"Who's that?" Hero asked, mesmerized by the angel. The only thing in the Smoke's face was terror.

Hero, no!

Smoke began dragging Hero impotently, but he was too enchanted and a bit blinded by the golden light to be moved. He moved towards the shining seraph with unshaking steps. He ambled towards the golden light with unbreaking vision.

Smoke tried to pull Hero from the seductive light, but its meager strength could not compete with Hero's. Smoke was dragged across the ground. Rocks sliced through Smoke's flesh as if a marshmallow.

"She is beautiful," Hero remarked. The golden light reflecting in his eyes, staining it. Smoke flailed its hands before the enchanted one in panic; the source of the light was mere meters away from Hero's face, blazing like a bonfire.

"Why thank you, Hero," the angel said. The angel turned and showed her lovely face. Her hair was a beautiful waterfall, flowing like the ocean, golden like the first rays of dawn. Her skin was soft like a marshmallow and smooth like glass. Her hands bore perfect delicate fingers sheathed in silk and silver gloves. In her back was six golden wings flowing like solar flares and brilliant as diamond.

Light was simply radiating from the angel's body.

Her face was just as angelic as all the other features. With shut eyes and a third one open in her forehead blazing like a furnace, she faced Hero. She opened her eyes...

Hero! Look away!

And golden light streamed out like from a lighthouse. The blinding aural light burned at Hero's skin and retinas. Smoke's flesh burned in the light, and quickly evaporated into thin air.

"You're... You're... majestic," Hero said, shielding his eyes.

"Hero's Prophecy, you have been called forth here by my gracious light. To be the hero to quell the darkness that plagues this world."

"I could hear the calling from miles away. The dark tyranny of Prometheus must be quelled. I suppose that the calling from you, Miss..."

"Friends of mine have called me Godmod and Jim, but you may call me by my full name, Gudmúndr. But you must know that the real perpetrator of the darkness upon the Imaginarium is not Prometheus, but his 'underling', Canon Fodder. He is under control by this wretched creature, charmed by its wicked magic."

"I see."

"You must go now, or else they will be prepared for you."

"But I do not have my sword."

"Tree and Smoke cannot be trusted. Both of them are agents of Prometheus. You must get your sword without catching their attention lest they alarm Canon Fodder."

"But, how may I do that?"

The angel smirked. "Do exactly what I tell you to."

~***~

Gudmúndr led Hero to a far side of town. They were surrounded by ruins of buildings, but amongst the rubble was one building still standing. It was a building made of concrete beams and wooden walls. A wooden tower with antennas at its top stood erect by its side...

Oh no.

Is everything fine?

"This is it, Hero. This is the base of Rator. He is a communications officer of Canon Fodder. He goes down, we cripple their information."

"Understood."

*Crash!* A multitude of noises could suddenly be heard from within the building. The sound of scraping metal, fallen furniture, and hammering emanated from within the walls.

Nar, may I ask what's going on?

Not now, B. A house invasion is about to commence.

The angel chuckled from the noises they heard. "It seems that he has detected us coming, Hero. Why don't you give him a good beating?"

"Leave it to me."

He began to pound upon the door. The mound of furniture and debris obstructing the entrance quivered as the mousey brown creature that resided in the house huddled in one corner.

The door shuddered at the assault. The pile of trashed furniture shook at the force that attacked it. Hero was strong, but the door prevailed.

"It seems to be blocked." The angel grimaced at that. Hero looked at her understandingly. "I will try the windows now."

The mousey creature internally screamed in fear. Lips miming the words 'Somebody save me'. The window shutters were weak compared to the solid door, fragile even. The creature didn't have anything enough to block entrance to all the windows. Eventually, one of the windows gave in, granting entrance to the intruders.

Hang in there. Help is on the way.

I would have screamed praises, but the fact that a beast under control of a demon of flaring light was upon me.

"We're in, Gudmúndr."

The creature shivered in terror. The twiggy arms clutched the azure fan that adorned its tail. Bones rattled as its muscles quaked, and mouth mumbling a description of slowly inevitable demise.

The blue beast vaulted the window. Gudmúndr floated right behind him. Her face plastered with a cruel desire to wreak violence upon the helpless creature before her.

Gudmúndr stepped forward and - Urk!

"Finally! Do you know how long I have been waiting for this time, Ms. Rator?"

Air! That hurts...

"Everything was perfect before. Everything! It was only me and the most precious Prometheus."

Everything... was perfect. The light... shone golden. Everything... was - No! Look away from the light.

"Then that worm came along. That excuse. That contemptible insect came."

Agh! Stop holding me like that! I need my rib cage to bre - Ack! H-Hero, help.

"You! Of all the plebeians, the villains, the mortals that would raze Perfect Creation, it was you, a Loftlander of all things. Why?!"

P-please. No hard feelings. I had no part in it. Please? It was all Prom -

My spine! My tailbone!

"By committing grievous treachery to my glorious light, you therefore shun your holy roots."

... We're not holy in the first place.

"It would've been a great joy to see you burn, squirm, seared by the golden light, but you're not worthy. Hero, beat him to a pulp."

Hero stepped forward while she turned.

Wait! No. Please? Hav- gruk -e mercy. Gwark.