When We Were Still Human by Vaughn Foster (best ereader for textbooks .txt) 📕

her face. Did he even know what he had done? She hadn’t just received a traveler’s guide of Le Ciel; he had showed her everything. She saw Michael. Arrogance bleeding from his eyes like smoke. Standing before the Council of Heaven.

“We’ve been here eons, and have yet to see anything worthwhile from this insignificant race. Kings and kingdoms rise and fall, accomplishing nothing in their short, savage lives. The only plausible solution is to cleanse the world with fire.”

“No! I saw you! You declared war on the earth. I will not help you kill all of those people!”

“Could you really call them people…” Zadkiel muttered under his breath.

“And you!” She pointed accursedly at the Sin of Pride. “You have killed thousands of people all over the world, just to make some spell called an Avenue?!”

Paris cleared her throat, and Val whipped around to see the woman looking almost embarrassed. “It was important. The currents were out of control. Plus, each time, he managed to keep it under three thousand.”

Val stared back in horror. “What are you talking about? That is no excuse whatsoever!” She looked around the room for someone who realized how crazy this all was, but everyone stared back blank faced.

Michael closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. He looked up at Avia, who only shrugged, then back to Val. “I understand your reaction, Valerie. In fact, I thought the same thing when I realized what had to be done. But the Marks only carry basic information. It’s surprising that you saw that, but it isn’t the full picture. May I explain?”

Val was about to explain where he could shove it, but the retort died on her lips. The angel’s eyes met hers, and for the briefest moment, she could feel an electric current dance through the air. Her anger was still present, but the building fury was silenced, as if he had cupped it in his hands. Val fought to hold on to some of the rage and crossed her arms. She glanced around the room, at the patronizing faces staring back, before giving an exasperated huff. Nodding, she allowed the king to lead her back to the couch.

“When my father was on the throne,” Michael began, “he was kind. Humans, mirage, and angels all loved and respected him. But that compassion was his downfall. He never had it in him to punish man when they began to stray. Because he couldn’t raise his hand, every day is a bloodbath. In another thousand years, blood will be all that’s left.”

He paused. Val assumed it was for her to say something. She stayed quiet.

“That’s why I need you. Earth’s fate is Le Ciel’s responsibility. It could be argued that humans were on a self-damning path from the start. Le Ciel is the primary reason Earth’s in the state that it’s in. Outside of my father’s shortcomings, many of our people left to become gods. Those gods then required mortals to wage wars and offer sacrifice. It was only a matter of time before souls became the currency of the divine.”

“Then there was Daemon,” Vladimir spoke softly. Val raised her head. The name was familiar. She felt a throb where Vladimir’s claws had cut and recognized the name as the king of demons. Unlike the last few times, however, the Mark offered no further vision. She looked at Michael, then to the others. Everyone, even Avia, shifted uncomfortably in their seat.

Michael sighed and lowered his head. “Yes. Daemon. He is—was—my brother. Sorcerer Supreme of Le Ciel. But I was new to the throne and still grieving the loss of our parents and sister. I didn’t see what he was becoming. Before I realized it, he was leading a coup. Most have been eliminated, but the destruction left in their wake still affects life to this day.”

Avia cleared her throat and sat up. “What does this have to do with us?” Val looked expectantly back to Michael.

“You’re the sins of heaven.” He spoke with triumph, eyes ablaze with passion. “Humanity has always been weak, but we envied their creativity and focused inward. In our lust and greed for perfection, we let the Natural Order fall.”

He sighed and stared up into the skylight. His eyes fought the sun with a fierceness that sent a chill through Val’s nerves. He wasn’t looking at the light, but something that lie past it. “In our slothfulness,” he spoke slowly, “we ignored Daemon until it was too late. When we realized Earth was beyond saving, we fled and lived as gluttons in the magnificence of Lie Ciel. In our pride, we refused to see what was becoming of the world we abandoned.” He shifted his gaze to Avia. “And now in our wrath, at both ourselves and a fallen creation, we shall make amends.” You all are the embodiment of our sin. Through you, we will bring Kairos, the end of times. And then we shall start anew.”

The bewitched docility that had previously come over Val snapped. “What the hell is wrong with you?!” She lunged from the couch and pulled him up by his cloak. “I get it. You messed up and now there’s problems. But that is no excuse to murder everyone on the planet! There are good people! Loving people! People who are trying to do something about the shit that you assholes started. If you think I will be a part of any of this, get your head out of your ass!” She ripped the cloak from his shoulders and threw it in his face. Before he could say anything, she stormed out into the corridor and disappeared into the darkness.

“Well then,” the twins said in union.

Avia was still staring down the hall. Nothing Michael said sounded all that objectionable.

In another thousand years, blood will be all that’s left.

In all honesty, the