Queen Of Adis

"Every god knew that I once love this world and its people more than my own life. But I also learned that the more you love, the stronger the hatred you'd eventually feel. Vesta, is it really wrong to end this world when the people I once held dear took everything away from me? One day you will realize that what I am doing is still not enough to alleviate this pain I am suffering."

Vesta suddenly remembered the ice goddess' words a long time ago. Before she completely embraced the darkness and cast her never-ending winter curse in this world.

'Is this the kind of pain you felt? It was too unbearable!' she thought as she shut her eyes tightly and her fingers clutched her c.h.e.s.t.

Tears silently fell from her eyes and turned into ruby crystals as soon as it touched the ground. She felt like something was eating her sanity, tempting her to purge everything and everyone in this cursed world.

She was slowly, but surely, losing her mind in despair.

*Adis was the first one to recover his senses and ran towards Elior. He staggered when he saw the pope jerked and blood spurted out from his body. His two hands instinctively put pressure on the gaping holes on his c.h.e.s.t and solar plexus to stop the bleeding. However, there's still another hole on his stomach that needed to be taken care of.

"Haru, hurry and put pressure on the wound on his stomach!" without looking back, he ordered his wife to help him out. But his scowl deepened when she did not move an inch. "Damn it, Haru, get a hold of yourself! Come here and help--"

He snapped his head to look at his wife and all his words went down the drain upon the sight of his queen.

*Haru was now standing in front of the n.a.k.e.d lady with long blond hair. Her beautiful face contorted in extreme anger and her gentle eyes were now filled with murderous intent.

A ghost from the future cannot hurt someone from the past and vice versa. That was the sacred rule of space and time. However, the gods and the seers were the only exceptions. *Adis may not be able to touch a single strand of Anastasia's hair, but Haru's power came from the gods and she's one of the remaining seers; therefore, she has all the means to punish the wretched woman in front of her.

"How dare you?! I should have killed you the first time I saw you in that cursed cave. Unforgivable!" she hollered like a wild beast and summoned her vine wh.i.p.s.

Suddenly, the ground shook and cracks rapidly ran across the cemented floor and walls. Numerous roots sprang out from the cracks and slowly crept towards the demoness.

Anastasia's eyes grew wide and her feet stepped back in panic at the sudden shift of the situation. How come the cat companion of that clergyman turned into a woman with an aura that could burn her body into ashes? Where did all these plants come from and why are they moving as if they aim to strangle her? Who was the owner of that voice that screamed through her ears?

All these questions overwhelmed her and she unconsciously turned around to run for her life. But she tripped due to the protruding root beneath her feet and her face kissed the dirt on the ground.

When Vesta heard of Haru's voice, her fingers quivered. She slowly moved like a puppet with eyes void of any emotion and life. Her glowing hands touched the filthy ground and soon her sacred flame spread in every corner of the sewer, making the entire place the very picture of hell on earth.

A single strand of live fire slithered on the surface like a poisonous snake. When it found its target, it hastily coiled around Haru's weapon on her hands and transformed it into flame wh.i.p.s.

Satisfied with her newly acquired weapon, she cracked it on the ground then quickly lashed it out toward the demoness.

And as soon as one of her blazing vine wh.i.p.s torn and burned the flesh on Anastasia's back, Vesta's heavenly necklace, the 'Three Chances,' finally snapped and disintegrated.

The golden glow around the goddess' body faded and Vesta's eyes gradually closed as she embraced the meaning of her new fate. She's now a normal human being. Death was now inevitable and it could also mean the end of her grief.

She crawled to reach for Elior's body. She gently closed his gentle eyes that she loved so much and kissed his cold lips. She felt his lips trembled before he silently heaved his final breath. 'Very soon, my love, we shall meet again in the afterlife.'

All these were witnessed by *Adis who was still kneeling on the ground. His bloodied hands fell on his side as though all its strength suddenly disappeared.

Everything suddenly went out of his control. Before he knew it, the man who took care of his father and protected his entire family for two generations was now...

It was obvious that Vesta already lost the will to live, and yet, he didn't have time to sympathize with her nor cry for his loss. He looked up with eyes clouded in sorrow while watching his wife's rampage.

Why did this happen? Where did he go wrong?

Haru was now carrying two resentments on her shoulders; hers and Vesta's. And there's nothing he could do to relieve her from her pain.

He felt his twin flames rubbed their warm bodies against his back, comforting him as he prayed for his queen's safety.

Ear-piercing shrieks and whiplashes traveled to every nook and crevice of the now scorching sewer. The suffocating smoke and the sickening scent of burnt flesh and blood overpowered the putrid smell of the area.

Blinded by anger and grief, *Haru turned a deaf ear to the shrill scream of her victim and continuously cracked her flaming wh.i.p.s on the demoness' body. Her sturdy roots completely burst out from the ground and held Anastasia in place, leaving her with no way out.

Haru's entire body moved swiftly and gracefully while her wh.i.p.s danced according to her every d.e.s.i.r.e. If not for the cruel glint in her golden eyes, one would be enthralled as she looked like the goddess of war who came down to bless the realm with her fierce yet breathtaking fire dance.

And it's as if she forgot her delicate situation, her barrage of strikes seemed to never end, completely unconcern of the fact that she could never kill an immortal demon without her King's power. But her mind and soul found a little solace knowing that she could still inflict severe pain and even a possible long-lasting injury to the wicked being.

A part of her felt numb and empty, and she knew damn well why. Yet again, she failed to protect the people she cared the most. First was Azrael. And now... she lost the man she learned to love and respect like his true father. She couldn't accept it!

Elior is gone!

Once she opened her eyes from this nightmare and went back to the future, he would no longer be there.

Panting, *Haru finally stopped her assault. When her eyes focused on Anastasia, she was already a bloody mess; charred skin while steam was coming out from her body. Bones and shredded muscle tissue could be seen from the deep, jagged whip marks. She looked like the anatomical muscular doll she saw in her science class in high school.

However, her grip on her weapon seemed to have lost its strength when she saw the demoness' burns and wounds were rapidly healing. Hysterical laughter and obscenities came out from Anastasia's lips, mocking her useless effort to kill.

Distraught flashed in her eyes and she whimpered from the sudden painful tug in her c.h.e.s.t. Unforgivable!

She snarled and clenched her fists as she attempted to approach her prey once more. Her body may be weak, but her spirit was unwilling to forgive.

But her small frame was unexpectedly caged inside a strong and sinewy arms that caught her from behind. She reflexively thrashed and fought to be free.

"Ahhhh! Let me go! I want her dead! Kill her for me!" Haru shrieked at the top of her lungs while her hands were still reaching out for her enemy, desperate to draw blood from her. Tears were streaming out of her eyes as she continuously wailed, "It hurts! It hurts!"

*Adis tightened his embrace around her body and lifted his left hand to cover her tear-stained eyes. It was a foolish attempt to protect her from any further pain, but enough is enough! His throat constricted on pain from the sorry state of her beloved.

"Haru," his voice croaked as he eagerly called out her name. His lips were pressed against her ears. "I am hurting, too. But please come back to your senses and think of our twins. They need you... We need you."

As though she was dose in cold water, *Haru instantly froze, then her body slowly wilted towards the sturdy c.h.e.s.t behind her. For a moment, silence enveloped the place but grief could still be felt in the air.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed.

"There's nothing to forgive," he whispered as he cradled her in his arms.

"I'm really sorry." She forgot her delicate situation and almost risked their babies' lives due to her carelessness. She failed to realize that the man who was embracing her was also feeling the same pain, perhaps, even worst.

"Sshh. Everything will be alright. My Queen, your heart's d.e.s.i.r.e will soon be fulfilled," *Adis cajoled meaningfully.

As if on cue, footsteps could be heard next and the outstanding Demon King of the past finally appeared from within the scorching flames.