#heavenhellandthespacebetween

Clean, properly dressed, and equipped with a new credit card, Soleil was ready for anything. Anything except what Araven had proposed.

“You’re being hunted,” the angel had explained. “All-out war is coming and you are the key to defeating the Heavens. Satan knows you’ve fallen, he knows you’re here. You’ve got to leave.”

“Leave and go where?” Soleil had asked.  

“To your mortal.”

The angel and the fallen had stared at each other. “I can’t,” Soleil said.

“You have to. There isn’t anyone else to take care of you.”

Soleil was incredulous. “I don’t need anyone to take care of me!” They both knew that was a lie. Soleil couldn’t fight demons in vis human form, ve needed somewhere safe to figure out how to be a human.

Araven chose not to point that out. Ve knew ve couldn’t force Soleil to do anything ve didn’t want. So instead, Araven took ver to the bus station, hugged vis friend goodbye, and put the fallen angel on a bus heading North. Away from the next big battle, towards the wreckage of the last one.

“Keep moving, and be careful,” Araven pleaded.

Soleil smiled. “I will be.”

Araven nodded and turned to go.

Soleil almost called ver back. Almost asked if God was still watching, almost asked if Araven could find out what ve had to do to be welcomed back into Heaven. Almost. A painful lump lodged itself in Soleil’s throat, and ve said nothing at all as Araven disappeared into the crowd. Soleil was, once again, alone.

“Soleil. How long will you sit and pity yourself?” Araven sat beside vis friend and swung ver legs over the edge of the skyscraper.

Soleil sighed. “For the rest of eternity, if that is how long my life will be.”

“He was just a mortal.”

“Is,” Soleil snapped, head jerking up to glare. “Is just a mortal,” ve corrected, dropping ver gaze back to the pavement far below. “He’s not dead. Merely lost to me.”

The two angels sat in silence for awhile.

“You could go find him and command him to love you,” Araven suggested.

Soleil shook ver head. “To do so would be to violate the oath that is love. He is free to choose.”

“If you won’t do anything about it, then why do you behave in such a way? There is a war to be fought, which you are supposed to be helping with, and you sit atop a human building and sigh like a heartbroken lover, pining after a human who doesn’t care about you anymore.”

Soleil slumped even more. “You would not understand, Araven. I love him. I did not think angels had hearts, but mine certainly feels broken. I can’t do anything about it. It hurts.”

“Many things hurt, Soleil. It is just a feeling. Ignore it, and let’s go home.”

Soleil shook ver head, and said nothing.

With a frustrated sigh, Araven stood up. “Suit yourself. I have to return to my soldiers, we prepare to defend the Chinese Gate as we speak. You are needed also. God has given his orders. Your assignment is one of the Gates in the West. You should go and lead your soldiers.”

Hesitantly, Soleil picked up the paper, and unfolded it.

“I tipped off the humans about your involvement in the disaster that struck New York City, they hunt you,” Soleil read aloud. The letter must be referring to the natural disasters that always erupted near wherever angels and demons fight, Soleil thought.

“I also know about your human. Meet me at his home and turn yourself over, or he will not see the sun rise on the third day from today.” At the bottom was Trites’s blocky signature. Soleil crumpled the letter up and flung it at the ground. Ve swung the metal pole into one of the cardboard boxes stacked in the room, smashing it with an unsatisfying thump.

“Damn it!” Soleil shouted. Ve threw the pipe through the tiny basement window and dropped to the floor, letting vis head sink into vis hands. “This is all my fault...”

Soleil did not stay the rest of the night in that town. Ve bought supplies for the journey North, bought a supply of water pistols, loaded them with holy water from a baptismal font, and bought a large knife. No one was going to hurt Jack. Not so long as Soleil lived. The fallen angel all but marched into the bus station, knife hidden beneath vis baggy hoodie, water pistols stuffed in all pockets and strapped to vis chest and legs. Soleil was ready for war.

It wasn’t until the bus was pulling out of the station and had started down the highway that Soleil realized all of the faults in vis plan.

“What am I doing?” the fallen angel moaned, the fight leaving vis body in a breath. “Jack told me he didn’t want to see me again, and I’m going to march into his house with holy water and a knife and kill a bunch of demons? He doesn’t even know I am-- I was -- How’s he going to respond? What if he goes into shock and has a heart attack or something? What if he throws me out and says the demons can have me?” Soleil nearly burst into tears at the thought. That would be worse than God throwing ver out of Heaven and leaving ver to the demons. At least as it was Jack just didn’t love Soleil. If he were to actually hate Soleil… The fallen angel didn’t want to think about it. Ve could live without Jack loving ver. Ve could not live with Jack hating ver.

The journey was long, and Soleil found the wait agonizing. As ve had guessed, there were no more attacks along the way. Trites was no doubt waiting for Soleil to deliver verself to them. The demon was confident that vis ploy would work, and would simply wait for Soleil to walk into the trap. Soleil found it frustrating that their plan was working, though ve had no intention of turning verself over without a fight. Chances were, even if ve did go along peacefully, Jack would be killed anyways to prevent any solid and tangible knowledge of the demons’ whereabouts reaching the human authorities. There had been many times in the past when the humans tried to hunt and kill the demons, and Soleil knew that the demons feared human involvement, which made Trites’s threats all the more believable. It was strange, Soleil thought, the mission of Satan is to give the humans choices. It was Satan’s belief that humans should have full control of their free-will. If they wanted to murder each other and tear their planet apart, that was fine with Satan. They had a right to do so. And yet, even the demons feared their own work. It continued to baffle Soleil that the demons wouldn’t just yield to God’s way of thinking and let Him give them order, purpose, and guidance.

As reference, I offer an incomplete character sheet for Soleil. I’m trying to refine my characters and bring the point of my story more clearly into focus, and I find character art helps immensely. I will happily answer any further questions about this character!  

Full Name: Soleil

Age: ~ 500 years

Gender: N/A

How Old They Appear: Early 20s

Eye Color: Brown

Weight/Build: ~120lbs, thin, delicate, birdlike.

Height: 5’ 5”

Skin Color: Olive

Hair Color and Length: Black, waist length

Taste in Clothes: Traditional middle-eastern robes in white, with gold ornamentation until fallen, skinny jeans and T-shirts once on Earth.

How They Feel About Their Appearance: Very satisfied with angelic appearance, self-conscious about their human one.

Race/Ethnicity: Angel/Fallen Angel

Social/Economic Class: N/A

Attitudes/Morals/Beliefs: Believes verself to be superior to the humans and believes that the Angel’s role is to guide the humans. As such, aims to protect the humans, but in the way one might protect a child. Has a hard time treating humans as equals. Strong morals, will follow rules and go to great lengths to avoid going against vis morals.

Occupation: Angel, commander of a segment of God’s army. Now a homeless wanderer.

What are They Proud Of?: Proud of their race and position in God’s military. Also their skill in the use of the Power.

What are they Ashamed of?: Ashamed of vis weakness and lack of Power.

Fears: Being abandoned and direction less.

Sense of Humor: Sarcasm.

Core Characteristic: Fiercely loyal and protective.

Hobbies: Harp, swordplay.

Family Situation: Exiled from anyone who might have counted as a family, disowned.

Friend Situation: Araven, who genuinely likes Soleil and wants ver to be happy. Jack, former boyfriend, Soleil’s beloved mortal, currently wants nothing to do with Soleil, Soleil is avoiding him in heartbreak.

Worst That Could Happen to Them: Losing vis identity (vis role as an Angel), losing Jack.

Favourite Thing: Jack, Apples

What Would Break Them: Having the chance to protect someone dear, and failing.

Best Thing in Life: Jack’s love.

Worst Thing in Life: The war with Hell.

What are they Reluctant to Tell People: That ve really loves Jack.

Major Flaws: Driven too much by their head, not enough by their heart.

How They Feel About Themselves: Ashamed, worthless (after falling)

Selfish or Selfless?: Selfless.

For the next few days, Soleil layed low. Ve traveled North during the day, and hid during the night when the demons were most active. Perhaps it was paranoia, but Soleil swore ve could hear Trites shouting swears and curses at Soleil some nights. The search for the fallen angel continued, though Soleil saw fewer demons the farther North ve got. Having avoided towns for days, Soleil was tired, hungry, and dirty when ve stumbled into a tiny backwater town somewhere in upstate New York.  

No one paid the fallen angel any mind as ve made vis way down what passed for the main street. The town contained no motels and few restaurants, so Soleil settled for McDonalds and the basement of an abandoned restaurant that bore the faded logo of a Dairy Queen. Soleil watched the sun set through the tiny window set high in the concrete wall, and said a short prayer.

“Oh Lord, forgive my sins and deliver me from this Hell,” Soleil whispered. “I’ll do anything to atone for what I’ve done. Please, let me come home.” The fallen angel sat quietly, listening for a response, but heard none. Sighing, ve sat back on the hard floor and picked at the knots in vis hair, staring blankly at the opposite wall. Soleil had suspected it for awhile, but ve was well and truly alone.

Ve slept fitfully that night, woken periodically by strange noises in the dilapidated building, and by dark and tumultuous dreams. The angel had never had nightmares before, and ve woke screaming more than once. Shivering, Soleil turned to look at the window. The moon was obscured by clouds. It felt as though even the celestial bodies of the Heavens had abandoned ver. Solei dropped vis head into vis hands.

A soft rapping at the window drew Solei out of vis miserable thoughts. At the window sat a demon. It was no bigger than a pigeon, but was black as night with a sharp silver beak, leathery wings, and a dog-like body. Soleil thought it was an ugly thing. It tapped on the window again and cocked its head to one side as if asking why Soleil hadn’t let it in.

The fallen angel picked up an old metal pipe and slowly got to vis feet. There was nowhere to run, and this was a small demon. Maybe ve could survive this fight.

The demon grew impatient and tapped harder. Spider web cracks formed on the glass. Another tap and the entire window pane shattered, tiny pieces of glass falling to the cement like rain.

For an entire day and back into the night Soleil was carried across the country. Sometimes they would fly. Or rather, leap. Really far. Wherever they passed in such fashion, chaos erupted behind them. Soleil had watched with a racing heart as they leapt across a road and the two cars they passed over abruptly collided. Ve had watched as flames grew from the thick forest behind them as they’d glided from the treeline and into yet another farm field. Demons and angels were never meant to come to Earth, or to use their power upon it. It made Soleil’s heart ache with guild to know that they were the cause of the suffering of the humans.

The sun began to tinge the horizon a watery pink, and Soleil knew that ve was running out of time. Ve shifted to look forwards, grunting softly as the motion reminded Soleil of vis bruised ribs and hips from traveling like a sack of potatoes. In the dawn light, the skyline of a city was visible. New York City. Beneath vis fingers, Soleil felt Trites’s muscles tense as ve prepared to leap into the sky again. Into the city. Over the city. An image of the city aflame and squealing with unsettled cars flashed through Soleil’s mind.

“Trites,” Soleil said, interrupting the demon’s jump.

“What?” grunted the demon. Ve slowed vis gait slightly, turning to look at the fallen angel.

Soleil swallowed. “Uh.”

“Spit it out!” the demon snapped.

“I, uh… I have to pee!” The fallen angel could have slapped verself. What kind of an excuse was that?!

The answer shocked Trites as well, it seemed. The demon slowed to a trot, and then to a walk. “Can you wait? We’ll be there by sundown.”

Feeling absurd, Soleil shook vis head and adopted a panicked look. “I need to go now.”

Trites came to a full stop and jerked the fallen angel from vis shoulder, holding ver out at arm’s length like a dirt sock. “What do ya want me to do about it?” he demanded.

“Just, put me down and turn around for a minute!” Soleil snapped, rolling vis eyes.

“You’ll run away.”

“I won’t!” Soleil said, though that was exactly what ve intended to do. And then an idea struck ver. “I promise,” Soleil said. A strange thrill raced through Soleil’s body at the lie, the promise that would shortly be broken.

Trites squinted at the fallen angel dangling from vis outstretched hand. “You promise?”

Soleil nodded. “An angel cannot break vis word, you know.” Soleil prayed the demon would overlook the fact that ve was fallen, and that God would overlook the fact that ve had broken one of His rules. Angel or no.

Trites continued to squint until, without warning, ve dropped Soleil to the rocky ground. “Be quick,” ve said.

“I will be!” Soleil said, hurrying into the nearby bushes. “Don’t look!” ve called back. The demon grunted something rude in return about the angel’s odd anatomy, but turned away. As soon as Trites had vis back turned, Soleil crept away, deeper into the bushes and down into the gulley they hid. Ve knew that Trites would be unable to track ver by vis aura, as without the Power, Soleil didn’t have a strong aura at all. Barely daring to breath, Soleil moved as quickly as ve could without making sound into the gulley, and, once at the bottom, raced along the dried stream bed for the line of trees in the distance. It was still at least a day’s walk to the city, and Soleil meant to get as far away as ve could, making returning ver there as difficult as possible. Behind ver, the sound of Trites swearing echoed along the stones, urging Soleil faster.

Trites swung Soleil up to vis shoulder and held ver there like a rag doll as ve stomped through the corn.

“Where are we going?” Soleil asked after they had been traveling for awhile.

“Hell, obviously!” the demon laughed. “Satan will be so pleased with me, I’ll be promoted for sure!”

Soleil felt vis heart sink even further. In Hell, Soleil knew ve would be tortured for information and sport, and once the fallen angel had nothing else that was useful to the Lord of the Underworld, ve would be killed, slowly and painfully, vis body left to burn in the pits of fire. It was every angel’s worst fear. Soleil slumped against Trites’s back, letting the odd spikes that adorned the demon dig painfully into vis ribs and stomach. The ground continued by at a fast pace as Soleil counted each step closer to the Gate to Hell. It was then that Soleil realized that the nearest gate ve knew of was still far to the North. The fallen angel picked vis head up and looked around. They were heading North, towards that gate. The journey would take some time, even at Trites’s quick pace. Perhaps there was hope yet. Soleil said silent thanks to God for the extra time, just in case.

“Trites,” Soleil greeted, hoping vis voice sounded calm. “What brings you to the mortal realm?”

Trites’s grin widened as he further inspected Soleil. “So human indeed. Not a shred of your power remains, does it?” the demon leaned down. “I could eat you right now, and you wouldn’t be able to so much as slap me with God’s Light.”

Soleil held vis ground. “Why are you here?” ve asked again.

Trites straightened. “I have been sent by order of his Majesty to retrieve you and bring you down to Hell.”

Soleil laughed. “As a political prisoner? I’m afraid I won’t be of any use to you. I’ve fallen, you see. God doesn’t give a fuck what happens to me,” Soleil said bitterly.

The demon was taken aback. An angel had just sworn. Ve recovered verself quickly. “Not as a political prisoner, as a source of information. You were a general, surely you know much of God’s plans.”

Soleil shrugged. “God knows everything, he doesn’t tell me any more than I need to know.” Soleil’s heart beat even faster. This was strictly true, but Soleil had needed to know quite a bit, as ve had acted on some occasions as God’s strategist. God hated doing extra work, and things like assigning generals and organizing protection for the Gates had been left up to a small force of God’s angels. God only ever personally took command when a full assault was in order.

Trites frowned. “Well… My orders are still to take you back.”

“Just tell Satan I’m dead, get a beer, and head home,” suggested Soleil. Ve did vis best to put Power in the words, but was pretty sure it didn’t work. Ve really was just a weak mortal.   

“I can’t do that,” Trites said, eyes narrowing. “Satan will have my head for that. You’re coming with me.” The demon reached forwards to grab Soleil.

Weak though ve was, the fallen angel was still fairly quick. Soleil dodged out of the way and ran towards the corn field on the side of the road, praying that the demon followed.

The instinct to chase and kill kicked in, and Trites raced after the fallen angel.

“I just have to protect those humans,” Soleil whispered to verself. “Just survive long enough to protect those humans.” Soleil ran faster.  

Trites was faster still. The demon had vis Power intact and all of vis inhuman strength still at vis disposal. Ve easily overtook Soleil, tackling the fallen angel to the ground.

Corn stalks broke beneath them as Soleil tried to roll out from under the large demon. The demon did not let Soleil escape. Unarmed and Powerless, Soleil soon gave up the fight. Panting, Soleil lay still, letting the demon bind vis hands. Ve didn’t think the demon would be receptive to begging or groveling, so ve remained silent and still.

Trites finished tying off the ends of the black cord ve was using to bind Soleil’s hands, and hauled the fallen angel to vis feet.