Prologue

Lixue's family was celebrating with her godfather, Raiden, inside their mansion when the Disciples of Darkness from the earth and sky suddenly appeared before them. Everyone immediately stood from their seats, and Jiang instinctively pulled his wife close, holding her tightly.

"Run!" Jiang shouted at his wife as he positioned himself in front of her.

Jiang forcefully pushed Sarah away from him, placing their two daughters on either side of them.

"Run, Sarah! You're going to die here!" Jiang shouted as he looked straight at his wife.

"No, Jiang!" Sarah cried out to her husband as the Disciples of Darkness closed in around them.

"Run now!!" Jiang roared, his voice suddenly changing. His wife could only nod at him, tears filling her eyes.

Raiden grabbed his friend's wife by the hand and led her away, leaving Jiang behind with his two daughters. The three of them suddenly transformed—huge golden wings burst from their backs, their appearances changing along with their clothes, which turned a brilliant gold.

"Fight!" Jiang roared at his daughters.

The two girls flew into the air, shocking the evil spirits. Using their powers and unique strength, the three of them fought fiercely and defeated the enemies. Afterward, they rushed out of the mansion to follow their two companions.

"Lixue! Mikaelle! Jiang!" Sarah called out to her family as she and Raiden continued moving away.

"Hide, Sarah. You can't die," Raiden said as they reached a hiding place.

Raiden cautiously peeked around to see if any evil spirits were following them. Though human, he possessed an unusual guardian that allowed him to sense the creatures around them. His third eye opened, granting him extraordinary strength.

"Just stay there. Don't go out," Raiden reminded his friend's wife.

Using his spirit power, Raiden fought off the evil spirits that approached them.

"Ahhh!!!" Sarah screamed when someone suddenly grabbed her by the hair and dragged her away.

An evil spirit slammed her onto the floor, throwing stones at her. Just as it was about to stab her, her youngest daughter suddenly intervened—she was the one who took the hit. Screams echoed as Jiang and Lixue turned toward them, their eyes instantly changing color. Jiang pulled Lixue back.

Mikaelle ran to save her mother from an enemy sneaking up behind her, but an arrow struck her waist. She screamed as her mother pushed her away. Both of them cried, shaking their heads in disbelief.

Sarah was struck in the shoulder by another arrow. When an evil spirit attacked again, her youngest daughter collapsed. Sarah fell to the floor, causing Jiang and Lixue to turn toward her.

"Mommy!!!" Lixue screamed as her entire body transformed, the energy of her angelic power surging violently.

Lixue instantly destroyed the evil spirits surrounding the four of them while her youngest sister lay far away.

"We will kill you!" Lixue screamed angrily as she flew into the air, shocking the remaining spirits. The being before them was no longer an ordinary angel—it was a Disciple of the Father.

All the spirits struck by Lixue's power vanished.

"Lixue Chen!" Jiang shouted as he stopped her, whispering sternly. "Be patient. Refrain from making a scene."

"Dad—" Lixue stammered.

Jiang swiftly eliminated the enemies attempting to approach them. Lixue snapped back to reality when she heard Mikaelle scream.

"Aghhh..." Mikaelle cried as an arrow pierced her waist. She called out to her parents and older sister.

"Mikaelle!" Lixue shouted as she continued fighting the evil spirits.

"I'll find our daughter first," Jiang said. "Lixue, watch your mommy."

"Mommyyy! Daddddyyy! Attteee!" Mikaelle cried as she hid beneath a table.

"Show yourself, angel. I can smell you," a voice laughed menacingly.

Mikaelle cautiously looked around her hiding place. She heard a scream and peeked out, seeing her godfather Raiden fighting a spirit.

"Ninong!" Mikaelle called out as Raiden killed the enemy.

"Good. I heard you calling, and I'm close," Raiden said. "You're safe now—but your waist is bleeding."

They exited the spacious dining hall. Raiden shielded her wounded body, unaware that another spirit was attacking from behind.

"Mikaelle!" Sarah cried out.

"Hide, Mom. I'll find Mikaelle," Lixue said as she held her mother's hand and walked away.

"Save your sister, even if I don't," Sarah said, smiling faintly as she pushed her daughter away.

"I'm not leaving, Mom. If you talk like that, I won't go!" Lixue cried as her wings emerged.

"No, Lixue. You and your sister are more important to me. Even if I die, I know you will live," Sarah said, hugging her daughter.

"Mommmmyyyy!!!" Lixue screamed as a spirit suddenly appeared behind her mother, laughing.

"One more!" the spirit taunted.

Before it could attack again, Lixue stood before it, crying, as light burst from her palm pressed against its face.

"Just laugh—but you're dead now," Lixue said coldly.

She returned to her mother, who lay motionless on the floor.

"Save—your—sister... keep her away..." Sarah whispered as she raised her hand.

"Mommy, you won't die! Daddy will bring you back!" Lixue cried as she hugged her.

"Mommy?" Mikaelle called when she entered the room, seeing her sister beside Raiden.

"Mikaelle!" Lixue cried, tears streaming down her face.

"Take care of each other," Sarah said softly, smiling before closing her eyes.

The sisters transformed once more, golden wings growing larger as they screamed and flew into battle.

"I'll look for your daddy!" Raiden shouted.

Explosions echoed. Mikaelle collapsed, bleeding.

"I don't want to give up..." she whispered.

Enraged, Lixue destroyed the remaining spirits.

"Dad... they're gone," Lixue cried through her mind.

Raiden carried Sarah, while Lixue stayed beside Mikaelle. Unknown to her, the power she transferred kept them alive.

At the hospital—

"They're both in the morgue," Raiden said.

A nurse whispered, "The girl is still alive."

"I have a purpose," Raiden replied.

Days later, Raiden secretly saved Mikaelle.

Sarah was buried.

Every week, Jiang and Lixue prayed.

"Dad... they're gone—dead. I couldn't save them," Lixue cried through her mind as she looked at her sister and mother lying on the floor.

"That's not true," Jiang replied to his daughter, his voice breaking. "Your godfather will come to you. We will take them to the hospital."

"They have no life, Dad. I used my power on them—they won't wake up," Lixue sobbed, her body trembling as she knelt beside them.

"I'll go there. I'll finish the fight first," Jiang told his daughter before cutting the connection.

Lixue felt a hand rest on her shoulder. She looked up and saw Raiden standing beside her.

"Let's take them to the hospital," Raiden said gently.

Raiden lifted his friend's wife, while Lixue carefully supported her sister. What Lixue did not know was that the power she transferred to her mother and sister would be the very reason they would survive.

The nurses immediately attended to them upon arrival at the hospital.

"Where are your sister and mommy?" Jiang asked when he arrived, his voice shaking as he looked at his daughter and friend.

"They're both in the morgue, waiting for you," Raiden replied quietly.

Standing outside the morgue, Raiden and Lixue stayed behind as Jiang entered alone.

"Mom... Mikaelle... I didn't save you," Lixue whispered, holding back her tears.

"She will raise you, and I will wait for your return," Jiang said softly to his wife and youngest daughter. "Because it is not yet your time to die."

"Dad?" Lixue called, though he did not look back.

"I know they will return," Jiang said, his voice firm yet full of pain. "But I will not wait for their return."

Neither of them noticed when a nurse approached Raiden.

"Sir, the girl is still alive. She has a wound on her wrist, but she still has a pulse. Why was she placed in the morgue?" the nurse asked in confusion.

"I have a purpose," Raiden replied calmly.

"Why don't you inform the girl's family?" the nurse insisted.

"Erase all information about what happened to the girl—even the fact that she still had a pulse when she arrived. I will pay for everything," Raiden said firmly. "Just don't speak about this."

The nurse hesitated but nodded.

I will save you from the enemies of your family—and I will fulfill my wife's request, Raiden thought as he stared at the morgue door.

A few days later, with the help of his agents, Raiden secretly released his godchild from the morgue and transferred her to another hospital under a different identity.

The next day, Sarah Chen was laid to rest in the cemetery.

Every week, Jiang and Lixue visited her grave to pray.

"I'm going home to Japan first," Raiden said to his friend and godchild. "I don't have my bodyguards with me here."

"Be careful," Jiang replied, tapping Raiden's shoulder. "If you need more staff, just call me."

"Be careful, 'nong," Lixue said seriously to her godfather.

Rain poured heavily as Raiden left them behind. Jiang and Lixue returned to their car and drove back to the mansion.

⸻

A Few Months Later

After one hundred days of mourning and prayer, they gathered with one of Sarah's close friends.

"I'll be in my room first, Dad. I'm still full," Lixue said quietly.

"Ta bu xihuan wo ma?" Sarah's friend asked.

(Doesn't she like me?)

"Zicong wo nu'er zuixiao de meimei he muqin qushi yilai, ta shoushang de xinzang yizhi meiyou haozhuan," Jiang replied.

(Since the death of my daughter, youngest sister, and her mother, her wounded heart has never healed.)

"I'll never like you. You're not my mother," Lixue whispered to herself as she went upstairs.

Lixue's behavior toward the people she encountered—at home, in school, and on the streets—slowly changed. The cheerful Lixue was gone.

⸻

Six Years Later (2005)

Lixue drove her father and his new wife to the airport.

"Dad, I'm not coming with you," Lixue said firmly.

"Why?" Jiang asked.

"It's only been a year, Dad, but you've already replaced Mommy and Mikaelle in your life. I'm not like you," Lixue said as she stared at him seriously.

"I can never replace them," Jiang replied. "I just need to confirm my suspicion—that your mother's friend sided with the devil."

"I'm staying because I feel Mikaelle is still alive," Lixue said softly. "I can still feel my power connected to her. I dream of her."

"Follow me when you can no longer feel your sister," Jiang said before walking away with his new wife.

"If you truly have suspicions, Dad, I still won't go with you," Lixue said quietly. "I'll watch over things from here in the Philippines. There's only one person I know who can help me."

Before leaving the country, Jiang built half of a massive island resort.

He named it Sarah Mikaelle Island, also known as Sarah Mikaelle Resort and Hotel.