{The Center Of My Universe}
The next morning, Luke entered the private study where he met Azriel.
"Azriel there's something I would like you to look into" Luke said, he paused shortly.
"What could that be little wizard?" Azriel asked. "You're still here? I thought you'd have left by now" Luke said. Azriel chuckled.
"Why the rush? I want to stay here a little while longer and enjoy the little moments I have. Untill I return again next month. Just because my wife asked me to leave, doesn't mean I'll have to leave Immediately" Azriel said.
"You've over stayed your welcome. One week has passed, you ought to have returned back by now" Luke said.
"Hmm... What's the fun in that? Actually I'm supposed to return today. That was before I read my horoscope and found out that today would be a spectacular day" Azriel said eerily.
"What are you talking about?" Luke asked. "You'll see" Azriel replied with a smile.
The door to the private study flew open. Charles and Rose barged in. "Brother we have a problem" Charles said as he made his way towards Azriel.
"What could that possibly be?" Azriel asked in boredom. "There's a Titan in the east coast of the Kingdom" Charles said.
"A Titan? What's a Titan doing far away from mount Theosis?" Luke asked in confusion. "I don't know but all I know Is that it's hurting a lot of innocent lives and I do not like it Azriel, not one bit" Rose said.
"Oh relax sister. This is just the fun part" Azriel said. "What do you mean by fun part? Do you have any idea how many lives has been lost? Do you have any idea how your people are suffering?" Charles asked in anger.
"My people? They're not my people. My people are in the underworld. These are his people, not mine and relax the fun has just begun" Azriel said.
Zain opened the door "Pardon the intrusion your majesty but angels has been spotted fighting a Titan" Zain said.
"Ah, there we go. Now the real fun begins" Azriel said as he stood up. He teleported to the scene.
He found three angels fighting the Titan.
"Thalor, Morrigan, Calista. How dare you disrespect me with such acts?" Azriel asked.
"Demon King" Calista said. "We are here to kill this demon for the sins he has committed" Thalor said.
"You would do no such thing. This Titan is under my protection and you will not lay a single finger on him. Unless you want to lose all of them" Azriel said.
"Your empty threats don't scare us demon king" Morrigan said.
"Threats?.... Empty threats?" Azriel laughs menacingly.
"Touch him and then we'll see how empty the threat might be" Azriel said.
Calista charged towards the Titan but Azriel used his powers to stop her.
"Do not take my calmness for weakness. I won't hesitate to clip out each and everyone of your wings right now so don't test me young angel. I've been on this earth long before your creation" Azriel said.
"I do not care how long you've walked the earth. We are here to take that Titan back and we'll use force if it's necessary" Morrigan said.
"Have it your way then" Azriel said. The angels fused their magic powers together and aimed at Azriel.
Azriel raised his hand to the sky and immediately something shiny fell into his hands.
Everywhere was filled with mist. Calista gasped in horror. "The bident of hell" She said.
"It can't be possible. It can't be the bident" Thalor said. The bident from hell is a black staff with a red moonstone in the middle. It has the power to kill angels and demons. It can destroy everything that has ever been created.
Azriel hits the bident hard into the earth causing lava to flow out.
Red light glowed all around him. He carries the bident out from the earth and threw it at the angels. The angels were unable to run due to the speed of the bident.
It hits all of them at once across the arms causing them to hiss. The bident flew back to Azriel. "I warned you. As long as he's in my kingdom, he's under my protection" Azriel said.
"You cannot be a ruler on earth and in hell. You can't rule both realms" Calista said. "Where's the fun in that? I prefer ruling both realms. If you have a problem with that then summon your council of angels, let them face me themselves. Until then I am the ruler of both realms and for the fact that this Titan is in my kingdom. You will not touch him"
"This is just a warning, If I wanted you dead It would be swift. Now get out of here or I'll send your dead bodies back to the council instead" Azriel said.
Immediately the three angels disappeared. "Thank you my lord" The Titan said.
"Icarus, what brings you to the mortal realm? I told you no one is allowed to cross this realm without my permission" Azriel said in anger.
"Pardon me, my lord but I was sent on an errand to deliver this message to you" Icarus said as he hands a scroll to Azrael. "By who?" Azriel asked.
"The princes of hell. They wait for your return for the people have lost their respect due to the fact that you've been gone far too long" Icarus said. Azriel took a deep breath. "They can't handle my subjects?"
"Very well, I shall return. In the meantime go back to the underworld. I do not wish to see you here again. The next time you come here, I wouldn't intervene" Azriel said.
The bident disappears from his hand. The ground closed itself and the lava dried up. Azriel disappeared back to the castle.
"Well?" Rose asked in anticipation.
"It's been taken care of" Azriel replied. "What was the Titan doing here?" Luke asked in concern.
"It seems that my brothers has missed my departure and they request my presence effective Immediately, unfortunately. So I'll be leaving but keep an eye on my wife. She tends to be independent when she wants to be"
"When I heard she went to visit Baal, just to save a soul pissed me off. If anything like that ever repeat itself again, I swear I would make the three of you.... Make that four, Including Azriel pay. That's a promise" Azriel takes a deep breath composing himself
"Until next time. Until next month" He said as he slowly collapsed but Charles caught him. Azriel places hand on his head. "My head.... What happened? How long has it been?" Azriel asked.
"Roughly two weeks" Rose replied. "Did.... Did I hurt....?" Azriel asked. "Yes... You threw her into a lake and you watched her drown with an evil grin" Charles said.
"Is she..."
Charles took a deep breath. "Yes... Unfortunately she couldn't swim" Rose said. "You didn't show remorse for what happened" Charles said. "We buried her in a shallow grave near the lake she drowned in" Luke said.
"What have I done? Why didn't you stop me?" He asked. "You invited her for picnic and asked her to come alone" Rose said.
Azriel saw images flashing through his head. He saw how she screamed in pain. How he grabbed her neck and threw her inside the water. He saw how she struggled to swim and he did nothing.
"How could you let me do that?!!!" He asked in anger. "Calm down... The potion you took wasn't powerful enough to stop you" Luke said.
Azriel punched a wall as hot tears fell from his eyes. "Would you like to see where she was buried?" Rose asked. "Yes" Azriel replied, his voice was hoarse.
They led him outside the castle. Azriel could only recall how he traveled to a great distance just to find a witch who gave him a potion that would prevent him from hurting Guinevere. Just to find out he killed her anyway.
Girls were too busy eating with Mrs Harper outside. "Who brought the raspberries?" Gabriella asked. "I did.... I also brought strawberries Incase the raspberries wasn't enough" Anastasia said.
"I'm also being tormented by her soft voice. Hold on a minute that voice sounded too real to be an illusion" Azriel said.
He looked for the source of the voice. That was when he saw her. Guinevere, passing a basket to someone. "She's alive" He whispered.
Azriel ran to her. "Guinevere!!!" He call out as he ran towards her.
Everyone looked puzzled including Anastasia herself. They all wondered why the emperor was running towards them. "Shit... Did I do something again?" Anastasia asked herself.
Azriel held her firmly by the waist and kissed her. Anastasia froze in shock, her entire body had a system malfunction.
The emperor is kissing her infront of everyone. Azriel stepped back, he cupped both her cheeks. "It's really you.... I thought you died. When they informed me that I tried to drown you.... I lost my mind....." Azriel said as his hands trembled.
Anastasia leans into the touch. She has no idea why the emperor is behaving this way but she has to ease the tension.
"I'm fine.... You don't have to worry" Anastasia said. "I could have..."
Anastasia cuts him off. "But I'm here aren't I? Don't fret okay?"
Azriel hugged her. "Thank the stars you're alright" He whispers.
"We needed to teach you a lesson somehow" Charles said. "Dick head" Azriel replied.
Anastasia sat down, Azriel suddenly bent down till their faces were inches apart.
Anastasia's voice hitched. "Your grace?!!" She said in surprise. "Come with me" Azriel said. "I'm in the middle of class"
"Don't worry.... You're free to go" Mrs Harper said. Anastasia gulped subconsciously.
Azriel held her palm and led her away. "Where are you taking me too your grace?" She asked.
"Somewhere special" Azriel said. He took her to his private library, he pushed a book forward and a secret door slid open.
Azriel leads her inside. "Have a seat" He said. Anastasia did as she was told without asking questions.
Azriel lit a torch. The entire room came to life. The ceiling looks like the sky filled with stars and all the planet danced across the room. "Do you like it?" Azriel asked.
"It's beautiful" Anastasia simply replied.
"When I look at this, it reminds me of you... How your face is engraved in my heart and mind. At first I thought it was a phase but knowing that I traveled great lengths just to keep you safe. Proves that my love for you is far off gone.... I'm not sure I can ever return" Azriel sighs in frustration.
"Guinevere you've become the center of my universe. I think..... I know.... I'm sure.... Guinevere I love you... I love you so bad that all I want to do is protect you. I love you so hard that I want to keep you all to myself. I don't want any man to lay a finger on you"
"I'll pluck out the eyes of any man who glances at you. I'll rip apart the tongue of any man who goes as far as to compliment your beauty. I'll cut off their balls and feed it to them. I'll throw them into the abyss and watch their soul be destroyed into nothingness. I'll make sure they don't ever get the chance to cross to the next life. I'll make...."
"That's enough.... I seem to get your point...." Anastasia said with a shaky breath. "I take it you understand where I'm going" Azriel said.
Anastasia exhales slowly. "I do" She replied. "Then you understand how I feel. I don't care if you don't feel the same way yet but I wouldn't mind cutting off both your arms, if it means you have to stay with me" Azriel said.
{This isn't good. We've gotten to the part of the novel where Azriel confesses his feelings towards Luna... After today he would become possessive and controlling towards her. Unfortunately the tables have turned and now I'm the one stuck with him}
"Your grace, you need to understand that I don't remember who I am. Luke said most of my memories aren't intact. I'm sure you'll surely reconsider your love for me" Anastasia said.
"I love you before the heavens and the earth. I'll protect you with my entire being. I'll rip apart hell, burn down the heavens and destroy the earth if I have to just to keep you safe" Azriel said.
Anastasia laughs nervously. {Could we tune down the murder talk a little? It's unsettling}
"Your grace. I don't deserve your love. I'm not worthy" Anastasia said. Azriel touched her face gently.
"Love isn't something you earn but it's something given out of free will. I give you my love because you deserve it. I will no longer hide my love for you. Besides you're my wife anyway" Azriel said.
"What?" Anastasia asked. "The marks on your body is due to the fact that I marked you. It means we're married before heaven and hell" Azriel said.
Anastasia placed her hands on her head. She hissed in pain. "Are you alright?" Azriel asked. "It hurts" Anastasia said.
"Wait let me get you to Luke" Azriel said. Anastasia fainted in his arm. "Don't worry Guinevere, I'll protect you. That's my promise" He said.