The Spider Queen

(Alpha Star System- Planet Gaia)

(N'rean City)

Rachel could feel something flowing through her body from a place beyond the void. This feeling… it was incredibly addicting.

A silly smile spread across the face of the saintess as she indulged herself in the pleasurable sensation that filled her body with joy.

Familiar whispers began to enter her ears as she channeled her patron's power. Archangel Raziel was the keeper of secrets.

Nothing could escape his dark gaze…

Rachel's eyes were now fully golden with a black cross where her pupils used to be. She struggled to prevent the rest of her body from undergoing a full angelic transformation.

Focus… focus… I have to focus…

She could hear hoarse guttural whispers coming from the people around her that were in a language that she did not know but yet could understand.

These whispers represented secrets or the hidden thoughts inside their minds. They ranged from the mundane to darker affairs.

(I hate my wife… I can't wait to meet my secretary after work today…)

(That pet is very cute… I should buy one for my daughter's birthday)

(The society meets at midnight. We must accomplish our goal…)

(The targets are Lucian, Elenore, and Michael… they will be dead by tomorrow. The virus has already infected them…)

Rachel furrowed her brows in pain as she felt a massive headache begin to form. She was still unable to handle Archangel Raziel's power.

The saintess took in a deep breath and began to focus on the qi that was travelling through her meridians.

The whispers were still entering her mind but now she was able to concentrate a bit more on the world around her.

Rachel had yet to meet someone who was fully good or completely evil.

When her gaze lingered on the people in the crowd, she saw their bodies as different shades of grey.

Some approached the darker shades, but the majority of the crowd ranged from white to light grey colours.

The saintess touched her cheek and felt a wetness below her eyes. She raised up her hand and saw a few droplets of golden liquid on her fingertips.

Damn… she didn't have enough time.

It appeared that using the gaze of truth was causing her body to become unstable and revert back to her natural state.

Rachel quickly turned around and ran towards the direction of the mysterious man who had almost bumped into Cleo.

"Hey… where are you going?" Sophie yelled as she saw her friend head towards a certain direction.

The hybrid girl and the princess quickly followed behind Rachel as she ran frantically towards the museum.

Rachel clicked her tongue impatiently as she could hear the whispers get louder and louder in her head.

She even heard voices coming from Cleo's and Sophie's bodies that told her secrets about her friends that she didn't know.

Sophie's secret involved someone called Sui Meng while Cleo on the other hand… symbiotes… royal family…

(Danger looms… danger looms… princess trapped within a cage…)

(Death approaches…)

Rachel stumbled slightly as she heard a whisper that was clearer than the other voices loudly shrieking in her mind.

The saintess raised up her head and finally saw the plain looking man in a business suit standing innocently near a grey building.

She opened her eyes wide, and the dark crosses were tinged with red as she activated the archangel's ability to the fullest extent.

Rachel froze in place as she saw an incredible sight that she didn't think was possible.

Nothing.

She could not see in any colours on the man's body but what was stranger was the fact that she could heard whispers coming from everyone else in the crowd except for him.

It was like the man was a void in the middle of a crowded street.

The archangel's gaze of truth did not work on non-living things or inanimate objects, but that man was clearly just a normal human.

Wasn't he?

Rachel didn't understand what was going on. She didn't understand how the man did not have a nature of good or evil.

And why didn't he have any secrets?

Wait… there was one card that she had left to play. Rachel bit her lip nervously as she rubbed her fingers together.

The saintess opened her mouth and words of prayer flowed out, "Hear my cry Lord… your humble servant seeks knowledge… allow me to receive enlightenment."

"Raziel… keeper of secrets… he who watches the threads of fate… the eternal eye that sees all under the heavens…"

"Lend me thy strength…"

Rachel coughed violently as she felt her body convulse from the sharp bursts of pain that seemed to come from every part of her body.

She needed to hold on… just a little bit longer…

The saintess stretched out her hand and saw that her fingers were beginning to melt away. Rachel didn't have a mirror, but she could feel the wetness running down her face.

And judging from the uncomfortable glances that she was getting from those passing by, she was clearly not looking too good.

Rachel swayed and would have fallen were it not for the strong pair of hands that caught her body just as she was about to collapse.

The saintess was about to thank Sophie for her help when she heard a tired old voice in her mind that was very familiar.

(My dear… why are you pushing yourself so hard?)

(Your body can't handle my gift yet so please don't be so reckless in the future… sigh… my vessels are always so impatient)

(And I quite like you so please don't follow in the footsteps of those fools who decided to use my gift until it consumed them)

(Don't worry I already know what you're going to ask and the reason why you can't see anything is because that man has no will… he is a mere puppet of another power)

Rachel's body trembled violently as her eyes returned to normal and the parts of her body that were melting away gradually stabilised.

The words of Archangel Raziel echoed through her mind and Rachel could not help but shoot a wary look at the man who appeared to be completely normal.

"Are you okay?" Sophie asked with concern evident in her voice.

Cleo appeared to be equally worried as she reached into her pocket and gave Rachel a healing serum.

Rachel took the serum from the princess and quickly injected the needle into her body.

She let out a quick sigh of relief as the healing liquid travelled through her biomass and repaired her damaged organelles.

"That man… he's a puppet…" Rachel softly whispered as she pointed at the man who was now walking away.

"A puppet?" Cleo asked in confusion.

"Yes… my vision couldn't see into his true nature because he has none… he is just a hollow shell… I don't know how to really explain it properly," Rachel hesitantly replied.

The saintess frowned in pain as she felt her headache get worse with every passing minute.

Archangel Raziel was right… she could not handle using his gift at least not yet.