The Source of All Evil

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Michaela Walker.

“Your Excellency, I have some terrible news.”

Michaela could hear an unfamiliar voice from where she was after the Evil Master did something to trap her in a peculiar dimension. She was still in the hallway, but the colors in this space were faded as if she were in limbo.

She knew he trapped her here for the Celestial Master not to see her. Though the latter was her last choice to escape this place, she thought if he’d get her out of here, she’d think of a way to run away from him, too.

Nothing was flattering about getting chased by two prominent experts, no matter how famous or handsome they were.

She followed the sound of that voice to a room, opening the door to a large hall that served as an imperial court. The Evil Master was sitting on a throne, acting pretentious in front of the man she saw in the hallway and the Celestial Master. He, as if he could see her, looked her way, a beginning of a smile tugging on his lips.

“There is this rumor about you choosing a man to be your imperial consort circulating across the lands.” The man in the white robe’s voice displayed the urgency of the situation in hand, bowing his head gracefully after delivering the report.

The Evil Master glanced her way, a hint of anger evident in his eyes, before sporting an indifferent expression. The Celestial Master scowled, looking behind him and in her direction, and Michaela’s breath hitched, thinking that he must knew she was there.

While she frantically tried to get his attention, the Celestial Master appeared not to see her, smirking as he said. “When I heard that the Evil Master would marry a man, I got intrigued, wanting to see this Empress-to-be. . . Will we get the honor to meet him?”

“Outrageous!” The man shouted, expressing his disagreement firmly. And for him to act this way in front of the Evil Master, Michaela figured that he must be an imperial court official. Probably a minister of some sort.

The Evil Master again glanced her way, and she quirked an eyebrow at him, grinning. Which confirmed that he could see her as his face hardened for a fleeting second.

Michaela felt ecstatic that Princess Nirvana didn’t let her down. She asked her to spread this rumor, as she remembered when reading the book, a relationship between two men deemed inappropriate and punishable by law. It was bigoted thinking, and Michaela wasn’t sure if the Evil Master added that bit in the book or if it were true, yet she figured there would be no harm to use this to her advantage.

It could be the reason why Mallick couldn’t be with Adrius, and she hoped if she had the power to change that.

The Evil Master cleared his throat, showing a smile that didn’t reach his eyes as he said. “That’s absurd! Do you think I’d marry a man? Even I know how wrong that is.”

The Celestial Master chuckled before he went on. “If you’re not marrying a man, then who’s this noble lady you’re planning to make your Empress?”

“Celestial Master, speaking out of turn is rather impolite. And you, out of all people, should know that.”

“And stealing other people’s property is rather a criminal offense, punishable by law. Even an Emperor can’t escape the Heavenly punishment.”

The Evil Master let out a villainous laugh, leaning in his chair in a provoking manner, leering at the Celestial Master. “Your defamatory statement against an Emperor is also a criminal offense.”

“Your Excellency, what’s going on?” The man in white robe looked puzzled by their conversation. His hands trembled from the domineering auras they both emanated.

“Marquis Gantes, next time when someone comes to my castle asking for an audience, you better check with me first before you allow them to enter my palace.”

Though his tone of voice came out gentle, Michaela could detect the silent threat behind it. The marquis as well understood what was implied, kneeling on the ground, begging for forgiveness. “Please spare this lowly subject’s life, Your Excellency! Please pardon this lowly subject’s poor judgment!”

The Evil Master let out the fakest laugh Michaela has ever heard, waving at the man to sit up, saying. “I know you mean well, and I was merely reminding you of the imperial etiquette. . . You may leave, Marquis Gantes, and we'll discuss the matter of this ludicrous rumor later. I have something to talk about with the Celestial Master.”

The man couldn’t be happier to get let off easily, stumbling as he hurried outside the room. The Celestial Master remained silent until the man left, his jaw tightening, glaring at the Evil Master as he said. “Where is Michaela Walker? I know you have her here somewhere. Are you planning to force her to marry you?”

The other showed a smirk, his true nature came to surface, glancing at Michaela before he said. “Princess Michaela Goliath agreed to marry me willingly. . .”

“We both know that the woman you’re holding against her will is not Princess Michaela Goliath.”

“She’s not, but she will be,” Was his reply, his smile widening when Michaela started cursing him. Too bad the Celestial Master couldn’t hear her.

“Celestial Master,” he went on, sitting up straight in his throne. “Why aren’t you showing your face? I mean, I’ve seen the face you managed to snatch when you traveled to the lower plane.”

Michaela frowned, feeling more intrigued to see the Celestial Master’s face. She had a feeling she’s met him before, and the last conversation she had with him confirmed that they knew each other.

“Why don’t you bring Michaela here first, and I’ll reveal my face.”

“Eh, so brave of you. Or, are you, perhaps, so confident that she’d follow you once she sees your face?”

Michaela noticed how the Celestial Master’s hand shook by his side, glaring at the other with clear contempt.

“Remember when we first met here? When we were sent to find the Cursed queen’s descendant. . . You, as well, got infatuated by Princess Michaela. . . And remember the bet we made on who would win her heart? What changed, Celestial Master? Don’t tell me that after you killed and snatched this new body of yours, your feelings have changed? Is the love of the owner of this body is stronger than your little infatuation with the princess, that you now fell for the. . . the ghastly and inferior version of Michaela Goliath?”

Ghastly and inferior? Michaela’s eyes narrowed, paying no heed to what he implied, stuck on the rude insults that he targeted her with.

“I admit that I took this bet just to mess with you, but meeting Michaela Walker in person, I found myself admiring her strong demeanor, her intriguing personality, and her spontaneous behavior. So to answer your question; yes, my feelings have changed. I never said that I liked Princess Michaela Goliath. I only admired her good-natured heart.”

Michaela felt herself smile at what the Celestial Master said, thanking him in her heart for the sweet words in her favor. She felt appreciative toward him, thinking that Princess Nirvana was right. The Celestial Master wasn't that bad of a person.

“You mean her foolishness, dull personality, and insolent behavior.” The Evil Master cast a glance at her, chuckling as he added. “I, on the other hand, am faithful to the woman who moved my heart. We both know that Michaela Walker died when she was a kid, and the soul that got transferred to her body isn’t hers.”

Michaela’s anger dissipated instantly, shocked by what he said. What did he mean by that? Michaela hoped he was lying and paled when the Celestial Master nodded.

“I know, but that doesn’t change the fact that the soul is now hers. Michaela Walker has the right to live.”

Michaela felt as if her feet couldn’t support her anymore, falling on her knees, frowning at the only man who could see her. The other just nodded, his cold eyes fixated on her for a fleeting second, showing no discernible emotion.

She searched her memory about this, and she could only recall the horrible accident she survived when she was fourteen years old. Michaela was riding her bike home, unaware of the police chase of a wanted criminal, who hit her when he lost control over his car. The memory of this accident was vague in her mind and only found out more details after she woke up in a hospital surrounded by her family.

Michaela always believed that she survived by a miracle, but could it be that no heavenly power was involved in her survival? Did the princess’s soul really get transferred to her body? Did this mean that she, Michaela Walker, didn’t exist anymore?

She was in so much shock that she zoned out for a while, staring at the Evil Master, trying to save her sanity.

“So does Princess Michaela.” The Evil Master leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, leering at the Celestial Master, saying. “And soon enough, my beloved will return, and Michaela Walker will cease to exist.”

“As I thought. You were the one who removed her existence from the lower plane?”

“What?” Michaela cried, her lips wavering, stammering as she asked. “I no longer exist in my world? Does this mean that my mom nor my friends remember me?

The man who could hear her chuckled coldly, nodding as he said. “I fixed the anomaly. Michaela Walker was supposed to be dead. Once I made sure my beloved’s soul has returned, I made sure to correct the history of her existence.”

“How could you? What did I do to you to deserve this?” Her voice came out as a mere whisper, overwhelmed by what she learned, panicking as she started hyperventilating. The Evil Master looked unfazed by her reaction while the Celestial Master’s body tensed.

“Don’t look at me as if I’m the only bad guy here. Celestial Master, again, I’d ask you to reveal your face. . . Or, is something here stopping you?”

Michaela’s tearful gaze darted between the Evil Master and the Celestial Master, feeling as if the former suspected that the other could tell that she was in the room with them. She would’ve cared about this, but she wasn't in the right mind to think about anything, feeling as if she were about to pass out, trying her best to overcome the panic that inundated her senses.

The new feeling she was experiencing was peculiar, strong, and overbearing. Michaela was sure of who she was, but everything that the Evil Master said ringed in her mind, filling it with doubts. She soon questioned her existence. She couldn’t trust her memories anymore, nor could she trust her logic to think carefully about this.

To exist was never something she contemplated over. She was there, breathing, yet the spiritual and immaterial part of her, the essence, wasn’t her own. No matter how hard she tried to comprehend this, it weighed on her consciousness, fighting this weird sense of denial, as if the soul was no longer connected to her body.

She couldn’t understand how, if what the Evil Master claimed was true, she could still recall memories of another person. If the soul within her belonged to this body, that she transmigrated in, then why didn’t she forget about her existence in the lower plane? And why the real owner of the body and soul wasn't now in control?

Michaela had so many profound questions with no answers. And the last bit of sanity she was clinging to dissipated when the Celestial Master finally revealed his face.

“Jason?”