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

“Drama for another day,” Michael sighed. He sat up and cleared his throat. “But, as I was saying, I need you three to go to Ys. There’s a book— an ancient grimoire. It’s essential that you bring it back.”

“What’s so special about this book?” Avia asked.

“All you need to know is that it’s currently being held by a powerful magician. You are to leave immediately.”

This entire thing was sketchy as hell. Avia stared at Michael for a moment. She traced the lines of his beard, the cut of his armor, the confidence in his eyes. He was postured as a fairy tale, a model of perfection. But that wasn’t right. Time stilled as she dissected the king of angels, as she fought to see past the mask. That’s what it was really. Somewhere past the magic and charm lied a creature just as dark as the black flames that now blossomed in her chest. She just had to dig it up.

“Alright.” Castor’s voice pulled her back, and time again played forward. Paris stood and gave the king an affirmative nod.

Avia tucked away her musings about the angel and rose to her feet. She had, what appeared to be, eternity to study Michael. No sense in wasting the present.

She flashed a wicked grin and brought a hand to her forehead in salute. “We’re on it, boss.”

Chapter 17

Val had been on the multi-colored brick streets for less than five minutes and was already lost. The hall she had fled into immediately spit her into the heart of the city. The castle loomed loftily in the distance, spires and towers taunting her from the horizon. She considered walking back, but just as quickly remembered why she left.

Meandering the streets, Val couldn’t help but feel like a tourist. She stopped at nearly every building and studied each staggering piece of architecture. Beautiful buildings equipped with twisting towers, gargoyles, and arches made up the central build of the city. Even still, magic and modernity had transcended Le Ciel far beyond any human utopia.

Most walked, but there was the occasional denizen floating past on some sort of cloud scooter. Restaurants and shops were planted about, and she strained to see something familiar. At first, she couldn’t recognize the language, but then the Mark pulsed. The strange collection of symbols and markings shifted into English.

A potion and spell shop sat beside a furniture store, across the street from “Aerial Beam Tag.” It was apparently “Perfect for New Flyers.”

What really caught her eye, however, were the various translucent screens that floated above the city. Each displayed information on current events. A breeder named Johaim was being honored for his gift of fifty warrior griffons to the Hosts, Le Ciel’s standing army. Selene, an Underworld immigrant, had just started serving “lava shakes.”

The screen that really caught Val’s attention had what looked like sports stats. Next to that was the text: Demons Killed in Last Confrontation. Beneath was a list of names, many of whom she recognized from Catholic and Jewish tradition. At the top was Gabriel, then Raphael, then Phanuel, followed by many more “els.” Next to each was a number. They were all at least in the triple digits.

Something glimmered in the corner of her eye and she tore away from the screen. Above the skyline, Val spotted what looked like a golden thread. She traced it to the next building, then the next, more thread quickly revealing itself until the entire city was woven together by the golden cord. It ran through the trees, sidewalks, and buildings.

It was the aether. The barrier between the spirit and physical realms was the thinnest here. Earth received a small trickle of the energy, but the angels were stationed in the middle of a raging storm. Magic powered the entire infrastructure, from the lights and electricity to the very air they breathed. It also drove the water channels, the rivers, and the rain.

Val blinked and her vision adjusted around the threads. They were still there, but if she didn’t focus, they sank just below perception. She took in Le Ciel with new eyes. It wasn’t just immaculately clean but was the very embodiment of perfection. No sorrow. No violence. Only an odd harmony she realized the angels must have lived in since the beginning.

Mothers pushed their infants in floating silver pods along the sidewalks, laughing and carefree. Children raced on a grassy square, blatantly cheating by use of flame and ice to propel themselves faster—unless that was the true goal of the game.

The longer Val studied the people, the more she could register their radiant golden aura. The glow was very faint and nearly blended with their warm skin. However, if she focused on one person at a time, she could see their light as easily as a spark in a dark room.

These were the angels. She had never imagined a magical higher realm being so… normal. But it made sense; not all angels would be demon-fighting warriors or guardians. Just like any other society, there were those who simply lived out their daily lives.

“Hello there!”

Val turned to see a man waving to her from what looked like an outdoor coffee shop. She stared a moment, then acquiesced to the concept. Caffeine really was a universal drug.

“First time in the city?” he asked as she approached. Her gaze fell on a glowing yellow drink in a twisting glass, but the last customer walked away with it before she got a closer look.

Val nodded, then realized he probably expected her to buy something. “I’m sorry, but I don’t have any money.”

“Money?” The man laughed. He began mixing vibrant colored liquids and pink and blue powders on the opposite counter. “We don’t use money here.”

“How does that work?” Val asked skeptically.

“Well,” he said, stopping to