Prophecy

Chapter 45: Sadness

*Xavia's POV*

It felt like everything inside me was boiling over, a chaotic storm of emotions I couldn't contain. Immense sadness surged through me, and I knew what I needed... The only thing that mattered was Grace. She stood in front of me without even having me ask her to. My mate's presence was my lifeline. I couldn't focus on anything else—not the people around us, not even the fact that we were in God's presence.

All I knew was that I needed her, to be with her.

Nothing else mattered.

Everything's rising...

"Grace... my mom... she knew... the entire time... she knew what her life would be like, and she... she still..." My voice cracked, the weight of the revelation nearly crushing me.

She... died... for... me...

My mother sacrificed her life for me—for everyone...

Grace's eyes softened with understanding, her hand resting on my cheek as she whispered, "I know, love, I know... She knew everything, and she did everything she needed to do for us. We wouldn't be alive or here together if she didn't."

The pain inside me intensified, a gnawing ache that felt like it was tearing me apart piece by piece, "I know, baby... but, God... it fucking hurts... it hurts so much... I would give anything to just hug her one last time... she... my mom was ripped away from me, and..."

"Oh, Xavia," Grace murmured, pulling me into her arms as if she could shield me from the pain. "It's going to be okay. You have so much of her in you. Just let it out; it's going to be okay."

I just... miss her... so much...

As I clung to Grace, the sadness within me felt unbearable, like I was losing my mom all over again. It was like I could see her being ripped from me, and her light snuffed out as my father consumed her. Anger simmered beneath the surface, directed at my father for killing her. But most of all, I was disgusted with myself for not being able to help her. If I had all this power inside me, why couldn't I have seen the threat and saved her?

Why couldn't I have done something?

Grace's voice broke through my spiraling thoughts, grounding me, "Your mother knew what was going to happen, Xavia. Your father might have thought he was killing her without her knowledge, but nothing she did wasn't already seen and set into motion. Your mother was incredible, and you, my beloved, take after her in everything you do."

I know she's right, but...

The emotion in her words was slowly soothing my tortured soul, but my body was literally betraying me. A shock of intense pain shot right through me, and my knees gave out as I screamed in agony. I fell to the ground, feeling my energy building, pulsating with a force I couldn't control anymore.

It was too much—everything was too much. What I was feeling was more intense than ever before. Being a Nephalem was far more dangerous than being a mere devil.

Grace was there with me, never letting go, her arms around me as if she could hold me together. I looked into her eyes, my molecules going haywire, the power inside me threatening to tear me apart. She placed her hands on my face, wiping away the endless stream of tears as my eyes flashed between my four forms—Human, Nephalem, Shadow, and Eruption.

Each of my forms was almost fighting each other, somehow aiding in the pain and power levels; it wasn't safe around me anymore. What was happening to me was now something I couldn't contain, let alone understand. Before, my body, molecules, essence, and power collided into a frenzy and detonated, but... with what I felt inside me... I feared I would cause the collapse of Heaven itself, destroying everything in this realm.