After Death (Editing)

Chapter 29 (Changed: Final Chapter)

"Oh no, you don't!" I screamed as I shoved Bestellarius in his chest.

His body didn't move an inch. He threw his head back in untamed laughter. "Oh yes, I do."

"Listen here, you give Atticus back right now or you will be sorry," I demanded with every neuron in my body boiling with anger. 

He rolled his eyes, "Yeah right. Like you can do anything about me. If you want Atticus back then give me the cup."

"No!" I fired back.

He broke into a smug smile. He waved his hand around causing a red mist to float over the prison floor. He snapped his fingers and it vanished leaving an unconscious Atticus.

"Oh my gosh!" I exclaimed as I dropped to the ground checking to see if Atticus was alright.

I shook his cold body, hoping and praying that he would wake up. Things were not looking good for him at all. His skin adopted a slight blue color, there was a gaping cut on his forehead and blood settled in the cuticles of his fingernails.

"He is still alive, he can't die. Don't worry, he will be okay." I chanted to myself in a frantic manner. 

Gabriel looked at Atticus and gulped. "What do did you do to him?" He asked Bestellarius in a calm voice.

His ever-present smirk didn't falter, "Stuff. I can do some more if you would like." 

I glared at him barely controlling the storm of rage brewing inside me. "No thank you. That won't be necessary." I replied curtly.

Bestellarius sighed, "You are right, it won't be necessary if you give me the cup. Atticus will suffer if you don't. I am sure you don't want that."

Gabriel moved to my side. Maintaining his sight on Bestellarius he whispered in my ear "You stay here with Atticus. I will throughout the castle with cup and try to find the other half. Hopefully, that will Bestellarius distracted. Meet me outside the castle gates with Atticus in about 20 minutes. Try to get him awake."

I nodded in agreement.

Gabriel rose from the ground keeping a stone cold expression on his face, giving no emotions away. "If you want the cup then come and get it." He said as he darting out of the prison. 

Bestellarius's eyes flew open flashing with surprise. Despite that he made no hesitation to chase after Gabriel.

With the two men were gone, I focused my attention on Atticus. I gently stroked his cheeks. "Come on Atticus, get up. I know you can. You probably can't hear me but please fight whatever is going on." I cooed thinking that the sound of my voice would wake him up somehow.

With that his eyes fluttered open and he put his hand over mine. "Is that you... Liliana?" He asked in a muffled voice.

I crushed him with a hug. "Oh my gosh! I am so glad that you are okay!" I exclaimed nearly bursting with joy and relief.

He tapped my shoulder, "I won't be okay if you keep trying to suffocate me."

I untangled myself from his body and threw him a nervous smile. "Uh... sorry about that."

He smiled as well, "Psh, don't worry about it. Where are we anyway?"

"We are in Heaven's castle prison. Charming isn't it." I replied with a hint of sarcasm.

He stared at the drops of water that drizzled down the bare cement walls. "Indeed it is."

I got on my feet and pulled Atticus up to his. "I know you are probably tired but we have to meet Gabriel outside the castle walls. Can you lead the way?"

He cracked his knuckles, "No problem."

He grabbed my hand and lead me to the main hall of the castle. Tons of people bustled about paying no attention to us. We were able to slip out a back door, sneak past the guards and get outside of the castle gates. Atticus's knowledge of the castle as a former guard proved to be invaluable.

"I'm here!" Someone whisper-yelled.

I looked behind a bush to find Gabriel waiting for us. When he said that he would be outside the gates that was not quite how I imagined it but it made sense. It concealed us from most of the activity going on.

"Atticus, man, I am happy to see that you are alright." Gabriel said, patting Atticus's back.

"Boy, I am too." Atticus replied chuckling quietly.

"You still have half cup, don't you?" I asked.

Gabriel's lips spread in a huge grin, "No, I have better than that. I managed to find the other part in the castle."

I gasped, "Seriously? Or are you just joking with me?"

He shook his head, "I am a hundred percent serious. I don't know what you are supposed to do with them now but sense you are the chosen one, you should try to put it together, I guess."

I planted a kiss on his stubbly cheek. "Oh my gosh! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I nearly screamed but managed to keep my voice down.

Atticus gave Gabriel a hug, "I can't believe you found it! Great job!" He exclaimed.

Gabriel handed both halves of the cup to me. I lined up the two pieces so it appeared to be one. Doing that sparked something that I wasn't aware of. A golden light gleamed and sparkled around the cup and fastened the two pieces together.

"Wow." I said staring at the cup. 

Suddenly colorful mists of blue, orange, green and gray surrounded us. Then appeared the Elemental Goddesses, the mystical beings that sent me on the wild journey of finding both parts of the cup of existence. 

They whispered simultaneously 
"Congratulations Lilianna, your quest is complete.
The great evils of the Universe have tasted defeat.

Remember fear on,
Because wrong is never fully gone.

You shall rule Nova
Restore it to it's former greatness
That is what your destiny and fate is.

When you are ready step into the warm glow
This is just the beginning
Of what you are going to know."

With that they vanished in a gray puff of smoke. A bright, white light swirled in front of me creating a radiating portal. 

I smiled at Atticus and Gabriel as a silent thank you for everything that they had done for me. I held their hands and walked into my uncertain future knowing I had wonderful people by my side.

THE END

A/N: I can't believe that I finished this book. I want to thank all my readers for their support. There were some days where I didn't feel like continuing this story but reading all the kind comments and knowing that I had people looking forward to the next chapter kept me motivated. I know I said that I would have one more chapter but I didn't feel that I had enough material left to do that. I am thinking of maybe doing an epilogue or a list of fun facts about this book. What do you all think about that?