Aftermath

Holding my Lilith in my arms, as the Azure glow around her continued to shimmer, a building sweat continued to etch from my brow to the ground. I fixed my gaze back through subspace towards the last Arbiter and then to the headless body of yet another.

Aldrich had spoken his peace, covered in blood, and what I can assume were Zantar and Balors. He stood strong before me, but I could tell the gravity of his injuries as his blood continued to trickle through his clothing.

I pulled out of the Hollowing, and the paleness struck me hard, as even Lilith's body seemed like a thousand pounds. My fingers clenched a little harder around Lilith's baby soft skin as I continued to struggle to find my ground.

"You should go," said Aldrich turning away.

Studying the back of this man's back, a myriad of emotions came my way. Mostly anger, but some annoyance. The way he patted my shoulder seemed almost ritualistic. Why did he kill me? And why don't I feel hate?

"We've still got to kill the last—"

"Go before you die. War zones of Paragons will kill you no matter how great your defenses are." He explained in a faint undertone.

I just stared at the man, covered in ash and blood, "If you are to die, it's going to be by my hands."

"That was the plan," he replied in a chuckle, " But no one can ever have it all."

"Then your just not trying hard enough."

Aldrich gave a long derisive laugh that stirred something in me. He tilted his head back to me, " Go."

Taking a step forward, the ethereal Darkness swelled around me, swallowing Lilith and me, leaving nothing but a sea of night.

…

…

…

Opening my eyes to the showers of rain through the windows and the shelling of explosions that echoed like thunder across heaven and earth, blood bubbled from my lips as I gasped for air.

I'd never used Demonic Resonance for so long, nor had I used so many concepts before, so I didn't put much thought into the backlash that would follow, but in the past six months, as Lilith and I hid within the mountains in an abandoned cabin.

I was sure it was Izavith's doing. This cabin was just too well placed to be this random, and I'm never this lucky. It was in the middle of nowhere!

"You feeling better?" Lilith faintly asked as I slightly turned my head to her, resting her head on my shoulders.

"How's the arm?"

"Still dead. But it's recovering. Severing End did a real number."

I chuckled as blood trickled down my lips, listening to the war outside. " They're still going at it."

"It could take hundreds of years," Lilith said, snuggling closer to me.

I nodded, knowing that was very true; if I didn't have hax or other ridiculous advantages, most of my battle would carry on for months or even years.

"Is Aegis doing well?" I faintly asked.

"Hmmm, maybe. Last we spoke was during your trials; he's fine, just waiting."

Thunder suddenly crackled, shaking the earth beneath us, simultaneously sending a chill dancing along my spine as the flickers of scarlet lightning flashed.

Closing my eyes, they opened to a new day, and another day, followed by the next till some feeling returned to my body. Organs had ruptured, my soul was torn inside out, and worst of all was that I could not move. I could barely even raise my voice.

Days, weeks, and months had all passed one after the other, as neither Lilith nor I spoke and just rested. We listened to the calming sound of the rain bathing the land clean.

"Hey, sene?" Lilith suddenly said to me.

"Mmhh?"

"Did I see into the future that day? It was shattered fragments, all changing and moving like the future but different. It didn't show me the actual future, but instead all that led here, and all that would happen as a result of particular thoughts, or—"

" I've no idea, but Bael had many books regarding Causality, and I think that's what we saw." He said, "The Cause and Effect of Reality."

Lilith's warm skin turned a little warmer as I nudged her head against my shoulders, " Make me Rice Balls."

"I've got some balls below for you."

"You ain't showered in almost twelve months; I'm good."

"That's what we men call flavor."

"It's what I call moldy balls."

"I can't move, sene."

"Same"

The rain echoed as Lilith and I when back and forth before we both began laughing.

"But I'm also hungry; where are your abyssal children?"

"Still on the battlefield."

I was a little shocked but said nothing as I turned to look at the gray eyes of Lilith, who that strange azure glow had blinded. Her soul was torn, far worse than mine and her right arm was black and purple without a shred of her once milky white skin.

"The war is still going on? Did we at least kill the last Arbiter?"

"We did, although Julius is in critical condition." She said, and I frowned.

"Weren't there two—"

"I placed a limit on Into The Abyss; for the first generation, I didn't create." She voiced strenuously.

"Whats the restriction?"

Feeling Lilith drool over my chest, I rolled my eyes as she moaned, "Too many words."

"Gods, you can't be that lazy," I uttered faintly, tracing my lips over her hair, stained in blood and ash. "And we need a shower; I think mold is growing out of our skin."

"Call Freya or someone; I'm sure you've got free people."

"Souls to damage to summon— Oh shit, I've got him. Zax!"

Appearing like a ghost from the Ring of Bael, he bowed his head, " What can I do for you, Master?"

"Food. Lots of food, and not any of that demon shit that'll make me shit myself. Human food, elven even. I know you can cook."

The Devil chuckled, "But of course, my master, and how's about a shower?"

"Touch my wife, and I'll—"

"Forgive me, then shall I just change you?"

"Bet!"

"SENE!"

"What? I'm not letting another man change you."

"He doesn't have to change me; there are hundreds of spells to clean me, without—"

"She's good," I snapped, cutting her off, smiling.

"Your dead, babe."

"Love you too, even though you smell like shit."