Celestial of the Prophet

Suddenly, Alma woke up in a dark room. Although she had completely recovered from the damage to her body, she still had an intense sensation of just being severely pummeled. Looking around, Alma figured out that the room was a storage place or facility and the only way out was through the stairs. She thought it was going to be easy to escape until she tried breaking out of her chains and found it impossible. Alma thought what she was tied with was just an ordinary chain but as she kept struggling, she figured that it was far from it.

Where am I? She wondered but nothing seemed to come to her mind. In a desperate need for an answer, Alma closed her eyes and fell into a trance. This ability gave a vampire power over its astral form, which travels out of the body, allowing them in flashes to see and perceive everything happening in its immediate surrounding. Alma could hear voices coming from upstairs. From what she gathered from her surroundings, she realised that she must be in the suburbs. The fact that she woke up not feeling blood thirsty also suggested to her that it was not a long time ago that she fought the mysterious woman, who beat her to a pulp. The distasteful feeling of losing to the unbreakable woman made her frown.

She was not ordinary…she was extraterrestrial or supernatural or whatever, she mused.

Trying to pacify herself. Still in astral form, Alma was able to recognise the voice that was coming from upstairs. It was the voice of Sagitar and the same mysterious woman. Alma could clearly hear the conversation that ensued between them.

"Are you ok?" Sagitar asks.

"I am but using those chains has taken its toll on me." replies Celeste.

Sagitar responded, "I think you are pushing yourself too hard."

In response, Celeste frowned and replied, "How about you. Your head is all over the place and your emotions are unstable."

Sagitar sighed "Well, I feel uncomfortable with what we have done. We invaded her privacy," he asserted himself.

Celeste seethed from frustration. "How else were we going to unravel what we needed to find out. You really have no idea what danger could be coming your way."

"Yeah," he snapped. "But going into someone's head like that was a new low…a very new low."

Celeste raised her voice. "It was the only option."

What did they do? Alma wondered.

She could barely remember the faint glimpses of happenings after she was beat asunder.

Suddenly, Alma began to hear footsteps getting closer. She could hear Celeste and Sagitar approaching from the staircase leading out of the cellar. As Alma opened her eyes from the trance, Celeste stepped into the cellar with Sagitar following just behind her. Intentionally, Celeste tried hiding Sagitar out of Alma's view. However, Alma was so agitated that she kept facing him so she could see his face and give him a piece of her mind.

Alma yelled, "Oh! You treacherous bastard. Just when I was starting to like you."

Sagitar cooed, "Alma…"

Celeste broke into the conversation, melting the dramatic tension that was building between them. Her concern was just to ensure that Alma was not a threat to Sagitar and since she had figured that out, there was no point being overly emotional.

"We have come to the conclusion that at the moment, you are not a threat. At least, you have shown to us that you're not." Celeste retorted.

Alma snapped, "What type of nonsense is this?"

Celeste spoke authoritatively, "It is as I said, Demon."

Alma responded, "You really thought I planned to hurt Sagitar, you are grossly mistaken."

Celeste smiled cynically. "Only time will tell."

She then began to move closer to Alma.

Overwhelmed by the memories of what happened the last time the celestial got face to face, Alma began to nearly struggle in fear. She was not sure what Celeste was going to do to her this time. With all that was happening, and little to no cards to play, a tough act is all that could be put up.

Alma shouted, "Untie me from these chains you wicked bitch."

Sagitar responded, "Just hold still. She is not going to hurt you anymore."

Celeste ignored all the noise that Alma was making and tapped her on the head with her two longest fingers. Immediately, a flash of light radiated from Alma's body, shining brightly through the cloth she was wearing. Suddenly, a myriad of ancient symbols glowed from her form. In a flash, the light and the glowing symbols vanished. Although, the incident happened in an instant, Sagitar observed all that had happened. He was astonished. Deep in his mind, like a thought that kept pervading, he kept wondering what the extent of Celeste's power was.

Right out of Sagitar's heart, Alma stole the question she asked.

"What are you?" Alma flustered.

Celeste discarded her question. "Now I can find you anywhere." Now that Celeste had placed some sort of mystic tracker on the vampire, she stepped behind the chair on which it was seated, touched the Chain of Restriction which disappeared into thin air instantly.

Alma relieved herself. Her elbow joints crackled as she stretched her arms to relax her muscles while she was seated on the chair. The words that Celeste said ricocheted on the walls of Alma's heart.

"What does that even mean?" Alma inquired.

"It means you are marked," Celeste replied.

Alma realised the seriousness of the situation. She could feel that even with all that they had discovered and all she had said, they still did not trust her. She wondered what Sagitar, who seemed like a regular human being could be doing with such a powerful entity like Celeste.

"And here I was, thinking that you were just a regular guy with few unique qualities," she said, staring deeply at Sagitar.

"I am…well, I was…" Sagitar stuttered.

Alma chuckled menacingly. "Now I know why you were not so freaked out when you found out I was a vamp."

"Alma, so many things have happened and my life literally changed overnight. You see…" Sagitar started but was interrupted.

"You don't need to tell her anything. In fact, it is probably best you don't," Celeste chimed.

"Right," Sagitar replies.

A sad look came over his face. There was a lot to tell but even still, Sagitar figured that information should only stay in trusted hands.

Celeste led Alma out of the cellar. She placed her hand on Alma's shoulders, enhancing the gravitational force acting on the vampire's body, thereby weakening her, as she walked onwards. Alma looked at Sagitar in wonder. She could not fathom what Sagitar as an entity really was that he had such a powerful supernatural guarding him. As Alma walked on, a part of her was not certain concerning what was coming next; however, she sensed that the worst had passed. With all the pain she had suffered from the hands of Celeste, Alma chose to let go of all that had happened.

What I went through, it was just a security measure. Alma considered that a faction of vampires would probably do the same to outsiders in a bid to protect its own. The three of them proceeded upstairs, entering the first floor of Sagitar's home right by the back of the house beside the kitchen.

Alma, not sure where they were, had to satisfy her curiosity. "We're in someone's home."

Celeste responded, "Sagitar's home to be precise."

Alma turned around and stared deeply at Celeste. "I really need to know what you guys did to me. I heard you two talking right in this spot above the cellar."

Celeste pushed Alma into a seat in the kitchen. The seat was beside the wall leading to the back garden and next to the door. Alma staggered due to the enhanced gravitational pull on her. With a swing of the hand, Celeste took the heavy feeling off her body, wanting Alma to be comfortable before giving an answer to the question that was asked.

Celeste answered, "I explored your mind and relayed the summary of it to Sagitar; all your deepest thoughts and memories."

"I know, I overheard that part, but how?" Alma asked, still confused.

In reply, Celeste explains, "It is a Celestial ability called Astral Reflection."

By the time this was retorted completely, the celestial had got herself seated on a nearby chair and adjusted gracefully opposite Alma by the other wall side.

For Sagitar, it was odd that she had heard some endeavors he had wanted to keep away from her temporarily. He added another power to the list of powers that he had seen Alma exhibit—super hearing. However, even more satisfying for him was the sight of Celeste and Alma talking together at the table. He walked to the refrigerator and brought out three cans of soda. The scenario Sagitar found himself in brought out the child in his persona and reflected his character around a group of social ties and friends alike.

"Err…I brought soda," Sagitar offered. "Alma, is this your thing or is it strictly blood only?" he questioned.

"Soda is good," Alma responded.

Immediately, she returned to the conversation she was having with Celeste, who also chose to take a can of the refreshment to grasp. It had just hit the vampire, back then, in the fight, which wasn't more but a beat down. She had just realised the words Celeste previously ushered.

"Impossible! You are a Celestial?" Alma blurted.

"That is right. I am indeed," Celeste replied proudly.

Alma now knew why Celeste was so infuriated when she saw her with Sagitar—she is his guardian angel, Alma thought. Although Alma had heard that such beings existed, she found it difficult to believe because the excuse that was given for not being able to physically see these entities was that they kept themselves locked away from the mortal world. However, right before her was one, sharing a beverage with her. Alma was in awe!

"I can't believe it," Alma whispered.

It was a loud reply, she unknowingly responded loudly.

"Believe what you like," Celeste retorted.

Alma's eyes widened as she kept churning all she had just heard in her mind.

"Well, it makes perfect sense. You took heavy blows from me without even a scratch. And I am an old vampire at the peak of my physical strength. Even at that you felt nothing."

Celeste smirked, "What has been displayed is merely a fraction of my true might."

"Well I would expect the bounds of your powers to be less if you are…" Alma had gotten to the end of her claims before she figured that she might have said too much.

Celeste finished up where she was to end, "Fallen?"

Alma added, "Well, yeah. Why else would you be within the firmament?"

Celeste snapped, "I do not need to explain myself to the likes of you."

An awkward silence lingered in the air. Celeste's response had killed every question that Alma wanted to ask.

Sagitar decided to break the silence with the part of the conversation that attracted him. "What is a firmament?"

Alma stared at Sagitar in disbelief. "So the mortal is clueless after all."

"Don't say it like that," Sagitar whined. "There are still things I need to find out" he found himself interrupted.

Alma sighed loudly. The moment was taken in before she looked at Sagitar with disapproval, "I cannot believe you. You are not the guy I thought you were."

Sagitar froze. He thought they had got past the invasive phase and experience.

I thought she smiled when I offered her a drink. Wouldn't that show no bad intent and more so…a sign of peace—a truce. "Alma, you need to know this is not how I intended things to turn out," he explained.

Alma was angry. Once again, like when she was a child, she felt vulnerable, naked and lonely. "Save the explanation Sagitar. I still cannot believe that you went through my head. My memories, my thoughts, my insecurities. They are mine and mine alone!"

Sagitar explained, "We needed to be sure that you were not a threat."

Alma wondered, "Why would I be a threat?"

"Obviously, because you are a frickin' vampire," Sagitar replied with agitation.

Alma sighed. She felt betrayed by the one person, after a long while, that she thought she could trust. "Now I know what you truly think of me."

Sagitar tried to salvage the situation. From his point of view, Alma had misunderstood his words completely. "That is not what I meant."

Celeste snapped, "Look, we explored your mind because it was too much of a coincidence that you showed up before Sagitar's death."

Alma was confused. "What?"

Celeste nodded. "It is exactly what I said."

Sagitar pulled a seat of his own to sit near Alma. "You know the night you called me on the phone to check whether I was ok," Sagitar paused to build her anticipation.

Alma nodded, "Yeah. Okay, so what happened?"

"That was the night I pretty much died," Sagitar replied casually.

"You are not serious." Alma hissed at the illogicality of his statement.

"Yeah, I was shot dead by those two goons at the club. The one's who looked seriously hostile that Roland was talking about. Celeste revived me from the heavens. By the morning, I found myself practically fine, as if nothing had happened," Sagitar narrated his experience.

When Alma considered all that she had seen and heard, she had no choice but to believe this story.

"Remarkable!" she sighed.

Alma paused for a brief moment and began to recall the events of that night. She remembered how those guys had a brief chat with Roland at the bar while she and Cathy danced on the open space of the main floor. Alma was astounded at the power of Celeste. She wondered how she managed to pull that off, a revival. She was pretty sure Sagitar did not return supernatural because she could nearly taste his blood right where she was standing. He was exactly what he was before he died—a man.

Alma decided to continue the conversation. Her head was now clear and she could evidently put together all the dots.

"I knew there was something off about those two," she doused, referring to the two hostile men that she saw at the bar. "The way they were commenting about your younger years, it was obvious that there was jealousy."

"They were. They pretty much left me bleeding out making comments like, 'he was not as tough as they said'. Those guys are animals," Sagitar complained.

Celeste interrupts his troubles, "I think you have said enough. Do not explain more than you need to, Sagitar."

Sagitar kept quiet; however, deep within his heart he wanted to pour out everything to Alma.

Noticing the hesitation written on Sagitar's face, Alma decided to change the direction of the conversation. "So what now?"

Sagitar replies, "We'll let you go. You can return back to your normal life."

"Is that wise" Celeste beckoned.

"Well we can't keep her here forever" says Sagitar.

"Very well" Celeste agrees.

She looks at Alma and deeply into her eyes. The pressure of an impending doom entered Alma's visage. She had experienced such an ability before so she knew it was done for intimidation.

Celeste adds, "But just remember, I am always watching."

Alma gulped. The words that came out of Celeste's mouth sent chills down her spine. She knew that there was nothing she could keep hidden from the eyes of Celeste, as the celestial had put a tracker on her. The memory of the face to face confrontation still haunted Alma; she would not want another encounter.

Sagitar coughed to ease the situation. He could see that Celeste came across as bizarre. He, on the other hand, wanted to make the atmosphere more relaxed.

"You're going to need some fresh clothes" mentions Sagitar.

It was at this point that Alma looked at herself to notice that her dress was soaked in blood, from the chest down to her waste. The blood on her chest had dried up, leaving dark crimson patches around the upper parts of her breast. Sagitar looked at the blood stain on her chest. Slowly, his eyes strayed towards her cleavage. He flustered a little bit and immediately turned away. Alma noticed that he was stirring; she saw his innocent face reddening. From what she could read, undeniably, there were obvious signs of infatuation.

"Just give me a moment," says Sagitar.

He turns around, proceeds down the stairs, into the cellar to get some clothes for Alma.

Alma's eyes wondered around the kitchen and eventually landed on Celeste. Celeste, however, kept a straight face, unconcerned and unmoved by anything. Alma couldn't believe how attractive the Celestial was. She thought about herself knowing that she too was an attractive looker, but could not deny that Celeste could be…no, was the most attractive woman she had ever laid eyes on. However, her stunning beauty was the least concern on Alma's mind. The major question for Alma was, what does Sagitar need protection from? She looked at Celeste again and wondered if there was any bit of emotion in her; if she could at least have a conversation about the situation but Celeste just kept staring into thin air. No sooner than the silence becoming laborious for Alma, did Sagitar walk in with a suitable outfit: a pair of black trousers and a baggy top.

Sagitar passed the top over to Alma. Leaving the trousers on the empty seat, he instantly left the room. He figured that Alma needed her privacy. Celeste, however, did not get the memo. Although Alma felt uncomfortable with Celeste in the room, she took off her clothes and put on the outfit that Sagitar brought.

Sagitar was in the corridor, by the entrance door to his home. When Alma was done putting the clothes on, she walked out of the kitchen, escorted by Celeste. She proceeded towards the front door, approaching Sagitar.

Sagitar points out, "You can put that dress in this plastic bag. I have also put your handbag in it."

He opened the bag and Alma put her bloody red dress inside it; he then handed her the handbag.

"That dress looks expensive. I would hate for it to go to waste." he commented.

Alma was irritated—too irritated to reply. She retrieved the bag from Sagitar and left his home. Sagitar waited for her to reach a considerably far distance before making a comment. An action made because he was now aware that vampires had the ability to hear what was happening in their immediate surroundings.

"She looked so mad," Sagitar quietly muttered.

In reply, Celeste retorted, "Don't worry about it."

Sagitar shut the door. "I can't help it."

Celeste stirred at Sagitar. She was not surprised but the pouty disposition of Sagitar sent an obvious message across that could be dangerous to him and, by extension, to her. "By heavens, you have fallen madly in love with the, the night terror…"