As they descended the spiral staircase to the 22nd floor, Michael's mind drifted. The thrill of flying, the feel of Valencia's touch, and the strange hunger growing within the coilgun gnawed at the edges of his thoughts. But something else nagged at him. He could feel it—a pressure, a pull, a need to grow stronger, to become more.
They had survived the previous floor, but it was only a matter of time before the dungeon threw something at them that would test their limits again. His wings had been invaluable, but instinct told him he needed something more.
Michael glanced back at Valencia, who trailed just behind him, her eyes burning with that familiar possessiveness. She seemed to sense his unease but said nothing, her trust in him absolute. His gaze shifted away as he called up his system menu. The translucent screen materialized before him, lines of options scrolling past, each promising power and new abilities.
His fingers hesitated over the Shop option, and with a sharp breath, he selected it. The familiar hum of the system echoed in his mind as it loaded an array of items. Most were offensive in nature—spells, weapons, enhancements. But it wasn't destruction he was after right now. No, he needed something to protect them, something that could intercept the dangers before they reached him and Valencia.
He scrolled deeper, ignoring the alluring attack spells and potent charms until he found something that caught his eye.
Seraph's Ward: A defensive spell that conjures radiant orbs of divine energy. The orbs hover around the caster, intercepting incoming magical attacks.
The description alone made him pause. He could almost see it—the glowing spheres, swirling around him like guardian spirits, ready to block the lethal magic of the dungeon's inhabitants.
"Seraph's Ward," he murmured, his voice low. It felt right. And with his wings and his new-found flight, it seemed like the perfect complement to his growing abilities. Without another thought, he tapped on the spell.
The system responded with a chime.
Purchase confirmed. Cost: 1 Divine Crystal.
The familiar weight of the divine crystal vanished from his inventory, and a sudden surge of energy shot through his body. It was intense, not like the usual subtle enhancements from skills. This felt alive, raw, almost too much to handle. Michael clenched his jaw, trying to steady himself.
Then, pain.
It wasn't sharp, but it was sudden and jarring, a deep ache that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. His hands instinctively went to his chest, searching for the source, but there was nothing. His heart raced, and his vision flickered. The pain intensified, spreading like wildfire across his body, but it was centered somewhere he couldn't pinpoint. It was familiar, though—too familiar.
His wings twitched, instinctively reacting to the pain, but it wasn't them. Michael's breath hitched as he felt something crack, like the sound of stone under pressure. The ache blossomed into a burning sensation, rising up toward his head.
His halo.
With a grimace, Michael reached up, fingers brushing the edge of the cracked gray ring above his head. It was faint, barely visible under normal circumstances, but now it pulsed with a dull, sickly glow. The cracks, once subtle, were spreading. Each fissure radiated pain as though his very soul were fracturing with it.
"Michael!" Valencia's voice cut through the haze of pain, sharp with concern. She reached for him, but he held up a hand to stop her, not wanting her to touch him while this… transformation was happening.
"It's the halo…" he managed to grit out between clenched teeth. "Something's… happening."
The pain peaked, sharp and searing, forcing him to his knees. For a moment, he feared it might break him, that the cracked halo would shatter entirely. But then, just as suddenly as it had come, the pain began to ebb. His breath came in ragged gasps, but he was still in one piece.
Michael slowly rose to his feet, testing the movement cautiously. The pain had receded into a dull throb, but as it faded, something had changed. He could feel it—an energy humming through his halo, connecting it to his very core. The cracks still remained, but there was something new.
His wings unfurled on instinct, stretching wide as if sensing the shift in power. Above his head, the halo pulsed softly, but instead of its usual gray hue, faint tendrils of yellow light began to flicker through the cracks.
Without thinking, he summoned the Seraph's Ward.
Bright yellow orbs materialized in an instant, swirling around him like miniature suns. They radiated warmth and protection, their presence soothing after the agony he had endured moments ago. Michael watched in awe as the orbs circled him, their paths fluid and graceful. He could feel them, like extensions of his own body—alive, protective, ready to intercept anything that would dare threaten him or Valencia.
But that wasn't all.
As the orbs continued to hover around him, he realized that the energy wasn't just lingering outside of him. It was being drawn into his halo. The yellow light that coursed through the cracks pulsed in time with the orbs, each flicker strengthening the halo's glow.
It was becoming a part of him—a passive, constant defense. The Seraph's Ward wasn't just a spell he had bought; it was now a part of his very being. The halo, once a broken remnant of his past, had absorbed the spell, integrating it into itself. Now, it would forever watch over him.
Valencia stepped closer, her eyes fixed on the halo above his head, awe mingling with something deeper—fierce protectiveness. "Your halo..." she whispered, her voice tinged with something almost reverent. "It's… beautiful. Even more now."
Michael's hand reached up again, touching the halo. It still felt fragile, cracked in places, but it was more alive than ever. The pain had been a trial, but this power was worth it.
"I think it's stronger now," he said, his voice hoarse. "The spell… it's a part of the halo. It's like the halo's awakening."
Valencia's fingers brushed his arm lightly. Her touch sent a shiver down his spine, but it was her gaze that held him—hungry, devoted, and dangerously possessive. "You're becoming more perfect every day," she said, her voice low, almost a whisper. "I'll make sure no one ever harms you… not while I'm here."
Michael couldn't help but smile, despite the intensity of her words. There was no denying that Valencia's obsession with him was growing stronger, just as his powers were. He could feel the tension between them deepening, but there was no room for fear. Not now.
With a final glance at the swirling orbs of light, Michael nodded. "Let's keep moving. Whatever's waiting for us on the next floor… I'm ready for it now."
Valencia smirked, her eyes glowing with satisfaction as they continued their descent into the unknown. But now, with the Seraph's Ward and his newly awakened halo, Michael knew he had a new edge—one that would shield them from the dangers ahead.
As they stepped onto the 22nd floor, Michael's wings spread wide, and the orbs of radiant light pulsed around him, a living testament to his transformation. Whatever came next, they would face it together—stronger than before, and far more dangerous.