Chapter 2: Fragile (Part 2)

As sudden as a changing tide, their conversation was going to change again. Like sand that ran out of an hourglass, no one was prepared for what happened next. 

When Raphael paused in confusion and went to focus more intensely on the baby, a sudden jolt shot through him. He gasped for air and stumbled back from Seraphina with a puzzled expression, which immediately caught everyone else’s attention.

“What?!” Michael asked in panic, his cold facade breaking apart to showcase his worry. He stared at his youngest brother’s shocked face as a dreading feeling rose in his chest. “What happened? Is something wrong?!”

Uriel and Gabriel glanced at the healer in interest. They never had seen him this startled after checking up on someone.

“I...” Raphael shook his head before he gazed down at his shivering hand. Light sweat ran down his cheek and dropped to the marble ground while he gathered his composure. “I am not sure about...what happened.” He replied while trying to get a grip on himself. For a brief second when he had searched his niece’s inner body, her energy had completely overwhelmed his senses and caused a sensory overload. The sheer intensity of such an impact had startled him and left him baffled like never before.

“I never experienced something like this… Sera’s vitality is… so vivid. It was like an energizing shock went through my body. I can’t describe it. I-It’s like her energy is alive itself.” The Archangel whispered, genuinely astonished about what had happened. 

“Usually, vitality is coherent to one’s body and mind. The stronger it feels, the more powerful the person is. However… Sera’s energy didn’t feel like that. It didn’t give me any information. While doing this methodical search, the brief contact I get is enough to give me some information about what state the individual’s body is in. Then I disconnect our energies but… What just happened with Sera was… she disconnected it herself. No. Not exactly like that. It was like she sent a pulse of her vitality through my system!”

Michael looked at Raphael in shock before his jaw tightened. He glanced back to his daughter and stepped closer to her, watching her expression brighten as soon as she spotted him. His heart clenched as if an ice-cold hand had grabbed ahold of it. The King of Angels reached out and slowly brushed his big thumb over her cheek, his expression completely serious. 

“Are you sure about this… Raphael?” He asked grimly, a wrinkle of worry forming between his brows.

“Yes, I am as sure as I can be for someone this young.” The younger Archangel replied and exchanged a look with his brothers. “There’s something else, though…” He started and folded his hands nervously.

“What is it?” Michael asked him with an ice-cold voice that could freeze you in your spot.

Raphael tensed and glanced back to his niece in obvious concern before he took a deep breath. “I haven’t seen something like this either… But the density of her bones is incredibly low. It might be because of the circumstances of her premature birth, so her bones might grow thicker and stronger in the future. However, if it stays like this, I am not sure if she can ever fight or do any exercises at all without risking her bones to break or shatter.” He explained sadly and closed his eyes anxiously.

“Moreso… The Humerus, the bone in her upper arm, and the left Femur, the bone in her thigh, have been broken once already. Considering how fragile her bones are… it is very possible that happened when you picked her up…” He said as softly as possible. “Of course I am not implying you hurt her willingly, it’s the opposite, really! But knowing your strength sometimes-” 

“Get out! NOW!” Michael growled out, glaring at Raphael with a raging intensity that made the whole castle shake. 

“Michael-” Gabriel tried to incline to calm their brother down, knowing Raphael meant nothing hurtful with it. But of course, sometimes the truth hurt more than a halfhearted lie.

The King of Angels turned to his brothers as dark storm clouds rose in the clear sky above them. “You have three seconds…” He warned for the last time and with a simple flick of his wrist, the doors to his chambers flew open loudly. “Get out.”

Uriel grimaced at that and quickly grabbed onto his brothers’ arms. He dragged them out of the room before Michael could throw them out by using violence. As soon as they were outside, the big doors slammed shut behind them. Once more, they were banned from the palace because of a minor inconvenience on Michael’s side.

“Well... Look what happened again. How pleasant.” Uriel said sarcastically, shaking his head lightly as he turned to leave. “I told you. The chance of us getting kicked out after this visit was 82%-”

“Just shut the fuck up. Ugh.” Gabriel huffed, seriously feeling like punching their brother right now. “My fist would suit your smug expression so much right now.” They sassed, very annoyed that they would have to avoid the palace for some time again.

“Sorry to disappoint but I’m not into that,” Uriel replied and adjusted the white fancy glove on his right hand. “But I can deliver the same treatment to you if you would like…” He added and smirked while glancing back to Gabriel.

“Fuck off, sadist!” Gabriel flicked him off casually, throwing their hair back arrogantly.

“...A punch in the face sounds like good punishment for me…” Raphael muttered behind them. He was clearly beating himself up for being the reason Michael got so upset at them again.

Uriel and Gabriel stopped their bickering and sighed, exchanging a small look before Gabriel hooked his arm with Raphael’s. “Now, now. No need to get that depressed. Michael loses his temper quickly when it comes to news like this. Don’t worry too much, he will get over it soon enough. Right, Uriel?” He soothed their youngest brother and winked at Uriel.

“Of course. Michael is stronger than all of us combined, and not just in the physical strength department. While I usually would have loved to deliver some punishment, in this kind of situation I will have to decline.” Uriel explained and nodded softly to himself.

A tiny smile of fondness spread on Raphael’s features, knowing his siblings were trying to cheer him up. “Yes… You are right. I just hope he won’t be too harsh on himself…” He mused sadly. He felt bad for ruining Michael’s mood and worrying the busy man even more than he already was. 

But before he could slip back into his darker thoughts, Gabriel already dragged him along to do “something fun”. Hopefully… This time Gabriel’s fun wouldn't be another trip to Terra. The last one had been bad enough. 

———🕊———

Meanwhile, Michael had shut his eyes tightly and stepped away from the door. After he took a slow, shaky breath, he walked back over to his daughter and looked into her shocked, slightly teary eyes. At this moment, it felt like a dagger pierced right through his heart. He tried to process what Raphael had told him, but his thoughts just couldn’t stop circling around the fact he might have hurt her unintentionally. And that thought was something that hurt him far worse than any kind of pain ever could. “... Shit.” The King of Angels cursed, running his trembling hand over his face in guilt.

“I’m sorry, my little princess… I-I'm so sorry. Please f-forgive me…” He whispered out, his voice cracking as he pressed his hand tighter over his eyes. Yet, his tears of desperation and guilt just wouldn’t stop slipping from his eyes. The mere thought he could have hurt his daughter accidentally shredded his heart into pieces. “I-I’m so sorry…” He sobbed out, trying to hold back his emotions like he was used to. However, it was different this time. This was about his daughter after all. The sole reason he didn't give up fighting. 

Tortured by this realization, the strongest Archangel in history broke down. He slipped to the ground and cried at the pure intensity of guilt that hit him all at once.

No matter how strong someone appeared to be, even the best of warriors had one thing that could make them break down. And for Michael, that was the thought of his daughter being hurt because of him.

Little Sera watched the tears drop from her father’s face, her big bright eyes clouding over as soon as she spotted him crying. Not being able to hold back either, small cries left her lips before warm tears ran down her flushed cheeks as well.

That was the day Seraphina cried for the first time. Even back then, carrying her pain was nothing she was afraid of. However… as soon as someone else revealed their pain, there was no holding back her tears of empathy anymore.