A Realm Unknown
A deep, endless void.
Samuel's consciousness stirred as he felt himself floating—adrift in nothingness, yet not alone. He could feel something watching him, its presence vast and unknowable. It wasn't hostile, nor was it welcoming. It simply... existed.
Then, a voice.
"You are not bound by their rules."
Samuel's eyes snapped open, but there was no light—only the shifting darkness of the realm around him. His body felt weightless, as if he were submerged in an ocean of pure void. Yet, there was something beneath him, a platform of unseen force keeping him from truly falling.
"You wield something beyond the understanding of Heaven and Hell," the voice continued. It was neither male nor female, neither soft nor harsh. It was simply there. "That is why they fear you."
Samuel clenched his fists. "Who are you?"
Silence.
Then, from the shadows, a figure emerged. Unlike the hooded entity from before, this one had form—tall and draped in black, its eyes glowing with a dim silver light. It radiated an aura Samuel had never felt before—something ancient, something that existed beyond the war of light and darkness.
"I am one who exists outside of their conflicts. A being forgotten by time itself," the figure answered. "And so are you."
Samuel frowned. "I'm an angel."
"Are you?"
The words sent a chill down his spine.
Before he could respond, the space around him shifted violently. The fabric of the realm trembled, as if something—or someone—was trying to pull him back.
"Their chains are reaching for you," the figure said, taking a step closer. "But you have a choice, Samuel. You always have a choice."
Golden cracks formed in the void, reality forcing its way in. The pull became unbearable.
"Remember this moment," the figure's voice echoed as Samuel was wrenched away. "Remember that you are more than what they tell you."
Then—light.
Blinding, burning light.
Samuel gasped as he crashed into reality, landing on cold, solid ground. His vision blurred, his entire body aching from the impact. The air smelled different—fresh, natural. Wherever he was, it was far from the twisted space he had just left.
As his sight adjusted, he saw towering trees, their golden leaves rustling in the wind. A vast forest stretched out before him, bathed in an eerie, perpetual twilight.
He had escaped. But to where?
---
The Order Moves
High above, within the halls of Heaven, the discussion had escalated beyond simple caution.
Azriel stood at the center of the council chamber, his silver eyes narrowed. "We cannot ignore what has happened. Samuel has returned—but he did not come back the same."
Seraphiel, ever the voice of reason, folded her arms. "You mean to tell us that he escaped not only the werewolves but also fell into an unknown space and survived?"
"He did more than survive," Sariel interjected, his tone grim. "His presence has changed. I can feel it. He is becoming something else."
A heavy silence settled over the chamber.
"Then our course is clear," Azriel said firmly. "He is no longer just a wayward angel. He is a threat. We must locate and restrain him before it is too late."
Ramiel, who had remained silent throughout the discussion, finally spoke. "And if he resists?"
Azriel's expression darkened. "Then we do what must be done."
Ramiel felt something twist inside her, but she said nothing.
Samuel had always been different. But now, even she was beginning to wonder—was he truly still one of them?
---
The First Move of Hell
The command had been given. The Nightstalkers—Hell's elite hunters—had spread across the realms, their task clear.
Find Samuel.
Within the blackened halls of Lucifer's domain, the nine remaining pillars stood before their king, awaiting his decree.
Ascar, the ninth pillar, grinned. "So, the boy vanished and returned, stronger than before? I told you he was special."
Bael, the first pillar, exhaled sharply. "He's unpredictable. That makes him dangerous."
Lucifer, seated upon his obsidian throne, merely chuckled. "All great beings are dangerous."
He rested his chin on his hand, eyes gleaming with intrigue. "Samuel has now touched something beyond the grasp of Heaven and Hell. Something even I do not fully understand."
The room tensed. Even the most powerful demons knew that if Lucifer admitted ignorance, the matter was beyond the ordinary.
"What are your orders, my lord?" Bael finally asked.
Lucifer's smirk widened. "Let the angels hunt him. Let them chase him to the ends of existence."
He stood, his presence suffocating, his voice filled with wicked amusement.
"And when they push him to the brink, when he has nowhere else to turn..." He glanced toward the darkness beyond the chamber.
"We will welcome him with open arms."
And with that, the pieces began to move.
Lucifer then spoke looking at ascar " I believe your granddaughter harbors his child?"
Ascar almost chokes on his own saliva as he was sure he kept it a secret.
Lucifer smiles at his reaction confirming the news his crows informed him about.
" I own this dimension ascar remember that." Lucifer said as as if he'll was alive it shook in response.
Ascar immediately got on his knees and begged " I'm sorry your highness I beg for your forgiveness."
The other nine pillars enjoyed this scene but didn't dare to grin as they could join in on what ever Lucifer has planned. Shockingly Lucifer just straightened his pose and looked at the pillars all together.
I have studied humans since he created them. Deep down all what a boy like Samuel would want is firstly a stable income, a nice home and a nice family. We can provide the income , we can provide a castle of he wants. The only thing we couldn't provide was family, not anymore. Even if he doesn't want ascar's granddaughter the child is his and he wouldn't want his first child to be raised by demons. We must just make sure he hears the news of his daughter when he thinks all hope is lost.
This would reenergize his fighting spirit. It would make him think his life is worth fighting for which would bring him to our doorstep where we would welcome him."
Lucifer ended his plan with a wide grin on his face " let your granddaughter go into the miasma chamber so she'll give birth quick we need the child given birth to fast."
All the pillars looked at ascar with envy.he was to be punished but got rewarded instead. The miasma chamber is a chamber with high volume of dark energy. It makes dark beings stronger, it also has a time difference. One day in hell is one hundred days in the miasma chamber. It means getting stronger in a short period of time. Only the top ten pillars have used it before just once and now a demon they wouldn't even need to bat an eye at was getting the same treatments. They didn't feel good and just held their thoughts. They knew Samuel was now the highest priority.
Samuel was no longer just an anomaly.
He was the center of a war waiting to unfold.
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