Heaven Door | The Finale of the Dragon Children Trilogy.

12 | Healer

Cecilia stood up, from the ground, and looked down at Eclipse. "So, you're Isaac?" Eclipse nodded. "Mhm. But I don't have any of his memories or characteristics. Consider me an alternate person, simply living in his body. We can swap whenever we want." Cecilia nodded. "Got it." She looked over at Axel. "I think you and I got a lil thing we have to settle." Axel lifted himself up, helping Phirana afterwards. "You.. didn't you DIE?!" Cecilia grinned. "You can't get rid of me that easily." Axel grits his teeth, and clenched his fist. "Dammit.." He raised his gun. "YOU AND I. NOW!" Cecilia summoned her two, golden daggers. "You're on!" Phirana smirked, standing to the side. "This is gonna be fun." Axel walked in circles, Cecilia opposing him. "You seem a bit terrified. You scared you're going to be beaten?" Cecilia let out a cocky smile. "What's wrong? Scared of a tiny, puny girl beating you up, huh?" Axel's frown grew larger. "Shut your trap." He held the gun tightly. "I'm not gonna lose." Cecilia stared at him from afar. "What are you fighting for? Destruction of everything?" Axel responded, without an ounce of hesitation. "I believe in Lord Simetra's way. He will create a new world, without pain, war, or aggression." Cecilia's smile dropped. "Bit of a hypocrite, aren't you?" His voice raised. "Why are you so fuckin' confident?!" Her smile returned. "Because I know who I am. When you killed me, I had a moment of acceptance. I believe in my strength. I will bring my little brother back.. for he is all I had, in a world of fear." Her head raised higher. "And because I love myself. I will not let myself die here, when I have not accomplished all that I can." Axel stopped. "Your happiness.. your hope.." He raised his gun. "I HATE IT! I will have you destroyed, HERE AND NOW! And your dreams shall PERISH WITH YOU!" He pulled the trigger three times, aiming toward Cecilia's direction. Cecilia ran toward Axel, lowering her body, and completely sliding below the bullets. She jumped up in front of him, and spun her body. She raised both of her daggers in the air. "You can't destroy my confidence." Phirana ran into the battle, her arm stretched out. "Not so fast, worm!" Eclipse jumped in front of Phirana, knocking her away. His body glowed white, emitting a horrifying power. "Stand back. I will not let you get in the way of Cecilia's heart." Phirana wiped the blood from her lip. "Tch.." Cecilia swung down her daggers, while Axel raised up his knee, trying to knock her away. "Idiot!" Cecilia smiled. Her daggers dug into his knee, stabbing through all of the muscles within it. "Gnh.." Axel tumbled back. Cecilia swung both of her legs at Axel in a helicopter-like motion. Axel got knocked back, rolling in the dust. Cecilia landed on her feet, facing toward his body. "Stand up and fight!" Axel lifted himself up, wiping the blood off his face from the roll. "This isn't over, yet." He ran toward Cecilia, limping a slight bit. Cecilia ran faster than he physically could, her daggers raised in the air. Axel raised his gun up, but didn't fire. Instead, he held it in his hand, raising it even higher, and knocking Cecilia over the head with it. "Tfu!" Cecilia spat out blood, as her head got knocked to the side. Axel pointed his pistol toward her head. Cecilia's eyes widened as she felt the cold touch against her forehead. She gasped, as her body leaned back. Axel fired the bullet, grazing her forehead, and burning off some of her hair as it flew by. She lowered her back even further, placing two hands on the ground. "Hng.." She raised her legs in the air, thrusting them upwards. They reached Axel, sending him flying in the air. "Not too bad.." He landed on two feet, away from Cecilia. Axel placed his left hand in his pocket. "I may even have to use.. the pulveriser soon." Cecilia didn't hear a mumble from him. She jumped up above him once more, swinging her daggers down to his face. He grabbed her wrists in the air, holding onto her, as she pushed and aimed for his eyes. "Damn, you.." He grits his teeth. "WHAT ARE YOU FIGHTING FOR?!" Cecilia's cocky smile turned into a look full of anger and hatred. "I'm fighting.." Her mind flashed with memories. "Because.." The memories were filled with Naphtali as a little boy in Kraghon. "BECAUSE YOU TOOK SOMETHING AWAY FROM ME!"

...

Naphtali knocked on Cecilia's door. "Um.. sis?" 20 seconds passed before she opened the door. Her hair was a mess, due to her just getting out of bed. "What's up?.." Naphtali, only 12, handed her a book. "Uhm.. one of the villagers handed me this book. It's a diary.. I have one too. You should write in it. It could be fun.." Cecilia took it off him. "Oh.. thanks, but, I'm not really interested in this kind of stuff." He let out a disappointed sigh, and turned around. "Oh.. that's okay. I was only trying." Cecilia frowned, as she watched her disappointed little brother walk away. He stopped, and turned his head. "By the way, breakfast is gonna be in 5 minutes." He continued walking. Cecilia closed her door, and brushed her hair. She stared at the empty diary, which lay on top of her nightstand. She never was a writer, and she couldn't describe her emotions well. She grabbed a nail clipper and started clipping her nails. Cecilia got lost in thought, as the clipper wandered, and snipped at her finger. "Ow!" She looked down. Her finger was bleeding. "Ugh.." Her right hand glowed green, as she started to heal it. There was a knock on her door. "What is it?" Naphtali spoke. "Sis? Uhm, breakfast is ready." She smiled. "I'll be down in a sec!" After about 20 more seconds, she opened her door and rushed down the stairs. Naphtali sat opposite his father, and grandfather, who was the king at the time. Cecilia sat next to Naphtali. "Ooh, mashed potatoes. My fav." She picked up her fork and started eating. Silence filled the hall. Cecilia was the only one who mustered up the courage to speak. "Soo.. why's it so quiet in here?" Eros spoke after her. "Maybe if your brother wasn't such a brat, we wouldn't have to be so quiet." Naphtali mumbled. "It's not my fault.. the dog ran away on his own." Eros slammed the table with his fist clenched. "What did you just say?" He stood up, the chair scraping against the ground. "Nothing." Naphtali replied. "Oh, I heard you talk alright. Did you talk back to your father?" Naphtali stayed silent. "ANSWER ME!" Eros shouted. Naphtali stood up. "I SAID NOTHING!" He stormed off, returning to his room. Eros sat back down, huffing. "Stupid kid.. wish we never had him. He wasn't even planned. It was his mother's idea." Cecilia spoke back. "Well maybe if Mom was still here, he wouldn't be so sad." Eros looked up. "What?" She continued. "You're such a shit father! Your parenting skills were horrible for both of us, and you never do anything useful for us!" Eros growled. "Go to yo-" Cecilia stood up, and stopped him. "Yeah, yeah, go to my room. If anyone needs me, I'll be in my little brother's room. Not my own. At least someone cares for him." She walked back up the stairs, leaving her dinner behind. Eros' father spoke. "You know, you really should be kinder to those children." Cecilia knocked on Naphtali's door. Naphtali shouted. "Go away!" Thinking that it was his father. She opened the door, a small creak coming from it. "Hey, bud.. you alright?" She spoke in a soft tone. Naphtali sat up, on his bed. "Oh, Cecilia.. it's you. Sorry, I thought you were Dad." She smiled. "No, don't worry. I get it." She closed the door behind her. Her footsteps neared Naphtali, as she sat down next to him on his mattress. "You okay?" Naphtali nodded. "Mhm.." His fake smile quickly upturned. "Mm mm.." He shook his head. Cecilia wrapped her arms around him, and brought him into a hug filled with love. "C'mere.." Naphtali sobbed into her shoulder. "It's not fair.. it's not! Why does he have to act  like this.. why.." Cecilia placed her hand on the back of his head and rubbed his hair. "I know, buddy.. I know." They stayed like that for 10 minutes, before Naphtali fell asleep on her. She picked him up and put him under the covers. She tucked him in softly, giving him a warm kiss on his forehead as she left the room. Cecilia tiptoed back into her room, closing the door behind her quietly so her father wouldn't hear. She sat at her desk, the empty diary book in front of her. Her mind thought for a while, before she picked up a pen and began writing.

Dearest Diary,

I am unsure of what I am to write here. My emotions, perhaps?  Or maybe what has gone on in my day? I suppose I shall do both. It's not like anyone will read this, anyway.

It's unfair how harsh Father is on Naph. He does nothing wrong, and yet, Father abuses him. I am all he has in this family. Ever since Mother left, life has been hard. I have been left on my own to defend Naphtali from Father's sharp words. But it's not like it's a chore. I don't mind it at all. I love seeing the smile being put on my brother's face. He's just gone to sleep now, so I think I can write here without getting caught. 

This year is the year Father gets coronated. I am not expecting it to go well, if I'm being honest. I have a strange feeling.. like that'll be the start of something big. And bad.

Father is calling me. I must go.

Cecilia.

...

Axel let go of his grip on her daggers, as she dug them into his eyes. "GNH.. GAAAHHH!" He screamed out. She dug them deep into his eyes, almost creeping into his skull. "YOU TOOK HIM AWAY FROM ME!" She shouted. Her hands twisted, the daggers going with them. Axel couldn't see anything. All he could feel was the immense pain. "YOU TOOK HIM!" His hand waved behind him, almost like he was looking for something in his pocket. Cecilia's rage turned the sky from a crimson, bloody red, to a pastel green. "YOU WILL FEEL MY WRATH!" Her back bones opened, as two wings awakened from her. "I AM MORE THAN A HEALER!" Axel grabbed something from his left pocket, and shouted out to her. "I AM NOT GOING DOWN ALOOOONE!" He screamed. The Soul Pulveriser activated, as it spun with gold surrounding it. "DIEEE!" He swiftly moved his hand toward Cecilia. "Kh!" Cecilia attempted to let go, but it was like his eyes had tightened, holding the daggers within. "CECILIA, LET GO! YOU'LL DIE!" Eclipse shouted. His form was slowly reverting into Isaac. The pulveriser neared her stomach, as she felt a cold touch on her belly. "Gh.." She groaned. Axel smirked and laughed, as the pulveriser activated, digging a hole through her stomach. Cecilia's eyes squinted from the pain, but she wouldn't let go. This sharp pain went all throughout her body, but it was so painful that it just didn't feel like anything. "DAMN YOUUU!" Cecilia shouted. She swung the daggers down, going through his body, cutting off his insides. "Guh!" Axel vomited blood onto her face, as his body was being split in three. He mustered up the strength to raise his weapon once more. "You.. lose.." He swung the pulveriser down, straight into her face. "Healer." The daggers reached the bottom, completely splitting his body into threes. Phirana's eyes widened, as she saw his remains flop onto the ground. "AXEL!" She shouted out, as she ran over to his body.

Cecilia stumbled back, as her body began to evaporate. "Cecilia!" Isaac ran over to her, holding onto her as her body fell back. "Hng.. Is he.. dead?" She spoke, her breath shaky. "Yes, he is!" Isaac replied, with tears in his eyes. Cecilia's body shook. "Ah.. it truly is time, isn't it?" Isaac shook his head. "No, no, don't talk like that!" She ignored him. "I am sorry.. little brother.. your sister could not save you, no matter how hard she tried." Her chest had entirely disappeared now, and her legs soon followed. "It's okay! Just break out of the afterlife! You can do it!" Cecilia shook her head. "No, Isaac.. don't you understand? There is.. no coming back from this. This is it.. my soul.. will be gone soon. I have no choice but to accept it." Her legs were gone. "Naphtali.. I know he will return. Return to the light.." Her eyes started tearing up, and her legs followed with the disappearing. "I just wish I could've done more.." She chuckled. "But at the same time, I'm happy I get to leave this war. Is that selfish?" Her arms had disappeared. She looked over at Isaac. "Hey.. Isaac.. are you there? Can you hear me?" He nodded, but Cecilia couldn't see anything. "If so.. please.. help my brother. That is my last wish." Her neck began to evaporate. "I guess this is it.. there's no healing this.." The outside of her face was gone, leaving only her lips. While she couldn't speak, she certainly mouthed something. Isaac understood. She said, 'I love you, Naphtali.' The golden particles that emitted from her body disappeared into the air, leaving no remains of her to prove that she ever existed.

Cecilia's soul had perished.