PUNISHMENT

     I was dumbfounded. How the hell could something like this happen? Why now?

"Uriel, please tell me you're joking right?"

He simply nodded his head to the side.

"How do you know this? Has it already started? Tell me!"

"It's just a hunch, but the rate of raids across the mortal realm as a whole has tripled since you arrived. Not only that, but Diablo himself has become much more active in recent times." Uriel said.

"It would not be odd if he decided to subdue the mortal and celestial realm completely."

"So how are you going to help me improve?" I asked simply.

The angel then bore a stoic expression as his wings unveiled themselves.

"First I'd like to get a range on your abilities." He said while unsheathing his sword.

*Hahaha*

Mentally Zephyr was exhausted beyond belief, but physically he could still keep pushing himself.

"Please, demonstrate your enlightenment." He said calmly.

I felt the energy running through me speed up exponentially, power overflowing as a divine aura engulfed my entire being. Energy waves pulsated throughout the domain, as a silvery, pristine aura with red and blue mixed in filled the air.

My black hair, now colored silver flowed seamlessly in the waves of pressure emitted by the form. My emerald green eyes shined brightly through the wall of energy that surrounded me, and then all the energy withdrew back into my being as I walked towards him.

"Well, what do you think?" Zephyr asked with a cocky smile.

"It doesn't matter what I think, all that matters is that you know how to use it." Uriel said as he lunged right at me with insane precision.

Immediately I summoned the devourer, quickly parrying his strike as the two blades clashed with otherworldly strength.

We both retreated, our gazes meeting each other with intensity. He vanished from my sight, appearing right behind me. I reacted quick enough to avoid his blade and the force released by his strike literally splitting the ground in two.

"Incredible."

Zephyr became a blur as he returned the attack two fold. Uriel blocked it as sparks of lightning emitted from their colliding blades. They were both sent back, but immediately rushed back towards each other without hesitation. Both speeding beyond the grasp of light itself, instantaneous bundles of explosive energy released all-round the heavens as their collisions shook the world to its core.

Endless flurries of sword strikes were seen from both sides, unrelenting in their attacks. Then Zephyr used the hand of god to hold Uriel down with an unbreakable grip, but the same force was immediately applied to Zephyr as well.

"Did you really think you were the only one that could that?" He said, smiling with ecstasy.

They both released the skill, rushing towards each other once again. Then Zephyr snapped his finger right before attacking, dark chains erupted from space itself, about to ensnare the archangel in their malevolent grasp.

They bound him in place as Zephyr approached, charging up a void blast as he did so. Uriel though simply smirked. He broke the chains as his wings spread out, then his body vanished appearing right before Zephyr with a golden aura engulfing him, with a single strike of his blade he knocked the devourer out of Zephyr's grasp.

"Dammit!" Zephyr roared, realizing the severity of the scenario.

Uriel was just about to strike him down, but Zephyr disappeared into the garment of reality.

"Stealth ah, such a basic ability."

He found him instantly, slicing across his chest and knocking him away. But this wasn't any ordinary sword strike, it managed to break apart Zephyr's ribs, destroying his heart in an instant. Zephyr lost his strength for a moment, coughing up a massive amount of blood as his innards splurged out. His hair lost its silver glow for a second but he quickly regained his senses.

Uriel though never gave him a chance, launching a massive Qi attack at him the moment he healed. Zephyr countered with his own divine Qi attack, and the two spheres clashed in a magnificent array of color, but Uriel was still stronger, his own Qi ball overpowering and absorbing Zephyr's.

"Perfect." Zephyr said.

"Reverse Spin."

The archangel was speechless; his attack was suddenly transformed into a crimson energy sphere.

"That's pure demonic energy. He really achieved such a feat!"

Zephyr then threw the attack back at him, catching the angel unawares, but without it being too much of a threat, he simply split it in half with a single strike, causing the two halves to explode behind him, releasing pure energy.

"That's enough for now." Uriel said, appearing right by Zephyr, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Zephyr then realized he came short of dealing any significant damage to the archangel. Accepting this shortcoming he relaxed his body, returning to his normal form.

"So what'd you think now?" I asked.

"Hmm, well you truly are an incredible once in a generational warrior. However, there are still many flaws holding you back from achieving perfection."

"Perfection? Nothings perfect Uriel." I retorted.

He smiled.

"While that may be true, perfection is the sole purpose of nirvana. I'm sure Circuitel has already told you about our Lords desire to achieve this state of being. Even the system through which you gained your strength was designed for that purpose."

A wave of shock came over Zephyr as another person was revealed to have known about Alex.

"Wait, you know about the system?"

"Of course, Circuitel and Michael had informed all the Archangels of it long ago."

I stood there worried, am I truly still not strong enough, after improving so much.

"When you use the form you treat it as some sort of power up, but aside from improved physical traits what else does nirvana grant you?" Uriel asked rhetorically.

I stood there in thought, and I realized that when I achieved nirvana for the first I had surpassed the concept of death, which aligns with what Circuitel first said about the forms boundless nature.

"I believe the reason my Lord could never achieve nirvana was because he wasn't mortal."

"What?" Zephyr said in surprise.

"A boundless being is one who has no limitations; one who was born with restrictions placed upon them by creation and sought to surpass those restrictions. My Lord was created with absolute control over all things, since the beginning he only ever looked down upon existence as he was the pinnacle of existence. His mindset never allowed him to feel restricted, as he was God so in the end he could never ascend beyond. You however as a mortal being were born weak, bound by things such as death, time, logic etc. Nirvana allows you to break through those concepts and ascend to a point where you lack them, a point where you look down on even the throne of God."

I gulped from the intensity of the situation. Being strong wasn't enough; I needed to be unbound from the limitations I was born with, but that's isn't as easy as it sounds.

"You managed to achieve the Reverse Spin, a skill which could potentially grant oneself unlimited energy. If you want to achieve understanding, I believe it's best you start from there." He said before folding up his wings, and heading back to towards the portal he forcibly made.

"Give it a thought Zephyr; I'll put my faith in you, just like I did in him." Uriel said before exiting the dimension.

Zephyr stood there dumbfounded by the influx of information he received, gazing upon his hands before clenching them tightly, a new fire lit in his eyes.

We follow Uriel as he arrives in one of the many rooms of the manor. He leaves the room, passing through the walls into a hallway, at the end of which is a large metal door. It glisters like any normal steel and has a blue translucent window panel shaped like a trapezoid.

He placed his hand on the door as it scanned his fingerprint and a red beam shone on his retina scanning it. The door then opened revealing the intense conditions within. Burning hot, dense steam billowed out of the room concealing Uriel from our sight. As it dispersed it revealed an advanced workshop which was visibly red hot. There were all kinds of contraptions and tools planted on the walls and tables, being far more complex than they seem.

Then we see the source of the extreme temperatures. Circuitel stood over a blacksmithing table wielding a golden hammer with intricate patterns on it. On the table was a piece of steel.

(A/N): This is divine steel which is simply just a much more durable version of steel, though it is made up of divine Qi instead of mortal Qi. While it may be hidden mostly, it is the supporting material welded within the marble walls of the manor, giving them enhanced durability.

With each strike of his hammer massive bundles of heat and energy were released, capable of incinerating anything foolish enough to stand against it. He stopped as soon as he noticed Uriel, wiping the metaphorical sweat of his head.

"It's not done yet."

"I can see that, but you should hurry up, we wouldn't want the Earth to be destroyed before he returns."

"Yeah, I know that so please let me be for at least a few more hours." The elderly angel groaned.

"Very well, I'll leave you be, I have other matters to attend to anyway." Uriel said before leaving.

"Go easy on them, they were ignorant and rash." Circuitel said.

"That is the more reason why they must be dealt with, as higher beings they are expected to behave accordingly."

*Sigh*

"Well, at least I tried."

Circuitel then dropped his hammer, picking up a plasma blade, cutting the flattened steel into perfectly shaped pieces that resembled the model for a heart?

Uriel after leaving descended into the lower chambers of the abode, meeting multiple guards and servants on the way there who all gave him due respect. He went beyond the last floor, heading into a basement of sorts. Following the many stairs that lead downwards we see that the basement looks the same as the structure above, though a lot smaller. He entered one of the many rooms, bearing an unpleasant expression, as his eyes displayed disgust.

In that room there were three figures, angels chained up like slaves, and by the look of things they had been down here for quite some time. Their arms and legs bound and pinned to the walls, metal locks placed around their necks as their heads hung low. The room was dark and unkempt, silent as none made a sound, then a brief noise gained their attention as a quick flash of light entered the room.

Upon noticing the appearance of the archangel their heads arose and their eyes perked up. The one in the middle began to speak. 

"Please Uriel, I beg of you release us." Arkiel pleaded, streams of tears running down his face.

Uriel however ignored his plea, unsheathing his blade as he faced them.

"You three had the audacity to cause such a scene at the crowning ceremony over a decade ago, count it as mercy I had left you be for a few years"

(A/N): Remember time passes differently depending on the realm.

"Your disrespect is unprecedented and puts into question the value of your existence."

They shuddered as he uttered those words.

"That is why from this day henceforth you shall no longer be commanders of the celestial army."

In a flash his blade moved cutting each of their wings in several pieces with ease. The angels cried out in agony and despair, filled with regret for their actions, but it was too late.

"As the highest authority in the heavens I renounce you three as angels from henceforth." He announced with a stoic expression.

Their chains broke apart, falling to the floor which signified their supposed freedom, but just as they were about to get up the pressure exerted on their body intensified, knocking then to the ground.

"And where do you think you're going? I'm not done with you yet." He said before picking the one on the left up by the hair, placing his other hand on his chest.

"No, please Uriel, we're brothers I beg of you." He screamed as he begged for mercy.

He charged a directed energy blast which spread throughout his entire body. The angel gasped, coughing profusely as he felt his power leave him, his core and dantians destroyed beyond repair. His eyes went blank as he lost all his strength, before being tossed to the side with a thud.

The other two looked on in horror at the actions of their elder brother.

"You really did it, you've disfigured him haven't you, you bloody monster." The one to the right articulated.

Arkiel however only looked on in horror at his fellow angel laying on the floor, his divine energy dwindling every passing moment, until he loses it all and fragments.

"How could you? We as angels need to continually absorb divine energy to live on, and now you've sentenced him to annihilation."

I smirked as he said this.

"No he still has a choice, the same choice given to every living being upon death, reincarnation."

This infuriated the downed angel even more, he was forcing them to choose between death and becoming mortals.

(A/N): Info dump ahead.

"When a mortal dies and they arrive at our gates for judgement they have two options. The good ones can choose to live in this realm or to become a new being with no past recollection on a random world. Celestial and demonic creatures may also choose to reincarnate, although they'd still have their past memories, they would still lose their strength."

Uriel then proceeded to grab the other one and do the same, ignoring his cries and screams as he stripped him of his birthright. Then he turned his attention to Arkiel, the ring leader of the trio.

"Very well, I'll accept my fate, but I'd rather die than become one of them." Arkiel said smugly.

"Hmm, I lied, you don't have a choice." Uriel said before punishing Arkiel in the same way as the others.

With his task complete he made a simple gesture which then proceeds to summon a key shaped item in his left hand.

"This is one of Circuitel's latest breakthroughs, Heavens Key."

From the name alone Arkiel could infer what the device did.

"So you've finally found a way directly open a portal to the mortal universe without the horn of war."

"Indeed, dimensional travel at its finest."

(A/N): To make some things clear there are two portals to the Celestial realm, heavens' gates and the temporary one created by the horn of war. When the Lord died the horn of war now had limited use, while the gates were sealed, explaining why the dead were always presumed to not have achieved peace. Reference chapter 5 the last few paragraphs. So when Uriel went to find Zephyr, he opened the portal created for war purposes and the gates of heaven as a side effect.

Uriel used the key, opening a golden portal which lead to a random planet with life on it.

"I will consider reinstating you three as angels if you live goods lives as the people of this world and meet the criteria to become residents of this realm." He said.

The former angels looked at each other, knowing that this was their last chance, and so they took it. Slowly heading into the portal one after another, but before Arkiel stepped in he stopped, looking back at the archangel.

"Aren't those who reincarnate given a special ability or boost in their next life?" He asked.

Uriel paused for a moment before thinking back to himself.

"Well once you reincarnate as morals you should have a new dantian in place, and as such could easily cultivate mortal Qi to become superior beings. That should be more than enough."

He grunted before heading in, as the portal closed behind them, leaving their fate a mystery to us all.

"Well, it's also about time the messenger angels resume their duties now that the gates are permanently open." Uriel said before heading off.

"And I wonder how far Zephyr has gone."