Iris opened up her new blue eyes slowly like a newborn. Mephiles released her body and smiled. Iris parted her lips and spoke gently.
"Let's go back home."
"Sounds good. My patience has about run out with these fools." Mephiles remarked as he wove his arm through hers.
After Mephiles let Void out, they walked to a window overlooking the prison yard.
"This place could use some color. Couple nice crystal vases, clean crisp tablecloths... they could have done better." Iris remarked and shook her head. "I could have helped them make this a first rate prison."
Mephiles muzzle came up into a smile. "I don't think making this place beautiful was top priority. Of course, their security was flawed to a fault so they didn't concentrate on that."
"I'm glad you remembered me Mephiles." Void said as Mephiles laid a hand on his shoulder.
"We have some things in common, you and I. I've also known you in alternate dimensions as well. I'm happy to have you on my side, Void."
The demons and half-god wondered if one last spaceship, or pod was left for them. They ran into the Destructix at the docks just as they ejected a pod.
"The last pod was waiting for us. Ladies first." Mephiles said as he opened the latched door.
"I love you." Iris spoke sofltly into his ear, just audible enough for him alone to hear. Her muzzle lightly touched his cheek as she kissed him.
Mephiles grabbed her hand led her up the metal step. Void was touched by this. In a way, Mephiles seemed less brooding and cynical now. He seemed very calm and gentle towards this female. He was a bit envious truthfully. She possessed an eerie sense of beauty that fit Mephiles almost godlike profile perfectly. He could only imagine what her own body looked like. Perhaps a bit risqué. No. He banished that thought as soon as it came to him.
Mephiles shot him a sly, devilish look back.
"You were thinking aloud. You didn't quite change your mind fast enough."
Void mumbled something incoherent and sat inside the small pod. Iris chuckled beside him.
"I was born in the Victorian era. The only thing considered risqué in those days was flashing your ankle. You're not missing much."
Void slunk down into his seat and tried not to think of anything while in their presence. The pod was ejected and sent into space.
(Back to the present.)
Iris looked at the table and saw her reflection in its gleam. Whoever stitched up her abdomen had put some meticulous care into their work.
Her follower lowered his head as he continued explaining the story.
"A few years passed by as you and your husband lived in seclusion. Once they had found you, you both tried to protect each other. There were too many Arisen around. They ran you through with a reproduction of the Blade of Souls, putting your spirit into a coma-like state. I happened to be around and carried you to safety while they were distracted. You were unconscious for five years. Mephiles was not so fortunate. They... obliterated his soul with the Blade of Chaos. The original blade."
"Obliterated? No-o... that's not right. Our souls carry onwards into eternity. He must be sealed up somewhere." Iris said.
No they were not like the disposable mortals. Their souls could never be gotten rid of. It wasn't how the cycle worked.
"He is gone. You cannot feel his aura anywhere anymore. You cannot search for him in his dreams. He has been erased."
Iris looked far into space and a look of sorrow crossed her face. She had never felt loss before and wondered how she should feel. It was like a wasp had stung her in her unbeating heart. She remembered him last telling her how much he wanted her close to him.
How he used his darkness and creatures to try and push them away.
How hard he had kissed her lips before being run through and slaughtered.
She held her hands closed together and sighed. Her wings fell down against her back and her crystal body dulled. How did one want this 'loss' to stop? It was all so... foreign.
Her hot, black tears rolled down her cheeks. A fit of unbridled, primal anger set in. Her silvery aura swelled to violent, catastrophic heights.
"They only think they're safe in their holy city. Protected from the poisons of existence, comfy in a plush afterlife...It sickens me so..."
The cultist felt compelled to run away at this point. But he was so petrified of what she would do if he ran... he might become prey here if he didn't tread lightly.
"I will find a way to obliterate every single one of them! Their souls will NEVER know eternal bliss!"
Eggman's machines started to malfunction and short circuit. Metal Sonic was the one robot to withstand this burst of power and just barely. Eggman ducked for cover as Iris' worshipper took tiny steps forward. The spacecraft trembled as the welded seams started to rip apart. Bolts were torn from shelving and flew across the room like missiles, just missing some toxic vials.
"There is a way to bring him back! There is a way to give one of his multiple selves hope!" The cultist screamed in desperation.
"If this keeps up we will all implode in space!" Eggman said frantically, dodging some falling glass.
Iris, with her back still turned away from them, lifted up her follower by demonic force and yanked him close.
"You said he was obliterated. How can I save him if not even his soul remains?!"
"Eggman has a time travel portal that can send you back to when he existed! Bring him to the present and he will still live!"
Iris quieted her mind and spirit. Her aura was changing back to normal and she was thinking more clearly.
"Does it work?"
"Yes! It's fully functional and you can use it at your disposal. Just don't kill us all!" Eggman said as Metal Sonic crouched beside the disheveled doctor.
Iris clutched a small fragment of one of Mephiles' blue crystals. It was the very first gift given to her by him.
"Honestly, any other day I wouldn't care if I killed you all. You're lucky I need someone to keep the portal in operation on this end. Lead me to it...Now."
