Chapter 1: Mother's Lost Love

"Mommy! Where is the peanut butter?" A young blue-eyed, blonde-haired Alex screams as she searches the kitchen pantry and cabinets, one after another. "It is under the sink, Alex. By the way, where is your brother, Aaron?" A tall blonde woman walks into the kitchen, continuing her search. "He is outside, riding his bike," replied Alex. Guinevere looked outside through the window above the kitchen sink and seen the dark clouds. "Alexandria, please tell your brother to come inside before it rains." Alex replied with a high-pitched voice, "Okay, Mommy," as she headed for the door.

Guinevere walked from the pantry, collected some ingredients, and returned to the stove to make for lunch her 'signature macaroni and cheese.' Charles, moments later, walked down the stairs towards the kitchen. "Good morning, Love-bug," he said with a hug from behind and kissed her on the cheek. "You slept in. It's noon," said Guinevere with a giggle. Charles rested his head on her shoulder. "Well, I enjoy waking up after a night like last night to your macaroni recipe," said Charles with a cheeky tone. "You mean a night that lasted only 5 minutes?" said Guinevere with a smirk. "I can't help it if I fell asleep when I get bored," said Charles with a witty remark. They both shared a chuckle.

Guinevere took a small amount of macaroni on the edge of the wooden spoon and presented it to Charles' lips. Charles took a bit. "Is it ready for the other ingredients?" she asked, knowing the answer. "I will always need you in my life," said Charles as he kissed her cheek. Guinevere's face lit up with a blush. "Where are those kids?" asked Guinevere. "They are most likely playing in the mud, waiting for you to clean them up," said Charles as he headed towards the front door. Before Charles could reach for the doorknob, the door bursts open as both Alexandria and Aaron come running in through the door, nearly knocking Charles over. Their clothes didn't seem to be tarnished in the slightest, but their shoes were indeed filthy. They both quickly realized the mess they had made and promptly discarded their shoes before entering the dining room area for lunch.

Guinevere walked towards the kitchen table and sat on a chair just as Guinevere was bringing out the food she had prepared. The faces on Alex and Aaron had an expression of excitement as they realized what their Mother had prepared for them. As for Charles, he found himself deep in thought about his plans. Guinevere placed the food on the table and said, "Eat up before it gets cold." Alexandria and Aaron had the first taste of the macaroni as they filled their plates, followed by Charles and Guinevere.

As the four of them were enjoying their lunch, Guinevere turned to Charles, saying, "We should go visit my parents after lunch today." Charles simply replied, "Yeah. It's been a while since your Father and I discussed that car he has been working on lately. I'm curious to see how it turned out." The children cheered with anticipation. "Well, I think the kids agree. Sounds like a plan," said Charles, looking through the newspaper for the score from yesterday's football game.

After lunch was finished, the children gathered what they wished to bring with them on the long car ride to their Grandparents' house. Alex and Aaron then left the house to go wait in the car. Charles and Guinevere gathered up the dishes and placed them in the sink. Guinevere turned the kitchen sink tap on when Charles intervened, "Leave them. I will do them once we get back," as Charles was putting on his jacket. Guinevere, with a smirk, said, "You are a fine gentleman of renown taste, Mr. Stratton." Charles chuckled as he helped Guinevere with her coat. "Well, I got to keep up with the daily battle," said Charles. "Yeah. We do. And we should be going now." said Guinevere as she opened the front door.

"Let's go, kids!" hollered Charles up the stairs. Guinevere chuckled, saying, "They are already in the car." Charles walked towards the door. "Then I guess we'd better be getting a move on," said Charles. "Yes, dear. Whatever you say, dear," responded Guinevere teasingly as she kissed him.

After driving on the road for quite some time, Charles notices that the gas meter was reading pretty low. "Well, it looks like we will need to get some gas," said Charles as he was driving into a gas station. The gas station itself seemed a little rundown, but it appeared to be still functional as a business. There was a bearded man, who dressed in filthy clothes, that was sitting on the side of the building. This man was starring at them without any word. Charles was oblivious to this man's glare, but Guinevere knew all too well that this wasn't good for her or her family.

As Charles was filling up the gas tank, Guinevere left the car, walked towards the man, and stood a few feet away. "How are you doing these days, Lamashtu?" asked the man. "I am doing quite well for myself, Gabriel. I am flattered that it is you that is following me, but I have to ask, why?" responded Guinevere. "You are not supposed to be in this realm. You being here goes against the agreement. You are a demon that belongs in Hell," said Gabriel. "I'm here because of a private matter that doesn't concern you. As for this body, when she was still in the womb, she was a miscarriage. I'm merely saving this body. The mother and father still have someone to call a loving 'daughter.' As for you, I believe it is illegal for an angel to possess any human as well," said Guinevere as her eyes began to glow a bright shade of red. "I don't have to answer to a hell-whore like you. But if you must know, he had little self-esteem and gave himself freely to me to with as I so please," said Gabriel.

"So, it seems. How is your son? I heard he disappeared when he was sent out on a recon mission. It's a shame that he never returned," said Guinevere with a smirk that made Gabriel uneasy. "If you knew about that recon mission, you would know that the target was you. What have you done with him?" demanded Gabriel as the expression on his face drastically changed. "He was a good kid. He wanted to make his father proud. Too bad that is no longer this reality. I destroyed his spirit and the spirits of his companions. Before I did that, I tortured and committed atrocities while doing so that would be the equivalent of war crimes. His spiritual body finally succumbed to his injuries and disappeared into the void this morning just before I cooked for my family a macaroni-based meal. That being said, I guess you could say that my family ate macaroni on his grave if he were to have a grave," said Guinevere with a ghastly laugh just before Gabriel let out a roar of anguish.

Gabriel charged at Guinevere, screaming, "Today, you die, and so do your children!" Guinevere dodged Gabriel's fist, pulled out a dagger, and plunged it into Gabriel's chest. "No. The ascension of my clan is at hand, and the twilight of Heaven's fall is neigh. Remember this as you enter the void," said Guinevere, whispering into Gabriel's ear. "How is this possible?" asked Gabriel weakly as he collapsed. Guinevere knelt at Gabriel's body and pulled the dagger from Gabriel's chest. The blade of the sword had an eldritch red glow to it. "It's a miracle what you can do when you have a witch in your back pocket, who is competent with magick," said Guinevere. "My brothers will avenge me," said Gabriel as the color in his face began to fade. Guinevere sheathed the dagger in a place hidden in her coat, stood up, and walked back towards the car, leaving Gabriel to bleed out on the side of the gas station building.

Guinevere entered the front passenger side of the car as Charles gave her a look of concern. Guinevere noticed Charles's expression and looked towards the back seats to find that Alex and Aaron were both asleep before returning her look to Charles. "Guinevere, what happened? There was screaming, and your coat is covered in blood," asked Charles with a whisper. "We were being followed," stated Guinevere. "How long have we been followed?" asked Charles. "Two years," said Guinevere. "Of course. So, what do we do now?" asked Charles, glancing out the front window of the car. "There isn't much we can do at the moment. I'll have to summon Elizabeth and let her know about Gabriel possessing a homeless man. I'll be sure to do that sometime tonight," said Guinevere. "One of these days, you should invite this Elizabeth over for Thanksgiving. It'd be nice for you to introduce her to us," said Charles. "She'll introduce herself when the time comes. She is a great advisor and friend," said Guinevere.

They both sat there for a moment contemplating the situation. "Well, let's just get to my parents' place for now. I'm sure the children would be happy to see them. We could figure things out from there," said Guinevere. Charles had put the key in the car ignition. "Let's go," said Charles as they left the gas station.

Some time had gone by as they continued their drive. Guinevere looked in the back of the car and seen that Aaron and Alex were still asleep. "Those kids sure do sleep a lot during long car rides. I'm a little envious of them. I wish that I could do that, but I always had issues staying asleep in a car," said Guinevere. "Those children are going to be super energetic when we get to your parents' house," said Charles. "Well, if it means driving them crazy to make up for all of the times they embarrassed me in high school, I'd say it is worth it," said Guinevere. "Oh. Feeling vengeful, are we? Sounds sexy," said Charles with a wink. "Everything sounds sexy to you when I say it," says Guinevere. Both Charles and Guinevere chuckled.

Suddenly the road began to crack and shift in front of the car causing Charles to lose control of the vehicle as it began to roll. Alex and Aaron, awake, screaming, and trapped in the back of the car. "Is everyone okay?" asked Charles. "I'm good. I think I can get out," said Guinevere as she began to climb out of her passenger side window to the outside of the car. As she got free, there were two men, dressed in gladius with swords that glowed a deep blue, standing above her and the wrecked car.

The two men grabbed Guinevere and pulled her to her feet. Then they tied her hands with a three-cord rope that had a red glow and pushed her to her knees. A third man, dressed in similar apparel, approaches Guinevere. "Lamashtu, it is so good to see you again. We haven't exchanged any recipes as of lately," said the third, yet unknown, man. "Go fuck yourself, you, minor-ranked, poltergeist! I hope the angels realize your worth and devour you like a bitch eating the runt of its litter! And if you didn't understand that, here's the summary; Fuck you, Metatron!" screamed Guinevere. One of the first two men unsheathed his sword and struck Guinevere in the face with the sword's hilt, knocking her out and fracturing her right eye socket. "You leave her alone, you bastards!" yelled Charles helplessly. The three men laughed, heeding no sympathy for Charles's distress.

Metatron raised his sword, causing a portal with an orange glow to appear. They entered the portal, leaving Charles and the children to what fate may await them. Charles searched for a cellphone around the car but to find that it was in vain. Aaron and Alex, in the backseats, still screaming, asking where their mother has gone towards. Charles couldn't give a genuine answer. "We will get through this, kids!" said Charles, trying to calm his children.

After some time, Charles and the children struggled to break free from the wreckage. Suddenly another portal began to open, but this time, with an electric blue glow. All Charles could see from underneath the wreck were the bare feet of a woman before losing consciousness.

After some time of Charles dreaming about what he had just experienced, he awakes to find himself in his bedroom tucked in under his bedcovers. Charles looks to his right to find a beautiful woman, wearing a sweater with sweatpants, is sitting in a chair at his bedside. "You're awake!" said the woman with delight. "Who are you? Where are my children?" asked Charles, still in a haze. "I am Elizabeth. I have served your wife and the clan for nearly two centuries. Your children are safe and asleep. Sadly, when we learned of Lady Lamashtu's capture, it was already too late. I am deeply sorry," said Elizabeth. "Well, I'm not surprised. I knew what I signed on for when I married that woman. She hid few things from me," said Charles as he sat up in his bed.

"A squad of angels was the ones that took her. When you feel ready, we can track them down and get Lady Lamashtu back," said Elizabeth. "Yeah, I'm almost ready. One of them was named 'Metatron.' I think he was the one that was leading that squad," said Charles with a look of despair. Elizabeth reached over and grabbed Charles's hand, leading him towards the bedroom door. As Elizabeth grabbed the door handle, a faint blue light began to glow underneath the door and through the keyhole. Elizabeth, opening the door, revealing on the other side of the door, not the hallway of his house, but instead a grand royal court. The court had a long wooden table where at least a hundred people were seated. The court was filled with screaming absurdities at each other as they expressed grave concern.

"Those fucking angels have finally gone too far. This situation is an outrage!" someone yelled. "Well, this wouldn't have happened if you did your job better, you ballless bastard!" another barked before throwing a chair. "Everyone, remain calm!" yelled Elizabeth trying to control the crowd. "Put some clothes on!" a distant voice begged. Charles noticed that Elizabeth wasn't wearing any clothing. Charles looked down onto his body and realized that he wasn't wearing any clothes either. Elizabeth snapped her fingers, and she was instantly wearing a black robe with golden lace and leather boots. Charles tapped Elizabeth's shoulder while cupping his crouch, whispering, "I need a cool black robe too. Please!" Elizabeth snapped her fingers again, causing a similar form of garments and leather boots to appear on Charles' body. Charles inspected the robes he was wearing. "Wow. Underwear as well!" exclaimed Charles with delight.

"People, quiet! Listen to me!" demanded Elizabeth as the crowd finally settled and paid heed to Elizabeth. "Good senior members of the Red Skull Clan. I know many of you, and our warriors would easily lay down your lives for our beloved Scarlett Lady! But what we need is to send in a squad of our finest," she continued. The senior members whisper amongst themselves. One senior member dressed in furs, carrying a large sword in a sheath, stood up and spoke with a deep, calm voice, "I, Gronöck, would enjoy this adventure in reclaiming our Scarlett Lady.

As you know, I am an experienced warrior, and I believe that I may help aid our chances of success." Elizabeth, with a pleasing look, asked, "Who else may aid this mission?" Two men at the table barked, "We will bring those pixies hell!" Elizabeth shook her head in the palms of her hands before looking back in the direction of the two voices. "Thörn, Törn, you wish to aid in the liberation of our Scarlett Lady?" she asked. "Yes, ma'am!" said Thörn. "For blood and glory!" said Törn, raising his mace to the aether as he climbed the table. Thörn grabbed Törn's leg causing him to fall back in his chair. "Bastard!" barked Törn. "You are also a bastard if I do recall. After all, we are illegitimate," said Thörn.

"Well, that makes three," said Elizabeth, with a slight groan. A scarred-faced woman, dressed in dark green clothing, wielding a large bow and a full quiver, let out a cackle, leaving Charles feeling more uneasy than he already had been feeling. The woman stood up, "For the Scarlett Lady, I will be the incarnation of death, and my arrow will aim true as our enemies' bodies shall fall torn and their spirits shattered!" cackled the woman. "Always enthusiastic as always, Seraphina!" said Elizabeth with a sparkle in her eye. "Anyone else? Who wants some blood?" urged Seraphina. "We should have enough, Seraphina. Any more, and it won't be such a small group," said Elizabeth with an assuring smile. "As for the rest of you, you are dismissed. Go back to your homes, to your families. Sleep, knowing that the Scarlett Lady will return." The room was soon nearly emptied, leaving Charles and Elizabeth with their group of volunteers.

"Gather around, you crazy buggers!" barked Elizabeth. Elizabeth pulled out a map from her robe. She unfolded and placed it on the table showing various regions with intricate detail. "I'll admit that I have never seen a map of Hell. I never knew it would be so vast," said Charles with awe. "This map is a little more 'internationally' inclusive. You have the Seven Heavens, the Elemental Planes, the Territories of Hell, and the gateways that interconnect these planes of existence along with gates towards other realms and realities." said Elizabeth as she pointed out the significant areas shown on her map. "Where our scouts reported the Scarlett Lady's location is at an angelic encampment in the Icy Mountains of Nifelheim, the home of the Frost Giants," said Elizabeth. "This won't be easy," said Thörn. "Oh. What a fun time!" Törn with glee. Seraphina licked her lips. "I've never killed a frost giant before. I wonder what poison works best." She wondered.

"Let's get our Scarlett Lady back!" shouted Gronöck and Seraphina with bloodthirsty pleasure. "Pack up your personal belongings, and I'll take care of the rations," ordered Elizabeth. "This is going to be super fun!" said Törn with a chuckle. "Let's get this done," said Thörn with a look of determination.

Later, the group of warriors met up at the front of the town. The town, although small, was heavily fortified with six-foot thick walls made of brick and mortar that were fifty feet high. The wall is reinforced with steel braces and has several watchtowers monitoring the town's border. Charles' jaw dropped, in awe, at the sight of the structure of the walls. He heard the group's footsteps on the road before breaking his gaze to run and catch up with the group of unlikely allies.

"I hope you guys realize that I'm coming as well," said Charles. "I recognize you. You were that nudist that Elizabeth made pants for. Who are you anyway?" asked Gronöck. "He is the Scarlett Lady's consort," said Elizabeth. "Hmm. Try not to be dead weight," said Seraphina with a grunt. "I'm sure you'll do great. That'll be awesome. We can take on anything. Us, guys, against the world!" screamed Törn with a voice crack as he placed his hand on Charles' shoulder. Thörn turned to give Törn a sweet right hook to his face. Törn flew a considerable distance, landing on his back in a pile of fruit. Törn sat up, rubbing the lower half of his face. "Focus! Charles is going with us on this! That's final!" barked Elizabeth with rage. "Yes, ma'am!" yelled the warriors.

As they traversed the plains that surrounded the town for several miles, they approached the entrance of a swamp. The swamp was thick with trees and awful smells that varied from one to another. "Be careful while entering this swamp," said Elizabeth. "This is Geeb'ela Territory. Be on your guard. They may already know that we are here," said Gronck tightening his grip on his sword as they enter the swamp. Seraphina drew her bow aiming high into the trees with a sweeping motion. "Who are the Geeb'ela?" asked Charles. "They are an enemy clan, whom we haven't been allies with since the Great Rebellion. Which is when Lucifer united all of the clans of Hell against the Heavenly Empire," said Seraphina. "Great time to be unarmed," said Charles with a moan. "Nothing we can't handle. We're the greatest," said Törn with confidence.

As they got deeper into the swamp, Elizabeth tripped over a loose tree root as an arrow swept past her, nearly missing a fatal spot as it hit the ground. Suddenly a group of savage Geeb'ela warriors, covered in crimson armor, exposing the feral tattoos on their arms and legs. "We are surrounded!" cried Thörn. Gronöck let out a deep battle cry, charging a group of oncoming enemies. Charles frantically helped Elizabeth to her feet. "Al'katash zor'al!" muttered Elizabeth, raising her hands with glowing purple energy expanding outwards, causing ten enemies to screech in agony as they explode injuries additional Geeb'ela warriors. Three dozen more quickly replaced them. Seraphina shot a magical arrow, passing through one enemy and killing five others behind him. Thörn grabbed Törn, glowing with profound red energy, and threw him at another group of enemies at a distance, causing a violent, earth-shattering explosion, killing all that the red energy had engulfed except for Törn. "That must have hurt!" said Törn with a confident laugh.

After the deaths of several dozen enemies, the group looked around, waiting for more enemies. "I hope that's all of them," said Charles, covered in blood. "Yummy!" said Törn, licking his blood-covered fingers. "Let's keep going before nightfall hits. I don't wish to be ambushed while we sleep," said Elizabeth. "Agreed," said Gronöck, cleaning his sword on the linen shirt of one of the dead Geeb'ela warriors. "This was a decent warm-up," said Seraphina with a grin.

As the group continued on their path, they were getting close to the end of the swamp. There was a large deep growl. "What was that?" asked Charles with the expression of fear. "Oh. That'll be interesting," cooed Seraphina. The ground shook with a slow, repetitive rumble. They looked up as the trees crumbled under the weight of a pair of monolithic white feet. The group sprinted out of the way as each step of this creature became more and more deafening. They waited for this hulking creature to pass as its steps started to become quiet as it traveled into the distance.

"Still, I have to ask. What the fuck was that?" asked Charles as his legs trembled. "That, my friend, is a Frost Giant. He has traveled a very long way from his homeland. Let's follow him," said Gronöck. "What? Why?" asked Charles with grave concern. "We need to go this way. Conveniently, the Frost Giant is headed since every threat that we may have come across would scatter immediately," said Elizabeth, eyes fixated on the Frost Giant. "Aww. Why can't we kill more?" whined Törn. "You idiot. Our objective is to retrieve the Scarlett Lady." Barked Thörn. "Okay. Fine," said Törn, muttering as the group continued their path being led by the Frost Giant.

As the group had set out in the direction of where the Frost Giant was headed, Charles was apprehensive about his wife. "We have had strange situations in the past involving her, but I'm deeply worried," said Charles towards Elizabeth. "Well, you love her. The first time I had seen a Frost Giant, I didn't leave the town for a month. And yet, you're still a crazy bastard for coming this far," said Elizabeth. "Yeah. I think you are right. I belong in an asylum," said Charles. Elizabeth laughed. "Life certainly is stranger than fiction," said Elizabeth. "Especially the afterlife," said Charles.

"So, what are we expecting once we arrive at this 'Nifelheim'? asked Charles. "It would be several hours on foot before we arrive in Nifelheim. Normally, we would have to travel to Alfheim, home of the elves, and then onto Muspelheim, home of the Fire Giants, before we get to Nifelheim's border. If we traveled that way, it'd be several months, and we would have lost our lead on the Scarlett Lady's location. But we know of an ancient portal directly into Nifelheim that is in that direction. Where that Frost Giant is going, we can't say. And we shouldn't care," said Elizabeth.

Charles looked up in the sky and noticed the sun was setting. "I know you said that this plane of existence has a 'night-time,' but to see it with my own eyes is an interesting experience," said Elizabeth smiling. "It's interesting to get a fresh view from the new guys when they first come here. That's probably the smartest thing you've said all day," stated Seraphina. "Did she just compliment me?" whispered Charles to Elizabeth. "She has her good days," said Elizabeth as she chuckled.

In the distance, the group could see a mountain range stretching miles in length. "So, I'm assuming that we will be doing some rock climbing," said Charles with a raised eyebrow. "No, that won't be necessary. There is a safe trail at the base of one of those mountains that leads to the portal to Niflheim," said Elizabeth with a pointing index finger. "My feet are going to hurt after this," said Charles. "Your ass is going to freezing once you are on the other side of that portal. Your feet will thank you. Your ass, not so much." said Törn. "He's right, you know," said Thörn. "The cold winds of that place are hard to forget," said Seraphina. "Let's just focus on the task at hand. We get in, we get out," said Elizabeth.

When they finally arrive at the end of the trail, they find a small cave entrance. The group entered inside to discover a large cavern, and at its center is a pool of a mysterious liquid with a green glow, both in the liquid and the vapor it gives off. "Well, it looks like it is time to freeze our nuts off," said Gronöck as he jumps into the pool, vanishing. "Wait. So, how cold is Niflheim?" asked Charles, looking into the portal. Seraphina walks up behind Charles and pushes him in before jumping in herself, followed by the group's remaining members.

The group soon realized there was a very noticeable change in the environment. The ground was stiff, cold, and rigid. The air was cold as snow began to fall, and with each gust of wind, their faces would feel the bite of the cold embrace. "Bitch ass, cold! Why am I not wearing underwear?" shrilled Seraphina as they stood in front of the portal in the middle of a blinding snowstorm. Once all of the group's remaining members materialized, Elizabeth raised her hands in the air, chanting "T'sh Flem'ng!" as yellow rays of light shot out of her hands. The group felt as though they were enjoying a nice summer day instead of the thick snowstorm surrounding them. "That is probably the best spell I have seen you cast all day, Elizabeth," said Seraphina, rubbing her arms and buttocks. "I think I'll have to agree with her on that one," said Gronöck, still shivering with his beard covered in snow. "Wait. Did you just screamed?" asked Törn with a laugh. "It is that cold here. No joke about that," said Thörn.

After standing near the portal for some time, Charles began to detest his environment. "Well, which way do we go?" asked Charles. Elizabeth, looking at her map, feeling puzzled, says, "This doesn't seem right." Thörn, raising an eyebrow, asked, "What is that suppose to mean?" Elizabeth, with a sigh, said, "It looks like the portal was changed. This place is not where we were supposed to land. Let's go back." As soon as the group turned around to return, the portal closed, leaving the group stranded. "Someone is expecting us," said Seraphina. "Prepare for another ambush," said Gronöck, drawing his sword.

Several deep growls shook the very ground that they stood upon. These growls were hauntingly familiar. "Frost giants!" yelled Elizabeth as the group scattered. The frost giant growls got closer and closer with each footstep that sounded like thunder as quaked. The group believed that the frost giants would soon devour them, but then, there was a deep humming sound that caught the attention of the frost giants and causing them to pursue its source, leaving the group ignored and discarded as a threat.

"That was way too close. Is there any way that we could defeat one of those if needed?" asked Charles. "We could if we had more people, but the objective of this mission wasn't to start a war but to save our Scarlett Lady," said Elizabeth. "Few beings in existence can stand on their own in a one-on-one fight with a giant. And fewer tend to survive if they win," said Gronöck, rubbing his head in relief. "Well, let's keep going," said Seraphina. "Any idea where this camp is? What did our scouts say?" asked Charles. "We're farther than where we should be. Keep your guard up and stay together!" yelled Elizabeth.

Everyone, at this point, was exhausted, but they knew that they needed to continue forward to save their Scarlett Lady. To save Lamashtu. To save Guinevere Stratton, the wife of Charles Stratton. All Charles could think about was Guinevere and his children. "What if she is dead? What if we're too late? How will my children, Aaron and Alex, recover from the car accident? Why didn't I tend to Aaron and Alex when I first woke up but instead trusted a woman I never met and dived into Hell?" were some of the many questions that Charles asked himself but could think of few answers. He thought himself to be going insane. Yet, he continued the journey he shared with his companions in this nearly desolate land of snow and ice.

The group eventually came within viewing distance of an enemy encampment as the air began to clear. Seraphina, at the front, motioned for everyone to crouch in hopes of not being spotted by enemy combatants. Seraphina leads the group closer to the encampment but still at a safe distance. "I'll scout out the area while you guys formulate a plan of attack," said Seraphina before leaving her companions. "Okay. Thörn and Törn, you will be our distraction. You will act like beggars and go in front. Charles, you stay behind and keep out of sight. Gronöck and I will attack once Seraphina has given the signal," said Elizabeth as she pointed Thörn and Törn to their positions. "Why do I have to stay behind?" demanded Charles. "It is because even though you haven't been initiated, you being Lamashtu's husband, that makes you a high target regardless of how well we can pull off this attack. Please, stay put," said Elizabeth. "Very well. Raise some hell," said Charles. "That is what we do best," said Elizabeth with a wink as she and Gronöck waited for Seraphina's signal.

"Look's like I found their Captain already. Let's take him out of action," whispered Seraphina to herself as she found an elevated place on a rocky hillside. Seraphina drew an arrow and aimed it at the Captain's leg as he stood outside his tent. Another figure, dressed in a white robe with a hood concealing his face, emerges from the Captain's tent to shake his hand, sharing a few words and then departing from the camp. "Who the fuck is this guy?" she wondered. Seraphina watched the hooded figure closely as the figure got on its white horse and rode away with hast. Seraphina waited for the right moment as the white hooded figure was nowhere in sight and fired her arrow, seriously injuring the Captain in his chest.

Elizabeth was watching closely as Thörn and Törn were distracting the two guards. The Captain's screeched in agony, and he could be heard throughout the encampment, startling the guards. Once the guardsmen turned their backs, Thörn and Törn unsheathed their daggers and killed the two guards with rage and devouring ecstasy. Elizabeth perked up at the sound of the Captain's pain and said, "That's the signal," and charged alongside Gronöck, running past Thörn and Törn. Seraphina remained in her position, shooting arrows at the enemy soldiers while Elizabeth reaped havoc with her spells.

Gronöck unsheathed his sword and plunged it into the chest of a soldier, piercing the breastplate with ease. Another soldier charged towards Gronöck. Gronöck punched the charging soldier, crushing the soldiers' helmet and killing him. Gronöck then pulled his sword from the dead soldier and charged a group of soldiers as Seraphina rained arrows upon them, leaving Gronöck with a single soldier, mortally wounded with an arrow piercing the soldier's leg. Gronöck looked at the squealing soldier as he writhed on the group, and with a look of pity, Gronöck slit the soldier's throat ending the soldier's existence.

As soon as the fighting stopped, everyone reunited in front of the Captain's tent. The captain kneeled on the ground and was holding the arrow in his chest. "So, we finally meet Metatron. It's a pleasure," said Elizabeth. "So, you lead this group?" asked Metatron through deep, agonizing breaths. "Wait. You're the one who abducted my wife," said Charles with an expression of rage exceeding his exhaustion. "Yeah. That's right. And I'd do it again if it meant hurting your children," said Metatron with a smirk. Charles reached for Törn's bloody dagger from pulled it from its sheath. Charles then impaled Metatron's throat with the blade, killing him instantly. "Well, that's one way to do it. Good job!" praised Seraphina. "I hope he didn't have any important information," said Elizabeth with a displeased expression.

When they entered Metatron's tent, they found Guinevere bound with a rope to a chair. She was beaten and broken. Her right eye socket had been fractured. A few fingernails were missing, a few broken ribs, and several other inflictions that were easily visible. Charles, horrified, ran to Guinevere and wept as he held her weak body towards him. With what little strength she had, she asked, "Where is Metatron?" Elizabeth left the tent and returned with the decapitated head of Metatron to show Guinevere. "It could be my eyes. He does look much better now in this condition," joked Guinevere just before falling unconscious.

When Guinevere finally awoke, she found herself in her bed-chamber, back in the heavily fortified town. Charles was asleep in a wooden chair at her bedside. All Guinevere could do was smile as Charles slept in the chair. She gave her situation some thought as she knew something had to be done. And she knew that she and Charles wouldn't like it. But for now, she wanted to enjoy the view of her sleeping husband.

An hour had gone by as Guinevere laid in her bed. Guinevere reached and held Charles' hand, waking him. "Guinevere, you're awake," said Charles in a haze. "I've been watching you sleep for an hour. I didn't want to wake you until now," said Guinevere, still weak. "I killed Metatron," said Charles as tears poured down his cheeks. "I know, and I'm sorry that you had to do that. You never killed anyone before. That must have been hard for you, but I am thankful for a husband like you," said Guinevere as she placed her hand on Charles' cheek, wiping away a tear before returning to her original laying position.

"How are the children?" asked Guinevere. "Elizabeth is making sure that they are receiving the care they need. They are fine. And she offered to have their memories altered. I took her offer because I didn't want them to suffer," said Charles. "You are a good father, but we need to do something about the situation. They will keep coming after the children now that their existence is known. I know this is going to hurt a lot, but I think I need to fake my death in the human world," said Guinevere. There was a long, uneasy silence as Charles knew that Guinevere was right. "I just got you back. And now, we're being torn apart again."

There was a knock at the door as it was Elizabeth who entered. "We have to do this for the children. Have them believe that I have died to protect them. My focus and the focus of our enemies can be turned towards here. The members of the Fire Skull clan are loyal to one another. They may not always agree, but they are truly loyal. We must keep the children safe," said Guinevere as she began to sob, knowing that she may never be able to hold her children ever again. Charles turned to Elizabeth. "Elizabeth, could you alter the memories of my children so that they remember Guinevere not being able to wake up from the car accident?" asked Charles, with hesitation as he had trouble saying the sentence. "It's already been done. When I went to rescue you and the children, I knew that Guinevere would choose to return here full time as our Scarlet Lady to protect her children. They are still in a magical coma if you wish to see them before Charles and the children go on their way," said Elizabeth. "No, that won't be necessary. If I see them, I may not want to let go of them," said Guinevere with tears streaming down her cheeks. "Guinevere, I will always love you," said Charles as he leaned forward, kissing Guinevere on the lips.

"I would love to stay a little longer, but I need to get the children home. Bright and early for school, if they want to go to school," said Charles as he stood up. "I'll lead you back to your children," said Elizabeth as she opened the door. "Okay. Let's go," said Charles as he walked towards the open door. Charles turned and looked at Guinevere for possibly the last time. "Keep up the daily battle!" cheered Guinevere. "Keep up the daily battle," said Charles as he raised a fist to the air just before walking through the door. And so, Guinevere is left alone with her thoughts and plans for the future.

Later that night, back at the house on Earth, with the children in bed, Charles sat in the dark living room drinking scotch from a glass with ice in it. He thought about what was said and what might have been left unsaid between him and his wife. He felt fearful about the future, but he knew he had to face it. He wondered if he would ever see his wife again and if his children would ever forgive him for what he has done.

Blue flames engulfed the living room carpet in the shape of a perfectly symmetrical circle. Elizabeth, nude, emerged from these flames as they dissipated, leaving no trace. She snapped her fingers as a beautiful yellow sundress appeared on her. "How are you taking things?" asked Elizabeth. "Well, I'm pretty buzzed right now. As for the children, they are in bed," said Charles. "Yeah. That's understandable," said Elizabeth. "I wish we had a better bargaining chip than my children living without their mother," looking out the living room window before turning to look at Elizabeth. "It was the best course of action when it came to keeping the angels' focus off you and the children," said Elizabeth. "Yeah. I know, but I still don't like it," said Charles. "None of us do. I'm not fond of the idea of separating children from their parents. And I know that Guinevere wouldn't have taken this decision lightly, even if we are demons. I was not going to lie. It is taboo for a demon to marry a human. Yet, out of all of the beings in existence, she chose you because she knew you were the best selection. After going on that mission to save her, you respect many of the clan members. You are revered amongst many of us," said Elizabeth.

"Well, the group that we were with seemed like they didn't mind," said Charles. "That's because they just wanted their Scarlett Lady back. When a common cause shows up, demons like them always put aside their differences, especially for the Scarlett Lady. They love her, and all they want to do is see that she is safe and happy. Unfortunately, that is something that is a value that a lot of people tend to forget," said Elizabeth.

Charles thought about what Elizabeth had said. He thought about what could be done. "Well, I'm going to need more money to help look after these children. Without Guinevere working in the human world, I may lose the house," said Charles, rubbing his chin. "It's already been looked after," said Elizabeth. "That's a relief. How do I know for sure?" asked Charles. "Check in with the bank tomorrow morning. Maybe the Bank Tellers will clear things up with your doubts. Your wife has more power in this world than you know," said Elizabeth with an assuring smile. "Good. Do you have a message from her?" asked Charles. "What I have here are three plane tickets for you and the children. The flight is to go see your parents. It is scheduled for this upcoming weekend. I understand that you haven't seen your parents in nearly five years. I know I haven't seen my parents in two centuries," said Elizabeth as she places the plane tickets on the sofa.

"I'll do it. And I have to ask, what happened to your parents?" asked Charles. "That's a story for another time. Unfortunately, I need to head back to perform my needed duties. You and your children will live well. Goodbye," said Elizabeth as her body became engulfed in blue flames, leaving without a trace. "Daddy and mommy issues, huh? That's what I expected," Charles said to himself.

END OF CHAPTER 1