After Death (Editing)

Chapter 28

We ran to the cell where the scream came from. Behind the thick metal bars was Celeste. Her hands hung from the ceiling entrapped by chains. Her feet dangled above the cement floor. All of her visible body was covered by dark bruises. Tears flooded her face and her mouth quivered.

"Please! Help me! Help me!" She cried out again, with pain evident in her voice.

I gasped at the sight of her. "Celeste, what happened?" I asked softly.

She coughed out blood decorating the walls with a bright red color. She spluttered and struggled to breathe. "He found out. My father is in danger and it's all my fault."

I squinted my eyes, "Who is your father and why is he in danger? Let us know so we may be able to help."

Gabriel scoffed, "Who is we?"

I kicked him in his leg and pulled his head towards me. "Be nice!" I whispered in his ear.

"Fernalio is my father. When I died I was transferred to heaven where everyone is to abide by what Bestellarius says or else. Going on a mission for something one day, I found Fernalio or what I knew to be, dad. He was in my life until I turned eighteen. He vanished into thin air where no was able to find him. Bestellarius found this out and threatened to get rid of my dad if I ever talked to him again. I refrained from making contact with him until recently. With both of you trying to find the part of the cup, I knew our world would never be the same again. I went to visit him and Bestellarius found out. He is going to destroy him and it is all because of me!" She explained tearfully.

Gabriel sighed, "Do you think feeding us some sob story will get us to help you? You betrayed me and threw us into Limbo. Are we supposed to forget about that?"

She shook her head, "I am not asking for you to help me, but everyone else. Bestellarius is a monster. Stop him."

Gabriel chuckled, "You haven't made our mission very easy have you?"

"I know I haven't but I didn't have a choice. Obey Bestellarius or else. I am really sorry Gabriel. I really didn't want to hurt you or Lilianna but I had to. You don't have to forgive, but please understand why I did what I did." She said as her exhausted looking eyes pleaded with him.

Gabriel's eyes moistened, "I can try. I not making any promises."

Her lips turned upwards in a smile. A bit of blood dripped from her mouth. "Thank you. That is all I needed. You and Lilliana need to find the last half of the cup and fast. With Bestellarius enraged the end is coming soon."

"The end of what?" I asked.

She frowned, "The end of all humanity. When Bestellarius is angry he always takes it out on someone. I am afraid that this time it would be the living. I believe that cup is somewhere here in the castle. I gave it to him but I am not quite sure where he put it."

"What will happen when we find the cup and present it to the goddesses?" I wondered out loud.

"If you do that, Bestellarius and Fernalio would cease to exist leaving you as leader of Nova." She replied as sadness washed over her features.

The lost and dismal expression on Celeste's face tugged at my heart. "Are you sure you want us to do this? Fernalio is your dad after all."

Tears slid from her eyes and drizzled down to her neck, "I love him dearly. The world shall perish if Bestellarius continues his wicked ways. I promised that I would be less selfish. Do what you have to do, I guess. There is nothing I can do to stop his soul from diminishing. There are somethings out of my control." She said in a heart-broken tone.

I sighed feeling very sorry for Celeste. She was caught in between a rock and hard place. I wouldn't know what to do if I had to choose between someone I loved and saving all of humanity. That is a burdensome decision to make.

Gabriel leaned against the rough cement wall behind us. He looked distracted, staring off into space. The small prison was quiet. Only the mysterious sound of water dribbling could be heard.

"We probably should be going now," Gabriel said.

"Do you need us to help you get out or something? I will try if you want me to." I offered the distressed woman.

"No. I have already caused enough trouble. Just go, the clock is ticking." She croaked.

Grey smoke suddenly swirled around our feet. It rose up to our faces and dissipated leaving behind the handsome devil Bestellarius.

"Tsk, tsk. Now, where do you think you are going?" He asked with a smug look on his face.

"Somewhere, your majesty," I said mockingly.

He chuckled, "When I am finished with you, you'll be going somewhere but not with that cup of existence."

I pouted, "Aw, is his majesty going to cry because he can't have his cup. Well bite me!" I said as confidently as I could to hide the fact that I was scared out of my wits.

His hand slapped over his chest. "Lilliana you know me so well. I want the cup. When I don't get what I want, things end badly. "

He reached out and twined my hair around his finger. He smirked, "Dearest Lilianna, I don't want to be forced to hurt a hair on your pretty little head. Keep in mind that if I have to I will."

I pushed him away from me, "That is perfectly fine with me. I am not let getting the cup go."

His smirk grew exponentially, "We wouldn't want Atticus to have the same fate as Celeste, now would we?"