Fate To Fake: Loved by the Fallen; Fated to Kill the Divine

~Ding~Dong~Ding~Dong~Ding~Dong~

The doorbell rang again… and again… like a fly flying over the ear all the time.

Raphael groaned beneath her blanket, her ears twitching in irritation as the noise refused to stop.

"Ugh…" she mumbled, her eyes fluttering open. Her brows pulled into an annoyed frown.

"Give me a break…" she muttered, her voice hoarse with drowsiness. She reached blindly for her glasses on the side table, sliding them on before swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. Her body moved reluctantly, muscles groaning along with her as she padded across the cool floor, barefoot, grumbling under her breath.

As she descended the stairs, the living room lay in dim silence. The lights hadn't been turned on.

She blinked through her tired haze, muttering, "Where did he go?"

Then she remembered.

Leo.

He said that he was going to Ophis's place.

She let out a long sigh, rubbing the bridge of her nose. Her footsteps led her to the front door, fingers brushing the handle, and she opened it slowly.

"H-Hello…?"

The voice was soft.

Raphael blinked in surprise. Standing at the door was a girl dressed in elegant, brown-tinted, fluffy clothes, her long skirt swaying gently in the night breeze.

In her arms, she held a small fruit basket wrapped in transparent paper and... most of all, A delicate blush colored her cheeks.

"…Oh? Valra" Raphael's surprise softened into curiosity. She opened the door wider and stepped aside, gesturing her in.

"Come in," she said.

Valra nodded politely and stepped inside, her shoes clicking softly against the floor. She noticed Raphael's dishevelled hair and sleep-dazed look and immediately lowered her head in apology.

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to wake you," Valra said softly, almost guiltily.

Raphael waved it off with a slow flick of her hand, followed by a yawn that stretched her jaw wide.

"It's fine… I needed to wake up anyway," she said through the tail end of the yawn. "Yaaah… I slept enough."

Valra smiled faintly, clutching the fruit basket with both hands.

"What's the sudden visit?" Raphael asked, her voice more alert now, eyes scanning the girl in front of her.

"I… I came to see you, Ms. Raphael," Valra said gently, offering the basket. "It's been a long time since we met."

Raphael raised an eyebrow, taking the fruit with a blink of amusement.

"Me?" she said aloud, while her thoughts whispered, 'Long time? Girl, we literally met just a few days ago…'

Still, she didn't voice it. She turned and led Valra into the living room, placing the fruit basket on the centre table.

Turning on the lights.

Valra sat down carefully on the edge of the sofa. Her hands rested in her lap, and her fingers nervously twisted the hem of her sleeve.

Last time, she came here as a guest... innocent, unknown guest, still she was a girlfriend, but that was just sake of the name.

But tonight felt different.

This time… she was here as Leo's girlfriend.... Real Freaking Girlfriend!

Especially after getting the kiss.

And somehow, that made it scarier.

Raphael sat across from her, brushing her messy hair back with her fingers.

"So?" she asked casually, "Any updates about the school? Are they reopening?"

Valra flinched slightly, startled out of her thoughts. She gave a quick nod.

"Y-Yes. Actually… the principal decided to use one of the secondary buildings for the semester. Until the main school is rebuilt."

"Oh?" Raphael blinked. "That's new. I haven't heard anything."

Valra offered a sheepish smile. "I just got the news this evening. Maybe… maybe you went to bed early after work?"

Raphael hummed, leaning back into the couch. That made sense. Her gaze shifted back to Valra and she noticed something.

The girl's eyes kept drifting... scanning the room.

Searching for someone.

Of course.

She's looking for him.

Leo had come to visit Valra earlier that morning. And now, tonight, Valra had come to his house.

Valra clearly wanted to make a good impression on Leo's aunt… probably before someone like Sakura tried anything questionable.

Still, for all her effort, it was obvious that without Leo here to support her, Valra was drowning in awkwardness.

"If you're looking for Leo…" Raphael said with a teasing glint in her eyes, "…he's not here."

Valra jolted. "N-No! I-I didn't come for him!" she stammered, face going even redder. "I came to meet you!" as she pointed at the basket.

Her voice sounded too high-pitched to be believable.

But then Raphael's grin even more elongated... that only made Valra's gaze drop to her lap as she squirmed.

Raphael chuckled softly, watching the girl's bashfulness bloom like a flower.

'Just what is my nephew doing with all these innocent girls?' she thought, mildly exasperated. 'He already has a lover, doesn't he?'

She sighed inwardly... Leo was getting more and more like a Playboy.

So many heartbreaks~

He'd definitely need a proper scolding later.

"Wait… he's really not here?" Valra asked with a bit more seriousness.

Raphael nodded. "Yeah. I think he told me he'd be staying at Ophis's place for the night. Something like that."

Valra's face drained of colour.

"O-Ophis? Wait! You know Ophis!?"

Raphael frowned, confused by the reaction. "Why? Isn't she Cael's sister? She came here after you guys left. She stayed with us for a day."

Valra froze.

Everything about her expression shifted... from awkward to terrified.

****

Meanwhile…

Far away, deep within a shadow-choked forest, a towering castle made of black stone trembled beneath the moonlight.

The ground shuddered.

The doors slammed open one by one.

A low, vibrating hum spread across the castle like something awakening beneath its foundations.

Crows exploded into the night sky, screeching. Wolves howled wildly from the woods, their instincts rattled by the presence stirring below.

Beneath the castle...

Sssshhh~

The smoke and dust from a violent explosion finally began to settle.

Reddish black sparks hung in the air like tendrils, twitching once or twice before vanishing into the shadows.

"Cough… cough…"

Leo's lungs burned. He coughed violently, choking on the air. The shockwave had knocked the breath right out of him.

He blinked rapidly, eyes stinging, as he tried to sit up.

Then—

Squish.

His hand pressed against something soft.... Almost sponge-like.

Leo froze.

His gaze dropped… and widened.

He was touching someone.

A cloaked figure beneath him.

"You're a girl?" Leo blurted out, shocked.

The cloaked figure stared at him, deadpan.

"You just figured that out now?" Her voice was flat, and then it turned cold. "And… would you mind taking your hand off me?"

Leo yelped and pulled back as if stung.

"S-Sorry!" He scrambled to his feet, flustered.

He turned toward the broken altar, shards of black stone jutting like teeth from the floor, runes still fading with a sickly glow.

"OPHIS!!"

Leo shouted when he saw Ophis lying motionless on the ground behind the broken altar.

He ran towards her and for a moment, his chest tightened... but then his eyes widened. Her skin was pale, yes, but smooth and healthy… nothing like the withered, mummified state he had seen her in before.

"S-She's… really fine?" he muttered, his voice trembling with a fragile hope.

Dropping to his knees, he gathered her into his arms as though she were the most delicate flower. His hands shook as he cradled her, afraid she might slip away if he loosened his grip for even a second.

He pressed two fingers to her neck. A faint throb… small, but steady. Alive.

A deep breath of relief escaped him, his lips curling into a shaky smile. His eyes stung as tears welled up, blurring her face.

"We saved her…" he whispered, looking up at the cloaked figure who was approaching.

The figure paused, watching him for a moment before shaking her head. "No. You saved her," she said softly.

The cloaked figure's eyes fell to the ground near the altar. The intricate symbol Leo had carved earlier was half-destroyed, blasted apart by the force of the ritual's collapse, 'What was that symbol… and how did he write it?' but she didn't ask now.

"Let's get the hell out of here," she said.

Leo nodded. Ophis was safe; there was nothing left here worth staying for. Adjusting his grip on her, he rose to his feet—

Crack… crack…

The sound of shifting stone echoed through the underground. Pebbles rolled across the floor. Both of them turned sharply toward the noise, eyes narrowing.

Two crimson points of light flared in the shadows.

BOOOM!