Chapter Text
You messed up, you have no choice but to admit. When the Horseman told you not to wander out of sight before you could get into trouble, you would have thought that he was making an overstatement. After all, it’s not that difficult to pinpoint exactly where you are, seeing as this realm’s made entirely out of floating island formations. It’s hard to get lost when you can’t possibly traverse from the one island to the other if you don’t have the wings to carry you, right?
Well… That was what you first thought when you’ve been granted access to Eden. The first human to have entered this sacred place after thousands upon thousands of years. Humanity’s first home, gifted by the kingdom of Heaven. That is, until the Nephilim invaded these lands, many years ahead of your time.
You have asked War about it before, their battle against their own kin when he and his siblings took the role as the Four Horsemen. But every time that topic came up, War did not wish to elaborate on it. Not yet, at least.
But that did not stop him from taking you with him to Eden, although there hasn’t been much of a choice. The lot of you had to leave as fast as you could before the Black Tower collapsed on top of your heads.
Were it not an emergency, you would have felt honoured. To travel to the very place where it all began for your kind. An opportunity to learn about the history of your people, to admire the ancient Angelic and Maker architecture that now laid in ruins across the lands. And mayhaps to unravel some of the mysteries that now still shroud around your Horseman companion.
So when War was heading for the Tree, and after finally gaining permission from Azrael, you wandered off. How you managed to persuade the angel, is beyond you. But it does make you wonder. The others of your kind are gone, as far as you know. Mayhaps he could at least allow the last human to tread on the same ground where humanity started out? Was it because of the guilt he carried, from being involved during the annihilation of your kind? Either way, you shall ask him later. After all, you promised that you wouldn’t be gone for too long.
You walked down the path, waving after the angel and the visibly upset Watcher. The shadow insisted to at least tag along and keep an eye (or six) on you. But the angel made it very clear once again that a being of darkness would simply not make it out unscathed after entering the garden.
So you went alone.
As you wandered down the stairs before you, you could not help but take in the wonderful scenery. The ivory structures towering high above you, now overgrown with ivy, a stark contrast against the darker stone. The sight was breathtaking. But also kind of saddening. Elegant swirls and precise edges were carved into the pale stone. Every now and then, a statue appears, depicting both angelic and human figures. Most of these sculptures were often also overgrown by the realm’s nature.
Despite the state it’s in, you cannot help but find Eden a place of beauty. Your eyes trailed off everywhere, taking in the mystical scenery as your feet kept on going. You were so distracted by the beauty of this realm, that you were not paying attention on the path. And with an unfortunate misstep, you slipped from the mossy stairs.
With a loud yell, you slid down the steep edge of the cliff. Desperately trying to get a grip on the roots and slippery rocks as you kept falling downwards into the ravine.
To your luck the universe decided to side with you today, for you managed to fall on a lower platform where the waterfall created a tiny lake. With a loud splash, you landed in the pure, crystal clear water.
You gasped for air when you reached the surface, coughing and desperately trying to keep your head up for a moment. It took a moment before you managed to calm down, in which you decided to swim to the dry land as soon as you could muster. Your body hurt, but it did not stop you from swimming.
Once you reached the shallow water, you crawled up into the dry grass and collapsed yourself. You were exhausted, panting heavily as you tighten your grip on the delicate grass. Adrenaline coursed through your veins. You heart was pounding, and it took you a moment to control your heavy breathing.
It was hard to believe. You managed to get out of the grasp of many demons, managed to tag along with a true behemoth of a Horseman on his quest for vengeance. You have seen literal Hell on Earth, and climbed yourself to the top of the demonic Tower that ever stood menacingly above the rest of the ruined city. You, out of anyone in existence, has even had the opportunity to visit Eden, a privilege only few have lived to tell!
And now look at yourself. Stranded at one of the lowest platforms of the garden.
A sigh escaped your mouth, as you rolled onto your back. Staring at the walls of rock and vines that towered high above. You can feel the sting of the bruises and the cuts that were inflicted when you slid down the steep edge, now that the adrenaline’s slowly wearing off. You let out a groan and closed your eyes.
How are you going to get back up now? And what about your companions? Will they be able to find you all the way down here? Worst of all, what would War do if he knows of this?
‘’Shit, sorry War…’’ You muttered. Sometimes it felt like you were just there to slow him down. It;s-
Your thoughts were soon interrupted, for you heard the soft but sharp sound of metal scraping against rock and noticed a shadow moving in the corner of your ear..
You jolted upright in an instant,letting out a soft hiss as your sudden movement stung at your bruises. There was a cavern a few feet away. Someone, or rather something was in there.
Grabbing all the courage you had, you stepped closer to the entrance. This was a bad idea, you were not informed about any living being existing in this realm. Sure, it might have been a safe haven for humans long ago, but is that still the case, many millennia later?
A few steps further, and you can find yourself inside the cave. It was big enough for you to walk right in, with ease. The cavern made a turn to the left, and if you wanted to find out what’s in there, you’d have to continue moving onwards.
Before you could move around the corner, a loud crash against the stone echoed through the chamber and a flash of yellow light startled you. It nearly toppled you over, but you kept your footing steady.
You froze to a halt and held your breath. Wide eyes scanning through the dark in search for motion. Your heart was now beating rapidly as the adrenaline returned.
Meanwhile, bright golden eyes were staring right back at you from the darkness.
Before you could react, the creature lunged forward and took a hold of you. What felt like a metal glove gripped tightly at your arms, and pinned you down against the stone ground. The creature was looming above your struggling form, and no matter how much you tried to fight back you were no match for the strength of this giant creature. It rested it’s giant claw ontop of your chest to make you stop squirming. The pressure was enough to nearly suffocate you.
You couldn’t scream, you could barely breathe. All you could see were those golden eyes, glaring at you. And the longer you stared back, the more you could see the features that would resemble an angel.
‘’There’s nothing for you here, human…’‘ a rough but feminine voice hissed.