"Doesn't it affect you to look at it? Haha," Seraphine let out a small amused laugh. "Well, I expected this result. The blue flame undoubtedly protects you, even if you are a dark being," she pouted slightly. "You asked me, didn't you? Well, this being is known as a Throne, a messenger of God, a guardian of light and darkness. Let me introduce you to Eryoniel, one of the three remaining Thrones."
Seraphine stretched her arms exaggeratedly, as if presenting some sort of spectacle. I swallowed dryly... I feel completely scrutinized by Eryoniel... literally, all its eyes are fixed on me, as though it's looking straight through my soul, exposing all my secrets.
"Seventh...? Seventh of Mercy... Have you finally decided to return and reclaim your place?"
An almost ethereal, illusory voice echoed faintly, like the delicate speech of a compassionate baby, surreal and unsettling. For a few moments, I felt as if my soul trembled, like a fragile twig in the middle of a terrible storm. But the most disturbing thing was that the voice sounded like that of a little girl—no older than ten years. Absolutely shocking that such a voice could come from an existence Seraphine described as "Messengers of God."
"Eryoniel, don't mistreat my guest, and it's a pleasure to see you again after such a long... time," Seraphine said with a gentle smile.
The wheels turned more frequently, making the eyes on them blur.
"Seventh of Mercy, I want to know what you intend by bringing that creature into the realm of God."
The childlike voice of Eryoniel was devoid of emotion. There was no shift in tone, yet it was clear she was slightly annoyed. All I could do was remain silent.
"It's a deal I made with him. As you can see, his soul is fractured, and the blue flame is desperately trying to heal it. You understand what I mean, right?" She pointed her finger at my chest.
Eryoniel remained silent for a few moments.
"The blue flame harbored within that creature's soul... Fate is cruel to us..."
The wheels around her stopped spinning at maximum speed and moved passively.
"Lilith..." she murmured to herself.
"That's right. You know how she is—I owe her a favor, and, well, I have to keep my word," Seraphine shrugged.
"You speak of responsibility as if it's nothing. Don't forget you abandoned your throne to live in the human world. You're the least qualified to talk about responsibility or keeping promises."
For the first time since we arrived in... wherever this place is, Eryoniel's massive eye focused on Seraphine.
"Seventh of Mercy... When will you return to the place that is rightfully yours?"
Eryoniel's childlike voice returned, cold and expressionless as before.
"The Progenitor Dragon has awakened. Progenitor Cain and Dracula are in the process of awakening. They will not remain idle for long once they discover the blue flame has reappeared after hundreds of years. You and the other Seraphim must return."
"You're exaggerating... We have the Progenitor Dragon's son in our hands, and as for the vampires... it's not yet time to worry about them. We have time. Dragons won't act immediately; while proud, they aren't foolish."
Seraphine waved dismissively.
"Besides, the Seraph of the End is reluctant to consume the girl's soul, and the Seraph of Death... let's not even mention her. She wants us dead and heaven in flames. I've got plenty of problems to deal with, as you know."
"Do you think it will work? The Progenitor Dragon does not forget, and neither do we. The dragons took two of my brothers, Seventh of Mercy. I don't think they'll agree with your decisions or those of the Second of Speech. We never forget, and we never will."
Eryoniel's tone was icy.
"You never change..." Seraphine sighed.
"Putting that aside, I first need this creature to enter. We don't want it to die, do we?"
"The blue flame... will bring another war but also hope."
The clouds surrounding Eryoniel glowed brighter than before and parted, revealing two beings just as massive as Eryoniel. Identical, their eyes lowered and stared at us intently.
"I object," a child's voice echoed, as emotionless as Eryoniel's.
"It's better if the blue flame disappears forever."
"You're trying to oppose the inevitable," Seraphine looked upward with a grimace.
"I like it; it seems fun," another ethereal voice chimed in with slight amusement.
"I've been waiting a long time... Tell me, elder sister, isn't it funny?"
"Fine..." Eryoniel's voice resonated again. "You may enter."
As soon as those words were spoken, I saw the surroundings distort...
"So disgustingly repugnant, as always," Seraphine commented with disdain.
Opening my eyes... was I greeted by... paradise? A grand landscape straight out of a fairy tale: green grass, small rivers, white clouds, and a beautiful blue sky like no other. From time to time, the singing of birds could be heard, and in the distance, a few animals could be seen running.
"Welcome to the Garden of Eden... I suppose," Seraphine frowned, looking upward. "What am I even doing here? You were supposed to enter alone... I can't believe this."
She crossed her arms, visibly annoyed.
"Can't you leave?" I asked with a grin.
"No. You can enter, but you can't leave without Eve's permission. It's a trap, like I mentioned... I guess this is Eryoniel's revenge for all the trouble I've caused her." She reflected aloud, turning her gaze back to me.
"I must say, though, time moves much slower here. Because of that, Eve is a little unhinged, you know."
Raising an eyebrow, I muttered, "Oh... that's... a relief, I suppose."
I wasn't really in a hurry. Setting that aside, I glanced around. "So... where do I start? This place is huge. I don't want to head to the wrong spot and end up lost again. I'd probably go insane wandering around..."
Widening my eyes slightly, I realized something. "Now that I think about it... does this mean I have more time to heal my soul?" If time moves slower here...
"Well... you'll have about one more week at most. I'd recommend not putting your trust in it."
She began to walk away.
"Fine..." I thought to myself as I followed in Seraphine's footsteps.