Chapter 31: Celeste’s Burden and the Journey Ahead

“How’s Natsumi?” Alex asked.

“I removed all the tentacles I could find and healed her wounds,” Celeste replied softly. “But she hasn’t woken up yet.”

“That’s good,” Alex said with a faint smile, closing his eyes to rest a moment longer. After a beat, he looked back up at Celeste. “How about you? You look paler than before.”

Celeste gave a small smile. “It’s the effect of going deeper into Hell. The farther we travel, the weaker my connection to God becomes, and the weaker I get. Sooner or later, around the fifth or sixth layer, I will be no stronger than a mortal. I may even be weaker.”

Alex frowned, his voice quiet but heavy. “If you become weaker every layer, then how are you supposed to… why did God even send you, knowing this would be dangerous for you?”

Celeste’s eyes softened. “Because He sent me knowing I would probably die on this journey. I was sent with you mainly as a sacrifice. My purpose is to train you, teach you how to fight, and guide you for as long as I can. And if it comes to it, I am meant to use myself as a shield to protect you.”

Alex’s mind flashed back to the temple, to the moment she shoved him aside and took the full force of the attack meant for him. “So that’s why you protected me at the temple,” he said quietly.

“Yes,” Celeste replied, her voice faint but steady. “As God said, it’s my duty to make sure you reach your destination safely, even if it costs me my life. So if things become too dangerous, don’t try to save me. I have already accepted how my fate will end by the time this journey is over.”

Alex gave her a sad smile. “No. That’s not going to happen. You know I’m a stubborn man. If you try to throw your life away like that again and you die, I’ll turn right back around and find my own way to leave this place. You’re more than just a sacrifice or a guide to me.”

He looked into Celeste’s bright blue eyes. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence between them felt heavy yet peaceful. Celeste reached down, brushing her fingers gently through Alex’s blood-soaked hair. Her expression softened, but sadness lingered in her gaze.

“Sorry,” she whispered. “But I can’t do that. These orders were God’s will, and if I go against His will, I will truly become a fallen angel. I must keep to His will and do as I’m told.”

She took a slow breath, her eyes drifting toward the unconscious Natsumi. “Once Natsumi wakes up, we need to ask if she knows any safe places in Hell nearby. I don’t think I have much time left, and I need to get you somewhere safe and train you both properly in healing magic.”

A soft groan came from the side as Natsumi stirred but did not wake. Alex looked up at Celeste. “What do you mean?”

“It’s because I may have no choice but to become a fallen angel,” Celeste said gently.

Alex’s eyes widened. “But how is that possible? Angels fall when they rebel against God.”

Celeste nodded slowly. “That is normally true, but I think my case is different. The moment I lost my angel wings, every demon I met told me I don’t have much time left, that I will fall soon. With my link to God weakening as we proceed deeper into Hell, I suspect that when my holy power finally runs out, that will trigger a transformation, and I will become a fallen angel against my will.”

Alex fell silent, the air between them heavy with the weight of her words.

“So before that happens,” Celeste continued, “we need to find a safe place where I can train both of you in healing magic. If I fall before you’ve learned enough, and I turn evil, you’ll be on your own. And if you reach the eighth layer without proper healing, you will look no different than the walking dead with how bad your healing magic is.”

Alex chuckled, breaking the tension. “Yeah, you’re probably right. But if you do become fallen, why would you have to leave us?”

Celeste blinked, surprised. “Because when an angel becomes fallen, our emotions change. We are consumed by negative feelings that overpower the good. We do not become completely evil, but our hearts lean heavily toward darkness, and I may end up hurting you both.”

Alex smiled faintly. “By the sound of it, you’ll just be more like a human. We are a mix of good and evil too. You might lean darker, but as long as you keep fighting those feelings, you’ll be fine. And no matter how evil you think you might become, you’ll always be our Celeste. I want you by my side, no matter what.”

Celeste’s eyes glistened. Tears welled and slid down her cheeks. A trembling smile spread across her face as warmth filled her chest. For the first time in a long while, she felt true happiness, knowing she would not face her fate alone.

For a while they sat in peace as Alex gazed up at the crimson sky. In this layer of Hell, there was no canopy or leaves. The trees were dead, and the only familiar sight was the corpses hanging by their necks. Unlike the last layer, these corpses floated, like grotesque balloons straining to ascend. Their bodies drifted upward, but ropes around their necks held them tight to the branches, preventing them from rising higher. The eerie stillness made the scene even more unsettling.

They remained quiet, studying the grim landscape, until Celeste finally broke the silence, her voice trembling slightly. “Alex… I think that I…”

Violent coughing erupted from their side. Natsumi had awakened, choking as she rolled to all fours. Her cheeks bulged, and she began to vomit violently. Blood and tentacle-like masses spilled from her mouth, slapping across the ground like slimy intestines. Chunks of flesh and what remained of her last meal splattered the soil. Blood streamed from the corners of her mouth and out her nose as her body convulsed until the heaving stopped. She pushed herself upright, backed away, then collapsed onto her butt, gasping and wheezing for air, trembling from exhaustion.

Alex turned toward her, concern sharp on his face. “I’m glad you’re okay, Natsumi,” he said softly. “You had us worried. You wouldn’t wake up.”

Natsumi looked at him weakly, then glanced around, recognizing the crimson sky and the dead forest. “We’re on the second layer of Hell. Were we able to all escape safely?”

Alex nodded. “Yeah. And in the process, I finished off Legion. He will not be bothering us anymore.”

Natsumi’s eyes widened, then softened with relief. She pushed herself up, wobbling, and sat beside Alex. Without a word, she wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly.

“I’m glad we actually made it,” she said, her voice trembling between laughter and tears. “And that you’re both safe.” Her grip tightened as tears streamed down her cheeks. “I’m sorry I wasn’t more useful. I got taken out so quickly. You must have struggled hard without my help.”

Celeste cut in gently. “No. I didn’t help much either. Alex pretty much defeated Legion by himself. We only managed to hold him back. So don’t worry. I was just as worthless as you were.” Her voice faltered, a shadow passing over her eyes at the memory.

Alex shook his head. “Don’t say that, Celeste. You kept Natsumi safe while I fought. Without you protecting her, I could not have focused or come up with a plan to evacuate both of you safely.”

Celeste tightened her arms around Alex as he lay in her embrace. Natsumi leaned closer from the other side, and soon Alex found himself sandwiched between them. They sat quietly, holding one another in a rare moment of calm despite the hellish landscape. The faint shimmer of Onimaru’s barrier flickered around them, casting a dim glow that kept the horrors of the infernal forest at bay.

After a long silence, Celeste’s tone turned firm but gentle. “Natsumi, we don’t have much time, so I’ll get straight to the point. Is there any safe place in Hell you’ve been to where we can rest and recover while I train you both in healing magic? I need to prepare you for the time when I can’t use my healing on you anymore.”

Natsumi thought for a moment. “There are quite a few halfway being cities scattered around, but I wouldn’t call most of them safe. Two come to mind where we could truly rest for a while.” She looked between Alex and Celeste. “The first is Kyoto, on the third layer. The halfway beings there call it the Sanctuary.”

She hesitated, then continued. “The second is on the fifth layer, the hidden Inunaki City, also known as Sin City. It’s ruled by three greater demons who live among the halfway beings. It isn’t peaceful, but no one dares cause trouble there. Still…” She frowned. “Alex is absolutely not allowed to go there. The vixens would try to gobble him up, and I will not allow that.”

Celeste chuckled softly at Natsumi’s tone and asked, “How far is it from here to the next portal? And is there a safe route?”

Natsumi nodded. “Yes. It’s a ways off, and we’ll be traveling through wilderness, but the route I found before is mostly safe. There are only two places to watch out for: the Oahara Marshlands and Nagoya City, where the next portal is located. Other than that, it should be a fairly smooth journey.”

“Good,” Celeste said with a decisive nod. “Let’s eat breakfast, restore our strength, and then head out. I want to reach Kyoto as soon as possible.”

Alex opened his bag, and the group began to eat as they chatted quietly while the red mist drifted around them. Every so often, a monster was repelled by the barrier, but they paid it no mind. For the first time in a long while, the three allowed themselves a moment of comfort without worrying about being hunted by Legion. They refueled their strength and prepared to begin the long journey through the next layer of Hell toward their next objective: the Sanctuary.

To be continued…