the world when she wakes up

I.

There was a stutter in her once peaceful heartbeat. After that, she could feel the strain in her position. It was strange, remembering how to move her limbs when in fact it should be natural. She hears her own breath, soft but ragged. Suddenly, everything was suffocating and she couldn't move much. When she opens her eyes, she couldn't see anything.

Until she did.

She was met by the sunlight, so warm she thought she was basked with her father's soft mana. It was so unlike the lower realm; there, ice envelops the whole empire. Once she could get a hold of herself, she gently pushed herself forward but dizziness was there, as expected. A hand snakes on her arm, steadying her as if she'll fall down.

When the hand finally loses its tight grip, that's when she noticed the man beside her casket. He was wearing a black robe partnered with a necklase with a cross pendant. His shoulder length hair was light as the sun and his eyes were gems of their own worth. When he finds her staring, he suddenly smiles.

"M'lady. Good morning," he speaks softly, as if talking to her was the natural thing to do.

When she tries to reply, there's no voice coming out. The man sees the confusion in her face and smiles again. "I'll get you a drink, m'lady. Please do not move for a while."

Now that he was away, she tried to piece together the things she remembers. She was Andromache, high priestess of the lower realm and mage of the Knights of Columbus. She was working for Leav Ulysses and they were about to save Sicily Liechtenstein —

Sicily died because of her potion and Leav cursed her to live eternally. So she decided to put herself onto slumber, never planning to wake up at all.

Why did she wake up? She knows the spell she incantated was strong enough to let her sleep eternally but how did she wake up all of a sudden? She considered the possibility that the great mage she met when she was on her way to Limbo, the boundary of the realms, as her main suspect. Andromache knows he was bound to their deal but she still wonders if he was the one who woke her up. The older man was—is, if her presumption was true—interested to her abilities and she understands his reasons.

She hopes she was mistaken, though. He probably died if he did.

She examined the place she's currently staying. The familiar altar and high ceiling was the obvious answer to her question. She's inside a church. Wherever it was, she doesn't know, but the thought made her vigilant as much as possible. Andromache was never a fan of their holy water.

The door screeches announcing the arrival of the man from earlier. From his clothes and the place they were staying at, she learns that he was a clergyman but she doesn't know what rank he has. This was bad.

"Please drink this, m'lady. It will soothe the dryness in your throat." She eyed the transparent liquid and he suddenly chuckles. "This is just water, m'lady. Please do not worry about your safety."

When she finished gulping the water, she eyed him again.

"Who are you?" Maybe if she wasn't in her current state, this man would be intimidated by her.

"I am your servant, m'lady. My name is Cell and you were the one who named me."

She can't believe him. Andromache was sure she remembers every servant that serves her and he was surely not one of them. For servants to serve the high priestess, they need to have a mark of the Il Riche insignia. Usually, it could be seen on their face or neck but she noticed that he doesn't have one.

"You're not human and you aren't my kind, either. I'm asking you, who are you? How do you know me?"

Her calculative glare was countered by his solemn look, something she was not keen on witnessing. He bends his knee in front of her as he steadied his breath. Slowly, he takes off the gloves in his hands and a bright red mark appears on his left hand. His eyes glowed, gold and aqua clashes with each other.

"I am Keleolani. My lady named me as Cell. My sole purpose was to help you in your death. While you are living, m'lady Andromache, my purpose is to help you in any way. With this, I hope I dispelled some of your doubts."

That glowing eyes and shining hair. Even the horns in his head and the aura he emits. Dear father, she made a deal with an incubus!