The Demon's Bride

Chapter 676: Loveliest Lady-III

Elise couldn't bear to see Ian's closed eyes as it springs up all the bad memories she had tried to overcome for the past week. Her hands were trembling and cold. Her eyes couldn't stop her tears as she wished strongly in his her for Ian's wounds to heal. At times like this, Elise couldn't wish more than having her own power of healing.

"Elise," Satan called her who was in a trance, staring at Ian out of focus. "Elise!" Satan called her again, this time in a louder voice that startled her.

She looked at her grandfather, staring with her eyes slightly widening. Her grandfather sighed and shook his head that scared her. "No, no. I am sure he is alright."

And in time, Ian grunted from his place. His eyebrows tied itself to a knot as he tried to look upward, at Elise who had placed his head on her laps. A smile appeared on his lips then, "I see a lovely angel."

With tears rolling down her eyes, Elise wordlessly reached out her hands and circled them around his shoulders. Ian slowly pushed himself upward and placed one of his hand on the back of her head, gently rubbing her head up and down in order to pacify her tears. The sky that was once dark had lightened up and the gray clouds had dispersed, ending the chaotic day for the couple and to the resident of both Heaven and Hell.

When they came back to the castle, Lucifer had stood on the hall waiting for his nephew and niece in law's arrival. Seeing both of them together a smile was wide on his lips before he hauled the couple with his arms. "You two did a wonderful job, coming back alive," said Lucifer with pride.

Elise replied to the man with a smile. After learning that all this time, Lucifer had been acting as Michael due to how the archangel was punished for breaking his rule, she learned that to end Apollyon and his twisted plan, it required more than only her work and Ian's. Everyone had participate to protect the peaceful life they had.

Once, Elise felt alone, utterly alone without anyone by her side but now, she had her family. A grandfather who was slightly strict, a father who adore her more than anything, uncle who was a bit mischievous, and all others. The most important to her, and the person who had made her to the person she is right now was her husband.

Though everything ended in celebration as they had fortunately lost no one, there was no party to be held. Everyone had only wished for a peaceful time of their own after the extremely tiring day. Elise walked from the corridor when she saw her father standing alone in the open terrace. His hand placed on the railing while there was a small bottle of wine beside him.

Elise made her way to her father who was alone. Leviathan noticing her quickly turned his head and offered her a smile.

"It's a beautiful night," Elise said even though the sky had always been pitch black in Hell that made it difficult for anyone to differentiate when was nighttime and morning.

Leviathan watched Elise who stared at the sky. Watching her red hair swaying from the wind, caused him to smile as well as heartache. "Don't you need more rest?"

Elise shook her head, "I don't feel to be resting now. Father," she started, her words bringing Leviathan to smile again. "When I didn't know you, I had always doubted your care to me and mother. While living in the village, there were mostly words shared around and those aren't feasible to hear. I had always questioned why you would leave mother and perhaps at one point I hated you for that reason. Mother was suffering and I cannot help her. But I…" Elise turned to stare at her father. "I cannot be more than grateful to have you here with me and to have you as my father."

Leviathan scrunched his eyebrows before raising his hand to slowly placing it over the crown of her head. His smile slowly softening while doing so, "I cannot blame you for feeling what you felt when you were young. You were not at fault and I understand it as much as you how important my position was in the family and how I have failed to protect you two. It was a difficult time for us but I will always remember the time where we shared together for eternity. When you were born, Elise, you were so small. Your mother was even worried if you were smaller than other newborn babies."

Elise chuckled at it, interested in knowing everything about herself during her childhood, "Have I always showed the same strength I have?"

"Of course, you were strong, stronger now and back then too. The strength that I mean to talk to you about isn't the strength of your power but the strength of your heart. Like your mother, you are a person with a heart of diamond. We were new to taking care of babies when we had you. Consulting with others was out of options as your grandfather wasn't exactly the best person to consult about it. And your maternal grandfather was out of reach for us."

"Maternal grandfather?" It was the angel named Raziel, thought Elise. "What kind of a person he is?"

"Strong, very strong. Michael and him is on par when it comes to sheer strength but Raziel is far stronger with his raw prowess. I haven't met him but I know he should be alive somewhere in Heaven. Like me, he had a reason for not being able to meet you or Adelaide. But Adelaide often get touch with him through letters. I remember his letters for you when you were born and how happy he was. I believe despite the rumors about him, he must be a great person," Leviathan explained.

Elise nodded her head in response and she wondered what Raziel was doing at the moment. Was it possible for her to find him in Heaven with the help of other angels?

In the opposite side of Hell, the angels were on its weakest time where the strongest angels were bedridden. "In order to make it believable, Raphael had given an unfair judgment therefore he is also unconscious at the moment," said Uriel to the other angel who wanted to meet the archangel. "We should let them rest for now."

The angels left, worried and confused of the predicament they had. Uriel, on the other hand, was tired with the amount of work he had to tackle by himself.

"As busy as always," said the elder angel from behind him. Uriel's eyes widened when he met Raziel who in turn looking calmly at him. "Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. Are all of them unconscious?"

"Yes," replied Uriel with frown of worries. "You can leave the prison now?"

"Do you want me to go back?" Raziel questioned as if he didn't mind to return to the prison.

Uriel shook his head and hands immediately, "No! No! Of course not. I was just curious… when do you think Michael and the others are going to wake up?" action

Raziel looked at his brothers who weren't called as such due to their blood relation but because all of them were the servants of God, a comrade who had lived through everything together with each other by their side. "I can't be sure either. It's said that when the angel is punished they would have their time to meet and talk with Father. We just have to wait for them now and hope for the best. What is that on your hand?" Raziel recognize the golden framed scroll that Uriel brought to be the same as the one God would give to them. It often act as a messenger of God's rule, wishes, and punishment; making Raziel to wonder which of it was written in the scroll.

Uriel looked at Raziel with a very wide smile on his lips as if he was waiting for someone to ask the question. "You would never guess. It is a secret to all other angels for now but I think you deserve to read it first and hand this scroll to the person who needs them the most."

Raziel took the scroll to his hands, his golden eyes brightening once he read the content of the scroll.

Elise had went back to her room after her talk with her father. She stared at the sky, remembering the things she had forgotten which was the death of her mother. It was a sad and traumatic experience to her but the people who had been responsible for it had died and now, she can only hope the lovely ladies who had lost their life after being caught by the greed of the angels and humans would finally find the peace in where they are resting.

"You can sleep if you wish to, you don't have to wait for me, you know," said Ian after he opened the door, closing it with a click behind him.

*******

A/N: Hello, readers. I am currently trying to adjust my life with my new schedule. Therefore today's chapter will only be one, I apologize for the lack of chapters ><