Book Of Book Ideas

Finding Home - Prologue

Sometimes things fall apart so that better things can fall together – Marilyn Monroe

Flames covered the majority of the ground below and Zuriel watched as the red-orange-yellow fire grew in height and strength. Ze narrowed zir eyes as ze saw another angel fall into the lethal flames. Above the angel, a demon crowed in delight.

Zuriel closed zir eyes, saddened by the death ground that heaven had become. Ze opened zir wings, once white they were now almost black and crusted with blood and dirt from helping others. Zuriel pushed off, zir wings pumping furiously as ze entered the sky.

An angel with six sets of wings pulled up next to zem. "Uriel," Zuriel greeted gently.

"Zuriel, there is nothing more we can do here unless we choose a side." At Uriel's words, Zuriel closed zir eyes in distress.

"I refuse to do so."

"You will be killed as a coward and remembered as such," Uriel retorted.

Zuriel whirled around to face zir sort-of-friend, although ze was more of an ally. "Is refusing to kill my family being a coward? Because if it is so, I choose to be a coward!" Zuriel growled, slamming zir wings down and moving away from Uriel in anger.

Zuriel flicked zir wings once more, gaining height above the battlefield. From what ze could see, the majority of the angel council were down. Chamuel was fighting in the midst of a hoard of dark angels, demons as they now called themselves. Zuriel wished ze could help, but ze refused to do so knowing that if that happened all the demons would turn on zem. Zuriel cursed zir brother, Samael, now known Lucifer, for all this. If the archangel hadn't refused to listen to God, none of this would've happened.

A demon flew past, once feathered wings turned to leather, with horns coming out of zir head. Zuriel recognised zir sibling-turned-enemy and turned away from the battle. Zuriel knew that the battle had provided the distraction needed for many of the neutral lesser angels to escape heaven and leave to Earth. Zuriel wished them the best, but ze knew that ze had to stay until the last second.

A scream from behind made Zuriel twist and lower zemself in the air. A demon flipped over zem, wings moving furiously, blade in hand. "You will die traitor!" The demon cried out, Zuriel shook zir head, opening zir hands to show ze had no weapons.

"I do not wish to fight," Zuriel said, urging the demon to believe zem.

The demon hesitated for a moment, flickering between following Lucifer and killing all the angels, and letting Zuriel live. "He's with the demons!" Someone else called an angel clearly. Zuriel cursed, knowing zir time was now up, and ze had to fight.

Zuriel's sword appeared in zir right hand, "One last dance Proelia," ze whispered. The angelic blade shone and Zuriel let zir wrist circle before shooting upwards. Zuriel was quickly surrounded by angels, with the one demon who had caused this joining in. Despite the situation, Zuriel grinned, pleased to see that zir family could still work together – they weren't too far-gone.

Zuriel focused on zir left hand and another blade appeared. Proelia changed slightly, becoming a Sai sword instead of a one-handed Jian. With two Sai in hand, Zuriel started defending zemself. Ze knew ze couldn't keep this up forever, but someone might come to zir aid. Zuriel lunged forward, aiming for the demon, hoping to push zem away.

The demon moved away from the blade and Zuriel was forced backwards in order to avoid an angel's broadsword. Zuriel spun around, almost slamming into one of zir opponents. Zuriel then pulled zir legs up and propelled zemself off the torso of another angel. Zuriel performed a simple manoeuvre that let zem dive down, escaping the circle of enemies.