Asiriel's Fall 1
Just as you turned to retrace your steps, a massive, winged shape flashed overhead. You dove for cover as a second followed it. From the flash of white you had seen, it seemed likely they were uncorrupted angels, something that was never safe to see so close to the base. You steeled yourself and followed them. Better to know what they were up to, especially since it only seemed like two.
As you crept through the brush, you heard voices laughing and shouting at each other long before you managed to see them. A pair of angels, their stunningly white wings flashing in the fading sunlight, were chasing each other through the air and over the ledges of a cliff over which fell a stream. There was a sizable pool that had grown at its base, one that the resistance knew about and often used as a bathing pool. If the angels knew about it, too, then it was important that you let Nathaniel know.
A whoop drew your attention and you watched as the larger of the two angels balled himself up with his wings tightly to his sides and plunged deep into the pool with a mighty splash. He burst up through the surface and flapped his wings, spraying droplets in every direction while his friend laughed and sputtered. He blew water off his face and pushed his short hair back from his eyes, grinning. “C’mon, Lu. It’s warmer than last time and you know you want to.”
“I am not getting wet and walking back to camp!” the other angel laughed and shook his head.
“Just a little splash!” the one in the water cheered and splashed his wings hard against the surface of the water so it sprayed upwards. “Live a little!”
“You are crazy, Asiriel. I’ll come back for you if you don’t show in half an hour.”
“Where are you going?”
“There’s a peach tree back there.”
“What is it with you and fruit?”
The smaller angel smirked. “Guess I just like them. I’ll bring you one.”
“Thank you,” Asiriel chuckled as he writhed through the water to dive deeper again. His friend flapped away toward a cluster of fruit trees you knew about. You knew you should backtrack and try to get back to safety, but it was hard to pull away from watching the big angel in the water. It seemed counterintuitive, a creature with wings swimming, but he seemed utterly comfortable with it and even came up to the shallowest part of the pool to splash and roll around like a sparrow in a bird bath. A giggle slipped out of you and he froze, dark eyes tracking the edge of the forest. “Is someone there?”
Caught! You stayed as still as you could, low in the brush and trying not to pant in terror. He didn’t seem like the type of angel who was likely to kill rebels out of hand, but it was hard to tell. After a moment, Asiriel stood up in the shallows and pulled a thin mask out of his belt pouch. He glared at it, shook it out and put it loosely around his neck before looking up toward where you were hiding. “Hello?” he called again.
Now that you had a chance to really study him, he took your breath away: taller than most angels, he took their already broad chests to a new extreme. You could see that his body was covered in thick, curly hair that was the same color as the short hair he kept pushing back off his forehead and when he turned to look the other way, you saw that the white of his wings extended into fluffy feathers on his back and tapered into fine, soft hair that gradually blended into the same dark curls. He was muscular in a way many of the other angels weren’t and the result was a nearly mesmerizing figure as he shook water from his wings and folded them neatly behind him. “If someone’s there, please come out. I won’t hurt you.” He chuckled softly and added with a rippling shrug, “I’m off duty. Don’t even have my hammer. If you won’t hurt me, I won’t hurt you. Truce over the puddle.”
Curious, you peeked out of the brush just as he turned toward you and his handsome face broke into a wide grin, teeth bright and white through the thick darkness of his beard. “I see you,” he called up. “You can come down. My name is Asiriel. I’m serious, I won’t hurt you. I won’t even tell anyone I saw you out here.” You paused and ducked low in the brush, wondering if you could trust him and he sighed. “Even Lunariel won’t hurt you,” he said, “if you’re worried about him coming back. We’re... “ he trailed off with a sad sound in his throat. “We’re not bad guys. I promise.”
You were surprised to find that you trusted him. You carefully made your way down the forested incline until you could sit on a rock a few yards from the edge of the pool. “You’re part of the resistance, aren’t you?” he asked you. When you nodded, he fingered the mask hanging around his neck, then added, “Are you a Nephilim?” You nodded again and he pulled the mask up to cover his mouth and nose. It bulged strangely because of his beard, but it seemed secure enough. “Sorry,” he said. “Just a precaution. I’m not ready to fall just yet.”
“Yet?” you asked him with a smile and were surprised to see a flush on his cheeks above the mask.
“It’ll happen,” he sighed. He fanned his wings and came up to stand on the grass beside the pool. “Lucifer was right and I know it. The world doesn’t belong to pure races anymore and to deny that is to refuse the natural progress of time. Things will always change and seeking to wipe out those agents of change is foolish.” After a moment, Asiriel shook his head and chuckled. “Listen to me, rambling on and I don’t even know your name. Not that you have to tell me. I won’t see you again if I hold up my end of this bargain and I fully intend to.”
He walked a few steps closer to you and his eyes were sad as he studied your face. “I won’t hurt you,” he repeated softly. “I just… wanted to ask. Can I touch you?”
“Why?” you asked warily.
“I want to understand,” he murmured. “I want to know what it is my brothers see and feel when they decide to leave us.” Reluctantly, you stood up and nodded. He came closer and arched his wings up so they towered over you. When you didn’t flinch away, he reached up one hand and stroked your cheek very gently, very carefully. His dark eyes pinned down and then he closed them, leaned forward and let his lips behind the mask rest against your forehead. “Not yet,” he whispered. “Soon, though.”
You swayed after him, intoxicated by his presence and the mingled fragrance of sandalwood and skin. You knew the angels’ pheromones worked on Nephilim in much the same way as yours did on them. You had been close to some of the other fallen angels in the resistance, experienced their influence on you but this was something unique. It was like he had been tailored for you, his scent honed specifically to appeal to you and only you. You closed your eyes and felt his thumb brushing your lips before he moved away.
He was gone in a flurry of wings and misted water, leaving you colder than you had been and missing the warmth of his hand on your cheek.
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