The Fallen

IX : DISSONANCE

...It was in those days of bloody civil war between the opposing factions of Red-Wings (so-called rebels who rose against their oppressors and stained their wings red with the blood of their enemies - an intimidation tactic) and the Snow-Wings, that the first recorded 'Felling' occurred. There was no ceremony or ritual; an 'act of barbarism' is a more accurate description of how felling an angel came to be.

It's highly disputed which side of the conflict committed the act of felling first. Upon examination of the few remaining records of the era that have been found, each side of the conflict proclaim their innocence. No proof has come to light to dispute either side's claim. What is certain is, that by the end of the war, both the Red-Wings and the Snow-Wings had participated in the felling of countless angels.

The angels Felled, unsurprisingly, were prisoners of war or criminals. As expected, these captured warriors were subjected to the harshest and cruellest experimentations and tortures. As stated previously, there are few surviving records of the era, and fewer about the felling's themselves. Nonetheless, these prisoners of war were exposed to some of the most reviled acts of barbarism in angelic history - including being the first to feel the worst and most painful torture of all: the stripping of Grace.

It is important to note that from these terrible actions, much of the knowledge about our angelic nature has stemmed. These Fallen provided invaluable insight into the make-up of an angel and the source of our power: Grace. While this knowledge has been extremely helpful and important to us as a race, we must not forget the barbaric acts and the ensuing pain and sacrifice that made for it possible.

The Fallen from that time were no different to what we know now: the stripping of their Grace turned their white wings black. They were bloodthirsty, violent, almost beast-like beings without conscious, who acted on the behest of their most primal, violent instincts.

Without Grace, the Fallen were left without the ability to sense or use what is now known as Angelic Power. All they had left were the unaffected* angelic physical attributes - strength, sight, hearing, reflexes - and the pain of the felling that fuelled their rage.

*Please note that it is argued that these attributes are actually enhanced after the felling, although it has not been proven. It has been acknowledged by those who have fought a Fallen that they seem exceedingly strong. It has been theorised that adrenaline and rage increase these attributes.

The War of Red and Snow continued on through the time of experimentation, and the newly Fallen were used as weapons. They were unleashed by both sides, thrust onto the front-lines and thrown behind enemy lines to do as much damage as possible - and damage they did. They were so effective that the war became a race to turn the most Fallen. Many warriors and many innocents fell victim to the madness, and were taken by force side and turned into Fallen - dispensable and easily replaceable soldiers to fight the most dangerous battles, instead of risking using their own armies.

The Red-Wings were victorious in the war, and the felling halted for a time. The Fallen who had survived the war were kept imprisoned and used for slave labour. It was on the backs of slaves and bloodthirsty beasts that the foundation of Illenium was built. There are few records about Fallen that survived, but it is written that as well as being used as slaves, further experimentation took place, to test the limits of what the Fallen could be used for.

For many hundreds of years, it seemed that the angels kept the Fallen under tight rein and command. It is unclear how The Uprising began. Sources are contradictory, but one thing is consistent: a leader arose from amongst the Fallen and led them to a violently-won freedom.