Content Warning
THE FALL
Wind rushedpast my head and tore at my limbs. I hurled through the air, unable to stop or slow my descent in any way. I spiraled uncontrollably before flattening out again as I continued traveling perpetually downward. Pain racked me as I fell; however, this would only be the beginning of my torment.
I landed so hard, creating a massive crater. The earth quaked underneath me, shaking me to my bones, stealing my breath, bruising and breaking my already beaten body, and sending fire licking through my pulverized wings. As an immortal, this wouldn’t kill me, but for what was coming, I was fervently wishing it had.
Pain suddenly exploded in my skull. My forehead felt like it was getting split open... and it was—in two different places. I toiled in the dirt on my stomach until finally shoving my knees and elbows underneath me to seek purchase as I gripped my head in agony. My tailbone throbbed as well. Broken white feathers billowed and swirled around me, disappearing into the darkness as the hot sulfuric breeze blew them away.
Tears leaked from my eyes.
The stench of Hellfire burned my nose.
I sat on my heels and roared to the heavens, not knowing if the dark, flame-streaked sunset was the same as the one below the true heavens.
My back bowed as an invisible force gripped my shattered wings. My previously gorgeous, plumed wings—now mangled—were torn fully from my back, never to regenerate. I couldn’t hold back the scream as I crumpled to the ground in agony.
I deserved this.
The punishment fit.
But the Lord wasn’t done with me yet . . .
From the two split places on my forehead, hard, bone-like protrusions sprouted. I roared in fresh agony as the protrusions grew heavier and larger. My head was suddenly too heavy, and it took all my remaining strength to keep from landing flat on my face again in the grime.
The pain continued to erupt, and I grew dizzy and nauseated. Coupled with my ripped-open back, it was unbearable. To make things even worse, a tail with an arrowhead-shaped end erupted from the base of my spine and slammed onto the ground next to me, as I had no idea how to control the new appendage. My gums burned as my teeth sharpened within my mouth, my canine teeth dropping down to form massive fangs. I felt my muscles thicken as my body began to enlarge, not stopping until I had grown at least a solid foot, if not more. I was being equipped with the strength I would need for my new assignment.
Finally, the changes seemed to be complete, and I breathed a shallow sigh of relief. I reached up tentatively and touched one of the protrusions on the side of my head. I knew this had been coming, but it shocked me nonetheless, and I let out a furious wail.
Horns.
I now had massive demonic horns sprouting from each side of my forehead. Larger than any horns I had ever seen on a demon before—not that I’d seen many. They curved back along my skull with several wickedly sharp points and sloped around to form ram-like spirals to the side and back of my head.
More tears tracked down my wet cheeks.
I reminded myself that I somehow deserved this, just like Lucifer and his followers when they had been cast out.
“Disobeying direct orders. Laying with humans. Shirking your duties. Well, maybe you need a new assignment—one that suits your all too carefree spirit.”
I had made my choice, and this was the Lord’s consequence.
I didn’t want leadership, but it had now been thrust upon me.
The searing hot pain still gripped the open wounds on my back and would for quite a while—a constant reminder of my punishment. This wound would heal like a mortal’s, despite my continued immortality.
I glanced around at my surroundings for the first time, getting my bearings. Remnants of white plumage surrounded me, feathers that would never see the sky again. Beyond the destruction of my previous enslaved life, trees lined the area, many of which were more of a blue color than green, with hints of orange flames peaking between the bark on the trunks. Night was falling based on the darkening sky.
Despite the pain I was in, I needed to get moving. Lying naked and wounded in a ditch was only going to attract the hellhounds that roamed this dimension.
Another tear slid down my cheek.
I reminded myself once again that I deserved this fate.
I broke the rules, accidentally grew a free will, and turned my back on my God-given vocation as a result.
. . . But did any angel truly deserve to have their wings ripped forcefully from them while they sprouted the demonic horns, teeth, and tail that would now characterize them as fallen forevermore?
I had been a loyal angel working diligently under the Archangel Michael for so long, but that mattered not. There was no chance of forgiveness now.
This dimension and all its fallen inhabitants were now mine to rule, unfortunately.