid. Think of Azrael and your baby, Rafal...

But Barbara didn’t say anything. Instead, she turned to the unconscious Azrael— his small body limp, his face streaked with tears and soot.

"I’m sorry, Azzy..." she whispered, tears falling onto his hair. "This is the only way I can protect you now."

She poured every last drop of her soul energy into the orb before pressing it into Azrael’s chest.

"NO—!" Avia shouted.