The journey to the angels was a long one. They trekked for days on end, eating prey that they hunted along the way. They followed a river upstream, Mathali saying that it would lead them to the location they wanted. 

As they traveled, Mathali shared what he knew about the angels to Yuki. The city they lived in was one that rested in the sky. How the platform the city was built on floated was a mystery. Old magic was infused into it, but no one outside knew where the energy for such magic came from. 

The angels followed a leader that had been in charge for hundreds if not thousands of years. Angel society was split into two sections: the angels and the archangels. The archangels were the most powerful of them and served as the ruling class. They in turn listened to the Great Archangel Uriel. 

“That computer person you made has a rather apt namesake,” Mathali remarked. Yuki only nodded. She didn’t even know of this person until Mathali had told her. It was a name of one of the goddesses she had read about that was followed in Ethros.

Mathali explained what the angels were to Yuki as well. Their powers were unique among the demons. It was protective magic that could heal, shield, or purify. What made it different was that there were no incantations for such magic. 

“It’s been described as a hybrid between elemental magic and rune magic,” Mathali said. “It doesn’t need words, only intentions, but it is not elemental in nature. There is nothing that corresponds to it in the natural world. People have theorized that it is from some unknown element. An element that only the angels can utilize.”

“What do you think?” Yuki asked.

“Personally, I agree with that idea. But I am not a professional at the workings of magic, so my own opinions aren’t one that should be taken too seriously.”

A downside that these angels had because of their unique magic was that most couldn’t utilize other elements. Only archangels were born with that capability. 

“It is one of the ways to determine whether or not an angel is an archangel or not. Archangels are created at random. Two perfectly normal angels could birth an archangel and conversely, two power archangels can sire a regular angel. It is something that has helped keep their society fair for the most part.”

“Archangels that are born to normal angel parents would be sympathetic to them and vice versa,” Yuki said.

“Precisely.”

But recently, Mathali had heard word of troubles brewing up within angel society. Archangels had been rapidly growing discontent with their position. He didn’t know what exactly that discontentment culminated into. 

“I haven’t been in contact with them after that news,” Mathali said. “Never had a need to go there, and also have been occupied with other things.”

“I see. Well, that’s all good to know,” Yuki replied. “Thank you, Mat.”

“It’s my pleasure, my lady.”

Yuki fell behind Mathali a step, falling into deep thought. Based on the information Mat had just told her, she began to suspect why the Fiddler wanted her to take Yuna to see the angels. 

‘She’s an archangel.’

That could be the only reason the Fiddler was so adamant about Yuna receiving training. If her powers were that strong, then Yuki agreed that she needed mentorship. 

‘The magic angels use can be utilized for protecting,’ Yuki thought. ‘That would explain some other things.’

She remembered the case file on Yuna and how she had been found by the Libra Intelligence Agency. People had broken into the orphanage that Yuna was in, but they couldn’t reach her. Something had stopped them. Yuki would have wagered that it was Yuna’s magic.

‘She also has a water affinity. She doesn’t have a spirit beast. She has unknown lineage. It would all add up.’

But if Yuna was an archangel, then that would only bring up more questions. Why was she left at that orphanage? What happened to her parents? Why did people come to kill her? They were all questions that Yuki couldn’t answer until she gained more information. Going to the angels would be perfect for that information.

There was also the situation with the Fiddler. He was stripped of his name and became what Yuki assumed was a fallen angel of sorts with his black wings. Yuki wondered about why the Fiddler had become what he had become. There was a story behind him. And if Yuki remembered correctly, it had to do with the archangels. That was, if he was speaking the truth.

‘I need to prepare,’ she thought. ‘This could very well be a trap.’

Two days later, they reached the source of the river. A towering mountain range loomed over them, the sun completely hidden by their peaks. Mathali stopped here and gave the area a quick look around. 

“Are we here?” Yuki asked. 

“We are in the right area, yes,” Mathali replied. “The city is right above us. We just need to wait for them to pick us up.”

“How do we get their attention?”

“We shout, my lady,” Mathali smiled. He inhaled a deep breath. “HELLO ANGELS. WE COME TO SEEK AN AUDIENCE.”

As he shouted, he spoke words of magic. Mana infused into his words, verifying the truthfulness of their words. Then he quieted and stood still as he waited. Yuki waited beside him. She felt the back of her neck crawl as someone’s gaze landed on her. She refused to react to it. The angels were observing them.

“Your wish is granted,” a voice answered a minute later. “Please kneel on the ground and close your eyes. Do not open them at any time.”

‘A test of faith. Interesting,’ Yuki thought.

Through their bonds, she told Erica and Akira to follow what the person says. They relayed this to Yuna in a whisper as Yuki knelt on the ground and shut her eyes. Her ears perked up as she heard footsteps approaching them. 

“We’ll be taking you up,” the voice said. “However, we will be putting you all asleep. If you are against such a thing, then I kindly ask that you leave.”

Yuki stayed silent, and the others followed her lead. As the footsteps grew louder, she isolated three people. One of them stopped next to Yuki and didn’t move for a few seconds. She didn’t know what the person was doing, but she knew better than to peek. 

“You’re an interesting one,” the person said. 

A finger tapped Yuki’s head and a sudden drowsiness filled her. She didn’t resist it as it pulled her into a deep sleep. When she awoke, she was in a small room, How she got there, she didn’t know.

In the room, there was a white bed which she laid on. A light was hanging from the ceiling, but it was off as there was no need as a glass window let sunlight filter through to illuminate the room. The light reflected off of the white walls of the room, making the entire space a tad too bright for Yuki’s liking.

Sitting up, Yuki found no restraints of any kind of herself. It seemed that she hadn’t been taken prisoner. Her head felt as clear as day with no hints of any drugs. She reached out to Akira and Erica and found the threads between them as easily as ever. 

‘Are you two okay?’ she asked. Her message went to both. She found early on that she could group two messages together like a group call. 

[I’m fine,] Akira replied. [Erica?]

[As good as I’ll ever be,] she said. [The door is unlocked, if you guys were wondering.]

‘Really?’

Yuki went to it and it opened up without any complaints. Standing right outside it, however, as a woman with brilliant white wings. She wore armor of sorts with golden accents. A bright smile was on her lips.

“Welcome, guest,” she greeted. “Your audience is about to begin. Please, follow me.”