~Chapter 40~

   Yes, this is most definitely the infamous Kris. His fighting skills are impeccable. He moves swiftly and cunningly, hitting exactly where he wants. Exactly where I would break down- if, that is, if I was any other.

   But every strike I counter, every hit I block. And in his anger, his technique isn't at it's best. He's rash and he's throwing too much of his strength in. If I can just hold out, he'll wear down. If.

   As Kris lunged at me again and again I continued to dodge and block. That is, until the earth shattering scream interrupted everything.

   Her voice was completely uncontrolled, ripping through the air in one long agonizing breath as it screamed, "NOLAN!!!!!!!" I quickly spun around to see Ai enter the awakening room, oblivious to everything around her except the now lifeless Nolan on the ground in a pool of blood. Tears streaked her face as she fell on her knees beside him, shaking him, screaming for him to come back.

   Kris chose that moment to strike. Having been distracted, I wasn't able to block him in time and he landed a rather deep slice in my side. I doubled over in pain and he easily knocked the sword out of my hand.

   "Now, Queen Adriana, it's time for you to leave." I tried to move myself back away from him, but with a simple step the gap between us was closed again. Kris raised his sword and I closed my eyes, waiting for the blade to come.

~Chapter 39~

   "You damn angels and your love," spat Kris as he approached me with the freshly bloodied knife. Nolan lay drowning in his own blood on the ground. I had begun pushing myself back from the demon but I knew a wall would hit my back soon. "I had the perfect plan. Kill Caleb in hate, turning him into a demon. Get him to kill you in hate, turning you into a demon as well. Then kill you both in your demon forms. You know what happens to demons when they die? They're gone. Forever. Done. Bye Bye." My back pressed against the wall and he lunged at me. I rolled to the side, causing him to just barely miss my neck with his hand, and I stood up, getting behind him. "The dear King and Queen of Heaven would have finally been out of the picture for me to have my success. But no! You have to go and have your light, pure, beautiful," he spoke the words as if he were sick, "love." Then he laughed as he took his eyes off me. Nolan chose that moment to kick my foot. "Love. Love! What a ridiculous notion to base an entire empire off of! Love! Ha!" I looked down at Nolan. Though he was choking and struggling and had already resigned to death, he managed to indicate to me the sword which was in hooked in his belt. Unfortunately, Kris looked back to me at that moment. "But love isn't going to save you this time. Perhaps I will have to wait yet another 14 years to do it, but I swear I will. I will taint your seemingly impenetrable heart, Adriana, and kill you the moment I do it. That darkness which was festering in you in that moment will bring you to Hell, not Heaven. And as you awaken, a demon, not an angel, I will end you once and for all." He approached me slowly, dagger raised and pointing to me, eyes wild.
   "You are mad," I whispered. This angered him and he screamed as he lunged at me once again, this time knife first. I ducked down and, as the force of his momentum took him past me, and grabbed the sword from Nolan, spinning around to face the recovering Kris. As I pushed him back, he threw the knife to the ground and unsheathed his full length sword, the same one which had once killed me.
   "Your dear Caleb isn't here to beg for your life this time, Adriana. I must admit I am a little excited. I have never fought against you," he said as he raised his sword.
   "I think you'll find that while my husband was good, I am great," I replied with a smirk.
   Kris raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"
   "Oh yes. Even he knows my sword fighting skills far surpass his."
   "Well then," Kris said, "show me."

~Chapter 38~

   "Adriana?"

   I looked at the boy sitting next to me. He was worried and tentative. "Nolan." I looked around me. I was in the Awakening Room. It's where everyone wakes up...

   ...in Heaven.

   "I died."

   He nodded. "I had a feeling this might happen."

   "Kris killed me."

   He nodded once again.

   "Caleb?" I was surprised to find that the strength I had once displayed as Queen had all rushed back into me upon waking in Heaven once again.

   "I don't-" He never finished that sentence. How could he? With blood gargling every word he tried to say. With a knife having slit his throat.

~Chapter 37~

   A darkness surrounded me. It was deep, thick, and reminded me of a time I was six and almost drowned in the ocean. It didn't matter how I struggled and twisted, I just couldn't find up, couldn't find the surface, couldn't find air, breath, life.

   Then a brilliant light shined through everything. It was wonderful, but far, and I found myself trying to move toward it. As it got closer it lit up everything around me, making the wisps of darkness fry up much like a vampire would in the sun. It was warm, not hot, and bright, not blinding. It was beautiful. It was pure. It was good.

   Suddenly I was six again. That light was the lifeguard who had pulled me out of the rip current. Its warmth spread through me, slowly bringing feeling back. The lifeguard was breathing air into my lungs. I coughed up salt water, which burned, but the pain was what told me I was alive.

   I sprang straight up, sucking in a deep breath of air. It didn't hurt at all.

~Chapter 36~

   "No!!" My voice echoed Caleb's and a third and fourth echoed mine. I looked up to the sky to see Ai and a girl with dark hair flying down at high speed. Yes! She got my message! But...she's kind of late.
   Caleb jumped down after Adri, slick black wings blooming behind him. But as these wings spread, they changed. Feather by feather, a wave washed through them, a wave of brilliant light which fought away the darkness, leaving Caleb's wings a bright white which shined gold as the sun.
   I smiled.
   Caleb is an angel once again.
   And then my smile faded as I realized soon Adri would be as well. I failed to protect her. It was my single job in all of this, and I failed.
   Adri hit the one-foot-deep pool with a splash and a smack. She was dead within seconds.
   Caleb reached the ground right behind her and his wings folded down into his back. He picked up Adri's dead body and held it tight in his arms.
   "I'm so sorry Adriana, I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you." Tears fell from his eyes and I felt them forming in mine as well.
   Adriana is dead. My best friend is dead.

~Chapter 35~

   "He killed us!!"
   Those three words alone were enough to stop me, enough to make me drop my sword, to freeze, to actually think about what I was doing.
   Kris killed me! Not to protect me, but simply to completely destroy everything, to cause terror and wreck the lives of the angels. He killed me out of pure evil! Worse, he killed Adriana! He killed my queen, my love, my everything!
   Why am I trying to kill her?
   My love, my beautiful Adriana, why- how could I ever kill her!?
   When I paused, hope surged through her.
   And then came Kris.
   Before either of us even knew he was there, he was right at Adri's side. I hadn't even realized she was standing so close to the edge until Kris pushed her off of it.
   No...
   No!
   "No!! Adriana!" Without thinking, I ran and jumped off the cliff after her, not caring what happened to me, only wishing for one thing:
   To save my love.

~Chapter 34~

   I heard a sound behind me and remembered that that bastard was still here. I carefully laid Adriana down, then picked up my sword and stood to face the Devil.
   "You did this," I growled. He looked past me at Adri, then back at me.
   "Yes, yes I did."
   "You are going to pay."
   That wicked smile came to his lips as he said, "Once again, Heavenly King, make me pay."
   Next thing I knew I was right there, attacking him once again, putting everything I had into every single blow. But he was ducking and turning and dodging every attack perfectly. Finally I had him backed into a corner, but right as I lunged toward him, he...flew. He jumped, put his hand on my head, and two black feathered wings sprouted from his back. He did a sort of flip over my head, landing behind me and stabbing me with his sword before I could turn around. He plunged the blade so deep I saw the tip come out of my stomach. Then he ripped it right back out.
   I fell to the ground, and with me, fell Heaven.