Gabriel Dela Cruz Mercedes was twenty-eight years old, living alone ever since his parents had died in a car crash five years ago. The silence of his home weighed heavily on him, a constant reminder of the absence that shaped his days.
In those early years of grief, questions consumed him. Why did it happen? Why to me? His heart wrestled with anger and sorrow, and for a time he turned his blame toward God. For several days, resentment filled his prayers, his thoughts, his very breath.
But as the seasons passed, clarity slowly settled in. Gabriel realized that blaming and questioning would never change what had already been written. Life, he came to understand, was a gift given and taken according to a greater plan. Every event, no matter how painful, was part of a design beyond his grasp.
And so he carried on, not without scars, but with the quiet acceptance that his journey was still unfolding under the hand of the One who had given him life.
~~~
At present, Gabriel was walking toward the 7/11 located just beyond the neighboring village. The road was familiar, lined with faces he had known all his life. Along the way, he crossed paths with friends and neighbors, exchanging brief greetings—simple questions of how he was, casual smiles that carried the warmth of community.
But as he drew closer to the store, something strange happened. A whisper brushed against his ear, soft yet commanding, as though carried by the wind itself: "I have something I want you to do, my child."
The words struck him like a tremor. His vision blurred, the ground seemed to tilt beneath his feet, and dizziness overtook him. Before he could make sense of what was happening, Gabriel collapsed suddenly, his body crumpling to the earth.
~~~
Light.
Slowly, Gabriel opened his eyes, and an overwhelming brilliance filled his vision. It wasn't just ordinary light—it was alive, shifting and transforming before him.
At one moment, the radiance bent and reshaped itself into a towering tree, its branches stretching endlessly into the void. Then, in a heartbeat, it became the vast ocean, waves shimmering with the same blinding glow.
The brilliance flickered again, turning into fire that danced and roared, then into lightning that split the heavens with raw power. And just as suddenly, the light became a multitude of animals—creatures of every kind, their forms woven from pure luminescence, moving and breathing as if born from the very essence of creation.
Gabriel could only stare, his heart pounding, as the kaleidoscope of visions unfolded before him.
Suddenly, a voice spoke.
The shifting light gathered, reshaping itself into the form of a man—yet his face was nothing but pure radiance, impossible to behold.
"Gabriel, my child," the figure said.
The moment Gabriel heard those words, he knew deep within his soul and heart who stood before him. This was the God he had believed in all his life. Overcome, he fell to his knees and whispered, "My Lord…"
The luminous figure raised a hand, his voice calm yet commanding.
"My son, I know you have been worrying about your parents. Do not be afraid. They have returned to my hands and now rest in peace, awaiting the day of my judgment upon this world."
"And now, my child, the reason I have brought you here," the radiant figure spoke, his voice echoing like thunder wrapped in gentleness. "I have a mission to entrust to you."
"You will be sent to one of the many worlds, a place where I was called in something very different, The Old Gods, I am one yet many, for that is who I truly am. This world is in desperate need of hope. But you must not save them outright. Only when you see true change within their hearts and in the work of their hands will salvation be possible."
The light around him pulsed, heavy with warning.
"A great darkness and coldness will soon descend upon that world. It is in your hands to stop it. Yet that is not the only trial you will face. The people there… they are far more corrupt than the most wicked souls you have ever known here."
The words pressed into Gabriel's spirit, a burden both terrifying and sacred.
Gabriel bowed his head, his voice trembling.
"Why me, Lord? What about your angels or prophets?"
The radiant figure's light flared, and the answer came with unshakable certainty.
"My child, you will understand in time. This path is yours alone."
The brilliance seemed to draw closer, enveloping Gabriel in warmth and awe.
"I will send you there. Remember this: do not be tempted by the darkness. Trust in me—for all eternity."
The words echoed through Gabriel's soul, a command and a promise woven together.
Suddenly, darkness swallowed Gabriel's vision.
The brilliance that had surrounded him vanished in an instant, leaving only a void so complete it felt alive. His chest tightened, his breath faltered, and the world seemed to tilt once more.
A heavy dizziness overcame him, stronger than it had been before. His body grew weak, his thoughts scattered, and then—like a candle snuffed out—Gabriel collapsed again, sinking into unconsciousness.
~~~
The sound of birds reached his ears, carried by the gentle breeze that brushed against his skin. Slowly, Gabriel opened his eyes. This time, the light he saw was different—it was no longer the blinding brilliance of visions, but the warm glow of the sun.
Was that… a dream? He wondered, his thoughts still tangled in confusion.
He rose carefully, but as he stood, something felt strange. His body seemed taller, stronger, filled with a vitality he had never known before. A shiver ran down his spine as he sensed something extending from his back—like arms, yet not arms at all.
Turning his head, Gabriel's breath caught. Behind him unfurled two radiant wings, woven entirely of pure light. They flickered and pulsed as though alive, each feather shimmering with its own heartbeat.
His lips parted in disbelief.
"It's real…? I… I've become an angel? Haa…?"
For several minutes, Gabriel stood frozen, his mind struggling to process everything that had happened. The weight of the visions, the voice of God, and now the wings of light upon his back—it was almost too much to comprehend.
At last, curiosity overcame hesitation. He flexed his shoulders, willing the radiant wings to move. To his surprise, they responded naturally, as though they had always been a part of him. Each flicker of light felt familiar, instinctive, as if his body already knew how to command them.
A realization struck him: these wings were not just symbols. They carried purpose. He could sense their strength, the potential to lift him from the earth, to soar into the skies. The thought of flight stirred something deep within him—a mixture of awe and anticipation.
"But… where am I?" Gabriel muttered, his eyes scanning the unfamiliar surroundings. Confusion gnawed at him, and he resolved to find a high place, somewhere he could see the land and understand where God had carried him.
Well… maybe I should try flying, he thought, his gaze drifting toward the horizon. The idea stirred both excitement and fear.
Yet before he could spread his wings, a startling realization struck him. His body was bare—completely unclothed, exposed beneath the sunlight. He froze, heat rising to his face, the weight of vulnerability pressing down on him.
The wings of light flickered behind him, majestic and alive, but Gabriel's mind raced. I can't walk around like this… I need something to cover myself before I take to the skies.
And lo and behold—just ahead of him lay a set of pure white robes, spread across the ground as if waiting for him.
Gabriel's heart lifted. "Thank you, Lord," he whispered, relief washing over him. "You've given me something to wear."
He slipped into the robes, the fabric cool and weightless against his skin. Yet as he adjusted them, he noticed something strange: his wings of light seemed to pass straight through the cloth, as though the material could not touch them. It was as if the robes ignored their presence entirely.
But when Gabriel reached back with his hands, he could feel the wings—solid, alive, flickering with their own pulse. The contradiction puzzled him. Maybe it's something about the robes themselves, he thought, studying the way the fabric shimmered faintly in the sunlight. Perhaps they're made from a material beyond anything.
"Let's see where I've ended up," Gabriel murmured as he spread his wings.
He rose gently into the air, the pure white robes fluttering in harmony with the radiant wings at his back. Each beat carried him higher, the wind rushing past, until the world below stretched wide and distant.
From above, his eyes caught sight of a village in the distance. It was faint, blurred by the height, but unmistakably there—a cluster of rooftops nestled against the land.
Gabriel narrowed his gaze. Let's take a closer look, he thought, curiosity stirring within him.
With measured grace, he angled his wings downward, descending slowly toward the village, the robes trailing like banners of light as he drew nearer to whatever awaited him below.
As Gabriel descended toward the village, the people below began to stir. At first, they thought it was a great white bird soaring through the sky, its wings gleaming against the sunlight. Murmurs spread quickly—children pointed, elders shaded their eyes, and workers paused in their tasks to watch the strange figure approach.
But as the shape drew nearer, their astonishment deepened. This was no bird. The villagers could see clearly now: it was a man, clothed in pure white robes, with radiant wings unfurling from his back.
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Some whispered in awe, others in fear, unsure whether this was a divine messenger or something far more mysterious.
Gabriel's descent slowed, his robes fluttering like banners of light, until he hovered just above the ground at the edge of the village—an angelic figure revealed before mortal eyes.
As Gabriel descended, he saw the people gathering around him, their eyes wide with awe. What amazed him most was not their stares, but the feelings he could sense—fear, wonder, curiosity—all flowing into him as though their hearts were laid bare.
He raised his voice, calm and reassuring.
"Do not be afraid. I am Gabriel, a child of God."
Inside, he marveled at the thought. A child of God… and now, an angel as well.
He continued, his tone steady.
"I am here to ask a question."
The crowd fell silent. Some looked uneasy, others leaned forward with curiosity, but none dared interrupt.
Gabriel's gaze swept over them, and at last he spoke again.
"What is this place?"