Prolog.
And behold, he is coming with clouds, and every eye will see him, and those who pierced him and all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of him.
Apocalypse of St. John 1:7
Manhattan teemed with life, its streets a canvas of bustling energy. Crowds surged through the avenues, each person caught in the rhythm of their day—rushing to schools, workplaces, or universities. Their faces adorned with smiles, hurried to social gatherings.
The morning unfurled over the city in a tapestry of grays, accentuated by a delicate veil of mist that clung to the towering skyscrapers. With each passing moment, the sun timidly breached the dense cloud cover, its rays suffusing the scene with a soft, peach-hued glow.
Amidst the throng that navigated the congested streets, an elderly gentleman came to a halt. With a practiced, graceful motion, he lifted his bowler hat, revealing the silver strands that lay hidden beneath. The hat was a perfect match for his long, black coat, beneath which a finely adorned vest peeked out, fastened over a pristine, snow-white shirt, and crowned with a clerical collar. The cool azure of the pastor’s eyes drank in the beauty of the moment, his lips curving into a blissful, almost ethereal smile.
– Time stands still for me – Mused, a profound peace settling within his heart.
The gray silhouettes of the passersby seemed to inhabit a realm apart, distant from the simple, yet profound gifts that God bestowed upon them daily.
– What a wondrous morning, indeed, you are truly magnificent, my friend – whispered with reverence. His gaze lifted to the heavens.
He harbored no fear in conversing with the Being who had accompanied him through every trial, every shadowed valley. The most steadfast, trully companion, ever-present since the dawn of his existence.
What transpired next defied even his most profound expectations.
*
The sky trembled, mater of this world being torn asunder. Dark shade clouds began to coalesce into colossal spiraling luminescence vortices. Exacebrate divine form of light cascaded, toward the earth.Ancient, ethreal pillars spaced, pierced the firmament, along all the way to the horizon. A blinding, immaculate light enveloped Manhattan, robbing the pastor and the mortals of their sight.
The vastness of it all swallowed everything.
The boundary between the earthly realm and the Argent City dissolved. At first, no one took note of the golden and crimson rain of feathers that began to descend from the sky. But soon, the gravity of the situation became unmistakable. As the intensity of the light waned, the crowd stood transfixed, their eyes wide with awe and terror at the incredible spectacle unfolding before them. Hands reached skyward, desperate to grasp even a single feather, but each one that made contact with human skin disintegrated into ash and vanished without a trace.
Priest brushed the ash from shoulders –enigmatic remnants – of what once were noble feathers. His gaze was drawn to a man peering cautiously from a window in a nearby tenement. The figure, barely visible and paralyzed by fear, hesitated to step outside of the safety glass.
– They are all lost! – the man cried out, his voice raspy with dread – Arrogant priest! Carmic bitch ! You should prepare soul for judgment ! – while in silence – The truth hurts, daft priest !
Pastor regarded him with calm detachment, adjusting coat with a measured hand before leaning on his walking stick. A sudden, ethereal silver light flickered in his eyes. Responded with cooled , steady voice.
– Take another step and I can’t be held responsible for my actions.
The old man let out a nervous chuckle, pulling the curtain aside with a sharp motion.
– I don’t expect to live longer than you, but I will certainly show more remorse! – he hissed before slamming the window shut.
After the greybeard was out of the window and disappeared in gloom room, priest was still standing before the tenement. Staring at the window with enigmatic facial emotions.
– How reassuring, old men – spoke with a muttered voice.
*
Chaos soon engulfed the Manhattan Bridge. Hundreds of winged figures plummeted from the sky onto the road or sink in the icy embrace of the ocean chaos. Each passing second brought with it the escalating cacophony of crashes and blaring horns, screams. Sirens wailed from police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks as they sped toward the apocalypse scene. Their signals soon were swallowed by the ever-growing din.
At the head of the traffic jams ,was the middle aged man. The driver of yellow taxi breathed in ragged gasps. His eyes, wide with terror as his skin glistened with sweat that trickled down temples. He stared in horror as a creature’s talons dug into the hood of car, its crimson wings unfurling with deliberate, rhythmic beats. The creature’s charred skin was inscribed with seals in a forgotten language, glowing like the fires of heaven perdition. Other aggressive heavenly creatures whom climbing up the bridge, successful hunted on others drivers – drained the life soul, leav hollow bodies.
Alive ones were fewer and their bodies formed rivers flowing down the asphalt.
Darkness descended.
The beginning and the end converged into one, leaving no hope for redemption
