Elise | Ophelia

Kira... Kira...

What have I done to you? If only I was not doing this for the sake of moving further...

Or for acceptance... or pleasing Xandor...

"Elise..." Kira?! I stand up and bring my hands in front of me, ready to defend myself.

"Why do this?" I see him dragging his legs closer, his back hunched over as his head is raised up and tilted in an angle so unnatural, for one moment I thought he had become a zombie.

No... instead, I saw a skull mask on his face, with nothing but a smile with perhaps sinister intentions.

A characteristic that souls might inherit from being inside me themselves - after all, I'm the Queen of Darkness now.

"I... I'm sorry, Kira. I didn't mean to kill you. I... Xandor forced my hand. I had to -"

"You were most definitely enjoying the massacre that you caused!" He pounced on me, as a few others, who were behind Kira in a line, dressed and walking the exact way as Kira was.

The rest. Even Helena.

In the duration of time when Michael ended Wade and James' lives...

"For your punishment, Ophelia..." Xandor points a finger at me... and again, his smile...

It puts me off immediately with his next sentence...

"You must transcend your attachments to your friends today... Kill them all... except for the Fallen ones. Or if you want... turn them too. Show them the freedom of being one of us."

"I... I... I can't!" My hands were shaking now. They didn't shake when I took my first soul, but that was because I didn't know the person.

Now it's people I have at least interacted with before. They know me too well even from one meeting with me, I'm sure - my behaviour speaks volumes.

"You cannot refuse, Ophelia. It's to make sure you're on track to becoming a proper Queen."

"A proper Queen? You mean I'm not?"

"I specifically mean your halfbreed abilities. You don't even know yourself, and the only way for you to know is to experiment. You must learn from experience. What better guinea pigs to take but your friends - who probably put on a nice face for you, but talk behind your back?"

"I don't want to think that they really are that kind of people..."

"Oh, but see the past - shaping the present." Xandor brings up a single finger, as I'm thrown into a warped world, perhaps the past.

I'm seeing myself alone, when in another room, another place, everyone's happily enjoying. And then I start to hear them.

The words I never expected to hear.

"She... if only she wasn't this annoying, but I don't know how to break it to her..."

"But we can't possibly break her heart, so we have to just put on a happy face for her."

I stand there in the darkness, taking in the words I just heard. More words were said, sentences that seemed to be like stakes, driving into my very heart.

They're driving the last spike, into my broken, emotionally torn heart...

"Understand now, Ophelia? No one else you know of, except yourself and I... is worth your care."

"You... why show this to me?" I kneel on the floor as we return to reality, in the shared chamber.

"You will need to face yourself in time to come. This is simply one of the trials." 

"My...self?"

***

Move further. Move on. Keep going.

You can't stop now.

"You seem shocked to see everyone turn against you time and time again, but yet you don't want to unleash the true demon inside you." That voice...

It sounds like me.

"I am you, but you're not me. You don't possess the calibre to be Queen, but I do. A pity." The figure emerges from the shadows, wearing the Fallen robes proudly. I'm surprised.

"Who are you?!" I clench my fists and position them in front of me, summoning a magic barrier in case of attack.

"I thought I told you - I'm you, just more daring, bold. The true Queen of Darkness." She gallantly raises her hand, as if she is truly of royal descent.

I have memories of when Xandor muttered this funny sentence about my blood, but I highly doubt I have the same ancestry. My family definitely didn't seem to be related to Xandor - my parents definitely are not related to him, before all these happened.

"Well?" I place my hands on my hips, pouting, obviously unimpressed.

"After her." The skulls start heading for me on her command and I'm pushed back. 

This lass is... so, so predictable! But she's definitely got things up her sleeve.

"Hey... other me. Have you heard of coexistence?" I try to distract her myself, to buy me some time to think of something. But at the same time, an idea...

"Good cannot coexist with evil. Do you even see your future?" She shows a vision, a vision of the future. I am nothing but a truly evil ruler - alongside Xandor, ruling over a single world.

"You lie to me!" I protest, my hands moving to my head again as I try to shake off whatever she just said to me...

"Then why are you with Xandor?" She asks as calmly as ever, and her iteration of what seems to be my darkest, most twisted smile is as real, and true as it can get. I'm staring my evil self right in the face - and she's definitely not holding back on me, for I'm feeling the worst pain as conflict resurfaces inside me, the amount of energy I have to use to resolve them tiring me, draining me of energy.

All that I've done, whatever I've been fighting for, up till now...

"Well, I know what Xandor wants next for you, and I'll tell you what it is... if you finally put down your moral values. You haven't done it yet, after so long... the day will come, sooner or later."

"The whole idea of it all was to let me be me! Why do you force me to change, to suit your ideals, your ambitions?!"

People change, but I refuse to accept that this applies to me. I have never changed, I still feel as much remorse as I do for things I am wrong for, the embarassment I feel in awkward situations, the happiness I feel...

And yet I commit the sins I vow not to do. Lies, pain, anguish, anger and heartbreak.

I do them all, peace and chaos.

"Well, perhaps you're right, my friend..." I breathe calmly, knowing my next move. The other me relaxes as she lets her hand reach out for mine to grab...

"Correction: You're only half right - but I'll take you in." I grab her hand forcefully, as I pull her soul, merging with mine.

If evolution is key, perhaps pain is truly part of the process.

I will gladly take it.

And with my resolution, I start to see things. Michael, returning. A girl, in his embrace. Actions of affection... and that affection is returned.

Somehow, even though I'm no longer with Michael, my blood is boiling. I'm jealous of the affection Michael could get.

But with my power... I'm sure he will know. Because he knows, that I'm truly the one he waits for. He's just lost his way.

And I know that as much as my love for Xandor is true, I'm not letting Michael go down an unknown path.

***

Michael

I walk alone to the palace, to resume my duty. Jaden and Leon stand by the gates, and I stare at them, remembering how they stopped me from heading to Earth the other time, to find Elise.

But they're the least of my priorities. Destiny's thoughts have been bothering me...

Adding on to my own worries about what I am. What I really could become.

I trace her to her room, and knock on the door, "Destiny?"

"Y-you're here... please, come in." I slowly swing open the door and find her on her bed, looking dejectedly at her food, untouched.

"It seems I can't eat..." Her tone was sad - but I understood her. We both can't take normal food now, and that's something we... have to live with.

I caused this upon her. I... am to blame.

Some tears were making their way to my eyes. I sit beside Destiny, place a hand around her and brought her into my embrace - and I did not care if I was stained in blood.

"I... Destiny, I'm to blame for everything. I caused this. I brought you into this mess, with you... an unwilling party." Destiny removes my mask gently, caressing my face. I don't know why, but I left her to do it.

"I'm willing, Michael... but I miss being human. Do I still retain my humanity? Or being marked already leaves me with none of it?" She continues to examine me slowly, taking in everything I am.

"I don't know... you're the first... of the Marked." I try to avoid her wanting gaze, one that desired love. I'm saving it for Elise, and I'm not ready to give it away.

"Would you like to try and find out?" She puts a hand on my spine, and moves it downwards towards an area of my clothes that was ripped apart - by the monstrous power I have.

"Please bring this side of me out..." She was referring to the same thing I have. She wanted to have one for herself.

"I'm afraid... you should not try this. You'll go insane." I'm trying to save this girl, and the tears started to really flow as I realised she wanted the exact opposite of what I wanted for her.

"I want to be insane. An insane power for an insane phenomena... if you need help, darling..." She takes my mask and puts it on me, when just earlier she took it off.

What's wrong with this girl? Has my memories driven her wild with the need for power? The lust for this... monstrous thing, tempting her?

What's with the power of the ghouls that just makes it so... irresistable? All I've been experiencing is...

Pain.

"C'mon, sweet darling... bring out who I am. Let me be the first Marked to make you proud, Michael." She was definitely manipulating me now, but I felt blind. I don't know if she was for real, or whether she was using me.

And then, Destiny's hand held mine, and I see through her plans. I see everything. She's for real, and she isn't lying. She's truly asking for it.

Without a word, I bring her to an open area, where I could pummel her to oblivion to bring out the monster in her.

For her.

"Get ready for Hell." Was all I said as I let myself run free, unrestricted as my own devilish self was set free once more.

I could feel him on me, saying, "Oh, so we're adding another one to the party! Well, my dear other - getting lonely, aren't you? " But I welcome the crazy talk - for I was eager to lock myself away, be taken over by such a personality, for once.

"Oh, well... little, little Destiny... prepare for the greatest time of your life, and be ready to rejoice in the power you shall see, coming from within you." I could hear myself say that, as I started to pummel Destiny to the ground, attacking her.

"This... ouch!! Michael, stop!" I smile widely at her. I had warned her - and this is the result of her not heeding it.

No worries... her ultimate goal shall be realised.

"Can you feel it? Another presence, another you, such a polar opposite, but so enticing, so inviting? Embrace it! Take it all in! You know you want to, Destiny! " I was still relentlessly hitting her, restraining her with the tentacles - I've come to like calling them 'Devils', yet I'm slowly easing her into her first transformation.

She will feel the thrill of it all, just as I did.

"Michael... such a beautiful thing it is..." She pushes me with force and I realise she's become stronger.

Her own 'Devils' are wrapped around her limbs, in a way similar to mummification, leaving sharp edges where each Devil ends.

"This is what I can do..." She raises her arms, and sends them into the ground, her Devils pulsating bright red as I felt shockwaves under my feet.

"Michael... thank you... for this amazing blessing." She removes her arms from the ground, walking towards me.

Our Devils touch, and for some reason, this feeling flashes through my mind like no other.

It's the feeling of fate.

What is with Destiny?

"Stop right there!" A voice... interrupting our moment that we somehow created.

"I can't believe it's true... I've shaken away the thoughts, hoping I would be proven wrong when I got here... but the visions were correct. By the hand of fate, you're going to be with this lass... and she's going to make you regret. I'm not happy at all about this, Michael... you disappoint me with your judgement!"

"And who said it was Michael making the decision? " I felt very bold at the moment, seeming to just radiate confidence, without fear or hindrance.

"You're Michael... but you're not him either. You're a twisted personality."

"Being the Queen of Darkness, you should be more... befitting of the role than this, halfbreed." I held Destiny by my side, as I glare at her in a way I never did before.

"You're lost, Michael! You've let this take over you. You're no longer true to yourself, for you've handed your life over to something that isn't you... This isn't the Michael I know, and as for you, Destiny, don't think you can manipulate people this easily. I am Queen for a reason; if Michael can't see through you, I certainly can."

"You'll pass me to get to her." My Devils reach for Elise, but she blocks me.

"You forced my hand, Michael... I'm sorry!" Elise removes her mask, revealing a tear-stained face, her face a bright red from the crying.

"...Balance!" Elise's form was transformed in an instant and she lands on the floor silently.

"Decimation." Her Fallen half raises a hand and her Protector side follows. As the palms touch each other, Elise forms a hand sign I can't recognise, as the open area seems to become something worse than Hell. It's a new skill she learnt... that's not good at all.

"Run, Destiny!" I hold her arm and we escape the storm of literally everything Elise is throwing at us, but we get caught under a meteorite, my Devils struggling to hold it off.

Destiny helps, but her newfound power is weak. Elise levitates over the ground near us as I see her, her face emotionless.

"Unity." Tears run down Elise's face as her palms aimed for me.

"Goodbye, Michael..." As the energy concentration within her hands increases past the critical point, I ready myself for the worst.

Death.

"At least I die by your hand, Elise..." It's my turn to feel the last set of tears, as their warmth seems to spread on my cheeks.

"Michael, no!!" Destiny calls for me as I push her away from the imminent blast...

I'm ready to finally leave, but I can't believe, this is how it all ends...

Author's Note

Yesssss I'm back with another chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it - uh, or at least, felt the stuff I thought y'all would. Oops.

I didn't want to write this, but it must be done. I wish I could've replaced this with something more positive, but "I" am starting to see things, beyond the future itself.

Perhaps, a bigger threat, and further evolution.