It had not been long since the earth became a place for humans and angels alike. With humans stepping into the sky's domain there was no need for the angels to remain above. In order to protect their secrets they locked within their walls, they joined the humans on the ground. However, things were not as they seemed and before long the angels, which were strong proud filled creatures, began to lose their strength and in turn their feathers. Afraid of becoming human, the angels retreated into the skies above with a promise to stay involved with the humans. However, when the humans asked they received no answer as to how and thus, left it mystery, the humans continued their lives.

The government, which was constantly trying to figure out the angel's plot struck upon the sky's door demanding an answer. With no answer behind the doors they forced their way in. They were left to find that the place was deserted of all life, with the only proof of the angel's existence left in the foundation itself. It was but a ruin in the sky. A ruin with the walls' drawings destroyed, papers burned, and any possible trace that would allow humans to understand the life of an angel gone. Sixteen years later humanity now has given up finding information from the Ruin City in the Sky and have all but given up their search for where the angels could have fled to. In order to find their answers, they turned not to the sky but the ground below their feet for if the angels in 'heaven' were real surely the angels in 'hell' should be too.

~ ~ ~

"It was a little over sixteen years ago when our government made it back up to the City in the Sky. According to previous accounts the city was full of murals, books, maps, and stories from the beginning of time. However, upon the second return all of those artifacts were gone, either destroyed or taken. Our government continued their search with the rest of the world for fifteen more years and then on the dawn of the sixteenth year a message was announced to all of the world. The governments of the world stated they would give up on their search for the angels in the sky and for the past four months there has been no development or findings to stir a search again." She turned her attention away from the class and to the board. On the board the older women wrote, Theories around the 'search'.

The sound of flipping paper resounded in the classroom. "Now. Many different groups of people have made various claims against the government, ridiculing the government for lying about dropping their search for the angels. Such groups claim that it is humanly impossible to discontinue the search for a race of creature we have never known to be real until sixteen years ago. When groups are asked about how the government could be continuing their search, most have no answer."

The woman turned to the students, "there is one group, known as Lucius who do have a very strong case for how the government could continue their search. Does anyone know the idea that Lucius has?" There was a moment of silence in the classroom. "This idea," the woman continued, "is very well feared by many people due to its validity." Silence struck again. A grim feeling filled the room.

From the back of the room there was a laugh. All attention turned towards a young girl in the back of the room. "Why are you guys so depressed." She wiped the tears from laughter out of her nearly black eyes. She then turned serious, staring at the teacher in such a way it looked like she was staring into her soul. "It's only 'hell'." The girl spoke as she merely brushed back her long black hair, "not like it's really like the hell of the bible. After all heaven wasn't so what makes you think hell will be?" 

I don't get it. Why are people so scared because of something a crappy old book says. It's not like it was right the first time so like hell it will be right the second time.

"Did you hear? The Darkness Queen got in trouble again in History class again."

It's always the same thing day after day.

"Apparently she was taking the entire lecture as a joke again. Laughing about hell or something."

Spreading their rumors, talking about others to pass the time. All while ignoring more important issues right in front of their face.

"What do you want to bet she's secretly from hell."

"Ha! You are probably right."

How ignorant and stupid humanity is never ceases to impress me.

"It's no wonder the angels just up and disappeared on you." I couldn't hold back my sneer to the gossiping girls behind me. "You all are too stupid to even work with." However, I knew my efforts were fruitless. There would be no benefit to shutting up two of the countless students who made their day talking about my failures. It was like reaching the end of a never-ending labyrinth, impossible. For later that day they would just talk about something else.

"What are you even talking about," They snipped at me as threatening as they could before huffing away muttering freak under their tongue.

"Maybe think of something more original next time," I sneered at them again, consumed in my desire to bring forth their negative emotions. So filled with a goal to show every imperfection possible. After all, compared to the angels they try so hard to find, they were just small impacted specks on a map.

Their aggravated moans were clear enough in the near empty hallways of a school with its final class already started. A class I wasn't about to sit through, one morning of torture was well enough for the day. If times were different enough I wouldn't even have to sit in one of those god forsaken classrooms. I wasn't lucky, so to speak, so I was stuck there. Not today, the door was calling my name as I was only a few measly feet away.

"Where do you think you are going Miss Erebus." Like I said, it was my luck.

"Away from here." Out of all of the faculty in this distorted place, he had to have been the worse. Nothing could skip by him, even a fly was caught once his eyes noticed it. Humans like him really showed the worth inside human.

"You are aware that there is still fifty-five minutes left in school Miss Erebus." Hearing my last name constantly roll off his tongue made me remember that thanks to him, my name when from Black Haired Devil to Darkness Queen. After all Erebus was Darkness in Latin.

"Yes, Mr. Lucanius." While his last name meant light. The exact opposite of mine. Some part of me wants to laugh and connect him to that group Lucius for the closeness of name but this man was far from a government conspiracy theorist.

"Then pray tell, where will you be going?" He asked me like I was going to change my answer.

"Home."

"I will only ask one more time before home will be the last place you will go." His voice was ever so stern. Even I couldn't help but twitch a little, his deep human voice quiet terrifying compared to most. I'm pretty sure I could report him for threatening me but that would be too simple. I would rather watch him squirm in pain and torment. "Where will you be going?"

I wasn't going to get out this. One more notice and my adoptive mother would kill me, or at least put me back up for adoption. "Class."

"That's more like it." His triumph voice made me sick, however his pride made me pleased. Pride another one of those human faults I love so dearly. "Now go."

"Yeah, yeah." My classroom happened to be at the other end of the school and with my plan I could get there with merely thirty minutes left in class.

"Miss Erebus." Mr. Lucanius's deep voice bellowed out at me. "I would learn to follow the order before you end up in hell with Satan. Unless of course you want to spend your time down there with Lucifer instead of us."

It was comments like those that made my really want to push towards the whole, leader of Lucius idea. He spoke as if he already knew that Lucifer was out there somewhere just waiting to be found. There was no doubt. There was no pause or hopeless in his voice. There was just a cold hard determination that Lucifer was real. A belief rang through his lips that made me question if he was even human. However, he was. No angel would spend their days down on earth without the rest of their kind. Leader of Lucius wasn't out of the question however. Though the name seemed to be too close and he wasn't that stupid, however maybe that was just what he wanted people to think. Either way I had to keep an eye on him.

"I need to get to class." It was the only response I could manage. His parting words always throwing me off my game. The smile of his I could feel would instill rage in anyone. How dare he think himself better than me. Him, a mere human. His determination, his pride, his confidence, his strength, his belief, his hope. That'll crush him one day. If there was one thing for certain I would make sure I was there to laugh at him in front of his face. After all the best revenge is best tasted right in front of the one who want to get revenge on, especially if it was a human.

So what if he was right? That doesn't mean I have to let him get the last laugh. 

"Please have this work done over the weekend." The final teacher finished his last words. Students didn't wait very long and just got up, preparing to depart. I never got the rush, there would be no gain in leaving first. So, I sat.

It was matters of seconds to clear them out of the class. Scraggly, I got up whisking my way to the hall where at least one fourth of the students were gone already. "Have a good day," My insolent teacher waved at me.

"Same to-" There was a quake.

BEEP BEEP BEEP All students in the building report to the nearest classroom and wait patiently for further orders.

"Get inside," The teacher ordered me. "I'll gather the nearby students." Bothering with an answer was too much so I just moved in as he ran out. Another quake, stronger than the last. Items fell onto the ground as a couple students yelled.

"Pathetic." Laughing grimly, it became fun to watch students crawl into the room. I remained standing as the students went under desks and the teacher closed the door.

"Get under now." He ordered me. I laughed, knowing it was over and sat on the ground next to a wall. "No one moves until we are told otherwise."

There was a silence for a long time. A coin could drop in the room and it would echo throughout the halls. Honestly, I lost track of the time, too bored to even bother trying to remember. Too tired from doing nothing to care. Students were getting restless, stirring under their desks. Soon the whispers started.

"What do you think happened?" A short girl mumbled to her friends under the desks above her.

"I don't know but we better be able to move soon." A very tall kid said, he obviously was struggling with being stuck under the short table. He looked like a human croissant. Looking at him made me hungry.

There was no speaker over the intercom yet telling us to move. I was annoyed, we were doing nothing and there were far better things for me to do. I knew that was no normal earthquake. It was too simple with no after-quake. It was too located, it felt to shallow, too centered. Something had to have crashed, and I needed to find out what. However, these humans were stupid and would probably wait hours until saying it was safe. If hours were what it was going to be I would lose the only chance I have to find what crashed. So, like any normal inhuman creature would do, I stood and walked out of the room.

"Miss Erebus where are you going? Get back here!" I heard the teacher yell out from under his desk. "MISS EREBUS IT IS NOT SAFE!" I ignored him. "COME BACK HERE NOW OR I WILL MAKE SURE YOU GET EXPELLED!" I couldn't help but laugh grimly, like my threat of going to school would matter to me. However, I knew that others would hear him yelling so I quickened my pace. Jogging, I headed out the door I attempted to head out of earlier, with no teacher to stop me.

"Now if I was a crashing creature where would I land?" Of course I already had an idea. It had to be nearby, judging by the strength that was present in the quake earlier, but it also couldn't be too close. There wasn't much nearby in the terms of coverage, since to the front was the parking lot and the road, and the back was sport fields. Still there were woods beyond that. "That would fit the description I needed." As cliché as the idea was for it to crash in the woods it was the only lead I got. With agitation to my step I hurried through the fields. I knew I had to make it before anything else could happen. Enough time was wasted already with the stupid school regulations.

Sprinting as fast as the pointless human legs would carry me I made my way into the woods. It was clear to me that I was right with the idea. There were no birds, no deer, no squirrels; in fact there was no noise in general. It was as silent as that classroom was. The feeling of dreed, however, was much stronger in the woods than inside the classroom. I could feel it before, a sense there was a being unable to be comprehended by humans nearby but it was barely there. Like a faint cry in the middle of a giant cave. Now it was screaming, yelling at the top of its lungs that it was there.

This was taking too long, and I was quickly running out of time. I had to make this search faster but there was no saying if that stupid teacher hadn't followed me out. The last thing I wanted was for anyone to know the truth. So, that left me with no choice. I had to keep looking on these measly weak and hopeless legs. Thankfully my search didn't have to go much farther. I could feel it, no more than 200 yards away from me in the clearing that certainly wasn't there before.

He was adjusting his shirt in the middle of the small crater clearing as if he never did anything. His hair was blonde, so blonde it looked almost white. Skin as white as snow, and eyes as green as the greenest forest. He wore a suit, as if he was just about to attend a meeting for a CEO and had on pure white gloves. Stiff and cocky he stood, like he was the most important person in the world. So ignorant he couldn't even sense me standing no more than now 150 yards away. I watched him adjust his gloves and look at the sky, slowly swiping the dirt off his shoulders. "That obnoxious creature," He spoke as he was above the world. So deep, so calm, so different than any normal voice. He certainly was one I was looking for. "Wasting my time."

"What wouldn't waste your time Mr. I'm on top of the world." I jumped down into the crater. He was pathetic. He was obnoxious. He was seriously reminding me of every human they try not to be. A bald eagle who thinks nothing can bring it down. Time to clip the bird's wings.

He turned like an owl who had just found its prey. "Who the hell are you?"

"Oh my!" I exaggerated a shocked expression. "Oh no such foul language from such a sacred person!" I laughed like a jackal. If only those precious bible worshippers could see their precious angels now.

"I'm going to kill you."

"OH NO! The precious little angel is being so naughty and sinful." I could feel the smirk forming on my face as his became more and more twisted with rage. "Looks like I'm going to need to teach you a lesson Mr. I'm on top of the world."

"The name," Mr. I'm on top of the world began to glow. "Is Garael." As if from thin air pure white wings expanded across his back. They were huge and nearly identical to hawk wings if you know, they were on a human, and were like twenty times the size. Alright maybe not twenty, hawks are pretty big. The business suit turned pure white and elegant as if he was heading to a ball now and not a meeting. His hair became more blonde, which I didn't think was possible. His eyes turned pure white for a moment before residing to normal. There, flying in front of me, was the true form of a low ranked angel. Besides from the wings, inhumane feeling, and the glowing white hands he could be any human. That's why they can blend in so well with those idiots. No human dare questions appearance.

I yawned. Picking a glance from my left eye his face was more twisted. "You human, do you seriously think you should be yawning at me. We may have protected you but I don't care. I'll make some horrible excuse and Michael won't care."

My smirk never left. "Human?" I couldn't help but start laughing. "You are as bad as those worthless slobs if you think I'm human. Well Mr. I'm on top of the world looks like I'm going to have to show you what your place is." Much like the angel did earlier I began to glow. "You see, heaven's angels aren't the only angels around here."

I could feel my favorite rush of power starting from my very soul. I could feel the energy course through my veins entwining with my nerves and strengthening my bones. I could sense the wings begin emerging from my back as if they were an animal finally getting freed from their cage. My senses heightened. My body grew lighter. My mind grew faster. It felt like the best drug in the world.

Mr. I'm on top of the world's face was perfect. It was hilarious to see the sheer shock, horror, anger, and fear plastered on his face. "What are you, you Nephilim." He hissed at me, his wings expanding like a cat's fur.

"Oh no hun I'm no Nephilim." I gave him the sweetest smile like I was the real angel here while making sure he got a good glimpse at me. My hair which was black before was now a dark blonde at the back and a bright blonde near my bangs. My dark cold eyes were changed to a deep red color. My skin was a middle ground between tan and white. It was all a horrible mix-matching party. It could have won the ugly sweater contest. My wings, however, they were perfect. My right wing was as black as the night sky on a new moon. It was as if someone was going to be sucked in and never return. My left, was pure white, whiter than the purest snow in the sky. It was as if all white failed in purity in compared to that wing.

"I'm one hundred percent angel." 

"That's impossible." Mr. I'm on top of the world's face was that of someone still in shock. I didn't think it would be that surprising. This reaction is better than what I thought. "No angel can be both black and white." He trembled in rage, I could feel the negative emotion inside him. "You must be playing some kind of illusion. YOU FALLEN ANGEL!" His voice was deafening like any angels would be. Thanks to that obnoxious brat I could now tell no human was nearby, they would have collapsed from that scream. To me, it just sounded like a two-year-old baby who was upset they didn't get their toy. Sounded like him.

During all my inner monologue I didn't realize Mr. I'm on top of the world had moved. He was behind me now floating no more than a couple inches off the ground and flying at me fast. However not fast enough. This fight would be like taking candy from a baby.

I launched myself into the air just enough for Mr. I'm on top of the world to miss completely and just when he was right under me I stopped flying and kicked him hard in the back. With a hard thud he fell on the ground beneath my feet. My toes right between his two wings. An angels weak point. They couldn't fly if there was pressure between the middle of the wings.

I cackled. "What fool would leave their back wide open to an attack. Have you ever fought another angel before? Probably not since you're so stupid."

"Is insults all that can leave your mouth brat?"

"Oh darling you're the brat here." I smirked. "After all you were just crying like a baby a couple seconds ago."

"Why yo-" I wasn't going to let him finish his sentence. I grabbed him by the neck and as I lifted myself off him dragged him to my side and threw him at a nearby tree. I waited to hear the crash but there wasn't one. For once in a long time I frowned.

"Don't think you will get rid of me that easy," Mr. Top of the world hummed as if he was winning the battle. I stared at him from the view I could get, too lazy to turn and face him.

"Look. He can actually fight a little." I could feel my monotone voice slip from my mouth.

"What's wrong little girl, getting upset." He smirked. Perfect. Just where I wanted him. Time to crush his hopes and dreams.

My frown quickly turned into a smile as I vanished from his sight. He was far too slow to keep up with me and as he panicked looking around trying to find me I swiftly grabbed the side of his head and smashed into a tree. Without sparing a motion I gripped his wing and twisted it, launching him into the tree he was supposed to have hit before.

"Oh look that tree really couldn't live without you!" I giggled, hovering about 3 feet off the ground. I watch him grumble and turn grabbing his head which now wasn't so white and pretty. It was beautiful, after all angel head looks better with a little blood on it. Of course with a swipe of his hand it was gone, all his wounds were. "Ha, angels really are annoying aren't they."

"You are a walking contradiction." Mr. Top of the world commented back, fixing his suit and taking a look at me. I landed on the ground, folded my wings and looked at him.

"By whatever do you mean Mr. I'm on top of the world."

"How long do you intend to call me that?" He sighed. "My name is Garael."

"Until you get rid of that obnoxious 'I'm better than you' attitude." I shrugged. "Or maybe never, I haven't really picked yet."

"Just like a child."

"I'll say again, who's the real child here?"

"That would be you Miss. A true adult would learn when to stop messing around and playing games. It's clear you aren't even trying. It's clear that you are truly the one who thinks they are on top of everyone else. Why is that? Just because you have a little bit of special powers. Just because you are different." He looked at me as if he was sad for me. Nothing pissed me off more than that. "It's actually sad. I do believe you. That you are no Nephilim because even I am stronger than most of them. But with a twisted appearance like that you would never fit in anywhere. You wouldn't fit in the sky for you have a black wing. You wouldn't fit in the ground because you have a white wing. You are stuck in the middle. No wonder your so twisted."

I could feel both my eyes and wings twitch. Garael was talking too much. "If you know what's good for you, you would shut up." I could feel my rage building and unlike Mr. Lucianius I wasn't afraid to let it out on him.

"I bet you were left behind." He kept going. "I bet some human woman found you out in front of her door one day because neither of your parents wanted you. I bet you don't even know any angels. I bet I'm the first one you have seen. That's why you are so broken. You haven't seen your own kind before. I bet you are hoping I have answers for you on who your parents are and where they are." I twitched again. "I'm sorry miss. I don't know anything about it. There has been no record of an angel having a child with a fallen angel. No one thinks it is even possible. If I were you miss I would try to live my life as a human before you get into trouble. Not all angels are as nice as me."

I could feel myself snapping. "Nice?" I closed my eyes for a moment. "What part of what you did and are trying to do falls under the idea of being nice." I opened my eyes, glaring at him. I was done playing games. I was done being nice. This....this....Garael needed to die. "You tried to attack me from behind. You called me a Nephilim. You are trying to guess my story with a smirk on your face. Yet you have the audacity to say you are being nice." I expanded my wings. "Don't make me laugh Garael." I could feel my hands glowing black. The power was surging within me. My darker power. The power of the fallen angel inside me wanted blood. I wasn't about to listen to my 'light' power's request at showing mercy.

"The little girl finally says my name." He let his guard down.

His mistake.

Without blinking I disappeared and appeared again in front of him. With a small dagger formed from my glowing black fallen angel powers I stabbed him right in the rib cage. "My name is Luciael. Luciael Erebus." As quick was my attack was, my retreat was as well. I left the small shadow in his side as I walked off into the woods. "I want to go to bed."

I could feel his thump on the ground. I could feel the energy draining from him. I could feel him give up his angel form. Then as I grew further and further away I believe I felt his life give way. A just end for a snobby angel.

Little did I know my mistake of not making sure he was dead was going to lead to a lot of trouble. The exact trouble I had wanted to avoid.