Chapter 18 – A Mother’s Prayer
The golden gate above Earth trembled.
Another deafening rumble spread across the planet before everything became quiet once again.
Far beyond the clouds...
Far beyond the stars...
Beyond the Eden Universe itself...
There existed a place no human had ever imagined.
The First Heaven.
Floating continents stretched endlessly beneath an ocean of stars. Rivers of liquid light flowed through valleys carved from white crystal, while colossal trees whose branches held entire constellations swayed gently in an eternal breeze.
Towering above everything stood a magnificent palace forged from gold, silver, and celestial jade.
This was the Celestial Palace.
The home of the rulers of the First Heaven.
Inside its highest chamber...
A woman stood silently before a mirror woven from countless streams of starlight.
She wore a flowing white gown embroidered with golden runes that shifted like living galaxies.
Long silver hair cascaded down her back.
A radiant halo unlike any other floated behind her head, resembling an entire galaxy revolving around a miniature sun.
Twelve brilliant wings stretched gracefully behind her.
Each feather shimmered with the light of countless worlds.
Her beauty seemed beyond mortal understanding.
Yet...
Her eyes held endless sadness.
Within the mirror...
Two familiar figures appeared.
Azrael.
Seraphina.
The woman reached toward the image with trembling fingers.
"My children..."
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"You’ve grown so much..."
A single tear escaped her eye.
Before it could fall, it transformed into a tiny star.
She smiled softly.
"Azrael..."
"You still rush into danger before thinking."
"And Seraphina..."
"You still worry about everyone before yourself."
A gentle laugh escaped her lips.
"You really are just like your father."
Behind her...
The palace doors slowly opened.
Raphael entered and immediately bowed.
"My Lady Auriel."
"So you’ve already met them."
Raphael nodded.
"Only briefly."
"The Abyss detected my projection."
Auriel sighed.
"I expected as much."
She turned once more toward the mirror.
"I wanted..."
"...just one more minute."
Raphael remained silent.
He knew better than anyone how long she had waited for this day.
For eighteen years...
She had watched her children grow from afar.
She had watched their first steps.
Their first day at school.
Every birthday.
Every laugh.
Every tear.
She had seen all of it.
Yet...
She had never once been allowed to embrace them.
Raphael finally spoke.
"The seal protecting Earth is weakening."
"They will soon begin searching every newly awakened world."
Auriel’s smile disappeared.
"I know."
She closed her eyes.
"The prophecy has begun."
Meanwhile...
Earth – Elysia City
Azrael suddenly stopped walking.
Seraphina looked at him.
"What is it?"
"...Nothing."
"I just..."
He frowned.
"For a second..."
"I felt like someone was watching us."
Seraphina blinked.
"I felt it too."
"It wasn’t hostile."
"It actually felt..."
She searched for the right word.
"...warm."
Elena looked around.
"I didn’t sense anything."
The twins exchanged confused glances before dismissing the feeling.
Neither of them knew...
Thousands of universes away...
Someone had been watching them with tears in her eyes.
First Heaven
A brilliant spear of golden light suddenly descended before the palace.
An elderly angel emerged from it.
Unlike Raphael...
He possessed eighteen enormous wings.
Every step he took caused space itself to ripple.
Raphael immediately bowed.
"Lord Michael."
Auriel inclined her head respectfully.
The ancient angel looked toward the starlight mirror.
"They awakened sooner than expected."
Auriel nodded.
"Much sooner."
Michael remained silent for several moments.
Finally...
He spoke.
"The Council has reached a decision."
Auriel’s expression stiffened.
"They still wish to erase them?"
"They fear them."
"They fear what Genesis and Oblivion together represent."
Raphael lowered his head.
"The Seven Great Thrones believe the balance will eventually collapse."
Auriel’s voice became cold.
"They are children."
"They are my children."
Michael sighed.
"You know the Laws."
"I do."
She looked back toward the mirror.
"If I interfere..."
"The System will strip away my Authority."
"And the concealment surrounding Earth will disappear."
Michael nodded.
"The Abyss would discover them within days."
Silence filled the chamber.
Auriel clenched her fists.
Never in her endless life had she felt so powerless.
She could shatter galaxies.
Command countless angels.
Yet she could not take a single step toward her own children.
Earth
The journey toward City Hall continued.
Along the way, the survivors they had rescued earlier caught up with them.
Marcus jogged toward Azrael.
"We’ve decided."
Azrael looked at him.
"About what?"
Marcus smiled sheepishly.
"If you’ll have us..."
"We’d like to join Dawn."
His companions nodded.
"We’re done living only for ourselves."
"We want to protect people too."
Azrael smiled.
"Then welcome."
The System immediately appeared.
Guild Member Request
Marcus
Level 4
Accept?
Yes / No
Azrael pressed Yes.
One by one...
The others joined.
Guild Members
Azrael
Seraphina
Elena
Marcus
Sophia
Ryan
Claire
...
Total Members:
24
Guild Buff Activated
All Guild Members
Experience Gain +5%
Stamina Recovery +10%
Marcus laughed.
"I like this guild already."
Elena smirked.
"You’ve only been here ten seconds."
"I know."
"But the benefits are nice."
Everyone laughed.
For the first time...
The group truly began to feel like a family.
That evening...
The newly formed guild established a temporary camp inside the City Hall.
People cooked together.
Others repaired damaged equipment.
Children chased each other through the empty corridors, their laughter echoing through the building.
Azrael stood near one of the large windows.
A gentle breeze drifted inside.
He looked toward the stars.
"I wonder..."
He murmured.
"My real parents..."
"Are they still alive?"
Seraphina had quietly walked up beside him.
She leaned against the window.
"I’ve wondered that too."
"You think they’re out there somewhere?"
"I don’t know."
She smiled faintly.
"But..."
"I hope they’re happy."
Azrael nodded.
"Me too."
Neither of them noticed...
High above the night sky...
A single golden feather drifted silently through the clouds before disappearing.
First Heaven
Auriel watched the twins through the starlight mirror.
She heard every word.
Her tears finally escaped.
"They’re still thinking about us..."
Raphael quietly looked away, giving his queen a moment alone.
Auriel gently touched the image of the twins.
"I promise..."
"My precious children."
"When you become strong enough to stand among the stars..."
"When you can cross worlds without fear..."
"I will tell you everything."
Her eyes became filled with determination.
"No matter how many realms separate us..."
"No matter how many universes I must search..."
"I will embrace you again."
At that exact moment...
The Celestial Evolution System responded.
Hidden Main Quest Created
Beyond the Heavens
Current Objective:
Become strong enough to leave Earth.
Final Objective:
Find the Mother Beyond the Heavens.
Status: Locked
Unlock Requirement: Reach the Second World.
Neither Azrael nor Seraphina saw the notification.
It had been placed deep within the System.
Waiting...
For the day they were finally ready to learn the truth.
Far beyond the First Heaven, in a realm swallowed by endless crimson darkness, a pair of enormous blood-red eyes slowly opened.
A voice that seemed capable of swallowing entire universes echoed through the void.
"So..."
"The children still live."
A cold laugh followed.
"Very well, Auriel."
"You may hide them for now."
"But every gate between worlds that opens..."
"...brings them one step closer to me."
Across the endless Abyss, countless crimson stars lit up one after another.
The hunt had quietly begun.