He was the firstborn among the angels. Born of the light that knew no shadow, and faithful to the order that had ruled the heavens from eternity. But even light can blind, and Nikael learned this before the others. He saw purity turn into pride and justice into judgment. He saw heaven preach eternity but deny the very meaning of life - finitude. And so he stood against an order that refused to accept that even death was a part of being. When the time came for the choice, each
