"I'd prefer to leave as soon as possible… if you're all okay with that?"
Excitement surged through me like a light splitting the darkness. I didn't have the patience to wait any longer. For someone like me—shaped by an isolated past—the idea of school was more than a dream. It was a beginning. Even if I wasn't entirely prepared for the responsibilities ahead, I knew everything from this point on would guide me to where I needed to be.
The trio of angels fixed their warm, trusting gazes on me.
Uriel smiled as always, that same soft expression radiating like the morning sun—gentle, comforting, almost maternal. Gabriel's look brimmed with pride, his eyes reflecting an unwavering loyalty I hadn't yet earned, but deeply appreciated. Then there was Michael. His usual lazy smile lingered, though behind it stirred a sharpness, a calculation I hadn't noticed before.
Meeting them at the very start of this new life—well, aside from being granted a new life at all—felt like the luckiest thing that could have happened.
Michael's voice broke through my thoughts. "Before Uriel sends you down to the mortal plane, you should know—you can contact us through the phone I gave you."
Gabriel's head whipped toward him.
"I suppose you can be useful once in a while, Michael," he said dryly, the jab delivered with surprising sharpness.
I blinked, startled. Gabriel? Teasing? I'd expected divine grace and heavenly decorum—not this… sibling-like rivalry. Still, beneath the sarcasm, I caught something genuine. A flicker of appreciation.
I bit back a laugh, lips twitching as Uriel and I watched the two descend into bickering. Their usual air of solemnity gave way to something more human—childish insults tossed like paper balls across a classroom.
Well, not that I'd know, but anyways.
"I always imagined angels to be… above mortal antics like this," I murmured under my breath, my voice touched with amusement.
Uriel turned to me, eyes bright with laughter. I straightened slightly, clearing my throat.
"I believe Michael said you'd be the one transporting me?"
Her gaze drifted from the squabbling pair and settled on me once more.
"That's correct," she replied, composure returning. "The Silver City exists in a separate dimension from the human world. I can create gates between the two."
"Just you?" I tilted my head, curiosity piqued. "What happens if the other angels need to leave?"
Uriel chuckled softly, her smile deepening.
"Since your memory loss, you've become a lot more curious. It's… nice," she whispered, her voice nearly lost beneath the distant hum of celestial bickering.
"It's true, though," she continued. "If any of the angels need to travel to the human realm, they have to come to me. Because of that, I must always remain here in Heaven."
"That still doesn't explain why only you can open gates," I pressed.
Her brow furrowed in thought, then softened once more.
"The Lord never explained why I was given this ability. But… I've always taken it as a sign of his trust. And for that, I'm grateful."
She smiled again, a pure, glowing thing—reminiscent of sunlight passing through stained glass.
My eyes flicked toward Michael and Gabriel, still absorbed in their petty squabble.
"I think they'll be at it for a while." I turned back to her. "Do you think you could transport me now?"
Uriel blinked, mildly taken aback. "Right this moment?"
"If it isn't too much trouble."
She nodded. "It's perfectly doable, Lord Caelus."
---
Uriel stepped forward, raising one hand in a fluid motion. The air around her shimmered, golden light unfolding across the silver walls. It spiralled gently, like rays of sunlight caught in water, trailing up her arm as her autumn-brown eyes faded into a luminous gold—warm, radiant, divine.
The light gathered at her palm, swirling until it formed a delicate magic circle, its complex design pulsing softly with power. The symbol hovered just above her skin, humming quietly in the silence that had fallen between us.
I was too enraptured to notice the shift beneath me.
The golden glow vanished from her hand—reappearing directly beneath my feet, the circle larger now, enclosing my entire form. The magic surged, veiling me in light. Runes began to spin faster and faster, blurring into a vortex of motion.
Then—
The light shattered like glass.
I was yanked into a swirling vortex, colours melting and streaking past me in a blur. The world twisted and stretched, shapes dissolving into streaks of light as I hurtled through the gate at impossible speed.
Gone were the familiar silver walls of Heaven. In their place was a compact room painted in soft greys. A single glance revealed its modest charm: a kitchenette tucked beside a narrow living space, a small bedroom, and an even smaller bathroom. It wasn't much, but it felt whole—thoughtfully arranged, quietly welcoming.
A dorm room.
I grinned wide. "This has to be the dorm!"
Fumbling for the cell phone Michael had given me, I pulled it from my pocket and powered it on. The screen lit up. I flicked through the menu—banking app, browser, messaging. Five contacts were already saved.
Michael. Gabriel. Uriel. Raphael. Azrael.
I hadn't expected Michael to include all of them. Raphael. Azrael. Their names sat quietly on the screen, glowing with quiet importance. I hadn't even met them yet.
Still… I supposed I couldn't predict when I might need to reach out.
Raphael... Azrael...
The names stirred something in me. A faint echo from my past life.
If I remember correctly… Raphael is the Angel of Healing. And Michael had already confirmed it—Azrael was the Angel of Death.
I think I'll need to become a bit more mentally prepared before I come face-to-face with Azrael... Meeting the Angel of Death sounds pretty terrifying.
Huh, I wonder if they know anything about my past life and death?
Wait—would they know about my reincarnation too? What if they outed me as a phoney god?! Would I just be killed on the spot?No... no, I'm overreacting. I have to be.