Meanwhile in Heaven…
"What do you mean he wasn't involved?" Michael snapped, his voice booming through the ethereal realm. He pointed a trembling finger at Lucifer. "We all know he had a hand in this somehow."
Michael and Aries stood before the six Seraphim—celestial beings of supreme rank—summoned into a separate sanctum outside of regular heaven. The realm was vast and shrouded in golden mist, with no discernible walls or ceiling. Only divine light radiated from the Seraphim who floated midair, their spherical forms covered in countless eyes, ever-shifting as if folding in and out of themselves. Eight wings unfurled from each of their forms like divine engines. They were terrifying, holy, and ancient—so close to God's throne that only Michael himself rivaled them in might.
"He was proven innocent beyond doubt," one of the Seraphim replied, its voice layered with harmonic tones.
Lucifer gave a toothy grin, eyes gleaming with playfulness. "I already told you, Mikey~," he cooed, almost singing. "I was playing with my toys."
"As much as I hate to admit it," Travel muttered from beside Lucifer, arms folded, "he hadn't been in Heaven since you sealed him, sir."
Michael frowned deeply and scratched his head in frustration. "Gah... let's say it wasn't him. Then who could it be?"
"That's why you two are here," another Seraphim interjected. Its wings fluttered with a faint divine chime. "You were harboring a Nephilim in Heaven. Reports indicate you were training it."
Michael straightened. "As I said before, I was assigned to be his guardian angel."
"Regardless," the Seraphim answered flatly, "you should have questioned whether such an order was even viable."
"Are you suggesting we should doubt a command from the almighty God himself?" Aries stepped forward, her tone suddenly sharp, her presence fierce.
Michael nodded grimly beside her. "And besides, isn't God all-seeing? Why not just ask Him who tampered with the desk and go after them instead?"
The Seraphim didn't respond. A cold silence stretched through the divine space.
Something felt off. Michael's instincts screamed at him—if this were truly an investigation, why the secrecy? Why were they in a separate realm beyond Heaven?
Michael narrowed his eyes. "Mr. Seraphim..... tell us why you really brought us here."
Lucifer chuckled darkly, twirling on one leg like a mischievous child. "Looks like we can't stall them any longer. Not that it matters anyway... all the preparations are in place."
"Travel, if you would," he gestured dramatically.
"Certainly, sire," Travel said, raising his hands.
In the blink of an eye, the six Seraphim repositioned, forming a loose circle around Michael and Aries.
Michael turned sharply. "What's going on, Travel? Why are you calling him 'sire'?"
"Because he's working with me," Lucifer replied with a grin that held no mirth—only madness.
"What...?" Michael's voice dropped. "Since when?"
"Since always," Lucifer said, arms wide in theatrical revelation. "When we turned on God, I left them—well, him—behind. I needed an inside man... just in case things went south. And look—looks like it paid off!"
Aries summoned a horde of celestial blades in an instant. Hundreds of glowing swords hovered around her, suspended like a constellation, aimed at the Seraphim. "So it's all of you, then? If you think you can defeat us without one of you dying..."
She grabbed a blade. "Then you've got another thing coming."
"We're not after you, Aries," Lucifer teased, eyes twinkling. "We want him."
One of the Seraphim floated forward. "Join us, Michael. A being of your magnitude would be a tremendous asset. It would be… regrettable to destroy you."
"Destroy me?" Michael let out a bark of laughter. He reached for his sword and assumed his stance. "I'd like to see you try."
Lucifer sighed and waved his hand. "Deal with them. I have more important conversations to finish."
With another flick, Travel teleported both of them away.
The trap was sprung.
Aries and Michael now stood alone—surrounded by the most powerful divine entities ever created.
Michael clenched his sword. "Looks like there's no helping it... Meta—"
Before he could finish, a Seraphim surged forward. Its wings struck like divine spears, piercing Michael's chest with brutal precision.
"Too fast..." Michael gasped, blood dripping down his robes.
But his eyes burned with fury.
"You thought... this would be enough?"
Michael raised both arms—and gripped the realm itself. With sheer will, he dragged down gravity like a god pulling strings.
The weight crushed the Seraphim like falling stars. Their heavenly bodies slammed into the floor, creating deep craters. The ground cracked under the weight of divine mass.
"The Wing should be taking effect by now!" one of them cried.
Lucifer's voice echoed in their minds, "It'll cancel out his overwhelming strength."
Michael smirked through the blood. "So that's what this is... I can feel it. My power... draining. But even with this handicap—"
He clapped his hands.
BOOM.
A shockwave tore across the realm. One Seraphim was flung back violently, parts of its body cracking from the divine sound.
"Enough!" The others launched their wings at him, stabbing Michael repeatedly. Wings sprouted through his arms, ribs, and legs.
Michael coughed. "Is that... all?"
He dropped to one knee, sword still in hand.
"Metamorfo—!"
BOOM.
His body exploded with light. The wings impaling him detonated, searing the ground with divine fire.
"The wing weakened him," one said. "Without it, we'd have never pierced him."
"Lucifer got it from... Anti-God," another muttered.
"Begin the chant. Seal the child."
"Stop that!" Aries hurled her arsenal of blades, creating a storm of radiant steel.
One Seraphim stepped forward, catching every blade with its wings.
"I'll handle her alone."
"Tch, what about this!?" Aries summoned twin swords and dashed.
She swung—left, right, diagonal. A flurry of strikes like a symphony of war. Her swordplay was flawless, fluid, like an ancient battle dance. But the Seraphim's wings absorbed every blow.
She gritted her teeth. I need more power.
"Metamorfosi: Reign of War!"
In an instant, she transformed.
A burning red halo with sword-like spikes formed behind her. Her military armor melted away, replaced by glowing red plates—light, minimal, elegant and deadly. Four enormous red swords floated behind her, winged at the hilt like fallen seraph feathers.
"This... this is enough!"
She blitzed forward and smashed one of the Seraphim. It blocked—but staggered backward from the force.
"She's a considerable threat," another Seraphim observed.
Aries looked over her shoulder.
Michael lay within a cocoon of light. Unconscious. Bleeding. His wounds not healing.
"GET AWAY FROM HIM!"
She dashed.
Her opponent appeared before her, eyes blazing.
Hundreds of divine lasers fired.
But she didn't slow.
"SKREEEE—!"
She had cut it clean in half.
"GET HER!"
Two more Seraphim intercepted her mid-sprint. One above. One below.
She spun around, stabbed her sword into the ground, used it to pivot upward—then dove down like a crimson meteor with both swords drawn.
Crash!
They dodged.
"You're skilled," one admitted. "But not fast enough."
Aries breathed heavily. Bloody. Exhausted.
She jumped. Dodged. Fought back. But she was being overwhelmed.
I'm not getting out of this alive…
"If you're going to die, then get the job done first!" she told herself.
She ran again.
SHWING!! SHWING!!
Lasers struck her. One after another. Holes tore through her body.
She kept running.
If I can just… free him…
She remembered their time together. Michael's warmth. His reluctance to fight. His quiet strength. His compassion.
She loved him.
She always had.
"I'm sorry, Michael…"
Her legs carried her even after death. Her heart was no longer beating. Her lungs no longer breathed. But she moved—driven by sheer will.
Two swords in hand. Body riddled with divine holes.
The Seraphim hesitated as she finally collapsed before Michael.
"What a warrior..." one muttered.
"She's dead."
"A shame…"
"Now, to the next phase of our plan…"
"Killing God."