The one who's fallen

Found

Azrael stood in the training arena deep in the woods far away from the other campers, the weight of his sword heavy in his hands. While his sister, Anastasia, practiced some spells, he struggled to unlock the powers bestowed upon him by his godly parents. Whoever that may be, he can feel a certain darkness deep inside his soul. Frustration etched his features as he swung the sword, attempting to channel the latent energy within. Doubt filled his body making him shudder in disgust with himself. How can something so simple be so hard? He couldn't gouge out the difficulty of using his abilities while his sister did it so effortlessly.

Anastasia noticed her brother's struggle and approached him with a reassuring smile. "You'll get the hang of it, Az. Just focus on what you feel, let it guide you." She taps the tip of the sword signaling Azrael to try again. She stands to the side taking a small break giving her brother a calm smile urging him to try again. When it came to her brother she always felt inferior to him. Her whole family adored him. He was the treasured brother they looked up to and favored out of the twins they didn't care if he was the second youngest out of five. He was kind and friendly while she was quiet and awkward, always hiding behind a book to avoid socializing.

She breathes in through her teeth a ping of hurt shoots through her gut but gives Azrael a nod in reassurance. He nods back, determined to master his abilities. With each swing, he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath in, attempting to tap into the darkness that lingered within him. He searched deep and wide for a sign that will lead him to that untapped power. Suddenly, a surge of humongous energy coursed through his veins, sending a ripple of power down his spine, he calls upon the shadows that plummet under the trees leaves. The once vibrant forest filled with birds chirping and ruffling animals through the trees go silent. The training dummy that they snuck out from the training room disintegrated into the growing shadows as Azrael's eyes widened in astonishment.

Anastasia clapped, her grin widening. "Looks like someone's finally getting the hang of it."

Flushed with success, Azrael couldn't contain his excitement. "I did it! I can control the shadows!" The gears in Anastasia's head turned listing all the gods and goddesses with absolute control of darkness and shadows. She takes one look at her Azrael excited grin and decides to toss the idea in the back of her mind. “Hold on a second you still have a long way to go.” She buts in his bubble with a serious look watching Azrael shoulders deflate and a frown on his lips before Anastasia breaks into a grin and a laugh bubbles in her gut. She ruffles his hair. “I'm just messing with you.” Azrael tackles her into a hug swinging her around in a circle; they both laugh carelessly and Anastasia couldn't help but take notice how happy her brother is. Finally.

Their celebration was short-lived when, in the midst of Azrael's joy, a sudden wave of darkness enveloped them. It was so dark and yet so familiar and for a second they were floating in nothingness before they dropped; their organs felt like it was being rearranged and put together like a puzzle piece. The twins' hands clutch hard against each other's arms. Their world shifted again, and before they knew it, they found themselves standing in a dimly lit, desolate landscape. A chilling wind whispered through the air, carrying with it the unmistakable scent of death.

Anastasia's eyes widened with a panic but before she could ask anything she felt nauseous bubble up in her stomach as if she rode a roller-coaster. She lurches forward, the sound of her gagging on the saliva that builds up in her throat fills her ears, before throwing up her dinner. Azrael seems to be impervious to the sudden teleportation but that doesn't stop him from holding his sister's hair up. She wipes the edges of her lips with the sleeve of her jacket. “Where are we?" Her eyes trail over a river field with toys and electronics. Her mind instantly recognized the river as the river Styx; it was polluted with dreams and wishes that never came true alongside broken promises.