Divinity

Chapter 30

For a second, there was nothing. No response. Despite the groaning angels that surrounded me, I suddenly felt more alone than I ever had. 

And then he appeared.

There was a feeling of instantaneous relief, until I looked at him properly... His clothes appeared torn, the skin revealed blow was covered in red splotches... his hair knotted with tangles, even his face... red like he had been burnt by the sun. 

I couldn't speak... not even if I had wanted to. What could I say? Regardless, if I began to converse with a ghost the angels around me would suspect something was going on...

He limped towards me as though he were injured. With a sinking feeling, I realised it was my fault. I had done this to him. It was me who suggested this plan to the angels... and now all the trapped souls must be suffering as Travis was. As all the angels were!

Slowly, he shook his head - though I could tell it was painful for him to do so. "Don't look at me like that. This isn't your fault. I suspected this might happen."

I stared at him, wondering how he always seemed to know what I was thinking. It was strange, Travis had always been the one who I had felt the least close to. And now, here we were. Our friendship soiled with secrets and pain. 

"Listen to me, Emilia." He spoke quickly - he knew I didn't have much time. "I think there is only one person in this room capable of breaking this damned thing."

I couldn't continue to look at him. I had to turn away. I wanted to drop the sword, to never give him the chance to speak, because I knew exactly what he was going to say. My heart hammered loudly in my chest, like it was going to sprout its own wings and simply fly away - leaving me alone in this wretched situation. 

"You share a bond with the sword. It chose you, it trusts you. It may be less resistant, if you were the one delivering the blow.  Your body, it feeds off of the power of other angels. If they were to aim their light at you... you could direct all of it towards the sword."

I shook my head. No... no, I could not be the one to do this. He had told me the angels weren't to know what they were truly doing. Destroy only... not save anyone. How could I possibly make the distinction, when I knew everything that was going on! I couldn't... 

"I have to admit, Emilia... I don't know what it would do to you. No angel has ever been subjected to the force of so many angels in one go. That's dangerous enough for an angel... but you have a human side too."

This couldn't be happening. It wasn't supposed to be me. How could it be me! It wasn't fair... 

The other angels were beginning to gather their bearings, I noticed. Some of them had even managed to rise to their feet. 

"Remember, you must only think of destruction. If you try to save us... you will unleash hell upon this world."

I lowered the sword back onto its pedestal slowly. "I'll do it." I whispered, before letting go of my grip. I had to, didn't I? All of those angels trapped in the sword were willing to die for this. Who was I to stand in their way? 

I wasn't even supposed to be alive. I had escaped death countless times, and who knows how many more attempts there might be to end my life. Wasn't it better if I sacrificed myself for a worthy cause?

"It didn't work." I heard Claire speak. Her voice was quiet, she was in disbelief. True, it didn't seem logical. The sword had survived an attack from a power unheard of - the angels had never done something like this before. "Maybe it's hopeless. The sword was a creation of God, we don't have the ability to destroy it."