The murmurs built into something approaching panic, understanding that the situation had escalated beyond anything they could comprehend.

Squad Ten stood frozen among the crowd, their faces showing shock.

Helena’s mouth hung open, her hands clenched at her sides.

’A Light Bearer... They’re supposed to be the second strongest race in the universe, why would one of them–’

Regulus’s black eyes tracked between the golden figure and Damian’s kneeling form.

’This is getting out of control. First the Patriarchs interrogate him, now a Light Bearer appears to...’

His thoughts scattered, unable to find solid ground.

Sicar’s pink eyes blazed brighter, his mind racing through implications.

’They’re too busy fighting demons to care about our internal politics. So why would one come here specifically?’

The Sword Demon’s weathered face showed something approaching satisfaction, his lips curved slightly.

’Interesting... This boy keeps surprising me.’

****

Ashford Patriarch recovered first, his grey eyes blazing as he stepped forward.

"Light Bearer."

His voice cut through the chaos, carrying authority honed over decades.

"Identify yourself and state your purpose for interfering in human affairs."

The Light Bearer’s gaze shifted, settling on Damian’s kneeling form with something approaching reverence.

"My name is Azareth."

His voice carried clearly despite not being raised.

"And I have come to protect him."

He gestured toward Damian without looking away.

Cross Patriarch moved to stand beside Ashford, his face showing confusion.

"Since when did your race start meddling in matters that don’t concern them?"

His brown eyes narrowed.

"And what possible reason could you have for protecting one random human boy?"

Azareth’s lips curved into something that wasn’t quite a smile, contempt bleeding through the expression.

"Random human boy? Human beings truly are incredibly foolish creatures."

His voice carried disappointment that cut deeper than any insult.

"While every other race in this universe protects their chosen ones, nurtures them, gives them power and resources to reach their full potential..."

His hand gestured toward the Mafia corpses scattered across the field, toward Brian’s body still held in Damian’s arms.

"You do everything possible to kill yours."

BOOM

The declaration hit like thunder, echoing across the field.

Whispers exploded through the assembled crowd, thousands of voices overlapping.

"Chosen ones?"

"What is he talking about?"

"Wait, I’ve heard about those! The other races have them!"

"Isn’t that just what they call their most talented geniuses?"

"But we don’t have chosen ones... do we?"

"Does he mean Damian Valcor is–"

The questions multiplied, confusion building into something approaching hysteria.

All three Patriarchs went rigid simultaneously, their attention snapping fully toward where Damian knelt.

Lysander’s breathing quickened, his mind racing through implications.

The Sage remained perfectly still, his masked face showing nothing.

And Kinsley rose slowly from where he’d landed, brushing snow from his robes, his smile returning despite everything.

"Chosen one?"

The words emerged almost conversational, his blue eyes tracking between Azareth and Damian.

"How interesting. But even if that were true, how do you plan to protect him by yourself?"

His hand gestured toward where the golden attack had originated.

"Call out the one who struck me. Let’s see if they have the courage to face us directly instead of hiding behind dimensional tears."

Azareth’s lips curved into something that wasn’t quite a smile.

"The likes of you..."

His voice carried absolute conviction.

"Aren’t worthy of making my Master appear personally."

His eight wings flared brighter, golden light intensifying.

"Your entire existence combined doesn’t merit even a fraction of her attention."

The declaration hit like a physical blow, silence crashing down across the field.

Kinsley’s smile never wavered, but his eyes blazed brighter, killing intent starting to leak from his frame.

But before anyone could respond, before the tension could break into violence–

WHOOSH

Golden light erupted in the air above them, reality bending as something materialized from nothing.

A page hung suspended, gleaming and radiant, covered in script that seemed to shift and writhe when looked at directly.

The presence it carried made weaker awakeners collapse to their knees, pressure washing over the field in waves.

Azareth’s entire demeanor changed, his casual contempt transforming into formal ceremony.

His wings spread to their fullest extension as his voice exploded across the field.

"I, AZARETH LIGHTBRINGER!"

His voice grew louder, carrying force that made the ground itself tremble.

"HIGH COMMANDER OF THE ORDER OF LIGHT BEARERS! GUARDIAN OF THE ETERNAL FLAME! KEEPER OF THE SACRED COVENANT! BEARER OF THE ETERNAL DAWN!"

The golden page began glowing brighter, the script upon it burning with inner radiance.

"IN THE PLACE OF MY MASTER, THE ORACLE WHO SEES ALL THAT WAS AND ALL THAT SHALL BE!"

His hand rose, pointing directly at where Damian knelt motionless.

"HEREBY DECLARE DAMIAN VALCOR TO BE THE CHILD OF LIGHT OF THIS ERA!"

BOOM

Thunder crashed across the sky, the sound rolling through clouds that had been silent.

"HE SHALL REPRESENT THE SEAT OF HUMILITY, ONE OF THE SEVEN SACRED VIRTUES, IN THE COMING BATTLE OF THE CHOSEN ONES!"

The decree’s glow intensified, becoming almost blinding.

"A BATTLE THAT SHALL DETERMINE THE FATE OF EVERY WORLD, EVERY RACE, EVERY LIVING BEING ACROSS ALL EXISTENCE!"

Azareth’s wings flared wider, feathers catching light until he appeared to be made of radiance itself.

"AND BY THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME BY THE ORACLE’S DIVINE MANDATE..."

His voice became something inhuman, layered with power that made reality feel thin.

"ANY HUMAN DEMIGOD WHO ATTEMPTS TO TAKE HIS LIFE BEFORE THE BATTLE BEGINS..."

The words carried weight that pressed down on every awakener within hearing distance.

"SHALL HAVE THEIR PATH TO GODHOOD SHATTERED BEYOND REPAIR!"

CRACK

The air itself fractured, invisible breaks spreading outward.

"THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF LAWS STRIPPED FROM THEIR CONSCIOUSNESS!"

Golden chains materialized in the air around the decree, wrapping around it in complex patterns.

"THEIR BLOODLINES CURSED ACROSS EVERY GENERATION THAT FOLLOWS!"

The chains blazed brighter, becoming bindings that looked capable of holding Gods themselves.

"AND THEIR VERY EXISTENCE MARKED FOR EXTINCTION WHEN THE DIVINE RULERS DESCEND TO ENFORCE THIS SACRED DECREE!"

The final declaration echoed across existence, touching every corner of the Federation simultaneously.

Billions of people watching through screens sat frozen, their minds struggling to process what they’d just heard.

Silence fell across the entire world, absolute and suffocating.

Then–

WHOOSH

The golden page transformed into pure light, condensing into a beam that shot downward.

And the light entered Damian’s temple, vanishing into his body without resistance.

Damian’s head never lifted, his white hair still obscuring his features, his posture unchanged.

He knelt there exactly as before, calm and motionless, showing no reaction whatsoever to the decree entering his body.

But now he carried something that hadn’t been there before.

Divine protection, granted by beings who stood above the Gods themselves.

A declaration that made him untouchable, unreachable and sacred.

The Child of Light.

Azareth descended back to the ground, his wings folding back against his spine.

Then he moved, his boots carrying him forward with steps that made no sound against snow.

He stopped directly in front of Damian, close enough that his shadow fell across the kneeling figure.

And under the eyes of the entire Federation, under the watch of every camera broadcasting this moment across billions of screens...

The High Commander of the Order of the Light Bearers, the insufferably arrogant being who even looked down on their Patriarchs...

Knelt.

THUD

His knee touched the ground, his head bowing toward the white-haired boy covered in his friend’s blood.

His voice emerged soft but carrying clearly, reverent and absolute.

"Azareth Lightbringer greets the Child of Light!"

The declaration rang across the field.

His golden eyes lifted, finding where Damian’s face should be beneath the cascade of white hair.

"Instead of appreciating your talent, instead of nurturing your exceptional gifts, these humans have shown you nothing but scorn and ill will."

His hands spread slightly, the gesture offering something.

"If you wish to leave this filthy world behind, if you desire to escape the small-minded fools who cannot recognize greatness when it stands before them..."

His wings spread again, feathers catching the light.

"I shall bring you to the World of Humility immediately, where you will be prepared for the ultimate battle that awaits."

His voice became gentler, almost pleading.

"There, you will be treated with the respect you deserve. There, your potential will be properly cultivated. There, you will find others who understand what it means to carry the weight of an entire world’s survival."

He paused, his gaze never wavering.

"All you need to do is say the word, Your Holiness, and I will take you away from this place forever."

Silence fell across the entire world.

Every person watching, every camera recording, every witness standing in that frozen field...

All of them held their breath, waiting for Damian Valcor’s answer.

The boy remained kneeling, his white hair falling forward like a curtain, his hands still wrapped around Brian’s corpse.

Black fog seeped from his skin in thin wisps, the only movement visible.

And nobody knew what he would choose.

Nobody knew if humanity had just lost their greatest genius to their own cruelty.