Celestial Dawn

CHAPTER 1: The Afterfall

Celestia POV

I woke up in a rustic bedroom. It was quiet...too quiet. My chest still burned from the rune my mom engraved on my body with her heavenly fire. I realized I was disoriented and weak. Falling down to Earth was painful, but the carving spell hurt even more. I remember Mom crying while performing it. She had told me it needed to be done so they couldn't find me here. They...the beings that were trying to kill me - angels.

The door to the room opened and a green-eyed woman walked in. She asked "I see you are awake, Aurora. I am Sydney Dallas. How are you feeling?" I still don't know who she is or why she called me by my middle name, so I don't say anything back. She sighed and told me "Your mother gave me your documents, we will be heading downtown tomorrow" She saw the confusion on my face and continued "That's where we will meet your father." Oh....

She continued "The doctor changed your bandages, but you will have to change them again soon. Hopefully tomorrow your dad agrees to take you in, and he can help you recover faster." She waited a bit, I think she was expecting me to say something, but I didn't know what. Everything I've ever known is gone and there is no going back. They despise me.

"I brought you some food earlier, it's on the nightstand, and you can rest if you want or come downstairs. Tomorrow we will go to my office and we will see where you will go next. You should be prepared for the possibility of your dad not agreeing to take you in, but don't worry, we have group homes with free spots here, and some in the state over that will fit. You won't be alone." 

She left and I closed my eyes turning to my right in the bed. Not agreeing to take me in. That's basically rejection. I could be rejected by both sides of my family. That stung. Somehow the burning on my chest was enough to distract me from those thoughts. I thought about what I knew.

Earth wasn't alien to me, my mom always told me stories about the humans and their history. She even showed me how a lot of things work down here. Like going to the bathroom, showering, or painting. She loved to paint and taught me. She said I had a natural talent. This wasn't even my first visit to Earth. I came with my mom many times and even a couple of times with some of my uncles.

Now, I have to make it my home and hope my uncles don't find me. I should also learn everything humans had on Nephilims. Just not today... I drifted off hoping the pain recedes tomorrow. That night I dreamed about how my family and everyone I ever knew turned on me.

I was in my bed dreaming about the strawberry lava cake I had with Uncle Gabriel today. In Heaven, every day is a good day. We live out our dreams and happy endings for the rest of time. The others in my family barely need any sleep to function, but I am the youngest angel around, the first one born, not created, so it's different for me. 

I felt that someone was shaking me awake, maybe it was Mom or one of my uncles. I opened my eyes and found that I was right, it was Uncle Michael. I smiled at him "Uncle Michael what are you..." My words died on my tongue the moment I felt his sword at my throat. He looked at me with so much hatred...I was confused. "Get up, abomination!" Suddenly he yanked me off my bed and I fell to the floor. "What's going on? I don't understand! Why are you doing this?" I fired question after question at him, panicking with every second that passed. Michael tilted his head in concentration. He was the most powerful archangel in heaven and his piercing stare can make the strongest angels crumble from fear. Apparently, I'm not the exception. I was shaking and my breath was coming out in heaps. 

"You don't even know, do you?" He asked me with realization striking him in the next moment. I shook my head "Know what? I didn't do anything!" He replied with pity "Of course you didn't do anything. You are Nephilim, your mere existence is a blasphemy. I will end you and your treacherous mother for the sins she committed against Heaven" He swung his sword and I closed my eyes praying that this is just a nightmare, like the ones humans have. However, in the back of my mind, I already knew that this wasn't one because there are no nightmares in Heaven.