Lomadia rushed towards Xephos and knelt down beside him, cupping his head in her hands gently. "Oh, Xephos. Please…please…try to understand that even if you think what we did is wrong…we only did it because it was what we thought would give you the best possible life."
"What…kind…of…life…" Xephos sniffed, his voice clogged with tears. "…is…this…shitty…lie…?"
"Lying isn't always bad."
"But…you…promised…me…that…I…wasn't…like…them…" Xephos reminded Ridge, shooting a glance in his direction. "You…said…I…wasn't…a…monster."
"Neither you or I are like our brothers or sisters, or any other demon for that matter, Xephos. Our mother saw good in us…good in you…which she clung onto desperately. She planned all of this…me coming here and meeting everyone…and you coming here and finding friendship in all of us…and not remembering anything…it was all to protect you. She dedicated her entire existence to keeping you safe. And even if you can't remember her, I know her…and I know she wouldn't do that for a monster."
Xephos could only manage a small sniff, clearly not convinced of anything anymore.
Lomadia put her arm around his crumpled form. "You're okay, Xephos. You're a good guy."
"Are you kidding me?" Rythian spat. He pointed his katana threateningly, first at Ridge, then at Xephos. "Your kind slaughtered my entire village – you took away my family; everything that was important to me! And you're all willing to just…let that go?"
"Zelela lived a life more desperate than anything this world has ever seen. She did a terrible thing to you, Rythian, but she was a victim too."
"That…fucking bitch…was a victim?!" Rythian's eyes flared purple. "No. I'm not letting another demonspawn get away!" He made a move towards Xephos, but Lomadia stood and blocked his path.
"Step aside, Lomadia." Rythian snarled.
"Fuck off, Rythian." Lomadia said, folding her arms and sounding a lot braver than she felt.
"So I'm the fucking bad guy now?"
"I know you're pissed right now, and you have a good reason to be, but Xephos didn't do anything to you. He's been nothing but friendly."
"But…"
"Please, Rythian." A new voice said. It was Zoeya, stepping out, emerging from the crowd. "Stop this. Just stop." She said, completely serious, gazing at Rythian through concerned green eyes.
For a moment, the mage's eyes dulled, and both Lomadia and Ridge felt a surge of hope, like this could all fade away into the past, like Xephos could live untroubled as they both so dearly desired.
If only reality were as kind.
The mages's eyes flared purple once again. Ridge was behind him instantly, snatching his katana away and pinning his arms behind his back as the mage struggled violently for freedom.
"You see what he's doing?" he spat. "Hiding in the shell of the innocent, and manipulating emotions to drive people away who might jeopardize their twisted, warped little reality. All demons are the same. Tormenting people, despising everything, twisting the truth. Just like your fucking father...I remember that night." He said, his voice turning hard and cold to disguise the fact he felt like collapsing in a fit of tears every time he thought of that night in any detail. "People screaming all around me – my friends and home all going up in smoke; cold frost overtaking everything. My mother just gets…stabbed…slaughtered…right in front of me…and she's there…that monster…just laughing her head off…and she says I have time…but then she just rips into my skin. Tears off half my face." He glanced at them knowingly. They all knew he referred to the half of his face that was concealed beneath his mask, and those that knew the damage a demon could do knew that it was hidden for a good reason.
"And I'm just supposed to forget all of that?" He continued, his eyes darting between Ridge and Xephos. "I promised Mother I'd avenge her – create a safer, happier, warmer world for everyone I love…not one that demons burn and destroy and corrupt…but everyone I love now…they're turning into the monsters. Because they think that creature is capable of friendship or love."
Xephos trembled. Lomadia looked down at him. His face was hidden, brown hair flopping over his eyes, gazing down at the wet grass on which he sat, knees to his chest. "I'm…I'm…not…like that!" He said, rocking backwards and forwards. "I'm not…I'm not…I'm not…" He felt, with every uttering of the phrase, a horrible hot sensation in him, building and burning up, making his head throb with pain. He clutched it, clamping his eyes shut and covering his ears, still muttering to himself, hoping to blot out everything happening around him, like it really was just a giant lie; a dream which couldn't hurt him. "I'm fine…I'm fine…I'm fine…" he repeated, feeling his blood boiling like oil as his mind objected to what he was blurting out. "I'm…" He suddenly fell silent.
Lomadia nudged him softly. "Xephos?"
"I…" his eyes widened in fright.
"What's wrong?" she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.
"I…I…I…remember."
Lomadia froze.
"I…remember it all…now." Xephos raised his voice, speaking more clearly to the half-distracted group.
Everyone stopped moving. Even the wind stopped blowing, and the leaves stopped rustling. The night was still around them. All was silent.
Except Xephos.
The spaceman let out a half-strangled screech, clutching his head as it burned in agony; all his memories of who and what he was flooding back fast and hard. He cried in pain as he completely collapsed to the ground, writhing and shrieking in the grass, on his knees and elbows. No one dared to move as they watched his terrified eyes bulge and burst into a piercing bright blue colour, so much so it cast a pale blue light around the area. Xephos screamed in pain as his skin began to tear and reform – his fingers and toes stretching into claws, a long black tail bursting out from his back, a pair of horns sprouting out from the top of his head, and his teeth, like milky shards of glass, slicing through his gums to form a terrible toothy snarl of a mouth.
"No..." Ridge whispered, rooted to the spot, all colour draining from his face, as Xephos' horns and the end of his tail ignited and burnt bright with hellfire. He did not seem to comprehend anything around him – he only stared up at the stars - his supposed home - breathing heavily, his bright blue eyes illuminating the dark surroundings brighter than any torch.
He fell, and so shall we fall.