Chapter 39: Sound of War
The only sound I could hear was that of my own breathing. I was panting as if I was going to expire soon if I didn't get enough air. I tried to calm down, but my heart still raced. My vision was weird—I could see everything from a first person's perspective but it felt like I was intruding on what was being shown to me. As if these eyes were not my own, but someone else's.
My body stumbled through the coldness of the path I ran through the dark. As I gathered my extremely long dress further into my hands, I was able to hop over cobblestones and past the trail of an unkempt garden. I kept going; as if I knew exactly where my destination was despite the odd way of getting there. I was now facing a passageway. I had managed to open it by pulling the side of a lantern which led to hidden doors spreading apart.
I was confused about what was happening. How did I end up here? Why was I even here?
All the questions I had were answered when I jogged down the corridors and a sudden burst of light came. It was from a wide room which looked similar to those in the heavens when I was there.
Wait...was I still there?
"Took you long enough," a gruff voice said from beside me.
I knew that voice. It was a short lived encounter that we had, but it was lasting enough for me to have memorized it.
Mikael glared at me, dressed in all black just like he was the first time we had met. Or should I say the first time we met as Isabelle? Because the way he stared at me told me I was no longer me. There was no way I was my normal self. Wicked mischief danced in his eyes instead of the disgust and hatred he had shown me before.
"I would apologize but as you can see from my disheveled state, I barely had the opportunity to even get here." I lilted sarcastically and walked closer to him.
No, why was I approaching this man? I—we should be running away based on that expression of his! He looked like his prey had fallen victim to his predatory acts.
He smirked, analyzing me like I was some kind of fascinating work of art in a gallery. "Why is that? Did Angelo refuse to have you step foot out of the walls again? It's already too late for that. A war has already been declared."
"Shut up, Mikael!" I spat, not even the least bit amused by what he was saying.
His amusement faded instantly.
"They're coming whether you like it or not, Elisabetta." He growled like a feral animal. "So you better prepare yourself."
My eyes stared heavily upon him. He matched the heat of my stare. When I realized he wasn't going to let up, I broke our contact.
"If it's war you want to discuss, you're speaking to the wrong person. I have nothing to do with this nor did I ever want to."
His jaw dropped open in an exaggerated manner.
Then he scoffed.
"Are you joking right now? Have you forgotten who started this entire thing? Out of jealousy, Elisabetta, they have come to wage a war out of jealousy. All because of you. I find it quite impressive that you're talented enough to gaslight yourself into thinking otherwise."
"Their jealousy has nothing to do with me. I didn't do anything to them."
"Yes, you have. You exist, Elisabetta." He emphasized, pointing a lawful finger at me. "And Angelo loves every single molecule of your existence, so in their eyes you have committed the most heinous crime in history. They are trying to eradicate this pairing with a human and angel because of that. After all, you two are different creatures sharing the same love."
I was now more cornered than ever apparently. My fingernails dug harshly into the palm of my hands as I responded tersely to him.
"I have made it clear by my attempts of fleeing this wretched place that I no longer hold those sentiments for their godly Commander. The lies he has told me make me unable to trust anything he says. What is the point of our relationship when there is no trust involved? And before you say anything on behalf of your friend, I'm afraid any pity for him has started to subside on my part."
He chuckled dangerously low.
"Oh, I'm all for your point of view on the story and yes, I will include Angelo's—and not as his friend because that's a story of the past you seem to commonly forget—but only because he has indeed sacrificed a lot to even have you here in the heavens. He's endured...lightning bolts and ridicule from his own people to have you. How can anyone compete with that? I surely can't despite the stories that are going around that I am."
"I never asked for any of that!" I spat vehemently. "If only he'd explained everything I wouldn't have had this naive fantasy that we could have worked out. When it comes to those rumors of you and I...I guess you have yourself to blame for that. It's no secret misery loves company. Becoming my friend may have been your biggest mistake yet." I smirked mockingly.
Mikael wasn't the least bit offended by that. "You're right. You two aren't a match." He said, referring to what he deemed the most important part. "You're a terrible person. I almost feel sorry for Angelo that he can't see that."
"If I'm as terrible as you say, why are you here? Why are you helping me then?"
He sighed, running a hand under his chin in thought. His sharp eyes that could pierce through the deepest abyss found me. "I wonder the same."
The words hung between the two of us and I could feel the air in my lungs tripping over itself at that comment.
I wondered as I felt her exact emotion in that moment if what Elisabetta had for him was something more than the stories told.
It didn't feel like anything remotely innocent nor concealed.
It felt like...
It was a one-sided love.
I knew the feeling of having a crush on someone all too well and this is what it felt like. While my eyes flitted over to Mikael and his ever brooding externality, I realized that he had no clue about what he felt. She was certain, while he was going by his natural instinct. It was much more mellow and harmless than the rumors had it.
Witnessing this, I knew it was time to face the music with the way they both got awoken by the fear of what was to come after a knock came from outside the door.
Not out of my own discretion, my eyes found him in panic and anger. "You invited somebody else here?"
"Hey, if you're gonna try and fight against a group of celestial beings, we need all the help we can get. The heavens have been adamant it would not come to this but look where we are now. Angelo won't be able to protect you if he's fighting on the front line. I'll also be called upon. He's the best option we have right now."
"He?"
Mikael's eyebrows raised suggestively before he opened the secret door.
I felt my—no—Elisabetta's blood pressure rise at the sight of who was standing there.
Out of his own free will, stupid Cupid stood there in his approach.
I turned to Mikael like he had gone crazy. "Are you insane? How could you involve Cupid into this? Are you forgetting who he is?! He's Angelo's closest person! He'll be the first one to tell him of my plans!"
He cracked his knuckles before he stealthily approached me.
His eyes found mine beneath his hair that had somehow fallen into his face.
My stomach dropped at the sight that his gaze had changed.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you..." An array of conflicting emotions flickered in his pupils as he gave me a lethal smile. "I don't particularly agree with that plan of yours."
My guard had already been down when he whipped a hand towards me and a glowing lasso rope wrapped itself around me like a snake.
I looked up at him with disbelief at his betrayal.
"Mikael..."
"I can't believe I'm agreeing with him on something, but Angelo is right. I don't think risking your fucking life is the answer here, Elisabetta. It never was. I just went along with it so that-"
"So that I could trust you." I finished, deeply repulsed by how he set me up.
How could he just exploit my dependency on him in this situation? He had me reveal my inner most intentions only for him to control me just like Angelo has been doing. There was no point in which any of them valued my opinion. Nor did any of them trust me. I guess at the end of the day no matter how many companionships I made, I would always be a weak human to them. Incapable of saving anyone...not even herself.
My thoughts were disturbed by Cupid who never met my eyes the entire time he led me out of the room and away from Mikael.
"You're no different than him." I hissed with utter hatred.
Mikael's facade broke. His face fell at those words momentarily before he covered it up with a hardened expression. While I was ushered out, he stepped aside, careful not to brush shoulders with me. It was like he no longer wanted to share the same air as me.
The coldness of that reaction hurt me more than anything else.
He should have been there, Elisabetta's thoughts echoed within my head. On my side.
It was too late though.
Mikael didn't spare a glance after this occurrence, leaving me buried by the darkness that overcame the woman I had become.
I could no longer escape what was going to happen.
And it was all that black pill's fault.
***
A/N:
I hereby declare these last two chapters & the upcoming one as the "war" series hehe. You guys...aren't ready for what's to come. 😈
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