Nephilim - After Birth

Invocation I: Sandalphon

A guy is falling to his death... yes, that's me. Sorry for introducing myself this way but: Hi, I'm Abiel, and I'm about to die.

It began a couple of hours earlier...

It's a dark, rainy day for Saint Dalphon High School—weird name, I know, you'll get used to it. As usual, we keep taking classes at noon, the time of the day when the sunshine would usually be right on my face since I sit next to the window. However, that won't happen today, not under this rain. Right now, in Classroom 4-A, we're taking Religion classes. After almost an hour, I get distracted...

"(What a shitty day...)" I think while I imagine a race with the raindrops sliding down the window glass. For some reason, I'm used to thinking in parenthesis.

"—and thus, as mentioned in the holy scriptures, it is said the reason why the Archangel Lu—hmph, Mr. Arkan," Sister Angelina interrupts herself to call my distant attention. "I don't mind how little you care about my class; it is still worth a score in your final grades."

"Sorry, Sister," I say. "(I could repeat the whole year just for this. Really??)" I make use of multiple interrogation signs to emphasize how questionable that is. "(What good will do knowing about spirits that don't exist?)" I think with disdain.

"As I was saying, after the creation of man, it is said the Archangel Lucifer, among the most powerful angels, revealed against God because He came to love mankind more than His precious angels, among other reasons, like wanting to be greater than God Almighty.

"(He revealed...against God?)" A sudden spark of interest lights inside me.

"After that, Lucifer took with him a third of the angels of Heaven—those that agreed with him. They went to the lowest plane of existence and formed what we call Hell—the demons were born."

"Sister, why are you talking about demons in a Religion class?" A random classmate asks with uneasiness.

"Because—" I answer. "—it's necessary to study the enemy to fight it." I came up with a well-thought argument. Not even I was expecting it.

"Unbelievable!" Sister Angelina exclaims. "Abiel Arkan took part in my class! God bless this moment!" She's amazed, and how could she not be? This is the first time she hears more than 2 words coming out of my mouth. "And you're very right; knowing your enemy is half the battle. Besides, most demons were originally angels. Their primary difference is just the side they picked, and—"

*RIIIIIIIING!*

"Oh! My time is over. I see a great priest in your future, Abiel. Amen!" Says Sister Angelina as she leaves.

"(No damn way...great, now everyone's looking at me...)"

⍟

School's over for today, but the torrential rain keeps trapped several students in the place of our nightmares—school.

"How I hate rain. God, make it stop." I talk to myself out loud. Now I have no other option but to wait for the rain to cease if I want to walk home. Well, I can kill some time by introducing myself.

Abiel Arkan, a 17-year-old teenager with a big hatred towards getting wet in cold water. My most noticeable features are the 5 moles on my face, my headband with a star in the center, and my little interest in nearly anything.

While I'm still whining about the rain, I suddenly feel someone gently biting my left ear. "Huh?! Who—"

"Hello, Abi!" A girl loudly greets me.

"Oh, Gaby. Do you really need to bite me!?"

"You see your best friend in the entire world and that's how you receive her?"