Angel's Fall First

He killed them all, one by one, one third of Heaven's army have fallen. One by one, one third of Heaven’s souls were now in his possession. So close, just a few more and he will have enough power to save her.

The gate of Heaven stood precariously on chipped pillars as its blue eye stared back immovably at the angel’s wings, shrouding its gaze in its shadow. His heart pounding, the angel marched hungrily toward the gate, his hand reaching for the portal’s edge.

“No!” With a heartrending scream a burst of flames emerged from the twilight and crashed into him, burning his skin, boiling his blood, searing his wings. The angel ignored it.

“Not another step further Lucian!”

Walking calmly from the smoke, a face revealed itself within the wreckage, his armor radiating brilliant silver, and eyes glowing in pure light. Setting his sword ablaze, the flame cut through the dust, parting it to the side.

Looking up, Lucian saw the full force of Heaven’s Army hovering above him. They did not move nor have any intention to attack and Lucian knew why as he looked down at his opponents eyes.

“Move aside Michael.” Lucian demanded.

Alighting an inch of the ground, Michael’s wings quickly fanned out and his skin became more translucent as white aura washed across his body. “By the order of the Almighty, no one shall free Gaia. Not even you.”

“His order or a decision made by your own freewill?”

“That’s not important. What you’re doing is madness!”

“It makes no difference!” Lucian bit out.

“This is not like you Lucian! I beg you stand down. Remember why she’s doing this. Gaia wouldn’t want our world to be…”

“Then why? Why did you take her away from me? Why not take me instead?”

It was a question he asked himself so many times over again. It was they not God who chose her fate. He only knew that with her power his world will be spared. “Because it is her destiny!” Michael now replied. “It is the only way!”

“You lie!” Lucian’s eyes flared. “My power is enough to have saved this world. All of you just want her dead, because to you she is too different, too powerful, a being not worthy to exist in this world!”

Without waiting for a reply Lucian suddenly pointed his hand as brilliant crimson and orange darkness leaped up, flashing in terrible power, his sword came forth, its blade trained at the very center of his opponent’s heart.

“Right now I possess a third of Heaven’s power and with it…”

“Don’t do this!”

“I shall take her back!”

With a quickening pulse, Lucian leaped forward, his sword about to slice through his opponent’s neck. Michael responded instinctively, and their swords clashed, lashing out in a wave before sound could be placed. “Once I kill you I will have enough power to save her!”

It happened too fast. With a loud crash, Michaels back hit one of the gate’s pillars. Its surface began to crumble as he gripped tightly to his sword, his hands began to tremble, he was about to give in. No…he can’t give in. For the sake of his world he can’t give in! “You Lucian shall not go a step further!”

Immediately his wings emerged to his side, cloaking Lucian in an ethereal cage. Like a blade it slashed through the air and plunged to the very core of Lucian’s sword, quickly impaling itself into his chest, breaking through flesh, piercing straight to Lucian’s heart. “Why did you have to do this? Why did you betray us all?”

Looking into Lucian’s eyes, Michael expected an answer before death, instead his own eyes widened in shock. For he saw not the realization of death but only bitter hatred as Lucian’s eyes blazed red.

“Why? Because she is the only one…I can truly love.” Immediately Lucian grabbed the edge of Michael’s wing, twisting it away. “She is the only one I am willing to protect!”

With a sudden flash, Lucian’s gaze bordered into chaos, knocking Michael savagely up into the air. Michael thought he cried out as the blast shattered through his sword, ripping away parts of his wings, dissolving in a rain of ash

But the process was almost complete, with Gaia’s soul his world will be spared, he mustn’t let Lucian come a step further! Immediately he flew higher into the sky and raised his hand above him. The ground began to shake as rays of light began to collect within his outstretched hand. With his remaining strength, he must not let him pass. Even if it meant destroying himself!

Michael closed his eyes, summoning the power of Heaven itself. The energy whirling, spiraling austere white “Lucian…”He opened his eyes. “I will see you beyond the gates of Hell!”

And Michael released its might…

The army stood frozen, scarcely believing what they beheld. For out of the red sky came a single tight beam, lancing down from the clouds, colliding to the ground where Lucian stood.
…

“Lucian...”

The world where Gaia now lay was hazy and unclear. Her body encased in claws of silver-steel, imprisoning her soul in chains of light. Her pupils flicker as her face fell into tears, she could not move, could barely think yet her voice still tried to plead. 

“Please…runaway…”

He was coming, she felt it, his pain, his anger, his sadness, all mirroring the wound in her heart, and he was close, too close. She hoped Lucian wouldn’t come. She hoped he would stay away. Why can’t he understand? Why can’t he see that this was her fate? The end was coming; Heaven was about to fall, about to consume itself. In order to save Heaven, in order to save Lucian, she must sacrifice her soul.

Still Lucian persisted.

“Our promise…” Weakly she raised her arm “Why must you keep it?” Only to drop, “Why must you let yourself suffer?” As the chains began to tighten, plunging her into its sorrow, taking possession of her soul. “Why won’t you runaway?”

There was no hope, no God on whom to call, nothing but the certainty of death. Her pleas rejected, her voice nothing more than a murmur to the outside world. The eyes of Heaven closed against her but something in her heart, something in her soul wanted him to come. If he was not there...what was there to save?

“Please anyone. Please let me go. Please let me- Ah!”

Suddenly pain invaded her body, cycling through her as if the energies were one. Her body seemed to shatter, about to collapse. Again she shouted out to him! Somehow, Someway, Lucian must hear her! “Lucian!”

At the same time Lucian was being burned, torn to shreds, his life becoming frozen, about to be consumed by the flicker of death!

Resisting the pain, Gaia struggled to free herself, she no longer cared. Her oath now a distant memory, she must protect Lucian!

Electricity seemed to pulse from her body; the waves of raw energy tore away the chains, obliterating the claws that held her for so long. A blue portal began to rip open. Her screams of desperate misery now rang through all of Heaven’s ears, destroying what was once left of her prison.

…

Immediately the world froze in an instant and stretched for a moment that not even the Angels could perceive. A scream can be heard shattering time, a second looked more like infinity.

The army suddenly saw a diamond spire appear from the horizon, colliding with the pillar of light. Vines of glass immediately looped below, wrapping the pillar like shackles, clawing up to the clouds like serpents.

Michael was their last hope, to fight Lucian they gave Michael their power and now they can only look on helplessly as their savior fell from the sky.
…

“Lucian Wake up. Wake up.” A hand shook him and his eyes flew open into a world of white marble.

“Gaia…” He looked up unsure. Blue eyes and black hair, her beautiful face…it was her.

She took his hand and kissed the fingertips gently as tears began to fall on her cheek. “Please Lucian…please runaway…”

Reaching up, Lucian struggled to caress her cheek. “No…I can’t…not…not without you.”

Almost immediately, Gaia bent her head against his palm, her gaze becoming more distant. “It’s too late for me now.”

“Th-there’s still time…”

“Please Lucian. Forget about me. Please runaway. Please…” Her image began to fade.

And was replaced with…death. “Gaia!”
…

Michael felt weakness now surging through his body. He tried to stand only to stumble back to his knees. He saw it. With his very own eyes he saw Gaia, protecting Lucian. How was that possible?

Immediately he heard a voice cry out, a hoarse scream of agony, calling out to the very woman’s name. He saw Lucian slowly get up, dark mist rising before him. They have failed, he has failed. Gaia’s soul was no more.

And this time Michael stood up. Tainted red from his face to his once silver armor, he took his broken sword from the ground. Forgetting pain, vanquishing hope, ignoring fear, his sword flared with fiery light renewing its edge and he charged straight to Lucian with lightning speed. Even if his world might come to an end, he can’t let Lucian win!

Michael thrust his sword towards him only to crash into Lucian’s hand. The Fallen’s blood now staining both men, still Michael’s sword persisted. “Why won’t you give up?” Michael shouted. “It’s over. All is lost. Are you so willing to sacrifice everything for her? What about your duty? What about your promise? What about our world!”

“She is my world!” Lucian’s voice now seethed with rage, burning with fury. “A day, an hour, a minute, even if I can only be with her a second longer, your world means nothing. I will not let you take her!” His wings were fully spread, bathing the two in its black flame.

Michael struggled in the fire as it melted his sword and armor with its touch. “What are you doing?”

“Mark my words Michael. Someday our kind will pay. We will all pay. And I shall watch your soul suffer beyond Heaven’s Gate!” With those last words Lucian was gone as Michael’s world fell into darkness.

Michael suddenly caught himself stare into the sky, filled with twinkling stars. And there before the sky was again engulfed by day, he saw a lone blue jewel form in the night, small and fragile…a beauty consumed by both darkness and light.

“Gaia…”