As many of you know, we here at entered a story writing competition run by the incredible artist Max Dragon and were lucky enough to win first place. As part of the price Max has drawn a picture based on a scene from the story; this scene was chosen by him. Below is the extract this scene is based on:

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The ground shook violently and Rick tumbled to the rubble and bone strewn square, trying to find something, anything to hang onto it. It was like a freight train was rushing upwards into the sky from the some dark hidden pit. In the fight for survival Rick had forgotten about the thing that had sent him fleeing back into the night air, the darkness that had moved and spoken to him. And now it seemed that darkness was coming to make his re-acquaintance.

At once the shaking stopped. Several explosions rocked the forgotten Vatican and the dome exploded violently, sending huge chunks of carved rock and mortar flying dozens of feet in all directions. Rick let out a cry and scrambled as a particularly large piece landed where he had been sprawled no more then a few seconds later.

Something oozed out of the shattered dome and Rick got to his feet, watching with morbid interest. Quickly he set his eye piece to full scan, wanting to gather as much information as he possibly could. The thing growled and stomped, scraping over the stone roof of the Basilica as it came to the edge and stared down over the square. Piercing red eyes, dozens of them, smoked in pure darkness, a massive shape of horns and spikes, a head and shoulders and several arms silhouetted by the brightness of the moon leered over the ruins. Rick stared back upwards, his stomach churning just from the sight. His eye piece was coming back with amazing data, thankfully no clear image. No doubt whatever this thing really looked like would have been enough to destroy his mind in an instant.

There was a ruffling sound and a massive pair of wings unfurled behind the monstrous visage. They rose upwards, arching majestically, draconic almost, the membranes ragged, stretching as wide as the Basilica itself. They ruffled suddenly and from under them shot out another set of wings, with torn and missing feathers, dripping puss. But these moved and from under them shot a final pair. These wings had once been flesh but what remained were bloody stubs attached to the back. In their place metal and sharp blades had been attached, a parody of what they had once been.

Rick took a step backwards. There was only one kind of evil being that had such a configuration of wings, only one kind of monstrous entity that swept over the Earth like a plague when the portals had opened. They had been so few but the ones that had been encountered had been terrifying and only a few had lived to even tell anyone of what they had seen.

This was no demon or devil or arch fiend or over grown zombie or possessed mortal. This was one of a Lost Host of the Seraphim. This was a Fallen Angel.

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If you haven't already, go check out the full story "Angel Falls".


Art ©  max-dragon
Story ©  sylver-n-red