Shadowess

"Oh!" May was taken aback and blushed deeply. She looked uncertain for a moment while glancing through the window in the door at the rest of the hospital as it bustled busily in the background. She had always put her career above her love life and especially with everything going on right now, it seemed to be a particularly bad time. She looked back at James and at how nervous he obviously was. She thought back to how he'd looked out for her earlier with Mr Mitchell and she blushed again. She bit her lip while contemplating the idea of meeting him for a coffee. She knew she'd be torn between him and her job but for reasons that she didn't fully understand herself yet, she nodded at him with a shy smile. "Um, sure. I think that would be nice." she took out the little notepad and pen from her pocket and wrote her number down before tearing the page out and handing it to him with reddened cheeks. "Call me when things have calmed down." --- David groaned. The grip on his head tightened. Searing pain shot through his head, exacerbated by light and every little sound around him. He gasped again and again before finally losing consciousness. As he did, Amelia ran up the corridor towards them. "Dad?!" he shouted before slowing to a stop and staring at Hades for a moment. Returning her attention to her father, she frowned while trying to catch her breath from having run all the way here. "Did he say anything?" she asked Gabriel then looked around quickly. "We need to get him into a bed. The Spirit Council did something. I think they helped him with his memories so that he could help us with the portal." --- "I believe your wife has already taken off to check on her father." Raguel pointed out to Charles awkwardly. He looked at Life and Death. The tension was thick in this room. He knew Amelia would find her father and that Gabriel wouldn't be too far away when she did. So it would make sense that she would deliver the same news to them both at once. In the meantime, Raguel would need to try and keep the peace between Life and Death before their departure. "I don't know about you two, but after that meeting, I could use a drink." he waved his hand, summoning three glasses and a bottle of scotch onto the table. He then glanced at Clarity who was snoring lightly and waved his hand once more, making a blanket appear over her... including her head. --- At his touch and the kiss on her hand, Daisy shivered excitedly. Unable to take her eyes off him. "Y-you think I'm perfect?" she found herself asking in the same dreamy way. John had to stop himself from looking directly at Adam. Knowing that if he did while he was glowing he'd find it hard to resist him as well. Especially after their earlier romp. He looked around at the rest of the people who were still on their knees and held back his grimace while leaning in towards Adam's ear. Quietly he said to him; "I think the others may have already passed their prime. But it's not a total loss. Your kingdom will need more than wives. It will need maids, gardeners, chefs. And these people are already bowing to you, so I think asking them to serve you in your new Eden will be easy enough." he smiled at the enchanted way Daisy was gazing at Adam. "Maybe I can finish up here for you. I'll orient them to their new lives as 'Adam's chosen citizens' while you take this lovely one home to become better acquainted?" --- As Nate spun him, Tom giggled gleefully. He kissed his cheek and his neck. "Oh, Nate! What we have... I hope we stay like this forever! You're the best thing that's ever happened to me!" he then gave him a cheeky smile. "Take me flying? I want to be in your arms and admire the sunrise on the horizon from a great height!"

"Ok, stay safe though," Parker said to Will, taking his hand and squeezing it a little. He then looked at Carter and Damien. "I'll see you later then. I should probably try to get some sleep anyway." May looked at James curiously then nodded and looked around. "Sure. All the rooms are full but the staircase is usually pretty empty," she said before leading him there. Once in the door was closed, she looked over him briefly with just her eyes. "Is everything alright? Is there a medical issue you need me to look at for you?" --- While following Gabriel, David smiled at Hades and placed his hand over hers to show he appreciated her support. He suddenly stopped and covered his eyes with one hand while his lower lip quivered. "I'm fine. I'm fine," he said, taking some breaths as he stood straight again and removed his hand to reveal fresh tears. With his memories gone, it felt like only yesterday that he'd lost Sara. But now he had two adopted daughters and even though he'd only known about them for a few hours, the way they talked to him, conducted themselves and loved him filled him with so much pride and appreciation for them. It was comforting to know that despite his failures with his real daughter, he had at least done right by these girls even if he couldn't remember doing so. "Alright, let's get my memories back!" He said with renewed determination, ready to follow Gabriel to a doctor that might be able to help him. --- "Life will do nothing to place The Balance in danger. After all, I'm sure that Life will agree that an alliance with yourself will be preferable to a chained confinement in Purgatory." Clarity threatened in the refined voice without so much as glancing in Life's direction. Clarity then looked at Charles. "Time is of the essence. We trust that you will make the correct decision but we must advise you to have a replacement on hand if this Ancient Devil will not comply." When Charles had admitted he wasn't sure what would be classed as an Arch Demon, Amelia thought for a moment and when Clarity stopped speaking, she looked at Charles sadly. "David would have been perfect... if only he could remember..." "David Sedley?" Clarity's eyes snapped to Amelia who look back at her in surprise before nodding. "Yes. My father. He lost his memory in a fight. But before that, he was the wisest and strongest Demon I knew. He was my right hand for most of my reign but his memory loss forced him into retirement." Raguel nodded to Amelia's words and chimed in. "He's an honourable Demon, Counsilwoman. Worthy of the title, if not for his current condition. He helped Amelia and Charles to organise and host the peace talks with myself and Gabriel." "And his amnesia is the only obstacle preventing him from helping you now?" Clarity asked, this time in the gentleman's voice. "Yes, s-sir? Ma'am?... Y-your honour?" Amelia replied, uncertain of how to address the entities clearly possessing Clarity's mind. "Councilman or woman," Raguel whispered across the table to them. "C-counsilman." Amelia corrected herself awkwardly with a thankful nod to Raguel. "Very well." She lifted her fingers and snapped them. "It is done. Arch Demon David will accompany Gabriel to Death's Kingdom to safeguard Life and Death." "Wait, wha-?" Amelia started but was interrupted as Clarity announced; 'Meeting Adjourned!' before her eyes rolled back and the spirit slumped in her chair before snoring a little. "Did- did she-? Did they-?..." Amelia gingerly got to her feet as she looked at each of them before gasping. "Dad!" she ran out of the room. "They took over everything, as usual..." Raguel huffed to himself irritably. "Bloody council..." He remained in the room, watching Life and Death carefully after their earlier bickering. They would need to wait for David and Gabriel to escort them back to Death's Kingdom. --- Back in Heaven's Hospital, David suddenly cried out and dropped to his knees while gripping his head which felt like it would explode. Memory after memory flicked through his mind, playing like a two-decade-long movie stuck on fast-forward. He could do little more than whimper and gasp as his mind tried to catch up on all of those meories all at once. --- After seeing an Angel up close, the moment Adam's body began to glow the few people in the room dropped to their knees. some of them cried tears of joy. In total, there were five people in this room, including the orange-haired girl and the large man. The rest consisted of a balding older gentleman in a woollen sweater and two middle-aged women One wearing a pantsuit and the other wearing a modest, formal beige dress. Compared to the rest of the people in the room who appeared to range between the ages of 45 to 60, the orange-haired girl looked to be in her early twenties. The girl gasped when Adam glowed and she clasped her hands over her mouth while watching him. She didn't know whether to get on her knees like everyone else, bow or curtsy. "You're really Adam!" she breathed excitedly. Staring at him, she seemed almost entranced by his glow. She suddenly felt she'd do anything he'd ask without question. "I'm... I'm Daisy." she sighed dreamily. --- Tom grinned at Nate. His eyes were full of love as he jumped up, wrapping his arms around his shoulders and resting his head against his. "I'm sure he'll be fine. I'm sure he'll find it beautiful. But my Heaven is right here."

Parker wiped away his tears but kept staring at Damien who had now averted his gaze and seemed to be trying hard to not let himself look vulnerable. "I don't hate you," Parker said, and this prompted Damien to look at him again. There was a light behind his eyes that Parker hadn't seen until now. He looked surprised but mostly hopeful. "I was pissed at you but I don't hate you. I'm- I'm glad you're here." Parker finished. Damien had already been fighting hard to stop his own tears from falling but those words brought him to the brink. It wasn't an 'I love you, Dad' but it was as close as he could get for now. He wanted to hug him but knew it was too soon for Parker to be comfortable with that. So, instead, he smiled and nodded to him. "For as long as I can help it, I will always be here for you." he stood and walked back to the table to grab a bottle of water to give to Parker. Sometime later, after coming to terms with what had happened and feeling more secure with Will, Carter & Damien's support, Nurse May came back to the room. She smiled at James before knocking politely on the door and entering the room. By now the hospital was still busy but not nearly as chaotic as it had been. Some patients needed to be reallocated to other hospitals and what was left was gradually being seen to. The nurse looked between the men with a sympathetic expression, completely missing the subtle smile Damien gave James. "I understand it's been a very long day for all of you and you'll be reluctant to leave but I'm afraid visiting time is up. You'll need to leave so that Parker can rest. He's in good hands so you don't need to worry and you're welcome to come back tomorrow to see him again." she had already given a similar speech to several other families today. Damien nodded to her and then looked at Parker. "I need to find someone to make you that prosthetic anyway. I'll be back tomorrow though, I promise." "I'll give you all five minutes to say your goodbyes," May told them before turning to leave the room. --- "In that dusty old place?" David asked perplexed, looking at Gabriel in surprise. "Wait, you know me too, don't you?" he then looked sadly at Hades, knowing how these questions might sound. "Man, it's like I've stepped into a crazy dream... but I can't leave just yet." He looked back at Gabriel. "I need to talk to a doctor here. I need to get my memories back." --- While Death's outburst had been a surprise but Life's immediate reaction of violence was shocking. Amelia had once more jumped to her feet, ready to attempt to break the pair apart. Charles had been faster, however. He'd appeared between them and at Life's words, Amelia bristled. Tiny embers escaped her lips as she spoke. "Try it and I'll knock you into next year!" she warned Life. Having seen enough, Clarity stood and snapped her fingers. In the blink of an eye, everyone was sitting back in their seats as if nothing had happened. Any bruises Death had were gone. Any damage to the room was reversed. Amelia had gasped, looking around the room in confusion. All eyes now on Clarity who was glaring back at them. Just how powerful was this council? Amelia had heard they weren't something to be messed with but that was an insane show of strength! Calmly, silently, Clarity sat back down. Then looked at Raguel who had been staring back at her warily with a slightly paler complexion. "Where are your forces, currently?" she asked in a pleasant sounding, male voice. "Split, councelman. I have sent Angels to aid the mortals on Earth. My Arch Angels are hunt-... in the process of locating the boy. Also on Earth." "Earth's chaotic state is resolving. Call your Angels and Arch Angels back. You will split them between all plains to search for this boy. Whether or not killing this boy will affect the closure of the portal is uncertain. So, until we can rule it out you will relay the order that this child is to be captured, unharmed." Clarity then looked at Charles and Amelia. "We are aware of the ongoing conflicts in Hell. Therefore we must ask that you summon your most trustworthy demons to aid us. They too will be split among the plains to assist the Arch Angels in this search." She then looked to Life and Death. "Such petty squabbles are of no benefit and beneath you both. All life and unlife depend on both of your survivals. Death, you will house Life in your Kingdom until such time as this threat is dealt with. Until then, Heaven and Hell will provide one each of their best soldiers to act as your guards." "Azrael is already-" Raguel began but Clarity cut him off. "Insufficient. Azrael is a resident of Death's kingdom, not your Arch Angel to command." Raguel glared but didn't dare argue with the council. "Then Gabriel is my best Arch Angel. I am confident he will protect them to the best of his abilities." Clarity turned to Amelia and Charles once more. "Which of your Arch Demons will you send to join Gabriel in this assignment?" --- "An Angel named John! What next?" laughed a slightly rotund man in a Hawaiian shirt. "You going to take us to a burning bush too?" "Stop it. He clearly needs help and you're just being nasty." The girl in the floral shirt scolded him while crossing her arms. Her blue eyes glaring at him from behind rounded glasses. John stepped forward when called and smiled at them all. "I'm certainly not Saint John, but I've been known to work a miracle or two." He said cockily before popping his wings out, making all of them gasp and jump. The orange-haired girl had jumped to her feet, staring wide-eyed. All laughing had stopped. "Th-Those are fake!" The large man half-laughed uncertainly. "A costume!" "By all means, have a feel." John looked at him with a knowing smirk. He watched calmly as the man pretended to confidently stride over, ready to prove them wrong. As he got closer though, and he could see each individual feather, he looked more and more doubtful. John remained still as the man walked around him to look at where the wings had ripped through his shirt. He felt the man's fingers glide over a few feathers for a second before he pulled his hand back with a sharp gasp. The man's mouth opened and closed repeatedly as he tried to say something. Unable to take his wide eyes off John's wings as he lifted a hand to cover his mouth before exclaiming "They're real!" "Of course they are!" John laughed and then looked at the rest of the people in the room. "Don't be shy! If you want to see for yourself, come and have a feel. My feathers are very soft." One at a time, the others in the room shuffled forward in excited awe to get a closer look. After seeing and stroking them for herself, the girl turned to Adam. "He's really an Angel. Does that mean- are you really-?" --- "Nate told you, he's an Angel. He knows what Heaven is like." Tom said to Oliver then looked at Nate. "I can't believe I've never actually asked before but what is Heaven like?" he asked him. Having never died, Nate was the closest he'd ever come to Heaven so he had no idea what was on 'the other side' other than the odd story he'd get told.

Parker burst into tears. Overwhelmed by their support and his grief. Simply unable to hold it back any longer. "It's not fair!" he sobbed as he lifted his hands to cover his eyes. "Life was just starting to get back to normal! What else could go wrong?!" "There isn't much to teach. It's kind of one of those things you need to figure out on your own." Damien admitted. "But if I could offer some advice? Don't pretend. Don't act like something you're not just because you think she'll like you better for it. Just be yourself. Talk to her like a person. A friend, even. Then make your move when the time feels right. It'll come naturally, trust me." he paused outside of Parker's door and took a breath, steeling himself before going back in. "Who wants snacks?" he sang, putting on a cheery smile to try to lift Parker's spirits. Then he saw his tears and frowned. "Hey, it'll be ok," he said gently as he laid the food and drink cans on the table nearby. "Fuck you! Don't patronise me!" Parker snapped. Damien walked over and sat on the end of the bed, looking calmly at him. "Parker, look at me," he said gently. When Parker didn't, he spoke again but his tone was a little firmer. "Draven." Moodily, Parker dropped his hands to glare at his father. "You're angry and upset-" "No shit-!" "Let me finish!" Damien barely stopped himself from snapping. He then sighed to calm himself. "You've every right to be. This is a shock and it's life-changing. You're scared and you're lashing out. But listen to me. You are strong. You're stronger than I was at your age. You didn't just lose a limb today. You took control of your life. You could have come with me and become a Devil. It would have been so easy. Too easy. But I know what that would have meant to you. This is your one chance to have a normal, mortal life. So, you've faced some mortal challenges, that's the beauty of being human. And what is this if not another challenge for you to overcome in your human life?" he smiled, looking at Parker lovingly. "My boy. I didn't get to watch you grow up and you may still hate me for that but I'm proud of you all the same. You've grown into a better man than I could ever be. You should be proud of that." Damien stopped and blinked. He'd felt his own eyes welling up as he'd been speaking and he suddenly felt self-conscious about it. Meanwhile, Parker had calmed down while listening to him. Though tears had continued to stream down his cheeks. His scowl had softened as he stared at his father wordlessly. --- David's stomach turned as Gabriel told him how much the news of his amnesia might upset Hades. He watched the exchange tensely and couldn't help smiling at Hades awkwardly as she reacted happily to seeing him there. Then she discovered what had happened to her and he watched her sob with a frown. It was instinctive, his reaction to this. He walked over with no fear of what she was or what she could do to him in this form and he wrapped his arms around her. "We'll figure this out. I promise." --- Clarity stood from her chair. Her voice boomed in an older, more refined tone. "Life and Death. You and your kin are forbidden from interacting with this entity. The Balance must take the highest priority. If you or yours should encounter them then we would advise you to call upon Heaven or Hell's forces and retreat. Death, you will remain with ourselves once this meeting concludes to submit a report and discuss this new daughter of yours." 'Ourselves' meaning Clarity. "What? We need as many of us searching for this boy as possible-!" Amelia piped up but Clarity cut her off. "We can forgive your naivity as you have not been a ruler for long, but The Balance has existed since the dawn of time and must not be jeapordised." "But-!" "Queen Amelia, with respect, they're right," Raguel said begrudgingly. He then turned to look at Clarity. "But I do also understand Amelia's concern. Council, it has come to our attention that this 'problem' may not be confined to Earth as we had first thought." Clarity's stern yet glazed-over gaze snapped to Raguel. "Explain." "The boy can teleport. Which means his universe might function similarly to our own and if that's the case then the boy could literally be hiding anywhere. He could be on Earth, in Heaven, in Hell or even in Death's kingdom." Raguel looked between them all grimly. "Nowhere is safe as long as this boy is on the loose." "But he is still just a boy, as Charles said!" Amelia now stood, leaning against the table. "I have not spent the better part of my reign in Hell preaching redemption and forgiveness just to end up hunting a child like some kind of beast!" "Take a seat, Amelia." Clarity's voice switched to a man's as her head snapped to glare at her. Amelia glared back for a moment before reluctantly sitting back down. "Your emotions get the better of you. We must act logically. If the boy can be apprehended peacefully then do so, but if his presence or actions cause the portal to open more. Or if The Balance is put in danger, then you must be prepared to use any means necessary. There can be no room for error when the risks are so great." --- The small group began laughing at Adam as he entered the hall and spouted what they assumed to be absolute madness. All except one young woman who sat in a floral dress and watched Adam with a sympathetic look. She also thought he was mad but she didn't want to be cruel by laughing with the others. Her orange hair was tied in a loose ponytail. The rest of the members here seemed to range from middle aged to elderly. Seeing their reactions and biting his lip a little, John had a feeling the humans of this time would be harder to convince. Even the more religious ones. He stood close by and waited for Adam's word but otherwise did not intervene. --- Tom looked between the two, only able to piece together the rest of the story from their conversation. But even then, it left him with more questions than answers. "What man? What did they look like?" he asked. He stumbled a little as the ground shook but did his best to keep his balance while focusing on helping the boy.

"Was I selfish?" Parker asked them in a broken voice. "Damien gave me an out but I didn't want to lose my humanity yet. But now I'm going to be such a burden on everyone!" "Hmm, maybe roses are usually good. I think red is traditional." Damien said as they walked back towards the room. "But like I said, you might wana wait until things calm down first. Maybe you could use that time to think over what you're going to say when you ask her out?" --- "Gabriel?" David gawped excitedly as he followed him. Not taking his eyes off him as if he could hardly believe it. "Like, THE Arch Angel Gabriel?" When they arrived at the hospital he stared at the creature that was supposedly his daughter. He listened to Gabriel then shook his head sadly. "She should be her own person..." he sighed heavily. "She must've meant a great deal to me if I adopted her." he turned his head to look at the Arch Angel. "Is there nothing that can be done to help her?" --- "We'll see about that." Raguel positioned himself at the other end of the table from Life. He'd only met this spirit once but he got the impression that he could be reckless. Amelia sat at the table, near Charles. Clarity sat in the first available seat, nearest the door. "Now then, thank you for attending this impromptu meeting." Raguel addressed them all. He'd briefly given Amelia an annoyed look when saying the word 'impromptu' "Apologies for the lack of warning, but given the chaos our worlds are facing, I think we can all agree that our collective attention is required," Amelia spoke up, subtly sniping back at Raguel who could only conceal his reactive smirk. "Indeed." He replied then turned his attention to the others. "Death and I witnessed the cause of this portal and his subsequent escape." he narrowed his eyes slightly, turning to look at Death. "I recall there being a girl there. The girl from the first portal. She attacked us, allowing this boy." he said while maintaining eye contact with Death. He was insinuating that Lilly may have been involved in the second portal being opened. At this, Clarity had also turned her gaze to Death. Watching in silent judgement. "You struck her down so am I correct in assuming that this girl is within your custody and available for questioning?" --- John winced at the suggestion. "Not churches, no. Too many of His eyes and ears there. But you might be on to something." he said as he teleported them to a corridor of a community centre in a small town that had barely been touched by the same chaos ravaging the rest of the world. Eve had been left to wait in the safety of their new home. Walking down the corridor slightly he looked through the glass of a pair of double doors and smiled. "Perfect." he turned to look at Adam. "A bible study group. All human from the looks of them. I'll follow your lead. If they need a little proof of who we are, just give me the word and I'll pop my wings out." --- Tom stood from the seat he'd been pushed into and gingerly approached the stage again while giving Nate a quick wary look before turning his gaze back to the boy. "Talk to us," he said gently. "We want to help you but we need to understand what happened first. Tell us your story. What's your name? What happened to you?"

"Oh, good." Parker nodded in relief then stared off towards the end of the bed. "Good..." he said again absently. Damien smiled as he slapped another coin into the machine and pressed a couple of buttons to replace the can that James had just crushed. "Relax, man. She might like you back or she might not. You're not going to know until you ask her though. So, I guess the choice you really have here is to either drop it and spend your life wondering what could have been..." he picked up the new can and handed it to James. "Or you can buy her some flowers and ask her if she wants to meet you for a coffee sometime." --- With everyone else now on their feet, David felt he should also stand up. He looked between the newer faces curiously and waved at them awkwardly as he had done with Raguel. "The Council will not wait." Clarity spoke but her voice was distorted and sounded much deeper than it had a moment ago. "We know who you are King of Hell. We have been watching you and your wife's progress with much interest." "Charles, we need to prioritise this," Amelia said to him while taking his hand. "Hades is in good hands here but we can't afford to waste time and allow anything like that to happen to anyone else. This is our responsibility." "As much as I need to remind you that you are our guests here and for the pair of you to try not to take over my office, I must admit that your wife is correct." Raguel conceded as he walked around his desk. "I could go and check in on this Hades." David offered. "I mean, I gotta see some doctor Angels anyway so might as well kill two birds with one stone." Amelia paused and stared at David wide eyed for a moment. How could she forget to tell him?! Noticing this, David squinted slightly. "What? What's that look? What have I forgotten now?" "Dad... it's Hades..." "Oh no... who is he to me? Enemy? Friend?" "You uh-... you know how you adopted me?" Amelia started and David's eyes widened as he began to realise what she was saying. Then Amelia confirmed it by saying "You adopted her too." "Her?" David blinked. He'd been assuming Hades was male based on what little he knew of Greek myths. "I have another daughter?" he smiled for a second before it slipped and he gave Amelia a hurt look. "Why didn't you tell me?" "It- it never came up and with everything else going on-... I'm sorry. David opened his mouth to say something then shook his head and looked at Raguel. "Could someone show me to the hospital?" "Gabriel!" Raguel called. "Please escort Mr Sedley to our hospital." he then turned to the others. "We have a larger office just down the hall. And yes, Death, this does require your presence as well." Raguel told them. "Speaking of Death, isn't there also a representative of the Midwives? The Spirit of Life?" Amelia asked after regathering herself and having looked around the room, noting that they had yet to arrive. "I imagine they're currently indisposed. We should head to the meeting room now. They can catch up when they arrive." Raguel said as he headed out of the room to escort the group to the meeting room. --- John looked up at him quickly. "We still need to be careful," he told him. "If we spread the word too far then eventually that word will reach the ears of Hell's rulers. Heaven. Raguel. We need to avoid their attention. At least until your new children are born. Until then, on my own I won't be powerful enough to protect you if they discover us. These spells prevent outsiders from finding us but we cannot run the risk of discovery before we're ready." he stood. "I am happy to escort you to Earth to find your partners. We must start small and convince just a handful to join us here. If we cannot convince them then perhaps I can erase their memory of ever meeting us. To be safe." He took another step towards them, careful not to spook Eve who was hugging Adam's back shyly. "I swear, as soon as we're ready we will spread the word to Earth of our new Eden and bring many new followers to your kingdom. But first, we must build that kingdom, together." he offered his hand to Adam. --- Shezmu stared at Dariel for a moment before gently taking the list from his hand. "Should I add sophistication and elegance to your curriculum?" he asked half-jokingly as he waved his free hand over the paper. The page would seem to shimmer before Dariel's eyes before the words would re-arrange themselves to become more readable. Another illusion. He handed the paper back to him. --- Tom watched what happened and kept his voice low as he watched the boy on the stage. "What should we do?" he asked Nate. Ghosts were nothing new to Tom, after his stay at Carter's office back when he'd first turned. He felt bad for the boy. How horrible it must be to be left to wander Earth with no guidance to the afterlife.

Sounds good to me. With the chaos going on currently, it would make sense that something like this might happen 🙂

Parker grit his teeth and grunted as Will lifted him into a sitting position. "I don't think so. It just hurts," he answered as he looked down sadly at the curves in the bedsheets. His stomach turned with dread as he considered that he would need to see how it looked eventually. Wanting desperately to take his mind off it, he looked at Carter and Will. "Is everyone ok? No one else got hurt in that quake, did they?" Damien made a whistling noise to signal that he was impressed by James's story. "Dude, it sounds like you have a decent chance with her. You're like her knight in shining armour!" he chuckled as he popped a couple of coins into the vending machine and pressed some buttons. As the coil started to turn he looked back at James with an understanding smile. "And I was trained to be Lucifer's soldier and heir. That didn't stop me from falling head over heels for Parker's mother. Training can toughen you up. In that, there's no doubt. But it can only go so far when it comes to controlling your emotions. From my experience, love is especially difficult to control. It can hit you out of nowhere when you least expect it and when it does, it hits you hard enough to knock you on your ass." He bent down to pick up the various drinks and snacks then offered one of the soda cans to James. "But that's not a bad thing. Love can make you stronger than any amount of training ever could." --- Rickster let out a quiet moan as Ricky kissed and straddled him. While catching his breath as Ricky rolled to the side, he couldn't help smirking. "Oh?" he replied playfully. "You haven't forgotten all the things I can do, have you?" he rolled onto his hands and knees to playfully prowl towards him. "All the things I can make you feel?" he whispered as he brought his lips closer to his. "All the ways I can make your body burn with pure, primal pleasure." he captured his lips then moved his hands across his back. As they move over his spine, little jolts of electricity would spark from his fingertips. Not enough to be painful but enough to temporarily heighten Ricky's sense of touch. Making him feel each sensation far more keenly than normal. --- "Is that so?" Raguel turned his attention to David momentarily with an intrigued expression. "I will request that one of our medical personnel take a look at him. Perhaps we might be able to help?" he suggested as he looked back at Charles. "In the meantime, Lilith-" "Can wait." Amelia cut in. Earning her a surprised look from Raguel. "We know she's powerless and she's on the loose. Charles can fill me in on the rest of her story later and maybe we can spare a demon or two to search for her. But right now, we should be focussing our efforts on that portal before anyone else wanders through, or worse yet, it gets bigger. Tell me, Raguel, What do you know about the boy that stepped through? Aside from the fact he has green eyes. How big is this portal? Has it done anything besides opening? and how badly did the quakes affect everything?" Raguel smirked for half a second. With her being mostly out of action from caring for Oliver, and him needing to deal with Charles directly as a result, Raguel had almost forgotten how 'to the point' Amelia could be. "Very well." he gestured for them to take a seat. Obviously, this wasn't a flying visit. David sat in one of the large, Irish-green cushioned chairs across but to the side from Raguel's desk. Amelia sat in a similar-looking chair directly across from Raguel. There was one more identical chair for Charles right next to her. "The quakes have affected all planes of reality. Earth, Heaven, Hell, Death's Kingdom and even the Spirit Realm. Earth seems to have suffered the worst, but that makes sense considering the Portal's location. All of Earth now is in a state of chaos. Buildings collapsed. Hospitals overrun. Riots sweeping through cities and keeping their law enforcements busy. I have already sent Angels undercover to return the world to order as best they can. Including some rookie Angels-to-be with the promise that this will earn them their wings. My remaining Arch Angels are scouring the Earth for the boy. We don't believe he has left that world. In fact, I doubt he's even aware of the other realms' existence considering he is mortal." Raguel sat back in his chair and folded one leg over another. "We don't know much else about him except that he was not only powerful enough to open the portal, but also teleport at will." "How do you know he's mortal, then?" Amelia asked critically. "Hmm?" "The boy. You said you believe he's mortal and still on earth. I don't know many living mortals who can teleport. Granted, I don't know a damn thing about the world or the universe that he came from but assuming it follows the same logic as ours... for all we know, he might be a Devil of his world, or an Angel, or something at least similar." "Which would mean he'd know our universe has afterlife worlds," David said slowly, coming to the same conclusion that Amelia had. "He could be bloody anywhere!" "Raguel, we need to expand this search with urgency," Amelia said with a determined look. Raguel, who had been disturbed by this revelation only nodded in response. "Is there anything else we should know? Have you or your Angels found any other way to close that portal?" Amelia asked. "Hades, I believe is one of your friends? She attempted to attack the portal shortly after the boy had taken off. It-... changed her." "Changed how?" "It would be best if you saw for yourself. I can escort you to the infirmary where she is being treated shortly." "Alright, anything else? Charles said the boy's friend had been killed. Do you have the body?" "We believe they may have been lovers and no, the boy took his body with him when he teleported. Forgive me, Queen Amelia, you are demanding an awful lot of information but I have yet to see Hell assisting in these matters." Raguel said icily. His sudden shift from pleasant to irritated was jarring. David was visibly thrown off but Amelia had retorted calmly. "Why do you think I'm asking these questions, Raguel?" She stood, stepped towards the desk and placed her hands flat against it. She leant over slightly to glare at him. "From what I understand it has been several hours since this portal opened and not only have our forces been under-informed, but it would also seem that in terms of searching for this boy you had placed all of your eggs into one bloody basket and hoped for the best! I think the better question here is, why haven't the other realms been more involved in this matter? Have they been as ill-informed as we have? Did you really assume that Heaven's forces could be the only ones to resolve this? We need to work together, Raguel. All of us!" she stood straight and turned to face Charles, David and the rest of the room. "I call upon the leaders of the Realms to attend! Death, Life, The Spirit Council and the Nephilim President that currently resides in the White House!" A greying, old woman with curled hair and wearing a grey robe appeared in the room. "Greetings to the leaders of Heaven and Hell. I am Clarity. The Spirit Council regrets that it cannot attend in person, but will speak through me. I will be it's eyes, ears and tongue for this meeting." "So... you're a telephone?" David asked then caught Amelia's embarressed look. "What?" "Now look what you've done..." Raguel hissed behind Amelia. He couldn't stand the Spirit Council at the best of times and had hoped to not get them involved. --- John faltered, taken aback by Adam's reaction. Given Adam's willingness so far, he hadn't anticipated that he'd react in this way. Eve was glaring at John from over Adam's shoulder but he paid little attention to her. His eyes were fixed on Adam's as he slowly raised his hands. "Forgive me," he said quietly. "I- I suppose I was just concerned that if anything went wrong then we would lose this chance to bring Eden back. I have been dreaming of this for so long..." he told them then looked down at his hands. "The things I was prepared to do... to make it happen, but of course, you're right. You're both right." he took a step towards them and paused as Eve jumped a little. "We don't need to force anyone. We'll find a way to make it work where everyone is happy! Please... please forgive me." He knelt down, bowing to them both. --- Smiling, Shezmu quickly rolled up the contract and pressed it into his chest, seeming to absorb it completely. This was just an illusion, but it ensured that anyone trying to take the contract away from him would assume they'd have to fight him for it. The real contract was quite safe, having been teleported to a securely hidden safe miles away. "Good. We can begin immediately. I will train you in martial combat, and swordsmanship, as well as to hone those hidden powers of yours. I expect you to meet me every morning as soon as the sun rises and not a minute later. We will spar for three hours in the morning. You may spend one hour resting and eating, then we will spend the last three hours studying spells and alchemy before you can rest for the evening." He stood and walked over to a desk where he wrote a list in elegant handwriting. Once done he handed it to Dariel. The list asked for simple things such as parchment, quills, ink, and a few book titles regarding alchemy and foraging. But then there were also other items which may be harder for Dariel to get hold of such as a sword, steel armor and chainmail. "Procure these items before our first session tomorrow morning and get plenty of rest. Ask the vampires here, I'm sure they will be accommodating. I look forward to watching you become a formidable ally." --- "Oh..." Lilly sighed sadly as she looked away from him, trying to hide her emotions. "I understand." Azrael felt bad for her but as he thought about it, an idea crossed his mind. "Your Grace, I realise that our Princess here is still new and has yet to learn to control her powers. But perhaps we could make an exception for one evening that she be able to return to Earth to celebrate with her friends once our ball here is done?" he suggested. "I would be happy to chaperone her for you to ensure she does not get into any trouble."

Ohh no worries lol Yeah, I reckon Rickster would have a few tricks up his sleeves hahaha

Is Ricky referring to something specific? Might need to remind me lol

"I know, I know..." Parker sighed, trying not to sound as frustrated as he was. "Could you maybe help me to at least sit up though? I don't wana keep talking to you led down plus it'll make drinking the water awkward when Damien gets back." Damien listened to James then smirked. "Sounds like you've got a thing for her." he chuckled. "Maybe you should ask her out?" he suggested and then looked around at the current chaos. "Maybe not now though. When things calm down a bit." he started walking to the vending machines. "C'mon, walk with me. Tell me what happened." --- Rickster stopped kissing Ricky's jaw and looked around briefly with reddened cheeks. "Oh, right." He grinned while easing Ricky back to his feet then took his hand to lead him towards their bedroom. --- "I am?" David said slowly. "I'm sorry, I know I keep asking things that I obviously already knew." he then said quickly, feeling like he was starting to annoy them. "I guess there's a lot that I forgot..." "By the sounds of it, you lost a good couple of decades of your memory. Of course, there's going to be a lot for you to re-learn." Amelia told him gently. "We'll get there, one step at a time but for now please don't think you're being a burden. None of this is your fault." David smiled and nodded. "Well, you might not be blood but at least I seemed to have raised you right." He took a deep breath, wondering what Heaven might look like. "Alright. Ready when you are." Smiling at him, Amelia took his and Charles's hands. Mon took Bern's and David's. Amelia teleported them all back to Salvo's mansion to drop off Bern and Mon. "Good luck boys!" she said to them as David let go of their hands. A second later, she, David and Charles were standing in Heaven. Specifically, Raguel's office which was currently empty. "Huh... it looks so... normal," David commented as he looked around curiously. "He must still be out helping others." Amelia assumed then turned to David. "You've met Raguel before. He's the head of the Arch Angels here. He represented Heaven when we were trying to negotiate peace." she told him quickly. "He's a pretty serious guy, so no corny jokes. They didn't work the first time you tried them and they won't work now." "Consider me warned." David chuckled in surprise and stood with his hands behind his back. "Raguel!" Amelia called out. Immediately, the armoured angel appeared behind his desk to stare at the trio with a serious expression. "Ah, Amelia. Charles. David." He greeted each of them with a nod. David, unsure of whether to nod back or wave politely had ended up awkwardly doing a little of both. Raguel lifted a brow at him for a second before looking at Charles with a grim expression. "She's escaped." he told him. Assuming they'd come to collect Lillith as previously agreed. "I believe she may have taken advantage of the quake to slip loose." "Who?" Amelia faltered, looking from Raguel to Charles. --- "I'm done with bearing children." She said sternly while shaking her head. Tears hung in her eyes. "I just want to be safe. I just want to be close to you." she hugged him again. "Adam, if you think this is possible then I will stay with you but you need to promise me something." she pulled back to look at him imploringly. "Please, please choose partners who are willing. Do not fool them. Do not bring them here under false pretences. They must know and they must want it!" "We must be careful about how we do this. If we tell people about this place and they change their minds, we will not be able to allow them to leave or they might reveal this location. They might reveal to our enemies what we plan to do and then our hope of rebuilding Eden will be lost." John told them seriously. "So you would keep them as prisoners?" Eve turned to look at him with disgust. "We will cross that bridge when we come to it but know this; I will do whatever is necassary to bring Eden back and keep you both safe." He answered simply. "Even if those things are morally questionable." --- "Because you, Theron, Dariel and Insanity are all the family that I have left," Warren told him tearfully. "I have no one else." He took a moment to gather his thoughts. "We all fucked up. But this place... it's safe. It's secluded. It could be our second chance to be better than we were. We could start again." --- "As I say, the physical handing over of the child would not be necessary." Shezmu waved a hand dismissively. "I have no use for infants. Adults, possibly. It depends on my circumstances at the time. Regardless, if you do not have children then this part of the contract will simply not be relevant to you." --- "C-Ceremony?" Lilly replied with a mixture of nerves and curiosity. "A coronation, to be more precise," Azrael explained. "Something like this has never happened in our world so it would be quite a big deal. The ceremony itself will require the heads of each world to bear witness. So, Heaven's Arch Angels, Hell's royalty, The Spirit Council, and I believe a couple of Earth's leaders are aware of the afterlife so we may even have to extend an invitation to them-" he paused as he saw Lilly's eyes had grown wider as he'd been speaking. "Princess, you will do just fine," he reassured her quickly. "You must think of it as an opportunity to become familiar with all the factions of this universe, as you yourself will become an important figure once you are crowned Death's daughter. When we do our work we occasionally need to work together with the other factions." "Right... ok..." Lilly breathed nervously as she nodded along to Azreals words. "Honestly, you will do fine. Afterwards, we will throw a ball in your honour." "A ball? Could-" Her eyes had lit up but then she hesitated as she looked at Death. "Could my friends come? Just for the day?" Azrael paused and looked at Death uncertainly. It wasn't wise to have living mortals in the realm of Death, but it was ultimately the King's decision. --- Tom thought for a moment before shrugging. "I guess once in a while isn't so bad, when it's needed." he said as he settled into his chair and leaned into him as the curtains rose for the show.

"You got it." Damien nodded and headed out of the room. Parker sighed, a little relieved. He appreciated Damien's effort but it all felt so awkward right now. "I can't believe this is happening..." he said quietly. He tried to sit up and groaned as pain shot up his leg from his knee. On his way to the vending machines, Damien spotted James looking a little lost in thought. "Everything ok, buddy?" he asked as he walked over to him. "I'm heading to the vending machines, want to come with?" --- Holding Ricky up, Rickster didn't stop kissing him as he walked over to the nearest wall to pin him against it. It wasn't exactly private but in the heat of the moment, he didn't care. One of his hands gripped his thigh while the other wandered under his shirt. --- Amelia blushed. Her cheeks shimmering for just a moment as they always do when Charles makes her feel loved. She grinned then looked back at Bern and Mon who seemed to have their own mission now. "We can take you back. You seem to have things in hand so we won't hold you up but Charles and I should head to Heaven now to liaise with Raguel on what the plan is with the portal." She turned to David and saw his tears. "Dad?" "I'm fine," he answered quickly and wiped them away before turning to face them. "I'll come with you both to- did you say Heaven?" "I swear to you, we will find a way to restore you memory." She told him seriously before smiling. "But yes, we're going to visit Heaven." --- "I don't understand." Eve shook her head. "This sounds like madness." "It's not. There is a way to restore Eden." John interrupted, earning a suspicious glance from Eve. Trying not to let her stare throw him off, he pressed on. "You've both lived for aeons, cursed to live a truly immortal life. But is it really a curse? Or an opportunity to take back the life that was promised to you yet so harshly ripped away?" Eve lowered her gaze thoughtfully as she listened. "Eden was transformed into Hell but it can be reversed! It took for life to be stripped from it to make it what it is now. So we need to bring life, NEW life here and Eden will flourish once more!" "That's not possible." Eve shook her head. She looked between Adam and John. "Eden is gone. Our home is gone. It withered when the fruit trees withered." "It's not gone. Not completely. I've seen it. Adam has seen it. The current Queen of Hell brought her child and one of the fruit trees bloomed as soon as the babe touched the soil. She fed it to him, nourishing him." he glanced at Adam. "I had been hiding at the time but watching from afar." it had been during the time he'd been searching for Adam and found him at the Library but not before witnessing Amelia appearing with Oliver and feeding him the fruit. "I overheard her tell you that she grew up in Hell and had also eaten the fruit to survive," he told him then turned to look at Eve again. "This is the key! The more new life is brought into existence in Hell, the more the plant will grow. Then everything else will fall into place." "New life?" Eve said slowly then looked back at Adam. "This is what you meant by bringing people to be our partners? To... breed?" "To build a community." John corrected her in a gentle tone. --- "King, shming." Warren shook his head. "I don't care about that! You were- are my family. Sure, we're not a normal family. Yes, we fucked up. Yes, we all did some stupid or messed up things. But it doesn't matter anymore. None of it does. We became a family and families look out for each other, no matter what. So, we start again. But this time, we look out for each other." he watched Dariel leave with a small frown. --- "You appear to already have some powers. Good, that will save us a little time." Shezmu smiled as he looked at Dariel. He moved over to the couch and sat down, then gestured for the boy to sit in the chair across from him. "I never allow myself to become too comfortable in any given place," he commented in response to Dariel's words. "Now, to business. I offered you the opportunity to become a great warrior and I always keep my word. But there is, of course, a catch." He snapped his fingers and a small scroll appeared in his hand. He flicked his wrist so that the scroll would unravel to reveal blank parchment. Then, using his free hand, he pulled out a small knife from his pocket and slit his wrist so that his blood would drip down onto the paper. Before Dariel's eyes, Shezmu's blood would move and dance across the paper into a complicated-looking language. Once done, Shemzu licked his wound to heal it and within seconds the blood had dried on the parchment. "This is my contract. I believe you've seen one similar before. My terms are simple. I vow to train you to become a powerful warrior. In return, you are forbidden from using your skills against me, you vow to complete one task of my choosing to be determined at a later date and finally, you swear to pledge the first-born of each generation from your line to my servitude. The last one is mostly for formality, they may very well end up living their entire lives without ever meeting me." he explained simply. --- "Your Grace. Princess." Azrael greeted them with a short bow as they re-entered the throne room. He smiled at Death as he stood straight again. "Of course, I am happy to offer the princess my council, should she need it. I don't suppose you've had a chance to discuss the upcoming 'festivies' with her yet?" by this he meant the coronation to officially crown her as his heir. --- Tom shivered excitedly and grinned at Nate playfully before heading out of the hotel. He took a breath of the evening air and looked up at the stars. "They're so pretty here. The city back home was too bright to see them most nights but here it's perfect," he said as he wrapped his arm around Nate's and hugged into him as they walked towards the theatre.

Eh, it was a bit of a hassle honestly lol So I think I'll skip them from now on. I've already made up the tags so I think I'll just add them in the art section in a bit.

I was hoping it'd be a bit neater so I could have the paragraphs next to each image but the formatting won't let me do that lol But I managed to put some character tags in for a little visual reference lol

Damien looked awkwardly between them all. He felt like the odd one out but then again, in comparison to the other two, he had a long way to go to earn Parker's trust and love. "Um, is anyone hungry? thirsty? I can pop out quick to the vending machine?" he asked. He was starting to get the munchies from the weed in his system but also he was looking for an excuse to step out for a moment and regather himself. "I'm not hungry." Parker shook his head with a small frown. The drugs in his system were actually making him feel a little nauseous. That and the grief he was feeling didn't help his appetite. "Maybe some water, then?" Damien suggested. "You'll need to keep hydrated." --- Smiling into Ricky's kiss, Rickster wrapped his arms around him tightly. They had no way of knowing how long they had together before he'd need to leave again, so Rickster wanted to make the most of whatever time they had. He kissed him passionately, slipping his tongue into his mouth. --- Amelia rubbed Charles's arm comfortingly. "I'm sure we'll see them again one day." She said to him in a soft voice. Mon had cried and waved goodbye to their former boss. Then stood, admiring the horizon next to Bern. "I sure am going to miss him..." he sniffled then smiled at Bern. "What now, Boss?" Meanwhile, David was staring at the ocean. He'd also been moved by the departure of their friend but despite his lack of memory, he felt the loss just as keenly as if he could remember their friendship. He lifted his fingers to wipe at his eyes then stared at the tears with a puzzled expression. --- Eve embraced Adam again and cried into his shoulder. She couldn't even remember the last time they'd been together. To see him now, feel his touch and take in his scent again. It was all too much. "What do you mean?" she cried as she pulled back to look at him tearfully. "How?" John gave the pair some space. He figured they would need some time to catch up. He also thought it best if Adam were to explain their plan to her. She seemed more inclined to listen to him whereas she had barely made eye contact with John since they'd met. --- The news had been a hard emotional blow to Warren who was staring at the ground and struggling to process what he was feeling. He barely noticed Dariel speaking. Shezmu smiled at the boy and nodded. "Of course, young one. Don't forget my offer. Seek me out when you are ready. I shall remain within the castle walls for now." he told him before leaving the room to find an empty home that he could claim. "I-I'll look after you." Warren's voice cracked as he lifted his head to look at the boys. "I-if you want. You can stay here with me and I'll take care of you." --- Lilly took his hand and rose to her feet. Matching Death's graceful movement after having observed it. "You make it sound so easy," she commented, ready to follow him. "But I imagine a job like that could sometimes be difficult?" --- "I'll do my best." Tom chuckled. "Thank you." he grinned as he walked through the door, feeling like a prince being waited on. In the lobby, just out of Nate and Tom's field of view, Tuzo was also ready to go out on the town. Feeling the need to let his hair down, so to speak. He was checking his phone when he noticed his Uber had finally arrived. Just before Nate and Tom could reach the lobby, he'd walked out of the front door and gotten into the vehicle. Missing them both by a mere few seconds. The vehicle would pull away just as Tom reached the main desk and turned to Nate. "Oh, by the way, I've gotten much better at French while you were away. The madame at the library said I sound more and more natural every time I go in! I'll practically be a local in no time!"

I'm guna try something with my next post but I'll delete it if it doesn't work lol

"What?" Damien said quietly while looking at Carter in surprise. That he not only knew who he'd been referring to but also the news that someone who he'd once considered a friend had been destroyed for plotting his sister's demise was quite a shock. "It's true," Parker said. His voice was still breaking from crying. "You meant Clementine, right? Charles and Nate destroyed her." Damien looked down, staring hard at the fabric of the bed sheets for a moment as he came to terms with this news. He guessed he'd missed more than just his children's lives during the time he'd been in oblivion and he was long overdue a catch-up with Amelia. For now, though, Parker needed him here. He lifted his gaze back to them and nodded. "No matter. I'll find someone else. Someone skilled who can give you nothing but the best." "You don't have to-" "I owe it to you. Let me do this. Let me be here for you." Parker paused and then looked down at the teddy next to him. He lifted it with a small smile. He looked at Will first, then Carter. But the look of Damien's slightly reddened cheeks told him all he needed to know. "You got me this?" "I er-...well,..." Damien stammered while lifting a hand to scratch the back of his head awkwardly. "It's thoughtful. Thank you." Parker told him as he looked at the bear again and Damien visibly relaxed. Relieved that his son had liked his gift. --- Taken aback by James grabbing her, May turned her head to look at him. She bit her lip while glancing around hesitantly. "You may have a point," she said slowly while bringing her eyes back to his. "I- but all these people..." she said and gestured around them. "They need help and I feel guilty for wanting to take a break. It just all feels unfair. One minute they're living normal lives and the next..." She stopped and shook her head, rubbing her eyes again. "No, you're right. I'm tired and it's all getting to me. I can't help people like this. I'll let the other nurses know to cover me for a few minutes." She stepped towards him and placed her hand gently on his arm. "Thank you," she said softly before turning and walking away, hoping to get a few minutes rest in one of the rooms designated for nurses to sleep in when on long shifts. --- "That's right." Rickster nodded at Leo then looked at him in surprise when he said he was a Levaithan. "I thought you were something else!" he admitted. "Didn't those scientists make you into like, a new specie?" A thought then occurred to him. "Actually, you might be able to help me earn my wings. You have ties to the CIA, right? I'll bet they've got agents everywhere trying to keep things calm, or investigate the portal. Maybe you could get me in touch? I could help them and in a wider sense help civilians too." --- "To Brazil, then." Amelia smiled and held out her hands for them. "My telepathy isn't so great but Charles is in a league of his own with this stuff. Try to imagine it so that he can see it and teleport us there. Just don't think about locations that are underwater. You're the only one here with gills." she said to Galiel. --- Eve hugged Adam in return. She still wasn't completely convinced that this wasn't some kind of illusion to mess with her, but it had been so long since she'd seen him that she didn't care. At his words she cried. "No-where is safe..." she told him in a broken voice. "We will never stop being punished." John had opened his mouth to speak but before he could get a word out something had caught Eve's eye and she'd shoved Adam out of the way just as another woman had darted out from the bushes to attack them. The dark haired woman was wearing a torn and dirty, long red dress. Growling ferally, Lilith brandished a knife and swung it at Eve with nothing but pure loathing in her eyes. The tip of it had caught Eve's arm but she reacted by lifting a makeshift wooden spear to block the next swing. Just as the knife chipped the wood, John dove forward to grab both Adam and Eve before teleporting them to their new sanctuary, away from Lilith's murderous intent. He looked at Eve who was now holding her injured arm. "You'll be safe here. I've enchanted the building and grounds... are you alright?" "Fine." Eve answered shortly. She looked around them, clearly doubful of John's claim that they could possibly ever be safe here. "Who was that woman. I couldn't even sense her. She didn't seem to be a Demon." "Lillith. She started hunting me a day or so ago." she then shrugged. "But I'm used to being hunted now. I'm used to being hurt. It's our punishment and it will never end." --- "Good." Shezmu said once both boys had taken his hands. He teleported them straight to Warren's room. Warren jumped to his feet from the couch at the sight of the two boys. "Sam! Dariel! You're safe!" he exclaimed in relief. He then looked at Shezmu with a puzzled look. "But Donnie? Insanity? Where are they?" "Take a seat. All of you. This news will be difficult to receive." Shezmu told them as he let go of the boys hands. "I regret to tell you that the one you know as Donnie has been destroyed. The particular details of his destruction are not known to me but his destruction has been confirmed by Insanity. Additionally, Insanity will not be joining you here either. In his greif he has rid himself of his own powers and Devil status. The act of doing so has drastically altered his appearance to that of a child-like creature." "W-What?" Warren said in shock, staring at Shezmu in disbelief. "He asked that I deliver a message to you. That he is well and will see you again once he has recovered." Shezmu told him. --- Lilly smiled at Death's words. "I hope that time never comes but if it does, at least I'll know I had a brilliant teacher." she looked around at the little town going about it's day like it was any ordinary place. It seemed utterly surreal that the after life could literally be a life after death. That it could operate so similarly to Earth or even the world she had come from originally. Only the atmosphere here was different. There was no chaos here. No pain, starvation or the continuous need to strive for survival. "Peaceful..." she muttered softly. "I don't think I'll ever want to leave." --- Tom gave him a playfully disappointed look. Barely able to conceal his smirk. "You're so naughty sometimes." he chuckled as he put the now empty hangers back on the rack. "And I was looking forward to giving you a tease by undressing in front of you. I guess I'll have to settle for a strip tease when we get back." he grinned and wrapped his arm around his. "Oh, I don't know. It could be romantic to take a casual walk over there. Just you and me and the stars."