Shadowess

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."

Parker continued to sob and squeezed Will's hand as he listened to him and Carter. Nodding at their words, he took a few breaths to try to calm himself down. It felt like a bad dream but he knew that it was real and it was something he was going to have to live with. Damien watched this with a pained expression. He stood at the end of his bed and gripped the metal footrest tightly. "Draven, we'll help you to adjust. Anything you need, just tell us," he said and paused for a moment to think. "I once knew a Demon that was skilled at making life-sized dolls. If I can find her, she might be able to build you an enchanted prosthetic... if you want." --- May couldn't help but laugh nervously as James had asked her if she needed a medic. "Um- no, no, that's fine. Thank you. Besides, I kind of am a medic..." She then raised an eyebrow at his follow-up comment. "I believe there are women soldiers nowadays," she replied while trying to straighten up her scrubs. She was still close to tears and even as James asked her if she wanted a break she felt close to the brink. But she wiped those tears away before they could fall and took a long, deep breath as she looked around the hospital. "I don't have time for a break. None of my staff do. We're likely going to be overwhelmed for the next few days... maybe more if those damned riots keep up." She rubbed her eyes. It was clear that she was frazzled and exhausted by now but she was also determined to help anyone who needed it, even at the cost of her own health. "I'm sorry, I've held you up, I should get back to work." --- Cindy and Kite headed off to one of the rooms to get the kids settled and rest. This left Rickter and Ricky alone for a moment. Rickster smiled at him and wrapped an arm around his waist. "I'll need to go soon, too. But I promise I'll be back. Just as soon as I've got my wings." --- "I did?" David said in surprise as Salvo told him what he'd done. "Huh, and I always thought becoming a Demon for Lucifer would have changed me into something terrible." "All part of the Redemption Programme." Amelia told him and David turned to look at her, intrigued. "You were the first person to believe in me and support me. Charles helped us make it a reality but you were always there as a source of knowledge. We couldn't have done it without you, too." With a little smile, David glanced off in thought. The gaps in his memory were hard on him too but knowing he helped to make a positive difference was comforting. "Galiel, you know the oceans of Earth better than any of us here. Tell us where you need to go and we'll teleport you there." Amelia said as she turned to look at him once more. --- John and Adam appeared in a dense, dark forest. John looked around but he didn't recognise the landscape, yet he could sense that they were still in Hell. He also got a sudden sense that they were being watched. He lifted a finger to his lips to signal to Adam to stay silent. After all, there could be Demons lurking in these woods who had yet to pledge their allegiance to Amelia or Charles. This put John in particular danger as he couldn't risk dying in this plain. Leaves rustled and a twig snapped to their right. John strained to see through the darkness but he could just about make out the silhouette of a slender woman. "Adam?" The figure whispered but kept its distance. Wary of tricks. John lifted his hand and summoned a ball of light. Instantly, the woman lifted her arm to shield her eyes. She looked similar to Adam but her hair was longer and unkempt. Considering she was created from Adam's rib, it would make sense that she looks like she might be his sister. She was wearing hastily stitched-together clothing from a mixture of cloth and fur that barely kept her covered. "Put that away! Put it out!" she hissed at them hurriedly. A hint of fear in her voice. "They'll see!" --- "Quiet." Shezmu looked between the pair calmly. "I am only familiar with the parts of your journey that you briefly shared with Warren, but it matters little to me. I gave my word that I would find his family, and found them I have. Sam, you will find the safety, love and comfort that you seek if you join Warren in his new home. Dariel, my offer stands. You can return with me to Earth and I will train you to become a great warrior. Whether you two decide to stay together or part ways once on Earth is entirely your choice." He stood between them and extended a hand to each of them. "But you must come with me, now." --- Lilly thought for a moment before moving to sit on the edge of the fountain, near him. "Because of what Azrael told me about what would happen if this world ended... I think that's what happened in my universe," she told him. "There was no afterlife there. Just pain, sickness, despair and finally, nothing. I wouldn't wish that fate on anyone. So, I know what's at stake. I understand that if there is any potential threat to this world, you can't take any risks. Even if that means that sometimes, you have to do things that might seem cruel or cold." she looked up at him. "So much depends on you. But you don't have to do it alone anymore. Teach me how to use my powers and I will share your burden." --- "Mmm, I like the sound of that." Tom grinned as he pulled out a couple of outfits. "We should get ready then. We don't want to miss the show."

Sure. Did you have any particular history in mind between her and Adam?

Groaning, Parker lifted a hand to rub his eyes before squinting at them all. "Hey..." he sighed weakly with a slightly confused look on his face. For a moment, still dazed from waking up and the drugs in his system, he had forgotten what he was doing here and wondered why everyone had been watching him sleep. Then he remembered the quake, the pain and the fear. With a sinking feeling in his stomach, he looked down at himself. Oddly, he could swear he could still feel his leg there. Even wiggle his toes. But it was a false sense. Nothing but a memory of what he used to have. His face contorted as he struggled to hold back his grief. "Oh..." he sobbed, covering his face with his hands. - Surprised at being slammed into a wall and threatened, Mr Mitchell gawped at James. He was infuriated but seeing as James was slightly taller and much leaner than he was, he knew a fight would not work in his favour. Instead, he turned his head to look at Nurse May, about to ask if this hospital condoned James's behaviour but being met by her cold stare, he got the impression that she might. "Oh, get off me!" Mitchell huffed while shoving James's hand away. "Fine! I'll go back to the waiting room but your staff better hurry up!" he snapped, trying to save face as he stomped away. May let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you." her voice was still shaking from the encounter and she looked close to tears. --- Rickster held on to the kiss for a moment before letting go and glancing around. "You don't need to go anywhere," he said. "You just need some fortification spells. I can write a few down for you." "Oh, I can help with the incantations!" Desi chimed in, eager to help. "Good. The ingredients are easy enough. It's mostly salt and sage. It's based on the very basic stuff." "Write a list and I'll get what we need," Atma said as she hurried over to the little side table near the wall and pulled out a notepad from its drawer. After listing all the ingredients and incantations, both Desi and Atma headed off together to enchant each room of the mansion. Oscar had rushed off to update Leo on Rickster's return. "I'm sorry to be a pain, but I don't suppose you have anywhere I can put these two to sleep?" Cindy asked Ricky. "I read that it's not safe to leave them sleeping in strollers for too long." --- Mon had been crying silently as Salvo told them he was proud and named Bern his successor. Amelia looked at Galiel as he spoke. She wasn't familiar with merpeople and their customs. The topic was rare, even among the history books of Hell's Library. "What do you need? Is there any way we can help?" She asked. "You're a merman?!" David blinked. In the short time he'd been staying at the mansion since losing his memory, the topic had never come up. So it was like he was learning this for the first time again. Amelia glanced very breifly at her father before returning her gaze to Galiel. She didn't know how they'd do it yet, but as soon as they're done with this portal business, she was determined to restore David's memory... somehow. --- "Imagine her, like you did for this place," John said as he got to his feet as well. "I'll see if I can teleport us to her." he held out his hands for Adam to take. --- What Sam seemed to have already deemed as madness, Shezmu only saw a warrior fighting for survival. It was instinctive in a world as harsh and difficult as Hell. The boy was still alive as well. Shezmu could sense it. He could hear his heartbeat hammering like a war drum. To have survived here for so long was impressive and Shezmu smiled as he saw a potential in this child to become a great fighter. But first, something was bothering him that he would need to take care of urgently. He laid a gentle but firm hand on Sam's shoulder, signalling him to stay put. He then walked ahead of him and raised a hand to show Dariel that he meant no harm. "I hope you don't mind but I am terribly parched..." he greeted him politely then lifted his hands in front of him with his palms facing upwards. As he did, the blood that covered Dariel from head to toe started to lift away from him. It was as if an invisible force was pulling the droplets from his skin and his clothes to form a long, stream in the air that arched its way to Shezmu who opened his mouth wide to drink it until Dariel was completely clean. Once finished, Shezmu wiped a little of the blood that had dripped onto his lips with his finger. "...and I'd much rather talk to you than drink you," he said before licking the last bit from his finger. "Mm, that's better. Now then, young Dariel, I see you have grown into quite a fierce warrior during your time in Hell. I can help you to hone your skills. To help you learn to direct your anger to those who would harm the innocent. You would find no greater teacher, than I." He offered before stepping to one side to reveal Sam behind him. He gestured to him. "In return, I ask that you return to Earth with your beloved. A man by the name of Warren has requested that I ensure your safe return. I believe you're familiar with him?" --- "Wait-!" Lilly started to run after him but was stopped by Azrael who had gently taken her arm. "Princess-" He began but Lilly turned to him. "I don't understand, what happened?" She asked. "There is something that you need to understand about our world." He said urgently. "Death is powerful but our world is the stronghold of reality." he tried to explain. Seeing Lilly's confused expression, he pressed on. "Lives come and go. Planets, stars and solar systems come and go. But our world MUST persist. Because of The Balance." "The Balance?" Lilly said slowly. "Death is the end of things but there cannot be death without life and there cannot be life without death. If one should fall, all will follow. Understand? So, it is imperative that we defend our realm at all costs from those who would do it harm. Or all lives will suffer for it. Sometimes this means we have to make difficult choices for the sake of all. And this, as you can imagine, can be a heavy burden to our King." he let go of her arm. "You ought to know that before you speak to him about what happened here today." Lilly paused and stared at the ground for a moment in thought. She then brought her eyes back to meet Azrael's and nodded. "I-... I understand... I think." "It's a lot to take in. But we'll teach you more about The Balance in time. For now..." he gestured to the door that Death had left through. Following after Death, Lilly found him at the fountain and approached him from behind. "Azreal told me about The Balance..." she told him calmly. "I'm sorry if I made you think you had upset me. I just don't know how things work here yet. But I'll learn, father. I want to learn." she took a step towards him. She'd barely registered that she had called him father so naturally. "Teach me?" --- "Hmmm," Tom purred with a smirk. "An elegant emerald colour? Or regal blue?" he turned his head to look at Nate. "Passionate red?"

STORY CONTINUED HERE;

The world was already chaotic with a secret society of supernatural creatures hiding their existence from humans to simply survive. Throw in the afterlife and alternate universes and you've got some realms in desperate need of balance.

Awesome, I'll get started on mine after work 🙂

No worries. Did you want to write in his reaction before I type up my reply?