Angel

"Though serene & graceful, they shall purge the world of iniquity with pure vengeance — the white winged heralds of death."

- A legend told about the Angels

Angel (天使, Tenshi) are one of the few races known to Earthland — acting as the personifications of goodness, kindness, austerity, and anything related. They are worshiped in most religions & cults — seen as one of the most divine creatures, sans the gods themselves. It's known that they are subservient to them, acting as their personal servants.

They are one of the given inhabitants of Empyrean.

Overview
For a long time, Angels are always viewed in a positive light by most of humanity. Heralded as "Messengers of the Divine" (神の紙者, Kami no Shisha), they are known to possess powers that make them greater than any other known race — sans the Gods themselves. They are known to be allies of the forces of good, as their mission is to help cull all worlds of evil. They tend to be admired by those of other races, especially by humans — who are considered to be the closest to them in physiology & given habits. It's unknown how they came to be, but its rumored that they were created by an especially powerful god — said to be the incarnation of light & goodness. However, since most Angels are clueless about their given origins — believing they had always existed, they tend not to look into the matter.

Physiology & Habits
Angels are known to share the same physiology with Humans, sans a select few. It's rumored that Humans were once born from Angels, but this is still debated as the two races live in separate realms. Despite being humanoid, Angels are like Celestial Spirits; they are spiritual entities that can't normally act with the material plane, with given exceptions & circumstances — most of which are granted by the upper echelon of Empyrean.

As depicted in most religions and cults, Angels are beings known to possess white avian wings on their backs and halos above their heads; like humans, each one is unique and share no given similarites. However, Angels in certain rankings can take on a different form — which, ironically, also falls in-line with human beliefs. Because of their status as an immortal race, Angels aren't dependent on consumption as with Humans and other races. However, they can eat food like everyone else. An Angel's food preference, if ever consumed, is usually something sweet; this is due to their beliefs that sweets have the most heightened sense of flavor out of all foods. Something typical of a divine race, they don't have normal bodily functions — thus no need to use the bathroom or sweat. However, they are still capable of producing tears — as shown when they are saddened. Being creatures of a pure nature, Angels are immune to all forms of diseases and illnesses; some refer to it as being "protected by the heavens".

Something that's considered to be an interesting factor, Angels have two hearts — in comparison to the single one found in Humans and most other species. This serves as a mechanism of sorts; normally one of the hearts is always beating while the other is in a dormant state. But in the case that an Angel dies and their initial heart is destroyed, the second heart activates in response to this and produces chemicals that cause the body to regenerate at a rapid pace — reviving them as a result. However, this form of resurrection can be prevented if both hearts are destroyed simultaneously. It's a known fact that a destroyed heart can be repaired if shreds of it remain. Only those of the Dominion-class & higher can repair it using their extremely powerful light, but this may take some time, going from days to possibly centuries — the factor being how much damage is done to the heart itself.

In nature, Angels are beings that represent the concepts of goodness & purity — they tend to be very stern, yet kind individuals. Though, there are Angels who are free-spirited & happy-go-lucky individuals. Angels are also known to give out blessings to others from various races sans Demons — their natural enemy. This most commonly associated with Humans, who the Angels tend to see as their "brethren". It's said that Angels have intervened many times over the course of human history — helping to guide mankind into a better direction. It's because of this that many religions & cults began worshiping & venerating them as sacred deities. It's said that when a person makes a selfless sacrifice to an Angel, they gain something greater in return. However, that "something" varies from individual — going from great amount of wealth & fortune to inheriting some of an Angel's power. However, this serves as something exclusive to those who are virtuous & pure.

Despite their status as peaceful & loving creatures, Angels can be vicious at times of they feel that their lives are in danger or if their beliefs & customs are being threatened. It's said that it's not wise to anger an Angel, as their wrath is as great as any Demon — something that most of them don't like to admit; this is something they refer to as "showing our sinful side", the one thing they try to avoid at all cost as it would make them lose faith, and possibly instill fear into others — erasing the conception of them being kind & gentle creatures. It's said that an angered Angel has the potential to utterly decimate anything & everything around them including the target of their wrath. In this sense, they are capable of wanton amounts of destruction like any other creature.

Because of the number of years they've existed — outliving most other species by-far sans the gods themselves, Angels gathered much knowledge over their lifetime; this is especially seen in the mid-tier order of Angels, who have known to amass the most amount of knowledge. This makes them one of the wisest beings, being able to give out excellent advice to those who need it & solving problems most don't known the answer. Thus, many from various races tend to look to them for guidance. There have been instances that even the gods themselves have asked Angels for their guidance in one aspect or another.

Relationship w/ Demons
"Angels & Demons.... don't mesh well with one another. Anyone who isn't stupid or oblivious could easily think of the reasons why. Angels are beings representing good & kindness. They do things that help others advance, guiding them on the right path while doing so; they would even help their own kind, either directly or indirectly. Demons, on the other hand, are creatures of evil. They are seen as the personification of evil; they want nothing but the destruction of those around them. They thrive on the suffering of others, even if its one of their own. This is why most of them are lone wolves; they rarely work in groups. Thus, you can think of why they don't like each other's presence. When confronting one another, a fight ALWAYS ensues. They're basically like oil & water."

- A mage explaining the typical relationship between an Angel & Demon.



Social Echelon
It's a known belief that there's a hierarchy amongst the Angel populace, shown by the number of wings that each one possesses. This is seen in the rankings that they've created in order to differentiate themselves from one another. It's also a known fact that because of this that they live in different areas of Empyrean as a result; this is due to the possibility that the powers of a more powerful angel can severely harm or interfere with the power of another of lower-ranking. Each rank is also tasked with a specific duty that helps keep the world of the divine stay in motion. There are three known orders of Angels, each containing two or more rankings.

Magics & Abilities
It's a known fact that Angels are considered to be one of the more powerful races due to the various abilities they possess. Their given abilities lean more to the divine, thus being almost comparable to that of a god. It's said that because they are the natural enemy of Demons & other forms of evil, their powers tend to easily cancel out their own. They are one of the few races that has an affinity for the light element — being the very incarnation of it. In fact, they are deemed as the element's most powerful users, as its a natural part of them. They are known to be able to use other forms of magic other than their own, the only exception being the Black Arts — something that goes against their nature entirely.


 * Immortality: Like Celestial Spirits (and most holy races for that matter), Angels possesses the innate skill of immortality — they don't age and they can't die through normal means. They can't be killed using man-made weaponry or through weak-tier spells & curses. The only way to do so is if they are outside of their given dimension, especially if its a location teeming with evil. In such a case, they can easily be dealt with — as the evil of said area can overpower them & weaken them as a result, making them all the more vulnerable.


 * Sanctus Lumine  (天辺罰覿面 (サンクタス·ルミネ), Sankutasu Rumine; Latin for "Holy Illumination", Japanese for "Divine Judgment from the Highest Heavens"): The core of an Angel's power and considered to be one of, if not, the highest form of Light Magic — far surpassing any form of light-based magic, including that of the Slayer, Purger, or even Cleanser kind. It's said that this power was considered to be the origin of Light Magic currently used in modern society, being drastically diluted to a mere fraction of its potential. It's said that this was also a "gift" that was given to them by the god who created them — seeing it as a perfect tool to combat any and all evil threats that an angel may face. Sanctus Lumine allows an angel to manipulate all forms of light — even the ones used by their adversary, bending it to their whim & using it to destroy their given target. It's known that this ability has the potential to utter annihilate anything that it touches down to its very core, having no hope of revival whatsoever. This is known to be dangerous if used on a race, as it will lead them to the brink of extinction. The overall purpose of this ability is to keep evil at bay & deter those going down such a demonic path. The power of this ability is mainly dependent on the number of wings that an Angel possesses. This naturally means that a Seraph's usage of this ability can far outclass that of an Azrael's usage. It's revealed that the ability is the manifestation of an Angel's essence, magnified to such extremes in order to perform the given tasks by its users. The pressure it imposes can possibly stifle the very presence of those who are exposed it — sans those of their own ilk; however, there are given exceptions to this rule, as the light can deemed & felt as a warming presence to those who are considered an Angel's ally despite not being one of their kind. Since this is a form of energy, it can be molded & shaped into anything the user desires — the limitation being their own imagination.
 * Benedictionibus ex Caelum (神聖の儀式人種 (べネディクショイーバス·エクス·サエルム), Benedeikushoniibasu Ekusuru Kēramu; Latin for "Blessings from Above", Japanese for "Holy Rite of the Divine Race"): This is derived from their ability to manipulate light, given to those they deemed worthy. This technique has been performed mainly on Humans, wanting to fulfill their desires of becoming closer to an Angel — a desire that's also been shared by the Angels themselves. In order to perform this technique, the Angel charges an immense amount of light to their hand (sans the usage of the parent technique), places said light-infused hand over the target's head. The main attribute of an Angel is their ability to "purify"; this can fall in line with anything that goes against their will. In this case, the technique is used to purify all imperfections within the target while slightly altering their physiology. This causes them to evolve as a result, thus becoming "converting them" (i.e. gaining the same powers & abilities of Angels). It's known that this effects of this ability can be passed down from generation-to-generation — allowing certain members of the family to inherit an angel's power. However, the only problem with this technique is its level of power; it's said those who's received a blessing from a Seraph through the usage of this technique have inherited an immensely large & strong amount of power that can be passed down for a long time. In comparison, those who received the blessing from an Azrael inherits a small & weak amount of power that temporarily lasts in the recipient — having no chance of it being inherited by the next of kin. It's said that this technique has helped humankind to evolve over the past millennium into what it currently is today. Also, it's been theorized that this technique is what the Angels use to breed & re-populate their kind, but this has yet to be proven. This technique is known to be ineffective against individuals who are corrupted & creatures of an evil species; in fact, if ever performed on them, the technique would backfire causing immense pain as they are purified from the inside-out. In a sense, this technique can be considered cruel as it's seen as a slow form of torture — a trait that contradicts an Angel's given nature. It's been theorized that Fallen Angels had lost this ability upon their corruption, but was later proven false as it was still possible for them to give out such blessings to individuals they deemed worthy; in such a case, the blessing of a fallen is a bit weaker than that of a pure, no longer having affiliation with their homeland. Though the individual chosen receives the same amount of power as a fallen angel of given rank, it's naturally seen as inferior in-comparison with an individual blessed by a pure one. However, it should be noted that ranking is still a factor — thus even if the blessing is weakened to a certain extent, if that Fallen Angel was of a higher ranking, then the power the individual was blessed with can outrank another individual blessed by an angel of a lower ranking. Naturally, those who're blessed by a Fallen Angel gain black wings instead of white ones.
 * Aetheria (聖域の清浄悪 (エーテルイア), Ēteruia; lit. "Holy Field of the Scorched Evils")


 * Flight: All Angels — regardless of rank, physiology, or power, have the unique ability of flight. They can fly unrestricted in any location, the ability being a natural part of them. It's known that this is how they mainly travel from place to place — only walking in rare instances.


 * Shapeshifting: In order to interact with other species, Angels are known to have the ability to shapeshift — transforming themselves entirely. This to ensure their identity remains a secret while being able to accomplish any given task meeded out to them. However, the only exception is Humans — as they merely hide their wings & halos, as they already share a similar physiology with them & seem to trust them the most out of all other races.

Apoca
"Y'see this weapon in my hand? It's apart of my being; we are one in the same. Two halves of the same whole. It's like this with other angels and their respective Apoca — there's no exception. They are mere reflection of ourselves, the embodiment of our given individuality. The power each one holds correlates to the user's true self. When we die, it goes along with us; that's how close-knit the two are to each other. It's something unique and can't be passed along to another. It's the only thing that can't be given to an angel-blessed human; that's how special it is. You think we are all good on the inside? We're all the same? If you thought that for even a second, then you are a fool. Like humans, we each are different in our own way. Even Fallen Angels — those who fell from grace are no exception; in fact, it's because of said reason that they fell in the first place. In short, these weapons are considered to be the true personification of our powers — one that even surpasses the Sanctus Lumine, that which is hailed as the most powerful form of light."

- Sariel alluding to the nature of the Apoca to his race before reaping the souls of one of his victims.

Apoca (選ば人種の神器 (アポケア), Apoka; lit. "Divine Armaments of the Chosen Race")

Angel Magic
It's said that when an angel dies, their body goes through an unusual metamorphosis. It looses all human characteristics and become something akin to a fetus-like doll. These "corpses" reside in another dimension, guarded by an unknown power; the identity of this power is unknown, but it's hinted to be the "Angel of Death & Finality" (死合目的性の天使, Shigōmokutekisei no Tenshi) himself — Sariel, who's also known as the Grim Reaper in various lore.

When humans make a contract to utilize Angel Magic, they are able to access this dimension — summoning certain levels of angels by paying a certain price via coins. The angels in-question becomes subservient to the caster, obeying their every command. This magic is usable by many, but many Angels see it as a form of enslavement — desecrating the remains of those who have fallen. However, there are known exceptions to this way of thinking — as seen with Sorano, the most prominent user of this magic. The appearance of the angel is decided by their rank — the higher the class, the more of their former appearance they are able to retain.

Trivia

 * This species follows after both Latin & Hebrew motifs respectively, as seen in some of the ability names.
 * Most of the concepts here are based on one of the author's favorite Manhwa, Soul Cartel.
 * Permission to use this race & given mechanics were granted by both Zico & Per.
 * This article was done in a Christian perspective due to the author's religious background.
 * Any user is allowed to create a given number of angels & fallen angels. However, only four archangels per user. No exceptions.
 * Also, in respect with the rankings of the species, the user must ask to make an angel of a higher rank (i.e. Seraphs, Cherubs, Ophanim, & Dominion-class Angels). They must also explain how they reached such a ranking. This is due to them being extremely powerful.


 * Some of the material in this article is related to Lucifer's Esoterism & other pages of the author, having some form of interconnection in one way or another.
 * The Apoca is based on the weapons of the same name from the manhwa, Nephilim.
 * Funnily enough, the nature of the Apoca is likened to that of the Zanpakutō (albeit with stark differences) from the anime/manga series, Bleach. This makes Angels more like Soul Reapers, which is somewhat ironic — both races being psychopomps.


 * Quote about the Angels was provided to me by User:ShonenChicoBoy. All credit goes to him.