The aftermath of the battle left the group weary but alert. The mysterious man, Lucian, had vanished into the shadows, leaving behind only questions and unease. They gathered near the Glitch, which had been subdued but remained a reminder of the growing dangers they faced.

Seraphina wiped sweat from her brow, still processing the battle. She glanced at Victor, who had been unusually quiet during the fight. "Why weren’t you more involved?" she asked sharply, her curiosity barely hiding her irritation.

Victor, ever composed, smiled faintly. "I’m not much of a frontline fighter. I stay in the back, providing support when necessary."

Ariel, leaning against a wall, grinned. "Yeah, he’s more of a booster. He enhances my power, makes me stronger in the fight. He’s a businessman—likes to keep his hands clean."

Seraphina raised an eyebrow. "So, you just watch while Ariel does all the work?"

Victor shook his head. "Not exactly. I handle the bigger picture—strategy, coordination, deals. Ariel’s the muscle."

Ariel smirked, clearly enjoying the moment. "Yep. I’m the brawn, and he’s the brains."

Michael, silent up until now, turned to Seraphina. "You’re a fighter too. It’s in your nature."

Seraphina scoffed. "I’m not some trained soldier."

"You’re better than you think," Michael said flatly. "With time, you’ll see it."

Ariel chuckled, nudging Seraphina. "Don’t worry. You’ll be kicking Glitch butt in no time. It’s not all bad."

Victor’s expression grew more serious. "But we need to keep an eye on this Lucian character. He’s more dangerous than we thought."

Michael, though agreeing, felt a deeper sense of unease. There was something more sinister at play, something bigger that none of them had yet realized. He didn’t voice it, but the feeling gnawed at him.

The group parted ways for the night, but the looming threat still weighed heavily on their minds.

---

The next day started off like any other. Seraphina arrived at her office, already immersed in her work. Her father had been pleased with her progress, and today was supposed to be a smooth, uneventful day. But, of course, Michael had other plans.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

He showed up, unannounced as always, pestering her with questions about their next mission.

"You’re seriously determined to ruin my morning, aren’t you?" Seraphina snapped, barely masking her frustration.

Michael, leaning casually against her desk, shrugged. "We can’t afford to waste time. There’s something off about Lucian, and we need to be ready."

"I know that," Seraphina replied sharply. "But can’t you let me breathe for one second? Not everything revolves around Glitches and missions."

Michael remained unfazed. "If you wanted peace, you shouldn’t have signed up to work with an angel."

Seraphina glared at him, but before she could retort, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," she called, still irritated.

Her assistant stepped inside, holding a folder. "Ms. Blackwood, something’s come up. You might want to see this."

Seraphina took the folder, flipping it open. Her expression shifted from annoyance to confusion as she read through the report. "This can’t be right," she muttered. "Missing persons? A huge spike in the last week?"

Michael, sensing her unease, stepped closer. "How many are missing?"

"Too many," Seraphina replied, her voice growing cold. "This report says the number of missing persons cases has increased dramatically. And it’s not just here—it's happening in multiple cities."

Michael’s eyes darkened as he absorbed the information. "Lucian," he whispered. "It has to be connected to him."

Before they could discuss further, Seraphina’s office phone rang. She answered, her tone sharp. "Yes?"

"Ms. Blackwood, you need to know about something happening. The missing persons cases have been reported in the news—it’s spreading everywhere."

Seraphina hung up the phone, her mind racing. She turned to Michael. "This isn’t just random disappearances. There’s something more to this."

Michael nodded grimly. "We need to look into this, but quietly."

Just as they were about to leave the office, Seraphina’s phone buzzed with another message—this time from Victor. "We need to meet. Something’s wrong. The number of disappearances is even higher than we thought."

Seraphina and Michael exchanged a glance, the tension in the air thickening. Whatever was happening, it was bigger than they’d imagined. And Lucian was likely behind it all.

---

That evening, far from the office, Lucifer stood atop a building, surveying the city below. His gaze was focused, his mind calculating. He had been tracking the disappearances as well, though he hadn’t shared his findings with anyone yet.

Something about this felt different. It wasn’t just Glitches—they were dealing with something far more dangerous, something unknown.

Lucifer’s lips curled into a smile, though there was no humor in it. "I wonder how deep this goes," he murmured to himself.

As he prepared to dive deeper into the mystery, a familiar presence made itself known. God appeared beside him, his expression both amused and curious. "What are you up to, my wayward son?"

Lucifer didn’t bother turning to face him. "Just looking into something. It seems there’s a little trouble brewing."

God chuckled softly. "Trouble, you say? And here I thought you were just sightseeing."

Lucifer finally looked over at his father, raising an eyebrow. "I’m always sightseeing. But this? This is serious."

God’s eyes twinkled with mischief. "Ah, so serious that you’d actually lend a hand? Color me impressed."

Lucifer smirked. "Don’t get too used to it. I’m only helping because it’s interesting."

God’s grin widened. "Of course. You always did like things that piqued your curiosity."

As Lucifer prepared to leave, God called out, "Whatever you find, make sure you’re careful. There are things in play even I haven’t told you about."

Lucifer paused, glancing back at his father. "And why’s that?"

God winked. "Because it’s more fun this way."

Lucifer rolled his eyes but couldn’t suppress a small grin. He turned back to the city, ready to continue his investigation. The disappearances, Lucian, the strange Glitches—it was all connected, and Lucifer intended to uncover the truth.

---

End of Chapter 20