The Demon’s Bride

Ian who heard this rolled his eyes and looked at Hallow once again, "Look, due to you being influenced by anger, you can see how that creature over there had fooled you. You really think a soul like that who had killed and doesn't see his sin and a sin would ever be reincarnated? Those who wish for reincarnation need repentance, a long years or centuries of repentance."

Hallow's jaw fell slack and looked at the creature who looked at him as if he hadn't done anything.

Still confused Hallow asked, "Then those souls…?"

"These two would be sent to the Black Sea, forever for eternity to never leave to either Heaven or Hell. It's their punishment," answered the creature. 

"You fooled me!" Hallow angrily ran toward the creature but Ian had tugged the collar of his shirt, ignoring his screaming and his tantrum of wanting to kill the creature for fooling him. 

"Stop it, geez. I know now why he has been annoying," Ian scoffed, looking at Hallow's entire appearance. "You are still young."

"What does young have to do with this?!" Hallow pointed his hand toward the creature, "He had fooled me now I have to get even to him!" 

"And then you will once again release your chance have to pass that door," Ian reminded him which at once stopped Hallow on his feet.

Hallow turned his head and narrowed his eyes, "Actually you're correct. Please let me go."

Ian raised one eyebrow after seeing how obedient Hallow was and released his finger from tugging the collar of Hallow's shirt. Hallow fixed his clothes, appearing as if he had forgo his anger but then suddenly he sped up. 

Ian who had seen this was about to happen from long ago tugged the back of Hallow's shirt once again. He then looked at Elise, "How did you managed to control this one?"

"He's usually not like this," Elise said, chuckling at how funny Hallow was. She made her way to walk over Hallow and the latter who sees Elise stopped his rampage of wanting to beat the creature. 

"I am sorry," Hallow said quickly when his eyes met Elise's blue ones. "I… was too hasty and said things I shouldn't."

"When a person is angry, I see that the words they said often come from their anger. I don't get hurt by your words, Hallow. I am only glad that you manage to pass this test and will be able to reincarnate," Elise offered her word. Looking at Hallow, who was still much shorter than her but now he cannot be placed on her hands like before.

She bent her knees and crouched in front of him. 

Hallow held his hand together, "I want to say goodbye. I didn't want to say it earlier because I fear that you will be sad but I know in truth it was me who was scared to see you sad. You are a good friend Elise."

"And you too, Hallow. You were a very good friend to me. You stayed when I was lonely and in need of someone to talk about and I have fun being with you," Elise recalled the times when Hallow would fall and slips, his action always made her chuckle to herself and watching his yellow figure had always bring her joy. 

Now, her dear friend would be leaving her side. Deep down Elise felt sad but more than sad, she also felt happy on Hallow's behalf, as he would finally be moving forward of his past.

Everyone needs to move on in time to get over their past for the betterment of their future. This was the case to Hallow and Elise can only feel supportive on her dearest friend new page in life.

"When… I have my body in the mortal world, can you find me?" Hallow questioned with a smile.

He looked at Ian who had crossed his arm before looking back at Elise whose smile was as gentle as cotton, "Of course, I promise."

Hallow walked forward slowly and reached out his hand toward Elise's shoulder, pulling her for a small hug. His eyes glistened and he wondered if it was because he has stared at the torches on the wall for a long time, causing his eyes to become watery.

Elise felt the hug she shared toward Hallow to remind her a little of William. Her hands patted his back naturally. Ian didn't say anything but watch with a small smile on his lips. 

When Hallow pulled himself back, a wide smile spread on his lips. "Thank you for everything, and goodbye!"

Though his parting was cheerful, Elise felt the sadness on his words. She answered Hallow with the same smile, "Take care, Hallow."

Hallow waved his hand over the two people while making his way toward the door. The large white door opened itself when he stood in front of it as if sensing his time or arrival.

When it opened, Hallow can only see blinding light from the opposite of the door, not knowing what it is or where it would bring him to. He hardened his resolved, feeling his heart relieved and continue to walk toward the door.

Elise can't help the tears that wet her eyes as she watched Hallow moving away, disappearing toward the door which then closed off. 

She had lost a friend, but not in the way like how it happened in the past. 

"Don't worry… he would be growing in a good environment along with his sister," the creature said toward Elise.

Ian smiled smugly, "So you do have a soft spot."

"This is… a repayment. For stopping Apollyon," said the creature who then turned his back at the two. 

Ian saw Elise wiping her tears and spread his arm. It was enough call for Elise to walk and run toward his embrace. 

"You did great," Ian said to her. "Don't cry. We can visit him often in the mortal world. He might not know us and don't remember us, however, we can still watch over him."

Elise nodded in agreement but before she left she didn't forgot to say, "Thank you," to the creature.

The creature didn't answer but he returned her greeting with a simple nod.

As they left, Elise looked at the sky before lowering her chin to look over to Ian. "Where should we go next?"

Ian seemed to already have a place in mind, and Elise could tell who he want to meet first after receiving the decree from Michael. 

"We can go to meet your mother first, everything can go in order," Ian answered while holding her hands, kissing the the knuckle of her fair hand. "You won't know how deeply grateful I am to meet you Elise. My life's purpose was perhaps to meet you."

Wide smile blossomed over Elise's lips. "I wish to go to my mother but I also wish to see Mila. There's an unfinished business that I want to end."

"With our peaceful life ahead, why not? We have time but let's not waste it solely on her."

The places where soul was kept in Hell differs according to what kind of sins the soul had done when they were still alive.

Part of the prison also include special cells, the prison for those who had gotten to the wrong side of Satan, the worse possible prison in Hell that one would wish to never leave a single scratch over the King's coat.

Elise made her way down the dungeon, walking over the steep spiraling staircase along side Ian who walked behind her. Malphas had taken the task to show them the way to the dungeon.

While it was dark at the beginning of the stairs, descending down, Elise felt a searing heat surrounding her once she entered the lower level of the staircase. 

Ian had helped her using a magic to decrease the heat of the room, regardless, the heat she felt was unbearable if she was a human.

"The King never opened the dungeon for anyone, which why we lack the care to lower the heat. Usually this heat can only withstood by his majesty and a few others like Lord Ian," Malphas started with a bright voice, happy he can be of use as for the past week, his master had discarded him aside, leisurely strolling around Heaven. He continued, "What you feel currently is the heat that came from the fire sea which surrounds Hell, or lava."

Elise clenched her hands together as they came to the bottom of the staircase. She had prepared herself to finally come and meet Mila again but part of her wounded heart was uneasy.

Amongst the prison where Elise and Ian had walked on, she saw the amount of people in each prison cells which was quite numerous.

Amongst all, she heard Ian hummed when noticing someone amongst the prison cell. Elise followed his gaze only to find it was Ian's step mother. The woman appeared at lost, staring at the ceiling with a dead look where her eyes appeared to be blank from any light, 

Ian only looked at the woman and turned around. Malphas can't help but to ask, "Are you not going to do anything, young Lord?"

"Why would I?" Ian raised one of his eyebrows. "I have forty eight hours I can spend with my mother. I won't waste it here with that woman."

Elise smiled in agreement. She saw that it was only right for the woman to suffer more from tortures in Hell for what she had done was a very twisted and horrid thing. But she believed that her grandfather knows better than her in the way how to make these sinned people regret all the things they did.

Malphas was the first to stop once they had arrived at the prison cell. Elise didn't need fire to see Mila sitting on the floor, covered with some burn wounds. 

Mila who saw Elise had her eyes snapped wide. 

"Have grandfather told everything to her?" Elise questioned to know the current situation as she hadn't been in touch with Mila after she had killed the woman.

"I believe not, your highness," answered Malphas. 

"I see," this explain the reason for the deep anger over Mila's eyes. Elise walked nearer to the iron bars when Mila tried to reach out her hand to grab Elise. 

Ian noticed this faster than the woman and pressed his feet over the woman's hand, stomping it on the floor.

"You! How dare you have the audacity to still visit me here!" Mila looked enraged seeing Elise and Ian. She had killed Ian with her clever tactic! How come the demon was still alive?! 

"Audacity?" Ian rolled his eyes. "I have never heard such absurd word before. Elise didn't come here to ask your forgiveness so don't misunderstand either."

"I came here only to relay the message of the two people who had spoken to me," Elise said to Mila. Calming herself, she clenched her hand together and looked up with her blue eyes gleaming clearly. "Those two souls have wondered around the mortal words for decades and it is only time to stop their misery."