.

Epilogue:

Ascending with Grace

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"So basically, you're like a Pokemon that's just evolved from level one straight to level nine?"

"I have absolutely no idea what that's supposed to mean," Kieren says with a sigh," but assuming I have grasped the point… yes. I'm 'level nine'."

"Wow." Jem lets out a small whistle as she leans back against the wall and crosses her arms in front of her chest. "Cool."

Kieren smiles at her. He was worried about how Jem would be feeling after the ordeal of the night, but she's surprisingly like herself. They have been talking for hours, locked in Jem's room, and she seems more and more relaxed. There are no words to describe the immense relief Kieren feels over this fact.

After coming back to himself, Kieren left Simon and Amy to deal with the rest of the Fallen and hurried back to the Walkers' home with the orb containing Jem's life force. He was so worried for her he didn't even pay attention to the incredible feeling of soaring with three pair of wings. All the questions and doubts he had, he pushed into the back of his mind so he could focus solely in the most important task at hand: to give Jem back her life.

What he forgot to expect was the two older Walkers sitting in the living room at two in the morning, their faces ghastly pale, waiting up for him.

Kieren quickly draped a layer of glamour around his body to hide his wings from view, but he knew that something was up the moment he locked eyes with Sue - and all the colour promptly drained from her face. She looked like she might faint at any second.

But it was the fear in her eyes that made Kieren realise…

"Oh." He took a tentative step back, gulping hard. "You remember."

Or rather… they forgot. They forgot all the false memories Kieren had planted in their minds about having two kids in all their lives. They forgot the lies.

Of course. When Ornias had taken Kieren's wings, he'd lost all of his remaining magic. He hadn't realised that the charm he'd put on the Walker parents would disappear, too. Stupid of him.

Sue just stared at him, frightened, and despite her lips moving, she couldn't utter a word. It was Steve who wrapped an arm around his wife and asked in a trembling voice, "Who are you? What have you done to us?"

Kieren wanted to explain everything to them. He wanted to assure them that they needn't fear him. That he never wanted to cause them pain. That he… that he loved them.

But there were more important things at hand.

"Jem's life in danger." The parents gasped, so he rushed on before they could say anything. "She'll be okay now; I have her safe, but you have to let me go to her. Immediately."

Steve stepped forward as if on instinct, half-blocking the way to upstairs.

"Please." Kieren looked from one to the other, pleading now. "I'll explain everything, I swear, but first I have to make sure that she's okay. I would never hurt her. Please believe me. That wasn't a lie."

Steve stared at him for a long moment… and hesitantly backed off.

Kieren rushed up the stairs, tore the door open to Jem's room and rushed to the girl lying eerily still on the bed.

Even after giving her back her life essence, Kieren had no way of knowing if she would truly be okay until she woke up. He just sat there beside her for hours, holding her hand and praying to God.

Jem was disoriented when she first opened her eyes around dawn, and she threw her arms around Kieren the moment she noticed him. She couldn't remember the exact events of the night, but she could recall an angel coming for her, then a feeling of terror… and being inside Kieren.

"You were so warm," she whispered. "But you were also angry. Hurt. Scared."

It took some time for Kieren to explain everything to her.

Jem took it surprisingly well.

Now, hours later, she seems to be over the shock and is mostly back to herself. (And if she unconsciously seems to be searching for the comfort of pysical contact with Kieren more than usual, he lets it go without mention.)

Jem is really overly excited over her guardian's 'promotion'.

"You've become a big boss, Kier, and kicked the ass of a nasty bad guy. I'm so proud of you!"

She leans forward to gently punch Kieren's shoulder, grinning at him. He shoots her a reprimanding look, but the effect is significantly lessened by the fact that he has a smile on his face, too.

"So?" she asks then. "When can I see them?"

"See what?"

"Your wings, duh! Your original wings were so huge in the first place… I just can't picture how six of them can fit on your skinny back. Won't they get crushed?"

Now that she mentions it… Kieren shifts in the chair, trying to fold the wings more comfortably on each other. Not that Jem can see that.

"It's more comfortable when I can spread them out a bit, but it's not bad. And the wings aren't fully on this plane, anyway, at least not in their true physical form. Still, it's going to take some time for me to get used to them." He raises them just a bit higher above his head, enjoying the soft breeze of air that runs over his face from the movement. "But … I'm sorry. I can't let you see them."

Jem seems crestfallen. "Why not?"

"The sight of a Seraph can make humans go blind. I won't risk that."

"Dammit. That's too bad."

Kieren shares the sentiment. Despite never being much of a bragger, he would have loved to show his little sister just how amazing his new wings are. They are strong and enormous and… perfect, really. Even though he could only really try them out for a short amount of time, flying has never felt so amazing before.

But he really can't show them to Jem: he he'd been telling the truth. He may not be emitting blinding white light anymore like when he was connected to Him, but glimpsing his true form would still be really dangerous to mortals. Maybe if he were to show just a shadow of them…

In any case, Kieren wears a glamour now, like he had done so in the past three years.

But it's not the same.

Today marks the first time when the glamour has no weight on his heart. He's not wearing it to hide his hideous appearance, to pose as someone he's not or to give himself an escape from having to face his own reflection. No. He wears it because he wants to protect someone.

The magic wrapped around him is pulsing softly with warmth, feeding on the joy and love in Kieren's heart. To Jem, he appears as he has always been before the Falling: a healthy-looking young man with strawberry-blond hair and warm brown eyes. The glamour is not a mask anymore – just a filter so he won't accidentally hurt his ward.

He feels so light. Before today, he would have never thought that it could be like this.

There are lots of things Kieren had never expected to happen.

Getting promoted to a Seraph is certainly one of them.

He doesn't think he deserves it; not at all. With all the mistakes he made? All the suffering he caused? And yet God must have plans for him if he decided to raise him all the way to the First Sphere.

Kieren really needs to muse and wonder more on this shocking change, but right now, he pushes it to the back of his mind. As soon as he notices the way Jem is biting down on her lower lip, glancing away, he knows that something is not right.

"What it is?" he asks, moving closer to the girl. She doesn't answer, so he nudges her shoulder. "Jem?"

The way her eyes flicker up at Kieren is almost shy.

"Does this…" She trails off. Takes a deep breath. "I guess that means you're not my guardian angel anymore, right? After all, you're not even guardian now. I know the Seraphim are the 'heavenly counsellors' or something, but… what does that mean, exactly? What do you have to do?"

"First thing first, I have to check up on upstairs. See what has become of the Second and First Spheres. And… Well. Now I can be in the presence of the Lord. Maybe He will finally share His thoughts. Tell us about His plans. Heaven still needs to go a long way before it regains its former glory."

Jem nods, but Kieren can see her fiddling with the hem of her pyjama shirt. She's oozing tension.

So he touches her hand, prompting her to meet his eyes.

"But no matter what task God has for me," he says with conviction, "I'm going to come back. Often. Like I've told you before."

"You will? But you're not my guardian anymore. And you're a big gun now. You have higher priorities than babysitting a teen."

"Yes. But I want to continue watching over you. I told you already, didn't I? You're not just my ward. You're my sister."

Jem rests her forehead on Kieren's shoulder. "Yeah. You also said that the Firsts never leave their own realm."

"And that no First of mortal origin has ever existed," Kieren points out. He wraps an arm around Jem's waist and pulls her close. "For whatever reason, I'm clearly an exception. So I am going to make an exception with this, too, and come back to visit you as often as possible."

There are no words to describe the relief that washes over Jem's face. Despite the fact that she usually strictly maintains her cool attitude, she leans in and wraps Kieren in a tight embrace.

"Thank you." Then, more quietly than a whisk of breeze, "I love you."

Kieren smiles and bends down to press a small kiss onto Jem's forehead. "I love you, too."

They hug for a few more minutes, until Jem elbows him to get away, clearing her throat in embarrassment.

"Okay, stop right now before it gets even sappier. Are you ready to talk to Mum and Dad?"

Kieren sighs. He knows he can't escape the situation but he wouldn't mind postponing it.

He doesn't do that, however.

"Yeah. Yeah, let's go talk to them."

He is a bundle of nerves as they leave Jem's room and go downstairs to find her parents. He hasn't forgotten the way Steve and Sue looked at him when he arrived at dawn, nor the shock and fear on their faces… but he knows he owes them an explanation, at the very least. He owes them the truth.

They find them in the dining room: they are sitting at the table, sipping at coffee with haunted eyes, their postures screaming of exhaustion. Both of them stir when Jem makes their presence known with a small cough, and they stand up from the table as soon as they see their daughter.

Sue rushes to Jem instantly and wraps her in a tight hug. Then, she pulls back, cradles Jem's cheeks with her hands and searches her face with a sea of worry swirling in her eyes.

"Are you alright?! We didn't know… h-he said…"

"I'm fine, Mum," Jem says, gently taking Sue's hands off of her face. "I'm alright. Kier helped me."

As if the name was a spell, Sue and Steve tense up. As they slowly turn toward Kieren, he – despite being a massively powerful Seraph – shifts uncomfortably under the heavy wright of their gazes. He can barely make himself meet their eyes.

"He was… We thought he was our…" Steve breaks off and clears his throat. When he next speaks, he addresses Jem like he was afraid of talking directly to Kieren. "How could he…?"

"I'm an angel."

The parents freeze. Kieren raises his head high and makes himself meet their eyes straight. Sue's mouth falls open and Steve looks like he wants to say something, but the words die on their lips as he takes in Kieren's serious expression. His eyes dart toward Jem, as if waiting for her to snort or laugh… but she's just as serious as Kieren is.

Using his magic to filter his true form, Kieren gives the Walkers a tiny, shadowy glimpse of his wings. The flash of it doesn't last longer than a second, but it's enough to have all three of them gasp in surprise. Even Jem turns to him with wide eyes.

"After what I have done to you, I don't expect you to believe anything I say," Kieren starts, swallowing around the tight lump in his throat, "and there are things that I can't reveal to you. Even this much I shouldn't say, but… you deserve this much. At the very least."

The silence is so profound he can hear their heartbeats.

"I've known Jem all her life," Kieren says with a new breath. "She's my ward."

"Ward…?"

"Kier's my guardian angel."

Jem surprises Kieren by speaking up and locking arms with him. He turns to her in question, but she just smiles and gives a tiny shake with her head, reassuring Kieren that she's there, having his back.

He lets her take over the explanation.

"He revealed himself to me when I was six, but he's been watching over me since I was born. He's always been around to help me, to guide me. He's… he's like a big brother to me."

Steve can't seem to take his eyes off of Kieren, Sue's eyes however are glued to Jem.

Good thing that Jem is there, a warm presence by his side. Kieren can't begin to imagine how he'd be able to do this without her support.

"Three years ago, something bad happened," she goes on. "He can't really talk about it, but he got stuck on Earth, and I told him to stay with me. He had nowhere to go, after all! And I was worried for him. But… but the only way he could stay without being detected was by putting a charm on you. He didn't want to. But I convinced him it was okay." Jem chews on her lower lip as she look into Sue's stricken face. "I'm sorry for it. I know it wasn't fair to you… but Kier has never abused it, I swear! He didn't do anything, just planted some extra memories to have you believe that he was your son. So he could be around without having to hide himself all the time."

"But it wasn't right. And I am truly sorry for abusing you this way."

The shame Kieren feels is so strong he's nearly sick with it. He fixes his gaze on Sue's sweatshirt, not being able to bring himself to face her as he apologises.

"You… you and your husband have made me feel loved and welcomed, and while I know my magic is responsible for that… I came to love you and this family dearly." Kieren gulps. He can feel Jem squeezing his hand. "I hope that one day you can forgive me."

The Walkers seem to be stunned speechless.

Jem uses the silence to speak up again.

"Kier is okay now. Everything's back to business and now he can go home. But! He's gonna be back."

There is a finality in her voice that - despite all the nervousness - makes Kieren smile. Jem finally doesn't doubt his word. She believes in his promise.

"He's gonna be back," Jem repeats, "because he's still my big brother. And Mum? Dad? I need you to be okay with this."

Sue and Steve stare at them, stunned.

Kieren clears his throat. "If you would rather I didn't approach Jem again–"

"Kier!"

"… I would understand and respect your decision. But please know that I mean it from the bottom of my heart when I say that I love Jem, and I mean her no harm. And even if you wish me never to approach her again, I will never stop watching over her from afar."

Sue takes a tentative step toward them. As she comes closer and closer, never taking her eyes off of him, something pulls tight at Kieren's heart. He desperately wants Sue to understand; to see into his heart and understand how he cherishes the memories of the past few years he has spent with this family; how he wants nothing but the best for them… The only thing he can do is to meet Sue's searching eyes and try to tell everything he can't put into words with his expression.

When Sue stops just a few inches short of Kieren, she seem to be holding her breath, too.

Long moments tick by before she finally speaks on a fragile voice.

"I'm not sure what happened… or what is the truth… But if there's one thing I know for sure, is that I don't doubt your fondness of her." She tilts her head and frowns a bit. "I… I trust you, Kieren. I know you. Is that… part of your magic, or…?"

"No," he says quickly. He finds Steve's gaze and holds that, too, to make sure that they both understand. "There is nothing of my magic left in you now. And as Jem said, I have only put in some extra memories depicting me as your son. Everything else… what you have felt, what you feel now… is your own. I swear."

Sue turns back to lock eyes with her husband. A silent conversation seems to be going on between them, and Kieren fidgets, anxiously awaiting their verdict. He doesn't feel like an angel in that moment – instead, he feels like a boy who has been caught doing something bad by his parents. If not for Jem's warmth by his side, he might even turn around and leave rather than to face them and hear their verdict.

When Sue turns back to him, his breath catches in his throat.

"You can come back."

Kieren blinks. And then blinks again.

Has she really just…?

"You can come back, any time. I… We need to process this all, because I'm still not sure we're not actually hallucinating… but I remember the past three years and I know that you are someone I can trust. Even… love." She seems surprised by her own admission. "But you can never do this to us again, understood? And we are going to have a talk. A long one. When you next come back."

Kieren's throat feels so tight it hurts, his eyes are burning. He turns to Steve, wanting to hear it from him, too.

"What she said," Steve says, gesturing to his wife. He seems really uncomfortable, like his world has just shifted under his feet. That's… probably exactly how he feels. "Frankly, I've got no idea what to think right now, and my head is a mess… but I'm surprisingly sure of the fact that you're no threat to any of us."

His eyes flicker to Jem, something soft crossing over them. "You saved her, right?"

Kieren's heart sinks into his stomach. He is ready to admit that he was the reason she was in danger in the first place… but before he could open his mouth, Jem beats him to the answer.

"Yeah, he did. He saved me."

Steve seems satisfied with the answer.

"Alright. I… Yeah. Alright."

It's his tentative offer of a smile that finally breaks Kieren.

Relief and gratitude make his heart swell so much it feels like his ribcage is not wide enough to contain it anymore. He wants to go and hug them both – Sue and Steve, these beautiful human beings he has come to love as much as he loves his ward – but he holds himself back and doesn't move. He can't do that... not yet. The Walkers are still confused, and as Sue said, they need time to properly process the revelations of today.

But maybe, with time… they will be able to ease back into the easy and trusting relationship they had before.

"Thank you." Kieren's voice is tight with emotions. "Thank you so much."

Turning to his side, he finds Jem grinning happily at him. He pulls her into a tight hug, not caring that she puts on a mock fight against it. "Thanks, Jem."

Her eyes are twinkling as she pulls back. "You're leaving, then?"

"Yes. But I'll be back soon."

"It doesn't have to be that soon. I'm not a little kid anymore."

"Right. Sometime next week then?"

Jem's smile is as brilliant as the stars. "Deal."

When Kieren turns back to Sue and Steve to excuse himself, he's happy to see them smiling at them. For a second, it feels like nothing has changed at all – and that gives him hope that yes; everything will work out with time.

As he leaves the Walker house with three pair of eyes watching after him, Kieren thinks that he is leaving a part of himself behind, too. This time however, it's not a loss.

Because that part of himself has found a new home.

x x x

Amy and Simon are already waiting for him on the other side of the road. Kieren makes himself invisible to mortal eyes as he approaches them and drops the glamour, letting his wings unfold and stretch out. It's still quite weird to deal with six of them, but he's slowly getting the hang of it.

It's such a relief to see Amy as radiant and healthy as she has always been in the time Kieren has known her. The only difference is that now she gives off a much stronger aura than before, and she holds a sceptre in her hand that reaches up to her chest.

With the way she uses it to wave at Kieren in excitement, she really doesn't give off the air of a Principality.

Simon, on the other hand… the moment Kieren turns his gaze toward him, he can't look away.

Simon's hair seems darker, and it shines in the sunlight; his skin is pale but not grey; his eyes the colour of the sky. It's just like the old Fallen him Kieren had first met him as, yet different enough that he can't help but stare and drink in the sight.

It's not just his face, either. Kieren admires the pair of amazing wings – much bigger than Amy's – tucked behind the other angel's back. The snow white feathers rustle softly as the wings shift under Kieren's gaze. Simon clears his throat and subtly tries to stop them from twitching.

He, too, hold a sceptre in his right hand. The end of it reaches almost above his head, and the glowing orb fastened to the top of it makes faint blue light glimmer here and there on his face.

Apparently, Amy and Simon are just as fascinated by Kieren's appearance as he is by theirs. For long moments, they just stand there, staring at each other.

It's Amy who finally breaks the strange moment by stepping forward to pull Kieren into a tight hug.

"You look moregeous, Kieren!"

"Morgeous?"

"More than gorgeous. You know. Moregeous! I've never seen a Seraph before but still… I can tell that you totally rock the look, sweetcheeks!"

"You're not half bad yourself," Kieren says with a small laugh. Turning to Simon, he adds, "You, too. How are the wings?"

The way Simon glances at him is almost sheepish. It's kind of charming on him, though Kieren misses his old confidence. And he doesn't really enjoy being the centre of anyone's awe.

"They're big," Simon answers. "But I'll get used to it. I… To be honest, I had lost faith that I would ever have them again. It's kind of hard to believe I got them back."

"Yeah." Amy steps back so she can look Kieren in the eye. "What happened to us… is amazing. Kieren, what you've pulled there–"

"It wasn't me," he cuts in firmly. "At least, not only me. If He didn't come to help us…"

He can't bring himself to finish the sentence, but it's not needed. His friends nod.

"Yeah, we know." Amy glances up at the sky, watching a huge fluffy cloud float above their heads. "Who would've thought that He would show up here? I totally thought He hasn't left God since ascending to Heaven two millennia ago."

"Well, the situation was dire enough. I'm glad He decided it was worth coming down to Earth for. Without His help, we would be in a really huge trouble right now. All the Fallen…" Kieren abruptly trails off. "Oh, that's right! What about the others? Are they alright?"

It's Simon who answers. "Yes, they are. After you left with your ward's spirit, we told them everything that happened behind the demon barrier. We told them about the Watcher's true identity, as well as his real goal. They saw his true form with their own eyes, but the explanation helped. And…" With a bit of hesitancy, he looks into Kieren's eyes. "They saw you, Kieren. And they know what you have done – before and now. Nobody said anything."

Kieren drops his gaze. "That's just because they're afraid of me now."

"No. Being promoted to a higher class did not change who you are. They just understand that if our Lord gave you such a gift, you must be worthy of it."

Yeah. If only he would feel worthy of it!

He smiles up at Simon, but the gesture is not as heartfelt as a moment before. "So you don't think of me differently?"

Simon studies him for a while.

"No," he says eventually. "If my view of you has changed in any way, it happened before you were raised to the First Sphere. It happened when you fought so hard against succumbing to the pull of that life force, despite being severely hurt. I… I have never seen anyone do that before." There is so much awe written on his features Kieren almost feels faint from it. "You're incredible, Kieren."

"I'm really not."

They stare at each other as if there was not a soul left on Earth except the two of them.

Which is why Amy's not so subtle cough nearly makes Kieren jump out of his bones.

"I sense that you guys need a... private moment, so I'll just go and quickly check on Philip now that I can finally sense him. Be back in a mo!" With that, she's gone.

Simon shares a look with Kieren, but then drops his eyes to the ground.

Kieren is having none of it.

"What is it?"

With his wings twitching, Simon lets out a short huff of breath. "Are you really alright?"

"I am. I've already told you. Why?" Kieren has had enough of Simon's strange behaviour. He closes the distance between them so there is only an inch or so between him and the other angel. When he reaches out to touch Simon's wrist, the dark-haired man inhales deeply from the simple contact. "Are you worried for me?"

Simon blinks. His lips part, but it takes a few seconds until he finds his voice. "Of course I am. You–"

Kieren doesn't wait for the rest. He goes up to his tiptoes and kisses him.

The gasp of breath against his mouth betrays Simon's surprise. He even pulls back a bit… but when Kieren follows him without hesitation, pressing close and curling his fingers more surely around Simon's wrist, he finally comes back and returns the kiss. It's so hesitant at first that one could believe it to be their first, but after a couple of moments, Simon finally relaxes into it. After that, the kiss tastes of relief.

"I wasn't sure you still wanted this," Simon murmurs after they part.

"Why wouldn't I?"

Guilt washes over the other angel's face. His warm eyes become tormented, like he's relieving the events of last night, and Kieren is far too familiar with shame not to recognise that look.

"I made a promise to you that I won't let any harm come to you. I promised you that nobody would hurt you… but I failed you. And not just in this." Simon shuts his eyes. "You were in danger but I was… I did nothing. I was frozen. Torn between my belief and desires, and… it almost cost you your life, Kieren. And it did cost you your wings."

He glances at the six wings tucked behind Kieren, but hastily tears his eyes away as if the sight was causing him pain.

"Simon…"

"It's my fault that you had to suffer through all that," Simon goes on, not letting Kieren to interrupt. "And I couldn't do anything to stop it. I was a fool. That demon played me, and I let it happen, and if He didn't come to help, you could have… you could have…"

"Hey. Simon." Kieren reaches up to cradle Simon's face in his hands. The other angel is shaking, his fingers are twitching, and he holds the agony of Hell in his gaze. "Take a deep breath. Come on."

He waits for him to obey, and doesn't let his arms drop until Simon stops shaking so much. Then, he takes his hand instead, threading their fingers together.

It's only when he has Simon's full attention again that Kieren continues.

"In the end, you chose me, didn't you? You tried to protect me, which almost cost you your life. And I know how… traumatised you still are because of what that Dominion has done to you. So I don't hold you responsible for that, okay?" Kieren squeezes Simon's fingers gently. "And it's not like I've never trusted the wrong person myself. That's what got us all into this mess in the first place, remember? We've both made mistakes. But we have learnt from them. So I won't hold it against you, okay?"

Simon watches him like he's trying to see into the depth of his spirit. Although his face appears passive, Kieren can see the conflict and shame still curling beneath his expression. And his wings are raised too high, tucked in tightly – a sign of nervousness.

He doesn't realise he's been brushing small circles onto the back of Simon's hand with his thumb until the man squeezes back.

"So," Kieren asks, trying for a tentative smile. "Are we good?"

The relief and gratitude streaming from Simon's gaze is almost palpable.

"Yeah," he says. His lips finally curl up just the tiniest bit. "Yeah, we're good."

"Good."

Kieren leans forward again.

After they finish kissing this time, he can see that the soft white feathers on Simon's wings are all puffed up, speaking more of his joy than a thousand words ever could.

"Tell me about the others," Kieren says after a while. "Are they still here? What are they going to do?"

"The Ascendants as a network exists no more. The other Fallen were all horrified to learn of the truth. Most of them left Roarton right away. But…"

"What?"

"I think… I think the others are going to regain their wings, too."

Kieren pulls an inch back to look at Simon's face properly. It holds nothing but… faith.

"The holy light touched everyone there," Simon explains. "The change wasn't instant as with the three of us, but by the time Amy and I finished explaining, every Fallen appeared a bit healthier; their feathers a bit less scorched; their eyes not so eerie. I cannot say for sure, but I think He has healed us all. You, Amy and I were just–"

"Exposed to it directly, unlike the others," Kieren finishes. "It would make sense. But what does this mean for the Fallen who weren't there with us? Do you think they will heal, too?"

"I don't know. I guess only time can tell. Although… Ornias did say that you are connected to everyone, didn't he? So maybe…"

He leaves the sentence hanging, but Kieren can finish it by his own.

Hope blossoms in his chest – so bright and beautiful he wouldn't have thought he would be able to feel it again. It's warm and bright, bubbling up in him like a small spring that holds the future of a powerful river.

"In any case," Simon goes on, "I advised them all to keep looking for others; tell them about what happened here. I have faith that one day, they can all return to Heaven."

Kieren smiles. It's the first smile in a long time that is not clouded over by any negative emotions.

He feels weightless. Free.

"We have to make sure that Heaven is in perfect shape by the time they get there."

Simon looks at him. They share an understanding, in that moment - a purpose and a calling. And it's perfect.

"Yeah. I know."

With a bright flash of light and soft flapping sound, Amy pops up behind them.

"Ah, good, you're not smooching," she says, wearing a huge smile on her face. "Though… actually, I'd totally watch you do it."

"Amy!"

"Relax, dumb-dumb, I'm just joking! And I've just got a smooch of my own, anyway." She grins wildly and pinches Kieren's cheek. "I didn't have time to explain things to Philip, but I told him I was alright and I'd be back soon. So! Are we ready to go berserk on those assholes in Heaven? I want to finish soon, I've got a date set."

Like fixing Heaven is something that could be done in a day.

Kieren is about to voice his doubts when a loud rumble of a thunder is heard from above. It comes so suddenly that they all jump before turning and tipping their heads back to stare up at the sky… and when they do, they are all stunned speechless.

There is a Throne in the distance, half-hidden in a whirling mass of clouds. Its four beryl-coloured wheels are spinning slow and even, the hundreds eyes on its rims all boring straight into the angels on Earth. By the gaze of those eyes Kieren feels like being stripped to his core - judged and weighed for everything that he is.

:: Greetings, angels of Heaven. ::

The voice is nothing like the silky sound Kieren had heard in his head during the night. This voice is earth-shattering, like a thunder in itself; powerful and all-consuming. It echoes and reverberates long in his mind.

Judging by the faces Amy and Simon make, they can hear the Throne, too.

:: I come by the wish of our Lord to guide you to our mighty realm. :: A hundred eyes blink at the same time. :: Principality Amy. Dominion Simon. Seraph Kieren. You are to stand before the High Council of the First Sphere as the representatives of your respective Spheres. An audit is going to be held with the utmost urgency. Those who have darkness in their hearts will no longer be tolerated in the Holy Realms. ::

Kieren's throat feels tight – he honestly doesn't know where he finds the will to speak to the Throne.

"What about the rest of the Fallen? Can they go home, too?"

He doesn't yell, doesn't even raise his voice... but the First clearly hears him: a hundred eyes are suddenly fixed on Kieren alone. He has to brace himself to not flinch as the powerful celestial gives him its undivided attention.

His mouth goes slack with surprise, however, when the spinning wheels tip forward a bit, as if… yes: the Throne is bowing to him!

:: Rest assured, Seraph of Earth. By the will of God, all will be well with time. ::

Ah. Right. He's a Seraph now – one who stands above every other class. And not just a regular Seraph, either, but one with a human origin. A true First of his kind.

He's not sure how to feel about this fact.

Kieren just nods and turns back to his friends. Amy and Simon seem just as stunned as he is, but they straighten up and Amy even shoots him a small, reassuring smile. Then, she reaches out and grabs both Kieren and Simon's hands.

"Ready, boys?"

No. He doesn't feel ready. At all.

But that has never stopped him from marching on, right?

Simon's lips curl up when Kieren takes his free hand so they stand in a small, closed circle. The new Dominion's fingers are no longer trembling with nerves: his palm is wide, warm and soothing as it wraps around Kieren's hand.

They all share one last look, then turn toward the sky, toward the guiding light of the Throne… and with a white flash and rustle of wings, they are gone.

Brilliant stars again, flying back home.

The End

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A/N: Thank you so much for reading!

I really loved working on this story (though boy, the next time I convince myself that writing long-fic for a minibang is not a bad idea, someone please stop me right away x'D) and I hope that you have enjoyed it, too. Let me know what you think!^^ (You can also come say hi on tumblr: aislinceivun-tumblr-com)

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Additional info, resources and recommended reading material. Feel free to skip if you're not interested, these are just extras :)

To FFN readers: over here I can't give you links. If you are interested in them, please visit the AO3 version. (I'm registered as AislinCeivun; google it or find the link on my profile page)

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Angelic Hierarchy

According to medieval Christian theologians, the angels are organised into several orders ('Angelic Choirs'.) I said it in the beginning notes, but in this story I based the celestial hierarchy on the most influential classification, which was put forward by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite in his book, "The Celestial hierarchy".

Many schemes and hierarchies were proposed since the middle ages. They are really quite interesting, so I encourage you all to read more about the topic.

~ Wiki page about the hierarchy of angels

~ Wiki page about the Christian angelic hierarchy (the one I have based mine on)

~ Wiki page about the Jewish angelic hierarchy; it inspired the Christian one

~ A detailed study about various celestial hierarchies; includes side-by-side comparison

Ornias (+ Victor Halperin)

In the story, I merged the demon Ornias with the ITF character Victor Halperin… although his personality here is closer to my image of Ornias rather than the original Victor. I imagine that being reborn as a demon shifts the original personality of every angel (hence why the the other demon/angel hybrids were so ready to follow his lead). While still in Heaven, he was more like the Victor we know from the show.

And as for the Ornias from demonology… he is a fallen angel described as very troublesome. He has various abilities attributed to him, such as the gift of prophecy, shapeshifting and causing physical pain with a mere touch. As a shapeshifter, Ornias can transform into a man, a lion or a heavenly creature with wings. (When he is a man, he craves the bodies of effeminate boys; in the Testament of Solomon, every day at sunset he would visit a boy and suck the boy's thumb to drain his energy.) There is no mention of him being a Cherub, but I thought it was too good of a chance to pass. :)

Ornias is the one who reveals to Solomon the existence of the Falling Stars – demons that fly up to Heaven to overhear God's plans. When those demons fall back to Earth, they appear as shooting stars to humans.

Dantalion

In demonology, Dantalion (or Dantalian) is a powerful Great Duke of Hell. He teaches all arts and sciences, and also declares the secret counsel of anyone, given that he knows the thoughts of all people and can change them at his will.

He is depicted as a man with many appearances, which means the faces of all men and women. There are also many depictions in which he is said to hold a book in one of his hands.

Symbolism of the lark

The meanings attached to larks are: harmony, luck, sacred sound, awakening.

Larks have a crescent shape across their breasts, which shape signifies lunar qualities. The moon is often linked with the concept of self, therefore the lark reflects the inward journey associated with self-discovery. They encourage us to explore our inner selves.

In the Bible, the lark, or skylark, symbolises the marriage of Heaven and Earth as it flies swiftly upward and then dives back ground; the human desire for happiness; hope and good fortune. The lark's song symbolises a joyful prayer to God.

In mythology and literature the lark stands for daybreak. From Shakespeare's Sonnet 29: "the lark at break of day arising / From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate" . It is also associated with church services, and often the meanings of daybreak and religious reference are combined into a 'spiritual daybreak' – to signify passage from Earth to Heaven and from Heaven to Earth. In Renaissance painters such as Domenico Girlandaio, the lark symbolizes Christ, in reference to John 16:16.

In the end I must also mention the manga series Na mo Naki Tori no Tobu Yoake - "Innocent Bird" by Kisaragi Hirotaka. While I haven't pulled from that story, its rich world of angels and demons, plus a certain side character with a bird companion have really inspired me. :) And the art is utterly gorgeous, so I recommend it for a nice read.