Welcome to Gaia! ::

I sat alone. The darkness around me my only comfort. I looked upwards only to see more darkness, the void that surrounds me. Many of my brethren now fallen due to stupid mistakes.

I'm the only one left...

******

Fire and explosions erupted around me, my wings spread, trying to keep me in the air. It was supposed to be a smooth operation in the middle of the night, but something went wrong. Someone was tipped off of our plans. And now, we were paying for it dearly.

Our plan was simple. The angelic stronghold was to be infiltrated in the night and destroy all those who resided within that did not bear the mark of one of the fallen. We were to kill all the angels, as an act of revenge for those that cast us out, that cast us down into the charred and burnt land below. But somehow they found out.

As we approached the fortress, shots rang out in the night, lighting up the sky and exposing our small team to the brutality that was considered due for us.

It's ironic though, that in this age, even angels and demons both used such crude methods to slay one another, or attempt to.

My wings, along with most of my body, black like the night sky. My tail, metallic blue which had small spikes that protruded up along my back to the nape of my neck. My hair, short and crimson, with two horns, one above each ear poking through. And my friends, with me.

Another explosion rocked the air, nearly missing one of my comrades. We swooped down, attempting to dive below their divine cannon range. We didn't turn back, we were to continue on with this plan, and see how far we could get. If we turned around, we were as good as dead anyways, for the rest of the angels would be able to get the word out that we were on the offensive again. Basically, it was succeed or die, maybe even both, but there was no way we could turn around while this fortress was here.

I used to be one of them, an angel that is. But I didn't like how we were supposed to leave the humans alone to their own ways. "They must learn how to survive on their own, or they will never be able to take on greater tasks ahead of them."

Bullsh*t. "Greater tasks?" I didn't like the idea of someone playing around with others' lives.

We were slightly above the ground at this point, all of us extending claws to take out those arming the cannons.

My close friend since I entered the human world, disguised as a human to try and help them, Tytherial, took the lead. He was a very good friend of mine, and he wanted to make sure that if any one of us survived, it would be me.

The divine creatures were trying to re-aim the cannons to such low altitude, but weren't fast enough. Our small group of fifteen hit them head first, our claws slicing into those that were meant for the first line of defense, taking out the cannons with them.

******

I looked at my hand, covered in angelic blood, knowing that I doubt I could ever be taken back. Our plan succeeded, but only I survived. This wasn't the first time I've been out on the battlefield, trying to fight my way for something I believed in. But this was the first time that I was the only one to survive.

The night, starless, as was all the nights in the underworld. The angelic beings always trying to push us back, push us deeper and farther down so they may claim this land as being their 'devine territory'.

******

When I returned to what I call 'home', I went to the elders for my debriefing.

Standing in the all-to-familiar meeting place of the elders, I waited to be addressed. I stood in the center of a circular room with a horseshoe shaped desked with seven elders sitting, all facing towards me. They were hidden mostly in the shadows, their faces unable to be seen due to the darkness, but it was obvious that they were wearing elegant robes of many different colors to show their status.

"What news do you bring for us, Havithe?" Asked the one in the center, the one straight in front of me. This was the elder known as Reathial, one of the first to defy and become one on the offensive.

I made my face as emotionless as I could, "We were successful." I reported.

"And the others?" Reathial asked.

My face showed sorrow for a moment before I spoke simply, "Gone."

There was silence as the elders took this in. I knew it was a dissappointment to them, but they also knew there would be sacrifices.

After a few long minutes, Reathial addressed me again. "Havithe, it is good news to hear that our plan succeeded, but it brings us just as much sorrow to know that we lost so many good warriors to this."

There was a murmuring of another elder who sat next to her, whispering something in her ear.

"I assume that you know the reason for the failure?" Reathial asked.

"Yes, I do." I replied, my face not able to withstand the emotionless look for much longer.

"Then I leave you to that task." She replied before dismissing me.

I turned, and left the room. My teeth in a tight clench, and my eyes turning to thin slits as I reached outside.

"I *will* find the one who betrayed us..." I muttered, the claws in my right hand extending in anger.

I wasn't sure whether or not I would find the betrayer among the other demons around here, or whether or not the betrayer would flee.

I had searched all day, going to different bars and other establishments that people gather at only to find clues that lead nowhere.

About the only lead that felt like it would actually lead anywhere was that the betrayer was a demon and had escaped for the time being to the human world.

From what other demons were saying, he never really adjusted well, being cast out from above. He had always tried to figure out a way to abstain from fighting and seemed to like hiding out in the human world to avoid demons and angels alltogether.

I let out a sneer as I made my way through our outpost that I had launched my mission from. I knew about the rules about not bringing the battle to the human world, but for a demon who would act like a friend, only to stab one in the back, that was unforgivable.

This demon I was hunting, always tried to find a way to get back into Heaven, coming up with ideas that if he were to bargain with the ones above that they may overlook his mistakes. But he failed to realize that once you become a sinner, you're always a sinner. His attempts would be in vain, only to get more of us killed.

I had no choice but to stop him, even if it meant breaking the rules. I'd rather give up my life than to see other fellow demons killed.

By now, I had made my way to one of the portals that was used to traverse between our outposts and our main city. In a few minutes, I would be in a city and then slip into the human world to continue my search there.

******

I came out of the underworld in a back alley in some city. I chose to change my form slightly while in the human world so as not to draw attention to myself. Basically, I chose a look that would let me look like my demon form, save the wings, horns, and tail.

Concentrating on my sense, I tried to search for another demon around, but couldn't find one right off.

"I need to find higher ground..." I said, looking up the sides of the buildings I was between.

Jumping from building to building, scaling it quite quickly with my long dark coat trailing behind, I made it to the top. Reaching in to pull out a pair of sunglasses so as not to hurt my eyes, I slipped them on.

Looking out over the city, I guessed from previous teachings that I was somewhere in New York. Too many emotions of people in the city making it hard for me to find a fellow demon.

"Perfect place for such a betrayer..." I growled as I continued to survey the landscape from my vantage point.

Not being able to pick up any determinable sensations of a fellow demon, I jumped back down into the alleyway that I had spawned into this world from.

I think the building I was on top of was around twenty-five stories tall, and as I fell, I extended the claws on one of my hands slightly and dug into the wall of the building as I neared the ground, slowing my descent enough to land without too much problem.

Walking out from between the buildings, I entered onto a main street, busy with many people, none of which I was getting any sensations that they were demons, just mostly mixed emotions from anger to sadness, as well as happiness and frustration. No demons here.

But as I walked along, I noticed one small folly I had made. I happened to be quite tall, around seven feet tall. This made a little bit of notice around me, but I dismissed it. I couldn't be bothered with small problems with the fact that a real sinner was among these people.

I tried to hide my emotions, but I know a little sneer crept across my face and stayed there, as I made my way down sidewalk on the side of the busy street.

I heard about New York many times, and that it was full of angry people; always cursing each other before any courtesy would be issued. This would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. I would need a better way to search for this pretender without causing havoc and chaos amongst the humans and without using any of my demonic abilities.

From what I've learned, I also knew that New York I could blend in best. I probably could have even entered this world without needing a disguise and I probably would have been left alone, passed off as some punk or other street thug.

I had no choice, I would have to wait until nightfall before I could make my move. At least then, I might be able to use my wings then. Until then, I would just scour the city on foot and see where I end up.

Crossing a busy street, I happened to look out across the seemingly hundreds of people that filled the district and caught the sense I was looking for.

Another fallen, another sinner, another demon.

It couldn't have been this easy. No way would finding a needle in such a haystack could have been this easy. I took off my shades for a better look and could definitely sense that this young human was a demon. It looked like a teenager and I couldn't see it too well due to the other people, but I didn't need to.

At this close proximity, I could tell where he was just by sensing him. A smirk came across my face as I mouthed the words, 'I found you' towards him.

He was in a defensive pose which confirmed my suspisions all the more. This was the one I was looking for, the betrayer, knowing that I had come for him.

A growl escaped my lips as my face twisted back into a sneer as I started trying to worm my way through the crowds of people crossing the street.

I could feel his aura, and made no mistake that this truly was a demon. I couldn't take flight, even though I really wanted to. I wanted to bare my powers here and now, forgetting about the innocents that surrounded me. But I knew the punishment would be worse than death if I did.

Instead, I decided on using abilities that normal humans would think were natural in this world. One of which, would be a small tremor.

I knelt down in the middle of the crosswalk and placed a hand, palm-side down on the middle of the street. I wouldn't be able to do much in this form, but I would be able to start a small earthquake, just enough for people to feel it and hopefully rush to cover. I let some of my energy through my hand and into the earth. Just enough for a distance of a couple blocks, no more, for even I wasn't powerful enough to do much more.

As the ground started shaking a little, people started to panic, and running to cover. Some ran under trees thinking that would help, and some ran into the nearest building hoping that somehow that would shield them from the ground shaking. But either way, it had the desired effect.

It cleared a path between me and him, and as the people ran for cover, I bolted in his direction, extending the claws on my right hand slightly.

The other demon spoke a few words that I wasn't able to make out clearly due to the panic. My first attack missed, as he dodged it and rolled out of the way.

As I walked up to him, I reached down with my left hand and picked him up, pinning him against the wall behind him, inching the claws from my right hand closer to his face.

"Reason?" I asked, "What *reason* I have to attack you?"

I threw him aside into the ground. "Don't mock me! Because of you, many died yesterday, and many more will keep on dying as you try and bargain your way back into Heaven!"

I slowly came back upon him, and knelt down, my face inches from his. "He won't take you back for bargaining, don't you see that?" I tried to make my voice as acidic as possible so he got the idea. "By betraying us and telling them of our plans, you're only shortening your life."

I extended my claws as far as they would go, their tips almost touching him. "You are the real sinner here. Any final words you wish to leave with me to give to the others before I finish you off?"

As much hatred that pumped through my veins at this point, I would at least grant him the belief that he would have last words, knowing that I wouldn't tell them to anyone.

"You're forgiven..."

I heard those words and they echoed, rang in my ears. Seeing the look in his eyes instantly made me retract my claws and change my demeanor instantly.

All former hostility dissappeared as those words repeated themselves over and over in my head.

I looked at him blankly. He said that he hadn't been away from earth in decades, and even said he would pray for me, after death. This was not the betrayer. For being a demon, he sure didn't act like one. If anything, he still acted as though he wasn't a sinner. As though he was still up there with divinity.

I noticed that time was slowing down around us, and realized that he was having great trouble doing so. This couldn't be the one who betrayed us, not the one who caused us so much loss. This was someone who was just trying to go unnoticed.

I stood back up, the anger completely washed away from my face as I extended a hand out to him as to help him up.

I spoke calmly and slowly. "Even though there is a war going on, and those that don't fight are usually killed, I hold high respect for those that have been able to escape the torment of fighting. Even I have that much humanity, or what's left of it, to not harm one who seeks solace in such a harsh environment such as this, this human world."

I had made a mistake. Trying to kill one of our own out of cold blood, without reason... That would have been far worse on my conscience than killing even humans. I could not kill a brethren, even if not directly related to me, for I still saw him as a brother, or a distant cousin.

"Please accept my apologies." I said, kneeling onto one knee, trying to show nothing but remorse for my actions.

I saw the demon disguised as the young man faint shortly after mumbling something as the time around us returned to normal and the sounds of panic dissappearing with the last of the shockwaves left from the minor earthquake.

Standing up quickly and looking around, I started seeing some people pointing fingers towards the unconscious figure before me, thinking he was hurt in the earthquake. Acting quickly, I picked up the younger one and tossed him over my shoulder--the last thing we wanted was some sort of commotion and attract attention to ourselves.

Making my way through the mostly still panicked people, I sought the alleyways between the buildings, hoping that it would provide some shelter from the crowds. I was glad that my little stunt had caused enough of a stir to keep people from prying, although my height did make me stand out quite a bit.

I kept to the back alleyways, trying to get out of the busiest parts of town and closer to the less crowded parts to find a little bit of respite. It took me a little bit, but I actually found a little bit of sanctuary under a highway bridge where a few bums were taking a rest. I got a few strange looks from a few of them as I laid the younger one down.

I sat down next to him and tried to rise him to no avail. The sun dipped behind a cloud as the day grew late. Sighing and knowing it was no use until the fellow demon woke up, I looked about, my mind lost in thoughts and questions.

Why was he here? Why was he in that form? Surely he knew that his powers were weakened incredibly. Why did he bother to slow down time to save all those people? Granted, I shouldn't've been that aggressive and shouldn't've acted recklessly, but he took it upon himself to save them.

My mind buzzed with questions, seeking some sort of answer, but knew it was going to find any answers any time soon.