Salarnia's P.O.V~
The heaven realm where the angels lived was called Paradiso. This was where Savior lived before this whole fiasco thing started. When we walked down the road which I expected to be made of clouds or something but this place was like a ten times more peaceful version of Edenia. Everything was slow and calm. Water was calmly flowing smoothly, angels seemed in a way a lazy version of slow but they were at peace here. I held Savior's hand as he led the way through his home pointing out landmarks (cloudmarks?) and greeting many of his fellow angels. That was until a tall female angel walked up and smiled.
"Amalia?" He said. "I thought you had a charge,"
"No, I'm a guardian angel remember I give guidance not protection." She said. Amalia was really tall; taller than Savior who stood at six feet even. Her hair was long and a silvery gray with streaks of white while her eyes were a lovely shade of turquoise green-blue. Her skin was a delicate sun kissed shade of golden. Her outfit was a white two piece. The top covered her boobs even hiding the cleavage while the bottom piece was like a mini skirt. Her boots were up to her thighs and the design woven into the white boots were a golden weaving of vine like motions woven about the fabric. On her biceps were gold braces that shined brightly as if they were just made.
"Salarnia, this is my sister Amalia. She's of course older than me." I looked up at Savior turning my head before I took my eyes from Amalia to look at him.
"Right all angels are related."
"All but one, her name is Procella." My gaze snapped back to her and my jaw dropped.
"P-Procella? She's Crocell's girl! Why she here?" Amalia looked at me and smiled.
"She has turned from darkness and has joined the light. She desires to be an angel and make up for her past sins." Amalia explained pointing to a person in the distance. It was Procella! She was sitting on the fountain playing a small instrument smiling. Her wings were gone and she wasn't trying to get laid desperately. I walked over and stood before her. She stopped playing and looked up.
"Why?" I asked. she raised a brow.
"I was tired of being Crocell's woman. He didn't care for me; no he used me. I was made for sexual purposes but I became something he could blame for his failures. I've turned from him to change myself." she went back to playing seeming too different from the horny slut I saw before. "Crocell is healing himself, you have time to gain maybe two charms."
"How do you know that?"
"When Crocell needs to heal from a severe injury he must take hours, sometimes days. His magick is powerful but since he fell from the heavens his healing is not as great. He can heal smaller wounds but larger ones are not on his side." She looked up. "I'm sorry for the pain I caused you,"
"You killed my grandparents, brought back a demon guy."
"And for all that I am cleansing myself of. I must earn my wings and then my punishment will be cleansed from me. I can tell you of Crocell's weakness to harm him greatly." I felt a jolt of shock.
"What?"
"Have you seen the mark on his chest?" she said setting her musical instrument aside and setting her cupped hands in her lap.
"Yes of course," I replied. She smiled and stood.
"If you strike it with a powerful blow of magick he will weaken and be in need of recovery. He will have to retreat and heal giving you time."
"Why would you give me such information and how do I know if you are not lying to me?" she swept back her sleeve. On it was a marking that was ancient Edenian for: Truth. "The Gods branded you to tell only the truth?"
"Yes, I cannot tell a lie for this brand will automatically pull forth the truth. Crocell is not as powerful as he seems if you know his weakness." She sat down and picked up her instrument which I noticed was a small guitar. "Blessed be, Salarnia."
"Um, Blessed be." I walked almost woodenly back to Savior. He held out his hand as I set mine into it. He rubbed his thumb over the back then brought it up to his lips kissing the back of my hand.
"So the rumors are true. You do have feelings for your charge."
"Was it that hard to see that Amalia. Only I hate to bare such a fate that will indeed tear me from her." Amalia frowned and ran a hand through her hair. She also seemed saddened about the soon to be loss of her brother.
"We can not chose our fate brother. It was handed to you." she said looking at me. "You are here for that charm are you not?" I was about to speak when my voice stopped dead in my throat. The shocking feel of knowing with that charm we'd have four out of the seven charms. Four out of the seven before Savior dies. I clamped my mouth shut and looked away turning from them and walking away a bit...
Savior's P.O.V~
I watched as she reached up her hand and felt my feather I gave her. She didn't want to accept the fact that I had to do this. It was my task, my fate. Sure they say you can fight fate but in angel's case it wasn't as easy. If we fought our fate our wings would be clipped; a huge dishonor for any angel. I turned back to Amalia.
"You should not have mentioned the Charm."
"She holds a great amount of love for you," she said watching Salarnia from over my shoulder. "She is young, maybe her heart will - ."
"Do not say that!" I growled. Amalia stepped back from me knowing she had struck the wrong nerve. She held up her hands and frowned. "I love her and she loves me. We want to be together but this fate is tearing a wedge between us."
"Forgive me, I did not mean to anger you or upset her." Amalia said sweeping to the side and pointing to where two guard angels stood by a small building. "Your charm is there," She snapped out her golden wings and flew off as I walked to Salarnia pressing my chest to her back. I rested my chin on her shoulder and kissed her jaw line.
"Don't be sad," I turned her around and hugged her tightly. Her ear was pinned to my chest as her right hand ran from my chest to my shoulder. I just held her there until she lifted her head and stepped back.
"Let's go get the charm," She said taking my hand and giving me a weak smile. When she walked I held my ground pulling her back to me. "Savior?"
"You're upset about the fate thing aren't you?" She shook her head.
"Liar," I pulled her into my arms and kissed her brow. "I know you are. With each charm you get more and more ruffled and you seem to not want to go on."
"I know; I know. I can't help it because you're the first guy I love who loves me for me. Not for my title or for my boobs or butt; for who I am." she shook her head. "Why does it seem fate in my family is a painful love for all women?"
"How so?"
"My grandmother lost my grandfather for years; centuries and lost him again multiple times. Mom lost my dad before I was born and got him back after I was born then she lost him a few more times. Aunt Mileena lost her husband before her daughter; my cousin was born then got him back when Amor was like 17 or 18 years old." She said shaking her head the whole time. "Am I next on the list? Painful love?"
"Love is a joyous thing but it can also be painful. I enjoy being around you but I too dread the moment when I must die to save your realm." I leaned down pressing my lips to hers. She reached up and took my face in her hands as my hands were on her back holding her to me. I felt her right hand move and her arm wrapped around the back of my neck. She tilted her head to the side slightly pressing her lips into mine more. I licked her lips tasting the familiar smell of strawberries. Then I remembered it was her lip gloss that was a mixture of honey and strawberry. She opened her mouth as our tongues collided in a battle of passion and love.
She leaned into me as her other arm wrapped around my neck. The feeling of her soft lips was so inviting that my left hand on her lower back moved downward. I streamed my finger through the waistband of her pants feeling her shiver from the touch. Then something brushed my back surging reality into our kiss breaking the moment. I broke the kiss and looked down at her. I never understood how at random times we could end up making out and it was sometimes irritating when reality decided to invade our moment.
"We should really get that charm," She said tucking her arm under mine. I smiled and led her to the small building between the two guards. They opened the large marble door and took the Charm from the stand placing it on my skin. Instantly it soaked in leaving the heaven mark. I already knew the incantation from the charms.
Fallen from the Heavens, His Power tainted by Darkness, taking all Order leaving only Chaos in his Blood, for that he dwells in the pits of Edenia's Earth.
Get it? The charms have these marks displayed to depict the reason of his sealing. We have Power, Earth, Heaven and Chaos. What we need is Darkness, Order and Blood. I was three charms from death. I pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind and turned to Salarnia.
"Where to next?"
"Netherrealm," I thought for certain she'd pick Seido. "We can get a harder one and then move on," I smiled and hugged her tightly...
Salarnia's P.O.V~
The feeling of Savior embracing me was so warm and caring it made me forget the world at times. His touch was sweet and protective making me feel truly loved. I know I gave myself to another guy already but he was so in love with me that he didn't care about my past. I admit maybe I was foolish to have given myself to another man but Savior was different. He treated this princess like I was a queen already. I stepped from his embrace and pulled him away.
"Next stop, Netherrealm." I said.
"Alright," He said following me. I held up my hands and the clouds around us formed taking us to the depths of Hell...
"Quan Chi?" I said as the white skinned demon walked up. Savior readied his blade incase he attacked. Quan Chi stopped and put his hands behind his back.
"What brings Royalty to my Depths?" He asked.
"We seek the Charm fragment,"
"Then turn back, I will not let you pass." Savior's movements were so fast I didn't see him until he had the blade at his throat.
"You will take us to the Charm, demon!" Quan Chi nonchalantly put his finger on the tip of the blade pushing it back form his neck. Quan Chi narrowed his eyes. Savior must've seen something I didn't as he kicked him back with the flat under part of his boot. "Do not dare to attack my charge,"
"You're an angel?" Quan Chi said sitting up. "Then I cannot let you pass unless Salarnia defeats this person," He waved his hand and up came... mother! I felt my heart drop to my feet when I saw her gray in color with cracking skin and red glowing eyes. "If you can defeat her than you may pass."
"You monster!" I growled. Mother walked before me and took her stance. Had I the guts to fight her? She was my mother. How can I fight her? She tried to kick at my head. I ducked and slid under and behind her spinning on my back and kicking up hitting her butt making her stumble forward. "Mom, stop!" She turned and mindlessly rushed at me as I flipped up and leapt over her kicking her down face first. "Mom, it's me! Your daughter, Salarnia!"
"You didn't save us. We died and yet you live!" Mom's voice echoed. She tried to attack me as I grabbed her wrist struggling against her strength. She was slowly pushing me back close to the edge of the lava surrounding the pathway.
"Mom, I'm trying to save you!" I said pushing back at her. I snapped out my arms pulling her head close as I smacked my forehead to hers. She lost strength and and I pushed her back. "I getting the charms to reverse everything! If you kill me none of it will happen." Mom was about to attack me but when I mentioned what I was doing she stopped as if someone had grabbed her wrist. Slowly the red glow faded from her eyes leaving them white.
"Quan Chi said you saved yourself and not us..." She lowered her hand stepping back. She whipped around her eyes blazing red again. Jeez was this how people looked when they died? "Quan Chi! You damn liar!" She lunged at him grabbing his throat and struggling, pushing him into the lava. She was about to step into it.
"Mom!" She looked over at me.
"Honey, I'm dead. My soul will be fine. Save Edenia and you'll save us." I felt tears burn my cheeks as I watch her vanish into the lava pushing Quan Chi down. I wanted to dive into the lava and pull her from it but I needed to stay focused. Savior held out his hand as I absently took it being led to the chamber area leading down toward the charm.
"Salarnia, we must hurry and get the charm. Shinnok will be upon us soon." I walked before him as a giant cerberus dog stomped out. I looked up and glared at it. The dog decided to growl at me thinking three was better than one. I snapped open my wings and flew up to the face. It tried to bite when I flew around and kicked it in the eye. It tried to bite again as I blew a jet of fire at the center nose. Then it howled and ducked down giving me total access to get the charm on the other side of the chamber. I took it from the stand and flew back nearly being bitten. I shoved it into Savior's hands and ran out...
We made it out and he now had five of the seven charms in his arm. I felt a suddenly surge of determination counteracted by the feeling of dread of loosing him. Seeing mom though made me feel the way I used to. Edenia and my family meant everything to me. Then again, Savior meant as much to me as well. I really felt like I was stuck in a tug-of-war battle between things I loved. I didn't know what I wanted. I knew I couldn't have it both ways even though I truly wished it. I looked at Savior and smiled anyway...
Crocell's P.O.V~
Damn you, Procella! How dare you abandon me! She'll be back... I know it... really I hoped. I was stuck in a recovery sphere to heal the bad injuries to my body. Surely the damn princess and my brother would be collecting the other charms. I felt the healing on my wings as the healing was coming to a slowly end. Each feather regained the actual shape as the fibers were healed up. When the sphere shattered and freed me, I stood. From the time I was absent, what charms did they get? What had they not gotten? Where were they? I'll start with the Netherrealm...
With five charms in hand and a renewed determination will Salarnia be able to chose between her home and her love? Can Crocell find them and stop them alone? Will Edenia ever rise again? R&R Please! Thanks!