Long before the world named them Angels, they were nameless disasters. No one knew where the first one emerged—some accounts point to the mountains of Tibet, others to the flooded ruins of New Orleans—but their arrival was unmistakable. Towers fell. Cities burned. Humanity's most advanced weapons crumbled like paper before them.
The creatures were unlike anything mortal. Their forms varied wildly: colossal beasts whose steps cracked streets, humanoid figures whose beauty unsettled the soul, and even unseen presences that destroyed by touch alone. Yet one thread bound them—each radiated the same unfathomable energy.
This energy was later named Grace.
Scholars still argue about its true origin. Some call it "cosmic radiation," the residue of stars long dead, seeping into our dimension. Others whisper it is the will of the universe itself, personified in carnage. Whatever its truth, Grace is neither holy nor merciful. It corrupts. It devours. It creates.
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Bearers and the Halo
For reasons unknown, fragments of Grace manifest within humans at birth. These chosen are called Bearers. Unlike Angels, they retain their humanity—at least at first. Each Bearer's Grace manifests uniquely, forming a personal technique known as a Halo.
Halos are not limitless superpowers. They are precise expressions of will, sharpened to a single edge. One Bearer may bend impact itself into crushing waves. Another may create shackles of shadow that silence the senses. A Halo reflects not only strength, but the heart and history of its wielder.
But Grace is not a gift without cost. It is a parasite as much as it is a blessing. With overuse or despair, the Halo begins to unravel its owner, pushing them toward the same abyss from which Angels are born. This irreversible change is called the Grace Switch. A Bearer who crosses that line becomes an Angel, forever severed from humanity.
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The Six Categories
To classify these beings both Bearers and Angesl, the order of Al Beit created the Six Categories:
Category 4: Weakest known manifestations. Still capable of killing dozens if ignored.
Category 3: Dangerous but containable. Often used to train young Bearers.
Category 2: City-level threats. Require specialized squads to suppress.
Category 1: Strong enough to overwhelm entire battalions. The fall of many capitals began here.
Category 0: Legends made flesh. Bearers of this rank reshape the balance of nations.
Category X: Unclassifiable. Most Category X are humanoid, some indistinguishable from gods—or devils.
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The Role of Al Beit
When the world governments faltered, humanity forged Al Beit, a citadel of golden stone and iron will. More than an army, Al Beit became a second government—part executioner, part sanctuary. They regulate Bearers, hunt Angels, and mete justice with brutal efficiency.
Yet Al Beit itself is not pure. Its halls are filled with Bearers who one day may fall to their Grace. Some already have. Fear is their shadow, and order is a fragile illusion.
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The Devil of Tokyo
Among the many names whispered in the age of Grace, none resounds louder than Rei Arakawa, called the Devil of Tokyo. A man whose Halo bends possibility itself, he walks the razor edge between salvation and ruin. For some, he is proof that humanity can rival Angels. For others, he is proof that humanity is destined to become them.
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Grace.
It is light that masquerades as power.
It is power that decays into ruin.
It is ruin that births the Angels.
And perhaps, it is the fate of all Bearers.