Heaven and Hell

TWENTY-THREE

U S E L E S S

———

IT WAS ANOTHER sleepless night for Dimitri. Two weeks after opening the box that contained what Lucifer dubbed as the 'seven deadly sins', Dimitri did not hear a single word from Lucifer's end. There were no letters, no visits, no training sessions. Even the walls were silent, the night holding no secrets that could be spared.

Usually, Dimitri wouldn't mind it too much. It was nice to have a little bit of peace and quiet. Yet, the timing of everything was nerve-wracking. Lucifer had no doubt realized that the seven sins had gone missing by now and all that was left for Dimitri was a reckoning.

The silk sheets felt like concrete beneath Dimitri. It seemed to dig into his flesh in the weirdest of places, carving bruises into his skin. He hated how worry felt. Finally accepting his defeat in trying to get some sleep for the night, Dimitri tore the covers from his body, getting up and stretching his arms up and over his head.

The moonlight that danced through the glass windows were ethereal. The silvery wisps had flecks of light in it, catching and reflecting light like how diamonds would. Even dust could pretend to be a gemstone, it seemed. Enamored by the night, Dimitri slowly walked to the window, pressing a palm against the cool glass.

Starlight reminded him of Adelia, the greatest angel of the night there ever was. In his mind, Dimitri could picture her weaving the light of the great moon, pouring every effort she had into placing the stars in unique constellations. The night sky was the work of art she left behind.

Now that she's gone, it no longer held the same beauty as it did before. No one had been better than Adelia at crafting the night. She was undefeated, an artist that had no worthy rival. Heaven had lost a valuable angel but more importantly, the remaining angels and the fallen alike had all lost a dear friend.

Before he knew it, a pale green glow enveloped Dimitri. The color fading and intensifying like the beating of a heart. When it was at its brightest, Dimitri could see each and every corner of his room clearly. When it dimmed, Dimitri was thrust back into the same darkness that overwhelmed his heart.

In the dark of the night, Dimitri caught a glimpse of gold that disappeared past a grove of trees. Reflecting the light of the moon, Dimitri squinted at it, attempting to make out the figure of the moving light only to find it was Lucifer. The latter was creeping through trees at immense speed, crossing fields and running through large amounts of land before finally disappearing out of sight somewhere on the beach.

Unable to subdue his curiosity, Dimitri dashed out of his room, practically flying through the halls and out of the castle grounds. In his haste, he had merely managed to pull a simple robe over his sheer shirt. The cold nipped at him playfully as he gave chase, scouring every corner of the darkness for Lucifer's striking platinum hair.

From behind a grove of trees, Dimitri watched from the shadows as Lucifer stopped in front of the entrance to a cave by the beach. The blond waited, face tilted towards the dark night sky as if murmuring a prayer before darting in. His quick steps soon allowed him to be completely enveloped by the shade. Once he was completely out of sight, Dimitri made his way out from his hiding spot.

Seafoam swept towards Dimitri's feet, the water rushing over his bare toes before receding back into the ocean. The opening was by the beach, right into the cliff that laid as a foundation for the looming castle he now resided in. Every few seconds, the tide came, sending waves of water crashing against the shore, spraying saltwater into the air. The sea breeze perfumed Dimitri's surroundings and he wrinkled his nose in response.

Only one question ran through his mind. What was Lucifer doing in a place like this in the middle of the night?

Taking a deep breath in an attempt to instill courage into himself, Dimitri stepped into the dark, trudging on like a soldier prepared for battle. His fingernails dug into the palm of his hand painfully, so much that Dimitri could've sworn it was enough to draw blood.

With his left hand pressed against the wall, he could feel every droplet of water that crept down the rocks. The chill of the liquid seemed to have the power to seep through his skin and draw away his warmth. Gritting his teeth hard, Dimitri tried to ignore it as best as he could.

For what felt like hours, Dimitri walked blindly in the dark. Without a form of light to serve as guidance, he did not know how much time had passed. The entrance of the cave was long gone, hence, he did not even have the merciful light of the moon to aid him. Every once in a while, however, he would hear footsteps, most likely belonging to Lucifer himself. Thus, Dimitri used it as his only guide, straining his ears and keeping his own footsteps and heavy breath down just so that he could follow Lucifer's path.

Yet, even with that, there came a time where Dimitri had to find his own path in this labyrinth of an alcove. Silence, lest for the occasionally echo that came from a droplet of water hitting the stone cold ground, enveloped Dimitri. Lucifer's steps had disappeared into the void and every trace of him in the cave was gone.

Dimitri started to panic. His heart rate was quickly picking up, the useless organ thundering against his chest. Useless because it seemed to be more of a burden than a blessing. Useless because it brought pain instead of comfort. Useless because he was now death himself and thus, had no need for something that ensured life.

Useless.

Dimitri squeezed his eyes tightly shut.

Maybe what Dimitri felt for that pathetic organ in his ribcage was merely a resentment he held for himself. In the dark, alone, what could he have done to ensure the survival of his brothers? After all, he could not even keep a single friend alive in the battle that took place in Heaven. Adelia gave up her life for his. Now that he was in the dark, her face seemed clearer than ever before.

A faint glow erupted from Dimitri, his tattoos getting brighter and brighter. Soon enough, the entire cave was colored a luminous pale green. When he opened his eyes, he was faced with his own shadow on the ground, made possible only by the light his own body gave off.

Useless? No. He wasn't useless anymore.

[A/N]:

Thank you for reading this chapter and for your patience. Also, thank you for 1M reads on [Kisses From Death]! If you've not read the main series yet, do check it out while you're waiting for this to be updated. The main series is already completed so you won't have to wait for new updates.~

xx aurora

———

instagram: twelvewonderingstars (private: aurorayeo)

twitter: aurorayeo (private: aurorayyq)

facebook: twelvewonderingstars