The Rebirth - Prologue
Even as Raziel looked up at Ezekiel he felt his chest grow heavy. His eyelids fluttered as he felt his pulse slow. He knew it was his time to pass, he had sensed it as this day drew nearer.
Ezekiel sighed gently from his post beside the great angel's deathbed, his wings folded at his back. Raziel was old, he had acknowledged the passing of his seventh millennium, it was past due for him to move on.
As Raziel watched Ezekiel had an idea come to him, working swiftly the angel of death and transformation placed one of Raziel's hands in his. Shutting his eyes, Ezekiel concentrated on the birth, life, and death of Raziel. With one last look at his companion, Raziel closed his eyes, and was lost to death.
As Ezekiel felt the life leave Raziel's body, he hummed a quiet tune. As the sound emerged from his mouth, the notes were visible, as if he were speaking on a cold day. The misty sound floated to rest over Raziel's body before vanishing. Silently Ezekiel hoped that he had done it correctly. He looked out to see a pale purple glow stretching over the horizon, smiling, he sat down and closed his eyes to sleep.
Thousands of kilometres below, a boy was being born. Invisible to all but the new-born, mist appeared around the baby. His eyes, as they slowly opened, were green and brown, though sparks of blue were visible throughout. For a moment wings seemed to sprout from his back, gloriously white. The next second, they were gone, and he was asleep in his mother's arms. The woman looked down at her son, murmuring three words. "Riel, my Raziel." It was a cross between a call and a croon. The baby, still asleep, smiled.
