Chapter 166 – Unexpected

[2009 – October]

Landing softly in the small clearing in the woods behind the Hellion Mansion while wearing just a skin-tight pair of yoga pants and one of Elijah's hoodies as well as some underwear beneath, Jean quietly approached the dark-haired young man that had stolen her heart.

His back was leaning against the trunk of a large tree as he sat on the soft grass, his arms resting on his knees, while he gazed up into the still-dark night sky.

She didn't even have to say anything as Elijah just turned his head towards her with a calm and soft smile, his hand rising to take hold of hers while he made room for her between his legs.

Settling down while sighing lightly in comfort, her head resting on his shoulder while she half-lied on his strong chest, Jean silently inhaled her love's scent and, for a few long moments, she let herself be carried away by the sense of security Elijah's presence brought her.

Looking at his profile while he had his arms wrapped around her, one of his hands resting on her hip while the other brushed softly through her flaming locks, Jean couldn't help but wonder what Elijah was seeing as he gazed at the dark firmament.

Her own world had always felt as if it was getting smaller while growing up, as she tried to survive the constant barrage of foreign thoughts in her mind without losing her sanity. Only after meeting Elijah had this changed, as he had given her the confidence to dream of more than just being accepted and loved for who she was.

Now, Jean dreamed of having a family, children; a home filled with laughter and warmth. She dreamed of getting everything that she set her mind to.

From the day that she had met him though, Elijah's world had always seemed to be incredibly vast - limitless.

Whereas she saw her own powers as a curse that confined her, Elijah saw his as the gift that would carry him to the stars and give him the freedom that he yearned for.

There was something indescribably captivating about the way he looked at the world, as if he could see what was hidden from everyone else. It sometimes made her wish to see the world through his eyes.

Setting aside those thoughts, Jean parted her lips as she questioned softly, worry and care in her tone: "Are you alright, my love? You didn't come home, I was worried."

Looking down at her with warm green eyes, Elijah replied while lightly shaking his head, "You don't have to be worried, I am just waiting for the sun to come up. It's been a long and dark night."

Raising her hand, Jean softly caressed his cheek while brushing away a few dark locks, a loving light illuminating her eyes.

"Are you feeling conflicted about what you did?", she asked quietly, without judgement.

"No, but I feel a little less human.", he voiced out serenely, faint sorrow colouring his deep dark eyes, before he added, "Are you conflicted, Firefly?"

Shaking her head, Jean buried her head in her love's chest as she answered simply: "You are my my home."

While there existed people that, without a doubt, acted with incredible selflessness and benevolence, the vileness of human nature was equally limitless.

Having seen the worst that humans had to offer even at a young age due to her immense telepathic powers, Jean didn't think that everybody was worth saving, nor did she think that there were no people that deserved death.

Elijah might not agree with her but she knew that the people that he had robbed of their life had not been good or innocent people and deserved their fate. If they had been the same people that were responsible for Laura's creation, then they certainly would not be missed.

She wasn't sure if it was cold-hearted of her to think so, but Elijah's well-being was the thing that she cared about the most, as well as the well-being of those close to her and other innocent and good people, everything else was not within her scope.

…

Feeling Jean slowly drift into a light sleep while she still laid on my chest, the first rays of sunlight already starting to appear from beyond the horizon, I couldn't help but exhale lightly.

I was naturally relieved that her feelings for me and the way she acted around me had not changed. I loved her too much to not be worried that my actions would change things between us.

At the same time though, I also trusted that our bond was strong enough for us to weather whatever storm might head our way.

After all, I couldn't pretend to be someone that I was not just to please her. Not only would this go against my desire to be free but I also knew that lies and deception were no foundation for a lasting relationship.

If I had to suppress my nature just because of her, I would inevitably start to resent her, which was the last thing that I wanted to do. As such, I had not hidden my intentions from her in the first place, even though I had feared that something between us might change because of that.

Still, not for the first time had the lovely redhead in my embrace surprised me with her actions, causing gentle waves to erupt in my heart as I embraced her tightly.

I had also not lied to her as I told her that I wasn't conflicted about reaping the lives of all those people, nor about the fact that having done so, made me feel less human.

I hadn't expected to feel good about killing those people, nor had I expected to feel particularly bad as I had already experienced what it felt like to take a life. Though that had been while I had not yet ascended as a Realm Lord.

Still, I had at least expected to feel something, anything really. But I hadn't.

Aside from a moment of relief, in which I had not felt the truly abyssal hunger for life and everything else in creation, that had appeared after my soul had fused with the nexus core of the Darkforce Dimension, I had not felt anything else.

I naturally understood that I was treading a dangerous path as that simple moment of relief had only made the endless desire for life seem more overbearing. Thankfully, my mental strength was considerable which allowed me to see things clearly and understand that I could never allow myself to give in to this hunger or I would most likely lose myself in the pursuit of relieving myself of it.

Still, the fact that I could take the lives of hundreds without being affected, was also something that made me feel as if I had taken another step away from my humanity, which was besides the fact that revenge ultimately proved itself a very hollow concept in itself.

To be able to kill heartlessly without any sense of burden and gravity, I understood that this was not something a human should be capable of. And even though I wasn't human anymore and looked at life from a different perspective than most, this was still something that weighed on my mind.

I did not want to become completely uncaring towards life as that was clearly a very dark path.

Sighing, I decided to just let go of those thoughts for the moment and be with Jean as I continued to watch the dark of the night give way to the first light of dawn.

Suddenly feeling a weak presence at the back of my mind call out for me, I realized that Arya had woken up and was looking for me.

Though just as I was sending her my affection as well as some calming emotions while attempting to pull her to my side through the Darkforce Dimension, a small cloud of dark fog erupted to my right side as a tiny black owlet appeared in the air.

"Hu hu hu!", she hooted while falling, anxious flapping her wings.

Reacting quickly despite my surprise at her sudden appearance, I caught her midair while exerting force and holding her up with my mind through an ethereal barrier that covered my surroundings.

Setting her down on my palm as I softly caressed her beak, cheeks, and wings with my thumb to calm her down, my lips couldn't help but quirk up as I saw her nip at my finger affectionately while pressing herself deeper into my palm, in search of warmth and security.

"This, I did not expect.", I whispered as I looked at Arya as she continued to enjoy my ministrations, her eyes forming crescent moons as she hooted ever so softly.