Fallen Read online

  Fallen

  The Sins of Angels

  Book One

  R. C. Knight

  Copyright © 2019, 2016 R.C. Knight

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN: 9781701511262

  DEDICATION

  For our loving friends and family. Thanks for all of your support throughout the years.

  Table of Contents

  DEDICATION

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-One

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Epilogue

  ABOUT THE AUTHORS

  Prologue

  The blackened sky filled with lightning as giant meteorites fell to the ground. The sounds of gunfire and swords clashing filled the air like a symphony. It was almost impossible to tell the difference between human, demon, and angel as they clashed together in battle. The fighting had already been going on for hours and it didn’t seem like it was going to end soon. A small band of men were fighting their way through the thick of the battle. Heading towards a lone figure standing on the hill.

  Gideon had always been a respectable man. Throughout his life, he always did as he was told and exceeded all expectations. All of that hard work had finally paid off. At the young age of twenty-three he was leading Christ’s men into battle. He had been hand-picked by Christ himself. There were no words that could describe the pride he felt. As Gideon looked around at his men, he could see the adoration and trust in their eyes. Although they were exhausted it was clear they were prepared to follow him to the grave to complete their mission. Gideon pointed towards the hill. “We’re almost there!” he screamed over the sounds of battle.

  A group of demons came rushing towards them to stop their advance. Gideon looked at the leader of the group. The demon’s skin was charred and cracked, almost like it had been set on fire. The horns protruding from his head twisted like a snake, and the flames in his eyes danced with delight as he hacked through the humans in his way. He could tell the demon leading the group was one of Lucifer’s Lieutenants by its size. It towered over the other demons, standing at least twelve feet tall. The rest of the Lieutenant’s group were small and could almost pass for humans. The small horns protruding from their foreheads and their charred eyes were the only indications that they were demons.

  “Asher!” Gideon shouted into his group. “I may need your help with this one.” An older man, with graying hair and bright blue eyes turned towards him and glanced at the leader of the group of demons. As Gideon’s second in command Asher was smart and exceptional in battle.

  “On my way,” he responded as he made his way over. Gideon put his sword into its sheath and knelt on the ground, the cold blood soaking into his pants. He reached to his back and swung around his rifle, pulling it up to his shoulder with ease. He began to shoot at the smaller demons, taking out as many as possible before they reached him. Asher came up beside him, his sword at the ready.

  “Nice shot!” Asher called out as another one of the smaller demons fell to the ground. As the thrill of battle rushed through Gideon’s body, he heard a female voice whispering in his head. “Don’t worry young one, everything is going to be fine.”

  “What was that?” Gideon shouted towards Asher.

  “I just said nice shot, sir.”

  “No, not that. I thought I heard… Oh, never mind.” He looked around to see if there was someone else near him. All he could hear was the gunfire ringing in his ears and the shouts of men on the battlefield. He returned his focus to the group of demons and realized he had taken out four of the smaller demons, leaving just the Lieutenant and two of the common demons. He aimed at one of the common demons and pulled the trigger, but nothing happened. “Damnit!” he shouted as he realized he was out of ammunition. He sighed with frustration as he stood up and threw his rifle on the ground.

  “You ready for this?” he asked Asher as he pulled his sword back out of its sheath. The sword cast a silver glow across his face from the holy light that the angels had used to enchant it. The battlefield illuminated as lightning flashed across the sky. At that moment, Gideon noticed the sword that the Lieutenant was carrying. It was black with an eerie red glow etched into the blade. Just the sight of it made him nervous and he had a sudden urge to turn around and run. The demon must have sensed his fear because he started to laugh as he plunged the sword into one of the humans in his way. The man let out an ear-piercing scream as the demon ripped the sword up through his body, splitting it in half. Gideon bounced on the balls of his feet as he watched the Lieutenant turn towards him, a hideous smile across his face. His body began to tremble with anticipation as the demon’s black eyes met his. This is going to be fun, he thought as the demon continued towards him.

  “Get that sword! Kill the demon!” The voice in his head demanded, dripping with pure evil and hatred. Gideon looked around, trying to figure out where the woman’s voice was coming from. But all he saw was the battle, the bodies of the dead piling up on the ground. His fear grew as his eyes fell on the Lieutenant’s sword. The demon came upon him, swinging with all his might. Gideon quickly parried the blow and rolled to the side. Asher went after the two smaller demons that were still left, leaving him to deal with the Lieutenant. The demon spun around swinging his sword high over his head and brought it crashing down. He jumped to the side, narrowly missing the sword as it hit the ground with an earth-shaking thud. The demon let out a roar of frustration, lifted his sword, and turned towards him.

  Gideon squared his stance and brought his sword up. “Is that the best you’ve got?” The demon growled and came running towards him. He kept his stance as the demon charged. As the Lieutenant raised his sword and prepared for another assault, Gideon jolted to the side and spun around. His sword slashed across the back of the demon’s knees. The demon let out a curse as his momentum brought him forward. Gideon turned, bringing his sword across the demon’s back. Black blood seeped from the wound as the Lieutenant fell to his knees.

  “Really? That’s it?” Gideon asked, slightly disappointed in how easy the fight had been. The demon looked up at him and smiled. He threw his sword to the ground, dropped his hands to his side, and bowed his head in submission. Fear coursed through his body as he looked down at the demon, who was patiently waiting. Disturbed by these actions, Gideon quickly decapitated the demon before he could trick him. As the demon
’s head rolled to the ground a black mist floated into the sky, proving that this demon was indeed dead.

  “Take the sword!”

  Gideon jumped from the sound of that evil voice. He eyed the sword cautiously, wondering why it was so important. “Hurry up! Before it’s too late!” He knelt on the ground and grabbed the sword. A jolt of electricity coursed through his body, and with it came a surge of power like none he had felt before. Images began to filter through his mind, stopping at a scene from a few months ago.

  Gideon was standing alone in an alley, the light flickering on and off. A dark figure came out of the shadows and approached him. The slender frame told him that it was a female. She wore a black, flowing robe, its hood hiding her face. “We have a special mission for you.” She said with a hiss. Gideon looked at her with confusion.

  “Who are you?” he whispered, trying to determine if this was just a figment of his imagination.

  The demon seductively smiled at him. “You can call me Lilith.” Gideon recoiled and looked around the alley, expecting an ambush.

  “Why would the mother of demons come to me? I don’t want anything to do with your kind.” He started to back out towards the opening in the alley.

  “I have a proposition for you. One, which if you accept, will guarantee your safety and allow you to live forever in our new world.” Lilith reached for him, her porcelain skin a sharp contrast to the black robes. “Look into my eyes and I will show you everything you could have if you do as I ask.”

  Gideon started shaking his head. “I don’t want anything you have to offer! I have been chosen to help lead humankind into our eternal paradise! Stay away from me!” As he started to turn around to run, Lilith lunged forward and grabbed his arm. His body froze, refusing to listen to his mind’s commands to run. Lilith walked in front of him and lowered her hood. Her black hair fell in waves and her blue eyes pierced into his soul.

  “Look into my eyes Gideon. You will see that my way is the only way to find your eternal paradise.” She began to shake his arm. “Look at me! I will show you what he hid from you.” She brought her other hand up to his face. Her blood red nail traced along his jaw as she forced him to look into her eyes.

  As he made eye contact with Lilith his entire body felt suspended in time. A woman’s joyful smile filled his mind. She looked up at him, her face full of love as she cradled their newborn in her arms. He smiled and leaned down to gently kiss her forehead. The scene changed, images swirling through his mind. He watched from a distance as the woman was sitting on a park bench, holding the infant in her lap. He shouted a warning as two dark figures approached the woman. A scream of horror escaped his lips as they pulled out silver daggers and attacked. He tried to reach them but was unable to move. One of the figures turned and looked at him. The figure smiled and laughed as Gideon gasped in surprise. Once the attack was over, the invisible force holding him back disappeared. He ran to the woman, kneeling next to her and the infant. He shouted in anger as their blood seeped onto his pants.

  Tears began to form as he realized the truth that had been hidden from him. As the tears silently flowed down his face, his voice came out in a hoarse whisper. “This cannot be.” He shook his head with disbelief. “He said it was the demons.”

  “He lied to you.” Lilith smiled as she pulled Gideon closer to her, running her hand down his cheek. “He didn’t want you to abandon him. But you deserve to know the truth.” She smiled as she wiped the tears from his face. “Now that you know what happened, will you listen to my offer?”

  Gideon looked at her, his face set with determination. “What would you have me do, my lady?” Lilith smiled and began to laugh, the sound echoed eerily through the alley. “Just keep looking into my eyes and all shall be revealed.”

  Gideon jumped up as his memories came flooding back to him. He looked down at the sword in his hand and knew exactly what he had to do. “Are you alright sir?” Asher asked. “You don’t look very well.”

  He looked over at his second in command and smiled. “Actually, I’ve never been better. Let us continue. Christ is waiting for us on the hill!”

  ~~~~

  From Christ's vantage point on the hill he could oversee everything happening in the valley below. He watched as Gideon gave orders to his men then grabbed Asher and continued towards the hill. Christ smiled as he looked around and saw all the angels that continued to join the battle. Their wings helped illuminate the battlefield, shining bright with the power of holy light. Watching them in action brought pride to his heart. He knew they were losing many of their brethren, the gold wisps floating in the air were proof of this. But he was positive the end of the battle was near and that their sacrifices would be worth it in the end.

  Christ kept his sword ready in his left hand and looked down at the book he was holding in his right hand. He began to recite the various prayers he had marked for this battle. The book he used was a gift from his father, and every time he finished a prayer he watched in awe as more black mist filled the air. He was amazed that these words were effective in killing the demons. As he continued to pray, he looked over the battlefield, following Gideon’s and Asher’s progress as they made their way to him. Soon, he thought, very soon all of this will be over.

  ~~~~

  Gideon looked up at Christ and saw a smile spread across his face. “We’re almost there!” he yelled over his shoulder to Asher, “and it looks like he is happy to see us!” He continued his ascent, making his way through the mangled bodies that littered the battlefield. Asher followed close behind him, making sure no one tried to attack them from the rear.

  “It’s almost time, young one.” Lilith’s voice filtered into Gideon’s head. “Soon the whole world will bow at your feet and thank you for their paradise.” He couldn’t help but smile as Lilith reassured him of his future. They made their way up the hill and were greeted by Christ.

  “The battle will be over soon!” Christ said with a smile on his face. He sighed as he looked over his men and noticed all of the blood staining their clothes. “I did not think the battle would be this long.”

  “No one thought it would be easy, my lord,” Asher replied, stepping next to Christ, “but we will follow you to the end and do what we need to in order to have our eternal paradise.”

  “It’s almost time!” Lilith giggled inside Gideon’s head. “Make your way closer to him.” Gideon moved closer to Christ. “Are you sure it’s almost over?”

  “Yes.” Christ replied with confidence. “I have another legion of angels waiting to come down. They will be the last wave and with them we will have our victory!”

  “That is good,” Gideon replied dryly. “We would not have come this far if it weren’t for your angels. They fight well and their enchantments on our swords have made it easier to kill these demons.”

  “Yes, they have done very well.” Christ turned his back to them and looked over the valley, a frown marring his face. “Once this last group of angels arrive, we will be able to defeat Lucifer. I just hope all of this loss will be worth it.”

  Asher walked up to Christ’s side. “How will we find Lucifer? None of us have seen any sign of him. How do we know he isn’t in another part of the world hiding?”

  “He is distracted. Now is your chance!” Gideon walked up behind Christ and Asher. They were deep in conversation, oblivious to his approach. He brought up the cursed sword, “do it now!” Lilith’s shout echoed throughout his mind.

  “Faith, my friend.” Christ replied to Asher. “Everything will work out as it should. We just need to –”

  Gideon thrust the sword through Christ’s back. He stumbled forward but Gideon held on to his shoulder and whispered in his ear. “This is all your fault. You were supposed to save us! You were supposed to protect them! Instead it is Lucifer who will give us everything we were promised. Don’t you see? It had to be this way.” He began to laugh manically as he pulled out his sword and pushed Christ to the ground.

  Asher’s eye
s grew wide as his mouth fell open. He stared, frozen as Christ fell to the ground. “What have you done?” Asher shook his head, his eyes narrowing with fury. He quickly pulled out his sword and stabbed Gideon through the gut. Gideon clutched at his stomach and fell to the ground, watching as Asher knelt next to Christ.

  “Well done my child.” Lilith whispered sweetly in his head. “Everything is as it should be. You will be well rewarded.”

  Gideon looked down at his stomach and watched with fascination as his wound began to heal itself. He looked over towards Asher and saw the old man cradling Christ in his lap. The entire battlefield fell quiet as the fighting stopped, everyone watching what was transpiring on the hill. Asher looked up and yelled at the Heavens, tears streaming down his face.

  Christ started to convulse in Asher’s lap. Blackness began to spread throughout his chest and onto his face. His skin cracked open and became charred while what looked like molten lava seeped out of the cracks. As Christ began to scream in pain all Gideon could feel was joy. Joy in the fact that he had completed his mission and would live forever. He would get to help create the new world order. A loud clap of thunder overcame Christ’s screams. Lightning flashed and Christ disappeared from Asher’s lap. Angels and demons alike looked around in confusion. The lightning grew stronger as all of the angels were pulled back into Heaven. A deafening clap of thunder sounded through the air as the gates to Heaven closed.

  Afterwards, there was complete and utter silence. The humans that were still alive looked around in confusion. The demons looked at each other and began to rejoice. Their shouts filled the air as they rounded up the humans that had fought against them. Asher sat alone at the top of the hill, tears silently streaming down his face. He looked over at Gideon and whispered, “Why?”

  Gideon let out a small laugh as he lifted himself from the ground and stood over Asher. He smiled, “I have granted us what Christ would never allow. Lucifer will rule Earth and I will live forever as one of his commanders! We can help rule the world and do as we please. We will never want for anything because all shall be provided for us!” He pulled out his revolver as he scrutinized Asher’s face. “Now my friend. You can either join me, or you can die.”