Heaven was calm as always—serene and radiant, floating in endless light. The clouds shimmered beneath the feet of angels, and the celestial breeze carried with it music that had never been written. Angels flew in elegant arcs above gardens of silver and gold, and the Golden Sea reflected perfection itself.
Until, like a bolt of chaos crashing through a glass temple, **Charlie** tore across the skies.
Wings stretched to full span, glowing like holy fire, he zoomed past stunned angels who ducked out of the way, startled gasps following in his wake.
"Charlie!" one of them called, nearly dropping an ornate harp. "What the—watch where you're going!"
"What's the rush?!" shouted another, but he didn't stop. He couldn't stop. Not after what he'd done.
"I. Am. So. Screwed," Charlie muttered between breaths, his eyes wide, his heart hammering with fear.
He soared up the marble steps of the Celestial Spire, blasting through the double gates of the Inner Sanctum—doors that were never meant to be flung open so violently. White-garbed guards leapt aside as Charlie zoomed by, their mouths opening in protest, but no sound left them before he was already gone.
And then, at the very top, in the Throne Hall of Radiance, he landed hard—wings flared, panting, shaking.
And *He* was there.
God.
No form. No face. Just light. Endless, incomprehensible, immeasurable light. A presence that filled every cell in Charlie's body, that pushed down on his very soul with the weight of love, justice, power, and terrifying stillness.
Charlie didn't bow. Didn't kneel. Didn't even breathe.
He just *panicked*.
"I FUCKED UP!" he shouted.
Silence.
A few of the elder archangels turned, their serene expressions flickering into disapproval.
"Language," muttered one of them.
Charlie staggered forward. "I mean—I *really* fucked up. Not like 'oops, I let a demon escape' but like 'I just possibly ruined the entire cosmic balance and maybe even started an apocalypse' kind of fucked up!"
The light pulsed gently.
Then… God spoke.
Not in words. In *knowing*. A voice not heard by the ears, but by the spirit. Soft and powerful. Impossible and perfect.
**"Explain."**
Charlie dropped to his knees, wings drooping, face flushed with guilt. "It was Kikidori, okay? He was causing chaos on Earth again. Burning stuff, killing people, terrifying the locals, doing his 'I'm a demon, fear me' routine."
Another angel muttered from the side, "Why didn't he call backup?"
"*Because I'm an IDIOT!*" Charlie screamed.
One of the archangels groaned and rubbed his temple.
Charlie stood again, pacing wildly. "So I went down there all glowing and righteous, told him to leave, gave him the standard 'return to Hell or else' speech, and he just says 'fine' and walks off—*like that*. No fight, no threats, just *leaves.*"
He paused.
Then he slowly turned to face the light again.
"And then I realized…"
He held up his hands, still faintly glowing.
"I forgot to cloak myself."
The light in the chamber dimmed ever so slightly.
Charlie's wings wilted as he continued.
"They *saw* me. The humans. All of them. Not just glimpses or feelings. *Saw.* Wings. Halo. The whole divine presentation. I was glowing like a damn billboard for Heaven."
An audible gasp came from the side. One of the angels dropped his scroll.
"Phones were out. LIVESTREAMING. There's probably a thousand videos circulating already. 'Look, Mom, an actual angel! Hashtag celestial invasion!'"
Another angel in the corner whispered, "This is why we have *protocol*…"
Charlie slumped, arms hanging uselessly at his sides. "I wanted to stop Kikidori and I *gave him a W*. He played me. He *knew* I'd mess up. He *baited* me. And I walked right into it."
There was a moment of complete silence.
Then the light pulsed once more.
**"You are forgiven."**
Charlie blinked. "Wait. What?"
**"But the consequence remains."**
Charlie paled. "Oh no…"
A voice—this one from the right, not God, but one of the higher angels—spoke. "The Veil has been pierced. The humans know. The balance between belief and doubt has shifted."
Another added, "Some will deny what they saw. Others will become zealots. Faith will turn to panic. The world will change."
Charlie buried his face in his hands. "This is it. This is how the end starts. This is how the war escalates."
God's voice came again, quiet and thunderous all at once.
**"Find Kikidori."**
Charlie looked up slowly. "Find him?"
**"Speak to him. Watch him. Learn from him."**
Charlie sputtered. "Wha—God, no offense, but he's literally a monster. He roasted a choirboy. On camera. With a *smile.*"
**"He is more than what he was born to be."**
Charlie froze.
Those words rang in his ears.
Another angel whispered, "Are you saying he's… changing?"
But God didn't answer.
The throne room returned to stillness. Judgment had been passed.
Charlie exhaled shakily, turned, and began walking out.
As he passed the other angels, one leaned toward him and whispered, "Well… good luck, sinner."
Charlie threw up his hands. "I *cussed* once!"
The hall echoed with a quiet chuckle from the divine light above.
The end of chapter 6.