The Hidden World

Yuna was certain that her face was the portrait of confusion. She felt like she was lagging behind in time even though she knew she heard every word that was said. It was just that she didn’t quite understand those words.

“Err, I don’t know who this person is,” she said with an apologetic smile. “I don’t know much about demon things.”

“Oh. I see,” Yuki said. “I don’t know much about this other than what I have been told before. Yin, can you explain this to her? You would know a lot more than me.”

“Of course. I was just about to do that,” Vin replied. He gestured towards a seat at the table. “Please, Yuna. Take a seat. This may take a while.”

Yuna complied, pulling a chair out and taking a seat beside Yuki. The chair was quite comfortable with its white cushions. Her eyes flickered between each of the archangels that she sat with around the table. The one named Carol and the man named Gabriel were giving her worried looks. Laurel looked kind and Vin was as stoic as a statue.

“I want to make sure first. How much do you know about angels?” Vin asked. “I need to know where to start.”

“Oh. Well, I know that angels can fly and that they have mysterious magic,” Yuna said. “They can be recognized with their white wings and beauty. I didn’t know angels were demons until a few months ago, though.”

“Yes. That is something that many outside of the demon lands do not seem to know,” Vin said. “I do not know why, but we haven’t corrected them. Not being considered a demon makes our relations much easier.”

“That’s basically all that I know,” Yuna said. “There isn’t much on angels in Libra. I’ve been trying to look into it ever since my suspicions began, but I couldn’t find anything more than that.”

“I see. It’s a good start. Let me add onto what you said. Our mysterious magic isn’t as mysterious as others make it out to be. It’s light. That’s it.”

“Your magic is light?” Yuki asked. She sounded very curious. “You use light?”

“Yes. Other demons have been starting to figure it out. I think the dragons know, but they’ve kept it to themselves it seems,” Vin mused. “The things we do are all attributed to the light. The light rejuvenates, purifies, and protects.”

“So it’s another element.”

“In a way. It’s an element that is inaccessible to everyone that isn’t an angel. Angels are born with the innate ability to use it. To understand it. But it’s different from the other elements in that how strong the light is depends on the potential of the wielder. Normal affinities are only limited by your mana and your strength. For angels, how strong you can become is determined at birth.”

“So that was what Gabriel was looking at,” Yuki said.

“Yes. The downside of our unique element is that since it’s different from the normal ones, our bodies aren’t made to use those normal elements. We’re limited to the light. However, a few angels are born with the capability to utilize the normal elements. Those are the archangels.”

Yuki didn’t respond to that. It looked like she had a thought, but it seemed that she kept that to herself.

“But enough about our magic. Before I move onto other things, I want to comment on one last piece of information that Yuna said. By the standards of the elves, angels are indeed beautiful,” Vin said. “I’ve heard that and I have witnessed reactions. Honestly, though, while we may be attractive to elves, we’re about average among the demons.”

“Average?” Yuna interrupted. From what she had seen from her breath time with the angels, they were indeed beautiful. How that could be average, Yuna didn’t know. 

“Yes. Quite a few other demons would be ranked higher, personally. One would be the succubi and incubi, like your friend sitting on the couch over there,” Vin said, gesturing towards Erica who accepted the compliment with a smile. “Right now, she’s masking herself, but it’s quite obvious. I do appreciate it, though, succubus.”

“I wouldn’t want to make trouble for you,” Erica replied. 

“Thank you for that. If you didn’t, our situation might be a bit more hectic.”

Yuna remembered the time Erica removed the mask off herself outside the succubi town. The horns, wings, and tail only added to Erica’s exotic beauty. She could see what Vin meant. The aura that Erica exuded also bent perception around her and tugged on Yuna even though it was being suppressed. 

“Dragons as well,” Vin said. “They’re largely regarded as some of the most attractive besides the succubi and incubi. Take her, for example. Ember, was it?”

“Yes,” Ember replied with a small smile. She exchanged a small look with Yuki that Yuna didn’t understand. 

“Both of those types of demons also have something that we angels don’t,” Vin continued. “They exude a certain aura. Their attractiveness has a certain pull. Angels are conventionally attractive. They’re otherworldly.”

“Vin. I don’t think this is helpful for the girl,” Laurel said. 

“Sorry about that,” Gabriel apologized to Yuna. “This is a topic that Vin is oddly fascinated by. He enjoys beauty. Gets carried away at times.”

“Apologies,” Vin said. “I didn’t mean to go on such a tangent.”

“Why don’t we let Carol tell the rest of the story,” Gabriel suggested.

“That would be perfect. Carol? Do you mind?”

“Not at all,” Carol smiled. She looked at Yuna, their eyes locking. “You remember the story that I told earlier about our history?”

“I do,” Yuna replied.

“Good. It’s important in explaining what I believe happened with you and your background,” she said. “To begin this, you should know that there are many different angel cities that all run themselves.” 

“They govern themselves?” Yuna frowned.

“Yes. For the most part. Each city has their own government, but every city listens to our Lady, the Great Archangel. This independence is why when our city was undergoing its period of unrest, we received no help and had to handle it by ourselves. However, this independence also meant that what happened in our city only affected our city.”

“So what does this have to do with the other cities?” Yuna asked.

“Well, think of our city as an example. If such a thing can develop here, then it is apparent that such things can develop in other cities,” Carol explained. “That’s exactly what happened in the Capital City.”

“Archangels tried to gain more power?”

“No. It’s actually a bit of a reverse position that happened in the Capital,” Carol said. “The archangels did nothing. The angels were tired of being under their leadership so a revolt of sorts started. Anti-archangels sentiment was abundant among many at the time from what I’ve been told. Archangels had to flee or else they would be overwhelmed and killed.”

“What caused this?” Yuna said. “That doesn’t seem like something that happens by accident.”

“Our city caused it. Or at least, what happened in it. Word leaked out to the Capital City about what had happened, and it fueled the ideas that had been brewing in there. The fact that angels could gather and overthrow archangels was something that they found attractive.”

“When was this?” 

“It started around twenty years ago, I believe. The seeds were sown before that, of course, but they started to come into bloom about twenty years ago. You’re nineteen. Can you see where I’m going with this?”

She could. Carol was saying that Yuna was a child from the Capital City and that this revolt was why she was taken away.

“You were most likely evacuated from the Capital City to protect you as you are an archangel and because of the anti-archangel sentiment, you were in danger,” Carol said. “Another thing to note is that the Capital City is the city that our Lady goes to when she needs to communicate with us. If she is indeed your mother, then it is more than likely that you are from there. And if she is your mother, then your safety was of utmost priority and your life was in the most danger.”

“This is all if Uriel is my mother?” Yuna asked.

“No. If she isn’t and you are someone that is just abnormally strong with the light, then you still most likely come from the Capital City and still had your life endangered.”

Yuna didn’t quite know how to take all of this. It made her head spin. In the span of minutes, she learned more about her childhood than she did in nineteen years. But it all was still conjecture and might not be true.

“This is a lot,” she muttered.

“Can we continue this tomorrow?” Yuki asked. Yuna glanced at her and found her staring at Yuna with a hint of worry. 

“Actually, I think we don’t need to continue this at all,” Vin replied. “Yuna, if you have any questions, hold on to them for now. We will be sending someone over to help give you rudimentary training. Any questions you have, please give them to that person. Is that fine with you?”

Yuna nodded silently.

“I know this is a lot to take in, child. I can’t imagine how I would feel if I were you, but I always believed that sleep and rest are some of the best ways to clear one’s mind.”

“Thank you for your time,” Yuki said. She stood up and gave the four archangels a small bow. “We will be staying here in the city until Yuna’s training is done, if that is fine with you?”

“Of course. That would be no problem at all,” Vin smiled as he stood up as well. The other archangels followed his lead. “Guards, escort them to the hotel. I think they deserve better accommodations than the small guest rooms.”

“As you wish,” the two angels that flanked the elevator doors replied. 

Yuki offered her hand to Yuna who took it and let herself be pulled up. 

“How are you holding up?” Yuki whispered. Yuna forced a small smile.

“I just need some time to think, that’s all,” she said. 

“Alright.”

Then, together with Yuki’s hand still holding Yuna’s, they walked to the elevator doors where everyone else was waiting for them.