Table of Contents
Chapter 17 l Chapter 18 l Chapter 19 l Chapter 20 l Chapter 21 l Chapter 22 l Chapter 23
Chapter 24 l Chapter 25 l Chapter 26 l Chapter 27 l Chapter 28 l Chapter 29 l Chapter 30 l Chapter 31
Chapter 32 l Chapter 33 l Chapter 34 l Chapter 35 l Chapter 36

Xyphiel

“Synchronous! Release Runic Restriction Level 0!” Ragna shouted as her last breath.

I grabbed hold of her throat, lifting her up and glaring daggers into her eyes, screaming into her mind.

“What have you done, sister?!” I hissed into her mind.

Ragna’s only reply was a weak grin, followed by a cough of blood as it oozed from either side of her lips like a cursed smile.

I held my hand over her forehead, “I’ll rip your plot from your mind!”

Before I could pull Ragna’s mind from her dying body, I was slammed to the ground by an immense force.

Everything spun, my ears rang and I found myself thrust to the ground.

My jaw ached and I heard the frantic calls of Zepherina to Ragna.

“Mom!? No! Mom! I’ll save you! Oh shit, I took too long to recover! No, I won’t let it happen, I’ve got you!” Zepherina shouted.

My vision barely cleared as I focused my gaze on Zepherina, lifting Ragna’s listless body into her arms and spreading her wings.

The science experiment narrowed her damned violet eyes on me, pulsing with white and violet energy, “If she dies, I’m going to come back and end you.”

My jaw cracked back into place. I must admit, the little bitch had struck me with a significantly potent blow to the jaw. She had far surpassed Ragna in raw strength. She caught me by surprise, it would not happen again, “When she dies,” I corrected, with a grin, “And who says you’re going anywhere?” I hefted myself back to my feet, now recovered.

Zepherina launched herself into the air.

I summoned up Lucifer’s bow, taking steady aim at Zepherina. I considered merely striking Ragna’s corpse. She was dying, most certainly, but I wondered if there was some horrific sacrifice Zepherina would be willing to make if she could somehow save Ragna at the absolute last moment.

A strike from Lucifer’s bow would lay Ragna’s body completely corrupted and cement her death.

But a strike to Zepherina would hinder her escape and seal Ragna’s fate all the same.

I let the bolt soar towards Zepherina, the arrow arching flawlessly towards her chest.

The bolt stopped, unexpectedly, hovering in the air as pink bolts of lightning arced from its tip to the end.

“Pink?” I questioned.

Who’s aura was pink?

Tasha was the most likely consideration, but her powers were not that of her own, she only acted through the divine intervention of God.

I turned to see Timothy standing before me, in his Black Niten Dragon form.

Though something was remarkably different.

One eye was the ice-blue eyes that I had given him, but the left eye was glowing pink, with arcs of that same energy bouncing between it and his left horn.

A horn that was no longer straight, but rather curved and branching, like an elk.

“What have you allowed Synchronous to do to you, Boy?” I demanded.

Timothy spoke with his voice and another.

A woman’s voice.

A voice I knew was Sync’s, but not the spirit behind it.

I recognized that voice.

I would always recognize it.

“I’ve brought forth the one who might actually hate you more than I do, Father,” Timothy’s voice echoed, but behind the word father, that voice which I recalled eons ago spoke my name, “Xyphiel.”

She spoke it with such venom, such contempt!

I sneered, “Teryn.”

Timothy’s light hand rose as the pink energy arced around his body, the more ornate horn radiating with an otherworldly pink glow.

“I will avenge my husband!” Teryn’s voice cried out, “Give me back my Kriggary!”

Runes began to glow all around me and I blocked them as best I could as waves of pinkish energy poured out from the runic constructs rapidly forming.

I tried to swing my bow at them, only for the runes to catch and begin to shake violently.

I released the bow, leaping away as it burst into a massive wave of… Rose petals?

The once mighty bow was now raining down all around me as a shower of falling rose petals, the smell of roses and sweet flowers heavy in the air as they did so.

“What is this?!” I shouted, my rage boiling over as I called the Puriel blade back to my hand.

The blade caught in mid-air, my eyes narrowing as I saw something holding it.

Not one thing, mind you, but many small glowing creatures. Tiny little humanoids with gossamer wings and glitter fluttering about them.

“W-what?!” I stammered in shock.

The little sprites chirped and giggled as I rushed towards my blade, only for Timothy to dash forwards, slashing at my face.

My mana blasted outwards, normally enough to blind or disorient, but the glowing runes shielded Timothy.

The pink arcs of energy continued to bounce across his body as more runes appeared in the air.

“Murderer, Charlatan!” Teryn’s voice decried, hatred in her voice as she called out, “Give me back my husband’s soul and maybe I’ll be kind and keep you in a jar within my palace!”

I glared upwards to Timothy, and Teryn, “You damned bimbo, I am your husband! I am Kriggary!”

Teryn let loose a horrific scream which blasted me backwards several meters.

My ears rang as I struggled to regain my senses.

Had I been mortal, Hell had I been less than what I was now, the scream alone would have ended me.

A Banshee’s cry.

“How dare you disrespect Teryn, Queen of the Fairies, by claiming you are my dear lost husband!” Teryn’s voice hissed, “You are not even an echo of him! Vile, wrathful, prideful monster!”

I rose up, pulling a crimson feather from my wing and dashed towards Timothy/Teryn.

Fairy Queen? What fear should I have for the likes of the Fae! Mere tricksters who prey on mortal children and nightmares. Nothing more!

Teryn thinks she’s claimed some sort of throne?! I’ll show her the power of what I have claimed over the millennia.

Then I’ll reclaim her. My Teryn.

My beautiful wife.

My blade slashed at the ornate horn on Timothy’s head, striking it, but causing nothing but a high pitched ringing sound. It rang out like a bell as runes glowed all around the increasingly potent horn.

Timothy’s claw rushed towards my throat before I caught his wrist with my hand, keeping one hand on the blade, narrowing my eyes on the glowing pink eye of Teryn’s, “Queen of the Fae, quite the rise, Teryn… from the mere place of a priest’s wife,” I whispered, “My Wife.”

“You are not Kriggary!” Teryn shouted, Timothy’s voice echoing behind hers.

“Let us have this conversation in private,” I suggested pleasantly, casting my mind out into Teryn’s.

The world around me vanished and I was surrounded by rows upon rows of towering trees. Their trunks reached so high into the air that the sky was not visible.

Yet no light came from the sky.

Pastel moss and leaves glowed faintly, illuminating the landscape in a gentle glow which beguiled the danger I could sense all around me.

In the trees, I could see tiny specks of light fluttering about. Tree branches cracked and shifted, glowing eyes belonging to unseen creatures gazing down from various branches.

The trees were in nearly perfect rows, reaching out endlessly. The dark forest surrounding me in all directions, reaching out indefinitely.

Not far down one of these rows of mighty towering trees, I saw her, standing there with her beautiful wings, her emerald eyes and fiery red hair.

Teryn’s red wings were softer, the feathers lighter and translucent. Upon her head were a pair of large elkish horns.

“Ryn… You look beautiful,” I whispered to her. If I could win her over, perhaps I could regain the love I thought I had lost forever.

“You aren’t Kriggary,” Teryn spat.

“I am!” I roared, storming towards her, her mind filled with mighty violet and rose colored trees reaching high into the air.

Rose petals slowly fluttered down all around me.

I approached her slowly, my wings wilting behind me as my hand moved to my chest, “It’s me, Teryn. It’s your Riggary.”

Teryn shook her head slowly.

“Ryn…” I whispered with a soft smile.

Teryn closed her eyes, turning from me.

“What happened to you?” I asked, astonished.

Teryn scoffed, “What happened to me?!” her voice echoed through the shadowy woods.

I paused my approach, “Queen of the Fae?” I asked, “How did that come about?”

Teryn paused before glancing out of the side of her eye, “Pat.”

I waited for her to continue.

Teryn rolled her eyes, “Pat, my friend. She’s Persephone you know. Queen of the Underworld,” Teryn fixed her eyes on me, “Sellenia’s birth mother.”

“Ah,” I said softly, “That explains her whole ‘Demi-God’ thing, then. Potent mix, Cherubim and Goddess.”

Teryn shook her head at me.

“Sorry, you were talking about… Persephone?” I pried.

“I came down to the Underworld and Pat caught me. She told me I didn’t have to go anywhere if I didn’t want to. You hadn’t passed yet, so I decided to wait for you. I never submitted myself to the judgment of Uriel and Pat let me stay in the Underworld. Pat declared me ruler of all the Fae and the Fairies took me in as their Queen.”

“It’s good to have friends in powerful places, it seems,” I said, approaching her.

As I did, glowing figures descended from the tree canopy and alongside the woods.

Dryads, Fairies, small gnome-like creatures. They were human-like, but their eyes were blackened, teeth like small needles, their skin pale.

“And those who follow me, the Fae-folk,” Teryn moved her hand out, a small faire fluttering onto her elegant and extended index finger. “The kind…” she whispered sweetly to the small chittering sprite.

A snapping of twigs caught my attention as a massive creature slunk from behind a tree. Its eyes pulsing in an eerie glow of crimson, liquid like steam rising from its eyes as they fixed on me.

The creature’s body was that of a flayed horse, bits of sinew and muscle flexed in the bright light of its eyes. Where there should have been a neck, however, sprouted the torso of a flayed man. His teeth were also needle-like.

The human part appeared normal, sans the lack of skin and its hands. From the forearm onward, a pair of sharpened spear-like protrusion of bone extended almost a meter and a half each.

Saliva dripped from its maw as its gaze fixed on me.

A Knucklavee, if I recalled the folk-tales.

“…And the violent.” Teryn ended.

“I’m not a child, your nightmares pose no concern to me, Teryn,” I said softly, “Fiendish as it is.”

“Only fiendish to those not pure of heart,” Teryn stated.

“So, rather fiendish to mortals, yes?” I asked.

Teryn grew silent.

“I know your Fae only come to the pure of heart. When was the last time the Fairies fluttered freely in the mortal realm among the pure?” I motioned to the monstrosity looming to my left, “and when was the last time the Knucklavee reaped impure souls?”

Teryn faced me, her arms crossed, “You’re one to talk. You’re the most impure thing here.”

“They did this to me,” I growled, “I was a priest, remember?”

“Yes,” Teryn snapped, “I remember. A priest who wouldn’t have harmed a soul! Now look at you, killing and maiming, with more blood on your hands than anyone!”

“Don’t talk down to me about body count!” I roared, pointing to the Knucklavee, “How many nightmares have you unleashed on the mortal world? How many Fae have stolen infants and terrorized humanity? Do not think I’m ignorant of the Wild Hunts, Teryn! They are no kinder than me!”

“No Fae has ever erased an entire world from existence!” Teryn roared back at me, the trees glowing with pink energy.

Every Fae around me grew in strength as Teryn’s anger rose.

“My Fae have lashed out against prideful humans, sure,” Teryn explained, “But none that passed Uriel’s judgment,” she shook her head, “None who have slain billions. With a B!”

I furrowed my brow, trying another approach. “My dear, this isn’t necessary.” I looked around at the radiating trees pulsing with Teryn’s aura, “Is this your Underworld?”

“Pat’s Underworld,” Teryn corrected.

“It’s beautiful,” I smiled warmly at her, approaching her as I held out my hand, “My Teryn… Please, do not fight me. I will leave your Underworld be. I’ve no quarrel with you, the Fae or anyone.”

Teryn’s arms uncrossed, “I’m not selfish like you, Xyphiel.”

“Kriggary,” I whispered.

“No,” Teryn snapped, “You’re not him.”

“I am!” I shouted, “Why do you and Sellenia not see it?! Is it out of convenience?!”

“It’s out of heartbreak!” Teryn shouted, tears leaking from her eyes, “Because if you are Kriggary, truly and completely…” Teryn trailed off, shaking her head, “Then that means…”

I approached Teryn, the Knucklevee standing back, but still I kept the beast in the corner of my eye. I hugged her and she hugged back. “Ryn…”

“It means you’ve fallen,” Teryn looked up to me, tears in her eyes, “Completely.”

I dried her eyes, “They took everything from me. Yet, when I came to Them, and put myself at Their mercy, They gave me none,” I hissed, “Was it worth it?! For Them to shun me? I shall destroy everything They sought to create and I will rebuild it better than They could have ever dreamed!” I pulled back slightly, “They took from you too. Your life? Your world? Our son?”

Teryn’s face hardened, “They didn’t take our son.”

“Yes, They did. Robbed him of a life twice over. First taking his parents, then us. Him, dying on a failed escape pod, alone…” My hand shook, “He didn’t deserve that.”

“He died at the age of one hundred and forty seven,” Teryn said firmly.

I paused, “What?”

“He died, with four children at his bedside, in a world you had a destiny to save, but didn’t,” Teryn hissed. “Because while he was living a beautiful life, you were out there, killing, raping and warmongering!”

I let go of Teryn, my eyes wide, “…But… that’s not-”

“The survivors of Nite and Dei? They lived and they loved and their story continued on!” Teryn shook her head, “But you, too full of hate and anger, you were too busy burning everything down! Throwing a damn tantrum!”

I clenched my fist, “Enough.”

“You could have been there, Kriggary!” Teryn roared, the pink energy pulsing around her, “But you just had to…” Teryn paused, taking a slow and deep breath. The pink lightning died down slightly and she offered me her hand, “…Come with me. Stay with me, in the Underworld. You can be king of the Fae, alongside me. We can live, be happy and maybe… maybe somehow…” Teryn smiled warmly to me, “Maybe… I will find my Kriggary again, somewhere in you.”

My lip moved up into a sneer, “You want me to just give up? After all I’ve sacrificed?”

Teryn’s hand dropped, her smile remained, “Yes. After all you have done, give it all up and come to me. Come home.”

I thrust my hands out, sending a wave of energy to Teryn.

She tried to play my own game back at me, as if I were to be taken for a fool!

How dare she!

Teryn’s hand rose up and the energy wave was halted.

I jumped back as the Knucalvee roared, its spear barely missing me as it sunk into the mossy earth below me.

“So much anger and rage,” Teryn shook her head, “I guess that’s it then. You have to lose even more before I can get my husband back.” Teryn cast her hand out, flecks of gold whipping out before her.

Once it hit before me, it ignited in pink flames.

“I suppose my only choice is to get rid of you,” Teryn said succinctly, “So that maybe I can keep a tiny part of you in the hopes it grows into my sweet Kriggary again,” she sighed, “Maybe I can stop you, before you end up killing yet another one of your children.”

I slashed at the Knucalvee’s spear-like arm, slicing it off at the forearm.

It reared back in pain for a moment before the spear regrew.

Right. I was in Teryn’s mind and she was clearly far more powerful than I anticipated.

I had to escape.

“Leaving so soon?” Teryn taunted, “But you just got here. Come on, stay a while, make yourself comfortable.”

A trio of fairies fluttered over my head, gold dust sifting down around me.

I rolled out from under it and let out a massive burst of dark energy.

With that, it was just enough to distract Teryn and allow my escape.

I rolled back, now out of her mind and in the real world. The Puriel Blade had dropped to the ground.

I dove to it, rolling and grasping it firmly in my hand.

I jumped from the ground, moving to impale Timothy, and Teryn, from behind.

I felt a force pull me back, runes shaking in the air all around me.

“Dishonorable bastard,” Timothy and Teryn’s voices hissed as I felt myself flung backwards.

I slammed into the wall, grunting in frustration.

Those runes weren’t just controlled by Teryn. Synchronous was doing the heavy lifting.

Somehow she went too far and reached out to Teryn.

I considered my options, when out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Arioch.

I swung the Puriel blade in a wide arc at Timothy, forcing them to shield themselves and dashed to Arioch.

Arioch knelt before me as I grew near, “Lord Xyphiel, my Mistress Bella was felled… but Zepherina remains utterly defeated.”

“I’m well aware Zepherina is not dead, you fool! How dare you claim that she is defeated, that damned science experiment has already absconded with the corpse of my sister,” I spat as I saw Arioch lifting up Bella’s essence in his hand.

A small gem, the size of a large egg, pulsing with radiant green energy.

“Please, Lord Xyphiel, restore her. My lady shall be a grand asset in this fight,” Arioch said as he offered Bella to me.

I took hold of her, letting another swing of the Puriel blade loose on Timothy and Teryn. I grinned, “Indeed, she will be. Just not as you would like to believe.”

I opened the seal in my palm, pulling Bella’s essence in, her power along with it.

“Xyphiel, you traitorous bastard!” Bella’s voice roared in my ears.

“You’ll have pleasant company, my dear Bella. Besides, consider yourself in the safest place during the end of all things,” I assured her as I felt the essence of wrath fill me.

I clenched my fist, green energy surrounding my gauntlet as crimson bolts arced across my fingers.

I took a deep breath, feeling my anger redouble and multiply.

My own wife turned against me, my sister, my children, who else could the Guardians choose? I saw Timothy rush out of the dust and debris, runes shimmering on his body as he dashed towards me.

I grabbed his throat with my gauntlet clad hand, grinning wickedly to him, “I’ll make it quick, Boy.”

I tried to pull him into the seal, but runes radiated around my hand, protecting his essence.

“Fine,” I snapped, “Then, I’ll do it slowly!” I smashed him down into the ground. Then lifted him up, placing my knee on the ground, ready to break his skull apart.

If I aimed to strike where Synchronous was, I may knock Teryn out of him completely.

Before I could, however, my gauntlet cracked and Timothy leaped away.

I glanced at my hand or what was left of it.

The runes had sliced my hand off, right at the wrist.

Timothy pried my dismembered hand off his throat, showing me the seal on it, “Now, lets see you hold the power of others without this!”

I chuckled, lifting up my stump, my hand reforming.

Timothy’s eyes widened as the hand he was holding within the gauntlet vanished.

“Boy… I am Cherubim now,” I chuckled as I flexed my fingers, the crimson seal glowing on the palm of my reformed hand, “You’re going to need to transubstantiate me before you can do anything else of merit.”

I cracked the knuckles of my reformed hand, grinning to Timothy.

Timothy took a fighting stance and more advanced runes floated around him. The horn on his right side grew larger, even more disproportionate to the other on his head, as some scales around his eye grew pink.

“Now, enough playing around with you,” I drew the Puriel blade, “I’m over humoring my ex-wife,” I taunted, “Let’s send her back to where she belongs, and you, Timothy, can join her.”

…

Zepherina

Mana out, Mana in, Mana out, Mana in…

Ascended forms are a bitch. The form I managed to achieve above that? Extra bitchy. Somehow it was even more taxing when it took damage.

Bella did a number on me, way worse than Eva managed, that was for sure.

I literally had to reform my entire physical body, and to say it was painful would be an understatement.

I could feel every restored cell in my body screaming in confusion and agony.

My wings spread out, I managed to finally push the last bit of oversaturated mana out through pretty much every single pore of my body.

Which, sadly meant I was vomiting Mana for a good ten minutes.

I got to my feet, shaking as my muscles got used to being muscles again. I glanced up at the hole in the ceiling.

“Enough downtime, I got to go,” I only hoped Vael was able to do some good while Bella wasted my time.

I rocketed out of the hole and scanned the area for Mom and the others.

My eyes went wide as I saw Xyphiel holding my mom by her throat, her wings cut off.

I clenched my fist and ascended, flying as fast as I could towards Xyphiel.

I cocked my arm back, and the absolute second I spotted my opening, I slammed my right fist hard into his chin.

The most satisfying point of my life was this moment: laying Xyphiel out on the fucking dirt with one punch! Man, it was awesome!

My arm, however, from fist to shoulder, felt like I had sent a lightning bolt through it. But, it was worth it.

I turned to mom, my eyes wide as I saw blood seeping from her mouth.

“Mom!? No! Mom! I’ll save you! Oh shit, I took too long to recover! No, I won’t let it happen, I’ve got you!” I shouted, scooping her up gently, “Mom, can you hear me?!” I tried to speak to her mind.

“Zepherina? It’s so dark,” Her voice called out.

Her eyes were open, but she couldn’t see.

That was bad.

Xyphiel was already recovering from my punch and I glared at him, “If she dies, I’m going to come back and end you.”

I took to the air immediately, knowing I had to get far enough from the corrupted capitol to open up the Guardian Temple doors.

I kept flying, knowing Xyphiel was likely going to try to stop me. I just had to get far enough away to open the gateway to The Guardian Temple.

“Zepherina…?” Mom’s voice called out.

“I’m going to save you, I promise-” I tried to reassure.

Mom’s voice cut me off, “I’m not worth it. Save yourself. Save them. Lead them, please. You must.”

“Not my destiny,” I confessed, “I won’t lose you too!”

“I’m… Proud of you, Zeph…” Mom’s voice seemed to fade out.

“Mom?!” I looked down, her face was still. Mom never used my nickname.

I looked forward, seeing a door appear in the air.

I pushed through it, closing my wings and coming to a stop in the Temple foyer.

Every step felt like pins and needles as I rushed through the foyer, past the massive angel statues and down the steps.

I sprinted past the expanse as fast as I could, making a break towards the fountain.

My heart hammered in my chest as I rushed down the steps, stumbling and barely able to even feel my feet as I rushed towards the Fountain.

Once I got there, I didn’t hesitate.

I jumped in, carrying mom, and submerged both of us in the waters.

Nails screeching on a million chalkboards rang through my ears as the Sanctified Mana purged through my mind, body and soul all at once.

In what felt like an instant and a lifetime, I whipped my head up over the surface, gasping for air.

My heart slowed and I felt a calmness settle over me.

I shook my head, climbing out of the fountain, catching my breath.

I looked at my hands. Empty.

What was I carrying?

Mom!

I turned around and looked into the basin of the fountain.

She floated there, motionless. Her blood seeped into the waters of the fountain.

The blood seeped from her body slowly, without any other movement.

I swallowed hard.

That meant her heart had stopped.

I pulled her out, ripped her chest piece off and started to give her chest compressions, “No!” I screamed, “You’re not leaving me alone! You still have to train me! We still have to defeat Xyphiel!” I screamed as I tilted her head back and tried to blow air into her lungs.

I was met with a mouthful of blood.

I gasped and then spat it out. The overwhelming coppery taste in my mouth was dizzying, but I kept trying.

I was pushing hard on her chest, hoping to get her heart going again. Even as no breath came from her. Just the sounds of my own ragged breathing and heartbeat.

I went to breathe into her mouth once more, only to be met with another mouthful of blood. I spat it out faster and went back to trying to get breath into her.

I was certain I heard a rib crack.

That was fine. Ribs healed. Hearts didn’t.

I had to bring her back.

I couldn’t let her die.

Even as she grew paler. As the blood pooled around my knees, I kept pushing.

My mother is the Empress of Penthesil. The Ragnarök, The Daughter of Lucifer! She would survive and we would take vengeance against Xyphiel for daring to wound us! I would not let her die like this!

“Zepherina,” I heard a soft male voice call out to me from the stairs, “Stop.”

I turned to the voice, spotting Jorge, “Jorge, good! Help me! I need a towel or medicine! Call Irfan, maybe he has a potion…” I trailed off as Jorge’s face met mine with empathy and kindness.

Jorge stood at the steps, now cleaned up from the battle. His salt and pepper hair was clean cut, wearing his suit and a bolo tie with a small bronze cross on it.

Next to him was Rosalie, holding little Lucilla.

“Zepherina,” Jorge said as he approached me, his hand moving to my shoulder, “She’s gone.”

Jorge’s hand brought my heart to a momentary stillness. I looked down on Mom, blood trickled from her mouth and nose.

I had never seen my Mom, so sickly, weak and broken.

Her wings were cut, her flesh pale, her once mighty form withered and drained of its strength. She hardly looked like herself.

Death seemed to change the shape of people when it came for them.

My mother Rachel and now my mom, Ragna.

If it weren’t for the gentle, yet firm hand, on my shoulder, I would have collapsed. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I tried to come to terms with reality.

Rosalie’s sweet flower framed face, long pinkish petals which appeared as hair looked shyly to my mom and glanced up to Jorge, “Mr. Chavez, why is that lady sleeping on the floor?”

Jorge’s hand rested on Rosalie’s smooth green skinned shoulder, “Little one, take the baby to her big sister, so they can say farewell.”

Rosalie frowned, “Is she leaving?”

“Yes, Little one,” Jorge explained softly, “go now.”

Rosalie padded over to me, handing Lucilla to me gently.

Lucilla cooed as I took her from Rosalie’s green hands, making sure to avoid the thorny points on the back of Rosalie’s fingers and forearms.

I furrowed my brow, looking between Lucilla and mom’s still form, “S-Sorry Lu. I… I did everything I could. It wasn’t enough.”

“You still have more to do and to offer them,” Jorge said as he knelt by me, “Angels don’t have any will to give up,” Jorge said with a warm smile, “Even ones who might have been outside of God’s original plan.”

I sniffled, cradling Lucilla, “What is God’s plan?” I looked up to Jorge, “It just seems he wants us to suffer.”

Jorge nodded, “It would seem that way to someone who doesn’t understand the difference between the will of God and the will of man,” Jorge explained.

I looked at him curiously as he made the symbol of the cross over Ragna’s body.

“The will of God is that all men follow His laws. Follow His teachings. To make the world He left them a good and prosperous place. But man has free will,” Jorge turned to me, a calmness in His mesmerizing eyes, “That will let them choose. God’s will or Man’s.”

I felt a slight chill run down my spine and through my feathers. I had never seen Jorge like this before. The simple man who helped Timothy run the Guardian Temple. Yet in this moment, I clung to every word he spoke.

“Man chooses wealth over faith. Violence over harmony. War over peace,” Jorge whispered, “And then people blame God for the turmoil they must face.” Jorge shook his head, “God cannot change man. He cannot change what He has already created,” Jorge sighed, pulling a small vial from his coat pocket, “He can only guide them and hope that they heed His direction.” Jorge smiled at me, holding up the vial of dark red fluid. “But even then, men try to knock down doors God has given them the key to. Men shield their eyes from the guiding light, fearful it would blind them. Never shy away from the light of God, it is there to guide you.”

I frowned, unsure where all this was coming from. “Jorge… I don’t know how-”

“Your Mom, Ragna, she has a final journey to take. You brought her here. That was what you had to do,” Jorge placed the vial in my hand, his other hand holding Lucilla firmly in my arms, “Because it brought you here. It brought Ragna here to be collected.”

“Collected?” I frowned.

I turned to Lucilla, who was looking up and to my right for some reason.

As I turned to look at what had caught Lucilla’s attention. I noticed where mom’s body was. Now, nothing but her armor lay on the floor.

I looked up further, spotting a massive scythe floating above me.

There, clad in dark robes and holding my mother’s body, barely clothed in her undergarments, was Elon.

Elon’s golden eyes looked down on me silently, as he bowed his head to me, “I’m sorry for your loss. But, Ragna is needed on the other side.”

I watched, shocked, as behind Elon, a massive black Seraphim appeared.

It had three massive heads, four arms and looked down at Elon with one of its many faces.

“Time to leave, my sweet,” I heard the voices of Gabriel whisper.

Elon, the massive vision of Gabriel and my mother’s body vanished, Elon’s voice echoing, “I’ll see you again soon, Zeph. But, I come not for you, yet.”

I swallowed hard, as Lucilla cooed and whispered, “Bye Momma.”

Tears ran down my cheeks as I hugged Lucilla tight to me. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry you can’t see her.”

Jorge’s hand squeezed tightly on my shoulder, “I’d not ask this of anyone else but you, Zepherina.”

I cleared my eyes, and turned to him.

“Give that vial to Xei and Tasha. No matter what condition you find them in, understand?” Jorge requested.

“What do you mean, ‘No matter what condition’?” I asked.

Jorge’s brow furrowed, “Sacrifices need to be made. This time, I cannot be the lamb,” He looked to the vial in my hand as he gently took Lucilla back in his arms, “Tell Tasha that is the blood of the covenant, poured out for many,” he smiled, “She’ll know what to do from there.”

I looked at the vial curiously, turning it in my hand, “This is blood.”

Jorge nodded.

I frowned at Jorge, “Who’s blood is this, exactly?” I asked curiously

Jorge smiled warmly, chuckling as he turned to walk away, Rosalie following in tow.

“I wanna hold the baby again Uncle Jorge!” Rosalie complained.

“Jorge,” I called out, “Who’s blood is this?!” I demanded.

Jorge was half-way up the stairs, “It’s Mine,” He said simply, “It’s always been Mine. Give it to Lady Tasha and she shall make the sacrifice this time.”

I blinked, confused.

Jorge whispered, “The Sundered Child is coming.”