Chapter 11: THE PORTAL TO THE ANGEL REALM (1)
The three days after Solan had come to her home as a bearer of bad news had flown by in a flash. Arella stood at a field, looking at the portal that shimmered in the distance. The golden light of the portal shimmered ahead and pulsed with angelic power. It seemed alive, almost breathing, and even at that distance, she could feel the holy energy reaching for her like an old friend.
It had been a hundred years since she was dropped off in the human realm at this exact spot.
Arella approached the portal with a measured pace, her heart heavy but her head held high. The closer she walked to the portal, the more angelic energy seeped into her pores. The same angelic power that she had grown up around. At that moment, it felt like a breath of fresh air.
The field was quiet, except for the soft rustle of the wind through the grass.
Beside her trailed echo, his padded steps trailed behind her. He had been silent all along, simply walking behind her and offering her strength. No matter what happened, she knew Echo would always be by her side. The creature whimpered, and this caused Arella to look away from the portal. His ears were flattened at the sides of his head, and his teeth were barred.
Echo was a demonic beast, born of the very energy that the portal rejected. Being this close to such strong angelic power must have been agonizing for him, but he did not leave her side. Arella was almost sure that he never would.
Arella waited for him to stand by her before she lowered her hand to pat his furry head. Her angelic power was one he had gotten used to, and it allowed him to calm down even in the face of stronger angelic power.
"Don't worry, Echo, I'm here." Arella looked up at the portal once more. Her heart was thumping in her chest. Everything was becoming more real. In just one day, she would be married off to the demon king. Echo grunted beside her, as if it were reminding her that it was also there for her too.
"I know, I know." Arella muttered, dropping her hand.