The Do-Over System:My Beloved is the Villain! - Chapter 64

Chapter 64: 02/10- Father Seraphiel is not a fan

Father Seraphiel, though younger than most of the priests in the temple, carried an air of maturity that belied his age. His dark, youthful face was set in determination, and his green eyes glimmered with an intensity that matched his passion. Standing tall and unwavering, he approached Leona and Skye with a sense of purpose that seemed almost predestined. His robes of deep crimson adorned with intricate golden symbols shimmered in the light, the soft sway of his dark hair barely visible under the ornate headdress. His voice, steady but filled with an underlying urgency, cut through the tense atmosphere.

“Leona,” Father Seraphiel began, his tone firm, “I have been by your side for years. I’ve seen you grow, not just as the Oracle but as the woman you are meant to become. You owe it to the faith, to the people, and to yourself to remain by my side, as we’ve always discussed. Skye Drakonis is nothing but a passing shadow, a man driven by his own desires. You cannot let him cloud your path.”

Leona was taken aback by the vehemence in his words. She had always seen Seraphiel as a mentor, someone who had guided her with both wisdom and tenderness since her early days as the Oracle. But his insistence now felt suffocating, like a rope pulling her tighter when she desperately needed room to breathe.

“Seraphiel,” she said quietly, trying to calm him, “I understand your devotion to the Church, to the work we’ve done together, but this is my life. I cannot be bound to a fate dictated solely by duty. You know this.”

Seraphiel’s face tightened, and he stepped closer, his voice lowering, almost pleading now, “Leona, you do not understand what you’re giving up. Skye is not someone who will truly understand you. He’s not someone who will honor the divine will that shapes your life. You were always meant for something greater than his fleeting affections. I am the one who has been your constant, your guide. We were always meant to walk this path together.”

Leona’s heart twisted with emotion. She had always respected Seraphiel, even loved him in a way—like a brother, like a confidant. But this, this desperate plea, felt like a prison closing in around her. She had never realized how deeply he felt, nor how deeply he believed she could never walk away from the life she was born into.

“Seraphiel,” she said again, her voice softer but still resolute, “I’ve made my choice. I cannot live in the shadows of the past, nor can I be chained to what’s expected of me. I must make my own way, find my own happiness.”

His gaze flickered with something dark and uncertain. The young priest’s hands clenched into fists at his sides as his voice rose once again, this time with an edge of desperation.

“Leona, no!” His tone cracked with the force of his emotion. “You cannot choose him over me! You cannot abandon your duties, your purpose. The Oracle is a sacred role, and it was never meant to be overshadowed by anyone, least of all a man like him.”

Skye, who had been watching quietly from the side, stepped forward, his voice calm but cutting.

“Leona’s destiny is her own,” he said firmly. “She does not need your approval to make her own choices, Seraphiel. You cannot control her, and you certainly cannot control her heart.”

Seraphiel glared at Skye, his frustration boiling over into anger. “You think you can just come in and steal everything I’ve worked for?” he spat. “I will not let you ruin her, not now, not ever.”

His hand shot out, gripping Leona’s wrist with surprising force. “You’re mine, Leona,” he hissed. “You always have been. I won’t let you slip away from me.”

Leona’s eyes widened in shock, her breath catching in her throat. For a brief moment, she was taken back to her childhood, when she had first seen Seraphiel as a protector, as a mentor. But now, as he held her tightly, she realized that the bond they shared had become something entirely different—a possessiveness that was suffocating and wrong. Her voice trembled as she tried to free herself.

“Seraphiel, let go of me!” she commanded, her eyes brimming with tears. “I am not yours to claim. I have my own life to lead. My heart is my own, and I choose who I love, not you!”

Seraphiel’s face twisted with anger and heartbreak as he finally released her, his chest heaving with the weight of his emotions. “You will regret this, Leona,” he whispered bitterly. “You cannot abandon your calling for some fleeting romance. I gave everything for you, and you are throwing it all away for him.”

Leona stood tall, her voice steady and filled with finality. “I will not regret being true to myself. I will not regret loving who I choose.”

Skye stepped in, his voice soft but firm. “And I’ll be right beside her, every step of the way.”

For a long moment, Seraphiel stood in silence, his eyes burning with a mix of fury and sorrow. Then, with a final, heart-wrenching glance at Leona, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the shadows of the night.

Leona stood there, trembling, but resolute. She had made her choice, and it had cost her something precious. But for the first time in a long while, she felt free. Skye’s hand reached for hers, and she took it, knowing that despite the battles they would face ahead, they would face them together.

The priest’s face was contorted with disbelief, his eyes narrowing as he tried to process what was happening. “What about the vision?!” he demanded, his voice filled with urgency. “Isn’t he destined to bring an end to us? Now this? He must be joking, right?” His fists clenched at his sides as the weight of the situation became clearer. It was as though everything he had once believed in—the very prophecy that had guided him and the Oracle—was crumbling before his eyes. The thought of Skye Drakonis, the very embodiment of chaos, now playing the role of Leona’s suitor was simply too much to bear. He had no answers, only questions and rising panic.

Leona took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. She could feel the tension in the air, thick with the expectations and fears of those around her. Her heart raced, but she refused to let the priest’s words shake her. “The vision,” she said softly, her voice calm but firm, “is not set in stone. Prophecies are not absolute. They shift, they change, depending on the choices we make. We are not bound by fate.”

But the priest wasn’t ready to let go of his doubts. His voice shook with frustration as he confronted her. “You don’t understand! You think you can change what has been written in the stars, but Skye Drakonis…” He spat the name like it was poison, as though even speaking it was a sin. “He will bring ruin! He will destroy everything we’ve built. You cannot deny the truth of the vision. It was clear, Leona. The Oracle’s role is to guide us, not to fall into the trap of personal desires.”

Skye, who had been silently watching the exchange, finally stepped forward, his voice low but full of conviction. “Do you really think I would let Leona fall into the trap of her fate?” he asked, his eyes glinting with something darker, something older. “I will not stand idly by and watch her live a life bound by fear and duty. If fate insists on bringing an end to us, then so be it. But not like this, not without a fight.” He turned his gaze to the priest, his words biting. “You think I’m the one who’s going to destroy her? No. It’s the chains of this destiny you’ve created that will destroy her, if you let it. But I’m here to give her a choice, a way out.”

The priest recoiled, his expression a mix of anger and confusion. “And you!” he snarled, now turning his fury on Skye. “Why now? Why would you come now, when we are at our most vulnerable? You’ve waited, you’ve watched, and now you think you can change the course of destiny? It’s too late for that, Skye Drakonis! The Oracle has a duty, a responsibility to us, and to the people.” He jabbed a finger at Leona, as though accusing her of betrayal. “You are throwing all of that away, all for some personal gain.”

Skye’s eyes narrowed, his voice dangerously calm. “You’re wrong. I’m not here for personal gain. I’m here because Leona deserves more than the life you’ve planned for her. You don’t own her, and you certainly don’t get to dictate her future.” He stepped closer, his presence imposing. “You can try to push me away, but I won’t let her go. Not now, not ever.”

The priest took a step back, his fists trembling with rage and fear. He could feel the weight of the situation settling in, like a storm cloud ready to burst. His mind raced as he struggled to reconcile the Oracle’s actions with the prophecy. “This is madness,” he muttered to himself. “This is madness, and it will destroy us all.”

Leona, still standing beside Skye, looked at him with a quiet intensity. “I am not afraid of destiny,” she whispered, her gaze steady and sure. “I will make my own path. And if that means I stand beside Skye, then so be it.” Her words were a defiance against the weight of the prophecy, against the expectations that had been placed upon her since birth. She was ready to carve out her own future, no matter the cost.

Skye smiled slightly, a mixture of pride and affection in his eyes. The priest’s words had fallen on deaf ears, and now, it was time for him to fight for what he believed in. He would stand by Leona, no matter what. And if the world was going to crumble around them, then they would face it together. The fight for their freedom had just begun.