Here is the full outline for A Little Lower Than The Angels!

I’ve already posted Chapter 1, but if you want a recap of what happened, it is also included within this outline.

Total length: 6.1k words

 

 

Title Meaning

A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS

Inspired by Hebrews 2:7 (source: New King James Version Bible) “You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor. And set him over the works of Your hands.” To me, this verse is saying that humankind is ranked below the angels of heaven. They are less divine because they are bound to the earth and its sins. Although this verse applies to Jesus, Jesus was also part of humankind. Further reading if you’re interested.

LINK TO STORY

In the story, Irene is a high-ranking angel who becomes “a little lower than the angels” after her affairs on earth with Seulgi. The story is also about Irene discovering the world lower than the angels after having a one-dimensional outlook on it. Characters and Settings

MAIN CHARACTERS

Irene A Seraphim, the highest rank of angels in Heaven At the beginning of the story, she is the leader of the Demon Defense Squadron. As the leader, she is tasked with containing the growing demon infestation on Earth and ultimately putting a stop to it. Very righteous and thinks that she is always right and that the power of God is always on her side Has only known a religious and spiritual life on Heaven but has never actually spoken or met God. Despite this, she has great faith in His existence. Seulgi The First Fallen Angel, the one who rebelled against God, also known as the Devil At the beginning of the story, she is the leader of the Rebellion, a group of fallen angels and demons. The fallen angels have rallied after their first siege on Heaven failed, and they have joined forces with the demons for their second siege. Coy and witty with her words, she is a charismatic manipulator and negotiator Outwardly cynical about God and has lost her faith in religion. However, a part of her wants to meet God again and gain forgiveness.

SIDE CHARACTERS

NOTE This list is incomplete and only mentions some of the many side characters. Some of the angels mentioned become fallen angels. However, this list categories the angels as they are at the beginning of the story. THE ANGELS Wendy Seohyun Solar Giselle Yeri Junmyeon Joy THE FALLEN ANGELS Winter Baekhyun Taeyeon Sunmi THE DEMONS Ryujin THE SUPERNATURAL Boa

SETTINGS

MAIN LOCATIONS Los Angeles, California, USA Heaven Heaven is composed of nine spheres and inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy. OTHER LOCATIONS Eden Hotel and Casino

OTHER BACKGROUND INFO

A Little Lower Than The Angels takes place in the year of 2022. God as an entity is referred to ambiguously. The angels believe God to be the Father and refer to Him with masculine pronouns. However, the fallen angels believe God to be the Mother and refer to Her with feminine pronouns. The true identity of God is unknown. Although the angels think that the fallen angels are blasphemous in calling God a woman, neither side is truly correct because God has not appeared to anyone to confirm any belief. Throughout the entire story, God does not make any appearance. The last person who ever met God was Seulgi before she became a fallen angel. In her last meeting with God, she recalls God to be a figure made entirely of light. That was the last time she ever met the Creator, and no one has since spoken to God. Chapter 1 – First Blood

SETTING

TIMEFRAME: January, last week of POINT OF VIEW: Irene

CHAPTER 1, SCENE 1

The Devil and the Three Rules of Temptations short essay The devil comes in the form of everything that you have ever wanted. The chaos. The pleasure. The forbidden fruit. Everything you have ever thought was immoral, wicked, or just plain old bad. This is the devil—but beautiful and wrapped up in the hues of your wildest dreams. Whoever your devil may be, remember this. The devil will make you want things you thought you should never want. This is the first rule of temptation. You will want to be tempted. You will think to yourself that it can’t possibly be that bad. You will convince yourself into your own temptation, and you will blame the devil, but it will only ever be you. This is the second rule of temptation. You will betray yourself. You will kill your own god for a taste of what you think heaven is. Then you will ask yourself why? And the devil shall be at your side, caressing your cheek and whispering why not? This is the third and final rule of temptation. You will blur lines, and you will erase them. You will forget there were even lines in the first place. Like a second skin, the devil will become you, and you will become the devil. You will wake up one day and ask yourself where did God go? And it shall be the devil who answers right here. You will keep your eyes, but you will be blind. This is how temptation works. The devil will kiss you, slice your throat, choke you on your own blood, and convince you that this is how you breathe. You will believe it. In fact, you will want it. You will want to bleed.

CHAPTER 1, SCENE 2

Irene wants to go to Earth to search for Karina. Karina is an archangel that went missing in October of last year. Wendy is trying to convince Irene not to go down to Earth because of the demon infestations. Demons have been rising in numbers, and every angel is worried since their numbers have been dwindling. None of the other angels knows where Karina is, so it seems futile. Irene, the fearless and angelic demon-slayer, decides to go down to Earth anyways. She goes to where Karina was last seen: Los Angeles.

CHAPTER 1, SCENE 3

Irene meets Seulgi at Griffith Park. Irene first meets a leviathan named Boa. Boa is from a fallen kingdom, and she is very skeptical of Irene’s helpfulness as an angel. She believes that God has abandoned and left them all to fend for themselves on Earth. This interaction will be the first of many times where Irene meets someone who has become cynical and jaded about God. Irene then meets a woman dressed in black and gold: Seulgi. Irene doesn’t sense a demon aura from Seulgi, but she keeps her guard up. Seulgi is eating a blood apple, a mythical fruit that only grows in Hell. “Hello, angel.” “What are you?” “I’m everything you have ever wanted.” Irene is intrigued by Seulgi and says a prayer. Nothing happens to Seulgi, signaling that she isn’t a demon. They talk briefly with Seulgi getting under Irene’s skin. “I can sense lies, you know.” “You’re very beautiful.” Irene blinks, taken aback by the sudden comment. A warm blush throbs in her cheeks. “So?” Seulgi is smirking, brows raised and tongue tracing her lower lips. “Was that a lie?” Irene is silent, and Seulgi lets out a laugh. “So, it appears that you don’t know. Which begs the question, why say such things when you’re the only one lying here?” Seulgi shakes her head. “Some angel you are.” “My name is Irene.” Irene accidentally stabs Seulgi in the hand because she thinks that Seulgi is pulling out a weapon. However, Seulgi bleeds red. Irene is immediately apologetic, but Seulgi is angry. She presses a blade to Irene’s neck, gently drawing blood. She warns Irene to tread lightly. Irene tries to apologize, but Seulgi doesn’t want to hear it. “I’ve misjudged you,” Irene breathes. “Forgive me.” “I don’t forgive,” Seulgi snarls. “You want forgiveness? Beg your God for that.” Seulgi disappears in a flurry of black. Chapter 2 – Moderato

SETTING

TIMEFRAME: February, first week of POINT OF VIEW: Seulgi

CHAPTER 2, SCENE 1

Seulgi meets with her lieutenants—fallen angels and demons alike. They are planning a siege on Heaven. The demons have captured Karina. Fallen angel Winter says that she’s only an archangel. Her blood isn’t laced with enough divinity as a result. They need a seraph. Unfortunately, Seraphs can’t be tempted by demons; they’re too angelic, too headstrong to be corrupted by any normal demon. Fallen angels are no match either. Only Seulgi has the power to tempt a seraph. Fallen angel Taeyeon brings up Irene. They’ve lured her down to Earth using Karina. She’s their best chance at Heaven if they can break her. Demon Ryujin warns of the risk. Seraphs can decimate entire hordes of demons and fatally wound fallen angels. Fallen Angel Baekhyun says that no matter the risk, they’ll follow Seulgi. Seulgi thinks of the first time she rebelled against God. She recalls the casualties and all the angels who fought with her, only to be banished and made fallen. Despite that, Seulgi wants to try again. They toast to the fall of Irene. “To the angel who will take us to Heaven,” Seulgi announces as she raises her cup. The siege shall begin, but it shall begin slowly.

CHAPTER 2, SCENE 1

Seulgi meets Irene again after luring her to a rooftop. Irene comes to a rooftop at night, having caught the scent of Karina’s angel essence. Seulgi teases Irene, saying that she came to that rooftop because of her. Irene says that she only wants to find Karina. At this suggestion, Seulgi laughs. “Don’t use your friend’s disappearance as an excuse.” Seulgi tries to get Irene’s guard to fall. She knows that Irene will start to trust her if she proves herself to be trustworthy, so she claims that she knows where Karina is.

CHAPTER 2, SCENE 3

Seulgi brings Irene to a club. Ironically, the club is located at the upscale Eden Hotel and Casino. Irene dislikes its name as well as the demon presence around her, but she waits as Seulgi goes to the backroom. Eden Hotel is her headquarters, and the fallen angels are displeased with Seulgi’s decision to bring Irene there. However, Seulgi convinces them that this is a part of her plan. “Keep your friends close,” Seulgi reminds her lieutenants, “and keep your enemies closer.” Seulgi orders for Karina to be released, but Seulgi recognizes that Karina has started to fall. Her angel essence has grown weak. She’s delighted about this. Karina is glad to see Irene. Irene is elated and says that she owes Seulgi something in return. Seulgi wants a drink in return. Irene relents, saying that she drinks wine on Sundays anyways. They talk for a bit with Seulgi seriously considering kissing Irene, but she decides against it, thinking that it’s too early. She has to play this game slowly. Irene will break, and Seulgi will be the one who breaks her. After all, the devil always gets what she wants. Chapter 3 – Falling Graces

SETTING

TIMEFRAME: February, the last week of POINT OF VIEW: Irene

CHAPTER 3, SCENE 1

Irene and her angels are distraught at Karina’s new behaviors once she has returned to Heaven. Karina hasn’t been going to the Sunday mass or any mass at all. She frequently goes down to Earth and comes back smelling like alcohol. When they ask her where she has been, she replies that she was just with “Winter.” Irene’s fellow seraph and healer, Junmyeon, confides in Irene that he believes Karina is slowly turning into a fallen angel. Irene believes this as well since she has seen it firsthand. After talking with Junmyeon and Wendy, Irene decides on forcefully holding Karina in Heaven so she can repent and save her grace. “STOP!” Karina half-screams, half-sobs, tears streaming down her face. “You’re hurting me!” “We’re doing this to save you!” Irene claims. She has to yell to hear herself over Karina’s crying. “We’re doing this because we love you. Don’t fight us.” The ritual performed to help Karina is physically painful to her, yet Irene pushes Junmyeon and Wendy to complete it. Some of the angels are unsure if what they did to Karina was right, but Irene silences them, saying that their doubts are the root of corruption.

CHAPTER 3, SCENE 2

Irene talks to Seulgi back on Earth. Irene tries to get more information from Seulgi. She wants to find out how Karina could have become corrupted. Seulgi replies nonchalantly, stating that there is no such thing as corruption. People only become more of what they already are.

CHAPTER 3, SCENE 3

Irene gets a distress call from Heaven. Karina has escaped. There are varying reports as to what happened. Joy claims that she broke out on her own, but Wendy says that she saw someone helping her out. Solar is suspicious of Yeri and openly accuses the young angel of helping Karina escape. She yells at yeri, but Irene stops the two of them from fighting. Regardless of what has happened, the angels are shocked. Irene is particularly hurt because she realizes that her efforts weren’t valiant enough to save Karina. Irene prays to God for strength and guidance. Nothing happens. Chapter 4 – Oh, Sweet Poison

SETTING

TIMEFRAME: February 17-19 POINT OF VIEW: Irene

CHAPTER 4, SCENE 1

Irene faces the aftermath and the unrest of Karina’s escape. The demon infestation is only growing worse on Earth. Yeri is angry at what happened to Karina. She believes that Irene is to blame for her disappearance. “That was torture,” Yeri murmurs. “Pardon?” Irene demands, shocked that the young angel could speak so brashly. “You tortured Karina,” Yeri replies in a louder tone. “You hurt her.” A dejected Solar proposes the idea that maybe other angels have left Heaven instead of disappearing on Earth because of their treatment. Irene is left feeling guilty in retrospection, but she shuts down the suggestion. “We had to do what we had to do,” Irene claims. “And we are only following the procedures that we all agreed were to be followed in the case one of us starts to lose our grace.” “But did we ever stop to think that what we were doing was right?” Yeri questions. Irene doesn’t like the fact Yeri is questioning the authority of