As Luka stepped out of the room, a sudden hush fell over the mansion, and all eyes turned toward him. However, as Michael made his grand entrance, the attention swiftly shifted to the great angel.
It was Luka's first time seeing Michael in the flesh, and inside his head, he battled with himself, trying to figure out the best way to react to his dream companion turned into reality.
Before Luka could even decide whether to say something or not, Michael engulfed him in a tight hug, leaving everyone in awe.
"Look at you!" Michael squeezed him with such force that Luka struggled to breathe properly. "My little nephew is now a young man!"
It took a moment for Luka to recover from the shock of being hugged by the great angel, but soon he returned the embrace, his usual sheepish smile gracing his face. "I missed you so much, uncle," he whispered, his voice tinged with tears, and held him even tighter.
When Michael finally released him from the hug, he noticed the teary-eyed expression on Luka's face. "Still a crybaby, huh?" The great angel attempted to lighten the mood with a playful comment, hoping to distract his nephew from the recent troubling events. However, his words only intensified Luka's tears.
"Shh." Michael pulled Luka into another embrace. "Everything is going to be okay. Okay?"
Luka nodded, feeling a mix of self-disappointment for easily succumbing to tears and gratitude for his uncle's comforting presence. It was a part of himself he couldn't easily change.
"Sir, we need to go to the meeting right now." A woman, likely in her thirties, appeared. Her frown and peculiar expression, as she glanced at Luka, raised his suspicions.
"Of course, we should!" Michael rolled his eyes, irritated by the unkind look directed at his nephew. "Luka, will you join us, or would you prefer to rest a little longer?" At thirty-four years old, Michael was relatively young compared to most angels, despite his status as the great angel and head of the council.
"I-I suppose I should c-come too," Luka stuttered, influenced by the sharpness of Leana's gaze.
"Attention, all angels in this room! Listen carefully!" Michael's tone suddenly turned serious. "Tonight, we have an important meeting with all the angels. Make sure you are at the Narcissus Hall before sunset."
Everyone nodded, and Luka accompanied Michael to the council's meeting room. The path to the room felt familiar, yet unfamiliar at the same time. Luka knew he had never been there before, but there was an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
Upon entering the room, Luka's eyes wandered, taking in the grandeur. The space was expansive, with regal chairs arranged in a circular fashion. The room exuded an aura of purity, adorned in white and hints of gold, offering Luka a sense of comfort.
"Now that everyone is present, and my son, Luka, is doing well, we shall begin the meeting," Samuel declared with a serious tone and a solemn expression on his face. However, everyone could perceive the softening of his tone when he mentioned Luka's name and the deep emotion in his gaze. No one could blame him.
Luka took a seat near his father, while Michael ascended to the top seat. Aside from Luka, Samuel, and Michael, five other angels were present at the council's meeting.
"Here we are, gathered because of my nephew, Luka," Michael commenced the meeting. "As we all know, after eighteen years of living with his parents, the curse befell him. Yet, somehow, my brother's powers returned, and he saved Luka."
"So, no one knows why this happened?" spoke an older man with wavy blond hair, his voice gentle and kind, instantly identifying him as the angel of connection, Gabriel. "We know that the Punisher once possessed immense power but lost it due to Luka's curse. However, it doesn't necessarily mean that the Healer's power returned as a result. From what we understand, the Punisher has been without his powers for years."
"Indeed," agreed Uriel, recognized by Luka from his father's tales as the angel of wisdom. "There must be more to it. Has anyone inadvertently caught wind of a whisper about a new prophecy? There may be a mission for young Luka to undertake."
"Me?" Luka finally spoke up during the meeting, drawing everyone's attention. "There isn't anything special about me. I don't think I have the power to complete a mission."
"Son, don't underestimate yourself," Samuel said, gazing into Luka's sea-colored eyes. "There are still so many things we need to discover about your powers."
"Young Luka," the oldest member of the meeting, Jophiel, the angel of love, turned her head toward him. "There's something I'm curious about. Every time you turned eighteen, how did you meet your end?"
Luka recalled the vivid details of every life he had lived until now. "Um... actually, it was always the same," he began, his voice slightly trembling. "I- I saw an angel every time, and I c- couldn't control my mind or my body. I was mesmerized by the beauty of his wings, and I w- walked toward that p- person. Every time, I f- fell from s- somewhere, or a c- car hit m- me, or..."
"That's enough!" Samuel and Michael interrupted in unison. Luka's stutter grew more pronounced, a clear sign of the pressure he felt under the weight of attention and bad memories.
"Can you recall anything about that angel?" Raphael, the angel of war, asked in a gentler tone, trying to ease Luka's discomfort.
"I'm sorry. No..." Luka replied, feeling a sense of relief that the questioning stopped.
The room fell into contemplative silence as everyone pondered the curse that plagued this innocent half-angel.
"Young Luka," Zedkiel, the angel of humanity, addressed him, drawing his attention. "Have you ever used your powers? Angels typically manifest their powers at the age of eighteen, which means you should be able to show your wings now."
"I- I have wings too?" Luka's eyes widened in astonishment.
"As far as we know, angelic blood flows through your veins," Jophiel said, her light white-colored eyes emanating a soothing love. "So yes, you must possess hidden powers inside you."
"We don't know what exactly we're looking for in young Luka," Uriel added. "Perhaps it's best if we allow his family to take care of him."
"I agree," Michael chimed in, his gaze kind as he looked at Luka.
"Let's go, son!" Samuel patted his son's head and affectionately ruffled his hair. When Luka looked up at his dad, he saw a look filled with love and warmth. "We've got so much to explore, so many adventures, and numerous missions to undertake."
Overwhelmed with emotion, Luka couldn't help but tightly hug his dad. He cherished this moment, realizing how wonderful it felt to talk to him again and how his father was not just a parent but also his best friend.