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As we stepped through the portal, we expected nothing that awaited us within this strange new realm.

A path of stone stretched before us. On either side stood walls of dark onyx and black diamonds that shimmered with an eerie glow as we passed. The realm was completely foreign to us, and yet... there was something strangely familiar about it.

As we continued onward, we came upon a staircase that descended deeper into the unknown. Lucifer hesitated for a moment, his expression unreadable, but he soon gathered himself and led us forward.

Into the abyss.

I remembered my conversation with Abathar.

The way he looked at me.

The fear hidden behind his eyes.

I could still hear his words echoing through my mind.

"What have you done? You were there, but you were not. How was such a thing possible?"

Abathar's words rang in my ears like blades clashing against one another.

_________________

"What did you do?"

Abathar Muzania's voice trembled with disbelief.

"I felt you beside me. It was as though you were watching me... guiding me, as though you had truly been there."

His reaction caught me completely off guard. Never before had I seen him behave in such a manner. Abathar was a warrior who stood before gods and monsters without hesitation.

Yet now, he seemed afraid of me.

I did not know how to answer.

Even I did not understand what had happened. I believed what I witnessed during my trial was nothing more than an illusion.

Taking a moment to steady myself, I raised my hands and began signing as quickly as I could.

"I do not know what you mean. I was just—"

I stopped.

The words never came.

I stood there like a Kelphius cast upon dry land.

I could already see the irritation growing within him. He seized the hem of my tunic and pulled me closer.

"You called out to me. You made me feel something... something beyond my understanding."

His grip tightened.

"I have never heard your voice before."

His eyes narrowed.

"Are you truly mute?"

A pause.

"Or have you been deceiving us this entire time?"

Those final words carried an accusation he had long wished to speak.

I attempted to explain myself with my hands, but he grabbed my wrist and stopped me.

"Speak to me!"

His roar shook the room.

"That is enough, Abathar!"

Lucifer's voice thundered from behind us, forcing us apart.

"You should preserve your strength for the journey ahead, not waste it upon petty conflict."

Abathar remained silent.

For the first time, he seemed to have no answer.

Without another word, he turned away and went to prepare his tent.

From that day onward, a wall had formed between us.

And neither of us knew how to tear it down.

_________________________

"Look, brothers—water!"

Xolofel the Orange shouted as he hovered high above us, his sharp eyes surveying the landscape.

Although the ground beneath us was made of jagged stone and glittering crystal, the sky itself was the greatest anomaly.

A vast purple expanse stretched endlessly above, dominated by a black moon.

Whenever I looked upon it, an unexplainable sensation crept into my soul.

It felt as though it were looking back.

I dared not stare for long, fearing it would be the last thing my eyes would ever witness.

Fortunately, there were many other sights to keep my gaze grounded.

Xolofel the Orange was known throughout Heaven for his eagle-like vision. Nothing escaped his sight. He could observe the birth of a star with a mere glance and describe every detail with impossible precision.

There was even a time he witnessed the birth of a deity.

Its radiance was so overwhelming that it caused even The Darkness to tremble.

Some claimed that witnessing such a magnificent event was what granted Xolofel his extraordinary sight. Water.

Here, within this strange and forsaken realm where nothing existed but stone, fog, and silence, the sight of a river felt almost impossible.

As we moved closer, the distant sound of flowing water grew louder with every step. The fog slowly parted, revealing a great river that flowed eastward toward a massive opening in the earth—a wound in the land that descended into a darkness where no light could reach.

Seeing an opportunity, Lucifer ordered that we make camp along the riverbank. Though none of us trusted this unfamiliar realm, fresh water was a resource too valuable to ignore.

As the others prepared the camp, I remained by the river and admired the scenery before me. The water crashed against jagged stones, carving its way through the barren landscape. It flowed endlessly into the abyss below, as though it came from a place beyond our understanding.

The longer I watched it, the more questions filled my mind.

What was this place?

Where did this river come from?

How could water flow beneath a sky that had never known clouds?

And above all...

Why did the moon continue to watch us?

That black sphere remained motionless in the purple sky, never shifting, never fading.

Always there.

Always watching.

I sat down upon the cold stone and closed my eyes, hoping to clear my thoughts. I drew in a deep breath—

And immediately regretted it.

A burning sensation tore through my throat as the taste of ash and decay filled my mouth. I coughed violently, my lungs rejecting the poisonous air.

Before I could fall, Lucifer was at my side, accompanied by Hexacris the Green. Without hesitation, Hexacris offered me a golden leaf.

"Do not breathe too deeply, Samael," Hexacris warned. "This land was not made by our Father. We were not created for its atmosphere. Until we understand this place, we must rely upon what we have brought with us."

Lucifer's expression darkened as he nodded in agreement.

"Eat it," Hexacris continued. "This leaf will shield your senses from the fumes for one full cycle of the sun."

I placed the leaf upon my tongue and chewed.

At first, the flavor was bitter and unpleasant. Yet, as the leaf dissolved, its taste transformed into something strangely sweet. A warmth spread through my body, and with it, the burning in my lungs disappeared.

I inhaled once more.

The air was still foul.

But it no longer harmed me.

I thanked Hexacris with a respectful bow, and soon the others consumed their own leaves, preparing themselves for the harsh environment of this uncharted realm.

With that ordeal behind us, Lucifer took a seat beside me.

For a while, neither of us spoke.

There were no questions to ask.

No answers to give.

Only the sound of the river breaking the silence.

At last, Lucifer tapped a finger against the black stone beneath us.

"This place feels empty," he said quietly. "As if life was never meant to exist here."

I looked toward him and nodded.

He was right.

This realm was not dead.

For something to die, it must have first lived.

This place felt as though life had never been allowed to begin.

It was a world of endless stone, endless darkness, and nine mysterious rings, each descending deeper into the unknown. We currently stood upon the First Ring—the highest layer of this forsaken realm.

I raised my hands and signed with a faint smile.

"It reminds me of Mother's tale of Gulda the Vile."

Lucifer let out a quiet laugh, and for a brief moment, the burden upon his shoulders seemed lighter.

The memory of our Mother's stories returned to all of us.

Hearing her name, Malazeth stepped closer to the fire and smiled.

"Ah, Gulda the Vile," he said. "A story every child of Heaven knows."

The others gathered around the flames as he began his tale.

"Long ago, after the war between Yahweh and the False Ones, a creature was born from the corpse of a fallen False One. Her body was formed of endless stone, and no blade could pierce her hide."

"She possessed a single great eye that never blinked, and her size rivaled Heaven itself. Whenever she discovered prey, that eye would split open like a terrible flower, revealing countless razor-sharp mandibles capable of devouring anything—stone, metal, flesh, even the bones of worlds."

"She knew neither mercy nor restraint. Her hunger was endless, and even our Father and the Elders recognized her as a threat."

Malazeth's expression became more animated as he continued.

"But hope came with the birth of Lucifer, Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael."

"The Elder known as The Darkness forged a blade capable of cutting through all things, whether flesh or the fabric of the cosmos itself, and gifted it to Lucifer."

"Vitriol, though begrudgingly, offered one of his ancient teeth—a fragment strong enough to shatter the first gates of Heaven. Michael forged it into a spear capable of piercing reality itself."

"Lastly, Ouroboros shed one of his celestial scales and entrusted it to Raphael, who crafted a lyre. Yet the instrument was incomplete. Michael pierced the veil of the cosmos with his spear and pulled forth the strings of existence itself, allowing Raphael to finish the divine instrument Raphael."

"The weapons became known as Twilight, Adamant, and Aria."

"With these gifts, the brothers marched to confront Gulda the Vile."

"The battle lasted for two days and two nights. Raphael played Aria, strengthening his brothers with every note. Lucifer's blade carved valleys into Gulda's stone flesh, while Michael pierced her corrupted heart with Adamant, bringing an end to her reign of hunger."

Malazeth looked around the fire and smiled.

"Of course, they were not hailed as heroes immediately."

Several of us chuckled.

"They had gone to war without Father's permission. They returned victorious, but they also received a punishment worthy of disobedient children."

Even Lucifer allowed himself a small smile.

"Father took the weapons of the Elders and hid them within three secret places in Heaven. It is said that one of those places lies within the Garden of Eden itself, protected by its beauty and mysteries."

The tale came to an end.

For a time, no one spoke.

The fire crackled softly, casting golden light against the black stone and reflecting off the dark crystals surrounding our camp.

Despite the unnatural sky.

Despite the poisonous air.

Despite the endless unknown waiting below.

For the first time since entering this realm, we felt something that had been absent from our journey.

Comfort.

The brothers settled into their places around the fire. Some remained awake, keeping watch over the camp, while others allowed themselves the rare luxury of sleep.

Lucifer stayed awake the longest.

His eyes remained fixed on the dark horizon beyond the river.

As though he expected the realm itself to answer his questions.

Eventually, even he surrendered to exhaustion.

The flames continued to burn.

The river continued to flow.

And deep within the darkness below, the unknown waited patiently for our arrival.