60. Hell Gate

Elise was sitting looking at the window of her room when Leviathan barged in. He was covered in blood. She didn’t care in the slightest. She knew whose blood he was wearing. In fact, it pleased her, and she laughed in delight.

Then in a moment her disposition switched, and she went up to him and punched him. She wanted to be the one coated in her oppressor's blood. She wanted to watch. He had done what she could not. One punch was not enough. She continued to hit him repeatedly.

As he hit her his anger boiled. He had fought for her and here she was attacking him. He grabbed her fist. She swung at him using her other arm. He used his other arm to grab her. But instead of settling her she head butted him, freeing herself.

He knew this was going to be a battle and with her strength being gone it would not be a fair fight. But he did not know what to do. He didn’t want to fight her but the only way to calm her was to subdue her and it was not going to be a simple task.

She looked at his bloody nose. She grabbed the torch from the wall and threw it at him. Fire would not burn him as he was born into hell in fire. He moved in close, and she swung at him he dodged.

“Fight me.”

“I won’t Elise.”

“You coward. You let them take me. You never came for me”

He stepped back. He was worried about this. He had worried that she would blame him. And his worst fears had come true. She didn’t really blame him, but she just wanted to hurt him, and she knew that she could by saying it was his fault.

She went on.

“Your sons rescued me not you. Why are you even here. Leave me alone. I don’t want to be near you. No, I can’t stand you.”

His heart dropped her words cut like a knife. She didn’t want to say the words. She didn’t feel that way at all. All she wanted to do was be held and told everything would be alright. She always had felt safe in his arms. But the idea of feeling safe repulsed her.

She wanted to wallow in hatred and anger. She thought she deserved to be left alone. She craved comfort but would not allow herself to have it. Elise lunged at him again connecting. Her words had hurt Leviathan deeply.

He allowed her to vent all her frustrations out on him. He didn’t fight back. She punched him rapidly till he fell down. Then she got on top of him and continued till he was knocked out cold. She knew he would not be out long. But while he was out, she looked at his bloody face.

He was still handsome, she thought. She leaned down close to him and whispered in his ear.

“I don’t blame you. I love you still.”

Then she sat up and got off of him. Elise left the room and went to the dining room. The people were always bringing her food. She had gained a little weight over the last few weeks. Though she still was rather tiny. It was hard for her to heal in hell as she was an angel. And angels did not thrive in Hell even if they had not been tortured.

It wasn’t long till Leviathan came down to the hall to eat. He looked glum and had a hard time looking at Elise. Her words had really gotten to them.

“I am sorry. I didn’t mean it.”

He didn’t say anything. He felt a bit of relief in her words, but it was a shallow kind of relief. What she had said was already out there. She could not put the words back. They ate in silence. The distance between them was vast.

Saxon and Baylor came into the room.

“Father, may we speak to you.”

“Excuse me, Elise.”

As he exited the room, she ran to the side of the room to hear what they were saying.

“Father what is the news with the hell gate.”

“The keys have been taken. I have no idea where to start. “

“We can try to find them while you help Elise in any way you can.”

“I don’t know if she will come around.”

“Father give her time it has been centuries since you were together not to mention what they did to her.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

Hearing that conversation was coming to a close Elise ran back to the table and went back to eating. She wondered what had happened to the other keys. She determined then that she would find the keys herself. Although she didn’t know how.

The two of them finished eating. They went to bed following dinner and laid there looking at each other.

“Do you want to talk about it.”

“No, I never want to speak of it.”

“Alright. I am sorry.”

“Don’t apologize there is no need.”

He just looked at her. Her eyes were sunken, her once glowing skin was pale and lifeless. Her long black hair had lost its luster. Then he saw it. Her scar on her neck. The one he gave her when he marked her. His more than marriage mark.

It made him smile. He looked at her vacant expression.

“Do you think it will ever be like it was.”

She asked.

“No.”

She didn’t have an expression to his words. He went on.

“But I do think we can be better than before.”

She didn’t respond, she just closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. He stayed up a while longer looking over her many scars. Even when they got to earth, she would carry those scars. They were made from hellish weapons and those scars would never disappear.

In the morning she woke up alone in bed. She got dressed and sat there on the bed. She tried to think of something to do. Her mind was muddled and when she tried to think all she did was get enraged. She began to trash the room again. It was something that had become a morning routine.

Just as she had calmed down, she heard a knock on the door. She opened it and a familiar face was before her.

“Elise.”

“Is that you Sean?”

“Yes, may we speak?”

She nodded and opened the door. He entered the room.

“What is it.”

“First let me say thank you. I really don’t know how to explain it other than I think of you as our savior. I am not the only one either, you have had quite a lot of followers since you murdered two of the princes.”

She nodded not knowing where this was going.

“I believe we could help you.”

“Help me how?”

He slowly removed the keys from his pocket.

“We have gathered the keys to hell while you were being held captive.”

“Do you know where the hell gate is?”

“It is anywhere you want it to be. Just need to draw a door and the locks will appear and you use the keys to go through apparently you just need to think about where you want to go.”

Then a wicked smile appeared on her face.

“What can I do to thank you.”

“Kill me. End my suffering.”

Without hesitation she pulled her weapon out and slashed his throat wide open.

She knelt over him and used her finger to get blood. Then she used his blood to draw a door. And just like Sean had said, a door appeared with nine locks. She used the keys and the door opened. She had thought of her home in New Orleans.

Then she saw it just through the door. She walked through but as she was about to close the door, she had a wicked thought. She pulled the keys out of the door. And left the door wide open. Then once in front of her old house she set the keys on the payment and drew out her weapon.

In a second she had destroyed the keys. The door to hell would stay open for the rest of eternity.