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Chapter 20
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2024-10-29 19:42:56We left at dusk, the truck bumping along the rough terrain. Kenneth in the front with Liam, who was driving; the rest of us in the back. The earth was flat and brown, which would serve us well as we traveled under the cloak of night. Not wanting to turn our lights on, the level ground was a blessing we hadn’t counted on. Liam turned the wheel, heading west toward our target.
Nests were curious things, each one different depending on the inhabitants. We had surmised that the nests that were more aesthetically pleasing probably had an angel or two involved in them, whereas the sloppier ones were only Nephilim. If I had to describe it, I would say it appeared almost like a volcano, but more pronounced, the top of the opening easily as high as a four-story building. Usually a neutral color, gray, brown or a dark sandy type of color, these structures erupted from the Earth, forming a gaping maw. Sometimes
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Rise of The Fallen Chapter 21
Kenneth slammed into him, his wings flaring out and beating the air violently as he fought to push the angel back. They stayed there, locked into place, both of their wings unfurled and pushing against each other. And as low and smooth as an ocean undercurrent, I heard Shamshiel’s voice.“Son of Baraqel, why do you stand against me?” He asked, his face passive. Kenneth grunted.“I am no son of his” he spat out. “You and your children need to leave us alone!” Shamshiel laughed.“Is that what you think? Do you truly think all of us are after you?” One dark brow raised up in question.“Don’t try to trick us” Liam said, striding forward, katana drawn. His eyes were narrowed and sharp, scanning the angel.
Rise of The Fallen Chapter 22
This guy, I shook my head, he had known all along the effect he had on me. But why, why had he affected me and no one else; at least that I knew of.“You think you are pretty slick don’t you motherfucker?” I spat at him. His eyes feigned mock hurt.“I have no idea what you are talking about, little human” he was grinning. Grinning! Did angels even grin? I scowled unhappily, I was terrified being in the enemy’s nest, but I was also in a rage. And this damn angel was laughing about it, as much as I wanted an explanation as to WHY exactly I felt a pull towards him, I refused to give in. Folding my arms, I eyed him suspiciously.“Oh, you don’t? Then what was with that self-satisfied smile?” My voice pitched to sound haughty. He cocked his head, studying me; then a mi
Rise of The Fallen Chapter 23
That annoying angel. Grumbling, I kicked my boots off and sat down on the side of the bed. Chunks of dirt fell from the soles of them, littering the carpet with brown spots. I laid back, annoyed at how comfortable the bed was, and closed my eyes. Taking a few deep breaths, I tried to center and calm myself as best I could. I was ok, it would be ok; I was alive, and the rest of the team had to be as well. They had known that as soon as Shamshiel had me they were powerless, even Kenneth as a half-breed. I placed my hands on my lower stomach and inhaled deeply, a calming mechanism I had learned in training. Taking slow, deep breaths, inhaling for four and exhaling for four, I allowed myself to feel.The bed was soft beneath me, my clothes tight and constricting, keeping me grounded. I wiggled my toes, feeling the sensation of my socks slipping over them. Pulling my knees to my chest I gave myself a hug and si
Rise of The Fallen Chapter 24
Shamshiel was ahead of me, purposely slowing his quick strides so that I could keep up. He wasn’t a giant, but he wasn’t exactly tiny. He must have been around 6’7” or so. He moved with an easy grace, his body lithe, his black hair flowing down to his mid back looked like spun silk dipped in ink. His tunic was a deep blue that flowed to about his knees, black pants underneath. I had noticed that most here were wearing some sort of variation of lounge clothes when not dressed in uniform type clothing. It looked quite comfortable, quickening my steps I drew up beside him. “So, tell me, where can I get those?” I gestured to his outfit. “Would you like some?” He eyebrow raised, cobalt eyes meeting me. Those eyes, they made me feel like I c
Rise of The Fallen Chapter 25
My gaze immediately traveled upwards as I took in the room. The ceiling was domed, easily curving above us, and painted in a swirl of colors, pastels and metallics mostly. There were several groups of people gathered in various areas, and I noticed while there were tables and chairs akin to office furniture; no one was occupying them. Gesturing to the nearest table he pulled out a plush chair for me, and then sat down in the one opposite. He met my eyes, and the shock of his shining blue irises never got old. “So, feeling a bit more comfortable?” His voice was even, but there was a new undercurrent to it. “Define comfortable?” I asked and folded my arms across my chest. He gave me a one-sided smile.
Rise of The Fallen Chapter 26
VERITY I followed behind Usel, her long brown hair swaying side to side in front of me. She didn’t say a word, and neither had Shamshiel as I had left the room; however, I felt his eyes on my back as I had departed. Instead of being uncomfortable it felt normal, as if him having his eyes trained on me was as normal as breathing. I noted this in my mind but didn’t want to consider what it meant for me. Down and down, we went, the stairs spiraling even deeper underground, the walls gradually becoming rougher and rougher. Clearly, we were headed to a prison of some sorts, the dampness in the air and smell of human waste made that apparent enough. I covered my nose in an effort not to gag at the rancid stench, the woman turned around, her eyes icy as she looked at me with disdain. I met her eyes and held them, the challenge apparent. I looked away first, only because I began
Rise of The Fallen Chapter 27
Usel returned me to Shamshiel, who was at this point with Castor. The two men were bending over a table full of books and various bottles and vials of materials and liquids. His bright blue eyes met mine for a moment before flicking back down to his task. Unsure of what to do I seated myself on a nearby stool and watched the two men. Castor was hunched over a book, pencil in hand and scribbling furiously on a piece of paper, Shamshiel was studying the contents of a vial so hard his gaze may as well have bored a hole through it. I stifled a yawn; I had a lot to think about and had, what I considered, better things to do than watch these two pour over science stuff. Not that it wasn’t interesting, I just was not interested in it at the moment. I was tired, and beyond exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally. While I had been glad to see Devon, to know about him and everyone else, it was not the reunion I had expected. Yes, he had reason to
Rise of The Fallen Chapter 28
Cain. Cain and Abel. The first two sons of Adam and Eve. Cain was the oldest and a farmer, where his younger brother Abel was a shepherd. As the story went, the brothers made sacrifices to God, but God favored Abel's sacrifice instead of Cain's. Cain then murdered Abel out of jealousy, so God punished Cain by condemning him to a life of wandering. Cain then dwelt in the land of Nod, where he built a city and fathered a line of descendants beginning with Enoch. God also set a mark on Cain, so that anyone who killed him would suffer sevenfold vengeance. I looked at the man before me, I saw no mark, and I couldn’t deny his skills, so I could easily see him being a killer. Yet this wasn’t the land of Nod, and he certainly did not seem to have a son, much less sons. His smile twisted and became wry. “Yeah, that Cain” he looked sheepish for a moment
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Rise of The Fallen EPILOGUE
SEVERAL CENTURIES LATER CAIN “Come on Dad,” Vita taunted, flicking her long dark hair behind her shoulder. Her stance was low, feet planted firmly on the ground. I grinned at her, showing my teeth in a feral grin. My middle child was a feisty little spitfire of a Nephilim. She was so much like her mother, in looks and attitude; which is exactly why she and Yona fought constantly. Both of them headstrong, wildly intelligent and with tongues so sharp they could flay skin from bone. I glanced up briefly before lunging forward, quickly flipping her onto her back, not to be out maneuvered she landed a kick to my stomach that had me shuffling backward with the force. Beating her onyx wings she lifted herself up, a smile on her face. “Would you two stop dicking around?” My eldest son, Sabrael drawled, walking into the training ring. A small blonde human tucked up against him, her smile bright as she looked up at him. Sabrael too was a warrior like his sister, but where Vita was all bark
Rise of The Fallen Chapter 70
YONA His pain was cleaving my heart in two. This tortured, beautiful man across from me deserved so much more than he was allowing himself to have. His eyes shimmered with the pain of his loss, and the knowledge tore at my soul. He was mourning, and had been for centuries; but also couldn’t move on without feeling guilty. The struggle was written all over his face and I couldn’t hesitate lest it cost me. Leaning forward I cupped his cheek, my hand brushing over the rough stubble there, before I met his chapped lips with mine. He groaned at the contact, his hands fisting at his sides as he fought his urges. I knew, I could feel, he wanted this; me. Yet he thought himself unworthy, and he had to reach his breaking point before he gave in, a point I planned to push him to. My fingers gently traced a path down his arm, resting at his wrist, my tongue flicking at the seam of his mouth, begging for entrance. In a moment I was under him, Cain having lunged forward, his arms wrapped around
Rise of The Fallen Chapter 69
CAIN (Listen to HUSHH by AViVA for the vibe) Yona soared higher and higher, weaving in fluid motions through the sky. She was breathtaking, her dark hair fanning out behind her as her wings flexed and contracted; the appendages catching the light and revealing their true colors. She had come for me, I hadn’t thought she would; a broken man like me had nothing to offer her. The soul tie thrummed in my chest, demanding I go to her but I fought it; I knew it was useless and that it was dooming both of us. As time went on I became weaker, sicker and I knew she was suffering the same fate. It was selfish of me, but I couldn’t seem to help it, everytime I even thought of the tie, Verity's face swam in my mind and I was lost to my eternal grief. God's ultimate joke on me. Curse me, exile me, then give me a family only to rip them away before saddling my pathetic soul to some poor Nephilim. Not just that, one of Shamshiel’s descendants; so I could never truly escape nor be at peace. Wasn’
Rise of The Fallen Chapter 68
YONA The days blurred into weeks, and weeks blurred into months. Cain had left, nowhere to be found, not that I had really tried. He didn’t want me, not that I blamed him. From what I knew of Verity she had been exceptional. A strong, sassy woman, who was not afraid to put him in his place while rejoicing in all that he was. I wasn’t stupid, a connection like that would never be forgotten, replaced, or broken; even in death. He would fight this until the last breath I was certain, and in the meantime we both got to feel like shit. Castor was pumping me full of tonics and supplements, keeping my strength and nutrients up but it was only delaying the inevitable. I sighed and leaned forward on the table, needing a minute to collect my thoughts through the brain fog that had been getting thicker and thicker the longer this went on. “Yona,” my fathers voice cut through the room, kind and gentle. I hadn’t heard him even come in, but then again he had a tendency to sneak up on people. “D
Rise of The Fallen Chapter 67
YONA His eyes pierced through mine, becoming hard specks of ice as he drank me in. My feathers were ruffling in response to his scrutiny, as though trying to reassure him that it was ok. I slowly turned to fully face him, our eyes never leaving each other. Both of our hands moved to our chests, and I knew before I felt it, a soul tie, with Cain. I saw the rejection in his eyes, and felt my heart splinter at the same moment. Of course he wouldn’t be interested in fulfilling this, he had his one true love; a woman I could never compare to nor take the place of. Did I truly expect him to be happy? To fling himself into my arms and whisper sweet nothings in my ear? No. Cain was a man born of violence and bloodshed. A creature of all things dark and deadly. He wasn’t soft or gentle, he was wild and untameable; a man who only yielded to those who deserved it. As she had. Yet we both knew the consequences if we didn’t allow this bond to happen. Would he be so cruel as to force me to suff
Rise of The Fallen Chapter 66
YONATWO CENTURIES LATER “ You know that’s the wrong color for that don’t you?” Castor asked me as I furiously ground the herbs in the mortar. I looked up, grinning at the old Nephilim who sat on a stool beside me. “Oh I know, but I added in some extras for an experiment,” I said around a smile. He laughed, his low chuckle warming my heart. Castor was ancient at this point, he had been old when I was born and it didn’t take a genius to know he didn’t have another century in him. He had been young when he knew Shamshiel, my fathers father, and had begun to age quicker once both of his wings were lost to him. Angels didn’t age, but Nephilim did, being that we were half human. Despite that our life spans were quite long, most Nephilim lived until 600 years or so. Castor would tell me stories of my father from when he was growing up, and quite the pain in the ass. He spoke of the war torn society of that time, of Shamshiel and his many children. Of a time when an angel or Nephilims goal
Rise of The Fallen Chapter 65
LIAM THREE YEARS LATER I looked out the office window, drinking in the mostly barren landscape but pleased to note several small looking saplings, their greenery a welcome sight. The attack on us three years ago had turned out to be widespread, from the Officials and fallen that were aligned with them. Their goal had been to wipe out the things in their way. Mainly us and the “friendly” angels. Of course women were to be taken captive, with the goal of procreating. As in all wars the humans were divided, many defected, choosing to join the side they thought was winning. Our base had gone down significantly in number, but now that the Officials were no more and the fallen aligned with them were mostly gone we could focus on repair. The remaining opposing forces had fled, and once we had regrouped we hunted them down like the dogs they were. Eliminating the angels and Nephilim, and jailing the humans who came willingly. As the years passed we dealt with them on a case by case situation
Rise of The Fallen Chapter 64
CAIN No one at the nest had been happy about my appearance, again their instincts warned them to stay away, that I was dangerous. They skirted me warily, all except the infuriating angel. I didn’t require much, a place to lay my head and the basics, as such I had been given a room close to the training area. It worked out well, I was able to unleash my violent tendencies there without harming anyone. My room was plain, cavern like, a pallet and not much else. Shamshiel had recognized my inherent need to wander as well, and made use of that. Sending me on longer missions either by myself or with a small group of Nephilim. Over the centuries his offspring got used to me, to my curt personality and rough ways. Eventually they would come to spar with me, and Shamshiel would sometimes watch, a smug smile on his face like he’d done me a favor. In a sense he had, the gaping hole that had been eating away at my soul was slowly closing. It wasn’t exactly a friendship, but whatever it was it w
Rise of The Fallen Chapter 63
CAINI felt the bond sever the moment Shamshiel took his last breath. It felt like my heart had a bitch of a cramp, not like the searing pain when Verity’s was snuffed out. This was quieter, subtle, just like the man himself. Leave it to the damn angel to try to sneak out of this life without me. Anger and rage poured out from my throat, my head angled back at the sky, the spines of Kokabiel’s wings slipping from my hands and slamming onto the ground. It just wasn’t fair, why did he have to die? Why wasn’t it me? I wanted to die, why, why was he taken instead? Hearing my raw screams the angels Shamshiel had left to guard the nest came flying quickly. After all, I was maybe a half mile away at this point and this asshole had the audacity to die on me. The sound of wings ripping through the air assaulted me right before I took a forearm to the throat. A croaking noise came from me and the breath was forced from my throat, the angel glanced down before realizing who I was and promptly dr
