Dolph looked to the sky for some sort of sign from the gods, and narrowed his eyes to make out whatever those objects were that were floating above the festivities. He silently berated himself for not being more vigilant.
"Hey, whatcha lookin' at?"
"There's some strange things float-." Dolph spun around to the source of the energetic voice and found a similar object floating just a few inches from his face. "What in the name of the gods?" He motioned to poke the strange object.
"Hey! Watch where you put your hands," it snapped, the light shifting to bright red, causing Dolph to jerk his hand back.
"Sorry."
"Hmph. Okay," the light 'relaxed' to a blue hue.
"What are you?"
"I am an archon. Is your training lacking so much that you can't recognize a messenger from the gods?"
"I- I- I-," Dolph stammered.
"Will you please stop tormenting the poor boy," Mama Helga scolded the messenger.
"Yes ma'am. Sorry," despite it not having a face, it still looked downtrodden.
"No no, it's fine. The failure is mine for not remembering my lessons," Dolph bowed low.
"How's the festivities going?"
"Smoothly," Mama Helga reported proudly. "Any of them stand out to you?"
"I see a few auras I remember, plus a few new ones."
"Need I guess which one has your attention," Mama Helga asked with a knowing smile.
"He certainly has potential, but it feels strange."
"What are you two talking about," Dolph asked the two.
Before either one could answer his question, the runes surrounding the town center reached a nearly blinding level of brightness before dimming to a more tolerable level.
"Show time," the archon announced.
------
Jack wasn't sure when he last felt this carefree. He felt like he was dancing on clouds, the music uplifting his spirits into the heavens. The woman that led him into the dance had disappeared, but Jack didn't care so long as this feeling didn't leave.
But just as suddenly as he was enthralled by the music and dance, it ended and Jack felt like he was dropped suddenly upon the ground. He looked around at the people surrounding him for some kind of answer, some reason why his bliss was interrupted. He began to question the nearest person, before a warm feeling crashed over him like a wave over rocks and as it left him, Jack felt as though something was taken with it.
"What was tha-," his breath caught in his throat as his ever present ache in his back suddenly intensified and became more focused on his shoulder blades.
Nearby, Adrian and Gerald were also feeling the effects of the sudden absence of the enchantment that was surpressing their otherworldly heritage.
Adrian's skin tone darkened to a dark purple hue and a pair of stubby horns poked out of his forehead. Gerald however had his eyes become completely silver, iris, pupils, whites, all a solid silvery color, this was followed by his brown hair quickly changed to a silvery color as well. The people surrounding the two gathered around and offered congratulations to the newly revealed infernal and celestial.
However their congratulations were suddenly interrupted by a yell of pain. All eyes turned to the source of the scream, towards Jack who was on his knees and gritting his teeth. One person amongst the crowd took a step forward, but flinched as a pair of objects pushed violently against Jack's tunic. Each push tested the fabric further than the last, tears becoming wider with each push. Until, with one last momentous push, the fabric gave way with a loud tearing sound. Jack let out a sigh of relief and muttered a prayer of thanks that his pain was gone, but suddenly felt new sensations he had never felt before. Like regaining feeling in a limb that had fallen asleep, Jack stretched the phantom limb, and heard the crowds gasp and mutter anxiously amongst themselves. Jack, still bowed over on his knees, glanced at the corner of his eyes towards the surrounding crowd and saw their terror. Wondering what would make them so terrified Jack followed their gaze, looking over his shoulder and gasped. Emerging from his back was a pair of large feathered wings, but that wasn't what frightened him. It was the fact the feathers were nearly jet black in color. The color of a fallen.