Cecilia was too busy distracting Belial to notice. She was barely deflecting his strikes and his blade had sliced her forearms and torso a couple of times. None of her own hits landed. Belial was still unscathed.

Suddenly, Belial stopped. Cecilia checked behind her. Leon and Sillie were holding each other and her clone and tiger were standing in front of them. After confirming that they were fine, she refocused on Belial.

"I knew you were special, little angel," he said, "your kind is usually dead by now."

"You've killed 'my kind' before?" she asked.

"I've killed all kinds," he said, "I don't discriminate."

"How chivalrous of you," she said.

He smiled, "do you want me to show you just how chivalrous I can be?"

"No."

Her mind was desperately trying to come up with a plan other than defense, but so far, this was all she could do. She was keeping him at bay but surely she could not keep this up for ever. She knew her energy was draining and she also knew that he held a great amount of energy, more than her. If this battle came down to who could fight the longest, Belial would win hands down.

"Sillie," Belial bent his head so he could look around Cecilia , towards the children, "would you like to die peacefully?"

She could hear Sillie whimper.

"Don't talk to her," Cecilia said.

"Hm?" Belial looked back at Cecilia, "why not? I thought it would only be fair to give her a choice. If she comes to me now, her death will be painless. But if she makes me wait, I'll make sure she suffers."

"Don't listen to him," Leon whispered to Sillie.

"Take them to another room," Cecilia said to her clone.

"Give us a moment to discuss things?" Cecilia asked Belial.

"I'll allow it. Only because I'm feeling generous," he waved them off.

His mood swings were too irregular. One moment he threatened to kill Leon and the next he showed mercy to Sillie. It made it impossible for Cecilia to read him.

Cecilia kept her eyes on him as she started walking backwards, towards Sillie's bedroom. When she made it inside the room, she closed the door.

Sillie and Leon were both crying, Sillie was still holding the puppy. Cecilia knelled down in front of Sillie and touched her shoulders, "Listen to me, Sillie, everything is going to be okay."

"I don't want anyone here to die," Sillie cried.

"Sh," Cecilia tried to use a soothing voice, "don't worry about that."

Cecilia closed her eyes and felt her skin tingle. She was transforming. This was the only plan her mind could come up with.

When she was done, she held a finger to lips to signaling to the children to not speak. She knew now that Sillie could see her, so she could also see her signal.

The two of them slowly nodded their heads. Cecilia stood up, her surroundings were taller than what she was used to. She opened the door and walked down the hallway.

"You've made the right decision, Sillie," the demon smiled as she walked into what used to be the living room. He had made himself comfortable on a torn up sofa. Cecilia mimicked the way that Sillie stands, and hoped that Belial would not know the difference. Cecilia could have used Sillie's voice to reply but choose to stay silent, thinking that Sillie would have done the same.

The demon kicked his feet on top of the coffee table and leaned back.

"Where's Cecilia?" he asked with a smirk.

Cecilia tried to stay composed, "I-in my room."

"You know, Sillie, Cecilia isn't the only one who has a couple tricks up her sleeves," he looked in the direction where Elijah's body used to be.

She immediately turned around and started running back to the room but Belial grabbed her from behind and dragged her back to the living room.

"You almost got away with it but Cecilia wouldn't let Sillie come to me alone, not unless she was Sillie herself," he said in her ear, "and then I remembered that shapeshifting was one of your skills."

"Let me go," she continued trying to break free but he was too strong. Her skin started tingling as her body was transforming back.

She felt a tugging at the back of her mind and knew her clones were having trouble. She watched through her clone's eyes as Elijah was holding a sword, fighting her tiger.

"Why would I ever let you go, my little angel?" he stroked her hair with his hand.

"Monster," she spat.

"Thank you," he kissed the top of her head.

"Fluffy no!" she heard Leon shout from down the hallway.

When she looked through her clone's eyes, Elijah's sword had pierced her tiger's heart. Leon ran around her clone and jumped in front of her tiger as Elijah pulled out the sword.

"Leave him alone," Leon said.

"Leon move," she made her clone say. The clone ran over and grabbed his wrist and pulled him away from her tiger.

"No!" Leon grabbed onto her tiger and started crying, "Fluffy was trying to protect us."

Elijah started moving towards Sillie. The clone let go of Leon and countered Elijah's sword as he swung towards Sillie.

"Elijah wake up!" the clone yelled.

"He can't hear you," Belial said to Cecilia.

Cecilia needed to break free but she couldn't form any weapons from the saved energy from her arms, that was all gone. The two swords she had previously formed were still in the bedroom where she left them.

She had not practiced what she was about to do. She had tried it only a few times. She felt her hand tingling as it was transforming into a small blade. Once she was done, she stabbed Belial in the stomach. He was so surprised, she was able to get away from him. She started sprinting to the bedroom.

As she entered the room, she heard Sillie scream. Her clone was laying on the floor with a gaping hole in her chest. Sillie was pressed against the corner of the room, the puppy was barking at Elijah. Leon was on the other side of the room, crying over Fluffy's still body.

"Elijah! Wake up!" Cecilia screamed. Elijah continued walking towards Sillie as if he could not hear her. Cecilia picked up her blades from the floor.

"Please," she could hear her voice breaking. He raised his sword, ready to strike Sillie.

Cecilia closed her eyes and let her body take over. When she opened her eyes, Elijah was still. Her twin blades had stabbed him in the back. She pulled her swords out and dropped them on the floor.

Elijah looked back at her and coughed up blood. His body went limp and she caught him. She slowly and carefully placed him on the floor.

"Thank you," he whispered before his eyes glossed over. Cecilia closed his eyes, "until I see you again." She grabbed her swords and stood up.

"I didn't take you as a back stabber," Belial said behind her. He was leaning against the wall of the bedroom.

"It was the only way," she said.

"Was it?" he asked, "I could have sworn I gave you multiple options before this had to happen."

"Those were not options," Cecilia said.

"I really don't know why you're making such a big deal out of this," Belial said, "fucking me will be the best experience of your life. I also don't know why you're protecting the girl. She isn't even your child."

"I protect the innocent," Cecilia said, "Leon, get behind me. Now."

"B-but Fluffy," he was still crying.

"Leon," Sillie was also crying, "I need you."

That was what Leon needed to hear. He kissed Fluffy on the top of his head and stood up. He ran behind Cecilia and hugged Sillie.

Cecilia took a sigh of relief and readied herself for another battle. Her body was tired and she realized that all those days she thought she was in complete exhaustion was really just a walk in the park compared to this. This right here was the real thing. There was no bed she could retire to.

"How much longer do you think you can keep this up, little angel? I can feel your energy draining with every second," Belial said. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of her.

"I can keep going for days," he whispered in her ear, "I bet I can even break down your mental walls."

She did not know what to say. She instead glared at him with nothing but hatred.

"Maybe I'll make you my next slave," he caressed her face.

"...Fuck you," she spat.

His hand moved from her face to her neck. He started choking her. He lifted her body into the air. Her feet franticly dangled and she was scratching at his hand but he did not budge. Her mind was becoming hazy, but she made sure her mental defenses were still functional.

Her mouth was wide open and she was desperately trying to breath but his fingers were cutting off all circulation. Her eye sight was starting to be blotted by black spots. She did not think she could keep conscious for much longer.

She wanted to see Leon one last time. She wanted to push him on those swings on the school playground. She wanted to run with him in his dreams. She wanted to hold his hand.

She could feel herself losing control of her body as she couldn't kick or scratch anymore.

If only she was stronger and smarter, she might have beaten him.

She did not know what would await her after death. It was one of the questions He would not answer and her society came to accept that. Wherever they go, maybe she would meet Elijah there. She could tell him how sorry she was for not being able to protect either of their children.

She wanted to cry, but she could not give Belial that satisfaction.

Before she fell into the black abyss, he dropped her body to the ground. Her last image, was him stepping over her.

.

.

.

It was only peaceful for what felt like a few seconds.

The next thing she knew, she was sitting in pitch black. It looked like how it did when she went into Evangeline's mind.

A woman then appeared sitting in front of her. The woman was sitting like a child. Her whole body, hair and all, looked as if she was sculpted from white marble. Her straight hair draped past her shoulders and touched the floor.

"Archangel Gabriel," Cecilia said.

"Hello, Cecilia Purple," her voice was soothing.

"Am I dead?" Cecilia asked.

"You would be, but I am here," Gabriel said, "I was able to keep your life attached to your body."

"Why?"

"That's a dangerous word, Cecilia," Gabriel smiled. Her teeth were perfectly straight.

"Why are you with me and not those children!" Cecilia stood up and yelled, "why aren't you doing anything!"

Cecilia was taught that if she ever meet an archangel, she had to give them the utmost respect and never raise her voice. Meeting an archangel was just as rare as meeting a demon, rarer even.

She could not contain her anger, however.

Gabriel than appeared standing in front of her, "there is a lot you do not know, Cecilia Purple."

"Then tell me!" Cecilia wanted to rip her hair out, she wanted to throw a temper tantrum.

"You know I cannot do that," Gabriel said.

Cecilia looked at her hands, "what am I supposed to do? I have failed them."

"There is still hope for Leon," Gabriel said, "unfortunately, Sillie is no more."

Cecilia's body froze, "what."

"After you lost consciousness, Leon tried protecting Sillie. Belial sent a wave of energy in the form of a blast at Leon. The bracelet you gave him is in effect but it can only go so far. Leon is unconscious right now and missing his right eye. As I talk to you, Belial is killing Sillie, and ripping out her eyes. You must not let him get away with her eyes. Her eyes are the key for the Under World to over throw the Upper World. Do you understand?"

"Why don't you stop him yourself," Cecilia wanted to cry again. She could not save Sillie.

"You ask too many questions," Gabriel put her hand on Cecilia's shoulder and she instantly felt relieved. It felt like a heavy weight was lifted from her shoulders. She felt strong again.

"If you're not careful, that curiousness could lead to your destruction, but at the same time, it could lead to your salvation," Gabriel started fading.

"What does that mean? Why did it sound like a riddle? Don't leave me!" before Cecilia could finish her sentence, Archangel Gabriel was gone.

She then opened her eyes.