Archanghel: Tale of the Universe

Chapter 14

“It hu-hurts!” I croaked.

Belial only tightened his grip more. He gave a wicked smile as he saw me struggling in his hold.

“Does it? I’m glad it hurts.” He gripped me tighter and then slammed me down the floor. Luckily, Miniel was quick to catch me even before I fell down on the ground completely.

“The feast is about to begin. Kuriel, lead them there.”

Belial looked at me menacingly before he completely disregarded me and Miniel. Kuriel smiled at us as we watched Belial walk away with the girl earlier. I turned my head and looked at Miniel, who gave me a small nod. I nodded back at him. I know he is beside me and so I’m going to be fine.

Well, there goes my confidence. Getting trampled down by Belial. But at least I still have Miniel.

I dusted myself before looking at Miniel again. He was engaged in a staring battle with Kuriel and when they were done, Kuriel led us somewhere. I motioned for Miniel to come closer, as I had something I would like to ask.

“There is something that’s bothering me,” I whispered.

Miniel looked at me straight in the eye. It was as if he was looking at my very soul. There was something intense in his gaze, like determination.

“Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”

We continued to follow Kuriel, who led us out of the darkness. We finally reached what looked to me like a banquet hall. It was filled with humans and demons in different forms. In the middle was a large table with, is that even food?

At the far end of the table, there was someone sitting there. His physique was quite similar to that of Kuriel and Miniel. But he was more handsome than the guardians. His sapphire eyes were warm and pretty, his face was also solemn. The only thing missing was his huge wings and an insignia and I might mistake him for the head of the archangel.

I stopped in my track with what I thought. Head of the archangels? Could he be? My eyes went wide when he captured my gaze, as if he sensed I was looking at him, and smiled at me. It was intoxicating and warm. But that alone didn’t stir me, it was the fact that I just recognized him. He was Lucifer, the fallen angel of God.

One more surprise and I will have a heart attack. I know I'm in hell. I also know that the chance to see him was huge. But to see him this soon, I did not think of that.

Miniel's hold on me tightened. At that moment, I wished Zadkiel had been beside me. His calming power was needed right now. Miniel's presence alone was not enough.

“He won’t be able to touch you or even harm you with me on your side.” I really do wish it was that easy.

I remembered what the archangels had shown me about my identity. My mother’s bravery and faithfulness of my mother. Of how she overcame all of that. I was her daughter. If she could do it, then I could definitely do it too.

“Is this your daughter, Belial?”

I was so in my thoughts that I didn’t notice that Lucifer stood up and came closer to us, Belial in tow.

“She is,” Belial proudly said. I almost gag.

“I didn’t expect that she would be this beautiful. Pardon me. I didn’t have the chance to see you on earth.” Lucifer said to me.

“Just enjoy the gathering. I have something to attend to,” he added.

He left me and Miniel standing there as Belial followed him. Kuriel had also left our side.

“We don’t have a choice but to stay here for a while as I look for a way out. Don’t talk to anybody. Just stay beside me.” Miniel warned me as she assisted me on the side.

“Why?”

I looked around following Miniel as he scanned the place, warily. He looked so guarded and that made me put up my guard too.

“Take a look at them carefully. When you first look at them, they all look normal but when you look closely you will see that they are different. They were all suffering from the sin they had committed before they died.” I was shocked at what Miniel had said, so I squinted my eyes to look at them more carefully.

True to Miniel’s word, they really looked normal at first glance, but when you inspect them more closely, you will see that they were not actually enjoying the gathering. There was a guy who was being surrounded by some girls that lacked clothes as they danced. The guy was clearly in pain as the girl’s body brushed his own. It is also clear that despite being in pain, the guy’s hands were traveling on the girl’s body and getting into places that should not be mentioned.

On another side, there was a police person in uniform who was holding a gun that was pointed at a man. They were both smiling, until the police fired the gun. I closed my eyes as the gunshot resounded through the air and when I opened my eyes, I was expecting a dead body lying on the ground, but I was disappointed. The man was still alive and was still smiling at the police.

That angered the police more. He fetched something from his pocket, it was a knife and punched the man. He stabbed and stabbed the man endlessly and the latter still doesn’t feel anything. He reached his hands in the gap of the chair, he had retrieved some jewellery there and stacked them inside his pocket.

I shuddered at what I saw. I really am in hell, there was no denying it. How can they do something like that?

“Enough, Xandriel. Don’t stain your eyes with so much sin.” Miniel held my head and buried me on his chest as he put his arms around me.

Because of fright, I embraced Miniel tightly. I buried myself deeply in his body. Tears started streaming down my eyes uncontrollably. We were in that position for a while until Miniel spoke.

“Ask for guidance, Xandriel. He will not leave your side,” She whispered.

I did as he told and call for Him. I closed my eyes, clasped my hands together and uttered the prayer that had been taught me since I was a kid. It was not loud but I poured my whole heart into it to let my prayer reach its destination. I pour the hopelessness and fright that this situation was giving me.

"Angel of God, my guardian dear. To whom God’s love, commits me here. Ever this day, be at my side. To light and guide. To rule and guard. Amen."

+++

“Mr. Rivera?”

Janus heard his nurse’s voice. Janus goes out of the bathroom, freshly shaven and just got showered. His condition was improving and he was also getting used to his new body. Even though he couldn’t feel any pain in his body, it was as if he was still different from that living body he possessed.

He thought that it might be temporary, as his soul was getting used to being a body. Soon, he will get used to this body. The only thing that he still didn’t come into terms with was his voice. It was masculine and low. When he also looked in the mirror, there were times when he would be shocked by his new face.

“Are you going to visit your wife today?” The nurse asked with a small smile.

That too, Janus was still having a hard time accepting that he was now a married man. Even though he knows that it was only Xandriel and they were like playing house, it’s still weird for Janus. Every morning, every single day, he would visit the ward where his wife was in. Where Xandriel’s body was and waiting for her soul.

Janus had thought of it once. To get used to this situation, he would visit Xandriel every day. It was also to check whether she had awakened or not. It had been days since Janus had woken up but Xandriel still hadn’t arrived. He was not sure why this was happening and the archangel also got no answers for him. He was not getting worried.

All he could do was wait and that task was getting harder and harder as the days passed. Maybe Xandriel was in danger, that thought constantly popping up in his mind. So, he had prayed and almost begged everyone he knew.

He was still not used to being on earth and alive. Walking and seeing another living human was still new to him. He had been on Cosmos for a century, so this was a big transition in his life. He had finally reached Rachele’s ward, his wife, and Xandriel’s body.

He also needed to learn to call her by that name, Rachele, and hear his name, Cleo. They will be using it for a long time. It was also a tough task, aside from the hospital staff, who call them Mr. and Mrs. Rivera, nobody had visited them. Not one soul.

Janus sat down on the chair beside Rachele’s bed. He held her hands, which were cold. He looked at the sleeping form of a strange woman and started to speak. To talk to her and release the stress he was getting from all of this. He was in that position when the door opened.

Janus thought that it was only the nurse and was just going to get Rachele’s vitals, but when he turned and looked, it was not the nurse. It was an old lady that had a warm smile. There was relief and happiness plastered on her face. The woman walked inside and looked at him and then turned to Rachele’s sleeping form. She sighed and reached for Janus’ hand and squeezed it. Leaving Janus all flustered and confused.