Saviour

Prologue: Descent

Ever had that moment in life when time slows down and you're aware of every single detail vividly?

That's what I was experiencing on my unexpected descent into the mortal realm. I was just minding my own business when, BOOM! A rift opens under me and swallows me whole.

About thirty feet off the ground the adrenaline kicked in. I heard my heart beat, saw the mist suspended in the air, the grass slick and glistening like a mirror.

Then the moment of tranquility ended and I shot to the ground at blinding speed. Even though I knew the impact wouldn't be enough to kill me, it sure as hell would hurt me.

Just then, something poked me in the eye. A tempest of silvery feathers flew around me as I struggled to control my flailing limbs.

Oh. Wait.

Feeling extremely stupid, I arched my back and willed my wings to appear.

A second passed. Nothing happened.

Ok, now I can panic.

In a desperate attempt, I tried to turtle my way out of the painful impact. Turtles are nature's most resilient creatures after all.

I tucked in my legs and pointed my right shoulder to the ground. The plan was to execute a forward roll on impact and come up standing. How hard can that be?

In the next moment, I hit the ground with enough force to kill a regular human but thankfully not me. I managed to get a shoulder on the ground but ended up falling sideways into a hole.

Yes, exactly what I wanted.

I lay there, too stunned to move. A million thoughts ran through my head.

How did I fall? Why didn't my wings work? Please let those be twigs.

I shook the oncoming headache away. A ring of fungi had begun to grow around me: a gross side effect of divinity's first contact with this realm.

I clawed my way out of the ditch and scanned my surroundings. The place was oddly familiar, yet completely alien.

I groaned as my bones creaked in place. I was still healing. That's a good sign but I was still exposed and vulnerable. Anyone could walk up right now and be all: "Oh look, an angel. Haven't seen one of those since the witch trials."

Which totally wasn't my fault, by the way.

I shakily got to my feet, cursing myself for being so careless. Literally the very first thing they teach us in Solace is to not fall into the mortal realm.

Lesson number two is that if you did fall, you were a frickin' immortal disgrace.

I was so disoriented I almost missed the portal standing a few feet away from me.

I considered it. Small. Shifting. Risky.

But what choice did I have?

Steeling myself, I ran full tilt towards it.

Solace, here I come.