Chapter Text
Prologue:
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And God said, ‘Let there be light’, and there was light.
There were also other things God created that she doesn’t speak about. A few of them are hidden in the swamps of Australia, but most of them are hidden away beneath the depths of the sea, far from anyone’s prying eyes. God was feeling abstractly creative that day. No one ever talks about it.
Minseok, one of the first assigned angels sent to care and protect God’s newest creation, on the other hand, had seen what God had been up to. In a sense, he thought the almighty was probably laughing at some of the things she’d created. But he doesn’t talk to the almighty herself, so he has no idea of ever telling if she was serious with some of these.
‘What is good heavens are you?’, Minseok kneels on the ground, observing such a fascinating creature. The creature’s nose or snout or whatever it is is long and pointy, it walks on four legs, covered in fur. He watches as the creature sticks his tongue out into the termite mound. He noticed that the almighty didn’t even bother to give it teeth, just a long tongue that other little creatures stick into before it devours them, ‘That’s gross’, he hears himself whisper as he stands up, his white wings folded behind him.
He observes God’s most favourite creation, something she calls a ‘man’, walking around the forest. God was especially proud with how this one turned out, his skin dark and soft, no thick fur in sight, except for at the top of his head and in between his legs. The almighty also gave him a tongue with the ability to create speech to which they can easily communicate with. Minseok can hear him talking all day to himself, on and on and on and on until the angel himself got sick and tired of the man and spent the night in the heavens even though he was ordered to watch over Project Eden.
He notices the man looking at the same creature as he was looking at moments ago, admiring it with the same curiosity as the almighty herself. Minseok found it eerily disturbing how the man was created exactly in God’s image, too close of a replica, Minseok thought. He too was full of curiosity and compassion without the knowledge of even having them.
‘You should be called anteater’, the man says, stroking the top of the creature’s head whilst watching it eat the ants.
‘Anteater, how original’
The angel looks up and lord behold, a demon resting idly on a tree branch, interrupts the peace. The demon had black hair which falls on his shoulders, his eyes bright yellow like a serpent, looking towards the man and Minseok. A fruit rests on his hand, somewhat red, his sharp teeth taking a bite out of the sweet creation, juices flowing out and welcoming to his tongue. Minseok can tell he was a demon because he was wearing a black toga, the complete opposite to his pure white ones.
‘What are you doing here?’, Minseok rolls his eyes, fluttering his wings as a sign of dominance, but the demon just laughs, turning to his side and fluttering his black wings, just as big as Minseok’s and just as powerful. It made the angel take a step back, ‘You have no place here’, Minseok continues to cast out the demon.
‘Unfortunately, I have no place anywhere’, the demon sighs, throwing the half-eaten fruit to the ground, ‘But then again, that allows me to infest wherever I want’, Minseok looks down at the fruit, which was already black, infested in maggots and he grimaces at the sight of it, kicking it away before the man can find it.
‘Has it got a name?’, the demon stands up, his hand resting on the tree bark as he tiptoes on the branch. He points to the man who was sitting around a group of what he called deer, nestling at their sides and watching the clouds above him.
‘I don’t think the almighty has named him yet’, Minseok replies, sensing the curiosity seeping through the demon as his eyes begin to glow, ‘But I’m sure she’ll give him a wonderful name’
‘I’m sure she will’, the demon smirks, taking a closer look at God’s new favourite thing, ‘She’s done an incredible job with him’, he comments, his voice low and somewhat playful – which is never a good sign coming from a demon. Minseok takes it upon himself to take a step forward, blocking the demon from the man’s view, fluttering his wings open.
The demon took his time to admire his wings at first, seeing the pure white feathers gleaming when the sun touches it. The angel’s wings are tall and prideful, almost double the height of the angel himself. The demon mimics him and flutters his pure black wings open, his feathers so dark that the eyes trick itself into thinking it was staring at a void.
‘Why the hostility? I’m just like you, aren’t I?’, the demons say with a smile on his face as he shows off his wings.
‘Were’, Minseok corrects him, folding his wings back behind him and crossing his arms, ‘You’re a demon now’
‘I don’t like labels’, the demon yawns, jumping out of the tree branch and landing on his feet on the soft grass. He stretches his arms and breathes in a fresh of breathing air, ‘The almighty really did a good job with this place’, he smirks, letting the grass tickle his feet as he walks towards the field where the man was sleeping, Minseok following beside him, ‘It was getting too cramped down there’
‘In hell?’, Minseok asks the mere thought of hell piques his interests since it was a dimension that the almighty made that he cannot visit – not that he wanted to visit – but he felt all the more intrigued at such a mysterious place.
‘Yeah, too many demons, not enough food’, the demon sighs, ‘Thank hells I’m the devil’s favourite, so I get to come up here and away from the horrendous smell’
‘Wait… The devil’s favourite’, Minseok walks up in front of the demon, once again shielding the man, ‘Why would he send you up here?’
The question was answered with utter silence, the demon smirking at him as the skies begin to darken and another day closes at an end. The angel reaches his hand and grips on the demon’s wrist, forcing him to stay and answer his question, but the demon’s playful eyes are enough of an answer for him to realise that he should be keeping a very close eye on him.
‘Maybe I’ll see you soon’
Soon came at approximately 12.34 pm when the man, who the almighty has now named Adam, receives his first companion on the Earth.
‘What’s her name?’, Minseok hears the demon’s voice from behind him, which sends shivers down his spine, his hand resting on his flaming sword which God had given him just in case anything happens – he didn’t know what the ‘just in case’ was, but he didn’t question the almighty – turning back to see the devil’s favourite demon back in Eden.
‘What in heavens are you doing here?’, Minseok asks him, bewildered that the demon’s back since he told headquarters about a lurking demon who may or may not have been sent by, he who shall not be named, to destroy God’s creation. He’s been told by Gabriel himself that they have made sure Eden was safe from gnawing hands and gashing teeth.
‘I’m allowed to visit’, the demon declares, ‘Otherwise the almighty would’ve spat me the moment I entered’, now that, the angel cannot dispute, so with slight hesitation, he allows the demon to stand next to him, two of the opposites standing side by side to watch the beginning of all beginnings unfold.
‘So, what’s her name?’, the demon asks again and Minseok stares back at the woman with long dark hair and olive skin.
‘Eve’, Minseok answers, ‘Apparently she was made by using one of Adam’s ribs? I’m not quite sure…’
‘She named the first one Adam?’, the demon grimace at the name, ‘Not very imaginative’
‘Not very imaginative? May I remind you that the Almighty created everything here, including you and me’, Minseok defended God, feeling slightly offended by the demon’s words, ‘And she created this flaming sword which I’m allowed to use on anybody’
‘Wow, I’m so scared’, the demon mimicked a helpless expression, only to chuckle at the end, shaking his head at the angel’s serious demeanour, ‘What’s your name anyway? I wanna know what the almighty called you’
‘Minseok’, the angel answers, ‘It means a Great Jade Stone’
‘The almighty named you after a rock?’, the demon chuckles and Minseok glares at him, raising his flaming sword to threaten him to which the latter raises his hand in surrender, but there’s still a smile plastered on his face.
‘And what about you?’, Minseok finally asks the mysterious demon, ‘What’s your name?’
‘Jongdae’, the demon reaches his hand out, ‘Meaning a Great Bell’, the demon waits for the angel to reciprocate his handshake, Minseok slowly reaching out to hold his hand, giving it an awkward shake.
‘More like a great bell-end’, Minseok whispers, letting go of the hand, spreading his wings, making sure to accidentally hit Jongdae’s face in the process, stifling a laugh when he hears Jongdae groan, massaging his cheeks. He flies up in the air, his great flaming sword by his side, ‘Don’t come near Adam and Eve’, he warns him before leaving, flying up into the air, creating whirlwinds around him, disappearing in the blue skies to which Jongdae leans on the tree, staring up with a smile still on his face.
‘Oh, I wouldn’t dare’, he whispers to himself, his eyes turning yellow.