Kael's 3rd birthday was a festive affair. The castle brimmed with an odd mixture of Hell's chaos and Heaven's grace, the atmosphere a blend of roaring laughter and ethereal music. A massive table was laden with food from both realms: spiced demon fruits, honey-dipped angelic pastries, and a towering cake decorated with shimmering white and black frosting to reflect Kael's dual heritage.
Kikidori sat at the head of the table, sipping a fiery drink while Ere'ana hummed to herself, slicing more cake for the guests. Yumi and Akuma were seated nearby, their usual bickering giving way to affectionate teasing—for the moment, at least. Kael sat in his high chair, swinging his tiny legs as he dug into a plate of mashed hellfire potatoes and angelic nectar pudding.
Everything seemed ordinary—until it wasn't.
Kael suddenly froze mid-bite, his fork dropping onto his plate with a loud *clang.* His bright, heterochromatic eyes widened, scanning the room with a new intensity. For the first time, he noticed details he had never comprehended before: the furrow on Kikidori's brow, the glow of Ere'ana's halo, the faint sparks of energy crackling between Yumi and Akuma as they exchanged a playful glance. He stared at his tiny hands, flexing his fingers as though they belonged to someone else.
The world around him seemed to slow. The chatter of the room faded, replaced by the rapid thumping of his own heart. It hit him like a thunderbolt—*I'm alive.*
Kael turned to look at his family, his gaze lingering on each of them. His father, the intimidating yet loving demon prince. His mother, the graceful yet stern angelic princess. His sister, the fiery demon who always smelled faintly of brimstone, and her new husband, who seemed just as chaotic as she was.
He stared at his hands again, clenching and unclenching them. They were real. *He* was real. He wasn't just floating in some hazy dream or being carried along by events he didn't understand. This was his life, his existence.
Ere'ana noticed the shift first. "Kael? Sweetheart, are you okay?"
Kael blinked at her, his small voice trembling. "I'm...alive?"
The room went silent. Kikidori nearly dropped his drink. Yumi stopped mid-laugh, and Akuma raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean, buddy?" Kikidori asked, leaning forward.
Kael looked at him with wide eyes, as if seeing his father for the first time. "I...I didn't know I was here. Like, really here."
Yumi smirked, leaning over to Akuma. "Looks like Kael's finally had his *oh shit* moment."
"Language," Ere'ana snapped, though her voice was softer than usual as she walked over to Kael, kneeling beside his chair.
"It's okay, sweetie," she said gently. "You're alive, and you're loved. This is your family."
Kael nodded slowly, still looking overwhelmed. Then, as if to test the truth of it, he reached out and grabbed Kikidori's sleeve. The fabric was rough beneath his fingers. Real.
"Holy hell," Kikidori muttered, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Kid's growing up fast."
"Too fast," Ere'ana murmured, brushing a hand through Kael's hair.
Kael looked up at her. "Will I always be like this? Half...half of everything?"
Ere'ana's smile was warm but tinged with sadness. "That's something only you can decide, Kael. When you turn four, you'll have the chance to choose. Angel or demon. Light or dark. But no matter what, you'll always be you."
Kikidori snorted. "Or, you know, you could pick both and make everyone's lives harder. That's what I'd do."
"Kikidori," Ere'ana scolded, though her tone lacked venom.
The rest of the party went on, but Kael was quieter than usual, his newfound awareness weighing heavily on him. As the festivities wound down and the guests began to leave, Kael sat on the floor by the fireplace, staring into the flames.
"Hey, little dude," Yumi said, sitting down beside him. "You okay?"
Kael didn't look at her. "I'm scared."
Yumi ruffled his hair. "Yeah, life's scary sometimes. But you've got us. You've got me."
Kael finally looked up at her, his eyes filled with a mixture of wonder and fear. "Will you stay with me?"
"Always," Yumi said, pulling him into a hug.
And as the flames crackled in the hearth, casting their warm light over the family, Kael began to feel something he hadn't noticed before: hope.
The end of Chapter 32.