The golden light cascaded through the heavens, washing the clouds in hues of amber and ivory. I stood in quiet awe, letting the warmth kiss my skin as the wind played with my long white robes.
Above me, two cherub-like figures twirled and danced, their small feathered wings catching glimmers of light as they giggled mid-air.
"Ophelia, we know something you don't know~"
Both Cerbs chimed in, their sing-song voices echoing through the stillness like bells in a temple.
I tilted my head, confused. "What is it?"
But they only laughed harder, looping in the sky like playful doves, vanishing into the clouds just as quickly as they appeared.
Before I could question it further, a familiar voice called from behind.
"Ophelia,"
I turned to see Aseya—a vision of serene beauty. Her cascading gold hair shimmered like molten sunlight, and her golden eyes glowed with warmth. Her presence was calming, maternal, radiant.
"The other Seraphs await thy presence," she said softly, folding her hands.
I hesitated. My gaze dropped to the polished marble beneath my feet.
"Aseya... I feel like something's missing."
My voice cracked slightly as I met her gaze.
"Since I lost my memories, I've felt... things I shouldn't. A void I can't explain."
She stepped closer, her expression unreadable, yet still kind.
"Thy heart yearns for something greater freedom perhaps. But Ophelia, we Seraphs were not born for such things. Our fate is to serve."
The truth of her words stung like frostbite.
"I... I understand," I whispered, though the ache inside me pulsed harder than ever.
Suddenly, a cold presence slithered in behind me.
"She should be punished for her past actions," a sharp voice said.
Vesper.
Aseya stiffened and stepped protectively in front of me, her wings fluttering just once.
"Vesper," she said firmly. Her tone didn't waver, but there was warning laced within it.
Vesper's glare lingered on me like an icy wind. I lowered my eyes as Aseya gently took my arm, guiding me toward the gathering of Seraphs.
They stood in formation graceful, elegant, and distant. None of them met my gaze except for one or two half-hearted nods. I was an outsider among angels.
Aseya offered me a soft smile, but I could feel it: the gap between me and everyone else. As time passed, the suffocating politeness turned into white noise.
So I slipped away.
I glanced once over my shoulder to make sure Aseya wasn't watching, then turned down a shimmering corridor of light.
That's when I collided into someone.
I stumbled back, heart skipping. "I-I'm sorry, I—"
"Sneaking away?" the voice was familiar—smooth, teasing.
Timothée.
He was tall and effortlessly elegant, his silver hair tied loosely behind him. His crimson robes shimmered slightly in the divine light, and his expression held a charming, dangerous warmth.
"Ye—yes..." I stammered.
He chuckled and ruffled my hair gently, his touch surprisingly tender.
"My dearest Ophelia," he said, voice low. "I won't punish you again. But—"
He paused, eyes narrowing slightly as he studied me.
"I need your help. Find Noèl for me. I believe you know him..."
I blinked. "Again? What do you mean 'again'? I don't remember—"
"Ah, right. Your memories." He smirked and gave a small shrug, as if it wasn't worth explaining.
"Go to the east side of the Golden Tree," he said. But just before vanishing into the light, he added with a twisted grin:
"I'm sure you'll find something... enlightening."
His words sent a cold tremor down my spine.
Still, I obeyed.
The eastern path was quiet—almost unnaturally so. The air turned colder, the light dimmer. And then... I saw it.
A soft, eerie glow pulsed in the distance, just beyond the silver ferns and floating lilies. I stepped forward, each movement slower than the last.
Then I saw him.
"No—Noèl!" I cried, stumbling to his side.
He was lying still, body splayed across the marble floor, his golden blood spilling in radiant streams beneath him. His wings were scorched, torn—still twitching slightly.
Near him, an open portal shimmered, jagged and humming with energy. It was from the realm of the Gifted Ones. A rift between worlds.
I dropped to my knees, reaching out—but just as I touched his hand, a wave of dizziness crashed over me.
The world spun.
My vision blurred.
I could barely see the portal, the blood, or Noèl's peaceful expression anymore. Only shadows.
And then, just before everything went black, a voice whispered in the dark—
"Found you... Ophelia."