Unholy | Noah Sebastian

|Chapter Twenty-Nine|

"What are you doing here?" I demand, peering up at the very tall overbearing archangel. He didn't scare me anymore, he had nothing to hold over mine or Noah's head.

"It's time," he says, no emotion on his face. I swallow thickly, I knew it was coming and I knew I couldn't go back. I had to do this, for Allison. However, my heart split down the middle knowing I had to do this for Allison, I didn't want to leave Noah, but if it was a choice I was going to choose her.

I nod at him and he steps forward, gripping my hand in his. I wanted to pause, to ask for time, to scream for Noah. I can't do any of that, because if I look Noah in the eye I won't be able to walk away. It was better this way.

I don't think I'll ever get used to phasing, I think as I fight my body. I wasn't going to throw up in front of Michael, I breathe in and out through my nose, I wasn't going to look weak in front of him. I tentatively open my eyes as the nausea passes. I have to squint my eyes, I don't know where I am, but it's a stark contrast to the Grey. Everything here is vibrant, and more clear than I've ever been able to see. The sand under my bare feet is bright white and soft, the sky is sans a sun but it's still just as bright as if the sun was shining. My surroundings are so white, they almost look blue. Like the Grey, there's nothing around, just miles and miles of nothing. I know I won't see a large, dark winged creature in the distance here.

I'm only here with Michael and though he looks like the pinnacle of all things good and holy, I know that he's anything but good and holy.

"Keep up," he says gruffly over his shoulder, striding several steps in front of me. I don't know where we are going, but there's nothing in the distance. Nothing but vast white and sand. We walk and walk and walk, and I note that my legs don't get tired. We've walked miles now, still nothing on the horizon and it feels like maybe he could have delivered us where we needed to be instead of us walking in uncomfortable silence.

"How much farther? We haven't made any progress," I say, stopping in my tracks, gesturing around to the nothingness when Michael turns to glare at me. I couldn't march to my death anymore, I didn't have the resolve.

"Keep going," he says without answering and turns back to continue into nothing. I roll my eyes, but I begin walking again.

___

"I have to stop this," I mutter, Nick is still hovering over my shoulder, but he doesn't say anything.

"What do you think you can do, Sebastian? It's done," he says, only a hint of solemnity in his voice. He didn't know her like I knew her, her death was of no consequence to him.

"I can't let her die," I say, turning to him, "help me stop this!"

Nicholas shakes his head at me, accepting her fate as it is, I was going to have to do this myself. Why was he even still here? Shouldn't he have been the one to deliver Briar to Michael? Those had been my instructions when she was my charge, but maybe something was different now. I could only hope there was a loophole somewhere that I hadn't seen yet.

"I'm going to the Blue, I don't care if I have to drag her back here kicking and screaming," I say through gritted teeth as Nick continues to look nonplussed.

I hadn't been back to the Blue in centuries, but nothing was different. The same lush sand crunched under my bare feet as I trekked to the Creator. The light here made my eyes squint against the harsh blue hue the state of limbo gave off. This wasn't the Blue, but rather a nowhere place before you get to the Blue. I wouldn't be permitted passed the gates, but I was allowed to be here. I wasted too much time with Nicholas, Michael and Briar weren't here, I could sense it.