The angels come.

  As they always do when their king commands them.

  Michaels’ gittern sings across the realms.

  What was once a dark sky lights up with the most beautiful people.

  Men, women, and all that is in between fill the sky. Blue, purple, green, and yellow lights shine down upon the humans.

  I watch as they come down closer to the Earth, and I know it is my time.

  This is my chance, this is where I return to being the King of Angels.

  I float upwards. Air parts around me like I am leaving a silk bed. I begin to look down upon the people.

  “I have been reborn amongst these people. I have toiled alongside them, and with all their faults, I see why we were made. Humanity is more than an animal.”

  My voice does not shake. It never shakes.

  “Humanity is more than evolution prepared it for. Humanity is more than its factionalism. Humanity has been creative since its inception. Angels know this.”

  I continue to float further up, letting my voice spread across the entirety of the festival.

  “We are the product of their belief; we are what their souls have fought limb and life for. We are their creativity. We are their ideas. We are their guardians. Now we are called upon by their fear.”

  I do not stutter, for they think me a god made living. I pause, and I see them hanging onto the words.

  “Defend humanity. Defend creativity. Defend their faults. Not just because you are beckoned but because it's what we are made for. We are living embodiments of idea, thought, and beauty. We are strong, so when the bloodsuckers come, do we buck under the weight of their oppression?”

  I reply to my own question with certainty.

  “No. We are angels.”

  I hear the scuffling of thousands of vampyrs running towards the festival. This is their chance to feed and grow stronger. I turn towards the column of them coming in from the south, and I grin. I grab my glaive and point it down.

  “Their faith will not be misplaced. Will it?"

  A melodic, "No!" rings throughout the air.

  I hear the flutter of clothes as they crash into the incoming swarm of vampyrs. I stay in the air and watch over my people, human and angel.

  Some angels stay in the air, directing the battle angels' tactics and bailing weaker ones out. Some simply stay because they aren’t meant for it. Instead, they paint the scene, or they join in a melody, lifting the spirits of their brethren.

  The angels are fearlessly strong, and as I watch, I feel a group of souls approaching me. I turn to see Luci approaching along with a group of battle angels.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Luci is a tall angel, taller than I. His hair is as dark as night, and his eyes are white with blindness. He’s the only angel I can imagine going against Michael and standing a chance. He’s my First Commander of Angels.

  I look upon him with a fond smile. He and Michael brought me this dominion.

  Luci speaks, “My King, we need to direct the people immediately. Otherwise, we will start to lose our own people.”

  “I agree, Luci. However, I don’t have a way to transport these people.”

  “You don’t need to move them far; they just need somewhere to start going. Perhaps you should raise your castle?”

  I stay floating in the air, watching the blood stain the streets, and the humans running in every which way. My every second wasted is tens of lives lost.

  “You’re right. However, I cannot raise it yet. I would need to do it somewhere without preexisting infrast-”

  “I have a place where we can bring it up.”

  “Show me.”

  The world shifts around me, colors warp, shapes change, and now I’m somewhere else.

  Below me, round red cliffs jut out of the greenery surrounding them. Holes carved by centuries of wind and water break up the silhouettes of these mighty rocks. The very ground is red, as if chili powder had been dumped on it a thousand years ago.

  I look up to see Luci standing there with his regal expression. I hear a coyote howl in the distance.

  “My King, this specific space has many adjacent areas. Perfect places for you to raise different parts of your castle. There are small shrubs and a few animals, but that is no problem for angels. We can create.”

  I nod in agreement. However, if I drew out the castle, I’d regret being in it as people struggle to get there. I’d have no choice if I drew it by myself. I’d need to rest in the castle afterwards.

  “Luci, draw it with me. I trust that you will only lend me your energy.”

  Luci’s face loses its composure for a split second.

  I grin.

  I watch a small smile work its way onto his face.

  “Of course, My King.”

  Luci locks hands with me. I feel my veins expand and my vision blurs as I see it. My castle is large and mighty, glowing with the light of the spirits that tend to it in the other realm.

  Luci and I plummet towards the earth and land softly. Then I slam my hand onto the ground. Ancient script rips outward, and I open my mouth to utter the key words to bring it to the surface.

  “Get up with purpose, walk with purpose, smile, and feel the end is near, and be inspired. Create what you must, for it is the only thing that lasts.”

  The ground begins to shake like the belly of a beast, and red dust shoots into the air. Luci looks upon it with awe, and I look upon it with slight confusion. The power only made the main center rise.

  My castle is a lot larger than the keep that appears. However, what has risen will suffice.

  The castle stretches near the top of the cliffs surrounding us. Its very top comes only a few feet away from the red cliffs surrounding it. Realizing this, I am grateful that it only rose this part of it. The entire castle-city would’ve been too large to manage in the current

  It is not a made in the like of a European castle. It is a castle formed with beauty over utility.

  Geometry is built into its every surface. Triangular bricks interlock with spheres and prisms, denying the rectangle any room. Around the main keep, six conical towers pierce the sky. Upon each tower, a marble statue with eyes faced upward. It’s almost all black stone threaded with gold that lights up the night sky.

  The northern gates are pure red steel, and at their sides, two angel statues stand proud and filled with expression. Each of which will activate at a moment's notice. I look at Luci and nod to him to move us.

  He moves us, and suddenly, he and I are above the street intersection once again.

  I fall to the ground and look upon the carnage. Black dust litters the asphalt and blood alongside it. The angels have done their job well.

  I see the people running towards me, and I shout, “Follow me!”

  Their movement is fast, like a bunch of ants following the scent of food. I move alongside them, slowing myself down significantly for it. I lift into the air and let my wings feel the air underneath them. I must make an intense image, my armor shining as bright as the moon.

  Luci comes to my side and says, “I’ll check on the rest of the group; you continue moving forward.”

  I give him a side-eye.

  “Sure... he’ll be there.”

  Luci’s face falters, and before he can recover, I am already headed to the front of the moving crowd. I arrive with my glaive’s blade glowing, and I fly in front of them.

  There’s no vampyrs ahead of us, and so I simply fly slowly. I hold hope that most of the trip will be that simple.