Chapter 14: A Message For Kaiden

Heaven had been abuzz with events in the past few days, and every soul was on the hunt for the black angel. Meanwhile, Michael and Samuel hadn't spoken in two weeks.

"What do you want, Esme?" Michael asked as the middle-aged blonde entered the room. "Is there any news about Luka?" It was clear to anyone that Michael's feelings toward his nephew were stronger than those of his own brother.

"It's about William," Esme whispered. "Can we talk in a more..." She glanced around and checked their surroundings before continuing. "Private place?"

"Sure." Michael agreed, and they made their way to the Garden of Youth.

"William has left the mansion!" Esme blurted out as soon as they ensured they were alone. "It's been a week and a half, and I haven't been able to reach him. His room was empty."

"Esme, William is eighteen years old. I'm sure he's capable of taking care of himself," Michael reassured her, studying the anxious angel. "But that doesn't explain why you're so distressed. What's the real reason?"

Esme fell silent for a few minutes, contemplating how to articulate her thoughts as she gazed at the desolate and gloomy garden.

"Tell me, Michael. Why is this place called the Garden of Youth when it looks like this? Why is it here in heaven?" Esme was one of the few people who addressed the great angel by his birth name. They had been good friends, and despite the changes that had occurred, their bond remained.

Michael also directed his gaze toward the garden. The flowers were withered, and the trees stood as dark as the night sky. The once-blue sky above the garden had turned grey, a stark contrast to the mansion.

"It's a curse," he whispered. "A curse born out of poor judgment and a gift from the devil. Many of us were aware of what transpired that night at Lucifer's place, but no one spoke up—neither you nor even me."

"Why didn't we say anything?" Esme inquired, implying that she wanted to reach a specific point—one that Michael had buried deep within his memories, desperately trying to forget.

"Get to the point, Esme!" the high-ranked angel snapped angrily. "What are you trying to achieve with this conversation?"

"It was Samuel, wasn't it?" They were both seething with anger. "Why didn't you stop him? Why did it take you millions of years to realize your mistakes? Tell me, Michael, as the great angel, why did you do the things you did even after you knew what had happened?"

"I had no choice!" Michael shouted, grateful that there was no one else present, as he rarely raised his voice. "I had to protect my brother!"

"Your wicked brother? The brother who made his wife curse their son for the sake of his own despicable plans?" Despite her anger, Esme's eyes welled up with tears. "How pathetic is that? How could you cover up all the things he did? He wasn't a teenager, so you couldn't blame it on youthful indiscretions! He was a damn grown man!"

"Why are you bringing this up now?" Michael's own eyes were moist with tears. He had no answers to Esme's questions.

"I feel the bond with my twin flame," Esme said, tears streaming down her face. "Part of me is connected to him, and I've started to feel it again. My son is in hell!" She hissed through gritted teeth.

"And how does this connect to the old story you've made me remember?" Michael asked, his expression a mixture of confusion and anger as he regarded Esme.

"He left a note." Esme's eyes suddenly turned empty and lifeless. "He knew about hell. He knew where it was. He left with a mind full of my memories."

"What do you mean?"

"He saw my memories. William knows everything, Michael," Esme whispered, her voice carrying a dark undertone. "Everything."

* * *

Luka's piercing scream jolted Xavier awake. They hadn't yet found the source of the chaos they were seeking, but strangely, the pain had momentarily subsided. However, it had now returned with a vengeance, impossible to ignore.

It was around two in the morning, and Luka's continuous whimpering roused the devil from his slumber. Xavier quickly sent a message to Jonathan and the healer while holding his soulmate tenderly, offering comfort.

It pained Xavier both physically and emotionally to see Luka in such agony. This was a side of him they had rarely witnessed—Luka, the calm and steady one, the beacon of hope amidst the darkness.

"Why hasn't the healer arrived?" Lucifer's voice thundered through the room, his eyes bloodshot from anger directed at one of the attending demons who had been drawn by Luka's screams.

"I will personally inform him, my lord!" The demon hastily replied and scurried away.

"St-stop it!" Luka cried out, tears streaming down his face. "Please! Make it stop, Xavier!" Yet, it wasn't tears alone that stained his cheeks; it was blood.

"I won't let anything harm you, my dear," Xavier whispered to his weeping and fragile soulmate. "Please, Luka, fight against the pain! I promise it will end soon." Surprisingly, tears welled up in the devil's own eyes.

Lucifer felt utterly helpless, a sensation he had never experienced before. His soulmate was slipping away before his eyes, and there was nothing he could do to save him.

"Xavier!" Luka called out once more, blood streaming from his eyes and nose. "He's coming! Tell Kaiden he's coming!"

"What are you talking about, Luka?" Xavier asked helplessly, his own tears mingling with Luka's blood. He paid no mind to the demons witnessing his grief; his only concern was the mate in his arms.

"He... he's coming..." Luka managed to utter his final words before succumbing to unconsciousness.

"Luka!" Xavier shook his soulmate, desperately willing him to wake up. "Luka?" Luka's heartbeat was weak, but it wasn't enough to determine his condition. "WHERE IS THAT DAMN HEALER?"

"My lord!" Kevin, the healer, hurriedly appeared. He trembled while awaiting Lucifer's instructions. "You should step back from the wizard hybrid." Kevin attempted to remain composed as he addressed the devil, but who was he kidding? He had arrived late, failing to fulfill the devil's orders, and now he was filled with fear.

"Do what you need to do, demon!" Xavier glared fiercely at Kevin. "But I won't leave his side!"

Kevin rushed to the bloody figure lying on the bed, attempting to wipe away the blood from Luka's eyes and nose to gain better access. "Yes, my lord."

"Xavier!" Jonathan suddenly appeared in the doorway, with a completely healthy William by his side. "I received your message, but..." Jonathan's voice trailed off as he noticed the bloodstained sheets and tears in Lucifer's eyes.

"I am perfectly fine," William stated, surprise evident in his voice, though his eyes betrayed his distress. "What happened to him? It can't be the sensors."

Xavier stepped away from Luka, locking eyes with Jonathan and then William. "Who is Kaiden?"

But the couple was too preoccupied with what lay behind the devil—the sight of Luka standing there, his black wings unfurled, silver-grey hair cascading, and his eyes a swirl of gold, grey, and silver, an expression of complete emptiness.