After passing through the portal to Lostlight, the pain in my chest suddenly came again and stronger than the last time, for what I could remember. Death was telling me just to calm down so I could concentrate on making that pain fade away.

It felt like it wouldn't pass and stay there to bother me the whole time. Death had to put me in the ground, leaned in one of the big roots there. The Crowfather was there, obviously, and offered himself to help after speaking briefly to the Rider.

Just one touch and I felt like nothing happened, getting up almost instantly "You know what's happening to me, don't you?"

"Of course I do, but it is not up to me to tell you. You shall discover it soon enough"

I rolled my eyes, breathing heavily, as Death glanced at me "You should stay here and rest while I go. It seems that my target is that tower"

"There will be a wave of corrupted angels to fight you. I want to help"

"You'll end up killing yourself" He sighed "If you want to go, fine, just don't say I didn't warn you"

I walked past the two of them, snorting "I am more resistant than you think. A little bit of pain won't kill me" crossing my arms, I waited where the roots ended for Death to bring Despair. It was a hell of a way until we could reach the base of the Crystal Spire.

After so many times I had to mount on Despair, now I could do it without help. I was already used to the way the steed gallops, so I just had to use my body to keep myself from falling, but Death's arms around me still made me feel as he was keeping me from falling.

Lostlight was more beautiful than the worlds we've visited before – only two, but still... – and I couldn't imagine it would be so... Heavenly. The outpost of Heaven had only one visible tower for now, but I knew that the Ivory Citadel was northeast or something from there, reachable only for those capable of flying. And I new that there could be another place around that only winged ones could go, but if that place really existed I don't know what if is or how to get there.

Anyway, the only place that mattered for us was the Ivory Citadel.

When we got to the ivory path that connected that 'road' to the entrance patio from the Crystal Spire, Despair whinnied and looked to the sky, giving us the hint of corrupted angels flying in our direction.

Jumping out of the horse, Death prepared to attack and so did I.

The wave of corrupted angels was easily defeated, but other rose from nothing and soon we were cornered. Not that it would be a problem, it would just take longer to end than the necessary.

But a bulky angel appeared in the sky, flying around the field and murmuring something for himself. I realised that he wasn't corrupted and he landed beside us right next, helping with those bad pigeons.

The fight didn't last much longer and soon the only thing left was blood and blackened feathers.

"Welcome to Lostlight, Rider – from one warrior to other"

"Do I know you?" I think that for everything Death has already lived, was hard to remember everyone.

"I'm Nathaniel. I fought beside you at the gates of Eden. Would've died, were not for your blades" He made a pause "But I'm not troubled that you don't recall me. Your thoughts that day were on killing the Nephilim"

"You're of the Hellguard" Death concluded

"I was... But I guard the light now. And the Archon. You'll find both in the Crystal Spire, but something tells me you're not here to glory in my master's radiance."

"What gave that away?" He asked, ironically.

They kept on talking as I started to walk around. Dust gently landed in me and started to bite some locks of my hair, but I was absorbed on the magnificence of that place. At the same time it was astounding, it made me feel like I was in a calm day in some farm, beyond the reaches of the polluted city, bringing me such an inner peace that I forgot what I was doing for a while.

The Crystal Spire was a tall building, taller than any skyscraper you can find on Earth back in the day, but still the wind was strong enough to blow leaves to the top of it, making a light brown trail where they met the floor. Some statues were disposed on both sides as I searched and of course I couldn't know who they were showing.

I was walking so absent-mindedly that I didn't even feel Dust flying out of my shoulder, and if it wasn't for Death, I could've found death on its literal meaning as I was almost walking to the edge of a cliff. "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing, actually"

He put me far from the edge and started to walk "Thinking about nothing will eventually kill you" I could hear him sighing. I don't know, but sometimes I can feel the people around me, and he seemed a bit tired, even if his pose or his way of speaking didn't show it. "Let's go"

"We'll make a pretty good travel after here..." I sighed "Can I rest a bit?"

He looked up ate the top of the tower "Take your time"

My eyes closed after I leaned over a pile of leaves hard enough to don't get down and fluffy enough to be comfy. That time it wasn't a simple dream, it was a vision I didn't have before. I knew that, eventually, we would go to Lostlight and go to Earth in order to get out of there after it, going to the realm of the demons, but I never knew why or how – once why was a little obvious. I was about to discover.

My vision showed me a tower in Lostlight, that I realised to be the Crystal Spire, a bulky angel in the base, Nathaniel, and then an angel on the higher level of said tower. He was wearing a hood and his face was pure light, he had a double pair of wings and he was holy beautiful. For a moment, in the vision, I could almost feel myself safe just to be staring at him. Probably that was the Archon.

But he started to say some things that looked like random words coming from a mad. 'Protect the key' 'from everyone' 'it is mine!' 'he will open the Well'

While he was talking to himself and looking to what appeared to be a pool, I could well see his holy bright light getting dark and impure, making me realise that he was corrupted

'I need the Rod to purify my Citadel...' He said on what appeared to be a moment of consciousness 'But I can't go to Earth, otherwise I will never be allowed to come back' He walked around his pool 'Maybe I could ask the rider. He won't deny it. Is for the sake of the Citadel...'

'No!' He screamed 'He will come looking for the key! Kill him right away'

'Maybe I could deceive him...' He started to walk one way to the other "Jamaerah went out of his mind... perhaps he could make it..."

The vision then got blurry and ended up with the Archon falling in the white nothingness from a suspended platform that could stand for itself.

Of course I connected one thing to the other. And I woke up right after it, seeing Nathaniel by my side "Any better?"

"Where's Death?" I asked, unintentionally ignoring his gentle question, hand in my head as that vision gave me a good headache as a gift.

"Up there" He pointed to the top of the tower "He wanted to speak with the Archon. Make the time useful as you were resting and he wasn't going to do anything..."

"Shit... I've just had a vision... I need to tell him" I stood up.

"He went to Earth already, human..." Nathaniel looked at me as I was a stranger from another planet "What do you need to tell him?"

I sighed, looking up "Could you get me up there?"

"If you wish so" He gently smiled and picked me by my waist, showing that even a man of his brutal size can be gentle when needed. He left me in the stairs leading to were the Archon was standing and flew away after I thank him.

I ran up the stairs when I heard Death's voice "Be careful what you wish for, Archon. You just might get it"

"The Rod of Arafel! I have been waiting... so long"

"No, Death! Don't give it to him!" I screamed, but when I got there was too late. The Archon was already wielding the Rod with its power as well and had already made use of it to clear the entire realm of the darkness within it. But I could see his face beyond that light involving him. I could rely on my visions so they were right until then.

"Who are you, child?" The Archon asked.

"I'm the one who knows the truth behind this false light if yours"

Death then knew what I was talking about. By his glare, I knew he wanted to hear what I had to say "You dare say such a blasphemy against the purest?"

"Of course I dare" I smiled "He is corrupted, Death. He has the angel key. He was trying to deceive you so you wouldn't discover" I crossed my arms "Enough of people deceiving us. I can see the future, so you won't be able to lie"

"It... Is... Mine!" The Archon screamed, like he didn't even wanted to try defendinf himself, and Death drew his scythes. The angel sighed and looked at us "Even if he wanted me to, I couldn't destroy the key. Surely you can understand, Horseman!" He leaned forward "I did what I had to do!... Opened the Well... Protected the key... From the questions they asked... And from you." His light then begun to show the corruption he had on his own heart "Only I may bare the key!"

He used the Rod to attack us, but the first strike hit me instead of the Horseman. Even with my efforts, and Death's, it sent me flying from that floor and the lower level started to get closer and closer In a matter of seconds. The attack itself hurt a bit, but the fall would certainly kill me. I don't know what happened then, as I didn't have any means to make the fall stop and hit hard the lower level. Luckily it was just the second one before the Archon's, but for a human... Well, I thought I died, once I passed out as soon as I heard bones breaking.

Though dying doesn't include dreaming or having visions.

So no, I wasn't dead, but I wanted to be.