The Fall

Chapter 2

"Ma'am, you need to lay down and rest!" Nimue tells me, trying to guide me back to the bed she assigned me.

"Nimue, I am fine. I am more than capable of getting up," I tell her, setting a hand atop hers. "My father is going to be suffering far worse wounds once he awakens, so I must be prepared for that."

Nimue frowns and sets her hands on her hips. "You are one stubborn angel."

"I am no longer an angel. God hath cast out this babe and family for God hath no mercy," I tell her, sitting on the bed next to my father.

Father may be asleep, but he is not resting well. His face is pale and sweat covers his skin.

I take his hand and squeeze it gently. As I do, I feel pain prickling across my skin. I bite my tongue to silence any noises. As I rub my hand across his forehead to wipe away his sweat, Lucifer's coloring begins to come back. I gently stroke his cheek.

"Drac," he breathes softly.

Squeezing his hand, I remain silent, knowing if I say a word, he will wake up.

"Ma'am, your brother is awake now," Nimue tells me, resting a hand on my shoulder.

I nod and rise from the bed, letting go of my father's hand. I walk over to Amon, setting my hand on his forehead.

"How are you feeling?" I ask him, wiping away some dirt on his face.

"It still hurts, but I think it is better now," he tells me, trying to grab my hand.

I catch his hand gently, squeezing his small hand. I press a soft kiss to his hand. "Do not worry. You shall be fine," I tell him, rubbing the back of his hand slowly.

A weak smile graces his lips. "Thank you, sister," Amon says, closing his eyes.

Setting his hand on the bed, I stand up and face the door. "Nimue, I need to go out and dispose of the bodies."

Nimue stops and turns to me. "My dear, you should not leave yet!" She clutches my tattered robe, shaking her head violently. Her hair whips about her face. "You still need to rest!"

Resting a hand atop hers, I tell her, "I must, for if I do not, they will haunt my days."

Nimue stares at me, clenching her first around my robe before releasing me. "Just be careful," she finally relents.

I nod and open the door to the hut. Stepping out, I nearly gag on the scent of sulfur and ash. Gazing around, I notice, in the daylight, what I thought had been dirt is actually just ash. Kneeling down, I run my fingers through a few inches of ash.

"Is this all because of the war?" I mumble to myself, standing up.

I can see multiple bodies littering the ground ahead of me. Wincing inwardly, I walk over to them.

Some of them twitch, with no energy to move, yet still grasping onto life. With those, I hold their hands and take the pain from them for the last time.

I can feel their agony and suffering coursing through my body, like ripples across an undisturbed lake. I grit my teeth to bear the pain, as my work has only just begun.

Standing at the edge of where my fallen comrades and enemies lie, I lift my hand, facing outward towards the bodies. I close my eyes and feel the wave of heat blast my face as I burn the bodies.

My heart aches as I watch the bodies disintegrate into ash and dust.

As the fire begins to die down, I turn away from the pyre. I gaze out at the vast, empty landscape before me.

What is this place?

I look up at the sky, noticing that it looks a bit foggy and murky the higher I look.

My eyes return to the ground, where I notice a few figures creeping around some nearby rocks.

"Hello?" I call out, walking towards the figures.

They skitter behind the rocks, peeking out to regard me with suspicion.

I stop near the rock and squat down. "Be not afraid, for I will cause you no harm."

One of the figures creeps out from behind a rock. With a body as small as a cherub, with leathery wings and tiny black horns peeking out from under fluffy mousy brown hair, the small child-like creature approaches me.

Reaching my hand out in a nonthreatening manner, I observe the child carefully as they sniff me.

"Who are you?" The child asks, eyeing me with suspicion. "You are new and different."

"My name is Lana. I hail from Heaven, where I once lived in peace with my family, before being cast out. May I ask what this place is called?"

The child looks at me, then back to the other children hidden behind the rocks. "This place has no name, but we call it 'Silence'," the child tells me, looking back at me.

I nod. "Will you be so kind as to show me around?" I ask, tilting my head.

The child steps back a bit, perhaps in shock. "N-no!" They cry out. "You will kill us all!"

The other children begin sobbing, further hiding behind rocks.

I shake my head. I open my hands, palms facing upwards. "I already promised I would not harm you," I say, watching them. "I just wish to see more."

The child looks startled. "Y-y-you promise not to kill us?"

"I will not kill you," I reply. "I just wish to see more of this place. I need to know what this place looks like."

The child, now placated a bit, reaches their hand out to me.

I gently take it, feeling a slight tremble when our skin makes contact together. I gently squeeze their hand. I am immediately pulled in one direction, followed by the other children.

As we walk, I ask, "I have told of my name, will you tell me of yours?"

The children look up at me, before the first one claims they have no names.

Children without names. Even angels are given names, for how else could they be called upon.

"How about I give you a name then? Each of you?" I ask, watching them.

"You would do that?" The child asks.

"Of course. Every creature deserves a name, no matter who or what they are."

"I'd like one then!" The child exclaims with excitement.

"Then I shall call you Shiva," I tell them.

Shiva grins with uncontained glee. "I love it!"

A soft smile spreads across my face. The four other children run up to me, each grasping onto my arms, begging for a name of their own.

As I name them, each is as excited as the last, enjoying having something of their own for the first time.

Thoth, Naamah, Ishtar, and Baphomet squeal amongst each other, running off in the direction we are headed.

Shiva grips my hand tighter, dragging me behind them with a small skip to their step.