The Seraphic System

The Seraphic System

Chapter: 43

Pa/ t reon details below the chapter if you're interested in seeing some content in advance. I'll keep posting regardless. If you have any suggestions you would like to see added, I will try to incorporate what I can :)

(Ascension)

[Shard Of יְהוָה accepted]

Shard of what? 

Light entered my vision as soon as I had accepted the strange request and I found that I could barely see the notifications popping up or even think for that matter. 

Power exploded around me as time seemingly resumed and I could barely hear Avael's desperate cry through the wind and power tearing around me. 

[Temporary bonding with Longinus granted via יְהוָה's authority.]

[Alert: Shard of יְהוָה is damaged, seeking alternative solution.]

[Initiating healing process for Shard of יְהוָה.]

[Alert: Insufficient power to complete healing and merging process.]

[Permission to absorb infused Holy Light for required restoration?]

[Permission granted.]

I could barely keep up with what was going and even then I found myself confused. What the hell was going on? 

I had only accepted the True Longinus' call as a last resort. After all, I had no clue if it was going to be helpful or not. It would have been stupid to resort to relying on an unknown weapons call if I had other ways to defeat Ares.

Sacrificing sacred gear skill: Light Weapon: The True Longinus is imbued with light energy, making it exceptionally deadly against devils, fallen angels, and other beings of darkness. Its mere presence can cause discomfort to evil beings.

Power Collected: 20%

Sacrificing sacred gear skill: Holy Power: As the spear that pierced the side of Jesus Christ, the True Longinus is imbued with overwhelming holy power, making it extremely effective against devils, fallen angels, and other beings of darkness.

Power Collected: 40%

I felt a tremendous titanic surge of holy power and light power enter my body. An amount of power that felt insane to feel. I almost felt like my body would explode just from briefly containing it as it passed through me into something else. 

I could vaguely feel the power coming from the Longinus I barely held in my hand. 

My thoughts slowly continued to become incoherent as I felt myself grow dazed. 

[Alert: Power remains insufficient for the merging process.]

[Sacrificing Longinus abilities to acquire the required power.]

Power Collected: 40%

Sacrificing sacred gear skill:  Assaratana (Horse Treasure): Teleports the person the orb touches or can be used to teleport the wielder.

Power Collected: 44%

Sacrificing sacred gear skill: Cakkaratana (Wheel Treasure): Destroys weapons.

Power Collected: 47%

Sacrificing sacred gear skill: Parinayakaratana (General Treasure): A powerful attack with high destructive capabilities, the strongest among the seven. It has some usage restrictions, possibly requiring certain conditions to activate.

Power Collected: 56%

   Sacrificing sacred gear skill: Itthiratana (Female Treasure): Temporarily stops the special abilities of women.

Power Collected: 59%

    Sacrificing sacred gear skill: Maniratana (Pearl Treasure): Redirects attacks sent toward the user.

Power Collected: 62%

Sacrificing sacred gear skill: Gahapatiratana (Householder Treasure): Creates warrior-like entities similar to Blade Blacksmith's Balance Breaker, Blade Knight Mass.

Power Collected: 65%

Sacrificing sacred gear skill: Hatthiratana (Elephant Treasure): Allows the wielder to lift objects that the orb touches.

Power Collected: 69%

Sacrificing sacred gear skill: Spear Manipulation: The True Longinus can extend and retract according to the wielder's will, with seemingly no limit.

Power Collected: 74%

I am struggling to keep my thought process coherent now. It felt like an unknown force was pressing upon my mind and squishing it to mulch. Thinking felt harder and harder as time went by.

A holy power that didn't feel like mine had surrounded me by now. It felt more dense and ancient than mine, that's what my angelic instincts were screaming at me anyway.

My body was lax, the power that surrounded me protectively making me feel more comfortable than I had been since arriving to this world. Despite my body feeling comfortable, my mind was getting just more and more blurred.

I still wasn't sure what this was or what I had done by accepting it. 

[Current power collection is insufficient. Searching for viable alternatives.]

[Alternative identified: using faith energy as a substitute.]

[Heir authorization confirmed.]

[Initiating teleportation to optimal coordinates.]

The dense holy power swirled around me and I felt myself being taken somewhere else. 

I couldn't see much more as I was taken into a sequence of weird dreams or were they memories? 

-{Vatican POV}-

It was an early morning for the Vatican. The air felt crisp and fresh as it always did and the various nuns began to stir, preparing for their morning prayers and duties. 

The city of Rome, just beyond the walls of the Vatican, was already coming to life. The hum of traffic and the steady rhythm of people going about their morning activities. 

Tourists stirred early to try to avoid the business most famous places in Rome drew in.

Narrow cobblestone streets mingled with sleek cafes and bustling markets, where the scent of freshly baked bread and espresso filled the air. 

Tourists wandered the ancient streets, excitedly speaking about the centuries-old architecture of Rome, while locals hurried to work or gathered in small groups. 

The domain that once belonged to the Olympians now housed one of the pillars of Heaven. Which naturally caused many of the locals to be devout in the teachings of the Abrahamic God. 

Partially due to the Vatican's presence, which made it easy grounds for recruitment or conversion. Of course there were many who while technically believing in God, didn't truly believe in the higher presence. 

Merely praying in times of need or when they had some free time. After all, becoming devout to a being that had not performed any miracles for hundreds of years or even shown a hint of being real was bound to cause many believers to become like this.

The church had been extremely necessary in keeping the faith alive, and the fact that there were still so many devout believers was a testament to that. But even that was starting to fail. 

With no Saints in hundreds of years or any miracles directly from God, the once largest religion in the world had slowly started dying. The church had been forced to revert to showing the existence of the supernatural to many who were inducted as to make their belief solid. 

Of course, with the large number of exorcists they had in their ranks and Heaven only interacted with the highest of ranked church members. It had caused many stray exorcists to appear. 

In their eyes, God wasn't real and simply a figure they used to maintain power. 

Switching to another scene.

Sister Alessia knelt out in the gardens of the Vatican. Her hands were clasped tightly, fingers trembling slightly as she whispered her prayer to the silent crucifix hanging from her neck. 

Even the warm aura of the Vatican that she was sure was God's presence did little sooth the growing doubt gnawing at her heart. 

Alessia had always been devout to the church. Which was surprising since her faith had been the one unshakable truth in her life all throughout her childhood. 

When she had been healed by one of the priests from her local church at a young age she had known that this was the religion she had wanted to dedicate her life to. 

Alissa wanted to give the joy she had been gifted from that event to other people. 

She possessed dark, wavy hair that she kept tucked beneath her habit, and piercing green eyes. 

She had been tending to the gardens lost in her thoughts, before she had decided she needed to clear her thoughts to her Lord by praying. A common occurrence for Nun's.

"Please, Lord... if you hear me, give me a sign," Alessia murmured, her voice barely above a breath. 

"I have followed you faithfully, I've served your will and shall always try to serve you but, I need guidance. Your people are losing their way. More exorcists turn stray every year and I don't know how to show them." She mournfully said.

The number hadn't grown to concerning levels just yet but it was slowly increasing. 

She received no answer as per usual, yet she kept her hands clasped for a good few minutes and only sighed dejectedly when there was still no response. 

"Maybe I am not worthy enough." She mumbled.

Suddenly, a wave of holy power covered the entire city. Alessia who had been taught to sense energies like all Nun's at a novice level had immediately sensed it. How couldn't she? 

It didn't take her being any good at sensing to feel the massive comforting power blanket the city. The cross on her neck was pulled up to the sky, like something was drawing it towards them.

Alessia had no doubt that everybody in the Vatican could feel the power, judging by the sudden rush of priests and exorcists alike running out from the Vatican's halls. Hundreds of them pouring out. 

Which gave a show to how many resided in the Vatican. 

A pure golden light formed, floating above the city, Its form being barely recognisable by those who could peer through the blinding light as humanoid. A barrier of light expanded out from the golden humanoid as the increase of holy power could be felt.

The entire city of Rome went silent as ordinary people stepped out from their vehicle's to look up and witness the spectacle. The many who wore crosses on their neck found it pointing up towards the sky.

Alessia gawked, the comforting presence feeling familiar. A much higher version than the passive aura the Vatican possessed. She felt her body relax and a blissful feeling throughout her body.

Her eyes stared up in reverence as her mind came to the conclusion most people were coming too.

'I-it couldn't be right?' She thought, falling to her knees. 

The holy power only seemed to be growing in presence. Power that humans could never wield by themselves vibrating through the air. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. 

Instinctually, her body knew she was staring at a higher life form. An indecipherable feeling weighing on her. Her heart was being erratically as in that moment her faith had confirmed itself. 

While she had never doubted it in the first place, the confirmation of her Lord had made her burst into happy tears. She had seen the light swords and guns the exorcists wielded along with the tremendous power of a Sacred Gear. 

But this was different. The paltry light that came out of the light weaponry couldn't even be compared to the light she was feeling suffocating her entire being, like a warm blanket. 

Many such scenes were playing around the Vatican and even in the city. Believers kneeing as their belief was confirmed and partial believers converting in an instant. 

Unseen by all, was the energy coming off their body and streaming up into the sky. Towards the figure of light. 

Up in Heaven…

In Heaven, everything fell into an eerie silence. 

The ever present joyful and lively silver city, filled with the constant movement of angels, had come to a complete standstill. Every Angel froze in place, conversations cut short as they were all  overwhelmed by the energy they had suddenly sensed.

They didn't need even a second to recognize it. How could they forget? It was the presence they had longed for, one they had dreamed of feeling once more. 

A presence that had driven many Angels to end their lives without. 

Not the faint echo that lingered in churches, or the ever-dulling presence that resided in Heaven but the full, unmistakable presence of their Father. Even Michael who had just been in talks with an Angel next to him paused. His breath baited as his body shivered. 

As the moments passed by, hope started gathering in all of the Angels within Heaven. As their mind caught up with their feelings. They didn't know how to react, or if this was some sort of dream.

Hope blossomed in their chest, a hope that they knew they should try to get rid of. As it normally led to disappointment and sadness. 

The hope they had that their father hadn't actually died, a hope that had died out over hundreds of years of accepting that their father wasn't coming back. 

With fellow Angels even committing suicide due to the dissapointment. With the help of their brothers and sisters all pulling each other through, a void had been left and a desire that never died had been laid to rest. 

It was a haunting part of their history, a day they all knew. One that had never healed even if they tried their best to live on in their father's name. Other than those who had fallen out of either sheer rage or sadness and those who had decided they couldn't live without their Father's presence. 

Michael swallowed as his mind went through hundreds of possibilities, even if he wanted to desperately believe it was his father he had to think about the Angel Race.

Mass hysteria was already spreading among the Angels and Michael knew it was only a matter for a few more moments before they all decided to go to the place where they could feel their father.

Michael knew he couldn't stop them—he wasn't one to restrict his siblings too much, after all. That's why he decided he would go with them. Beside him, Raphael stood frozen, her mind racing through countless possibilities.

Then, without warning, a pair of radiant wings burst from the back of a male angel, and in a blur of light, he soared away from the Silver City, heading straight for the gates of Heaven. 

This caused a chain reaction, the sound of thousands of wings appearing every second could be heard. 

Angels' shooting up into the sky by the thousands, their wings shining behind them. Making them look like thousands of glittering stars shooting through the air. Angel's with all numbers of wings flying towards the gate, some much faster than others. 

The pearly shining Gates of Heaven stood proudly as the entrance of Heaven, thousands of protective enchantments and forms of protection ingrained into the celestial metal it was forged out of.

It burst open and thousands of Angel's poured out every second. All of them heading towards the massive presence that was near identical to their fathers.

The protective barrier remained, allowing all Angel's to exit but keeping guard in case anyone used it as an attempt to sneak in. Bells rung across the sky as above the Vatican Heaven's Gate appeared.

Angel's pouring out of heaven for the first time in centuries for the world to see. The scene was enough to make people simply fall to their knees and watch. 

The Angel's swarmed towards the figure, only to be stopped by the barrier surrounding it. They were only momentarily confused before they started banging on the barrier.

"Father!"

"Father, it's me."

"Please come home." 

Angel's began pleading as more joined surrounding the golden barrier every second, few attempting to break the barrier so that they could finally have the one thing they had dreamed about above anything else.

Some cried in joy as others began attacking the golden barrier. The ancient and old lived Angels were reduced to mass hysteria as they only had their mind on one Goal. For their father back and safe within Heaven. 

It didn't help that their Angelic Instincts were going wild. Which was why they didn't think about the huge waves this would cause among the supernatural. 

Not that anyone knew outside of the three Factions that God was dead. But his appearance that had been absent for a long time would be noted along with the strange behaviour of the Angels.

Only Michael was able to think properly even if all he wanted was to go down and join in trying to break the barrier to get to his father. Even with tears at the edges of his vision, his thought process stayed rational. 

Michael floated above, mouth open agape even as he subtly looked for any threats. He had thought this was a clever attack, or perhaps a late miracle the system had finally decided to grant.

He had no doubt everyone could feel this, there were no barriers currently erected and the battle period formations weren't active since they weren't at war anymore.

A God's presence, especially their Father's even if it seemed extremely weakened. Wasn't something reality could ignore. That was made apparent by the way space warped inside the barrier. 

Michael suspected the barrier around him was preventing the weight of his presence from overwhelming everyone. Even if the feeling of comfort and warmth emanating for his aura was intoxicating. 

Judging by the fact none of the humans had even thought of recording this, being too enthralled to think about anything else. Was a testament to this fact. 

Azrael and the rest of his Fallen Angel's save those with less than four wings and the newer generation of Fallen would no doubt understand this energy. 

Any Angel with less than four wings typically didn't have the ability to sense energy. Even with four wings unless you trained your magical Attunement and sensing abilities they would only vaguely feel it.

Michael knew that all of the higher ups within the Gregory could pinpoint the location of this and were in a scramble to figure out what was going on. He had no doubt that their Father somehow coming back to life for them was both a joyful and fearful experience. 

He also had no doubt that those below the Fallen Cadres except the sensor types who had trained their sensory ability were in a mess. 

Even just feeling the full presence of their Father must be devastating and will have the whole Gregory and other smaller Fallen Angel factions in a frenzy, considering many fell after his death for one reason or another. 

Mostly for revenge or deciding that living without morals was easier for their hearts. 

As for the Devils, very few were from the old age and he doubted even Sirzech and Ajuka knew what this meant other than a new powerful Angel appearing. 

Michael could imagine emergency meetings being held by both the Gregory and Devil Faction. The  fact that tensions with the other two Factions and Heaven was high didn't help. They would definitely be probes and spys sent to try to figure out what was happening. 

Such was the cold reality of being in a passive war. 

Michael activated the war formations around Rome and threw up dozens of barriers for added protection, which was solely to keep anyone outside of Rome from sensing his Father any further.

It was also to keep any unwanted eyes from watching. 

Luckily his presence had only been felt for under twenty seconds or things may have become troublesome. Especially since it was starting to grow thicker. 

Beyond that, Michael stared at the shining body of light, swirling with his father's holy light. He couldn't desperately doubt the notion anymore. Not that he had wanted to, he had simply not wanted to experience the disappointment again.

Their Father was back. 

-{Gabriel}-

Something was wrong.

She felt it in her bones, the strange protectiveness she felt for the young Angel flaring up. Her powerful Angelic instincts also foreshadow something. As if a big event was going to happen. 

The young Angel's aura, which she had been closely monitoring, had suddenly vanished. She had admittedly panicked for a while only for it to  reappear briefly before disappearing again.

Which had doubled her worry. Which was why she had been flying around the City she had felt his aura in. She concluded that some barrier must have been put up around Kai. 

Either that or he had gone to a different dimension, but she doubted that. Travelling Dimension wasn't exactly a simple matter. 

Inadvertently, in her attempt to find the barrier and destroy it to see if Kai was alright. She had come across many smaller fights between fairly weak beings with weak barriers put up. 

She hadn't given them much thought, even as they all shook at her unrestrained presence and a few even wet themselves. Gabriel really had meant to and had given them a quick sheepish 'sorry' for the scare before flying off to find Kai.

'I shouldn't have left him.' She lamented mentally.

She felt like a fool. Gabriel felt she should never have agreed. His survival was a miracle, a testament to his prodigy-like growth. It was clear to Gabriel he wasn't ordinary, a prodigy among prodigy perhaps. 

Even then, she had only agreed because how could she not? Her heart was too soft. When he looked at her, a sister he had never met, she wanted to spoil him.

But, she should have waited till heaven. Now, as she flew around in the Graeco-Roman Pantheon's territory she was lamenting her choice. She came to a stop her Angelic Instincts started going wild. 

Gabriel had learnt to trust her instincts so naturally she assumed either someone needed help or she was under attack. She went to move only to stop. 

She froze as she suddenly felt it. A massive presence washing through the area. A presence that made her mind stop and her heart beat erratically.

A gasp escaped her lips. Her heart jumped and her throat dried. She felt her limbs go numb. When had she last felt that comforting Aura? The Aura that had left a void in her heart without its presence. 

Thoughts sped through her mind and she tried to make sense of the impossible reality she was faced with. An Aura that was long gone, leaving only remnants due to her Father's heavenly system. 

A mixture of hope and fear entered her chest. 

"D-daddy?" She whimpered. 

Her mind was split with indecision. The presence of her Father which she hadn't sensed in what felt like an eternity was back. She almost felt like this was some sort of trick but it couldn't be.

Gabriel's body relaxed instinctively, her body revelling in the aura she would have done anything to simply feel one more moment of. She didn't know what this meant. Coming back from death hadn't been done. 

Even faded God's who had died permanently had never come back. 

She shook her head. While she desperately wanted to go find if her Father was alive, she wouldn't let that overtake the importance of saving one of her sweet kin. 

Gabriel felt a connection to him and wouldn't allow him to die. Then, once he was safe they would go find if her Father had somehow returned to life again. 

-{Kai}-

[Faith Gathering Initiated]

[Current race classification: Insufficient.]

[Analysing potential solutions… Solution identified: Evolution.]

[Commencing evolutionary process to ascend to higher Angel classification.]

What the fuck is even going on? 

Also why was I watching a man get nailed to a cross? Was I even awake? 

-END-

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