Darkness engulfed everything.
There was nothing but endless blackness all around.
Suddenly, a blinding light broke through the void.
From within that light, a figure slowly emerged — his clothes shimmering in white and gold.
His long, flowing hair partly covered his face, hiding his features.
Without warning, a bolt of fierce lightning crashed down upon him.
"Aaahhhhh—!"
He screamed in agony, his cries echoing into the vast emptiness.
The lightning did not relent.
Instead, it lifted him into the air, wrapping him in its merciless power.
He writhed and moaned in pain, suffering for reasons known only to him.
"Aaah... aaah... aaaah!"
After what felt like an eternity of torture, the lightning finally released him.
He crashed back to the ground, broken and bleeding, his body trembling uncontrollably.
Suddenly, something approached at terrifying speed — something fiery and terrible.
Flaming chains raced toward him, and before he could move, they wrapped tightly around his body.
"Aaaahh...!"
His cries filled the air as the searing shackles burned his skin.
Blood poured down his body, his hair tangled over his face, hiding his expression.
Above him, the sky roared again.
A raging snowstorm formed, the howling wind chilling to the bone.
The swirling snow gathered and shifted, taking shape — until a colossal face appeared, carved from ice itself.
The face bellowed furiously:
"Angel Vaibhav—how dare you defy us!"
[Vaibhav — the angel struck by lightning.]
"You knew the laws of nature could not be broken, and yet you chose to rebel!
For your defiance, you will suffer a punishment beyond anything you have ever known!"
The voice was so powerful that the blast of air from it blew back Vaibhav's hair, revealing his face.
His smooth, pale skin was streaked with blood, his large blue eyes wounded and shining with tears.
Yet even in his suffering, he smiled — a sad, broken smile.
With a soft, trembling voice, he said,
"I do not regret what I did. I chose this path willingly. I accept whatever punishment awaits me."
The icy face grew even more furious.
"Since you show no remorse," it roared, "your punishment will be even more excruciating! Prepare yourself!"
At that, a fiery whip lashed across Vaibhav's muscular body.
His once-pristine white skin burned and peeled under the relentless assault.
Blood poured from his mouth, yet the smile never faded from his lips.
The chains holding him blazed hotter, searing his wrists.
But still — he endured. Still — he smiled.
What gave him such strength to withstand such agony?
At last, the icy face faded away, leaving only the whips of fire tormenting him.
Time passed.
Vaibhav lay broken, trembling in pain.
Suddenly, footsteps approached.
Another young man arrived — almost the same age as Vaibhav, dressed in elegant blue angelic robes.
He was tall, nearly six feet like Vaibhav, with long tousled hair and tear-filled eyes.
Rushing to Vaibhav's side, he gasped, "Why, Vaibhav?
You knew the consequences!
Why would you do this to yourself?"
Vaibhav only smiled in silence.
The young man's hands trembled in anger and sorrow.
"You've lost your mind! There's still time!
You're stronger than any angel — you can fix this!"
He pleaded desperately,
"Fix it now! I will help you, even if it costs me all my power!"
At that, Vaibhav's blue eyes flared with anger.
He roared,
"Angel Neel! You will do no such thing!
I made my choice. I will endure my punishment.
You must not interfere!"
Neel's face twisted with anguish.
"It will only destroy you!" he cried.
Vaibhav shouted back fiercely,
"That's my burden to bear!
Leave now, before I lose my temper!"
His voice thundered across the desolate space:
"GO!"
Neel's eyes filled with tears.
Without another word, he vanished into thin air.
Alone once again,
Vaibhav lay in agony, lost in his memories.
Before his blurred vision, the smiling shadow of a girl appeared...
Three Years Ago...
This was the world of angels.
Countless angels lived here, yet they remained distant from each other, forbidden by the gods to mingle freely.
Each angel lived in solitude, obeying divine commands.
Most were often sent to Earth to carry out the will of the gods.
Breaking the rules was unthinkable — any angel who dared would face the unspeakable torment of hell.
The sky of this angelic world was a breathtaking pink, with no sun, no moon — yet an eternal soft light bathed everything.
White lotuses floated on still waters, their petals glowing gently under the pink sky.
Playful white rabbits hopped about, disappearing and reappearing as if by magic.
Among them, one small female rabbit was searching frantically for someone.
Suddenly, she spotted him.
Near the shimmering water, a young angel sat quietly.
His long, flowing white robes danced in the soft breeze.
The rabbit gazed dreamily at him from afar and whispered to herself,
"There he is... my dream prince. So handsome... so perfect..."
The angel rose to his feet, the wind lifting his hair and robes elegantly.
Before the rabbit could reach him, his magnificent wings unfurled, stretching wide and beautiful.
With a single powerful beat of his wings, he soared into the pink sky.
The little rabbit watched in heartbreak as he disappeared into the heavens, whispering sadly,
"He's gone... I wanted to meet him..."