Adam brushed his dark hair back and stepped through the doorway to the bastion.

  The interior was warm, even the stones beneath him radiated a temperature that contrasted with the chill wind he had experienced outside. He was in a large foyer, with a leather couch big enough to sit five comfortably against one wall. A fireplace was dug into the center of the room and placed underneath glass, from which heat radiated outwards- no smoke seemed to be coming off of the wood as it burnt. To the back was a large spiral staircase that presumably led up to the second floor, and further back behind that was a large copper doorway with visible screws and steel.

  Hannah stood beside the doorway, her blonde hair trailing down her back casually as she wore a tightly fitting green dress laced with white silk. Adam unconsciously caught his breath slightly as he saw her. Hannah’s usually relaxed tone, so often tested these past few days, was the first to speak.

  “Where did you run off to?”

  Heh, if only I knew…

  “Sorry, honestly, I don’t have any memory of it. To me, it was just a normal Shift.”

  But if even a Cherubim couldn’t find me…

  Hannah scoffed, an attempt to show that she was back to her usual self.

  “Mr. Sureb said to make ourselves at home, but you’ll probably want to see the Cherubim first. It’s…imposing.”

  “Imposing enough to make you hesitate? Any way I can avoid introductions?”

  Adam smiled wryly. In the past few days, he had encountered more “imposing” figures than he would have ever had wanted to meet.

  “It’s behind the copper door.”

  “...Right. I’ll uh, see you after the introductions.”

  Adam proceeded towards the back door. It gleamed with a metallic shine, imposing over him. It was both taller and wider than a standard door- well over 3 meters tall. Adam took a deep breath and knocked thrice. The sound seemed to reverberate in an empty chamber just beyond.

  Just when he was about to knock again, he heard the fluttering of wings and the door opened to reveal a dark room without light. Adam looked back behind him towards Hannah, who nodded sternly.

  As soon as he set foot into the room, the thick copper door clanged shut behind him. He couldn’t see anything in here, but his spiritual senses were tingling as if they were bombarded with information.

  He cleared his throat.

  “Uh, my name is Adam Broek, honorable Cherubim…”

  There was no response, though he heard the ruffling of feathers nearby. The air swirled around the room, making strange sounds as it passed through whatever crevices built into it. Despite the darkness, Adam could faintly see the outline of a figure some distance in front of him.

  “Um… honorable Cherubim, am I allowed to use light here?”

  Heh, no response again… Can It speak? I guess I’ll try Orb of Light?

  Adam concentrated and created a small pinprick of light about the size of his fingertip. He sent it into the air above him and slowly brightened it.

  The fluttering of wings instantly hit his ears as something large condensed within his spiritual perception. Then, he heard a clang as the room suddenly brightened. The copper tower stretched out into the air above him, with small crevices etched into the sides to allow for air flow to be directed around it. The large, almost moon-like light gleamed downwards. In front of Adam, he saw a large, 2.7 meter tall figure. It was utterly emaciated, with highly visible ribs and skin stretched taut over its form. Its head was akin to that of a mask that one would find on a plague doctor in certain rural villages. A pair of dull white feathery wings were on its back, imposingly large in their wingspan, though they looked almost fragile. The legs were almost as thin as toothpicks, and the feet had large claws that looked sharp enough to tear through steel. Beating red eyes stared out of the figure towards Adam, who felt as if he had nearly fainted.

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  The air circled in the tower. Though it was faint, he could just about make out words from the strange swirling wind in the tower.

  “Adam Broek. Well met.”

  “Uh, t-thank y-you honorable Cherubim…Um, it's nice to meet you?”

  Adam involuntarily cringed at his statement- this wasn’t some person, the being before him was inherently divine!

  “A strange presence. You are of interest to Master.”

  “M-master? You mean the Many Winged Angel?”

  “Yes.”

  The being fluttered its wings to take to the sky, landing on a large perch roughly half way up the tower’s height.

  “You didn’t die. Good.”

  “I’m sorry?”

  The air swirled around Adam for a moment before he felt it somewhat solidify, as if the Cherubim was putting more effort towards the next few words.

  “I was in my true form when you entered. If you were not different, you would have fainted. That is why it was dark, to save the psyche of those outside this room.”

  “Wait, what? Your true form? And how am I different? Everyone keeps saying I’m different ever since I visited that Realm, but nobody will tell me anything about what’s going on. Why are we here? Why are we part of this task force? What’s so different about me, and why are you here with us? What really happened to Marc?”

  Adam gushed out his insecurities. He had been staying strong in front of Hannah and his friends since Marc died, but now, he was able to let his emotions out. He panted, tears in his eyes as the repressed emotions were expelled like a dam breaking.

  “In time. For now, you are of interest. That is why you are here, and why this task force exists.”

  The Cherubim fluttered down to stand on the ground before Adam once again.

  “You shall work to further the interests of Master, for now. Until we know more.”

  The room darkened and the door behind Adam clattered open.

  But, I have questions…

  Adam bowed and turned around, a chill running down his spine as he exited the strange room.

  “How’d it go?”

  Hannah’s bright emerald eyes latched onto Adam as soon as he left the room. His face was pale- well within her expectations.

  “I’d say it was stressful.” Adam gave a self deprecating laugh.

  Nobody is answering my questions…

  …

  Somewhere in the midst of a thick blizzard.

  “Vice Admiral! Nothing is here! We can’t stay out here forever, not all of us are as strong as you!”

  Vice Admiral Bruenor Flos was out in a billowing snowstorm searching through a series of collapsed ruins alongside numerous subordinates. Everyone besides him was dressed in thick snowsuits. He still maintained his steel blue navy uniform, medals and all. It was as if the wind and snow barely even touched his figure.

  “This is the most recent ruin that Hrime had investigated according to our information. Something is here, and we will find it. Captain Naehrn, take a few soldiers and do a sweep to check for any underground passages. If nothing shows up, we will head back to the dreadnought. If we can’t find anything today, we’ll need to split up for the next few ruins.”

  Naerhn’s affirmation could barely be heard over the billowing wind. Unlike Bruenor, whose commands could be heard by even those in the far reaches of the ruins, Naerhn’s voice was simply unable to carry the same weight.