In tertio circulo, lux fulget clara,
Beatitudo et amor, animas parata.
Flumina vitae, dulcis spiritus,
In pace vivent, sine timore et luctibus.
What is the Third Circle? It is populated by beings that are as close to God as possible. How should the areas of the Third Circle feel?
There is a lot of... light... Holy Spirit?
I don't know, it feels like someone is looking at me, looking straight into my soul, and it's not the Afanims. Do the Afanims also have forms like the Cherubim? The higher Afanims that created the Earth?
Nonsense, there's not even anything like that in the Bible.
I'm walking with my Department, three columns of two people each. Dante is in front, I'm to his right, and the others are behind us. This arrangement isn't for my distinction but so our Archangel can shield us from the Light of God.
Seraphim are depicted with their faces covered for a reason.
Here, in various places, different Departments work on their own tasks, which makes the atmosphere (or whatever it is) of this place feel different everywhere. As the youngest angel, I'm still unaccustomed to this, so Dante protects me while the others walk side by side, keeping equal distance and supporting each other.
And how do the first people of the Old World live here? It feels so uncomfortable, as if a thousand eyes are judging and condemning me all at once. Even Dante squinted, despite his form having no eyes.
As we walked through an area that looked just like part of the City at the Pearl Gates, we gradually reached the Spire of Ver… Sery.
When we entered, we were met by three "exorcists," or simply Forces (I'm not sure who they really are). They demanded an Oath of Silence from us. For my colleagues, it was just another oath, but for me, it was only the third.
What is the Oath of Silence or the Non-Disclosure Pact? Essentially, it's a contract on parchment that, when signed, weaves its words directly into your soul. The agreement cannot be broken for this reason—you've literally burned it into your very being.
I should come up with a formula for Weaving that circumvents this too…
As soon as we all signed the papers, we were escorted into the hall. When I say "escorted," I mean we all flew, as there were no stairs.
This was not just a hall; it was THE Hall. Much larger than ours, its walls were completely glass, leaving traditional walls only at the entrance. Strange plaques with writings were everywhere, and the floor was adorned with purple geometric shapes.
But the main focus was the Seraph.
The Supreme Seraph of the Golden City, Sera. A tall humanoid angel, she looked like a middle-aged woman with dark ash-gray skin. Her hair was a metallic white, and her irises were white, with eyelashes so long they matched the width of her curled hairstyle, which faded to gray at the ends. She wore a light robe-dress with dark diamonds on a white sarafan, and her three large pairs of wings were elegantly arranged behind her, completing the image.
Next to her sat, or rather one sat and the other stood, two angels I recognized.
Adam and Lyut, the very same psychopathic one who follows the First Man everywhere. That's how the exorcist I met in my favorite teahouse described her to me.
The Seraph's face, usually graced with a gentle smile, was now devoid of emotion, and the corners of her lips turned downward. Sera, with her hands clasped behind her back, awaited us, while Adam lounged casually, sipping soda through a straw. I expected angels to find ways to bend the Rules over time, but this? In front of the Seraph? Either he knows he won't be punished, or he simply doesn't care. Somehow, I think the latter is the more accurate option.
Lyut, unlike Adam, was without a helmet, her white hair cut in a bob just above her shoulders, with sharp facial features and a cold gaze from her golden eyes. This lady could take down a dozen demons without batting an eye. I need to boost my combat effectiveness and come up with a formula… Just a formula. I don't even want to think about it in the presence of a Seraph—who knows what might happen.
"The Department for the Study of Sin," Sera said, nodding her head. "Thank you for agreeing to fulfill my request." Her voice was quiet and firm, devoid of any emotion, her posture unchanged.
Adam loudly slurped his soda from the cup, causing Sera to wrinkle her brow slightly.
"It will be an honor for our Department to carry out the will of the Seraph, Your Majesty," Dante said, bowing along with all of us, the gesture we had memorized just a few days prior. "We await your instructions."
Sera nodded, and Adam burped. If he were to throw his legs up on the table, the image would be complete.
"My request will be…" Sera hesitated? "Unusual for an angel." She turned and glided (not touching the floor with her feet) to the window. "That's why I required the Oath of Silence before you arrived here."
"The Department fully understands the necessity of such measures concerning Seraphs, Your Majesty," Dante replied, hands clasped behind his back. "I assure you, each member of my Department is ready to undertake the task you set, no matter how unusual it may be."
"Very well, let's begin." She turned to us with the same stone-cold expression, nodding to invite us to take our seats at the table.
Once we settled, I sat next to Dante (who helped shield my thoughts), while the others took their places around us. Sera began:
"I ask the Department for the Study of Sin to develop a way…" She hesitated again. "A method, a prayer, or a miracle, whatever is necessary." She simply shook her head at the last part. "So that an angel may ease the suffering of a soul destined for Hell."
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Hryuyuyup
Adam took another loud swig of his soda, which seemed to be more inside than the half-liter glass itself. His face on the helmet expressed boredom, and he propped the helmet up with his free hand. Lyut was still standing behind Adam, not reacting at all, with her hands clasped behind her back.
"Your Majesty…" Dante began cautiously. "May I clarify, do we need to violate the Heavenly Rule against Angels working with Sinners?" The Sera, seated, towered above us, slightly frowning.
"No. These are human souls that…" she paused, gathering the attention of each of us. "…are destined to go to Hell while still alive. It will be better if you immediately consider the option when the soul is already in Hell."
Now that's interesting. Do Seraphim, at least Sera, care about the souls of Sinners? The overall goal of the Project is simple - to help Sinners. In one form or another. I don't even know what kind of swear words to start with… But this is a Seraphim…
"Your Majesty…" Dante was overcome by the same feelings as me. "Do I understand you correctly, we must… create a product that alleviates the suffering of a soul 'potentially' destined for Hell, considering the option that the human soul is already close to Hell, of course," he started quickly and quickly corrected himself.
"Yes. You must find a solution to stop or alleviate the suffering of precisely these souls on Earth." Sera's face contorted, but not in a way you could call a grimace: she lifted her cheek, distorting her lips. Her face didn't express disgust, only… doubt?
"Your metrics will not change for the worse, and your Project will be completed by the First Man's Department." Oh, Mother Teresa… "How much time will you need to implement this Project?"
Dante fell silent, lowering his head. My other colleagues waited silently for the leader's decision.
"How much time do you think you'll need to implement the given conditions in the form of a Weave?" Dante's voice echoed in my soul. The mental link, a skill any angel can develop, but only under the supervision of a mentor, I myself am just learning this art.
"It's hard to say… It depends on how exactly to alleviate: by killing or by other means," the work is simple on the one hand, but it's unclear what Sera is actually expecting from us.
Dante raised his head, and his halo spun even faster:
"Your Majesty, what kind of 'alleviation of suffering' do you expect? Please, enlighten us with your thoughts." The Leader's mechanical voice was devoid of emotion.
Sera looked at us, somewhat lost (?!). Our entire Department, she shifted her gaze to each of us.
"… Adam?" Was that… uncertainty? Does the Seraphim herself not know what she wants or is this the First's idea? "Please, explain to the Department for the study…"
"Yeah, yeah…" Adam simply waved his hand, pulling the straw out of his mouth. "Basically, schizoids…" And Elena wasn't lying when she said he doesn't choose his words. "We need to make sure that the 'potential'…" his tone was filled with venom. "…human soul from Earth is freed from its suffering after the death of its shell." And before anyone could ask a question, Adam quickly continued:
"In this freaking sewer, everyone cuts each other up, without exception." He took another drink from his glass. "And when the shell is killed and…" he scratched his mask at the spot where his chin should be. "…the soul is reborn, it experiences damn suffering and pain, as if it's burning. Our bird-headed guys found out from other bird-headed guys, but from Hell… Basically, we need your mental institution to come up with a way to prevent the soul from suffering after the shell is killed by weapons."
"It's a constant meat grinder…" Is he talking about Earth or Hell?
Dante nodded to the First Man and lowered his head again, speeding up the spin of his halo.
"What do you say now?" Dante's emotions radiated interest, excitement, and anticipation… I don't like this…
"Neither Sera nor Adam set any exact deadlines, and if they don't limit us to a named one, I would give half a year to a year." The task is still unclear and vague, but this will give a chance to do something at least. "If I can come up with a suitable formula, or even several, then we might even manage to do it sooner."
Dante nodded, lifted his head, the halo stopped:
"The Department asks for half a year to a full year, due to the ambiguity of the details." When Sera frowned, and Adam started eating donuts that Lyut brought him, Dante continued. "If, God help us, you are satisfied with our ideas, then the Department will be able to cope faster."
"I will consider any of your suggestions and consult on any issue of interest to you." At this, everyone in the Department was excited. "I will be consulting with your Project Leader, whom you will choose, Leader." And how such proposals can sound in other Departments of the Third Circle…
Dante nodded and lowered his head again, while the other "Sins" exchanged lively glances.
Dante remained silent for over a minute, not even reaching out to me on the mental channel. Adam had already finished the box of donuts and was now drinking a new glass of soda through a straw.
The silence stretched, Sera narrowed her eyes, looking at Dante.
"I, on behalf of the Department for the Study of Sin, appoint Virgil, my assistant, as Project Leader." What? Dante pointed his right hand at me, while the "Sins" turned their gazes to me, they held everything: envy, praise, pride, or just indifference, and also lust…
What the… Why Dante…
"Wait, shouldn't you…" – the transmission of my thoughts was interrupted by Dante himself, whose face expressed mockery, however strange it might sound.
You're deliberately trying to set me up in front of the Seraphim, aren't you?! Not a bad defense, is it?! Everyone else is already at the edge, and I haven't stood out yet, so I can be blamed for everything, right?!
I'll remember
Sera's eyes widened in surprise, and as for me…
Sera's gaze was filled with… concern? For my mental health? Thanks, it's too late.
I took a deep breath, nodded, pretending to bow:
"It's an honor to work with you, Supreme Seraphim." Respect and reverence, those are things that please God's creations, right? "I will strive to fulfill all your wishes and requirements."
Adam smirked and raised an eyebrow, and Sera nodded in response.
"I will be in my office, Adam will give you the item that will allow you to reach my Spire." She waved to Adam, who quickly pulled out from his sleeve… a black tablet with purple writing? "You just have to read the morning prayer, holding this tablet, to teleport to my office." She waved her hand, and the tablet flew out of Adam's hands, neatly flying into mine. "Please, use it only in the evening, not before nine o'clock in the evening." I nodded.
The tablet is just a tablet. The language is unknown, not like Latin, Cyrillic, or even Arabic symbols. Is it the language of the Old World?
"Your curator will be Adam." For the first time during the conversation, she pointed to the large angel with a slight smile, which made him frown. "If you have any questions about… Soul contamination by demonic influence or… About weapons, then contact him." I just nodded.
Then came the clarification of the work-related questions: where to work, when to work, who you can work with and who you can't, and so on. It's amazing that we were free from all the paperwork, Sera took it upon herself. I'm already liking this Seraphim, despite the little set-up by the Leader.
When we finished discussing and documenting (Amadeo) the details of the Project, Sera excused herself, citing business, leaving us with Adam.
… I wonder, if God isn't there, and instead Seraphim rule, does that mean that "God has abandoned us"?
"So, listen, you freaks." Adam kept gulping from his glass, still lounging in the chair with such nonchalance, he attracted the attention of our Department. "I don't give a damn about this 'Project,' I'm here just because our Big Boss told me to be."
"Your Majesty…" Adam interrupted me with an even louder sucking of liquid from the straw.
"Just Adam, the name is worth all my titles." He casually waved his hand. Maybe he's not that bad after all?
"Adam, sir." He nodded encouragingly. "We… I would like to discuss some details…" He interrupted me in his own way again.
"Listen, Snowflake." Irritated entered his voice. "I don't give a damn what you come up with there in your Department, just make it so that Sera at least likes it and that's it." Seeing the question in my eyes, Adam sighed loudly.
"… All questions to the Crazy One." Adam pointed to his assistant, who nodded. "If you really need to ask your stupid questions, contact her."
"And where can we find…" – to Philip's awkward question, Adam answered ahead of time.
"Ask Sera or ask one of my girls about your problems." Adam just shrugged.
"Adam, sir, what about our joint project…" Remygius was amazingly good at choosing candidates who could do the work for him, and therefore wanted to clarify about the personalities who would do our work for us. No wonder.
"My girls will take care of it, don't worry, Naf-naf." Adam read fairy tales… I wonder what would happen if he blew on a stone house? The house would probably collapse. "Don't worry, they'll do everything perfectly!" As he said that, he even stopped drinking, raised his finger up and smiled encouragingly, only… "Probably…"
Adam added quietly, lowering his shoulders, to which Lyut nodded again.
Remygius groaned softly, covering his face (although he was already wearing a mask) with his hand.
"So, the Pastry with nothing," that's me now. "The curator of the project, who will also be transmitting your gibberish to Sera, will now be you." I take back my words, Adam is becoming less and less likable to me. "If anything, you look for Lyut, you listen to her as well…" He looked up, gripping his mask with his hand. "So, now you're the Project curator, Snowflake, you'll be in the place of the First Man himself, congratulations!" There was only sarcasm in his voice.
"But sir…" My question was ignored.
"I'm free, and you can start your brain drain!" Adam simply left through a portal…
The ensuing silence was broken by Amadeo's question to Lyut.
"You… Um…" Lyut turned her stern gaze to the nun. "Do you… like romances…?"
To which Lyut simply nodded.
This is all great, but I have a couple of sweet things to say to our Leader, who was silent, resting his face on his hands clasped in front of him.