The tension in Vyko's living room was suffocating, though the silence was soon broken by Vyko.
"I am no longer the person I used to be. I won't let myself be controlled again by some God. So don't expect me to come back. Ever."
"But you're the Angel of Peace, you *need* to come back," Levan immediately replied.
"No, I am not. I was. Heaven is not my problem anymore. I thought we've established that back then when I left," Vyko started. "But you just have to be so damn persistent, don't you?"
"Heaven needs you. Humanity needs you. *I* need you. Please," Levan begged desperately.
Vyko sighed, annoyed. Then they pointed a finger at Levan.
"Take your stupid requests and shove them up your-"
"Vyriel. I'm being serious. Humanity deserves to live in peace. They did nothing wrong to deserve this chaos," Levan pleaded.
Vyko sighed before taking a deep breath, getting ready to explain the situation as if Levan was completely stupid.
"Levan. The humans *are* the chaos. They created it themselves and yet you think humanity deserves peace? Even though peace wouldn't exist without my help? Even though war, chaos, violence... All of those are what makes humans, humans? My absence in heaven gave them free will. That is why they had a price to pay. And that price is lack of safety. Free will is what creates conflict. If I came back, these humans would lose that free will and become dull creatures once again. Do you think that is fair? Do you think the humans prefer to be mindless and safe? Or do you think they'd rather be hostile towards each other but have their own thoughts, their own personality, their own individual traits?"
Levan raised an eyebrow.
"You do realize you are the reason war exists, right?"
Vyko sighed heavily once more before continuing.
"You don't seem to understand this, Levan, so I'll explain it to you very carefully. Back then, until about 10 000 years ago, I was the reason peace even existed in the first place. Not you. Not the other angels. Not the humans. *Me*. Without me the humans are what humans are. They no longer live in that mental cage. *They* are what made chaos a reality. Sure, I was the trigger, but in the end they were the bullet."
"But the humans are harming each other! They are destroying everything we've built! Please, Vyriel, it's not too late! We can fix this!", Levan tried to convince Vyko.
Vyko however had none of it and sighed.
"Levan. You're delusional. I won't come back. And the humans will keep their free will. Father let me go without hesitation. He knew I was doing the right thing."
Levan tilted their head and raised an eyebrow.
"Are you though? Because to me it seems like Father simply got tired of your experimental nonsense."
"I was an important part of the system. Father wouldn't have let me leave if he thought it was the wrong move to make," Vyko responded, clearly convinced they were right.
"One day you'll regret this decision, I'm sure. And so will he."
Vyko crossed their arms.
"Are you doubting him? That's not very angel-like of you."
Levan furrowed their eyebrows and glared at Vyko.
"I don't care. He's made a mistake by letting you leave..."
"... And I am here to erase that mistake."
Whenever Levan visited Vyko, they usually reside in another guest room in the cult leader's house for as long as they stay.
So, as Levan finally stopped annoying Vyko and entered their designated room, the cult leader decided to make themselves ready to go to bed as well.
They entered their bedroom and looked into the mirror on the wall.
Vyko sighed.
They hated whenever Levan visited their home. They hated having their past follow them wherever they go. They hated who they used to be.
Vyko slowly removed the mask from their face, revealing the blindfold that's still covering their eyes.
The cult leader then stepped out of their robe and the extra set of clothes they wore underneath, still staring at the reflection in front of them.
*I look like a regular human now, but no matter how long I'll stay here, I'll never be a real person. I may have given myself freedom back then, but will I ever be truly free from my own past?*
Vyko went to their closet, picking out some more comfortable clothes for the night.
Then they sat down on the edge of the bed, staring off into space.
*I wish Levan would stop bothering me. I know they only mean well, but I don't want to go back there. Besides, it's quite obvious they are still in love with me, just like they were back then. Levan is desperate. I understand that. I understand that very well. They want a friend who won't judge them. Someone who won't treat them like they're worth less than others.*
Vyko slipped underneath the blanket and turned off the lamp on the bedside table.
*Oh Levan... I am not the person you deserve. I have goals that involve humanity, a change. While your goals are merely about your own inferiority complex. You were never seen as an angel worthy of being something greater. But I know more. If anyone could replace me as the Angel of Peace, it would be you.
*Not that I want that of course. After all, I've built this world to how it is now with great effort. It would've been a complete waste of time if someone took that away from me all of a sudden, just to force the humans to behave again.*
*Levan, I know it's hard for you to be all alone up there without a friend who's kind to you. You've always been a loner. Not by choice, of course. You loved spending time with other angels, yet they never seemed to understand you or want to get to know you. That's because they judged you based on your status. Your role as an angel.*
*After all these years you still want to change what happened. Even though it is already way too late. I understand that. You're still in denial about what occurred. You don't want to admit to yourself that I'm no longer there, and that I won't come back.*
*Levan. You deserve better. I hope that one day both of us can be happy.*