Chapter Text
Chapter 1: Light’s Out.
Inside of a place known as the Depths, the purgatory for the lost souls, and where all sea monsters originate and dwell. In the direct center, there was an area known as the City of the Drowned. Inside of the city walls, there were many different beings. There was the creatures of the deep, residing surrounding the area around the walls, with some going inside the walls. There was the faction called the “Lost Celtor” who had sunk along with the city itself depths gods know how long ago.
The angels had 2 main jobs, patrol around the City of the Drowned, and execute anything that does not belong. The main thing that qualifies for “not belonging” is typically Humanoids with an intact sanity. They used to kill anything in the city, but they were told that it was disrupting the ecosystem too heavily and are not allowed to execute anything anymore. The current main prey is anyone who has drowned, which means to either be killed twice while on “Lumen”, the surface world. Or to die in an area called a ‘Void Zone” which gets its name from the Void Sea, a place where if you die you go straight to the depths.
The angels are a pseudo-hierarchy, with levels that determine the strength and importance of an angel. The Lesser Angels, The Greater Angels, The Deep Angels, and the Named Angels. They always wielded spears and had wings that would let them do special attacks. Most angels usually used a special type of attunement unobtainable to any human, which seems to be light based. The main exceptions to this rule are the Named Angels, who specialize in different types of attunements. There is a single exception to the hierarchy and that is the watchers, giant spotlight creatures who spot humanoids for angels to hunt down.
Inside the Varicosa District, there was a Lesser Angel patrolling in the area. She had been dispatched due to a watcher supposedly seeing somebody. She turned a corner and saw a humanoid jump through one of the windows. She pursued the human quickly; she jumped through the window and saw the inside of the building.
Inside of the building there were a few people, one being the person she was chasing, who was now evidently a Canor, if she had to guess he was about 25. There were also 2 others, one was an injured Celtor, who seemed to have a cut on her leg. And to Tiphereth’s Surprise, there was another angel in the room. This angel was a greater angel, The angel seemed to be Helping the injured one get better, the angel also did something not typically allowed, He had his helmet off, showing His face, which was evidently a Gremor. The Gremor immediately said “Lesser Angel, stand down.” Tiphereth responded, “Greater Angel, you are out of line. You are actively breaking multiple rules. Explain yourself before I report you to the Deep Angels.” “These two have given me a... Interesting offer, they said they are not strong enough to survive the trial, but if I got them out, on the surface, they would be able to pay me back heavily.” “So, you want to help them out of greed, I see, you will be executed for your crimes when I tell the Deep Angels.” “That's fair.. But I believe that's only if you get out of here alive.”
As He said that, Tiphereth Tensed up as he Chucked his spear at her, then grabbed the Celtor’s Battleaxe. “Very Well, I will execute you myse-” As Tiphereth Spoke, she was cut off by a Bullet flying past her skull, The Canor seemed to be firing at her, as the Greater Angel Charged at her. Tiphereth immediately readied her spear, she isn't even the best at using a spear, before becoming an angel, she would use a sword. As she flourished her spear to a readied stance, the Greater Angel used his wings to launch at her, with the axe swinging for her head, it glanced off the helm flinging it off with the force of the axe.
Under Tiphereth’s Helm was a Dark Cyan, similar to slate colored skin, with orange marking on her face, along with glowing orange eyes. Her hair was long and Black, but somewhat tied up currently. She used her spear to knock the axe to the side, and attempted to pierce the Greater Angel’s Armor, but annoyingly, the spear only dented the armor, she kicked him away and went backward. “Ack! So it's you Tiphereth, you have been a lesser angel for a long time. How do you think you're gonna be able to beat me and Him in a fight, if you don't even have the skill to be promoted to a greater angel.” “That is unimportant. You must perish here.”
Tiphereth Unfurled her wings, and flung herself directly to the Canor, Just Before she stabbed at the Canor, she grabbed him instead of stabbing, and flung him upwards, and then kicked him back down, knocking the air out of his lungs. As she landed, she was attacked by the greater angel, she tried to block the blow with her spear, but when she blocked, the axe redirected and split the pole of it heavily. She launched herself backwards to avoid getting hit. She looked at the pieces of her spear, and threw away the long end, holding the end of her spear like a short sword, it was more her style anyways.
She looked at the Greater Angel, and the others. It seems the Canor was knocked out from the blow, so they weren't lying when they said they would get murdered. The injured Celtor was hobbling over to the knocked out Canor, and the Greater Angel was holding out his weapon. “Fine. I can't win this fight, I should try to outsmart him, he's a co*cky one”
She dashed backwards, towards the door, and the Greater Angel dashed forward to catch her but unbeknownst to him, she had planned it out, just as they both got to the sidewalk, and just as he had nearly grabbed her leg, she lunged her body forward, and Pierced his skull, the hit was not something you walk away from, but The Greater angel didn't seem like he was dead yet, so she did something she has not done in a long while.
She breathed out, and her Hands Erupted in orange flames, and they traveled up the blade, like a wildfire, and while the blade was still in the guy's skull, it started burning him, the screaming and flailing kept going for a few more seconds until he stopped moving.
Just as she breathed, she looked up and saw a watcher, it stared directly at her, and screeched, alerting other angels in the vicinity. Tiphereth looked around, hearing the wings beating and armor clattering as a couple angels closed in on her location. She ran back into the building, she noticed the Canor and Celtor were gone, likely ran away when she was busy executing the Greater Angel. She picked up her discarded helmet and put it back on, just as another greater angel appeared behind her.
As Tiphereth turned around to face the Greater Angel, a spear flew directly at her, piercing not just her armor, but through the top of her shoulder, and grazing her helmet a bit. She winced and instinctively grabbed at the shoulder wound. She looked at the greater angel, the person who threw the spear seemed to be a lesser angel. Tiphereth looked over at the greater angel and figured she would at least try and explain herself
“Greater Angel, the other greater angel was-” “Enough Lesser Angel, the punishment for a traitor is death, effect immediately.” As the greater angel said that the lesser angel hurled another spear, this time Tiphereth managed to use her injured arm to parry to spear with her broken spear. She knew she wouldn't be able to live, so all she could do is run. She quickly lunged forward, she saw the greater angel’s spear swing forward to block it, but she quickly lit up her sword and cleaved at the spear. She was stuck in a clash against the Greater Angel, the only thing letting her do decent in the clash was the fire giving her strength. She saw the lesser angel about to throw another spear, and Tiphereth had to do something, now.
Tiphereth saw the dead Greater Angel, she really didn't wanna join him in the slightest. She needed something or someone to assist her, but there was nobody who could help her. She gave a last push forward with her broken spear. The lesser angel threw another spear, and it pierced Tiphereth’s Torso. Tiphereth nearly faltered but instead used the adrenaline from that to push even harder. Her sword was blazing until suddenly, the colors started morphing and shifting. The Flames went from a majestic Red, Orange, & Yellow to a less vibrant until it was bleak and gray, then it got darker, until the flames were black, glowing eerily, as if it was making everything look darker with its light. She still couldn't end the clash, and the lesser angel was prepping another light spear. Tiphereth had to think.
Tiphereth was on autopilot, she was split between 2 thoughts, stop the lesser angel, and end this clash. She looked around for a split second in desperation, and suddenly, the ashes re-ignited on the Greater Angels corpse, The Corpse burned into ash and swirled around the fire, which was now floating somewhat. The ashes started forming the rough shape of a man, before mimicking walking and approaching the Lesser angel, who was focused on forming another light spear. The Burning Puppet barely touched the Lesser Angel, before exploding in a dark mess of flames and ash. The Lesser Angel was launched straight into a wall, somewhat incapacitated.
The Greater Angel gave a sigh of annoyance, before shoving her spear in a way that shoved Tiphereth back. Tiphereth quickly recovered, and raised her sword as the greater angel did something unexpected. She flew upwards, before diving towards her, and threw her spear at the air, forcing Tiphereth to parry it away, but as she did She was grabbed and thrown into the air, her sword was flung out of her hands, leaving her weaponless, as she was in the air, she unfurled her wings to slow her momentum, before her left wing was pierced by a beam of light, making her flight unstable. She was grabbed by the busted wing by the greater angel.
Tiphereth tried to grab at her, her flames on her hand barely being able to ignite due to the wind speeds, as she looked around, seeing where she was in the air. They were well above the City of the Drowned, hovering over the entirety of the depths. She looked down, they were right over a hole, if she fell down there, she was sure to die, even if she managed to stabilize her flight and slow her fall, she wouldn't have the momentum or gliding capabilities to get somewhere that isn't certain death, especially since the Greater Angel was still trying to kill her.
All of a sudden, Tiphareth’s wings dissipated. Causing her to freefall right over a crevice in the ground. She tried summoning her wings but nothing was happening, she accelerated to what she assumed to be her terminal velocity, she went inside the crevice, before a stone smashed into her skull, and her body continued falling down the hole.
