Apocrypha

Romania, 1992.

The night was cold as rain poured heavily outside our old city apartment. The hum of traffic softened into a low lullaby, and a bright flash of lightning spilled across the living room, turning night into day for a second. A fire crackled gently in the small fireplace — one of those things that didn’t quite belong in modern apartments anymore, but my grandmother loved it too much to let it go. She sat in her rocking chair, wrapped in a knitted shawl, her silver hair catching the firelight.

I sat on the couch beside her, still feeling the afterglow of turning eighteen that morning. The cake crumbs were still on the table, the last candle melted to a stub.

I stared out the glass window, lost in my own thoughts and trying to create a scene in my head. A loud thunderclap shook the building, and like a spell, an idea popped into my mind. I grabbed my notebook and scribbled, smiling at how perfectly I could craft a short story… I felt like a god who could create my own world and write down the fate of every man living in it.

Grandma watched me quietly and smiled at every facial expression I made to match those of my characters.

“I have a better story I could tell you, Crystal,” she said. I rolled my eyes. “You could also write it down if you want… or maybe sometime in the future, when you realize that my stories were actual legends the world has forgotten.”

“Grandma,” I murmured with a sleepy eye, “you should tell little Darcy your fairytales when he comes to visit. I’m too old for that now.”

She chuckled softly, her eyes still bright and sharp despite the years. “Too old?” she teased. “No one’s ever too old for stories.”

I rolled my eyes playfully. “You sound like Mom.”

“Of course, she is my daughter,” Grandma replied, leaning forward. The firelight flickered over her face. “Now listen closely, child. This isn’t a fairy tale. It’s a story that’s been told in our family for generations.”

I tilted my head, curiosity replacing my skepticism. “So it’s… a legend?”

She smiled faintly. “Maybe. Maybe not. Some things in it may have been twisted over time, others forgotten. But I’ll tell you what my mother told me and what her mother told her before that.”

She took a slow breath, her voice softening as she stared into the flames.

“They say that once, long ago, there was a Fae who fell from the sky. She was curious about mankind and wanted to see what Earth looked like, but tragedy befell her— it turned out Earth wasn't as beautiful as she had imagined. In fact, it was a world ruled by powerful and mighty gods who called themselves The Watchers.”

I sat back, eyes reflecting the golden light. “Powerful gods and a fae?” I murmured.

She nodded. “Yes. Her name was Lyriel. And her story, my dear, began not in our world, but in a different dimension.”

She smiled then, the kind of smile that carried sadness and wonder in equal measure.

“Now,” she whispered, “let me tell you the little I still remember.”

And with that, she began as all stories should.

“Thousands and thousands of years ago, before the mighty flood that wiped out almost all creatures, Earth was a world far different from what you currently have in mind. It was a place that crafted all the mythological stories you may have heard of… believe me, ninety percent of those stories are true… but they may have been twisted over time, just as I have to twist mine… even I don’t know the exact events that took place.

People in those days lived for up to a thousand years, far longer than we do today. They weren’t the first beings to be created, nor were they the last, but for some reason, they were known to be special and powerful… so powerful that they could dine with the mightiest creatures known in the entire universe—angels, the beings who govern all the realms in existence. Although this was only known to very few who had knowledge of their hidden prowess.

The world of men became a place of attraction to all beings. They couldn’t understand how humans could wield so much power… how they could command the heavens and all the angels, how they were given free will to do whatever they liked… no other creature had this gift.

This curiosity turned into obsession. Angels were the first to descend into this world out of jealousy, with the aim to rule it. They were followed by other creatures who wanted to see these little beings for who they were. But this small act of curiosity didn’t end well. The Earth was plunged into chaos, and soon it became a world of monsters and all sorts of evil beasts. Of all the worlds in existence, none was like Earth—sinful, evil, and corrupt…”