Mate of Fate

Desolation

Alice's POV

I woke to a strange warmth and a gentle pressure around me, as though wrapped in a cocoon of safety. Slowly, my senses returned: the smell of rain and earth, the distant rumble of thunder, and the soft glow of candlelight. My eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the dim light of the room. I realized I was lying on the couch in the living room, covered by a thick, woolen blanket.

Then I saw him. Gabriel.

He was sitting across from me, his stunning green eyes watching me intently. His dark hair was damp, likely from the rain, and his grey wings were tucked neatly behind him. He looked ethereal, otherworldly, and for a moment, I wondered if I was still dreaming.

"You're awake," he said softly, relief evident in his voice.

I sat up slowly, wincing as the pain from my earlier fall flared up. "Who are you?" I whispered, my voice shaky. "What happened?"

Gabriel sighed, his expression a mix of sorrow and determination. "My name is Gabriel," he began, "and what you witnessed was the result of a battle between me and my brother, Zadkiel. A battle that has had catastrophic consequences for this world."

His words sent a chill down my spine. "Catastrophic consequences? What do you mean?"

He looked away for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts. "The force of our conflict has...destroyed much of what you once knew. The world, as you knew it, is gone. Fjalnir, your family, everyone...they're all gone, Alice."

The room spun around me, and I clutched the edge of the couch to steady myself. "Gone?" I echoed, my voice breaking. "Everyone?"

Gabriel's eyes met mine, filled with a deep, sorrowful empathy. "Yes. The power of our battle was too great. It wiped out everything."

A sob escaped my lips, and I buried my face in my hands. My family, the twins, even Melinda, were all gone. The life I had known, the village, my home, it had all been destroyed in an instant.

Gabriel moved closer, his presence both comforting and overwhelming. "I'm so sorry, Alice. I never intended for this to happen. If I could undo it, I would."

Tears streamed down my face as I looked up at him. "Why? Why did this happen? What were you fighting over?"

He hesitated, then spoke with a solemnity that made my heart ache. "Zadkiel and I have been at odds for a very long time. Our conflict is ancient, rooted in envy and rivalry. But recently, our battle took on a new dimension because of you."

"Me?" I asked, bewildered.

Gabriel nodded. "Yes. You see, Alice, you are my immortal soulmate. Our soulmate. Shared by Zadkiel and I. The moment I fell from the heavens and saw you, I knew. Your existence, your soul, is intertwined with ours. It is you we have been fighting over for millennials, we just didn't know until this fateful day that our rivalry served the purpose of finding you. Zadkiel will undoubtfully have sensed it too, and his jealousy and anger has intensified. I can feel it in my heart. He believes that by taking you, he can claim what he feels is rightfully his."

The weight of his words settled over me like a heavy fog. I was caught in the middle of a celestial war, a pawn in a game far beyond my understanding. And now, I was all that remained of my world.

"Zadkiel poses a great threat to you," Gabriel continued. "He will stop at nothing to take you away from me. But I promise you, Alice, I will protect you with everything I have. I won't let him harm you."

I looked into Gabriel's eyes, seeing the fierce determination there. Despite the overwhelming grief and confusion, a small spark of hope flickered within me. This angel, this celestial being, was here to protect me. In a world that had been shattered, he was my only anchor.

"Why me?" I asked softly. "Why am I your soulmate?"

Gabriel smiled gently. "Some things are beyond even my understanding. The bond between soulmates is a mystery of the universe, a connection that transcends time and space. All I know is that you are my light in the darkness, and I will do everything in my power to keep you safe."

As the reality of my situation began to sink in, I realized that my life had irrevocably changed. The world I had known was gone, and I was left with nothing but questions and a celestial protector. The sorrow of my losses weighed heavy on my heart and all the while I had to brace myself for being the soulmate of an Angel and his "evil" brother.....I should never have gotten out of bed this morning.

But even in the midst of despair, there was a glimmer of something more, a chance for a new beginning, guided by the one who had found me in the midst of chaos.

Taking a deep breath, I wiped away my tears and nodded. "Okay, Gabriel. I trust you. But what do we do now?"

His expression softened, and he reached out to gently take my hand. The second he touched me I felt my whole body, mind and soul would flare up like fireworks. I quickly pulled away, frightened by such intensity. Gabriel looked at me tenderly and reassuringly, although his eyes betrayed that this feeling was as intense and bombastic to him as it was to me. "Now, we prepare. We must be ready for when Zadkiel comes. Together, we will face whatever comes our way."

Good Night

I nodded my head in agreement and dozed off again. My head was spinning with everything Gabriel just told me, soulmates, Angels, my beautiful twins gone, everything perished in thin air. So many questions arose as I tried to figure out the answer to one, ten new sprung to life inside my head. Both my heart and head heavy with grief overwhelmed me. The last I heard before my body surrendered and caved in to exhaustion, was how he quietly hummed and whispered words of affection. Feeling so safe and protected by Gabriel, that my eyes just shut automatically. It sounds strange, but even in my sleep I felt his watchful gaze and protectiveness over me.