Somewhere deep in the dark recesses of Heaven was a seldom-visited area of the Holy realm. It was an area that very few Angels ever ventured.


    It resembled a cave, though its physical shape was blurred. All of its walls blended together, making navigation difficult at points, as the halls of the place were not easily defined. Fitting as it wasn''t a place that was supposed to exist in the first place. No, it was one of the more recent areas of the realm, if one could consider five hundred years ago to be recent. It had been built to be nigh unreachable by the average Angel, specifically due to those who resided in it.


    From the ceiling of this cavern, a peculiar sight could be seen. A pale blue rift opened, and gracefully, a brown teddy bear floated downwards from the opening, shimmering with a strange glitter until it bestowed itself into a pair of cold, pale hands. The feminine hands turned the bear as though to gaze back at its beholder, and a light feminine giggle reverberated throughout the depressing residence.


    The giggling quieted, the high and raspy voice calling out, "Aha, yes this is quite the development, wouldn''t ya say?" The pale hands nudged the teddy ever so slightly, causing its head to nod lopsidedly. Another fit of giggling came from the thin lips of the teddy bear''s owner. The arms pulled the bear to her body, hugging it tightly to the woman''s body, and then she began to twirl about the room.


    Despite currently residing in Heaven, one could quickly tell that this was not one of Ilias''s Angels, the lack of wings or a halo not even needed to give it away. No, nothing about this woman was Angelic. In fact, one could consider her to be quite the opposite.


    This being was at one time known as Alipheese the Eighth, the holder of the title of Monster Lord almost five hundred years ago to the present day, now reborn and known as Black Alice by the very few that knew of her continued existence.


    Her baby blue dress swished along with her dancing, the white apron rising slightly off of the dress as well. Her pale green hair flew through the air, bangs and all, barely being held back by a bow as blue as her dress that fastened atop her head.


    Black Alice came to an abrupt halt, her black dress shoes clacking underneath her dress as she stomped on the stone floor. She turned a single foot completely backwards used the torque to quickly spin around to face the opposite direction, her baby-blue dress twirling once again with the movement. Her bright carmine eyes flashed a mischievous light that betrayed her innocent-looking face as she found her only companion inside the dark underbelly of Heaven.


    However, calling the two companions may be a stretch.


    Standing before Black Alice was a steel table a couple of meters long, on its top lay various tubes and beakers. Some were part of ongoing projects, while some were remnants of unsuccessful experimentation that haven''t quite been cleaned up yet. Sitting at said table was what used to be one of Ilias''s Angels.


    The Fallen Angel''s sizeable wings and Halo were translucent, and her body was covered by a dirtied white lab coat. Beneath her coat was a dark grey sweater that covered a navy-blue collared shirt. A simple black skirt and black stockings adorned her legs as well. The ex-Angel scarcely gave indication that she even noticed the Monster behind her.


    Instead, she kept her ruby red eyes squinted harshly onto her work before her, meticulously working away while only pausing to move a lock of similarly ruby-colored hair.


    "Prrromestein?~" Black Alice sang the Angel''s name, much to her visible annoyance.


    Again, Promestein did not look from her workstation but this time she did offer a reply, "Yes, Alice?" The former Monster Lord in question giggled again, rounding the table until she stood opposite where Promestein was sitting. "I''ve found a secret, and I''m looking to share~" Black Alice hunched down slightly, staring at the Fallen Angel through the glass beakers.


    "A little teddy..." Black Alice held up the stuffed animal, "...Told me that Ilias has found a little slice of Heaven on Earth!" She cackled, amused at her little joke, as the Fallen Angel finally gave the former Monster Lord her full attention in the form of a scowl.


    "I don''t enjoy your riddles," Promestein started removing her gloves, forgoing her work for the moment as she couldn''t concentrate otherwise. "If you have something of importance to relay to me, then simply do so."


    Black Alice stood up straight; her face contorted into childish disappointment. "Ah, Promestein, Promesteeein! How is it that someone who has been around for as long as you could be so absolutely booooooring?" The carmine-eyed Monster shook her head, "I had truly hoped that all your time spent with me would at least help you with that."


    With that, Black Alice let go of the teddy bear, but it continued to float in mid-air by itself. It then spun to face the nearest wall and began projecting an image. It showed a scene from just minutes prior: a ragged and tired Lucifina holding her newborn son, Luka. The boy''s eyes were scrunched close, and a small smile adorned his face as he snuggled with his Mother.


    Promestein gaped at the scene, ''The First Fallen Angel, Lucifina? And with a child...'' The Fallen Angel looked to Black Alice for confirmation, her mind racing at the implication of such a thing.


    Black Alice''s disturbed grin flashed again as she sauntered backward to the projection. She then turned, mockingly holding out a hand to pretend-caress the face of the infant. "Yes, my dear friend. Your intuition is correct. This boy, Luka, is Lucifina''s son; One half Angel, the other half Human. I believe that in your hypothesis you referred to such a thing as a Nephilim."


    Promestein could hardly believe it. She had predicted it to be possible before, but had never expected to see one due to Ilias''s dogma banning Angel and Human relations.


    Black Alice continued, "And the best part?" She stood to fully face Promestein, her face turning into one of mockery as she described Ilias''s plan, "That foolish "Goddess" wishes to turn him into a "Prophet" for humanity!" She quickly scoffed before continuing, "It''s one of the worst jokes I''ve ever heard."


    Promestein stood from her seat for the first time, her curiosity peaked by her "partner''s" words. The Fallen Angel''s coat swished behind her as she walked up to the projection, a smirking Black Alice merely watching on as she did so, letting the gears in the Fallen Angel''s head turn.


    Promestein stared at the image for a moment, disbelief coloring her normally stoic face, before she shook her head. "I''ve always known that Ilias was a hypocrite, but this is a completely new low. Taking something that should be a sin to her-" Promestein aimed a hand at Luka. "-A Human-Angel hybrid, and trying to use it as her new tool to control a World that isn''t her''s. It would be sadder if it wasn''t already pathetic."


    Black Alice stepped forward, "Indeed it is, but this could be helpful to something other than Ilias''s will..." Promestein turned her head to the Monster, an eyebrow raised. "...What I am saying, is that this Luka could possibly be the leverage we would need to sway matters into our own favor. The severity of his power could be considerable based off of his genetic makeup alone. Taking into account his Mother''s rank as a Seraph and his Father''s... particular ancestry..."


    Black Alice paused, the smile leaving her face as something more unpleasant replaced it.


    Seemingly aware of her own falter, the former Monster Lord forced the smile back on her face, before continuing, "...That alone could make him at Seraph level power at the very least when he reaches his prime."


    Promestein took note of Black Alice''s words, pondering the idea. "Maybe so," she started, "But how exactly would we be able to capitalize on such a thing? Surely, Ilias will be of the mind of taking him to the top of Heaven as soon as she can, if he is of such importance."


    Black Alice closed her eyes, a very pleased look appearing on her face as she gave another twirl while pushing herself away from the wall, catching the floating bear on the way back. "Usually, you would be right, but the joke doesn''t end there; for whatever reason her "highness" has decided to leave him where he was born and, if it wasn''t hilarious enough, she has appointed the combined forces of Cupid and Eden to watch over him!"


    Promestein''s disbelief grew at the statement, "What!? Those two!? The only thing that the pervert Cupid is capable of paying attention to is a harlot going down on her gentleman caller in a back alley!"


    Black Alice covered her mouth with her hands, trying in vain to contain her laughter as Promestein ranted. "And Eden is a dimwitted bimbo at even the absolute best of times, she couldn''t even take care of a goldfish without supervision! Ilias is truly more lost than I thought if she believes they could do such a task, the boy is destined to die long before he could ever become her "Prophet" if they are to be his personal Guardian Angels!"


    The carmine-eyed Monster stifled herself in amusement to call to her cohort, "Yes, all that and more contributes to how he will be of great use to us."


    Promestein was swift to ridicule the notion, "How exactly is that? It''s not as if you can simply go and pluck him from Ilias Village and bring him here, and even if you could..." She crossed her arms, "...I doubt we could do so without being found out, as I''m sure that even those two idiots would realize that he is gone. And if Ilias were to find him here, the consequences of such a thing would certainly be dire."


    Black Alice drew close and grabbed Promestein by her arm, startling the ex-Angel. The former Monster Lord shook her head, a sickening gleeful smile growing on her face. "Whoever said anything about bringing him here?"


    The carmine-eyed Monster turned towards the table, "Right now, Luka will help us best by staying right where he is; the more eyes Ilias puts on her new pawn, the less of them watch us as we corner the Goddess. Think of it, Ilias''s cockroach of a spy Cupid won''t come skulking about and that airhead Eden will have much less time to come digging her nose around our lil'' lab here!"


    Promestein couldn''t help but agree. Eden especially could be very bothersome, as the Seraph took it as her responsibility to check up on the two as often as her duties allowed. That and she was very good at wasting their valuable time checking and re-checking their living quarters ad nauseam.


    The Fallen Angel nodded, "I see your point. The less we see from them, the better. And then we can start making strides to bettering the White Rabbit formula. It''s been too long since the last time we were able to work extensively towards that project."


    Black Alice grinned with approval, "Yes, and once that serum is complete, we will rid this world of that pathetic Goddess and destroy this wretched realm!" The Ancient Monster tilted her head, hand put to her chin as if she were daydreaming. "Now that sounds like Heaven to me..."


    Promestein marched to the single seat at the table, reaching for another pair of gloves. "Agreed, any strides we can make towards perfecting that drug is another step towards victory for us." Black Alice gave no further reply, instead opting to turn away from Promestein as her interest in prolonging the conversation had dwindled.


    Soon, silence fell in the cave, leaving the Fallen Angel to work in her preferred silence. ''To think that Ilias continues to fall so much from grace, each day it seems to get even worse. I just wish my fellow Angels could see her delusions for what they were.''


    Promestein started to think back to Luka, seeing his face in her mind. ''That child, his potential would be wasted if he were to fall under that False Goddess''s command. A Nephilim could possibly become stronger than any Monster or Angel. Perhaps even stronger than Ilias herself...'' The Fallen Angel paused, hesitating in her work on her own command for once, and pondered the idea.


    Her red eyes darted up, watching the figure of Black Alice growing more distant as she tended to her own "work."


    Promestein didn''t exactly trust Black Alice. The former Monster Lord had been a key part of the Fallen Angel gaining her freedom. For it was because of her that Ilias released Promestien from the Sealed Sinner''s Prison, a place where traitors of Ilias were trapped and left to rot for the rest of eternity. Undoubtedly, she was thankful for being unchained from that nightmarish realm, but not in any way did that mean she trusted Black Alice.


    No, to Promestein, Black Alice was as trustworthy as Ilias was, the only difference being that the former Monster Lord''s goals were more closely aligned than those of the Goddess of Light. Simply put, they held a common enemy, no more and no less. If it had no adverse effects on her own plans, she''d rid herself of Black Alice simply due to how dangerous she was.


    ''However, if I could acquire a stronger ally, one under my control, then that Monster''s help would no longer be required. Plus, I''d be eliminating one of my biggest threats.'' Pondering the thought, the Fallen Angel thought of Ilias''s soon-to-be Prophet Luka. Her eyebrows furrowed as she weighed the potential. ''Getting to him would be difficult unless Ilias would allow for me to travel to Earth again for further research...''


    The Angel growled, irritation beginning to settle in. ''...But even then, Black Alice would surely be sent down with me and that would smother any and all chances for one-on-one contact, if that would even be successful in the first place.''


    The Fallen Angel''s hands flew across the table, working faster as her frustration grew. Her time was limited, as she was sure that she would be cast away as soon as her usefulness ran out.


    ''For now, I will have to play the waiting game and hope that my efforts bear fruit. My chances of success are slim, but if I could acquire the power of that Nephilim, then it might just be possible to release this world from the grip of Ilias and the Alipheese family line for good. Then, I might actually be able to cultivate a world worth living in.'' Promestein gave a rare smile at the idea.


    She had always believed that humanity could be so much greater if it wasn''t for the stronger forces at play. They had already shown what they were capable of with the little nudge she had given so long ago simply by gifting them fire. All they needed now was a point of focus, a common purpose united by a strong leader.


    Luka''s face flashed in her mind at the thought and the Fallen Angel smirked again, ''How delightfully ironic that would be; Ilias''s hand chosen spiritual leader of humanity, leading those same humans to rebel and overthrow her and burn down Heaven. It would be so cathartic.''


    Unbeknownst to Promestien, her partner/rival in the race to dethrone Ilias was thinking of a very similar strategy for things to come, albeit her reasons for doing so came from a more personal place than the Fallen Angel. Black Alice watched the ground move beneath her feet as she walked, not quite having a destination in mind.


    Rather, she simply wanted to be by herself.


    Seeing Luka, and to some extent his Father as well, had dug up emotions Black Alice had thought long since buried by time. A bittersweet chuckle briefly escaped her lips, ''Ironic that a man who came to be known as the Angel Killer would have Angel blood mixed into his lineage, the universe can be exceptionally humorous when it feels so inclined...''


    To distract herself from the feelings of longing and mourning for a man long since gone, Black Alice focused on the situation she was in now. As she saw it, time was running short. Ilias was growing impatient, and the more impatient she got, the greater the chances that Ilias would cast Black Alice and Promestein into oblivion, even if it would trip up the Goddess''s plans for ultimate dominion over Earth.


    For, even if Ilias loathed the thought, she needed Black Alice or at least someone on her level of magical prowess. It was the only reason she had saved her from Heinrich''s final blow in the first place, as that was their deal. Ilias would allow Black Alice to live as long as she reigned in the remnants of Alipheese the First''s dark powers still remaining on Earth.


    However, Black Alice had other plans, one of which she had brewing in her mind at that very moment. White Rabbit was the biggest project on her plate, but the Nephilim born on Earth just minutes before had become a delightfully fascinating development.


    There wasn''t necessarily a clear path to utilizing this untapped resource, but Black Alice was wise to his potential. ''Luka could be an advantage to such a degree that even the White Rabbit serum itself could be rendered obsolete. Of course, there isn''t any reason to be hasty. That drug will continue to be my forefront priority, though I might just use what little planet-based operatives I have left to expend to keep tabs, just in case.''


    Black Alice stopped once she was a suitable distance from Promestein, no longer able to see the Fallen Angel due to the thick fog that seemed to permanently inhabit the realm. In her solitude, the Monster Lord had Luka''s image projected out of her bear once more for her to see.


    She reached out to pretend-caress the boy''s face once more. This time, with less mockery and something more tender, a ghost of a fond familiarity that still existed in her for the one she had loved before. Black Alice analyzed the soft and round shape of the boy''s face, the pale gleam of his purple hair, and the slight glimpse of blue pupils she could see from the part of his eyelids. Without needing any evidence, she could say that this boy was of Heinrich Hein''s blood, the blood of the Angel Killer.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The blood of the man who had single-handedly brought to naught the already minuscule amount of love her heart was ever capable of having.


    But despite the man''s indefensible transgressions against her, she couldn''t find it in her now ruined heart to hate Luka for his relations to Heinrich. In fact, she was ecstatic now, for Luka could become a very potent force in her limited arsenal of pawns. If nothing else, Black Alice was the epitome of patience and manipulation. If she could subtly persuade an unwilling Promestein to do her bidding, she could surely bring Luka to do the same.


    ''And who knows, once this is said and done, and Ilias has fallen...'' Her grin turned manic as a pale blue aura began to radiate and rise around her, ''...Maybe I''ll keep her cute little Prophet all to myself!''


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Eden descended through the upper levels of Heaven quickly. After leaving Ilias''s throne, she passed through her Garden with care not to mess with her floral handiwork. The rest of the levels she passed quicker than her own - with a particular emphasis on passing the Cherubim level as quickly as Angelically possible - until she finally reached the realm of the Archangels.


    The Archangel realm was simpler than Eden''s but more extravagant than that of the common Angel''s Level. Most of it was made of a large, misty lake with scattered islands of rock that spanned from a few meters wide to the size of a decently built village. On some of these rocks were the private residences of the Archangels themselves, their homes for when the day was over.


    Landing on one of the smaller barren landmasses, Eden surveyed the area around her. The sage-haired Seraph scanned the horizon, her sensing ability telling her that all of the Archangels were indeed present, but they seemed to be otherwise occupied...


    ...That, or they were blatantly ignoring her.


    She pulled her hands together as if to pray, calling out to the Archangels with her mind. "Come, my sisters. I beseech thee to come forth to hear of my exciting news!" It was only then that the Archangels started to appear.


    The first to show was the youngest Archangel Mariel. Being one of the youngest in Heaven, she had a petite stature, even shorter than Cupid and very much less endowed. She floated in the air, held aloft by a single pair of white wings. Her blonde hair had slight highlights of blue at their ends, and above her head were two halos, the smaller one residing within the larger one.


    Unlike the other Archangels, Mariel wore a peach-colored dress with an orange trim along its bottom. On her wrists and ankles were orange gauntlets, the ones on her ankles in particular having another smaller pair of wings attached.


    A long, see-through white cloth floated around her as well, seemingly stuck to her as if it was revolving around her. Like most other Angels, her eyes were a piercing light blue. Inside of them was an innocently mischievous glow that helped accent her soft and childlike face.


    Archangel Mariel smiled brightly at her superior, "Hello, Seraph Eden!~"


    Next to appear was the newly promoted Archangel Chamael. Having just ascended to her new position due to her power and upholding of Ilias''s teachings. Her six golden wings shone bright, as did her single Halo. Her blue eyes were sharp, and her indigo hair came out in several distinct locks. Two of these strands actually curved upwards, creating a sort of crown in her hair that hid the golden headband she wore.


    She was dressed in a ridiculously large white robe that covered nearly her entire body, leaving only her collarbone bare as even her feet and hands were hidden underneath. As large as it was, however, its looseness caused the front of her robe to accent her rather generous bust by hugging her body''s figure just a bit too tightly. Chamael nodded quickly, sparing no unnecessary words to the Seraph.


    After her came a very. overwhelming sight.


    The Archangel Runael''s appearance was one of the most extraordinary out of all the Angels, with her abnormally large golden wings, of which there were four main sets with three sets of lighter ones lying low around her feet. Additionally, two more pairs of much smaller ones came from the back of her head, meaning that the Archangel had an impressive eighteen wings in her possession.


    Runael''s hair was a flaxen hue, coming down in two front-facing braids. In between the two braids, in the middle of her forehead, was a dot just big enough to be noticeable. Above her head was a massive and somewhat distorted halo. Her arms were crossed like an ''x'' in front of her, folding her large beige robe. This, combined with her closed eyes, gave her a calm look that aligned more with her gentle nature.


    "Greetings, sister." Runael said softly, giving her superior a bow.


    Second to last came the Leader of the Archangels, Ariel. Her massive single pair of white wings dwarfed all but Runael''s. However, the silver-haired Angel''s double Halo was nearly unmatched in its majesty, as they crisscrossed over each other while hovering over her head.


    Around her collarbone, lying right above her white robe was a golden collar denoting her status. Matching this were two golden crisscrossing gauntlets she wore above her wrists. Her robe''s sleeves ended at the forearm to show these gauntlets, another display of her tremendous power.


    Her uniquely red eyes glowed menacingly, her annoyed look showing her dislike at being summoned. "Seraph Eden." Ariel said, bluntly addressing superior.


    And lastly, the perhaps most infamous Archangel arrived, the Archangel Ranael. Her three pairs of golden wings shone brightly, as did the smaller pair coming from her head. Even her Halo was impressive; its size was larger than even Runael''s was. Her robe hugged certain assets of hers tightly like Chamael, but her robes were a bit more faded than her fellow Archangel''s.


    The rust-red eyes of Ranael were disturbed, their sharpness betraying an almost empty stare that her eyes gave off. There were small shadows underneath her eyes as well, making the Archangel appear to be constantly tired. Ranael''s hair was a dark shade of teal and looked greasily slicked down underneath her thorn-riddled hairband.


    Overall, sickly was a good way of defining her physical and mental state. Her words came out saccharinely, "Oh salutations, Great Seraph Eden. To what, do we own your precious appearance?" A warped grin plastered the Archangel''s face, a sight that even Monsters would cower away from.


    Eden scowled at Ranael, not appreciating the subtle slight against her. But, being Ilias''s right hand, she ignored it with dignity. "As I said, I have great news for you all. Ilias has made a fantastic discovery!"


    The Archangels listened closely as Eden continued, "A Prophet has been born on Earth today, a boy who will help guide the humans away from the sinfulness of Monsters." Eden crossed her arms, looking quite pleased as she closed her eyes. The reactions varied from Angel to Angel. Some were happy, while others had more complicated reactions.


    Mariel positively glowed, her wings fluttering posthaste as she flew up to Eden. She looked to her superior with hope, "Is this true, really? That sounds wonderful!"


    Her enthusiasm was infectious, rousing Archangel Chamael to pitch in too, breaking her usual stoic nature. "Indeed, this is very exciting news. However, how exactly did this come about? How was he chosen?"


    Ariel decided to pitch in, her disbelief coming through strongly. "I also would wish to know how such a thing had occurred." The red-eyed Leader of the Archangels hardened her gaze, "I don''t recall ever hearing Ilias mention a Prophet before." The others watched, unsurprised at Ariel''s challenge. Eden met the Archangel''s look, the water between them all starting to swirl just that much more as the two faced each other fully.


    Eden merely waved a hand, "There is no reason to fret over useless details. I''m sure Ilias had this planned from the start, as she has with everything else."


    Ranael tittered in reaction to this, bringing all of the Angel''s attention to her. "So, what you''re saying is that you don''t know anything more than we do about this Prophet?" Eden bristled, "Of course I know about him! I was there to witness Luka after he was born!"


    The Archangel Runael peeked out of one of her closed eyes for the first time since she appeared, revealing a single emerald pupil. "So, Luka is his name?"


    Eden nodded, "Yes, and there is something else you all should know about him as well..." She paused to look over her lieutenants, trying to decide how in-depth she should get with them. "...His Mother was Lucifina."


    All the Archangels balked at this revelation, Mariel being the first to express her excitement. "The Second-Greatest Seraph herself? Why, that means he could be as strong as you Eden, maybe even stronger!" The Third Seraph deflated a bit by this, "W-Well perhaps he could become very strong, but-"


    She was cut off by Ariel, who was now very interested in this boy. "Mariel, "as strong" doesn''t even begin to describe it. I fought alongside Lucifina in the Great Monster Wars. She was much stronger than Eden is."


    ''Smarter, too.'' The white-haired Archangel added in her mind.


    Eden stomped on the stone beneath her, the Seraph''s barefoot cracking the rock. "Lucifina and I were very evenly matched! Perhaps she had better strategic sense, but she couldn''t overpower me that easily!" Chamael chipped in quickly, "I''m not so sure, I was not but a regular Angel during the Wars, but I often heard that Lucifina''s intensity was second only to Seraph Micaela''s iron will. Most will agree that those two were easily the strongest of Ilias''s Angels."


    Finally, Eden snapped.


    "Yes, yes, those two were very strong, but that was BEFORE they fell. Now that they have disgraced themselves, I am the strongest of Ilias''s forces. None are my equal!" Eden gave Ariel a pointed look specifically, one that was matched full force by the silver-haired Archangel.


    "Now, if there are no further questions, the last of your instructions is this:" Eden sternly addressed her lieutenants, "No Angels outside the Eighth Order are to be aware of Luka''s existence by decree of Ilias herself. This means that under no circumstances can any of you talk to any Angel outside this room about Luka. Understand?"


    Some of the Angels mumbled acknowledgments of Eden''s demand, Mariel giving a great big ''affirmative!'' as the Seraph ascended upwards to return to her Level of Heaven.


    A few moments passed after that, in which the Archangels said nothing. The most senior Archangel, Ariel, spoke up. "So, what is the consensus on this?" She looked to her fellow Archangels, "A half-human, half-Angel boy becoming our Prophet? It seems strange to me that Ilias would decide on something like this."


    Chamael was quick to agree, "It does seem strange. Technically, his entire existence is a sin, is it not? But, if the Goddess says so, it must be permissible..."


    Quickly flying in between the two, Mariel beat her wings in elation. "I, for one, think it is fantastic! So what if he was born from sin? That just makes him more interesting..." The young Archangel paused and whispered to herself. "...I just hope that he''s cute, there are too many ugly-looking believers out there..."


    Having heard the comment, Ariel sternly chastised her fellow Archangel. "Mariel. That is no way to talk about the followers of Ilias. True beauty lies with one''s faith, not their face." She planted her hands on her hips, faltering for a moment in her thoughts. ''Although, it would be nice if the face and faith were equal in beauty more often than it tends to be as of late.''


    Ignoring the more vocal Archangels of the group, Chamael turned to Ranael and Runael, both of whom had not said a word since Eden had left. She quirked an eyebrow specifically at Ranael, who seemed uncharacteristically... timid, at the moment. Chamael directed attention to the two, "Ranael, Runael, how do you two feel about this?"


    Surprisingly, the more reserved Runael opened her green eyes to reply first, "I truly see something special brewing here... Even if a sinful act brought this boy onto the world, maybe he could help bridge the ever-growing gap that seems to continue between Humans and Angels."


    Chamael shrugged, "You have a point there. Being a mix of both bloods could make an ambassador of sorts..." She trailed off, looking off towards the disturbed-looking Ranael. Strangely enough, the senior Archangel was still unresponsive, her lips rapidly moving as if she were talking to someone who wasn''t there. Chamael squinted at the Angel in confusion.


    Ranael was always the odd one out of the group. The aloof Archangel was drastically powerful, with only Ariel being her better in pure strength in the Order of Archangels. However, she acted more as the group''s rabid attack dog than a leader like she should, and it had only gotten worse as time went on.


    Especially after a certain mission she had been given, thirty years ago.


    Ranael seemed to snap from her haze, her rust-red eyes bouncing between all of the other Archangels before whispering. "I need to leave." Without any elaboration, the Archangel simply teleported away.


    The others peered at where Ranael had stood, a mix of confusion pervading the group. Finally, the awkward silence was broken by the silver-haired Ariel. "Alright," She clapped her hands together, bringing her fellow Archangel''s attention to her. "This has been a curious development. However, we still all have our duties to return to. Farewell, my blessed Sisters in arms."


    With that, Ariel hovered off to her corner of the realm and, after sharing various departing words, the rest of the Archangels dispersed as they went to tend to their Heavenly duties.


    Once safely returning to her corner of the Archangel realm, one that seemed to have considerably more murky water and much harsher fog, a certain teal-haired Archangel surveyed her area. Ranael''s rust-red eyes shifted quickly about the area, making sure the others were out of hearing distance.


    Ranael could sense that their Heavenly auras were far away, but the nature of what she was doing warranted the utmost secrecy. She walked to the edge of the rock she stood on and got to her knees, scanning the small patch of dirt between the water and the stone. Ranael, in a hushed voice, called to something unseen.


    "I don''t suppose that you heard anything of that, my mistress..." She placed her hands on the ground, bending down closer to listen closer to her unseen partner. "Yes, the news is this; Lucifina has given birth to a boy on Earth. Angel and Human blood mixed together, and his Mother was the Seraph Lucifina herself."


    Ranael paused, her rust-red eyes staring intently toward the ground.


    Suddenly, her body shook, and something ruffled and pulsed beneath her Angelic robes as her breathing became somewhat heavy. "Y-Yes, I am excited too. This is the chance we''ve been waiting for." The dirt on the ground before her began to move some, and Ranael shuddered fiercely.


    For a moment, something purple and slimy swished right under the rim of her robe, billowing the dress. "By any means, my mistress. My dedication to you is without equal. This boy will become yours, surely..." Shaking nervously, the Angel leaned down even closer to the shifting mound. "...If I am diligent enough, W-Will I be able to satiate my own... needs?"


    The dirt broke partially, revealing something thin and red squirming underneath. "You mean it!? Thank you, thank you, my mistress!"


    Ranael stood upright, a sick smile grew upon her face. She watched the mound settle once the hidden creature retreated into the ground. The rust-red-eyed Archangel looked upwards to the pale clouds above, her chest heaving as she cackled quietly to herself. "I cannot wait, I''ve been holding myself back for faaaar too long now because of that Fake Goddess''s damned Commandments..."


    The depraved Archangel looked down at her body, feeling the familiar heat rising in her loins. "Well, until then..." Her hands reached down, hiking up her white robe, revealing a writhing mass of purple tentacles underneath. "...I''ll be patient, if it means I can one day wallow in my desires together with you..." She pulled the tentacles apart to reveal her slime-covered vulva underneath.


    "...Luka~"


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Far above the mentally unstable Ranael, residing in the Second Level of Heaven, was a peculiar plane of the Holy world. The home of the Cherubs was a simple, flat wasteland. At one point, it had been a lush grassland, but centuries of degradation had reduced it to a glorified desert. The ground was beaten and barren, any plants being dry and near death but never allowed to die off as there was just enough sustenance to support them.


    The lushest area of the Cherubim realm lay right in its middle, where its very heart thudded in rhythm to the sole Cherub of the Order, also known as the last of the Cherubs. Also feared as the second-most powerful living Angel.


    The heart of the desert was the liveliest area, though how it showed life was a truly disgusting display.


    The center of this desert was a pit residing deep in the dry dirt. The deeper one went, the wetter and healthier the soil became. Fitting, as soil like this was absolutely perfect for the ecosystem it supported. That ecosystem in question being a writhing, throbbing mass of bright red worms. Each worm was at least as long as an arm and just as thick. They crawled around each other, wriggling and squirming around each other in a tight, moist clump of disgusting flesh.


    And right in the middle of the surface level, with only one faint golden eye showing through the top layer of undulating worms, was the last Cherubim: an Angel known as Wormiel. A fitting name for a bizarre being such as herself.


    The golden eye blinked lazily before the pupil turned to look where her little spy should be arriving. This oncomer slithered over the hole''s rim, crawling towards its master. It was the worm the Cherub had been using to communicate to her disciple, Ranael. Wormiel slowly began to rise out of her pit until half of her body was protruding from the conglomeration of red creatures.


    Cherub Wormiel had an interesting appearance. Despite the monstrous details in her worm tentacles, the Cherub herself was not ugly. Her mid-length golden hair fell to her shoulders, framing her lackadaisical face nicely. Her similarly golden eyes watched the lone worm crawl towards the pit with a gleeful glint as it drew nearer. Her body was completely bare, the Cherub often choosing to do without her white robes.


    Because of this, her larger-than-average breasts and slim upper body were on full display, not that there was anyone to see. Also showing were her oddly placed wings and a Halo that hovered around her midriff, surrounding her like the belt of Saturn itself.


    Jutting out from her waist was six oddly shaped Angel wings. However, her wings less resembled wings of flight and looked more like contour feathers that were sharpened and frizzled. This gave her "wings" a much more unpleasant and aggressive appearance.


    As unique a look as hers was, Wormiel was best known by name alone. No one who gazed upon her saw her for long, and very few ever survived doing so. Wormiel was a Cherub with only one purpose: to eradicate any threat that had the potential to do serious damage to Ilias''s forces. Essentially, as the Archangels were to control the Angel army, The Cherubim was a final resort in a desperate battle, a last-ditch effort if a major battle were to go against Heaven''s favor.


    However, it hadn''t been since the Great Monster Wars that Wormiel had been needed to intervene, as Monsters have been having trouble mounting the same kind of unified force they had in the past. Now, Wormiel simply resided in her realm and waited for orders...


    ...Or rather, that''s what she had been doing until recently.


    Wormiel beckoned her servant forward, grabbing the worm and adding it back into the pile. She placed it on the top layer, where it joined its brethren. She grinned at the mass of creatures. Most would find the sight repulsive, but to her, it was beautiful.


    No, it was those who lived on Earth who were truly hideous. Monsters, Humans, all of those were things deserving of hatred in her mind. Those beasts, to her, were lower than dirt. However, over the years, she began to see that it wasn''t just Monsters and non-believing Humans at fault.


    Ilias was at fault as well.


    It was clear to the Cherub that the Goddess of Light had fallen from grace many, many years ago. In the Cherub''s mind, Ilias''s particular methods had brought Heaven nothing but failure and would more likely than not continue to do so. This is why Wormiel had begun weaving her web of a plan decades ago. The first step was infiltrating the minds of Angels similar to her, ones with more Monster-like mutations.


    Wormiel had a soft spot for these Angels like Archangel Ranael, who possessed decidedly un-Angelic body makeup. In her eyes, they were more powerful and capable than the regular Angel, but Ilias did not see it this way. She saw them as horrible mistakes, warped creatures she regretfully had to call her own Daughters.


    However, the Cherub viewed it as quite the opposite, for she no longer saw Ilias as her Goddess. As the golden-eyed Angel resided in Heaven, she began to scheme her Mother''s downfall. Wormiel herself wasn''t strong enough to do it alone, of course, but if she were to convert others like Ranael, then such a thing would be possible.


    And now, another opportunity to grow her power had just fallen into her waiting lap. The boy born of the Fallen Seraph''s blood, Luka.


    ''If he were really to become as powerful as Lucifina herself, then he would be an invaluable addition to my cause.'' She raised her arms, bringing her hands up to rest around her collarbone before slowly sliding them down the voluptuous mounds on her chest. She shuddered as a jolt of pleasure ran through her body.


    ''After all, I''ll need someone with a strong seed to help breed my new legion of Angels when I become this world''s new Goddess...''