" In the beginning there was a war. Before there were men or green fields or the untamed sea. Before there was anything at all, before Time existed, there was a terrible war. A war that these beings you saw today lost. The Archangel Michael, with the Sword mortal men would name Excalibur, cast them down for their transgression against the throne of heaven. "

― Rick Yancey , The Seal of Solomon (Alfred Kropp, #2)