Chapter 17: Trial of existence

I opened my eyes to a blinding light. The warmth of the wooden chair beneath me was the first thing I noticed. The world around me came into focus—a vast hall bathed in golden light, its marble walls carved with intricate patterns of angels and stars.

Before me stood a grand throne. Sitting atop it was a woman who seemed both serene and terrifying. Her long, flowing hair shimmered like sunlight, and her radiant wings stretched out behind her, creating an almost suffocating aura of power. This was Angel Urielle, Yumi's best friend—or so Yumi had said.

But her expression held no warmth.

"Welcome, Kaito," she said, her voice resonating like the toll of a distant bell. "We need to talk."

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. "Talk about what?"

Urielle smiled faintly, her head tilting slightly. "Why do you live?"

The question hit me like a punch to the gut. My mind scrambled for an answer, but I felt like a trapped animal under her piercing gaze.

"I—I live because…" My voice faltered. "Because I want to protect the people I care about."

Urielle's smile grew, but it was cold and calculating. "Protect them? And what makes you think you're capable of that? You're fragile, mortal, and powerless compared to the forces at work in this world."

"I don't need to be powerful to protect someone!" I snapped, anger flaring. "I just need to try!"

Urielle's eyes narrowed, her tone turning sharp. "And when your 'trying' fails? When those you love suffer because of your weakness, what then? Is your effort enough to erase their pain? To undo their suffering?"

Her words clawed at my heart, each one dragging out doubts I thought I'd buried.

I clenched my fists. "I won't let that happen!"

"How?" she asked, leaning forward. "How can you make such a promise when you don't even understand the depth of what you face? You're a child swinging a wooden sword in a battlefield of giants."

My chest tightened. Her words felt like chains pulling me down, but I couldn't let them break me.

"I might not understand everything," I said, my voice trembling but firm. "But I know that giving up isn't the answer. Even if I'm weak, even if I fail, I'll keep standing up. Because that's what it means to care about someone."

Urielle's expression remained unreadable. She studied me for a long moment before speaking again.

"And what of Yumi?" she asked. "Do you think you're enough for her? That your mere existence can shoulder the weight of her sins, her sacrifices?"

My breath caught in my throat. "Yumi…"

Urielle's voice grew colder. "She has risked everything for you, defied divine law, and turned against her kind. Do you truly believe you're worthy of that devotion? Or are you just taking her love for granted?"

Her words stabbed deep. Doubts I hadn't even realized I had began to surface.

"I…" My voice wavered.

"You can't answer, can you?" Urielle said, leaning back in her throne. "Because deep down, you know you're not enough. You know you'll never be enough."

The room felt colder, the golden light dimming as her words settled over me.

I couldn't argue with her. Every time I tried to protect someone, I ended up failing. My father, my friends, even Yumi—I'd always relied on her to save me, to guide me.

Was I really just a burden?

Urielle's gaze softened, but there was no pity in her eyes. "You're starting to understand, aren't you? The truth is harsh, but it's necessary. You cannot save her. You cannot even save yourself."

Tears stung at the corners of my eyes, but I blinked them away. I wanted to scream, to deny her words, but my voice refused to come.

Urielle sighed. "Perhaps I was too harsh. You're still young, after all. Still naive."

She rose from her throne, her wings spreading wide. "I'll give you another chance, Kaito. Not because you deserve it, but for Yumi's sake. She sees something in you that I do not."

I looked up at her, my voice barely a whisper. "What do you mean?"

Urielle didn't answer. She extended her hand, and the golden light around her intensified, consuming everything in its glow.

"Remember this," Urielle's voice echoed as the light swallowed me. "Love is not enough to save her. You must become more, or you will lose everything."

The warmth of the chair vanished, replaced by an overwhelming emptiness.

Everything went white.

And then… nothing.