Chapter 12: Seraphim's Ghosts
The sky cracked open.
Not with thunder or fire—but with silence.
A silence so unnatural, it pressed down on the city like a weight.
Above Bastion, hovering just beyond commercial radar, the Seraphim Fortress shimmered into visibility—a flying citadel forged in obsidian, etched with glowing runes older than any known dialect.
Rayven stood on the cathedral rooftop, eyes locked on the fortress.
Rhea's voice was low. "I thought they were myths."
Selene looked grim. "They were. Until now."
Rayven clenched his fists. "Why now?"
No one answered.
Inside the Fortress – Observation Deck
In a chamber shaped like a blade's edge, five figures stood around a glowing projection of Bastion.
Each wore regal armor. Their visors were featureless, but their presence spoke volumes.
One finally broke the silence:
"The Core Heir has awakened. He is incomplete. Dangerous."
Another replied, voice like steel on ice:
"Then we descend."
Their leader—a tall, silver-cloaked figure with six glowing sigils on his chest—raised his hand.
"Begin Phase Zero. Contact the Forgotten."
Back in Bastion – Eastgate Cathedral
Rhea paced inside the war room, eyes flicking between tactical feeds and rune-monitoring charts.
"The fortress is casting a passive scan over the city. It's not attacking, not yet."
Selene leaned over the table. "They're searching. For you," she said, looking at Rayven. "Or what's inside you."
Rayven was silent for a moment. Then:
"If they're the Seraphim… then maybe they know why I was sealed in the first place."
Rhea looked up sharply. "Or maybe they're the reason."
Selene sighed. "Either way, they're watching. And I doubt they'll stay polite for long."
A sudden ping lit up the vault screen.
Incoming Signal – Local Broadcast Frequency
Rhea frowned. "They're transmitting… directly to you."
Rayven stepped forward and pressed "accept."
The screen went black for a moment. Then a face appeared.
A man—probably in his forties—gold eyes, white hair streaked with black. Dressed in sleek, modernized Seraphim armor.
"Rayven Vale," the man said with calm confidence. "Son of Elira. Bearer of the Core Fragment. I am High Warden Caelis of the Seraphim Order."
Rayven narrowed his eyes. "And what does the Order want from me?"
"To complete your awakening," Caelis said. "And to remind you of your duty."
Rayven's voice sharpened. "I don't take orders from ghosts."
"Nor do we give them to children," Caelis replied. "But we do offer clarity—before war makes it obsolete."
The feed cut.
Rhea muttered, "So much for diplomacy."
Later – The Library Archives
Selene guided Rayven deep beneath the cathedral, into the last untouched Watcher archive.
"This place was sealed after the Collapse. Only High-Ranked Watchers ever came down here."
Dust coated everything. Spellbooks. Sigils. And one massive tapestry on the far wall—depicting Seraphim vs. Heirs.
Rayven stared. "That's… not how the history books tell it."
Selene nodded. "The Seraphim weren't guardians. They were enforcers. They didn't protect bloodlines. They controlled them."
Rhea, who had joined them silently, added, "When your mother tried to break their control… they exiled her. Called her a traitor."
Rayven turned back to the tapestry, eyes tracing a golden line that ended in a symbol resembling his gauntlet.
"So, she sealed me—not just to protect me. But to hide me from them."
Selene placed a hand on his shoulder. "And now they know."
Seraphim Fortress – Interrogation Hall
High Warden Caelis stood in front of a restrained prisoner.
A man with hollow eyes. Bloodied lips. A sigil burned into his chest.
"Former Watcher," Caelis said coldly. "We've seen your reports. The Hollow Circle grows."
The man laughed, brokenly. "They're already inside your fortress."
Caelis didn't flinch. He turned to an aide.
"Execute him. Quietly."
The aide hesitated. "Sir—he mentioned something about the boy's second seal."
Caelis paused.
Then: "Send a Raven. Offer him the truth. Let's see how badly he wants it."
Back in Bastion – The Raven Arrives
Midnight.
A sharp cry pierced the cathedral halls.
Rayven opened the grand doors to find a sleek, obsidian-feathered bird on the steps. It carried a scroll sealed with a glowing, rotating sigil.
Selene froze. "That's a memory scroll."
Rayven broke the seal.
Instantly, his vision blurred—
Vision – The Second Seal
He stood in a chamber made of flowing energy. Time moved sideways.
A voice echoed:
"Rayven. The second seal lies not in stone… but in choice."
A fragment of memory—his mother, bloodied, holding a small box wrapped in flames. She looked directly at him.
"When they come for you… do not trust the ones who know your name. Only those who know your heart."
The vision vanished.
Rayven fell back, panting.
Selene caught him. "What did you see?"
He looked up at her, fire in his eyes.
"A map. And a lie."