The Demon’s Bride

Elise followed Ian's line of sight and her sense as she had picked up the presence of someone being close near them. From the tree, a faint shadow casted below and a person clad in a white robe stepped out from the bark or the tree. The man took a first step, followed by the next as he made his way toward the coffin.

The mist begin to disperse by the time the person had stood next to the coffin. Elise's gaze stopped at the man who had revealed himself from hiding behind the tree. His hair was bright golden and it moved when he walked, falling to cover his white robe that looked flimsily tied on his body.

The man's eyes were closed, tied by a white ribbon that prevented Elise from looking more to the man's countenance. Seeing the man's hair brought a sense of recollection to Elise like what she has felt upon seeing Lady Rachel's hair. 

"Judging by the voice, it's you, the third generation of Diablo," said the man, his voice light and he made his way from the left side of the coffin, "And I guess you have someone else beside you?"

"I am called Ian White now, Heaven," Ian reminded with a grin, "This is my bride, she had been wanting to see you."

Elise shifted her gaze to Ian, finally understanding his trick again in words. Heaven that Ian mentioned wasn't the place which has angels and holy people living but rather a person who has share the same name as the last resting place for saints and innocent people. 

"Bride? You?" Heaven asked as if he was surprised, and Elise can't help but smile at the man's shock, "You must be happy now then," said Heaven as he made way closer toward them, stopping four steps away from them.

Ian shifted his gaze to look at Elise with his smirk widening, "Very happy. I wish I could invite you to our future wedding, but a shame, I can't invite a coffin and this entire forest with you. Unless the coffin and forest can move on its own?"

"You and your jokes," sighed Heaven, Elise continued to stare at the man's face. It was hard to guess how Heaven look like when his eyes were covered. A familiar emotion came over her which she didn't know what to call it. "I am sorry, lady," Heaven said, his face turned toward her, "As you might have seen I don't have sight to help me and look at you. Can I ask how do you look?"

Elise didn't know how to describe herself and chose to explain Heaven simply, "I was blessed with bright red hair and blue eyes," Heaven hummed, seemingly understood from the simple expression.

"Bright red hair, that reminds me of someone," Heaven murmured as if talking to himself but Elise and Ian could hear what he said. "You must be curious of who I am, don't you?"

Ian chuckled, he whispered next to Elise, "Seems like your curiosity is so bright that even a blind man could see the extent of your curiosity. What do you think he is?"

"I don't know," Elise said, she scrutinized Heaven's figure again. He wasn't transparent like a ghost and there was something in him that made him appear holy, "An Angel?" But Angel are supposed to be in Heaven.

"I'm amazed," said Heaven, his smile tugging, "Not many people could guess that I am an Angel, they mostly guessed that I am a ghost."

"I have seen ghost before, they don't look like you," Elise answered, she had seen ghosts since young which why she can differentiate them. 

"See ghost?" Heaven inquired, his brows raised.

"She is a Sweet Child," though Ian doubted it now. Elise was different than the usual sweet child and it's possible because she was in fact a Demon and an Angel's child. He then shifted his red eyes to Elise, "Heaven is an Angel who had abandoned Heaven and come here to protect that coffin. It belongs to his half."

Elise stared back at the coffin, so that was how it is. 

"You made it sound harsher than it is. I left Heaven I didn't abandoned them, they are still a place in my heart," replied the Angel, "With some answers questioned, I doubt you come here to speak and rekindle the past with me didn't you?"

Ian smirked went wider, "You know me."

"How can I not after you bothering me centuries ago?" Heaven shook his head as Ian chuckled, "I forgot to ask earlier, may I know your name lady?" questioned the Angel as he turned to look at Elise. 

"I am Elise," said Elise, seeing the Angel's brows that was once hidden underneath the white ribbon raise so she could see his golden brows. "Elise Scott."

"Elise," Heaven repeated her name again, leaning forward, "Red hair, blue eyes, Elise. Yes, you are that Elise, aren't you?" Asked the man, "Do you not remember me?"

Ian and Elise both tilted their head at Heaven's sudden question. Ian knew that Heaven had been spending his time in the forest with his late lover's body inside the coffin, but when did he and Elise met?

Faced with Heaven's question, Elise was also stumbled in confusion. She shook her head, "I am sorry but I don't remember you."

"That's not possible," Heaven replied, "We had talked before, remember? When you lived in Saltige with your mother. Do you really don't remember anything?"

"I don't," Elise replied. She does find him somewhere nostalgic and familiar but in her memory he was empty. 

"How could that be?" Heaven questioned, looking confused.

At the question Elise shared gaze with Ian, who said, "It's possible that Elise had some of her childhood memories erased by either an Angel or Demon while she was living in Saltige."

"Her memories were erased?" Heaven said, appearing to be surprised by the lines that died on his forehead, "That would explain how she doesn't remember me. Have you found out who might it be that erased her memories?"

"We are hoping to request you to unbind the magic that was casted on her to forget about her past," Ian revealed their intention to come to the forest. He knew that there was answer hidden inside Elise's memories and the only way to find out what she knew in the past would need a help from an Angel, the being who specialized in tinkering human's memories by wiping them and also doing the opposite.

***

A/N: Don't forget to vote~