The sun was streaming valiantly down on the Crystal Arch. The towers, vast buildings and bridges of Heaven stretched far and wide. Gold and silver gilded decorations sparkled and shimmered in their usual ways. Beautiful, graceful plants grew and shed a sparkling blue light that was filled with a holy essence. The energy that flowed from the Crystal Arch was the life blood to everything. Even to the angels that inhabited the fantastic buildings and walked through the halls in all their splendor.

Two angels seemed to stand apart from the rest. A male and female, both warriors, as all angels tended to be, were deep in conversation. As they strode down the marble tiles of the Great Span, they were laughing and chuckling softly together.

"Oh, Lilaurael," the male said in his deep, echoed tone. "It has been too long."

"I know, Ilerael," the female whispered in her lighter, echoed tone. "Much time has passed."

"Much has happened, too," he sighed.

"We were sent off to battle only a year after the Worldstone was shattered. Weren't we?" she asked. "It seems like much longer."

"True. We spent fifty years apart before. But...even a year is painful now."

"It does seem that way. Doesn't it?" she sighed. Her armor glinted like polished silver in the sun. The cloaked hood that covered over her head seemed to show that it was empty, but all angels were made of spiritual essence. Even Ilerael's intricate, silver armor seemed hollow, but the full helmet he wore hid that fact. They clasped their gauntleted hands together briefly before pulling apart. They couldn't let any know of the love they shared for each other. It was forbidden. Ever since the Nephalem were discovered so long ago, it was declared blasphemous to show such affection. But, that was angels mixing with demons. They couldn't chance angels being with angels. Could they? "Do you think that Imperius discovered us? Do you think that that was why we were sent to be apart?"

"It's doubtful," Ilerael said. "We've kept our love a secret for a very long time."

"Since we met?" Lilaurael giggled.

"Well, you appeared right after me. How could we not have met?" he chuckled.

"There was always something about you that I liked," she said.

"And it was the same with you," he nodded, as they walked. The large, two-handed sword he wore at his hip glinted with the sunlight that touched it. She was much faster, and it was her intense speed in battle that kept her spared countless times. The silver and gold bow and quiver of arrows she wore was proof of her marksmanship. The two had saved each other's lives more than they could remember. They even defended Tyrael when the odds were against him. They were both commended time and time again for their valiance and victories in battle. Even Auriel was moved by them whenever she saw them fight together. The two always had a connection. She always sensed it with them.

But, it was Imperius that felt that something seemed different with them. That something felt off. Of course, he was too proud to share his thoughts, but he kept an eye on such things when he could. He simply had no choice. If there was a threat to Heaven, he was quick to answer it. As the Archangel of Valor, it was heavily ingrained in him. When he consulted Itherael, the Archangel of Fate found nothing in his Scroll. Being able to see everything around him in written words, the two angels in question always showed that they were champions of Heaven. Imperius could only accept the information given.

"I do wonder where Tyrael is, though," Lilaurael said softly. "Ever since he destroyed the Worldstone, he's been missing. I do miss his presence. He kept much in line."

"That he did. His Light is always missed when he is not here," Ilerael sighed and reached over to squeeze her gauntlet covered hand to comfort her. "We were sent to look for him, too."

"I know. And I found nothing," she shivered.

"I'm sure he will be back," he nodded. "There is something that I must tell you, though."

"What is that?"

"I don't want to be separated from you anymore."

"I see."

"I worried so much..." he trembled. At this, she hugged him.

"What are we to do, then?"

"It has not been noticed that we came back. I'm sure it will be noticed, but only if we don't act now," he said. "So...I'm going to ask you. Will you flee with me to Sanctuary? To the place the Worldstone was used and destroyed?"

"But...the humans are there! We can't simply leave here!" she gasped.

"I have noticed," he said gently. "that, if we remove our wings, it may be possible."

"What?!" she hissed out with alarm. Her wings were the usual blue, slender tendrils of light. His were the same, if a touch larger for masculinity. Angel wings were all the same, save for the Archangels with a difference in color and vibrancy. But, they attached to plates of armor just along her shoulders. It was the same with his and all other angels. They had witnessed demons tearing off their prized wings before killing them off to make them suffer. Their wings were their link to stay in the Heavenly realm. Without them, they could gain a mortal form. We would also die of old age. Such a thought was something that was hard to deal with.

"Yes. We may fall," he said. "but...I can't let them separate us again."

"How will we live? How will we survive?"

"I know we will need to eat, sleep, and live as a mortal. We will adapt. I had been, secretly, making trips to Sanctuary to study how humans lived. Many have chosen the evil path of a demon. But, there are some that stay far from it, too. I already have a location picked for us. I even managed to stockpile it to help us cope until we had better connections. I have all of this prepared. As for our professions, we can become farmers. Live off the land. Grow our own supplies. It will be hard. I know this. But, I won't do this without you."

"Ilerael..." she whispered. He rose up a gauntleted hand to caress her invisible jaw.

"Please, Lilaurael," he seemed to beg. "I do love you so."

"Okay," she said with a sharp nod. "I will go with you."

At that decision, he moved to take off his helmet to reveal a hollow emptiness within. But, he bent down all the same and pressed his invisible lips to hers. We could make a new race in Sanctuary. It could be possible. However, they knew that any offspring they made would be of their own kind. Only time would tell. He replaced his helmet and led her quickly to a rather disclosed area. It was another empty chamber. There were plenty of them now.

"Ready?" he asked and set his hands on the plates that held his wings.

"Yes," she said and did the same. When they wrenched them off, a searing pain seemed to scorch through them. Their spiritual essence left them, as their forms became flesh. As the discarded wings fell to the ground, the tendrils flew up to yank them through the floor to fall to the land of Sanctuary below.