Spoiler: Author Remarks One Getting right into the meat and potatoes. I really enjoy reading so I decided to try my hand at writing. I started this book January of this year with the intention of putting my heart and mind into it and finishing it by the end of the year by the latest. That mentality has not changed at all. But I wanted to clarify that depending on how well it did I may continue writing or drop this hobbie all together, after all I can not justify spending so much time and effort when no one but myself enjoys my writing. So I am going to use maybe a week or two to go back and review all the chapters I have written so far and correct any issues in plot or grammar that I may have missed ( and knowing me I probably missed a lot sorry ). Well I just wanted to give a heads up to anyone reading my book. Today's date is March 20th, 2019 I plan to continue writing starting April 1st, 2019. Thank you for taking the time to read this and be blessed! -AbsoluteAcedia
Spoiler: Chapter 12 - Happy Birthday The sun is just peeking over the horizon. “Hey Rose today is the sixth right?” “Ya why?” “Today's my 16th birthday.” “I’m not sure why you think that matters right now.” “I’m just reminding myself so I don't forget. It feels like the world is getting more and more nonsensical and i'm losing track of reality.” We spent the night crossing over into lower New York and headed towards the coordinates that Rose gave my parents. We knew something was wrong because there was people fleeing from the direction of the city but nothing could of prepared us for this. Rubble and ruin is all that can be seen for miles on end. Shining brighter than the early morning sun is the fires that blazing from several locations. Right in front of us, a skyscraper is completely consumed in raging fire that tower into the sky. A large group of people in hooded robes are surrounding the base of the building bowing and chanting. From their shriveled charred hands a black flame is spreading and feeding the massive conflagration consuming the building. Depicted on their black robes is a lifelike muscular red entity with two horns and black wings. The skyscraper starts to collapse and the group gets up and start to head to another building. Even as flaming rubble falls and crushes other hooded people around them, they keep a steady stride and do nothing to avoid the rubble or help crushed people. Looking down in horror and disgust, Rose says,“Followers of Lucifer… how did they escape from hell and in such numbers!? Nabla summon your weapon and follow me closely.” Not waiting for a response, she folds her wings and does a dive heading right for the center of the group of hooded followers. On her way down she summons her sword made of light. Light envelopes her entire form and she rapidly accelerates. She looks like a miniature sun rapidly plummeting from the sky. The red entity on ever one of their hoods looks up simultaneously and points its clawed three finger hand directly at Rose. The followers looked up, but under their hood there is no head or face, just inky blackness and two red orbs. They gather and stretch their charred hands out as if to catch the diving Rose. As the reach their hands to the sky the sleeves of their robes slide down exposing burned and blistering skin. Filled with apprehension and Great sword in hand, I try my best to catch up with Rose. She is getting brighter by the second and I am forced to squint and look elsewhere. Curious, I look at two red orbs under the hood of one of Lucifer’s followers. Almost like a magnet, i'm drawn into them. Feelings of dread and images of people being slowing burned alive cloud my vision. Everyone I have ever known is wrapped up in black flames screaming as their skin is roasted until it peels off from the red bloody flesh underneath. They look up at me pleading for help as they reach their hands out seeking salvation. Suddenly, blinding, but warm light fills my vision freeing me from the vision. I regain my sight just in time to see the shining ball, that is Rose, hit the ground causing light to spill out in all directions. The light moved slow and slammed into Lucifer’s followers with immense force tossing them through the stone walls of intact buildings or sending them skidding head over heels across the concrete and pavement. In that instant, all that could be heard was the sickening snap of bones breaking from the sharp impact. Rose is standing on top of the bloody deformed body of the follower she landed on; sword of light ready in hand. Her body is covered in armor made of light making her look like a holy warrior. One of her feet is on the back of the followers hooded head, and with visible flex of her exposed leg muscles there is a wet pop. Blood gushes out from under its hood coating Roses foot. With a shake and a flash of light all of the brain and blood is splattered onto the nearby concrete leaving Rose completely clean. Making my way down and hovering beside Rose, the horror of the vision followed by the violence of her actions makes me sick and I immediately hurl. I feel warmth enter me and I know Rose just used a heal spell to make me feel better. “Do not look directly into their eyes Nabla, and have no mercy. Follow me and finish off any of them you see still moving, but don't let their blood or entrails touch you or you’re in for a world of hurt.” As if to verify the validity her words, a crackling noise rang out from the destroyed body beneath her and as she stepped away it bursted into black flames. In just a few seconds the body and all the blood of the followers near it was completely gone and the black flame expanded turning red. Rose grabbed me shooting off the ground as the flame expanded engulfing everything nearby. Like a chain reaction, multiple black flames springed up from other dead followers before morphing into a red flame and expanding. In the a few scant moments, a sea of fire spanning three blocks came into being. The fire is so hot it is melting pavement and concrete. Anger on her face, Rose curses under her breath. In groups of two or three, Lucifer’s followers sprint out of the flames scattering in all directions. The entities on their robes never breaking eye contact with us as they ran. Rose charges at one group shining with light again and i'm hot on her heels. They dodge out of the way this time and reach out to grab Rose with charred hands. One of the hands brushes past her shoulder and the armor of light in that area bursts into black flames immediately. Swinging her sword, she servers that follows hand. Then with a flash of light she rams her flaming shoulder into its chest shoving it away from her and into my direction while putting out the fire on her shoulder. She does a full circle decapitating one of the other followers trying to grab her from behind. Kicking the headless body spewing blood away, she grabs the third follower by the neck slams it to the ground before trusting her sword though its hood multiple times. Meanwhile, the follower she shoulder bashed away stumbled in my direction with its back facing me. The red entity on its robes looks at me and points. I'm overcome with nervousness and wildly swing my great sword while trying to step to the side. It slices into the followers shoulder blade and leaves a deep gash stretching to its lower back. The follower falls to the floor flailing around as a hissing sound came from the gash on its back. Black blood continuously spewed from the wound. The red entity on its back clawed at the robe as if to rip itself free. Yelling at the top of my lungs, I charge and impale the follower and entity to the floor with my sword. As my great sword enters the follower I feel everything as though I became the sword. I feel myself piercing through the flesh and bone. The cold blood rushing past me exiting the wound. The sword hits the floor, and as it does, my connection is abruptly severed. Panting, I back up feeling completely drained. The sword looks just like a white cross inserted in the back of the follower. It rapidly turns grey and black blood keeps spewing from the corpse. It's strange that this guy has black blood while the ones Rose killed has regular red blood. As the black blood pooled below the follower a faint wavy line appeared spanning from the head of the cross to the arm intersection. Upon closer inspection, I noticed the same thing appeared on the cross on the back of my hand. Rose sprinted up to me at that moment. “They are about to explode. Lets go after the next group.” Crackling noise was coming from the bodies and blood of the followers Rose killed, but no noises was coming from the one I killed. Before I could point this out to her she grabbed me and ran around the corner. Flames were rapidly expanding behind us and we barely dodged them after ducking into what use to be an alley. The walls on both sides are partially collapsed and the ground is torn apart. Rose stops abruptly and calls out, “Who’s there?” There is no hostility in her voice just curiosity. I look past her to see who she is talking to. A female with large white wings in in kneeling on the ground with her back to us. There is a humming noise coming from her like the sound of a dog whistle . She slowly starts to get up ,and as she stands the sound gets deafening to the point it hurts. Covering my ears, I see Rose yelling at the woman but I can’t hear what she is saying. As the woman turns around, I see a broken hula hoop where she was kneeling and a giant wooden club hanging limply from her hand. Fully facing us the noise stops. Her face is a mask of immense sorrow and tears are flowing from her red bloodshot eyes. … “Mom?” ------------------ With this chapter going forward (starting next week 4/7/19) I will release two chapters a week on Sundays and Wednesdays (hopefully) until the end of this book. ------------------- https://www.facebook.com/nabla.talon. https://absoluteacedia.tumblr.com https://twitter.com/AbsoluteAcedia reddit: r/Reficul_First_Sin Discord Server: Reficul First Sin You can view readings of the book on (when I do them): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzlPaaLVgk0oidLkG0nqyBA If you find it in you heart and are able to give or just want to read the book on a different platform: https://www.patreon.com/absoulteacedia https://www.wattpad.com/story/169981783-reficul-first-sin https://forum.novelupdates.com/threads/reficul-first-sin.83440/#post-4789513
Spoiler: Chapter 13 - Heaven Every present sensations of freezing cold and stabbing pain numb my emotions. Has it been a day? Or maybe a week? I look at the black cross wrapped in white thorns mark that appeared on the back of my right hand after being rescued by the old man. Currently, the old man is sitting across from me. His head is down and his face is obscured by overgrown facial hair. Yet without looking he continues rowing the worn down wooden boat through the turbulent black sea at a brisk pace to whatever destination we are heading to. A sharp pain erupts from the mark on my hand causing me to yelp and clutch my hands to my chest. “That is the 17th time...It seems we will not make it there in time for your awakening.” As the pain subsides, I shoot a questioning look at the man. I had tried and failed to start conversation with him several times but he just ignores me and continues about his business. “Why talk to me now?” “I'm sorry.” Shocked by his sudden apology I say, “I am sorry too. You have done more than enough for me... it's just i'm worried about my friend and this constant pain keeps coming from this mark on my hand.” He just looks at me with the blank stare on his face. Feeling a little embarrassed, I look away from his intense stare. “Is there something on my face? Why are you staring at me?” “I was just a little confused as to why you apologised out of nowhere. I know I have been alone for a long time but it’s surprising how different people are from what I remember.” “But you apologized first!” “That was not an apology to you…it was to… nevermind that. As you said yourself, I have done nothing wrong to you that you deserve an apology from me.” Thinking about it for a second, I find his statement logical. Not wanting to be made a fool of any longer I shut my mouth and look at the rolling waves while trying to ignore the pain shooting down my arm. “Very level headed no nonsense girl... Just like her.” He stops rowing and looks into the distance with tears in his eyes. Ever once in awhile he would do that. Just stop and stare into the distance on the verge of tears. Feeling sorry for him, I try and think of something to say to cheer him up. As I open my mouth to say some comforting words, a pain much worse than ever before shoots up my arm from the mark on the back of my hand. I scream in agony as I collapse into the old man's arms. It feels like someone is tearing at my hand with an ice cold serrated blade. Just when I feel my consciousness fading, I hear the old man say in his ever steady voice, “Focus in on the pain and try and guide it from your hand, up your arm, and you your heart. From there, it should make its way naturally to where it should go.” Going half crazy and just wanting to pain to end, I follow what he says word for word. An icy cold sensation follows my thoughts as I will it to go my left breast. Stabbing pain follows the weird sensation in its path. After the coolness makes it to my heart pain spreads all over and I can feel body convulsing in the man's arms. No longer able to handle it, I willingly embraced the sweet release of darknesses embrace and pass out. Feeling worn out I slowly open my eyes. There is no pain, but there is an ever present cool sensation coming from the mark on my hand. “...Where am I?” Drowsy I around. The craziness of everything shocks me awake. Giant healthy green vines as thick as an adults leg is spread out for about 100 feet in all directions. On the vines are finger length thorns that have a green base but ends in a shiny white tip. The vines look extremely menacing but that the same time I feel a connection to them. Looking around, the boat is lodged in the center of the vines and the old man is nowhere in sight. Black waves crash into the vines constantly and they show signs of unraveling. “HELLO?” My voice is drowned out by the sound of the crashing waves. Was it always this loud here? I was talking with the man just fine and the waves were not this load before. Anxiety building I call out again the try and find the old man. “HELLO SIR? WHERE ARE YOU?” “There is no need to yell I am right here.” Jumping out of my skin I turn around to see the man trotting along the thorny vines with his hands behind his back. He is walking so confidently while not getting pricked by the thorns that are everywhere. He reaches the boat climbs inside and grabs the oars. He pauses his actions and looks at me. “What are you looking at?” I then realise the my mouth is wide open as I look at him in a daze. “What happened? Where did these vines come from ? How can you just walk around on them! You should care more for your health Sir!” Frowning he says, “You sure are a talkative one, but at least you are respectful.” He casually pushes the oars against the vine below us and we are sent flying through the sky. Screaming I close my eyes hold onto the boat for dear life. With the softest of splashes the boat lands on the raging waters. “So youngster… when are you going to open your eyes?... and can you do me a favor and stop screaming. I don't like loud noises.” I slowly open them. The old man is looking at me weirdly then sighs and looks away and starts to row the boat again. In the distance the vines seems to be wilting as they sink into the sea. I feel my heart break as then sink into the blackness. “That's some Gift you have lass. And, your wings seem healthy too.” “Gift? Wings?” Reaching to touch my back, I get a handful of something fluffy. I look back and to my shock two wings covered in fluffy white feathers are attached to my back. As I think about it, they move. “Before you shoot 800 more questions at me, let me just tell you. We have reached your destination, and they will be happy to answer all your questions. Looking back forward i'm puzzled at what the old man means because for as far as the eyes can see there is just black waves. He stops the boat then stands up facing the front of the boat with an oar in his hand. With a casual swing of the oar like he is swatting a fly, there is a ripping sound and light spills out from in front of him. As my eyes adjust, a group of people of all races with white wings fly out of the light. There are in armor from head to toe and in their hands are weapons of all types from spears to rifles. The one leading the pack says in a booming voice, “WHO GOES THERE!” As his voice travels, the ocean around us freezes solid. “Is there any reason to be so loud…” Rubbing his ears the old man sits down on the boat while looking annoyed. Immediately all of the winged people fly over and get on their knees in a formal bow of respect. The one that yelled earlier gets up while smiling at the old man. “Sorry Adam I did not know it was you! Have you finally decide to come back?” Looking as annoyed as ever the old man points at me. “Just dropping her off so stop your yapping.” All eyes land on me. A variety of emotions are on everyone's faces. Some are shocked while some show happiness and joy. “Alright lass these angels will take care of everything else so my job is done.” Numb from the thrill of my short adventure, I reach my hand out to the old man. “Thank you for saving me and bringing me safely here, wherever here is.” The man smiles and takes my hand. “Here is heaven, and it was my pleasure.” The lead angel with the load voice helps me off the boat and everyone watches as the old man pushes his oar into the ice and flies into the distance landing gently onto the ever raging black waves he then starts rowing and disappears into the distance. The angel turns to me with a smile and reaches out his free hand. “Name’s Gerold Roth.” Looking questioningly at the pickaxe in his other hand, I return the hand shake. “Im Cleo. Cleo Patricia.” “Follow us Cleo!” Releasing my hand he turns and leads the group back towards the shining light. They all step though it and nervously I follow after them. Before I make the final step, I look back at the world of black waves and dark starless skies. In my heart, I thank the old man one last time and step through and into the light, all the while worried about the fate of my friend Nabla. ------------------------------ Next chapter will be up on Wednesday for patrons otherwise see you next Sunday! Leave a comment or a like if you enjoyed the chapter. ------------------------------ https://www.facebook.com/nabla.talon. https://absoluteacedia.tumblr.com https://twitter.com/AbsoluteAcedia reddit: r/Reficul_First_Sin Discord Server: Reficul First Sin You can view readings of the book on (when I do them): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzlPaaLVgk0oidLkG0nqyBA If you find it in you heart and are able to give or just want to read the book on a different platform: https://www.patreon.com/absoulteacedia https://www.wattpad.com/story/169981783-reficul-first-sin https://forum.novelupdates.com/threads/reficul-first-sin.83440/#post-4789513
Spoiler: Chapter 14 - Not my Blood Her normally neat and tidy, flowing blond hair is in utter disarray. "Mom? Is that you?" Her vacant, unfocused eyes wander. She is looking in my direction but not directly at me. Rose takes a tentative step forward. The helmet of light shielding her face fades away. Her hair is slightly singed and matted to her sweaty skin. Worry has, for once, replaced her usual calm, cool expression and she’s regarding the other person with concern. "What happened, Linda? Are you and Jhon alright?" At Rose’s confirmation that the woman in front of us is indeed my mother, I run towards her. "MOM! Are you okay?" As I get closer, I realize there are burn marks decorating her skin. It seems she has been battling with Lucifer's followers, too. Suddenly, a hand grips my arm and yanks me back harshly. I see something blur past my face and crash into the concrete in front of me. The floor ripples like a pebble tossed into still water, and the strange ripples are about to touch me when I’m yanked backward again, and I'm a few meters away from what was once complete, undamaged concrete. My mom casually lifts the massive club from the cracked ground and assumes a battle stance. The ripples spread in a circle for about a meter with my mom in the center. When they cease, everything that they passed by collapsed into dust. Linda turns to face Rose. "Why did you stop me from smiting that abomination?" Her voice comes out distorted and causes my ears to ring painfully. Shifting herself to stand in front of me protectively, Rose narrows her eyes and her voice takes on an authoritative tone. "Linda, I order you to stand down. Now." The blank expression on my mother’s dirt-streaked face twitches, displaying the briefest flicker of anger, then returns to neutrality. Maintaining her battle stance she looks back at the destruction she created. The area looks like a twisted hoolahoop. Tears begin to slide down her cheeks, the small drops paving clean lines down her face. Seeing her looking so weak and broken makes my own eyes begin to water as well. Never in all my life have I ever seen my strong, beautiful, and composed mother look so out of sorts. I walk forward with tears blurring my vision. "Mom, it’s me. It’s Nabla..." Rose holds her hand out in front of me to prevent me from walking any further. Linda continues looking at the broken hoolahoop. She starts to speak again and, even though it hurts my ears to hear her weirdly-distorted voice, I force myself to listen. "Around seventeen years ago, Jhon and I were so happy. We lived our lives quietly in a rural part of heaven. Jhon had just made it back from that dreaded mission into HL4." Rose's face twists with a mix of pain and loss; the sword at her side glows dazzlingly-bright for a short moment before fading back to normal. Linda doesn’t seem to notice the change in Rose because she continues without a hitch. "So few made it back from that mission, and the ones that did all changed. The healers mended any physical or mental damage the angels sustained during their mission, as is customary after any mission into Hell, but… Jhon didn’t get to have the chance to let his scars heal." Visibly clenching her jaw, she pauses for a moment while lost in her memories. When she shakes herself from whatever memory she had lost herself in, she directs a hateful glare at Rose. "Filthy traitors like you took my baby away!" Linda starts stalking towards Rose. There is a low buzzing sound coming from her club and she looks absolutely feral, as if she’s going to attack us at any moment. Rose backs up, dragging me along with her. "Linda, you know I am not a traitor!" Linda's gaze shifts back to me as she continues to slowly approach us. Her club lightly grazes the wall and dust flows out from the point of contact. "If you are not a traitor, why are you protecting that thing behind you?" she growls. Confused, I look behind myself to find the object of my mom’s hate, but all I see outside the alley is melted pavement and dying flames. Rose's helmet of light forms again to cover her face, expression bitter once more. She points her sword at Linda. "Nabla has been your son for 16 years! Although he has awakened with an evil attribute, he also awakened with the attribute of growth! If he was pure evil, do you think I would have allowed him to live after what happened to Marcus? I am giving you one last chance before I will be forced to subdue you, Linda. Stand. Down." Profound emptiness and disbelief washes over me. My own mother… thinks I’m pure evil? I try to get past Rose again. "Mom, come on... it's me, your son! I love you, Mom, I’m your son. Don’t you… Don’t you remember?" But Linda shakes her head, her gaze never leaving mine. "My first son died in hell. My second son died after awakening." Her words cut through me like a knife and I sniff, trying to hold back the onslaught of tears threatening to spill over. Looking at me with utter loathing, she spits on the ground as if the mere thought of being in my presence disgusts her. She pauses and points her club at me. Her eyes, usually filled with warmth, are stone-cold and full of hatred as she glowers at me. "Abomination! You are nothing to me! Hearing you call me ‘mother’ is a blasphemy not only to me, but also to the memory of Jhon!" She takes a deep breath then shouts at the top of her lungs, "I AM THE LAST OF MY BLOOD LINE AND I SWEAR THAT I, LINDA TALON, WILL SMITE ALL EVIL I COME ACROSS UNTIL I BREATHE MY LAST BREATH!" Like a bull she charges at me and Rose, aiming to smash us into a pulp. Rose rushes forward to meet her and they start exchanging blows. Unable to comprehend what I did to upset my mom so much that she’d disown me, I just stand there looking at my best friend and my mother attack each other. Just three days ago, me and my parents were sitting around the table planning a little trip for my birthday today. Now, Rose is an angel, my mom is an angel, Marcus is evil, and... Where did it all go wrong? I look around for the person I always turn to when I'm lost or scared. "Dad? Dad, are you there?" My voice is weak and barely recognizable even to my own ears, but maybe if Mom is here, maybe… Maybe Dad is somewhere nearby? The great sword hanging limply from my hands drops to the floor with a loud clanging noise. In a daze, I turn around and exit the alley. Looking back one last time, everything is distorted by ripples and bursts of light. Occasionally there is a clang or a thump, sometimes accompanied by an anguished cry or shout. I watch the battle for a second longer before taking off into the sky and flying off, my mind still reeling. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Rose’s POV ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dodging a heavy downward swing, I step back to put distance between me and Linda. Dust and debris is everywhere as a result of our short skirmish. Linda’s breathing is rugged and harsh as she fights to stay upright, her club still held in her hands menacingly. "Linda, it does not matter that you awakened the attribute of sound,” I say. “Along with your other attribute of frequency, that makes two attributes to my four. Cease and desist!” She snorts, allowing the club to rest over her shoulder as she regards me with contempt. "You and I both know it's not the amount of attributes that matter in a fight; it is how you utilize those attributes and whether or not it is useful for fighting, and both of us know whose gift is better in a fight between you and I." I narrow my eyes. "That is true, but you know after awaking the fourth attribute, more grace is available to me so I can use my gift twice as much as you and in a wider variety of ways." I pause so that the futility of her argument can settle in. Linda lifts her club at the ready and assumes the position to charge. Has she lost her sense? "You were always hard-headed, Linda!" I shout, unable to contain my fury. “My oh my, what’s going on here?” A voice that I am all too familiar with sounds out from behind us at the entrance of the alleyway. Linda at least has the sense to stop coming after me and halts, instead focusing on someone behind me. Wheeling around I see Marcus, Areadbhar in hand, along with two other people standing behind him. One of them is short and obstructed by a thick cloud of swirling black smoke while the other is a tall figure in a hoodie that looks akin to what mortals would refer to as a “drug dealer.” "Sorry to interrupt bitches, I mean ladies, but I'm looking for my dear friend Nabla. Would you be so kind as to direct me to his current location before or after I rip you apart?" The aura around Linda changes and she screams at one of the people behind Marcus. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH JHON?!" The person covered in black smoke giggles while covering her mouth. It’s an ugly little sound that starts out as a sweet, innocent-sounding child’s laugh but quickly morphs into something more twisted and bone-chilling. The smoke dissipates and its horrendous form is revealed. A demon that resembles a little girl with beady black eyes and a wide, bloody mouth skips forward to Marcus's side and wraps its hands around his leg as if to seek protection from Linda. Its clothing is soaked in wet blood and bits of flesh are stuck in its needle-like teeth. Marcus pats its head, seemingly praising it. "Sorry for her messy appearance. She just had a big meal." The hideous thing gives a big bloody grin. "tAsTy!" Looking around for any trace of Nabla, I see a weathered gray greatsword on the floor. He must have left during Linda’s and my fight. At least he is somewhere safe. I retreat to Linda’s side. "Linda, I know you are angry, but we need to work together," I plead, keeping my voice low enough so that only she can hear. Linda ignores me and stares daggers at the hideous little demon still clutching onto Marcus. The fallen angel separates the demon from his leg, a nasty smirk lighting up his features. "Alright, Gluttony, go find the grey-winged kid, but don’t completely eat him.” The demon called Gluttony looks up angrily at Marcus and screams, "HuNgRy!" Marcus sends her a sharp look and the demon backs down, oddly enough. "You cannot take the risk of angering him by killing Nabla. You know he wants him barely alive for now." Looking fearful, Gluttony nods its head submissively then skips off. A look of immense sorrow is on Lindas face as she watches it leave. "That thing killed Jhon.,," With a taunting smirk on his face, Marcus croons, "And ate him slowly. It was a very gruesome sight. Guess your mate wasn’t strong enough to handle a simple little demon, huh?" Screaming at the top of her lungs in anguish, Linda charges towards Gluttony with lightning speed, but the hooded figure blocks her path before she can even get close. As she prepares to square off with this strange new enemy, I try to get to her side to assist her in any way I can when Marcus steps in front of me. “Long time no see, angel-face.” “Marcus,” I breathe. “Don’t do this.” “Can’t let you do that. I have a job to do and if it means killing you and Linda, then so be it.” Admittedly, the power Marcus wields now is stronger than anything I’ve faced before. I have no idea what could happen to me if he manages to kill me, but I refuse to stand by and let him carry out whatever sinister plot surrounds Nabla. I ready my sword and fight to keep my rapidly-beating heart steady. Marcus and I circle each other for a brief moment, sizing each other up, before an anguished cry fills the air. I do not know who the cry emerged from, but the sound is enough to spur us into action. His spear head ignites into flames the color of fresh blood as we charge at each other and the battle begins. ------------------- BIG thanks to my best friend and editor @prettylittlesiren! If you liked the chapter be sure to stop by he page (https://www.wattpad.com/user/prettylittlesiren) and give her a big thank you for both of us! Next chapter will be up next Sunday! Maybe early for patrons! Happy Palm Sunday! -------------------- https://www.facebook.com/nabla.talon. https://absoluteacedia.tumblr.com https://twitter.com/AbsoluteAcedia reddit: r/Reficul_First_Sin Discord Server: Reficul First Sin You can view readings of the book on (when I do them): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzlPaaLVgk0oidLkG0nqyBA If you find it in you heart and are able to give or just want to read the book on a different platform: https://www.patreon.com/absoulteacedia https://www.wattpad.com/story/169981783-reficul-first-sin https://forum.novelupdates.com/threads/reficul-first-sin.83440/#post-4789513
Spoiler: Chapter 15 - Confrontation He seems to have gotten stronger. I am having a hard time keeping up with him. Blades of wind circle around Marcus as he thrusts his spear at the nape of my neck. I deflect the blow with an upward swing of my sword and jump back before the red flames emitted from the spear can touch me. Unfortunately, a blade of wind grazes my cheek, leaving behind a bloody gash. I jump away from him, stalling to catch my breath. "Who gave you that cursed spear, Marcus?" He stands and casually twirls the spear around as if it's not a weapon of mass destruction. A trail of red flames is left in the wake of the spear tip. If not for the fact that just a graze from those flames would burn away at any exposed blood, I would call them beautiful. "It was a gift from my new boss. It's not exactly compatible with my gift of wind, but it's strong enough on its own. Not to mention you don't even have a real weapon; you've only got your gift. So this fight is pretty much a cakewalk." Knowing that he is speaking the truth, I steady my pounding heart and prepare for my last stand. If I'm going down fighting, the least I can do is take you down with me. I channel all the grace I have left into my sword and it gradually becomes less transparent. All the light in our surroundings begins to flood into the sword and the blade becomes darker and darker until it turns completely black. Marcus regards the sword warily and assumes a battle stance with his body low to ground, the spear pointing downwards. I look for any openings but there is none in his highly reactive stance. Fierce wind currents form around his feet and sharp gusts come in and out of existence, randomly leaving deep cuts in the area around him. Wind that used to be beautiful and comforting is now frightening. Marcus could do so much damage with his corrupted gift if he wanted to. I shake myself from my thoughts. We remain motionless waiting for an opening from the other person. Constant loud gunshots ring out as the tall hooded figure that was behind Marcus retreats while firing a shotgun at the charging Linda. She has her club up to protect against any potential openings as she tries to close the gap and land a decisive blow on her opponent. A cheerful voice shouts out to her from under the hood. "Just pay me 50% of your total grace permanently and I promise to kill you quickly! All you have to do is say the words: I, your first and last name, pledge to give Greed 50% of my grace for a merciful death." "Never, you abhorrent filth!" Getting as close as she can, Linda swings her club horizontally, just barely grazing the hooded man's arm. Surprised and caught off-guard, he drops the shotgun and immediately tries to put distance between him and Linda. His arm dangles limply at the side of his body. He tries to move, but it just wiggles unnaturally as though it is completely boneless. He hisses in pain. "Unbelievable...You completely liquified my arm with just a graze." Completely out of breath from all the chasing, Linda glowers at the hooded man who calls himself Greed. Lifting her club she smashes his abandoned shotgun into pieces. Embedded in the ground around her are coins that Greed was shooting. Reaching down, she pries out a blood-soaked quarter that is lodged deep into her thigh. Linda barely even winces as she tosses the coin away, getting back into a fierce battle stance. "My next hit will liquify your head!" With laughter in his voice Greed says, "We will see about that dear. I, Greed, pay 15% of my remaining iniquity to heal my arm." After he finishes speaking, a strange, gut-wrenching snapping noise echoes through the air around us. Greed flexes his formerly-limp arm to show it is now fully healed. Linda lets out a frustrated shout and charges at him again, but Greed flees backwards. "You are too late! I, Greed, pay 5% of my remaining iniquity to repair and reload my shotgun!" Dust from where Linda destroyed Greed's gun rushes into his outstretched hand reforming into a brand new, fully loaded shotgun, which he proceeds to aim at the relentless angel. He fires at her rapidly, but she's able to deflect some of the coins by using her club. The cat and mouse chase continues, but by chance, a stray coin ricochets off of Linda's club and hits Marcus in the back, causing him to flinch and stumble forward. Seeing the opening, I thrust my sword forward and Marcus is completely caught off-guard. He just barely moves his spear up to defend himself, but it ruptures as soon as it makes contact with the sword. A bright light and high-pitched noise interrupts both battles taking place and we all shield ourselves. The light feels comforting to me and Linda, as we're angels who fight for the light, but Marcus and Greed let out pain-filled cries. When the light fades, both of them are gone, leaving me and Linda to rest for a moment. She's panting for breath and she looks a little worse for wear, her hair messy; eyes wild with anguish. It takes her a split second to realize we are safe, and she slowly relaxes her grip on her weapon. Some of her armor is torn and there are a few wounds on her where Greed's coin-bullets nicked her. I look down towards the city below us, where a plethora of news helicopters are roaming the tops of skyscrapers in hopes of getting a visual on the unfolding chaos below. The military and police are still doing their best to evacuate civilians and fight off the strange, robed cultists. I'm sure humankind was able to see the bright pillar of light that just engulfed the four of us. Anytime angels fight or spar, the humans are only able to see lightning; I cannot even begin to imagine what they witnessed just now. Probably a severe lightning storm with claps of thunder. As I catch a glimpse of dark figures darting through the city streets, I'm the first to speak up as the realization hits me. "We have to hurry and find the portal they are using to bring demons forth, Linda." "I agree. Rose, your shoulder?" Whatever grace I have left is used to help me support Linda as she leans on me. It's when she winces and yelps that I realize there is a particularly severe wound on her side. I reach over and try to channel my gift to heal her, but shooting pains rock throughout my wings and I almost drop her from the sheer agony. "Rose, stop; you can heal me after you recover some grace." Linda gently waves my hand away. "Let's just focus on finding a place to recover." Nodding my head, I lift as much of my weight as possible to ease the burden on Linda. All around us is burning rubble and the charred bodies of the humans that could not escape to safety in time. The smell of burning flesh is suffocating. Linda's face scrunches. "Rose, I... I can sense a large mass of darkness ahead of us, and it's giving off a strong feeling of fire and despair. It should be a portal connecting to hell, though I'm not sure what level." My grace is still empty and I cannot sense heaven, much less bursts of iniquity. Nevertheless, we must head towards the portal and figure out how to eliminate it. The last thing we need is more demons running around on earth. "Let's head in that direction and see if we can close it." After walking for about 15 minutes a little of my grace has returned and I use it to heal the major injuries on Linda and I. Stopping to pry coins out of her flesh to aid the healing process Linda says, "I guess you are right about Archangels being the real deal. You recover your grace so quickly after such a large display of power just moments ago." "Someday, you too will awaken four attributes and be on the same level I am." Tossing a hand full of blood soaked coins over the shoulder, Linda remarks, "I can only pray that the ones I do awaken are powerful like Jhon or I will just be a useless arcangel unable to match up to others on my same level." I rest my hand on her shoulder. Sano Her various wounds close at a visible rate as she is engulfed in light. She flexes her muscles experimentally and heaves a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Rose." Turning away from her I start walking towards the suspected demonic portal I could not feel before. I can sense it now; the closer we get to it, the stronger I can pick up on the feeling of despair. "You know, Linda, that fight would have gone a lot better if you would have just listened and not made me waste energy trying to defend Nabla." I can sense her bristling with anger from my words, but I continue: "Regardless of what you initially felt from him, he has both Grace and Iniquity flowing through his gray wings, and there was no personality change after he awakened. He is still an immature, impulsive teen that instinctively cares for everyone he meets. I do not sense evil tendencies in him despite the conflicting properties of his gift." Her steps grow softer and I continue berating her earlier actions.. "Above all else, he shows love for his parents. He even lashed out at me once he found out you and Jhon might have been in danger from the mission I assigned you.... And yet, one of the parents he so vehemently loves just disowned him and shattered his already broken heart." In a neutral tone Linda asks, "how was his heart already broken?" "... Unfortunately, on the day I assigned you the mission, the ceasefire put into place by the higher ups on both sides fell apart. Marcus started to butcher students indiscriminately. he cut down Cleo, the girl I told you about, right in front of Nabla's eyes. Though Nabla acts like he is fine, it is easy to see how devastated he is." Agitated Linda yells, "I KNEW IT WAS A MISTAKE TO MAKE ANY SORT OF DEAL WITH THEM! The higher the rank of demon the more devious they are!" I nod my head in agreement. "Everything would be fine if they just stayed in hell and abided by Fathers judgment of eternal damnation.Yet, In their jealousy of heavens riches they continuously wage war on us bringing damnation and suffering to others." Lost in our thoughts we close in on the portal. ------------------------------- In chapter 13 the angel that picks up Cleo name has been changed to Gerold Roth. Rough week. Sick, bills, allergies, everyday life; so tiring. BUT , I am revived and back to work. Big shout out to @prettylittlesiren for editing the chapter but also cheering me up throughout the week! Also big thanks to @amyschmitty for the comments! Feedback is gold. ------------------------------- https://www.facebook.com/nabla.talon. https://absoluteacedia.tumblr.com https://twitter.com/AbsoluteAcedia reddit: r/Reficul_First_Sin Discord Server: Reficul First Sin You can view readings of the book on (when I do them): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzlPaaLVgk0oidLkG0nqyBA If you find it in you heart and are able to give or just want to read the book on a different platform: https://www.patreon.com/absoulteacedia https://www.wattpad.com/story/169981783-reficul-first-sin https://forum.novelupdates.com/threads/reficul-first-sin.83440/#post-4789513
Spoiler: Chapter 16 - Haunted By the Past Like a hawk, I swoop down while riding the air currents. I open my wings and allow the air to sift through my grey feathers as I use my momentum to soar higher into the sky. The techniques Rose taught me help to increase my speed while using minimal energy. Flying along, the city under me eventually becomes heavily wooded with houses scattered here and there. Eventually I start to get tired and, upon spotting a road, I land and lean against a tree. While I rest, I fiddle with the cross hanging around my neck. Rose gave me this and said it would hide my presence from all humans and that when it depleted its energy, we would be long-gone with my parents--or, at the very least, we'd have some sort of info on their whereabouts. Right on cue, the cross and chain turns to dust, indicating its power is spent. How ironic that it depleted its energy after I left my mo--well, Linda and Rose. "It would be bothersome if someone saw me with these big grey wings on my back," I mutter. "Too bad I don't know how to cast illusion spells like Rose or Marcus." Now that I think about it, my parents never walked around with wings sticking out of their backs. They must've mastered those illusory spells like Rose and Marcus did. In fact, I remember several times Marcus's black wings would burst out from his back, only for it to seem like a hallucination. Maybe he was just bad at timing his spells? Deciding it's worth attempting, I summon my greatsword and I reach out with my mind to my wings, willing them to disappear. After a few tries, they fold inward on themselves and disappear into my back. I feel a sense of great accomplishment at figuring out how to do this with no help. "Hey Rose, check it out!" It takes me a moment to realize Rose isn't here; I'm by myself, my best friend miles away. "Oh... Right." Dejected and somewhat embarrassed, I wring my hands together. To distract myself, I try summoning and retracting my wings to get used to the unique feeling. It's after the third try that I start to feel drained. The gentle warmth flowing through my wings that Rose called grace feels weak and almost nonexistent. As the grace fades, coldness replaces the comforting warmth and I wince at how sore my wings suddenly feel. I retract them in hopes that the warmth will return soon, but unfortunately, even with my wings retracted, the freezing cold continues to emanate from my heart throughout my body. Only a sliver of warmth remains, indicating I have a lot of time to kill before my grace fully replenishes itself. What should I do now? Perplexed at my situation, I sit down and lean against the tree. I might as well go over the steps Rose taught me to use my grace and summon my great sword. I have very little grace left at this point, but it's not like I have anything else to do right now. I close my eyes and take deep breaths. First thing's first: I have to ensure I'm relaxed, and to do that, I have to keep my breathing calm and steady. Check. Just like that, I can feel the presence of my wings again. Vast coldness rushing around and a tiny flicker of warmth that may go out at any second... Check, I guess? I stretch out my hand, reaching out with my mind to move the warm flow through my heart and to my arms. Slowly the coldness gives way to more of that comforting warmth, and I try to think happy thoughts. ABOMINATION. Images of my angry mother attempting to smash my head into a bloody pulp begin to flood my mind. TRASH. FILTH. DIE! Clutching my head, I rock back and forth as I try to block out her booming voice. A hand gently taps my shoulder and I startle, keeping my eyes squeezed shut because if my mother is somehow here with me right now, I don't want to face her. I can't. "Hey Nabs, you okay?" Why does this voice sound so familiar? I wipe at the tears that managed to roll down my cheeks and chance a peek at whoever is with me. Standing in front of me, completely intact yet the last person I ever expected to see: Cleo. She's wearing jean shorts and a low-cut white shirt with ruffles adorning the collar and sleeves. Around her slightly tanned neck, as always, is a silver chain with a white cross dangling right above her breasts. "Why are you upset, Nabs? Did Jerry start a fight with you again?" I rub my eyes, but she's still standing there, as beautiful as I remember her to be. She's smiling and there's no sign of injury; could this really be Cleo? "Cleo... Aren't you dead?" She covers her mouth and barely stifles a giggle. "Nabla, I'm standing right here in front of you! Did tapping your shoulder feel fake? Do I look like a zombie that just crawled out of a grave?" From head to toe, she looks real; being here with her feels real. I shake my head. "No, I... I guess not. You seem real in every aspect, but you can't be real. You definitely died!" She tilts her head to the side, a teasing smile on her lips. "Oh, really? And how did I die?" I recall the painful memory of Cleo being impaled, tortured and subsequently blown up. Although it was only a few days ago, it feels like years have passed. Even though I only turned sixteen today, I feel way older than my age. Cleo begins to pout, an expression that looks adorable on her. "Why are you always zoning out, Nabs? You always do it in class and now you are zoning out while I'm talking to you? You're not acting like someone who just confessed they like me." I tune back into the present at her voice. "Oh, uh... I'm sorry, Cleo." She grins, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "That's okay." I watch as she looks around, admiring the thick woods around us, before a look of realization lights up her face. "Ohh, wait a minute... isn't today your birthday? Let me sing you happy birthday." She starts singing and I get lost in her voice. Looking at her, I can't help but wonder if maybe she didn't die. After all, these last couple of days have been kind of nonsensical... Had it all just been a nightmare? Was Cleo actually still alive, somewhere safe with her family? Was all of this just a bad dream? I don't actually recall telling Cleo my birthday is June 6th. In fact, maybe the whole episode with my mother was a big misunderstanding, too! I should head back and apologize for leaving so suddenly. Maybe I did something wrong and that's why Mom is upset with me. What if they found Dad and now they're wasting time looking for me? God, I am so stupid for leaving! I push myself to my feet. "Listen, Cleo, I need to go somewhere." It takes me a minute to realize I can't hear her voice anymore. "Cleo?" At some point while I was lost in my thoughts, her singing stopped. I whirl on my heel, trying to search the area, but there is no sign that anyone but me has been here. I can't lose her again! From the corner of my eyes, there is a rustle of leaves along with a giggle. "CLEO?" I rush after her, following her off the road and deep into the woods. "CLEO, WAIT!" She stays within view, but still out of reach as she darts left and right behind trees and into shrubs. What feels like 30 minutes later, I'm completely out of breath, but I finally catch up to her. She is standing on the porch of a little house. Next to the small farmhouse is a big red barn, a sprawling row of crops growing in mass behind both buildings. With my hands on my knees, I try my best to catch my breath. Cleo stands there with her back to me. She is strangely stiff and silent. "Hey, Cleo, are you okay?" She remains rigid, not answering me. I start to feel annoyance nip at me. "Why did you run away from me like that?!" I slowly approach her until I'm right behind her. Still, though, she remains unnaturally, ramrod straight and unmoving. It's only when I move to stand in front of her that I realize something's wrong. To my horror, her eyes are sunken in and blood is leaking from her slightly parted lips. Right in the middle of her chest is a gory gash, with even more of the crimson liquid trickling down her thighs and legs. She collapses backwards and I reach out to catch her but hands barely miss her. Right before my eyes, she hits the deck and falls apart into a mass of blood and broken flesh. "No... no... not again." Collapsing onto my knees, I try to scoop up the pieces of flesh to put her back together. It's all in vain, but... But I have to try! "Please, God, don't do this to me, please... Please, God, not again!" I stop my futile actions and just stare down at my bloody hands and the heap of flesh scooped into a pile in front of me. A door creaks open behind me, but I can't bring myself to care. "Young man, what are you doing here?" I glance over my shoulder to see an elderly couple is standing in the open archway of their front door. The old man is holding a bat while the woman has a phone in her hands, ready to call the police if need be. I'm still a mess, and I'm just barely able to say, "I didn't kill her," through my sobs. The old man's eyebrows furrow together in confusion. "What are you talking about? You didn't kill who?" "Don't you see?!" The old lady looks around for a moment, then regards me with confusion. "We have no idea what you're talking about, young man. Why are you out here on our porch playing with leaves?" Leaves? I look down to where Cleo's broken body lay, only to find a pile of wet leaves. There is no blood, and most importantly, there is no Cleo. Am I losing my mind? "B-but... there was blood, a-and Cleo..." The old man just shakes his head, his expression a mix of pity and wariness. "You're the only one I've seen running through the woods tonight. You were shouting and then you approached our porch, like something had spooked you. Then once you sat down, you were muttering to yourself and grabbed leaves from over the porch; you scared the living daylights out of us. You on drugs or something, son?" I force myself to stand up and rub my eyes. I just feel so drained and mentally exhausted. I must be going crazy. "No sir, I'm not on any drugs nor have I ever taken drugs in my life," I assure him. "I'm sorry for disturbing you and your wife; I meant no harm. I'm sorry again for the disturbance, I'll be on my way, now." I get up to start heading back into the woods, but the man puts down the bat and stops me. "Hold on there. Would you like something to eat and maybe a change of clothing? You look a little worse for wear." He gestures towards my clothing. I am wearing the same outfit from two days ago. It is ripped in several places with leaves and twigs sticking out of my unkempt hair. Spots of dirt and dried blood are scattered across my jeans and shirt. While traveling with Rose, we tried washing them in a nearby river, but... it didn't do much. The smell of fresh eggs and bacon hangs in the air, along with the faint scent of pancakes. My stomach growls, reminding me that I haven't eaten in a long time. "If it's not too much trouble, I would be very grateful for that, sir." The old man smiles warmly and claps a hand on my shoulder. "No trouble at all, son. Please come in and make yourself at home." Lowering her cell phone, the old woman gives me a gentle smile of her own before she retreats, presumably, to continue cooking breakfast. I follow both of them inside and I'm immediately hit with a cozy, homey smell comprised of a hint of cinnamon and wood. Their living room is rustic-themed and has a welcoming atmosphere; although everything is clearly meant to be warm and inviting, I have to admit, I feel small in this new space. To the left is the kitchen, where the woman is leaning over the stove. After closing the door, the older man walks past me. "You should take off your shoes and take a shower; the bathroom is straight ahead and to your left." Then, with a raised voice, "HONEY, CAN YOU GET OUR GUEST A TOWEL WHILE I GET HIM SOME CLEAN CLOTHES? After ensuring that everything is cooking well, the wife comes out and playfully smacks his arm with an oven mitt. "I'm right here, dear, I'm not so old that I can't hear!" Husband and wife exchange an amused look before the wife directs a friendly smile my way. "Follow me, er... oh, I'm sorry, but we never got your name." "Thank you having me, Ma'am. My name is Nabla." "Nabla." She says the name as if trying it on. After a moment, she beams. "Well, Nabla, we are Mr. and Mrs. Roster. It's a pleasure to meet you! Follow me, and I'll show you to the bathroom." She walks at a brisk pace and I keep up with her. "Here's the bathroom." She gestures to a tiny bathroom, also country-themed, and then opens a cabinet right next to the bathroom door. "And here's a nice, clean towel." Mr. Roster appears not a moment later holding a folded pair of jeans and a t-shirt. "I think these are your size. If they don't fit, just give me a holler and I'll see what else I have." I accept the clothes and give them a grateful nod. "Thank you both for your help; it means a lot." A mirthful gleam enters Mr. Roster's eye. "No problem, son, just don't forget to scrub behind your ears." The couple walks away as I close the door. What nice people. I peel off my ruined clothes and kick off my shoes, happy to turn on the shower and feel the hot water rinsing off all the filth that's accumulated on me over the past few days. I scrub everything off quickly, and soon there's nothing left to wash. The water feels so good and comforting that I lose track of time. I start thinking about everything that has happened: it was just a normal day at school, and then Cleo died, Marcus became a monster, and... None of it feels real, but it all starts to take its toll. Before I know it, I start to cry again. It hurts to think about my mother hating me, of losing Cleo, even Rose's extra dose of coldness towards me... I don't understand what I've done to inspire their anger, and I think back to Cleo and I keep wondering what I could've done to save her. But... Was there really anything I could've done? I'm just starting to get control over my emotions again when there is a knock at the door, Mrs. Roster's voice following it soon after. "Everything okay in there? I know you were dirty, but you weren't that dirty." Putting all of my thoughts and worries to the back of my aside, I reply, "Yes, I'm finishing up! I'll be out in a second!" I turn off the shower and get dried off, trying on the clothing that Mr. Roster was kind enough to give me. It is a perfect fit, so I exit the bathroom. Walking down the hall, I notice Mr. Roster is sitting on the sofa watching the news while Mrs. Roster is setting the kitchen table. I start to head into the kitchen when I notice a plaque right above the archway. In bold letters, it reads, "The foundation of this house is, and always will be, God." Oh, they're Christian! Suddenly it all makes sense why they're so kind. In a urgent voice, Mr. Roster calls his wife. "HONEY, COME LOOK AT THIS!" Mrs. Roster rushes out of the kitchen while tossing the mits off her hands. I follow her into the living room to see what caught Mr. Roster's attention on the news. "Some crazy stuff is going down in the city!" he exclaims. "A bunch of looneys are lighting the whole place on fire, and right after that terror attack a couple of days ago, too! This world can't catch a break." On the screen, a news helicopter is hovering above a massive fire. Gunshots and screams can be heard right below, and the camera captures different perspectives of the chaos spreading throughout the city. Suddenly, a bright light fills up the screen. The camera adjusts and a pillar of light can just barely be seen stretching into the sky. The pilot steers the chopper closer to the pillar, but before he can get too close, a strange mass with black wings bursts out and flies at them. All that can be seen before the camera feed is cut off is a black blur with a trail of red flames following it. Anger floods my heart and it takes everything I have to keep from running out the door and taking to the skies. Marcus! ------------------ Semi-edited by Prettylittlesiren so if you see any errors its because I missed it and she didn't get to it sorry. Will work on getting it patched up fast. NOW COMPLETELY EDITED THANK YOU SIREN!!! ------------------ https://www.facebook.com/nabla.talon. https://absoluteacedia.tumblr.com https://twitter.com/AbsoluteAcedia reddit: r/Reficul_First_Sin Discord Server: Reficul First Sin You can view readings of the book on (when I do them): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzlPaaLVgk0oidLkG0nqyBA If you find it in you heart and are able to give or just want to read the book on a different platform: https://www.patreon.com/absoulteacedia https://www.wattpad.com/story/169981783-reficul-first-sin https://forum.novelupdates.com/threads/reficul-first-sin.83440/#post-4789513
So I'm wondering does anyone read my novel here or is updating and maintaining my novel here a waste of time?