"I will not go my lady," I responded confidently and then I added, "Not until I have all that I have asked for."
"For the third time I ask, what is it that you want?" she cried out in anger, turning to face me.
"Kuri wants you back. You and all those who follow your commands."
She shook her head at me, "You do not know what you ask Kingdomer. Now go before it is too late!"
The temple began to shake and I felt as if caught within the confines of an earthquake. The priestess's eyes widened in alarm and she stepped toward me with the look in her eyes genuine for perhaps the first time, "You must go……… now!" The priestess's words had trailed off to a choked whimper as a hand materialized out of nothingness to close about her throat.
She barely struggled for her own breath as she was held off the ground by the hand at her throat. She was turned to face the visage of the dark cloaked figure that had materialized into being, visible along with the hand that gripped her throat. Whatever it was that Ayaya saw within the fallen Malachim's eyes, it was enough to turn her features into a scene of stark horror.
The fallen Malachim spoke, "My orders were for you to kill him! Not to let him go!!!"
I'd seen enough. I stepped forward towards the pair, "let her go! Now!"
Laughter echoed out of the fallen Malachim that seemed to issue forth straight from the pit of Sheol, "Let her go? You impudent fool! She's mine!!!"
The fallen Malachim had turned to me and I saw all the hellish torment of his eyes that had paralyzed Ayaya with fear. Stepping closer I said, "She has a choice to make. Now let her go!"
The fallen Malachim leaned toward me with a sneer of triumph and said, "No!!!"
I heard the bones of Ayaya's neck snap and I watched her eyes spark as the last rays of the light of life faded from them until she hung limp from the fallen Malachim's grip, devoid of all life. Her body was then casually tossed to the side like a wilted flower.
I looked from Ayaya's crumpled form on the floor to the fallen one's triumphant gaze. Sneering he said, "We're done here. Now let's see how it fares for you in your attempt to escape the city which will soon come to believe that you killed their beloved priestess of the stars." The fallen one laughed once more and then turned his back on me dismissively as he started to fade from view.