When We Were Still Human Vaughn Foster (the kiss of deception read online .txt) 📖

thousand years was a bit generous. Almost every country had a trigger-happy leader with his finger on the “big red button.” It’d be a miracle if they escaped the current century without nuclear apocalypse.

Michael retrieved his cloak from the ground then faced the others. “It’s fine. Even though she’s a ghoul, she was raised human. She’ll come around. Vladimir, could you look after her? She’s probably already lost.”

Michael reached behind his shoulder, made a plucking motion, then threw something through the air. Vladimir caught it, and Avia realized then that it was a white feather. It was just like Zadkiel’s, only the golden afterglow was a thousand times stronger.

“Got it.” With a nod, the vampire took shadow form and disappeared into the floor.

“What about you, Avia?” Michael asked, sitting down next to Paris. “You don’t seem particularly moved by any of this.”

The Mark on Avia’s arm pulsed and she met his eyes with a cold glare. “The world has given me nothing. I don’t owe humans shit. I’d be more than happy to burn the planet alive.”

“I like this one,” Zadkiel said. He sat straight and began cracking his neck. “She’s got that spark, ya know?”

Michael was silent for a moment then looked up. “I understand you are the Sin of Wrath. However, I want to be clear that our primary goal isn’t to kill people. We have to start over to preserve the Natural Order.”

“Whatever.” Avia gave a dismissive wave and leaned back. Any reverence or admiration that had affected her was gone. She couldn’t care less about his motives for this Kairos. She just wanted to see it happen. “We get it. It’s a mercy killing. You, oh archangel, are pure of heart and would never take pleasure in in the slaughter of billions. But I on the other hand...”

She placed her right hand above her heart and offered the saintliest face she could muster. She then held her left hand out. Fire trailed from her fingertips to form a small Earth in the center of her palm. It rotated for a few seconds, then was engulfed by a torrent of flames.

Michael nodded and straightened himself in his chair. Avia couldn’t read his face, but assumed he got the message.

“In that case,” he said, “would you like to accompany Gemini to the Southern Kingdom?”

A map of the world flashed in Avia’s mind. It was similar to normal maps, but there were land masses she had never seen before. The names were also completely different.

Avia opened her eyes. “I’m seeing a map, but I can’t make sense of it.”

“It’s probably too much information at once,” Castor said from Paris’ body. “What you’re seeing is a map of the Annwn. How familiar are you with the aether?”

Avia clenched her fists and breathed out an inconspicuous wisp of smoke. “Very.”

“Perfect,” Paris said.  “So, it’s like this. Earth Proper is where you’re from. Human dominant, wonderful culture, great food—"

“Then there’s the Annwn,” Castor cut in. “It’s the… metanatural realm. After a number of treaties, it was divided into four regions. The Northern Kingdom is ruled by the Dragons. The South is shared by the Atlantis-Selkie Alliance. The Eastern Kingdom has gone through a lot of changes, but after Vladimir Dracule III conquered it in 1292, it’s been under vampire rule.”

“The West is weird,” Paris said. “There’s no central kingdom. Instead, Greater Spirits from the aether serve as governors. Most mirage, however, have assimilated into Earth Proper.”

“It’s why they added the ‘Proper’, ya know?”  Zadkiel said. “Though the Annwn was created at the same time, so who decided which one’s proper, I don’t know. Probably some human’s idea.”

“I think I got it,” Avia said. There was a lot more geography and history that she was missing, but she didn’t care. She just wanted to get out of the castle. She glanced down at her hand and small sparks rippled over her skin. She wanted to know what she was capable of.

“Good,” Michael said. His smile had returned, and he seemed more relaxed. “I have a job of the utmost importance for you and Gemini in Ys, the Southern Kingdom’s capital.”

Zadkiel raised an eyebrow. “If it’s of the utmost importance, why are you sending them? Maybe start her off with something smaller, ya know?”

Paris crossed her arms. “You think we’re not capable, angel?”

“I didn’t say that,” he said with a yawn. “You two are capable. Just not as capable as myself. Come on, Michael, at least send me with them.”

“I need you for something else,” Michael said curtly. “We’ll talk later.”

Zadkiel stood and marched over to Michael. “No, it’s fine, you can tell me now. First you send me to Florida to dig through bodies to get her—no offense,” he said, looking back at Avia. “I was washing human ashes out of my wings for a good twenty minutes and Creator knows where they’d been when they were alive.

“Then you have me cast a transcendence spell to pull her out of her own mind. And now you want to send these amateurs to one of the three capitals? Do you really think Castor can handle diplomacy—"

“Zadkiel, that’s enough.”  Michael’s face was still even, but Avia noticed white knuckles gripping the arms of the chair. “We will talk about this later.”

“No, Michael, expl—”

“I’m sending you to get Greed!”

Zadkiel stepped back. He lowered his head and paused for a moment.  “Alright,” he whispered. “I- I assume you know who it is?”

Michael looked down and sighed. “Zhong Kui.”

Zadkiel blanched and brought his hand to his mouth. He then quickly turned on his heels and walked out the room.

Avia watched Zadkiel leave, then turned back to Gemini. Both of its voices were silent. Paris’ jaw was tensed in anger, but even after Zadkiel was gone, neither twin spoke.

“Alright..." Avia waited for a response,