The Blessed Child

Part III: Unraveling it Backwards

Nathea stared blankly back. What did he expect her to do? The words seemed so impossible and the task so laughable she couldn't wrap her mind around what he had just asked her to do.

"What?"

"You need to save the world, honey." She figured she couldn't hear the same thing wrong twice. He must be saying what she thought he was saying.

"What's wrong with the world?" The Caiser smiled and leaned back.

"I understand that you have agreed to do the task." Nathea's blood was racing, she had agreed. It was too late. She had to save the world? What was that supposed to even mean? She massaged her temples.

"I seem to have no choice."

"Correct. If you do not carry out the task now, everything anyone tells you will become lie." Nathea gripped her head harder. Blinking furiously as she tried to make sense of what he had just said, she pinched her cheeks.

"What is wrong with the world?"

"And this the truth you have asked for. There is an invasion, planned, from Heaven to this world." Nathea's nails were now digging into her scalp. 

"Heaven?", she laughed skeptically.

"I am is just as bound by the promise as you are", he replied dryly, "This is the truth. You can only have truth from my mouth."

"But heaven", she slammed her palms on the table and stared at him, "is where the angels live! Where the Maker presides. Surely this-"

"Have I not assured you? The magic that ties me and you to the bond will only allow me to tell you truth."

 "You realize, you are tearing away the very foundations of my reality."

"'This is the truth you sought'" She unclenched her hands. She couldn't accept this. Angels? Invading? Surely he meant they were visiting, not 'invading'.

"Please, make clear what you are saying for a feel my mind is wrapped in tangles."

"Heaven. Has fallen ill. The Maker has become twisted. He is no longer good, so to speak."

"This is nonsense!", she yelled.

"It's not", he replied calmly.

"You expect me to believe this blasphemy? About the Maker wanting to hurt his children? The angels becoming demons!", she gave a sardonic laugh. This was a joke. The Caiser was cracked, he had no idea what he was talking about. 

"It is the truth", he sighed. Nathea stood up, this was madness. She kicked the chair away. It crashed loudly on the floor. The Caiser winced. 

"Terasnia"

Nathea twitched, an angry look on her face, she glared at the Caiser.

"That's not my name."

Then she swept from the room, slammed the door, and ran out. The Caiser was mad. This whole thing was mad. She should never have come here. Nathea skidded down the stairs, and ran back towards her room to get her things. She brushed past some people standing in the hallway, and into her room. She grabbed the crossbow lying on the floor and grabbed the Jeera, tying it around her waist.

"Nathea!" It was Asher. He grinned, "Well good morning!"

"We have to get out of here", the urgency apparent in her voice. She struggled to regain composure. 

"I don't like this place and all but why?"

"They're mad." He laughed happily at that. She started doubting her rash actions. Maybe she should think about it, let it rest a bit. She plopped down on the bed, dropping the crossbow. Asher raised an eyebrow at that.

"You just realized?" She smiled back. 

"So what's wrong?" Nathea contemplated whether she should tell him or not. But if she couldn't trust Asher, she couldn't trust anyone. She would trust him, something felt safe, right, being near Asher. She felt whole near him. Something clicked.

"I'll tell you everything."

"I wish you would." The way he said it was sort of a joke, but there was a bit of seriousness behind it. His eyes were pleading for the truth silently. She wouldn't deny him. Nor would she make him make some foolish deal.

"It's a lot."

Asher smiled, "I'm not going anywhere."

Nathea swallowed a breath, and stared him in the eyes. Was she mad doing this? Probably. But there was something about him. So she told him. Starting with being the Blessed Child. She told him everything. He was silent the whole time, listening. He smiled when she talked about him being mad. Nathea watched his hand as she spoke. She wondered what it would feel to hold his hand.

"And that's it." Nathea looked up at him. His face was unreadable.

"You know", he grinned, "Even if you are some princess or whatever, you'll always still be Muriel's Pet - Nathea to me." She laughed. "But", his hand flitted to his head, brushing his hair back, "I think", he sighed, "You know, as long as you promise you won't be mad at me, I'll say it."

"I promise."

"I think", he took in another deep breath, "the Caiser might be right."

Nathea held her breath, willing herself not to explode. She trusted Asher, and valued his opinion. Just listen! she urged herself.

"A lot of things has changed. Just. Listen," he sighed, "I guess it's my turn to trust you. I was sent to kill you."

Shock. Nathea knew it was written all over her face, and distrust. He's telling the truth. She would know if he was lying, her blessings. She didn't know what to think. 

"That angel that was trying to kill you when we first met, I was working for the group it was. They convinced me you were a demon, and that you killed", he swallowed a great ammount of air and looked away, "my ma. That's why I was there. To finish the job in case the angel failed", he laughed bitterly.

"Why didn't you kill me then?", she whispered.

"Because. When I saw that angel that was trying to kill you, I remembered. It looked awfully like the thing that killed ma. For a minute, angel and demon became one, and I slayed it. That's when I realized, they were wrong. They lied to me. You are not the demon, and they are not the angel. Everything flipped." his voice faded off, "You are the angel, and they are the demons."

Nathea reeled with emotions. With the truth. But more than any of that, he had called her an angel. Something was flipping in her stomach, making her feel clumsy and nervous. What was this? 

"So that's that."

"I believe you," she whispered. 

"Thank you." Asher looked up. His eyes were glassy, but he smiled. Nathea wished she could pull him into a hug. They sat there. Unspoken words passing between them. Motions that never happened spun in place. 

"So," she looked away, "Why don't you like this place again?" 

"Well, it looks great and all, but personally, I like our little village better. Too much", he struggled for words, "Too much formality." He grinned, "And people are always whisking you away to do something and I can barely see you."

These words brought a smile to Nathea's face.

"Well you see me now", she teased. He grinned back. "Then let's go. Now. I have a task. You know it, let's get the hell out of here."

Asher laughed. She felt herself go red. She loved his laugh. She didn't know why. But it suddenly popped into her, the thought, the feeling, the...

"I can't believe you cursed!", he chortled. She felt a small twinge of annoyance, then broke into a grin. "Alright then Nathea! Well put! Let's get the hell out of here!"