The Crown's Obsession

Madeline felt a sudden pain shoot downwards from her heart, and she looked down at her chest and noticed the blood that continued to drip. She placed her hand on her chest, but the bleeding didn't stop.

"Even if you have the blood of the demon and an angel running through your veins, you need to remember that you are still a person who was born in the living world," Darian tutted her. His wings flapped behind him, keeping him up in the air and away from her. "All I need to do is bleed you to death, which is already happening," he stared at her.

And as he said this, her vision started to turn black and returned every few seconds.

"How are you feeling, Madeline?" When Madeline opened her eyes, Darian wasn't up in the sky. Instead, he stood right behind her. Before Madeline could retaliate, her reflex had turned slow and Darian threw her from where she stood at the tree, and she fell with an oomph.

The pain started to spread across every part of her body, and it hindered her thoughts and movements. Because of the blood that was oozing out, her body had turned weak. She didn't get up and sat down on the ground. She let her hands rest on the ground, and her body leaning forward as she gasped for air.

Madeline thought Darian didn't have any reason to lie to her right now, and she wondered if this was how she would die. Here in the forest all alone by herself, thought Madeline in her mind. Her wings disappeared from her back, and Dairan stepped back on the ground.

"Don't you feel angry for how your father didn't come to help you? An angel is supposed to come and save the ones who are in pain, but it looks like he isn't here when you need him the most," chuckled Darian, making his way towards Madeline. "I used to wonder how Marina fell in love with an angel. I mean demons and angels are far apart. I was a much better choice for her."

"You sound more miserable than I am," whispered Madeline, and she raised her head to look at the demon who came to stand right in front of her.

Darian sat down to level himself with Madeline. "You remind me of her," said Darian, catching hold of Madeline's lower jaw in his hand. "The face structure, and the way you speak and the flare in the eyes that is often cold."

Madeline looked at Darian's face who looked like Calhoun, and she placed her hand on the side of his face. She felt her heartache, and she wondered if she would be able to stay alive before Calhoun would find her. Even though they were far away from each other, Madeline could imagine how frustrated and angry Calhoun was as he searched for her frantically.

"Death brings nothing, but sometimes there are deaths that bring peace in the world. Do you agree to it, Darian?" asked Madeline.

"Are you still thinking about defeating me?" questioned Darian, looking at Madeline with a mocking smile on his lips. "You are nothing but a mortal. Let me take your heart and soul, and you shall live in the memories forever."

He let go of Madeline's face, and she lowered her head, feeling her chest ache even more, and she didn't know how much more time she had. If Darain got hold of her soul and made use of it, the little peace that currently existed in the lands would be destroyed.

"I won't let you do that," whispered Madeline and Darian tilted his head.

"We are running out of time," said Darian, and he pushed Madeline to sit upright against the tree.

When Darian's hand reached for Madeline's heart, she grabbed hold of his face, and started to mutter spells under her breath. Darian tried to get away from her, but he felt she had turned strong for some odd reason. She pushed him to the ground.

"You are not worthy of any judgement," stated Madeline and Darian went to stop her, but Madeline's hand was quick to move towards the other side of his chest, and she got hold of his heart that he lied of not having. The demon's heart wasn't on the left but on the right side.

"H-how did you know?" Darian asked, alarmed with his eyes wide.

"I could see your heart that is filled with deceit and lies. It is too dark not to notice it," Madeline's words were calm.

"I will find you again and kill you!" threatened Darian, his words coming in gasps. The next second, she pulled his heart out, and blood splattered out of his chest.

Soon Darian's body started to convulse, and the words he wanted to utter turned to nothing but a spluttering mess before his body combusted and left behind a dark shadow of ash in the place where he had earlier laid on the ground.

Suddenly the atmosphere turned lighter and brighter, the heaviness in the air had been lifted, and Madeline felt she could breathe again, but it wasn't easy. Considering how the blood continued to spill from her body, she could feel her strength leave her.

Madeline pushed herself to stand up, starting to walk in the direction by looking at the sun that helped her guide her. She wondered if she would be able to make it on time in reaching Calhoun, but ten steps away from where Darian had been destroyed, a Salvette Mortem appeared in front of her, and Madeline doubted it was the same one who Vladimir had assigned.

"It seems like my time has come too," whispered Madeline, and it didn't bother her because she knew if the creature of the death was going to take her to Hell, she would be able to see Calhoun there again.

Her consciousness started to sway, and her vision began to dim until she finally fell on the ground.