Extra Demon: Sacred Academy of Light

The image people have of angels is quite bizarre, even for the human eye and our own comprehension. It's not entirely clear, but the common depiction is of human-like beings with two white wings on their backs—beautiful, pure creatures full of light and hope, symbols for believers and soldiers of the heavens who protect mankind. This is the popular image most people know, and honestly, I can't say it's wrong. After all, it's understandable, because we can only conceptualize what resembles us. We imagine angels with four limbs and a head, just like us, with the simple addition of two wings on their backs. It makes sense and feels comprehensible because they're almost identical to us. As it's been said since the beginning, man was created in the image and likeness of God, and thus, angels should resemble us as well.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

As we know, the Seraphim are the angels closest to God. But what does a seraph really look like? I'm about to find out—or at least, I hope so...

"Are you really just a combination of countless eyes embedded in what looks like metal, with one massive eye at the center?" I asked out of sheer boredom. Staring at clouds for a long time... isn't exactly entertaining. Besides, as far as I know, that's the general appearance of a Seraph.

Seraphine's golden eyes looked at me silently. She remained quiet, which made me feel uneasy. Finally, she said, "You'll find the answer yourself..." Then she turned her gaze forward. "Besides, we're here."

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Looking ahead... right beneath us, a golden spire began to rise, clearing through the clouds. "Very bright," was the first thing I thought. And it truly was—literally a massive, brilliantly shining golden castle, the largest I'd ever seen in my life. Surrounding it were smaller castles of lesser size, and in the air, hundreds of thousands, maybe even more than I could imagine, angels were flying. But... at first glance, they all looked almost identical—or so it seemed.

"Do you see that?" Seraphine's small finger pointed downward, her fingertip glowing slightly. "That's a Power, an angel specifically dedicated to justice—a fifth-rank angel. Even though it has only two wings, don't let that fool you. In its right hand, it wields a sword of light, and in its left hand, a spear. If it found out you're a demon, you'd die with just a glance." She gave me a mocking smile. "You're lucky to be with me. Thanks to my magic, it won't be able to see you. Of course, it's just a simple rank five. Let's keep moving."

With a somber expression, the angel Seraphine pointed at was suspended in mid-air, as if it were watching everything happening in the empire, static, its weapons in each hand. "So, the wings don't hold much significance?" I asked.

"They do. For angels ranked 1 through 6, wings have a certain importance, but they also carry another meaning. Wings can be used as weapons, armor, or bows. By using one of their wings, an angel can create whatever object they desire. For example, the Power angel you saw has an armor, a sword, and a spear—three objects created by sacrificing three of its wings. Typically, once you decide to do this, you can't recover the wings you used to create objects. There are exceptions, but those depend on the individual angel. It's a very effective system. These weapons are indestructible to humans but are evenly matched with demonic weapons. Oh, poor humanity... always at the bottom of the ladder. Don't you think so? That's what some believe, but humans always adapt, no matter the cost or what they have to sacrifice."

"So, what about the three remaining angel types?" I asked. Angels are less human than demons, much stranger—and the last three are far beyond human comprehension.

"You'll see them soon enough. After all, we'll have to pass right by where they are..." Seraphine showed an expression of dissatisfaction.

The incomprehensible nature of angels can be terrifying—truly terrifying. The image we have of angels is completely shattered, leaving you wondering what their true appearance is and what lies beneath their perfect skin and pure expressions. Humans can't fathom that those closest to God might not even resemble them. This can be shocking, making you question what God is truly like. No one knows. Well, I don't know, but surely Seraphine does. The unknown, in my opinion, is what we should fear most. The unknown always brings fear. What you can't understand, what goes beyond you, can drive you mad—even make you doubt your beliefs. For these reasons, the images of such beings are hidden and kept secret, even taboo, by the Church. And they should be for everyone. You can't look directly at these things. You just can't. A single glance can drive you insane. As the scriptures say, "Do not look upon God." In this case, it would be, "Do not look upon that thing..."

I had a vague image in my mind... but as they say, reality surpasses fiction. It was larger—much larger—than the city below.

Enormous eyes embedded in metal stared at me—hundreds of them, spinning continuously around a colossal, colorful eye that also fixed its gaze on me. Everything seemed unreal, ethereal, as if it weren't truly in front of us. Like a wheel, the multiple eyes moved chaotically, trying to look at me. Shining clouds distorted, forming what seemed to be a kind of circle around it. Even within its immense presence, the very fabric of space seemed to break into countless pieces. It was terrifying.

"Doesn't it affect you to look at it? Hehe," Seraphine let out a small, amused laugh. "Well, I expected this result. The blue flame undoubtedly protects you, even if you are a dark being." She pouted slightly. "You asked about it, didn't you? Well, this being is known as a Throne, a messenger of God, a guardian of light and darkness. Let me introduce you to Eryoniel, one of the three remaining Thrones."