Kaito sat on the rooftop of his apartment, staring out at the city below. Night had fallen, and the distant glow of streetlights illuminated the streets, but his mind was elsewhere. Since the last attack, the mark on his chest had stopped pulsing, but there was an ever-present hum of power just beneath his skin, like a caged storm waiting to break free.
Seraphina had warned him that mastering the Abyss would be a long and dangerous road, but what worried him more was the feeling that something far worse was coming. He could sense it—an ominous weight in the air, as if the world was holding its breath.
Suddenly, he felt a presence behind him. He turned to see Seraphina standing there, her crimson eyes fixed on him with an intensity that made his chest tighten.
"You're troubled," she said, her voice softer than usual.
Kaito sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's hard not to be. Every day I feel this power growing stronger, but... I can't shake the feeling that something is coming. Something big."
Seraphina stepped closer, her expression unreadable. "You're right to be concerned. There are forces at play that you cannot see yet. But you must stay focused on your control. The Abyss is not forgiving."
He nodded, trying to keep his mind from spiraling, but his thoughts kept drifting back to Celestia. She had been distant lately, her usual cheerfulness replaced by a quiet tension. He hadn't heard from her since the last battle, and it worried him.
Just as he was about to ask Seraphina about it, the sky above them shifted. The stars seemed to flicker, and a strange, eerie silence settled over the city.
Seraphina's eyes widened, her hand instinctively reaching for Kaito's arm. "No... It can't be."
"What is it?" Kaito asked, standing up, his heart pounding in his chest.
Seraphina looked up at the sky, her expression dark. "They've come."
Before Kaito could ask what she meant, the sky above them split open. A blinding light poured through, illuminating the entire city in an otherworldly glow. Five figures descended from the heavens, their wings spreading wide, their armor gleaming in the light.
Kaito's breath caught in his throat. He had never seen anything like them before—angelic beings, but not like Celestia. These figures radiated an aura of absolute power and judgment, their eyes cold and merciless.
Seraphina's grip tightened on his arm. "The Seraphim," she whispered, her voice filled with both fear and anger. "They've come to destroy us."
Kaito's mind raced as the Seraphim landed on the rooftop across from them, their wings folding behind their backs with terrifying grace. The one in the center stepped forward, his gaze fixed on Kaito with a look of pure disdain.
"You are the one tainted by the Abyss," the lead Seraphim said, his voice like thunder in the still night air.
Kaito felt a surge of energy pulse through his body in response to the Seraphim's presence, the mark on his chest burning with intensity. "Who are you?"
"We are the Seraphim, enforcers of Heaven's will," the angel said, his voice cold and detached. "You, human, have been marked by the Abyss. For the sake of Heaven and the world below, you must be purged."
Kaito's fists clenched, dark energy swirling around him as the Abyss responded to the threat. "I'm not giving in to the Abyss! I can control it!"
The Seraphim's eyes narrowed, his wings flaring out slightly. "Control is an illusion. The Abyss corrupts all it touches. You are beyond redemption."
Before Kaito could respond, Seraphina stepped in front of him, her own power flaring in defiance. "If you want him, you'll have to go through me."
The lead Seraphim's gaze shifted to Seraphina, his expression hardening. "Demon queen, your very existence is an affront to Heaven. You will be destroyed alongside him."
Seraphina's eyes blazed with fury. "Try it."
The Seraphim didn't hesitate. In a flash, they moved, their swords appearing in their hands as they surged forward. Kaito barely had time to react before Seraphina pushed him back, her own dark magic flaring as she met the Seraphim's attack head-on.
The rooftop shook with the force of the clash. Seraphina's power collided with the Seraphim's divine energy, sending shockwaves through the air. Kaito stumbled back, struggling to keep his balance as the battle raged in front of him.
His heart raced as he watched Seraphina fight, her movements graceful and deadly, but the Seraphim were relentless. For every strike she blocked, another came from a different angle. It was clear—they weren't just trying to defeat her, they were trying to end her.
Kaito's blood boiled. He couldn't just stand here and watch. He reached deep inside himself, calling on the Abyssal power that had been dormant until now. The mark on his chest pulsed, and dark energy flowed through his veins like fire.
With a shout, he launched himself into the fray, the shadows bending to his will as he lashed out at the nearest Seraphim. His attack caught the angel off guard, forcing them to retreat, but the others barely flinched.
"Kaito!" Seraphina shouted, her voice strained as she fought to hold her ground. "Stay back! These aren't like the others!"
"I don't care!" Kaito shouted back, his heart pounding. "I'm not going to let them kill you!"
The Seraphim regrouped, their cold eyes locking onto Kaito as they prepared for another assault. "You will fall," one of them said, their voice devoid of emotion. "The Abyss cannot protect you from Heaven's wrath."
Kaito gritted his teeth, the dark energy swirling around him growing stronger by the second. "We'll see about that."
The air crackled with tension as the Seraphim prepared to strike again, their divine energy clashing with the Abyssal power Kaito and Seraphina wielded. The fate of both Heaven and the Abyss hung in the balance.
And somewhere far above, Celestia raced toward them, her heart heavy with the knowledge that she might be too late.