Flames of Blue and Green

Chapter 23: Corruption

BRIE'S P.O.V.

I don't come out of my room for the rest of the day after my fight with Caleb. Mattia tries to coax me out of my room, but I'm just in too much emotional distress to leave my bed for any reason other than to go to the bathroom. When someone knocks on my door, Mattia answers for me and I can hear Zuriel on the other side.

"Is Brie in there?" I hear him ask, able to hear the worry that tinges his voice. "I asked Caleb how she was doing, but he ignored me. He looked pretty upset. Is Brie okay?"

Mattia glances at me before stepping out into the hall with Zuriel to speak. I can hear their hushed voices as Mattia most likely explains to Zuriel what happened between me and Caleb. About how I have my memories back but chose to forget my parents' deaths. I can't help but worry that Zuriel will be just as mad as Caleb was. Zuriel likes demons just as much as the next angel...

With those thoughts in mind, I can't help but cover my head with my blanket as Zuriel steps into the room. I hear his light footsteps as he walks to my bed and can feel his weight as he sits on the bed. I stare at my blanket and wait, too afraid to speak.

"Brie," he says with a sigh. "You don't have to hide under your blanket, I'm not mad."

Slowly, I peek my head out from under the blanket, looking at him with wide, innocent eyes. "Really?"

His lips curve into a small smile and he nods. "Yes, really."

I pull the blanket down so that is rests on my lap and look at him shyly. He climbs onto the bed and lies next to me, pulling me into him so that he can hold me. I had forgotten how nice it is to be held in his arms this way, but somehow this is different. This time it feels almost....wrong.

"I missed you, Brienna," Zuriel says softly, interrupting my previous thoughts. He kisses me on my lips slowly and softly. I revel in the touch, but I still have this feeling of wrongness as he does it.

"I missed you, too, Zuriel," I say back, but the words are forced. I'm acting strange and I'm not sure why. Everything happening right now seems so wrong, but I can't understand why. I've been with Zuriel for so long now and we've always been so happy. So why is it that this doesn't seem right?

"Are you alright, Brie? You seem out of it," he says, a smile still planted on his lips. His smile has always seemed so kind and caring, but now it looks almost sinister. His soft, gray eyes are now menacing as he stares into my own eyes. As my expression turns from one of calmness to horror, his smile twists into a dangerous smirk. "What's the matter? Is something wrong?"

"What's going on with you?" I ask shakily. "You're acting really weird, Zuriel. Why are you looking at me like that?"

He shakes his head slowly, letting out a long sigh. "Oh, my dear, sweet Brienna. Can't you see?"

"Zuriel, what are you talking about?" I question, my voice is quiet and shaky. "You don't look like yourself."

His face is growing frustrated as he looks at me expectantly. "Come on, Brie. How much more obvious can I make it?" As he speaks his eyes start to glow with a dark light. A menacing power is radiating around him as he stares at me, waiting for my reaction.

"Zuriel," I whisper, realization dawning on me, "what have you done?"

He smiles widely and I see that his teeth have grown sharp and deadly. "I don't know, Brie, you tell me what I've done. Tell me what's happened to me."

"You're corrupted, Zuriel!" I shout. "We have to tell someone! You need help!"

His eyes glow darker and he frowns at me. "I don't need help. I'm better now." He smiles again, wide and sinister. "I'm more powerful."

"How long have you been like this?" I ask quietly. When he doesn't answer I yell. "How long, Zuriel?!"

He shrugs. "Long enough."

"Zuriel."

"I made contact with him a few years ago," he answers calmly, not seeming to be the least bit worried about the current situation.

"But unfortunately there was a traitor among us, and when you were flying there, you were intercepted. Whoever intercepted you changed you into a human temporarily and gave you false memories."

Cable's words float through my mind and my eyes widen in understanding and fear. "You were the traitor," I whisper, low enough that Zuriel doesn't hear me. I raise my voice. "You were the one who wiped my memories and suppressed my angelic abilities!"

"Brie, don't get the wrong idea. I did that for your own safety," he says quickly. "When I told Satan about the plan to destroy Gehenna, he agreed that he would let you live if I intercepted you and the mission. I knew I wasn't going to be able to talk you out of the mission, so I wiped your memories while you were traveling there. I had always planned to give you your memories back." He stops and his face changes to one of anger. "But then when I went to get you from Gehenna, Satan told me that his sons had taken you away. Taken you to some True Cross Academy."

"Zuriel-"

"And then, on top of that, I find out that while you were there, you had a romantic relationship with the the Okumura boy," he says between clenched teeth. "I know that I am no longer pure, but there's a big difference between a 'corrupted' angel and the son of the devil, Brie."

I move my mouth in an attempt to speak but I can't form any words, I can only stare at him as he continues to get angry. "He is a demon, Brie. Not only that, but you've been with me for far longer. Are you really going to let this," he gestures to himself as his eyes flash, "get in the way of us?"

"Zuriel, it wasn't like that. I didn't even know what I was at the time. Which was your fault," I say with a glare at him. "And yes, I am going to let this get in the way of us. If there even is an 'us' anymore."

"Why wouldn't there be?" he asks, looking genuinely confused. "I don't understand why you're making such a big deal about this. We've been together this long, why should this change anything?"

"Because you're not you, Zuriel!" I shout, frustrated and scared. "You're not the man I fell in love with all those years ago! You're different now! You've sold your soul to the devil, Zuriel! How could we be together now? Your corruption will spread only spread to me and others around you if you stay like this! Don't you understand that?"

Zuriel stands suddenly and jumps off of the bed, landing on the floor right in front of me. His eyes are entirely black as he glares at me with a snarl twisting his lips. "This is about that Okumura kid, isn't it?! It's not even about what I am now! You love him more than me, don't you?!"

"Stop making this about Rin!"

"It's true, though, isn't it?!" he hollers in my face. "You love him now and not me! Well, you know what?! You can't be in love with someone who's dead!"

The room is silent as I stare at him in shock. "You wouldn't," I whisper, though I am unsure of my words. "Zuriel, you not be yourself right now, but you're not a killer."

His eyes narrow at me as he spreads his wings. I gasp as I look at them. Instead of the pure, white wings that once were, they are now black and broken. Feathers are missing from all over and as he spreads them I see even more fall off. I feel tears sting my eyes as I reach out to him. "Zuriel...your wings..."

He looks at the ground, avoiding my eyes. Then, without speaking another word, he jumps out of my window and plunges toward the ground. I gasp and rush to my window, expecting to see his body bloodied on the ground. I search around and jump when his flying form appears in front of me. His eyes look into mine as he speaks.

"You belong with me, Brie. I'm not going to let some demon get in my way."

And with those last words, he turns and flies away. I am numb as I sit back on my bed, holding my head in my hands. I hear someone enter the room, but it sounds far away, almost like I'm not even there.

"Brie?" I can hear Mattia call out to me. "What happened? Where's Zuriel?"

I look up at her as I open my mouth to speak, tears of fear and anger and sadness threatening to spill over onto my cheeks.

"He's going to kill Rin."