Far above the mortal world, beyond mountains, clouds, and even stars, there stood a city that mortals could never reach.
It gleamed with ivory towers and golden spires, rivers of light running between them like liquid sunlight. The air itself hummed with the sound of wings and resonant hymns. This was Celestara, the seat of the angelic hosts, where only the purest beings were permitted to walk.
Inside the tallest spire, a great hall opened like the heart of the heavens. Its ceiling was painted with constellations, and its walls shone with mirrors of crystal, reflecting infinite light.
Here, the Council of Light gathered.
Seven thrones stood in a circle, each bearing an archangel, their wings vast and radiant. These were beings whose names had been spoken since the dawn of time.
At the center knelt the golden-cloaked angel who had confronted Elian—the Watcher. His hood was lowered now, revealing sharp features, golden hair that glowed faintly, and piercing amber eyes. His name was Seraphiel, one of the Watchers assigned to observe the mortal realm.
The Report
"The seal weakens," Seraphiel spoke, his voice carrying through the chamber. "The boy has awakened fragments of his power. He is aware—though not fully—of his origin. Worse still, he has discovered the Book of Balance."
A murmur swept through the thrones.
The Archangel of Judgement, stern and robed in silver armor, leaned forward. His name was Azrael, and his voice was sharp as a blade. "You allowed him access to the archives? That knowledge was meant to remain hidden."
Seraphiel bowed his head. "I did not guide him, Lord Azrael. The boy found it on his own. His curiosity outpaces even our wards."
The Archangel of Wisdom, a calm, white-winged woman named Selaphine, raised her hand. Her voice was softer, but tinged with concern. "The prophecy is clear. If the Child of Balance awakens without guidance, the world will fall into war once more. We cannot afford another age of ruin."
Azrael slammed his hand against his throne. "Then the answer is simple. We must strike now. Destroy the child before the seal fully breaks."
The hall filled with tense silence.
Not all agreed. The Archangel of Mercy, Caelum, spoke with a gentle sadness in his voice. "You would have us kill an innocent? He is barely more than a boy. His powers are not yet his own. Perhaps, given guidance, he could be a weapon for the Light."
Azrael sneered. "Or a weapon of Darkness. You know as well as I that demon blood runs strong in his veins. If his father's shadow awakens within him, we will face a threat beyond even our might."
Selaphine's eyes narrowed. "And yet his mother's light dwells there as well. Do not forget that the boy is as much angel as he is demon."
Seraphiel, still kneeling, finally spoke again. His voice was steady, but there was an undertone of doubt. "If I may, Lords and Ladies… when I confronted him, I saw fear in his eyes. But I also saw restraint. He saved mortals from a Rift that even seasoned guards could not close. He did not revel in power—he fought to protect."
Caelum nodded slowly. "Then perhaps we should guide him… not end him."
Azrael's wings flared, filling the chamber with light sharp as steel. "And if we are wrong? If mercy blinds us, and the Child of Balance becomes the very doom the prophecy warned of? Will you take responsibility for the blood that follows?"
The Council fell into silence once more. The weight of the question hung heavy.
Finally, Selaphine turned to Seraphiel. "You will continue your watch. Do not interfere unless absolutely necessary. Should the seal shatter…" She hesitated, her expression darkening. "Then the Council will decide the boy's fate."
Seraphiel bowed. "As you command."
As the meeting ended, Seraphiel rose and turned to leave the hall. But just as he reached the doors, a strange tremor shook the crystal mirrors on the walls. One cracked, a thin line spreading across its surface like a wound.
The archangels all turned sharply. Such a thing had not happened in thousands of years.
From the crack, faint whispers echoed—voices not of angels, but of demons.
"The seal weakens…" the voices hissed. "The Child awakens…"
Seraphiel's heart tightened as he stared at the broken reflection. The balance between realms was already crumbling.
And the boy he had just left in the mortal world was the key to it all.