Chapter 788 - The Ultimatum (Merle's Arc)

Newest Chapter for Highest Tier (November 2021 )

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Archangel Uriel & Merle's Arc

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Cupping her face with his hands, caressing her shoulders and her arms would be too dangerous for him. 

Archangel Uriel was afraid that he couldn't let go when it was time. 

Merle stood in front of her like a moonlight goddess in a nightgown that matched her silky red hair that he longed to stroke and make the thick strands flutter in his fingers as he enveloped her into a warm embrace.

If he could make his spirit into hers and become one, then maybe, he could be with her forever. 

Unfortunately, it was merely a hopeless dream of his. 

His fists had clenched as he longed to imprint the glorious scent of rain, lavender, and the grapefruit wine she had used to serve to male Faeries in the tavern so that she would money for her own—money that can buy the material things he couldn't provide for her—-as he should as her man.

A  man she could be proud of.

Hissing out a breath, Uriel felt his chest tighten as if someone had pinched his heart. 

He hated that it was one of the fears that he needed to conquer.

The Highest Creator said that everything a living creature needed in the Material Realm could be found in nature and His creations, but Uriel hadn't anticipated something like this while living with Merle.

His lady didn't know that he had stalked her to that tavern and watched her greet the strict owner she had worked for every day scold her when she made a mistake.

Was this the life she was going to live if they were together?

Uriel always kept an eye on her from the tavern's glass windows without fail except these past few days.

He didn't want her to constantly change her appearance back and forth because someone might still recognize her despite disguises he helped her maintain.

These were the times when he didn't have anything to do at their hut in the mountains except keep it clean like she wanted, stretching his wings to fly every hour and wait for her to return in the afternoon.

He didn't wander very far, but it felt like he knew what it meant to be a housewife, and for him, it was more complicated than working in the tavern.

Watching Merle without her knowledge was his favorite pastime, but now, it's not going to be anymore.

Archangel Uriel was determined to leave before it was too late.

Yet, why was he shaking her head at her right now, still trying to explain his side?

"You don't understand." Uriel stared in her amber eyes deeply that it had threatened to drown him. Then, breathing deeply, he gathered his words before they scattered and insisted,  "Lucifer had told me that the Watchers had located and destroyed the Garden of the Four Seasons. Since they were too many of them, he was powerless  to stop them." 

"That had nothing to do with me anymore, right?" Her tone was a jagged blade. "You don't have to explain to me. Now, give me your body or leave this place!"

Archangel Uriel realized where she was heading with this, and it wasn't good. 

All he ever wanted was to show and express how much he loved Merle. 

But, it was better to cut ties so that she wouldn't have to suffer with him. 

The woman he loved would live her life peacefully and forget about him. 

She would heal through time. 

Giving up, Uriel growled in response. "I can't just ignore you like this, Merle, when you are asking for an impossible request." 

It was pure torture to admit that, but at least he got rid of the prickly thorns tightening around his heart. 

Archangel Uriel just wanted to reconcile with her before they separated tonight.

They didn't have to agree with a single thing.

It was alright if they weren't on the same page as long as both of them understood where they were coming from.

Was it hard for Merle to listen to his concerns, or were his words too harsh like she said? 

It was a difficult decision for Archangel Uriel.

He had to choose between two conflicting thoughts, ideas, and emotions.

It was one over the other.

If indecision were a decision itself, he would instead not do something about the Garden of the Four Seasons and stay with Merle while pretending that the destruction of his ward didn't bother him that much.

Uriel wasn't a good actor.

What did that make of him if indecision was also against the principle he lived by?

Both of them need a moment of peace or at least a temporary ceasefire during these times of war between Archangels and the Watchers and the Nephilim.

The worst-case scenario would be that the Archangel Lucifer had planned to salvage the Watchers and help them return to the Highest God.

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It would be a blessing from the Highest God if Merle didn't feel anything at all because, at that moment, she was confident that these tears wouldn't stop.

Whenever something reminded her of him,  grief would return like a severe storm over and over, ruining her life until she was nothing but emotional rubble with nothing else to recover.

She had already lost her strength when Archangel Uriel told her that he would leave her but this hurt even more as if a snake had constricted her throat and her lungs, making her breathe in little gasps.

She thought that the hatred inside her would help alleviate the pain and soothe her shattered pride as she convinced herself that it was justified.

Instead, it was more fuel to the flames of her anger, but she wasn't in the mood to drop all these negative emotions and heal from them.

Merle would like to hold on to her hatred and let it fester, to let it take root and grow into this uncontrollable green, envious monster cursing Archangel Uriel's existence.