Heaven In Devil's Arms

▪ XIX: Remember Me

Elijah can't hide it from me.

The moment I saw him in his devil form I knew it already.

That he is failing as a devil. I saw how his feathers are not that black anymore some were also gray. It is slowly vanishing.

He can't keep up helping me. I have to kill whoever is my mission, I have to know who is my mission. Three days, just three days.

Three days and I have to leave Elijah.

He have to return in hell.

We have to go back on our real lives.

No matter how we look at it we can't be together. So sad it is too late to conclude that I fell for his charms.

"Elijah, how do you think can I be able to kill?" I asked out of nowhere. We were seating in the veranda watching the rain drops while sipping coffee.

He brought me home.

"You don't have to know it Shaina. I will do the killing for you." He said as he sipped. "We just have to know who you have to kill." He added.

"I met Astra before you came." I said. "She is the---" He cutted me off.

"The fucking Angel of Celestial Bodies? Darn her being categorized as angel she is a Grim Reaper." He said in a angry tone.

I raised my brows. Do he like Astra to be called devil? And let hell fully use her? Astra being a Grim Reaper is not trustworthy, but her residing in heaven is a great advantage for us. If a war would start between angels and devils she could easily conceal the attack plans of heaven. She may not be able to decide who shall win but she is a great help for a successful war.

Astra is able to twist things and conceive other creatures by fake events, eventually being able to make them real if she wants to. Not all Grim Reapers are like Astra, she is a special one. She is an offspring of an angel and a devil. Astra for short, is a pure half angel, half devil creature.

"Language Elijah." I frowned. "Astra didn't told me who is my mission, neither telling how can my power do the mission." I said.

"Doubting." He said. "She should have just told you." He added.

That I thought too. Astra should have just told me everything, I know for sure she knows about it. She could even tell me why I was forced to do this work. But I am still wondering why Elijah knows too much about heaven, he didn't even doubted Astra's existence like I did.

I shookt my head in such a thought. I should trust Elijah with all my heart. A relationship without trust couldn't work. Love alone is not enough.

"She said it wasn't her mission." I said. I don't really know anything about her.

"Don't trust her Shaina." He said in a serious tone. I looked intently at his dark coal eyes, I always wonder what are the stories behind those darkness. I know there is something I have to know, or maybe not. "She could have just helped you if she wanted to. Kahit sumobra siya sa dapat niya lang na gawin ay walang tatalab na parusa sa kanya. She is already in hell before she could be even put there and vice versa. Plus, she can just conceal the event." He added.

He is right. It wouldn't matter if she extends to her mission. She can't be punish by falling to hell, Astra can actually visit to that place if she wants to. She is free and could be careless at her will. She won't suffer any punishments. She can ruin an angel's or devil's life if she is bored.

And she can always get away.

I stared at Elijah as he stared at me too. I sadly smiled at him as I reached for his hands and intertwined it.

"Elijah just make me sin so we can live together for eternity." I plead. I am serious over this. He also needs to do sins. Alam kong kahit sa pagtulog at panaginip ay hindi na siya makagawa pa ng kasalanan. Hindi siya pwedeng gumawa nang gumawa ng mga mabubuting bagay dahil sa akin.

I might lose him forever if he'll fail as a devil.

Ang dami ko pang gustong malaman kay Elijah. Lahat lahat ng mga bagay na alam kong hindi niya pa nasasabi sa akin. I want to spend the rest of my life getting to know him.

"I can't see you suffering the flames of hell in purgatory, Shaina. You are not just an angel. You are the Angel of Music, my angel. And I have whatever it takes to save you from all the pain this universe might give you. Before any pain could even come to you shall go first on me. Shaina, I promised to save you at all cost, even it means to sacrifice my happiness." He said looking straight in my eyes.

He changed into his devil form so do I. He hugged me tight as he fly with me under the rain. He gently swayed as we seem to be dancing midair.

He suddenly hummed an unfamiliar song.

"Remember me
Though I have to say goodbye
Remember me
Don't let it make you cry
For ever if I'm far away
I hold you in my heart
I sing a secret song to you
Each night we are apart."

A tear fell from my eyes. The lines of the song struck in my heart. It's as if he is saying goodbye to me. He asks me to remember him when I know whatever will happen after all this, one of us shall forget one another.

One of us might be punished an absolute lost of memories. Napahampas ako sa dibdib ni Elijah. Why does all of this has to happen?! What sin did I do to heaven? What is Elijah's sins? That we have to pay it this way?

"You wouldn't leave me, right Elijah?" I asked, wanting an assurance. "For eternity Elijah, one life, one love." I said, pleading him.

He didn't answer, he just hugged me tight as he continued swaying midair while the rain is still pouring on our bodies as he sung the next lines.

"Remember me
Though I have to travel far
Remember me
Each time you hear a sad guitar
Know that I'm with you
The only way that I can be
Until you're in my arms again
Remember me."

"Elijah.."

"I love you Shaina." He whispered before everythings seems to be turning black.

He plucked a feather from me. I bitterly smiled. I recalled what Astra said earlier,  "Someone plucked a feather from you." Now I know, Elijah is responsible for that.

What did he make me forget? Why is he doing this? I stared blankly at him while tears are dropping.

"Eli-jah, I don't want t-to forget y-you.. I l-love you.."

How can I even remember you? When you are always making me forget you.

***