Fallen Angel

Deceased

Cora’s legs carried her as fast as she could possibly go. Her feet slammed against the red carpet of the corridor. Everything flew past her in a blur of dull colors. Her eyes burned with tears she held back. She forced herself to stop crying and have a clear head for what she was about to do.

 Hundreds of thoughts plagued her mind. Not once did they allow her peace. They screamed at her. Traitor…Demon… Monster…

 They whispered to her, never subsiding. You’re in love with the human boy… Don’t deny it. You return his feelings…But you betrayed him… You showed him what you really are… An abomination…A monster…

 Cora did not deny anything. She knew it to be true. She did love Kyle, and it hurt her to see him look so crestfallen. I am truly sorry Kyle. I do this deed for you…

  She was an abnormality in the eternal cycle of life and death. It made her no better than a lowly Relinquo. Of course she was different. Minerva allowed her to keep her free will, knowing that Cora would choose to follow, simply because she felt indebted to the dark angel. The angel of death allowed her to keep her life, bending the regulations of the cycle for a mere human girl.

 What Cora felt now was confusion. Had she known, deep down all these years that Minerva was using her? Then why had she done it? Out of obligation? Or maybe because she had nothing better to do, after her home and family was destroyed?  Her parents must gaze at her from the heavens with such disappointment in their eyes. Their only daughter that survived, and sided with the very beast that murdered them.

 For years Cora had carried out Minerva’s wishes. She had slaughtered many for the purpose of creating an army of Relinquo. She commanded Relinquo to burn down whole villages. Had she caused all that destruction, knowing it was wrong and yet carrying it out anyway?

 She remembered her time living among the Incendians. They had taken her in after she had a bad encounter with a demon slayer. They healed her wounds and allowed her to stay with them. That scholar had taken her in, and she had lived with him for several months. Minerva had ordered her to remain in Incendia, for the human pawn she sought to bind her to the world was in that town. It was Cora who had the Relinquo attack it, so that Minerva could sneak Maximillian from the village.

 All the humans Minerva used to bind herself to the world were such poor souls. They always died alone, having forgotten all of the people they cared about. Maximillian was different; he was stronger than the rest. The high angel had surely blessed him. Or maybe it was because he had Marissa.

 But now, Cora had to make things right. She doubted she could make up for all of the sins she had committed in her life, but she had to do something. She knew the consequences of betraying the woman she had obediently followed for hundreds of years, especially for what she was about to do.

 Perhaps all angels would despise her for it, but she did not care. She had to do it. For the sake of everyone, the crystal had to be destroyed.

 It was the true abomination. Leira and the others sought it, not knowing its true power. A crystal that granted the user the powers of a god. In the wrong hands, the user could destroy entire worlds. Minerva wanted it, and now that she had it, the planet’s days were numbered.

 Cora could change all of that, though. Being the Rune bearer, she could destroy the crystal, completely removing it from existence, which is exactly what she was going to do.

 She could sense it. The crystal hummed with limitless energy and power, ready to be put to use. It called to her, lured her to it. It whispered to her of all she could obtain by using it. She ran to it, heeding its call.