Decoris walked inside her quarters after returning from her visit. She casually made her way to the table that held all her alcohol, pouring some of it on a goblet before sipping through it.
She closed her eyes, enjoying the taste.
"I wish that in our next life, if we meet again, I hope we meet as strangers and not family friends. And I hope we have unlimited quarrels which will eventually lead us to become the best of friends. Let's not hit it off as friends from the start."
Decoris slammed the goblet down, causing it to rattle although she didn't mean to use so much force. She scoffed, pushing her hairs behind her and walking towards her bed chambers.
In our next life. As if.
Her steps begin to falter, as she felt that same pair of eyes on her like before, but this time, it was way too close. As if it was...right behind her.
"Hya!" Decoris cried as she pulled out a single blade from her waist and faced the intruder, kicking the intruder's raised arm which seemed like it wanted to hold her from the back. If Decoris thought she had gained control of the situation, she was in for a new one. The intruder proved to be a skilled fighter, as skilled as Decoris herself as he knocked the blade from Decoris' hand before kicking her knees from the back, making her all on her knees.
Enraged, Decoris grabbed the man by the foot, toppling him on the floor and standing up as fast as possible. But just like her, the man's movements were just as fluid. For he had stood up right at the same time as hers and taken her by surprise, kicking her in the gut making her lose her balance. Decoris fell on the bed on her back, getting ready to get up when the intruder lunged at, holding her wrists beside her head and caging her.
"Stop fighting!" The man hissed, his dark blue eyes ablaze with fury as they met Decoris red ones. His face was covered with a cloth, but with his long blond hair tied in a bun and those penetrating blue eyes, Decoris already knew who it was.
"Akkira?"
Akkira's eyes widened in shock of being found out, which made him loosen his grip and give Decoris the access she needed. With one kick in his manhood, Akkira was stumbling away in pain and Decoris shot up, her palms blazing in fire as she glared at him. "You have five seconds to explain why the bloody hell are you in the White Tiger tribe, trespassing into the Chiefs quarters and spying on her! Either way, you will still be charged for treason!"
Akkira howled in pain, but once Decoris started counting, he gained himself back.
"One!"
"Decoris I-"
"Two!"
"How am I supposed to-"
"Three!"
"Seriously Decoris-"
"Four!"
"Are you really going to-"
"FIVE!"
"IT'S ABOUT YOUR MOTHER!"
That had Decoris attention, her stance faltering as she stared at him with wide eyes. "M-mother? What does my mother-"
Light beams shot out of Akkira's hand and circled around Decoris, tying her up. Of course he was going to lie to get her attention. The conniving bastard.
"You seriously think this can hold me? I possess the Light too, remember?" Decoris said confidently, but Akkira only stared at her with a blank face. "You could, if you wouldn't be letting the Fire consume you so much, like you are doing right now."
Decoris gritted her teeth, anger boiling inside her. "Shut up. Stop pretending like you know me so well when all you did was disappear when I was just a kid and ignore me for the rest of my life!"
Decoris heaved in a breath, waiting for Akkira to say something. Anything. She hoped he would explain himself, that he of all people would have a definite reason for doing what he did. That he would tell her that he didn't mean to. Heck she even wanted him to at least argue with her that they had their reasons, anything at all. But what Akkira asked next, had her dumbfounded.
"Why did you do it?"
Decoris stared at Akkira's blank face in confusion. "Do what?"
"You know what. Why did you take what belonged to Vayu and Seira? No- scratch that. How could you do that? I don't care what reason you had, whether it was breaking the law or anything else. My point is, how could you? No matter what differences we had, how could you literally steal away their birthright? How could you get so cruel?" Akkira stared at her with hurt for his friends, which all together sent Decoris tiny hopes to the drain.
He wasn't here for her. He wasn't spying on her to see how she was doing. He was here to interrogate her about Vayu and Seira. She should have known. Why else would he show up after all these years? And even then, why did it hurt so bad?
Decoris held herself back from crying as she stared bloody murder at him. "How could I be so cruel? Don't you know the answer to that already?"
Decoris laughed bitterly, making Akkira squint at her but inside, Decoris felt like she was dying. She was feeling the same way she did that tragic night, when it all started. She wanted to explain, to convince, but she couldn't find it in herself to do that anymore. Not after knowing it now for sure that none of them, not even Akkira ever cared for her. She was nothing to them. The warm girl she once was was now dead. Decoris was finally embracing the creature her mother had been set to create that tragic night, finally letting it out as she said all the things she never imagined she would.
"I did it because that's what I am Akkira. I am cruel. I am born to be cruel. I'm the descendant of Hell, home for the Devil. I am destined to be like this. You should know that already, don't you think? After knowing that I killed my own father? Followed by all of yours?" Decoris smirked menacingly, the bonds holding her suddenly disappearing as Akkira stumbled behind, his face filled with horror. 'Y-you...what h-have...'
"That's right. I killed them. I also killed my father."
No I didn't. I didn't mean to. I couldn't control it.
"It only took a gust of wind to finish them."
I couldn't control it, I swear.
"Why do you look so surprised? Didn't you know that already? Didn't you believe it even back then? Isn't that why none of you ever checked on me? Why? Does the truth hurt more now that you hear it coming from my mouth?" Decoris laughed at Akkira's expanse, her eyes darkening with a mixture of black and red, that didn't go unnoticed by Akkira.
"You...you are not Decoris. Decoris wouldn't be like this. She wouldn't do this she-"
"What do you even know about her?" Decoris deadpanned with a blank face. "You only knew her for five baby years. Stop pretending like you know her."
Akkira groaned, bowing his head as the tears fell freely, but he couldn't bring himself to look at her. Look at the monster she had become. Heck she didn't even know that was actually hurting Vayu and Seira.
Speaking of which.
"You mark my words, Decoris." Akkira suddenly said, all his remorse flying out the window as his wings spread out and his dark blue eyes darkened to almost black, glaring holes into Decoris. He no longer cared what she meant to him. He no longer cared what promises he had made. This had gone too far.
"If something happens to Vayu and Seira, which, as a matter of fact, will happen, I will wage war in your unholy land. And Mehimus and Tristis won't stay quiet either, so you prepare yourself for the worst to come. We will end your kind like you ended Theirs. I will make sure of it. Because I will kill you myself."
With that, Akkira spread his wings and flew out of the balcony and into the night, howls and screams erupting from the knights outside. A commission was breaking out, but Decoris couldn't hear any of it. The only thing she heard was Akkira's words wringing in her head.
"I will kill you myself"
Decoris sank to the floor, finally getting a hang of the situation she had brought them in. Her words, her actions, what they had all cost her. And she was paying for it.
But that didn't mean she could stop the tears.
"Will you really do it?" She found herself asking. Would he?
Decoris didn't know, but soon, she would find out. Because a war was indeed on the horizon.
Because three days after Akkira's visit, Lord Vayu and Lady Seira had passed away.
-----
"You can't go back there Angel Henry! It's not under your control anymore!"
"I raised them. I should be with them."
"They are going to kill each other! It's a fight between humans! Mortals! You can't stop them, Angel Henry! You can't stop her!"
"She is my beloved!"
"She is the reason Lady Seira is dead!"
Henry stopped in his tracks, shutting his eyes tight and balling his hands into fists while his friend, Angel Cristi tried her best to stop him. Through gritted teeth, he said. "Don't you dare speak of her name."
Cristi winced, feeling her heart break for her friend. "I know what they mean to you, and I know what Seira meant to you too. I know you blame yourself for not protecting her, but there's nothing you can do when it comes to mortals, you can't meddle. You know that."
Henry stared at his hands, suddenly all the memories flashing in his head. The first time they were born, starting with Akkira. Seira and Decoris were born on the same day, and while one became his best friend, the other became...
It has been two months, ever since Seira and Vayu's death. Henry had been devastated. He couldn't believe what had happened. He had promised to protect them, to protect Seira who was so fragile, but he failed. And now she was dead.
And the Gorilla tribe and Falcon tribe were coming for Decoris' blood, for they blamed her for their loved ones death, including Akkira. A lot of attacks followed after their death. There had been heavy rainfall and thunder all across the White Tiger tribe, extinguishing the fire that burnt in the heart of the tribe. A lot of lives were lost, killing almost one third of the tribe. But thanks to Decoris immense power, the tribe was still alive and in time, Decoris stopped the Rain and Tsunami thrown their way. And then suddenly, things quiet down. Too quiet to be true. Until it happened.
The merchants that left for the Red Tiger Tribe in a business deal returned, but not actually. Their bodies were burnt and charred, hanging from over their horses. When Decoris was reported this incident, she knew what the message meant.
They didn't want a deal or a friendship. They wanted blood. They wanted war.
And so the war finally broke out between the four Kingdoms, with Decoris on one side. All along, the Higher ups sat in their positions, watching as the humans ate away at each other, avenging and greeding at the same time. The angels were given command to not interfere, that included Henry, but he couldn't sit still. He couldn't let them kill each other, and he wouldn't let Decoris do it. He knew for a fact that the remaining three didn't stand a chance, but that didn't mean they couldn't destroy her.
Henry had to go.
"I'm sorry. But I can't let this be. I have to go." Henry said as politely as possibly, but Christi held onto his arm as he tried walking away. "Angel Christi-"
"If you do this," Christi said with horror in her eyes, knowing all too well what fate he was walking into. "You can never come back. If you defy the high order, they will shun you and cast you out, you do know that right? You can't meddle. Don't meddle. Just see them off, no- just see her off and come back. Don't meddle, I beg you! Or you will suffer the same fate as Lucifer."
Henry knew what his actions would cost him, but he wasn't going to break any big rule. He would only go down to see her off which would cost him a lot of his angel rights, but they wouldn't cast him out. He wouldn't do anything worth that.
So he smiled at her before removing her hands from him. "I won't. Trust me."
"Won't you?"
A deep voice suddenly asked, making both angels freeze but the look of horror never left Christi's face. The duo looked at the direction of the voice, only to find a man dressed in animal skin walking towards them.
Christi gasped, falling to her knees at the same time as Henry when the man finally reached them. "Will you really just bid goodbye? Or do you have other plans?"
"Your Mightiness, my answer remains the same. I won't meddle." Henry replied determinedly, but for some reason, the man didn't seem to believe him. "Are you certain?"
This time, it took Henry longer to reply. Was he certain? Would he really just bid farewell and leave? Or would his heart ask for more? Suddenly Henry was doubting himself, and the man before him felt it. However, Henry's determination to just bid farewell and leave was stronger than anything else. So he repeated the same words as before. "I won't meddle."
No one spoke up for a long time, but Henry watched the man's legs getting closer until he was right in front of Henry. He then felt a finger under his chin, his head being lifted upwards until his light blue eyes met those chocolate brown ones of the man. He looked deadly serious.
"Should you break your oath in the name of your beloved in any way, especially meddling in the business of mortals, you know what will happen to you, don't you? Angel of Nature? Angel Henry?"
Henry gulped. The fear of who this man was already strong in him, but the fact that this man was capable of an Angel's fate was what had his toes curling. But he had already made up his mind. It was done. He would just bid farewell. Nothing more or nothing less.
Henry met the man's gaze, his eyes never wavering as he said. "Yes. I do."
Henry's heart ached at everything he had seen. He couldn't believe all of this was happening. He felt like it was only yesterday that Seira and Decoris were born, and he had blessed them like he blessed the other four, and now, two of them were already dead and the other four were hungry for blood. Three against one. One might think it was cruel but no. If you think that Decoris' troops were less compared to the other three, it wasn't. Decoris had the people of the Bear tribe as well as the Snake tribe with her, who had no choice but to fight for her. After all, she controlled them.
Henry had just returned from his visit from the barracks of the other three tribes, watching as their soldiers prepared themselves, including the chiefs. He had bid his farewell, saying that whatever fate they had before them, whether they lived or died, he as an angel would have nothing more to do with them. They would not be his responsibility anymore.
Henry never thought it was going to be this painful to say it.
He held himself back from breaking down as the two boys and the girl stared at him, listening to his farewell. None of them said a word until he was done, but the first one to move after he was done was Tristis, as she engulfed him in a hug. The other two joined in later, telling him that it was alright, and that they would accept their fate whatever it be. They just didn't like one thing to happen.
After everything, they wanted Decoris to die too.
Henry couldn't blame them for the hatred they harboured for the girl. She hated them equally so the feeling was mutual. But sadly, this whole scheme of hatred was just one bloody hell of a misunderstanding, and neither party wanted to fix it. And Henry can only do as much, considering he had an oath he couldn't break.
He left the three tribes' troops after that, heading for the last one, the White Tiger tribe. He landed on the floor with grace, his eyes travelling all around at the knights that prepared themselves for the war to come, walking on and on until he reached the huge tent where he knew he would find her.
Pushing the flaps aside, Henry stepped in, his huge figure making everything else look rather small, including the young woman who stood facing straight ahead, her back to Henry as her servant tied the knots of her bronze armour behind her. Henry stared at her back, before the servant was finally done and walked out, leaving the two alone in the tent.
"Well? How do I look?" Decoris suddenly asked, and Henry couldn't help but inwardly flinch at her lack of emotion in her words. She sounded robotic, or more like dead, as if she was already dead from the inside, just an empty walking shell. Decoris turned around to face Henry, giving him a better look at her.
She was covered in metal armour from head to toe, covering the front of her body, with leather bearings on the inside, including a leather skirt. Her boots were half leather and bronze and her wrists were covered in metal as well. Her hairs were left open, the orange strands tied into fish tails as they hung around the loose black ones, giving her a wild look. Beside her lay her bronze sword, the hilt made of black metal embedded with rubies. On the other side lay her bow and quiver of Arrows. All in all, she looked just like what her father had predicted of her future. Evil.
"You look...beautiful." Was what Henry said, making an effort to smile at her whilst he felt like crying from the inside. He loved the girl, just like the others, but it was then that Henry realised that no matter how close he had been with her all these years, she was the one he was least truthful with. He had lied to her countless times, thinking it was all for her own good. But lying is never for good, it only makes things worse. Even right now, Henry was lying to her, which was making him hate himself.
Decoris stared at Henry with a blank face, as if his words didn't mean a thing. It meant a lot, it was just that Decoris no longer knew how to react. She no longer felt human. Something dangerous and ugly was brewing inside her, she could feel it. And that was stopping her from being...her.
"I came to say goodbye."
"I know."
Henry stared at Decoris with wide eyes, but the girl only looked away, pushing her hairs back and picking up her helmet. "I know what the duties of an angel are, Henry, I studied them when I got the Light of Heaven. I know you aren't supposed to meddle in human affairs and if your ward goes astray, you break your ties with them. So I know why you are here Henry. Because we were your ward, and we went astray."
"I'm sorry." Henry suddenly said, looking down at his feet as a single tear rolled down his eyes, his voice cracking and making Decoris turn to him. "I'm so so very sorry. I should be staying with you guys. I'm sorry. I-"
Henry gasped despite himself, as he felt the tiny figure of Decoris engulf him in a hug, one which was rather uncomfortable due to her armour. No longer did her hug feel warm and soft. No longer did he feels olace or cared. All he felt was an empty shell with an empty hug, and that broke his heart in numerous pieces.
But he still hugged her back, holding onto her tightly as the bile rose in his throat, hurting him while he tried to hold back the tears. He knew for a fact that the Decoris he knew was no longer present, and that she was gone. He knew that the thing her father feared for was coming to the surface, and he also knew what that meant for the other three chiefs.
They were all going to be killed.
"It's not your fault. Don't be sorry." Decoris said in an empty voice, but Henry could only think about the terrible fate they all had in store for them, at least not Decoris. He knew that this war meant only one thing. That all the tribes would perish save for White Tiger tribe who would rule over all the others, after killing the chiefs. He didn't want that, he didn't want Decoris to kill the people she once loved so dearly.
"Decoris, promise me something." Henry breathed, suddenly catching Decoris' attention. She looked up at him in confusion. "Promise me, that whatever results come out of this war, you will not kill the three chiefs."
Henry's words had Decoris breaking the hug as she stared at him in disbelief, feeling the anger surge in her. "You can't be serious."
"I am serious. Please Decoris. I know you don't want to do it. You don't have to. You can keep them as prisoners like Vayu and Se-"
"They want me dead!" Decoris hissed, making Henry flinch backwards. He was shocked to the core. He had seen Decoris get mad many times or even show anger, but never in his life he had seen her like this. Her blood red eyes had turned black in that split second and her voice had doubled, as if something else was talking. Decoris didn't seem to notice it, or maybe she did but didn't care. All Henry could do was stare.
"They won't hesitate to kill me if they had the chance, Henry. Did you tell them the same thing? Did you ask them not to kill me too? Of course you didn't. Because it's me who is the crazy one isn't it? I'm the bloodthirsty tyrant! I kill my friends! That's why you are saying this to me!" Decoris thundered, heaving for breath while she glared at him.
"Even till this day, you never once thought about me. About what they made me feel. They left me when I had absolutely no one, and they had the audacity to give me the cold shoulder. And just because two of them passed away, they finally came to see me, not because they cared for me, but to find out what became of their lost friends. I just gave them one lie, one lie out of anger saying I killed their father, and they believed it wholeheartedly. As if deep down they believe I was a monster all along and I really am capable of such deeds. Well then, I will show them what I'm capable of."
Henry stared at Decoris with his lips parted, but no words came. He had realised then that this whole issue was way more messed up than he thought. That even if he had tried to meddle in between, it would be fruitless, because the six had already made up their minds, and nothing could alter that. Henry knew he was being selfish when he asked her the favour and not the same to them. They were as hungry for her blood as she was for theirs, but Henry knew they weren't going to win. He just hoped she wouldn't kill them and prove to them that she is indeed a monster.
He knew this misunderstanding was never going to be fixed. It was too late.
"I wish I could tell you." Henry suddenly said, looking at Decoris with a sad smile on his lips, his beautiful eyes glassy with tears. 'I wish I could explain to all of you the real truth. To tell them how their fathers really died, why Raiko killed your mother, and to tell you why they always ignored you. I wish I had done a better job at keeping you all safe, protecting you all. But now, Vayu is dead. Seira, my best friend is dead. I could not protect them. I failed them. And now I'm going to fail you all too."
Henry looked away as the tears threatened to fall, feeling his heart ache even more when Decoris' expression did not change. She was truly gone.
He knew what this war was, it was going to be the end of them, save for Decoris. He knew what Caracan was soon going to become. When now it is controlled by the Angels and the higher ups, it would soon be the Devils, should Decoris win the war. This was one hopeless battle, and Henry was a hopeless angel.
Henry roughly wiped at his cheeks, walking towards Decoris before taking the helmet from her hands and gently placing it over her head, handing her her sword and bow. "I'm sorry that you had to feel like you never had anyone in all these years. I'm sorry I couldn't fill up those empty spaces as much as I tried to. I just hope you know that you weren't completely alone. That I loved you and was willing to stay with you forever, whether you wanted me to or not. I would always be by your side."
A pan of guilt hit Decoris' heart, for she had so blatantly said to him that she never had anyone, when he had always been there for her, through thick and thin. But that guilt is replaced with one of anger as she registered Henry's words, which were all in the past tense.
"I had lovED you...WILLING to stay with you...I WOULD always be by your side..."
He would have, but not anymore. He had changed his mind. That's what it sounded to the darkened mind of Decoris. Without a word, Decoris stepped away from Henry and began walking out of the tent. There would be no heartfelt goodbye, or any sweet confessions. They would just part ways like a business deal and that was it.
But Henry couldn't just let it go. He shut his eyes tight, before he finally let the words fall out of his mouth.
"Take care of yourself, Your Grace."
Decoris stopped in mid track, registering Henry's words before she inhaled a long breath and started walking away again, opening the tent flap and disappearing, leaving a broken Henry behind.
Henry knew it was too much to ask for, but a tiny part of him wished that the old Decoris would still be there, and she would show some mercy, even the tiniest bit.
-----
There was no mercy.
Soldier after soldier, knight after knight, Decoris slashed her way through them as they fell down like dominoes, blood coating every single inch of her body. She did not care who she killed, for all she saw was red. Not only was her vision tinted red, but the sky was now bathed in red too, as if blood was dripping from the clouds. Maybe it was, because that day, many innocent people died, many families were lost, all because of one bloodthirsty tyrant- Decoris.
Decoris had not seen Tristis, Mehimus or Akkira ever since the battle had gone to action. The only time she saw them was when the two parties met at the opposite sides and had called for a peace treaty for politeness sake which both sides had denied without batting an eyelash. The three stood side by side, Tristis' falcons wings outspread as she sat on top of the huge bird, getting ready to take flight. On her left was Mehimus who sat on top of Miho, his Gorilla and on her right was Akkira, sitting atop Nene, his Red Tiger. They were completely dressed in their tribe colours, the armour stuck to their frames just like Decoris as she sat on top of Tan, staring at her ex- best friends.
When no peace treaty was made, the two parties charged and ever since then it has been a blood bath. No one was surviving, no one would survive. This was going to be their end.
"DECORIS!" Someone screamed, catching Decoris attention as she turned around to face her enemy, but just as she did, a bolt of lightning charged at her, cutting her shoulder and her cheek deeply to which she winced. Her eyes darkened with fury as she stared at Mehimus, or as she was once like to call him- Mehi.
"You...how could you! How could you do that to Seira!" Mehi cried in fury, getting into battle with Decoris who was now dodging his attempts easily. "Well it is good to see you too, Mehi. How are things going at the Gorilla tribe?"
Mehimus growled, not liking how cocky Decoris was even after everything. He came at her with everything, which was a mistake because he was fighting rather bashfully, letting his anger consume him. "SHE TRUSTED YOU! WE ALL DID! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO US? HOW COULD YOU KILL OUR FATHERS!?"
This time it was Decoris who growled, and with one movement, she kicked Mehimus in the gut, disorienting him and kicking away his sword before slicing across his body with her own. A female voice screamed from somewhere, but Decoris was too focused to hear anything as she glowered at the man before her.
"Even until the end, you people have no remorse, rather you are so very dense." Decoris hissed, getting closer to Mehimus as she pulled his head backwards by clutching a fistful of his hairs, making him look up at her while he sank to his knees, heaving for air which wouldn't come. Gone were their armours that they started with, all that was left was their leather bearings. Decoris glared at Mehimus, before she whispered one thing. "Remember this one thing, Mehi. And do let the other know about it when you meet them. I never started any of this. I never hurted any of you. I never abandoned any of you. It was all you. You all were the ones who left me to my own misery. And now, you will pay for it."
Without a seconds delay, Decoris plunged her sword into Mehimus' chest, blood oozing out of his mouth as she let go of him and he slumped to the floor, his eyes locking with hers.
It seemed like at his final moments, Mehimus was finally looking things a different way. He wanted to tell Decoris something. That she was abandoned. That she was right. But he had no right to because at the end he still believed in the fact that she killed his father, without any evidence. It was then Mehimus' life flashed before him, but it was already too late.
He was already gone.
"NO!" A voice screeched, and in Decoris vision she watched as a bloody Tristis knelt over Mehimus body, tears streaming down her beautiful face. "No...no...no..."
Decoris stared down at the duo, her expression a blank canvas even when Tristis turned to her with tear streaked face, unable to hold herself back. "Please...please Decoris. Just stop already. Stop this fight."
Decoris wanted to laugh. She wanted to scoff at Tristis and her words. Stop? Stop what? The war? But it has begun already.
"Why are you asking me?" Decoris asked with a raised eyebrow, which looked menacing to Tristis, the fact that she wasn't even disgusted by the amount of blood of all the people she killed sticking to her skin. "I wasn't the one who started it. It was never me who started any of the chaos. It was always you all. Even this war was started by Akkira and you both decided to follow. Now that the war isn't on your side, you suddenly feel like dumping it all on me?"
Tristis whimpered, her lips trembling as more tears fell. At some point the battle had loosened, becoming more quiet but people were still dying. But out of all the chaos, Akkira had gotten a whiff of what was happening and was making his way to them.
"Please Decoris, I beg you. At first Vayu, then Seira and now Mehi. Haven't had enough? Can't you just-" Tristis' sentence was left unfinished as the blow hit her hard on the face, throwing her a few feet away from where Mehi's body lay. Decoris growled, stalking towards Tristis and pulling her head up with her hairs as she snarled at her face. 'You don't care for them, Tristis. Admit it. You don't care how many of you I kill as long as you live. You are just saying all this to get a rise out of me, isn't it?'
Tristis' breath slowed, becoming normal all of a sudden as she looked straight into Decoris' red eyes, which were almost black now. Her face softened as a single tear rolled down her eyes. She knew what was going to become of Decoris, and as crazy as it sounded, it was now paining her to see it.
Decoris could only feel the urge to kill. To her it felt like the very right thing to do. That they all deserved it. Because a tiny voice that was slowly getting louder in the back of her head was whispering to her to do it. To kill.
'They deserve it, Decoris. They hurt you. They deserve to die painfully. Kill them...kill them...kill them...'
Decoris' hands reached around Tristis neck, tightening the hold. But what Tristis did next surprised Decoris.
"Maybe I am. Maybe I am trying to get a rise out of you. But still, if I can save us all, even you from the evil in us, then I guess I will keep doing it." So saying, she placed her hands over Decoris once, the ice from her travelling over to Decoris and freezing her. Decoris stared in confusion before an evil smirk replaced it. "You think you can kill me with that?"
As she said that, the ice began melting away again, but Tristis fought on, trying to dominate the evil as she slowly stood up, her hands still over Decoris before she engulfed the girl in a hug. "No. It won't. But it will if I give my life source. I'm willing to take down the evil for Good even if it means I need to give my own life."
Decoris' eyes darkened with anger at Tristis' words as she tried to fight the girl away, but the latter wouldn't let go of her. She tried to burn her, only to get her hands coated in ice. Her anger was at an uncontrollable level. Tristis' life was seeping out and it was taking all her willpower not to pass out. She had to end it now more than ever after realising just how very strong Decoris' evilness had become. That was what her father Raiko had feared, and yet all he did was in vain. The evil still found its way to Decoris even after everything the friends did to make sure it never happened. They were just managing to hold it in, but the death of Vayu and Seira and the revelation that Decoris killed their fathers was something they weren't expecting, leading them to let their anger get the best of them.
Tristis cried silently, patting Decoris back as she squirmed, but there was nothing to do. She would die and take Decoris with her. Akkira would stay behind and rule. That was it.
At least that's what she hoped.
But fate just wasn't on their side.
"TRISTIS!" Akkira's voice screamed for her at the same minute Decoris stabbed Tristis with a sharp edged log of wood through the back, breaking the spell there and then. Tristis' eyes went wide with horror, looking at Decoris who only snarled at her, tossing her body away.
'Well done. You did the right thing. Kill them all. This is your job. This is what you are meant to do.'
The voice in her head grew louder, and thunder clapped in the sky, and soon, it was pouring down heavily. The raindrops were so thick and heavy, Akkira felt like they were weighing him down. But it wasn't the rain that made him feel all numb. It was the realisation that all his friends were gone, killed by the woman he loved. That at the end everything they did, everything they sacrificed was all in vain, because Decoris was now completely taken over by evil, and he didn't feel like stopping her anymore.
He fell to his knees, staring at the limp figure of his first ever friend Tristis, at the same time Decoris stalked towards him. Decoris couldn't help but notice how vulnerable and fragile Akkira looked then, and she couldn't help but scoff. He was the one who started it, she thought to herself. So she will make him suffer.
There was a cracking sound, followed by the blood curdling scream emitted by Akkira as his left wing bended in an odd angle, purple fog surrounding it. He gritted his teeth in pain and looked at Decoris, who looked nothing like the girl he fell for twenty years ago. The bubbly girl was gone, and now stood the most horrid version of her, the version her mother loved the most.
"Painful isn't it?" Decoris said in a soothing and calming voice, walking more closer. "Imagine what I felt like when I watched my own father murder my mother in front of my own eyes."
"You have no idea what your mother was." Akkira hissed, his eyes watering from the pain but Decoris only raised an eyebrow at him. "And you do?"
"Your mother wanted to kill you. No, she wanted to make you the Devil's pawn. And looks like she succeeded after all, now that y- GAAHHHH" Akkira's screams echoed in the now deserted place, the valleys suddenly very quiet, save for the heavy pitter patter of the rain and Akkira's shrill scream echoing in the distance. Decoris glowered at Akkira, the rain washing away most of her blood and yet she looked like a monster as she twisted her wrist even more, making Akkira's right wing break and bend in an odd angle.
The blond boy cried silently, while Decoris casually walked to him and lifted his head up with her finger under his chin, staring him down. Their eyes locked, Dark blue eyes colliding with Decoris' black ones, which, for a minute flickered back to red and then black again. Akkira seemed to notice it, as a small sad smile formed in his lips and he inhaled deeply. He still loved Decoris' scent, but sadly, her scent of blood was now stronger than the Roses, making her evil part more dominant.
But that didn't mean she was all evil. Akkira had noticed the flicker, knowing that a part of her was still sane and changeable. "You did not kill our fathers, Did you Decoris?"
Decoris' lips parted in surprise, but she shut it quickly. But Akkira had noticed it all too well. "You lied about it. You lied because you were so done with trying to get us together. Because you were fed up with the fact that no matter what you do, we would never call you a friend."
"Shut up you imbecile. You know nothing."
"Then tell me Decoris. Why do you still have all the invitation cards that we gave you? Why did you not imprison Vayu and Seira like real prisoners instead of giving them their own living quarters? Why? Because deep down you still love us Deki, just the way we do too." Decoris let go of Akkira's chin and pulled out her sword, aiming it straight at his chest. "Don't lie to my face. You don't love me, none of you did. You left me when I needed you the most so don't give me this crap! You should have stayed! No one leaves their loved one if they love them! So stop spewing bullshit!"
Akkira had no time to think after that. For right after that, Decoris plunged the sword straight into Akkira's chest and pulled it out, her face hot with pent up anger. The sudden surge of emotions had her doing it faster than she thought she could. She had not realised that she was crying and in her fit of frustration she killed the last person left on the planet who would see her for who she is. She killed Akkira, and suddenly, it all felt rather...wrong.
Akkira coughed, blood spurting out of his mouth as he lay down on the hard floor, looking up at the red pouring sky which he so much wished was blue with white clouds like his home. But his home was already gone.
Perhaps Decoris was right. They shouldn't have left her all those years ago. They shouldn't have heard Raiko. Sure they were kids and obeyed the command they were given, but at one point they grew up and made their iwn decisions. Would things be a little different now, if they had befriended Decoris again? Would they all still be alive, ruling together side by side, with a bubbly Decoris and not the cold one? Was Raiko wrong in his plan after all? That isolating his daughter was the only best option?
Akkira didn't know anymore, for it was all over. They were all dead and soon, Decoris would be too. Her mother had succeeded in her job, the Devil would soon be here to conquer, and Decoris would be his free ticket until he was done with her. Akkira closed his eyes, but they flew open again when he watched Decoris kneel down next to him, and her face...broke his heart.
Her eyes were still blackish red, but her face no longer looked blank. If anything, they looked confused and...sad? Akkira couldn't believe it. Was it his death that was needed to break Decoris from her reverie? He didn't know. He just let Decoris run her fingers through his hairs that were matted in blood. Shakily, he lifted up his hands and cupped the side of her face, surprising her.
She should have felt angry, but it was surprisingly sweet. It had been so long since she felt something like this. Something so calm and warm and soothing and loving. Yes, she suddenly felt the love she had for them, for Akkira, the love that had been tucked away in a corner the night her parents died. It was then that she realised how much she loved Akkira, but it was too late. She already killed him.
"Akkira I-"
"Sshh." Akkira whispered, rubbing her cheeks with his cold hands that Decoris held onto. "It's...n-not your...f-fault. It never w-was." Akkira had never believed in his words more than he did then. For they were his last words because after that, his hand dropped and his body went still.
Akkira was right. It wasn't Decoris fault. She hadn't asked for this divine power. She hadn't wanted to be her mothers sacrificial lamb. She didn't want to kill her father, it was her divine power. She had never meant to grow cold. It was them who left her in her worst state, it was them who gave her the cold shoulder, always left her alone. They made her what she was now. They thought they were protecting her by doing that, but they weren't. For evil only resides in those who are lonely and broken. Had the stayed with her and showered her with the love she wanted, the evil wouldn't have come to her. It was their fault all along.
[Listen to the song now, no matter how many times it takes;)]
A shrill scream erupted from Decoris' chest, so loud that even the mountains shook, the sky parted, and dark fog began entering inside. Decoris had envisioned this moment so many times, of how she would feel triumphant after killing all of them.
Never in her life did she think she would be this devastated.
What have I done?
Decoris pulled at her hair, screaming and crying as the regret pooled into her, her eyes scanning the three bodies of her former friends, wishing that none of it had happened. But it had, and that hurt the most.
The darkness that came through the sky circled around Decoris, whispering to her soothingly.
'You like it Decoris, deep down, you like it.'
'N-no...' Decoris croaked, shaking her head but the evil was persistent.
'Oh yes you do! You were over the clouds when you killed them. Decoris, because you wanted it. You might cry now, but you actually love it. Because that's what you are Decoris. That's the kind of person you are, so don't be ashamed of it.'
Decoris wanted to deny it one more time, but strangely, she couldn't bring herself to. Her red eyes flickered from red to black, as she made the mistake of pondering over the evil words.
'Embrace it.'
Embrace it.
Decoris shut her eyes, gritting her teeth just at the same time she heard footsteps behind her, the flapping of wings and then the voice came.
"D-Decoris what...wh- you...you did it..." Henry gasped, tears pooling in his baby blue eyes at the sight of all the kids he had raised lying limp on the floor. He couldn't believe it. She had done it. A part of him wished she hadn't, that the true Decoris wouldn't allow it. But looks like there was no true Decoris left. "Decoris h-how could you?"
"They deserved it." Her voice hissed, making Henry flinch and Decoris as well.
She was surprised at her own words. What on earth am I saying? Decoris wondered to herself. Did she really mean it? It didn't matter. For the evil in her was already talking, taking over her being completely.
But Henry could see nothing. His grief had gotten the best of him and he screamed at the top of his lungs. "HOW COULD YOU DECORIS? THEY WERE YOU ALLIES! THEY TRIED TO SAVE YOU!"
An unknowing anger settled inside Decoris at Henry's words. Despite knowing that what she did was wrong, she could not understand why Henry would give such a blatant lie. Save her? When? She had been fending for herself ever since her parents died. How dare he lie to her face at a time like this?
Without even thinking twice, Decoris stood up on her feet at light speed and in one swift motion whirled her sword at Henry, who dodged in time but still managed to get a huge gash on his left arm. Henry hissed in pain, but that didn't stop Decoris as she advanced more and more, throwing attack after attack which Henry barely managed to dodge, for no matter how angry he was, he didn't want to fight her. He watched in horror as Decoris' eyes turned black, as she embraced the evil in her.
"I'm going to kill all of you." Decoris seethed, before she released a battle cry and lunged at Henry with all her might, stabbing him in the abdomen.
It seemed like having stabbed him, and the look that crossed his eyes after that had brought some better sense into Decoris, as her eyes turned red again and went wide, realisation sinking in. She dropped her sword after pulling it out of Henry, staring with disbelief at the weak angel. "H-Henry...I-"
Henry gasped for air, getting up on his feet while watching Decoris every move, her eyes continuously shifting from red to black. It was then he understood what was happening. She was trying to fight it, fight the evil inside her. But it was too strong and it already had its control on her. It was only a matter of time before she was completely gone.
"Henry..."
"Decoris, leave."
Henry's words took Decoris by surprise. She had no idea what he meant until she saw his eyes stare around at the black fog surrounding her. He knew what it was, where it came from. He knew her fate which she didn't know. But now she wanted to. She had to.
"I...I can't." Decoris whispered, looking at her hands before looking up at Henry with determination. "Henry, something is wrong with me."
Henry's heart broke at the vulnerability in her voice, her lips quivering as she tried to hold back her tears. "I killed them, Henry. I killed them because...because... something is very wrong with me Henry. There is something inside me. This...this evil and it's...it's feeding on me. It's feeding on my soul. And it has been in me ever since that night. When mamma and father died. And you know what it is Henry. You knew all along. It's time you tell me."
"I can't." Henry replied firmly, but his insides were in agony at how heartless he sounded. Decoris face turned into one of pain. "You can't or you won't?"
"I said I can't!" Henry hissed because of the pain in his abdomen. He couldn't tell her. He wanted to tell her so badly, but that would be the end of him. Was it worth it? Was anything ever going to be worth it after all that has happened?
Henry wondered, at the same time Decoris snarled, her fury getting the best of her as her eyes turned black again and she attacked Henry at full speed, picking up her sword again. "TELL ME!"
"Stop it Decoris!" Henry ordered, but she didn't listen. Henry managed to dodge her attacks but in time he was surely getting tired. He couldn't hold out for long.
He was right. None of it is worth it. No more.
Decoris screamed as she brought her sword down on Henry, who blocked it with a sword of light he created, glaring back at her and meeting her furious eyes. "You want to know the truth!? You want to know why we are so messed up!? Fine! We are where we are because of your mother! She had been harbouring the evil inside her ever since she was born! Your grandfather had Raiko married to her so that he would keep an eye on her! But then you came, and everything got messed up even more! Reisha wanted to use you as a sacrifice to the Devil because she believed that was your purpose in life! That night, she had almost succeeded if it wouldn't be for your Father! He stopped her in time and killing her was the only option because it was already too late for her! He tried to save you! But you killed him!"
Henry pushed Decoris away with the force of her sword as she took his words in. Her eyes turned red again, but it kept flickering to black as if she was in a turmoil of mixed emotions, not sure of which one was real. "No...that can't be..."
"Your father foresaw your actions, he knew you might kill him but he wasn't sure. So he made a back up plan just in case. Before he came to find you, he met up with Akkira, Tristis, Vayu, Mehimus and Seira." Henry sloka slowly, watching Decoris as her eyes turned wide with surprise. It hurt him to see how fragile and helpless she looked, as if she was in need of protection. A protection that would never come. "He asked them to do something for him. He told them that if anything was to happen to him, they should all leave immediately. He told them to stay away from you, because that was the only way to protect what was left of you. You see, when Raiko stopped Reisha, some part of her evil plan had already done its number on you, that's why you killed him."
Decoris shook her head, unable to wrap her head on all this information that made no sense. "But...why would he tell them to leave me alone? Why was he punishing me?'
"He wasn't punishing you. Like I said, he was protecting you, or at least he thought he was. You see, the devil can only have you when you are at your full potential, when all the powers reside in you. Raiko believed that if you stayed in your friend's company, the Devil would get the closure he wanted. So he separated you from them. You see Decoris, they never abandoned you. They wanted to keep you safe, as crazy as the way may be."
They were protecting me. Decoris thought to herself, feeling her heart ache all over again. It's so easy to just turn to evil because it stops the pain in her heart. But this time she didn't. She let the pain consume her because she deserved it. She killed her father who was trying to save her from her crazy mother. She killed her friends who loved her all along, but just had to stay away because they were following her fathers orders. She had been so clueless, so much filled with rage. She was so blinded that now it came back to bite her in full capacity.
What had she done?
"Raiko loved you more than anyone else, and he was willing to give his life for you, his only child. The reason I never told you about any of this is because none of us thought he would be wrong in his plan. That leaving you alone wasn't the right thing. Staying together could have kept you stronger and the evil away, but he didn't know that. None of us did. We were so late to realise it. And then Vayu and Seira died...I wanted to tell you the truth but I couldn't because of my duties but now I couldn't care less. They are all gone." Henry replied bitterly, staring at his feet while Decoris took in his words.
"You should have told me."
Henry looked up at Decoris, her eyes that had turned black without any effort glared at him, as she tightened her hold on her sword. "You should have told me. YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME! NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT! IT'S YOUR FAULT HENRY!"
Decoris lunged again, and the dwell began all over again. The sky above parted and more black fog begin entering. Decoris had no control anymore. The evil could come and go through her without even her realising it. She knew it wasn't Henry's fault but it was the evil talking. As quickly as she had started, Decoris stopped in mid track, her eyes turning red again while she stared at Henry, tears slowly started to gush from her eyes.
"Henry...I'm so sorry. I-I can't. I can't do this anymore. He has me now." Decoris sobbed violently, her whole body shaking while Henry stared at her helplessly, tears streaming down his eyes as well. He knew she didn't mean it. But that didn't mean he wasn't helpless. He had no idea what to do.
Just when he thought there was nothing he could do, Decoris turned her sword away from him and pointed it to herself, holding Henry's hands and placing them over the hilt.
"Decoris!"
"Henry! Please..." Decoris sobbed, her lips trembling as she stared up at him with her beautiful red eyes. "Please help me. He is coming, I can feel it. He will come and take over the world by using me. I can't let that happen Henry, not after everything you all have sacrificed for me."
Her gaze turned to Akkira and a small sad smile appeared, more tears flowing out. "There is no other way left. I killed them when they tried to save me. It's only fair I pay them back. We can't let the Devil win in the end."
Turning to Henry, she watched his beautiful face turn to horror as he shook his head. "I-I can't. I won't. I won't do it. There has to be another way."
"There is no other way Henry, you have to do it!"
"I won't!"
"Why don't you!?"
"Because I love you!"
How could she ask something so cruel from him? Henry couldn't help but wonder. How could he kill his own beloved? Ha had already broken his rules, but killing his beloved was something he could never imagine, even if that beloved was the cause of so much destruction.
Decoris' eyes stared at him in shock. She had never seen that coming. Never in her life she thought this would happen. Henry...loved her? Since when?
"Since you were born." Henry whispered, smiling through his tears. "Some angels tend to be gifted with a beloved. It's rare but it happens. You became my beloved the moment you were born and I held you in my arms. And I have never regretted it. I have loved you and I still do, so please don't make me do this."
Henry pulled Decoris close, resting his forehead against hers while he closed his eyes and breathed in her scent.
A million questions were circling in Decoris head. She had known all along that Seira loved Henry. What had happened? The duo were as close as Decoris was with Henry, maybe even more. She had thought Henry had the same feelings as Seira. Wasn't that the case? Looks like it wasnt. And it didn't matter. Not anymore.
The black fog kept appearing, this time followed by loud howls and shrieks, but Decoris didn't care. Looking up at Henry, in his beautiful baby blue eyes, Decpris smiled genuinely. "That's why I trust you to do it. And I know no one can do it but you."
"I-I" Henry broke, but Decoris lifted her hand and cupped his cheek while smiling and crying at the same time.
Time seemed to slow down at that very moment, as Henry heard Decoris whisper the words soothingly.
"It's okay. It's alright."
And then, it happened.
Decoris pulled Henry in for a hug, but the sword between them was not an obstacle. Not anymore. For it had penetrated through Decoris as she engulfed Henry in an embrace, blood gushing out of her mouth.
Henry's eyes went wide in horror, staring down at the bloody sword that came out from Decoris' back. Despite that, she patted him on the back as if he was the one stabbed. Henry was in a loss for words. Decpris had stabbed herself through his hands that held the sword. He had killed her. For good.
"Trust me, it's okay." Decoris whispered one last time and then, she went limp.
The howls died down. The fog disappeared. The sky cleared and turned grey. The rain stopped. And Henry fell to the ground with his dead beloved in his arms.
------
"At long last, you broke your oath." The familiar voice said, standing behind Henry as he sat motionless with Decoris' body in his arms, his face blank. The man in the animal skin, walked around, staring at all the death before him.
"You know it was bound to happen. The moment Lady Reisha started the ritual and Lord Raiko died stopping it, you knew it would happen, one way or another. That's what humans are. They are always fighting among themselves. Their greed never ceases. You didn't have to break your oath as an angel for that."
Still no response. The man stopped finally, staring down at Henry. "You know what this means, don't you Angel Henry?"
This time, Henry nodded, his face still a blank canvas. The man in animal skin nodded, then, raising his hands, he began.
"Angel Henry, you have committed a grave crime and tainted the honour of angels. You have meddled in human affairs, released information that you weren't supposed to and also killed one of them. You have disobeyed the Creator of this Universe and thus you shall pay for your crimes. You are therefore banished from the angel world. You will be stripped of your angel title and be sent to Hell for the rest of your time, just like the only one before you, Lucifer. You will follow his footsteps, fallen angel."
The man ended without a hint of emotion, his eyes trained on Henry while the latter only caressed his dead beloved's face. He had already expected it. There was nothing to change that.
Fate was a cruel thing. He was gifted with a mortal as a beloved, and yet his kind expects him to just walk away from her? Then why did they give her to him? Why did they make him bless these six children if he wasn't supposed to look after them? Why was life so twisted?
When Henry made no move to argue, the man raised his hands to tear away Henry's wings, at the same time he spoke up. "There is one last thing I would like to do, before you do your thing."
"What is it?" The man asked with knitted eyebrows, but Henry's eyes left Decoris face and travelled far away, where he stared at the six animals standing together, side by side like friends, watching him. He smiled at them, bringing back the memories of the six children before all of this happened. Their times together in all the tribes as they grew up fighting, training and learning side by side. Their avatars were the last thing left of them, and Henry wouldn't let them go like this.
"Take me inside that valley."
Once inside, Henry made his way inside one of the many caves, the man following after him as well as the six avatars. Finally Henry came to a stop, staring at the walls around him. Slowly, he lifted his right palm up, placing it over the rough surface which was the one. And then, he began.
"They will come back." He said, much to the man's confusion. "They will be reborn and they will come back. No matter where they are or what they do, they will cross paths again and they will get together. They will become the friends they never could be, and this time they will fight off this lingering evil, together, hand in hand."
The wall begin to glow softly, and Henry shut his eyes, as the tears fell, putting all his concentration on his work at the same time the avatars begin to glow, their forms shifting around before they were nothing but balls of light, floating around the cave and then pressing against the wall, until the balls of light were gone, replaced by engravings and drawings of them, with their masters beside them.
Henry had used his last powers as an angel to create this prophecy. He hoped with all his might, that he would see them again, one last time. He would protect Seira like he couldn't this time. He would warn them of the dangers beforehand. And he would see Decoris in her true light one last time as well. He would make sure nothing goes amiss this time.
"Their story isn't over yet, the pages are still empty. The white Tiger shall rise again, but it will be up to her to choose, whether she will side with the good or evil. So reborn they will be, for their story still needs to end, even after a million years may it be."
__________________
There. The end of flashbacks. What do you guys think? Was the back story satisfactory? Was it worth it? What do you think of Henry? And his love for Decoris/Jisoo?
The flashbacks are finally over, and the word limit still reached over 10k😑😑. Anyways, lets roll back to the future now!
This is it for Part II by the way.
See you soon!!
Luv uuu💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜