The Crown's Obsession

Odin stared at the clouds that continued to drift in the sky. The people in Heaven were nice to him, the souls gentle and in peace, but still, there was something that bothered him in the back of his mind. He wondered why it was so. 

On seeing the familiar angel who was the first to come and greet him at Heaven's gates, Odin quickly ran to the angel. 

"Lucifer!" came the excited voice of the young man. 

"Odin," Lucifer looked at Odin, who always liked to be around him whenever the young soul saw him. Instead of following what others did and keeping himself occupied, the newly turned heavenly being was often found alone by himself, lost in thoughts. 

"Did you finish your work?" asked Odin.

"No."

"Can I accompany you?" asked Odin in the same enthusiasm. 

Lucifer stared at Odin and had the same answer, "No."

"Where are you going?" asked Odin again, and Lucifer finally turned to Odin. 

"You shouldn't question where the angels or archangels are going. Go be useful and do something," replied Lucifer. The archangel didn't know how Odin had turned so attached to him. 

"But there's nothing to do here," replied Odin with a confused look on his face. Lucifer's expression didn't change, but he couldn't help but wonder why this soul was disturbed. He had noticed the change compared to the others, and he wondered if it was because the young man had been near the verge of turning into an unknown demon. "I wanted to ask you something. I have these dreams of a person who looks just like me, and he is not me. Do you know who it is?"

Lucifer pursed his lips, the expression in his eyes unchanging, "Have you gone thinking about those dreams again?" he asked the young man. 

"I try not to as you have suggested, but I cannot help it when I am dreaming. I sometimes see things that I don't quite understand," Odin blinked while looking at the angel for answers. 

"They will go away in time. Go find some hobby," suggested Lucifer. 

"Do you think it will be alright, to help you?" asked Odin with a hint of eagerness in his voice. 

Lucifer rolled his eyes and then said, "We'll see. I need to go now," and Odin bowed his head.

When Lucifer left the garden area, entering the building where some angels were working, he walked through the corridor before archangel Michael greeted him. 

"Looks like that young man adores your company," commented Michael. "His memory barriers of the mortal world are breaking, aren't they?" 

"They will stay intact if he continues to stay here without anyone mentioning it," answered Vladimir.

"It is never a good idea to bring a soul that is on the verge of turning into a demon, unless they walk through the gates by themselves," responded Michael. 

Since that day, eons had passed, thought Vladimir while he travelled in the carriage with Helena. Even during the time of the day when he had left Heaven, Odin had dutifully followed him without knowing the cause or asking why. 

"I heard from King Sebastian that you scared one of his magistrate's," said Helena. Her eyes moved to the corner where he sat before she looked back outside the window, her demeanour stoic as usual. 

"He said he didn't believe I existed and he said he wanted to have tea, I couldn't refuse such an offer. I didn't know he would leave his job," answered Vladimir while checking out his nails. 

"I wish you would go back to Hell," muttered Helena.

"With you of course," smirked the Devil, and Helena rolled her eyes. 

Vladimir had been enjoying the mortal world a little too much, but that was also hampering Helena's work in the High House. His presence scared half of the people, and the other half didn't show up in front of her on finding she was with the Devil. Over the last few months, it had created quite a lot of trouble getting the work done. 

"You have already prepared a seat for me in Hell, I doubt I will be going anywhere else," commented Helena. 

Vladimir picked up her hand in his, bringing it near his lips, and he kissed the back of her fingers, "My lovely Queen of Hell. All it took was a look to know with that spark in your eyes, when we met after many years. You had the same spark even when we met for the first time."

When Vladimir had come to the living world from Hell, he had come to turn some of the demons and humans to have vampire blood in them, and it was around the same time when Helena, back then known as Harriet, and he had met. 

"If you were a mortal you would have died, rotting under the ground in mud," replied Helena, remembering their first meeting. 

"It was a cute meet, wasn't it," smiled Vladimir, reminiscing about the past. 

Helena was in the village, a human was leading the other humans and fighting against the vampires who had turned berserk in some of the villages. The vampires had attacked the village she lived in. Every human was trying to fight back, but the vampires had the advantage of strength and speed. 

But even back then, Helena was strong just like now. She was protecting the villagers, who were fleeing or taking shelter, when someone came behind her. On sensing the ominous presence, she pulled her dagger while turning around and stabbing the vampire's heart. 

Her eyes were fierce as she pushed the dagger again, while the man did nothing but stare at her. The first thought that came to her mind was 'Why wasn't he dying?!' 

"Aren't you a beautiful person. What is your name?" asked Vladimir, fascinated by the woman who was intent on killing him. He twisted her hand and pushed her against one of the houses. 

"I will send you to Hell!" she spat in anger. 

"What an interesting long name you have there," replied Vladimir, but before he could continue his talk, someone tried to shoot him with silver bullets that were dipped in holy water. Helena had been quick to run from there, realizing the man she had come across was not an ordinary person.