4.Starting point

***

In a room illuminated by a dozen candelabras, each holding a flame of a different color, all alike only in how their movement seems to halt when an oddly deep voice prepares to speak:

"Tell us, Heimlich, what is so urgent that you have summoned 12 Angels so abruptly? Have you finally lost your mind?"

In the grand hall, reminiscent of one where a coronation might take place, a round table stands with 21 seats, each unique and radiating a distinctive aura.

All eyes turn to one of the corners, where a large man with broad shoulders, hair shaped like an open book, and a silver smile that matches his intricately decorated red and white armor, prepares to answer the question posed to him.

"I understand that you have questions, but my dear… colleagues, I assure you that the information I have gathered will not disappoint you. I only need you to wait a little longer for my guest of honor to arrive."

The angels begin murmuring among themselves, uncertain of what could possibly excite one of their own so much. Though tensions often run high within humanity's greatest force, everyone in the room is aware that something strange and significant has happened.

"When is he supposed to arriv—?"

The voice of the woman, who was about to finish her question to the host, is cut short as the sound of a window swinging open fills the room. Suddenly, a boy is standing there. His hair is relatively long, and his skin is as pale as snow. An eerie, pitch-black armor surrounds him, creating a striking contrast in his figure. Yet, despite that, the most remarkable feature about him is his necklace, which rests over his armor, shining with a green so vivid it would make any royal jewel look like a mere cheap imitation.

The strange boy takes a few steps forward and sits down right beside Angel Heimlich. His lips, soft as cotton, let out his calm voice.

"Allow me to introduce myself. You may call me White Light. As Heimlich must have already mentioned, something unexpected has happened."

Tension rises in the air. All those present are at the pinnacle of humanity, yet they are listening to someone clearly beneath them—someone whom no one seems to know, except for the host himself. The man with the deep voice is the first to grow suspicious and ask out loud:

"No one here seems to know who you are. You don't seem to be a servant of this tyrant either. Tell us, what could someone who has yet to reach the rank of Angel possibly know that we don't?"

The man knows perfectly well that what is about to be revealed is of great importance, yet he has chosen to appear arrogant and foolish, as if making a statement to the guest of honor.

"I see your reputation is well-earned, Zolrak."

After a brief pause, his face suddenly turns serious:

"We have obtained evidence of the Fifth Fall. And you all know what that means."

The eleven invited Angels exchange glances. The fact that there are signs of the next Fall means that not only is its Boss still alive, but something else has awakened. Usually, with the appearance of a Fall, an entity from the Ancient World—or something of similar power—awakens and wreaks havoc in the real world, forcing a battle of catastrophic proportions. Not once have these battles ended in humanity's victory. The four creatures remain alive, even after their respective Falls were conquered.

"Are you implying that something on the level of the Four Calamities has just awakened? Shouldn't it have happened some time ago? Why haven't we seen any massacres at home yet?"

The almost trembling voice comes from a rather thin young man with a timid demeanor. His yellow mushroom-shaped hair makes him look more like a child than an adult.

With a voice that is almost a whisper, White Light says:

"Observe."

A core, shimmering in hues of white and pink, appears above the grand round table. Flames swirl within it, seeming to have a life of their own.

"This object is the 'Mirror of Change.' It originated in the First Fall and, in a way, allows us to see the future."

A mist spreads before the Angels, and suddenly, they all feel as if they are watching a virtual reality film.

Within the illusion, a young man with messy, jet-black hair stands. In his left hand, he holds a strange golden book with blue details, while in his right, he wields a rapier. Around him, several of the Angels present at the meeting lie on the ground, alongside hundreds of corpses. The boy utters a single chant before the 'movie' comes to an end:

"I am the judge of God Himself;

The one who stands above all;

The Adón of this world."

"As you can see, something truly terrible is about to happen. Our initial hypothesis is that the creature in the vision is 'asleep' in some way and that, at this very moment, it is awakening—growing strong enough to wipe out everyone here. I believe it goes without saying that we must take action on this matter..."

***

Sitting atop a trash bin, a young man can be seen. His jet-black hair is messy and unkempt, he wears a nearly transparent white Victorian blouse, tattered pants, and carries a rather unpleasant odor.

"God… my head. Was there really no better place to land?!" Fri curses as he recalls his last conversation with the old cleric. Looking around, he notices he's in a filthy, empty alleyway with two exits leading to different streets. In the background, the sounds of city life fill the air: people going about their day, circus music seemingly coming from a nearby fair, and dogs barking. He has arrived in a city… though figuring out which one exactly will be a task of its own.

"As comfortable as I am here, maybe staying a little longer isn't such a bad idea… No! Fri, get it together, you need to find out where you are and awaken. I need to enter Ominis as soon as possible. Wait… how am I even supposed to awaken?! Torth said it would be easier than usual, but I still have no clue how to do it."

Getting up from the trash bin, he heads towards the street on his right. The sounds from it grow louder and louder until he reaches the intersection connecting the two streets. At that moment, all traces of joy and city bustle vanish. The radiant sun disappears abruptly, and an eerie mist blankets the main street he just stepped into.

"Something strange is happening..."

Just as the thought crosses his mind, a demonic screech echoes through the street. Fri instinctively turns towards the source of the sound, spotting something about one hundred meters away, obscured by the fog. A shadow—resembling that of a tiger—lurks in the distance. Yet, one horrifying detail makes his breath hitch. Three heads protrude from its body, creating a grotesque image in his mind.

In the blink of an eye, the "tiger"—if he can even call it that—vanishes, taking the mist with it. The sun returns as if nothing had happened, and after a single blink, the city's hustle and bustle are back in full force. The people, the noise, the normalcy… everything returns in an instant, leaving a cold sweat running down Fri's back.